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Post Pandemic Brera

May12

Restaurant: Officine Brera [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Location: 1331 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021. (213) 553-8006

Date: September 18, 2021

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Still really good

At the time of this dinner I’m not sure I had been out on a “double date” (dinner with another couple) since before the pandemic. But here we are at downtown’s Officine Brera, a modern “rustic” Italian by the team that brought us Factory Kitchen, including master chef Angelo Auriana. So let’s see how it’s held up through the pandemic. At some point they changed the name to just Brera too. I have no idea why.

The area offers a mess of old brick 40s warehouses and factories which are being lovingly converted, allowing large spaces at reasonable rents (for now).

And inside the gigantic warehouse/factory space has been reconfigured with highly attractive duct work. Who would have thought that grungy 70 year-old factory windows could look so good?

Tonight we actually ate outside, which was perfect given the times.

The current menu. At least it’s not a QR code!

From my cellar: 2018 Azienda Agricola Valentini Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo. VM 92. Bright pink. Minerals, fava beans, pomegranate and violet on the bright nose. Then very harmonious in its acid-fruit-tannin profile, with lively balanced acidity nicely extending the flavors similar to the aromas on the long back end. Strikes me as a rather refined, sneakily concentrated Cerasuolo. (Drink between 2019-2025)

BURRATA beets, heirloom baby carrots, roasted summer squash, pea shoots.

HEIRLOOM TOMATO red plum, cucumber, watercress, almonds, tomato coulis.

ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS tempura batter, cheese filled, spicy mayo.

SOFTSHELL CRAB. pan seared softshell blue crab, saffron-prosecco sauce, cauliflower.

CARPACCIO prime beef sirloin, bone marrow dressing, reggiano crema, celery.

From my cellar: 1999 Paitin di Pasquero-Elia Barbaresco Vecchie Vigne Sorì Paitin Nebbiolo. VM 92. The 1999 Barbaresco Sorì Paitin Vecchie Vigne is dark, powerful and opulent, with more than enough stuffing to age well for the better part of the next decade. Smoke, menthol, tar, black fruit and French oak blossom in the glass as this resonant, exuberant Barbaresco show off its unique, totally compelling personality. The French oak is present, but well balanced at the same time. (Drink between 2014-2022)

SPINACH POTATO GNOCCHI castelmagno fonduta, tuscan kale pesto.

RISOTTO MILANESE saffron-risotto, bone marrow, roasting jus.

PAPPARDELLE wild boar sugo, shaved black melanosporum truffle.

SEA ROBIN. heirloom chrry tomatoes, farro perlato, tuscan kale, celery root broth.

GRILLED LAMB CHOPS charred cauliflower, couscous, almond-raisin gremolata.

The dessert menu.

Tea.

LEMON SEMIFREDDO. meringue, pistachio sponge, pistachio creme anglaise.

TRIPLE-LAYERED CHOCOLATE TART. figs, grapefruit-campari sorbet.

BASQUE CHEESECAKE. berry coulis, fresh berries. Not actually Basque at all, much denser like a regular cheesecake, still good though.

Food. The food at Brera is very good. It’s very Italian, with a fairly non Italian “vibe” to the place and a more modern share plates style, but the actual pastas and risotto itself is quite Italian, if amped up a bit.

Service. Service was great and we were treated like family. Wine service in particular is great.

Atmosphere. I love the big factory look. It’s a little loud, but not as bad as some (Bestia!). Outside on the patio was lovely.

Wines. Great wines (but I brought them). I think they have a good list too. I don’t pay too much attention to lists.

Because we didn’t have ENOUGH dessert, and we were picking up our kids in Westwood, we stopped at S&R which is a classic Persian Ice Cream place.

Crowded as usual, even during the pandemic.

Rose I think.

The classic Saffron and Pistachio on top of Jasmine. I do really like the flavors here but the texture is that very stretchy grainy Persian ice cream texture.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Angelo Auriana, Arts District, Brera, DTLA, Italian cuisine, Officine Brera, Risotto, Wine

Ancient Italian (wine) at Sixth & Mill

Dec25

Restaurant: Sixth & Mill

Location: 1335 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021. (213) 629-3000

Date: November 11, 2019

Cuisine: Italian Pizza

Rating: Super Tasty Pizza, but far (for me)

This post documents an interesting combo event. My friend Walker, member of the Foodie Club, put together this event at his friend, Chef Angelo Auriana’s new pizza place downtown (located next to his other restaurant, Berea).

Chef Angelo’s pizza is his very own version of the pizza Napoletana, which was initially exported by the first waves of immigrants in the 1800s and quickly became what most people abroad identify Italian food by.

Beside the pizza, the cuisine of sixth+mill focuses on other traditional recipes that capture the uniqueness and versatility of the regional southern Italian food and include appetizers, fritters, homemade pasta, meat & poultry, seafood and desserts, keeping an eye on traditions and looking at today’s necessity of lightness, healthiness and simplicity.

The dining experience at sixth+mill evokes joyous times of travel and memories through a casual-refined atmosphere that recreates the feel of a night by the Gulf of Naples and it is the platform to celebrate and share the culture and the life style of the Italian people.

It’s in the left half of the Berea building, and is a bit of a transplant from Vegas as the chef opened this concept there first.

Inside is a mix of contemporary and “factory.”

Walker organized this HUGE (too huge) dinner with like 50-60 people to showcase the pizzas and his ancient and unusual Italian wines. The chef is in the blue in the middle of the above picture.

I also brought some wine. From my cellar: 2010 Borgo del Tiglio (Nicola Manferrari) Collio Friulano Ronco della Chiesa. AG 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. (Drink between 2013-2020)

Mozzerella from Southern Italy with peppers.

Margarita with Gorgonzola. Pretty normal Margarita, but for the strong flavor of Gorgonzola — took it up a notch for me. Very salty and strong.

Parmesan with purple cabbage and almonds. A strongly cheesy pizza with a bit of crunch and a hint of bitter from the cabbage.

From my cellar: 2007 Paolo Bea Montefalco Rosso Riserva Pipparello. 94 points. I’m a sucker for Bea and my infatuation may blur my objectivity as a result. However, it would be disingenuous of me if I were not to gush over this bottle. A tree full of ripe cherries, pie spice, asphalt, charcoal, smoke, mushrooms, damp forest floor, teriyaki…it was a feast for the senses. After 11 years of age it’s still fiercely tannic but it’s not enough to bother considering the character. The finish lasts for minutes. I realize that making wine like this is scary and the results aren’t for everyone but my God, I am thankful that the Bea’s have the guts to do it.

Mushrooms with butternut squash and arugula.

Oxtail and smoked mozzarella. Strongly meaty, probably my favorite.

