Chef Erin Marroquin’s passion for herbs and spices is reflected not only in his superb cuisine but in the name he gave to his restaurant: Aroma.

Aroma opened its doors in 2005 in Silver Lake, a part of Los Angeles which was economically viable for a chef who admits to spending any money he earned. The same year the Los Angeles Times proclaimed it number one in the best new restaurants category. Since that article, according to Chef Edin, his restaurant has been packed on Fridays and Saturdays.

First impressions from the outside are quite misleading. There is nothing to differentiate Aroma from the corner shop on Sunset Blvd and Parkman, and the launderette it is sandwiched between. But on entering, how presently surprised I was. There is an open kitchen on the right, a plus which is not mentioned on the website. There are tables opposite for an intimate view of the chef at work. To the left is the small eating space with twelve tables. Each table provides ample viewing of the open kitchen and your neighbors. The walls are white with a few hanging pictures and the tablecloths and chairs are red wine colored. The interior was modern, clean, and simple, not a hint of pretence.

At Aroma, it’s all about the food. There’s great atmosphere in watching the chef cook up a storm. The place is small enough so the chef can see if you are enjoying your food and so that the two attentive and friendly waiters can tend to your needs. The music was more for the elevator crowd but that didn’t matter because one could nose into your neighbor’s conversation or watch the chef. I chatted with the waiter as he mentioned the specials for the day. I jumped in for the Chefs Surprise Five-Course Tasting Menu.

When Erin was eighteen years old he went to work as a dishwasher for Valentino in NYC. He was quickly promoted to the line. Being in the kitchen was not just work for Erin. For him it was like an extra sense. He compares it to a painter whose colors and shapes come natural to him. Erin discovered that making great food was more than just cooking it was instinctively knowing the best flavor combinations of ingredients and in particular with herbs and spices. At Valentino’s there were eight cooks on the line and he started at the end. Within a year he was cooking next to Valentino who became his mentor. Erin would come into work early to practice his skills and soon he began to make his own creations. One night Valentino asked him to cook for him and his party. Valentino was impressed. Soon after, he was asked to look after the restaurant for three days. One night, Paul Newman came in with a group of friends. Newman frequented the restaurant three times a month and always asked for the specials. Newman loved the food but had no idea that Valentino was not in the kitchen. Once the waiter explained it was Erin, Newman asked to speak to Erin to congratulate him.

Erin became Second Chef to Valentino for fifteen years until he was offered the opportunity to help open new restaurants in Costa Rica. It was a tearful goodbye for Erin and Valentino but for Erin, the time was right for him to try new opportunities. He stayed in Costa Rica for two years then moved to Los Angeles where he helped open Drago, Impresario, and the Music Center. But something wasn’t quite right for Erin. He wanted to open his own restaurant and he wanted a place which was about great food and not about making a profit. “I put in one hundred percent plus ten,” he says of his work with Valentino and of his own restaurant, Aroma. He opened Aroma without any publicity. The first day attracted two diners, the next night there were six. Once word of mouth got around about his simple dishes using the highest quality meat and fish, his restaurant filled. “What I have in Aroma is what we had at Valentinos.”

I was served a Rutherford Cabernet with the most perfect brochette on warm bread with just the right amount of oil and a splash of tomato. It literally melted in my mouth. I don’t usually order soup but the waiter explained the twist: leaks, potatoes, herbs and spices, no dairy and meat free. The soup was thick and flavorful and quite amazing for a soup free of meat stock. This is why Chef Erin is a master with herbs and spices. Next up was a Mango Salad of arugula and endive, chunks of mango, asparagus and tomatoes, capers, and combined with squid, shrimp and octopus with a lemony sweet and sour dressing, making it a light and refreshing, very lemony combination. Next were two pasta dishes for cheese lovers. On the right underneath a melted Parmesan Crepe, black truffles with fondue cheese. On the left, Tortelloni with Mushrooms -3 kinds –porcine, oyster, and shitake. Next was the Cannelloni served with vodka marinara tomato sauce followed by Lamb Aroma: two lamb chops served with an alcoholic cabernet reduction. For dessert there was alcohol free Tiramisu and Orange Panna cotta with strawberries. After five courses I did not feel full and bloated as one can get with Italian food. I shared the room with lawyers, film makers, and a Hispanic family of ten enjoying a birthday celebration.

The food was excellent, as was the service in this cozy and unpretentious first class restaurant in Silver Lake. Chef Erin’s goal is not to be a millionaire but to be happy. He works one hundred and ten percent for his future but also takes each day as it comes and plans to open for lunch. “I love my food and I know I am in this world for some reason.”

Aroma
2903 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 644-2833
Open Tue-Sun

Photos by Ginger Liu

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