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Botana Oaxaqueña. Assorted tasting platter of the best of our grilled Oaxacan meats. Includes chorizo, tasajo, cecina, chile relleno, carnitas, Oaxaca cheese, grilled onions and cactus. Served with guacamole, frijoles de la olla with nopalitos, and 14 memelitas. Serves 4 (this is the half size, the “full” size serves 8!).
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Coconut Chicken Soup. Chicken, mushroom, lemon grass, lime leaves, galangal and lime juice in coconut soup. A tasty soup with lots of chicken. Not nearly as good as the Jitlada “Coco Lotus Soup” but still enjoyable.
Restaurant: Orsa & Winston
Location: FARMERS AND MERCHANTS BANK BUILDING, 122 4th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013. (213) 687-0300
Date: February 16, 2023
Cuisine: Modern American Italian Japanese
Rating: light and very interesting
Orsa & Winston is inspired by Italian and Japanese flavors, connected by the creativity of chef Josef Centeno. They were awarded a Michelin star in 2019 & 2021 and chosen as L.A. Times restaurant of the year in 2020.
Interior is small and intimate.
Open kitchen (of course).
Tasting menu only.
Amuse. Chawanmushi with ice plant. Very much the classic “egg tofu” texture. Slightly bitter flavors and a bit of a black pepper kick.
They don’t allow corkage! Boo! But they did have an interesting wine pairing.
Crudo of Hamachi, fava beans, some kind of citrus. Very pleasant and light.
Mushrooms.
Saffron Scallop with a bit of green. Very classic combination, creamy, and quite nice. Not very big of course.
More paired wines.
Bitter greens salad. Maybe endive. Interesting crunch, a bit of salinity from the salmon roe, and a quite bitter lettuce profile. Interesting pairing with the oddball white Bordeaux.
Wine.
Sphagetti with Tomato Sauce and Truffle. Like a high end Spaghetti Pomodoro. Pretty darn tasty. Pasta had some chew, but seemed overcooked compared to a true Italian al dente.
Seafood Satsuki Rice Porridge (supplement). This was my favorite dish (even if it was a carb cheat). Basically a buttery seafood risotto with uni, abalone, etc. I guess technically it’s also like a congee, but such a heavy butter and cream emulsion made it feel far closer to risotto. Either way it was delicious.
Gift of polenta and cheese. Mild and pleasant although fairly bland. I’m never a huge polenta fan.
Wine.
Hamachi Collar with greens and black truffle. Pretty yummy and an interesting Italian/Japanese fusion.
Honey Cornbread. I really enjoyed this — cheat that it was.
Wine.
Mixed Berry Panna Cotta.
Chocolate Coconut Cookies. Yummy.
Overall, a light and very interesting meal. Unique dishes for the most part, but a slightly complex and bitter tonal profile and the only thing that stood out as out and out DELICIOUS was the seafood porridge. Pretty small tasting menu, however, even with the supplement I was exactly stuffed. Plus there is the annoying no corkage factor.
Restaurant: Happy Harbor [1, 2]
Location: 1015 Nogales St, West Covina, CA 91792. 626-965-2020
Date: February 14, 2021
Cuisine: Cantonese Chinese
Rating: Great cantonese
I went here for dinner in 2021 and had a great meal — so I had high hopes for our dim sum visit.
Happy Harbor is a medium sized Cantonese located right next to Mandarin plaza, a “far east” (Hacienda Heights ish) area we have eaten at again and again.
The interior is classic Cantonese.
The infinite corridor.
Grungy tanks.
Le menu.
Decent set of basic sauces.
On request, they brought us peanuts form the dinner menu.
And smashed cucumbers which were very pleasant.
The lot.
Chicken Feet in Abalone Sauce. People said they were okay.
Jumbo Shrimp Har Gow. The insides were generous and pretty good but the shells were thick and sticky and broke apart on trying to pickup the dumplings. So just middling.
Truffle Shrimp har Gow with Squid Ink. These were better as the wrapper retained its integrity. The inside was shrimp with a hint of truffle oil. Not bad.
Fish Roe Siu Mai. The classic Siu Mai were huge and porky with a bit of whole shrimp. They were solid — both literally and figuratively — but not awesome.
Chiu Chow Style Steamed Dumplings. With the peanuts inside. These were pretty tasty but the wrapper was fairly heavy.
Mushroom Shrimp Dumpling. Pretty nice and certainly plump.
XLB. Typical for dim sum XLB — aka not particularly great.
Bean Curd Balls with Vegetables. The wrapper was a bit chewy but these were enjoyable.
Steamed BBQ Pork Bao. The bun was over-steamed and the inside sickly sweet and not very pleasant.
Inside.
Baked Abalone Sauce BBQ Pork Buns. Very sticky and sweet on the outside with a sickly sweet red pork interior. Better than the steamed but not great at all.
Inside.
Deep Fried Spring Rolls. Stuff with shrimp. Very nice flakey/crunchy outside and some solid shrimp. Pretty good.
Fried Chives Shrimp Pork Patty. I always try to order these when I see them. These were good, although not the best. They did have that nice texture and the pleasant greasy quality.
Tofu with Spicy Chicken Sauce. Not sure what’s chicken about this sauce. The Tofu was the classic fried Egg Tofu and was good, even if the overall presentation was sloppy and ugly. The sweet and slightly spicy sauce was probably jarred. But I did enjoy them as I always do.
Spiced Fried Shisamo Fish. Little dark baitfish DEEP fried. They were very strong and the fry was out of control thick. No one went for a second fish.
Stuffed Morel Mushroom. Stuff with shrimp paste and topped wiht a bit of crab. While the mushroom was a bit rubbery this was one of the better dishes and is fairly rare.
Steamed Shrimp Ball with Corn. Fluffy shrimp ball, a touch underseasoned but not bad, laced with corn kernels. The corn leant it an interesting and pleasant texture.
