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Quick Eats – Heroic Deli

Feb07

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

Date: January 10, 2018 and September 2, 2019

Cuisine: Hoagie+

Rating: Very good, if pricey, sandwich

Heroic Deli is a new entry into the Santa Monica lunch scene by Adam Fleischman (my ex biz partner) and Jeffrey Merrihue. It’s putting the modern spin on the Italian American “hoagie” concept.

They took over the old Real Food Daily / Erven space on Santa Monica Blvd.

Pretty old building — no parking at all.

Besides the sandwiches (and a few salads) they have a small but nice Italian wine list. Not that very many people are going to order wine during the day with their sub.

This is a weird space, divided into two halves, each of which has a separate loft. The build out is attractive though.

Here’s the main side loft.

In the back half (what used to be the main restaurant part at Erven) is this gorgeous table and a sort of wine bar concept. Not sure that I get it without the bar tender though. But again the decor is cool.

Hand painted Zodiac ceiling.

Zeus lightning bolt panel, etc.

Here’s Jeffrey, who like me at Ramen Roll is very hands on operationally.

The short but sweet menu.

Housemade potato chips and Italian Corn pie (corn, eggs, cream, green onions, salt & pepper).

The chips had a perfect texture, with that slightly “charred” taste that real housemade potato chips often have.

The corn pie was lightly sweet, on the borderline between sweet and savory, soft and fluffy with an interesting texture.

Eggplant Parmesan. The Heroic version is sautéed and then baked, but not breaded. It’s vegetarian and gluten free and quite excellent.

The OMG Sandwich. Imported Italian Prosciutto, capocollo, mortadella, porchetta, smoked mozzarella, artichokes, roasted tomatoes, house made giardinera, mustard, truffle mayo.

They make the bread and it was very good. Crunch, but also with good spring and not so hard/chewy that it scratched my mouth (which I hate). The sandwich was meaty, but not super meaty, with a very strong and lovely acidity from the tomatoes and giardinera (vinegar pepper sauce). It’s not huge and it is $15 which is a lot for a hoagie. It tasted great and didn’t give me heartburn (which some traditional Italians will). This is a very modern riff on the classic Italian hoagie. If you look at a world’s best “classic style” one like at Sarcone’s (Philadelphia), this has a LOT more condiment. Probably it actually tastes better too, but it isn’t as “cold cut” or “provolone” forward as the classic.

They also have fabulous Calabrian pepper paste which I was using as a dip for my potato chips. Warning, only do this if, like me, you think this looks “no big deal” (spice wise).

Batista. Fresh flash fried, summer zucchini, Italian bufala mozzarella, parsley, garlic, white wine vinegar. With added prosciutto. Also a very good sandwich. The zucchini, which I don’t even normally like, was nice and crispy with a bit of a pesto taste that married perfectly with the mozzarella and (added) prosciutto.

I also had a Scala (not pictured). Chef Barbara’s braised short ribs, sauteed peppers, smoked mozzarella, caramelized onions. Very delicious as well.

I’ll have to come back and try some of the other sandwiches — my low carb diet is just making it hard. Passing out to customers the other varieties looked good. Delicious in fact. You can tell that each is seriously crafted out of great ingredients. Now, is there a big market in Santa Monica for double price Italian slightly small subs that actually ARE better than the cheaper versions? Can that cover the high Santa Monica rent? That I don’t know. But I do know that I personally find it worth the extra few bucks for a better sandwich.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
Comments (6)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Adam Fleischman, deli meats, Heroic Deli, Italian Cu, Jeffrey Merrihue, Sandwich, Santa Monica

Introducing Ramen Roll

Oct06

Culver City, CA – October 6, 2016 – Adam Fleischman, Andy Gavin, and Kiyoshiro Yamamoto announced plans to establish Ramen Roll, a new Japanese fine-casual concept in Culver City. Opening by year’s end, Ramen Roll heralds a new wave in accessible Japanese dining: Patrons choose from fixed menu sets that include hand rolls, next-level ramen, and Japanese bowls that showcase Chef Yama’s punched-up, modern Japanese style. An expertly tailored list of beer, wine, and sake crafted by beverage masters Gavin and Fleischman will complement.

“Japanese cuisine has been relatively untapped in the fine-casual space,” said Adam Fleischman, co-owner. “Ramen Roll combines bold yet elegant Japanese flavors with an energetic atmosphere designed by Studio UNLTD (Bestia, Otium) and decorated with stylish murals by surrealist L.A. street artist John Park.”

“Great customer service is about getting what you want, when you want it,” said Andy Gavin. “An innovative mix of sushi bar, ramen bar, and table spaces patrolled by iPad wielding staff will ensure ultra-fresh food in ultra-short time.”

The menu for Ramen Roll is the work of Master Chef Kiyoshiro Yamamoto, best known for his ultra-exclusive modern kaiseki restaurant, Yamakase, which garners customer and critical praise alike. “Yama has long been one of my favorite Los Angeles chefs, and I am thrilled to finally be working with him,” said Fleischman.

Ramen Roll will open by the end of the year at 9900 Culver Blvd., Culver City, CA, 90232. To learn more about Ramen Roll visit www.ramenroll.com or follow @RamenRollEats on Twitter or facebook.com/RamenRollEats or instagram.com/ramenrolleats.

