Many people consider Newport Seafood one of the best Chinese restaurants in SoCal. Essentially, it’s Southern Chinese, with some Cambodian and Vietnamese influences (the owners are Cambodian). I’ve been a couple of times, and this latest September 11, 2016 visit has been added into the grand pile to give some scope on this enormous menu.
Click through here to see all the details.
Restaurant: Upstairs 2 [1, 2]
Location: 2311 Cotner Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90064 Tel. 310-231-0316
Date: September 9, 2016
Cuisine: Modern Tapas
Rating: Bright flavors and a lot of options.
Upstairs 2 is located just above the Wine House on Cotner. The main room serves an eclectic tapas menu, but as this was a special Sauvages du Vin lunch (always a lunch, always Friday) we gathered upstairs in the private room for a special menu and flights of themed wine. This time around Grand and 1re cru Red Burgundy from the village of Gevrey-Chambertin, vintages older than 2004.
Today’s special menu.
The whites are bonuses that various people brought – like me.
From my cellar: 2008 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros. BH 92-95. A classic Chablis nose of mineral reduction, oyster shell and green fruit aromas merges into sappy, rich and powerful flavors that possess more refinement than usual on the long, sappy and beautifully detailed finish. I’m impressed that this seems to have to rusticity and in this sense, it’s a bit atypical.
1999 Louis Latour Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Caillerets. 83 points. Our bottle was “very” advanced. Golden and oxidative.
2005 Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay Mount Carmel. VM 91. Light yellow. Rich pineapple and lichee on the nose, with fresh melon and fig adding complexity. A real fruit basket on the palate, displaying peach, honeydew, tropical fruits and an exotic licorice quality. Picks up sexy baking spices on the long, juicy finish. I prefer the finesse of this to the power of the Seasmoke today.
The gang gathers in the private room. Amusingly, this was the very same room in which I took my Italian Sommelier mastery class
4.5 years ago!
1999 Domaine Rene Leclerc Griotte-Chambertin. 92 points. Bright ruby. Very seductive and perfumed nose of first roses, then cherry, raspberry and a touch of roast. Somewhat tight on the palate, yielding some cherry and flowers. Gritty tannins with medium acidity and body. Sappy finish with medium to long persistence. Needs at least another 3-5 years to come together.
1990 Serafin Père et Fils Charmes-Chambertin. 90 points. Black fruit with earthy hints, overall a bit firm and rustic. Nice fruit, length and balance, but I was surprised this was from 1990 given the wine’s firm structure and seemingly modest ripeness.
1996 Geantet-Pansiot Charmes-Chambertin. VM 94. Saturated deep ruby; one of the darkest ’96s I saw in November. Multifaceted nose combines black fruits, violet, licorice, espresso, smoke, gibier and sweet butter. The class of the cellar in terms of concentration, sweetness, finesse and length; in fact, today this wine makes Geantet’s ’95 seem almost heavy in comparison. Lovely roundness and clarity of flavor. Really explodes on the palate-staining finish.
1996 Dominique Laurent Chambertin. VM 92-95. Much deeper red-ruby color. Brilliant sauvage perfume of dark fruits, mocha and Chambertin earth. Very intensely flavored but folded in on itself; currently showing less texture and volume than the Clos de Beze. But explodes and expands on the finish, which features powerful, chewy tannins. A musclebound wine that will need at least seven or eight years of bottle aging.
Foie Gras Terrine. Burgundy-Pomegranate Reduction. Pretty straight up duck liver goodness!
From my cellar: 1998 Domaine Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Petite Chapelle. 93 points. Lots of cherry fruit and good structure. Quite delicious.
1998 Claude Dugat Chapelle-Chambertin. VM 89-92. Dugat vinifies two barrels of Chapelle-Chambertin juice owned by Philippe Livera and Butterfield & Robinson, keeping one barrel for himself.<BR> Higher-toned aromas of iron, earth and game. Penetrating and rather powerful, but a less fruit-driven style than the wines from Dugat’s own vines. Not quite as much material or nuance here. Soaking up the oak more quickly, and thus a bit drier on the finish. But still impressive.
1997 Domaine Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin Très Vieilles Vignes. VM 93. Deep red. Perfumed, nuanced aromas of cherry, faded rose, woodsmoke and bacon fat. Tighter and less showy than the last two bottles, but displayed sappy, intense red fruit flavors with aeration. A rarity: a ’97 with real finesse. Finishes very long and juicy, with unusually supple tannins for this wine, from some of the oldest vines on the Cote de Nuits.
agavin: voted WOTD (wine of the day)
1998 Hospices de Beaune Mazis-Chambertin Cuvée Madeleine Collignon Louis Jadot.
Pan Seared Quail. Roasted grapes, poltry reduction, celeriac choucroute. A nice small game bird dish.
1999 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques. BH 91-93. Roasted ripe fruit that has a mix of red and black fruits, especially black cherry with wonderfully spicy, complex flavors that are both rich and dense. This is very ripe but the acidity is more pronounced which does a better job of balancing off the richness. Clos St. Jacques is almost always the finest Gevrey 1er chez Jadot and 99 is no exception. Grand cru quality and because of the richness, this will be approachable young but drink well for a long time.
1999 Domaine Joseph Roty Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Fontenys. VM 91. Full red. Expressive aromas of raspberry, woodsmoke, tobacco and game. Sweet and pliant, with very ripe flavors of meat and tobacco. Showing more personality today than the Brunelle or Clos Prieur. Lovely ripe, harmonious acidity. Finishes very long, with fine tannins. This was delicious since the beginning.
2000 Domaine Joseph Roty Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Fontenys. VM 90+. Red-ruby. Floral aromas of red cherry, licorice and tarry oak. More perfumed than the foregoing wines; tightly wound but very aromatic in the mouth, with dark fruit and licorice notes. Pure and fresh for the year but in need of aging.
2001 Domaine Joseph Roty Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Fontenys. VM 91+. Full ruby-red. Pure, vibrant aromas of berries, cherry, minerals and flowers. Sweet, stony, minerally and quite firm, with refreshing framing acidity. ?A mix of old vines and very old vines from a very hot part of this vineyard,? says Philippe, adding that the fruit here came in with a relatively high 12.5% potential alcohol in 2001. Structured finish features firm acids and serious but supple tannins.
agavin: our bottle was slightly tainted
Pan roasted Duck Breast. Cauliflower Puree. Duck Demi-Glace. Some perfect bits of medium rare duck breast. Very juicy.
The partial flight lineup.
2002 Claude Dugat Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques. VM 94+. right ruby-red. Deeply smoky aromas and flavors of black and red cherry and violet. Less nuanced and expressive today than the 1er cru, but also boasts terrific freshness of fruit. Brilliantly primary wine, finishing with slow-building, extremely persistent flavor and superb grip. Give the 1er cru six years in the bottle, but hold off on this one for seven or eight. (Incidentally, Dugat opened a bottle of the ’92 Lavaux, no doubt to make the point that his wines age better than some critics believe. It was a knockout: at its peak right now, and more stylish and complex than 99% of Burgundies from this relatively early-maturing vintage.)
2001 Domaine Perrot-Minot Mazoyères-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes. BH 93. This is much like the ’02 in style with a sterner and less elegant character but a good deal more power and the same masculine quality. Earthy, robust and slightly austere minerality and a mix of red and black fruit aromas introduce precise and brilliantly intense flavors that deliver outstanding length and simply incredible complexity. I rarely prefer big over fine but the additional complexity and depth of material make this a better wine and this is just flat out wonderful.
2002 Domaine Perrot-Minot Mazoyères-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes. VM 92. Good deep ruby-red. Knockout nose combines black fruits, minerals and coffee. Richer and more tactile than the Charmes but not sweeter; more massive and powerful. This boasts very strong fruit without coming across as overly sweet or heavy. A wine of compelling length, with the well-buffered tannins coating the entire palate.
2002 Louis Jadot Chapelle-Chambertin. VM 90-93. Good bright ruby-red. High-toned roasted fruits, licorice, violet and sweet oak on the nose. Sweet, supple and creamy, with fruit currently dominated by an exotic coconutty oak quality. A second barrel showed even riper aromas and superb richness.
2002 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Chambertin-Clos de Bèze. VM 92. Ruby-red. Wild, musky aromas of strawberry, minerals and smoky oak. Wonderfully silky on entry, then suave and aristocratic in the middle palate. Very subtle flavors build impressively on the sweet finish, which features very fine tannins.
Grilled Alpine NY Strip. Gratin of Root Vegetables. Haricot Verts. Truffle Jus. I loved the meat and “potatoes” quality of this dish — particularly that the potatoes were rich and cheesy.
Expresso Ice Cream. A nice creamy bit of ice cream clearly made with real expresso beans.
The lineup.
Overall Upstairs 2 did an awesome job with this dinner. Wine service was good and the food was a fowl collection of tasty morsels. Sorry, couldn’t resist. We had only 1-2 flawed wines and a lot of great showings from Gevrey, particularly the 90s wines. Sauvages is always a great time.
Restaurant: Jitlada [1, 2, 3, 4]
Location: 5233 W Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90027. (323) 663-3104
Date: September 6, 2016
Cuisine: Thai
Rating: Gut burning great
Tonight’s outing is a Hedonist return to Jitlada, an outrageously authentic Southern Thai place deep in Thai-town. The joint gets 27 in Zagat! It’s run by Jazz Singsanong with Chef Tui in the kitchen. The menu can be found here.
You know it’s real because they don’t skimp on either the chilies OR the fish sauce.
NV Herbert Beaufort Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Marcellin Extra-Brut. 88 points. Lemony nose and citrusy palate. Small bubbles, but loses it’s fizziness quickly. Tasty.
Larb. Ground pork with spices, fish sauce, etc. Pretty hot too and very salty, but tasty.
Honey duck. This was pretty awesome, and we should have ordered more. The skin was crispy and sweet, the meat succulent.
Bone in!
2011 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese. VM 92. Delicately refined aromas of pineapple, quince and herbs. The refreshing palate offers a subtle interplay of ripe citrus fruits and salty minerality. A pure and expressive finish provides stature. I may be underrating this, but it’s certainly one of the great spatleses of the vintage.
