There’s a restaurant near LAX that’s putting on a genuine show but, at least so far, not getting too much of the spotlight. Perhaps there are simply so many great Los Angeles restaurants. Perhaps the joint likes to operate just under the radar.
Regardless, we can’t help but pen a little press where press is due. Tomat is one of the most exciting restaurants this writer has dined at this year, a playful mix of Californian, asian, and Mid-Eastern cuisine. Still thinking about my last bite there (sublimely cooked rockfish), I thought I’d reach out to the chef for some of his current favorites on the eclectic menu.
Posner opened Tomat in 2024 in Westchester with his wife, Natalie. She runs the wine program, a super intriguing mix of lesser-known bottles, intriguing glass pours from all over the globe, and more. Posner, a former medical student, bounced around in Europe before returning to L.A. to embark on this current project. He was worked in kitchens in some of the top-rated restaurants in the world, from Clove Club in London to INUA in Tokyo.
The restaurant is serving up some truly remarkable dishes. They’re deeply flavorful and thoughtful and served with the ostentatiousness that the city can sometimes be guilty of plating up. You can taste Posner’s worldly upbringing in just about everything on the menu.
Read on for some of Chef Harry Posner’s favorite Tomat dishes at the moment.
Grilled snap peas, fried parsnips, and garden herbs
“The inspiration behind most of our dishes starts with the garden, but this dish actually started with the Kanzuri dressing, which is a medley of garden chilis (mostly Santaka), koji, and meyer lemon zest and juice,” the chef says. “With the light smoke on the snap peas, verdant garden herbs, and the fatty crunch of the fried parsnips, the Kanzuri is a lively blanket of spice and umami that renders this salad especially moreish.”
For a little more context, Kanzuri is essentially a Japanese vinaigrette. There tends to be a citrus fruit element that really backs up the spice and it’s often used on veggies as well as seafood. Readers can mix of some their own at home with a little online research.
Pistachio pesto, grilled garden vegetables, saffron
“We set out to create a vegan pesto but with the savory characteristics that you wouldn’t miss,” Posner says. “So we blended umeboshi (fermented plum) with Californian pistachios and a variety of basils (purple, Italian, and Thai). It was the perfect base for seasonal grilled vegetables from the garden, such as asparagus, carrots, zucchini, and even cucumber. A generous drizzle of saffron oil enhances the smoke and binds the pistachio pesto to the vegetables, almost as if you were grilling dinner right on the beach in Sicily.”
The above has spring written all over it. Per the Tomat way, it’s an excellent blend of California and international cuisine disciplines, melded under the rule of seasonality. We can’t way to see what this might look like, say, in late summer or fall.
Stemple Creek lamb, bulgar wheat, yogurt sauce
“When we started experimenting with making our own bulgar wheat from scratch, we thought it would be fun to pair it with lamb and cook/serve it in the style of a paella,” Posner says. “So this dish comes in a shallow pan that it’s cooked in with lightly smoked and grilled lamb, carrots, snap peas, plenty of dill and mint to finish, and sauced with both yogurt and a mint salsa. “
This dish combines so many great things, from freshness and texture to earthiness and an herbal drive. Like a lot of dishes at the restaurant, this one is fun to share family style. And it is even better with a glass of Rose with a little spice, or a chillable red wine that can stand up to the gaminess of the lamb.
A good restaurant feeds you a memorable meal. A great restaurant inspires the diner, encouraging them to try new things, whether it’s a new flavor combination or a technique at home. Tomat is doing both at the moment and we’re excited to see what’s next.
As spring stetches into summer, more and more produce will show up in gardens and farm stands all over the place. Chefs like Posner will salivate at such a thing, looking to capitalize on the very best ingredients of the moment. Forthcoming dishes will no doubt be influenced by their Golden State surroundings, but also the chef’s ample time spent in places like England, Ireland, and Japan.
Tomat has an oustanding drinks program too. Check out this London Fog recipe from the restaurant for proof. It’s a cool mix of something a little old and a little new and very much something you can enjoy at home. But do get out there if you find yourself in the City of Angels.
