Archive for June 2013

Dumplings the size of Grapefruits!

Jun28

Restaurant: Myung In Dumplings

Location: 3109 W Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90006. (213) 381-3568

Date: May 17, 2013

Cuisine: Korean Dumpling House

Rating: Tasty and great value

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I’m a big dumpling fan. I mean, what isn’t there to like with a pasta-esque dough ball filled with ground goodness?


Myung is a little hole-in-the-wall place right next door to Shin Beijing in the heart of K-Town.


The menu is short, and very pictorial.


Like every Korean place, just sitting down seems to earn you a collection of little “salads.” This one is cabbage with mayo, a dish that is very familiar from my many trips to Japan.


And the classic kimchee, some pickles, and a slightly spicy dumpling sauce.


King steamed dumplings with meat and vegetable. They aren’t kidding. These puppies are the size of grapefruits, or cannonballs.


Inside the thick covering is a hearty mixture of meat (probably beef), spices, onion, and scallions.


This “dumpling soup” is basically egg drop soup filled with soft beef dumplings. Tasty.


Spicy steamed dumplings with shrimp. While there was some mixture of spices in the dumplings themselves, most of the heat is in the red stuff.


Shu-mai. The Korean variant on this classic appears to be a little larger than the Chinese.


Overall a nice little “snack,” tasty and a great deal for the money. Not quite as good as Din Tai Fung, but a different thing (and country) and far closer.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

He’s everywhere!

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By: agavin
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The Last of Us – My Review

Jun26

gaming-the-last-of-us-cover-artTitle: The Last of Us

Studio: Naughty Dog

Genre: Zombie / Survival / 3rd person shooter

Played:  June 15-25, 2013

Summary: Masterpiece (even if I weren’t biased)

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With The Last of Us, the trajectory Naughty Dog has been pursuing for  over a decade reaches for and achieves new heights. This synergy of world building,  gameplay integration, emersion, and story telling  really began with Jak & Daxter. True, with Crash Bandicoot, we made  inroads in all but the last (anyone remember the “Crash, can you find my battery?” plot of Crash 2?). Crash focused on integrating addictive gameplay with a consistent, coherent, and lavishly produced setting (I’ll include character in this setting), but it didn’t have any true story  or drama.

The Jak franchise introduced a more elaborate narrative and characters with more complexity, particularly in Jak 2 where we  started integrating the cinematic segments in a  more interwoven fashion. The Uncharted franchise took this to new levels, essentially becoming Indiana Jones type movies that you played, but TLOU climbs yet another step further, delivering characters you care about , true drama, and intense cinematic language  while preserving a completely coherent style and intense gameplay. Everything about the game serves to reinforce the overall tone: the pathos of two people trying to heal in the face of great horror.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQpdSVF_k_w]

The art design is fabulous. Again, even though the Art Director (Erick Pangilinan) is one of my best friends (obviously biasing me) this is objectively true. It’s certainly one of the best looking games to date. There is a deliberate choice to heavily light — stylistically overlight — the entire game. While there exist some dark underground parts, for the most part, the lighting is luminous. Intense white light (think Minority Report) starkly bathes this ruined vision of America. No gloriously decayed texture is left hidden. Closeups of characters show every stain and frayed thread in clothes worn for months (perhaps years?). This is a world  of contrast. Lush greenery has reclaimed much of the urban landscape, yet crumbled concrete, rusted steel, and burned out cars litter the scenery. As do sordid blood stains and desiccated corpses. There is a sense here of great violence, and desperation, much of it in the past. Little details abound. Shrines to dead loved ones. A tiny grave marked with a teddy bear. Family photos. Rarely does it look cloned or stamped (although that door with the weird seal is everywhere) . Nor, despite a strong and coherent visual style, is it repetitive. As we move from the Northeast to the Heartland to the Mountains the scenery — and even the seasons — keep changing. Weather is used to great effect. The rain in early Boston sequences is stunning, as is the chilling lakeside blizzard late in the game’s second act.

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The view took my breath away

The minimalist string music compounds the game’s haunting atmosphere. While the game is full of detail, it’s in the broad sense, fairly stark — as the bulk of the scenery is ruined and deserted. This lends the whole world a quality of emptiness  reinforced by the matching sonic starkness. The sound effects are harsh and solidly naturalistic, emphasizing both the natural (bird noises) and the discordant tone of decayed materials (like rusted garage doors opening). To this background soundscape is added the grim punctuation of the combat sounds. Every grunt, sneaker squeak, bolt action, and gurgling last breath is vividly apparent.

There is a minimalism to the interface that fits with the overall tone. The title screen is a single frozen camera shot of a window. The menus are barely styled and contain only exactly what they need. The art is simple and iconic. Not only does this work from a stylistic point of view, enhancing the serious tone of the game, but the controls are direct and to the point, easy to use, preventing you from getting distracted by mechanics. With TLOU, it’s the story and characters that matter, not the mechanics of saving a game. Many elements traditional in modern titles are toned down or absent. Achievements? Not part of this world. Secret collectables? The game has them — in the form of Firefly pendants — but they are understated mementos of the dead, not the bombastic collectables typical of the genre.

640px-Joel_crafting_smoke_bombs

Minimalist interface

Technically the engine steps out of the limelight and just delivers — and delivers in spades. Bugs are minor and few and far between. I never crashed or got stuck. There are some frame rate problems in the biggest and widest of shots (and they do look gorgeous) or sometimes with the flashlight or “hearing mode,” but this never hurts the gameplay. I noticed a couple extremely minor graphical glitches. Mostly stuff just works, often combining multiple disciplines in classic Naughty Dog brilliance. The animation, particularly in interaction with the backgrounds and other characters, is a triumph of both art and programming. It’s perhaps the slickest, most lifelike, ever used in a game. The AI is first rate. The environments feel wide open and vast, and they have a certain non linearity, yet because of the nature of the game you must be contained, and it’s done very artfully. Rubble fills stairwells, broken down vehicles block alleys, collapsed bridges deter overzealous exploration. So much of what makes this game look so great is the amazing synergy between art and tech. The rain, the water, the snow, the glowing light effects, the realistic shadowing and flashlight. It’s all solidly in both realms.

Hunger games much?

Hunger games much?

Different elements of the gameplay work well together. The game’s phenomenal pacing is made up of story cuts, intense combat, sneaking, and scavenging. This last, which is surprisingly satisfying, is sometimes done in the heat of battle — or at least when hiding from deadly foes and desperately looking to bolster ones supplies — and sometimes an end all onto itself. These quieter moments, after a brace of nasties are defeated, or in an abandoned section of city, are welcome relief. The game rarely has enemies sneak up on you once a section has been identified as safe, so these provide a nice break in the tension. The crafting itself is simple. There are a 4-5 resources and similar construction costs for pairs of items. Healthpacks and molotov cocktails share resources, as do shivs and weapon enhancements. Everything is in short supply and desperately useful. Pills can be used to upgrade your character, but you must chose in which manner. Spare parts upgrade guns and the like. The weapons are nicely differentiated, each with it’s own strengths and weaknesses, and they get noticeably better when upgraded. The shortage of ammo always prevents any weapon from being overpowering. Even the assault riffle, gained in the last level, isn’t too fearsome against your body armored opponents.

last-of-us-zombie

I dare you to put one of these in your bedroom

Let’s discuss the gameplay. Technically TLOU is a 3rd person shooter, but it makes a number of stylistic alterations in service of mood that completely alter the feel. This isn’t your typical shooter where ammunition is plentiful, the character sponges up bullets, and healing is easy. You can only survive a handful of hits. The arrival of more than 2-3 mobs in close proximity is a near certain recipe for death. The healthpacks (potions) take some time to apply and are in short supply. Joel and Ellie do a lot of creeping around in the shadows. The key here is to avoid agroing too many mobs, and when you do, to lose them by getting out of the way. A number of mechanics serve this end.

There are a lot of shadows. Counters and obstacles are conveniently crouching height (this rarely looks forced). You can creep around fairly rapidly. Humans can see and often probe the darkness with flashlights. The infected are generally blind (or crazy) and so are easier to sneak up on — but clickers and bloaters are tough and can kill you in one bite. Joel (and Ellie) have quite the sense of hearing and can “hear” through nearby walls to spot the outlines of enemies. This is a little gamey, and the mobs apparently can’t do it, but in practice works quite well. One of the most effective strategies, particularly with the infected, is to stay in stealth at all costs. There are a couple of ways to kill silently (more or less). Humans and runners can be strangled or knifed (which wears out your blades but is quicker). The bow can be used to silently kill most opponents at a distance and if you’re lucky, you won’t break your arrows. Overall it is deeply fulfilling to wipe out a whole crew without them ever seeing you. This often requires replaying the section several times to learn the layout and careful looting of every possible supply.

Speaking of which, the looting, scavenging, and crafting mechanic is awesome. Everything is so scarce, ammo so valuable, and everything you craft so useful that a few items easily make the difference between life and death. It’s also extremely satisfying to evade some opponents, sneak around, craft an extra shiv or health pack and then kill them. You can augment the melee weapons to make them kill faster (very useful as while melee is satisfying, should a second or third mob show up while you are pummeling someone, it’s bad news). You can build shivs (essential for fast silent kills, surviving clickers, opening secret doors) or healthpacks or a number of bombs. The bombs come in three types. Molotovs, nailbombs, and smokebombs. Each have their use. The fire is great against infected. The nailbombs can be thrown OR left around as mines. I didn’t appreciate the smokebombs until near the end of the game, but they create a kind of dead zone that the human mobs won’t fire into and which can be used to kill them. Used sequentially and in tandem with the flame thrower they make a lethal combination.

Moments like these are genuinely touching

Moments like these are genuinely touching

I have a few quibbles. The aiming can be difficult at times, particularly until you upgrade “weapon shake.” It’s few hard to land a head shot (or even sometimes a shot) before someone shoots you. When opponents are behind you or off to the side it can be frustrating to try to turn and strike them. There is some kind of quick turn around move. I didn’t master it (but should have). Some sections with lots of enemies are quite hard. There appears to be at least a bit of DDA (Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment) to help you get by if you die a lot in one spot. Actually fighting bloaters and particularly bloaters together with clickers can be VERY hard.

I’m betting TLOU required A LOT of tuning to reach its current fun factor, as it would be easy for gameplay involving so much hiding, creeping, and dying to be boring — but the elements combine to make it really fun. After the first chapter I learned to become  methodical and search every corner for loot. Instead of being tedious, this served as a break from the tension and turned out to be incredibly satisfying. The melee is extremely graphic with a good amount of variety. It’s quite creepy hearing a guard gurgle as you strangle him or slamming an infected in the neck with a baseball bat “augmented” with taped on scissors. Everything serves the horrifying mood.

Uh oh!

Uh oh!

And mood is one of the game’s greatest strengths. TLOU draws from nearly every post apocalyptic source and builds trope after trope into a satisfying, coherent, and perhaps more realistic whole. It’s prettier and less hopeless than The Road — and considerably more believable. No film could ever offer this scope. The sets (or CGI) would be far too expensive, the cast too enormous. Yet TLOU also strives to compete with film in terms of emotional engagement and character development. I’d argue it succeeds.

The longer form (it took me 18 hours to play through on normal difficulty) helps with the character part. I’m becoming of the increasing opinion that film is actually an unsatisfying format — offering far too little depth, particularly in this day and age when the 2-3 hours are mostly consumed by overlong effects driven fights. Some of TLOU’s vignettes should come off as forced, as they are drawn  directly from tropes and fairly straightforward. One that comes to mind is when the hunter humvee murders two innocents while a hiding Joel and Ellie watch. However, in the context of the game and  characters it was surprisingly effective. TLOU is a clear case where the whole transcends the sum of the parts. And hell, a lot of the parts are pretty damn good.

the-last-of-us-bathtub

Can we say creepy?

Neil Druckmann (who I hired as a promising intern programmer a whole career ago) turns out an emotional script. Again, it draws extremely heavily from tropes. Everything any post apocalyptic survival story has ever had is here: hunters, cannibals, resistance leaders, a cure, friends who turn (into zombies), reversals, quarantine zones, etc. But in moments little and big the relationship between Joel and Ellie builds — so much so that the little downtime conversations are real gems. By the time the Pittsburg chapter concludes, Ellie becomes in your head someone really worth fighting for — and the remainder of the game — wow, it really delivers. I often feel (reading or watching) that the second half lets me down. Good as the first half of TLOU is, the second is several times better.

