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El Patio at Taito

Jul16

Location: 2700 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404. (310) 866-5228

Date: Oct 4, 2023

Cuisine: Vietnamese Fusion

Rating: Great food, funny location

The An family — of Crustacean fame — has this unusual spot in Santa Monica, right down the street from Naughty Dog’s office.

It’s a weird office park location with a pretty courtyard.

Mostly the food is fairly casual, but we had a custom menu.

Tuna “tacos.” With that classic Vietnamese sweet chili sauce.

Goat Cheese and Walnut puffs.

Chicken liver on toast with berry sauce. A bit livery for my taste — like shades of Rosh H.

Black Truffle & Parmesan Tapioca with toasted bread crumbs, uni & toasted butter bread roll. Very creamy, rich, and airy. It had a mild and pleasant flavor. Not strongly uni with a foamy and crunchy texture. Interesting and I really enjoyed the texture.

The roll was pretty awesome.

Coconut Shrimp Roll with red lettuce, fresh herbs, toasted coconut & peanut crumble. Very fresh and pretty awesome. A super fresh/Californian take on the Vietnamese spring roll (the fresh, not fried, style).

Jidori Chicken Dumpling with porcini mushroom broth. The dumplings were awesome, like a great tortelini, and the mushroom broth was first rate.

Filet of Sole with a white wine saffron sauce, heirloom tomato & roasted corn. Very nice with bright acidic flavors.

Wagyu Steak & Potatoes with fermented creama & smoked habanero salmon roe. This was the worst dish by far. Weirdly sweet and tangy at the same time. Just not that savory. The potato balls didn’t have much flavor either.

Sesame Crusted Lamb Roulade with a white peppered yogurt and fresh carrots. Stuning! This was kinda spicy actually, with very strong flavors reminiscent of the Western Chinese style of roasted chili lamb. I really enjoyed it and much to my surprise it actually went with SQN.

Awesome house-made cookies.

Matcha Almond Latte Gelato – Ceremonial Matcha Green Tea and Sicilian Noto Romano Almond gelato base — 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 #almond #matcha #GreenTea #Sicily

Overall, this was a super fun night. I very much enjoyed the wines because there were a mix of styles. I didn’t actually drink much of the post-Burgundy reds. Just a bit of the Euro ones. And I did have some SQN with lamb. I didn’t even try the QC or the Ridge — not my thing. Food was great (except for the beef which was just fine) but all the other dishes were really excellent. And the atmosphere, service, and setting were A++. The location (7 min from my office) was A+++.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, garden, Gelato, hedonists, patio, Vietnamese Fusion, Wine

Sauvages Crustacean

Jun08

Restaurant: Crustacean Beverly Hills [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Location: 468 N Bedford Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. (310) 205-8990

Date: October 28, 2022

Cuisine: Vietnamese Fusion

Rating: Awesome as always

Crustacean is one of our regular haunts and features a great patio in these “outside is better” days. Tonight’s meal was a Sauvages wine lunch, with a Red Burgundy theme.

We’ve had a couple awesome meals here in the last couple of years.

Lots of champagne to start.

We are situated in their patio room as usual.

The ladies have a spot nearby.

Cocktail “hour.”

Our menu.

And wine list. Look how organized they are!

2005 Domaine Ponsot Griotte-Chambertin. VM 92-95. Good ruby-red. Sappy, liqueur-like aromas of griotte cherry and black raspberry. Wonderfully intense and concentrated, with a nearly confectionery sweetness to its explosive fruit flavors. Like the Cuvee des Alouettes, this comes across as a bit high-toned and will require careful attention during its final months of elevage But offers great potential.

2005 Camille Giroud Latricières-Chambertin. VM 92-95. A subtle dash of oak influence highlights the equally dense dark berry fruit nose of surpassing elegance and refinement that complements perfectly the texture and very Gevrey medium full flavors that in contrast to the nose seem less refined than usual. Indeed, this is a powerful Latricières that at present anyway seems to under emphasize the underlying minerality so typical of this cru though the finish is long, velvety and mouth coating. A qualitative choice though the respective characters are very different. (Drink starting 2018)

2007 Joseph Drouhin Griotte-Chambertin. VM 92. Medium red with a palish rim. Enticing aromas of crushed red fruits perked up by pepper, spices and herbs; more evidence of stems here. Then densely packed and juicy, with a suave, smooth texture and enticing inner-mouth perfume. A peppery note adds to the vibrancy of this sappy grand cru. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and considerable class.

2003 Domaine Maume Mazis-Chambertin. BH 93. An absolutely gorgeous nose of black fruit, anise, violet and cassis coupled with a smoked meat and wild herb notes introduce big, intense and explosive flavors that are sappy and seductive. There is a deeply buried but steely tannic spine that will take its time resolving but I’d like to see this wine at age 15 or so. This is really a stunner as it’s very fresh for the vintage and absolutely one to buy. (Drink starting 2011)

Tuna Cigars. Instant Smoke, Feuille de Brick, Avocado Silk, Vidalia Onion, Tobiko Caviar. Lovely little “cigar.” It actually tastes somewhat cigar-like with the “smoke” and after that fades out is more reminiscient of the Spago tuna cone. The tobiko is more textural and doesn’t have the richness of a real (sturgeon) caviar.

2003 Dominique Laurent Charmes-Chambertin. VM 91-94. Deep red. Floral aromas of red cherry, red licorice, spices, mocha and iron. Sweet on entry, then precise, perfumed and sharply delineated in the mid-palate, with juicy, harmonious acidity. Lifted by violet and rose notes. Finishes very pure and long, with nicely integrated, rather gentle tannins. Classic Charmes. (A separate cuvee of Mazoyeres seemed very ripe and was in an oxidative phase.)

2001 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Cuvée Vieilles Vignes. BH 96. One of the finest wines of the vintage, this is simply a spectacular effort that has captured every bit of the potential it originally displayed in cask. Restrained and backward nose of a fantastically complex mix of blackberries, spice, cedar, soy, anise and dried herbs followed by full-bodied, multi-layered flavors of amazing length. Opulent and lavish yet all remains exquisitely balanced and this is astonishingly precise. A real stunner of a wine that is as classy and graceful as they come. As good and classy as the ’02 if not quite as structured. (Drink starting 2016)

1999 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays. BH 94. I was quite surprised to find just how open for business this was in magnum format as I expected something far more reserved but such was not the case. A beautiful and highly expressive nose of ripe black cherry, earth and the hallmark red pinot fruit is followed by medium weight yet concentrated flavors of bacon, smoke and sappy pinot extract that are given lift and verve by the intense minerality and outstanding length. This has added a good deal of weight and seems more powerful than before yet it remains very stylish and classy with excellent potential though like the same wine in 750 ml (see herein), this is so well balanced and harmonious that it could easily be drunk now with pleasure. That said, unless you are lucky enough to have this in quantity, I would counsel cellaring it for another 5 to 10 years. In a word, terrific. (Drink starting 2014)

2002 Louis Jadot Bonnes Mares. VM 95. Ruby-red. Flamboyantly rich aromas of blackberry, minerals and chocolate. Fat, rich and powerful; compellingly sweet and dense but with terrific thrust as well. Superripe flavors of chocolate and black plum. Finishes very long and powerful, with big but thoroughly ripe tannins. Offers great potential.

Kagoshima A5 Wagyu Tartare. Rau Rum Chimichurri, Quail Egg, L’Amuse Golda, Sesame Rice Cracker. Great beef tartare. Tons of flavor, umami from the cheese, and the rice cracker was nice and light.

Roasted Bone Marrow. Escargot Brunois, Garlic Baguette, Rau Ram. This is the best bone marrow I’ve had. There was a lot more of the actual “meat” (aka fat) and it was bulked up with the far tastier garlic snail mixture. Normal bone marrow is just a scraping of tasteless fat but by pair that with the savory escargot and balanced with a bit of lime it was just way better.

1998 Joseph Drouhin Grands-Echezeaux. VM 91. Deep red. Wild aromas of medicinal cherry, mint and coffee; subtle and fine. Full, sweet and silky but very unevolved and dominated today by its structure. A moderately ripe wine that’s not especially sweet or expressive but shows excellent backbone and freshness. Finishes with slightly tough tannins. But very backward and hard to judge today.

