December 14, 2010

Marvel vs Capcom 3 Food Fight, Los Angeles

Saturday was the much anticipated Marvel vs Capcom 3 Food Fight. In the red corner representing Marvel was Chef Ludo.

In the blue corner representing Capcom was Chef Greenspan.

There were over 400 fans waiting outside the Kim Sing Theater to experience the new game and sample the comic book character inspired food. Some even slept overnight for a chance to play the game.

Inside the venue were six stations where fans could try the new game with arcade controls. With the game set to release on February 15th of next year, the fans at this event received a very special opportunity. Early arrivals received a blue or red Marvel vs Capcom apron of their choice and tickets to vote for their favorite comic character inspired food.

Fans lined up to play the game while the crew from Gram and Papa's supplied the gaming snacks.

Grilled Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

Popcorn

Brisket Mac 'n Cheese

When the MC announced the opening of the food trucks some fans moved outside to form a line, while most fans stayed inside for a chance to play the game. It was easy to tell that the crowd was there for the game and not so much the food.

Chef Ludo's Hulk Burger with fries and radioactive green ketchup

The homemade spinach buns and the three meat patty stuffed with velveeta cheese gave this burger a special touch. The bun was flavorful, soft and held up nicely to the meaty patty and oozing cheese. The burger was super juicy and well seasoned. The green ketchup tasted fresh and better than the red stuff. The fries were well seasoned and very small to make the burger look huge. Everything about the burger screamed the Hulk.

and Chef Greenspan's Ryu Fireball seared tuna, griddled bao, spicy miso sauce, cabbage, pork cracklin'

The store bought buns were grilled on the inside and gave the bao a gummy texture. The tuna was fresh and paired with a delicious sauce. The flavors were great, but the gummy bao took away from the overall quality of the dish. The dish didn't remind me of the comic book character.

While the fan votes were being tallied, the four judges shared their thoughts on the food.

Left to right: Joy Yoon,
Betty Hallock, Patrick Green and Adam Sessler

The judges unanimously favored the Hulk Burger over the Ryu Fireball as the dish that best represented the comic book character. Although spiciness seemed to be the only missing ingredient in the Ryu Fireball. Adam Sessler from G4 didn't get to vote because the 400 servings of burgers and 300 servings of Ryu Fireball were all devoured before he got there.

It was ultimately up to the fans to pick the winner and with a vote of 154 to 140 the winner was the Hulk Burger.

Ice cream sandwiches by CoolHaus arrived just in time as everyone was feeling the 80 plus degree heat in the middle of December.

The chocolate chip cookies were just the right thickness and the vanilla ice cream was cool and creamy. The truck was also there to make sandwiches to order with Marvel vs. Capcom 3 wrappers. A great way to end an entertaining day at the food fight.

December 13, 2010

Pizzeria Mozza, Los Angeles

Ask anyone living in Los Angeles and chances are they have heard of Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza. How could they not? The restaurant was created by three power houses: Mario Batali, Nancy Silverton and Joseph Bastianich with a vision to bring "hospitality, local ingredients and wonderful food to Los Angeles."

When the restaurant first opened, it was nearly impossible to get a reservation. Although reservations are easier to come by these days the restaurant still has people waiting outside eagerly trying to get their hands on a slice of pizza. A friend of mine is absolutely in love with this place and when I gave him the task of picking a spot for our next get together he immediately said "Pizzeria Mozza."

A few weeks later we arrived at the restaurant for our 7 p.m. reservation. After a short wait we were seated in the packed dining room against the wall. The restaurant used every possible space for seating, which is why our table had to be pulled out into the walk way before I could squeeze by the table next to us to get to my seat. I smiled at the couple next to us and thought about introducing myself since we were sitting very close together almost like a communal table.

The bread sticks arrived immediately after we sat down and our waitress came by soon after to take our order.

Bread Sticks
Complimentary

The bread sticks were crunchy, plain and boring. Perhaps to distract the diners on the table to help diners forget about the long wait for food to come out of the kitchen.

Fried squash blossoms with ricotta
12
Two words sum up my experience with these blossoms: bland & greasy.

Bianca with fontina, mozzarella, sottocenere & sage
18
This was a very cheesy and gooey pizza. The nutty rich flavor of the fontina cheese came through, but the truffle flavor of the sottocenere was lost amongst the competing flavors especially the sage. The pizza dough was very thin and parts of the outer edged burned which gave the crust some crunch. The outer crust was large in comparison to the rest of the pizza and made for some chewy bites.

