Monthly Archive for December, 2009

Pink’s Hot Dogs – Los Angeles (West Hollywood)

Published by Gastronomer on December 29, 2009 in Hot Dogs, Los Angeles, Restaurant Review and West Hollywood. 20 Comments

After supping on small plates at Cube, my mother desired a little something else to top off her evening. While visions of cupcakes dolloped tall with frosting were dancing in my head, my mom was dreaming of chili cheese dogs with thick squiggles of yellow mustard. Since Pink’s Hot Dogs was located only 469 feet away, I curbed my sweet tooth and we headed for the bright lights and lengthy lines—It was time to experience a Los Angeles institution.

Paul Pink started his hot dog stand, a large-wheeled pushcart to be exact, in 1939. He outgrew the hot dog wagon in 1946 and traded it in for a small building that was constructed on the same spot where the wagon stood. For the past 70 years, locals and tourists alike have been queuing up and patiently waiting for a taste of Mr. Pink’s famous hot dogs. Oh, the power of hype and nostalgia!

As we approached the culinary landmark, we were all wondering how long of a wait we’d have to endure. It’s a good thing we had eaten at Cube beforehand, because it ended up taking an hour from the moment we lined up to the moment we sat down to eat. Interestingly, Pink’s website notes that “an average Pink’s chili dog can be ordered, prepared and delivered to the customer in less than 30 seconds!” Damn those specialty hot dogs for holding up the line.

I had high hopes for Pink’s after seeing the wall of celebrity endorsements in the restaurant’s dining room. Everyone from Celine Dion to Nobu and Gordon Ramsay were bestowing heaps of praise upon the wiener shack. Of all the famous faces adorning Pink’s walls, I was happiest to see Martha Stewart smiling down on me—the woman has impeccable taste.

Finally, our hot dogs were ready. My mom and I ordered chili cheese dogs ($3.75), The Astronomer went for the “Lord of the Rings” ($4.85), and my mom’s friend David had a mushroom Swiss dog ($4.40).

The Astronomer’s Lord of the Rings was comprised of a 10-inch hot dog topped with onion rings and drenched in tangy barbecue sauce. It was impossible to consume the wiener as the chef envisioned it without looking like a caveman, so The Astronomer removed the rings and ate them on the side. [He also devised another rather ingenious mode of delivery.] The hot dog was so super-saucy that The Astronomer had to wipe off the excess barbecue sauce with napkins in order for it to taste palatable. Gross.

David was most pleased with his Swiss cheese, mushroom, and mayonnaise hot dog. I wanted to steal a bite, but didn’t want to disrupt his dream-like state.

My mother and I pretty much felt the same way about our chili cheese dogs—indifferent. The chili lacked the heartburn-inducing kick that we were hoping for, while the cheese was strangely tasteless. The extra-long hot dogs had a decent snap, but their flavors were hardly robust. Overall, we felt that Pink’s most famous creation was sadly lackluster. When I indulge in good ‘ol American junk food, I want to be overloaded with salt, grease, fat, and flavor. Pink’s brought the grease and fat, but didn’t pack the punch where it counted most.

I really wanted to count myself among the legion of Pink’s devotees, but the product just didn’t move me.

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Pink’s Hot Dogs
709 North La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Phone: 323-931-4223

Cube – Los Angeles (West Hollywood)

Published by Gastronomer on December 27, 2009 in Italian, Los Angeles, Restaurant Review, Small Plates and West Hollywood. 12 Comments

Since my mom and her friend David drove all the way from San Diego to show their support for the Eat My Blog charity bake sale, a restorative meal together was definitely in order. For convenience’s sake, we stayed in the WeHo vicinity and supped at Cube, a favorite among my food blogging comrades D takes a B and Dishing Up Delights.

Founded by Alex Palermo, Cube was originally a small pasta venture called Divine Pasta Company. As demand for the handmade noodles spread, the business evolved into a store specializing in artisan products including the company’s signature pastas and ravioli. The “marketplace” eventually grew into Cube, a cheese bar and full-service restaurant serving traditional Italian cooking with a strong Californian influence. These days, all three operations are run under one roof on La Brea Avenue.

