Monthly Archive for December, 2009

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The Yard – Los Angeles (Santa Monica)

Published by Gastronomer on December 18, 2009 in Gastropub, Los Angeles, Media Event (this meal was free), Restaurant Review, Santa Monica and Small Plates. 13 Comments

“Always fun to see which chefs actually show up at SaMo Farmers’ Market! Animal, La Cachette, Melisse, and The Yard were first in line,” tweeted @DanCoxPR early Wednesday morning. With plans to attend a media dinner at The Yard later that evening, I was stoked to hear that Chef Chris Jacobson was prepping for the event with fresh and seasonal ingredients.

Chef Jacobson, better known as CJ from season 3 of Bravo’s Top Chef, came on board as The Yard’s executive chef this past October. Since his arrival, market-driven ingredients have guided the restaurant’s menu at every turn. With items like persimmons, burrata, and pig’s ears on the bill of fare, it’s clear that The Yard isn’t your average Santa Monica watering hole. I am admittedly more of an eater than a drinker, so I have a soft spot for gastropubs that put as much emphasis on the “gastro” menu as the “pub” one.

When The Astronomer and I arrived at The Yard around half past seven, the room was comfortably packed. After scoping out the scene at the bar, we quickly joined our party. Whereas most of the media events that I attend are comprised mostly of blogger-types, this one was an interesting mix of traditional print journalists and those in new media. One of my table mates, a loyal member of the old guard, informed me during our conversation that bloggers were killing newspapers. Let’s just say things got a little strange when I informed her that I was one of those evil bloggers. Oh, awkward!

Before dinner officially started, The Astronomer and I sipped on two of The Yard’s holiday specialty cocktails. For him, a Whiskey Winter (honey, lemon juice, egg whites, bourbon, with vanilla and burnt orange garnish) and for her, a Hendrix Mistletoe Fizz (mint, lime juice, pomegranate, sugar, gin, egg whites with mint sprig and fresh pomegranate seeds). Both are priced at $10.

The first course was comprised of sliced Cinnamon persimmons with burrata, pomegranate, smoked almonds, balsamic, and basil ($10). The plate contained a myriad of different flavors and textures that I wasn’t sure would gel, but eaten all together, it all meshed in a very tasty way. The only glitch of the dish was that the persimmons weren’t peeled, so the finish wasn’t as smooth as it could’ve been.

Next, we dug into a plate of fried pig ears with bacon, dates, and St. Pete’s blue cheese ($8). Based on the looks on everyone’s faces and the amount of food left uneaten, it was clear that The Astronomer and I were the table’s biggest fried pig ears fans. Blue cheese, bacon, and dates are a classic combination, throw into the mix some chewy pig ears, and something kind of magical happens.

The final savory course of the evening was a unique interpretation of shrimp n’ grits ($12). The shrimp were tender, while the grits were rich and creamy. To put a unique spin on this classic Southern dish, the Chef added a spicy kale salad and an ultra-sweet mixture of maple syrup, walnuts, and pancetta. I was digging the Sriracha-infused kale, but the chunks of maple-coated walnuts were much too sweet. A little more restraint would’ve made this dish a winner.

Finally, we were treated to an impromptu dessert that the Chef invented on the fly—chocolate bread pudding with spicy caramel mole sauce and pepitas. With distinct notes of chocolate, coffee, and chili, the thick and slightly savory mole tasted fantastic with the light chocolate cake. The dessert was an apt conclusion to one of the more interesting meals I’ve eaten in a while.

Thank you, Chef, for bringing pig ears to the beach.

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The Yard
119 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: 310-395-6037

Porto’s Bakery – Los Angeles (Glendale)

Published by Gastronomer on December 17, 2009 in Bakery, Cuban, Glendale, Los Angeles and Restaurant Review. 21 Comments

Strolling around Porto’s Bakery on a bustling Saturday afternoon, it’s hard to imagine that the shop began over 35 years ago as a home-based business in Cuba. Since its humble beginnings, Porto’s Bakery has garnered a devoted following, outgrowing several locations and eventually settling into a 20,000 square foot building in the heart of Glendale.

Of all the fantastic restaurants in the city of Los Angeles, it’s Porto’s Bakery that has as come up time and again whenever a friend or acquaintance has recommended a local place for me to try. After receiving a half dozen solid endorsements for the place, I made a mental note to stop by the next time I found myself in Glendale.

