Meal Deal- Lawry's

Through the end of October Lawry's is celebrating the 35th Anniversary of their Chicago restaurant.

Mention the $35 Anniversary Dinner to your server.

MENU

Lawry's Famous Original Spinning Bowl Salad

Special 8oz cut of Lawry’s Prime Ribs of Beef

Served with mashed potatoes and Yorkshire pudding, or

Fresh Atlantic Salmon

Served with seasonal vegetables

Petit English Trifle or

C.C. Brown's Small Sundae

Served with freshly brewed coffee or tea

Lawry's takes reservations on Open Table.

Providence

Date:

Dining Companion: Courtney P.

I've wanted to go to Providence for a while but one bad review from a friend kept me away these long years. Finally, watching head chef Michael Cimarusti on Top Chef: Masters renewed my interest and we set out for dinner.

What a lovely meal. First off, the decor is lovely. Considering that it is a seafood heavy menu you might expect some cheesy nautical theme, but there was none. The decor was beautiful, tasteful, and had some semblance of being related to the ocean in a subtle way.

The service was excellent. Some restaurants sneer at people sharing dishes which I find ridiculous. How else can you try that many things on the menu??? Not only did they not sneer, they split the dishes for us and made them look artistic and beautiful on their own. That was amazing.

We started off the meal with a selection of amuse bouches. Is there a plural for amuse bouche? :) It contained a variety of interesting little nibbles from the chef. I liked all of them.

We shared the King Crab appetizer and the "chowda" for appetizers. The King Crab with fresh peas and crispy soba was phenomenal. Light, fresh, and very tasty. The "chowda" was a bit heavier. It was a rich creamy broth with clams and potato floating around in it.

The halibut entree included one of my "must-order" items- a zucchini flower!! Fried to perfection. Not overly breaded just light and crispy! Halibut can be a bit dry if not cooked right. This was so moist! It was a beautiful perfect clean white and was moist and delicious to eat. The layers flaked off exactly as they should and the sauce and vegetables were a welcome accompaniment.

One dish I wish we would have tried- salt roasted spot prawns. The woman next to us got them and they looked delicious. They are prepared tableside and taken out of the shell so that they are easily eaten. Yum. I asked the woman about the dish and she said she gets it all the time.

For dessert we split an interesting dish that had ice cream made out of a Parisian pastry blended up- a canele. It was amazing.

The menu is seasonal and they focus on using what is fresh so the menu will vary from time to time but everything we had was amazing so I would expect that to carry over from season to season.

Michael Cimarusti didn't win Top Chef. Who cares? He got a Michelin rating!!!

www.providencela.com

5955 Melrose Avenue

Cooking Event- Williams Sonoma

Here's the October schedule

http://edm.williams-sonoma.com/ws/2009/noimage/octcalendar09-2-US.html?bnrid=3101527&cm_ven=E3&cm_cat=EDM&cm_pla=090527_Demo&cm_ite=cta_cal&cm_em=ashleyattorney@aol.com

Magnolia Bakery (NY)

What is a trip to NY without a visit to Magnolia Bakery?

Even though the LA Magnolia outpost should be open soon, I couldn't resist the chance to sneak one of their treats this week. So I went on my first day in NY. And I may go again.

I was surprised to find that there were two other locations in addition to the Bleecker Street location I was familiar with. Apparently, there is one 4 blocks from where I am staying. Danger! Danger!

Last night, we stopped off at the Columbus Street location. I had a chocolate cupcake with their sugary seafoam green icing. Crys had the miniature chocolate pudding pie- soooo cute! I finished my cupcake and glass of milk in record time in their cute shabby-chic style dining area.

The store also sells the Magnolia Bakery cookbook which I have never made anything out of but my friend Esther made me the cupcakes once for my birthday and dare I say that they were just as good as the actual bakery. I highly recommend the bakery...and the cookbook!!!

STK

Date:

Dining Companion: Courtney P.

Craftsteak- NYC (NY)

Date: 9-28-09

Dining Companion: Crys C.

Another opportunity to visit a Tom Colicchio restaurant! I've been to Craft- NY, Craft- LA, Craftbar....but now it was time for craftsteak (they don't capitalize it, why should I??). Craftsteak's menu was reminiscent of Craft's but more like a steakhouse. Craftsteak also has a location in Las Vegas (MGM Grand Hotel). We started the meal with an amuse bouche of pita crisps with a salad made of garbanzo beans, pickled jalapenos, and sorpressata. I don't particularly love whole garbanzo beans or jalapenos but I really enjoyed this which speaks volumes for the dish. Crys can't eat beans (allergic) so I ate the whole thing. We also got a pan of little Parkerhouse rolls- classic steakhouse fare.

Our first dish of the night was from the raw bar. The menu offers both clams and oysters. We chose Littleneck clams ($3 apiece). The clams were fresh, well prepared, and accompanied by tasty condiments including a mignonette sauce that was not overpowering.

Then we shared the bone marrow and steak tartare. The bone marrow was nice but a bit fatty for my taste. It came out to the table in a beautiful presentation showing how it was salt roasted. The baguette slices that accompanied it were perfectly toasted- crispy but not hard.

Th steak tartare was a wagyu beef diced with some spices and a raw egg yolk atop. It came with cross cut potato chips. I enjoyed this dish but found the potato chips to be a bit too salty and little over fried. It's a good dish but I would have preferred the chips to be a little less "done".

Then we shared a filet mignon ($40). The filet mignon, we were informed, and the other steaks are prepared in a parisian style by searing, then roasting them with thyme and butter and ladling the butter atop until the steak is cooked, and then it would be sliced before it was brought to us. The steak came to us a perfect medium rare (making Crys very happy) accompanied by four dipping sauces. Crys likes her steak naked. I do too, but I also loooooove sauces, so the steak ended up being my vehicle to taste the sauces- tamarind (nice, like a sweet complex steak sauce), chimichurri (not my favorite), horseradish (decent), and bernaise (fabulous). I didn't love the way the filet was sliced- it was kind of messy. But it still tasted good. I would have preferred neat slices.

We also shared a rather large side order of gnocchi. The gnocchi were light and fluffy perfect cylindrical tubes accompanied by a buttery creamy sauce (more butter than anything else) and a light sprinkling of chives.

