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All Things Akbar

Aug30

Restaurant: Akbar [1, 2, 3]

Location: 2627 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, Ca 90403. 310-586-7469

Date: August 28, 2013

Cuisine: Indian

Rating: Bold and balanced flavors

ANY CHARACTER HERE

For 13 or so years Akbar has been one of my favorite Indian restaurants. Too many Indian places focus on low cost buffets of very over cooked food, but Akbar cooks everything to order — even baking their own Naan when you place the order. They are more focused on the cuisine of the Punjab (Northern India), with very good curries and kormas. You can get anything from extremely mild to blow the top of your head off. Once I had the “pepper lamb” on 5 (max heat) and my scalp sweat for hours.

This time, my Hedonist group has taken over half the restaurant for one of our blow outs.

The Menu can be found here.

NV Andre Clouet Brut Grande Reserve. Parker 90. The NV Brut Grande Reserve emerges from the glass with layers of hazelnut, pear, spice and dried flower aromas. This rich, creamy wine impresses for its balance and sheer richness. I loved it.

Papadum. A crispy slightly spicy “bread” (more like a cracker) that is traditional at the start of meals.

The chutney’s and pickles. The green one is mint, the yellow-ish coconut, the one with corn spicy-pickled vegetables (yum! and oh, so gut burning) and the back corner a tangy one.

2012 Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc.

Fresh baked Naan, the delicious flat bread cooked in the Tandoor.

From my cellar, 2001 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 96. Beaucastel has been on a terrific qualitative roll over the last four vintages, and the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape (which Francois Perrin feels is similar to the 1990, although I don’t see that as of yet) is a 15,000-case blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the balance split among the other permitted varietals of the appellation. This inky/ruby/purple-colored cuvee offers a classic Beaucastel bouquet of new saddle leather, cigar smoke, roasted herbs, black truffles, underbrush, and blackberry as well as cherry fruit. It is a superb, earthy expression of this Mourvedre-dominated cuvee. Full-bodied and powerful, it will undoubtedly close down over the next several years, not to re-emerge for 7-8 years. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.

Many of us (including me) considered this the wine of the night.

A kind of chat (street food?) that basically consists of Samosas topped with chickpeas, flavored curry, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, tamarind, and yogurt. A really delicious sweet, savory, tangy combo.

2008 B. R. Silver Pinot Noir Coteau Palmer. 88 Points. Initial whiff of smoke and toasted oak, bright red berries, a faint green pepper/ leafy/ herbal note. Later, butterscotch, frangipane, more blueberry dark cherry pinot fruit notes. 25 sec finish. Nicely tart, muted tannins. Went well with (a) salmon with cafe de paris butter, and (b) grilled top blade with wild mushroom sauce. Very drinkable. The low alcohol makes this especially pleasant.

Chicken breaded with lentil flour and fried. Like Indian chicken nuggets!

Banacorsi.

Tandoori grilled Chilean Sea Bass marinated in herbs. Tender and flavorful!

2004 DuMOL Syrah Russian River Valley. IWC 88. Bright ruby-red. Superripe crushed blackberry and pepper on the nose.On the palate, intense black fruit and tar flavors are accompanied by an element of liquid pepper. This rather muscular, medicinal wine showed an increasing tannic toughness as it opened in the glass.

House specialty lamb chops. Awesomely marinated and coated in cumin. Wow, these were some tasty chops.

1994 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Stonewell. IWC 88. Ruby-red. Aromas of redcurrant, chicory and smoked meat complicated by herbal nuances. Thick, ripe and suave, with lovely fleshiness but not at all overly sweet. Finishes with dusty tannins and good length. Rather subtle, sophisticated shiraz.

Lamb with a saffron butter sauce. A delicious and rich lamb curry with a very flavorful and only slightly spicy sauce.

2008 Qupé and Verdad Syrah Classic Cuvée Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard. 90 points. A very big, but tasty Syrah, well suited to these massive flavors.

FMTM. Filet Mignon Tikka Masala! An off menu special version of Akbar’s amazing Tikka Masala, this time with delicious cubes of filet mignon. The beef fat gives the sauce a stronger aromatic quality than with the tangy chicken. Really lovely.

2009 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah Ancient Vine Bedrock Vineyard. IWC 92. Opaque ruby. Mineral-driven aromas of raspberry, cherry, Indian spices and fresh flowers. Leads with spicy red fruits, with bright, juicy acidity framing the sweet raspberry and cherry flavors. The finish repeats the floral and spice notes and leaves a tangy minerality behind. Precise and lively for a New World syrah.

Saag Paneer. Cheese in spinach. Like Indian creamed spinach to go with the “steak”.

1997 Stags’ Leap Winery Syrah. 88 points. Minty, meaty and smokey, this wine has aged well. Balanced and reasonably well structured, with firm tannins carrying the finish.

Akbari Biryani. Bits of lamb, chicken, and shrimp cooked with the rice.

2007 Conn Creek Cabernet Sauvignon.

A very clean mix of paneer (farm cheese) and vegetables like celery, peas, etc.

2001 Vineyard 29 Aida Estate. 92 points. Blueberry, black currant, dark cherry, vanilla, some chocolate. Ripe mid palate, medium/long finish. My guess is it has some time left, but no need wait.

And special for us, on request, a super spicy lamb. I’m not sure it’s the pepper lamb I used to have (that one had a much stronger peppercorn flavor) but this sure was inferno hot. Tasty too, but the slightest touch of it to the mouth began a long searing burn. I dared not eat too much!

2008 Jonata Winery Todos. IWC 91. Dark purple. Smoky cherry and dark berry aromas are complicated by notes of pipe tobacco, musky underbrush and cola. Broad and sappy, with a dense, chewy texture and liqueur-like cherry and cassis flavors. Powerful but lively blend with a long, spicy finish and lingering smokiness.

And the classic: Chicken Tikka Masala. I asked the chef why his is so much better than the vast number of others I’ve tried, being so creamy and aromatic. Apparently, there is a careful balance of timing to avoid burning the cream and converting too much of it into butter, so as to retain the sweet proteins in balance to the acidic tomatoes. However he does it, the results are fabulous.

1997 Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon. 92 points. Translucent garnet in color. No real bricking noted. Cork solid with minimal soaking. Nice aroma of aged cab, cherries, violets and hints of mushrooms. Tannins mostly dissipated, leading a light and airy mouthfeel. Finish a bit clipped but drinking very well right now. Will consume last bottle sometime this year.

From my cellar, 1998 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume. 92 points. The nose is gorgeous, lots minerality, slightly oxidative notes of bruised apple, also lemon pith and orange blossom. On the palate it’s sweet and silky but with a tart, zingy acid component. Lovely balance of flavors, part citrus but also with more of the apple, a touch of limestone, and honeyed pear. Lengthy, tapering finish that lasts for a long time. An outstanding wine.

The sweetness and fruit quality went wonderfully with the spicy dishes and the nutty desserts.

Kulfi, a kind of ice cream with raisons and nuts. Very delicate and nutty.

Kheer. Indian rice pudding. This is always one of my favorites. This particular pudding is very subtle and almond flavored. Some have a stronger cardamon and cinnamon tone.

Akbar has long been my favorite LA Indian, and this meal was probably my best yet there. The balance of items was great — and very plentiful — and the flavors incredibly bright and spot on. That filet tikka masala. Wow. The brothers Kapoor (below) are also wonderful hosts. All in all an exceedingly fun evening.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

Yarom (left) with brother’s Avinash (center) and Atul Kapoor. Avi, as you can tell from his duds, is the chef/owner and master of our culinary fates

By: agavin
Comments (2)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Akbar, Chateauneuf du Pape, desserts, hedonists, Indian cuisine, Naan, Samosa, Santa Monica California, Syrah, Wine

Blood Song

Aug28

Title: Blood Song

Author: Anthony Ryan

Genre: Epic Fantasy

Length: 591 pages

Read: July 23-August 24, 2013

Summary: Excellent, but flawed

Structurally, this book borrows heavily from The Name of The Wind. It opens with a box story about a famous military man and then slowly dolls out the (first) chapters of his long career, beginning with his schooling. Blood Song is well written, with solid practical prose that doesn’t get in the way. There is none of the elegant and overwrought voice of the aforementioned Rothfus, or the descriptive nuance of Martin, but it’s well written.

