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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79126297154055417392014-11-26T17:45:58.137-08:00EpicuryanOnly eat what feeds your soul!Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-68296379094333072132014-11-12T13:14:00.002-08:002014-11-12T13:16:50.539-08:00Maude - 11/11/2014212 S Beverly Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 859-3418

This marks my third trip to Maude this year and it has been one of my most anticipated meal since I first learned about it. For those who don't know, Maude's menu is based around a theme ingredient that changes every month and this month's ingredient is the always-prized Truffle. Getting a reservation at Maude requires persistence and luck in any month and November was sure to be worse than most. Indeed I called over 100 times with no luck but fortunately another of my dining group managed to make it through.

 Snack: Cannoli - White Truffle Ricotta, Celeriac, Parmesan
As always, the meal at Maude opened with a couple snacks. First up was a mini-cannoli filled with creamy ricotta spiked with a soft fragrance of white truffle while the shell itself was reminiscent of a tuile both in terms of texture and its slight sugary sweetness.

 Snack: Pop Tart - Onion, Black Truffle
Our second little bite was an uber-luxe Pop Tart. The bite has a toasty crumbled texture as one would expect as well as a pungent onion sweetness tinged with truffle.

 1: Soup - Potato, Kohlrabi, Escarole
Rene Geoffroy, "Empriente," 1er Cru, Aÿ, Champagne France 2007
Moving on to our first course we were presented with a verdant cream of kohlrabi and escarole over which our servers poured a hearty cream of potato and truffle soup. The truffles come through clearly in the rich brown potage but the bitter nutty restraint of the vegetables helped temper the mixture.

 2: Squash Salad - Persimmon, Truffle Vinaigrette, Brown Butter
Occhipinti, "SP68," Sicilia, Italy 2012
Squash and salad are two of my least favorite words when it comes to food so I was pleasantly surprised by this course. Neither the squash nor the persimmon had the cloying weight that they so often convey, instead their muted sweetness was an integral element grounding the more astringent vegetables and the caramelized savor of the brown butter. The SP68 proved to be the best pairing of the night. On its own the wine has lots of ripe apricot but also a whiff of egg-y funk, but when taken with the salad the wine shows a bit more expansive and nuanced character

 3: Scallop Crudo - Truffle Soil, Beets, Salsify
Dominio do Bebei, "Lapola," Ribera Sacra, Spain 2011
The words scallop crudo are pretty much always music to my ears. Maude's rendition is less a true raw preparation as it is seared on one side. Though still rare I found the texture a touch firmer than I'd like, the flavor was a superb mix of saline-sweetness and a perfect compliment to the rough crunchy soil of truffle and hazelnut. The pickled salsify was a wonderful addition, bringing a crisp succulent brightness while the dollops of beet juice added an intense but short lived sweetness that complimented the dish nicely.

 4: Hen Egg - Brioche, Creamed Leek, Alba Truffle
Liquid Farm, "White Hill," Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills, CA 2012
Eggs and truffle are a classic no brainer, and indeed the silky yolk coupled with the Alba truffles are a thing of beauty. Still Chef Stone doesn't stop there, resting the yolk on a bed of soft creamy leeks and a sprinkled with smoky bits of brioche. The combination made me think of a truffled bacon vichyssoise and was easily the most overtly delicious course of the night.

 5: Turbot - Endive, Spinach, Truffle Coulis
Chenu, "Aux Clous," 1er Cru, Savigny-les-Beaune, Burgundy, France 2012
The fish course consisted of a beautifully seared turbot. The flaky white fish is more full flavored than most preparations especially with the earthy truffle imparting a smoky relish. Meanwhile the tangy verdant blend adds an extra dimension of countervailing flavors.

 6a: Hand-Cut Tagliatelle - White Alba Truffle
Francesco Rinaldi, "Cannubio," Barolo, Piemonte, Italy 2007
In a departure from Maude's normal format, we were offered a choice for our pasta course, either tagliatelle or risotto. Naturally we opted to try both and share. First up was a very al dente pasta, dressed table side with a generous shaving of white truffle and splash of brown butter, pure simple and delicious.

 6b: Risotto - White Alba Truffle
Francesco Rinaldi, "Cannubio," Barolo, Piemonte, Italy 2007
Truffle risotto has long been one of my favorite things in the world and like the tagliatelle, the risotto was prepared simply really little more than a vehicle for enjoying the earthy fragrance of the white truffle.

 7: Veal Sweetbread - Cauliflower, Sauce Perigord
Francesco Rinaldi, "Cannubio," Barolo, Piemonte, Italy 2007
The next course was almost a savory intermezzo. A single tender morsel of offal-y sweetbread served in a earthy sweet sauce made from cauliflower and black truffle.

 8: Venison - Parsnip, Matsutake, Chocolate
B. Levet, "les Journaries," Côte Rôtie, Rhone, France 2007
The final savory was a beautifully crimson slice of seared venison. The meat is quite lean showing off a steely character. The parsnip and chocolate help round out the meaty heft but are a bit too sweet. The sprig of grilled Matsutake proved to be the critical element thanks to a woody musk that ties the plate together.

 9: Teleme - Walnut, Cranberry, Black Truffle
Our cheese was a mild semi-soft variety that served as an excellent medium for the crumbled black truffle. The white truffle honey provides a brighter floral counterpoint to the weighty black truffle while the toast adds a much needed textural contrast.

 Intermezzo: Sorbet - Yogurt, Apple, Celery
Our first dessert started as a soothing mixture of bright green candied apple and tangy yogurt but the celery infused soup adds a cerebral bitter wrinkle to the mix.

 Toffee Cake - Alba Truffle Ice Cream, Raisin, Pomegranite
Boxler, "Sommerberg," Grand Cru, Riesling Vendages Tardives, Alsace, France 2009
Our formal dessert was a rich toffee cake soaked in lemon giving the pastry a built in restraint. The truffle vanilla ice cream was equally impressive suffusing the palate with an even truffle and vanilla bouquet.

 Mignardises - Palet d'or, White Truffle Truffle, Black Truffle Macaron
Our meal ended with three superb little treats. The Truffle and Macaron were straightforwardly delicious where the Palet d'or was a bit more complex with a buttery puff pastry contrast to the truffled and chocolate.

 As expected, Chef Stone delivers once again, putting together a menu showcasing the versatility and range of truffles. Some courses follow classic approaches that celebrate the sublime musk of the prized fungus while others take a more cerebral approach using truffles to compliment or enhance.

Recently an article came out about Curtis Stone saying that he opened Maude to prove he was a chef and not just a TV personality. Judging from my three experiences I have to say mission accomplished!

Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-10273557680999005602014-11-03T23:33:00.001-08:002014-11-03T23:35:19.140-08:00Sushi Tsujita - 09/13/20142006 Sawtelle Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 231-1177

I gotta say I had my doubts when I first heard about this place. Tsujita made his name on the strength of his ramen. His initial restaurant Tsujita L.A Artisan Noodle was so popular he had to open another spot (Tsujita Annex) to handle the overflow so I was a bit skeptical when he opted to open an Edomae-style sushi spot. Still I was relieved to hear that Tsujita hired Shigeru Kato, a sushi chef with 35 years of experience to lead the restaurant. That and the good initial reviews were enough to pique my curiosity.

 2006 Shafer Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch, Napa, California
Rather than stick to our usual routine of ake, we opted to bring a couple chards to pair with the meal. First up was a rich full bodied Chard, the aroma couples an apparent butteriness with a countervailing green fruit acidity; while the palate has additional unexpectedly heavy notes of caramel.

 Awabi - Spinach, Yuba, Yuzu
The meal got off to a strong start with abalone cured in kelp then steamed to a sublimely delicate tenderness. The abalone's inherent flavor is deepened by the savor of kelp. The touch of citrus adds a cool fragrant levity while the vegetables highlight the abalone's earthy heft. A sliver of piquant pickled carrot conveys a streak of sharp discordant acidity that shakes up the conventional flavor profiles.

 Hassun - Ginnan, Ayu Tempura, Ayu Ukura, Ayu Nitsuke
The second course was actually a series of small tastes. First up was a quartet of salt grilled ginko. The crust can be a bit over salted, but the sweet nutty flavor of the nuts gives way to a pleasant earthy bitterness. The remaining appetizers were an interesting study of Ayu or Sweetfish. First up was a deep fried version of the fish that tasted like a cross between fish and a potato chip. Next up was my favorite, raw strips of sweetfish are paired with punchy caviar and a subtle citrus twang. The third version was a lightly simmered preparation loaded with a complex melange of sweet soy, ginger, and umami though the texture left something to be desired.

 Kinmedai - Golden Eye Snapper
Unlike other restaurants Sushi Tsujita intersperses the kaiseki with single pieces of nigiri. Served on a bed of softly packed warm rice, the fish has a soft fleshy texture and even oily flavor enlivened with a touch of spice

 Kasago Ushiojiru - Matsutake, Mitsuba, Kabosu
Next up was a classic clam broth enriched with rockfish, mushrooms and citrus. The broth itself has a clean subdued salinity coupled with a woody autumnal warmth from the mushrooms. The accompanying herbs add a streak of bitter aromatics while the slice of Kabosu imbues the mixture with a mouth puckering twang.

 Sashimi - Honmaguro Zuke & Uni, Hata
Next up was an small but sublime sashimi course. I started with the marinated Bluefin drenched in aggressive soy savor and paired with a sweet countervailing envelope of creamy uni. The Hata or grouper had a much more nuanced flavor with oily flavors reminiscent of Amberjack or Yellowtail.

 2006 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Burgundy, France
Our second wine was a much more refined affair. The nose is a bouquet of soft white flowers with stonefruit and just the slightest edge of acidity. The palate is much more structured and sophisticated with a mix of minerality, acid, and an undercurrent of oaky power.

 Honmaguro Chutoro - Medium Fatty Bluefin Tuna
Time for another sushi interlude, this time a ruby sliver of tuna threaded with fine ivory threads of rich fat. Indeed the fish exemplifies both aspects of tuna, the clean steely twang of akami intermingled with the oily richness of toro.

 Nogoduro - Myoga, Mustard, Truffle
Our final composed plate centered around two immaculate flakes of grilled Blackthroat Sea Perch (Nogoduro/Akamutsu). The mild whitefish has a spry spongy mouth feel and acts as the perfect mild platform for the earthy truffle and sharp zest of the myoga. A pile of grated mustard finishes the dish, imparting a darkly spicy savor.

 Hobo - Sea Robin
Rather than begin with the common Tai, our chef Kazu opted to start with another mild fish. The soft pinkish flesh had a touch of sinewy toughness that I found quite distinctive.

 Benizake - Sockeye Salmon
Texturally this was the polar opposite of the last piece, soft and flabby, the fish had little flavor besides the classic combination of soy and wasabi.

 Seki Saba - Mackerel
Next up was a real treat, this prized mackerel takes the name of the Saganoseki area from which it is fished. Unlike most mackerel, Seki Saba can be served uncured meaning while the fish certainly has some characteristic oiliness there are other more nuanced flavors and a more succulent mouth feel than the traditional mackerel.

 Honmaguro Toro - Fatty Bluefin Tuna
Having already tried the lean and medium tunas it was time for the O-toro to make an appearance. Compared to the Chu-toro, the color is several shades lighter, with larger more pronounced marbling. The fish came topped with an amber dashi jelly which highlighted the savory notes of the fish. A sprinkling of yuzu zest helps hold the weightiest notes of the fish at bay.

 Tengumai, Junmai, Ishikawa
Our second wine all but dispensed with, we decided to pick up some sake to pair with the latter half of our meal. The sake is a bit blunter than I was expecting, don't go looking for flowers or fruit here, instead the booze shows off a singularly rice-y character.

 Sanma - Matsutake, Kabosu
Pike Mackerel is always a treat with its distinctive oily flavor that was made to be matched with the earthy majesty of the Matsutake. A quick squeeze of the Kabosu add a bright fragrant citrus counterpoint to the bite.

 Miyazaki Wagyu - Wasabi, Garlic Chips, Radish
Next up was a decadent Wagyu beef from the Miyazaki Prefecture. As can be seen from the picture the veins of marbling are almost as thick as the actual meat. Indeed the rare beef was every bit as good as it looked, pairing a touch of meaty char with the buttery fat and a velvety soft texture that feels sensual on the palate. It goes without saying that the meat needed no adornment, but I enjoyed the tempering effects of the radish as well as the cleansing heat of the wasabi.

 Ikura-Uni Don
Next up was a classic pairing of salmon and sea urchin roes on a bed of sushi rice and topped with toasted seaweed. After some of the more intricate dishes this seems almost laughably simple, but the utterly pristine quality of the seafood made every last bite a delight to be savored.

 Bachiko - Sea Cucumber Roe
This was a relative rarity that I've only had once before. The sea cucumber roe is unabashedly salty with a tinge of fishiness and a chewy almost meat like texture reminiscent of beef jerky.

 Otoro Tataki - Seared Fatty Tuna
Moving back to nigiri we were presented with a seared toro that was practically dripping with smoky rendered fat. The explosive flavor leaves one craving another bite but the sheer unctuousness would get overwhelming fast.

 Suzuki - Sea Bass

Next up was a sea bass marinated in kelp. The process dries the fish out leaving behind a denser almost tacky texture while imbuing the fish with a healthy dose of salt and glutamate.

 Amaebi  - Sweet Shrimp
Classic Amaebi, sweet, dense and crunchy with a clean steely flavor tempered by the soy. The head was no slouch either with the exterior shell fried to a chip like crispness while the rest had a nice saline meatiness wrapped in a delicious fried sapor.

 Tai - Sea Bream
Not officially part of the menu we thought this was a must order. The mild white fish was a bit on the drier side, with a sticky denser texture and more apparent flavor. Still the sea salt and yuzu definitely dominate on the palate.

 Yari Ika - Spear Squid
The Yari Ika starts off a bit leaner than the typical squid, but mastication still extracts the same creamy texture and subtle briny sweetness.

 Kohada - Gizzard Shad
Next up was a beautifully flecked cut of Gizzard Shad. The fish had a sharp oiliness on the attack but the flavor seemed to fade away relatively quickly making this one of the more balanced Kohada I've had.

 Kisu - Japanese Whiting
While the flavor on the Kisu was typically mild, the fish definitely had one of the most memorable textures thanks to its almost muscular snappy crunch.

 Myoga - Japanese Ginger
The Myoga was an unconventional but welcome bite, with the succulence and peppery bite helping to cleanse the palate of any lingering fish oil. I wish more places would serve something like this to finish a long omakase.

 Kasutera Tamago - Egg Cake
I was pleased to find Tsujita serves the Tamago in cake form rather than the classic preparation. Dense and eggy upfront there is a bit of caramelized sweetness and salinity on the back end.

 Anago - Sea Eel
The final piece of the night was a tender Anago brushed with a generous coating of sweet sauce to compliment the eel's smoky char.

 Honeydew
This reminded me of the dessert at Kyubei in Tokyo. The stunningly juicy honeydew, dripping with sweetness, served as a fitting close to one of the best meals I've had all year.

 We came here to celebrate Kevin's much belated birthday so the restaurant was kind enough to whip up an impromptu birthday "cake" of mochi, jelly, and fruit.

 I've got to say the restaurant more than exceeded my expectations. The quality seafood, thoughtfully prepared cooked dishes, and pristine nigiri make Sushi Tsujita an absolute must try.

Epicuryanhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-4476320488120404082014-09-21T19:41:00.001-07:002014-09-21T19:44:44.769-07:00Sushi Zo - 08/02/2014334 S Main St Los Angeles, CA 90013 (213) 935-8409

When I first met Chef Keizo Seki, he was an unheralded chef struggling to fill his restaurant even on a Saturday night a nondescript restaurant in West LA called Sushi Zo. Since then he has cemented his reputation as one of LA's premiere sushi chefs and opened a second restaurant in Downtown LA. Both restaurants offer similar nigiri focused omakase with a couple appetizers to start.

 Kumamoto Oyster - Ponzu, Daikon, Chives
This oyster displayed all the charms of a classic Kumamoto, the sweet creamy core and tender foot muscle are brightened with the tangy zip of the ponzu.

 Meibachi Sashimi - Big Eye Tuna
Most high-end sushi restaurants serve Bluefin but in a slight concession to sustainability, Keizo has opted to serve Meibachi instead of Hon Maguro. Lighter colored then its more prized cousin, the fish had an unexpected butteriness rather than the clean purity of lean Bluefin.

 Awabi - Abalone
A leaner firmer example of abalone, the mollusk had a mild but ever-present salinity tinged with earth. The side of yuzu kocho lends the shellfish a dark citrus spice, though the abalone was enjoyable au natural as well.

 Uni & Ika Somen Spaghetti - with Truffle Salt
The last of the appetizers consisted of thinly sliced raw squid that vaguely resembles somen noodles. The Hokkaido specialty comes drenched in a sweet sauce of sea urchin cream topped with a musky dusting of truffle salt.

 Hirame - Halibut
The first sashimi was a lean cut of snappy halibut, the pale translucent flesh didn't have much flavor but reflected the lemon and salt it came seasoned with.

 Bincho Magruo - Albacore
The raw Albacore proved to be one of the evening's standouts. The delicately segmented fish came drenched in tangy ponzu, the perfect counterpoint to the sweet buttery alabaster flesh.

 Hotate - Live Scallop
Quintessential fresh scallop, the thick slab of shellfish exudes sweetness tempered by the application of acid and soy.

 Aji - Spanish Mackerel
Next up was a pristine piece of Aji, the fish has a jelled fleshy texture and unabashed oiliness tempered by the spicy bite of the grated ginger.

 Meibachi Chutoro - Medium-fatty Big Eye Tuna
Though I'm not complaining, Zo always serves two pieces of toro instead of one like all the other nigiri. Though only the middle grade of toro, the meat still felt immensely soft and buttery with a heady oily twang to it.

 Kanpachi - Amberjack
The beautifully pristine piece of uniformly colored amberjack had a wonderful nuanced fishiness on the attack that faded once the yuzu kocho came into play.

 Amaebi - Sweet Shrimp
This was a softer creamier presentation of sweet shrimp. For my part I prefer Amaebi with a lean crunchy texture over the soft tacky mouthfeel of this example, but the sweetness was a nice change from the metallic flavor that often accompanies leaner shrimp.

 Akamutsu - Sea Perch
Almost unheard of when I was first getting into sushi, Akamutsu has become more popular the past yar or so. The fish's high fat content lends itself well to searing and the subsequent subtle smoky interplay.

 Kurodai - Black Sea Bream
My first experience with Kurodai was at Zo I've had a soft spot for the fish ever since. This was a relatively lean expression of the fish with more subdued flavors which worked quite nicely with the flourish of truffle salt.

 Mirugai Tataki - Seared Geoduck
The chefs at Zo put a little twist on the traditional Mirugai. A quick kiss of the torch adds a touch of woody depth and softens the texture giving it a slight chew as opposed to the typical crisp snappiness.

 Tai - Red Snapper
This was a classic expression of snapper, the fish has a brisk crispness while the combo of salt and citrus is particularly apparent against the fish's intrinsic mildness.

 Gindara Tataki - Seared Black Cod
My first experience with Black Cod was at the original Zo and its been a consistent companion. The cooked fish has a buttery heft and delicate supple flakiness. The white miso adds a honey mustard like twang that rounds out the smoky heft of the fish.

 Uni - Sea Urchin
Textbook San Diego Uni, the lush roe was perfectly chilled and exuded a rich chilled creamy sweetness.

 Ikura - Salmon Roe
As always the uni is followed by a gunkan roll topped with salmon roe. The beautiful orange orbs are filled with a umami and smoke laced brine that takes on a slightly sweet cast with the rice and seaweed.

 Kamasu Tataki - Seared Barracuda
Kamasu is consistently a highlight of any sushi meal. This was a bit leaner than most with lots of bitter char upfront and a bitter astringency from the ginger.

 Shima Aji - Striped Jack
Another favorite of mine, Shima Aji has gone from a relative rarity to a staple of every high end sushi spot. The fish has a sensual jellied texture and complex oiliness. The grilled shishito topping was an inventive compliment, vegetal smoky and a touch of pickled tang.

 Kinmedai - Golden Eye Snapper
The Kinmedai is the most full flavored of the snapper varieties with a pronounced marbling threaded through the pinkish translucent flesh. The jellied texture and decadent oiliness goes beautifully with rich savor of the soy.

 Sake - Salmon
The Alaskan Salmon was one of the most lackluster pieces of the night. Certainly better than the typical run of the mill salmon but it felt boring compared to the rest of the meal.

 Tako - Octopus
The formal omakase dispensed with, we decided to add a few supplements. First up was an immensely tender meaty octopus laced with a darkly sweet syrup. I was hoping for a raw octopus, but the delicately steamed preparation certainly had its charms.

 Anago - Sea Eel
I always have mixed feelings when the anago arrives as it typically heralds the end of the meal. Zo echews the typical sweet eel preparation in favor of an earthy dusting of truffle salt.

 Toro Temaki - Fatty Tuna Handroll
Zo isn't known for its rolls but like most high end sushi spots, the restaurant does offer hand rolls to fill in the cracks. This was little more than fish rice and seaweed. Personally I would have liked to see some scallion or radish, some wrinkle to add character to the roll.

 Tamago - Egg
The meal ended with a prototypically hammy tamago saturated with sweet syrup.

 Yuzu Juice
As always the meal ended with a shot yuzu juice to close out the meal. The sharp sweet & sour tang cleans the palate beautifully.

 As always the food at Zo was spectacular and I consider the restaurants my favorite in LA for pure sushi. If I had to find one fault with Zo its the lack of change in the omakase menu. While I could understand how people would hesitate to pay the $150+ tariff more than once, I have found every meal here well worth the price.

Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-8032665629363615612014-08-24T23:20:00.000-07:002014-08-24T23:21:52.002-07:00L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon - 07/11/20143799 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 891-7358

My first visit to Joel Robuchon in early 2008 remains one of my most memorable meals. Since then, I've returned to the restaurant twice, but somehow never made it next door to check out their sister restaurant L'Atelier De Joel Robuchon (aside from a quick stop for a $33 slider).

 L'Atelier, which translates to work shop is one of nine such restaurants around the globe, a haute cusine chain if you will. The restaurants tend to share a similar style with an open kitchen surrounded by a sushi bar like seating arrangement. Likewise the menu is a bit more varied, featuring a la carte, small tasting portions, prix fixe, and a 10-course menu decouverte.

 L'AMUSE-BOUCHE - l'avocat rafraîchi d'une fine gelée de pamplemousse à la coriandre
Our amuse certainly did its job, tantalizing the palate with fresh acidity from the grapefruit with a creeping herbaceous bitterness. Tiny flecks of coriander added short-lived pinpricks of spice while the avocado brought a countervailing creaminess to the delicate gelée

 LA SAINT-JACQUES - la noix émincée finement à l'hile vierge acidulée
The scallop dish couldn't be more different from the course served at L'Atelier's big brother. There its all about unabashed butter-laden luxury. This course takes a more subtle approach with the alabaster slivers coated in a floral fruity mixture of lemon and olive oil brightened with a hint of spice and zesty chives.

 LE PIQUILLO - à l'aubergine fumée, ventrêche de thon confit
A riff on a popular Basque region tapas, this dish drew its inspiration from Spain rather than France. The characteristic smoky vegetal twang of the pepper takes center stage. Paper thin toast points add a pleasing crunch to the dish; a nice contrast to the tenderness of the pepper. The tuna was a double-edged sword, on one hand I enjoyed the fish's oily smack, but the texture was a bit dry.

 LES CALAMARES - en salade asperge verts et shimeji sur un riz cuit façon sushi
Well prepared squid can be a real treat and this lived up to my lofty expectations. The thin squid "noodles" convey a subtle char-wrapped salinity a natural compliment for the packed sushi rice. The salad of fresh asparagus adds color both literally and figuratively. Taken together the dish had a flavor reminiscent of Chinese steamed fish, unexpected but not unpleasant.

 LE FOIE GRAS - crémeux sous une gelée chaude de poule au curcuma
I didn't realize just how much I missed foie gras till I tasted it again. Actually the chicken broth custard stood on its own; clean and rich with a hint of peppery warmth and a silky texture reminiscent of chawanmushi. The herbs and vegetables were quite effective as well, their austerity helping to temper the sweet buttery richness of the liver.

 LE SAINT PIERRE - ravigoté d'une sauce vierge à la citronnelle
The evening's fish course was a dense filet of John Dory. Browned in a lemongrass olive oil, the Dory had plenty of complexity and depth of flavor. The finely diced tomatoes added a fresh succulence and salsa-like zest.

 LA CAILLE - caramélisée et servie avec une purée de pommes de terre
The first entree choice is a free range quail. While the bird had a nice supple texture the flavor left much to be desired. I was expecting the gaminess of the bird to be heightened with a livery twang from the foie. Instead the sticky concentrated dark sauce stole the show rendering the bird into an extremely gentrified teriyaki chicken.

 LA HAMPE - de boeuf en tranches, échalotes confites et shishitos grillés
The hanger steak was far more impressive than the quail. The meat has a coarse meaty grain and a pronounced beefy twang heightened with aromatics from the roasted shallots. The simple preparation and minimal accompaniments allow the steak to stand on its own.

 LA FRAISE - Sur une légère ganache au citron rafraichie d'un sorbet a la tomet cerise
Our first dessert combined ripe strawberries and tart lemon with the savory vegetal note of tomato. The dessert is further embellished with bits of toasty crunch and subdued herbs; a mixture reminiscent of a fruity Bloody Mary.

 LA CERISE - sablé de cacahuète au chocolat sur une glace à l'Amarena
The final course on the Menu Decouverte draw's on a classic mixture of cherry and chocolate. The ripe cherry is immediately apparent in the form of a succulent fruit tinged with medicinal bitterness. The sablé explodes with nutty relish and provides a dry crumbly texture to balance the cherry ice cream.

 As was to be expected, L'Atelier lacks the fomality of its 3-star sibling, but still offers a top-notch dining experience. The decor at L'Atelier has a more dynamic and contemporary than the opulent Parisan apartment next door. While the bar stools aren't quite as comfortable as overstuffed velvet couches, the hustle and bustle of the open kitchen and sexy black/red decor certainly have their charms. Likewise the service at L'Atelier lacks the pomp and solemnity of its big brother, but that doesn't mean it's any less attentive. In fact with the server just across the bar, the experience is far more interactive and less stilted than the prim more reserved staff at Joel Robuchon.

Service and decor are just window dressing for the food and again L'Atelier feels more modern and whimsical. The menu doesn't have the same luxury so don't expect the abundance of truffle or caviar featured on the 16-course Degustation Menu at Joel Robuchon. What L'Atelier does bring to the table is a lighter menu with more varied flavor profile rather than the weightier classic French fare next door. While L'Atelier's sophistication and technique don't quite reach the 3-star heights of Joel Robuchon, it is still one of the better spots in Las Vegas.

Epicuryanhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-71952537812158852562014-07-29T01:55:00.000-07:002014-07-29T01:57:38.640-07:00Petit Trois - 07/28/2014718 N Highland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038

It seems little more than a year ago Ludo finally settled down; teaming up with Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo to open his first permanent restaurant Trois Mec. Late last year I caught wind that he would be opening up his second restaurant, Petit Trois, in the defunct Thai restaurant next door and it immediately catapulted to the top of my list.

As more information became available it became clear that Petit Trois would be a completely different beast, more of a neighborhood restaurant than a fine-dining destination. Unlike its big brother, Petit Trois eschews the ticket system in fact the 21-seats are all first come first serve. Similarly the food would be drawn from Ludo's childhood rather than the more progressive cooking at Trois Mec. On another note, at least they bothered to put up some signage this time.

 PANACHE - Kronenberg 1664, Rieme Sparkling Limonade
This reminded me of a drink served at The Playground in Santa Ana. The beer and fruit temper the more extreme aspects of each other resulting in a slightly sweet easy drinking beer.

 JASMINE & TONIC - Jasmine Vodka, Lime Juice, Tonic
I opted to start the meal with a play on the classic Gin and Tonic. The drink is light and refreshing though I would have liked a bit more bite.

 BREAD & BUTTER
What French Bistro would be complete without fresh bread and butter. The bread comes warm with a dense crusty exterior and plenty of yeasty fragrance. The butter was even more impressive with a stunningly intense buttery flavor.

 BELLOCQ'S SHOT - Rye Whisky, Housemade Pastis Sugar Cube, Creole Bitters
This was basically a Sazerac re-imagined with the pastis substituting for the Absinthe rinse. The flavors were familiar, but there was a bit too much emphasis on the rye.

 MARESQUE - Ricard Pastis, Orgeat, Pear Brandy, Lime
Never having been a fan of licorice I struggled to get past the Pastis. Still beyond the anise-laden attack, the drink had a ripe fruity sweetness laced with a bit of citrus.

 TOMATO SALAD - Mussel, Red Onions
The sweet meaty tomatoes are complimented by the spicy bite of the onion and the verdant fragrance of the basil. The croutons provide a toasty element as well as a stark textural contrast but it is the mussels that truly elevate this dish, bringing a unique smoky nuance to an otherwise conventional tomato salad.

 STEAK TARTARE - Frites, Lettuces
The steak tartare came to the table pre-mixed. The meat had a finer texture than most with bits of either capers or cornichons mixed in giving the meat a slightly creamy mouthfeel and an inherent astringency to compliment the weightiness of the beef. The accompanying salad had a keen acidity while the thick toast had a slightly caramelized rusticity that complimented the tartare nicely.

 CHICKEN LEG - Brioche Butter, Green Salad, Parsley
Definitely one of the most impressive roast chicken legs that I've ever eaten. The skin is nicely crisped and topped with bits of buttery brioche crumbs that exude decadent butteriness. Personally I found the deboned thigh a touch dry, but the leg was perfectly cooked.

 OMELETTE - Chives, Boursin Cheese, Boston Lettuce, Dijon Vinaigrette
I don't think I've ever ordered an omelette outside of breakfast but the buzz surrounding this dish left me curious. Indeed, the eggs are light and fluffy and the filling of melted cheese and fresh black pepper add a surprisingly profound depth of flavor that is deftly balanced by the bright twang of the salad. This was hands down the best omelette that I've ever eaten and I can see how it has become Petit Trois' early signature dish.

 PETIT PRINCE - Gin, Crème de Violette, Lemon, Luxardo
This was the most challenging cocktail for me, I've always struggled with Luxardo, the disconcerting medicinal flavor overrode all other elements of this cocktail.

 BARDOT - Gin, Suze, Ruby Grapefruit, St. Germain
This proved to be my favorite cocktail. The aroma is reminiscent of yuzu jam but the flavor has a refreshing cucumber like bite.

 STEAK FRITES - Onion Soup Sauce
The final course centers is arguably the most recognizable bistro dish: Steak Frites. Ludo chose to serve the traditional Steak Frites cut: rump steak and though the meat was a bit tough compared to more commonly served entrecôte, but serving one of those would be missing the point. Ludo's creation respects the culinary tradition but augments the flavor with an infusion of umami sweetness from the French onion soup

 CHEESE PLATE - Chabichou, Reblochon, Camembert
Fittingly, the cheese plate at Petit Trois is composed entirely of French cheeses. First up was Chabichou, a soft goat cheese that was definitely the leanest blending the characteristic Caprine essence coupled with a touch of astringency. The Reblochon, a cow's milk cheese from Savoy has a much sweeter fattier flavor with a touch of nutty funk. Finally the Camembert was the softest, ripest and most pungent of the three cheeses.

 RAPID FIRE - Gin, Spiced Wine Reduction, Champagne, Lemon
Despite having finished our meal we ordered the final cocktail for completeness sake. The reduced wine and gin temper each other leaving a muted herbal sweetness. The champagne isn't immediately noticeable except for the hint of effervescence.

 NAPOLEON - Taihitian Vanilla
I thought this dessert succinctly captured Petit Trois charm. The flavor profile couldn't be simpler; a combination of buttery puff pastry with soft vivid vanilla, but the execution from the perfect harmony of flavor to the lovely textural contrast between the cream and pastry exemplifies the bistro philosophy of high-quality yet modest cooking.

 CHOCOLATE CAKE - Whipped Cream
The final dessert was a straightforward chocolate cake. The decadent purity of the chocolate contrasted beautifully with the whipped airy levity of the cream though I found the cake just the slightest bit too dry for my tastes.

 Petit Trois serves inventive, impeccably-executed hearty bistro fare; don't expect to find pear kimchi chutney or black olive molé. The food is a departure from Ludo's traditional globe-spanning cuisine, but for someone who has made a career defying convention, Petit Trois was a refreshing look at the classic French cuisine of his formative years.

Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-28031864210263636542014-07-08T18:10:00.000-07:002014-07-08T18:11:52.555-07:00Allumette - 06/28/20141320 Echo Park Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 481-0454

Its a shame, but sometimes critical acclaim doesn't translate into commercial success and that seems to be the case with Chef Miles Thompson's Allumette with Jonathan Gold placing the restaurant smack dab in the middle of his 101 top restaurants in LA. For my part, I've watched Thompson since his Vagrancy Project breathed new life into the tired Allston Yacht Club. Given the pop-up's success I wasn't surprised when Thompson took up permanent residence in the space, replacing the defunct Yacht Club with Allumette. Given my affection for the restaurant it was only fitting for me to be there to celebrate its final night of service.

 POTATO CHIPS - Smoked Whitefish, Uni Cream, Chive
First up was a sextet of gentrified potato chips. While I thought I would favor the uni cream, it was actually the biting saline smoke of the whitefish that stood out. In either case both seafood sauces paired well with the crisp savory chips

 BABY TORPEDO ONION PANISSE - Meyer Lemon Mustard, Hibiscus, Cilantro
Next up were dense savory cubes that exuded an aroma of sweet caramelized onions. The torpedos were heightened by the zesty bite of the mustard and the twang of the pickled hibiscus.

 POTATOES A LA PLANCHA - Furikake Aioli, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Katsuobushi
The final of the three snacks also proved to be the most substantial. Grilled potato hemispheres laced with a three-pronged dose of umami from the furikake, bonito flakes and shredded cheese.

 FOCCACIA - Lava Salt, Marscarpone Potato Ball
Allumette's composed bread course remains one of the best bread services I've had in recent memory. The grilled bread carries a heady char and crunchy texture while the potato cheese ball conveys a buttery rush wrapped up in a satisfying starchy package.

 Allumette's formal menu consists of 10 distinct dishes divided into four courses with an option for an additional savory course. Naturally I coordinated with one of my companions to divide and conquer in order to try the entire menu.

 CUCUMBERS - Apricot Fennel Comopte, Ripe & Unripe Berries, White Chocolate
Brut N.V., Michelle, Domaine ste. Michelle
Cucumbers are one of my favorite vegetables, a delightful blend of crispiness and succulence with a clean freshness on the palate. The vegetable itself is subsumed by the sweet and sour melange of fruits while the chocolate adds a weighty creamy sweetness to balance the austerity of the fruit and vegetables.

 RED PRAWN - Vinegar Meringue, Rice Paper, Tokyo Negi
Cider, Anthem Hops, Wandering Aengus Ciderworks
The prawn was one of the stars of the evening. The perfectly cooked crustacean has a light translucence and beautiful snap. Hints of spice and heady char compliment the prawn's inherent salinity while the accompaniments bring a blend of tang sweetness and saltiness that is deliciously cerebral.

 SUMMER SQUASH - White Corn Fondue, June Garlic Miso, Sage
Sauvignon, Erste + Neue, '12, Alto Adige
I've never been a fan of squash but proved to be one of the night's standout courses. The bright beautiful medley of herbs, flowers, and vegetables convey an unexpectedly weighty savor that winds down to a lingering sapid fried heft.

 ARROWTIP SQUID - Pistachio Ponzu, Cherry, Black Mint
Sake, Gokun Honjozo, 'the Five Disciplines'
In terms of texture the squid was spot on, a touch rough on the char with a dense snappy body throughout. In terms of flavor the gentle salinity of the squid plays second fiddle to the punchy tangy onion and the lightly bitter mint. The combination is light and refreshing but I would have liked the squid to be more apparent.

 OCTOPUS - Za'atar Yogurt, Okra Caviar, Plum
Plum Rush - CapRock Gin, Smoked Salted Plum, Sage Honey, Lemon
The second half savories definitely had more weight to them. Though the octopus was actually fairly sparse, the darkly grilled meat had plenty of smoke and vigor; shame the tentacles were a bit overcooked. The salty plum and twang of the yogurt represent a deft blend of Asian and Mediterranean flavors, that is quixotic yet undeniably effective.

 IVORY KING SALMON - Soured Celtuce, Radish, Beet Syrup
Sherry, Amantillado, Alvear, Montilla
The octopus' counter part was a filet of salmon. Light color and dry texture aside the dish was nicely put together with the radish and pickled celtuce countering the viscous sweetness of the beet syrup

 BRANZINO - Shellfish Tapioca, Fried Broccoli, Lemon
Chenin Blanc, Fielded Recordings, '10, Santa Ynez
The first of the two additions was a branzino topped with crispy skin and dense tender meatiness. With its potent shellfish relish, the snappy tapioca is a natural accompaniment to fish. The broccoli and lemon convey a slight wrinkle of bitterness but let the umami and savor shine through.

 PORK COLLAR - Pho Charcoal, Eggplant Mayonnaise, Pickled Wasabi
Cabernet Franc, Le Rocher des Violettes, '11, Touraine
The pork was easily the strongest course of the meal's second half. The meat is firm but with just enough fat to keep the texture springy and tender. The char dovetails seamlessly with the collar's porcine savor while the pickles and mustard exude a funky acidity along with the smoky earth of the eggplant mayo.

 TOASTED BARLEY POT-de-CRÈME - Feuille de Bric, Strawberry, Rosemary
Amaro Meletti
The first dessert was an airy whipped pot de cremé. The barley is apparent in the form of a light toasty savor which feels especially pronounced in contrast to the strawberry. The aromatic rosemary forms a bridge between the two ingredients making for a seamlessly cohesive dessert.

 LEMONGRASS BAVAROIS - Hibiscus, Oat, Blood Orange
Rosenhof, Welschriesling, '06, Burgenland
The final course centered around a dense cream redolent of lemongrass. The tangy fragrance is augmented by tart blood orange and sweet hibiscus while the crumbled oats add a weighty pie crust like sweetness.

 Three for three, this meal was another strong performance from Thompson and his crew. While I am sad to see Allumette go, I'm confident Thompson will land on his feet; he is simply far too talented a chef for anything less.

Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-15538758848047760712014-06-14T10:00:00.003-07:002014-06-14T10:01:59.061-07:00Maude - 06/03/2014212 S Beverly Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 859-3418

I came away from my first visit to Maude extremely impressed and with its concept of a monthly theme ingredient I knew I'd be back sooner rather than later. Being an absolute fiend for anything mushroom, I knew morels was an absolute must for me. Unfortunately word about Maude has spread rapidly and reservations have become nigh-impossible to get. Despite calling repeatedly as soon as the Morel menu was available, it was all I could do to get a 5:45 table for two.

 Popcorn - Australian Winter Truffle
Our one snack for this meal was a dainty bowl of popcorn topped with morel salt that provided an earthy tone sharpened by the dusting of Australian truffle. I missed the procession of small snacks that preceded my previous meal at Maude but it was hard to complain about this earthy buttered popcorn.

 Risotto - Citrus Butter, Chicken Stuffed Morel
1992 En Tirage Extra Brut, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California
Our first proper course was a tiny bowl of risotto, little more than two mouthfuls really. Despite the small serving size, the rice was full of flavor rich creamy cheese with an ever so slight twinge of acidity. The morel was equally enchanting with a plump meaty texture and a rich savor from the ground chicken to compliment the morel's pungent musk. The accompanying wine was a domestic sparkler which I tend to shy away from but this had a bit of sherry-like oxidation along with ripe apples and a nutty toasty warmth.

 Kampachi - Avocado, Herbs, Passion Fruit Snow
2011 Wittmann, Riesling Trocken, Rheinhessen, Germany
The sashimi course showed an intriguing dichotomy between the earth and the fish. The herbs bring a bold flourish of basil while the passion fruit adds a lush juicy refrain. The dusting of togarashi provides a steady prickling burn.

 Soup - Rosemary, Oyster Crackers
Next up was a gentrified cream of mushroom soup. The thick creamy broth showed an earthy flourish and brown butter pungency coupled with a thick velvety texture. The oyster crackers bring a nice textural contrast while the tiny rosemary sprigs add just a touch of bitter herbaceousness.

 Scallop - Wild Garlic, Watermelon Rind, Roe
2011 La Conreria d'Scala Dei, Priorat Les Brugueres, Catalunya, Spain
The scallop was the only real misstep of the night. In terms of flavor the course was spot on, the gently sweet savor of the scallop amped up buy a foam of scallop roe. Similarly, the fragrant garlic and bright vegetal favas complimented the bivalve beautifully. Unfortunately, for all that the scallop itself was dreadfully overcooked making the texture stringy and rubbery. The wine was a surprisingly well done white Grenache with heavier notes of butterscotch and honey, balanced with sufficient citrus fruit and minerality.

 Duck Egg - Summer Squash, Horseradish, Smoke
2011 La Conreria d'Scala Dei, Priorat Les Brugueres, Catalunya, Spain
The meal got right back on track with this next course but then again I've always been a soft touch for runny egg yolks. This one came on a bed of verdant summer squash puree and was imbued with a smoky flavor. The piquant tang of the horseradish was a nice counterpoint to the creamy roundedness of the yolk while the bits of onion crumble provided a bacon-bits like savor and texture.

 Raviolo - Consommé, Truffle Crumble, Watercress
2009 Passopisciaro, Passopisciaro, Sicily, Italy
The sixth course consisted of a dense meaty raviolo stuffed with scallop mousseline. The dumpling has a rather monolithic generic savor but the consomme provides a pervasive aroma of fresh earth while the bits of crumbled truffle tuilé show both ritzy savor and a touch of fragrant truffles. The leafy watercress adds a focused bitter austerity that tempers the rest of the dish.

 Pork Belly - Pickled Morel, Cilantro Jalapeño Puree
2009 Passopisciaro, Passopisciaro, Sicily, Italy
The braised pork belly was the standout course of the evening. The lean meat is tender and succulent while the skin has a fatty savor and crisp texture. The gravitas of the pork is lightened considerably both the simple yet effective application of pickled vegetables and morels.

 Lamb - Green Garbanzo, Eggplant, Leek
2011 Rosi Schuster, Zweigelt, Burgenland, Austria
Our final savory was a beautifully cooked lamb tenderloin. With the barest hint of game this could have easily passed for beef coupled with a whiff of herbs and mint. The gentle savor of the meat made the all the accompaniments that much more apparent from the buttery heft of the poached morels, to the pea-like verdance of the garbaznos and the smoky relish from the charred leek and eggplants.

 Taleggio - Onion, Charred Peach, Nasturtium
Our cheese course consisted of a soft ball of creamy melty Taleggio. Despite its fairly strong aroma, Taleggio tends to have a mild flavor as well as a slight bitterness that went well with the jammy flavor of the charred peaches and the savor of the onion.

 Ice Cream Bar - Coffee & Morel
Our pre-dessert consisted of a house made ice cream bar. As far as ice cream bars go these were sublime, perfect balance between chocolate shell and creamy vanilla. The coffee nibs accentuate the chocolate's bitterness and add a nice bit of crunch though the morels didn't really come through on this dessert.