Really notable for me was the entire “winter” sequence. Coming out of a really emotional turn  in Colorado TLOU employs cinematic language and plotting in a highly effective way. So much do we care for the characters, and so pretty is the game, that it manages to make 10 minutes of trudging through the snow exhilarating! And that’s only the beginning. I really liked the way the game cut back and forth between playable Joel and Ellie as it told the story from both perspectives. Although, I have a slight nitpick with the “arc” of the section villain, who starts out with some complexity and sympathy and turns monster without too much explanation. But such is the momentum of this story that it sails right over speed-bumps like this.

So basically, if you care about video games at all, play The Last of Us.

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Michael’s on Naples

Jun24

Restaurant: Michael’s on Naples [1, 2]

Location: 5620 E 2nd St. Long Beach, CA 90803. (562) 439-7080

Date: January 30, 2013

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: A top LA Italian

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I rarely get down this close to the Orange County border, but I had to meet a friend near Long Beach and chose this restaurant because it was top rated. On the way in, I chatted with the owner (Michael) for a few minutes. He told me how they use all locally (or at least California) sourced ingredients, mostly organic. They make their own mozzarella and sausages on premises, as well as the pasta. Many years, they’ve been top rated Italian in Zagats.


This is a cute roof deck upstairs which was closed off and heated because of the time of year.


From my cellar, Parker 96. “The 1996, one of the estate’s best, takes things to another level.  It shows an outrageous, well-delineated nose of fresh roses, minerals and menthol followed waves of dark fruit and licorice flavors that are just beginning to show the signs of early maturity, with exceptional freshness, length, and harmony.  This opens beautifully in the glass, taking on an almost Burgundian elegance.  A wine to marvel over.  It is hard to resist this now, but it will be even better in another 3-5 years, and age gracefully for another decade, and probably more.”


The amuse, crostini with a leek and garlic paste.


The regular menu.


A special menu for dine LA week/month/whatever.


Insalata di Spinaci. Spinach salad with warm pancetta dressing, poached duck egg, red wine marinated red onions and Pecorino cheese.


Spaghetti con Aragosta. Hand-rolled pasta with Maine lobster tail, San Marzano tomatoes, roasted garlic, white wine and spicy Calabrian peperoncino. Lots of tender lobster. Great pasta. The sauce was very tasty, but perhaps overpowered the lobster a bit. I still crave this lighter wine, garlic, and tomato sauce I once had in Naples.


Hated it! Not.


Ossobuco Di Maiale. Braised Kurobuta pork shank with saffron risotto and pistachio gremolata. I’m always a big Ossobuco fan and this was a really fantastic one.


Torta Di Cioccolato. Flourless chocolate cake with salted caramel and crispy prosciutto.


Cremino Di Zucca. Pumpkin mousse with salted caramel and cream with gingerbread. Very nice “holiday” flavored pot-a-creme. Tasted like pumpkin pie.

Overall, Michaels we had a really great meal. I’d need to go back to really assess, but this was certainly one of the top traditional style Italians I’ve eaten at in quite a while. Excellent!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

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Summertime Peak

Jun21

Restaurant: Saddle Peak Lodge [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Location: 419 Cold Canyon Rd, Calabasas, CA 91302 (818) 222-3888

Date: June 14, 2013

Cuisine: Modern American

Rating: Great ambiance and terrific game oriented food.

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For the middle Hedonist dinner of the year, we return to Saddle Peak Lodge. It’s pretty much the perfect venue for both a winter or summer food and wine blast, with gorgeous lodge patio, game driven food, and awesome wine service. For those of you who don’t know, Hedonist events have amazing wines (each diner brings at least one bottle) and this event has several 100 point blow out wines.


Saddle Peak Ranch used to be a game lodge back in the early part of the 20th century. The rich and famous used to come up and hunt Malibu’s finest, such as this poor fellow. Now the deer are just served up on the menu.


It’s located in the middle of gorgeous Malibu Canyon.


Which on a lovely summer night is pretty incredible.


We dine al fresco in the summer (except last year when it rained in July!). The menu can be found here.


2000 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année. Burghound 92. Not surprisingly, this resembles the 1999 except that it’s less expressive with developing aromas of floral, lemon and brioche that complements well the pure and detailed flavors that are less concentrated than its older brother but just as long. I like the elegance and finesse but wish it had just a bit more mid-palate density.


Pretzel bread.


2010 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre. Burghound 93. A wonderfully elegant and highly expressive nose consists of white flower, oyster shell and iodine aromas that are very much in keeping with the powerful yet refined broad-scaled flavors that possess both excellent volume and concentration, all wrapped in an explosive and gorgeously long finish. The combination of punch and civility is most beguiling.


Mushroom cappuccino.


2010 Domaine Dublère Corton-Charlemagne. Burghound 92-94. Yet again the recent sulfur additions render the nose impossible to fairly evaluate though the underlying fruit appears notably ripe. This sense of ripeness is confirmed by the rich and phenolically mature moderately-scaled and mineral-driven flavors that conclude in an explosive and almost painfully intense finish. By the standards of the appellation, this is not really a big wine though it is impeccably well-balanced which will permit it to amply reward up to a decade of cellar time.


A bit of salmon on blini with creme fraiche and caviar.


1996 Bouchard Père et Fils Bonnes Mares. 94 points. Deep ruby, bright and vibrant. A rich, fruity and slightly oaky nose. Lighter on the palate; red fruit with good minerality and finishing with good acidity – quite 96. Starting to show some signs ofdevelopment on the palate, with air, but still quite tight. A lighter, seemingly higher acidity take cf the denser fleshier Jadot version, silk v velvet. GC weight with the structure more acidity than tannin driven I think. Decent but come back in five years for some secondary development.


Mix beets salad, rye crisps pistachio puree, blood orange and shaved fennel.


2001 Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin. Burghound 92. A moderately pitched nose that exhibits only traces of secondary nuances also features notes of cool red berry fruit¡ earth and a hint of the classic Mazis sauvage character that continues onto the delicious¡ well-detailed and intense middle weight flavors that exude a fine minerality on the mildly austere but not dry finish. There is a bit of unabsorbed wood that is present on the finish though it’s not enough to really detract from the overall sense of harmony. While this could easily be enjoyed now¡ for my taste there is just enough unresolved structure to warrant allowing this to continue to age for another 5 or so years.

Mix beets salad with basil whipped burrata cheese, rye crisps pistachio puree, blood orange and shaved fennel.


1969 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Etiqueta Blanca. This older Rioja wasn’t drinking perfectly, but it was soft and interesting.


Caesar Salad with garlic croutons and Parmigiano-Reggiano.


1978 Rioja Bosconia Cosecha. Also interesting.

Golden corn soup with truffle foam, pea forchette, pecorino, prosciutto chip and potato croutons.


1984 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon. Parker 90. This wine has consistently been a crowd pleaser, with its impressive dark color, rich, jammy, cedary, licorice, chocolatey, cassis, and olive-like aromas and flavors, and full-bodied, unctuously-textured style. It is a big, chewy, flashy, oaky style of Cabernet. Although fully mature, there are no signs of decline.

Maine lobster salad poached in orange buerre blanc with miso carrot, hazelnut sabayon, teeny carrots, radish,
turnips, ginger vinaigrette and espelette wontons.


1964 Château Belgrave. 97 ponts. This older Bordeaux was drinking fabulously. Having lost all sour and bitter notes it just had that nice soft old wine thing going.

Bosc pear salad with red oak and baby gem lettuce, Laurel Chenel goat cheese, shaved red onion, toasted walnuts, blueberry and fig vinaigrette.


1968 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon. Also in great shape.

Ahi tuna sashimi with Hawaiian papaya, cilantro, red onion, Hawaiian papaya, avocado, orange-ginger and pea tendrils.


1989 La Fleur de Gay. Parker 95. Possibly the finest Fleur de Gay made, this rich, very large-scaled, tannic wine has a compelling nose of cassis, licorice, white flowers, minerals, and other sorts of black fruits along with some subtle new oak. Full-bodied, with great delineation, purity, and dazzling concentration and intensity, this is a fabulous example of a Fleur de Gay and a wine that seems capable of lasting at least another two decades.

Seared venison Carpaccio with horseradish aioli, avocado mousse, herb vinaigrette, parmesan crisps, mizuna,
fried capers, tomato seeds and grilled ciabbata bread.

Wild mushroom agnolotti glazed in truffle buerre monté, with sautéed Shimeji mushrooms and parmesan foam.


1990 De Suduiraut. Parker 88. The evolved, medium gold color of the 1990 is prematurely advanced, raising questions about future longevity. It possesses plenty of intensity, and an unctuous, thick, juicy style, but high alcohol and coarseness kept my rating down. There is bitterness as well as fiery alcohol in the finish. The wine does not offer much delineation, so cellaring should prove beneficial as it does have admirable levels of extract. Suduiraut can make powerful, rich wines that are often rustic and excessively alcoholic and hot when young. I am told they become more civilized with age, and certainly older, classic Suduiraut vintages have proven that to be true. I feel this estate’s propensity to produce a luxury cuvee (Cuvee Madame) in vintages such as 1989 tends to have a negative impact on the regular cuvee.


Fatted liver of a certain fowl, rumored to be on the endangered list. With brioche and black cherry reduction. Yum!


1989 Lynch Bages. Parker 99+. The 1989 has taken forever to shed its formidable tannins, but what a great vintage of Lynch Bages! I would rank it at the top of the pyramid although the 1990, 2000, and down the road, some of the more recent vintages such as 2005, 2009 and 2010 should come close to matching the 1989’s extraordinary concentration and undeniable aging potential. Its dense purple color reveals a slight lightening at the edge and the stunning bouquet offers classic notes of creme de cassis, subtle smoke, oak and graphite. Powerful and rich with some tannins still to shed at age 22, it is still a young adolescent in terms of its evolution and will benefit from another 4-5 years of cellaring. It should prove to be a 50 year wine.

Wild Game Trio – the Chef’s sampling of three different game meats with individual accompaniments. There is Elk (in the front?).


And in the back buffalo short ribs and some other game.


Just a few game plates!


1988 Guigal Cote Rotie la Landonne. Parker 100. An opaque purple color and a closed but exciting nose of truffles, minerals, Asian spices, and fruitcake. When the wine hits the mouth with its enormous weight and extraction of flavor, one can’t help but be seduced by such enormous richness and purity. Nevertheless, there is still a remarkably high level of tannin (sweet rather than astringent), a youthful, unevolved fruit character, and flavors that stain the palate. After tasting this wine, one feels like brushing one’s teeth … it is that rich.


Duck with morel mushroom sauce.


1999 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin. Parker 96. The recently released 1999 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin is closed and less expressive than the 2000, and perhaps more elegant and less weighty. Nevertheless, it is an enormously endowed effort revealing notes of licorice, blackberry and cherry fruit, melted asphalt, tapenade, truffles, and smoke. Chewy, with more minerality than most vintages of this wine possess, it requires a minimum of 6-8 years of cellaring. It should last 35-40 years.

Pan roasted Skuna Bay salmon with roasted baby beets, shaved fennel, glazed cauliflower, purple kale, heirloom cherry tomatoes and puffed salmon skin.


2000 Stonyridge Vineyard Waiheke Island. A new world Bordeaux blend.


Mash potatoes.


2007 Colgin IX Proprietary Red Estate. Parker 100. The staggeringly rich, complex, harmonious, impeccably well-balanced 2007 IX Proprietary Red Estate (1,400 case produced) exhibits aromas of spring flowers, cedarwood, Asian spices, licorice, blueberries, and blackberries. A distinct liqueur of minerals buttresses the full-bodied, massive concentration, giving an overall impression of elegance, purity, and harmony. This is another seamless tour de force in winemaking.


Mac & Cheese.

2001 Joseph Phelps Insignia Proprietary Red Wine. Parker 99. The sensational, prodigious 2001 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine (89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec) has never performed better. Still extremely youthful with a dense purple color as well as a beautiful bouquet of cedar, charcoal, incense, creme de cassis and black cherry jam, fabulous intensity, a multidimensional mouthfeel and a skyscraper-like texture, it is a Napa classic that is still very youthful and belies its age of ten years. Like its stablemate, it should age impeccably for 35 or more years. Kudos to Joseph Phelps Vineyards!


Sweet potato fries.


