CleverRoot

w i n t e r 2 0 1 8 | 3 7 Back in the States, Chef Crannell took a job in Los Angeles under Austrian-born chef Joachim Splichal at the original Patina and later manned stoves in several of the Patina Group's kitchens in Southern California and Napa Valley. He served as Chef de Cuisine at Michael Cimarusti's Water Grill in its original Downtown Los Angeles location, and Italian favorite La Botte in Santa Monica earned a Michelin star with Chef Crannell at the helm. It was at La Botte that Chef Crannell got his "moody" nickname. "Col- lin was 'in the zone' in the kitchen once when one of the waiters asked him a question," Vicki explains. "He didn't respond and the Italian waiter walked away, shaking his head: 'Moody, moody!'" The sobriquet seemed fitting to incorporate into the Moody Rooster moniker, as "the menu changes all the time," Vicki says. She describes the classy yet homey 34-seat space as "a DIY project—a labor of love." Three months of construction were directed by Chef Cran- nell's mother and aided by Vicki's father, who hired the contractors. The distressed white wainscoting was left over from Chef Crannell's mom's home renovation project ("She had exactly enough left to finish the restaurant" says Vicki). "We wanted to have a 'buy local,' everything-from- scratch kind of place, as if guests are coming into our house," explains Chef Crannell, adding that shopping for the inexpensive yet charming tableware served as one of the highlights of the pre-opening phase. Inside Moody Rooster, a blackboard over the counter lists local farms and purveyors the chef sources from in his never-ending quest for the freshest ingredients. It also indicates to guests which produce has arrived recently, and "they're encouraged to look for those items on the daily menu," explains Chef Crannell. Of special note on a recent visit was Spanish octopus, which the chef sautéed with shishito peppers and chickpeas in a yellow tomato purée. Chef Crannell mans the ranges himself, except for some help on busier weekend nights. Points of pride for Chef Crannell include the restaurant's "Doughra," the couple's name for their sourdough bread. It's used for dishes in the "On Toast" section of the menu, including a spicy yellowfin tuna with smoked chili and pickled cucumbers and onions surrounded by a ring of cilan- tro aioli. And despite the chef's forays into gamier viands, such as the venison short ribs on the winter menu, Moody Rooster also caters to vegetarians and vegans with options like turmeric-cumin harissa carrots served with almonds and hummus. Crispy russet potato–based gnocchi are another house staple and can be found slathered with a Parmesan fondue spiked with aged balsamic; they're served with cherry tomatoes and opal and green basil. (Chef Crannell's tips for perfect gnocchi: "Put the potatoes through a ricer and don't overwork the dough.") With limited space for storage, the wine list is quite short by necessity, but it's geared toward maximum food-friendliness. The selections were made by the Crannells' friend, the consultant and broker Francesco Ferrario; formerly a sommelier at The Lobster, Ferrario chose to highlight well-priced wines ranging from a bright Morra Roero Arneis DOCG from Piedmont to the leathery and delicious Cep Estate Syrah from Peay Vineyards on the So- noma Coast. All wines are available by the glass to encourage experimental pairing with Chef Crannell's equally wide-ranging cuisine. The restaurant receives twice-weekly deliver- ies from the Santa Barbara contingent of the Dock to Dish program, an initiative that provides sustainable seafood from small-scale fisheries to restaurants nationwide in an effort to foster healthy oceans. The kitchen also sources from L.A.'s legendary Santa Monica Seafood, which Chef Crannell developed a longstanding relationship with during his years at The Lobster. Since opening last August, Moody Rooster has already attracted atten- tion far beyond the confines of Ventura County—it's become something of a destination restaurant for the Los Angeles foodie community. Chef Crannell sums it up: "We just want to try to do what we're doing well." And that's something to crow about. Moody Rooster is a surprise find in a Southern California shopping plaza. ■cr Chef Collin Crannell in the kitchen of Moody Rooster, which he and his wife, Vicki, opened last year.

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