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Archive for December 2016

Quick Eats – Seasalt

Dec30

Restaurant: Seasalt Fish Grill

Location: 9901 Washington Blvd #101, Culver City, CA 90232. (424) 361-5222

Date: December 12, 2016

Cuisine: Poke

Rating: Very flat

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I was excited (apparently prematurely) by the opening of this new Poke place just a block from Ramen Roll. By the time I got there it had been open a whole week or two.

Well, actually it was a tempered mix of feelings, on one hand having another quick tasty spot nearby would be convenient, on the other, poke is vaguely competitive with our concept — although after trying, I’m not at all worried.

Seasalt is very much a QSR (Quick Service Restaurant). You order at the counter and sit. The menu is a mix of poke and (mostly fried) fish. It’s actually a slightly odd mix.

The poke is sitting in tubs in that display counter. It looks non too fresh.

The decor is nice enough, although sloppy in style. Kinda says not much of anything.

Ahi Poke Salad. Fresh Ahi Poke, mixed greens, romaine, tomatoes, cucumber, edamame, sesame, avocado, carrots, green onion and a lemon ginger dressing.

Kitchen sink!
 California Poke Salad. Fresh Ahi Poke, sweet shrimp and surimi crabmeat, mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, carrots and lemon ginger dressing.

When I read something like sweet shrimp and surimi crabmeat I think real seafood. Do you see any shrimp? I just see imitation crab. In any case, this bowl had the typical muddle of flavors that is typical of why I don’t like poke. The rice was limp and flavorless, and then there is just a bunch of mush on top of it that tastes like dressing and mediocre fish.  Just so sloppy both visually and in terms of flavor balance.

Because of its proximity, I’ll come back and try something else — maybe. I’m not really keen too, but I feel I should give it a second chance with a different type of item. Although farm raised Tilapia is not going to lure me in!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

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  4. Quick Eats: Panini at Home
  5. Quick Eats – AR Cucina
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Culver City, poke, Seasalt

Shibumi Showdown

Dec28

Restaurant: Shibumi

Location: 815 Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Date: June 20, 2016

Cuisine: Japanese

Rating: Somewhere between Izakaya and Kaiseki

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Shibumi is a new Japanese place in DTLA which is both highly “Japanese” and unusual in a number of ways. One, it’s Kappo style which is a kind of “knife and fire” traditional cooking not often found in America. Two, despite this very Japanese sensibility, its chef is an American guy: David Schlosser.
 This way.
 The front looks a bit like Japan — all the more unusual because it’s sitting there on a nondescript DTLA block!

Adam brought: 2008 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre. BH 94. A more elegant as well as more refined but also much more reserved nose of white flower and salt water aromas is very much in keeping with the equally refined, pure and silky middle weight flavors that possess excellent detail and precision on the textured and seductive finish that displays grand cru level persistence. This is not quite as rich as the Butteaux but it’s finer as the chiseled flavors are flat out gorgeous. In a word, stunning.

The interior is dark, almost Scandinavian modern crossed with bar. However it smells incredible, like a smokey Japanese inn.
 The menu.

A unique form of decanting.

Erick brought: 1993 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. VM 94. Among the wines of the 1990s, I especially liked the 1993 Dom Ruinart, which was beautiful, especially considering this was an original disgorgement. Layers of honeyed fruit, licorice and mint were woven together in a captivating fabric. We also caught this wine at near peak, as it was firing on all cylinders. What a beautiful wine.

Fresh walnuts in red chili miso. A little bit of heat and that sweet/spicy miso glaze. Interesting texture too in pairing the crunchy walnuts and the slightly slimy sauce.

Lotus, sweet potato, young burdock chips. Pretty much like potato chips. The first two dishes being almost bar food — which ties in with the Izakaya vibe.

Lobster “miso” and sake. The orange stuff is “lobster brain” which really isn’t brain but the liver (I think) of the lobster. It has a very slimey texture not unlike egg yolk. Strong brine and umami flavors. And it does pair nicely with sake. Fairly “advanced”.

Fermented mullet roe. Salty and fishy. I liked this a lot, but it is also extremely “advanced.”

Iwagaki oyster, fresh yuzu, shiso flower & mountain caviar. A HUGE oyster cut up. I’m not normally a fan of the giant oysters (although I love smaller ones on the half shell). This did have that big oyster chunky texture, but the pairing of bright and briny flavors was quite lovely.

From my cellar: 2002 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Charmes. VM 92-95. Pungent, thoroughly ripe aromas of soft citrus fruits and spices. Fat, sweet and large-scaled; this has real dimension. Highly complex and very rich flavors of orange, minerals, hazelnut and spices. Wonderfully aromatic and showy in the mouth, but also built to age. Finishes very fat and very long. This may be bottled without a fining. Thibodaux says the addition of the younger vines has brought freshness and cut, leavening the “corpulence and massiveness” of the juice from the older vines.

On the left an awesome scallop sashimi layered with something and covered in yuzu. On the right trigger fish liver and meat. Both of these dishes were awesome — but again the textural and in the case of the liver, slightly fermented, components require a high level appreciation of Japanese cuisine.

Japanese sea-bream sashimi, ginger bud, pickled plum-irizake.

From my cellar: 1994 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia. 95 points. Absolutely exquisite. Soaring, kalediscopic nose, with swirling aromas of salted caramels, vanilla, honey, jasmin, ginger, almonds, and orange peels. Just mind boggling. Sensuous, smooth, and nutty on the palate, with a level of refinement that the other (also excellent) LdH blancos just can’t reach and a salty finish that leaves your palate tingling for what seems like minutes. A masterpiece that will last for ages.

“ancient” style sushi. Marinated mackerel on vinegar rice with pickled ginger. Sushi has its origins in China as fish packed in a barrel with vinegared rice. When it came to Japan it was adapted into something more like this which is halfway between that old fermented form and our newer (post refrigeration) form. This was quite enjoyable, although it was tricky to keep the rice physically in place.

From my cellar: 1999 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles. 95 points. Reticent but very ripe nose hints at white flowers, white plum, orange oil and charred oak. Very rich, dense and chewy, but also high-pitched, perfumed and penetrating. A superrich yet classic wine that comes across as a bit less dry than the Combettes today. A great premier cru.

Silky egg tofu, uni, fresh nori & wasabi. I loved this attractive dish. I adore silken tofu and adding the uni and the traditional wasabi was great. The nori is a significant flavor and texture element in this dish too.

Mushrooms and other vegetables. A bit of a charred flavor too.

Will brought: 1993 Daniel Bocquenet Echezeaux. BH 88. Very elegant, spicy rich fruit framed robust, intense but edgy flavors that are a bit lean on the moderately long finish. It’s not clear whether this will regain its balance or not with a few years of bottle age but there is no doubting the lovely complexity and solid flavor authority.

Grilled heritage pork in koji, pickled daikon, leek. Nice pork, and I particularly liked it paired with the daikon (I love pickled daikon).

Steamed rice ball with barley, pumpkin & pumpkin seed. Nicely charred too and interesting textural interplay. Charred rice, almost sweet with almost sweet pumpkin.

California holstein beef strip, grilled, fresh wasabi, nara-zuke pickle. These were milk cows, and a fairly tough meat, but tasty with the wasabi.

Adam brought: 2010 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Eiswein. 98+ points. As I noted in the introduction, this is one of two Eisweins produced from the Brücke in 2010. This particular Eiswein was harvested on Christmas Day, with the one that was still fermenting in the cellars having been picked a week earlier on December 18th. This is a great, great bottle in the making, as it soars from the glass in a brilliantly pure mélange of apple pie, pineapple, candied oranges, lovely minerality, honey, a touch of new leather and a topnote of citrus zest. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and racy, with laser-like focus, beautifully ripe, integrated acids and stunning grip on the endless finish. A great, great wine.

Koji (r)ice cream, apple & fermented apple. Really liked the apple in this reinterpretation of apple pie ala mode. Rice cream isn’t as good as ice cream though — or even close to gelato.

Chef David Schlosser with the big bottle!

