Image
  • Writing
    • Andy Gavin: Author
    • About my Novels & Writing
    • All Writing Posts
    • The Darkening Dream
      • Buy the Book Online
      • Sample Chapters
      • Reviews
      • Info for Reviewers
      • Press Coverage
      • Awards
      • Cast of Characters
    • Untimed
      • Buy Untimed Online
      • Book Trailer
      • Sample Chapters
      • Reviews
      • Info for Reviewers
      • Press Coverage
      • Awards
      • Cast of Characters
    • Scrivener – Writer’s Word Processor
    • iPad for Writers
    • Naughty Dark Contest
  • Books
    • Book Review Index
    • Favorite Fantasy Novels
    • Andy Gavin: Author
    • The Darkening Dream
      • Buy the Book Online
      • Sample Chapters
      • Short Story: Harvard Divinity
      • Reviews
      • Info for Reviewers
      • Press Coverage
      • Awards
      • Cast of Characters
    • Untimed
      • About the Book
      • Buy Untimed Online
      • Book Trailer
      • Sample Chapters
      • Reviews
      • Info for Reviewers
      • Press Coverage
      • Awards
      • Cast of Characters
    • Naughty Dark Contest
  • Games
    • My Video Game Career
    • Post Archive by Series
    • All Games Posts Inline
    • Making Crash Bandicoot
    • Crash 15th Anniversary Memories
    • World of Warcraft Endgames
    • Getting a Job Designing Video Games
    • Getting a Job Programming Video Games
    • Naughty Dark Contest
  • Movies
    • Movie Review Index
  • Television
    • TV Review Index
    • Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    • A Game of Thrones
  • Food
    • Food Review Index
    • Foodie Club
    • Hedonists
    • LA Sushi Index
    • Chinese Food Index
    • LA Peking Duck Guide
    • Eating Italy
    • Eating France
    • Eating Spain
    • Eating Croatia
    • Eating Vietnam
    • Eating Australia
    • Eating Israel
    • Ultimate Pizza
    • ThanksGavin
    • Margarita Mix
    • Foodie Photography
    • Burgundy Vintage Chart
  • Other
    • All Posts, Magazine Style
    • Archive of all Posts
    • Fiction
    • Technology
    • History
    • Anything Else
  • Gallery
  • Bio
  • About
    • About me
    • About my Writing
    • About my Video Games
    • Ask Me Anything
  • Contact

Archive for Italian cuisine

Eating Baja – Somu

Feb01

Restaurant: Somu Ristorante

Location: Piazza Ventaglio, 07021 Baja Sardinia SS, Italy. +39 349 120 0682

Date: July 4, 2022

Cuisine: Italian 1 Star

Rating: Very nice

_

For second Sardinian 1 Star and final meal in Italy we trekked 20-30 minutes to the town of Baja Sardinia.

1A4A0179-Pano

The restaurant was a touch difficult to find, as it was tucked away down at the harbor piazza (where there was no parking).
1A4A0178

Finally we located it.
1A4A0186-Pano
1A4A0188

The have this gorgeous sea-side patio.
1A4A0189
So we had this table looking over the bay/cove.
1A4A0190-Edit
Amuses. Crunchy rice crisps with tomato and basil. Delicious and looked like jellyfish.
1A4A0193
Rice crisps with steak tartare.
1A4A0195
Veggie “tartare.”
1A4A0197
Rice crisps in various flavors like saffron and squid ink and tomato.
1A4A0199
Pork Jellies. Cute little piggies.
1A4A0201
Vegetarian bites.
1A4A0204
Refreshing fruit and wine “soup” (cold).
1A4A0207
Brioche like bread.
1A4A0209
Butter and lard.
1A4A0213
Mushroom butter.

1A4A0304
1A4A0306
1A4A0303
1A4A0304
1A4A0305
The menus. We had a bit of an issue at first where they really wanted us to all have the same menu — and since some people were vegetarian/pescatarian that really wasn’t going to work. This was unusual for a Michelin starred restaurant. I think it was the particular person we had as a manager came over and completely changed the tune and was very accomodating.
1A4A0220
Amuse of oyster with various flavors.
1A4A0215
Vegetable creams with basil oil.
1A4A0224
Crispy Sardinian Bread.
1A4A0225
Grisini.
1A4A0227
Bread.
1A4A0234
Carne Salata. Strong meaty and briny flavors with sesame.
1A4A0231
Tomato terrine.
1A4A0247
1A4A0256
Black Garlic Ravioli. Lovely pillow-like texture, nice pasta bite, and great flavor.
1A4A0251

Egg yolk.
1A4A0240
Gluten free version.
1A4A0274
Green tomato risotto. Very interesting flavor and perfect creamy texture.
1A4A0262
Spaghetti.
1A4A0228
Kid pasta 1. Was almost sweet.
1A4A0280
Kid pasta 2.
1A4A0292
Red Mullet. No hint of fishiness.
1A4A0285
Risotto with sweet and sour peppers (from identity menu)
1A4A0320
1A4A0323-Edit
Suckling Pig. Great texture.
1A4A0315
Stuffed vegetable.
1A4A0329
Pre-dessert.
1A4A0334
Pecan.
1A4A0339-Edit
1A4A0348
Beans, oat milk, and citrus.

1A4A0367
petite fours.
1A4A0350-Edit
Gluten free petite fours.

1A4A0357
Chocolate cannelés.
1A4A0359
Liqueur soaked pastry balls.
1A4A0362
Passionfruit jelly.
1A4A0364
Chocolates.

1A4A0368
Overall, a fabulous fancy Italian meal. Not quite as approachable as ConFusion, as Somu was slightly more complex and cerebral, but really good. Lovely setting too.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Eating Porto Cervo – ConFusion
  2. Eating Porto Cervo – Pergola
  3. Eating Porto Cervo – Clipper
  4. Eating Senigallia – Niko Cucina
  5. Eating Alghero – Macchiavello
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Eating Baja, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, Sardinia, Somu, Wine

Eating Porto Cervo – Pergola

Jan30

Restaurant: La Pergola in Giardino

Location: Costa SMERALDA, 07020 Porto Cervo SS, Italy. +39 0789 931620

Date: July 3, 2022

Cuisine: Sardinian Italy

Rating: Lovely

_

Sigh, for our second to last night in Sardinia, we headed back to the Porto Cervo marina to a place we had scoped out last time we were there.
1A4A0039
1A4A0035
1A4A0038-Pano
The marina is quite pretty.
1A4A0040
Pergola is attached to a snazzy boutique hotel.
1A4A0042
The menu.
1A4A0043
Breads.
1A4A0044
1A4A0045
2021 Capichera Vermentino di Gallura Vign’ Angena. 91 points.
1A4A0061
Amberjack marinated with raspberries and glasswort. Nice soft crudo texture. Interesting sweet and herbal notes.
1A4A0046
Plain pasta for the boy.
1A4A0049

Spagheti all’oro. Not too different than the plain.
1A4A0053
(Gluten free) Burrata filled ravioli.
1A4A0070
Seafood fregola. Little chopped pasta bits. Really delicious, like a classic risotto marinara but pasta.
1A4A0064
Filet of sea bass with squash blossoms.
1A4A0080

Turbo filet with Sichuan Peppercorn. Very light numbing flavor, but very good.
1A4A0084
Biscotti.
1A4A0086
Overall, this was a nice place. It’s a touch more modern/international than a few of the others while remaining solidly Italian. I tend to like my food updated and they had a tight kitchen as everything was very tasty.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Eating Porto Cervo – Clipper
  2. Eating Porta Cervo – Renato Pedrinelli
  3. Eating Porto Cervo – ConFusion
  4. Eating Rome – La Pergola
  5. Eating Senigallia – Taverna Porto
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Eating Porto Cervo, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, pasta, Risotto, Travel, Wine

Eating Porta Cervo – Renato Pedrinelli

Jan28

Restaurant: Renato Pedrinelli

Location: Piazza degli Ulivi, snc, 07021 Porto Cervo SS, Italy. +39 339 649 5114

Date: July 2, 2022

Cuisine: Sardinian Italian

Rating: Tasty

_

Another night in Sardinia, another Italian restaurant.
1A4A9969
1A4A0035
Renato Pedrinelli was well rated and conveniently located only a mile or two away from our hotel in a large ritzy shopping plaza near the Porto Cervo marina.
1A4A9973
As usual for summer dining in Italy we ate al fresco, coperto be damned!1A4A9971
1A4A9976
The menu.
1A4A9977
They bring by a selection of barely or recently living sea creatures for your perusal.
1A4A9978
Sardinia usually features crispy breads.
1A4A9979
2018 Argiolas Vermentino di Sardegna Cerdeña. Gotta drink local.
1A4A9982
Burrata pugliese e pomodorini. Burrata with cherry tomatoes.
1A4A9987
Half lobster Catalan style. I was a bit apprehensive given all those raw tomatoes, but somehow with the acidity and the onions it was pretty awesome.
1A4A9993
Classic penne pomodoro.
1A4A9996
Paccheri with fish ragu, bottarga and courgettes. Cheesy and a bit fishy. Nice bite.
1A4A9990
Sea Bream with tomatoes, olives, and capers.
1A4A0005
Filleted.
1A4A0011

Overall, while nothing spectacular, this was a solid meal. Everything in Porto Cervo is a bit focused on a tourist set — not necessarily American tourists (we didn’t see many of those) but mostly mainland Italians or other Europeans.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

1A4A9937

Related posts:

  1. Eating Porto Cervo – Clipper
  2. Eating Porto Cervo – ConFusion
  3. Eating Alghero – Macchiavello
  4. Eating Rome – La Campana
  5. Eating Senigallia – Taverna Porto
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Eating Porta Cervo, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, fish, Italian cuisine, Italy, pasta, Porta Cervo, Sardinia, Wine

Eating Alghero – Macchiavello

Jan26

Restaurant: Ristorante Osteria Macchiavello

Location: Bastioni Marco Polo, 57, 07041 Alghero SS, Italy. +39 079 980628

Date: July 2, 2022

Cuisine: Sardinian Italian

Rating: Tasty

_

We drove across Sardinia to visit the lovely town of Alghero.
1A4A9835
1A4A9839
Picked this attractive lunch spot just by feel and menu.
1A4A9836
1A4A9837
1A4A9838
The menu.
1A4A9834
They always have solid bread in Italy.
1A4A9844
Burratini con petali di pomodori marinati, basilico e zenzero. Burrata cheese with marinated tomatoes, basil and ginger. As you can see, Sardinians, like other southern Italians, love their tomatoes (and they are some of the best tomatoes in the world)!
1A4A9841
Simple pasta with the obligatory pomodoro sauce.
1A4A9845
Culurgionnes di Oliena con pomodoro e basilico. Home made Sardinian egg pasta filled with potatoes, pecorino cheese, and mint served with basil and tomato sauce.
1A4A9854
Spaghetti lla chitarra neri. Home made cuttlefish ink pasta cooked in parchment paper with mussels, clams, red prawns, scampi, small crab, octopus, squids, in a sauce of basil, cherry tomatoes, and a dash of chili infused olive oil.
1A4A9848
Delicious with a strong briny flavor, a bit of sweetness, a hint of heat, and lots of seafood. Crab and shrimp shells were soft enough that they could be chewed through. Pasta was very thick and al dente. The shellfish stock cooks down with the tomatoes into a wonderful blend.
IMG_5213
IMG_5216
Overall a nice local meal in a great setting.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

1A4A9798

Related posts:

  1. Eating Porto Cervo – Clipper
  2. Eating Colle di Val d’Elsa – Dietro Le Quinte
  3. Eating Santa Margherita – La Paranza
  4. Eating Milano Marittima – Lo Sporting
  5. Eating Poggibonsi – Osteria da Camillo
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Alghero, Eating Alghero, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, Italy, Macchiavello, pasta, Sardinia

Eating Porto Cervo – Clipper

Jan24

Restaurant: Clipper Ristorante

Location: Via della Marina, 10, 07021 Porto Cervo SS, Italy. +39 0789 91644

Date: July 1, 2022

Cuisine: Seafood Italian

Rating: Solid (this is Italy) but nothing amazing

_

Online various people seemed to insist that Clipper was the best restaurant in Porto Cervo and “quite a scene.” Not sure I trust “those people” too much anymore.
1A4A9741
1A4A9742
The outside was cute enough.
IMG_5441

They specialize in fresh seafood like many restaurants all over the coast of the Mediterranean basin.
1A4A9753
1A4A9754
Inside is cute but casual. They had a fairly bustling bar.
1A4A9743
1A4A9743
1A4A9746
1A4A9748
1A4A9749
1A4A9750
1A4A9751
1A4A9752
The menu.
1A4A9755
Something fishy about these plates.
1A4A9756
1A4A9759
2020 Capichera Isola dei Nuraghi IGT. We ordered it again. After I tried some other Vermentinos I went back to ordering Capichera!
1A4A9744
Crispy Sardinian bread.
1A4A9758
They had gluten free bread (and crackers) but it was all packaged. A far cry from Confusion, but still they had it.
1A4A9761
DOP Buffalo Mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and EVOO.
1A4A9765
Plate of Sardinian cheeses.
1A4A9772
Antipasto of fresh seafood, including various shrimp-like creatures, clams, oysters, etc.
1A4A9757
Sauces for the crudo.
1A4A9768
Simple Spaghetti pomodoro.
1A4A9777
Linguine all’astice with half a live local lobster. Very fresh tomato sauce. I was to have this basic dish a bunch of times in Sardinia and it was delicious every time. Really nice straightforward Italian pasta.
1A4A9782
Spaghetti with tomatoes, fior di latte.
1A4A9785
The other half of the lobster grilled with potatoes and beans.
1A4A9788
Random packed cookies and candies.
1A4A9789
A free degistivo.
1A4A9791
Confusion was a much better “deal” at 2x the price of Clipper. But Clipper was enjoyable enough. Just basic good local Sardinian food done for the higher end tourist audience. Not fancy exactly, but perhaps a bit International. Like most decent kitchens in Italy it was totally enjoyable, if not exactly exciting. Not totally sure why this place was considered by so many online as “the best” though.

For more Italian dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Eating Porto Cervo – ConFusion
  2. Eating Senigallia – Taverna Porto
  3. Eating Santa Margherita – Antonios
  4. Eating Cinque Terre – Gianni Franzi
  5. Eating Senigallia – Niko Cucina
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Eating Porto Cervo, Eating Sardinia, eating-italy, Italian cuisine, Italy, pasta, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Seafood, Wine

Gucci Gucci

Nov18

Restaurant: Gucci Osteria

Location: 347 N Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. (424) 600-7490

Date: May 5, 2022

Cuisine: Modern Italian

Rating: Amazing — and foamy!

_

Over a decade ago I had an amazing meal at Osteria Francescana in Modena, one of the most respected and highly rated restaurants in Italy. So, I was very excited, but cautious, to hear that Chef Massimo Bottura partnered with Gucci (of all things) to open a restaurant in Beverly Hills.

1A4A6344-Pano
It has it’s own door right next to the store on Rodeo.
1A4A6346-Pano
Here’s the main Gucci store. I can’t help but visualizing Al Pacino demonstrating some loafers.
1A4A6350
1A4A6355
The dining room is upstairs above the store and has a lovely and stylish greenhouse vibe. It’d be great for power lunch as well.
1A4A6351
1A4A6352
1A4A6353
1A4A6354
This is all serious tasting menus. We got the “Chef’s Experience” but added SEVERAL signature dishes off the other menus.
1A4A6356
Erick proudly sporting the menu.
1A4A6359
Truffle and Cheese Foam Tart amuse.
1A4A6361
One “problem” at Gucci Osteria is that they don’t allow any corkage. But it turns out that their “regular” wine pairing is actually all interesting Italian wines, which I do love. They also have a premium pairing which has some nice Italian wines, but is corrupted by a bunch of French (fine but not necessary given how many great wines Italy has) and — gasp — new world wines. Why would they do that? Anyway, we got the (almost) all Italian set.