Margherita fior di latte with Apulian EVOO and oregano.

Gnocchi with Alfredo sauce. Cheesy and very very soft. Perfect pillows of potato.

Much of the wine lineup.

This was Jerome and Emma’s first full evening in Los Angeles (just in from the Netherlands) and we dragged them through 2+ hours of LA traffic!

The wines are all pictured below. Far too many to write up. This was an oddball event. I’ll break it down.

The pizzas were very good. Not 2+ hours in traffic good — no pizza in LA is — but good. I’d happily have them if there were closer. They are about the same (good) level as Pizzana. There wasn’t enough food for my taste, mostly because of the format (more on that later), but what we got was great.

The wines were very interesting. These are unusual varietals that I, of course, know because of my Italian wine studies, but unusual. Mostly far Northern Italian wines made from Spanna (a Nebbiolo variant). But you NEVER see these wines nearly this old! They varied from a bit rustic or acidic to delicious. This is surprisingly long lived stuff. Pouring was a bit uneven due to the format.

The format problem with this dinner was the size. There were huge numbers, perhaps 50-60 people, and first of all the restaurant can’t produce pizzas THAT fast, so they would periodically drop one on our table, giving us a piece each, then we would wait for a good while as they kept dropping pizzas on the other 10 tables before switching to a new pizza type. Initially there was only the salad and 4 small (slices of) pizza(s). We begged for the 5th pizza and the gnocchi, but it still wasn’t really enough. I think the concept originally was for it to be smaller and for the chef to try the wines and improvise on pizzas, but because of the scale he couldn’t really do that. The wine also suffered in pacing because Walker was opening and pouring EVERYTHING so he was one busy bee — but he still couldn’t get around fast enough at the beginning. These are pretty hard bottles to even open as the aged corks take some time to work through.

But anyway, other than the ludicrous LA traffic getting to the Arts District fairly early, it was a lot of fun.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Angelo Auriana, Arts District, DTLA, Foodie Club, Italian wine, Pizza, Sixth & Mill, Walker Wine Co, Wine

Relocated to Officine

Oct06

Restaurant: Officine Brera [1, 2, 3, 4]

Location: 1331 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021. (213) 553-8006

Date: August 24, 2017

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Some of the best (new?) Italian in the city!

Sebastian tried to get me to go out to Glendale to a more uninspired Italian so I hijacked the whole dinner location over to Downtown’s Officine Brera. Another modern “rustic” Italian by the team that brought us Factory Kitchen, including master chef Angelo Auriana.

The area offers a mess of old brick 40s warehouses and factories which are being lovingly converted, allowing large spaces at reasonable rents (for now).

And inside the gigantic warehouse/factory space has been reconfigured with highly attractive duct work. Who would have thought that grungy 70 year-old factory windows could look so good?

For some weird reason, despite being impossible to get into last summer, and really good, Officine is much quieter now-a-days. It was about half full on our Thursday. I hope it picks back up. LA is a notoriously fickle market driven by hype, star power, and rent prices instead of food quality.

Tonight’s menu.

From my cellar: 2010 Abbazia di Novacella (Stiftskellerei Neustift) Kerner Praepositus. VM 90. The 2010 Kerner Praepositus is a more textured, creamier wine that the Sylvaner Praepositus tasted alongside it. Layers of fruit caress the palate in this effortless, totally gracious white. Ripe peaches, apricots, sage, savory herbs and wild flowers are all woven together nicely.

Fiore di Zucca. Crescenza-reggiano-pecorino stuffed zucchini blossoms, tempura batter. Always yummy.

Rustici. Baked stuffed vegetables, eggplant ,peppers, red onion, zucchini, tomato pepper sauce. Interesting, all these roasted vegetables stuffed with ground meat and cheese.

Carpaccio di Manzo. Seared beef sirloin, arugula, raspadura, Ligurian extra virgin olive oil. Solid, but not as much flavor as the tongue below.

Farinata. Chickpea “pancake” cooked in the 750 degree wood oven.

Sebastian brought: 2005 E. Guigal Condrieu La Doriane. VM 93. Light gold. Explosively aromatic nose offers a complex array of citrus and spice scents, notably tangerine, blood orange and nutmeg. Sappy and concentrated, showing great depth to the sweet but energetic citrus flavors. Really expands on the palate, with riper peach and nectarine flavors building through a strikingly long, elegant finish. “We’re after finesse and expression without heaviness here.” explains Guigal, who points out that this was raised in 100% new oak. “You can’t see it, can you?” he asked. Nope.

Stacciatella. Baby kale, white endive, mint, sage, stracciatella cheese, toasted almonds. Nice salad, particularly with the cheese.

Lingua Salmistrata. Sliced pickled beef tongue, parsley sauce, taggia olives, arugula salad. LOVED the tongue. We ordered a second round. Great tender meat, with pesto, cheese, and bright arugula.

Sebastian brought: 1996 Tenuta San Guido • Bolgheri Sassicaia. RP 92. Here’s a little gem from Tenuta San Guido that has never been reviewed in Robert Parker Wine Advocate (except informally by me one year ago in a Hedonist’s Gazette). I have consistently found the 1996 Bolgheri Sassicaia to be an impressive wine on the few occasions I have had to taste it. This is one of those rare underrated vintages that bring so much delight and surprise in an important retrospective such as this. As I recall from my informal tasting, this Sassicaia shows a heavy dose of Cabernet Sauvignon typicity but without the astringent medicinal tone or unripe greenness you might expect. Instead, it delivers a bright but balanced, tonic verve that is driven by the wine’s natural acidity. I had previously paired this wine with an oversized bistecca alla fiorentina t-bone steak and the marriage was perfect. This was a difficult vintage in Bolgheri, but the results in the bottle suggest otherwise.

Larry brought: 2001 Tenuta San Guido • Bolgheri Sassicaia. RP 88. The 2001 Bolgheri Sassicaia had never been previously reviewed in The Wine Advocate. When I saw that this wine was missing from the database, I asked to open a bottle. I also wanted to taste the 2002 Bolgheri Sassicaia (also missing from the database) but there are virtually no bottles left at the winery. It’s counterintuitive, but Tenuta San Guido did make Sassicaia in the difficult 2002 vintage. The 2001 vintage was promising when released but shows heavy warm weather aromas today. In fact, these jammy notes come as a big surprise and add to the wine’s weight and heaviness today. The results are somewhat muted and flat. The bouquet shows savory tones with cured meat, leather and bresaola. The fruit tones are dried and dark in character with plum, blackcurrant and dried fig. The aromas are evolved and mature. In the mouth, the wine shows thick density with gritty texture. Because this was a warm vintage, the wine showed plush tannins and round fruit flavors upon release. Those qualities can make longevity difficult.