 Black Forest Floor - Dark Cherry, Chocolate, Hazelnut
2005 Domaine Piétri-Géraud, Banyuls Cuvée Méditerranée, Languedoc, France
I've had plenty of mushroom based forest floor savories but this was my first time having a sweet version. Indeed the "floor" is made up of dense chocolate cake with bits of cooked bing cherries mixed in. Down below is a sugary caramel cream while the surface also showed nice toasty notes from the crunchy hazelnuts. Classic flavors served in a fun texturally diverse little bowl.

 Mignardises - Tropical Financier, Raspberry & Dark Chocolate Truffle, Strawberry & Chartreuse Hard Candy
Our meal ended with three creative little treats. First up was a ball tropical "financier" though the dessert lacked the traditional shape I quite enjoyed the mix of coconut and pineapple. Next up was a classic raspberry and dark chocolate concoction tasty but not particularly interesting. Lastly we ended with a hard candy that showed both a touch of berry sweetness and a gentle but persistent booziness from the Chartreuse.

 So far Chef Stone is 2 for 2. Despite being the first night of a new menu, the overall experience from the food to the service was all quite polished and on point. As was expected, the Morel menu was noticeably heavier than the citrus menu. I think the deeper earthy flavor of Morels is less adaptable than citrus, but Stone integrates the prized fungus into his dishes very effectively. Time and fortune permitting I'd love to come back towards the end of the month to see how the menu has evolved.

Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-90626229753934916272014-05-26T17:30:00.000-07:002014-05-27T07:07:28.184-07:00Bourbon Steak - 05/24/2014237 S Brand Blvd
Glendale, CA 91210
(818) 839-4130

Once upon a time a steakhouse was the final word in fine dining for me. While those days are long gone, I still have a fondness for a great steak. A few years back there were a rash of high-end steakhouses opening in LA from Wolfgang Puck's CUT to the trendier BOA and STK steakhouses. Since then the LA dining scene has grown a bit more sophisticated with the rise of places like Trois Mec and Alma; still I was intrigued when I heard Michael Mina would be opening a new outpost of his Bourbon Steak in Glendale.

 With an interior inspired by the golden age of aviation, Bourbon Steak seems to straddle the line between classic and contemporary. Indeed the atmosphere feels like a classic steakhouse/boys club though the food leans decidedly towards the modern which I favor over traditional steakhouse fare.

 DUCK FAT FRIES - Pastrami Spice with BBQ Sauce | Parmesan with Caesar Aioli | Pickled with Pickled Ketchup
The meal at Bourbon Steak kicked off with a rather unique amuse: three uniquely flavored preparations of duck fat fries each paired with an appropriately flavored sauce. The fries themselves are superb, dense crispy exterior with a fluffy interior and plenty of inherent savor. The first flavor was a meaty pastrami spice coupled with a smoky vinegar-laced sauce. The Parmesan fries were the most conventionally delicious cheesy zest paired with the rich tangy Caesar. Last up was a dill-laced variety that went nicely with the bright tangy ketchup.

 TLAQUEPAQUE - Barrel-Aged, Espolon Reposado Tequila, Crème de Pêche, Angostura Orange Bitters
AVANTGRAND - Barrel-Aged, Bank Note 5yr Scotch, Laphroaig, Amaro Averna, Crème de Banana
VIEUX CARRÉ - Rye, Cognac, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino, Benedictine, Bitters, Lemon
I was surprised at the depth and breadth of Bourbon Steak's cocktail and spirits program. The restaurant offers both modern and classic cocktails with an emphasis on bourbon and whiskey. Beside the conventional drink options, diners can also choose for table-side Japanese Whiskey or Bourbon presentations. Our first round of cocktails ran the gamut of Bourbon Steak's offerings. The barrel-aged Tlaquepaque had an emphatic woody note from the reposado concentrated by the aging. The peach creme offered a cloyingly sweet counterpart that the fragrant orange bitters couldn't quite balance. Unlike the previous cocktail the Avantgrand's keen savory wood smoke and brine were enough to balance the heft of the banana making it the table favorite thanks to its alternating blend of smoke and sweetness. The final cocktail came from the classics, named for the French Quarter in New Orleans, the drink opens with soft sweet vermouth and finishes with a light tinge of medicinal sweetness.

 TRUFFLE BUTTER BUN
The restaurant only offered one type of bread but what a bread. Heady waves of truffled musk roll off the warm bread though I was expecting something soft and tender as opposed to the slightly dry toasty texture.

 OYSTERS ON THE HALF SHELL - Champagne Mignonette
Surprisingly the restaurant only offered one type of oyster, fortunately that one variety was Kusshi; one of my all-time favorites. These were a bit larger than the traditional Kusshi and though they had the typical creamy body, the cucumber and melon flavors that normally characterize the oyster were largely absent.

 KAMPACHI BELLY TARTARE - Scallion, Yuzu Dressing
This was a special that typically comes with the restaurant's seafood tower, but the kitchen was kind enough to make us an a la carte portion. With each bite of the dense snappy bits of fish , the meat exudes oily fatty relish that contrasts beautifully with the tangy spice-tinged dressing and the fresh onion topping.

 DUCK SPRING ROLLS - Ginger-Chile Dipping Sauce, Mint, Cilantro
I had my reservations about this next course, thinking the faux-Asian rolls might feel a bit tired. Indeed the generic savor of the rolls was fairly pedestrian, but the accompanying herbs added a particularly poignant contrast as did the astringent piquant tang of the dipping sauce.

 THE FRENCH GENTLEMAN - Fizzy-Lifting, Landy Cognac, Yellow Chartreuse, Asian Pear, Domaine de Canton Ginger, Lemon Anise
DARKER & STORMIER - Fizzy-Lifting, Vizcaya Rum, Domaine de Canton Ginger, Grapefruit, Lime, Fernet Branca
NUMBER 1 (LAVENDER MIST) - Death's Door Gin, Tempus Fugit Kina L'avion D'or, Lavender-White Pepper Syrup, Lemon, Absinthe
Our second round of cocktails wasn't quite as impressive as the first. The French Gentleman was a touch medicinal thanks the Chartreuse but with a contrasting sweetness. The Darker & Stormier was an especially difficult drink with a flavor reminiscent of Eastern medicine particularly Huang Lian or Coptis extract. The Number 1 was a riff on the Corpse Reviver but with a more cerebral herbal component thanks to the lavender and Kina which is far more complex than the more ubiquitous Lillet.

 HAMACHI & TUNA POPPERS - Crispy Rice, Ponzu, Ginger Dressing
Like the duck rolls, I had my doubts about this course. Indeed the dish proved to be a touch simplistic though no less tasty for it. Both fishes come dressed with a Sriracha mayo and go nice with the tangy bite of the ponzu and ginger. The crispy rice added a nice savory flavor although by the time I got to it the mayo had saturated the rice turning the ostensibly crunchy texture a bit tacky and soft.

 JAPANESE WAGYU SHABU SHABU - Dashi, Miso, Watermelon Radish
This was easily the most exciting of the appetizers and at $29 per ounce it was also far-and-away the most expensive. The delicate meat comes wrapped around a few strands of Enoki mushrooms which brings a core of springy supple structure to the paper-thin meat. The inherent richness of the Wagyu is balanced by the bitter radish and bright herbs. The meat is good enough to eat on its own, but after a few swishes of through the mushroom broth the meat develops a flavor of rendered fat and dark earthy savor along with a soft silky texture.

 OCTOPUS A LA PLANCHA - Romesco, Fingerling, Lemon, Almonds
The plank grilled octopus was a thing of absolute beauty. The meat is dense tender and cloaked in a heady char. The meat has a persistent saline flavor but it was the nutty fragrance of the Romesco and bright tang of the lemon that dominate on the palate. Even the earthy funk of the fresh green olives were perfectly on point in the context of the dish.

 ENGLISH PEA AGNOLOTTI - Maine Lobster, Spring Onion, Meyer Lemon
The English Pea Agnolotti was an easy choice to start with. The pasta itself was a little over-tender but the sweet nutty pea puree is everything I was expecting it would be. Though there was a smattering of lobster scattered throughout the dish it is really the bisque-like sauce that stands out; a flood of buttery shellfish luxury against the vegetal character of the peas. The scattering of vegetables contrasts quite well with the pasta and sauce particularly the keen acidity of the pickled onion which easily cuts though the weighty heft of the duo.

 2007 Copain Syrah, Brosseau Vineyard, Central Coast, California
Instead of the more conventional Cabernet, we opted to pair a lighter Syrah from Copain with the steak. The wine has a good tension, but isn't quite as concentrated and rich as a cab. Instead there is a hint of smoke and brine mixed into a variety of red fruit and juicy berry notes

 PRIME BLACK ANGUS - N.Y. Strip 12oz
AMERICAN WAGYU - Center-Cut Flat Iron 10oz
AUSTRALIAN WAGYU - Kansas City Strip 16oz
JAPANESE WAGYU - Miyazaki A5 Striploin 16oz
For contemporary high-end steakhouses, it is almost mandatory that they offer not only a variety of cuts but also a mix of breeds ranging from the prosaic Angus to the sublime Japanese Wagyu. Whenever possible, my companions and I try to order the same cut to better compare the steaks, but unfortunately there was no American Wagyu Strip steak so we chose to do the Flat Iron since we thought it would be a closer comparison than the fattier rib-eye options. Though it probably comes as no surprise, the prime beef was the least interesting of the bunch, a touch stringy the steak tasted largely of bitter char without the buttery weight of the others. The American Wagyu had the most interesting grain and texture and showed more heft than the standard Angus but fell short of the international breeds. The Australian bone-in strip was probably the most enjoyable steak, with a touch of gamy complexity and pronounced but not overbearing fattiness. Ironically the Japanese Wagyu ended up being the largest of our steaks thanks to Eric who treated us and insisted on getting 4 ounces per person. We later learned that our 16 ounce steak was the largest single order beating the previous record by a healthy six ounces. The first bite of true Wagyu wasn't especially impressive but the weight of the steak became more apparent with each bite. The Miyazaki beef was the most impressive single bite but I would have struggled to finish anything more than the 4 ounce serving we each received and even that was a bit heavy towards the end.

 BLACK TRUFFLE MAC & CHEESE
The black truffle wasn't quite as pronounced as I would have liked but the al dente pasta and rich sauce still made for a very enjoyable side.

 DELTA ASPARAGUS WITH 7 TREASURES
Our second side showed a surprisingly heavy Asian-influence featuring slivers of asparagus stir fried with mushrooms and lap cheong. While the flavors were a nice change of pace from the conventional asparagus served at steakhouses, I wish the vegetable wasn't so finely chopped so we could better appreciate the texture.

 JALAPEÑO CREAMED CORN
The final side was a sweet cream corn laced with southwestern flair from the chilies.

 SAZERAC - Rye or Cognac, Absinthe, Peychaud's Bitters, Angostura Bitters, Lemon
Our meal dispensed with I opted for a classic rye-based Sazerac as an after dinner digestif.

 MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE - Bing Cherry Sauce, Meyer Lemon Curd, Vanilla Bean Crust
Our first dessert was a deconstructed cross between a berry cheese cake and a lemon tart with contrasting jammy and tart fruit to compliment the creamy mascarpone and buttery crumbled crust.

 GLAZED BACON DONUT
Our server mentioned this as an alternative to their composed desserts. The donut certainly lives up to its name, dense and cake-y the sweet glaze and bacon compliment one another well though I have had better bacon donuts before.

 LEMON SCENTED OLIVE OIL CAKE - Market Strawberries, Sicilian Pistachio, Soft Whipped Cream
As much as I dislike olives, olive oil desserts are a whole other story. The subtle floral aroma of the olive oil works wonders when added to straightforwardly sweet desserts like cake or ice cream. The fresh market berries are delightfully sweet and the combination reminded me of a luxurious strawberry shortcake.

 BUTTERSCOTCH TOFFEE PUDDING - Salty Caramel Sauce, Warm Madelines, Confectioner's Sugar
Salty caramel is a must for me and though this delivered on that count the dessert felt a bit too basic even with the perfectly-made Madelines.

 MICHAEL MINA'S SIGNATURE ROOT BEER FLOAT - Warm Chocolate & Pecan Cookies, Sassafras Ice Cream
The final dessert was a root beer float saturated with rich sassafras flavor and two soft warm cookies. The combination was simple but remarkably comforting.

 BOURBON CARAMEL - Hazelnuts
The meal ended with foil wrapped bourbon caramels mixed with bits of hazelnut. The combination had a hint of booziness but mostly tasted like Almond Roca.

 Though I haven't been to Mina's signature spots in SF, I have tried all his LA/OC spots as well as a few of his Vegas haunts and I have found them very hit or miss. Fortunately, I think we can put Bourbon Steak firmly in the hit column.

Epicuryanhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-80844062445450439112014-05-19T17:49:00.002-07:002014-05-19T17:52:35.714-07:00Orsa & Winston - 05/16/2014122 W 4th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 687-0300

With its distinctive blend of Japanese-influenced Italian fare, Chef Josef Centeno's Orsa and Winston was one of the most impressive new restaurants of 2013. Centeno established himself as a chef to watch based on the the success of his first two ventures, Baco Mercat and Bar Ama and has upped his game considerably with the tasting-menu focused Orsa and Winston.

While the restaurant does offer some a la carte options as well as a family style meal, most diners opt for either the 6-course or 8-course menu. The restaurant also features a 12-course "super omakase" that requires 72 hours advance notice and is only served at the four seat kitchen counter. My first visit we had an even more opulent meal, a 26-course extravaganza that was one of the best meals of 2013. This time around I opted for the 8-course menu, a chance to see how the "proles" experience Orsa and Winston.

 milk panna cotta - asparagus, baby carrots, cumin caramel
The evening kicked off with an exceptionally nuanced salad of asparagus and carrots. The milk panna cotta is akin to a mild cheese with a sweet lactic richness that underscores the inherent flavor of the salad. A mixture of yuzu and caramel adds an alternating sweet-and-sour flourish to the fresh vegetal bitterness.

 kanpachi - crème fraîche, cucumber, ginger gelée, mandarin
Our first proper course was a tartare of fresh Amberjack. A bit more conventional than the later courses, the tartare has the characteristic oiliness and supple body of the fish mixed with fresh spice from the togarashi and ginger gelée while the weightiness of the cream adds a voluminous body that gives the fish a bit more heft and substance. While I normally appreciate citrus in my dishes, the mandarin was a bit too sweet for the delicate character of the dish.

 haricot vert - pattypan squash, house-made ricotta, purple brussels sprouts, cherry blossom, tempura
Done right, haricot vert is among my favorite vegetables and this was a spectacular example of why. The green beans have a urgent crispness and keen vegetal sweetness. The squash provided a tender meaty counterpoint while the leafy vegetables swing more toward the bitter. The tempura crumbles complete the dish with a buttery savor that provides weight to the mix of vegetables.

 testa - milk-bread foccacia, oregano butter, radish
Diners at the bar are sometimes rewarded with bonus courses and tonight's gift was the oven baked testa with house made milk-bread. Both the head cheese and bread stand on their own, but they are best when taken together. On its own, the testa has a powerful fattiness and keening salinity that demanded the mellowing touch of the foccacia and the astringency of the breakfast radish.

 cream of celtuce - baby corn, abalone
This was probably the weakest course of the night. I was expecting a complex mix of shellfish saline and sweet corn but the dish was utterly dominated by the latter. Classic accompaniments of spice and citrus would have played beautifully with the soup's inherent sweetness.

 chilled pea soup - finger lime, crème fraîche, buttermilk, marigold
I thought the back-to-back soups was a bit odd, but the two were as different as could be. The thick chilled potage is brimming with fresh springtime verdance and delightful flashes of acid from the finger lime. Against the sublime base there is also a reverberating aromatic herbaceousness from the marigold flowers as well as pinpricks of spicy piquancy from the crushed mustard seed.

 satsuki rice - pecorino cream, geoduck, uni
Uni risotto seems to be all the rage these days and its easy to see why. The offal-y sweetness of the uni contrasts nicely with the creamy tang of the risotto rice. The slivers of geoduck add concentrated bursts of salinity that compliment the uni but with a darker earthy flavor.

 pork belly - onion, tomato, garbanzo, radish
Moving onto the final courses we started with a spectacular pork belly; crispy skin still wreathed with a fatty bouquet and tender lean meat dripping with porcine savor. The meat would have been overly heavy if not for the bright sour tang of the tomato and the fresh succulent relief of the radish.

 manchester farms quail - cream, potato, morel
The final savory was a luscious half quail drenched is a cream sauce infused with the luxurious earthy musk of morels and truffles. The fresh sprigs of parsley do wonders to temper the dish as does the unseen infusion of fresh citrus.

 grapefruit granita - candied kumquat, mint
The intermezzo did its job wonderfully, pairing bracing tart grapefruit with a bitter sweet kumquat and soothing fresh mint.

 chilled berry crumble - nougatine, coconut sorbet
This dessert was right up my alley pairing jammy berries with the buttery sweetness of nougatine. The classic combination is reminiscent of a breakfast yogurt enlivened with tropical flair thanks to the thoughtful inclusion of coconut.

 black olive sablé
Our final treat was a small shortbread cookie the sweet crumbly treat comes tinged with a touch of earthy savor thanks to the flecks of black olive.

 Turns out the regular menu at Orsa & Winston is every bit as impressive as their more ambitious offerings. Centeno's food is complex and cerebral yet easily appreciated. Diners with smaller appetites should definitely consider the 6 or 8 course options. For my part, I can't see myself getting anything less than the "super omakase" on any subsequent visits.

Epicuryanhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-81788431892875540992014-05-11T21:53:00.002-07:002014-05-11T21:55:02.787-07:00Il Grano - 05/10/201411359 Santa Monica Blvd
West Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310) 477-7886

 The first time I visited Il Grano for a private dinner, I was thoroughly impressed. The restaurant has long been among LA's top spots for Italian thanks to Salvatore Marino. The second generation chef believes in sourcing top quality ingredients and letting them speak for themselves and the results were pretty spectacular.

 For this meal, Sal teamed up with his long-time friend Morihiro Onodera, the former owner and head chef at Sushi Mori. The two struck up a friendship 15 years ago when Sal started visiting the LA fish markets. At the time high quality fish was the exclusive purview of Japanese chefs and none of the sellers took the young upstart Italian chef seriously. Perhaps moved by his persistence Mori took Sal under his wing and showed him the ropes. Apparently the two chefs have cooked together before and tonight we see the culmination of their long friendship and mutual passion for food. Given the star power behind the dish, seats at this event were extremely limited and largely given to long time patrons and friends of either chef.

 Benvenuto
Evoluzione: sake, aperol, shishito pepper powder
The meal began with a plate of crudo that demonstrate a seamless blend of Italian and Japanese sensibilities. The quartet came with a light pink cocktail laden with refreshing citrus verve and a twinge of vegetal savor from the shishito.

 Nambanzuke
I started off with the nambanzuke, a cuboid of halibut marinated in vinegar. The dense meaty fish has an even temper of sweet soy laced with a nuanced smoky-sweetness. The pickled carrot and onion provided a mix of both textural levity and bracing acidity to moderate the heft of the meat.

 Japanese Snapper Burrata
I was afraid the mixture of snapper and burrata would be too bland but the duo are suitably enlivened by the application of basil and fresh tangy tomato. Against this austere backdrop, the fish demonstrates a keen fleshiness while the burrata takes on an almost buttery flavor.

 Halibut Crudo Pea Shiso
Next up was a piece of pristine halibut. The fish itself is faultless, but I found the mix of pea and olive oil a bit heavy and disconcerting.

 Tofu Caprese
The final of the initial welcoming dishes was something Mori used to serve at his restaurant. Mori makes the tofu himself and the resulting cube has a pillowy creaminess and a mild nutty flavor. The shredded herbs provide soothing herbal flourish while the balsamic adds a much needed jolt of bold sweetness.

 Sushi & Susci on mori rice
Simon Bize Bourgogne Blanc Les Perrieres 2011
Next up we were presented with another quartet, this time a hybrid Italian-Japanese sushi. The accomplishing wine was surprisingly complex for a mere Bourgogne, with a touch of sweet oxidative depth atop the classic lemon and mineral notes.

 Tomato
As much as I enjoy tomato I thought the combination of tomato and rice was going to be a bit boring. The tomato packed a surprising amount of flavor, deep rich sweetness touched with olive and a bit of zesty herbs very reminiscent of a pizza sauce.

 Crab
Next up was a gunkan style roll topped with crab. Apparently Sal made a special version of this mid-service mixing the crab with a kani-miso, a sauce made from crab guts. The creamy mixture displays the sweetness of crab meat as well as the dark earthy saline of the innards.

 Chickpea
The chickpea susci worked a lot better than I expected. The Garbanzos themselves don't show much but the rosemary lends the morsel a sense of comforting homey warmth.

