The Savory Hunter

Derby Day Is Upon Us: Seersucker & Hats Welcome

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:01:00 +0000

This Saturday is the first leg of the Triple Crown of horse racing, better known as the Kentucky Derby. At 3:23 on Saturday afternoon, the field of horses will begin their one and one quarter mile race to win the prize at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Fortunately you do not need to be in Louisville to experience the pagentry and excitement of this legendary race. Several venues here in Los Angeles will be hosting viewing parties, two of which are of particular note:

Hollis Bulleit, the heiress to the Bulleitt bourbon empire, will be hosting her annual derby party at Seven Grand Whiskey Bar in Downtown LA. Admission is $20 and attendees will get to munch on barbeque and sip on mint juleps crafted with Bulleit bourbon. The event is a benefit for Speed Rack, which supports female bartenders with breast cancer. The first hundred folks through the door will receive a special glass and prizes will be awarded for best hat and best bow tie and seersucker. I have attended this event in the past and can vouch that it is a good time. Nobody has better hats than Hollis.

For those whom one type of julep is not enough, Marcos Tello will be mixing a variety of cocktails at the Los Angeles Athletic Club's 2nd Annual "Hold Your Horses" Kentucky Derby viewing party. Entry to this fest includes an extensive Kentucky Derby inspired buffet (think Kentucky hot brown sandwiches, pecan tarts etc), a Marcos Tello handcrafted mint julep, live music from the Bastards of Belleville (a gypsy jazz quartet), and games. As a bonus, attendees will receive a free drink at Seven Grand following their Hold Your Horses fest attendance. In addition to his trifecta of juleps (Gin, Georgia and Kentucky), Tello will also be pouring whiskey flights. Tickets are $35 and reservations can be made by calling (213) 630-5255.

Tello's juleps include a Gin Julep with inspired by Harry Johnson's 1882 bar manual that includes Bols Genever as its base, a Georgia Julep with Remy Martin VSOP Cognac and a Kentucky Mint Julep with the classic bourbon base. All the juleps will include the traditional mint leaves and if you haven't had one from Marcos, then this is an opportunity not to be missed.

Either way you can't go wrong as you get to sip on mint juleps, eat some rather tasty Kentucky cooking, dress in your finest hats and seersucker and turn two minutes of race viewing into a whole afternoon's worth of adventure.

Seven Grand: 515 W. 7th Street, DTLA | 213.614.0736 | http://213nightlife.com/sevengrand

LA Athletic Club: 431 W. 7th Street, DTLA | 213.630.5255 | LAAC event website

Bringing Sexy Back: Pour Vous Debuts

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 01:58:00 +0000

Pour Vous is bringing sexy back. Hollywood has undergone a resurgence but not since the days of Classic Hollywood has there been a venue this sexy in town. La Descarga has sizzle but Pour Vous has a transporting effect. Led by Head Bartender Dave Fernie (above), Pour Vous also benefits from a surfeit of talent behind the bar including Lindsay Nader, Adrian Biggs and Devon Espinosa, plus the team of Pablo Moix and Steve Livigni who worked with the Houston brothers to design and open this boîte.

The space was taken down to the studs and then some with a new bar, a new lowered seating area and a dramatic glass domed ceiling all part of the design scheme which evokes a soigné Parisian haunt where you might find Juliette Binoche at the next barstool. Pour Vous is not only French in name and decor but in its cocktails and spirits selection; it has what may be the largest selection of Cognac and Armagnac in any bar in the United States.

In what has become a signature touch for Houston/Livigni/Moix establishments, there is an indoor/outdoor smoking area, in this case a converted trolley which thankfully isn't hurtling down the 110 Freeway at high speed. My fellow intrepid enthusiast Caroline on Crack is pictured below on the steps of the soon to be infamous trolley.

One of the most eye catching cocktails at Pour Vous is the Moulin Rouge, below. A sparkling cocktail made with Grey Goose vodka, aperol, Peychaud's bitters, orgeat, lemon juice, lime juice, fresh strawberry purée and champagne. Garnished with a strawberry and with champagne bubbles floating up with each sip (no sparkling wine here, this is Pour Vous) the Moulin Rouge was designed for seduction.

In a classical French touch, (though it is not on the menu) a Pousse-café is available to those wanting a layered drink. The eye catching beverage is rather sweet but is certain to gain the attention of those around you. The cocktail is made by layering ingredients of different densities from heaviest to lightest in the glass.

The menu of 25 cocktails is just the beginning; Livigni commented that he plans to add several dozen more to the list in the coming months. This may already be the largest list of craft cocktails in town and it is impressive that they have so many recipes in reserve. The Samurai, one of my favorites on the list, is indeed a powerful warrior, ready to attack with drawn sword. It is quite evident from the first sip that this is a savory wonder as Armagnac, raspberry, rhubarb and umami combine in this cutting stirred cocktail. This might just be a meal in a glass.

Another highlight is the The Lapin Fou (below), which translates as the Mad Rabbit and is made with Pear Eau de Vie, carrot juice, lemon juice, Velay Jaune, ginger and garnished with a slice of cucumber. This comes from the "Sante" or healthy section of the menu. The other four categories of cockails are Aperitif, Parfum, Potion, and Par Avion. Orange juice in a cocktail? Jamba Juice this was not. The pear brandy and herbal notes of the Velay Jaune were tempered by the juices. This was a surprising cocktail that exceeded expectations and one I'd order again.

L'Indochinois has an entirely different style of cucumber garnish as the delicate slice is meant to float like a boat on the sea of Bonal, lime juice and Curacao with Thai Basil as the sail on the voyage. The cocktail is from the Par Avion category and was one of Espinosa's creations.

L'Indochinois

Pour Vous is a collaborative effort between the six bartenders who each bring their own style to the common goal of quality cocktails with a nod to France and the use of French liqueurs and ingredients whenever possible. We were fortunate to have Lindsay Nader (below) make some of our cocktails, along with Fernie. The team is truly a Murderers' Row of talent, with each bartender more accomplished than the next. You literally can't go wrong with a cocktail from any of them.

There is nothing wrong with a well made Sazerac, but the Sazerac Fix provides a unique take on the classic that may entice more sippers into sampling the original. Rather than being served in a coupe, it is served in a rocks glass with a piece of "big ice" and lemon juice is added to the rye, bitters, pastis, evaporated cane sugar.

Sazerac Fix

If drinking a Sur La Mer (Beneath the Sea) is a way to stay healthy, then I may trade in my vitamins. Rum, lime juice, E3 living algae, Fresca, salt and evaporated cane sugar combine to form this healthy daiquiri. The frothy cocktail has a strong citrus (lime) flavor and is garnished with the twisted peel of a lime. Very refreshing and has a lot of visual appeal.

Management warned that the door was going to be tough at Pour Vous but they are not attempting to be like certain spots off Hollywood Blvd where you are either on the list or not going to get in; they just want patrons to dress nicely. When a venue has gone through so much effort to get dolled up, the least you can do is return the favor. The service is very hospitable, the drinks are delicious and the vibe is wonderful. à votre santé!

Pour Vous: 5574 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood | 323.960.0301 | www.pourvousla.com

The Best Port in A Storm: Cliff's Edge Tonight

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 23:21:00 +0000

Port brings to mind the ruby colored wine you might have with your cheese course after a tasting menu or perhaps the contents of a crystal decanter in your grandfather’s study. Leave your preconceptions behind as tonight at Cliff’s Edge you have the opportunity to see the range of ports and to try them in a series of cocktail and punch recipes from Dave Wondrich, the author of Punch. Lorenzo Bakewell-Stone, the Global Brand Ambassador for Croft Port is in town and will be hosting an evening of port cocktails at Cliff’s Edge, the Silver Lake restaurant helmed by chef Ben Bailly. Along with the more established Ruby, Tawny and White ports, Croft Pink, the first Rose port will be incorporated into a cocktail. Two small plates, dessert, two port cocktails and a flight of port can all be yours for only $50. If that sounds like too much food and drink or too many ducats for your budget, you can try any of the 5 port cocktails or punches on offer for only $7 at the bar. Ben Bailly earned acclaim for his food at Petrossian and Fraiche and so tonight should be a fun opportunity to see what he has been up to in the kitchen at Cliff’s Edge. Bakewell-Stone represents some of the most well regarded ports including Taylor-Fladgate, Croft and Fonseca. He is in town from Porto, Portugal, from whence the wine gets its name. Whether you stop by for a cocktail or a full on meal, it will be an opportunity to see one of the latest cocktail trends firsthand as port may follow sherry as a fortified wine that becomes an essential and intriguing cocktail ingredient.

