Commissary (Los Angeles, CA)

August 15, 2014, 10:30 pm

≫ Next: Wexler's Deli (Los Angeles, CA)

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Commissary Restaurant at The Line Hotel
3515 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010
213.368.3030
www.eatatpot.com
Thu 08/07/2014, 10:30p-12:20a



Following in the footsteps of POT Lobby Bar, POT, and POT caFe, the final chapter of Roy Choi's revamp of The Line Hotel debuted on August 7th. Located in a "country club" greenhouse on the property's second floor pool deck, Commissary represents a departure from the type of cooking you might typically associate with the Chef, an ostensibly produce-driven eatery meant to highlight fruits and vegetables in various ways. Choi stresses, though, that this is not a vegetarian restaurant.


As for Commissary's menu, it too is unconventional. Instead of words, diners chose from hand-drawn pictures of various types of main ingredients, though there is an accompanying "cheat sheet." Besides the menu, people are also going to be talking about the cocktails, which are the handiwork here of the inimitable Matt Biancaniello. The drinks, served in big-ass plastic cups with ice, are based on fruit and vegetable juices, rather than spirits, and are infused with different types of aromatics, and a bit of booze too of course. Finally, if wine is more your thing, there's an affordably-priced list by The Line's F&B GM Hayden Felice (ex-Craft NY). Click for larger versions.


Radish [$8.00] | butter, chilies, parmesan, lemon, green sauce
I'm quite the fan of radishes, and here they were nicely presented, their bitter-hot character apparent, yet balanced by the combo of Parm and garlic sauce. I also appreciated the underpinning of heat in the dish, but the individual slices of pepper were uncomfortably jarring at times given their spiciness.


Deviled Eggs [$8.00] | chives, cayenne, sweet relish, red onion
Regular readers will know that I can't resist ordering the deviled eggs on a menu, and the ones here didn't let me down. Think classic flavors, but with just a smidge of heat and a lovely bit of piquancy from the relish to even out the lushness of that yolk.


Tomato [$8.00] | confit, nectarines, chiles, garlic, red sauce
The pairing of tomato and nectarine was smart here, resulting in a sweet-n-tangy sort of character that was surprisingly effective, and which paired beautifully with the palpable touch of heat in the dish. One of the highlights of the meal.


Pimp's Cup [$13.00] | Rhubarb, shiso, cucumber, ginger
White Peach [$13.00] | Pisco, white peach, anise hyssop
We actually ran into Biancaniello on the way up to the restaurant, and he recommended a few cocktails for us, so unsurprisingly we went with his suggestions. The Pimp's Cup was nominally a play on the classic Pimm's Cup, with a refreshing mix of fruity, subtly spicy flavors overarched by the aromatics of lavender. The White Peach, meanwhile, was jam-packed with the essence of the stone fruit, the pisco adding the right amount of weight to the cocktail while the anise hyssop imparted just a tinge of zippiness to round things out.


Clams [$12.00] | chicken stock, chiles, lemon, bacon, sambal, green sauce
Clams were appropriately briny, their ocean-y flavors complemented by the potency of bacon and a great whisper of heat from the sambal.


Asparagus [$12.00] | grilled, parmesan, lemon, green sauce
Asparagus also made a strong showing for itself, a smoky, astringent preparation amped up by the salty Parmesan while lemon offered up a good amount of countervailing tartness to the mix.


Grilled Cheese [$8.00] | sourdough, cheddar cheese, tomato sauce
Next was a dish supposedly inspired by the movie Chef and its main actor Jon Favreau, whom Choi taught to make grilled cheese. The sandwich was classic in essence, giving you the satisfying flavors you'd expect with the cheese and bread involved. The tomato sauce, meanwhile, stood in for the dish's traditional accompaniment of tomato soup, and added a much appreciated tartness to things.


Schnitzel [$20.00] | lemon, dijon, wild arugula, yellow sauce
Our most substantial dish of the night was a take on the traditional Austrian Wiener Schnitzel, and one of the standouts for me. Choi's version was made with pork, a tender, surprisingly juicy cutlet that showed off a delightfully crisp panko-based crust. The use of mustard and mirin gave up a sweet-n-sour sort of combo that paired superbly with the meat, and the brightness of the greens up top finished out things beautifully.


Garlic Bread [$3.00]
Commissary's garlic bread was certainly enjoyable: nicely crisp, suitably garlicky, and not overly oily as it can sometimes get.


Blueberry [$13.00] | Bourbon, cucumber, huacatay, blueberry
The Blueberry cocktail was also to my liking, the disparate qualities of the fruit and whiskey nicely commingled here, set off by the brightness of the cucumber and black mint.


Bok Choy [$12.00] | garlic, ginger, green onion, chilies, brown sauce
I was sort of diggin' a dish of Chinese cabbage as well. You had the light, crunchy bok choy as a base, joined by green bean, with the combination of garlic-ginger-onion-chile-soy imparting an spicy, savory, Asian-y flair to things.


Hashbrowns [$3.00]
Given my penchant for breakfast foods at night, I just had to try the hash browns. Commissary's was an extra crispy version, and was particularly tasty when taken with a dab of the included ketchup.


Rhubarb [$8.00]
Commissary's sole dessert featured rhubarb, the veggie's sweet-tart nature complemented by the comparative lightness of the meringue while a citrus-y custard tied everything together. Taken all at once, the whole thing was a bit reminiscent of key lime pie.

I don't think any of us were really sure what Choi and company were planning with Commissary, and I'm still not sure if I do, but the meal I had was quite a good one. Drinks were exactly what they set out to be, and the cooking was satisfying in a classic sort of manner, but was also kept interesting and fresh enough. Veggies, and to a lesser extent, fruits, are meant to be the stars here, and they were for the most part, but that schnitzel was damn tasty at the same time. This is probably the most intriguing, perplexing food Choi's done since he ascended to fame in '09, so I'm curious to see where he goes from here.

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Wexler's Deli (Los Angeles, CA)

August 19, 2014, 3:10 pm

≫ Next: Fifty Seven (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

≪ Previous: Commissary (Los Angeles, CA)

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Wexler's Deli at Grand Central Market
317 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90013
213.624.2378
www.wexlersdeli.com
Sat 07/12/2014, 03:10p-07:00p





When we last saw Micah Wexler, he was slanging high-end Middle Eastern-slash-Mediterranean fare at Mezze and helping out with The Cure at UMAMIcatessen. Mezze ended up shuttering in October 2012, and since then, we hadn't heard much from the Chef until rumblings of Wexler's Deli began to surface earlier this year. The eponymous eatery debuted at the end of April, serving up artisanal-y renditions of well-worn deli classics.

Apparently, Wexler wound up in the Homer Laughlin Building space as a result of attending a cheese-making class at Altadena's Institute of Domestic Technology. The school's founder, Joseph Shuldiner, just happened to be consulting on Adele Yellin's revitalization of GCM, and invited the Chef to take up residency at the historic 1917 location, which comprises a mix of old school stalls (e.g. chop suey specialist China Cafe and pupuseria Sarita's) and newbies such as Eggslut, Horse Thief, Berlin Currywurst, Olio, and Belcampo Meat Co. To open the J. Marx Atelier-penned, 350-square-foot stall, Wexler teamed up with his old Mezze partner Michael Kassar, and also brought in David Sanfield, who co-founded Pitfire Pizza with Paul Hibler in the late 1990's.


Above, we see the menu for Wexler's Deli, which is just about as straightforward as you can get. And in case you're wondering, that the food here is not strictly kosher.


Given the lackluster boozing situation at GCM, we decided to bust out some beers from home, starting with the 2009 AleSmith Decadence Dunkel Weizenbock (the first bottle sampled from my '05 to '13 Decadence vertical). This was a lovely example of a mature beer, a dark, heady dunkel loaded with flavors of caramel, fruit, and spice over a base of wheat-y character. Very smooth, with the ABV well hidden.


The O.G. [$11.00] | Pastrami, Mustard, Rye
Naturally, we had to get underway with the most O.G. sandwich available. You had your classic pastrami on rye goodness here, but with the meat fattier, juicier, and cut a tad thicker than you might typically get. Lovely tang here from the traditional accompaniment of mustard, too, and that Etchea Bakery rye just makes sense. Can't go too wrong with this.


Macarthur Park [$12.00] | Pastrami, Coleslaw, Swiss Cheese, Russian Dressing, Rye
We followed up with another pastrami sandwich, this time Wexler's homage to the legendary "#19" at Langer's Deli. If you can only get one item here, this just might be it, with the meat forming a perfect base on which the creamy coleslaw and tangy dressing could really shine, the Swiss adding just that extra touch of gravity to the fray.


Potato Salad [$2.00]
Wexler's potato salad was on point, a lush, satisfying preparation beautifully accented by overarching aromatics of dill.


Time for some sour stuff. The 2014 The Bruery Sans Pagaie was a bracing beer to be sure, a beautifully-ruby-toned, barrel-aged blonde with cherries. Think super funky, with a foundation of tart, unripe cherry and citrus joined by hints of barnyard and vinegar.


Ruskie [$9.00] | Egg Salad, Pickles, Kaiser Roll
Somewhat ironically, this ostensibly Russian-inspired sandwich came topped with the old Stars & Stripes, but nationality aside, this was some of the finest egg salad I've had. It really showed off all that you'd want from the sandwich filling, but with a great counterbalancing tartness and herbaceousness that took it over the top.



Pickle & Coleslaw [$2.00]
Pickles are all brined in-house of course, while the coleslaw was spot on, a properly crunchy and acidic presentation that went swimmingly with the food.


The requisite IPA slot was filled by the brand new 2014 Beachwood Greenshift, which was crafted for the brewery's three-year anniversary party earlier in July. Made with a wide variety of hops, this one was super citrus-y in a nice way, yet smooth despite its high DIPA ABV, with a counterbalancing touch of tropical fruit that really worked for me.


Reuben [$12.00] | Corned Beef, Sauerkraut, Swiss Cheese, Russian Dressing, Rye
I thoroughly enjoyed Wexler's take on the classic Reuben, easily the most intensely-flavored item of the day. The beef itself I found earthy and deep, and it linked up flawlessly with the kraut while the cheese and dressing imparted further luxuriousness to the dish. Yum.


Getting into the heftier brews now, up next was the vaunted 2013 Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Barleywine, which was aged in bourbon barrels formerly used to age Bourbon County Stout. The beer lived up to expectations, smelling of dark fruit and caramel joined by a some barrel-y qualities as well, while the taste was more of the same, with chocolate, coconut, and some distinct "stout-y" characteristics on proud display.


Black & White Cookie [$4.00]
At this point, we enjoyed a mid-meal dessert, a spongy, soft half-and-half cookie that's custom made for the deli.


Ocean Avenue [$9.00] | Tuna Salad Sandwich, Lettuce, Red Onion, Rye
I'm a big tuna salad fan, and Wexler's did not disappoint. I was actually one of the best iterations I've had, with the lettuce and onion forming a perfect foil to the rich, creamy, subtly ocean-y savor of the salad.


Our first stout was the oft-talked-about 2014 Prairie Bomb!, an imperial aged with coffee, cacao nibs, vanilla beans, and chili pepper. You had plenty of coffee and chocolate going on here, along with a strong roast quality and just a touch of heat toward the back end.


Bagel w/ Lox & Cream Cheese [$9.00]
We had to give Wexler's house-cured salmon a go as well. Served here on a soft, specially-made bagel, the lox really delivered, playing beautifully off of the cream cheese while the onion added just the right amount of crunchy astringency to the mix.


Our second sour was the 2014 Almanac Farmer's Reserve Blackberry, which managed to be a lot more approachable than the Sans Pagaie above. I found it yeasty and citrusy on the nose, with the palate commingling said notes with a focused tartness and hints of berry fruit toward the finish.


Bagel w/ Smoked Sturgeon & Cream Cheese [$9.00]
The house-smoked sturgeon satisfied as well, conveying a more intense, brinier flavor profile compared to the salmon. Very tasty.


Continuing on with the stout theme, here we had the well-regarded 2013 Founders Breakfast Stout. Brewed with oats, chocolate, and coffee, this one definitely gratified, showing off boatloads of chocolate and coffee in perfect harmony alongside a lovely roasty, malty character.


Now, with the standard Breakfast Stout in play, I felt compelled to bring out a bottle of the Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) for comparative purposes. KBS is a chocolate-coffee stout aged in oak bourbon barrels for about a year, and vis–à–vis the standard FBS, you had your balance of chocolate and coffee nuances, sure, but what set this one apart was the barrel character, which gave up hints of bourbon and vanilla that really worked beautifully in the beer.


With the meal done with, we lingered around and played a few rousing rounds of Hello Kitty Uno.


The 2014 Tap It Cafe Noir was an imperial porter with coffee, aged for eight months in pinot noir barrels. It was a crisp, dry beer with plenty of roasted coffee attributes over a backdrop of chocolate-y malt and a whisper of wood. A good, solid beer; it only suffered a bit in comparison to the Founders we had right before it.


Stan Weightman Jr from the nearby Valerie Confections stall overheard our merriment, and sent out some complementary cookies and cake for us to enjoy.


We closed with something lighter, the new 2014 Goose Island The Ogden, a Belgian-style tripel ale. This really was very nice, with some tropical, floral qualities to pair with the yeasty, hoppy nature of the beer.

I'm not a huge deli guy in general, but I really was pretty impressed with what Wexler's doing here. The food was largely delicious, and the overall feel of the place was that of a classic deli, but with a more deliberate, thoughtful, "cheffy" thrust to it that I enjoyed. As for what's next, there are rumblings that Wexler and Kassar are teaming up for another place, a full-service type of establishment that hopefully can come to fruition sooner rather than later.


Selfie level: advanced.

Fifty Seven (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

August 23, 2014, 8:00 pm

≫ Next: Tokyo Fried Chicken Co. (Monterey Park, CA)

≪ Previous: Wexler's Deli (Los Angeles, CA)

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Fifty Seven Restaurant
712 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021
213.816.8157
www.fiftysevenla.com
Tue 07/29/2014, 08:00p-11:20p



When we last caught up with Joshua Drew, he was still at Jeff Cerciello's Farmshop out in Brentwood. His cooking seemed too ambitious for the confines of that restaurant, and so it didn't come as a shock to me when he decided to decamp at the end of March, partnering with Cardiff Giant's Beau Laughlin to open Cordoba, an Argentinean eatery slated to drop in Los Feliz this fall. What I didn't expect, though, was for Drew to end up helming the kitchen here at Fifty Seven, but that's exactly what happened after opening chef David Nayfeld left earlier than expected in May.

About the Chef: Josh Drew spent his childhood in northern New Jersey, and got his first taste of the kitchen while cooking with his Jewish mother and grandmother. He began working at local restaurants during his high school years, and eventually enrolled at Johnson & Wales in 2001. After graduating with an Associate's degree in 2003, he secured a three-month stage at The French Laundry. From there, Drew went to cook at Bouchon under Jeffrey Cerciello, and eventually made his way up to the rank of sous chef. He left Yountville in October 2005, and subsequently began working at Michael Tusk's Quince as sous. His next move brought him to Philadelphia in the fall of '07, and there, he cooked for Marc Vetri at both his eponymous Vetri and the more casual Osteria.

After a year, Drew relocated back to Yountville and reunited with Cerciello at Ad Hoc, where he stayed until opening Farmshop with his old mentor in early 2010. He served as Chef de Cuisine there for four years, and during that time period, was nominated by James Beard for "Rising Star Chef" and also made Zagat's list of "30 Under 30" in LA. Drew left Farmshop earlier this year to work with Cardiff Giant on both Argentine joint Cordoba as well as Fifty Seven. Here's, he's joined in the kitchen by Pastry Chef Sahar Shomali (Spago, Farmshop, Hotel Bel-Air) and Sous Chef Nico Sy (Little Dom's).


With Drew's residency in place, Fifty Seven's menu has moved to a purely à la carte format, in the familiar cadence of small plates-larger plates-cheese-dessert. Meanwhile, the wine/beer list has been revamped by new Beverage Director Michael Nemcik (Terroni, Melisse, Sirena, LudoBites 7-8-10, Farmshop, Sotto, Lucques Catering, AOC, Tavern), and cocktails are now the charge of Proprietors LLC (Honeycut, Death & Co). Click for larger versions.


Peaches + Smoke [$13.00] | cognac, Lillet Rose, Frog Hollow Farm peaches, crème de peche de Vigne, fresh lemon, Islay scotch
Lime + Honey [$12.00] | rum, chamomile grappa, fresh lime, sugar
Celery + Silk [$13.00] | gin, celery blanc vermouth, aquavit, celery bitters
Given the involvement of Proprietors, we of course had to give the cocktails a go, and went with this threesome while we were waiting for our table. My favorite of the group was the Peaches + Smoke, which was just teeming with peachy goodness on the nose, while taste-wise, think floral, slightly bitter, with a subtle underpinning of Islay smoke. The Lime + Honey, meanwhile, showed off a honeyed backbone that did a nice job counteracting the zing of the lime, all over a bracing base of booze. Finally, we had the Celery + Silk, which was also rather tasty, with a strong celery character that pervaded the drink, melding seamlessly with the spicy notes in the aquavit.


Parker House Rolls [$7.00 + $12.00] | with whipped lardo + with Santa Barbara sea urchin, chiles, local honey
We got some food going at the bar with this order of Parker House rolls, delightfully soft, buttery little bites that were delicious all on their own. The uni was a nice accompaniment, but as much as I enjoy urchin, the lardo actually worked better, imparting a slick, lush, aromatic flair to the bread.


Oil-Cured Black Olives [$11.00] | Drake Family Farm Idyllwild cheese, purslane, almonds, paprika
Olives were as tangy as you'd expect, but taken up a notch by the inclusion of hefty chunks of cheese as well as the sour kick of purslane.


One of my dining companions and I brought along several bottles of beer tonight, and we began with the vaunted 2013 New Glarus Strawberry Rhubarb, a fruit beer normally only found in Wisconsin. It was pretty amazing, its bouquet redolent of straight-up strawberry jam, while taste-wise, think more of the same, but cut by a palpable tartness from the incorporation of rhubarb. Damn tasty.


The complimentary gougères were some of the best I've had: light, fluffy, and oh-so cheesy.


Wild Spot Prawns a la Plancha [$18.00] | buttermilk, grilled black kale pesto
Spot prawns were done justice, arriving well-cooked to a supple, yet still-springy texture and loaded with ocean-y goodness. Made sure to suck the head, too.


Birch + Bubbles [$13.00] | Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, pear liqueur, birch, fresh lemon, sparkling wine
One last cocktail: the Birch + Bubbles was a clear winner, with a fantastic bit of woody sweetness from the birch that really made for a tightly integrated, eminently balanced drink with a lovely touch of effervescence to it.


Salt & Sugar-Cured Beef [$14.00] | smoked trout roe, romano beans, Thai basil, agretti
Now we come to arguably my favorite dish of the night. The meat itself undergoes a two-day cure in sugar, salt, and spices, making for a slick, soft texture and a really multifaceted flavor profile. To that, you add the smoky brine of trout roe and the astringency of agretti, resulting in a complex, yet satisfying eating experience, livened up by the bright crunch of those snap beans.


Oregon Albacore Crudo [$16.00] | opal basil, cherimoya, padron pepper
Albacore was smartly presented here too, its clean, ocean-y qualities melding well with the fruity sweetness of cherimoya while peppers overarched the dish with just the right amount of heat.


We moved on to a couple IPAs, and started with the king, the almost legendary-by-this-point 2014 Russian River Pliny The Elder. This particular example was bottled just weeks prior, so it was fittingly fresh, hoppy and pine-y and citrus-y, pretty much the epitome of the West Coast IPA style. Bracing, biting, and bitter, yet not overwhelmingly so.


Morro Bay Pacific Gold Oysters [$18.00/half-dozen] | classic
Pacific Gold oysters from Morro Bay were brimming with liquor, juicy, clean, decidedly ocean-y morsels that paired swimmingly with the traditional accoutrements of horseradish and mignonette.


Morro Bay Pacific Gold Oysters [$24.00/half-dozen] | baked on salt with root spinach, pastis, breadcrumbs
The same Pacific Golds were then presented in a cooked presentation. It wasn't as successful in my eyes, as the various elements here tended to overpower the inherent salinity and brine of the oysters.


Our next IPA was a pretty different animal. The 2014 Mikkeller American Style was a collaborative brew with Prairie Artisan Ales, one made with Brettanomyces thrown into the mix. The result was a very balanced, easy-drinking beer, showing off expected notes of tropical fruit and citrus balanced by the funky character of the yeast.