 Grilled Tuna
The smoky flair of the tuna was evident the moment our server set the plate in front of me. The flavor proved to be equally expressive with a BBQ like savor over the clean iron-laced tang of the meat..

 hokkaido scallop - crysanthemum pesto
Simon Bize Bourgongne Blanc Les Perrieres 2011
The Hokkaido Scallop itself was flawless. The texture starts off a bit dry and tacky but quickly morphs into a supple creaminess dripping with classic shellfish sweetness. Like the pea pesto, the chrysanthemum is subtle yet weighty but just didn't work for me.

 wild big eye tuna tartar - black truffle
Vouvray Huet Le Mont Sec 2012
Tuna and truffle? Yes, please! Made from a base of marinated tuna, the tartare exudes lusciousness with a bold piercing soy-savor on top of the fish's inherent clean steely flavor. The ground fish is mixed with onion, arugula, and olive oil which adds verdant counterpoint to the potency of the tartare. Last but not least, the black truffle punctuates the mixture with emphatic bursts of earthy musk.

 cherry gazpacho - dungeness crab, lemon verbena
Vouvray Huet Le Mont Sec 2012
The cherry gazpacho starts off with a demonstrative jammy sweetness that gradually develops countervailing herbal and peppery overtones. A bit on the sweet side for my liking but still a very enjoyable course.

 pea soup - kinmedai, marinated japanese heirloom tomato
Blanc des Rosis Schioppetto 2010
I was a bit surprised to see two soups back to back but aside from their textures, the two couldn't have been more different. Unabashedly savory where the gazpacho was sweet. The pea soup has a deep nutty verdance interlaced with a touch of fishy umami savor from the Kinmedai.

 yuwan marinated crispy skate wing - sunchoke puree, ramps
Palaverga Piccolo Basadone Castello di Verduno 2012
This was easily one of the most impressive skate wings that I've ever tasted. Skate can sometimes have a gelatinous almost fatty mouth feel and while there is a sense of tenderness here, the meat is actually made up of supple well defined fibers. I'm not sure what went into the marinade but the meat gives off a very striking savory-sweetness coupled with a hint of char. The combination is intoxicating on its own but even more impressive with the fresh springtime relish of the ramps.

 mori rice risotto aglio olio - peperoncino and calamari
Emrich Schonleber Spätlese Monzingen Fruhlingsplatzchen 2009
This was far and away my favorite course of the night and indeed the dish that provided the impetus for the entire meal. Our server mentioned that Mori frequently gets together with Sal and they often make this dish. The risotto is exceptionally textured as one would expect from a restaurant of Il Grano's caliber. The rice is imbued with a persistent salinity from the calamari augmented by the sliver of cool decadent uni. A vigorous spice brings an unexpected but very welcome sense of dynamism to the plate.

 spaghetti funghi - morels, pancetta, english peas and favas
Etna Rosso Lu Veru Piaciri Al Cantara 2012
Combining morels, peas, favas, and pancetta; this course isn't particularly groundbreaking but it is utterly delicious. The noodles are dense and plump while the toppings bring a multifaceted blend of earth, savor and herbaceousness.

 rabbit milanese - rabbit reduction, shallot-stanwick apricot confit
Barbera d'Alba Burlotto 2012
I've never been a fan of milanesa, so it stands to reason that this was the weakest course of the night for me. The thinly sliced rabbit was dry and bland which made the apricot confit even more jarring.

 A5 wagyu beef - shitake, olio nuovo
Aglianico del Vulture Titolo Elena Fucci 2008
The final savory was a sliver of stupendously marbled wagyu beef. The meat easily would have stood on its own but the robust woody flavor of the shitake and bitter greens bring much-needed contrast to the fat saturated beef.

 dolce riso mori
Passito di Pantelleria Donnafugata Ben Rye 2010
Dessert was a bread pudding made from Mori's vaunted sushi rice. The pudding is a bit bland but the accompanying apricot jam more than made up for the lack of flavor.

 Indeed the meal was everything I could have hoped for and more. Both Mori and Sal showed off some of their individual signatures but the best dishes harmoniously combined elements from both culinary traditions.

Epicuryanhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-21555466409837989152014-05-05T22:31:00.003-07:002014-05-05T22:32:54.866-07:00Kiriko - 05/05/201411301 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, California 90064
310-478-7769

I've known about Kiriko since the earliest days of my burgeoning lust for sushi. I even paid the place a visit one day after school back in 2008 and while I wasn't blown away I did remember enjoying the meal. Founded in 1999 by Chef-owner Ken Namba, Kiriko is often included in discussions about LA's top sushi restaurants. With dishes like seared blue fin with truffle butter and snapper in pesto sauce, Kiriko's menu seems to have a bit more cosmopolitan flair than most of its peers.

 Tai - Snapper
The meal started off with fleshy ivory piece of snapper that evolves from snappy to creamy upon mastication. The fish had a bit more flavor than I was expecting but flavor really comes from the lemon and dusting of sea salt.

 Akami - Lean Tuna
Toro - Fatty Tuna
Next up was a duet of tuna. The lean tuna was a bit watery and thin without the steely intensity of a top cut of tuna. The Toro was more impressive, tender and rich but not wildly oily.

 Shima Aji - Striped Jack
The Shima Aji had a pleasing snappy texture. A bit on the lean side, the nigiri lacked the necessary oiliness that normally gives the fish a jellied feel and the nuanced oily flavor.

 Tachiuo - Saber Fish
Next up was a relatively rare sushi, Tachiuo is otherwise known as Belt Fish or Saber Fish. The meat tends to be on the tough side with a slight sear giving the meat a hint of smoke that contrasted sharply with the fresh bite of the chives and ginger.

 Katsuo - Bonito
Served alongside the Tachiuo, the Bonito had a similar woody flavor but is much softer and fleshier and finishes with a lingering oily flourish.

 At this point our chef walked back into the kitchen leading to the first of several 10+ minute gaps in our meal. Now I don't mind if the chef needed to go to the bathroom, rail a waitress, or do a line of coke but the repeated delays really disrupted the flow of the meal. Amaebi - Sweet Shrimp
The amaebi came to the bar still twitching. The shrimp had a nice firmness and sweet steely tang but lacked the density and immaculate translucent appearance of the best amaebi preparations.

 Mirugai - Giant Clam
Next up was a slice of Geoduck. Awkward shape aside the nigiri had everything I love about about Mirugai, the flesh was dense and crunchy with a potent dark briny sweetness.

 Kinmedai - Golden Eye Snapper
The Kinmedai was easily my favorite piece of the evening. A quick flash of the blowtorch rendered and charred the fat laden exterior of the fish giving off an enticing brine tinged smoke and adding a delightful layer of complexity to the lithe Kinmedai.

 Engawa - Halibut Fin
This was a thicker cut of Engawa than I was used to. The resulting nigiri required a bit more effort to chew but the sinewy toughness was satisfying in its own way. The bracing tang of the ponzu and fresh zest of the scallions provided a vibrant acidity to accent the fish's mild intrinsic flavor.

 Uni - Sea Urchin
From the outset I was a bit put off by the runniness of the uni. Indeed the roe was sub par to most of my recent experiences. The flavor started out full of sweetness but develops a creeping bitter funk midway through.

 Tairagai - Pen Shell Clam
Taragai is a relative rarity, more austere and complex than the ubiquitous scallop. The Pen Shell or Half Moon clam has a muted sweetness with more than a tinge of bitter brine and firmness between that of mirugai and hotategai.

 Kohada - Gizzard Shad
A solid prototypical expression of Kohada, the fish lacked the shimmery luster the silver skin sometimes has but the flavor was spot-on all potent fish oils with a touch of vinegar-y twang.

 Sake Tataki - Seared Salmon
Next we were presented with a gentrified version of the ubiquitous salmon. Presented as a Wild King Salmon the fish had an unusually keen sweetness coupled with a whiff of smoke and a lightly rendered fleshiness.

 Anago - Sea Eel
Next up was a duet of sea eel. First up was a classic preparation with a dark sweet kabayaki sauce. Next up was a lighter version paired with a citrus salt that was cleaner and more dynamic

 Takosakurani - Steamed Octopus Sashimi
The official omakase completed, we decided to order a couple things off the menu that caught our eye. First up was an octopus sashimi. The slivers of pristine white flesh had been lightly steamed which provides the meat with a bit of structure around a slick slippery core.

 Aji - Spanish Mackerel
The Aji was on the mild side with little more than a hint of oiliness especially once taken with the chives and ginger. Texturally the fish was super tender, soft, pillow-y, and thoroughly enjoyable.

 Aoyagi - Orange Clam
The Orange Clam was a touch thinner than I was expecting imparting a cartilaginous crunch to compliment the clam's earthy brine.

 Awabi - Abalone
The abalone was one of the thickest and densest preparations that I've ever had. Surprisingly mild in flavor, the abalone required a bit more effort than I would have liked to bite through completely.

 Toro Tataki - Seared Toro with Truffle Butter
Kiriko's menu actually features lean tuna with truffle butter but we opted for an extra level of decadence by substituting seared toro for the regular tuna. The result is a smoky buttery fish augmented with a touch of truffled luxury.

 Toro Maki - Fatty Tuna Roll
We decided to close out the evening with even more tuna. A creamy chopped toro topped with fresh chives came bundled in a nori wrapper with warm rice. The combination has a touch of sweetness to start but ends with a creeping oily relish.

 There were a few missteps in terms of fish quality, but the positives definitely outweighed the negatives. In terms of food, I'd rate Kiriko as a solid restaurant but clearly a step below the city's true stars. It was the uneven pacing of the meal that really threw me off, in addition to the first 15 minute delay we had another 20 minute gap later in the evening and at one point we were served six pieces of nigiri in little over an hour. While I enjoyed the meal the experience left much to be desired. If you do want to check out Kiriko, I recommend going on a weeknight or at an off hour, maybe you'll get better service than we did.

Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-90873640719585007872014-04-20T21:32:00.000-07:002014-04-20T21:33:09.506-07:00Jinpachi - 03/20/20148711 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 358-9134

My first taste of Jinpachi came in 2008, at the inaugural FoodDigger event and I found the meal was solid but not exceptional. The restaurant certainly has its share of lineage, the owner Hirotaka Fujita comes from a long line of chefs and his wife Tomoko Okabe is a Spago alum. With the large party at the event, there was no way we could sit at the bar, a mistake that we would correct this time around.

 Jinpachi, Ginjo, Akita
We started with the restaurant's signature sake. The Jinpachi sake isn't the most impressive sake, but it is well balanced floral and fruity on the start with a balanced mid-palate and a bit of heat on the finish.

 Mozuku
Fittingly the omakase started off with a mound of Mozuku seaweed topped with sliced jumbo clam and cucumber in a vinegared sauce. The mix had a base umami flavor brightened with a touch of salinity and a fresh piercing tang. Quite the step up from the typical sunomono.

 Ankimo
Jinpachi's ankimo starts off fairly tradition with typical accompaniments of scallion and pickled daikon, the acidity and freshness balancing the creamy heft of the perfectly textured monkfish liver. The kicker was the smear of miso paste on the back side of the bowl which brought an unexpected kick of sweet heat to the dish.

 Kumamoto
The trio of Kumamotos has been a signature at Jinpachi since my previous visit in 2008. Each oyster comes topped with a different compliment. First up was a ginger dressing more earthy and nutty than I was expecting but effective nonetheless. The second came with uni and wasabi giving it a rush of multifaceted brine. The last of the trio came with cilantro and a dot of spicy chili paste, kind of an Asian take on oysters with Tabasco that was my favorite of the trio

 Magurozuke
Our final course before the nigiri was a rich marinated tuna paired with freshly grated wasabi and topped with nori and mountain potato. Fittingly the tuna bursts with salty soy relish set off by the nose-tingling heat of the wasabi. The mild flavor and mucilaginous texture of the mountain potato adds a tempering restraint to the dish.

 Shima Aji - Striped Jack
Fresh Shima Aji is always a thing of beauty and this was no exception, supple and lithe, the fish has a touch of oiliness coupled with a springtime tang from the onion topping.

 Hotate - Scallop
This was one of the best textured scallops that I've had in quite some time. The sweet flesh is seasoned with a touch of citrus and shiso giving it a fresh minty kick.

 Kinmedai - Golden Eye Snapper
I've had better Kinmedai. While I enjoyed the jellied snap of the fish and the contrasting crunch of the salt though the lemon felt a bit heavy handed on this one.

 Mebachi - Big Eye Tuna
An exceedingly tender example of tuna, the Mebachi has a softer rounded flavor rather than the clean structured feel of Bluefin.

 Hamachi Hara - Yellowtail Belly
The yellowtail belly has all the charms of the classic sushi staple amped up with a rich oily relish that lingers on the palate.

 Sake Tataki - Seared Salmon
Exceedingly tender for a seared preparation the salmon has a sensual fleshiness and heady char and came topped with piquant accompaniments that provided a sharp tangy relief from the weightiness of the fish.

 Uni - Sea Urchin
First up in our classic roe duo was Uni from Santa Barbara. The chilled roe was simply sweet creamy goodness threaded with gentle salinity.

 Ikura - Salmon Roe
Next up was Ikura, the eggs were a touch softer than I would have liked but filled with a smoky elixir tinged with a rougher brine than the uni.

 O-Toro - Fatty Tuna
The sublimely tender toro started off with an urgent pungency from the soy that tapered off into the more familiar lush oiliness the fish is renowned for.

 Hadareyuki "Nigori", Junmai Ginjyo, Akita
I don't normally go in for the unfiltered sake but this wasn't bad, heftier than the Jinpachi sake, with a heavy rice-y sweetness and rougher booziness.

 Kohada - Gizzard Shad
The perfect follow-up to the tuna belly, the Kohada has an unabashed fishiness coupled with a pungent piquancy to cleanse the palate.

 Sawara - King Mackerel
Dubbed King Mackerel, the Sawara looked a lot like Amberjack and had a similar mildness brightened by the spicy heat of the grated ginger.

 Binnaga - Albacore
The raw albacore was easily the softest fish of the night beyond tender. The mild fish conveyed a bright tang from the scallion and daikon.

 Tai - Red Snapper
The Tai comes dusted with salt and citrus giving the snappy flesh a fresh bracing lift.

 Amaebi - Sweet Shrimp
Next up was an absolutely majestic sweet shrimp. The live shrimp has a dense snappiness and steely saline flavor augmented by a brush of rich dark soy.

 Sake Hara - Salmon Belly
The Salmon Belly doesn't look particularly fatty but the fish has a rich buttery heft far above the typical Sake.

 Asari no Misoshiru - Miso Soup with Clams
The umami-laden broth is imbued with an extra nuanced brine from the clams making this one of the better miso soups that I've had.

 Sayori - Needlefish
Taking the soup as a sign the omakase was about to end, we decided to supplement with some extra chef recommendations. First up was a shimmery needlefish supple and tart the fish was a bit more complex than the typical Sayuri.

 Engawa Tataki - Seared Halibut Fin
The seared Engawa was easily my favorite piece of the night. The adductuor muscle can be a bit tough and sinewy but the touch of the torch gave the muscle a gummy tenderness though with a touch of the typical Engawa chewiness as well as a pleasing smoky heft.

 Toro Tataki - Seared Toro
The seared Toro was another treasure, the lavish bounty warm semi-runny oils are fantastically decadent blended with a touch of smoke and char.

 Anago/Tamago Maki - Eel and Egg Roll
I've never been a huge fan of either anago or tamaki but they were a real treat when paired together. The eggy funk is tempered by the salinity of the eel as well as pickled radish. The result is a flavor that made me think of Japanese breakfast roll.

 Uni Tataki - Seared Sea Urchin
Jinpachi's seared nigiri has been consistently excellent so we decided to ask for a bit more of their delicious Uni kissed by the blowtorch. The resulting roe is softer with a texture more like melted butter and a heightened sweetness mixed with char that one of my friends likened to "charred butter."

 Kani Maki - Blue Crab Hand Roll
The savory dishes ended with a classic blue crab hand roll. The sweet crab meat coupled with the warm rice is pure sweet saline satisfaction. A sliver of avocado adds a light vegetal weightiness to the roll.

 Cream Cheese Pudding
The desserts consisted of a cream cheese pudding that reminded me of a caramel flan with a compliment of vanilla ice cream.

 Parfait
The Parfait reminded me of anmitsu, a classic Japanese dessert of green tea ice cream, red bean, mochi and jelly. I wasn't a huge fan of the dessert when I first had it but I must admit I'm coming to like the blend of textures and subdued sweetness.

 Funny what a difference the sushi bar can be. My first experience was solid but this time around the meal would have compared favorably to any of the city's top spots. While I think there are better spots, I can certainly see how people consider Jinpachi the best sushi in LA.

 Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-89310507645265168742014-04-06T19:00:00.001-07:002014-04-06T19:02:27.735-07:00French Masters Dinner - 03/21/2014When I first heard about the All Star Chef Classic, the one thing that immediately jumped out at me was the French Masters Dinner, but $300 for five courses sounded a bit steep even for me. Two days before the event my friend Mike calls me asking if I could go with him as his first two options flaked and not wanting the ticket to go to waste I "reluctantly" agreed. The event, part cooking lesson, part dinner took place at the LA Live in a venue called Restaurant Stadium which featured a large open kitchen surrounded by eight sections of stadium seating.

Canape 01: American Sturgeon Caviar - Smoked Crème Fraîche
The event started with a welcoming reception serving bottomless champagne and a selection of canapes. First up was a contemporary caviar canape with a potato chip replacing the venerable blini. The chip comes topped with a dollop of dense smoky creme fraiche and caviar. Classically nutty salinity is augmented by the saltiness of the chip, a natural compliment to the bottomless champagne.

 Canape 02: Beet Sushi
This was the weakest of the snacks, bland with a disconcerting blend of beet, herbs and vinegar. The texture of the rice was equally disappointing cold dense and tacky. The one interesting facet of this snack was a slight floral herbaceousness that comes through at the end.

 Canape 03: Parmesan Tapioca
The cube looks like a butter cookie but the flavor is totally savory. The texture combines crisp fried savor with a slightly sweet gummy texture from the tapioca and the semi-runny mixture of melted Parmesan and even more tapioca fills the mouth with a creamy cheesy goodness reminiscent of a gougere; an unconventional but undeniably effective bite.

 Canape 04: Kusshi Oyster - Sea Water Gelèe
Along with the caviar chips the oyster was the standout of the welcoming reception, the sea water gelèe highlights the oyster's normally subdued salinity.

 01: arlequin de légumes en aigre-doux - sweet and sour harlequin vegetables | Alain Passard (L'aperge)
2010 Pouilly-Fumé, Pocheronnes, Marc Deschamps
The meal got off to a strong start with a course from Alain Passard chef of the legendary L'aperge. Playing to his strengths, Chef Passard offered up a dish that highlighted the versatility and complexity of vegetables from tender carrots to crisp leafy greens and bitter radishes. On the base of the plate is a thick tangy honey vinaigrette ties the palette of vegetables together.

 02: crabe, agrumes, herbes sauvages, beurre noisette - dungeness crab, citrus, wild herbs, brown butter | Iñaki Aizpitarte (Le Chateaubriand, Le Dauphin)
2011 Riesling, Sussenberg, Bechtold, Alsace
Next up was a seafood dish from one of Paris' hottest current chefs, Iñaki Aizpitarte. This dish announced its presence from afar, filling the entire stadium with the tantalizing smell of warm brown butter. The heady caramelized richness of the butter intensifies the crab's natural flavor which is subtly tinged with the aromatic elegance of the wild herbs. I loved the astringent contrast from the crisp asparagus spears and while the citrus was a natural accompaniment for the crab, I found the mound of fruit a bit excessive.

 drôlerie végétale - wild crayfish, amusing vegetables | by Marc Meneau(L'esperance) and Pierre Meneau (Crom'Exquis)
2011 Chablis, 1er cru, Vaulorent, William Fèvre
This course was something of a combination of the previous two dishes but had none of their flair or flavor. The tiny crayfish were disconcertingly bland and the vegetables while crisp tasted like something out of a frozen dinner or third-rate steakhouse.

 04: poitrine de canard, choux, raifort, amandes fumées - duck breast, skin purée, grilled cabbage, horseradish, smoked almond | Ludo Lefebvre
2010 Beaune, 1er Cru, 'Clos de la Mousse', Monopole, Bouchard Père & Fils
The thinly sliced duck breast reminded me of a similar preparation I had at Trois Mec. The breast wasn't quite as tender this time around, though I suspect this had more to do with the format of the dinner than anything else. The bitter char of the cabbage and the toasty crunch of the crumbled fatty duck skin both pair beautifully with the smoky relish of the duck breast. The light whipped twang of the horseradish adds a racy sour focus that cuts through all the dark weighty flavors of the dish.

 05: millefeuille au citron vert - lime scented napoleon | Florian Bellanger
fresh brewed coffee by LAMILL
The composed dessert was a brilliant mix of airy puff pastry and bright bright fruity flavors. The combination marries the satisfying butteriness of the pastry with a vivid fruity acidity to keep things light. My friend called it the best dessert he had all year but he is diabetic so this might very well be the ONLY dessert he had all year.

 petits fours
We were also provided a selection of classic sweets to end the meal that were all quite good.

 I've never been a big fan of these organized food events but with most of the chefs hailing from France this was an efficient way to sample their food without taking a Trans-Atlantic flight though to be honest I probably would have passed if my friend wasn't covering the cost of the ticket. Thanks again Mike. Let me know if you need a guest for next year too.

Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-77929561472255880632014-03-30T13:42:00.001-07:002014-03-30T13:43:12.190-07:00Providence - 03/29/20145955 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 460-4170

I didn't expect to find myself back at Providence anytime soon but the meal was my prize for a bet made three years ago and it was long past time to collect. Naturally nothing less than the 16-course Chef's menu would do and we were fortunate enough to snag the chefs table.

angry angelino - blanco tequila, fernet branca, ginger, lime, house made jalapeño bitters
love is a rose - gin, lillet rose, perfection tangerine, passion fruit, honey, prosecco
libre - buffalo trace bourbon, averna, cassis, chocolate chili bitters, orange twist
lazy days - aperol, mandarine napoléon, fresh rhubarb, lambrusco bianco secco
I was a bit curious how the cocktails would hold up as longtime bartender Zahra Bates left for Cole's Red Car Bar after five years at Providence. My favorite of our quartet was the Angry Angelino, almost petrol flavored, the cocktail has a bitter herbaceous bite from the jalepeno softened with the spice from the ginger. Bursting with fresh lively passion fruit and a sweet effervescence, the Love is a Rose would have made a wonderful summer sipper. The Libre exuded a woody herbal heft shaded with the slightest hint of chocolate and orange. The Lazy Days was another light fresh cocktail that gives off pure mandarin notes with a touch of bitterness thanks to the Aperol.

 dark and stormy
Providence typically starts the meal with a modernist twist on a cocktail. I found the dark and stormy to be an upgrade from their former signature greyhound spherification. The ginger foam has a touch of prickly heat to compliment the pleasing candied sweetness of the rum jelly.

 scallop nasturtium
Think of this as a sushi taco. The delicate nasturtium is filled with a mix of cured scallop tartare, puffed rice, and sushi rice. The creamy sweetness of the scallop is readily apparent upon mastication while the "taco shell" brings a subtle twinge of herbaceous savor.

 middleneck clam - chorizo
Our third amuse came in a rather elaborate presentation wrapped in seaweed and served on a bed of ice. The dish is initially dominated by the smoky sour twang of the chorizo, but a thread of dark of dark earthy salinity makes itself felt on the back end of the bite.