Steamed Rice Noodle with Spare Ribs in Black Bean Sauce. We ordered these ribs on top of the chow fun in order to get a “2 for 1”. The ribs were the usual steamed ribs, a bit porky, but soft and reasonably decent. Not sure having a bunch of rice noodle underneath was much of a plus.
Sticky Rice Wrapper with Lotus Leaf. The rice itself was under-seasoned, almost sticky white rice, although the filling was very pleasant.
Inside.
Live shrimp steamed with garlic. The garlic flavor of the sauce was potent but nice. The shrimp themselves felt a bit overcooked and small and shell dominated by the time we got to eating them. Could have been much better. AND they were like $80/lb!
Crispy Durian Cake. The lard based “buttery” pastry was solid and the durian custard very durian-flavored and reasonably nice.
Overall, Happy Harbor was very “B”. None of the dishes stood out as great. Most of the normal dim sum was okay, but not only below the top A tier, but also below the better (but not top) A-/B+ places in the SGV proper. Still, Happy Harbor was better than the meh places, they have a huge menu with many good options, so it would be enjoyable if the location was convenient.
Restaurant: BOA Steakhouse [1, 2]
Location: 9200 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069. (310) 278-2050
Date: February 13, 2019
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Rating: Okay food, no wine service
Certain parties like to put dinner at BOA for a number of reasons: distance (or lack-there-of), it’s half willingness to do no corkage (but NO wine service, including stems), and it’s classic steakhouse cuisine. I’m not a particular fan as it’s just meh in about all ways — except it’s pretty easy to get to.
This dinner has a Pavie theme.
Innovative Dining, always has a style-over-substance approach and medium service. On the plus side they do waive corkage, but this has some costs (more on that later) and they are huge, mobbed, and not super attentive.
We had a nice outside table, but it wasn’t a private room and was quite loud.
From my cellar: 2002 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas François. VM 96. The 2002 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is outrageously beautiful. The ripeness of the Chardonnay is front and center in a Champagne that delivers the goods, big-time. An infusion of apricot, orange peel, crème brûlée, chamomile, hazelnut and honey give the 2002 its racy, exotic personality. I enjoy it most with bottle age, but the 2002 is undeniably beautiful right now. The 2002 is a stunning NFB. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, done partially in oak (20%). Dosage is 4 grams per liter. (Drink between 2020-2030)
The menu.
2019 Château Pape Clément Blanc. 93 points. The 2019 Pape-Clément Blanc has an attractive and complex nose with yellow plum, lanolin and light smoky scents, very well-defined with neatly assimilated oak. Noticeable SO2 here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine acidity, lacking a bit of mid-weight density and thereafter it just seems to lose complexity with a tinned pineapple and Golden Delicious finish. This bottle may have suffered light strike. Tasted blind at the Southwold annual tasting.
Tuna Tartare. Avocado, Wasabi Oil, Furikake, Crisp Wontons. Just ok.
Hamachi Tartare. Yellowtail, yuzu ginger marinade, avocado, crisp lavosh. Better, but weird that they basically have two tuna/avocado tartares.
Jumbo Lump Crab Cake. Remoulade, Fennel Frond Salad, Fried Capers. Decent.
Chilled Saffron Prawns. Cocktail Sauce, Atomic Horseradish, Lemon. Nice shrimp but I didn’t detect either Saffron or Atomic Horseradish.
Goat Cheese Baklava. Pistachios, Black Truffles, Frissee. Didn’t try because of the carbs.
Jeff Leve’s Caesar Salad, no longer made table-side and without tasbasco.
Not what it once was — definitely not legendary.
Caesar Salad — their “lengendary” recipe. A bit mustard forward.
2007 Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Mouchère. VM 94. Peach, spices and minerals on the nose. Dense and creamy but quite dry in the mouth, with deep, nuanced flavors of yellow peach, apple and spices. Is this as brisk and fresh as the Perrieres? (A second sample was every bit as rich and offered a bit more inner-palate tension.)
The Classic Wedge, chopped.
The Classic Wedge. Crisp Iceberg Lettuce, Applewood Smoked Bacon. Not bad, but nor was it a truly great wedge. Definately not enough dressing and not cold enough.
1998 Château Pavie. VM 92. The 1998 Pavie was Gerard Perse’s second vintage after buying the property and it was actually matured in 200% new oak. Now at two decades, it continues to be attired with a fresh and very attractive bouquet, blackberry, mulberry, clove and bay leaf, just a touch of Italian delicatessen in the background. I like the definition here. The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation and a keen thread of acidity, quite classic in style with tobacco and a light seaweed influence towards the persistent finish. This is ageing supremely well and you can another 10 to 15 years of drinking pleasure here. Excellent. Tasted at the château. (Drink between 2018-2032)
1999 Château Pavie. VM 92. The 1999 Pavie shows very similarly to another ex-château bottle encountered a few months earlier. It has an attractive bouquet that has mellowed in recent years, notes of bacon fat and mint infusing the red and black fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, red fruit, a touch of hung game and a tarry finish that does not convey the same level of freshness and delineation as the 1998 and 2000 do nowadays. A seductive Pavie, though less turbocharged than subsequent vintages. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the estate. (Drink between 2019-2032)
Wagyu Meatballs. Not bad, but maybe a lot of filler. Good sauce.
Rosie’s Farm Half Chicken. Had a weird grilled flavor. Didn’t love.