Pappardelle al Pesto. Wide cut egg pasta, arugula pesto, crispy foraged mushrooms. Nice pasta but a mild pesto, probably because its arugula instead of basil.

Raviolini. Roasted three meat ravioli, rapini, cherry tomatoes, raspadura. Interesting with the fruit.

Mafaldine. Wide cut chestnut pasta, lamb ossobucco sugo, lodigrana, chives.

Gnocchi al Sugo. House-made potato dumplings, nebbiolo beef cheeks, castelmagno fonduta. By far the best of the pastas. Awesome meat/cheese factor.

From my cellar: 1990 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia • Ornellaia. RP 92. Another super effort from this producer, Ludvico Antinori’s 1990 Ornellaia is a worthy successor to the super 1988. Fat, supple, and loaded with black-cherry and curranty fruit, and a dash of vanillin from new oak barrels, this full-bodied, velvety-textured, opulent wine should drink well for 10-12 years.

Mark brought: 2000 Leoville-Las Cases. RP 98+. Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 2000 Leoville-Las-Cases is a quite fabulous, magisterial Saint Julien that is only just beginning to flex its muscles. It has a very intense and beautifully defined bouquet with mineral rich blackberry and bilberry scents, outstanding focus and harmony, and very well-integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, impressive backbone and focus in situ. There is a touch of mint infusing the fruit here, superb tension with a touch of mulberry and Hoi Sin lingering on the finish that still feels backward and sinewy. What was remarkable was to observe the melioration in the glass, achieving wondrous energy and delineation with time, still improving after a couple of hours. Buy it, cellar it, drink it. Tasted December 2016.

Marittimo. “Acquerello” carnaroli superfino rice, octopus sugo, cuttlefish, black mussels. Very nice seafood risotto.

Bassa Padana. Carnaroli riserva san massimo rice, luganega rope sausage, cotechino, grana. Awesome sausage risotto.

Milanese. Vialone nano rice veronese igp, saffron, wood oven roasted bone marrow, raspadura. The classic Officine saffron risotto with bone marrow.

Anthony brought: 2008 Sine Qua Non • The Line. RP 98. 2008 The Line: This wine was just released in April of this year, and is a blend of 87.5% Grenache, 11% Syrah, and 1.5% Viognier, with 21% whole clusters used in the Grenache component. Seventy-eight percent of it came from the 11 Confessions Vineyard and the balance from Bien Nacido and the White Hawk. It is no measly wine at 15.5% alcohol, but it displays extraordinary berry fruit and kirsch notes intermixed with lavender and other floral components. Intense, full-bodied, voluptuously textured, and stunningly pure, with no real noticeable oak (21% new French oak was used, most of it the larger demi-muids), this beauty has put on weight and is showing additional complexity since I first tasted it. Anticipated maturity: now-2023.

Carne Bovina. 30-day aged prime new york steak, heirloom baby carrots, roasted peppers.

Rombo Intero. Whole grilled european turbot, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, capers, taggia olives.

Roasted Turbot!

Dessert menu.

The lineup.

Torrone. Honey & nut nougatine semifreddo, warmed fudge sauce, amerena cherries. Awesome dessert. I love semifreddo, and nougat and amerena cherries? Yum!

Nocciola meringata. hazelnut meringue cake, gianduja feuilletine, chocolate cream, black grapes. Nice gianduja flavors.

Panna cotta di coco. coconut panna cotta, pistachio sponge, gelato, rum pineapples, tuile.

Pistachio gelato. Very Neapolitan version of pistachio, not strong in the nut department, but probably had a touch of marsala or something too.

Macedonia allo zabaglione. Seasonal stone fruits, sherry zabaglione, almond tuile. Very classic with the fruits and zabaglione (sherry, egg, sugar custard in this case).

Budino di cioccolato. Chocolate cream pot, whipped Chantilly cream, maldon salt, caramelized nuts. Love budinos — basically custard/pudding.Castagnole. Freshly fried goughnuts, anise sugar, salty bourbon caramel sauce.

Overall another amazing evening.

Food. The food at Officine is very good. It’s very Italian, with a fairly non Italian “vibe” to the place and a more modern share plates style.

Service. Service was great and we were treated like family. Wine service in particular is great.

Atmosphere. I love the big factory look. It’s a little loud, but not as bad as some (Bestia!). It wasn’t as crowded tonight as on all my previous visits and so was nicely not as loud.

Wines. Great wines.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Angelo Auriana, Italian Cusine, Officine Brera, Wine

1960s Barolo at Officine Brera

Jun08

Restaurant: Officine Brera [1, 2, 3]

Location: 1331 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021. (213) 553-8006

Date: June 2, 2016

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Some of the best (new?) Italian in the city!

Officine Brera is one of LA’s hottest 2016 openings and I’ve been waiting for an excuse to haul myself Downtown for months. Another modern “rustic” Italian by the team that brought us Factory Kitchen, including master chef Angelo Auriana, plus Brera brings in some new blood in the form of Mirko Paderno who rocked it at Oliverio.

The actual restaurant is behind us, but like many recent hot openings (including Factory Kitchen), Brera is located in the “Arts District”, a bombed out region of DTLA not far from skid row that is rapidly up and coming.

The area offers a mess of old brick 40s warehouses and factories which are being lovingly converted, allowing large spaces at reasonable rents (for now).

And inside the gigantic warehouse/factory space has been reconfigured with highly attractive duct work. Who would have thought that grungy 70 year-old factory windows could look so good?

Tonight’s special dinner was organized by Sage Society wine guru Liz Lee (left), shown here with Francine Ferdinandi the wine director at Officine and Factory Kitchen. The theme: 1960s Barolo and Barbaresco!

Tonight’s special menu.

1998 Taittinger Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne. VM 95. The 1998 Comtes de Champagne is a different story altogether. This is a sexy, up-front Comtes endowed with lovely richness in its fruit and open, expressive aromatics. It remains an impressive, inviting Comtes that should also continue to develop nicely in the bottle for at least another decade plus.

Farinata. Chickpea “pancake” cooked in the 750 degree wood oven.

This simple dish of chickpea flour and olive oil is fabulous covered with strong black pepper.

Flight 1:

2010 Borgo del Tiglio (Nicola Manferrari) Collio Friulano Ronco della Chiesa. AG 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.

From my cellar: 2010 Paolo Bea Arboreus. 90 points. This is a very special and somewhat odd wine. Very floral and fruity nose with strong apricot and honey notes. On the palate this seems like a different wine with a much drier impression with quite high acidity. This makes the wine seem somewhat confused about what sort of wine it wants to be. This is not objectively speaking a great wine, though it is good, but I just can’t resist the charm of the aromas. 90-91 points, based mainly on the nose.