The decor in the restaurant was beautiful and tasteful. The low lighting and artwork enhanced the dining experience. The service was friendly and prompt. And, on our way out we got scones for the next morning's breakfast. I think I am gong to eat mine right now....

Craftsteak

85 Tenth Avenue

New York, NY 10011

www.craftsteaknyc.com

Top Chef Sightings

Day one in NYC I already saw Miguel and Andrew from Top Chef!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Website- Cheese!

http://artisancheesegallery.wordpress.com/our-tastings/

Cooking Class- Gordon Ramsay

Executive chef Andy Cook and his team at Gordon Ramsay at The London West Hollywood will host a two-hour master class Saturday August 15, 2009 teaching students how to create several of Ramsay's signature dishes. If you miss it, there are seven more of these master classes scheduled through the end of the year. 

$150

10 a.m. to 12 a.m. 

1020 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood. (310) 358-7788, www.gordonramsay.com.

Comme Ca- Homage to Julia Child

Friday August 14th and Saturday August 15th Comme Ca restaurant celebrates the life and love (food!) of Julia Child with a special pre-set menu:

http://www.commecarestaurant.com/files/menus/Ode_to_Julia_Menu.pdf

$65

Spoiler Alert- Top Chef

Was anyone else bummed by Anita Lo's performance tonight?  A raw bar?  Is that the best way to showcase your talents?  Clearly it wasn't.

P.S. Michael Chiarello showed what an asshole he is (that I always suspected him of being).  What a self aggrandizing egotist.  

Food Event- Taste of the World Festival

Taste of the World Festival

Friday, Aug 21 10:00a
Los Angeles State Historic Park, Los Angeles, CA

A World tour of all four continents, featuring The Next Superstar (Music), Dancing with The Salsa Stars (Dance), The Next Celebrity Chef (Cooking) competitions.

50,000 attendees expected

For more information see www.Festivalnet.com

Chef Event- Chef Ben Ford at Williams Sonoma.

Autographing cookbooks!

This handsome son of Harrison Ford and owner of Ford's Filling Station will be at Williams Sonoma on Sat. August 15, 2009 from 11:30am-1pm.

1600 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90403

Great deals from Corkbar

Happy Hour!  Monday thru Friday, from 4pm to 7pm; and at 11pm for NightCap! $4 pints, half-off appetizers, wine specials, and more.

Test Kitchen Tuesdays!  Chef Albert Aviles tests an appetizer-sized portion of a new, market-driven dish not available on the regular menu for only $2. *Every Tuesday at 5pm, one per guest, while ingredients last.

Movies on Food

* Julie and Julia

* No Reservations

* Chocolat

An Open Letter to Hipcooks Cooking School

A WARNING BEFORE YOU TAKE CLASSES AT OR VOLUNTEER AT HIPCOOKS

The letter below...

Frankly, I am appalled.

I have never been disrespected, demeaned, and belittled the way I was tonight.

First of all, I will never assist at one of your classes again.  The description was completely inaccurate.  I did not assist.  Apparently, the only thing I was there to do was clean dishes.  I spent four hours of my Friday night cleaning dishes.  I am a lawyer and I make a six figure salary.  There is no way I would willingly spend four hour of my Friday evening washing dishes.  Every other time that I have assisted somewhere I have actually assisted- sautéing, whisking, chopping or any other forms of prep.  Of course there are always some dishes to wash, but this was ridiculous.  To call what I was told to do tonight assisting is misleading.  In the emails sent out by Bonny, it touts one of the benefits of assisting as learning the class.  I don’t know how I could be expected to learn and participate when I am elbow deep in soapy water.  I can afford to buy my own cooking class.  I am clearly not doing this because I could not afford to otherwise.  I volunteered to assist because I thought it was going to be an interactive cooking experience.  I enjoy cooking and I thought this would be a fun way to participate and help out.

Second, I have assisted at a number of cooking schools in Los Angeles and I have never been treated the way I was tonight.  My friend Emily signed up for the class at my urging and she said she could not even enjoy herself because of the way I was being treated.  At one point Liza asked me to hand her a teaspoon.  She was standing closer to the teaspoon than I was.  Emily heard this and was shocked as well.  Joy did the same thing at one point.  One of the girls in the class came up to me at one point and said, “I feel so bad, you have to clean all these dishes!” and she doesn’t know that I’m not a paid employee.  The final straw was at 10:20 p.m. when I had been there fore four hours and Joy said to me, “the floor needs to be swept”, clearly implying that the floor needed to be swept BY ME.  That was it.  I left right then.

I’m sorry, but if you are going to ask for assistants, and tout the benefits as being earning free classes as well as learning and participating then it should be that.  I am not opposed to manual labor, but I did not sign up to be someone’s dish wench for an entire evening.  I signed up to assist people in a cooking class.   I am too tired and aggravated by tonight’s events to go into further detail.

Food Event- July 28

Malibu Wine and Dine

July 28, 2009

Charlie's 22821 Pacific Coast Hwy.

Join executive chef Eleano Camboni and uncover the hidden gems of Malibu – the wines, not the starlets or beaches – with a five-course menu paired with Malibu vinos at her surf ‘n' turfer across from the Malibu Pier. With an amuse of ostrich with a Port Cassis glaze, a demitasse of lobster bisque, wild arugula salad with candied walnuts, lychee and taleggio, a trio of fresh pastas and a Gorgonzola-crusted petit filet with mashed potatoes and root vegetables, by the time you’re done dining in the restaurant’s leopard print Dolce & Gabbana chairs even the non-famous will feel like they should be hiding from the paparazzi.

Event Details: $65 for five courses, $95 with wine pairing; tax and tip not included.

To Reserve: Call 310-456-3132 and mention  “Zagat Presents.”

Cooking Class- Jar

The Menu:

Peach Celery Salad, arugula, marcona almonds, parmesan

Beef Bourguignon with Egg Noodles

Cherry Clafouti, creme Fraiche

-taught by Jar's executive chef and owner Suzanne Tracht

-Saturday, July 25, 2009

-11:00 AM to 1:15 PM.

 

 

Jar Sommelier Rob Harpest will pair wines with each course.

 

$125 per person

 

Please email info@thejar.com or call (323) 655-6566 to reserve your seat.

Food and Music at Ford's Filling Station

Ford’s Filling Station will be featuring jazz musicians on July 30, 2009 from 6 to 11pm. 

