Treasure LA

Rivera's corn flan with black quinoa and squish blossom

This story originally appeared on LAist.

Food lovers flocked to Malibu on Sunday, Oct. 23, for Los Angeles Magazine’s sixth annual The Food Event. Unlike last year, the weather cooperated beautifully as 2,500 Angelenos enjoyed the rolling green hills of Saddlerock Ranch.

The Royce at The Langham's Wagyu Beef with Potato in Squid Ink

While there were chef demos and some light live music, the real stars of the afternoon were the 42 restaurants churning out delectable bites. Among the most buzzed about dishes of the afternoon was Sotto’s braised lamb neck alla griglia with stewed fresh shelling beans and dry cured olives.

Patina Butternut Squash Soup

Other contenders for best dish of the day goes to The Royce at The Langham’s Wagyu beef with potato in squid ink and Rivera’s corn flan with black quinoa and squish blossom. Another highlight was watching Michael McCarty laying on the charm, something he does exceptionally well at his restaurant Michael’s Santa Monica, as he served duck confit salad and poured wine from his own Malibu Vineyard. Sweet endings were provided by fōnuts, Bread Basket Cake Co., and Coolhaus.

Michael's Duck Confit Salad

Onyx noodles

There were also a few familiar dishes for LA food festival regulars. The Foundry on Melrose brought their award-winning grilled cheese, and Waterloo and City served their delicious smoked salmon and foie gras terrine – which begs the question, what will they serve at these events once the foie ban goes into effect?

Waterloo and City smoked salmon and foie gras terrine

In addition to the impressive roster of restaurants present, 33 wineries, breweries, and spirit companies were keeping everyone cool and (socially) lubricated. The longest line of the day belonged to Stella Artois, but Pisco Portón, Karma Tequila, and VeeV also supplemented the wine offerings.

Couldn't wait to bite into it

Like last year, many of the vendors ran out of food half way through the event – but there were enough restaurants which planned ahead to fill the bellies of latecomers who underestimated the drive to Saddlerock Ranch. We’re already looking forward to next year, but that may be because we already miss the zebras, bison, camels, llamas, and horses we drove by on our way to the event.

Mini Fonuts

Rare Aged New York

I’ve never been a huge steak fan. I always appreciate it, but never get that excited about going to a steakhouse. But it’s something I’ve always wanted to learn more about. So when I got invited to a preview of Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse Meat 101, I didn’t hesitate to sign-up.

Chef Megan Logan Takes Me to School

The casual evening began with an informative lecture by Nick & Stef’s chef Megan Logan about different cuts of steak, aging processes, and grilling technique. There was even an impressive display of different steaks in their shells.

Comparing Ribeyes

You’ll learn interesting tidbits like that only 3% of beef is prime and that you should only dry-age prime beef. According to Chef Logan, restaurants are moving away from prime beef because of costs, but prime is where you get the beautiful marbling.

This is how you learn about steak

For $35, you get to compare pieces of different steaks paired with wine. The picture above shows USDA Prime Dry Aged Ribeye, USDA Prime Wet Aged Ribeye, USDA Prime Wet Aged Ribeye, and USDA Prime Dry Aged Ribeye. I was fortunate to be dining with SavoryHunter because he and the GM got to talking about rare steak and he ended up sending out a rare New York steak. It was my favorite bite of the night, and it inspired me to order my first rare burger the next day at the Misfit.

Creamed Spinach

The meal might not be enough to satiate serious eaters, so you are encouraged to grab a table after Meat 101 and explore the rest of the menu.

Assortment of Sides

We were able to try creamed corn, sautéed wild mushrooms, creamed spinach, JBS potato puree, and potato gratin.

Salad

I’d suggest the grilled baby romaine salad with butternut squash, cauliflower, fiscallini cheddar, golden raisins, sunflower seeds, and balsamic-grape vinaigrette.

The finer things in life

Meat 101 Schedule

Nov 3: New York, New York… and New York!
Taste the difference between bone-in, boneless and dry-aged New York steaks

Nov. 17: A Well Aged Steak
Enjoy four cuts of beef – dry and wet aged rib-eye vs. dry and wet aged
New York steaks.

Dec. 1: Us Versus the World
Learn the difference between steaks (and wines) from New Zealand, Argentina
and America.

Meat Locker

Be sure to stop by the meat locker where meats are aged in a controlled environment of 87% humidity and a temperature of 32 degrees F.

Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse
$35 per person

Reservations required: 213 680 0330

Includes pairings; tax and gratuity additional

Chaya Venice Entrance

Never one to sit still, Chaya Venice is following-up its August Garlic Fair with a Dungeness Crab Fair. Available for two weeks only, the crab-centric menu features six new “special savory crustacean creations.” Chaya didn’t take the easy route by just throwing a crab cake on the menu or offering a whole steamed crab (although, I must admit, that a whole crab would have been hard to resist). Instead, crab is used a little more creatively – such as in a tamale or an “Asian crepe.”

Crab Asian Crepe with Thai Red Curry and Micro Cilantro

The highlight of the night was the Crab Asian Crepe ($15).  The description of a “savory blend of jalapeno, onion & crab with Thai red curry sauce & micro cilantro” reminded me of an okonomiyaki  (Japanese pancake). The crepe had a nice crispiness to its edges, and the toppings were flavorful. With a better Thai red curry sauce (my dining companion compared it to dynamite sauce), this could have gone from a good to outstanding dish.

Fingerling Potato Tower with Crab Salad and Aji Amarillo Aioli

Second place was the fingerling potato tower ($13). It did the best job of spotlighting the crab, this time in a crab salad with aji amarillo aioli sitting pretty on top of potatoes. The crab to potato ratio was a bit off, with a majority of the bites being solely the shapely and room-temperature mashed potatoes.

Crab Bisque “Hot Pot“

The crab bisque “hot pot” ($13) was visually enticing, but was on the heavy side and no single flavor had the chance to shine. It also wasn’t the easiest dish to approach – we were encouraged to pop the crab through the crust into the bisque, but the result wasn’t too pretty.

Crab Tamale with Crab Veloute, Shishito Pepper Pesto

The crab tamale with shishito pepper pesto ($12) was close to being quite good, but the tamale was just too dense and I can see the shishito pepper pesto being polarizing.

Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding

The meal ended with a nice take on bread pudding. I’m a sucker for croissants in all their forms – you should have seen my face when it came out still bubbling. The dulce de leche ice cream was a nice addition to this solid dessert.

I was a bit disappointed that the menu didn’t live up to previous limited engagement menus like the Japanese Beer Garden at Chaya Downtown or the Garlic Fair, but I still found a couple things I liked. Also on the menu are pinot noir braised short rib with crab & asparagus risotto ($28) as well as yukon potato gnocchi over sauteed spinach with pumpkin coconut milk lemongrass sauce crab and buffalo ricotta ($23). We had hoped to try the gnocchi since we were both burnt out on the short ribs, but had to cancel the order because we underestimated the heaviness of the other dishes.

The Crab Fest is available through Sunday, November 6, 2011. If you wait until Tuesday, you can enjoy bottles of wine for half off.

CHAYA VENICE
110 Navy St.
Venice, CA 90291

Note: The meal was hosted

Halibut Nikkei Tiradito, Aji Amarillo Ceviche, Tuna Nitai Tiradito

I think it’s safe to say that Peruvian cuisine is having a moment in LA. First with Mo-Chica, then Picca & Chimu, and now Hollywood just saw the opening of Peruvian-Japanese fusion spot Osaka. If you are perplexed about the combination of Peruvian and Japanese cuisine, you are not alone.

When discussing Osaka, I’ve been on the receiving end of quite a few confused looks. However, there is a rich history of Japanese in Peru. During the Sino-Japanese war in the 1890s, many Japanese farmers moved to Peru for economic opportunity. Skilled Japanese farmers were initially welcomed because of their strong work ethic. Peruvian Japanese started opening successful businesses, although according to some reports, did not make great efforts to assimilate into Peruvian society. In 1936, the Peruvian government made concentrated efforts to restrict immigration from Japan, and in 1940, riots against Japanese businesses and homes occurred in Lima and Callao.

Following the riots, the Peruvian government started revoking the citizenship of native-born Peruvian Japanese. At the start of WWII, the US and Peru coordinated to send Japanese Peruvians to American internment camps. I better wrap up this story because no one wants to get depressed reading a food blog, but I will say that there is an estimated 90,000 people of Japanese descent currently residing in Peru.

Kan Itan, Evil Scallops, Crab Causita, Tori Anticucho

Back to Osaka. Restaurateur Adolfo Suaya’s (BoHo) newest venture is the fourth outpost for Osaka. The other locations are in Lima, Buenos Aires, and Santiago de Chile. The first thing you’ll notice is the beautiful space courtesy of designer Kristopher Keith of Spacecraft. When I arrived for my media dinner and stepped across rocks on a pond to find the hostess stand, I was immediately transported back to a sake bar that I fell in love with this summer in Kyoto.