About Adam Fleischman

Adam Fleischman is a self-taught food innovator and entrepreneur. He is widely regarded as an influential tastemaker and culinary personality (including appearances on Iron Chef). In 2009, he founded Umami Burger (and soon afterward, the Umami Restaurant Group), and co-founded 800 Degrees Pizza, both multi-unit innovative concepts. Recently, he has been putting his tastemaker abilities to use as co-founder and managing director of AdVantage Restaurant Partners, creating and sourcing the next wave of culinary brands. Fleischman was featured on Fast Company’s list of the “100 Most Creative People in Business” and National Restaurant News’ “Power List: The 50 most powerful people in foodservice.”

About Andy Gavin

Andy Gavin is an unstoppable entrepreneur who studied for his Ph.D. at M.I.T. and founded video game developer Naughty Dog, Inc. at the age of fifteen, serving as co-president for two decades. There he created, produced, and directed over a dozen video games, including the award winning and best-selling Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter franchises, selling over 40 million units worldwide. He founded several other tech companies, wrote and published two novels, and blogs obsessively, mostly about his great passion for food and wine. Andy is also a trained sommelier, sleeps very little, reads novels and histories, and eats up a storm the world over.

About Chef Kiyoshiro Yamamoto

A native of Tokyo, Chef Kiyoshiro Yamamoto has been slicing up the Los Angeles sushi scene for years. After training at Yuu and Mitsuki, he spent long stints at Taiko El Segundo and the Hump. At this glamourous airport location Yama’s delectable omakase preparations laid the groundwork for his unique style of traditional Japanese dishes slashed with contemporary verve. In 2011, Yama debuted his ultra-exclusive modern kaiseki restaurant, Yamakase, which garners customer and critical praise alike. The incomparable 20+ course omakase-only experience earned the #2 spot on Eater’s “Hottest Sushi Restaurants in America” list and the coveted #1 place on Tabelog’s “11 Best Sushi Restaurants in America!” His dishes combine superbly sourced ingredients, impeccable knife-work, and the subtle elegance of Japan’s Zen influenced cuisine — punctured with western influences and striking but harmonious flavors.

Press Coverage:

On Eater where they neglect to bold my name.

LA Times says (briefly)…

The Culver City Patch.

By: agavin
Comments (14)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Adam Fleischman, Andy Gavin, Kiyoshiro Yamamoto, ramen, Ramen Roll

Lofty Heights

Feb16

Restaurant: Daniel Benhaim

Location: Downtown LA

Date: February 12, 2015

Cuisine: Modern

Rating: Awesome

Adam, one of our Hedonist regulars, likes to organize high end dinners.

This particular one is game meat themed, and hosted in a DTLA loft.

The chef is Daniel Benhaim. He managed this amazing meal for 15 handling the kitchen all by himself with the help of two talented servers.

The loft is in a sketchy area, but has access to a giant roof with an amazing view of the city!

Tonight’s menu.

It should be noted that the wine service (haha) for this event was chaotic in the least. Things were opened and grabbed in a giant amiable free-for-all. I’ve tried to order them here, but they weren’t.

NV Jacques Selosse Champagne Brut Initiale. IWC 92. Bright gold. An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes dried pear, honey, lemon curd, truffle and candied ginger. On the palate, intense mineral-accented orchard and pit fruit flavors pick up smokiness and nuttiness with air. Finishes smooth and extremely long, with subtle smokiness, a brown butter quality and a whiplash of minerality.

2000 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru La Forest. IWC 93+. Pale green-tinged straw. Reticent but ripe and highly nuanced nose combines peach, nectarine, lime, lemon skin, nuts and an intriguing, soil-inflected vegetal/smoky quality. Very dry, taut and reserved yet already rich and mouthfilling, with the ripe fruit notes perfectly supported by a flavor of liquid stone. A wine of great energy, finishing with explosive length and powerful minerality. Grand cru size and cut.

agavin: Our bottle was unfortunately premoxed.

2008 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre. Burghound 94. A more elegant as well as more refined but also much more reserved nose of white flower and salt water aromas is very much in keeping with the equally refined, pure and silky middle weight flavors that possess excellent detail and precision on the textured and seductive finish that displays grand cru level persistence. This is not quite as rich as the Butteaux but it’s finer as the chiseled flavors are flat out gorgeous. In a word, stunning.

agavin: great, although young and tight at first.

Foie Gras Torchon. Pickled Mustard. Hibiscus Jam. Beet Cured Apple. Mangalitsa Sourdough.

A really nice with with a very interesting blend of the rich, sweet, and tangy/sharp. Not your usual sweet-only foie pairing.

1999 Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Champs Canet. 91 points.

2004 Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne. Burghound 93. Green apple, white pear and hint of crushed herb are framed by gentle notes of pain grillé that combine with huge and unbelievably intense flavors blessed with phenomenal power and length. This has that “wow” factor as the flavors are both palate staining and almost painfully intense and the finale is like a block of stone.

agavin: I thought this had a bit of that annoying green flavor that ruins the 04 reds.