The musical artists hail from and are inspired by different cultures all over the world. "From Bandito Royale’s old-world, French chanteuse style vocals and deep bass lines to Angelyna Martinez’s soulful, haunting melodies, their music is an ideal backdrop for the warm, inviting setting of the restaurant."

Check out www.fordsfillingstation.net

Xooro

Date: 7-13-09

Dining Companion: Joy R.

Xooro (pronounced Sure oh) opened a new branch in West Hollywood adjacent to Sweet Lady Jane?  Risky?  Maybe.  Tiny?  For sure.  The "restaurant" is more of a walk up stand than sit down eatery.  There are only two tables with two uncomfortable odd barstool type chairs each.

The restaurant only serves churros or as they call them "Spanish Fritters" and some coffee beverages.  The churros come in a variety of flavors.  Apparently, the churro is the new cupcake!  Flavors include Dulce de Leche, Black and White, Mississippi, and Original.  Some flavors were not available in the West Hollywood location that are shown on the website (including mango, turkish hazelnut, chocolate coconut, triple chocolate, raspberry, and maple bacon).  At least one flavor at the West Hollywood was not found on the website- an Italian flavored churro with pistachio filling.  The man behind the counter informed us that the Santa Monica location carries other flavors and they have temporarily discontinued the gluten free option.

We ordered two and split them.  The first time around they messed up the order and it took a while to do both orders.  The churros were disappointing in that they did not seem freshly made.  When I think of a churro I think of a golden crispy outside and a soft warm center.  The churro base was definitely not made to order.  The cook took the pre-made churro "shell" and filled it with some fun looking machines in front and then dipped it in front of us.  So, the flavoring was done on the spot, but the best part of the churro was not.

The flavors are nice but very sweet.  Don't expect to have more than one.  They are pretty gooey too.  The flavors and the concept are very unique, they have an interesting appealing look, and they're priced well (under $4).  However, this seems like a fad and I'm not sure how long this will be able to stay open, especially next to dessert powerhouse like Sweet Lady Jane.

A nice feature is that the churros are fried in rice bran oil which the company touts as a healthy less greasy alternative for frying.

Xooro offers parking in the rear and is open in the afternoon/evening.  The company has new locations set to open in Orlando, San Antonio, and San Diego.  The website is phenomenal looking.

www.xooro.com

8360 Melrose Avenue #107

West Hollywood, CA 90069

(323) 951-9592

125 Broadway

Santa Monica, CA 90401

(310) 260-2919

Corkbar

Date: 7-9-09

Dining Companion: Angie R. and a whole bunch of lawyers

Laurel Tavern

Date: 7-8-09

Dining Companion: Dad

Yum.  Oh my god yum.  When did they start letting good food into the valley?

I've said it once and I'll say it again.  There are three things I can't pass up when I see them on a menu- burrata, pork belly, and squash blossoms.  Well, two out of three ain't bad.  Boy it ain't bad at all!

We ordered the heirloom tomato and burrata salad.  Delicious.  We ordered the grilled artichoke.  Delicious again.  We order the pork belly skewers.  Oh my.  The pork belly skewers came six to an order and were well priced at $6.  Sweet and smoky.  

We also ordered the bacon and bleu cheese burger.  It also had apple slices on the burger.  I didn't love the burger.  I thought it was a good idea, but it wasn't my favorite item.  The bun was nice and fresh, the meat was good, but something in the execution didn't work for me.  We order the fries on the side ($3) and they were just alright.

We ordered the mussels.  Delicious.  They come with grilled bread to dip in the broth and they are tasty!  We ordered the roasted marrowbones (billed only as "bones" on the receipt) also.  I finally did it.  Never had it before, always seemed a bit scary.  It was great.  This also came with grilled bread, a bit of gremolata for flavor, and a cute little knife to scoop the insides out and onto the bread.  It's a bit greasy, but in moderation it's great.  Very flavorful!

They also offer a large selection of wine and beer.  My dad ordered the apple cider thinking it was actually apple cider.  I drank it.  It was a very tasty cider.

This neighborhood vibe gastropub is a treasure.  I can't wait to go back and try everything else on the menu!

Valet is $4.  But alas, no reservations.  Sit at a table- but you order at the bar with an open tab. No waiters.  Yes, you heard me.  Cute chill decor including the bathrooms.

www.laureltavern.net

11938 Ventura Blvd.

Studio City, CA 91504

(818) 506-0777

Tavern

Dining Companion: Diana O.

Date: 6-28-09

Another hit from Suzanne Goin (AOC, Lucques) is Tavern in Brentwood.  Tavern is divided into three rooms.  To your left upon entry is a more casual gourmet take away side with tables and a deli counter featuring salads, baked goods, and other edibles.  To the right is the bar area and then the more formal dining room.  The decor is sort of an elegant shabby chic.  Muted greenish blue with steel tables and a whitewashed brick wall.

The service was good- very attentive staff without being pushy.

The restaurant has a bar menu and a dinner menu.  The bar items are available in the restaurant with the exception of the burgers from 7 to 10.  We started with the fried oyster and bacon brochette with aioli from the bar menu.  It's one stick with a few oysters on it lying on a bed of greens.  Delicious and not overly fried.

We saw Suzanne Goin there.  She is so pretty.  She didn't look stressed at all, wearing jeans and a simple long sleeve shirt.  We saw her sit and socialize with a table she seemed to know.  She seemed very down to earth.  We also saw Dustin Hoffman and Melissa Gilbert (Little House on the Prarie) eating dinner separately.

I decided to order two appetizers starting with the Green Goddess Salad with Avocado and Crab.  The dressing was nice and light but the salad needed something- perhaps a crunchy item like toasted almond slivers or crisp haricot vert.  Diana had the summer vegetable salad which was crisp and well seasoned.  That salad came with burrata but Diana does not eat cheese so I got to have it all.  Mmmm.  Burrata.  Mmmm.

Next I had the Diver Scallop with tangelo.  Whatever it was on top of was amazing.  I used multiple pieces of bread to sop it all up (the bread was great by the way- sourdough, french, and walnut).  Diana had the wild mushroom ragout on farro with walnuts.  The mushrooms were nicely cooked and had a very nutty roasted flavor.  Some bites of mushroom were a bit salty on their own but the whole thing in combination worked.  I spied our neighbors with the lamb and duck entrees and asked about the dishes.  They said that the dishes were amazing.  They looked darn good!

