No. 219: A Few Favorite Foie Gras Dishes Around Town...

While a good amount of my food-loving friends are up in arms about the impending foie gras ban come July 1st (which may not even be enforced rigorously,) I can't bring myself to muster much of a reaction. Sure, I don't care for a government entity telling me what I can and can't eat--but foie gras is such an occasional indulgence for me that I probably won't miss it if it really disappears from the menus here. Besides, I can always hop to a neighboring state if my craving is that strong!

Nonetheless, given how it's been foie gras this and foie gras that for the past month (not to mention endless foie gras tasting menus popping up all over L.A.,) I figure now's a good a time as any to reflect on some of my recent favorite foie dishes. And if they are truly gone for good, at least I'll have a tasty memory to cling on to.

Foie Gras Rice Bowl @ The Playground 

One of the most interesting preparations of foie I've had in recent memory, it's served in a hybrid fried-rice/bibimbap style--with a umami-loaded, soy-based sauce and a composed arrangement of assorted veggies and notably, pineapples. I was skeptical about the fruity addition but in fact, it did the heavy lifting for this dish--adding some bright acidity and much-needed sweetness to this bowl, which tasted a bit too rich & salty otherwise. And the composed structure of this dish made it fun for me to try different combos of ingredients.

Oh, I should also mention that they have an AWESOME beer selection, both bottles & drafts!

Seared Foie Gras w Gingerbread, Rhubarb & Cherries @ WEST Restaurant*

Asides from an amazing penthouse-level view, they did a splendid job on a fairly classic preparation of the dish, a perfectly-seared lobe with delightful complements. The tart rhubarb and cherries offset the deeply, savory fattiness of the liver, and the flecks of gingerbread added fun little highlights of sweet-spice aromas here and there. Lastly, the microgreens added not only color appeal, but also provided a light & bright flavor respite between bites of all those rich textures and flavors.

And while this particular dish isn't on WEST's "Au Revoir Foie Gras" tasting menu; the menu does take the ingredients to some unusual territories - such as foie gras ice cream with roasted peach & rhubarb crisp and a foie gras parfait PB & J.

Foie Gras Biscuit @ Animal

Whereas my first two highlights are playing on differing, even contrasting, flavor and textures -- my final favorite is unapologetically rich all the way, with the lobe atop a biscuit drenched in maple-sausage gravy. Rather trying to entice the diner to take some time to play around with different components, this dish simply screams "dig in!" And it is a glorious combination of sins - a fluffy mound of carbs swimming in a creamy gravy (which, for me, hits that perfect flavor trifecta of salty, sweet and spicy!) And of course, the crowning glory of that wonderfully charred foie. (And with any luck, I hope to give this dish one last go tonight!)


Ok, so if the ban is for real, I will maybe miss foie a little bit! Let's just hope next time I go to Vegas the servers won't give me weird looks for demanding a foie rice bowl or over biscuits & gravy.

No. 209: Venison Fair @ Chaya Venice

In LA, it's a rather tricky affair when restaurants decide to put game meats on the menu. Sometimes it gets so buried with other flavors and texture you wonder why even bother with an exotic meat, and at the opposite end of the spectrum there are dishes that so unapologetically, unctuous and gnarly you kinda regret ordering a whole entreé size portion of it. Basically, you would feel jipped for that premium price.

So I was quite pleased to report back from a media dinner @ Chaya Venice that their Venison Fair (going on until Dec. 11) have something for every palate on the foodventurous-ness spectrum, from innocently curious to the full "Game On!" 

As such, I'll start with the most innocuous dish and go progressively wilder, so hold on to your palates.

Of the four dishes featured in this fair, the mildest one is definitely the venison meatballs with marinara sauce with pappardelle & shaved parmesan. I would've guessed veal if I tasted these meatballs blind, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, considering the herbs & spices in the meatballs themselves and the vibrant tomato sauce. And overall, this was a hearty and satisfying course, but if you are looking for more of an "Oh, deer!" factor - I'd vye for one of the three below.

Such as the venison chili con carne - given how spice-heavy this was I thought the venison-ness of this would be pretty mellow too, but the meat's gamey flavor and leaner texture does shine through here since venison steak chunks (as opposed to grounded up in the meatballs) is used. While the menu disclaimed this was 'spicy' - for me it was totally tolerable amount of heat, more of a 4 or 5 on a 1 to 10 scale.