Cliff's Edge: 3636 West Sunset Blvd, Silver Lake | 323.666.6116 | http://www.cliffsedgecafe.com/

Umamicatessen: A Tale of Two Sandwiches

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 19:11:00 +0000

Umamicatessen is the latest and largest property in Adam Fleischman's rapidly expanding restaurant empire. The DTLA spot is on Broadway just off of 9th Street and is several restaurants in one: the Umami Burger concept, The Cure, a Kosher-style Jewish deli offering which Mezze Chef Micah Wexler collaborated on the bagels, smoked fish and matzoh ball soup, Pigg, a love letter to all things pork done in collaboration with noted San Francisco nose-to-tail chef Chris Cosentino of Incanto, and donuts from & a [donut], along with a cocktail program designed by Aidrian Biggs of La Descarga and Pour Vous.

You can order from all the concepts wherever you sit in the restaurant. On this visit I explored the Cure section of the menu. The Matzoh Ball Soup ($7) is rich, the broth is darker than typical and contains chicken cracklings, pieces of chicken as well as celery. The matzoh ball itself was light and fluffy. This may be the meatiest matzoh ball soup in town and is recommended for Passover and beyond.

The pastrami sandwich ($12) is referred to as Pastrami, Rye, Mustard on the menu and it is a simple sandwich that just contains those three ingredients. The meat is thickly sliced and while not piled high Carnegie Deli style, is more than ample for a meal if you have some soup. The thick slices of the meat, the spicy kick of the mustard overwhelm the thinly sliced rye bread. Wexler and team have cured an excellent pastrami, and when Langer's isn't open (which is dinner any night, plus all day on Sunday) this may be the best spot in town to get a pastrami sandwich.

Alas the corned beef, listed on the menu as Corned Beef, Rye, Mustard ($12) was not nearly as good. In fact it was not delicious at all: the corned beef was chewy and had an unpleasant texture. It also lacked the flavor of a great corned beef sandwich from Langer's, Brent's or even Nate and Al's. The pickle was nicely sharp though. What may be the best deal on the menu is the pickle plate (unpictured), which though on the Umami Burger section of the menu dovetails nicely with the Cure section and at $5 is a generous portion.

After the highs and lows of the sandwiches, the & a [donut] menu beckoned. The Tres Leches donut ($4) was irresistible, especially as Nguyen Tran of Starry Kitchen had recommended it. The donuts are fried to order and the menu states that customers need to wait five minutes for the sauces to soak into the donut. The Tres Leches, Cajeta, Ceylon Cinnamon (cake) was delicious and is sized for two people to share, although one hungry person could certainly inhale it, as I did. It was unclear to me if the menu was stating that the diner needed to wait five minutes once the donut was presented at the table to eat it, but the waitress clarified that the sauce had soaked in for five minutes in the kitchen and that once it arrived at the table it was ready to eat.

A mild annoyance was that though I arrived during weekend brunch hours and the restaurant was mostly empty, the hostess was very reluctant to seat me at a table as I was alone. She listed every possible counter seating locale but finally relented and seated me at a table as I had asked. Not a fun way to begin any meal.

I will not be trying the Pigg menu but look forward to trying more of the other items, especially the Foie donuts and Adrian Bigg's cocktails, on future visits. In short, get the matzoh ball soup, the pastrami sandwich and the tres leches donut, skip the corned beef.

Umamicatessen: 852 S. Broadway, DTLA. | 213.413.8626 | http://www.umami.com/umamicatessen/

Night and the City and other Spring Cocktails at Drago Centro

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 18:25:00 +0000

Jaymee Mandeville has presided over the cocktail program at Drago Centro for two years, but recently her partner in libations, Drago Centro Beverage Director Michael Shearin, left the restaurant. The newly launched Spring cocktail menu is her first where she had truly complete control over her seasonal cocktail offerings and this list may be her best yet. It includes several collaborations with her fellow bartender Jen Len. Mandeville hosted a preview tasting of the list and while there are a number of delicious choices on the list, the highlight of the menu is the Night and the City.

The Night and the City is made with Hayman's Old Tom Gin, Bittermens Hellfire Habanero Shrub, Miracle Mile Candy Cap Mushroom Bitters, house-made heirloom tomato shrub, plack pepper and squid ink syrup and fresh horseradish. This take on a Bloody Mary transcends the genre with the amazing Candy Cap bitters from Louis Anderman's local Miracle Mile Bitters. The savory element in the bitters melds with the spice from the Hellfire shrub, which Mandeville described as more of a tincture, and the acidity in Mandeville's tomato shrub all carried on the base of the distinct sweet and juniper flavor of the Old Tom Gin. The pepper on the rim and the horseradish in the glass complete the unique combination. A pickled watermelon radish garnish might be gilding the lily but in this case it is simply the cherry on top of an irresistible cocktail.

My other favorite on the menu is the Nebbia Rossa (above), an original variation on the Negroni using Mezcal instead of Gin, made with Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, Campari, Bittermens Citron Sauvage, Dolin Blanc Vermouth. The mezcal adds a smoky note to the cocktail and the grapefruit liqueur pairs nicely with both the mezcal and the bitter campari. A stirred refreshing drink that is an excellent way to welcome the warm Spring weather to Los Angeles.

Other highlights on the new list also include the Cool Revival, made with Rittenhouse Rye, Cynar, yuzu, cucumber, lemon and dill meringue (below) and the Ver la Luz del Dia which is a pisco and Lillet cocktail that has a strong basil element and an attractive triple peal garnish.

Cool Revival

Ver La Luz Del Dia

The garnishes this season are more ambitious than on previous Drago cocktail menus and include coffee beans and honeycomb among others. I recommend you sit at the bar and place yourself in Jaymee's hands. You can't go wrong. Plus you can munch on bar bites such as the smoked salmon, which is a steal at only $5. All cocktails on the seasonal list are $12.

Drago Centro: 525 S. Flower St. | 213.228.8998 | dragocentro.com

Ammo

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 00:17:00 +0000

Ammo Cafe on Highland has been open for over 15 years, a discreet restaurant on Highland where locals and celebrities alike enjoy the reasonably priced quality Italian food in an unpretentious and comfortable ambiance. Earlier this winter, the restaurant decided to raise its cocktail program to the level of its dining room menu by bringing on Jason Robey to consult on their cocktail list.

Robey, who gained notice in Los Angeles for reinventing the cocktail program at Michael's Restaurant in Santa Monica, has created a tasty list that draws on the local produce available at the farmer's markets, which both reflects his style and is a good match for the Ammo culinary philosophy. Running the bar program is Laila Ayad, who executes Robey's list well and is excellent at the art of hospitality. I am a fan of Robey's cocktails so was intrigued to see what was in store for me when I was invited to try the new menu.

The Johnny Green Spot (above) made with Tierra's anejo tequila, green chartreuse, meyer lemon juice, grapefruit juice, jalapeno and Thai basil was among the best cocktails I have had anywhere in the past year. This is a destination worthy drink as the spicyness of the pepper and the tartness of the juices partnered with the herbal chartreuse and the kick of the tequila to just produce a beautiful combination. Six ingredients can be the sign of too much going on in a cocktail, but I wouldn't lose any of them in this beauty.

Beer cocktails are having a moment right now, and the Belgian Sunrise deserves its place among the contenders as it uses not one but two brews in this cocktail. Both Allagash White Ale and Lindemans Lambic Framboise mixed with Frambeau Liquor. It is well constructed and the fruit in the beer mixed with the liquor gave it a sweet edge, which complemented the bubbles from the beer.

The smell of the burnt rosemary is the first aspect of the Maple Leaf Rag to hit your senses. Black Maple Hill bourbon is a delicious product and mixed with lemon juice, maple syrup and bitters and finished with the aforementioned rosemary was a sensory experience that was both fragrant and delicious. It may not replace the Japanese Maple created by Damian Windsor at the Roger Room as my favorite maple syrup cocktail, but it is a worthy libation.

At $18, the Grand Rep is the most expensive cocktail on the menu, due to the inclusion of the premium Ilegal Mezcal Reposado. Ilegal is one of my favorite mezcals so I couldn't resist trying this smoky take on the margarita which also included Gran Marnier, lime juice, vanilla and applewood smoked salt. Yes, smoked salt. Because the smokiness of the mezcal was not enough. Be sure to get some salt in every sip.