For dessert I was tempted to have the peach blackberry crumble (I saw it on the other side while I was waiting for Diana!!) but went with the cookies and milk instead.  I could have used more milk but the cookies were great- the butter cookie (the best one), chocolate sable, chocolate chip with HUGE chocolate chips, and a white chocolate macadamia.  I'm allergic to walnuts and Diana wasn't in the mood so I offered the walnut shortbread to our nice table neighbors and they obliged!  Diana had the chocolate coupe which was a tall glass filled with scoops of chocolate ice cream and other stuff.  I didn't taste it but Diana said it was very rich.

The only thing I didn't particularly like was the cocktail we ordered- champagne blossom. Usually I enjoy champagne and St. Germain, but this was kind of bitter.

Valet is a bit confusing to find- it's located behind the building as costs $3.50 for 2 hours.

Susan Feniger's STREET

Dining Companion: Courtney P

Date: 6-27-09

A belated birthday dinner with a fellow foodie friend. What a nice evening! I had been wanting to try STREET since before it opened. Susan Feniger (half of the Two Hot Tamales empire) has been around forever and had such a great concept for the restaurant- street food. The menu is a mixture of a few different cuisines which could be a bit spastic if you didn't focus on a region for the night. It is not often that you find a restaurant with classic Russian dishes along side of Indian and Vietnamese dishes.

The restaurant has a nice sized enclosed open air outside in the back which is where we ate. It was well heated. At first, the music was a bit too loud, but then it kind of leveled out.

We saw Susan Feniger in her pink outfit (beanie and chef's coat) there that night. Apparently Natalie Portman and Sheryl Crow were there at some point too.

The decor has a very New York feel. It's nice to find a restaurant that doesn't have a monotone "Phillippe Starck"-esque feel. The walls are adorned with a bright orange and some fresco type drawings. it has a very "un-LA" feel.

We asked the waiter for the most popular dishes and he referred us to two: Kaya Toast

and Paani Puri. The Puri was a small bite-sized puff with what seemed like a combination of all the great Indian flavors. I enjoyed the flavors and enjoyed the presentation where the server poured on a yogurt cilantro water. The Kaya Toast blew my mind. The waiter told us that this was a dish that was getting a lot of press and I can see why. I can't describe it well enough. It was like four mini grilled cheese sandwiches but they had coconut jam instead of cheese. It was paired with a soft fried egg and a dark soy reduction sauce. The soy is a bit sharp, but the combination of all the flavors works. I am not always a fan of coconut but this was delicious. A neighboring table began to look on and ask us what we had ordered. We were so effervescent in our description of the Kaya Toast that they ordered it as well. I saw one of the people practically licking the plate.

On a lesser note, as we walked to our table I noticed a lot of other tables had an amuse bouche sort of dish- a savory "rice krispie treat" made with millet, turmeric, raisins and spices Unfortunately, we had to ask for ours, it wasn't brought to us.

Next we had the Vietnamese Corn, the Lamb Kofta, and the Malaysian black pepper clams. I was a bit disappointed with the corn. The dish contained pork belly but instead of being a slow cooked delicate greasy flavor, the pork belly was in small bits and overcooked. The lamb was nice- it came on a bed of almost sweet but mainly savory white beans and a mini artichoke with a grilled lemon. I think the beans were my favorite part of the dish. The clams were unreal. The sauce was delicious. I could have ordered a second helping. The clams were well cooked and not chewy at all. The brown sauce was flavorful but not too heavy. The lime wedges and fresh herbs lightened it up so that it did not overpower the clams. There were two thick slices of a rye like bread to soak up the sauce.

The menu has an option called "The Globe Trot" which is $35.00 and features a chef's choice of the day of five items. The items of that day didn't really appeal to us so we passed but if you're undecided, it may be a good option.

Dessert was a bit lacking. We asked what the two most popular desserts were and ordered those- Espresso, Chocolate and Halvah and Turkish Doughnuts. How can you go wrong with doughnuts? Well, these were a bit soggy, lacked flavor, and my friend commented that it tasted like the oil was re-used (see photo). I liked the topping for the doughnuts better separately from the doughnuts. It was a sour cream like topping with a jam on top. The Halvah dish was overcomplicated (see photo). It comes in a glass and is multi-layered. The bottom layer is an espresso gelatin. We both disliked that layer and unfortunately it was the biggest layer. The next layer was a nice chocolate mousse-like layer. That along with the whipped cream and Halvah (sesame seed candy) on top as well as a sesame seed and matzah candy were tasty. There is an extensive coffee/tea/after dinner drink menu including Intelligentsia Coffee and a few tisanes (well priced at $3). I chose the City Harvest Black (Vietnamese) tea. It tasted great and came with my favorite- rustic sugar cubes in brown and white. The "tea pot" is a metal mini-vase like thing which was hard to pour from however (see photo).

Valet was $8.00 which is kind of pricey but there are some spots on the street. STREET accepts reservations through Open Table.

For the most part, the service was good and the food was good but I think the problem may be that Feniger's kitchen is being spread too thin. It's difficult to make Russian/Ukranian (borscht and vareniki) alongside Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, and Korean. The place this really fails is in the desserts. But the claims and the Kaya Toast make it worth a re-visit. I look forward to going back and trying some of the other interesting things on the menu. There are a few things I look forward to trying and I will definitely go back.

www.eatatstreet.com

The Foundry

Dining Companions: My dad and my stepmom
Date: 6-20-09

Birthday dinner! We started off each ordering the beet and burrata salads with a beet puree underneath. The portion was small but the salad was delicious. We also shared a fresh corn soup with crab and morel mushrooms. Amazing. Literally lick the plate delicious.

The meal started off with tiny little bread selections, one of which they called an amuse bouche but was more of a roll. The others were baby sized biscuits with honey butter and small foccaccia slices with a balsamic sauce. Adorable and tasty.