Griddled Provolone [$16.00] | fried snails, local clover honey, fennel pollen
Ostensibly a take on saganaki, provolone was tasty as expected, and lovely with the included bread. Fried snails were spot on texturally, but veered a touch too sweet.


Local Squid Braised in Ink [$14.00] | braised golden beet greens, green garlic aioli, puffed buckwheat
Squid was wonderfully snappy texturally, with a deep brine courtesy of the ink. Great counterpoint from the aioli, and the crunch of the buckwheat was much appreciated.


At this point, we moved away from beer for a bit and ordered up some wine from Mike Nemcik’s updated beverage program, specifically the 2011 Weingut Jäger Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Achleiten [$60]. It was a nice example of the Grüner Veltliner style, a weighty wine with tasty notes of stone fruit and citrus backed by a crisp undercurrent of minerality.


Whipped Goat Cheese [$13.00] | from Drake Family Farm with walnut-black garlic pesto, tomatillo, flatbread
A large dollop of goat cheese showed off a smooth, creamy consistency, its pleasantly tangy flavors augmented by the nutty, piquant zest of the pesto and tomatillo. The thick, hearty flatbread, meanwhile, was a bit unexpected, but worked well in moderating things.


Albion Strawberries [$10.00] | from Tamai Farm with romanesco cauliflower, dill, horseradish
Next up was very likely the most unconventional presentation of strawberries I've had. The tart sweetness of the fruit formed the base of the dish, and worked surprisingly well with the light, herbaceous nuances of the romanesco and dill, all while the horseradish added an overarching tanginess to the course. Very cool.


Now for some sour stuff. The 2014 Russian River Consecration’s a dark ale aged on black currants in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. It was as delicious as its reputation would lead you to believe, the beer’s base of tart, funky flavors amped up by concurrent fruity, spicy, vinous notes.


Persian Cucumbers [$12.00] | from Rutiz Farm with Persian mulberries, Ora king salmon crackling, scallion, mint
The cucumbers didn't really speak to me on the menu, but I'm glad I got to try them, as they turned out to be one of my favorites of the evening. Think super fresh and super crunchy, their brightness heightened by the use of scallion and mint. The crux, though, was the fantastic bit of savory crunch from the salmon skin, and I really appreciated how the sweetness of mulberries tied it all together somehow.


Texas Caviar [$15.00] | preserved local yellowtail, Flora Bella Farm black-eyed peas, sweet corn, peach, celery giardiniere
Black-eyed peas were delightful, their home-y flavors complemented by the sweetness of peach and corn while the strong presence of olive oil permeated the dish. The best part? The zesty, astringent bite of celery, which served as the perfect exclamation point to the dish.


The 2014 Russian River Supplication is the Consecration’s sister beer and is a brown ale aged in Pinot Noir barrels along with sour cherries. I gave this one a slight edge, due to its tarter, tangier character, balanced out by the earthiness of Brett.


Ham with Figs [$22.00]
Here was an off-menu special that brought together cured pork shoulder with figs and seven-year balsamic. It was a classic combination to be sure, the slick, salty, nutty shards of ham working beautifully alongside the sweetness of fig, the vinegar adding just a touch of tartness to the fray.


Distefano Burrata [$15.00] | marinated Weiser Farm heirloom melons, New Mexico harissa, fennel blossom
And speaking of classic combos, melon and burrata were harmoniously paired here, the balance of lush and fruity flavors taken up a level by the inclusion of harissa spice.


Our red wine this evening was the 2012 Cantina Produttori Bolzano St. Magdalener Classico Huck am Bach [$48], which I was rather fond of. Think loads of fruity, perfume-y, almost strawberry-esque nuances here, but with a bit of a spice-mineral character coming in toward the end. Very cool.


Dry-Aged Prime New York Steak [$36.00] | smashed potatoes, Jerry's wild arugula, smoked tomato, Diamond Muscat grapes, ginger
And now, onto our mains. First up, hidden beneath the greenery was a pretty damn tasty steak, a roughly medium-rare, appropriately fatty cut teeming with concentrated beefy savor that worked hand-in-hand with the potatoes. Arugula served as a bit of a counterbalance, though I wasn't as sold on the grapes.


Crispy Pork Belly [$26.00] | roasted mountain yams, pickled plum, shiso, smoked mackerel broth
Pork belly was superb, my favorite of our larger courses. The actual belly itself was as juicy and fatty as you'd expect, a blast of pork-y goodness encased in a wonderfully crisp, crunchy coating. It was delicious alone, and went seamlessly with the pickles and shiso, but the best part here was that mackerel broth, which imparted a smoky, deep umami savor to the dish that really took it up a notch.


Ora King Salmon [$28.00] | Windrose Farm Parisian round carrots, littleneck clams, flageolet beans, scallion
The salmon was also a winner, coming out super tender and super briny, with a rich, lush mouthfeel that spoke to me. Its intensity was heightened by the use of clams, too, and the balance from the flageolets was much appreciated as well.


Going into the darker stuff now, here we had the 2014 Perennial Black Walnut Dunkel, a dunkelweizen brewed with copious amounts of black walnut. It really was rather tasty, with classically malty, fruity dunkel flavors joined by an earthy, nutty blast from the walnut toward the finish.


Grilled Pacific Swordfish [$34.00] | Milliken Farm Indigo Rose tomatoes, crispy chickpeas, SB pistachios, anise hyssop
Cuts of swordfish were firm, meaty, and juicy, with a very pronounced brine to 'em that was really evened out by the inclusion of the tomatoes and garbanzos here.


Jidori Chicken [$27.00] | roasted breast, confit thigh and liver mousse with pickled mustard seeds, English walnuts, burnt onion crema, broccolini
Our last main brought out a spot on presentation of chicken, the bird arriving succulent, tender, and immensely flavorful, amped up even further by the incorporation of liver mousse. Great piquancy here from the mustard as well, and the bitter crunch of the broccolini was much appreciated too.


With our savories dispensed with, we enjoyed a bracing palate cleanser of jasmine granita with green grape.


Lastly, we opened up a bottle of the 2014 The Bruery Floyd D'Rue, a collaboration beer made in concert with Three Floyds. It was an imperial porter with various spices, aged in rum barrels. The idea for this one was to do a spiced rum sort of theme, but unfortunately, the beer reportedly got infected with Lactobacillus. It was actually quite a bit better than I expected, with a subtle tanginess to it resulting in a flavor profile that recalled a mixture of chocolate and spiced orange, overarched by a whisper of vanilla.



Cheese [$25.00/five] | with local honey, mostarda, fruit bread
Before the desserts, we enjoyed an excellent fivesome of cheeses: Clockwise from top-left, we had:

• Kunik // Nettle Meadow Farm / Thurman, New York / Coat, Goat
• Willoughby // Jasper Hill Farm / Greensboro, Vermont / Cow
• 18-Month Fiscalini's Cheddar // Fiscalini Farmstead / Modesto, California / Raw Cow
• Glacier // Drake Family Farms / Ontario, California / Goat
• Bay Blue // Pt. Reyes Farmstead / Pt. Reyes, California / Cow

Cotton Cake [$9.00] | coconut-white chocolate feuilletine, poached peaches, dulce de leche
Time for some sugar. It was Pastry Chef Sahar Shomali's time to shine, and the cotton cake was a great way to start things off. It was akin to a super light, fluffy cheesecake-pound cake hybrid of sorts, fantastic texturally, with a subtly sweet, slightly tangy flavor that matched well with its various accoutrements.


Ginger Panna Cotta [$9.00] | Sugar Queen melon, butter cookies, peanuts, coconut, jasmine granita
The ginger panna cotta, meanwhile, really conveyed the essence of the rhizome, its unmistakable, pungent spice balanced out by the lush, sweet nature of the other elements present.


Black Mission Fig Pavlova [$9.00] | dark chocolate meringue, creme fraiche, espresso-caramel ice cream
A twist on pavlova was well received, the crisp, airy meringue making perfect sense when taken with the combo of crème fraîche and ice cream.


Santa Rosa Plum Crostata [$9.00] | lavender, pastry cream, blackberry compote, vanilla ice cream
Finally, we had a delightful plum tart. Think traditional in essence, with the flaky pastry working great alongside the sugary fruit and creamy vanilla, all while lavender imparted an overarching floral character to the dessert.


Mignardises comprised some fun sesame and coconut chocolate bars.

I think we were all a bit surprised to see Josh Drew take the reins here at Fifty Seven so quickly, but he's making a strong showing for himself. The cooking shares common traits with what he was putting out at Farmshop, though the food has been elevated in terms of sophistication and ambition; however, there's still an ease, a casualness, a rusticity about it that works. Drew should be here for at least a few more months, so there's still time to check this place out, and it'll be interesting to see who takes the helm after his departure. Also, he's still working on Cordoba, so we can all look forward to that toward the end of the year as well.

Tokyo Fried Chicken Co. (Monterey Park, CA)

August 27, 2014, 8:05 pm

≫ Next: KazuNori (Los Angeles, CA)

≪ Previous: Fifty Seven (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

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Tokyo Fried Chicken Company
122 S Atlantic Blvd, Monterey Park, CA 91754
626.282.9829
www.facebook.com/TokyoFriedChickenCo
Thu 07/17/2014, 08:05p-10:00p





I'm a bit of a sucker for fried chicken, though I'm not sure if I'd ever visited a dedicated restaurant (outside of the Colonel's) prior to here. Tokyo Fried Chicken opened on July 18th last year, replacing the five-year-old Open Door, a generally well received fusion-y izakaya concept from Chef Kouji Yamanashi. Yamanashi, formerly Executive Sushi Chef at the clubby Social House in Las Vegas, it turns out, is also the man in charge here, and is now turning out his Japanese-y takes on American Southern comfort food.


Inside, it's a small, cozy space, with about a dozen tables set in a sort of vaguely Old West-meets-Japan aesthetic.


As for TFC's menu, the chicken dinner set is the main unit of consumption, and is ordered per person at $13.25 a head. Each diner is allocated one wing, one drumstick, one thigh, one side, and an appropriate amount of brothy chicken rice and house-pickled cabbage tsukemono. Breast can be substituted for leg/thigh, and of course you're welcome to add on with additional selections from the dozen or so Japanese-influenced sides (which include a few pricier, "upgraded" options). To drink, there's a surprisingly large selection of beers, both domestic craft and Japanese (supplemented by a chalkboard list), not to mention sake, spiked shochu drinks, and some interesting non-alcoholic options; if you want to BYOB, corkage is $10 (though this normally excludes beer). Click for larger versions.


Given the corkage policy here, I precoordinated with Chef Kouji in order to bring along a couple beers. I'm quite the fan of sours, and I thought they'd pair well with the food, so my first one was the 2014 MAD Beer Sour (Sur), a new collaborative brew from Mikkeller and Jakob Mielcke Hansen of Restaurant Mielcke & Hurtigkarl in Denmark. Made with yuzu, the beer had lots of the citrus on the nose, while on the palate, it was much heftier, with a funky, spicy, acidic quality to it that worked pretty well with the eats.


truffle butter edamame [$4.00]
A holdover from the Open Door days, the edamame made for a fitting start to the meal, the classic, salty flavors of the soy bean enhanced by an earthy veil of truffle.


crispy fried chicken skin [$4.00]
If you're one of those who thinks that the skin is the best part of the chicken (and I don't necessarily disagree with that), then this dish is for you. Crunchy, savory, salty, these chicharrones were all that you'd expect. A musty try.


battered potato chips [$3.00]
Potato chips were also delightful, nicely thick cut and with a pretty awesome batter.


chicken soup with housemade rayu [$4.00]
Our final starter may have been the best, with its fantastic depth of flavor working beautifully alongside notes of ginger and spicy rayu to make for a thoroughly enjoyable slurping experience.


We were then presented with a trio of housemade sauces: a ponzu, a spicy ponzu (both in kawaii bear-shaped bottles), and a yuzukosho-esque condiment.


My second bottle was the vaunted 2013 Cantillon Kriek 100% Lambic Bio. It was a gorgeously hued beer, smelling of funky, dry, crisp cherry, and with a taste that went tart, acidic, and barnyard, overarched by juicy notes of the fruit. A bracing sort of drink that managed to cut through some of the weight of the chicken.


dinner for 4 [$53.00] | 12pcs. of chicken, four regular sides included, chicken rice, and house pickled ginger cabbage
And here we see our first plate of chicken. Note the use of plastic gloves, an ingenious idea that worked wonders in reducing hand-to-hot oil contact.


The platter arrived with pickled cabbage, which did a commendable job in providing jolts of acidic crunch to balance out the bird.


We also had TFC's chicken rice, which made for a hearty accompaniment to pretty much all the food to follow.


And now, time for the actual chicken, which is ostensibly karaage-inspired, brined in a mixture of soy sauce, ginger, and garlic, then fried in rice bran oil. I loved the crust, which was light, delicate, and wonderfully crisp, yet not overly greasy, while the meat itself managed to be really quite tender, succulent, and with an uncommon depth to it, courtesy of the soy I'm guessing. I would've preferred less sweetness, though.


dashi braised collard greens with bacon [$2.70]
And now, for the sides. Collards had your classic bitter, earthy flavor profile, with an added dash of umami courtesy of the dashi.


bbq baked beans [$2.70]
BBQ baked beans, meanwhile, were just what you'd expect, and I couldn't really detect anything obviously Japanese-y about them.


coleslaw [$2.70]
Coleslaw was crisp and crunchy, a light, bright sort of dish that just made sense with the chicken.


creamy potato salad [$2.70]
The potato salad was also to my liking, a lush, smooth presentation of the classic that definitely satisfied.


mac and cheese [$5.50]
The priciest side available, the baked macaroni and cheese was taken up a notch by the sprinklings of nori up top.


breast [$6.55]
We did end up substituting for some breast, and it turned out to be a highlight of the night, one of the juiciest preparations I've had, and quite flavorful to boot.


curry creamed corn [$2.70]
Creamed corn was a surprise standout for me, the curry really doing a great job complementing the sweetness of the kernels.


soy glazed yams [$2.70]
A lot of my dining companions seemed to really enjoy the yams as well, which had their inherent sugariness evened out a bit by the inclusion of soy sauce.


fried brussels sprouts with goat cheese and karashi mustard [$4.20]
Brussels were another favorite, the bitterness of the sprouts pairing swimmingly with the lushness of that chèvre.


shishito peppers with den miso and arare [$4.20]
In our last side, the heat of shishitos was tempered by the sugary den miso, all while rice crackers added a well-placed crunch to the dish.



"creamsicle" push pop [$5.00]
Desserts are most certainly not made in-house, but instead acquired through a number of vendors. We had here Creamsicle pops from Burbank's Quenelle, which gave up a mélange of orange and vanilla flavors that really did recall the classic treat.


kyoho grape [$1.75]
A Kyoho grape pop imported from Japan was super sweet, with a distinctly artificial, yet not unpleasant quality to it.


gari gari kun soda [$2.50]
A soda Gari-Gari Kun, finally, was advertised as being shaved ice encased in a popsicle shell, but ate just like a bubble gum-flavored ice pop.

I'd actually been curious about trying Tokyo Fried Chicken for a while now, so I'm glad I finally made it out. This place is super popular, and it's no wonder why. The namesake chicken is unique and tasty, but that's really only half the story here. The sides and starters do a great job in complementing the bird, and make for a complete, fun, gratifying dining experience. If they could only tone down the sweetness of the chicken a bit, TFC'd be just about perfect.

KazuNori (Los Angeles, CA)

September 1, 2014, 11:10 pm

≫ Next: Horse Thief BBQ (Los Angeles, CA)

≪ Previous: Tokyo Fried Chicken Co. (Monterey Park, CA)

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Kazu-Nori Restaurant
421 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
213.493.6956
www.kazunorisushi.com
Fri 08/08/2014, 11:10p-12:05a





If you're a fan of Sugarfish, you're might be interested to hear about Kazunori Nozawa's latest venture, the eponymous KazuNori in Downtown. Originally rumored to be a high-end omakase place à la Nozawa Bar, KazuNori's actually a restaurant focused solely on hand rolls. Nozawa-san popularized the now ubiquitous blue crab temaki at his old Studio City spot, and is now dedicating an entire eatery to the concept. After previewing KazuNori at Coachella in April, the team grand opened on August 5th.


Situated within spitting distance of both Bäco Mercat and Zo, KazuNori occupies the odd, parking structure home of an old dry cleaner-slash-art gallery. The minimalist room was penned by DEX Studio's Glen Bell (he's done a number of Sugarfish locations, as well as Badmaash) and features a lone 22-seater bar. There are no tables available, as the idea is to have the chefs hand over the rolls as soon as possible to retain maximum crispness on their seaweed wrappers.


As for KazuNori's menu, you can expect around seven different hand rolls, as well as a daily sashimi selection, all available à la carte. However, you really should opt for one of the three-, four-, or five-course "tasting menus," as they represent a significant discount from ordering separately (hint: there's also an off-menu six-roller for $20). Take-out is available, but with cut rolls only, and to drink, you get a ho-hum selection of water, teas, sakes, and beers (though at the time of this visit, their license hadn't been approved yet). I'm told that corkage might be in the works. Click for larger versions.


Given the limited beverage selection, I opted for a refreshingly bitter Iced Green Tea [$2.50] to drink.


Toro [$4.75]
We started off the parade of hand rolls with the toro version, the lush, creamy tuna really melding quite nicely with the warm rice while the crisp, thin, almost fragile nori wrapper imparted just the right amount of crunch and umami.


Salmon [$4.25]
The salmon was similarly satisfying, though with a more substantial texture on the fish and a smidgen more smokiness to round things out.


To go with the rolls: wasabi and gari, natch.


Cucumber [$4.00]
The cucumber, unsurprisingly, was the lightest, brightest of the sextet, so a dab of soy was certainly called for to augment its flavors.


Yellowtail [$4.75]
The yellowtail was standout for many of us, thanks to its blend of fatty fish and zesty scallion, a combo that paired well with the roll's base of rice and seaweed.


Sashimi [$7.50]
Tonight's sashimi selection was halibut, with the clean, springy cuts of fish arriving dressed with a tangy ponzu-based sauce.


Blue Crab [$4.50]
Nozawa's signature blue crab hand roll was as on point as ever, with the sweet brine of the crustacean proudly displayed.


Lobster [$7.00]
Our final roll, though, might've been even better, with the sweet, supple, creamy cuts of lobster really shining through.


Chef/Owner Kazunori Nozawa was in the house tonight overseeing everything.

KazuNori's an unexpected concept from the Sugarfish team, and I don't think I've ever encountered a restaurant so squarely focused on hand rolls. The rolls, though, are tasty and gratifying in a straightforward sort of manner, and the quality of the ingredients certainly seems up to snuff: the fish, the warm, loose rice, and especially the crispy leaves of nori. For a quick, reasonably-priced meal, you could certainly do worse, so I expect this place to be pretty popular.

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Baumkuchen [$9.00] | Wong Farm Mango, Passionfruit Curd, Rum, Sugar & Spice Almonds
Milk Chocolate and Cardamom Custard [$9.00] | Flourless Chocolate Cake, Rancho Gordo Crimson Popcorn, Hazelnut and Cacao Nib Salsa
Prior to dinner, we stopped by Fifty Seven to sample a couple of Pastry Chef Sahar Shomali's lovely new desserts, including a reimagined Twix bar.

Horse Thief BBQ (Los Angeles, CA)

September 4, 2014, 3:15 pm

≫ Next: Kiriko (Los Angeles, CA)

≪ Previous: KazuNori (Los Angeles, CA)

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Horse Thief BBQ at Grand Central Market
324 S Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
213.625.0341
www.horsethiefbbq.com
Sat 08/16/2014, 03:15p-06:30p



One of the newest entrants to LA's BBQ game is Grand Central Market's Horse Thief, a Lone Star-style operation that comes to us from O.G. Texans Russell Malixi and Wade McElroy. The two friends met while studying at the University of Texas at Austin, and though they pursued separate paths after graduation, always held on to a passion for barbeque. The idea for Horse Thief actually came to McElroy back in 2012, and he soon called upon his old compatriot for assistance. Once Malixi was on board, the duo started scouting locations and working on recipes before debuting their restaurant in July 2013, with Chef Max Henriquez (Mezze, Little Dom's) at the helm of the place's Ole Hickory smokers.


Horse Thief occupies GCM's outdoor space across the street from Angel's Flight. The stall was formerly Local Express and Chimu, and the adjacent patio area has been spruced up quite a bit since those days.


As for Horse Thief's menu, it's pretty simple: five traditional cuts of meat (served with white bread, dill pickle chips, and onion), five new school-meets-old school sides, one requisite dessert. To drink, you'll find a dozen craft beers on tap at a walk-up bar, a smattering of wine, and some non-boozy beverages as well. Click for a larger version.


