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Archive for flan

Mercado Madness

Nov08

Restaurant: Mercado

Location: Los Angeles, California 90048. 323.944.0947

Date: November 5, 2013

Cuisine: Mexican

Rating: Solid modern Mexican.

_

The Hedonist gang loves to try out new places, plus it was David’s birthday! Mercado is a recent entry into the crowded LA Mexican arena from co-owner Jesse Gomez and chef Jose Acevedo.


The Mercado space on the crowded 3rd street drag is modern and that is also reflected in the fresh take on traditional dishes.


Fitting decor for being so close to the day of the dead! People really hauled out the wines, as we had twenty bottles crowded onto that table!


2004 Billecart-Salmon Champagne.


2006 Sea Smoke Pinot Noir Ten. Burghound 86. This is also extremely ripe with the same notes of menthol along with touches of cherry cough syrup, red berries, chocolate and coffee notes that continue onto the mouth coating, serious and structured finish that is again not particularly well integrated into the body of the wine. Here though the finish is not harsh so much as just awkward.


Guacamole – hass avocado, serrano, cilantro, red onion, chile de arbol salsa, spicy pepitas, fresh chips. These were some of the best nachos and guac I’ve had.


2007 Frédéric Magnien Fixin Crais de Chene. Burghound 86-89.  A subtle touch of wood sets off earthy and reasonably complex aromas of red and blue fruit as well as lovely violet nuances that merge into rich, round and supple flavors that possess an attractive textured on the delicious, long and nicely sappy finish that carries less rusticity than one might otherwise expect.


From my cellar, 1978 Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial. Parker 93. One of the wines of the night (IMHO). The 1978 Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial spent 18 years in barrel and 10 years in bottle prior to release. It still has a deep cherry red color along with an aromatic array of underbrush, brier, tobacco, incense, and blackberry. It has slightly sweeter fruit and livelier acidity than the 1994. This lengthy effort is at its peak now.


Carnitas nachos. Chips, pork chunks, marinated carrots, chili con queso, guacamole. Quite tasty, as I’m partial to both chili con queso and carnitas.


1994 Marques de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial. Parker 94. The 1994 Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial reveals no age in its appearance. Deep purple-colored, it sports nicely developed, complex aromas with elements of Asian spices, balsamic, lavender, mineral, and blackberry. Elegant, intense, and concentrated, it is balanced by vibrant acidity.


1989 Marques de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay. Parker 92. This traditionally run Bodegas estate bottles all of its wines. The 1989 Castillo y Gay Grand Reserva Especial, which represents 25% of the estate’s production, and is produced only in top vintages, is the flagship wine of Marques de Murrieta. The deep ruby/purple-colored 1989 offers up smoky, sweet, jammy black cherry fruit aromas intertwined with scents of minerals, tobacco, and vanillin. Medium-bodied and ripe, with outstanding levels of fruit, glycerin, and extract, low acidity, and ripe tannin, this hedonistic, luscious Rioja can be drunk now and over the next 15+ years.

Mexican Kale Salad – kale, arugula, candied pumpkin seeds, pears, dried strawberries, cotija-pesto croutons,
agave-lime vinaigrette. Many complained that the vinegar clashed with our heavy reds.


1970 Bodegas El Coto Rioja Coto de Imaz. 89 points.


1970 Berberana Rioja Reserva Carta de Oro. Vanilla and cherry at first on the nose give an impression of cream soda. Resolved, cherry and brown sugar palate with adequate acidity and something savory and creamy. Perfectly enjoyable.


Lobster taco – with slaw. This was tasty, but the shell was a hair soggy and some felt the lobster a little fishy.


1986 Marqués de Cáceres Rioja Gran Reserva. 87 points. Still very pleasurable, but it has obviously seen better days. The nose smelt like something quite a bit older, with wafts of balsamic vinegar, suggestions of dried leaves and undergrowth, and only after that more classic matured Tempranillo notes of cooked plums and cigarette smoke. Thankfully, the palate was not quite as tired as the nose would suggest. The dried leaves and balsamic notes were there in some measure, but these were more background notes that the main act, with the wine showing nice little notes of sour plums, a touch of meat and some smoked tea leaves as it moved into a very soft, mellow finish draped with velvety tannins.


