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Archive for November 2022

Ancient Baroli

Nov29

Restaurant: Heroic Deli and Wine Bar [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Location: 516 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 490-0202

Date: May 17, 2022

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Awesome wines and time

In Spring of 2022 friend Jeffrey, owner of Heroic Italian, hosted a series of old wine dinners. This one is (mostly) old Barolo. These things are immortal and some of my favorite accessible old wines.

To complement Jeffrey prepared an almost ludicrously rich and copious amount of food. Pay careful attention as the plated courses are INDIVIDUAL.

The street view.

We situated ourselves in the back of the main dining room. This was an epic dinner. Not only were the wine’s crazy good — these last forever.

Tonight’s special menu.

From my cellar: 2015 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. VM 93+. Good bright yellow. The pure, complex nose suggests lime, yellow apple and botanical herbs. Then very precise, intense and penetrating, if still youthfully unevolved, conveying a powerful, three-dimensional impression of extract and a deep, textured, multilayered mouthfeel. The wine closes very long and juicy, with herbal and saline elements that titillate the taste buds. Another outstanding wine from Valentini, who never misses a beat with his Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. (Drink between 2022-2033)

Jotas Jamon brushetta. Special piggy toasts.

Scallop with Uni and Caviar.

Walker manages the wines.

From my cellar: 1958 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva. Unfortunately flawed. Tasted like old dry sherry. Really really good dry sherry.

The 1958 is on the left next to another wine of similar age. Uh yeah, it’s gone. Had to open a backup 58 (below).

One old Spanish “snuck” in.

Praise Cheezus. Jeffrey concocted this whacky take on fried mozzarella served with spicy sauce, garlic aioli, and pesto.

We demonstrate how cheesy the interior is!

1947 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva. 94 points. Wild strawberries with balsamico was mentioned by one at the dinner, and I completely agree. Also the slightest hint of nail polish. Also leather, rose hip, rose petals and “old” scents like an aged book or an old style library.

1955 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo.

Lobster Claw “prequel.” Served before the main lobster event.

My backup: 1958 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva. 96 points. Very light color in the glass, but the wine got better and better with air. Overall it was consistent with my previous experience. Complex nose of dried flowers, caramel, quite a bit of red fruit, tar, and cherries. Good structure with present tannins and fruit notes that picked up weight with air. Long finish. Amazing experience.

Spicy Calabrian Sausage Pasta. This is an awesome dish with great al dente pasta and quite a lot of heat. Sort of a wine killer, but delicious all the same.

Lobster “Thermidor.” Mayhaps there is a “reaction” to this joke.

Farmer’s market asparagus.

1964 Fontanafredda Barolo. 93 points.

1967 Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barolo. JG 94. 1967 is one of my absolute favorite vintages in the Langhe for current consumption and the ’67 Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barolo is a stunning example of this very underrated year. The celestial nose offers up a complex and classy mélange of black cherries, licorice, pungent roses, road tar, spit-roasted gamebirds, complex soil tones and a topnote of bonfires. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and absolutely à point, with a great core of pure fruit, melting tannins, bright acids and simply stunning length and grip on the focused and impeccably balanced finish. Just a great bottle of fully mature Barolo at its zenith! (Drink between 2010-2040)

1970 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo.

Heroic’s amazing garlic bread. So good, so carby.

Pan seared foie gras “Estilo Hoffman.” Larry likes his foie.

Herbed Kurobata Pork Roll. aka porchetta.
The porchetta served with smashed potatoes, liver sauce, and creamed spinach (below). The meat was amazingly flavorful with that perfect crispy exterior. The smashed potatoes are very sexy as well.

Creamed spinach.

Old Amaro and Etrusco — cool stuff!

Holy Cannoli. Good cannoli, but the shell needs that bubbly flakey quality from adding the wine to the dough and the ricotta, while good, wasn’t made fresh that morning in a small Sicilian village.

Overall, another amazing meal. So much food and so good. And the old Baroli… Except for my dead solider there were so many good ancient grapes. I really like old baroli as they have this lovely dried fruit quality that just keeps going and going!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

For more Foodie Club dining, click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Barolo, Foodie Club, Gelato, ham, Heroic Italian, Jeffrey Merrihue, pasta, Pig, Wine

Sunny Sauvages

Nov27

Restaurant: Chef James Lambrinos

Location: Pasadena

Date: May 13, 2022

Cuisine: Italian

Today’s Sauvages lunch was graciously hosted by Tim at at his beautiful home in Pasadena. This event is held outdoors and features Cru Baroli, 2007 & Older. We enjoyed a Northern Italian inspired menu prepared by Chef James Lambrinos, of Bistro 45 in Pasadena.

It was a toasty 100+ day in this gorgeous ridge-top setting.

So we hid under the shade and cracked some champagne!

And a white burg.

Jose brought in some caviar.

Pizza margarita.

Pesto pizza.

Then we moved back to this shady table for the main event.

Today’s menu.

2020 La Spinetta (Rivetti) Timorasso Colli Tortonesi Piccolo Derthona. VM 91. The 2020 Timorasso Derthona is a phenolic, savory wine. Orchard fruit, almond, citrus peel and white pepper all open in the glass. Racy floral and tropical accents add an exotic element that is quite appealing, (Drink between 2021-2025)

2020 Enrico Serafino Gavi di Gavi. 87 points. Tightly wound aromas of comice pear, Fuji apple . White stone river rocks, and a touch of almond butter. Mouth is quite acidic, With tart green apples coming your way. Very round with a nice mouth feel.

From my cellar: 2013 Giovanni Almondo Roero Arneis Vigne Sparse. VM 86. The 2013 Roero Arneis Vigne Sparse comes across as green and grassy in this vintage, with distinct Sauvignon-like inflections. Lemon peel, grapefruit, lemongrass and flowers are all expressive in the glass, but the overall impression is of an overly vegetal, aggressive wine that is best enjoyed sooner rather than later. The Vigne Sparse is always on the leaner side of Arneis. In 2013, that aspect of its personality is especially prominent. (Drink between 2015-2016)

2018 Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Grésy Langhe Chardonnay. VM 89. The 2018 Chardonnay Grésy is an attractive, soft wine to drink now and over the next few years. Lemon confit, almond, dried flowers and tropical accents all open in the glass. The 2018 is starting to show the first signs of flavor development. I would prefer to drink it over the next 2-3 years. (Drink between 2021-2024)

Halibut Crudo. Lemon infused olive oil & Maldon salt.

Jeff R brought: 1990 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis. VM 96. Still young, it is simply magnificent on this night. Luciano Sandrone’s 1990 Barolo Cannubi Boschis is the wine that made him a super-star, and rightly so, as it is tremendous. Still, this is one wine where I am starting to see limited potential from further cellaring.

Jose brought: 1990 Parusso Barolo Bussia. VM 94. Similarly, the 1990 Barolo Bussia (magnum) is a touch more forward than the 1989 but it nevertheless impresses for a richly-textured palate of plums, spices, prunes and flowers. This is a very typical Bussia as seen through the lens of a warm vintage that has given the wine a gorgeous level of richness and roundness. Expressive aromatics are woven throughout, adding further shades of complexity and dimension. Here, too, the higher percentage of French oak detracts a touch from the finesse of the tannins and the sheer elegance of the wine, especially when compared with the 1989. (Drink between 2013-2020)

Tim O brought: 1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba. VM 95. The 1996 Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba is one of the many overachieving White Labels Bruno Giacosa made when he was at the peak of his powers. Dark, brooding and structured, the 1996 will reward readers with at least two more decades of exceptional drinking. The White Label is a bit less dense and explosive than the epic Red Label Riserva, but it nevertheless captures all the personality and character of the year. This is a superb showing. (Drink between 2016-2046)

Emil brought: 1996 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra. 93 points. Rich, intriguing, earthy, pepper and roasted meat nose; gorgeous roasted meat and sage palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.