If you are looking for a distinct venison flavor, go for the Texas-spiced venison burger. Yes, the meat is grounded up, but it's a whole big solid patty of it that really let its flavor and texture (that I place as a hybrid of bison & lamb) shine through. Of course, you can always pick apart the burger to taste the venison alone, but I personally loved its accompaniments of peppery, crunchy arugula, mildly-hot pepper jack cheese, the sweet-and-hot combo of spicy mayo and red pepper chutney, and of course, the crispy fattiness of thick-cut bacon. (Note that these were special slider versions served at this particular media dinner, on a regular order it would just be one normal-sized burger.)

And for those gung-ho about tasting deer in all its glory, go for the roasted venison tenderloin with blueberry peppercorn sauce. If you don't care for fruity sauces on your meat dishes, you might want to ask for it on the side, but I had no problem with it drizzled on top, the berries and peppers added a playful complexity and balance to the venison slices. Combine that with the haricots verts, mushrooms and chestnut puree and you got quite a forest-themed main course on your plate.

And at the server's suggestion, for all these deery dishes we shared "The Ball Buster", a 2009 Australian Red Blend from Tait Wines that proved to bold enough to hold up to more spice-heavy courses, but with a fruit-forwardness and soft-enough tannins that makes it sippable on its own too.

Also surprising is the number of "hard coffee" drinks they have on their menu (always a fond reminder of my days on the East Coast, where these are more prominent -- presumably so people can warm up and get buzzed in two different ways!) The Cafe L'Orange I got was just citrusy & liquored enough to add a delightful zing to the coffee without compromising its smoothness (unlike say... poorly made Irish coffees that just uber-bitter and burns going down the throat.)

Finally, no worries if deer isn't your thing -- their regular menu is still available for your dining pleasure. If nothing else, their all-night happy hour is worth a checkout too.

For other takes on the Venison Fair, check out the posts by my dining compadres that evening: TreasureLA & Savory Hunter. 


Chaya Venice 
110 Navy Street (cross: Main St)
Venice, CA 90291
(310) 396-1179
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Summer Slurping @ Chabuya (No. 204)

With summer still running strong, I am all over the cold noodle bandwagon. After last week's eclectic, creative & beefy consommé at Ramen Bull, I decided to hit up Chabuya, one of my solid standbys in the Sawtelle "Little Osaka" District, for a more traditional chilled ramen dish . . .

. . . and their Hiyashi Chuka was as tasty as I remembered, and a $9 well spent. Loads of fresh & chilled vegetables, half a soy-marinated boiled egg and a good helping of pork chashu strips (they can also do chicken instead, too.) The sesame dressing was creamy without being too rich, and was just mildly sweet with a little saltiness & tang to balance it out. And I love the noodles, springy but tender, and not clumped up or watery. My only suggestion for improvement may have been smaller cuts of cucumber, radish & egg so it can be savored throughout the dish instead of getting chomped down in a few bites, but generally this was super-satisfying for a hot day or a warm-ish night.

I also liked their recently-debuted Sweet Vinegar Fried Chicken ($5.50), lightly breaded pieces of thigh meat topped with sweet basil & sesame mixture and a drizzle of sweet soy & vinegar dressing. A winning combo for me -- delicately crispy with juicy dark meat & a curiously-complex flavor from the basil & soy-vinegar. And that salad of greens and veggies were a great conduit for the leftover dressing, as well as ameliorating some of the guilt for ordering this appetizer. If they put a salad on the side, it can't be *that* bad, right?

And with only a few weeks left in summer (and this particularly dish being a seasonal item at most noodle houses,) I definitely look forward to getting my fill of this while it's still around. As well as their free, all-you-care-to-drink iced mugicha (see? more healthiness!)