 2002 Pol Roger Extra Cuvee de Reserve, Champagne, France
Rather than go with the typical pairing, my companions and I decided to bring a few bottles we'd been saving for a special occasion. First up was a 2002 Pol Roger, the wine shows off yeasty toasty notes that are almost Krug-like in their intensity though as the wine warms I detected a bit more minerality and citrus.

 wagyu tartare - grilled foccacia, black truffle
The Wagyu tartare was every bit as decadent as I expected it to be, fatty and supple, with a hint of luxuriously earthy truffle. The grilled foccacia had a crisp and toasty texture and slight bitterness, a lovely counterpoint to the beef.

 petit pois - smoked halibut bone dashi
This next snack was a lovely study in contrasts. The broth was made from slightly smoked halibut bones giving it a thick creamy mouth feel and buttery saline umami reminiscent of Chinese gao tong. By comparison the peas brought a sweet bright levity all wrapped up with a taut snappy texture.

 shigoku - american caviar
I typically prefer my oysters raw but a perfectly cooked one has its own charms. The Shigoku was noticably softer with a slicker mouth feel. The flavor is initially dominated by the caviar but there is a persistent melon-y sweetness that lingers on the finish.

 abalone and miso
sword squid and chorizo
The skewers remain unchanged from my previous visit. The abalone is definitely the more subdued of the duo, coupling a deep ocean-y savor with a hint of sweetness. The squid and chorizo exudes a powerful savory twang while the squid acts more as a textural element, snappy and dense but fairly mild.

 chips and dip - salmon skin crisp, heavy cream, chives, ikura
Next up was a playful rendition of "chips and dip." The salmon skin has a lovely crunch but is a bit too salty on its own. The mixture of chives and cream deftly tempers the aggressive saltiness of the chip

 cigar - wagyu, mirepoix, feuille de brick
Cimarusti and company really went all out with the snacks, serving up 9 consistently delicious snacks to start the meal. The last treat was definitely on the heavy side with a rich savory mixture of beef and vegetables reminiscent of a beef stew all wrapped in a crisp delicate shell of feuille de brick.

 japanese saba - pickled ginger, carrot, coriander, cucumber
Conceptually, this course remains largely unchanged from my previous visit, but I thought the execution was a bit more on point this time. The key here was the use of pickling brine as a sauce for the fish, the added acidity brought out the tangy flavor of the vegetables putting them on equal footing with the oily heft of the mackerel.

 2003 Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé Silex, Loire Valley, France
Our second wine was a real eye-opener for me. Never a fan of Sauvignon Blanc, the Silex showed all the ripe honeyed tropical notes the varietal is known for, but with a chalky minerality that kept the wine fresh rather than heavy or cloying.

 uni & abalone - buckwheat, farm fresh egg
Our second course was a seafood-infused riff on the classic eggs and truffle. The creamy scrambled eggs form a gentle savory base for the luxurious seafood while the mixture of cooked and puffed buckwheat gives the dish some body and textural variation.

 santa barbara spot prawn - white asparagus, caviar, jurancon
This was a more composed spot prawn dish than I'm used to seeing from Cimarusti. The prawn itself exudes a pristine sweetness augmented by the intense salinity of the caviar. The tender asparagus shoots have offer a lateral vegetal sweetness while the jurancon sauce is simultaneously sweet, buttery, and tart.

 alaskan king crab - risotino all'onda, preserved black bean, black pepper, orange zest
The risotto was probably the weakest course of the night for me. I was expecting a delicate course highlighted by the king crab but any shellfish flavor was overwhelmed by the earthy ponderousness of the black bean. The citrus does provide some relief but I found the combination with the black bean a bit jarring.

 wild king salmon - salsify, black truffle, baby leek
The meal got right back on track after that little hiccup with the risotto. The salmon belly came out the perfect temperature with a deep red center. Unsurprisingly the fish was tender and brimming with oily goodness. The accompanying sides were a multifaceted blend of sweet salsify, tender creamy leeks and sharp tangy shimeji mushrooms all wrapped up with the subtle earthy musk of black truffle.

 1996 Louis Jadot, Bonnes Mares, Burgundy, France
Our final wine of the night was a delicious 1996 Bonnes Mares from Jadot. The wine has plenty of both bright cherry and molasses and cola-like sweetness on the nose. Hints of underbrush and earth keeps things balanced making for a complex vibrant and thoroughly enjoyable wine.

 wild french turbot - california morels, almond, miners lettuce
Moving onto the heaviest dishes of the night we started off with a wonderfully cooked Turbot. The meat showed off the characteristic density I was expecting along with a bit of extra fatty relish. The clean salinity of the fish works well as a baseline for the fresh herbaceousness of the succulent greens as well as the deep forested flavor of the morels. A very straightforward but beautifully executed and immensely enjoyable dish.

 miyazaki wagyu - roasted baby carrot, shallot confit, shiitake mushroom
No dinner at Providence would be complete without some Japanese Wagyu. The meat has noticeable but not overwhelming marbling which made for a very balanced flavor profile between charred meaty goodness and pure fatty decadence. The sides were an interesting mix and while I quite enjoyed fragrant shallots and the woody kick of the shitake, the carrot was a touch too sweet for my liking

 artisanal cheeses
We were a bit lazy about getting down all the cheeses but the quartet was fairly safe across the board, my favorite ended up being the truffle cheese which I believe our server called Sottocenere.

 blood orange - yogurt bavarois, guava jelly rhubarb, hibiscus
Moving onto desserts we started with a fun palate cleanser of fruit and yogurt. The flavors are an intense gamut ranging from tart to sweet all held together by the malolactic tang of the yogurt.

 japanese cheesecake - huckleberry, black sesame/soy-milk ice cream
Our second dessert was a cheesecake done with an Asian riff. The black sesame gives the dessert a flavor reminiscent of tong yuan while lemon curd brings a sharp countervailing acidity.

 dulcey cremeaux - spiced genoise, sunchoke, cocoa nib
Our second main dessert was a cremeaux made from Valrhona Dulcey chocolate. The blond chocolate is definitely on the lighter side with more caramel and buttery notes than the typical chocolate. The spiced cake added a nice weighty warmth to the treat while the sunchoke chips brought just the right amount of intrigue and savor to the dish.

 chocolate marquis - dark chocolate flourless cake, white chocolate foam, chocolate chantilly
Our final composed dessert was a more traditional chocolate dessert built around a seductive base of dark chocolate cake though the flavor of milk and white chocolate each make their unique presence felt as well.

 mignardises - peppermint macaron, sunchoke caramel, lychee pate de fruit, brown butter madeline, chocolate truffles
The meal ended with a beautiful presentation of candies and small pastries. While all the mignardises were quite tasty, the caramel was the most interesting of the candies thanks to the savory twist of sunchoke.

 fire and spice - cocoa nib infused tequila ocho plata, ancho reyes ancho chile liqueur, l.b.v. port, mexican vanilla, orange oils
I decided to end the meal with a cup of cappuccino but one of my companions needed something a bit stronger. The fire and spice does show hints of its namesake heat but there is also a strong citrus undertone and hint of sweetness making this a well suited as an after dinner tipple.

 I didn't think Cimarusti could outdo last year's meal at Providence, but so far each successive trip to Providence has been stronger than the one before. Perhaps like the Biblical Sampson, Cimarusti draws strength from his hair though in this case its the magnificent beard hes been growing for the past year.

Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-20617444887228778952014-03-08T18:30:00.002-08:002014-03-09T08:17:46.316-07:00The French Laundry - 02/24/20146640 Washington Street
Yountville, CA 94599
(707) 944-2380

After my previous meal at The French Laundry didn't quite live up to expectations, we decided to forgo the restaurant during our Bay Area trip last summer. Still when one of my friends came up with an extra seat I was hard pressed to say no, besides it was a chance to see what the new Chef de Cuisine David Breeden could do. Breeden, who replaced Tim Hollingsworth back in November of 2012, has spent the better part of his career working for Keller at either The French Laundry (2005-2007, 2013-Present) or Per Se (2007-2012). Born and raised in Tennessee, I was curious if Breeden would bring touches of Southern flair to Laundry's menu.

AMUSE 01: GOUGERES
Classic French cheese puffs, inside the fluffy choux pastry is a warm velvety cheese sauce; a tart and savory treat meant to whet the palate for the meal to come.

 AMUSE 02: SALMON TARTARE CORNET
Like the Gougeres, the Salmon Tartare Coronet is a fixture on the French Laundry's menu. I thought the creme fraiche was a bit heavy handed, but the mixture of salmon and the cone was smoky, zesty, and sweet.

 01: "OYSTERS AND PEARLS" - "Sabayon" of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and White Sturgeon Caviar
Moving on to the meal proper, we were treated to a classic rendition of Keller's signature "Oysters and Pearls" The dish marries two beautifully trimmed Island Creek Oysters "pearls" with a quinelle of caviar. The combination rests in a thick custard of tapioca and stock made from the oyster trimmings. The resulting dish has a multifaceted salinity with a sharp piquant tang and a hint of fresh levity from the chives.

 Supplement: WHITE TRUFFLE CUSTARD - Black Truffle Ragout and Chip with Chive
The next course was a gift from the kitchen. I was absolutely captivated by this course during my very first visit back in 2007 and am always pleased to see it on the menu, though it doesn't quite impress the way it used to. At the core of the dish is a silky egg custard laced with white truffle. The custard is then submerged in a dark gravy of veal and black truffle which giving the dish a dense meaty weight.

 02: SALAD OF HAWAIIAN HEARTS OF PEACH PALM - Poached Rhubarb, Sicilian Pistachios, Meyer Lemon and Mizuna
The salad was an excellent follow-on to the weighty truffle custard, the tender hearts of palm are brightened with touches candied citrus and tangy rhubarb coupled with the weighty oily verdance of the pistachio. I would have liked to see a bit more textural variation as the salad was on the soft side.

 03: "SELLE DE LOTTE RÔTIE, ENTIÈRE" - La Ratte Potato Purée, Wilted Arrowleaf Spinach, "Pommes Maxim's" and "Sauce Bordelaise"
The monkfish was easily the best course of the night. Composed of protein, vegetables, and starch the dish was probably the most conventional dish but the combination of flavor and texture was spot-on. The monkfish was dense but still pliant with a heady savor augmented by the slight tang and richness of the red wine sauce. The potato purée was probably laden with butter but tasted all the better for it while the Maxims had a rich chip like savor and crunch to them. Finally the spinach adds the right touch of bitter restraint to moderate the richer flavors on the plate.

 04: SWEET BUTTER-POACHED MAINE LOBSTER - English Peas, Garbanzo Beans, Garden Carrots, and Parmesan Cream
The French Laundry's lobster dishes have always been among their standouts and I was expecting this to be no different. This preparation delivers in terms of flavor, particularly with the interaction between the verdant peas, rich Parmesan cream, and the sweet crustacean; however the dish falls flat texturally. In the past, the poached lobster tails have consistently displayed the most exquisite supple texture but this time around the meat was stringy and tough.

 05: WOLFE RANCH WHITE QUAIL "SAUCISSON" - French Green Lentils, Sacramento Delta Asparagus, Preserved Green Strawberries, Watercress and "Sauce Soubise"
A traditional Saucisson is a cured dry sausage typically made with pork and blended with spices. Laundry's preparation is a fresh version that substitutes quail for pork. The resulting sausage conveys a generic meatiness and peppery zest that goes nicely with the tender asparagus shoots and the tartness of the strawberries. Certainly tasty, but I would have preferred the quail served in a less adulterated form, something that kept the characteristic flavor and texture of the bird intact.

 06a: HERB-ROASTED ELYSIAN FIELDS FARM LAMB - Garden Broccoli, Caramelized Sunchokes, Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Sunflower Seed Vinaigrette
The lamb consisted of beautifully dressed and grilled rib-eye and a small cube of something braised, rich, and delicious. While I thought both lamb pieces of lamb were impeccably prepared, the overall feel of the dish is a bit dense and monolithic.

 06b: CHARCOAL-GRILLED JAPANESE WAGYU - "Ris de Veau," Bone Marrow "Pain Perdu," Hearts of Romaine Lettuce, Garden Radishes and "Béarnaise Mousseline"
I decided to substitute the Japanese Wagyu for the lamb ($100 supplement) and it turned out to be a great choice. The meat exhibited all a fatty richness preceded by a heady sense of woodsmoke from the charcoal. The Bone Marrow French Toast sounded interesting but with a flavor like savory pound cake it was subsumed by the weightiness of the beef. The succulent romaine and fresh radish slivers provided some relief but nothing near enough to counter the weight of the beef especially with the sheer overkill of the Béarnaise sauce.

 07: ANDANTE DAIRY "PARTITA" - Hadley Orchard Medjool Dates, Toasted Cashews, Cauliflower, "Naan," Cilantro Shoots and Madras Curry
The cheese course is a sheep's milk variety from Soyung Scanlan's Andante Dairy. The cheese feels like a thick paste that melts on the tongue leaving lactic tang and grassy sweetness. The rich jammy Medjool dates play well here as do the subtle curry flavors were an enjoyable if unconventional pairing for a cheese course.

 08: BLOOD ORANGE AND GREEN TEA CAKE - Black Sesame
We started off the desserts with a relatively light treat. The bitter tang of the blood oranges was readily apparent as was the undertone of herbal flourish from the green tea.

 09: BROWN BUTTER ICE CREAM - Hazelnut Crumble
I absolutely loved this dessert cool sweet with a flavor reminiscent of a frozen butter cookie its felt a little simplistic but hard to argue with the flavor.

 10: CHOCOLATE CAKE - Chocolate Mousse, Pistachio
Our third dessert was the richest of the night, a sinfully smooth chocolate mousse and equally rich cake topped with bright green bits of pistachio. This dessert doesn't pull any punches delivering a decadent chocolate flavor with a slight twinge of green nuttiness.

 11: "COFFEE AND DOUGHNUTS" - Espresso Semifreddo and Sugar Doughnut Holes
I'm never sure whether this represents the final dessert of the first of the mignardises but regardless its a consistent crowdpleaser. In the demitasse cup is a thick espresso ice cream cool and brimming with coffee notes. The sugared doughnut holes are the perfect foil, warm and fluffy with a hint of sweetness, now if only my local doughnut shop offered coffee and donuts like this every morning.

 MIGNARDISES 01: HOUSE-MADE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
Dinner at The French Laundry always ends with a veritable onslaught of desserts. I typically make a point to try all the house made truffles but having tasted most of them before I went with my three favorites: White Chocolate Yuzu, Passion Fruit, and Salted Caramel.

 MIGNARDISES 02: MACARONS
These were textbook Macrons, featuring a delicate crumbly meringue shell and a rich creamy filling. Sadly in the rush of desserts I forgot to record the flavors.

 MIGNARDISES 03: CHOCOLATE COVERED MACADAMIA NUTS
The final treat of the night was a bowl of chocolate and caramel covered macadamia nuts. These aren't your typical store bought confections. The sensation of biting the thin brittle shell is an absolute joy as is the subsequent flavor, a multifaceted blend of sweet and nutty with a hint of toasty savor.

 Unfortunately I'd have to say this meal was relatively on par with the last one. Again the technique and flavors were largely there but the meal felt overly heavy this time around with less bitter or tart elements for balance. Perhaps I'm just out of tune with what the chefs at Laundry are trying to accomplish or after five visits I've become a bit jaded. Despite my recent experiences, I would still suggest those who haven't been make a trip and decide for themselves.

 Epicuryanhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-84804832857961220382014-02-21T16:13:00.001-08:002014-02-21T16:17:11.914-08:00Maude - 02/20/2014212 S Beverly Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 859-3418

When one of my friends suggested trying Maude I was a bit skeptical; after all I considered Chef Curtis Stone more of a TV personality than a serious chef. These days it's almost a given that high-profile chefs will find themselves on TV at some point whether it's on Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef, or another of the constant slate of cooking competition and restaurant shows, but Stone has spent far more time than most. Not only has he been on both Iron Chef (competitor) and Top Chef Masters (host) hes also been on The Celebrity Apprentice and made a slew of talk show appearances. All this lead me to question whether his restaurant would actually be any good.

To his credit, Stone started cooking professionally at 18 and worked at several top restaurants in his native Australia before moving to London where he would team up with Marco Pierre White, a celebrity chef and restauranteur who was one of the youngest chefs to win 3 Michelin Stars and was also the mentor for many of England's top chefs including the infamous Gordon Ramsay. Given his pedigree and his concept of featuring a single theme ingredient throughout his menu, I was intrigued enough to set aside my doubts.

Lime Sorbet
H. Goutorbe, "Cuvee Prestige", Champagne, France N.V
The meal began with a fresh, cool and delightful palate cleanser of lime sorbet. The frozen confection was sweet and gentle while the Cara Cara segments provided a touch of juicy acidic verve.

 Oysters and Caviar
H. Goutorbe, "Cuvee Prestige", Champagne, France N.V
Our second canape consisted of a classic pairing of oyster and caviar. I loved the interplay between the creamy Shigoku and the caviar, a constant ebb and flow of melon-y sweetness and nutty saline. The champagne was especially apt with this course, medium weight and well balance the nose has hints of crisp apple and pear with a touch of wet slate and finishes with hints of brioche and nuts.

 Gougère
H. Goutorbe, "Cuvee Prestige", Champagne, France N.V
These might be the tiniest Gougères I've ever seen. Chef Stone brings his own twist on the classic cheese puff, infusing the creamy center with artichoke which gives the morsel a hint of verdant nuttiness.

 Onion Bhaji
H. Goutorbe, "Cuvee Prestige", Champagne, France N.V
Next up was a short detour to India for these some fragrant onion fritters. The popular snack came with a sauce of cilantro, mint, and lime that was adds a touch of tangy herbaceous levity to the savory Bhaji.

 Crispy Mussel
H. Goutorbe, "Cuvee Prestige", Champagne, France N.V
The last of the snacks was a single fried mussel in a base of orange aioli. Of course the saline and citrus work well together, the citrus aioli added both weight and balance in a way that was subtle yet undeiably effective; something that would become a hallmark of the whole meal.

 Garden Salad - Pearl Onion, Buttermilk, Nasturtium
George Skouras, Moscofilero, Peloponnese, Greece 2012
Having dispensed with the canapes, we moved on to the meal proper. First up was a mix of crisp leafy greens tinged with a creamy lactic tang and flourishes of grassy bitterness. The salad isn't particularly complex but it was hard to deny the appeal of its simplicity and freshness. The accompanying wine was an approachable Greek wine made from the aromatic Moschofilero grape. A bouquet of fresh flowers and ripe citrus and stonefruit leaps from the glass tempered with a chalky minerality on the palate.

 Carrot Soup - Smoked Parsnip, Orange, Serrano Ham
George Skouras, Moscofilero, Peloponnese, Greece 2012
I expected to struggle with this course but I found the thick potage of sweet carrot nicely balanced by the parsnip cream. Certainly sweet but tempered with a smoky heft and fatty relish from the Serrano chip.

 Lobster - Crimson Turnip, Radish, Brioche
Hitori Musume, Junmai Nigori, Ibaraki, Japan
Our crudo dish was a lobster tartare coupled with bitter succulent radish and turnips. The thin buttery brioche crisp is a fitting companion for the succulent sweetness of the lobster. A very well conceived dish, though I think I would have liked a coarser cut of the lobster or larger pieces for a more apparent texture.

 Terrine - Chicken, Pain Perdu, Mustard
Breton, "Clos Senechal", Borgueil, France 2010
Moving on to the heavier meat courses we started out with a terrine of pressed chicken. The dense spongy block of savory chicken is laced with fresh dill. The Pain Perdu (French Toast) and dijon mustard both add a sense of sweetness with the latter also contributing a touch of spicy relish. Moving onto red wines we started with a Cab Franc from Loire. The wine has a touch of rusticity that would play well with both bird courses along essences of cedar and subdued ripe plum.

 "Duck, Duck, Goose" - Duck Egg, Smoked Goose Fat, Swiss Chard
The "Duck, Duck, Goose" was a rather whimsically named duck ravioli. The large raviolo is stuffed full of a dense ground duck meat reminiscent of sausage, with a light gamy savor highlighted by the smoked fat. The chard and slivers of pink pickles provide plenty of bitter and tart contrast as do the bits of finger lime mixed into the cream sauce.

 Snake River Farm's Beef - Beef Cheek, Broccoli, Rosti
Emilio Moro, Ribera del Duero, Spain 2009
The final savory of the night was a take on beef and broccoli. I typically prefer my beef courses simple to fully appreciate the nuances of the meat but this was a superbly composed course with everything on the plate serving a purpose and in balance with its companions. The medium rare beef is from the rib-eye cut and shows both fat and rich meaty flavor. The cheek was a hearty braised affair, utterly tender with a much heavier feel to it. The broccoli was a nice change from the typical vegetables that come with beef courses, a light fresh contrast to the weightiness of the steak. The pad of roasted potato was tender and shot through with a satisfying bouquet of rosemary and butter. Finally drops of candied lemon gel bring a unique and uplifting sweetness to the entire dish. The Tempranillo was my favorite wine of the night, pairing bold ripe fruit with a touch of earth and forest floor, a classic steak-friendly wine.

