The best known secret

Since moving to California a little over 2 years ago we've been chipping away at the check off list. Napa - check, Ojai - check, Big Sur - check... the list goes on... but now we have finally checked off another big one - Palm Springs.  Check.  And based on the recommendation of several of our most 'in-the-know' friends we found ourselves at The Parker Palm Springs indulging in the Glutton and Spa packages. Who knew one of the best deals in existence was waiting to be had in Palm Springs?  For each night you stay at The Parker you are entitled to either $250 in food (Glutton) or $250 in spa each day.  These packages are not to be missed.

While the Glutton package, which entitles you to $250 food credit anywhere in the hotel (excluding alcohol), is easy to burn through with hotel prices it got us through most of a fabulous lunch at the garden-side Norma's, a decadent dinner at the funky and trendy Mister Parker's and a delicious breakfast back at Norma's (yes, please to the James Beard winning potato pancakes with cranberry apple sauce and sweet carrot payasam).  The spa package was just as decadent and allowed us access to the adult wonderland that is the spa's grotto.  Kicking back in the Turkish style indoor/outdoor grotto with pool, hot tubs, meditation rooms and sauna was exactly what we needed to start off this holiday getaway.

Wandering the extensive grounds of the hotel property was like getting lost among a transcendent garden maze.  Around every corner we found private hammocks, fire-pits and fountains.  Strolling the grounds after dinner, the evening sky was completely unobstructed and free of light-pollution.  The hotel was surprisingly kid (and dog) friendly but would be perfect for a girls weekend or couples getaway.  The food and spa packages were almost too good to be true but I'm glad this secret deal came so recommended!

The Parker Palm Springs
theparkerpalmsprings.com

Building my encyclopedia of tastes

The deeper I get into the culinary program at SF Cooking School the more I realize that I am, and always have been, curating a collection of food experiences.  Or as guest instructor, Chef Brandon Jew put it, we are creating an encyclopedia of tastes.  With each new bite I am enriching and refining my collection.  School has solidified food as art to me.  And what an artform it is!  There will never be a time when I can pack it up and say I've tasted everything that food has to offer and that makes this endeavor even more beautiful and exciting. 

Recently we were fortunate to procure a coveted seat at Lazy Bear, a San Francisco underground supper-club which takes place several nights a month at a warehouse/art studio. Forty diners are invited to sit along two communal tables and feast on a 10+ course meal created by Chef David Barzelay and his band of intrepid staff and volunteers (many of the kitchen and wait staff are stagiaire).  

When we arrived at the abandoned-looking building on a dusty industrial street a sign reading "Institute of Possibilities" greeted us.  We weren't quite sure what we were walking into, but like Beauty entering the Beast's castle, it was surprisingly warm once inside.  Once we were seated next to our new friends, the wine and conversation began flowing and mini masterpieces streamed forth from the kitchen.  As each dish arrived I was continually awed by the subtle use of unique ingredients.  The amuse bouche - an airy sabayon infused with bacon, maple syrup and cayenne.  The squab with grits, burnt cabbages, persimmon butter and chanterelles was a sweet autumnal plate.  Even the homemade brioche and butter were special.  Each dish was a highlight, each flavor a revelation and each bite was a welcome addition to my ever-growing encyclopedia of tastes.

Heating up

As week four begins I am shocked at how quickly the previous three weeks of culinary school have flown by and how much ground we've covered in such a short time.  It's been a whirlwind of soups and sauces and knife skills (oh my).  And after we begin to master one skill or recipe, we start over again with the same but slightly different one.  My mind is full of measurements and methods and variations of all the projects.  

As we move forward I am becoming extremely thankful for the luxury of being able to repeat repeat repeat.  That's one of the primary differences between a robust home cook and a full time culinary student - the luxury of repeating the same project until you get it right.  Or really the luxury to get the project wrong and then learn why or how to make it better.  I'm also having a whole new appreciation for the expression 'if you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen.'  Life in a professional kitchen is not for the faint of heart.  And while sometimes I'm screaming with fear inside my head, on the outside I keep telling myself to be brave and press onward.  I mean, what's really the worst that could happen other than scalding myself with 300° caramel or stabbing myself with my razor sharp 10 inch knife?

