Sal Marino :: All Things Andy Gavin

Archive for Sal Marino

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.

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.

Wines at the ready.

Various Champagnes.

Our menu tonight.

More Champagnes.

Smoked trout with roe.

2018 Mischief and Mayhem Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières.

2018 Mischief and Mayhem Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts.

A selection of starters.

Tuna. Stuffed Mexicola Avocado.

Octopus Crocce.

Razor Clam.

Snapper Tartar, Salicornia.

2017 Mischief and Mayhem Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champs-Gain.

2016 Mischief and Mayhem Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champs-Gain.

Bass, Salsify, Spring Veggies.

2014 Mischief and Mayhem Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras.

2012 Mischief and Mayhem Clos St. Denis.

Lamb Pappardelle.

2018 Mischief and Mayhem Clos St. Denis.

2010 Mischief and Mayhem Corton-Bressandes.

Duck.

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

Chef Sal and John.

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.

Toro sashimi.

Bulgolgi.

Crab rice congee.

Sukiyaki veggies

Sukiyaki pork belly. There was a Sukiyaki pot, but I forgot to take a picture of it.

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

Sauvages Brunello at Marino

May08

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

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

Date: September 9, 2021

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Superb

Marino is a favorite haunt for many of my wine groups, including the Sauvages lunch group featured in today’s report. The theme today for Sauvages was Brunello di Montalcino, plus we had intro champs and a flight of Italian whites.

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.

Post pandemic they’ve turned the parking lot into a cute patio.

This is the main interior, or at least some of it.

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.

Our special menu.

And the wine list.

2013 Georges Laval Champagne Premier Cru Brut Nature Cumières. VM 92. The 2013 Brut Nature Cumières exudes depth and creaminess. A host of dried pear, licorice, lemon confit, orchard fruit, brioche and spices flesh out in the glass. The Cumières is a blend of equal parts Pinot Noir, Meunier and Chardonnay, but it is the weight and texture of the red grapes that gives the wine much of its signature feel. This is another stellar showing from Vincent Laval. Disgorged January, 2016. (Drink between 2017-2025)

2009 Dom Pérignon Champagne. VM 94+. The 2009 Dom Pérignon is open, seductive and radiant, as it has always been. Soft curves, mid-weight structure and tons of plain allure make the 2009 impossible to resist in its youth. This bottle, the best I have tasted so far, offers a distinc citrus and floral-driven profile that adds a good deal of brightness. Above all else, the 2009 is a gorgeous Champagne to drink now and over then next few decades. This is the first time in the house’s history that a vintage was not released sequentially. (Drink between 2018-2049)

Salmon Tartar with caviar.

2014 Marisa Cuomo Costa d’Amalfi Furore Bianco Fiorduva. JG 93. The 2014 Fiorduva from Marisa Cuomo is a beautiful wine that is drinking at its peak today, but shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The cépages is thirty percent each of Fenile and Ginestra, coupled with forty percent Ripoli. The wine is barrel-fermented and raised in stainless steel tanks. The bouquet wafts from the glass in a refined blend of pear, tangerine, green olive, salty soil tones and a topnote of orange peel. On the palate the wine is crisp, full-bodied and quite complex, with a fine core of fruit, lovely mineral drive and grip, zesty acids and a long, classy finish. This is a truly lovely wine at its apogee, but still with plenty of life in it. (Drink between 2020-2025)

2016 Grosjean Petite Arvine Valle d’Aosta. VM 92. Straw-green. Bright aromas of white orchard fruit, white flowers, mint, sage and thyme. Enters fresh with green fruit nuances (mostly apple) complicated by building notes of apricot and thyme. Finishes long and suave, hints of banana and riper fruit emerging at the back. (Drink between 2019-2024)

2017 Tiberio Trebbiano d’Abruzzo Fonte Canale. VM 94. Vivid pale straw-yellow. Penetrating, multifaceted nose of white peach, nectarine, minerals, chamomile and jasmine. Conveys an almost saline sense of extract in the mouth, offering steely, harmonious and high-acid flavors of white peach, minerals and anise. Steely and mineral notes linger on the long floral-accented finish. Once again, the magic of the Fonte Canale 80-year-old vines shines through in a year that saw almost seven months without rain in the Casauria subzone (where the Tiberio estate is located); the roots of these old vines dig deep and are always close to the underlying water table. The 2017 Fonte Canale strikes me as more perfumed and more open-knit than usual on the nose (especially compared to the 2016), but more lemony on the palate. (Drink between 2022-2029)

2018 Castello della Sala (Antinori) Umbria Cervaro della Sala. VM 92. The 2018 Cervaro della Sala is a blend of 92% Chardonnay with a splash of Grechetto, showing a rich and alluring bouquet, leading off with a hint of vanilla bean and giving way to peach, a dusting of confectioner’s spice and dried yellow flowers. On the palate, silky textures flesh out across the senses, carrying flavors of ripe apple, apricot and sweet herbs, as minerals and acids mingle toward the close. The finish is long and almost salty, buzzing with energy and making the mouth water for another sip. The balance here is impeccable, as is the use of barrel fermentation to create such textural richness. (Drink between 2020-2028)

Crudo. Tuna and avocado.

2009 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova. VM 93. Vivid red. Multidimensional nose offers captivating aromas of raspberry, sour red cherry, redcurrant, brown sugar, cinnamon and minerals, lifted by a strong note of fresh citrus fruit. Vibrant flavors of red and black fruits, pink peppercorn and sweet spices are wonderfully pure and juicy. This sneakily concentrated yet refined wine shows a rare blend of power and delicacy and finishes extremely long, with very fine-grained tannins and truly mind-blowing purity of small red fruits and violet. Impeccable balance only adds to its star qualities. One of the best young Tenuta Nuovas I have ever tried and it’s also one of the two or three best Brunellos of the vintage.

2010 Castelgiocondo (Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi) Brunello di Montalcino. VM 93. Dark red cherry, smoke, plum, wild flowers and cedar are some of the notes that flesh out in the 2010 Brunello di Montalcino from Castelgiocondo. Ripe, soft and textured on the palate, the 2010 impresses for its silkiness and early approachability. Sweet floral and spiced notes reappear on the finish, adding considerable lift and perfume. This is a lovely showing from Castelgiocondo and the Frescobaldi family. (Drink between 2015-2025)

2010 Lisini Brunello di Montalcino. VM 95+. One of the stand outs of the vintage, Lisini’s 2010 Brunello di Montalcino fleshes out in all directions with gorgeous, expansive richness. The flavors are dark, bold and incisive, yet backed up by notable freshness. A crescendo of incredibly pure dark red and black stone fruits builds on the huge finish. The 2010 is dazzling, but readers will have to be patient. (Drink between 2018-2035)

2010 Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne. VM 95. Giancarlo Pacenti’s 2010 Brunello di Montalcino Vecchie Vigne is another superb wine. The contours are more modern and the fruit leans towards the darker end of spectrum, yet all the elements are wonderfully in balance. Surprisingly open and expressive for a young Brunello, the 2010 is sure to improve with a little more time in the bottle. All of the Pacenti signatures are in place, though, and the house style is unmistakable. (Drink between 2018-2025)

Tartar di Manzo al Tartufo. Prime Filet Tartar, shaved winter truffle.

2001 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova. VM 93. The 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova has a dark and brooding shade of deep garnet. It bursts from the glass with a mature, sweetly-scented bouquet of crushed plums and blueberries complemented by balsamic tones, smoke and worn leather. It takes a turn toward elegance on the palate with ripe, citrus-tinged wild berry fruits and purple inner florals. It seems almost creamy in texture but well-balanced by vibrant acidity. Seamlessly smooth and harmonious, this finishes long with nuances of residual tannins under an air of warming autumnal spice and inner earth tones. The 2001 Tenuta Nuova has peaked, yet well-stored bottles should be in no fear of decline. Sampled from the winery’s cellar. (Drink between 2021-2026)

2001 Casanuova delle Cerbaie Brunello di Montalcino. VM 88. Good full red. Spicy aromas of plum, red licorice, marzipan and nutty oak. Sweet and pliant, with nicely integrated acids and somewhat unforthcoming flavors of red berries and spices. Could use a bit more clarity and cut. Finishes with slightly drying tannins and a late note of leather. (Distillerie Stock U.S.A., Woodside, NY)

2001 Castelgiocondo (Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Ripe al Convento. VM 90. The 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Ripe al Convento is a richly-flavored, full-bodied offering loaded with dark cherries, vanilla, smoke, cola and sweet toasted oak. It may not be the most complex Brunello out there, but it does offer an attractive, easygoing personality, outstanding length and sweet, silky tannins on the finish. (Drink between 2013-2017)

2001 Fuligni Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. VM 94. A deep dark red with orange hues, the 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva makes an impactful statement from start to finish. There are depths of crushed black cherries, plums, strawberries, sweet spices and mentholated herbs which rise up effortlessly from the glass. Further coaxing adds notes of cedar, dusty rose and hints of animal musk. It’s silky in feel yet quickly firms up through a mix of tart red berries, minerals, zesty acids and an unbelievably youthful coating of tannin which mounts toward the close. The 2001 Riserva is still on a steady path to its peak, structured and primary, as it tapers off with a grippy feel under an air of inner florals. Sampled from the winery’s cellar. (Drink between 2022-2034)

Flan di Cavolfiore al Tartufo. Cauliflower flan, truffle sauce, shaved truffle. Great dish!

