Wood and Vine: Against the Grain in LalaLand

I think I've found another favorite spot to eat in Hollywood. 

In the land of 'hotspots', where to 'see and be seen' and gimmicky setups too often sadly takes precedence over good food and setting for great conversation - Wood and Vine goes against the grain with a venue that not only looks amazing, but has character - sans cliches - AND a menu built around substance, authenticity and craftsmanship.

Located in the historic Taft Building, which is steeped in Hollywood history dating back to the 20's - and housed offices of Hollywood icons from Charlie Chaplin to Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to The Hollywood Reporter - Wood and Vine has a unique decor and indoor/outdoor/bar/lounge/upstairs/downstairs space that makes you feel as if you've stepped into another time and place.  Notice I didn't say movie set - it doesn't give off that forced, false, touristy vibe in a theme park, Planet Hollywood kind of way - but in a way that feels authentic and transportative, and makes you forget that you're just a short but treacherous walk away from the kitsch of "superheroes", "aliens", "stormtroopers" and shops blasting sound and fury, peddling plastic "best mother/father/brother/sister of the year" academy award statuettes.  

There wasn't any sense of snootiness that you would come to expect in the nicer dining venues in Hollywood, either, from any of the staff - they were all very accommodating and genuine as far as we could tell - even on a busy Friday night.  I was glad, because it was my birthday, and when 'Lindyhopper' asked where I wanted to go, I kind of took a risk with this one - to try a place we hadn't been before.

I didn't need to worry at all as I fell in love with the place instantly.  Since I arrived uncharacteristically early, I went to the beautiful, soaring two-story backlit bar to grab a cocktail while waiting for Lindyhopper to arrive.  At the bartender's recommendation, I decided to try Aviation ($12) made with gin, maraschino, creme de violette and lemon juice.  The citrus and lightness of the drink overall was refreshing, but I thought the alcohol was a bit heavy-handed for my taste. Though in a way that was a good thing as my brother's wife went into labor that night, and so the entire family - spread out over 3 countries - was stressing out waiting for updates from the hospital. 

Luckily, there was a comfortable space at the front - with a leather sofa and armchairs nestled in an alcove by the stairs, and some bar tables next to them - where I could sit and get quick updates on the cell without bothering other customers. 

(They didn't end up giving birth til that Sunday)

When Lindyhopper arrived, we decided to take a table outside on the 'patio'.  It's a 3-walled, open-aired, breath-taking, charming and unique space that feels like a hidden gem - like someone took the backyard from an interior designer's home from upstate New York and dropped it in between highrises in Manhattan. 

Loved the wood panelling, trees, strung lights and heat lamps that cast a warm glow over the space.  And the fire pit table.  Yes, you read that right - there's a communal table in the middle of the patio, and in the center of that table - a fire pit.  Form and function in one, for meals in the winter - it does get chilly outdoors in LA for a few months of the year.

Wood and Vine has built a lot of buzz for their main attraction - housemade charcuterie - and I couldn't wait to try.  But my eyes lit up when they briefly detoured to Creamy Grits ($5) on the menu.  It's one of those foods that seem so simple, but can be amazing when well executed.  And you don't see polenta / grits everywhere - at $5, I had to have a taste.  And I LOVED it - the texture was pretty perfect: true to its name, the dish was creamy yet riddled with distinct, 'gritty' bits, served at just the right temperature and flavor intensity.  And a fairly generous portion too, for Hollywood prices.

After devouring that pre-show entertainment whole, it was time for the marquee act: Charcuterie & Cheese Selection - there was a great list of different meats, pates and cheeses to choose from and pricing was the same for any of the items which is fantastic for those of us who love the higher end stuff (3 for $12, 5 for $16, 7 for $21).  I of course immediately sprung for the Potted Foie Gras, Duck and Madeira Pate and Chicken Liver Mousse.  They arrived on a wooden board with bread, two dips (mustard - with real mustard seeds! and honey) and a side of pickled veggie slices.

