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Archive for Indian cuisine

Robo Eats – Anarbagh

Mar19

Restaurant: Anarbagh

Location: 22721 Ventura Blvd, Woodland Hills, CA 91364. (818) 224-3929

Date: September 20, 2022

Cuisine: Indian

Rating: Ok old fashioned Indian

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During my son’s robotics team meetings I have a chance to explore random spots in the Western San Fernando Valley, so I’m nicking naming this the “Robo Eats” series.
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Anarbagh is a well rated Indian with several branches.
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Obviously this location was once some kind of mid century restaurant.
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Inside it has that drop ceiling and booth “classic” Indian restaurant vibe. Part of the classic style has always seemed a near absence of customers. I guess most people order takeout.
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Papadam and chutney’s to start.
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Chicken Tikka Masala. A little heat, fairly sweet. Decent, but not savory enough. Nowhere near as good as at Akbar.
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Lamb Korma. Decent, but still not enough flavor.
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Shrimp Sag. Pretty good.
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Eggplant Bharta. Also pretty good, but not the best I’ve had.
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Free bit of Persian-style sweet.

Anarbagh is fine, but it’s that kind of old school Indian where all the curries are vaguely similar, vaguely sweet, and pretty thin. They don’t have a lot of personality. They are heavy, and it’s still enjoyable, but it’s so hard to find really good Indian restaurants in LA. Akbar is my favorite and a few others — like Mandovi — are at least much more interesting.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Quick Eats – Tara’s Himalayan
  2. Quick Eats – Tumbi
  3. Quick Eats – Valley Pho
  4. Quick Eats – Mondo Taco
  5. Quick Eats: Chan Dara
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: curry, Indian cuisine, Robo Eats, SFV

Loire at Akbar

Jul14

Restaurant: Akbar [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Location: 3115 Washington Blvd, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292. (310) 574-0666

Date: November 4, 2021

Cuisine: Indian

Rating: Bold and balanced flavors

ANY CHARACTER HERE

It’s time for my my Hedonist group to return to LA’s best Indian restaurant, Akbar (Santa Monica branch). Too many Indian places focus on low cost buffets of very over cooked food, but Akbar cooks everything to order — even baking their own Naan when you place the order. They are more focused on the cuisine of the Punjab (Northern India), with very good curries and kormas. You can get anything from extremely mild to blow the top of your head off. Once I had the “pepper lamb” on 5 (max heat) and my scalp sweat for hours.

Tonight’s event is a Dirty Dozen blind tasting focusing on Loire wines, both sweet and dry.

Fellow Hedonist Chef Avi commands the kitchen!

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NV Henriot Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. VM 91. Pale yellow-gold. Fragrant melon, white peach and tangerine aromas are complicated by smoky lees and floral honey. On the palate, supple melon and pit fruit flavors are energized by smoky minerality. Shows a gently sweet touch and finishes with excellent cut, clarity and persistence.
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2009 Domaine Huet Vouvray Pétillant Réserve Brut. VM 93. The 2009 Vouvray Pétillant Réserve is dry and bracing. A wine of substance and power, the 2009 has a lot to offer. Today, I especially admire its breadth. Yellow orchard fruits, plum, dried flowers and chamomile abound, but the 2009 remains a wine endowed with tremendous palate presence. It is very much a wine for the dinner table. (Drink between 2020-2027)
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Tonight’s special menu. It was custom designed to “try” to pair okay with the Loire wines, which is a bit of a challenge considering how strong and flavorful (in an entirely good way) Akbar’s food is.
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Gobi Manchurian. Cauliflower breaded, fried, and tossed in a super spicy super delicious Chinese inspired sauce.
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A non spicy variant.
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Shrimp Makhani Cocktail.
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2018 Didier Dagueneau Sancerre Les Monts Damnés. 90 points. Quite tight at first, air coaxing out an herbal profile, dried hay, perhaps the slightest bit of tropical fruit such as kiwi. Acidity is more balanced than expected. Give this time. Peter 91. This started out quite stinky and herbal and smoothed out after 15-20 min. slight kiwi here as well, high acidity, very nice, taught. Guessed ’18 Dagueneau. Very young. Will improve with 2-5 years+. Although I haven’t had any Dagueneau’s so far that have aged well past 10-12 years. DD at Akbar blind–Loire Whites.
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2014 Didier Dagueneau Sancerre Les Monts Damnés. Peter 93. Like yellow with green hints; nice citrusy notes, slight herbal, kiwi flavors, clean, great concentration but balanced and silky mouthfeel. Really superb. My #1, came in 8th/12. DD at Akbar blind–Loire Whites.
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2008 Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé Silex. Peter 89. Golden color, waxy note, honied, nutty; This was really dark and seemed like it had a lot more age on it than it did. Would have been ok for a 1998, not a 2008. Prematurely aged. DD at Akbar blind–Loire Whites.
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2018 Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé Silex. Peter 92. This was very pale in color; neutral nose at first, closed. Really blossomed after 20 minutes or so. Rich nicely textured silky body with nice balancing acidity, deep but quiet at first. Light herbal quality, ripe grapefruit blossom. clean minerality. Very nice and ended up first place out of the 12 Loire whites. DD at Akbar blind–Loire Whites. Try again in 2-3 yrs.
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Kerala Shrimp.
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Chilean Sea Bass Tandoori style.
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Naan.
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2015 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux 1ère Trie Clos du Bourg. Peter 92. Dark orange; lots of apricot, aged kind of peach pit, honey, molasses, sauterne sweet. This was delish, but thought it had 20 more years on it than it did! (guessed ’96 Quart de Chaumes). Probably b/c the color. Very good, but curious about the color. Could have been a storage issue that did not significantly affect the quality (for a ’15 I’m pretty sure it should have shown brighter and a bit fresher). DD at Akbar blind–Loire Whites.
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2015 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Le Mont. Peter 92. Gold-amber; minty note, apricot juice, herbal note with floral honey thing going on, med. sweet (not like 1er Trie); bright, clean for a Vouvray, high acid. Very cool, interesting to compare with the ’15 1er Trie side by side. DD at Akbar blind–Loire Whites.
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2016 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg. Peter 89. Med. gold, slight orange; almond, honey, med.- sweetness (as far as sweet wines go), a little bitter finish, wheat bread aspect, lower acidity on this. OK, but a top Chenin must have good acidity in my opinion. Not my fav. Interestingly enough, this came in 2nd place. DD at Akbar blind–Loire Whites.
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2016 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux Le Mont. Peter 89. Medium dark orange, slightly less than the ’15 1er Trie. Not sure why these are showing so dark so young. Like the ’16 Clos de Bourg Moelleux, med. acidity, and slightly nutty, just a slight hint of age/oxidation? So far not a fan of ’15 or ’16 in Vouvray, unless these have bottle issues. This got 11/12th place, with no votes. DD at Akbar blind–Loire Whites.
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Chicken Tikka.

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House favorite Chicken Tikka Masala. Another perfect batch of this amazing dish. The chicken itself is all super tender chunks of white meat. The sauce has this snappy tang and complex flavor.

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Chicken Akbari. Milder creamy sauce.
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Mushroom Pillau (rice with veggies).
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1989 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux 1ère Trie Le Mont. Peter 91. Medium gold-orange; almonds, minty, herbal, old nutty aspect but just as it should. Med+ acidity. Nice stuff. Aged well. DD at Akbar blind–Loire Whites.
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2002 Domaine Huet Vouvray Cuvée Constance. Peter 93. Dark orange, very sweet, nutty, honied, with great lifting acidity, complex and tasty. DD at Akbar blind–Loire Whites.
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2002 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru. Peter 90. Darker golden-orange; honey, nuts, excellent structure and acidity. NOtes lacking on this one. Interesting next to ’89 Vouvray Moelleux Le Mont. DD at Akbar blind–Loire Whites.
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1996 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru. Peter 93. Dark brown, pecan, botrytis notes, orange liqueur, orange peel, quite sweet but with good supporting acidity making it light on its feet, slight bitter phenolic finish, really good stuff. Like this vintage, sailed above the ’02. DD at Akbar blind–Loire Whites.
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Rack of lamb.
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Gosht Lazeez. Mutton Lazeez. Literally translates to delicious mutton, it is a dish of melt in mouth mutton cooked in mild spices, mixed in yoghurt and cream.
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Saag (spinach).
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Eggplant Bharta.
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2019 Domaine Luneau-Papin Terre de Pierre.
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2005 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre.
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2015 La Source du Ruault Saumur-Champigny Clos de la Côte.
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2016 Domaine de la Haute Olive Chinon.
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2003 Kalleske Shiraz Greenock.
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Hazelnut at the Ritz Gelato — Nocciola (hazelnut) custard base made with Pure PGI Piedmont hazelnut paste then mixed with house-made caramel and crushed Ritz Crackers (for that salty offset) — 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 #hazelnut #nocciola #caramel #caramello #ritz #crackers
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The outside setting was really fun.
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Akbar has long been my favorite LA Indian, and this meal was probably my best yet — and very different than usual. Chef Avi really turned out a lot of unique things tonight as he tried to adapt to the wines. And the wines were really great too. However, I’m not sure the amount and strength of the food made for a perfect “fair” tasting. And also not sure how much the mix of sweet and dry in the same blind tasting works — but who cares when it’s this much fun?

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

Related posts:

  1. All Things Akbar
  2. Akbar – Curry not so Hurry
  3. Ultimate Akbar
  4. Akbar – Big Flavors, Big Fun
  5. Amazing Akbar
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Akbar, BYOG, Dirty Dozen, Gelato, Indian cuisine, Loire Valley

Quick Eats – Tumbi

Jun18

Restaurant: Tumbi

Location: 115 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 829-7200

Date: May 14 & 31, 2018

Cuisine: Indian

Rating: Casual modern Indian

_

The Santa Monica Promenade is a weird food place. I lived and worked there for decades and have always lived nearby, and some terrible places have lasted for 25 years and good ones fail all the time.