In all seriousness though I am finding my natural proclivity towards organization, detail and living with considered intentions are serving me well.  In fact some of my key take-aways so far are; do not put off something you can do now for later; clean as you go; be respectful of your tools; and above all organization and efficiency are your best friends.  These lessons apply beyond the kitchen...I just hope my husband can get on board with the new military precision efficiency being implemented around the house. 

Other fun thoughts I wanted to share.  Did you know butter consists of fat, water and milk solid - that's it - and if you remove the water and milk solids by heating (water evaporates) and then separating (milk solid will sink to the bottom) you are left with pure, clear, solid-fat clarified butter.  Think about that the next time you're dousing that lobster claw!  You can infuse almost any liquid (milk, water, liquor, etc) by heating it with an ingredient (vanilla, nutmeg, lemon zest, etc) then covering and allowing to steep.  Think of that the next time you have a tea party!  Making a delicious soup is easier than you think - sweat aromatics (cook sliced onion, leek or garlic in butter or oil until soft), add ingredient (any vegetable!) and stock, cook and then puree or blend until smooth and adjust seasoning.  Enjoy!

I may have eaten the best meal of my life

Yes. It's true. We have a new contender for the best meal of my life.

This past weekend I had the privilege of traveling to the mountain-nestled town of Los Gatos and into the quaint inner sanctum of Manresa restaurant. Once seated inside the sleek yet warm dining room, and after sipping a painstakingly handcrafted signature cocktail, the room faded away and we came face to face with the choice of how to eat this epic meal. There are two options; the standard tasting menu which is grand in its own right or the "Spontaneous and Seasonal" menu which is an intriguing list of ~50 ingredients.  Patrons are invited to put themselves in the hands of the peerless genius of Chef David Kinch.  And that's exactly what we did.

Working as exclusive partners with Love Apple Farms Manresa's spontaneous and seasonal menu can be truly that.  Many of the ingredients come directly from the farm not 15 minutes away.  By having this intimate and exclusive farm-restaurant partnership Manresa has the luxury to design unique and of the moment meals only minutes before you order.

We began with several amuse bouches. Among which included a fantastic lemon balm curd and almonds drizzled with a sweet strawberry gazpacho.  Then a citrus tea gelee with yogurt panna cotta, grapefruit, capers and olives - an usual combination but the sweet, citrus and salt played off one another symbiotically.  Suffice to say our bouches were thoroughly amused.

Before the main courses, fresh homemade baked breads arrived. Ordinarily the bread acts as a side dish, a supporting player, an afterthought at best.  But the bread at Manresa - butter and salted brioche, olive banquette, stone wheat and so on - we're so spectacular accompanied by soft salty-sweet butter.  Almost a course unto itself, these breads should be remembered.

On to the main events!   Dungeness crab in a delicate translucent jelly mixed with crisp peas and dandelion petals -- so sweet and fresh that we couldn't help but ooh and aah as we cleaned our plates. Three types of seasonal beans floated in locally grown and pressed olive oil punctuated by dollops of smoked avocado and tender razor clams -- unexpectedly decadent and flavorful.  Sweet black cod with alliums, morel mushrooms over a fava bean and mint puree was immaculate.  Sublimely roasted duck with yuzukosho, strawberries, beets and pistachio was so sweet and savory it almost reached perfection.  Not to mention the succulent suckling goat prepared with ramps and soft green almonds swimming in a soup of their own buttery juices.

It's also worth calling attention to the course entitled "Into the vegetable garden."  On paper this is just a plate of vegetables.  But it tastes like a summer day sitting on a farmer's porch with warm breezes streaming past your skin.  I was on that farm.  I was in that sun.  I felt that breeze as I ate these vegetables.  I'll forever wonder how Chef Kinch bottled the sun in his kitchen.

The dessert courses befit the previous savory ones and included a goat's milk ice and cajeta with dark rum and tangerine topped with hazelnut crust and tapioca pearls - picture a crystal-like shaved ice with sweet goat's cheese and caramel.  Following that we dove into a plate of fried milk with fennel, strawberry, sheep's feta and strawberry dusted cracker.  Oh boy.