1999 Il Poggione (Proprietá Franceschi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. VM 93. Bright, dark red. Flamboyant aromas of red cherry, dark berries, plum, chestnut and game. Sweet in the mouth, with densely packed, superripe flavors of red cherry, smoky plum, licorice and milk chocolate. A concentrated, powerful wine, boasting impressive youthful energy thanks to firm, lively acidity. Finishes very long, but can’t quite match the overall balance and grace of the 2001. Another outstanding vintage in Tuscany, 1999 was very warm but with well-timed rains, and, above all, cooler nights and less heat than the vastly overrated 1997 vintage.

2001 Il Poggione (Proprietá Franceschi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. VM 96. Showing so youthful and perfumed, the 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva starts out dark and inward yet gains in volume and depth the longer it sits in the glass. Dried black cherries, crushed stone, dusty rose and minty herbs create its dazzling bouquet. It is pure silk, with an amazing density to its dark red fruits, as rich balsamic spice and licorice drench the palate. This is elegant yet poised, with just a hint of sweet tannin, along with a buzz of residual acids and earthy mineral tones that mix with its inner sweetness to create a tense and contrasting feel on the slightly chewy finish. Collectors with the 2001 Riserva in their cellars will be very happy to know that it still has five to ten more years of positive evolution in store for them. Purchased from the Il Poggione cellar and held in professional storage. (Drink between 2021-2030)

2003 Il Poggione (Proprietá Franceschi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Paganelli. VM 95. One of the great surprises of my tasting this year wasn’t a 2005 or 2004 Riserva but rather Il Poggione’s 2003 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Paganelli, which has developed spectacularly since I first reviewed it last year. This awesome, deep Brunello is endowed with gorgeous dark fruit that emerges from the glass with superb richness and power while retaining a traditional sense of structure. There is more than enough fruit to balance the firm tannins that are typical of this hot year. I was blown away by the combination of opulence and classicism present in the 2003 Riserva. If that sounds appealing, believe me it is. The 2003 Riserva is drinking beautifully today and should continue to offer great pleasure for several decades. The estate’s 1975, from a very hot vintage at the time, was in great shape when I last tasted it a few years ago. Readers interested in older vintages will find plenty of notes on our database. Given the soft market for fine wines and the general disdain for 2003s, I would be shocked if savvy readers aren’t able to pick this wine at a favorable price at some point in the near future. (Drink between 2013-2032)

2004 Il Poggione (Proprietá Franceschi) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Paganelli. VM 95. The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Paganelli has also developed impeccably. Dark, ample and broad, the 2004 is built on a core of serious power. Layers of dark stone fruits, leather, spice and tobacco build into the rich, intense finish. (Drink between 2016-2034)

Maccheroncini con coda e Guanciale. Pasta, oxtail, smoked guanciale, pecorino toscana. Superb smokey “porky” flavor to this pasta and nicely al dente.

1999 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano. VM 96. The 1999 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano is everything a great wine should be. This is an expansive, spectacularly ripe wine endowed with layers of perfumed dark fruit, sweet tobacco, new leather and spices. A brooding, structured beauty, the wine needs some serious bottle age to show at its best, but it is already pretty stunning. According to Abbruzzese 1999 represents another step up in quality as the estate’s vineyards had begun to acquire some age at this point. Certainly this seems true in the Riserva, but I don’t perceive as marked a difference from previous vintages in the regular Brunello (see below). (Drink between 2009-2021)

2001 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano. VM 93. The 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano Riserva was tasted from a half-bottle. The 2001 is seductive, with a rich and alluring display of crushed black cherries, plums, balsamic spices, cocoa and sweet pipe tobacco. It is opulent and velvety-smooth in texture, with extremely ripe dark fruits, sweet herbs and zesty acids keeping them all in check. A subtle tug of tannin lingers, as this closes off to hints of mocha and inner earth tones. You can sense the 2001’s maturity mostly through its fruits, almost Port-like in nature, along with just a hint of dank earth. That said, larger formats may perform even better. Keep in mind that this is a large style of Brunello. Tasted from the importer’s reserve cellar. (Drink between 2021-2026)

From my cellar: 2004 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano. VM 95+. The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano is powerful, deeply colored and still carrying a considerable amount of tannic heft for a twelve year old wine. Dark cherry, plum, smoke, tobacco, scorched earth and licorice give the wine much of its distinctive virile personality. The Madonna del Piano is one of the bigger, brawnier 2004s readers will come across. As such, it needs to be served alongside similarly rich, hearty cuisines. (Drink between 2016-2026)

2007 Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano. VM 96. The 2007 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Madonna del Piano is another super- finessed wine. Subtle floral notes meld into expressive red berries in a sumptuous Brunello that captures the essence of the vintage. The style is rich and deeply textured, but the 2007, as outstanding as it is, needs at least a few more years in bottle. Once again, finesse rules the day. (Drink between 2017-2027)

2008 Luce della Vite Brunello di Montalcino. VM 91. Luce della Vite’s 2008 Brunello di Montalcino Luce is one of the most powerful wines of the vintage. Mocha, espresso, licorice, smoke, super-ripe black cherries and plums literally jump from the glass. A Brunello seemingly made for Napa Valley Cabernet drinkers, the 2008 has plenty of richness and depth. It is also impeccably made from a technical standpoint, even if it bears little resemblance to the rest of the wines of the appellation. (Drink between 2013-2020)

Agnello. Windrose farms lamb ossobuco.

Orange Old Fashioned Sorbetto — Cold Pressed Orange and Tangerine Juice, Knob Creek Bourbon and Angostura Bitters! Topped with cherries — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Really tastes like an Old Fashioned –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #sorbetto #orange #tangerine #bourbon #KnobCreek #bitters #Angostura

Coconut Cream Pie Gelato — Coconut dairy custard base, house-made GF Graham Crackers, and house-made Coconut Caramel — 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 #coconut #caramel #grahamCrackers #cookies

My bad notes.

The gang.

The wine.

The small but elite group of ladies at the ladies table.

Another awesome lunch. 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. I enjoyed all the dishes and there was a hefty “truffle emphasis.”

Wines were great as well. Brunello is a bit of an “unsung hero” in the world of major Italian reds. Yes it’s generally not as complex as a good Nebbiolo, but it has a combination of fruit and acidity that makes it go exceedingly well with most Italian food.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

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

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Brunello, BYOG, Gelato, lunch, Marino, Marino Ristorante, Sal Marino, Sauvages, Wine

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.

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)

Our table. Just ignore the cinder block in the distance :-).

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)

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)

PEACH & BURRATA. Regier Farms yellow peaches, burrata, wild baby arugula.

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.
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)

ZUCCHINI BLOSSOM. ricotta & marjoram filled zucchini blossoms.

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!

MACCHERONCINI RABBIT. homemade pasta, rabbit ragout.

t

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)

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)

PAPPARDELLE BOLOGNESE. 3hr beef, pork and veal meat sauce.

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)

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)

Pork stew with onions and mashed potatoes. Super flavorful and delicious.

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)

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)

Sal, who was out at a catering event, returns just in time to bring in the meat!

And a closeup.

Porterhouse with mushroom sauce and brussels sprouts.

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

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.

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, Gelato, hedonists, Italian cuisine, Marinos, pasta, Pepe, Sal Marino, 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.

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.

Our special menu tonight.

Wines at the ready.

And just chilling.

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.

Tuna and caviar with olive oil. Nice bite. Flavors soft and subtle.

Razor clams. Very Vietnamese but super delicious.

Rock cod with Japanese Sea Urchin. Delicious, but I might have liked a more intense uni flavor.

The gang at the big table in the back of the main dining room.

Sal introduces the food.

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.”

Wild Japanese Snapper Crudo with Radish Mosaic. Very nice soft flavors.

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

Prime Filet Tartare, black truffle. Tons of strong truffle aromatics.

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

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.

2016 Penfolds Cabernet Sauvignon Bin 707. A touch “dusty” in style.

Maccheroncini with Jimenez farm lamb ragout. Very nice meaty pasta.

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.

Kirk brought this rare: 1990 Penfolds Shiraz Coonawarra.

30 day dry aged ribeye with salt and porcini mushroom sauce. Great meat, perfectly cooked and seasoned, with the stunning rich sauce.

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.

Ricotta cheesecake. Very Sicilian in flavor, like a fluffy cannoli interior. Loved it.

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.

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

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

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.

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, Gelato, Grange, Italian cuisine, Marino Ristorante, pasta, Penfolds, red wine, Sal Marino, Truffle

Marino Ristorante Back Room

May08

Restaurant: Marino Ristorante [1, 2, 3]

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

Date: April 12, 2019

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Superb

Restaurants in Los Angeles are constantly changing, opening, closing etc. One of the recent changes I miss the most was the shuttering of Il Grano — certainly West LA’s best Italian, particularly in the fancy/modern department. I really miss it – as it was one of my favorites and has 9 write ups on the blog (I think the most of any restaurant).
But the amazing chef/owner Sal Marino has relocated (back) to his original family haunt, venerable Marino Ristorante on Melrose and continues to cook up his unique blend of amazing modern Italian. And if anything, he’s gotten even better.

We Sauvages have been here or Il Grano many times, and so we return with a familiar Barolo and Barbaresco theme.

Today we took up residence in the private room. I haven’t been here before but it’s very nice — totally private.

Our special menu.

NV Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier d’Or. VM 92. Vilmart’s NV Cuvée Grand Cellier bristles with all the energy that makes the Vilmart Champagnes so compelling. Crushed rocks, lemon peel, white flowers, mint and dried flowers are all crystalline and finely cut. Medium in body, fresh and pulsating in its feel, the Grand Cellier is another winner from Vilmart. This release is based on 2014, with 50% reserve wines from 2013 and 2012. Disgorged September 2016. Dosage is 8 grams per liter.

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.