The tasting menu started with what may have been the best course of the evening: a pair of tiraditos. Tiradito’s are a great introduction to Peruvian-Japanese cuisine. This raw fish dish is similar to sashimi and ceviche, but is cut differently and is dressed, not marinated, with a sauce. I’m going to have to order both the halibut and tuna next time I go.

Up next was a sampling of other Osaka specialties. My favorite of the bunch was the Tori Anticucho, skewered chicken with sweet shogayaki cream cheese. Other anticuchos on the menu include Tako (grilled octopus with Japanese chimichurri) and Korkoro American Kobe heart with anticucho panca sauce). Also on the menu is a selection of causitas, which are a yellow potato terrine with topping such as tuna tartar, or crab in this case.

One of many tasty cocktails I tried

Osaka makes a damn good pisco sour. Next time I see a show at the Pantages, I plan to get to there early so I can walk over and enjoy a pisco sour in the bar area.

Niku Abura Sushi, Carpassion Salmon Sushi, Spicy Crunchy & TNT Rolls

In addition to an open hot kitchen, there is a cold bar in the center of the dining room. You can order your traditional tuna rolls, or try something with a Latin vibe such as a ceviche roll with Quinoa coated shrimp, avocado, thin sliced white fish, ceviche sauce, sweet potato threads.

Pulpo Panka Miso, Shiromi Wrap, Miso Truffle Kobe Skirt Steak

The pre-opening dinner was a quiet, refined meal in an elegant setting that could just have easily been in Beverly Hills. When I stopped by on opening night for more drinks and appetizers, it was quite the scene. Bouncers, men and women who spent a long time choosing their outfits, even wristbands – it was quite the Hollywood scene. I talked to a couple servers and even they weren’t sure which vibe Osaka was going for: fine dining destination or another Hollywood scene.

Banana Spring Rolls

I’m always hesitant to judge a restaurant right when they open, especially when it is an organized media dinner and not just on my own. My first impressions are that it’s a gorgeous space, lots of care was put into the menu, and I see it succeeding no matter what identity it chooses. Several of the dishes were hits, most were respectable, and a couple were misses (a cream cheese sushi roll being the biggest offender). It’s not going to dethrone Picca anytime soon as the Peruvian dining destination, but it’s a step up from most offerings on Hollywood Blvd.

Osaka Interior (photo courtesy of the restaurant)

Osaka Hollywood
Los Angeles, CA 90028
323.785.0360

Note: Meal was hosted

Lushington ($12)

In Los Angeles, a change in seasons doesn’t mean much – same weather and same traffic. The main reason to get excited about a change in seasons is that it gives our mixologists an excuse to change their cocktail menus. Earlier this week, I checked out Michael’s amazing new menu in Santa Monica. Now, it’s time to take a look at what “Hot Bartender” Jaymee Mandeville is mixing up behind the now Michael Shearin-less Drago Centro downtown.

Hot Bellied .45 ($12)

The first two drinks of the night:

• Lushington: Rye whiskey, quince gastrique, egg white, 25yr aged balsamic vinegar
• Hot Bellied .45: Bulleit bourbon, del maguey vida mezcal, cocchi americano, art in the age snap, fee bros. lemon bitters

Song of the Siren ($12)

Just because it’s fall, doesn’t mean you can’t brighten up your evening with a tiki drink.

• Song of the Siren: Appleton VX rum, cruzan blackstrap rum, amaro cio ciaro, velvet falernum, apry, fee bros. sour cherry bitters, fresh lime

Organized Konfusion ($12)

• Organized Konfusion: Tanteo cocoa infused tequila, fresh banana, fresh lime, espelette pepper tincture

White After Labor Day

• Nolet’s gin, green chartreuse, fresh lemon juice, lavender water, egg white, fernet branca mist.

Scottish Cashmere

• Highland Park 12yr scotch, fig & basil infused water, single ice cube

il pane all’aglio ($5)

There may be a new cocktail menu, but the all night happy hour with $5 cocktails and discounted bar bites are still there. The il pane all’aglio (garlic bread filled with mozzarella cheese) were a nice carb-bomb, and I also enjoyed the sausage pizza ($4) and oysters ($5).

Drago Centro Fall Cocktail List

Drago Centro
525 South Flower Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071-2200

Number 3 ($16)

I feel like I’m starting to turn into a Jason Robley fanboy. I first encountered Jason in June when he was making the bar program at Michael’s in Santa Monica’s his own. When I went to check out the brand new happy hour in August, I discovered my new favorite punch.

I recently went back to share some happy hour cocktails with a friend, but sadly for my wallet, I found a hot-off-the-presses fall cocktail menu. Randomly stopping by on the day that a new menu was making its debut? I couldn’t argue with fate.

