Bites and Bolts

Last Tuesday, Abby of Pleasure Palate invited out a slew of food bloggers to a complimentary dinner courtesy of One Sunset. My first inclination was to think of the venue as an intimate late night restaurant situated on the Sunset Strip.

Once inside the large wooden double doors, we converged in the Champagne Lounge to the right of the alcove and host station. 

Here we were served a sparkling wine concoction to kick off the evening: LUSHious Raspberry cocktails brimming with Gloria Ferrer sparkling wine, a touch of Leblon, and a ripe red raspberry sheen; seeds the results of instrumental muddling gathered at the bottom. It was a refreshingly sweet way to start off the evening, and to be sure, everyone looks more sophisticated sporting a rosy filled champagne flute.

The interior space is split into four spaces each flowing harmoniously into each other seamlessly. Our group was seated in a more secluded upper dining lounge, each spacious booth set off with cushy bench seating.

As servers poured Voss sparkling water, chef Jason Ryczek soon appeared bearing the first dish of the evening, a so-called “Breakfast on a Plate”.

This dish was essentially a miniature pancake about the size of a real silver dollar, set off artistically with a poof of bacon foam, crème fraîche, apple caviar, and the tiniest of salty bacon bits. I would’ve easily been amused with a short stack of the tiny discs piled high. Just one pancake was such a tease.

To help wash down our breakfasts, a round of One’s “The Master Cleanse” cocktails were passed around, a mix of Belvedere vodka, fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. A bemusing name for a rather unappetizing drink–after a few sips the pleasantly spicy cayenne pepper taste dominated the refreshing citrus aspects of the fresh juice.

Next up we were served Adult Candy, a blue cheese-stuffed date bacon-wrapped and skewered, dished atop a bed of arugula scattered with pine nuts  and dried cranberries. 

The bacon’s flavor was blinded by the predominant shocking sweetness of the date. Even the distinct taste of blue cheese was invisible inside the stickiness of its outer counterpart. I found the arugula to lend a much-needed balance to the dish although their effect was drowned in too much oil.

Continuing on, the Spicy Tuna Tartare made its appearance, a proper scoop of tuna chunks smothered with loathsome spiciness and a sprinkling of red tobiko and black sesame seeds. Each fish mass perched upon a piece of greasy eggplant tempura; a change from the usual sushi rice but I can’t say for the better.  

Heading into lighter fare, the Burrata and Strawberries were a sweet contrast from the salty tartare. Softly toasted cinnamon bruschetta smeared with soft cheese made a base for deliciously soft diced strawberries drizzled with balsamic and sprinkled with basil slivers and pistachio shrapnel. The green sprouts shooting out of the cheese, although fresh and visually appealing, lent a noticeably bitter note to the otherwise subtly sweet dish.

What’s a little late night drinking without some good old meat and carbs to balance things out?

The BBQ pork sliders were a welcome sight–tender pork shreds moist with sweet marinade sandwiched between a carefully sliced King’s Hawaiian style bun. Tucked into each creation was an incognito piece of rich smoked cheddar and a few crispy shallots.

The hand tossed onion rings with accompanying cream horseradish sauce were crisp and balanced alone and paired wonderfully with the sliders.

Continuing with the meat trend, we selected a skewer of what was described as Korean Chicken Satay. Marinated with tamarind and ginger, the chicken had a tangy spice, but was a bit dry with notes of char. The  side of “kimchi” coleslaw was accented with a few shiny crunchy spiced cashews.

Our last cocktail of the evening, the Tropical Sidecar, arrived. Viscous remnants of pineapple chunks and blueberry flesh floated near the surface on a bed of Hennessy touched by Cointreau. This was a very fruit forward cocktail, the high acidity of the citrus masking all but the deepest of cognac flavors.

We launched promptly into the Salade Niςoise plate. Pistachio crusted albacore lay in domino effect nearby an artistic smear of caper aioli with the actual anchovy free salad playing a supporting role in the background. There was talk of a boiled quail egg hidden amongst the foliage, but alas it was scooped up by the deft Ryan of Tangmeister.com.

If I had make a presumptive list of shareable dishes one would see at a lounge,  Turkey Meatballs would never have crossed my mind. They were moist veering towards mushy with grated parmesan, fresh basil, and a spattering of marinara atop. Crispy thin mini-toasts, presumably brushed with olive oil contrasted well with their platter-mates.