1999 Remoissenet Père et Fils Grands-Echezeaux. 98 points. Wow! An extraordinary wine! Gorgeous lush fruit, just the right amount of barnyard, complex notes of earth, leather, and ripe fruits. Perfectly balanced, a BIG wine with loads of structure and a finish that just won’t quit. If you can find this wine, mortgage the house and buy it! It’s drinking incredibly well now, but still has years of life in it.

1989 Mongeard-Mugneret Echezeaux.

1999 Château Latour Grand Vin. VM 92. The 1999 Latour is a vintage that I have not encountered for four or five years. It has a pH of 3.80 and a yield of 38hl/ha, representing 58% of the total crop. Interestingly, this includes 14% vin de presse compared to the 9 to 10% used nowadays. It has a classic Latour bouquet of blackberry, pencil box and undergrowth aromas, quite strict and conservative in style, and fairly intense but not firing on all cylinders; orange zest aromas evolve gradually. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin and nicely detailed, offering blackberry, black truffle, pencil shavings and a touch of spice toward the finish, which shows more grip and density than the 1989 Latour tasted alongside, probably because of that pressed wine. This is beginning to reach its drinking plateau, although judging by this showing it will give another two decades of drinking pleasure. Tasted from an ex-château bottle at the estate. (Drink between 2019-2039)

Pork Belly Salad. Black Mission Fig, Lemongrass, Yuzu Vinaigrette, Butter Lettuce, Point Reyes Blue Cheese Snow, Hazelnut. Some people didn’t like this salad but I did. It was very light and bright, a bit like a punchier version of a lardon and frissee salad. The pork belly was bacon smokey and nicely pervaded the dish.

Mongolian Lamb. Char-Grilled, Market Vegetables, Twice Cooked Potatoes. Very tender, sweet, and tasty. Still basically a lamb chop.

1996 Louis Jadot Chambertin. VM 92-95. Rather delicate aromas of crystallized berries, smoke and sandalwood. Velvety and very sweet in the mouth, with pungent oak spice and a firm mineral underpinning. Ripe acids are in harmony with the wine. Great concentration. No hard edges.

1996 Louis Jadot Chapelle-Chambertin. VM 93+. Saturated red-ruby. Fabulously complex, thoroughly ripe aromas of black raspberry, animal fur, mocha and chocolate, plus a distinct hint of surmaturite. Thick, creamy and very concentrated on the palate, and already quite expressive. Has a complicating herbal note that complements the wine sweetness. Finishes very long, with silky tannins and a hint of marzipan.

1995 Claude Dugat Griotte-Chambertin. VM 96. Deep ruby. Fabulously complex but extremely primary aromas of black raspberry, orange zest, smoke and black pepper; even higher-pitched and finer than the Charmes. This and the Charmes offer just the slightest hint of the animal complexity to come with development in bottle. Dense and pristine in the mouth; conveys a black peppery note of sheer extract. At least as long as the Charmes but suaver, finer. Amazing juice.

1996 Domaine Perrot-Minot Mazoyères-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes. VM 92+. Excellent red-ruby color. Knockout aromas of smoky black raspberry, black cherry, coffee and roasted oak. Thick, sappy and sweet, with powerful cherry and raspberry fruit. Dense but given shape by strong acidity. Long, firm, sweetly tannic finish.

AN’s Famous Garlic Roasted Dungeness Crab with AN’s Famous Garlic Noodles. This was a special personal version of the crab and noodles. I remember when I first came here that you had to pay an extra few dollars for them to crack it! But now that’s included if you like. We didn’t have to crack it at all. The meat was delicious and so were the noodles.

Himalayan Saltblock Steak. Prime all-Natural Rib Eye, Horseradish Crema. Meat.

Bloody Apple Pie Gelato — A Tahitian Vanilla Custard base layered with my house-made cinnamon bourbon apple pie filling, house-made Vanilla Caramel Blood, and house-made Grave Soil Charcoal Graham Crackers (GF) — 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 #applepie #apple #cinnamon #caramel #GrahamCracker #halloween

Yar! Ghostly skeletal praline pirates are marauding — Pecan Pirate Praline Gelato — An eggy Texas Pecan base layered with my creepy skull-shaped New Orleans style Vanilla Bourbon Pecan Pralines and Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Pumpkins — 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 #vanilla #bourbon #pecan #praline #candy #halloween #spooky

Vino.

The ladies table in full swing.

Us gents.

Overall, this was an awesome lunch. Boy did the Ans treat us right and we had an incredible menu, amazing service, and great wines. They turned out to be home run unique dishes that really knocked it out of the park.

Wines were great too.

Discussing the food analytically. Very good, and most dishes varied from good to great. The Vietnamese influence is far more subtle, less heavy handed, then at most newer fusion places like Little Sister / LXSO or the more contemporary small plates style Khong Ten. Definitely more roughly 2000 in formal fine dining style — which I don’t mind at all. In some ways it feels like a millennium event fine dining place with Vietnamese — and to a lesser extent Thai and Chinese — notes. It’s a pretty fancy place, and priced accordingly — but particularly during these last two dinners have really knocked it out of the park.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: An Family, BYOG, Crustacean, Gelato, Red Burgundy, Sauvages, Vietnamese cuisine, Vietnamese Fusion, Wine

Crustacean Again?

Nov16

Restaurant: Crustacean Beverly Hills [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Location: 468 N Bedford Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. (310) 205-8990

Date: April 26, 2022

Cuisine: Vietnamese Fusion

Rating: Awesome as always

Crustacean is one of our regular haunts and features a great patio in these “outside is better” days. Tonight’s meal was a Hedonist wine dinner, the second so far in 2022.

We’ve had a couple awesome meals here in the last couple of years.

For extra caution in these uncertain times we ate on one of their fabulous patios.

Tonight’s special menu.

From my cellar: 2005 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. VM 93. Taittinger’s 2005 Comtes de Champagne was a perfect way to commence proceedings. Orchard fruit and hints of brioche on the seductive nose are joined by a hint of lemon verbena filtering through with time. The palate is beautifully balanced, perhaps not as riveting as a recently tasted 2008, yet underpinned by a fine bead of acidity and exuding harmony on the apricot-tinged finish. This is drinking perfectly now but should give 15-20 years of drinking pleasure. (Drink between 2022-2042)

2008 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare. 93 points. A lovely expression of the 2008 vintage but patience will be rewarded to those who cellar. This wine has all the stuffing to go the distance. If you decide to drink now enjoy it over the course of a day/weekend. Your last glass will be your best.

2017 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Saint-Aubin La Pucelle Blanc. 92 points. Juicy and accessible, this is more giving than the ‘14 villages level PYCM St Aubin was at this stage but less structured. The palate is clean, aroma is dominated by burnt popcorn. I like this wine, and it will probably evolve over the next couple years. But I doubt it will ever quite achieve that extraordinary level of ‘14.

Charred Lobster Crudo. Tangerine Granita, Chili Oil, Carrot-Kaffir Lime Emulsion, Lemon Thyme. Really interesting spicy/sweet/herby Vietnamese flavor going on in the granita.

2013 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard. Marc’s Ass Inn. Big, ripe, fruity, lots of citrus, but pretty much dominates all other aspects. No mineral, very flat acid structure, no complexity nor elegance.

2018 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne. BH 91-93. Here the beautifully layered nose is at once riper and more complex but also more restrained with its reasonably fresh aromas of apple, spear, spice, herbal tea and soft oak wisps. There is outstanding volume to the equally ripe and powerful flavors that exhibit a lovely underlying tension on the impressively persistent and attractively stony finish where the only nit is hint of warmth. (Drink starting 2026)

Diver Scallops & Green Apple Sashimi. Yuzu Kosho, Kaffir Lime, Earl Grey, Ancient Grains, Calamansi-Tom Yum. Strong bright high-acid flavors. Very nice textures too.

2010 Marcassin Pinot Noir Blue-Slide Ridge Vineyard. 94 points. PnP. Perfect cork. Lovely brilliant ruby. Intense ripe nose of cherry and red apple. Lovely velvety texture on the palate with intense berry, cherry and orchard fruit flavors. Intense but very fruit driven on the finish with any tannins buried. Lovely wine – may not be as complex as the Marcassin estate but very good.