I started with the heavy hitter first, as I wanted to leave the foie for last to let it linger on the palate: Chicken Liver Mousse - this was incredibly fresh, smooth, substantial yet light, with rich but perfectly controlled chicken liver flavors so as not to be overly pungent.  Loved the sprinkle of fresh cracked pepper on top as well for bit of crunch and slightest bit of heat.

Next up: Duck & Madeira Pate I was so excited when the platter arrived that I missed the waitress' explanation of what Madeira was, unfortunately, but I think it's a Portugese wine that's used to make this pate, which is simply amazing.  The consistency reminds me of SPAM (as in the canned lunch meat, not sludge of junk email) except much less greasy, and containing pleasing chunks of what I think are solid fat that breaks up the 'background' meat nicely.  This one was also so fresh tasting that I wouldn't be shocked if someone were to tell me they keep a farm in the back.

Saving the best for last: the gorgeous Potted Foie Gras - this was basically foie mashed and whipped up into a light, most incredibly divine consistency imaginable.  In density, I would say it's somewhere between real whipped cream and creme fraiche   With all the lovely savory livery flavors of foie.  In a glass jar.  I would probably add this to the list of things I would want for my last meal.

If you've read previous posts, you may know that Lindyhopper is not a fan of 'weird stuff' when it comes to food - she was kind enough to go along for my sake, but skipped the charcuterie and on the small plates menu went for the Chicken & Waffles house-made waffle, maple glaze, sage butter ($16) which pre-dinner research had revealed was a crowd fav at Wood and Vine.   And the chicken didn't disappoint (though the waffle could have been served at much hotter temperature). 

Because one can never have too much liver in their diet - for my 'main' I got the Grilled Liver market sherry gastrique, potato puree ($14) our server had let me know that this was going to be a pork liver. 

I knew from having pork liver in congee (Chinese rice porridge) that when cooked, this liver would become stiff and chewy, and is not at all close to the lush livers that come from their two-legged, web-footed and winged distant cousins.  But I love the intense and unique flavor of pork liver, and I'd never had it grilled before, so thought I would give it a try.  While grilling added a nice smokey char that really brought out its natural flavors nicely, the organ 'meat' did end up being a bit tough to eat.  I couldn't finish this one and took it home.

We were too full to get dessert, which is rare as we both have incurable sweet tooths!  Anyways, our total bill came to just over $60 including drinks (cocktail for me, soda for Lindyhopper) - really not bad at all for Hollywood!

Wood and Vine's menu rotates frequently, and I can't wait to go back to see what they serve up next, and to have a lot more of their charcuterie.  Also on Mondays, they serve a prix fixe menu that seems like a fantastic deal at $18 per person for 3 courses!  Looks like their Facebook page or Twitter are the best places to see the menu of the week.  Will definitely need to go back soon for this.  And next time I may need to sit by the firepit.

Also of note, Wood and Vine is close to the Pantages theater so great for pre- or post- theater drinks and small bites.

All in all, a wonderful time at Wood and Vine, to mark an otherwise would-have-been painful passage to yet another addition to The Number (that is all age is, right?).  For me it decidedly has all the makings of a new favorite in Hollywood, joining the ranks of Library Bar, Public Kitchen + Bar, and Komida.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% ___________________________________________________________

Wood and Vine
The Taft Building, 6280 Hollywood Blvd (at Vine Street), Hollywood, CA
Ph: 323.334.3360

Parking: Valet (really best option in area) $10 for up to 4 hours, Mon-Sat
$7 for up to 2.5 hours Sun

Website: woodandvine.com
OpenTable: Look for reservations (and points!)

Twitter: @woodandvine ______________________________________________________________________



 

Yak and Yeti: Tara's Himalayan / Big Foot West Adventure

One of the most amazing things about LA is that almost anything you want to do, is available to be done.  This is especially true of the dining arena - in the city, you can pretty much get any cuisine you want, (with few exceptions for specialized regional fare).  Even Nepalese /Tibetan. Last week, The Nomlog and I decided the best cure for a weekday is a culinary getaway - to the Himalayas via Palms by way of an unassuming restaurant on Venice Blvd, just downwind of Culver City.

