Nov 9th 2013, 08:00, by By S. Irene Virbila
Critic's Choice: Smoke is a versatile tool for the savvy chef. Three Los Angeles-area restaurants that use it well: Hinoki & the Bird, Barney Greengrass and Horse Thief BBQ.
After eating at Asador Etxebarri, the extraordinary grill restaurant in the Spanish Basque country, last month, where chef-owner Victor Arguinzoniz works such magic cooking over charcoal that he makes himself, smoke is on my mind. I kept thinking about the different ways it can be used. It can be subtle or overpowering — or barely kissed with smoke, the way some of Arguinzoniz's dishes are. But it can also penetrate deep into a cut of beef, or illuminate the taste and texture of a fish.