After procuring a wickedly sweet suit for The Astronomer at the Glendale Galleria a few weekends back, we made our way to Porto’s Bakery to see what the fuss was all about. I knew that the bakery was beloved by many, but the crowd waiting for their piece of the Porto pie was truly staggering. The staff on hand managed the amusement park-esque lines smoothly and professionally.

Taking a cue from the customers ahead of us, The Astronomer and I ordered way more food than we had room to eat. The potato ball (85¢) was the lone savory item on our tray. The papa rellena was comprised of breaded and fried mashed potatoes filled with seasoned ground beef. The crunchy texture of the breading had me at first bite, while The Astronomer enjoyed the chili-like filling.

The guava strudel (65¢), one of Porto’s most famous baked good, was as tasty as everyone told me it would be. The mildly sweet guava jam smothered in between flaky layers of buttery puff pastry really made this little rectangular sweet shine.

The guava and cheese refugi (left – 65¢) and the cheese roll (right – 65¢) were on par with the guava strudel. The cream cheese filling in each one reminded me of Danish breakfast pastries. Puff pastry is an ingredient that I adore, but it quickly gets overwhelming. After taking a few bites from each one, we packed up the rest to go.

I knew ordering a creme brulee ($2.50) at a Cuban bakery wasn’t the smartest move, but oftentimes my gluttony gets the best of me. Much to my surprise, Porto’s creme brulee was completely competent and exceeded my expectations by a mile. The sugary crust was uniformly caramelized, and the smooth custard contained tiny flecks of vanilla bean—two hallmarks of a great creme brulee.

After just one visit to Porto’s, I totally understand why every other Angeleno is crazy about the place. The vibe is fun, the prices are more than reasonable, and the food is perfectly enjoyable. Win. Win. Win.

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Porto’s Bakery
315 North Brand Boulevard
Glendale, CA 91203
Phone: 818-956-5996

Good Girl Dinette – Los Angeles (Highland Park)

Published by Gastronomer on December 14, 2009 in Bo Kho, Cha Gio, Curry, Highland Park, Los Angeles, Mon An Chay, Restaurant Review and Vietnamese. 24 Comments

As a Vietnamese gal who grew up eating her grandmother’s cooking, knows her way around the Vietnamese kitchen, and even called the motherland home for a year, I could easily dismiss Vietnamese fusion efforts as watered-down versions of the real deal, but truth be told, I’m a big fan. My tremendous love for the culinary traditions of Vietnam extends beyond foggy notions of authenticity. The fact that Vietnamese cuisine is extending its reach outside ethnic enclaves and is evolving in a fresh and meaningful way excites me like you wouldn’t believe.

Once limited to the confines of Chinatown and the San Gabriel Valley, Vietnamese restaurants have recently gained traction in unlikely sections of Los Angeles. The opening of 9021Pho in Beverly Hills a few weeks back inspired me to begin exploring and documenting Los Angeles’ nouveau Vietnamese food movement. While these new establishments are mostly intended for those less familiar with the cuisine, I was curious to experience a new take on the traditional tastes I grew up with.

First stop, Good Girl Dinette.

Located in Highland Park, Good Girl Dinette bills itself as “American diner meets Vietnamese comfort food.” The good girl behind this stylish restaurant is Diep Tran, the former co-owner and chef of Blue Hen. Ms. Tran’s family owns the chain of Pho 79 restaurants in Orange County and Alhambra. Clearly, being a restaurateur is in her blood.

With its exposed brick walls, barely finished tables, and plush mustard yellow chairs, the vibe at Good Girl Dinette is urban and cool. The short menu, which does not contain a lick of Vietnamese, features stews, pot pies, sandwiches, noodles, and soups. All dishes are made using local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients. Beat that, Golden Deli.

The Astronomer and I visited the restaurant on a recent Friday night. Even though our waitress warned us that we were ordering far too much food, we still went ahead with three appetizers to start.

First up were the mushroom imperial rolls, also known as cha gio chay ($5.50). Filled with woodear mushrooms, carrots, and glass noodles, the cha gio arrived glistening and hot. The blistered wrappers signaled that Ms. Tran knew when to leave perfection alone. The cha gio were served with large leaves of romaine lettuce, pickled carrots and daikon, and a soy dipping sauce (nuoc tuong). While the flavors were all spot-on, the cha gio could have used more filling because they collapsed a bit with each bite.