1987 Bodegas Rioja Santiago Rioja gran condal. 88 points.


Alambres de Camarõn – Mexican sweet shrimp skewers, cilantro pesto, chayote with calabacitas.


1998 La Rioja Alta Rioja Gran Reserva 904. IWC 93. Bright red with an amber rim. Pungent, expansive scents of dried red fruits, potpourri, vanilla and pipe tobacco, with a spicy overtone. The silky palate offers penetrating redcurrant and bitter cherry flavors sweetened by notes of vanilla and mocha. Finishes smooth and long, with very soft tannins and lingering floral notes. Ready to drink but there’s very good depth here, suggesting (along with this wine’s track record) that it will reward further patience. I also had the chance to re-try the outstanding 2001 Vina Ardanza, which is aging at a snail’s pace and really needs more time for the oak to fully integrate with its fruit. Right now the vanilla character is dominating but there’s obviously excellent material underneath it.


2002 Dominio de Atauta Ribera del Duero. IWC 89. Bright ruby-red. Black raspberry, violet pastille and a whiff of tar on the nose. Texture currently stunted by sulfur but the flavors of blackberry and violet pastille offer lovely purity-not to mention impressive ripeness and intensity for the year. Finishes with tongue-dusting tannins.


Carnitas – Chef Jose’s slow-cooked natural pork, guacamole, chile de arbol salsa, cauliflower with escabeche


1970 Château Mouton Rothschild. Parker 93. I have had a remarkable number of opportunities to taste this wine. One of the most frustratingly irregular wines I have ever encountered, the 1970 Mouton can range from pure nectar, to a wine that is angular, austere, and frightfully hard and tannic. This bottle (one of the Reserve du Chateau bottlings that was mistakenly released by the estate and labeled with the letters R.C., rather than a number) was impossible to assess when decanted, given its hard, tough, impenetrable style. Nearly eight hours later, the wine had opened magnificently to reveal a classic bouquet of sweet cassis, tobacco, minerals, and exotic spice aromas. Opulent, full-bodied, thick, and juicy, the extraordinary evolution of this particular bottle would make a persuasive argument for long-term decanting. After being perplexed throughout much of this wine’s evolution, I was reassured by this bottle. No doubt Mouton’s high Cabernet Sauvignon content causes this wine to go through a tight, hard, ungenerous stage.


1985 Haut Bailly. Parker 86. There is not a great deal of depth to this Haut Bailly. Nevertheless, it offers charm, finesse, and a sweet black berry/curranty fruitiness. Some of the new oak and smokiness that were present when the wine was young has dissipated to reveal a slight herbaceousness behind the new oak. The wine is medium-bodied, with soft tannin, and some flesh on the attack that quickly narrows out to a lighter style, supple yet unexciting wine.

A lot of people really liked this wine.


Carne Asada – prime marinated skirt steak, guacamole, cebollines, grilled corn.


2001 Chateau des Tours Vacqueyras. Parker 88. The beautiful, elegant, seductive 2001 Vacqueyras is a serious effort. Its medium ruby color is followed by distinctive kirsch liqueur notes intermixed with freshly ground pepper, licorice, and strawberries.


2007 Caves Saint-Pierre Châteauneuf-du-Pape Le Fiacre du Pape. 90 points. Ripe, crushed red berry juice with savory, earthy notes of mushroom and truffle influence. Aromas of blackberry juice, brambly wild berry, oak vanillin, grilled herbs and warm berry tart. Nice texture. A bit tart on the entry with big acid. Richly flavored and hedonistic in style with lush red and black fruit, fresh herbs, a stony minerality and some earthy and dried leaf notes. Suggestions of violet and lavender oil also. Hints of espresso. I could do with a tad less acid, so perhaps added time in the bottle will relax/integrate that.