For entrees my father and I both ordered the duck that came with artichokes, artichoke chips (small fried slivers) and sunchokes. My stepmother ordered the salmon. I very much enjoyed the duck. It was lightly dressed so it wasn't overly rich. The salmon was amazing. It came on top of some potato dish and was as soft as could be. Not dry at all and not undercooked. Very skilffully done. We ordered two sides as an accompaniment. it should be noted that the portions are not huge. The sides were the huge pan roasted gnocchi with thin slivers of parmesan and the mustard greens. The mustard greens were not overcooked. With leafy greens, overcooking is an oft practiced sin. These were whole, not overcooked at all, and well seasoned with a hint of vinegar. The gnocchi defy words. I could see my father calculating whether or not we had time for another order.

I also have to say our waiter was helpful and charming. He enhanced the experience.

The outside back area is the best for larger groups but the front has more of a bar scene where jazz acts can often be found.

All in all, a great birthday meal.

The Foundry, 7465 Melrose Avenue

Wurstkuche

Minestraio

Date: 6-19-09

Dining Companions: Kate G, Janine S, Stephanie L, and Angie R.

In the Orlando Hotel on 3rd and Orlando, the former La Terza has been replaced with Minestraio, a mid-priced Italian restaurant.  The service was decent, the food was better.

The menu is already on the table when you sit- it's your placemat.  There are a variety of appetizers, a small selection of entrees, and a large selection of fresh pastas which include whole wheat and gluten free options!  Gluten free pasta is huge.  It's very difficult to find a restaurant that has gluten free items and also has items for the rest of us!

I started with the beef carpaccio which was delicious.  The very thinly sliced beef was accompanied by arugula, parmesan cheese, and capers.  I inhaled it.  We shared a cheese plate for the table.  It was nice, and came with a few different cheeses and assorted accompaniments (walnuts, honey, and grapes).  However, I wish that the server would have told us what cheeses were what.  The only one I was sure of was the ricotta salata.  There was also a blue cheese.

My decision of which pasta to eat was very difficult.  Many of the pasta combinations sounded delicious.  Kate enjoyed her ravioli, I enjoyed my agnolotti.  Agnolotti, a light fresh pasta shaped like a half of an oval filled with a veal osso bucco.  It was flavorful but not overly rich.  The primi portion was a good size with the carpaccio appetizer.

One question, why do you have to walk into the hotel and take an elevator just to get to the bathroom???

Itacho

Dining Companion: Christina A

Date: 6-3-09

It has been years since I've been to Itacho.  Literally, years.  We had a coupon through Cozmodeck so, as girls on a budget, we grabbed it!

The menu contains some sushi but it is heavier on the cooked items.  We decided to get a variety and order from both sections.

Christina and I shared the following:

-miso soup (eh)

-spicy yellowtail on crispy rice (yum)

-salmon skin roll (good)

-spicy tuna roll (good)

-shrimp tempura roll (pretty good)

-goma ae (an amazing cold spinach with sesame sauce and sesame seed; so creamy and nutty!)

-sauteed garlic sprout with ground pork (garlic sprouts are very similar to green beans; lightly charred and delicious!  but hard to eat the ground up bits of pork with chopsticks!!)

Even without the coupon, it was very reasonably priced.  It was $52 for the above and sodas.  Service was good- nothing special, nothing bad.  We made our reservation through OpenTable so it was very easy.  

Valet is located in the back, $4.50, enter on Pointsettia.

7311 Beverly Blvd.

Interesting Food Blog

Here's one that focuses on Asian cuisine...
http://steamykitchen.com/blog/

Kiwami

Dining Companion: Courtney P.
Date: 5-17-09

65 Roses

Dining Companion: Stephanie L.

Date: 5-16-09

After a fun evening of wine tasting and nibbling and gathering our free goodies, we set off to meet Janine S. in Los Feliz and jetted up the hill to The Greek Theater to watch some Latin Jazz (featuring the gorgeous Andy Garcia!). Apparently Jimmy Smits walked right by me and I did not even notice. Grandma would be so jealous....

The Cutie's Famous "Wild" Squash

Food Event- June 4, 5

Presented by Zagat

June 4 & 5, 2009

Simon LA

8555 Beverly Blvd. (La Cienega Blvd.)

Join Iron Chef champ Kerry Simon for a four-course menu built around a special ingredient – tuna. Expect mini tuna sliders with smoked bacon and avocado, ahi tuna crudo with lemon and Serrano pepper, and pan-seared ahi tuna with wasabi mashed potatoes and baby bok choy, plus a Grand Marnier soufflé for dessert. Optional wine pairings will also be available.

Event Details:

$48 for four courses, $15 for wine pairings; tax and tip not included.

Dish

Dining Companions: Janine S., Kate G., Angie R, Stephanie L

Date: 

Mmmm.  Banana pancakes with banana cream.  The nice thing about eating with people you know and are close to is that you know what you all like, and you can find something for the table to share.  For me, I usually want a savory breakfast, but the sweet dishes are always so tempting.  I usually only want just a bite of the sweet, not a whole one.  So I was happy when the other girls landed on the same menu item as me- the banana pancakes.  We got the tall stack of three rather large pancakes.  It was more than enough for the five of us to share as an "appetizer".  

Eggs Benedict...

The wait staff at the restaurant was very polite and helpful.  When I saw crayons on the table of course I wanted the coloring book placemats reserved for children.  The server asked me to autograph it and give it to him.  Who am I to deprive him of it?? :)

Dish

734 Foothill Blvd, 
La Canada, CA 91001
(818) 790-5355

Deep Fried...Bacon...Sugar...

http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/

Diavolina/944 Magazine/Report Signature Party

iPhone/iTouch Applications

Food related "Apps" for the iPhone or iTouch:

-Open Table

-Urban Spoon

Memories of Cajun Christmas

This year instead of our traditional Christmas fare, I decided to cook cajun cuisine for our friends holiday dinner.  I made okra, jambalaya, dirty rice, and hush puppies.  All of these things can be made at home with little effort and result in a lot of flavor.

I started with mixes that my father brought me as souvenirs from his trip to New Orleans.  You can find many of these packets in your regular supermarket or in specialty food stores.

OKRA

There are a number of ways to make okra.  Since we were eating a lot of heavy food, I decided to bake the okra.  I defrosted a package of frozen okra and tapped it dry with a paper towl (okra can be suuuuuper slimy).  I separated the okra into two piles- one for the side dish, the other for the jambalaya.  I placed the okra on a lightly greased pan and placed the pan into a 400 degree oven until lightly crispy/browned.