John brought: 1997 Prunotto Barolo Bussia. VM 92. Deep red. Spicy, lively aromas of dark berries and dark chocolate. Chewy and dense; the enticingly sweet red berry flavors are kept fresh by harmonious, ripe acidity. Finishes firmly tannic and long, with hints of cocoa powder and mocha.

Wild Mushroom Raviolo. Porcini sauce. The world’s largest single ravioli! Delicious with that reduction.

From my cellar: 1999 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba. VM 94. Giacosa’s 1999 Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto is a true classic. Laced with rose petals, tar and camphor, the 1999 is textbook Barolo from one of Serralunga’s very finest sites. What a wine!

Kirk brought: 2000 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Brunate. VM 96. The 2000 Barolo Brunate is a fabulous, explosive wine. Still impossibly young and vigorous, it shows remarkable intensity and power. Sweet, balsamic notes develop in the glass, lending further notes of darkness and seductiveness. This is a beautiful, centered Brunate that is sure to provide fabulous drinking for another two decades. (Drink between 2015-2030)

Tim C brought: 2001 Elio Grasso Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté. VM 94. Time to move on to the reds. The 2001 Barolo Ginestra Vigna Casa Matè from Elio Grasso is outstanding. There are plenty of Ginestra signatures in the glass. At the same time, I can’t help noting that this small, family-run estate has since gone on to far greater heights. Still, the 2001 is an early gem from Gianluca Grasso.

Wade brought: 2004 Roberto Voerzio Barolo La Serra. VM 94. The 2004 Barolo La Serra is just starting to show the first signs of tertiary evolution. The typically firm La Serra tannins have now softened, making the 2004 an excellent choice for drinking over the next decade or so. Today, the 2004 shows a darker profile than is often the case, with leather, spice and cedar notes that add shades of nuance throughout. La Serra can at times be a bit angular in style, but that is not at all the case in 2004. (Drink between 2015-2024)

Larry brought: 2004 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra. VM 96. Conterno-Fantino’s 2004 Barolo Sorì Ginestra captures the essence of this great vintage. Exotic orange peel, spices, cedar, dark plum and menthol meld together in a big, structured Barolo endowed with considerable depth, power and enough structure to drink well for another decade or perhaps more. (Drink between 2015-2026)

Petaluma Duck Confit Fettuccine. Pecorino. Fresh pasta.

Jeff K brought: 2004 Podere Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo Vigna Cappella di Santo Stefano. VM 96. The 2004 Barolo Cappella di Santo Stefano is drop-dead gorgeous. The wine reveals notable clarity in its translucent, violet-hued color. Vibrant dark cherries, tar, smoke, sweet herbs and toasted oak sweep across the palate in a stunning expression of Nebbiolo and the high-altitude Perno vineyard in Monforte. This wine is all about precision, delineation and striking balance. The oak is beautifully integrated and the tannins convey an impression of vitality and poise. This is an emotional, breathtaking Barolo of the highest level. (Drink between 2014-2029).

Albert brought: 2007 Prunotto Barolo Bussia. VM 93+. Good deep red. Wild, aromatic nose offers black fruits, sour cherry, licorice, marzipan and spices. Velvety, deep and utterly seamless, but with superb freshness for the year. Impressively primary too. Finishes with firm tannic spine and terrific length. “Give this three to five years for the tannins to resolve,” suggests Torrengo.

Gino brought: 2007 Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato. VM 94. Quite closed on the nose, with the oak element in the foreground. Then hugely rich and opulent in the mouth, with an utterly smooth texture that goes beyond the other 2007s here. The concentration of plummy red fruit is accentuated by the wine’s energy. Explosively long finish saturates the entire mouth with rich tannins.

Eric brought: 2007 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia. VM 94. Good medium red. Superripe aromas and flavors of cherry, raspberry, smoke, mocha and underbrush. Plush, large-scaled and harmonious from the outset; utterly seamless. This classically dry Barolo, which includes the Monfortino juice, is as chewy as a solid. Saturates the entire palate with broad, ripe tannins. If I had to quibble, it lacks the energy and force of the very best vintages, but it’s a mouthful of pleasure.

2006 Parusso Barolo Bussia. VM 95. The 2006 Barolo Bussia reveals a multitude of balsamic, mineral-infused aromas and flavors. Large-scaled and dramatic, the Bussia sweeps across the palate, showing off tons of pedigree and sheer class. The Bussia is quite a bit more backward than the Le Coste-Mosconi, and it will require considerable cellaring, but it is a beauty. Flowers, spices and minerals waft out of the glass on the sensual, ethereal finish. I also tasted the Riserva version of this wine, which won’t be released for a few years. For now, let me just say the 2006 Riserva is shaping up to be an important wine in this vintage. (Drink between 2018-2031)

Free Range Veal “Scallopini.” Tuscan white beans & rainbow carrots, Italian herb demi.

2013 Capezzana Vin Santo di Carmignano Riserva. 94 points. 100% Trebbiano, 7 years of aging. Nougat, Hazelnut cream to the palate. wonderful wine.

Cheeses and condiments.

Coconut Cream Pie Gelato — Coconut dairy custard base, house-made Graham Crackers, and house-made Coconut Caramel — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #coconut #caramel #grahamCrackers #cookies

Strawberry Margarita Sorbetto! — like a frozen cocktail — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Strawberries from Avignon, blended with fresh lime, Reposado Tequila and Cointreau –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #sorbetto #strawberry #Margarita #cocktail #Tequila #Cointreau

My notes.

The lineup.

The ladies gather for their own table.

Inside where they basked in the A/C.

Overall, a delicious afternoon — food and wine both! Really just a fabulous setting and great company. Thank you very much to Tim for hosting!

Barolo was generally great as well :-).

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Barolo, Bistro 45, BYOG, Chef James Lambrinos, Gelato, Italian Cusine, lunch, Pasadena, Sauvages, Wine

Slytherin Specialty

Nov22

Restaurant: Toku Unagi & Sushi

Location: 1106 N La Cienega Blvd #201, West Hollywood, CA 90069. (310) 854-7285

Date: May 12, 2022

Cuisine: Japanese BBQ Eel

Rating: D-eel-ishish

Our Foodie Club / Sushi Series group decided to hit up this Unagi (Japanese freshwater eel) speciality spot.

Unagi or Japanese freshwater eel, has been consumed in Japan for centuries. Unajyu and Ohitsu are couple of the staple dishes and the recipes for these ever-popular Japanese traditional foods is said to have been around since the Edo period (1603 ~ 1868).

Their restaurant was founded in 1909 as an Unagi market in one of Japan’s renowned Unagi locations, Hamamatsu in the Shizuoka prefecture. Their special Unagi sauce has been carefully passed down from generation to generation and to this day, they continue to offer our original flavor. Toku Unagi and Sushi opened its door in the fall of 2019 on La Cienega Blvd, one of Sourthern California’s premier dining areas. Their specialty, the Unagi, are directly imported from Japan every week and continuing the legacy of their founder, Toku Unagi & Sushi is proud to offer Unagi using the same cooking method and the special sauce created over a century ago.

The interior.

Big menu actually.

2008 Bollinger Champagne La Grande Année. VM 97. Bollinger’s 2008 Grande Année is rich, ample and full-bodied, with all of the pedigree of the vintage on display. Dried pear, dried flowers, chamomile, red plum and mint develop as the 2008 shows the breadth and creaminess that are such signatures of the Bollinger house style. A whole range of brighter, more floral and chalky notes appear later, adding translucence and energy. The 2008 is 71% Pinot Noir and 29% Chardonnay taken across 18 crus, and it is the Pinot that very much informs the wine in both flavor and texture. More importantly, the 2008 is one of the best Grande Années I can remember tasting. Bollinger fans won’t want to miss it. Disgorged November 2018. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. (Drink between 2020-2048)

2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne. VM 98. The 2008 Dom Pérignon is a huge, powerful Champagne and also clearly one of the wines of the vintage. This is one of the most reticent bottles I have tasted. So much so that I am thinking about holding off opening any more bottles! The 2008 has always offered a striking interplay of fruit and structure. Today, the richness of the fruit is especially evident. Readers who own the 2008 should be thrilled, but patience is a must. (Originally published in May 2021) (Drink between 2028-2058)

Amuse of macaroni salad. Delicious, actually.