Bacon, salami, fennel sausage, guanciale, tomato & mozzarella
18
This was a meat lover's pizza. All the proteins had a distinct flavored and the homemade fennel sausage was the highlight. With the strong flavors on this pizza, a few bites tasted too salty. It was also a very greasy pizza and the tomatoes weren't able to cut through the heaviness. A cup of black coffee was in need after the pizzas, but the waitress was no where to be found.

Overall, the food as Pizzeria Mozza was mediocre and the service was inadequate. With the big names attached to this restaurant, I expected better food and top notch service. The cramped seating and overwhelmingly loud space further took away from the experience. This is definitely a trendy spot and the vision of the three owners did not shine through during my experience.

Pizzeria Mozza
641 N Highland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90036

Parking
Valet is available and there is metered parking on Melrose.

December 9, 2010

India's Tandoori, Hawthorne

We stumbled upon this North Indian restaurant after driving to Al Noor and discovered that they are closed on Mondays. With no alternatives in mind, we drove around the area until we saw a restaurant that peaked our interest and it lead us to India's Tandoori.

The restaurant was nearly empty with the exception of one couple at a table. Usually the lack of patrons is a red flag, but with my partner nearly in starvation mode, we decided to give it a try. The restaurant was dimly lite and minimally decorated. We were immediately greeted and seated by the staff and within minutes of sitting down, our water glasses were filled and the papadum arrived.

Papadum
Complimentary
Made with lentils and spices, the papadum was warm and crispy. On the table were three jars: chili mint sauce, sweet tamarind sauce, and pickled carrots with chili. Chili mint sauce was my favorite and used it generously with the papadum.

Mango Lassi
2.50
The mango lassi was a tasty balance of mango flavor and tanginess from the yogurt.

Kingfisher Beer
3.95
A very refreshing lager to compliment with the intensely flavored dishes.

Chicken Samosa
3.95
Vegetarian samosas are always a staple, but we decided to try the chicken samosa which was surprisingly good. The filling was very moist and the peas added a touch of freshness and sweetness. The crunchy crust gave the dish some texture and tied the dish together.

Garlic Naan
2.95
Homemade naan topped with fresh garlic and cilantro cooked in a tandoori oven. Crispy around the edges and soft in the middle with a subtle garlic flavor. The perfect edible utensil.

Mixed Tandoori
14.50

The mixed tandoori arrived sizzling with lamb kabab, shesh kabab, and chicken tikka. Every type of tandoori had a distinct flavor and expertly prepared.
The bell peppers and onions are sweet and crunchy. This is a good introduction to tandoori for those who can't make up their minds.

Rice Pellow
6.50

The saffron flavored basamati rice was mixed with cashews, peas, tomatoes and raisins. Very fragrant and tasty on its own and even better mixed with some curry.

Goat Curry
11.50

The goat dish is made with leg meat on the bone which gives the dish more flavor. The meat was tender and did not taste gamey. The curry had very deep robust flavors. One of our favorite dishes of the evening.

Chicken Tikka Masala
10.95

The chicken was very tender and moist. We later found out it's because the chicken is cooked in the clay oven first and then tossed in the delicious tomato sauce.

Rasamalai
3.50

This dessert was new to me and I was very excited to try it. There is a piece of fresh cheese topped with rice pudding and shaved cardamom and pistachio. It was served chilled and the pudding was thick and sweet which created a nice texture balance to the graininess of the cheese.

We later met the owner and discovered that there are a total of three locations and each owned by a brother in the family. The family is from North India and the recipes used at the restaurant are all developed by the family.

Overall, the food was very good, the service was attentive, and t
he ambiance was romantic and relaxing. The dishes came out at a good pace and the portions were generous. We left the restaurant more than satisfied and with enough food for two more meals. I look forwarding to dining here again and can not wait to have the goat curry again.

India's Tandoori
4850 W Rosecrans Ave
Hawthorne, CA 90250

December 8, 2010

The Bazaar by José Andrés, Los Angeles

When Bazaar by José Andrés opened in 2008, it immediately made it to my list of restaurants to try. Two years later, I finally made it to the SLS Hotel to experience the much raved about Bazaar. Like many have wrote about, the restaurant has a very heterogeneous feel. With large art works of monkeys throughout the restaurant and a glass case filled with multicolored teddy bears, diners will be surprised at they might see at the restaurant.