NV Ca’ del Bosco Franciacorta Cuvée Prestige Brut. VM 91. Pale straw-yellow with a strong mousse. Bright, perfumed apple and pear aromas and flavors. Closes long with very good lemony cut and bright floral lift. One of the freshest, prettiest versions I can remember of the Cuvée Prestige, a sparkler that in my experience is often a little too heavy on sweet dosage. Disgorged fall 2017. (Drink between 2018-2023)
1A4A6364
Lavash bread and raisin/fruit bread.
1A4A6365
Normandy style butter.
1A4A6369
Whipped Ricotta. Really light and delicious. Cough, cough: foam!
1A4A6373
1A4A6374
American Breakfast. Eggs, potato foam. Really smooth and luxurious. Notice the foam / velouté thing going on, you will see it again.
1A4A6376
2020 Passo delle Tortore Fiano di Avellino Bacio delle Tortore. Fiano is a super dry and acidic white wine from the more volcanic coastal regions of southern Italy (in this case, Eastern Sicily).1A4A6378
From Japan & Italy to LA. Shigoku oyster. Nice oyster.
1A4A6382
Prosciutto consommé. Cold and mild and porky. Not my thing.
1A4A6384
2018 San Michele Appiano (St. Michael-Eppan) Sauvignon Sanct Valentin. VM 92. Bright straw. Aromas and flavors of passion fruit, green fig, sage and rosemary. Fresh and juicy with glyceral sweetness giving an impression of residual sugar. Closes long and focused with lingering hints of gooseberry and sage. A lovely Sauvignon Blanc. (Drink between 2019-2025)
1A4A6388
Fish Tartare – Smoked and Crispy. Rock fish, potatoes, shiso.
1A4A6391
2016 Cantine Bonacchi Brunello di Montalcino Molino della Suga. 92 points. This Sangiovese is starting to mature- pale garnet in the glass with thick legs (14% ABV). Pronounced aromas of cherry, leather and strawberry with hints of clove, rooibos tea, garigue and dried herb. The palate is dry and quite tannic. I get lovely crushed cherry, cranberry, pomegranate, strawberry coulis and earthy leather. This wine has juicy acidity and a full body- it’s just now starting to become drinkable. It is a very young wine with great structure and potential for aging that will allow tertiary flavor development. Right now it is still relatively primal. Delicious stuff that has a long finish and rather astringent mouthfeel right now. It will drink beautifully till 2030 and pair well with Italian fare, grilled ribeye or game. 93 points from me for this $40 wine makes it a 5 star effort.
1A4A6398
Welcome Home. Polenta, taleggio, beef ragu. Super “creamy” and delicious. More foam!
1A4A6399
2017 Monteraponi Chianti Classico Baron’ Ugo. VM 92. The 2017 Chianti Classico Baron’Ugo is a dark, potent wine. A rush of aromas and flavors hits the palate as this full-bodied, heady Chianti Classico offers its substantial richness and pure power. A wine of density and volume, the 2017 screams with character. Red cherry, spice, mint and blood orange saturate the palate. In 2017, warm, dry weather pushed ripeness to the edge. The Baron’Ugo is decidedly eccentric in 2017, and yet all the elements are so nicely balanced. (Drink between 2022-2037)
1A4A6402
Risotto Camouflaged as Pizza. Tomato, Basil, Stracciatella. Incredible bright pizza Margarita flavor.
1A4A6409
Bowl licking good.
1A4A6410
NV Dante Garuti & Figli Lambrusco di Sorbara.
1A4A6412
Tortellino Truffle. Parmigiano Reggiano sauce. This is a Gucci Osteria classic.
1A4A6419
2018 Cascina Fontana Barbera d’Alba. 94 points. Rich, complex aroma with elements of black fruit, dried leaves, and red hots. Sappy flavors of huckleberry and fresh oregano up front, burst of acid laced cherry fruit in the finish. Smooth by Barbera standards, but with firm acids underneath. Lovely and distinctive wine.
1A4A6420
Cod as Milanese. Farmer’s market tomato terrine.
1A4A6426
2016 Giorgio Pelissero Barbaresco Nubiola. VM 88. The 2016 Barbaresco Nubiola is a powerful, dense wine. Black cherry, spice, menthol, licorice and leather are all amped up in this potent, concentrated Barbaresco from Giorgio Pelissero. Nubiola is typically a bit more refined, but in 2016 it is especially powerful and clenched, with huge tannins that need cellaring to soften. Time in the glass brings out the attractive floral upper register that is typical of Nubiola, but the textural richness and depth remain. (Drink between 2021-2031)
1A4A6429
Bollito. Wagyu, apple mostarda, warm zabaione. Again creamy and rich. Woah, more foam!
1A4A6434
2016 Val Delle Rose Maremma Toscana Aurelio. 88 points.
1A4A6435
Chicken Skin Fries.

1A4A6439
Balsamic Mayo for the fries. Super aioli texture.
1A4A6438
Pastry chef Tamara Rigo chats with us.

1A4A6442
1A4A6445
Mini Me. Beef ribeye, cotechino, salsa verde, balsamic mayonnaise. Super yummy mini-burger.
1A4A6449
Chibi Zumo ‘Little Sumo’ Junmai Geenshu Sake, Hyogo Prefecture.
1A4A6450
Cool Vibes. Pistachio gelato, lime, mint, sake.
1A4A6456
2014 Azienda Agricola Prà “Passito Bianco Delle Fontane”. 88 points. A lot of white flowers. Acacia being the most dominant. Orange peel, overripe apricots, nectarines, yellow peaches. Full bodied; but some lift to it.
1A4A6459
1A4A6475
Honey comes in this cool bee!
1A4A6472
Milk & Honey. Milk, honey, coriander.
1A4A6481
Puff Pastry, Passionfruit Jelly, Chocolate.
1A4A6488
The bill — for 1 — gulp!

1A4A6499-Pano
1A4A6505-Pano
We closed them out.
1A4A6511
Then hung out in the kitchen with two of the chefs! They were super nice. The chef on the right is pastry chef Tamara Rigo (she’s Italian — and yes Italians can be redheads). Not pictured is Chef Mattia Agazzi who has garnered a lot of press.

Overall, this was an amazing meal. It’s really the only meal I’ve had in America that reminds me of my many many 2 and 3 star meals in Italy. Now, that being said Italy, and to a much lesser extent LA, has tons of lovely more “casual” or “homestyle” Italian restaurants. In fact it’s hard to go wrong in Italy and casual places are amazing. But these fancy places have a style unique all to themselves and Gucci Osteria really delivers on that. Its particular style is rather rich and opulent with an incredible bounty of foams, veloutés, and fatty emulsions. I happen to love these kind of smooth textures, and I can handle very rich, but not everyone does. Still, to my taste it was delicious.

Service was amazing also and I actually really enjoyed the creative and offbeat Italian wine pairings. Italy has so many stupendous wines in every possible style, so there is no reason to eat Italian food with wine from anywhere else.

The idea of going back again leaves me “foaming” at the mouth!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or for epic Foodie Club meals, here.

Related posts:

  1. Crafty Culina
  2. Osteria Latini 3
  3. Quick Eats: Osteria Latini
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Beverly Hills, Foodie Club, Gucci, Gucci Osteria, Italian cuisine, Massimo Bottura

Quick Eats — Piccolo

Nov07

Restaurant: Piccolo

Location: 2127 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405. (310) 314-0144

Date: April 14, 2022

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Excellent neighborhood Italian

_

Piccolo is the latest restaurant by Chef Antonio Muré. I’ve been to a lot of his places around the west side over the years including the original Piccolo.
1A4A5366
The menu.
1A4A5367
From my cellar: 2003 Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva Grandi Annate. 91-3 points. Incredibly well settled out and integrated, lovely fruit with cranberry and black rasberry undertones, not sweet but good viscosity, aftertaste of licorice/anise and earth.
1A4A5368
Bread.
1A4A5384
Insalate Crescione.
1A4A5380
Beet Carpaccio.
1A4A5377
1A4A5389
Beef Carpaccio with Fondue and Truffles. The Truffles! Really good, albeit light.
1A4A5371
Butter pasta.
1A4A5373
Orchetti with Red Sauce.
1A4A5401
Pici alla Melanzane.
1A4A5404
Twisty noodles with tomato sauce.
1A4A5405
Branzino.
1A4A5410
Lamb Chops.

This was just a quick family dinner but the food was very good. Very typical of chef Muré.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Quick Eats: Piccolo
  2. Piccolo – A little Italian
  3. Quick Eats: Divino
  4. Quick Eats – Orto
  5. Quick Eats: Osteria Latini
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Chef Antonio Muré, Italian cuisine, pasta, Piccolo, Venice

Heroic Spanish

Nov03

Restaurant: Heroic Deli and Wine Bar [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Location: 516 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 490-0202

Date: March 15, 2022

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Awesome wines and time

_

In Spring of 2022 friend Jeffrey, owner of Heroic Italian, hosted a series of old wine dinners. This one is old Spanish. These things are immortal!

To complement Jeffrey prepared an almost ludicrously rich and copious amount of food. Pay careful attention as the plated courses are INDIVIDUAL.

IMG_0573

The street view.

1A4A4193-Pano
We situated ourselves in the back of the main dining room.
IMG_6419
In honor of the old Spanish wine Jeffrey brought in a whole pig!
1A4A4208
He also has this interesting water pulled out of “thin air” by a machine. Quite good too.
1A4A4176
1970 Bodegas Tradición Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Oloroso Anada. 95 points. Intense and very complex nose, nutty, dry fruit, a hint of luxurious cognac. Very rich and round, strong acidity and mineral and a long deeply toned nutty finish. My guess is an old sherry. It could also a dry style Madeira. With air, incredibly complex, sweet cognac nose. This will go incredibly well with aged comte or parmesan.
1A4A4202
Amuse of Cinco Jotas Jabugo on Toast with Crushed Tomato.

1A4A4170
1986 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial Blanco. VM 98. Bright yellow-gold. A hugely complex bouquet evokes dried pear, peach nectar, orange marmalade, honey, marzipan and chamomile, with vanilla and smoky mineral notes in the background. Stains the palate with sappy, deeply concentrated citrus, orchard and pit fruit flavors, plus suggestions of brown butter, shortbread and orange zest. This wine is fully mature but there’s no sign of it slowing down anytime soon. Finishes with superb persistence and energy, leaving peach liqueur, buttered toast and honey notes behind, eventually. This is one of the most remarkable white wines that I have ever had, from anywhere. (Drink between 2022-2031)
1A4A4216
Scallop Bruschetta with Uni and Caviar. Buttery and delicious.
1A4A4228
Foie Gras “LH” Bruschetta. Larry (LH) loves foie, so Jeffrey prepared not 1, not 2, but 4 liver courses!
1A4A4237
House-made Vegetable Fritatta.
1A4A4243
Served with perfect Garlic Aioli. It’s a great frittata and the intense garlic punch really knocks it up.
1A4A4171
From my cellar: 1968 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Tondonia. VC 95. I cannot recall having crossed paths previously with the ’68 Tondonia Gran Reserva, and given how beautifully this bottle showed, I do not intend to wait a long time until having the next bottle of this brilliant wine. The bouquet is deep, pure and perfumed, as it soars from the glass in a beautiful mélange of cherries, orange zest, cinnamon sticks, lovely soil tones, a touch of nutskin and a distinct topnote of rose petals. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and spicy, with a fine core, great length and grip and still a bit of tannin to resolve on the long and palate-staining finish. A great, great bottle of Rioja. (Drink between 2008-2030)
1A4A4173
1959 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial. VM 95. Upon opening, with just a quick decant, I am blown away by the wine’s depth and overall intensity. Bright red cherry, cedar, tobacco, sweet vanillin and incense are all so wonderfully alive, with bright acids playing off the natural intensity of the fruit. Sure, there is a bit of volatile acidity, but not enough to detract from the wine’s immense pleasure. Even though the market for Rioja has changed dramatically over the last 10-15 years, older vintages still deliver exceptional value in the world of fine, ageworthy wine. Readers lucky enough to own the 1959 can look forward to another twenty years of magnificent drinking, maybe more. Longevity will ultimately be driven by the integrity of the cork, as the wine itself is basically eternal. (Drink between 2020-2040)
1A4A4179
1954 R. López de Heredia Rioja Gran Reserva Viña Bosconia. JG 54. The 1954 Bosconia Gran Reserva is at its absolute apogee and is drinking beautifully well. The bouquet is deep, complex and very refined in its mélange of raspberries, red currants, orange rind, nutskins, lovely spice tones and a fine base of Rioja soil. On the palate the wine is medium-full, round, focused and quite spicy in its personality, with lovely mid-palate depth, bright acids to keep the wine bouncy from attack to finish, and excellent length and grip on the complex backend. 1954 is a great vintage in Rioja, and the Bosconia Gran Reserva is a fittingly fine homage to the quality of the vintage. (Drink between 2008-2025)
1A4A4175
1952 Marqués de Murrieta Rioja Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial. 99 points. extraordinary and special wine, which managed to amaze me.
1A4A4172
1948 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Reserva Cuvée Especial.
1A4A4257
Foie “ Hoff” Gras Agnolloti with black truffles. A “light” little foie and truffle pasta to satisfy the foie monster at the table. No butter or cream here either… look away… move along…
1A4A4261
Garlic bread. Great crunchy bread. Not that we needed extra carbs but I smeared aioli on for even more garlic.
1A4A4251
En Croute…
1A4A4264
Salmon en Croute with Farmers Market Asparagus. This isn’t a light dish either and this is a single person portion! Between the pastry and the beurre blanc…

1A4A4269
Pan Seared Foie Gras “Estilo Hoffman”. More foie!
1A4A4274
Classic Osso Buco with Risotto Milanese. Oh and this is a single portion of a giant hunk of cow leg with a huge pile of to-die-for classic risotto!
1A4A4189
Then there is a whole pig.
1A4A4284
Whole Roast Pig with Liver Sauce. With creamed spinach and liver sauce. Haha. A light finish to the savories.
1A4A4166
1994 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage. JG 94. The 1994 vintage of Taylor is a huge and powerful wine, but it does not possess quite the same vivid freshness of my very favorite vintages in the last several decades. Perhaps this is just a stage that the wine is in today, but amongst the fine troika of vintage Taylors from the 1990s, I have to give a slight nod to the remarkably refined and hauntingly brilliant 1992 Taylor over the larger-scaled 1994. The very powerful bouquet on the ’94 offers up a mix of intense cassis, plum, chocolate, licorice, tar, and a huge base of earth. On the palate the wine is full-bodied and quite closed on the attack, with a huge, rock solid core of fruit, firm, well-covered tannins, great soil inflection, and an impressive brightness on the finish that is not evident on the nose today. If this is simply a dumb stage for the wine, then my score will prove to be conservative. (Drink between 2025-2075)
1A4A4292
Pecan Tart with Irish Coffee & Whisky Gelato and Baileys Irish Gream Gelato.

Baileys Irish Gream Gelato — New stabilized 13% Bailys Irish Cream recipe, with a touch of seasonal coloring! — Designed to pair with “Irish Coffee Gelato” — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #expresso #whiskey #baileys #StPatricksDay #cream #green

Irish “Coffee” Gelato — Tullamore Dew Irish Whisky blended into a Coffee Custard Gelato base with (optional) layers of Crushed Oreo — Designed to pair with “Baileys Irish Gream Gelato” and includes a hefty Caffeine kick — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #expresso #whiskey #custard #oreos #irish

1A4A4159
This was an epic dinner. Not only were the wine’s crazy good — these last forever — but there was so MUCH food. Look at the size of those individual portions and then there is all the foie, the osso bucco, en croute etc. Wow. I’m still full half a year later writing it up.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

For more Foodie Club dining, click here.