Sunomono. Very “prepared.” A little bit of chili heat to the marinate.

Monkfish liver. Great sunomono-style kelp underneath.

Cold Tofu. Nice. Great silken texture.

Ago-dashi tofu. Great.

Some of the tofu pulled out.

Yuzu Cervice. Nice and bright.

Unagi liver. Bitter and not that pleasant. This is a traditional dish Eel BBQ restaurants in Japan and I’ve had it there many times — still not my favorite.

Unagi Chawanmushi (egg custard).

2002 Louis Jadot Latricières-Chambertin. BH 90-93. This sample displayed heavy oak and was largely “un-Jadot-like” in style, which again makes me wonder about how the cask sample was pulled. The full-bodied flavors however are round, supple, sweet and wonderfully intense with obvious minerality and a long, pure and beautifully balanced finish. The overall impression, aside from the wood, is one of power and grace and my score offers the benefit of the doubt with respect to the oak influence. (Drink between 2009-2017)

2002 Domaine Launay Chambertin. BH 94. This is extremely ripe and aromatically forward, offering notes of game, leather, tea, spice and plenty of Gevrey earth plus big, intense, muscled and robust yet supple flavors that are structured and deep on the powerfully long finish. The tannins are pronounced if ripe and the supple mid-palate makes this wine seem deceptively approachable yet it should age for years. A great effort. (Drink between 2012-2022)

Unagi Terrine. Jelly-like texture. Not that much flavor.

Unagi Yanagawa. Delicious. Some very fibrous vegetables.

Rib Eye. Not that much flavor.

Unagi (and vegetable) Tempura. Quite nice.

Eel box. Unajyu. These eel meals come as sets with the eel, rice, and pickles.

Pickles. I love Japanese pickles.

Grilled Eel. This is the classic and it was lovely. There is a great combination of the char, the sweet sauce, and the fatty texture of the meat. The textural and flavor contrast with that great Japanese rice is fabulous too.

Special soup. More or less a dashi.

Ohitsu eel with tea. You pour the tea over the eel and rice.

Here is the eel, “pre tea.” You just pour the tea right over it, helps cut the fat.

Macha Cream Brulee.

Vanilla Cream Brulee.

The wines.

This was a super fun evening. Like most traditional Japanese restaurants Toku has great service. The best part was the eel. I always love BBQ eel and while even cheap BBQ eel is kinda enjoyable, this was some of the best I’ve had in the US. It’s nice to have a specialty shop here in town. We didn’t try anything from the sushi side tonight.

The wines were awesome, of course.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: bbq, BBQ eel, Burgundy, Eel, Foodie Club, Toku Unagi, Unagi, Wine

Tuk Tuk Thai

Nov20

Restaurant: Tuk Tuk Thai

Location: 1638 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025. (310) 860-1872

Date: March 8, 2022 and various 2022 dates

Cuisine: Thai Street Food

Rating: Best Thai on the Westside

I was excited to find that the abandoned Dahab space was replaced with a well rated Thai Street Food joint. They’ve been around for a little while and recently needed to move locations.

The interior is minimal, but cute.

The menu is more street food focused than the traditional big Thai menus.

Sour Sausage. Sai Krok Isan. House-made fermented pork sausage with lemongrass, garlic, sticky rice, coriander root, and white pepper. Flavorful little sausage nubs.

Thai Wontons. Giew Tod. Hand-folded wontons filled with chicken and sweet chili sauce. Crunchy goodness.

Curry Dumpling. Shrimp and scallop in spicy green curry sauce. These were super delicious with a nice light creamy (coconut milk creamy) green curry sauce.

Steak Salad. Yum Nuea. Marinated grilled steak tossed in chili lime with cucumber, grape tomatoes, shallots, mint, green onion, and cilantro. Zesty and fresh.

Khoi Soi Beef Shank. A mix of crispy egg noodles and blanched egg noodles, pickled mustard greens, shallots, lime, ground chilies, fried in oil in a homemade curry coconut broth. The curry was very red here not the rich orange one I’m used to. I need to try this a second time to get a handle on it.

Khao Soi Chicken. This is the chicken version. Curry was about the same. I think I prefer the more classic flavor.

Prik King Pork Belly. Prik Khing Moo Grob. Green beans and pork belly cooked with a fiery red curry paste and kaffir lime leaves. Super crunchy, sweet, spicy, delicious. I love this dish.

Green Curry with Beef. Tropical spicy curry with a touch of sweetness, full of Thai peppers, kaffir lime, coconut milk, maboo shoots, Thai eggplant, and sweet basil. Beef was a bit chewy.

Tom Yum Noodles. Rich and creamy spicy tom yum soup with egg noodles, shrimp, homemade chicken dumplings, tomatoes, and mushrooms in aromatic chili jam broth with hard-boiled egg. Yummy!

Tuk Tuk is a great addition to the neighborhood and it’s nice to have a really good more “modern” Thai place nearby. I go regularly but need to keep returning and try new things. Hard as I love some of the ones I have had!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Sawtelle, Street Food, Thai cuisine, Tuk Tuk Thai

Gucci Gucci

Nov18

Restaurant: Gucci Osteria

Location: 347 N Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. (424) 600-7490

Date: May 5, 2022

Cuisine: Modern Italian

Rating: Amazing — and foamy!

Over a decade ago I had an amazing meal at Osteria Francescana in Modena, one of the most respected and highly rated restaurants in Italy. So, I was very excited, but cautious, to hear that Chef Massimo Bottura partnered with Gucci (of all things) to open a restaurant in Beverly Hills.

It has it’s own door right next to the store on Rodeo.

Here’s the main Gucci store. I can’t help but visualizing Al Pacino demonstrating some loafers.

The dining room is upstairs above the store and has a lovely and stylish greenhouse vibe. It’d be great for power lunch as well.

This is all serious tasting menus. We got the “Chef’s Experience” but added SEVERAL signature dishes off the other menus.

Erick proudly sporting the menu.

Truffle and Cheese Foam Tart amuse.

One “problem” at Gucci Osteria is that they don’t allow any corkage. But it turns out that their “regular” wine pairing is actually all interesting Italian wines, which I do love. They also have a premium pairing which has some nice Italian wines, but is corrupted by a bunch of French (fine but not necessary given how many great wines Italy has) and — gasp — new world wines. Why would they do that? Anyway, we got the (almost) all Italian set.

NV Ca’ del Bosco Franciacorta Cuvée Prestige Brut. VM 91. Pale straw-yellow with a strong mousse. Bright, perfumed apple and pear aromas and flavors. Closes long with very good lemony cut and bright floral lift. One of the freshest, prettiest versions I can remember of the Cuvée Prestige, a sparkler that in my experience is often a little too heavy on sweet dosage. Disgorged fall 2017. (Drink between 2018-2023)

Lavash bread and raisin/fruit bread.

Normandy style butter.

Whipped Ricotta. Really light and delicious. Cough, cough: foam!

American Breakfast. Eggs, potato foam. Really smooth and luxurious. Notice the foam / velouté thing going on, you will see it again.

2020 Passo delle Tortore Fiano di Avellino Bacio delle Tortore. Fiano is a super dry and acidic white wine from the more volcanic coastal regions of southern Italy (in this case, Eastern Sicily).
From Japan & Italy to LA. Shigoku oyster. Nice oyster.

Prosciutto consommé. Cold and mild and porky. Not my thing.

2018 San Michele Appiano (St. Michael-Eppan) Sauvignon Sanct Valentin. VM 92. Bright straw. Aromas and flavors of passion fruit, green fig, sage and rosemary. Fresh and juicy with glyceral sweetness giving an impression of residual sugar. Closes long and focused with lingering hints of gooseberry and sage. A lovely Sauvignon Blanc. (Drink between 2019-2025)

Fish Tartare – Smoked and Crispy. Rock fish, potatoes, shiso.