Even though the scope is big, this is a more focused story than A Song of Ice and Fire or A Wheel of Time. We follow our single hero fairly tightly (even if his life meanders). Except for the occasional return to the frame story there are no other points of view. Al Sorna, our protagonist, rises within a kind of military-religious brotherhood perhaps most akin to the Knights Templar. The world building is very solid and the author clearly knows something about the late medieval period. There are several religions and nations and they clash in a fairly realistic way.

The overall effect is one I’m still processing. I liked the book. A lot. It’s one of the better epic fantasies I’ve read lately (and that is my favorite genre). The first third is great, during the youth and training of our hero. Some of the characters are excellent. My biggest problem is from about the 50-94% point. Here Al Sorna is commander of a big military expedition and the narrative became a little harder to follow. It’s not that I couldn’t tell what was going on from scene to scene, but they didn’t fit together seamlessly. Unlike the earlier sequences, they also didn’t seem to have the weight that I think the author was intending. There is similar stuff in The Name of The Wind (not so military), but it resonates much more emotionally in that novel.

I’ll explain what I mean. Al Sorna has this “unrequited love of his life” (just like Kvothe and Denna in TNOTW), but their interactions, while fine, lack the heavy sense of tragedy of Rothfus’ superior novel. It’s not bad, but it just comes off a little weak.

The end of the book is good. There are two big “fights.” But the sequencing felt a bit disconnected. And that’s basically the thing with this novel. It needs editing. The parts are good, but the sum doesn’t reach greatness.

For more book reviews, click here.

As an after-note, I’m a little mystified as to how this book has such incredible ratings on Amazon. At this writing: 1003 total, 863 5-star, 108 4-star, 22 3-star, 7 2-star, and 3 1-star. This is very very slanted toward 4-5 star. Now, it’s got enough good stuff going for it to be a 4 star novel, and epic fantasy unfortunately is full of some serious duds. But an average of 4.8? This is higher than A Game of Thrones which is the best series start in the last 20 years. I can’t help but wonder what weird factor is going on here.

By: agavin
Comments (3)

Posted in: Books

Tagged as: Anthony Ryan, Blood Song, Book Review, Epic Fantasy, High fantasy, Knights Templar, Name of the Wind

Uni All the Way Down

Aug26

Restaurant: Kali Dining [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Location: 13488 W Maxella Ave Marina del Rey, CA 90292 Apt #559

Date: August 16, 2013

Cuisine: New American

Rating: Uni Awesome

Independent chef Kevin Meehan of Kali Dining is a friend of mine from my Hedonist group and even cooked up that same group’s start of summer blast. Kali Dining is his concept for hosted “dinner party,” where you sign up for a special meal and join him at a big communal table in Marina del Rey.

This is about half the table. Finding it is the challenge, as the location is hidden within the gargantuan Stella apartment building right in the center of the Marina. Alcohol is BYOB, which is great by me. The below wines were “paired” and brought by moi and and fellow Foodie Club co-president Erick.

1990 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. Burghound 93. A truly wonderful nose of simply knockout complexity features notes of yeast and baked bread along with now fully mature aromas of a variety of floral notes and spice hints that gives way to mineral-suffused round intense and detailed medium full flavors that also offer outstanding depth on the sappy and mouth coating finish. This is drinking perfectly now. A beautiful effort of real style and grace.

These are three main hosts, on the left foreground Keven Meehan, and on the right guest chef Octavio Olivas from the Ceviche Project and on the far left his wife. Kevin has worked in the kitchens of Mirabelle, L’Orangerie, Bastide, Patina, and more, having lead the kitchen at Cafe Pinot for several years.

Octavio serving up some of tonight’s special ingredient.

The them tonight is everyone’s favorite spiny fellow: Uni! This is all fresh from Santa Barbara.

2009 Jean-Max Roger Sancerre Cuvée C.M. A rare artisanal Sancerre from one of its top producers this had a striking minerality and crispness that paired brilliantly with the oysters below.

Oysters with champagne mignonette, uni, and caviar. Really fantastic, three kinds of briny notes that balanced perfectly.

Baby heirloom salad with burrata.

2006 Cantine Lento Lamezia Greco. Another unusual white I thought would go well with Uni. This Southern Italian had a strong oxidized quality, but still plenty of fruit. Really quite nice.

Hamachi cerviche with uni. Leche con tigre, corn nuts, bits of seaweed, tomato, and a slice of orange. The leche was much more subdued here than in typical preparations and that actually allowed us to taste the subtlety of the hamachi and uni. Really nice blend.

An uni free version.

A very nice bit of rosemary bread.

2012 Collestefano Verdicchio di Matelica. IWC 94. Pale straw-green. Knockout aromas of quince, pear, white peach and white flowers are complicated by lemony minerality on the vibrant, captivating nose. Rich and broad on entry, then explosive in the middle palate, saturating the mouth with bright, lively floral and fresh citrus flavors that are intensified by penetrating acidity. Finishes extremely long and creamy-rich, expanding to coat the palate and teeth with lingering white peach and floral flavors. The bright acidity conveys an almost weightless mouthfeel to this seamless, rich, extremely concentrated wine. You can tell that owner Fabio Marchionni studied white wine in Germany. This is but one of many outstanding vintages for this wine. Let me be clear: I think it is probably Italy’s single greatest white wine buy.

Uni risotto with pork rinds and a bit of pesto. Yum! This was a fabulous rice full of richness and flavor. The pork rinds also gave it a bit of crunch which was spectacular.

A different, vegetarian, version.

1993 Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot. Burghound 93. This has finally reached its full maturity with an earthy and beautifully complex nose that is backed by big¡ dense and very intense flavors that possess solid underlying material all underpinned by largely if not completely resolved dusty tannins and a long finish that offers excellent richness. This has only just reached its maturity and there would be no risk in allowing this to age for up to another decade as it will last for a lot longer than that. Multiple¡ and largely consistent¡ notes.

Top end blue fin tuna with pesto, onion, and potato. My wife declared this one of the best tunas she has ever had.

1996 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley. IWC 89-92. Deep ruby-red. Spicy aromas of cassis, black plum, black cherry, roasted nuts and shoe polish. Fat and sweet, with good depth of flavor and harmonious acidity. Thick but ripe tannins coat the tongue.

Beef rib eye cap with uni hollandaise, potato, onion, pesto, and squid ink onion marmalade. The combo of the beef, marmalade, and uni sauce was spectacular. Possibly the pesto was superfluous, but it was a lovely dish.

2009 Castello Ducale Falanghina. Another coastal seafood Italian. Crisp and fresh with a bit of sapidity.

Uni, avocado mousse, cookie crisps, and I can’t remember what the white thing was. Good, but the weakest of the dishes. Probably uni isn’t really made for desserts. Haha.

The uni free version.

This was the wine damage.

Overall, a lovely dinner. This is a fun format allowing for lots of conversation. The food was fantastic, as I’ve come to expect from chef Meehan, with each dish flavorful and well balanced. I love the freedom to pair wines ahead of time too. Great fun.

For more Foodie Club meals click here.

For more LA reviews click here.

The view out the apartment window.

By: agavin
Comments (5)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOB, Dessert, Foodie Club, Hamachi, Kali Dining, Marina del Rey, Santa Barbara, Uni

Pig Ear is Here – Taberna Arros y Vi

Aug23

Restaurant: Taberna Arros y Vi

Location:1403 2nd Street. Santa Monica, CA 90401. 310.393.3663

Date: August 21, 2013

Cuisine: Spanish

Rating: Good food, amazing service

Michael Cardenas, co-founder of Lazy Ox Canteen, has recently opened a new Spanish “tavern” right off the Promenade in Santa Monica. Given our great nights at the Ox, it’s only natural that we Hedonists should test Arros out with a big wine blowout.

The menu.

From my cellar: 2009 Raul Pérez Rías Baixas Muti. IWC 91. Bright yellow-gold. Deeply pitched aromas of smoky lees, bergamot, apricot pit and salty minerals. Viscous, palate-coating orchard and pit fruit flavors are enlivened by juicy acidity and complemented by honeysuckle and a hint of spun sugar. Wild, complex and singular wine with strong finishing cut and sappy persistence. This is far removed from your classic albarino.

Roasted Garlic (Ajo Asado) w/ crisps. Just bread and roasted garlic. Great on date night.

2003 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Crianza Viña Gravonia. IWC 91. Full gold. A perfumed, complex bouquet evokes dried pit fruits, honey and toasted nuts, with floral and beeswax accents adding complexity. Deep, fleshy and broad, offering chewy peach, pear skin and candied almond flavors lifted by gentle acidity. Closes with firm grip and very good persistence, leaving floral and honey notes behind.