Pollo en Salsa de Chipotle – Free-range half chicken, chipotle wild mushroom sauce, queso fresco
mashed potatoes.


2001 Domaine de la Solitude Chateauneuf du Pape la Reserve Secrete. Parker 96. Absolutely prodigious, and unquestionably one of the vintage’s most illustrious wines, is the modern-styled 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reserve Secrete. A blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah, aged 75% in small oak casks and 25% in tank, an awesome nose of creme de cassis, graphite, kirsch, licorice, and vanilla soars from the glass of this saturated ruby/purple-colored wine. With extravagant richness, a sumptuous texture, and tremendous opulence as well as purity, this stunning, modern-styled Chateauneuf du Pape retains the soul and typicity of Provence as well as Chateauneuf du Pape. One of the vintage’s greatest wines, it is a brilliant achievement.


2005 Penfolds Shiraz Magill Estate. Parker 92. The 2005 Magill Estate Shiraz was barrel-fermented and spent 14 months in French and American oak. It delivers a super-expressive nose of smoked meat, game pencil lead, pepper, blueberry, and blackberry leading to an elegant Shiraz with superb depth and grip. This lengthy effort will provide pleasure through 2020.


Farmers’ Market Enchiladas – Chef Jose’s hand-picked vegetables, yellow mole, queso fresco, nopalitos.


1992 Gaja Langhe Sito Moresco. Still lots of tanic structure.


2010 Tobin James Syrah James Gang Reserve. 2010 Syrah? Eeek gads.


Tacos Carnitas!


Flan. This was a great flan. Ignore the sauce, which might have been Bailieys or something, but the flan was very creamy, a real custard.

Overall, another fabulous night. The food was good, although perhaps a hair uneven, but the wines and company were amazing as always. Service was absolutely first rate. They really took care of us — although next time they need to bring the entrees out one at a time. With wine dinners, multiple courses at once can be overwhelming.

For more LA dining reviews click here,

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

Yarom with owner Jesse Gomez

Related posts:

  1. Big Bottle Madness at Kali Dining
  2. Totoraku Double Meat Madness
  3. Hedonists at La Paella
  4. Pig Ear is Here – Taberna Arros y Vi
  5. More Hedonism at La Paella
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Carnitas, Dessert, flan, hedonists, Meat, Mercado, Mexican cuisine, rioja, Wine

Luminous Lechon Pigout!

Oct23

Restaurant: Eva’s Lechon

Location: 4252 W. 3rd st. Los Angeles CA 90020. 213-383-3179

Date: October 19, 2013

Cuisine: Filipino

Rating: Total Pig Out!

_

Months in the works, it’s finally time for the highly anticipated Hedonist whole suckling pig out!


Elisabeth and Jake were very generous to host us at their lovely 20s Hacienda.


This setting definitely does NOT suck.


Wayne went crazy tonight and brought some really fabulous wines, like this top top champagne.

1996 Salon. Parker 97+. The 1996 Salon is yet another wine that is maturing splendidly. Once focused to the point of being painfully austere and angular, today the 1996 Salon has begun to soften and fill out. My latest bottles have been rich, generous and totally compelling in every way.


What is wine without a little cheese. Next to the nuts is a washed rind.


2004 Marcassin Chardonnay Three Sisters Vineyard. IWC 93+. Slightly deeper yellow than the Zio Tony. Pure, subdued nose hints at lemon, ginger, spring flowers and flinty minerality. Then almost shockingly fat, broad and rich in the mouth, with elevated alcohol contributing to the impression of plumpness. Dry yet luscious, with a honeyed flavor. Finishes with considerable breadth and power, and more obvious structure than the Zio Tony. But this one really calls for a year or two of additional aging.


And a blu cheese.