2005 Larcis-Ducasse. Parker 98. This great terroir on the Cote Pavie has long been recognized as one of the most privileged spots in St.-Emilion, but it was not until the wunderkind duo of Nicolas Thienpont and Stephane Derenoncourt took over in 2002 that the wine finally began to live up to its potential. Old timers who remember the 1945 Larcis Ducasse will attest to how great this cuvee can be. Sadly, fewer than 3,000 cases were produced of the 2005, a blend of 78% Merlot and the rest primarily Cabernet Franc with a small dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon. Yields were a modest 27 hectoliters per hectare. This stunning effort reveals one of the most extraordinary aromatic displays of the vintage, offering up notes of sweet roasted herbs, jus du viande, black olives, espresso roast, creme de cassis, and kirsch liqueur. Extremely full-bodied, opulent, and lavishly textured with plush tannin as well as an ethereal elegance, a sublime personality, glorious sweet purity, and a layered texture, this amazing St.-Emilion is destined to become a legend.


Asparagus.

2010 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese. Parker 95. Representing a late picking incorporating considerable late-botrytis shriveling, the Schaefer 2010 Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese A.P. #10 delivers effusively scented and lusciously mouth-filling pink grapefruit, purple plum, pear, and apple allied to the sort of deep nuttiness of cashew and pistachio that so frequently characterize this site at its best. A lip-smackingly, saliva-inducingly saline and scallop-like savor render the urge to take the next sip irresistible, and peat-like smoky inflections contribute botrytis-induced intrigue. The combination of richness and exuberance; density with refreshment; subtly oily texture yet transparency to minerality render this profound Auslese unforgettably distinctive and worth following for four decades.


Apple cinnamon bread pudding served with salted caramel ice cream.

Bittersweet chocolate crémeux with oak barrel ice cream, Devil’s food cake, and mango baked kataifi.

Daily selection of house-made sorbets served on ice. Blackberry, mango, and raspberry.

Caramelized white chocolate pot de crème with blackberries, white chocolate pistachio fudge and pistachio sorbet.


Farmer’s market caramelized pear beignets with crème anglaise.

Chocolate molten whiskey cake with Guinness ice cream and Bailey’s whipped cream.

Yuzu meringue tart with graham cracker, raspberry sorbet and crispy raspberry meringue.


A lineup of just some (but not nearly all) of the bottles!


Yarom and one of our wonderful servers.

This was a total blow out event. The food was impeccable and the service fantastic. Plus we had a really great mix of people and some of the most awesome wines. The vibe outside on the lovely warm Malibu evening was perfect too.

Click here for more LA restaurant reviews,
Or for Hedonist extravaganzas.

Related posts:

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  2. Hedonism at Saddle Peak Lodge
  3. Food as Art: Saddle Peak Lodge
  4. Hedonists at STK again!
  5. Never Boaring – Il Grano
By: agavin
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Man of Steel

Jun19

mosTitle: Man of Steel

Cast: Henry Cavill (Actor), Amy Adams (Actor), Zack Snyder (Director)

Genre: Science Fiction / Comic Book

Watched:  June 17, 2013

Summary: Takes itself VERY seriously

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It was with mixed feeling that I went off to Man of Steel. The trailer actually looked pretty cool, but this is a Zach Snyder film and I loathed 300 (way, way too poor a representation of that most awesome of historical battles), found Watchmen overblown, and was just plain blown by by Sucker Punch. Actually Sucker Punch fascinated me. It was both so bad and so intriguing at the same time — plus the soundtrack rocks. The film just failed as a film.

In any case, the Superman reboot. Some things I liked:

  • The visuals and art direction. Boy does a lot of stuff explode.
  • The soundtrack. Sounds like Batman (not surprising, Hans Zimmer returns).
  • Henry Cavill is just about right as both Clark and Superman.
  • Amy Adams is cute as Lois.
  • Krypton and the Kryptonian technology. It looked cool. Somethings were silly – but it looked cool.
  • The impressive sense of power given to Superman and his opponents.
  • Some strong visual references to Superman II.
  • Russel crow leading Lois through the spaceship.
  • The fact that both dads were Robin Hood.

Some things that sucked:

  • Too many explosions. Not enough character development.
  • Superman’s cheesy Kryptonian mom and even cheesier birth sequence.
  • A lot of the plot feels rushed and barely makes sense.
  • Everyone seemed very calm and well informed (they needed to be to make the plot work).
  • The extras (like the Daily Planet staff) = cheesy!
  • The whole tornado sequence. Fromage!
  • A lack of any dual identity antics.
  • The forced “Clarks gets a job” sequence at the end.
  • Michael Shannon as Zod. Lame. Lame. Lame.
  • Plot holes. Lots of plot holes.

Fundamentally, Man of Steel tries too hard and takes itself too seriously. There is almost no sense of humor. It focuses on plot and background at the expense of character. What arc it attempts, Superman’s deliberate act of choice of humanity over his (not highly appealing) Kryptonian comrades is hardly in doubt — and forced at best. We are treated to numerous statements on the part of both fathers as to Clark becoming the “kind of man he should be.” Heavy handed to be sure. But still, they kinda, sorta, maybe worked, mostly I think because of the equally heavy handed but effective sound track and slow Synder-esque directorial style.

I really did basically dig the whole Krypton thing and particularly the visuals of the home-world and tech. All that gray particle stuff I interpreted as nano-tech, but who knows what they had in mind. And what the hell with the dragon-fly dragons?

man-of-steel-krypton-battle

Krypton was kinda cool – except for the labor scene

Given that Superman is nigh on indestructible, the insane building smashing during the fights was kind of cool — until the hundredth building. I mean they really punched through shit. Lots of CGI in this film, most shots. The battle between Superman and Zod was decent, although one does have to wonder given all this invincibility why and how one of them actually can be killed. It didn’t make a lot of sense.

There is no subtly to this film. The character driven mechanics of the 1978 Superman and sequel are missing entirely. Lois meets Superman as Superman, there is no Clark Kent reporter or secret identity, and hence one of the amusing/enjoyable things in secret identity superhero stories. This human drama has no room in this film of epic space battles and guys getting slapped through buildings. I can’t understate this — Kryptonians are punched through large solid structures at least 200 times in this film.

Some questions:

  • How do the new Kryptonians “powerup” so fast?
  • If Superman’s dad was so worried about Zod choosing the bloodlines, how come he got to choose them himself?
  • Why is there only one copy of the codex? And while we are at it, why does it look like a plastic skull?
  • And #1: if you planet is dying, why do you “save” all the villains by tucking them away in a black hole?
  • Why do the masks/helmets of the bad guys keep fading in and out except to show who they are?
  • How can the energy drive of the 2 part teraforming machines link up? Some cross planet induction?
  • Why does Lois get to go on a military bombing mission?
  • How come everyone in Metropolis hangs out for so long when the killer alien squid of doom shows up?
  • I can understand how Superman really gets around, but it seems like Lois and the military dudes can teleport.
  • Why does even young kent have a magnetic attraction to disasters? (tornados, falling buses, exploding oil rigs)
  • Why doesn’t Zod kidnap Superman’s mom and use her as leverage?
  • Why does he explain all his plans? Wait — he’s a comic book villain.

Regardless, it’s a watchable film, and certainly Snyder’s best yet. It’s just not a great film by any means, being about 95% style over substance. Isn’t it obvious to these studio types that movies are really all about character? I guess not.

And most amusingly, Man of Steel and The Last of Us (the latest Naughty Dog game) both came out on Friday. Apparently, LTOU grossed more!

For more Film reviews, click here.

man-of-steel-blog-jpg_204653

Most wooden villain in a long long time

By: agavin
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Yamakase – Burghound Bday

Jun17

Restaurant: Yamakase [1, 2]

Location: You wish you knew!

Date: June 11, 2013

Cuisine: Japanese

Rating: Even better than last time!

_

For my birthday I like to do a big wine and food blow-out with the Foodie Club. 2010 was in Spain at Calima, 2011 in Italy at Arnolfo, and 2012 was at Il Grano (spectacular) and this year, after an epic first meal at Japanese newcomer Yamakase, I decided to take over the entire restaurant: all 11 seats!


This is the kitchen. Well it’s also half the room.


And the other half. Actually, this doesn’t really show the seats itself (narrow lens) but it ain’t big.

And what would an Andy Gavin birthday be without great wines? I don’t know, because it never happens. All of the wines tonight came from my cellar except for the 1999 Grivot (which Erick brought). All except the dessert wine are Burgundies — because I love Burgundy! We begin with a couple of old white Burgs. These are Chardonnay, but not just any Chard. White Burg is the ancestral home of the grape, the only place that does it real justice, and the more or less the only place where it ages well.

1985 Bouchard Père et Fils Bâtard-Montrachet. In great shape, honeysuckle and creme brûlée.


Yamakase is the brainchild of chef Kiyoshiro Yamamoto and video game executive Stan Liu. Here Yama-san carves up some pig leg.


Jamón Ibérico with Caviar. I’ve had a close cousin of this dish several times at various Jose Andres restaurants. This was nice thick cuts of the ham in Spanish style. On the right is a bit of cucumber and uni (sea urchin) from Hokkaido.


Fresh sea scallop in a sweetened soy dashi with seaweed.


A fish version of the same dish.


“Spoons” are a Yama signature. These feature soft tofu with uni in the back and in the front as “caprese” with tomato and olive oil. This east/west combo is surprisingly delicious.


1989 Hospices de Beaune Meursault 1er Cru Charmes Cuvée Bahèzre de Lanlay. 94 points. Darkening toward amber. Opulent nose, butterscotch, mango, and wheat coming and going. Very rich with a penetrating intensity and a finish of near grand cru length. Probably at peak.


Halibut sashimi with 500 million year old Himalayan sea salt. The back bits are cut in the “thicker” style with a bit of a sweet sauce.


Super rare young yellowtail with a mixture of crab guts (kani miso). The gut sauce was amazing!


Without the guts.


2001 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne. Burghound 90-92. The aromas are riper than the 2000 version though with a similar mix of green apple, melon and muscat notes followed by extremely fresh and wonderfully pure chardonnay fruit suffused through and through by an intense stoniness followed by relatively big and still quite tight middle weight, taut, muscular flavors of considerable tension and breed. This is a stunning effort for the vintage and may ultimately equal the excellent 2000.


This hairy crab from Hokkaido was still alive when we arrived.


Not so much half an hour later.


Served up steamed, simple, but delicious.


Bonito tuna sashimi with olive oil and sauce.


1996 Alain Hudelot-Noellat Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaumonts. 90 points. The nose is this gorgeous baking spice with fresh strawberries and white pepper. The moment you pour it into the glass it just explodes. The nose just kept going for hours as it got more and more expressive as the depth of the fruit built. On the palate you get that soft texture with concentrated dense red fruit and this wonderful minerality that persists throughout the finish. The broad structure makes me think the wine will fill out even more over time.


Another fish in a mayo / roe sauce.


Red snapper with yuzu and lemon.


1999 Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts. Burghound 90. This is a very powerful wine if not necessarily an elegant one with plenty of Vosne spice and rugged, structured, dense and punchy flavors that display solid length. The tannins are ripe and this will clearly take its time coming together but it’s a powerful and serious blessed with excellent underlying material.


Rare seasonal sea eel. Because of the bones yama-san cuts them in a special way with his sword of a knife.


They are boiled simply.


Then served with three different sauces: eel sauce, honey, and a plum sauce. Really delicate and delicious.


Atlantic salmon (some special northern Salmon) served with olive oil, another sauce, and salt and pepper.


1999 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques. Burghound 91-93. Roasted ripe fruit that has a mix of red and black fruits, especially black cherry with wonderfully spicy, complex flavors that are both rich and dense. This is very ripe but the acidity is more pronounced which does a better job of balancing off the richness. Clos St. Jacques is almost always the finest Gevrey 1er chez Jadot and 99 is no exception. Grand cruquality and because of the richness, this will be approachable young but drink well for a long time.


Another round of spoons. In the back, kushi oyster with blue crab salad and quail egg. In the front, oyster with uni and quail egg.


Yama lays out the ramekins to make his signature seafood custards.


Chawanmushi, a egg custard. This one was very hot (it usually is) and included 7 kinds of seafood. Various crab, fish, lobster, uni. It was delicious, rich, and very unami.


1996 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Charmes Chambertin. Parker 92. This medium-to-dark ruby-colored wine has a fine nose of deeply ripe blackberry and cassis. On the palate, this well-concentrated, thick, complex, and harmonious wine is replete with loads of black cherries and spices. It has extremely ripe and supple tannins in its long finish.


This is a giant slab of amazing Spanish blue-fin tuna.