Next, an order of rice cakes with crispy scallion tofu ($4.50) arrived. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I placed the order since the term “rice cakes” doesn’t translate into anything specific in Vietnamese cuisine. However, the dish that arrived was totally familiar. The little slabs of deep fried tofu were smothered in a mixture of scallions, oil, and fish sauce, all plopped upon a sticky raft of rice. This dish is one of my mom’s quick and easy dinner solutions, minus the rice cakes.

The final appetizer was a small order of spicy fries ($3). The shoestring russets were seasoned with chopped chilies, garlic, and cilantro. The fries reeked of garlicky goodness, even though the trio of aromatics had difficulty adhering to them. The spice factor made these spuds quite addicting.

Our first entree was a beef stew, also known as bo kho ($9.50). The stew was served with white rice and seasonal greens (brown rice was available for an additional dollar). The bo kho was brimming with braised carrots and tender hunks of beef, all bathed in a fragrant five spice-laced broth. While I enjoyed the stew immensely, it could’ve been slightly less salty.

The bo kho was served with a side of sauteed Chinese broccoli (gai lan).

The final savory course was the curry chayote pot pie ($10). The hearty homemade biscuit was simply perfect and paired extraordinarily well with the classic Vietnamese curry. Easily the evening’s strongest dish.

For dessert, The Astronomer and I shared an almond jelly topped with with seasonal citrus syrup ($5), which came highly recommended from our busser. After indulging in some heavy duty comfort foods, the cool and light jelly was just what our palates desired.

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Good Girl Dinette
110 North Avenue 56
Los Angeles, CA 90042
Phone: 323-257-8980

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cardamom Cream Cheese Frosting

Published by Gastronomer on December 12, 2009 in Cake + Cupcake, Dessert and Recipe. 13 Comments

My wonderful friend Esme (why yes, she was named after a J.D. Salinger character) threw her annual holiday party this weekend, and I volunteered to bring dessert. The Martha Stewart Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting that I brought last year were a big hit, so I wanted to follow up with another festive and seasonal creation. Ever since I saw this recipe for Gingerbread Cupcakes with Cardamom Cream Cheese Frosting in The Spice Kitchen by Sara Engram and Katie Luber with Kimberly Toqe, I’ve been jonesing to give them a go. Esme’s shindig was the perfect excuse to whip up a batch.

With three different spices and a swell amount of lemon zest, the gingerbread cake perfectly captured the smells and flavors of the season. The cardamom cream cheese frosting was tangy and complex, providing a unique and fitting complement to the warmly spiced cake. Fa-la-la-la-la!

For cupcakes

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt

For frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon ground green cardamom
Candied ginger (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease 12 standard-size muffin cups or line them with paper cups. Cream the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, egg, and vanilla. In a small bowl, stir together the boiling water and baking soda until dissolved. Stir the baking soda water into the molasses mixture.

Sift together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, lemon zest, and salt into a small bowl. Whisk the flour mixture into the molasses mixture until the batter is combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted in the center of one or two of the cupcakes comes out clean, about 20 minutes.

Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before removing them from the pan. Place the cupcakes on a rack to cool for 30 minutes.

Make frosting

Cream together the cream cheese and sugar in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and cardamom and beat until fluffy and smooth. Chill the frosting in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the cooled cupcakes and top with candied ginger.

Recipes from The Spice Kitchen by Sara Engram and Katie Luber with Kimberly Toqe.

Canelé – Los Angeles (Atwater Village)

Published by Gastronomer on December 11, 2009 in Atwater Village, Breakfast / Brunch, French, Los Angeles and Restaurant Review. 12 Comments

Whereas the majority of the restaurant write ups featured on this site are based on one lone visit, with Canelé, I decided to shake things up a bit. Inspired by professional restaurant reviewers across the land and one of my favorite Los Angeles-based food blogs, Exile Kiss, I decided to eat at Canelé three times before pounding out a post. So, from September to November, I brunched at Canelé once and sat down for dinner twice. To get the fullest sense of the kitchen’s range and abilities, I ordered from both the regular and specials menus. Here’s how my little experiment went down:

Chef Corina Weibel and her business partner Jane Choi are the two forces behind Canelé, a neighborhood gem in Atwater Village. Chef Weibel previously cooked at two of the city’s most beloved restaurants, Campanile and Lucques, while Ms. Choi worked the front of the house at New York City’s Balthazar and Pastis. The gals joined forces to open Canelé in 2006.