2016 Cantine Bonacchi Brunello di Montalcino Molino della Suga. 92 points. This Sangiovese is starting to mature- pale garnet in the glass with thick legs (14% ABV). Pronounced aromas of cherry, leather and strawberry with hints of clove, rooibos tea, garigue and dried herb. The palate is dry and quite tannic. I get lovely crushed cherry, cranberry, pomegranate, strawberry coulis and earthy leather. This wine has juicy acidity and a full body- it’s just now starting to become drinkable. It is a very young wine with great structure and potential for aging that will allow tertiary flavor development. Right now it is still relatively primal. Delicious stuff that has a long finish and rather astringent mouthfeel right now. It will drink beautifully till 2030 and pair well with Italian fare, grilled ribeye or game. 93 points from me for this $40 wine makes it a 5 star effort.

Welcome Home. Polenta, taleggio, beef ragu. Super “creamy” and delicious. More foam!

2017 Monteraponi Chianti Classico Baron’ Ugo. VM 92. The 2017 Chianti Classico Baron’Ugo is a dark, potent wine. A rush of aromas and flavors hits the palate as this full-bodied, heady Chianti Classico offers its substantial richness and pure power. A wine of density and volume, the 2017 screams with character. Red cherry, spice, mint and blood orange saturate the palate. In 2017, warm, dry weather pushed ripeness to the edge. The Baron’Ugo is decidedly eccentric in 2017, and yet all the elements are so nicely balanced. (Drink between 2022-2037)

Risotto Camouflaged as Pizza. Tomato, Basil, Stracciatella. Incredible bright pizza Margarita flavor.

Bowl licking good.

NV Dante Garuti & Figli Lambrusco di Sorbara.

Tortellino Truffle. Parmigiano Reggiano sauce. This is a Gucci Osteria classic.

2018 Cascina Fontana Barbera d’Alba. 94 points. Rich, complex aroma with elements of black fruit, dried leaves, and red hots. Sappy flavors of huckleberry and fresh oregano up front, burst of acid laced cherry fruit in the finish. Smooth by Barbera standards, but with firm acids underneath. Lovely and distinctive wine.

Cod as Milanese. Farmer’s market tomato terrine.

2016 Giorgio Pelissero Barbaresco Nubiola. VM 88. The 2016 Barbaresco Nubiola is a powerful, dense wine. Black cherry, spice, menthol, licorice and leather are all amped up in this potent, concentrated Barbaresco from Giorgio Pelissero. Nubiola is typically a bit more refined, but in 2016 it is especially powerful and clenched, with huge tannins that need cellaring to soften. Time in the glass brings out the attractive floral upper register that is typical of Nubiola, but the textural richness and depth remain. (Drink between 2021-2031)

Bollito. Wagyu, apple mostarda, warm zabaione. Again creamy and rich. Woah, more foam!

2016 Val Delle Rose Maremma Toscana Aurelio. 88 points.

Chicken Skin Fries.

Balsamic Mayo for the fries. Super aioli texture.

Pastry chef Tamara Rigo chats with us.

Mini Me. Beef ribeye, cotechino, salsa verde, balsamic mayonnaise. Super yummy mini-burger.

Chibi Zumo ‘Little Sumo’ Junmai Geenshu Sake, Hyogo Prefecture.

Cool Vibes. Pistachio gelato, lime, mint, sake.

2014 Azienda Agricola Prà “Passito Bianco Delle Fontane”. 88 points. A lot of white flowers. Acacia being the most dominant. Orange peel, overripe apricots, nectarines, yellow peaches. Full bodied; but some lift to it.

Honey comes in this cool bee!

Milk & Honey. Milk, honey, coriander.

Puff Pastry, Passionfruit Jelly, Chocolate.

The bill — for 1 — gulp!

We closed them out.

Then hung out in the kitchen with two of the chefs! They were super nice. The chef on the right is pastry chef Tamara Rigo (she’s Italian — and yes Italians can be redheads). Not pictured is Chef Mattia Agazzi who has garnered a lot of press.

Overall, this was an amazing meal. It’s really the only meal I’ve had in America that reminds me of my many many 2 and 3 star meals in Italy. Now, that being said Italy, and to a much lesser extent LA, has tons of lovely more “casual” or “homestyle” Italian restaurants. In fact it’s hard to go wrong in Italy and casual places are amazing. But these fancy places have a style unique all to themselves and Gucci Osteria really delivers on that. Its particular style is rather rich and opulent with an incredible bounty of foams, veloutés, and fatty emulsions. I happen to love these kind of smooth textures, and I can handle very rich, but not everyone does. Still, to my taste it was delicious.

Service was amazing also and I actually really enjoyed the creative and offbeat Italian wine pairings. Italy has so many stupendous wines in every possible style, so there is no reason to eat Italian food with wine from anywhere else.

The idea of going back again leaves me “foaming” at the mouth!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or for epic Foodie Club meals, here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Beverly Hills, Foodie Club, Gucci, Gucci Osteria, Italian cuisine, Massimo Bottura

Crustacean Again?

Nov16

Restaurant: Crustacean Beverly Hills [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Location: 468 N Bedford Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. (310) 205-8990

Date: April 26, 2022

Cuisine: Vietnamese Fusion

Rating: Awesome as always

Crustacean is one of our regular haunts and features a great patio in these “outside is better” days. Tonight’s meal was a Hedonist wine dinner, the second so far in 2022.

We’ve had a couple awesome meals here in the last couple of years.

For extra caution in these uncertain times we ate on one of their fabulous patios.

Tonight’s special menu.

From my cellar: 2005 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. VM 93. Taittinger’s 2005 Comtes de Champagne was a perfect way to commence proceedings. Orchard fruit and hints of brioche on the seductive nose are joined by a hint of lemon verbena filtering through with time. The palate is beautifully balanced, perhaps not as riveting as a recently tasted 2008, yet underpinned by a fine bead of acidity and exuding harmony on the apricot-tinged finish. This is drinking perfectly now but should give 15-20 years of drinking pleasure. (Drink between 2022-2042)

2008 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare. 93 points. A lovely expression of the 2008 vintage but patience will be rewarded to those who cellar. This wine has all the stuffing to go the distance. If you decide to drink now enjoy it over the course of a day/weekend. Your last glass will be your best.

2017 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Saint-Aubin La Pucelle Blanc. 92 points. Juicy and accessible, this is more giving than the ‘14 villages level PYCM St Aubin was at this stage but less structured. The palate is clean, aroma is dominated by burnt popcorn. I like this wine, and it will probably evolve over the next couple years. But I doubt it will ever quite achieve that extraordinary level of ‘14.

Charred Lobster Crudo. Tangerine Granita, Chili Oil, Carrot-Kaffir Lime Emulsion, Lemon Thyme. Really interesting spicy/sweet/herby Vietnamese flavor going on in the granita.

2013 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard. Marc’s Ass Inn. Big, ripe, fruity, lots of citrus, but pretty much dominates all other aspects. No mineral, very flat acid structure, no complexity nor elegance.

2018 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne. BH 91-93. Here the beautifully layered nose is at once riper and more complex but also more restrained with its reasonably fresh aromas of apple, spear, spice, herbal tea and soft oak wisps. There is outstanding volume to the equally ripe and powerful flavors that exhibit a lovely underlying tension on the impressively persistent and attractively stony finish where the only nit is hint of warmth. (Drink starting 2026)

Diver Scallops & Green Apple Sashimi. Yuzu Kosho, Kaffir Lime, Earl Grey, Ancient Grains, Calamansi-Tom Yum. Strong bright high-acid flavors. Very nice textures too.

2010 Marcassin Pinot Noir Blue-Slide Ridge Vineyard. 94 points. PnP. Perfect cork. Lovely brilliant ruby. Intense ripe nose of cherry and red apple. Lovely velvety texture on the palate with intense berry, cherry and orchard fruit flavors. Intense but very fruit driven on the finish with any tannins buried. Lovely wine – may not be as complex as the Marcassin estate but very good.