Related posts:

  1. Astrea Caviar + Heroic Wine Bar
  2. Heroic Bordeaux
  3. Heroic Wine Bar
  4. Quick Eats – Heroic Deli
  5. Quick Eats: Andy’s Spanish Eggs
By: agavin
Comments (1)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Foodie Club, Gelato, Heroic Deli, Heroic Italian, Italian cuisine, Pig, rioja, Spanish Wine

Angelini Palisades

Oct26

Restaurant: Angelini Ristorante & Bar

Location: 1038 N Swarthmore Ave, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272. (424) 238-5870

Date: March 31 & May 4, 2022

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great for the Palisades

_

Angelini Palisades is finally a second decent restaurant to join Rick Caruso’s Palisades village. The other one, Blue Ribbon Sushi, while not super exiting, is also “solid” (if pricey).

1A4A4848
Angelini is a “branch” of the Hollywood Osteria Angelini which has been one of LA’s best Italians for years.

Angelini Ristorante & Bar builds on Angelini’s storied history in Los Angeles; his eponymous Osteria has been a staple for hungry Angelenos since its opening in 2001. Known across the city for his pasta creations, Angelini offers anticipated favorites featuring Lasagna Verde ‘Nonna Elvira’; Tagliolini Limone; and Linguine with Santa Barbara Sea Urchin alongside soon-to-be new classics!

1A4A4845-Pano
The new Palisades version has a nice “Caruso-style” build out.
1A4A4849
With a semi-outside bar and patio.
1A4A4850-Pano
And a swank interior.
1A4A4844

1A4A6246
Menus on two different days. Minor differences only. The menu is a bit small.
1A4A4841
Bread.

1A4A6248
Insalta Angelini. Cannellini beans, avocado, cucumber, toasted pistachios, parmigiano.
1A4A6251
Insalata Tricolore. Endive, radicchio, arugula, shaved parmigiano.
1A4A6253
Insalata di Aragosta. Fresh Maine lobster, golden apple, mixed greens, pomegranate seeds.
1A4A4858
Burrata and Prosciutto. San Daniele 24 month aged prosciutto, Italian Burrata cheese, arugula.
1A4A4865
Gluten free alla Nerrano. Zucchini, basil, parmigiano.
1A4A6263
Spaghetti alla Nerano. Zucchini, basil, parmigiano.

1A4A4875
Linguini Ricci di Mare. Sea urchin, shallot, chives. This is an Angelini classic.
1A4A6273
Risotto Frutti di Mare. Riso Acquerello, cuttlefish, lobster, shrimp, mussels, clams.
1A4A6259
Lasagna Verde “Nonn Elvira”. Homemade spinach pasta, beef & pork ragu, béchamel, parmigiano.
1A4A4873
Branzino al sale. Whole Mediterranean branzino, roasted in sea salt, aromatic herbs, served with sautéed spinach and mashed potatoes.
1A4A6269
Sogliola Romagnola. Except this sole was prepped with the branzino prep: aromatic herbs, served with sautéed spinach and mashed potatoes.
1A4A4883
Torta Caprese. Soft chocolate cake, almond flour (GF).
1A4A6278
Bread Pudding. Brioche, butterscotch sauce, vanilla gelato.
1A4A6281
Tiramisu. Mascarpone cheese cream, layered lady fingers, soaked in espresso. Pretty good Tiramisu. No Zabaione, but otherwise “correct.”
1A4A4887
Vanilla, Chocolate and Pistachio Gelato, made at Hollywood branch. Gelato was good. Very classic, not as intense as mine, and boring flavors, but proper gelato.

Angelini might not be cheap (it certainly isn’t) but it is now hands down the best Italian in the Palisades. This is a pretty low bar as Palisades Italians have always been either extremely dated or terrible, but Angelini is quite good. The location and setting is very nice too. The only problem is really the limited menu and the fact that it’s not particularly innovative, still, I’ll take it (2 min from home).

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Angelini Osteria
  2. Hank’s Palisades
  3. London in the Palisades
  4. Palisades Yogurt Shoppe
  5. Uovo – Italian Sugarfish
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Angelini, Angelini Palisades, Angelini Ristorante & Bar, Italian cuisine, Palisades Village

Mischief & Mayhem at Marino

Oct20

Restaurant: Marino Ristorante [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Location: 6001 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038. (323) 466-8812

Date: March 3, 2022

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Superb

_

Marino is a favorite haunt for many of my wine groups. Tonight my friend John arranged a special dinner with the owner of “Mischief and Mayhem”, a relatively new Burgundy producer.

 The amazing chef/owner Sal Marino cooks at his original family location, venerable Marino Ristorante on Melrose and continues to whip up his unique blend of amazing modern Italian. And if anything, he’s gotten even better.
1A4A7277-Pano
Post pandemic they’ve turned the parking lot into a cute patio.
1A4A4557
This is the main interior, or at least some of it.

1A4A3797-Pano
But we were set up in the private room which really is private. It’s totally separate, connected to the main dining room via the kitchen and even has its own bar and bathroom.

1A4A3818
Wines at the ready.

1A4A3821
1A4A3822
Various Champagnes.
1A4A3760
Our menu tonight.
1A4A3805
1A4A3806
1A4A3804
1A4A3807
More Champagnes.
1A4A3764
Smoked trout with roe.
1A4A3808
2018 Mischief and Mayhem Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières.
1A4A3809
2018 Mischief and Mayhem Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts.

1A4A3787
A selection of starters.
1A4A3776
Tuna. Stuffed Mexicola Avocado.
1A4A3777
Octopus Crocce.
1A4A3779
Razor Clam.
1A4A3784
Snapper Tartar, Salicornia.
1A4A3810
2017 Mischief and Mayhem Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champs-Gain.
1A4A3811
2016 Mischief and Mayhem Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champs-Gain.
1A4A3790
Bass, Salsify, Spring Veggies.
1A4A3812
2014 Mischief and Mayhem Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras.
1A4A3813
2012 Mischief and Mayhem Clos St. Denis.
1A4A3824
Lamb Pappardelle.
1A4A3814
2018 Mischief and Mayhem Clos St. Denis.
1A4A3815
2010 Mischief and Mayhem Corton-Bressandes.

1A4A3839
Duck.
1A4A3846
Ancient Cheesecake Gelato — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Base crafted from Galbani Whole Milk Ricotta and Sicilian Toasted Noto Romano Almond Paste with a touch of the sugar subbed out for Sicilian Honey. Mixed in is more Honey and Chopped Pistachios! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #dessertgasm #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #ricotta #almond #RicottaCheese #cheese #Sicily #honey #pistachio
1A4A3843
Chef Sal and John.
1A4A3850

Another awesome dinner. Food was great, I’ve had more elaborate meals from Sal, but all the dishes today were excellent. Sal’s a fabulous chef when you let him go all out and today’s lunch was very on point and paired extremely well with the wines.

I hadn’t really heard of Mischief & Mayhem before but these turned out to be lovely wines. And owner Michael Ragg was a very interesting and fun guy to hang out with so this turned out to be a great evening.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or experience my gluttonous month-long food trips through Italy.

But, as the dinner was calibrated for mere eating mortals, Erick and went to Izakaya Sasaya for our infamous second dinner.

IMG_4784
Toro sashimi.
IMG_4786
Bulgolgi.
IMG_4788
Crab rice congee.
IMG_4789
Sukiyaki veggies
IMG_4791
Sukiyaki pork belly. There was a Sukiyaki pot, but I forgot to take a picture of it.

Related posts:

  1. Marino al Fresco
  2. Penfolds Marino
  3. Sauvages Brunello at Marino
  4. Marino Ristorante Back Room
  5. Marino Ristorante
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Burgundy, BYOG, Gelato, Italian cuisine, Marino Ristorante, Michael Ragg, Mischief & Mayhem, Sal Marino, Second Dinner, Wine

Drago Centro Champagne

Sep26

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

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

Date: January 21, 2022

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great high end Italian

_

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


Located on busy Flower in DTLA.

1A4A1684-Pano
1A4A1691
The reception was held around our large square table — big group this time including a separate ladies table.
1A4A1692
Multiple buckets were needed to ice all the champagne.
1A4A1697
2012 Christophe et Fils Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu. 92 points. Medium yellow. Quite ripe fruit but a whiff of seashell behind this. Pretty plush feel-you definitely sense the wood influence. More pear and yellow apple than citrus fruit character, some spice (unusual for Chablis), late iodine and limestone, lowish acidity. The wood plus ripe fruit plus low acidity make it veer in the direction of more southerly climats, but there is just enough Chablis character to identify it as such. To be drunk over the short term, that’s for sure.

1A4A1693
2014 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir. JG 94+. Out of the blocks, the 2014 Domaine Fèvre Vaudésir seems just a touch more accessible than the top couple of structured premier crus and the Bougros. The beautiful, zesty bouquet delivers scents of pear, fresh pineapple, lemon, beeswax, chalky soil tones, a touch of licorice and a topnote of spring flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and a bit more tensile than the wide open nose suggest, with fine mid-palate depth, bright acids and really superb cut and grip on the long, vibrant finish. Another superb wine, which I may be underrating a tad, but I had to leave room for what was to follow! (Drink between 2017-2050)

1A4A1695
2008 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros. VM 93. Good pale yellow. Restrained aromas of fresh apricot, pineapple and spices; showed riper stone fruit notes as it opened in the glass. Sweet, tactile and elegantly styled, with strong acids framing and lifting the intense peach flavor. Already boasts a lovely fat texture and considerable pliancy but this wine really needs three or four years to express itself.
1A4A1696
2014 La Chablisienne Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu. 92 points. Pale yellow in color. Very precise aromas of sea-spray, yellow florals, , green apples, herbs, green citrus leaf on the nose. Palate shows sweet, tart lemon curd, good mid palate sap, savory sea shell broth and a long saliva inducing mineral finish. Lovely.
1A4A1694
2017 La Chablisienne Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot. 95 points. Superb.
1A4A1700
Beef and truffle.
1A4A1704
Crab Toast, Lemon and chives.
1A4A1708
Seafood Arancini al Nero, saffron aioli. I’ve never had a squid ink risotto arancini before.
1A4A1727
Celestino Drago in the house!
1A4A1675
Our special menu.
1A4A1769
2006 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare. VM 93. Piper-Hiedsieck’s 2006 Cuvée Rare is racy and polished to the core. Baked apple tart, apricot, lemon confit, vanillin and brioche infuse the 2006 with striking aromatic intensity and creaminess that builds with time in the glass. Sumptuous and forward, the 2006 offers tons of near and medium-term appeal. (Drink between 2019-2028)
1A4A1770
2006 Gosset Champagne Brut Grand Millésime. VM 93. The 2006 Brut Grand Millésime offers more near term appeal than many Gosset Champagnes as the flavors show a good amount of complexity, while the contours are nicely mellowed. Hazelnut, savory herbs, anise, mint and dried pear meld into the generous, inviting finish. The typical Gosset energy is nicely balanced by the weight and soft, relaxed contours of a wine that is now nearly ten years old. Lightly honeyed and toasty notes round out the close. In 2006 the blend is 56% Pinot Noir and 44% Chardonnay from vineyards in Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Trépail, Vertus, Ambonnay, Avenay, Aÿ, Chigny-les-Roses and Louvois. (Drink between 2015-2021)
1A4A1771
2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne Legacy Edition Label. 95 points. This wine was served to celebrate the legacy of my in-laws 50th anniversary while in St. John’s. I think time, place, people, and meaning can deeply impact how wine is remembered or appreciated. This was the best bottle of 2008 Dom that I’ve had to-date. There was a deep and complex nose that shifted each time the glass was lifted for a sip or a sniff. The wine was bright and focused, with a mid-palate that seemed to shift like the tides. While we served this with food, this wine, tonight was spectacular with the food and without. I don’t think the bottle lasted us more than 2 hours, but it was a pleasure to drink this from start to finish.
1A4A1772
2008 Doyard Champagne Grand Cru Les Lumières Grand Cru Extra Brut. VM 93. The 2008 Extra Brut Les Lumières Grand Cru is a blend of 65% Chardonnay (from Avize and Mesnil) and 35% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ) that spent ten years on its lees before being disgorged and given just the smallest touch of dosage. Creamy, resonant and expressive, the 2008 has so much to offer. Even so, it clearly needs at least a bit of time in bottle to be at its best. Tropical accents provide a hint as to where the 2008 will go over the next handful of years. (Drink between 2020-2030)
1A4A1709
Onion Panna Cotta, Scallops Tartar, Caviar. Lovely.
1A4A1773
2005 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. JG 95+. The 2005 Comtes de Champagne is a stunning young wine. The bouquet is deep, pure and youthfully complex, as it offers up a very classy blend of pear, delicious apple, fresh almond, incipient notes of crème patissière, chalky minerality, brioche and just a whisper of vanillin oak in the upper register. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and rock solid at the core, with exquisite balance, refined mousse, crisp acids and simply superb length and grip on the seamless, youthful and oh, so promising finish. The style of the 2005 vintage gives this some early accessibility that was not evident with the more tightly-knit 2004 out of the blocks, but this wine has the structure to also age long and very, very gracefully. It has been a year since I last tasted this wine and it has started to show more precision to go along with its early generosity and is a classic in the making. My gut feeling today is that it will be superior to the 1989 version, to which I compared it to a year ago. Brilliant wine. (Drink between 2015-2045)
1A4A1774
2006 Dom Pérignon Champagne. VM 96. Powerful, dense and tightly wound, the 2006 Dom Pérignon is fabulous today. To be sure, the 2006 is a broad, virile Champagne, but I find it compelling because of its phenolic depth and overall intensity. Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy adds that August was quite cold and wet, and that ripening only happened at the very end of the growing season. Although numbers alone can never explain a wine, I find it interesting that the 2006 has more phenolics than the 2003. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2006 is easily the most reticent Dom Pérignon in the years spanning 2002 and 2009. I am confident the 2006 will have its day, but in its youth, it is not especially charming or easy to drink. (Drink between 2026-2056)
1A4A1775
2005 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses. VM 94. The 2005 Clos des Goisses is easily one of the wines of what turned out to be a complicated vintage. Just beginning to show the early signs of aromatic complexity, the 2005 graces the palate with the essence of candied lemon, almonds, chamomile, apricot and wild herbs. The 2005 is not the most complex or pedigreed Goisses, but it drinks beautifully today and should continue to deliver pleasure for another 15-20 years, perhaps more. (Drink between 2016-2031)
1A4A1776
2006 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses. VM 96. The 2006 Clos des Goisses is stellar, but it is also going to need quite a bit of time to come into its own. Powerful and ample in the best of the Goisses style, the 2006 hits the palate with serious intensity. Orchard fruits, lemon oil, white flowers and almonds are some of the many notes that open up in the glass, but, as is often the case with young Goisses, it is the wine’s gravitas that is front and center. Even with all of its overtness, though, the 2006 retains striking, crystalline purity. I imagine the 2006 will reward Champagne lovers with many decades of truly exceptional drinking. The only thing the 2006 needs is time. The question is: How much? (Drink between 2020-2046)
1A4A1720
Seafood Panzanella, Sea Urchin, Salmon. Quite deconstructed with chunks of the seafood and fluffs of bread on the plate.
1A4A1768
2002 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill. VM 95. The 2002 Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is wonderfully open, expressive and resonant. The richness of the vintage comes through nicely, yet the more overt elements are very nicely balanced by a good deal of freshness. Baked apple, pastry, candied lemon, dried flowers and warm, toasty notes shape the generous, resonant finish. With time in the glass, the 2002 takes a on a striking, vinous character. Readers might want to consider opening the 2002 a few hours in advance, as it really blossoms with air. (Drink between 2016-2032)
1A4A1778
2002 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas-François Billecart. VM 96. The 2002 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is outrageously beautiful. The ripeness of the Chardonnay is front and center in a Champagne that delivers the goods, big-time. An infusion of apricot, orange peel, crème brûlée, chamomile, hazelnut and honey give the 2002 its racy, exotic personality. I enjoy it most with bottle age, but the 2002 is undeniably beautiful right now. The 2002 is a stunning NFB. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, done partially in oak (20%). Dosage is 4 grams per liter. (Drink between 2020-2030)
1A4A1779
2005 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Aÿ Vauzelle Terme. 94 points. The 2005 Aÿ-Vauzelle Terme is the most polished of Jacquesson’s 2005 single-vineyard Champagnes. Silky and nuanced on the palate, the Vauzelle Terme highlights the more understated side of the vintage. Hints of chalk, red cherry, plum, mint and wild flowers are laced into the highly expressive finish. Today, the Vauzelle Terme comes across as a bit weightless to the point of being a bit on the ethereal side. It will be interesting to see if the wine acquires a bit more depth in bottle. Disgorged October 2014. Dosage was 2.5 grams/liter. (Drink between 2015-2022)
1A4A1780
2002 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare. JG 95. It is funny that I have to “pull teeth” to get current releases from Piper-Heidsieck’s importer here in New York, but out in the real world of wine, I keep having people serve me the maison’s beautiful 2002 “Rare” Brut Millesime and thank me for alerting them to its excellent quality by writing it up in the newsletter several years ago! Such is the state of the world in 2021. In any case, this wine continues to evolve splendidly in bottle and is drinking with great style and breed at the present time, offering up a fine bouquet of apple, pear, warm bread, a fine base of chalky soil tones, caraway seed, a touch of citrus peel and a gently smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, crisp and shows off excellent mid-palate depth, with refined mousse, lovely focus and a long, complex and impeccably balanced finish. Fine, fine juice. (Drink between 2021-2050)

