Monthly Archive for October, 2009

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Rush Street – Los Angeles (Culver City)

Published by Gastronomer on October 16, 2009 in Breakfast / Brunch, Culver City, Gastropub, Los Angeles, Media Event (this meal was free) and Restaurant Review. 10 Comments

Brunch is a meal that I often claim to love, but when it comes to actually getting out to experience it, staying up late the night before and lazing the day away always seems to win out. Not to mention that the brunching options in my neighborhood are mediocre at best. Now, if I lived down the street from Ad Hoc or AMMO, that’d be a different story. An invitation to scope out the “Ultimate Hangover” brunch with brats, beers, and boisterous bloggers at Culver City’s Rush Street was just the incentive I needed to get me back to brunching. Oh, and promises of bottomless mimosas too!

Inspired by the famous Chicago strip, Rush Street combines California style with Midwestern sensibilities. The spacious restaurant boasts two floors, two bars, two patios, and one very inviting stripper pole. The vibe here is fun, unpretentious, and welcoming.

Rush Street is also the unofficial meet-up location for fans of Chicago’s professional and collegiate sports teams. On the Saturday morning that we visited, Northwestern alums dressed up in all sorts of purple regalia were cheering on their team in the second floor lounge. Seeing nerdy Northwestern kids getting hyped up about football kind of made me wish that Swarthmore hadn’t canceled it after my freshman year. Wah wah.

Every Saturday and Sunday Rush Street offers a crowd-pleasing brunch menu from 9 AM to 3 PM. Endless mimosas can be had for $20 ($7 for one), while bottomless build-your-own Bloody Marys go for $20 ($10 for one). The DIY Bloody Mary station included a selection of gourmet olives and pickled vegetables, ten kinds of hot sauces, three kinds of tomato juices, and traditional seasonings and garnishes. Both The Astronomer and I went with flutes of fizzy mimosa.

As we sipped our beverages on the front patio, we dug into some of the finest spuds in town—from left to right—sweet potato fries ($7), truffle asiago fries ($7), and barbecue dusted tater tots ($7). The truffle-infused shoestrings were moreish to the extreme.

For the next part of the Rush Street brunch experience, our group moved into the main dining room. The Astronomer and I teamed up with Anjali of Delicious Coma to share our entrees in order to experience as much of the menu as possible.

Anjali’s cinnamon pecan Belgian waffles ($12) arrived doused in maple syrup and whipped cream. By the time I got around to sampling it, the copious amounts of cream and syrup had taken their toll; the once crisped-edged and chewy waffle had transformed into a sponge. Syrup on the side, please.

The Astronomer’s caramelized onion, pancetta, fig, and goat cheese pizza ($12) sounded promising, but it ended up tasting too sweet. I loved the combination of flavors on the pie, but the ratios of each ingredient needed to be slightly tweaked with stronger savory notes.

Anjali and I agreed that the fried egg sandwich ($11) was the best item of the morning. Smothered between two slices of toasted Parmesan crusted sourdough, the fried eggs mingled harmoniously with three kinds of melted cheese, pancetta, and tomatoes. A simple dish done very well.

Psst! This post has a secret song.

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Rush Street
9546 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232
Phone: 310-837-9546

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Border Grill – Los Angeles (Santa Monica)

Published by Gastronomer on October 14, 2009 in Los Angeles, Media Event (this meal was free), Mexican, Restaurant Review and Santa Monica. 10 Comments

In a city where food bloggers are spoiled with meals out on the town nearly every night of the week, it’s rare that I attend an event so seriously kick ass that I wake up the following day with a goofy grin permanently planted across my face. The morning after, or more accurately the afternoon after, attending last week’s margarita dinner at Border Grill in Santa Monica, I was smiling from ear to ear. I had so much fun.

Border Grill, chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger‘s upscale, modern Mexican food restaurant, hosts margarita dinners several times a year. The event I attended was a four-course affair featuring five different margaritas made with Tequila Corralejo. The cost was $45 per person, or $38 for Border Grill Locals Club members. The Astronomer and I attended the dinner as guests of the restaurant. Lucky, lucky us.