2000 Château Pavie. VM 96. The 2000 Pavie was tasted on two occasions. The first was from bottle at the château, where I felt it was quite sauvage and displayed more brettanomyces than I remembered. It was a peculiar showing. Then I tasted a magnum back in the UK, and this chimed more with previous bottles. Blackberry and crème de cassis feature on the nose, which is precocious and modern in style, though the new oak that once dominated this Saint-Émilion is now subsumed. The palate is full-bodied and dense, yet it does possess an alluring, silky texture. A sweet, precocious finish lingers extremely long in the mouth. (Drink between 2023-2045)
2003 Château Pavie. VM 92+. Ruby-red. Superripe nose features port-like black fruits, violet, truffle, coffee and minerals. Superconcentrated, rich and layered, conveying a powerful impression of solidity. High-pitched flavors of blackberry and violet pastille along with lower tones of mocha, coffee and smoked meat. Finishes with big but noble, palate-dusting tannins and great persistence. The wine’s aftertaste saturates every square millimeter of the mouth. Ultimately more exotic, more roasted and heavier than the young 2004; a quintessence of the 2003 harvest.
Marinated Skirt Steak Frites.
2002 Château Pavie. VM 92. Saturated ruby-red. Sexy aromas of blackcurrant, black raspberry, plum, mocha, minerals, game and nutty oak. Superripe, rich and chewy, with a higher pitch than the 2001 owing to its firm acids. Quite suave and fine-grained but youthfully backward. Finishes with building, ripe tannins that coat the teeth, and lingering notes of plum, leather and chocolate. This will need a good eight to ten years of bottle aging, and should last for two decades or more.
2003 Château Pavie. VM 92+. Ruby-red. Superripe nose features port-like black fruits, violet, truffle, coffee and minerals. Superconcentrated, rich and layered, conveying a powerful impression of solidity. High-pitched flavors of blackberry and violet pastille along with lower tones of mocha, coffee and smoked meat. Finishes with big but noble, palate-dusting tannins and great persistence. The wine’s aftertaste saturates every square millimeter of the mouth. Ultimately more exotic, more roasted and heavier than the young 2004; a quintessence of the 2003 harvest.
21 Day Dry Aged Tomahawk for Two (or 8). We ordered it medium rare, came medium. Got another which was actually rare. Bearnaise sauce on the side.
Lobster Mac N Cheese. Too many carbs. Ate a bite of lobster.
Creamed Spinach with Crispy Onion. Excellent.
Brussels Sprouts & Bacon. Had a balsamic glaze which made it a bit sweet.
2004 Château Pavie. VM 93. Bright ruby, less black than the ’04 Pavie-Decesse. Sexy aromas of black cherry, violet, minerals and oak. Very suave on entry, then superripe, fat and rich in the middle and evolving slowly. Like the Pavie-Decesse, this benefits from substantial ripe tannins and lovely flavor definition, but today this shows a bit less vibrancy than either the ’04 Pavie-Decesse or the ’05 Pavie. But this very deep wine appears to be in a closed phase.
2005 Château Pavie. VM 97. Six years have passed since I last tasted the 2005 Pavie. In that time, the wine has moved into its first plateau of maturity. Heady and explosive, the 2005 possesses tremendous richness right out of the gate. An infusion of inky dark fruit, chocolate, leather, spice, menthol and espresso greets the palate as the 2005 shows off its considerable charms. The style of the era is evident in the wine’s rich, extracted feel and strong oak inflections. My preference is to drink the 2005 now, as early signs of aromatic maturity are starting to set in. Tasted two times. (Drink between 2021-2030)
2006 Château Pavie. VM 95. Good full medium ruby. Blackberry, black cherry, licorice and minerals on the nose. Suave on entry, then cool and minerally in the middle palate, with brooding black fruit flavors. Today this comes across as less fleshy than the 2007, with the result that the tannins seem a bit tough. But there’s plenty of sweet fruit lurking and a very solid spine for aging.
Porterhouse Brooklyn with garlic and rosemary. Again ordered medium rare, again came way too cooked — but we were too lazy to send it back again.
Sauteed Mushrooms.
I love this flavor — Peppermint Bark Gelato — Base is pure peppermint milk (subbed the sugar with crushed peppermint candies) and it’s laced with house-made double-sided peppermint bark, Valrhona Dark Chocolate and Ivoire White! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — The Peppermint Bark recipe was developed by a famous pastry chef and author, the mum of a Naughty Dog Alum @nancy_baggett — this year I added the two layer thing which is awesome — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #dessertgasm #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #peppermint #bark #Valrhona #chocolate
The wine.
Food was ok. It’s not nearly — not even close to — as good as The Royce, but it’s better than more hack steakhouses like Del Friscos or terrible ones like Taylor’s. The place is gigantic and a bit of a factory. It was very crowded and the like. Service was friendly but a bit distant — and wine service non existant.
They did waive corkage. But on the minus side, and perhaps because of this, they didn’t touch the bottles (maybe a good thing), so we did everything. AND they very strictly limited us to THREE glasses each (up from two last time). They directly told the staff not to give us any more. This is mostly the fault of certain parties who just aren’t willing to pay for corkage (which covers stem cleaning/washing).
The group has learned to break up the courses which is good, but of course really there should be more of a red/white balance. It’s hard to know if the food has changed or my taste has but it seemed lamer than it was a few years ago. Not terrible or anything, but just sloppier and a bit blander. Execution is just so-so. They can’t even do salads that well.
The wines, however, were excellent!
Restaurant: 海珍大酒樓 888 seafood restaurant [1, 2, 3]
Location: 8450 Valley Blvd, Rosemead, CA 91770. (626) 573-1888
Date: February 12, 2023
Cuisine: Cantonese Dimsum & Banquet
Rating: good not great, but awesome room and a lot of fun
As has become a bit of a tradition, Superbowl Sunday hedonist style is an all day affair at 888 Seafood. Not one but two meals!
The frontage.
Nothing like hanging out in the hall with the hanging meat!
Jeffrey’s sauce bar.
We have been in this giant private room both with a single monster table and with the current two large table configurations.
Overall, dim sum here was very “meh.” It was certainly the worst I’ve had recently in the SGV (as I’ve been going to good places), but solid enough to be enjoyable. In general, skins were too thick and things were a bit overcooked. They do have a lot of variety but the “banquet” side of 888 is way better than the dim sum side.