2002 Louis Jadot Corton-Pougets Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot. VM 95. Good medium-deep color, showing the faintest beginning of amber. High-pitched and refined on the nose, conveying remarkably youthful scents of raspberry, cranberry, rose petal, blood orange and mint. A juicy, sappy, succulent wine with terrific energy and precision; like a smaller-scaled, or at least a less explosive, 2010. Finishes vibrant, minerally and gripping, with subtle salinity, sneaky saline persistence, and seriously firm tannins that avoid dryness. This wine shares the light touch of the 2010 and is a remarkably youthful 2002. (Drink between 2019-2036)

Maple Leaf Farms Duck Potstickers. Luxardo Cherry Acrodolce. Nice meaty dumplings with semi-sweet sauce.

Kagoshima A5 Wagyu Tartare. Rau Rum Chimichurri, Quail Egg, L’amuse Gouda, Sesame Rice Cracker. Fabulous tartare with very interesting flavors.

1989 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle. JG 90+. After a few absolutely desultory bottles of the ’89 La Chapelle, I was very pleasantly surprised to hit a very good bottle of this wine. My last several examples prior to this bottle had been overripe prune juice that was already getting quite oxidative, but this bottle was very good and a far cry from those previous examples. As readers may know, there were multiple bottlings of La Chapelle back in this era, so there are some distinctly different wines out there under the same label and vintage banner. In any event, after several very disappointing bottles, I finally got a good one this last time around. The deep, complex and meaty nose offers up scents of ripe cassis, black pepper, grilled meats, smoky overtones, a touch of balsam bough and incipient notes of chipotle peppers. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and fairly roasted in personality, but, with a good core of fruit, moderate tannins and good focus and grip on the complex and gently tangy finish. I imagine that this is what sound examples of the better cuvées of this wine have shown consistently, and why folks with these bottles in the cellar thought I was completely off my rocker with my notes on less enjoyable bottles. This example is a good, solid Hermitage at its apogee, but with still a couple of decades of life ahead of it- though not quite in the league of the 1988 La Chapelle in terms of complexity and elegance. (Drink between 2012-2030)

Braised Lamb Soup Dumplings. Tom Yum Jus, Galangal, Japanese Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash, Puffed Rice. Awesome broth (and dumplings).

Orange Cauliflower for a gluten free person.

1989 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape. JG 93+. I have always been a fan of the 1989 Château Beaucastel, which I rank just behind the superb 1981 at this fine estate. The most recent bottle I tasted of this wine was still just a touch youthful, but offered up fine complexity on both the nose and palate and shows excellent promise. The bouquet is a blend of roasted fruitcake, cherries, new leather, venison, incipient notes of sous bois, woodsmoke and hot stones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and rock solid at the core, with a bit of tannin still to resolve, fine focus and grip and a very long, classy and slightly chewy finish. I would be tempted to give this wine a few more years to really resolve, as it will be a superb wine and it would be most enjoyable to drink it at the same plateau that the 1981 has been enjoying for a good decade already. (Drink between 2015-2050)

1990 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape. VM 93. The 1990 Châteauneuf-du-Pape has a compelling bouquet of plump red fruit, oxtail, leather and morels, all well defined and full of chutzpah. The palate is smooth in texture and, at 29 years old, has certainly mellowed. There is a core of sweet fruit here, but it has softened with age and delivers a smorgasbord of second flavors: meat juices, clove and touches of fennel. It does not possess the audacity of the Hommage à Jacques Perrin, yet it has retained effortless charm. (Drink between 2019-2036)

Charcoal Cavatelli. Dungeness Crab, Grilled Ramps, Snow Pea, Tiato Leaf, Chili Bread Crumbs.

2001 E. Guigal Ermitage Ex-Voto. VM 94-96. Saturated medium ruby. Knockout nose combines superripe, liqueur-like black- and redcurrant, gunflint, pepper, leather, game and chocolate. Huge, spicy and rich, with outstanding sweetness and depth of flavor. A massive but well-delineated Hermitage that finishes with extraordinarily suave tannins. Built for two decades of development in bottle. This is 14% alcohol, with a pH of 3. 87.

2006 Ovid Red Wine. VM 94. Ovid’s 2006 is a powerful, intense wine. Still fresh, vibrant and focused, the 2006 is super-impressive today. All of the site signatures are very much present. Mocha, espresso, dark cherries, spice and tobacco add aromatic nuance. The tannins have softened, but the 2006 has more than enough depth to drink well for another 10 or so years. This is a superb effort in a vintage that is mostly overlooked these days. Winemaker Austin Peterson describes 2006 as a year with a warm summer and pronounced heat spike around Labor Day followed by more moderated conditions for the rest of the season. Harvest took place from late September to the middle of October. (Drink between 2016-2026)

Smoked Berkshire Pork Belly. Acorn Squash, Vietnamese Carmel, Hazelnut, Winter Truffle. Very sweet and very fatty but amazing.

With An’s Famous Garlic Noodles — can never have too many of these!

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

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

Overall, this was an awesome evening. Boy did the Ans treat us right and we had an incredible menu, amazing service, and great wines. A was initially skeptical of tonight’s particularly menu, as it had less dishes than usual and none of the “favorites” (except the noodles) but they turned out to be home run unique dishes that really knocked it out of the park.

Wines were great too.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: An Family, BYOG, Crustacean, Gelato, hedonists, Vietnamese cuisine, Vietnamese Fusion, Wine

Dirty Dozen Crustacean

Jul07

Restaurant: Crustacean Beverly Hills [1, 2, 3]

Location: 468 N Bedford Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. (310) 205-8990

Date: Spring 2021

Cuisine: Vietnamese Fusion

Rating: Return after long hiatus

Two times in rapid sequence to Crustacean, as it’s both fabulous and features a great patio in these “outside is better” days. Tonight’s meal was Dirty Dozen, our blind wine group within a wine group.

We’ve had a couple awesome meals here in the last couple of years.

For extra caution in these uncertain times we ate on one of their fabulous patios.

Our special menu.

From my cellar: 2007 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut. VM 97. The 2007 Comtes de Champagne Rosé is a total knock-out. Racy and exuberant in the glass, the 2007 wraps around the palate with stunning textural depth and resonance. The 15% still Pinot adds structure and persistence to a creamy, inviting Rosé Champagne that will leave readers weak at the knees. Hints of rose petal, dried cherry, cinnamon and dried flowers meld into the sublime finish. This is about as good as it gets. Wow! (Drink between 2018-2038) PN 94. Really lovely mineral dried orange peel, freeze dried raspberry and strawberry, fullish body, perfect balance, good acidity, pure, long. Great stuff. DD at Crustacean.

2014 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Corton-Charlemagne. VM 93+. Highly nuanced nose combines white peach, ginger, medicinal herbs, juniper, oyster shell and white pepper. Wonderfully smooth and fine-grained, with citronella and spice flavors spreading out to saturate the palate without leaving any impression of weight. Finishes complex, classically dry and long, with a repeating spice character. A very classy Corton-Charlemagne. (Drink between 2021-2030). PR 92. White flowers ripe peach, med. + body, balanced, concentrated, youthful, long with w tingly finish. Really excellent, a bit understated at first, but on 2nd tasting about 1 hour later it didn’t stand up as well to the other great Burgs. DD at Crustacean.

2016 Domaine de la Vougeraie Charlemagne. 93 PN. Tons of redux initially, tingly, rocky minerality, good extract, limey citrus, clean cut and precise. very nice, with a lean mouthfeel. DD at Crustacean.

King Crab Spoon. Uni Aioli, Meyer Lemon. a tasty little bite.

2015 Louis Jadot Corton-Charlemagne Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot. PN 92. This was really good but compared to the other top Burgs it ranked in the middle. The 2015 showed its ripeness, with white peach, some redux on the palate, round-ish, fuller, touch of vanilla oak, soft entry, touch of oak in the finish but with excellent vibrancy. Riper, fuller than the other top wines. DD at Crustacean.

2017 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne. Corked.

Salt & Pepper Calamari. Charred scallion, sweet red chili, Thai basil, Aioli. A tiny bit hot for the wine, but tasty.

Caviar Potato Tot. Royal Keluga, red tobiko, yuzu, creme fraiche. Fanciest tater tot you’re likely to encounter!

2008 Joseph Drouhin Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc. PN 93. A bit darker but just slightly; a picked up soy, herbs, peach pit, really interesting notes along with a hint of caramel and apricot pit/botrytis; slight sweet attack, lots of character, thought this was a 2004 or 2006 with the color. DD at Crustacean.

2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières. PN 93. This was also really good out of a stellar line up; Green color! lots of redux, but a mature kind of aspect with mint cilantro, bright, youthful. Well-balanced and very tasty. Guessed 2014. DD at Crustacean.