2006 Moraga Vineyard Proprietary White. Parker 92. The 2006 Proprietary White offers beautiful notes of honeyed lemon blossoms, melons, figs, and flinty undertones. Well-integrated acidity, wood, and alcohol has rendered one of the finest California Sauvignon Blancs money can buy. It should continue to drink well for several more years. This is one of the most distinctive little treasures in California. A tiny, 9.5-acre vineyard (5 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Sauvignon Blanc) is planted on some of California’s most expensive real estate, the sloping hillsides composed of limestone and sandstone in Bel Air.


And a creamy (almost like butter) cheese that I think was Brillat-Savarin. I can’t be sure, but the style is right and I loved it, which makes it likely.


And a slightly moldy (on purpose) brie.


From my cellar, 1970 La Rioja Alta Rioja Viña Alberdi Crianza. It was a little shaken up by the journey here, including having been rolled down a bumpy street in my wine bag, so the sediment had mixed into the wine, but the flavor was there. Almost Burgundian, with a crisp acidity and a lot of “red berry” fruit.


1995 R. López de Heredia Rioja Viña Bosconia Coscha. 92 points. Dark red. A kaleidoscopic bouquet evokes candied red fruits, incense, pipe tobacco and potpourri, with hints of woodsmoke, leather and Asian spices gaining strength in the glass. Silky and sweet, with intense raspberry liqueur and bitter cherry flavors that take a darker turn with air. Tangy acidity adds lift and focus to a strikingly long, sappy finish. This wine belies its age with its vivacity.Dark red. A kaleidoscopic bouquet evokes candied red fruits, incense, pipe tobacco and potpourri, with hints of woodsmoke, leather and Asian spices gaining strength in the glass. Silky and sweet, with intense raspberry liqueur and bitter cherry flavors that take a darker turn with air. Tangy acidity adds lift and focus to a strikingly long, sappy finish. This wine belies its age with its vivacity.


1998 Clos du Marquis. Parker 90. A superb effort, the 1998 exhibits abundant quantities of black currant and cherry fruit subtley dosed with toasty oak. A medium to full-bodied, nicely-textured, pure effort, with a moderately tannic finish.


Wayne goes all out again, 1995 Guigal Cote Rotie la Turque. Parker 98-100. The 1995 Cote Rotie La Turque (about 7% Viognier in the blend) possesses a dense ruby/purple color, and roasted herb, olive, and Asian spice characteristics. It exhibits exceptional concentration and is velvety and concentrated. The fabulous 1995 La Turque is a virtually perfect wine with flamboyance, harmony, and remarkable opulence and length. It should drink well when released, and last for two decades.

Psych. We didn’t open it, too good for BBQ!


2009 Mouton-Rothschild. Parker 99+. The 2009 Mouton Rothschild has a striking label from Anish Kapoor. The wine is a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot that begs comparison as a young wine with what the 1982 tasted like in 1985 or, I suspect, what the 1959 may have tasted like in 1962. Representing 50% of their production, the wine has an inky purple color to the rim and not terribly high alcohol for a 2009 (13.2%), but that is reflected by the high percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a remarkable nose of lead pencil shavings, violets, creme de cassis and subtle barrique smells. It is stunningly opulent, fat, and super-concentrated, but the luxurious fruit tends to conceal some rather formidable tannins in the finish. This is an amazing wine that will be slightly more drinkable at an earlier age than I thought from barrel, but capable of lasting 50 or more years. Kudos to the Baroness Philippine de Rothschild and the entire Mouton team, lead by Monsieur Dalhuin.

More psych, also saved for another day.


1996 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. Parker 96. The 1996 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain possesses a black/blue/purple color, and a texture of unctuosity and thickness. Greatness is suggested by a wonderfully sweet mid-section, gorgeous purity, and this humongous wine’s overall symmetry. It also possesses sumptuous layers of concentration, remarkably sweet tannin, low acidity, and a 40+ second finish.

This one we drank!