Tara's Himalayan Cuisine is one of only two known Nepalese/Tibetan restaurants in LA (the other is in Pasadena, a city that to me represents a relative culinary wasteland offering  more trouble - especially with parking - than it's worth - so I wasn't about to go there even if the cuisine seemed to promise adventure). 

Tara's looked to offer authentic Nepalese / Tibetan dishes. Also, I was inspired by the story of owner Tara Gurung Black, who grew up in a tiny mountain village in Nepal (who we learned had escaped from an arranged marriage in her early teens) came to America on her own, assimilated, and eventually opened the restaurant to introduce a taste of her culture to LA, and later to raise funds to send home to a local school in her village that had fallen into disrepair.  She wanted kids from her village to be educated, empowering them as agents for positive change while not losing their heritage.

From the outside, on a fairly deserted stretch of Venice Blvd - the restaurant with its simple front patio doesn't look like much, but once inside, you can feel firsthand the pride Tara takes in her culture, through the small but cozy space adorned with colorful embroidery, lanterns, paintings and ornaments from Nepal.

We kicked off our meal with a cup of Himalayan Hot Tea ($3) made with cooked milk, ginger and Himalayan herbs.  It reminded me of chai but less in- your-face, spice that's got a calm presence - definitely hit the spot on that cold night (and cheers to free refills!)

Excited to try the food (Nepali cuisine has a lot of Indian and Chinese influence, so the menu had a lot of familiar terms like tandoori, masala, naan and their staple 'momo' are similar to Chinese dumplings/potstickers) - The Nomster and I decided to go with the two dishes that featured Yak meat, which neither of us had ever had (we're somehow always drawn to the unusual!).

The first was Sherpa Stew (with added Yak and noodles).  This turned out to be more of the consistency of a noodle soup than stew - with a tomato based broth flavored with "Himalayan spices" and herbs.  Then the moment of truth - there were a few pieces of Yak meat mixed in - and they were tender, juicy, dark and flavorful.  It's sweeter than beef and in slices that were light in weight but dark, almost black, in color.  As for the noodles, I was joking with The Nomster that I didn't know Tibetans were into spaghetti, when Tara walked by and confirmed that those were in fact spaghetti noodles!  There just isn't time to do handpull noodles the traditional way, so they chose the next closest substitute. 
We were a bit disappointed not to get to try it the authentic way, but enjoyed the flavors and the hot soup on a cold night well enough.



Photo: Mahatma4711

So what are Yaks, and why Yak meat?

Yaks are cattle animals bred by ancient Himalayan tribes as a beast of burden as well as for their rich milk, wool, hides, horns, and of course, meat.

In looks, Yaks resemble bison / cattle - they have handlebar horns, large shoulder humps, horse-like tails and long hair that hang down close to the ground.

Yak meat is red, lighter than beef, juicier than buffalo and elk, and not greasy (it's apparently a lean, low fat and low cholesterol, high protein meat, for those who care about that stuff ;P).

Our second Yak dish was Tara's signature dish: Yak Chili  ($11.99) which is also not as you would expect - say the word 'chili' and you automatically think thick, meaty stew with spices for heat, and possibly beans and cheese.  In this case, chili refers to the peppers that are used when sauteeing the Yak meat,along with broccolli, onions, tomato.

We could taste the yak a lot better than the smaller pieces in the Sherpa Stew - they were juicy but a bit rougher in texture than beef and again has a naturally sweet taste.  The closest thing I can think of that would be familiar to most people would be Mongolian beef, but with a much rougher surface.  Not bad, not sure that I would crave it but glad we got to try!

For a token veggie dish, we had the Eggplant Curry with fresh sliced eggplant, ginger, garlic and fresh tomatoes. ($7.99).  I prefer my eggplant structured with skin that isn't tough, so this dish wasn't a favorite - the eggplant was cooked thoroughly and falls apart both on contact with your utensils and melts away in your mouth, yet the skin is still sort of stiff and not that chewable.

