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More Old California (take 3)

Dec13

Restaurant: 71Above [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]

Location: 633 W 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071

Date: May 31, 2022

Cuisine: New American

Rating: Awesome in all ways

71Above is one of my favorite LA restaurants and I’ve been many times. In fact there are 10 previous write ups! Original Chef Vartan Abgaryan has moved on to his own new place, Yours Truly (which the pandemic has sadly done in), and 71Above is now seamlessly helmed by his disciple, Chef Javier Lopez. Today the location plays host to a special old California dinner owner Emil Eyvazoff organized with an equally special menu. This dinner is the spiritual sequel to a much older Old California dinner back in 2015 and one from 2021.

Besides being located on the 71st floor (950 feet up!) of the US Bank building, being the highest restaurant west of the Mississippi, it’s owned and operated by my friend Emil Eyvazoff!

On one of these visits, Emil gave me a quick tour of their new “patio” on the 70th floor below where they are serving up Mezzes and drinks.

Gorgeous build out upstairs for the main event.

Look at the crazy view and the crazy fog on this weird spring night.

We set up shop for this evening in the private room.

Just a few glasses at the ready.

Our special menu for the night.

NV Schramsberg Vineyards Mirabelle Brut. BH 89. A notably fresh, fruity and overtly yeasty nose evidences notes of green apple, citrus and pear scents. There is good vibrancy to the delicious and equally fruity flavors that possess good if not special depth on the moderately dry but not really austere finale that is shaped by firm effervescence. This has arrived at a point where it could be held for a few more years or enjoyed now. (Drink starting 2015)

Chickpea Panisse, Truffle Aoioli.

Crispy Chicken, Mustard Emulsion.

House-made bread and butter.

1994 Stony Hill Chardonnay. JG 94. I really like the potential on display with the 1994 Stony Hill and fully expect this to be one of the reference point vintages of the 1990s. The nose is still in its youthful stage of development, but shows plenty of promise in its aromatic mélange of buttered apples, lemon, gentle leesy tones, orange peel, dusty minerality and lemon blossoms in the upper register. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, crisp and beautifully reserved, with fine acids, impeccable focus and balance and excellent length and grip on the still quite primary finish. Excellent potential. (Drink between 2014-2045)

1975 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay Napa & Alexander Valleys. JG 90. The 1975 Château Montelena chardonnay is still drinking beautifully out of magnum at age thirty-five, as the non-malo style fashioned here at this time by Mike Grgich has proven to be very ageworthy indeed. The wine is a blend of Napa Valley and Alexander Valley fruit, which a few years later would end up being bottled on their own by the winery. The bouquet is deep and quite classy in its mature, but still vibrant mélange of apple, orange, a touch of popcorn, orange peel, salty soil tones and new leather. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and very, very fresh for its age, with good mid-palate depth, lovely acidity and impressive length and grip on the finish. The complexity here is in the good, but not great camp, but all other aspects of this wine are most satisfying. (served from magnum) (Drink between 2010-2020)

1987 ZD Wines Chardonnay. 89 points.

1984 Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay McGregor Vineyard Edna Valley. 94 points.

1973 David Bruce Chardonnay.

1984 Acacia Chardonnay.

1984 Saintsbury Chardonnay Unfiltered Carneros.

1985 Matanzas Creek Winery Chardonnay Sonoma County.

Hamachi Crudo. Mandarin, ginger, coconut, jicama, white soy, thai basil, habanero, sake. Flavor a bit like Tom Yum soup.

1968 Inglenook Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley. VM 88. A powerful yet eccentric brute, the 1968 Cabernet Sauvignon Cask H-12 is full of dark tonalities. Smoke, game, blood and molasses linger on the muscular but rustic finish.88 (Drink starting 2014)

1974 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon Lot F1 Vintage Selection. JG 92. After the bitter falling out of the Mondavi brothers in the mid-1960s, where Robert and Peter actually came to blows in the winery, Peter Mondavi was eventually forced to make financial arrangements to allow his older brother, Robert to receive his share of the family legacy. The history of the family’s acrimonious parting and eventual law suit is chronicled in James Conaway’s book, Napa, and also notes the falling out between Peter Mondavi and a number of the winery’s former suppliers of grapes, which included Nathan Fay. The Lot F-1 “Vintage Select” is the last Krug wine made from Fay Vineyard fruit by the winery, and may well be the last of the great Charles Krug cabernet sauvignons that had ranked right up at the very pinnacle of California cabernet during the decades of the 1940s and 1950s. The 1974 Lot F-1 has been fully mature for many years but remains in full bloom on both the nose and palate, as it offers up a superb bouquet of dark berries, chipotle peppers, woodsmoke, herb tones, lovely soil nuances, tobacco, a touch of nutskin and a fantastic spice box of Indian spices in the upper register that just become more and more complex and vibrant with extended aeration. On the palate the wine is fullish, complex and velvety, with very little remaining tannins, but such fine balance that it will have no difficulty continuing to drink at a very high level for at least another decade or more. The wine shows lovely focus and fine mid-palate depth, and is very long, elegant and complex on the finish. A delightful bottle. (Drink between 2009-2020)

1974 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley. 90 points.

1974 Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon Proprietor’s Reserve. JG 87.

1976 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve. VM 92. Decent medium red. Ineffable high-pitched aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, tobacco, cardamom, curry powder, celery seed, dried rose and loam. Then intense and penetrating, boasting terrific inner-mouth energy and strong notes of cocoa powder, earth and resiny oak throughout. Finishes firmly tannic and long, with noteworthy lift for a drought year. The yield in 1976 was an extremely low one-and-a-half tons per acre, or roughly the same as in 2015, compared to a normal three to four for Beaulieu’s Rutherford Cabernet. Another seemingly ageless wine. (13.5% alcohol; 7 g/l acidity) (Drink between 2019-2034)

1978 Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon Proprietor’s Reserve.

Crispy Octopus. Black garlic aioli, hazelnut dukkah, beets, guajillo Vinaigrette, Gremolata. Super tender and delicious.

1980 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosché. 93 points. Brown and bricked throughout. Bottom neck fill. Perfect cork. At first a worrying smell of lacquer. But then such an elegant wine emerges. Silky smooth mouthfeel. Smoky aroma. Plums and licorice, smooth cherry, long warm finish. Truly remarkable at 42 years. Do not decant!

1980 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve. VM 91. Full healthy red with an amber rim. Expressive scents of redcurrant, plum and milk chocolate show some nutty oak tones but also something distinctly fresh. Silky, rich and concentrated but juicy and delineated as well, boasting building intensity on the back half. Still full of life, with some remaining tannins that may yet be resolved. I have liked this vintage of Georges de Latour since the start. According to Trevor Durling, this 1980 was still raised entirely in American barrels but he noted that this vintage may have gotten a small percentage of new barrels and a slightly shorter élevage than in earlier years. (I must note that a second bottle tasted two weeks later in New York showed a less lucid color, a stronger tobacco quality and more obvious oakiness. It was beginning to dry out on the finish and reminded me increasingly of a dry Oloroso as it opened in the glass.) (13% alcohol; 7.2 g/l acidity) (Drink between 2019-2028)

1980 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate. VM 91. Medium red with a hint of amber. Red berries, coffee and earth on the fragrant nose, lifted by a minty nuance. Lively and firmly built, with its red berry and tobacco flavors conveying an attractive sweet/savory quality. This, too, struck me as a bit Saint Julien-like. Building tannins spread out to saturate the palate. A very nice showing. This vintage had a brett bloom in the bottle, admitted Barrett, “but it ultimately went away.” (13.5% alcohol) (Drink between 2019-2028)

1983 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard. JG 90. 1983 was a particularly difficult year for north coast cabernet sauvignon, but the ’83 Phelps Eisele has done quite well in this tough vintage and the wine was drinking beautifully when I last crossed paths with it in October of 2011. The deep, complex and quite classic nose offers up scents of cassis, eucalyptus, woodsmoke, a touch of tariness, petroleum jelly, beautiful soil tones and a nice base of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and complex, with a touch of the tariness on the nose repeated here on the palate (no doubt a reflection of the difficulties getting cabernet ripe in ’83), but also with excellent complexity and focus, and very good length and grip on the still slightly chewy finish. This is not a great vintage of Phelps Eisele, but it is a superb effort for a difficult year and a very, very tasty bottle of mature cabernet. (Drink between 2011-2030)

1984 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard. JG 95. The 1984 Martha’s Vineyard is a great wine and one of the best cabernets to be found in the vintage. It is quite ripe by the standards of the day, listed at its customary 13.5 percent on the label, but probably closer to fourteen percent, as Joe Heitz did not really enjoy changing details on his labels for the vagaries of a single vintage! The wine is very deep and pure on the nose, while still retaining plenty of youthful vigor in its constellation of black cherries, petroleum jelly, eucalyptus, cigar wrapper, a beautiful base of soil tones, allspice, incipient notes of chipotles and a nice touch of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, ripe and full-bodied, with a plush core of fruit, fine soil signature and focus, ripe, seamless tannins and a very, very long, complex, tangy and impeccably balanced finish. The 1984 Martha’s Vineyard is now starting to drink very well indeed, but I have the sense that it is still in climbing mode and will be even better a decade down the road. It will prove to be one of the longest-lived 1984 cabernets. (Drink between 2021-2065)

1984 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve. 88 points.

Handkerchief Pasta. Mushroom, Brown Butter, pine nut, salsify, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Lemon. Really nice, rich, and savory, particularly given there was no meat.

1985 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve. VM 92. Good full medium red, with faint amber at the edge. Pungent scents of raspberry, spices, cedar and eucalyptus. A distinctly penetrating, high-acid style with noteworthy clarity and energy to its floral flavors of berries, dark cherry and loam complicated by a touch of molasses and an obvious oak component. This soil-driven midweight, the product of a long, cool growing season, finishes with a sneaky building whiplash of flavor, with a slight dry edge suggesting energetic extraction. Classic older-style Georges de Latour. (13% alcohol; 6.4 g/l acidity) (Drink between 2019-2033)

1985 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve. VM 92. Medium red with some amber at the rim. Sexy aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, truffle, underbrush and flint. Sweet and a bit wild, showing terrific retention of candied raspberry and plum fruit. This concentrated wine is a step up in texture and depth of fruit from the earlier vintages. Strong but integrated acidity gives it definition and lift, with the long finish showing broad, tongue-dusting tannins. (Drink between 2015-2024)

1986 V. Sattui Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Preston Vineyard. 88 points.

1986 Fisher Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia. 90 points. This one was built for aging. Had a case from release and it was tannic and almost undrinkable. Finally it has reached its potential and the tannis have resolved and left a nicely aged cabernet with plenty of fruit and wonderful integrated flavors. This is an example of the old style of California wine making. The color was ruby red with very slight bricking at the edges. Old cabernet nose with fruit still showing. Blackberrys and cassis on the palate. Two bottles left and no rush to drink up.

1986 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve. VM 88. (13.9% alcohol; 14% Chabot, 23% State Lane, 42% St. Helena and 21% Bancroft Mountain Vineyard; an early budbreak was followed by a cooler growing season): Medium dullish-brown color. Aromas of cherry, orange zest and tree bark show incipient maderization. Soft but slightly tart and angular, with a flavor of dried redcurrant. This has a firm tannic structure but I think it’s beginning its decline. This was Laurie Hook’s first vintage and she believes that this wine will still open further in bottle. (Drink between 2015-2015)

1986 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. VM 92. Full medium red with a faint hint of amber. Aromas of dark cherry, menthol and mint show a slightly medicinal cough medicine quality; very Médoc in style. Then surprisingly supple and fine-grained, offering terrific inner-mouth energy and acidity to shape and freshen its intense dark raspberry and menthol flavors. This wine is fully mature but still full of life, displaying plenty of tobacco and savory spices but also superb remaining fruit and floral lift. For a bone-dry wine, it delivers captivating fruit sweetness that perfectly supports its firm tannins. An excellent showing–and not as dry as the ’83 or ’84. (13% alcohol) (Drink between 2018-2028)

1989 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve. 87 points.

Grilled ribeye. Charred Broccolini, crispy shallot, date puree, macadamia, jus.

1978 Ridge Late Harvest.

Cheese Plate. Sofia, red rock, Ameribella, Seasonal Accompaiments.

1978 Chateau St. Jean Johannisberg Riesling Select Late Harvest Robert Young Vineyard. JG 82. Back in the mid to late 1970s, the Château St. Jean late harvest rieslings were amongst the most renowned dessert wines produced in California. I drank many examples of these wines back in the decade of the 1980s, with great enjoyment. The winery produced two levels of late harvest riesling back then, with the wines designated as “Special Select Late Harvest” (abbreviated above as SSLH) their equivalent of Trockenbeerenauslese, and the Select Late Harvest (SLH) their version of Beerenauslese. These were wines that were delicious in their youth, but not particularly long in acidity, and it is not too surprising that they are a bit tired more than twenty years on. The 1978 Robert Young Vineyard SSLH is very dark in color, but retains an interesting nose of burnt caramel, new leather, gentle notes of orange rind and tea leaves. On the palate the wine is full-bodied and still shows a vestige of its acidity, but is not particularly complex, despite it still being impressively long. This was great in the day, but its apogee has been in the rear view mirror for many, many years now. (Drink between 2010-2020)

Strawberry Margarita Sorbetto! — like a frozen cocktail and a signature Sweet Milk favor — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Strawberries from Avignon, blended with fresh lime juice, Reposado Tequila and Cointreau –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #sorbetto #strawberry #Margarita #cocktail #Tequila #Cointreau

Caramel Double Chip Gelato — Base is Salted Caramel made by replacing the sugar with house-made Water Caramel. Laced with Valrhona Chocolate Chunks and Toffee Chunks — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #caramel #SaltedCaramel #valrhona #toffee

Emil with Chef Javier Lopez.

Best Somm in the city, Catherine Morel.

The wine lineup.

The aftermath.

Heading down!

Overall, 71Above is just a seriously well conceived and executed one-of-a-kind restaurant. Really, it’s more like a NY, Singapore, or Tokyo kind of concept. First of all, the view is just awesome. I can’t wait to come back on a really clear day. Particularly once they begin brunch service, a nice winter day will offer an observation deck like panorama.

But then Emil and crew built out such a lovely space to capture the drama. It’s modern, but welcoming. Not too loud, you can hear the conversation and the music both. And from when you enter off the double elevator ascent it folds from one experience to another: lounge, dining room, more intimate corridors, chef table, quiet and romantic view areas in the back, and a series of two adjustable private dining rooms. The attention to architectural detail is amazing.

Today’s dinner excelled on all counts. Service, food, company, and of course the wines. I’m not normally a California wine guy, but these older wines are much softer, nicer, and more Bordeaux-like.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: 71above, BYOG, California Cabernet, Chef Javier Lopez, DTLA, Emil Eyvazoff, Gelato, Wine

Vegan Eats – Âu Lạc

Nov01

Restaurant: Âu Lạc LA

Location: 710 W 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012. (213) 617-2533

Date: April 6, 2022

Cuisine: Vegan Vietnamese

Rating: Edible for vegan

I was downtown at the Broad museum with my family and looking for a quick lunch.

Some googling turned up Âu Lạc, a nearby Vietnamese place. But when we got there I discovered it was vegan — the horror! Still, no one had the patience to walk more.

The interior was nice enough, but empty.

The menu.

“Pork” spring rolls. Surprisingly good. Not as rich as the real thing, but good.

Samosas.

Garlic Noodles. Mild, but enjoyable. The “sausage” was pretty convincing.

XXO Bowl.

Baguette.

Plain pasta.

Âu Lạc wasn’t bad for vegan. The things actually tasted pretty good. They were a bit weird and yeasty, and nowhere near as good as a “real” Vietnamese place. I wouldn’t go back unless I needed to, but still I was sorta impressed.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Âu Lạc, DTLA, lunch, vegan, Vietnamese cuisine

Drago Centro Champagne

Sep26

Restaurant: Drago Centro [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Location: 525 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071. (213) 228-8998

Date: January 21, 2022

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great high end Italian

Back to Drago Centro for “another” Sauvages Champagne lunch. Historically this series has been located at Chinois, but this year it has been relocated east.

Located on busy Flower in DTLA.

The reception was held around our large square table — big group this time including a separate ladies table.

Multiple buckets were needed to ice all the champagne.

2012 Christophe et Fils Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu. 92 points. Medium yellow. Quite ripe fruit but a whiff of seashell behind this. Pretty plush feel-you definitely sense the wood influence. More pear and yellow apple than citrus fruit character, some spice (unusual for Chablis), late iodine and limestone, lowish acidity. The wood plus ripe fruit plus low acidity make it veer in the direction of more southerly climats, but there is just enough Chablis character to identify it as such. To be drunk over the short term, that’s for sure.

2014 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir. JG 94+. Out of the blocks, the 2014 Domaine Fèvre Vaudésir seems just a touch more accessible than the top couple of structured premier crus and the Bougros. The beautiful, zesty bouquet delivers scents of pear, fresh pineapple, lemon, beeswax, chalky soil tones, a touch of licorice and a topnote of spring flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and a bit more tensile than the wide open nose suggest, with fine mid-palate depth, bright acids and really superb cut and grip on the long, vibrant finish. Another superb wine, which I may be underrating a tad, but I had to leave room for what was to follow! (Drink between 2017-2050)

2008 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros. VM 93. Good pale yellow. Restrained aromas of fresh apricot, pineapple and spices; showed riper stone fruit notes as it opened in the glass. Sweet, tactile and elegantly styled, with strong acids framing and lifting the intense peach flavor. Already boasts a lovely fat texture and considerable pliancy but this wine really needs three or four years to express itself.

2014 La Chablisienne Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu. 92 points. Pale yellow in color. Very precise aromas of sea-spray, yellow florals, , green apples, herbs, green citrus leaf on the nose. Palate shows sweet, tart lemon curd, good mid palate sap, savory sea shell broth and a long saliva inducing mineral finish. Lovely.

2017 La Chablisienne Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot. 95 points. Superb.

Beef and truffle.

Crab Toast, Lemon and chives.

Seafood Arancini al Nero, saffron aioli. I’ve never had a squid ink risotto arancini before.

Celestino Drago in the house!

Our special menu.

2006 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare. VM 93. Piper-Hiedsieck’s 2006 Cuvée Rare is racy and polished to the core. Baked apple tart, apricot, lemon confit, vanillin and brioche infuse the 2006 with striking aromatic intensity and creaminess that builds with time in the glass. Sumptuous and forward, the 2006 offers tons of near and medium-term appeal. (Drink between 2019-2028)

2006 Gosset Champagne Brut Grand Millésime. VM 93. The 2006 Brut Grand Millésime offers more near term appeal than many Gosset Champagnes as the flavors show a good amount of complexity, while the contours are nicely mellowed. Hazelnut, savory herbs, anise, mint and dried pear meld into the generous, inviting finish. The typical Gosset energy is nicely balanced by the weight and soft, relaxed contours of a wine that is now nearly ten years old. Lightly honeyed and toasty notes round out the close. In 2006 the blend is 56% Pinot Noir and 44% Chardonnay from vineyards in Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Trépail, Vertus, Ambonnay, Avenay, Aÿ, Chigny-les-Roses and Louvois. (Drink between 2015-2021)

2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne Legacy Edition Label. 95 points. This wine was served to celebrate the legacy of my in-laws 50th anniversary while in St. John’s. I think time, place, people, and meaning can deeply impact how wine is remembered or appreciated. This was the best bottle of 2008 Dom that I’ve had to-date. There was a deep and complex nose that shifted each time the glass was lifted for a sip or a sniff. The wine was bright and focused, with a mid-palate that seemed to shift like the tides. While we served this with food, this wine, tonight was spectacular with the food and without. I don’t think the bottle lasted us more than 2 hours, but it was a pleasure to drink this from start to finish.

2008 Doyard Champagne Grand Cru Les Lumières Grand Cru Extra Brut. VM 93. The 2008 Extra Brut Les Lumières Grand Cru is a blend of 65% Chardonnay (from Avize and Mesnil) and 35% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ) that spent ten years on its lees before being disgorged and given just the smallest touch of dosage. Creamy, resonant and expressive, the 2008 has so much to offer. Even so, it clearly needs at least a bit of time in bottle to be at its best. Tropical accents provide a hint as to where the 2008 will go over the next handful of years. (Drink between 2020-2030)

Onion Panna Cotta, Scallops Tartar, Caviar. Lovely.