New Zealand Green Lip Mussels. Asian pesto, garlic crostini.

Truffle chicken pan seared dumplings. Chili oil. Ponzu. The dumplings were seared into one giant block!

2002 Henri Boillot Corton-Charlemagne. PN 91. Nothing wrong with this but darker slightly nutty, aging ok, but slight bitter nutty aspect, could be fresher but is a 2002 after all. DD at Crustacean. One of the least favs of the lineup that was fault free. DD at Crustacean.

2002 Coche-Dury Meursault. PN 94. Insanely good, redux but complex and felt aged but fresh and lively at the same time; great fruit, tangy long, soft entry and a super long massive finish. Great dept and concentration. Unbelievable village level from Coche. Guessed 2005. Wine of the night with stellar GC Burgs with DD at Crustacean.

Winner!

Karante Salad. Kohlrabi, black truffle, crispy Kennebec Potato, garlic blossom.

2007 Louis Carillon Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Perrières. PN 93. Really fresh, young, youthfull tasting, lime/lemon notes with a touch of oak; very nice clean pure, bright. Can’t believe it’s 2007. DD at Crustacean.

From my cellar: 2007 Louis Carillon Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. Old, dark and oxydized. Quite a shame since the ’07 Perrieres way out-performed this GC. DD at Crustacean.

agavin: sadly, an advanced bottle 🙁

2017 Domaine Michel Niellon Chevalier-Montrachet. PN 94. Up on par with the Coche, this showed bright, fresh herbs, good volume, depth, dry chalky extract, quite amazing. Wine #2 WOTN after the Coche. DD at Crustacean.

Sake Poached Whole Lobster. Caviar, red tobiko, Santa Barbara Sea Urchin & Meyer Lemon Reduction.

An’s Famous Garlic Noodles. Roasted Garlic & An’s Secret Sauce.

2014 Domaine Henri Boillot Bâtard-Montrachet. PN 92. Light green, lemon drop candy,fresh, crisp, tight, almost chablis like. very good just less complex than the competition. Needs a couple more years too. 92-93. DD at Crustacean.

2013 Domaine Jean-Claude Bachelet et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Blanchots Dessus. PN 93. Another stellar wine in the lineup. Hints of white pepper of all things, with lemon squeeze, juicy tasty, concentrated, med. body. 3 of the night. DD at Crustacean.

Truffle Dory en Papillote. Steamed Dory, Black summer truffles, leeks, napa cabbage, ginger. Surprisingly, this dish was “DOTN” (dish of the night). The fish was perfectly tender and had a lovely umami/ginger taste.

An’s Famous Garlic Rice. Steamed Jasmine rice, wok steeped garlic, hidden spices. Hidden spices must be sugar I’d guess. Basically white rice with a bit of a garlic flavor.

2015 Château Rieussec. VM 94. The 2015 Rieussec has a fragrant and quite floral bouquet, scents of yellow flower and earthy aromas filtering through the honeyed fruit. The palate is well balanced with a tang of marmalade and quince on the entry. This is pure and creamy in texture with shades of coconut and crème brûlée toward the punter, friendly finish. Lovely. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting. (Drink between 2021-2042)

Kona Kona Gelato — Egg based Macadamia Nut base with chopped Mac Nuts swirled with house-made Coffee Caramel Valrhona Chocolate Ganache — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato but plated at @crustaceanbh in #BeverlyHills — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #MacadamiaNut #coffee #Valrhona #Chocolate

The wine lineup.

My notes. By a slight margin Jeffrey snuck across the finish line with the Coche.

The gang (minus the photographer).

Overall, this was a kingly evening. Boy did the Ans treat us right and we had an incredible menu, amazing service, and great wines. Tonight’s particularly menu, while filled with tasty dishes, was a bit undersized (certain parties were probably watching costs). We had to ask for seconds on a bunch of items like the noodles and the fish as there was one of those little bowls of noodles for 6 people (by default)! And I would have liked the XO fried rice instead of the “plain” rice. But the quality was fabulous.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
Comments (1)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: An Family, blind tasting, BYOG, Dirty Dozen, Gelato, hedonists, Vietnamese cuisine, Vietnamese Fusion, White Burgundy, Wine

Crustacean Cru

Jun05

Restaurant: Crustacean Beverly Hills [1, 2, 3]

Location: 468 N Bedford Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. (310) 205-8990

Date: Spring 2021

Cuisine: Vietnamese Fusion

Rating: Return after long hiatus

For one of my first post-lockdown post-vaccination ventures out went to Crustacean, both an LA landmark and owned and operated by our friends the Ans.

We’ve had a couple awesome meals here in the last couple of years.

For extra caution in these uncertain times we ate on one of their fabulous patios.

Our special menu.

From my cellar: 2008 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut. VM 99. The 2008 Cristal is one of the most complete, most dazzling Champagnes I have ever tasted. A stunning wine from any and all perspectives, the 2008 simply has it all. Spherical in construction, with superb persistence. The 2008 takes hold of all the senses and never gives up. One of the many things that makes the 2008 special is a combination of ripe fruit and bright, piercing acidity. Marzipan, lemon confit, dried flowers and orchard fruit all build into the explosive, resonant finish. “We learned from the mistakes of 1996, when we picked more on acid than ripeness, as was the norm in Champagne back then” Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon told me recently. “In 1996, the best fruit turned out to be the last picks, where the fruit was physiologically ripe. Today, we aim to pick all our fruit with that criteria.” (Drink between 2020-2050)

Blinis & Caviar. Tomato “Salmon” topped with meyer lemon vegan aioli, “vegan caviar”, fresh dill sprig, 2k gold. Nice contrast of flavors and textures, particularly for vegan.

2007 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. VM 96. Taittinger’s 2007 Comtes de Champagne will be nearly impossible to resist upon release. Soaring aromatics, mid-weight structure and soft contours give the 2007 its alluring personality. Lemon oil, white flowers, mint, chamomile and green pear add brightness and freshness throughout, with a persistent, clean finish that makes it impossible to resist a second taste. Today, the 2007 comes across as a slightly more open version of the 2004, with freshness that makes that wine so appealing, and a touch of textural richness that recalls the 2002. Although the 2007 does not have the explosive energy or verticality of the profound 2006, it will drink better earlier. The 2007 has been positively brilliant on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. (Drink between 2018-2047)

Tempura Tiato. Tombo Tuna and Fresh Lime. Very tasty, hint of a spicy finish.

2008 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos. BH 96. Here too the elegance of the nose is simply stunning with a layered and perfumed aromatic profile trimmed in an almost invisible touch of oak that allows it to ooze Chablis character and in particular, a fine minerality that continues onto the impressively concentrated and palate staining flavors that possess striking precision on the explosively long and bone dry finish. This is a great Les Clos that will make old bones. (Drink starting 2015)

Spicy Pacific Yellowtail Sashimi. Drip Calibrasian Chili Sauce, Snow Pea. A bit like the Nobu Classic yellowtail with Jalapeño.

2008 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut Rosé La Grande Dame. 96 points. Very refined expressive nose displaying subtle red and yellow fruit, raspberry, pomegranate soda, light caramel, cooper, a hint of cedar, rose, perfume and oyster shell. Already showing beautifully integrated sophisticate palate, finely layered subtle pale red fruit, very fine generous mousse, precise and beautifully detailed, bright acidity, strong seashell mineral, and a seamless long pale red and yellow fruit driven finish with caramel and oyster shell at the end.

Tempura Chicken Oyster. Kafir Lime Salt. Amazing soft and tasty bite of fry.

From my cellar: 2002 Gros Frère et Sœur Grands-Echezeaux. BH 90-93. While not really intrusive, the oak treatment is still visible on the otherwise expressive nose of spice, earth and black fruit aromas that are still completely primary in character. The big-bodied and muscular flavors are not particularly elegant though there is good size and weight to them, all wrapped in a reasonably long finish where wood tannins can also be discerned on the mouth coating backend. In sum, this is a good but not great Grands Ech. Tasted twice recently with consistent notes. (Drink starting 2014)

2012 Domaine Maume-Marchand-Tawse Mazis-Chambertin. BH 91-94. Here there is a much better wood versus fruit trade off that allows the black cherry liqueur, lavender and plum aromas to shine. The opulent and beautifully concentrated broad-shouldered flavors brim with dry extract on the intense and mineral-inflected finish that exhibits superb length where the wood resurfaces. This serious old school effort should be excellent in time though note that plenty of cellar time will be required.