We ended up bringing our own beers, and began with the 2014 Bell's Hopslam, a superb IPA from Michigan. What set this one apart is the use of honey in the brew, which made for a fantastic balance between its sweetness and the aromatic, citric bitterness of the hops. We then moved on to the 2014 Cigar City Cubano-Style Espresso Brown Ale with vanilla, espresso beans, and cacao nibs added. I was a fan of this one as well, finding it light in body, and somewhat dry, with a great interplay of coffee, caramel, malty, roasty, and nutty flavors.


Brisket - 1/2 lb [$12.90]
Naturally, given that this is a Texas-style joint, we had to start with the brisket, which I was pretty happy with. I found it appropriately tender, and just fatty enough, with a bit of smokiness to go along with the beefy flavors present.


Blue Cheese Bacon Potato Salad - Regular [$3.50]
The potato salad was a must of course, and was one of the more interesting preparations I'd had thanks to the blue cheese. It definitely added an unexpected funkiness to the dish, one that was balanced out by the combo of bacon and scallion.


Shards of onion and pickles come with every order and make for a crunchy counterpoint to the meat.


Pulled Pork - 1/2 lb [$8.95]
The pulled pork could've used a touch more smokiness to it, but was otherwise quite tasty, with some much-appreciated crispy bits mixed in.


Jicama Slaw - Regular [$3.25]
A slaw of red cabbage and jicama managed to be crunchy and refreshing, with a nice bit of acidity to it.


The next beer was the vaunted 2014 Westvleteren 12, a pretty much perfect example of the quadrupel style, one teeming with soft, yet very apparent notes of dark fruit, brown sugar, and malt, all over a subtly yeasty backbone. Following was the 2014 Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA, one of the few IPAs recommended for aging, though we were drinking it fresh today. The beer was somewhat viscous in body, with a strongly spicy, pine-y, citrus-y hop quality as expected, evened out by a great underpinning of malt that made this surprisingly drinkable.


Rib Tips - 1/2 lb [$7.95]
Rib tips were some of the more heavily-flavored bites of the meal, with a meaty, smoky character to 'em that made sense with their soft, cartilaginous consistency.


Mac n Cheese - Regular [$3.50]
The macaroni and cheese worked out pretty well, the hearty side coming out appropriately cheesy, with some delightful crispy bits on top.


Spare Ribs - 1/2 Rack [$13.95]
Pork spare ribs were well seasoned and nicely textured, showing off a sweet-smoky sort of flavor that satisfied.


Time for a sour, the 2013 Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus, a raspberry lambic. This one was quite something: beautifully ruby hued and utterly refreshing, with a fantastic fruity quality to go along with the beer's funky, tart base of flavor. Next was the brand spankin' new 2014 Stone 18th Anniversary IPA, a surprisingly soft, darkly-toned rendition of the style that wasn't all that in-your-face hop-forward. Instead, you got a more malt-heavy presentation, with a restrained citric character to even things out. Very cool.


Sweet Potato Casserole - Regular [$3.50]
Even though it was far from the prettiest dish, my dining companions seemed to enjoy the sweet potato casserole. It veered overly sugary for me though, going into dessert territory thanks to its liberal use of brown sugar and what I believe were candied nuts.


Chicken - 1/2 [$10.95]
Our last meat was the chicken, the biggest surprise of the night. The bird was appropriately tender, juicy (though the breast could've been slightly more so), and flavorful, with a great rub that was just loaded with spicy, aromatic goodness.


Cornbread [$2.00]
The cornbread, meanwhile, was quite sugary, and almost cake-y in body. I found it enjoyable, albeit a tad dry.


With the barbeque dispensed with, we moseyed on over to the new McConnell's Ice Cream stall, which opened at the end of July across from Wexler's Deli. McConnell's, of course, is a well-regarded Santa Barbara-based creamery dating all the way back to 1949, one that'd been absent from LA proper for many years.



Our goal was to construct some beer floats, and to that effect, we started with this foursome of flavors: Santa Barbara Strawberry, Golden State Vanilla, Chocolate Almond Brittle, and Turkish Coffee.


We started with the most traditional: McConnell's Golden State Vanilla paired with the 2013 Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout. There's a reason why this is a classic combo, the light, creamy, floral nuances of the ice cream melding swimmingly with the thick, chocolate-y, wood-tinged, and yes, vanilla-laced flavors of the beer. As good as that was, though, Turkish Coffee with a splash of 2013 Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout was even better. The ice cream itself was probably the most intensely coffee-like of any coffee ice cream I've had, but was taken to another level with the application of the beer, which had all the qualities of the proceeding BCBS, but with an additional blast of roasty, slightly fruity coffee character. And another great pairing? Either of these two beers with the Chocolate Almond Brittle.


The two Bourbon County floats were excellent, but my favorite just might've been the marriage of Santa Barbara Strawberry and Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Rosée D'hibiscus. The matching of sweet-tart berry flavors with the absolutely floral, fragrant, hibiscus-tinged tipple was seriously spot on, and I loved the slightly wheaty quality of the beer as a counterpoint. We then went back to the Golden State Vanilla, and matched it with the Clown Shoes Clementine, a Belgian-style witbier. This one was also really satisfying, with the citrus-y nature of the beer mixing with the ice cream to make for an orange Creamsicle-esque experience.



Encouraged by our results, we opted for another round, this time with McConnell's'Churros con Leche, Toasted Coconut Almond Chip, Eureka Lemon & Marionberries, and Olive Oil & Salted Almonds.


Here we had a Modern Times Fortunate Islands, blended with McConnell's' Eureka Lemon & Marionberries. It was a pleasant, though not mind-blowing concoction, with the sweet and sour zing of the ice cream meshing pretty well with the tropical notes in the beer. Last up was the mating of Toasted Coconut Almond Chip with Brouwerij De Molen Kopi Loewak, another standout. The beer was loaded with flavors of chocolate, toffee, nuts, roast, and coffee of course, a profile that was just wonderful against the troika of coconut, almond, and chocolate chip--outstanding.


Sausage [$5.95]
Fries [$3.50]
Finally, though the sausage was listed as being sold out, somehow the kitchen managed to finagle a final link and sent it our way, along with some off-menu French fries. It was a decent representation of cased meat, conveying a somewhat gritty texture and a touch of spice, though I would've liked it juicier. As for the fries, they were probably the closest I've come to McDonald's fries outside of McDonald's, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I'd heard some mixed reviews about this place, so I'm glad to report that Horse Thief managed to exceed expectations. We had a solid meal here, with all the meats making a respectable showing for themselves, the brisket, appropriately, being one of the highlights. It was a tasty exploration of Texas barbeque, with some unconventional sides thrown in for good measure, and a fun experience to boot.

Kiriko (Los Angeles, CA)

September 8, 2014, 8:00 pm

≫ Next: Ladies' Gunboat Society (Los Angeles, CA)

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Kiriko Sushi Restaurant
11301 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
310.478.7769
www.kirikosushi.com
Tue 05/20/2014, 08:00p-11:15p




Certainly, one of LA's sushi staples over the past decade or so has been Kiriko, Ken Namba's tiny but much-lauded Sawtelle eatery located inside the Olympic Collection events venue (for you Shahs of Sunset fans, this is where Mike's younger brother Jonathan Shouhed held his dental school graduation party). Named after the Japanese art of colored, cut glass, the restaurant opened in 1999, and is known for its traditional sushi preparations in addition to its more modern, internationally-inflected dishes.

About the Chef: Namba-san was born and raised in the Tsukiji district of Tokyo, and grew up in the midst of the famed Tsukiji fish market. His family ran restaurants in the area, and he began working in them at an early age. In 1974, he moved to Urayasu in Chiba Prefecture and started his sushi apprenticeship, but soon found himself in Los Angeles, helping to open Teru Sushi in Studio City, which debuted in 1979. Teru, from what I understand, was one of the first places in LA that really kicked off the sushi craze.

The Chef eventually opened his own restaurant in Koreatown in 1992, but sold the place after a few years. Following, he travelled extensively, working and eating in Ecuador, Bali, and Malaysia. Then, in 1999, reinvigorated by his recent adventures, he returned to Southern California and launched Kiriko, which has been humming along ever since.



Kiriko's standard menu is comprised of both cold and hot dishes, a sushi list, as well as an array of special, seasonal items. We, of course, went with the omakase, which totaled $147.33 per person this evening (determined, ostensibly, by adding up all the individual prices). Click for larger versions.


As for Kiriko's beverage selection, you get a decent number of sakes, some beer, shochu, and more wines than I expected. Corkage, meanwhile, is a reasonable $15, with no bottle limit. Click for larger versions.



1: Smoked Salmon and Mango with Caviar / Monkfish Liver / King Crab Salad
First up was a trio of sakizuke-like bites:

• Smoked Salmon and Mango with Caviar - One of Kiriko's most well-known dishes turned out way better than I'd expected. You got the saltiness from the caviar initially, which then led to the lush, smoky salmon, while the mango imparted a fruity sweetness toward the back end.
• Monkfish Liver - Ankimo was on point, a melty, rich presentation of the ingredient that was both potent, yet restrained, its ocean-y, earthy taste tempered by the liver's tangy accoutrements.
• King Crab Salad - A sunomono salad of sorts, the sweet, cool brine of the crab here was played against an overarching piquancy that helped even out the dish, all while the use of cucumber gave up a counterbalancing crunch to things.

2: Hokkaido Scallop / Conger Eel / Baby Squid
Following was another round of three mini-dishes:

• Hokkaido Scallop - Scallops were delightful, their sweet salinity perked up by hits of sea salt, the wasabi lending a lingering heat toward the finish. Nice.
• Conger Eel - Hamo is a quintessential summertime ingredient, and here it came with its traditional accompaniment of sour ume plum sauce, which provided a tangy counter to the mild, supple fish. I liked the use of cucumber here as well, its crunch adding some textural variation to the bite.
• Baby Squid - Hotaruika was presented with a yuzu-pepper miso sauce, the earthy depth of the condiment forming a foil to the briny taste of the firefly squid. I also appreciated the moderating effect of the seaweed here, too.

3: Maryland Live Soft Shell Crab
I'm not a huge fan of soft shell crab, but Kiriko's was undoubtedly one of the best I've had. Done in a tempura style, the crab showed off a fantastic savor and salinity, along with a texture that balanced the crisp shell with the creamy innards. The included ponzu was a smart pairing as well, and the sweet onion and shishitos were spot on, too.


When the gari and 'sabi come out, you know it's sushi time


4: Kuromaguro
We commenced with bluefin, a classic presentation with the fish's silky texture and soy-enhanced flavors a fitting match with the rice.


5: Tai
Red snapper was tarted up by the inclusion of sea salt and yuzu, the duo conveying a great citrusy character and pricks of salinity that worked swimmingly with the clean flavors of the fish.


6: Kinmedai
Seared golden eye snapper was a favorite, its fantastic char savor perfect alongside the zing of yuzukosho. Very gratifying.


7: Uni
Sea urchin hailed from San Diego, and was a particularly lush example, its creamy heft finished with a subdued brininess toward the end, the nori adding a well-placed hit of umami.


8: Mirugai
Geoduck came out super crunchy and tasting of the ocean, its intensity evened out by a sliver of minty shiso and a sprinkle of sea salt.


9: Ebi
Next were two types of shrimp, presented side-by-side. In the front was shima ebi (striped shrimp), which I found very sweet and delightfully snappy, with a great base of umami flavor from the seaweed. The Toyama Bay shiro ebi (white shrimp), by comparison, was noticeably milder in flavor, with softer textures and a key counterpoint in the form of wasabi.


10: Ebi no Atama
Shrimp heads, of course, were as savory and crunchy and delicious as you'd expect.


11: Kuromaguro Otoro
Bluefin toro was rather enjoyable too, a rich, fatty, fully-flavored, melt-in-your mouth celebration of tuna.


12: Shako
Mantis shrimp was a rare treat, something that I'd had only once before at Kyubey in Tokyo. Think meaty in texture, with a distinct sea-like taste to it set off by the tangy sauce on top.


13: Akagai
Red clam, also known as ark shell, was also something that I don't see too often. That's too bad though, as I quite enjoyed its spongy consistency and focused ocean-y flavors, joined by a brush of soy.


14: Anago
Sea eel was definitely one of the stronger preparations I've had, its accompaniments of sea salt and lemon really working well with the salty, hot, hearty qualities of the fish. Very nice.


15: Toro Tataki
Seared toro was easily the most luxurious dish of the night, displaying a marvelous char that worked admirably in offsetting the considerable fattiness and oil in the fish.


16: Watarigani Temaki
The ubiquitous blue crab hand roll was done justice here, managing to become one of the best versions I've tried. The crab itself I found particularly sweet and creamy, but the crux here was the use of cucumber, which imparted a fantastic crunch and lightness.


17: Tamago
We ended our savories with a castella-style tamago, a spongy, moist preparation of the staple that was simultaneously eggy yet reminiscent of the ocean.


Kiriko's dessert menu features the restaurant's homemade ice creams, and was easily the "craftiest" I've seen, coming attached to tree bark. Click for a larger version.


Honey Sesame Ice Cream [$5.00]
The requisite black sesame ice cream was superb, one of the best I've had with its robust nutty-sweet sesame flavors.


Brown Sugar & Ginger Ice Cream [$5.00]
This next ice cream was a winner as well, its bold ginger essence smartly balanced by the sweetness of brown sugar. Loved the tiny shards of ginger here, too.


Honey Vanilla Ice Cream with Okinawan Black Sugar Sweet Red Bean [$5.50]
Honey vanilla didn't disappoint either, its honeyed character melding flawlessly with the classic taste of vanilla, all while the red beans imparted further sugary interest to the dessert. Yum.


Our itamae for the evening, Shinji-san.

It's taken me way too long to get to Kiriko. I certainly had my expectations about the restaurant, and I'm happy to report that the kitchen managed to exceed them. The food was pretty much spot on from the get go, and showed off a nice bit of variety as well. I can certainly see why this place is so often mentioned in discussions of LA's sushi elite. Definitely give it a shot; just try not to wait as long as I did.

Ladies' Gunboat Society (Los Angeles, CA)

September 12, 2014, 8:15 pm

≫ Next: Sushi Tsujita (Los Angeles, CA)

≪ Previous: Kiriko (Los Angeles, CA)

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Flores & the Ladies' Gunboat Society
2024 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
424.273.6469
www.floreslosangeles.com
Fri 08/29/2014, 08:15p-11:45p





The most curiously-monikered debut of recent times is probably Ladies' Gunboat Society, ostensibly a reference to Civil War-era women's clubs dedicated to raising funds for warship construction. Yes, LGS has taken over the old Flores space on Sawtelle, with Brian Dunsmoor replacing opening chefs Rob Lawson and Angela Hernandez, who left at the end of March. Dunsmoor, of course, was one half of the duo at The Hart and The Hunter, and although compatriot Kris Tominaga is unattached to this project, H&H GM Jonathon Strader is heading up front-of-the-house duties here. Sarah "Bearclaw" Lang is serving as Pastry Chef, and the kitchen is rounded out by CdC Dave McMillen and Sous Jeff "Poose" Figueroa. Given the Chef's Georgia roots, it's not too surprising that the menu at LGS tends Southern, though it is important to note that the food here's quite distinct from the offerings at the other restaurant.


The menu at Ladies' Gunboat Society is described as "Southern farm-to-table," and that's probably not too far off the mark, with smallish plates that, natch, are good for sharing; they also do a full brunch on the weekends. To imbibe, Strader has put together a small California-centric list of wines joined by a handful of sakes and the requisite craft beer (via nine taps). Click for larger versions.


We weren't charged a corkage fee, and so we were able to enjoy some beers from home, the first of which was The Commons Brewery Fleur De Ferme, which I'd picked up during my recent trip to Portland. It was a dark saison brewed with hibiscus, chamomile, and lavender, and conveyed wispy floral nuances over an herbal, slightly astringent base. I would've liked more of a farmhouse funk in the beer though.


potato yeast roll, maple butter, sea salt [$5.00]
One of The Hart and The Hunter's claims to fame was their butter biscuits, which were undoubtedly some of the best I've had. The rolls here, though, might just be better, coming out airy, light, yet substantial, with a perfect blend of salty and sweet flavors that kept me coming back for more.


In addition to the beer, we were also in the mood for some bubbles, and ordered up a bottle of the bodkin sparkling sauvignon blanc [$48]. It was a dry, bracing sort of sparkler, very lively and effervescent on the palate, with a backbone of crisp lemon.


field pea salad, stonefruit, farmers cheese, summer herbs, jalapeno vinaigrette [$13.00]
The pea salad, meanwhile, was the surprise standout of the night. I found it a gorgeous mélange of disparate elements that just came together flawlessly, with delectably sweet, savory, and herby nuances underscored and integrated by the creamy lushness of that cheese.


anson mills rosebank grits, cherry tomato, king trumpet mushroom, corn, basil [$13.00]
The grits were a must try of course, a hearty, homey presentation that superbly tied together its various ingredients, the classic combination of tomato and basil forming a great counter to the sweetness of the corn, all while mushrooms added further texture and heft to the dish.


Our next drink was the Brasserie de Blaugies Bière Darbyste, an ale made with fig juice (and named after botanist John Darby). Here you had a backdrop of light funk and tartness, with a Belgian-y character and just a hint of figgy goodness toward the back end. I actually expected the fruit to figure much more prominently here.


hoppin' john, braised collards, sea island red peas, carolina gold rice, ham hock, pepper vinegar, corn bread [$14.00]
Naturally, we had to give the restaurant's unofficial signature dish a go, and it didn't let us down. The Low Country staple Hoppin' John brings together Sea Island Red Peas and Carolina Gold rice, both sourced from Anson Mills I'm guessing. It's a classic combo that definitely satisfied on its own. However, the dish was taken up a level by the inclusion of ham hock, which added blasts of salt and smoke to the fray, as well as the collards, which had an earthy bitterness that really underpinned the dish. You should probably order this; just make sure to add a dash of the included pepper vinegar to some of your bites as well (it's damn good).


shrimp & watermelon salad, chili vinaigrette, peanuts, summer herbs [$15.00]
Perfect for the summer was the Chef's shrimp and watermelon salad, a bright, refreshing plate that really highlighted the crustacean. Great mix of sweet, spicy, and herbaceous notes here, and I appreciated the Asian-y tinge to the dish imparted by the inclusion of fish sauce.


I hadn't had Russian River Sanctification in a long time, so I was really surprised at how good it was. A 100% Brett beer, this one was gloriously tart, with a delicious, distinct vinous quality to it intermingled with notes of citrus and oak. Yum.


grilled swordfish, red pepper, clams, olive, caper, basil, spicy sausage [$29.00]
I'm generally not a huge fan of swordfish, but quite liked the preparation tonight, one of the strongest I've had no doubt. The fish itself arrived firm, briny, and really juicy, a pleasant surprise given that it's often served on the drier side. Its inherent salinity was taken up a notch by the inclusion of clams, and I appreciated the counterbalancing zing of the olives and capers here as well. My favorite thing just might've been that sausage though, which gave up a great bit of savory, spicy heft to the dish.


Our requisite IPA was the 2014 Beachwood Pride of cHops, a one-time bottling (brewed to commemorate the 20th anniversary of O'Brien’s Pub in San Diego) that was released just earlier in the week. The nose was fantastic on this one, wonderfully aromatic, fruity, pine-y, and just beckoning you for a sip. Its taste was just as fresh, with more tropical fruit, spice, and a great bit of countering maltiness to even out the hops. Another fine effort from the folks over at Beachwood.


nashville hot chicken livers, pickles, white bread [$12.00]
Chicken livers were playfully presented here, their deep, earthy, offal-y flavors effectively evened out by the sharp, sweet, heat present while the Vlasic pickles provided just the right amount of crunch and tartness to things.


grilled peads and barnetts pork chop, grits, sauteed mustards, grilled bacon [$33.00]
Pork from San Diego area producer Peads & Barnetts managed to be one of the tastiest chops I'd had in a while, a tender, succulent, immensely flavorful preparation further enhanced by the intensity of the paired bacon. Great bitterness here from the mustard greens as well, and you can't go wrong with more grits either.


Last up was the 2013 The Bruery Bois, the brewery's fifth anniversary beer made in the English old ale style, blended using the solera method, and aged in bourbon barrels. It was a robust, heady beer to be sure, with an aroma redolent of alcohol-soaked raisins. That "port-y" quality continued to the palate, where you had more dark fruit, caramel, brown sugar, bourbon, and vanilla, all underscored by a not unpleasant boozy backbone. A doozy for sure.


chicken fried rabbit, spiced local honey, cilantro, benne seed [$29.00]
Our last savory was rabbit done in the style of fried chicken, one of LGS' early hits. They were tasty morsels, quite flavorful and with a delightfully crisp crust. A brush of honey imparted intriguing spicy-sweet notes to the rabbit, though I'd prefer the sugariness turned down a notch.


