If you’ve recently had a hankering for wild boar, camel or other uncommon meat preparations, count your prayers answered. This coming Saturday, January 31, chef Robert “Bean” Castaneda will host a 12-course wild game tapas collaboration dinner at the former Coco Laurent location in downtown, with alternating courses of small-plate oddities such as grits with chorizo and gluten-free lobster pancake. Cooking beside Castaneda is chef Jean Paul Peluffo of the Fair Game food truck.

While he’s known for his Living Breathing Kitchen pop-ups and supper clubs, Castaneda is taking a short break from gypsy cooking all over the city to root down in the former French bistro's space for several weeks. Since January 2, Castaneda has opened this temporary kitchen Wednesdays through Sundays with menus of his own devising, but this upcoming collaboration tapas dinner with Peluffo is the first of many collaborations Castaneda has planned to take place there.

Though the future of the Coco Laurent space is unknown, for now, it acts as a playground for Castaneda and his dinners and a laboratory for new dishes, from Filipino-style chicken adobo lumpia to eggplant-and-peanut-butter soup (both on the Jan 31 menu.)

At the extensive tapas dinner this weekend, Castaneda plans to showcase some novelty fare, such as his camel picadillo — a Latin hash — with black truffles and a white molé sauce. “I’m doing a Latin take on that [dish],” says Castaneda. “It’s just a whole different take on making a picadillo dish. I’m kind of making it a hundred dollar picadillo dish.”

Peluffo brings over 40 years of experience and a taste for novelty meats from his wild-game food truck, Fair Game. From his corner, anticipate dishes like bacalao gratin bites and a wild boar sausage topped with a piña colada chutney. “What we’re trying to do achieve here is to share as much passion and experience with people,” says Peluffo.

In addition to the dozen of small plates, the event will include paired cocktails also prepared by the chefs. From Peluffo, a Caribbean sangria with rum and vanilla, and from Castaneda, a tequila cocktail made with hibiscus and orange foam (La Gran Puta). Try to leave room for dessert. 

The dinner will host two rounds of guests for the night’s event; one from 5-7 p.m. and another from 8-10 p.m. Tickets are priced at $80 and are available for purchase online.

707 S Grand St, Los Angeles, CA 90017

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