2002 Louis Jadot Corton-Pougets Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot. VM 95. Good medium-deep color, showing the faintest beginning of amber. High-pitched and refined on the nose, conveying remarkably youthful scents of raspberry, cranberry, rose petal, blood orange and mint. A juicy, sappy, succulent wine with terrific energy and precision; like a smaller-scaled, or at least a less explosive, 2010. Finishes vibrant, minerally and gripping, with subtle salinity, sneaky saline persistence, and seriously firm tannins that avoid dryness. This wine shares the light touch of the 2010 and is a remarkably youthful 2002. (Drink between 2019-2036)

Maple Leaf Farms Duck Potstickers. Luxardo Cherry Acrodolce. Nice meaty dumplings with semi-sweet sauce.

Kagoshima A5 Wagyu Tartare. Rau Rum Chimichurri, Quail Egg, L’amuse Gouda, Sesame Rice Cracker. Fabulous tartare with very interesting flavors.

1989 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle. JG 90+. After a few absolutely desultory bottles of the ’89 La Chapelle, I was very pleasantly surprised to hit a very good bottle of this wine. My last several examples prior to this bottle had been overripe prune juice that was already getting quite oxidative, but this bottle was very good and a far cry from those previous examples. As readers may know, there were multiple bottlings of La Chapelle back in this era, so there are some distinctly different wines out there under the same label and vintage banner. In any event, after several very disappointing bottles, I finally got a good one this last time around. The deep, complex and meaty nose offers up scents of ripe cassis, black pepper, grilled meats, smoky overtones, a touch of balsam bough and incipient notes of chipotle peppers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and fairly roasted in personality, but, with a good core of fruit, moderate tannins and good focus and grip on the complex and gently tangy finish. I imagine that this is what sound examples of the better cuvées of this wine have shown consistently, and why folks with these bottles in the cellar thought I was completely off my rocker with my notes on less enjoyable bottles. This example is a good, solid Hermitage at its apogee, but with still a couple of decades of life ahead of it- though not quite in the league of the 1988 La Chapelle in terms of complexity and elegance. (Drink between 2012-2030)

Braised Lamb Soup Dumplings. Tom Yum Jus, Galangal, Japanese Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash, Puffed Rice. Awesome broth (and dumplings).

Orange Cauliflower for a gluten free person.

1989 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape. JG 93+. I have always been a fan of the 1989 Château Beaucastel, which I rank just behind the superb 1981 at this fine estate. The most recent bottle I tasted of this wine was still just a touch youthful, but offered up fine complexity on both the nose and palate and shows excellent promise. The bouquet is a blend of roasted fruitcake, cherries, new leather, venison, incipient notes of sous bois, woodsmoke and hot stones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and rock solid at the core, with a bit of tannin still to resolve, fine focus and grip and a very long, classy and slightly chewy finish. I would be tempted to give this wine a few more years to really resolve, as it will be a superb wine and it would be most enjoyable to drink it at the same plateau that the 1981 has been enjoying for a good decade already. (Drink between 2015-2050)

1990 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape. VM 93. The 1990 Châteauneuf-du-Pape has a compelling bouquet of plump red fruit, oxtail, leather and morels, all well defined and full of chutzpah. The palate is smooth in texture and, at 29 years old, has certainly mellowed. There is a core of sweet fruit here, but it has softened with age and delivers a smorgasbord of second flavors: meat juices, clove and touches of fennel. It does not possess the audacity of the Hommage à Jacques Perrin, yet it has retained effortless charm. (Drink between 2019-2036)

Charcoal Cavatelli. Dungeness Crab, Grilled Ramps, Snow Pea, Tiato Leaf, Chili Bread Crumbs.

2001 E. Guigal Ermitage Ex-Voto. VM 94-96. Saturated medium ruby. Knockout nose combines superripe, liqueur-like black- and redcurrant, gunflint, pepper, leather, game and chocolate. Huge, spicy and rich, with outstanding sweetness and depth of flavor. A massive but well-delineated Hermitage that finishes with extraordinarily suave tannins. Built for two decades of development in bottle. This is 14% alcohol, with a pH of 3. 87.

2006 Ovid Red Wine. VM 94. Ovid’s 2006 is a powerful, intense wine. Still fresh, vibrant and focused, the 2006 is super-impressive today. All of the site signatures are very much present. Mocha, espresso, dark cherries, spice and tobacco add aromatic nuance. The tannins have softened, but the 2006 has more than enough depth to drink well for another 10 or so years. This is a superb effort in a vintage that is mostly overlooked these days. Winemaker Austin Peterson describes 2006 as a year with a warm summer and pronounced heat spike around Labor Day followed by more moderated conditions for the rest of the season. Harvest took place from late September to the middle of October. (Drink between 2016-2026)

Smoked Berkshire Pork Belly. Acorn Squash, Vietnamese Carmel, Hazelnut, Winter Truffle. Very sweet and very fatty but amazing.

With An’s Famous Garlic Noodles — can never have too many of these!

Irish Coffee Gelato — Tullamore Dew Irish Whisky blended into a Coffee Custard Gelato base with (optional) layers of Crushed Oreo — Designed to pair with “Baileys Irish Gream Gelato” and includes a hefty Caffeine kick — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #expresso #whiskey #custard #oreos #irish

Baileys Irish Gream Gelato — New stabilized 13% Bailys Irish Cream recipe, with a touch of seasonal coloring! — Designed to pair with “Irish Coffee Gelato” — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #expresso #whiskey #baileys #StPatricksDay #cream #green

Overall, this was an awesome evening. Boy did the Ans treat us right and we had an incredible menu, amazing service, and great wines. A was initially skeptical of tonight’s particularly menu, as it had less dishes than usual and none of the “favorites” (except the noodles) but they turned out to be home run unique dishes that really knocked it out of the park.

Wines were great too.

Discussing the food analytically. Very good, and most dishes varied from good to great. The Vietnamese influence is far more subtle, less heavy handed, then at most newer fusion places like Little Sister / LXSO or the more contemporary small plates style Khong Ten. Definitely more roughly 2000 in formal fine dining style — which I don’t mind at all. In some ways it feels like a millennium event fine dining place with Vietnamese — and to a lesser extent Thai and Chinese — notes. It’s a pretty fancy place, and priced accordingly — but particularly during these last two dinners have really knocked it out of the park.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: An Family, BYOG, Crustacean, Gelato, hedonists, Vietnamese cuisine, Vietnamese Fusion, Wine

NC Peking Duck again

Nov13

Update on this awesome place can be found here.

Ultimate Condiment Box. Tons of interesting things to put in the duck pancake, including sweet and spicy sauces, sugar, candied fruits, melon, etc.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: NC Peking Duck, Peking Duck, SGV

Lawry’s Chateauneuf

Nov11

Restaurant: Lawry’s The Prime Rib [1, 2]

Location: 100 La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211. (310) 652-2827

Date: April 20, 2022

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Rating: Surprisingly excellent — great service too

The blind tasting sub group of the hedonists, the Dirty Dozen, moves around. Tonight’s theme was Chateauneuf du Pape.
Lawry’s The Prime Rib. Look at this “they don’t make ’em like they used to” dining room. I hadn’t been to Lawry’s in at least 20+ years. I think it might even have been at their previous location.

1996 de Venoge Champagne Millésimé Brut. PN. Slight almond/walnut oxidation on the nose but not too distracting; the palate was fantastic, excellent bubbles, balance, depth, zippy, clean finish. Pre- Lawry’s DD CdP dinner.

From my cellar: 2007 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc. PN 94. dark gold; lovely nose of apricot pit, almond paste, honey with slight bitter finish; silky sooth entry, medium broad, then expanding with very concentrated flavors, very good tangy lift in the end, med+ finish. Really nice, beautifully aged, great shape. DD CdP dinner Lawry’s.

