Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

22 Mar 2018

Bone Kettle – Pasadena

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Opened last year by Chef Erwin Tjahyadi, Bone Kettle serves “original Southeast Asian dishes” in a charming space in Old Pasadena. The Astronomer and I made a last-minute reservation for dinner here on a recent #datenight. It had been a long and exhausting week, and all we desired was a “nice” dinner nearby. Bone Kettle fit the bill just right.

Prior to venturing into the growing-tastier-by-the-day Pasadena dining scene, Chef Tjahyadi launched Komodo (food truck and brick and mortar) and spent time behind the stoves at Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel Air.

As is par for the course when the two of us get together, The Astronomer and I ordered enough food for a party of four. First up were the glistening “Oxtail Tips” ($12), gnaw-worthy morsels dressed with lime, fresh chilis, Thai basil, cilantro, and deep fried yams. The meat’s intrinsic richness was balanced by the plethora of accoutrements.

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Restaurant Review

15 Mar 2018

Everson Royce Bar – Los Angeles

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I haven’t stopped thinking about Everson Royce Bar ever since The Astronomer and I came in for dinner and drinks a few weeks back. I had heard good things about the place since its opening, but our experience exceeded expectations. Those biscuits! That burger! The patio! The list goes on and on…

After showing our IDs to the bouncer stationed outside, The Astronomer and I strolled through the main bar and straight to the back patio, where we were seated at a communal picnic table.

We chatted with random young guns throughout the evening, including a couple about to travel to Sichuan. The patio’s chill and inviting vibes seemed to encourage a certain level of chattiness (or maybe it was the alcohol talking).

I sipped an “Oaxacan Kid Negroni” ($13) made with Legendario Domingo mezcal, Aperol, and Ancho Reyes, a kind of chile liquor. It was fantastically strong and well-balanced.

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Restaurant Review

09 Mar 2018

The Grill – New York City

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“You will be pummeled by luxury,” my friend promised upon hearing that I’d be dining at The Grill with my brother and sister-in-law. Opened last year and tucked into the Seagram Building, The Grill is a “homage to midcentury luxe Continental dining” from the guys at Major Food Group (see: Parm, Carbone, Sadelle’s).

Living in L.A., where a handful of midcentury dining rooms are still operating and in some cases thriving, The Grill’s premise wasn’t exactly novel to me, but I was still excited to experience a contemporary take on the genre. Everything old is new again.

The Grill’s dining room is quite the golden, opulent site. The restaurant’s interior was designated by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission as a landmark in 1989, and as a result it has remained largely unchanged since its construction in 1959. Hanging over the balcony and over the bar are shimmery sculptures by Richard Lippold (pictured above).

To start, a trio of irresistible breads (dinner rolls, pretzel breadsticks, and slices from a brown loaf) served with equally irresistible chive butter. This was the kind of bread basket that had us all reaching for more even though we knew better than to fill up so early on.

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