Pumpkin frog legs. A pumpkin curry basically with frog’s legs. Poor kermit.
2011 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese. 92 points. This wine has come together in a beautiful manner. Its sweet but with bright acidity and good minerality.
Papaya salad. Solid, but not as yummy as the fried one.
From my cellar: 2002 Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese Goldkapsel Auction. 96 points. Balanced in all ways. Medium old. Medium sweetness. Medium yellow gold color. A really fine Spätlese.
Coco lotus soup. This was a mild red coconut curry soup with chicken. It was amazing! Really fabulous curry flavor. Tons of tamarind giving it a really balanced sour tone.
2012 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl. VM 93. Pale straw-gold color. Deep aromas of white peach, white truffle and pear nectar. Wonderfully juicy and light on its feet, conveying a distinctly perfumed quality to its very pure citrus zest and floral flavors. The finish offers very good juicy grip, with lingering notes of orange and sweet spices. Delicious.
Jungle curry with lamb chops. Exotic thai curry with god knows what in it. This stuff was HOT and pretty fabulous. This is a brown curry. I actually like their super hot green curry better, but this is good too.
Garlic frog’s legs. Deep fried turmeric marinated frog legs with garlic.
Flambe Prawns. Grilled giant prawns topped with our house curry sauce. These are amazing. The sweet curry sauce is just full of curry flavor goodness.
1997 René Renou Bonnezeaux Cuvée Zenith. 97 Parker. Tasted four times over the last six months, the show-stopping 1997 Bonnezeaux Cuvee Zenith has gone from being massive, disjointed and difficult to assess, to being harmonious, intense, and sublime. Aromatically revealing spicy yellow fruits of exquisite ripeness, this is a medium-to-full-bodied, powerful, and explosive wine. Copious quantities of spicy bergamots, flowers, almonds, perfume, caramelized minerals, and tropical fruits can be found in its layered, velvety texture. Renou was somehow able to marry 1997’s awesome density and depth of fruit with virtually perfect levels of acidity, creating a blockbuster-sized wine of great equilibrium and freshness. Bravo! Projected maturity: now-2050+.
agavin: Our bottle was a tiny bit corked. Sad, because you could tell it was a great sweet wine under there.
Crispy Morning Glory Salad. This salad of shrimp and fried morning glory is just plain glorious. Sorry, couldn’t resist. Basically tempura flowers and it’s really the tangy, slightly sweet sauce/dressing that really makes it. Very similar to many of the salads I had in Vietnam.
Adrian Fog Pinot Noir Alexander Valley. Wines that don’t put their vintage on the front don’t get reviews.
Red Snapper Salad. deep fried snapper filets topped with cucumber and tomatoes in a spicy lime sauce. Super fried and super tasty. One of the yummiest fries ever. We ate all the crispy stuff at the bottom of the plate.
2003 Turley Petite Syrah Rattlesnake Ridge. VM 89. Potent, biting, but very good. Definitely mellowed by the second day. What I would expect from a PS but maybe not one 13 years old!
agavin: our bottle was badly corked.
Jazz burger. A big beef patty covered in onions, peppers, and dressing. The flavors were fabulous.
Mango sticky rice with coconut ice cream. Awesome dessert, even though I was so full, I shoved three helpings down the gullet. This was as good a sticky rice as I’ve had. The rice is warm and the mango cool.
I love Jitlada, and it’s hands down the best Thai I’ve had in LA. The menu is enormous and full of goodies. Tonight’s meal redeemed the disaster we had last time (where we had way too many people and and some late comers that botched the whole progression).
Tonight we ordered very well. Every dish was very good, most great. We had a pretty nice progression. Sure, there are favorites we missed, and some types I would have liked more of (like a good green curry or something like the “sweet” lamb curry) but it was a great meal. Jazz hung out with us for a chunk of it and helped us order. The kitchen was really on point too with some dishes that have a little variability all coming down on the awesome side tonight.
Not super spicy either, only the jungle curry busting the 5 or 6 line (on the weighted Jitlada scale of blistering heat). Part of me would have liked some of the killer heat (like that amazing green curry) but this morning, writing this up with only very mild gut pain I’m thinking we made a sane choice.
All in all, if you like Thai food and live (or visit) in LA you must try Jitlada.
For more LA dining reviews click here.
Or for more crazy Hedonist meals.
T
Restaurant: Hanjip
Location: 3829 Main St, Culver City, CA 90232. (323) 720-8804
Date: August 31 & September 15 & 19, 2016
Cuisine: Korean BBQ
Rating: Fabulous value at lunch, good food
Culver City doesn’t have too many great ethnic joints, and we are a bit “far” from KTown here, but there is Hanjip, an upscale KBBQ joint.
The cow says it all.
Hard looking seats and no grills at the otherwise nice outside patio.
Crazy black and white interior.
The menu.
The tables have gas grills.
And like all good Korean joints there are the banchan. Like this cabbage salad.
Chewy squid with black sesame were awesome. I ate two entire bowls (not kidding).
Pickled onions.
Kimchee of course.
And cauliflower.
Plus, the all important potato salad (which I liked a lot).
Macaroni salad.
Onion.
Kimchee fried riche with soft egg. Pretty awesome stuff.
Egg custard with uni and ikura.
Seafood pancake. Nice example of this type with lots of seafood inside.
And a Dolsot Bibimbap bowl which comes with the lunch special. This was my favorite. Nice soft egg and all those goodies. I tend to love this dish.
This was the beef brisket lunch special.
Cooking the brisket.
And cooked. Tasty enough, but not as yummy as with the rice.
Spicy miso for whatever you like.
And chilies.
In September Hanjip started an all you can eat lunch program that has an interesting format. There are 3 tiers ($18, $25, $30ish) with each tier having increasing meat types. They are all good deals, but the best meats are at the higher levels.
Spicy chicken. Not the most exciting.
Garlic chicken.
More brisket.
Cheese fondue. This is an optional item included in the AYCE. It’s pretty awesome to dip the meat in the gooey cheese!
Marinated pork shoulder. By far the best of the 1st tier meats. Tons of flavor.
Pork belly. Also a good one from the basic set. Like bacon!
Garlic pork belly. Even better! (2nd tier)
Garlic beef (2nd tier). Also really flavorful.
Short rib (2nd tier). Awesome and steaky.
Bulgolgi (3rd tier). Really tasty.
Spicy squid (2nd tier). Doesn’t cook as well as the meats.
Veggies (1st tier). Are what they are. Pretty good with the fondue.
I’ll have to come back to Hanjip for dinner (with some wine) and try a wider selection. But what I has was very good. And wow do you get a lot of food for $15-18! A great option for Culver City dwellers.
Restaurant: Wadatsumi
Location: 10914 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064. (310) 470-0014
Date: August 24, 2016
Cuisine: Japanese Wagyu
Rating: Tasty
After our crazy Yazawa dinner a couple weeks ago my friend Erick recommended I step “downscale” and try the wagyu at Wadatsumi.
Again, this is a small international “steakhouse” chain.
The frontage is on Pico just blocks away from meat palace Totoraku!
Beef in the house.
The open kitchen.
And the rather huge interior (this photo only shows part of it).
 |
 |
 |
 |
The menu.
Typical tasty Japanese salad.
Red miso soup.
Homemade tofu with wasabi and soy glaze. Super soft texture and mild creamy flavor.
Wagyu beef croquette. Pretty mild, with lots of potato.
A sushi lunch special.
Wagyu beef curry. Tasty enough and my favorite dish, but nowhere near as good as the Yazawa wagyu curry. Truth is I like a more straight up curry better.
Filet mignon special with mashed potatoes. Tasty beef nuggets.
Sauces for the beef. Soy, yuzu mustard, and yuzu juice.
Rice was on hand too.
Overall this was an okay lunch and I’ll have to return to try some other things, namely a dinner set. But I wasn’t that impressed by this format. I like regular Yakiniku better — or the crazy Yazawa type.
For more LA dining reviews click here.
Restaurant: Northern Cafe
Location: 1064 Gayley Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024. (310) 208-8830
Date: August 4 & 29, 2016
Cuisine: Northern Chinese
Rating: Small menu (for Chinese), but great to have on the Westside
My quest for decent Chinese food on the west side of town continues unabated.
Northern Cafe joins Qin as one of Westwood’s two most recent fairly authentic Chinese openings. Here they serve northwestern Chinese type food, sort of quick Beijing favorites.
It’s located right in the heart of Westwood, on Gayley, far from the SGV!
The interior is simple but pretty updated. The clientele was almost all Chinese.
The format is fast casual. You order and pay at the counter and then get a number. They bring the food to the table.
 |
 |
The menu.
Some cold appetizers. Cold beef and cilantro.
Pickled cucumber and chili.
Cold noodles w/ Shredded Chicken. Chicken white meat, sesame peanut sauce, cucumber, chili oil. A bit western-a-fied (chicken?) and pleasant, but pretty mild.
Dan Dan Noodles. Sesame peanut sauce, chili oil, cucumber, peanuts.
The dan dan in a bowl. Lots of sesame flavor, but almost no heat and no meat! This is a far cry from the rich, spicy, umami flavor of the real deal.
Zha Jiang Noodles. Kurubuta pork, black bean sauce, cucumber.
Mixed up. Ok, but not as much flavor as I would have liked.
Vegetable pie. Like a tortilla pie filled with garlic greens!
XLB. Juicy Pork Dumplings. These are good as always. A little thicker dough than Din Tai Fung (which I had the day before!). But the inside was very tasty.
Pork & Celery Dumplings. Classic steamed dumplings. The celery flavor came through loud and clear and I always like this kind of textured dumpling. Pretty good actually.
Lamb dumplings. Not the perfect incarnation of this kind of simple dumplings, but maybe an 8/10, very enjoyable. Strong lamby flavor too.
Pan fried shrimp and egg dumplings. Excellent too, hard to tell what is inside these puppies, but it’s good.
Spicy wontons. Nice. Again they just tasted pretty good. A medium heat.