So “interesting” that a modernized craft Indian opened nearby, as that’s a tough sell — even though I love Indian food, it seems that only cheap “buffet driven” Indian places survive, and not in this kind of high rent area.

Attractive frontage.

Modern hipster interior.

The menu.

It has a nice look.

Avocado Bhel Puri. Farmer’s market citrus, rice puff, Indian vermicelli, mint tamarind chili, garlic chutney. This was very tasty, nice textures, although a little carby for me and missing a protein. The avocado helped.

Afghani Seekh Kabob Frankie. Ground lamb, fennel-star anise-ginger rub, tomatillo chutney. This is sort of a contained “plate” with the very mustardy/Indian salad, a touch of raita (yogurt) and what amounts to an Indian burrito or wrap. The lamb was good and the flavors inside, particularly with the raita. I don’t love the wrap format. I hate wraps and consider them a cheapo American sandwich with horrible tortilla instead of bread.

Butter Chicken Tiffin (“full” plate). Boneless leg meat, butter tomato curry, aged safrani basmati rice, dal bhukara, papadum, house salad, achaar. Butter chicken, a close cousin of Chicken Tikka Masala and rice were quite good. But I’ve always hated these Indian “meals” with the tiny little baby metallic containers because you get very little curry. I don’t eat Dal, as it destroys my GI, and the weird fibrous pickles are a favorite of no one who didn’t grow up in India.

A close up of the business end.

And the actual curry.

In the lower right are the pickles (the second time I ordered there was an anemic single chunk). These taste weird and medicinal, although that’s typical of this kind of pickles, but still not welcome. Not sure what you do with them as they are so fibrous you can barely eat them.

The salad has nice greens and a very black mustardy/cumin dusty dry kind of Indian flavored dressing. I liked it, but probably not to most people’s tastes.

Overall, I like the cooking at Tumbi and the flavors, but I don’t like the menu at all. A couple beefs (or lack thereof):

  1. There is NO meat (or fish) on the appetizers, and they are kinda expensive to supplement the mains. The supposed minced lamb on the menu actually has no lamb in it — they have told me twice it’s a miss print!
  2. The “mains” are in the form of 3 form factors: frankie, uttapam, and tiffin. All have a bunch of accompaniments I often don’t want. I don’t really like any of the form factors. I’d much prefer to order decent sized portions of actual dishes/curries. They could easily have both on the menu. I’ll ask them next time if I can, but I bet they refuse. All the form factors have the same basic ingredients and they work passably for lunch for one but would be terrible for multiple people eating as they don’t really share. The actual substance of the tiffin is miniscule.

It was an incredibly gorgeous day and I happened to have my big camera so it deserved some epic 500megapixel panos.

And this even better one.

Looking back at the promenade.
 Recently these Bird scooters have taken over Santa Monica so I tried one out for a while after lunch.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Quick Eats – Mondo Taco
  2. Quick Eats – Obica SM
  3. Quick Eats – Orto
  4. Quick Eats: Caffe Delfini
  5. Quick Eats: Chan Dara
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Indian cuisine, Santa Monica, Santa Monica Promenade, Tumbi

Akbar Reborn

Apr20

Restaurant: Kapoor’s Akbar

Location: 701 W Cesar Estrada Chavez Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Date: March 13, 2018

Cuisine: Indian

Rating: Great, Fresh, Indian

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I’ve been going to various Akbar Indian restaurants since 1997 and it has always been my favorite LA Indian restaurant.

Recently, chef, owner, and friend Avi Kapoor closed up his iconic Pasadena location and relocated to downtown. And as such, the new Kapoor’s Akbar is born.

It’s tucked just north of DTLA proper between the high rise zone and Chinatown.

Along comes this crazy Bollywood mural.

The kitchen.

And the giant table set for our my Hedonist group feast.

Spicy pickles, mint chutney, and the coconut based one.

Mango chutney.

Crazy good cheese naan!

New to the menu at this location, Lamb Sliders. Ground lamb & aromatic spices, onion, mint chutney.

Brussel Sprouts !?!

Poutine du Yarom. The big guy requested this one. Fries with curried lamb and fried egg! Good stuff, and certainly not on the vegan diet!

Tandoori Salmon. Wild salmon marinated in spices, garlic ginger.

Butternut Squash Soup. Roasted butternut squash, mild spices. Very creamy.

Tandoori Lamb Rib Chop. Spring tender lamb rib chops marinated in ginger. Incredibly soft and full of fabulous lightly spicy flavor!

Paneer Makhani. Paneer prepared in tomato butter sauce. Basically Chicken Tikka Masala without the chicken but with cheese!

Pork Vindaloo. Pork prepared in tangy tomato-based sauce with potatoes.

Crab Curry. Blue crab claw meat prepared in coconut, tamarind curry. This was a new dish, in what I think is a more Southern Indian style. It was delicious and very creamy.

Saffron Rice. Aromatic rice suffused with saffron.

Akbari Biryani. Curried lamb, chicken and shrimp cooked with rice in Moghul style. Clearly closely related to similar Persian dishes (hence the Moghul style).

Mango cheesecake and Gulab Jamun. The classic sweet dough/cheese balls in syrup.

By my special request a portion of rice pudding — love it!

The gang.

And the lineup.

This is one of the best Indian restaurants I’ve been to in the city. Too many Indian places focus on low cost buffets of very over cooked food, but Akbar cooks everything to order — even baking their own Naan when you place the order. They are focused on the cuisine of the Punjab (Northern India), with very good curries and kormas. You can get anything from extremely mild to blow the top of your head off if you ask — which is the way I like it. But most importantly the flavors are really balanced and fresh. Yum!

Tonight we tried out some new things, of which the Crab Curry was my favorite — I love curry.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Too much of a wine zoo to bother writing them up, but most of the wines are pictured below:

Related posts:

  1. Akbar – Curry not so Hurry
  2. All Things Akbar
  3. Akbar – Big Flavors, Big Fun
  4. Amazing Akbar
  5. Ultimate Akbar
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Akbar, Avi Kapoor, hedonists, Indian cuisine, Kapoor's Akbar, Wine

Taj Tandoori

Jun16

Restaurant: Taj Tandoori

Location: 10823 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034. (310) 204-2569

Date: May 16 & 30, 2017

Cuisine: Indian / Pakistani

Rating: Solid made to order curries

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Culver City — particularly Venice Blvd — is packed with Indian restaurants.

Taj Tandoori was recommended as one of the best.

The menu.

Chicken Tikka Masala. Tender boneless chicken pieces cooked with spices in a creamy cashew and tomato sauce. I always have to try it. Sort of a reference dish. This one was very good. Not as spectacular as at Akbar, but very very good. Nice soft chicken. Curry was a touch thin, but not sweet (which is good). Made to order too, not the buffet slop.

Lamb Korma. Boneless pieces of lamb cooked with yogurt and friend onions. The description doesn’t do justice to the spicy depth of flavor. A nice dish with some broad heat.

Palak Paneer. Cottage cheese cooked with spinach and flavored with herbs and spices. Some nice heat and great cheese but the curry itself was a little thin and could have had a more complex flavor.

Bismati rice.

Garlic Naan. Fresh baked and delicious.

Taj Tandoori is a small family run place that serves up very good Northern Indian food. It isn’t fancy or modern, but they do make stuff to order and features nice flavors not those overly sweet or overly salty slops. The meats seem very good too.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Sambar – Briefly Modern Indian
  2. Akbar – Curry not so Hurry
  3. Eating Philly – Tiffin
  4. All Things Akbar
  5. Deep South – Mandovi Goan Cuisine
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Culver City, Indian cuisine, Taj Tandoori

Sambar – Briefly Modern Indian

Aug17

Restaurant: Sambar

Location: 9531 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232. 310-558-8800

Date: July 19, 2016

Cuisine: Modern Indian

Rating: Tasty, adapted, and slightly toned down

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The site of the former Ford’s Filling Station in Culver city is a redefined Indian place called Sambar that’s been open for about a year.
 They have a nice mix of inside and outside dining.

A cool looking full bar.

And a big bright space.

This is the lunch menu.

Some sāmbār snack mix. puffed rice, sev, cashews, peanuts, raisins, sunflower seeds, curry leaves, teff crisps, taro root, toasted dal.

Ice tea.

sevpuri chaat (gf cracker). avocado, mango, red onion, pomegranate-mint chutney, tamarind chutney, sev (crispy chickpea noodles). This version of the classic Indian street food with bright and full of flavor, but also felt a bit “California” with the guacamole-like avocado.

The fisherman: fish curry bowl. Trout, coconut broth, cherry tomatoes, curry leaves. Fairly mild in flavor, and very much a southern Indian dish with that coconut and curry leaf flavor.

Masala roasted chicken kati roll. Yogurt marinated chicken & pomegranate-mint chutney. Crunchy fried something. The roll itself was like a lightly Indian chicken wrap. Tasty, but not with the awesome strong curry flavors of an Akbar kati roll.
 Pork shoulder vindaloo kati roll. South Indian spices. Hot sauce and mango chutney. Salad. Tasty too, but fairly dry meat, not a curry or anything inside.

This was just a small lunch sampling, and I didn’t have any real curry (which seems to be on the dinner menu). Sambar offered up some definite Indian flavors, but in a much more California form factor, and without the heavy curry vehicle. But while I appreciate that they want to make it more approachable to westerners, I love curry and intense flavors. So jury is still out. I’ll have to try again at dinner and report back.

But alas, I have learned that as of August 27, 2016, the owners are shutting down Sambar and rebooting it as an Italian restaurant — it being too “niche” (i.e. ethnic) for the neighborhood. I’m glad I got to try it. And good thing for them the decor is pretty flexible!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Indian by the Beach
  2. Akbar – Curry not so Hurry
  3. Saint Martha Modern
  4. Upstairs 2 – Modern Tapas, Lots of Wine
  5. Inotheke – Modern Greek
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Culver City, Indian cuisine, Sambar

Indian by the Beach

Dec31

Restaurant: Akbar [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Location: 1101 Aviation Boulevard, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254. (310) 937-3800

Date: December 29, 2014

Cuisine: Indian

Rating: Bold and balanced flavors

ANY CHARACTER HERE

For our last Hedonist group dinner of 2014, we celebrate at LA’s best Indian restaurant, Akbar (Hermosa Beach branch).