Alas even the Willet 5 Year Rye could not salvage the Citrus Fashioned (below) which also included lemon, orange and tangerine zest, maraschino jus and bitters. I'd stick with a classic Old Fashioned any day over this concoction which did no favors to its similarly named relation as it was a watery mess.

The Highland Fizz (below) is effervescent as the house made ginger soda lightens up the lemon verbena infused vodka. Nothing to get excited about but suitable for a mellow mood.

When light and bubbly is what you seek the Blood Orange Crush is a better option. This Belle Casel Prosecco, Aperol, blood orange juice and fresh thyme is served on the rocks in a Collins glass with a blood orange slice garnish. This is a classic Italian flavor combination and is pleasing as an aperitif or with a meal.

Another favorite, this time of the stirred variety, is the Dominicano, which is made with Citadelle gin and both Dolin Blanc and Rouge vermouths, Aperol and orange bitters. Crisp and to the point, it was fun to see the incorporation of two Dolins in one cocktail.

The final cocktail on the list is the Sage Martini with Hendrick's Gin, lemon juice, lime juice and sage.

Fortunately there are bar bites to munch on that are great partners for the beverages. The standouts for me were:

French breakfast radishes with Straus butter and sea salt ($4). Sometimes simple ingredients with no fuss at all can be better than anything else and these radishes were simply crunchy and fresh. A little butter and salt; I could have eaten the whole bunch.

The bread and crackers are not to be missed at Ammo ($3). Apparently these crackers are a signature dish and they are addictive.

Baked Penne with aged white cheddar, fresh thyme and breadcrumbs ($8) is not to be missed. My companions and I were battling for each forkful. This puts what passes for mac and cheese in most restaurants in LA to shame.

Bar Manager Laila sent us into the night with some chocolate chip cookies which were really good. The chunks of chocolate in the cookies were huge and they were a pleasant consistency - neither too soft nor too hard and crumbly.

The neighborhood is lucky to have a Robey cocktail menu to sip on and Laila there to shake, stir and deliver an excellent experience behind the bar. That Johnny Green Spot is something special.

Ammo: 1115 N. Highland Ave, Mid City | 323.871.2666 | www.ammocafe.com

Jiro Dreams of Sushi: A Trip to Tokyo at the Movies

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:44:00 +0000

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a new documentary film directed by David Gelb that chronicles the life of Jiro Ono, one of the best if not the best sushi chefs in Japan. The movie not only tells his story but also that of his family, particularly that of his heir and apprentice, his son Yoshikazu. Jiro is 85 years old and still leads his restaurant daily.

The restaurant looks nondescript and those not in the know might not pay any notice to the little ten seat sushi bar in a Tokyo subway station. But looks can be deceiving. Jiro is a master who has been making sushi for decades and whose apprentices have gone on over the years to open some of the most highly regarded sushi establishments in Japan. To get to experience Jiro's sushi, one must make a reservation long in advance, have a big budget and be prepared to eat quickly.

Meals begin at $350 excluding beverages and consist of a series of 20 pieces of sushi one after the other. Jiro states that improvement is always possible and so each day he attempts to make the best sushi of his life. After several months of waiting from when customers make reservations, their meal may be over in as little as thirty minutes. Each piece of nigiri sushi is formed just so, with a precise amount of rice, an appropriate amount of wasabi added and then the fish draped on top with just a drizzle of soy sauce added on top with a paintbrush. Needless to say this is a "no soy sauce" type of establishment.

Jiro's dedication has led to an interesting relationship between him and his son as the son has waited for decades for his father to retire, so he can finally be the head sushi chef. I cannot imagine the patience that the son Yoshikazu endures nor the phenomenal drive that still pushes Jiro to come into the restaurant day after day when he could be enjoying his retirement, traveling on the gourmet circuit or spending time with his family.

When I walked out of the screening I was craving sushi. Just watching Jiro prepare piece after piece of the highest quality fish was mouthwatering. Food porn at its finest. It was too late to get sushi that night, but I stopped in at Irori the following evening to get my fix. It was quite good, but not quite the Jiro experience.

Here in Los Angeles, Jiro opens at the Nuart Theater in West LA on Friday March 16th. It is already open in New York City and will shortly be opening in cinemas nationwide. Don't go hungry or prepare for your own sushi craving.

A clip is below:

Blogger Bar Hop 2: The Mustache Ride

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:12:00 +0000

Last year bar impresario Aidan Demarest and Plymouth & Beefeater Gin Brand Ambassador Erick Castro led a group of cocktail bloggers on a journey across Los Angeles in the Trolley of Death. This year the trolley was nowhere to be seen; in its place was the infamous Mustache Ride, only partly named for Castro's legendary stache. The van that ferried us from bar to bar like thirsty lushes had an enormous mustache on the front of its grille, the better to deliver a full service and satisfying experience. Blogger Bar Hop 2 was on!

The evening began at Neat, Demarest's bar in Glendale, where head bartender Arash Pakzad used Beefeater 24 to create a special cocktail with Spam and rosemary which were then torched to imbue the cocktail with their scent.

The next stop on the adventure was the Golden Road Brewery, where we munched on giant (enormous) pretzels that were served with legitimately spicy mustard. To wash it down we sipped on pitchers of their signature Point the Way IPA and Hefeweizen. Golden Road is only a short ride from Neat and it was a chance for two new neighbors to celebrate their openings and for us to get some foodstuffs in our bellies.

Aidan kept us on track, so we could be on time for our third stop at Tiki Ti, the home of Tiki cocktails in Los Angeles since 1961. For 50+ years, Tiki Ti has been located in the same small spot on Sunset Blvd in Los Feliz. It is only open four nights a week (Wednesday through Sunday) as the only employees are family members. The small capacity can sometimes lead to lines at the door but Aidan had made arrangements and our merry band of revelers was welcomed with a round of potent cocktails that made us thankful for our designated mustache driver.

Tiki Ti in all its glory

Above Caroline on Crack enjoys her cocktail while Daniel Djang of ThirstyInLA photographs his beverage.

Below is a closeup of the cocktail from Tiki Ti before it was consumed, rapidly and gleefully.

Tiki Ti is cash only and thankfully there was enough cash on hand among the sponsors to pay for our cocktails as they don't take credit cards, even the Pernod Ricard corporate card. Bartender Marcos Tello joined us at this point as Tiki Ti is his favorite bar, and he couldn't resist joining in the festivities.

Marcos Tello, Aidan Demarest and Erick Castro at the Three Clubs

Three Clubs was the fourth stop on our journey and it was nothing but efficient. We walked into an almost empty bar and took it over. The bartender lined up ten martini glasses at the corner of the bar and proceeded to shake dirty martinis into all of them. Within minutes of downing our chilled martinis, we were back on the bus. There was no perusing the jukebox for tunes as we had to stick to the schedule as there were many bars still to come.

Number five is alive, or our adventure at Bar Marmont: We found a robot made from liquor bottles and bar tools such as spoons, shakers and strainers. The robot begged us to take him with us when left. We got some light snacks and sipped on champagne cocktails but were not permitted the use of cameras inside. The doorman/management was rather rude about the whole thing, so I cannot recommend this establishment. Alas we have no pictures of our new robot friend, due to the camera prohibition. I can only hope that he has escaped rather than be decommissioned.

Our spirits were revived and hunger and thirst addressed at the Eveleigh, where head bartender Dave Kupchinsky prepared a bevvy of farm fresh cocktails with Beefeater 24 and blood oranges at our sixth stop. There was also a beautifully laid table of cheeses and oysters. While I could not partake of the shellfish, they looked beautiful as did everything else Chef Toft prepared for us. Kupchinsky's cocktail was a highlight of the evening.

Above, the Eveleigh cocktails. Below bloggers in our crew celebrated at the Eveleigh.

Ah Skybar. The seventh stop on our magical journey turned out to be a lame detour. They gave our group much grief at the door before finally letting us in on the condition we do bottle service. Once we were seated on a large bed adjacent to a couple who thought they were in their room with the drapes closed based on how they acted, we discovered that they were unwilling to sell us a bottle of Beefeater, despite prior arrangements having been made. We had had enough and decamped to the eighth stop, an audible of Harvard & Stone.