The meal wound down as we sipped our 2010 Pisoni Estate Pinot Noir and melted away.  And while I realize that I tend towards hyperbole when it comes to food and wine that doesn't change that our meal at Manresa has stayed with me days later.  And despite the restaurant being knocked from Pellegrino's recent list of Top 50 (don't cry, they're #52), Manresa now holds a place on the top of my top.  My only question is, now that I've sampled one the best meals of my life...where to next?


Manresa
320 Village Lane
Los Gatos, CA 95030

The quest for Sushi in SF

Almost from the moment we landed in San Francisco we have been searching for the perfect sushi restaurant.  A restaurant to satisfy our discerningly high sushi standards.  Mind you that weeks before moving to SF we had returned from a fabulously sushi filled trip to Japan, and prior to that we had spent the last 10 years spoiled by the top quality fish of NYC.  It's not that we didn't think we could find good sushi in SF, we just weren't sure if we'd be able to find that elusive 'regular' place.  A place where you can return week after week to scratch that sushi itch and not break the bank in doing so.  After some missteps and overpriced experiments we found ourselves at Ichi, the Bernal Heights sushi haven nestled amidst Mexican restaurants and mostly residential properties.  The only problem, we weren't the only people who found themselves with Ichi as their regular sushi fix. 

We thought we were so clever this past Friday trying to beat the crowd for an early dinner at 6:45pm.  Alas, we vastly underestimating the clamor for good sushi in this neck of the woods.  I almost thought twice about posting this for fear the line would get longer...but who am I kidding?  I don't have that kind of influence.  On our recent visit a coveted seat for omakase at the gregarious sushi chef's counter would be a considerable wait, even at such an early hour, so we opted for a shorter wait and table service.  Away from the counter, service is slower, but as soon as the glistening mouthwatering pieces began arriving we forgave and forgot the extra few minutes they traveled.  The wait is totally worth it to experience Chef Tim's take on traditional sushi.  Even I, who consider myself a sushi purist and strict traditionalist bow to Ichi's modern twist. 

Tender and sweet Ocean Trout with yuzu, yuzukosho, red sea salt and shiso leaf was the first bite to wow us table-side.  Butter-like Shiro Maguro (tuna) painted with a light garlic ginger yuzu was so wonderful it brought us back to Tsukiji in our minds.  The raw slices of Wagyu beef tasted like a lightly seared burger coated with sweet yet savory apple cider vinegar.  Perfectly plump spheres of Ikura (salmon roe) marinated in a yuzu bath and floating atop warm rice and crispy nori awoke our taste buds.  Succulent scallop dusted with green tea salt was so delicate it practically melted in our mouths before we could bite.  Triple A quality Uni dusted with a yuzu mirin flavor and a petite dollop of fresh grated wasabi was a perfect last bite before we ordered each piece again for a second round. 

The fish at Ichi is so fresh and prepared with perfect complimentary marinades, it's no wonder people line up for a seat.  After finishing our meal and sitting back to enjoy the remains of our sake, I caught myself staring at the steady stream of hungry and anxious hopeful diners adding their names to the wait list...and in that moment it occurred to me...next week we should get here at 5:45pm. 



Ichi
3369 Mission Street (at Godeus Street)
San Francisco, CA 94110

The privileges of California life

Sometimes I think about how blessed my life is and I'm overwhelmed.  The ability to go and do and taste and savor is not a privilege I take lightly.  And on several recent jaunts up to Napa Valley I have felt moments of breathtaking beauty and tasted the truest of indulgences.

It was not lost on me, during one of those jaunts this past February, that while my East Coast family awoke to driveways and sidewalks in need of shoveling, I awoke with the bright California sun and popped out of bed like a kid on Christmas morning.  We were up early to drive to Yountville for the coveted daytime seating at French Laundry, Thomas Keller's wine region mecca of French fare and delicacies.  The drive up flew by, the warm sun and cool air streaming in as we sped over the Golden Gate Bridge with windows down and radio up towards our culinary adventure.
 

We pull up to French Laundry on the idyllic street in Yountville and were suddenly transported to a provincial French town.  A town where men in white aprons ride antique style bicycle with baskets full of fresh bread from Bouchon Bakery to the restaurant several times a day.  Where wine pours generously from local vintners.  Where food is sourced from the finest purveyors and prepared with a French influence -- full of butter and layered with rich flavors.  A town where taking time to savor tastes and aromas isn’t only a common practice, it’s a way of life. 

