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Archive for Double Dinner

Pine & Crane – WTF

Apr18

Restaurant: Pine & Crane

Location: 1521 Griffith Park Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026. (323) 668-1128

Date: September 8, 2022

Cuisine: Taiwanese Chinese

Rating: Blech! So bland

_

PINE & CRANE is a fast-casual Taiwanese restaurant located in the heart of Silver Lake. Their goal is to bring authentic, delicious Taiwanese fare in a comfortable, modern setting. They say they are passionate about what they do, and take pride in preparing their food using simple, fresh ingredients. In addition to Taiwanese staples like Three Cup Chicken 三杯鷄 and Beef Noodle Soup 牛肉麵, they offer a variety of small plates, traditional cold appetizers, and vegetarian/vegan options. Their beverage list includes a “curated” selection of premium loose-leaf teas sourced from Taiwan and a rotating craft beer, wine, and sake list.1A4A4445
I’ve been wanting to try Pine & Crane since it opened, being the Chinese Food fiend that I am. It’s location in annoying (aka far) Silverlake and its casual nature prevented me. It’s not worth driving to the ends of the earth and fighting for parking for something too casual. But when we finished up a dinner at Causita next door I figured we should hit it for Second Dinner.
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Outside tables.
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A cute enough fast casual interior.
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The very short menu.
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Chilled Garlic Pork Belly. Salmon creek pork belly, garlic soy sauce, chili crisp. Very soy sauce and garlic forward. No spice. WTF is up with this dish? It looks like Sichuan Garlic Chili cold pork belly, but it tasted like cold raw bacon with soy sauce.
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Pork Potstickers. Kurobuta pork, Taiwanese cabbage. One of the better dishes. Very crispy with nice pork center. Just good gyoza.
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Basic but important sauce components.
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Shrimp Wontons. Filling was good but the sauce was just salty, not much else going on. The stuff that looks like it might be chili oil — no heat.
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Dan dan noodles. Sesame-peanut sauce, chili oil, cucumbers, cilantro, crumbled peanuts. Very mild and sesame forward. No spice or vinegar at all. Tasty, but basically sesame noodles. I always find these Taiwanese “watered down” variations on Sichuan dishes to be a total disappointment.
1A4A4460
Mapo Tofu. Organic Silken Tofu, Kurobuta Pork, Spicy Doubanjiang. I couldn’t taste ANY spicy or any Doubanjiang (which is spicy). It was basically very nice tofu in salty brown sauce. It looks good. The texture was good. But it’s fake Mapo. No spice, no Ma!
1A4A4464
White rice.

Pine & Crane is a waste of space for a Chinese Food fan like myself. I’d just go to the SGV, which is quicker to get to and much better. There are tastier places on the Westside. I guess I have a bit of a problem with Taiwanese versions of mainland Chinese food — I find them bland and unbalanced. They lean heavily on salt without spicy, numbing, or sour. This is my problem with DTF too. But DTF is much better than Pine & Crane. Maybe Pine & Crane is also watered down for the whiteness that is Silverlake. Hard to say.

I also don’t like fast casual unless I’m alone. Annoying and stressful format. I’m very glad I hit this as a Second Dinner (first one is here at Causita). If I had come out here for lunch just for this I would have been really pissed.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

For more LA Chinese dining reviews click here.

Or for epic Foodie Club meals, here.

Related posts:

  1. Hip Hot
  2. Round 2 – Hanchic
  3. Westwood Chinese – Northern Cafe
  4. Quick Eats – Earthen
  5. Quick Eats – Popcorn Chicken
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Chinese cuisine, Dan Dan Mein, Double Dinner, Foodie Club, mapo tofu, Pine & Crane, Second Dinner, Silverlake, Taiwanese Cuisine

Causita just ’cause

Apr16

Restaurant: Causita [ CLOSED ]

Location: 3709 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026.