1A4A1730
Black and White Tagliolini, Langoustine, Lemon Zest. Great pasta dish. I always love a lobster/langoustine reduction.
1A4A1781
1999 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon. VM 93. These four vintages of Dom Pérignon provide a fascinating snapshot of how the house has performed in recent years. The 1999 Dom Pérignon is a little flabbier than the 2000. Smoke, toastiness, tar and ripe fruit emerge from the glass in a generous, expansive style. The 1999 offers more body than the 2000 but the aromas and flavors are less well-articulated. This is a relatively simple Dom Pérignon, yet the wine possesses outstanding balance and plenty of harmony. According to Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy the warm vintage also resulted in relatively high yields, and the low-acid style is most reminiscent of the 1976. (Drink between 2013-2024)
1A4A1782
2002 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. VM 94. This is perhaps the best bottle of Krug’s 2002 Vintage I have tasted. Expansive and creamy on the palate, with lovely finesse and brightness, the 2002 is quite expressive today. I don’t see the depth or pedigree that might place this wine among the best examples of the year. Instead, the 2002 Vintage continues to be an underwhelming wine by Krug standards. (Drink between 2017-2037)
1A4A1783
2002 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. VM 97. Another highlight in this vertical, the 2002 Salon is also fascinating to taste after the 2004. Rich, opulent and intense, yet also very classic in the Salon house style, the 2002 possesses superb persistence and depth. The radiant vintage has softened the contours and given the wine fabulous depth to match its decidedly powerful personality. At the same time, the 2002 remains quite youthful. Next to the brighter and more finessed 2004, the 2002 offers more of a baritone-inflected expression of Chardonnay. (Drink between 2016-2036)
1A4A1784
2000 Philipponnat Champagne Brut L.V. Clos des Goisses. VM 96. The 2000 L.V. Long Vieillissement, a recent re-release, is a fabulous choice for readers who enjoy Champagnes with a bit of bottle age complexity. Hazelnut, dried flowers, orchard fruit, herbs, mirabelle and lightly honeyed notes are all beautifully delineated throughout. The 2000 offers the weight and slightly more mature notes of a mature Champagne, but with the freshness that comes from impeccable provenance and a relatively recent disgorgement. If that sounds appealing, well, it is. The Brut L.V. Long Vieillissement offers a quintessential Goisses experience from the first taste until the last. This is an absolutely pristine bottle. Dosage is 4.5 grams/liter. Disgorged: May 2015. (Drink between 2016-2036)
1A4A1741
Truffle Crust Breast of Chicken, Truffle Cream Sauce.
1A4A1786
1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon. VM 93+. Pale color. Youthful aromas of lemon, quince, pear, toast, spice, chalk and red berries. Big, sweet and seamless, if a bit clenched in the early going. A powerful, very young wine whose fruit builds slowly in the mouth and explodes on the finish. A charry note contributes to its complexity. Possesses amazing depth of fruit, but the high quality of this wine can most easily be seen today on the extraordinary finish. May ultimately merit a 95+ rating.
1A4A1766
1996 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill. VM 95. Pol Roger’s 1996 Winston Churchill is fabulous. One of the most expressive, complete 1996s today, the Winston Churchill is in a great spot. Butter, spice, almond and lemon oil notes meld together effortlessly in the glass. In 1996, the Winston Churchill is a clear overachiever. Best of all, it remains reasonably priced vis-à-vis its peers. (Drink between 2014-2024)
1A4A1777
1990 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. VM 97+. Full copper-gold color. Initially restrained, brooding nose exploded with aeration, showing apple, orange, apricot, honey, iodine, smoke, hazelnut, macadamia and a suggestion of dry oloroso sherry. Dense, full, chewy and rich; an extraordinarily solid Champagne with an intriguing suggestion of Calvados. Broadens toward the back and goes on and on on the echoing aftertaste, with rich, mellow notes of toffee, brown butter and marrow. Like the ’92 Clos du Mesnil, this displays its powerful underlying acidity with aeration (Krug’s wines never go through malolactic fermentation) and should be long-lived.
1A4A1785
1995 Krug Champagne Clos d’Ambonnay. VM 98. Thrown in as a ringer, the 1995 Clos d’Ambonnay is a real treat to taste next to the 1996. In particular, tasting both vintages together shows that that 1995 is the more complete of these two first releases of Krug’s single-vineyard Champagne from Ambonnay. Finely-cut fruit, expressive aromatics and exceptional textural finesse are the signatures. This is another fabulous showing from the 1995 Clos d’Ambonnay. (Drink between 2014-2024)
1A4A1743-Edit
Breast of Duck, Kumquat Sauce.
1A4A1753
Chef’s Selection of Assorted Cheeses.
1A4A1762
Château Tirecul La Gravière Monbazillac Cuvée Madame.
1A4A1789
Cherry Gelato – a blend of Morello Cherry and intense Amarena Cherry fruit make this dairy gelato really pop — topped with Candied Amarena Cherries — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #amarena #morello #cherry

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

Birch Beer Gelato — Birch Beer flavored gelato base topped with Valrhona White Chocolate Pearls — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #RootBeer #RootBeerFlaot #Sarsaparilla #whitechocolate #Varlrhona
1A4A1763
All the champs.
1A4A1761

The main table.
1A4A1760
And the ladies table.

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

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Drago Centro Baroli
  2. Drago Centro
  3. Sage Champagne Nomad
  4. Elite Champagne Brunch
  5. Sauvages at Drago
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: BYOG, Celestino Drago, Champagne, Drago Centro, DTLA, Gelato, Italian cuisine, Sauvages

Old Baroli at Etta

Jul23

Restaurant: Etta

Location: 8801 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232. (424) 570-4444

Date: November 10, 2021 and June 10, 2022

Cuisine: Italian Wood-fire grill

Rating: Tasty, hearty

_

Etta is a new “transplant” from Chicago bringing a sort of modern Italian American wood-fire grill thing to LA.
1A4A7589-Pano
It’s located adjacent to the Shay boutique hotel in Culver City.

1A4A7588
1A4A7593-Pano
1A4A7595-Pano
The interior is large and attractive with a lively bar scene.
1A4A7605

On 11/10/22 we brought an all Italian slate of mostly old Baroli, plus this bonus white of mine.

2015 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. AG 93+. Good bright yellow. The pure, complex nose suggests lime, yellow apple and botanical herbs. Then very precise, intense and penetrating, if still youthfully unevolved, conveying a powerful, three-dimensional impression of extract and a deep, textured, multilayered mouthfeel. The wine closes very long and juicy, with herbal and saline elements that titillate the taste buds. Another outstanding wine from Valentini, who never misses a beat with his Trebbiano d’Abruzzo.

1A4A7611
1937 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva.
1A4A7614
1958 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva.
1A4A7616
1961 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva.

1A4A7617
1964 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva.
1A4A7620
1967 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva.
1A4A7621
1970 Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barolo.
1A4A7623
1978 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva.

1A4A7630

The menu in November 2021.
1A4A7750
And in June 2022.

1A4A7754
Fire- baked focaccia. Ricotta, honey, truffle. Nice and fluffy.

1A4A7638
Meatballs. Sunday sauce, fire-wilted kale, herbed yogurt, grilled bread. A bit of heat.
1A4A7760
Roasted eggplant. Tahini ricotta, buttered hazelnuts, Calabrian chie, herb salad. Pretty darn spicy actually.
1A4A7771
Bubbling shrimp. Ginger, chiltepin chile, mint.

1A4A7646
Rack-roasted oysters. smoked-tomato butter, lovage, lemon.
1A4A7654
Grilled pork jowl. Smashed cucumbers, peanuts, herb salad.

1A4A7764
Little Gem Salad. Avocado, cucumbers, creme fraiche vinaigrette. Nice textures.

1A4A7776
Pizza toppings.

1A4A7789
Wild Mushroom Pizza. Goat cheese, black truffle raclette. Excellent except for the truffle oil.
1A4A7671
Fire Pizza. Sausage, giardiniera, chile de arbol. Spicy sausage basically.
1A4A7688
Cacio e pepe agnolotti. Pecorino, black pepper.
1A4A7695
Lumache. Sun gold pomodoro, basil, olive oil.
1A4A7701
Casarecce bolognese. Parmesan fondue.
1A4A7707
Spaghettone. Uni, lemon, black pepper.
1A4A7716
Orecchiette. Crispy sausage, cavolo nero, tomato jus, fennel pollon. Lots of hearty flavor. Some spice.

1A4A7781
Cacio e pepe. Mafaldine, pecorino, black pepper. Lovely, nice emulsion.

1A4A7773
Orecchiette with red sauce.

1A4A7735
Brussels sprouts. Honey dijon vinaigrette, crispy bacon, dill yogurt, herbs.

1A4A7740
Market haricot vrt. Grilled romano beans, sweet peppers, lemon vinaigrette, purslane.
1A4A7765
40oz bone-in hearth-roasted short rib. This is the fixings tower.

1A4A7758
Herbs.
1A4A7762
Pickles, sauces, and more herbs.

1A4A7747
The actual meat. 40oz bone-in hearth-roasted short rib. You made your own pita/taco like things out of this. delicious.

1A4A7769
Bread and “sauce”?

1A4A7796
Dry-aged whole branzino. Brown butter, capers, parsley, lemon.

1A4A7731
Spinalis. Last of the season tomatoes, wild arugula, parmesan & date vinegar.
1A4A7801
Hanger steak. Tamarind glazed bok choy, pepita butter, charred cipollini, crispy buckwheat. Nice steak.

1A4A7779
1A4A7803
Dessert menus from the two days.

1A4A7782
Mint chip semifreddo. Devil’s food cake, creme de menthe, chocolate sorbet.
1A4A7793
Chocolate ice cream. Caramel, brownies.

1A4A7799
Strawberry ice cream. Olive oil, sea salt.
1A4A7807
Double Chocolate Mousse. Feuilletine crunch, dark chocolate cremeux, banana sherbert, oreo crumbs.

1A4A7606
254292423_2674006882893974_7100341613068925677_n
Etta was good. Hearty and perhaps just as much American as it is Italian — maybe more than 50% — but it is pretty tasty. The space is large, loud, and attractive. Service was pretty good. Very friendly for sure, although I had to go “grab” some glasses because I’m impatient.

Our wines on this Barolo night (the second visit was more casual) were really awesome. Old Borgogno rocks!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

250381589_266564972080409_3257042589011678095_n

Related posts:

  1. Drago Centro Baroli
  2. Angelini Osteria
  3. Mountain Eats – Campo
  4. Italian? – Tom George
  5. Palmeri again
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Barolo, Culver City, Etta, Foodie Club, Italian cuisine, pasta, Pizza, Wine

Post Pandemic Brera

May12

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

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

Date: September 18, 2021

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Still really good

_

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

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

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

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

1A4A4560
The current menu. At least it’s not a QR code!
1A4A4561
From my cellar: 2018 Azienda Agricola Valentini Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo. VM 92. Bright pink. Minerals, fava beans, pomegranate and violet on the bright nose. Then very harmonious in its acid-fruit-tannin profile, with lively balanced acidity nicely extending the flavors similar to the aromas on the long back end. Strikes me as a rather refined, sneakily concentrated Cerasuolo. (Drink between 2019-2025)
1A4A4568
BURRATA beets, heirloom baby carrots, roasted summer squash, pea shoots.
1A4A4572
HEIRLOOM TOMATO red plum, cucumber, watercress, almonds, tomato coulis.
1A4A4582
ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS tempura batter, cheese filled, spicy mayo.
1A4A4590
SOFTSHELL CRAB. pan seared softshell blue crab, saffron-prosecco sauce, cauliflower.
1A4A4588
CARPACCIO prime beef sirloin, bone marrow dressing, reggiano crema, celery.
1A4A4630
From my cellar: 1999 Paitin di Pasquero-Elia Barbaresco Vecchie Vigne Sorì Paitin Nebbiolo. VM 92. The 1999 Barbaresco Sorì Paitin Vecchie Vigne is dark, powerful and opulent, with more than enough stuffing to age well for the better part of the next decade. Smoke, menthol, tar, black fruit and French oak blossom in the glass as this resonant, exuberant Barbaresco show off its unique, totally compelling personality. The French oak is present, but well balanced at the same time. (Drink between 2014-2022)
1A4A4623
SPINACH POTATO GNOCCHI castelmagno fonduta, tuscan kale pesto.
1A4A4597
RISOTTO MILANESE saffron-risotto, bone marrow, roasting jus.
1A4A4618
PAPPARDELLE wild boar sugo, shaved black melanosporum truffle.
1A4A4633
SEA ROBIN. heirloom chrry tomatoes, farro perlato, tuscan kale, celery root broth.
1A4A4638
GRILLED LAMB CHOPS charred cauliflower, couscous, almond-raisin gremolata.
1A4A4644
The dessert menu.
1A4A4647
Tea.
1A4A4648
LEMON SEMIFREDDO. meringue, pistachio sponge, pistachio creme anglaise.
1A4A4653
TRIPLE-LAYERED CHOCOLATE TART. figs, grapefruit-campari sorbet.
1A4A4661
BASQUE CHEESECAKE. berry coulis, fresh berries. Not actually Basque at all, much denser like a regular cheesecake, still good though.