2017 E. Guigal Condrieu La Doriane. PN 91. Liked this a lot at first but became a bit too oaky on the nose for me after a while, and in contrast to the amazing Beaucastel blanc 2007. Pre-Lawry’s DD CdP dinner.

The menu.

2010 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes. PN 93. Dark, young, primary with anise, blk plum, macerated cherry, big tannins, round, hot but still balanced, gycerin, black and red berries, with coffee/espresso; very concentrated, this will have a good life ahead of it. Try again in 3-5 years. Lawry’s DD CdP dinner.

2001 Domaine de la Solitude (Lançon Père et Fils) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve Secrète. PN 92. Pale-rusty color w/dark core; spices, some animale, very hot, glycerin smooth from alcohol, a bit burned/roasted aspect with some complexity. Lawry’s DD CdP dinner.

Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail. Classic cocktail sauce.

Cheesy Onion Fondue. Gruyere, Sherry Wine, Sourdough Toast. This was some delicious cheesy goo with just enough onion to add a bit of texture. I couldn’t stop myself from eating it.

Lawry’s Famous Spinning Bowl Salad. Spinach, Romaine, Iceberg, Shoestring Beets, Croutons, Egg, Vintage Dressing, Prepared Table-side. The “spinning” part is just how they apply the dressing. Tonight we ONLY had this salad due to table logistics and I wasn’t thrilled. The “French” dressing is really dated and just too sweet for my taste.

Bread and butter.

2005 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape. PN 94. Ruby red burnt sienna, medium pale, fading; licorice, red vine, dusty vines, cracked brick and clay, slight old strawberry candy, cherry skin; silky entry, expansive, drying but smooth tannins, powerful yet elegant, quite hot; long, earthy minerality and dusty minerals, powdered sugar, grape gum, and spices/anise blended together seamlessly. Not a hint of brett, very clean and excellent age condition. Will go a long ways still but why wait. This is lovely. My WOTN, came in 3rd overall. Lawry’s DD CdP dinner.

From my cellar (and WINNER): 2005 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus-Ex Machina. PN 92. Very dark purple, black berry, oaky, full bodied, big, tannic, dark anise. This is a monster full of dark primary fruit but very well built if not elegant or that complex (but a CdP is not necessarily supposed to be elegant I suppose). Loads of structure and balanced very nicely. This one the WOTN. I gave it 92+. Lawry’s DD CdP dinner.

Beef Bowl Double Cut Prime Rib. Celebratory Rose Bowl Cut. I’m not sure I “get” prime rib. This was a nice hunk of meat, but the slow cooking method leaves it moist but not very flavorful.

Four Cheese Mac & Cheese.

Yorkshire Pudding. Basically a brioche like thing. I can’t say this did anything for me.

1990 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape. PN 93. Clearly the oldest wine of the night, very faded ruby with sediment filled black core; old aromatic sandalwood, licorice, stewed/macerated red fruits, and a touch of sweetness from the tannins dropping out and almost full resolved. Really beautiful and in great shape for an old CdP. 5th place. Lawry’s DD CdP dinner.

2000 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée da Capo. PN 91. Med. ruby, faded; average CdP profile, bit metalic minerals, rich, a bit over extracted, dark cough syrup. This tied for last place and did not show well at all. Lawry’s DD CdP dinner.

2001 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve le Clos du Caillou. VM 96. Saturated, bright ruby-red. Knockout nose of black raspberry, meat, minerals, spices, chicory and espresso. Like liquid silk in the mouth; an incredibly concentrated, nearly confectionery wine, with compelling flavors of blackberry, violet and game. As creamy as a molten Valrhona chocolate cake. The oak component serves to frame and intensify the flavors, enabling this wonderfully thick wine to retain a sappy character. Finishes with intriguing garrigue notes and a repeating espresso element.

New York Steak.

Iron Skillet Seasonal Mushrooms.

2003 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée. PN 93. Medium ruby red, some fade, slightly muddy; anise, cherry, sandal wood and varnish, dusty spices and cracked brick, no real obvious brett although just a slight earthy funkiness; on the palate–excellent balance despite being ’03, dried cherry, clay, earthy fruits, silky, med. body, not overly hot or alcoholic, soft fine tannins resolving, really nice with great lift in the tangy finish. Impressed with this. 93+ DD CdP dinner Lawry’s.

2010 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape. PN 92. Very dark purple, oak, bordeaux-like in structure, black cherry, black cherry, rich, very ripe with a little cough syrup thing going on; but still juicy and fruity. Lawry’s DD CdP dinner.

2005 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape. PN 94. Ruby red burnt sienna, medium pale, fading; licorice, red vine, dusty vines, cracked brick and clay, slight old strawberry candy, cherry skin; silky entry, expansive, drying but smooth tannins, powerful yet elegant, quite hot; long, earthy minerality and dusty minerals, powdered sugar, grape gum, and spices/anise blended together seamlessly. Not a hint of brett, very clean and excellent age condition. Will go a long ways still but why wait. This is lovely. My WOTN, came in 3rd overall. Lawry’s DD CdP dinner.

Lawry’s Prime Ribeye.

Wilted Spinach, shallots, lemon, and EVOO.

More Mac & Cheese.

Fries.

2010 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée. PN 92. Lost notes but true to form this was quite bretty with a barn yard note, some ripe fruit, compost, plum and macerated berries. But was still appealing. Lawry’s DD CdP dinner.

2007 Domaine de Marcoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes. flawed. corked. Lawry’s DD CdP dinner.

2007 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape. PN 93. No notes on the last wine of the night, but red cherry fruit, well-balanced, bit fruity and warm/hot. Showing quite well for this vintage, very nice. I really liked it. My #2 wine, and 2nd place overall. My #1 was ’05 Clos des Papes, and my #3 was ’03 Pegau. Lawry’s DD CdP dinner.

Traditional English Trifle. Not sure who picked the desserts today.

Ice Cream Sunday. Particularly given that they “should” have known I had gelato.

Dulce Vanilla Gelato — a very simple and elegant Tahitian Vanilla Bean White Base (no egg) ribboned with house-made Dulce de Leche and Valrhona Dulce Pearls — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — sugar time! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #vanilla #dulce #DulceDeLeche #leche #caramel

Triple Chocolate Cruch Gelato – The base is made with Valrhona 62% Satilla Chocolate and then layered with Dark Chocolate Cream Cheese Ganache and chopped Nestlé Crunch! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Valrhona #chocolate #creamcheese #ganache #icing #NestléCrunch

Notes.

The lineup.

Last time, this was one of the best Dirty Dozen’s. This time was a bit more rough and ready with the food. We had a more limited preset menu which had some advantages (a little better paced) but many fewer dishes.

Lawry’s has a nice atmosphere, and while we should have been in the private room (someone, not going to name any names, didn’t want to commit to the minimum), the service was good. Really professional. The food was generally great too. Not perfect, but most things were very good. I’m not sure I “get” Prime Rib, but I have the feeling it’s a great PR they serve here. Wines showed great as it’s CDP and everyone loves CDP.

Oh, and I won again FINALLY (it’s been years :-)).

For more LA dining reviews click here,

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
Comments (1)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, Chateauneuf du Pape, Dirty Dozen, Gelato, hedonists, Lawry's, Prime Rib, Steak, steakhouse, The Prime Rib

Shanghai #1 2022

Nov09

Restaurant: Shanghai #1 Seafood Village [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

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

Date: April 17 & July 9, 2022

Cuisine: Chinese

Rating: Very authentic Shanghai style

The San Gabriel Valley is a veritable treasure trove of Asian dining, particularly regional Chinese. Shanghai #1 Seafood Village is the LA branch of a high end Shanghai chain specializing in banquet dining. Here in 2022 we returned for a pair of dinners to see how it was doing post pandemic.