Date: September 8, 2022

Cuisine: Peruvian

Rating: Tasty, but issues — and out of biz

_

I’ve really enjoyed a long string of Ricardo Zarate restaurants, all the way back to Picca and Paiche etc. Others followed like a stint at SOS, Rosaline and Pikoh. Sadly, while the food is always really good, they do not last long. Not exactly sure why. But the Foodie Club and I were excited to try Causita, his latest in Silverlake. The past proved true of the present and it closed not too long after we went (despite very tasty food).

1A4A4312
Located in that busy stretch of Sunset in Silverlake — hate that area because it’s just so far from my house and a real pain to park in. Maybe I’m also jealous that trendy new places open here where they are super inconvenient.
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1A4A4314-Pano
Interior is modern.

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Initial champagne. We had to negotiate with them to allow any kind of corkage at all. They did yield fortunately.
1A4A4319
The menu.
1A4A4331
kanpachi & uni tiradito. yellow tail, coconut leche de tigre, rocoto pitaya dressing. The white sauce was basically coconut milk with lime juice and chili. Incredibly zingy almost pucker inducing, but good.
1A4A4334
chocolatas clams. chalaca style, charapita, leche de tigre, apple criolla. The chocolate bit is just because of the color of the clam shell (milk chocolate brown). The cerviche style mix inside was also super acid forward. Pucker up baby!

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Mostly we brought Spanish wine.
1A4A4339
summer gazpacho. heirloom tomato, peach, aji limo. Almost like a salsa. Very good though with a touch of sweetness. Super refreshing.
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bluefin otoro. tamari, fresh wasabi, leche de tigre, black truffle. I didn’t like this as much as I expected to. It was good, but maybe a bit too much truffle flavor. At least it was decent truffle though, not rancid.
1A4A4350
charred snap pea. charred jalapeno oil, labneh, mint, garlic chip. Very nice with a bit of creaminess and a great snap (bite) to the peas.
1A4A4357
lobster dumpling. charred jalapeno oil, ceviche aioli. Strong flavor from the squid ink actually. Inside was a tiny bit dry.

1A4A4325
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Always a great Spanish red.
1A4A4365
Pan con Chicharron. Crispy Pork, sweet potato, salsa criollo. Like a pork belly slider. Bread was nice for mopping up sauce on other dishes. I enjoyed this “burger.”
1A4A4374
lamb ragu. fromage blanc dumpling, szechuan peppercorn. Soft with a nice meaty and creamy texture. Quite nice.
1A4A4386
octopus. octopus, goat cheese-chorizo mousse, gotija olive, ceviche aioli. The peppers had great flavors and the octopus was very crispy.
1A4A4388
Grilled Artichoke Hearts. avocado mousse, jalapeno, popped quinoa, charapita glaze. The texture and flavor of the artichoke was great.
1A4A4393
udon noodles. shiitake, peruvian pesto, wasabi tobiko, roasted onion jus. Pesto flavor was awesome. Noodles were thick, and maybe a touch soft, and there was a very “leafy” basil quality offset nicely by the cheese. Overall a fabulous dish.

1A4A4320
Oh, and a Bordeaux slipped in.
1A4A4400
crispy rice. seared steak tartare, egg, parmesan sauce. Interesting and I liked it.
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The egg and soy and beef tartare was mixed in. The parmesan sauce (which was a bit punchy) was left on the side.
1A4A4410
1A4A4413
1A4A4417
Mixed up.
1A4A4419
Lomo Saltado. Steak Filet. Onion Confit. Potato Petals. Fine, but less interesting.
1A4A4425
The dessert menu.
1A4A4428-Edit
Churros Bomboncito. Caramel, berry sauce. These were great with caramel centers. And on the left, Tres Leches Sorbettto, which really tasted like Uni Leche Sorbetto.
1A4A4434
The damage wasn’t so bad.
1A4A4315-Pano
Food was actually great at Causita, some of Ricardo’s best since Paiche. It was very bright. Not every dish was perfect, and there were relatively few things that were incredibly memorable, but it was very tasty — and zesty. Corkage issues were a bit of a thing. Somehow his restaurants never last. There also seems to be a curse on this strip of Silverlake. New things open constantly, but they shuffle and close rapidly too.