Fellow Hedonist Chef Avi commands the kitchen!

The Menu can be found here, although the chef designed our feast himself and it features many unusual and off menu items.


The chutney’s and pickles. The green one is mint, the yellow-ish coconut, the one with corn spicy-pickled vegetables (yum! and oh, so gut burning) and the back corner a tangy one.


2002 Pol Roger Champagne Extra Cuvee de Reserve. RJ Wine 94. Delicious. Elegant in the mouth. Long. Really liked this a lot. Great aperitif. Ready to drink but probably a long life ahead too.


Papadum. Crispy slightly spicy “bread.”


2008 Kongsgaard Viorous. IWC 94. Nose dominated by peach nectar, flowers and spices from the viognier, with a complicating element of wild herbs. Dense and tactile yet with terrific bright fruit character and lovely brisk acidity to lift and frame the wine’s intense peach and stone flavors. Finishes chewy and very long. The roussanne here is “as thick as potato soup,” notes Kongsgaard, adding that its job is to “take the viognier down off its floral pedestal.” Both of these are high-pH varieties, and yet the net impression is of an energetic wine.

agavin: really interesting Rhone-like white. Really held up the spice.


Chicken chili. Although an Indian dish, this has Chinese influences. Sort of like a spicy super tender general Tso’s chicken!


2002 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese. IWC 94. As with last year’s rendition, the first thing that hits me here is the distilled fruit character, discreet and high-toned in the nose, then intense and mesmerizing on the palate. Tropical, orchard and black fruit essences, sweet herbs, nut oils, brown spices, forest floor, sweet herbs and stones are all present, if scarcely possible to account for.


2005 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese. IWC 90. Pale yellow. Rich aromas of lichee, lemon oil and pine.Luscious yet piquant tropical fruit flavors accented by smoke. In spite of the wine’s substantial depth, subtle acidity brings spice and finesse to the finish.


Chicken 65. Spicy south indian specialty served with serano and onion. Hot wings crossed with chicken nuggets!


2012 Carl Schmitt-Wagner Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese. MFW 90. Great nose of pears, slate, and citrus. On the palate rich almost at an Auslese level of density with golden apple, pear, mineral, and citrus. Long finish with mouth watering acidity. Hold 5+ years.


Pan sautéed Fresh Scallops topped with mixed pepper chutney. Succulent and delicious with only a mild heat.


2004 Bink Wines Pinot Noir Weir Vineyard. 89 points. agavin: weirdly grapey and concentrated for a pinot, but not bad.


2013 Ritual Pinot Noir. 87 points. Dark ruby but not so dark as to be unrecognizable as a pinot. Very serious, heady nose of a pinot that definitely has aspirations: smoke, spice, blood, and meat are dominant. You can tell from the first sniff that you’re going to enjoy this if you like “big” pinot noirs. Generous mouthfeel that persists. Flavors of roasted (charred) chestnuts, cola syrup, and a bit of candy apple (but not sweet, if that makes sense). Just a bit of gentle tannin. The only fault I find is that there is a bit too much of a roasted, bass note, oakiness overpowering the rest.


Indian style gobi Manchurian. Cauliflower with “Manchurian” (aka Chinese) sauce. Very similar to the chili chicken, but cauliflower. And it was one of the best cauliflower dishes I’ve ever had!


1975 Trentadue Winery Petite Sirah. agavin 94. Probably about as obscure a wine as one is likely to find. It was late harvest and has an Amarone like style to it. Full of velvety grapes and tons of strong fruit — 39 years later!


From my cellar: 1978 Château Mont-Redon Châteauneuf-du-Pape. JG 95. Gorgeous brick red with tawny rim.
Sweet rich fruit, plummy, earthy, rich blackberry compote, tar and licorice spice, but fruit dominant.
Fresh and smooth, superb balance and length, finishing with a deep long resonating kiss. Loving this. Hints of sherbet zest but mostly a rich earthy compote of plummy fruit with a lightly spicy edge. Amazingly fresh and crisp for its considerable age, better than many 15 years it’s junior. I have another and will happily lay to rest for another 5-10. Drinking beautifully.

agavin: I didn’t love this bottle (even though I brought it). The nose had a kind of wet towel vibe, although it wasn’t on the palette (fortunately). Good, but not all I was hoping for.


Apollo fish. Fresh Catfish marinated in spiced batter with hot chili chutney. Fabulous fried fish. Not too heavy, with a bright chili flavor.


2000 Lynch Bages. Parker 97. Beginning to open magnificently, the still dense purple-colored 2000 reveals a blossoming bouquet of blackberries, cassis, graphite and pen ink. Full-bodied with velvety tannins that have resolved themselves beautifully over the last eleven years, this wine is still an adolescent, but it exhibits admirable purity, texture, mouthfeel and power combined with elegance. One of the all-time great examples of Lynch Bages, the 2000 is just beginning to drink well yet promises to last for another 20-25+ years.


2012 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 40th Anniversary. Parker 96. They appear to be immune to some of winedom’s less than intelligent trends and fads that we see from time to time, and the result is a spectacular 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon 40th Anniversary offering. Its dense purple/black color is followed by copious quantities of crème de cassis and blackberry fruit, silky tannins, a voluptuous texture and stunning purity as well as length. This full-bodied effort is a fabulous example of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon as well as a tribute to this amazing family. It is so good now, why wait? However, I’m sure that like most vintages of Caymus, it will last for 20-25 years. Amazing!

agavin: as one person put it, “more vanilla than haagen daas!”


Tandoori Battair. Quails marinated in a medley of spices and grilled in tandoor. Really tender and bursting with flavor.


2005 L’Aventure Winery Optimus. Parker 94. The least expensive red wine is the Optimus cuvee. The 2005 Optimus (51% Syrah, 44% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Petit Verdot) barely qualifies as a Rhone Ranger, but it offers classic chocolate, cassis, espresso, and subtle wood notes along with a dense ruby/purple hue, gorgeous concentration, and plenty of spice, cedar, and a Pauillac-like complexity and richness. This serious effort is more French than Californian. It should drink well for 6-10 years.


2008 Linne Calodo Nemesis Syrah. Parker 92-94. The dense purple 2008 Nemesis (always the heaviest in Syrah, with 85% Syrah and the rest Grenache and Mourvedre) is still youthful and intense, with plenty of body and hints of asphalt, graphite, blackberry and blueberry fruit, with some licorice and white chocolate. It is deep, full-bodied, rich, and should prove to be one of the longest lived wines of the 2008s from Trevisan, lasting well past a decade.

agavin: First we have Optimus, then Nemesis. Where is Hubris?


Fresh baked garlic naan.


2009 Lilian Ladouys. Parker 90. Elegant, with loads of black currant fruit, cherries and dusty, loamy soil notes as well as hints of tobacco leaf, spice box and cedar, it is a medium to full-bodied, nicely textured, fleshy wine that should drink nicely for 10-15+ years.


Peas Pillau. The Indian cousin of Chinese vegetable fried rice.


2007 Saxum Syrah Broken Stones. Parker 97+. The 2007 Broken Stones (71% Syrah, 18% Grenache, and 11% Mourvedre) is a gorgeously seamless wine with an inky/blue/purple color, a tight but promising nose of blue and black fruits, incense, charcoal, and extraordinarily pure black raspberry and blackberry fruit, fabulous concentration in the mouth, velvety, well-integrated tannins, and a mind-bogglingly long finish. This wine will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring, and should keep for 15 or more.

agavin: I’m normally a New World hater, but I had to admit, I liked this wine. It’s grapey intensity shot through the spice wall too.


2009 Alban Vineyards Syrah Reva Alban Estate Vineyard. Parker 97. Moving on to the vineyard designated Syrahs and a fantastic vintage for this cuvee, which goes back to the 2005, 2006 and 2007 levels of richness, the 2009 Syrah Reva (100% Syrah aged 42-months in French oak) offers up more fruit and purity than normal, with only hints of its normal iodine/seaweed tinged profile. Loaded with sweet black raspberry, cassis, wild herbs, flowers and subtle blood and iodine qualities, it is a full-bodied, decadent Syrah that has incredible mid-palate depth, beautiful freshness and a blockbuster finish. It will continue to gain in depth and richness with short-term cellaring and have an easy 12-15 years or ultimate longevity. Drink 2015-2024.


2002 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Stonewell. Parker 92. The 2002 Stonewell Shiraz was barrel fermented and aged in new French and American oak hogsheads. The fruit was sourced from several of the Barossa’s top addresses. It offers up aromas of toasty oak, spice box (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg), asphalt, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. This is followed by a structured, tightly wound wine in which black fruits and chocolate make an appearance. It will benefit from another 8-10 years in the cellar and should drink well through 2027.


House favorite Chicken Tikka Masala. Another perfect batch of this amazing dish. The chicken itself is all super tender chunks of white meat. The sauce has this snappy tang and complex flavor.


2002 TOR Kenward Family Wines Syrah Old Clones Los Carneros. IWC 90. Good ruby-red. Very ripe if slightly medicinal aromas of blackberry and white pepper, with some minty lift. Nicely juicy and light on its feet, with varietally accurate flavors similar to the aromas. This has a high pH (3.9) but also sound structure and reasonable alcohol (14.2%). Quite stylish. (The young 2003 was distinctly more gamey, with almost Cornas-like flavors.)


Coco Lamb. Lamb prepared in coconut milk with crushed peppers and a saute of red chilies and mustard seeds. Was in Top 10 dishes in 1997 – LA Los Angeles Times.