What Do Others Say?
- 365 Places to Eat "do think that Chabuya has some of the best noodles in the area, but depending on your soup preferences, you may have another favorite."
- In a 2007 post, Go Ramen gave mixed review to their classic ramen, but said their gyoza "that's 100 times better than Asahi's. The thin, light-tasting skin gave way to a succulent, moist pork filling. Chabuyaaaahhhh."
- Rameniac's 2006 review deemed their classic shoyu-tonkatsu broth a "one-note Samba . . . [but] the toppings for sure are top-grade."
- Eat Drink & Be Merry's classic blog, also for LA.Foodblogging in late-2005, noted that "the ramen is a little pricey . . . But then again, they use organic ingredients and honestly, everything tasted really crisp and fresh. Especially the spinach and green onions."
- Budget Foodie said it's "great ramen spot on the westside with a very cool ambience – they have a projector showing a slideshow of photos of Japan . . . So cute and romantic for a date."
- Best of LA had a "less than spectacular" visit in 2005, but revised her opinion with 2010 do-over: "A second chance is worth it. This time, the ramen . . . was good - not too salty and just enough to make me full."

Chabuya Tokyo Noodle House
2002 Sawtelle Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025
310.473.9834
Info @ Menupages

No. 177: Waterloo & City (Culver City)

When I got the invite to check out the debut of Waterloo & City's brunch, I was a bit ambivalent about attending. Their menu is very meat-forward, and I didn't want to feel like the odd vegetarian out (or worse, fall off the wagon) but their PR assured me that a fellow vegetarian will be attending the event as well, so I accepted their generous offer and shlepped my non-meat-eating behind to Culver City.

That's not to say I wasn't tempted, especially when Proprietor & Exec. Chef Brendan Collins pulled out all the stops with his King's platter of housemade charucterie ($32,) including beef drippings, salmon & potato terrine, chicken liver & foie gras mousse and even more exotic cuts such as venison and rabbit (throw in a skunk and you got a butchered Bambi cast reunion! Thankfully, Collins didn't.)

Of course, sitting in the middle of table mean I was in the center of the pate and terrine "sharing" action, which eventually turned the beautiful display of meats into this . . .

in the meantime, I found solace and comfort in my meatfree dishes . . .

A corn and pepper soup with parmesan cheese ravioli ($8) - rich and sweet with just a little bit of zip, it captured the essence of summer corn shucked at the peak of ripeness. Even though it was a hot summer afternoon, I can't help taking repeat sips of this piping hot soup. You say insanity, I say irresistibly delicious.

To counter the heat of the soup, I got a refreshing and perfect-for-brunch cocktail called "The Westside" ($10) a light and fragrant of beefeater 24 gin, watermelon, mint and lemonade. In hindsight, I wish I could bring it out on their lovely restaurant patio or game room, and relax and sip away while everyone else is going carnal on the charcuterie.

For my entree, I got their frittata of the day ($10,) which incorporated tomatoes, eggplants and mozzarella cheese -- or as I call it, a breakfast moussaka. It was fluffy, cheesy, zesty with flavorful veggies, I also love that it's made to order in a precious-looking mini skillet (as opposed to the usual reheated slice of a larger frittata at most other places.)

The tasty final bite came in the form of a trio of their desserts (and I'm definitely impressed that Chef Collins is also the pastry chef too!) All three were good, but my favorite was their sticky toffee pudding with milk ice cream and salted caramel ($8.) Again, being a hot baked sweet treat, it's more of a cold-weather item but it was just so decadently indulgent I had no shame going back for seconds, maybe thirds since no one was looking (moist sponge cake thoroughly soaked through with hot, buttery toffee sauce? yes please!) Besides, they're recovering from the meat-heavy brunch-induced food coma. Tough beans for them!

Leaving the hosted brunch thoroughly satisfied, I'm also glad that 1) I can actually survive a media meal as a vegetarian and 2) that even meat-forward places like Waterloo & City are taking time to put together tasty vegetarian-friendly options instead of relegating them to a generic minestrone soup & garden salad combo. And of course, I'm thrilled to discover a British-inspired place that I can bring my sheperd's pie, fish & chips and charcuterie loving friends to -- and we can still both find something great off the menu.

What Do Others Say?
- It got a solid 2.5 stars from LA Times for "its inspired British and Mediterranean fare."
- LAist did brunch with me that day, and agreed "the Sticky Toffee Puudding is . . . the way to go."
- Another brunch companion, Savory Hunter, gave props to its "ambitious but accessible cuisine, where the vibe is comfy and genial."
- Trippy Food & Deep End Dining collaborated on a slideshow-podcast recapping almost every dish served that day.
- Both Thirsty in LA & Grub Street LA got the lowdown on its two happy hours (5-7p & last two hours @ bar/lounge daily.)
- Caroline on Crack tried to go incognito but got caught by PR, but still "received very friendly and attentive service and the food . . . was delicious" prior to being recognized.
- Stuffy Cheaks went during opening week and "it won [her] heart."