Beef rolls. Tasty enough. Not amazing, but certainly a decent version and not too huge.
Kung Pao Chicken. A decent version. Not amazing, and a little fried, and not too hot, but a good amount of flavor.
Orange Chicken. The American Chinese classic. More like sweet and sour spare ribs, the ultra-fried orange version. That being said, I like this homey dish and this was a very good version of the goopy sweet “type.”
House Special Cumin lamb. Onion, cilantro, cumin, chili oil. Not a bad version of this staple dish. Not super spicy but good lamb flavor.
Mapo tofu. (10/1/16). This mapo had nice soft silky tofu and a thin looking sauce — but there was a decent amount of mala numbing flavor from the Szechuan peppercorns. No meat however, I much prefer it with some ground pork, but this wasn’t a wussy Americanized version either. Sort of a 6/10.
Shrimp fried rice. A passable version. You can’t really go to wrong with fried rice. This version was actually very lightly fried.
Overall, Northern Cafe has some pretty authentic stuff on the menu, it’s not American Chinese exactly — nor is it as good as so many places in the SGV. But it is close, quick, cheap and pretty tasty, so I will go by again soon enough.
For more LA dining reviews click here.
Restaurant: Tentenyu Ramen
Location: 2012 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025.
Date: August 9 & 23, 2016
Cuisine: Japanese Ramen
Rating: Rich!
Sawtelle seems to know no bounds with regard to Ramen! Already there is Tsujita, Tatsu, Daikokuya, and Shin Sen Gumi.
And now there is Kyoto chain Tentenyu! They have a nice patio very close to Tsujita Sushi and Miso 2012.
Tentenyu specializes in super thick chicken ramen. They don’t have a big menu, but offer up the basic version in both thin noodle classic ramen format and Tsukemen (which is my favorite at Tsujita).
There are even instructions on how to eat your Tsukemen (like at Tsujita).
The interior.
The small but steaming kitchen. Notice those crazy pressure cookers to the left for the broth.
Here is the fully loaded (with pork slices) version of the Tsukemen. Note too that this isn’t the super dense pork version at Tsujita, but a (mostly) chicken Tsukemen.
But it’s plenty dense. In fact, somehow, it might even be richer than the Tsujita pork version. The broth, like the densest chicken soup you never even thought existed also felt like about 8 egg yolks had been cracked into this tiny bowl.
The noodles too were thick, with a nice bite, and very very eggy. Good thing the meat wasn’t too fatty because the overall combination was insanely heavy. It did taste great though. Different than the pork type, but really quite good.
The “straight up” noodles in the broth (smaller noodles) version. Same basic chicken broth, same meat. Pickled vegetables on top.
Extra green onions.
There weren’t a lot of condiment options — like none, but there was the usual red pickles I love. And ramen sauce.
Overall I’ve only had these two very similar dishes — but they were good — Just so rich. Not a very big menu either. So I’ll have to come back occasionally. Too much good ramen to try!
Restaurant: Hatchet Hall
Location: 12517 W Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066. (310) 391-4222
Date: August 27, 2016
Cuisine: New American
Rating: Interesting flavors and presentation
Hatchet Hall takes over the “old” Waterloo & City space in Culver City.
The logo hangs over the street in cryptic glory.
The frontage isn’t so different.
But inside they have this whacky new game and “period” decor.
And a great patio.
The menu is organized into dishes by vague progression and features a lot of meat and vaguely North African and middle eastern flavors in a very Modern American presentation.
From my cellar: 2005 Simon Bize Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Garenne. BH 92. A deft touch of pain grillé highlights the airy, clean, pure and elegant white flower and green fruit aromas that serve as the apt introduction for the textured, concentrated and mouth coating flavors blessed with abundant dry extract levels and an intense stoniness on the wonderfully complex, vibrant, dry and penetrating finish. This is a very classy effort and recommended. (Drink starting 2010)
stone fruit. country ham (we left the ham out), farmer’s cheese, date vinegar, mint. A very nice combo of simple cheese, herbs, and fruit.
watermelon. cucumber, vinegar dressing, cilantro, mint, peanut. Quite a bit of chili kick! Nice crunchy texture.
chop steak. fried oysters, watercress, horseradish. Interesting combo of steak tartar and fried oysters!
cornbread. shishito, cheddar, good butter, honey. Some super buttery cornbread goodness!
chicken liver. onion jam, grilled bread, pickles, apple vinegar. Like Jewish liver toast! Pretty yummy too.
sea bream. bagna cauda, soft herbs, lemon.
lamb porterhouse. mint salsa verde, lemon. Have a bit of lamb! Nice tender medium rare meat. Not the cheapest slab of meat on the block.
Sweet peppers, muhammara, walnut, raisin, mint. That whole muhammara and mint thing is so Middle Eastern.
carrots. charmoula, labneh, honey, benne. Great texture and Moroccan flavors.
The dessert menu.
Icebox cake. Vietnamese coffee bavarian, caramelized milk jam, chocolate crunchies. Like a sort of more solid tiramisu.
Overall, Hatchet Hall had some really great flavors going on. The plating and presentation was fabulous, and the melding of North African/Middle Eastern flavors into the modern American was quite on point. Lots of flavor and interesting. Also fascinating how the Middle Eastern thing is downplayed in everything but the actual flavors. Vibe and build out are great too. Service was slow and a little weird. They got the job done, but the crew helping us out was a tad confused.
I’ll definitely return, as food is more important to me than service.
Location: 1810 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, Ca. 310-394-5550
Date: August 5, 2011
Cuisine: Italian with Cal influences
Rating: The food here is really very very good.
Capo is an occasional favorite of mine and I’ve reviewed it before HERE and HERE. They have a particular high end (but not formal) blend of California style (Farmer’s Market ingredients) and Italian tradition. But it’s not a strictly traditional Italian, more interpreted through a vaguely Tuscan / California vibe.
The intimate dining room.
They have very good bread at Capo, particularly the crispy things.
Capo always puts out this little humus-like spread. I suspect it’s fava beans. It’s addictive though.
We settle down to examine the MENU, which is big, and always a difficult decision because there is so much great stuff on it. They have an odd menu format, in which each item is identified by only it’s principle ingredient, forcing you to guess or ask how it’s actually prepared. Plus they have “fill in the blanks” on the menu which are filled in by a separate sheet of daily specials. No big deal, but it’s kind of bizare. Doesn’t matter though, as the food is great.
From my cellar: 2010 Borgo del Tiglio (Nicola Manferrari) Collio Friulano Ronco della Chiesa. VM 94. Borgo del Tiglio’s 2010 Ronco della Chiesa shows what this hillside site in Cormons can do in cooler vintages. Still bright, focused and intensely saline, the 2010 bursts from the glass with grapefruit, lime, mint and crushed rocks. The 2010 will probably be appreciated most by readers who like tense, vibrant whites. Next to some of the other vintages, the 2010 lacks a little mid-palate pliancy, but it is quite beautiful just the same. I especially like the way the 2010 opens up nicely in the glass over time.
An amuse of tomato covered bread with salami. Yum!
English split pea soup.
Burrata black truffle bruschetta. Besides the shaved vegetables and the bread underneath this is a big blob of burrata, fresh truffles, and a whole poached egg! It was pretty good, but decidedly rich. In some ways similar to my special eggs, in some ways like the famous Melisse truffle egg.
Woodfire grilled octopus. Nice octopus. I think Brera’s was better, but this was very good. Strong char flavor from the grill.
Sweet corn and white truffle ravioli. Can we say buttery awesome? Nice truffle/butter/corn flavor. Super soft pasta. What’s not to love? (perhaps the price)
Dungeness crab risotto. A very nice mildly crabby risotto. Good texture.
Grilled branzino. Cooked on the wood fire. Strong char flavors but the meat inside was very moist and flavorful.
From my cellar: 1997 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Conteisa. VM 92-94. Good full ruby. Deeply pitched aromas of plum, currant, espresso, bitter chocolate and mint. Very intensely flavored and firmly built; not as dense as the Sori Tildin or San Lorenzo but sweet, vibrant and sharply delineated. Quite penetrating and solidly structured. Finishes very long, with rich but firm tannins.
Spaghetti Carbonara. Egg, cheese, pork cheeks, peas. A very nice (and rich) pasta.
This is buccatini with lamb ragu, and it’s one of the best pastas I’ve ever had. I’ve come back a dozen times for it. I love a good ragu, and the buccatini (spagetti with a tiny hole in the middle) is perfect. The dish is rich and meaty, divine. I always order it.
Aspen NY steak, medium rare. I’m not a steak guy, but this was some fine beef, seared black on the outside and red/pink on the inside.
Bread pudding. With a creme brûlée caramelized top! Oh boy!
And this. This was to die for. Meyer lemon semifreddo, with a blueberry or blackberry sauce. Everything about this was spectacular, one of my all time favorite deserts. The cold-soft texture, the bright lemon flavor, and the tart sweetness of the berries. OMFG!
A nice plate of little petit fours, not so usual at American Italians, more french. In Italy sometimes you’ll get treated to little almond cookies and shots of grappa or sambuca.
So to conclude, Capo is hands down delicious. The food is VERY VERY GOOD, and the service is top notch. The intimate little atmosphere is great also. It’s just very expensive — definitely not a good value — perfect if someone else is paying :-).
Three other Capo meals HERE and HERE and HERE.
Restaurant: Flanigan
Location:Puerto Portals, local 16, 07181 Calvià, Illes Balears, Spain
Date: June 28, 2016
Cuisine: International Seafood
Rating: Good
Puerto Portals is one of those “high end” marina developments that seem to populate certain areas of Europe.
I quote the “high end” because I’ve seen way swankier. This isn’t Super exclusive boutique territory.
Flanigan is a large restaurant with an international manu. Prices are high because of the location. But it was close to the hotel and had pretty decent reviews.
The menu.
Two kinds of olive tapenade.
The view is great.
A light but very pleasant rose. We actually tried this at the vineyard the previous week.
Fruit cocktail in a glass.
Hake bites. What’s not to like about fried fish?
