Providence LA, West Hollywood

Providence LA is one of the most well known fine dining restaurants in Los Angeles and arguably one of the best restaurants in town with chef and owner Michael Cimarusti behind the wheels. The restaurant is located on a quiet stretch of Melrose Ave right at the corner of Cole. It was bustling when we arrived for our 8pm reservation and the host quickly checked us in and guided us to our table in a semi-private room. The restaurant is split in half, with an open dining area on to the left and smaller dining rooms on the right, one of which had a view of the wine cellar. The decor is elegant yet comfortable and the neutral tones make a wonderful backdrop for the artistic touches throughout the dining room.

The exceptional service and attention to detail is worth pointing out. After we ordered the signature and seasonal menu with wine pairing, my husband received a personalized copy of the menu including a birthday wish. The little touches make a lasting impression and certainly adds to the overall dining experience. Martin also took great care of us by arranging for a tour of the wine cellar and the kitchen after dinner.

Cocktail

We started our meal with a nicely balance bourbon based cocktail that had the most wonderful aroma of orange from the peel. Just the right amount of sweet and bitter. Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of the cocktail, but I would gladly order it again.

Bacon brioche bread with half salted butter

 

The bacon brioche bread on the right was sinfully delicious with the creamy butter from Normandie. There were pieces of salty fatty bacon throughout the slightly sweet and fluffy brioche. It was easy to over indulge on these.

Dark and stormy

The meal started off with this jellied rum topped with ginger beer foam. The ginger foam was light and airy, a nice balance to the rum jelly.

Scallop nasturtium

This was essentially a scallop taco wrapped in a nasturtium leaf topped with crispy rice. A good balance of sweet, salty and crunchy.

Chips and dip

Perfectly light and crispy salmon skin as the chip served with creme fraiche with ikura and chives as the dip. The dip was creamy and the ikura added tiny bursts of saltiness to each bite.

Squid and chorizo (left) abalone (right)

These skewers were grilled over charcoal and had a nice smokey flavor to them. The squid was tender and sweet which paired nicely with the chorizo which was salty and spicy. The abalone had a good balance of sweet and salty, salty being from the miso glaze. 

Now, on to our seasonal six course tasting menu (215/290 with wine pairing) 

Wild big eye tuna sashimi (Hawaii)

 

We started off with substantial pieces of tuna sashimi paired with egg yolk emulsified with dashi, slices of black truffle, crispy rice, and cucumber. The tuna was so fresh and tender. Each component on the plate was perfect and the black truffle did not overwhelm the fish as I had expected.

The ugly bunch

 

Perhaps "ugly" in its original form, it was a masterpiece in a bowl. This was one of my favorite dishes of the evening. This was the sweet, fresh and salty taste of the ocean in a bowl. The smoked crème fraîche panna cotta provided a wonderful creamy balance. Yes, that is a gold leaf on top of the uni.

Salt roasted spot prawns

 

When I think of Providence, I think of this dish. The sea salt encrusted spot prawns arrived on a rolling cart with the distinct scent of rosemary in the air. The prawns were prepared table side and finished with a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a lemon wedge. Although cooked in salt, the sweet and tender prawns were perfectly seasoned and not a touch too salty. 

Nancy’s day boat scallop (Maine)

 

This dish was not part of the tasting menu, but being scallop fans, we decided to add this to our our meal. The scallop was cooked to perfectly and paired with earthy beets, crunchy hazelnut and ras el hanout. 

Black truffles

 

This course had four options: risotto, pasta alla chitarra, soft scrambled eggs, raviolo all’uovo

We opted for pasta alla chitarra and raviolo all’uovo. Both dishes arrived with a nice truffle butter sauce, which was followed by a giant box of black truffles that were freshly shaved onto each dish. The aroma of truffles falling on the pasta was tantalizing. The pastas were perfectly al dente and although both were good, the raviolo all'uovo was my favorite because the rich and creamy yolk created a wonderful sauce with the freshly shaved black truffles.

Wagyu beef A5 (Kagoshima, Japan)

 

Wagyu beef never tasted so good! The fat to meat ratio was 60/40 and the beef was cooked to a medium rare as suggested by the kitchen. Each bite was a fatty and juicy explosion mixed with intense beef flavor. I was in wagyu beef heaven and almost forgot about the yukon gold potato fondant and baby broccoli on the plate. 

Crème fraîche, sablé breton

 

The tasting menu ended with the dessert that landed the head pastry chef his job at Providence. Don't let all the white fluff fool you, the butter cookie is at the bottom and not to be missed. The almond financier was moist and fluffy and the chestnut jam was a wonderful surprise. 