More pics for my & dining companions' eats & drinks here

Waterloo & City
12517 West Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90066
(310) 391-4222
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No. 163: The Restaurant at the Getty Center (Brentwood)

It's been years since I've been to the Getty Center; shameful for a near-LA native, I know. But since my original Sunday plan of playing Accomplice got rescheduled, my friends and I decided to make the better of this sunny day and took a brisk, breezy roadtrip to the Westside to take in some culture and brunch in their artsy restaurant.

Like hotels and airports, I'm usually skeptical of museum restaurants... being the only game in town, there's really no incentive to prepare food beyond passable, right? And I'd say even more so with the Getty, where it takes at least a 15 minute tram ride, 10 minute parking lot navigation and another 10 minute drive down the 405 (in "good" traffic) to get to the next eatery. But after reading S. Irene's fairly positive review (along with others,) I decided to give their only restaurant a go for brunch... at the very least, I get to soak in some nice scenery -- and reinforce my notion to avoid airport/hotel/museum sitdown fare.

Our original foursome for the trip shrank to a trio, so instead of splitting a bottle of sparkly as planned we each wound up getting our own cocktail. I got a Pimm's Cup ($11), a classic with Pimm's No. 1, muddled citrus and cucumber plus ginger ale. A well-balanced mix of fruity, vegetal, herbal and spicy notes, it's the perfect refresher for a hot day!

Keeping with the cool and refreshing theme, my two friends W. and H. ordered the Citrus-Ginger Cooler ($10) made with vodka, citrus juices (including grapefuit, as one can tell from color,) ginger syrup and some fizz. It was more robust than the Pimm's Cup in flavor, size and alcohol content, but a bit more one-dimensional overall--blasting the palate with spicy ginger and sweet citrus, rather than the more complex, nuanced hints and notes of my cocktail. Still, a decent brunch-time quaffer (and that zippy ginger syrup at the bottom, which I tasted before it got stirred in, was amazing!).

After placing our orders, the chef sent out an amuse of kumamoto oyster-gazpacho shooters ~ which W. and H. loved while I contemplated falling off the vegetarian wagon. Alas, with some hesitation I passed mine to W. to finish.

We started our brunch by splitting an order of their wild mushroom soup with chive cream, puff pastry and microgreens ($9). We asked for 3 spoons when we placed the order, but it was sent it out in 3 coffee cups--how lovely of the kitchen to do that! And the soup itself was pretty good too, having a light body and a pronounced woodsy-earth mushroom flavor, with the chive cream adding just extra notch of richness. For me, the puff pastry was nice but extraneous, though I'm usually not one to break crackers or dip bread into my soup to begin with (grilled cheese and tomato soup being the key exception!)

For our brunch entrees, I got their risotto with English peas, wild mushrooms, cauliflower and Parmigiano Reggiano* ($16) topped with pea tendrils that turned out heavenly, a divine melange of toothsome rice, creamy-cheesy sauce, woodsy shrooms and sweet vegetables. And I was definitely deceived by its seemingly small size, as this primi portion was more than enough to fill me up.

W. got the server's recommendation: crab cake benedict with bacon, wilted spinach and Maltaise sauce on a toasted croissant w greens on the side ($20.) I only got a few forkfuls of her salad (fresh, crisp and nicely dressed with a sweet vinaigrette) but W. and H. splitted this hearty sandwich and loved the combination of flavors, from the above-average crab cake with hearty lumps of meat, to the thick-sliced bacon, flaky croissant and the tender spinach binded with the runny poached egg and the buttery sauce. And despite their collective complaints of the many pounds this will slap onto the scale, there wasn't a bite left at the end of the meal!

H. got the apricot Panettone French toast with mixed berry compote, vanilla cream and Vermont maple syrup ($14): again, more filling than it looked--especially the three of us essentially split this as our brunch dessert. In contrast to the benedict, this French toast was surprisingly mild in a good way. It wasn't too heavy or greasy from the pan-frying, and the sauces had just a dab of sweetness; in fact, the sugar is almost a hindsight here, with the fragrant vanilla and juicy berry notes being pleasantly prominent. Again, there were more calorie-related groans, but hardly a crumb remained...