The chef spent quite a while with us at the table.

Overall, Shibumi brings a unique sensibility at many levels. It’s stylistically east/west. The food is very Japanese but the chef is American. And the very style of food is not culled from Japan’s more Western-approachable sub-cuisines. This is some fairly hard core stuff with weird fish bits, fermentation, and “unfamiliar” textures. In fact, it pretty much showcases a texture prized in Asia but which most Americans would describe as “slimey.”

But execution is both unique and spot on. Ingredients are impeccable and the technique sound — and it’s almost instant popularity shows that great cooking can transcend even American parochial style. Too bad the same can’t be said of our recent politics.

After dinner we went over to this trippy place in Skid Row called “The Spirit Guild.” They were having a holiday party with plenty of on-premises brewed alcohol.

They have these cool German stills too.

And more.

And one of the potent drinks.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

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  5. Sushi Sushi Sushi
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: David Schlosser, Japanese cuisine, Kappo style, Shibumi

Sauvages Valentino

Dec26

Restaurant: Valentino Santa Monica [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Location: 3115 Pico Blvd  Santa Monica, CA 90405. (310) 829-4313

Date: December 9, 2016

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Best meal here in years!

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The final Sauvages lunch of the year is always one of the best. The wine theme is not as singular, but instead concentrates on “greats” from France.

And the locale is Valentino, LA’s venerable high end Italian — and host to countless wine events (that I’ve been to).

Flight 0:

2002 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill. VM 95. The 2002 Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is wonderfully open, expressive and resonant. The richness of the vintage comes through nicely, yet the more overt elements are very nicely balanced by a good deal of freshness. Baked apple, pastry, candied lemon, dried flowers and warm, toasty notes shape the generous, resonant finish. With time in the glass, the 2002 takes a on a striking, vinous character. Readers might want to consider opening the 2002 a few hours in advance, as it really blossoms with air.

Today’s special menu.

The initial chaos tamed by Valentino’s master sommelier.

Flight 1: White Burgundy

2004 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne. BH 93. The color was very pale straw with green highlights yet there was the barest trace of oxidation on the nose. To be fair, it was extremely subtle, indeed two tasters didn’t notice it at first. Yet with air, it became worse and in the end, it was clear that there was a problem. I include the original tasting note here for ease of reference: A reserved yet elegant nose of white flower, green apple, pear and natural spice and wet stone notes that introduce detailed, fresh and wonderfully intense flavors that are exceptionally clean and bright, culminating in a bone dry finish replete with superb minerality. This is not as dense as the ’05 but the purity here is really something to see and as noted last year, it’s sufficiently structured that it will need the better part of a decade to reach its apogee. Note that there was a trace of reduction on the nose and this would benefit from 30 minutes in a decanter should you elect to try one.

2006 Marc Colin et Fils Bâtard-Montrachet. BH 93. A touch of pain grillé frames very ripe but not exotic fruit that includes pear, peach, orange and apricot as well as acacia blossom and honeysuckle that complements well the rich, fresh and vibrant flavors that also display a touch of gas on the textured, opulent and palate drenching finish. This is a big wine that is very Bâtard-like in character as there isn’t much elegance but it’s long on power and size. Buyers would also do well to decant this for 20 to 30 minutes first.

2010 Domaine Michel Mallard & Fils Corton-Charlemagne. 94 points. Initially it was lean and fresh on the palate, I kept thinking Chablis as it had this brightness to it that was really nice, but didn’t have the heft of corton charlie. After a few hours in, I went back to the decanter and it was a totally different wine. It picked up this round rich fruit of apple and citrus on the palate as it picked up more and more concentration and power. Really packed a wallop at the end of the night. Very much made in the style of CC that I like.

2011 Fernand & Laurent Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet.

Polipo Grigliato Con Crema di Paptate E Sedano. Grilled octopus on a puree of potato and celery.

and

Calamari Farciti Ai Gamberetti In Brodetto Di Pomodoro E Oregano. Seafood stuffed calamari in light tomato-oregano broth.

More formal than most LA Italian, these are actually very classical in style (for high end Italian).

Flight 2: Red Burgundy

1990 Domaine Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin Très Vieilles Vignes. BH 95. This has long been one of my favorite 90s with its immense fruit that soars from the glass. Red and black fruits blend seamlessly with the beginnings of secondary aromatics and combine with mouth coating extract of pinot yet despite the incredible richness, the balance is impeccable. This doesn’t quite yet offer the complexity of the Griotte but the superb depth of extract is simply glorious. In sum, this is a profound effort and one of the finest wines of the vintage and while it can certainly be enjoyed now, there is no doubt that this is still improving even though it’s approaching its peak. Multiple and consistent notes.

1990 Domaine Rossignol Trapet Chapelle-Chambertin. 96 points. Every once in a while a wine sufficiently stirs the senses to impart a lasting impression…this is such a wine. Tasted blind. Considerable bricking and somewhat opaque; knew from the outset it was at least fifteen years old. The luxurious bouquet sings with the finest elements of great Burgundy! Sous-bois, earth, rose petals, charred cork, and hints of smoke, etc. The wine features brilliantly focused acidity, all the elements on the bouquet, and a mind-bending textural mouthfeel! Lasting finish marked by tremendous acidity and unbridled deliciousness!

1989 Serafin Père et Fils Charmes-Chambertin.

1995 Dominique Laurent Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques. 92 points.

Duck Crespelle with Prosciutto. A delicious big ravioli notched up even further by the ham.

Flight 3: Rhone

1990 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 96. Two great back to back vintages are the 1990 and 1989. The more developed 1990 boasts an incredible perfume of hickory wood, coffee, smoked meat, Asian spices, black cherries, and blackberries. Lush, opulent, and full-bodied, it is a fully mature, profound Beaucastel that will last another 15-20 years.

From my cellar: 1990 Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee. Parker 96. A big step up, and showing that the warmer, richer years dish out the most pleasure at maturity, the 1990 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reserve is drop-dead gorgeous, and close to my favorite of the night. Possessing a thrillingly complex, mature feel, with full-bodied richness and a layered, textured and seamless mouthfeel, this puppy was singing, with loads of lavender, peppery herbs, game and dried flower-like aromas and flavors. I don’t see it getting any better, and would drink it while it still has this voluptuous, hedonistic slant that makes it such a joy to drink.

2000 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 95. The Burgundian-styled 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape is drinking at point today. Possessing beautiful notes of forest floor, truffles, spice, garrigue and sweet cherry and kirsch like fruit, this beauty has notable freshness and purity, medium to full-bodied richness, fine tannin and a layered, integrated texture that keeps you coming back to the glass. There’s no need to delay gratification here and I’d enjoy bottles over the coming 4-5 years.

2003 Clos Saint-Jean Chateauneuf du Pape la Combe des Fous. Parker 97. A big, ripe and voluptuous effort, the 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Combe des Fous is thrilling stuff that’s drinking beautifully. Incense, exotic pepper, cedar and spice are all supported by a ripe core of sweet kirsch and blackberry fruit. It’s full-bodied, rich, textured and voluptuous on the palate. Showing no signs of over-ripeness or astringency, with polished tannin and excellent mid-palate depth, it pumps out loads of fruit on the finish, and should be consumed over the coming handful of years.

2000 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 94. Deep garnet colour with a faint touch of brick in the rim. Classic Beaucastel earthy/meaty/gamey nose with an undercurrent of stewed strawberries, Chinese dried plums and soy. Quite elegant on the palate with a medium to full body and a reasonably taut structure of medium to high acidity and a medium level of velvety tannins. Layer upon layer of spices and savoury flavours. Long finish. Drink now to 2024.

Classic Crispy Lasagna Bolognese. Isn’t the prettiest, but it sure tasted great!

Flight 4: Bordeaux

1982 Beychevelle. Parker 94. I have noticed serious bottle variation with this wine, but recently it has been consistently scoring in the 94-96 point range. Beautifully sweet, slightly herbaceous black currant, licorice, and earthy notes emerge from this nearly opaque, dark ruby/purple-tinged 1982. Compared to the more elegant, feminine-styled wine often produced here, it is a beast. Dense, thick, rich, concentrated, and impressive, it can be drunk now and over the next two decades.