Dunsmoor made quick work of the remaining Bois.


chocolate mousse pie, caramel, sea salt [$8.00]
Time for some desserts from "Bearclaw." The chocolate mousse pie was a spot on rendition of the dish, with the chocolate pairing swimmingly with pricks of sea salt while the topping of whipped cream imparted a touch of levity. Excellent crust here, too.


carolina gold rice pudding, stone fruit, pecan sandies [$8.00]
The rice pudding was on point as well, really showing off the sweet, satisfying nature of the rice while stonefruit added a juicy, summer-y note to the dessert.



cheerwine float, chocolate chip I.C., bourbon cherries [$8.00]
I was pretty enamored with the Cheerwine float, that combination of cherry and chocolate flavors really speaking to me, especially when enhanced by the boozy tint of bourbon.


old fashioned buttermilk pie, strawberry ice cream [$8.00]
We closed with the buttermilk pie, a lovely interpretation of the dessert that I was rather fond of. It was great texturally, and had a restrained sort of sweetness that worked well with the two forms of strawberry present.

I was very satisfied with my meal here, and was impressed by the direction that Dunsmoor's cooking is taking. Perhaps it's the singular focus he has now with Tominaga out of the picture, or maybe the nicer kitchen setup, but I think he's improved on what he was putting out at H&H (or its progenitor, Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, for that matter). The food's got a great base of Southern tradition to it, but the chef's twists and Cali-ish improvisations really worked for me. As for what's next, Dunsmoor and Strader are partnering up again for another restaurant concept, and let's not forget that Kris Tominaga's teaming with Freddy Smalls' Jeff Weinstein for a new place in Santa Monica called Cadet.

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Sushi Tsujita (Los Angeles, CA)

September 12, 2014, 8:30 pm

≫ Next: Pine & Crane (Los Angeles, CA)

≪ Previous: Ladies' Gunboat Society (Los Angeles, CA)

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Sushi Tsujita
2006 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
310.231.1177
www.sushitsujita.com
Fri 09/12/2014, 08:30p-12:25a





2014's most surprising sushi opening dropped on August 12th. I say surprising because it comes to us from none other than Takehiro Tsujita, the man behind ramen joint Tsujita LA Artisan Noodle. Since opening in 2011, the tsukemen slanger has become one of the City's ramen standard bearers, and evened spawned Tsujita Annex across the street. There was a third restaurant in the works, to be called Tsujita Villa, but that project has transformed into what we see today: Sushi Tsujita, an edomae-inspired, omakase-focused operation helmed by Shigeru Kato, a veteran Tokyo sushi chef who's spent a reported 35 years in the biz.


The address was once home to Orris/Spaghetti House by Orris/Soba Sojibo, but has been spruced up quite a bit since then. Bamboo adorns in the walls in geometric patterns, and the enclosed area out front is now a "loungey" sitting area (replete with seemingly out-of-place chandelier). Ten seats surround the bar, while the rest of the room is lined with a handful of tables.


The menu at Sushi Tsujita is pretty straightforward (and unintentionally humorous at times). Going à la carte here is possible, but the place clearly emphasizes omakase at levels of $120, $150, and $180 (our choice), with supplements possible. If all this seems a bit pricey, there's also a much more reasonable set lunch menu. Click for larger versions.


To drink, you get your requisite Japanese macro lagers, a few shochus/sakes (including the cringe-inducing $900 Dassai Beyond), and an optimistically priced wine list with a few decidedly inappropriate-for-sushi selections. Better go with the corkage option, at a cost of $30 per bottle. Click for larger versions.


I brought along a couple 2006 Chards to compare and contrast, one American, one French. First up was the California-born 2006 Shafer Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch, which I purchased directly from the winery way back when I was still on their mailing list. It was surprisingly youthful, and surprisingly good, a fat sort of wine with expected buttery-oak notes joined by a palpable fruitiness, the whole shebang cut by a great acidity. I think we were all really impressed at how well this held up.


1: Awabi
Awabi hailing from Santa Barbara graced us as the first course, a delightful presentation that showcased the abalone's meaty, firm-yet-pliant bite along with its trademark brine, which worked swimmingly with the yuba here. I was a fan of the steamed veggies as well, the greens adding a bitter, crunchy counterpoint that made absolute sense.


2a: Ginnan
What followed was a platter of four small treats, beginning with salt-grilled gingko nuts. They were wonderful, among the best I've had, excellent texturally, with a slight bitterness to them perked up by the sharp jolts of salt present.


2b: Ayu Tempura
Next were three different preparations of the summer staple of sweetfish. First up was a version wrapped in yuba and fried tempura style, a delicious two bites that saw the salty, savory goodness of the fish evened out by the mild tofu skin.


2c: Ayu Uruka
Here, ayu was marinated in a bitter spice mixture, topped with caviar, and served in a hollowed out kabosu. The key here was how the caviar intensified the inherent flavors of the slightly astringent fish, while citrus added great little pin points of tartness to the mix.


2d: Ayu Nitsuke
Last up was ayu simmered in soy and sake, a rich, dark, savory, and saccharine prep that really emphasized the inherent sweetness of the fish, the baby ginger providing a modicum of moderating zing.


Gari was served in cubes instead of slices, a practice that I'd never seen before. The ginger was superb texturally, recalling the juicy crunch of Asian pear.


3: Kinmedai
A one-course sushi detour brought out golden eye snapper (a.k.a. alfonsino), which really conveyed a wonderfully meaty, satisfying texture along with a mild savor that showcased the rice.


4: Mebaru Ushiojiru
A clear rockfish soup was a heartwarming potage, the supple, flaky fish conveying a soft salinity enhanced by the woody matsutake. I was a big fan of the zesty mitsuba as well, and the way that the citrus imbued the broth with its tanginess was on point.


Our itamae this evening was Kazu Ozawa, who previously worked behind the counter at the nearby Shunji.


5a: Kuromaguro Zuke
Sashimi time. Soy-marinated tuna was lean, yet deep with umami flavors, its relative austerity playing well off of the creamy, luxurious nature of Santa Barbara sea urchin.


5b: Hata
Scarlet-tinged slices of grouper, meanwhile, came out clean and crisp, a perfect setting for a dab of soy and a brush of 'sabi.


My second wine was the 2006 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne, a Grand Cru Burgundy. Now, I expected the Shafer to be past its prime, but the Latour I expected to be entering its sweet spot, and it didn't let me down. It was leaner compared to the Shafer, sure, but was still a fairly lush wine, with a very pleasing richness to it. Think tropical fruit, spice, nuttiness, minerality, with a more piercing sort of acidity to even things out. Quite multifaceted.


6: Kuromaguro Chutoro
Bluefin from Boston was a beautiful hue of ruby, a melt-y, yet eminently balanced bite when taken with a bit of soy.


7: Mushi Nodoguro
Blackthroat seaperch was also a winner, a fatty, slightly spongy white fish that displayed a restrained, yet resplendent flavor profile. The akamutsu was certainly tasty alone, but a bit of earthy truffle, piquant myoga, and pungent mustard worked wonders here as well.


8: Hobo
Our parade of sushi proper began with the somewhat rare sea robin, a mild-tasting, well-textured fish with a great hit of wasabi toward the back end.


9: Benizake
Sockeye was a deep shade of orange, a fatty, luxuriant cut of salmon that really called for the application of murasaki.


10: Seki Saba
The vaunted mackerel from the town of Saganoseki was thoughtfully presented here, giving up a refined sort of brininess paired with an apparent sweetness that really was quite fetching. Excellent wasabi finish here, too.


11: Kuromaguro Toro
A beautifully-veined slab of bluefin toro arrived dressed in dashi jelly, the super fatty fish deftly paired with the umami-rich relish of its accoutrement, a sprinkle of yuzu adding an exclamation point to the dish.


12: Sanma
Mackerel pike announced the arrival of autumn, a salty, full-flavored fish that ate superbly with the smoky, earthy taste of matsutake, a squirt of citrus lightening the whole course.


With the wine all drunk up, we opted for a bottle of the Tengumai, Junmai, Ishikawa [$60] from producer Shata Shuzo. A 60% seimaibuai sake, this was a fairly hefty drink, with an earthy-ricey quality to it complemented by a backbone of acidity and booziness. Pretty tasty, and a good match to the food.


13: Miyazaki Wagyu
Cooked rare, wagyu from Miyazaki prefecture was an indulgence, with its intense marbling making for a gelatinous, fatty, oil-oozing eating experience. The great char on the steak served as a suitable counterpoint to the meat's lushness, and crispy garlic, radish, and wasabi performed admirably as well. A doozy for sure.


14: Ikura-Uni Don
Alaskan ikura and Santa Barbara uni combined for some roe-on-roe action, an amalgam of creamy and sharp salinities tempered by the dish's base of white rice.


15: Bachiko
Up next was a new taste for me (as well as for Jonathan Gold, who was dining at the restaurant this same evening): fried sea cucumber roe. It was as salty as you'd expect, long-lingeringly so actually, and had a somewhat chewy bite to it. One of my dining companions even likened the delicacy to "seafood beef jerky."


16: Otoro Tataki
Now we come to the most decadent dish of the night, a palate-coating explosion of fat-char-oil-fish that was thankfully taken down a notch by the presence of rice. Damn.


17: Suzuki
Sea bass was done in kobujime fashion, a sticky, dense piece of nigiri that showed off a concentrated flavor profile thanks to its kelp treatment.


Supplement: Amaebi [$9.00]
Amaebi was just what you'd want: crisp, snappy, springy, and utterly clean.


The shrimp heads, though, might've been even better, fried perfectly crisp here and great with a squeeze of citrus.


Supplement: Tai [$9.00]
Sea bream from Akashi city was accompanied by sea salt and yuzu, a classic, yet unabashedly effective presentation that highlighted the subtle sweetness of the fish.


Yui Kumamoto, Tsujita's lovely Store Manager, shows off a bottle of the Dassai Beyond junmai daiginjo, easily the priciest sake I'd ever laid eyes on.


18: Yari Ika
Japanese spear squid was sticky and sweet, its delicate disposition taken up a notch by a forceful presentation of wasabi.


Supplement: Kohada [$4.00]
Gizzard shad had a gorgeously silvery skin and a firm bite, its signature saltiness modulated by the rice.


19: Kisu
Japanese whiting, meanwhile, was subtle in terms of taste, so this one was all about the texture for me: delightfully crisp and satisfying.


20: Myoga
Another first for me was the use of myoga on sushi. I found that it worked surprisingly well, with the ginger's piquant-sweet notes having a good back-and-forth with the shari here.


21: Tamago
And now, the traditional closers of tamago-anago. First up was the kasutera-style tamagoyaki, which had a dense, but not overly dense consistency to it. Taste-wise, you got an egginess up front, undercut by a sweetness, with the finish imbued with a noticeable brine. Very nice.


22: Anago
Finally, sea eel was one of the best I've tried, a satisfyingly meaty version that conveyed a flawless balance of savory, sweet, and char nuances.


Kaz-san was quite the affable sushi chef.


To go with the desserts: a hot, roasty cup of hojicha, natch.


Since it was my birthday, Yui-san cobbled together a fun little "birthday cake" comprising vanilla mochi, lychee(?) jelly, and mandarin.


23: Honeydew
Dessert proper featured super sweet, super juicy honeydew with some sort of fruit compote, a refreshing end to the meal to be sure.


Head chef Kato-san sees us off at the end of the evening.

I was a bit skeptical about Sushi Tsujita at first given how the place came to fruition, but this was a mighty fine meal, mighty fine. I appreciated the variety and of course the quality of ingredients here, and there was a focus, a precision that I really enjoyed. The cooked dishes were pretty much spot on, and the nigiri laudable as well, with a good selection of neta and well-textured, semi-loose, semi-warm rice. I have no doubt that Tsujita belongs in the top tier of LA sushiya, so for all you sushi lovers out there, you now have a new gotta-try spot.

Pine & Crane (Los Angeles, CA)

September 21, 2014, 7:55 pm

≫ Next: The Church Key (West Hollywood, CA)

≪ Previous: Sushi Tsujita (Los Angeles, CA)

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Pine & Crane Restaurant
1521 Griffith Park Blvd, Silver Lake, CA 90026
323.668.1128
www.pineandcrane.com
Sun 09/07/2014, 07:55p-11:35p





The Silverlake dining scene scored its first legit Taiwanese/Chinese restaurant at the end of March with the debut of Pine & Crane. Situated in the old Cru space across the street from El Condor and Cliff's Edge, the place is described as a "fast-casual" concept, though methinks it's definitely a step up from Pei Wei and its ilk. It's the work of Chef/Owner Vivian Ku, who named the restaurant after her grandfather's 1950's era noodle shop back in Taiwan.

About the Chef: Ku's family eventually emigrated from Taiwan and settled in California, and she grew up in the Bakersfield region, where her family runs Asian produce specialist Sunfield Farm. Following graduation from Highland High School in 2005, Ku attended Harvard, focusing on a pre-med track. After finishing up there, she got her start in the restaurant industry as front-of-the-house, then went on to study at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park. This was followed by an internship at Chez Panisse in Berkeley and a stint at Full Plate, a restaurant consulting firm. Work on Pine & Crane began in earnest last year, and Ku has brought on Allan Lai to serve as her right hand man in the kitchen, while San Diego area native Moonlynn Tsai (who comes to us from San Jose's Original Gravity Public House) serves as GM.


As for Pine & Crane's menu, you can expect all your Taiwanese-y favorites joined by seasonal produce sourced from the family farm. The restaurant's alcohol license finally arrived in July, so now you can enjoy a small draft/bottled beer list and a handful of wines to go along with the teas, both iced (with a boba option, natch) and loose leaf. Corkage, meanwhile, is a very reasonable $8 a bottle. Click for larger versions.


Before we started to booze, we tried the Taro Milk Tea with Boba [$4.25], a delightfully gritty drink that really showed off the sweet, nutty taste of the root vegetable.


Minced Pork on Rice [$8.00] | Soy-Braised Egg, House Daikon Pickle
We commenced with Pine & Crane's take on lu rou fan, a tasty preparation that balanced the sweet, savory pork over a backdrop of white rice, with the excellent soy egg and firm pickles adding further goodness to the dish. Cozy.


Scallion Pancake [$4.00] | House Rendered Caul Fat
The staple of cong you bing was up next. It was a well-textured rendition of the flatbread, though I wanted the actual scallion to stand out more here.


Given the BYOB policy, we brought along a couple bottles to enjoy, the first of which was the 2012 Van Honsebrouck Trignac XII, basically Kasteel tripel ale aged in cognac casks, bottle #1724 of only 9000 ever produced apparently. I hadn't had anything quite like it before, but found it to my liking, with its classically yeasty, slightly hoppy Belgian-y flavors underpinned by a vinous, woody character from the barrel aging.


Dan Dan Noodles [$7.50] | Sesame-Peanut Sauce, Chili Oil, Cucumbers, Peanuts
Our first noodle dish was the dandanmian, a Taiwanese style version that's far less spicy than the Sichuan original. It still was rather good though, with the sweet-nutty pairing of sesame and peanut underscored by an unexpected jolt of heat, the whole thing tempered by the light, bright spears of cucumber.


Potstickers [$6.00] | Kurobuta Pork Shoulder, Taiwanese Cabbage
The guotie were on point, beautifully textured dumplings that held hot, juicy centers of pork and cabbage. Tasty alone, and even better with a brush of that piquant dipping sauce.


Sweet Potato Leaves [$7.50]
One of the featured produce dishes this evening was the sweet potato leaves, which I don't think I'd had before. They were quite good though, with a grassy, bright, slightly bitter quality complemented by the use of garlic, along with a somewhat mucilaginous consistency.


For our next beer, we stayed in Belgium and enjoyed the 2011 Rodenbach Vintage Ale, a sour aged for two years in oak. Think a perfect balance of fruity and tart notes, both on the nose and the palate, with an undercurrent of oak-y and wine-like qualities toward the back end. No doubt a prime example of the Flanders Red style.


Taiwanese Sausage [$5.50]
The xiangchang was true to form, chewy little links displaying a mix of savory-yet-slightly sweet flavors to go against the sharply astringent shards of raw garlic.


We happened to have a jar of homemade yeolmu kimchi along with us, a summertime favorite made with young radish greens. A superb side dish, I found it particularly apropos with the scallion pancake.


Here was a quintessential Taiwanese soda, the HeySong Sarsaparilla. Think of it as your typical root beer, but sharper, spicier, and superior.


Seaweed Salad [$3.50] | Ginger, Garlic, Scallions, Vinegar
We moved on to a trio of cold salads from Pine & Crane's display case. The first was spot on, the crisp strands of seaweed here really melding flawlessly with the trinity of ginger, garlic, and scallion to make for a tangy, tasty eating experience.


Bamboo Shoots [$3.50] | Ginger, Sugar, Chili Oil, Vinegar
Bamboo shoots, meanwhile, were crunchy, yet not overly so, with a nice balance of sweet and umami flavors, overarched by a whisper of heat.


Woodear Salad [$3.50] | Chili Oil, Cilantro, Red Bell Pepper
My favorite of this troika, though, was the mu er salad, which was probably the best example of the ingredient I've had. I found it beautiful texturally, with a slick, snappy bite, its mild taste smartly amped up by the zing of chili and cilantro.


Our next drink was the Green Tea Passion Fruit Lager [$7.50], one of Tsai's creations. It's basically a shandy of sorts, and one of the best I've had, a delicious mélange of Taiwan Gold Medal beer, green tea, and passionfruit jam.


Three Cup Jidori Chicken [$12.00] | Chinese Basil, Sesame Oil, Soy Sauce, Rice Wine
Pine & Crane's sanbeiji was another standout, the bird coming out positively imbued with the deep, heady, slightly sweet flavors of sesame, soy, and rice wine. It was a comforting combination to be sure, made even better by the aromatics of basil and a prick of heat from the chilies. Note that there's also a vegetarian version of the dish made with trumpet mushrooms.


Beef Roll [$6.00]
The beef roll seems to be the Chinese dish du jour these days, and so unsurprisingly, it's one of Pine & Crane's most popular items. The wrapper delivered--thin, soft, yet a bit crispy--while the combo of savory-sweet, tender beef and light, crunchy cucumbers satisfied. I would've liked it a touch more "saucy" though.


Spicy Shrimp Wontons [$7.00]
Wontons are a pretty prosaic dish by this point, but the ones here were some of the tastiest I've had, with the briny essence of the shrimp forcefully conveyed yet beautifully accentuated by the layers of heat in the dish. Great bit of levity provided by the greenery up top, too.


Zha Jiang Noodles [$8.00] | Kurobuta Pork, Black Bean Sauce, Cucumbers
The zhajiangmian was up next, and P&C's was a lighter presentation compared to most. It still had the same classic flavor profile though, with a savory, softly sweet pork-sauce combo over a base of springy noodles, the whole thing evened out by the heap of cucumbers on top.


At this point, we moved on to wine, and popped a bottle of 2012 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Sur Lie. It really was a great example of the style, a refreshing, uplifting Muscadet redolent of citrus, minerality, and brine that finished in lively fashion.


Sweet Potato Fries [$4.50] | Plum Powder
I'm not generally a huge fan of sweet potato fries (much preferring the savory variety), but these were some of the strongest I've had, with the plum powder adding a great exclamation point to the dish.


Basil Eggplant [$9.00]
I'm also not big on eggplant, but this just might've been my favorite presentation of the ingredient I'd experienced thus far. The key for me was how it was kept firm and satisfying to the bite (I hate when it gets too mushy), and I was also keen on the use of chilies and basil and how that augmented the rich, hearty taste of the aubergine. Easily the biggest surprise of the night (for me).


Taiwanese Sticky Rice [$5.50] | Sausage, Calamari, Shitake, Sweet Tomato Soy
This was probably the most polarizing dish of the night. There was a lot going on, but that worked for me, with the deep flavors of the various ingredients really permeating the rice, joined by a palpable sort of sweetness while the cilantro on top imparted the perfect touch of levity.


Beef Noodle Soup [$9.00] | Beef Shank, Baby Bok Choy, Preserved Mustard Greens
Niurou mian was obviously a must-try, and didn't let us down with its tender, hefty cuts of braised beef, well-textured noodles, and bright, bitter veggies, everything set in a deeply aromatic broth that we eagerly supped up.