Shaken Filet Mignon Skewer. Grilled over Binchotan Charcoal with House Pickles. Lollipop version of the French Vietnamese classic.

The big guy with the most senior An.

1982 Château La Lagune. JG 94. Though La Lagune is listed as a wine from the Haut Médoc, I have always thought of it as really a wine from Margaux, as it lies just outside of the communal boundary there and stylistically, shares much with the wines of Margaux. The 1982 vintage of La Lagune remains the very finest year I have ever tasted from this consistently outstanding property. Today the wine is drinking at its apogee, but still has decades and decades of life ahead of it, with the superb bouquet offering up scents of black cherries, cassis, French roast, cigar ash, some gently roasted fruit elements, dark soil and a touch of toasty new oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and absolutely velvety on the attack, with a sappy core, lovely focus and grip and a long, meltingly tannic and opulent finish.

1989 Château Margaux. 94 points. Beautiful rich cherry and red fruit, plush nose; rich, plush, elegant red fruit, plum and espresso; long finish.

1996 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. VM 94+. Bright medium ruby. Deep, superripe aromas of dark berries, black cherry and bitter chocolate; slightly exotic crystallized fruit aspect. Dense, sweet and wonderfully rich; a lovely combination of palate-caressing chocolatey fruit and firm underlying structure. Finishes with excellent grip and great palate-saturating sweetness. Another outstanding 1996 Medoc wine in the making.

Array ready to be finished.

A5 Wagyu Pho. Aromatic broth, ginger, scallion. Very very subtle and lovely.

From my cellar: 1996 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. 94 points. A lovely Perrières that is gracefully straddling the fence of freshness and maturity. A trace of fruit is joined by nutty, mushroomy tertiary notes. A real delight.

Alaskan King Crab with An’s Famous Garlic Noodles. These are so good. The noodles are simple, but to die for.

2003 Colgin Syrah IX Estate. VM 93. Good medium red. Aromas of black fruits, violet, licorice and bacon fat complicated by pepper and herbs; one can sense the heat of the vintage. Juicy, tightly wound and rather powerful, with its salty, penetrating dark berry and licorice flavors showing good energy and a serious tannic edge but still evolving. (Winemaker Tauziet referred to the wine’s “hot/cool aromas and flavors.”) Production in 2003 jumped to 250 cases from 2002’s 100 cases, but the estate nonetheless dropped a lot of crop in ’03.

2011 Colgin Syrah IX Estate. VM 93+. Bright dark ruby. Reticent aromas of black fruits, peppercorn, fennel and licorice showcase the coolest vintage to date here. Offers lovely density of flavor and texture if less sweetness than most of these vintages. A distinctly salty, backward Syrah with hints of menthol, maple syrup, beef and pepper. Strong natural acidity accentuates the wine’s impression of dryness. This very young wine went into a shell in my glass and will need at least three or four more years in bottle to harmonize. According to winemaker Allison Tauziet, almost all of the Syrah fruit was harvested before the rains started on October 4, and the latest-picked block was eliminated from the blend. A very Old World style with a light touch–and a complex, strong wine from this cool, late vintage. (Drink between 2021-2030)

2001 Marquis Philips Shiraz Integrity. 94 points. jammy dark fruit and a hint of chocolate mint with a long smooth finish. This is surprisingly good for its age.

2016 Moone-Tsai Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Black List XXI. 97 points.

Prime Rib and Mongolian Lamb. Yarom clearly had an influence on this dish. But super tender and delicious.

XO Garlic Fried Rice with Poached Egg and Pork Belly. This is pretty insanely good.

2018 Château de Rayne-Vigneau. VM 92+. The 2018 Château de Rayne-Vigneau is just missing a little intensity on the nose compared to its peers; even leaving it aside to open, it remains recalcitrant. The palate is much more expressive, offering orange pith, apricot, mango and a touch of wild honey. Nicely proportioned on the finish, although it needs 3–4 years to subsume the oak and for the aromatics to get their act together. (Drink between 2024-2048)

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

Heavenly Coconut. Coconut Cake and Vegan Coconut Sorbet. Very lovely. Lots of good coconut flavors.

Overall, this was a kingly evening. Boy did the Ans treat us right and we had an incredible menu, amazing service, and great wines.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Beverly Hills, BYOG, Crustacean, French Vietnamese, Gelato, hedonists, Vietnamese cuisine, Vietnamese Fusion, Wine

Da Lat Rose – A Gastrobiography

Dec16

Restaurant: Dà Lat Rose

Location: 468 N Bedford Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. (310) 205-8990

Date: November 5, 2019

Cuisine: Vietnamese Modern

Rating: Really interesting, more traditional, but still modern

This year our group has struck up a friendship with Elisabeth and Catherine An of Crustacean and we’ve not only visited the main Crustacean — Hedonist style — but they have now invited us to come back just before launch to their new high end place, Dà Lat Rose.

The main entrance.

Da Lat Rose is a passion project between Chef Helene An, founder of House of AN / Crustacean Beverly Hills and Chef Tony Nguyen.

Located above the iconic Crustacean restaurant in Beverly Hills, Da Lat Rose is not just another restaurant – it is a culinary biography of Heleneʼs dramatic life events. Beginning with her birth as the daughter of a Mandarin Scholar in 1944, the 12 course tasting menu shares course-by-course of Helene’s journey from her life in Vietnam to being a refugee in America. Toward the end of the menu, Chef Helene focuses on the future of culinary advancements and transition of the kitchen at Da Lat Rose to Chef Tony Nguyen, who also celebrates his own Vietnamese American heritage as the menu concludes in the final courses.

As with most dining experiences in Vietnam, the evening will begin in the Bia Hoi, where guests can enjoy a fun street-style food experience, before they journey “down The Street” into the main dining room.

The build out is gorgeous and elaborate — this is just one corner of the bar.

The gather in the bar to begin our meal. It should be noted that this meal was a bit crazy. It was supposed to be about 10-12 but since the restaurant was only soft opening, they asked Yarom to add more people and he ran it up to 18 or 19 and that created a crazy wine situation with a tremendous number of wines but a challenge in pouring them around. It worked passably given that fact, but barely.

The tables are custom and inspired by the barrels that Vietnamese eat on street-side.

Custom-made Vietnamese fruit beer.

Elisabeth An is our hostess tonight.

The mini menu for the bar.

NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 167eme. JG 96. The new release of Krug Grande Cuvée “167eme Édition” is stellar. The wine is from the base year of 2011 and utterly transcends that vintage, but, of course, it includes nearly two hundred different wines in the blend, with the oldest reserves dating all the way back to the 1995 vintage. Fully forty-two percent of the cuvée this year is made up of reserve wines. The cépages for the 167eme Édition is forty-seven percent pinot noir, thirty-six percent chardonnay and seventeen percent pinot meunier. The wine shows its lovely preponderance of pinot noir on the nose, wafting from the glass in a beautifully complex blend of apple, white peach, a touch of patissière, very complex soil tones, caraway seed and a gently floral contribution in the upper register from the pinot meunier in the blend. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied, complex and nicely broad-shouldered, with great depth at the core, refined mousse, bright, seamless acids and outstanding focus and grip on the very long, complex and beautifully balanced finish. This is simply outstanding and should age effortlessly for fifty to seventy-five years! (Drink between 2019-2090)

A Tumultuous Time. Grilled Razor Clams, grilled over white coals, Vietnamese balm.

Once removed, and doused with a bit of lime this is a delicious clam with nice chew and bright flavors.

2002 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut. JG 97+. I last tasted the 2002 Cristal back in the autumn of 2013, when the wine was still a bit on the young side, but it has now started to really blossom beautifully and is really entering its plateau of maturity in 2018. The 2002 Cristal is composed of a blend of fifty-five percent pinot noir and forty-five percent chardonnay, with none of the vins clairs having gone through malo and the finishing dosage ten grams per liter in this vintage. This has been a brilliant vintage of Cristal since its inception and at age sixteen, the wine is just beginning to properly blossom and show some of its secondary layers of complexity, The nose jumps from the glass in a refined blend of pear, apple, fresh almond, gentle smokiness, a touch of the tangerine to come, chalky soil tones and brioche in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and a powerfully-built vintage of Cristal, with a great core, elegant mousse, bright, racy and well-integrated acids and stunning mineral drive on the very long, complex and perfectly balanced finish. This is a great vintage of Cristal, and though it is now beginning to show some lovely generosity and secondary layering, a bit more cellaring would still be richly rewarded. (Drink between 2018-2075)

In Hiding 1948. Bamboo Rice, toasted turmeric, lime leaf chicken oyster, roasted quail jus, garlic chive. Another tasty bit: chicken fried rice Vietnamese style.

