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Archive for April 2018

Food as Art – Vespertine

Apr30

Restaurant: Vespertine

Location: 3599 Hayden Ave, Culver City, CA 90232. (323) 320-4023

Date: March 21, 2018

Cuisine: Modern Nordic Art Food?

Rating: Excellent experience

_

Vespertine is a very unusual confluence of all sorts of artsy weirdness. It’s helmed by Jordan Kahn formerly of Red Medicine and currently of Destroyer across the street. I’ve long been fond of Jordan’s unique culinary style.


First of all, we have the bizarre building which seemingly was built (like much of this section of Culver City) without purpose and is now is host to the restaurant — only! I had an office across the street for 2 years as well, back when I founded Flektor.

In the back yard, so to speak, is this gigantic steel cactus tower. Yes, everyone needs an expensive cactus tower. And there are kooky modern gardens.
This one we even use for our final course (but more on that later).

The attractive but perhaps impractical bar area on the ground floor doesn’t seem to have much (any?) use and we just hung out here for 2 minutes waiting for our party to assemble and then headed upstairs.

Where Jordan greeted us personally — which is actually a nice touch and the whole experience most certainly feels like both a passion project and surprisingly intimate.

Above the dining room is the entire kitchen floor. We didn’t (couldn’t?) hang out here long but it looked sweet (and immaculate).

The open roof deck (which feels like inside) is a sort of lounge floor where the meal began.

 Everything is very “moody” with the scent of fir trees and soft spa music. In fact it’s sort of like “spa the meal”. Or maybe “gallery the meal.”

This “course” consisted of a fir (as in tree) flavored cocktail and some sort of similar tea. The cocktail in particular was excellent.

No menu was provided and the food is abstract, so my descriptions will be vague. This “dip” consisted of some hummus like whip covered in leaves. Photography was a serious challenge her as things were SO DARK, lit only by candlelight, and there was no flash allowed. Or tripod (in the dining room) or camera clicks or beeps!!! A kind of dried vegetable/fruit matter of sorts — actually dried kelp if I remember correctly — hung on our tree and we used it to dip into the dip. Odd as this was, it tasted rather lovely.

Then came a brown impossible to photograph thing. I think it was a savory burnt onion cookie stuffed with jam (blackcurrent?). It tasted good.

And a brown thing covered by a white soft thing in vague leaf shapes. No recall. Interesting textures. Tasted good too.
Now we moved on down to the cool dining room, nearly temple-like in its silence — except for the spacey spa music and the sound of wooden spoons scraping on expensive stoneware plates.

Pairing with this food was a challenge so we leaned toward champagne.

Erick brought: 1976 Drappier Champagne Carte d’Or Brut. 95 points. Rustic, PN character to this recently disgorged champagne. Nose of carrots, beetrots, raisins. A bit of damp basement as well, but this evidently comes from the aging. Leathery feel in the mouth, raisins as well. Very good and certainly with character, but lacking in elegance or precision. Though, has nice complexity.

I brought: 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.

This space age green disk was frozen peas?

On top of english peas? Delicious actually and a neat combo of textures and temperatures. Maybe a little too cold.

Savory rice pudding with flowers and trout roe. Actually tasted great. Mix of creamy and crunchy texture. Jordan LOVES these “shadowy” bowls where you can barely see the food. Serious photographic challenge in a room with very little light, no flash, no tripod, no shutter noises. I had to use the single tiny spotlight over our table and some creative positioning to even get a glimpse of the dish. And you can tell from my minimalist descriptions that the verbal brief conveyance of the contents of the dishes does not return to my consciousness when looking at the photos. My mind thinks of this as the “creamy white one with yellow.”

Our pale tinted wines.
 White asparagus and accompaniments. Very pretty plating.

Hidden by leaves.

Can’t remember what the substance was. The picture does not doo much to jog my memory.

Kale & crab — maybe. Served in a Lucio Fontana style container, this creamy mix reveals the truth that Jordan likes black and white — with the occasional splotch of color. There was kale (maybe) and crab definitely. It was actually quite good but had a dusty (dehydrated?) texture and the leaves tickled my throat. Wine wise, we progressed to Larry’s 1992 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne. 94 points. Lovely soft tannins, beautifully structured and very well made in a so called “lesser” vintage. Short to medium length.

Herby turkey. This special heirloom New England turkey was wrapped in herbs and then revealed.

It was dressed with sauce.

And sprinkled with flowers. It was really fabulous turkey, some of the best I’ve ever had. Perfectly moist and with a very evocative herbal/sweet quality.

Close up.

Fish hidden in greens?

Lamb. I remember this was somehow lamb.

Not that you’d recognize it or anything.

Lavender spray goo? The first dessert. This sweet, marshmallow stuff was sprayed on the bowl. Very thin too and you had to really work to scrape it off. I thought it was delicious though.

Roast carrots somehow reinterpreted as a dessert. Good too, but not as good as the purple goo.

The wheel of modernism turns on.

Herbs and granite wheel? VERY hard to photo in shadow there and I resorted (because it was the last dish) to sneaking on the light on my phone.

We got the scent that pervades the restaurant as a parting gift!

And a little picnic in the garden. It was so dark that I almost lost my sh*t. Only seem here because I had a floodlight in my bag!

Dates maybe under leaves.

We almost ate the ashtray.

Fresh currents. Au currant. Chestnuts? Blackberries. Or maybe some more exotic nordic variant.

Overall, this was a great experience and very interesting. Quirky though. The building was amazing and the staff was very friendly. But there were a lot of rules. No this, no that. No noise (Jordan likes it quite so you can here his repetitive spa music very clearly). The no shutter/beep thing is a little harsh. The spoons scraping on stoneware plates was far louder than the shutter. Even the (difficult to locate) soap in the bathroom had the same scent.

In fact, everything was scented. Smells like spa. Sounds like spa. Looks like art.

For something so visual and aesthetic, it was very difficult to photograph — or even see you food. Everything was hidden. Hidden by darkness. Hidden by shadowy deep containers. Hidden by flowers or leaves. You can see that my descriptions were vague as they give you no menu to remember them by.

The tastes were actually very good. Central in these dishes is textural and temperature contrast and play. They do taste good, but they have a very interesting textural quality — much like complex salad. So many leaves and flowers in fact that you feel like a bunny rabbit. Fibre content was excellent. But seriously, they did mostly taste very good. Subtle flavors, but harmonious. If you are a narrow eater though the “I can’t tell what I’m eating” or “this doesn’t look or feel like it tastes” factor might put you off. Not me. I enjoyed that.

Jordan has moved on a bit from his Elfin dining period to an even more conceptual space where while still covered in flowers and leaves things look less naturalistic and more mannered.

Completely unique. An experience. They can’t possibly be making money but they CARE really deeply. Despite the odd modernism, it did not come off as cold at all because the passion was very clear. The chef was there as a presence both in person and in the food and they were all very friendly. A few less rules maybe though.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
Comments (3)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Culver City, food-as-art, Jordan Kahn, modernist, Vespertine

Quick Eats – Summer Fish

Apr28

Restaurant: Summer Fish & Rice

Location: 201 S Robertson Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211. (424) 279-9111

Date: March 19, 2018

Cuisine: Casual Sushi

Rating: Decent Casual Sushi

_

I popped into this placed looking for a quick lunch on my way back from the doctor.

And only after I did realized it’s owned by the same people as Summer Buffalo.


Longish menu. Very casual.

The usual ginger and wasabi (actually probably just green ground horseradish)

Sashimi to start. Attractive. South Asian influences?

Very mushroomy miso.

The sushi took forever (relatively) to come and arrived in 1-2 big flights.

It was fine, Sugarfish level, but I don’t like it in big flights, prefer 1-2 at a time.

Hand-roll was good except for being soy paper wrapped — so Beverly Hills.
 This was better. I love the toro takuan combo.

Overall, Summer Fish was in that new vein of casual sushi joints like Sugarfish or Sasebune express. The decor was very updated. I had to wait AWHILE though — and the place was empty — which defeats the point. Food was fine but not super cheap either. So I’d only go back if I was right there and in the mood. The menu was big though and I’m sure if it is crowded there are lots of attractive women taking a break from their Robertson shopping.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Quick Eats – Summer Buffalo
  2. Quick Eats – Sushi Burrito
  3. Quick Eats: Momed
  4. Quick Eats – Halal Guys
  5. Quick Eats – Popcorn Chicken
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Beverly Hills, Summer Fish, Sushi

New Century Lobster

Apr26

Restaurant: New Century Lobster

Location: 8518 E Valley Blvd #101, Rosemead, CA 91770. (626) 739-8896

Date: March 18, 2018

Cuisine: Vietnamese / Chiu Chow Chinese

Rating: Good family-style value

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One of our old favorites, Shaanxi Gourmet, recently went under and was replaced by a new Chiu Chow place called:

New Century Lobster (which is obviously harkening after Newport Seafood or Boston Lobster).