Spicy Potato Skins (Pieles de Patata Picante), harissa aioli, crema de queso. Kind of like a crunchy potatoes bravos.

2000 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre. Burghound 90. Interesting notes of fennel¡ green Chablis fruit and straw introduce medium weight¡ slightly austere¡ understated¡ precise flavors that deliver plenty of complexity and length but lack the same density as the 2001 version. To be sure¡ this is an excellent wine and Raveneau may have been a bit too modest in his comments about the vintage as this is really lovely if not genuinely incredible. As to maturity¡ for my taste this has reached a point where it can be enjoyed now though it will certainly hold for years to come. The question is whether the finishing austerity will soften as the finish is definitely reticent. Multiple and pretty much consistent notes though I have had at least three bottles that displayed mild pre-mox issues.

Sardines in a Can (Sardina en Lata). Rocket arugula, pickled vegetables, lemon, grilled bread. Good if you make a little open-faced sandwich out of all three elements. This is a repeat off the Lazy Ox menu.

2011 Foradori Nosiola Fontanasanta Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT. An unusual northern Italian white with a lot of minerality and strong floral tones.

Crispy Pig Ears (Orejas Crujientes de Cerdo). Salsa verde, harissa aioli. We also had these at Lazy Ox. This particular batch had the texture of fried leather. Ick. They reminded me too much of rawhide pig ears I used to give my dog.

2010 Clos du Moulin aux Moines Auxey-Duresses Vieilles Vignes. Very young, but well made.

Shrimp Gambas (Gambas al Ajillo). Garlic paprika shrimp, grilled bread. Gambas of this sort in Spain seem to come in two varieties: with the paprika and without. I actually prefer the without, but these were quite tasty.

1994 Bodegas Ramon Bilbao Rioja Viña Turzaballa Gran Reserva. Very smooth mature Tempranillo.

Mussels (Mejillones al Vino Blanco). Spicy butter, spanish queso, chorizo. Everyone agreed that the sauce under these puppies was totally badass.

From my cellar: 1985 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Gran Reserva. Drinking nicely. Opened up after a few minutes in the glass, lots of complexity.

Tuna stuffed peppers, fried artichokes, and salsa verde.

From my cellar: 1994 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández Ribera del Duero Janus Gran Reserva Pesquera. 93 points. Most of us thought this the wine of the night. Very complex and fruity. Cassis.

Jamon Iberico de Belota Charcuteria. marcona almonds, quince paste. Two types of Spanish cheese. Fancy ham and cheese!

2003 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul. Parker 97. Deep, layered and rich, the 2003 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de mon Aieul is comprised almost all of Grenache and always comes from three lieux-dits: La Crau, Guigasse and Les Serres. Aged all in tank and showing none of the negative traits of the vintage, it has a rich, meaty bouquet of semi-mature red and black fruits, wild herbs, melted licorice, dusty minerality and roasted beef. Full-bodied, gorgeously pure and seamless, with solid underlying structure and a core of sweet fruit, it is a brilliant wine. I don’t see any upside to holding bottles, yet given the balance, richness and mid-palate depth, it should continue to hold for another 5-8 years and certainly drink nicely well past that.

Croquettes (Croquetas). Folded mashed potatoes with chorizo, harissa aioli. These were tasty, but so temperature hot that I had to rush them on down.

2006 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Napa. Parker 90. Slightly superior to the 2005, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa possesses a dark ruby/purple color as well as a creme de cassis, spice box, and floral-scented bouquet, and a medium to full-bodied finish.

Heirloom Tomato Salad (Tomate de la Herencia). Shallot vinaigrette, fresh mache.

2002 Dominio de Atauta Ribera del Duero LLanos del Almendro.

Braised Baby Octopus (Pulpitos). Tomato salsa, mojo. Tasty.

2006 Artadi Rioja Viña el Pisón. IWC 95. Glass-staining purple. Darker fruits on the nose than the Pagos Viejos, offering a heady bouquet of blackberry, mulberry, smoky bacon, anise and mocha. Explodes on the palate, showing sweet, concentrated cherry and dark berry flavors and exotic Asian spice and candied floral qualities. The tannins are completely absorbed by the fruit, which is enlivened by slow-mounting minerals. Finishes on an expansive dark fruit liqueur note, with excellent clarity and persistence. I couldn’t get this off my palate, not that I tried very hard.

Paella Valenciana (bomba rice). Chorizo, chicken, lima beans, saffron, lemon. A solid paella attempt.

2001 Vincent Arroyo Petite Sirah Rattlesnake Acres. This was the first release from this vineyard for Vincent Arroyo. The color is dark an brooding, the fruit like a bowl of blueberries. The tannins have softened, giving firm structure without any hints of oak. Ample acids keep the bottle lively, coating the palate to deliver a great mouthfeel and long finish. Many PS have a hollow mid palate; this one delivers the full package. This is a food wine, best paired with grilled meats. THere’s plenty of depth and complexity in this bottle, with lots of life left.

Blood sausage, rice, salsa. Not bad for congealed blood.

Cured fish, tomato, salad, and cheese.

Tuna Crudo (Atun Crudo). Olive relish, cucumber, peppers, dill infused oil.

2005 Bodegas Alto Moncayo Aquilon. IWC 94. Dark purple. The nose offers surreal, room-filling perfume of ripe raspberry, blackberry, incense, vanilla and dried flowers. Shockingly understated on the palate, with vibrant red berry, smoked meat and baking spice flavors, silky tannins and crisp mineral bite. There’s no excess fat or sweetness here. Finishes with palate-staining intensity and superb focus. I’d love to see this lined up with some mega-bucks Napa cult wines costing twice the price of this admittedly luxe-priced bottle. If you play in this sandbox, you’ll flip.

Rack of Lamb (Carré de Cordero). Garlic pea tendrils, black beans, rice. Tender.

Chocolate Torte. Pine nuts, market strawberries.

Almond Torte. With Amaretto Syrup, Caramel Sauce. Nice refreshing taste.

Overall, this was a super fun night. The service was A+++. They really went all out to take care of us. And the food was very tasty. It’s a bit similar to Lazy Ox, and not nearly as old school Spanish as La Paella, but it’s also super local! I’ll be back soon.

They do need to add anchovies in vinegar and flan to the menu. No self respecting Spanish restaurant should be without them.

After dinner we retired to Michael’s nearby house to raid his gigantic wine cellar. It’s not that much physically larger than mine, but by stacking cases and cases of wine to the ceiling he probably has at least 5x as much wine as me :-). And I thought I had a lot at roughly 2,000 bottles!

1988 Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage la Chapelle. Parker 92-93. This was the first vintage in the vertical tasting of La Chapelle that is beginning to reveal considerable secondary nuances and color development. Opaque purple/garnet with a touch of amber at the edge, this sexy, rich effort is more pleasurable aromatically than on the palate. However, it possesses multiple dimensions as well as abundant aromas of cedar, damp forest, spice box, and Asian spices.

2001 Domaine de Marcoux Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes. Parker 96-100. A singular, profound offering, the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is a tour de force in purity, concentration, and balance. Its dense ruby/purple color is not dissimilar from the traditional cuvee. A sweet nose of acacias, violets, blackberry liqueur, Asian spices, and licorice soars from the glass of this unctuously-textured, full-bodied, majestically concentrated wine. This exuberant, expressionistic effort coats the palate with glycerin, flavor, and character. A stunning, potentially perfect wine, it should drink well young yet age gracefully for 15+ years.

2002 Joseph Drouhin Griotte-Chambertin. Burghound 94. The nose here is completely different after the fireworks delivered by the Grands Ech with its reserved, backward, discreet red fruit aromas framed by a subtle touch of oak spice. Intriguing notes of game, leather and earth nuances can be found on the sappy, long, precise and focused flavors of indescribable complexity and what is perhaps the best acid/fruit balance of these ’02s. Understated and supremely classy juice that is indisputably of reference standard quality. A simply gorgeous Drouhin Griotte and worth a special search to find.

2008 tahiti dessert wine.

2003 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots. Burghound 92. Reductive notes and exuberant black pinot fruit aromas nuanced with background notes of earth, coffee and cassis lead to sweet, intense and mouth coating full-bodied flavors that offer excellent power and plenty of extract. It’s interesting because despite the firm, almost muscular character, this is actually more a wine of finesse in ’03 than it usually is.