Watching him cut and partition it into “tuna” and “toro” sections was really interesting. Everything that doesn’t make the “cut” is tossed.


Blue fin in soy sauce with pine-nuts. Incredible, like the best Poki you ever tasted.


Another spoon, with toro, quail egg, wasabi, and some sauce. Delicious!


Boiled monk fish liver.


Served up with chives and a ponzu. Almost certainly the best akimono I ever had.


A “toast” of frozen toro, blue crab, egg, and brioche. Very interesting flavor/texture/temperature combo.


1999 Louis Jadot Echezeaux. 95 points. Wine had a beautiful, intense aroma of bark, tar and musty dark fruits. On the palatte, lots of dark fruits–blackberries, black cherries and cassis. Lots of forest floor hints, and great minerality. If I had one complaint, albeit a very minor one, this wine lacked ever-so-slightly in elegance–I guess there’s the difference between this one and a Grand Echezeaux. The wine was medium to full bodied, showing wonderfully with still a bit of soft tannins on exhibit. I think this wine is in a great spot right now. As I always say, there’s no better wine than a fine burgundy–this and the Echezeau are prime examples. An extremely enjoyable wine!


A bit of genuine Japanese wagyu beef. No fat here.


Salted and peppered.


The chef makes a simple sauce of dashi, mushrooms, maui onions, flour, and a few other things for the beef.


This variant is salmon instead.


A fantastic simple piece of blue-fin tuna (Maguro).


Young yellowtail.


Mackerel?


Amazing salmon with salt.


And the best for last: toro! Melts in your mouth.


2002 Château Climens. Parker 93-94. I suspect most readers will find it hard to get excited about the 2002 vintage for the sweet wines of Barsac and Sauternes after what appears to be a prodigious 2001. However, 2002 is a very fine year for this region, possibly superior to any of the vintages between 2000 and 1991. The wines possess plenty of botrytis, but neither the impressive definition nor supreme elegance of the 2001s. This is a sweet, full-bodied, fat, concentrated, intense effort that was showing well.


A “rice course” with rice, toro, wasabi, and uni (from San Diego). Lots of uni!


A dessert sorbet. Baby Japanese peach (in season) with yuzu and mint. Very light and refreshing.

This was one of my best meals in a long time — really quite excellent — and regular readers know I have more than my share of great meals. We had fantastic wines, stunning and innovative food, and a really great format. The restaurant is only 11 seats. This made for a really fun time (and I even staved off the hangover with a milk-thistle, B6, and a lot of water).

Click here for more LA sushi reviews,
Or for Foodie Club extravaganzas.

A Burghound Birthday!

The one and only (and very attentive) server

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By: agavin
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IO by Playground

Jun14

Restaurant: Playground [1, 2]

Location: 220 East 4th Street. Santa Ana, CA 92701. Phone: (714) 560-4444

Date: June 9, 2013

Cuisine: Modern

Rating: Amazing experience!

_

At the last minute Foodie Club partner in crime Erick invited me down to the O.C. to join him at this unusual 28 course popup meal. Chef Jason Quinn puts on a kind of culinary theatre, in the vein of Jose Andres’ E, but more dynamic and changing up with much greater frequency.


The restaurant is located in a fairly low rent mall in Santa Anna.


And the special room where the Invitation Only dinners occur is around the corner. It seats 17 and is prepaid, including both the food and drink.


Our host for the evening. Not only is Chef Jason Quinn amazing with the knife, skillet, and Paco, but he’s quite the charming host as well.


The rest of the talented staff.


The meal was accompanied by amusing photos on the adjacent TV.

Tonight’s theme was “I’ve Got  Friends in Low Places” and every dish features plebeian vegetable ingredients. The staff manages to make the flavors anything but low.


Epic first bite of meat. Stuff Savoy cabbage, Iberico de bellota collar, and foie gras filling, port caramelized shallots, potato puree.

Like grandma’s stuffed derma — but not!


The staff prepares a magic potion.


Nitro cactus pear margarita. Siete Leguas Blanco Tequilla, Cointreau, Lime, Cactus pear simple. Delicious.


Heart of Palm Cerviche. Grapefruit, avo, orange, jalapeño, tortilla.


And a close up. Very bright fresh flavors.


Shaved Jicama. Fish sauce, palm sugar, crispy shallots, lime, serrano aioli. Refreshing.


We love California Avocados. Friend balled avo, corn nuts, lime-jalapeño-avo mouse, tomato caviar, cilantro. Like a crunchy guacamole.


Aji Amarillo Tiradito. Baby Japanese Amberjack. Could be from Nobu.


Grilled Sweet Potato. Chile marshmallow, lime zest, pecan. Sweet and delicious, like a potato smore.


Burnt Maui Onion. King Salmon, ponzu.


Black Garlic: Better than the original. Baby amberjack belly.


Cava Sangria. Cava, white wine, garden vodka, green apple, watermelon.


Sauce for the upcoming “wrap.”


Toppings: onion, scallion, cilantro, peanut.


Kimchi sauce.


Wagyu skirt steak!


Butter lettuce wrap. Akaushi hanger steak, kimchi, ginger, scallion, peanut. Yum!


White asparagus. Chorizo vin, marcona almond ice cream. The mixture of the melted ice cream and chorizo was incredible — a bit like a bacony clam chowder.


Beer in one of those Spanish stunt carafes.


Our chef demos the “go for it” principle.


Grilling.


Grilled scallions and romesco. Surprisingly delicious!


Piquillo pepper. Idiazabal, Pedro ximenez.


2010 Vittoria Bera, Arnese and other Italian white blend. A very unusual Pedmontese wine.


Raw Zucchini Explosion. Different textures and subtle nuances ala Ryan Carson.


Milk skin caprese. Heirloom tomatoes, maldon, herb lemon vin. The Burrata-like stuff is actually thickened up milk skin. It pretty much tasted like Burrata.


Fish in the works.


The power of lemon and olive oil. Atlantic Black Sea Bass. Simply (but deliciously) grilled.


Grilled cauliflower steaks. Sultana, almond, caper relish, cauliflower puree, cauliflower cous cous.


A Nice Chianti. 2010 Paterna Chianti Collie Aretini.


Hannibal Special. Fava beans and liver. Frisee, croutons, lemon, bacon. No humans were killed making this dish.


Potato & Porcini Risotto. The chef was quick to point out that Risotto is a technique, and doesn’t technically require rice, just starch. This dish proved it, because it tasted 110% like Risotto.


Braised artichoke and mushroom ragu. Creamy polenta board, San Marzano. This veggie dish tasted like osso-bucco with polenta. It was served artfully on a pizza peel!


Grilled sweet onion steak. BBQ glaze, friend onion strings. Like a Southwestern style burger — without the burger.


Pickled beet. Caviar ranch dressing a la Richard Blais. Pretty delicious.


Craftsman Persimmon Sour beer.


Carrots more ways than we can count. fritters, puree, pickles, tartare.


Corn blast your face off. Bread, raw, roasted, pudding, Jalapeño.


Batasiolo Barolo Chinato. One of those unusual Nebbiolo wines mixed with various herbs!


Coconut cheese. This cheese was made entirely from coconut milk — and it tasted like real cheese (with a hint of coconut).


Beet cheesecake amuse. Salt roasted beet slice, quenelle of cream cheese curd, sweet vinaigrette. One delicious bite!


Carrot-ginger. Carrot-ginger marshmallow sorbet. Also create, with intense carrot flavor and a zesty lemon cake below.


Chocolate & Coffee. Chocolate ganache, coffee ice cream, choc-almond soil, olive oil.


Lemon & fennel. Lemon Mousse, dehydrated lemon meringue, pickled baby fennel.


From my cellar: 1999 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze. Burghound 90-94. Quite dense and rich though without quite the same serious structure as the Bonne Mares, which is more tannic still. Beautiful black fruit aromatics with rich, relatively forward flavors that are not especially dense but offer an amazing range of earth nuances. While this is hardly shy, it is nevertheless not a powerful wine but rather one built along the lines of a classy middleweight.

This wine needed serious more time. Like a decade. I’ll be saving the rest for a while — although the nose was amazing.

Overall, IO by Playground is a fantastical fantasy of a place. There is really a tremendous energy and culinary enthusiasm here on part of the Chef and all his staff. Nearly every dish was delicacies, even though most were composed of ingredients I’d rarely crow about. It’s modernist, and at the same time borrows from traditional Spanish, Mexican, American, Italian, and Japanese roots. And besides, it’s highly irreverent and all good fun.

I’ll be back.

For more crazy Foodie Club dinners, click here, or

For more LA dining reviews click here.

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By: agavin
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Osiris “He Who Walks in the West”

Jun11

Our beloved Labrador, Osiris, passed today, following the sun into the West through the Great Sky Door to Abydos. He departed embracing the same Naughty Dog zeal for which he was always known. He will will be sorely missed, but Ancient Magics protect him.

He spent 13.5 years with us in this realm. November 8, 1999 – June 11, 2013.

A few words adapted from The Book of the Dead:

Homage to thee, Osiris, Lord of eternity, King of the Gods, Son of Rowdy and the Earth, whose names are manifold, whose forms are holy, thou being of hidden form in the temples, the seeker of sandwiches, whose Ka is holy. Thou art the Prince of divine food bowl in Anu. Thou art the Hidden Soul, the Soul of Ra, his own body, the maker of foul stenches, he of velvet ear and gentle tongue, and hast thy place of rest in Henensu . Thou art the beneficent one, the stealer of towels and the destroyer of shoes, and thou makest thy soul to be raised up. Thou art the Governor of Abydos, the Lord of the West, the overseer of the Sunset Sea. Through you shall the very birds of the sky be consumed and returned. Thou art the humper of the divine dogbed. The stars in the celestial heights are obedient unto thee, the couches and the cushions are crushed beneath your weight, and the great doors of the sky open themselves before thee. With one heart and voice Egypt raiseth cries of joy to thee.

We welcome stories of Osiris’ antics in the comments.














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More Hedonism at La Paella

Jun11

Restaurant: La Paella

Location: 476 South San Vicente Boulevard. Los Angeles, CA 90048. (323) 951-0745

Date: June 1, 2013

Cuisine: Spanish

Rating: Really tasty traditional Spanish

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Since spending a month in Spain in 2010, I’ve been addicted to Spanish cooking, so when the Hedonists decided to return to this Hollywood staple I jumped on board for another evening packed with great wine and great food.


NV Billecart-Salmon Rose. Parker 90. The NV Brut Rose is a pretty, gracious wine. Freshly cut roses, red berries and spices take shape nicely in the glass as the wine shows off its understated, timeless personality. Billecart-Salmon’s NV Brut Rose is a reliably tasty wine.


Bread with olive tapenade and garlic butter.


“Patatas Bravas. Fried potatoes tossed with spicy tomato sauce.” In Spain, these would usually be coated in a spicy mayo. I liked these better, as the sauce was more like that used on hot wings and had a nice spicy vinegar tang.


“Boquerones en Vinagre.” Marinated small silvery fish fillets.


“Pulpo a la Gallega. Cooked octopus served with olive oil and paprika.” Incredibly tender!


2004 Bouchard Aîné et Fils Corton-Charlemagne. Burgound 93. I have not had this since cask and the bottle in question had a tattered label though no apparent seepage. As such, it’s difficult to know whether this bottle was indeed representative as it seemed relatively supple and forward, indeed more or less ready to drink. To be sure, there was no obvious secondary nuances in evidence and still good freshness to the rich, intense and vibrant flavors brimming with minerality on the impressively long finish. Impeccably stored bottles might need another few years to arrive at their peak but absent this bottle being an aberration, I don’t think that opening one today would be infanticide.


“Gambas al Ajillo.” Shrimp sauteed with garlic and chili pod.


“Pan con Tomate.” A country bread slice spread with tomato, garlic and olive oil.


“Espinacas con Piñones y Pasas.” Spinach sauteed with pine nuts and raisins.


2011 Emilio Rojo Ribeiro. 90 points. Weighty. Good acidity. Complex. Citrus, pear, minerality.


“Ensaladilla Rusa.” Tuna, potato and mayonnaise salad. The funny thing is calling this a salad.


“Tortilla Española. A wedge of a traditionally Spanish potato and onion omelette.”


A choice of condiments of the gazpacho.


“Gazpacho Andaluz. Tomato, garlic, bread, cucumber, celery, pepper, olive oil.” A nice gazpacho. I’m rather the gazpacho whore and I make it myself using Jose Andres’ recipe (modified by me). This one was tasty, but was a little thin textured for my taste.