Jellyfish. Pretty meh jellyfish with a decent texture but no flavor. Jellyfish needs an acidic sauce/marinate.
Cold meat plate. The pork was excellent, the duck solid, the chicken fine, and the pink pork “wurst” stuff incredible. Great “cured meat” quality.
Steamed Chicken Feet in Brown Sauce. People said they were gross.
Sparerib in Black Bean Sauce. Very piggy and unpleasant version of this typical dish. Texture was okay but the flavor was terrible.
Premium Har Gow. These weren’t so premium. The skins were a little thick and over-steamed and the interior, while fine and full of solid shrimp, was bland and under seasoned. Still not bad or anything, but bland.
Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai. A touch oversteamed but savory enough, so reasonably tasty.
Chiu Chow Style Pork & Peanut Dumpling. These had a heavy wrapper but the filling was delicious with a mix of peanuts, meats, and various veggies.
Shrimp & Chives Dumpling. Again the wrapper was a little thick and the inside okay but a touch underseasoned.
XLB. Pretty decent actually for dim sum XLB. The pork itself was very tasty but there wasn’t really any juice.
Bean Curd Skin Rolls in Brown Sauce. Actually one of the better dim sum here with a nice texture and decent flavor. Not as nicely white peppered as the best versions, but certainly enjoyable.
Steamed Rice Noodle Roll with Shrimp. Solid Chow Fun with good texture and lots of shrimp. Sauce wasn’t sweet but did work.
Steamed Rice Noodle Roll with BBQ Pork. Again, a pretty good Chow Fun as the BBQ pork here is good.
Pan Fried Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll. I think I actually tried to order the Red Rice Noodle Roll and got this instead. It was pretty good though, being basically a dried shrimp and chive Chow Fun that was pan fried. Tasty in a greasy way.
Steamed BBQ Pork Bun. THe pork inside was very sweet but there was a good amount of it. The dough was over steamed and soggy.
Baked BBQ Pork Bun. Decent but sweet filling, so-so bun.
Contents.
Pan Fried Dace Fishcake. Dense and very fried with an interesting flavor. Not to everyone’s taste but I kind of liked it.
Deep Fried Shrimp Spring Roll. Solid enough version of this with a heavy but crispy shell and lots of shrimp.
Pan Fried Water Chestnut Cake. We didn’t know what to expect from this, and certainly not what we got, but it did turn out delicious. It was gelatinous and vaguely sweet — quite yummy.
Eggplant with Shrimp Paste. The fried fish ball was good, but this kind of straight up baked or steamed eggplant not my favorite texture.
Egg Tofu with Fish Paste in Brown Sauce. I like the soft egg tofu texture and the fish paste (which might have been shrimp paste?) was good, so this was a pleasant dish. Could it have been better with a stronger peppery brown sauce and a more seasoned fish cake? Sure, but it was pretty good anyway.
Steamed Beef Ball. Solid and chewy version of this classic. Very stuck together.
Mushrooms and vegetables.
Sticky Rice Wrapped with Lotus Leaves. I didn’t get a chance to try.
Custard Egg Tart. Very meh version. Eggy, and certainly not offensive, but not great.
Wines.
The coma.
BBQ Suckling Pig. Absolutely awesome and probably one of the best Chinese pig’s I’ve had. It was porky in the best way with a crispy skin and that “sizzling pork fat” thing going on. Really delicious.
100 Flower Chicken. Nice version of this relatively rare dish with the crispy skin and the luscious shrimp paste. Could have been a touch more seasoned but still delicious.
Hot and Sour Soup. Just okay with a decent texture but wasn’t really hot or sour.
Beef Brisket in Chili Oil. Tasty but not amazing.
Crab in Salty Egg Yolk. I don’t love the salty egg yolk prep as it’s kind of heavy and has a grainy quality, but this was one of the best crab’s I’ve had with it. The shell’s were very tender and there was a lot of meat so one could crunch through and really enjoy the sweet meat.
Lamb, onion, cilantro, and mushroom stir fry. I guess this was a variant on cumin lamb (without much cumin). It was soft but quite enjoyable.
Typhoon Style Garlic Lobster. Really nice lobster with lots of meat and crispy garlic.
Eggplant and String Beans. Okay but not my favorite.
Cauliflower with Southern Chinese Sausage. Yum, that sweet porky sausage makes any vegetable good.
Yang Chow Fried Rice.
Kung Pao Fried Rice. Interesting.
Piggy!
New Flavor — Cherry Bakewell Tart Gelato — While watching every episode of the Great British Baking Show I was introduced to the Bakewell Tart, which I liked it enough to make a gelato — Sicilian Noto Romano Almond Custard Base is layered with house-made Honey Almond Graham Crackers and Cherry Preserves. For extra fun I made an Almond Icing and glazed the Grahams with it in the traditional pattern (first time trying it) — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Sicily #Almond #Cherry #GrahamCracker #BakewellTart #tart #bakewell #jam #icing
One of my earliest Signature Flavors —Tiramisu Gelato — The base is a highly technical Zabaione of Egg Yolk, Fresh Mascarpone Cheese, and Sweet Marsala with Fresh Brewed Espresso. It’s dusted with Valrhona Cocoa powder and layered with house-made Vanilla Rum Espresso syrup-soaked Lady Fingers — the final result is totally Tiramisu — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Tiramisu #Espresso #coffee #chocolate #Marsala #Zabaione #Eggyolk #Rum #Mascarpone
Wines.
Out in the main hall!
Dimsum at 888 was solid, but not particularly interesting or super fresh. Definitely a notch or two down from the made to order places. Shells were a bit “sticky” which indicates they have been sitting in the steamers for a bit. Also, because we were starting at 2pm the dim sum kitchen was closing and so they brought EVERYTHING out all at once.
