Author Archive for agavin – Page 115
When making Ultimate Pizza fresh ingredients are one of the most crucial elements. I already went over the preparation of the Dough, the Pesto, and the Sauce. Now I’ll cover the bulk of the shopping and for toppings.
I get most of my “fancy” condiments at Bay Cities Italian Deli and Bakery. This is a convient one-stop-shop spot for all sorts of Italian (and other) goodies.
I have never been in there when they aren’t mobbed. The deli counter wait alone is usually 30-45 minutes.
They make some darn good hoagies, and they have a bit of outside seating. Even though it’s December 31 the weather is gorgeous.
I had them make a “Jersey Style” Italian Hoagie. No mayo. No mustard. Just cold cuts, provolone, and oil and vinegar. Oh and don’t forget the onions, lettuce, pepper-chinos.
I went to the Gelsons for produce. Bay cities doesn’t really have produce.
The loot nestled in the trunk. This is pizza only for five!
Dairy. Next after the dough, and possibly the olive oil, nothing is so important as the dairy. Burrata, world’s greatest fresh cheese, fresh from the local creamery. Mozzarella (balled and blocks from shredding), Creme Fraiche, Gorgonzola, Parmesan, Ricotta, Bay Cities House Blend (parm and pecorino grated), and Bucheron (very fancy goat cheese). I threw in some Egg Nog because of the season.
Some jarred and canned stuff. Anchovies (in vinegar and in oil), black truffle oil, Italian tuna, capers, roasted peppers, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, tomatoes, various compotes, jams, corn (sometimes I’ll roast it fresh but I was too busy), and more.
Polenta to use as “pizza lube” (getting it off the stones and peels). Olive Oil (single vineyard), balsamic must (the Romans used this), honey, garlic, vinegars, onion marmelade, balsamic glaze, black mission figs, marcona almonds. I have white truffle oil too, but I forgot to stick it in the photo.
Produce. Five types of mushrooms, including morels and fresh chanterelles. Basil, Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano, Chives, Dill, Sage, Cilantro, Mint, Arugala, crushed red pepper.
More produce. Italian squash. Red onion, avocado, lemons, meyer lemons, roma tomatos.
Every item needs to be prepped and put in a bowl or similar so it is accessible during the pizza making. Here is the basil. In total, this is a huge amount of work.
Mozzarella is grated.
Arugala is coated in Meyer Lemon and fresh ground pepper.
Gorgonzola crumbled.
Dried mushrooms rehydrated, fresh ones washed.
White asparagus boiled and blanched.
Vegetables chopped.
In aggregate, this prep takes 2-3 hours, even after all the shopping. The the above is just a sampling of photos.
Here is the complete spread prior to guest arrival.
This is part 3 of my comprehensive coverage of our New Years pizza making, following the article on Dough and the one on the Pesto. Upcoming will be toppings and the pizzas themselves.
Here are the ingredients. Two types of marzano tomatos from Italy. Crushed and pulped. Garlic, lemons, salt, pepper, oregano, and fresh basil.
We use this recipe from the excellent pizza making book American Pie as a basis, but wing the proportions.
Dump a bunch of stuff in, and blend. This is super easy and makes a much much fresher and better tomato sauce than any canned sauce. One could use fresh Marzanos, but they can be a bit of trouble to find.
The vat.
As a tease, here is the “pizza oven” in preparation. I have two ceramic pizza stones and I shove them in a Viking outdoor gas range. If one pre-heats an hour in advance it will get up to 800-900 degrees F — hot is good for pizzas.
Southern California, December 31, 2010. 62 Degrees and gorgeous.
At the last minute I decided to try and make some of this herb oil.
I through all sorts of herbs together, including fresh rosemary from the garden, and some garlic.
Dumped in some olive oil and stirred vigorously (picture is before the stirring). We’ll see how it tastes in a couple hours.
This is part 2 of my series on Ultimate Homemade Pizza. For Part 1 (on Dough) CLICK HERE. We prepare a lot of different toppings, including homemade pesto, which makes an excellent substitute or compliment to tomato sauce. Most toppings will have to wait for the day of, but pesto can be made a day or two in advance.
The ingredients. Fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil (fine single vineyard), and parmesan.
One can do this by hand or with the Food Processor. Today was rainy, and we felt lazy. It’s also hard work to get a really fine texture with the mortar and pestel.
All ingredients in.
Bass-o-matic! A little pepper tossed in too.
The final result. Intensely basil — and green!
This is a photo of another time when I did it the hard way. Takes some serious elbow grease.
For New Years those with toddlers tend to stay in, but we’re having friends over and making our Ultimate Homemade Pizzas. This is an involved process so I’m going to split both the prep itself and the event itself into multiple posts. We’ll begin with the dough. I’d put our pizzas up against even the likes of Mozza, and it all starts with the dough. While it doesn’t take long to make, you have to do it 48-72 hours in advance. Slow fermentation in the fridge is key to yummy dough with the right texture.
And high quality ingredients like this single vineyard olive oil.
Here is the slate of ingredients. Olive oil, two kinds of flour (more on that later), salt, ice water, and bakers yeast.
The righthand flour will be familiar, but on the left we have an essential ingredient to great Neapolitan pizza. Farina “00”. Imported from Naples. This is finer and makes a stickier dough than American flower. It’s key to a very thin crispy pizza. However, 100% “00” makes for a very thin and challenging dough — difficult to shape and maneuver. So we mix the two 50/50.
Flour, yeast, and salt go in the mixer under the “dough hook.”
The hard part is getting the consistency right is hard. You slowly add ice water.
And olive oil.
Until you can get it shaped into a big alien cocoon-like blob. It takes some practice.
Then you flour up the board.
Do some serious whacking of the dough to break up the glutens.
Then slice and ball.
The waiting pizza larve.
We wrap them up in plastic wrap and toss them into the fridge for 2-3 days. The cool temperature retards the fermentation of the dough, slowing it down to allow nice small bubbles to form. When the time comes, I take them out of the fridge two hours before baking time to warm them up.