2006 Lillian Syrah. Parker 94. The second release from Maggie Harrison, previously an apprentice at Sine Qua Non, the 2006 Syrah from Lillian is even better than the excellent 2005. Totally sourced from the White Hawk Vineyard, and aged in 65% new oak for 23 months, there are 508 cases of this beautiful Syrah. Notes of creme de cassis, blackberries, spice, incense, flowers, ground pepper, licorice, and subtle smoke are followed by a full-bodied, layered, multidimensional, big (15.6% alcohol) Syrah. Beautifully balanced, elegant, and pure, it should age gracefully for a decade or more.


1995 Vineyard 29 Cabernet Sauvignon Grace Family Vineyard. 93 points. Superripe, sappy nose combines blackcurrant, chocolate and brown spices. Sweet, supple and chewy on the palate; already displays expressive inner-mouth aromatics. A fairly big wine, finishing with excellent length and thoroughly buffered tannins. Faint notes of roast coffee and game on the aftertaste.


2005 Marquis Philips Shiraz 9. IWC 87+. Saturated ruby. Powerful, room-filling aromas of dark berry compote, vanilla, chocolate, cola and espresso aromas show a head-spinning quality (this says 16.5% alcohol on the label). Fat, soft and oily, with sweet cassis, plum and blackberry flavors sweetened by mocha and vanilla. Doesn’t seem especially tannic but maybe they’re lurking underneath the wine’s confectionary quality. An unctuous, jammy example of shiraz that could use more energy, but this style has its fans. (The other ’05 releases I tasted from this producer were all solidly made but on the jammy side.)


2008 Cayuse Syrah Bionic Frog. IWC 96. Bright dark red. Multidimensional nose delivers black raspberry, brown sugar, smoky cardamom and black olive. Superconcentrated, sappy and rich, showing a rare blend of power and delicacy. No single element dominates this outstanding syrah; flavors of red and black fruits, pepper and spices wash over the palate in a wave. Finishes with very fine tannins and great persistence.


2005 Cascina Tiole Barolo. Nice, if a little young.


2002 Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvignon Estate. Parker 95+. The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is an amazingly rich, full-throttle effort boasting notes of blackberries, creme de cassis, acacia flowers, graphite and wood smoke. This massive effort tastes more like a mountain-styled Cabernet Sauvignon than one from the Oakville valley floor. It should be forgotten for another 5-6 years and drunk over the following quarter of a century.


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2005 Château Cap de Mourlin. 90 points. Eye: deep dark purple. Nose: berries, smoke, lots of fruit, spice. Palate: round, fruity, some structure hidden, slight sweetness, medium finish.


Most of the food came tonight from Eva’s, a traditional Filipino BBQ place that many say has the best pig in the city.


And here is the poor guy.


I’m not sure I’d look so cheerful if 25 Hedonists were about to carve into my back and chow down!


Pancit Bihon. Thin rice noodles with soy sauce, lemon, and cabbage. Very tasty, and our only starch (we badly needed rice).


Pinakbet. Chicken, green beans, and squash in a fermented fish sauce (probably some coconut milk in there too).


Pork and chicken adobo. Meat cooked in a mix of vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic.


Dinuguan. Blood stew with pork or beef (traditionally pork). The blood is pig blood and there are some peppers and potato in there. Despite the frightening appearance and scary concept it was quite tasty.


Arroz Caldo. Sticky rice porriage with chicken, garlic, and ginger. Surprisingly tasty with a congee like texture.


Lumpiang Shanghai. Or Shanghai eggroll. Little fried rolls stuffed with meat (probably pork and shrimp).


Kare-kare. A peanut curry with cabbage, green beans, and some kind of meat, maybe oxtail. Traditionally, it’s oxtail, brisket, and tripe. The meat was very dense and chewy.


The feeding frenzy.


Looks like Thanksgiving, but unfortunately, since there was no rice, all the stews blended. It still tasted good, but probably was a little chaotic.