And as tempting as their dessert and post-meal drinks menu looked, we were beyond stuffed so we opted for more water and coffee. And after a satisfied sigh, we made our way onward to check out the rest of the Getty Center, from their vibrant, lush gardens and gorgeous permanent collection artwork to their special exhibits including Leonardo da Vinci's sculptural works and influences and an educational gallery of how a sculpture is cast in the foundry back in the days. Of course, we stopped by their food-related Tasteful Pictures exhibit, though the still life in that gallery paled in comparison to what we had just consumed.

And I can't wait for the next set of installations to come on display here, if only give myself a reason to swing back to the Restaurant to try their next round of seasonally-rotating dishes!

The Restaurant At The Getty Center
1200 Getty Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90049
(310) 440-6810



Full flickr set of our meal and Getty trip here.

*P.S.: Yes, Parmigiano-Reggiano is technically not a vegetarian-friendly cheese (being made with animal rennet) but I'm not that strict a vegetarian and gave myself carte blanche with dairy products, though I try to avoid animal rennet cheeses where possible (and it looks like I'm not the only vegetarian to cut myself some slack in this department)

When It's Good To Be Square . . .

Sweet Square, a Westside-based bakery specializing in assorted dessert bars and squares, recently offered to send me a sample of their various treats. With my affinity for all things sweets, how can I refuse?

It wasn't long until their assorted dozen arrived in the mail and landed on my doorstep (for those who live within their 5 mile radius, they'll actually deliver for free!) In perfect timing too since I had friends over, so I halved the 2x2-inch squares and had a tasting with a pot 'o tea and some sparkling cocktails.

The bars we got to try were the blondies (with hunks of macadamias and white chips) the s'mores (with marshmallow, graham cracker crumbs and chocolate chips) and monkey bars (chocolate cookie chip bars with toffee and pecans) -- it pretty much transported us to a bakesale, except without worrying which mom makes the good stuff 'cause all of them tasted great (the s'mores was a little messy with crumbs falling all over, but worthwhile with the choco-mallow combination.)

In addition to the cookie-ish bars, they also offer brownies and lemon bars and even more adventurous creations like the "makin' bacon" squares (with real bacon bits embedded in brown sugar cookies, finished with a maple glaze) And at $18 for a dozen of these squares (i.e. a pretty reasonable $1.50 per bar) I can see it being a hit as a comforting-yet-creative care package or thank you gift - or a no-fuss finger-friendly treat to pack for a group outing.

For another take on Sweet Square's creations, check out FoodGPS' post or LAist's interview with the founders. And to check 'em out yourself or to order, go to their Web site at www.sweetsquare.net

Mini Foodventure #106: Riva (Santa Monica)

When Caroline and I tried out some of the amazing drinks at Copa d'Oro, their eats menu haven't debuted yet. We weren't particularly feeling like take-out from Buddha's Belly next door (which is what the bartender recommended to other hungry boozers, even pulled out the to-go menu for them to scan), we decided to take a hike around the Promenade to see what foodventures we can get our drunken butts into. We first walked to FIG, but that was exactly one day before they opened so no dice there. So instead we hopped to Riva, the relatively new Santa Monica outpost from Jason Travi (of Fraiche fame) specializing in casual Italian fare (focus on crudo and pizza) with a contemporary touch.

Having relatively light appetites but crazy sweet tooth (OK, maybe just me for the latter), we decided to share one pizza and two desserts. But the drinks menu also had an interesting list of libations. Since we were pretty much cocktailed out, we both got a beer. Mine was the Black Orchard from the Bruery for $4, which was surprisingly light and easy-to-drink despite its dark color, but well-rounded out with hints of spice and considerable depth and character. It actually held up really well with the pizza we ordered . . .

. . . the spinach and gorgonzola ($14). The toppings were simple (and no tomato sauce) but the ingredients melded beauitfully like a creamed spinach with a piquant sharp tang from the cheese and a subtle garlic-onion flavor. The crust was wonderful as well with its exterior thin crispiness quickly breaking into a soft, doughy and slightly sweet inside. More spongy than chewy compared to the other artisanal pizzerias, but that's a-OK with me.