JAMBALAYA

Start by sauteeing onions until they are soft and shiny.  Add chopped up bacon (chopped into small pieces; this can be made easier by freezing the slices first).  Then add the chopped meat.  I highly suggest mixing meats- pork/veal/beef.  If you can only use one, use beef.  Beef is the central ingredient so get good beef!  Take a pre-cooked chicken and shred it.  There is no reason to cook the chicken yourself.  Follow instructions on the package as to the seasoning mix and stock increments.  Other things you can add- grilled or boiled shrimp, okra, corn kernels.  If you feel like being Martha Stewart, you can take the leftover chicken carcass from the shredding and make your stock from scratch.  I did and it worked out well but I only did half homemade stock and half purchased.

HUSH PUPPIES

I followed the instructions to the letter, but I left them in a bit longer.  They taste really good with a little extra browning- it gives it a real nutty flavor.  These are kind of like corn bread but crunchy on the outside, light on the inside.  It's a sweet/salty combo to die for when you add homemade honey butter.  Just mix equal parts honey and butter.  That's it.  For a variation, you can add jam to taste and make a fruit honey butter.  I tried it with apricot jam.

DIRTY RICE

Begin by sauteeing some chopped onions.  Add chopped bacon if you wish.  Then brown the meat and follow the instructions on the package.  Make sure to drain any excess grease (not all of it, but the extra) before adding the seasoning or it will be too runny.

Add some cajun or zydeco music and eat away!

Food Festivals and Events

http://www.chefdance.com/

Food Related Movies

-Ratataouille

-Simply Irresistible

-No Reservations

-Chocolat

Candy Making Class

http://losangeles.olx.com/candy-making-class-5-16-09-iid-27712940

May 16, 2009

Animal

Dining Companions: Noel N and Ben R .

Date: 5-8-09

I love Animal. Love Animal. Love love love.

I first wanted to visit the restaurant after seeing the cooking show about the two owners, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo. Two Dudes Catering on Food Network was an awesome show following the two Floridian chefs as they catered parties from the small to large.

Last night's dinner at Animal was my ninth or tenth time eating there. The menu changes daily with a number of rotating items that pop up on the menu frequently. The chefs strive to maintain a menu with seasonal and local ingredients utilizing the best of the season. The minimalist decor and neighborhood feel create an atmosphere that accents the food. No art on the wall to detract from the food which is the star of the show.

Often, I get two appetizers just to try multiple things. Here are a few menu highlights:

-flat iron steak (rotating accompaniments)

-branzino with artichokes, garlic, and ramps

-polenta with bolognese (appetizer)

-pork belly with kimchi (a spicy slaw with peanuts and cabbage and carrots)

(There are often other pork belly variations if the kimchi one is not on the menu)

-burrata cheese with crostini

-fried hominy with lime (deep fried individual corn kernals, great to share, heavy for one person)

-chicken liver toast (one piece, perfect for one person) appetizer

-foie gras on a biscuit with maple sausage gravy (one of their signature dishes, $22 for an appetizer but totally worth it)

-blood orange and olive salad appetizer

-balsamic pork rib entree with salad on the side (wow. it falls off the bone, it has an amazing sauce, and it's a huuuuuge portion)

The only thing I've tried that I didn't love was the poutine. Poutine is essentially french fries with cheese and short rib gravy. It's a canadian classic, and as a Degrassi fan I have always wanted to try this dish. I liked it, don't get me wrong, but it was a large portion and it's very heavy. This is a definitely something to share with others if you order it. I wouldn't order this over something else.

I haven't tried the veal oscar (with crab) yet but it looks amazing. I'm also thinking about the quail fry and the fried chicken livers.

The back of the menu is full of beers and wines to choose from. The list is carefully crafted and selected. We all enjoyed our wine. Noel and I had prosecco (a white sparkling wine similar to champagne but Italian).

And now for the dessert. The bacon chocolate crunch bar is two "slices" of what vaguely resembles slices of bacon but it mostly chocolate with a hint of bacon lying on a bed of anglaise sauce. This is the signature dessert that is always on the menu. Otherwise the desserts change. The tres leches dulce de leche cake is good, not great. The chocolate pudding is delicious. it comes baked in a small glass jar (you may recognize from the yogurt that originally comes in it) with cream on top. It's small but it's rich so it satisfies. The pudding is thick and chocolatey. Delish.

Another thing that adds to the experience is the staff. Everyone I've met there has been helpful, knowledgable, and excited about the food. I really appreciate the service from the waiters to the busboy to the hostess. The food, the decor, the people...all of this blends together to create the ultimate neighborhood dining experience.

Mmmmm. Foie gras, pork belly, and pudding. Heaven.

435 N. Fairfax Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90036

www.animalrestaurant.com

7-12-09 Update: We had the foie gras and maple sausage gravy again. My friend Stephanie H. wanted to order another. So did I. We also had lamb chops with beets, garbanzo beans, and peas and a yogurt sauce. Maybe the sumac was a bit heavy, but it was perfectly cooked. We also had a pork shoulder and porcini agnolotti dish with a sage sauce. Mmmmm. The beet salad with onions, feta, kalamata olives, and tomatoes was perfect. A nice vegetarian dish to cut the richness of our other dishes.

Want a FREE Zagat?

Go to www.zagat.com and register to become a surveyer.  The cities with free offers are Portland, St. Louis, New York, and Miami.  If you enter 25 reviews you are eligible for a FREE copy of it.

Yu N Mi Sushi

Dining Companions: Crystinue C, Julie K, Melissa O

Date: 5-6-09

Monday and Wednesday ritual.  Sushi after pilates.  Is it counter productive?  "I think not!" I say as I rationalize my obsession with sushi to myself.  After all, I would eat the sushi anyway, at least this way I'm getting in some pilates first!

This time, we were seated near the sister Kardashian- Khloe and Kortney- and Kortney's overtanned boyfriend Scott.  The only thing I could see that they ordered was some cucumber salad thing that Khloe picked at and I thought I saw a Spicy Tuna #2 Roll too (but that's nothing new, EVERYONE orders that there.