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

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

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

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

IMG_3841
Because we didn’t have ENOUGH dessert, and we were picking up our kids in Westwood, we stopped at S&R which is a classic Persian Ice Cream place.
IMG_3842
Crowded as usual, even during the pandemic.
IMG_3843
Rose I think.
IMG_3845
The classic Saffron and Pistachio on top of Jasmine. I do really like the flavors here but the texture is that very stretchy grainy Persian ice cream texture.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. 1960s Barolo at Officine Brera
  2. Hedonism at Officine Brera
  3. Rhone at Officine Brera
  4. Post OOToro
  5. Brandon DiFiglio – Post-Maudern
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Angelo Auriana, Arts District, Brera, DTLA, Italian cuisine, Officine Brera, Risotto, Wine

Drago Centro Baroli

Mar16

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

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

Date: August 20, 2021

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great high end Italian

_

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


Located on busy Flower in DTLA.

1A4A2119
We had a little reception outside on the patio before the lunch proper.
1A4A2121
Hot shrimp wrapped in prosciutto, asparagus spears.
1A4A2126
Blinis with creme fraiche and caviar.
1A4A2128
2006 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas-François Billecart. AG 97. The 2006 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine, but it needs time to be at its best. I am surprised by how tightly wound it is. But that only makes me think what it might develop into with time in the cellar. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint, crushed rocks and sage meld together in a bright, crystalline Champagne endowed with terrific purity. The 2006 is 60% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, mostly done in steel, with just a touch of oak, around 5%. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. (Drink between 2020-2032)
1A4A2130
2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne. VM 98. The 2008 Dom Pérignon is a huge, powerful Champagne and also clearly one of the wines of the vintage. This is one of the most reticent bottles I have tasted. So much so that I am thinking about holding off opening any more bottles! The 2008 has always offered a striking interplay of fruit and structure. Today, the richness of the fruit is especially evident. Readers who own the 2008 should be thrilled, but patience is a must. (Drink between 2028-2058)
1A4A2133
NV J.P. Chenet Blanc de Blancs Brut. 87 points.
1A4A2149
2005 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. VM 94. Bright yellow. Vibrant pear and melon aromas are complicated by suggestions of ginger, brioche and smoky minerals. Dry, smoky and precise, offering intense orchard and pit fruit flavors that gain weight with aeration. A dusty mineral quality adds focus and lift to the long, penetrating, floral finish. There’s a Burgundian thing going on here that’s quite intriguing.
1A4A2146
Today’s menu.
1A4A2191
2001 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Cerequio. AG 95. The 2001 Barolo Cerequio comes across as rich, round, seamless and pretty. Here, too, the aromas and flavors are just a bit forwad, but there is more than enough density to support another decade of aging. The wine comes together beautifully with time in the glass. Sweet rose petals, spices and licorice wrap around the big, seamless finish. (Drink between 2013-2021)
1A4A2194
2004 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo. VM 97. Sensual, silky and totally alluring, the 2004 Barolo is another wine that is a picture-perfect example of its vintage. The aromatics alone are captivating, but it is the wine’s total balance that places it in the upper echelon. After some of the ups and downs of the 1980s and 1990s’ wines, the 2004 really shows where the estate is today in terms of quality. (Drink between 2016-2034)
1A4A2196
2004 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc. VM 95. The Barolo Bric del Fiasc is a bit monolithic. To be sure, Bric del Fiasc is always a powerhouse, but at this age, I expected to see a little more finesse. There is no shortage of intensity, structure or explosive energy, but the 2004 still needs time to come together. I think there is a reasonable chance that will happen given the track record here, but readers will have to be patient. There are plenty of 2004 Barolos that are quite showy today; this is not one of them. (Drink between 2019-2034)
1A4A2197
2007 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato. VM 94+. Medium red. Subtle, reticent, very pure nose offers perfumed scents of wild red cherry, rose petal and wild herbs; the most refined of Mascarello’s 2007 Barolos. Wonderfully silky and fine-grained on the palate, but with terrific calcaire precision and lift. The wine’s highly aromatic red cherry and floral flavors saturate the palate without leaving any impression of weight. This vintage of Monprivato includes about 4% each lampia and rose; the rest is michet, including the juice that normally goes into Mascarello’s limited Ca d’Morrisio bottling. The very long finish features harmonious acidity and firm but suave tannins that reach the front teeth. A beauty.
1A4A2199
2007 Massolino Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda. VM 90. Good bright red. Expressive smoky aromas of red berries, plum, menthol and mocha, with a hint of medicinal austerity. Fat, sweet and liqueur-like, but with harmonious acidity giving the middle palate a surprisingly light touch. Still, this is rather subdued today and does not show the lift or stuffing of the 2009 Parussi that preceded it in my tasting. Finishes with dusty tannins and a faint tart edge. Will this benefit from further aging or will it dry out? I’d opt for drinking it over the next few years.
1A4A2157
Carne Cruda Alla Piemontese (aka Beef Tartar with truffles).
1A4A2201
1999 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste. VM 94. Rinaldi’s 1999 Barolo Brunate-Le Coste (magnum) is fabulous. Firm, powerful tannins give the 1999 much of its spine, power and pure drive. Lavender, black cherries, plums, dark spice and iron emerge from the glass, but only with considerable reluctance. From magnum, the 1999 Brunate-Le Coste is a powerhouse, not to mention a terrific example of the year. With air, the 1999 can be enjoyed today, but its best drinking probably lies ahead. (Drink between 2014-2029)
1A4A2203
2000 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Conteisa. VM 95. The 2000 Conteisa is one of the most positive surprises in this tasting. The wine is positively explosive, with marvelous balance and richness in its generous, radiant fruit. The 2000 is a terrific Conteisa. (Drink between 2015-2025)
1A4A2206
2000 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina. VM 90. The 2000 Barolo Percristina has held up well. It shows considerable freshness in its dark red fruit, leather, licorice and sweet spices. The French oak remains very much present. It’s hard to see the fruit lasting long enough for the oak to every truly integrate. (Drink between 2013-2018)
1A4A2208
2001 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina. VM 93. The 2001 Barolo Percristina, from magnum, has aged well, but it needs to be enjoyed over the next few years. Today the balance of fruit and oak is still good, but over time the oak tannins will dominate. Sweet red cherries, flowers, licorice, spices and mint wrap around the deep finish. The astringency of the oak is impossible to miss. It is tolerable while the fruit retains some depth, but once the fruit fades, all bets are off. (Drink between 2013-2016)
1A4A2209
2001 Paolo Scavino Barolo Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata. VM 97. The 2001 Barolo Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata is huge and seamless from start to finish. The wine totally envelops the palate with masses of dark red fruit, roses, spices, and mint, all supported by nearly imperceptible tannins. The volume and shape of the 2001 is simply breathtaking. This is Scavino’s most vibrant 2001. It is also his most polished, refined Barolo. (Drink between 2016-2031)

1A4A2165
Tagliatelle, Wild Mushrooms, Summer Truffles. Lovely.
1A4A2176
Yarom got a salad because he was avoiding the carbs as usual.
1A4A2212
1997 Renato Ratti Barolo Rocche. VM 91+. Deep saturated red-ruby. Less exotic but complex nose melds roasted plum, maple syrup, minerals, meat and smoky oak. Lush and velvety in the middle palate, already showing lovely perfume. Chewier and deeper than the Marcenasco, and more powerfully structured. Finishes with big, dusty tannins and a youthfully austere suggestion of camphor.

1A4A2213
1997 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Triumviratum Riserva.
1A4A2216
1998 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina. VM 92. Dark ruby. The 1998 Percristina appears to have entered the early part of its maturity and is an excellent choice for drinking today. It is an opulent Barolo with plenty of fruit and much persistence on the palate, made in a rich, seamless style, with superbly well-integrated oak and softening tannins. 1998 is the last vintage this wine was aged in 150 liter Taransaud cigarillos, subsequent vintages have been aged in standard-size barriques. (Drink between 2013-2014)
1A4A2218
1997 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra. VM 93+. Full, saturated red-ruby. Sappy, high-pitched aromas of cherry, nuts and oak spices. Superconcentrated, spicy and sweet, but nearly as backward as a top ’96, with superb extract and powerful underlying structure. Finishes with substantial mouthdusting tannins and a late note of dark chocolate.
1A4A2178
Osso Buco, Risotto Milanese. This was one of the best versions of this classic dish I’ve ever had. The risotto was incredibly “creamy” (it doesn’t actually have any cream in it) and the meat was rich, fatty, and succulent.
1A4A2187
The proof is (not) on the plate.
1A4A2220
1976 Château Suduiraut. VM 88. The 1976 Suduiraut was served from apparently one of the last remaining bottles at the property. It has 90gm/L of residual sugar. It has a deep amber core with greenish tinge on the rim. The bouquet is clearly from another era with scents of orange pith, mandarin, a slight adhesive scent that turns more chlorine/swimming pool with time. The palate is well balanced with a crisp line of acidity, very Barsac in style like many Sauternes of this vintage. It remains fresh and vital with that tang of bitter orange and marmalade on the finish. 13.7% alcohol. Tasted at the Suduiraut vertical at the château. (Drink between 2019-2024)
1A4A2240
Chef’s Assorted Cheese & Condiments.
1A4A2230
Bread for the cheese.
1A4A2241
Almond Chocolate Cloud Gelato – The base is made with Valrhona 62% Satilla Chocolate and then layered with Toasted Sicilian Almond Cream and Dark Chocolate Rocas! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Valrhona #chocolate #creamcheese #ganache #icing #almond

Pinoli Gelato — Siberian Pinenut Gelato — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #pinoli #pinenut
1A4A2221
The wine lineup.
1A4A2248
My notes.
1A4A2223
The gang.

1A4A2226
The ladies table outside.
1A4A2229
Ladies wines.

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

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Drago Centro
  2. Sauvages at Drago
  3. Vietti Centro
  4. Fiorita Centro
  5. Drago New Years
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Barolo, BYOG, Celestino Drago, Drago Centro, DTLA, Gelato, Italian cuisine, Italian wine, Nebbiolo, Sauvages

Marino al Fresco

Oct01

Restaurant: Marino Ristorante [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Location: 6001 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038. (323) 466-8812

Date: June 3, 2021

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Superb

_

Tonight I return to a favorite haunt.

 The amazing chef/owner Sal Marino cooks at his original family location, venerable Marino Ristorante on Melrose and continues to whip up his unique blend of amazing modern Italian. And if anything, he’s gotten even better.
1A4A7277-Pano
Post pandemic they’ve turned the parking lot into a cute patio.
1A4A7274

We begin with a bit of white Burg because the bringer of champagne is fashionably late. But the quality of their champ makes up for it!

2012 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. BH 93. Here the nose is aromatically similar to the Pucelles but with even better complexity and elegance. There is fine mid-palate density to the refined and marvelously intense medium-bodied flavors that possess the same fine complexity on the beautifully well-balanced and highly persistent finale. This is very Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet in the sense that it allies finesse and grace with power. (Drink starting 2019)
1A4A7267
Our table. Just ignore the cinder block in the distance :-).
1A4A7281
2007 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs. VM 97+. The 2007 Dom Ruinart is the first vintage made entirely by Chef de Caves Frédéric Panaïotis, which shows just how long the production cycle is in Champagne. A striking, tightly-coiled wine, the 2007 Dom Ruinart will leave readers week at the knees. In this vintage, Panaïotis took Dom Ruinart, which has traditionally relied on a relatively high percentage of Chardonnay from the Montagne de Reims and tilted the balance to 75% Côtes des Blancs and 25% Montagne de Reims fruit. As a result, the 2007 is much more chiseled and steely than is the norm. The citrus, slate, crushed rock, white pepper, mint and floral notes really sizzle in this powerful, dramatically rich Champagne, with bright saline notes that add freshness and vivacity to the striking finish. The 2007 is a stunning Champagne by any measure. Although it is very early, the 2007 has the potential to go down as one of the great Dom Ruinarts. It is every bit that special. Dosage is under 5 grams per liter, a pretty striking change from the 2006, which was closer to 10. Readers who can grab the 2007 won’t want to miss it. (Drink between 2018-2048)
1A4A7280
2006 Dom Pérignon Champagne Rosé. VM 97+. The 2006 Dom Pérignon Rosé is every bit as captivating as it was last year, maybe even more so. At times powerful, but in other moments finessed, the 2006 constantly changes in the glass, revealing a different shade of its personality with every taste. Perhaps most importantly, the 2006 seems to have gained a level of precision and pure sophistication it did not show last year, when it was quite a bit less put together. Back then, the 2006 was a wine of tremendous potential; today that potential is starting to be realized. Quite simply, the 2006 Dom Pérignon Rosé is a magical Champagne. Don’t miss it. (Drink between 2020-2046)
1A4A7292
PEACH & BURRATA. Regier Farms yellow peaches, burrata, wild baby arugula.
1A4A7275
From my cellar: 2007 Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. VM 93. Bright golden-tinged straw. Complex nose of apricot, quince, flint and mint. Dense, suave and juicy, with a multilayered quality to its flinty-mineral and orchard fruit flavors. The note of diesel fuel emerges again on the long, magically mouthcoating but vibrant back end. One of the best Trebbiano d’Abruzzo’s I have memory of from Pepe. This older Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is a specific release for the US and other international markets. (Drink between 2016-2026)

agavin: unfortunately this had a strong turpentine quality that was not very enjoyable.1A4A7283
2005 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes. BH 94. A beautifully elegant and highly complex nose of extract of dark berry fruit that is both elegant and complex serves as a dramatic introduction to the big-bodied, indeed even robust flavors that are firm, dense and incredibly concentrated, all wrapped in a palate drenching finish that just oozes dry extract and gives a velvety texture to the unbelievably long finale. This is a wonderfully gifted wine that has everything it needs to age gracefully for multiple decades and it will need 12 to 15 years in a cool cellar to really hit its stride. This too is one of those ‘wow’ wines. (Drink starting 2017)
1A4A7304

ZUCCHINI BLOSSOM. ricotta & marjoram filled zucchini blossoms.