Fried dandelions from Sal’s garden. Nice and delicately crispy.

Bread.

2001 Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Grésy Barbaresco Martinenga Camp Gros. VM 92. Palish bright red. Ripe, highly perfumed nose offers red berries, tobacco, minerals, dried flowers and woodsmoke: a classic example of the vineyard. Sweet, deep and rich but light on its feet, with a texture that’s at once silky and utterly mouthfilling. Wonderfully perfumed Barbaresco, finishing with impressive breadth, length and class. I could see the 2004 developing in a similar direction.

1997 Azienda Bricco Asili (Ceretto) Barbaresco Bricco Asili. VM 92. Bright amber-red. Perfumed aromas of dried red currant, apricot skin, almond paste, sweet spices and blood orange. Lively acidity provides clarity and cut on the midpalate, lifting the floral red cherry, tar and spice flavors. The finish is long and nuanced, but the tannins are a little tough.

1990 Gaja Barbaresco. VM 95. The 1990 Barbaresco emerges from the glass with an exotic array of tar, smoke, licorice and grilled herbs. There is wonderful intensity to the fruit and plenty of structure. The tannins are still a bit young and the wine is only now beginning to enter the early part of what looks to be a long drinking window! The 1990 Barbaresco is a touch rounder and softer than the 1989, with perhaps just a little less aromatic complexity and inner perfume, although that is splitting hairs at this level. The finish is long, intense and deeply satisfying. This is a marvelous bottle of Barbaresco.

Quaglia Ripiena. Deboned stuffed quail with prosciutto and robiola cheese. Great quail.

1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Villero di Castiglione Falletto. VM 95. An uber-classic wine, the Bruno Giacosa’s Barolo Villero is utterly captivating from the moment it is first opened. The 1996 needs a good hour for the aromatics to open up and the fruit to find its sweetness, but it is a mesmerizingly beautiful Barolo. Now nearly twenty years old, the 1996 Villero has lost some of its youthful tannic grip and is in perfect place to deliver pleasure. Scents of orange peel, spice, lavender and dried rose petal are woven into the exotic finish. Next to Giacosa’s Falletto Barolos, the Villero is more perfumed and sensual. Count me among those who were deeply saddened to see Giacosa stop making wine from this historic Castiglione Falletto site. The 1996 is a fitting close to Giacosa’s work here.

From my cellar: 1997 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba. VM 93. Saturated deep red-ruby. Deep, expressive aromas of cherry syrup, road tar, smoke and game. Fat, chewy and loaded with fruit; can’t quite match the ’98 for flavor development or sheer verve, but this is sweet and lush. Finishes with major, tongue-coating tannins that will require at least a few years of additional bottle aging.

Pappardelle Fagiano. Pappardelle pheasant ragu. I love these rustic ragus. Very nice chewy pasta too.

1999 Elio Altare Barolo Vigneto Arborina. VM 96. I have always adored Elio Altare’s 1999s, even if for many years, Altare told me he preferred the 1998s. In my view, the 1999s always had more energy. That is still the case today. A great example of the vintage, the 1999 Barolo Arborina hits the palate with substantial depth. The tannins have begun to soften, revealing layers of crystalline fruit and more than enough freshness to drink well for another decade-plus.

2001 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc. VM 96. The 2001 Barolo Bric del Fiasc is a gorgeous wine laced with smoke, tar, licorice and menthol. The 2001 remains powerful and authoritative, with more than enough fruit to balance its huge tannins. Today it comes across as almost impenetrably young. There is plenty of upside to cellaring this fabulous Barolo.

Pollo. Autonomy Farms chicken breast black truffle, celery root.

Plus the truffle. Who says chicken has to be boring?

1997 Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco. VM 90. Full deep red. Exotic, superripe aromas of candied red fruits (currant, raspberry) and brown spices. Very sweet and lush but given shape by ripe, harmonious acids. Seems fatter and deeper than the ’96. A rather powerful, large-scaled wine in an essentially gentle style. Tannins are attractively sweet.

1999 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala. VM 92. Bright full red. Highly aromatic, minerally nose of raspberry, spice and underbrush; less open today than the Colonnello but very pure and noble. Wonderfully sweet on entry, then considerably less evolved in the middle palate. A powerful, penetrating wine with superb acidity and grip. Firmly tannic, tough and long, but the tannins are nonetheless buried under explosive fruit. The Colonnello is gentler and sweeter on the back today, but this rather masculine Barolo has uncanny persistence. One of the stars of the vintage. The Conterno 1999 Barolos all say 14% alcohol on the label, but the actual level is even higher, according to Franco.

1999 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis. VM 93. The 1999 is easily one of the best wines in the series. It offers rich sensations of spices, flowers, toasted oak and minerals along with well-delineated layers of ripe dark fruit, menthol, and eucalyptus flavors, finishing with exceptional structure, length and freshness. I didn’t taste the superb 1989 (see above) at age six, but when I tasted this 1999 on a later occasion, the first thing that came into my mind was a young version of that wine. The 1999 will require at least a few years of bottle age and will start to be at its best around 2009, after which it should last another decade.

Agnello. Windrose Farms lamb, morels, porcini sauce, polenta.

From my cellar: 2012 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. VM 93+. Light orange-yellow. Forward but racy aromas of tangerine, ginger, white flowers, sweet spices and medicinal herbs on the complex nose. Rich and round, but with lovely acid lift and energy to the concentrated flavors of apricot, pear and botanical herbs. Finishes long and pure. Not the most concentrated young Trebbiano d’Abruzzo from Valentini, but has a rich, ripe seamless personality that is hard to resist. Good to go right now but ought to age for 15 years at least. Really lovely wine.

Formaggi Piemontesi. Italian cheeses hit the spot with the Trebbiano.

Espresso.

Today’s wines.

My lousy notes.

The whole gang.

Today we were joined by these three lovely ladies du sauvages.

2003 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese ***. 93 points. Medium yellow in color. Deep aromas of ripe orchard fruits, citrus oils, fresh cut yellow flowers, slate and honeysuckle. Superb palate shows incredible intensity to the citrus and honey poached pears, peaches, good acidity and a long lip smacking finish with shimmering acidity. Woah…, this bottle is drinking incredibly well. There have been other bottles (from a six pack bought on release) that showed advanced age/aromas.

1989 Château Bastor-Lamontagne. 92 points. This had taken on the beautiful, golden amber colour of aged Sauternes. It was delicious, with the classic flavours of caramel, (hazel)nut and brown sugar. Slight savoury tinge, with uncanny Banofee like flavours dominating the palate, with just a little spice at the end. Simple, but absolutely yummy.

Because the day before I had a MEC3 rep in my gelato “lab” I had a whole series of gelatti.

Made 6 Gelatti to test out some new ingredients —Traditional Cassata di Siciliana Gelato — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Sicilian Christmas cake as a gelato, with a ricotta almond base mixed with candied fruit and dark Valrhona chocolate chunks — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Cassata #Valrhona #CandiedFruit #fruit #chocolate #ricotta #almond #RicottaCheese #cheese #CassataSiciliana

Testing out a new Italian nut source — Caramel Nocciola Gelato – using my new egg yolk based nut formulation with the new Piedmontese hazelnut to produce a hazelnut base, then adding in house-made caramel and chopped up hazelnuts — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #hazelnut #Nocciola #caramel #nuts

Testing out a new Italian nut source — Salty Pistachio Gelato – using my new egg yolk based nut formulation with the new Sicilian Pistachio to produce a pistachio base with a slight saltiness — 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 #salty #pistachio #sicily #nuts

Testing out a new Italian nut source — Salty Pistachio Gelato – using my new egg yolk based nut formulation with the new Almond to produce the base, then weaving in Italian apricot variegate — 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 #nuts #almond #apricot

Very Cherry Gelato – a super intense amarena cherry gelato 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 #cherry

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Gelato – a super intense Valrhona 63% base with Valrhona 40% chips — 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 #ChocolateChips

Sal was totally on point today as were almost all of the wines. Service was great too. Really nice lunch that went extremely smoothly. The private room left us feeling like we were in our own little restaurant.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

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

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Barbaresco, Barolo, BYOG, Gelato, Italian Cusine, Marino Ristorante, Nebbiolo, Sal Marino, Sauvages, Wine

Marino Ristorante

Sep15

Restaurant: Marino Ristorante [1, 2]

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

Date: August 2, 2017

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Awesome. One of the best Italian meals I’ve had in LA

NV Jérôme Prévost Champagne La Closerie Extra Brut Les Beguines. VM 94. A more than worthy follow up to the spectacular 2009, the Jérôme Prévost’s NV (2010) Brut Nature Les Beguines, is stellar. Bright, clean and focused, the 2010 stands out for its delineation and energy. Some of the more slightly oxidative overtones that are often found in the Beguines are absent, at least today. Instead, the 2010 is all about mineral-infused cut. Both bottles I have tasted so far have been outstanding. Prévost describes 2010 as a very difficult year with significant disease pressure. I am not sure how he did it, but the 2010 Les Beguines is fabulous. Cellaring for another few years will only help, but the truth is that this is am impossible wine to resist today.

NV In Florescence Champagne Champagne Blanc de Noirs Brut. 90 points. Not a formula Champagne. Small medium quantity bubbles. High quality. Golden yellow color. Enjoyable with or without food. A bit pricey but special.

Tomato “sushi.” Slices of heirloom tomato on Italian rice.

1989 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne. BH 88. The nose offers lovely complexity followed by precise, somewhat angular flavors that unfortunately lack mid-palate density. The finish is also distressingly short and while this could still use some time to resolve itself fully, the absence of sufficient sève does not bode well for significant future improvement. In sum, this is perfectly good but hardly special.

agavin: our bottle was great and very young

Tuna tartar with tomato powder.

