Madera Kitchen, Hollywood California

Madera Kitchen is serving up new American fare in a relaxing atmosphere at the corner of Cahuenga and Franklin in Hollywood. The outdoor and indoor areas offer a casual laid back dining experience with a touch of elegance. 

Beyond the Beef Double Dip at Philippe the Original, Los Angeles

Philippe the Original is one of the most well known restaurants in Los Angeles and most famous for their french dipped sandwiches.

Morso della Bestia (Bite of the Beast) at Locanda del Lago, Santa Monica

On the last Thursday of each month, Locanda del Lago in Santa Monica hosts a five course communal dinner called Morso della Bestia or "Bite of the Beast".

Organic Vegan Mediterranean Food at Fala Bar, West Hollywood

Fala Bar serves up fresh, organic, vegan and gluten free Mediterranean food in West Hollywood. Their ingredients are locally sourced and made to order. With the exception of their pita bread, everything on the menu is or can be made gluten free. The pita sandwiches can be substituted with a cabbage wrap, which is quite tasty albeit rather messy. The food is balanced, fresh, filling and energizing. Add the fact that it's down the street from our temporary work office, it's makes for a good go to lunch spot. 

Baba Plate
8.50

This version of baba ghanoush is light and doesn't have a grilled flavor. It came with tahini, Israeli salad, and quinoa tabouli. I added an order of sweet potato falafel's to the plate for an extra $3. The falafel's are light and crunchy with a very subtle spice mix. 

Hummus Plate
8.50

The garbanzo hummus plate came with tahini, brussels sprout quinoa salad and quinoa tabouli. There also had a selection of seasonal garnishes for customers to choose from.

Fala Me To KALEifornia
13.50

This is one of the most popular items and my go to. You can't see it in the photo, but there is lemony kale at the bottom topped with garbanzo beans, quinoa, purple cabbage, shredded carrots and avocado. There's no dressing for this salad, but all the components add their own distinct flavor that a dressing isn't necessary. 

If you find yourself on this stretch of Melrose Avenue in need of a vegan and organic lunch spot, check out Fala Bar.

Fala Bar
7751 1/2 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046

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

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

Cho Eun Korean Restaurant, Van Nuys

Cho Eun, also known as Evergreen is one of the hidden gems of the San Fernando Valley. This no frills restaurant is tucked away in a popular Korean shopping center at the corner of Sherman Way and White Oak in Van Nuys. The seafood pancake put this restaurant on the food map, but it's the tasty comfort food that keeps customers coming back. If you work in the area, this is also a great spot for a fair priced lunch. For about $7, you will be more than satisfied and probably wishing you could go home for a nap. The banchan changes often, but kimchi, potatoes and bean sprouts are the staples. The service is nothing to write home about and you might be lucky to get a smile, but the food always delivers. In addition to the items featured below, chicken stew and kimchi pork belly are also worth your consideration. 

Bossam
15.95

This dish is not for everyone. If you don't like to make your own food, you will probably want to skip it. Bossam is all about wrapping the ingredients on the platter into a package of deliciousness. Take a piece of napa cabbage and fill it with pork belly, garlic, pepper, and radish kimchi. Every restaurant serves it a little differently. Cho Eun does not serve it with fermented shrimp paste or picked radish. Here, every ingredient stands out on its own yet comes together harmoniously in each bite. Sure, restaurants that specialize in bossam do it better, but the simplicity of the version at Cho Eun makes it equally enjoyable.

Assorted Seafood Pancake
11.95

There is a reason why seafood pancake or pajeon put the restaurant on the map. It's light, crispy on the outside, loaded with an assortment of seafood and well seasoned. There's no oil puddle under this seafood pancake or undercooked flour mix. It's served with the usual dipping sauce made of vinegar, sugar, soy, sesame and green onion. The pancake is so good on its own, the sauce is almost unnecessary.

Seafood Tofu Stew
6.95

A visit to Cho Eun is not complete without an order of their seafood tofu stew or soon dubu. They don't ask you how spicy you want it here. It comes out how the chef prepares it with a bowl of purple rice. I'm sure you can request the heat level or lack their of, but it's perfect the way it is. A good balance of tofu, seafood, and broth. Every bowl comes with two pieces of shrimp, a mix of clams and mussels and small pieces of beef. This is the ultimate cold weather food or bad day pick me up.

So, if you live in "The Valley" and don't want to make the trek to Korean town, stop in to Cho Eun to get your Korean comfort food fix. 

Cho Eun Evergreen Korean Restaurant
17621 Sherman Way
Van Nuys, CA 91406

Chengdu Taste, Alhambra

Chengdu Taste has become a popular dining destination on Valley Blvd in Alhambra. The hour plus wait could give Boiling Crab, just down the street, a run for their money. At 11:30am on a Saturday, the wait was already one hour for this decent sized restaurant with a maximum occupancy of 55 people. Popular items one would expect to find at a restaurant like this are all there, on the 100+ item menu. Don't worry if you're dining with heat intolerant friends, the menu had several non spicy dishes including eggplant with garlic sauce and wonton soup. 

Although, if you're looking for intense levels of numbing spiciness, this is not the restaurant for you. Compared to the dishes I tasted in Chengdu, China, the heat level at Chengdu Taste is considerably milder and dishes are lightly sprinkled with chili peppers. Regardless of your heat tolerance, Chengdu Taste is wroth a visit. The dishes are well balance and brought us back to the flavors of this region in China. 

Being our first visit, we let our waiter guide us in our selection and he did not steer us in the wrong. 