2009 Dom Pérignon Champagne Luminous. It’s the same I think as the normal 2009 — some people think maybe a bit more sugar.

Raft to Refuge. Spot Prawn, lemongrass garlic butter, bird eye chili salt. This was dipped in a candle filled with melted garlic olive oil.

We then cross over the “bridge” and literally over Crustacean to the main dining room.

Large, and with more elaborate build out.

Look at these funky chairs.

Every table has custom “cones” of bronze with the house story on them.

And they offer you a selection of antique chopsticks.

Some notes.

And tonight’s menu.

2012 Louis Jadot Bâtard-Montrachet. BH 93. There is a hint of menthol sitting atop pretty aromas of acacia blossom, spiced pear and white peach scents. The delicious, muscular and pure broad-shouldered and powerful flavors possess fine size and weight that continues onto the concentrated and impressively persistent if presently compact finish. Those who enjoy their white burgs young should note that while this is very promising there isn’t great complexity at this early stage so I would very much be inclined to allow this to age for at least 8 to 10 years first. (Drink starting 2020)

2014 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Abbaye de Morgeot Cuvée Clement Emma. 88 points. Very clean and precise, crisp, light mouthfeel with long finish. Intensely stony. Somewhat surprised how very accessible this is as a pop and pour.

agavin: someone slipped in here (as Yarom padded the dinner) with a much cheaper wine. It’s not a bad wine, but it’s below the official dinner standard.

Welcome Banh Mi Bread Service. It’s a deconstructed Banh Mi, here are the pickles.

And the meats — various cured head cheeses and pates etc.

And the bread.

Along with special honey butter and pate. All of the above was to be assembled onto the bread.

2010 Domaine Jacques Prieur Montrachet. BH 94-96. This is ever-so-slightly riper than the Chevalier and a bit more aromatically complex as well if not more elegant. There is outstanding richness, volume, muscle and unconcealed power to the large-scaled heavy-weight flavors that somehow manage to avoid any sense of undue ponderousness before culminating in a massively long finish that is almost chewy and tannic. This will require plenty of bottle age but it should be great in time.

2013 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières. BH 91-93. This too is gorgeously pure with its airy, cool and complex nose that is composed by notes of white flower and freshly cut citrus fruit that are trimmed in just a hint of pain grillé. The highly energetic and intensely mineral-inflected middle weight flavors possess good richness but also terrific delineation on the firm finish that is dry, long and moderately austere. (Drink starting 2023)

Duo of Banh Xeo. Da Lat Style: A5 Tallow, rau ram, melted bean sprout, wood ear & shiitake mushroom, cucumber & garlic lime cloud. This version interprets the flavors from the traditional version (below). It has a more sophisticated and subtle flavor profile.

Traditional Style Banh Xeo: shrimp, chicken, bean sprouts, mushroom, onion, snap peas, endive, herbs. This is basically an omelet with various stuff inside eaten with herbs and the sauce. Delicious and fairly simple.

2008 Mongeard-Mugneret Grands-Echezeaux. JG 95+. For as long as I can remember, Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret has produced one of the greatest examples of Grands Echézeaux in all of Burgundy, so it comes as no surprise that their 2008 is stupendous. The absolutely beautiful, youthful nose soars from the glass in an inspired mélange of dark berries, plums, espresso, woodsmoke, incipient notes of gamebird, a kaleidoscopically complex base of soil and a judicious base of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, pure and very primary, with a rock solid core of fruit, laser-like focus, beautiful, nascent complexity, ripe, seamless tannins and tangy acidity lifting all these elements in a peacock’s tail of transparency and purity on the very long finish. This will be an absolutely brilliant example of the vintage, and a decade down the road, it may well prove that I have slightly underrated this beautiful wine. (Drink between 2018-2060)

2011 Domaine Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Lavaux St. Jacques. VM 96. Layers of blue and purple fruit, smoke, licorice, violets and cloves all flesh out in the 2011 Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux St- Jacques. Layered, silky and expressive to the core, the 2011 shimmers across the palate with gorgeous intensity. The 2011 is naturally not quite as rich as the 2012, but it is compelling for its combination of intense fruit and floral/savory overtones. (Drink between 2019-2021)

agavin: another nice wine way under the target. or maybe it was a bonus

Avocado to top below.

Master & Monastery. Goi Da Lat. Banana blossom, kohlrabi, red water radish, crispy rau muong, white fungus, avocado. Basically a Vietnamese salad.

1995 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares. JG 94. I was highly critical of the 1995 vintage at Domaine de Comte de Vogüé when the wines were young, but the wines have aged far better than I ever imagined possible out of the blocks and I seriously underestimated these wines. The 1995 Bonnes-Mares offers up a lovely, musky bouquet of red and black cherries, vinesmoke, a complex base of soil tones, mustard seed, gamebirds and a discreet base of vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and very elegant in profile, with superb complexity, a lovely core of fruit, melting tannin and lovely length and grip on the poised and classy finish. A really lovely 1995 red Burgundy! (Drink between 2015-2050)

2006 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares. BH 94. This too is quite restrained with almost exclusively red berry fruit and intense floral aromas that are high-toned and pure while complementing the supple, textured, dusty and extremely precise flavors that exude a quiet power on the brooding and linear finish that delivers outstanding length. This will require every bit of a decade to resolve the very firm structure. This is less elegant than the 1er but more powerful and the distinguishing character of the ’06 Bonnes Mares is the serenity that it projects. I thought that it would be good but this knocks on the door of being genuinely great. (Drink starting 2018)

The presentation for the next dish.

The Union. King Crab Banh Khot. Coconut béchamel, royal keluga caviar. Delicious little bite.

2002 Domaine Xavier Liger-Belair Richebourg. 95 points.

From my cellar: 1999 Louis Jadot Romanée St. Vivant. BH 93. Deep ruby. The nose here is an elegant and very pure combination of floral and spice notes sitting atop ripe black pinot fruit that is still entirely primary with plum and violet-infused flavors that possess excellent density and terrific length. The intensity builds from the mid-palate and explodes onto the firmly tannic finish. This is built to age. (Drink starting 2016)

Some herby toppings for the next dish.

1975 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único. VM 94. The 1975 Unico (magnum) is a bit forward, especially in its aromatics, but not at all unpleasant in this context, given how youthful the 1982 and 1990 are! Still holding on to considerable depth in its fruit, the 1975 offers up an intriguing array of black cherry, plum, smoke and molasses.

2003 Bodegas Vega-Sicilia Ribera del Duero Único. VM 95. Inky ruby. Highly aromatic scents of ripe cherry and dark berries, singed plum, cured tobacco and succulent herbs, with a vanilla undertone. Sweet, expansive and powerful, offering intense black and blue fruit flavors with smoke and floral accents. Rich and full but surprisingly lively, with excellent finishing thrust and sweet, harmonious tannins adding grip. Shows the ripeness of the vintage to good effect; this is a somewhat approachable and exotic Unico, especially with some air, but it has the concentration to age slowly.

Finding Hope in Guam. Bun Rieu. Traditional style: Dungeness crab, tiger prawn, stewed heirloom tomatoes, egg roe, rice noodle, red fish paste in light lemon leaf broth.

With the toppings.

2003 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline. VM 96-97. Saturated ruby. Superripe dark berry and cherry aromas, with an intense violet accent and a hint of minerals. Remarkably dense and packed with cherry and dark berry flavors, but with an energetic lift of acidity arriving on the back. Gets sweeter with air, taking on wild strawberry and raspberry qualities. Finishes with fine, dusty tannins and a fresh kick of raspberry. These 2003s are slated to be bottled in February of 2007.

2003 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne. VM 95-96. Ruby-red. Powerful, brooding blackberry and creme de cassis aromas are further deepened by suggestions of dark chocolate, espresso and tar. Huge, mouthfilling and sweet, with an amazingly dense texture and superconcentrated kirsch and blackcurrant flavors complemented by baking spices and smoked meat. The impressively long finish shows great depth and powerful tannic spine. Hands off this monster for a long, long time.