We ordered our usuals: The Nicky Roll (soybean wrapper over rice with shrimp tempura and a baked shrimp on top, amazing sauce with sesame seeds), The Spicy Tuna #2 (a classic spicy tuna cut roll with ground up wasabi/seaweed chips on top and wasabi roe), and The El Nino Roll (pepper tuna, crab, avocado, smelt egg, and amazing fried onion pieces ala French's canned onions along with an amazing creamy sauce).  I also added some salmon sushi which comes with a piece of kelp and sesame seeds.

Our favorite sushi chef, Aki, as usual sent over some kind of unusual snack.

I also have to say, I'm not really an iced tea person, but their iced tea is so good.  It's a green iced tea (boy is it green!!!) and it has a nice flavor that needs very little sweetener.

9475 Santa Monica Blvd.

Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Swine Flu

As an avid hypochondriac, I tend to come down with the latest form of influenza or disease that gets a lot of media attention.  Bird flu?  Had it.  SARS?  Had it.  Hoof and Mouth?  Pretty sure I had that too.  :)

But for some reason, I have no connection to the swine flu.  No symptoms, no fear, nothing.

I came to that realization today after eating my second order of carnitas since the outbreak.  And let me tell you, this wasn't from a fancy restaurant.  This wasn't even from a cheap chain restaurant.  This was from a good old fashioned taco truck.  Menu full of mistakes, dirty, junky, taco truck.

I got a bit of a tummy ache at one point and never did my mind even wander to swine flu.  Everyone's minds have gone straight to swine flu to explain the divine to ridiculous.  Every inane cough, sneeze, or itch is swine flu.  But not me.  I have held steadfast.  And I attribute this all to my love of the pig.  Sure, I'm a crappy jew.  It might be poetic justice for the blatant and flagrant non-kosher jew to die from swine flu, but I think god wants me to eat carnitas.  And bacon.  And pork belly.  Oh god, pork belly.  

So, I lay down on the couch in the bathroom, had some water, and twenty minutes later I was fine.  Much ado about nothing.  Of course, I will be checking for a curly pink tail after my shower later.  I'm only human....

Briganti

Dining Companions: Tony G, Mary Lou, Emily A, Manny M, John P, John B, John F, Rene, Robert T, Cindy L, and Rene
Date: 5-6-09

As that I'm transferring offices with two other co-workers, our colleague and friend Tony G. took us out for a good bye lunch.

Briganti, in South Pasadena on Mission between Fair Oaks and Fremont, is reminiscent of an old Italian restaurant.  The variety on the menu makes it easy for a large group since everyone was able to find something they liked.  We started off the meal with some orders of calamari.  The rings and tentacles were lightly fried and coated with breading.  The tomato sauce on the plate was good as well.  Also, there were plates of balsamic vinegar and olive oil and an assortment of breads.

John F and John P enjoyed their rigatoni bolognese.  Manny and Rene enjoyed their Pasta Puttanesca.  In fact, there was a brief debate at the table as to what Pasta Puttanesca translated into (Whore's Pasta).  Emily had the seafood salad which came to the table as a bright combination of colors.  It looked like spring on a plate.  John B and Cindy L had the branzino (mediterranean sea bass) roasted with vegetables.  John had his over a bed of mashed potatoes, Cindy had hers over a bed of spinach.  Mary Lou got a panini (an Italian pressed sandwich).  There were many varieties of these sandwiches on the menu.  I had the gnocchi which offers choice of sauce.  I asked for a "pink" sauce.  The gnocchi were light and delicious.  The plate was a good sized portion, perfect for lunch.

Mother's Day Specials

Tiara Cafe (Downtown)
All mothers will receive a complimentary glass of sparkling wine!!!  In addition to offering our wonderful brunch menu, Tiara Cafe has joined up with Urban Shopping Adventures for the perfect Mother's Day package.  Receive brunch for two and a personal guided shopping tour of the Fashion District's best locations.  Check out the details at www.downtownla.com/mothers-day/.  Be sure to mention the "Mother is a VIP" package when making a reservation. 

Berri's Pizza Cafe

Dining Companion: Emily A

Date: 5-5-09

Not wanting to deal with the crowds at Mexican restaurants, Emily came over to do her laundry and we ordered in and watched TV.  

I ordered my usual coconut shrimp with tamarind sauce and decided to forgo my usual clam appetizer (which is good but can be a bit salty) and get a nice salad with parmesan cheese, tomatoes, pine nuts, and arugala.  The salad was a new item for me and I really liked it.  The dressing was like a creamy balsamic and went well with the ingredients of the salad.  It must have smelled pretty good because when I went into the kitchen to grab a soda, I turned around and saw my dog on the couch leaning over into my salad having a bit of a nibble.

Emily ordered the "sacred dish", a chicken dish with vegetables.  She liked it, but didn't think it was anything special.  

The pizzas and pastas at Berri's are good too.

The delivery was on time.  The food was good, as always, but somehow, it just seems like a lot of money for what you get.  We didn't get any bread with our meal either.  It's good, and open late, and there's a wide variety of items, but maybe it's just a bit expensive??

* Note: If you get their menu, there are coupons inside- they help!

Natalee Thai

Dining Companions: Karen S, Crystinue C

Date: 5-3-09

Girls' Night.  My place.  Be there or be square.  :)

So, two of my best girlfriends from college (sorority sisters) came over to do a girls night in my backyard.  We hung out with my dog, relaxed in the hot tub, and drank grapefruit mojitos.  I couldn't find a recipe in either of my bartending books for mojitos and didn't feel like looking it up on the internet so I just approximated the recipe based on the large number of mojitos I've had out at bars (recipe below).  We also had some champagne but the bottle was a bit old and a bit corked (we finished it anyway!!!).

We sat in the hot tub and gossiped until the Thai food from Natalee arrived.  When the food came, we all got out of the tub, laid out our beach towels on the back deck and picnicked.  California Curry (classic curry with coconut milk over potatoes, carrots, and chicken), Pad Thai (mmmm, very egg-y, I love it!), spring roll appetizers, and beef and chicken satay (with spicy cucumber slaw and peanut sauce).  We also ordered some white rice for the curry which we didn't finish (my dog was happy to help eat it).

The California Curry is so good.  It has a very full body for a curry sauce which I would attribute to the coconut milk.  It gives it a really interesting dimension.  You could almost eat it just as a soup.  It has a creamy, nutty, with a tiny bit spicy flavor that complements the potatoes, carrots and tender chicken.  The chicken comes in large pieces.  One thing that can make a curry bad is chicken pieces that are not quality pieces or are too small and get overcooked.

