Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Now Closed

16 Jan 2014

Cooks County – Los Angeles

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I am currently writing from Cook County, Illinois. Chicago, to be exact, where I’m spending the week ever so delicately balancing work commitments and gastronomical pursuits. As timing would have it, I’m overdue to write about my mom’s birthday dinner at Cooks County. What a coincidence!

Opened in late 2011, Cooks County is a sweet ‘lil neighborhood spot serving up seasonal fare that comforts and delights.

The kitchen is headed by Chef Daniel Mattern. He spent time at Campanile, Lucques, AOC, and AMMO here in Los Angeles, and Clarklewis in Portland, before opening Cooks County with his partner, Pastry Chef Roxana Jullapat. She also spent time at Campanile, Lucques, AOC, AMMO, and Clarklewis. What a coincidence!

We started off the night with four appetizers. The first to arrive was the Spretzel ($3) with mustard dipping sauce. Made of spelt flour and garnished with coarse salt, the pretzel was good but not outstanding. Had it been baked to order, the pretzel would’ve really been something. The mustard, on the other hand, was excellent.

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Restaurant Review

10 Jan 2014

Spicy BBQ Restaurant – Los Angeles (Hollywood)

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There is no shortage of tongue-singeing spots in Thaitown, and Nong Sriyana’s Spicy BBQ measures up with the best of ’em. The Astronomer, Mom, and I stopped in for a low-key dinner prior to catching a show at the Pantages. Thai food and musicals—that’s how we do.

We came for the house-special Northern Thai offerings, which are listed toward the back of the cheery, spiral-bound menu. Every dish was helpfully accompanied by a photo. Using a 2008 write up by Jonathan Gold as my guide, I ordered too much food as usual. My dining mates never seem to mind.

Dinner started off with a sweat-inducing bang! The nam prik num, a smoky, spicy, and undeniably addictive “dip” made from roasted chilies, burned so, so good. To balance the flavors and heat, we dug in carefully and with plenty of sticky rice and fresh vegetable crudites. If you like pleasure spiked with pain, this dish is for you.

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Restaurant Review

08 Jan 2014

Badmaash – Los Angeles (Downtown)

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Badmaash, which means “badass” in Hindi, totally lives up to its name. Opened last year by Chef Pawan Mahendro and his son Nakul, Badmaash brings the vibrant flavors of Indian street food (with a few fun twists) to Downtown Los Angeles.

The Mahendros arrived in Southern California by way of Toronto. Chef Pawan, who is formally trained in classic French and Italian cuisine, opened Jaipur Grill in Toronto and spent years traveling through India before arriving in Los Angeles.

While the playful gastropub-meets-Indian-cuisine mashups have been hogging the headlines since the restaurant debuted—Chicken Tikka Poutine and Chili Cheese Naan, anyone?—I was interested in sampling the more traditional offerings during my visit with Valentina, Anne, and Nastassia. We made an exception for the lamb burger, of course!

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