2012 Aubert Pinot Noir Ritchie Vineyard. Parker 91-93. Made from the Calera clone, the 2012 Pinot Noir Ritchie Vineyard offers up plenty of cola and root beer notes intermixed with black cherry, dusty, loamy soil and foresty nuances. Deep and medium to full-bodied with fresh, lively fruit, it should drink well for 10 + years.


Keema Mattar. Usually is with ground Lamb, This is wild boar Keema sauteed cooked with serano, onion, tomato. Nice and spicy.


2001 Panza Petite Sirah Stag’s Leap Ranch. 91 points. Remains a restrained, subtle pet with great balance and relatively elegant for the varietal. Will live a lot more years, but not sure it will evolve much more.


Brussel sprout curry. South Indian style brussel sprout.


2012 Prisoner Wine Co Proprietary Red The Prisoner. Parker 90. There are 20,000 cases of the 2012 The Prisoner, which is an interesting blend of 46% Zinfandel, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon,18% Petite Sirah, 12% Syrah, and a small amount of Charbono. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a big, peppery, meaty, Rhone-like bouquet with hints of bay leaf, unsmoked cigar tobacco, black currants and sweet jammy cherries. Medium to full-bodied and explosively fruity, this is a lovely, hedonistic, seriously endowed red to drink over the next 3-4 years.


Dal Makhani. Black lentils prepared with kidney beans with butter.


t

1986 Raymond-Lafon. Parker 92. It is hard to believe this wine will eclipse the great 1983, but the differences in the two wines are negligible. I do not believe the 1986 makes quite the impact on the palate that the huge, massive 1983 does, but there is a great deal of botrytis, and a profound, penetrating fragrance of sauteed pineapple, vanillin, toast, and honeyed peaches. In the mouth, the wine is more streamlined than the 1983, but lusciously rich and full bodied, with very good acidity and a creamy, intense finish. It will be interesting to compare the 1983 and 1986 as they evolve. My guess is that the 1986 will age faster. Anticipated maturity: Now-2012. Last tasted, 3/90.


Mango Cheesecake. Homemade Mango cheesecake, Chef Avi’s sister in law, Marla Kapoor’s recipe. Still going strong.


Kheer. Rice Pudding saffron flavored.


Kulfi. homemade Indian saffron and pistachio flavored ice cream. Really nice and creamy.

Akbar has long been my favorite LA Indian, and this meal was probably my best yet — and very different than usual. Chef Avi really turned out a lot of unique things tonight, including a bunch of southern specialties. And the wines were really great too. All in all an excellent way to send out the Hedonist year.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

Related posts:

  1. Big and Bold on the Beach
  2. Wine on the Beach
  3. Amazing Akbar
  4. Food as Art: Sam’s by the Beach
  5. All Things Akbar
By: agavin
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Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Akbar, hedonists, Indian cuisine

Hills of Gold and Spice

Sep17

Hedonists aren’t confined only to restaurants. Tonight’s meal features home cooked Pakistani cuisine at the home of chef Noorani Burstein.


And what a home it is, perched over Benedict canyon in Beverly Hills. Tonight we ate outside, and given the usual Southern California September heat wave it was absolutely gorgeous.


From my cellar: 1994 Robert Ampeau & Fils Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes. 91 points. Nicely aged white Burgundy with notes of butterscotch and citrus. It started promisingly, dissolving into a dry, pithy finish.


2005 Jomain Puligny-montrachet. A bit premoxed.


2012 Gilbert Picq & ses Fils Chablis. Burghound 87-89. There is a touch of mineral reduction to the cool and airy aromas of green fruit and iodine. The racy, intense and well-detailed middle weight flavors possess a discreet minerality on the lemon-infused and very dry finish. This should drink well early but also reward a few years of bottle age if desired.


Dokhra. Chickpea flour cake/Snacking bread with curry leaves and black mustard seed, fresh coconut and cilantro with a red hot chili sauce.


Eggplant Pakoras – Eggplant, Zucchini, dipped in a chickpea flour batter and lightly fried for crispness and flavor.


And onions similarly treated.


A variety of lovely chutneys. The tangy tamarind, spicy tomato, and cool cilantro coconut.


CHICKEN SAMOSAS with Tamarind Sauce Chutney.


BEEF KEBABS (Spicy ground beef patties) with Mint, Cilantro and Coconut Chutney.


As we finish the appetizers the sun sets.


And here is our chef, Noorani.


2007 Azelia Barolo Margheria. Parker 96. The 2007 Barolo Margheria was raised in cask and reveals a slightly more classic side of Nebbiolo. Sweet floral herbs, tobacco, geranium and wild flowers emerge from the bouquet. The firm yet well-integrated tannins frame a core of fruit loaded with Serralunga character, leading to a wiry, muscular finish. Hints of leather, licorice and iron linger in the glass. The Margheria is less immediate than the Bricco Fiasco at this stage, and it will require more patience, but it is every bit as compelling. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2027.


From my cellar: 2000 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Centenaire. Parker 96. The heady 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Centenaire is more evolved than either the 2001 or 1998. Extremely full-bodied, with low acidity, and a knock-out bouquet of blackberry and cherry jam intermixed with licorice, pepper, and dried Provencal herbs, this sexy, voluptuous, enormously concentrated 2000 possesses a huge, silky, seamless finish. Drink this irresistible effort now and over the next 12-15 years.

2002 Sean Thackrey Orion Syrah. Parker 96-100. A riveting example of Syrah is the 2002 Orion. It boasts a black/purple color with more mint and blackberry notes intermixed with exotic floral characteristics. With great intensity, full body, multiple dimensions, and superb purity as well as length, this blockbuster is incredibly well-balanced/harmonious. It should drink reasonably well young, yet keep for 12-15 years.


2001 D’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz. Parker 98. Readers should be on the look out for the 2001 The Dead Arm Shiraz, one of the greatest examples of this cuvee. Its dense black/purple color is accompanied by celestial aromas of melted licorice, graphite, blackberries, cassis, incense, anise, and toasty oak. Fabulously concentrated, with great purity, an unctuous, viscous texture, and an amazingly long, 60-second plus finish, this fabulous baby will need 5-6 years of cellaring, and should drink well over the following 20-25 years.


Naan.


KARAHI CHICKEN: Boneless chicken cooked with tomatoes, cilantro, garlic and finished with dried fenugreek leaves.


BANANA RAITA – Spiced yogurt with sliced bananas, jalapenos and cilantro).


POTATOES with Turmeric and Black Mustard Seeds.


CHICKPEA SALAD with fresh Vegetable and a Tomato dressing.


SAAG PANEER – Spinach with fresh Indian cheese.


MUSHROOM CURRY. Dark and savory.


CORN RAITA. More like the classic.


Mutton Pulao. Under that layer of rice is a spicy layer of curried mutton. It was cooked for days to reach a superlative level of tender — and boy was it great. As Yarom says, “this dish was a 10!”


My plate, reminiscent of Thanksgiving plates!


An older tawny port.


Mango Lassi. The classic sweetened mango yogurt drink.


KHEER – Basmati Rice pudding. Also a 10!


SEVIYAN KHEER – Pakistani Vermicelli & Milk Pudding. Another great dessert!

Overall, a lovely evening!

Related posts:

  1. Spice Up Your Life Szechuan Style
  2. Bouchon Beverly Hills
  3. Beverly Hills Hotel – Polo Lounge
  4. All Things Akbar
  5. Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Sun
By: agavin
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Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Beverly Hills California, Chateauneuf du Pape, Chutney, hedonists, Indian cuisine, Noorani Burstein, Pakistani cuisine, Southern California, Tamarind

Amazing Akbar

Aug15

Restaurant: Akbar [1, 2, 3, 4]

Location: 3115 W Washington Blvd, Marina del Rey, CA 90292. (310) 574-0666

Date: August 11, 2014

Cuisine: Indian

Rating: Bold and balanced flavors

ANY CHARACTER HERE

It’s time for my Hedonist group to return to LA’s best Indian restaurant, Akbar (Marina Del Rey branch). Too many Indian places focus on low cost buffets of very over cooked food, but Akbar cooks everything to order — even baking their own Naan when you place the order. They are more focused on the cuisine of the Punjab (Northern India), with very good curries and kormas. You can get anything from extremely mild to blow the top of your head off. Once I had the “pepper lamb” on 5 (max heat) and my scalp sweat for hours.

Because my beloved Santa Monica branch has closed 🙁 we went to the original Marina Del Rey location. The food is just as good, but it’s a tad further (for me).


Chef Avi commands the kitchen.

The Menu can be found here, although the chef designed our feast directly.


2007 Bellavista Franciacorta Gran Cuvée Brut Rosé. 89 points. A light fruity champagne style wine from North Italy.


The chutney’s and pickles. The green one is mint, the yellow-ish coconut, the one with corn spicy-pickled vegetables (yum! and oh, so gut burning) and the back corner a tangy one.


2008 Williams Selyem Blanc de Noir Drake Estate Vineyard. 91 points. Clear with white tiny bubbles. Tight lime and flowers on the nose. Secondary tangerine and yeast. Lite body and hyper-focused on the palate. Devine, bright citrus fruit. Superb yeast integration…soft textures without the cloying baked notes. Loads of floral action on the back. Super structured. Long finish.


Chicken Kati Roll. Roti stuffed with highly spiced diced chicken, onions, and tomatoes. I love this dish, which contains a contrast between the tangy spiced meat and the sweet mango sauce.


Vina Somoza Godello Neno Godello Sobre Lias. Very interesting spanish white.


2012 Wolfgang Puck Chardonnay Master Lot Reserve. Didn’t try. I’m a white Burg whore.


Buffalo seekh kabab. Tender and lean.


2012 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Trocken. Nice dry riesling.


2006 Dönnhoff Schloßböckelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Felsentürmchen Spätlese. 92 points. Lovely mineral, tart grapefruit, petrol nose; tasty, ripe lime, green fruit, mineral palate; medium finish.


Shrimp Pakora. Like coconut shrimp — but not quite.