1978 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial. IWC 93. Medium red with an amber rim. Highly complex bouquet of fresh and dried red fruits, cherry skin, pipe tobacco, smoky minerals, cigar box and potpourri. Sweet strawberry and cherry flavors stain the palate but are strikingly lithe. Cured tobacco and candied rose flavors emerge with aeration, and the fruit takes a darker turn toward cherry. The tannins have been completely absorbed, allowing the wine’s almost decadent sweetness to come through. Expensive, yes, but this would offer newly minted wine lovers an insight into the personality of aged wine from a great region and a very good vintage for the same price as many newly released Napa or Bordeaux wines.


Sautéed peppers, yum!

“Champiñones con Chorizo.” Mushrooms with Spanish red sausage.


“Jamón Serrano.” I wasn’t sure which Spanish ham this was. It was certainly good with the garlic spread!


From my cellar: 1978 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Gran Reserva. 95 points. Pretty tight at the onset and only started to get going after an hour or so. It definitely would’ve benefited from decanting. Heavy swirling and the passage of time eventually saw fresh dark cherry flavors and aromas come up with a bit of beef blood, old wood and spice. Nicely balanced with solid acid levels. It would absolutely benefit from more time in the cellar, though it’s certainly tasty now, but, again, decant.


“Paella Fideuà.” Shrimp, mussels, calamari, clams, etc. cooked with saffron and “fideo” noodles.


“Arròs Négre. Cuttlefish, calamari, baby shrimp and mussels cooked with rice and squid’s ink.” Oh I love me the black rice!


Together on the plate.


1995 R. López de Heredia Rioja Rosado Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia. 90-94 points. An alluring leather, dried orange peel and strawberry leaf scented bouquet that blossoms beautifully in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with very fine, elegant tannins. It is both precise and exquisitely defined with hints of cured meat and leather towards the graceful finish.


“Paella de Verduras.” Rice cooked with saffron and assorted vegetables.


1999 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Stonewell. 91 points.


Oxtail over mashed potatoes.


From my cellar: 2008 Pingus Flor de Pingus. Parker 96. The 2008 Flor de Pingus had been in bottle for 2 weeks when I tasted it. It offers up an enticing nose of smoke, Asian spices, incense, espresso, black cherry, and blackberry. On the palate it displays outstanding volume, intensity, and balance. Rich, dense, and succulent.


“Chuletas de Cordero al Romero.” Lamb chops grilled with rosemary and served with vegetables. Apparently in Spain, potatoes classify as “vegetables” :-).


1999 Château Guiraud. IWC 90. Pale yellow-gold. Lower-toned aromas of orange zest, herbs, spices, earth and vanillin oak. Textured, rich and sweetly oaky, with notes of vanilla and creme caramel Showing plenty of personality today. Ripe and rich for young Guiraud. Big but essentially gentle, with an impressive, slow-building finish.


The dessert spread.


“Pera al Vino. Pear cooked with red wine.”


“Mousse de Chocolate. Chocolate mousse.” One of the best chocolate mousses I can remember.


“Flan de Naranja.” Creme caramel with a light touch of fresh orange.


“Crema Catalana. Custard topped with caramelized sugar done to order.”


“Arroz con Leche.” Rice cooked with milk, lemon, cinnamon – served cold.

I love Spanish cooking, and La Paella has a really nice traditional kitchen. It reminds me of Botin in Madrid at the opposite end of the Spanish culinary spectrum from modernist Calima and the ElBuli school. Personally, I love both and I need to head back to La Paella to sample even more of their menu. Some of my favorites are Gambas Pil Pil, Anchovies en Boccerones, seafood paella, and, of course, the flan.

More crazy Hedonist adventures or
LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Hedonists at La Paella
  2. Hedonism at Esso
  3. Hedonism in the Desert – Azeen’s Afghani
  4. Quick Eats – Bar Pinxto
  5. Epic Hedonism at Totoraku
By: agavin
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Game of Thrones – Episode 30

Jun09

game-thrones-dragon-posterTitle: Game of Thrones

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Watched: Episode 30 – June 9, 2013

Title: Mhysa

Summary: Satisfying, but more staid

ANY CHARACTER HERE

After last weeks intense and narrow(er) focus, this week hits on each and every thread in Westeros (and beyond). The result is more diffuse, and is typical of GOT’s first/last episodes in that it’s mostly positioning the characters for the season to come. Still, there are some great moments like:

Arya and the Hound – Bolton ascends the keep to survey the chaos below. This part of the battle — achem, slaughter — feels big for TV, and it’s good to see it on screen (unlike the seige of Yunkai!). We zoom below through the chaos to follow the Hound fleeing with Arya. In the background is the grisly spectacle of the wolf head staples onto Robb’s body. This was suitably graphic and is a very medieval touch. Bodies of the vanquished were rarely treated with respect and this kind of symbol defilement is pretty  authentic.

Later, Arya and the Hound stumble (a tad too coincidentally) on a bunch of Frey soldiers boasting of their participation in the above grisly bit of business. Arya, now stripped of all hope and ties has only her connection with the God of Death left. She uses Jaqen’s coin (oh so appropriately) to trick and stab one — the hound finishes off the others. And so she moves into position.

I liked this moment, and it’s bit of savagery. Valar Morghulis.

Birds of a feather (a sharp one at that)

Birds of a feather (a sharp one at that)

Bolton and Frey – just in case we wondered exactly what happened, Walder Frey gives Bolton a bit of an info dump (including that Edmure is alive and the Blackfish on the loose) — certainly continuing to establish his self-serving character and Bolton’s cold one. Since it wasn’t totally clear to new viewers, Bolton takes a moment to fill us in about his bastard Ramsay and the (second) taking of Winterfell, which segues too…

Theon and Ramsay – Our nut job continues to  be quite effective. Not only does he tease poor Theon with a sausage, but he teaches him his new name. And so Reek is born. Another piece in position. Oh, and finally non-readers will (sort of) understand who the hell is holding (and chopping) Theon!

GRRM loves his boiled leather!

GRRM loves his boiled leather!

Balon and Yara/Asha – Ramsay sends a note to Balon along with “Theon’s favorite toy.” Poor Theon. Fortunately for us, we never see inside the box. Balon could care less, but Yara puts together a raiding party and a ship to go for a rescue. This felt a tad forced. Not that I begrudge Yara the sentiment, I just didn’t quite by the dialog.

Nice mood lighting

Nice mood lighting

Davos – has a chat with Gendry and they bond over their common origins in Fleabottom. This is fine, but hardly exciting stuff. Then Davos continues his reading practice with Shireen and stumbles across a note from the Night’s Watch. He goes to Stannis  to argue (again) against sacrificing Gendry. We’ve heard it before. Then he sets the boy free himself in a boat and returns to confess his treason. Stannis sentences him to death, but when Davos shows the note from Castle Black Mel steps in to save him and divert the king in this direction. Piece on the move.

Don't fall in!

Don’t fall in!

Bran – and crew approach the night fort. While camping inside Bran tells a creepy tale of a cannibal cook that is partially lifted (by Martin) from Herodotus (the first historian back in our world). They think they hear a ghost, quite effectively, but it’s just Gilly and Sam. When Sam recognizes Bran he tries to get him to come with them to Castle Black, but Bran knows he must go North of the Wall. Still, Sam passes on his dragonglass.

Soon, Sam and Gilly make it back to Castle Black where after long absence Maester Aegon returns. I nice scene, and I like the old man as well as ever.

Jon – is washing his eagle scratches when Ygritte catches up with him. Nicely done and touching, he speaks the truth and professes their love, and she, also now choosing loyalty has to shoot him. Kudos for excellent use of “you know nothing, Jon Snow.”

A wounded Jon escapes, then rides up to and collapses outside Castle Black. Sam and Pip drag him in. This last felt a little quick and forced.

Don't mess with a woman scorned!

Don’t mess with a woman scorned!

Tyrion – strolls with his wife (and Shae just a step behind). Their banter and building friendship is nicely handled. Pod flirting in the background is a nice little nod to the squire’s “bedroom powers.”

But when he’s summoned to a small council the company isn’t so nice. The news of Robb’s death has arrived and Joff takes every opportunity to gloat. The hostility between Joff and Tyrion, obvious enough before, continues to ferment. Tywin, however, has no time for the King’s nonsense, and quickly proves who has the power. Pieces in place.

Lannister road trips must've been a blast!

Lannister road trips must’ve been a blast!

The following conversation with Tywin and Tyrion is good as usual, full of both Tywin’s philosophy and more biting back and forth. This is a complex relationship. Can we say daddy issues? Ty doesn’t forget to remind the Imp of his duties in the bedroom. It seems dad knows he’s not sticking it to her — I wouldn’t thought Ty would keep this to himself.

When Tyrion returns to his wife to deliver the tough news she already knows, and what little trust he was beginning to build shattered. Like several critical moments this week, there is little or no dialog.

Later, Ty teaches Pod how to get drunk everyday, when Cersei arrives for another of her little chats with Tyrion. Again, as has happened a number of times in the show, they are actually slightly sympathetic to each other. As I’ve continued to state, show Cersei is much more likeable than book Cersei.

Two's company, three's... or don't mess with a woman scorned

Two’s company, three’s… or don’t mess with a woman scorned

Shae – meets up with Varys who attempts to bribe her into sailing away to another land. This continues to show Varys as a man who prefers the carrot to the stick, but Shae is having none of it, preferring to fight for her man.

Jaime and Brienne – arrive at Dubrovnik (I mean Kings Landing) after a long flight from Ireland. Due to jetlag no one recognizes him, but he must be persuasive because he gets back into the castle and finds Cersei. This segment felt quick and wasn’t a very satisfying ending to what was one of my favorite arcs in the first half of the season.

Dany – and crew wait outside Yunkai, which being a composite of some Moroccan town and CGI looks pretty great. A bunch of slaves emerge and she does another rousing speech and they declare her mother. This leads to crowd surfing, or really a tradition used (invented?) by the Roman army, in which victorious leaders are passed above the crowd. The first half of the scene felt a little cheesy, but the crowd, augmented with CGI extras, has a bit of scale at the end and the final up sweep with circling dragons is nice and rousing.

By ending the season each time with Dany, it seems the producers recognize her as the structural backbone of the larger multi-book story.

Look Ma, CGI Unsullied!

Look Ma, CGI Unsullied!

Overall, this was a solid episode with some good scenes, but the sheer breadth of handling every narrative thread left many of them feeling a little thin. I was also surprised we didn’t see the return of that other mother — next year I guess, for a lot of stuff. This was a great season, and it contains some of the scenes from the books. I think it solved the main season 2 problem of over-compression, allowing for more character moments, and upped the visual ante so that things felt big (gigantic for television even). Nicely done. Even if there were a few cheap outs — sacking of Yunkai! Given that GOT is now HBO’s second biggest show ever (after the Sopranos) we can hope season 4 is even bigger!

On a minor note, I’m disappointed not to see Olena or Marg in the finale.

Another excellent analysis of this episode.

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or all my Game of Thrones posts or episode reviews:

Season 1: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

Season 2: [11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20]

Season 3: [21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30]

Season 4: [31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40]

Season 5: [41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50]

Season 6: [51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57]

The official “Inside the Episode”:

Related posts:

  1. Game of Thrones – Episode 29
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  5. Game of Thrones – Episode 12
By: agavin
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The Last of Us – Review Roundup

Jun05

Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us is nearly on us, and the review ban has been released, so I felt I’d round up a couple. Check out these reviews! They average 95, which is pretty unheard of. The most often repeated word is “masterpiece”!