Because we were right next door we decided to try out Pine and Crane for second dinner as I have been wanting to for years.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

Or for epic Foodie Club meals, here.

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Related posts:

  1. Picca Potency
  2. Racy Rosaline
  3. Artsy Toppings – Sushi of Gari
By: agavin
Comments (2)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Causita, Double Dinner, Foodie Club, Peruvian cuisine, Ricardo M. Zarate, Ricardo Zarate, Silverlake, Wine

Round 2 – Hanchic

Apr07

Restaurant: Hanchic

Location: 2500 W 8th St #103, Los Angeles, CA 90057. (213) 375-7095

Date: September 1, 2022

Cuisine: Korean Fusion

Rating: Delicious!

_

Do for “Round 2” of tonight’s Double Dinner, after Kinn, Erick picked Hanchic which is a more casual (Izakaya style) Modern/Fusion Korean eatery.
1A4A4080
This is a hipster mini-mall installation if I ever saw one.
1A4A4086-Pano
The theme continues inside. Very casual, oriented toward 2 and 4 tops.
1A4A4084
The menu is short and covers sharable comfort items.
1A4A4091
An amuse of Korean vegetable pancake with tangy sauce.
1A4A4094
Yukhwe with rice cracker. A kind of spicy, sweet and sour beef tartare you mixed up with the egg and ate with the seaweed crusted rice cracker. Delicious.
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Mixed up and enjoyed.
1A4A4101
Raw shrimp cured in a seasoned ‘Jang’ 간장soy sauce over “purple (bean) rice.” The marinate is similar to that used in Korean raw crab.
1A4A4105
Chamchi toast with sweet and sour gouchujang. Really delicious. Hard to even tell it was toast, just seemed like some crispy fried shrimp + sweet and sour thing.
1A4A4113
Risotto with bulgogi and cheese. Yummy, like a comforting beef/cheese rice.
1A4A4116
Galbi Jjim with assorted Ssam. Super tender and smokey meat with lettuce wraps and ultra-flavorful sauces of ascending spice level. The serrano based max was VERY hot.
1A4A4120
The sauces.
1A4A4125
Jjapaguri with pork belly and egg. You mix it all up. “Creamy” and delicious sticky noodles with a rich quality offset slightly by the spicy/sweet pickles.

Overall, a great “second dinner” at Hanchic (first dinner was at Kinn). I really enjoyed the playful and creative take on Korean “snack” items. Between the casual atmosphere, late hours, and carby/fat forward sharable foods, this is a perfect post drinking spot. Great way to finish out a great evening.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or for epic Foodie Club meals, here.

Related posts:

  1. Round 1 – Kinn
  2. Round 2 Closed!
  3. Round 1 Winner Selected!
  4. White Glove Dining – Get Bbul
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Double Dinner, Foodie Club, Hanchic, Korean Fusion, Ktown, Second Dinner

Round 1 – Kinn

Apr05

Restaurant: Kinn

Location: 3905 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020. (213) 291-0888

Date: September 1, 2022

Cuisine: Korean Fusion

Rating: Really tasty & a great deal

_

Erick and I decided to visit some of LA’s top “Korean Fusion” places as just a small (the two of us) Foodie Club dinner. Since these spots are aimed at young Asian-American millennials they tend to have serve tiny tasting menus (by our gluttonous standards) and so we just booked a straight up Double Dinner (two dinners in one night)! Second Dinner was at Hanchic.