The banquet food was better, pretty good actually. It’s not the best Cantonese restaurant in the SGV for dinner, but it’s certainly way way better than anything further west and really quite good. Service is very nice and good for the SGV. And that mega banquet room rocks. They have a couple of them too but ours is the best. Really great private party space even if a little garish.
Restaurant: Lunasia [1, 2, 3, 4]
Location: 500 West Main Street Suite A, Alhambra, CA 91801. (626) 308-3222
Date: February 23, 2023
Cuisine: Cantonese Dim Sum
Rating: Excellent
The DimSumQuest group continues to scour San Gabriel Valley dim sum restaurants. I’ve actually been to Lunasia many times before, but this is my first trip here for dim sum in a long time, so I figured that instead of updating the old post (it’s almost a decade old) I’d do an entirely new report.
Pretty menu.
House Special Stir Cucumber. The cucumbers themselves were fine, but they dumped packaged sweet and spicy dipping sauce on them. Kind of meh.
Seaweed Salad. This “seaweed” salad seemed like Jellyfish Salad. It was chewy, which was okay, but with a grainy mustardy dressing that lacked acidity — so not very pleasant.
Hangry brought some Beijing Lamb Buns from next door.
Steamed Chicken Feet. Bland.
Spare Ribs w/ Black Bean Sauce. Pretty good actually with lots of meat. Not much “black bean” but one of the better versions of this we have had — not the best but pretty good.
Jumbo Shrimp & Pork Siu-Mai. Huge but delicious with tons of pork meat and whole shrimp suspended inside.
Truffle Siu-Mai. The truffle version was identical but with canned truffle on top. Actually quite good but perhaps not legions better than the basic version.
Jumbo Shrimp Har-Gow. Great version, with fabulous shrimp inside and a good shell. Not the thinest shell ever but with first rate texture. After a few minutes the shell got a little sticky but that always happens.
Scallop Dumpling w/ Squid Ink. Sometimes the scallop dumpling falls a little short but not this one. The squid ink wrapper was nice and there was a lot of scallop inside, almost like a cooked “battleship” scallop sushi.
Spinach Shrimp Dumpling. Unusual, usually this is chive. It had both a green “spinach” wrapper and spinach inside with the shrimp — which surprisingly worked well.
XLB. Solid dim sum version. Not amazing or anything but better than many.
Pork Bean Curd Wrap w/ Broth. Really quite nice. This is the broth version, as opposed to the “flavor corn starch sauce” version, but the broth was pleasant and the rolls excellent.
Steamed BBQ Pork Char Siu Bao. There was plenty of filling but it was overly sweet and the bun itself was soggy and over-steamed. Not terrible but fairly meh.
Contents.
Baked BBQ Pork Char Siu Bao. The baked version had the same overly sweet pork. The bun was oddly small and just okay.
Inside.
Pan-Fried Pork Bun w/ Crab Meat. The buns seemed a bit soggy but the “crab” filling was interesting.
Inside again.
Stick Rice Wrap. This classic was great, probably second only to the 1968 version. Lots of stuff inside the rice and a great rice flavor. Excellent.
The guts.
Supreme Beef Ball. I’m the only one who liked these chewy beef balls.
Shrimp Egg Roll. Nice and crispy with a lot of shrimp inside. Quite good.
Deep Fried Taro Cake? Not sure exactly what this was but the texture was fabulously crispy. Quite lovely.
Mixed Puff with Pork. Just okay version. Not crispy enough and not enough flavor in the filling.
Live Lobster Chow-Fun. I’ve never had lobster chow fun, but now I have and this was awesome. One of the best regular chow fun I’ve had. The sauce cold have been a little strong/sweeter but the texture was very nice and there were lots of nice lobster chunks.
Crispy Seafood Noodle. Just fair version of this generally excellent dish. Seafood itself was pretty good but the MSG factor was very high.
Pan-Fried String-Beans. Woah — MSG string beans. Nicely crispy but they were also stir-fried with the same sweet chili sauce that were used on the cucumbers. Weird.
Assorted BBQ Combination Quartet with Hong Kong Roasted Duck, Lunasia Boiled Chicken, Macao Style Roasted Pork Belly, and BBQ Pork (char siu). Kinda excellent, particularly the char siu. But the duck and Macao pork were also great. Some great sauces for them too.
BBQ meat sauces.
Pineapple Bun and Macao Style Egg Custard. The Pineapple Bun was small but very good with a nice flavored custard and good texture. The egg tart was quite good, although still not in the same league as the Montery Palace one. Macao (caramelized) egg tarts are almost always better than the regular ones.
Pure and Concentrated Evil — Kentucky Mud Pie Gelato — Expresso Knob Creek Bourbon Custard Gelato base with layers of house-made Crushed Oreo Valrhona Fudge Ganache, and house-made Vanilla Coconut Cream Cheese Icing — The Plaid Mode of Gelati 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 #coconut #valrhona #chocolate #ganache #expresso #bourbon #custard #oreos #icing
Overall Lunasia was much better than I expected. It’s always been quite good for dim sum, and there is some uneveness to the kitchen, but the steamed items were in general excellent, in the A tier. Fried items were good too. But baked savory items a bit meh, and some duds like the cucumbers and jellyfish. Desserts were excellent. The non dim sum dishes here generally aren’t great, but the BBQ was very solid. So overall maybe A-, slightly under 1968 and Tonys, but very close.
Restaurant: Girl & the Goat [1, 2]
Location: 555-3 Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA 90013. (213) 799-4628
Date: February 8, 2023
Cuisine: Modern American
Rating: Very tasty, some service “issues” with large parties (no private space)
This is my second time here. Food is really good, but generally when Yarom returns he opens a bunch of SQN — blech. However, tonight as a top flight Rhone dinner, which is perfect with goat and more my style.
They are located in a fairly cute offshoot area of downtown I don’t think I have been to.
Swank build out, although we (fortunately) sat outside.
Our table — not quite large enough.
Super-fun night was a great crew, great wines, and great food! We certainly had a LOT of it too.