The first drink of the evening was the Number 3: Confit-Washed Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Cardamaro, Leopold Bros. Georgia Peach Whiskey, Orange, Pepper, Angostora Bitter. In California, the transition from summer to fall means a few things: it gets dark earlier, I get to wear jackets, and my bottles of gin start to collect dust as I start reaching for bottles of whiskey and scotch more frequently. The number 3 caught my eye because while I’m well-versed with buffalo trace cocktails, I’ve never had it paired with cardamaro, a wine-based digestif amaro. It did not disappoint.

Pumpkin the Great ($13)

Next up was Pumpkin the Great. Read the description and tell me if you could resist ordering it: Pumpkin Puree, Vanilla, Cinnamon, Jason’s Spiced Rum, Germain-Robin Apple Brandy, Cava. Served with a side of pumpkin seeds, the spices on the glass’s rim brought out the wonderful qualities of Jason’s spiced rum.

Smoke Love ($14)

Smoke Love consists of Laphroaig 16 year Single Malt Scotch, Smoked Mezcal, Red Bell Pepper Simple, Basil, Cilantro, and Grapefruit. Straight Laphroaig single malt scotch can be too peaty for some, but it works wonderfully in cocktails – adding a smoke quality. Here, Jason piles on the smokey flavors with smoked mezcal. I’ll be ordering this one again… and again… and again.

Apple Blush ($18)

The best cocktail of the evening? The (pricey) Apple Blush. Noah’s Mill Bourbon, Meyer Lemon, Aged Cinnamon Simple, Fuji Apple, Cranberry-Pomegranate Reduction. Jason started aging the cinnamon simple 6 months ago in anticipation of this drink landing on the fall cocktail list. I wasn’t the only person that evening who simply said “wow” after first sipping the flavorful concoction.

Of the menus I’ve tried at Michael’s, I think this is Jason’s best yet. I’m looking forward to trying the rest of the drinks on the fall menu:

Dark Side of the Moon $12

Aviation Gin, Dolin Dry Vermouth, Blood Orange Juice, Lime, Orange Oil Simple, Crème de Violette

Borracha Remolacha  $16

Revolucion Reposado Tequilla, Del Maguey Mezcal “Vida”, Lime, Agave Nectar, Beet Juice, Orange Bitters

Mary Rose $12

Cranberry-Ginger Infused Tito’s Vodka, Lime, Vanilla Simple, Charred Rosemary

Vera Cruz Cocktail $18

Chinaco Anejo Tequila, Fair Trade Kafe Liqueur, Aperol, Aztec Chocolate Bitters, Blood Orange Juice

Piscoretto Sour $11

Pisco, Amaretto, Egg White, Meyer Lemon, Demerra Sugar Simple, Peach Bitters

Michael’s
1147 3rd Street, Santa Monica

Spiced Honey Wings ($4.50)

Just when you think you’ve got Delphine figured out, they do something to surprise you. The Innovative Dining Group’s sleek Mediterranean restaurant located in the W Hollywood hotel is the last place you’d expect to get your hands dirty. First of all, Executive Chef Sascha Lyon has quite the resume: opening staff at Daniel Boulud’s Daniel and Balthazar, then chef de cuisine at Pastis, followed by opening his own restaurant SASCHA in New York. Furthermore, with a menu consisting of $28 short ribs, a $16 burger, and $35 halibut, it’s not a place you’d normally think of casually dropping by after already feeling guilty for buying those “Come Fly Away with Me” nosebleed seats across the street at the Pantages.

Red Hot Wings ($4.50)

Fortunately, now you know better. Delphine has already been providing savvy oyster lovers with $1 oysters and clams during Raw Bar Mondays. Chef Lyon has added another evening of affordable delights: Tuesday Wing Nite. There are 7 different wing options for $4.50 an order, plus 4 sides for an additional $3 each. Lyon explained that if Raw Bar Mondays conjures images of decadence and indulgence, he wanted Tuesday to be all about rolling up your sleeves, diving into a sticky plate of wings, and getting your hands dirty. Like many chefs, he likes to eat everything with his hands – even salads. His hope is to provide diners with something simple and delicious that he’d also like to eat.

Truffle Cheese Wings ($4.50)

When describing the dishes, Lyon was careful to avoid using buzzwords like “gourmet.” While local and organic ingredients are important to him, he stressed that it’s still just chicken wings. He knew he needed to add truffle cheese wings to the menu, since truffle oil still gets Angelinos way too excited, despite the onset of truffle oil fatigue among some writers, including this one. While the truffle cheese wings were actually pretty good, my favorites were the BBQ beer with green chili (I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of heat coming from the green chilis), and the Thai red curry.