Fish soup. This is the rich shellfish stock fish soup, but this one had so much seafood in it it was like a bouillabaisse in that regard.
Very rich, but really quite excellent!
Caprese.
Simple pasta.
Their “star dish”, Lobster “pelao” potatoes and eggs. Basically shelled lobster on top of scalloped potatoes with a fried egg in there. Pretty excellent actually.
Apple with vanilla ice cream. More of a very thin tart tartine actually.
The aforementioned vanilla.
And a scoop of chocolate.
Creme catalana.
Flanigan isn’t anything avant garde, and it is most definitely overpriced for Spain, but it turned out to be very good food — and huge portions too. All in all a very nice meal.
Restaurant: Casa Michaela
Location: Carrer d’Anníbal, 15, 07013 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
Date: June 27, 2016
Cuisine: Italian
Rating: Mixed (A taste of Brentwood in Palma)
We ended up at Casa Michaela by fairly random means — using the TripAdvisor app to find an Italian restaurant that was open, well rated, available, and nearby.
The decor is pleasant and contemporary. Despite being very well rated, there was no one else eating.
These cornbread-like breads were nice.
And the little taste of gazpacho.
Then basil bread.
Ensalada de rucola y pistachos con pera y parmesano. Salad with pears, parmesan, etc.
Langostinos en crusta de sésamo con mayonesa de wasabi. This was an interesting one. It looked like a salad, but the shrimp felt more like fried — even if they were only coated in sesame. And there was a good kick to the wasabi.
Simple pasta for my son.
Pasta alla Norma “berenjenas ricotta ahumada y tomates secos”.
Risotto with lobster and pistachios. A very good risotto, particularly as I like white seafood risotto, and the pistachios added a nice crunch.
Potatoes and asparagus.
Fresh sea bass filleted table-side.
Simple white wine sauce. The usual kind of nice filet.
Overall, Casa Michaela was a bit more mixed. My dishes were pretty good, particularly the lobster risotto. Some of the others in my party weren’t as thrilled. The menu is pretty similar to many contemporary LA Italian restaurants. Majorca is a weird place (for being in Spain) as it’s so British. There are a lot of Italian restaurants. I guess the British like Italian. Why wouldn’t they? Italian is a great, but Spanish food is also fabulous — and Majorca is supposed to be Spain.
Restaurant: Forn De Sant Joan
Location: Calle Sant Joan, 4, 07012 Palma, Illes Balears, Spain
Date: June 26, 2016
Cuisine: Spanish Tapas
Rating: Tasty kitchen
Forn De Sant Joan represents our first foray into Palma.
The location is on a pedestrian street not far from the water and the big Cathedral.
The interior is an attractive modern with traditional materials.
 |
 |
The menu. Unfortunately there were only 3 real eaters, and 2 were vegetarians, so I didn’t get to photo a lot of dishes.
These toasts came with a kind of olive butter.
Albarino again, always a great food wine.
Toasted crispy bread with tomato and olive oil.
Cold tomato and cherry gazpacho with cheese ice cream and confited cherries. A really lovely non-tomato gazpacho. Sort of like a vinegary tomato borsch.
Oyster, galangai emulsion, avocado and prawn powder. A slightly weird mix with the oyster.
Mini cornet filled with ceviche of sea bass and langoustines and coconut foam. This was really tasty with a mix of flavors and textures.
Battered langoustines with parmesan cream. The fry itself was pretty light, and what not to like about parmesan cream sauce?
Grilled Sea Bass, sautéed spinach with garlic and creamy parmesan sauce.
Beef cannelloni with parmesan-truffle sauce and shimeji. Rich, creamy, and delicious.
Vanilla and chocolate ice cream.
Overall, we didn’t really get to test out enough of the cuisine at Forn De Sant Joan, but they have a good kitchen doing innovative (for Majorca) dishes. Moving in the direction of San Sebastian at least.
I made this little video for a presentation and it was kinda cute, so I figured I’d post it here. I tried to chronicle both the changing graphics and the consistencies in gameplay across the sweep of 35+ years.
Most of my lifetime and platform game protagonists are still swinging from ropes — not that that’s such a bad thing!
Restaurant: Sambar
Location: 9531 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232. 310-558-8800
Date: July 19, 2016
Cuisine: Modern Indian
Rating: Tasty, adapted, and slightly toned down
The site of the former Ford’s Filling Station in Culver city is a redefined Indian place called Sambar that’s been open for about a year.
They have a nice mix of inside and outside dining.
A cool looking full bar.
And a big bright space.
This is the lunch menu.
Some sāmbār snack mix. puffed rice, sev, cashews, peanuts, raisins, sunflower seeds, curry leaves, teff crisps, taro root, toasted dal.
Ice tea.
sevpuri chaat (gf cracker). avocado, mango, red onion, pomegranate-mint chutney, tamarind chutney, sev (crispy chickpea noodles). This version of the classic Indian street food with bright and full of flavor, but also felt a bit “California” with the guacamole-like avocado.
The fisherman: fish curry bowl. Trout, coconut broth, cherry tomatoes, curry leaves. Fairly mild in flavor, and very much a southern Indian dish with that coconut and curry leaf flavor.
Masala roasted chicken kati roll. Yogurt marinated chicken & pomegranate-mint chutney. Crunchy fried something. The roll itself was like a lightly Indian chicken wrap. Tasty, but not with the awesome strong curry flavors of an Akbar kati roll.
Pork shoulder vindaloo kati roll. South Indian spices. Hot sauce and mango chutney. Salad. Tasty too, but fairly dry meat, not a curry or anything inside.
This was just a small lunch sampling, and I didn’t have any real curry (which seems to be on the dinner menu). Sambar offered up some definite Indian flavors, but in a much more California form factor, and without the heavy curry vehicle. But while I appreciate that they want to make it more approachable to westerners, I love curry and intense flavors. So jury is still out. I’ll have to try again at dinner and report back.
But alas, I have learned that as of August 27, 2016, the owners are shutting down Sambar and rebooting it as an Italian restaurant — it being too “niche” (i.e. ethnic) for the neighborhood. I’m glad I got to try it. And good thing for them the decor is pretty flexible!
Restaurant: Kali [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Location: 5722 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038. (323) 871-4160
Date: August 1, 2016
Cuisine: New American French
Rating: Better every time!
I’ve known Kevin Meehan for years as a private and popup chef and have had the pleasure to enjoy many a fine meal he’s put together. But this year he transitioned into the more stationary, and possibly more hectic restaurant world by opening up his own Melrose Ave restaurant! This is our second Foodie Club visit.
With the opening of Kali Restaurant, Chef Kevin Meehan’s broad 23-year culinary career reaches its apex. At Kali, Meehan, whose deft hand was cultivated in Los Angeles’ most prestigious kitchens, joins forces with long-time friend and professional colleague, Drew Langley, previously the wine director at the iconic, Michelin-starred Providence.
For the 39-year-old Meehan, Kali represents the evolution of not just Kali Dining, his roving private dinner pop-up, but the rigorous years he spent refining his craft. The contemporary California restaurant blends the precision and hospitality of the white tablecloth kitchens where Meehan developed his culinary acumen, with the accessibility and ease of a local’s favorite neighborhood haunt.
Born and raised in Long Island, New York, Meehan’s initial foray in the industry was at a fried chicken joint when he was a teenager. While most would be turned off by working the fryer, Meehan was feeding an innate attraction to food, and, in the process, unearthing what would become a life-long love affair with the restaurant world. After graduating high school, Meehan enrolled in the esteemed Culinary Arts program at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island, an education that he would test and sharpen on-the-line during an apprenticeship at the Michelin-starred L’alban Chambon under French Master Chef Dominique Michou, and, later, alongside Los Angeles’ finest chefs.
In 2000, Meehan drove cross country to assume a post at the celebrated L’Orangerie, then helmed by Chef Ludo Lefebvre. It was there that Meehan met Langley, who he would subsequently work with at the now late Bastide, where Meehan served as Chef de Cuisine, and, later, at Citrine. After Citrine’s closure in 2005, Meehan joined Patina Restaurant Group as Chef de Cuisine at Joachim Spichal’s seminal Patina restaurant in Downtown. During his three-year tenure, the restaurant received a Michelin Star for its fresh interpretation of French cuisine informed by seasonality, and Meehan was consequently promoted to Executive Chef of Café Pinot.
In 2012, Meehan parted ways with the prolific restaurant group to launch his passion project, Kali Dining. The underground operation quickly garnered critical attention for Meehan’s assertive, yet nuanced tasting menus that he prepared, dinner party-style, for Los Angeles top tastemakers, luminaries, and food enthusiasts. Kali the restaurant was birthed from the success of Kali Dining, and the passion that Meehan and co-owner Langley share for pushing the boundaries of the typical fine dining experience.
For Kali, Kevin partnered with Drew Langley.
While most known for his esteemed tenure as the Wine Director at the Michelin-starred Providence in Los Angeles, Drew Langley brings an extensive resume of experience to Kali Restaurant, a passion project born out of his 15-year friendship with Chef Kevin Meehan.
As Co-owner and Wine Director of the contemporary California restaurant near Hollywood’s iconic Paramount Pictures Studios, the 39-year-old’s near life-long matriculation in the food & beverage industry is fully realized. Kali blends the haute cuisine and hospitality of a fine dining destination with the accessibility of an everyday neighborhood haunt, and Langley’s concise, intelligent wine program is a reflection of the core philosophy that defines the restaurant.
Born and raised in a small town in south Maryland, Langley’s initial introduction to the industry was as a dishwasher at a local pizzeria at the age of 13. While his contemporaries found inspiration in the classroom, Langley was drawn to the rhythm and intensity of the restaurant world, acquiring a vast understanding of its inner workings through odd jobs that ran the gamut from line cook at regional chain Perkin’s to corporate trainer for Applebee’s openings to bar back at Solomon’s Pier, a seafood restaurant and nightclub.