From my cellar: 2012 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. VM 93+. Light orange-yellow. Forward but racy aromas of tangerine, ginger, white flowers, sweet spices and medicinal herbs on the complex nose. Rich and round, but with lovely acid lift and energy to the concentrated flavors of apricot, pear and botanical herbs. Finishes long and pure. Not the most concentrated young Trebbiano d’Abruzzo from Valentini, but has a rich, ripe seamless personality that is hard to resist. Good to go right now but ought to age for 15 years at least. Really lovely wine.

Yellow tomato gazpacho.

2006 Remoissenet Père et Fils Bâtard-Montrachet. BR 90. As a contrast to the Bienvenues, the Bâtard has deeper but much tighter aromas. In the mouth likewise, it’s hiding it’s complexity. If there is one area where this pulls rank, it is the intensity of the mid-plate, but overall this is showing in a very tight way so gives an ‘easy win’ to the Bienvenues for drinking today.

agavin: our bottle was premoxed

Red tomato gazpacho.

Tomato and scallop.

Tuna and tomato.

Yellowtail sashimi with, you guessed it, tomato!

1999 Maison Leroy Bourgogne. BH 85. An expressive and nicely complex nose that is now beginning to turn to secondary with earth and subtle spice nuances that complement rich, round and sweet flavors that offer good punch and while this will be capable of additional aging, it is essentially ready now despite the still moderately firm finishing tannins.

Apulian burrata and tomatoes.

1998 Domaine Michel Gaunoux Pommard 1er Cru Les Arvelets.

Pizza with fresh ricotta and tomatoes.

1996 Domaine Denis Bachelet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Corbeaux Vieilles Vignes. BH 88. Old vines intensity shows beautifully elegant and pure Gevrey fruit mixed with intense earth notes which lead to very rich, delineated and exquisitely long flavors. This is not an especially big or concentrated wine but it is classic Bachelet in that it is perfectly balanced.

Fresh sardine, red peppers, and tomato.

Erick brought: 1983 Domaine Jean Gros Richebourg. 96 points. Very bright, no sign of rot, very powerful but not heavy, silky texture, great length. A wonderful complex Richebourg which could last for ages but drinks well now.

1993 Jean-Pierre Mugneret Echezeaux. 92 points. Medium red color – no bricking. PNP, drank 1 glass over an hour plus. This was the second time having the pleasure to drink this beauty in a short time. This bottle was just as good as the last IMO. Just great nose, so complex, earthy, funk, horse, so much forest floor here, rose, some metals, and deep red fruits. and spices The palate has great minerality, metals, savory, sauvage, spices, horse, deep red fruits, well integrated.

From my cellar: 2002 Gros Frère et Sœur Richebourg. VM 95. Medium red. Highly perfumed, ineffably complex aromas of strawberry, currant, bacon fat, cocoa powder, gunflint, coffee and smoked meat. Dense, sappy and wonderfully intense, with exhilarating flavors of smoked meat, spices, minerals and underbrush. Conveys a powerful impression of soil tones. Builds almost freakishly on the back end, finishing with a kick of spice and a flavor of pink peppercorn. A wonderfully suave, extremely long Richebourg that offers great early appeal but has the spine to develop in bottle for 10 or 15 years.

Tomato, pork, and rapini pasta on the left. Ravioli in a candy-shaped twist-shape on the right — fresh tomato sauce.

1994 Gaja Barbaresco. 91 points. brillant red color , red fruits and spices , after half hour also come the coffee and chocolate . On the palate is round with smooth but still perceptible tannins , it seem younger , great and vibrant acidity .

1998 Gaja Barbaresco. VM 91. Good deep medium red. Deeply pitched aromas of plum, mocha, licorice and dried flowers. Dense and chewy with extract; compelling, sweet flavors of currant and licorice. Tannins are sweeter than those of the ’99 Barbaresco. Finishes with a suggestion of nutty oak.

Swordfish with tomato puree.

From my cellar: 1982 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia. 95 points.

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.

Octopus with squid ink and tomato.

1977 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. 94 points. The 1977 Montepulciano from Emidio Pepe is absolutely stunning and at its peak of brilliance at age thirty-seven, soaring from the glass in a magical aromatic blend of red and black cherries, wild fennel, botanicals, a touch of discreet tariness, roasted pigeon, a dollop of menthol and a topnote of woodsmoke. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and exquisitely balanced, with a rock solid core, still a bit of remaining, buried tannin, great interplay of bitter and sweet and stunning length and grip on the resolved and still very vibrant finish. A great wine that is absolutely à point today.

1983 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. 95 points. The 1983 and 1985 vintages from Emidio Pepe make great bookends, as both wines are fully mature and drinking at their peaks today. The ’85 is perhaps a touch more elegant, with the ’83 a shade deeper at the core and a bit more structured for the long haul. The stunning nose of the 1983 offers up scents of red berries, forest floor, botanicals, lovely spice tones, a fine base of soil, an autumnal touch of acorn, dried herbs and a topnote of spices meats. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and complex, with a fine core, tangy acids, beautiful balance and a very, very long, poised and classy finish that closes with excellent grip and bounce. Another absolutely classic vintage for the Pepe Montepulciano.

Wagyu beef with peppers and crushed tomato.

1961 Château Pape Clément. flawed.

1988 Château Rieussec. VM 90. Deep, oaky aromas of honey, coconut, vanilla and creme brulee Sweet and plump in the mouth; the flavors of coconut and tropical fruit are initially dominated by spicy oak notes. Finishes with slight heat (the alcohol is a relatively high 14.7%) but also excellent persistence of flavor. This showed more development of flavor as it opened in the glass.

Some gelati I made and brought from home: Cioccolato e Vaniglia Fiorentina “Old Fashioned” Gelati – a pair designed together with a shared double entendre. The vanilla is from a 500+ year old recipe, milk steeped with vanilla and orange peel. The chocolate is made with 100% Valrhona cacao and infused with Knob Creek bourbon and Angostura bitters.
The normal Marino menu looks great, but is certainly more classic than Sal’s special dinner fare like above. If you like adventurous modern Italian, I’d see if he can do a special tasting menu — likely he’ll be up for it. Or several people could put together something really interesting from the regular menu if they think outside the normal appetizer, entree, dessert box. But it’s with this kind of special dinner — and not to mention the great crew and our awesome wines — that Sal’s cooking really knocks your socks off. He is a nut for detail and ingredients. He grows tons of stuff at home — like over a 100 varieties of heirloom tomato — and really knows how to adapt and pair with wine.

Now I’m not normally a huge raw tomato fan, but I actually managed to eat and enjoy all these dishes which is a testament to how good Sal’s cooking is.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

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

Or more crazy Foodie Club meals.

By: agavin
Comments (3)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, Foodie Club, Gelato, Marino, Sal Marino, Wine

Molti Marino

Dec19

Restaurant: Marino Ristorante

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

Date: December 14, 2016

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Awesome. One of the best Italian meals I’ve had in LA

But the amazing chef/owner Sal Marino has relocated (back) to his original family haunt, venerable Marino Ristorante on Melrose and continues to cook up his unique blend of amazing modern Italian. And if anything, he’s gotten even better.

The menu for tonight’s special Foodie Club year end dinner.

1996 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut La Grande Dame. VM 95+. Deep, highly complex aromas of citrus skin, nutmeg, porcini mushroom, toasted almond and clove. Rich, dry and impressively deep; superconcentrated and oily. A chewy, spicy Champagne that seemed to grow fresher as it opened in the glass. Really explosive on the aftertaste, finishing with a clinging quality and powerful spicy, nutty flavors. A major mouthful of Champagne, at its best at the dinner table. Displays the combination of high ripeness and high acidity of this vintage at its best. This thick, rich, very powerful wine is still a bit youthfully disorganized and will be even better for a few years of additional aging. One of the standouts of my recent tastings.

Mexicola avocado and Dungeness crab. Eaten skin and all! Like a super fresh Italian California roll.

Snapper Tartar.

Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée. VM 94. The NV Grande Cuvée is absolutely stellar. This is one of the very best Grande Cuvées I can remember tasting. The flavors are bright, focused and beautifully delineated throughout, all of which make me think the wine will age well for many, many years. Lemon peel, white flowers, crisp pears, smoke and crushed rocks race across the palate in a vibrant, tense Champagne that epitomizes finesse. This release is based on the 2005 vintage and was disgorged in winter 2012/2013.

Amberjack & white truffle.

2002 Pol Roger Champagne Brut Rosé. VM 95. Pale gold. Intense, mineral-dominated aromas of candied citrus fruits, pear, anise, smoky lees and chamomile, plus a sexy floral nuance and a hint of sweet butter. Palate-staining orchard and citrus fruit flavors show outstanding depth and energy, picking up chalky mineral and spice notes with air. Strikingly concentrated and precise wine with strong finishing punch and noteworthy persistence. This concentrated, deftly balanced Champagne is built for a long, graceful evolution.

Sawagani – wild river crab. These little fellows were live and scampering in the bowl.

Then flash fried. No longer live, they are eaten as a whole bite and had a touch of spice. Amazing crunch and flavor!

From my cellar: 2010 Borgo del Tiglio (Nicola Manferrari) Collio Friulano Ronco della Chiesa. VM 94. Borgo del Tiglio’s 2010 Ronco della Chiesa shows what this hillside site in Cormons can do in cooler vintages. Still bright, focused and intensely saline, the 2010 bursts from the glass with grapefruit, lime, mint and crushed rocks. The 2010 will probably be appreciated most by readers who like tense, vibrant whites. Next to some of the other vintages, the 2010 lacks a little mid-palate pliancy, but it is quite beautiful just the same. I especially like the way the 2010 opens up nicely in the glass over time.