The vibe at Border Grill is colorful in every sense of the word. Every inch of space from floor to ceiling is painted in vibrant and bold hues. As someone who lists “bright colors” as an interest on her Facebook profile, you bet your boots I was digging the “urban cantina” atmosphere.

The Astronomer and I were seated at a large communal table, one of five set up in the main dining room for the event. To my left were two fun kids on their seventh date, and to my right were a group of three Border Grill regulars, or rather Mary Sue and Susan regulars. They’ve been fans of the Two Hot Tamales since their City Cafe days. With tequila flowing freely, we were all BFFs by the end of the night.

First up in the drinks department was a classic margarita served in a salt-rimmed glass. The drink went down fast and smooth.

The menu for the evening was designed by Executive Sous Chef Raymond Alvarez. After traveling with him and Border Grill manager Doug Rausenberger through Baja this past summer, it was great to finally sit down and experience their food.

The meal kicked off with an hoja santa-wrapped shiitake perched atop grilled bread with mushroom ceviche, caramelized leeks, Oaxacan string cheese, and salsa verde. The tart and earthy ceviche paired excellently with the hearty bread. I inhaled both my portion and The Astronomer’s because my boy don’t do ‘shrooms. The stuffed and wrapped shitake was my favorite component.

A grape-nilla margarita made with vanilla bean infused Corralejo Reposado and green grapes was served with the first course. Like a fine wine, the Reposado was aged for four months on three different kinds of oak—French, American, and Mexican. A pour of Reposado was served alongside the margarita for tequila connoisseurs to swish and taste, and for pirates like me to take a shot.

The next course was Albondigas Dos Caminos, or “meatballs two-ways” for those who don’t hablar Español. The Kobe beef meatball was served with a spicy salsa brava and roasted shallot aioli, while the lamb meatball was topped with curried yogurt, caramelized onion marmalade, and oregano chimichurri. It was hard to play favorites with this course, both meatballs were thoughtfully composed and delicious.

The meatballs were paired with a curried margarita made of Corralejo Anejo, muddled curry neem leaf, and fresh lime. The Anejo was aged for twelve months in charred American oak barrels, which lent a touch of smoke to the flavors. I loved the use of fresh curry leaves in this cocktail.

The final savory course was a pleasantly plump sea scallop with olive oil poached pepper, creamed corn, crispy serrano ham, and blood orange reduction. The seriously large scallop was expertly seared; its sweet and buttery-texture worked well with the equally sweet and buttery corn. The ham and citrus balanced out both sweet and buttery fronts.

The scallops arrived with a tall glass of blood orange margarita made with Corralejo Blanco, Cointreau, and blood oranges. Unlike Corralejo’s other tequilas, this one wasn’t aged and therefore tasted of pure blue agave goodness.

To close out the evening, we were served a coconut tequila cheesecake with Corralejo Triple-Distilled Reposado soaked golden raisins, toasted coconut, and caramel sauce. Massive, creamy, and decadent were three words that came to mind.

The final cocktail pairing of the night was a Corralejo horchata made of Corralejo Triple-Distilled Reposado, rice, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla. The world would be a friendlier place if adult horchata were available at every taco shop and truck.

After downing five cocktails and four courses, The Astronomer and I bid farewell to our new friends and vowed to return to Border Grill for the next margarita dinner. Next time around, we’re either booking a room in Santa Monica or setting up camp on the beach so that we can both drink like pirates.

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Border Grill
1445 4th Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: 310-451-1655

Momofuku Milk Bar – New York City

Published by Gastronomer on October 13, 2009 in Bakery, Dessert, New York City and Restaurant Review. 18 Comments

On my long list of culinary loves, kooky sweets ranks somewhere near the top. While most would flinch at the notion of pairing black olives with beer or rosemary with apricots when it comes to desserts, I gravitate toward these unusual combinations whenever they are presented.

Momofuku Milk Bar, the lone confectionery in Chef David Chang’s East Village empire, specializes in classic baked goods turned upside down. Just how unusual are the offerings here? One of the most popular items on the menu is something called a Crack Pie™. It’s so famous that it’s trademarked.