Harvard & Stone was rocking on this Saturday night, which was also the farewell session for Lindsay Nader at the R&D bar there. Bartenders such as Jaymee Mandeville and Nader's Pour Vous compatriot Devon Espinosa were there to show their love and the energy level rose to a crescendo. Any annoyance at Skybar was forgotten as we celebrated the wonderful talent of LA's cocktail community with hardcore bloggers, talented bartenders and delicious spirits. Such a great bonus that our final stop before returning to Neat included so many people who have worked to develop the cocktail scene in LA including those mentioned above, Pablo Moix of La Descarga and Alex Straus "in the House" of Hemingway's.

The ninth and final stop of the evening was back at Neat, where thanks to Caroline I was able to partake of one final round of beverages, as she was gracious enough to provide me a ride back. Erick, Aidan and Caroline organized a blast of an evening. This time there were no altercations with homeless people and we kept to the schedule; needless to say this was a classic night. Good times to hop across town on a magic mustache ride with @carolineoncrack @thirstyinla @mikeprasad @squashblossom @mattatouille @LAOCfoodie and @foodgps

ColLAboration Winter 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 19:30:00 +0000

ColLAboration, the pop-up mobile craft beer garden from the collective fevered imaginations of LA's leading beer bar owners, finally held their Winter event on Oscar Sunday. The fest, which had been delayed several months, more than made up for the delay with a doozy of a location and lineup of brews, including the ever elusive Pliny the Younger from Russian River and Dogfish Head World Wide Stout.

The location was the Belasco Theater, a classic from 1926 that was known for its burlesque revues in the 1940s and was extensively renovated to the tune of $12 million before it reopened last year as a party space. This was the first of the ColLAborations to be held indoors and it was a dramatic location with the tiers of balconies overlooking the main taps areas on the floor. There were also several outdoor patios which were quite popular on this sunny afternoon.

There were longer lines than at some of the prior events in the series; perhaps because of greater attendance. Strange Brew played on a continuous loop to entertain the thirsty attendees. Beers were sold via tokens, which were $6 each or 4 for $20. This event premiered the new ColLAboration goblet glasses. Your glass is your entry ticket at ColLAboration, so it makes sense to keep your glass from prior events.

This was my first time trying the Pliny the Younger, which has developed a cult status over the past few years, as it is time consuming and expensive for Russian River to make, leading to small quantities produced. The scarcity factor and reputation for deliciousness, along with the "passport stamp" effect in which drinkers want to try the latest hot thing has led to ever increasing ridiculousness each February when the Younger is released. The Double IPA is rather delicious; it is hoppy but not a smack in the face. Very tasty, but I can't recommend waiting in line for hours to try it, especially when there are so many other great beers out there. Fortunately they handled their Pliny allocation well at ColLAboration by releasing it at staggered times at each of the three different bars, without notice. This gave everyone a shot at trying it for themselves, and also ensured that the beer didn't disappear within minutes of the event's beginning.

Above, Ryan Sweeney of Verdugo Bar, Surly Goat and Little Bear enjoyed a beer on the upstairs patio during a break in the action. Below the four collaborators/hosts toasted to the success of a well attended and well beveraged event.

Photo courtesy Helen Springut

I heard that the next ColLAboration event should happen later this spring. Stay tuned for details.

Learn more about ColLAboration at their website: www.collaboration.la

Bone Marrow Custard at Craft

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 01:55:00 +0000

Bone marrow is one of the most delicious and decadent foods imaginable. It is literally the tissue in the middle of the bone and in cuisine, beef bones are most commonly used. The bones are often roasted and the marrow takes on an almost liquid gelatinous quality. Typically it is served in either vertical cylinders with small spoons to scoop it out, or in a trough, which is popular for bone luges.

When I got word that on rare occasions Craft Restaurant makes a Bone Marrow Custard I was more than intrigued; I was drooling. I soon made arrangements to try this dish for myself. Chef Ray England prepared this "meat butter", which was served with two pieces of toast and a red wine sauce. This dish was extremely rich and lived up to its meat butter nickname. I managed to eat this portion all by myself (perhaps not something to brag about) as I couldn't bear any of it to go to waste and I was solo for this adventure.

The aroma of the custard was heavenly. The eggs gave the custard a wonderful texture and it spread easily on the warm grilled toast. I soon ran out of toast, but before they could bring more, I had devoured the dish completely. This dish practically begs for a Lipitor chaser, but a glass of red wine was the perfect accompaniment. The bone marrow custard at Craft is 100% decadence and bliss on a plate.

Craft Los Angeles: 10100 Constellation Blvd, Century City. | 310.279.4180 | website

Katsu at Kagura (Torrance)

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:43:00 +0000

Torrance and Koreatown may be the two neighborhoods/cities in Southern California with the greatest concentration of specialist restaurants due to their concentration of Japanese and Korean restaurants and the popularity of such restaurants in those cultures. Kagura in Torrance is arguably the preeminent Katsu specialist; in addition to pork katsu, there is chicken katsu and a millefeuille pork katsu, which like the pastry has layer upon layer within the breading, only in this case layers of sliced black pork loin cutlet, not pastry. If you prefer your fried food in seafood form, oyster cutlets, salmon cutlets and crab cream croquette are all available to be fried to order.

I recently had the Chicken Oroshi Katsu Gozen lunch ($12.95) which is a deep fried free range chicken cutlet served with a radish ponzu sauce. The accompaniments are sliced cabbage, steamed grain rice, pickled vegetables, tofu and another veggie. A pork miso soup was also included but was not sampled.

The cutlet itself was a thing of beauty. Lightly fried, the cutlet arrived on a metal grate, so that the breading would not separate from the chicken cutlet due to steam and to facilitate saucing. The breading was nice and crispy and remarkably free of grease. The radish ponzu sauce added to the salty crunchy flavor by adding another layer of taste as well as cooling the piping hot katsu. The cutlet itself is quite large; this is not a light lunch, more the type of meal you want to come home and take a nap after eating.

Service was friendly and efficient and everyone in the restaurant seemed to be eating katsu of some form or another. Toyko Katsu is written on the sign above the name of the restaurant, in case you were wondering what to order.

Kagura: 1652 Cabrillo Avenue @ Carson St, Torrance. 310.787.0227 | Kagura Website

Goose Terrine at Larry's

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Winter at the beach in Los Angeles doesn't quite evoke the need for warm fireplaces when you sit in the shadow of palm trees, but in the evening the temperature drops in Venice and hearty winter fare comes to mind. Perhaps something like the goose pâté served with warm toast and huckleberries pictured above? Chef Brendan Collins of Waterloo and City has brought his love for charcuterie to Larry's and the terrines and pâtés have traveled well from Culver City to the Venice boardwalk.

The dish is simple with the sugar and acid of the huckleberries cutting the rich fattiness of the pâté. Spread some on the warm toast and you are in business. Best of all, this dish is included in the Dine LA Restaurant Week menu, so if you get to Larry's soon, you get an even better deal.

Larry's: 24 Winward Ave., Venice.| 310.399.2700 | larrysvenice.com

Jewish Deli Night @ Mezze

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:10:00 +0000

Mezze, Micah Wexler's Mediterranean restaurant on La Cienega, recently launched a Sunday night only special menu of matzo ball soup and pastrami sandwich. The regular menu is also available on Sunday evenings, but these two Jewish deli classics are hard to resist. Fortunately for Dine LA fans, they are both on the Mezze Restaurant Week menu if you eat at Mezze on a Sunday.

The Matzo Ball soup ($10) was excellent. The matzo ball was light and fluffy and the broth was intense and rich and sprinkled with chicken cracklings. Large chunks of chicken meat, carrots, celery and onions all lurk beneath the surface of the broth. This is not a dish you are going to want to share.

The Pastrami Sandwich ($15) was also quite good, although the bread was too soft for my taste. The pastrami meat was well seasoned but mild if eaten alone. It is the house-made mustard that truly gives the sandwich a kick. The combination of the sliced pastrami, the mustard and the bread does form a wonderful sandwich. If they had bread from Langer's, it would be a true home run. The meat is thickly sliced and the portion is filling without being huge. Good stuff. Perhaps Chef Wexler should consider opening up a deli as a spinoff and give Canter's a run for its money in the neighborhood. With Langer's not open for business in the evening, the matzoh ball soup and sandwich is the best Jewish deli for miles around, if only for one night a week.