Salmone Crudo. Copper river salmon, green apple, mustard seed, lovage, oil. A lovely and interesting salmon tartar which paired fabulously with the Bea Trebbiano.

Porcini Salad. Shaved foraged porcini mushrooms, sunchockes, Grana, Culatello, fried parsley. A wonderful early little “salad” that went better with the cooler more herbal Borgo del Tiglio.

Flight 2:

1967 Prunotto Barbaresco Riserva. Very dry and tannic.

1967 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo. 90 points. The best of this flight, with good balance, some fruit, and strong tannins.

From my cellar: 1964 Gaja Barbaresco. JG 93. Cloudy. At first a little disjointed and flat. An hour or so later lovely, perfume nose. On the palate, this is sweet upfront with a metallic hint. Long finish. Improves in the glass, turning savory and long, richer and sweeter. This is really interesting and enjoyable. Better with food than by itself.

Nastrini al Sugo Divitello. Homemade egg tagliatelle, oxtail veal shoulder sauce, aged reggiano. A wonderful example of traditional braised meat ragu. The meat reduction at the end was to die for.
Risotiata Officine Brera. Carvaroli Arborio Rice, Summer Black Truffle, Fine Herbs, Snail Ragu. Perfectly firm and creamy rice with a really interesting snail center.

Flight 3:

1967 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva Antichi Vignetti Propri. 94 points. Gorgeous stuff. I have always really liked 1967 in Piedmont, and this was a great example of the vintage. It had an intriguing nose, starting out earthy and meaty, with a whiff of smoke in here, then showing flecks of exotic spice, like cardamon and cloves, and a little boiled herb, and after some time, sweeter red cherries and flowers. Lovely, complex stuff. It was on the palate where the wine shone though. There was still some richness to the wine, with lovely sweet fruit flavours of red cherries and berries – something that I often associate with the better wines of the vintage; but this was also wed to a wonderful clarity and purity of expression, with a nice transparency underpinning the fruit, so that the wine came across as elegant without being precious about it. After a fine midpalate with a little smoky undertone, the wine then settled into long, gentle finish that started with a twist of black tea and ended in a little kiss of spice and herb. There was just that remnant of masculine structure as well, otherwise, this could well have been confused with a Barbaresco with its sweetness and elegance. A delicious Barolo, seemingly at peak, this was absolutely singing on the night.

1967 Cantina Mascarello Barolo. JG 95. Color was initially pale red, with orange bricking to the rim. darkened considerably as the night went on. Initial mustiness on the nose blew off. Nose was classic barolo- roses, tea, cherries and slightly decaying leaves- waves upon wave. The palate was fantastically alive with a warm velvet texture, pure cherry fruit with considerable elegance and amazing persistence. awesome wine.

From my cellar: 1967 Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barolo. JG 94. Dried cork that took a bit of effort to extract. There’s a good bit of earth and dirt on the nose, a hint of manure, and some ripe fruit elements. The palate is quite jammy (somehow) with plenty of fruit. This is a pretty big Barolo, even at almost 50 years old. The tannins are still present, and you can feel them quite prominently on the palate. Here’s hoping that the bottle funk will blow off in the time before dinner. (Dinner) This now displays gorgeous ripe red fruit on the nose, with a few light high-toned elements. The palate has a good balance of the same ripe red fruit, earth, and animale. Fully resolved tannins, this is good to go now. I would suggest a half-day decant before consumption. This bottle did clean its act up quite nicely in those few hours.

agavin: best of this flight IMHO.
Cannelloni Gratinati. Braised Beef Cheeks, rolled pasta, swiss Chard, Black summer truffle. Rich and delicious.

Flight 4:

1964 Cappellano Barolo. JG 94. Smoky black cherries on the nose. Elegant and expansive in the mouth. Still has some tannin. Long, elegant. Still has some richness and sweet fruit.

1961 Franco Fiorina Barolo. JG 92. I thought our bottle was a touch corky. Others thought it wasn’t cork. Not sure, but it definitely had a cardboardy nose.

1961 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo. 93 points. Lots of sediment. Beautiful, full, round, and lush old barolo. Really fantastic, and exactly what I am looking for in a wine like this.

1961 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo. VM 93. Fascinating. Amazing color. Virtually no browning for a 51 year old wine. Fruit was vibrant and in tact. Earthy bouquet, round and pure on the palate. lengthy and elegant finish. Many years ahead for this wine.

Carne Borina. 24 days dry aged rib eye, corn polenta, natural jus, fried piopini mushrooms.

Gianduiotta. Hazelnut choccolate creme, candied nuts. Classic Italian flavors if not the most traditional form factor.

Overall another amazing evening.

Food. The food at Officine is very good. It’s very Italian, with a fairly non Italian “vibe” to the place and a more modern share plates style. Tonight it was particularly on point, individually plated as it was, with each dish being tuned (many off menu) by Chef Angelo himself. This was a different meal in style than my previous visits, with less variety (family style you get more tastes) but more tuned up cuisine. Anyway it was fabulous and I was plenty full.

Service. Service was great and we were treated like family. Wine service in particular is a real standout. Opening and managing all those old Baroli is quiet a chore and Francine spent most of the evening with us.

Atmosphere. I love the big factory look. It’s a little loud, but not as bad as some (Bestia!). We had 8 people in the back where it wasn’t quite as deafening.

Wines. We didn’t have a bad wine tonight. Some a little tannic, one maybe partially “corky” and one a little oxidized. Pretty amazing for 50ish year old Nebbiolo! The pairings were perfect as the cook tasted, chose, and cooked every dish to match!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

More Sage Society dinners.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Angelo Auriana, Barbaresco, Barolo, Francine Diamond Ferdinandi, Mirko Paderno, Officine Brera, Sage Society, Wine

Hedonism at Officine Brera

May18

Restaurant: Officine Brera [1, 2, 3]

Location: 1331 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021. (213) 553-8006

Date: May 12, 2016

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Some of the best (new?) Italian in the city!

The area offers a mess of old brick 40s warehouses and factories which are being lovingly converted, allowing large spaces at reasonable rents (for now).

There is a nice outside patio/bar.

And inside the gigantic warehouse/factory space has been reconfigured with highly attractive duct work. Who would have thought that grungy 70 year-old factory windows could look so good?

Tonight’s menu, slightly different than last time.

Bread and olive oil.