Connected to Momofuku Ssam Bar by a short hallway, the Milk Bar consists of an open kitchen to the left and a series of glass cases lined with baked goods toward the front. The austere and chair-less space lacks the warmth of a neighborhood bakery, which is disappointing but not surprising considering the aesthetic of Chef Chang’s other Momofuku outlets (See: Ssam Bar and Noodle Bar).

I was this close to ordering a slice of the Crack Pie™, but then remembered my personal policy against eating foods that are referred to as crack or crack-like. Blame it on D.A.R.E. After I passed on the toasted oat crust with gooey butter filling, also known as crack cocaine in pie form, The Astronomer chose the blueberry pie. The Astronomer loves berries.

The sour cream-tinged slice ($5.25) came topped with corn streusel. One bite of our chilled treat and we realized that it only resembled pie in appearance. Composition-wise—cookie crust, jammy filling, and crumbly topping—this baby was all bar. Bars are nice and all, but we were hoping for some warm and fruity pie.

The best item I tasted at Milk Bar was the sweet and salty cucumber soft serve. I would’ve gotten a whole serving of this weirdly delicious flavor, but it was rainy out, and my California blood couldn’t handle a shock to the core.

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Momofuku Milk Bar
207 2nd Avenue
New York, NY 10003
Phone: 212-254-3500

Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon: Top 10 Tastes

Published by Gastronomer on October 11, 2009 in Dessert, Food Event and Los Angeles. 13 Comments

Hundreds of choco-fiends gathered at the Pasadena Conference Center this past Sunday for the third annual Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon. I attended the festivities with a press pass in hand and my gal pal Laurie by my side. We arrived an hour after the gates were unlocked and sampled the afternoon away—a nibble here, a nibble there, a nibble everywhere! Here’s a rundown of my favorite tastes of the day:

Valerie Confections’ Almond Toffee Treats were one of the first items to disappear at the event. Each little sphere of goodness was hand dipped in bittersweet chocolate, rolled in roasted organic California almonds, and dusted with French sea salt. The sweet and salty double punch amused and pleased my taste buds to no end.

The chocolates from XT Patisserie were not only insanely beautiful, but fantastically delicious as well. Each vibrantly flavored bite melted away smoothly and luxuriously on the tongue. The Saigon cinnamon and kalamansi were two of my favorites.

The Plush Puffs table was equipped with little burners for the crowd to toast their marshmallows. I was a big fan of the Simply S’mores variety, which was comprised of a vanilla bean marshmallow mashed with pieces of graham cracker, dusted with cocoa powder, and topped with chocolate chips.

The Sizzling Bacon Bar from Christopher Michael Chocolatier was everything I hoped it would be and more! Made of 41% Venezuelan milk chocolate, bacon, sea salt, and Pop Rocks, the candy bar was a porky party in my mouth. I have a penchant for the unusual and quirky, and this smoky, salty, and sweet creation fit the bill perfectly.

My friends Laurie and D takes a B went all sorts of gaga over Clarine’s Florentines. The main ingredients of this delectable treat are thinly sliced natural almonds. The almonds are mixed with butter, sugar, honey, and cream and then baked into a perfectly golden brown brittle. The final step is applying a generous coating of Guittard bittersweet chocolate.

The root beer float chocolate by Choclatique came highly recommended by D takes a B. I was instructed by the Choclatique representative to bite the chocolate from top to bottom in order to fully experience each of the three layers—root beer, cream, and “fizz.” The triple-layered confection was different from any chocolate I’ve ever eaten, and really tasty too.

Another winner from Choclatique was the seasonal Slimy Lime chocolate. I loved that the tart innards were a sickly shade of green.

One of my favorite vendors of the afternoon was Neapolitan Printing & Company, straight out of Portland, Oregon. As evident from the photo above, the Ants on a Log chocolates were quite popular with the crowd. Think peanut butter, celery, and raisins coated in sweet milk chocolate.