2005 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. JG 95+. The 2005 Comtes de Champagne is a stunning young wine. The bouquet is deep, pure and youthfully complex, as it offers up a very classy blend of pear, delicious apple, fresh almond, incipient notes of crème patissière, chalky minerality, brioche and just a whisper of vanillin oak in the upper register. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and rock solid at the core, with exquisite balance, refined mousse, crisp acids and simply superb length and grip on the seamless, youthful and oh, so promising finish. The style of the 2005 vintage gives this some early accessibility that was not evident with the more tightly-knit 2004 out of the blocks, but this wine has the structure to also age long and very, very gracefully. It has been a year since I last tasted this wine and it has started to show more precision to go along with its early generosity and is a classic in the making. My gut feeling today is that it will be superior to the 1989 version, to which I compared it to a year ago. Brilliant wine. (Drink between 2015-2045)

2006 Dom Pérignon Champagne. VM 96. Powerful, dense and tightly wound, the 2006 Dom Pérignon is fabulous today. To be sure, the 2006 is a broad, virile Champagne, but I find it compelling because of its phenolic depth and overall intensity. Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy adds that August was quite cold and wet, and that ripening only happened at the very end of the growing season. Although numbers alone can never explain a wine, I find it interesting that the 2006 has more phenolics than the 2003. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2006 is easily the most reticent Dom Pérignon in the years spanning 2002 and 2009. I am confident the 2006 will have its day, but in its youth, it is not especially charming or easy to drink. (Drink between 2026-2056)

2005 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses. VM 94. The 2005 Clos des Goisses is easily one of the wines of what turned out to be a complicated vintage. Just beginning to show the early signs of aromatic complexity, the 2005 graces the palate with the essence of candied lemon, almonds, chamomile, apricot and wild herbs. The 2005 is not the most complex or pedigreed Goisses, but it drinks beautifully today and should continue to deliver pleasure for another 15-20 years, perhaps more. (Drink between 2016-2031)

2006 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses. VM 96. The 2006 Clos des Goisses is stellar, but it is also going to need quite a bit of time to come into its own. Powerful and ample in the best of the Goisses style, the 2006 hits the palate with serious intensity. Orchard fruits, lemon oil, white flowers and almonds are some of the many notes that open up in the glass, but, as is often the case with young Goisses, it is the wine’s gravitas that is front and center. Even with all of its overtness, though, the 2006 retains striking, crystalline purity. I imagine the 2006 will reward Champagne lovers with many decades of truly exceptional drinking. The only thing the 2006 needs is time. The question is: How much? (Drink between 2020-2046)

Seafood Panzanella, Sea Urchin, Salmon. Quite deconstructed with chunks of the seafood and fluffs of bread on the plate.

2002 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill. VM 95. The 2002 Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is wonderfully open, expressive and resonant. The richness of the vintage comes through nicely, yet the more overt elements are very nicely balanced by a good deal of freshness. Baked apple, pastry, candied lemon, dried flowers and warm, toasty notes shape the generous, resonant finish. With time in the glass, the 2002 takes a on a striking, vinous character. Readers might want to consider opening the 2002 a few hours in advance, as it really blossoms with air. (Drink between 2016-2032)

2002 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas-François Billecart. VM 96. The 2002 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is outrageously beautiful. The ripeness of the Chardonnay is front and center in a Champagne that delivers the goods, big-time. An infusion of apricot, orange peel, crème brûlée, chamomile, hazelnut and honey give the 2002 its racy, exotic personality. I enjoy it most with bottle age, but the 2002 is undeniably beautiful right now. The 2002 is a stunning NFB. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, done partially in oak (20%). Dosage is 4 grams per liter. (Drink between 2020-2030)

2005 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Aÿ Vauzelle Terme. 94 points. The 2005 Aÿ-Vauzelle Terme is the most polished of Jacquesson’s 2005 single-vineyard Champagnes. Silky and nuanced on the palate, the Vauzelle Terme highlights the more understated side of the vintage. Hints of chalk, red cherry, plum, mint and wild flowers are laced into the highly expressive finish. Today, the Vauzelle Terme comes across as a bit weightless to the point of being a bit on the ethereal side. It will be interesting to see if the wine acquires a bit more depth in bottle. Disgorged October 2014. Dosage was 2.5 grams/liter. (Drink between 2015-2022)

2002 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare. JG 95. It is funny that I have to “pull teeth” to get current releases from Piper-Heidsieck’s importer here in New York, but out in the real world of wine, I keep having people serve me the maison’s beautiful 2002 “Rare” Brut Millesime and thank me for alerting them to its excellent quality by writing it up in the newsletter several years ago! Such is the state of the world in 2021. In any case, this wine continues to evolve splendidly in bottle and is drinking with great style and breed at the present time, offering up a fine bouquet of apple, pear, warm bread, a fine base of chalky soil tones, caraway seed, a touch of citrus peel and a gently smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, crisp and shows off excellent mid-palate depth, with refined mousse, lovely focus and a long, complex and impeccably balanced finish. Fine, fine juice. (Drink between 2021-2050)

Black and White Tagliolini, Langoustine, Lemon Zest. Great pasta dish. I always love a lobster/langoustine reduction.

1999 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon. VM 93. These four vintages of Dom Pérignon provide a fascinating snapshot of how the house has performed in recent years. The 1999 Dom Pérignon is a little flabbier than the 2000. Smoke, toastiness, tar and ripe fruit emerge from the glass in a generous, expansive style. The 1999 offers more body than the 2000 but the aromas and flavors are less well-articulated. This is a relatively simple Dom Pérignon, yet the wine possesses outstanding balance and plenty of harmony. According to Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy the warm vintage also resulted in relatively high yields, and the low-acid style is most reminiscent of the 1976. (Drink between 2013-2024)

2002 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. VM 94. This is perhaps the best bottle of Krug’s 2002 Vintage I have tasted. Expansive and creamy on the palate, with lovely finesse and brightness, the 2002 is quite expressive today. I don’t see the depth or pedigree that might place this wine among the best examples of the year. Instead, the 2002 Vintage continues to be an underwhelming wine by Krug standards. (Drink between 2017-2037)

2002 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. VM 97. Another highlight in this vertical, the 2002 Salon is also fascinating to taste after the 2004. Rich, opulent and intense, yet also very classic in the Salon house style, the 2002 possesses superb persistence and depth. The radiant vintage has softened the contours and given the wine fabulous depth to match its decidedly powerful personality. At the same time, the 2002 remains quite youthful. Next to the brighter and more finessed 2004, the 2002 offers more of a baritone-inflected expression of Chardonnay. (Drink between 2016-2036)

2000 Philipponnat Champagne Brut L.V. Clos des Goisses. VM 96. The 2000 L.V. Long Vieillissement, a recent re-release, is a fabulous choice for readers who enjoy Champagnes with a bit of bottle age complexity. Hazelnut, dried flowers, orchard fruit, herbs, mirabelle and lightly honeyed notes are all beautifully delineated throughout. The 2000 offers the weight and slightly more mature notes of a mature Champagne, but with the freshness that comes from impeccable provenance and a relatively recent disgorgement. If that sounds appealing, well, it is. The Brut L.V. Long Vieillissement offers a quintessential Goisses experience from the first taste until the last. This is an absolutely pristine bottle. Dosage is 4.5 grams/liter. Disgorged: May 2015. (Drink between 2016-2036)

Truffle Crust Breast of Chicken, Truffle Cream Sauce.

1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon. VM 93+. Pale color. Youthful aromas of lemon, quince, pear, toast, spice, chalk and red berries. Big, sweet and seamless, if a bit clenched in the early going. A powerful, very young wine whose fruit builds slowly in the mouth and explodes on the finish. A charry note contributes to its complexity. Possesses amazing depth of fruit, but the high quality of this wine can most easily be seen today on the extraordinary finish. May ultimately merit a 95+ rating.

1996 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill. VM 95. Pol Roger’s 1996 Winston Churchill is fabulous. One of the most expressive, complete 1996s today, the Winston Churchill is in a great spot. Butter, spice, almond and lemon oil notes meld together effortlessly in the glass. In 1996, the Winston Churchill is a clear overachiever. Best of all, it remains reasonably priced vis-à-vis its peers. (Drink between 2014-2024)

1990 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. VM 97+. Full copper-gold color. Initially restrained, brooding nose exploded with aeration, showing apple, orange, apricot, honey, iodine, smoke, hazelnut, macadamia and a suggestion of dry oloroso sherry. Dense, full, chewy and rich; an extraordinarily solid Champagne with an intriguing suggestion of Calvados. Broadens toward the back and goes on and on on the echoing aftertaste, with rich, mellow notes of toffee, brown butter and marrow. Like the ’92 Clos du Mesnil, this displays its powerful underlying acidity with aeration (Krug’s wines never go through malolactic fermentation) and should be long-lived.

1995 Krug Champagne Clos d’Ambonnay. VM 98. Thrown in as a ringer, the 1995 Clos d’Ambonnay is a real treat to taste next to the 1996. In particular, tasting both vintages together shows that that 1995 is the more complete of these two first releases of Krug’s single-vineyard Champagne from Ambonnay. Finely-cut fruit, expressive aromatics and exceptional textural finesse are the signatures. This is another fabulous showing from the 1995 Clos d’Ambonnay. (Drink between 2014-2024)

Breast of Duck, Kumquat Sauce.

Chef’s Selection of Assorted Cheeses.

Château Tirecul La Gravière Monbazillac Cuvée Madame.

Cherry Gelato – a blend of Morello Cherry and intense Amarena Cherry fruit make this dairy gelato really pop — topped with Candied Amarena Cherries — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #amarena #morello #cherry

Dulce Vanilla Gelato — a very simple and elegant Tahitian Vanilla Bean White Base (no egg) ribboned with house-made Dulce de Leche and Valrhona Dulce Pearls — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — sugar time! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #vanilla #dulce #DulceDeLeche #leche #caramel

Birch Beer Gelato — Birch Beer flavored gelato base topped with Valrhona White Chocolate Pearls — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #RootBeer #RootBeerFlaot #Sarsaparilla #whitechocolate #Varlrhona

All the champs.

The main table.

And the ladies table.

Overall another great lunch. Drago did an incredible job handling the challenging logistics of this lunch. First of all, the custom menu was carefully paired to all that Champagne. Then they managed to actually serve so much bubbly to so many people. And the square table, despite being large, did enable us to all talk to each other.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, Celestino Drago, Champagne, Drago Centro, DTLA, Gelato, Italian cuisine, Sauvages

Kaneyoshi Take 2

Aug14

Restaurant: Sushi Kaneyoshi [1, 2]

Location: 250 1st St B1, Los Angeles, CA 90012. (213) 277-2388

Date: November 30, 2021

Cuisine: Omakase Sushi

Rating: Lean mean and awesome

Our Foodie Club “Sushi Series” continues with not one but two visits to LA Omakase newcomer Kaneyoshi. This dinner was sort of a half “Foodie Club” and half Sage Society dinner (in my mind). Mostly it’s just my serious sushi friends which happen to overlap into those two realms. This is the second dinner, and the people are pretty similar.

Kaneyoshi is tucked away in the basement of a Little Tokyo mall/garage building. It’s fairly hard to find. The first time we located the sign but it took us 15 minutes of hunting around to actually find the restaurant (you go up a sketchy stairs, enter a lobby, ask the bored guard, take an elevator down to…

This glamorous “service corridor” — they don’t let anyone in early.

Inside, however, it’s very attractive. It’s just a single 10-12 person seat sushi bar L and a some space around it.

The chefs prepping away.

This time Liz “upped the ante” with regard to the slate of wine — as if it wasn’t impressive before :-)!

2000 Krug Champagne Clos du Mesnil. BH 98. I have had the opportunity to try this vintage 3 times since it was released but this is the first time in large format (see the database for the reviews from 750 ml). As is often the case in magnum there is just another level of depth and freshness as the expressive, cool and restrained nose displays only a trace of secondary character to the yeasty aromas of brioche, white orchard fruit and citrus peel nuances. There is a gorgeously clean and highly sophisticated mouth feel to the middle weight flavors that are supported by an ultra-fine if notably firm mousse, all wrapped in a markedly dry but not really austere finish that possesses excellent lift that contributes to that beguiling feeling of being impatient for the next sip. Unlike this wine from 750 ml, in magnum format this is nowhere near ready and this knockout will require plenty of patience, indeed it wouldn’t surprise me if my 2025+ suggested drinking window proves to be overly optimistic. In sum, this is a wine of such harmony and balance that it really sticks in your memory as having provided one of those rare ‘wow’ experiences! (Drink starting 2025)

Not totally sure which Selosse this was.

1976 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. VM 94. Krug’s 1976 Vintage, tasted from magnum, is rich, deep and powerful, with Riesling-inflected veins of minerality that run through a core of orange peel, ash and dried flowers. A deeply Pinot leaning wine, the 1976 offers notable richness and breadth throughout. The 1976 vintage in Champagne is remembered for a hot, dry growing season with an early harvest that produced intense powerful wines. Krug’s 1976 Vintage is now fully mature. Well-stored examples should continue to drink well for a number of years, although there is no upside from cellaring bottles further. Interestingly, this 1976 magnum was aged on cork, rather than crown capsule, like the 1979 tasted alongside it. (Drink between 2015-2018)

1995 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Rosé. VM 94. The 1995 Dom Pérignon Rosé (magnum) is absolutely stellar. Of course, the magnum format helps, especially vis-à-vis the 1996. The 1995 might fall just short of being truly epic, but not by far. Today, it is the wine’s overall balance and harmony that are most captivating. A Champagne with no hard edges and tons of pure appeal, the 1995 Rosé is wonderfully open, soft and expressive today. (Drink between 2015-2025)

2007 Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots. VM 93. The 2007 Meursault Les Rougeots is consistent with the bottle encountered a few months earlier, that hint of pumpkin and dried honey still lending complexity on the nose. The palate retains the same distinctive oily texture with stem ginger and roasted walnut flavors and the fennel popping up toward the finish to lend a bit of Provençal flair. Wonderful! (Drink between 2021-2040)

From my cellar: 2011 Coche-Dury Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères. BH 91. This compares quite favorably with the extraordinarily good 2010 version (see review herein) with its impressively complex nose of white flowers, pear and quinine suffused nose. The excellent depth continues onto the utterly delicious and seductively textured medium-bodied flavors that offer very fine persistence on the lingering finish. What I especially like about this wine is the mid-palate texture, which is something that Coche consistently coaxes from his villages level wines. While this will certainly reward mid-term cellaring it would be no vinous crime to open a bottle now as it’s really hard to resist! (Drink starting 2019)

2012 Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots. BH 91. This is very Meursault in style with plenty of roasted hazelnut character adding breadth to the pretty and well-layered combination of freshly sliced citrus, apricot, nectarine and white peach aromas. The palate impression is one where the richness of the mid-palate buffers well the firm acid spine that shapes both the medium-bodied flavors and finish. This terrific effort is still quite young but it may very well be the best of the Coche villages wines in 2012. (Drink starting 2019)

2010 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet. BH 97. An airy, cool and ultra-refined nose displays distinct lemon-lime and acacia blossom scents include background notes of stone and saline that complement to perfection the intensely mineral-driven middle weight flavors that possess superb precision on the explosive and palate staining finish that seems to just go on and on. This is quite dry; in fact it’s arguably the driest wine in the range yet this is not forbiddingly austere. I very much like the contrast between the sense of focused power and the mouth feel which is almost delicate. This is sheer class and the balance is flawless. This should go down as a classic vintage for this storied wine. A true ‘wow’ wine. (Drink starting 2022)

2001 Domaine Leflaive Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 98. The 2001 Bâtard is absolutely stunning. What a wine! It’s everything one could ask for, and more. The aromatics alone are breathtaking. On the palate, the 2001 is vibrant, with the oiliness and texture of Bâtard, but no excess weight and exactly the sort of mellow patina a Grand Cru white Burgundy should show at age twenty. Orange confit, spice, almond paste, honey and a kiss of new oak all open with a bit of air. The 2001 is an emotionally moving wine of the very highest level. Magnificent. (Drink between 2021-2026)

2008 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos. BH 96. This too is impressively pure and cool with an airy but reserved mix of floral, spice, mineral reduction and iodine notes merging seamlessly into gorgeously intense and almost aggressively stony medium-bodied flavors that exude a subtle sense of harmony, indeed this is Zen-like on the explosive, balanced and lingering finish that positively screams Chablis. This is simply fantastic and while I have a very slight preference for the Valmur, this is certainly an inspired effort as well. If you can find it, don’t miss this either but also like the Valmur, be prepared to be patient. (Drink starting 2020)

2007 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. VM 94+. Bright pale yellow. Soft citrus fruits and crushed rock on the musky, slightly reduced nose. Rich, perfumed and tightly coiled, with a terrific core of acidity intensifying the orange, floral and mineral flavors. Offers compelling cut and concentration but this infant will require several years of aging. Wonderfully refined Perrieres of grand cru class.

2014 Château de Puligny-Montrachet Chevalier-Montrachet. BH 92-95. Equally discreet wood sets off the beautifully layered nose that blends together notes of citrus, wet stone, rose petal and subtle spice hints. There is excellent verve to the delineated and overtly muscular yet refined big-bodied flavors that possess an abundance of acid-buffering dry extract before terminating in a moderately austere and explicitly saline-infused finish that is like rolling rocks around in your mouth. This is very clearly built-to-age and is going to require at least 5 years to unwind and develop more depth. (Drink starting 2024)

Belt fish tempura. Japanese pickle tarter. Caviar.

Japanese Surf Clam and Wild Red Snapper sashimi.

Chawanmushi with matsutake mushrooms and hairy crab.

You can see the crab here.

Scallops. Niyu prefecture. Shiso sauce.

Sea perch with nori. The open hand rolls are back (actually they never left, we just did).

Bonito. Two parts. Small one very smoked.

Monkfish liver.

Sunomono. Grilled green eyes.

Baby snapper nigiri.

Sweet shrimp.

Shimaji.

Marinated scallop.

Barracuda being charred with a hot binochan coal!

Charred barracuda nigiri.

Shirako nigiri. Not sure I’ve ever had the sperm sacks as a nigiri!

Aged blue fin.

Snow crab hand roll.

Chu toro.

O-Toro. All 3 of these tuna pieces came from the same fish.

Uni hand roll.

Sea Eel.

Monkfish liver hand roll.

Tamago. Again, this is about as much as passes for dessert here. It was top notch tamago however.

Miso soup.

The wine lineup.

Joe travels light.

The sushi at Kaneyoshi was really awesome (again). They specialize in a style of “cured and aged” sushi and it’s all very straight up showcasing the fish. The flavors are subtle and spectacular. It’s not particularly stunty or overdressed at all. And service is really good. The space, while far away and hard to find, is quite lovely once you get inside. We had the whole place taken over of course. The food is light, however, and by the glutton standards of Erick and I this is definitely a “second dinner required” meal.

Our wines were curated by Liz and therefore even more amazing than before! The company was great too.

Like almost all high end Omakase places Kaneyoshi isn’t cheap. The base was $250 back then (it’s now $300 as of May 2022). They charged a lot of corkage too. Probably at least $100 a bottle. The total was hefty.

Erick and I rolled off in search of second dinner. Thankfully no hiccups tonight.

We found a little izakaya type place.

Plastic samples.

Cabbage Salad.

Regular miso soup.

Pork Katsu Curry.

BBQ Eel box. Needed some fat and carbs!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

For more sushi meals click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Champagne, DTLA, Foodie Club, Kaneyoshi, Omakase, Sage Society, Second Dinner, Sushi, Sushi Series

Old California at 71Above

Jun04

Restaurant: 71Above [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]

Location: 633 W 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071

Date: October 12, 2021

Cuisine: New American

Rating: Awesome in all ways

Besides being located on the 71st floor (950 feet up!) of the US Bank building, being the highest restaurant west of the Mississippi, it’s owned and operated by my friend Emil Eyvazoff!

On one of these visits, Emil gave me a quick tour of their new “patio” on the 70th floor below where they are serving up Mezzes and drinks.

Gorgeous build out upstairs for the main event.

Look at the crazy view and the crazy fog on this weird spring night.

We set up shop for this evening in the private room.

Just a few glasses at the ready.

Our special menu.

The wine list.

Bread and butter.