Petit fours

Just when we thought the meal was over, a tiny tray of macarons, caramels and pâtes de fruits arrived. With no room left, we had to pass on these delicious looking confections and move on to coffee.

Coffee

The restaurant proudly serves a selection of La Mill coffees brewed in a single serving French press. It was a perfect way to end a terrific meal.

Providence LA
5955 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038

Moonshine Restaurant Austin, TX

Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill is conveniently located across the street from the Austin Convention Center. It was also one of few places in the area that was open late (10pm) during our visit for SXSW. It seemed like most restaurants were either closed by 8pm or jammed pack with hour plus waits. Luckily, we stumbled upon Moonshine. With over 30,000 people in town for the festival, our wait was about 30 minutes, which was just enough time to grab a cocktail and an appetizer. We also enjoyed a Catdaddy Spiced Moonshine from North Carolina (pictured above) with our steaks.

Old fashioned and Homemade potato chips
6.50, 6.95

First of all, a cocktail under $7? YES please! The old fashioned was made with Kentucky bourbon, muddled oranges, cherry, simple syrup and bitters. Perfect with crispy homemade potato chips and scallion sour cream dipping sauce. 

Popcorn
complimentary

Go easy on the appetizers because the minute you sit down, the wait staff will bring over a giant bucket of seasoned popcorn. Definitely the first time I've received popcorn at dinner and it was pretty awesome! The popcorn was a mix of plain and cheese with seasoned salt on top.

Jalapeño hanger steak
21.95

The hanger steak was highly recommended by our waitress and we were very glad that she did. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium rear topped with a sinfully delicious jalapeño scallion butter. Tender, juicy, flavorful, all the components of a great steak. The sides included roasted sweet potatoes with rosemary oil and grilled seasonal vegetables. The portions were huge, but so were the flavors. As the saying goes "everything is bigger in Texas!"

It's worth mentioning that Moonshine "proudly supports local farmers, growers and ranchers fielding the best in fresh, natural ingredients."

Have you been to Austin? What's your favorite place to eat?

Moonshine Restaurant Patio and Bar
303 Red River Street
Austin, TX 78701

Cafe Europa, Palm Springs

Search for the best breakfast/brunch spot in Palm Springs and you will probably come across Cheeky's. Unfortunately, the wait is usually well over one hour and can be as long as two hours. I don't know about you, but brunch is not worth a two hour wait. When we arrived at Cheeky's and were told the wait was over one and a half hours, we decided to search for an alternative and came across Cafe Europa down the street. The casual cafe setting with outdoor seating and menu boasting organic omega 3 eggs, nitrate free meats and organic produce delivered daily convinced us to give the eatery a try.

The coffee was served in a french press and charged by the person and not by size. At $4 a person, the large french press above was enough for four people to each have a cup. This is pricey if you want to enjoy more than one cup of coffee.

Applewood smoked bacon and potatoes
3.75 and 3

What's breakfast without bacon and potatoes? The applewood bacon was crispy and meaty. The potatoes had subtle hint of rosemary flavor, but could have used a touch more salt and more time in the oven.

Grilled Vegetable Salad
12

The salads were available in Euro or American portions. We got the American which was $3 more than the Euro portion. This was a hearty salad loaded with grilled asparagus, zucchini, bell peppers on a bed of mixed greens with a nice balsamic vinaigrette. Fresh ingredients and vibrant colors made this a great salad to enjoy on a warm afternoon.

The American Scramble
11

The menu offered a variety of omelettes and scrambles. The American scramble consisted of cheddar cheese, bacon, tomatoes and red peppers served with a side of potatoes. The scramble was a bit overcooked, but the flavors were good and the freshness of the ingredients came through.

I hope to try Cheeky's one day to see what all the hype is about, until then, there are plenty of brunch destinations along Palm Canyon to try. What's your favorite breakfast spot in Palm Springs?

Cafe Europa
515 N. Palm Canyon Suite B9
Palm Springs, CA 92262

El Tovar Restaurant, Grand Canyon AZ

A trip to the Grand Canyon South Rim is not complete without going to El Tovar Hotel. Not only does it offer the most sought after accommodations, but its also home to the fanciest restaurant inside the park. The dimly lit dining room and cozy fireplace offers a wonderful escape from the outside elements. El Tovar restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner almost everyday with the exception of four days. It it best to make a reservation ahead of time, but we were lucky to snag a late dinner reservation the day of our arrival. The dinner menu offered a wide range of options from gluten free to vegetarian to organic and locally sourced ingredients.

