Letter of Recommendation Los Angeles
Vin Folk Is a Hermosa Beach Destination From Anywhere in L.A.
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Brunch, burgers, and booze reign supreme at the Hermosa Beach pier, so skepticism was my kneejerk response when a friend suggested we dine at Vin Folk, a few blocks down Hermosa Avenue. The area isn’t known for fostering ambitious dining, but the bona fides for Vin Folks are there: both chef-owners previously worked at Somni; and the restaurant has received both a Michelin Bib Gourmand and a spot on The LA Times’ 101 Best Restaurants list, so I put my stereotypes aside and headed south.
Vin Folk has barely 45 seats, half of them on a tiny outdoor patio, and the unassuming dining room is framed by large picture windows that let in the golden-hour glow of the sunset over the water. On the surface, the scenic location could be part of the draw, but once the plates start arriving, dropped off at tables by the same cooks who prepared them, the real thoughtfulness that drives Vin Folk snaps into focus. Each course shortens the distance between the diner and the kitchen. Chefs shared tasting notes, ingredient backgrounds, and even the personal memories that informed the dishes, most of which were plated so beautifully I experienced the strange dissonance of desperately wanting to eat them and not wanting to disturb the plate at all.
A few months later, I was back again, and in testament to the food’s staying power, I ordered almost exactly the same dishes. Foremost among them, a pristine, diamond-shaped pastry shell brimming with delicate smoked mollusks, fennel cream, and fresh herbs. Sculptural and luminous, the mussels tart gleamed before my knife and fork wrecked the geometry and escabeche oozed out. I felt the slightest sense of guilt while destroying the spoon-smoothed crescents of tapenade to slather them on housemade pan de cristal, or when removing a slice of beef tongue from its perch atop an oval pool of red khrenovina, a spicy Russian sauce. But not enough to stop eating.
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Vin Folk’s menu is eclectic and multicultural, based more on memory and experience than a typical fusion or singular cuisine. The chefs allow their dishes to be expansive enough to hold every side of them, distilling their favorite memories and flavors into genre-defying plates that are artistic and strange, reflective of the person who made them.
More chefs should follow this tack, as the wide range of styles and influences makes the meal feel like a whirlwind in the best way; nothing is predictable, and the breadth of flavors is even more exciting, since most items on the menu are described simply through a hero ingredient.
Partners in life and work, chef-owners Kevin De Los Santos and Katya Shastova know they’re going against the grain by bringing this level of precision, taste, and craft to their neighborhood—and that’s exactly why they did it. “We wanted to open something for the South Bay,” De Los Santos says. “We do have that fine dining edge, but we never wanted this place to be pretentious, so that’s where the warmth comes in. You’re not dining at a white tablecloth restaurant, but you can certainly feel cared for.” De Los Santos is originally from the Philippines; Shastova, Russia, so each brings flavors of their respective home countries to the table, layering them in fascinating tension.
The couple met while working at the first iteration of Somni in 2019, and credit founder Aitor Zabala unequivocally for providing a foundation that made opening their own place possible. “He helps you see what the core of cooking really is, to touch it,” Shastova says. “The food is acclimated towards who we are in Los Angeles, a cultural melting pot,” De Los Santos adds. “This is us being ourselves.”
As the name suggests, the presence of a sommelier (until recently, Idean Hashemian) who works the floor too, is another boon. Though he recently left to helm the wine program at Anajak Thai, it’s clear that his work at Vin Folk is foundational. A chilled red co-ferment of Merlot and Aligote from Keep Wines in Sonoma paired surprisingly well with the mussels tart; a light-bodied Cab Franc blend from Julie & Toby Bainbridge in the Loire Valley followed for the spicy lamb pappardelle and chili crab. On my second visit, I fell in love with the J.B. Becker Eltviller Sonnenberg 2022 Riesling Spätlese, a cult favorite not often found on domestic menus.
Like the culinary offerings, a sense of eclectic, personality-driven taste is core to the wine program, where Hashemian curated a chameleon-like list that imparts a strong sense of place and craftsmanship. “Our ethos prioritizes growers and producers whose wines tell a story based on their terroir, while remaining approachable and food-friendly,” he said. “At the end of the day, great wine service isn’t about showing how much you know, it’s about helping guests discover something they’ll genuinely enjoy and remember long after the meal is over.”
A fitting example: Hashemian listened carefully throughout my chatter during a second visit, when I mentioned growing up in the Willamette Valley as the basis for my love of wine and knowledge of viticulture. As the dessert course pairing came, he brought a rare, off-menu 2022 dessert wine from Sokol Blosser, my parent’s longtime favorite Oregon winery, and literally the place where I learned how to taste wine. I hadn’t mentioned the producer by name; it was just one of those coincidences. But it belies a deeper truth, which is that no amount of flexing over fancy vintages or expensive bottles can beat simply listening to what’s important to your guest.
In coming weeks, Vin Folk will be swapping their a la carte menu for a prix fixe format in the indoor dining room, a 10-course offering priced at $175, with an optional $55 wine pairing. Patio seating will remain open for a la carte dishes and wine. The split lets the team offer the bistro style experience above, plus an expansive set menu with some welcome structure. Based on the exceptional service, cooking, and care I experienced, I’m confident the new menu will deliver, and I’ll be back to try it out myself just as soon as I can make the drive.
Caitlin White is a food, wine and travel reporter who splits her time between Los Angeles, Toronto, and Cannes. She’s a contributing editor to Santa Barbara Magazine and a hotel critic for The Telegraph. Her work has appeared in The Observer, InsideHook, Fine Dining Lovers and many more. Born and raised in the Willamette Valley, she has a soft spot for Oregon Pinot Noir, but learned to drink in Red Hook bars like Fort Defiance and Sunny’s.