1984 Mayacamas Vineyards Chardonnay.

1985 Kalin Cellars Chardonnay Cuvée L. JG 93+. The Cuvée L chardonnay hails from a warmer section of Long Vineyard in Dry Creek Valley, where the sun in principally of the afternoon variety, and like the cooler section where the “Cuvée LD” comes from, this is planted with Wente clones. The 1985 Cuvée L is a lovely bottle, with a slightly more fruit-driven personality from the predominance of afternoon sun in this section of the vineyard. The bouquet delivers a fine blend of fresh apricot, baked peaches, a nice touch of soil, a bit of citrus zest and a topnote of toasted walnut. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and seamless, with a lovely core, a very refined personality, great balance and a very long, refined finish. This is more elegant than the 1986 Cuvée LD served alongside of it (differences in vintage character?), but the 1986 Cuvée LD is the slightly more complex of the two wines today. (Drink between 2016-2035)

1985 Kistler Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard.

Yellowfin Crudo. Mango, avocado, passionfruit, daikon, cucumber, habanero, Thai basil. Bright and full of flavor.

1987 Hanzell Chardonnay.

1989 Mayacamas Vineyards Chardonnay. 92 points.

1985 Kalin Cellars Chardonnay.

Charred Avocado. Sungold Tomatoes, uni, trout roe, za’atar, lime, mints. 71Above excels at this sort of unusual combo. Totally worked.

1961 Hallcrest Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate. 91 points.

1966 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon California Mountain.

Crispy Octopus. Shishito, almond, sprouting cauliflower, polenta, meyer lemon gastrique.

1968 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve. VM 98. Medium-deep red with a greenish-amber rim. Highly complex aromas of raspberry, cherry, mocha, dark chocolate, celery seed and balsamic cedar, with a hint of volatile acidity contributing personality and lift. This legendary wine still boasts bulletproof fruit and a compellingly juicy texture, with a sexy hint of truffle adding interest with air. A wine of great class and balance, finishing subtle, fresh, firm and very long, with sweet, fine-grained tannins. André Tchelistcheff called 1968 his greatest vintage and this wine is still going strong a half century later, with no end in sight. Its balance of sweetness and acidity is stunning. This wine was full-bodied in the early going, in contrast to the initially austere ’69, according to current winemaker Trevor Durling. (12.5% alcohol) (Drink between 2019-2038)

1973 Simi Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve Alexander Valley. 88 points.

1974 Beaulieu Vineyard Red Blend.

Cavatelli. Poblano Mascarpone, corn espuma, ramps, pepita breadcrumbs, squash. Awesome.

1974 Charles Krug Winery (Peter Mondavi Family) Cabernet Sauvignon. 92 points.

1974 Mount Eden Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. JG 94. The 1974 cabernet from Merry Edwards’ first vintage at the helm at Mount Eden is drinking beautifully out of magnum today, and though it is a bit more powerful in personality than the 1973, it is still a superb example of the vintage. The bouquet is deep, complex and now wide open, offering up scents of cassis, pomegranate, a touch of mint, cigar ash, chipotle peppers, dark soil tones, a touch of spice (vaguely reminiscent of nutmeg) and cedary wood. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and beautifully balanced, with a rock solid core of fruit, fine focus and grip, tangy acids and a long, complex, still gently tannic finish. This is a beautiful wine with decades and decades of life still ahead of it (particularly in magnum). (Drink between 2016-2050)

1973 Mount Eden Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. VM 96. The heady, full-bodied style was unmistakably Napa Valley. The 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon from Mt. Eden was equally brilliant. It was perhaps a touch richer, deeper and more powerful than the Sterling, but what stood out most was the wine’s intense, brooding personality.

1978 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve. JG 86. Of all of the great cabernet producers of this era, Beaulieu Vineyards was probably one of the few wineries that did not really capture all of the potential of the vintage. I have been drinking this 1978 since the mid-1980s and while many bottles were quite tasty back in the day, I have never hit a truly exceptional example. Back in this era, I have always found that BV was more successful in the vintages of 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976 and 1980 than they were in the more famous years of 1978 and 1974. The only caveat one needs to mention about the great wines that Andre Tchelistcheff fashioned at BV in the decade of the 1970s is that their style has not proven to be quite as ageworthy as many of their contemporaries, and most of these beautiful wines are now in varying stages of decline. This most recent bottle of the ’78 Georges de Latour was okay, but starting to get fairly oxidative and was a bit past its best, offering up scents of black cherries, plums, chocolate, a nice touch of Rutherford dust and coconutty new oak underneath the touch of cookie dough-like maderization. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and plush on the attack, with a solid core and still a touch of backend tannin on the long and moderately oxidative finish. The oxidation here is not yet so bad that the wine is undrinkable, but it is ever present on both the nose and palate and detracts a tad from the enjoyment of the wine. (Drink between 2016-2025)

1982 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. JG 92+. It had been at least a dozen years since I last tasted the 1982 Dunn Howell Mountain, and the wine remains still a tad young for primetime drinking, but it is getting closer to its apogee and has been progressing very nicely in the right direction over the last decade. The wine has dropped most of what was a fairly formidable wall of tannin while retaining its substantial core of brambly mountain fruit. The bouquet is quite complex and is now blossoming very well, as it offers up a complex mélange of black raspberry, red currant, stony minerality, woodsmoke, gentle notes of fresh sage and a bit of petroleum jelly in the upper register. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and quite soil-driven, with a lovely base of minerality, still a touch of tannin to resolve and a long, complex finish with fine grip but with a slight edge of austerity. This is a very good bottle that may even move up a bit in score as it fully blossoms. If the wine eventually loses the slight edge of austerity it currently displays on the backend, then my score will seem conservative. But a fine bottle in any case. (Drink between 2009-2035)

From my cellar: 1984 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. VM 88. Healthy full red. More reticent on the nose than the ’83, showing a touch of cardboard and an earthy quality, if not an obvious TCA smell, along with its cherry, redcurrant, plum and earth aromas. A step up in texture from the ’83, but less juicy in the middle palate and even drier on the finish. This doesn’t have the personality of the ’83 and it turned drier with aeration. (I’ve had better bottles of the ’84 in the past, although I hadn’t sampled this vintage in at least five years.) (13% alcohol) (Drink between 2018-2024)

1986 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve. 89 points.

1986 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Signature. 89 points.

Grilled Ribeye. Charred Broccolini, crispy shallot, date puree, jus.
With the jus.

Cheese Plate. Julianna, 1655 Gruyere, Ameribella, Seasonal Accompaniments.

This is a signature Sweet Milk flavor — Italian Lemon Cookie Meringue Pie — Limoncello Zabaione base with lemon cookie flavor mixed with Italian Lemon Creme Cookies and Sicilian Candied Lemon and topped with house-made toasted Meringue — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato) — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #lemon #LemonCookie #cookie #Sorento #Limoncello #Meringue #LemonMeringuePie

The extensive wine lineup.
And the gang.

Heading down!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: 71above, BYOG, California Cabernet, DTLA, Emil Eyvazoff, Foodie Club, Gelato, Wine

Kaneyoshi Take 1

May17

Restaurant: Sushi Kaneyoshi [1, 2]

Location: 250 1st St B1, Los Angeles, CA 90012. (213) 277-2388

Date: September 24, 2021

Cuisine: Omakase Sushi

Rating: Lean mean and awesome

Inside, however, it’s very attractive. It’s just a single 10-12 person seat sushi bar L and a some space around it.

The chefs prepping away.

Liz brought us a little gift.

Cute!

1995 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. VM 94. The 1995 Krug is gorgeous. I chose it because one of my guests loves Krug and I thought the 1995 would have the right amount of complexity to pair beautifully with the smokiness in Saison’s caviar. Although the 1995 Krug is not a truly epic wine, it is in a sweet spot right now. (Drink between 2018-2023)

Belt fish Tempura, Salt and Caviar.

The stain.

1997 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. BH 95. An elegant and very fresh but distinctly yeasty nose of stupendous breadth leads to incredibly intense, pure, detailed and vibrant flavors that possess superb depth and simply knockout length. This is a powerful Salon and even though it doesn’t have the solid acid spine of the very best vintages, this compensates by its approachability and terrific mouth feel. This could be drunk now or aged, depending on one’s preference. If you can find it, I would lay in a case and drink it selectively over the next 20 years.

Chawanmushi with Japanese Hairy Crab and Kani Miso (crab brain).

Japanese Kinki (Rock Fish) Shabu Shabu with Monkfish Liver Sauce (beneath).

2004 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut Rosé La Grande Dame (from mag). VM 94. Vivid orange-pink. Seductively perfumed aromas of ripe red berries, Asian spices, rose and smoky minerals. Densely packed and palate-staining, offering vibrant red and dark berry flavors, along with floral pastille and buttered toast qualities. The strikingly long finish repeats the red fruit and mineral notes and lingers with serious tenacity.

1996 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé. VM 95. A head-turning beauty, the 1996 Dom Ruinart Rosé boasts gorgeous, resonant fruit to match its considerable structure and intensity. Although quite pretty and expressive, the 1996 has enough balance to develop gracefully in bottle for years to come. (Drink between 2014-2024)

The next dish is presented like a magic trick.

Smoked Skipjack Tuna with Onions. Lovely smoky flavor.

And the prep for the next.

Sea perch. Torched. In nori. Bit of shiso. Kaneyoshi uses some really stunning nori, particularly crunchy. They have this sort of “open hand roll” too.

1990 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. BH 97. 1990 is one of my favorite vintages ever for this storied cuvée because while the vintage was on the riper side the high yields allowed the fruit to retain a very good level of acidity which made for balanced and ageworthy wines. While I have had the pleasure of tasting the ’90 on a number of occasions since its release, the last time was alongside the 1985 and the 1988, and as admirable as those two vintages are, the 1990 is head and shoulders above them to my taste. The fantastically complex nose is comprised of an abundance of yeast and toast characters that don’t completely dominate the essence of apple, pear, citrus, spice, acacia blossom and discreet orange peel scents. There is equally good depth to the delicious, full-bodied and powerful flavors that possess a lovely sense of vibrancy thanks to the still firm but fine mousse that shapes the delineated, delicious and impeccably well-balanced finale. In my view 1990 is one of the greatest vintages for this wine of the last 25 years and one that is still drinking well. While there is no additional upside development to be hand, neither is there any rush to drink up as this should continue to hold effortlessly for years to come. (Drink starting 2015)

From my cellar: 1969 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon. VM 97. The 1969 Dom Pérignon (Original Release) is fabulous. Aromatically, this bottle is perhaps a touch advanced, but the wine’s inner sweetness and textural depth more than make up for that. In the glass, the 1969 is ample, creamy and incredibly inviting. Hints of orange peel, crème brulée, hazelnut and honey blossom in this super-expressive Champagne. The bubbles have mostly receded, and yet all the elements are impeccably balanced. (Drink between 2017-2022)

More delicate work.

Ankimo Monkfish Liver, Salted Santa Barbara Uni, and Sweet Shrimp cured in Kombu.

2011 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc. VM 95. Light yellow. Intense scents of nectarine, pear skin and lemon curd, with complicating floral and mineral notes gaining power with air. Broad and fleshy but tightly focused, offering vibrant orchard and pit fruit flavors and a refreshingly bitter note of citrus pith. Dry and nervy on the penetrating, powerful. sharply focused finish, which leaves sexy honeysuckle and ginger notes behind. I suspect that this wine will age gracefully on its tension and balance.

Seaweed and Melon. Very dashi!

1999 Domaine Jacques Prieur Montrachet. BH 93. Young Montrachet can often be quite austere yet this is forward and flashy with expressive aromas of oak spice, orchard fruits and a background note of acacia blossoms followed by large scaled, relatively dense flavors of remarkable complexity and a fine minerality that continues on into the intense and remarkably powerful finish. A very impressive effort. (Drink between 2009-2020)

2015 Domaine Michel Niellon Chevalier-Montrachet. BH 93. This too was quite heavily reduced and again I strongly recommend allowing this 30 minutes or so in a decanter first if you’re going to crack a bottle young. The powerful and impressively concentrated broad-shouldered flavors brim with both sappy dry extract as well as plenty of minerality that suffuses the wonderfully complex and persistent finish. I wouldn’t describe this as a typical Niellon Chevalier but it is certainly a dramatic and high-quality wine. (Drink starting 2021)

2011 Louis Jadot Montrachet. BH 94-97. Here the nose is notably more reserved with aromas of citrus zest, spice, wood toast, fennel and spice hints. This is also a very imposingly-scaled wine with its big, muscular and wonderfully complex flavors that culminate in a long, focused and explosive finish of breathtaking length and intensity. This overtly powerful effort should reward at least a decade in the cellar and drink well for another. A ‘wow’ wine. (Drink starting 2023)

Baby snapper.

Grouper.

Black Perch with a bit of char.

Japanese Jumbo Clam.

Sweet Shrimp.

King Mackerel.

Scallop with eel sauce.

Da da! This is one aged block of tuna.

Aged Maguro. Spectacular.

Aged O-Toro. Even better.

Hokkaido Sweet Shrimp nigiri.

Hokkaido Uni “hand roll.”

Same uni, but as a tiny baby nigiri.

Sea Eel.

Monkfish liver and cucumber hand roll. Super crispy nori. Very lovely interplay and unusual too.

Red Miso Soup.

Futomaki. I haven’t had a real Futomaki in years and I have always loved it. Although oddly, this is what passes for dessert at Kaneyoshi.

The chef enjoys some wine.

Our lineup.

The sushi at Kaneyoshi was really awesome. They specialize in a style of “cured and aged” sushi and it’s all very straight up showcasing the fish. The flavors are subtle and spectacular. It’s not particularly stunty or overdressed at all. And service is really good. The space, while far away and hard to find, is quite lovely once you get inside. We had the whole place taken over of course. The food is light, however, and by the glutton standards of Erick and I this is definitely a “second dinner required” meal.

Our wines were curated by Liz and therefore amazing as always :-). The company was great too.

Erick and I rolled off in search of second dinner. Annoyingly on this particular night I had the super hiccups which just kept on going and going for about 4 hours!

We found a little izakaya type place.

Plastic samples.

Regular miso soup.

Chicken Katsu Curry with egg.

Pork Katsu Curry with egg.

BBQ Eel box. Needed some fat and carbs!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

For more sushi meals click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Champagne, DTLA, Foodie Club, Kaneyoshi, Omakase, Sage Society, Second Dinner, Sushi, Sushi Series

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

Drago Centro Baroli

Mar16

Restaurant: Drago Centro [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Location: 525 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071. (213) 228-8998

Date: August 20, 2021

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great high end Italian

Back to Drago Centro for “another” Sauvages Barolo lunch. Theme today was “Barolo from any vintage between 1995-2006 (except for 2002 or 2003).”

Located on busy Flower in DTLA.

We had a little reception outside on the patio before the lunch proper.

Hot shrimp wrapped in prosciutto, asparagus spears.

Blinis with creme fraiche and caviar.

2006 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas-François Billecart. AG 97. The 2006 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine, but it needs time to be at its best. I am surprised by how tightly wound it is. But that only makes me think what it might develop into with time in the cellar. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint, crushed rocks and sage meld together in a bright, crystalline Champagne endowed with terrific purity. The 2006 is 60% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, mostly done in steel, with just a touch of oak, around 5%. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. (Drink between 2020-2032)

2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne. VM 98. The 2008 Dom Pérignon is a huge, powerful Champagne and also clearly one of the wines of the vintage. This is one of the most reticent bottles I have tasted. So much so that I am thinking about holding off opening any more bottles! The 2008 has always offered a striking interplay of fruit and structure. Today, the richness of the fruit is especially evident. Readers who own the 2008 should be thrilled, but patience is a must. (Drink between 2028-2058)

NV J.P. Chenet Blanc de Blancs Brut. 87 points.

2005 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. VM 94. Bright yellow. Vibrant pear and melon aromas are complicated by suggestions of ginger, brioche and smoky minerals. Dry, smoky and precise, offering intense orchard and pit fruit flavors that gain weight with aeration. A dusty mineral quality adds focus and lift to the long, penetrating, floral finish. There’s a Burgundian thing going on here that’s quite intriguing.

Today’s menu.

2001 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Cerequio. AG 95. The 2001 Barolo Cerequio comes across as rich, round, seamless and pretty. Here, too, the aromas and flavors are just a bit forwad, but there is more than enough density to support another decade of aging. The wine comes together beautifully with time in the glass. Sweet rose petals, spices and licorice wrap around the big, seamless finish. (Drink between 2013-2021)

2004 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo. VM 97. Sensual, silky and totally alluring, the 2004 Barolo is another wine that is a picture-perfect example of its vintage. The aromatics alone are captivating, but it is the wine’s total balance that places it in the upper echelon. After some of the ups and downs of the 1980s and 1990s’ wines, the 2004 really shows where the estate is today in terms of quality. (Drink between 2016-2034)

2004 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc. VM 95. The Barolo Bric del Fiasc is a bit monolithic. To be sure, Bric del Fiasc is always a powerhouse, but at this age, I expected to see a little more finesse. There is no shortage of intensity, structure or explosive energy, but the 2004 still needs time to come together. I think there is a reasonable chance that will happen given the track record here, but readers will have to be patient. There are plenty of 2004 Barolos that are quite showy today; this is not one of them. (Drink between 2019-2034)

2007 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato. VM 94+. Medium red. Subtle, reticent, very pure nose offers perfumed scents of wild red cherry, rose petal and wild herbs; the most refined of Mascarello’s 2007 Barolos. Wonderfully silky and fine-grained on the palate, but with terrific calcaire precision and lift. The wine’s highly aromatic red cherry and floral flavors saturate the palate without leaving any impression of weight. This vintage of Monprivato includes about 4% each lampia and rose; the rest is michet, including the juice that normally goes into Mascarello’s limited Ca d’Morrisio bottling. The very long finish features harmonious acidity and firm but suave tannins that reach the front teeth. A beauty.

2007 Massolino Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda. VM 90. Good bright red. Expressive smoky aromas of red berries, plum, menthol and mocha, with a hint of medicinal austerity. Fat, sweet and liqueur-like, but with harmonious acidity giving the middle palate a surprisingly light touch. Still, this is rather subdued today and does not show the lift or stuffing of the 2009 Parussi that preceded it in my tasting. Finishes with dusty tannins and a faint tart edge. Will this benefit from further aging or will it dry out? I’d opt for drinking it over the next few years.

Carne Cruda Alla Piemontese (aka Beef Tartar with truffles).

1999 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste. VM 94. Rinaldi’s 1999 Barolo Brunate-Le Coste (magnum) is fabulous. Firm, powerful tannins give the 1999 much of its spine, power and pure drive. Lavender, black cherries, plums, dark spice and iron emerge from the glass, but only with considerable reluctance. From magnum, the 1999 Brunate-Le Coste is a powerhouse, not to mention a terrific example of the year. With air, the 1999 can be enjoyed today, but its best drinking probably lies ahead. (Drink between 2014-2029)

2000 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Conteisa. VM 95. The 2000 Conteisa is one of the most positive surprises in this tasting. The wine is positively explosive, with marvelous balance and richness in its generous, radiant fruit. The 2000 is a terrific Conteisa. (Drink between 2015-2025)

2000 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina. VM 90. The 2000 Barolo Percristina has held up well. It shows considerable freshness in its dark red fruit, leather, licorice and sweet spices. The French oak remains very much present. It’s hard to see the fruit lasting long enough for the oak to every truly integrate. (Drink between 2013-2018)

2001 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina. VM 93. The 2001 Barolo Percristina, from magnum, has aged well, but it needs to be enjoyed over the next few years. Today the balance of fruit and oak is still good, but over time the oak tannins will dominate. Sweet red cherries, flowers, licorice, spices and mint wrap around the deep finish. The astringency of the oak is impossible to miss. It is tolerable while the fruit retains some depth, but once the fruit fades, all bets are off. (Drink between 2013-2016)

2001 Paolo Scavino Barolo Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata. VM 97. The 2001 Barolo Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata is huge and seamless from start to finish. The wine totally envelops the palate with masses of dark red fruit, roses, spices, and mint, all supported by nearly imperceptible tannins. The volume and shape of the 2001 is simply breathtaking. This is Scavino’s most vibrant 2001. It is also his most polished, refined Barolo. (Drink between 2016-2031)

Tagliatelle, Wild Mushrooms, Summer Truffles. Lovely.

Yarom got a salad because he was avoiding the carbs as usual.