 Abbaye de Belloc - Mostarda, Semolina Crackers
Emilio Moro, Ribera del Duero, Spain 2009
The meal comes with an optional cheese course and though our server called it a supplement, I don't believe there is any added cost for ordering it. I was hoping for a more complex composed dish but apparently the restaurant only offers one cheese at a time, for us it was a French sheep's milk first made by Benedictine monks. A relatively high fat content cheese, the Abbaye de Belloc is a firm cheese but melts on the tongue. The flavor is fairly neutral not too salty or pungent and finishes with a sweet nutty twang.

 Orange Blossom Madelines - Salted Caramel
Moving onto desserts we started off with warm Madeline cakes suffused with a nuanced bouquet of citrus and a lingering flavor reminiscent of freshly-brewed tea. The salted caramel is simultaneously rich, sweet, and lightly salty. Not wanting to waste a drop of the golden brown confection, I scooped the excess caramel into my coffee

 Lemon Curd - Dulcey Cremeux, Yuzu Sorbet, Hempseed
Badia a Coltibuono, Vin Santo, Tuscany, Italy 2006
I typically like to have one lighter fruit based dessert and followed by a heavier one featuring chocolate/caramel, but this managed to combine both into a single cohesive whole. On one hand you have tart lemon curd and fragrant yuzu sorbet and on the other is a velvety Valrhona white chocolate cremeux providing some weight.

 Mignardises - Blood Orange Marshmallow | Limoncello Macaron | Buddha's Hand Pâte de Fruit | Chocolate-Kumquat Thumbprint | Satsuma Chocolate truffle
In keeping with the theme ingredient all of the final sweets had some form of citrus. My favorite was the lemon pâte de fruit thanks to the resonant lemon zest. I also quite enjoyed the macaron, chewy and sweet with a touch of alcoholic citrus heat.

 Early reports about Maude have all been very positive so I came with fairly high expectations and Chef Stone easily surpassed them. I enjoyed the Stone's idea of highlighting a key ingredient and from start to finish citrus was woven into every course we tasted. As much as I love bold citrus flavors, I really appreciated the way Chef stone demonstrated the fruits' subdued side, deftly adding relief and contrast without the bracing in-your-face acidity. At $75 for 9 courses, the meal is quite reasonable, and I could see myself coming back regularly as the key ingredient changes each month.

Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-81716488881724418662014-02-16T20:28:00.000-08:002014-02-16T20:29:12.684-08:00Barbershop Ristorante Italiano - 02/15/20141555 Vine Street
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(424) 272-5849

I first encountered Chef Walter el Negar at a surprisingly successful dinner at Il Grano where the young chef brought a sense of modernism to the venerable Italian standby. I then had the good fortune to check out the first incarnation of his Barbershop Ristorante Italiano popup which I hoped would lead to an eventual permanent home. Turns out Walter wanted a few more trial runs under his belt and I was eager to see how much things had changed in the year since we last crossed paths.

 2005 Champagne Millésimé Brut, Louise Brison, Champagne, France
Our first drink was a 2005 vintage champagne from Louise Brison. Nicely balanced with a nose of tart apples and lemon, a crisp minerality and light touch of toast follow on the palate.

 OYSTER & FOIE
From the very start of the meal, it was evident that this was going to be a more sophisticated experience than my previous Barbershop experience. The first dish was a beach in a spoon, pairing a Shigoku Oyster encapsulated in seawater with foie gras sand and sea beans. Shigokus are my absolute favorite type of oyster but the characteristic sweetness a bit muted by the seawater. The beans add a light crunchy contrast while the foie sand takes on a tacky viscous richness as it interacts with the seawater.

 BURI & UNI
Sadly this dish came sans uni, which according to Walter was sold out at the farmer's market. An interesting study in contrasts the tartare of wild yellowtail came resting on a bed of fresh ricotta and topped with dashi pearls. The cheese is dense but lightly flavored with a slight grit to its otherwise creamy mouth feel. By comparison the fish is slick and oily though restrained by the cheese. The garnish of kinome and edible flowers packs a surprisingly aggressive peppery zest that compliments the fish beautifully.

 VENUS RICE & BERRIES
While rice and berries might not sound like much, the course also featured a sashimi of fresh of Hokkaido Scallop. The thick slabs of creamy scallop contrasts beautifully with the toasty crunch of the puffed rice. I was expecting the berries to add a jammy element to the dish, but the both the disc of jellied raspberry and the strawberry jam were surprisingly restrained, letting the scallop take its rightful place as the star of the dish.

 2005 Grande Cuvée TBA #7 Nouvelle Trockenbeerenauslese, Alois Kracher, Burgenland, Austria
I originally brought this for our dessert course but it was also a natural pairing for the foie course. A blend of chardonnay and Riesling, the TbA was predictably sweet with hints of warm brown sugar, spiced apple, quince jam, and dried apricot, along with a pleasing streak of acid that brings an appreciable lift to the honeyed elixir.

 FOIE GRAS & SABA
I never realize how much I missed foie gras, but this course was a welcome reminder of the decadent joy of fatty duck liver. The thick pate of liver comes coated with a thin layer of syrupy grape must. The Saba provides a predictable yet welcome element of sweetness. What really set the dish off for me was the aromatic bitterness of the herbs and flowers, the touch of astringency countering both the heft of the liver and the saccharine character of the Saba.

 Timmermans Lambicus Blanche, Brouwerij Timmermans-John Martin N.V., Itterbeek, Belgium
Given Barbershop's liberal BYO policy, we opted for beer pairings for the rest of our savories. First up was a combination sour/witbeer. I can't say I've ever had anything like this. The first impression is the lactic tang of a classic sour, but there is a yeasty sweet finish reminiscent of a witbeer.

 PRAWN & OLIVE
This course centered around a beautiful prawn, the sweet translucent flesh and rich briny head are sublime when taken on their own. I was afraid the olive would be overwhelming here but the flavor is nicely balanced by the cardoon and artichoke making for a multifaceted earthy affair.

 Saison Sauvin, 8 Wired Brewing Co., Aotearoa, New Zealand
Our second beer was a Saison from New Zealand. Aside from the rarity, there wasn't much about this beer that stood out. There was a touch of funk but more hop and pepper than anything else.

 INK & LEMON
While the idea of squid ink pasta might seem daunting, it usually turns out pretty good. Walter decided to eschew the typical seafood-heavy preparation and go for a lighter set of flavors with lemon rind and garlic. A single cooked oyster adds a bolt of salinity but the overall flavor of earth and garlic was oddly reminiscent of escargot.

 LOBSTER & APPLE
Next up was a perfectly cooked lobster, translucent and crisp, the tail meat exudes a sense of sweet saline. The apple ravioli was a playful counterpart to the lobster, bright and tangy the fruit brings a contrasting levity to the butter soaked crustacean.

 Sur Megge, HaandBryggeriet, Drammen, Norway
Literally translated "Sour Bitch" this Norwegian beer is a relatively approachable sour. The hazy amber brew has keen notes of sour cherry and green apple with a bone dry finish, a logical pairing for a course featuring balsamic.

 ROSE & BALSAMIC
Despite rose and balsamic being the headlining ingredients, the risotto possesses an overarching hammy savor which I suspect comes from the shaved cheese. The plump Acquerello is tender and supple, easily one of the most precise risotto preparations that I've ever tasted.

 Beachwood 7, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, California, United States
I haven't been very impressed by Beachwood's tap selection but this was quite a pleasant surprise. The nose is full of tropical fruit, particularly lychee. The fruit is still noticeable on the palate but the dominant flavor was a sharp herbaceous pine sap.

 Pluma Ibérico de Bellota
An extra gift from the kitchen, the Pluma is a cut from the shoulder right next to the prized Secreto. I don't think I've ever had a piece of pork so rare, the red meat looks more like a rare beef or seared bonito than pork. The sexy supple texture of the meat is unlike any pork that I've ever tasted. I was expecting a bit more porcine richness, but it was the fresh springtime zest of the ramps that dominates on the palate.

 Ovila Belgian-Style Abbey Quad: Ale Brewed With Plums, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., California, United States
Our final beer was a special quadrupel from Qvila brewed with plums. There is certainly lots of sweet dried plums and spice with a touch of alcoholic heat. The wine probably would have been a more fitting companion for desserts than a savory but what do you pair with fish and chocolate?

 COD & CHOCOLATE
Yes this isn't a typo, the dish really is cod and chocolate. The cod had one of the most amazing textures that I can remember. I could see the fish quivering like silken tofu as our server set the plate in front of me. The fish is fairly mild but still conveys an even oily richness. The chocolate-laced sauce conveys an almost imperceptible sweetness though the flavor is augmented the thin layer of coconut foam.

 GINGER & CARROTS
Ginger and carrots are among my least favorite things to eat so I didn't have high hopes for this course, but Walter far exceeded my expectations. The spice of the ginger and sweetness of the carrot are apparent but restrained thanks to the base of panna cotta.

 FROZEN & HOT
Our final dessert certainly lived up to its name, pairing a bracing sweet lime sorbet with a spicy cayenne semifreddo. The spice isn't overwhelming but the heat is apparent as a scratching tickle at the back of the throat, an interesting idea though I would have liked something a touch heavier.

 Without a doubt Walter has grown since we last met. The early courses in particular demonstrate a level of composition and complexity that far exceeds the typical crudo. Certainly he's upped his game when it comes to technique with a sophisticated multifaceted minimalism at work. While I missed some of the more explosive approachable flavors that highlighted my last visit, I do think the current Barbershop incarnation was a better overall experience.Epicuryanhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-86300755086270435942014-02-02T23:27:00.004-08:002014-02-02T23:28:38.031-08:00Fishing with Dynamite - 01/29/20141148 Manhattan Ave
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(310) 893-6299

Since it first opened in 2011, David LeFevre's MB Post has become an institution, bringing legitimacy to the Manhattan Beach food scene. Given his success, a follow-up restaurant was almost a foregone conclusion. Opened two doors down from MB Post, the seafood-centric Fishing with Dynamite makes sense given LeFevre's many years at the helm at Water Grill.

 Original Gangster - boulevardier w/ white dog, aperol, vya sweet & grapefruit
The bartender, Ken, referred to this as a riff on a Negroni. While I've been learning to appreciate the classic Italian libation, the astringency can still be a bit off-putting. This was a bit more approachable than the typical Negroni, smooth as liquid velvet with a soft grape-y sweetness and touch of woody bitterness.

 Late Night Corpse Reviver - sazerac, cocchi americano, blood orange, ginger and peppercorn syrup, lime juice, burnt orange zest
After chatting with Ken, I decided to go off-menu the rest of the evening. First up was a variant of the Corpse Reviver, a family of drinks designed to be drunk in the morning after a night of heavy indulgence. Ken's version, a medium-bodied drink tinged with a whiff of burnt orange and bitterness is built around a dark liquor hence the late-night moniker.

 Sample Platter - Mattaki, Shigoku, Kumamoto, Wellfleet, Barnstable, Cookes Cove
Live Santa Barbara Sea Urchin - grilled foccacia
The plate featured a Shigoku and Kumamoto, but I decided to skip my favorites and try some new varieties like the Mattaki, a compact wonderfully creamy oyster with a pronounced saline finish to it. The Wellfleet was a leaner oyster, on the salty side with a touch of steel and seaweed thrown in. The Cookes Cove was the most challenging of the oyster thanks to its salty attack and keen lingering bitterness. The quivering slivers of chilled uni were equally delicious on their own or on top of the rustic toasted foccacia.

 Black Miso Cod - japanese eggplant, adzuki beans, pickled ginger, thai basil
Black Cod seems to always be a good bet and LeFevre's version is no exception. The fish is buttery and flaky rife with sweetness accented by the miso sauce. The fish has a touch of char on the surface which adds an extra layer of flavor in the form of smoky charred fish oil. The base of starches were something of a mixed bag, while I liked the tender eggplant I wasn't a huge fan of the adzuki.

 Hamachi - ponzu, avocado, red radish, serrano, shiso
Another classic combination, the combination of Hamachi, ponzu and chili has become fairly ubiquitous. Nothing to complain about here, the tender oily fish is heightened by the bracing zing of the ponzu while the Serrano and radish add some astringency to counter the heft of the fish and avocado.

 Nantucket Bay Scallops - uni, yuzu kosho, grapefruit, passion fruit, thai basil
The scallops came coated in a fragrant mix of sweet and citrus fruit that was quite pleasant but a bit overwhelming for the sweet bivalves. The uni helped balance things out with a streak of brash saline while the basil added a fragrant herbaceousness to the mix.

 Mezcal Old Fashioned - mezcal, rosemary syrup, angostura and peychaud bitters, lime
When I asked for a mezcal based cocktail, Ken's face lit up. The Mezcal Old Fashioned was right up my alley, coupling multifaceted aromatics with an ever present sense of petrol and booze from the mezcal

 British Columbia Honey Mussels - housemade linguini, vermouth, grilled foccacia
I've always struggled with mussels and while I've come to enjoy heavier preparations that feature sausage, lighter preparations are still a bit of a challenge. The honey mussels certainly lived up to their name with plenty of sweet brine. The wine sauce the pasta came with was buttery rich, conveying a sense of savor and brine laced with a touch of chili. My companion likened the plump linguini and the heady broth to a gentrified chicken noodle soup.

 Maryland Blue Crab Cake - in-house dill pickles, whole grain mustard remoulade
There was plenty to enjoy about this crab cake. Pretty well pure crab meat the disc of crab meat can barely hold itself together. The base of creamy remoulade adds a light splash of bitterness and spice while the crisp tangy pickles are a wonderful foil for the crab.

 Grilled Octopus - cranberry beans, date-tomato ragu, preserved lemon, olive tapenade
The grilled octopus was surprisingly complex, soft and tender enveloped by a crisp charred layer. The octopus has a gentle flavor augmented by a sense of smoke and savor. The accompaniments are unnecessary but I loved the sweet sour interplay of the ragu and candied lemons as well as the contrasting weightiness of the beans.

 TBD - sazerac, cocchi americano, egg white, lemon, half and half, vanilla syrup
Designed to pair with the coming dessert this treat had a bit of texture to it thanks to the egg and cream. The flavor is subtly sweet with just the barest sense of rye and vinousness from the Cocchi

 Pretzel and Chocolate Bread Pudding - salted caramel sauce and house made ice cream
Ken described this dessert as orgasmic and while I wouldn't go that far I did enjoy the combination of savory pretzel and rich chocolate. The caramel offers a similar dichotomy of flavor while the marscarpone ice cream adds an uplifting sweetness to the bread pudding.

 FwD offers an interesting mix of old school fare suited to a New England seafood shack and more contemporary dishes that feature a heavy Asian influence. The food is well-executed if a bit predictable, but judging by how packed the place was, LeFevre's food resonates with the South Bay crowd.

Epicuryanhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-27956890000826807462014-01-20T21:24:00.001-08:002014-01-20T22:41:25.667-08:00Taco Maria - 12/27/20133313 Hyland Ave,
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 538-8444

Despite having lived most of my life behind the Orange Curtain, I find that the area is sorely lacking in quality restaurants. Had I judged Taco Maria by name alone I would have pegged it as a run of the mill tacqueria, fortunately one look at the menu quickly dispels that misconception. In fact, there isn't a single taco anywhere to be found on the menu, instead diners are presented with a 4-course menu with two options for each course.

Housed in The OC Mix Mart within SoCo (South Coast Collection), Taco Maria is right at home in one of Orange County's most progressive culinary locations. The restaurant is a brick and mortar offshoot of the Taco Maria truck opened Chef Carlos Salgado. An OC native descended from restauranteurs, Carlos honed his skills up north with long stints at both COI and Commis up north before returning to Orange County. While at the Michelin starred restaurants Salgado made the transition to pastry, which makes the switch back to savory something of a surprise.

Amuse: SUNCHOKE CHIPS - chorizo aioli
The meal began with a plate of sunchoke chips, think potato chips with a mixture of sweetness and bitterness to compliment the savor. The aioli was maddeningly addictive, with a hint of meaty savor that just barely registers, I found myself eating chip after chip in search of that elusive flavor.

 1a: BETABELES - beet, avocado, fromage blanc, pistachio, pea tendrils
2012 Caballero de Castilla Verdejo Castilla La Mancha Spain
I've never been fond of salad, that goes doubly for a beet salad but this was one of the strongest courses of the night. Instead of being all about the beets, everything on the plate had a purpose and a place. The resulting salad celebrates the sturdy texture and sweetness of the beets but working in concert with the gentle gamy flavor of the fromage and the vegetal levity of the pea tendrils.

 1b: AGUACHILE - local rockfish crudo, serrano, guava, Ensenada olive oil
2007 Peregrine Riesling Central Otago New Zealand
The second of our initial courses is Mexico's answer to Ceviche. The key difference is that in aguachile, the fish is cured only briefly in chili-lime marinade which necessitates the use of fresher seafood. This dish bursts with different flavors most obvious are the tart astringency of the marinade and jammy sweetness of the guava; though the jarring contrast could get a bit disconcerting at times. The olive oil adds a light fruity flourish while the Serranos provide a fiery heat that gives the dish its name.

 2a: 'CAESAR' - pacific sardine, celtuce, egg yolk, parmigiano, sourdough
2012 Ca d'Maria Langhe Arneis Langhe Italy
Most people probably wouldn't consider the Caesar Salad as Mexican food, but the salad's creation is generally attributed to Caesar Cardini an Italian restauranteur who invented the salad in 1924 while working in Tijuana. The sardine has a oily relish twang reminiscent of Mackerel nigiri while the creamy egg yolk ties the whole dish together. Salgado's deconstructed Caesar salad captures the essence of the original but the added depth made this my favorite course of the night.

 2b: TAMAL de CALABAZA - kabocha squash, panela, pipian verde
NV Casa Vinicola Zonin Prosecco Veneto Italy
This was probably the most challenging dish of the night for me. Not much of a tamale fan to begin with, I could appreciate the precision that went into this preparation, but I struggled further with the inclusion of kabocha which gave the dish a monolithic overarching sweetness.

 3a: JARDINERO - shiitake, stinging nettles, shishito peppers, queso Oaxaca
2011 Juana del Sol Malbec Mendoza Argentina
Arroz Jardinero or Gardiner's Rice is a South American dish of rice served with assorted vegetables. Chef Salgado replaces the rice with a puree seasoned with creamy queso Oaxaca; the perfect base to show off the earthy heft of the mushrooms coupled with the peppery bright green flavor of the stinging nettles and shishito peppers.

 3b: POZOLE de MOLUSCOS - shellfish, heirloom hominy, brassicas, lime
2011 Paco & Lola Albariño Rias Baixas Spain
Pozole dates back to pre-Colombian Mexico, and is a stew of meat and hominy traditional served on special occasions. The large white hominy kernels are dense, starchy, and sweet while the accompanying broth is infused with a deep saline flavor from the shellfish as well as a bright citrus tang.

 4a: ARROZ con POLLO - Jidori chicken, toasted farro, pear, fennel
2011 Eola Hills Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Oregon
One of the final savory options is a gentrified take on chicken and rice featuring a beautifully moist chicken breast wrapped in a thin layer of crispy decadent skin. The interaction of the chicken and farro exhibits a slight caramelized character brightened with a hint of licorice and a light sweet crunch from the pear slices.

 4b: CACHETE - pork confit, cattle beans, persimmon, chrysanthemum
2012 Cachette Grenache Noir Gard France
The final course was the most elegant presentation of pork and beans that I've ever tasted. Centered around two chunks of pork cheek braised to tender perfection, the dish exudes a rich porcine flavor that permeates the starchy cattle beans. My one issue with the dish is the heavy application of orange zest which overwhelmed the cheek at times.

 Supplement: QUESADILLA - queso fresco
With the meal concluded an nowhere near satiated we resorted to ordering off of the kids menu. Ironically this was probably the only dish that most people would easily identify as Mexican. Most quesadilla's are all about the cheese, the gooey consistency and rich flavor with the tortilla being something of an afterthought. Here the fragrant aroma of corn is particularly stark against the mild creamy queso.

 Pecan Javalines (sp?)
The lack of a dessert menu which is particularly surprising considering that Chef Salgado's background in pastry. Chef Salgado promised desserts were in the works but for now we were given a pair of cookies in lieu of composed dessert courses. I didn't quite catch the name but they sure tasted like shortbread cookies.

 Chef Salgado's modern take on Latin cooking shows a level of dynamism, creativity and sophistication rarely found in Orange County. From start to finish this meal far exceeded my expectations; I only hope other OC residents realize what a gem we have in Taco Maria.

Epicuryanhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-58717928654284427742014-01-12T18:06:00.000-08:002014-01-12T18:07:00.268-08:00Sushi Ota - 11/27/20134529 Mission Bay Dr
San Diego, CA 92109
(858) 270-5670

I've long been aware of Sushi Ota and its status as the best sushi in San Diego, but despite that it was hard to find a reason to head down especially with the plethora of top spots in LA. Opened in 1990 by Chef Yukito Ota, the restaurant remains quite popular even with a week's advance notice, we struggled to get reservations at the sushi bar. In the end, we had to take a 5:30 reservation and agree to be out within 2 hours. Wanting to maximize our dining time, we arrived a few minutes early, and were surprised to see a line already forming outside the restaurant.

After making our way through the line we were shown to seats in front of Shige, the executive chef who ended up taking care of us. Chef Ota was working as well and our requests to be seated in front of him were politely refused, apparently the seats are normally reserved for VIPs and regulars.

 Hakkaisan Junmai Ginjo
We decided to stick with a consistent solid performer in Hakkaisan. There is definitely some body and viscosity on the mouth but the flavor has a light floral finesse to compliment the rice-y sweetness.

 Tako Age
The meal started with delightful fried octopus, packed with brine and savor and heightened with the streak of thick sweet tentsuyu. The accompanying sprouts and asparagus were equally integral, bright and crisp the light vegetal bitterness was an especially poignant contrast to the octopus.