In 1997, the then 20-year-old Langley leapt at an opportunity to relocate to Los Angeles, and stumbled into a position at Greenblatt’s, a beloved deli and wine shop in West Hollywood, that would ultimately pave the way for his future career. Langley furthered his three-year wine education at Greenblatt’s with a position at Dennis Overstreet’s Beverly Hills Wine Merchant, before joining the now-closed L’Orangerie in Beverly Hills as Sommelier in 2000. It was there that Langley crossed paths with Meehan, who he would subsequently work alongside at the late Bastide and Citrine.
After opening Bastide in 2002 as Commis Sommelier, and enjoying a stint as Wine Director at Citrine in 2003, Langley switched gears to lend support to entrepreneur and wine collector Jeff Smith for the launch of Carte Du Vin. His time at the local wine cellar management firm birthed and deepened relationships with prominent private collectors, relationships that inform his wine program at Kali today. In 2005, Langley joined the opening team at Providence, serving as Wine Director for Michael Cimarusti’s nationally-acclaimed seafood destination through 2015 when he left to prepare for Kali’s debut in early 2016.
An avid music enthusiast, when Langley is not refining his wine list with new finds or overseeing the day-to-day operations at Kali, the Koreatown resident can be found indulging in the local drum-and-bass culture.
This was a Foodie Club dinner, with just 6 of my regular dining intimates — and of course great wine.
1996 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. VM 97. The vibrancy and drive of the vintage came through in spades in the 1996 Salon, which was flat-out stunning. The 1996 remains a youngster, but is immensely beautiful, even at this stage. Several recent bottles have been just as stunning.
Marinated mussels with some kind of foam. Very nice.
The fancy Dom P Oenotheque box.
1996 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Oenothèque. VM 97. The 1996 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque has really turned a corner over the last six months or so. When it was originally introduced the 1996 was hard as nails, today it is an exquisite Champagne that captures the essential brightness and energy of the year. Lemon, slate, oyster shells and white flowers stain the palate in an intense, beautifully sculpted Champagne of the highest level.
Polenta cube with uni.
1996 Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne. VM 93+. Lime, smoked meat and spicy, vanillin oak aromas. Dense but bright and juicy; sharply focused, intense flavors of lemon, lime, spiced apple and mineral dust. Penetrating acidity gives this a sinewy quality today. Finishes with a flavor and texture of pulverized stones. This grew richer and richer in the glass, showing strong soil character and powerful structure.
From my cellar: 2000 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux. BH 92. Wonderfully intense, green, slightly austere Chablis fruit aromas lead to richly detailed, mouth coating and sappy flavors of extraordinary pungency and while this doesn’t quite have the size of the ’00 Valmur, it has all of the intensity and length. In short, this is a first rate effort with plenty of classic Chablis character.
Yellowtail, radish, tomato, lemon, herbs, marinated melon cucumber pickle. A fascinating blend of textures and flavors. Very very summery, with that watermelon, herb, ceviche thing going on.
Burrata, blackberries, tomatoes, pistachios, flowers. Brilliant and extremely unusual “caprese” execution with a blend of sweet, tangy, and creamy. Great texture too with the soft burrata and the pistachios.
Rosemary bread and butter.
1991 Faiveley Clos Vougeot. 90 points.
1996 Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot. VM 92+. Deep, bright red-ruby. Complex, wild aromas of raw crushed blueberry, violet, raw meat and iron. Intense, primal flavors of crunchy berries and powdered stone. Integrated acidity gives the fruit an urgent quality. Quite powerfully structured for aging. Very long and bright on the back end, with tannins nicely supported by extract.
Black barely risotto. Black garlic, toasted cheese. A very nice whole grain with a creamy garlic herb vibe.
1993 Louis Jadot Bonnes Mares. VM 92+. Good deep youthful red. Quintessential briary Bonnes-Mares aromas of raspberry, roasted currant, mocha and menthol. Penetrating flavors of black cherry, flowers and mint; insinuating, ripe acids give the wine terrific verve and lift. Finishes long, vibrant and youthful, with firm but round tannins. Quite rich but not as concentrated or long as the ’96. “The crop size was down due to mildew. The aromas remind me of red Burgundies from 1953.
1993 Mongeard-Mugneret Grands-Echezeaux. 93 points. Great bourgogne. Classic in every respect and drinking very nicely now. Still potential for more positive evolution.
Black cod. Peas, mint, almond, white chocolate. Really a fabulous soft fish dish with crisp lovely summer peas.
Ron brought: 1999 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin. Parker 96. Similar to the 2004 and made from a blend of 60% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Counoise, the 1999 Châteauneuf du Pape Hommage À Jacques Perrin is a perfumed, gorgeously rich effort that excels on its elegance, complexity and length. From a cooler year and possessing bright acidity, full-bodied richness and building tannin, it offers up a smorgasbord of cured meats, licorice, dried flowers, spice and sweet berry fruit. Drinking nicely now, it should continue to evolve gracefully for another two decades.
Flannery beef hanger steak with “corn porn.” Leek char. Although a tiny bit overcooked this was some delicious beef and taken to the next level by the corn.
1997 Dalla Valle Maya Proprietary Red Wine. Parker 99. Close to perfection, the saturated blue/black-colored 1997 Maya exhibits complex aromatics of creme de cassis, smoke, spice box, iron, and espresso. The wine has a viscous texture, huge, concentrated, ripe fruit, remarkable body, and a seamless, multi-layered finish. The tannin, acidity, and alcohol are all beautifully integrated.
1998 Bryant Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Parker 94-96. The 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is a fine wine. While it does not reveal much weight, it is a dense plum/purple-colored, big, thick, concentrated effort. Evolved aromas of smoke, cedar, tapenade, blackberries, creme de cassis, and creosote are followed by a lush, full-bodied, voluptuously-textured 1998 exhibiting superb intensity as well as low acid, sweet, pure flavors. This is a dazzling example of extremely ripe Cabernet Sauvignon made under less than ideal conditions. It will drink well upon its release, and over the following two decades.
Kevin shows off the duck!
Duck breast, fruit, giant gnocchi. A really stand out juicy chunk of duck which really went well with the soft fruit.
1995 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 93. From a hot year – with rain at harvest – that benefited later-picking estates, the 1995 Chateauneuf du Pape is still impressively young and vibrant, with a solid kick of tannin. Possessing a masculine edge to its licorice, smoked meats, peppery herbs and both red and black fruits, it’s medium to full-bodied, concentrated and a little edgy on the palate, with plenty of similarities to the 2005. It certainly has another decade of longevity, but the tannin will be something to watch. I’ve had more ready to go bottles from my cellar and certainly see no reason to hold off here.
Lamb with cranberry beans and tomato. Great jus here. Also the beans were marinated for days in tomato soup!
Toasted Meringue Gelato. grated candied yolk. This tasted like sweet cream with a dusting of salty eggy goodness. It was mild, creamy, and absolutely stunning. I ate two.
Bittersweet chocolate and orange truffles.
Overall, not only was this a great meal with great friend (and wine), but Kevin’s food was really bang up fabulous. He’s always been a very talented chef but it seems to me, and I noted how in my previous visit that he’s really polished the cooking. This trend has continued, because in a few short months things have gone from great to… well greater. I don’t know anyone else in LA that’s doing this kind of ingredient focused cooking and yet nailing it with such bright pure flavors. The dishes have this balanced tension that is very sophisticated and some of them are pretty stand out amazing like the yellowtail, burrata, cod, steak, duck, and gelato — and noticed how I named a LOT of dishes because the percentage of knock outs is very high!
Service was great. We felt like family.
Really great stuff. Bravo Kevin and Drew!
For more LA dining reviews click here.
Restaurant: Hotel Bon Sol Resort & Spa
Location: Paseo de Illetas, 30, 07181 Illetas, Balearic Islands, Spain
Date: June 25, 2016
Cuisine: Spanish?
Rating: Straight Outta 1975
When picking hotels by internet review I’m often tortured by the fact that most reviewers don’t share my taste. In addition, nearly every hotel, no matter how good, has its shares of negative reviews. Along these lines, Majorca turned out to be particularly problematic as I wanted a place near Palma with a beach — and the larger hotels were plagued by reviews lambasting customer service.
Not so with the Hotel BonSol, which has some really lovely on presence owners and a very loyal clientele. So loyal, I suspect many have been coming for decades and decades…
And they are British. And they eat in. There is some ridiculously cheap rate for full/half board at the hotel restaurant and it’s pretty much mobbed with the shall we say… senior… patrons. This is one of the strangest restaurants I’ve been too in years because it’s crowded, extremely “formal” (for a beach resort), with white tablecloths etc., yet sort of wham bang thank you ma’am.
The normal menu is one of those chose from the categories prix fix that used to be very common at European hotels in the 1970s and 1980s.
There is even this “fancier” version. And it doesn’t even cost more. The whole meal is always the same price (or included for most of the hotel guests). Notice the “gourmet” menu is in “French” (we are in Spain).
Frankly, looking at these menus, at the clientele, and at the food on the table I was terrified — sure I was in for an almost airplane level of food misery.
Even the Albarino was a bit different. Sweet. Still acidic, but with quite a bit more residual sugar than I was used to.
Brits on vacay!
Gazpacho Andaluz (cold vegetable soup). Things didn’t start off well. This was the most boring Gazpacho I had on the trip. It wasn’t miserable, but it wasn’t great either.
Fries.
Rice cubana (fried egg and banana). Huh? What’s this doing on the menu. Kinda odd.
Coquilles St Jacques en corbeille brick au whisky (scallops in brick pastry with whisky sauce). Looks a little fancier. Actually tasted pretty decent. Not amazing or anything, but surprising.
Pizza.
Filet of Hake a la Mallorquina. Hake in some sauce.
Carre d’agneau en croute d’olives sur gratin de pomes de terre et petits legumes (carre of lamb with olive crust. potato gratin and vegetables). Interesting. I haven’t had something exactly like this before, and it isn’t much of a looker, but it actually tasted pretty good. The sauce was very sweet, but I kinda liked it.
Stracciatella ice cream. Definitely from a very frozen tub.
Chocolate cake.
Flan and hazelnut ice cream. A tolerable middle grade flan is still pretty good.
