Taste of Mexico 12/4/10

Taste of Mexico is this Saturday from 5-10 p.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Vibianais. Don't miss this wonderful opportunity to taste authentic cuisine from various regions of Mexico. This event was put together by the Taste of Mexico Association created by four restaurants: La Monarca Bakery, Guelaguetza, La Casitas Mexicana, and Frida Mexican Cuisine. The restaurants share a passion for promoting authentic Mexican cuisine and created this organization to enhance the experience and quality of Mexican cuisine.

This event will celebrate regional Mexican cuisine as well as benefit Heal the Bay. The organizers chose Heal the Bay because restaurants are the number one consumers of disposables. To bring awareness to this fact and to set an example, the association is committed to being more environmentally conscious and La Monarca Bakery has committed to only using bakery boxes made from recyclables.

I had the opportunity to sample some of the menu items at Friday Mexican Cuisine in Glendale. I didn't get a chance to taste everything in the photos below, but the ones I did taste were very good and I can only imagine how much better the food will be on Saturday.

La Monarca Bakery


- Tres leches cake with Veracruz Vanilla Bean Frosting
- Cane Sugar Caramel Flan
- Vanilla Bean & Chocolate Seashells (conchitas)
- Traditional cookies, cinnamon (hojarascas) and sugar (polvorones)

Guelaguetza


- Black mole with chicken tamales, wrapped in banana leaf.


- Tlayudas de Chapulin

Frida Mexican Cuisine


- Tuna toastadas and shrimp toastadas
- Quesadillas
- Sopas
- Fluantas

La Casitas Mexicana


- Tamales with vanilla cheese and hultlacoche (corn smut)
- Tamales with cactus
- Tequila guacamole
- Green ceviche made with pollock fish

Good food and a good cause. What more do you need? To purchase tickets, go to Taste of Mexico.

Taste on Melrose, West Hollywood

Taste on Melrose is a charming and cozy restaurant nestled on a popular stretched of Melrose with Comme Ca just down the street. Diners are greeted by a large patio area scattered with heat lamps and a very friendly host. There is a small set of stairs that lead up to the comfortable dining area inside. The decorations give the restaurant a very modern feel and the table settings give it sparkle. We were seated inside next to an open French door that looked out onto the patio, which made for a good place to people watching and get a feel of the patio without sitting outside. Everything on the menu sounded delicious and although we were tempted to order everything we decided to save a few dishes for our next visit. Good thing because I found out there is also a location in Palisades, which I imagine is more romantic and a great spot for date night.

Pomegranate Basil Sangria with raspberries and blueberries
11

Taste offers a featured cocktail every month and the November star is pomegranate basil sangria. The drink is served in a huge goblet containing fresh berries and large basil leaves. There is also some champagne in the drink that gives it some nice bubbles. A wonderful balance of sweet and tangy I couldn't put the drink down it was so tasty. This was by far the best sangria I have ever had at a restaurant. Can't wait to sample more of their cocktails during happy hour.

Thai Chicken Cups minced chicken, shallots, crispy rice, peanuts, lemon grass vinaigrette, romaine lettuce cilantro
9.75

There is something about lettuce cups that always call out to me when I see it on the menu. The dish arrived with six pieces of romaine lettuce, a dish of minced chicken and sauce. The minced chicken was moist, flavorful and nicely complimented by the lemongrass vinaigrette. The lettuce was fresh, crisp and provided a nice contrast to the textures and flavors. Be generous when spooning on the vinaigrette, it is delicious. This was a very refreshing and tasty dish to start off our meal.

Crispy Rock Shrimp wasabi aioli, spicy aioli, thai sweet & sour dipping sauces
11

The rock shrimps were fried to absolutely perfection. The light batter really allow the freshness of the shrimps to shine and the natural flavor to come through. The kitchen staff obviously cares a lot about the food because not a single shrimp was over cooked. All the dipping sauces complimented the shrimp and none over powered. I have found my favorite crispy shrimp!

Ahi Tuna Tartare ahi tuna, avocado, mint, dill, jicama, spicy aioli, crostini
12.75

Tuna tartare is one of my favorite dishes to order at a restaurant and my eyes lite up when I saw it on the menu. This tuna tartare had very substantial pieces of tuna mixed in with some avocado, jicama and herbs. The tuna was fresh and the tartare was well seasoned. The jicama provided a nice crunch and slight sweetness to the dish that really elevated the flavors to another level. The spicy aioli gave the dish a creamy texture and subtle spiciness. The crostini was light and thin and held up well after every bite. Everything on the dish worked really well together. A very successful and satisfying dish.