This is one of those cases where the review is off, as this wine was pretty stunning. It was a touch young, but full of power with a long long lovely finish. Really a hedonistic wine.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
Comments (12)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Burgundy, Dessert, hedonists, Paella, rioja, Santa Monica California, Spanish Food, Taberna Arros y Vi, Wine

Hansel & Gretel – Arrrrrgg!

Aug21

Title: Hansel & Gretel

Cast: Jeremy Renner (Actor), Gemma Arterton (Actor), Tommy Wirkola (Director)

Genre: Fantasy / Fairy Tale / Action

Watched: August 11, 2013

Summary: Reaches for (and finds) new lows

OMG, someone finally ripped off Van Helsing! Actually, more like mated it with The Man with the Iron Fists. Lest it not be clear, I loathed Van Helsing. It is, in my humble opinion, one of the worst big budget films of all time. Hansel & Gretel is actually better. Not a lot better mind you, but watchable in a sort of horrifying way.

At least it feels like a single unified “vision.” Cough cough. The film is consistent in tone. But what a strange tone! In some ways, it’s a faithful spawn of the original fairy tale (or Satan), but it steals from and mashes in every conceivable bit of jazzed up bad video game / comic sensibility and time period, over-the-top and almost post-modern humor, then goes for the utter gusto.

Some interesting (and terrifying) observations about the film: It apparently cost only $50 million to make. Actually fairly cheap given the number of sets and constant fx shots. They clearly didn’t spend the money on the stars. We all know Jeremy Renner to be under a curse that magically compels him to take every role offered. On the scary side H&G did over $200 million worldwide and a sequel is in production. Spare us now!

The witch designs are borrowed from Clive Barker’s Nightbreed

Probably the thing that most offends me is the fundamental tonal blend. At some level, one might consider this a horror film, and there is a creepy ass story that could be made out of the original fairy tale. If you lost the we-already-know-it intro and immersed us in a dark forest period village where children were being murdered and the townsfolk turned upon themselves — that could have worked. But H&G eschews subtlety at any and all levels. The scenario makes a high level sense (i.e. you can mostly follow the “plot”), but the world building does not. Where is this? When is this? It looks like a 19th century — no maybe 17th — village. But we have half-indestructible heroes, more witches than children, machine-gun crossbows, multi-stage bullets, witches better at high-wire hand to hand combat than curses, love-struct trolls, and so much more. It’s just plain bizarre. There is even this major scene in the middle where a rape and a fumbling love encounter are intercut. Woah! And weird.

Unlike its putrescent progenitor, Van Helsing, I think H&G actually leans on sets instead of CGI for the locations. They filmed it in Germany. This leant (some) of the backgrounds a slightly realistic touch, if a bit Grim Brothers Kitsch. The post-300 costumes and props — not so much. Also very hit or miss is the flip dialog, mostly consisting of Gretel’s one liners and ham-handed exposition aimed at explaining what passes for plot. The witchy plan is so laughable that I wonder if the outline wasn’t done by the writer’s eight year-old son: Wait for Blood Moon, grab twelve kids (for sacrifice), plus dine on heart of Great White Whale (wait, didn’t I mean Witch?).

You might wonder why I mentioned The Man with the Iron Fists, even though it’s an entirely different action sub-genre. But both films take a similar (and oddball) approach at amping and aping the conventions of their betters. They place wire-flying blood-spurting quip-shouting action at the forefront, forgetting that this is meaningless if you don’t actually have characters you care about. Or a world that makes sense. And both films have this Tarantino inspired tone that forbades any suspension of disbelief — while failing to understand any of the stylistic talents of the master.

These witches don’t look any less fake on the big screen

Oh yes, and shall we mention that it’s pretty damn gory. Mixed in with all the camp, there are some horrific deaths here, which further lends to the incredibly odd stylistic tone. Toss into that the haphazard attempt to give both leads romantic interests. Wow, this creates some skin crawling awfulness. I didn’t know who to be me more uncomfortable for: the writers, producers, actors, characters, or just me! That intercut rape scene. Shiver. Not like it’s “the ear scene” in Reservoir Dogs or anything, but the clash of elements is so startlingly inappropriate, I don’t even know what to say.

If this is the new normal, shoot me with a gatling crossbow now!

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These tender moments are intercut with his sister’s beating and near rape

By: agavin
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Posted in: Movies

Tagged as: fairy tale, Film Review, Gemma Arterton, Hansel & Gretel, Hansel & Gretel Witch Hunters, Jeremy Renner, Movie Review

Tar & Roses got your Goat?

Aug19

Restaurant: Tar & Roses [1, 2]

Location: 602 Santa Monica Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 587-0700

Date: August 15, 2013

Cuisine: American Tapas

Rating: Awesome goat!

Tar & Roses is a relatively new American tapas-style place in Santa Monica, loosely in the vein of Rustic Canyon or Gjelina. Despite the relative crowding of this market, it’s a welcome — and extremely popular — addition.

The Chef & Owner is Andrew Kirschner, a Santa Monica-native who grew up in a family with a strong appreciation for travel, food and wine, Chef Andrew Kirschner initiated his cooking education at the age of fifteen with a summer job in the kitchen of a local restaurant. Like many great chefs, his culinary journey started as a job, but quickly turned into a passion. After Kirschner became the sous chef for Chadwick in Beverly Hills, and then a chef/partner at the popular neighborhood spot Table 8 in West Hollywood, where he met and bonded with his Tar & Roses sous chef, Jacob Wildman.

One of our Hedonist founders is a part owner, and he secured us a couple big tables for a blow out food and wine evening.

The space is airy and pleasant.

Albiet a little loud.

1982 Moet Chandon Dom Perignon. Parker 96. Beautiful nose packed with bread and loads of burnt butter. Also plenty of espresso and newly toasted coffee beans. A insanely nice palate with a lot of density of flavors. Butter and toasted bread with a little caramel in the aftertaste. Mid-palate has a nice structure with red/brown apples. Overall it is still juicy and well-rounded.

One of the best champagnes I’ve had!

The charcuterie and cheese board.

2001 Marcassin Chardonnay. I didn’t catch the exact version (there are several) but this was a very good Cal Chard with a lot of oak still on it.

1979 Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet. Unfortunately, gone.

Charred gem lettuce/ dates / pancetta / gorgonzola / balsamic.

2004 Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne. Burghound 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.

popped corn / crisp bacon / brown sugar / chili.

1989 Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze. Burghound 87. Lovely fruit that is clearly maturing though there are no traces of sous bois that leads to medium weight, very firm flavors underpinned by rather tough mid-palate tannins that continue on to the moderately long finish. Th ’89 Clos de Bèze is a wine of adequate quality but the borderline hard tannins mar the finish and it’s not evident that the fruit will ever hang on long enough for the tannins to resolve themselves.

Bone marrow/ onion marmalade / sea salt / sourdough.

1985 Château Mouton Rothschild. Parker 90. The rich, complex, well-developed bouquet of oriental spices, toasty oak, herbs, and ripe fruit is wonderful. On the palate, the wine is also rich, forward, long, and sexy. It ranks behind both Haut-Brion and Chateau Margaux in 1985. I am surprised by how evolved and ready to drink this wine is. Readers looking for a big, boldly constructed Mouton should search out other vintages, as this is a tame, forward, medium-weight wine that is close to full maturity. It is capable of lasting another 15+ years. This estate compares their 1985 to their 1959, but to me it is more akin to their 1962 or 1953.

Roasted goat. This was hands down the best goat I’ve ever had! Soft, juicy, tender, and full of flavor. Like a good roast lamb, but not as “spicy” (in that lamb way). This is a special advance order. Apparently, the goat is prepped with Moroccan spices and then slow cooked overnight using Controlled Vapor Technology, before being transferred to the wood burning oven.

This isn’t tired and chewy like so many goats.

1985 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Estate. Parker 92. Consistently a low to mid-ninety point Cabernet Sauvignon, Chateau Montelena’s 1985 remains frightfully backward at nearly ten years of age. The 1985, 1987, and 1991 have the potential to be three of the longest-lived Montelena Cabernets this fine winery has ever produced. In this tasting, the 1985 was unevolved and youthful, with an opaque ruby/purple color, and a closed but promising nose of cassis fruit, earth, minerals, and oak. Full-bodied, marvelously concentrated and pure, this highly extracted, muscular, blockbuster effort requires a minimum of 5-6 more years of cellaring. A candidate for 20-30 years of longevity, it should prove to be one of the great Montelena Cabernet Sauvignons, but patience is required.