Restaurant: Botin
Location: Madrid Spain
Date: July 1, 2010
Cuisine: Classic Spanish
At the end of our month in Spain we wanted to hit up a totally traditional Spanish place for our final dinner. This place in Madrid claims to be the “oldest restaurant in the world.” True or not, it does serve a narrow but good menu of traditional Spanish fare. And this means pig — lots of pig!
The storefront in the heart of old Madrid.
The speciality of the house is roast baby piglet. They told me they go through 50-60 complete pigs a night! You can see them lined up in their terrines waiting for the ovens.
Oink oink!
Their fiery doom.
“The 2007 Les Terrasses is the same blend as the Camins cuvee but entirely sourced from old vines. It spent 12 months in 20% new French oak. Aromas of mineral, Asian spices, espresso, black cherry, and black raspberry lead to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, smooth-textured wine. Savory, moderately structured, and approachable, it may evolve for 1-2 years but can be enjoyed now and over the next 6-8 years.” Parker gives it a 92.
The building sure looks old.
This traditional Gazpacho was very good — and included the tray of “additives” (cucumber, tomato, crouton). Even I — a consummate raw tomato hater — loved it.
Pimientos Rojos with Boquerones in Vinegar. I love this dish. Anchovies have a bad rap here in the states, but these fresh Spanish ones are amazing. I love the vinegary tang, and the contrast with the marinated peppers. Yum!
Here is the pig in the foreground — with potatoes — the Spanish love meat and potatoes. In the background is roasted lamb shoulder.
The lamb plated. Smokey, rich and tender. The piggy was someone else’s, after looking at the little pigs I just couldn’t bring myself to chow down on one. I didn’t see the lamb. Bah!
Perfect flan for dessert. Rich custardy goodness and sweet dark carmel.
The funky old school Spanish decor.
the register certainly looks antique.
The cellar.
By the entrance, where they keep the olives they put on the table, is this sad little photo of babe.
Layered between our obsessive holiday restaurant forays we did sandwich in a little home cooked meal. As the main course was lasagne I reached into the cellar and pulled out some Italian.
Parker gives this Barolo a 93, “The 1997 Carobric, also tasted from magnum, presents a more evolved set of flavors including tobacco, earthiness and over-ripe, cooked fruit. Though it shows excellent length it is the wine that most clearly reflects the adverse conditions of the hot vintage in its wilted, somewhat tired quality. 90/Anticipated maturity: 2006-2012.”
Parker gives this one 90, “The 2000 Barolo Bricco Rocche is fragrant with important aromas of roses, anisette, and cinnamon. Polished and elegant in style, it benefits from the additional freshness and continuity provided by the sensations of mint and tobacco on its lingering finish. Drink: 2005-2016.”
This second was smokier than the Carobric.
A little Campari and soda was also in order, with fresh blood orange from one of our trees.
As we cooked (and drank) this 2 year old vermont cheddar was enjoyed by all — including my 2 year old.
The lasagne in the oven. We wanted a vegetarian Lasagne Bolognese, so the “meat” is actually soy. In searching low and high for some fake meat that actually tastes decent — the Boca was the best we found. By making a from scratch Bolognese sauce with the fake meat, it inherits a more complex flavor and does a decent job pretending.
Nicely browned.
Salad, with apples, mushrooms, and walnuts.
Dressing, a lemon vinagrete made with meyer lemons.
Some Broccoli Rabe, blanched, then sauteed with garlic and peppers.
Finished up.
And a fruit salad to finish. The grapefruits were from our tree too.
Title: The Spirit Thief
Author: Rachel Aaron
Genre: Light Fantasy
Read: Dec 7-16, 2010
Summary: Ethereal fun.
Between a trip back east, mega editing on my own book, and another parental visit last week I only had time to read five or so novels in December, about a quarter of my usual rate.
Don’t confuse this fun little book with The Lightning Thief, which I also just read and reviewed. The SPIRIT Thief straddles a fairly unique line between totally straight up 80s fantasy and comedic fantasy the likes of River of Dancing Gods or Myth Conceptions. It’s not however as totally comic as those, and somehow seems a bit smaller and lighter (if that’s possible).
The voice is very good, and the opening scene brilliant. There’s a nice new magic system here, where every living thing has a spirit inside that wizards can bargin with, enslave, or what not. Like comedy fantasy Shinto. It’s not entirely evenly developed, but the book is at its best during the magic fights. Although they do have a certainly sketchy quality too them, where the action doesn’t feel entirely blocked out, but I still liked quite a bit of this. The master swordsmen are really nicely done, combining the intrinsic magic of the book with a slightly Robert Jordan-esque blade-master feel. There were moments that almost felt super cool.
The prose can be very wry, in a good way. Funny, without laugh out loud. A lot of this involves attributing emotion to inanimate objects, which given the magical system is perfectly in line. When it’s on, this is certainly very fun to read. But at the same time this levity makes it hard to take the characters too seriously, and certainly not their perils. So it works for and against. I found oddly marooned in a peculiar — albiet unique — tone.
For some reason it also reminded me a bit of Shattered World, one of my high school favorites. Probably because the protagonists is a thief. I maybe wanted it to feel more like that, but it doesn’t feel as big. Everything takes place in a fairly short time and place, and the stakes seem a little local. The light tone also works against the emotional intensity of the characters, and I for the most part feel that they existed to either service the plot, or like the author was more sure of their personality than the character. The villain in particular is of the “i’m very bad, and very mad, and bad at being mad” sort.
So overall I would call the book a snack. But a tasty one.
Restaurant: The Palace
Location: 11701 Wilshire Blvd, Second Floor, Los Angeles, CA. 310-979-3377.
Date: Dec 25, 2010
Cuisine: Chinese Dimsum
As we don’t celebrate Christmas, and very few restaurants are open, Chinese is a long standing tradition. These days we go to Dim Sum. For those of you who have lived in a culinary hole for the last couple decades, Dim Sum is a Cantonese brunch tradition in which tasty little delectables are served on carts. Dim Sum is hard to find on the westside, and this particular place recently changed owners and names. It’s actually slightly better in its current incarnation, although they may offer less items at current. This is a pretty traditional or classic implementation of the cuisine. Last month I reviewed Ping Pong in Washington DC which offered a more expensive but updated variant.