Mezze: 401 N. La Cienega Blvd, Mid City. | 310.657.4103 | mezzela.com

Lamb Pies @ Beijing Pie House

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:57:00 +0000

Beijing Pie House in Monterey Park is known for their signature dish of meat pies. The Lamb Meat Pies may be the ultimate dish here and they come come four to an order for $7. Picture a hockey puck shaped dumpling filled with a savory lamb patty and scalding hot lamb jus. The dumplings are dangerous in that the soup they contain is both extremely flavorful and extremely hot. Prepare for the jus to squirt when you bite into one or pierce one with your chopstick.

This is not dainty food; prepare for a mess and you will see that it is worth the effort. The lamb soup and lamb patty that lie within the dough combine to make one of the perfect bites of Los Angeles. As a lamb fan, this dish is irresistible although I have yet to determine the optimal method of eating the pies without the hot jus running down my fingers.

What better way to enhance your lamb experience at Beijing Pie House than by adding the Lamb Noodle Soup ($6.29) to the order. The soup is served in a large bowl and the broth is imbued with the lamb meat flavor. Unlike some restaurants where the broth in the soup seems like a sauce for the noodles; here it takes center stage and is served in an ample sized portion relative to the noodles and lamb. The noodles are nicely chewy and the soup is the perfect thing on a chilly day or evening.

Please note that Beijing Pie House is cash only. There are several other types of meat pies available but the lamb ones are so enticing, I have never made it further than that dish on the menu.

Beijing Pie House: 846 E. Garvey Avenue, Monterey Park. | 626.288.3818

Forget Candyland, Canland AKA Golden Road Brewery Is Open

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:02:00 +0000

Golden Road Brewery debuted two new ventures this month: The Pub at Golden Road Brewery and the launch of their beer in cans. The brewery is located just north of Atwater Village alongside the train tracks on San Fernando Road. The pub is now open 7 days a week from 11 am - 11 pm and features 10-12 proprietary beers as well as 10-12 guest taps from other brewers that Golden Road respects. The project is the latest venture from Tony Yanow, who is well known in the Los Angeles craft beer community for his other ventures Tony's Dart's Away and Mohawk Bend. For Golden Road, he partnered with Meg Gill, who at 26 is already a veteran of the craft beer movement.

Both of Golden Road's two flagship beers are available in cans: Point the Way IPA and Golden Road Hefeweizen. The six packs are $12. At the brewery, several limited releases are available on tap. These include Burning Bush IPA, EL Hefe Anejo (tequila barrel aged Hefeweizen infused with agave and mesquite honey), Festivus Cinnamon Bitter and Rye on the Palate. On the day I visited they were already out of the Hefe Anejo and the Lost its Way IPA. I was able to try the Rye on the Palate, which is pictured at the top of this page. The Rye on the Palate was delicious; it is lightly hoppy, and the rye gives it that wonderful bready smell (though it can't substitute for a load from Langer's.

The menu at the pub is gastropub meets vegan, as Yanow is well known for his vegan offerings at Tony's Dart's Away and Mohawk Bend. Customers order at the bar and are given a buzzer that goes off when their food is ready. I tried the Sloppy Joseph, a grown-up take on the classic Sloppy Joe, which is made with stout braised beef short-ribs, fried shallots and house-made bbq sauce. The sandwich appeared on the small side but it turned out to be quite filling as well as well seasoned. The flavorful short ribs were overflowing the bun and I opted for the addition of the coleslaw ($3) which was light and a good companion to the sandwich as it was mayonnaise free (and vegan). I saw several pretzels go out and they are huge.

The setting is comfortable in casual as the interior seating and bar itself are located in a warehouse style building that has been built out. Concrete floors and a ceiling high enough to play basketball in are signature elements of the space. Simple dark wood chairs and tables, including several communal tables fill out the interior. There is also a retail area selling six packs of the beer cans and other assorted merchandise.

On my visit the Golden Road Brews beer menu was as follows:

Burning Bush IPA - $6
Either Side of the Hill - American Strong Ale - $6
El Hefe Anejo - tequila barrel aged Hefeweizen - $6
Festivus Cinnamon Bitter - $6
Golden Road Hefeweizen - $4/$5
Get Up Offa that Brown - $5/$6
Lost its Way IPA - $5
Point the Way IPA - $4/$5
Rye on the Palate - $6
Schwartz Stout - $5/$6

Several of the beers are available in small and large sizes.

On a warm day, the patio is the place to be as you can relax outdoors without being too far from the bar for the inevitable refill of liquid refreshment and with no waiters, you don't have to worry about getting anyone's attention.

I recommend heading over to Atwater Village and hoisting a pint yourself to check it out. The craft beer movement in Los Angeles is truly coming into its own and it is exciting to have another solid brewery right in our own backyard. I feel sorry for the folks who go by on the trains alongside Golden Road as they have to watch happy customers enjoying beers outside while they are trapped in slow moving tin cans with mass market brews, if they are fortunate to have any beer at all.

Golden Road Brewery & Pub: 5410 West San Fernando Road. | 213.373.4677 | goldenroad.la

Goat Schnitzel at Tasting Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:38:00 +0000

With the explosion in German beer themed restaurants, think Wirtshaus, Biergarten, Steingarten, Wurstkuche (both branches), there has been a corresponding rise in the availability of dishes like shnitzel. Alligator schnitzel was even on the menu at Vinny & Jon of Animal's second restaurant, Son of A Gun, and downtown saw the launch of a kosher schnitzel truck.

Recently even The Tasting Kitchen in Venice got in on the act, with Chef Casey Lane adding a special of Goat Schnitzel with pickled onion and brown butter to the menu.

I had already eaten dinner elsewhere and had just stopped in to The Tasting Kitchen for a cocktail but the words goat schnitzel caught my eye and I couldn't help ordering the dish "to save for tomorrow." Needless to say that this schnitzel was not saved until the next day; I don't think a single bite made it out of the restaurant. The bartender told me that Lane had ordered an entire goat and had been experimenting with different dishes all week. The goat schnitzel was crispy not greasy, and the breading was not too thick. The meat had a slightly gamey taste as this was certainly goat and not veal. An excellent dish in the goat pantheon.

Little Bear Awakens from Winter Hibernation

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:30:00 +0000

In the DTLA Arts District, across the street from Church & State Bistro, Little Bear opened earlier this month in the former home of Royal Clayton's Pub. The Belgian Beer specialist is a bar and cafe and has sixteen selections on tap as well as an extensive bottle list. The food menu tends toward gastropub options.

One of the signature food items is the gougeres which come with either sous-vide pork belly, duck confit or fried oysters inside a gourgere, sandwich-style. They come three to an order and are different than any gougere I have ever seen before. Expect to find sandwiches as well as dishes like duck confit and the Belgian classic of waterzooi on the menu.

I enjoyed several of the draught beers but the best beer I sampled was the Jandrain-Jandrenouille VI Saison, which is available by the bottle. Ryan Sweeney of Verdugo Bar and Surly Goat curated the beer list. Sweeney is one of the best beer-men in Southern California and has relationships with breweries such as Russian River that are loath to take on additional accounts, so he brings access as well as expertise to the table at Little Bear. The list is a mix of beers from Belgium and Belgian-style beers from California breweries such as The Bruery (their Wanderer is pictured below) and North Coast. The most interesting selections are on the bottle list, so bring some friends and try a few large format bottles.

The bar has been busy thus far, so plan on a wait for a seat unless you arrive on the early side.

Little Bear: 1855 Industrial Street, DTLA. 213.622.8100 | littlebearla.com

Sunny Spot: Roy Choi Remakes Beechwood

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:19:00 +0000

Follow the sign to Sunny Spot, the latest partnership between Dave Reiss and Chef Roy Choi who previously collaborated at A-Frame and the Alibi Room. Sunny Spot occupies the former home of Beachwood, where Abbot Kinney spills into Washington Blvd. Choi has excised any ghosts of chefs past, including Jamie Lauren, with his new Caribbean menu. Brian Butler created the cocktail list and has also curated the largest selection of rum on the Westside. The restaurant website describes Sunny Spot as "that place where everyday is a holiday and food makes you smile."

If you begin your visit with a cocktail, and you should, the Chilcano Bay is an excellent way to start. It is made with Pisco, lime juice, ginger, lemongrass and Fernet Branca.

The Yuca Fries ($4) are wonderfully crunchy and are served with a tangy spicy sauce "banana thai basil ketchup." We began eating them before this photo was taken as we were hungry and they looked so appetizing.

