Another place to call home

There we found ourselves, drinking a third glass of House Made Apple Bourbon with Chef Mark Gold at Eva Restaurant and I'm realizing that LA is great. Ok, I've said it and now it's out of my system and I love NYC again. But after several fabulous weekends in LA I can say that the West Coast has a lot going for it. And our evening shared at Eva was just another reason to love LA.

Walk into the warm restaurant and immediately you're at ease. Sample one of their delightful libations and you feel lighter. Peruse their seasonal and ever-evolving menu and you'll be awed by the self-described classic French technique with a touch of Japanese flavor presented as modern American fare. Personally, I was moved by the attention to detail; the passion Chef Mark has for curating a meal dictated by what's fresh that day, and the love that Mark and his wife Alejandra have put into Eva (the name of their restaurant and daughter).

On the evening we found ourselves at Eva the fresh catch of the day included a single, succulent prawn, simply prepared and flavorful. The Salmon and Hamachi were equally beautiful in their fresh simplicity. The Udon Noodles with Dungeness Crab, delicate cream brown butter and lemon was so delicious it was devoured moments after it arrived at our table. And finally the star of the show was one of the most tender bites of Wagyu Beef I've ever tasted, drizzled with a  mustard Béarnaise the beef melted like candy in our mouths. The entire meal was fantastic but what I'll take away most from our meal at Eva was the experience itself. Mark and Alejandra opened this extension of their home to our family and they had a hard time getting us to leave. After several bottles of wine, post dinner drinks and the aforementioned Apple Bourbon we closed the place down and started making requests on their iPhone playlist. We had so much fun sitting around the cozy wood bar that the time flew by and we lost ourselves a little. And when the time finally came for us to leave and pick up our cars from the valet (so LA), Chef Mark ran out the door after us to offer one last bite of incredible Salted Caramels from Littlejohn's candies. And with that final gesture of hospitality, that little extra act of kindness as we put Eva in our rearview mirrors will stay with me and remind me that when we next find ourselves in LA, they'll be a little piece of home to come back to.


Eva Restaurant
7458 Beverly Boulevard, LA 90036

The bizarre side of The Bazaar.

Few things in life make me as giddy as Spanish-style Modern Cuisine. How fun it is to eat something that has been cleverly re-imagined, re-designed and re-dreamed into a version of itself that previously only existed in culinary fantasies. And now, through the wonderment of science and the artistry of  craftsman Chefs we can eat our food fantasies like mini edible masterpieces. Recently at The Bazaar at Los Angeles' SLS Hotel we sampled fanciful modern interpretations of Spanish Tapas by Chef José Andrés. Chef Andrés is a master at turning a recipe on it's side and making it extraordinary.

The atmosphere at The Bazaar is like the 1980's movie Tron crashed into an excessive bordello on Mars. And the food fits the wild setting. We began the evening with one of the famous cocktails and watched the magic begin. The delicious Caipirinha is created tableside and frozen with smoking liquid nitrous. The resulting cocktail is a cross between the perfect cachaça and lime drink with an elegant slushy from 7Eleven, garnished with flash frozen flower petals of course. The passion fruit cocktail made with orange rum, passion fruit and topped with passion fruit foam was like the best dessert I've ever tasted (but wait until I actually get to dessert!).

The dinner menu is divided into Traditional and Modern Tapas; we mainly stuck to the modern side and opted to enjoy the beautifully bizarre side of The Bazaar. Beginning our culinary adventure with an order of olives which consisted of traditional olives - speared by toothpicks and stuffed with peppers and anchovies, and modern olives - perfectly smooth olive colored spheres. Slide the sphere into your mouth and like a delicate balloon it erupts with delicious flavor and then floats down your throat. While this technique is becoming common in modern preparations it never ceases to surprise and delight me.

We followed the olive amuse with a fabulously whimsical caprese salad which also came with liquefied mozzarella balls as well as dehydrated-rehydrated tomatoes. The burst of mozzarella with the delicate tomatoes accompanied by a traditional pesto was a fantastic combination to hold in your mouth. Almost everything we ordered is worthy of its own dedicated review but in the interest of (some) brevity I'll condense. The Linguini, which is literally called "Your Life Will Change Dashi Linguini," includes light pasta strands, fresh grated Parmesan, tomatoes, basil and delicious little quail eggs. Mix all the ingredients together and savor. The other standout, which came highly recommended, was the Philly Cheesesteak. Whoa. This pop-over style airy bread is filled with liquid cheddar and topped with tender Wagyu beef. Can I say whoa again?