1989 Montrose. Parker 98+. This was not in the tasting at the chateau, but I opened two bottles on my return home, because this is another near-perfect wine from Montrose. It is an unusual two-grade blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot. The wine emerged from another very hot, sunny, dry growing season, with early, generous flowering. Harvest in Montrose took place between September 11 and 28. The wine has never had any issues with brett, making it a somewhat safer selection than the more irregular 1990. Like a tortoise, the 1989 has finally begun to rival and possibly eclipse its long-time younger sibling, the 1990. The wine is absolutely spectacular and in auction sells for a much lower premium than the 1990. That should change. This is a magnificent Montrose, showing notes of loamy soil undertones, intermixed with forest floor, blueberry and blackberry liqueur and spring flowers. It has a full-bodied, intense, concentrated mouthfeel that is every bit as majestic as the 1990, but possibly slightly fresher and more delineated. This great wine should drink well for another 40-50 years.

1989 Pichon-Longueville Baron. Parker 96. Both the 1989 and 1990 vintages exhibit opaque, dense purple colors that suggest massive wines of considerable extraction and richness. The dense, full-bodied 1989 is brilliantly made with huge, smoky, chocolatey, cassis aromas intermingled with scents of toasty oak. Well-layered, with a sweet inner-core of fruit, this awesomely endowed, backward, tannic, prodigious 1989 needs another 5-6 years of cellaring; it should last for three decades or more. It is unquestionably a great Pichon-Longueville-Baron.

2000 Lynch Bages. Parker 97. Beginning to open magnificently, the still dense purple-colored 2000 reveals a blossoming bouquet of blackberries, cassis, graphite and pen ink. Full-bodied with velvety tannins that have resolved themselves beautifully over the last eleven years, this wine is still an adolescent, but it exhibits admirable purity, texture, mouthfeel and power combined with elegance. One of the all-time great examples of Lynch Bages, the 2000 is just beginning to drink well yet promises to last for another 20-25+ years.

2000 Figeac. Parker 91-93. Tasted at the Château Figeac vertical at the property. It is some years since I last tasted the 2000 Figeac. There is a valid argument that it is being eclipsed by the 2001, but it is still a fine Saint Emilion. The nose is clean and fresh with strong graphite aromas, very Left Bank in style with black truffle and smoky notes developing. The palate is masculine and rather austere at first, though I notice that it gains fleshiness in the glass. It is nicely weighted, but does not quite deliver the sensuality or joie-de-vivre of the 2001 (which is actually like a lot of millennial Bordeaux). Let’s see how it matures over the next few years, but my money would be on the 2001.

Pan Roasted Napa Quail on lentils with creamy pan dripping sauce and polenta crouton. More ham — and a very tasty little bird indeed.

Flight 5: Sauternes

1989 Rieussec. Parker 92. After a period of prolonged disjointedness, this wine has pulled itself together. The color is deep straw, and the wine displays an intense perfume of creme brulee custard, baked apple pie, and sweet, ripe pineapples and pears. Full-bodied, rich, alcoholic, and fat, with low acidity and considerable sweetness, this is a luxuriously rich, unctuously-textured, heavyweight Sauternes that should become more civilized with age.

Robiola Cheese “Brulee”. Soft yummy cheese.

Pears poached in red wine. Another Valentino classic. My gelato is better though :-).

Overall this was an awesome lunch — as almost all Sauvages lunches are. The food was quiet excellent for Valentino with both a variety and solid execution (sometimes the dishes can be a little flat), plus we had plenty of it and it paired very well. The wines were amazing with almost all of the bottles in great shape and tons of variety of goodness. As always, wine service at Valentino is about the best in the city with tons of stems, organization, and all that. Really very few places that can handle it as well.

For more LA dining reviews click here,

Related posts:

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  3. Sauvages – East Borough
  4. LaLa – Valentino
  5. Sauvages at Upstairs 2
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Sauvages, Valentino, Wine

Quick Eats – Sushi Burrito

Dec23

Restaurant: Jogasaki Sushi Burrito

Location: Food truck

Date: December 14, 2016

Cuisine: Sushi Burrito

Rating: Kind of a mess

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I was in a rush to go to work after a Doctor’s appointment and passed by the Activision parking lot and its array of food trucks.

Unfortunately I had to wait 10 minutes for them to open because it was before noon, but I decided to try the “Sushi Burrito” since I’m such a sushi nut.

The menu of fairly typical “roll” contents. Now, I’m not a fan of these kind of rolls even when they come from a real sushi bar. I pretty much knock several points off any sushi place that even serves the like of “Spider Roll.”

Lobster Burrito. The “burrito” is a soy paper wrapped log.
 Inside is a messy mix of rice, sweet sauce, avocado, imitation crab, and crawfish. There is no real lobster, only the crawfish, which while not bad tasting by itself, is pretty cheap stuff. The whole thing just tastes like rice and sweet sauce and maybe a bit of avocado. It turned into a total mess too as soy paper is very soft and chunks of it were falling all over the place into an ugly pile.

I’m not a fan. It just tastes like an extra sloppy version of one of those generic rolls – namely rice & sweet sauce. It was fast (except for the 10 minutes waiting for them to open) and moderately cheap. That’s about it. As a fusion, it’s certainly not an improvement in any way except that it’s easier for them to make in the truck than any kind of normal sushi. Just slop in the ingredients and roll.

 

For more LA dining reviews click here.

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By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Food truck, Jogasaki Sushi Burrito, Sushi Burrito

Noodle Check – Yamadaya Ramen

Dec21

Restaurant: Yamadaya Ramen

Location: 11172 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232. (310) 815-8776

Date: December 15 & 21, 2016

Cuisine: Ramen

Rating: Solid traditional ramen

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As one of the only other well-reviewed Ramen joints in Culver City I pretty much had to try Yamadaya.

It’s located near the 405 and Washington, which while only a mile or two from Downtown Culver feels like a totally different place.

The interior is “minimalist.”

They do have a big hood. I have hood envy.

 Soy sauce, vinegar and the usual on the table.

Gyoza. I like gyoza. These were fine, but not great. They could have used more porky punch.
 Tonkotsu Ramen. I sorta wanted to try the shio style, but the server recommended the 20 hours Tonkotsu broth. Most LA Ramen shops focus on tonkotsu which is a Kyushu style. Kyushu is the third largest Japanese Island, in the south, and is host to Fukuoka a fun city (I’ve been 3 times) that is renowned for its food.

IMG_6453
Shio Ramen. The mixed chicken and fish stock broth. This version is very light. Pleasant and tasty, but not particularly rich or interesting.

In any case, back to Yamadaya’s Tonkotsu, which was solid but not exceptional. Very traditional with the egg, chashu, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, green onions and the thin white noodles. I like thicker noodles with more texture myself. Certainly this was a “real” ramen, and as such very enjoyable, it just wasn’t particularly novel or anything.

Yamadaya has quite a number of other ramens, including shio, so I will have to come try them, and they have curry and a number of other traditional items. So I’ll be back to fill out the report.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

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  5. Chicken or Egg? – Tentenyu Ramen
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Culver City, ramen

Molti Marino

Dec19

Restaurant: Marino Ristorante

Location: 6001 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038. (323) 466-8812

Date: December 14, 2016

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Awesome. One of the best Italian meals I’ve had in LA

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Restaurants in Los Angeles are constantly changing, opening, closing etc. One of the recent changes I miss the most was the shuttering of Il Grano — certainly West LA’s best Italian, particularly in the fancy/modern department. I really miss it – as it was one of my favorites and has 9 write ups on the blog (I think the most of any restaurant).

But the amazing chef/owner Sal Marino has relocated (back) to his original family haunt, venerable Marino Ristorante on Melrose and continues to cook up his unique blend of amazing modern Italian. And if anything, he’s gotten even better.