I was actually surprised that the food here actually tasted pretty good. It’s kinda weird, and there are so many English targeted menu items that don’t even belong in Spain – plus the whole 30+ year-old vibe and the fact that the kitchen CHURNS it out (the place is huge). Still, it was kinda decent taste wise if not much to look at.
I just wonder if it was actually “fancy” by the standards of the day in the 70s or 80s, and it’s just remained as a sort of odd throwback with an increasingly budget focused approach appealing to an increasingly aged population — or was it just always exactly like this?
Location: 633 W 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071
Date: August 8, 2016
Cuisine: New American
Rating: Awesome in all ways
It is with no small bit of anticipation that I went for the first time to one of LA’s latest and hottest event restaurants, 71Above.
Besides being located on the 71st floor (950 feet up!) of the US Bank building, being the highest restaurant west of the Mississippi, and showcasing the food of Chef Vartan Abgaryan, it’s owned and operated by my friend Emil Eyvazoff!
This is no casual opening, but a massive (and gorgeous) multipart buildout that encompasses the entire floor. Above is part of the lounge/bar.
And behind that is the stunning dining room with its computer controlled auto tinting windows. Beyond that the view continues all the way around with the chef’s table and several more intimate private dining areas.
The view alone is worth the price of admission, and offers varied sights depending on your 360 degree angle. Notice how even the second tallest building downtown (seen under construction here) is below eye level! On a clear day you can easily see the vast sweep of the Pacific and several mountain ranges.
The surprisingly small open kitchen is a bustling hive of activity. You can see Chef Abgaryan to the left supervising.
Ron brought: 2005 Taittinger Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne. VM 94. Bright yellow. Vibrant pear and melon aromas are complicated by suggestions of ginger, brioche and smoky minerals. Dry, smoky and precise, offering intense orchard and pit fruit flavors that gain weight with aeration. A dusty mineral quality adds focus and lift to the long, penetrating, floral finish. There’s a Burgundian thing going on here that’s quite intriguing.
House roasted and spiced bar nuts.
Savory Canelé. Looks just like the not so savory kind, and has the same wonderful texture, but instead offered an evocative warm taste of rosemary and maybe cheese.
Brian and Jennifer brought: 2007 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru La Perrière. 91 points. Nice open white burg.
Strawberry Gazpacho. Strawberry Ice, Pickled Green Strawberries, Black Pepper, Shiso. Really lovely blend of tangy and sweet with a gorgeous strawberry finish.
Fig. Purslane, Red Onion, Goat Feta, Honey Vinegar, Lemon, Sumac Crisp.
From my cellar: 2008 Henri Boillot Meursault 1er Cru Charmes. VM 91-94. Musky, highly complex aromas of lemon, lime and hazelnut. Sweet on entry, then impressively tensile in the middle palate, offering superb intensity to its citrus, spice and mineral flavors. This tactile, penetrating wine builds impressively toward the back end and finishes with outstanding lift and persistence. Rigorous, almost painful, wine, but wonderfully rich for chardonnay with barely 13% alcohol. These vines are in the upper portion of Charmes, next to the top of Puligny-Montrachet Combettes.
agavin: nice and round and enjoyable right now
Amanda brought: 2013 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Chevalier-Montrachet. BH 92-94. There is enough wood to remark upon to the spicy nose of citrus peel, acacia blossom and plenty of wet stone nuances. The rich, powerful, vibrant, fresh and beautifully detailed middle weight plus flavors brim with an intense minerality on the firm and hugely long and saline-inflected finish that is almost painfully intense. This is clearly built to age and will need at least 5 years to harmonize and will reward at least 10.
agavin: awesome!
Ron brought: 2012 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Corton-Charlemagne. VM 93+. Ineffable perfume to the aromas of lemon, lime, lavender and crushed stone. Juicy, tangy and youthfully tight, with a distinctly dusty, extract-rich texture to the flavors of citrus peel, flowers, fleur de sel and minerals. A classic Corton-Charlemagne from vines harvested late (Colin has two sources, one in Aloxe and the other in Pernand; the two vignerons harvested on the same day and Colin carried out a single vinification). The crop level was normal as there was no hail here.
agavin: another awesome wine. Super reductive, but after 2 hours amazing.
Hamachi. Crudo, Asian Pear, Cucumber, White Soy, Cherry Blossom, Sesame.
With a tangy green sauce. Not only is this dish gorgeous, but it had a really bright quality and a great interplay of textures. Isn’t it interesting to note how the humble radish has become such a staple part of recent dishes? Mostly I assume because of it’s striking color contrast and crunchy texture.
Chevy brought: 2007 Marcassin Chardonnay Three Sisters Vineyard. 94 points. Delicious and elegant chard with tasty fruit, mineral notes, and oak on a silky palate and long finish.
agavin: too “cal chard” for my taste, not enough acid.
Larry brought: 2010 Sine Qua Non The Monkey. VM 91. Bright gold. Deeply pitched aromas of pit fruit nectar, orange marmalade and coconut, with a smoky topnote. Lush and expansive, offering palate-staining peach, melon and honey flavors and a late jolt of spiciness that adds lift. Shows a wild blend of richness and energy that will allow it to work with a wide range of foods. A weighty yet lively white blend with impressive finishing energy and refreshing bitterness.
Tomato Tart. Heirloom Tomato, Burrata, 25-Year Balsamic, Basil, Parmesan. Chef Abgaryan really likes to play with texture and tangy/sweet combinations. The play here between the peeled tomatoes, marinated and acidic, and the sweet buttery crunchy pastry and the soft burrata and chewy parm — awesome!
Summer Squash. Basil, Garlic, Pine Nuts, Pumpernickel, Sumac, Grana.
Agnolotti. Corn, Black Truffle, Lime, Sheep’s Milk Ricotta, Parmesan. Wow!
From my cellar: 1978 Camille Giroud Pommard 1er Cru. 93 points. Vibrant cherry, with truffle, tobacco and chocolate. Very expressive in all regards. It came across as, possibly, a Barolo at first due to the strong cherry and earthy charateristics. Sustained power balanced by elegance and smooth tannins with a very long finish. In the end, undenyably Brugandy.
agavin: Ex-chateau. Definitely reconditioned because it was way too young.
Brian and Jennifer brought: 1996 Camus Pere & Fils Charmes-Chambertin. 90 points. Lot’s of animal notes – some smoked game or bacon. Long and complex in the mouth.
From my cellar: 1998 Domaine Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin Très Vieilles Vignes. VM 95+. Saturated ruby. Knockout nose combines dark berries, violets, spices and smoked meat. A ’98 of remarkable sweetness and depth. Huge but broad tannins are completely buffered by the wine’s sheer concentration. Resounding, utterly fresh finish. This comes across as more accessible today than the Mazis or Griottes due to its sheer volume and sweetness, but it should age well for two decades.
agavin: roar! A kind of sauvages stewy bestial quality.
Brian and Jennifer brought: 2005 Faiveley Clos Vougeot. BH 92-95. This too is very deftly oaked with an earthy and very ripe mix of briar, dark berry fruit and pungent underbrush aromas leading to muscled, energetic and sappy flavors where the mid-palate fat almost completely buffers the firm though not aggressive tannins that add a chewy texture to the gorgeously long finish. There is a really attractive underlying tension here but like most of these grands crus, this is a wine for the patient that will last for decades.
Steak Tartar. Farm Yolk, Mustard, Truffle, Chives, Pommes Maxim. Very eggy and fabulous with that truffle mustard.
Particularly on this grilled bread.
Chevy brought: 1975 Château Montrose. JK 92. opens with aromas of cherries and red berry fruit, with a pretty floral quality too. plum and herbal qualities on the palate with a nice herbal undertone.
Amanda brought: 1990 Château Léoville Las Cases. JK 96+. Deep, dense ruby. Lovely nose, dense with blackcurrant, a little graphite and the faintest hint of cigar box. Rich and plush on the palate, fine grained and pretty much fully resolved tannins, densely velvety.
Ron brought: 1985 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial. 94 points. Clear medium blood-ruby-brick red. Lovely complex mature bouquet of red currant paste, cranberries, rose petals, cedar, orange peel, black tea, old leather and stony red soil. Oh so smooth and mellow on the palate, with balanced acidity and fully resolved tannins. Not big or bold enough for some people, but I could cozy up with this all night.
agavin: striking Tempranillo strength and tannins without the barnyard funk.
Larry brought: 2007 Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes. RR 96+. Bright purple. Exotically perfumed bouquet of ripe raspberry, boysenberry and cherry, with complicating notes of cola, sassafras and star anise. Deep, juicy dark fruit flavors provide impressive palate coverage and are braced by zesty minerality. The dark berry and cola notes resonate on the long, focused finish. This is already appealing but seems built to age.
Line-Caught Halibut. Shelling Beans, Wax Beans, Tomatillo, Plum, Verjus.
Suckling pig. Loin, Belly, Confit Pressé, Young Lettuces, Cherry, Mustard. An awesome trio of pig. The rich pork belly, the succulent loin, moist and with delicious herbal notes, and the confit fritter. Wow! A bit of chorizo juice on top too.
Larry brought: 1978 Château Rieussec. 92 points.With more than enough acid to make Timothy Leary happy, the fruit is really fading. If you have bottle, pop it!
Foie Gras. Terrine, Beets, Pistachio, Tonka Bean, Rustic Bread. Awesome. Like super duck butter on toast. The beets were tangy with pickling.
Chocolate dessert.
Pineapple gelee.
And an Armenian shot of caviar to finish, slurped off the hand!
Emil told us this was the most glasses on a table yet (in just 3 weeks)!
The wine enjoys the view. #WineInTheSky
Emil Eyvazoff on the left and Chef Vartan Abgaryan on the right.
Heading down!
Overall, 71Above is just a seriously well conceived and executed one-of-a-kind restaurant. Really, it’s more like a NY, Singapore, or Tokyo kind of concept. First of all, the view is just awesome. I can’t wait to come back on a really clear day. Particularly once they begin brunch service, a nice winter day will offer an observation deck like panorama.