The meal begins with the only course that has been included on every menu since French Laundry opened its doors in 1994; the butter poached oyster with caviar and tapioca pearls.  I needed to pause while eating it and I need to pause while recalling it because rarely have I tasted something so buttery sweet and decadently silken.  The oyster's spherical pearl hearts are lightly bathed in a hot butter; each bite practically melts on your tongue the moment your taste buds awake from their monotonous daily slumber.  I practically could have ended the meal there.  But of course we were in for the almost 5-hour long haul.

The afternoon and the wine flowed.  A few plates later and we were sampling the brown butter-poached Maine lobster "fricassee" over a ranch bean style base accompanied by crisp radish and romaine lettuce all dusted with sweet cornbread. The tender veal with salty artichoke, olive, Swiss chard, and a tomato confection was constructed to optimize the flavor combinations; layer after layer of salt and butter and earth.  Several plates later the dessert courses were introduced with a pomegranate soda, an effervescent concoction over fleur de sel shortbread and topped with a dollop of jasmine ice cream.  Dessert continued with a chocolate and passion fruit roll and an unlimited (although we didn't test that) selection of Chef Keller's favorite truffles - my personal favorite were the hazelnut and guava.

The day ended in a wine and butter soaked haze but not before a brief tour of the pristine kitchen, we waved at our NYC friends over the closed-circuit camera to Per Se's kitchen.  And then we stumbled into the cool crisp California evening, a refreshing change after the half-day of dining.  We wandered around Yountville as the sun set and twilight came into focus.  Preparing to leave Yountville and head back to SF, I found that I was satiated in a way that can only experienced when your heart is filled with beauty.  Beauty from the spectacular landscape of Northern California and beauty from the overwhelming culinary experience we had just shared.  What a privilege indeed.

The French Laundry
6640 Washington Street 
Yountville, CA

We're Rich!

I became entranced by the choreography of the kitchen.  Waiting for our table, standing not three feet from the chef's station, I was unable to look away from the agile movements of the cooks.  As I calmly sipped my "Turkey Trot" cocktail (which contained whiskey, butternut squash, honey and meringue) the frenetic yet deliberate actions taking place nearby were hypnotic.  And it was while watching the plates come to life that I turned to my husband and almost without thinking said "we're having the tasting menu," to which he responded with wide eyes and a childlike smile that said, "hell yes, we are."  And thus began our evening at Rich Table.

After being seated at the rustic wood table in the busy yet casually chic and warm dining room, the wine started flowing and we put ourselves in the hands of the "Chef's Picks" menu.  I slowly began to feel that despite the restaurant's name (inspired by Chefs Evan and Sarah Rich) and the pedigree of the purveyors, this was a comfortable and approachable space.  We would be experiencing a rich meal but on an attainable level. 

We began with a cornucopia of strong appetizers.  The standouts included the homemade potato chips woven with whole sardines and sitting atop a horseradish cream.  We were almost speechless while devouring the chicken liver mouse sprinkled with confetti of crunchy puffed rice and dollops of sweet and tart pomegranate jelly; the range of textures along with the sweet and savory flavors made for an awe-inducing bite.  The salad of roasted beets, pomegranate and chocolate shavings allowed us to momentarily skip to dessert before being pulled back to the savory again, all in one mouthful.  The next course consisted of perfectly al dente yet buttery soaked pastas conveying seasonal meats and herbs touched with traces of pungent cheeses.  The final savory courses, artful trout almondine atop spinach and wild greens, and hearty strip streak with chimichurri and white mushrooms, rounded out the meal and completed the gamut of flavors and weights.  The evening ended with a refreshing yet whimsical milk ice cream and chocolate cracker all kissed by mint chocolate cream. 

Perhaps it was the KickStarter-funded backstory that we learned about which made our experience so inviting, but something kept this extraordinarily rich meal down to earth.  The food was ambitious but not intimidating.  The preparations were daring but not overwhelming.  The flavors were delicious but not exceedingly complex.   Our evening was rich but not more than we could afford.

Rich Table
199 Gough @ Oak
San Francisco

I'm still here.

I'm not exactly sure why it's taken me this long to post something about our new home.  I think I have been overwhelmed by all the new and incredible experiences.  And while there have been many personal and culinary adventures that I've wanted to share I think it's the newness of it all that has been holding me back.  It may be the fact that I don't know the San Francisco landscape as well as I knew the New York one and my voice has been temporarily stunted.  Whatever the reason, the words just have not been flowing like they used to.