Arnie brought: 2002 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon. VM 98. Honey, almonds, butter, tropical fruit and brioche are some of the notes that emerge in the 2002 Dom Pérignon. Here the flavors are bold, rich and exotic, as they have always been, while the textural feel is one of pure exuberance. The 2002 remains dense, honeyed and totally voluptuous on the palate, with more than enough density to drink well for decades The style will always remain opulent to the core.
JF brought: 2011 Domaine Louis Michel Chablis Grand Cru Grenouilles. VM 92+. Tangerine, cloves, mint and smoke all emerge from the 2011 Chablis Grenouilles. There is lovely depth and focus in the glass, although the Grenouilles comes across as a bit compact relative to most 2011s. This introspective Chablis isn’t ready to show all of its cards just yet. Although I expect the Grenouilles to soften a bit in bottle, the style is likely to always remain a bit on the firm side.

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.

Mesin con Salam. Selection of meats & cheeses, crostini, pear mostarda.

Culatello. traditional pianura padana inspired heritage pork, most prized salume. They aren’t kidding when they say traditional. Both Auriana and Paderno are from the Po river valley.

Fagiolini. blue lake green beans, radicchio, baby kale, toasted hazelnuts, raspadura, garda oil. Nice salad.

Polpo. grilled mediterranean octopus, water cress, frisée salad, sunchokes purèe. Good pus.

Chick pea fritters, on the house.

Battuta cruda. hand chopped beef, celery, raspadura, quail egg, black ash dressing. Beef tartar — and I love beef tartar, but some at the table found it too chewy.

JF brought: 1990 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Masseto Toscana IGT. VM 95. The 1990 Masseto comes across as quite ripe and almost exotic, very much in the style of the year. This is a decidedly opulent, full-bodied vintage. Tar, smoke and licorice wrap around the huge finish. My preference was for the 1988 in this first flight, but to tell the truth all of three last wines were spectacular.

agavin: we all loved this wine. Maybe WOTN, although there were a lot of great wines.

From my cellar: 2006 Fattoria Poggio di Sotto Brunello di Montalcino. VM 95. Medium red. A real essence of sangiovese on the nose: sour cherry, flowers, marzipan and a whiff of orange peel. Wonderfully lush and seamless, with an almost liqueur-like sweetness that does not go roasted. This medium-to-full wine boasts a velvety texture today but really needs time in bottle to show off its inherent complexity. Finishes with a broad dusting of tannins. This powerful, classy Brunello stayed fresh for 48 hours in the recorked bottle.

Yarom brought: 1970 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Ygay Reserva. agavin 93. Really lush and fully of life. Great bottle and about as good as one can imagine from this good but “structured” year.
Nastrini del miracolo. ancient grain house made pasta, butcher’s table meat-ragù, italian parsley. The Fettucine Bolognese you wish your grandmother made! Really a very nice ragu.
Cannelloni. braised beef stuffed oven baked fresh pasta, foie grass, melted cheese béchamel. Now these were awesomely rich and delicious.

Pisaei e faso. House made bread dumplings, borlotti beans, cured pork, reggiano stravecchio. Pork and beans! A table favorite.
Gnocchi. handmade potato gnocchi, castelmagno cheese fonduta, truffle, chives. Simple but amazing. Light fluffy pillows and very cheesy (as it should be). They added the truffle since my last visit. Took it up another notch. Perfect texture too.

Foiade bergamasche. Hand-cut chestnut pasta, braised oxtail ragu, pioppini mushrooms, lodigrana. A solid traditional rustic pasta. Not as sexy as some of the others, but good still.

Arnie brought: 1999 Reininger Cima. 93 points. Super nice and even “somewhat old world” super Tuscan blend. Full of fruit and complexity but not overly hot at all.

Larry brought: 2005 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT. VM 92. The 2005 Redigaffi (Merlot) is the most finessed, elegant Redigaffi I can recall. This is a Redigaffi that emphasizes clarity and precision over sheer power. Suggestions of new leather, spices, plums, currants, minerals, blueberry jam and toasted oak emerge from this medium-bodied effort. Although the 2005 might not have the structure of previous vintages, the tannins are beautifully balanced and the wine offers terrific overall harmony.

agavin: a monster, but really delicious.

Bassa padana. Arborio rice, luganega rope sausage, cotechino, grana padano. Another good risotto, although a few thought it could be creamier.

Milanese. vialone nano rice, saffron, bone marrow, lodigrana. A version of the classic Milanese risotto but with bone marrow, including that big chunk pulled out. Awesome!

Pesce. Vialone nano veronese igp rice, pan roasted langoustines, smoked eel, black mussels, clams. Flavored with clam juice this smelled pretty intense (aka fishy). A few were put off by that, but I thought it tasted amazing with a strong briny flavor.

Chevy brought: 2001 Pride Mountain Vineyards Reserve Claret. VM 94. Deep ruby-red. Knockout nose combines roasted black raspberry, cassis, espresso and bitter chocolate. Sweet, fat and deep, with extravagantly rich, seamless flavors of dark berries and chocolate. Not as sweet as the Mountaintop merlot but even larger-scaled. The finish shows more obvious cabernet tannins and considerable sweet oak, but has more than enough powerful, palate-staining fruit. As a potential purchase, this is a no-brainer for collectors who can find and afford it.

agavin: also a great wine. Enough age to have mellowed it out and make it work with food.

Quaglia. Grilled semi-boneless california quail, lardo, yellow corn polenta, sage, natural jus. Some really nice juicy quail. Not dry at all with that lardo!

Special house roasted potatoes. Cooked in duck fat!
Gianduiotta. milk chocolate hazelnut, sbrisolona crumble, caramelized brulee.
Castagnole. freshly fried doughnuts, anise sugar, salty bourbon caramel sauce.
Torrone. honey & nut nougatine semifreddo, warmed fudge sauce, amarena cherries.

Overall another amazing evening.

Food. The food at Officine is very good. It’s very Italian, with a fairly non Italian “vibe” to the place and a more modern share plates style. But the pastas and risotto are as good as any you will find in LA with a real hearty flavor forward style. The appetizers and the mains are more of a mixed bag, varying between awesome and just fine. The cured meats are great, but the mains lean a little too heavily on steak for my taste (we didn’t order any tonight). They feel less Italian as the only straight steak I usually see in Italy is the bistecca (massive rare tuscan cut).

Service. Service was great and we were treated like family. Wine service in particular is a real standout.

Atmosphere. I loved the big factory look. It was a little loud, but not as bad as some (Bestia!). We had 7 people and a fabulous round table in the back where it wasn’t quite as deafening.

Wines. We didn’t have a bad wine tonight. All super on point and really delicious and great with the food.