After our party of four was seated, we were presented with lunch menus; since we were dining at the awkward hour of 4:30 PM, the kitchen had not yet transitioned to dinnertime offerings. The menu included panini in addition to Cube’s staple items formaggi e salumi, zuppe, insalate, antipasti, pizze, primi, secondi, and contorni.

Samples of Great Ocean Road Cheddar, a cow cheese from Australia, were presented on a square slate as we perused the menu.

We started off with three appetizers, all chosen by me—I love it when my dining companions give me full reign over their stomachs, allowing me to order whatever suits my fancy. The first to arrive was the burrata en carozza ($13) with charred tomatoes, Osaka mustard greens, and a wedge of fresh lemon. The battered and deep-fried burrata had a crust that reminded me of the Colonel’s original recipe and decadently oozy innards. I can’t say that battering and frying improved the natural deliciousness of the burrata, but it was a highly palatable experiment.

Everyone’s favorite dish of the meal was the maple braised bacon ($10) with roasted cipollini onions and spaghetti squash. The hunk of pork tasted positively sweet; the brown sugar and maple syrup marinade harmonized easily with the salty and tender meat. The strands of spaghetti squash, saturated in sweet and fatty juices, were divine.

The final appetizer, a braised baby octopus ($8) with charred radicchio and cipollini onion marmelata, was competent but a snooze. The tentacles were overly chewy, while the dressing tasted too similar to the one used on the burrata.

For our entrees, I chose two pasta dishes. The braised lamb shank ravioli were sauced with an eggplant and San Marzano tomato ragu and accented with crispy eggplant and Pecorino ($16). The pasta pockets, four in all, were tender to the tooth and fairly well stuffed. The weakest component of the dish was the San Marzano tomato sauce, which everyone found too tart. The slightest shake of salt and an ever-so-light sprinkling of sugar would’ve made a world of difference.

The fresh sfoglia with pork ragu and red cow Parmesan ($12) was simply wonderful. The extra-wide sheets of noodles paired beautifully with the satisfyingly meaty ragu. If sfoglia were more readily available, it would surely surpass pappardelle as my favorite pasta shape.

Our dinner at Cube was certainly good, but it left us feeling somewhat unsatisfied since two of the five dishes we ordered fell into the ho-hum category. We contemplated ordering more food to make up for the disappointments, but decided to cut our losses and head elsewhere for round two. Mother had an inexplicable craving for a chili cheese dog, and you know what that means…

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Cube
615 North La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: 323-939-1148

Coconut Macaroons

Published by Gastronomer on December 25, 2009 in Cookie, Dessert and Recipe. 15 Comments

I pulled off something pretty sweet this holiday season. For the first time ever, I managed to cross everyone off of my gift list without ever stepping foot inside a mall. Food books of every sort arrived without fuss on my doorstep from Amazon.com, gorgeous artisanal chocolates and macarons were ordered from my friends at XT Patisserie, and home baked goods were churned out of my hard-working oven. I loved giving presents that were meaningful in some way and, most importantly, friggin’ tasty.

My mother received a batch of homemade coconut macaroons, her favorite cookie of all time. Compared to her two sugar-craving children, my mother’s sweet tooth is quite minimal. These macaroons are ultra-coconut-y and pleasingly chewy, with just the right amount of sweetness. I dipped a few of the macaroons in chocolate for a little extra pizazz. Best of all, I delivered the cookies in a Tupperware container that she had given me months ago. I don’t know about your mama, but mine loves receiving her precious Tupperwares back. Two gifts in one—that’s the way I roll.

5 cups (20 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut
6 large egg whites
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Pulse the coconut in a food processor until fine, 1 to 4 pulses. [Some brands of coconut are finely shredded, pulse it just once or twice.] Process the egg whites, sugar, salt, and almond extract together in the food processor until light and foamy, about 15 seconds. Stir the egg mixture into the chopped coconut until combined. Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture is thick, about 30 minutes.

Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and grease the paper. Using wet hands, roll 1 tablespoon of the mixture at a time into balls and lay them on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart.

Bake the macaroons until light golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes, switching and rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. Let the macaroons cool completely on the baking sheets, before serving, about 1 hour.

For Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons

After the macaroons have cooled completely, melt 6 ounces of semisweet chocolate in the microwave, stirring often, 1 to 3 minutes. Dip each macaroon into the melted chocolate to coat, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, then lay it on a clean sheet of parchment paper. Let cool at room temperature until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

Makes about 24 cookies.

Recipe from The America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

Taco Taskforce: Los Angeles’ Best Fish Taco

Published by Gastronomer on December 22, 2009 in Chain / Multiple Locations, Food Event, Los Angeles, Mexican and Restaurant Review. 19 Comments

In a city where taquerias can be found on nearly every corner, it is oftentimes impossible to distinguish one shack from the next. While the inverse relationship between cleanliness and deliciousness is usually a reliable guide, it is unfortunately not always accurate. Thus, the Taco Taskforce was born.

Comprised of Bill (Street Gourmet L.A.), Javier (The Glutster), Matt (Mattatouille), Josh (Food GPS), and yours truly, the mission of the Taco Taskforce is to seek out Los Angeles’ very best tacos and to share these findings with like-minded eaters. Some might call this little endeavor a poor excuse for gluttony, but we simply view it as a service to the community; eating bad Mexican food is a travesty that no Californian should ever endure. Iowans? Sure. But Angelenos? No way.

For the inaugural meeting of the Taco Taskforce, we sought to find Los Angeles’ best fish taco. The list of five potential candidates was curated by Bill, a veteran of the city’s taqueria scene. We scored each taco based on its key ingredient (i.e. fish), condiments, authenticity, overall flavor, and cooking soundness. Since I’m more of a qualitative thinker than a quantitative one, my assessments were mostly based on taste and the overall vibe I received from the shops. For the numeric breakdown, see Mr. GPS.

Beginning with the establishment that scored the fewest points, here are our findings:

#5 Taco Nazo – South El Monte

With six locations in the Los Angeles area, Taco Nazo was one of two local chains on our list. Tony and Telma Garcia have been making the “world’s best fish taco” since 1978.

The fish taco ($1.69) arrived dressed with shredded cabbage, crema, pico de gallo, and a roasted guero (blonde chili) on the side. Even though Taco Nazo finished in last place, it is important to note that the taco was not the least bit offensive. In fact, it was actually quite pleasant. Taken on its own, Taco Nazo makes a fine specimen. However, going up against the city’s best, Taco Nazo floundered in a few key areas. This taco lost major points with the Taskforce with its excessive batter to fish ratio, lackluster condiments, and missing seasonings on the fish (pollack) and batter.

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#4 Señor Fish No. 2 – Eagle Rock

If atmosphere were a category that the Taco Taskforce considered important, than Señor Fish would’ve finished stronger than fourth place. The outdoor patio here is one of the loveliest around. We placed our orders inside and received our grub while relaxing in the shady courtyard.

Ringing up at $2.50, Señor Fish’s taco was one the day’s priciest. The cod fish taco arrived tableside with a bevy of condiments piled atop including cabbage, crema, a chile de arbol salsa, tomatoes, and cilantro. The Taskforce was impressed with Señor Fish’s extensive salsa bar and the taco’s robust flavors. However, we were unsatisfied with its clumpy batter and messily applied fixins.

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#3 Best Fish Taco in Ensenada – Los Feliz

There’s a lot to love about Best Fish Taco in Ensenada. Its concise menu (fish taco, shrimp taco, and drink) is straight up fabulous, and all of the food is made right in front of the customers. Public deep-frying is a mesmerizing sport.

At Best Fish Taco in Ensenada, the tacos ($1.50) were presented completely bare—just like in Baja. Each of us customized our basa (farm raised catfish) taco to our liking with the selection of salsas and vegetables on hand. Mine included La Crema Magica, shredded cabbage, and a bit of Pineapple Kiss salsa. This taco scored big points in the authenticity category. However, Bill proclaimed the bevy of unorthodox salsas “silly.”