Jeffrey and I collaborated on the menu which turned out to be perfect. Not listed is the epic Goat Shoulder. They initially tried to get us to take their standard large party menu which had almost every other dish on the paper menu — all the lame carby ones — and NO GOAT!?!
2008 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare. 93 points.
Krug rose.
Bille rose.
1989 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc. 92 points. Actually great!
2017 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc. VM 96. Translucent yellow. An intensely perfumed bouquet evokes ripe pear, yellow plum, orange zest, smoky minerals and jasmine, along with a deeper suggestion of honey. Honeysuckle, energetic, sharply delineated citrus, orchard fruit flavors stain the palate and become weightier with aeration. The mineral note expands as the wine opens up and drives an impressively long, chewy finish that features lingering floral, brioche and saffron notes. (Drink between 2027-2036)
roasted oysters. clam baguette . sausage butter . oyster sauce mayo . finger lime. I just ate the oyster (skipping the bread) but it was pretty good with bright flavors and richness — and I don’t usually love cooked oysters.
1983 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage. JG 96. I have been a huge fan of the 1983 Chave in all of its various guises, and this most recent bottle was the finest I have yet had the pleasure to taste. The wine was at its absolute apogee, as it soared from the glass in a classic blend of black raspberries, black olives, grilled venison, a bit of bacon fat, ground pepper, great stony soil tones, espresso, and a bit of violet in the upper register. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep, pure and very transparent down to its stony soil, with a rock solid core of pure, black raspberry fruit, great complexity, melting tannins, bright acids and stunning length and grip on the pure and profound finish. Unlike the more recent vintages of Chave Hermitage, which seem to have all of their quality on the surface, this wine wells up from the depths of the glass and is clearly a wine of bottomless beauty. The best bottle yet of the 1983 that I have had the pleasure to taste, and I drink this vintage with some regularity! (Drink between 2008-2025)
1985 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage. JG 95. I finished up my last bottles of 1985 Chave Hermitage a few years back, after having been very happy with the case I bought many, many years ago, but always having the feeling that with each bottle I drunk that the wine had not yet reached its absolute apogee of peak maturity. This is also a vintage of Chave where there is quite a bit of bottle variation, as reportedly, there were three slightly different “blends” produced by Gérard Chave in this year, to match the wishes of his various importers. In any case, this most recent bottle was the finest example of the 1985 that I have ever tasted and fully open and singing, offering up a very complex and red fruity nose of raspberries, spiced meats, pepper, a touch of cocoa powder, bonfires, incipient notes of forest floor, lavender and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and gorgeously transparent, with a great core of fruit, stunning complexity, melted tannins and a very long, tangy and beautifully balanced finish. Makes me wish I was only just starting in on my own case of the 1985! (Drink between 2019-2060)
1991 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage. VM 96. The same is true of the 1991 Hermitage. A few months ago, I had a bottle of the Cuvée Cathelin, one of my favorite wines on the planet, so I was curious to check in on the Hermitage. Here it is the wine’s suppleness and silkiness that are utterly captivating. Expressive floral notes linger on the open, caressing finish.
duck tartare. gochujang mayo . cape gooseberries . sesame . fried brussels. This was eaten all mixed up and it was quite delicious with the gochujang mayo dominating and adding a mustardy slightly spicy zing. Great texture too.
goat liver mousse. crumpets . biscuit crackers . pickled manquats . persimmon-apple jam . craisin relish. First of all the crumpets, vaguely like Chinese fried bread that they were, were hot and delicious. Then the liver itself was much like chicken liver, very smooth and rich. It was nicely offset by the pickles and/or jam — particularly on on one of the bread options.
shrimp & crispy greens. avocado . satsuma mandarin . pepita crunch . limey-herby dressing. Great crispy texture and a nice bright acidic sweet salad.
Good times.
2000 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage. VM 92-95. Full ruby. Raw red berries, leather and pepper on the nose. Thick and silky but bright; youthful and primary. Boasts good power for the vintage. Peleat: Bright deep ruby. Complex, stony aromas of tobacco, mocha, brown spices, pepper and iris. Smooth and vinous, with terrific class and delicacy more than power. Already offers lovely detail. Finishes firmly tannic and persistent. Very expressive of the vintage. L’Hermite: Saturated ruby. Explosive, quintessential Hermitage aromas of raw currant, leather, game, minerals and cedary spice. Supple and silky but quite unevolved. Here the tannins come off as a bit tough. Bessards: Deeper, more medicinal aromas of black fruits, cassis leaf and leather. Quite powerfully constituted but not yet sweet. A very serious, tannic lot that will provide the spine for the ultimate blend. Bessards from a new barrique: Sexy aromas of black raspberry, licorice, espresso and bitter chocolate. Sweeter in the middle than the last sample, then tough on the back end, with strong oak tannins showing. Bessards yet again: Aroma of raw crushed currant. Sauvage and minerally in the mouth; supple texture nicely framed by integrated acidity. A lovely blend of sweetness and tannic structure. Peppery on the back end. Very much a wine from granite soil. Meal: Sappy aromas of redcurrant, minerals and brown spices. Less fresh in the middle than the Bessards, with tannins a bit tough. Meal again: Roasted redcurrant, smoke, minerals and game on the nose. Silkier and more pliant in the mouth; this offers much better balance and more finesse than the last mouthful. Here the tannins are less rigid. The tougher sample was from a parcel that yielded just 25 hectoliters per hectare, while this parcel produced 35, noted Jean-Louis. Should make a lovely drink, though it’s hard to believe this wine will equal the ’99.