But then Emil and crew built out such a lovely space to capture the drama. It’s modern, but welcoming. Not too loud, you can here the conversation and the music both. And from when you enter off the double elevator ascent it folds from one experience to another: lounge, dining room, more intimate corridors, chef table, quiet and romantic view areas in the back, and a series of two adjustable private dining rooms. The attention to architectural detail is amazing.
Then the menu has a creative format with a fixed price (currently $70) and three savory courses. You can pick from six options per category. If you are a glutton like me, you can add extra courses – and of course dessert.
But an interesting menu wouldn’t be anything without great execution. As you can see above the plating is modern but approachable and highly attractive. But the flavor on the dishes is paramount, and really quite excellent, particularly considering their complexity and textural variation. There is a balanced quality between opposite forces in Chef Abgaryan’s cooking that pulls from Chinese culinary theory, while that specific flavors and combinations are largely American/European. It’s both approachable and sophisticated. Bravo!
For more LA dining reviews click here.
More Foodie Club outings here.
I was lucky enough to be invited again to a absolutely fabulous wine dinner hosted by my friend Eric Cotsen at his lovely Malibu pad. The group was mostly Hedonists, with a few other pals of Eric’s mixed in. Eric has these diners regularly and they feature an awesome setting, great company, wonderful food, and amazing wines provided by both him and the guests.
You can see the ocean is right there! Like under the house.
The bright and eclectic decor is so Malibu!
And the wines that everyone brought are hidden in socks and served in a giant blind free-for-all, but we start off with some whites.
NV Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé. VM 92. Pale orange. High-pitched red berry, orange zest and jasmine aromas, with suave mineral and smoky lees notes adding complexity. Spicy and precise on the palate, showing very good punch to its strawberry and bitter cherry flavors. Opens up smoothly with air and picks up a bitter rhubarb quality that lingers onto the long, tightly focused finish. This bottling showed more brawny character than many past renditions of this cuvée, but with no lack of vivacity.
From my cellar: 2006 Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne. VM 96+. A reserved, indeed even reluctant nose of fresh and stony green fruit and citrus aromas that offer real depth leads to precise, minerally and exceptionally powerful full-bodied flavors that possess huge amounts of dry extract on the hugely long finish. This is still sorting itself out but the quality of the raw materials is impeccable and it possesses impressive potential, which will require at least a decade to realize. One of the finest examples from this appellation in the 2006 vintage.
2014 Aubert Chardonnay Eastside Vineyard. 95 points. Nose of butterscotch, beeswax, glycerin, pear, minerals and a touch of honey, very aromatic, flowery nose, of rose and salvia, more of the same on the palate, still very young and slightly subdued, very tasty during the 90 minute dinner, big body, mouth filling, intense fruit, long, flavorful finish of pineapple, salvia, and sage. Better in 2 years.
agavin: lots of malo, but some acid too.
2012 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru La Forest. VM 94. Soil-driven aromas of apple, biscuit, chlorophyll, fern, anise and flowers. Quite rich, sappy and concentrated, conveying a strong impression of dry extract and stony minerality. Powerful, very solidly built premier cru with a very long finish tinged by licorice. I would not be surprised if this wine needs a good seven or eight years of cellaring to approach its peak.
Various cheeses.
And marcona almonds.
Eric brought out a set of his own reds to be tasted first (blind). They all shared a common “2007” theme, not that we knew that until later.
2007 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 99-100. One of the top wines in this incredible vintage is Avril’s 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape, which is the normal blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah and the rest of mix of permitted varieties. Brought up all in older foudre, it’s a blockbuster, almost over-the-top, effort that gives up notes of kirsch, incense, dried flowers, spice and pepper. Deep, full-bodied, massively concentrated, unctuous and downright sexy, it needs another 2-3 years of cellaring and will have 30 years or more of overall longevity.
2007 Dominus Proprietary Red Wine. Parker 98. The 2008 Dominus may eclipse the 2007, but it may just be a matter of style. The 2007 Dominus, the quintessential model of haute couture, is pure elegance exhibiting a seamless integration of wood, tannin, alcohol and acidity as well as a complex bouquet of cedar, new saddle leather, sweet kirsch, black currant and plum fruit and a notion of licorice. Both the 2007 and 2008 Dominus should drink well for 25-30 years.
2007 Harlan Estate The Maiden. Parker 93. As outstanding as the 2008 is, it is eclipsed by the brilliant 2007 The Maiden, perhaps the finest second wine yet made here. Sweet tobacco leaf, fruitcake, creme de cassis, black currant and licorice aromas emerge from this round, opulent, voluptuously textured wine. It is very much in keeping with the 2007 vintage. Enjoy it over the next 10-15 years.
agavin: ours was corked 🙁
2007 Joseph Phelps Insignia Proprietary Red Wine. Parker 99. Aged 24 months in new French oak, this infant 2007 exhibits an inky/purple color along with notes of graphite, spring flowers and smoky oak. This full-bodied, classic Insignia reveals fabulous depth, ripeness, texture, viscosity and richness. Still young and unformed, it should evolve for 25 or more years.
Tonight had a “game” theme, so we had a whole slew of sausages from whacky animals. This first one is Alpaca Hot Italian!
Then goat garlic basil.
And camel French apple — near universal favorite. Never had camel before!
Ostrich!
Alligator bayou. A little mushy and weird.
Rattle snake with rabbit and Jalepeno. I’m sure there was more rabbit than rattlesnake.
Yak bratwurst. My second favorite after the camel.
Kangaroo bratwurst. Not bad.
Camel chipotle cheddar. Not nearly as good as the first camel.
Ostrich egg scrambled in the egg. That’s just one egg worth and it filled up two halves of the shell!
Some beef for later.
The chaos of the early tasting.
And people sampling the sausages.
Next we move outside to the fiery seaside table.
A light vegan salad with herbs. Almost Vietnamese or Thai in style.
Risotto.
Green vegetables. Nice crunch.
Roasted carrots. Great for carrots.
And this amazing filet mignon with a rich savory BBQ sauce.
For dessert this awesome salted caramel gelato with chocolate chunks.
And one of the richest brownies I’ve ever had. Amazing.
The chef plates and entertains!
Oh, and fruit. For those who eat fruit!
While eating all this we sat around drinking all these wines (blind at first):
2002 Domaine Perrot-Minot Clos Vougeot. VM 91-94. Medium ruby. Expressive, nuanced aromas of black cherry, animal fur, smoke, minerals and nutty oak. Sweet, superripe and generous, with surprisingly opulent black fruit and mineral flavors. Finishes with substantial but fine, horizontal tannins and enticing sweetness. Like so many Clos Vougeots from this vintage, the tannins seem nobler than usual.
agavin: our bottle was off. Corked?
2005 Marcassin Pinot Noir Three Sisters Vineyard. 93 points. Like a very young red burg.
2005 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape. VM 93+. Inky ruby. Ripe, powerful boysenberry and blueberry aromas are deepened by musky tobacco and dark chocolate. Weighty dark berry flavors verge on thick; initially brooding but brightens with air, picking up an energetic, stony character. Red fruits build on a long, sappy finish. A serious style, and not for those who demand elegance.
1990 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 96. Two great back to back vintages are the 1990 and 1989. The more developed 1990 boasts an incredible perfume of hickory wood, coffee, smoked meat, Asian spices, black cherries, and blackberries. Lush, opulent, and full-bodied, it is a fully mature, profound Beaucastel that will last another 15-20 years.
2001 Gaja Barbaresco Riserva Che Storia. 91 points. Young, highly structured Neb.
2003 Angelo Gaja Sperss. Parker 93. Gaja’s 2003 Sperss is made from vineyards in Serralunga and offers better balance than the Conteisa. It is plump and juicy, with a generous core of dark fruit, tar and menthol supported by a massive, imposing structure. The wine offers notable length although there is a suggestion of heat on the finish. This powerful, brooding Sperss will require patience, even if today it gives the illusion of being a relatively accessible vintage for this wine. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2023.
From my cellar: 1990 Vega Sicilia Unico. Parker 96. Served from magnum, the 1990 Unico (a blend of 80% Tinto Fino and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon) possesses and extraordinarily, opulent bouquet with cassis, blood orange, Italian cured meat and crushed stone. It is extremely well defined and powerful yet succinctly focused. The palate is ripe and sweet on the entry. Vibrant red fruit, orange peel, marmalade, Asian spices all vie for attention. There is great weight and potency, building in the mouth that is rich in glycerine and climaxes with a spicy, meaty finish that tightly grips the mouth. It has a Right Bank, Cabernet Franc like persona. This is a lovely, decadent Unico that is surfeit with fresh and vitality, a Rubenesque Unico of some style. 109,548 bottles produced. Drink now-2030.
agavin: as Amanda put it, hints of saddle leather. Really delicious though, and many though the WOTN.
1970 Beychevelle. Parker 85. Fully mature with a spicy, plum-like bouquet, and some caramel aromas, the 1970 Beychevelle is round, fruity, quite silky and soft, and nicely concentrated. It lacks complexity and the depth of the best 1970s, but is still quite attractive. Anticipated maturity: Now. Last tasted, 4/88.
2003 Greenock Creek Shiraz Roennfeldt Road. Parker 96. The 2003 Shiraz Roennfeldt Road offers up an ethereal perfume of sandalwood, incense, lavender, Asian spices, and blueberry compote. Rich, dense, and very long in the finish, the wine’s 18.5% alcohol pokes through with a touch of heat. For that reason, it is likely to be controversial.
1995 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Volcanic Hill. 92 points. A throwback. The nose was a nice mix of cassis and cedar. Over two hours, it put on weight and went from a nice but lightweight to a medium weight, concentrated but still light on its feet cab. The last sip was the best suggesting that this still has many years of positive development in front of it.
2012 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23. VM 91. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon CASK 23 is the biggest and richest of these wines from Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. Broad and expansive on the palate, the 2012 is quite pretty, but stops short of being truly exciting. Blue and black fruits, violets and sweet spices add nuance on the perfumed, generous finish.