Ravioli of the Day three cheese ravioli"
16.50

The idea of a different ravioli everyday puts a big smile on my face. When the waitress told me about the three cheese ravioli I knew I couldn't resist. The seven raviolis were huge and packed with cheese. The ravioli skin had a nice bite and the filling was seasoned well. The tomato sauce was fresh and garlicky and made the cheesy filling shine. A delicious plate of ravioli and I look forward to trying another ravioli of the day.

Braised Short Ribs all natural boneless red wine braised short ribs, cippolini onions, carrots, horseradish potato puree, gremolata, shaved parmigiano-reggiano cheese
22

This dish was lip smacking good. The braised short ribs were incredibly tender and covered with a tantalizing red wine sauce. The horseradish potato puree took my taste buds to another place with a perfect touch of horseradish. The smooth and creamy puree tasted great with the short ribs. Every component of this dish was expertly prepared and it all came together beautifully. Although everything was great, this was my favorite dish of the evening.

Regular Coffee
2.75 (comes with refills)

The black coffee can only be described by one word: excellent! It had a nice strong flavor with very good aromatic balance and no bitterness. Served pipping hot, just the way it should be including the refills. The price is also very attractive especially when most restaurants charge $4-5 for mediocre coffee.

Key Lime Pie graham cracker crust, chantilly cream, lime zest
7

The main problem I find with key lime pies at restaurants is the subtle key lime flavor. The pie at Taste did not have this problem. The strong key lime flavor was nicely balanced by the crispy graham cracker crust and chantilly cream. If I closed my eyes, I could see myself sitting on the beach in Miami. The only downside to this pie was the extremely thick crust on the edge. Fortunately, it was saved by a quick dunk in the coffee. Graham cracker crust biscotti anyone?

Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding creme anglaise vanilla bean gelato
8.50

Wow! I have never been a fan of bread pudding, but the chocolate brioche version at Taste has changed my life. The warm, moist, chocolaty bread pudding mixed with creme anglaise and gelato was absolute heaven in my mouth. I think I had an out of body experience because I was completely full when dessert arrived and somehow managed to eat every bite. That's how good it was. Bravo! Thank you Taste for putting together this delicious creation.

Overall, the food, the atmosphere and the service at Taste shattered all my expectations. The wait staff was friendly and attentive. The water glasses were refilled and coffee never ran out. The food came out at a steady pace and change of silverware was almost unnoticeable. The restaurant had a very relaxing vibe, which I love after a busy work day. The portions are generous for a restaurant on this stretch of Melrose. I can't wait to go back and try more of the offerings at Taste.

4.5 out of 5 Stars

Taste on Melrose
8454 Melrose Ave
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Parking
Valet is available and there is metered parking on the streets.

Larchmont Bungalow, Mid-Wilshire

Larchmont Bungalow is located in Larchmont Village, a very charming shopping area in the Mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles. For those driving down Larchmont Boulevard, it might be very easy to miss the humble sign for this bungalow. Thankfully, there was a small crowd waiting outside and I knew we were at the right place. Everything about the Larchmont Bungalow reminded me of a cozy and charming home. There are three large picture windows in the front with a very inviting stair case to the french door entrance.

The inside is tastefully decorated with artist's work on the walls throughout the restaurant. To the left of the entrance is the in house coffee roaster and a counter with a tasteful display of coffees and teas.


To the right of the entrance are the "Order Here" stations and the oh so dangerous glass case of baked goods.


Large laminated menus are available in front of each cashier and can be picked up for customers to study before their turn to order. One side contains all the breakfast items and the other side lists all the lunch and dinner items. The good news is, breakfast is served all day at this bungalow, which is a huge plus in my book.

We were fortunate enough to bypass the line on the busy Sunday afternoon since the great people at Larchmont Bungalow invite us for a meal. The restaurant was so busy, I wondered why I was invited to review the restaurant. It seemed like they were doing really well. I did keep an eye on the line and it seemed to go by fairly quickly. Everything on the menu looked amazing and we gave Ken, the owner of Larchmont Bunglow the freedom to pick our dishes. Since the restaurant offers open seating, we opted to sit outside since the weather was perfect. I knew I was in good hands when I saw Cholula on the table. If there is one thing that I love with breakfast potatoes, it's a dash of Cholula sauce. Although we didn't receive any dishes with breakfast potatoes, I know it will be there for our next visit.