[ NOTE 6/14/13: I started playing and the playable prologue alone is nearly worth the price of admission! ]

First the awesome launch trailer here:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQpdSVF_k_w]

Then the review roundup:

  1. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    The Last of Us is not a cheerful story, but it’s a damned good one.
  2. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    An assured, touching, and engrossing adventure, The Last of Us represents a watershed moment for the medium. The unlikely bond that blossoms between the title’s two lead characters is both heartrending and poignantly paced – but the release delivers much more than captivating cinematics. This is a meaty slice of survival action that masterfully depicts the horrors of life in a post-pandemic setting.
  3. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    Here the developers have carefully pieced together something rarely seen in the industry – a considerably more substantial, meaty take on the saturated third person adventure genre, and one that surprises at every turn without wrong-footing a player ready to invest serious time and emotion into the project. A real achievement, and one that respects you as an adult.
  4. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    It would be disingenuous to suggest that The Last of Us is immune from blockbuster video game excess –the total number of kills at the final stats page will still run into the many hundreds– but it’s one of the few games to try and make some kind of sense of it without compromising its quality of action…In that, and so many other things, The Last of Us is a triumph.
  5. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    It’s a hallmark of excellence in writing, design, and performance. Naughty Dog and Sony not only have a system seller on their hands, but a game that’ll define an entire console generation—a true classic that’ll be talked about and fondly regarded for years to come.
  6. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    The Last of Us is visually arresting, mechanically solid, maturely written and by turns heart-rending, tense, unnerving and brutal. Check your ammo. Grab your shiv. Just try your best to stay alive.
  7. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    There’s no denying it: The Last of Us hits almost every nail on the head. Its storytelling, its gameplay, its characters, and their journey in this bleak but almost sadly beautiful world that saw the downfall of the human civilization doesn’t ever really try to shortcut its way to genuine emotions, opting, on the contrary, for the hard but humanely faithful path. The ambivalence of the human soul, the spot on portrayal of conflicting morals and the tragedy of impossible choices are all beautifully written and played. Plus, the multiplayer is far from being a gimmick; quite the contrary, in fact. It’s very much a coherent and enticing experience on its own, with a brilliant meta-game idea, and a unique, multiplayer take on survival.
  8. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    The Last of Us is what we expected and more, much more. Naughty Dog delivers the game that made our jaws drop at E3: adult, honest and with an incredible attention to detail.
  9. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    A masterpiece, that breaks the self imposed barriers of gaming narrative and ensnares the player with intelligent gameplay and brilliant A.I. Anyone wanting to tackle the same themes will have to be compared to Naughty Dog’s work in the future, and it won’t be pretty.
  10. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    A masterpiece. Superb graphics, challenging gameplay, great story, believable characters and the eeriest clicking noise you’ve ever heard in a video game.
  11. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    Its storytelling is peerless, as affecting and multi-layered as it is grounded, underplayed and real. In terms of everything the modern action game has strived to be, The Last of Us is the full-stop at the end of the sentence, leaving no more to be said. Until next-gen. If this is our starting point for that, then the next five to ten years could be truly amazing.
  12. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    In an industry where big, epic, and huge are the normal, it is refreshing to see the importance of the little things. In fact, I believe this is The Last of Us’ strongest suit. You will play this game and feel the overwhelming storyline, like the characters, and, after you have let it all soak in, some of your favorite moments will be the small things; the things you didn’t have your hand held through.
  13. When such a talented developer hits these creative, narrative and technical heights, the result is a game that wouldn’t look out of place smuggled into PS4’s launch lineup. The acting is more believable than LA Noire’s hi-tech gurning. There are sneaky set-piece excursions that outdo even Metal Gear Solid 4 at its best. And tying it all together is an utterly mesmerising world instilled with a seamless sense of time and place. This is a work of art in which amazing sights and sounds fuel an emotionally draining, constantly compelling end of days adventure.
  14. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    Ultimately, I defy anyone not to be moved when it comes to its conclusion and the huge questions it asks of both the player and the characters themselves – any game that achieves such a goal deserves high-praise. The Last of Us succeeds in the same way as the best movies do, challenging you more than you’ll ever expect, demanding that you think and discuss it weeks after it resolves. The fact I had the urge to pick it up again almost instantly is just added acclaim it has more than earned.
  15. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    Naughty Dog has delivered the most riveting, emotionally resonant story-driven epic of this console generation. At times it’s easy to feel like big-budget development has too much on the line to allow stubbornly artful ideas to flourish, but then a game like The Last Of Us emerges through the crumbled blacktop like a climbing vine, green as a burnished emerald.
  16. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    The Last of Us is a deeply impressive demonstration of how it can and should be done. It starts out safe but ends brave; it has heart and grit, and it hangs together beautifully. And it’s a real video game, too. An elegy for a dying world, The Last of Us is also a beacon of hope for its genre.
  17. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    Its unrivaled presentation in particular sets the bar even higher than the Uncharted trilogy already did, and its writing, voice acting and layered gameplay combine to create what is very easily the game to beat for Game of the Year 2013.
  18. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    It cannot be said enough, however, that Naughty Dog’s new best creation is complete, and when I say complete, I mean it to pay the highest of compliments. I do not want more from The Last of Us: I do not need more. As the last line was uttered and the credits ushered in the close, I was done. The Last of Us had achieved everything it needed to achieve in order to provide me with everything I wanted…And it ended perfectly.
  19. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    The Last of Us is not simply Uncharted with zombies, but it couldn’t exist without Naughty Dog having made Uncharted first, either. It’s a dark adventure, one rarely filled with laughs or joy. There are bitter pills to swallow along the way, and nothing is taken for granted, not even characters. People live, people die. Sometimes it’s fair, sometimes it’s not. It’s still a zombie game, but a sobering one. Take a deep breath.
  20. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    It cannot be overstated that there is something exceptional at work here as masterful storytelling marries wonderfully with interactive experience, the high expectations that have built for this release are met and exceeded with consummate ease.
  21. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    Overall, multiplayer is light on modes and it may not expand on the core story-driven experience, but it’s still a thoughtful addition to a superbly executed package.
  22. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    With a hauntingly beautiful game world, stunning visuals, and a wide variety of ways in which players can approach combat, The Last of Us is another exceptional game from the team at Naughty Dog…However, it’s the studio’s ability to make this past-pandemic world and its contrasting cast of characters feel so believable and credible that really makes The Last of Us stand out from its peers.
  23. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    The Last of Us brings you into a world where people die without grace, and explains to you the beauty of the extinction. It’s strong, unique, brutal and, ultimately, unforgettable.
  24. 100
    Terror and beauty are potent bedfellows in The Last of Us, a masterwork of interactive entertainment conjured up by the master gamesmiths at Naughty Dog.
  25. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    I do not know if The Last of Us is the best game of this generation, given that it always depends on what you’re looking for in a game, but it’s a true example of how to create a credible world with authentic characters in which we end up investing a lot emotionally.
  26. Jun 5, 2013
    100
    Despite a few issues, The Last of Us represents at the same time the complete maturity of the PlayStation 3 hardware and, above all, the perfect fusion between gameplay and narrative. Naughty Dog has created a masterpiece that will be a milestone in the video games evolution.
  27. Jun 5, 2013
    98
    This is the most ambitious project Naughty Dog has made so far. It’s not a new genre, but it mixes up some of them to bring something unique. It’s got nothing to do with Uncharted apart from the look some images may show, but still is one of the best games on PlayStation 3.
  28. Jun 5, 2013
    97
    Plenty of action and horror, Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic tale is an amazing game.
  29. Jun 5, 2013
    97
    The Last of Us is a really different game, mixing traditional adventure, survival, action, stealth and constant exploration. The resources are most important. The best graphics on PlayStation 3 are back in the hands of Naughty Dog, also the atmosphere, and two unrepeatable and unforgettable characters. Overwhelming.
  30. Jun 5, 2013
    97
    The Last of Us is a step forward for Naughty Dog in terms of narration, story and gameplay, maybe the last big shot for PlayStation 3 and a fine example of a “cinematic game” melted into a great gameplay. A must buy for every serious gamer.
  31. 97
    It is a deeply emotional story driven game with an addictive element making it difficult to put the controller down. It is game you won’t forget and one that ultimately raises the bar for the genre. In the end it’s simply a fantastic game, a fantastic experience, and one PS3 owners can purchase with confidence.
  32. Jun 5, 2013
    95
    Quotation forthcoming.
  33. Jun 5, 2013
    95
    The Last of Us spells the manum opus for Naughty Dog on the PlayStation 3, offering us a unique experience that easily eclipses anything else we’ve seen on the system. This game is easily a contender for adventure game of the year.
  34. Jun 5, 2013
    95
    Quotation forthcoming.
  35. Jun 5, 2013
    95
    Naughty Dog puts an end to the current generation with a game that explores the human interaction of two characters, Joel and Ellie, that are destined to get along in a shattered world that has been wonderfully represented thanks to its impressive technical aspects. The Last of Us, in spite of its small imperfections, is an adult title that no PS3 player should let go unplayed.
  36. Jun 5, 2013
    95
    With The Last of Us, Naughty Dog provides us with a hell of a masterpiece, which will continue to occupy the thoughts of gamers in the coming years, simply because it redefines the standards of survival Horror games. Instead of using and abusing horrific scenes as is the case with the competitors, the game provides a chronic stress that chews on your brains bit by bit punctuated by great epic scenes. The infected people are relentless and unforgiving, though a bit like the Clickers who will rip your head at the slightest sound. The listening system does not impact the challenge and finds itself an invaluable asset when things get really dirty. As one needs to seduce casual gamers, The Last of Us also has its own action scenes, hence the criticism from the purists of this kind of game. But can we really be skeptical when facing the nicest game of this generation of consoles ? No, we cant…
  37. Jun 5, 2013
    95
    It’s easy to initially expect The Last of Us to be a game about killing zombies, surviving in a post-apocalyptic world, and exploring for supplies. Instead, it’s a game about two people, and the bond that forms between them—and that journey is far more exciting than any amount of infected monsters or food scavenging could ever provide.
  38. Jun 5, 2013
    95
    The Last of Us is a deeply felt, shockingly violent game that questions what we’re willing to sacrifice and, more disturbingly, what we’re willing to do so save the ones we love. The conclusion offers no easy answers. You won’t forget it.
  39. Jun 5, 2013
    95
    A thrilling, cinematic, movie-like action-adventure with the best videogame pairing ever conceived.
  40. Jun 5, 2013
    90
    Quotation forthcoming.
  41. Jun 5, 2013
    90
    The characters in The Last of Us are relatable without being entirely stereotypical, the story is driven by the characters, rather than the reverse, and the adventure sections, while nothing new mechanically, offer a great way to really delve into the world. Given the lack of truly innovative mechanics, and the reliance on well-known types of gameplay, like the all-too-typical “find a ladder to climb to the next section” adventuring bits, The Last of Us isn’t perfect, but it’s awfully close.
  42. Jun 5, 2013
    90
    A stunning achievement in both storytelling and third person adventure, with unforgettable characters and tense, brilliantly paced action.
  43. Jun 5, 2013
    90
    Naughty Dog managed to create a different kind of action game, one with a more dramatic, desperate and authentic tone than Uncharted. Joel and Ellie offer you a journey you won’t forget, just bring lots of bullets and keep your head down.
  44. The Last of Us has perhaps the best artificial intelligence I’ve ever seen in a game. The enemies, whether they are mindless zombies or clever human “hunters,” behave in amazingly realistic ways, forcing the player to think up equally smart strategies in each encounter.
  45. Jun 5, 2013
    90
    It’s the relationships that really make The Last Of Us. It’s a technical marvel, a true triple-A with best-in-show production values, but it’s the beautiful combination of performance and story that elevates it clearly above the competition.
  46. Jun 5, 2013
    90
    The pacing becomes somewhat sluggish right before you hit the final act, but from there it moves at a 100 miles an hour. I didn’t leave my couch until well after the credits rolled.
  47. Jun 5, 2013
    90
    Naughty Dog has created a exciting and emotional adventure, packed with a great cast of characters, impressive voice acting and beautiful visuals. A varied selection of enemies offers a diverse challenge, and you often have to change strategies to get by without using up your resources. The multiplayer is functional and well done, but is eclipsed by the amazing single player adventure.
  48. Jun 5, 2013
    90
    The Last of Us is a stable and very decent action game, wrapped in an absolutely incredible presentation and story. When it comes to the narrative, The Last of Us sets a new golden standard that every game will be compared to for years to comes. It honestly feels as if Naughty Dog has raised the bar of what games as a medium are able to achieve in this area, and makes franchises like Call of Duty and all its wannabes seem decidedly laughable.
  49. Jun 5, 2013
    85
    A brilliant and evocative story, superb combat mechanics and an interesting multiplayer component, The Last Of Us is one of this generation’s best.
  50. Jun 5, 2013
    80
    Despite the many small problems in combat, there’s an undeniable tension. Vanquishing a horde of attackers is challenging, so you must fight intelligently.
  51. Jun 5, 2013
    80
    Despite the occasional jarring juxtaposition between its story and its gameplay, The Last of Us is a landmark piece of interactive entertainment, proving that even action games can tell mature, thoughtful tales, with characters who don’t feel like an assortment of tropes and clichés.
  52. Jun 5, 2013
    75
    Naughty Dog commits to a somber tone that affects every piece of the game for better and worse. It achieves incredible emotional high points about as often as it bumps up against tired scenario design that doesn’t fit its world. Survival in the post-apocalypse requires compromise, but The Last of Us has given up something vital.
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Summer of Hedonism

Jun04

We Hedonists rarely take a break, and even after last week’s beyond epic Totoraku adventure and several Asian Invasions the summer season begins with a blow out of epic proportions last Thursday, May 23, 2013.