The decor is Stark meets Chinatown. Interestingly, as cheesy as it is, it’s fairly authentic. It is however, some 7 years after I first went here, looking a bit “shabby.” This is typical of Chinese establishments as they don’t seem to do a lot of maintenance. We had the private dining room tonight. Mysteriously, even though it was a Sunday night and the place was EMPTY, at first they gave us a table in the main area. We had to ask for the private room. It’s much better though.

The menu is like a giant full color fashion catalog for food, but I thought I’d show a couple pages by way of example.

Smashed Cucumbers with Garlic. Good with some of the other sauces.

Jellyfish Heads. In a nice sweet and tangy sauce.

Pickled Turnips. Sweet and a tiny bit spicy. I like them a lot but some people don’t.

Black Fungus (cloud ear mushroom). I always like this.

Pork Jelly. Very clean version of this dish.

Cold Chicken. Fine, but a bit boring as always. Simple “hainan-like” chicken. Pretty good except for he bones. The sauce was good.

Oil Poached Crab. Very lovely with clean crab flavor. Not so large though (we ordered 2).

Tofu with shrimp and salty egg yolk. Very strong salty egg flavor, but quite nice.

Two Flavor Shrimp. The one with the shell is sweet.

Yellow Croaker with Green Onion. Brown savory sauce and a very nice oniony flavor.

Fried yellow croaker with tea leaves. Very fried but delicious with the sweet vinegar.

Yellow Croaker with Green Onion. Brown savory sauce and a very nice oniony flavor.

Jiggly Pork Hock. Delicious.

Tea Smoked Duck. Crispy and delicious.

Beef with Scallions. Okay but a bit bland and the beef was chewy.

Cumin lamb. They pretty much forgot the cumin and the peppers.

Peppers with pork. Good, although not that much pork.

XLB. Very good.

Vinegar for the dumplings.

Tofu with pork. Great flavor.

Shanghai Style Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings. Heavy, but yummy.

Shrimp fried rice.

Shanghai Noodles with pork and cabbage. Fabulous noodles actually.

Crispy noodles with seafood. Delicious. Great texture and nice flavor.

Caramel Double Chip Gelato — Base is Salted Caramel made by replacing the sugar with house-made Water Caramel. Laced with Valrhona Chocolate Chunks and Toffee Chunks — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #caramel #SaltedCaramel #valrhona #toffee

Overall, these were both really great meals, but the April one was spectacular and the July one just great. Shanghai #1 severs (on a good night) first rate Chinese and quite authentic and typical of high end banquet meals in China. I’ve been here many times and finally enjoyed getting some “tricked out” dishes like sea cucumber. They were great. Service was good. The place is QUIET these days. Maybe they subsist on daytime dimsum, but it’s a shame as this Shanghai banquet food is delicious.

For more LA Chinese reviews click here.

They have a Karaoke setup in the private room!

By: agavin
Comments (1)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, Chinese cuisine, Chinese Food, Gelato, hedonists, SGV, Shanghai #1 Seafood Village, Shanghai Cuisine

Quick Eats — Piccolo

Nov07

Restaurant: Piccolo

Location: 2127 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405. (310) 314-0144

Date: April 14, 2022

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Excellent neighborhood Italian

Piccolo is the latest restaurant by Chef Antonio Muré. I’ve been to a lot of his places around the west side over the years including the original Piccolo.

The menu.

From my cellar: 2003 Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva Grandi Annate. 91-3 points. Incredibly well settled out and integrated, lovely fruit with cranberry and black rasberry undertones, not sweet but good viscosity, aftertaste of licorice/anise and earth.

Bread.

Insalate Crescione.

Beet Carpaccio.

Beef Carpaccio with Fondue and Truffles. The Truffles! Really good, albeit light.

Butter pasta.

Orchetti with Red Sauce.

Pici alla Melanzane.

Twisty noodles with tomato sauce.

Branzino.

Lamb Chops.

This was just a quick family dinner but the food was very good. Very typical of chef Muré.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Chef Antonio Muré, Italian cuisine, pasta, Piccolo, Venice

Heroic Beef

Nov05

Restaurant: Heroic Deli and Wine Bar [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Location: 516 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 490-0202

Date: April 12, 2022

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Awesome wines and time

In Spring of 2022 friend Jeffrey, owner of Heroic Italian, hosted a series of old wine dinners. This one is old Spanish. These things are immortal!

Given that Jeffrey and I are good pals and he owns Heroic we have done a whole series of dinners here of varying scopes. This one was originally supposed to be old Barolo, but that got pushed by around a month, so this ended up being a smaller affair where he wanted to show off some genuine Tuscan Chiana beef.

The street view.

From cellar: 2007 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. VM 93. Bright golden-tinged straw. Complex nose of apricot, quince, flint and mint. Dense, suave and juicy, with a multilayered quality to its flinty-mineral and orchard fruit flavors. The note of diesel fuel emerges again on the long, magically mouthcoating but vibrant back end. One of the best Trebbiano d’Abruzzo’s I have memory of from Pepe. This older Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is a specific release for the US and other international markets. (Drink between 2016-2026)

Gorgonzola stuffed olives. Delicious.

Tomato and Anchovy pizza. Delicious but very very salty.

Squid stuffed squid.

Garlic bread.

Scallop, Uni, Caviar, Butter. Super tasty (and again salty).

Salmon and Flying Fish Roe Vodka Pasta. Also fabulous, particularly for salmon, but salty.

From my cellar: 1983 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. JG95+. The 1983 and 1985 vintages from Emidio Pepe make great bookends, as both wines are fully mature and drinking at their peaks today. The ’85 is perhaps a touch more elegant, with the ’83 a shade deeper at the core and a bit more structured for the long haul. The stunning nose of the 1983 offers up scents of red berries, forest floor, botanicals, lovely spice tones, a fine base of soil, an autumnal touch of acorn, dried herbs and a topnote of spices meats. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and complex, with a fine core, tangy acids, beautiful balance and a very, very long, poised and classy finish that closes with excellent grip and bounce. Another absolutely classic vintage for the Pepe Montepulciano. (Drink between 2014-2045)

Foie Gras (for Larry).

2004 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT. VM 93. The inky-colored 2004 Redigaffi, 100% Merlot aged for 16 months in new oak, offers expressive, nuanced aromatics along with sensations of richly-textured blue and black jammy fruit, minerals, mint, chocolate, spices and sweet toasted oak on big, powerful frame with notable underlying structure and a warm, resonating finish. Although it has enough structure and acidity to drink well for another decade or so, I enjoy Redigaffi most in its youth. (Drink between 2013-2016)

This is A5 Wagyu with its characteristic fat stripes.

A5 Wagyu. One of the best “steak format” A5s I have had. Delicious.

Veggies.

Compare the ultra lean, ultra red China “White Cow” Beef to the A5 above.

Chianina steak. A bit of aged flavor, but still a bit mild. Overrated.

1978 Faustino Rioja I Gran Reserva. 92 points. Amazing freshness and near perfect balance. Lots of sweet fruit on the finish. Beautiful nose with earthy barnyard funk, caramel, wet leaves and old burnt wood. Dense with a smooth texture and ripe super fine tannin. Really holding up well.

Cherry Ginger Limonade Sorbetto – Fresh squeezed Lemons, Limes, and Avignon Cherries were blended with house-made Ginger to make this delightfully tart and tingly frozen treat — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #sorbetto #lemon #lime #cherry #lemonade #ginger

Caramel Double Chip Gelato — Base is Salted Caramel made by replacing the sugar with house-made Water Caramel. Laced with Valrhona Chocolate Chunks and Toffee Chunks — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #caramel #SaltedCaramel #valrhona #toffee

Dark Chocolate Sorbetto – Doing the dariy free thing — a super intense mix of Valrhona and Dandelion 70% Chocolate plus 100% cocoa plus Valrhona 100% Cocoa Mass — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — the best no milk straight chocolate I’ve yet made — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Valrhona #chocolate #cocoa #sorbetto

Toasted Almond Coconut Sorbetto – when I can’t use milk this Thai coconut milk base with toasted almonds from Sicily is pretty darn awesome — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #coconut #almond #CoconutMilk #ToastedAlmond #sicily

All together — best gelato maker in the city — nudge nudge, wink wink.