Cous cous with pine-nuts and vegetables.

1997 P Antinori Tignanello Vino da Tavola. Parker 93. The 1997 Tignanello is a blend of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc, aged in small French oak casks for 12 months, and bottled with no filtration. It possesses a dense, ruby/purple color, and an expansive nose of black currants, cherry compote, vanillin, and earth. Sweet, jammy, and opulently-textured, this expansive, concentrated, low acid wine is flashy and gorgeously-proportioned. It should drink well for 10-15 years, although who can ignore it now?

Carrots with yogurt tzatziki and currents. Really tasty combo with a bit of a Moroccan flair to it.

1994 Guigal Cote Rotie la Mouline. Parker 96-98. The great glories of this house are its Cote Roties, of which there are now five separate offerings. The single-vineyard 1994s were singing loudly when I saw them in July. All of them scored significantly higher than they did during the two previous years, which is not unusual as Guigal’s upbringing (elevage) of the wines results in better examples in the bottle than in cask. All three wines flirt with a perfect score. At this tasting, they reminded me of Guigal’s 1982s – opulent, sumptuously-textured, forward, rich, precocious, flattering wines that will drink well throughout their lives. The 1994 Cote Rotie La Mouline possesses extraordinary intensity. A dark ruby/purple color is followed by a penetrating nose of sweet black raspberry fruit intertwined with aromas of coconut and apricots. Jammy black fruits continue on the palate of this full-bodied, silky-textured, sumptuously-styled wine that is glorious to drink – even from barrel. It is an amazing La Mouline that offers all the elegance, suppleness, and sexiness this cru merits. It should drink well upon its release in 1998, and last for 15 more years. Guigal is one of the cellars where the wines always taste better after they are bottled than they do from cask, although as the scores in this segment indicate, some profound wines can be found in the 1994, 1995, and 1996 vintages Chez Guigal.

Sauces (presumably for the goat), yogurt, tomatoes, and romesco. The yogurt was great with the goat.

1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia Proprietary Red Wine. Parker 96. 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.

Whole fried snapper for two / cold soba noodles / dipping sauce. This was unfortunately for the other table, but it looked good!

1991 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard. Parker 95. I had inserted this wine in a blind tasting. I did not know where it would appear, but I knew it would be in the tasting, and I was able to pick it out when it was served. However, the rest of the tasters thought it was a large-scaled Bordeaux from the Medoc. This magnificent California Cabernet offers that exciting blend of power and elegance. The opaque purple color is followed by copious quantities of sweet, mineral, licorice, floral-laden, blackcurrant fruit, full body, exceptional purity, good underlying, well-integrated acidity and tannin, and a whoppingly long finish. Typical of many top California wines, it combines magnificent richness and ripeness with a sense of gracefulness and complexity. Although young, it is soft enough to be enjoyed. Look for the 1991 Araujo Estate Eisele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon to age effortlessly for another 20-25 years.

Bucatini tonnato / albacore tuna / blistered tomato / breadcrumb. Almost like the classic “cheese and pepper” pasta from Italy.

1985 Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie Cote Blonde. Parker 91. A fully mature wine, Rostaing’s Cote Blonde is much more velvety than the tannic La Landonne. Voluptuous on the palate, with an intense bouquet of roasted nuts and ripe, jammy black-raspberry and cassis fruit, this wine offers a smorgasbord of exotic aromas and flavors.

1969 Moulin Touchais Anjou Doué La Fontaine. Drinking surprisingly nicely for such an old wine.

Strawberry ricotta crostata / honeycomb ice cream.

2006 Vinsanto Santorini. Also a nice dessert wine.

Tar bar. Hazelnuts / Salted Caramel Ice Cream. Yum!

2002 Mongeard-Mugneret Echezeaux. Burghound 88-91. The first wine to display any reduction though there is ample wood spice in evidence. The flavors are rich, round and delicious with a lovely sappy quality though the wood sweetens and blurs the finish. There is good structure and solid density and while this will never completely lose the wood influence, there is a good chance that it will largely integrate over time.

Drinking fabulously. Mugneret is a really great producer.

Sticky toffee pudding / whipped cream. Good stuff too.

Overall, this was a great meal. The food was excellent, although I would have liked to see more dishes for variety. And the wines were particularly spectacular. Just a really good set tonight with nice variety and nearly all drinking fabulously. Too bad for the morning after!

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By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: hedonists, Santa Monica California, Tar & Roses

Clone Wars – Orphan Black

Aug16

Title: Orphan Black

Genre: SciFi Thriller

Watched: August 5-6, 2013

Summary: great first season

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Lately, there have been a lot of shows using the device of twins borrowing identities. Perhaps it’s a trend, perhaps it’s just a fan fave, as Shakespeare himself went for it in Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night. In any case, Orphan Black up the ante. Not twins or triplets, but human clones. And there are at least seven of them. Plus, it’s better than last years duplicate thrillers: Ringer (as much as i’m a SMG fan) and The Lying Game (which is pretty good in a lightweight way).

What is crazy impressive about Orphan is that Canadian actress Titiana Maslany (Shakespeare reference right there in her name!) manages to pull off wildly distinct personalities was incredible aplomb. I mean, seriously, you can just feel the different presence of these girls. You can even see quite effectively when one of them is pretending to be another. Watching uptight suburban mom Allison pretending to be punk Sarah is hilarious — and effective.

Tough Sarah

This show is Science Fiction, but the SF is confined to the clone thing and it’s low budget too. There aren’t a ton of effects. What there is, however, is very good writing, casting, acting, and pacing. It’s a great show really. We can’t know that the quality will survive into later seasons, but this one is break neck. The characters are sympathetic and interesting, and boy is she(s) put through the ringer (sorry SMG). The tone is simultaneously dark and comic, but always tense and unpredictable. There is one bit in the pilot where Sarah (playing Beth) is caught in an impossible situation. She goes to the bathroom to buy herself some time, then does something completely unexpected that actually works as a clever solution. This is very effective thriller plotting. It doesn’t feel forced or overwrought but merely tense.

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Psycho Helena

Importantly, the complex central mystery is drooled out episode by episode, but it is drooled out. We find out quite a lot — although hardly everything. The amount of reveal is very effective in this season, but could be problematic next year as they will not be able to depend on the same dynamic. The show might not be able to depend on the clones even playing their normal lives (or each others).

While Maslany steals the show. Many of the secondary actors are very solid as well. Jordan Gavaris as her (very) gay foster brother is a standout. He about says it all when he sits down at a piano and says, “let me show you a bit of Queen.” Kevin Hanchard is solid as cop twin Beth’s partner.

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Geeky lesbian Cosima

The show feels slightly schizophrenic with regard to its sexuality. At times, in some episodes (like the pilot), it’s pleasantly steamy. Maslany does a good bit of walking around in underwear (always a plus). But this remains uneven, unpredictable. When two characters close we never know if the camera will linger or cut to morning. In a way, this keeps the viewer off balance. Deliberate thriller style or mere inconsistency? Who knows.

Either way, the show is very much worth watching.

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By: agavin
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Posted in: Television

Tagged as: BBC America, clone wars, clones, Orphan Black, Sarah, Science Fiction, season 1, Tatiana Maslany, Television, Television Review

Dim Sum is Shanghai #1

Aug14

Restaurant: Shanghai #1 Seafood Village [1, 2, 3]

Location: 250 W Valley Blvd. San Gabriel, CA 91776. (626) 282-1777

Date: August 10, September 3, & November 10 2013 and June 19, 2022 (and more)

Cuisine: Chinese Dim Sum

Rating: Very authentic Shanghai style

The San Gabriel Valley is a veritable treasure trove of Asian dining, particularly regional Chinese. Shanghai #1 Seafood Village is the LA branch of a high end Shanghai chain. But today it’s time for dim sum!

The decor is Stark meets Chinatown. Interestingly, as cheesy as it is, it’s fairly authentic.

This time around we have come for dim sum. Yum!

2011 Domaine Collotte Bourgogne Rosé Marsannay. This is one of my go-to roses, as it’s all Pinot Noir from Burgundy. A wonderful sunny weather wine, it paired very nicely with the sweet and sour tones of the Chinese. There were a few rose-haters as usual, but this really is a great wine, bright and full of strawberry flavors.