I pretty much single handedly  covered the wines for the dinner with half finished rabbited bottles from my mega LQ dinner the night before.

Another I brought.

And one red from someone else — can’t even remember if we opened it.

Fried pepper fish filets. Probably my favorite dish of the night with a bright green and black pepper flavor.

Lobster. Underneath were some yummy noodles too.

Vegetable fried rice — boring but fine.

Garlic crab. Tasty but hard to get into.

White boy shrimp. Might be white boy (with the mayo) but I do like this dish.

French style black pepper beef. Tasty.

Kung pao chicken.

Crispy vegetables. Pretty good actually.

More beef of a different sort. Solid, but not as good as the first kind of beef.

House fried rice. Better with the shrimp and pork!

Pea tendrils — aka colon sweeper. Loved ’em.

Fried sweet and sour pork. Chunks of sugary covered pork. Tasty.

Some bonus sweet wine another person brought from a different dinner.

Sweet Milk Gelato (that I made), Café Choc-o-lait, Chocolate Old Fashioned, Blastberry Madeira Sorbetto, Gorgonzola Fig Walnut, Hazelnut Espresso.
 Oranges.

New Century Lobster is a great deal and portion sizes are huge. Is it the best Chiu Chow in the SGV? Hardly, but it is a great deal and satisfying home-style food.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Century City Heat
  2. Boston Lobster
  3. SGV Nights – Seafood Palace
  4. The Lobster claws at the pier
  5. World Seafood is Elite
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: BYOG, Chiu Chow, Gelato, New Century Lobster, SGV, vietnamese, Wine

St Patrick’s with Laurent Quenioux

Apr23

Restaurant: Laurent Quenioux at the Villamalka

Location: The Villamalka

Date: March 17, 2018

Cuisine: Contemporary French Californian

Rating: Awesome

_

For several years now my wife and I host a second annual special fund-raising dinner at our house. And given our penchant for details, things were bound to be off the charts epic. The first year was a blast and so was year 2, so we had really high standards and wondered how to take it to the next level…

We brought in Chef Laurent Quenioux, a friend of mine who has cooked some epic truffle dinners for us.

And of course had to get the last of the real French black truffles fresh off the boat.

These were used in a bunch of dishes.

Including truffle pastry soup!


I might like modernism in my food, but when it comes to the decorative arts my wife and I agree things have been on a downhill slope since the mob stormed Versailles. We’re both history buffs and have gone to some length to recreate the fantasy of a 1730s Italian villa. So, in that vein, guests are welcomed into the Chinoiserie Drawing Room for champagne and snacks.

Tonight’s special menu.

The list of wines I pulled for the evening.

NV Drappier Champagne Brut Rosé. VM 89. Dark orange-pink. Exotically perfumed scents of raspberry, pungent herbs, candied rose and smoky minerals. Fleshy and supple in texture, showing a floral accent to its red berry compote and tangerine flavors. Lush and broad but lively too, finishing with a hint of spiciness and good floral persistence.

Beets, Fourme d’Ambert, Roasted Pecan.

Roasted Eggplant, Brioche Toast, Sherry Blossom Shoyu Vinaigrette.

NV 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.

Nantes Carrot, Black Garlic Molasses, Timut.

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The table is set, and with Riedel Sommelier stems too, as it should be. The walls of the dining room were painted by my mother from photos we took in Italy.
The place setting.

Details, details.

2008 Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Speciale Blanc de Blancs Les Chetillons. VM 95.5. The 2008 Les Chétillons seems to slowly be coming out of a period during which is has not been very expressive at all. In the last few months however, the 2008 is showing like it did about two years ago, when it positively sizzled with vintage 2008 cut and tension. Citrus, floral and mineral-drenched notes abound in this captivating Champagne endowed with real Mesnil character.

1988 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. VM 93. The 1988 Dom Ruinart (original release) was wonderfully complete, with layers of ash, smoke, minerals, licorice and hazelnuts that swirled around in the glass.

1976 Drappier Champagne Carte d’Or Brut. 94 points. Rather youthful, minty, ripe, honeyed nose – honey on a piece of rye bread. Very friendly and likeable.

One of Laurent’s assistant chefs intros the food.

Potato Pancake, Apricot Lane Arugula, Fresh Morels, IPA8 Vinegar, Roasted Apples.

2014 Királyudvar Furmint Tokaji Sec. 94 points. Ke-rye-oohd-var. This is the one tied to Huet in Loire. Hay, honey, yellow fruits, oxidative notes, almond skins. Wow, super good!! Acid is med plus. This unusual dry Hungarian wine is super super sexy.

2007 Y de Yquem. 94 points. Golden wine with vanilla and citrus notes primarily with an undertone of honey. On the palate medium bodied and elegant. Length. This was a wine of character with some finesse. 4/10, where 10 is a wine of character, finesse, complexity, power and property specificity.

2005 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux. BH 93. Easily the best of the these three Montmains climats with an aromatically reserved nose that is clearly less ripe offers nuances of white peach, pear and sea breeze that continue onto the impressively concentrated, intense and powerful flavors that possess excellent dry extract, all wrapped around a firm acid spine and terrific length. This has plenty of nervosité and real harmony of expression.

Another of Laurent’s chefs.

Black Chanterelles, Yuzu Ranch Dressing, Pea Tendril, Nori Crumble, Chervil.

Cold Ramen Salad w/ European White Asparagus, Garlic Chili Dressing with Red Boat, Basil, Pickled Lotus Root, Roasted Kumquats. One of my favorite dishes of the evening.

2010 Domaine de Saint-Just Saumur Chateau Brézé – Clos David. 90 points. Light yellow color. Nose of lemons, limes. some apple, pear and sometimes reminds me of those orange flavored baby aspirin.

2012 Château de Brézé Saumur Blanc Clos de la Rue. VM 92. Very pale peach skin color. Fresh melon and nectarine aromas are complicated by cream, lanolin and honey. Fleshy and smooth, showing a pure, bright orange quality and toasted wood nuances and then picking up nervier lime notes on the back of the palate. Suavely blends depth with vivacity and finishes with excellent clarity, balance and mineral persistence.

2012 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Clos de Guichaux. 92 points. Reduction with smoky and charcoal notes. Big acids and length on the palate.

Chawanmushi, Ikura, Truffle Slaw. Awesome. I always love these soft eggy dishes and the truffle / caviar / egg factor totally gelled.

1993 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. BH 92. A fully mature and expressive nose of elegant secondary fruit and floral aromas introduces intensely mineral-driven, pure and beautifully well-detailed middle weight flavors that possess excellent depth and fine length. This is drinking perfectly now and should continue to do so without effort for at least another decade. Tasted only once recently.
 1995 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. 94 points. Another awesome older White Burg.

Buckwheat Blini w/ Smoked Haddock, Turmeric Meyer Lemon Ricotta, Crème Fraiche, Corn Tortilla Powder. Smoked haddock is amazing!

1995 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze. VM 94+. Red-ruby color. Knockout nose combines rose petal, raspberry, mulberry, iodine, cardamom, tobacco and iris. Great sweetness on the palate; offers as much volume as the mouth can hold. Builds and builds. Really exhilarating delineation and depth of flavor. Tannins are substantial but ripe. A superb example of this great grand cru.

Truffle Soup, Wild Mushroom Broth, Perigord Truffles, Fresh Morels, Spring Cabbage.

A peek inside. Amazing!

1997 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze. VM 94+. Healthy dark red. Superripe aromas of crystallized black raspberry, rose petal, violet, iron, baking spices and meat. Huge entry, then almost painfully intense, with superb extract and great thrust. Exhilarating hints of dark berries, mint, flowers and minerals give this wine great complexity and verve. Would come across as thick if it weren’t so sharply focused. The firm tannins are buried in fruit on the extremely long, tactile finish. Should enjoy a long and spectacular evolution in bottle.

Atlantic Turbot, Sorrel Nage, English Pea Profiterole, Leek Fondue.

1997 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo. VM 93. All of the radiance and warmth of the vintage comes through in the 1997 Barolo. Voluptuous and racy, with plenty of dark red cherry and plum pushed forward, the 1997 hits all the right notes. A rush of red cherry, plum and tobacco give the 1997 its luscious, creamy personality. This is a pleasant surprise.

