Monthly Archive for February, 2011

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Sushi Komasa – Los Angeles (Downtown)

Published by Gastronomer on February 8, 2011 in Downtown, Japanese, Los Angeles and Restaurant Review. 12 Comments

Last Thursday called for something special for dinner. It was Tết and all, and I wanted to ring in the Year of the Cat with some fanfare. Since grandma’s house was too far to travel to on a weeknight and no bánh chưng or bánh tét were to be found in the fridge, The Astronomer and I drove downtown for dinner at Komasa.

Komasa was opened by Hokkaido-born Chef Minoru two decades ago and has been a Little Tokyo staple ever since. Prior to opening the restaurant, Chef Minoru spent 35 years working at sushi bars in Japan and the U.S.

With a reputation for fresh fish at fair prices, Komasa is almost always packed. We were warned by our friends that long waits were the norm, and sure enough, The Astronomer and I wandered around the neighborhood for a solid hour before our seats at the bar opened up.

We placed our order while waiting outside, so the appetizer arrived soon after we sat down. The slices of “Soft Tofu” ($4.20) were served chilled and topped with sliced scallions, grated fresh ginger, and salty bonito flakes. I poured in a dash of soy sauce to liven things up even further. The texture of the tofu was silky smooth, while the flavor was pure, unadulterated soy.

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Scoops Westside – Los Angeles (Palms)

Published by Gastronomer on February 7, 2011 in Chain / Multiple Locations, Dessert, Los Angeles, Palms and Restaurant Review. 6 Comments

My friend Matt opened Scoops Westside late last year in the Palms neighborhood of West Los Angeles. He has adored Tai Kim’s ice creams since his undergraduate days at USC, and wanted to bring this exceptional product to Westside residents. If this branch proves to be a success, Matt hopes to spread the Scoops brand across town.

The Astronomer and I swung by the shop after brunching nearby at Friache. We aren’t very familiar with the area and drove pass the store several times before finally figuring it out. For those similarly lost, look for a big sign advertising “Overland Plaza.” Otherwise, it’s quite easy to miss.

Early reports filed by bloggers and Yelpers whined about the shop’s plain Jane walls and lack of ambiance, but that wasn’t the case when I visited. The space was painted a splashy shade of lime, while the walls were adorned with vintage illustrations by David Venezky. The vibe was cool, but not too cool for school, if you know what I mean.

In the center of the room was a mesmerizing plastic spoon mobile made by the same artist who designed the one at the original Scoops on Heliotrope.

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Dorie Greenspan’s Beggar’s Linguine – Pasta with Brown Butter, Dried Fruits, and Nuts

Published by Gastronomer on February 6, 2011 in French, Pasta + Rice, Recipe, Vegetarian and Vegetarian. 9 Comments

I dropped so many hints that I wanted Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table this past Christmas that I wound up receiving two copies. This post is dedicated to my sister-in-law Rosalind and my cousin Kristine—Thank you, gals!

I’ve been a tremendous fan of Ms. Greenspan’s ever since delving into Baking: From My Home to Yours [See: World Peace Cookies, Orange Berry Muffins, and Mango Bread]. Her writing is truly superb, while her recipes are interesting and inspiring. Whenever I prepare one of Ms. Greenspan’s creations, I can totally trust that she will not lead me and my stomach astray.

I chose to make Linguine Mendiant (Beggar’s Linguine) for my first foray into French home cooking. A mendiant is a traditional French confection composed of a chocolate disk studded with nuts and dried fruits—here’s a photo of the confection from my travels in Spain. This pasta dish, which Ms. Greenspan originally ate at a Parisian bistro called La Ferrandaise, replaces chocolate with linguine, creating a sweet and savory dish that’s completely unique.

A healthy dose of brown butter, a generous grating of Parmesan, and a hit of fresh parsley rounded out the flavors and kept the sweetness in check. Who would’ve thought noodles and fruit would pair so well?