2004 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Ferrington Vineyard. Burghound 89. Noticeable but not dominant wood frames ripe cherry and black raspberry aromas that introduce sweet, round and slightly sweet flavors that finish with moderate acid bite. I suspect that this will come around and harmonize with a year or so in bottle and as such, my score offers the benefit of the doubt.

agavin: too much oak!


Tandoori grilled fresh Banzino. Inside, the fish was “stuffed” with some curry. Lots of flavor and very moist!


2008 WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Noir Pierre Léon. Burghound 91. A perfumed and spicy nose of black cherry and plum marries seamlessly into rich, focused and attractively supple flavors that possess both good detail and solid mid-palate concentration, all wrapped in a firm and built to age finish. This balanced effort still displays a bit of wood on the finish but the concentration is such that it should eventually absorb all of the oak. Also worth considering as this is lovely.


“Good old” Chicken Tikka. Tender morsels of chicken.


From my cellar: 1998 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Barbe Rac. Parker 94-6. Chapoutier’s 1998 Barbe Rac is close to full maturity. It exhibits an abundance of Provencal herbs intermixed with new saddle leather, kirsch, framboise, and spice box. The intoxicatingly heady, complex aromatics are followed by a full-bodied, lush, succulent style of wine with a relatively high alcohol/glycerin content and loads of fruit. This wine is drinking terrifically well after going through an awkward stage about two to three years ago.


1998 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 92-95. That may explain the open-knit, complex notes of tree bark, black cherries, licorice, seaweed, pepper, and floral notes in the 1998 Beaucastel. The wine is medium to full-bodied, has nice, sweet tannins, and is surprisingly open and approachable. This wine has reached the beginning of its plateau of maturity, where it should last for at least a decade or more.


Lamb on the grill.


Tandoori Lamb Chops. Really flavorful.


Mango Chutney.


Some of the curries in pre-heated form.

And a bunch of them being worked up.


1996 Smith-Haut-Lafitte. Parker 90. The 1996 Smith-Haut-Lafitte is the quintessentially elegant Bordeaux. With a dark ruby/purple color, it displays a beautiful presentation of blackberry and cassis fruit nicely dosed with subtle new oak. On the attack, the wine is sweet and pure, with striking symmetry, and a compellingly balanced mid-palate and finish. Although not as big as some blockbusters from this vintage, it is extremely complex (both aromatically and flavor-wise), and impressive for its restraint, subtlety, and impeccable balance.

agavin: too structured right now


Chana Masala. Chick peas.


1995 Sociando-Mallet. Parker 90. This accessible, yet tannic example of Sociando-Mallet possesses a deep ruby/purple color, and excellent aromatics consisting of jammy black cherries, blackberries, and cassis, as well as subtle notes of minerals, earth, and new oak. This is a deep, long, muscular, tannic wine that is structurally similar to the 1996. Patience will be required from purchasers of this high class wine.

agavin: since I’m used to drinking the likes of 89 Lynch and 85 Margaux, this third rate Bordeauxs are just so-so to my palette.


Saag Paneer. Farm cheese with spinach.


2003 Turley Wine Cellars Petite Syrah Estate. Parker 91-93. The 2003 Petite Syrah Turley Estate (200 cases; 14.2% alcohol) is a soft, civilized Petite Syrah, a varietal known for producing massive, backward, almost brutally concentrated and tannic wines that need at least a decade to become drinkable. This 2003 is a surprisingly elegant, opulent example with wonderful concentration in addition to atypical accessibility.

agavin: pretty decent actually


Prepping the giant venison kofta with curry.


Venison kofta curry. Tamarind, tomato, onion flavored. Really delicious.


2000 Joseph Phelps Insignia Proprietary Red Wine. Parker 90. The 2000 is a mid-weight, elegant effort with lots of black currant, violet, earth and forest floor characteristics. Medium-bodied with excellent ripeness and sweet tannins, it is one of the more successful wines I have tasted from this vintage. The wine is close to full maturity and should keep for another 10-12 years.


Chicken Tikka Masala. The best I’ve ever had. Deliciously rich and flavorful.


2002 D’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz. Parker 93. After re-tasting the 2002 The Dead Arm Shiraz, I believe my initial rating is correct. It still plays it close to the vest, exhibiting loads of cassis, asphalt, smoke, and barbecue spice-like aromas along with full-bodied flavors. While well-made and impressive, it remains backward and restrained, and does not appear to be up to the quality of either the 2003 or the great 2001.

agavin: not bad with the spice


Coco lamb. This is one of my favorite lamb curries. It’s very rich and usually quite hot.


2007 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain. Parker 97. The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is unlike any wine I have ever tasted from Dunn. Layer after layer of flavor saturates the palate in this opulent, full-throttle Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2007 possesses dazzling textural richness, depth and sheer intensity. Purists may prefer more structured vintages, but for a producer known for such slow maturing wines, the 2007 is a huge pleasure to taste today. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2037.

agavin: pretty good, despite being crazy young. Actually more than pretty good.


Dal aka lentils. Beware the consequences!


2006 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Russian River Valley. Burghound 87. A high-toned raspberry and cranberry fruit nose that also displays subtle spice and menthol hints introduces round, supple and easy to like flavors up until the finish that is overtly warm if attractively sappy. Be sure to keep this cool because the warmth really comes up if the temperature rises even slightly.


Mushroom Pillau.


1998 Chateau Saint Jean Cinq Cepages Proprietary Red Wine. Parker 89-91. Made in a light style, the medium-bodied 1998 Cinq Cepages (75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 6% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit-Verdot) exhibits a sweet nose of toast, earth, cedar, licorice, black cherries, and chocolate. There is excellent concentration, but because of the vintage conditions, this wine does not possess much volume, breadth of flavor, or intensity. Drink it during its first 10-12 years of life.


Freshly made naan.


1993 Yalumba Sémillon Botrytis Family Reserve. Pretty good sticky.


Galub Jamun. Fried cheese balls in syrup. When I was younger I thought these were basically donut balls, as that’s what they taste like. It’s also worth mentioning that we named a character in Way of the Warrior after this dessert.


2003 La Tour Blanche. Parker 92-96. Ex-chateau bottle tasted blind in Sauternes. The La Tour Blanche ‘03 offers yellow flowers, melted candle wax and honey on the nose with Muscat-like aromas developing in the glass. The palate is well-balanced on the entry with lemon curd and honey notes, though it needs just a little more acidity to give it tension and freshness. The finish is quite linear, springs no surprises, and just drifts a little when you seek more tautness and race. Still, this is a pleasurable, if not profound La Tour Blanche.

agavin: loved it


Rice pudding. I love rice pudding, but I like a particular consistency (relatively thick). For whatever reason, tonight’s rice pudding was more to my taste than the Santa Monica locations. Quite nice and refreshing in fact.


The chaos!

Akbar has long been my favorite LA Indian, and this meal was probably my best yet there. The balance of items was great — and very plentiful — and the flavors incredibly bright and spot on. The brothers Kapoor (below) are also wonderful hosts. All in all an exceedingly fun evening.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

Related posts:

  1. All Things Akbar
  2. Ultimate Akbar
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  4. Big Bottle Madness at Kali Dining
  5. Chili Crab Craze – Starry Kitchen
By: agavin
Comments (2)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Akbar, hedonists, Indian cuisine, Kapoor, Los Angeles, Marina del Rey, Marina del Rey California, Naan

Ultimate Akbar

Jan27

Restaurant: Akbar [1, 2, 3]

Location: 2627 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, Ca 90403. 310-586-7469

Date: January 23, 2014

Cuisine: Indian

Rating: Bold and balanced flavors

ANY CHARACTER HERE

It’s time for my my Hedonist group to return to LA’s best Indian restaurant, Akbar (Santa Monica branch). Too many Indian places focus on low cost buffets of very over cooked food, but Akbar cooks everything to order — even baking their own Naan when you place the order. They are more focused on the cuisine of the Punjab (Northern India), with very good curries and kormas. You can get anything from extremely mild to blow the top of your head off. Once I had the “pepper lamb” on 5 (max heat) and my scalp sweat for hours.

This was one of those really crazy evenings where we took over half the place with 25 people and even more wines! Yarom brought Chef Avi a bunch of his hand shot meats to add into the mix.

The Menu can be found here, although the chef designed our feast directly.


From my cellar: 2000 Chave Hermitage Blanc. Parker 95. A 1,000-case blend of 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne, the profound 2000 Hermitage blanc boasts a terrific perfume of honeysuckle, white flowers, peaches, citrus, and minerals. Displaying an unctuous texture along with tremendous glycerin, richness, and depth, it will undoubtedly close down after a few years in the bottle, but for now, it is a spectacularly rich, multidimensional white Hermitage to drink young, then forget about for 5-10 years, after which it will last for 15-20 years.

Good stuff, although it took a few minutes to open. Better drinking right now than my higher rated 96 Chapoutier Blanc I brought to Boa to match with the crab.


1989 Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste. Hune Vendanges Tardives. View from the cellar 96. Complex nose of honey, apricot and light kerosene, peach and orange rind. Full of flavour but there is a wonderful delicacy to the palate. Brilliant acidity that extends and lifts the fruit to another level. A superb stage between youth and maturity. Mesmerizing.

Sweet apricots and really delicious (if you like sweet wines like I do).


Fresh baked Naan, the delicious flat bread cooked in the Tandoor. They make several variants, this one being stuffed with herbs and a light cheese — delicious!


2011 Sine Qua Non The Moment. Parker 95. Starting off the tasting and a prodigious, unctuous white, the 2011 The Moment checks in as a blend of 57% Roussanne, 19% Petit Manseng, 17% Chardonnay and 7% Viognier that spent 16 months in a combination of concrete, new and used barrels, and stainless steel. Offering up notions of marzipan, citrus oil flowers, marmalade and spiced apricots, it flows onto the palate with full-bodied richness and depth that-s balanced by beautiful underlying freshness and clarity. While I would lean towards drinking bottles over the coming 2-3 years, these can absolutely age, and have upwards of 10-15+ years of longevity. Drink now-2017+.