Complimentary bread and butter

Mediterranean salad
12.75 entree size

The mediterranean salad was certainly large enough to be an entree or to be split as a starter. It came with a choice of grilled chicken, smoked salmon or tofu. We opted for honey smoke salmon, which was tender, moist, smokey with a subtle touch of honey flavor. There was a nice balance of crisp greens and hearty vegetables tossed in a light balsamic vinaigrette. 

Vegan Stuffed Portobello Mushroom
19.95

The large portobello mushroom was stuffed with spinach, onion, artichoke hearts and bell peppers then topped with a tangy red pepper sauce served over wild rice wheat berry pilaf. The meaty mushroom and rice pilaf worked really well with the pepper sauce. A good vegan dish that's tasty and filling. 

Hand-Cut, Grilled Natural Black Angus New York Strip
33

The New York strip had to be re-fired because the first time it came out, it was way under cooked. When it reappeared, it was exactly how we ordered it: rare. The tender and flavorful beef was accompanied by a mix of seasonable vegetables and fingerling potatoes. Not a bad steak for being in the middle of Grand Canyon National Park.

It was an enjoyable meal and one we would have again on our next visit to the Grand Canyon. We also dined at several other restaurants in the park, but for dinner, El Tovar Restaurant was definitely our favorite for taste, ambiance, quality and service.

It is worth mentioning that due to the remote location, restaurants in the park add a nominal fee to each check to offset the cost of pumping water up from below.

El Tovar Restaurant
1 El Tovar Road
Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023

Vodka Tasting at Lawry's The Prime Rib, Beverly Hills

Two hours, 11 brands of vodka, 30+ varieties to sample, eight appetizers, $44 and an Oak room packed with really cheerful people. That just about sums up the vodka tasting last week at Lawry's in Beverly Hills. There was a wide representation of vodka at the tasting from different ingredients used to the filtration process, flavors and price point. The standout vodkas were TRU Organic Vodka and Blue Ice Potato Vodka. The price of admission included tax and gratuity and pretty much unlimited vodka tastings and appetizers.

From the moment we stepped foot into the Oak room, we knew we were in for a good time. Tables filled with vodka bottles lined the room and servers were walking around with mouthwatering appetizers. Let's not forget the gravlax station with seven varieties of cured salmon. The event should have been called Vodka and Gravlax tasting. Beet cured and honey smoked were some of our favorites. Others included regular, cracked pepper, pastrami, Danish and Swedish salmon. It doesn't get much better than walking around from table to table sampling chilled vodka and eating buttery cured salmon. Appetizers passed around were deviled eggs, meatballs, grilled oysters, potato salad, fried stuff olives, crab fritters and gorgonzola crostini with fried sage.

Favorite overall vodka: TRU Organic

TRU Organic was the first vodka we sampled and one of our favorites. The reason they get the best nod is because not only was their straight vodka really smooth, but all the flavored vodkas were outstanding. Ingredients used to flavor their vodka are organic and locally source when possible. We had the opportunity to sample three flavored vodkas: garden, lemon and vanilla. Each one had a very distinct aroma and flavor that tasted fresh and natural. A huge difference compared to the vodkas out there made with artificial flavors. TRU Organic also gets an extra point for being produced by a Los Angeles distillery.

Favorite mixed drink with vodka: Hangar One

By the time we made it to Hangar One, on the opposite end of TRU Organic, we were glad to sample some cocktails. The best cocktail was by far the Country House, made with citrus vodka, fresh lemon juice, pureed raspberry, sage, and clover honey. The cocktail had a wonderful balance of sweet, tang and bitter, which always makes for a great cocktail. The sage made the cocktail by adding a touch of earthiness and bringing all the ingredients together. Can't wait to pick up a bottle of this vodka to try it straight.

If you missed this event, don't fret, this is an annual event and I for one, cannot wait for next year.  I hear there's a tequila tasting in May and a whisky tasting in November. If they are anything like the vodka tasting, sign me up! (Note to self: take a cab)

Full list of the vodkas represented at the tasting and the current price for a 750ml bottle of the regular vodka:

TRU Organic - wheat - $34.99
Blue Ice - potato - $14.99
Square One - rye - $32.99
New Amsterdam - grains - $10.99
Reyka - grains - $18.99
Finlandia - barley - $17.99
Chopin Vodka - potato, rye or wheat- $26.99-$28.99
Ultimat Vodka - wheat, rye and potato - $34.99
Vikingfjord Vodka - potato - $11.99
Hangar One - grapes - $29.99
Russian Standard - wheat - $19.99

Were you at the event? Which vodka was your favorite?

Lawry's The Prime Rib
100 N La Cienega Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211