All in all, glad we got the Himalayan experience, on our little pretend-Travel Channel-episode without ever leaving town.  It was worth trying at least once - and you can feel good about 10% of the profits from your meal going to support the Nepali school.  And happy to have met Tara, an incredible, generous and positively beaming personality whose passion for her country and culture is clear and inspiring.

In keeping with the Nepalese theme, after dinner we walked overto Big Foot West, just a few doors down, for drinks.  So Big Foot is not exactly the Yeti, but pretty much the American equivalent (did Tara's and Big Foot West plan to be so close to each other?)

This is another hidden gem of a neighborhood bar (design-wise), on the same relatively deserted stretch of Venice Blvd.  The concept is sort of mountain cabin, complete with walls built of 'Lincoln logs' and a central bar topped by overhead display crafted from cross sections of small tree trunks.

Despite the cool design, it's a pretty laid back and scene-free bar where you can come as you are - and be just as comfortable in your smart casual work clothes or in the cliched flannel shirt and jeans.

My friend 'Designer' introduced me to this bar a while back, and they used to have a specialty drink called Horny Goat that is $25 and made of un-nameables, that sat in a giant biology class style jar at the bar, and is supposed to aid your libido.  We never got to try it, and now it's gone, like so many creatures of legend. 

So, I ordered a Flower of New Orleans ($12), made of gin, yellow chartreuse, elderflower liquer and lemon juice.  I think Matt Biancaniello ruined me for cocktails not made farm-to-glass with incredible creativity: I found the Flower of New Orleans way too sweet and syrupy, but one thing that is NOT subjective, is the size of the glass (I don't know my metric measurements, but it was only about 3 mouthfuls of liquid in a small cocktail glass for $12, when Matt's crazy creative drinks at Library Bar are full-sized, sometimes in margarita or pint glasses, at $16).  Also, service was pretty abominable (yes, pun intended) - it took 10 minutes for the bartender to take my order, then another half hour to get my drink (he said he couldn't find me, but um, it's a small bar and I just moved over to a barstool that freed up a few steps down).

So, would I recommend Big Foot West?  ONLY for Happy Hour (see deal alert below) AND only if you're already in the area, like within walking distance (would not be worth a drive, in my opinion), AND you're not in a rush.

[Deal alert: $5 Happy Hour daily 5pm-9pm. Also sighted at Big Foot West: Whisky lovers night Mondays $4 Buffalo Trace, $5 Russell's rye]

All in all, though we may not have had summit-like highs taste-wise with either venue, we had a fun time trying something new and different (and yes, yakking up a storm - I know, *groan*, had to do it). 

Chalking this Yak + Yeti trip up for another Nomster / 1MB adventure!  Can't wait to see what we come up with next...

___________________________________________________________

Tara's Himalayan
10855 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90034
Ph: 310.836.9696
Website: tarashimalayancuisine.com

Big Foot West
10939 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064
Ph: 310.287.2200
Website: bigfootwest.com

______________________________________________________________________

Delphine - Wing Nite Tuesdays

A little Pop Culture Word Scramble of the Day: "With great power comes great responsibility" (yes, quoting from that famous comic-spawned franchise) and with great responsibility comes a need to getaway from time to time.  That I think is at the heart of Delphine's new Wing Nite Tuesday, brought to you by Chef Sascha Lyon.  What better reason for a chef with NYC brasserie cred, a la Balthazar, Pastis, and the eponymous Sascha, now at the helm of a Mediterrenean inspired French restaurant at the W hotel, to create said escapist fare?

And indeed Chef Lyon states that his goal is to create no fuss, affordable and accessible good food - veering from showpiece dishes to the visceral, what any person could enjoy, and what chefs would want to eat after they got off a long day on the line ("easy eating").  Food that you can have a personal connection with, food that you can eat with your hands.