The menu for tonight’s special Foodie Club year end dinner.

1996 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut La Grande Dame. VM 95+. Deep, highly complex aromas of citrus skin, nutmeg, porcini mushroom, toasted almond and clove. Rich, dry and impressively deep; superconcentrated and oily. A chewy, spicy Champagne that seemed to grow fresher as it opened in the glass. Really explosive on the aftertaste, finishing with a clinging quality and powerful spicy, nutty flavors. A major mouthful of Champagne, at its best at the dinner table. Displays the combination of high ripeness and high acidity of this vintage at its best. This thick, rich, very powerful wine is still a bit youthfully disorganized and will be even better for a few years of additional aging. One of the standouts of my recent tastings.

Mexicola avocado and Dungeness crab. Eaten skin and all! Like a super fresh Italian California roll.

Snapper Tartar.

Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée. VM 94. The NV Grande Cuvée is absolutely stellar. This is one of the very best Grande Cuvées I can remember tasting. The flavors are bright, focused and beautifully delineated throughout, all of which make me think the wine will age well for many, many years. Lemon peel, white flowers, crisp pears, smoke and crushed rocks race across the palate in a vibrant, tense Champagne that epitomizes finesse. This release is based on the 2005 vintage and was disgorged in winter 2012/2013.

Amberjack & white truffle.

2002 Pol Roger Champagne Brut Rosé. VM 95. Pale gold. Intense, mineral-dominated aromas of candied citrus fruits, pear, anise, smoky lees and chamomile, plus a sexy floral nuance and a hint of sweet butter. Palate-staining orchard and citrus fruit flavors show outstanding depth and energy, picking up chalky mineral and spice notes with air. Strikingly concentrated and precise wine with strong finishing punch and noteworthy persistence. This concentrated, deftly balanced Champagne is built for a long, graceful evolution.

Sawagani – wild river crab. These little fellows were live and scampering in the bowl.

Then flash fried. No longer live, they are eaten as a whole bite and had a touch of spice. Amazing crunch and flavor!

From my cellar: 2010 Borgo del Tiglio (Nicola Manferrari) Collio Friulano Ronco della Chiesa. VM 94. Borgo del Tiglio’s 2010 Ronco della Chiesa shows what this hillside site in Cormons can do in cooler vintages. Still bright, focused and intensely saline, the 2010 bursts from the glass with grapefruit, lime, mint and crushed rocks. The 2010 will probably be appreciated most by readers who like tense, vibrant whites. Next to some of the other vintages, the 2010 lacks a little mid-palate pliancy, but it is quite beautiful just the same. I especially like the way the 2010 opens up nicely in the glass over time.

Nantucket Scallop Crudo, citrus salad. Delicious bright. Awesome pairing.

Buri Crudo. Amazing Italian/Japanese slices of large Buri.

Persimmon & Burrata. Best Persimmon I’ve ever had. Sweet and soft and non of that weird dusty finish. Amazing with the cheese too.
 From my cellar: 2001 i Clivi Brazan. 93 points. Geraniums and menthol on the nose. On the palate, pear, apricot, white flowers, and notes of pineapple and lemon on the medium finish, with good acidity. Unlike a previous bottle, this didn’t show any significant oxidation, and it held up well over two days without fading. Well-stored bottles with good corks should be good for at least a few more years.

Hokkaido scallop, sea urchin, caviar. Amazing combo of umami and rich flavors.

1976 Alain Hudelot-Noellat Clos Vougeot. 95 points. Amazing shape for the vintage. Lots of cherry.

1983 Domaine Pothier-Rieusset Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens. 92 points. For a Burgundy that should be over the hill it’s drinking nicely. Crystal clear and very light ruby color. Poured straight from the bottle but with a little glass time it really started to show its stuff. Quite fruity and approachable. Has notes of cranberry cocktail with a twist of lemon.

Pizza al tartufo bianco.

With shaved white truffles!

This was one amazing pizza slice. I could have eaten the whole pie. Super soft (fontina?) cheese.

1996 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart. JK 94. Fairly closed and tight nose of spicy black fruit framed in subtle new wood followed by medium weight, intense, relatively powerful flavors yet the tannins are elegant and quite fine. The overall impression is one of discreet breed and this delivers impressive if not incredible persistence. For the patient.

2003 Domaine Anne Gros Clos Vougeot Le Grand Maupertui. VM 91+. Full red-ruby. Brooding, superripe aromas of medicinal black cherry and cassis. Huge, chewy and backward; boasts impressive flesh and phenolic material but quite closed today, and not particularly sweet. This very rich but youthfully sullen wine finishes with substantial tannic spine. “Jammy but not cooked,” notes Gros.

Black Bass, stinging nettle, dehydrated olives. Great piece of light fluffy bass. As good as bass gets.
 1982 Leoville-Las Cases. Parker 95-100. I have had perfect bottles of this cuvee, but, perplexingly, the bottles from my cellar tend to be broodingly backward and require plenty of coaxing. This huge wine is, in many ways, just as massive as Leoville Barton, but it possesses a greater degree of elegance as well as unreal concentration. Classic lead pencil, cassis, kirsch, cedar, and spice characteristics are abundant in both the nose and full-bodied flavors. The tannins are still there, and, at least from my cellar, this 1982 does not appear to have changed much in the last 10-12 years. One wonders how much patience admirers of this brilliant St.-Julien will continue to exhibit. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050.

From my cellar: 1985 Gaja Barbaresco. ? points. This was stewy and very “mature.” I liked it, but many at the table considered it totally flawed — which it probably was — I just kinda enjoyed it.

Black tagliatelle Lobster. Home made squid ink pasta with chunks of moist lobster. Amazing.

Chef Sal Marino shows off his pasta dough. Eggy!

 1998 Azienda Agricola Montevertine Le Pergole Torte Toscana IGT. JG 91. The 1998 Pergole Torte is a bit deeper-pitched and more black fruity than the more vibrant and red fruity 1999, but despite its slightly “cooler” profile, this too will be a fine bottle of wine at its apogee. The nose is deep and complex, as it offers up scents of black cherries, plums, a touch of bitter chocolate, herb tones, road tar, damp earth and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and still quite tannic, with fine focus, a solid core of fruit and very good length and grip on the firm, chewy and well-balanced finish. The 1998 does not possess the same generosity of youthful fruit as the 1999 or even the 2001 for that matter, and hence would be a bit more difficult to drink before it reaches full maturity, but with its sound acids and lovely complexity, it will be a delightful drink once it reaches its peak.

Cassonetti, celery root filled ravioli, black winter truffle.

With the truffle. This was an absolutely amazing pasta. The melt in your mouth shells, and the slick buttery sauce with the truffles. 11 out of 10!

1985 Antinori Solaia Toscana IGT. VM 94. The 1985 Solaia kicks off a flight of Early Classics. I have had the 1985 twice recently and it has always been impressive. It is also very much a wine of its era, which is to say if anything, it is too polished. This was an era in which wines were squeaky-clean. Well-stored bottles still have plenty of fruit although further upside appears to be limited.

1990 Antinori Solaia Toscana . VM 94. Tasted next to so many other great wines, the 1990 Solaia actually suffers a bit. I am sure it would be magnificent on its own, but here it comes comes across as a bit one-dimensional, with less opulence than vintages like 1994 and 1997, but less structure than the 1988 tasted immediately before. Overall, the 1990 is a hugely attractive wine that stops just a touch short of being truly profound.

agavin: both were great, but I liked the 1990 better.

Chicken & Polenta. Local farm polenta and chicken. Super moist and soft. Usually chicken doesn’t have enough flavor to handle this kind of treatment, but this certainly did.

2002 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT. Parker 94. The 2002 Redigaffi is sweet and balsamic in its expression of jammy plum fruit, elegant and ample on the flow and with an expanding volume, firmness, and grip which should guarantee maximum pleasure for another decade and a half.

Lamb Ossobuco. This was bone sucking good. Super rich, stewed and fatty. Ron and I were literally gnawing on the bones.