Group thoughts. The above opinions are mine. Tonight was a fairly contentious night. Everyone loved the wines, service, and atmosphere. But about half of us (including me) really like the food and a couple of other guys consider it “meh”, and although they loved certain dishes, felt that others fell flat. The gnocchi, quail, and beans were particular favorites. Whatever one’s tastes, it is definitely true that Brera is a very contemporary LA Italian in that it fuses dish types from contemporary type places in Italy with the small plate format and sort of “right now” LA tastes. It does not draw as obviously from the heritage of “classic” Italian American restaurants.

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By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Angelo Auriana, Francine Diamond Ferdinandi, hedonists, Mirko Paderno, Officine Brera, Wine

Rhone at Officine Brera

Apr22

Restaurant: Officine Brera [1, 2, 3]

Location: 1331 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021. (213) 553-8006

Date: April 19, 2016

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Some of the best (new?) Italian in the city!

The area offers a mess of old brick 40s warehouses and factories which are being lovingly converted, allowing large spaces at reasonable rents (for now).

There is a nice outside patio/bar.

And inside the gigantic warehouse/factory space has been reconfigured with highly attractive duct work. Who would have thought that grungy 70 year-old factory windows could look so good?

Tonight’s menu — it changes constantly.

Ron brought: NV Pierre Péters Champagne Grand Cru Réserve Oubliée Blanc de Blancs. VM 92. The NV Brut Réserve Oubliée, is essentially the Cuvée de Réserve with an additional year of aging in tank. In this case, the wine is based on the 2008 vintage, which includes reserve wines going back to 1988. Almond, hazelnut, dried pear and spice notes are all nicely delineated. Sweet, perfumed aromatics add lift to the textured, inviting finish.

Frisceu. vegetable sage fritters, red onions, boston lettuce. Very soft, light, and doughy. Sort of an Italian hush puppy.

Bonus from my cellar: 2010 Paolo Bea Arboreus. 91 points. This is a very special and somewhat odd wine. Very floral and fruity nose with strong apricot and honey notes. On the palate this seems like a different wine with a much drier impression with quite high acidity. Good, and I just can’t resist the charm of the aromas.

Culatello. traditional pianura padana inspired heritage pork, most prized salume. They aren’t kidding when they say traditional. Both Auriana and Paderno are from the Po river valley. Check out this ultra similar treatment at a super traditional (and fabulous) place I ate at in Parma.
Walker brought: 1990 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage Blanc Chevalier de Sterimberg. 93 points. Really interesting nose – almonds and flowers. Subtle and understated on the palate but loved by all at the tasting. A haunting rather than powerful finish. If I had any left, I would be thinking of drinking up.

agavin: in really great shape.

Polpo. grilled mediterranean octopus, water cress, frisée salad, sunchokes purèe.

CF brought: 1993 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux. Burghound 91. The once explosive black fruit nose has now begun to evolve and while still showing obvious class and breed, also displays the front edge of maturing fruit, spice and earth notes that leads to still firm but softening flavors that possess impressive concentration with excellent depth of extract and lovely persistence. This has all the material it needs for a very long life and it should go for 30 years with no difficulty at all if properly stored. For my personal taste, I would continue to cellar this beauty until 2010 or so but it could certainly be approached now with pleasure. Tasted twice recently with consistent results.

agavin: opened the night before, kinda gone.

Fagiolini. blue lake green beans, radicchio, baby kale, toasted hazelnuts, raspadura, garda oil. Nice salad.

CF brought: 1993 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg. Burghound 92. Relatively austere and reserved with more minerality than Richebourg usually displays and it possesses outstanding flavor detail. There is still limited breadth of flavors but the intensity here is impressive as is the length and there is clearly a classiness here that is unmistakable. This is still extremely young and very backward in magnum format and this will require lots of additional bottle age to realize its full potential.

agavin: also opened the night before. Better by far than the Ech, but totally missing fruit when I got to it.

Battuta cruda. hand chopped beef, celery, raspadura, quail egg, black ash dressing. Some awesome beef tartar — and I love beef tartar.

Tonight’s theme was actually great red Rhone wines. Funny for an Italian restaurant, but we had the theme before we picked the place.

From my cellar: 1976 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle. Our bottle was totally corked 🙁 Forced me to open the Rayas (below), a turn of fates that no one complained about.

Gnocchi. handmade potato gnocchi, castelmagno cheese fonduta, chives. Simple but amazing. Light fluffy pillows and very cheesy (as it should be).

1978 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Côte-Rôtie Les Jumelles. 93 points. amazing gun-powder aroma that lasted for very long, very impressing & shocking aroma that was first noticed after more than 20 years of wine tasting!!! deep secondaries & tertiaries aromas, mainly of dry ripe cherries, some spices, smokiness and lether. A true expereince!

Nastrini del miracolo. ancient grain house made pasta, butcher’s table meat-ragù, italian parsley. The Fettucine Bolognese you wish your grandmother made! Really a very nice ragu.

Walker brought: 1983 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Cèdres. 94 points. The nose is the star here: full on, heavy and rich with stewed red fruit, spice and old tobacco. The finish is medium length, still some lingering tannin; just a little hollow mid-palate where you would expect more fruit to fully complement the enticing nose.

agavin: drinking great!

Cannelloni. braised beef stuffed oven baked fresh pasta, foie grass, melted cheese béchamel. Now these were awesomely rich and delicious.

Emil brought: 1990 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle. 95 points. My first impression was how perfumed this was on the nose. Just gorgeous and complex, with many aromas including provence scents with black olive, incense, dark cooked cherry, plum, dark chocolate. The palate was enveloping, broad yet fresh, full bodied. The (13.9%) alcohol was felt on the finish, which was just slightly drying, but I’m nitpicking. Really delicious wine! Thanks to Karl Kellar for bringing this gorgeous wine.

agavin: ours was a little reserved at first, but opened up.

Crostacei. vialone nano veronese igp rice, langoustines, crab meat, asparagus, crustacean broth. The risotto here is amazing. When Auriana was at Valentino long ago (I’m talking the 90s) I first had his seafood risotto and it was the best risotto I’ve ever had. Things haven’t changed.

Vahan brought: 1990 Delas Frères Hermitage Marquise de la Tourette. 95 points. Dark red violet color; lamb jus and charcoal nose; bewitching roasted lamb, smoke, black fruit and pepper palate; medium-plus finish.

agavin: our bottle was drinking awesomely!

Milanese. vialone nano rice, saffron, bone marrow, lodigrana. A version of the classic Milanese risotto but with bone marrow, including that big chunk pulled out. Awesome!

From my cellar: 2000 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve. 95 points. enormous spicy nose, very intensive on the other hand fine and very elegant, as light as air and full of vitality, still very young, long, long+, for decades!

agavin: awesome. So much spice!