1997 Renato Ratti Barolo Rocche. VM 91+. Deep saturated red-ruby. Less exotic but complex nose melds roasted plum, maple syrup, minerals, meat and smoky oak. Lush and velvety in the middle palate, already showing lovely perfume. Chewier and deeper than the Marcenasco, and more powerfully structured. Finishes with big, dusty tannins and a youthfully austere suggestion of camphor.

1997 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Triumviratum Riserva.

1998 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina. VM 92. Dark ruby. The 1998 Percristina appears to have entered the early part of its maturity and is an excellent choice for drinking today. It is an opulent Barolo with plenty of fruit and much persistence on the palate, made in a rich, seamless style, with superbly well-integrated oak and softening tannins. 1998 is the last vintage this wine was aged in 150 liter Taransaud cigarillos, subsequent vintages have been aged in standard-size barriques. (Drink between 2013-2014)

1997 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra. VM 93+. Full, saturated red-ruby. Sappy, high-pitched aromas of cherry, nuts and oak spices. Superconcentrated, spicy and sweet, but nearly as backward as a top ’96, with superb extract and powerful underlying structure. Finishes with substantial mouthdusting tannins and a late note of dark chocolate.

Osso Buco, Risotto Milanese. This was one of the best versions of this classic dish I’ve ever had. The risotto was incredibly “creamy” (it doesn’t actually have any cream in it) and the meat was rich, fatty, and succulent.

The proof is (not) on the plate.

1976 Château Suduiraut. VM 88. The 1976 Suduiraut was served from apparently one of the last remaining bottles at the property. It has 90gm/L of residual sugar. It has a deep amber core with greenish tinge on the rim. The bouquet is clearly from another era with scents of orange pith, mandarin, a slight adhesive scent that turns more chlorine/swimming pool with time. The palate is well balanced with a crisp line of acidity, very Barsac in style like many Sauternes of this vintage. It remains fresh and vital with that tang of bitter orange and marmalade on the finish. 13.7% alcohol. Tasted at the Suduiraut vertical at the château. (Drink between 2019-2024)

Chef’s Assorted Cheese & Condiments.

Bread for the cheese.

Almond Chocolate Cloud Gelato – The base is made with Valrhona 62% Satilla Chocolate and then layered with Toasted Sicilian Almond Cream and Dark Chocolate Rocas! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Valrhona #chocolate #creamcheese #ganache #icing #almond

Pinoli Gelato — Siberian Pinenut Gelato — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #pinoli #pinenut

The wine lineup.

My notes.

The gang.

The ladies table outside.

Ladies wines.

Overall another great lunch. Food was as on point than ever, particularly that osso bucco. Wines were great and the pairing was perfect. Great way to “kill” a Friday afternoon.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Barolo, BYOG, Celestino Drago, Drago Centro, DTLA, Gelato, Italian cuisine, Italian wine, Nebbiolo, Sauvages

Reaching New Heights at 71Above

Aug16

Restaurant: 71Above [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

Location: 633 W 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071

Date: May 4, 2021

Cuisine: New American

Rating: Awesome in all ways

71Above is one of my favorite LA restaurants and I’ve been many times. In fact there are 9 previous write ups! Chef Vartan Abgaryan has moved on to his own new place, Yours Truly (which the pandemic has sadly done in), and 71Above is now seamlessly helmed by his disciple, Chef Javier Lopez.

Our return here is in fact the day of their reopening after 15+ months shuttered and for a special dinner arranged by own Emil Eyvazoff.

Besides being located on the 71st floor (950 feet up!) of the US Bank building, being the highest restaurant west of the Mississippi, it’s owned and operated by my friend Emil Eyvazoff!

Before starting our dinner Emil gave me a quick tour of their new “patio” on the 70th floor below where they are serving up Mezzes and drinks.

Gorgeous build out upstairs for the main event.

Look at the crazy view and the crazy fog on this weird spring night.

We set up shop for this evening in the private room.

Our menu for the night.

NV Taittinger Champagne Brut Réserve / La Française. VM 89. Light gold. Poached pear, peach, orange and honey on the fruity nose. Broad and fleshy on entry, then tighter and more tangy in the mid-palate, offering juicy citrus and orchard fruit flavors with subtle ginger and toasted grain nuances. Shows a supple, round character on the finish, with the ginger and peach notes repeating. Note that this bottling is labelled as “Reserve” for every country aside from the United States. In fact, I tasted a bottle labeled as such here in New York this fall, from Lot L3348NA9200. How it wound up here, I’ve no idea.

2000 Dom Pérignon Champagne P2. VM 96. The 2000 Dom Pérignon P2 is striking. More importantly, it is absolutely delicious right now. Baked apple tart, brioche, spice, vanillin, ripe pear and crushed rocks all flesh out. Creamy, layered and inviting, with soft, voluptuous curves, the 2000 offers a lot of sheer pleasure. Although, perhaps not quite as complex or structured as the very best P2s, the 2000 is wonderfully alluring. Interestingly, in 2000, the Blanc and P2 are not as different as they typically are. The P2 has a bit more volume and freshness than the Blanc, but both wines share a distinct toasty, slightly reductive character. (Drink between 2019-2040)

NV Krug Champagne Brut Rosé Edition 23eme. VM 94. The NV Rosé 23ème Edition is wonderfully nuanced and layered, with lovely richness to play off a core of bright red berry fruit. Although not especially complex in this release, the Rosé offers lovely immediacy and tons of pure pleasure. Crushed berries, chalk, mint and white flowers are nicely softened in this super-expressive, beautifully persistent Rosé. A few more years in bottle will only help. The 23ème is a Champagne of pure and total pleasure. This release is based on 2011, with reserve wines back to 2000. (Drink between 2021-2041)

Bread and butter.

From my cellar: 1996 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. 94 points. Golden hue, good lustre. Fresh, fruit and spice, soft aged characters, honey and grilled nuts. Fleshy, full flavoured, long smooth palate. Fruit, cream, toast and honey, nothing oxidative. Very clean finish, pure and fruit driven, gentle acidity, carries its sweet aged fruit very well.

2014 Domaine Billaud-Simon Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons. BH 92. This too is distinctly cool and reserved with its pretty, spicy and airy array of citrus, iodine and ocean breeze scents. There is beautiful intensity and delineation to the delicious and energetic medium-bodied flavors that deliver solid richness and persistence on the well-balanced finish. This excellent effort should amply reward 6 to 8 years of cellaring. (Drink starting 2021)

2010 Joseph Drouhin Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. VM 93+. Pale bright yellow. Very stony aromas of peach, apricot and grilled nuts. At once thoroughly ripe and quite dry, with its primary fruit flavors currently dominated by a strong dusty stone element. This very backward but scented Perrieres saturates the palate with spices and minerals.

Yellowfin Crudo. Jicama, Avocado, Lemongrass, Charred Serrano Oil, Lime, Mint. Super zingy flavors. Really awesome.

2009 Louis Jadot Corton-Charlemagne Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot. VM 96. Another vibrant, precise wine from this often misunderstood vintage, the 2009 Corton-Charlemagne boasts stunning precision and class from start to finish. Citrus, pears, white flowers and crushed rocks are some of the many nuances that vibrate on the bright, crystalline finish. In this tasting, the 2009 Corton tastes like it has barely budged over the last year. It is far too young to even consider opening. (Drink starting 2015)

2013 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Corton-Charlemagne. BH 92-94. A shy, indeed almost mute nose only grudgingly liberates its cool aromas of green apple, white fruit, spiced pear and wet stone. The intensely saline and stony big-bodied flavors are supported by a firm spine of citrus-inflected acidity that shapes the powerful finish that delivers outstanding complexity and persistence. I very much like the balance and this will need plenty of time to realize its full, and considerable, potential. (Drink starting 2025)

2018 Joseph Drouhin Corton-Charlemagne. VM 92-94. The 2018 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru comes from east-facing vineyards within the Les Languettes, a small production of six barrels. It has a closed and stubbornly backward bouquet that is outflanked by the Clos des Mouches Blanc. The tensile palate delivers good acidity and notes of orange zest and light peach notes, quite pure, and a spicy stem ginger and salty peanut finish. Very fine. (Drink between 2022-2040)

Farm Salad. Lettuces, Market Vegetables, Labne, Meyer Lemon, Parmigiano-Reggiano. To be honest this was one of the best salads I’ve ever had. Super herby with a really strong (and wine marginal) vinaigrette. Great texture and incredibly refreshing.

1996 Serafin Père et Fils Charmes-Chambertin. VM 94. Good full ruby color. Perfumed, highly expressive black cherry, currant and licorice aromas. Great sweetness in the mouth; thick and layered yet beautifully detailed. Finishing fruit really stains the palate, overwhelming the ripe tannins. Very primary and likely to age slowly. An impeccably proportioned wine that shows none of the acid edge that characterizes many ’96s. Serafin’s late harvesting strategy in ’96 paid major dividends.

1996 Jean-Jacques Confuron Romanée St. Vivant. VM 93. Saturated ruby. Multidimensional nose of black raspberry, cocoa, minerals and subtle, smoky oak. Reticent but very deep on the palate; in comparison to this wine, the Clos Vougeot is much more open today, not to mention fruitier. But this is more complex. Really seamless and impeccably balanced. Finishes with suave, evenly distributed tannins and great subtle persistence.

1997 Domaine Francois Lamarche La Grande Rue. BH 88. The initial hints of secondary aromas, including a somewhat surprising trace of sous bois, combine with pretty red and black fruit aromas that are notably ripe and framed in obvious wood are followed by moderately austere flavors (particularly so for the vintage) that offer better than average precision while being supported by medium firm finishing tannins that display just a touch of the greenness that many ’97s do at this point in their evolution. This is a bit one-dimensional relative to the best here and I would suggest drinking it over the next 5 years or so as the fruit risks drying out before the structure resolves itself.

1998 Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes. BH 91. Exquisitely complex yet rather reserved fruit with medium weight, very earthy flavors of excellent depth and outstanding length. There is plenty of structure here and superb balance overall and I very much like the overall combination of density, purity, elegance and impressive length. While this is certainly approachable now with food, it will be best with another 3 to 5 years of cellar time, perhaps a bit longer. (Drink starting 2008)

Steak Tartare. Onion Vinaigrette, Bulgur, Parsley, Shallot, Turnip, Lavash Crisp. There is a clear “origin” here with the classic Lebanese/Armenian raw beef with bulgur.

Lavash crisp.

From my cellar: 1999 Denis Mugneret Père et Fils Richebourg. BH 92. Fascinating interplay of black fruit, earth, tobacco and Vosne spice framed by discreet hints of oak toast followed by sweet, supple and very intense flavors that last for minutes. This is not quite as ripe or opulent as most of the wines in this group though it sports excellent acid/fruit balance as a result. I like the more reserved style of this.

agavin: a touch bretty at first, but opened and was then stunning. My WOTN (of course I’m biased).

2002 Gros Frère et Sœur Richebourg. VM 95. Medium red. Highly perfumed, ineffably complex aromas of strawberry, currant, bacon fat, cocoa powder, gunflint, coffee and smoked meat. Dense, sappy and wonderfully intense, with exhilarating flavors of smoked meat, spices, minerals and underbrush. Conveys a powerful impression of soil tones. Builds almost freakishly on the back end, finishing with a kick of spice and a flavor of pink peppercorn. A wonderfully suave, extremely long Richebourg that offers great early appeal but has the spine to develop in bottle for 10 or 15 years. (A Patrick Lesec Selection; importers include Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; Fine Vines LLC, Melrose Park, IL; The Wine Warehouse, Commerce, CA; Domaine Select Wine Estates, New York, NY )

2001 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Echezeaux. VM 90. Medium red-ruby. Cool aromas of cassis, black plum and minerals, lifted by a peppery nuance. Supple, minerally and sweet, though still youthfully closed; slightly medicinal fruit is not yet expressing itself. Finishes with nicely ripe tannins and very good length.

Grilled Octopus. Almond Gastrique, Chile de Arbol, Castelvetrano Olive, Fennel. Jokes about the Netflix film were lighting up the table.
2001 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline. VM 96. Dark red color. Pungently floral aromas meld smoky red berries, exotic rose petal, dried lavender and magnolia blossom. Dense and extremely sweet, showing an explosive array of red fruit flavors along with exotic floral and sweet tobacco tones and an overlay of smoky bacon and bonfires. A bright mineral tone sharpens the fruit, adding focus and precision to the flavors. The finish builds and deepens but maintains superb elegance and silkiness of texture, finishing on notes of wild red berries and rose oil.

1994 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque. 94 points. Gorgeous nose. Blueberry, mulberry, cigar, tobacco. Moderate structure, medium body – think this would have been bigger and better a few years ago. Fruit fading now, with a dry finish. Long and complex.

1997 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque. VM 92-95. Good red-ruby. Perfumed aromas of cassis, violet, lilac and brown spices. Lush and aromatic in the mouth; the combination of a bit more acidity than the Mouline and its mineral and gunflint elements gives this wine noteworthy elegance and firm shape. Tannins are quite fine.

Spring Lamb. Charred Broccolini, Yellow Beet, Rhubarb Mostarda, Green Garlic, Jus. The lamb and the room have been silenced. This went perfect with the LaLa’s!

2005 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage. VM 97+. Inky ruby. Hugely aromatic bouquet of red and dark berries, cherry, Asian spices, fresh flowers, minerals and cured meat; smells like a great grand cru from Vosne-Romanee but with a wilder side. Flat-out gorgeous wine, with remarkably deep but fresh red berry and cherry flavors that stain the palate. Seems to actually expand on the finish, picking up exotic spicecake and rose pastille character and leaving a sweet trail of smoky red fruits behind. “If you insist on drinking this young, do it now,” says Chave, “because it will close up in about two or three years and not be open again for a long time.” You’ve been warned.

1989 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle. JG90+. After a few absolutely desultory bottles of the ’89 La Chapelle, I was very pleasantly surprised to hit a very good bottle of this wine. My last several examples prior to this bottle had been overripe prune juice that was already getting quite oxidative, but this bottle was very good and a far cry from those previous examples. As readers may know, there were multiple bottlings of La Chapelle back in this era, so there are some distinctly different wines out there under the same label and vintage banner. In any event, after several very disappointing bottles, I finally got a good one this last time around. The deep, complex and meaty nose offers up scents of ripe cassis, black pepper, grilled meats, smoky overtones, a touch of balsam bough and incipient notes of chipotle peppers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and fairly roasted in personality, but, with a good core of fruit, moderate tannins and good focus and grip on the complex and gently tangy finish. I imagine that this is what sound examples of the better cuvées of this wine have shown consistently, and why folks with these bottles in the cellar thought I was completely off my rocker with my notes on less enjoyable bottles. This example is a good, solid Hermitage at its apogee, but with still a couple of decades of life ahead of it- though not quite in the league of the 1988 La Chapelle in terms of complexity and elegance. (Drink between 2012-2030)

Wagyu Short Ribs. Pea Tendril Salsa Verde, Potato Espuma, Carrot, Spring Onion, Jus.

Cheese Plate. Julianna, 1655 Gruyere, Ameribella, Accompaniments.

And a second cheese round with the special shaved cheese.

Chocolate Cherry Bite – The base is made with Valrhona 62% Satilla Chocolate with a pinch of Malabar Black Pepper and then layered with Cherry Coconut Vanilla Cream! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Valrhona #chocolate #creamcheese #ganache #icing #pepper #cherry

Our epic lineup.

Some of the carnage.

The lovely ladies of the evening.

Heading down!

Today’s dinner excelled on all counts. Service, food, company, and of course the wines. Post pandemic as it is everyone really stepped up big time!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: 71above, BYOG, DTLA, Emil Eyvazoff, Foodie Club, Gelato, hedonists, 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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Tagged as: Angelo Auriana, Arts District, DTLA, Foodie Club, Italian wine, Pizza, Sixth & Mill, Walker Wine Co, Wine

Fiorita Centro

Dec06

Restaurant: Drago Centro [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Location: 525 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071. (213) 228-8998

Date: October 29, 2019

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great high end Italian

Back to Drago Centro for “another” Brunnello dinner, featuring the wines of La Fiorita. Liz Lee of Sage Society kinda co-hosted, but this wasn’t a full on Sage dinner (hey, only 4 courses — Liz would have had 10!). But any trip to Drago is good anyway, as Celestino and I have been friends for 20 years!

Located on busy Flower in DTLA.

La Fiorita is a new and up and coming Brunello producer — more on it in a sec.

But first a bunch of us including Erick and Liz snacked on the patio with:

Arrancini “rice balls”.

Fried zucchini. About the only good zucchini is a fried zucchini!

Crab toasts.

Then we moved inside to this large central table.

A bit about the winemaker.

On the left is Natalie Oliveros, owner of La Fiorita. She’s a NY native with a love of wine and all things Italian. In the back is Chef Celestino Drago.

Photos are a bit rough tonight as I was evacuated from my home because of the California wildfires and had to use the cel phone camera!

2015 La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino.

2014 La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino. VM 89. Medium red. Clean, fresh aromas of cranberry cocktail and spicy herbs. Then spicy in the mouth too, with savory herbs and red cherry flavors offering good intensity. Starts very savory and broad, then nicely integrated acidity gives the wine a more buoyant and linear mouthfeel while providing good grip. Finishes long and clean. A much less fleshy, tactile and musky Brunello from La Fiorita than the wines typically made here over the past decade, and I have to say I like this style better. (Drink between 2020-2027)

agavin: drinking great right now

Tonight’s menu — short by my standards.

Australian A5 wagyu steak tartare, shallots, chives, parmesan cream, truffle tuile. Nice dish, but if it’s Australian, it’s not “really” A5 — at least not the way the Japanese do it. No way are the Aussies — as wonderful as they are — going to massage the cows like the obsessive Japanese.

2011 La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino. 90 points. A bit more sour.

2008 La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino. VM 88. Bright red-ruby. Subdued but precise aromas of strawberry, cassis and licorice. Nicely layered and rich, displaying an enticing sweetness to its red berry and red cherry flavors. Finishes a bit simple and only moderately persistent, but with fine-grained, pliant tannins and a strong note of violet. This attractive Brunello is ideal for early drinking.
Fresh fettucuni, shaved black truffle. Very nice simple pasta emphasizing the truffles.

2012 La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. VM 88. Good bright ruby-red. Aromas of blackberry and violet, plus a whiff of smoked meat. Big, deep and rich on entry, with black pepper and spice notes complicating savory dark berry and licorice flavors, but turns mountingly astringent in the middle and on the long, mouth-puckering finish. This broad, structured but ultimately only moderately complex wine could use a touch more grace and charm. (Drink between 2024-2029)

Braised ossobuco, broccolini, cipollini, creamy poleanta, salsa verde. Modern form factor on the ossobuco, and I actually prefer the classic messier one — particularly with a great risotto! Still this was good and one could scoop out the marrow!

NV Vigna Dorata Franciacorta Brut Saten. Nice inexpensive bubbly.

Chef’s selection of assorted cheeses.

The wine lineup.

Overall another fine evening at Drago Centro. The wines were great, Natalie Oliveros a lot of fun, and the food and company fabulous as well.

Still, as it was only 3 savory courses (plus our warm up) it was off to Korea Town for second dinner for us — Korean Army Stew!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Brunello, Celestino Drago, Drago Centro, DTLA, Italian cuisine, Wine

Hedonistic Majordomo

Sep23

Restaurant: Majordomo [1, 2, 3, 4]

Location: 1725 Naud St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (323) 545-4880

Date: August 8, 2019

Cuisine: Korean Fusion

Rating: Big dishes amazing

It’s with gigantic expectation that NY restaurateur David Chang opened his first LA outpost last year and since then it’s become a regular foodie and wine destination among my friends. Tonight is my fourth visit, but my first time with the Hedonists — not that I don’t see them several times a week elsewhere. We also had along Elisabeth An from Crustacean.

Looking on the map, I was pretty skeptical of the weird between Chinatown and Dodger’s Stadium location — a totally annoying spot for me to get to during traffic! Two brutal hours!

The area is extremely warehousey, much like the “Arts District” but even newer. This particular time, dropping off at night, we joked about our life expectancy.

The have a sort of hipster city built down here out of old warehouses.

With lots of bespoke graffiti.

And Majordomo, of course.

Which has a pretty big enclosed and outside space (which we ate in this third time). Have to say, the outside space was actually preferable. Less crowded and quieter.

As you can see.