Next up was the 2011 Pieropan Soave Classico La Rocca, a somewhat weightier wine, this one much more floral and fruity, but balanced by a dry minerality. Quite tasty.


Spicy Peanuts [$4.50] | Chilis, Cilantro, Scallions, Vinegar
These seriously might've been the best peanuts I've had, presented here still crunchy and nutty, with a great spicy kick to 'em that was countered by the duo of scallion and cilantro.


Pork Dumplings [$5.00]
Jiaozi were filled with pork-y goodness, and made perfect sense with the paired, piquant dipping sauce, but their skins veered overly thick, distracting me from the stuffing inside.


Mapo Tofu [$9.00] | Kurobuta Pork, Sichuan Peppercorns
The ubiquitous mapo tofu was a slick, solid rendition of the dish that was perhaps a tad toned down, but still showed off the pungent zing of Sichuan pepper and chili oil. Great with some rice.


Layered Pork Pancake [$6.50] | Kurobuta Pork, Scallions
Finally, we ended with a xian bing-like pancake, a hot, hearty dish that paired super juicy bits of pork with just the right amount of scallion.


Our final drink was the AleSmith Vietnamese Coffee Speedway Stout, which, fittingly, went in a more "desserty" slant. Think classic stout-y notes, but intertwined with delightful flavors of roasty, spicy-sweet coffee that paired swimmingly with the chocolate-vanilla nature of the beer, the whole thing accented by a tinge of bitterness.



Since Pine & Crane lacks dessert of any sort, we brought our own in celebration of chuseok, the Korean autumn harvest festival. Homemade songpyeon rice cakes were called for of course, the traditional dish of the holiday, done up here with a filling of sesame seed and honey (the greens ones had ssuk, or mugwort powder, mixed in). Also on the table was a traditional Chinese/Vietnamese mooncake (yue bing/banh trung thu) stuffed with taro and salted duck egg, as well as colorful Taiwanese variants of the treat.

Against all odds, Silver Lake at last has some respectable Taiwanese, and the eats here were damn tasty and compared favorably to what you might find in parts east. The cuisine's classic in essence, but with a somehow modern, refreshing approach to it that definitely appealed to all of us (and a lot of other people too, judging from the crowds). I'm curious to see if Pine & Crane might eventually move away from the "fast-casual" mantra that they've been espousing and implement proper table service and reservations to elevate the experience. The food deserves it.

The Church Key (West Hollywood, CA)

September 19, 2014, 8:50 pm

≫ Next: Hangari Kalgooksu (Garden Grove, CA)

≪ Previous: Pine & Crane (Los Angeles, CA)

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The Church Key Restaurant
8730 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
424.249.3700
www.thechurchkeyla.com
Fri 09/19/2014, 08:50p-12:50p



[NOTE: All food/drink photos taken by guest photographer Elly Lam.]

One of the most promising places to hit Sunset in recent times is The Church Key, the latest endeavor from Chef Steven Fretz (Top Round, XIV), Beverage Director Devon Espinosa (Pour Vous, Ink), and GM Joseph Sabato (The Bazaar, XIV). Named after those cheapie metal can openers, the Sunset Tower eatery sits between Eveleigh and the departed Rare by Drai's, at the site that once held Puma Social Club, One Sunset, and Barfly. The restaurant bills itself as "modern American dim sum," and the conceit here is that the written menu is augmented by a parade of roving carts, featuring an array of small plates and boozy treats, a novel concept to any diner who hasn't heard of State Bird Provisions.

About the Chef: A native of Grants Pass, Oregon, Fretz graduated from North Valley High School before moving to San Francisco to begin his cooking career. He enrolled at the California Culinary Academy in 1999, and secured his first job in the industry (a 480-hour externship) at George Morrone's Fifth Floor (after turning down similar positions at Aqua and La Folie). He started out as a communard, cooking staff meals, but eventually became garde manger and then sous. After three years there, Fretz accepted the Executive Sous Chef position at Michael Mina's new Redwood Park, working under Joseph Humphrey (previously sous at Fifth Floor), then transitioned to Mina's Arcadia in San Jose. He then reunited with Morrone at Wildfire in Sydney, where he assisted in menu development.

In 2004, Fretz returned to San Francisco to serve as Chef de Cuisine for Morrone's Tartare, which opened at the former address of Elisabeth Daniel (where Dan Patterson first made a name for himself). After the place closed in 2006, he moved to New York, consulting for davidburke & donatella as well as David Burke Fromagerie in Jersey. Fretz would wind up working for Michael Mina again in 2007, this time as Executive Chef of Saltwater in Detroit. After his stint in Motor City, he relocated to Los Angeles in 2008 to open Mina's ambitious XIV in partnership with SBE, alongside Pastry Chef Jordan Kahn. Fretz did end up winning Angeleno's "Best New Chef" award the following year, but the restaurant never really caught on with its "build your own tasting menu" format, and he left in August 2010.

He was rumored to be planning his own fish- and pasta-focused place, but eventually landed a gig as head chef for Curtis Stone's various projects, and was apparently working on launching an LA restaurant with Stone. However, the concept never materialized, and Stone ended up taking over Pici Enoteca in Beverly Hills, which he turned into the tasting menu-centric Maude. With that out of the way, Fretz thus partnered with Anthony Carron (800 Degrees), Noah Ellis (Red Med), and Jamie Tiampo to debut roast beefery Top Round, which bowed in June last year. He then set his sights on The Church Key, and along with Sabato and Espinosa, opened the restaurant in late October, joined by Chef de Cuisine Ryan Ososky (XIV, Bradley Ogden) and Pastry Chef Ian Opina (Hatfield's).


Above, we see The Church Key's printed menu, which, of course, is only part of the story here. To eat, you'll find a selection of small-ish plates, some of which seem like they could be holdovers from the XIV days, and even smaller plates on those roving carts (kept track of via dim sum-style stamp cards). Meanwhile, drinks are the charge of Espinosa, and in addition to the printed list of cocktails-beer-wine, there are also roaming carts with nitro "Odd-er Pops" as well as drinks set in cans and mason jars. Click for larger versions.


Bacon Scrumpets with Maple Vinegar Sauce
We began with a number of cart items (each priced at around $6 to $7 for the most part). The scrumpets were fun and tasty, the porky goodness of the bacon livened up by a crisp coating of what I believe was panko while the included maple-vinegar imparted a tangy sweetness to the mix.


Grilled Ocean Trout with Grilled Chili Chimichurri
Trout was a touch dry, but was spot on taste-wise, its flaky, somewhat fatty disposition evened out by the zing of that chimichurri.


English Pea Falafel with Truffled Tahini Sauce
The falafel was one of my favs, moist and full of nutty, pea-laced savor, the balls perfectly paired with their included condiment.


Chef Fretzy 4.0 [$14.00] | Dobel Tequila / Pavan / Candied Grapes
Pink Lips [$14.00] | Grey Goose La Poire (Pear) / Champagne / Pomegranate Espuma
With Espinosa behind the stick, we had to give the cocktails a try of course, and I got things going with the Chef Fretzy 4.0, ostensibly the fourth iteration of the drink. It was one of the standouts for me, with the sweet-ish, grape-y character of the Pavan really meshing beautifully with the tequila. Unfortunately, I forgot to sample the admittedly very-girly-sounding Pink Lips, but my dining companion seemed to enjoy it.


Crispy Halibut Taco, Serrano Chili Aioli, Spicy Salsa Verde
Fretz's fish taco was superb, one of the tastiest I've had. The halibut itself was on point--crispy and moist--but what really made this work for me was the creeping bit of heat in the dish.


Pork and Shrimp Gyoza with White Soy Vinaigrette
Gyoza were lovely, wonderfully crisp on one side and loaded with plenty of juicy, pork-y, shrimp-y goodness. Could've used a couple more of these.


Brussels Sprout "Caesar Salad"~Tomato Raisins~Sunflower Seeds~Parmesan Cheese [$16.00]
We had to give this reimagined Caesar a shot given our penchant for Brussels sprouts. It was a nice play on the classic salad, a lighter, brighter presentation perked up by those tomato raisins while the Parm lent a salty heft to the entire dish.


Crispy Pork Belly~Gochujang Glaze~Cashew Butter~Radish~Cilantro~Sesame [$18.00]
Though you couldn't really see 'em, cubes of pork belly were delightful: crisp yet fatty, and teeming with gochujang spice. Very good alone, and even better when taken with all the greenery on top.


Pretty Pear Overboard [$13.00] | Van Gogh Vodka / Bosc Pear Shrub / Soda
Sir Newton [$14.00] | Brandy / Figs / Mint / Agave
In our second round of cocktails, the Pretty Pear Overboard worked well as a long drink, with the juicy notes of pear intermingling with the soda and vodka to make for a light, refreshing experience. The Sir Newton, on the other hand, was heftier, with a great interplay between the fig and agave, the whole thing brightened up by the aromatics of the mint.


Salt and Vinegar Popcorn
The complementary salt-vinegar popcorn was a bit addictive, so careful not to fill up on it.


Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice with Housemade Ponzu
The ubiquitous fusion-y dish of spicy tuna atop crispy rice was about what you'd expect, albeit pretty good.


Shrimp Po' Boy with Pickled Egg Remoulade on House Made Brioche
I quite enjoyed the po' boy, the shrimp here coming out still springy and briny, yet crispy, with the remoulade adding a great zesty kick to things. Nice sweetness on the bread, too.


Fashioned Chai [$14.00] | Apple Jack Brandy / Buffalo Trace Bourbon / Chai Syrup / Orange Peel
Mary Funkin' Poppins [$13.00] | Buffalo Trace Bourbon / Green Chartreuse / Earl Grey Tea / Honey
Up next were two tea-themed cocktails. The Fashioned Chai was a take on the Old Fashioned, and deftly played the boozy weight of the brandy-bourbon against the warm, spicy notes of chai syrup. Also a winner was the Mary Funkin' Poppins, with its incorporation of fragrant Earl Grey and honey really evening out the assertiveness of the bourbon and Chartreuse.


Ososky's Potato Pierogies~Apple Butter~Aged Gouda~Crème Fraiche~Chives [$19.00]
Getting into the more substantial stuff now, we had here a version of a dish that dates back to CdC Ososky's time at XIV. It's a nod to his Polish heritage, a tasty one at that, with the hearty, hefty combo of potato and gouda smartly accented by the sugary apple butter.


Rigatoni Pasta~Fennel Sausage~"Red Sauce"~New Olive Oil~Parmesan Espuma [$21.00]
The rigatoni didn't win points for presentation, but the flavor was certainly there. I was a fan of the fennel sausage and how that paired with the tangy, old school red sauce, the Parm espuma on top sort of tying it all together.


Duck Confit "Cassoulet"~Scarlet Runner Beans~Benton's Smoked Ham~Aged Cheddar Cheese Crumbs [$33.00]
The cassoulet course featured a very "duck-y" confit, one that, when paired with the smoked ham, really called for the runner beans to balance out the saltiness of it all. A homey, comforting sort of dish, though it might be nice to have some sausages in there as well.


Hand Rolled Cavatelli Pasta~Braised Lamb Shoulder~Cauliflower~Pinenuts~Castelmagno Cheese [$21.00]
Cavatelli stood up well to the richness of the braised lamb, the meat's deep, dark flavors amplified by the Castelmagno while the cauliflower and pine nuts lightened things up a bit.


Whole Fried Market Fish~"Nuoc Cham"~Cabbage & Carrot Salad~Thai Basil~Crispy Shallots
For our final savory, the Chef sent out a half order of the whole fried snapper. It was a pretty impressive looking plate, and the fish itself arrived suitably crisp, yet still juicy and supple on the inside. Nice use of Asian-y flavors here, and I appreciated the zip of the fish sauce as well to really accentuate the snapper.


Alfred, the Butler [$13.00] | Old Overholt Rye / Becherovka / Carpano Bianco Dry Vermouth
Red Beard [$13.00] | Bacardi Rum / Cherry Heering / Aperol / Cardamom Syrup / Pineapple
The Alfred, the Butler was likely the booziest cocktail of the night, showcasing an herb-y, citrus-y, perfume-y combination of flavors over a backdrop of spicy rye. Meanwhile, the Red Beard was much softer in its presentation, with a tasty body of sweet spice and fruit to go along with a backbone of Bacardi.


Brioche Donuts~Brown Butter Glaze~Cinnamon Caramel [$12.00]
Time for desserts, which are the work here of Pastry Chef Ian Opina. We started with his signature doughnuts, which won second place for best dish at the recent Plate by Plate tasting benefit. They're seriously legit, brown butter bombs that were irresistible alone but even better when eaten with the cinnamon caramel ice cream.


Pumpkin "Tres Leches"~Pumpkin Spice Cake~Rum Tres Leches Foam~Candied Pumpkin Seeds~Grand Marnier [$11.00]
The pumpkin "tres leches" didn't seem all that "tres leches" to me, but I still enjoyed the dessert, with its sweet-spicy flavors on proud display against all the other elements on the plate.


Chocolate Peanut "Torte"~Chocolate & Peanut Butter Mousse~Chocolate Sable~Peanut Brittle [$11.00]
Opina's torte was an exploration of peanut butter and chocolate. I'm not sure which element won out here, but it was fun to eat, with the ice cream and brittle adding particularly enjoyable dimensions to the dessert.


Pear and Apple "Crisp"~Pear Financier~Sauteed Apples~Almond Oat Crisp~Maple Rosemary Ice Cream [$11.00]
Last up was an effective combo of pear and apple, a duo that made absolute sense with the almond and oats. I was really digging the aromatics of the maple-rosemary here, though I would've liked a less gritty texture on that crisp.

After some misfires, I think 8730 Sunset has finally found a concept that works. The Church Key's a fun, festive, slightly scene-y type of joint, and the food reflects that, but fortunately has some chops to back it up as well. The cocktails were nothing to sneeze at either, and I'm glad that the cart dishes didn't seem to lose out too much quality-wise compared to the menu options, as some diners had reported. In the end, a welcomed, worthwhile addition to this section of Sunset.

Hangari Kalgooksu (Garden Grove, CA)

September 29, 2014, 8:35 pm

≫ Next: Playground (Santa Ana, CA) [2]

≪ Previous: The Church Key (West Hollywood, CA)

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Hangari Kalgooksu Restaurant
9916 Garden Grove Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92844
714.537.0100
Wed 09/10/2014, 08:35p-09:55p





One of the more random meals of recent times went down when an unexpected craving for Korean landed me at Hangari Kalgooksu in Garden Grove's Little Seoul district. The place opened 2000 (according to the lady who was working there), and as its name would imply, specializes in kalguksu, or knife-cut noodles.


The space looks like a proper Korean restaurant with all that wood.


As for Hangari Kalgooksu's menu, you of course have the namesake dish listed up top, joined by about a dozen or so other, mostly noodle-y items. Simple. Click for larger versions.


Given the pretty much nonexistent beverage selection here, I decided to do it BYOB style. My first drink was the 2014 Firestone Walker Opal, a refreshing saison that worked well with the food. Think light citrus-y notes intermingled with a bit of spice and a touch of farmhouse funk, finished with a tinge of bitterness.



Hangari Kalgooksu is well-known for its kimchi, the young radish greens (yeolmu) variety in particular. A summertime treat, this one was delight, showing off all your spicy, pungent kimchi flavors, but with a very pleasing bite to it. Accompanying the dish was a serving of bori bap, or barley rice.


The idea is to mix the yeolmu into the barley rice, add some sesame oil, gochujang, and enjoy. And enjoy we did, the mildness of the bori working as a perfect foil to the headiness of the kimchi.


Our second beer was the 2014 Tröegs Nugget Nectar, which I likened to a cross between an amber ale and an IPA with its hop bitterness and strong citrus-y notes, joined by a palpable spice and countering malt presence.


Shrimp, Squid & Vegetables Tempura [$14.00]
Oddly enough, the restaurant's tempura also receives considerable acclaim, so we had to get our fill of course. We opted for the most luxurious preparation, which brought together shrimp, squid, bell pepper, onion, carrot, kabocha squash (danhobak), and Korean sweet potato (goguma). It was an impressive spread, and really tasty too, with each ingredient clearly conveyed, yet superbly balanced by the light, yet crisp batter. Even better when taken with a dab of soy-vinegar-chili.



Kal-guk-su [$8.99] | Warm noodles with seafood soup
Naturally, we had to give the place's namesake dish a twirl as well. Kalguksu's traditionally a summertime specialty, and features knife-cut flour noodles served in a special hangari pot. The noodles themselves were tender, yet slightly springy and quite satisfying, and went swimmingly with the dish's broth, a deeply aromatic liquid imbued with the essence of the ocean. A rich, comforting sort of dish, and for a bit more heat, you could even toss in some of the included chili paste.


Our final beer here brought out a sour, the 2013 Allagash Midnight Brett. It wasn't quite as tart as I'd expected, giving up a noticeable fruity character and a surprising roasty/chocolate quality to pair with the funkiness of the yeast.


Ramen Duk-bok-ee [$8.99] | Ramen and rice cakes mixed with spicy sauce
Here we had tteokbokki, a staple dish of rice cake, fish cake, and two types of noodles (ramyeon and what I believe was dangmyeon), set in a red chili sauce. Think classic flavors of spicy and sweet, though the whole thing was a bit one-note. I would've liked egg or some more veggies thrown in here to provide more balance.


Fried Man-du [$9.00] | Fried dumplings
Last up were the fried gunmandu, a favorite of ours thanks to the dumplings' savory filling and delightfully crisp exteriors. Excellent with a dash of the same dipping sauce we used for the tempura above.

This ad hoc excursion turned out rather well, as we enjoyed a tasty, filling, and cheap meal that introduced me to the joys of kalguksu. Can't complain too much.

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Since Hangari Kalgooksu didn't seem to offer any sort of dessert, we headed down the street to Frozen Bar for some ice cream.


We opted for a Large [$4.55] with four flavors: Peach, Cookies 'n Cream, Rocky Road, and Lavender Milk Tea. It was a decently solid, though not outstanding quartet, with the Cookies 'n Cream being my favorite of the bunch.


We also went for a strawberry Dipped Pop [$3.00] with chocolate. The actual popsicle part was quite tasty, though we weren't quite as enthused with the chocolate coating.


To pair with our ice creams, I opened a bottle of 2014 Beachwood BBQ & Brewing Udder Love, which was just released a few weeks ago. A hefty milk stout, this one was loaded with your classic coffee and chocolate flavors, but with the addition of a distinct lactic creaminess to round things out. Appropriately "dessert-y."

Playground (Santa Ana, CA) [2]

October 2, 2014, 8:15 pm

≫ Next: L'Assiette (Los Angeles, CA)

≪ Previous: Hangari Kalgooksu (Garden Grove, CA)

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Playground Restaurant
220 E 4th St, Santa Ana, CA 92701
714.560.4444
www.playgrounddtsa.com
Sat 09/13/2014, 08:15p-12:15a



It'd been far too long since my last visit to Playground (I really don't get down to Orange County much). Sure, I attended a couple of IO dinners at 2.0, but two years had passed since I last dined at the restaurant that started it all. A visit from a couple out-of-towners gave me the perfect excuse to return.


Playground's menu format has changed since last time--split into smaller plates, larger plates, and desserts now--but still reads as well as ever, replete with its whimsical descriptions of the food (note, though, that the Chef did send out some non-menu items for our table to try). To drink, beer is the choice of beverage here, with 15 California brews on tap and 60-plus in the bottle, all managed by Jarred Dooley. Rhett Butler, meanwhile, oversees the wine list, and there are even cocktails now from barman Joe Valdovino. Remember, importantly, that BYOB is definitely an option here given the lack of a corkage fee. Click for larger versions.


Given the liberal BYO policy here, I went a little crazy and brought around a dozen bottles. First up to the plate was the recently released 2014 Cigar City Cucumber Saison, which had your classic farmhouse qualities, but with the addition of fresh cucumber notes intermixed with a tart-ish pickle-y character. For something on the utterly classic part of the spectrum, we had the 2012 Westvleteren Blonde, a quintessential Belgian pale ale filled with all the yeasty, bready, subtly spicy and mildly bitter notes that you'd expect and want in such a beer.


Geoduck, Razor Clam & Scallop Crudo, Mint, Chive, Radish, Chile, Lemon, Fancy Olive Oil [$16.00]
Geoduck and razor clam are pretty much must-orders for me by this point, so it's not surprising that we started with this dish. You definitely had the sweet salinity of the three types of shellfish on display here, counteracted by bright, tangy blasts from the mint-radish-lemon-chili, the olive oil sort of melding everything together. I would've liked slightly larger pieces though, to better appreciate the distinct textures of each of the items.