Polenta and snails. Corn polenta with butter sauce and snails. On tasting the Rayas Auriana went back into the kitchen and ordered this up for us, off menu, to pair. Believe it or not it was perfect, as this wouldn’t be your first guess for a match with big CDP!

Vahan brought: 1998 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul. VM 94. Good deep red. Deep, smoky aromas of black raspberry, pepper, garrigue and spices. Silky on entry, then compellingly sweet in the middle but with strong acidity and firm minerality framing the raspberry, tobacco and roasted herb flavors. The wine’s solid backbone of strong, dusty tannins give great grip to the finish. Offers an uncanny combination of sweetness and verve. This has evolved spectacularly.

Quail. Also off menu. Super tender and with lots of meat.

Ron brought: 1990 Penfolds Grange. Parker 95-96. Deep garnet-brick colored, the 1990 Penfolds Grange has an evolved, earthy character of damp loam, black truffles and tar with an underlying core of figs, dried mulberries, salami and aniseed. There’s a good amount of savory flesh supported by a crisp acid line and medium to firm level chewy tannins, finishing long with some smoked meat coming through. Drink this one now to 2020+.

agavin: big and awesome. Tons of Eucalyptus.
Carne bovina. 18oz California reserve prime ribeye, ash-roasted onions, potatoes, baby carrots. Flannery beef, I think.

Larry brought: 1994 Penfolds Grange. Parker 91. This is the first vintage where Grange went to a bottle with laser-etched identification numbers to preclude the possibility of fraudulent bottles. The wine, a blend of 89% Shiraz and 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, shows some toasty oak mixed with notes of root vegetables, damp earth, blackberry liqueur, prune, and licorice. The wine is dense, full-bodied, not terribly complex in the mouth, but layered and rich. I would not be surprised to see the rating on this wine improve as this youthful Grange continues to evolve. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2020.

agavin: even more Eucalyptus!
Rustin nega’. grilled grass fed 22oz veal chop, cured pork, cipollini, european butter.

Vahan brought: 1997 Ojai Syrah Cuvée Henry Daniel. 93 points. Great color, got darker in the glass as it opened over time, rich, tobacco, blackberry jam.

The dessert menu.
Gianduiotta. milk chocolate hazelnut, sbrisolona crumble, caramelized brulee
Castagnole. freshly fried doughnuts, anise sugar, salty bourbon caramel sauce
Torrone. honey & nut nougatine semifreddo, warmed fudge sauce, amarena cherries
Torta di riso. baked rice cake, meyer lemon mascarpone, raisins, seasonal citrus
Bonet. chocolate custard tart, orange thyme marinated figs, fresh chantilly cream

The chef spent the whole later evening at our table.

Overall another amazing evening.

Food. The food at Officine is just awesome. It’s very Italian, with a fairly non Italian “vibe” to the place and a more modern share plates style. But the pastas and risotto are as good as any you will find in LA with a real hearty flavor forward style.

Service. Service was great and we were treated like family. They are a bit new, and there are still a few minor kinks here — plus this is a busy place casual place so there is a touch of chaos.

Atmosphere. I loved the big factory look. It was a little loud, but not as bad as some (Bestia!). We had 7 people and a fabulous round table.

Company. This particular crew, my “Foodie Club” crew, is really great fun. Everyone steps up, we bring great wines on theme, and there is a touch of organization and division of labor. We plan a whole table food order in flights and flight and order the wine. Plus the company is great.

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More insane Foodie Club dinners.

By: agavin
Comments (4)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Angelo Auriana, Dessert, Foodie Club, Francine Diamond Ferdinandi, Mirko Paderno, Officine Brera, Rhone, Wine

Factory Kitchen – Fabulous

Aug18

Restaurant: Factory Kitchen [1, 2]

Location: 1300 Factory Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90013. (213) 996-6000

Date: August 12, 2014

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Wow! Best Italian in LA?

My friend Liz organized this amazing dinner. Chef Angelo Auriana was the lead chef at Valentino from the mid 80s until 2003, and particularly in the 90s there really was no better Italian in LA. After a stint up in Northern California he is back with a new more casual place Downtown. Liz, as usual, really worked to fine tune the food and wine together for this amazing meal.

1995 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. IWC 95. Light yellow. Rich and powerful, with leesy pear and white truffle aromas accented by gentle notes of white pepper and cinnamon. Extremely powerful Krug, with rich orchard fruit flavors, a velvety texture and warm, rich, inviting notes of brioche and creme brulee Finishes with intense pear and peach flavors and lingering notes of smoke, iodine and toffee. One of the most concentrated Champagnes I tried this year.

agavin: very fresh

focaccina calda di recco al formaggio. funghi, crescenza, foraged mushrooms, ligurian olive oil, parsley and, added specially for us, tons of black truffle!

agavin: some serious “pizza” goodness!

1983 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut. JK 93. (Cristal) which was very fresh and delicate, light on its feet with a lot of seltzer, citrus peel, minerals and a pungent kick. Fresh, very smooth, elegant, but not what I remember when I had it recently out of magnum, the 1983 Cristal was lighter out of bottle but still had some extra acidity.

agavin: pretty oxidized

Seared albacore, with a bit of pepper and olive oil.

1989 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut Collection. 96 points. One of those wines you taste and think, “Man, I am so lucky.” Intriguing apricot-honey color. Smells waxy and honeyed, with orange marmalade, clover honey, dried flowers, bruised apples. The palate loaded with gobs of apricot, brandied pear and blood orange. Crisp acid keeps it lean and balanced, and the aged notes of mixed nuts, rose tea, truffle oil and dried mushrooms. Throughout, this wine maintains an oceanic aura, with seashells and mineral water. So complex, this wine’s finish is obscenely long. One of the most intellectually stimulating Champagnes I’ve ever had.

agavin: one of the best champagnes I’ve had. Tastes like a great white burg.

Chickpea fries with fried vegetables.

agavin: soft, light, delicious fry.

pancotto. duck egg, red potato vellutata, sautéed greens, semolina bread crostone, speck.

agavin: when you get all the elements together really a fabulous breakfasty bite.

2010 Domaine Patrick Baudouin Anjou Les Saulaies. 90 points. Gazoline, honey, woodboard. Mouth very straight, linear, mineral, with big bitterness. Light new oak at the end. Discret aromas of limetree, and verveina.

agavin: by itself, this is an odd wine. Good, but strong and unusual for a white. But Liz carefully paired it with the pesto below and together they were amazing!

mandilli di seta. handkerchief pasta, ligurian almond basil pesto.

agavin: I can not say enough good things about this pasta. The texture was amazing. It’s soft and all folded over. The pesto is hyperblended to a very fine texture as well, and it tastes so Ligurian. Here you can see some “genuine” examples, and this one tonight was as good as any I’ve ever had in Liguria (I’ve spent about a week there). The chef can’t get the right pine-nuts so he uses blanched almonds instead. It works.