My dessert of ricotta fritters ($9), served alongside citrus segments and a cream foam, was excellent. Fresh and crispy from the fryer, the ricotta lends a pleasant moistness and cheesecakey flavor to the fritters. If this is what New York Times meant by breakfast for desserts as a trend, I'm all for it!

Caroline ordered the torta della nonna ($10), with roasted pear slices atop layers of crisped mini-crepes with a side of caramel ice cream. The flavor combo of the three works and this dessert was good, but was lacking that little extra edge to make it memorable, but if you're craving a apple/pear tart-ish dessert a la mode, this is a decent one to try.

So there's my quick take on Riva. I enjoyed the few dishes on this foodventure and I look forward to trying more of their eats, drinks and service in the future (particularly around their daily happy hour from 5 to 6:30 p.m.). But along with Anisette and FIG, I'm really glad that there are so many more non-chain options encircling the Promenade now. This can only be a good thing for the savvy shopper and the finicky foodie like me.

What Do Others Say?
- TripleCreme forgot her camera, but loved the food, spotted celebs and "can't wait to return"
- J Gold of LA Weekly also credited Riva as a place that transformed eating options around the Promenade
- Caroline on Crack loved this place in spite of no whiskey cocktails
- LA Times' Ms. S. Irene gave it a solid two stars
- Gourmet Pigs thought it was "pretty good" with a few outstanding dishes

PS - apologies for the unappetizing blue hue (bar TV?) on the photos

Riva
312 Wilshire Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 451-7482
http://www.rivarestaurantla.com

Mini Foodventure #104: FIG (Santa Monica)

Not being much of a fig person, when I first heard buzz of FIG I didn't really pay much attention to it -- a fig-themed restaurant? really? But after doing a little more research I realized it's a restaurant headed by chef Ray Garcia (who worked at French Laundry and Cyrus) and forager Kerry Clasby with an emphasis in using sustainable, seasonal and "the region's best" foods into "simple, elegant [cuisine] that focus on pure, uncomplicated flavor." Sounds great, even if I still don't know what FIG stands for, if anything (Foraged Ingredients by Garcia? Fresh, Innovative and Great? or maybe just a reference to the fig tree in the courtyard of the Fairmont Miramar hotel, where the restaurant is located at?)

While sorting a little confusion with their PR folks on the opening date, they offered to host me for a meal there. Alas, I wasn't expecting to be in Santa Monica area on opening week so I passed on their offer.

And what happened next? Due to an unexpected chain of events, my friend and I wound up there on opening week anyways. Darn it! Oh well, since we already ate a bit beforehand, I wasn't planning a full meal there anyways so I figured I could enjoy a few nibbles to get an idea of their offerings.

The menu definitely reflects the seasonal flavors, and I love how the bottom highlights what produce are at their peak or soon on its way. But it was mildly frustrating to see that the menu listed hen of the wood mushrooms as a peaking ingredient, but I didn't see it featured on any of the dishes (and the waiter assured me there are no off-the-menu specials either); so sad, since I haven't tasted those in a while and was looking forward to them.

My friend was feeling carnivorous so he opted for their 12 oz. New York Strip steak frites. I decided to get three small dishes to get a greater variety of flavors, asking for the starter to arrive first and the soup and side dishes to come with my friend's entree.

Shortly after our orders, the bread/butter and amuse arrived. While I love the presentation of the warm demibaguette arrived in its own little paper bread bag, I was also thinking "how not-so-sustainable . . ." But I was quickly distracted from that by the "green butter" dip, which tasty and intriguing for both of us since we can't quite place our finger on what the other ingredients in there are. Herbs? Avocado? Pistachios? all the above? I would've asked the waiter but he's already away before I got the chance.

The amuse of a warm salad with wild mushrooms with a drizzle of olive oil is more than a bite, but we didn't mind. It was scrumptious! These aren't your standard button 'shrooms and you can tell from the all woodsy, earthy and meaty flavors that came forth. I surely hope that this becomes a permanent menu item -- wild mushrooms are available year round, right? ;)

Moving on to my first of small dishes: grilled mortadella with pink lady apples ($7). Quite sensational, the sausage was mild and tasted more like a ham, and it was nicely complemented by the crisp and sweet apple pieces and the tinge of smokiness from being grilled.