North Sea Cod, Green Garlic, Cauliflower Risotto (no Rice), Chipotle Tuille, Cordyceps.

Endives 2 Ways w/ Roasted Blue Fin Tuna, Braised White Endive in Galabe Sugar, Tossed Red Endive, Warm Beet Coulis, Beet powder.

The whole gang.

2009 Château Smith Haut Lafitte. VM 94+. Good bright red-ruby. Enticing aromas of blueberry, flowers, graphite and charred, nutty oak, plus a sexy suggestion of floral white fruit. Like liquid silk on entry, then concentrated and lush in the middle, with red plum, tobacco and mineral flavors given definition by lovely harmonious acidity. Utterly seamless wine with suave tannins. Voluminous and intense but not a powerhouse. Finishing flavors mount slowly and stain the palate without leaving any impression of weight. Conveys a beautiful impression of site and vintage. The most complete young Smith Haut Laffite I’ve yet tasted at this early stage; perhaps my score will ultimately prove to be conservative.

Les fromages. Leonara, Brillat Savarin, Roomano, Rush Creek Reserve, Point Reyes Bay Blue, Accoutrement.





Pre – Desserts, Jasmine Madeleine, Orangette, Macaron.

Sweet Milk Gelato (made by me), Café Choc-o-lait, Chocolate Old Fashioned, Blastberry Madeira Sorbetto, Gorgonzola Fig Walnut, Hazelnut Espresso.
 Passion Fruit Cremeux, Coconut Ice Cream, Chocolate Chips, Macadamia Nut Crumble, Black Sesame Sponge Cake, Miso.

Mignardises, Pâte de Fruit, Chocolates, Nougats, Taffy.

Bundt cakes to go from Nothing Bundt Cakes. Can’t have a truly epic dinner without “parting gifts.”

This dinner ran a little more efficiently than our last one, clocking in at “only” 5.5 hours! A marathon of gluttony, but everyone had a fabulous time. Laurent’s cooking was on point and inventive, particularly given all of the house restrictions (as you may have noticed it was mostly fish and vegetarian).

Everything was amazing. The food was just crazy good. I was staggered at how efficiently Laurent and his team were able to churn out so many complicated dishes. And they really tasted great too. There wasn’t a miss among them. My favorites were the noodles, turbot, egg custard, and truffle soup.

The wine pairings were really amazing too. Duh! Sommlier Eduardo Bolanos helped set all the choices and was really spot on with his picks.

Related posts:

  1. Molti Marino
  2. Doing it All Right – Christophe Emé
  3. Brandon DiFiglio – Post-Maudern
  4. Babykiller Birthday
  5. Sauvages 2 at Upstairs 2
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: BYOG, Eduardo Bolanos, French Cuisine, Gelato, Laurent Quenioux, Mirman School, Truffles, villamalka, Wine

Akbar Reborn

Apr20

Restaurant: Kapoor’s Akbar

Location: 701 W Cesar Estrada Chavez Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Date: March 13, 2018

Cuisine: Indian

Rating: Great, Fresh, Indian

_

I’ve been going to various Akbar Indian restaurants since 1997 and it has always been my favorite LA Indian restaurant.

Recently, chef, owner, and friend Avi Kapoor closed up his iconic Pasadena location and relocated to downtown. And as such, the new Kapoor’s Akbar is born.

It’s tucked just north of DTLA proper between the high rise zone and Chinatown.

Along comes this crazy Bollywood mural.

The kitchen.

And the giant table set for our my Hedonist group feast.

Spicy pickles, mint chutney, and the coconut based one.

Mango chutney.

Crazy good cheese naan!

New to the menu at this location, Lamb Sliders. Ground lamb & aromatic spices, onion, mint chutney.

Brussel Sprouts !?!

Poutine du Yarom. The big guy requested this one. Fries with curried lamb and fried egg! Good stuff, and certainly not on the vegan diet!

Tandoori Salmon. Wild salmon marinated in spices, garlic ginger.

Butternut Squash Soup. Roasted butternut squash, mild spices. Very creamy.

Tandoori Lamb Rib Chop. Spring tender lamb rib chops marinated in ginger. Incredibly soft and full of fabulous lightly spicy flavor!

Paneer Makhani. Paneer prepared in tomato butter sauce. Basically Chicken Tikka Masala without the chicken but with cheese!

Pork Vindaloo. Pork prepared in tangy tomato-based sauce with potatoes.

Crab Curry. Blue crab claw meat prepared in coconut, tamarind curry. This was a new dish, in what I think is a more Southern Indian style. It was delicious and very creamy.

Saffron Rice. Aromatic rice suffused with saffron.

Akbari Biryani. Curried lamb, chicken and shrimp cooked with rice in Moghul style. Clearly closely related to similar Persian dishes (hence the Moghul style).

Mango cheesecake and Gulab Jamun. The classic sweet dough/cheese balls in syrup.

By my special request a portion of rice pudding — love it!

The gang.

And the lineup.

This is one of the best Indian restaurants I’ve been to in the city. 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 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 if you ask — which is the way I like it. But most importantly the flavors are really balanced and fresh. Yum!

Tonight we tried out some new things, of which the Crab Curry was my favorite — I love curry.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Too much of a wine zoo to bother writing them up, but most of the wines are pictured below:

Related posts:

  1. Akbar – Curry not so Hurry
  2. All Things Akbar
  3. Akbar – Big Flavors, Big Fun
  4. Amazing Akbar
  5. Ultimate Akbar
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Akbar, Avi Kapoor, hedonists, Indian cuisine, Kapoor's Akbar, Wine

James Beard at 71Above

Apr18

Restaurant: 71Above [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

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

Date: March 9, 2018

Cuisine: New American

Rating: Awesome in all ways

_

This is my sixth visit to one of LA’s latest and hottest event restaurants, 71Above. The first can be found here. Today the location plays host to a special James Beard Foundation luncheon in conjunction with the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin. It features dishes both by 71Above chef Vartan Abgaryan and a number of guest chefs.

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!

We have the entire place today for this large luncheon.

The cocktail wines.

The cookies hard at work.

On the left is Sommelier Catherine Morel who organized the gigantic wine efforts.

Today’s special menu.

NV Duval-Leroy Champagne Brut. BH 90. This is also distinctly cool and restrained with lovely nuances of green apple, citrus peel, tangerine, white flowers and ample yeast character. There is a relatively finely beaded mousse supporting the delicious and nicely intense middle weight flavors that terminate in a reasonably complex and lingering finish where the yeast component telegraphed by the nose is more pronounced. I like the crispness and delivery though I would be inclined to hold this for a few years in the hopes that more depth and texture will develop. To be sure, this is perfectly good the way that it is but it lacks the overall complexity needed to be at the next level.

2015 Henry Fessy St. Véran.

Oyster with Chili Lime Mignonette. Bright and delicious, if a touch hard to eat (neatly) standing around.

English Pea Panisse.

Foie Tart with Fennel Meringue. These sweet and rich puppies were so amazing I had about half a dozen!

We move on over to the tables and take our seats.

Bread and delicious French butter.

2012 La Chablisienne Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos. BH 93. Out of the entire range of 2012s this is the wine that offers the clearest expression in terms of Chablis character as it would be almost impossible to miss this one. The purity and elegance of the green apple, lemon rind and essence of white flowers is remarkable and added to this are nuances of shellfish, saltwater and quinine. There is a lovely intensity to the delicious and overtly mineral-driven big-bodied flavors that offer excellent length and fine depth. Impressive and built to age.

agavin: cheap but good grand cru Chablis

Sweet Potato with Tahini, Snap Peas, Mustard and Harissa Vinaigrette. Guest Chef Jessica Largey. A nice salad. The Tahini dressing was very tahini (aka sesame and lemon juice). Made it feel very Middle Eastern.

2012 Domaine Latour-Giraud Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières Cuvée des Pierre. BH 91-94. Strong reduction flattens the underlying fruit to the point that it is impossible to read. This is a big wine with imposing size, weight and muscle where the underlying minerality adds lift to the explosive flavors and finish that are also supported by a citrus-inflected acid spine on the bone dry and hugely persistent finish. This is almost painfully intense yet it remains harmonious and well-balanced. This too is very much recommended provided that you have the patience to cellar it for at least 5 years as it’s unlikely to drink well before that.

Veal Lasagna with Parmesan Mousse, Bone Marrow Vinaigrette and Black Truffle. Guest Chef Timothy Hollingsworth. The sauce and the truffles were great. The lasagna itself was very dense, more a pile of pasta.