2003 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage. VM 98. “Now we take the monster out of his cage,” Jean-Louis warned me before pouring this. Inky, almost black in color. Elemental, hugely concentrated and powerful on the nose, which slowly unveils aromas of dark cherry liqueur, blackberry, cassis, espresso and a deep note of sweet tobacco. Impossibly rich and dense on the palate (the yields in 2003 were off by two-thirds), showing myriad dark fruit and bitter chocolate flavors, with a suggestion of tapenade and an intense licorice quality. Remarkably, this takes on a mineral tone on the finish, which has the effect of further drawing out the amazingly powerful finish.
2007 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage. VM 95-96. A real fruit bomb, with sexy aromas of red berries, cherry and cassis. Lithe and precise on the palate, with tangy mineral lift and very good cut. From Beaume: Exotic, intensely floral aromas of violet, lavender and magnolia. Sweet red fruits and spices on the palate, with the floral quality repeating. Again from Beaume: Spicy and mineral-driven, with sappy red berry flavors and gentle tannins. Less wild than the previous barrel. From L’Hermite: Musky cherry and dark berry aromas are complicated by minerals and underbrush. Fleshy dark berry and cherry pit flavors cling nicely to the palate. From Meal: A very rich sample, offering powerful cherry and cassis scents and a suavely smoky mineral note. Sappy and broad on the palate, displaying sweet kirsch and smoked meat qualities. From Bessards: Deep, strongly perfumed bouquet evokes cherry, cassis, cured meat and licorice. Firm and chewy, with deep dark berry flavors and slow-building tannins. “This will provide the spine of the final wine,” Chave told me. Again from Bessards: Hypnotic aromas of raspberry, candied cherry and incense, with a fresh lashing of minerals. Brisk and focused, with wonderfully pure red fruit flavors and silky texture. Impossibly pure and long on the finish. The final wine will be a riot of red and darker berry fruits, with excellent freshness and clarity.
pork belly noodles. chili crunch . black eyed peas . pickled veggies. Great noodle dish with a very bright light flavor with crunchy bits of rich pork belly. Vague Thai vibe like many dishes here.
braised crispy lamb. kabocha squash stew . pumpkin seed . locust bean yogurt. This was the weakest dish of the night. Some of the lamb was overcooked and dry and I don’t really like squash at all. But still it wasn’t bad.
grilled corn. spiced coconut caramel . cotija . tajin. Definately a hint of Thai going on here but this was some seriously delicious corn on the cobb with a kind of sweet and spicy vibe.
sautéed green beans. fish sauce vinaigrette . cashews. Interesting. Nicely cooked, still very crispy, with a richess from both the mayo-like-dressing and the cashews.
grilled whole branzino. thai style sweet n’ sour . mung bean apple pomelo salad . pickled vegetables. Very strong Thai flavor pattern with coconut and a light curry flavor. Delicious with a nice textural interplay between the soft fish and the crispy fruits and veggies (vaguely like a papaya salad).
2008 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage. VM 91-93. Highly floral bouquet of raspberry, blackberry, violet and Asian spices. Silky in texture, with sweet, fleshy, vibrant red fruit flavors joined by a late note of tangy minerals. From Peleat: Spicy cherry and dark fruit aromas give way to a deeper plum quality with air. Weighty blackberry and kirsch flavors are framed by dusty tannins and pack a solid punch. Surprisingly ripe for this vintage. From L’Hermite: Intensely mineral scents of strawberry, cherry and herbs. Dry and tightly wound, with bitter cherry and tangy red berry flavors. Firm but not tannic, with good finishing cut. From Meal: Ripe cherry and blackcurrant on the nose, plus a hint of cracked pepper. Full, chewy and gently sweet dark fruit flavors are braced by tangy minerals and close on a smoky note. From Bessards: Impressively fresh red berry aromas, with notes of Asian spices, minerals and potpourri. Very elegant in style, with pinot-like clarity and red fruit drive. Finishes with excellent vivacity and spicy persistence. The ultimate wine should be attractive early but looks balanced to age.
2009 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage. VM 96. Drop-dead, highly aromatic bouquet of red berries, incense and potpourri, with concentrated spiciness. From Beaume: Deeper and riper (15.5% alcohol, according to Chave), with intense cassis and blueberry character and hints of licorice and bitter chocolate. From L’Ermite: Heady aromas of red and dark berry preserves, licorice and violet, with a strong note of fruitcake. From Meal: Mineral-driven dark berry and cherry aromas and flavors, with silky tannins that gain strength with air. Really expands on the back end. From La Mortine, in L’Hermite: Powerful, pungent scents of dried red fruits, cherry-cola and licorice. More floral with air. Finishes with gentle grip and dusty minerality. From Bessards, a granite and clay parcel: Distinctly smoky and rich, offering deep blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that become sweeter with air. From Bessards, all granite: Sexy red fruits and minerals on the spicy, perfumed nose. Sweet and penetrating, repeating the red fruit note emphatically. Chave says that this might be the base for Cuvee Cathelin if it develops on the trajectory he anticipates. The final 2009 wine should be a lively, precise and attractively floral-accented wine, with excellent fruit intensity and strong minerality.
goat curry. masa chips . radish . pickled veggies. The goat curry version of Heuvos Rancheros? Interesting with the meaty curry and a lot of really crunchy and flavor-infused chips mixed in. Delicious and addictive.
sticky glazed pork shank. shiitake . asian pear . hoisin mayo . hot mustard . naan . lettuce cups. The first of our two big meat plates this fatty delectable but also sweet and crunchy meat could be arranged into various taco-like configurations or eaten by itself. A little like Chinese pork hock.
The pork itself and lettuce wrap options.
Flat breads.
Sauces for the pork.
My lettuce taco.
Flintstone.