2012 Albert Grivault Meursault 1er Cru Clos des Perrières. 97 agavin. A stunner, particularly given how young it is. Rich, but already in balance with a soaring quality. Very MP too.

2004 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Réserve. RR 93. Floral and herbal elements around a core of ripe white fruited flavours; rich and creamy-textured, brings a ripe Meursault to mind with great balance and a sense of purity to the flavours. Lovely stuff.

Bison Tartar. Wood Sorrel. Toasted Walnut. Kefir. Salted Blackberry. Anise Vinaigrette.

I love tartar in general, and this didn’t disappoint. The blend of flavors was both complex and harmonious. The vibe is a bit similar to the Korean/Japanese type tartars like at Totoraku or this K-BBQ.

1945 Remoissenet Père et Fils Vosne-Romanée. 93 agavin. Surprisingly young and fresh. Really great for a while. A lot of Remoissenet wines are off balance, not this one.

Amanda brought: 1971 Marey-Monge (Domaine de la Romanée-Conti) Romanée St. Vivant. 94 points. It must first be noted that this bottle had a Marey-Monge cork instead of a DRC cork. None of us were totally sure what was standard in that year. Marey-Monge owned the vineyards and leased them to DRC. They made their own wine through 1966 I think, then 67-71 was DRC, and 72-87 was even more DRC control, but stilled leased, then in 1988 DRC bought the parcels and did a bunch of replanted and the like. The person who brought it offered full disclosure. We concluded that it tasted like RSV, and approximately the right age. It was very good, even though it had a light touch of corking. Quite powerful in some ways with a ton of complexity. Very enjoyable.

Thanks Amanda!

2001 Domaine Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin Très Vieilles Vignes. Burghound 94. As big as a Chambertin with the intensity and sheer flavor authority to match. Sumptuously, even lavishly oaked yet it carries its oak as though it were nothing and there is no doubt that this will absorb the wood completely as there is a mind boggling amount of mid-palate sap and punch and it completely coats the mouth and the persistence is exemplary. The structure is completely buried beneath all the sap and while this should be approachable after a decade, it will drink well for another two. Another great Roty Charmes in a very long line of them. If you can find a few bottles, don’t miss them. In short, this is very classy juice.

agavin: a great wine, drink great

1998 Marcassin Pinot Noir Blue-Slide Ridge Vineyard. IWC 91. Full red. Slightly high-toned aromas of plum, nuts and dried fruits; like the Three Sisters, this could use more freshness. Then sweet, lush and silky in the mouth, with more weight and ripeness than the Three Sisters. Showed a fresh raspberry flavor as it opened in the glass, but this pinot, too, could use a bit more verve. Best on the very long finish, which features fine, even tannins.

From my cellar: 1989 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle. RR95+. The nose was fabulous, full of sweet, black fruits, garrigue, spice, pepper, game, chocolate, minerals and bread aromas. The palate was rich and hearty, more limited and square than its nose, although there was nice citrus and leather smack to its gamy finish.

agavin: a little closed at first it stirred and really opened up after a bit.

Mangalitsa Ragu. Dark Chocolate Tagliatelle. Fiore Sardo. Mollica.

Chef Benhaim likes to blend unusual flavors and he shows a real talent for keeping the flavors in balance. This was a great and very interesting pasta.

1998 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 92-96. This wine performed even better than my high accolades in issue #131 suggested. The 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape is the greatest effort produced since Beaucastel’s 1989 and 1990. It reveals more accessibility, no doubt because the final blend included more Grenache than normal. Its dense purple color is followed by sweet aromas of blackberries, licorice, new saddle leather, and earth. There is superb concentration, full body, low acidity, and high tannin, but it is surprisingly drinkable for such a young Beaucastel. Ideally, it needs another 3-4 years of cellaring, and should keep for 25-30 years.

agavin: our bottle was corked 🙁

Erick brought: 1999 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin. Parker 96-100. The 1999 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin appears to be a legend. Made from a classic blend of 60% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Counoise, this limited production (5,000 bottles) cuvee exhibits perfect equilibrium, but needs a decade of cellaring. It would be a shame to drink it before that. The opaque black/purple color is accompanied by aromas of roasted meats, smoke, truffles, cured olives, and intense blackberry and espresso-infused cherry fruit. Leather notes also emerge on the palate. The wine boasts immense body, massive richness, and formidable levels of extract and tannin. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2040.

agavin: probably WOTN, big, brooding and awesome.

2007 Pierre Usseglio Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul. Parker 100. There are 1,800 cases of the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee du Mon Aieul (100% tank-aged Grenache). It represents an awesome naked/virginal expression of Grenache from three vineyard parcels planted in sand, clay, and limestone soils. After tasting this wine on five separate occasions, I can state with certainty, it has the most saturated color of any Mon Aieul produced to date. Moreover, its perfume of blueberry liqueur, black raspberries, licorice, roasted meat juices, and lavender is incredible. Full-bodied power, a multilayered mouthfeel, tremendous purity, and awesome concentration put this wine in a class by itself. This sensational Chateauneuf du Pape is still very young, and 3-4 years of cellaring is required. It should be a modern day legend and last for nearly two decades.

agavin: big, bold, full of great fruit without overpowering.