Neapolitan Printing & Company‘s dried mango slices dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with chipotle was also noteworthy—sweet, bitter, spicy! By the way, the chocolate moustaches pictured up top were also from this wonderful vendor.

And finally, decadent fudge from Studio City’s Auntie Früf’s Aahsome Füdge (AF2 Chocolatiers). The fudge was so rich, dense, and intense that a small square was perfectly satisfying.

After attending quite a few food events around the city, I was very impressed by how smoothly this year’s Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon was run. The lines were totally manageable and the selection of sweets on hand was extensive without being overwhelming. In addition to tasting the lovely treats mentioned above, I really enjoyed speaking one-on-one with the artisans and learning about their craft and passions. Chocolate making, especially of the gourmet boutique variety, is a labor of love. Support your local chocolatier.

Chả Giò – Vietnamese Egg Rolls

Published by Gastronomer on October 9, 2009 in Appetizer, Cha Gio, Family Recipe, Recipe, Vietnamese and Vietnamese. 18 Comments

Whereas the bulk of Vietnamese dishes are more or less standardized, it seems that every Vietnamese family has their own unique recipe for chả giò (Vietnamese egg rolls). What’s interesting to note is that even within the same family, siblings can develop vastly different recipes. While living in Vietnam, I learned that my grandmother’s sister prepares her chả giò completely differently than our family in America. While my grandma employs a pork, shrimp, and mushroom filling, her sister uses grated taro root in hers. Some Vietnamese put carrots or even corn in their chả giò. Crab is also a popular but expensive filling.

All chả giò found in Vietnam are made using rice paper wrappers, which results in a beautifully blistered exterior. Unable to locate suitable rice paper in America when this recipe was first developed, my family used generic Asian wrappers. Even with the availability of better rice paper these days, my family continues to use the generic wrappers for their superior crispness and browning properties.

These chả giò taste wonderful eaten by themselves, sliced atop cool vermicelli noodles, or wrapped in herbs and greenery and dipped in fish sauce. This recipe yields sixty chả giò, which may seem excessive, but trust me, they’ll disappear very quickly.

1 pound medium size shrimp, shells removed
1/2 pound ground pork
1 1/2 cups cellophane noodles (Lungkow brand)
3/4 cup dried wood ear mushrooms
2 medium white onions, chopped
3 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
3 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon Monosodium Glutamate (optional)
1 package of generic Asian wrappers (Menlo brand)
Vegetable oil for frying

Make filling

In two separate bowls, soak mushrooms and cellophane noodles in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms and noodles thoroughly. Chop mushrooms finely and cut noodles into three-inch segments. In a large bowl, combine pork, onion, noodles, mushrooms, MSG, salt, and pepper.

One at a time, place shrimp on cutting board atop a sturdy surface (photo 1). Using the side of a cleaver (photo 2), whack the shrimp two or three times until flattened (photo 3). The veins will naturally pop out. Once all of the shrimp have been flattened, run a knife through them to mince. Be careful not to over-chop the shrimp. Add the shrimp to the pork mixture.

Using your hands (gloves optional), mix all of the ingredients together very well, blending the shrimp with the pork and spices. “Massage the meat,” my mother says.

Once the filling has been properly massaged, set it aside to rest for at least fifteen minutes. The filling can be refrigerated overnight as well.

Wrap Chả Giò

Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut the chả giò wrappers in half diagonally (photo 1). Next, separate each individual wrapper since they adhere to one another in the package. Set the wrappers aside.

To assemble the chả giò, lay a wrapper on top of a plate or a flat surface. Place a heaping tablespoon of filling onto the wrapper (photo 2). Fold in the right side of the wrapper (photo 3) and then fold in the left side. Gently roll the chả giò, tucking in the jagged ends as necessary. Repeat until all of the wrappers and filling have been used.

Heat two cups of vegetable oil on medium heat in a wok or deep sauce pan. The oil should be at a depth of about 2 1/2 inches. Gently lower each roll into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Add additional oil as necessary.

NOTE: Do not overheat the oil or else the wrapper will turn golden before the filling is cooked through. It is also important that the folded side of the chả giò be placed into the oil first to avoid unraveling.