This Should Be Illegal & Probably Is In China [$9.00] | Bao down bitches #flawless /limited
You had here a deep fried bun basically, one stuffed with char siu and topped with a condensed milk glaze. It was a donut-y sort of eating experience, with the heady pork pieces really working quite beautifully with the sugariness of the dish. Seemed a bit wrong, but tasted oh-so right--sacrilicious?


Using the Cucumber Saison that we gave him to try, Dooley proceeded to concoct a version of Playground's beer Gin & Tonic using the Cigar City brew. It was pretty much the perfect beer to have in the drink, since the cucumber notes worked so well with the aromatics of the gin. Delicious.


Fried Cauliflower, Tahini, Pomegranate Molasses, Toasted Almond, Mint [$10.00]
Cauliflower was perfectly fried, beautiful texturally, with the veggie's mild flavor profile accented by the zing of that pomegranate molasses, the mint adding a superb brightness to the course. My only concern was that almond, which gave a nice crunch to things, but veered overly sweet, distracting me somewhat.


Pan Roasted Corn, Tandoori Butter, Sweet Lime Yogurt, Crunchy Corn [$9.00]
Corn was quite nice, with a delightful bit of Indian-y flavor to go along with the inherent sweetness of the kernels. Nice bit of lightness here too from the yogurt.


Moving us on into something heavier was the 2013 Founders Backwoods Bastard, an exceptional Scotch ale aged in bourbon barrels. I got a base of caramel sweetness and fruity malt, joined by spice, smoke, roast, and woody qualities from the oak aging. The 2013 Cisco Island Reserve Oak Aged Bohemian-Vienna Style Lager was also to my liking with its slightly sweet, somewhat fruity core meshing with a yeasty bit of funk and some earthiness from its time spent in wood.


Charcuterie
An impressive spread of three types of charcuterie was next. Up front was Quinn's terrine of Tails & Trotters foreshank and ibérico de bellota secreto rillettes, a pure celebration of pork that matched the lushness of the ibérico with the more rustic goodness of that shank. In the middle were thin slices of pig ear-foie gras-sweetbread-sausage terrine from Electric City Butcher's Michael Puglisi (who's planning on opening up shop nearby in the coming months). I loved the textures on this one, as well as its multifaceted, offal-y flavors. Lastly, we enjoyed another one of Puglisi's: a spicy sausage and pork tenderloin terrine wrapped in leek. It was a winner, with a great touch of spice and a smart counterpoint from the zip of that leek, a real showcase of old school charcuterie chops.


The charcuterie was served alongside a plate of pickles, beer mustard, and ridiculous ham butter, as well as some of the freshest, most pipingly hot bread ever (smear some of that ham butter on there--oh yeah).


I Trust [$16.00] | but i also like southeast asian spicy & raw bluefin tuna
Playground's take on one of my fav Thai specialties, nam kao tod, was legit, giving me the spicy, sour, savory nuances and great textures that I wanted. I found it slightly sweeter than I typically get, and of course you had the tuna adding an extra, welcomed dimension to the dish.


Kurobuta Pork Jowl Grilled Over Binchotan, Green Papaya Salad, Baby Heirlooms, Peanut Crunch, Sticky Rice [$21.00] | deliciously chewy
We stayed in Asia for the next course. Think smoky, succulent cuts of jowl, wonderfully pork-y with a nice bit of bite, taken down a notch by the brightness of the accompanying papaya. Yum.


Next was what I believe was my first encounter with king crab "tail" (part of the abdomen), served with claw, merus, and a crab stock nage. Unsurprisingly, the claw and merus were spot on, but the star was clearly that tail, which was pretty amazing texturally and showed off a lovely sweetness that paired beautifully with the buttery broth.


Our first sour of the night was the clumsily-named, yet delicious 2014 3 Sheeps Brewing Nimble Lips, Noble Tongue Volume 2, brewed with raspberries and Brett then aged on oak. It actually reminded me a bit of a Flanders ale, with its funky, yeasty, spicy, vinegar-y flavors overarched by juicy notes of berry fruit. The 2014 Anchorage Brewing Love Buzz Saison, meanwhile, was a tasty brew indeed, its classic tart farmhouse flavors joined by a floral-fruity quality underpinned by a vinous depth.


Saskatchewan Chanterelles, Duck Confit, Creme Fraiche, Duck Egg, Shallot, Garlic, Thyme, Chive, Grilled Bread [$18.00]
Flavor bomb here, with the confit coming out super ducky and delicious, smartly set off by the various herbs while the mushrooms added further weight to the dish. You can't go wrong with that runny egg either, and I actually appreciated the toast as a sort of base to the course.


The Chef then sent out a couple pastas from a previous dinner at 2.0, both of which were handmade by his wife Hillary. First was a Dungeness crab capaletti with chive-lemon pasta and a roasted pork belly dripping nage. I loved how it so authentically showcased the sweet brine of the crab, and how its delicate flavors paired with the chive and lemon-y notes in the pasta while the broth imparted just enough heftiness to the dish.


Hillary's tomato fagottini, meanwhile, was also a winner, its delectable stuffing of pork cheek Italian sausage melding with the Pecorino and San Marzano in utterly satisfying fashion.


Dooley's second on-the-fly cocktail was deemed the "Suspect Device #2," and featured the 3 Sheeps sour along with Old Tom gin, Kina L'Avion d'Or, lime, and simple syrup. He did a great job with it, really utilizing the tartness of the beer to play off of the bittersweet, boozy notes in the drink--superb.


Time to bust out some of the old stuff. Kicking things off was the 2002 Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale, a longstanding winter-time IPA release. Everyone says that you're not supposed to age IPAs, but I must say that this held up quite well. Of course, the hops had faded, but you're still left with plenty of dark fruit and malt, a sort of barleywine-ish presentation joined by a marked oxidative character--still rather tasty. We then traveled back a decade, and popped a 1992 Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale to see how the beer'd evolved. This one was somewhat thinner in body, yet with much more in terms of aroma, while taste-wise, it was noticeably sweeter, with a lot more chocolate-y goodness going on.


Carne Apache Jicama Tacos, Spinalis Dorsi, Street Pico, Avocado Mousse, Inka Corn [$5.00/each]
Ribeye cap was presented in a beef ceviche-like manner, the meat really coming to life alongside the tart, acidic notes in the tacos. A fun, refreshing couple of bites, with a fantastic crunchiness from those huge-ass Corn Nuts.


This gift from the kitchen comprised a half lobe of foie gras, done up with pickled blackberries, candied pecans, Maldon, and shavings of Hungarian honey truffle (which start out mildly earthy, but have a lingering sweetness on the finish). It was a damn good version of hot foie, damn good. The actual liver itself was excellent, the organ's earthy, musky goodness tempered by a well-placed char bitterness and pin points of salt. And despite my aversion to sugary foie, the pecans and berries and honey truffle worked wonders here, serving as perfect accoutrements to the offal. Oh how I've missed this.


The 2012 Goose Island Big John marked the appearance of the first stout of the evening, an imperial version brewed with cacao nibs. This was smooth, and super well-balanced, with its chocolatey, roasty, coffee qualities proudly displayed, joined by a vanilla-esque character that I really enjoyed--a very pleasant surprise overall. Also tasty was the 2014 The Commons Biere Royale, a seasonal sour brewed with black currants that's ostensibly inspired by the Kir Royale cocktail. Overtly jammy on the nose, it drank tannic and tart, with its acerbic profile cut by the presence of the fruit.


French Kiss Melon Tartare, Lilikoi, Pine Nuts, Yogurt, Cilantro, Chile [$8.00]
After the heft of the foie, the melon tartar was a welcomed change of pace, the sweet-tangy fruit perked up by zesty hits of cilantro and chili while the yogurt imparted a lactic creaminess to things. Great crunch from those pine nuts, too.


Heirloom Tomato Poke, Spicy Sesame Oil, Fancy Soy, Burnt Onion, Nori Rice Crunch [$8.00] | vegan
Also refreshing to see was a tomato-based poke, the dish displaying the classic, umami-laden notes that you'd expect, with the crispy seaweed rice doing a fantastic job in mixing things up texturally.



Braised Abalone, Crab Rice Porridge, Abalone Liver Butter, Egg Yolk, Scallion [$20.00]
These days, it seems that I can't not order abalone on a menu, so I had hopes for this course. I was not let down. The abalone itself was served separately so we could get an appreciation of its texture, which was pliant, substantial, yet not rubbery. Take it with the porridge, and you have a pretty incredible depth of flavor, the ocean-y essence of the ingredients really well conveyed, accented by pricks of astringency from the scallion. This was something you'd just want to have a big-ass bowl of and go to town with.


Anthony Got Stoned & Took A Walk Through The New Hampshire Woods, This Is What He Thought About [$18.00]
In what may be the best-monikered dish ever, baby back ribs were dressed with orange chicken glaze and accompanied by sambal slaw, fortune cookie crumbles, and the actual fortunes themselves ("A painting is a poem without words"--whoa). Cheekiness aside, these were some tasty ribs, the sweetness of the sauce here really making sense with the tender cuts of meat, all while the slaw gave up an Asian-y heat and lightness to the dish.


One of my dining companions traveled to NorCal recently and brought down a couple brewery-only side project releases from Russian River's Vinnie Cilurzo. The 2014 Russian River Sonoma Pride Amasa was a dry, citric blonde with a tasty farmhouse slant to it--crisp and spicy. It was joined by the 2014 Russian River Sonoma Pride Dauenhauer, a slightly headier beer that was both hoppier, maltier, and yeastier.


Roasted Cauliflower Hearts, Hatch Chile Hollandaise, Black Beans, Mexican Rice Cakes, Caramelized Onion, Cilantro [$15.00]
As you probably know, I'm quite the fan of cauliflower, but I rarely encounter its heart, the part of the veg where all the florets come together. Done up here with a Southwestern sort of flair, the heart shined with its firm, meaty consistency and more assertive flavors, which really stood up well to the other elements on the plate. I'd love to see more chefs utilize this part of the cauliflower.


Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken [$16.00] | the one exception. if you don't know what you're getting yourself into, get something else
Playground's infamous fried chicken is something worth seeking out, an homage to Uncle Lou's out in Memphis (they're using the same recipe). The bird lacks the usual crunchy battered exterior you'd expect, yet was still far from soggy. At the same time, biting in, it was probably the juiciest fried chicken I'd ever eaten, almost ridiculously so, and exuded a momentous savoriness that was really set off by the vinegar-y, slightly sweet marinade. Bomb.


Imperial Wagyu Chuck Grilled Over Binchotan, Aerated White Cheddar, Broccoli: The Unexpected Hero [$5.50/oz]
In our final savory, we enjoyed beef chuck, an oft unsung part of the cow. This wasn't just any chuck though, but wagyu chuck, which meant elevated fat and elevated flavor, a cut that would stand up to most steaks, especially with that binchotan char. As good as the protein was, the accompaniments were appreciated as well, especially that broccoli, which seemed to simultaneously amplify yet moderate the meat.


A duet of stouts brought out a vintage bottle of 2002 Stone Imperial Russian Stout. My oldest stout so far, it was quite an experience to drink, a velvety smooth brew having almost no carbonation and a plethora of fruity, bitter nuances that reminded me of an iced coffee. Speaking of coffee, the Stone was followed by something from the present, the 2014 Beachwood System of a Stout, an imperial done in the style of Armenian coffee: brewed with cardamom, molasses, and Portola coffee, then aged for weeks on Armenian brandy-soaked oak chips. The result was pretty damn tasty, the aromatics from cardamom really singing in the beer and working as a perfect foil to the roasty, bitter, coffee notes tasted.


Thyme Sorbet [$5.00]
Time for some desserts, which come from former Playground Sous Chef Eddie Perez. Serving as an intermezzo was a thyme sorbet, a delightfully herby palate cleanser underscored by a backbone of juicy sweetness.


Honeydew "condensed milk", Pistachio Cookie Crumble, Milk Chocolate [$9.00]
My favorite of the desserts was this multifaceted presentation of honeydew, which played the sweetness of the melon against contrasting notes from the chocolate and pistachio crumble, making for a super well integrated dish. And that "condensed milk?" Pretty amazing. I believe my exact words upon tasting the dish were that shit cray.


Black Mission Fig Sticky Toffee Pudding [$7.00]
Playground's sticky toffee pudding is still on the menu, and for good reason. It remains one of the best I've had, a powerhouse of dense, dark fruit goodness that makes you just want to keep eating.


Next, I cracked a miniscule bottle of 1997 Rogue Old Crustacean that I'd picked up on my recent Portland trip. Barleywines are great for aging, and it showed here. On the nose I got loads of dark fruit, which continued on to the palate, where it was joined by plenty of malt, spice, oxidation, and a tiny bit of heat. Lastly, I took it back, way back, with an even tinier bottle of 1990 Eldridge Pope Thomas Hardy's Ale. According to the label, the beer is designed to last for at least 25 years, and I don't doubt it. Ridiculous aroma on this one, it hits you hard with a blast of spice, fruit, and oxidation. To taste, I got more of that Sherry quality, joined by rich malt, roast, and caramel--the oldest beer I've tasted, and a mighty fine one at that.


Carrots Like You've Never Seen Before, White Chocolate Ganache, Ginger Honey Sorbet [$8.00]
The carrot dish was another standout, with the inherent sweetness of the carrots smartly paired with fantastic notes of ginger and honey while the flexible ganache grounded the whole dessert. Loved those crispy bits, too; one of my dining companions even described it as "autumn in my mouth."


Chocolate Cheese Cheesecake, Concord Grape, Ancho Chili & Cocoa Soil, Verjus [$9.00]
The cheesecake was one of the most creative I'd seen, and did a commendable job conveying chocolate while still retaining the essence of a classic cheesecake. I appreciated the additional wrinkles provided by the "soil" as well here, not to mention the tartness of the grapes and verjus.


Sweet Corn Mousse, Coconut Panna Cotta, Jalapeño, Lime [$8.00]
Last up was a fun mousse that communicated the delicate sweetness of corn, a perfect match to the coconut and lime. Great use of the herbs and jalapeño here to add a final exclamation point to the dessert.

I'd been a fan of Playground ever since my first meal here, and this latest dinner just continues that trend. The food's more irreverent than ever, but the experimental edge, the focus on ingredients and technique remain at the forefront. There is a palpable sense of fun, of excitement here that you just don't find at most other restaurants, one that pervades the dining room, the kitchen, the staff; this is a special sort of place to be sure.

I'm not the only one who thinks that, as Playground's been a huge success for Quinn and company, which means there's money for expansion. First was 2.0 next door of course, but look out for Dough Exchange to debut soon. This'll be their bakery concept featuring pastries, doughnuts, sandwiches, breads, and meat pies. Following will be the launch of Lunchbox by Playground. Set in the upcoming 4th Street Market, Lunchbox will be composed of three separate food stalls--burger joint Wagyu Chuck, the self-explanatory PFC/Playground Fried Chicken, and khao soi stand Noodle Tramp--as well as a bar and wine shop. The team is also expanding Playground itself, building a cocktail-slash-dessert bar above the restaurant, so look out for that next year.

L'Assiette (Los Angeles, CA)

September 25, 2014, 8:00 pm

≫ Next: Lunasia (Alhambra, CA)

≪ Previous: Playground (Santa Ana, CA) [2]

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L'Assiette Steak Frites Restaurant
7166 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046
323.274.2319
www.lassiettesteakfrites.com
Thu 09/25/2014, 08:00p-10:00p




L'Assiette (French for "the plate" or "the dish") is quite possibly the most hyper-specialized restaurant to debut in LA in years. Modeled after the famed Le Relais de l'Entrecôte in Paris, the establishment bowed in March and focuses on the French (or Belgian, depending on whom you ask) national dish of steak frites, priding itself on preparing the staple as well as humanly possible.

The place is the work of Jacques Fiorentino, a Paris native who moved to Florida at a young age and found himself in the hospitality trade. He worked as maître d' and later Manager for La Grenouille restaurant on Clearwater Beach, then moved to the Sand Key Club as GM. In 1975, Fiorentino relocated to Los Angeles and took on a position at Spectrum Foods, the company that gave Celestino Drago and Matteo Ferdinandi their starts in the City. He eventually transitioned to the entertainment industry a few years later, becoming a writer-slash-producer.

However, Fiorentino always wanted to get back in the restaurant game, even conceptualizing a "Bistro Mignon de Paris" a few years back, but L'Assiette marks his true return to the biz, and to that effect, he's partnered up with former tenant Mary Anne Reyes (from Colonial Wine bar) as well as his son Marc Fiorentino (Director, Development & Production at Hyde Park Entertainment).



L'Assiette occupies the former home of Colonial, and before that, the likes of Tirovino Wine Bar, All' Angelo, Indira Cuisine of India, and Mumtaz Indian Cuisine. The space holds 50 and has been redone in wood, white, and burgundy to a convey a modern brasserie-esque aesthetic.


L'Assiette's menu is brief, with the main unit of consumption being the aforementioned steak frites, served in two portions and joined by a choice of soup or salad, all for a reasonable $25. You also have the option of adding on cheese, as well as a handful of desserts. To drink, you get a nice selection of wines and, somewhat surprisingly, craft beers; corkage is $15. Click for larger versions.



Bread was pretty basic, though somehow strangely addictive, especially when taken in concert with the paired olive oil-pesto combo.


I brought along a couple beers to go with the food, the first of which was the 2012 Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal Barrel-Aged Project Brew No. 6 - Porto, basically a Belgian blonde aged for several months in oak Port barrels. The beer was indeed very "porty" on the nose, with a raisin-esque tinge that was quite apparent. In terms of taste, you had the initial Belgian-y characteristics up front, intermingled with vanilla-laced wood notes, with the finish redolent of dark fruit.


We of course sampled both starters. The Sorrel Soup was the stronger of the two for me, a hot, hearty, satisfying potage with an overarching brightness from the herb.


The House Salad wasn't bad though, with its tart dressing and pleasant crunch from the hazelnuts.


Steak Frites [$25.00]
And now we come to the pièce de résistance, a culotte (top sirloin) cut of Nebraska beef, cooked sous vide, sliced, and served with a special sauce. Note that L'Assiette eschews the traditional rump steak used in the dish, as well as the common preference for entrecôte (rib eye). No matter, the beef was indeed very tasty, and super tender, pairing swimmingly with the slight piquancy in the included condiment. I would've liked a stronger sear on the meat though, to give it more texture and char. As for the fries, they're hand-cut from Kennebec potatoes and cooked in beef tallow, and were delightfully crisp and pretty much perfect, so no complaints there.


Salmon Frites [$25.00]
The seafood version of the dish, meanwhile, wasn't as successful, coming out on the dry, overcooked side, without any of that lushness you crave with salmon.


To go with the heftier plates and dessert, I cracked open a 2013 Brooklyn Brewery Black Ops, an imperial stout aged for four months in Woodford Reserve barrels and refermented with Champagne yeast. I found it really tasty, with your classic chocolate and coffee flavors intermixed with vanilla and bourbon notes, the whole thing coming through surprisingly light and effervescent.


Beignet-Style Profiteroles [$8.00] | Puff pastries, filled with ice cream, topped with hot chocolate sauce
Profiteroles were about what you'd expect. Puff pastry, vanilla, chocolate--can't go too wrong with that.


Marianne's Amaretto Cake [$8.00] | Served over a bed of crème anglaise
I was a fan of the amaretto cake, a dense, super moist rendition of the treat positively dripping with the sweet nutty goodness of the liqueur. Pretty damn delish.

So L'Assiette's a curious concept. The steak is certainly enjoyable, with good flavor, but could've used a bit more sear, a bit more bite to take it to the next level. The fries were pretty much flawless though, but the fish option really needed to be tightened up. It'll be interesting to see how this one plays out.

Lunasia (Alhambra, CA)

October 9, 2014, 1:10 pm

≫ Next: Harlowe (West Hollywood, CA)

≪ Previous: L'Assiette (Los Angeles, CA)

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Lunasia Chinese Cuisine
500 W Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801
626.308.3222
www.lunasiachinesecuisine.com
Sat 08/31/2014, 01:10p-03:00p



I don't get out to dim sum all that often, so it was nice to finally make it to Lunasia, which I'd been curious about for some time now. The restaurant is housed at the Alhambra Regency Plaza space that was once home to Triumphal Palace, one of the earlier second wave dim sum joints that eschewed traditional carts in favor of menu-based ordering. Triumphal debuted in June 2005 with considerable fanfare, and even secured a glowing three-star review in the LA Times from Irene Virbila.

However, the opening chef left not too long after, and the place entered into a steady decline, finally closing at the end of 2008. One of Triumphal's original co-owners, Betty Lau, bought out her partners and reintroduced the restaurant as Lunasia with the same kitchen, same FOH, and pretty much the same menu. However, she wound up selling the place in March 2009 to Shyi Kai Chang, whom I believe to be the current owner.