Wayne strikes again with a magnum of: 2001 Château d’Yquem. Parker 100. There are 10,000 cases of this perfect sweet white Bordeaux. The 2001 Yquem reveals a hint of green in its light gold color. While somewhat reticent aromatically, with airing, it offers up honeyed tropical fruit, orange marmalade, pineapple, sweet creme brulee, and buttered nut-like scents. In the mouth, it is full-bodied with gorgeously refreshing acidity as well as massive concentration and unctuosity. Everything is uplifted and given laser-like focus by refreshing acidity. This large-scaled, youthful Yquem appears set to take its place among the most legendary vintages of the past, and will age effortlessly for 75+ years. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2100+.


Some lovely fresh fruit tart.


A nice cake.

We’ve enjoyed this Santorini Vin Santo before. It’s good, but after the D’Yquem…


Biko-biko. Caramelized sticky rice. Mild and pleasant.


Flan. I do love flan.


And fresh made whipped cream, whipped up by our host right then and there. I shouldn’t have, but I did.

Overall, this was another awesome evening. The pig was some of the best I’ve ever had, the wines were great, and the atmosphere and the company fantastic. What more can you ask for in an evening?

Discover more crazy Hedonists adventures on my Hedonist page or

For more LA dining reviews click here.


Hanging out.


And the lovely house by moonlight.

Related posts:

  1. Memorial Day Pig
  2. Hedonists at STK again!
  3. Big Bottle Madness at Kali Dining
  4. Hedonists at Dahab
  5. Hedonists at La Paella
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Dessert, Filipino Cuisine, flan, hedonists, Lechon, Philippines, suckling pig, Wine

Here Piggy – Botin Madrid

Dec29

Restaurant: Botin

Location: Madrid Spain

Date: July 1, 2010

Cuisine: Classic Spanish

 

At the end of our month in Spain we wanted to hit up a totally traditional Spanish place for our final dinner. This place in Madrid claims to be the “oldest restaurant in the world.” True or not, it does serve a narrow but good menu of traditional Spanish fare. And this means pig — lots of pig!

The storefront in the heart of old Madrid.

The speciality of the house is roast baby piglet. They told me they go through 50-60 complete pigs a night! You can see them lined up in their terrines waiting for the ovens.

Oink oink!

Their fiery doom.

“The 2007 Les Terrasses is the same blend as the Camins cuvee but entirely sourced from old vines. It spent 12 months in 20% new French oak. Aromas of mineral, Asian spices, espresso, black cherry, and black raspberry lead to a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, smooth-textured wine. Savory, moderately structured, and approachable, it may evolve for 1-2 years but can be enjoyed now and over the next 6-8 years.” Parker gives it a 92.

The building sure looks old.

This traditional Gazpacho was very good — and included the tray of “additives” (cucumber, tomato, crouton). Even I — a consummate raw tomato hater — loved it.

Pimientos Rojos with Boquerones in Vinegar. I love this dish. Anchovies have a bad rap here in the states, but these fresh Spanish ones are amazing. I love the vinegary tang, and the contrast with the marinated peppers. Yum!

Here is the pig in the foreground — with potatoes — the Spanish love meat and potatoes. In the background is roasted lamb shoulder.

The lamb plated. Smokey, rich and tender. The piggy was someone else’s, after looking at the little pigs I just couldn’t bring myself to chow down on one. I didn’t see the lamb.  Bah!

Perfect flan for dessert. Rich custardy goodness and sweet dark carmel.

The funky old school Spanish decor.

the register certainly looks antique.

The cellar.

By the entrance, where they keep the olives they put on the table, is this sad little photo of babe.

Related posts:

  1. Food as Art: Calima
  2. Food as Art: Capo
  3. Food as Art: Ortolan
  4. Food as Art: The Bazaar
  5. Food as Art: Saddle Peak Lodge
By: agavin
Comments (2)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: anchovies, Cooking, Dessert, eating-spain, flan, Food, Gazpacho, lamb, Madrid, meal, Pig, pork, Restaurant, Spain, vegetarian
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