Enjoyable but not as stellar as the yuca fries, the Sweet and Salty Fried Plantains are smaller than the yuca fries, crispy and a little sweet. These are also only $4, so why choose, get both. The pricing at Sunny Spot is very accessible and makes ordering many plates to share a reasonable strategy both from a variety and a budgetary perspective.

The "What a Jerk Wings" are double coated and double fried chicken wings. They are a little too crunchy, for chicken wings.

Perhaps the best item on the menu may be the Whole Snapper ($35), which is known on the menu as "Yeah, I'm Staring Atchu Fish." The fish is served whole with ginger oil, lime and chili vinegar. The snapper was perfectly cooked and each bite had so much flavor our dining party fought over the choicest bits including the cheeks; the fish bones were picked clean when we were done.

I found the broiled Hamachi Collar ($14) to be a little spicy. It was prepared with garlic thyme butter, lime, and a banana chili glaze. While enjoyable it paled in comparison to the whole snapper which preceded it; I prefer the version found at traditional Japanese restaurants.

The Bijou with rum is one of my favorite cocktails I have had of late. Typically made with gin, vermouth and chartreuse, Butler substituted rum for the gin and a great cocktail got even better. The Bijou is boozy, has layers of flavor and is highly recommended.

Yellow Salty Rice doesn't sound very interesting yet we ordered seconds. There is something addictive about this yellow rice that beckons for just one more spoonful. If it makes you thirsty for another of Butler's cocktails, that is just an added bonus.

Slow Roasted Goat ($15) is described as the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) on the menu and while it may not quite deserve that moniker, it is well worth ordering. The tasty goat is served with pickled mango and would be a good introduction to the meat for goat-virgins.

All of the interior and exterior spaces have been redone. Below, the firepits that used to be outside have gone and the patio is now more of a comfortable and casual seating area.

In the main dining room, which is known as the Rum Den, a wall was removed, which really opens up the space. This room contains a bar dedicated to sipping rums and a table in the corner referred to as the "Bird Cage". My favorite of the three dining areas is the "Front Room", perhaps for its proximity to the bar as well as for the communal tables, which have a lot of room; perfect for sharing tons of small plates.

Only the Rum Den takes reservations so two thirds of Sunny Spot is for walk-ins, which makes it easy to stop by and have a drink or a whole meal, depending on your mood and not worry about waiting hours for a seat to open up. I recommend trying several of the sipping rums as well. The Rhum Barbancourt 15 year from Haiti is something special, but there are tons of gems on the menu. So check it our for yourself and see if the experience "makes you smile."

Sunny Spot: 822 Washington Blvd @ Abbot Kinney. Phone: 310.448.8884 | http://sunnyspotvenice.com/

Kris Morningstar Resurfaces at Ray's @ LACMA

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Kris Morningstar has been a highly regarded chef for over half a decade in Los Angeles, but he may have been better known for his itinerant ways than for the food on his plates; until now. In the past few years Morningstar was the chef at District, CASA and Blue Velvet but he has finally found a match between chef and restaurant where each is perfectly suited for the other at Ray's, the restaurant part of the new Ray's and Stark Bar at LACMA. The restaurant has achieved acclaim including a coveted spot on Esquire Magazine's Best New Restaurants list.

I was recently invited to try the tasting menu, paired with wine by sommelier Paul Sanguinetti. The setting is comfortable modern, a cross between the Jetson's and something out of 2001 A Space Odyssey. The meal begins on a fun note as the placesettings are hidden in a drawer under the table in front of each diner.

The meal started with an amuse of Cauliflower with caper and raisin puree and Italian flat leaf parsley. The combination of sweet and savory welcomed our taste buds to the food and wine that was to follow.

The first course was Kanpachi with pineapple guava, serrano chiles and mint. I found the fish to be on the bland side with the only flavor coming from the salt and the chiles. The sashimi was accompanied by a Habit Wine Company chenin blanc, a New World chenin blanc from Santa Barbara.

The second course was a Foie Gras and Pheasant Terrine with apple and onion compote and frisee, roasted pecan and sunchoke salad. The foie and pheasant was a luxurious winter game terrine that packed the flavor I had missed in the prior course. The rich terrine paired well with the sweet compote and the salad served as a suitable palate cleanser in between bites. This dish was paired with an Old World chenin blanc, which was an interesting "pendant" to the New World wine served with the sashimi.

The third course was Sweet Corn Agnolotti with hen of the woods mushrooms and pine nuts. This was the most successful dish of the evening, a really delicious combination of savory mushrooms and sweet corn. If you see Agnolotti on the menu, order them. The pasta was paired with Bouregard chardonnay from Santa Cruz hills which was aged in oak barrels which gave it a deep flavor which played off the mushrooms.

The fourth course was Wild Salmon, served with elephant mushrooms and a roasted beet puree. The salmon had a delightfully crispy skin that added a pleasing textural element to the dish. The wine paired with the fish was a Dolcetto de Dogliani , a smoky Italian red.

For our fifth course and final savory course, Morningstar prepared a Dry Aged Hanger Steak served with forest mushrooms, black vinegar sauce and cream of leek. The intense black vinegar sauce brought the dish together and again the mushrooms were outstanding. The paired negrette was earthy and a good match to the well aged steak and the mushrooms.

The meal concluded with two dessert courses: Chocolate Mousse (above) and the Sticky Toffee Pudding (below) with seared figs, goats milk ice cream and English toffee. The toffee pudding was the winner, a sweet and salty conclusion to the meal that sent us out into the night on a high note.

LACMA finally has a worthy dining destination and Morningstar has a kitchen where he can execute his artistic vision. I look forward to seeing how this marriage evolves. I have a feeling we'll be seeing Morningstar's menus at Ray's for years to come. After you have finished up your dinner, where better to walk off your meal than Urban Light, Chris Burden's sculpture of two hundred cast-iron lampposts? Take advantage of Ray's LACMA setting to truly make an evening of it. There are few such dramatic restaurant settings in the whole city.

All photos courtesy of TreasureLA

Ray's & Stark Bar: 5905 Wilshire Blvd (LACMA), Mid City. 323.857.6180. | Website

Weekend Brunch at Mohawk Bend

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:10:00 +0000

When I was invited to try brunch at Mohawk Bend, the craft beer bar and restaurant which opened last fall to much buzz, I was very intrigued. Brunch service just began and I was curious to see what owner Tony Yanow had in mind as his establishments are known for their extensive vegan options.

In addition to several dozen taps of local craft beer, Mohawk Bend has a full bar and cocktail program and a Pisco Sour is an excellent way to begin a morning meal. It is made with frothy egg-whites and Pisco, so you could consider it a meal in a glass. Who doesn't enjoy eggs at breakfast? The Pisco Sour was well executed, not too sweet or tart and appropriately frothy.

Sorry vegans, but Huevos Divorciados is the must order item at brunch. It is made with fried eggs, chilaquiles, red & green salsas, queso fresco and crème fraiche. The fried corn tortillas were at that perfect stage between nicely crispy and soggy and the salsas were piquant and flavorful.

The Vegan Scrapple was a pleasant surprise as the dish is usually made with pork leftover bits (scraps, hence the name scrapple) and cornmeal before being combined and fried. This version includes vegan sausage and was served on a bed of tomato sauce. It was reminiscent of polenta cakes and rather tasty. I have never had the pork version, but this is a filling dish that while not evoking meat, was satisfying as it is. The other ingredients in the scrapple include broccolini, rappini, spinach, onions, scallions, pasilla chiles, thyme, sage, soy milk, organic polenta, and house made veggie stock. Just like the traditional version, the chef uses the leftover scraps of what is available in the kitchen, although in this case that means veggies not bacon bits. The tomato sauce had a nice slight kick from garlic and chile de arbol.

Elvis French Toast is a tribute to The King: french toast sandwiches with bananas and bacon and served with peanut butter syrup. I was not a fan of this dish which was served cut-up in four pieces. I had a version without the bacon and it likely doesn't work as well as the bacon can aid the flavors in coming together. The bacon-fiends I was with enjoyed this dish significantly more than I did.

Sera's Signature Waffle is both vegan and gluten free. The waffle is served with a choice of peanut butter, maple or pecan syrup. If you are not a vegan, I do not recommend this dish as it doesn't capture the essence of a waffle as it lacks the eggs which help provide texture and consistency.