1998 Delas Freres Hermitage les Bessards. Parker 96. The 1998 Hermitage Les Bessards reveals licorice, coffee, cassis, minerals, smoke, and meat scents, full body, great depth, teeth-coating tannin, and a persistent, sweet, well-delineated, 45-second finish. It will be at its peak between 2007-2035.

2003 Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 92-95. The powerful 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape comes closest in character to the 1990 (which is still drinking beautifully). Its dark ruby/plum/purple color is followed by sweet aromas of resiny pine forest interwoven with creme de cassis, black cherries, melted licorice, and smoky herbs. In the mouth, gamy, meaty flavors emerge along with black currants, cherries, and a hint of the sushi wrapper called nori. Full, rich, and moderately tannic, this 2003 requires another 1-3 years of bottle age, and should keep for 12-15 years.

Duck Wellington. Smoked Carrot. Vadouvan. Raison d’etre.

Another ambitious dish executed fabulously, particularly given the challenge of being a single chef with 15 plates. The meat was perfectly cooked. The pastry wasn’t soggy, and the very interesting curry sauce really livened up this sometimes heavy type of dish.

1998 Pavie. Parker 95-96. A 50-year wine, this opaque purple-colored offering exhibits a strong, precise nose of black fruits, liquid minerals, smoke, and graphite. Extremely full-bodied, yet brilliantly delineated, powerful, and awesomely concentrated, it boasts a fabulous mid-palate as well as a finish that lasts for nearly a minute. This vin de garde requires 5-6 years of cellaring. A tour de force in winemaking, it has the potential to be the most profound Pavie ever produced, except for its two successors. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2045.

agavin: Pavie two nights in a row!

1983 Mount Mary Cabernets. 90 points online, but our bottle was over the hill, thin and a bit cloudy. A shame.

1975 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard. View from cellar 97+. The 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard is quite pretty and powerful, but also a bit forward, while the 1975 impresses for its pure depth and richness, both remarkable for a wine that is nearly 40 years old!

agavin: Really impressive and full of rich fruit.

2001 Hundred Acre Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Parker 92-98. No idea which bottling this was. Too bad for them they stick the important information on the back instead of the front where it should be! Parker says of the regular bottling: may be the Le Pin of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a lascivious, powerful, smoky sex pot of great fruit intensity, purity, and voluptuousness. The texture is unctuous, the fruit level remarkable, and the wine gloriously pure, rich, and bursting with black currant and sweet cherry fruit as well as nicely integrated, toasty French oak. It will drink well for 15+ years. This exciting debut effort possesses an individualistic, distinctive style … all to the credit of this brash newcomer, a tightly-spaced vineyard situated on the Silverado Trail, north of St. Helena, near the Rombauer Vineyard. This is an impressive effort fashioned by Philippe Melka, who believes this site has “unlimited potential.”

Venison Loin. Celery Root. Maitake. Eucalyptus Bordelaise.

The meat was flavorful, tender, and perfectly cooked. It was a little cold though, probably owing to the logistics of the dinner.

From my cellar: 2011 Veyder-Malberg Riesling Bruck. 96 points. First beautiful straw chablis like color, nose of oil can like and lead pencil, the finish is very long smooth and lasting for over a minute. Awesome wine.

agavin: I actually opened this at the beginning, but I put it here because it paired so well with the bright citrus in the key lime pie.

Key Lime Sorbet. Buckwheat Graham. Coconut Custard.

Awesome dessert. Full of bright bright citrus flavors. Basically a deconstructed Key Lime Pie. Awesome and paired best with the remains of the Bruck (above).

Thanks Dave for bringing this bruiser.

1988 Chateau d’Yquem. Parker 98-99. The 1988 d’Yquem has an incredibly profound nose of orange marmalade, dried apricots, honeycomb, musk and dried pineapple with hints of marzipan and crystallized ginger. The palate is seamless with a great line of crisp acid cutting through the densely packed dried tropical fruit and honeyed flavour layers. The finish just goes on and on.

agavin: oh, yeah! Hehe, still have 2 bottles of this baby in my cellar. At least one of them I’ve had since the mid 90s.

Milk Chocolate Cake. Olive Oil. Coffee Meringue. Dulce de Leche.

Another great dessert, mixing textures (soft, crunchy, gooey) and temperatures (warm, cool, room temp).

Overall, this was another awesome night. The food was fabulous. For being only two servers and one cook, the staff did an amazing job. Now we could have used a Somm, as the wine was a total free-for-all, but we had so many bottles that it wasn’t a stressful frenzy.

For more LA dining reviews click here,

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Adam Fleischman, Daniel Benhaim, Dessert, Downtown Los Angeles, DTLA, hedonists, popup, Wine

Pate de Bourgogne

Sep24

The best Hedonist dinners are the ones like this. The crew: small. The theme: world class Burgundy. The food: superb. The setting: magicial.

The setting was a lovely Hancock Park home and garden.

This particular dinner was hosted by Hedonist, and restauranteur Adam Fleischman. Adam needs no introduction and as the mastermind behind Umami Burger, Smoke Oil Salt, 800 degrees, and a ton of other concepts he is a man with endless energy, ideas, and a talent for doing it right.