We situated ourselves in the back of the main dining room. Fun night, although not as epic as last time with the old Spanish. However, the Chiana steak wasn’t to my taste. A bit tough and “aged” flavor.

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By: agavin
Comments (2)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: beef, Bread, Chiana Beef, Gelato, Heroic Italian, Spanish Wine, Steak, Wine

Heroic Spanish

Nov03

Restaurant: Heroic Deli and Wine Bar [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Location: 516 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 490-0202

Date: March 15, 2022

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Awesome wines and time

In Spring of 2022 friend Jeffrey, owner of Heroic Italian, hosted a series of old wine dinners. This one is old Spanish. These things are immortal!

To complement Jeffrey prepared an almost ludicrously rich and copious amount of food. Pay careful attention as the plated courses are INDIVIDUAL.

The street view.

We situated ourselves in the back of the main dining room.

In honor of the old Spanish wine Jeffrey brought in a whole pig!

He also has this interesting water pulled out of “thin air” by a machine. Quite good too.

1970 Bodegas Tradición Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Oloroso Anada. 95 points. Intense and very complex nose, nutty, dry fruit, a hint of luxurious cognac. Very rich and round, strong acidity and mineral and a long deeply toned nutty finish. My guess is an old sherry. It could also a dry style Madeira. With air, incredibly complex, sweet cognac nose. This will go incredibly well with aged comte or parmesan.

Amuse of Cinco Jotas Jabugo on Toast with Crushed Tomato.

1986 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Blanco. VM 98. Bright yellow-gold. A hugely complex bouquet evokes dried pear, peach nectar, orange marmalade, honey, marzipan and chamomile, with vanilla and smoky mineral notes in the background. Stains the palate with sappy, deeply concentrated citrus, orchard and pit fruit flavors, plus suggestions of brown butter, shortbread and orange zest. This wine is fully mature but there’s no sign of it slowing down anytime soon. Finishes with superb persistence and energy, leaving peach liqueur, buttered toast and honey notes behind, eventually. This is one of the most remarkable white wines that I have ever had, from anywhere. (Drink between 2022-2031)

Scallop Bruschetta with Uni and Caviar. Buttery and delicious.

Foie Gras “LH” Bruschetta. Larry (LH) loves foie, so Jeffrey prepared not 1, not 2, but 4 liver courses!

House-made Vegetable Fritatta.

Served with perfect Garlic Aioli. It’s a great frittata and the intense garlic punch really knocks it up.

From my cellar: 1968 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia. VC 95. I cannot recall having crossed paths previously with the ’68 Tondonia Gran Reserva, and given how beautifully this bottle showed, I do not intend to wait a long time until having the next bottle of this brilliant wine. The bouquet is deep, pure and perfumed, as it soars from the glass in a beautiful mélange of cherries, orange zest, cinnamon sticks, lovely soil tones, a touch of nutskin and a distinct topnote of rose petals. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and spicy, with a fine core, great length and grip and still a bit of tannin to resolve on the long and palate-staining finish. A great, great bottle of Rioja. (Drink between 2008-2030)

1959 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial. VM 95. Upon opening, with just a quick decant, I am blown away by the wine’s depth and overall intensity. Bright red cherry, cedar, tobacco, sweet vanillin and incense are all so wonderfully alive, with bright acids playing off the natural intensity of the fruit. Sure, there is a bit of volatile acidity, but not enough to detract from the wine’s immense pleasure. Even though the market for Rioja has changed dramatically over the last 10-15 years, older vintages still deliver exceptional value in the world of fine, ageworthy wine. Readers lucky enough to own the 1959 can look forward to another twenty years of magnificent drinking, maybe more. Longevity will ultimately be driven by the integrity of the cork, as the wine itself is basically eternal. (Drink between 2020-2040)

1954 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia. JG 54. The 1954 Bosconia Gran Reserva is at its absolute apogee and is drinking beautifully well. The bouquet is deep, complex and very refined in its mélange of raspberries, red currants, orange rind, nutskins, lovely spice tones and a fine base of Rioja soil. On the palate the wine is medium-full, round, focused and quite spicy in its personality, with lovely mid-palate depth, bright acids to keep the wine bouncy from attack to finish, and excellent length and grip on the complex backend. 1954 is a great vintage in Rioja, and the Bosconia Gran Reserva is a fittingly fine homage to the quality of the vintage. (Drink between 2008-2025)

1952 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial. 99 points. extraordinary and special wine, which managed to amaze me.

1948 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Reserva Cuvée Especial.

Foie “ Hoff” Gras Agnolloti with black truffles. A “light” little foie and truffle pasta to satisfy the foie monster at the table. No butter or cream here either… look away… move along…

Garlic bread. Great crunchy bread. Not that we needed extra carbs but I smeared aioli on for even more garlic.

En Croute…

Salmon en Croute with Farmers Market Asparagus. This isn’t a light dish either and this is a single person portion! Between the pastry and the beurre blanc…

Pan Seared Foie Gras “Estilo Hoffman”. More foie!

Classic Osso Buco with Risotto Milanese. Oh and this is a single portion of a giant hunk of cow leg with a huge pile of to-die-for classic risotto!

Then there is a whole pig.

Whole Roast Pig with Liver Sauce. With creamed spinach and liver sauce. Haha. A light finish to the savories.

1994 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage. JG 94. The 1994 vintage of Taylor is a huge and powerful wine, but it does not possess quite the same vivid freshness of my very favorite vintages in the last several decades. Perhaps this is just a stage that the wine is in today, but amongst the fine troika of vintage Taylors from the 1990s, I have to give a slight nod to the remarkably refined and hauntingly brilliant 1992 Taylor over the larger-scaled 1994. The very powerful bouquet on the ’94 offers up a mix of intense cassis, plum, chocolate, licorice, tar, and a huge base of earth. On the palate the wine is full-bodied and quite closed on the attack, with a huge, rock solid core of fruit, firm, well-covered tannins, great soil inflection, and an impressive brightness on the finish that is not evident on the nose today. If this is simply a dumb stage for the wine, then my score will prove to be conservative. (Drink between 2025-2075)

Pecan Tart with Irish Coffee & Whisky Gelato and Baileys Irish Gream Gelato.

Irish “Coffee” Gelato — Tullamore Dew Irish Whisky blended into a Coffee Custard Gelato base with (optional) layers of Crushed Oreo — Designed to pair with “Baileys Irish Gream Gelato” and includes a hefty Caffeine kick — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #expresso #whiskey #custard #oreos #irish

This was an epic dinner. Not only were the wine’s crazy good — these last forever — but there was so MUCH food. Look at the size of those individual portions and then there is all the foie, the osso bucco, en croute etc. Wow. I’m still full half a year later writing it up.

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By: agavin
Comments (1)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Foodie Club, Gelato, Heroic Deli, Heroic Italian, Italian cuisine, Pig, rioja, Spanish Wine

Vegan Eats – Âu Lạc

Nov01

Restaurant: Âu Lạc LA

Location: 710 W 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. (213) 617-2533

Date: April 6, 2022

Cuisine: Vegan Vietnamese

Rating: Edible for vegan

I was downtown at the Broad museum with my family and looking for a quick lunch.

Some googling turned up Âu Lạc, a nearby Vietnamese place. But when we got there I discovered it was vegan — the horror! Still, no one had the patience to walk more.

The interior was nice enough, but empty.

The menu.

“Pork” spring rolls. Surprisingly good. Not as rich as the real thing, but good.

Samosas.

Garlic Noodles. Mild, but enjoyable. The “sausage” was pretty convincing.

XXO Bowl.

Baguette.

Plain pasta.

Âu Lạc wasn’t bad for vegan. The things actually tasted pretty good. They were a bit weird and yeasty, and nowhere near as good as a “real” Vietnamese place. I wouldn’t go back unless I needed to, but still I was sorta impressed.

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