Mung bean noodle with chili sauce
4.99

This simple yet complex dish was the perfect start to our meal. The mung bean noodles are slippery, thick and soak up all the flavors of the house made chili sauce. The sauce is a mixture of oil, Sichuan peppercorn, chili peppers, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, soy beans, garlic and probably a handful of other ingredients. Sweet, tangy, spicy and salty all perfectly balanced made this sauce addicting. Unfortunately, the restaurant does not sell it by the jar, even though they should. This is a must order and don't make the mistake of sharing it with everyone at the table. 

Boiled fish with green peppers
12.99

Don't let the Serrano peppers and Sichuan peppercorns scare you off. The filets do not pick up as much of the spiciness as you might expect. The fish was light, tender and flaky. The broth was infused with the numbing flavor of the Sichuan peppercorns. And below all the fish were bean sprouts and bamboo shoots that added a clean flavor to the dish. 

Toothpick cumin lamb
13.99

The cumin lamb is probably the most popular dish at the restaurant. The reason they put toothpicks in each piece of lamb is to prevent it from sticking together during the cooking process. Each piece of lamb is generously coated in cumin with sprinkles of chili peppers. The lamb was tender, juicy and slightly fatty. It's easy to loose track of how many you've eaten until you see the pile of toothpicks in front of you.

Griddle cooked beef 
10.99

The idea of this dish is to cook your protein of choice with a variety of vegetables. This version was beef slices cooked with cucumbers, mushrooms, celery, onion, lotus root and potatoes. The dish had a little heat from the peppers and a lot of flavor from the beef. The vegetables were nice and crunchy, with the exception of the mushrooms, which soaked up the savory sauce in the dish. Don't be alarmed by the amount of oil in the dish. The flavored oil is what gives this dish its wonderful pepper taste. 

The food did not disappoint and my tongue appreciated the lower heat level. Jonathan Gold was spot on when he described the food at Chengdu Taste as "lighter, cleaner and less likely to wake you up in the middle of the night with chile-oil induced nightmares."

Chengdu Taste
828 West Valley Blvd
Alhambra, CA 91803

Republic of Pie, North Hollywood

Republic of Pie is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the NoHo Arts District. From the outside, this cafe and bakery may seem like an ordinary shop nestled along Magnolia Boulevard, but walk through those doors and you will be transported into an inviting and relaxing art space filled with the aroma of coffee and freshly baked goods. The concept is simple, serve quality coffees, teas and bake really good pies: savory and sweet.

The space is very unique. The high ceiling and sky lights open up the space, there is a stage for open mic, a television mounted on the wall to play old movies, local art works on the wall and a mix n' match of furniture throughout. There are couches for those who want to hang out and read a book and long communal tables to meet new friends or for large parties. I imagine this would be a great place to catch up with old friends or even community gatherings. If I had a book or knitting club, I would definitely meet here and take over those comfortable couches in the back.

If you're into coffee, you will truly appreciate Republic of Pie. They only serve Stumptown coffee and you can choose between regular brew, clover, chemex, french press, v60 or siphon. The espresso is made with Stumptown's Hair Bender blend, it's rich in flavor with notes of chocolate and will certainly give you a nice jolt. Of course, if you're into lattes and latte art, you won't be disappointed. The latte was rich and smooth. The milk was steamed just long enough to incorporate enough air to lighten the latte and bring out the sweetness. Now, the matcha latte was the best that I have ever tasted. It was light with a subtle sweetness so as not to over power the clean flavor of the tea. As I sipped on my lattes, I enjoyed a flaky buttery spinach and cheese croissant made with whole spinach leave and wished I could just hang out for the next few hours.

Republic of Pie had more to offer than just coffees and pies, it offers a warm and relaxing hideaway. Thanks to Republic of Pie for hosting me. I'll be back to try some of those pies.

Republic of Pie
11118 Magnolia Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601

Takatis Peruvian Chicken, Van Nuys

Is there good Peruvian food in the San Fernando Valley? I was hoping to answer this question last week with a few friends when we met for lunch at Takatis. There are a handful of Peruvian restaurants in Van Nuys right around the intersection of Victory and Van Nuys Blvd. Among them are Puro Sabor, Nazca, Machu-Picchu and Takatis. Takatis is known for their Sanguchon, a sandwich made with chicken, yam, egg, and cheese. We were looking forward to this unique sandwich, but to our disappointment the restaurant ran out during our visit. 

Takatis is small, but the large windows and vibrant colors give it a bright ambiance. After we ordered, our waitress brought over ketchup and three types of Peruvian sauces made with different chili peppers. The green sauce was made with jalapeños,  the yellow and orange were made with Peruvian chilies of the same color. The sauces all tasted very fresh and on the milder side in terms of heat.

Ceviche mixto
14.99

We ordered the ceviche to share and it arrived on a large plate with a generous mix of fish, squid and shrimp marinaded in lime and red onions served with boiled potatoes, fried yam and Peruvian corn. The seafood was very tender, but not mushy with the perfect amount of acidity from the lime. It tasted so fresh and vibrant, we all wished we had ordered our own. This was one of the best ceviches I have had in a while.

Pollo Saltado
12.99

My friends opted for the chicken burrito and I went for the saltado. Having heard great things about their chicken, I choose the pollo saltado thinking the rotisserie chicken would be used in the dish. This was not the case. The chicken in the saltado is marinaded in vinegar and stir fried with large chunks of tender red onion, tomatoes and french fries. The dish on its own lacked acidity to cut the heaviness from the sauce and french fries. The pepper sauces helped cut the grease and brightened the dish. It was good, but not something I would order again. The ceviche on the other hand, will be a welcomed staple in my lunch rotation. 

We'll be back to try other items on the menu, but in the mean time, the hunt continues for an all around good Peruvian restaurant in the San Fernando Valley.

Takatis
6470 Van Nuys Blvd 
Van Nuys, CA 91405