Our table.

And my artsy “magazine style” shot.

The menu. The food tonight comes from Gorge Restaurant and Charcuterie (all produced by Adam). Chefs and co-owners Elia Aboumrad and Uyen Nguyen were both at the house whipping up just an amazing sequence of dishes that paired superlatively with the wines.

Everything had that understated contemporary country elegance.

2000 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. IWC 95. Bright gold. Pungent aromas of candied orange, buttered toast, pear skin and vanilla, with a smoky nuance that gains power in the glass. Stains the palate with intense pear liqueur, citrus pith and brioche flavors, picking up notes of licorice and candied ginger with air. A bright mineral note adds lift and energy to the finish, which clings with superb tenacity and lingering smokiness. This complex, concentrated Champagne is showing very well right now but has the legs to age for years to come.

2004 Coche-Dury Meursault. Burghound 91. Soft mineral reduction does not materially detract from the green fruit, citrus, stone and slightly smoky nose that introduces detailed, pure and attractively intense middle weight flavors that possess excellent vibrancy on the taut, linear and refined finish. This isn’t quite as complex or concentrated as the ’02 version (see herein) but the sheer persistence is most impressive. And in the same fashion as the 2002, this has reached an inflection point of maturity where it could be enjoyed now or held for a few more years depending on how one prefers aged white burgs. For my taste, I would hold this for another 2 to 4 years but many people will find the current state of maturity to be perfect now.

agavin: I just have to mention again that Coche makes THE BEST village white Burgs. Period. It takes a producer at the level of Leflaive or PYCM to even make a grand cru as good as this village. It is a village, and so doesn’t have the depth or power of a great grand cru but it does just soar.

Smoked oyster Mousse. Beef jus en gelee, Crisp baguette. Like creamy smooth pure oyster concentrate. Fabulous paring with the caviar on top and with the champagne.

1985 Stony Hill Chardonnay. 89 Jeff Leve. With the color of an aged Sauternes, the oily textured, concentrated wine is low in acidity, with honeysuckly, caramel, citrus peel and butterscotch. When first poured, the wine seemed oxidized, but it improved in the glass after 10-20 minutes. This was quite a wine considering it was a 30 year old California Chardonnay.

agavin: I stole this review from my friend Jeff Leve (on a different night) — but it was dead on accurate with our bottle too.

1999 Domaine Leroy Corton-Charlemagne. Burghound 94. This wine possesses a genuinely staggering nose of superb complexity with all of the green apple and minerality that one associates with classic Corton-Charlemagne. The chiseled, precise, intense medium full flavors are rich, sappy and brilliantly delineated with superb depth and breadth on the explosive backend. A very serious wine that has so much mid-palate sap that it can actually be approached now with pleasure yet it will age for at least a decade, perhaps more. In a word, brilliant. Consistent notes.

agavin: Well, Leroy is one of those few producer’s who can make a wine to outshine a Coche village (the 99 Coche CC would be a fair pairing). This Leroy just had all that Grand Cru depth and complexity with a tremendous minerality (petrol). A real fresh bandaid quality.

Trout. Mi-cuit en roulade, fried shallot rangs, confit lemon zest & tomatoes, tuna just. This dish had a bright bright acidity to it that was really fabulous. The fish itself melted in the mouth like great sushi.

2002 Domaine Marc Morey & Fils Montrachet. Burghound 94. This is an exceptionally impressive effort by any standard with a pure, ripe and highly complex nose of fennel, white flower, citrus and orchard fruit aromas trimmed in a discreet touch of oak spice that can also be found on the rich, powerful, concentrated and equally pure big-bodied flavors that possess admirably vibrancy and outstanding length. Not surprisingly for a young Montrachet, this is still on its way up and it will be another 3 to 5 years before this peaks and it should be capable of holding at that level for up to another decade. A beautiful wine.

agavin: When we first tried this wine I tasted something unusual in the palette. Not a flaw, but one of those unusual complexities you get in great Burgundy that is unexpected. Perhaps it was what AM above describes as fennel, as I initially thought of it as slightly medicinal. This isn’t criticism but a note on the complexity possible in wines of this caliber.

Rabbit Rillette. 24hr confit, house pickled romaneco cauliflower. Sort of like a very french sandwich. The whole pickle and pate thing. Even the cauliflower tasted exactly like cornichon (i.e. vinegar). The mousse/pate itself was mild and a bit gamey, letting it work with and not overpower the Montrachet.

From my cellar: 2005 Etienne Sauzet Montrachet. Burghound 96. In contrast to the expressive noses of the 3 prior grands crus, this is positively discreet and almost reticent by comparison and only vigorous swirling would coax the broad-scaled nose to reveal itself, offering up notes of anise, peach, pear, citrus, orange blossom and honey that also merges seamlessly into textured, sweet, powerful and robust full-bodied flavors that possess a seductive mouth feel yet excellent precision and cut as well. This is a big wine and not overly refined but the sheer depth of material is almost hard to believe and as such, this will eventually transform into something very, very special. Patience required however.

agavin: As I have a whole bunch of these, and this is the first I opened, I’m pleased. It was a monster. On first taste powerful intense acid. Then we left it open for an hour or two and it hit the glass like a beast. The nose was all Montrachet with that coiled massive power that you only get from the world’s greatest Chardonnay vineyard. Wow. wow. My favorite in a line up of really stellar whites.