That said, these are definitely not your every day bar grub slap dash buffalo wings - they're made sous-vide, then flash fried for a crisp, light exterior.

Last Tuesday I was lucky enough to be invited to a media tasting to check out Chef Lyon's offerings - and was treated to the full gamut of wings from the classic to Asian-inspired flavors. 

One of my favs (shocking, I know) was the Truffle Cheese Wings (all wings on menu are $4.50 per basket) - I know this was Chef Lyon's 'obligatory' wings for Los Angelenos who associate truffle with foodie, but I am not ashamed to be among the fans of these wings as they were pretty fantastic.  The truffle oil was so fragrant I could smell the wings as our waitress approached the table, and I liked the light sprinkling of cheese atop the crispy outer shell, which gave way to the tenderest, juiciest meat.

My second fav, perhaps because it's unusual, was Thai Red Curry.  First off, I have to say I liked the use of different shapes and sizes of wings/drumsticks for each variety on the menu.  They could have taken the easy way out and fried up the same wings by truckloads, and simply distinguish each variety by the dipping sauces.  But they took the time and care to select and prepare the wing/drumstick that works best as a canvas for the chosen flavors.  The Thai Red Curry was nice as it provided a relatively flat surface with minimal fat and a good amount of meat to let the nuances of the curry shine through.  A fellow blogger and I wondered whether a Med-French chef doing Asian flavors on an American classic would be able to pull off the curry without it being gimmicky and 'westernized'.  I'm no curry expert, but the curry provided tasted pretty authentic to me, and I thought that the curry in combination with the wings was well executed. 

Others at the table raved about the Honey Sriracha (basket came with a little syrup server of honey sriracha dip) but I thought it was too sweet with not enough heat.  Other flavors sampled were BBQ Beer with Green Chili, Spiced Honey, Ranch Country and Delphine Red Hot.  When asked for his favorites, Chef Lyon named: Honey Sriracha, Thai Curry, Spiced Honey and Truffle Cheese.

Wing Nite menu also serves up sides for $3 each: Coleslaw, Baked Beans, Potato Salad and Celery & Carrots with Bleu Cheese.  My favorite by far was the Potato Salad ($3) - again not just  your run-of-the-mill russet potato salad, but one made with a mix of different organic pee wee potatoes including purple ones!  The sauce was creamy but light, so that each bit didn't sink straight down your body like a brick.

Also on the menu are two specialty cocktails as well as four beers, varying from $3 to $10 each.  Of these, my favorite was Early Tea - though I kinda got so distracted by all the food that I didn't get a chance to write down what was in the drink!

 Delphine was incredibly generous with the tasting and provided endless baskets of wings.  We were so stuffed a few of us thought we could never eat chicken again (until we find something amazing on dineLA menus at least).  
 
To help digest and refresh, we received a round of Delphine's best salads from the regular menu to try - I of course really loved the Delphine Salad ($13 on regular menu) with escarole, red onions, walnuts, grana padano, and super fragrant lemon truffle vinaigrette.
 
Just when we thought we'd run out of stomach space, the chef kindly treated us to a round of desserts (each $9 from the regular menu)! 
 
I loved the Milk Chocolate Mousse Cake with Hazelnut and Almond Cake, Milk Chocolate Mousse, Coffee Ice Cream, though the mousse was a little thick after the massive meal.
 

Next up was the Chilled Apple Risotto - Chilled Apple Rice, Caramel Apples, Salted Caramel Ice Cream.  This was a cool concept that is beautifully plated - with ingredients that you can taste are market fresh. 

The last dish though was my favorite of the desserts: Profiteroles Filled with Vanilla Ice Cream, drizzled with Warm Chocolate Sauce.  This dish was simple, and classic, but very well executed - the ice cream was refreshing after the flurry of wings, and the profiteroles were toe-curling-texture-perfect.  Loved that the warm chocolate sauce was drizzled over it on the spot so that the chocolate doesn't turn the dough puffs soggy before you can get to them.