2011 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne. VM 95. Glass-staining ruby. Powerful, expansive aromas of black and blue fruit liqueur, smoky Indian spices, sandalwood and olive, and an exotic floral nuance that gains strength with air. Deeply concentrated but surprisingly lively, offering palate-staining dark fruit and violet pastille flavors and a strong, building spicy quality. Velvety tannins add grip to a strikingly long, sappy and penetrating finish, which clings with noteworthy tenacity. (Drink between 2020-2030)

In Collaboration. Duo of Thit Kho. Da Lat Style: Pork cheek, braised quail egg, Vietnamese caramel, activated charcoal rice, fermented mustard greens.

Pickles to optionally add on top.

Traditional style: caramelized pork, coconut water, shallots. Very simple pork stew. You jazz it up with the pickles.

Rice.

The traditional style served over rice with pickles.

2005 Colgin IX Estate. VM 95. The 2005 IX Estate comes across as a bit clenched and tightly wound. Still, two recent tastings both suggest it doesn’t quite have the depth, intensity and potential as the best wines in this flight. Ultimately, the 2005 IX Estate is a wine of two very beautiful dimensions, but not three. Iron, smoke, lavender and a host of ferrous notes are quite expressive, while the fruit remains pushed to the background. (Drink between 2015-2025)

1974 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello. VM 100. I have been fortunate to drink the 1974 Monte Bello three times in the last year. I served this bottle, from my cellar, blind to a group of hard-core Francophiles at the end of a dinner that showcased the best of Burgundy and Bordeaux. Every person in the room thought the wine was Bordeaux. No one came close to guessing California, much less identifying the age of the wine or the vintage. When the 1974 Monte Bello was revealed, there was only silence at the table. Tasted from a perfect bottle, the 1974 remains almost unnaturally deep, powerful and intense. It is an eternal wine whose life will only be determined by how well corks hold up. Put simply, the 1974 Monte Bello is one of the greatest and most singular wines I have ever tasted from any region in the world. (Drink between 2016-2036)

The Legacy Lives On. Wagyu Bo Kho. Snake river farms wagyu, su su “Buddha’s palm”, heirloom carrots. A Vietnamese modern beef stew.

1989 Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste. Hune. 95 points. Perfectly mature CSH with just incredibly unique flavors of petrol, old honey and distinct minerals. Tangy still with great acidity and an oily texture which leads to a complex finish of spices and minerals. This shows this magnificent terroir perfectly.

Another bottle of same.

Celebration. Coconut Tapioca Che. Jackfruit, pandan, lychee, ranbutan, lognan. Quite yummy, if very Southeast Asian in flavor with that soupy and chewy texture.

Sweet Lingers. Little Bites. Vietnamese yogurt gin fizz.

Chrysanthemum tea almond tofu.

Black sesame ball.

Ruby Chocolate Gelato — base made with Callebaut Ruby Couverture Chocolate and a Stracciatella of ruby chocolate mixed with berriy puree — this isn’t a flavored chocolate but a special “ruby” cocoa bean Callebaut has bred with a natural pink color and fruity finish — 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 #Callebaut #chocolate #RubyChocolate #ruby #berry

Cran-Cherry Cassis Sorbetto — French Cranberries and Amareno Cherries with a bit of Crème de Cassis — tart! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Currents from Avignon, blended with Creme de Cassis –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #sorbetto #cranberry #cherry #current #cassis

The wine lineup.

Spectacular hosts, Elisabeth and Helen An on the left with Erick and I.

Overall, this was a kingly evening. Boy did the Ans treat us right and we had an incredible menu, amazing service, and great wines.

The experience and the food both upstairs is more Vietnamese than at Crustacean below. Sure, a very high end Vietnamese, and still quite fusion, but more Vietnamese. The traditional style variants on our menu aren’t on the normal menu — they were special for us — but they also threw the “Da Lat Style” dishes into more relief in a very intriguing way. I do have to say that I enjoyed the newer style a bit better, as it was similar flavors but a bit more polished — despite the fact that I love pretty traditional Vietnamese food. Anywhichway it was delicious.

Wines were “interesting” tonight. Most were quite nice bottles, but the format of 18-19 people just doesn’t work well. Pours were small but surprisingly got around. Still, it’s too many different wines for this many dishes. Leading to a dizzying assault in the second half of the meal. And pairings were a bit awkward because this food really wants mostly whites and Champagne and there were lots of big red wines — and all of 1-2 dishes that were actually red friendly. Some people care a whole lot less about wine pairing than I do. After a bit of a confusing start (mostly because we handed them a confusing task) the somms managed to really get the wines down in the second half of the meal. I was impressed. But it was still too many small pours and no time to savor. In the end doing it this way I can’t remember the individual wines at all.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: An Family, BYOG, Crustacean, Dà Lat Rose, Gelato, hedonists, Vietnamese cuisine, Vietnamese Fusion, Wine

Không Tên – Brunch

Jul29

Restaurant: Không Tên LA [1, 2]

Location: 11520 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064. (424) 832-7000

Date: June 16, 2019

Cuisine: Vietnamese Fusion

Rating: Really tasty, great place

For father’s day brunch I and the family venture back to my friend Kim Vu’s Vietnamese Fusion place, Không Tên.

Coincidently too, my old kitchen lead from RnR, who I’m also still friendly with, sometimes moonlights here.

The location is on a busy stretch of Pico just west of the 405, close to Sawtelle.

The brunch menu.

From my cellar: 2014 Christophe et Fils Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre. 92 point. Stone fruit, pear, lemon, saline. Palate is mid-width, fresh and reasonably long.

Thao Farm Bok Choy Salad. Terry Farm Asian Pear, Weiser Farm Rainbow Carrot, Toasted Almonds, Watermelon Radish, Coriander Lemon Vinaigrette. Good salad with nice texture variations.

Tamai Farm Swiss Chard Hash. Shitake Mushroom, Weiser Farm Root Vegetables.

Crab Benedict. Sauteed Thao Farm Greens and scallions & dill. “Mother” Hollandaise. This was a wicked good “benedict”. The combo of creamy crab, veggies, a bit of bread, and a lovely blend of lemongrass and other Vietnamese flavors was awesome.

From my cellar: 2017 Ameztoi Getariako Txakolina Hijo de Rubentis. 90 points. pale color, a little spritz at the outset, fresh, dry, excellent with summer.

Steak and Eggs. Caramelized Sirloin Steak, watercress, roasted tutti frutti tomato, red onion, sesame, 2 sunny side up eggs.

Simple French Toast.

K10 Chicken & Waffles. Thao Farm Sweet Potato Spider Waffle, saigon cinnamon, organic chicken, 5 spice palm sugar syrup, house hot sauce. Also really great. The chicken itself was like chicken snitzel but the mixture of crunchy textures was great and taken up by the sweet and savory thing, the herbs, and the hot sauce.

Some Gelato I made (and brought):

Crema Fiorentina Zabaione — Marsala Orange Vanilla Zabaione base with Blackberry Mango Coulis — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Very close to the oldest gelato flavor!! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #orange #Zabaione #CremaFiorentina

Salted Caramel Chocolate — House-made salted caramel forms the core of this base which then is layered with house-made Valrhona dark chocolate ganache and Valrhona milk chocolate chips — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — my best salted caramel yet — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #caramel #chocolate #Valrhona #ganache

Overall, Không Tên is a hidden little gem. The food is very very good and quite interesting. It’s far more “American with Vietnamese flavors” then a more Vietnamese Fusion place like Little Sister. Quite creative. Also every dish is delicious. It might be a touch understated though, as it’s not super flashy in tonal style. And it’s a nice little space and reasonable too boot. If you’re on the Westside and like this sort of food at all, you should definitely give it a try! I believe at current it’s open only at dinner, which is even more delicious.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Brunch, BYOG, Gelato, Vietnamese cuisine, Vietnamese Fusion, Wine

Perfect Atmosphere – LSXO

Jun17

Restaurant: LSXO

Location: 21022-21148 Pacific Coast Hwy, Huntington Beach, CA 92648. (714) 374-0083

Date: May 16, 2019 and January 30 & February 19, 2020

Cuisine: Vietnamese Fusion

Rating: Awesome flavors

LSXO, a concept-within-a-concept, inside Bluegold at Pacific City, is the brainchild of Chef Tin Vuong of Blackhouse Hospitality. Cuisine is inspired by District 1 in Saigon (where Tin’s family hails from) and dishes range from more traditional to innovative amongst a stunning hideaway overlooking the Huntington Beach pier. Behind an unmarked door adjacent to the wine room, guests are transported to District 1 (China Town) in Saigon via Blackhouse’s 28-seat restaurant-within-a-restaurant, LSXO. A spinoff of the Little Sister brand (Manhattan Beach and Downtown Angeles), LSXO is love letter to the culture, heritage, and lineage of Vietnam (Vuong’s relatives hail from the region). While Little Sister is known for its French Vietnamese menu, LSXO follows the same Southeast Asian inspiration with a more refined, expat feel.