Just when I thought we really had just about “One of almost everything” from their menu, the chef whipped out the last whimsical dish: Roasted Clams on the Half Shell. Basically a tablespoon of clam chowder was spooned into the shell with little bits of diced tomatoes, chorizo, and crushed oyster crackers. These rested on a bed of baby arugula with a side of lemon wedge. We were instructed to shoot the shell back and then add the lemon juice to help cut through the richness of the broth. A distinctly different approach to eating chowder, although there was so little of it I can’t be sure quite what it tasted like.

With all the savory dishes out of the way, it was time to spend a little quality time nurturing cavities into fruition. The desserts were simple but comforting and easy to share–a sweet ending to a night of new introductions. “No Carbs” Tony C devoured the Meyer lemon Panna Cotta so quickly I had to get paparazzi on another table’s platter just to document it.

Certainly the most delicate of the three desserts I tried, the lavender oil drizzled panna cotta melted away equally as fast as the round ball of blackberry sorbet perched atop a flaky poppy seed crisp.

I was quite taken with the mini Velvet Rope Cupcakes.

Each exuberantly moist little nub was topped with a dreamy cream cheese frosting that tasted more of marshmallow fluff than the slightly stirred Philly bagel topping I’ve grown wary of. And yes, red sprinkles were in effect.

Lastly, we were treated to a Vegan Godiva Chocolate Gelato, a scoop of chocolate quite reminiscent of a frozen ganache in richness although noticeably filled with thousands of miniscule ice crystals strewn throughout. This was served up alongside a shot of Disaronno which some chose to shoot straight up while others dutifully bathed their scoops before sampling.

At night’s end, my conclusion was that One Sunset is a relaxing plush lounge that might appeal to those looking to share New American style plates and fruit-muddled cocktails. It appears there is some respite on The Strip to cozy up with a new friend or 7 and enjoy cocktails without shouting over music or bumping elbows.

Intelli Venice

May 2009

Read it up at the LA Times.

 

“Drifting? What’s that?”

It should come as no surprise to me that a good number of people still don’t know what drifting is. Although when I try to explain what it is the inevitable reaction to the unfamiliar ends up being, “Oh! Like that Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift stuff, right?”

The fact that a Hollywood movie defines drifting and the stereotypical wholly overexaggerated subculture that follows it, shows that this is one motorsport that has a long way to go in terms of maturation.

It’s been three years since I’ve spectated the FormulaD: Streets of Long Beach competition. Can’t say too much has changed at least from the spectator side of the fence. It’s still a little cozy circuit setup on borrowed track from the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach surrounded by dozens of double fences that make taking proper shots of sideways action a bit challenging.

In conjunction with the Formula D Long Beach event, Ford gave me a great chance to see the action up close, and their man, Mr. Vaughn Gittin made it all the way to the top 8 in his spankin’ new 2010 Mustang. If you’re a Mustang fan, Ford is taking submissions through their “10 Unleashed” site. Go on over, tell them your Mustang dream and it might just come true. There are only 6 slots left, so slide over and fill it out.

 

On another note, I came disappointly close to enjoying some highly rated Kogi goodies at Formula D only to be told they were privately contracted. The next time someone privately contracts Kogi at a hugely public event and doesn’t give me a pass, there will be bloodshed.

In LA, people like to be in the know. This might begin to explain the numerous e-mail lists to which I’m subscribed all covering the same rehashed content and the craze factor associated with being “First to Review” on sites like Yelp or Chowhound.

Now normally(read:never) I haven’t the rubber-band banks in my pocket to accomodate the demands of highly-publicized affluent establishments, nor the proper dining companion for that matter either. But bars, saloons, pool-side lounges, these are within my reach. As of late, I’ve been noticing more and more intriguing cocktails being poured in LA with a precise attention to detail that frankly, well, turns me on. With a goal to pursue quality liquor-based creations, I’ve begun my quest for the best cocktails in LA.

First stop: The Varnish. If you want to really feel like you know something, take your homebody friends to meet up in front of Cole’s French Dip for drinks some evening. As you casually stroll to the rear of the establishment and crack open the jet black door with a simple image of a cocktail glass on it,  you will become the white rabbit and your friends, dumbfounded as Alice, will peer inside pupils dilating to maximum aperature. Or this method could be equally useful for a blind date you want to ditch. Just tell them to meet up at The Varnish and see if they can find you.

After all the hoopla read online about The Varnish I surely expected it to be about the full width of a Santa Monica bachelor’s apartment. Surprisingly, it’s quite a bit more with solid wood booths designed to hold 4 skinny people each and a few round stray tables just big enough to rest a few drinks and elbows. There’s even an upright piano that I dreamily hope is played every now and again.