Wagyu tagliata, sunchoke, pea tendrils. East meets west version of the New York strip, but with Japanese breed beef. Grilled bread was amazing too.

Sal through in: 2004 San Michele Appiano (St. Michael-Eppan) Sanct Valentin-Comtess Passito. 96 points. Awesome complex sticky.

Panettone. This ain’t your grandmother’s panettone. It was more like bread pudding.

Ramen Roll Gelato, made by me. I brought these in but Sal’s crew plated them. In the front is Macha White, green tea with white chocolate. In the back my amazing Hazelnut Caramel with pure traditional hazelnut (made from Italian Hazelnut Regina paste) and house made caramel.

The normal Marino menu looks great, but is certainly more classic than Sal’s special dinner fare like above. If you like adventurous modern Italian, I’d see if he can do a special tasting menu — likely he’ll be up for it. Or several people could put together something really interesting from the regular menu if they think outside the normal appetizer, entree, dessert box. But it’s with this kind of special dinner — and not to mention the great crew and our awesome wines — that Sal’s cooking really knocks your socks off. He is a nut for detail and ingredients. He grows tons of stuff at home — like over a 100 varieties of heirloom tomato — and really knows how to adapt and pair with wine.

I had a lot of great meals at Il Grano, but this was probably the most on point of all of them. Every dish was pretty much a knock out. Bright fresh ingredients coupled with bright fresh flavors. I’m still dreaming of that truffle Cassonetti.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or experience my gluttonous month-long food trips through Italy.

Or more crazy Foodie Club meals.

Related posts:

  1. Italian House Party
  2. Brandon DiFiglio – Post-Maudern
  3. Doing it All Right – Christophe Emé
  4. Pistola with a Bang
  5. Saint Martha Modern
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: BYOG, Foodie Club, Gelato, Italian Cusine, Marino, Sal Marino, Salvatore Marino, Wine

Odys + Penelope

Dec16

Restaurant: Odys + Penelope

Location:127 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036. (323) 939-1033

Date: December 8, 2016

Cuisine: churrasco or asador?

Rating: Nice smoky flavors

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Odys + Penelope has been on my list for over a year.

Located on La Brea, it’s not far from Republique and the like.

The interior has a great build out. Old brick walls, steel, wood, and this huge kitchen structure in the middle.

Odys + Penelope describes itself as a churrasco and grill (which is more or less what churrasco means). It’s certainly a grill, but also doesn’t really feel that South American to me. Anyway, they have a ton of wood fired stuff.

Here is some of the dancing flame — and a big smoker.

The menu.

Adam brought: 2006 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre. VM 93+. Bright yellow with a green tinge. Cool aromas of crushed stone, citrus peel and white flowers. Dense, sweet and minerally, but quite youthfully closed and strict today, showing none of the honeyed character of the 2006 vintage. In fact, this broad, rich wine boasts terrific verve and finishes with palate-staining citrus and stone flavors. This is 13% natural alcohol with four grams per liter of acidity. It will be fascinating to compare this and the more austere 2005 a decade or so down the road.

Fried wild mushrooms, Persian garlic sauce. Nice fry.

Smoked lamb lettuce cups, green hummus, pickled onions, yogurt, mint. Savory.

Ginger chicken sausage, fresno chili-apple jam. Very soft, sweet sausage.

Grilled acorn squash salad, creamy parmesan slaw, pepitas. Very light, white and cheesy.

Bacon wrapped chicken thigh, lemon date sauce. This was one of the least successful dishes for me.

Smoked + grilled Mary’s chicken. Awesome for BBQ chicken, particularly given that it was minimal on the sauce. Super moist and tons of flavor.

Dry rubbed rotisserie pork, cherry mostarda, fingerling potatoes in grainy mustard butter, apple salad. AKA porcetta. Melt in your mouth perfect smoky pork belly. Wow!

Maple rosemary glazed beef ribs. Dish of the night. The fat was so integrated through the entire body of the meat, like Wagyu or as if they had massaged it — and the smoky deep flavor. This was some serious rib.

Charred broccolini salad, roasted beet hummus, hazelnut dukkah.

Creamy cauliflower + millet, walnut pesto. Another stand out. Hard to believe it was cauliflower. In combination with the beef this was like osso bucco over polenta.

From their list: 2006 Cecile Tremblay Echezeaux. BH 91. The best wine in the range, which is not completely a surprise given how many excellent to genuinely superb examples of Echézeaux were produced in 2006. A pretty red berry fruit that is highly spiced with hints of animale, mocha, plum and warm earth, all of which can be found on the rich, full and dense flavors that display chocolate and dry port nuances while finishing with a mouth coating, powerful and seductively sappy finish. I noted last year that this lacked a bit of freshness but that is not the case from bottle as there is actually good vibrancy present.

agavin: mature for it’s age. Very junior producer, but drinking nicely now.
 The pastry menu.

Gingerbread copetta, mascarpone mousse, ginger-beer granita, butterscotch ice cream.
 Warm caramel cake, poached pear, almond toffee, vanilla-almond ice milk.
 Chocolate rye pie, peanut crumble, vanilla malted ice cream.

Overall, this was a great meal at Odys (my one and only so far) and I really enjoyed it for it’s unique “grill style”. Sort of like a BBQ crossed with a small plates place. Very old school and very modern at the same time. It bills itself as a churrasco, and there are certainly South American flavors here, but they don’t predominate. Certainly when I was last in South America (some time ago) the places were much more limited and old fashioned, not so far off from Fogo. Odys reminds me more of a Basque Asador — where all sorts of things are grilled up.

Doesn’t really matter because it’s good — as long as you like the taste of fire!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Mountain Time Machine
  2. Park’s Finest BBQ
  3. Barrel & Ashes – BBQ Go Big
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: bbq, churrasco, Grill, Odys + Penelope

Friends at 71 Above

Dec14

Restaurant: 71Above [1, 2, 3, 4]

Location: 633 W 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071

Date: December 3, 2016

Cuisine: New American

Rating: Awesome in all ways

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This is my fourth visit to one of LA’s latest and hottest event restaurants, 71Above. The first can be found here.

Besides being located on the 71st floor (950 feet up!) of the US Bank building, being the highest restaurant west of the Mississippi, and showcasing the food of Chef Vartan Abgaryan, it’s owned and operated by my friend Emil Eyvazoff!

This is no casual opening, but a massive (and gorgeous) multipart buildout that encompasses the entire floor. Above is part of the lounge/bar.

And behind that is the stunning dining room with its computer controlled auto tinting windows. Beyond that the view continues all the way around with the chef’s table and several more intimate private dining areas.

The view alone is worth the price of admission, and offers varied sights depending on your 360 degree angle. Notice how even the second tallest building downtown (seen under construction here) is below eye level! On a clear day you can easily see the vast sweep of the Pacific and several mountain ranges.

This time we sat at the chef’s table right by the kitchen.

gougères. French cheese puffs.

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Because you can never go wrong with Krug: NV Krug Champagne Brut Rosé. BH 94. Medium rosé hue. A cool, restrained and highly complex nose that is not especially fruity displays a moderate yeast character along with slightly exotic aromas of mandarin orange and Asian tea, all wrapped in an enveloping array of beguiling rose petal scents. There is very good richness with a relatively firm supporting mousse that adds to the impression of richness to the superbly complex and highly textured flavors, indeed one could aptly describe this as more wine that Champagne. As such this is indeed a sumptuous Krug rosé that is difficult to resist already though it should reward extended keeping if desired. As I noted in the original 750 ml review, that while I am not always wowed by the Krug Rosé, this latest incarnation in magnum is strikingly good.

Sunchoke soup, Crème Fraîche, Sweet Garlic, Smoked Trout Roe, Dill.
 The soup is added table-side. The dish is one of those velvety dairy based vegetable soups I love so much, knocked up even further by the creme.

Shrimp. Mango, Avocado, Fresno Chile, Sorrel, Chicharrón. Also extremely bright. A little heat, and very tangy. Loved this slightly Vietnamese-inspired sauce.