2006 Colgin Cariad Proprietary Red Wine. Parker 98. Meriting the same rating I gave it at its release, the 2006 Cariad is composed of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 7% Petit Verdot. One of the stars of the vintage, this thrilling, opaque purple-colored wine offers up sweet espresso, jus de viande, blackberry, blueberry, flower and chocolate aromas. A fabulous texture, tremendous purity, sensational brightness and authoritative flavor intensity allied to striking complexity and elegance are the signature of this creative blend from the David Abreu vineyards of Thorevilos and Madrona Ranch. Six hundred cases were produced. Give this wine another 3-4 years of cellaring and enjoy it over the following 15+.
2010 Joseph Phelps Insignia Proprietary Red Wine. Parker 95. A gorgeously intense bouquet of lead pencil shavings, spring flowers, black currants, blackberries, and subtle smoke and foresty aromas jumps from the glass of this full-bodied, rich, concentrated wine with soft tannins, a multidimensional mouthfeel, and a long, rich finish displaying well-integrated acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood. This beauty is one of the top Insignias produced over recent years. It should age easily for 20+ years.
2007 Hundred Acre Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Ark Vineyard. Parker 100! A perfect wine, the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Ark Vineyard (1,300 – 1,400 cases) from Howell Mountain is one of the great efforts from this high elevation terroir. It offers notes of burning embers, black raspberries, blueberries and flowers, a full-bodied opulence, wonderful intensity, but the wine is not weighty or overripe. Fleshy and voluptuous with terrific floral notes, it should drink well for 15-20 years.
Arnie’s rare 2005 Levy & McClellan Red. VM 94. Deep medium ruby. Complex, expressive nose offers black raspberry, licorice, brown spices, mocha, smoke, minerals and nutty oak. Wonderfully lush and creamy-sweet for the year, with Graves-like mineral, gravel and smoky notes (from barrel this wine struck me as brooding and Latour-like but today its fruit character is more red). Ripe, harmonious acidity and broad, lush tannins make this cabernet remarkably presentable-not to mention long on personality-for a 2005, but it also has the structure for an extended evolution in bottle. Even in 2005, this young vineyard on volcanic soil produced just over two tons of fruit per acre, according to Bob Levy.
Have a few wines!
Overall, another fun evening. Lots of great wine, company, and food. What more can you ask?
For more LA dining reviews click here,
or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!
Toss me down another chunk of yak!
Restaurant: Azurmendi
Location: Legina Auz., s/n, 48195 Larrabetzu, Bizkaia, Spain
Date: June 24, 2016
Cuisine: Modern Basque (Michelin 3 Star!)
Rating: My best meal in years
Our final starred restaurant of the trip is Azurmendi, located about 15-20 minutes east of Bilbao in the beautiful hills of Basque country.
Azurmendi Gourmet is the only restaurant in the Biscay province with three Michelin stars.
Azurmendi is possibly one of the most unique sustainable buildings of the modern architecture. It reflects the canons of the Basque identity and integrates photovoltaic solar panels and a geothermic system to produce electricity, harvests rainwater to cover a number of operations, recycles waste, etc. A charging station is available for electric cars. For all these reasons Azurmendi was granted the Sustainable Restaurant Award 2014.
There are resteraunts in them thar hills!
It has been built into a hillside surrounded by autochthonous vineyards. Eneko´s house, and he calls the restaurant, was conceived and built prioritizing sustainability, a foundation of his philosophy.
The architecture is subdued from the outside, fitting into the beautiful countryside.
But inside is stunning and dramatic.
Mixing the natural and the sculptural.
Plus cool fountains!
The formal menus today.
But first, we enter in “The Azurmendi Experience” which includes a series of amuses presented in different locations. Here some of the chefs begin with…
The welcoming picnic.
Garden vegetables cake (upper right), eel sandwich (left) and Txakoli punch (green ball in the foreground). Everything had a smooth, rich, harmony to the taste.
For act 2 we proceed into the kitchen.
Here we are presented with a hibiscus “potion” and
Hazelnuts growing on a little bonsai tree — except surprise, they were chocolate hazelnut.
And the vegetarians received this vegetable crisp with avocado mousse.
The third act takes us to the lovely greenhouse.
Quite magical.
The dry ice mist chills some of the amuses.
T
Morokil. A porridge of corn flower, formed into a sort of corn soup in this case.
Herbs, cookies, and cheese. Growing amongst the herbs.
A close up of the actual treat.
Our son received a bit of floral/vegetable “pasta.”
The in the cotton fields there was…
Asparagus cotton. Cotton candy like texture.
And growing from the rocks…
Mushroom leaf. A salty potato chip like thing that tasted of mushroom.
Finally the fourth act takes us to the dining room and our table.
The place setting.
There was a choice of two menus, we chose the Adarrak menu on the right.
And it begins with yet more amuses, frozen olive and vermouth. The yellow things tasted of olive, with a frozen ice cream bon bon texture. The little dark sticks were edible as well.
A cocktail of juice and vermouth.
Egg from our hens, cooked inside out and truffled. This gooey soft blob (eat in one bite) tasted of egg yolk and truffles — which meant it was scrumptious.
Chinese bun-like bread.
2003 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Reserva Viña Tondonia. Couldn’t resist more Tondonia blanco.
Simple pasta for our son.
Oysters, tartar, and seaweed traces. Very much in the Azurmendi style, with the different bits of sauce and the sphere.
Vegetarians received this mini squash blossom and a beet tartar.
And we had this tempura ball.
Tomatoes… local varieties and anchovy. Even I, the tomato hater, loved this. So fresh tasting.
And tomato water granite!
Garlic mushrooms. A noodle spun about and with all sorts of earthy mushroom and garlic flavors.
The vegetarians received this alternate version.
Roasted lobster out of the shell, its crunch and mayonnaise. The lobster was prefect.
And “its crunch” was like a lobster infused crispy fruit rollup.
Vegetarians received this dish of artisanal grains.
2013 Castell d’Encús Costers del Segre Acusp. 89 points. As there wasn’t the kind of Burgundy I wanted on the list, and I like to stay Spanish, the Sommelier recommended this lovely young Spanish pinot noir.
“Castanetas” pork glazed in its juice with “Etxano” cheese. Some delicious meatiness, a sweetish sauce, and nice crisp from the cheese.
Cod tripe to the fine herbs. Second or third time I had the cod tripes. Sounds gross, but the dish was amazing. Creamy, with this thick gelatinous texture. Wonderful rich flavors.
Fried Hake, roasted red pepper infusion and parsley. The green blobs aren’t avocado, but parsley mousse or something. This was a perfect tempura fish, wonderfully moist inside and crispy outside. The red pepper “sauce” (almost a gel) was amazing, with a dashi-type flavor too.
Pigeon, green beans, and duxelle. A great bit of bird.
And a bit of foie gras and sherry PX!
A dish of fava beans and herb mousse.
Chef Eneko Atxa.
Born in 1977 and raised in the Basque Country of Spain, Eneko Atxa hails from a family that always placed value in good food and good eating. At the age of 15, he embarked on his career as a chef at the Catering College of Leoia in the province of Biscay. After graduation, he honed his skills in fine dining and began his journey into haute cuisine as a cook under Chef Martín Berasategui at his eponymous restaurant in Lasarte. He then continued on with greater responsibility at locally revered restaurants Etxebarri and Andra Mari. As these early years of his career passed, he began to develop his culinary personality and style, driven by deep curiosity and passion.
In 2005, Atxa’s path led him to open his own restaurant, Azurmendi, in a tucked-away spot of dense woods just 10 minutes outside of Bilbao. Since then, the chef has garnered a number of awards, including “Best Chef” by local, national, and international bodies, including the Fourchettes French gourmet guide, along with the “Most Beautiful Dish” by Lo Mejor de la Gastronomía in 2010. Just five years after opening, Azurmendi was awarded its second Michelin star in November 2010, becoming the first restaurant in the Biscay province with two Michelin stars — then finally 3!
Watermelon, coriander, and lime. Amazing dessert with its various chilled textures. Bright and refreshing.
Yogurt, honey, and five spices. Another lovely dessert.
Chocolate, peanut, and licorice.
And our son’s slightly “simplified” chocolate dessert.
Tea/coffee service.
Macchiato.
The petits fours come in a box of dirt.
Various infused flavors, gel, madeline-like pastry.
This gel and white chocolate green tea popsicle.
Ginger gels. Super refreshing and potent.
Macarons.
The menu.
And the bill box.
Azurmendi was a stunning meal. Everyone present agreed it was their favorite of the trip — and I place it as one of my favorites in the last decade. The location was lovely, the theatrics clever, each dish artful, but most importantly, they all tasted fantastic. The overall balance of flavors, temperature, and textures was uniformly good. Not every dish was as great as the last, but they varied from merely very good to revelatory. And even thought he combinations were often unusual, they meshed together in a delectable manner.
Really, there is a reason Elite Traveller has distinguished Azurmendi as the second best restaurant in the world this year (2016), and Opinionated About Dining as the best restaurant in Europe in 2015. This is current haute cuisine executing on all 12 cylinders, hand tuned by Enzo Ferrari himself — and it shows off the bounty, beauty, and creativity that is defining Basque Country as one of the world’s best culinary destinations.
Restaurant: Fuego Negro
Location: Calle 31 de Agosto, 31, 20003 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
Date: June 23, 2016
Cuisine: Tapas
Rating: Good, but didn’t try enough
Fuego Negro was another very highly rated tapas bar.
The name means “black smoke”.
But as they were only open for dinner, and we couldn’t actually get a table for 8 to house our giant party, we just popped in and sampled a couple items.
The menu.
Home made pickles. Olives, anchovies, peppers. I just love these fresh marinated gems.
Makcobe with txips. A kobe beef slider with pickles. A good little burger to be sure. About the size I like my burgers, actually.
Crunchy risotto of sheep & cuttlefish. Not sure what the sheep part was, maybe cheese. The cuttlefish is the pasta like stuff on top. The rice had a crunchy texture not too far off from cocoa crispies! Overall yummy though.
We didn’t try enough items at Fuego Negro to get a solid opinion, although clearly this is a good and inventive kitchen. The menu is fairly small too and I like how they list the dates for the dishes.