It never hurts to add a bit of greens to a meal, especially when the JJ Kale salad is on offer. It is a wilted salad of kale seared with garlic and chili, topped with julienned jicama. The jicama is sweet and refreshing and has a wonderful crunch and the seared kale also provides some crunch and pow from the garlic and chili. A healthy accompaniment to the Huevos Divorciados or the Scrapple.

Best of all should you want to have a brew with your brunch, the full selection is available. Beer, it's what's for breakfast. Plus, Mohawk Bend now takes reservations.

Mohawk Bend: 2141 W. Sunset Blvd, Echo Park. Phone: 213.483.2337 | mohawk.la

It's Getting Hot In Here: 800 Degrees Opens in Westwood

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:09:00 +0000

2012 looks to continue one of the biggest LA restaurant trends of 2011: gourmet pizza, especially in the Neapolitan style. The first contender to open is 800 Degrees, from Adam Fleischman, the owner/founder of Umami Burger. I was invited to try the pizza just before it opened and I think Fleischman will have another hit on his hands. The pizza is good, but moreover it is an amazing value. The ability to have a handmade Margherita pizza for only $6 is mind boggling.

Customers enter the line near the entrance and are offered their choice of three base pizzas: Margherita ($6) with crushed tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, parmigiano reggiano, olive oil and basil; Bianca ($5, white pie) with fresh mozzarella, garlic, oregano, olive oil and sea salt; or a Marinara ($5, sauce but no cheese) with crushed tomato sauce, garlic oregano and olive oil. Oregano, chiles and garlic are all available as free add-ons.

Once they select their base pie, patrons have a choice of about 30 toppings, most of which are $1, including a variety of proteins, cheeses and vegetables. Note that rock shrimp, proscuitto, truffle cheese and artichokes are $3.

We began our sampling with two variations on the Margherita pie. Above just garlic was added. Below, with cherry tomatoes, pine nuts and carmelized onions. Both were enjoyable and were prepared speedily. In case you were wondering, 800 Degrees is the temperature of the pizza oven, and due to the high heat, the pizzas cook in only one to two minutes. By the time you are through the line after customizing your pie and perhaps getting a salad to go with it and paying, your pizza will be ready. It is that fast. Everything about a meal at 800 Degrees is easy - a few choices which can be customized any way you like (this is not one of those no substitutions, no changes, no exceptions joints), fast service and reasonable prices. Even the soda machine can mix and match literally hundreds of flavors, depending on your mood.

As mentioned above, the toppings are incredibly reasonably priced. Below is the Bianca with meatballs (beef), which are broken up into small bits once you order, and an additional cheese. I will certainly be back to try more variations as the convenience factor, price point and quality are an impressive combination. Pizza, toppings and a beverage for $10? You could pay more in a mall food court for a far inferior product. 800 Degrees is using ingredients from good producers; even the eggs are from organic free-range chickens.

For dessert there is Gelato from LA Creamery. The pistachio flavor was the hit of our group, although the cookies and cream was rather popular too. The gelato is also only $2.50 per scoop.

Below, the literal Ferrari of soda fountains, produces endless varieties of beverages. Vanilla root beer is my recommendation.

The pies are rolled to order from balls of dough before they are cooked in the wood burning oven:

Another bonus is that 800 Degrees does both take-out and delivery in addition to dine-in and you can order online on their website. Quality, convenience and value and most importantly a good tasting pizza? Watch out Westwood Village.

800 Degrees: 10889 Lindbrook Drive @ Westwood Blvd, Westwood Village. | 424.239.5010 | 800degreespizza.com

Warm Up with the Winter Cocktail Menu at 1886

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:05:00 +0000

1886 only gets better and better. Pasadena's premiere cocktail spot has settled into a comfortable groove of innovation in its just over one year of existence. Cocktail consultant Marcos Tello still provides guidance but now the team led by talented head barman Garrett McKechnie has been allowed to shine. The new winter menu, which is smoke and beers themed, has cocktails created by many of the staff members. This collective approach which highlights the deep bench, rather than focusing on a single wizard, is a telling sign of the 1886 ethos: unpretentious quality and comfortable fun.

The most dramatic cocktail on the menu is undoubtedly The Smoking Jacket, a Lacey Murillo cocktail served in a brandy snifter. The base is Pot Still Irish Whiskey with house-made 1886 tobacco bitters, maplewood smoke and orange-vanilla ash. As the smoke fills up and rises out of the glass, other patrons will inevitably look at your cocktail with curiousity and perhaps a twinge of jealously. The cocktail is completed with the addition of the orange-vanilla ash, which adds a sweet and smoky element. With such strong visual and olfactory elements there is a danger that the flavor might not live up to the other senses, melting away like the smoke into the night air. Fortunately the taste delivers, enabling this take on an Old Fashioned to be a feast for all of your senses.

Marcos Tello descrived Brady Weise's Coffee and Cigarettes as "a chocolate version of a White Russian, but it's lengthened with stout, so it has this heavy chocolate coffee note and looks like coffee. So when you drink this cocktail, you get the chocolate and coffee notes, and then you eat the cigarette and the vanilla flavor comes in. From afar, it actually looks like someone drinking their coffee and eating their cigarette."
The cocktail is made with Vodka, Dark Crème de Cacao, Yeti Stout, Hand Whipped Cream, & Vanilla Paper Rolled Cigarette. The coffee notes from the Stout Beer come through loud and clear as this cocktail embodies both themes of smoke and beer.

On a cold night the warming effect of a Grog Logged, a creation of Greg Gertmenian, is just what the doctor ordered. The cocktail is made with Black Rum and 1886's own proprietary grog recipe which includes ale, sugar and lime. The drink name is a tribute to Jeff "Beachbum" Berry. The cocktail is served in a jar wrapped in a koozie made out of rope. This beverage is as potent as it is warm.

Another noteworthy addition to the 1886 repertoire is Danny Cymbal's Oak Knoll Manhattan, which is a twist on the classic incorporating housemade mulled wine vermouth. It incorporates Bonded Bourbon with dry vermouth, mulled vermouth and garnished with dried sugar (the snowflake in the cocktail above). The vermouth is housemade mulled wine vermouth utilizing several locally grown spices and botanicals. Now Pasadena has its own Manhattan variation. Who knows, perhaps soon bartenders will name their versions after neighborhoods in the area instead of those in Brooklyn.

Whether it is house-mulled vermouth, house-made bitters or creating their own grog, 1886 is focusing on putting their own touches on their cocktails by making their own ingredients. The other new additions to the Winter Menu are:

Con Abuelita: Ancho-Chile infused Reposado Tequila, 1886 Hot Chocolate Mix, & Ancho-Chile Marshmallow
Chic(ory) Flip: Chicory-Coffee infused Rye Whiskey, Yeti Stout, One Whole Egg, & Carmelized Chicory-Coffee Sugar
Pimm’s Cup No. 2: Scotch based Pimm’s No. 2, citrus juices, ginger, mint, cucumber, & soda water Holland Daze: Bols Genever, Housemade Pistachio Orgeat, Maraschino Liqueur, Lemon & Housmade Sambuca Bitters
Per-Sin-Amen: Mescal, Fresh Persimmons, Housemade Cinnamon Bark Syrup, Lime, & Chocolate-Creole Bitters

1886 at the Raymond: 1250 South Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena. Phone: 626.441.3136 | theraymond.com

Mezze's New Bar Menu

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 20:13:00 +0000

Chef Micah Wexler's Meditteranean restaurant Mezze opened to strong reviews this March in the former Sona location on La Cienega. Mezze has a striking interior and opened up the space with a large open kitchen. The glass provides an expensive view into the gleaming white kitchen where Wexler and his team prepare the small plates the restaurant is known for.

Earlier this month Mezze launched a new Bar Menu, providing the opportunity to try Wexler's cuisine in sharable small portions, suitiable for munching along with one of the signature cocktails.

A highlight of the cocktail list is the Baharat Milk ($10), below, is made with Barbancourt 8 Year, Remy VS, Baharat Milk and grated pistachios. The frothy milk blends well with the rich Haitian rum and the Cognac and the grated pistachios add both an attractive dash of color as well as a sweet nutty finish.

The cocktail list, along with the beers and wines are half price during the twice nightly "happy hour" at the bar from 6 - 7:30 pm and again from 11 pm - 1 am. The new bar menu is available all night, although not at half price.