Squash. Whipped Panna Cotta, Pomegranate, Pumpkin Seed & Sage Shichimi. Another very fall flavored dish.

Parsnip. Duck Fat, Dates, Pistachio, Rosemary, Strained Yogurt.

Fig. Purslane, Red Onion, Goat Feta, Honey Vinegar, Lemon, Sumac Crisp.

From my cellar: 1996 Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste. Hune. JG 98+. At age ten the ’96 Clos Ste. Hune is just beginning to emerge from hibernation and is beginning to really show just how profound it will ultimately prove to be. The bouquet is deep and magical (and initially quite open, though a bit of the exuberance gets reigned in with extended aeration), soaring from the glass in an exotic mélange of black currant, sweet grapefruit, lime zest, loads of pulverized limestone, candied iris, incipient notes of polenta, a bit of fresh nutmeg and a topnote of currant leaf. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, surprisingly open on the attack, deep and laser-like, with a rock solid core of fruit, and great zip and rapier-like grip on the endless backend. The ’96 is just a monumental vintage of Clos Ste. Hune, that looks to be a bit more tightly-knit and elegant than the great 1990, while at the same time being equally powerful and profound.

Wild striped bass. Cauliflower, Harissa, Raisins, Pine Nuts, Preserved Lemon.

Prime Ribeye. Sweet Potato, Pepper Crust, Bone Marrow, Cipollini Onion, Smoked Soy Jus.

Artichoke. Fennel, Bellwether Farms Gnudi, Grapes, Castelvetrano Olives.

Intermezzo of orange granite and sorbet.

Chocolate and marshmallow with sorbet.

Heading down!

Overall, 71Above is just a seriously well conceived and executed one-of-a-kind restaurant. Really, it’s more like a NY, Singapore, or Tokyo kind of concept. First of all, the view is just awesome. I can’t wait to come back on a really clear day. Particularly once they begin brunch service, a nice winter day will offer an observation deck like panorama.

But then Emil and crew built out such a lovely space to capture the drama. It’s modern, but welcoming. Not too loud, you can here the conversation and the music both. And from when you enter off the double elevator ascent it folds from one experience to another: lounge, dining room, more intimate corridors, chef table, quiet and romantic view areas in the back, and a series of two adjustable private dining rooms. The attention to architectural detail is amazing.

Then the menu has a creative format with a fixed price (currently $70) and three savory courses. You can pick from six options per category. If you are a glutton like me, you can add extra courses – and of course dessert. At the chef’s table one gets a 6 course (+ a few bonuses) for a very reasonable (considering what you get) $110 a person!

It should also be noted that an interesting menu wouldn’t be anything without great execution. As you can see in this post, the plating is modern but approachable and highly attractive. But the flavor on the dishes is paramount, and really quite excellent, particularly considering their complexity and textural variation. There is a balanced quality between opposite forces in Chef Abgaryan’s cooking that pulls from Chinese culinary theory, while that specific flavors and combinations are largely American/European. It’s both approachable and sophisticated. Bravo!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Wine in the Sky – 71Above
  2. The High Life – 71Above
  3. 71Above – Knights Who Say Wine
  4. Trimbach Republique
  5. Krug at Spago
By: agavin
Comments (2)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: 71above, Clos Ste. Hune, Emil Eyvazoff, Krug, Vartan Abgaryan

Kali Live Octopus

Dec12

Restaurant: Kali [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

Location: 5722 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038. (323) 871-4160

Date: December 1, 2016

Cuisine: New American French

Rating: Better every time!

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I’ve known Kevin Meehan for years as a private and popup chef and have had the pleasure to enjoy many a fine meal he’s put together. But this year he transitioned into the more stationary, and possibly more hectic restaurant world by opening up his own Melrose Ave restaurant! This is our third Foodie Club visit.

With the opening of Kali Restaurant, Chef Kevin Meehan’s broad 23-year culinary career reaches its apex. At Kali, Meehan, whose deft hand was cultivated in Los Angeles’ most prestigious kitchens, joins forces with long-time friend and professional colleague, Drew Langley, previously the wine director at the iconic, Michelin-starred Providence.
For the 39-year-old Meehan, Kali represents the evolution of not just Kali Dining, his roving private dinner pop-up, but the rigorous years he spent refining his craft. The contemporary California restaurant blends the precision and hospitality of the white tablecloth kitchens where Meehan developed his culinary acumen, with the accessibility and ease of a local’s favorite neighborhood haunt.
Born and raised in Long Island, New York, Meehan’s initial foray in the industry was at a fried chicken joint when he was a teenager. While most would be turned off by working the fryer, Meehan was feeding an innate attraction to food, and, in the process, unearthing what would become a life-long love affair with the restaurant world. After graduating high school, Meehan enrolled in the esteemed Culinary Arts program at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, an education that he would test and sharpen on-the-line during an apprenticeship at the Michelin-starred L’alban Chambon under French Master Chef Dominique Michou, and, later, alongside Los Angeles’ finest chefs.
In 2000, Meehan drove cross country to assume a post at the celebrated L’Orangerie, then helmed by Chef Ludo Lefebvre. It was there that Meehan met Langley, who he would subsequently work with at the now late Bastide, where Meehan served as Chef de Cuisine, and, later, at Citrine. After Citrine’s closure in 2005, Meehan joined Patina Restaurant Group as Chef de Cuisine at Joachim Spichal’s seminal Patina restaurant in Downtown. During his three-year tenure, the restaurant received a Michelin Star for its fresh interpretation of French cuisine informed by seasonality, and Meehan was consequently promoted to Executive Chef of Café Pinot.
In 2012, Meehan parted ways with the prolific restaurant group to launch his passion project, Kali Dining. The underground operation quickly garnered critical attention for Meehan’s assertive, yet nuanced tasting menus that he prepared, dinner party-style, for Los Angeles top tastemakers, luminaries, and food enthusiasts. Kali the restaurant was birthed from the success of Kali Dining, and the passion that Meehan and co-owner Langley share for pushing the boundaries of the typical fine dining experience.

For Kali, Kevin partnered with Drew Langley.
While most known for his esteemed tenure as the Wine Director at the Michelin-starred Providence in Los Angeles, Drew Langley brings an extensive resume of experience to Kali Restaurant, a passion project born out of his 15-year friendship with Chef Kevin Meehan.
As Co-owner and Wine Director of the contemporary California restaurant near Hollywood’s iconic Paramount Pictures Studios, the 39-year-old’s near life-long matriculation in the food & beverage industry is fully realized. Kali blends the haute cuisine and hospitality of a fine dining destination with the accessibility of an everyday neighborhood haunt, and Langley’s concise, intelligent wine program is a reflection of the core philosophy that defines the restaurant.
Born and raised in a small town in south Maryland, Langley’s initial introduction to the industry was as a dishwasher at a local pizzeria at the age of 13. While his contemporaries found inspiration in the classroom, Langley was drawn to the rhythm and intensity of the restaurant world, acquiring a vast understanding of its inner workings through odd jobs that ran the gamut from line cook at regional chain Perkin’s to corporate trainer for Applebee’s openings to bar back at Solomon’s Pier, a seafood restaurant and nightclub.
In 1997, the then 20-year-old Langley leapt at an opportunity to relocate to Los Angeles, and stumbled into a position at Greenblatt’s, a beloved deli and wine shop in West Hollywood, that would ultimately pave the way for his future career. Langley furthered his three-year wine education at Greenblatt’s with a position at Dennis Overstreet’s Beverly Hills Wine Merchant, before joining the now-closed L’Orangerie in Beverly Hills as Sommelier in 2000. It was there that Langley crossed paths with Meehan, who he would subsequently work alongside at the late Bastide and Citrine.
After opening Bastide in 2002 as Commis Sommelier, and enjoying a stint as Wine Director at Citrine in 2003, Langley switched gears to lend support to entrepreneur and wine collector Jeff Smith for the launch of Carte Du Vin. His time at the local wine cellar management firm birthed and deepened relationships with prominent private collectors, relationships that inform his wine program at Kali today. In 2005, Langley joined the opening team at Providence, serving as Wine Director for Michael Cimarusti’s nationally-acclaimed seafood destination through 2015 when he left to prepare for Kali’s debut in early 2016.
An avid music enthusiast, when Langley is not refining his wine list with new finds or overseeing the day-to-day operations at Kali, the Koreatown resident can be found indulging in the local drum-and-bass culture.