On my first visit to Canelé on a sunny Saturday morning, I was joined by The Astronomer, Mattatouille, and D takes a B. Although we each gave the brunch menu a cursory glance, all of us knew good and well that the famed French toast ($7.50) would be ours. For an additional $2.50, it came adorned with marscapone and figs.

When my plate of French toast arrived, my jaw dropped to the ground. I couldn’t believe that a single serving entailed three massive slices, each of which were two-inches deep and weighed in at half a pound. I had never been so intimidated by French toast before! With a fork and a sharp knife in hand, I dug right in. I loved that the the bread was perfectly seared on the outside and silky smooth, almost custardy, within. The marscapone and figs were outstanding complements. Canelé’s French toast is regarded by many as one of Los Angeles’ finest, and I wholeheartedly agree.

I returned to Canelé several weeks later for Friends Cook Night, a periodic event where friends of the restaurant are invited to create and execute a unique menu. My friend Jessica Koslow of eat.sip.chew. took over the restaurant’s stoves in early October to prepare a three-course dinner featuring local ingredients. Jessica recently moved to Los Angeles from Atlanta, where she worked as a pastry chef at Bacchanalia.

Dinners at Canelé begin with complimentary bread and butter. The crusty white bread was adequate, but the butter was cold and hard. I prefer butter at room temperature, especially when served alongside bread.

Jessica’s three-course meal ($35) was phenomenal. The first course was a Cavolo nero salad with preserved Meyer lemons and fingerling potatoes Provençal, the second course was handmade poppy seed pappardelle with lamb and wild mushrooms in a porter ragu, and the final course was a Valrhona 66% caribe torino made with free range eggs and homemade vanilla bean ice cream with pumpkin seed brittle.

Best of all, the number of food miles that made this meal possible was kept in check. The lamb came from Niman Ranch, the mushrooms from Lili Bih Shan (Cerritos and Long Beach Farmer’s Markets), the eggs were from Silver Lake urban farmers John Whitton and Erin Burrell, and the preserved Meyer lemons from San Pedro urban farmers Steve and Melissa Griswald.

To supplement Jessica’s menu, The Astronomer and I shared an arugula, melon, and burrata salad ($8) from Canelé’s specials menu. The pairing of ripened cantaloupe with burrata was glorious.

We also ordered a plate of duck confit with parsnip mashed potatoes, red cabbage, and plum sauce ($20). The duck had a fantastic sear and its meat was fall-off-the-bone tender. The potatoes and cabbage gave the dish a homey and comforting quality.

As we headed out the door, The Astronomer and I were each presented with a tiny canelé, a French pastry with a soft and tender custard center and a dark, thick caramelized crust.

I returned to Canelé a third time with the Eat My Blog committee (Laurie, Diana, and Anjali). We were weeks away from the big day and needed to discuss the finer details over a hearty meal in a quiet space.

We were all starving once we were seated and quickly mauled the bread and butter. Once again, the butter was disappointingly cold.

For my appetizer, I took Anjali’s advice and ordered the brandade with tomato confit and toast ($10). The brandade, an amazing combination of of salt cod, olive oil and milk, arrived bubbling in its vessel and smelled unbelievably great. The savory and cheesy mixture was at its best slathered atop the buttery slivers of toast.

For my main course, I settled on the boeuf bourguignon with buttered noodles ($22). This dish was easy to love because stewed meat and tender noodles are an unstoppable paring. The tiny mushrooms, pearl onions, and salty bacon kept me captivated when I was all beefed-out.

For dessert, Laurie and I shared well-executed coffee ice cream sandwiches with caramel sauce ($7).

Canelé is a solid restaurant that consistently churns out food ranging from very good to great. Service is mostly friendly and always adept. In this particular case, I can’t say that multiple visits added any real insights about Canelé that I would not have been able to gather from one meal. However, the opportunity to explore the menu in depth cannot be discounted.

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Canelé
3219 Glendale Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90039
Phone: 323-666-7133