Delicious pickled radish (probably Daikon). Crunchy, sweet, extremely enjoyable complex flavors.

2010 Servo Suo Prosecco. Very nice.

Special pickled fresh cucumber. Crunchy, with a bit of heat.

Old Shanghai stewed duck in Soy Sauce. Sweet and very smokey/ducky.

Old Shanghai baked spareribs. Amazing Chinese-style ribs.

A different kind of pork rib, almost certainly the same cut as the above BBQ, but steamed. Tasty, but not AS tasty as the BBQ version.

Old Shanghai Smoked fish. Nice smokey tea flavor with a bit of sweet.

Chicken feet with Black Bean Sauce. Eeew!

1974 Beaulieu Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Georges de Latour. Parker 88. The wine’s color revealed amber at the edge, a roasted, herbal, sweet, spicy nose, loosely-knit, jammy fruit, and some hot alcohol in the finish. Lots of coffee and tobacco. Actually, although nearly gone, it was kinda delicious.

Peanut Pork & Chicken Celery Dumpling. Nice and fresh.

Beef ball with Orange Peel Sauce. Like a giant Chinese meatball, but almost tartar (on purpose). Very tasty and interesting.

2011 Prager Riesling Wachstum Bodenstein. A lovely dry riesling with a strong mineral component.

Cold chicken in sweet sauce. Not bad, but def tastes like chicken.

Deep Fried Turnip Pastry.

This is a kind of fried mochi stuffed with meat. Interesting chewy texture and a fairly tasty meat.

Baked chicken bun. The pasty has a light fluffy quality.

Here you can see the chicken, which was tasty, but pork probably would have been even better.

A sort of kung pao tofu (tofu and peanuts with a slightly spicy sauce). It was okay, with an unusual firm texture. I’ll still take a genuine Ma Po Tofu any day.

Shanghai rice cakes. These are pan fried rice cake with scallions and sweet soy. Odd soft texture, but delicious.

2001 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Spätlese. 93 points. Apple, peach and apricot, zest of citrus, ginger, gunmetal and hint of straw. Very ripe and deep. Sweet, but balanced.

House No. 1 Baked BBQ Pork Bun. Wow! They are right about the House No. 1 bit, as these are the best pork buns I’ve ever had.

Shrimp dumpling with chives. Nice.

Squid with shrimp dumpling.

Broccolini. Very nice and not over cooked at all.

2009 Meyer-Fonné Pinot Gris. 90 points. Unfortunately, this bottle was corked.

Stone Hot Pan Fried Rice with Pork. Stunningly good fried rice.

Classic lotus leaf wrapped steamed sticky rice.

But this one has abalone (fresh from Santa Barbara) in it. As usual with this place, a top example of the type.

Special Taro Cake. This was the unanimous “winner” of the “worst dish” vote. I suspect it’s excellent for what it is, but taro is so bland and pasty.

Har gow (6/19/22). Classic shrimp dumplings.

Spicy shrimp dumplings (6/19/22). Nice bit of mala inside and squid ink dough.

Some other seafood and green dumpling.

And yet another seafood dumpling!

Steamed veggie bun.

Vegetarian dumpling.

Bean curd with sticky rice. The rice is inside. Very mild and pleasant.

Bean curd with vegetables. Very tasty.

Special Soup Dumpling. Quite the dumpling! Full of shrimp and other goodness in a very pleasant broth.

1974 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Napa.

Steamed Shanghai Juicy Pork bun. Full of juice and oh so yummy!

Pork and shrimp shu mai.

Shrimp and squid. Sort of a Chinese gefilte fish (plus shrimp).

Pan Fried Shanghai Style Bun. Wow again! These are tremendous.

Shanghai Style Pan Friend Noodles. Not my favorite, as they are sweet and a bit too soy-ish.

Simple pan fried noodles. The kid version.

More chicken feet! Double eeew!

Steamed rice noodle with Beef. Yum. The beef was again sort of medium rare — and very tasty.

Steamed rice noodle with Shrimp and snow pea. Good examples of this type.

Steamed rice noodle with tofu and scallop. Interestingly soft. Kind of soft on soft on soft.

Rice crepe with crab. Wrapped around imitation crab. Pretty good though.

Sweet baked bun filled with taro.

Shanghai sweet cake? Another fried rice ball with a bit of some sweet mild fruit in the center. All about the texture, with a pleasant mild flavor.

Macau Style Baked Egg Custard. Triple wow. Best custard buns I’ve yet had, like creme brûlée.

Mango Pudding. Pleasant, mild, sweet mango flavor.

Pineapple buns (6/19/22). Pretty yummy.
Sweet cake. This pound cake is striped with sweet bean paste, which was pretty mild.

Overall, this was another great meal. It’s probably the best dim sum I’ve had in LA, really first rate. Stuff was extremely fresh, cooked to order and not on the carts. Service was good. They did their best to slow down for us (Chinese food is usually a breakneck frenzy). [ NOTE: the above was written in 2013, but by late 2014 I’ve found 2-3 better places (Elite, King Hua, etc), still SH#1 is very good ]

Thoughts in 2022. The dim sum here is solid, but not amazing (there are much better places in the SGV). Dumplings are a bit thick and oversized. But you can also order the Shanghai dishes and it’s a nice room(s), so nothing too wrong with it.

Plus, there is a $15 an hour foot massage place right downstairs (NOTE: closed by 2022).

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By: agavin
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Tagged as: Dim sum, dimsum, dumplings, hedonists, Pinot noir, san Gabriel valley, Shanghai, Shanghai #1 Seafood Village

Rage of Thrones

Aug13

This fan “tribute” to Game of Thrones is well: offensive, awesome, funny, and well… kinda true.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1CLCOvZOh1o#at=194]

The books are (almost) always better. That saying, GOT is still an amazing show.

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]

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Game of Thrones, HBO, Parody, Rage of Thrones

No Drone in the Zone – Azeen’s Afghani

Aug12

Restaurant: Azeen’s Afghani [1, 2, 3]

Location: 110 East Union Street, Pasadena, Ca, 911103. 626-683-3310

Date: August 8, 2013

Cuisine: Afghan

Rating: Awesome again!

Another week and another Hedonist dinner. We braved 2.25 hours in traffic to take on Azeen’s Afghani in Pasadena, dominating the restaurant as usual with a giant table. Pictures of the room are available at a previous meal here.

We aren’t the only ones who love Azeen’s.

The menu. This place is amazing AND will not break the bank.

From my cellar, 2006 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis. Burghound 88. A very clean, fresh, bright and airy nose that offers good Chablis character on the white flower and green fruit nose that introduces energetic and mineral-infused flavors that are both delicious and deliver fine finishing volume. Good quality at this level.

This was my “bonus” wine, I brought it just because I wanted a white.

Pakawra-e-badenjan. Batter dipped, sautéed slices of eggplant topped with yogurt and meat sauce.

This green chimichuri-like chili sauce is a classic of Afghan cuisine. It goes with everything.

1996 Joseph Drouhin Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots. 93 points. Just entering it’s mature period this exhibited classic vosne romanee nose and body. Drinking very nicely.

Aushak. Leek and scallion filled dumplings, topped with yogurt and meat sauce, sprinkled with mint.

1993 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze. Burghound 92. In stark contrast to the Chambertin, this is wonderfully expressive and complex with abundant earth and spice notes followed by big, structured, still sappy if slightly austere flavors that offer excellent density and plenty of character. Impressively scaled and finishes with striking length. A clear step up from the Chambertin.

There was a touch of bret and the beginning, but it blew off in a few minutes and we were left with a wonderful expression of Beze.

A special turnover with cheese and potato (I think) and a yogurt sauce.

Bulanee-e-katchalu. Turnover filled with potatoes, ground beef and herbs.

2008 Flowers Pinot Noir Andreen-Gale Cuvée Sonoma Coast. New world pinot. Well made, but too young (for my Burgundian taste).

Aush. Vegetable, noodle and yogurt soup sprinkled with dill topped with meat sauce. Aush has many of the same ingredients as some of the other dishes, but the soup factor really works. Great stuff.

2010 Big Basin Vineyards Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre Paderewski Vineyard. Rhone Rangers 95. This has a ton of layers and subtle power. I would say this transcends the GSM concept and goes into just classic big New World wines. Drinks like a Cab/Syrah blend from Napa or a huge Malbec. The finish is spectacular.