This, for example, is the “fried stuff” cart.
And this young lady is organizing some of the “steamed stuff” carts.
There are condiments too. Vinegar, Chinese mustard, hot sauce, soy sauce, and tea — which isn’t really a condiment but is certainly present at every Chinese meal I’ve ever had.
We don’t go in so much for the fried, but these are shrimp and scallop rolls with sesame seeds.
Shrimp and scallop dumplings (pounded rice batter) with cilantro.
Vegetarian dumplings shaped like Hamantash.
One of my favorites — and readily available. Pork shumai.
Another classic, Har Gow. These are shrimp pockets. They are very light. Dim Sum is also often VERY hot in a physical sense. Seared oral tissue is a significant hazard.
Shrimp, scallop, and some other green.
Shrimp and scallop. You may notice a trend.
Curried shrimp balls. This is shrimp chopped up, reconstituted, and covered in curry sauce.
Tofo stuffed with vegetables. Surprisingly tasty.
Another classic, sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf.
Inside is a blob of rice filled with various bits of meat, vegetable, and egg.
These are pork “crepes” (ripe noodles). As I’ve been eating Dim Sum for over 30 years, as kids we used to call this “slime” (we meant it as a compliment). It has a jiggly consistency. I still love it. They come in various “flavors,” this one being “pork slime.” “Shrimp slime” is also ver popular. The sauce is a somewhat sweet soy.
Steamed pork buns. These fluffy rice flower buns are stuffed with a red tinted BBQ pork. Essentially they are BBQ pork sandwiches.
For desert pineapple bun. These buttery pastries are stuffed with a very yolky egg custard.
Same place, new sign. This is solid Dim Sum. I’ve certainly had better, but in LA you have to travel pretty far east for amazing Dim Sum. The current chef also makes some really really good “soup dumplings,” but they ran out on Christmas eve and none were available. We were crushed. Four of us also pigged out (or maybe shrimped out) for $67.
Restaurant: Red Medicine [1, 2, 3]
Location: 8400 Wilshire Blvd. Beverly Hills, Ca. 90211. 323-651-6500.
Date: Dec 22, 2010
Cuisine: Modernized Vietnamese
Rating: Pretty awesome!
I’m a loyal reader of Kevin Eats and two weeks ago when he posted an opening night review of a new Vietnamese inspired restaurant named Red Medicine I instantly knew I had to go. Boy am I glad I did. I love good traditional Vietnamese for its intricate flavor palette (see my review here). This new place takes it to a new level, updating and modernizing. This is highly innovative stuff — at least when you consider the sea of Japanese and Italian clones that overwhelm our fair city.
Vietnamese is tough stuff to pair with red wine, but a Grand Cru Burgundy is soft and fruity enough to manage. Parker gives this one 93 points and says, “I loved the sweet cassis aromas of the 2002 Echezeaux as well as its powerful, intense, syrupy personality. Medium to full-bodied and gorgeously ripe, it bastes the palate with thick black fruit flavors. In addition, this wine reveals great depth and a lengthy, fruit-packed finish. Projected maturity: 2007-2017.”
The menu. This is all small dishes (the way I like it). We ordered 12 savories and 3 deserts for 4 people and that was about perfect.
“KELLEY’S MOM’S FARM EGG / brassicas, pickled rose hips, chili, fried garlic, boiled peanuts, lovage.” This dish typifies what the chef’s are doing here. It mixes all sorts of flavors, and a lot of fresh herbs, vegetables, and pickled vegetables. The peanuts were those large soft Asian ones and this egg was so soft it ended up in the dish like egg noodles. The overall flavor was salty and herby — and delicious. Plus HOT. Those red peppers were a bit of surprise, but a pleasant burn.
“fluke cured with lime leaf, radishes, charred cucumber, pine needle.” This was another very interesting flavor combo. Hot again (there are serrano peppers in there) and strong notes of basil and pickle. Delicious!
“BEEF / fermented soy bean, bacon XO, chinese eggplant, purple cabbage, celery stem, nuoc cham.” The beef and eggplant had an intense charred flavor, like filet minion BBQ or something. The purple cabbage paired with it like a kind of Asian variant on the cole slaw one might have with Southern BBQ. Wow.
“CHICKEN DUMPLINGS / caramelized sugar, pork fat, lemongrass, confitures.” The elements (chicken, mint, pickles, scallions, sauce) are combined on a lettuce leaf as shown below. I nabbed a healthy blast of the red stuff. Hot again!
Other than the heat, this wasn’t as strongly flavored as the other dishes (and I like strong). It was good, but not as good.
“kabocha, burnt onion, chinese sausage, chrysanthemum, creme fraiche.” This was basically BBQ squash with yoghurt and sweet BBQ sauce. It was really good.
“kohlrabi, tofu cream, grapefruit, fish sauce, lettuces, sunchokes.” This was my least favorite dish of the night. Again, not bad, not just not as exciting. It was cool and refreshing.
“BEEF TARTARE / mustard leaf, water chestnut, spicy herbs, nuoc leo, chlorophyll.” Under the green is the beef tartare. You shovel it on the garlic rice crackers. It was incredible. Not intense, but a lovely flavor.
My brother enjoys some of the squash.
“WILD STRIPED BASS / brown butter-soy milk, verbena, pomelo, raw chestnut, lettuce stems.” This very nicely cooked fish was bathing in this garlicky butter sauce. Nice too, but pretty rich.
“CRISPY SPRING ROLL / dungeness crab, calamansi, pea pods, fines herbs, chili.” Excellent varient on the crispy spring roll tradition. I liked the creamy bits of sauce.
Red Medicine has a very nice list of sweet whites, including many from Zind Humbrecht. They have a $25 corkage (normal enough), but if you buy a bottle they waive it totally. So I bought this nice riesling for $55 and essentially it cost me $5 (I saved 2 corkages). This is probably a 92-93 point Spatlese. Its apricot and pear sweetness did pair perfectly with the food.
“‘BANH MI’ / foie gras, pate de campagne.” Wow these were good. The fois meshed nicely with the bit of serrano, the pickles etc.