This time, the setting is the Hedonist Capo Lana’s gorgeous Beverly Hills home.


The crew begins to enjoy the evening outside by the fantasy pool.


While inside, the culinary adventures were masterminded by Chef Kevin Meehan of Kali Dining, a Hedonist member himself and all around awesome chef.


Then we move inside briefly for canapés. This time around, given the vast array of incredible wines, I’m going to do all the food first and cover the beverages below. They were of course consumed simultaneously.


Hedonist regular Nina brought her own Taramosalata (greek fish roe dip) served with bread.


The chef offers salmon on cucumber with dill and creme fraiche.


Then back outside to dine poolside!

Amuse Bouche / veal tartar / black truffle / potato crisp. Truly delicious, this reminds me of the veal tartar I once had in Monforte d’Alba (Barolo). Fittingly, we ate it with some fine Gaja Barolo!


The vegetarian’s got this tomato salad.

Scallops with radish and squid ink “soil” (bread soaked with squid ink then crumbled). The dust may look a little like its namesake, but the flavor combination was incredible with a very exciting textural profile. Great job Kevin!


Vegetarians got this equally earthy dish.

Pork Belly / pea / corn / carrot. Another intense yum! Very succulent meat that paired perfectly.


And the meatless version.

Duck  / wild mushrooms / red wine jus. A great piece of duck.


Vegetarians got this risotto.

Beef / charred scallions / smoked potatoes / burnt onion jam. This was a near perfect beef dish. The meat itself was tender and flavorful and that onion jam — wow!


The more spartan veggie version. Poor vegetarians.

Goat Cheese Mousse / balsamic / berries / lavender. A nice bright dessert, in the spirit of “strawberries and cream” but much more savory. Paired nicely with all that lingering red wine.


The patio area at Lana’s is stunning.


Most of the wines (a few arrived later).


NV Krug Grande Cuvee. Parker 90-95. The NV Brut Grande Cuvee emerges from the glass with freshly cut flowers, almonds, pastry and spices. This is a relatively floral, bright Grande Cuvee with fewer of the oxidative qualities that are typical of the house style. According to Krug’s ID Code, this bottle is based on the 2004 vintage, which explains the wine’s tense, taut personality. Another year or two on the cork will only help the wine gain expressiveness and depth. Today, the Grande Cuvee is quite reticent and not showing the full breadth of its personality.


1993 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. Burghound 91. A fully mature and expressive nose of elegant secondary fruit and floral aromas introduces intensely mineral-driven, pure and beautifully well-detailed middle weight flavors that possess excellent depth and fine length. This is drinking perfectly now and should continue to do so without effort for at least another decade.

This bottle had been open for a day but was drinking incredibly. Really a first rate Chardonnay! I love MP and I love Ampeau.

2009 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Corton-Charlemagne. Burghound 91-94. A pretty and nuanced nose of white flowers, green apple and pungent wet stone notes are in keeping with the equally complex and nuanced full-bodied, rich and overtly muscular flavors that also exude an intense minerality on the complex, vibrant and explosive finish.


From my cellar: 1996 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares. IWC 93+. Good fresh dark red. Flamboyant nose combines blueberry, blackberry, licorice and Cuban tobacco; distinctly blacker aromas than the ’97. Great sweetness and penetration on the palate; flavors are given thrust and grip by a strong spine of acids and tannins. Quintessential grand cru intensity without excess weight. Extremely long, noble finish. Fascinating Bonnes-Mares, and likely to be very long-lived.

These Burgundy reviewers are always so hard-assed, because I’d take this over some 97 point Bordeaux any day.


1993 Gaja Barolo Sperss. 90-95 points. Restrained nose, but wonderful on the palate – an impressive start. Very long cork in excellent condition. Poured into decanter to revisit later in the afternoon. Come back and its filled a small room with heavenly scents – but not so much with your nose buried in the glass. Rich but not overripe fruits, kindling, forest underbrush, and tanned leather, all draped with fine tannins. Yes there’s oak, but tastefully done. Let the haters hate, but this is a dynamite wine. In my opinion, still the best of several Sperss vintages sampled- we were all impressed.


1993 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn. Parker 89 / 90-93 other. Gaja’s 1993 Barbarescos (he declassified all his crus in 1991 and 1992) are good, but anyone expecting a level of quality matching what he obtained in 1988, 1989, and 1990 will be disappointed. The wines are more compact and downsized compared to the three aforementioned vintages. The most interesting is the medium ruby-colored 1993 Barbaresco Sori Tilden. It offers up a Burgundian-like, sweet cherry, earthy, smoky tobacco character. In the mouth, the wine reveals the most intensity, sweetest fruit, and greatest length of this quartet. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and spicy, with some of the vintage’s tell-tale dry tannin, the wine has plenty of fruit for balance. This is an excellent example of Sori Tilden that should drink well for 10-15 years, but it is not comparable to the 1988, 1989, or 1990.


1990 Azienda Bricco Rocche (Ceretto) Barolo Brunate. 90-95 points. Perfect blood ruby. Absolutely classic, spot-on nose; a little volatile, but I like it here, totally appropriate balsamic notes; cherry liqueur, stones. Classic. Palate is tannic! Lots of fine, dense cherry fruit, but this is definitely leaning tannic. Medium length, firm and solid. A delicious wine, but be careful not to hold it too long.


1990 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle. Parker 100! The 1990 La Chapelle is the sexy and opulent. I had the 1990 at the Jaboulet tasting, and again out of a double magnum three months ago. On both occasions it was spectacular, clearly meriting a three-digit score. The modern day equivalent of the 1961, it deserves all the attention it has garnered.

The color remains an opaque purple, with only a slight pink at the edge. Spectacular aromatics offer up aromas of incense, smoke, blackberry fruit, cassis, barbecue spice, coffee, and a touch of chocolate. As it sits in the glass, additional nuances of pepper and grilled steak emerge. There is extraordinary freshness for such a mammoth wine in addition to abundant tannin, an amazing 60-second finish, and a level of glycerin and thick, fleshy texture that have to be tasted to be believed.


1995 Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 96-99. The 1995 is spectacular. When Emmanuel Reynaud said it was evolving quickly, in essence repudiating this vintage, I immediately drank two bottles of this glorious elixir. It does not reveal the over-ripeness of the 1990, bringing to mind a hypothetical blend of the great 1989 and 1978. Deeply-colored and still young, with black currant/creme de cassis-like characteristics, huge body, yet great structure and delineation, this is a classic Rayas that is totally different than the 1990. It should continue to improve in the bottle and may merit an even higher score. While it can be drunk now, it will be even better with 3-4 years of cellaring.


2000 Chateau Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 93. The 2000 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape, which Emmanuel Reynaud believes is better than 1998, came in at a whopping 15.2% alcohol. It is reminiscent of a hypothetical blend of the 1998 and 1999, with a medium to light ruby color, and a sumptuous bouquet of kirsch liqueur, spice box, and licorice. Full-bodied and fleshy, with low acidity, it is a sweet (from high glycerin and alcohol), seductive, intoxicating offering with no hard edges and a rich, fleshy mouthfeel. While it will be hard to resist, I feel the 1998 still has more structure.


2001 Domaine de la Mordoree Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de la Reine des Bois. Parker 100! Tasted on four separate occasions, and awarded a perfect score on three of those, the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de la Reine des Bois even surpasses the extraordinary Reine des Bois produced in 2000, 1999, and 1998 … and that’s saying something! An inky/purple color is followed by a heady perfume of graphite, blackberries, kirsch, licorice, truffles, and charcoal. This full-bodied effort displays endless concentration in its pure, dense, generous flavors. It is broadly flavored, with beautifully integrated acidity, tannin, and alcohol. A blend of 78% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, and small quantities of Cinsault, Counoise, Syrah, and Vaccarese, it is made from 60-year old vines, and aged both in cask and neutral foudres from what are obviously very low yields. Sadly, just over 1,000 cases were produced. This classic Chateauneuf du Pape requires 3-5 years of cellaring; it will last for two decades. A modern day legend, it is an example of what progressive winemaking can achieve without abandoning the traditions of the appellation.


1999 Latour. Parker 92-95. A terrific effort, this sexy, open-knit, opulent effort possesses plenty of tannin, but it is largely concealed by the wine’s wealth of fruit, high extraction level, and noticeable glycerin as well as unctuosity. Dense ruby/purple-colored, with a sweet, evolved nose of black fruits (cassis, leather, and blackberries), cedar, spice box, and liquid minerals, this powerful yet seamless Latour will be surprisingly accessible at an unusually young age. Long and full-bodied, with the acidity, tannin, alcohol, and wood all beautifully integrated, it will be at its finest between 2007-2030. A classic!


1999 Cheval Blanc. Parker 93-95. The complex, explosively fragrant 1999 Cheval Blanc is a blend of 59% Merlot and 41% Cabernet Franc. It is already showing well, which is a good sign for a wine that traditionally is reserved early in life, but puts on weight and richness in the bottle. Stylistically, this wine is probably cut from the same mold as vintages such as 1985, 1966, and 1962. The color is a dense ruby with purple nuances. Once past the blockbuster bouquet of menthol, leather, black fruits, licorice, and mocha, the wine reveals medium body, extraordinary elegance, purity, and sweet, harmonious flavors with no hard edges. This is a seamless beauty of finesse, charm, and concentration. The 1999 is an exciting Cheval Blanc to drink relatively young.


1999 Haut Brion. Parker 93-95. Deep plum, currant, and mineral notes emerge from the concentrated, beautifully balanced, pure 1999 Haut Brion. It seems to be cut from the same mold as years such as 1979 and 1985. There is a hint of graphite in the abundant fruit. The wine is medium to full-bodied, nuanced, subtle, deep, and provocatively elegant. It is made in a style that only Haut Brion appears capable of achieving. The finish is extremely long, the tannins sweet, and the overall impression one of delicacy interwoven with power and ripeness.


1999 Le Macchiole Messorio. Parker 96-98. The 1999 is one of the more focused, intense Messorios in this lineup. It shows the minerality and drive of the cooler vintage in its clean, beautifully delineated aromas and flavors. Espresso, grilled herbs and mint are some of the nuances that linger on the finish. The 1999 continues to change in the glass, offering a preview of what is in store for readers lucky enough to own it. This is an absolutely joyous wine to follow in the glass.


2007 Hundred Acre Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Fortunate Son. Parker 91-96. Another offering from Jayson Woodbridge, who never seems to be content with the status quo (he is also the proprietor of the wonderful inexpensive Layer Cake Wines from throughout the world) is the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Fortunate Son, a selection from Hundred Acre and “other” selections he makes. It exhibits a bouquet of black currants intermixed with hints of cedarwood, incense, cocoa and graphite. Medium to full-bodied, opulent and rich.


2006 Screaming Eagle Second Flight. Parker 94. The 2006 Second Flight is a beautiful classy wine. Here the significant presence of Merlot (33%) helps to round out the Cabernet Sauvignon that is so distinctive in Screaming Eagle. Overall, this is a fairly generous expression of the year with plenty of the estate’s signatures. Over time, a compelling melange of savory herbs, spices and minerals comes alive in the glass. This is a super-impressive first vintage for Second Flight.


1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia Proprietary Red Wine. Parker 96. Joseph Phelps’ flagship wine is their fabulous Insignia, a wine with a tremendous track record back to the debut vintage of 1974. It is produced in significant quantities (18,000-20,000 cases) for a wine of such quality.
The prodigious 1997 Insignia (83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and 3% Petit-Verdot) lives up to its pre-bottling promise. Tasted on three separate occasions, every bottle has hit the bull’s eye. The color is a saturated thick-looking blue/purple. The nose offers up explosive aromas of jammy black fruits, licorice, Asian spices, vanillin, and cedar. Full-bodied as well as exceptionally pure and impressively endowed, this blockbuster yet surprisingly elegant wine cuts a brilliant swath across the palate. A seamless effort with beautifully integrated acidity, sweet tannin, and alcohol, it is still an infant, but can be drunk with considerable pleasure.