There are several themed dining areas in the restaurant and our host seated us in the Rojo Y Blanca room. A very good looking waiter arrived shortly after we sat down to take our drink orders. My dining companion does not drink alcohol and I decided to pass on the cocktails. He left to give us a few minutes to look at the menu and decide. The menu is broken up into two section: traditional and modern tapas. We both decided to order from the modern portion of the menu.

Cotton Candy Foie Gras
5 per person

We started with the much talked about cotton candy foie gras and it did not disappoint. The fluffy cotton candy melted on contact and the sweetness provided a nice contrast to the saltiness and fatness of the foie gras.

Olives modern and traditional
10

A well dressed gentleman arrived with a glass jar filled with modern olives. He set the jar on our table and scooped out four delicate olive spheres. The modern olives had a soft shell when broken released an intense olive juice that was tasty and playful. The traditional olives were firm and slightly salty. A nice reminder of the texture and flavor of olives in its original form.

Sea Urchin avocado, steamed buns
12

Each order contained three tiny steamed buns filled with thin slices of avocado and a piece of sea urchin. Unfortunately, the flavor of the sea urchin was lost in the dense and generous portion of steamed buns.

Bunuelos codfish fritters, honey aioli
9

These cod fritters were light, flavorful and did not taste greasy at all. The honey aioli provided a welcomed sweetness to the fish.

Not your everyday caprese cherry tomatoes, liquid mozzarella
12

Definitely not the every day caprese salad and one of the most delicious dishes of the evening. After taking a bite with everyone component of the salad I realized why this restaurant was so beloved. Each ingredient shined and the liquid mozzarella tied everything together.

Japanese Taco grilled eel, shiso, cucumber, wasabi, chicharron
10

These small tacos were very disappointing and the most regrettable dish of the evening. The flavors were muddled and eel tasted flat. The textures and flavors of this dish just did not work well together.

"Philly Cheesesteak" Air bread, cheddar, waygu beef
8 each

Luckily, we ended the evening on a high note with the restaurant's creative version of a Philly cheesesteak. The crispy air bread is filled with cheddar cheese that flows like lava after the first bite. Surprisingly the beef flavor was not lost in this dish. Tender, flavorful, juicy, crispy, rich, creative and fun are just a few words to describe this amazing dish.

Overall, the food at Bazaar was an entertaining adventure with a few distractions along the way. The highlights were the cotton candy foie gras, caprese salad and Philly cheesesteak all of which I would gladly order again on my next visit. The huge downfall of Bazaar is the service. The staff appears to be stretched thin and the kitchen seems to be short of serving plates. For restaurants like Bazaar, service is part of the dining experience and lack there of can really take away from the great food. Several people have since told me that dinner is not the best time to go for good service. It seems that others are experiencing the issue of poor service and hopefully the management at Bazaar can address this. If the stars were based on food alone, it would be much higher.

The Bazaar
Inside the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills
465 S La Cienega Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Parking
Valet is available for $12 and can be added to the check.

December 3, 2010

SugarFISH, Downtown Los Angeles


When SugarFISH invited me and a guest to dine at the new location in Downtown Los Angeles, I was thrilled. Not only because I love sushi and could eat it three times a day 365 days a year, but also because I have heard so much about the legendary and well respected Chef Nozawa. Known for quality seafood, exceptional rice and no nonsense dining experience at Sushi Nozawa in Studio City I could not wait to try SugarFISH.

Sushi chefs spend over a decade perfecting the rice because it is the most important component of sushi. The best quality seafood can be ruined by bad rice and can also be elevated by great rice. The rice at SugarFISH strives to be warm, loose and airy. To achieve this, the rice is made in small batches about once every 20 minutes to make sure the rice retains the exact texture, flavor and temperature that is on par with Nozawa's standards.

To maintain the high standards, Tom and Chef Nozawa personally train every chef that work in their restaurants. As we all know reputation can take years to build and one bite to ruin. That's why Chef Nozawa still gets up early every morning and go to the fish market at 5 am to choose the fish that each restaurant will serve. Chef Nozawa is also the one who decides which sauce will accompany the fish. There are three types of ponzu served at SugarFISH, regular ponzu, spicy ponzu and yuzu ponzu. Each one is created by Nozawa with his own recipe. Even the seaweed was hand picked by Chef Nozawa from a place off the Japanese coast.