Shortly after we finished this starter, I was served was their roasted tomato soup with basil and marscarpone ($9). A little bit confuzzling since my other dish and my friend's entree wasn't ready yet. Nonetheless, the tomato soup overall went above my expectations esp. since most of my tomato soup experiences came from a can or a carton thus far; the flavors were vibrant with bright notes of acidity and sweetness, it certainly wasn't like anything I've had before. Would've liked a little bit more mascarpone cheese and I am unsure about the basil foam topping (personally would've appreciated the more natural presentation of chopped up leaves in the soup) but it was a delectable dish nonetheless.

Finally, my accompaniment of sauteed cauliflowers with hazelnut and sage ($9) - again a well-done dish whose simple preparation highlights the freshness of everything that went in it. The cauliflowers were perfectly cooked, and their almost-buttery flavor was nicely accented with the nut and herb nuances. I am definitely going to experiment with that hazelnut-sage combination myself when I cook my veggies at home!

What of my friend's NY Steak ($29) - also solid. A perfectly cooked medium-rare, it was juicy, beefy, tender with an amazing crispy-caramelized sear of fat on top -- this is the reason why I can't even become a pescatarian or just a bacon-loving vegetarian. The fries were nicely done too, having been flavored from herbs that were either fried with them or tossed in right afterwards, but seemed to lost some crispiness.

Finishing off our meal, a shared cheese plate. They offered several flights at pre-set prices (or a build-your-own at $4 per cheese), but our server was rather unhelpful on explaining the flights (telling us "Local" is all locally-made cheeses, and "Progressive" is going from mild to strongly flavored ones when we are more interested in the exact cheeses featured in each flight.) Alas, in the name of trying "the region's best" we went for the local flight ($17) . . .

. . . which turned out about 50/50, I personally liked the first cheese (which has a brie-like creaminess but with tinges of gorgonzola flavor) and the very last one (which was pungent but goes surprisingly well with the figs or the fruit-nut bread slices.) The other two hard cheeses in between are a bit unremarkable. While I did like their crystallized structure and snap, I found both too salty to eat alone.

Despite the somewhat disappointing final note, FIG is overall solid and competent in the food -- it's a great spot to hit up for simple-yet-elegant fares where the flavors of the raw ingredients really speak for themselves. The service was waffly, though I attribute that more to opening week kinks that hopefully will get worked out. And while it is fairly pricey (aim for about $40/person on food) I definitely would recommend this place as the occasional splurgy or special occasional meal or even their wonderful-sounding cocktails, which, like the cuisine, is inspired by what's available and in-season.

And I wish the best for Chef Garcia -- menus that need a regular makeover are always an ambitious undertaking, and I hope that he can pull it off through the seasons. I for one can't wait to see what the next batch of fresh produce will bring to the restaurant and bar.

For another take, check out Caroline on Crack's review here. (Oh, it's Arugula Butter!)

FIG
101 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, Ca90401
(310) 319-3111
www.figsantamonica.com

Special Foodventure #41: Il Moro (West LA)

This past weekend I was invited by Il Moro's public relations rep to sample their new fall menu (for free, one of my very few). Having remembered their positive LA Times review from last year, and enticed by the press release's description of their seasonal pumpkin tortelloni, I accepted and brought along a friend to bounce ideas and thoughts. (Since we are getting special treatment, this post will not have ratings, but more general notes of the space and food.)

Tucked in an office building, I'm sure the first impression many have of Il Moro is that it's a "business restaurant" for quick working lunches, meetings over drinks and maybe the occasional happy hour and quick bites before the drive home. But, to our surprise, the restaurant was packed on a Saturday night -- the crowd mostly mature and upscale-casual, with a few families and younger couples/groups of friends. A good number of the patrons conversed in Italian too, which looked optimistic.

(Il Moro dining room image provided by the restaurant's PR agency)

The dining area itself is neutral-warm in tones (primarily beiges, blonds and browns) made a little more intimate with dimmed lighting. The space is fairly airy and open, and diners can catch glimpses of the kitchen staff over the partition and easily eavesdrop on conversations from adjacent tables.

