Archive for the 'Downtown' Category

Drago Centro – Los Angeles (Downtown)

Published by Gastronomer on May 18, 2012 in Downtown, Italian, Los Angeles, Media Event (this meal was free) and Restaurant Review. 2 Comments

Drago Centro has been my go-to destination for post-work cocktails, wine, and bar bites ever since I started working downtown last year. On my latest visit to the restaurant, I managed to pull myself away from their unbeatable all-night happy hour for a proper dinner in the main dining room.

Instead of my usual $5 white wine and piping hot flatbreads, I indulged in bubbly prosecco and plates of silky pasta. After experiencing the fancier side of Drago Centro, I have an even greater appreciation for this urban oasis of modern Italian dining.

Chef Celestino Drago, who also owns Enoteca Drago and Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills and the yet-to-debut Osteria Drago in West Hollywood, opened Drago Centro in 2008. Its location on the ground floor of the City National Plaza attracts a diverse crowd of suited gents, serious couples, and happy hour revelers.

On the evening of my visit, Chef de Cuisine Ian Gresik had the night off, so sous chef Michael Neflas took care of our party of three. In addition to warm rolls to start, we shared a serving of “Le Cozze” ($13). The steamed mussels were simply but effectively prepared with white wine, garlic, and chile flakes. Toasted crostini was on hand to soak up the broth.

There were also bowls of “La Zuppa” ($10), a roasted yellow corn soup with a sopressata corn ragout, served tableside (not pictured). The little squares of salami punctuated the sweet soup beautifully, making me wonder why bacon gets all the glory.

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Water Grill – Los Angeles (Downtown)

Published by Gastronomer on May 14, 2012 in Downtown, Los Angeles, Restaurant Review and Seafood. 2 Comments

I never had any desire to dine at downtown’s Water Grill until recently, when the restaurant underwent a massive renovation and thoughtful rebranding. Fine dining can be a lovely sport, but here in Los Angeles I tend to gravitate toward inexpensive ethnic food, with a sprinkling of trendy hot spots, rather than white table clothed rooms.

After several months of closure and 1.5 million dollars in investments, the former bastion of fine dining has been transformed into a lively urban seafood shack, complete with an open kitchen and a gorgeous marble bar. The prices are still quite hefty, but the vibe is definitely more upbeat and the menu more approachable.

Curious to check out the new Water Grill, I grabbed my friend and fellow downtown worker bee Darin for a post-work bite. We snagged two seats at the bar with stellar views of oysters being shucked and seafood towers being built. The restaurant was roaring on a Tuesday night.

Our waiter brought over warm bread with butter as we glanced over the menus. Both the coarse salt-topped sourdough and the caramelized onion and cheese rolls were terrific. The butter, though gratuitous, was welcomed with each bite.

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Café Dulcé – Los Angeles (Downtown)

Published by Gastronomer on April 26, 2012 in Bakery, Breakfast / Brunch, Dessert, Downtown, Japanese, Los Angeles and Restaurant Review. 18 Comments

I didn’t mean to binge on doughnuts at Café Dulcé. The plan was to stop in for a single green tea doughnut, specially priced at just a dollar in celebration of the shop’s first birthday, and head to Daikokuya for ramen with family right after.

My good intentions went out the window once I set foot inside the shop and caught a glimpse of the dessert-lined shelves. As my eyes wandered from row to row, one treat became two, two became three, and well, let’s just say things didn’t go exactly according to plan. Visiting a bakery on an empty stomach…dangerous.

I had to try the bacon doughnut hole ($1), a three bite wonder of pillowy dough smothered in sweet icing and dotted with smoky bacon shards. The portion was petite, while the flavor and texture were just right.

The brick toast ($3.50) called out to The Astronomer and he couldn’t resist its charms. The hefty block o’ bread was considerately sliced into nine perfectly pluckable pieces, making it easier for us to share without utensils. I couldn’t decide which bites were best, the ones with caramelized edges or the central segments of pure soft sweet dough.

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See | Hear | Taste | Transmission LA: A/V Club

Published by Gastronomer on April 20, 2012 in Downtown, Food Event, Los Angeles, Meals on Wheels, Media Event (this meal was free) and Vegetarian. 5 Comments

The Roy Choi Express made a special stop at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in downtown Los Angeles earlier this week for a sneak peek of Transmission LA: A/V Club, a 17-day festival featuring the work of 16 contemporary artists, musicians, designers, filmmakers, and chefs curated by Mike D of the Beastie Boys.

“A/V Club,” which is free to the public and runs from now until May 6, seeks to illustrate how audio and visual art forms complement and influence each other through concerts, performances, and installations. In addition to its audio and visual components, the exhibit also includes an edible element designed by Chef Roy Choi and the Kogi Team.

A rainbow splashed “mess hall” in the spirit of A-Frame has been built just for the event. I loved how the colorful tables had built-in troughs fit for various sauces and condiments. I can’t wait to see how this baby lights up at night.

The Kogi Truck will be dishing up its famous tacos, burritos, and quesadillas for dinner on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, as well as for lunch on Saturdays, throughout the exhibit’s run.

Additionally, Chef is going to dream up weekly specials based on what inspires him at the farmers market. As a nod to Mike D’s vegetarianism, the special will always be meat-free.

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UMAMIcatessen – Los Angeles (Downtown)

Published by Gastronomer on March 10, 2012 in Burgers, Downtown, Los Angeles and Restaurant Review. 12 Comments

I’m not the kind of gal that usually frequents a restaurant during its soft opening, but when I heard that there’d be fried-to-order doughnuts at UMAMIcatessen, I had to make an exception. Doughnuts are my rapture.

UMAMIcatessen is located on a stretch of Broadway that’s lined with fluorescent-lit stores selling jewelry and poofy quinceanera dresses. Some might find this part of town a bit iffy, but I’ve been stuck in the suburbs for so long that I couldn’t get enough of its grit.

I came in for an early dinner last Thursday night along with my friends Nastassia and Darin. The space was humming but not busy, so we were seated promptly at a table fit for four. By the time we left a few hours later, the entire room was packed with a line outside the door. News of fried-to-order doughnuts spreads quickly, I guess.

UMAMIcatessen, a genius creation of restauranteur Adam Fleischman (Umami Burger, Red Medicine, 800 Degrees), is widely referred to as a “food emporium.” Really though, its just a regular restaurant with a more-varied-than-most menu.
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