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Cube - Los Angeles (West Hollywood)

Published

on December 27, 2009

in Italian, Los Angeles, Restaurant Review and Small Plates

. 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

The Yard - Los Angeles (Santa Monica)

Published

Gastronomer

on December 18, 2009

in Gastropub, Los Angeles, Media Event, Restaurant Review 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

One Sunset - Los Angeles (West Hollywood)

Published

Gastronomer

on May 19, 2009

in Chain / Multiple Locations, Los Angeles, Media Event, New American, Restaurant Review and Small Plates

. 6 Comments

Less than a week after the huge blogger blowout dinner at STK, the One Group invited us all back for more. The site of the encore dinner was at One Sunset, the group’s flagship restaurant. Part lounge and part restaurant, One Sunset offers the trendy Hollywood crowd the best of both worlds in one sultry setting—hence its name.

Once again, the city’s food bloggers showed up with bells on. [A full list of attendees after the jump.] Our group of camera-wielding and notebook-jotting diners came specifically to sample One Sunset’s Tuesday night dinner special. Designed by Chef Jason Ryczek, the “One of Almost Everything” tasting menu offers diners a four-course menu featuring ten of the restaurant’s signature dishes, including dessert, for $45 a person. A full bottle of wine can be had for a dollar more.

After getting thoroughly smashed at STK, I displayed incredible restraint this evening in order to focus on the food. Mixologist Pablo Moix’s potent cocktails made several appearances throughout our dinner.

The Astronomer and I were greeted with flutes of LUSHious Raspberry (left - muddled raspberries, Gloria Ferrer Champagne) upon entering the restaurant. The ruby red drink was bubbly and refreshing.

We sipped The Master Cleanse (center - Belvedere vodka, fresh lemon juice, cayenne pepper, maple syrup) as we dug into the menu’s early offerings. It was a quirky and fantastic creation—a drink I’d definitely order again.

Lastly, the Tropical Sidecar (right - Hennessy, pineapple, Cointreau, blueberries) arrived with the heartier courses. I found it reeking of booze and not much else. Pass.

Chef Ryczek started our group off with an off-the-menu creation called Breakfast on a Plate (left), which consisted of pancakes, bacon foam, apple caviar, maple syrup, and crème fraîche. From the presentation to the flavors, everything about this starter was right on point. The only flaw was its temperature. I’m not sure whether the chef intended to send the dish out lukewarm, but I would have preferred my breakfast served hot.

Next, we noshed on some Adult Candy (right)—bacon-wrapped, blue cheese-stuffed dates. The dish’s combination of savory, salty, and sweet notes were easy to like, but creativity was sorely lacking. Bacon-wrapped dates are strictly dinner party 101 fare.

The Spicy Tuna Tartare (left) was served upon eggplant tempura and drizzled with kecap manis, a sweet soy sauce. The tuna’s thick spicy sauce was heavy with chilies, thus overwhelming the delicate fish.

The best starter of the evening was the burrata with Carlsbad strawberries, pistachios, pink pepper, and basil (right), which was served alongside delightfully sweet and crisp cinnamon toasts. The dish’s unique combination of flavors had The Astronomer and I jonesing for more. We heart creativity.

The BBQ Sliders with crispy shallots and smoked cheddar that arrived next were at a Maroon 5 level of rocking. Had the bread not been cold and plain white, the sliders would’ve tasted much better; perhaps reaching The Fray rocking status. The fried onion strings served alongside the sliders were golden and plentiful, but I’m more of an onion ring kind of girl.

The Korean Chicken Satay (left) was smothered in a sauce with hints of kimchi and kecap manis, and sprinkled with crushed cashews. Considering how little I appreciate chicken breast, this dish had a certain sweet and spicy appeal.

The Turkey Meatballs (right) with marinara, Parmesan, and basil were surprisingly moist and had a homey quality. Turkey meatballs strike me as diet food, which probably bodes well for One Sunset’s usual clientèle.

Even though crusted and seared tuna is a tired menu offering, One Sunset’s pistachio crusted albacore was done well enough (left). The fish was served alongside a caper aioli and a Niçoise salad.

The roasted clams on the half-shell with chorizo, chowder sauce, and crushed oyster crackers (right) were my favorite hot course of the evening—there’s nothing quite like taking a shot of shellfish.

We wrapped up the evening with a trio of desserts. The Meyer lemon panna cotta (top) with blackberry sorbet, lavender poppy seed crisp, and lavender oil was a hit among my tablemates. For me, the floral profile was too much and as a result, the entire dessert tasted like Lysol.

The Vegan Godiva Chocolate Gelato (bottom, right) was served with a shot of Amaretti di Saronno. There’s something about the sharpness of the word “vegan” that’s a real appetite killer, especially when it comes to desserts. I vote for replacing the shot of booze with some real dairy goodness.

The Velvet Rope Cupcakes (bottom, left) were terrific. The cake was moist and the frosting tasted great—clearly evidence that good desserts will result from proper usage of butter and sugar.

Thank you again to Abby and the One Group for coordinating this very special dinner.

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One Sunset * CLOSED *
8730 West Sunset Boulevard
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Phone: 310-657-0111