 Sashimi - Kampachi, Mirugai, Toro, Uni
Our second course was a platter of pristine raw seafood. The Kampachi had a classic creamy profile with a lingering oiliness. The Mirugai was equally impressive, the dense snappy texture was immensely satisfying as was the consistent even brine. The Toro was pure luxury; smooth, lush and stupendously fatty the tender fish melts in the mouth. Arguably the best of the quartet was the San Dieo Uni. Less common than its much-beloved Santa Barbara cousin, the Ota crew actually prefer the local version and with the cool creamy consistency and perfect sweet-saline balance, I can see why.

 Zensai - Eggplant, Persimmon, King Mackerel, Lobster, Sea Snail
Another plate of five seasonal treats. The eggplant was surprisingly good soaked with a satisfying umami-laced dashi to compliment. I've never liked persimmon, but I really liked the way the fruit's ripe sweetness was neatly constrained by the fried mochi batter. The baked mackerel was the strongest of the bunch, unabashedly oily and salty with a satisfying savory heft. The lobster had a fantastic smoky sweet char but was a bit overcooked and dry texturally. Lastly the sea snail conveyed a dark dense savor coupled with a bitter earthiness from the snail guts and the accompanying broth captures the interaction perfectly.

 Kakiage Tempura
The last of the composed courses was also unfortunately the weakest. The tempura was a mix of shrimp onion and vegetable and while the shrimp kept a firm snappy texture, the overall feel was a little heavy and oily.

 Hirame - Halibut
The sushi started out with a fine example of hirame. The fish was snappy and mild, deftly showing the interaction between the tangy ponzu and scallion's zing.

 Kinmedai - Golden Eye Snapper
A consistent favorite of mine, Ota's Kinmedai has all the creamy richness the fish is known for augmented with a faintly bitter char.

 Toro - Fatty Tuna
The toro was a continuation of the sublime fish from the sashimi courses. The whitish-pink fish has a faint oily sheen that hints at the fish's stupendous richness.

 Kohada - Gizzard Shad
The kohada showed off its characteristic firmness with a moderated fishiness that left a lingering steely tang on the palate.

 Uni - Sea Urchin
Yet more of that sublime San Diego uni. The burnt orange roe has a light creamy mouth feel and comes bursting with fresh ocean flavor matched with a lovely sweetness.

 Ikura - Salmon Roe
As commonly occurs, the uni is followed with Ikura. The salmon roe is a touch dense with a slightly tacky feel, but the flavor is deeply savory like a chilled dashi.

 Anago - Sea Eel
One of the weaker pieces of the night, the paper-thin Anago had a faint whiff of fishiness with a sour bitter twang on the finish that I didn't care for.

 Umeshiso Yamaimo Hosomaki - Plum, Shiso, Mountain Potato Roll
Negitoro Hosomaki - Chopped Fatty Tuna & Scallion Roll
The rolls were a sure sign the meal was coming to a close particularly because both of these rolls are often served to aid digestion at the end of the meal. First up was a bracing sweet and sour mixture of plum and shiso with crunchy mucilaginous mountain potato. The second roll brought back that fantastically rich toro mixed coupled with bright freshness from the scallion.

 Kuroge Wagyu Sashimi
Still feeling a bit peckish, we decided to order the Japanese beef sashimi. With loads of beefy flavor, the sashimi was certainly tasty, but despite the obvious marbling the meat was surprisingly tough and lean.

 Sanma - Pike Mackerel
The Sanma came with a touch of vinegar which amplifies the Mackerel's inherent oiliness. The sliver of translucent kelp brings a much-appreciated sweet contrast.

 Kibinago - Silver-stripe Round Herring
Despite a shimmery silver skin the Kibinago had a markedly restrained flavor particularly once the bite of the ginger was factored in.

 Yagara - Flute fish
Another new fish for me. The Yagara has minimal inherent flavor along with a pleasing snappy texture

 Tamago - Egg
A classic tamago, the cool sweet eggy funk didn't do much for me, but it wouldn't be sushi without tamago to close. The egg course came branded with OTA though I think mine looked more like USA.

 Asari no Misoshiru
Following the sushi came a piping hot bowl of miso soup enlivened with the flavor of Manilla clams.

 Black Sesame Ice Cream
A pretty typical black sesame ice cream, the consistency was overly hard but the sweet flavor was a nice finish to the meal.

 I can see how Ota earned its reputation as San Diego's top sushi spot. Though the restaurant offers California Rolls and other Americanized drek, the restaurant also features a quality omakase. Not only is the nigiri very good all around, but the initial kaiseki dishes are creative and tasty. My only complaint had to do with pacing particularly the lengthy delays between the early courses. Even with 5 or 6 chefs working behind the bar, they could barely keep up with the flood of orders. Despite the uneven service, I wouldn't hesitate to come back if I ever found myself in San Diego again (assuming I can even get a res).

Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-28677063620943808582014-01-07T22:31:00.002-08:002014-01-07T22:31:55.216-08:00Republique - 12/03/2013624 S La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(310) 362-6115

I've been a fan of Manzke since we first crossed paths at Bastide back in 2008. After leaving Bastide I expected Manzke to strike out on his own but he wound up at Church & State instead. Following his departure from Church & State in March 2010, an early appearance during the first incarnation of Test Kitchen lent gave the impression that a new offering from Manzke was imminent.

Turns out Manzke likes to do things at his own pace and since that meal in August 2008 Manzke has worked the occasional pop-up taken turns at the helm of Milo & Olive and Petty Cash and even opened a couple of restaurants in the Philippines for good measure.

 California Carrot - mezcal, beet jam
Harvard (with Honors) - cognac, punt e mes, chartreuse, bitters
Smash - basil-infused rye, meyer lemon
Republique's cocktail program is run by Erik Lund, a protege of Julian Cox, Lund spent a year as Rivera's Program Director before leaving to captain the bar at MessHall. The cocktail list features a mix of elevated classics and unique creations. The California Carrot definitely falls into the latter category, an expressive mix of sweet vegetal funk and petrol-y mezcal. The Harvard was a stately classic cocktail, boozy with a herb-y medicinal character. The Smash was an easy-drinking refreshing libation tart and crisp with a whiff of fragrant basil.

 Iced Oysters - Shigoku (washington), Blackberry Point (prince edward island)
Naturally the Shigoku was a must order, the deep cupped bivalve was a creamy gem of melon-y saline. This was my first experience with Blackberry Point oysters, big succulent and creamy, there was a trace of bitterness to start but the oyster finished with a clean pronounced salinity.

 Hamachi Crudo - citrus, celery, jalapeño, crispy wild rice
A fairly conventional crudo presentation, the fattiness of the fish is countered by a balanced attack of citrus, spice, and even a touch of bitter succulent levity from the celery.

 Gulf White Prawns - green cabbage, persimmon, pistachio, chili, lime
The salad was absolutely delightful multifaceted mix of vegetables, citrus, and spice; the vibrant Southeast Asian flavors were underscored by a touch of sweet coconut; a complex blend of flavors and textures that harmonize perfectly. I thought the prawns might have been a bit dull by comparison, but they were actually quite expressive with a pleasing rare snap and pronounced saline relish. Manzke previewed a similar course during his second stint at Test Kitchen but with hamachi instead of prawns.

 Grass-Fed Beef Tartare - tarragon aioli, pickled red onion, potato chips
Manzke's tartare deftly shows his penchant for re-imagining classic bistro fare. The tang of the pickled onion and the richness of the aioli feel at once familiar yet simultaneously novel thanks to the tarragon's herby anise smack and the light grassy twang from the beef itself. The tartar was equally delicious on its own or scooped onto the salty potato chips.

 Escargots en Croûte - garlic, parsley
Beneath the buttery pastry crust lurked a classic escargot preparation; a toothsome mollusk soaked in a bed of warm melted butter enlivened with aromatic herbs and garlic.

 Warm Baguette - on request
With so many intriguing dishes, we had planned to forgo the bread course but we needed something to sop up the remnants of the escargot.

 Daiquiri Martinique - rhum agricole, lime
Collins du Jour - dry vermouth, grapefruit, tonic
Fair Hills Farms Fuji Apple - whiskey, apple brandy, vermont maple
Moving onto our second round of cocktails we decided to try some of the more classic cocktails. Though today the name Daiquiri conjures to mind something frozen, too vivid, and too sweet; the original recipe is a minimalist mix of lime and rum that was straightforward yet satisfying. The Collins was a light effervescent tipple reminiscent of a simple adult grapefruit soda. The Fuji Apple was the most interesting of the three cocktails a sweet libation with a note of wintry spice.

 Eggs on Toast - santa barbara uni, soft-scrambled eggs
This is the third iteration of Manzke's uni toast and for me a step back from his previous Test Kitchen versions. I found the scrambled eggs a bit discordant though I did enjoy the fresh levity of the chives with the uni.

 Parmesan Beignets - sweet potato, vadouvan, erik's maple syrup
This course is a case of if it ain't broke don't fix it. The previous version of this course had a laser focus on the deep cheesy flavor and airy fried savor and didn't confuse the issue with vadouvan and sweet potato.

 Chanterelle Mushroom - spring brook farm raclette, wild arugula
Manzke's tarte flambées quickly became one of his signatures at Church and State and with good reason. The paper-thin crust is airy and crisp. I quite enjoyed the interplay between the nutty arugula and the earthy chanterelles though the caramelized onions a bit too intense for my liking.

 Negroni Blanc - gin, americano, vermouth blanc
Never a huge fan of Negronis, we ordered this for sake of completeness and it didn't hurt that Lund said this was his favorite cocktail on the menu. I well balanced and nuanced like drinking smooth liquid velvet with a touch of dirty earth.

 Pig Ear Salad - crispy pork rinds, raw root vegetables, chili vinaigrette
After a couple of mixed courses the meal got back on track with the pig ear salad. The ears and pork rinds pack an immense amount of porcine savor between them, but the crisp vegetables and tang of the vinaigrette kept the dish feeling light as a feather. The sliced red peppers had a fair amount of heat to them for good measure.

 Emrich-Schönleber, Riesling Halenberg Großes Gewächs, 2008, Nahe, Germany
Though I tend to prefer dry reds, I still have a soft spot for my gateway wine, Riesling. The expressive nose showed off a lovely minerality mixed with citrus and pineapple and a touch of herbaceousness to boot. On the palate the wine is bone dry with a taut acidity and touch of effervescence.

 Wood Oven Brussels Sprouts - frisée, lardons, soft egg
I'm not a fan of brussels sprouts but the lardons and poached egg won me over. The salad had all the qualities of a classic Salad Lyonnaise, but with a steady bitter undertone.

 Spaghetti Rustichella - manila clams, razor clams, garlic, chili flake
Just a spot on shellfish-based pasta, the noodles are supple and toothsome suffused with a resonant shellfish brine while the subtle touch of herbs and spice lend the dish an extra dimension.

 Risotto Nero - atlantic calamari, mediterranean octopus
The risotto was every bit as good as the spaghetti, spot-on texturally with a pronounced citrus twang keeps things light and lively, a deft contrast to the hearty meaty octopus and the supple enigmatic squid.

 Cook Ranch Pig's Head - lentils, bacon, frisée, farm egg
Pork, frisée and eggs round 2? Yes, please! This course was even more imbued with porcine goodness than the brussels sprouts. Each sliver of jellied pig's head were a bit intense on their own, the flavors were moderated by the roughage coupled with the starchy heft of the lentils.

 Sage Panna Cotta - butternut squash, pumpkin seeds
Pôt de Crème - caramel
Passion Fruit Tart - mascarpone sabayon
Bomboloni - hazelnut ice cream, chocolate sauce
We were given a dessert sampler of sorts to end the meal. The panna-cotta was the lightest of the dessert, nuanced sweetness is met with urgent fragrance from the sage. Being a sucker for pot de creme and caramel, that was easily the most approachable of the desserts for me; creamy salty-sweet, I wish I had one all for myself. The passion fruit tart was equally as impressive bracing fruit is matched with a buttery crust augmented by a dollop of creamy mascarpone. The Bomboloni were a nice twist to the classic Italian pastry; filled with a hazelnut ice cream then drenched in chocolate sauce it was like combining a donut with an ice cream sandwich.

 Republique was was a meal over five years in the making and it was worth the wait. Manzke's signature style can be seen in every course and the resulting elevated take on bistro fare is approachable yet elegant, familiar yet thought-provoking. The restaurant was packed during my visit and I don't expect things to change any time soon.

Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-9095754024585982912014-01-02T23:23:00.001-08:002014-01-02T23:24:28.901-08:00Alma - 12/28/2013952 S Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 444-1422

I can't believe its taken me this long to finally try Alma. I was finally inspired by the restaurant's decision to 86 the a la carte menu and replace it with a tantalizing "longer tasting menu" to go along with its existing 5-course menu.

The brainchild of 26-year old wunderkind Ari Taymor, Alma began life as a pop-up in February 2012 moving from Venice to Silver Lake before finally settling in a former Kabob joint Downtown. Arguably the hottest restaurant in the city right now, Alma has gained a cult-like following from LA's food Cognoscenti and was even lauded as "The Best New Restaurant in America" by Bon Appetit.

As the story goes, the Palo Alto native dedicated his life to the cooking gods after a leg of lamb at Chez Panisse in 2007 and since then he's begged his way into kitchens throughout the Bay Area with notable stints at Flour + Water and Bar Tartine. In between his stateside jobs, Taymor spent some time at La Chassagnette a restaurant in Arles, France that had its own garden. This more than any other experience seems to have left its mark on the young chef, as evidenced not only in his style of cooking but also his decision to partner with a small farm in Venice run by Meadowwood alum Courtney Guerra to provide produce exclusively to Taymor's restaurant.

Situated on a run down gum speckled street next to a hostess bar, Alma isn't exactly in the nicest of neighborhoods, but whats the risk of being shanked next to a good meal?

 snacks 01: smoked sturgeon - with caviar & parsnip
The first of the snacks was a wood soaked sturgeon, the dense fleshy fish is topped with a dollop of dark nutty caviar, a potent combination that is deftly contrasted by the bittersweet vegetal temper of the parsnip.

 snacks 02: english muffin - with uni, caviar & burrata
This was my favorite of the three initial snacks. Reminiscent of a classic caviar presentation, the blini-sized muffin has the classically buttery flavor coupled with a mild creaminess from the burrata. The creamy sweet duet highlights the briny smack from the uni and caviar topping.

 snacks 03: seaweed tofu fritters - with yuzu kocho & lime
One of chef Traynor's signature snacks, the beignets were blunter than I was expecting with a thick doughy interior more akin to bread than tofu. I would have liked a bit more emphasis from the yuzu kocho.

 ember roasted chicken consommé - trout roe & shallot
Chardonnay, Domaine de Roally, Viré-Clessé, Burgundy, '11
Though the course is called a consommé, the "soup" is actually made from crumbled chicken skin. The crisp crumbles capture the soup's purity of flavor augmented with a charred fatty gusto. A dashi marinated trout roe brings a light brine kissed sweetness to temper the unabashed sapidity of the roasted chicken skin. The accompanying white Burgundy is brimming with vivid floral and ripe fruit notes, perhaps a bit round and one-dimensional but still quite enjoyable.

 broken beets & apple - with hazelnut & malt
Zweigelt, Radoar, Loach, Alto Adige, Italy, '11
Beets and apple sounded like a recipe for disaster but the apples have a streak of racy acidity that helped keep the beets in check. A brown butter sauce added a slight caramelized heft that complimented the hazelnuts beautifully. The Zweigelt has a soft melon-y aroma but takes on a savory dimension once paired with the dish

 warm salad of chicory crab & grapefruit - with smoky breadcrumbs
Sauvignon Blanc, Gerard Boulay, á Chavigonol, Sancerre, '12
Even before tucking into the course I was struck by the profound aroma of an cool ocean breeze. Indeed the salad is alive with the sweet brine of crab and the sharp bitterness of the fresh chicory greens. A rich aioli and breadcrumbs lend the course a countervailing richness and weight.

 frozen duck liver - with smoked maple, carrot & coffee granola
Malvazija, Cotar, Slovenia, '07
This was another of the evening's standout courses. The duck liver is frozen in liquid nitrogen and broken into large crumbles that reminded me of a savory dippin' dots. The flavor is initially sweet and creamy but a growing offal-y richness quickly makes its presence felt. The sugary granola adds depth and complexity to the flavor profile and despite being on the sweet side, the course doesn't feel particularly heavy. The accompanying wine was equally as memorable, a Slovenian orange wine, the Cotar has an oxidative feel along with dried stone fruit and a slick saline mineraltiy.

 beer rye bread - with cultured butter
A little late for a bread course but with one this good who am I to complain. The dense beer bread has a hearty malty sweetness that pairs nicely with the decadent dollop of butterfat-rich cultured butter

 slow cooked egg yolk - with sunchoke, date & amaranth
White Blend Nr. 1, La Clarine Farm, CA '12
This course lacked the finesse shown by most of the earlier courses. The sunchoke puree is sweet with a quirky smoky-sour twang on the finish. While the soup was enjoyable, I would have liked the egg to be more apparent rather than have it subsumed by the sunchoke. Similarly the date and amaranth were little more than quick flashes against the potent sunchoke.

 roasted sturgeon - with potato, pine & cabbage
Altesse/Jacquère, Jean-Yves Péron, Côtillon des dames, Savoie, '11
Round two of the surgeon was a much heartier affair than the initial snack course no surprise since cooked sturgeon tends to eat more like a cut of meat than fish. The sturgeon came with a translucent pink center and pleasing saline flavor that goes nicely with the starchy heft of the potato. The woody zing of the pine and the charred verdant cabbage bring a superb layer of brazen dissonance to the fish.

 pressed chicken - with zinfandel, pear, turnip & celery root
Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) Trocken Kabinett, Koehler-Ruprecht, Germany, '06
The final savory was an unholy amalgam of white and dark meat that has been sous vided then seared and conveyed a clear hauntingly pure note of roast chicken. Seasoning on the course was a touch off; the pressed chicken could have used a bit more salt while the small slice of sausage had almost too much flavor, bursting with a heady fatty salinity. The fresh greens and bitter turnips provide a bitter, succulent counterpoint while the earthy musk of the shaved truffle harmonizes beautifully with the bird. The accompanying wine was a delicate Burgundian-style Pinot with bright sour cherry mixed with mint and earth.

 Tomme - with truffle & honey
Though the menu doesn't include a cheese course the kitchen sent this out as a gift. Not sure exactly what kind of milk this cheese was made from but it was fairly mild and the shavings melted quickly on the tongue. The crumbles of truffle accented the Tomme's earthy mushroom-y notes while the honey adds a note of warm flowery sweetness that plays up the grassy elements in the cheese.

 frozen carrot & chamomile milk tea
The intermezzo was a cerebral mix of carrot and chamomile, the former was just on the verge of being cloying but the herbal flavor of the chamomile kept things in check.

 toasted oat & apple - with cultured cream and thyme
Aleatico, NV Rappu, Domaine de Gioielli, Corsica
Our final dessert was built around a heavenly toasted oat ice cream, the toasty sweet flavor was surprisingly reminiscent of a black sesame ice cream with a touch of malty savor thrown in. The thyme adds a lovely aromatic component that balances the weighty sweetness of the caramel. The apple gelatin has an unexpectedly pure note of fresh apple at once sweet and tart. The accompanying wine from the northern tip of Corsica was a rich syrupy elixir of nuts and raisin.

 apple pâte de fruit - with hazelnut sugar
The hazelnut sugar is readily apparent to start with a nuanced flavor of ripened fruit that was hard to identify specifically as apple.

 Some of the reviews of Alma describe it as the forebearer of LA's next culinary revolution. While I wouldn't go that far, it is hard not to appreciate what Chef Taymor is doing. New American seems too prosaic a term to describe the food at Alma as such labels fail to capture the idiosyncrasies of Taymor's produce-driven style, the touches of modernist flair, or the Nor Cal aesthetic he brings to each dish. Indeed Alma neatly encapsulates the sum of Chef Taymor's experience and there isn't anything else in the city quite like it.Epicuryanhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-3340395257132654112013-12-30T09:43:00.000-08:002013-12-30T09:43:58.321-08:0010 Best Dishes of 20132013 has been something of a strange year with six of my top ten courses revolving around some sort of grain or starch.

Barbershop Ristorante Italiano | Amatriciana senza pasta - Pork jowl, pecorino foam, tomatoes
Terre di Balbia Balbium Rosso Calabria IGT
Nagar's penchant for modernist techniques is clearly on display in this deconstructed Amatriciana but the ingredients adhere strictly to the classic recipe with little more than pork cheek, tomatoes, and pecorino. The sous vided cheek meat is utterly stunning, one of the tenderest pieces of pork that I've ever eaten with beautifully rendered fat evenly distributed throughout and a thin layer of crisp skin on top. The porcine sapor of the jowl is richly complimented by the foam which infused the dish with the cheese's salinity while the tomato adds a focused countervailing acidity.

  Providence | there's one born every minute - cabacerra ham, octopus, manila clam
chardonnay, "golden slope" liquid farm 2011
Not so sure about the name but I absolutely loved everything else about this dish. The fatty savor of the Cabacerra ham is deftly balanced by a countervailing herbaceousness from the celery leaf. The octopus provides a nice snappy contrast to the al dente rice as well as a subtle oceany undertone.