I bet you haven’t seen this, Sine Qua Non pseudo Rhone-style white! It was somewhat similar to the Chave (Roussane) but more open, floral, and less complex.


The chutney’s and pickles. The green one is mint, the yellow-ish coconut, the one with corn spicy-pickled vegetables (yum! and oh, so gut burning) and the back corner a tangy one.


2005 Domaine Y. Clerget Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens. 93 points. Our only Burgundy (with the meal), Michael brought this to prove, “who says you can’t drink big 2005s.” Well he was right. The first few minutes were structured and closed, but it opened up nicely in the glass into a pinot with enough muscle to combat some (but not all) of the spice in the food.


Lamb samosas. Deep fried and…


1989 La Conseillante. Parker 96. Somewhat similar to the 1990, but slightly more structured, with more noticeable tannin and a meatier style, this is still a very perfumed, exotic, expansive, sensationally concentrated wine that should age effortlessly for another 10-15 years. In that sense, it might actually outlast the 1990, but what a pair these two wines make. The wine has a dark garnet/ruby color and fabulous aromatics of black raspberries, kirsch, licorice, and copious amounts of toasted new oak. Relatively full-bodied for a La Conseillante, with great purity, sweet tannin, but noticeable structure and muscle, this is a relatively large-scaled La Conseillante that has always been one of the top wines of the vintage.

Most people loved this wine, and to my taste it was very Bordeaux, with a nice nose. It was silky smooth, with a lot going on in all aspects (nose, attack, mid palette, finish). Tons of lead pencil. There was a little bit much of that Merlot bitter thing going on during the finish for my taste — but very hedonistic!


…stuffed with peas and ground lamb. The insides were scrumptious, just packed with lamby flavor.


2003 Bois de Boursan Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Felix. Parker 95. The 2003 Domaine Bois de Boursan Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Felix is superb. Showing a mature, yet still lively and fruit-driven profile of sweet currants, saddle leather, truffle, and garrigue, it stays beautifully rich and seductive on the palate, with layers of sweet fruit, no hard edges and a great finish. Certainly a ripe vintage, yet everything is perfectly proportioned, the tannins are sweet and it is a joy to drink. A blend of 65% Grenache and the balance a mix of Mourvedre and Syrah, from 90-year-old vines, it held up beautifully with air and is a raging success in the vintage. It can be consumed now or over the coming 5-8 years or more.

An extremely enjoyable Chateauneuf that had the stuffing for the food.


Tandoori grilled Chilean Sea Bass marinated in herbs. Tender and flavorful!


1985 Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage la Chapelle. Parker 91. A saturated dark plum/garnet color with amber at the edge is followed by an attractive smoky, underbrush, and truffle-scented wine with coffee, smoke, cedar, and jammy cassis/plum-like fruit. As the wine sits in the glass, notes of Chinese black tea, pepper, and soy emerge. There is surprising tannin and austerity in the finish, but the aromatics and attack were convincingly rich and intense.

I agree with Parker here. This was a smooth wine, still in fine shape, but a little flabby in the middle/finish. Still, extremely enjoyable.


House specialty lamb chops. Awesomely marinated and coated in cumin. Wow, these were some tasty chops. Too bad they were so small.


From my cellar: 1990 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 96. Beaucastel made a great Chateauneuf du Pape in 1990. In stylistic terms, it is completely different from the profound 1989. The color is opaque black/ruby/purple. The perfume of smoked meats, coffee, hickory, Asian spices, and black raspberries is sensational. While concentrated, full-bodied, and extremely rich, the wine displays slightly harder tannin, higher acidity, and comes across as a more muscular, less opulent example than the 1989. It is a profound wine, but I would rate it inferior to the 1989 and 1981, yet easily equivalent to the 1983 and 1985. Both Francois and Jean-Pierre Perrin compare their 1990 to the renowned 1967, and both prefer it to their 1989 – high praise!

When I first opened this there was enough funk on the nose that I was worried about cork, but it blew off in a couple of minutes leaving a very lovely, spicy, complex wine in the glass.


A dish of fresh vegetables with a light sauce. Peas, corn, mushrooms, celery, potato.


2004 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 95. The 2004 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape has turned out to be one of the finest wines of the vintage, tipping the scales at just over 15% alcohol and actually coming a few tenths of a degree within the 2003 and 2005 in terms of power and alcoholic degrees. The wine displays gorgeously sweet black raspberries, kirsch liqueur, and resiny, loamy soil notes. Medium to full-bodied, this blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, and the rest some of the other red varietals that are permitted, is performing beautifully and is certainly one of the vintage’s superstars. The wine is full-bodied, powerful, rich, and as accessible as the 2003, but slightly fresher and not as muscular and thick. Nevertheless, this is a top effort from the father and son team of Paul and Vincent Avril. This wine can be drunk now but can be cellared for 15-20 years.

Also a lot of fun. A little closed at first (still in that phase), but it too because to crack open.


A really yummy cauliflower in a saffron sauce.


2008 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection. Parker 94. The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection is the first example of this cuvee to include Merlot (about 14%) in the blend. The Merlot component has given the wine a cocoa/chocolate nuance to its black currant, licorice-infused fruit. The tannins are velvety soft and the wine is beautifully textured and full-bodied. It is ideal for drinking now and over the next 15 years.

Tasted like Cal Cab.


Akbari Biryani. Bits of lamb, chicken, and shrimp cooked with the rice.


2008 Vineyard 29 Zinfandel Aida. Parker 93. The 2008 Zinfandel Aida Vineyard Estate comes from a vineyard made famous in the early formative years of nearby Turley Cellars. A fascinating blend of 82% Zinfandel, 10% Petite Sirah and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it boasts a dark plum/purple color as well as a big kiss of mountain berries intermixed with garrigue, lavender, pepper and spice. Elegant yet powerful with a terrific texture, it is a sensational Zinfandel to drink over the next 7-8 years.


The first of several dishes made from Yarom’s kills: deer sausage. This was the same sausage that we had a few weeks earlier at Phong Dinh, but here cooked with onions and cilantro.


1999 Outpost Zinfandel Howell Mountain. Parker 90. An impressive offering, this 1999 Zinfandel exhibits aromas of blueberries, raspberries, minerals, and flowers. The complex aromatics are followed by deep, pure, medium to full-bodied flavors gently infused with high quality toasty oak. Drink this pure, well-balanced effort over the next 6-8 years.

I’m not normally a Zin fan, but the spicy quality here went nicely with the food.


A little curry on the plate. Not the loveliest sight, but it did taste damn good.


Rarely seen 1985 Kistler Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley. Parker 86. This tough-textured, solidly made, muscular Cabernet Sauvignon still exhibits an impressive, nearly opaque, garnet/ruby/purple color, and a reticent bouquet that opens to reveal spicy oak and vague red and black fruits aromas. Tannic, astringent, and hard, with a rough finish, my instincts suggest there is not enough fruit and extract to balance out the wine’s tough tannin and acidity.


A second tandoori fish, this time haddock. This one was smokier in flavor.


2011 Mollydooker Carnival of Love. Parker 93+. Very deep green-purple in color, the 2011 Carnival of Love flaunts a very expressive and fragrant nose with floral notes, roses and potpourri intermingled with toasty black cherries, creme de cassis, chocolate, pepper and accents of cinnamon and cloves. Rich, ripe and full-bodied, this concentrated, single-vineyard 100% Shiraz retains crisp acid, has low to medium levels of soft silky tannins before finishing very harmoniously and long.

The big palette crew loved this wine. Still way too extracted and young for my taste.


I popped back in the kitchen to catch them working the tandoori.


The result, tandoori duck. Lots and lots of flavor as usual.


2010 Purple Angel. This is a Chilean Carmenere.


And more of Yarom’s dear, this time saddle meat spiced and seared. It was tough. Real tough, and this bothered some, but the flavor was delicious: gamey, with pepper and herbs. So I treated it like venison chewing gum and enjoyed.


1999 Delheim Shiraz Vera Cruz Estate. IWC 90. Bright, deep ruby-red. Superripe, exotic, Graves-y aromas of burning tobacco, smoke and road tar. Urgent, superconcentrated wine with a powerful saline quality and a chewy, dense texture buffered by strong acidity. A fascinating if somewhat extreme expression of syrah, with a strong element of baking road tar. Finishes with very suave, building tannins and superb persistence. A retaste of a wine sampled a year ago, and developing splendidly.

I rarely drink South African wines, and when I do, I’m not usually impressed. This, however, while thin, did have an interesting smokey thing going on, almost like an Aglianico. It went well with the food too.


Some of Yarom’s wild boar. This was more tender, but the  flavor wasn’t as spectacular.


2006 Cayuse Syrah en Cerise. Parker 97 . The 2006 Syrah En Cerise Vineyard is a glass-coating opaque purple color. On the nose liquid asphalt, bacon fat, olives, and garrigue-like aromas offer much to contemplate. Intense, balanced, and totally succulent, it boasts a finish that just won’t quit. It delivers impressive immediate gratification but those who can wait for 5-7 years will be well rewarded.


Plain white bismati (Indian) rice.


2002 Lancaster Estate Meritage. Too many wines, didn’t try it.


The coco lamb, one of my favorites when I come here alone. Tender chunks of lamb are drenched in this incredibly heavy, incredibly flavorful curry laced with coconut. Awesome! It’s pretty hot too.


2004 Colgin IX Syrah Estate. Parker 96. Aubert demonstrates a superb know-how with Syrah. These wines are macerated for 35-45 days, and given frequent pump-overs as well as punch-downs. They are aged completely in French oak. The floral-filled 2004 IX Syrah Estate (486 cases) offers super-pure blue and blackberries intermixed with hints of new saddle leather and meat. High but sweet tannins, powerful flavors, and an overall sense of poise characterize this stunning effort.