Tastes of Early Tea ($6), Honey Bee ($7), & Unibroue La Fun Du Monde Tripel ($10)

Since there is a law against eating chicken wings without a cold drink to wash them down (I think Gov. Brown was concerned with a choking epidemic), Delphine has thrown a couple discounted cocktails on the menu specifically for wing nite. The “Honey Bee” includes watermelon lemonade, honey Jack Daniels, and a rim of fennel salt. The “Early Tea” contains raspberry tea and sweet tea vodka. Of course, you can still ask for the full cocktail and beer list.

Potato Salad ($3)

My favorite of the basic sides was the potato salad. When I think potato salad, I usually picture the mushy mess that your friend always picks up at the grocery store on his way over to your BBQ. This version was traditional and used fresh ingredients, but I couldn’t help but think lustful thoughts about the warm potato salad I had at Fundamental LA earlier that week (review coming soon).

Wing Nite Tuesday Menu

Organic Kale Salad ($11)

After ripping the flesh off of countless wings, it was time for some roughage. We tried the organic kale salad with crisp pita, jalapeno, soledad goat feta, and creamy citrus dressing (sorry Lyon, I couldn’t bring myself to eat the salad with my hands in front of civilized ladies).

Station Julip: Maker’s Mark, Fresh Mint, Mint Syrup, Brown Sugar ($15)

Thai Red Curry Wings ($4.50)

Time to go back to trying all 7 wing flavors. When I read reviews of new restaurant menus, I pay particular attention to which dishes were favorites so I know what to order. When it comes to Delphine’s wing nite, you’re best bet is just ordering whatever sounds best to you at the time. This may sound like a cop out, but the truth is that the kitchen isn’t trying to break any new boundaries. The Thai red curry sauce is a straight-forward and tasty curry sauce, just as the spiced honey glaze is simple in the best possible sense. The brines and seasoning are well-thought out but it’s not going to make you rethink your conception of a chicken wing. Again, these are just chicken wings, but well-executed by a chef who knows what he’s doing.

Wings ($4.50)

The most popular dish at my table was the honey sriracha wings, and if you can’t wait until next Tuesday to try them, you’re in luck: the recipe is available at Los Angeles magazine.

Delphine
Wing Nite Takes Place Every Tuesday Evening in the Bar
6250 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood

Disclosure: This meal was hosted

Five minutes into Show At Barre’s For the Record: Coen Brothers, I get the sneaking suspicion that director Shane Scheel has somehow tapped into my brain and created the perfect night of entertainment made just for me. Broadway singing, cult classic films, and live music while sipping on strong drinks and snacking on tasty grub in a cabaret room? Sign me up. Throw in some sick dance moves courtesy of Rogelio Douglas, Jr. and a beautiful cast – I may never want to leave.

Show at Barre’s “For the Record” concert series takes songs and choice dialogue from a single director’s films and creates a unique and imaginative supper club experience that can be best compared to cabaret, but truly needs to be experienced to fully understand. Previous shows have included the films of John Hughes, Baz  Luhrmann, and Quentin Tarantino.

The Coen Brothers show featurs songs from Fargo, Intolerable Cruelty, and The Hudsucker Proxy, but rightfully draws heavily from The Big Lebowski and my personal favorite, O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Director Shane Scheel has assembled a large group of talented actors with a long list of Broadway and Hollywood credits. The actors are clearly doing “For the Record” because they love it (their enthusiasm is infectious), so to accommodate everyone’s busy schedules (a TV shoot one day, flying to New York the next), three actors rotate nightly for each role. For the next series, I think I’ll go several times and see how different cast members bring their own flair to their roles – it’s that much fun.

I can’t remember the last time I smiled for a straight two hours. The food & drink were solid, and I was amazed at how my waiter deftly weaved through the actors singing in the aisles to provide great service. The actors use every inch of the packed but stylish cabaret space, and a live band helps keep the energy up the entire night.

Although the Coen Brothers show has ended, you can catch the return of “For the Record: Quentin Tarantino” starting Wednesday, October 5 at 9PM and running through November 12. Even casual Tarantino fans know that music plays a large role in most of his films, so hear your favorites from Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Four Rooms, Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2, Death Proof, and Inglourious Basterds. I also heard that they are bringing back the popular Baz  Luhrmann show (Moulin Rouge!) for New Years Eve, so don’t commit to any New Years Eve parties just yet.

Tickets are $35 (plus 2 drink or food minimum) and are available by phone at (323) 661-6163 (ext 20) or online at www.showatbarre.com.

For the Record: Coen Bros

Show at Barre
1714 N. Vermont Ave.
Los Feliz