A glimpse inside.

And the cool meat larder — pig head and all.

2004 Taittinger Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne. VM 96.  I am thrilled with the way the 2004 Comtes de Champagne continues to evolve in bottle. A few years ago, the 2004 was quite focused and linear, in the style of the vintage, but more recently, the wine has begun to fill out beautifully. The 2004 remains bright, with a full range of citrus, white flower and mineral nuances that dance on the palate. A brisk, saline-infused finish rounds things out beautifully in a Comtes that impresses for its crystalline purity. I expect the 2004 will always remain a bit cool next to the more opulent 2002, but it is still drop-dead gorgeous.

A delicious cracker/cookie and cheese sandwich.

Uni on polenta.

1999 Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 92+. A mineral bath of a nose, with bright lemon and lime fruit notes. Youthfully austere, penetrating and sharply delineated; strong minerality currently dominates lemon and white grapefruit flavors. Bracing, near-painful finish features superb length and grip.

Live octopus — it was still twitching.

Then it was cut up into bits and tossed with tangy marinate. Chewy, but delicious.

2015 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé. VM 93. Pale orange. Lively, expansive citrus pith and red currant aromas are complemented by suggestions of chalky minerals and white flowers. Sappy, concentrated and precise, offering palate-staining red berry and blood orange flavors and a hint of spicy white pepper. Shows excellent thrust and persistence on the mineral-driven finish, which emphatically echoes the floral and citrus fruit qualities. I’m impressed by the way this wine balances the opulence of the vintage with vivacity and I suspect it will reward at least another eight or so years of patience — standard behavior for this bottling, which ages more like a red wine than a pink one.

Fish tartar with crisp.

2004 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles. BH 93. A mildly reduced nose features honeysuckle and acacia blossom notes introduces sweet, rich and beautifully complex flavors of impressive purity and vibrancy with brilliant length. A terrific effort that has the hallmark softness of Pucelles while retaining a firm and tangy, indeed almost linear finish that displays more minerality than usual.

Lobster ravioli.



 With this amazing broth with a rich bisque-like taste.

Rosemary bread.

1993 Domaine de Montille Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens. BH 92. For years the ’93 de Montille Rugiens was impenetrable and it’s still incredibly youthful and in fact, not a great deal has changed except to note that little by little, the wine is gradually emerging from its awkward adolescence with a gorgeous and still primary nose of red and black pinot fruit that reflects obvious mineral notes. The vibrant and firm medium full flavors are impressively complex and are underpinned by firm but integrated tannins that leave the finish with a dusty texture. This will require the better part of the next decade to come around but it should be worth the wait.

Black barely risotto. Black garlic, toasted cheese. A very nice whole grain with a creamy garlic herb vibe.

From my cellar: 1996 Faiveley Corton-Clos des Cortons Faiveley. VM 94. Deep ruby color. Multidimensional aromas of violet, coffee, dried rose, clove, rare steak and seductive oak. Huge and tactile; really implodes in the mouth today. Extremely deep and lush, with the sheer sweetness to buffer its considerable acids and tannins. Oaky. Finishes extremely long, with very fine, tooth-coating tannins. With aeration, some of the baby fat melted away, and the wine’s powerful structure was manifest. Headspinning, old-style Burgundy, and very impressive. One to buy and cellar.

1996 Faiveley Bonnes Mares.

LAMB. parsnip / date / pecan / purlane.

1999 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Echezeaux. 92 points. Complex and mature bouquet with -beside some red fruits- mostly tertiary impressions. Tar, toast, asphalt, gun powder, a bit organic and rustic. On the palate the same special impressions, minerals, volcanic, beautiful acidity, soft tannin and strawberries. Beautiful and very special wine. Drink now or in the next few years is probably a wise thing to do.

2008 Louis Jadot Grands-Echezeaux. VM 93. The 2008 Grands-Echezeaux is wonderfully expressive in its aromas and flavors. Clean, mineral notes frame an attractive melange of sweet red cherries, flowers, licorice and spices in this mid-weight, intensely long Burgundy. This is a classy effort from Jadot.

DUCK BREAST. carrot / coffee / honey / cocoa.
 Meat anyone?

1952 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva. 94 points. Awesome, very Burgundian.

Flannery Beef HANGER STEAK. burnt onion jam / fingerling potato / bitter herb oil.

2005 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart. BH 96. n expressive and very ripe black berry fruit, spice, mocha, fresh coffee and earthy nose is surrounded by a generous blast of new oak that continues onto the rich, full, concentrated, powerful and sweet flavors that possess superb mid-palate density and huge length. This is an extremely rich wine and because of the influence of the wood, the detail that will very likely come with time in bottle has not yet developed but this is so concentrated yet balanced that it’s only a matter of time. This will live for ages and somewhat surprisingly, this is actually approachable now simply because it is so concentrated yet I suspect that when this finally shuts down, it will stay there for the better part of a decade. In a word, fantastic.

Toasted Meringue Gelato. grated candied yolk. This tasted like sweet cream with a dusting of salty eggy goodness. It was mild, creamy, and absolutely stunning. I ate two.

One of these hands is the one you want to get slapped with.

CHOCOLATE CREMEUX. mint / cocoa soil / bitter nibs.

Les vins.

Overall, not only was this a great meal with great friend (and wine), but Kevin’s food was really bang up fabulous. He’s always been a very talented chef but it seems to me, and I noted how in my previous visit that he’s really polished the cooking. This trend has continued, because in a few short months things have gone from great to… well greater. I don’t know anyone else in LA that’s doing this kind of ingredient focused cooking and yet nailing it with such bright pure flavors. The dishes have this balanced tension that is very sophisticated and some of them are pretty stand out amazing like the yellowtail, burrata, cod, steak, duck, and gelato — and noticed how I named a LOT of dishes because the percentage of knock outs is very high!

Service was great. We felt like family.

Really great stuff. Bravo Kevin and Drew!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Kali-fornia Dreaming
  2. Kali on Melrose
  3. Big Bottle Madness at Kali Dining
  4. Kali Cabernet
  5. Crash Live Action Tribute
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Burgundy, Drew Langley, Kali, Kevin Meehan, live octopus, Wine

Bru’s Wiffle Again

Dec09

I return to Bru’s Wiffle for more chicken, waffles chicken & waffles and more!

Check out the full story here…

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Related posts:

  1. Quick Eats – Bru’s Wiffle
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Bru's Wiffle, Waffle

Destroyer!

Dec07

Restaurant: Destroyer

Location: 3578 Hayden Ave, Culver City, CA 90232

Date: December 1, 2016

Cuisine: Modernist / Scandinavian

Rating: Cool daytime only spot

_

When we last checked in with chef Jordan Kahn he was playing host to Elrond’s table at Red Medicine.

Now he’s got a new place in Culver City, literally 100 yards from the old Flektor.com office I had 2006-2008. The area is filled with the weird and modern.

It’s called Destroyer and it’s breakfast and lunch only.

The decor is minimalist, and Scandinavian modern.

The menu is projected on the wall!

Here is the crazy master himself, looking intense.

This is a place about the small details, and this coffee “mug” is no exception.

The place is QSV, you order at the counter.

And more lovely details.

spice bread,creme fraiche,black currant,elderflower. Looks awesome. Kinda tasted awesome too, like scones and clotted cream — except for the weird moss. That was only for texture and just kinda interesting.

organic hen egg,crispy potato, mushroom. Very elfin, but delicious too. Fascinating textures.

The wall changed to lunch.

beef tartare,smoked egg cream, pickled mushroom,radish. Lovely!

And the meat was hiding underneath. My least favorite of the items, but still good.
 Frozen pear mousse, tonka, salted almond. Great textures, nice bright flavors.