Wild pheasant terrine. Black truffles, organic arugula salad, mustard. I would have thought this was a country French pork pate, although perhaps a hair lighter. Either way just fabulous.

1949 A. de Luze & Fils Graves Royal. Old old sweet Bordeaux. There wasn’t so much sweet left, but for the age it was holding up darn well.

Foie Gras torchon. Fig confit, fines herbes salad, Grapefruit marmalade. Wow! Basically straight foie with fig. The salad had a nice astringency that countered the heft of the foie. Wow again. Just stupendous.

1999 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes. Burghound 96. In contrast to the general style of the vintage, this is still aromatically austere though with coaxing, reveals wonderfully complex aromas of a simply incredible array of black fruits, earth, spice, crushed herbs and notes of chocolate with flavors that are huge but fine, powerful but subtle and rich yet detailed with a stupendously long finish that offers intense minerality. This is genuinely stunning juice and not to be missed if you have the chance. Tasted multiple times with consistent notes.

agavin: Our bottle was surprisingly open and ready. There was an odd brett thing going on, and the balance wasn’t perfect, but this was an extremely hedonistic and enjoyable glass.

From my cellar: 2001 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes. Burghound 96. One of the finest wines of the vintage, this is simply a spectacular effort that has captured every bit of the potential it originally displayed in cask. Restrained and backward nose of a fantastically complex mix of blackberries, spice, cedar, soy, anise and dried herbs followed by full-bodied, multi-layered flavors of amazing length. Opulent and lavish yet all remains exquisitely balanced and this is astonishingly precise. A real stunner of a wine that is as classy and graceful as they come. As good and classy as the ’02 if not quite as structured.

agavin: The 2001 drank much younger than the 1999. Lots of acid and cherry tones. It just got better and better as the night went on. It needs a few more years but there was that kind of singing balance that bodes extremely well.

Duck Sausage. Housemade choucroute, orange cream sauce. I love sausage, and although I’m not usuually the biggest krout fan this dish was just flat out great too.

1991 Domaine Leroy Richebourg. Burghound 93. Madame Bize made superb ’91s virtually across her entire range and this wine is no exception with its deep, rich, complex nose and flavors that display remarkable depth, including earth and tobacco notes. The finish is subtly complex and still quite structured but the tannins are ripe and buffered by plenty of extract. In sum, this is dense and intense and should continue to improve for years to come. Consistent notes.

agavin: This was all Richebourg. It just reeked of the specific place and time.

1995 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg. Burghound 93. This too is reserved and restrained with an almost completely closed nose that reveals only glimpses of fresh black fruit even after extended aeration. The flavors however are rich and offer excellent detail and are underpinned by dense yet ripe tannins and good extract. I very much like the style of this though it is clearly for the patient and I suspect this will always have a rather strict personality. This has put on a bit of weight and a bit of richness since the big Richebourg tasting in ’01 and appears to be better balanced than the prior bottle but otherwise, it is quite similar.

agavin: A brooding powerhouse!

Tournedos Rossini. Potato puree. GORGE garlic glaze. Foie Gras. This was just the best beef dish ever. Haha, maybe, but it was just stupendously good (and rich). Pure tender beef, truffle, foie, and yummy potatoes and reduction. The sweetness of the glaze helped counter all that fat. It might be overkill, but it totally worked.

2007 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant. Burghound 94. An ultra elegant, pure and quite delicately fruited and spiced nose that is extremely fresh, floral and expansive that is more layered still as it introduces seductively textured, detailed and gorgeously delineated middle weight flavors that possess laser-like focus if less density than is usually seen with this wine. Indeed, this is rather like a ballerina with limited power and weight but the watch word here is purity, purity and purity. I quite like this but it will strike some as unduly light though I believe the underlying material is present such that it will add weight in bottle as it ages.

agavin: The oak was very present when we first poured it (as you’d expect for a way too young grand cru). But even from the get-go it just screamed RSV. As the evening wore on it opened and opened and opened. This will be a stellar (it was stellar) wine.

1990 Domaine Leroy Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Beaux Monts. Burghound 94. This remains quite darkly colored with obviously ripe, borderline aromas that are clearly Vosne in origin with loads of spice and secondary nuances to the black fruit and earth aromas that are followed by sexy, sappy and intense middle weight flavors that culminate in a mineral-infused, sweet and energetic finish that delivers outstanding length. This is sufficiently ripe that it is perhaps not a beacon of terroir but it remains unmistakably Vosne in basic character. This is really quite impressive and to my taste, it has arrived at its peak though one that should hold for a number of years to come. Tasted multiple times with mostly consistent results.

agavin: The Beaux Monts was probably my favorite red of the night, and it was the only premier cru. It even tasted like it. As it really came off as full on Beaux Monts. But wow, what a terrior play. Just all VR spice and depth. Fabulous.