For dessert I made bumbleberry blossoms and we ate them in the hot tub again.

* Free Delivery * Online Ordering * 

998 S. Robertson Blvd. 10101 Venice Blvd.

Beverly Hills, CA 90035 Los Angeles, CA 90230

http://www.nataleethai.com/

MY Grapefruit Mojitos

Take equal parts water and white sugar and add a few leaves of mint (make sure to wash them first!) and put them in a microwave safe glass.  Microwave for about a minute until all is combined.  Microwave times and strengths vary so just keep an eye on it.  The mint will infuse from the heat into the simple syrup.

Take grapefuit juice (preferably fresh squeezed) and add the simple sugar and rum to taste. Drop fresh mint leaves into the glass as decoration.

Natalee Thai is located in the bottom of a mini mall on the corner of Olympic and Robertson. There's another location in Culver City.

Good Earth

Dining Companions: Lauren K, Lisa M, and Raquel G

Date: 5-3-09

The post work out meal.  Ahhhh.  And boy did those girls work me out!  We all met up at my high school to do some running, lifting, and stair climbing.  Let it be known, that I do not like to work out.  It should also be disclosed that I haven't worked out in about 6 weeks when I came down with bronchitis.  Nevertheless, I chugged my way through it and got to enjoy the post work out meal.

We continued our healthy day by going to Good Earth on Ventura Boulevard.  I hadn't been there since I was a kid, which should tell you how long this place has been around.  In case you don't know how old I am (a lady never reveals her age), that's saying it's been around for a long time.

As a side complaint, when did you start having to pay for meters on a SUNDAY in the val?  Ugh....Good Earth does offer valet, but We were seated quickly and the waiter brought our waters right away after I asked.  The menu features many varieties of smoothie-type drinks but we all stuck to iced tea or water.  I had the passion fruit iced tea (very subtle passion fruit flavor, almost none) and Raquel had the cinnamon.  I had never tried cinnamon iced tea before but hers was surprisingly good- very refreshing.  Cinnamon goes well with the flavor of iced tea.

The waiter brought us out multi grain rolls with butter and some type of apple compote.  I didn't love the apple stuff but it was okay.

Lisa got the spinach salad, Raquel got an omelet (that I didn't taste but looked really good), and Lauren and I got the salad and sandwich combo.  My vegetable sandwich with sprouts, avocado, and munster cheese was okay.  It did not have a ton of flavor.  Also, I forgot to ask for the french baguette instead of the grain baguette.  But I got the spinach salad as my salad.  Wow.  That was amazing.  It was a cold spinach salad with vegetarian bacon bits (I swear, they were good, honest to god), spinach, shredded egg, mushroom, and choice of dressing.  We both got the honey ginger vinaigrette.  I was a bit concerned, because sometimes ginger can be too pungent for me, but this dressing was unreal.  It was delicious.  I could have ordered an entire second salad.  One nice thing about their sandwich and soup or salad combo, is that there are a lot of each category to choose from.  I hate when a restaurant has a long list of delicious sandwiches but only lets you choose from two or three when it comes to the combos.

Racquel also got a side order of banana pancakes.  I wasn't in the mood for sweet but it looked really good  You could see whole slices of banana, not just some banana mush added to the batter.

Also, a nice option on the menu instead of the standard side dish of grilled potatoes are Air Fries.  This trademarked and patented process yields a very tasty french fry that is much healthier than the traditional fry because of the Air Fry technology.

The menu is rather large (it's not totally vegetarian- there's turkey, fish etc.), the servers were prompt and pleasant, and the refills on the iced tea are free.  How can you go wrong?

The Hall At Palihouse Holloway

Dining Companion: Courtney P

Date: 3-8-09

Dining Companion: Nina G. (aka the artist formerly known as Nina S.)

Date: 5-2-09

This marks the fourth or fifth time I've gone to The Hall, but the first time I went for brunch.  We both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

It was a lovely summer day and we chose to sit outside in their patio area.  For those unfamiliar with the layout of the building, it is a long term residential building with a bar/restaurant at the bottom.  There is a small room for private parties, a patio area, and a bar area.  

The restaurant started us off with two small pieces of honey cake.  The cake was delicious so we asked for me and they brought us two more slices apiece!  Yum.

Nina had eggs benedict with asparagus.  The asparagus were HUGE.  I had poached eggs with short ribs and a potato cake.  Amazing.  The portion was not huge, but it was very tasty.  There were a lot of flavors blending together nicely.

The menu changes periodically.  The first time I went there they had sweet corn tortellini that were so interesting and so tasty that I still dream of them.  This is definitely a good place to order multiple small plates if that's your fancy.

The desserts are very beautifully presented and taste good.  The best one I've had there is the chocolate muffin.  It is however, terribly named.  It's more like a flourless chocolate cake that is baked in a jar.  I don't know why it's called a muffin.  It's fabulous.  Very rich.

The drink menu is particularly good.  I've had the grilled grapefruit margarita (who knew) and  the St. Germain.  The grilled grapefruit margarita is very interesting.  It has a lot of pulp in it, but there's something so unique about the flavor of grilled grapefruit that plays nicely off the alcohol.  The St. Germain was my favorite.  I do so love my champagne cocktails.

Another bonus?  You can bring your dog to the restaurant if you sit in the patio area.

8465 Holloway Drive

West Hollywood, CA 90069

(323) 656-4020

www.thehallbrasserie.com

Washington DC Restaurants To Check Out

* Olives (Todd English's restaurant)

* Jaleo (amazing tapas, I crave it often)

* Zaytinya (interesting tapas, great scene)

* Zola (attached to the best museum- The International Spy Museum- and very chic.  Food is great)

* Georgia Browns (amazing fried green tomatoes)

* TenPenh (on 10th and Pennsylvania, hence the name)

* Grillfish (fabulous happy hour)

* Nora

* Asia Nora

* Circle Bistro (right off the blue line- very convenient)

* Mie n Yu (gorgeous, amazing, and right in the heart of Georgetown)

* Pizzeria Paradiso (DC classic, very tasty)

* Old Ebbitt Grill (classic, famous for seafood)

* Teatro Goldoni (never went but I heard it's amazing)