The rest of the cocktails on the list are:

Grapefruit Sergio: St. Germain, Vodka, lemon juice, grapefruit juice ($10)
Sumac 75: Sparkling Wine, Cocchi Americano, Sumac Syrup ($11)
Angeleno: Gin, Aperol, orange juice, lemon juice, bitter lemon soda ($12)
George Dickel Pickle: Whiskey, mustard seed, lemon, celery, serrano pepper ($11)
Mongo: Don Julio Anejo Tequila, Peychaud and Angostura Bitters, Lemon Juice ($16)

The new bar menu includes:

Zatar Bread and Olive Oil ($4)
Warm Pita with Honey and Butter ($4)
Grandma’s Chopped Chicken Livers with Grape Mostarda and Mini-Challah ($10)
Eggplant Hushpuppies with Onion Fondue ($6)
Potato Knish with House Mustard ($7)
Merguez Sausage Flatbread with Tomato Jam and Aleppo Pepper ($14)
Egyptian Rebel Fries with Heirloom Beans, Brisket, and Syrian Cheese ($10)
Braised Moroccan Chicken Wings with Picholine Olives and Golden Raisins ($9)
Brisket Shawarma or Falafel Sandwich with Amba and House Pickles ($8)
The Kleinfeld Sandwich: Chicken Shawarma with Amba and House Pickles on a Sesame Baguette ($10)
Brussels Sprouts with Soft Boiled Egg and Soujouk ($8)

Mezze: 401 N. La Cienega Blvd, Mid City. Phone: 310.657.4103 | Website: mezzela.com

Good Things Come in [Freddy] Smalls Packages

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:11:00 +0000

Freddy Smalls opened up last week on Pico Blvd in West LA, just down the block from Mori Sushi. In a small lowprofile space that formerly housed El Serape, some big players have come together to create something special. The chef is Charlie Parker, who previously was the chef at the Cellar Door at Bonny Doon winery in Santa Cruz; consulting is Jeremy Fox, the former executive chef at Ubuntu. Also in the mix is Mario Orellana, formerly of Chimu, who has been consulting and cooking as well. Fox and Parker worked together at Manresa in Los Gatos, for their mentor Chef David Kinch.

I had the pleasure to eat at the Cellar Door several times when Parker was the chef and it was delicious and casual but perfectly executed. The atmosphere at Freddy Smalls is also low key and the menu is attractively priced, but most importantly the food is flavorful and not shy. With Fox associated with the restaurant some might assume that it is vegetarian. It is most certainly not; meat has a pride of place on the menu and some of the best dishes are nothing short of decadent.

Another key player in Freddy Smalls is manager David Fleisher, who previously played that role at Seven Grand. As such, it is no surprise that the cocktail list includes touches such as house-made tonic and grenadine. The cocktail list includes about a dozen choices, priced at $10 - $12, and among the highlights is the Mayberry Smash, made with Death’s Door Gin, fresh berries, sage honey, lemon juice and mint leaf garnish.

The Chicken Liver Mousse ($8) is served with crispy bread, red wine and shallot marmalade (center) and violet mustard (right). The mousse itself was rich and creamy and spread luxuriously over the warm toast. The marmalade was an unusual touch and and the mustard brought a sharper element to the dish. They brought more bread without us having to ask for it, when our waiter saw that we still had mousse left after finishing the toast.

Deviled Eggs have been having a very long moment in foodie circles, and the epicenter of their rennaisance has been at gastropubs. Here, they are Buffalo Deviled Eggs ($6), with crisp chicken skin, Point Reyes blue cheese and CP's Hot Sauce all incorporated to liven up the dish. The chicken skin was the hook and it got us to order the dish. The chicken skin was great, but overall the eggs were fine, not of note.

The pièce de résistance of the menu and our recent meal was the Reuben's Gluttony ($19). A board arrived at the table groaning with gluttonous delights including corned beef (more brisket style in my opinion), bone marrow, yorky pudding, kohlrabi kraut and a selection of mustards. The corned beef brisket was rather tasty and the yorky pudding when topped with bone marrow was outstanding. Overall only a shmear of mustard was left on the board when my hungry posse was done with it. A must order.

The Flash-Grilled Steak Tartare ($12) is topped by a smoked egg yolk, and is accompanied by Worcestershire fingerling potato chips. Incorporating Worcestershire sauce into the potato chips used to eat the tartare, rather than into the tartare itself, was an inspired idea. The smoky yolk mixed in nicely and enriched the dish. Another must order.

It wouldn't be a Jeremy Fox menu without some vegetable dishes. The Beets & Avocado ($9) was served on a bed of red quinoa, fuyu persimmon and pistachio nuts. A pleasing assortment of flavors and textures that also looked too good to eat.

The Mushroom and Farro Porridge ($16) is another vegetarian dish sure to please. The base is caramelized onion consomme, with winter vegetables, miner's lettuce and a slow cooked egg. A runny egg makes everything better and this dish tasted very meaty for a vegetarian option. Note that the egg is $3 additional (to the $13 base), but I consider it an essential ingredient.

The dessert menu is short and sweet with only three options. One stands out and practically demands to be ordered: Belgian Waffle ($8) served with grilled lady apple, bacon butter and bourbon-maple syrup. The bacon butter was served on the side for us and the waffle, grilled apple and bourbon maple syrup was a heady combination. It left us happy as we headed out into the winter's night.

Freddy Smalls is indeed small and is likely to be extremely popular once word gets out. So go now and beat the rush while you can. Good things do come in Smalls packages.

Freddy Smalls: 11520 W. Pico Blvd, West LA. Phone: 310.479.3000 | Website: www.freddysmalls.com

Roll The Dice: Three Threes Is A Winner at the Tripel

noreply@blogger.com (Aaron Tell) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:59:00 +0000

The Tripel is on the main drag in Playa del Rey, which means that it is still relatively quiet, although parking on Culver can be difficult. The neighborhood, just North of LAX, is cut off from the rest of the city by the Ballona Creek and wetlands to the North, the airport to the South and Lincoln Blvd and LMU to the East. Hemmed in right off of the Pacific, Playa del Rey is not on the way to anywhere else and feels like a hidden secret.

Last spring, Chef Brook Williamson opened The Tripel with her husband and fellow chef Nick Roberts as a follow-up to the Hudson House in Redondo Beach. Williamson is the primary chef at the Tripel and she has developed a tasty menu of small plates and sandwiches. I was recently invited to see how the menu has evolved.

I began tasting my way through the menu with the Fried Gigante Beans, which appeared more like fried seafood than beans, but were crunchy and delicious. These beans were indeed gigantic and the batter was thin and they had none of the greasiness often associated with fried food.

A must order is the signature Poppy-Parmesan Biscuits. They were served with orange blossom honey and clotted cream (in the bowl). Williamson always has biscuits on the menu but varies them with the season. They taste as good as they look; nice and light and moist. Nothing is worse than an overly dry biscuit but fortunately that is a hazard you will not need to fear encountering at the Tripel.

The sandwiches are the most popular menu items. Having tried the lamb burger (just ok) on a prior visit, I made straight for the Turkey Pastrami Melt: turkey pastrami with cambozola blue brie melted on sourdough bread. With the accompanying stout mustard and pickles this was a solid dish. Another favorite was the Chicken Waterzooi (unpictured) which included carrots, leeks, kale, fenugreek, gremolata, chicken and a potato pancake in a stew. This was hearty and exceeded expectations. Who knew you could get a great Belgian waterzooi in a beach bar in Playa del Rey? The dish is a nod towards the Belgian beer theme of the gastropub.

The Tripel lacks a hard liquor license but serves beer cocktails including the seasonal special of Holiday Spice Cake with sparkling wine, Scaldis Noel (a Belgian Strong Ale), ginger beer and bitters. This beer cocktail evokes winter, even by the beach in Los Angeles.

Another enjoyable beer cocktail was the Shandy with amber ale, ginger beer and a twist of orange peel. This was light and refreshing and perfect for a warm afternoon.

The Tripel is small with the only seating at two communal tables and at the bar. They have a strong Belgian and craft beer list on draft and it is a comfortable ambiance. I recommend making a detour over to Playa del Rey to try some of their new dishes, sip on a few brews and perhaps try a beer cocktail, especially if you have never had one before. They open at noon on Friday - Sunday and later afternoon may be the perfect time at this spot as it is still light out and warm and the evening crowds have yet to wander in.

The Tripel: 333 Culver Blvd, Playa del Rey. Phone: 310.821.0333 Website: thetripel.com