Until recently at Local's Corner restaurant, a neighborhood alcove fast becoming a favorite, where it occurred to me...no one expects me to have completely devoured the SF restaurant scene in 3 months! I need to lay the pressure off!   It is hard enough to have a deep and meaningful experience at a restaurant and we've barely been in town long enough to form thoughtful opinions.

So, I would like to take this opportunity to state for the record what I think the point of this blog actually is.  While it surely leans towards a restaurant and sometimes travel blog my goals are far more personal and esoteric. As the blogs' title casually suggests (in addition to being my initials) the purpose is to add love (aka AMOR) to the world; and as a result I try not to speak disparagingly about a restaurant or experience (afterall, what good does that add to the world?). Ultimately I want to share thoughts on all the things I love; whether it be activities, people, places and of course food.  I'd like my musings, in their small way, to add value to the universe.

And while this post may veer dangerously close to a ramble as opposed to a musing I'd like to share it with anyone who's interested...and hopefully it will serve as a reminder that there's more to come, more to explore, more to share...and that I'm still here.

Baby steps

Citrus & squid salad @ Flour + Water

It could take a small lifetime to really know a city.  It took me my lifetime up to this point to feel like I really knew New York and even so my expertise was concentrated in and around the East Village.  But in recent years I had been feeling that I really knew the NYC restaurant scene.  And just when I reached the point in life when I felt comfortable calling myself a real New Yorker we go and uproot our lives and move to San Francisco!

Smoked trout w/ beets, huckleberries & toasted seeds @ Central Kitchen

Here I find myself, a little over one week in to our West Coast life, and I'm a bit overwhelmed.  Overwhelmed by the newness, by the unknown, by the odd weather, by creating a new home for us but mostly I'm overwhelmed by all the restaurants I'm yet to try.  I feel so behind the curve.  It helps that the content of our home (including all our kitchen supplies) are still on their trans-America road trip and we've had out-of-town house-guests which has forced us to eat out almost every meal. In the last few days we've been able to sample some of the amazing gems in our neighborhood - Flour + Water, Lot 7, Universal Cafe, Foreign Cinema, Hog & Rocks, Namu Gaji, Mission Chinese, Blowfish Sushi and Central Kitchen to name a few.  And for good measure we threw in a cone at Bi-Rite Creamery (holy cow, that was possibly the best ice cream of my life) and Humphry Slocombe to round out the week.  I feel like my head (and stomach) is spinning.

Sushi @ Blowfish SF

I plan to revisit and hopefully write about many of these but for now I'm just trying to take it all in.  I'm trying to learn my new neighborhood and gradually expand the radius of places I can say I "know".  I'm hopping on my new bike (which I named Harrison),  exploring my new surroundings and giving myself a little time to just live.  And once the dust settles and our stuff arrives from New York I'll take more than a baby step towards knowing our new life.  I'll take a leap right into the thick of this new place.  And one day, in the not so distance future, San Francisco won't feel so strange and new...it'll just feel like home.

Adventure awaits

Sometimes fate steps in to shake up your life.  In my case I've recently been tempting fate by becoming enamored with West Coast living.  And as she tends to do, fate is delivering.  Because as of tomorrow morning I am a San Franciscan.  And aside from leaving my beloved NYC, my family, my friends and the home I hold so dearly, I am ready for this West Coast adventure. I am ready to take a leap outside my comfort zone; to take a chance on a new locale, a career change and embrace the exploring spirit.  I'm ready to take husby's hand, close my eyes...and jump.  And most of all I'm ready to see what I find out about myself when I shake things up.  What will happen when I leave the city and community I've lived in almost my entire life?  What will I create when I am out of work for the first time since I was 15?  How will I face each morning when I am completely autonomous over my days; I can choose to create and seize my own opportunities over and over.  And who knows, I could miss the frenetic pace I know in NY and be overcome by homesickness.  But even if that happens I know this adventure will be a positive one in the story of my life.  Because what is life without a little nerve racking, unplanned, eye-closed jumping.

....New York will always be in my blood and in my heart.  But I think my mind and soul are ready for California.

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.