Mushroom Paella at Bow & Truss

The Earth Paella at Bow & Truss is a vegetarian dish from chef Stefhanie Meyers of Bow & Truss, who formerly worked under John Sedlar at Playa and Rivera.  This paella incorporates four kinds of mushrooms: shitake, button, hon shimeji and oyster; and is one of the best vegetarian dishes I have had all year.  The paella is savory and full of rich flavors; the rice is cooked just right with the crispy edges providing a nice textural element.  It is not very often that I eat a dish I can't stop thinking about and Meyers's Earth Paella is one such meal.  

The precision of Meyers's cooking and presentation is evident; she obviously learned a lot while under Sedlar's tutelage and has gone onto create winning dishes of her own.  As a vegetarian chef, she describes herself on twitter as a "tattooed girly vegetarian who chews the meat and spits it out."  Her Earth Paella is more satisfying than most meat dishes; it could handily please even committed carnivores.  Meyers said that she was looking to create a dish that as a vegetarian she would love to eat, while keeping within the traditions of paella.  This dish comes in individual or sharing portions ($11, $18) and is worth the drive to North Hollywood to sample.  Even better, you can sip on some delicious cocktails while you enjoy the paella.

Bow & Truss: 11122 Magnolia Blvd, North Hollywood | 818.985.8787 | www.bowandtruss.com