2007 Henri Boillot Chambertin. VM 93-96. Deep, bright, saturated ruby. Soil-driven aromas of black fruits and licorice. Brooding and pure, with brisk acidity giving a medicinal reserve to the sweet flavors of blueberry, licorice and flinty minerality. There’s a coolness and suavity here that screams out Chambertin. Penetrating, classy wine with a palate-saturating bitter chocolate finish hinting at great complexity to come. The tannins are perfectly integrated.

agavin: best wine of the day

2004 Domaine Trapet (Jean et Jean-Louis) Chambertin. BH 92. Deeply pitched aromas of warm earth, spice, game, smoke, crushed herb and pure dark berry fruit aromas perfectly complement the powerfully built yet refined flavors that are taut, muscular and focused. There is no excess here as it seems as though everything is in perfect harmony. No, it isn’t quite as elegant as the Latricières but it compensates with more concentration, depth and length. This is absolutely a top tier 2004.

agavin: From Mag. The meany greenies were blowing off, so not too bad for a 2004.

Spring Lamb: Rack, loin, fritter, crispy terrine, raisin, olive, red walnut. Very nice rare hunk of lamb. I actually really liked the loin. This was prepared by 71Above chef Vartan Abgaryan.

2010 Guy Breton Régnié. VM 91. Bright ruby-red. Highly expressive, floral bouquet evokes violet, lavender, red berries and spicecake, with a smoky overtone. Bright and racy on the palate, offering sweet raspberry and cherry flavors and notes of candied flowers and peppery spice. Finishes with very good energy and mineral cut, leaving a floral note behind.

Bittersweet Chocolate with Raspberry, Thyme and Red Wine. Fabulous dessert by pastry chef Gregory Baumgartner.

The crew of chefs and Emil line up for brief speeches.

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.

Today the crew did a bang up job on this large scale lunch. This is a hard format, basically a banquet, yet food quality was spot on. Wines were nice too, although not at the level (for Burgundy) I would pick myself.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. 71Above – Knights Who Say Wine
  2. 71Above Birthday
  3. Wine in the Sky – 71Above
  4. Summer at 71Above
  5. The High Life – 71Above
By: agavin
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Posted in: Food
Tagged as: 71above, Chevaliers, Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, DTLA, emil ey, Emil Eyvazoff, lunch, Vartan Abgaryan, Wine

2010 Montrachet at Melisse

Apr16

Restaurant: Melisse [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]

Location: 1104 Wilshire Blvd.Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 395-0881

Date: March 7, 2018

Cuisine: California French

Rating: Really on point

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And so we arrive at Part 3 of the epic three night 2010 White Burgundy Dinner series (Part 1 can be found here). This series of dinners, hosted by Burg-meister Don Cornwell, explores in great detail the best wines of a particular vintage, in this case 2010.

Tonight features “Mostly Montrachet” that is, the wines of the great “Le Montrachet” Grand Cru, often considered the best white wine in the world.

And with regard to the wines. 2010 was a classic year for white Burgundy. The relatively cool growing season maintained crisp acidity, and the reduced crop delivered great intensity of flavour. Moreover, the wines have structure, and although the simpler wines are accessible now, most premiers and grands crus from top estates have a long life ahead of them.

Chardonnay did not suffer quite as badly as Pinot from the difficulties at flowering, but nonetheless crops were reduced. The cool, rather damp summer was not a particular challenge for the grapes, though growers had to keep a close eye on their vineyards for outbreaks of disease. Moreover the hailstorms of mid-September did damage white vineyards in the Côte de Beaune, especially in Meursault, and there was some rot.

Normally one would expect the white grapes to be picked before the red, but in 2010 the harvest was muddled thanks to the uneven ripening. But well organized estates managed the harvest well, and of course in all-white appellations such as Puligny and Chablis, this was not an issue. The wines are similar to the racy 2008s, but with a touch more weight, and white Burgundy aficionados could hardly ask for more.

This particular dinner is at Melisse, one of LA’s few 2 star Michelin restaurants and also one of my favorites (you can find links to three epic Carte Blanche meals at Melisse in the brackets at the top of the post). Let’s just say that Melisse generally has every area of fine dining covered: great food, great wine service, great everything service, etc.

Tonight’s special menu.

Our testing  was setup in the elegant private room just to the right of the entrance. Because it was the private room I could use my flash on the food – yay!

Flight 0: Amuses

1996 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses. BH 97. One of the greatest examples of the ’96 vintage, this wine has it all with elegance, intensity, subtlety and grace, not to mention buckets of unrealized potential that will enable this beauty to improve for at least another decade and perhaps longer. I can only imagine just how good this would be from magnum format! The nose is discreet, reserved and pure with lemon, green apple and layers upon layers of fruit framed by just the right amount of yeast influence that continues onto the exceptionally dry and tight flavors that are crisp and refined as well as superbly intense yet through it all there is this underlying sense of harmony, as though all of the elements are working in concert. The greatest wines, at least those cut from classical cloth, persuade through the subtlest means and so it is with the ’96 Goisses, which is indeed a great wine by any measure. While it is drinkable now, for my taste preferences a lot of potential would be left in the glass and I wouldn’t start in earnest on this for another 5+ years.

Tuna Tartare, Avocado Mousseline, Citrus Tuile. Very Wolfgang Puck, but delicious regardless.

Smoked Salmon, Quail Egg and Brioche. Classic.

Veal Tartare, Capers, Olive, Puntarelle. The weakest of the 3, but not bad.

The awesome Melisse bread, but again missing the bacon one. Still, the brioche rocks.

French butter also rocks.

An amuse of chestnut soup with whipped black truffle! As usual it starts with the middle.

Then in goes the soup. Delicious! And pretty rich which was good as there aren’t enough courses tonight (particularly compared to our epic Carte Blanche).

Flight 1

 

2010 Domaine Thenard Montrachet.

2010 Etienne Sauzet Montrachet. BH 94-97. Interestingly, here the nose is quite similar to that of the Chevalier though without the note of mineral reduction. The massively rich, broad and powerful big-bodied flavors brim with an abundance of mouth coating dry extract that helps to buffer the very firm acid spine that shapes the almost chewy and tannic finish that very much resembles a vinous bomb exploding on the palate. There is a natural sweetness to the mid-palate that is not allowed to become cloying as the hugely long finale is bone dry. This is just flat out brilliant and packed with potential.

2010 Domaine Jacques Prieur Montrachet. BH 94-96. This is ever-so-slightly riper than the Chevalier and a bit more aromatically complex as well if not more elegant. There is outstanding richness, volume, muscle and unconcealed power to the large-scaled heavy-weight flavors that somehow manage to avoid any sense of undue ponderousness before culminating in a massively long finish that is almost chewy and tannic. This will require plenty of bottle age but it should be great in time.

Ringer! 2010 Bruno Colin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Blanchots Dessus. BH 93. Mild reduction does not materially affect the otherwise pure white orchard fruit and citrus aromas that introduce concentrated, powerful and intense large-scaled flavors that evidence a taut muscularity before concluding in an attractively dry and hugely persistent finish. This is a really impressive effort and its immediate proximity to Montrachet is very much in evidence in 2010.

2010 Marquis de Laguiche (Joseph Drouhin) Montrachet. BH 96. The super-elegant nose displays an exceptionally subtle hint of the exotic along with remarkably complex aromas of spices, white flower, apple, citrus and essence of pear. There is serious size and weight to the big-bodied yet seductively textured, even silky flavors that possess an abundance of mouth coating dry extract. There is a fine minerality to the energetic and quite firmly structured finish that displays genuinely striking persistence. This will require ample cellar time to reach its full apogee.

Black Bass “En Ecailles”. Fennel, White Mushrooms, Green garlic.  Nice soft fish, traditional butter derived foamy sauce, and then that treatment of the scales, all crunchy/crispy. Now to the taste the skin/scales was awesome. But something about its spiky regular texture seriously triggered the latent Trypophobia in me. Just thinking about it is creeping me out 48 hours later! CLICK HERE IF YOU DARE.

Flight 2

 

2010 Louis Jadot Montrachet. BH 94-97. This is completely different and trades elegance for notably more aromatic complexity as here the nose is impressively broad-ranging with its panoply of ripe orchard fruit, rose, lavender and white flower nuances coupled with notes of citrus peel, stone and spices. There is a discreet touch of wood on the exceptionally rich, powerful and strikingly well-concentrated broad-shouldered flavors that brim with mouth coating dry extract before culminating in a massively long finish where, once again, the balance is flawless.