1834 Barbeito Madeira Malvazia Reserva Velha. 96 points. A wine made before the civil war! Strong cinnamon with brown notes. Beautiful with a lingering finish that goes on and on. Quite a lot of acidity for a 160 year old wine.

agavin: delicious!

Strawberry Rhubarb St Honore. Vanilla bean cream puffs, crisp puff pastry, vanilla chantilly. This was very French — and delicious. Light, sweet (perhaps more sweet than it would have been in France) and with that perfect pastry texture.

Chocolate Macaron.

Overall, this was just one of the best dinners we’ve ever done. And those of you who follow know that is a HIGH bar. Every element was in balance: setting, weather, people, food, wine. That is what wine (and hedonism) is all about. You can take the above (magnificent) wines and put them in a more clinical setting and they’d come off well — but when you pair it all up properly it rounds out the flaws and emphasizes the best qualities.

Bravo! (And thanks Adam for setting it all up)

more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

The after diner antics begin. You had to be there!

By: agavin
Comments (1)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Adam Fleischman, Allen Meadows, Burgundy, Champagne, Corton-Charlemagne, Cru (wine), Hancock Park, hedonists, Montrachet, Wine

SOS – Smoke Oil Salt

May08

Restaurant: Smoke Oil Salt [1, 2]

Location: 7274 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90046. (323) 930-7900

Date: May 6, 2014

Cuisine: Spanish

Rating: Good “New American” Spanish

Hedonist leader Yarom is an investor in the new Smoke Oil Salt, a tapas bar from Adam Fleischman (Unami Burger) and Perfecto Rocher (Lazy Ox), so it’s only natural that the group should hit it up just a few weeks after opening.

Our special menu tonight, but we had considerably more than this as you’ll see.

2002 Delamotte Champagne Blanc de Blancs Millésimé. IWC 92. Pale yellow-gold. Fresh citrus and orchard fruit aromas are complicated by notes of gingerbread, white flowers and sweet butter. Toasty lees and mineral qualities gain power with air, adding depth to the wine’s gently sweet pear, honey and tangerine flavors. At once rich and lively, finishing with excellent clarity and alluring mineral and floral character. This Champagne, which I’ve tasted from three different disgorgements now, is proving that it’s built for the long haul.

Olives and bitets. Olives, toasted almonds, manchego, peppers. Very tasty. Particularly the olives and the olive oil soaked cheese (hard to see).

Amanida de remolatxa. Beet salad, goat cheese, watercress. The beet salad has become omnipresent — and boring — but this one had nice bright flavors. The sweetness of the beets contrasted nicely with the vinaigrette and the salty cheese. The watercress and frise offset the smooth textures.

From my cellar: 2011 Raul Pérez Rías Baixas Sketch. Parker 93. The 2011 Sketch is just wonderful – pure Albarino from vines planted in 1972 on sand and granite soils, it sees 12 months in French oak. Interestingly, Raul opted to age some lots underwater in order to see how the lack of oxygen impacts upon the elevage (although some of the lots were spoiled and of course, did not enter the final blend!) The nose is reticent at first, but over one hour it unfolds to offer subtle notes of lime and a tinge of sea-foam, the oak barely noticeable. The palate is exquisite: beautifully balanced and with real race and tension. There is an adorable twist of bitter lemon that keeps this Sketch on its toes. Taut, pure and effortlessly speaking of its place, this is just a delightful Rias Baixas that you will savor to the last drop. Drink now-2017+.

Xarcuteria d’iberic. charcuterie of iberican meats and cheeses. Lots of good stuff here. Salty blue cheese, manchego, and yummy meats.

2005 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Cote de Bouguerots. Burghound 92. A ripe nose evidences moderate Chablis character with plenty of saline character that continues on the big, rich, intense and powerful flavors that evidence plenty of mid-palate concentration. Interestingly, this got better and better the more it aired and while this is a big wine it’s not ponderous or heavy, all wrapped in a well-balanced and persistent finish. This could be drunk now with pleasure or aged further to good effect. Impressive.

Braves trencades. Fried potatoes, serrano ham, chorizo, fried egg. Sort of the ultimate ham and eggs breakfast. This was certainly YUMMY. The yolk from the egg helps soak the soft potatoes underneath and tie it all together.

2001 Henri Boillot Chevalier-Montrachet. Burghound 94. The purity here is mind bending and this is perhaps the most transparent wine in this entire group. Elegant, fine and crystalline with superbly detailed fruit and flavors with a positively brilliant, almost painfully intense finish that is astonishingly long. Classy and altogether imposing with its unmatched combination of complexity, depth and focus. While I cannot argue that this has better material than either the Montrachet or the incredible Corton-Charlemagne, I can say that stylistically, the Chevalier is my personal favorite. This is unquestionably a great wine. (Drink between 2008-2013)

agavin: our bottle was tasty but a bit premoxed.

Pa amb tomaca i llangonisses. Catalan tomato toast with sausages. Tasty.

1997 Luis Pato Bairrada Vinha Barrosa.

Artichoke tostada. An omelet with artichoke and salad.