“PORK / caramelized black vinegar and honey, prunes, sorrel, dried almond.” This was a tremendous BBQ pork. The fluffy stuff is almond poppy seed puff rice. It mostly added texture and a vague nuttiness. The pork however was incredibly soft, the sauce almost mole like. The net affect was a pit like South Carolina pulled pork without the vinegar.
“DUCK / 5-spice, charred frisee, chicory, tamarind syrup, grains of paradise.” This duck was also awesome, like confit — or maybe it was confit.
The open kitchen. The place was packed too, even on a holiday Wednesday, after having been open a mere two weeks.
The pastry chef here is world class.
“COCONUT BAVAROIS / coffee, condensed milk, thai basil, peanut croquant, chicory.” This was fantastic. All sorts of interesting textures (check out those fish eye looking things), and a soft taste of coffee, a good dose of peanut butter — and basil!
“LEMONGRASS POTS DE CREME / sweet potato, orange blossom, red bull, bergamot.” Creme Brulee basically, but lemongrass! Unusualy, but excellent.
“BITTER CHOCOLATE / kecap manis, oats, pear, parsnip,brown butter.” This was also good, crunchy, drier — pretty.
I’m very excited about this place and its new flavors. I’ll head back soon. I hope, though, that they switch up the menu with great regularity. Not that what is there isn’t great, but it would seem a waste to stagnate this kind of creativity.
For a second meal at Red Medicine (different dishes for the most part), see HERE.
Location: 12400 Wilshire Blvd Ste 150 (South Carmelina Avenue) Los Angeles, CA 90025, (310) 820-3596
Date: December 21, 2010
Cuisine: Japanese
Rating: Excellent as always.
For the second time in a week we went back to Sasabune, one of my favorite Sushi joints. I have blogged in detail about it before, but this time I have a real smorgasborg of options.
Fresh real Wasabe and pickled ginger await us on the table.
First I’ll show the $18 Lunch special.
It includes 3 pieces of sushi. Maguro (Tuna), Salmon, Hamachi (Yellowtail).
Salad and Miso soup.
A choice of bowl. This is the Tuna bowl.
Shiro Maguro (Albacore) bowl is a different option.
The incomparable Blue crab handroll finishes (each lunch gets one).
Those that enjoyed this more minimalist option (not me, my faithful readers now that I’m a maximalist), ordered some extra sets of sushi like…
Hotatagai (scallop). These raw Japanese sea scallops with yuzu juice, salt, and green pepper are devine. The yuzu provides a delicious snap and the texture is soft and buttery.
Next up on the chain of gluttony is the “Normal Omakase.” This can be customized, so the depicted version has no shellfish.
Albacore shashmi to start.
And when two or more people do the Omakase they often bring multiple shashimis to share. Baby tuna sashimi.
Blue fin Toro (tuna belly) and tuna in a sweet sauce. The toro is melt in your mouth soft.
Ono and halibut in tangy sauces.
Scottish salmon and premium Japanese yellowtail. The salmon has a traditional bit of seaweed/kelp on it, and sesame seeds.
Tai (Red Snapper) and Pampano Fish.
Albacore belly and Kampachi (Amberjack). The albacore has a slightly sweet sauce.
Seared Butterfish in a slightly sweet soy sauce.
Yellowtail handroll. Normally the Omakase would include the blue crab handroll, but as this was no shellfish…
If one is feeling really out there. The Japanese Omakase — this was me.
Pan shell or razorback clam sashimi. Yuzu/pepper paste, and 10,000 year old sea salt.
Blue fin Toro (tuna belly) and tuna in a sweet sauce.
Japanese Mackerel with shiso leaf and Tai (red snapper). Both in a tangy vinegar sauce.
Oysters, dynamite on the left and raw with a little vinegar and spicy radish on the right.
Scottish salmon and premium Japanese yellowtail.
Sweet shrimp and Japanese Scallop.
Uni (Sea Urchin) and Ikura (Salmon Egg). The Uni was from Santa Barbara, and delectably sweet. The Ikura popped in the mouth — little blasts of salty/fishy (in a good way).
Orange Clam with yuzu and Giant Clam with shiso leaf. I love Shiso leaf.
Again the Blue Crab handroll.
Now that was some good sushi.
Restaurant: Rustic Canyon [1, 2, 3, 4]
Location: 1119 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, Ca 90401. 310-393-7050
Date: Dec 20, 2010
Cuisine: Farmer’s Market Californian
When I first moved out to California in the early 90s LA cuisine was typified by Asian influences and whacky fusions — all of which I enjoyed. In recent years fusion has become more subtle — and more prevalent — and more and more top restaurants have become ingredient driven. Those whose chefs have a knack are really good, and Rustic Canyon is one of them. My review of a previous meal is here.
Another gem from my cellar. Parker gives this 95. “Another unbelievably rich, multidimensional, broad-shouldered wine, with slightly more elegance and less weight than the powerhouse 1996, this gorgeously proportioned, medium to full-bodied, fabulously ripe, rich, cassis-scented and flavored Grand-Puy-Lacoste is a beauty. It should be drinkable within 4-5 years, and keep for 25-30. This classic Pauillac is a worthy rival to the other-worldly 1996. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2025. Wow! What extraordinary wines Grand-Puy-Lacoste has produced in both 1995 and 1996. At present, I have a marginal preference for the blockbuster 1996, but I am not about to argue with anybody who prefers the 1995! Both are compelling wines.”
The menu here changes daily. Very little is the same as the last time I visited and reviewed.
Like in Spain, olives on the table.
“Squash blossoms, goat cheese and mint.” Fry is always good. This is a Roman dish, specifically, it’s a Jewish Roman dish that’s centuries old — and it’s still great.
“coleman farms lettuces pickled shallots, parmigiano-reggiano, mustard vinaigrette.” Tasted more like pizza than salad!
“panzanella hierloom tomatoes, green olives, red onion, country bread, arugula.”
“ricotta gnocchi braised duck ragu, parmigiano-reggiano.” These melted in the mouth, and were as good as a similar dish at any Italian joint.