And the classic: Chicken Tikka Masala. I asked the chef why his is so much better than the vast number of others I’ve tried, being so creamy and aromatic. Apparently, there is a careful balance of timing to avoid burning the cream and converting too much of it into butter, so as to retain the sweet proteins in balance to the acidic tomatoes. However he does it, the results are fabulous.


This is about 1/3 of the table!


1986 Raymond-Lafon. Parker 92. It is hard to believe the 1986 will eclipse the great 1983, but the differences in the two wines are negligible. I do not believe the 1986 makes quite the impact on the palate that the huge, massive 1983 does, but there is a great deal of botrytis, and a profound, penetrating fragrance of cooked pineapple, vanillin, toast, and honeyed peaches. The wine is streamlined, yet also lusciously rich and full-bodied, with crisp, zesty acidity, and a creamy, intense finish.

Enjoyable, but past its prime.


1999 Guiraud. Parker 90. Tasted as part of a vertical held at the chateau. There is a sense of conservatism to the Guiraud 1999, but it still retains attractive scents of dried honey, marmalade and a touch of chlorine. The palate is actually better than the nose, with a lovely seam of acidity and effervescent marmalade and quince-tinged fruit that is very precise toward the long finish. The ’99 should be looked back on as a success in an oft-forgotten vintage.


Kulfi, a kind of ice cream with raisons and nuts. Very delicate and nutty.


1995 Royal Tokaji Wine Co. Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos Mézes Maly. This has whoppingly high (67 grams per liter) dry extract, around a percent more alcohol and correspondingly less residual sugar than its ’95 stablemates. Blueberry, blue plum and honey in the nose, with a faint whiff of burnt sugar. Blueberry, honey, apricot jam and diverse flowers in the mouth. Another case of elegance and delicacy of personality and clear, rarefied flavors, in the context of a wine that is in fact extraordinarily dense and viscous. Terrific length. 2 stars.

By far the best of tonight’s dessert wines.

Kheer. Indian rice pudding. This is always one of my favorites. This particular pudding is very subtle and almond flavored. Some have a stronger cardamon and cinnamon tone.


The chaos!

Akbar has long been my favorite LA Indian, and this meal was probably my best yet there. The balance of items was great — and very plentiful — and the flavors incredibly bright and spot on. That filet tikka masala. Wow. The brothers Kapoor (below) are also wonderful hosts. All in all an exceedingly fun evening.

After dinner, me and Michael, along with a few others, snuck across the street and cracked this Burgundy from my bag, guaranteeing my hangover. 🙂

From my cellar: 1996 Maison Roche de Bellene Chambolle-Musigny VV Collection Bellenum. 93 points. This village wine could easily go on for many years to come. There were a lot of bright red fruits and an almost searing acidity. It’s young and kinda lip smackingly tart. A few more years might round that out.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

Brothers and owners, the Kapoors. On the right chef Avi and on the left Atul.

Related posts:

  1. All Things Akbar
  2. Akbar – Curry not so Hurry
  3. Ultimate Pizza New Years 2012
  4. Ultimate Pizza – The Birthday
  5. Ultimate Pizza – New Years
By: agavin
Comments (2)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Akbar, curry, hedionists, Indian cuisine, lamb, rice pudding, Santa Monica, Wine

All Things Akbar

Aug30

Restaurant: Akbar [1, 2, 3]

Location: 2627 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, Ca 90403. 310-586-7469

Date: August 28, 2013

Cuisine: Indian

Rating: Bold and balanced flavors

ANY CHARACTER HERE

For 13 or so years Akbar has been one of my favorite Indian restaurants. Too many Indian places focus on low cost buffets of very over cooked food, but Akbar cooks everything to order — even baking their own Naan when you place the order. They are more focused on the cuisine of the Punjab (Northern India), with very good curries and kormas. You can get anything from extremely mild to blow the top of your head off. Once I had the “pepper lamb” on 5 (max heat) and my scalp sweat for hours.

This time, my Hedonist group has taken over half the restaurant for one of our blow outs.

The Menu can be found here.

NV Andre Clouet Brut Grande Reserve. Parker 90. The NV Brut Grande Reserve emerges from the glass with layers of hazelnut, pear, spice and dried flower aromas. This rich, creamy wine impresses for its balance and sheer richness. I loved it.


Papadum. A crispy slightly spicy “bread” (more like a cracker) that is traditional at the start of meals.


The chutney’s and pickles. The green one is mint, the yellow-ish coconut, the one with corn spicy-pickled vegetables (yum! and oh, so gut burning) and the back corner a tangy one.


2012 Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc.


Fresh baked Naan, the delicious flat bread cooked in the Tandoor.


From my cellar, 2001 Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape. Parker 96. Beaucastel has been on a terrific qualitative roll over the last four vintages, and the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape (which Francois Perrin feels is similar to the 1990, although I don’t see that as of yet) is a 15,000-case blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the balance split among the other permitted varietals of the appellation. This inky/ruby/purple-colored cuvee offers a classic Beaucastel bouquet of new saddle leather, cigar smoke, roasted herbs, black truffles, underbrush, and blackberry as well as cherry fruit. It is a superb, earthy expression of this Mourvedre-dominated cuvee. Full-bodied and powerful, it will undoubtedly close down over the next several years, not to re-emerge for 7-8 years. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.

Many of us (including me) considered this the wine of the night.


A kind of chat (street food?) that basically consists of Samosas topped with chickpeas, flavored curry, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, tamarind, and yogurt. A really delicious sweet, savory, tangy combo.


2008 B. R. Silver Pinot Noir Coteau Palmer. 88 Points. Initial whiff of smoke and toasted oak, bright red berries, a faint green pepper/ leafy/ herbal note. Later, butterscotch, frangipane, more blueberry dark cherry pinot fruit notes. 25 sec finish. Nicely tart, muted tannins. Went well with (a) salmon with cafe de paris butter, and (b) grilled top blade with wild mushroom sauce. Very drinkable. The low alcohol makes this especially pleasant.


Chicken breaded with lentil flour and fried. Like Indian chicken nuggets!


Banacorsi.


Tandoori grilled Chilean Sea Bass marinated in herbs. Tender and flavorful!


2004 DuMOL Syrah Russian River Valley. IWC 88. Bright ruby-red. Superripe crushed blackberry and pepper on the nose.On the palate, intense black fruit and tar flavors are accompanied by an element of liquid pepper. This rather muscular, medicinal wine showed an increasing tannic toughness as it opened in the glass.


House specialty lamb chops. Awesomely marinated and coated in cumin. Wow, these were some tasty chops.


1994 Peter Lehmann Shiraz Stonewell. IWC 88. Ruby-red. Aromas of redcurrant, chicory and smoked meat complicated by herbal nuances. Thick, ripe and suave, with lovely fleshiness but not at all overly sweet. Finishes with dusty tannins and good length. Rather subtle, sophisticated shiraz.


Lamb with a saffron butter sauce. A delicious and rich lamb curry with a very flavorful and only slightly spicy sauce.


2008 Qupé and Verdad Syrah Classic Cuvée Sawyer Lindquist Vineyard. 90 points. A very big, but tasty Syrah, well suited to these massive flavors.


FMTM. Filet Mignon Tikka Masala! An off menu special version of Akbar’s amazing Tikka Masala, this time with delicious cubes of filet mignon. The beef fat gives the sauce a stronger aromatic quality than with the tangy chicken. Really lovely.


2009 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah Ancient Vine Bedrock Vineyard. IWC 92. Opaque ruby. Mineral-driven aromas of raspberry, cherry, Indian spices and fresh flowers. Leads with spicy red fruits, with bright, juicy acidity framing the sweet raspberry and cherry flavors. The finish repeats the floral and spice notes and leaves a tangy minerality behind. Precise and lively for a New World syrah.


Saag Paneer. Cheese in spinach. Like Indian creamed spinach to go with the “steak”.

1997 Stags’ Leap Winery Syrah. 88 points. Minty, meaty and smokey, this wine has aged well. Balanced and reasonably well structured, with firm tannins carrying the finish.


Akbari Biryani. Bits of lamb, chicken, and shrimp cooked with the rice.


2007 Conn Creek Cabernet Sauvignon.


A very clean mix of paneer (farm cheese) and vegetables like celery, peas, etc.


2001 Vineyard 29 Aida Estate. 92 points. Blueberry, black currant, dark cherry, vanilla, some chocolate. Ripe mid palate, medium/long finish. My guess is it has some time left, but no need wait.


And special for us, on request, a super spicy lamb. I’m not sure it’s the pepper lamb I used to have (that one had a much stronger peppercorn flavor) but this sure was inferno hot. Tasty too, but the slightest touch of it to the mouth began a long searing burn. I dared not eat too much!


2008 Jonata Winery Todos. IWC 91. Dark purple. Smoky cherry and dark berry aromas are complicated by notes of pipe tobacco, musky underbrush and cola. Broad and sappy, with a dense, chewy texture and liqueur-like cherry and cassis flavors. Powerful but lively blend with a long, spicy finish and lingering smokiness.


And the classic: Chicken Tikka Masala. I asked the chef why his is so much better than the vast number of others I’ve tried, being so creamy and aromatic. Apparently, there is a careful balance of timing to avoid burning the cream and converting too much of it into butter, so as to retain the sweet proteins in balance to the acidic tomatoes. However he does it, the results are fabulous.


1997 Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon. 92 points.  Translucent garnet in color. No real bricking noted. Cork solid with minimal soaking. Nice aroma of aged cab, cherries, violets and hints of mushrooms. Tannins mostly dissipated, leading a light and airy mouthfeel. Finish a bit clipped but drinking very well right now. Will consume last bottle sometime this year.


From my cellar, 1998 Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume. 92 points. The nose is gorgeous, lots minerality, slightly oxidative notes of bruised apple, also lemon pith and orange blossom. On the palate it’s sweet and silky but with a tart, zingy acid component. Lovely balance of flavors, part citrus but also with more of the apple, a touch of limestone, and honeyed pear. Lengthy, tapering finish that lasts for a long time. An outstanding wine.