Nantucket Scallop Crudo, citrus salad. Delicious bright. Awesome pairing.

Buri Crudo. Amazing Italian/Japanese slices of large Buri.

Persimmon & Burrata. Best Persimmon I’ve ever had. Sweet and soft and non of that weird dusty finish. Amazing with the cheese too.
From my cellar: 2001 i Clivi Brazan. 93 points. Geraniums and menthol on the nose. On the palate, pear, apricot, white flowers, and notes of pineapple and lemon on the medium finish, with good acidity. Unlike a previous bottle, this didn’t show any significant oxidation, and it held up well over two days without fading. Well-stored bottles with good corks should be good for at least a few more years.

Hokkaido scallop, sea urchin, caviar. Amazing combo of umami and rich flavors.

1976 Alain Hudelot-Noellat Clos Vougeot. 95 points. Amazing shape for the vintage. Lots of cherry.

1983 Domaine Pothier-Rieusset Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens. 92 points. For a Burgundy that should be over the hill it’s drinking nicely. Crystal clear and very light ruby color. Poured straight from the bottle but with a little glass time it really started to show its stuff. Quite fruity and approachable. Has notes of cranberry cocktail with a twist of lemon.

Pizza al tartufo bianco.

With shaved white truffles!

This was one amazing pizza slice. I could have eaten the whole pie. Super soft (fontina?) cheese.

1996 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart. JK 94. Fairly closed and tight nose of spicy black fruit framed in subtle new wood followed by medium weight, intense, relatively powerful flavors yet the tannins are elegant and quite fine. The overall impression is one of discreet breed and this delivers impressive if not incredible persistence. For the patient.

2003 Domaine Anne Gros Clos Vougeot Le Grand Maupertui. VM 91+. Full red-ruby. Brooding, superripe aromas of medicinal black cherry and cassis. Huge, chewy and backward; boasts impressive flesh and phenolic material but quite closed today, and not particularly sweet. This very rich but youthfully sullen wine finishes with substantial tannic spine. “Jammy but not cooked,” notes Gros.

Black Bass, stinging nettle, dehydrated olives. Great piece of light fluffy bass. As good as bass gets.
1982 Leoville-Las Cases. Parker 95-100. I have had perfect bottles of this cuvee, but, perplexingly, the bottles from my cellar tend to be broodingly backward and require plenty of coaxing. This huge wine is, in many ways, just as massive as Leoville Barton, but it possesses a greater degree of elegance as well as unreal concentration. Classic lead pencil, cassis, kirsch, cedar, and spice characteristics are abundant in both the nose and full-bodied flavors. The tannins are still there, and, at least from my cellar, this 1982 does not appear to have changed much in the last 10-12 years. One wonders how much patience admirers of this brilliant St.-Julien will continue to exhibit. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2050.

From my cellar: 1985 Gaja Barbaresco. ? points. This was stewy and very “mature.” I liked it, but many at the table considered it totally flawed — which it probably was — I just kinda enjoyed it.

Black tagliatelle Lobster. Home made squid ink pasta with chunks of moist lobster. Amazing.

Chef Sal Marino shows off his pasta dough. Eggy!

1998 Azienda Agricola Montevertine Le Pergole Torte Toscana IGT. JG 91. The 1998 Pergole Torte is a bit deeper-pitched and more black fruity than the more vibrant and red fruity 1999, but despite its slightly “cooler” profile, this too will be a fine bottle of wine at its apogee. The nose is deep and complex, as it offers up scents of black cherries, plums, a touch of bitter chocolate, herb tones, road tar, damp earth and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and still quite tannic, with fine focus, a solid core of fruit and very good length and grip on the firm, chewy and well-balanced finish. The 1998 does not possess the same generosity of youthful fruit as the 1999 or even the 2001 for that matter, and hence would be a bit more difficult to drink before it reaches full maturity, but with its sound acids and lovely complexity, it will be a delightful drink once it reaches its peak.

Cassonetti, celery root filled ravioli, black winter truffle.

With the truffle. This was an absolutely amazing pasta. The melt in your mouth shells, and the slick buttery sauce with the truffles. 11 out of 10!

1985 Antinori Solaia Toscana IGT. VM 94. The 1985 Solaia kicks off a flight of Early Classics. I have had the 1985 twice recently and it has always been impressive. It is also very much a wine of its era, which is to say if anything, it is too polished. This was an era in which wines were squeaky-clean. Well-stored bottles still have plenty of fruit although further upside appears to be limited.

1990 Antinori Solaia Toscana . VM 94. Tasted next to so many other great wines, the 1990 Solaia actually suffers a bit. I am sure it would be magnificent on its own, but here it comes comes across as a bit one-dimensional, with less opulence than vintages like 1994 and 1997, but less structure than the 1988 tasted immediately before. Overall, the 1990 is a hugely attractive wine that stops just a touch short of being truly profound.

agavin: both were great, but I liked the 1990 better.

Chicken & Polenta. Local farm polenta and chicken. Super moist and soft. Usually chicken doesn’t have enough flavor to handle this kind of treatment, but this certainly did.

2002 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT. Parker 94. The 2002 Redigaffi is sweet and balsamic in its expression of jammy plum fruit, elegant and ample on the flow and with an expanding volume, firmness, and grip which should guarantee maximum pleasure for another decade and a half.

Lamb Ossobuco. This was bone sucking good. Super rich, stewed and fatty. Ron and I were literally gnawing on the bones.

Wagyu tagliata, sunchoke, pea tendrils. East meets west version of the New York strip, but with Japanese breed beef. Grilled bread was amazing too.

Sal through in: 2004 San Michele Appiano (St. Michael-Eppan) Sanct Valentin-Comtess Passito. 96 points. Awesome complex sticky.

Panettone. This ain’t your grandmother’s panettone. It was more like bread pudding.

Ramen Roll Gelato, made by me. I brought these in but Sal’s crew plated them. In the front is Macha White, green tea with white chocolate. In the back my amazing Hazelnut Caramel with pure traditional hazelnut (made from Italian Hazelnut Regina paste) and house made caramel.

The normal Marino menu looks great, but is certainly more classic than Sal’s special dinner fare like above. If you like adventurous modern Italian, I’d see if he can do a special tasting menu — likely he’ll be up for it. Or several people could put together something really interesting from the regular menu if they think outside the normal appetizer, entree, dessert box. But it’s with this kind of special dinner — and not to mention the great crew and our awesome wines — that Sal’s cooking really knocks your socks off. He is a nut for detail and ingredients. He grows tons of stuff at home — like over a 100 varieties of heirloom tomato — and really knows how to adapt and pair with wine.

I had a lot of great meals at Il Grano, but this was probably the most on point of all of them. Every dish was pretty much a knock out. Bright fresh ingredients coupled with bright fresh flavors. I’m still dreaming of that truffle Cassonetti.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

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

Or more crazy Foodie Club meals.

By: agavin
Comments (1)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, Foodie Club, Gelato, Italian Cusine, Marino, Sal Marino, Salvatore Marino, Wine

Krug at Il Grano

Oct09

Restaurant: Il Grano [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Location: 11359 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025. 310.477.7886

Date: October 7, 2015

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Awesome night! Krug & Sal both rule.

Sage Society’s Liz Lee has been planning this epic dinner for a long time. She’s a huge champagne fan, and Krug is one of her favorites. We are joined by Mike Hoagland from Moet Hennesy, representing Krug. Plus lots of Krug itself!

Il Grano’s private room. We drank from the special Riedel Joseph Krug glasses the house had specially made.

2006 Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée. 94 points. A yeasty nose that is at once fresh yet carries hints of secondary development is attractively complex and layered with mostly floral and citrus notes that are trimmed in a brioche character. The secondary aspect carries over to the equally yeasty flavors that are supported by a moderately fine mousse that adds a sense of lift to the dry, clean and utterly delicious finish without being aggressively effervescent. This is almost invariably a very good cuvée and the most recent release is consistent with this admirable track record. Note that while this could easily be enjoyed now I would be inclined to hold it for at least another 3 to 5 years first though this of course depends greatly on how you prefer your Champagne.

Tuna tartar.

Corn pudding and oyster leaf. Kind of slightly weird, and hard to get the leaf off the spoon.

Truffle potato croquetas. Like a truffled tater tot.

Cutterfish fritto. Salty, tender, delicious.

Our special menu.

Our chef Sal Marino, always an amazing host.

Liz Lee of Sage Society, who organized this whole thing.

Mike Hoagland is a Champagne Specialist at Moet Hennesy, which means he evangelizes Krug (along with Dom P and others).

He explained the different wines in a fascinating way. I had long wondered about how champagne houses make such quantities yet keep quality and consistency. Apparently, Krug buys and grows about 400 separate parcels of land, mostly 1re and grand cru Champagne (well all Champagne). 150-200 or so of these are blended together every year to make the Grand Cuvee, and this gives them a tremendous toolbox to mix up a really stunning blend. Plus, they don’t just use one year, but as many as 11 different vintages — although there is a “main” base vintage (usually about 10 years prior to release). Below is the “re-created 2006”, just released.

2006 Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée. 94 points. A yeasty nose that is at once fresh yet carries hints of secondary development is attractively complex and layered with mostly floral and citrus notes that are trimmed in a brioche character. The secondary aspect carries over to the equally yeasty flavors that are supported by a moderately fine mousse that adds a sense of lift to the dry, clean and utterly delicious finish without being aggressively effervescent. This is almost invariably a very good cuvée and the most recent release is consistent with this admirable track record. Note that while this could easily be enjoyed now I would be inclined to hold it for at least another 3 to 5 years first though this of course depends greatly on how you prefer your Champagne.

