Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

31 May 2018

Bavel – Los Angeles (Downtown)

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The Astronomer and I made plans to return to Bavel before we even took a single bite. The menu, a thoughtful collection of Middle Eastern fare reimagined by Chefs Ori Menashe and Genevieve Gergis, was chock full of so many intriguing-sounding dishes that there was no question that we needed to dine here again. And soon. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves now.

The Astronomer and I sipped a drink each as we narrowed down our list of wants. For me, the “Nebuchadnezzar” ($16), an old fashioned of sorts made with lamb fat bourbon, blue plum brandy, smoked ice, and grapefruit. The Astronomer had a beer.

To start, a duo of irresistible spreads served with equally irresistible house-made breads. The first to arrive was the “Foie Gras Halva” ($19), a smooth and rich paté prettied with date paste, black sesame, and coarse salt.

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Restaurant Review

24 May 2018

Rossoblu – Los Angeles (Downtown)

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I had such a fantastic dinner with my friend Diana when Rossoblu first opened that I was eager to return with The Astronomer for a recent night out. We consider ourselves big fans of Chef Steve Samson’s Italian cooking and were excited to get a taste without having to trek across the city. Downtown truly keeps getting better and better.

Whereas Sotto is deeply focused on southern Italian fare, Rossoblu is inspired by the foods of the Emilia-Romagna Region in Northern Italy. The dining room was fantastically energetic on a Thursday night.

With the work week nearly over, cocktails were in order. I sipped a traditional negroni on the rocks ($14) with Carpano Antica and Campari.

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Restaurant Review

17 May 2018

Kauai Grindz: Savory, Sweet & Ono to Eat

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The Astronomer, June, and I enjoyed our Maui getaway so much last summer that we vowed to return to the islands sooner rather than later. When airline and hotel prices looked promising earlier this year, we took the plunge and planned a trip to “The Garden Isle,” Kauai.

During our weeklong stay, we were able to visit nearly every accessible corner of the island. Along with seeing all of the beautiful scenery, from Waimea Canyon to the Na Pali Coast, we made sure to seek out as many local delights as our bellies could handle. Here’s a sampling of all the grindz we ate on Kauai…

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Fish Express – Lihue

As soon as the plane landed in Kauai, I wanted to eat all the poke. After we collected our luggage and secured the rental car, we made our way to nearby Fish Express. Both The Astronomer and I ordered poke bowls (the spicy ahi with crab was excellent), while June picked out a pre-made bento box with fried shrimp and Spam (that’s my girl). There was no seating on the premises, so we ate in the car on the way to our hotel in Poipu.

Fun fact: Fish Express had a toppings bar with edamame, seaweed, and the like. While toppings are a mainstay at mainland poke shops, this was my first time seeing it in Hawaii.

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