1A4A3974
The Michelin Guide (which lists Kinn) describes it as follows:

Chef Ki Kim delivers something special with Kinn. Tucked along a main artery of K-town, the slim, modern space is fitted with a blonde wood counter and tables. Whether preparing dishes or presenting them, the chef and his team deliver an exclusive experience. Chef Kim’s experience in upscale restaurants informs his menu which features dishes retooled with a Korean bent. Case in point? The K-corn dog, made here with Dungeness crab and a bechamel filling. Confit hen of the woods mushroom conceals a briny and sweet surprise of uni, along with Asian pear. Pyongyang naengmyeon is a delightful combination that embodies the art of simplicity with beefy and savory broth filled with buckwheat noodles, paper-thin slices of brisket, cucumbers, Asian pears and radish kimchi.

1A4A3979-Pano
We got there early (Double Dinner, round 1!) and it were the first in the door. The space is very narrow, with tables along one side and a “sushi-like” bar on the other.
1A4A3996
Tonight’s menu. We got all the supplements, Double Dinner be damned.
1A4A3991
2010 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Clos des Carmes Brézé. 93 points.
1A4A3992
1A4A3993
Raul Pérez Rías Baixas Sketch.

1A4A4002
Steamed Abalone. Potatoes, squid ink. You slurp the contents out of the shell. Essentially it’s like a “abalone chowder.” Quite nice if a bit potato focused.
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Perilla Salad. Tomatoes, Ikura, burrata, Perilla Sorbetto, Jelly. This was an amazing salad with a fantastic balance of sweet, herby, and tangy elements. The centerpeice was the Perilla (shiso) Sorbetto which seemed to be a properly formulated intensely shiso-flavored sweet sorbetto balanced with a bit of lemon juice.
1A4A4013-Edit
Supplement of Confit Hen of the Woods Mushrooms and Uni. The mushrooms had a nice smokey “charcoal grilled” flavor and great texture.
1A4A4030
Supplement of Spanish-Style Crispy Octopus. The sauce is a creamy aioli with Korean Chili Paste. Perfectly cooked octopus with a crispy outside and tender inside, I was able to cut it easily with a spoon. The aioli, basically a Korean inspired take on Bravos Sauce, was very thick and “creamy” with an egg, oil emulsion. Lovely take on this classic Spanish dish.
1A4A4033-Edit
1A4A4039-Edit
Rock Cod with a Fish Broth. The Crispy Topped fish was perfectly cooked, served with a Fennel Salad, and underlayed with a delicious Korean Fish Bone Broth spiked with Serrano Chili and Tarragon Oil. Really lovely.
1A4A4057-Edit
Charcoal Grilled Wagyu Shortrib. The succulent beef was topped with kimchi spicy greens, a bit of potato puree and a dust made from sweet potato skins. Really lovely beef dish and I very much enjoyed the contrast with the spicy and bracing greens.
1A4A4060-Edit
Pyongyang Naengmyeon. An iced buckwheat noodle with beef, pickles, and radish.
1A4A4064
It’s deconstructed and you combine the elements like these toppings.
1A4A4066
And the noodles.
1A4A4070

To get the whole. Very refreshing, mild, and clean. Noodles had a great snappy texture. This was an “extremely” calm take showcasing the noodles unlike some of the more bracing chili paste, mustard, and vinegar Korean noodle dishes.
1A4A4078
Corn Bingsoo with cheese. Corn and cheese in a dessert? Well this totally worked. Basically it was a shave ice with mild sweet corn flavors. It wasn’t massively sweet either but was cool, refreshing, and quite lovely.
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The bill wasn’t bad at all, even with all the supplements.

Kinn was awesome. Not only was it intimate and the chef extremely friendly and interesting, but these were big bold flavors and quite novel. The cooking techniques are heavily “modern French” or “modern European” (some dishes like the Octopus are pretty Spanish) but a lot of Korean ingredients and flavors have been melded in. It’s simultaneously comforting and novel.

We immediately discussed setting up a larger format special dinner with the chef for later in the fall.

On to second dinner!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or for epic Foodie Club meals, here.

Related posts:

  1. Round 2 Closed!
  2. Round 1 Winner Selected!
  3. Kato
By: agavin
Comments (3)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Double Dinner, Foodie Club, Kinn
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