Ringer! 2010 Ceritas Chardonnay Porter-Bass Vineyard. VM 94. I am thrilled that the 2010 Chardonnay Porter-Bass Vineyard captures all of the promise I sensed last year. The inherent richness and depth typical of this site comes through loud and clear. Nectarines, dried flowers and pears all flesh out beautifully in the glass. Soft, open and totally beautiful – yet backed with plenty of bracing minerality – the 2010 is superb.

2010 Maison Roche de Bellene Montrachet. BH 93-96. Noticeable but not aggressive oak does not dominate the perfumed and intensely floral nose of acacia blossom, lemon peel and yellow-fleshed fruit aromas. There is excellent power and drive to the intense and tension-filled flavors that are still on the linear side and this will need time to flesh out, particularly on the sneaky long finish that just seems to go on and on. This packed effort will need a lot of time to arrive at its peak.

2010 Bouchard Père et Fils Montrachet. BH 98. As with the La Cabotte, there is a lot of unabsorbed sulfur present that renders reading the nose tricky but the aromas are clearly ripe, broad and dense. By contrast, the massive and superbly well-concentrated flavors are a genuinely marvelous combination of size, weight, tension and again, almost painful intensity. Despite all of the muscle and concentration, there is absolutely no heaviness, indeed the acid support is such that this comes across as impeccably well-balanced on the palate staining finish. This is a magnificent wine, in fact this is one of the best wines of the entire vintage and that is obviously saying something as 2010 is very special. A “wow” wine par excellence. Note that like the Chevalier, should you elect to try one of these gems young, which I would strongly advise against, do be sure to decant it.

2010 Louis Latour Montrachet. BH 92-94. It seems that each of these grands crus holds some distinction vis-à-vis its stable mates and if the Criots is the ripest and the Chevalier the most elegant then the Montrachet is the most complex. The superb range of spice, floral, citrus and primarily white-fleshed fruit aromas are given added breadth by the presence of peach, apricot and discreet stone hints. The large-scaled, concentrated and intense flavors possess plenty of mouth coating dry extract as well as excellent if not truly stunning persistence. This is at present exceptionally backward and it’s entirely possible that this will develop even better length and if so, my predicted range will likely be too conservative.

2010 Maison Albert Bichot Montrachet. Tasting, brief note. This had been open approx an hour before I tasted it. Very ripe with lots of floral notes. Combination of ripeness and slight hints of botrytis make this seem fat and forward, but energy emerging at the finish that keeps this nicely balanced. Still, this is advanced for a Montrachet and so I’d err on the side of drinking it younger rather than cellaring longer term.

Maine Lobster, aged Acquerello Rice, Cauliflower and Parmesan. This dish was fabulous. Great lobster and with that strong lobster reduction sauce plus the really nice risotto texture.

 

Flight 3: Almost all Monty

 

2010 Domaine Ramonet Montrachet. BH 97. A blast of pungently toasty aromas and gorgeously complex aromas of resin, petrol, spice, pear, white peach, apricot, honeysuckle and acacia blossom. There is excellent size, weight and punch to the imposingly scaled broad-shouldered flavors that drench the palate in dry extract yet the precision and detail are nothing short of remarkable. There is flat out superb depth of material, all wrapped in a tightly wound yet massively long finish that is borderline painful in its intensity. This is clearly a vinous infant yet one that is already stunningly harmonious. In sum, this is a classic in the making.

2010 Olivier Leflaive Montrachet. BH 94-97. This is expressive to the point of being almost mute though it seems clear that the mostly yellow orchard fruit aromas are ripe as they combine with honeysuckle, spice and floral nuances. The equally ripe and distinctly powerful broad-shouldered flavors brim with dry extract that helps to buffer what is presently a very firm acid spine on the explosively long finish that is moderately austere though not hard. This is easily the best wine in the range though note that plenty of patience will be required as this is still very, very backward.

2010 Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne. VM 97+. Bright pale yellow. Lime, crushed stone and steely minerality on the nose. Totally unevolved in the mouth, showing powerful mineral austerity and great cut to the flavors of liquid stone, white flowers and white truffle. This outstanding expression of calcaire is all corners today, but it’s still an infant. Finishes with explosive length. Forget about this wine for at least 10 or 12 years. This and the Perrieres will be fascinating to taste side by side in 2025: don’t forget to invite me over.

2010 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Montrachet. BH 94-97. A discreet application of wood frames notably ripe, indeed ever-so-mildly exotic yellow fruit aromas that exhibit highly complex nuances of spice, stone, lemon, lime and mango. This depth continues onto the pure, detailed and generous broad-shouldered flavors that possess exceptionally good density but also excellent verve on the precise, mouth coating and citrus-infused finish that delivers positively spectacular length. Like the Corton-Charlemagne, this is one very serious effort that should mature quite slowly over the next 15 to perhaps 20 years.

2010 Remoissenet Père et Fils Montrachet Le Montrachet. BH 93-96. If the Chevalier is, in a sense, vertical in its presentation, then this is entirely horizontal with a restrained but incredibly broad-ranging nose of lemon zest, fennel, clove, sandalwood, wet stone, floral and ripe white and yellow orchard fruit aromas. The expansive and wonderfully rich, full and equally ripe broad-shouldered flavors possess plenty of taut muscularity and underlying tension, all wrapped in a powerful, palate staining and stunningly long finish that really fans out as it lingers. In sum, this is an explosive wine of obvious class and grace that should mature slowly over the next 12 to 15 years as this is going nowhere fast.

Nasturtium Crusted Turbot. Fava Beans, Porcini Mushrooms, Brown Butter. Evenone is using Nasturtium these days — but this was an amazing piece of fish.

Flight 4: Dessert


1967 Château Rieussec. JK 94. From a bottle with good provenance, this medium rust-colored, limpid elixer teems with aromas and flavors of crème brûlée, tangerine, honey, peach and vanilla. Medium-to-full-bodied, dense and amazingly vibrant, it balances its sweetness beautifully with fresh acidity. Luscious throughout the middle and lengthy on the back end, this 50-year-old Rieussec has a lot of tread left in its tires. Drink now-2035.

Josiah told me that I’m the first person ever to BYOG to Melisse!

From the Sweet Milk Gelato “lab” (made by me): Fior Di Philly Gelato – Philadelphia Cream Cheese base, with Graham Cracker and Italian Wild Strawberry Topping! The room consensus was that it was so good it was better than the house dessert :-).


Cara Cara Orange Soufflé. Heilala Vanilla Ice Cream.

Close up!

And another. I liked the orange goo with the ice cream.

One of the chef’s tries some Monty behind Don.

The lineup.

Glasses Galore!

A rare sighting of the endangered Michael Z in the wild!



food: As usual the food at Melisse is great. I generally prefer a more mega tasting menu with more flavors and the requirements of matching White Burgundy limited the options, and a couple years at this dinner we had more variety, but I do have have to say that Melisse NAILED the execution on all the savory dishes we had, from the soup on through to the turbot all were really polished and delicious.

service: Excellent as always. Matt knocked it out of the park as the Somm.

agavin on the wines: I love the 2010 White Burgundies and Montrachet is no exception. This isn’t the best age to taste this giant grand cru at either, as the big wines are a bit closed and/or reductive. But still there were some stunners in the batch and the overall quality level was fabulous. Very little advancement.

Voting results of the night (from Don) were:

  • The top ranked wine was the Remoissenet, which was the big winner on night two a year ago.  (As mentioned, this comes from the same source as the Thenard and Sauzet.)Thirteen of the sixteen wines got Top 5 votes, and every wine in the last flight got at least 4 top five votes, which tells you a lot about how good the wines were as a group. 
    Group Ranking Total Points
    1 Remoissenet Montrachet 35
    2 Coche-Dury Corton Charlemagne 26
    3 Jadot Montrachet 23
    4 Ramonet Montrachet 16
    5 Bouchard Montrachet 9
    6 tie Colin-Morey Montrachet 8
    6 tie Maison Olivier Leflaive Montrachet 8

     

    A pretty amazing showing for Jadot.— matching the third place finish in the 2007 Mostly Montrachet dinner.

Other big tasting dinners from this dinner series:

2010 White Burgundy part 1

2009 White Burgundy part 1

2008 White Burgundy part 1

2008 White Burgundy part 2

2007 White Burgundy part 1

2007 White Burgundy part 2

2006 White Burgundy

2004 Red Burgundy

2005 White Burgundy part 1

2005 White Burgundy part 2

2005 White Burgundy part 3

Related posts:

  1. Mostly Montrachet at Melisse
  2. Melisse – 2008 Montrachet!
  3. Melisse – 2007 Montrachet!
  4. Valentino – 2010 White Burgundy part 1
  5. Melisse Madness
By: agavin
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Posted in: Food
Tagged as: 2010 White Burgundy, BYOG, Don Cornwell, Gelato, Le Montrachet, Melisse, Montrachet

Quick Eats – Hummus Bar

Apr13

Restaurant: The Hummus Bar

Location: 18743 Ventura Blvd, Tarzana, CA 91356. (818) 344-6606

Date: March 6, 2018

Cuisine: Isreali

Rating: Decent for what it is

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Occasionally I’m stranded for solo meals in that culinary purgatory known as the Valley.

