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Dish Bistro Opens in Old Pasadena

Sonoma-style slow food stylings in a comfortable atmosphere

By JAMES MACPHERSON
Published: Wednesday, February 3, 2010 | 12:04 PM

First, we’ll answer the obvious: Dish Bistro & Bar on Union Street in Old Pasadena has no connection at all with La Cañada’s DISH Restaurant.

A step inside and glance at the menu says the same thing.

Entrepreneur David Johnson is opening his “California cool” restaurant with a Northern California culinary team intent on bringing their vision of NorCal taste to SoCal.

The trio — Executive Chef Job Carder, GM Andi Miller and mixologist Matt Bergstrom — last worked at Manzanita in Healdsburg, which is where Johnson first experienced Chef Job’s work. Johnson ate there while visting Berkstrom, his nephew. When Manzanita closed, Johnson transplanted the team in Pasadena to work their magic here.

Executive Chef Job Carder has crafted a menu he says emphasizes a vast bounty of artisanal Californian ingredients, particularly from Sonoma County (where the South Pasadena-bred  Carder last resided).

“I like to focus on organics,” Chef Job told us this week. “So, 90 percent of my products are organics or made in-house products.  I’m a real big fan of Slow Food and the Slow Food movement.  So, we make everything in-house.  We make our own pastas.  I make my own bacon, my own pancetta, my own prosciutto.  Everyone of our pastas is made in-house fresh daily and we bake all our own breads and everything. So, everything literally is done in-house.”

The line-up?

A menu divided smaller and larger plates, priced from $7-30, with ample opportunity for guests to order several dishes and share.  Featured small plates include the House-made Charcuterie Plate, Asparagus “Fries,” and Mini Boo Ya — a small and hearty bowl of California-style Bouillabaisse. Large plates include the Bodega Bay Petrale Sole Fillet, Sonoma Direct Lamb Ragout with house-made pappardelle pasta, and Grilled Portuguese-style Hanger Steak.

General Manager Andi Miller was proud but a bit secretive about the newly signed pastry chef (”she was the former pastry chef at the W in Westwood”) but did let slip the menu will feature “our own version of a key lime pie. But she does it with grapefruit. So, it’s like a grapefruit tart with a pistachio crust.”

The atmosphere was created by Johnson, who staged the restaurant to be cool and comfortable — the kind of place Frank Sinatra could stroll into and feel right at home, he says.

“I told (Chef) Job, with his food and my personality we’re going to do great!” Johnson laughs.

Dish Bistro & Bar is scheduled to open Friday, February 5. It is located 53 East Union Street (between Raymond and Fair Oaks Avenues). Call (626) 795-5546 for res

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