1990s Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée. 96 points. This mid 90s grand cuvee was much more amber, deeper, richer, nuttier. Really quiet lovely and in great shape. Apparently it contains a blend of different vintages some as old as from the 70s.

Wild Japanese Snapper Crudo. Tomatoes from Sal’s garden.

Moving into a little more wine discussion, vintage Krug is a blend of vineyards all from a single year.

2003 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. VM 95. Light yellow. Powerful, complex bouquet evokes fresh peach, pear, floral honey, green almond and smoky minerals. Deep, palate-staining citrus and orchard fruit flavors show outstanding vivacity for a hot vintage, picking up ginger and talc notes with air. The strikingly long, sappy finish features zesty orange pith, smoky minerals and an echo of honeysuckle. I’d be in no rush to drink this one. Speaking of waiting, I had the chance to revisit the 2000 Vintage Krug and it has begun to pick up the smoky, weighty and nutty character that long-time fans of this producer crave. It’s still plenty young but already unmistakably Krug, with a chewy texture and a sexy floral nuance dominating right now.

agavin: very approachable right now

2000 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. VM 95. Brioche, dried pear, smoke, almonds, chamomile and wild herbs are all laced together in Krug’s 2000 Vintage. A wine of striking depth and resonance, the 2000 is absolutely gorgeous today. The first signs of very early tertiary complexity have begun to appear while the acidity is softening, both of which make the 2000 delicious today. At the same time, there is no hurry. I imagine the 2000 will still be gorgeous 20 years from now. Slight elements of reduction linger on the close. The blend is 43% Chardonnay, 42% Pinot Noir and 15% Pinot Meunier, a rare vintage in which Chardonnay is quite high.

agavin: taught and more acidic, but very deep.

Sea bass, cauliflower mushroom, oven dried tomatoes. Blistered almonds and basil salad was tossed in pistachio oil and was raw. Delicious!

1998 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. VM 94. Bright gold. Ripe orchard fruits, peach pit, toffee, marzipan and dried flowers on the pungent, smoky nose. Broad and fleshy on entry, then tighter in the mid-palate, offering palate-staining pit fruit nectar, apple pie and brioche flavors, enhanced by a toffeed quality. Closes spicy and very long, with resonating smoke and toasted hazlenut qualities.

1996 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. VM 98. The 1996 Vintage is magnificent. A towering, explosive Champagne, the 1996 delivers the house’s signature breadth in a full-bodied, structured Champagne with enough pure density and acidity to age well for decades. Warm nutty and spiced overtones add nuance on the finish. The 1996 is just beginning to enter the early part of its mature stage, where it is sure to remain for several decades. Krug’s Vintage is one of the truly epic wines of the year.

agavin: a massive powerful acid bomb of a wine!

Poached Main Lobster. Roasted Squash, Lobster Sauce. A really lovely bit of lobster with that bisque-like sauce.

Guinea Hen Consommé, autumn vegetables. Savory and lovely.

Below we are lucky to try side by side two variants of 89 Krug, the “original” which was released perhaps around 2000, and the “collection” which is the same blend, but sits on the lees two years longer and then is held at the house for many many more years. It therefore represents a perfectly stored example.

1989 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. BH 96. While the ’89 is not a current release, I happened to have the opportunity to taste it again in August so I included the note here: a positively spectacular nose that is now fully mature and quite yeasty with real breadth and depth leads to rich, fresh, sweet and intense flavors that also seems to have loads of barely concealed reserves of power and depth, finally explode on the hugely persistent finish. I’ve had better Champagnes but not many and this is a seriously impressive effort that can be drunk now or held for years to come.

agavin: I loved the nutty mature quality of this. Liz’s bottle was in amazing shape.

1989 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut Collection. AG 96. The 1989 Brut Collection is all of the things a gorgeous, mature Champagne should be. Autumn leaves, tobacco, mint, licorice, dried pears and sweet, exotic spices all waft from the glass in this totally complete, layered wine. The 1989 is a big, huge wine, rather it is a Champagne that impresses with exceptional overall balance and total finesse. I have had the 1989 Collection several times, but this is by far the finest bottle I have run across. When Krug is firing on all cylinders, there really is no substitute.

agavin: slightly more refined and younger than the non collection version, but very similar.

Tagliolini.

With fresh white truffles. Simple, but a lovely champagne pairing.

1979 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. JK 95. Start with a hint of oxidation but with air got fresher and richer. Brioche, baked apples, orange peel and anise. It displays rich palate and thoroughly enjoyable.

agavin: Wow. Maybe the best champagne I’ve ever had. A monster, and so fresh, although certainly “mature” tasting.

1966 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. VM 100. One of the most gorgeous, viscerally thrilling wines I have ever had the privilege to taste and drink. Where to start? Impossibly finessed, crystalline and weightless, the 1966 captivates all the senses with its breathtaking beauty. Hints of apricot, wild flowers and chamomile grace the palate in an utterly exquisite, textured Champagne that still retains surprising freshness and clarity for its age. The 1966 is simply timeless. There are only a handful of Champagnes that play in this rarified stratosphere. Many of them come from the Krug cellar in Reims.

agavin: mature and in great shape, not as wow as the 1979, but still a stunner.

Pheasant, sunchoke puree, speck polenta. Mild and perfectly cooked juicy poultry.

Krug Champagne Brut Rosé. VM 94. The NV Brut Rosé is brilliant and finely-sculpted in the glass, with floral aromatics, pulsating minerality and chiseled fruit. Less austere than it can be, the Rosé impresses for its combination of tension and textured, phenolic weight. There is so much to like. This release (ID 213027) is based on the 2006 vintage. The blend is 59% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay and 8% Pinot Meunier. Disgorged Spring 2013.

older Krug Champagne Brut Rosé. AG 95. An older bottle, I’m not sure how much older, obviously made in a different year from a different blend. More mature and salmon colored, but not even slightly faded.

Look at the pale rose colors. This photo is fairly faithful.

Lamb neck Osso Buco. Bone sucking good. I was literally sucking at it for a while. Super tender and flavorful. Paired well with the roses too.

Selection of cheeses. Small, but very nice, particularly the blue.

Another stunner of a dinner.

Food was right on point. Perfectly paired (thanks Liz and Sal). Really great stuff. Sadly, Il Grano is closing at the end of 2015, after 18 years. Chef/Owner Sal wants to try a new concept as people don’t seem as enamored of fine dining and white tablecloths as they used to be. Sigh.

The Krug was amazing. I have a newfound respect for Krug. I will be buying more, as it’s a seriously likeable champagne and really made with the kind of exquisite care that typifies the best wines in the world.

Also, Mike Hoagland from Krug was fabulous company. Very educated, smart, and interesting. He regaled us with all sorts of stories and details about the winery. I really learned a lot more about how champagne is made, particularly blended champy.

Thanks Liz!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or experience my gluttonous month-long journey through Northern Italy.

By: agavin
Comments (2)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Champagne, Il Grano, Krug, Liz Lee, Sage Society, Sal Marino

Eight Legs at Il Grano

Jul04

Restaurant: Il Grano [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

Location: 11359 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025. 310.477.7886

Date: June 16, 2014

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Modern Italian to die for

After my stellar birthday meal at Il Grano, and with the closing of Drago, Il Grano has become one of my favorite westside Italians. You can tell by the number of reviews (up to 8!) I also frequently bring out of town guests here, like tonight.

The sleek interior space.

We didn’t order off the menu but instead asked Chef Sal Marino to make us a 9 course tasting menu. He through in a couple of bonuses!

From my cellar: 1990 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. Burghound 93. A truly wonderful nose of simply knockout complexity features notes of yeast and baked bread along with now fully mature aromas of a variety of floral notes and spice hints that gives way to mineral-suffused, round, intense and detailed medium full flavors that also offer outstanding depth on the sappy and mouth coating finish. This is drinking perfectly now and I wouldn’t hesitate to open one anytime as there is no further upside to be had. A beautiful effort of real style and grace.

Spoons of Tuna Tartar as an amuse.

Crudo. Chef Sal Marino is famous for his crudo. From left to right: big eye tuna/toro, yellowtail, snapper, Hokkaido scallop with cherry, and octopus.

Arugula and porcini salad. With parmesan.

Arugula, endive, and salmon salad.

Burrata and grilled peach. A lovely summer combination.

Pizza Del Re. white truffle crema, fontina, shaved white truffle. Yum!

Beef tartar with olive oil and caper. I love beef tartar. This one was good, but perhaps a bit too much of the caper.

From my cellar: 1995 Elia Pasquero Barbaresco Sori Paitin. Parker 90. A terrific 1995, this complex, fully mature, multidimensional Barbaresco is a beautiful wine. The color is deep ruby with some lightening at the edge. The knock-out nose consists of cherry liqueur intertwined with aromas of tobacco, wood fire, dried herbs, and roasted meat. Deep and lush, with no hard edges, a plump, succulent texture, medium to full body, and layers of glycerin and sweet, jammy fruit, this hedonistic, seductive Barbaresco.

There were two large parties tonight, one of Japanese gentlemen diving through a 21 course tasting menu. One was this giant stewed octopus done Southern Italian style. This big boy was cooked for a long time.

Here the chef is snipping off bits.

Octopus. My slice of tentacle. It was chewy, but fully of great flavor.

Lobster risotto. I love a good risotto and this definitely qualified!

Cheese ravioli. Not your everyday version, but a lovely homemade variant.