1A4A7276
From my cellar: 2001 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. JG 94+. The 2001 vintage is one of the recent favorites of Signor Pepe, and he is convinced that this will be a classic in the fullness of time. The bouquet is still quite primary in its blend of dark berries, black cherries, Cuban cigars, a bit of cherry pits, dark soil, botanicals and a nice touch of nutskin in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and quite a powerful young vintage of the Pepe Montepulciano, with a rock solid core of fruit, lovely, nascent complexity, chewy tannins and excellent length and grip on the focused and still quite youthful finish. Today, the fine 2003 accessible, but with sufficient bottle age, the 2001 is going to be a reference point vintage of this great wine. (Drink between 2020-2050)

agavin: the red Pepe, however, was great!
1A4A7307
MACCHERONCINI RABBIT. homemade pasta, rabbit ragout.
1A4A7318
t
1A4A7268
1995 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo. VM 95. Gaja’s 1995 Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo is potent and virile to the core. A modern-day version of the 1974, the 1995 hits the palate with a rush of fruit enveloped by firm, powerful tannins. The style is frank, direct and intense, with fabulous richness but also some elements of rusticity. The 1995 will drink well for another 10-15 years. (Drink between 2014-2024)
1A4A7269
1996 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sorì Tildìn. VM 96. The Sorì Tildìn is one of the best wines in this retrospective of Gaja’s 1996s. Sweet floral notes, mint and sweet red cherries give the 1996 its distinctive lifted, perfumed personality, qualities that are enhanced by the wine’s natural acidity. Fresh, aromatically open and also quite energetic, Sorì Tildìn is distinguished by its detail and nuance. Think of a sketch done in fine pencil. (Drink between 2016-2036)
1A4A7321
PAPPARDELLE BOLOGNESE. 3hr beef, pork and veal meat sauce.
1A4A7270
2004 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT. VM 93. The inky-colored 2004 Redigaffi, 100% Merlot aged for 16 months in new oak, offers expressive, nuanced aromatics along with sensations of richly-textured blue and black jammy fruit, minerals, mint, chocolate, spices and sweet toasted oak on big, powerful frame with notable underlying structure and a warm, resonating finish. Although it has enough structure and acidity to drink well for another decade or so, I enjoy Redigaffi most in its youth. (Drink between 2013-2016)

1A4A7273
2005 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT. VM 92. The 2005 Redigaffi will delight Tua Rita fans. Large, ample and broad on the palate, the 2005 possesses remarkable depth and intensity within the context of the year. Mocha, torrefaction, plum, smoke, brown spices and leather meld together in a big, opulent wine. All things considered, the 2005 has held up well, but signs of oxidation are setting in. Any remaining bottles need to be enjoyed over the next few years. (Drink between 2015-2018)
1A4A7325
Pork stew with onions and mashed potatoes. Super flavorful and delicious.
1A4A7286
1997 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia. VM 94. The 1997 Ornellaia is another wine that is in the zone today. Soft, sensual and inviting, the 1997 has aged gracefully and also maintained a good deal of freshness as well. Wild flowers, spice, mint and red stone fruit continue to open up as this sumptuous wine fleshes out in the glass. (Drink between 2016-2031)
1A4A7271
1A4A7272
2015 Sine Qua Non Syrah Trouver l’Arene. VM 97. A real head-turner, the 2015 Syrah Trouver l’Arène is every bit as compelling from bottle as it was from barrel. Rich, sumptuous and exquisitely layered, the 2015 possesses magnificent concentration as it builds in the glass. Inky dark blue/purplish berry fruit, graphite, smoke, licorice and spice are some of the many nuances that develop in an arrestingly beautiful, vivid Syrah that will thrill those fortunate enough to find it. The blend is 80.5% Syrah, 7% Petite Sirah, 7% Mourvedre, 2% Grenache and 3.5% Viognier, done with 34% whole clusters and aged for 22 months in 48% new oak. (Drink between 2020-2035)

1A4A7341
Sal, who was out at a catering event, returns just in time to bring in the meat!
1A4A7331
And a closeup.

1A4A7344
Porterhouse with mushroom sauce and brussels sprouts.
1A4A7353-Edit
Vietnamese Hazelnut Coffee Gelato — Cafe du Monde coffee milk with Piedmontese Hazelnut Paste swirled with Sweetened Condensed Milk — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #vietnameseCoffee #coffee #CafeduMonde #SweetenedCondensedMilk #hazelnut

Chocolate Peanut Cream – a base made from 100% Valrhona Chocolate and South American Peanuts layered with house-made Peanut Butter Cream Cheese “Cream” — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #chocolate #valrhona #peanuts #icing #PeanutButter #reeses

1A4A7286-2
The wine lineup.

Another great dinner. I really like the al fresco dining. Food was good, but I’ve had more elaborate and interesting meals from Sal. Tonight he was out for most of the evening, we didn’t have any of his specialties (like crudo and gazpacho), and more materially the person organizing the dinner has a more “modest” ordering sensibility than I do. Check out this meal I put together with Sal by contrast. He’s a fabulous chef when you let him go all out. The stand out for me tonight was the pork stew — which was pretty incredible actually.

Wines were pretty excellent too (except for my white Pepe).

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or experience my gluttonous month-long food trips through Italy.

Related posts:

  1. Molti Marino
  2. Marino Ristorante
  3. Marino Ristorante Back Room
  4. Penfolds Marino
  5. Return to Rocco’s
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: BYOG, Gelato, hedonists, Italian cuisine, Marinos, pasta, Pepe, Sal Marino, Wine

Return to Rocco’s

Jun21

Restaurant: Dinner at the Borgese’s [1, 2, 3, 4]

Location: Santa Monica

Date: Spring, 2021

Cuisine: Italian influenced gourmet home cooking

Rating: Awesome

_

Dinner at the Borgese’s is a special house dinner in Santa Monica cooked by the stunning pro-level home chef Borgese couple. So it’s very fitting for what’s only my second post lockdown dinner.

1A4A4406-Pano

The dynamic Borgese team consists of Rocco, his lovely wife (and the main kitchen chef), and his daughter (helping out with service).

7U1A6936-Pano
Their house has not only a wine cellar, but a cheese and meat larder!

7U1A6947
Plus all this incredible wood fired oven set up.

1A4A4401-Pano
We have this fabulous outside table, perfect for covid ventliation.

1A4A4398
Tonight’s special menu.
1A4A4429
2002 Dom Pérignon Champagne P2. JG98. Somehow, I never managed to cross paths with the initial disgorgement of the 2002 Dom Pérignon, so I was delighted to see the coming P2 version waiting in the wings in our tasting lineup in March at the Abbé d’Hautvillers. It would be fascinating to compare the P2 with the first release of the 2002 Dom Pérignon, in much the same way I tasted the two 1996 versions side by side, as this is a great Champagne vintage that dovetails so beautifully with the house style of this bottling. The 2002 P2 delivers a stunning young nose of pear, apple, stony minerality, iodine, dried flowers a touch of nuttiness, menthol and gentle upper register botanicals so emblematic of this cuvée as it starts to first stretch its wings. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and absolutely rock solid at the core, with lovely mousse, laser-like focus again and stunning backend mineral drive on the very, very long, perfectly balanced finish. The 2002 Dom Pérignon P2 looks to be almost unreachable by the passage of time and could easily last a century. (Drink between 2022-2095)
1A4A4431
Capesante al Tartufo. Divine quality to these scallops, served in crudo style with a bit of olive oil and delectable truffles.
1A4A4428
NV Krug Champagne Brut Rose Edition 24eme. VC 97. The Krug Rosé Brut “24ème Édition” is from the base year of 2012 and the wine is absolutely stunning on both the nose and palate. The wine includes reserves back to the 2006 vintage and ended up with a cépages of forty percent pinot noir, thirty-two percent pinot meunier and twenty-eight percent chardonnay. The wine this year includes eleven percent of its pinot noir component as still red wine from Aÿ, and the wine is quite a bit deeper in hue than is often the case for a Krug Rosé. The bouquet is pure, precise and utterly refined, wafting from the glass in a mix of fraises du bois, a touch of rhubarb, blood orange, caraway seed, wheat toast, a gorgeous base of soil tones, discreet smokiness and a topnote of rose petal. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, vibrant and flawlessly balanced, with a great core, refined mousse, bright acids and a long, complex and laser-like finish. I always love Krug Rosé, but this may well be my favorite iteration of this bottling I have ever had the pleasure to taste. (Drink between 2020-2060)
1A4A4427
2006 Dom Pérignon Champagne Rosé. VM 97+. The 2006 Dom Pérignon Rosé is every bit as captivating as it was last year, maybe even more so. At times powerful, but in other moments finessed, the 2006 constantly changes in the glass, revealing a different shade of its personality with every taste. Perhaps most importantly, the 2006 seems to have gained a level of precision and pure sophistication it did not show last year, when it was quite a bit less put together. Back then, the 2006 was a wine of tremendous potential; today that potential is starting to be realized. Quite simply, the 2006 Dom Pérignon Rosé is a magical Champagne. Don’t miss it. (Drink between 2020-2046)
1A4A4446
Tartare di Manzo con Tartufo. Another gorgeous truffle statement with great texture.

1A4A4419
2010 Joseph Drouhin Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. VM 93+. Pale bright yellow. Very stony aromas of peach, apricot and grilled nuts. At once thoroughly ripe and quite dry, with its primary fruit flavors currently dominated by a strong dusty stone element. This very backward but scented Perrieres saturates the palate with spices and minerals.
1A4A4550
2012 Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet Domaine. JG 96. The 2012 Bouchard Chevalier-Montrachet “Normale” is a stunning wine, with a bit more of an inviting structure out of the blocks than the even more refined la Cabotte. The gorgeous nose soars from the glass in a very deep and pure blend of pear, tangerine, chalky minerality, a touch of almond paste, apple blossoms and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and almost silky in its texture out of the blocks, with a superb core, excellent focus and grip and a very, very long, elegant and perfectly poised finish. Great juice. (Drink between 2020-2060)
1A4A4460-Edit
Risotto al Gamberi de Santa Barbara. The cooked down shrimp shells in the risotto brown give this an awesome seafood flavor.

1A4A4417
From my cellar: 1996 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. 94 points. A lovely Perrières that is gracefully straddling the fence of freshness and maturity. A trace of fruit is joined by nutty, mushroomy tertiary notes. A real delight.
1A4A4426
2008 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Valmur. BH 97. A background touch of wood frames green fruit, white flower and salt water aromas that introduce ultra pure, refined, elegant and cool flavors that possess terrific vibrancy and focused power before culminating in a driving, understated, firm and altogether serious finish. I very much like this as it’s classic Valmur and should age beautifully as the balance is perfect. Perhaps the best way to capture the spectacular potential of this wine is to call it brilliant. Don’t miss it but note that patience is required. (Drink starting 2018)
1A4A4425
Fake chard (forgot to photo the annoyingly hidden vineyard and vintage, so can’t look it up).
1A4A4482
Pasta al Ricci di Mare. Perfect al dente uni pasta. What not to love?
1A4A4418
From my cellar: 2001 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares. VM 94. The 2001 De Vogüé Bonnes Mares exhibited uncommon depth and richness in the luxuriousness of its vibrant fruit, with a personality that was delicate yet powerful. Still very much an infant, it was a privilege to catch this gorgeous wine in its youth.
1A4A4421
1995 Château Haut-Brion. JG 94+. The 1995 vintage of Haut-Brion is excellent, though still a few years away from primetime drinking. The bouquet is deep, pure and classical in profile, delivering scents of cassis, sweet dark berries, singed tobacco, a touch of coffee bean, fresh herb tones, a complex base of gravelly soil tones, cedary oak and just a hint of the more red fruity elements that are sure to emerge here with further bottle age. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep, complex and seamlessly balanced, with ripe, buried tannins, fine focus and grip and outstanding length on the vibrant and very classy finish. This is a superb Haut-Brion in the making. (Drink between 2025-2085)
1A4A4493
Quaglia Fritta al Rosmarino. Super crispy, salty, and savory.
1A4A4504
Agnolotti Fatti in Casa con Ragu di Costolette. Like the ultimate Chef Boyardee beef ravioli!
1A4A4510
A pasta-less version for Yarom.
1A4A4516
Steaks on the grill.
1A4A4522
Prawns at the ready.
1A4A4424
2001 Château Haut-Brion. VM 92+. Full red-ruby, less bright than La Mission. Brooding aromas of raspberry, nuts, menthol and game. Dense, rich, chewy and deep but a bit youthfully closed, showing less personality today than the 2001 La Mission. Larger but not longer. Finishes with building tannins and a minty nuance.
1A4A4420
2003 Château Margaux. VM 96. Full, saturated red-ruby. Knockout nose combines redcurrant, tropical chocolate, leather, woodsmoke and nutty oak with exotic chocolate mint and coffee liqueur; still manages to retain floral lift even in this beastly vintage. Then wonderfully fat, sweet and full, even if it comes across as almost heavy following the ineffable 2005 and 2004 examples. But “relatively inelegant” for Margaux still suggests a degree of refinement that few chateaux can match in the greatest vintages. A hugely rich and dense wine that finishes with elevated but ripe tannins and great length, with a subtle suggestion of dry spices. Pontallier says the terroir will take over in 20 years, “like with the ’82.” Splendid.
1A4A4423
2001 Château Latour Grand Vin. VM 97+. The 2001 Latour is magnificent. A huge, structured wine, the 2001 Latour boasts notable depth to match its vertical, towering structure and pure power. At nearly fifteen years of age, the 2001 remains deep, virile and imposing. With air, the 2001 is a approachable now, but ideally it needs at least a few more years in bottle. This is a superb showing by any measure. Frédéric Engerer adds that 2001 was the last vintage that was lightly filtered prior to bottling. (Drink between 2021-2051)
1A4A4525
Bistecca de New York con Fuoco di Lenga. Some great meat.

1A4A4529
Wood fired potatoes.
1A4A4535
Wood fired eggplant.
1A4A4422
2002 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline. VM 90. Bright red. Intensely perfumed aromas of cherry and redcurrant, accented by cinnamon and dried flowers; smells downright Burgundian. Silky, sweet and mineral-driven red fruit flavors offer impressive energy and focus, with just a suggestion of tannin on the back end. I find this really elegant today.
1A4A4444
1994 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin. JG 94. I like the 1994 Hommage à Jacques Perrin a bit better than the 1995- both for drinking today and for its ultimate, long-term quality as well. There is a touch of brett here on the nose, but at a more manageable level than what is found in the 2000 iteration. The nose wafts from the glass in a complex blend of cassis, woodsmoke, dark soil tones, grilled venison, pepper, the first touch of autumnal elements and a generous framing of nutty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied complex and quite classic in profile, with a fine core, still a bit of melting tannin and excellent focus and balance on the long and complex finish. It is pretty clear that the earliest vintages of Hommage were the best! (Drink between 2016-2035)
1A4A4430
1999 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape. VM 91. Moderately saturated red-ruby. Complex nose melds redcurrant, kirsch, iron, tobacco, mocha and spices. Chewy, intensely flavored and fairly deep, but rather tight following the bottling. As usual for this estate, in a rather claret-like style, without the obvious surmaturite of some Chateauneufs. Firm acidity and sweet, fine tannins give this wine the backbone to age slowly. Finishes with subtle persistence.
1A4A4538
Gamberi de Santa Barara alla Griglia.
1A4A4552
2003 Château Suduiraut. JG 93. The 2003 Suduiraut is the finest example of this vintage in Sauternes that I have yet tasted, though this is admittedly from a fairly small sampling of the vintage. The bouquet is deep, pure and very refined in its mélange of pineapple, apricot, peach, coconut, gentle soil tones and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, deep and most impressively light on its feet, with fine mid-palate depth, with lovely focus and just a touch of youthful bitterness still to resolve on the long, succulent and bouncy finish. The acids here are not as zesty as in the 2005, but there are sufficient to frame the wine beautifully and to keep it fresh and lively far into the future. I would give this wine three or four years to fully blossom and then drink it over the next several decades. (Drink between 2013-2040)
1A4A4541
Beignets with Berries.
1A4A4544
Strawberry Cheesecake Gelato — strawberry cream-cheese base with strawberry ripple and house-made graham cracker crumble. Made by me of course.

1A4A4553
The wine lineup. Not too shabby.


Overall, this was an amazing dinner, and the Borgese’s just keep amping up the quality.

First of all, the Borgese hospitality was awesome, the house lovely, and the food absolutely incredible. Best “home cooked” meal I’ve had. Maybe ever if you restrict it to chefs cooking in their own home kitchen. Just amazing. Every dish was great. Rustic but extremely delicious style. Superb homemade pastas. My gelato was darn good too :-).

Service was handled by the youngest Borgese (teen daughter) and was better than most restaurant staff. Super friendly and you can tell they do this a lot.

Wines were, as you can, pretty darn impressive!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Return to Esso
  2. Dinner at the Borgese’s
  3. Uni at the Borgese’s
  4. Boar at the Borgese’s
  5. Astrea Caviar + Heroic Wine Bar
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: BYOG, Dinner at the Borgese's, Gelato, hedonists, Italian cuisine, pasta, Rocco Borgese, Wine

Penfolds Marino

Apr10

Restaurant: Marino Ristorante [1, 2, 3, 4]

Location: 6001 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038. (323) 466-8812

Date: February 25, 2020

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Superb

_

Tonight I return to a favorite haunt for a special Penfolds dinner featuring one of Penfolds own, organized by my good friend John.