“niman ranch burger sharp cheddar, onion fondue, bread and butter pickles, herb remoulade 18 hand-cut french fries.”
“niman ranch pork chop roasted pears, pancetta, porcini, sage.”
“niman ranch burger, breakfast style. With confit bacon, sunny side-up egg, hash brown, tilamook cheddar, 18 hand-cut french fries.”
Zoom in here for the heart stopping view.
If you read regularly, you’ll have seen this favorite before. Parker gives this 96. “Beaucastel has been on a terrific qualitative roll over the last four vintages, and the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape (which Francois Perrin feels is similar to the 1990, although I don’t see that as of yet) is a 15,000-case blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the balance split among the other permitted varietals of the appellation. This inky/ruby/purple-colored cuvee offers a classic Beaucastel bouquet of new saddle leather, cigar smoke, roasted herbs, black truffles, underbrush, and blackberry as well as cherry fruit. It is a superb, earthy expression of this Mourvedre-dominated cuvee. Full-bodied and powerful, it will undoubtedly close down over the next several years, not to re-emerge for 7-8 years. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.”
The desert menu.
Coffee ice cream, more like gelato.
“Pear ginger sundae, pear riesling sorbet, gingerbread crumbs, caramel sauce.” Not your classic sundae. The pear sorbet and the breadcrumbs tasted like pear pie. The creamy looking stuff was more a creme fraiche than a whipped cream. Overall delicious.
“Passion fruit posset, creme fraiche whipped cream, toasted pistachios.” Tasted like passion fruit pudding. I love passion fruit.
Again Rustic Canyon proves it’s chops. And Ron Howard was there too.
Restaurant: Chan Dara
Location: 11940 W. Pico Blvd. (1/2 blk East of Bundy) West Los Angeles, CA 90064Phone: 310 479-4461
Date: December 19, 2010
Cuisine: Thai
Rating: Very good modernized Thai
Chan Dara is one of those funny places that doesn’t exactly fit the model of the traditional ethnic joint (which food-wise, it is). It has a bit more decor than the typical Thai place might, and it has a full bar and TVs running the game. But basically, this is a well run and reliable Thai restaurant with a big menu. Going with the decor, things are a little more Americanized, which is fine for most of my fellow diners, as a very traditional Thai place can be VERY spicy and/or use a lot of fish sauce.
Red wine doesn’t really go with Thai. My last bottle of this drier riesling. To me it tastes like flowers. “Lush lime scents are found in the delightful aromatics of the 1998 Riesling Cuvee Theo. This is a well-structured, pure, suave, concentrated, dense, yet elegant wine. Loads of spices, minerals, and fresh, crisp white fruits can be found in this chewy textured, medium-bodied offering. Projected maturity: 2002-2008.”
The very reliable chicken and beef satay. I love the juicy beef satay here. The sweet/spicy peanut sauce is great too, and the pickles.
“Saigon,” roles. These soft rice crepe rolls are stuffed with various veggies. It’s all in the sweet sauce though.
Tom-Yum-Goong. The classic chili, lemongrass broth with mushrooms and shrimp. Given the cold and rainy day a little soup hit the spot.
Crispy Veggie rolls. My toddler’s favorite — well if you discount the rice crackers.
The sides for the coming dish.
Beef kabob on fire.
And here is the fire. They dump some Bacardi 151 on top and light. Despite the show, the meat is wonderfully tender and has a great flavor.
Vegetarian pad Thai, with steamed tofu. This dish has the slightly exotic sweet/fishy tang that it is supposed to.
Pineapple duck curry. I love red currys, and this one is particularly good. Chunks of dark duck meat combine with the pinapple into a sweet/savory blend. Just a little heat (Chan Dara is a VERY mild Thai joint), but a lot of flavor.
Mango Salmon with cashews. You can also see the coconut rice. Asian white rice is great, but a little coconut makes it even better. Then drench it in some red curry.
As usual, I ate too much.
Restaurant: Tavern [1, 2, 3, 4]
Location: 11648 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049. (310) 806-6464
Date: Dec 19, 2010
Cuisine: Market driven Californian
Rating: Not just your typical short order brunch — but better.
The weather is terrible (for LA), 58 and rainy, so brunch. Tavern has a nice glassed in patio.
And cappuccino.
The menu.
My son liked the fish and chips.
Pumpkin waffles.
The Tavern take on the east coast fish breakfast, like we had at the ThanksGavin. They substituted a chevre (fresh goat cheese) for the cream cheese. This worked extremely well, I think I’m going to try it at home.
Turkey burger.
The Tavern eggs benedict: prosciutto, frisse, brioche, Meyer lemon Hollandaise. A very good variant on the classic, only subtlety tweaked.
Carmel salt macaroon.
Check out some other Tavern meals of mine HERE, HERE, or HERE.
Restaurant: Osteria Latini [1, 2, 3]
Location: 11712 San Vicente Blvd.Brentwood, CA 90049 310.826.9222
Date: Dec 03, 2010
Cuisine: Italian
As I mentioned last time, Osteria Latini is a reliable and reasonable neighborhood Italian. It proved that yet again.
From my cellar. Parker gives it 91 points. “The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino is a fresh, vibrant offering bursting with dark cherries, violets, underbrush, minerals and sweet toasted oak on a medium-bodied frame. The wine reveals terrific balance in an energetic, focused style, with firm yet ripe tannins. The finish is long, clean and refreshing. This is a gorgeous effort from Loacker. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2019.”
Tomato, basil, goat cheese.
“ARTICHOKE SALAD, Marinated thin sliced artichokes, heart of palm and parmesan in a lemon dressing.”
“INSALATA BELLA, Arrugola, Pears, sun dried cherries, pine nuts, goat cheese and Parmesan.”
A special, calimari steak stuffed with lump crabmeat and drizzled in ponzu sauce. This is unusual, and certainly has a bit of fusion about it — but it’s good.
“BEET SALAD, Diced red beets, endive, pine nuts, walnuts, dried cherries and goat cheese.” This is Latini variant on this now ubiquitous dish.
Another special, “duck prosciutto with gorgonzola sauce. The duck has a very nice smokey flavor.