2011 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage. VM 94-95. Tough to read initially, displaying scents of dried cherry, cassis and smoked meat. Chewy and deeply pitched, with sneaky spice and mineral notes coming up with air. #2, from Peleat: Fresher and more red-fruity, with intense spiciness and a hint of candied violet. Shows an appealing silkiness. #3, from L’Hermite: Explosively perfumed bouquet evokes candied red fruits, fresh flowers and minerals, with a hint of Asian spices. Juicy and precise, with strong finishing cut and focus. #4, from Meal: Exotic, floral accented red berry preserve and spicecake aromas and flavors. Sappy and precise, with excellent finishing lift and cut. #5, from Bessards: The wildest of this set, with deep cherry and dark berry character and impressive power. Finishes smoky and long, with resonating spiciness. The bottled wine should be surprisingly dense and dark-fruited for the year, with solid structure and the capacity to age.
2015 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage. VM 97. Youthful purple color. Mineral-accented dark berries, star anise, cola, olive and pungent flowers on the explosively perfumed nose. Offers impressively concentrated, expansive flavors of black raspberry, spicecake, smoked meat and candied flowers that are complicated by licorice candy and dark chocolate notes that sneak in on the back half. Sweet, sappy and precise on the floral- and dark fruit-driven finish, which shows outstanding clarity and round, harmonious tannins that build smoothly and steadily. (Drink between 2028-2040)
The second of our big plates was the pre-order house special Goat Shoulder. It came with pickles, various breads, lettuce wraps, and many sauces.
Zoom.
The crunchy fried tortilla-like breads were incredible.
So I couldn’t resist using a diet-busting “bread” for my goat wrap.
almond & citrus. almond buttercake . citrus ice cream . kumquats . blood orange gastrique . brown butter fun crunch. Very pleasant citrus, almost passionfruit-like flavors and texture texture variation (which is a theme at GATG).
miso butterscotch budino. piced tuile . passion fruit honey . honey whip. I was a little dissapointed with this — now it was good — but it was also very sweet.
The lineup.
The Chaves were incredible tonight. Every bottle was in perfect shape. The 1989 white was super complex, mellow, and “young.” The 85, 00, and 03 were particular standouts of the reds — but they were all very nice. Even the young ones were very approachable. Superb wine and paired very well with the zesty flavors here.
Food here is really good. Almost all of the dishes were really tasty. Very savory, fatty, salty and all that, but full of zest and punch. Chef Izzard was in the house on the night we went.
Restaurant: Osteria Mozza
Location: 6602 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038. (323) 297-0100
Date: February 6, 2023
Cuisine: Italian
Rating: Strange meal, but some great dishes
This was a special Roscioli dinner hosted at Mozza by Nancy Silverton (shown below). While the food was very good, and it was a fun evening, it turned out to be a bit of a money grub. It was $250 and most of what is shown was shared between two people. The highlight was two plates of very simple pasta.
Roscioli is a casual but amazing trattoria in Rome that I visited last time I was in the eternal city.
A very crowded dining room.
Us and Nancy Silverton (shown here).
The very short fixed menu for tonight.
2014 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. VM 92. Bright dark straw-yellow. Musky but subdued aromas of orange, herbs and lees. Gently floral and vinous on entry, then slightly dilute in the middle, showing a wild character to the saline orchard fruit and herb flavors on the medium-long, uncomplicated finish. Considering how wet the 2014 vintage was, this is a very successful wine. (Drink starting 2016)
Antipasti. This (and all the food except the meatballs and cannoli) were served for the two of us.
Selection of Salumi: Prosciutto, Salame & Capocollo. Good stuff, really as good as these particular meats get, but not exactly prepared here (other than being sliced).
Mortadella with Crispy Flatbread & Parmigiano Curls. Very Italian actually and I do love a good Mortadella (aka bologna). Very nice combined with the vegetables.
Mozzarella di Bufala with Cantabrian Anchoives & Zucchini “alla Scapece”. These marinated veggies and Mozzarella were really first rate actually. You rarely get these kind of classic Italian products here at this kind of quality level.
Traditional Eggplant Caponata with Dried Fruit, Pine Nuts & Pistachios. Probably the best Caponata I’ve had.
Fried Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Roman Oxtail Stew served with Cacio e Pepe Fonduta. Unusual version of this and richer and more complex than the usual ricotta stuffed versions. Yummy for sure.
1999 Lisini Brunello di Montalcino Ugolaia. VM 91. Lisini’s 1999 Brunello di Montalcino Ugolaia presents generous sensations of over-ripe jammy fruit and alcohol with great concentration and expansiveness on the palate and a sublime, long finish. Made in a powerful, seamless style, Ugolaia is clearly a wine crafted to impress, and indeed initially it succeeds, but upon closer reflection it comes across as somewhat one-dimensional in its expression. Anticipated maturity (Drink between 2013-2019)
Bigoli Cacio e Pepe with Pecorino, Parmigiano and Roscioli Pepper Blend. Probably the best Cacio e Pepe I’ve had. The noodles were delightfully thick and very al dente and chewy, the cheese bright, and the pepper very coarse and intense. Perfectly balanced.
Mezzze Maniche Amatriciana with Tomato, Guanciale, Pecorino & Parmigiano. Very classic Amatriciana. The pasta was very chewy and al dente. Absolutely adictive texture. The Guanciale was extremely rendered and very nicely crunchy like I remember at Roscioli. There was a pleasant pork and tomato blend to the sauce. First rate.
Traditional Roman Meatballs with Baby Potatoes. This was the worst dish by a mile. Just so so meatballs and some potatoes. The tomato sauce was excellent though and you can see the nice seperation in the photo. That this was the main in a $250 dinner was a little insulting.
Sicilian Cannolo with Ricotta, Chocolate Chips, Candied Fruit & Pistachios. Great Cannoli for American. The ricotta wasn’t anywhere near as good as in Sicily but the shell was nice and crispy and the candied orange fabulous. I would have liked the fruit inserted into the cannoli but when combined it was great.
So this was a weird dinner. It basically felt like a money grab as for $250/pp it was a couple cold apps, some very basic (if excellent) pastas, and 2 meatballs! That being said the pastas were best in class Roman pastas. But the ingredients are so cheap. We are talking pasta, cheese, water, and pepper (for the cacio).