Dessert is less of an item that stands out and more of an experience itself. After indulging in one of the several dinning rooms you are led into an actual candy room filled with chocolates and pastries and confections, oh my. We just had to order a few for the sake of the blog. And we decided on the chocolate pop-rocks and the Floating Coconut Island with passion fruit and vanilla. Both were playful and light and the right way to end this decadent and delightfully modern evening.

The Bazaar by José Andrés
465 South La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA

La La Land Getaway

Ordinarily when I think about Los Angeles visions of Alvy Singer postulating about how the only 'cultural advantage [to LA] is that you can make a right turn on a red light' or that defensive knee jerk reaction a native New Yorker gets when someone suggest West coast living is preferable. But recently LA has meant sunshine and fabulous sushi dinners since my husband's job has brought him West for some extended trips. And I've had the good fortune to tag along.

I want to begin by reiterating that I love New York. My heart and soul live in the gritty, sophisticated, cultural Mecca where I reside approximately 320 days a year, give or take a few for vacations, weddings and other out of town functions. But when I find myself so far out of town that the zip code begins with 90--- I sometimes have to remind myself why I love New York as much as I do. With all the sunshine and fine sushi and healthy looking youthful free spirited people it's easy to understand why people are drawn West. I mean my goodness, the gym near our hotel was like a celebrity and toned, tan people convention.

But almost more of a draw for me than the weather and the smiling silicon faces is the culinary scene happening in LA. There are literally infinite unmarked, unassuming sushi spots serving some of the best fish state-side. And some incredible chef's are taking advantage of the proximity to the ocean and year-round fresh produce in addition to the healthy lifestyle and plethora of big bank accounts in the area. All of these things have created the perfect storm of a fine-dining/sushi-loving community.

Sasabune. The original "Just Trust Us" place. Also known as the "No California roll, no spicy tuna, no tempora" place. Set in a non-descript office plaza, this no frills establishments is serving anything but basic sushi. When they say just trust us, they mean it. Eat what they give you, only use sauce when instructed and sit back and enjoy for the ride. It will be worth it.

Hiko. Another very unassuming strip mall sushi-spot. The ambiance is taco stand meets mall sushi counter but the fish is incredible. The pieces were unique and deliberately selected. I'm not usually blown away by tuna but the Albacore and Toro Chef Hiko was serving were some of the most buttery, melt-in-your mouth things I've ever tasted. The Catalina Uni tasted like what I imagine ocean-flavored ice cream. The Ikura (Salmon Roe) were crisp, fresh and like little bursts of flavor.

Sushi Park. This unassuming yet "in-the-know" sushi spot is also in a strip mall serving omakase only. The fish is quite possibly some of the best I have ever tasted; each little jewel-like bite is unbelievably delicious. The buttery consistency and sweet salt-water flavor bursting forth will weaken your knees. The plates arrive quickly but you still have time to appreciate their artful splendor. It would be hard to narrow a favorite of the evening but among the stand-outs were the Toro, Orange Razor Clam, Scallop, Uni, and Unagi Eel.

Hatfield's (bonus, non-sushi). Michelin starred and named one of LA's Best New Restaurant, this husband & wife chef/pastry chef team is creating a special dining experience. The warm and open restaurant as well as the varied and flexible menu allows one to dine the way they want to. Mix and match items off of tasting menus or do the Prix-Fix. The food is elegantly rustic and made merely steps from your table in a lovely open kitchen. We loved all the appetizers, including their decadent and signature Croque Madame and the Salmon entree was perfectly cooked.



Finally, worthy of it's own post...check back soon for my musings on the fabulous cocktails and fanciful modern food at The Bazaar at SLS Hotel.

After our culinary whirlwind in LA and now that I'm back in overcast NYC...I find myself questioning my die-hard East Coast lifestyle. Maybe a little LA getaway is better than I (or Alvy Singer) originally thought.

I hate that I love ketchup.

