Archive for the 'Italian' Category

White Truffle Dinner at Valentino Ristorante

It used to be that citrus fruits were my favorite wintertime bounty, but that was before I tasted my first white truffle. Only available October through December and priced in the neighborhood of $300 an ounce, this precious tuber is the ultimate indulgence during the cooler months of the year.

I was recently invited to an incredible dinner at Valentino Ristorante featuring an abundance of white truffles. In celebration of Piero Selvaggio‘s 40 years of successful restauranteering in Los Angeles, the finest Italian white truffles were flown in for the event, as well as wines from Beni di Batasiolo, the world’s leading producer of Barolo. Needless to say, it was an enchanting evening of food and wine.

I was greeted by an army of glasses as I sat down at the table. Stefano Poggi, the export manager at Beni di Batasiolo, was on hand this evening to pair each of chefs Luicano Pellegrini and Nico Chessa’s creations with a handsome wine. The carefully marked placemats upon which the wines rested kept diners properly organized throughout the meal.

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Drago Ristorante – Los Angeles (Santa Monica)

Published by Gastronomer on December 14, 2011 in Italian, Los Angeles, Media Event (this meal was free), Restaurant Review and Santa Monica. 5 Comments

Promises of handmade pasta and creamy risotto motivated me to make the drive to Drago Ristorante in Santa Monica for a weeknight dinner. Well that, and my friend Diana. She’s the restaurant’s PR guru, and she assured me that I’d adore this restaurant with all of my carb-loving heart.

Opened in 1991, Drago Ristorante is the oldest of Chef Celestino Drago’s Italian restaurants that are currently open in Los Angeles. His other restaurants include Enoteca Drago and Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills and Drago Centro downtown.

Diana reserved a secluded table adjacent to the main dining room for our small group. We were joined this evening by Darin of Darin Dines and Christina of Where Los Angeles.

Chef de Cucina Evan Gotanda, a graduate of the California School of the Culinary Arts, as well as the kitchens of Bastide and Patina, treated us to a custom tasting this evening. Most of the dishes that we sampled can be found on the regular cena menu.

Dinner began with bread from Chef Drago’s Dolce Forno Bakery in Culver City. The bakery provides all of his restaurants with freshly baked breads, pastries, and desserts daily. I played it safe with just a small nibble of the olive bread because I wasn’t sure what Chef Gotanda had in the works.

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Sotto Restaurant – Los Angeles

Published by Gastronomer on November 16, 2011 in Italian, Los Angeles, Mixology, Restaurant Review and West Los Angeles. 8 Comments

It just so happened that Lien and I supped at Sotto the same day that Jonathan Gold’s glowing review of the restaurant hit news stands. Using his article as our personal crib sheet, we loaded up on lardo, passed on pizza, and saved room for a cannoli. From beginning to end, it was a memorable and delectable meal, one that continues to linger in my mind even though weeks have gone by.

Chefs Steve Samson and Zack Pollack opened Sotto earlier this year along with restaurateur Bill Chait. The two previously worked at Pizzeria Ortica together and established it as one of Orange County’s top restaurants.

Here, at their first Los Angeles restaurant, the focus is on southern Italian fare. The menu includes Neapolitan pizzas, handmade pastas, and lesser-known regional specialties.

My date consulted with the sommelier for her wine pairings this evening, while I reached for the cocktail menu. I started with “Dem Apples,” a perfectly autumnal creation with bourbon, fresh pressed apple, Clear Creek pear eau de vie, fresh lemon, and cassia-infused honey ($12).

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Stella Rossa Pizza Bar – Los Angeles (Santa Monica)

Published by Gastronomer on October 28, 2011 in Italian, Los Angeles, Media Event (this meal was free), Pizza, Restaurant Review and Santa Monica. 7 Comments

Pizza dates are the best. Whether with a friend or lover, a feast of pies all but guarantees a hearty spread, fair prices, and best of all, leftovers for breakfast.

The Astronomer and I headed to Stella Rossa Pizza Bar in Santa Monica for our latest pizza date. Though barely six months old, the restaurant has made quite an impact on the city’s pizza scene. In fact, one old school restaurant critic even declared Stella’s pizzas some of the best in the world.

The restaurant’s open kitchen is headed by Chef Jeff Mahin, a Cal grad who’s worked in some mighty fine kitchens including L2O, The Fat Duck, Nobu, and Arzak.

The key to Stella’s stellar pizzas is the dough. Made from milled flour from the San Joaquin Valley, filtered water, sea salt, and fresh yeast, the dough rests and ferments for thirty hours in special jars.

To start, The Astronomer and I shared the prosciutto plate ($12.95) from the “For the Table” section of the menu. Pork products from La Quercia never fail to make me weak in the knees, and these silky slices of prosciutto rossa were no exception. The Astronomer and I were also taken by the amazing house-made bead dipped in Olave olive oil from Chile. All in all, this was a killer starter.

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Anne Burrell’s Crostini of Chicken Liver Pâté with Balsamic Onions

Published by Gastronomer on October 7, 2011 in Appetizer, Italian and Recipe. 2 Comments

After spending much of the summer traveling here, there, and everywhere, I finally reunited with my neglected kitchen this past week. It’s hard to believe that the last time we spent any sort of meaningful time together was back in June while baking The Astronomer’s birthday cake!

Three months away from the stove definitely effected my cooking instincts, but fortunately, these Crostini of Chicken Liver Pâté with Balsamic Onions went off without a hitch. I have Chef Anne Burrell to thank for that.

This recipe comes from her debut cookbook Cook Like a Rock Star. I received an advance copy a few weeks ago and flipped straight to the “Piccolini (a.k.a. my small nibbles)” section. I am the type of eater that tires easily of a main course and instead prefers to graze on punchy little bites, so it was awesome to see an entire chapter devoted to my favorite types of dishes.

Ever since my chicken liver pâté awakening at Pizzeria Mozza (recipe here), I’ve been borderline obsessed with the stuff. Chef Anne’s version is super smooth and packs a wallop thanks to the anchovies, capers, and garlic. The Astronomer wasn’t too keen on the pâté’s pronounced livery essence, but I didn’t mind the least bit. In fact, I think I’ve developed quite a taste for liver these days. The balsamic onions offer a bright and tangy counterpoint to the assertive spread.

For balsamic onions

Olive oil
2 large onions, sliced
Salt
1 cup balsamic vinegar

For chicken liver pâté

Olive oil
2 to 3 anchovy fillets
2 tablespoons capers
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 pound chicken livers, cleaned and rinsed
1 cup white wine
1 baguette, cut in to 1/2-inch slices, toasted or grilled

Prepare balsamic onions

Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and add the onions. Season the onions with salt and bring the pan to a medium-high heat. Cover and sweat the onions for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the balsamic and cook for another 20 to 25 minutes or until the balsamic is syrupy. Use right away, or place in airtight jar and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Prepare chicken liver pâté