Celebrity Chef Jason Fullilove’s Barbara Jean LA

(EXPERIENCE MAGAZINE) — Culver City, CA — Thursday, July 5th, 2018 —Celebrity Chef Jason Fullilove has a pop up in Culver City that you must hear about! Chef Jason, originally from Cleveland and South Africa is one of the hottest up and coming celebrity chefs. He’s a regular at the world famous LA Food and Wine Festival and also appears in the LA Times, LA Magazine and many more. Check out saltedTV.com to see more of Chef Jason Fullilove. The Experience Magazine got a chance to stop by Barbara Jean LA which is located on Sepulveda and Washington in Culver City.

There’s nothing like a cold beer and some tasty soul food!
Chef Jason Fullilove (L) with Publisher of the Experience Magazine Erwin Glaub (R). Photo by Dustin Brown

When we stopped by Barbara Jean it was actually the perfect time. The weather was so nice and the door was open. We sat at a rustic table and ordered a cold Stella Artois beer. Chef Jason took a minute to say hi and then our server began serving a tasting menu. Chef Jason creates gourmet soul food. It’s easy to see why everyone is talking about Barbara Jean LA. The Brussels Sprouts were roasted perfectly. It’s hard to get brussels sprouts roasted without burning them. Chef Jason must have it timed perfectly. They were crispy, delicious and just a hint of lemon. These were some of the best Brussels Sprouts I’ve ever had. We also tried a hand made biscuit with a dab of honey to dip it into.  The biscuit was light and flakey. I dipped it into all of the sauces that Chef Jason created for us.

Gourmet Deviled Eggs! I love them!!!

Next up was the gourmet Deviled Eggs. Yuzukoshō (柚子胡椒) is a Japanese seasoning made with yuzu. Yuzu is an asian citrus fruit that’s like a grapefruit. Yuzukoshō blends this yuzu with garlic and a touch of salt. Personally, I love the gourmet deviled eggs thing that’s going on. These Deviled Eggs were tasty. Chef Jason Fullilove even cut the white part a bit so I could eat even more of them.

Expertly made Brussels Sprouts at Barabara Jean LA in Culver City

I love soul food. I could enjoy every item on this entire menu. One of the things that I love about soul food are Greens. You can always judge a soul food place based on the greens. Moms make greens, I make greens, everyone should eat greens. Chef Jason makes incredible greens. He uses collards and kale with just a touch of spicy. I could eat these greens often. I was blown away by how good these tasted. I wanted to take a tray home with me. The flavor was perfectly balanced. I’m so glad Barbara Jean is in Culver City. This restaurant is exactly the kind of place this neighborhood needs. If you’re ever traveling on the 405 Freeway and you’re near the 405 and Washington exit, you should stop by. This is the kind of upper level foodie experience that you’re looking for. The staff is cool, the food is locally sourced by sustainable means and food is delicious.

The Curried Chicken. It was off the menu. It really showed off Chef Jason’s ability to blend textures and spices. This is epicurean eating

The surprise of the evening was the Curried Chicken. I love curry. I love Japanese curry, Indian curry and now, I love Barbara Jean’s Curried Chicken. The spices on the Curried Chicken are southern American. I think I could tasty a hint of paprika. The chicken itself was cooked perfectly. I didn’t know that Curried Chicken was a soul food thing. Now, I’ll look for it.

Shrimp and Grits. Oh so tasty!

When the Shrimp and Grits came out, I knew I was in the right place. Grits come from the Muskogee Indians. They would prepare their corn, which is similar to hominy, by boiling it. The Muskogee Indians lived in the southern United States. Alabama, southern Georgia and Florida. Places where shrimp are common. So shrimp and grits go together naturally. I felt so lucky to try Shrimp and Grits that Chef Jason had prepared. I devoured it all.

Mary’s Free Range Chicken with Braised Greens. Photo by Dustin Brown

The Roasted Chicken came out and the presentation was just incredible. So much flavor. This is Mary’s Free Range Chicken with a bit of braised greens, a shredded yam yatke (which is a delicious pancake made of yam) and maple mustard. The flavors, the freshness, everything came together on this dish.

Ōra King Salmon ~ crab hash, squid ink emulsion, piquillo pepper coulis

We also got to try an Ōra King Salmon that was out of this world. This wild caught salmon comes from the finest breed of Salmon in the world. Sustainably farmed in New Zealand, the high oil content of the Ōra King Salmon gives its marbled look and delicious taste.

The dining area has lots of room and is great for dining

Chef Jason Fullilove has been a regular on the Los Angeles dining scene for some time. He started a dinner series called RED at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) that propelled him onto the national level. At RED he created tasting menus and course meals that were inspired by art.

Hummingbird Cake

I wanted to keep eating but I had gotten so full by the end of our meal. This food is so much fun. Fun to look at, fun to eat and really, just a great experience. For dessert, we tried the Hummingbird cake.

The Experience Magazine highly recommends Barbara Jean LA
The Peach Crumble melted in my mouth

This features pineapple, banana and spice. We also tired the Peach Crumble. Both desserts were just so tasty. This was such an amazing night of gourmet soul food. I can’t wait to go back. The Experience Magazine highly recommends contacting Barbara Jean LA for dining and catering. Thanks to the Barbara Jean LA TEAM for a truly special experience.

 

About Dustin Brown

Dustin Brown is a writer and editor for the Experience at EEWorldNews.com.

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