At The Varnish there are 2 options: order from your table via swankified servers or lean-to on the dimly lit bar. If you have even the slightest interest in how your beverage is prepared(or in observing buff bartender cocktail shaking), the latter is an excellent option. Even on a quiet weeknight, drinks take a few good minutes to prepare and observation of hardcore technique is usually more interesting than chewing on cracked cuticles. Standing barside has additional perks such as learning about chipped ice, in-house made mixers, and of course, off-menu suggestions for your next drink.

Ideally, I’d work downtown and visit The Varnish after workhours every other weeknight until I tried all the menu drinks and then some. Or you could bring along about 10 friends and all share rounds of cocktails on an empty stomach. That seemed to work well for me.

What I can tell you is that the cocktails here are solid. Expertly made(and tasted) before they reach your table, each one was delicious and intoxicating. The Gin & It was a simple way to start off the night: a shivery frosted martini glass brimming with gin and vermouth, a lemon peel cautiously peeking over the edge. I finished off the evening with a Little Italy, a wonderfully bittersweet drink. A single dried cherry rested in the bottom soaking up all the tawny colored bourbon, Campari, sweet vermouth, and bitters.

Honestly, two drinks pre-dinner will have you enjoying the rest of the evening perhaps a little too much.  It’s just a shame that you can’t hop aboard a Red Car after such classic cocktails. So pace yourself, go on a weeknight, and bring plenty of friends. Just remember to give me a ring if you go.

This is what happens when I’m low on groceries: I combine what’s left to create the grossest lunch ever.

From the top shelf of the fridge I sourced a whole wheat pita, Yoshinoya gari, and salsa. I heated up the pita, added some rice, and voila! A delicious wholesome snack!

Here’s a shot closer to the end(proof I actually ate this monstrosity):

So what kind of gnarly snacks/meals have you created? Feel free to post a link to your blog or just leave a plain ol’ comment.

This Thursday, Planned Parenthood LA takes over the Santa Monica Auditorium to present their 29th annual Food Fare, a culinary event that helps raise funds for women’s health care.

Food Fare 2009 offers guests a unique opportunity to sample the finest food and drink that the city has to offer. Some of the participating restaurants include: A.O.C., Ammo, Border Grill, Clementine, Lucques and Drago. Famed Los Angeles chefs Suzanne Goin of Lucques and AOC, Nancy Silverton of Osteria Mozza/ Pizzeria Mozza, and Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo (otherwise known as “The Food Dudes”) of Animal, will be at the event signing their cookbooks from 11:30 am -1:30 pm.

For more details and to purchase tickets, hop on over to the Food Fare website. The event runs from 10:30am-2pm AND 6pm-9:30pm.

Keizo’s recent post and the chilly evening weather put me in the mood for ramen. I’ve been to Kyushu quite a few times over the years mostly due to its close proximity to my valley abode. This was my first visit back in some time so I was ready to wipe the slate clean and looked forward to any improvements.

 

 

Luckily, I was able to go with a friend and sample a few different items. I ordered the specialty Kyushu ramen which is a tonkotsu based selection. While the presentation certainly was lovely, the broth was still rather bland and watered down. The chashu was pretty standard–several half inch slabs floating about and menma was firm with a solid bit of crunch to it. The fresh sprigs of spinach added a subtle texture and freshness to the bowl.

 

 

The shoyu ramen had a very delicate flavor, bordering on plainness. Again, the presentation was better than I remember with fresh toppings that were carefully placed.

 

 

Since the menu was updated sometime in late 2007, the ramen combo with gyoza is no longer available. However, there is a sole shoyu ramen and fried rice combo. Kyushu’s fried rice had been prepared with minimal oil in the past but this time it was marginally dry which may have impacted the flavor towards blandness. Just a whisper of more flavor would have been appreciated.

 

 

Lastly, we tried the saba appetizer, which can be prepared with sea salt or a miso dressing. We opted for the sea salt version. It was rather standard, not particularly soft and supple like Foo Foo Tei’s scrumptious offering. Still, it was a decent appetizer and good for Omega-3s, eh?

 

I’m interested to see if things progress with a new chef at the helm, because although a delicate change in the ramen was detectable, it wasn’t anything outrageously good. Plus, the service is just as slow and unobservant as it ever was, leaving us to fetch our bill after failed attempts to gain attention. For now, I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here.

Where will I buy my air fresheners now?

See you in Japan, Autobacs.

Picture this: Late Sunday morning, three food bloggers race to Monterey Park from their respective residences in anticipation of serious ramen grubbing. Navigating traffic, locating parking, and braving sluggish 30 year old elevators, they arrive at their glorious destination: the newly opened Daikokuya. It was closed. Doh!