I needed something fast in Tarzana and ended up at The Hummus Bar and Grill.

Interior is.

There is actually a bar, which I sat at — it was kinda dirty.

The menu. I was surprised to find a lack of dairy (no lebneh) and Kosher Meat — but I asked, they aren’t actually fully kosher, just “sort of.”

Flat bread. Yum. Anyway, there was this option for $7.95 to add “bottomless salads” to an entree, which I did. It comes with all the below.

Dressing. Hmmm. Didn’t know what to do with this.

Pickles. Ok. It is a Jewish place.

Pickled Cabbage etc. This is more my style, I love pickled stuff like this.

Eggplant with tahini.

A different roasted eggplant

Baba ganoush. Aka eggplant paste!

Another dip that was sort of eggplanty.

Deadly chickpea dip.

Chopped Liver. I actually love chopped liver.

Tabouli. Not the best version ever, but ok.

Egg salad. Yeah, like a deli.

Roast Pepper dip. I ate a bunch of this, but I’ve had way better pepper dips.

Corn.

Beets.

Kefta kabob and lamb kabob. With tahini. Solid meats, if slightly chewy. I like tahini but I would have much preferred some lebneh.

Also comes with French Fries. I don’t like these rough cut ones.

And rice.

Hummus Bar doesn’t exactly execute on the food brilliantly, but it is a mega-deal. You get A LOT! The salads could have badly used some more balance — way too many eggplant varieties — and I would have liked lebneh. But it was an okay place.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Quick Eats: Momed
  2. Quick Eats: Kreation Kafe
  3. Quick Eats: Sunnin
  4. Quick Eats: Taverna Tony
  5. Quick Eats: Caffe Delfini
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Hummus, Israeli Cuisine, kabob, Kosher, The Hummus Bar

Mega Melisse

Apr11

Restaurant: Melisse [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]

Location: 1104 Wilshire Blvd.Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 395-0881

Date: February 28, 2018

Cuisine: California French

Rating: Awesome again

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It’s been several years since Erick and I came to Melisse for the Carte Blanche, and we wanted to combine a return with Erick & Fred’s birthdays and an excuse to open some DRC RSV.

These days the Carte Blanche must be ordered in advance — and apparently is rarely done, only once every month or two!

Hope Ranch Black Mussels. Radish, cilantro, tomato water. Very clean and bright.
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Fred brought this awesome old Krug Grand Cuvee. Nice oxidative notes — amazing.

Puntarelle. Minetuna, fennel, capers & Black Olives. Crunchy, delicious, and with a quality not unlike a combination of sunomono and one of those Vietnamese salads featuring papaya or bamboo.

Smoked Salmon. Meyer lemon and nasturtium. Very soft and cool.

Sweet Pea Soup. White Mushrooms, potato, whipped black truffle. One of the best pea soups I’ve had — delicious — in no small part because of that truffle whip.

Matt, the Somm, recommended this awesome 2006 Királyudvar Furmint Tokaji Sec. 90 points. Very pale golden color. Nose offers apple, toasted grass and a burst of… maybe kerosine more than gasoline. More of that dry grass and simmering petrol on the off-dry palate, with green apple, pear, ripe peach, mineral, and a juicy component like cactus meat. Finish is a little short, with a prickly, raspy dryness in the throat. I’ve had more complex dry tokaji, but at its price point this is an absolute steal.

agavin: awesome and very complex

Egg Caviar. Soft Poached Egg, smocked haddock, cauliflower cream, sturgeon caviar.

Always a delicious signature dish here at Melisse, this was no exception. They now serve it in a glass egg instead of the lopped-top eggshell.

Seared Foie Gras. Meiwa Kumquat, apricot and ginger. Awesome huge chunk of fatty, fruitty goodness.

And the serious wines!

From Erick’s cellar: 1995 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant. BH 92. Gorgeous, sexy, opulently perfumed fruit followed by medium weight, intense, backward, beautifully textured flavors underpinned by solid but ripe tannins and the same floral note that many of these ’95s display. This is really quite lovely with a really impressive purity of expression and should age well for years.

agavin: pretty open from the start

From my cellar: 1999 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant. VM 98. An absolutely stunning wine, the 1999 Romanée St. Vivant is also deeply informed by vintage. Layers of flavor burst from the glass in all directions in a wine that captures the essence of Romanée St. Vivant. At times delicate and refined, while at others a wine of structure, the St. Vivant dazzles with its complexity and nuance. Clean veins of underlying minerality support the vibrant, saline finish in a breathtaking Burgundy endowed with superb depth. The first DRC wine I ever tasted was a Romanée St. Vivant, so this wine has always been a sentimental favorite. The 1999 is a stunner.

agavin: took 2-3 hours to open up — but was great when it did.

Fred brought: 2002 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant. VM 95+. Medium red with a palish rim. Very sexy aromas and flavors of cherry, dried rose, cinnamon and herbs. Not an opulent style but boasts terrific definition and energy to its strong cherry and berry flavors accented by pepper and leather. This very young, tight RSV needs either a few hours in a decanter or another 5+ years in the cellar. Will eventually go truffley and underbrushy but there’s no sign of tertiary aromas today. Cellarmaster Bernard Noble noted that “there are some regrets about 2002: we could have waited another four or five days to pick. At this stage, our ’02s show less flesh and more spirit.”

agavin: surprisingly open and drinkable — really nice

Roasted “Giant Carrot.” Coconut curry and seeds.

Great bread, but they have dropped the bacon roll. I’m sad.

French butter rules.

Stonington Maine Scallop. Celtuce, snap peas, sword lettuce and seaweed. Really good scallop dish.

Truffle Risotto. Aged Acquerello rice, shaved Perigord truffles.

And the shaving.

Voila, amazing dish with great subtle flavor and texture.

Black bass “En Ecailles.” Green tomato, black sesame, kohl rabi and green garlic. Creepy scales aside, as lovely a bit of bass as you get.

Jidori Chicken. Cabbage sprout, celeriac and porcini.

Avec le jus. Really nice chicken. The “boring” bird doesn’t have to be boring.

Snake River farms rib eye cap. Fava beans, polenta, black truffle.

Another great main. The truffle paste blob was delicious.

Camembert. Black truffle and honey. We continue the truffle theme!

Guanaja Chocolate. Hazelnuts and coffee. This isn’t as epic as Melisse chocolate desserts used to be, but it was good.

Strawberries and cream. Delicious of course.

Gels, chocolates, macarons, cannelles.

Overall, an amazing meal and crazy good wines. I was very stuffed and this was one of those serious tastings where you have ALL the types of proteins etc. But still, Melisse has “toned down” the Carte Blanche from the crazy level of food it was several years ago — in fact they pretty much just do it on request. Now, that said, they did pack a lot of great ingredients in this menu. Tons of truffle. And execution and service remain super on point.

I just wish I could’ve used a flash. I have prepped a small tripod for the next time i have one of these no flash tasting menus.

Foodie Club co-president Erick.

Foodie Club Senior Wine Exec, Fred.

For more epic Foodie Club dinners, click here.

Related posts:

  1. Food as Art: Melisse
  2. Melisse – How much would a Woodcock…
  3. Melisse Madness
  4. Simon Says Melisse
  5. More Michelin at Melisse
By: agavin
Comments (2)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: DRC, Foodie Club, Melisse, RSV, Wine

Late Night Longo

Apr09

Restaurant: Longo Seafood Restaurant

Location: 7540 Garvey Ave, Rosemead, CA 91770.  (626) 280-8188

Date: February 11 & June 10, 2018

Cuisine: Cantonese Chinese

Rating: Great Meal, Good Deal

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The first week of February my SGV radar was buzzing about a new Cantonese place in the SGV. I think because Jonathan Gold wrote it up and then several friends went. Mostly they were talking about the dim sum but most Cantonese places are really 2 in 1 with nighttime banquet service.

Longo is on Garvey right next to the Longo Toyota. Lol.

It’s one of these big formal Cantonese places.

Peanuts.

Peking Duck (2/11/18). The meat was very good. This was a bun place. People have their preferences as to buns vs pancakes. I like both, but pancakes allow you to eat more!