Inside is one of those cavernous loud warehouse spaces.

High naked ceilings. Don’t come here when it’s raining! They also have the currently hip bathroom setup with the coed shared sinks exposed out in the main room. Not my thing. What if you want to clean up in private?

The current menu.

Larry brought: 1995 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. JG 95. The 1995 Krug in magnum is really starting to drink with style and grace, but it remains a wine that has just reached its plateau of maturity and has years and years of life still ahead of it. The lovely and quite classic nose wafts from the glass in a constellation of apple, peach, caraway seed, a lovely base of minerality, a touch of walnut, rye bread and a gently smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, crisp and complex, with a wide open attack, a fine core, elegant mousse and really lovely length and grip on the focused and classy finish. Fine juice.

Baja California Uni. Broken tofu, avocado, yuzu. The tofu was what the Koreans (I think) call Soon Tofu, the soft silky tofu — and probably my favorite type. It went very well with the uni, rich avocado and the tangy yuzu.

From my cellar: 2006 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot. JG 95. The 2006 Blanchots is also profound. The magical bouquet jumps from the glass in a blend of mineral, apple, lemon, grapefruit,, more mineral, a hint of anise and floral tones. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and very pure, with brilliant transparency, great cut and focus, and a magnificent long finish. Not much to say about this wine except wait for it to apogee before drinking it, as I have to imagine it will shut down for several years after bottling. But it will be humbling at its peak.

Bing is this Korean bread thing. Pretty much like a thick crepe or pita bread. They have various “toppings” you can get with the bing.

We got some free shaved chilled poultry liver.

Pork and Spicy Pineapple. I guess vaguely Hawaiian, but more or less like Char sui — and tasty at that — with pineapple and some spicy sauce.

Spicy Lamb. The lamb was vaguely Greek/Turkish or something with the yogurt and the stewed meat quality. Yummy though. The eggs were more complex and pretty excellent. You mash it up a bit to get the roe, egg, chips etc on the bing. I put the ham on at the same time for max effect and it was very good.

Marinated Mushrooms. Pistachio, radish. The pistachio turns out to be a paste underneath.

Stuffed Peppers. Benton’s sack sausage, buttermilk ranch. Hehe, I said sack. These are like Jalepeno poppers — sort of. Shishito poppers.

1995 Giorgio Pelissero Barbaresco. VM 88. Good medium red. Warm, smoky aromas of red and blackcurrants and earth. Lush, sweet and palate caressing; an easygoing, forward style of Barbaresco that could use more clarity and grip. The tannins are slightly dry but even, and there is good lingering sweet fruit. Drink over the next three or four years.

Crispy Butterball Potatoes, salsa seca, chili, peanuts. Sort of like a spicy potato granola mix? Tasty, and very seedy with a lot of crunch.

Fried Cauliflower. Fish sauce vinaigrette, red onion, cilantro. Cauliflower is the new Brussels Sprout. But I actually love the vegetable and particularly when paired with acid like this.

Marinated Black Cod. Hozon, bok choy, nectarine. A bit of a polarizing dish. I and several others thought it very moist and well cooked. Some thought it dull.

Jefferey brought: 2009 Château Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse). RP 100. This big wine (nearly 15% natural alcohol) is a blend of 77% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Franc and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon. It boasts an opaque blue/purple color along with a gorgeous bouquet of charcoal, incense, truffles, blackberry jam, black currants, raspberries and flowers. While enormous in the mouth, the limestone soils in which the grapes are grown give the wine good freshness as well as laser-like clarity and precision. Amazing to taste, this massive, super-concentrated powerhouse comes across as ethereal and almost feminine despite its extravagant fruit, density and richness. It is a modern day legend for sure! Anticipated maturity: 2025-2050+

Whole Steamed Rockfish. Sichuan black bean, herbs. Tasted good, but lots of bones.

White rice.

Macaroni & Chickpea. Hozon, black truffle.

And here’s the truffle. This was delicious, like cacio e pepe with black truffles. I ate a ton, despite the carbs and the fact that I can’t really digest chickpeas effectively.

Arnie brought: 2011 Sine Qua Non Syrah Patine Eleven Confessions Vineyard. VM 96. The 2011 Syrah Patine is deep, powerful and intense, with huge fruit and texture, especially within the context of the year. Mocha, plums, violets, bittersweet chocolate and dark spice meld into the deep, voluptuous finish. As good as the 2011 is, it could use another few years to fully meld together. The 2011 is 97% Syrah, 2% Roussanne and 1% Viognier, all from Eleven Confessions, done with 22% whole clusters and aged for 39 months in French oak barrels, 63% new. (Drink between 2018-2026)

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We also pre ordered Boiled Whole Chicken (2-3 people) rice, morels, hand torn noodles.

The hand torn noodle soup was like some of the best (Chinese) mushroom noodle soup you’ll ever have, and they have amped it up with not only truffle butter.

Yarom brought: 2014 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon CCS Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard. RP 98. Another one of my favorites is the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon CCS, which is clone 4 from the To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. This is aged in 100% new Darnajou and is one of the larger cuvées at 510 cases. Wonderfully sweet, velvety tannins, a big sweet nose of white flowers, blackberry and cassis along with cedar wood, charcoal and graphite are all present in this full-bodied opulent wine that also retains wonderful elegance. It finished at 14.6% alcohol and will drink beautifully now as well as over the next 15-20 years.

agavin: And a giant fruit and alchohol bomb like this finally has a food to go with it (see below).
If you go, you must order this even though it’s very expensive! Whole Plate Short Rib (4-6 people). Smoked bone-in APL-style ribs. Served with beef rice, shiso rice paper, ssämjang & condiments. Lettuce wraps — yay, no carbs. Kimchee, pickled daikon, and a spicy Korean paste that is delicious and salty.

The huge chunk of Texas style cow comes out on the cart with the stuff.

The carver not only did an awesome job carving, but later called me a “gelato god” so I’m a fan of hers forever :-).

The “thin sliced” mode, which was amazingly flavorful. The fattier end cap slices which were to die for tender.

And the knaw on the bone for extra flavor bones.

And some of it goes back into the kitchen and emerges as beef fried rice — crazy good.

Mixed up.

I brought gelato again. The staff remembered me (or more precisely the gelato) and were very excited. I live for the positive feedback.

Hpnotiq Blue Hawaiian Sorbetto — like a frozen cocktail — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Thai Coconut Milk, Pineapple, Lime, and Hpnotiq liqueur –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #sorbetto #Hpnotiq #BlueHawaiian #pineapple #coconut #lime

White Chocolate Peanut Gelato — I hadn’t made a White Chocolate base in a while so in light of my rent “experiments” in chocolate took another pass at it — came out awesome, using all Valrhona Ivoire chocolate layered with house-made Peanut Dulcey Ganache — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #peanut #WhiteChocolate #valrhona #ganache

Tonight’s wine lineup.

On the right is Catherine An, owner of Crustacean. We (as a group) have become friendly with her and she’s going to do a special meal for a return visit to her place in November.

Overall, we had a great time at Majordomo. You do need a decent sized party for the awesome large dishes and you need to preorder. One time, even when we got there at 6:45pm there were only 1 each of the beef and pork left! Tonight we had 8, which is perfect as the big dishes easily go around 8 ways and the smaller ones you can order two of.

The service and wine service were both spectacular. I was really surprised as these loud hipster places often don’t have good wine service but we were really taken care of and this added a lot to the evening. We had a great (large) table in the back corner of the patio and a huge unused table next to it for our gear, wines, etc. They were super attentive. Really unusually good service for this level.

The larger pre-order dishes like the rib and chicken are amazing and insane. Tonight the food seemed even better than the first time, even if we did have a lot of (delicious) carbs. Pastas and the fried rice were amazing too. Really liking everything about Majordomo other than the distance to get there.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or for epic Foodie Club meals, here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: bbq, BYOG, David Chang, DTLA, Gelato, hedonists, Korean Fusion, Majordomo, meet

Hayato Redux

Jun26

Restaurant: Hayato [1, 2]

Location: 1320 E 7th St #126, Los Angeles, CA 90021. (213) 395-0607

Date: May 17, 2019

Cuisine: Japanese Kaiseki

Rating: Amazing

For the third of the three epic meals shoved into Fred’s 36 hour May LA visit we again traveled east to DTLA Japanese newcomer, Hayato.

It’s located in Downtown’s fancy new “ROW” complex — and quite hard to find (use the guide on the website).

This time we had all (7-8) seats in the place and we gathered outside for a few minutes before the set entry time (7pm).

It’s tiny, as I mentioned, only 7-8 seats, and helmed entirely by chef Brandon Go. As he says, Hayato is the culmination of a twenty year journey he has taken as an American-born chef learning about Japanese cuisine.

Brandon says himself:

My Japanese father owns a sushi restaurant in the Los Angeles area, and I began working in his restaurant when I was fifteen years old. As with most Americans, sushi was the gateway through which I became seriously interested in Japanese food. During my teenage years, I made sushi. Throughout college, I made more sushi. After graduating from college, I went to live in Tokyo for a short time, I got a job in an izakaya, and I started to realize that sushi is a very tiny part of Japanese culinary tradition. I have spent rest of my life trying to learn the rest of it.

I dreamt of having my own restaurant since I began making sushi. But the type of restaurant I wanted to open has evolved since then. For my entire life, I have heard Japanese chefs talk of how good the cooking is in Japan, but how it would be impossible to garner support for truly authentic Japanese cooking in the U.S. because of how different American tastes are. I heard this constantly from chefs both in Japan and at home. I have even read it in cookbooks. Because of this, I always envisioned my restaurant being mostly authentic but having to play to the American tastes in order to ensure survival.

Brandon Go.

Like at many good Japanese places, the service is very elegant.

The dinner begins with a glass of (included) sake.

Look at these cute gold sake bowls. Reminds me of a fancy Buddhist alms bowl.

We brought loads of good wine as usual:

1985 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. BH 94. I have had a number of bottles, even from the same cellar, that have been showing plenty of age and even occasionally flirting with oxidative hints yet this most recent bottle (from my cellar) was among the freshest I’ve had in a while with its intensely yeasty and toasty aromas of white orchard fruit, citrus peel, marmalade and orange peel. This is arguably the most complex vintage of the 1980s (though not necessarily the most vibrant or the most complete) and in particular I like the way that the mousse has managed to maintain most of its original vigor on the sweet yet ultimately dry finale that delivers very fine persistence. While this bottle was admirably fresh it’s clear that it’s time to drink up sooner than later unless your taste runs to post-mature characters.

Brandon even pours between his culinary labors.

Components for course one — most things being prepared in front of you.

Hokkaido Scallop with chrysanthemum greens and Tosa Zu Jelly.

The contrast between the rich scallop and tangy jelly was great. Interesting textures too, with the cool soft jelly and the slightly firm scallops. I’m an acid freak so I could have eaten a bowl of this jelly straight.

1996 Coche-Dury Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères. VM 92+. Fred says: Outstanding. Very light yellow in color. No signs of being advanced at all. Lots of ripping 96 acidity with elegant fruit and floral character. Starts out excellent and just keeps getting better all night. Seems ageless and could go another 20 years.

Hokkaido Kobashira and Tara No Me Tempura. Great tempura. Light fry. Reminded me of New England fried clam — elevated. And I mean no disrespect in that, as I happen to love good fried clams. I’ve always enjoyed something about the chewy texture.

1998 Coche-Dury Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères. BH 89. Fred says: Light yellow in color. Minimal Coche flint on the nose. The palate is softer and more gentle. Not hot per se but more rounded in texture. Wonderful ripe fruit and lemon. Very easy drinking and in a great spot.

Prep for the next dish. Notice the real wasabi root and hand grater.

Kasugo dai Bo-Zushi. I haven’t seen (or maybe don’t remember) this particular sushi prep where the shiso is mixed into the rice as opposed to layered between. In any case, like all of Brandon’s dishes, it was lovely.

From my cellar: 2004 Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots. VC 93. The 2004 Meursault Les Rougeots is a vintage that I have not encountered previously and proves a very pleasant surprise considering the vintage. It is a little deeper in color than I was expecting however, the nose is immediately entrancing with wet stone mixed with orange blossom, quite astonishing delineation, later traces of yellow plum and jasmine emerging. Both nose and palate sport a very subtle reduction (less than other vintages in my experience). It retains wonderful tension and poise, perfect salinité with an understated and yet energetic finish that remains over the course of two hours in the glass. Tasted at Taillevent restaurant in Paris.

Lovely lacquer bowl.

Dungeness Crab Shinjo Owan. This class of dish was delightful both this time and last (when it was the lobster ball). It was great again this time, although not quite the highlight. Dashi was scrumptious. Crab had nice depth of flavor.

2004 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos. BH 95. This too is ultra pure and fine with its nose of wet stone, white flower, sea water and iodine that precedes delicious, full, detailed and impeccably well balanced flavors that are tight but long with a laser-like sense of focus and coherency. This too finishes with noticeable austerity yet there is real freshness and presence, indeed vibrancy here. The ’04 Le Clos will require at least 5 to 7 years to really begin to open up but once it does, it should drink well for 15. A stunner of a wine and one of the stars of the vintage that will be a long distance runner.

Chop chop.

Tai and Live Spot Prawn Sashimi, hokkaido uni sashimi, fresh nori. Excellent. All incredibly fresh and toothsome. Well maybe not the uni, that was fresh but soft.

1997 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin. BH 91. Dense and richly fruited with copious black fruits trimmed in a deft touch of wood followed by round, intense, full-bodied flavors and fine persistence. This is not a great Chambertin by the lofty Rousseau standards but there is plenty of wine here, not to mention excellent richness and length. It is approaching peaking drinkability though it should hold here for at least a decade. Consistent notes.

Don’t lose a finger Brandon!

Elegantly piled ingredients.

Katsuo Tataki. Early season lean bonito, topped with onions, ginger, probably some kind of ponzu. Perfect texture and nice assertive flavor.

1999 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques. VM 92+. Bright ruby-red. Sexy nose combines maraschino cherry, roast coffee, bitter chocolate and lively oak spices not apparent in the foregoing wines. Full, sweet and chewy in the mouth, with a silky, layered texture to buffer the wine sound acidity. Cherry and black raspberry flavors are nicely sweetened by the wine’s new oak. Features a long, gripping whiplash of a finish and fine tannins that coat the entire palate.

Nodoguro Shioyaki with Lotus Root. This was a very notable “grilled fish” the first time around and is again. It’s very oily, but not in an off putting way at all, more just rich. And the crunchy lotus adds some great textural balance.

Next.

Kisu with Fava Bean Ankake. The fish was extremely lightly fried and then covered in a very gooey (thickened) dashi which added its own complementary fish flavor. Light and extremely subtle in a very Japanese manner. Not everyone might be down for the unctuous texture either — but we enjoyed it.

Greens for the next course.

A5 Omi Wagyu.

A5 Omi Gyu Shabu Shabu, komatsuna, bamboo, shiitake. A sort of highly elevated shabu shabu bite crossed with an ultra elevated version of the toppings you get on a Japanese beef bowl. None of that description does it any justice, as there was this intensely rich and beefy + dashi thing going on.

Ko no ko (sea cucumber ovaries). It’s fairly similar to the Izakaya favorites like fermented squid guts. Slimey and briney. Without the off notes that a lessor prep might have had. I happen to like these fermented flavors and weird textures. Not everyone does. I’ve been really digging the seas cucumber this last year since my most recent trip to China.

1990 Domaine Leroy Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Narbantons. 94 points. Best Savigny I will ever taste, probably. Amazing nose of ripe fruit and mature whole-cluster notes (spices, soy, hoisin, stems), which, alone is worth the price of admission. The 1990 Leroy wines are showing more tannic structure than DRCs. The abundant fruit lets you get past the equally abundant tannins, but the overall persistent structure makes me wonder if this wine needs more time (after 25+ years?) or if this is how this wine will always be. A pleasure to drink, regardless.

Sawara Yuan Yaki Rice Pot. I forgot to photo this dish as a whole, as the various elements are presented on a tray together, but this is the fish ready to be prepped into the rice.

This is the miso soup with a spongy type of tofu or fish cake.

The pickles. They are traditional with rice at the end of a meal.

The fried rice itself. I had several helpings.

Roasted tea.

A different, green tea.

Brandon prepares the dessert.

Harry’s Berries with Kinako Infused Whipped Cream. I had these same strawberries the night before and they were amazing both times. Just a simple dish with two notes (strawberry and cream) but both where complex harmonic notes. The strawberries had a lot of zing, intense sweet and tangy berry flavor. Like a fresher (more acidic) but slightly less intense version of great French Strawberry puree or jam. The “cream” was nutty and served as a nice counterpoint to the acidity.

A bunch of gelatti brought (and made) by me:

Almond Amaretto Truffle Gelato — Amaretto Zabaglione (egg yolk, amaretto, and sugar custard) Sicilian Almond gelato base with stacked layers of house-made Valrhona Almond Amaretti Ganache — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Valrhona #almond #amaretto #amaretti #cookie #ganache #ChocolateTruffle

Sicilian Tiramisu Gelato — attempting to reinvent Tiramisu with Sicilian flavors: Pure DOGC “Bronte” pistachio paste gelato base with lady fingers soaked in house-made orange syrup and layered with house-made “cannoli filling” (sweetened fresh ricotta with cinnamon and mini dark chocolate chips) — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — this one will be a test of concept: too much? –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #pistachio #sicily #ricotta #chocolate #orange #ladyfingers #tiramisu

Nocciola Espresso Caramello Gelato — A classic nocciola base made with Pure PGI Piedmont hazelnut paste and then layered with a house-made Espresso Caramel Ganache then topped with fresh roasted hazelnuts — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Valrhona #hazelnut #ganache #dulcy #ChocolateTruffle #nocciola #caramel #caramello

Brandon with the wines and Eve — who always makes livens up any dinner or photo!

Overall, stunning evening.

Hayato was some of the best food I had in 2018 and remains so in 2019. He’s mixed things up a little bit, but it’s still the same very focused style. He intensifies ingredients and brings forth this very natural expression of nature’s bounty. Every dish just tasted great.

Plus there was the intimacy of being right there with the chef — and our great crew — and our great wines. Really great wines. Brandon told us they were the best he’s had at the restaurant and I believe it. We had some real stunners tonight, and on the heels of our crazy old White Burgundy dinner the night before!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

More Foodie Club meals.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Brandon Go, BYOG, Champane, Coche Dury, DTLA, epic, Foodie Club, Gelato, Hayato, Japanese cuisine, Kaiseki, Legendary, White Burgundy

DRC at 71Above

May28

Restaurant: 71Above [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Location: 633 W 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071

Date: April 23, 2019

Cuisine: New American

Rating: Awesome in all ways

71Above is one of my favorite LA restaurants and I’ve been many times. In fact there are 8 previous write ups! Today the location plays host to a special DRC dinner that owner Emil organized with a special menu. Chef Vartan Abgaryan has moved on to his own new place, Yours Truly, and 71Above is now seamlessly helmed by his disciple, Chef Javier Lopez.

Besides being located on the 71st floor (950 feet up!) of the US Bank building, being the highest restaurant west of the Mississippi, it’s owned and operated by my friend Emil Eyvazoff!

Gorgeous build out.

Look at the crazy view and the crazy fog on this weird spring night.

We set up shop for this evening in the private room.

Just a few stems.

The special menu.

NV Taittinger Prelude. VM 91. (a 50/50 blend of chardonnay and pinot noir; L2068TD00100): Light, bright gold. Mineral-accented lemon and lime pith on the nose, with complicating notes of honeysuckle and pear skin. Dry and precise, offering vibrant citrus fruit and fresh fig flavors and showing strong mineral spine. Finishes bright and long, with lingering floral notes and a touch of ginger.

An amuse.

2002 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. BH 97. There is a distinctly phenolic character to the secondary-tinged yet super-fresh nose reflects notes of bread, yeast, pear, baked apple, spice and a hint of citrus. The bold and full-bodied flavors possess superb complexity while being underpinned by a notably fine but dense mousse, all wrapped in a gorgeously persistent finish. This is a seriously impressive effort and one of the best of the Krug Brut vintage series released in many years. Note that while this should continue to age effortlessly, it could certainly be enjoyed now.

Another amuse of Oyster, poached uni, caviar, tarragon, and champagne. Delicious.