 The amazing chef/owner Sal Marino cooks at his original family haunt, venerable Marino Ristorante on Melrose and continues to whip up his unique blend of amazing modern Italian. And if anything, he’s gotten even better.

7U1A8859

Penfolds is an Australian wine producer that was founded in Adelaide in 1844 by Christopher Rawson Penfold, an English physician who emigrated to Australia, and his wife Mary Penfold. It is one of Australia’s oldest wineries, and is currently part of Treasury Wine Estates.

7U1A8854
Our special menu tonight.
7U1A8871
Wines at the ready.
7U1A8876
And just chilling.
7U1A8872
2012 Penfolds x Thienot Champagne Lot. 1-175. Pale yellow. Some mousse on the pour. Medium sized persistent bubbles.
Chalky nose. Pears, apples, chalky with a hint of tobacco. Very astringent and aggressive on first sip. Some nuttiness. No brioche and very little mousse on sipping. Well structured. An excellent bottle without a doubt. It should age well, but it’s approachable now. Good stuff. QPR a tad low.
7U1A8879
Tuna and caviar with olive oil. Nice bite. Flavors soft and subtle.
7U1A8882
Razor clams. Very Vietnamese but super delicious.
7U1A8889
Rock cod with Japanese Sea Urchin. Delicious, but I might have liked a more intense uni flavor.

7U1A8972-Pano
The gang at the big table in the back of the main dining room.
7U1A8915
Sal introduces the food.
7U1A8874
2016 Penfolds Chardonnay Yattarna. 95 points. White Peach, nectarine, meyer lemons, lemon meringue pie along with a nutty profile and great acidity, this is wine is painfully young, wait 10 years to fully enjoy this masterpiece. Multi-regional blend. From Tasmania, Henty, Adelaide Hills and Tumbarumba aged in french oak barrels (35% new) for 8 months.

agavin: this was a great “fake” chard (as I call any non white Burgundy chard). But it is expensive considering it’s “fake.”

7U1A8900
Wild Japanese Snapper Crudo with Radish Mosaic. Very nice soft flavors.
7U1A8867
2016 Penfolds Shiraz St. Henri. 94 points. Clear deep ruby; clean medium plus nose of cassis, blueberries, black pepper, toast and vanilla; dry; medium plus acidity; medium plus tannins; high alcohol; medium plus body; pronounced flavor intensity; pfn with addition of cocoa and black licorice; long finish; outstanding quality; from the bottle, it wasn’t as pronounced as we remember from the Penfolds dinner; we decanted and it was infinitely better

7U1A8917
Prime Filet Tartare, black truffle. Tons of strong truffle aromatics.
7U1A8865
2017 Penfolds Shiraz RWT Bin 798. 94 points. Clear deep ruby; clean medium nose of fresh cassis yogurt, vanilla, blueberry and toast; dry; medium plus acidity; medium plus tannins; high alcohol; medium plus body; medium plus flavour intensity; pfn with addition of cocoa; long finish; outstanding quality; big ass wine
7U1A8929
Rhode Island Black Bass with black tuscan kale and sweet onions. This was paired (controversially) with a massive Austrialian red but due to the sweet onions and the awesome rich sauce it actually worked spectacularly.
7U1A8864
2016 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707. A touch “dusty” in style.
7U1A8937
Maccheroncini with Jimenez farm lamb ragout. Very nice meaty pasta.
7U1A8861
1999 Penfolds Grange. VM 91+. Full ruby-red. Sexy aromas of raspberry, cola, root beer and coconut. Thick, dense and concentrated, with exotic, slightly candied dark fruit, caramel, toasted coconut and mineral flavors nicely shaped by firm acids. Shows strong fruit and a major dose of oak on the powerful, backward finish. This can’t quite match the 1998 for sheer depth of fruit, but it’s built to age.
7U1A8887
Kirk brought this rare: 1990 Penfolds Shiraz Coonawarra.
7U1A8947
30 day dry aged ribeye with salt and porcini mushroom sauce. Great meat, perfectly cooked and seasoned, with the stunning rich sauce.
7U1A8869
NV Penfolds Grandfather Rare Tawny. 94 points. This is undoubtedly one of the best bottles of port I have ever had at any price. Pecans and fruitcake on the nose. Thick and luxurious with a burnt sugar, nutty palate that even seemed to have a touch of peppermint in the background. Great finish and mouthfeel with no hint of heat or alcohol. I though my impression of this may have been overblown when I drank my first bottle several months ago, due to the amount of wine consumed, but this 2nd bottle also knocked it out of the park.
7U1A8964
Ricotta cheesecake. Very Sicilian in flavor, like a fluffy cannoli interior. Loved it.
7U1A8983
From my cellar: 2008 Paolo Bea Sagrantino di Montefalco Passito. 94 points. Tasted at the winery: Prune-like, candied plum, cherry, siky, lush, intnse tangy aspect; not heavy, slightly sweet with good lift, medium long finish. Very nice classic passito.
7U1A8781-Edit20200224
This is a signature Sweet Milk flavor — Italian Lemon Cookie Meringue Pie — Limoncello Zabaione base with lemon cookie flavor mixed with Italian Lemon Creme Cookies and Sicilian Candied Lemon and topped with house-made toasted Meringue — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato) — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #lemon #LemonCookie #cookie #Sicily #Sorento #Limoncello #Meringue #LemonMeringuePie
7U1A8825-Edit20200224
Getting crazy with an innovative new flavor: Oaxacan Choco-Mole – The base is made with Valrhona 100% Cacao and intense Oaxacan Mole Negro from Guelaguetza restaurant — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Valrhona #chocolate #cocao #oaxaca #mole #molenegro
7U1A8971
Sal was totally on point today and we had a perfect meal. Service was great too. Really nice dinner that went extremely smoothly. The wines were lovely, but BIG for the most part. Grange needs a lot of time and even the 99 was a baby. The 16s and 17s — woah.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or experience my gluttonous month-long food trips through Italy.

Related posts:

  1. Marino Ristorante Back Room
  2. Molti Marino
  3. Marino Ristorante
  4. Mirko at Osteria Mamma
  5. Astrea Caviar + Heroic Wine Bar
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: BYOG, Gelato, Grange, Italian cuisine, Marino Ristorante, pasta, Penfolds, red wine, Sal Marino, Truffle

Mirko at Osteria Mamma

Mar09

Restaurant: Osteria Mamma

Location: 5732 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004. (323) 284-7060

Date: January 24, 2020

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great meal

_

I’ve been eating at Mirko Paderno restaurants for years. He’s a super talented Italian chef, who’s been at a lot of places: Oliverio, the 4 Seasons, Berea (briefly), Estrella, Spring, and now Osteria Mamma.

I’m not entirely sure if Mirko is cooking here all the time or just using the kitchen for special dinners like ours — slipped in. Yarom asked him to cook up a meal including a bunch of big Y’s “fresh shot” wild boar.
7U1A6234-Pano
The location is right next door to Kali — far far from me on a Friday night in traffic!
7U1A6238-Pano
The interior is cutesy LA Italian.
7U1A6261-Pano
We had a giant table in the back.
7U1A6237

As usual at Italian (or most) “gang” dinners, people neglect to bring any whites despite the fact that half the food goes with white! So I put a couple Italian whites in my bag.

From my cellar: 2015 Vietti Roero Arneis. 91 points. Light yellow color; aromatic, lemon balm, lemon syrup, tart peach nose; tasty, medium bodied, lemon syrup, vanilla palate; medium-plus finish 90+ points.

7U1A6265
Caprese di Bufala. fresh buffalo mozzarella DOP, tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil, sea salt.
7U1A6294
Calamari. grilled calamari with arugula, oranges, cherry tomatoes, lemon dressing.
7U1A6257
From my cellar: 2010 Borgo del Tiglio (Nicola Manferrari) Collio Studio di Bianco. Vinuous 95. Weightless, crystalline and pure, the 2010 Studio di Bianco appears to float on the palate. White pear, crushed rocks, oyster shells and lime jump from the glass. A beautifully delineated, vibrant wine, the 2010 captures the best qualities of the year. Stylistically, the 2010 is brighter and more focused than the 2011, with a bit less body but more sheer drive and personality. What a gorgeous wine this is. (Drink between 2014-2025)
7U1A6318
Burratona. fresh burrata cheese with roasted squash, aged balsamic, frisée, toasted pine nuts.
7U1A6275
Main Lobster Catalana Style. A great lobster salad.
7U1A6268
Linguine al Pesto di Rucola. Mamma’s arugula pesto.
7U1A6253
From my cellar: 1966 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva. 95 points. This took a few minutes to open up, but it had tremendous fruit and strength still when it did.
7U1A6252
From my cellar: 1997 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba. 97 points. Bricking medium dark red color with pale meniscus; lovely, roses, milk chocolate, leather, incense nose; delicious, gorgeous, poised, velvety, roses, spice box, tar, resin palate; medium-plus finish
7U1A6287
Roasted Quail, cannelini bean puree, natural jus. Another stand out dish.
7U1A6298
Focaccia bread and tomato sauce.
7U1A6254
2001 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT. 93 points. Elegantly light and refined, plums, licorice, cherries, well balanced deep and classy wine with clear and pure taste world, I preferred this over the Miani Merlot 2001.
7U1A6308
Maltagliati Pasta with Wild Boar Ragu, fresh ricotta cheese. Great ragu — Yarom shot the boar!
7U1A6256
2004 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT. 94 points. The inky-colored 2004 Redigaffi, 100% Merlot aged for 16 months in new oak, offers expressive, nuanced aromatics along with sensations of richly-textured blue and black jammy fruit, minerals, mint, chocolate, spices and sweet toasted oak on big, powerful frame with notable underlying structure and a warm, resonating finish. Although it has enough structure and acidity to drink well for another decade or so, I enjoy Redigaffi most in its youth. (Drink between 2013-2016)
7U1A6330
Bigoli Neri alla Bottarga. black squid ink bigoli, cherry tomatoes, shrimp and bottarga.
7U1A6332
Branzino. Grilled Mediterranean branzino fillet, red and green bell pepper peperonata, garlic aioli.
7U1A6255
2012 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT. VM 92+. Bright ruby-red. Coffee and cocoa­ nuances almost overpower the wine’s delicate violet and dark berry aromas. Then rather graceful in the mouth, with a distinct delicacy to the dark berry, cocoa and coffee flavors. A lighter Redigaffi than usual, but harmonious and refined.
7U1A6324
Colorado Lamb Chop, dolce latte fonduta, bagna cauda.
7U1A6251
Arnie brought: 2007 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. VM 95+. Dark medium ruby. Lovely vibrancy to the aromas of blackcurrant, plum, licorice and cocoa powder, with a strong impression of minerality. Like liquid silk on the palate and yet powerful at the same time, with strong minerality contributing to the impression of lift and inner-mouth perfume. The dark berry, violet and cocoa powder flavors offer compelling early sweetness, and this wine’s wonderfully lush tannins will not get in the way of early enjoyment. A great example of the new generation of Quilceda Creek cabernet. Based on its superb length and balance, I’d cellar this for even more fireworks ahead.
7U1A6336
Roasted wild boar loin & ribs, soft polenta, pioppini mushrooms, natural roast jus — extremely gamey and salty. Very salty. Given that the boar has been dead (and in the freezer) many months, this rareness was a bit “interesting.” However, the salt must have sterilized everything as I was fine.
7U1A6344
Bone in!
7U1A6249
7U1A6250
Seb brought: 2014 Sine Qua Non Syrah Piranha Waterdance. VM 95-97. A wild, exotic wine, the 2014 Syrah Piranha Waterdance hits the palate with serious richness, power and voluptuousness. This is in a decidedly lush, exotic style. A rush of super-ripe, intense fruit builds into a flamboyant finish in a heady, inviting wine that will drink well with minimal cellaring. The blend is 81% Syrah, 8% Petite Sirah, 6% Mourvèdre, 4% Touriga Nacional and 1% Graciano, done with 26% whole clusters. (Drink between 2019-2029)
7U1A6348
Selection of fine cheese & fruit marmellata.
7U1A6354
Peppered Lemongrass Ginger Creme Brûlée Gelato — A blended milk and Thai coconut cream base steeped with lemongrass and ginger and then juiced up with yuzu and black pepper. For sugar, I used coconut palm sugar and even torched the top! — created 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 #lemongrass #ginger #CremeBrûlée #BlackPepper #coconut #yuzu

Double Shot Gelato — Hot brewed espresso gelato with house-made dark chocolate hazelnut ganache — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — this will keep you up! — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #chocolate #valrhona #espresso #coffee #hazelnut #ganache

Overall, this was a great meal — some even thought the best Mirko meal, but I’ve had several better, particularly this one. Still, it was a fun night with good wines (I liked mine best, of course as they were native Italian varietals), great company, and very good food. It’s unclear which dishes were Mirko’s or if some were the normal restaurants. Certainly the lobster, quail, boar dishes were Mirko. All a touch confusing. We didn’t have any of his risotto though — which is one of my favorites.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

Related posts:

  1. Angelini Osteria
  2. Osteria Latini 3
  3. Quick Eats: Osteria Latini 2
  4. Eating Modena – Osteria del Pozzo
  5. Eating Modena – Osteria Francescana
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: boar, BYOG, Gelato, hedonists, Italian cuisine, Mirko Paderno, Osteria Mamma, pasta, Quail, Wild boar

Close Eats – Cinque Terre

Jan31

Restaurant: Cinque Terre West Osteria

Location: 970 Monument St #110, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272. (310) 454-0709

Date: December 7, 2019

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Solid neighborhood Italian

_

There are so few places to eat in Pacific Palisades and almost all of them are part of the Caruso mall with it’s terrible least common denominator food style.
IMG_0571
This isn’t, and is off to the side in a mini-mall with my “favorite” local place, Sasebune express.
IMG_0570
The interior is tiny but cute enough. A little casual for my taste.
IMG_0568
IMG_0569
The menu.
IMG_0573
Bread.
IMG_0574
Cinque Terre Salad. Baby mixed greens, taggiasche olives, tomatoes, grapes, figs, pecorino, fig vinaigrette.
IMG_0578
Melanzane alla Disaia. Eggplant, marinara, Parmigiano, basil, mozzarella. Hard to not like baked eggplant with marinara and cheese. Hot and delicious.
IMG_0577
Tartufo pizza. Mozzarellaa, goat cheese, black truffle. Not really much (if any) real truffle. Ok though. Not as good as the truffle pizza at Toscana.
IMG_0572
Basic pasta for the boy.
IMG_0579
Gluten free penne pomodoro. Because some people in my family (and not the boy) like really really boring food.
IMG_0580
Pappardelle alla Bolognese. Very solid version of the classic. Nice thick fresh pasta.
IMG_0585
Mezzelune alla Zucca. Butternut squash ravioli, brown butter, sage, Amaretto. Nice to see they included the Amaretto — makes it real Northern Italian style.
IMG_0586
Grilled Branzino.
IMG_0588
Macchiato.

Overall, not bad at all for the Palisades. Certainly the best Italian in the village. Of course that isn’t saying much as there are some real stinkers and the village has terrible food. Still, I’ll have to come back and see how it holds up and try more dishes.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Related posts:

  1. Eating Cinque Terre – Gianni Franzi
  2. Quick Eats – Palmeri
  3. Quick Eats: Piccolo
  4. Quick Eats: Divino
  5. Quick Eats – Obica SM
By: agavin
Comments (0)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Cinque Terre West, Italian cuisine, Italian Food, Pacific Palisades, pasta

Astrea Caviar + Heroic Wine Bar

Jan27

Restaurant: Heroic Deli and Wine Bar [1, 2, 3]

Location: 516 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 490-0202

Date: December 3, 2019

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Pretty awesome, actually

_

Our friends Eve and Riesa, who own Astrea Caviar wanted to do a dinner with Erick and I so we enlisted Jeffrey Merrihue and his chef Barbara Pollastrini to make a custom caviar menu at Heroic Wine Bar.

