Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

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14 Oct 2009

Border Grill – Los Angeles (Santa Monica)

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In a city where food bloggers are spoiled with meals out on the town nearly every night of the week, it’s rare that I attend an event so seriously kick ass that I wake up the following day with a goofy grin permanently planted across my face. The morning after, or more accurately the afternoon after, attending last week’s margarita dinner at Border Grill in Santa Monica, I was smiling from ear to ear. I had so much fun.

Border Grill, chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger‘s upscale, modern Mexican food restaurant, hosts margarita dinners several times a year. The event I attended was a four-course affair featuring five different margaritas made with Tequila Corralejo. The cost was $45 per person, or $38 for Border Grill Locals Club members. The Astronomer and I attended the dinner as guests of the restaurant. Lucky, lucky us.

The vibe at Border Grill is colorful in every sense of the word. Every inch of space from floor to ceiling is painted in vibrant and bold hues. As someone who lists “bright colors” as an interest on her Facebook profile, you bet your boots I was digging the “urban cantina” atmosphere.

The Astronomer and I were seated at a large communal table, one of five set up in the main dining room for the event. To my left were two fun kids on their seventh date, and to my right were a group of three Border Grill regulars, or rather Mary Sue and Susan regulars. They’ve been fans of the Two Hot Tamales since their City Cafe days. With tequila flowing freely, we were all BFFs by the end of the night.

First up in the drinks department was a classic margarita served in a salt-rimmed glass. The drink went down fast and smooth.

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13 Oct 2009

Momofuku Milk Bar – New York City

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On my long list of culinary loves, kooky sweets ranks somewhere near the top. While most would flinch at the notion of pairing black olives with beer or rosemary with apricots when it comes to desserts, I gravitate toward these unusual combinations whenever they are presented.

Momofuku Milk Bar, the lone confectionery in Chef David Chang’s East Village empire, specializes in classic baked goods turned upside down. Just how unusual are the offerings here? One of the most popular items on the menu is something called a Crack Pie™. It’s so famous that it’s trademarked.

Connected to Momofuku Ssam Bar by a short hallway, the Milk Bar consists of an open kitchen to the left and a series of glass cases lined with baked goods toward the front. The austere and chair-less space lacks the warmth of a neighborhood bakery, which is disappointing but not surprising considering the aesthetic of Chef Chang’s other Momofuku outlets (See: Ssam Bar and Noodle Bar).

I was this close to ordering a slice of the Crack Pie™, but then remembered my personal policy against eating foods that are referred to as crack or crack-like. Blame it on D.A.R.E. After I passed on the toasted oat crust with gooey butter filling, also known as crack cocaine in pie form, The Astronomer chose the blueberry pie. The Astronomer loves berries.

The sour cream-tinged slice ($5.25) came topped with corn streusel. One bite of our chilled treat and we realized that it only resembled pie in appearance. Composition-wise—cookie crust, jammy filling, and crumbly topping—this baby was all bar. Bars are nice and all, but we were hoping for some warm and fruity pie.

The best item I tasted at Milk Bar was the sweet and salty cucumber soft serve. I would’ve gotten a whole serving of this weirdly delicious flavor, but it was rainy out, and my California blood couldn’t handle a shock to the core.

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Momofuku Milk Bar
207 2nd Avenue
New York, NY 10003
Phone: 212-254-3500

Dessert

11 Oct 2009

Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon: Top 10 Tastes

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Hundreds of choco-fiends gathered at the Pasadena Conference Center this past Sunday for the third annual Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon. I attended the festivities with a press pass in hand and my gal pal Laurie by my side. We arrived an hour after the gates were unlocked and sampled the afternoon away—a nibble here, a nibble there, a nibble everywhere! Here’s a rundown of my favorite tastes of the day:

Valerie Confections’ Almond Toffee Treats were one of the first items to disappear at the event. Each little sphere of goodness was hand dipped in bittersweet chocolate, rolled in roasted organic California almonds, and dusted with French sea salt. The sweet and salty double punch amused and pleased my taste buds to no end.

The chocolates from XT Patisserie were not only insanely beautiful, but fantastically delicious as well. Each vibrantly flavored bite melted away smoothly and luxuriously on the tongue. The Saigon cinnamon and kalamansi were two of my favorites.

The Plush Puffs table was equipped with little burners for the crowd to toast their marshmallows. I was a big fan of the Simply S’mores variety, which was comprised of a vanilla bean marshmallow mashed with pieces of graham cracker, dusted with cocoa powder, and topped with chocolate chips.

The Sizzling Bacon Bar from Christopher Michael Chocolatier was everything I hoped it would be and more! Made of 41% Venezuelan milk chocolate, bacon, sea salt, and Pop Rocks, the candy bar was a porky party in my mouth. I have a penchant for the unusual and quirky, and this smoky, salty, and sweet creation fit the bill perfectly.

My friends Laurie and D takes a B went all sorts of gaga over Clarine’s Florentines. The main ingredients of this delectable treat are thinly sliced natural almonds. The almonds are mixed with butter, sugar, honey, and cream and then baked into a perfectly golden brown brittle. The final step is applying a generous coating of Guittard bittersweet chocolate.

The root beer float chocolate by Choclatique came highly recommended by D takes a B. I was instructed by the Choclatique representative to bite the chocolate from top to bottom in order to fully experience each of the three layers—root beer, cream, and “fizz.” The triple-layered confection was different from any chocolate I’ve ever eaten, and really tasty too.

Another winner from Choclatique was the seasonal Slimy Lime chocolate. I loved that the tart innards were a sickly shade of green.

One of my favorite vendors of the afternoon was Neapolitan Printing & Company, straight out of Portland, Oregon. As evident from the photo above, the Ants on a Log chocolates were quite popular with the crowd. Think peanut butter, celery, and raisins coated in sweet milk chocolate.

Neapolitan Printing & Company‘s dried mango slices dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with chipotle was also noteworthy—sweet, bitter, spicy! By the way, the chocolate moustaches pictured up top were also from this wonderful vendor.

And finally, decadent fudge from Studio City’s Auntie Früf’s Aahsome Füdge (AF2 Chocolatiers). The fudge was so rich, dense, and intense that a small square was perfectly satisfying.

After attending quite a few food events around the city, I was very impressed by how smoothly this year’s Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon was run. The lines were totally manageable and the selection of sweets on hand was extensive without being overwhelming. In addition to tasting the lovely treats mentioned above, I really enjoyed speaking one-on-one with the artisans and learning about their craft and passions. Chocolate making, especially of the gourmet boutique variety, is a labor of love. Support your local chocolatier.