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#2 Tacos Baja Ensenada – East Los Angeles

Tacos Baja Ensenada is a 10-year-old establishment located in the heart of East L.A. The narrow little shop was full of locals enjoying various Mexican seafood preparations when the Taskforce stopped in.

The catfish taco ($1.59) came slathered in house-made crema, diced tomato, hot sauce, and cabbage. From the ratio of batter to fish to the seasonings and condiments employed, the Taskforce was all around very pleased with Tacos Baja Ensenada’s solid product.

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#1 Ricky’s Fish Tacos – Silver Lake

The blogosphere and Twitterverse have fallen head over heels for Ricky’s Fish Tacos. Ricky sets up his little stand on Silver Lake’s Sunset Junction on Saturday and Sunday afternoons (weather permitting). He was the sole street food vendor on our fish taco tour.

Ricky’s fish taco ($2.50) was completely delightful, especially since it was served with a killer smile. Ricky takes care of the toppings (crema, cabbage, salsa) because the hot oil is a little too close to the condiments for his comfort. The deeply seasoned batter and tiny dice of jalapenos in the salsa really made this fish taco stand out among the competition. I find it kind of perfect that a street food vendor makes Los Angeles’s best fish taco.

Next up: Birria (goat) tacos!

Continue reading ‘Taco Taskforce: Los Angeles’ Best Fish Taco’

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

Published by Gastronomer on December 20, 2009 in Cake + Cupcake, Dessert, Pudding + Custard and Recipe. 22 Comments

As I read through the final issue of Gourmet magazine with a tissue in hand, I was briefly cheered up by this delightful recipe for a Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle. Whereas classic trifles are comprised of alternating layers of sponge cake and custard, this one swaps out sponge cake for robust gingerbread and replaces plain custard with a wispy pumpkin mousse. Once the layers of cake, mousse, and whipped cream have chilled and mingled in the fridge, this trifle is straight up delightful! It tastes of pumpkin pie with a cakey gingersnap crust.

This recipe calls for a two-quart trifle bowl or other deep serving bowl. I initially searched for one at Target, but came away empty handed. Thank goodness for Ross. I picked up the one pictured here for $6. Do you love it? I love it. I got it at Ross. The gingerbread (uncut) can be made one day ahead and kept in the pan at cool room temperature (covered once cool). The trifle, without the top layer of whipped cream, can be made one day ahead and chilled; whip half of the cream just before serving.

For gingerbread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup mild molasses (not robust or blackstrap)
3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk (not powdered)
1/2 cup hot water

For pumpkin mousse

1 (1/4-ounces) envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1 (15-ounces) can pure pumpkin
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup chilled heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For whipped cream

1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Make gingerbread

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter a 13- by 9-inch baking pan. Line pan with foil, leaving an overhang at both ends, then butter foil.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, spices, and salt.

Beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in egg until blended, then beat in molasses and buttermilk. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until smooth, then add hot water and beat 1 minute (batter may look curdled).

Spread batter evenly in pan and bake until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan. Using foil as an aid, transfer gingerbread to a cutting board and cut into 1-inch cubes with a serrated knife.

Make pumpkin mousse

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small saucepan and let soften 1 minute. Bring to a simmer, stirring until gelatin has dissolved. Whisk together gelatin mixture, pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, and salt in a large bowl until combined well.

Beat cream with vanilla using cleaned beaters until it holds soft peaks, then fold into pumpkin mixture gently but thoroughly.

Make whipped cream

Beat cream with sugar and vanilla using mixer until it holds soft peaks.

Assemble trifle

Put half of gingerbread cubes in trifle bowl. Top with half of pumpkin mousse, then half of whipped cream. Repeat layering once more with all of remaining gingerbread, mousse, and cream. Garnish with a sprinkling of cinnamon or chopped crystallized ginger. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

Makes 12 servings.