2002 Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet. BH 93. More noticeable wood spice than in the prior wine combines with wonderfully pure green fruit and white pear aromas underscored by intensely stony notes, leading to ripe, chiseled, vibrant, wonderfully precise flavors that offer excellent definition. This really coats the palate and the finish lingers for several minutes. I like the punch here yet the intensity is delivered in an ultra refined, classy and pure style.

2008 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. BH 94. Here too the nose speaks of honeysuckle, citrus and lightly spiced pear aromas that serve as an elegant introduction to the pure, cool and understated middle weight flavors that possess outstanding depth of material and stunning length. This is a hugely long and quite serious yet impeccably well-balanced Bienvenues.

2014 Louis Jadot Bâtard-Montrachet. BH 94. There is enough wood to notice surround the beautifully complex array of pear, white peach, lilac, acacia blossom and anise-suffused aromas. As is usually the case this is a broad-shouldered and concentrated effort with its imposingly scaled flavors that brim with palate coating dry extract before concluding in a youthfully austere and almost painfully intense finale. This is an impressive effort that is built to reward extended cellaring and indeed one that will need at least 6 to 8 years before it will display at least some of its full potential.

Hamachi Crudo. Kumquat, coconut, lime, lemongrass, salsa seca, ginger, cilantro.

1990 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux. BH 91. Intense, ripe and slightly roasted black fruit nose with developing complexity that leads to rich, full-bodied, rounded, sweet flavors underpinned by big tannins and the wine finishes with grand cru quality length. This is quite big and certainly dramatic but for all its richness and power, it’s not an elegant wine per se. All of that said, it’s still a relatively youthful wine and could be drunk now with pleasure or held for a few more years to fully round out the finish. Multiple and consistent notes.

1996 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux. BH 91. The Domaine de la Romanée-Conti fashioned outstanding ’96s and while this will not challenge the dominance of its more esteemed stable mates, it is clearly a lovely effort. The expressive nose displays lovely spice and violet aromas that offer more elegance and finesse than usual and lead to rich, sweet and moderately structured flavors supported by bright but not aggressive acidity and excellent finishing persistence. I quite like the ’96 Ech and while it can finally be approached now with pleasure it should be capable of holding at this level for years to come. Multiple, and consistent, notes.

Avocado and steak tartare. Avocado with citrus, seaweed, thai basil, puffed rice, black radish, sesame, lime oil. Wagyu sirloin tartare. Mustard, piquillo, marcona almond, caper, yolk, crostini. Very nice. The steak paired better with the reds, the avocado with the lingering whites.

2014 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux. BH 94. A wonderfully complex nose features a broad array of spice elements with those of plum, violet, sandalwood and Asian-style tea that are also trimmed in soft wood nuances. There is good punch to the refined, cool and pure medium-bodied flavors that possess better concentration on the balanced, persistent and youthfully austere finale where the only nit is a very subtle hint of warmth. Of all of the wines in the Domaine’s portfolio, in my view the Ech is the most improved over the last 10 years and it shows as the 2014 is bigger and more powerful than usual.

2014 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echezeaux. BH 95. Here the expressive nose is even spicier and more floral with its lovely array of rose petal, lilac and lavender scents adding elegance to the mostly dark pinot and earth aromas that are also trimmed in a bit of wood but in this case it is even more subtle. As is virtually always the case this is bigger, richer, more powerful and more muscular with excellent volume to the rich and mouth coating flavors that deliver superb length on the chiseled, robust and hugely long finale. Patience will definitely be required.

2014 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Corton Domaine Prince Florent de Merode. BH 93. A notably floral nose consists of ripe plum, spice and plenty of earth while being trimmed in all-but-invisible oak. There is good power and muscle to the generously proportioned and notably rich big-bodied flavors that culminate in a robust finish that offers fine depth and length. This is not as concentrated as the best here but it’s clear that the vineyard work continues to push the quality level forward each year.

Heritage Pork. Loin, fritter, mustard seed, pork jus. Great pork.

1990 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes. BH 89. As long time readers know, I have never thought very highly of this wine and I have had on the order of 3 cases of it without ever finding one that I thought was very good, let alone great. This would include a bottle that was air expressed directly from the domaine so my objections have nothing to do with storage, provenance or shipping. However, the bottle in this tasting displayed the best fruit/acid/tannin balance of any ’90 VV that I’ve yet had and while I would stop well short of according it the accolades that it once received in abundance, it didn’t not display the green finishing tannins and overtly advanced aromas that its predecessors have. In short, a wine of moderate promise and while by no means great, at least acceptable in the context of the extremely high standards of this wine and this vintage.

1993 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares. BH 91. The ’93 Bonnes Mares is a big and burly wine with an expressive, intense nose revealing some aged notes to accompany the black fruit followed by muscular, concentrated, beautifully detailed flavors of excellent intensity first class length. While this is clearly an impressive wine of real quality, there is a rustic side to this wine that I’m not entirely convinced is ever going to completely disappear. Time will tell but it’s clear for the present that this is quite structured and will require at least another 7 or 8 years of cellar time, perhaps more but it should be worth the wait. Consistent notes since release.

From my cellar: 1996 Louis Jadot Bonnes Mares. VM 94+. Medium-deep red-ruby, with a hint of development at the rim. Deep, smoky aromas of espresso, bitter chocolate, meat and licorice, plus a floral topnote. Then penetrating, brisk and tightly wound, with terrific verve and structure. Boasts superb vivacity but comes across as surprisingly supple owing to its excellent extract. Finishes firmly tannic, with late hints of woodsmoke and chocolate. “The grapes ripened on photosynthesis during a clear, cold September, retaining strong acidity. The cool weather allowed for a natural cold maceration prior to the fermentation.”

Wagyu. Japanese A5 8+ Grade Ribeye, broccolini, black garlic, peanut, grilled onion jus. This beef was incredible!

1989 Château d’Yquem. VM 97. Laid-back, extremely young aromas of honey, creme caramel, smoke and earth; essence of semillon. Rich, large-scaled and powerful; really expands in the mouth. Lovely harmonious acidity and bright notes of orange peel and minerals give this very youthful wine great clarity of flavor. Classy and impeccably balanced. The subtle, oak-spicy, nutty finish goes on and on. Conveys an almost saline impression of extract. This should approach peak drinkability within the next eight to ten years and last for decades.

Domestic cheeses and season accompaniments. Always love some good cheese.

Gelato made by me:

Valrhona Dark Sorbetto – Doing the dariy free thing — a super intense Valrhona 63% Chocolate plus 100% cocoa plus cocoa mass — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — the best no milk straight chocolate I’ve yet made — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Valrhona #chocolate #cocoa #sorbetto

Mango Passionfruit Sorbetto – 95% mango, 5% passionfruit, plus a little lemon, just throws a bit of acidity into the too-sweet mango to brighten it up — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #sorbetto #mango #passionfruit

Toasted Almond Coconut Sorbetto – when I can’t use milk this Thai coconut milk base with toasted almonds from Sicily is pretty darn awesome — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #coconut #almond #CoconutMilk #ToastedAlmond #sicily

Awesome wines.

Chef Javier Lopez and the rest of the kitchen crew.

Sommelier Catherine Morel on the right did an impeccable job.

Heading down!

Today’s dinner excelled on all counts. Service, food, company, and of course the wines. Sure the 2014’s were a “tad” young, but they still showed! We learned that they should be opened and decanted at least 12 hours ahead of time.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: 71above, BYOG, DRC, DTLA, Emil Eyvazoff, Gelato, Javier Lopez, Wine

Chinese Fusion – Nightshade

Apr12

Restaurant: Nightshade

Location: 923 E 3rd St #109, Los Angeles, CA 90013. (213) 626-8888

Date: March 23, 2019

Cuisine: Chinese Fusion

Rating: Really tasty, imperfect service

Tonight was a a smaller Foodie Club dinner with core members Erick and Larry and newcomer Kim (owner of Khong Ten in Santa Monica).

Nightshade, located in the Arts District in Los Angeles, is a flagship concept and first restaurant for chef Mei Lin along with partners Francis Miranda and Cyrus Batchan of No.8. The highly anticipated project will draw from the culmination of Lin’s personal culinary history – from helping her parents and extended families in their Chinese restaurants as a child in Detroit.

The sure have jazzed up the formerly hideous neighborhood a bit with street art.

Sort of gilding the turd, but it (mostly) works.

And while Nightshade has the standard arts district brick front.

The inside though is elegant instead of the usual industrial look.
The menu is small, so even with four people we just ordered the entire menu. Turns out they also have a bunch of great looking secret larger pre-order dishes like a duck and a big steak — wish we had known.

NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 164eme. VM 97. Krug’s NV Grand Cuvée 164 Edition is a total knockout. Based on the 2008 vintage, the 164th Edition shows all the crystalline tension and energy that is such a signature of the year. At times, the 164 reminds me of the 2008 vins clairs I tasted after harvest. The flavors are brisk, delineated and pulsing with energy, while the more oxidative notes that are such a signature of Krug Champagnes are not especially evident. A wine of total pedigree and class, the 164 reminds me of some of the great Grand Cuvées of the 1960s and 1970s I have been lucky to taste over the years. No Champagne lover will want to be without this spectacular, captivating wine. All that said, readers should be patient, as the 164 is painfully young, austere and in need of serious cellaring. (Drink between 2027-2047)

oysters on the half shell, passionfruit emulsion. These were nice. Bright flavors from the sauce. It pretty much hid the oyster flavor (retaining the texture) but was still good.

hokkaido scallops, coconut vinaigrette, crispy ginger, coriander. Sauce was great. Bright flavors here.

baja kanpachi, radish kimchi, shiso, kohlrabi. This dish missed a little. It wasn’t bad in any way, but was mild flavored and the sauce VERY mild. I couldn’t really taste that much shiso (which I love).

NV Krug Champagne Brut Rosé Edition 21eme. JG95+. The Krug Brut Rosé “21ème Édition” is from the beautiful base year of 2008, with the oldest reserve wine in the blend going back to 2000. The wine was disgorged in the spring of 2015 and is a blend of fifty-one percent pinot noir, forty-one percent chardonnay and eight percent pinot meunier. Ten percent of the pinot noir in the blend is still red wine from Krug’s own parcels of vines in the village of Aÿ. The blend is a slight departure from many releases of Krug Rosé, as hail in the village of Ste. Ghemme in 2008 dramatically cut back the quality of pinot meunier from this vintage, so that Chef de Caves Eric Lebel opted to use all reserve wines for the pinot meunier portion of the blend. The very complex wine offers up the characteristically refined and gently exotic bouquet that this cuvée is cherished for, wafting from the glass in a blend of cherries, a touch of pomegranate, orange peel, beautiful, savory spice elements, rye bread, a complex base of soil tones , dried rose petals and incipient smokiness. On the palate the wine is full, complex and still quite youthful in terms of structure, with vibrant acids, a lovely core, elegant mousse and a very long, perfectly balanced and seamless finish. This is already beautifully complex, but I would love to revisit it five to ten years down the road and see what the passage of time does to this beautiful constellation of aromas and flavors. (Drink between 2018-2050)

beef tartare, sesame, egg yolk jam, kochukaru. Very nice beef tartar. Interesting “thick textured” shrimp toast. Went well though as it’s mild, and added some good crunch.

tom yum onion, coconut dip. Like an awesome blossom with a kind of Thai-flavored coconut dip.

tamarind glazed carrots, toasted coconut, carrot top emulsion. Good for carrots.

sunchokes, strawberry molé, seeded granola. Can’t really remember very well.

1995 Domaine Anne Gros Clos Vougeot Le Grand Maupertui. VM 92. Deep red-ruby. Extravagantly rich aromas of blackcurrant, pepper, smoke and tar. Large-scaled, deep and very sweet; explosively fruity and impressively tactile. Chewy tannins are buried under a wave of finishing fruit. A knockout Clos Vougeot truly worthy of its grand cru status.

koshihikari rice congee, xo, pork floss, onsen egg. We mixed this all up. It was one of the best dishes with both a homey carby quality and a delicious umami flavor from all that goodness including the XO sauce.

squid ink bucatini, cuttlefish bolognese, gochujang. Always love this kind of seafood / ragu type pasta.

lasagna, pork ragu, tofu cream, prickly ash. Very interesting light delicate texture made from many layers of wonton wrapper pastry! Quite nice, but we needed two of them and they closed the kitchen on us early and wouldn’t give us any more (more on that later).

Erick brought: 1996 Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses. VM 93+. Saturated ruby-red. Supersweet aromas of raspberry, currant, graphite and sweet oak, plus an exotic suggestion of citrus fruit. Silky and sweet, if rather unforthcoming in the middle palate; offers great concentration and a near perfect sugar/acid balance. Firm tannins are covered by fruit. Great whiplash of a finish. This has considerable early appeal but will be even better after seven or eight years of additional bottle aging.

prawn toast, cantonese curry. Really good. Nice firm texture to the “toast” and great curry sauce.

szechuan hot quail, japanese milk bread, house pickles. This is a variant of the fried chicken bits in piles of aromatic chilies — the classic Szechuan dish that I order all the time. Nice, with moist larger meat and a good bit of heat. Although I would have liked the giant chili pile. I probably enjoy a great version of the classic slightly better — partially because it’s bigger!

coconut mousse, lime coconut granita, pineapple, nata de coco.

Check out inside. The faint white cubes were coconut jelly. The mouse is the white, the green the lime, and the pineapple inside. Weirdly deconstructed but absolutely fabulous flavors. Great, great dessert. Refreshing too.

guava, cream cheese, white chocolate. You break the (white chocolate) top. The guava and cream-cheese are below. Nice too.

almond sorbet, tangerine ice. Also really nice and refreshing. Interesting textures with the soft chocolate-textured sorbet rings and then the ice underneath.

silkened tofu, rhubarb, shiso, basil seeds. The weirdest of the 4 weird desserts, but tasty too.

I have to say that the desserts were excellent. But they aren’t a balanced set as all 4 were frozen, and sort of light fruits. All very refreshing but nothing in the cakey/bready or chocolate families. All technically very interesting though, and individually delicious with great texture factor.

Tonight’s crew, minus me.

Overall, this was a great meal. Often these small Foodie Club affairs are more enjoyable than large format dinners. We had a good little crew, ordered everything at the restaurant (minus the pre-orders, more on that below), brought excellent wines, and had a fabulous time.

Food was very good. I like that it’s upscale fusion with Chinese (and some other Asian) influences but not just special plated forms of Chinese dishes. Many dishes were very good: onion, scallops, tartare, congee, shrimp toast, pasta, lasagna, quail. That’s a high percentage! They weren’t super big and even with all that (the complete menu) for 4 people we could have eaten a couple more (more on that below).

Desserts were EXCELLENT. Really good. But not a wide ranging set. All too similar in form and profile. They need some chocolate etc.

Which brings me to a couple service points: Server was friendly, but there was some confusion going on (they are very new) and they weren’t super attentive. They did (mostly) follow my instructions of bringing the dishes one at a time. We also asked about 2/3 through to double up some of the courses that were ALREADY COMING (some time away, not anywhere near done) and they told us the kitchen was closed. But they never warned us about “last call”, and we could see the guys working in the kitchen making dishes. There was no cleaning up going on. And our remaining savory dishes kept on coming for 20-30 more minutes. So they easily could have done it. They hadn’t closed up. This is an example of not putting the customer first. Not that we went hungry, but we were peeved. Not a good thing for a restaurant. I’m still a bit peeved 3 weeks later!

Also, we kept seeing these really awesome looking big duck and steak dishes. We asked before we ordered and were told they are pre-order. But it’s not even mentioned on the menu (and we looked online) so how were we to know? They ought to list them like Majordomo does. We would have liked the larger dishes and they were needed on this menu that barely has formal mains — and no red meats (other than the tartare).

We handled the wine service (opening and pouring) but they let us open four bottles (and they pocketed the corkage, good deal by them but as long as there isn’t an enforced bottle limit I’m fine with it).

For more LA dining reviews click here.

For more crazy Foodie Club dinners, click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Arts District, Asian Fusion, Chinese cuisine, Chinese Fusion, DTLA, Foodie Club, Nightshade, Wine

Montrachet Central

Apr10

Restaurant: Drago Centro [1, 2, 3, 4]

Location: 525 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071. (213) 228-8998

Date: March 14, 2019

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great high end Italian

This dinner is the second part of the annual White Burgundy Premox test series, hosted by Burg-meister Don Cornwell. This dinner covers 2011 Bienvenues-Bâtard, Criots-Bâtard,Bâtard-Montrachet, and Chevalier-Montrachet.

This particular dinner is at Drago Centro, which is the new home for these big dinners after the closing of Valentino. I’ve been a Drago fan (and friend) for years. Celistino Drago has even cooked at our house a bunch of times.

2011 White Burgundy is a vintage for those who prefer elegance and purity over power and concentration. It is the size of the wine that worried some white wine producers – many whites were willowy and gentle with low alcohol and modest acidity levels. This contrasts with the past several vintages – 2010, 2009 and the 2008 – where the overall frame and size of the wine was bigger. With the 2011s now either in bottle or about to be bottled, the wines have gained stature and flesh, though they will remain slim. What the best 2011 whites offer are seductive delicate flavours, purity of expression and delightful aromatics.

Located on busy Flower in DTLA.

Drago!

There was a private party outside and the place was packed.

Fortunately, this time, we were in the vault room which is separate and quiet.

Our special menu.

Flight 0: Champagne

2004 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée. VM 95. The 2004 Coeur de Cuvée has gained considerable weight, richness and resonance over the last few years. Brioche, almonds, marzipan, anise and dried flowers are some of the notes that flesh out in a radiant, super-expressive Champagne built on texture and class. The 2004 is every bit as impressive as it has always been. At eleven years of age, the Coeur de Cuvée is just entering an early plateau of maturity that is likely to last for at least a handful of years. Disgorged May 2012.

Mini crab cakes.

Sweet breads with caviar. Not my favorite as I don’t love offal.

Hamachi cones with roe and gold. A little mild in flavor. Could use a bit of spice or something.

Don imported (former) Valentino Wine Director Paul Sherman to mastermind the wine service for who-knows-how-many-years-in-a-row.

My friend, chef Celestino Drago checks to make sure everything is in order.

Grisini.

Fresh baked bread (Drago has its own bakery for the restaurant group).

Flight 1: BBM & Criots

2011 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 93+. ale, bright green-yellow. Precise, high-pitched aromas of lime, white flowers and crushed stone. Then juicy and supple on the palate, with enticing sweetness to its pure, sharply delineated flavors of lime and orange. Impeccably balanced Bienvenue with nothing fat or warm about it. Really sparkles on the powerful, mounting finish.

From my cellar: 2011 Etienne Sauzet Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 95. Mint, lime, lychee, jasmine and white pear notes abound in the 2011 Batard-Montrachet. This is an especially tense, vibrant Batard that stands out for its energy, distinction and pure class. Super-finessed throughout, the 2011 impresses on the finish, where its crystalline brilliance dazzles. The style is very much built on precision, energy and minerality, rather than opulence. Today the 2011 is understandably a bit tight, but it should be superb in another few years. What a beautiful wine.

2011 Domaine Jacques Carillon Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 95+. arillon’s 2011 Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru is total silk on the palate. Subtle, layered and exceptionally polished, the 2011 is all about texture. Exotic white truffle, mint, smoke and Chamomile notes are just starting to develop in the glass, but the 2011 has a long time to go before being ready. Riesling-inflected petrol notes add nuance on the finish. This is a seriously beautiful wine from Jacques Carillon.

2011 Henri Boillot Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 92-95. Bright yellow. Vibrant nose combines smoke, honey and sexy minerality. More concentrated and sweet than the Criots but with the verve–not to mention the saline density–of Boillot’s Pucelles. Lovely creamy old-viney texture and length. The minerally finish leaves the taste buds quivering.

2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. Light color, smells young and reductive but the palate is smooth doesn’t taste as young as it smells. Interesting wine that’s in a good spot and should remain here for at least a couple of years.

2011 Hubert Lamy Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 97. There is little doubt Olivier Lamy’s 2011 Criots-Batard-Montrachet is one of the truly great wines of the vintage. Utterly vivid and constantly changing in the glass, the 2011 captivates all of the sense – both hedonistic and intellectual – with a captivating mélange of exotic white flowers, crushed rocks and pears. The bright, crystalline flavors blossom beautifully in the glass in that sweet, perfumed, ethereal style that is the signature of Criots. What an utterly moving, delicious wine this is.