The sweetness and fruit quality went wonderfully with the spicy dishes and the nutty desserts.


Kulfi, a kind of ice cream with raisons and nuts. Very delicate and nutty.


Kheer. Indian rice pudding. This is always one of my favorites. This particular pudding is very subtle and almond flavored. Some have a stronger cardamon and cinnamon tone.

Akbar has long been my favorite LA Indian, and this meal was probably my best yet there. The balance of items was great — and very plentiful — and the flavors incredibly bright and spot on. That filet tikka masala. Wow. The brothers Kapoor (below) are also wonderful hosts. All in all an exceedingly fun evening.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

Yarom (left) with brother’s Avinash (center) and Atul Kapoor. Avi, as you can tell from his duds, is the chef/owner and master of our culinary fates

Related posts:

  1. Akbar – Curry not so Hurry
  2. Hedonists at Jitlada
  3. Hedonists Noodle over Hoy-Ka
  4. Thanksgiving – Pork Insanity
  5. Pig Ear is Here – Taberna Arros y Vi
By: agavin
Comments (2)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Akbar, Chateauneuf du Pape, desserts, hedonists, Indian cuisine, Naan, Samosa, Santa Monica California, Syrah, Wine

Cocoa Island – Languorous Lunch

Apr21

Restaurant: Cocoa Island

Location: Maldives. Tel +960 6641818 Fax +960 6641919 Email res@cocoaisland.como.bz

Date: March 16-22, 2012

Cuisine: International

Rating: ?

_

We head back to Cocoa Island (and its single restaurant) to cover the second meal of the day. If you missed the endless breakfast, find it here.


Here in paradise the view from the lunch table doesn’t suck. One could eat outside there too, but it was pretty hot, like 94 degrees and humid. The food, however, was anything but tepid. It’s highly varied and international with an Indian slant fitting the location.


Tuna carpaccio with arugala and olives. Like nearly everything at the restaurant this was impeccably fresh and tasty.


Caprese salad.

Salad with beets and mozzarella.


An amazing “squid salad” with light fresh squid and a zesty vinaigrette.


Caesar salad with anchovies and spec.


Raddiccio salad. As you can see, there are a few salad options!


This typical frozen mock-tail was amazing for those with a sweet tooth. Strawberry passionfruit!


Spider roll. Fried softshell crab roll.


Some dipping sauces and ginger. The left is soy, the right a spicy mayo.


California roll made with shrimp. I like the wasabi balls.


Grilled blue fin tuna and potatoes. Sort of deconstructed salad niscose. The tuna was again perfectly fresh.


Fried calamari. Crisp and succulent.


A lot of folk went for the burger which had a kind of curried caramelized onions on it and came with salad and fries.


Goan fish curry. Local “job fish” stewed in fresh curry with Naan (house baked) and bismati rice.


Nasi Goreng. A kind of Indonesian fried rice with egg, chicken satay, mixed seafood, cucumbers, and a spicy peanut sauce. Not light, but it sure was good!


Chicken Tikka Masala. Also awesome.


We caught some local fish and they grilled them up.


And steamed some with ginger, garlic, and scallions.


Even this ugly barracuda.


And made these into fresh fish curry!


The bread was great too.


And the fries.


Plus one, day, I ordered this passionfruit semifreddo which was superb.

It’s pretty amazing that a restaurant can do this breath of styles with such excellent execution, but they did. Everything I had was great, and the same 2-3 guys in the kitchen did it all (even the breakfast, dinner, desserts, and baking!).

For more dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Cocoa Island – Endless Breakfast
  2. Crafty Little Lunch
  3. Go Sushi Goes To Lunch
  4. Trés – Lunch Fantastique
  5. Jackson’s
By: agavin
Comments (3)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Asia, Cocoa butter, Cocoa Island, Cocoa IslandLocation, Cook, Indian cuisine, lunch, Maldives, Resort, Salad, Sri Lanka, Travel and Tourism

Cocoa Island – Endless Breakfast

Apr17

Restaurant: Cocoa Island

Location: Maldives. Tel +960 6641818 Fax +960 6641919 Email res@cocoaisland.como.bz

Date: March 16-22, 2012

Cuisine: International

Rating: Mindblowing Hotel Breakfast in paradise

_

One of my oldest and best friend’s wedding brought us literally across the world to Cocoa Island in the Maldives. This little slice of paradise is an atol about two feet tall in the Indian Ocean not far from the southern tip of India and Sri Lanka.


As you can see, it was hardship duty. Completely equatorial the weather is about 88 degrees day and night year round. The ocean is about 18 inches deep and around… you guessed it… 88 degrees. Above is the view from the restaurant, which brings us to my favorite topic, food. The food at this resort was incredible, and best of all was the breakfast. It was included with the room and you could order as much as you liked. This led us to term it “endless breakfast.”


There was a cold buffet plus this menu. Again, you could order one thing, two things, or ten things.


But one must begin with a cappuccino. Or three.


The cereal section of the buffet.

They had great baked goods.


And jams.


And fruit.


The yoghurt with fruit was incredible. Rich and unpasteurized. The fruit juice was pretty spectacular too.


We’ll start with some classic Indian breakfast. Potato masala dosa (below) with daal (lentil curry) and some kind of creamy sauce.


The ultra crisp potato filled fried crepe.


Maldivian egg curry. You spoon it out onto the crepes. There is coconut on the side too.


A fantastic egg’s benedict.


And a frittata.

Or straight up eggs, bacon, and hash browns. This ain’t no MacDonalds.


They had these amazing flatbreads. This is cottage cheese, tomato, arugala, and avocado.


Or this one with top grade salmon and cottage cheese.


Or this meet and cheese plate.

Or a bit of fresh sliced mango.


Then come the starches. These incredible waffles.


Or French toast. You can see what I mean when I say the food was fantastic.


One day I spent nine hours (no exaggeration) at the table. Not only was the food continuous and great, but so was the ever changing parade of dining companions. Truly, the ultimate endless breakfast.

A review of lunch can be found here and dinner here at this incredible resort.

For more dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Eating Santa Margherita – Miramare Breakfast
  2. Eating Tuscany – Villa Breakfast
  3. Eating Modena – Real Fini Breakfast
  4. Eating Milano Marittima – Palace Hotel Breakfast
  5. Joan’s on Third for Breakfast
By: agavin
Comments (5)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Asia, baking, Breakfast, Cocoa Island, India, Indian cuisine, Indian Ocean, Maldives, Resort, Sri Lanka, Travel and Tourism

Akbar – Curry not so Hurry

Jan28

Restaurant: Akbar [1, 2, 3]

Location: 2627 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, Ca 90403. 310-586-7469

Date: January 21 and May 22, 2011

Cuisine: Indian

Rating: My favorite CTM (Chicken Tikka Masala).

ANY CHARACTER HERE

For 13 or so years Akbar has been one of my favorite Indian restaurants. Too many Indian places focus on low cost buffets of very over cooked food, but Akbar cooks everything to order — even baking their own Naan when you place the order. They are more focused on the cuisine of the Punjab (Northern India), with very good curries and kormas. You can get anything from extremely mild to blow the top of your head off. Once I had the “pepper lamb” on 5 (max heat) and my scalp sweat for hours.

The Menu can be found here.

Today they have us these spoonfuls of mushroom creme soup as an “amuse.” Much like any mushroom creme soup, but with a hint of spice — and spices.


Spinach soup, a similar but slightly different amuse on a different day.

As I was still hung over from the previous night’s massive Truffle Fest (SEE HERE), I had only a mango lassi. I love these, basically mango ice creme without the ice.


Riesling always goes well with Indian.

“Samosas. Crisp potato patty stuffed with spiced peas, served with Tamarind chutney.” These are stuffed with potato, peas, onion, flavored with curry and turmeric.  As always the sauce makes the dish — sweet and sour.

“Chicken Kati Roll. Whole wheat roti stuffed with highly spiced  diced chicken , onions and tomatoes.” These little burrito-like fellows are actually from a different meal (lunch on January 28), but I put them in because they’re damn good. Stuffed with something akin to the Chicken Tikka Masala (see below), and then coated in sweet mango sauce and a bit of Coriandrum (Latin for Cilantro) they have a sweet/spicy/tangy vibe that I love.

Akbar has an array of “pickles/chutneys” that come free. Coconut, mint, tangy, and the back one — my favorite — the pickled succotash in deadly hot oil.  I love the stuff, so much that if I ate as much as I would like, I’d feel the burn for days.

“Bhartha, tandoor roasted eggplant sautéed with tomatoes and peas.” This  is like an eggplant korma or something. It’s salty savory, with a very pleasant texture.


Cauliflower sauteed with onions and spices.

This is why I come here, and why for years we made at least one pilgrimage per week. The ”
Chicken Tikka Masala.” Chunks of tandoor grilled chicken breast in butter tomato curry. This is the best CTM I’ve had — and I’ve certainly had plenty. Not every time you come, it’s always good, but sometimes it’s great. You can tell the spices have been fresh ground, and often big chunks of cinnamon can be found. Tonight we had it mild, but I would have liked it up a notch or two.

Basmati rice, Aromatic rice infused with saffron.

“Chilean Sea bass marinated in herbs and grilled in the tandoor.” This is a relatively unusual dish, and delicious. The fish is buttery soft, and pleasantly spiced without being spicy.

Classic Naan, baked to order. Perfect to dip in the CTM sauce, or to slather with the spicy pickles.

I’ll be back.

Related posts:

  1. Quick Eats: Chan Dara
  2. Ultimate Pizza – Day 2
  3. Foreign Flavors: Panjshir
  4. La Cachette Bistro part deux et trois
  5. Quick Eats: Tofu Ya
By: agavin
Comments (3)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Akbar, Chicken tikka masala, Cook, Coriander, curry, Food, Home, Indian cuisine, Kati Roll, Naan, Restaurant, Restaurant Review, Samosas, side dishes, soup, Soups and Stews, Spice, vegetarian
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