As far as Lunasia's menu goes, expect the usual suspects, joined by a variety of non-dim sum items as well. Note that there are no carts here (à la Triumphal), and that dim sum is served all day, a rarity (I wish more restaurants would do the same). There are also banquet options if you're hosting a special event. Click for larger versions.


The boozing situation at Chinese restaurants tends to suck of course, so I brought along my own to enjoy. We began with the Victory Brewing Golden Monkey, a tripel-style ale that worked pretty well with the food thanks to its subtly spicy, herby flavors over a backbone of malty, Belgian-y ester character.



B.B.Q Pork Buns (#21) [$2.88]
Kicking things off were baked cha siu bao, workable renditions of the dim sum staple, with tender, sweet 'n' savory shards of pork working nicely with the light, yet substantial buns.


Spareribs/Black Bean Sauce (#4) [$3.88]
Paigu were serviceable, tender and porky, though I would've liked a stronger black bean presence here.


Steamed Chicken Feet (#3) [$3.88]
I've never been a huge fan of feng zhua, and thus abstained from our single order here and let some of my dining companions have their fill on this one. They seemed to enjoy it.


Steamed Turnip Cake (#18) [$3.88]
The steamed variant of luobo gao was gelatinous in consistency, with a mild relish to it that was amped up by the various sprinklings up top. Pretty good, though I'd still go for the pan-fried version.


Next up was a sour, the oak-aged Logsdon Far West Vlaming. Done up in the Flanders Red style, this one was quite to my liking, tart of course, but with a tasty woody, malty, cherried quality intermingled with a distinct vinous slant.



Sticky Rice Wrap (#13) [$4.88]
Lo mai gai was one of the surprise standouts for me, with the glutinous rice here really working well alongside the wrap's savory stuffings.


Egg Yolk Buns (#11) [$3.88]
Egg yolk buns looked innocuous from the outside, but held a lush, runny, slightly gritty filling of sweet, runny yolk. I wasn't a huge fan of these, as they veered overly sugary.


Pan Fried String Beans (#49) [$5.98]
Can't go wrong with green beans, crisp, crunchy, waxy pods that paired swimmingly with the deep, umami-rich flavors in the dish.


Jumbo Shrimp Har Gow (#1) [$4.88]
Xia jiao were indeed a bit larger than usual, with well-cooked, still briny shrimp that I quite enjoyed. In terms of the wrapper, it could've been sturdier, as I experienced some breakage.


The 2013 Southern Tier Grand Arbor is a saison brewed with maple syrup. You got that typical farmhouse character here--citrusy, spicy, earthy, dry, light hops--but with a delightful undercurrent of sugariness from the incorporation of that maple.


B.B.Q Pork (#60) [$5.98]
Char siu pork showed off the classically sweet-savory flavors that you'd expect, making for a satisfying sort of eating experience, though I really wanted the meat more tender, juicier.


Shang Hai Pork Dumplings (#7) [$4.88]
Xiaolongbao were passable, though not noteworthy. They were pretty good taste wise, though the wrappers needed to be more delicate, and the fillings soupier. I'm probably pickier now with my XLB given my recent experience at the original Din Tai Fung in Taipei.


Rice Noodle w/Spare Rib (#17) [$4.88]
This was nearly identical flavor-wise to the spare ribs above, but with the addition of rice noodles as a base to the dish.


Jumbo Pork Siu Mai (#2) [$4.88]
We had to try the shaomai, natch, and the ones here were quite tasty, with the pork-shrimp combo really delivering. Their larger size did make eating slightly more awkward, however.


Our last beer was the 2013 The Bruery Preservation Series: Shegöat, a German-style weizenbock. I wasn't a huge fan of the aroma on this one (it was somehow offputting), but taste-wise, it hit the mark, an expectedly hefty, malty brew displaying notes of banana, spice, and brown sugar.


Egg Roll Rice Noodle (#39) [$4.88]
Our first of three rice noodle rolls was the zhaliang version, filled with what amounted to youtiao. It was pretty interesting texturally, with the gummy, slippery wrapper working well with its crisp, slightly sweet stuffing.


Shrimp Rice Noodle (#37) [$4.88]
The har cheong variant was your classic preparation, with the snappy shrimp eating well alongside the savoriness of the soy sauce.


B.B.Q Pork Rice Noodle (#40) [$3.88]
Last up was the char siu cheong, stuffed with sweet slices of BBQ pork. I was sort of on the fence with this one, as I thought the actual barbeque character of the meat could've been more apparent.


Spinach Shrimp Dumplings (#19) [$4.88]
Our last course before "dessert" managed to be one of my favorites, with the shrimp and scallop stuffing here doing a commendable job in conveying the ocean-y essence of the ingredients, all while spinach offered up a bit of a counterpoint.


Twin Sesame Balls (#27) [$2.88]
Time for some sweet stuff. The jian dui were delish: crispy and chewy, nutty and sweet all at the same time.


Macao Egg Custard (#31) [$3.88]
Of course, we had to close with daan taat, and Lunasia's were a strong example of the staple, with flaky crusts and smooth, creamy custard fillings imbued with just the right amount of sweetness. Easily some of the strongest I've had.

Overall, Lunasia was a solid dim sum experience for us, above average, though not at the level of the top places (my personal best: Koi Palace). A lot of people appreciate the value proposition here, and indeed, it was a pretty damn good value, coming in at $16.04 a head pre-tip. Next up on the list: seeing what all the fuss is about with Shi Hai...

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Harlowe (West Hollywood, CA)

October 13, 2014, 10:20 pm

≫ Next: Father's Office (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

≪ Previous: Lunasia (Alhambra, CA)

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Harlowe Bar
7321 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046
323.876.5839
www.harlowela.com
Thu 09/25/2014, 10:20p-01:05a





After downing steak frites at the nearby L'Assiette, we moseyed on over to Harlowe, one of the most buzzy Los Angeles bar debuts of 2014 (it opened in May). Originally slated to be called Clementine, Harlowe is the latest project from the 1933 Group, the parent company behind the likes of Sassafras, Thirsty Crow, Bigfoot, Oldfield's, and La Cuevita. Kyle Ackley (Bigfoot Lodge, Drago Centro, Bungalow, Lexington Social House, XIV) serves as General Manager, while the cocktail program was masterminded by Dushan Zaric of New York's Employees Only and Macao Trading Co. Day-to-day bar duties, however, are handled by a team that includes Chris Amirault (Eveleigh, MessHall), Una Green (Sotto), Jared Mort (Oldfield's, Sassafras), and Rosie Ruiz (Big Bar, 1886, Connie & Ted's).


Harlowe occupies the former home of Crown Bar (and Tempest back in the day), but the interior has been thoroughly revamped by designer Bobby Green. The space recalls what you might call an old Hollywood soda shop with its vintage-y fixtures, old-school portraiture, and turn-of-the-century banquettes. There's also an enclosed patio area out front.


Harlowe's menu features about 20 cocktails, a quarter of 'em bottled, a quarter of 'em on draft. You also get homemade sodas, six beers on tap/a couple in the bottle, and about a dozen or so requisite wines. Food-wise, think elevate-y bar grub from consulting chef Eric Greenspan, with separate happy hour and late night selections. Click for larger versions.


No Pun Intended [$14.00] | Rittenhouse 100pf rye, La Puritita mezcal, blended Chartreuse, Asian pear infused Martini dry, CapRock pear eau de vie, honey
Poppy Don't Preach [$14.00] | Isle of Skye 8yr blended Scotch, Cynar, Grand Poppy, Martini bianco, Islay mist
I began with an aperitif in the form of the No Pun Intended, a bracing, boozy, yet sweet-sour-spicy concoction underpinned by a backbone of honey, the mezcal imparting an air of gravitas to the drink--pretty cool. The Poppy Don't Preach, meanwhile, was much more viscous on the tongue, with a strong bittersweet, aromatic component backed by the potency of the whisky.


Captain Planet [$14.00] | Bols Genever, spiced strawberry and watermelon shrub, lemon
Long Way from Kentucky [$14.00] | Rhum JM Gold agricole, bourbon, vanilla peach syrup, mint, lemon
On the other hand, the Captain Planet was super bright and refreshing, with a juicy melon-y character intertwined with the zestiness of the jenever--perfect for summer. The Long Way from Kentucky was much heftier, natch, the interplay between the rum and bourbon tempered by the sweetness of vanilla-peach while mint and lemon added pleasant exclamation points to the drink.


Cheese Puffs [$8.00] | cheddar - whipped ricotta - caramelized onions
Cheese puffs were great texturally, with a strong essence of sweet onion, but seemed lacking in actual cheese. Somewhat of a letdown.


Mexican Firing Squad [$12.00] | Altos reposado tequila, house-made grenadine, lime, Angostura, co2
Getting into a bottled cocktail now, the Mexican Firing Squad veered light and effervescent, a tangy, slightly bitter drink that had the booziness of the tequila shining through.


Open-Faced Bologna Sandwich [$13.00] | gruyere - fried egg - mustard
The bologna sandwich was a winner, a salty, satisfying mélange of egg-cheese-meat that was smartly set off by the tangy mustard and pickles.


Old Fashioned [$12.00] | Old Forrester 100pf Bourbon, demerera, bitters, orange peel
On draft was Harlowe's take on the Old Fashioned, a classic interpretation of the cocktail with a balanced presentation of boozy, bitter, sweet, and citrusy.


Charred Brussel Sprouts [$10.00] | grapes - capers - tarragon
Brussels were pretty good: bitter, charred, and amped up by the application of capers, all while the grapes imparted a noticeable levity to the dish.


Big Big Trouble in Little China China [$14.00] | Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva rum, jasmine-infused Martini sweet vermouth, China China Amer, Miracle Mile Red Eye bitters
The long-monikered Big Big Trouble in Little China China managed to become my favorite cocktail of the night. I found it super well-integrated, with disparate notes of citrus, spice, and minty herbs all coming together cohesively over a base of Diplomatico. Wonderfully multifaceted, and one of the best cocktails I've had in recent memory.


Beets to the Rhyme [$14.00] | Encanto pisco, Del Maguey Crema de mezcal, falernum No. 2, beet puree, golden balsamic, lime, Miracle Mile Forbidden Bitters
An electric shade of crimson and gritty in texture, the Beets to the Rhyme showed off the sweetness of the beet, set against a palpable tartness and spice, the mezcal lending a much appreciated smokiness to the fray. An easy drinker.


We saw a bottle of Stolen Coffee & Cigarettes Spiced Rum behind the bar, and Chris Amirault poured us a taste. It was delicious, with a smooth, harmonious balance of spice, coffee, smoke, and sweetness that left me thirsty for more.


Caponata Bruschetta [$12.00] | di steffano burrata - heirloom tomato
Here, bruschetta attempted to play the sweet-n-sour essence of eggplant against the cool, creamy nature of burrata, though the results didn't exactly wow me.


Shandy Koufax [$14.00] | Caña Brava rum, Amaro Meletti, pineapple gomme, lemon, California IPA, Angostura
The Shandy Koufax is arguably Harlowe's most well-known drink by this point, and for good reason. A tiki-esque creation, it displayed a delectably tropical flair along with the rum, but the crux of the cocktail was the beer, which imparted a refreshing bitterness toward the back end that really brought it all together. Another favorite.


Dark and Stormy [$12.00] | Coffee and Cigarettes rum, draft ginger beer, lime
Harlowe's draught version of the traditional Dark and Stormy made great use of the aforementioned Coffee & Cigarettes, playing the sweet, spicy base of the rum against the bright notes of the ginger beer and lime.


Yucca Fries [$9.00] | beef veloute - smoked ketchup
Yuca fries were delish. I was fine with the beef condiment, but was a little obsessed with the smoked ketchup, which was pretty much the perfect complement to the starchy, slightly sweet fries.


G & T [$12.00] | Beefeater 24, house-made tonic, lots of love
Going back to the bottled stuff, the G & T was a tasty update on the classic drink thanks to the use of Beefeater 24 (made with tea), which imparted more depth and complexity to the drink's expected flavors.


The Clementine [$14.00] | ZU Zubrowka vodka, Aperol, lemon, agave nectar, mandarin puree
Last up was The Clementine, which showed off the sweet-tart mandarin, balanced by the bitterness of Aperol and the weight of agave. A bracing, almost astringent sort of cocktail.


To close, Amirault poured us a round of digestifs.

The whole conceit behind Harlowe was that you could have quality cocktails in a high volume environment, and to that effect, the place mostly succeeds. The drinks themselves were commendable, with some definite standouts, while the food was passable. Overall, a welcomed newcomer to the area with a nice, mellow, comfortable vibe.

Father's Office (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

October 16, 2014, 10:50 pm

≫ Next: Saint Martha (Los Angeles, CA)

≪ Previous: Harlowe (West Hollywood, CA)

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Father's Office Bar
3229 Helms Ave, Culver City, CA 90034
310.736.2224
www.fathersoffice.com
Mon 09/29/2014, 10:50p-11:50p



Hard to believe it's been over five years since my last visit to Sang Yoon's Father's Office, a place that can probably take credit for both popularizing the gourmet burger and for doing the gastropub thing before it became a thing. After attending a lovely Sam Smith concert at the Greek, we were in search of some impromptu late night eats en route to SaMo, and so FO it was.


The Father's Office menu remains much as it's always been, a compact list of pubby plates joined by an extensive booze selection encompassing spirits, wine, and plenty of beer. Click for larger versions.


Organic Brussels Sprouts [$9.00] | Pine Nuts, Sherry Vinegar, Crispy Serrano
Whole Brussels were a must, natch, coming out delightfully charred and bitter, their astringent flavors evened out by the tangy vinegar while crisp ham imparted both texture and salt to the dish. Quite good.


A couple bottles of beers to wash down the grub: our first was the Ninkasi Vanilla Oatis [$12], an oatmeal stout from Oregon brewed with whole vanilla beans. It was pretty smooth, with classic flavors of bitter roast, chocolate, and coffee intermingled with a touch of vanilla character.


Liberty Duck Confit Salad [$13.00] | Mustard Greens, Frisée, Figs, Hazelnuts, Tangelo Vinaigrette
Duck confit rarely disappoints, and this example delivered in spades, showing off a pretty amazing amount of ducky depth along with a delightfully crisp skin, the potency of the bird balanced by the brightness of its accompanying greenery.


Prime Hanger Steak [$21.00] | Bacon "Butter," Frites
Their version of steak frites was legit, the hanger arriving properly tender and rare, its boatload of bovine goodness taken up a notch by the included "butter." The fries were on point too, all crispy and crunchy and with a great herbiness to them--tasty alone, or with a dab of the lemon-y aioli.


Next up was the Rodenbach Grand Cru [$20], a paradigmatic example of the Flanders Red style conveying a classically tart, fruity, vinous character backed by notes of earthy oak.


Berbere Spiced Sonoma Lamb [$12.00] | Pickled Persian Cucumbers, Mint, Goat Milk Yogurt
The lamb was a standout, coming out tender, yet with some bite, deftly charred and well spiced. Combined with the zip of the mint and yogurt, the dish was eminently balanced, and veered almost South Asian in essence.



The Office Burger [$12.50 + $5.00] | Caramelized Onion, Bacon, Gruyére, Maytag Blue, Arugula + Add Frites
We ended, unsurprisingly, with Father's Office's namesake burger, which was as formidable as ever. The star of the show was that rare patty, which melded with the duet of cheese to form a massive base of flavors on which the sweet onion and zesty arugula could sing. One of the City's quintessential burger experiences.

It looks like FO's still going hard after all these years, despite of, of because of its draconian policies, which are de rigueur at a lot of places these days. I guess they were ahead of the times on that one. I'm glad I made it back though.

Saint Martha (Los Angeles, CA)

October 19, 2014, 8:10 pm

≫ Next: Coni'Seafood (Inglewood, CA)

≪ Previous: Father's Office (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

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Saint Martha Restaurant
740 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90005
213.387.2300
www.saintmartharestaurant.com
Sat 09/27/2014, 08:10p-01:10a





The most ambitious restaurant Koreatown has seen in a long while debuted recently on June 13th. Named after the patron saint of cooks, servants, and other hospitality professionals, Saint Martha aims to present creative, modern American cuisine, which is sort of an uncommon sight around K-Town. The restaurant is the work of Ellen and Peter Picataggio (the Farmer's Daughter hotel and adjoining restaurant TART, Surftides and Bel-Aire Inn Express in Lincoln City, Oregon), Jim Hustead (The Foundation Hospitality Group with Eric Greenspan), and Chef/Partner Nick Erven.

About the Chef: Born in Riverton, Wyoming, Erven moved to Fresno during his childhood years, and played in punk rock bands throughout high school and his college years at Fresno City College (where his father Chuck was a professor of theater). He eventually enrolled in the California School of Culinary Arts in Pasadena, and interned at EM Bistro near West Hollywood during this period. Upon graduating, Erven secured a gig at David Haskell's BIN 8945, then later left LA for Portland, where he worked at tapas joint Lolo for a year. He soon returned to SoCal, landing a position at Biggs in Long Beach, where he first met Hustead, one of the co-owners there.

After Biggs' shuttered, Erven began cooking under mentor Seth Greenburg at The Penthouse at The Huntley Hotel, where he eventually became Chef de Cuisine. From there, he moved to MessHall in December 2012, replacing opening chef Keith Silverton. Erven stayed until the following July, when he would decamp and become part of the team at TART, where Erven first met Mary Thompson, Saint Martha's GM and Sommelier. Prior to TART, Thompson worked various managerial positions at Rivera, Wokcano, Chaya Downtown, and the ONE Group, as well as at dB Bistro Moderne, Telepan, and Spice Market in New York.


Saint Martha occupies the strip mall address of the old Isa Ramen Izakaya-slash-Seobu Gamjatang (Mapo Jip), though the interior has been completely revamped by the Picataggios, in collaboration with BAM Design Lab. The place has got a sort of modern-vintage with religious overtones vibe, the dining room seating 32, and the kitchen bar another six.


Erven's menu at Saint Martha veers what you might call Cal-Modern, with à la carte selections divided into five logical sections of three items each, though the Chef has recently instituted a tasting menu option as well (five courses for $65, or seven for $90). We, however, chose to run the gamut and order everything on the menu. To drink, expect around 50 wines by Thompson, each available by the taste, glass, pichet (carafe), or bottle thanks to the use of a Coravin system. Corkage was waived this evening. Click for larger versions.


We commenced with an amuse bouche of potato chips topped with whitefish roe and crème fraîche. They were fun, tasty little bites, the salty roe/potato working hand-in-hand with the lush cream while chives perked things up on the finish.


Before getting into the beers we brought, we ordered up some bubbly in the form of the Pronto, Lambrusco Secco, Salamino Blend, Emilia, Italy, NV [$56]. It was a festive sort of sparkler, enticing and almost jam-like on the nose, while taste-wise, you got plenty of fruity, floral notes with a counterbalancing bitterness toward the end. Just about the closest thing you can get to adult grape juice.


Sea urchin "tataki" with avocado mousse, hearts of palm and seaweed doritos [$10.00]
Our first plate was the sea urchin, probably one of Saint Martha's signature dishes by this point. It was damn tasty, with the creaminess of the roe melding beautifully with the avocado, forming a luxurious combo that was finished by a touch of heat. The best part though? Those "Doritos," which imparted not only crunchiness, but a hit of umami that recalled the classic Japanese pairing of nori and uni.


Chicken liver mousse with mushroom, hazelnut praline, pickled blueberries and toast [$8.00]
When I first saw this dish making its way across the dining room, I figured it for some ice cream dessert. It really did look like ice cream though, even from close up, and its consistency wasn't that far off either. In terms of flavor, it was obviously completely different, showcasing the creeping sort of earthiness that you'd expect from liver, tempered by the sweetness of those hazelnuts and just a pinch of salt. The mushrooms were an unexpected, but effective addition, providing counterpoints to the mousse both in terms of texture and taste. I will say that the quenelle was the largest I've seen, so a smaller portion probably would have worked better (there weren't enough accompaniments to pair with the liver).


Moving into the beers now, our first was the 2014 The Commons Fleur De Blanc, a farmhouse-style ale brewed with rosehips and elderflower. I got funky, crisp, and bitter on the palate, with a finish that conveyed the delicate floral character I was looking for.


Octopus with Koshihikari rice, sauce nero, lardo and espelette [$12.00]
I'm a sucker for octopus, and Erven's delivered, coming out appropriately tender and imbued with a great char, its sweet-saline flavors augmented by a draping of salty lardo. The Koshihikari rice utilized here was key, effectively evening out the whole experience. Very nice.