NOTE: On my second visit, for my birthday, June 2018, I had called ahead (twice) and reserved Peking Duck — but when I got there they told me “no duck, sold out” — clearly they had sold away my duck to the highest bidder as I saw some on tables! I was fairly irritated.

Suckling pig (half, 2/11/18 & 6/10/18). Perfect pig. Really, really crispy with nice pork flavor.

What happened to piggy?

Lamb stew (2/11/18 & 6/10/18). Interesting.

Fish with garlic on bok choy (2/11/18). The garlic made it really delicious actually.

Here comes the giant King Crab!

Brian shows off the scale.

El Crab returns wokked with vegetables. Stir fried crab (2/11/18).

1A0A9888
Crab Legs with garlic (2/11/18 & 6/10/18) which was awesome.

Close up of that tender goodness.

And as egg custard (2/11/18) in the body.
1A0A9880
Crab parts fried with salty yolk (6/10/18). As I’ve several times found, this isn’t my favorite prep. A bit too salty and with that grainy yolky texture.
1A0A9896
Crab fried rice (6/10/18). Great stuff!

Fried tofu with mushrooms and broccoli (2/11/18 & 6/10/18). Very nice actually. Love the delicate sauce.
1A0A9905
Kung pao chicken (6/10/18). A nice tasty version. I got some tame dishes on this day because we had a bunch of SGV noobs in the crowd.
1A0A9911
Walnut shrimp (6/10/18). Fairly light, mayo forward version.
1A0A9921
Sole with black bean sauce (6/10/18). Turned out to be moderately spicy!

Pea tendrils with garlic (2/11/18).
1A0A9927
Ung choy (6/10/18).

Preserved fish eggs fried rice (2/11/18). Nice and salty.
1A0A9863
Vegetable fried rice (6/10/18).
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Simple lo mein (6/10/18). A lot of the Chinese food amateurs enjoyed this.
1A0A9932
Seafood chow mein (6/10/18). I always love this dish.

Weird sweet bean soup (2/11/18).
1A0A9950
Walnut soup (6/10/18). MUCH much better than the bean soup — actually kind of pleasant.
1A0A9942
Custard buns (6/10/18) on the house. I enjoy these mild sweet things.

And a bit of cake (someone brought on 2/11/18).
1A0A9936
For my birthday dinner (6/10/18) I brought some Sweet Milk Gelato I made:

On the left, a new flavor: Limoncello Zabaione Gelato, an eggy frozen zabaione made with Sorento Limoncello.

On the right, Gluten Free Triple Chocolate Cloud, Valrhona chocolate base, Valrhona cream cheese fudge, and gluten free oreo substitutes.

Got crabs?

The service was absolutely first rate the first time we came (2/11/18). The manager above really took care of us. The food was great too. Not the best Cantonese banquet I’ve ever had but really very nice with a lot of first rate dishes. The pig and crab were as good as it gets and the crab was a total deal at only $19-25/lb. The duck was very good too as were a number of the other dishes.

The second time for dinner (6/10/18, I had been there another time for lunch), the service was a bit different. They were mobbed. I had called ahead (twice) and reserved Peking Duck — but when I got there they told me “no duck, sold out” — clearly they had sold away my duck to the highest bidder as I saw some on tables! I was fairly irritated. They also took a LONG time to come over and take our order. Once it got rolling they were reasonably attentive. Food was still good, but they could have done a way better job with us.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

For more LA Chinese dining reviews click here.

I’ll post but not bother elaborate on the wines:







6/10/18 dinner wines:
1A0A9845
1A0A9847
1A0A9857
1A0A9873
1A0A9881
1A0A9893
1A0A9935

Related posts:

  1. Late Night Medicine
  2. Elite Wine Night
  3. World Seafood is Elite
  4. SGV Nights – Seafood Palace
  5. Top Island Seafood
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: BYOG, Cantonese cuisine, Chinese cuisine, Gelato, Longo, Longo Seafood, Peking Duck, SGV, suckling pig, Sweet Milk, Wine

Ambrosia Salad Madness

Apr06

Restaurant: Lunasia [1, 2, 3, 4]

Location: 500 West Main Street Suite A, Alhambra, CA 91801. (626) 308-3222

Date: February 25, 2018

Cuisine: Cantonese Chinese

Rating: Fine Cantonese

_

Every couple months our friend Tony Lau organizes a Cantonese banquet and he always manages to get really interesting stuff out of the restaurant.

Tonight he took us back to Lunasia, where I’ve been several times, mostly for dim sum — but they do Cantonese banquet too.

We had the private room — actually this wasn’t big enough so they opened it up and gave us an even larger space.

Nice tea pot.

Peanuts of course.

And candied walnuts.

They gave us some random dim sum like these chewy rice buns with pork. Very nice texture actually.

Tofu causeway style. I’ve had a lot of seafood causeway style, but never tofu. It was pretty good though, if salty.

Sauces.

A little dim sum plate. Left to right: har gow, spring roll, and truffle shui mai. All good, especially the truffle one, but the problem was that in their effort to individually plate for 12+ people the dim sum grew cold.

Shrimp salad. A whacky combination of shrimp, apple, strawberries, melon, and mayo! Like Ambrosia Salad — whacky!

The individual plating trend continues, by the way, as each person got one of dish pictured!

More sauces.

Stuffed little game bird. Very nice crispy bird with a gamey flavor.

And stuffed with sticky rice. Delicious.

King crab with rice noodles. Pretty dish and delicious in one of those delicate white sauces.

Lamb chop. Very tasty but a touch over-cooked.

Fried sea bass and fried bean curd. Delicious, but a large portion.

I brought some of my artisanal gelato.

Blueberry Cheesecake Gelato – a cheesecake base with French blueberries layered with graham cracker crumble and topped with house-made blueberry coulis. I should have dressed the top with some graham and some fresh blueberries but I went nuts with the coulis and took up all the space!

Turmeric Latte Gelato – milk base steeped in turmeric with a touch of cinnamon, cardamon, and ginger! And yep, that yellow is all natural.

Pretty colors!

A chewy crispy rice ball filled with egg yolk custard — surprisingly delicious for a Chinese dessert.

Weird almond soup pastry — not very good at all, but it is a Chinese dessert.

Food was quite good but the individual plating was not nearly as good as family style. It looks nice, but the dishes are a little cold and the portions way too large per dish so that even with the relatively small number of dishes above (for me) I was incredibly stuffed.

But still, a super fun evening!

For more LA Chinese dining reviews click here,

List of wines below:












Related posts:

  1. Hunan Chili Madness
  2. Totoraku Double Meat Madness
  3. World Seafood is Elite
  4. Mercado Madness
  5. Melisse Madness
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: BYOG, Cantonese cuisine, Gelato, Lunasia, Lunasia Chinese Cuisine, Tony Lau, Wine

71Above Birthday

Apr04

Restaurant: 71Above [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

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

Date: February 9, 2018

Cuisine: New American

Rating: Awesome in all ways

_

This is my sixth visit to one of LA’s latest and hottest event restaurants, 71Above. The first can be found here. Tonight is the combined birthday of Foodie Club partner in crime Erick and my friend Liz Lee!

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.

Tonight’s special menu.

Erick is on the right with some old friends from the Philippines.

2000 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. VM 95. Brioche, dried pear, smoke, almonds, chamomile and wild herbs are all laced together in Krug’s 2000 Vintage. A wine of striking depth and resonance, the 2000 is absolutely gorgeous today. The first signs of very early tertiary complexity have begun to appear while the acidity is softening, both of which make the 2000 delicious today. At the same time, there is no hurry. I imagine the 2000 will still be gorgeous 20 years from now. Slight elements of reduction linger on the close. The blend is 43% Chardonnay, 42% Pinot Noir and 15% Pinot Meunier, a rare vintage in which Chardonnay is quite high.

An amuse of kiwi and paprika.

Another more crispy amuse.

Bread and awesome French butter.

Oyster. Poached, Uni, caviar, tarragon, champagne. A perfect bite of brine.

Chestnut. Soup, black truffle, salted maple cream.

And here with the soup poured in. No shortage of truffles here. Awesome combo of sweet and rich and savory.

2000 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 95. The 2000 Chevalier-Montrachet is quite a bit brighter and fresher than the 1999 tasted just prior. Here the flavors are bright, precise and lifted. Orchard fruit, slate, smoke, citrus and white flowers are all beautifully delineated, with perfumed, mineral notes that ring out on the finish. The 2000 is in a beautiful place today.