Spaghetti funghi. Mousserons, chanterelle mushrooms, mushroom stock. A very smokey flavor.

Spaghetti Octopoda. The octopus juice and bits were used to make a delicious briny pasta.

Wild salmon with pea puree, kale, and asparagus. Very soft and delicate.

Halibut crusted with squid ink with farmer’s market cauliflower.

Anatra. duck breast, caramelized maui onions, greens, pomegranate reduction, candied fig.

Apricot crumble. Warm, soft, and very apricot. Delicious.

If you like higher end Italian cooking (and who doesn’t?) you should absolutely rush over here. Make sure you get a tasting menu. I don’t think appetizer and entree selected off the regular menu would do the place the justice it deserves. I’m sure the dishes would be great, but this cuisine is about more than just two notes. I’m not sure why Il Grano isn’t always mobbed, as folks flock to overpriced mid-quality trattorias. I guess people are just clueless.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or experience my gluttonous month-long journey through Northern Italy.

Sal treats his tomatoes like family

The wine list is top notch, with a real depth in Burgundy

By: agavin
Comments (2)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Barbaresco, Burgundy, Burrata, Crudo, Il Grano, italian, Italian cuisine, Los Angeles, Sal Marino, Truffle

Never Boaring – Il Grano

Jan25

Restaurant: Il Grano [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Location: 11359 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025. 310.477.7886

Date: January 23, 2013

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Not boaring in the least!

As any frequent reader knows, I feast all the time with my Hedonist buddies, and recently, our fearless leader Yarom hunted down his own boar. Yeah, that’s right, here’s the bloody proof.

On the left above is Yarom posing with his boar. On the right is a friend of his, who shot a monster of a male boar. Yarom went for a nice juicy sow because, well, they taste much better. The fellow on the right is probably tough and gamey as hell. And that is the point of this post after all, to talk about food. Namely, the epic feast the above boar turned into. Yarom had her butchered and gave different parts of the meat to different restauranteurs. A big chunk went to Il Grano’s Sal Marino to turn into a spectacular Italian meal.

As usual we Hedonists brought some stellar wines to go along with it.

Ron, the master of bubbly and white brought this. Parker 94+, “The 2002 Brut Coeur de Cuvee is absolutely stunning. This young, towering Champagne bursts from the glass with layers of mineral-infused fruit, showing fabulous intensity and purity from start to finish. Hints of tropical, opulent fruit are very nicely tempered by the wine’s underlying structure. Think Montrachet with bubbles. The Coeur de Cuvee is made from 50 year old vines in Les Blanches Voies Hautes. The blend is 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir. Dosage is 8 grams per liter. Disgorged May 2010.”

Really one of the best champagnes I’ve had in some time.

Our boaring menu for the night.

We sat in the private room at a nice round table. This is the same spot where I hosted my birthday sixth months ago.

Burghound 93-95, “It seemed relatively supple and forward, indeed more or less ready to drink. To be sure, there was no obvious secondary nuances in evidence and still good freshness to the rich, intense and vibrant flavors brimming with minerality on the impressively long finish. Impeccably stored bottles might need another few years to arrive at their peak but absent this bottle being an aberration, I don’t think that opening one today would be infanticide.”

Parker 95, “The 2008 Echezeaux is flat-out great. It is a deep, dark wine graced with exquisite balance, lovely inner perfume and a layered, eternal finish. Here the slightly higher percentage of new oak (70%) gives the wine an additional measure of volume.”

Burghound 92, “A ripe, spicy and relatively elegant aromatic profile presents a fruit array that is primarily red-fruit based. The rich and full-bodied flavors possess ample volume and the tannins are really quite fine but dense and as such, the persistent and solidly well-balanced finish is firm and mildly austere. This will not be an early drinker.”

This was a great wine and just didn’t taste 5 years old, more like 15!

House made mini boar meatballs. These had a wonderful simple flavor: meat, with just a few spices.

From my cellar, Parker 96, “The fabulous 1998 Barolo Falletto del Serralunga reveals intensity and volume. A dark plum color is accompanied by a classic Nebbiolo perfume of rose water, melted tar, truffles, and cherry jam. As the wine sits in the glass, aromas of spice box and cigar smoke also emerge. Full-bodied, dense, and powerfully tannic, yet extremely harmonious.”

House made boar sausage, mozzarella & rapini pizza. Like the ultimate sausage pizza!

Parker 94, “The 2004 Barolo La Serra reveals a generous personality in its dark red fruit with notable depth and richness that carries through to the persistent, sweet finish. With air, floral notes develop to round out this particularly multi-dimensional, full-bodied and beautiful La Serra. 2004 is a great vintage for this wine, which can sometimes be austere.”

Then Sal gets funky, straying from the Italian beat. Boar empanadas! Really yummy.

Parker 96, “Two great back to back vintages are the 1990 and 1989. The more developed 1990 boasts an incredible perfume of hickory wood, coffee, smoked meat, Asian spices, black cherries, and blackberries. Lush, opulent, and full-bodied, it is a fully mature, profound Beaucastel.”

… except, it was corked. Bummer, but it happens.

And boar tacos.

With homemade guacamole and salsa (not pictured).

Parker 99, “Marcassin Estate continues to grow, although still ever so tiny, with just over 20 acres of tightly spaced vineyards on the Sonoma Coast. They also supplement their estate bottlings with purchased fruit from vineyards owned by the Martinelli family which they help manage, the Three Sisters Vineyard for Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir from the Blue Slide Vineyard. Their dominant Chardonnay clones continue to be based on the old Wente clones taken from the Hudson and Hyde Vineyards, and the Mt.Eden clone. The Pinot Noir material is dominated by California heritage clones. Little changes under the firm’s leadership of Helen Turley and her husband John Wetlaufer (now married 42 years), and as someone raised in Maryland, I am proud to say they were schooled at the renowned St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland. They have always been committed to the highest quality of wines possible. It is akin to being tutored by a great master to sit down and taste through their series of Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. They added a few wrinkles this time by throwing into the tasting a 2005 Domaine Leflaive Batard-Montrachet, which was completely obliterated by their own Chardonnays, and with the Pinot Noirs, a highly rated grand cru red Burgundy from the 2005 vintage that didn’t fare particularly well either. Their point was that not only are their wines superior (and I would certainly agree with these comparisons), but also that some of the most famous names in Burgundy have more sizzle and snobbery behind them than actual quality. The Pinot Noirs are very complex and need lots of aeration/decanting to strut their stuff. They continue to remind me of grand crus from Morey St.-Denis, especially wines such as Ponsot’s Clos de la Roche because of the following. NOTE: Prices noted are from the winery’s mailing list. These wines sell for 2 to 3 times more in the secondary market.”

I don’t know what Parker is smoking, but this sure shows he doesn’t know Pinot Noir. This was over oaked and my least favorite wine of the night. Not that it was bad, but I just don’t like the new world style of Pinot.

To the right, and much more to my liking, Parker 91, “The 1996 Barbaresco exhibits a dense ruby color as well as a forward nose of cherry liqueur, earth, truffle, mineral, and spicy scents. Rich, full-bodied, and seductive, with its moderate tannin largely concealed by the wine’s wealth of fruit and extract, this gorgeously pure offering gets my nod as the finest Barbaresco produced by Gaja since 1990.”

Then the best “sausage and peppers” I’ve ever had. The meat had this succulent game spiciness.

Parker 99, “The 250-case cuvee of 100% Merlot, the 1999 Redigaffi has an astonishing 36 grams per liter of dry extract, which exceeds most top Pomerols in a great vintage! Unfined and unfiltered, it is as close to perfection as a wine can get. The color is a deep saturated blue/purple. The powerful, pure nose offers smoke, licorice, black cherry, and blackberries. It boasts awesome concentration, a fabulously dense, viscous mid-section, and a finish that lasts for nearly a minute. This is riveting juice.”

Polenta with boar ragu. This was pretty stunning too with a wonderful soft texture.

Parker 90, “In 2003, we will finally see several releases, including his 1997 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Marie Beurrier. Although this is an outstanding effort from a difficult vintage, Bonneau is used to producing wines that are far better out of bottle than from barrel. This 1997 has gotten better with each year of aging, and from bottle, it is an outstanding example of Chateauneuf du Pape. A heady concoction of kirsch liqueur, licorice, pepper, and ripe black cherry fruit is offered in a rich, full-bodied, surprisingly intense style. The acid is low, the fruit ripe, and the wine plump and juicy. Typical of many Bonneau efforts, it offers notes of smoke, beef blood, earth, figs, and prunes.”

Again Parker misses, as this was a wonderful wine.

And the classic: Pappardelle al Cinghiale. Sal makes this normally and it’s fabulous, but this one might have been extra good.

Parker 95, “If it were not for the prodigious 1996, everyone would be concentrating on getting their hands on a few bottles of the fabulous 1995 Leoville-Las-Cases, which is one of the vintage’s great success stories. The wine boasts an opaque ruby/purple color, and exceptionally pure, beautifully knit aromas of black fruits, minerals, vanillin, and spice. On the attack, it is staggeringly rich, yet displays more noticeable tannin than its younger sibling. Exceptionally ripe cassis fruit, the judicious use of toasty new oak, and a thrilling mineral character intertwined with the high quality of fruit routinely obtained by Las Cases, make this a compelling effort. There is probably nearly as much tannin as in the 1996, but it is not as perfectly sweet as in the 1996. The finish is incredibly long in this classic. Only 35% of the harvest was of sufficient quality for the 1995 Leoville-Las-Cases.”

Boar chops, peal barley, and pea tendrils. Wild boar isn’t the tenderest pork chop you ever tasted, but it does have a great flavor.