The simple salad with yogurt dressing and zatar.

1995 Sociando-Mallet. Parker 90. This accessible, yet tannic example of Sociando-Mallet possesses a deep ruby/purple color, and excellent aromatics consisting of jammy black cherries, blackberries, and cassis, as well as subtle notes of minerals, earth, and new oak. This is a deep, long, muscular, tannic wine that is structurally similar to the 1996. Patience will be required from purchasers of this high class wine.

This was drinking very nicely, mature.

On the left, Kabob-e-gousfand. Tender cubes of lamb. On the right, Kabob-e-murgh. Tender chunks of breast of chicken.

2005 Château Giscours. Parker 91. This forward-styled 2005 possesses a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a big, sweet bouquet of roasted herbs, fudge, espresso, figs, and cherry jam. Opulent, even decadent, with low acidity, but high glycerin and fruit extract as well as a flamboyant fleshiness, this is a stunningly impressive, hedonistic, savory Margaux to enjoy.

Challaw. Seasoned rice.

2006 SCEA Armenier Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

A special lamb and eggplant stew. Delicious over rice.

From my cellar, 2000 Les Cailloux (Lucien et Andre Brunel) Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Centenaire. Parker 96. The heady 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Centenaire is more evolved than either the 2001 or 1998. Extremely full-bodied, with low acidity, and a knock-out bouquet of blackberry and cherry jam intermixed with licorice, pepper, and dried Provencal herbs, this sexy, voluptuous, enormously concentrated 2000 possesses a huge, silky, seamless finish. Drink this irresistible effort now and over the next 12-15 years.

Another stew, this time with peppers and beef.

2007 Prunotto Barbaresco. IWC 89. Medium red. Enticing aromas of strawberry, cherry and shoe polish. Clean, bright and fruity but youthfully restrained, with bright acidity and a firm tannic spine calling for patience. Nicely balanced Barbaresco with very good length. “My style of nebbiolo,” says Torrengo, adding that this wine always begins its life less open and perfumed than the Occhetti nebbiolo, because that wine is from sandier soil. “The Barbaresco starts with a better balance between the nose and the palate,” notes Torrengo.

Sabsi. Sautéed spinach cooked with onions and garlic.

Kadu. Sautéed butternut squash topped with yogurt and meat sauce. Incredibly succulent.

The flat bread goes great dipped in the green sauce – or the Aush!

1995 Amberley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River. Big!

Mantu. Steamed dumplings filled with chopped beef, onions and herbs topped with yogurt and sautéed Mixed vegetables. These have been a favorite of mine for 30 years!

2000 D’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz. Parker 94. This estate’s most renowned offering is their old vine (90+ years) Shiraz called The Dead Arm. The unfined/unfiltered 2000 The Dead Arm Shiraz is one of South Australia’s finest wines of the vintage. A perfume of grilled steak intermixed with blackberries, new saddle leather, earth, pepper, and melted licorice rises from this awesome red. With great power, richness, and no hard edges, it is still young and primary, but should hit its peak in 3-7 years, and last for two decades or more.

This special is seasoned rice with succulent chunks of lamb (not visible) topped with raisons and carrots. Really lovely sweet and savory combo.

Naughty us, smoking inside!

1976 Doisy-Vedrines. Parker 84. In many respects a typically chunky, fat, corpulent Doisy-Vedrines, the 1976 reveals plenty of ripe, viscous, honeyed fruit, good botrytis, full body, and enough acidity to keep the wine from tasting cloyingly sweet or heavy.

Unfortunately, this was a few years past its prime.

Firnee. A light pudding with almonds and pistachios served chilled. Yum, yum! This was creamy and saturated with rose water, which I love.

Baghlava. hin layers of pastry with walnuts and pistachios, syrup soaked.

Gelabee. Fried Pastry Dipped in Sugar Syrup.

This is apparently a super rare cult wine.

This was another amazing Hedonist blow out. The food is so tasty here. Afghan is a really delectable cuisine. Middle eastern with a hint of China, Persia, and India. It’s not spicy but is packed with flavor. Growing up, we used to frequently enjoy this cuisine in the Washington suburbs. You can check that out here.

The service at Azeen’s is fantastic. Abdul really makes you feel welcome. And Azeen’s is probably the best kitchen execution I’ve experienced in an Afghan restaurant I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s better than 99% of the places in Kabul.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or for Hedonist extravaganzas.

Bernard shows Yarom pictures of his girlfriend in a bikini.

By: agavin
Comments (3)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Afghanistan, Azeen's Afghani, hedonists, Kabul, Pasadena California, Restaurant

The Americans

Aug09

Title: The Americans

Genre: Spy Thriller

Watched: Late July, 2013

Summary: Homeland 1981

ANY CHARACTER HERE

At one level, The Americans is Homeland 1981. And given how fantastic Homeland is, this isn’t all bad. The Americans isn’t quite so good, but it is very good television. And the setting resonates deeply with me. I grew up in Washington D.C., in this exact era. I’m exactly the age of their kids. The Reagan era costumes, cars, and politics are all highly nostalgic. Although I do have to say that this period feel is about 90% dead on, and about 10% off. The show is set in 1981, but they use songs that at least associate later. In the Air Tonight, for example, which is a favorite of mine. Technically, it is an 1980-81 song, and was a hit then, but I remember it better from the 1984 Miami Vice inspired return.

Where Homeland focuses on solo character, The Americans focuses on relationship. At the core of the show is this unusual marriage. They didn’t choose each other. They aren’t even technically married. The central couple were a pair of young KGB agents shoved in a room together and told to spend their lives pretending to be married. But so real is this act, so long have they slept in the same bed, shared the same work, cared for the same children, that the cover becomes the reality. Is this life any less real than any other? That dilemma, and the sympathy and interest forged from that central weirdity, is highly engaging.

Spy family breakfast

Additionally, we have some great thrills. The twists and intrigues are solid and involve a bunch of interesting secondary characters, notably: the FBI agent across the street and the junior KGB officer with problems of her own. Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys are compelling as the leads, but Annet Mahendru as that double or triple agent girl is darn impressive (and sexy). Her arc shows this deadly game at its best and worst. One mistake (and who doesn’t have a few) opens her to that most difficult of choices: a tour in Siberia of heavy labor and gang rape or life as a traitor and double agent. There is no happy ending here. It’s how long can she play the game before the music stops and there are no more chairs.

the-americans-the-oath_article_story_main

Rhys is uncanny and effective in disguise

The show gets deep and involved in the spycraft, and this is great. I spent some time digging as to the realism. Certainly the sheer volume and intensity of activity would be unprecedented. Mr. and Mrs. Jennings use disguises, surveillance, sex, and violence on a near daily basis. In real life, spycraft was much slower with a much greater differentiation between “agent” and “spy.” The spy is a traitor who has been bribed, coerced, or fooled into stealing information from their own side. The agent runs the spy. Here, the Jennings operate both as agents and as direct gatherers of information, which apparently didn’t happen much. But this is television. There is also a high body count, which was unusual. But the whole system is fascinating.

The show is edgy with regard to sexual content, but there is little or no nudity. It’s rarely if ever erotic. The Jennings both use sexuality as a primary weapon in the recruitment and coercion of their spies. In real life this was probably a blunter tool than the surgical scalpel we see here, but it does add an interesting complexity to their already byzantine marital life.

Love spat

The Americans isn’t afraid to touch on complex areas, and this is part of what makes it a great show. It shows the basic level of misunderstanding between the two sides in the cold war. When Reagan is shot, the Russians view the progression of events in their own terms, failing to adequately understand the differences between Moscow and Washington. Can we blame them? All viewpoints are relative. Likewise, we bond with the central characters, their lives, and their dilemmas. Who are they? Are they traitors and killers? Are they husband and wife? Are they mother and father? Or are they all of the above?

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By: agavin
Comments (1)

Posted in: Television

Tagged as: 1980s, Double agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Keri Russell, KGB, Matthew Rhys, Ronald Reagan, russia, secret agent, Spy Thriller, Television, The Americans

Crash Fan Fun

Aug07

This is a very fun little fan animation starring Crash. It’s very much in the spirit of the little orange guy and his Looney Tunes roots.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEx2ea7kXKQ]

By: agavin
Comments (8)

Posted in: Games

Tagged as: Crash Bandicoot, Fan Animation

Hedonists Hunan Style

Aug05

Restaurant: Hunan Style Restaurant

Location: 529 E Valley Blvd. Ste 108A. San Gabriel, CA 91776. (626) 288-0758

Date: August 4, 2013

Cuisine: Hunan Chinese

Rating: Great Authentic Hunan

The San Gabriel Valley is packed with hundreds of examples of regional Chinese restaurants. Would that I could try them all.