Overall, this was a really neat little place. Just kinda fun. Fun flavors. Fun textures. Fun attention to detail. I’ll definitely be back.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Ford’s Filling Station
  2. Quick Eats – AR Cucina
  3. Sambar – Briefly Modern Indian
By: agavin
Comments (2)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Destroyer, elfin, Jordan Kahn, modernist, Scandinavian

Dim Sum – World Seafood

Dec05

Restaurant: World Seafood Restaurant [1, 2]

Location: 1412 S Garfield Ave. Alhambra, CA 91801. (626) 282-3888

Date: November 26, 2016

Cuisine: Cantonese Dimsum

Rating: Fun dishes, good, but not the absolute best

_

My quest to try all the great dimsum houses in the LA area (mostly the San Gabriel Valley) continues. Last year’s newcommer Shi Hai has rebooted into World Seafood Restaurant.

It looks pretty much the same on the outside — and clearly isn’t a place all geared up to serve the English-speaking population!

Inside it got a touch of new color but remains a giant Chinese-style banquet hall.





The lengthy menu — all in Chinese with just a touch of English.

Pan-fried chives pancake. Not very pancake like, but extremely tasty. Some kind of mystery meat in here too — probably pork.

Shrimp and pork Shiu Mai. Good version of the classic.

Har Gow shrimp dumpling. Solid also.

Scallop and shrimp dumpling. The scallops were a touch fishy, so this wasn’t my favorite.

Chu Zhou Fun Gou. Peanuts, pork, and who knows what make a lovely dumpling. Fun guo, or Chaozhou fun guo sometimes spelled fun quor, fun gor, fen guo, Chiu Chow dumpling, Teochew dumpling, or fun kor is a variety of steamed dumpling from the Chaoshan area of coastal eastern Guangdong, a province in Southern China. They are typically filled with chopped peanuts, ground pork, garlic chives, dried shrimp, dried radish and shiitake mushrooms. Other filling ingredients may include coriander, cilantro, jicama, or dried daikon.

Seafood salad roll. I ordered because I had no idea what it was.  This light and crispy but very deep friend fellow contained some kind of seafood/cream cheese mix with a slight sweetness. There was a mayo-like dipping sauce. Despite the oddness of all this, it was delicious.

BBQ pork rice noodle. Solid.

XLB steamed pork dumplings. The shell was a touch thick, and while I’ve had better, these were still delicious.

Pork bean curd roll. Delicious. Stuffed with pork? and vegetables.

House special roast duck. Delicious, meaty, and only $5.99!!!!

Plain soy sauce noodles for my son. Pretty yummy actually.

Pan fried noodle with seafood. This was the thick rice noodle and I would have prefered it over the thin egg noodles.

Steamed honey brown sugar cake. World Seafood has a lot of “dessert” dim sum and this one was new to me so I tried it.  Look at the cool coral-like texture. It tasted like mildly sweet honey cake but did have a very nice fluffly organic quality.

Pumpkin pastry with salted egg yolk. Delcious. Mochi-like texture, pumpkin taste, and a gooey hot salty egg-yolk filling. Awesome. We ordered an extra order.

Steamed sweet bun. Who can resist desserts that look like pigs? This vegetarian light fluffy buns contained a paste of purple taro.

Steamed walnut bun. How cute, shapped like walnuts! Inside was a nut paste we actually thought was chesnut. It was good though.

Overall, World Seafood was quite good. I’d put it in the second tier of SGV dimsum underneath Elite, King Hua, and Sea Harbor, but in line with Lunasia and Shanghai #1 Seafood. It absolutely blows away what Downtown and Westside places I’ve tried, and is certainly a worthy destination. World Seafood also has an interesting menu, with lots of weird dessert pastries, and I’d like to go back and try another round or two of dishes.

For more LA Chinese dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. New Bay Seafood
  2. Dim Sum is Shanghai #1
  3. Newport Special Seafood
  4. Say Hi to Shi Hai
  5. Newport Seafood is Special
By: agavin
Comments (2)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Chinese cuisine, Dim sum, dimsum, san Gabriel valley, World Seafood Restaurant

Naughty Dog News

Dec03

The Playstation Experience has gifted us with a couple of big items from Naughty Dog. Namely the sequel to the best story game of all time, The Last of Us. Personally, I’m SUPER excited about this as given my taste for the dark I just adore TLOU.

And more Uncharted 4 (in the form of a huge DLC):

Aren’t we the lucky ones?

31396458265_93118cec4a_z

 

Related posts:

  1. Naughty Dog News
  2. New Naughty Dog Franchise – The Last of Us
  3. Naughty Dog at E3
  4. Naughty Dog – 25 Years!
  5. Naughty Dog – A Pedigree Breed
By: agavin
Comments (4)
Posted in: Games
Tagged as: Naughty Dog, The Last of Us, The Last of Us part II, The Lost Legacy, Uncharted

Lukshon Lately

Dec01

Restaurant: Lukshon [1, 2]

Location: 3239 Helms Ave, Culver City, CA 90034. 310.202.6808

Date: November 25, 2016

Cuisine: New Asian

Rating: Pretty damn tasty

_

It’s been slightly over 5 years since I was at Lukshon — which is amazing considering how much I enjoyed it then. But anyway, I’m back.

Cool outside space was literally cool on this chilly night.

The inside space is just as mod.

 The menu is considerably different.
1A0A2582

From my cellar: NV Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé. VM 92. Pale orange. High-pitched red berry, orange zest and jasmine aromas, with suave mineral and smoky lees notes adding complexity. Spicy and precise on the palate, showing very good punch to its strawberry and bitter cherry flavors. Opens up smoothly with air and picks up a bitter rhubarb quality that lingers onto the long, tightly focused finish. This bottling showed more brawny character than many past renditions of this cuvée, but with no lack of vivacity.

NOTE: Lukshon allows 2 bottles for corkage. Not a problem tonight, but I don’t like the limits in general.

pork larb meatballs. cabbage slaw, herbs, “green fire” aioli, puffed rice, peanuts.

sichuan dumplings. kurobuta pork, spicy ma-la vinaigrette, sesame, peanuts. Nice flavors. Not as potent as very good ones at more “authentic” Szechuan places – but great ingredients.

chinese eggplant. fennel raita, tomato sambal, eggplant “fries”. Fabulous eggplant. Blending some Chinese and a whole bunch of other Asian.

kurobuta pork ribs. spicy chicory coffee bbq sauce. Awesome take on the classic Chinese “spare ribs.”

crispy whole branzino. wok charred cucumbers, pickled onions, pecel sauce. Very nice fish with a lot of meat. I loved the green “pecel” sauce too.

beef and broccoli. prime hanger steak, grilled gai lan, black bean ghee, puffed tendon. Not your typical “beef and croccoli” lol.

heirloom black rice. lap cheong, onion, roasted garlic, lilly’s farm fried egg. Great stuff. Very soft and savory.

Mixed up.

crab fried rice. blue crab, jasmine rice, egg, pea tendrils, serrano chile. Yum!

cold sesame noodles. farmers’ market vegetables, sesame dressing, scallions, peanuts. Not as exciting as I would have hoped. The old dan dan they used to have were better.

chiang mai curry noodles. chile, turmeric, lemongrass, chicken, yu choy, rice noodles. Loved this stuff, even if hard to share. Pretty much Laksa.

The refuse.
 We didn’t get dessert because I had gelato at home!

Overall Lukshon was still great. Sort of Chinese modernized with more Southeast Asian influences. Lukshon was ahead of the curve with this trend. There are a ton of these exotics now, often with more Vietnamese influence like Cassia or Simbal. But certainly loving it still.

Check out my much older review of Lukshon here.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Loving Lukshon
  2. Huolala Hot
  3. Adventures in Street Food
  4. Silk Road Journeys – Shaanxi Gourmet
  5. Eating Saigon – Hoa Tuc
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Asian cuisine, Asian Fusion, Lukshon, southeast asian cuisine
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