2011 Louis Jadot Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 94. The 2011 Bienvenues Batard-Montrachet is huge. Rich, voluptuous and layered, the 2011 flows across the palate with stunning depth and richness. With time in the glass more subtle hints of almonds, hazelnuts, baking spices and mint emerge, albeit with great reluctance. There is plenty of energy in the glass. It will be interesting to see if the 2011 acquires more polish in bottle. Regardless, there is plenty to admire in a succulent, generous Bienvenues that is likely to offer a broad window of drinkability.

2011 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 92+. Pale yellow. Youthfully imploded nose hints at peach and smoky lees. Closed in the mouth as well, showing a slight bitter edge to the flavors of herbs, flowers and crushed stone. Best today on the juicy, echoing finish, which shows a subtle saline character.

2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 94-96. Exotic white flowers, ginger, white pepper and lychee are some of the many notes that emerge from the 2011 Criots-Batard-Montrachet, a wine that dazzles from start to finish. The 2011 is pure seduction. Captivating aromatics, beautifully layered fruit and fabulous persistence are the hallmarks. Colin-Morey thought the 2011 needed a little more time in cask, and planned to bottle the wine later in the summer.

Jumbo scallops crudo, potato cream, onion jello and truffles. Very light dish and attractive plating. I was glad the scallops were raw — as I prefer them that way.

Flight 2: Bâtard-Montrachet

2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 97. The 2011 Batard-Montrachet boasts serious richness, depth and structure. A wine of pure brawn and intensity, the 2011 impresses for its exceptional balance and harmony, but it is also very reticent and nowhere near ready to show the full breadth of its personality. The finish alone is simply sensational. Readers should give the 2011 at least a few years in bottle to settle down. The Batard is imposing, sensational and regal in every way.

2011 Domaine Bachelet-Ramonet Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet.

2011 Domaine Henri Boillot Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 95. Boillot’s 2011 Bâtard-Montrachet is striking. Pear, almond and spice notes open up in the glass, leading to bright fruit and expressive floral notes. In 2011 the Bâtard is linear, powerful and intense. This statuesque Burgundy is best left alone for at least several years.

2011 Domaine Leflaive Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 94+. Pale bright yellow. Sexy perfume of lemon, lime, clove and white flowers. A step up in weight and power from the Bienvenue, but still with lovely lift to the generous flavors of ripe peach and spices. Wonderfully energetic, tactile wine with terrific rising length and grip, and a late mineral character that contributes finesse. But this big, rich, backward Batard will need time to express itself.

2011 Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers. VM 92. Pale, bright yellow. Subtle, pure nose offers pear and white flowers. Suave on entry, then juicy and sweet in the middle, with a minty lift contributing to the impression of inner-mouth perfume. Sappy, minerally, sharply delineated Chassagne with a positive iodiney character. This lively wine really coats the palate and lingers, without leavening any impression of undue weight.

2011 Etienne Sauzet Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 96. Gently spiced notes open into lemon oil and subtle yellow stone fruits in the 2011 Batard-Montrachet. The style is surprisingly weightless for Batard, in fact, this is one of the more refined, introspective 2011 Batards I tasted. The long, persistent finish along is striking. There is no shortage of nuance or finesse in this exceptional wine from Sauzet.

2011 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 93+. Good full medium yellow. Musky aromas of yellow peach, apricot and minerals lifted by a floral topnote. Boasts impressive volume and palate-saturating breadth but comes across as more closed than the Bienvenue in spite of its richness of texture. Finishes very long, though, with lingering notes of spices and smoke. Pernot recommends waiting three years before opening this.

2011 Pierre Morey Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 94. The 2011 Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru blossoms in the glass with light, floral-infused honey. Chamomile, tangerine and hazelnut notes. Rich and voluptuous all the way through to the finish, yet never heavy, the 2011 is a model of finesse. This is another superb showing from Pierre Morey.

Rigatoni Kamut, swordfish and eggplant ragu. An unusual pasta dish. The texture (al dente) on the pasta was incredible. Really these seemed closer to a picci (but not exactly). Very nice soft mildly rich flavor.

Flight 3: Chevalier-Montrachet part 1

2011 Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 96. A wine of pure texture the 2011 Chevalier-Montrachet captivates all the senses. Mint, lime, white flowers and Chamomile all vow for attention in a pliant, expressive wine of the highest level. The 2011 has a level of inner richness that is simply waiting in reserve. Another few years in bottle should unlock all of that potential.

2011 Louis Jadot Chevalier-Montrachet Les Demoiselles Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot. VM 97. Honey, almonds, white flowers and nectarines all take shape in Jadot’s 2011 Chevalier-Montrachet Les Demoiselles. Exotic white truffle, orange peel and spice notes appear later, adding dimensions of complexity and nuance to this pedigreed Burgundy. The flavors continue to blossom in all directions as the wine opens up in the glass. Simply put, the 2011 Demoiselles is a stunner.

2011 Domaine de Montille Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Le Cailleret. VM 92+. Lemon, lime, crushed stone and some noble herbal high notes on the nose. Citrussy and penetrating, with a hint of youthful bitterness to the lime leaf and chalky mineral flavors. Very pure, juicy, mineral-driven wine with sneaky depth and a persistent, vibrating finish. This is 12.7% alcohol following about 0.3% of chaptalization, notes Alix de Montille.

2011 Francois Carillon Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 95+. The 2011 Chevalier-Montrachet is drop-dead gorgeous. Hints of light floral honey, almonds and lemon oil are just beginning to develop, but the Chevalier-Montrachet is mostly a wine of texture and shape. Not a huge wine, the 2011 impresses for its incredible class and nuance. With air, slightly more exotic and tropical notes emerge, providing a hint of what waits for those lucky few who will be able to source this jewel of a wine.

2011 Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 93+. Good bright, pale yellow-straw. Perfumed aromas of peach pit and vanillin oak, lifted by spicy high notes. Rich and concentrated but light on its feet. Shows sweet stone fruit flavors and very good breadth on the front half, then turns firmer and more saline on the back end, finishing dry and brisk, with lingering notes of citrus peel and white peach. Boasts a lovely core of sweet fruit but this will need patience.

2011 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 95+. Subdued but pure aromas of pineapple, crushed rock and white flowers; less fruity today than the Bienvenue or Batard. Then fat and ripe but with terrific verve to the mineral and spice flavors. With a few minutes in the glass, this highly concentrated, electric wine came across as more tightly coiled, with its energy and cut becoming more apparent. Most impressive today on the extremely long, perfumed back end, which leaves the palate vibrating under a layer of mineral dust. Winemaker Remy says he wouldn’t start drinking this wine for 12 years.

Cioppino, assorted seafood, lobster broth. Fabulous seafood soup. Really a lobster bisque with various extremely fresh seafood.

Flight 4: Chevalier-Montrachet part 2

2011 Domaine Marc Morey & Fils Chevalier-Montrachet.

2011 Domaine Michel Niellon Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 95. Exotic white flowers, lychee, mint and lime blossom in the glass as the 2011 Chevalier-Montrachet shows off its compelling personality. Impeccably pure and layered throughout, the 2011 impresses for its exceptional balance and class. There is plenty of Chevalier richness and honey, but no excess weight or sense of heaviness at all.

2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 94+. Pale yellow. Slightly sullen, medicinal aromas of pineapple, menthol and crushed stone. Then taut and powerful in the mouth, with little early pliancy to the penetrating flavors of fresh pineapple and crushed rock. All in reserve today and in need of at least several years of cellaring. Classically dry on the high-pitched, echoing finish, which leaves behind piquant notes of dusty pepper, ginger, wild herbs and crushed stone. In the same bracing, mineral-driven style as Colin’s superb Meursault Perrieres and Corton-Charlemagne.

2011 Domaine Ramonet Chevalier-Montrachet.

2011 Vincent Dancer Chevalier-Montrachet.

2011 Etienne Sauzet Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 94+. Good pale yellow. Ripe, highly perfumed nose combines pineapple, flowers, mint and humid fern. Less obviously powerful than the Batard but offers insidious intensity and a more pliant texture to its yellow fruit and mineral flavors. Tightens up considerably on the back end, finishing subtle and long, with fresh minerality and a strong chalky character.

Pan roasted breast of duck, kumquat sauce. Great duck. Perfectly cooked and I loved the kumquat sauce (which was an interesting take on the orange duck thing). The forbidden rice was just there.

Appendix Flight: dessert

2002 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Eiswein. VM 93. This drinks like a pure and incredibly fragrant Normandy cider laced with lemon, vanilla and fresh strawberry. Weightless in feel, effortless gliding down, yet with incredible tenacity of grip.

Dark chocolate cremeux, cocoa almond, milk chocolate chantilly. The cake and its cream top was amazing. Really nice contrast of textures and strong chocolate flavors. The ice cream is gelato made by me (Celestino had it plated with the dessert):

After my advanced gelato class, trying a slightly new pistachio formulation — Pistachio Madeline Gelato — base uses my same awesome Pistachios from Bronte Sicily but also a small amount of egg yolk for extra body. I baked the Madelines from scratch and soaked them in hand made Grand Mariner syrup — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — oh my! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #IceCream #NomNom #dessert #Pistachio #lemon #orange #Sicily #GrandMariner #Madeline #cookie #baking

This one is also by me:

Getting whacky — Thai Peanut Coconut Lime Chili Gelato — Salty peanuts, Thai coconut cream, lime zest, and serrano chillies — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — almost too spicy! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #IceCream #NomNom #dessert #chili #spicy #thai #peanut #coconut #lime #SavorySweet #Serrano

Have a few glasses!

The reveal sheet.

And the full lineup.

Don’s notes on the wines:

It was interesting to “watch the race” for the top wine as I compiled the votes. The group’s top overall wine was the Bernard Moreau Chevalier Montrachet, which won despite getting fewer first place votes than the number two finisher, the Colin-Morey Chevalier (which was my favorite wine). Both were spectacular and easily the equal of the best 2010s (and I thought the PYCM Chevalier was clearly superior to his 2010 Chevalier.) Finishing third was the Jadot Demoisselles, which was easily the best version of that wine we’ve had since at least the 1996.
The huge difference in the number of oxidized and advanced wines between night one and night two was disconcerting. It demonstrates the risk of judging a vintage based on wines from a limited number of appellations. We had a large percentage of premox on night two, but with almost no premox on night one, at this point the cumulative statistics are right about even with 2010. (Hard to figure….)
The flight of Criots/BBM was maybe the best overall flight of those wines ever. Carillon was again the favorite of the flight as it usually is.
PYCM – Solid performance again, and the Chevy was spectacular, and probably the best he’s ever made. The Criots, Bienvenues and Batard, while all very good, were not as exciting.
Jadot — Three wines out of the four included finished in the top three over the first two nights. Jadot will go back on my “buy” list for their top wines starting with 2011. DIAM will probably restore their reputation, but the Bienvenues proved that you can still make bad wine despite DIAM.
The ringers – the Montille Puligny Caillerets (tied for No. 5 overall) was spectacular in context and nobody identified it as an obvious ringer in a flight of Chevaliers, which is what I had hoped. The Pillot Clos St. Marc (tied for 11^th), which comes from 100 year old vines in the best part of Vergers, also seemed to compete with the Batards, although it didn’t quite have the weight of the top ones. Maybe matching it with Bienvenues and Criots flight would have been a fairer fight. Finding really good ringers to include is one of the fun elements of this.
Leflaive – amazingly, all three wines were very good to excellent and not advanced or oxidized, though the style isn’t remotely the same as it used to be.
Ramonet – Obviously the least impressive showing for Ramonet since the premox disaster vintages in 1996 and 1999. I’m hoping that the Chevalier was an off bottle, but clearly that was the worst example of a Ramonet Chevy I’ve ever tasted.
Pernot – Both wines were again advanced. These wines seem to have notably declined since the 2007 vintage and are too often advanced.
Dancer – An enigma. Capable at time of producing spectacular wines (e.g. 2010 MP, the overall night one winner), yet also capable of producing horribly flawed, or in the past oxidized wines. Two disasters in 2011.
Boillot – On the second pass I concluded the Batard with the “blood orange” aroma was indeed advanced. Pretty underwhelming showing. Really hard to justify the insane pricing for the Boillot grand crus given the consistently poor premox performance.

Overall another highly education and fun evening. The wines were incredible and it is always amazing to taste so many great White Burgs side by side.

The food was a big step up from Valentino. Much better plating and more modern, sophisticated style. It’s still a touch plain by design as Don likes to keep it understated compared to the wines (while I, myself, am a bit more forgiving in the name of flavor). Service was excellent.

There is a lot to say about this tasting. The wine service was impeccable, and this is a difficult task (pouring lots of big blind flights). Overall service is absolutely first rate. It’s a large quiet room, and the staff was highly attentive. Celistino is a great host and his menu paired spectacularly.

Don has so many wines that the flights were too large. The first was 9 wines! And several were 8. Really this dinner could use 6 flights, no bigger than 5 wines each and about 6 savory dishes. But it’s a long evening as is, so I can understand why that might be pushing it. We debated going to Killer Noodle or KTown after but we were just a little too tired and full.

A great evening.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: 2011 White Burgundy, Bâtard-Montrachet, BYOG, Celestino Drago, Chevalier-Montrachet, Don Cornwell, Drago Centro, DTLA, Gelato, Paul Sherman, White Burgundy, Wine

Thirds at Majordomo

Mar22

Restaurant: Majordomo [1, 2, 3]

Location: 1725 Naud St, Los Angeles, CA 90012 (323) 545-4880

Date: February 28, 2019

Cuisine: Korean Fusion

Rating: Big dishes amazing

It’s with gigantic expectation that NY restaurateur David Chang opened his first LA outpost last year and since then it’s become a regular foodie and wine destination among my friends. Tonight 6 of us core Foodie Club guys head on out for another great evening.

Looking on the map, I was pretty skeptical of the weird between Chinatown and Dodger’s Stadium location — a totally annoying spot for me to get to during traffic! Two brutal hours!

The area is extremely warehousey, much like the “Arts District” but even newer. This particular time, dropping off at night, we joked about our life expectancy.

The have a sort of hipster city built down here out of old warehouses.

With lots of bespoke graffiti.

And Majordomo, of course.

Which has a pretty big enclosed and outside space (which we ate in this third time). Have to say, the outside space was actually preferable. Less crowded and quieter.

As you can see.

Inside is one of those cavernous loud warehouse spaces.

Tonight’s menu.

From my cellar: 2007 Taittinger Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne. VM 96. Taittinger’s 2007 Comtes de Champagne will be nearly impossible to resist upon release. Soaring aromatics, mid-weight structure and soft contours give the 2007 its alluring personality. Lemon oil, white flowers, mint, chamomile and green pear add brightness and freshness throughout, with a persistent, clean finish that makes it impossible to resist a second taste. Today, the 2007 comes across as a slightly more open version of the 2004, with freshness that makes that wine so appealing, and a touch of textural richness that recalls the 2002. Although the 2007 does not have the explosive energy or verticality of the profound 2006, it will drink better earlier. The 2007 has been positively brilliant on the three occasions I have tasted it so far.

Bing is this Korean bread thing. Pretty much like a thick crepe or pita bread. They have various “toppings” you can get with the bing.

We got some free shaved chilled poultry liver.

Spicy Lamb. The lamb was vaguely Greek/Turkish or something with the yogurt and the stewed meat quality. Yummy though. The eggs were more complex and pretty excellent. You mash it up a bit to get the roe, egg, chips etc on the bing. I put the ham on at the same time for max effect and it was very good.

Eggs & Smoked Roe bing. This was pretty excellent. You mash it up a bit to get the roe, egg, chips etc on the bing. I actually skipped the bing itself this time in a vain effort to avoid some carbs.

Jacob brought: 1996 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne. BH 93. A stunning nose that offer simply wonderful complexity leads to racy, pure, intense and mineral-laden flavors of real length. This is an elegant wine that will require many years to come together completely even from a regular 750 ml bottle. An extremely pretty wine and one of Latour’s best recent efforts with this wine. Mostly consistent notes though I should point out that another recent magnum seemed a bit thin on the mid-palate and while the essential character remained the same, it didn’t have the same buffering material that the wine described above did.

Fried Cauliflower. Fish sauce vinaigrette, red onion, cilantro. Cauliflower is the new Brussels Sprout. But I actually love the vegetable and particularly when paired with acid like this.

Stuffed Peppers. Benton’s sack sausage, buttermilk ranch. Hehe, I said sack. These are like Jalepeno poppers — sort of. Shishito poppers.

Fried Oxtail. Salsa seca, chili, peanuts. Very interesting and different dish. You gnaw the bone for the meat. Then it was covered with the breakfast granola-textured but vaguely Chinese flavored pile of goodness. Great texture too. Like spicy trail-mix.

Kirk brought: 2011 Sine Qua Non The Moment. VM 93. Bright yellow-gold. Ripe pear, creme brulee and candied ginger on the powerfully scented nose, with notes of anise and smoky lees adding complexity. Pliant but focused candied citrus and orchard fruit flavors gain weight with air, picking up a dried fig nuance. The pear and smoke notes carry through a smooth, palate-staining and strikingly long finish that shows surprising vivacity. This wine was raised in a combination of concrete eggs, new French oak, used barrels and stainless steel tanks.

agavin: Rhone style. Kirk likes to bring these.

Uni pasta special. Always amazing and a good pairing with the Rhone style wine.

Walker brought: 1998 Prunotto Barolo. VM 89. Moderately saturated medium red. Flinty aromas of marzipan, underbrush and violet. Fat, sweet and smooth; this is quite accessible already. Solidly structured wine with nicely buffered tannins. Still a bit youthfully aggressive but tasty right now.

agavin: sadly our bottle was gone.

Walker brought: 1971 Fratelli Revello Barolo. Nice and still in good shape.

Mafaldine. Dungeness crab, bread crumbs, lemon. Mafaldine twice in a week or two! This one had a less tripe-like texture. Blew my “no carbs” thing for the night (along with the uni and several other dishes).

Warm Raclette cheese. This was for some other dish but they just gave us some on the house!

Erick brought: 1996 Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Aux Malconsorts. BH 88. There is still enough wood to notice on the attractively spicy dark berry fruit nose that reflects moderate secondary development. There is good detail and vibrancy to the middle weight flavors that suffer from a slightly hole on the mid-palate before culminating in a mildly edgy if persistent finish. The edge to which I am referring is not astringent or excessively acidic yet there is clearly an element that is not as well-integrated as it might be. In sum, this is pretty enough but it lacks the concentration it needs to avoid its shortcomings.

agavin: sometimes Allen Meadows is insane. This wine was much better than 88, maybe like 93 (Burg 93).

From my cellar: 2003 Gros Frère et Sœur Grands-Echezeaux. BH 89-92. This too is very toasty but the spicy black fruit nose manages to transcend the wood and complements powerful, dense, borderline massive flavors of superb depth, all wrapped in dusty, firm and ripe tannins. This is a big wine and while it’s no model of elegance, one has to admire the muscle and sheer concentration. This will take its time coming around.

Roasted Duck Crispy Rice. Citrus, dates, turnips.

There was a kind of “jus” that was poured in.

Then it was all mixed up — amazing fried rice. Loved the egg in it too.

Smoked Cabbage. Brown butter, macadamia. We would have sworn that this excellent cabbage dish had bacon in it — but no, it was just the smoked factor — awesome!

Kirk brought: 1999 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe. VM 95. A powerful, imposing brute, the 1999 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe blasts across the palate with serious intensity. Next to the Vignolo, the San Giuseppe comes across as lacking finesse, but it is still super-impressive. Melted road tar, smoke, licorice, plums and black cherries race across the palate in a pulsating, tense Barolo that is all about structure. Readers who like virile, imposing Barolos will flip out over the 1999. Today, the only real competition comes from the Vignolo, Cavallotto’s other Riserva.

If you go, you must order this even though it’s very expensive! Whole Plate Short Rib (4-6 people). Smoked bone-in APL-style ribs. Served with beef rice, shiso rice paper, ssämjang & condiments.

The huge chunk of Texas style cow comes out on the cart with the stuff.

Lettuce wraps — yay, no carbs.

Rice paper for those who don’t mind.

Kimchee, pickled daikon, and a spicy Korean paste that is delicious and salty.

The “thin sliced” mode, which was amazingly flavorful. The fattier end cap slices which were to die for tender.

And the knaw on the bone for extra flavor bones.

And some of it goes back into the kitchen and emerges as beef fried rice — crazy good.

Jacob brought: NV Gosset Champagne Grand Rosé Brut.