The service was very quick and friendly. The drinks came out a few minutes after we sat down and the food arrived about 10-15 minutes later. A very good pace considering how busy they were. I also noticed customers around us weren't waiting too long before they received their food. Benji, "the face of Larchmont Bungalow" also came by for a visit and we had a good chat about blogging and staying fit while attempting to eat the entire city. Benji made his way around to several tables and check in with customers, which I thought made this place feel even more like home. Now onto the food...

French roast


A nice french roast with a light and very smooth taste. No bitterness or sourness at all to the coffee and absolutely no need for sugar, cream, or anything else.

Mexican mocha


The Mexican mocha was a delightful surprise. This ice blended beverage has the perfect balance of cinnamon, milk, and sugar. No need for whipped topping because the drink has a natural frothiness. I think I just found my new favorite ice blended drink. They also offer a regular mocha made with Ghiradelli chocolate, which I am sure is just as good.

Seafood Breakfast Crepe
$14.95


When this plate arrived, my mouth started watering just looking at the large chunks of lobster claw on top of the crepe. There is a very generous amount of lobster and shrimp mixed with spinach, scrambled eggs and roasted red peppers. The lobster and shrimp were cooked perfectly and everything was well seasoned. The tarragon hollandaise sauce was creamy yet light, which made for a wonderful compliment to the crepe. I haven't had many savory crepes, but I thought this crepe had a great texture and thickness. There was also a selection of fresh local fruits on the plate, which all tasted like they were in their prime.

Red and Blue Velvet Pancakes
$12.95


These red and blue velvet pancakes are one of the specialties at Larchmont Bungalow. The plate arrived with three large and very thick pancakes each cut in half stuffed with cream cheese and topped with whipped cream cheese and toasted walnuts with a side of maple syrup. My eyes lite up when I saw this dish because I was really looking forward to it. If you are a fan of red velvet cake, you will become a fan of these pancakes. It's like tasting the shell of a pancake on the outside and a red velvet cake on the inside. The pancakes had just the right amount of sweetness and the walnuts were perfectly toasted. The pancake is so good on its own, there is almost no need for maple syrup. This dish has redefined pancakes for me and I cannot wait to have it again. This dish can be shared by at least two people and more if you order additional dishes.

Scallop and Shrimp Salad
$13.95


Deep fried scallops and shrimp with shredded red and napa cabbage, enoki mushrooms, parsley, cilantro and mint tossed in a wonderful miso dressing and finished off with crunchy potatoes in place of croutons. The scallops and shrimps were perfectly cooked. I've never had scallops deep fried and really enjoyed it. The salad had just the right amount of dressing and all the ingredients were allowed to shine. The mint was a very refreshing touch and the potatoes stayed very crisp.

Sea bass
$17.95


The last dish was a miso marinated sea bass with fried rice and salad. The two pieces of sea bass were both evenly and perfectly cooked. The miso flavor came through, but just the right amount so it didn't mask the natural flavor of the fish. The fried rice had asparagus, shiitake mushrooms, red peppers and a very generous amount of sliced avocado on top. All the vegetables were cooked just right and maintained a nice crunch. The mango, papaya and cucumber salad was a very nice touch and well paired with the peppery arugula.

The food at Larchmont is thoughtful, well balanced, refreshing, visually appealing and comforting. Add the cozy atmosphere and friendly, courteous staff and this restaurant has it all. Larchmont Bungalow is now one of my favorite casual restaurants in Los Angeles. This restaurant has brought back my confidence when it comes to ordering seafood. I'm usually hesitant to order seafood because it is so often overcooked or seasoned incorrectly, but I am 100% confident to order it at Larchmont Bungalow and cannot wait to try the rest of their seafood menu, including the grilled fish tacos. It has been a while since I had a meal where everything tasted spot on and the overall dining experience was flawless. It's hard to believe this place has only been open for a little over a year because it is already a well oiled machine. I would recommend this place to anyone without hesitation.

Larchmont Bungalow
107 N Larchmont Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90004



Parking
There is metered parking along Larchmont Boulevard and street parking on residential streets.