All in all, a great time at Delphine, with tasty but low maintenance, fun to eat food in a lovely setting at a reasonable price.  With Raw Bar Mondays ($1/$2 oysters on the half shell!) and now Wing Nite Tuesdays - there are many reasons and deals to ensure my return!


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 100% 
___________________________________________________________________

Delphine 
6250 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028  
Ph: 323.798.1355

Wing Night Tuesdays
Raw Bar Mondays:  5pm-10:30pm throughout restaurant
Happy Hour daily:  5-7pm at the bar

Website: restaurantdelphine.com
______________________________________________________________________

Matt Biancaniello: Redefining 'Novel' at Library Bar - One Farm Fresh Cocktail at a Time (1MB Exclusive: 3 New Drinks Debut!)

It's not every day that a bartender is deemed by The J Gold as "one of the most interesting" in Los Angeles.  Where many 'innovate' by adding new ingredients to modern classics - e.g. Lycee Martini instead of Appletini - Matt is literally rewriting the book on bartending with his market-driven, culinary, incredibly creative, trailblazing, yet authentic and personal approach.

A self-taught talent with no experience working in a bar prior to his current role at Library Bar at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel (where "every week is like test kitchen") - Matt sort of fell into it after a stint in advertising and catering - 'winging it' after the manager took a chance on hiring him. Matt chucks the rules when it comes to cocktails, drawing inspiration instead from culinary luminaries like Walter Manzke and Michael Cimarusti, local farmers' freshest offerings, and the element that sadly too many others seem to have forgotten - interaction with people across the bar. 

If cocktails were works of art, market fresh ingredients would be Matt's palette, and original concoctions the medium through which he creates an intense connection with patrons.  On any given day, his counter is a vision of gorgeous flora, fruits, vegetables, herbs and house made syrups, with a splash of colorful salts and spices for good measure (Matt practically lives at farmers' markets around the city!).  Yet his art is not pretentious - Matt's passion for his craft is clear, and every ingredient or technique he uses is with the goal to create the best culmination of visual / scent/ texture / taste experience for his guests.  We can all tell when someone is just 'showing off', but you don't get that with Matt - what you get is the sense that everything he does is because he genuinely loves / is excited by it, not because of any need to gratify ego.  Matt treats the glass as an artist would his canvas, and a chef would his plate.  He cares a lot about the interplay of tastes and textures, flavor profiles and visual presentation, as any chef worth his salt would.  He also puts a lot of thought into naming his creations, and will use culinary terms like 'amuse bouche' to describe some of his drinks.

Due to his seasonal approach, there isn't really a set 'menu' at Library Bar - so expect the unexpected every time you visit, 'omakase-style' as they say on the hotel website (love that!). In the cozy little nook that is the Library Bar, Matt takes time with guests to find out what they like before getting to work on their drink. 

My favorite quote, on this restorative visit on Easter Sunday, is Matt's answer to the few hit or miss feedback he has received: "you don't succeed without failing and by taking risks...truly creative people actually make more mistakes than most people because they take more risks, and I'm willing to do that".  Really respect his no-guts-no-glory approach when it comes to experimenting with new things, from mushrooms to emu eggs to prosciutto to fennel to stinging nettle gin, and sometimes that means drinks that fall flat - but sometimes it leads to pure genius.  Like the three drinks that he premiered for me that afternoon.

Plenty of articles have been written about Matt's signature drinks Rocket (arugula gimlet), Breeder's Cup (take on Gordon's Cup, served with oysters!), and Last Tango in Modena (strawberry, 25-yr balsamic vinegar, gin, St. Germain elderflower foam, named one of Gayot's Top Ten Cocktails in the US), so I won't repeat here, but I was honored to be there for the debut of his three latest creations!

The first of these was the Spanish Rose - organic strawberries are muddled with lime juice, agave, chocolate mint and an exquisite rose geranium water that Matt made himself, and Hendrik's gin, topped with saffron infused St. Germain foam and a sprig of fresh chocolate mint.