 Allumette | Bread 01 | Grilled Housemade Foccacia - Butterball Potato - Thyme - Salt
It's been a while since I've written about bread service but I thought Thompson's composed bread presentation deserved the recognition. The grilled foccacia is and potato are both delicious on their own but the combination has a starchy heft and fragrant herby smack that left me craving more.

 n/naka | Shiizakana - Spaghettini with Shaved Black Abalone, Pickled Cod Roe, Italian Summer Truffles, Garlic, Ponzu, Daikon Radish Sprouts
Greco di Tufo, Villa Mathilde, Campania, Italy 2010
Where the last dish conveyed a sense of polish and grace, this course was all about bold lusty sensations. The pasta has a taut snappiness and comes smothered in a heady sauce of creamy pickled roe. The robust salinity of the abalone and roe are tempered nicely by the bitter sprouts while the truffle adds an overarching sense of indulgence to the dish.

 LQ Foodings @ Vertical Wine Bistro | Rice Porridge - Veal Sweetbreads, Uni Bottarga, Uni, Wood Sorrel
2010 Monasterio De Corias, Maceration Carbonica
Easily the star of the night, this ambitious dish blended the salinity of uni and bottarga with the earthy gravitas of sweetbreads all on top of a lush creamy bed of rice. Though the uni and sweetbreads didn't compliment each other particularly well, I found myself wanting a huge bowl of the stuff or better yet two bowls of porridge one topped with sweetbreads and the other with uni. Surprisingly dry and refreshing for a red wine, the De Corias reminded me of a Beaujolais, an aptly subdued compliment to the multifaceted porridge
 Yamakase | Steamed Awabi - Yuba, Truffle Butter
A special dish created just for us, this was my favorite course of the night. The abalone was slowly cooked for six days making it incomparably tender and had Yama-san simply served the awabi as nigiri it probably still would have been my favorite dish. The inclusion of rice and a heady truffle-laced seafood broth give the dish a luxurious gusto that perfectly ends the meal while the Japanese zha cai (pickled mustard) is the savory icing on this otherworldly dish.

 Atelier Crenn | Nature rejoice, chasing childhood memories - Grains & Seeds, Sturgeon, Dashi
Bock-Style Ale 2012 Divine Brewing Co. 'Teufelweizen', Sonoma
I never would have expected that my favorite course of the meal would be one where the key ingredients were grains and seeds. Made from a mixture of flax, pumpkin, sunflower and quinoa, the grains have been smoked roasted and fried giving them a complex mix of malty aromatics and a deep woody heartiness. A broth of dashi highlights the savory notes while the sturgeon cream and salmon eggs add a contrasting chill to the grains. Occasional flashes of yuzu kocho add a fruity highlight to the dish that my friend jokingly referred to as savory Grape Nuts.

 Rogue 24 | matsutake/caramelized béchamel/wild rice
the bruery/mischief/placentia/ca
This was probably my favorite dish of the night. The mushroom has a resonant woody perfume compounded with an intense sense of umami. The béchamel is mixed with caramelized Cippolinis, giving it an almost jammy sweetness akin to onion marmalade. The spinach leaves add a vital vegetal nuance while the rice adds a lovely textural structure to the dish. Up until recently this course was served with Wagyu beef but after seeing how well the mushroom works in this dish I don't think I miss the meat one bit.

 minibar | Late-Night Chicken Shawarma
2010 Movia Sauvignon Blanc Primorje, Slovenia
Inspired by the staff's favorite after service meal, this course captures all the flavors of a classic chicken Shawarma wrapped up in an easy-to-eat spring roll. In a marked improvement since my last visit, the savor of the chicken skin is immediately apparent along with a heady blend of Mediterranean spices. The accompanying greens bring a succulent levity as well as an aromatic bouquet of herbs. A yogurt dipping sauce completes the dish with a potent lactic twang that counters the heft of the chicken. The accompanying Movia exuded tropical notes on the nose but had a bracing grassy dryness on the palate laced with a touch of pineapple and orange zest along with a slate-y minerality.

 Sushi Taro | Cod Shirako - Uchiko, Yuzu
I know it sounds bad but Nobu has a way with sperm. I still think about the fugu shirako from my last visit and this was a more than worthy successor. A mixture of cod shirako and blue crab roe is stuffed into a hollowed out yuzu rind then briefly cooked over a tiny binchotan grill. The shirako exudes a creamy offaly richness akin to liver or sweetbread while the vivid orange crab roe is suffused with a sharp salinity. The warmed yuzu rind infuses an urgent citrus fragrance into the mix balanced with a trace of binchotan smoke.

Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-35370199837274032902013-12-26T19:44:00.001-08:002013-12-26T19:46:16.692-08:00VOLT - 12/08/2013228 North Market Street
Frederick, MD 21701
(301) 696-8658

My third trip out to DC, I actually found myself with a coveted day off so I planned a visit to VOLT in Frederick. Of course a huge ice storm just happens to blow into town that day and not knowing when I'd next find myself in the area I opted to brave the storm and proceeded to spend two nerve wracking hours driving from DC to Frederick. Apparently two-thirds of the diners that evening decided discretion was the better part of valor and cancelled their reservations; there were even two coveted seats at Table 21 open. The main dining room format has changed a bit, with an a la carté menu and a 6-course tasting replacing the old 4-course and 7-course options.

 BEET MACAROON - foie gras, cara cara orange
SAVOY CABBAGE - penn cove oyster, chili honey
CAULIFLOWER - za'atar yogurt, smoked golden raisin
VOLT's tasting menu begins with a trio of amuses. The foie gras stuffed beet macaroon is a welcome staple, decadent liver wrapped in an airy sugary shell. The oyster and cabbage was my favorite of the trio, the glassy vegetal chip and the saline of the meaty Penn Cove are lovely particularly with the touch of spiced honey. The final snack infuses a roasted cauliflower with a flourish of Mediterranean spice and kiss of ripe sweetness.

 CRANBERRY - daikon, radish, buttermilk, surry county ham
Nominally part of the vegetable tasting menu, the kitchen sent out a version augmented with a ham chip as a gift. The mixture of radishes is delightfully crisp and light though when coupled with the cranberry the flavor is overly harsh and astringent. Against that backdrop, the thin sliver of ham is particularly sapid and rich almost downright sexy.

 BAY SCALLOP - dashi, breakfast radish, sea succulents
This was probably my favorite course of the evening. The scallops are tiny, but dense and brimming with sweetness. The broth is a traditional dashi augmented with trimmings from the Nantucket Bay Scallops, the flavor is cool cohesive umami with a elegant citrus flourish from the olive oil. The bits of radish and succulents add the barest hint of herbaceous contrast.

 CAULIFLOWER MUSHROOM - steel cut oats, sea lettuces, beer, yeast
I've enjoyed a outsized number of excellent rice and grain courses over the course of the year and I was hoping this would rank among them. Indeed the fragrant earthy mushrooms coupled with a caramelized sweetness are superb while the bright tang and crunch of the sea lettuces provide an integral balance to the creamy heft of the dish. The one fault with the course was a slight disconcerting funk which I suspect comes from the yeast.

 ARCTIC CHAR - rye, cabbage, dill, concord grape
The char came with a mix of rye and sauerkraut; the lithe supple flesh infused with a smoky sour twang that is both rustic yet elegantly pure. I'm not sure if it was the combination of concord and dill but there was a secondary flavor of that reminded me of the smoke from a joss stick.

 BLACK COD - yellow miso, hickory smoke, belgium endive
Miso and black cod is always a great way to start a course; add to that a bit of hickory smoke and you have a fish that is delightfully flaky and full of savory sweet contrast. A bed of charred endive adds a surprisingly mellow sweetness while the light chicory salad and pickles counters the weightiness of the fish.

 FARM HEN EGG - frisee, brown butter, pine nut
No way I was going to skip out on the farm egg. Cooked to 63C, the egg was technically perfect with a supple white and golden creamy yolk. As much as I enjoy acid, the combination of celery and herbal aromatics was a bit too austere for my tastes.

 CALAMARI BOLOGNESE - apple wood bacon, squid ink, miso, parmesan
If the last course was a bit too light this course more than made up for that. The dish starts off all bacon and tomato, with an aroma akin to a sausage pizza but the squid quickly makes its presence felt as well. The mix of bacon and squid is a one-two punch of fatty relish and briny flair wrapped in a hearty sauce of bracing tomatoes and pungent daikon kim chi

 BEEF - salsify, embers, charred leeks
The final savory is a picturesque short rib; solidly dense yet tender texture to it with the abundant fatty meaty relish of short rib. The accompanying salsify puree has a weightier feel than mashed potatoes along with a lovely aroma of smoke and sweet root vegetable. Rounding out the dish are charred leeks and leafy greens a nice change from the tired vegetables that typically accompany a composed beef course

 APPLE - aged cheddar cheese, apple pie sorbet, apple turnover
Another surprise gift from the kitchen. The cooked apple and maple has a sweet autumnal warmth to it touched with a hint of savor from the cheese.

 CHOCOLATE - vanilla, peanut, marshmallow, caramel
The final dessert was built around a whimsical ball of chocolate chip cookie frozen custard with pillows of chocolate hazelnut mousse on a bed of toasted marshmallow cream. Rich sweet caramel and salted peanuts provide a spectrum of savor and sweet accompaniment to the various frozen delights.

 Turns out the meal was well worth braving the storm with the tasting menu deftly showing off Voltaggio's elevated American cuisine and service seemed particularly on point; perhaps the staff's way of showing their appreciation for the diehards willing to brave the weather.

Epicuryanhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-7912629715405541739.post-36006196057765929342013-12-23T15:29:00.000-08:002013-12-23T15:30:32.658-08:00Sushi Taro - 12/05/20131503 17th Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 462-8999

When it comes to sushi, Washington DC doesn't have the embarrassment of riches that Los Angeles has been blessed with, though the city does have a handful of good spots with Sushi Taro standing head and shoulders above the rest. To be clear, I'm speaking specifically about the restaurant's Omakase Counter where Chef/Owner Nobu Yamazaki and Chef de Cuisine Masa Kitayama create an intimate personal dining experience for up to six guests.

Coedo Shiro
Rather than dive right into the restaurant's sake list I thought I'd get warmed up with a beer. Like most Hefeweizens, the Shiro has a prevailing aroma of wheat with flavors of banana and clove.

 Goma Tofu - Caviar, Dashi
Dinner at Sushi Taro always begins with their homemade sesame tofu and this was the best version yet. Instead of the typical tofu texture, this has a bit of mochi like chew to it. The accompaniments were simple but wonderfully complimentary, dashi provides an overarching savor accented by the saline flourish of the caviar.

 Cod Shirako - Uchiko, Yuzu
I know it sounds bad but Nobu has a way with sperm. I still think about the fugu shirako from my last visit and this was a more than worthy successor. A mixture of cod shirako and blue crab roe is stuffed into a hollowed out yuzu rind then briefly cooked over a tiny binchotan grill. The shirako exudes a creamy offal-y richness akin to liver or sweetbread while the vivid orange crab roe is suffused with a sharp salinity. The warmed yuzu rind infuses an urgent citrus fragrance into the mix balanced with a trace of binchotan smoke.

 Shishamo - Willow Leaf Fish
Like much of the evening's treats this tiny fish hails from Hokkaido. Part of the smelt family, the Shishamo is particularly prized during winter. Nobu cooked the fish over charcoal imparting a touch of smoky char that complimented the fish's intrinsic salinity beautifully. With lithe delicate flakes, the Shishamo had a sublime texture especially for such a small fish.

 "Edible Charcoal" - Burdock, Mustard, Egg Yolk
Beneath the Shishamo was a bit of visual trickery from Nobu. Wrapped in layer of char was the best burdock root I've ever eaten; dense, crunchy, and sweet with a lightly spicy filling of egg yolk and mustard.

 Kasu-jiru - Oyster, Salmon, Root Vegetables
Next up was a traditional winter soup made with sake-lees. The soup has a hearty milky thickness with a sweet woodiness akin to a whiskey cask. The shellfish is certainly enjoyable, but it was pastoral heft of the root vegetables that worked best with the broth.

 Tako
Next up was a rare treat raw live octopus from Hokkaido. The ivory slivers have a slightly slimy crunch to them that required a fair amount of worrying to break down. To alleviate this, the sashimi came with a heated Himalayan salt block and a quick sear deftly softened the texture while simultaneously seasoning the octopus.

 Uni
Nobu said he doesn't normally serve uni to guests from California figuring its probably better local, but he said this was an exceptional urchin. Served simply in a bath of light brine, the roe was a quivering creamy mass of sweet saline perfection.

 Sushi Taro - Tokubetsu Junmai, Niigata prefecture
After dispensing with the Coedo, I decided to order a bottle of the house sake. Nobu found this sake during a visit to his hometown in Niigata and while it isn't the most refined sake; no fruit or vinous elements here just a viscous texture and a straightforward rice-y sweetness.

 Kabura Mushi - Amadai, Turnip, Lily Bulb, Ginko
This was one of two steamed dishes of the night. One of the lighter dishes of the night, the base was made from grated turnip that radiates with a faint daikon-like funk and neither the fish nor any of the accompaniments do much to alleviate things. There was a thick glaze of some sort but even that was fairly mild.

 Next up was one of my favorite part of the night. Just before serving the sashimi, Nobu slowly reveals box after box of pristine shellfish. As always I let Nobu pick what fishes to serve now and what he wants to serve as nigiri.

 Tako - Octopus
First up was a more classically prepared octopus from Portugal. Though boiled, the sliver was still on the rare side with a pleasing dense snap to it. Not quite as impressive as the Hokkaido version but still one of the finest preparations that I've had.

 Buri - Adult Yellowtail
Next up was a piece of beautifully marbled mature yellowtail, fatty and lush, the Buri had the prototypical flavor of yellowtail writ large.

 Seared Buri - Seared Adult Yellowtail
The seared version loses some of the subtlety and trades it for a buttery Toro-like richness.

 Shiro Sake - White Salmon
This was my first time having white salmon. Aside from the color the fish is quite similar to the more common version with perhaps a bit more fishy savor to it.

 Kurodai - Black Snapper
Black snapper tends to be one of the highlights of any sushi meal and this was no different. The paper thin sliver of pink flesh is flecked with bits of silver and despite having a firm lean snap there was a subtle hint of oiliness on the finish.

 Yagara - Flute Fish
My second experience with the rare flute fish in as many weeks. Delicate and mild with a soft even texture, the Yagara felt a bit boring.

 Ishigaki Dai - Spotted Knifejaw (Parrot Snapper)
I think this might be my first time having Ishigaki Dai. Easily one of the firmest fishes I've ever eaten, almost like chewing a piece of raw tendon.

 Kama Toro - Fatty Tuna
Nobu mentioned that just earlier in the day he'd purchased a tuna from New Jersey and as a result there was Kama-toro available. The generously marbled tuna almost looks more like a slice of Wagyu then it does fish. The biting into the delicately scored flesh releases a torrent of velvety fat and fish oil.

 Akami - Lean Tuna
This was night-and-day from the previous piece. Firm and even textured, the blood-red flesh conveys a sense of clean freshness.

 Suma
Nobu called this fish Suma, but didn't know the English translation. With flecks of silver skin and a sheen of oil coating the flesh, I was expecting a Mackerel-like intensity. While the fish had a dense oily texture the flavor was surprisingly delicate.

 Saba - Mackerel
When compared to the suma, the mackerel has a similar compact denseness but with a drier slightly dessicated feel. The Saba has a more traditional silver-skinned flavor with a cooler almost steely twang on the finish.

 Uni - Sea Urchin
Having already tasted the West Coast uni earlier, I opted to try the East Coast version during the sashimi courses. With a darker complexion and more compact size, the roe has a more viscous mouth feel than its Pacific cousin but a relatively mild flavor.

 Amaebi - Sweet Shrimp
This may well have been the largest sweet shrimp that I've ever eaten, in fact the piece pictured is only half of the shrimp. With spot prawn so readily available in California this is my first time having Amaebi from Canada, the texture is absolutely enchanting running the gamut from crunchy to creamy with a gentle saline sweetness throughout.

 Kobe Tenderloin - Truffles, Uni
The sashimi dispensed with Nobu broke out the big guns with a decadent mixture of seared Kobe tenderloin topped with truffles and uni, that I dubbed a Japanese Rossini. The tenderloin doesn't have the over-the-top fattiness normally associated with Wagyu, instead the meat is suffused with a pure note of beefy richness. The truffles and uni are both relatively restrained, the former adding an overarching earthiness while the latter brings a touch of creamy salinity.

 Soba - Karasumi
The next course consisted of handmade soba courtesy of Masa. The soba comes with a traditional sauce though Nobu advised me to use it sparingly and let the a duet of mullet roe; a mound of golden loose eggs and a deep orange preserved version provide most of the flavor. The toasty nutty flavor of the soba works beautifully in concert with the salty fresh roe but really shines with the nutty super-umami flavor of the Karasumi; very reminiscent of a spaghetti alla bottarga.

 Mehikari - Green Eye
Prior to serving the soba, Nobu showed me a pair of small silvery deep-sea fishes he called Mehikari. Served tempura style the fish is tender with a balanced intrinsic savor but it was the airy wisp of bone that really stood out. A trio of stuffed Ginko nuts brings a sweet nutty contrast to balance the Mehikari's savor

 Sujiko - Salmon Roe
Salmon Roe comes in two varieties in Japanese cuisine, unlike the more popular Ikura, Sujiko is marinated in the egg sac and takes on a reddish hue and a slightly dessicated look. Considered more of a delicacy, the Sujiko tastes like a concentrated Ikura with a thicker, slightly tacky texture to it.

 Yagara - Grilled Flute Fish, Liver
Time for Yagara round 2, this time the fish was seasoned with shoyu koji then grilled. The fish was solid but unexceptional dense and sweet with a nice smoky savor. The bit of liver was exceptional sweet and creamy it compared quite favorably to ankimo.

 Kirin-zan - Junmai Daiginjo, Niigata prefecture
I decided to order a more refined sake to close out the meal. Nobu recommended the Kirin-zan, a delicate floral sake that goes down clean with a light touch of melon-y sweetness

 Funa Zushi
Between Q and now Sushi Taro I've been getting quite the sushi history lesson in recent weeks. According to Nobu, Funa Zushi is a Japanese adaptation of the original sushi first developed in Thailand. Making Funa Zushi involves aging fish in salt for a year before placing in fermented cooked rice. The resulting product can keep for up to four years. After being removed from the rice, the fish is packed with a yellowish carp roe. The flavor was like a cross between mackerel and a really strong cheese with more than a whiff of ammonia to boot. Texturally the fish is dense and chewy, not too surprising since most of the water has long been extracted. While I appreciated the opportunity to try the Funa Zushi, I'm immensely thankful that sushi has evolved over the past millennium as this was easily the most challenging thing I've eaten all year. After eating this I asked Nobu how often he serves this, apparently I was the second guest to try it, lucky me.

 Chawan Mushi - Daikon, Scampi, Shaved Foie Gras
The second steamed course was one of the highlights of the evening and consisted of a hollowed out ring of succulent daikon stuffed with fresh scampi and topped with shaved foie gras. The scampi is cooked perfectly with a nuanced shellfish brine that pairs exquisitely with the fatty liver.

 Hamaguri - Topneck Clam
With the end of the kaiseki courses it was time to go back to Nobu's boxes of joy for some nigiri. I started with the Top Neck clam, a dense slightly chewy clam with a pronounced earthy heft and dark rich sweetness from the sauce.

 Kawahagi - Trigger Fish
Another relative rarity, Kawahagi is often served as a substitute for fugu during the summer. A mild supple fish, Nobu topped his with some ankimo to give the piece a lovely countervailing richness.

 Amadai - Tilefish
The Tilefish was one of my favorites with a dense jellied texture there was a kobujime like butteriness that I wasn't expecting.

 Mejina - Large Scale Blackfish
I've only had Mejina a handful of times, lean and mild the fish has a unique sinewy toughness.

 Kamasu - Barracuda
A must order for me, grilled barracuda is always a treat. In winter the fish becomes heavy with fat which lends itself well to searing or grilling. The resulting fish is super-tender with a sharp woody scent intermingled with charred fish oil.

 Inada - Baby Yellowtail
Having served the buri as sashimi, Nobu opted to go nigiri-style with the Inada. The baby yellowtail is much lighter in flavor but still utterly tender albeit in a different fashion than the buri.

 Ikura - Salmon Roe
Everything from the tactile feel of the orbs bursting to the gentle sweet saline marked this as a classic quintessential Ikura.

 Ebi - Madagascar Shrimp
I'm not normally a fan of Ebi, finding the boiled shrimp dull and rubbery. Luckily Nobu agrees with me and stops cooking his while its still raw in the center. The result is a lithe lively shrimp still conveying a delicate essence of sweet brine.

 Kohada - Gizzard Shad
I've seen chefs do some funny things with fishes but this was the first time I've had one braided before. As always the dry compact fish is saturated with oily goodness

 Tamago - Egg
A fairly typical tamago the sweet eggy funk paired nicely with the warm rice.

 Echigo Stout
Given how hard Nobu had worked up until now I thought it only fair to buy him a beer. He decided on the Echigo Stout, done in an American Imperial style, the beer has an aroma of chocolate and coffee with a hint of smoke. Dense and sweet to start there are some roast-y bitter notes on the finish.

 Caramel Mochi Ice - mochi mixed milk ice cream, topped w/ fresh caramel syrup
I know it's a bit simple but after 38 savories, I was craving something utterly sweet and decadent and this fit the bill perfectly.

 Anmitsu - green tea ice cream served over an assortment of mochi, red bean, and flavored jelly cubes, topped w/ dark syrup
Nobu decided to send out his favorite dessert for me to try. Much more restrained than the caramel mochi, Anmitsu is a traditional Japanese dessert of agar gelly with azuki bean paste. Nobu's version is a bit more elegant pairing the duet with a bitter and refreshing green tea ice cream.

 Nobu's cooking deftly highlights his immense talent and unbridled creativity while respecting the bounds of Japanese culinary tradition. My previous visit was one of the my top meals of 2012 and this experience was every bit as impressive. For any fans of Japanese Cuisine visiting the DC area, dinner at Sushi Taro's Omakase Counter is an absolute must.

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