2014 Louis Jadot Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 94+. White peach, white flowers and spices on the lively nose. Delivers an outstanding combination of richness and brightness, with vibrant lemony acidity framing and energizing the flavors of stone fruits, lemon and acacia flower. This very long, palate-staining Batard should offer superb aging potential.

Hamachi. Crudo, local citrus, habanero, basil, passion fruit. Super bright zingy dish.

2003 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne. BH 91. The white flower and very ripe green apple aromas are nuanced by notes of straw and melon with rich, sweet and opulent medium full flavors that are thick, powerful and display ample pain grillé plus a touch of bitter lemon on the long finish. This is a dense, mouth coating wine with huge amounts of dry extract and while it will certainly age, there is so much baby fat present that it could be approached now. A very fine example for the vintage.

2007 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne. VM 92+. Pale yellow. Complex nose melds lemon, lime, apple, flowers, powdered stone and sexy fresh herbs. Silky on entry, then quite firm in the middle, with the crushed stone element initially dominating underlying fruit. With aeration, this showed a richer texture and emerging citrus fruit and floral qualities. There’s a slightly saline quality here and a firm spine but the wine avoids coming off as hard or rough. Still, its classically dry finish, with flavors of pineapple and crushed stone, give it a youthful austerity. This was bottled in the spring of 2009, and I would not be surprised if it went into a shell in the next 6 to 12 months.

Prawn. Kiwi, avocado, mango, coconut, chili, lime, soft herbs. A very Vietnamese flavor.

Erick brought: 1986 Maison Leroy Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. BH 92. An intense green fruit nose trimmed in an almost pungent minerality and background hints of botrytis-tinged honey notes combines with notably dense flavors of considerable depth and much better delineation than the average ’86 displays today. There is fine length and while this is at it’s peak, it should hold here for a number of years to come. (Drink between 2004-2004)

agavin: WOTN — amazing

Erick brought: 1996 Maison Leroy Meursault Les Narvaux. BH 88. Elegant, pure and nicely complex but not nearly as dense or concentrated as the d’Auvenay version yet despite the absence of real concentration, this is really quite lovely with outstanding balance and real finesse. The nose is beginning to display distinct secondary characteristics and I would be drinking up in earnest over the next 2 to 4 years as the Narvaux will begin to decline because there just isn’t the requisite mid-palate density to stay at this level much longer. Multiple notes since release. (Drink between 2007-2007)

Scallop. Turnip, kumquat, toasted macadamia, white soy, pea tendrils, mint.

From my cellar: 1969 Remoissenet Père et Fils Grands-Echezeaux. BH 88. Bricked through to the center. There is plenty of sous-bois present on the distinctly earthy but agreeably spice tertiary nose. The delicious and vibrant middle weight flavors possess reasonably good complexity though the lean finish is slightly drying. This is on the fragile side and assuming that this bottle was indeed representative, my sense is that the wine is beginning to crack up. As such, I would suggest drinking up soon.

agavin: very nice

Erick brought: 1990 Domaine Leroy Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Boudots. BH 93. This has always struck me as a curious effort that is somewhat cab-like because the ’90 Boudots is a very ripe effort with notes of secondary fruit, spice, earth and a distinct gaminess that continues onto the meaty and impressively rich if slightly rustic big-bodied and robust flavors that culminate in a long finish where the only nit is a hint of warmth. This isn’t really my style of red Bugundy but there can be no question that this is a very high quality effort that is still drinking beautifully and will be 25 years from now and perhaps even longer. Whether one likes the style is a question for each person to consider but as I say, the quality is indubitably here.

1993 Dominique Laurent Clos Vougeot. BH 87. In contrast to the typical ’93 at this point in the vintage’s evolution, this is remarkably open and expressive though I was surprised to find the intial hints of sous bois, something that frankly is highly unusual in such a (relatively) young wine. Otherwise, this is pretty and certainly delicious but it doesn’t have the concentration that one should have at this level and all the more so given the natural concentration of the vintage. In short, this is barely acceptable for a grand cru.

Agnolotti. Kobocha Squash, mascarpone, black truffle, tarragon, madeira. Rich and buttery and super opulent this is an amazing dish.

1970 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Ygay Reserva. 92 points. Still vibrant and dark red, a little VA but not off putting, surprisingly strong fruit and good acidity with a little dill on the finish. Plenty of life left in this one.

1955 Antonio Vallana e Figlio Spanna Campi Raudii et Catuli Ara. Awesome.

2001 Château Mouton Rothschild. VM 91+. Good full ruby. High-pitched aromas of blackberry, mint and minerals. Juicy but quite tightly wound today; much more austere than the comparatively pliant Clerc-Milon-not to mention firmer and less fleshy than it appeared from barrel a year ago. Juicy acidity contributes to the impression of structure. Unlike most 2001s, this seems already to have gone into a shell. This penetrating, mostly cabernet sauvignon (86%) Mouton will need at least a decade of bottle aging.

1968 Gaja Barbaresco. VM 92. Unfortunately, this bottle was totally over the hill.

Venison. Beet, blackberry, black vinegar, charred cabbage, juniper.

Liz brought: 1961 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg. 95 points. Golden yellow. In the nose, orange juice and peel, elderflower. Very fresh despite notes of very ripe fruit (quince, apricot jam). Very transparent in its aromatics. On the palate very pleasant with nice minerality, mild acidity, a voluminous body. Notes of mokka in the finish. Unbelievable, but true: this wine doesn’t seem to have reached its summit.

Cheese plate.

From my cellar: 1946 Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Convento Selección. 100 points. So good I just giggle every sip. This is a remarkable dessert wine and I’m grateful to Steve for sharing it not once but twice with me. Ethereal integrated sweetness, lightness, Christmas spices, and magic.

I made this Mud Pie Gelato – Mega Intense Espresso Base, Crushed Oreo layers, Valrhona Dark Chocolate Fudge layers, and topped with house-made Vanilla Meringue

One of the wonderful pastry creations out of the 71Above kitchen.

Even the latte art is spectacular.
 The full lineup.

The gang of us — lounging.

Chef Vartan on the left.

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.

Tonight’s meal was my best yet at 71Above (and they were all good). Really tuned up even further — plus the wines (and company) were amazing.

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. Summer at 71Above
  2. The High Life – 71Above
  3. Wine in the Sky – 71Above
  4. 71Above – Knights Who Say Wine
  5. Babykiller Birthday
By: agavin
Comments (5)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: 71above, birthday, BYOG, DTLA, Emil Eyvazoff, Foodie Club, Gelato, Vartan Abgaryan, Wine

Quick Eats – Orto

Apr02

Restaurant: Orto

Location: 502 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401. (424) 433-8100

Date: February 4, 2018

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: A bit oddball

_

Back in December I was walking along Santa Monica Blvd when a restaurant manager I knew from Locanda Portafino grabbed me off the street and told me about his new place, Orto.

LA loves Italian.

And Orto takes over the Jiraffe space after that restaurant’s 19 year run. Pretty two level space with a minibar.

Well located just off the 3rd Street Promenade. It was Superbowl Sunday and the place was EMPTY. We were the only customers at 7pm!

Il Menu.

A glass of Italian white to start.

Insalata di barbatietole. rainbow beets carpaccio, micro-greens and goat cheese. Pretty upscale beet salad.

Burrata a piacere. Italian Burrata with your choice of 24 months San Daniele prosciutto. Nice version of this classic.

Glass of amarone.

Cavatelli with pomodoro sauce. My son loved it.

Trofie al pesto, gagiolini e patate. Traditional pesto, string beans and potatoes. Extremely extremely traditional pesto style from Portafino area. Very authentic as you can see from my Italian meals in that area.

Cavatelli tartufati alla Norcina. Very creamy version of this classic Umbrian dish. Norcina is one of my favorite pastas and I very rarely see it outside of Italy. This version had great fresh truffles and was very creamy. The sausage was a bit downplayed. Delicious, if not quite the same balance as the Umbrian version.
 Chocolate gelato. My son devoured it but not even close to as good as mine!

Overall, Orto’s food was quite good and quite authentic for LA. The space is nice but on our (Superbowl) night it was dead. Felt very upscale and almost dated despite being brand new because it isn’t hip and in the vibe of the newer LA Italian places like Sotto or Bestia or Officine. I hope they have some business, but there are very few recent Yelp reviews so I wonder. Might not last at all. Despite the quite good food, I just don’t think people are looking for this style of more “formal” Italian. They seem to like the newer louder places with more rustic cooking.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Quick Eats – Obica SM
  2. Quick Eats: Piccolo
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  4. Quick Eats: Divino
  5. Quick Eats – Bar Pinxto
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Italian cuisine, Orto, pasta, Santa Monica
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