1997 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Valbuena 5°. IWC 87. Bright medium ruby. Slightly roasted aromas of plum, tobacco leaf and loam, plus the tarry/vegetal complexity often shown by this bottling. Rich and layered in the mouth, with subtle sweetness; good density leavened by very firm acids. Falls a bit short on the back end, which shows some lemony acidity and toothdusting, slightly dry tannins.

Swiss chard. With pine-nuts and raisons.

From my cellar: 1994 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández Ribera del Duero Janus Gran Reserva Pesquera. 93 points. Most of us thought this the wine of the night along with the 94 Unico. Very complex and fruity. Cassis.

Peixet Fregit. Fried smelt, fennel, pickles, horseradish aioli. Fried small fish. Hard to tell what was inside, as the fry was very tasty — a bit salty though.

1994 Vega Sicilia Unico. Parker 96-98. The 1994 Unico is a blend of 80% Tinto Fino, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot (presumably 2% is unknown varieties) that was picked from September 28. It is very intense with notes of raspberry, wild strawberry and mulberry with sensational minerality and vigor. There is a Margaux-like florality to the 1994 that blossom with aeration. The palate is rounded and supple on the entry with great weight and backbone. There is real substance here, similar to the 1996. It expands in the mouth with ravishing notes of blackberry, strawberry, citrus lemon, orange peel and a touch of cedar. There is enormous weight on the finish, a behemoth of a Unico. This is very potent, but it still requires several years in bottle. 96,280 bottles produced. Drink 2019-2040.

Elk. Yarom and a friend shot this elk, and here it returns with mushrooms and rosemary. It was incredibly tender and delicious.

1985 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Unico Reserva Especial. 95 points.

Pheasant. He also killed the pheasant, which was cooked with lentils, sausage, and garbanzo beans. A tad dry.

1996 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único. Parker 96-97. Pablo Alvarez quipped that in 1996, the growing season was so benevolent, that the winemaker was not even necessary! The 1996 Unico has a very pure, pastille-like bouquet with raspberry, wild strawberry, crushed stone and a touch of Chinese tea. It has impressive delineation and linearity. The palate is medium-bodied with filigree tannins. The fruit profile is shimmering in the glass with black cherries, cassis and blueberry notes. It is very feminine and powerful towards the poised, tensile finish that is long and seductive. One of the finest recent vintages, suffused with sensuality and opulence, the 1996 Unico is destined to be a great wine, one that might unfairly be over-shadowed by the 1994. 99,480 bottles produced. Drink 2020-2040+.

Calamars amb mongetes. Monterey bay baby calamari, warm cranberry beans.

1976 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia. IWC 96. Pale-edged red. Multidimensional nose of raspberry, black plum, orange zest, coffee, milk chocolate, game and a superripe whiff of raisin. Uncanny sweetness in the mouth, with a strong spine of acidity framing and intensifying the fruit flavors. Really remarkable acid/fruit balance. Big, rich, powerful and deep. Finishes extremely long and magically fresh. Contains about 80% tempranillo, a bit high for Bosconia, which is always higher in tempranillo (and spends less time in barrel) than Tondonia. The Bosconia and Tondonia gran reservas are selections made in the cellar; both are from Vi?a Tondonia grapes, a 100-hectare holding purchased by Maria Jose’s great-grandfather in 1912 (the first Vi?a Tondonia Gran Reserva was from the 1920 vintage). Bosconia, says Maria Jose, is a stronger, more youthful, longer-lasting style of Rioja, with more power and body. It’s for the younger generation, she adds, while the Tondonia is altogether more classical. On my last visit to this bodega, in 1994, I scored the ’76 Tondonia Gran Reserva 97 points.

Valencia callos. Honeycomb tripe stew, spanish chorizo, chickpeas. By far my least favorite dish, and others, as it sat on the table. I’m just not a tripe fan.

2008 Benjamin Romeo Contador. Parker 98. The 2008 Contador, rapidly becoming one of Rioja’s benchmark wines, is composed of 86% Tempranillo and 14% Garnacha aged for 18 months in new French oak. It is a glass-coating opaque purple color with an exceptional bouquet of sandalwood exotic spices, lavender, incense, espresso, tapenade, and blackberry. Dense and mouth-coating, it deftly combines elegance and power in a structured wine that will easily achieve its 20th birthday and well beyond.

agavin: young, but awesome.

Squab.

1978 Francois Gros Chambolle-Musigny. Fabulous for a mature village wine like this.

Cassoleta de fideua negra. Squid ink pasta, calamari, mushrooms, honey aioli.

This was scrumptious, so I have to show another close up picture.

1978 Vin Santo dell Abbadia. Mature, and paired nicely with the chocolate.

Arros amb llet de xoxolata. Valrhona chocolate rice pudding, salty caramel, cinnamon whipped cream. This was certainly tasty, even if it looked like… well you know.

All in all another great evening of pure hedonism. For a brand new restaurant SOS is strong out the gate. It is right in there in the current “wood table, paper menu, small plates, loud room” thing that dominates new restaurants in LA right now. The food is quite Catalan/Valencian and very good. Only the tripe dish missed the mark. Some of the others, like the squid ink pasta and the eggs and ham were spectacular.

It didn’t hurt that we had a giant group of 16-18 and really fabulous wines either!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!