1999 Azienda Agricola Barbera d’Alba. This was a “filler wine” and didn’t seem to be generally served.


2000 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault les Chevalieres. Parker 92-93. The spiced white fruit-scented 2000 Meursault Chevalieres combines power and elegance in its medium to full-bodied personality. This broad, refined wine exhibits creamed anise, liquid mineral, and touches of vanilla in its elegant, harmonious character. Additionally, this wine has an exceptionally long and expressive finish.

This had a really fabulous and interesting nose, and like most wines from white Burgundy’s top winemaker was a real stunner.


1994 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Tokay Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal (Selection de Grains Nobles) Trie Speciale. Parker 99. The 1994 Tokay-Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal (Selection de Grains Nobles) Trie Speciale is the sweetest and densest wine Olivier Humbrecht has ever fashioned. It has 540 grams of residual sugar per liter and 12 grams of acid. As Humbrecht noted, “it makes no noise when poured into a glass, it is completely silent!” He has not yet presented it for certification as an SGN, which is why that moniker is in parentheses. Needless to say, this puree of fruit-flavored syrup sets new standards in power, concentration, and length.

This was an incredible sticky. I was tempted to pick up abandoned glasses and finish them (but I didn’t).


1999 Château Guiraud. IWC 90. Pale yellow-gold. Lower-toned aromas of orange zest, herbs, spices, earth and vanillin oak. Textured, rich and sweetly oaky, with notes of vanilla and creme caramel Showing plenty of personality today. Ripe and rich for young Guiraud. Big but essentially gentle, with an impressive, slow-building finish.

Our bottle was unfortunately corked.

2013 “The fire.” A very alkaline drinking water, mineral pure, with a light bitter finish.


A lot of these puppies needed time.


The glazed stares!

Another incredible Hedonist event. This really hit on all notes.

First, Lana’s place and hospitality makes for a perfect venue. Thanks Lana! The atmosphere was impeccable.

Second, Chef Kevin’s food was really spot on, and made all the more impressive by him cooking it in a borrowed kitchen for 20 people. Even temperatures were perfect and everything rolled out in well orchestrated waves. This is NOT easy to do. Most restaurants can’t even manage a table of 20 smoothly. The dishes were inventive and tasty. Bravo!

Third, the wines were among the best we’ve ever had both in terms of quality and number. It’s hard to say, given the staggering number of great events we do, but this might have been one of the best and most varied lineups.

 

More crazy Hedonist adventures or

LA dining reviews click here.

The fierce guardian to Dionysus’ realm. Actually, she’s a sweetie 🙂

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By: agavin
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Summer Night’s Dream Sale

Jun03

The e-book versions of The Darkening Dream will be on sale for only 99 cents this week until Friday June 7th! Take the plunge, it’s certainly a great deal.

Buy it on Amazon!

Tweet, share, like, follow, blog and grab a copy of my book.

Also, on the publishing front, The Audiobook versions for both my novels are in production and am finished with the fourth draft of the Untimed screenplay!

About The Darkening Dream

As the Nineteenth Century gives way to the Twentieth, modern science and steel girders leave little room for the supernatural. But in dark corners the old forces still gather. God, demon, and sorcerer alike plot to regain what was theirs in Andy Gavin’s chilling debut, The Darkening Dream.

1913, Salem, Massachusetts – Sarah Engelmann’s life is full of friends, books, and avoiding the pressure to choose a husband, until an ominous vision and the haunting call of an otherworldly trumpet shake her. When she stumbles across a gruesome corpse, she fears that her vision was more of a premonition. And when she sees the murdered boy moving through the crowd at an amusement park, Sarah is thrust into a dark battle she does not understand.

With the help of Alex, a Greek immigrant who knows a startling amount about the undead, Sarah sets out to uncover the truth. Their quest takes them to Salem’s brutal factory workrooms, on a clandestine maritime mission, and down into their foe’s nightmarish crypt. But they aren’t prepared for the terrifying backlash that brings the fight back to their own homes and families. Can Alex’s elderly, vampire-hunting grandfather and Sarah’s own rabbi father help protect them? And what do Sarah’s darkening visions reveal?

No less than the Archangel Gabriel’s Horn, destined to announce the End of Days, is at stake, and the forces banded to recover it include a 900 year-old vampire, a trio of disgruntled Egyptian gods, and a demon-loving Puritan minister. At the center of this swirling conflict is Sarah, who must fight a millennia-old battle against unspeakable forces, knowing the ultimate prize might be herself.

“Gorgeously creepy, strangely humorous, and sincerely terrifying” — Publishers Weekly
“Wonderfully twisted sense of humor” and
“A vampire novel with actual bite” — Kirkus Reviews
“Steampunk Lovecraftian Horror by way of Joss Whedon”

Buy Sample Characters Reviews Reviewer Info

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Related posts:

  1. Dream Sale
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  4. The Darkening Dream in Publishers Weekly
  5. Big Giveaway Winners!
By: agavin
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Game of Thrones – Episode 29

Jun02

game-thrones-dragon-posterTitle: Game of Thrones

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Watched: Episode 29 – June 2, 2013

Title: The Rains of Castamere

Summary: Darkness descends

ANY CHARACTER HERE

As much as this season is about marriage and The Rains of Castamere centers on the second of three weddings, the episode is more about the breaking of oaths than the keeping of them. The sundering of possibilities than the forming of them. This is a dark dark segment, probably the darkest yet.

Like last week, the writers have narrowed the narrative focus. We have only three major threads here. One is a bit more of Dany in Yunkai, another one of a Storm of Swords more complex segments (the near meeting of Sam, Bran, and Jon) and the last being the Red Wedding. Structurally the writers cut more rapidly back and forth between these segments than usual. This becomes particularly necessary as the threads overlap and cross, something that while rare in the series, gives this segment of the novel tremendous tension.

Dany – Daario’s addition to Dany’s inner circle only makes things even more complex. Jorah, who once had the queen all to himself is pulled in various directions by the men around her. He Daario, and Grey Worm go to open the gates of the city. This segment is by far the weakest. The battle is not only skipped, which we have sadly come to expect, but the little bits we get are unclear at best. The three go in, have a bit of a fight, are ambushed, and then are somehow back at Dany’s camp. I’m just confused. The whole thing felt small and squeezed for time. Dany waiting for Daario felt forced.

Didn't do it for me this week

Didn’t do it for me this week

Sam & Gilly – approach the wall. Their excellent chemistry continues as he info dumps (letting us know there is way under the wall) and she is so impressed she calls him a “wizard,” which is a delightful reference back to season 1. But where is Cold Hands?

Bran – and crew approach the windmill that Jon saw two episodes ago. A storm is coming and they take shelter.

Jon – along with the wildlings, approaches a horse breeder who works for the Night’s Watch. His loyalty is again put to the test. He warns the man and stops Ygritte from shooting him. But when the wildlings catch up with him outside Bran’s windmill he’s assigned to kill the guy — a task for which he’s a notorious failure. Ygritte cuts short the argument by choosing sides and Jon, but as he fights the wildlings she is neutralized by Tormund. Jon gets the drop on Orel and gives the man what he deserves, but not before his consciousness slips into his Eagle and he attacks Jon with this second body. Despite the Warg explanations offered by Jojen below, I wonder how well non-readers will understand this.

We won't miss this fellow

We won’t miss this fellow

But most central to this whole scene, and most thematic to the episode is the play out of loyalties between Jon and Ygritte. Is she siding with him? Where do her loyalties lie? I choose to believe with them as a unit. But Jon doesn’t just chose her, he chooses the Watch too. Her expression as she watches him ride off is sad indeed.

Bran – employs his special Warg powers first to silence Hodor and then to jump into Summer and Shaggy Dog below, helping Jon out with his fight. When he returns to himself he decides to send Rickon away with Osha for his own safety. Here he also saw Jon below, and I can’t remember if that happened exactly in the books. Reading, there was always this intense desire to see the family members reunite, and it is here in ASOS that they come the closest, with heart rending consequences. It should be noted that Jojen isn’t so much a character but a mouth piece to explain what’s going on with Bran (somewhat). Also, after being pretty much entirely lame this season, the moment with Osha as she takes on Rickon is actually fairly touching. Her character this season has bugged me, as she was great last year, and it’s nice to see her slightly redeemed.

Arya – also nearly intertwines here. As she approaches the Twins the back and forth between her and the Hound is great fun. Neither totally has the upper hand. The pig parts (pig knuckles – ick) are an amusing touch as they spar. In many ways they see sides of each other that few do.

Poor Arya, so close, and yet so far

Poor Arya, so close, and yet so far

Robb – reconnects with his mother as they plot their assault on Casterly Rock. Then riding out, wolf in the lead, they approach the Twins for the wedding (a second near convergence). Deviating from the books, he brings his wife to the wedding. This initial meeting, and the wedding in general, is handled excellently. They break bread and salt, which viewers might not totally get, but initiating traditional guest rights. Robb apologizes and old Frey is highly amusing as he introduces his daughters and teases Robb. In a bit of foreshadowing, he uses the phrase “the wine will run red.”

A little shot of the Starks camped outside the Frey castles, along with the establishing shot during Arya’s segment, clue us in that Robb is inside with less than his full force. The wedding itself is touching. Edmure gets a decent looking bride and he does a good job wearing his emotions on his face. I like the repeated and reinforced cloaking ceremony and the vows to the seven.

An ill-starred glare

An ill-starred glare

The celebration is fairly nicely handled, feeling decent in scale considering. It’s full of telling little bits like Bolton refusing to drink and the amusing speech by Frey about “every sword needing a sheath.” The writers take one last opportunity for some genuine warmth between Robb and his bride, which makes what is to come all the more tragic.

Why Cat doesn’t figure it out as soon as The Rains of Castamere begin to play, I don’t know, but things go south very very quickly. The tragic action is split in two parts by Arya’s segment, which I felt diminished the emotional impact. Probably they did this to end where they did, but it might have been better cut a different way.

Do you trust this face?

Do you trust this face?

Arya – approaches the castle, her cautious optimism at seeing the Stark men quickly shattered by violence and then the sad sad slaughter of Grey Wind (I feel worse about the wolves than many of the human loses). For a second time, the Hound grabs her and carries her away.

Robb & Cat – The whole existence of Talisa was a considerable deviation from the books, and it comes to an end here. In season 2, I wasn’t her biggest fan, but some of the recent scenes between her and Robb have built up character not present in the novels and I was deeply saddened to see her go, hoping she, like her doppelgänger Jeyne Westerling, would survive the wedding. Alas, it was not to be, and the manner of her death, and that of her child, felt like a stab to the gut. Sorry, couldn’t resist, but seriously, as a husband and father, her end was pretty awful.

The play out in the end between Robb, Cat, and Frey — and of course Bolton, was well handled. Her desperation is apparent, she will do anything to try to save her son. Michelle puts in some fine acting. But it is not to be.

The writers chose to end with the stabbing and double throat cutting, which has a certain visceral power, but perhaps at the cost of the signature imagery of the “double wolf’s head.” Or perhaps we’ll get that next week.

More than in the book, I'm going to miss them.

More than in the book, I’m going to miss them.

Overall, this was a dark and powerful episode, in which the Jon/Bran and Robb/Cat segments were largely successful  particularly the Red Wedding. Dany’s was just lame, but you can’t win everything and the sacking of Yunkai was hardly the most important moment of her journey. All this leaves me speculating about what might fit into our one remaining episode.

Certainly NOT the siege of Castle Black. Possibly not even our third wedding (Joff’s). It might feel odd to start season 4 with that, but from the trailer it seems that episode 30 will be concerned mostly with the consequences of episode 29. How far will we get on the Jon/Ygritte storyline? Hard to say. I register my prediction that episode 30 ends with Beric Dondarian finding Cat’s body. It seems in keeping. It’s very clear that season 4 will start to deviate hugely from the chronology laid out by Martin — although this can’t help but be a good thing as he botched the flow pretty bad in books 4 and 5.

Absent this week were Jaime, Theon, all of King’s Landing, and Dragonstone.

Another excellent analysis of this episode.

If you liked this post, follow me at:

My novels: The Darkening Dream and Untimed

or all my Game of Thrones posts or episode reviews:

Season 1: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

Season 2: [11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20]

Season 3: [21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30]

Season 4: [31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40]

Season 5: [41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50]

Season 6: [51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57]

And below, some inside the episodes from HBO:

Related posts:

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  5. Game of Thrones – Episode 18
By: agavin
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