Parker 96, “The prodigious 1997 Insignia (83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, and 3% Petit-Verdot) lives up to its pre-bottling promise. Tasted on three separate occasions, every bottle has hit the bull’s eye. The color is a saturated thick-looking blue/purple. The nose offers up explosive aromas of jammy black fruits, licorice, Asian spices, vanillin, and cedar. Full-bodied as well as exceptionally pure and impressively endowed, this blockbuster yet surprisingly elegant wine cuts a brilliant swath across the palate. A seamless effort with beautifully integrated acidity, sweet tannin, and alcohol, it is still an infant, but can be drunk with considerable pleasure.”

Then the leg. This reminds me of Jose Andres’ “secreto” which you can see here.

Parker 95, “L’Evangile’s sublime 2005, a blend of 85% Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc, is the first wine made in their brand new cuverie. Sadly, there are fewer than 3,500 cases of this deep purple-colored offering. A gorgeous nose of meat juices, black raspberries, chocolate, espresso, and notions of truffle oil as well as smoke is followed by a full-bodied Pomerol displaying sweet tannin, a flawless texture, and stunning complexity. While surprisingly showy and forward for a l’Evangile, it will undoubtedly shut down over the next year or so.”

A slice of the leg. Really gamey and tender.

Then some bones for gnawing.

Chef/Owner Sal surveys the carnage.

This wonderful medium old maderira “served” for dessert.

And for dessert itself, this orange tart which was a lovely finish to all the meat.

Check out what we did to the table!

This was another knock down great evening and it was fun to see Sal cook in a different style. He really rose to the occasion and treated the boar right.

Click here for more LA restaurant reviews,
Or for Foodie Club extravaganzas.

Yarom pigs out on some knuckles.

The impressive spread for the evening.

By: agavin
Comments (3)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: boar, Chardonnay, Dessert, Foodie Club, hedonists, Il Grano, Nebbiolo, Pinot noir, Sal Marino, Santa Monica California, Wild boar, Wine tasting descriptors

Il Grano – Only 19 courses?

Dec14

Restaurant: Il Grano [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Location: 11359 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025. 310.477.7886

Date: October 27, 2012

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Modern Italian to die for

After my stellar birthday meal at Il Grano, and with the closing of Drago, Il Grano has become one of my favorite westside Italians. Last Saturday, what started off as a “quick Saturday dinner” turned into another epic feast.

The sleek interior space.

From my cellar, Parker 93, “The 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, from vines in Castelnuovo dell’Abate, is gorgeous, layered and elegant in its violets, tar, licorice and cherries. The finish is long and impeccable, but this is a somewhat ethereal style, with aromas and flavors that are already a touch forward relative to most 2004 Riservas. Ideally the wine is best enjoyed within the next decade.”

Bread here is very good.

A small amuse, albacore tartar on the left, fried mozzarella ball with tomato on the right.

Sal loves a good Gazpacho (as do I). This is the garnishes.

Then with the soup itself.

Il Grano is also famous for its sushi-like crudos. Right to left: toro with melon caviar. Albacore. Red snapper with blood orange caviar. Hokkaido scallop with olive dust. The white stuff on the plate is frozen olive oil and each fish has its own little sauce.

Tartar of Wagyu beef with fresh black truffles. A very nice early blend.

A second take on fatty beeef: Wagyu carpaccio with parmesan and olive oil. Good stuff, although I might prefer my beef carpaccio leaner.

Roasted beet salad with braeburn apple, mixed greens, and goat cheese.

Fire roasted peppers and anchovies. Red torpedo onion, san marzano tomatoes. Yum. This is really a Spanish dish, but it’s one of my favorites.

Soft polenta with lamb ragu. This is Northern Italian and a classic rich meat and starch pairing, sort of an Italian take on a super-spud filled with chili. Much better though with a lovely velvety texture.

Zuppa zucchine. Dairy free & vegan costolata Italian zucchini soup, burrata-zucchini crisp.

Fiori di zucca. A huge squash blossom stuffed with ricotta and marjoram. Which, epically, makes the last appetizer!

Maccheroncini with spiny lobster and black truffle! Pacific spiny lobster, cauliflower, shaved black truffle. This was some seriously good stuff.

And the pasta flight continues with spaghetti ai funghi. Spaghetti, mousserons & chanterelle mushrooms, pancetta, mushroom stock.

And Mezzalua, duck ravioli with yet more black truffle! So a trio of awesome earthy mushroom pastas. Duck confit filled ravioli, porcini mushroom sauce, shaved black truffle.

Albacore tuna with micro greens.

A lamb special. Sliced lamb tenderloin, perfectly done (or not, as the case is), soft potatoes and reduction. On the right is a crostini coupled with a lamb heart and onion mix that tasted like awesome chicken liver.

Walnut and maple gelato.

Apple tart.

Pear tart, which with its soft cinnamon pear-sauce vibe is more to my taste.

Triple chocolate cake. Chocolate gelato, and three types of chocolate (milk, dark, white).

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or experience my gluttonous month-long journey through Northern Italy.

Sal treats his tomatoes like family

The wine list is top notch, with a real depth in Burgundy

By: agavin
Comments (4)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Brunello di Montalcino, Dessert, Gazpacho, Il Grano, Italian cuisine, Modern Italian, Molecular Cooking, Molecular Gastronomy, Olive oil, Reserve wine, Sal Marino, Santa Monica California, Wagyū

Il Grano part 2

Jul09

Restaurant: Il Grano [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Location: 11359 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025. 310.477.7886

Date: June 19, 2012

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Modern Italian to die for

After my stellar birthday meal at Il Grano, I just had to go back — 8 days later as it turned out. This recent find has been around awhile and chef/owner Sal Marino and Chef de Cuisine Water el Nagar churn out absolutely first rate modern Italian cuisine. On this particular occasion I just dropped in and they whipped up this 8-10 course tasting menu on the fly. Service was impeccable again as well.

This spectacular Barbaresco comes from my cellar. Parker gives it 91, but it was way better than that. “The 1996 Barbaresco exhibits a dense ruby color as well as a forward nose of cherry liqueur, earth, truffle, mineral, and spicy scents. Rich, full-bodied, and seductive, with its moderate tannin largely concealed by the wine’s wealth of fruit and extract, this gorgeously pure offering gets my nod as the finest Barbaresco produced by Gaja since 1990. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2016.”

“Il Benvenuto. tomato gazpacho and copper river salmon tartar, cucumber caviar.” The amuse. Both were spectacular, showcasing the tomato and the salmon in equal ways.

Various crudo. Left to right: “Wild big eye tuna, Hokkaido scallop, Wild Japanese snapper, Wild Japanese baby yellowtail, and Hokkaido scallop ligament.” Unfortunately, tonight’s photos are a little out of focus because I accidentally locked my camera onto a focus point in the corner and didn’t notice — too much Barbaresco I guess.

The tuna, scallop, and snapper. Sal does a wonderful job with these sashimi like crudos. They have just hints of Italianate flavor to mix them up and the fish is absolutely first rate. You just have to check out my Sushi Index to see I know what I’m talking about too.

The yellowtail and scallop ligament. The ligament (that orange stuff in the right hand corner) was surprisingly tasty.

Bread.

“Insalata di porcini. Seared porcini, arugala salad, shaved porcini, Sal’s 1st of season sun gold heirloom tomatoes.” A lovely little salad.

“Carpaccio di filetto al fegato grasso d’oca. Foie stuffed prime filet carpaccio, Murrary Farms summer berries, micro greens.” This was a very interesting blend of flavors. A lot going on here: The meat, the berries, the richness of the foie.

“Calamaro Ripieno. Seafood squid ink risotto sutffed wild Japanese calamaro, black foam, orange oil.” I’m a big fan of squid ink and this had that characteristic briny quality.

“Cannellone al branzino. branzino stuffed cannellone, lobster sauce, Santa Barbara prawn, lobster roe.” Sort of an Italian take on the classic Lyonnese Cannelle. Really good though, and totally made by the prawn sauce which is that kind of bisque-like shell fish reduction I love.

“The 2003 Riesling Auslese Wehlener Sonnenuhr displays hints of minerals lurking below its wafts of sulfur. A seamless, creamy-textured wine, it is easygoing, plump, and exhibits flavors reminiscent of poached pears, cotton candy, and sweet minerals. Drink it between 2010 and 2020.” This was a really interesting medium mature Riesling that tasted of hot asphalt.

“Bigoli aai riccio di mare. Squid ink pasta, Santa Barbara channel sea urchin sauce.” Wow! One of the best pastas I’ve had in a while. The uni (sea urchin) literarily melted like butter.

“Agnello. Colorado lamb chop, baby purple artichokes, sunchoke puree, lamb reduction.” Some darn fine lamb. Just a great piece of meat with a nice savory reduction sauce.

This is a white passito DOGC from Emilia-Romagna (near Parma, Modena, etc.). A very nice sticky with notes of honey, apricots, and flowers.

“Panna cotta alle cilege: Cherry pannacotta, cherry crumble, cherry spherification.” Wow. This wasn’t a super showy dessert in the usual sense, but instead a really nice showcase of the in season cherry. Really delightful.

I was doubly blown away by Il Grano. Not only did they nail it the first time I went, but they knocked it out of the park on the second with only one repeat dish. I love when a restaurant can keep mixing it up. If you like higher end Italian cooking (and who doesn’t?) you should absolutely rush over here. Make sure you get a tasting menu. I don’t think appetizer and entree selected off the regular menu would do the place the justice it deserves. I’m sure the dishes would be great, but this cuisine is about more than just two notes.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or experience my gluttonous month-long journey through Northern Italy.