I love ketchup. Always have. It's been said that french fries, to me, are merely a vehicle to deliver the sweet red condiment to my mouth. The proportion of ketchup to ketchup delivery vehicle often borders on obscene, but it would be unladylike to just eat it with a spoon, right? But as much as I enjoy the tomato based condiment, every fiber in my being also thinks it's disgusting. The concentrated, mass produced, high fructose corn syrup laden variety that we've all grown up with has lost a little of it's gelatinous luster to me since I learned that one of the main ingredients is "natural flavoring." Why does a product made from vegetables need natural flavoring? Something's amiss in the kitchen if the vegetables can't naturally flavor the recipe* on their own.

But, there is hope for our palettes yet. I recently sampled two types of Sir Kensington's Gourmet Scooping Ketchup and I was delighted to find this new product on the market (and available at some fantastic restaurants). Sir Kensington's Classic ketchup was hearty and full of flavor. You could actually taste the ingredients** and they were naturally sweet, marinara-like and delicious. The Spiced ketchup had a peppery kick; savory yet smooth salsa-like which complimented sweet potato or regular french fries perfectly. Both were wholesome and absolutely delicious. No aftertaste, no artificiality, nothing but naturally perfect ketchup; which makes it easy to love.

Comparing Sir Kensington's ketchup with the brand we're all used to (practically the brand which is synonymous with ketchup itself) I found the later tasted sharp, artificial, generic and saccharine. Even sitting side by side, one was oddly smooth with a high-gloss sheen and one looked real with ingredients you could see and taste. One tasted puckeringly unnatural and one tasted mouthwateringly wholesome. And after eating a meal accompanied by Sir Kensington's product I can now say that I no longer hate that I love ketchup and I can proudly say that I just love ketchup...Sir Kensington's ketchup.

*Ingredients in major ketchup brand: Tomato Concentrate from Red Ripe Tomatoes, Distilled Vinegar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Salt, Spices, Onion Powder, Natural Flavoring.

**Ingredients in Sir Kensington's classic ketchup: Vine-ripened pear tomato puree, agave nectar, honey, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, coriander, lime juice, allspice, whole onions, green onions, Dijon mustard, chipotle peppers, cilantro and Cayenne pepper.

Sir Kenstington's Gourmet Scooping Ketchup
www.sirkensingtons.com

Surprising Mexican delicacies...finally.

It makes sense that the fanciful and flavorful creations coming out of Alex Stupak's kitchen look like delicate, edible Mexican sculptures. With a pedigree as pastry chef at WD~50 and Alinea one would expect magic from Chef Stupak. And what he delivers is nothing short of surprising wonders...much needed wonders.

As a person who has never been excited by Mexican food, but having heard about the spectacular food coming out of Mexico City and Puebla, I often thought that New York was in need of some elevated Mexican cuisine. Enough of these generic taco/chip shops, these big box/over-sized margarita monoliths. There was a void in the market, and Alex Stupak saw that need and has now filled it.

Everything you order in the comfortable yet cool dinning room is brilliantly askew. Any expectations you have will be turned slightly to the slide and you'll be given some welcome surprises. Whether it's the Rooster’s Claw cocktail of Reposado tequila, mango and surprisingly spicy Habañero - woo, what a kick! The pillow like, lightly fried Gordita atop sweet and savory smoked plantains and chorizo; upon cutting into the flying saucer shaped Gordita one will be pleasantly surprised by the oozing egg yolk that perfectly merges the flavors and textures. The hearty and earthy Hen-of-the-Woods Mushrooms with Black Bean Vermicelli was savory and refreshing all at once. The sweet and perfectly cooked Maine Diver Scallops surrounded by small and savory Surryano Ham and delicate Chilaquiles (corn tortillas cut into small squares and lightly fried to a crisp).

We ended the evening with several desserts but the Arroz Con Leche; a cross between fried rice crispy treats and rice pudding covered in sweet cream cheese and lovely, light, sweet Guava was surprisingly amazing.

Finishing the evening and settling back satiated by this fine Mexican cuisine I was surprised. Surprised that it had taken until February of this year for a place like this exist in NYC. Surprised that I found a new favorite spot with Alex Stupak. And surprised that I could find Mexican food so plate-lickingly delicious.

Empellon Cocina
105 First Ave. (bet. 6th & 7th Sts.)