Branzino, roasted whole with a lemon butter sauce. They took it away to filet.
“PENNE ARRABBIATA , Penne rigate with spicy marinara sauce, garlic, olive oil and parsley.”
“RISOTTO DI ARAGOSTA, Sautéed with lobster, light marinara sauce and white wine.” I got this again because I love lobster and i love risotto,
“CHICKEN MILANESE OR PARMIGGIANA, Pounded and breaded. Sautéed with marinara and mozzarella cheese.” This chicken must have been the size of Godzilla. It’s lightly breaded, sauced, and has both parmesan and mozzarella.
Special pasta, spaghetti, salmon, zucchini, and tomato.
Here is the sea bass.
The chef brought some out in their raw form to show us.
This mixture of prosecco, lemon sorbetto, and meringue is very refreshing.
Restaurant: Houstons
Location: 202 Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 576-7558
Date: December 17, 2010
Cuisine: American
Rating: Solid High-end Chain American
As any reader can probably tell, I’m not too big on chain restaurants. Frankly I consider the Olive Garden, Outback, Claim Jumper ilk to be demonic evil blights on the face of American cuisine. There are, however, a few high end chains that serve their purposes. Houstons is one of them. Although a tad over priced, its not bad for a chain.
The menu.
Their wine list is all American. While I’m a huge patriot and a grand believer in our role as the best genuine republic since the Roman Republic, our wines our too by the book. Certainly the case with this pinot, over oaked, and just not a burgundy.
Clam chowder. I am a fan of well done American food. Houston’s clam chowder used to be better. It used to be loaded with cream and have butter floating on top. It’s still good, but they lightened it up. In case you’re curious, it’s my opinion that clam chowder is descended from the classic Irish peasant soup that combined cream and potatoes — in ready supply in Ireland. New England — and this is New England chowder — is full of Irish. Go figure.
Fish of the day, livened up with cheese and fried shrimp.
They have a very good veggie burger. Not one of those soy patties. The fries aren’t awful either.
The fish sandwich. The slaw is really good too.
Or you could go with cous cous. They mix in a lot of good stuff there, almonds, mint etc.
Maryland lump crab-cakes. Yum! I love blue crab. These were quiet good, with a buttery mustard sauce.
And the apple praline nut crumble — ala mode. The nuts are glazed and delicious. There isn’t that much apple, but the candied nuts and ice cream alone is enough.
So when one wants a reliable quick American fix, Houstons isn’t a bad choice. Still, I’d take the smaller chain Coastal Flats, but that isn’t on this coast.
Restaurant: Mizu 212
Location: 2000 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025 (310)478-8979
Date: December 17, 2010
Cuisine: Japanese Shabu Shabu
Rating: Best Shabu Shabu in town
Shabu Shabu is a form of Japanese cuisine where various meats and vegetables are cooked table side in boiling broth. Literally the name means “swish swish” for the sound the food makes as it is swished in the boiling water. In Japan one might get the impression that Shabu Shabu, like all Japanese culinary specialties, has been an inherited tradition since neolithic times, but in fact it entered the vocabulary only during World War II. Japanese soldiers in China encountered the ubiquitous Mongolian Hot Pot. But the Japanese are nothing if not masters at the art of culinary assimilation. They have a special ability to take the dishes of others and make them uniquely their own.
Mizu 212 is one of many excellent Japanese restaurants on Sawtelle. They do only Shabu Shabu and it’s all organic.
Each seat has a little hot plate.
On which is installed the pot of broth.
Hot green tea.
Part of the allure of shabu shabu are the sauces. The sesame sauce on the left and the ponzu on the right. The sesame sauce — like the cuisine itself — is borrowed from China. Loosely the sesame is for meat, and the ponzu is for veggies. But the unmodified sauces are just the beginning.
These are the basic condiments. From left to right: Chili oil, scallions, daikon radish, chili powder, and in front garlic!
The sesame gets a huge dose of garlic, as does the ponzu. But the ponzu also gets scallions and radish — and garlic.
There are also the advanced condiments, available on request. Both really help the ponzu shine. The yuzu on the left (juice from a Japanese lime) adds zest, and the chili is HOT! In a perfect kind of green hot. I find that red chili hot doesn’t go so well with shabu shabu — but green does.
The finished sauces.
And the actual food arrives. The vegetable plate. All sorts of organic goodness, plus some tofu and udon noodles.
The beef. This is a large plate of vintage aged beef. Mizu actually has about half a dozen meat options, including two different types of Kobe beef, plus chicken, lamb, and numerous types of fish. But beef is traditional.
The pot after a few rounds of veggies are added. Part of the key here is to cook each thing for just the appropriate length of time..
The beef cooks very quickly.
Swish, swish and voila!
Finished. Slather in the garlicky mizu and enjoy.
After all the cooking the meat fats are about all that’s left. Not so appealing.
The remains. There is a endless rice too. After you remove meat or vegetables from the broth, and dip it in one or the other sauces you can rest it to cool on the rice. That way, by the end the rice has become nicely saturated with sauce and fat.
As loyal (and repeat customers) we were treated to a round of homemade blood orange sorbet at the end. Yum!
Rows of other customers enjoying their private feasts. Not only is this meal good, and reasonably healthy, but it entertains too.
Location: 1429 Abbot Kinney Blvd, CA 90291. (310) 250-1429
Date: December 16, 2010
Cuisine: New Californian
Rating: Everything just tastes great!
My parents flew into town but their flight was four hours late so we needed to find dinner after 10pm. This can actually be a problem on the westside, but it turns out that Gjelina serves until midnight! Now Gjelina has gotten lots of rave reviews, and for good reason. It’s also one of our favorite lunch spots. They serve fairly casual fare, American with all sorts of influences, and most things are farmer’s market driven. The kitchen is just really good — so everything tastes great. The menu changes constantly.
“Squash-Farro-Kale Soup with Grilled Bread.”
“Charred Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Dates & Vinegar.” One of the things about Gjelina is that they can make even vegetables incredibly delicious — yes I’m a bit of a carnivore. These brussel sprouts aren’t bitter at all, and the thick chunks of smokey bacon (more pancetta really) are incredible.