1 pound (16 ounces) linguine
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter
1/3 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
8 plump dried mission figs or 3 dried kadota figs, finely diced
1/4 cup plump, moist raisins (golden raisins are nice here)
1/4 cup dried apricots, sliced into thin strips
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (more or less to taste)
Grated zest of 1/2 orange (or more to taste)
Minced chives and/or parsley leaves, for serving (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the linguine according to the package directions. When the pasta is cooked, drain it well, but don’t rinse it.

About 5 minutes before the pasta is ready, melt the butter over medium heat in a large high-sided skillet or casserole. (You’re going to add the pasta to this pan, so make sure it’s large enough.) When the butter is melted, hot and golden, stir in the nuts, figs and raisins. Allow the butter to bubble and boil – you want it to cook to a lovely light brown, or to turn into pan beurre noisette, butter with the color and fragrance of hazelnuts.

When it’s reached just the color you want, add the pasta to the pan. Stir the pasta around in the butter to coat it evenly and to tangle it up with the bits of fruit and nuts.

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Pizzeria Bruno Napoletano – San Diego (North Park)

Published by Gastronomer on February 4, 2011 in Italian, Pizza, Restaurant Review and San Diego. 8 Comments

It used to be that the monthly trips I took to see my family in San Diego provided a breather from my food-centric world in Los Angeles. Lately, however, I’ve grown more interested in seeking out my hometown’s latest and greatest bites in between home cooked meals at mom’s and grandma’s. I owe much of my newfound excitement for San Diego’s dining scene to Erin Jackson, a Serious Eats writer covering the city’s edible beat.

Her recommendations have brought me to Hodad’s for its gluttonous double bacon cheeseburger, to Crest Cafe for its heart-stoppingly good butter-stuffed burger, and most recently, to Pizzeria Bruno Napoletano for standout Neopolitan-style pies.

Family owned and operated, Pizzeria Bruno opened in North Park in 2009. The restaurant’s centerpiece is a domed, wood-fired brick oven custom built in Naples, whose temperature can reach more than 900 degrees. The oven is manned by a VPN-certified pizzaiolo named Peter.

Joining me for dinner was The Astronomer, my mom, and my grandma. Having Bà Ngoại‘s colorful commentary and hearty appetite at the table made this meal especially memorable.

My mom chose the market salad ($8) for us to share as an appetizer. It was comprised of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, walnuts, and olives dressed in a balsamic vinaigrette and topped with Parmigiano Reggiano. The Astronomer and I hardly ever order salads when we go out, so it was nice having Mom around to make sure that we got a serving of healthy greens before gorging on decadent pies. Thanks, Mom.

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Carmela Ice Cream – Pasadena

Published by Gastronomer on February 2, 2011 in Dessert, Los Angeles, Pasadena and Restaurant Review. 14 Comments

It was slightly disorienting to be driving toward the foothills of Altadena for dessert and not be heading to Bulgarini. Instead, my friend Laurie and I were destined for Carmela Ice Cream, a farmers market favorite that recently opened a proper brick and mortar. The shop is named after founder Jessica Mortarotti’s grandmother, who inspired her in the kitchen at a young age.

The store was bathed in an abundance of sunshine when we walked in on a weekend afternoon. There were a few customers ahead of Laurie and me in line, which gave us a few free moments to contemplate the small but adequate flavor selection—five ice creams and three sorbets. In addition to ice cream and sorbet, the shop also sells sweets made by Valerie Confections, Sugarbird Sweets, and Blue Cupcake.

After selecting and purchasing our goods, we headed outside to enjoy them since there sadly weren’t any tables or seating areas reserved for customers inside the shop. It’s a good thing it was warm and sunny out.

All of Carmela’s ice creams are made with Clover Organic Dairy and are inspired by herbs, spices, flowers, and seasonal fruit. Laurie was a little bummed that the lemon verbena vanilla bean was no longer available, and she ended up choosing a scoop each of salted caramel and brown sugar vanilla bean ($4.50).

Laurie was smiley and smitten with the salted caramel flavor. She excitedly proclaimed more than once how much she loved its distinctly salty notes. Her reaction to the brown sugar vanilla bean was positive as well, but compared to the salted caramel, the flavor paled in comparison. Don’t tell the neighbors, but Laurie discarded her scoop of vanilla in a bush because it “wasn’t worth the calories.”

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