Let me be clear, all restaurants are fantastic places with lots of food in them. It’s just that some are better than others.

My mom has been a little concerned about my lack of socializing lately. With all this writing work on top of my daily gardening chores and my seven to eight naps a day, going to the dog park and making new friends hasn’t really been on my mind. So on Monday, when she told me we had big plans on Tuesday evening, I didn’t argue. Evening plans usually involve food.

A few weeks back, a friend in New York told us about a hot new concept called Dinner Lab. In different cities across the country, people meet up in random locations and eat delicious food. Sign me up, I’d thought, not needing to know anything else. My Mom agreed (for once) and when she heard Dinner Lab had a Los Angeles chapter,  she made sure we got tickets to the next affair.

An email arrived 24 hours before the feast, letting us know the whereabouts of the event. Dinner was at 7:30. We were headed to Monk Space, a production stage warehouse and studio for film and photography. Now, I’m not picky (I eat off the floor for crying out loud) but a warehouse for dinner? I was skeptical.

When we arrived, we were greeted at the front and ushered into a raw “urban” space. Two long tables were set up with a bar in the back and a makeshift kitchen in front. A small crew was busy prepping the meal while a few guests made introductions and small talk over drinks in plastic cups. We headed straight for the bar because I was thirsty and my mom seemed nervous. She was handed a fancy looking pink cocktail made with organic Veev Vodka. I ordered the usual””water, not chilled, no lime, neat.

In a matter of minutes, the room was filled with fifty or so strangers from all over town. Based on my years of attending weekly art shows across LA, I pegged 90% of them as people who work in art galleries. There is a certain look with gallery types and most of these folks had it. We grabbed a spot close to the bar. The lights flickered which was our cue to have a seat. The host introduced the visionaries behind the evening’s meal and concept: Jason Fullilove and Theorora Holt. The pair had designed a menu they called “ethereal palate”. Geez, I thought, that sounds like something I could order at a vegan restaurant”¦say it ain’t so.

What happened next was otherworldly. The first course came in a paper plate/bowl””the kind you get when you order nachos and cheese at a county fair. I was excited, who doesn’t love liquid cheese? But it was something very different: barbecued carrots with seaweed and tamarind on top of a crispy rice cake with ginger gobo and aspic. What? I ate it in 1.5 bites and looked around to see if anyone didn’t want the rest of theirs. Unfortunately, it was a unanimous hit and there wasn’t a morsel left in any of the nacho-style bowls. I began wondering about the second course. While we waited, my mom and I had a chance to get to know the other patrons. We were sitting across from two young ladies who work at Terroni, a popular Italian restaurant in town. One was the sommelier and the other a server; both had a devout love for food, wine and selfies. To my right sat a delightful woman named Patty who lived a few blocks away and had been invited by the owner of the space, Michael, to join. Michael sat at the head of the table and quietly enjoyed the food and the drinks. They wrapped some of their food in foil to take home. Self control, I thought, I could use some of that.

The second course came and, even all these days later, what happened next might be the best 20 seconds of my life so far. I didn’t mean to do what I did, but when the smoked bone marrow came out with a little mason jar filled with bone broth, called dashi, I couldn’t resist. My animal instincts took over and, though it probably would have been nice if I shared with my mom, I was starving and required both her portion and mine. Truth is, I was doing her a solid. Everybody knows yoga teachers aren’t supposed to suck marrow from bones.

The third course was a generous portion of smoked mackerel on a kimchi dosa pancake. I ate the fish, but rotten fermented cabbage isn’t my jam. Just as our bellies were starting to get full the main course arrived: a roasted chicken breast with braised thigh liver mousse. My favorite part was the liver, but I ate everything and licked my plate clean like a “good boy.”

The mood was light, the hostess was interacting with everyone and wine was flowing. I felt like I was in a giant family kitchen, not a warehouse”¦or even a restaurant for that matter. Fullilove and Holt came by to check in with each of us and asked for our honest feedback. The two hope to open a restaurant with a theme of “elevated nourishment inspired by ancestral traditions.” I say go for it! Each dish was innovative, carefully prepared with organic, grass fed, local and sustainable ingredients. In my opinion, this duo has serious potential in the restaurant world.

Before we said our goodbyes we had a few bites of the almond milk chai panna cotta with aerated guava sorbet. It wasn’t for me, but it got points on the creativity scale. I told my mom I’d like one of my freeze-dried liver cookies when we get home instead. I’m easy like that.

On our drive back we decided we’d definitely be attending the next pop-up dinner because socializing with strangers over good food and drink is, indeed, a wonderful excuse for a night out.

Stay hungry my friends”¦