Hunan Style offers up the hearty spicy cuisine of the Chinese heartland in the typical unassuming format of this vast array of strip malls.

This is clearly a place that does NOT cater to the tourist crowd as it doesn’t even bother to advertise its name in English, or the menu for the most part!

But fortunately, one of our vast (18ish) party speaks not only fluent Chinese, but the Hunan dialect.

It’s traditional in China to offer up cold appetizers before the meal proper and Hunan Style has a big case of them. Check out these poultry parts!

And mood interesting delicacies.

2010 Cantina Terlan Pinot Bianco Terlano Riserva Vorberg.

As usual, we bring wines (and to this kind of place, stems). There is no corkage!

We start with a bean curd with peppers (everything in Hunan has peppers). This was very pleasant, with only a mild heat.

2001 Cottonwood Canyon Chardonnay. In great shape, this older (for Ca Chard) wine tasted a tad like a Montrachet.

Same with this seaweed.

2011 Domaine Daniel Dampt et Fils Chablis 1er Cru Les Lys. Burghound 92. This offers even more classic Chablis character with its expressive and airy nose of oyster shell, sea breeze and mineral reduction. There is fine detail to the solidly precise, intense and racy flavors that exude a fine minerality on the tension-filled, saline and balanced finish. This understated effort is textbook Les Lys.

These duck necks were cured, tasty, and spicier. Like Chinese slim jims!

From my cellar, 2009 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese. 94 points. Enticing aromas of apricot pit, guava and mint leaf. Creamy, almost sweet tropical fruits tantalize the palate. Spicy, refined and mineral-driven on the finish. A beautiful wine for a summer afternoon on the patio.

And this jellyfish and “beef” (think pastrami) was awesome.

1983 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese. 94-96 points. This is just spectacular right now. There’s a prominent forestal herbal/pine needle element here that brings Grünhaus to mind, along with layers of mature Mosel fruit and florality, smokiness and mineral elements that all come together seamlessly on the nose and palate. So complex, fragrant, impeccably balanced with a gentle creaminess and faint sweetness on the palate matched by bright acids, and just a fantastic bottle of Riesling.

Sadly, our bottle was corked.

I was not so enamored of the trotters, although many people liked them. The whole idea kind of bothers me.

This chicken soup was surprisingly good. It’s really just a classic Chinese… chicken soup, with a salty rich broth made by cooking down the chicken parts like forever. It’s mild.

2011 Grasshopper Rock Pinot Noir Earnscleugh Vineyard. Not bad for fake (not Burgundy) Pinot Noir. Too young of course.

This chicken hot pot was not. But it was very tasty. Similar in style to the Wuhan hot pot place we tried, this included ALL the chicken in true Chinese style. I mean, all the chicken: bones, beak, feet, etc.

Spicy shredded potato. Tasty, with a vinegar tang. Like a twisted hunan potato salad!

2010 Hirsch Vineyards Pinot Noir San Andreas Fault. 91 points. Very austere upon opening and needed about 30 minutes to relax. Nose is tart cherry, strawberry, reses, violets with some vanilla. Palate is tight, austere, med to light palate weight, earthy and vegetal. Definitely some whole cluster fermentation here (was described as cinnamon-hots candy). This is a cool and lean wine with good alcohol balance, good acidity although I thought was a little green, lead pencil and tasted somewhat under ripe for my taste.

Corn porridge. This is supposed to “cool” you off. We all hated it, as it’s so bland as to be gross.

2011 Matanzas Creek Winery Sauvignon Blanc. 87 points. It offers a nice combination of crisp citrus fruit, kiwi and field grasses, all adorned by a dollop of oak. Medium-bodied, it carries its freshness and well-integrated alcohol (13.5%) throughout a solid middle palate and lengthy finish. While not necessarily a favorite of those who prefer light-styled, un-oaked Sauvignon or those who favor heavily-oaked white wine offerings.

This is the hunan classic, Yu Tou? Anyway, it’s giant fish head in chilis. The sauce is awesome (spicy of course). There was really nice soft tofu in there too. He fish itself is very good, but there is relatively little meat an a lot of bones and cartilage. That’s the way the Chinese like it (more flavor).

1978 Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley. Not in bad shape for a wine that was never intended to make this kind of age. Bitter and thick on the finish. The problem is, that with such spicy food all one could taste is the bitterness. I personally think sweet wines like the Rieslings are the only way to go with spicy.

Spicy green beans with ground pork? Tasty for sure.

This cabbage was arguably the best cabbage I’ve every had. There had to be some kind of meat fat in the sauce.

2010 Anakena Carménère. 83 points. Colour: cloudy purple, almost magenta at edges. Nose, strangely enough, bolgnase sauce and damp cardboard. Palate well oversweet but sharp at the back of the throat. in-descriptively fruity. weird, even for a really cheap wine.

Cumin lamb. Very nice with understated cumin and plenty of chilies.

2010 Malibu Rocky Oaks Syrah. What little I could taste through the heat wasn’t bad, for a young Cal Syrah (I prefer Hermitage).

Cold marinated duck. Smoky and really tasty.

This dish, apparently, is NEVER done anywhere else in america. It’s some kind of incredibly bitter vegetable with a sweet “bacon.” The mean was awesome, just awesome, like blueberry candied bacon. The vegetable was, as advertised, extremely bitter. Together they made an interesting combo.

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.

Went great with the spice. Along with the Rieslings, was most of what I drank during the later 3/4 of the meal.

I think this was beef, as usual, with chilies.

Duff Gordon Inida Sherry.

And for dessert, sweet sticky pumpkin cakes. These had a gooey texture like mochi and a mild pumpkin flavor. There were incredibly hot (temperature) too. Very nice.

Overall, one must compare this to Hunan Chili King across the street. It’s hard to tell which is better, but they’re different. Hunan Style isn’t nearly as hot, but perhaps the dishes are a little more varied. At Chili King everything is DROWNED in chilies, but here there are a lot of distinct flavors. I think we ordered well (thanks to our Hunan friend) this time, so that is a big factor too. Both are pretty great.

After, we went down the street and availed ourself of that awesome San Gabriel tradition, the $15 (an hour) foot massage and then over to a nearby “tea house” for some awesome second dessert.

In this case, this amazing mango shaved ice which mixes ice cream, shave ice, mango, and sweetened condensed milk.

There was also an almond jelly (not pictured) and this passionfruit “slush’ with lychee jelly! Good stuff.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or click here for more crazy Hedonist adventures.

By: agavin
Comments (7)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Chinese, hedonists, Hunan, Hunan Style, Hunan Style Restaurant, san Gabriel valley

Burgundy Vintage Chart

Aug02

I’m going to wine geek-out here. As any regular reader of my food posts knows, I’m a huge Burgundy fan. France’s “Exotic East” is by far my favorite wine region and the source of some of the world’s best reds AND whites. Burgundy is also notoriously difficult to get a handle on as both a taster and a buyer. It’s complicated, with many many producers and vineyards. Some individual vineyards have over 100 producers, many bottling as little as a single barrel.

When trying to decide if a wine is worth your dollars, there are many degrees of freedom: vineyard, producer, vintage, price, etc. So I was trying to get a handle on the vintage aspect and failed to find any consolidated scoring of the vintages. So I made one. Really, I would like a chart based on vineyard because Burgundy is so variable, but I had to content myself with distilling the ratings into three main categories: Red Cote de Nuits, Red Cote de Beaune, and White. The source data comes from different professional reviewers and covers different years. In any given year I just average those scores I had in any given year. I mix the “general” (not either Nuits or Beaune) scores into both red categories. White does not factor the differences between Chablis and the Beaune whites (i.e. Corton, Meursault, and Montrachet).

The chart scores vintages on a 50-100 point scale and does not take into account much (if any) notion of current drinkability. It’s possible that some of the source data does, and judging from the general redness in the 70s and 80s that is probably so. But so be it. Clearly, even though 1985 or 1978 are well rated vintages, you have to be careful to chose long lived and well stored examples. But I’ve had two great bottles of 1978 recently, so it’s by no means a sketchy year. Hey, a couple of years ago I had a case of excellent village wine from 1949!