2010 Chêne Bleu Aliot. 90 points. 65% roussanne 30% Grenache blanc and 5% marsanne. Fresh white peach, honey, spicy and limestone. Distinctive cool climate impression. Very nice wine that will well complement seafood dishes.

agavin: served blind, I guessed it was a young roussanne. Also punchy by themselves, but Liz has a method to her madness.

She really wanted some Botarga. It’s not usually on the menu, but the chef dug up some genuine Sardinian tuna roe and made:

Botarga pasta. First of all, the texture on these big pasta rolls was incredible, with a nice bite. Then it had that pure fishy botarga flavor, but without anything off putting. Then, somehow the wine worked it all out into a special kind of magic.

1995 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes. Burghound 91. An almost syrah-like nose that stops just short of being overripe with dense and intense black fruit plus an odd herbaceous burnt orange peel aroma. The flavors are remarkably supple yet offer good density and richness with finishing tannins that are both firm and prominent. This is quite long and overall, the wine is bold and impressive but not my particular style as it lacks a bit of nuance and grace and the tannins are almost rustic.

agavin: young. This got better and better in the glass, but could have used hours!

1993 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Romanée St. Vivant. Burghound 93. Sweet, elegant, pure and extremely sexy, spicy black fruit aromas that are now displaying relatively strong secondary development as well as a background hint of oak introduce round, delicious, textured, intense and deep flavors underpinned by silky tannins and outstanding length. This is a somewhat atypical ’93 as it’s really quite forward and not at all backward. For my taste, this could be drunk now with pleasure and there is little if any additional upside to be had. Simply beautiful juice. Consistent notes save for one bottle that seemed to lack the same purity of the prior bottles, particularly on the nose.

agavin: drinking amazing right now. Huge Vosne-Romanee nose, lots of RSV spice.

casonzei – veal, pork, sausage filled pasta, cured pork, butter, pancetta.

agavin: This also is a stunningly authentic pasta. It normally comes with a butter and sage sauce, but Liz (correctly) thought the sage wouldn’t work with the Burgundy and switched it out for sweat pancetta. There is a wonderful rice quality to the handmade pasta and the butter / parm sauce. You get pasta like this in the North, near Mantua and Verona. Sweet and buttery at the same time. Wonderful.

1990 Domaine Bartet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques. Burhound 91. Somewhat surprisingly, even in the smaller format bottle this remains relatively fresh and while there are obvious secondary aromas present, there is no sous bois to the complex and earthy nose. The delineated, ripe and still solidly intense flavors deliver plenty of richness and a lovely mineral quality on the long and sappy backend. In sum, this is beautiful juice that is drinking perfectly now.

agavin: This is really Bruno Clair’s wine. Delicious.

1993 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze. Burghound 92. In stark contrast to the Chambertin, this is wonderfully expressive and complex with abundant earth and spice notes followed by big, structured, still sappy if slightly austere flavors that offer excellent density and plenty of character. Impressively scaled and finishes with striking length. A clear step up from the Chambertin.

agavin: I love Jadot Beze, and 1993 is a great year, but this was drinking a little oddly tonight. Still enjoyable though.

1964 Thorin Chambolle-Musigny. 93 points. It’s just straight up amazing that a 50 year old village wine is drinking at all, but this beauty also offered a lot of fruit and just a lovely old burg experience.

quaglia – pan roasted California semi boneless quail, polenta, guanciale, witch finger grape.

agavin: Probably the best quail I can remember. Cooked a little medium rare with a lovely reduction.

1961 Franco Fiorina Barolo. 92 points. Tea color with rose petal aromas. Subtle overall flavors with faint red fruit and lots of earth. Very classic with moderate intensity.

agavin: nothing over the hill about this!

costata di bovino – prime beef rib chop, roasted bone marrow, onion~nebbiolo sauce.

agavin: certainly works with barolo!

Our chef, Angelo Auriana, who spent half the diner chatting with us.

From my cellar: 1989 Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia. Parker 97. Conterno’s 1989 Barolo Riserva Granbussia is darker in color and fresher than the 1990. Sweet mentholated, balsamic aromatics meld gracefully into an expressive, layered core of dark fruit. The 1989 is a big, expansive Granbussia that takes time to reveal its qualities in full, but it is a remarkable wine for the integrity of its fruit, the finesse of its tannins and its sumptuous overall balance. It remains a benchmark wine for Conterno and the appellation. Curiously, two bottles I tasted at the estate were more forward than several I have had in the US recently. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2024.

agavin: a staggeringly rich Barolo, if sill young. Deep grapey qualities and all that Barolo tar and roses.

Beef. I don’t remember which cut exactly, but just straight up and delicious.

1990 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume. 93 points. While the palate of the baumard was fantstic with its nectarine/orange driven notes, there was that telltale Loire desert quality to the nose, that stemmy/wooly nature you get in Huet as well. I think this lends it unique character and an ability to pair with a wider array of foods/cheeses, but some find it offputting. The wine though, drinks phenomenal and will only continue to get better.

cannoli – ricotta filling, pistachios, orange marmalade.

agavin: Liz claims this is the best cannoli she’s had. I’ll go so far to say it’s the best I’ve had in LA. And it was REALLY good with perfect crunch, soft ricotta, citrus. But it didn’t have that cinnamon / nutmeg bit I love, or the candied citrus quality you’ll often find in Sicily. Still, very very good. These ones from the Philadelphia Italian market are also fabulous if you can’t make it to Sicily.

2001 Müller-Catoir Gimmeldinger Schlössel Rieslaner Beerenauslese. IWC 92. Apricot and persimmon, sage and mint in the nose. On the palate this has a very smoky cast, with forceful pungency and some of the same icy heat as the corresponding Auslese. Plum paste, citrus marmalade and almond paste. Scheurebe-like mintiness and smoky, salty residues cling to the fruit in the finish.

agavin: I really loved this sticky

crostata – black mission figs, almond cream, mascarpone mousse, honey amaretto.

agavin: This was amazing, and it’s not even my kind of dessert. The sugary / flakey quality of the tart was perfect — and the cream!

All in all, an absolutely amazing meal. Every dish was amazing, and this is hands down the best, most authentically Italian, pasta I’ve had in LA — and I’m a pasta fiend. Many of the pasta dishes were better than the standard in Italy and as good as some of the best I’ve had there. And I’ve had a lot. Our wines were phenomenal too, and the pairings perfect as Liz is a nut about this. Really, it shows how both can elevate each other if properly orchestrated.

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