Luckily, other than Sup Bookstore(sup, dude?), a little restaurant by the name of Shin-Sen-Gumi was open for business. It was unanimously agreed that we would gorge ourselves therein.

Seeing a bunch of hooligans with fistfuls of cameras, the host wisely chose to hide us from plain view at a semi-private curtained table. In the privacy of our own secluded area we took our sweet time ordering as we unleashed our inner food nerds documenting every inch of menu by DSLR and salivating profusely. 

 

 

First dish out was the tako wasabi, a delightful little splooge of octopus extremities thoroughly smothered by wasabi flavor and decorated with thin slices of green onions. The octopus was a bit too chopped and a bit too flavored to be thoroughly enjoyable.

 

 

A little green salad was ordered to help with fiber, mostly green leaf with a seriously refreshing light oil and acidic vinegar dressing.

 

 

After noshing on salad, we dug into the fleshy pink slabs of seared washu beef. Striped with fatty white lines each petite filet was delicately dipped in ponzu on its final chopstick constrained journey to the depths of our stomachs.  

 

 

More good stuff started pouring in shortly thereafter starting with pork wrapped asparagus. Highly recommended, the asparagus was crunchy and green wrapped with super juicy thinly sliced pork.

 

From one meat product to another, we dug into the slippery peach skewered sausages. Like little Japanese hot dogs, they paired perfectly with spicy brown mustard and ketchup.

 

 

The chicken breast skewers came next. The meat was fairly tender and moist, each inch long piece topped artfully with a tiny chunk of ume and julienned shiso. The chicken breast with wasabi was somewhat unremarkable in comparison.

 

 

The chicken cartilage yakitori was a slightly chewy option, lightly salted and just a tad crispy with the solid cartilage contrasting the tender meat.

 

 

Normally, I like my quail eggs raw, but I made an exception for the hard boiled trio wrapped in bacon. Nothing remarkable here, just some small eggs snuggled in thick salty bacon. Pictured behind the eggs, the chicken tail, a daily special, was like a smaller chewier version of the cartilage almost like cartilage nuggets.

 

 

Upon Keizo’s suggestion, we tried the meatballs, and then we tried some more. Partially charred chocolate outers gave way to soft moist meat inside. May I have another?

 

 

Another typical yakitori failure, the shishito defied my past experiences arriving in bright green color with an oily sheen. So this is what a properly cooked pepper tastes like! I never knew.

 

On our second round of yakitori, we agreed to try liver. I’ll eat liver, I’m just not a huge fan of the boiled rubbery bitter tasting slices that usually float about in my noodles. SSG’s liver was none of the sort! A few plump succulent pieces of very rare meat slid right off the stick and into my thereafter surprised mouth. I would have it again in a heartbeat.

 

 

I made a case for trying the hiyayakko being homemade and it was a refreshing palate cleanser with bonito flakes and green onion. Silky soft and delicious!

 

 

The pork wrapped enoki got our curiosity going, so we ordered it to find out how it was prepared. The mushrooms were cut into small bundles tucked inside a roll of juicy pork, which proved to be rather bland with an inside stringy fibrous texture.

 

 

Finishing up our mid-day meal was braised pork belly or buta no kakuni as I was so properly schooled by Keizo. This was my first time trying kakuni and it reminded me of pot roast in that it was somewhat tender(a little on the dry side) covered with an addictingly sweet sauce. I may have to try this at home, now that I found a recipe.

 

 

To be honest, I’ve been steering clear of yakitori and izakaya joints lately because too often I’m out $35-50 on a bunch of cute but mostly unsatisfying dishes. However, this lunch changed my mind. The restaurant was clean and bright and I didn’t leave smelling of charcoal! Plus, the service was prompt and on demand with convenient table buzzers. I would venture to say that I enjoyed it a great deal more than the crowded Gardena location and hope to return again to try their shabu-shabu.

One of my favorite coffeeshops(that you will never find me in, don’t let’s be creepy), Cafe Balcony, is being forced into coffeeshop purgatory starting tomorrow, Saturday, February 28th at midnight. Short story, the building was sold and their lease was not renewed. Long story and updates, here.

This prompted me to dig up some photos I took of the place shortly after noon last July. Thanks for the memories…

The good news is that this is a temporary situation, as the owner plans to open up a new location in the area as soon as possible(which realistically may take several months). The bad news is that for those of us who love the Balcony, we’ll be “homeless” for a bit.

So for the love of all things siphon, go visit tomorrow before midnight because it’s your last chance to attempt futile residential parking and cram yourself next to some stranger at the bar. *tear*