LSXO draws inspiration from Southern Vietnam with a number of Chinese influences. While the menu is 90% different from Little Sister, a handful of signature dishes are offered, such as the Beef Tar Tare, Imperial Rolls, and Salt & Pepper Lobster. Lunch & Dinner items range from cold plates from the garde manger to salads, rice paper rolls, fish & shellfish, meat & poultry, both dry and soupy noodles, and banh mi (lunch only). A unique addition, LSXO debuts Afternoon Tea, featuring a selection of open-faced finger sandwiches, French pastries, and specialty sweets to complement an array of international tea blends

Bluegold is located on the top level of Pacific City at 21010 Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, CA 92648. The restaurant serves California coastal cuisine alongside craft wines, beers, and inventive cocktails. Bluegold is open Monday-Sunday for breakfast, lunch, “in between,” and dinner (9am to close). For more information please call (714) 374-0038 or visit website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

LSXO draws inspiration from Southern Vietnam with a number of Chinese influences. Check out the cool Indochina-style room with it’s ocean views.

The view.

So OC too, as the big table had a huge part of OC moms and their babies living it up — must have been a Mommy & Me group or something.

On my first visit, in May of 2019, our threesome was Foodie Core members Erick, Fred and myself, kicking back ocean-side to enjoy some Champagne and White Burg just hours BEFORE our epic and crazy evening white burg dinner.

Elegant touch.

Hot sauce! They have two different kinds of house-made hot sauce and a “sweet” fish sauce. All are fabulous.

The menu.

From my cellar: 1996 Taittinger Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne. 97 points. Taittinger’s 1996 Comtes de Champagne is another highlight. The flavors are only now beginning to show elements of complexity, a great sign for aging. Gently spiced and buttery notes suggest the 1996 is about to enter the early part of its maturity, where it is likely to stay for another decade or so.

Red curry spiced pork rinds, chili oil & scallions. Nice crispy shrimp chip textured pork rinds. A touch of heat. I expected more curry flavor.

Pickled cabbage, crushed peanut, chili. Light little snack/side.

Goi du du. Green papaya salad, Viet beef jerky, peanuts, chili lime vinaigrette. Awesome bright salad.

Beef tartare, Viet herbs, fried aromatics, quail egg, lobster rice crackers. Pretty decent meaty tartare.

Grilled pork spring roll. Nem Nuong red leaf lettuce, mint, carrot, cucumber, house sauce.

Autumn roll, sweet potato, jicama, egg, herbs, Chinese sausage, candied shrimp, coconut peanut sauce. Incredible take on the classic Vietnamese sausage roll. So much flavor.

Pork, shrimp & crab dumplings. Spicy black vinegar dressing, chives, spinach, peanuts. Very tasty. Lots of complex herby flavor.

“Ga xao xa ot” spicy lemongrass chicken. Fried garlic & dried chilies. This was the most incredible “fried chicken”. It had this sweet and tangy and crunchy thing going on and a really bright complex savory flavor.

Pho banh cuon with beef and tendon, herbs, lettuce, pickled onion. These can basically be seen as either deconstructed pho or pho flavored soft rice rolls. It’s a rice crepe roll, with the pho components, and a bit of a sweet and sour sauce. Great texture and flavor.

Vietnamese crepe. Bánh xèo. Sizzling pancake. PRawns, pork belly, bean sprout, herbs and greens, house dressing.

Here are the herbs. This is actually a very traditional Vietnamese dish. You take some of the omelet and add herbs and sauce and eat. Delicious.

“Bun Rieu” omelet, soft shell crab & tomato chili sate, Viet herbs and condiments. Delicious, with a good amount of crab.

XO sticky rice, lap cheung pork flass, crispy shallots, slow egg, roasted chili vinegar. I’m all over anything with pork floss — and this had incredible flavor and texture.

Pork floss zoom! Gotta love the pork floss. It looks like insulation but tastes incredible.

Lamb belly with shrimp chips and herbs.

2001 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux. BH 89. A trace of wood spice frames expressive aromas of limestone, white flowers and obvious Chablis fruit that lead to bigger, richer, firmer and more penetrating flavors plus a finish that is both persistent and very dry. I like this very much as it offers a bit more precision than the Forêts.

agavin: reviewers were crazy because this is an amazing wine.

Fred: A bit of honey and ripe fruit on the nose. Almost like botrytis. However, on the palate there is good acidity with some waxy round texture. Very full but not flabby. A wonderful wine to start the day.

Lamb satay, egg noodle, mustard greens, long beans, fried garlic.

You mix this up. This dish was an 11. Now, I’m a noodle fiend, but it was amazing — rich with TONS of flavor — like a lamb satay.

Noodles with coconut and seafood. Delicious with light vermicelli noodles.

Black duck egg, chilies, sesame rau ram. Chili sauce was great but the egg itself didn’t have enough of that salty flavor.

1996 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon. 92 points. Fred writes: Excellent wine. Still incredibly youthful with a strong classic Leflaive flint signature. A bit more acidic and than than the 01 Raveneau Butteaux but both wines are just drinking superb right now. Plenty of lemon acidity and an awesome long finish.

Tom rang thit ba chi caramelized prawns with pork spare ribs and lardons. Awesome!

Salt and Pepper lobster, butter fried shallots, fried chilies and garlic. Tasty, but not worth the big markup.

Viet braised Salmon in a claypot. This is a take on the tradition caramelized catfish (or whatever fish they use in Vietnam). I didn’t particularly love substituting the salmon. All those heavy oils settle with salmon.

Pan fried eggplant & basil. Sausage, scallions, satay sauce. Very nice eggplant. Super temperature hot on arrival.

A kind of beef tomato stew that was delicious.

The stew above came with this perfect baguette roll, chili butter, chicken liver paste, limes, and tangy pepper sauce. The combination of all of these on the rolls was a fatty foodgasm.

Crab salted cod chao, white fish and egg white. A mild salty congee — savory and delicious.

Carb on carb. The chao (congee) comes with these Chinese savory doughnuts — unsweetened crullers.

Chao. Confit duck & bamboo with aromatics, herbs. Served with cilantro, scallions, fried shallots & Chinese style savory crullers.

Toppings for the congree/chao. The congee (rice porridge) itself is very mild, but when you throw this stuff and both some of the sweet fish sauce and the house-made chili goo in — delicious!

Pork. Absolutely amazing grilled meat with stunning flavors.

Shaky Shaky Beef. Watercress, baby tomatoes, burnt butter soy with tomato garlic fried rice. A very nice version of the classic shaking beef, but not the most exciting of LSXO’s dishes — mostly because the others were so amazing.

Pork belly with a sweet and tangy sauce. Very tender and nice.

Birthday cake for my brother on 2/19/20. Awesome day piggybacked with a lunch “snack” at Oc & Lau.

Now, I do love Asian food of almost all varieties, and adore Vietnamese food, but LSXO is stunning in every way. Hard to imagine this is in a mall. The ocean views and light are spectacular as is the intimate room. And the food. For the most part it’s better than anything I had in Vietnam — even though some of that was amazing — because the ingredient quality and execution is so good. Basically it’s Vietnamese classics, but really elevated way above street food (with its fly infested meat and little plastic chairs). Of course you pay about 30X (compared to Saigon street food).

Also, Fred, Erick and I had a blast as we always do — and our wines didn’t suck.

I returned with my family in January of 2020. It was just as good and might possibly be the best Vietnamese restaurant I’ve been to — including Vietnam. It’s different than in Vietnam, and more “modernized”, but has incredibly good bright flavors and great ingredients. We also came back 2/19/20 for dinner — where there is a very slightly different menu — and had another fabulous meal.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or for epic Foodie Club meals, here.