Steak and oyster tartare with champagne sabayon and bone marrow beignets [$13.00]
The tartar was also quite something, the beef enhanced by the focused brine of oyster, yet balanced by the greens and mustard, not to mention that awesomely tangy horseradish. My favorite thing, though, was the bone marrow beignet, rich, crispy little buggers that oozed marrow upon mastication.


Our next brew was the 2014 Deschutes Planéte Rouge, a limited, one-time-only, multi-barrel-aged, brewery-only release done in the sour red style and "blended from 13 distinct cask ecosystems." I was enamored with it and its tart, vinegar-y, fruity base of flavors (that actually recalled suan mei), joined by a palpable intensity and boozy quality, along with a chocolate-y tinge toward the rear.



Lightly smoked salmon with watercress-yogurt emulsion, pickled cippolini and brioche [$12.00]
The salmon was a highlight for me, teeming with a delicate smokiness that really meshed flawlessly with the inherent fattiness in the fish. I enjoyed it alone, but also appreciated the zing of the watercress-yogurt and pickles, as well as the crunch of those croutons.



Santa Barbara spot prawn tartare with market melons, burnt orange oil and pink salt [$15.00]
What followed was a time-sensitive course, with the spot prawns ostensibly getting saltier and saltier the longer they sat on the block of pink salt. We probably let them sit too long, as they definitely leaned salty, though the sweetness of the melon soup worked wonders in evening things out. Lovely crunch from the "shrimp chips" here, too.


We went back to a saison with the 2014 Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Boreal, an oak-aged collaboration beer with Anchorage Brewing made with grapefruit juice and zest as well as peppercorns. It was pretty great, all funky and hoppy and slightly vinous, with a fantastic presentation of grapefruit character that I really enjoyed.


Asparagus with deviled egg purée, fried oyster and black bread [$11.00]
Asparagus was nice, the astringency of the vegetable on proud display here, set against the lushness of the egg while the oyster added a great blast of savory brine to the dish. I was a fan of the black bread here as well, which provided an earthy, spicy quality that really closed out the dish.



Brassicas with toasted brewer's yeast, mushroom and egg [$13.00]
Brassica is probably my favorite genus of plant ever. Here, various members of the group were presented in all their bitter glory, paired with a deeply-flavored, homey sort of broth augmented by the richness of mushroom and egg. Tasty alone, and even better with a bit of that crusty bread.


Tomato with raw milk panna cotta, summer vegetables and tomato dashi [$11.00]
A milk panna cotta was mild, with a delicate, lactic sort of piquancy to it that made sense with the sweet-tart tomatoes. The dashi added a much-appreciated gravity to the dish, but I would've liked even more acidity, more herbaceousness on the plate.


The 2014 Noble Ale Works Galaxy Showers was the newest entry in the brewery's line of single-hop IPAs. Perhaps more bracing than its brethren, this one was rather intensely piney and grassy, its bitterness cut by a subtly sweet, citrusy component.


Idaho trout and its roe with green goddess, purslane, beets and fennel [$18.00]
Trout was intense in flavor, a heady-tasting fish that was softened by the application of tangy green goddess and cuts of crunchy, raw veggies. I wanted a crispier skin here, however.


Tai snapper with heirloom tomato tartare, pickled eggplant and popcorn purée [$23.00]
The snapper was lovely, with a wonderfully savory, crisp skin and a refined flavor profile that paired swimmingly with the acidic brightness of the accompanying tomato.


Diver scallop with golden chanterelles, endive, white yam purée and smoked dulse [$22.00]
Our final seafood dish brought us scallops, expertly seared examples with some great caramelization. They were quite strongly flavored, especially so when taken with the chanterelles, so the endive and yam were key in making it all sing together.


Now for something heavier: I popped a bottle of the 2014 The Bruery Smooth Criminal, a blend of English-style barleywine aged in bourbon barrels and a saison. It was a potent beer to be sure, full of dark fruit, malt, caramel, oak, and booze, with a wine-like quality to it and the faintest hint of farmhouse character.


Braised Niman Ranch pork belly with mustard, red cabbage gazpacho and gherkins [$22.00]
At this point, we moved into the meatier courses. Pork belly was delightful, a deft balance of lean and fat topped with a great bit of skin. The bitter mustard greens and sour pickles worked as excellent counterbalances to the pig, and I was taken aback by how vibrantly purple that gazpacho was.


Crispy chicken thigh with steelcut oats, carrots, pickled dates and Moorish spices [$20.00]
I was impressed with the chicken, the bird arriving super juicy, savory, and crisp, expertly mated to the sweetness of carrot while the spices added a great finishing touch to the plate.


Pecan wood smoked brisket with hoisin, tiny lettuce and root vegetables [$19.00]
In our final savory, brisket was done up with some Asian-y flair, its dark, sweet-n-savory flavors deeply satisfying, yet adroitly countered by the veggies present. My only concern here was that some parts of the brisket went overly dry.


Saint Martha's dessert menu continues the trend of three dishes per section, and yes, they do have a pastry chef I'm told. Click for a larger version.


Anise hyssop panna cotta with plums, coffee granita and almond-oat crumble [$10.00]
A light, bright sort of dessert, this one presented the spicy, anise-y panna cotta against a backdrop of sugary plum and delightfully nutty crumbles. I didn't get much from the coffee, though.


The final beer of the night was the 2014 Stone Brewing Chris Banker/Insurgente Xocoveza Mocha Stout, and it definitely went "desserty." Designed to recreate the flavors of a Mexican hot chocolate, the milk stout was brewed with chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, chili pepper, and coffee. I rather enjoyed it, with its base of classic stout-y nuances intermingled with a fantastic bit of sweet spice that really satisfied.


Carrot kamut cake with carrot sorbet, coconut jerk leather, pumpkin seed brittle and crème fraiche crémeux [$10.00]
Our next dessert seemed somehow apropos given that autumn was upon us. You had the sweetness of carrot and pumpkin, joined by a superb spice and the crémeux, but the showpiece was that "leather," which conveyed an unexpected savory-spice to it that served as the exclamation point to the dish.


Peanut butter ganache, roasted grape ice cream, griddled pound cake and chocolate feuilletine [$10.00]
I was never a fan of peanut butter and jelly growing up, but really enjoyed this rehash of the classic, which displayed the essence of PB&J over a base of fantastic pound cake. Loved those Cocoa Pebbles-esque crumbles, too.


Chef Nick Erven, with portrait.

Saint Martha has been widely heralded as the most ambitious restaurant to hit K-Town since Josef Centeno's Opus, and I would tend to agree with that sentiment (with apologies to Commissary). Erven's cookery presents an invigorating take on modern American cuisine, and there's a great bit of creativity, whimsy, but also seriousness going into the plates. It's just the type of place that the area needed, and I'm very curious to see how the cooking evolves here. Hopefully they'll manage to stick around for a while.

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And on the way back, a stop at the popular El Chato Taco Truck. It was my first time eating there, actually. Pretty good.

Coni'Seafood (Inglewood, CA)

October 23, 2014, 7:00 pm

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Coni'Seafood Restaurant
3544 W Imperial Hwy, Inglewood, CA 90303
424.261.0986
www.coniseafood.com
Wed 10/01/2014, 07:00p-08:55p





Coni'Seafood had been on my to-eat list for seemingly forever, since its days as Mariscos Chente's actually. I finally made it out to the Mexican (Nayaritan-Sinaloan, more specifically) seafood spot recently (the best in Los Angeles according to many), and was eager to try the place's ceviche, marlin tacos (which they ran out of, unfortunately), and signature pescado zarandeado. The history behind Coni'Seafood is famously convoluted, and I'm sure some parts have been lost to time, but here's what I think went down:

The place dates back to the summer of 1985, when it was started by Nayarit native Vincente Cossio in his family's backyard on 106th in Inglewood (the O.G. underground restaurant, in a sense). People began taking notice of his cooking, which allowed him to debut Mariscos Chente's in 1991 at this very spot on Imperial. Cossio's daughter Maria Angie eventually married one Sergio Peñuelas, who emigrated from Los Mochis in Sinaloa. Peñuelas began working at Mariscos Chente's in the late 1990's, fusing his father-in-law's Nayaritan stylings with his own Sinaloan cooking background. Cossio and his wife Magdalena Garcia wound up divorcing some time afterward, and she went on to open Mariscos Chente (no apostrophe) over on Centinela near Mar Vista, taking Peñuelas with her.

It's unclear to me why, but Cossio's other daughter Conchita "Connie" then took control of the original restaurant. A 2008 kitchen fire in the Mar Vista spot, however, resulted in Peñuelas and company setting up shop on Inglewood Ave in Lennox. They eventually moved back up north at the start of the following year, but Peñuelas ended up going back to the Lennox location in April 2010, which was now being run by Vincente (who apparently returned to the kitchen due to declines in food quality there). Meanwhile, Connie opened up Mariscos Chente's No. 2 on Redondo Beach Blvd in Gardena in 2010 (it's now closed), teamed up with her brother-in-law Sergio, and renamed the original Mariscos Chente's to Coni'Seafood in 2011. And so here we are.


The inside's small, but probably nicer than you'd expect, and there's even outdoor seating in the back (which isn't quite as nice).


The Coni'Seafood menu is pretty much exclusively seafood, with a particular emphasis on shrimp, while to drink, you get soft drinks and a few beers. Corkage is a possibility though, and we ended up paying a $10 flat fee for the bottles we brought. Click for a larger version.


Chips were excellent, thick and crispy and tasty on their own. However, they were taken up a notch by a dab of that bright green salsa, which started out citrus-y and sour, but finished with the piercing heat of jalapeño. Try not to fill up on these.


My first beer was the 2014 Founders Dissenter Imperial India Pale Lager, the first lager brewed by Founders in a dozen or so years. A one-time-only release from their Backstage Series, it was pretty heady, and drank almost like an IPA with its marked, citric, hoppy bitterness counteracted by a backbone of fruity malt. Quite nice.


camarones cucaracha [$12.00] | whole fried shrimp
I sent a glass of the beer above back to the kitchen and Chef Chata (Sergio was off this evening), and perhaps as a result, out came a complementary plate of shrimp "cockroaches." I definitely got the connotation here--shiny shells and all--but despite the name, these suckers were pretty dang good. Designed to be eaten whole, they had a complexity of flavor to 'em: simultaneously spicy, sour, earthy, and were smartly tempered by the cool cucumber and zesty onions on the plate.


Next up was the Jester King Commercial Suicide Oaked Farmhouse Mild, a style I rarely get to try. Despite ringing in at only 3.5% ABV, the beer was full-flavored, with a base of malty-meets-woody notes and just a tinge of yeastiness. Better than I thought it'd be.


aguachiles [$12.00] | shrimp marinated w/ lemon & green sauce
Coni's aguachile is perhaps more artfully presented than most, combining raw shrimp with jalapeño and lemon. Here, you really got to taste the sticky, ocean-y goodness from the camarones, evened out by the zing of the accompanying sauce.


Any beer aficionado will tell you to drink 2014 Russian River Pliny The Elder fresh, but I wanted to put some age on this example, which was bottled at the end of April (it'd been refrigerated this whole time, though). You know what? I think I like it better this way. Heresy I know, but with the hops not quite as explosive, the beer's become more mellow, easier-drinking. I still have some more bottles left that I plan on keeping even longer, so we'll see how they turn out.


ceviche marinero [$13.00] | shrimp marinated w/ lemon, cucumber, cilantro, tomato, onion & black sauce
We then placed an order for Coni'Seafood's most notorious ceviche, a mish-mash of raw shrimp chunks, veggies, unexpected blocks of mango, and a befuddling black sauce laced, ostensibly, with Worcestershire. It's sort of an odd combination that somehow convinces you that it makes sense, with the sweetness of the fruit going back and forth with the pungency of that sauce, all while the shrimp acted as a fitting base to the dish.


camarones borrachos [$13.00] | shrimp w/ tequila, cut garlic, cilantro & crushed pepper
"Drunken" shrimp were lovely, cooked through but not overcooked, with a great interplay of garlic and creeping spice overarched by notes of the tequila. And the combo of the leftover sauce and rice? Heavenly.


The 2013 Lickinghole Creek Gentleman Farmer Estate Hop Ale was a pleasant surprise for me as well as the rest of the table. A limited release, somewhat obscure beer from Goochland, Virginia, this one went down easy, showing off a fruity, malty quality accented by contrasting notes of spice and boozy heat.


chicharrones de pescado [$20.00] | tilapia fish seasoned w/ pepper, salt, garlic & sauce
In the most polarizing course of the evening, chunks of tilapia were marinated in god knows what and fried to a charred, almost chewy consistency. I was quite the fan of the resulting fish, which was near jerky-like to the bite, with a taste that was deep, dark, and spicy (I swear I got some star anise in there), yet balanced by the tangy liquid on the plate.


pescado zarandeado [$20.00] | grill snook w/ salt & house sauce
And now for la atracción principal: robalo (the rather hard-to-come-by snook), butterflied, rubbed with secret sauce, grilled over coal in a special basket, and served on its signature metal tray. The fish didn't disappoint, coming out soft and flaky, brimming with its juices, with a pretty remarkable depth of flavor that was briny, sweet, salty, all at the same time. The bowl of caramelized onions on the side was an interesting addition, one that I'm still not sure worked or not, but no matter, the snook delivered.


The Prairie Hop was a lighter beer, a sort of dry, hoppy saison that had plenty of bright tropical fruit flavors to go along with a spicy, grassy, subtly funky character.


camarones a la diabla [$13.00] | shrimp w/ onion & spicy red sauce
"Deviled shrimp" weren't quite as hellish as I'd feared, spicy sure, but with a concurrent, onion-y sweetness to them that really moderated the dish. And again, that leftover sauce combined with the rice was something else (we even asked for an extra bowl of rice).


tostaditos / 4 mini tostadas [$15.00] | marlin pate tostada w/ shrimp & octopus ceviche toppings
We ended with a sextet of miniature tostadas, each topped with a trio of seafood items, a presentation that struck me as a bit non-traditional. They were fun, toothsome little bites though, with the smoky brine of the mariscos mellowed by a palpable tangy sweetness.


The final bottle was the 2013 Westvleteren 8, my favorite beer of the night. It was pretty much a perfect example of the dubbel style, one just teeming with delicious notes of dark fruit, caramel, brown sugar, chocolate, and Belgian-y yeast. It's something that you just want to keep drinking.




Since Coni'Seafood lacks a dessert menu, we brought along a few treats to close out the meal: the very timely Kabaya Hello Kitty 40th Anniversary Strawberry Biscuit Sticks, the slightly phallic yet delectable Meiji Kinoko No Yama chocolate-biscuit "mushrooms," and Glico Coconut Pocky, quite possibly the best version of Pocky I've had.


One of my dining companions even brought along some homemade pickles for us to take home.

This was a meal several years in the making, and I gotta say that it was worth the wait. The cooking was robust, pure, tasty, not to mention a great change of pace for me, and I already want to return to try some of the rest of the menu (including those marlin tacos we missed).

Sopressata at Black Hogg (Los Angeles, CA)

October 27, 2014, 2:35 pm

≫ Next: Red Medicine (Beverly Hills, CA) [3]

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Sopressata at Black Hogg
2852 W Sunset Blvd, Silver Lake, CA 90026
323.953.2820
www.sopressatala.com
Sat 10/04/2014, 02:35p-04:10p





By this point, I think most of us are aware of the cooking that Eric Park's putting out at Black Hogg in Silver Lake. What you may not know is that he used to own and operate the Togo's over by USC for nearly a decade, so the man knows his way around meat 'tween bread. This facility was clearly demonstrated to us over at Hero Shop in Downtown, and so I was curious to try out Sopressata (note the singular "p"), a lunch-only Italian sandwich joint run out of the original restaurant that launched last August.


Sopressata's menu is straightforward: eight sandwiches and three salads (which were added just recently). To drink: soft drinks as well as the restaurant's usual selection of beer and wine. Click for a larger version.


#55 Olive Oil Tuna [$9.00] | Pole Caught Sustainable American Tuna, Mix-ins, Medium-Boiled Egg, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Aged Balsamic, Mayo, Red Onion, Wild Arugula
We began with the tuna sandwich, which was just deemed the best in the City by LA Weekly. That honor was well deserved, as it was certainly the best I'd had. The tangy mix-ins here really did a great job complementing the heft of the fish, and I was a fan of the eggs on top too, which added a palpable sort of lushness to the sandwich. Combine that with the sweet balsamic, astringent onions, and zesty arugula, and you've got a winning combination indeed.


I brought a few small bottles of beer to go with the sandwiches, and got things started with the 2014 Firestone Walter Lil' Opal. A Barrelworks-only release, this was a saison aged for 14 months with Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus in 75% French oak and 25% American oak. It was a refreshing beer, definitely tart and sour to start, finishing crisp and dry, with loads of lemon and layers of farmhouse funkiness and yeast.


#77 Turkey and Fontina [$9.00] | Roast (Whole Muscle) Turkey Breast, Fontina, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Aged Balsamic, Mayo, Red Onion, Wild Arugula
The typically prosaic turkey sandwich was given new life by the addition of fontina, which melded beautifully with the bird, giving it a great bit of salty, earthy heft. The sweetness of the balsamic and bitter arugula were key too, serving as great finishing touches to the sammie.


Some housemade pickles to pair with the sandwiches.


To go along with the Italian theme of the place, my next pick was the Birra Del Borgo Sedici Gradi, a one-year oak-aged barley wine from Italy, fermented with Champagne yeast. It was much heavier compared to the Lil' Opal of course, with notes of dark fruit, caramel, and oak tinged by nutty, vinous, oxidative nuances, its whopping 16% ABV well hidden.


#88 Italian Meats [$9.00] | Molinari & Sons Sopressata, Molinari Coppa, San Daniele Mortadella, Provolone Piccante DOP, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Aged Balsamic, Mayo, Artichokes, Red Onion, Wild Arugula
We had to try the cold cut threesome of course, and it delivered, showcasing the multifaceted, meaty goodness of the soppressata/coppa/mortadella combo, countered by the sharp kick of the cheese. I really appreciated the artichoke here too, which worked wonders in evening out the sandwich, and the interplay between the balsamic and onion was on point as well.


#33 Avocado Cucumber Artichoke [$8.00] | California Avocado, Cucumber, Marinated Artichokes, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Aged Balsamic, Red Onion, Wild Arugula
This next sandwich was actually vegan, but despite that, I was not unsatisfied eating it. The duet of avocado and artichokes was surprisingly substantial, and the whole thing had a delectable, almost pesto-like brightness that really worked.


Going back to something sour, I had here the 2013 Eagle Rock Brewery Yearling, a Flanders red style ale aged in wine barrels for a year. I found it rather to my liking, with its oaky, wine-like qualities pairing well with the tart, vinegared, fruity, malty base of the beer.


#22 Avocado Fontina [$8.00] | California Avocado, Fontina, Cucumber, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Aged Balsamic, Mayo, Red Onion, Wild Arugula
Last up was the Chef's favorite sandwich, which happened to be vegetarian. The avocado was great here as well, and once again, the richness of the fontina was perfectly incorporated, making for a satisfying sort of flavor profile that was nicely set off by the zippy arugula.



Cavolo Nero Caesar [$9.00] | Italian Black Kale, House Caesar, White Anchovy, House Croutons
We also tried one of Sopressata's newly-instituted salads, a take on the traditional Caesar. Tuscan kale was well played here, its rich, bitter taste deftly matched with the cheesy, fishy notes in the dish. Loved the croutons here as well, which added both crunch and lightness to the salad.


My last bottle was the 2013 De Struise Black Albert, a Belgian imperial stout. It was an appropriately heady beer, all malty and roasty with the coffee-chocolate qualities that you'd want balanced by a nice touch of bitterness. Smooth.


Dessert comprised a housemade Chocolate Chip & Cap'n Crunch Cookie, a fun treat that showed off a pleasant surprise from the cereal.


Finally, we requested a taste of Park's kimchi (used on the dinner menu), which was legit in all its spicy, ferment-y glory. I'm told that he might consider doing non-traditional kimchis in the future (e.g. with Brussels sprouts).

Sopressata's doing it right, turning out some of the best sandwiches I've had in a long while. The various fillings were well suited to the task, and the bread, the super-crusty yet soft variety used at Hero Shop too I believe, really bookmarked the ingredients perfectly. It's a fairly easily repeatable concept, so I'm curious if Park will end up opening more outlets in the future given how well this place has been received. Personally though, I'd like to see the Chef tackle other forms of bread-something-bread--the Cubano, the po' boy, the patty melt, and specifically the torta--so we'll see.