They always have a shave ice (modernized Korean). This one had various exotic fruits and was light and delicious. Very refreshing.

A banana chocolate pudding. Not bad, even though I hate banana.

This time, no cake cutting fee for my BYOG. The staff loved it too!

Apricot Aperol Sorbetto – This is an old RnR favorite but I haven’t made it a while. Apricots from Avignon — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #sorbetto #apricot #aperol

Noce e Heath Gelato – trying out my new Northern Italian Walnut I decided it needed something else, and something sweet, so Heath bar seemed to fit the bill — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #walnut #noce #HeathBar #heath #toffee

Danish Lakrids Licorice Gelato – I haven’t made this in 2 years and wanted to update the recipe. Polarizing, but surprisingly addictive — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #lakrids licorice #LoveItOrHateIt

and a tiny bit of:

Strawberry Basil Hendrick’s Sorbetto – Strawberry and Hendrick’s Gin Sorbetto laced with Fresh Basil. Strawberries from Avignon — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #sorbetto #strawberry #basil #Hendricks #Gin #cocktail

The wine lineup.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or for epic Foodie Club meals, here.

By: agavin
Comments (1)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: bbq, BYOG, David Chang, DTLA, Foodie Club, Gelato, Majordomo, ribs, Wine

Molto Miro

Jan25

Restaurant: Miro

Location: 888 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90017. (213) 988-8880

Date: December 13, 2018

Cuisine: Contemporary American Italian (not fully Italian)

Rating: Not super Italian. Some dishes great, some just good

After the Dama dinner, most of us in attendance decided to visit Sandi on her home turf (she’s the head sommelier at Miro).

Bracing the traffic, Erick and ventured downtown.

It’s a short building on a taller block…

But inside has a very attractive, if loud and cold, build out and a whisky bar downstairs.

The menu is sort of Italian — or Contemporary American Italian. It doesn’t feel like an Italian owned place and there are numerous dishes that have no analogue on the boot.

Before Sandi could enjoy herself she had lots of work taking care of all the bottles!

2012 Domaine Michel Voarick Corton-Charlemagne. 89 points. I’ve never heard of this CC producer! Most of these notes were by Peter at this dinner. Darker gold; muted nose, slight walnut, hazelnut, touch caramel, not pre-mox but seemed to have poor storage and prematurely aged aspect; pretty high acid, decent, but should have more going on IMHO.

Bonus from my cellar: 2011 Villa Diamante Fiano di Avellino Vigna della Congregazione. 92 points. Darker gold, almond color; Earthy note, walnut, almond nuttiness with sour fruit, ample bod, long, good acidity, slight bitter finish; really cool, good age now, excellent with a variety of the Italian dishes, esp. the grilled octupus.

2002 Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Luchets. RJ 92. Slightly dark, in good shape premox wise but had a band-aidy rubber reduction thing going on that was distracting. good medium mouthfeel, acidity, but didn’t excite.

ROASTED BEET SALAD. avocado, castelvetrano olives, orange segments, sumac vinaigrette, pistachio crumble. Good salad with a nice crunch.

CAPRESE SALAD. heirloom tomato, basil, mozzarella, balsamic reduction, olive oil. Not my thing as I don’t love (raw) tomatoes.

GRILLED PEACH. burrata, prosciutto, basil, honey.

WOOD-GRILLED OCTOPUS. chorizo, fingerling potatoes, pickled tomato, achiote paste. Really tasty but surprisingly VERY spicy (and I love spicy but it killed the wines except the fiano).

From my cellar: 1998 Gaja Barbaresco. 93 points. Dark ruby-purple, good depth of color for this age especially; blackberry and savory notes, showing a little brown sauce age, oak showing a bit compared to the Mascarello ’08; rich, softer tannins starting to resolve, more of a Brunello character to me, or even a Cali Pinot with a rich mouth, oak, and sauce thing. Not too complex, better with meats than pasta. Preferred the Mascarello for its elegance. Showing a little age, in a good place now, will hold for a long while.

2008 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato. 93 points. Red cherry, dried cherry, lightly savory, elegant, just ripe, tannins starting to resolve, in a really good place, even if quite young. My WOTN, classy, pure, true.

SQUID INK CORZETTI. lobster, tarragon, cherry tomato, saffron. Very interesting shape, texture and color.

HAND-CUT SPAGHETTI. pork bolognese, gremolata, parmesan. Nice meaty bolognese.

UNI TAGLIATELLE. sun-dried tomato, braised leeks, gremolata, lemon. I thought I’d like this more than I did — not bad, but I expected to love it.

1999 Clos Erasmus Priorat. 93 points. Good dark purple, cloudy; rubbery aspect, reduction with age? 75 % Grenache but quite dark in character (5% CS and 20% Syrah), still a little Black cherry syrup thing going on, tannic still, a bit one dimensional, I little off on this bottle.

2011 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT. Vinuous 95+. Nice dark berries with a hint of red cherry, some good lift, good balance, the youngest red of the night and pretty refreshing actually, oak showing up front but not obnoxious, good softer mouthfeel, balanced, delish, good with meats.

LASAGNA. pork Bolognese, spinach egg noodles, béchamel, fontina, parmesan. VERY GOOD classic lasagna. Lots of strong red sauce flavor.

1994 Dominus Estate. 95 points. Great dark berry notes, dried cassis, tootsie rool; cool complex stuff going on, tannins almost all resolved, really good right now, won’t get better, drink up, why wait. Actually worked with Uni pasta as I found older Bordeaux seems to as well. But the Fiano was best with the uni.

2004 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard. 89 points. This had a strange rubber thing going on as seemed to be the case with a couple other wines tonight as well; just wasn’t firing on all cylinders.

TRUFFLE MUSHROOM. fontina, mozzarella, artichoke, green olive, avocado, chives. Did not particularly like at all. Weird.

SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE. fontina, mozzarella, Calabrian chili, pickled onion, oregano. I expected to like this but the dough was all wrong. Ruined both pizzas.

2002 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Spottswoode Estate Vineyard. 93 points. Earthy, dark leather, underbrush serious cab, still in its youth, structured, cigar tobacco, feeling quite youthful.

2007 Larkmead Vineyards LMV Salon. 92 points. Good Bordeaux blend softness to this as opposed to the more structured Spottswood Cab, and seemd a little more aged maybe b/c of this, despite the fact it was 5 years younger! nice, smooth, good cab blend, with the prime rib-eye.

BRAISED BEEF SHORTRIBS. wild rice pilaf, roasted young carrots, natural jus. A touch dry.

16oz. PRIME RIBEYE. roasted asparagus & rainbow carrots, pickled cherry tomatoes, garlic potato puree.

PISTACHIO CRUSTED LAMB CHOPS. grilled shishito, sweet corn, gremolata. These were very good.

Fries were just ok.

The first of many large batch holiday flavors — Peppermint Gelato — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — peppermint candy base laced with peppermint bark! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #IceCream #peppermint #candy #holiday #winter

Overall we had a great time at Miro. We had the private room to ourselves — thank the big guy as the main room was so concrete clad and loud. Sandi did a great job taking care of us and service was excellent — particularly the wine service. And speaking of wine, we had a wide selection of really nice juice tonight.

Food had me slightly perplexed. The place is like part Italian / part steak house. The pizzas weren’t good at all, but most of the pastas were solid, some like the ragu and lasagna excellent. The apps were generally good too and the mains not really Italian at all, and not so much my personal style, but certainly tasty enough.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, DTLA, Gelato, hedonists, Italian Cusine, Miro, Sandi, Wine

Sauvages 71Above

Dec17

Restaurant: 71Above [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

Location: 633 W 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071

Date: October 26, 2018

Cuisine: New American

Rating: Awesome in all ways

71Above is one of my favorite LA restaurants and I’ve been many times. Today the location plays host to a special aged Cabernet Sauvignon lunch with our Sauvages group with a special menu prepared by chef Vartan Abgaryan and a number of guest chefs.

Besides being located on the 71st floor (950 feet up!) of the US Bank building, being the highest restaurant west of the Mississippi, and showcasing the food of Chef Vartan Abgaryan, it’s owned and operated by my friend Emil Eyvazoff!

The main dining hall is gorgeous but we were in the private room for today’s lunch.

Here the crew is gathering in the private room — same view, different quadrant.

Our special menu, designed custom by Emil and Vartan.

2016 Domaine Pernot-Bélicard Beaune 1er Cru Pertuisots Blanc. 90 points.

1995 Kalin Cellars Chardonnay Cuvée CH. JG 94. The 1995 Kalin Cellars “Cuvée CH” Chardonnay is a beautiful bottle of wine that has reached its apogee of maturity, wafting from the glass in a pure and classy bouquet of pear, a touch of passion fruit, delicate notes of browned butter, hazelnuts, beautiful, salty soil tones, gentle smokiness and a very deft framing of new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, focused and perfectly balanced, with a fine core of fruit, bright framing acids, lovely complexity and a long, vibrant and very classy finish. A beautiful example sourced from the Charles Heinz vineyard, the 1995 Kalin Cuvée CH is at its apogee today, but will have no trouble cruising along for many years to come.

Amazing bread and butter.

2003 Peter Michael Chardonnay Ma Belle-Fille. VM 90+. Deeply pitched aromas of dried apricot, baked apple and vanillin oak, with a suggestion of tropical fruits. Broad and dry in the middle palate and not yet expressing itself. A bit edgy and phenolic on the finish, with slightly aggressive alcohol. Morlet says this is better than the 2002, but today it’s very closed.

Roasted Okinawan Potato. Za’atar, pomegranate, lebneh, lime. Super bright and zesty with nice Mediterranean flavors.

1968 Inglenook Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. I don’t know exactly which bottling.

1973 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County. VM 94. Chateau Montelena’s 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County is a real oddity. Not to be confused with the more famous 1973 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, the Sonoma County is a different wine, but very much compelling in its own right. Still remarkably fresh and beautifully layered in the glass, the 1973 impresses for its brightness and purity. Sweet red berries, crushed flowers and savory herbs add naunce on the sculpted finish. What a revelation this is.

1975 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection. 88 points.

Steak Tartare. Red onion, ginger, lime, toasted rice, mint, potato chips.

1981 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection. 92 points. Impeccable, almost unbelievable bottle condition. Cork looked brand new, with the penetration of a wine that was 2 years old, not 36 or 37… Caymus was misprinted on the cork and chants of “Rudy!” ensued….we started to wonder if this was fake. Lovely old California, with soft woody notes, and black tea.

1984 Sullivan Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Rutherford.

1984 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23. 95 points. Aromas of candied cherry, funk, earth and dried blackberry. Still quite young on the palate with flavors of cherry, dried blackberry, earth and a touch of mint. Ends with a big fruit filled finish of 40 seconds. A great bottle of wine.

Agnolotti. Cacio e pepe with puffs of delicate cheese inside. I could have eaten 6 plates of these!

1994 Cabernet Sauvignon Buckeye Vineyard.

1995 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley. VM 87. Full ruby-red. Crushed blackberry, bitter cherry, dark chocolate, licorice and oak spice on the nose. Bright, intensely flavored and juicy, with penetrating fruit and hints of leather and fresh herbs. But rather small in scale, finishing with decent length and a faint greenness.

1996 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow. VM 89-92. Very good deep ruby color. Penetrating nose of cassis, minerals and violet; offers an almost sappy sweetness. Fat and sweet in the mouth, with nicely integrated acids and a lively hint of mint. Finishes with rather suave, tongue-coating tannins. Very nicely balanced and stuffed with fruit.

1996 Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace. VM 87-89. Deep ruby. Aromas of spicy, crystallized dark berries. Supple and lush, with good concentration and enticing sweetness. Minerally suggestion of graphite. Finishes with dusty, even tannins and a slightly edgy quality. An expressive wine that should give early pleasure.

Young chicken. Smoked eggplant, za’atar, olive, pickled raisin, walnut basil.

1997 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate. VM 93. Bright, dark red with ruby tones. Mellow aromas of currant, raspberry, smoke, spices and earth, complemented by sexy oak-spicy perfume and emerging notes of leather and pungent minerality. Utterly pliant and fine-grained, with inviting currant and cherry fruit accented by fresh herbs, menthol and licorice. Like a traditional Médoc wine in the way its subtle green components add complexity and lift. This energetic midweight spreads out to saturate the entire palate with a fine dusting of serious tannins. Very strong juice!

1997 A. Rafanelli Cabernet Sauvignon Terrace Select. 95 points.

1998 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. VM 97. Ironically, the 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain from a much weaker vintage than 1997 on paper, is a much more interesting wine. Huge and explosive on the palate, the 1998 boasts serious depth and concentration. Iron, smoke, anise and dark red/blackish fruit all swirl around in the glass in a striking, nuanced Cabernet that is among the wines of the year in Napa Valley. If there is a dark horse in this tasting, the 1998 is it. Beautiful.

1999 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon. VM 93. Bright, saturated medium ruby. Very ripe, sweet, aromatic nose combines bitter cherry, currant, chocolate, espresso, baking spices and licorice. Expansive, sweet and mouthfilling; almost shockingly large-scaled for this wine. Velvety and seamless, with ripe acids giving the wine shape. Subtle notes of currant leaf, maple syrup and game. Finishes rich and long, with sweet tannins. Seems riper and more textured than recent vintages of this wine. After 24 hours in the recorked bottle, this showed cassis and bitter chocolate flavors, an even firmer structure and compelling sweetness.

Pork. Parsnip puree, charred shishitos, grapes, tarragon.

Emil just “had” to have some steak too, so some hanger steak.

2018 Valdespino Manzanilla Deliciosa en Rama. Very dry sherry — not my thing despite the fact that I LOVE PX.

Cheese. Domestic selections with seasonal accompaniments.

Bread for said cheese.

Macchiato.

Wine with a view.

My bad notes.

Half the gang.

And the other half.

Left to right: Emil, chef Vartan, and one of his assistant chefs.

Sommelier Catherine Morel with Albert in foreground photobomb.

The view of Glendale.

Heading down!

But then Emil and crew built out such a lovely space to capture the drama. It’s modern, but welcoming. Not too loud, you can here the conversation and the music both. And from when you enter off the double elevator ascent it folds from one experience to another: lounge, dining room, more intimate corridors, chef table, quiet and romantic view areas in the back, and a series of two adjustable private dining rooms. The attention to architectural detail is amazing.

Today’s lunch excelled on all counts. Service, food, company, and of course — despite the fact that I don’t really love California wine — the wines. It’s clear that past about 30 years these wines were really nice. The 80s in particular are in a really sweet spot. Too bad so many of them now are made in the giant extracted style.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Cabernet Sauvignon, DTLA, Emil Eyvazoff, lunch, Sauvages, Vartan Abgaryan, Wine

No Drama at Dama

Nov12

Restaurant: Dama Fashion District

Location: 612 E 11th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015. (213) 741-0612

Date: September 24, 2018

Cuisine: Spanish / Mexican — aka “Latin Inspired”

Rating: Super tasty

This slog through traffic to Downtown LA (which actually wasn’t too bad due to a late hour and it being a Monday) was to visit trendy new Dama which serves up some “Latin Inspired” food in a lounge-like setting in the Fashion District.

This is an attractive building in the middle of the big space that also contains Rossoblu.

The interior is vaguely “Cuban” or something, we didn’t eat there.

We did eat out on the patio as it was a lovely warm evening.

The menu. We ordered almost everything.

From their list: 2017 Dos de Uvas Albariño Rías Baixas Tabla de Sumar. A very “heavy” Albariño.

Guacamole. Pickled chilies, persian cucumber, cilantro, lime, crispy tortillas. Uh, classic.

Here be crispy tortillas.

Piquillo peppers. Marinated olives, anchovies, charred bread.

Crispy squash flowers. Farmer’s cheese, goat cheese, thyme, chive. Two kinds of cheese? Imagine that!

Erick brought: 1978 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial. VM 93. Medium red with an amber rim. Highly complex bouquet of fresh and dried red fruits, cherry skin, pipe tobacco, smoky minerals, cigar box and potpourri. Sweet strawberry and cherry flavors stain the palate but are strikingly lithe. Cured tobacco and candied rose flavors emerge with aeration, and the fruit takes a darker turn toward cherry. The tannins have been completely absorbed, allowing the wine’s almost decadent sweetness to come through. Expensive, yes, but this would offer newly minted wine lovers an insight into the personality of aged wine from a great region and a very good vintage for the same price as many newly released Napa or Bordeaux wines.

Aguachile. Haramasa, red pearl onion, radish, lime, cilantro, chive. Very bright flavored. Zesty.

Empanadas. Dry aged ground beef, greeon onion, smoked paprika, Brazilian hot vinegar. You can never go wrong with an empanada!

Seafood Tostada. Octopus, calamari, shrimp, cherry tomatoes, charred summer corn, chilies, cilantro, avocado. Like ceviche, almost.

Chad brought: 1990 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia Vino da Tavola. VM 94. The 1990 Ornellaia foreshadows an opulent style that would become the norm in future years. A rich, dense Ornellaia, the 1990 offers exceptional balance in its expressive bouquet, ripe fruit and beautifully balanced acidity. Earthiness, licorice, smoke and menthol linger on the elegant finish. In 1990 temperatures were unusually warm toward the end of the growing season, which comes through in the wine’s generous, open personality. The 1990 Ornellaia is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc. The wine spent 15 months in French oak, 40% of which was new.

Kirk brought: 1997 Antinori Solaia Toscana IGT. VM 95. For many years, the 1997 Solaia was super-concentrated. Actually, it still is pretty intense, but over the last few years, some of the baby fat has begun to melt away, revealing a wine with tons of nuance. The 1997 clearly belongs in this flight of milestones. This is another memorable Solaia with no signs of fading.

Cucumber. Pumpkin seeds, espelette, mint, oregano, green onion, apple cider vinegar. Crunch and strong flavored, I really liked this dish.

Crispy Potato. Market wax beans, spicy mayo, herbs, chimichurri.

Bocadillo. Crispy black calamari, pickled sweet peppers, jalapeno, scallions, cilantro, gribiche. Really tasty and zesty.

Lamb chops. Olive salsa verde, arugula.

Kirk & Sandy. Click here to see Sandy in 1991!

Yarom brought: 2009 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT. VM 95. The 2009 Redigaffi bursts onto the palate with an exciting mélange of blackberries, grilled herbs, flowers, mint, rosemary and spices. It is a powerful, juicy Merlot loaded with fruit, but there is also more than enough structure to provide support. Dark notes of tar, incense and smoke add complexity on the finish. Generally I prefer Redigaffi between ages 5 and 15.

Bone marrow. Pickled serrano chili, garlic, arugula.

Oxtail Taco. Oxtail, cabbage, queso fresco, radish, avocado, hot pickled vegetables. Awesome little tacos.

Clams & Chorizo. Basil rosemary, oregano, garlic, Spanish cider, butter, charred bread.

Corn. Queso fresco, cotija, cilantro aioli, chili lime salt. Awesome, and like a slightly fancy version of what you get from a cart nearby!

From my cellar: NV Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único Reserva Especial 1996, 1998, 2002 (2016 Release). 96 points. deep, dense – interesting wine

Sandy brought: 2012 The Mascot. 92 points. Dusty and high in tannins. Drank over a few hours. Softened, and became more fruity over the time. Never fruit forward. Always a bit more subtle in taste. Bold dry tannin structure.

Crispy Porn Shank. Lettuce cups, hot pickled vegetables, avocado crema.

Linguisa Pinwheel. Frisee, arugula, machego, pickled shishitos, tarragon, sherry. I always love sausage.

Rotisserie chicken. French fries, sherry cilantro aioli, tomatillo salsa, charred lemon.

And more sauces.

The wine lineup. Awesome wines tonight!

Strauss soft serve ice cream. Pacific banana co sundae, buttered bananas, caramel, peanuts.

Peanut butter cookie. Peanut butter cream, powdered sugar.

Churros. Cinnamon, super fine sugar.

4 out of 6 of the gang (minus Yarom and I who are standing). Can you believe how much we ordered? And many of the dishes we got two of! The food was actually very good. Extremely bright, interesting, and brash flavors. The wines tonight were amazing too. All hitting out of the park and perfect with the big food.

Service was excellent. They do have a $35/35/50… corkage, which is good in that you can open as many bottles as you like, not quite as good as the $50 for the 3rd and more bottle is a bit steep. The atmosphere on the patio in the warm weather was fabulous.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!