IMG_0573
They took over the old Real Food Daily / Erven space on Santa Monica Blvd.
IMG_0559
This is an unusual space, divided into two halves, each of which has a separate loft. The build out is attractive though.
IMG_0560
Here’s the main side loft.

IMG_0557
Here’s Jeffrey, who like me at Ramen Roll is very hands on operationally.

IMG_0562
Hand painted Zodiac ceiling.

7U1A6058-Pano
The back space is much more dinner-like. But we were upstairs above this in the very dimly lit (but large) private room.

Menu V9
Our special menu.
7U1A3329
7U1A3335
Erick brought this “rare” Piper and it comes in a special case. Champagne houses love their gimmicks.

7U1A3341
1988 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare. JG 94. I love the 1988 vintage of Rare, which is a very, very fine example of this underrated, but excellent year in Champagne. The wine is now fully mature, but still bright and zesty, as it delivers a fine aromatic constellation of pear, peach, a nice dollop of honeycomb, toasted almonds, plenty of smokiness, brioche and plenty of smokiness in the upper register. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and shows off lovely mid-palate depth, with frothy mousse, fine focus and soil signature, excellent focus and grip and a very long, utterly classic and beautifully balanced finish. A superb vintage of Rare with years and years still ahead of it. (Drink between 2014-2030)

7U1A3337
From my cellar to match: 1988 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. VM 97. I am blown away by the 1988 Comtes de Champagne. Still incredibly fresh, the 1988 Comtes flows with intense mineral notes that frame a vibrant core of Chardonnay fruit. The color, aromatics and flavors are all remarkably youthful, while the crystalline purity of the finish suggests the 1988 will drink well for another two decades, if not longer. Readers who enjoy mature Champagne will need to be patient. Still, I see no reason to deny gratification; this is a rock star wine! (Drink between 2013-2030)

7U1A3323
Just some of the caviar that Astrea brought for the dinner.

7U1A3358
This one, a new “breed” was just for munching on.
7U1A3355
Here it is open.
7U1A3346
Amuse of NONNA’S GNUDI. Ricotta & spinach, sage infused housemade brown butter, fluffy Parmigiano Reggiano. This is basically a ball of soft spinach and cheese, topped with cheese, and soaked in perfect butter sauce. It’s richly cheesy — and buttery — very rich actually. Quite yummy. But you gotta like butter and cheese at its best!

7U1A3375
Strange Bedfellows. Live oyster with Live Santa Barbara Uni and caviar. A delicious paring of raw — caviar, oyster, and uni — with the champagne.
7U1A3389
Mad Hatter. Crispy fried egg yolk topped with caviar and house made creme fraiche. The fried egg was delicious, but tasted strongly of both “fry” and egg yolk — big surprise — so it wasn’t quite as good a caviar showcase (although it was great).
7U1A3411
Night and Day. Squid ink spaghetti with live Santa Barbara Stone Crab and caviar. This was a “too die for” pasta. Fabulous by itself and even better with all that caviar and even better with old champagne.
7U1A3338
From my cellar: 2011 Coche-Dury Meursault Les Vireuils Domaine et Selection. 94 points. Wow, even the “negotiant” Coche doesn’t disappoint. The intensity of this wine was unreal. Blazing. Struck like lightening both deep into the palate and broadly across at the same time. Just unreal that this is a village wine.

7U1A3343
Erick brought: 2005 Domaine Ramonet Chevalier-Montrachet. BH 93. This continues to show somewhat oddly because while it now appears to be much more backward than it did when I originally tasted it for review in 2007, there still isn’t the elegance or refinement that I’m used to seeing chez Ramonet with this wine. Ripe and airy white flower and citrus blossom aromas offer excellent complexity if less elegance than I’m used to seeing are followed by still tight full-bodied flavors that possess impressive volume and concentration, all wrapped in a nicely long finish that displays less depth than promised by the nose. One change that is evident though is that if this is going to come together, it will take longer than I initially imagined and thus I have extended my initial drinking window by several years. (Drink starting 2015)
7U1A3441
Red Planet. Poached live Santa Barbara lobster with champagne and caviar and beurre blanc. Another great dish. Perfectly cooked Pacific lobster is always great with beurre blanc — then add the caviar!
7U1A3491
Secret Garden. It’s a (healthy) secret. Zucchini with vegetables, cured egg, and crab. This was a fine dish, but not nearly as good as the other (maybe because it wasn’t nearly as rich).

7U1A3504
Castaway. Marinated Japanese A5 Wagyu tartare with live uni, thin scallop and caviar. Again — didn’t suck. Haha. Great, although not quite as good a pairing as the all seafood dishes.
7U1A3381
Reisa brought: 1999 Domaine G. Roumier / Christophe Roumier Chambolle-Musigny. JG 90+. The 1999 Chambolle villages is deep, lush and powerful, with a style not dissimilar from a hypothetical blend of the 1990 and the 1995. The bouquet is quite primary, delivering notes of black cherries, herb tones, a bit of smoke, minerals, chocolate and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is quite full-bodied (the biggest Chambolle since the 1990), with lovely freshness and shape, plenty of tannin buried in the wine’s formidable fruit, and fine length on the complex finish. Like so many Roumier village Chambolles, it deserves, nay demands, cellaring time. (Drink between 2009-2020)
7U1A3522
Adding an item “from the regular menu”: PASTA CARBONARA. Mezzemaniche, house made guanciale, pecorino Romano. Chef Barbara shows off her Roman chops with this scrumptious carbonara. The Mezzemaniche also has a really nice bite, and the pork cheeks the perfect crunch and porcine flavor. Very roman and again maybe the best Carbonara I’ve had in a long time. It maybe could have been a touch creamier — as this is an pork and cheese forward prep, but the guanciale alone is worth the price of admission.
7U1A3530
Bacon & Eggs. Pork belly confit and caviar and truffle. Inspired by the Republique dish this wasn’t quite as good — but was still really great — and opulent.
7U1A3543
Again from the regular menu: TOURNEDOS ROSSINI. Central Valley Rib cap, chicken liver parfait, King Oyster mushroom, Italian summer truffles. This was rich, but boy was it good! How can you go wrong with those ingredients?
7U1A3340
Next we sat around drinking — for a while!

Erick brought: 1973 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon. JG 93. The 1973 Dom Pérignon is at a beautiful point in its evolution and is a great pleasure to drink. The deep and mature nose offers up a complex mélange of rye seed, oranges, fresh figs, honeycomb, a gentle touch of walnut, a beautiful base of soil that is both chalky and shows some signs of clay and a very gentle hint of DP’s signature herbal streak. On the palate the wine is fullish, very deep and utterly seamless, with impeccable balance, lovely focus and complexity, very gentle bubbles that frame the wine these days, rather than offer up youthful effervescence and a very long, refined and vibrant finish. I would opt for drinking the ’73 Dom Pérignon up over the next decade in regular-sized formats, while it remains at its apogee of peak drinkability, as there is not anything left in reserve at age thirty-five. Of course magnums (which should be absolutely brilliant right now) will cruise along significantly longer. A lovely bottle. (Drink between 2008-2018)
7U1A3339
From my cellar: 2006 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut Rosé. VM 98. One of the highlights in this tasting, the 2006 Cristal Rosé is simply stunning. A vertical, towering wine, the 2006 Cristal Rosé is a thrill a minute, with a compelling interplay of aromatics and exquisitely layered fruit, all supported by a real feeling of phenolic intensity. While the 2007 is seductive, the 2006 is virile and imposing, with the statuesque lift of a Giacometti sculpture. All the elements meld together in a complete, alluring Champagne that will continue to drink beautifully for many decades. In 2006, the Pinot Noir was already being farmed biodynamically, while the Chardonnay was still under conversion. (Drink between 2016-2041)

7U1A3558
Tightrope (dessert). Puff pastry with chocolate mousse and caviar. I’m not sure the caviar added here (hence the tightrope) but it was a nice dessert.
7U1A3572

I went nuts here and brought not one, not two, not three, but four gelato flavors:

Mint Meringue Strawberry Sorbetto — An intense dairy-free base made from Avignon Strawberries and layered with house-made Spearmint Meringue — created 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 #strawberry #sorbetto #mint #Meringue

True Tiramisu Gelato — after long hiatus, one of my best flavors remerges for a holiday party — This is a genuine tiramisu in gelato form, with a Marsala Egg Yolk Zabaione, fresh Mascarpone Cheese, and real Espresso. Then it’s layered with Valrhona Cocoa and Lady Finger’s soaked in house-made Espresso Rum Syrup — 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 #Tiramisu #Espresso #coffee #chocolate #marsala #Zabaione #Eggyolk #Rum #Mascarpone

Root Beer Float Gelato — Sarsaparilla flavored gelato base with house-made vanilla cream cheese layers — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #RootBeer #RootBeerFlaot #Sarsaparilla #vanilla #creamcheese

Toasted Almond Truffle Gelato — My new egg yolk based nut formulation with Toasted Sicilian Noto Romano Almond makes a sublime base stacked with layers of house-made Valrhona Almond Amaretti Ganache — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Valrhona #almond #amaretti #cookie #ganache #ChocolateTruffle

7U1A3402
The wine lineup.
7U1A3579
Left to right, Reisa, Eve, and Erick.

This is actually some really serious Italian and in a style that is very unusual for LA. Ingredients are all either top flight Italian or really good fresh local California. It’s an interesting hybrid, but Chef Barbara’s flavors are great and really taste very Italian Italian (as opposed to Italian American) in flavor.

She’s quite a creative and flexible chef too and when tasked to make this special caviar menu came up with a bevy of really interesting and fabulous dishes.

Plus the wine, food, caviar, company, and gelato were all spectacular.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

For more Foodie Club dining, click here.

Related posts:

  1. Heroic Wine Bar
  2. Marcheing South Again
  3. Angelini Osteria
  4. Quick Eats – Heroic Deli
  5. Kass has Class
By: agavin
Comments (2)
Posted in: Food
Tagged as: Astrea Caviar, Barbara Pollastrini, BYOG, Caviar, Champagne, Foodie Club, Gelato, Heroic Deli, Heroic Wine Bar, Italian cuisine, Jeffrey Merrihue, pasta, White Burgundy, Wine, Wine bar
Older Posts »
Watch the Trailer or

Buy it Online!

Buy it Online!

96 of 100 tickets!

Find Andy at:

Follow Me on Pinterest

Subscribe by email:

More posts on:



Complete Archives

Categories

  • Contests (7)
  • Fiction (404)
    • Books (113)
    • Movies (77)
    • Television (123)
    • Writing (115)
      • Darkening Dream (62)
      • Untimed (37)
  • Food (1,482)
  • Games (100)
  • History (13)
  • Technology (21)
  • Uncategorized (16)

Recent Posts

  • Providence Chef’s Table 2022
  • OOToro Double
  • Robo Eats – Anarbagh
  • Fred loves N/Naka
  • Major Major Major
  • Far East – Beijing Tasty House
  • Home Sweet Spicy Home
  • Quick Eats – Bafang
  • Quick Eats – Peking Restaurant
  • Quick Eats – MK BBQ

Favorite Posts

  • I, Author
  • My Novels
  • The Darkening Dream
  • Sample Chapters
  • Untimed
  • Making Crash Bandicoot
  • My Gaming Career
  • Getting a job designing video games
  • Getting a job programming video games
  • Buffy the Vampire Slayer
  • A Game of Thrones
  • 27 Courses of Truffles
  • Ultimate Pizza
  • Eating Italy
  • LA Sushi
  • Foodie Club

Recent Comments

Archives

  • March 2023 (10)
  • February 2023 (11)
  • January 2023 (14)
  • December 2022 (11)
  • November 2022 (13)
  • October 2022 (14)
  • September 2022 (14)
  • August 2022 (12)
  • July 2022 (9)
  • June 2022 (6)
  • May 2022 (8)
  • April 2022 (5)
  • March 2022 (4)
  • February 2022 (2)
  • January 2022 (8)
  • December 2021 (6)
  • November 2021 (6)
  • October 2021 (8)
  • September 2021 (4)
  • August 2021 (5)
  • July 2021 (2)
  • June 2021 (3)
  • January 2021 (1)
  • December 2020 (1)
  • September 2020 (1)
  • August 2020 (1)
  • April 2020 (11)
  • March 2020 (15)
  • February 2020 (13)
  • January 2020 (14)
  • December 2019 (13)
  • November 2019 (12)
  • October 2019 (14)
  • September 2019 (14)
  • August 2019 (13)
  • July 2019 (13)
  • June 2019 (14)
  • May 2019 (13)
  • April 2019 (10)
  • March 2019 (10)
  • February 2019 (11)
  • January 2019 (13)
  • December 2018 (14)
  • November 2018 (11)
  • October 2018 (15)
  • September 2018 (15)
  • August 2018 (15)
  • July 2018 (11)
  • June 2018 (14)
  • May 2018 (13)
  • April 2018 (13)
  • March 2018 (17)
  • February 2018 (12)
  • January 2018 (15)
  • December 2017 (15)
  • November 2017 (13)
  • October 2017 (16)
  • September 2017 (16)
  • August 2017 (16)
  • July 2017 (11)
  • June 2017 (13)
  • May 2017 (6)
  • March 2017 (3)
  • February 2017 (4)
  • January 2017 (7)
  • December 2016 (14)
  • November 2016 (11)
  • October 2016 (11)
  • September 2016 (12)
  • August 2016 (15)
  • July 2016 (13)
  • June 2016 (13)
  • May 2016 (13)
  • April 2016 (12)
  • March 2016 (13)
  • February 2016 (12)
  • January 2016 (13)
  • December 2015 (14)
  • November 2015 (14)
  • October 2015 (13)
  • September 2015 (13)
  • August 2015 (18)
  • July 2015 (16)
  • June 2015 (13)
  • May 2015 (13)
  • April 2015 (14)
  • March 2015 (15)
  • February 2015 (13)
  • January 2015 (13)
  • December 2014 (14)
  • November 2014 (13)
  • October 2014 (13)
  • September 2014 (12)
  • August 2014 (15)
  • July 2014 (13)
  • June 2014 (13)
  • May 2014 (14)
  • April 2014 (14)
  • March 2014 (10)
  • February 2014 (11)
  • January 2014 (13)
  • December 2013 (14)
  • November 2013 (13)
  • October 2013 (14)
  • September 2013 (12)
  • August 2013 (14)
  • July 2013 (10)
  • June 2013 (14)
  • May 2013 (14)
  • April 2013 (14)
  • March 2013 (15)
  • February 2013 (14)
  • January 2013 (13)
  • December 2012 (14)
  • November 2012 (16)
  • October 2012 (13)
  • September 2012 (14)
  • August 2012 (16)
  • July 2012 (12)
  • June 2012 (16)
  • May 2012 (21)
  • April 2012 (18)
  • March 2012 (20)
  • February 2012 (23)
  • January 2012 (31)
  • December 2011 (35)
  • November 2011 (33)
  • October 2011 (32)
  • September 2011 (29)
  • August 2011 (35)
  • July 2011 (33)
  • June 2011 (25)
  • May 2011 (31)
  • April 2011 (30)
  • March 2011 (34)
  • February 2011 (31)
  • January 2011 (33)
  • December 2010 (33)
  • November 2010 (39)
  • October 2010 (26)
All Things Andy Gavin
Copyright © 2023 All Rights Reserved
Programmed by Andy Gavin