Il Moro's cuisine is focused on the Emilia-Romagna region, whose cuisine is focused on rich, zesty flavors and rightfully so. Within the region is Modena (known for its production of balsamic vinegar), Parma (pork products and parmigiano-reggiano cheese) and Bologna (orignator of the bolognese sauce).

Just like the region, if there was one word to describe the entire meal at Il Moro, it'd be bold. Every course we had packed a pretty big wallop on the flavors, which was good most of the time -- though by the end of the seven courses our tastebuds were pretty exhausted from the constant punch and stimulation. Hopefully, for the average two or three course meal this won't be as big an issue. Here's a roundup of what we had (all the dishes were of the chef's choosing):
Salsiccia Casareccia in Umido con Polenta Fresca - housemade italian sausage with a braised tomato and onion stew over polenta. The sausage itself wasn't particularly spicy, but the the stew tasted very fresh with the wonderful sweet-acid balance of the tomatoes and onions, further contrasted with the textured creaminess of the polenta. It was a satisfying antipasti and I could actually see this being more of an entree dish with slightly larger portions.



Tartar di Tonno in Spuma Di Avocado - raw tuna tartare with shallots, lemon dressing, avocado mousse and bread slices. This was the only problematic dish in the meal, we were initially surprised to be served this course since it isn't particularly Italian (and has been argued as a universal appetizer). Furthermore, this dish went overboard with the lemon dressing, making the tartare and the mousse too tart to enjoy the creamy fattiness or the nuances of the seasoning.


The apps were followed by a duo of housemade pastas: Maccheroni al Pettine al Ragu di Coniglio (pettine pasta in a rabbit ragu) and Risotto Mantecato alla Marmellata di Cipolle e Bocconcini d’Agnello (risotto with lamb, thyme and onion marmalade). Both pastas were pretty intense in their own right and they complemented each other well. The ridged pettine was great for picking up the chunky, tangy ragu sauce and the rabbit meat was surprisingly tender and mild-tasting, more like pork than the usual gamey-ness I expect. The lamb in the risotto was similarly mild, and I love the onion-thyme combo, which was woodsy and almost mushroom-like, which worked well with the slightly-nutty rice.



On top of the pasta duet, we also shared a serving of their Fall seasonal Pumpkin Tortelloni, with pumpkin mixed with sweet spices and amaretti cookies in a chicken and veal bolognese sauce, served in a pumpkin bowl.


It tasted as interesting as it looked, with a unique combination in flavors and mouthfeel (savory, chunky sauce against sweet, smooth filling) held together by tender pasta pillows.


After the pasta courses came the Ossobuco d'Agnello al Vino Rosso e Polenta Taragna, lamb shank braised in a red wine-porcini mushroom stew with a baked maize-buckwheat polenta. The polenta was unremarkable (toasty & herby, but too pungent for our liking) but the lamb and the fragrant, earthy mushroom-wine stew was delish, with the properly braised meat meltingly tender enough to fall apart with a fork, but not so overcooked that it becomes a meaty mush.



For the finale, we shared the chocolate creme brulee with strawberry sauce; the dessert is more like heavy mousse cake than a custard, but creme brulee like in that it has a chocolatey sugar crust on top. Nonetheless, it was a decadent, not-too-sweet, not-too-dense treat that had very deep cocoa aroma and flavor. The sauce seemed overpowered by the cake, but was nice with the berries surrounding.

Overall, the experience was pretty positive, despite the tuna-related confuzzlement and our palates being blasted with intense (but mostly yummy) flavors at every turn (thankfully, we had no shortage of water for cleansing between courses). For obvious reasons, our table service was close as it can get to perfect, but we observed that surrounding tables also received immaculate attention from the front-of-house staff too.

I can see why the restaurant received the praise it did from LA Times & LA Weekly (not to mention the packed Saturday night dining room even after 13 years of operation). While dinner is more of a special occasion affair at Il Moro, they also cater to the business and casual crowds with lunch, the more relaxed gastrobar atmosphere, as well as more informal events such as their regular wine tastings and live music nights. As noted by others, it's a hidden gem worth checking out. I know I'll be back to enjoy more pastas & sweets (they have a surprising amount of chocolatey items on there, perfect for a cocoa-phile like me!)

Final note: the Fall specialty dishes, according to the manager, are served until end of December.

Il Moro
11400 Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
310.575.3530
http://www.ilmoro.com/