The menu is very simple, consisting of three Trust Me varieties and items a la carte. We started with The Nozawa, which contains 10 items and is specifically designed for what customers would get at a sushi bar. The price is $35-38 depending on the daily special.

Wasabi and Ginger


I didn't touch the wasabi, but the ginger was good.

Green tea

The tea was very smooth and the flavor was light.

Organic edamame

Item #1: Each plate contained around 20-25 pieces. The edamame was crispy, fresh and lightly seasoned.

Tuna sashimi

Item #2: The thick slices of tuna were tender and fresh. The regular ponzu provided a nice flavor balance and did not overpower the fish.

Albacore Sushi

Item #3: This was the best albacore I have ever tasted and I am sure a big part is due to the quality of the rice. The rice didn't fall apart after I picked it up and it truly was warm, loose and airy. This is without a doubt the best sushi rice I have tasted. The albacore was also nicely complimented with regular ponzu.

Snapper Sushi

Item 4: After being in rice and albacore heaven I finally moved on to the snapper. It was another hit and the spicy ponzu gave it a nice amount of heat.

Salmon Sushi

Item 5: This is the first time I had sesame with salmon and it was delicious. Buttery and nutty.

Yellowtail Sushi

Item 6: The yellowtail was served with a touch of freshly squeezed lemon juice. A quick and small dip into the soy sauce dish provided enough saltiness to showcase the quality and flavor of the fish.

Halibut

Item 7: The halibut sushi showcased the beautiful marriage of the fish with yuzu ponzu.

Toro Hand roll

Item 8: Before the hand roll arrived, we were told to eat it immediately and skip the photos because after 9 seconds, the nori becomes soggy. With my camera on the table I quickly dipped the toro hand roll in my soy sauce dish and put it in my mouth. The texture of the nori was unlike anything I have tasted before. I could taste the quality in the flavor and the crunch. Combined with the warm rice and fatty toro, I was on cloud nine. Remember, the key here is to eat it quickly! Luckily, I was able to take photos of the next one that came out thanks to our host.

Boston blue crab roll

Item 9: This was a revelation. This hand roll really highlights the sweet flavor of the crab. It was the best hand roll and the best blue crab I have tasted. I skipped the soy for this one.

Large scallop

Item 10: The scallops were very substantial and I could really taste the firm and sweetness of the scallop. The yuzu ponzu provided a nice finishing touch. This was the last piece of The Nozawa, which was more than satisfying. But we couldn't pass up the opportunity to try some of the other items on the menu, especially the lobster roll.

Lobster Hand roll

This was amazing. Buttery, tender and very fresh. If you do not like seaweed, there is a no roll option.

Albacore belly

The albacore belly was out of this world. Packed with all the great flavors of albacore with added fattiness.

Sweet shrimp

One thing we always order when we go out for sushi is sweet shrimp and this did not disappoint. The sweet shrimp had some lemon juice and pepper on it and it just needed a touch of soy to tie it all together. The light crunchiness and sweetness is so good. I was expecting the head to show up, but found out it is not served.

Salmon roe

The salmon roe tasted very fresh and had a nice balance of saltiness. It's the best salmon roe I have tasted.

Uni

No sushi meal is complete for me without an order of Uni. The amount of uni was very generous. Straight from Catalina, the uni tasted very fresh.

Halibut Fin

The halibut fin served was from the part where the fine connects to the body of the fish. The texture was slightly firm and the yuzu ponzu provided a nice flavor.

Oyster sashimi

These were large and firm hama hama oysters with a nice salty flavor. Move over kumamoto oysters, I found something even better. After eating almost everything on the menu, we decided to end our meal here.

Overall, the sushi at SugarFISH is phenomenal. I haven't been to Sushi Zo or Urasawa, but based on my past sushi dining experience, I can say without a doubt that this is the best sushi restaurant I have been to. Every bite I took seemed better than the previous and I have nothing but praise for the rice and quality of fish. Each item was expertly seasoned and made with care. The wait staff is attentive and personable. The atmosphere makes someone in jeans or in a little black dress feel comfortable. The best part is that the prices are unbeatable for the quality. I have found my favorite sushi spot in Los Angeles.

5 out of 5 Stars

SugarFISH Downtown
600 W 7th Street, Suite 150
Los Angeles, CA 9001

Parking
Metered, lots and valet.