“Lamb Sausage, Confit Tomato, Rapini, Pecorino & Asiago Pizza.” They make great pizzas too. These are very thin neo-neo Neapolitan pizzas baked very fast in a wood wire oven. The crust is very crispy, and there is a strong charcoal grill taste. This one has a nice cheesy, herby flavor offset with the very yummy lamb sausage.
“Wood Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic, Chili & Vinegar.” Another example of the unusually yummy vegetables. This cauliflower has a nice double tang, vinegar and chili. Crunch Zing!
“Grilled Radicchio, Bacon, Fontina & Tomato Confit Pizza.” Another great pizza. The bacon makes it of course.
“Potato Gnocchi with a Short Rib Ragout & Pecorino.” Melt in your mouth.
“Charred Niman Hanger Steak with Watercress-Horseradish Pesto, Red Onion & Piquillo.”
Inside they have both regular and communal tables, and outside they have a fantastic patio. It was pretty crowded at 11pm, with down tempo blaring on the speakers. Even on a chilly December LA night (roughly 50 degrees) the fire pit and heat lamp made me take off my jacket. Serious LA ambiance — and food!
Restaurant: Melisse [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Location: 1104 Wilshire Blvd.Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 395-0881
Date: December 15, 2010
Cuisine: California French
Rating: Awesome. Top of its game!
My foodie friend EP wanted to do a final Foodie Club night before he left for year end vacation so we hastily (24 hours) gathered a few like-minded gluttons. It took a bit of calling to find someplace that had space and was willing to allow the mega tasting menu on short notice. This same group had gone to Melisse last March, and we arranged to return. Chef Josiah Citrin promised to mix it up, and do something extreme. We were game! (hint hint) The result is this modified Carte Blanche Menu ++ special edition.
The first amuse is a Melisse staple. Grapes two ways. Out of the spoon are half grapes coated in goat cheese and pistachio. On the spoon sphereized grapes dusted with pistachio. The first has a nice contrast of the sharp cheese and the fruit, the second is an explosion of grapeness.
There were four of us, and I had brought 3 bottles of red, but the Sommelier wisely suggested I pick a white off the list to start. Knowing the chef I opted for this Chablis. I love good Chablis. Parker gives this one a 93. “The Dauvissats’ 2006 Chablis La Forest (a.k.a. “La Foret” a.k.a. “La Forets”) smells effusively of peony, citrus, and peach. It is strikingly bitter-sweet in its alternation of peach and citrus with peach kernel-like cyanic bitterness; displays deep chalkiness; and finishes with amazing grip and length. Past the nose, this is one of the least generous of 2006 Chablis, being remarkably tight and for a young 2006, but very impressively concentrated. The 2005 rendition was almost severe in its concentration, yet also very impressive. It should merit following for 10-12 years, and is probably best rested for a year or two. The 1999 tastes glorious, and youthful today; the still almost sharply-citric 1996, like liquid chalk and white truffle.
Vincent Dauvissat’s 2006s were finished with both alcoholic fermentation and malolactic transformation by January. Overall – and particularly in the Grand Cru range – Dauvissat’s 2005s are marginally less exciting than his 2006s, and in certain instances, surprisingly, more opulent and exotically ripe. In both recent vintages, Dauvissat’s wines (even the generics) are pushing 14% alcohol, although in tasting the 2006s in particular, you’d never guess this.”
And there is perhaps nothing better in the world to pair Chablis with than a bit of oyster. This “Carsbad Del Sol Oyster, Finger Limes and Chives” was as Chef Citrin called it, “essence of oyster.” Dominated by a pleasant brininess, like early morning at the sea side. This is not for everyone, but if you are a seafood lover like me. Oh boy. And the mineral tones of the Chablis just sang with it.
Next up is this “Hokkaido Scallop, Santa Barbara uni, Cauliflower, Lemon.” Pretty isn’t it? The scallop was luscious, but the uni was to die for. Not even a hint of fishy, it had a rich nutty tone. I was temped to lick the dish.
Because this is such a delightfully elaborate (aka EPIC) meal, I’m going to show the sequential presentation of many dishes. This “Artichoke soup, Parmesan Fritters, white truffle” begins with the solid ingredients. There is a bit of relish underneath the fritter.
Then the soup is added. The soup itself was the perfect infusion of cream and artichoke. Every spoonful counjured up the vegetable. The fritter was a little cheese explosion. Bravo!
No trip to Melisse would be complete without the classic, “Egg Caviar, Lemon Creme Fraiche, American Osetra Caviar.” It’s a classic for a reason. The Creme Fraiche is so good, and there is raw egg yolk at the bottom. Amazing combo, particularly with the little toast stick.
We killed the Chablis during that round of “starters” and it was time to move onto this bad boy. The 1991 Hermitage La Pavillon! 100 points of perfection. “This is a Le Pavilion of mythical proportions. Produced from extremely old vines, some dating from the mid-nineteenth century, with yields averaging under 15 hectoliters per hectare, this is the richest, most concentrated and profound wine made in Hermitage. The 1991 Ermitage Le Pavilion follows the pattern of the 1989 and 1990-it is another perfect wine. The saturated black/purple color is followed by a compelling bouquet of spices, roasted meats, and black and red fruits. Enormously concentrated yet with brilliant focus and delineation to its awesomely endowed personality, this extraordinary wine should age effortlessly for three plus decades. Very powerful and full, yet displaying silky tannin, this is a seamless beauty! Anticipated maturity: 2001-2035.”
And the bread arrives. I went for a piece of bacon, and a basil brioche.
“Seared Foie Gras & Pheasant Consomme, Foie Gras Agnolotti, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Shiso Infused Pheasant Consomme.”
The soup is added. The ingredients themselves were great. But it was the broth that was mind boggling. Combining the rich taste of pheasant, with the bits of fat melted off the fois in the consomme, with the bright tones of the Shiso (a leaf I adore, in the mint family). Oh my. It was incredible. It reminded me of the broth from the Urwasawa meal we had 10 months ago.
And the hits keep on rolling. “Santa Barbara Ridge back Prawn, Pummelo, Shellfish Jus.” The sweet meat of this puppy meshed perfectly with the citrus butter tang of the sauce. I had to use the remains of my bread to mop it all up.
What is an epic French meal during truffle season without some fresh white truffles!
“White Truffle Risotto, Carnaroli Rice, Mascarpone, Shaved White Truffles.” There is a little Risotto under that sea of truffle foam. It had a nice soft cheesiness to offset the delicate Umami flavors of the truffles.
Now we’ve killed half a bottle each and it’s time to go bordeaux. Parker gives this 96 points. “What sumptuous pleasures await those who purchase either the 1996 or 1995 Pichon-Lalande. It is hard to choose a favorite, although the 1995 is a smoother, more immediately sexy and accessible wine. It is an exquisite example of Pichon-Lalande with the Merlot component giving the wine a coffee/chocolatey/cherry component to go along with the Cabernet Sauvignon’s and Cabernet Franc’s complex blackberry/cassis fruit. The wine possesses an opaque black/ruby/purple color, and sexy, flamboyant aromatics of pain grille, black fruits, and cedar. Exquisite on the palate, this full-bodied, layered, multidimensional wine should prove to be one of the vintage’s most extraordinary success stories. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2020. The 1995/1996 vintages are two of the greatest back to back efforts Pichon-Lalande has ever produced, including the 1982/1983 vintages.”
Erick and Simon are starting to show the wear and tear of the evening’s pleasures.
“Eastern Tile Fish ‘Amadai’, Kohlrabi, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Carrots, Cucumber Infused Consomme.”
As the consomme went down the sensuous summer smell of cucumber wafted back at us. The fish was perfectly done, but it was the consomme that I really found marvelous here.
And now for the main event. Two roasted Scottish Woodcocks!
“Scottish Woodcock, Truffled Brioche, Navet, Sauce Perigourdine.”
After saucing. In the front is a bit of breast on the brioche, at the back half the head and beak, and on the right the thigh and leg (and claw). First of all, the sauce had this rich truffle quality that was just outstanding. Then the breast was a perfect medium rare example of poultry at its finest. Chef Citrin informed us that these puppies had been aging for 3 or 4 weeks! It was wonderfully gamey. Seriously gamey. Intensely gamey. The thigh had a rare almost bloody quality. But oh so good.
Chef Citrin shows us off an example of the bird (he’s the white sleeved arms). Wild caught in Scotland. He personally plucked the feathers on ours.
I have to show off the remains because you can see the bird brain a bit better. That long sticky thing by the knife is the beak, and there the skull with half the brain. We were pressured into sucking on the brain, some of us with more gusto than others (Erick!). It had a rich taste, not unlike bone marrow.
The game goes into overtime with the final savory, “Venison Loin, Juniper-Praline Yam, Chanterelles, Chickory, Poivrade Sauce.”
Sauced. This venison was perfect, incredibly tender and flavorful. The Yam was like a desert, incredible, almost like pecan and pumpkin pie together.
Les Fromages.
Spiced pears and candied cumquats.
One of my favorite cheese in the world, Eppoisses. Strong, gooey, stinky!
Lower left: Pont-l’Eveque
Orange center: 18 month aged Gouda
Lower right: Fourme d’Ambert
Right center: Bourgogne (i think)
Upper right: Epoisses de Bourgogne
Upper left: Selsurcheres (sic, couldn’t spell well enough to find on google), goat cheese
“Vanilla Yoghurt, Strawberry Compote, Strawberry Sorbet.” I’ve had this before, but I didn’t mind. Basically strawberries and cream. Yum!
After warming up with the 1995, we rolled back to the 1989 Lalande. Incredible! “Speaking of superior vintages, Pichon-Lalande’s 1989, although not as profound as the 1995, 1994, 1986, 1983, or 1982, is a beautifully made wine. It exhibits a deep ruby/purple color, and a sweet, roasted nose of rich cassis fruit, herbs, and vanilla. Lush and round, this medium to full-bodied, nicely-textured, layered Pichon-Lalande possesses low acidity, outstanding ripeness, and beautiful purity and balance. It is already drinking surprisingly well, so owners should not hesitate to pull a cork. It should continue to offer rich, seductive drinking for another 15+ years.”
Another dessert repeat — but again we didn’t mind. “Chocolate, Chocolate, Coffee, Chocolate Souffle, Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch, Coffee and Mascarpone.” The souffle gets its little injection. All are great, but the coffee and the crunch are my faves.
I’ve had passion fruit desserts at Melisse before, but this was a slightly new take. “Passion Fruit Parfait, Lemongrass and Coconut.” There is tapioca in the “soup” beneath. Very interesting complement. Very south east Asian in flavor profile, and refreshing.
The petite fours. I’m not a huge cannelle fan. The fruit with Creme Fraiche was great though. I’d have preferred the classic marshmallows and pate de fruits myself, but this is about my only “complaint” with the entire meal, so I think I’ll survive.
Our special custom menu.
Reuben and I before the meal. I neglected to get a photo of how we looked 4.5 hours later!!
Chef Josiah Citrin pulled out all the stops for this meal, and it showed. Hands down spectacular! The restaurant has two Michelin stars, and it deserves every ounce of them. Personally, I’d put this meal up against any I’ve had in France at a three-star. The service is amazing too. The setting is not as fully formal as some French three-stars, or the service quite so orchestrated (that level is more amusement than actually pleasant), and there are no zany carts for teas and sugars, but the food and creativity demonstrate Melisse’s deserved position as one of America’s top kitchens. Not only were the ingredients worthy of a Roman Consul’s plate, but the masterful command of flavors were in full view.
Bravo!
For another Melisse meal, click here.
Or for other Foodie Club meals, click here.
In an effort to tame the byzantine nature of my posts and the particular mechanics of a WordPress based site I’ve introduced a “Topics at a Glance” section to the sidebar and a Food Index page. You can click the little food icon on the right for it. This page will organize the food posts alphabetically by location. When I get the energy I’ll see about improving it further.
I’ve also put in quick hit buttons next to it (in the same section of the sidebar) for articles on writing and book reviews. At some point, particularly for the book and movie reviews I’ll probably do an index page.