This was in a word - fantasmagasmic. I might be a bit biased as this drink contains a few of my favorite ingredients to encounter in food.  But it was a sensory journey with each sip - layers of flavor gradually revealed with the unique taste of saffron in the thick, almost creamy golden foam combining with the fragrant chocolate mint hitting you first on the inhale, before giving way to a light, refreshing, faintly floral and subtly tart & sweet payoff.  The sprig of chocolate mint was a little awkward to balance while tilting back the glass, but worth it for the lovely aromas it adds to the drink.

Sparked by Matt's culinary approach to cocktails, I decided to play a quick game inspired by Iron Chef with him.  What three things would he make if I were to give him a secret ingredient of, say, kumquat?

It took him all of a split second to come up with three amazing drink ideas - one of which he sampled for me as my second drink (Mandarino):

1.  Kumquat-cello: Cut at least 1 pound of Meiwa kumquats into halves, put in jar with Belvedere 100 proof vodka, 'cook' for 30-35 days, take out & add new batch of fruit, add a cup of simple syrup and let sit for additional 30-35 days.

2.  Candy kumquats (for use in Old Fashioned): Combine 2 cups water + 2 cups sugar, 40-50 kumquats, simmer 2 hours then take out so that you are left with a nice kumquat sugar syrup (one of many syrups that Matt makes from scratch himself at the bar!).  To make Old Fashioned:  use 1/2 oz of kumquat syrup, add 2 dashes Angostura bitters, 2 oz rye whiskey or bourbon, and 2-3 kumquats as garnishes.

3. Mandarino - kumquat daiquiri.  This one he happened to already be working on at his 'test kitchen' at the bar, trying to find that perfect balance, and made for me to try - it was so beautiful I almost cried.  Here is the recipe:

4-5 muddled kumquats
0.75 oz lime juice
0.75 oz agave syrup
0.75 oz egg whites
2 oz rum

Dry shake to emulsify egg whites, then shake with ice and serve in cocktail glass.  Garnish with thinly sliced kumquats, pink pepper and pansies.

This drink tastes like a luxe getaway in a cocktail glass - clean  like an ocean breeze, laid back yet sophisticated - I could drink dozens of these in one sitting and never want it to end.  It was love at first sight and sip.

The third and final drink Matt premiered for me was Thai Chai (working title), made with chai tea infused gin shaken with condensed milk and longan (a lycee-like fruit) topped with chocolate shavings.  The chai tea is from Sugarbird Sweets and Teas from the Sunday Larchmont Farmers Market, and tastes amazing with the naturally sweet, tropical flavors of the longan in this refreshing, silky drink that a fellow guest described simply and joyously as "dessert"!  The perfect finish to a lovely afternoon of the best, most refreshing, delicious cocktails I've ever tasted.

Some might balk at the $15 price tag, and drinks at Library Bar are definitely not for the faint of wallet.  But consider the 'liquid fine dining' and personal, pretty much one-of-a-kind experience you are getting for that price.  I've never been this excited about cocktails in general - and I'd even pay that twice over when Matt does his white truffle eggnog again!

Matt's figurative new 'book' on bartending is definitely a page-turner that has me on the edge of my seat.  So what will the next chapter bring for Matt? 

He's looking forward to summer fruits / veg to come into season - especially passionfruit - which was also the answer to my question "if you can only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be?" Somewhat poetic, that Matt's favorite thing in the world is passionfruit. 

What are his favorite drinks to make with it? Liquid Yoga Campari, aperol, lime juice, agave and passionfruit - because it's bitter, tart and sweet at the same time, and perfect to drink after yoga.  And the artist shines again with his 3 Faces of Van Gogh Cynar, Cassis and passionfruit -  forming 3 faces: bitter from the Cynar, made from artichokes; passion from passionfruit; and sweet from cassis.

He'd also like to have his own farm someday, keep his own bees to make his own honey.  But for now - his star continues to rise, with press feature on CNN actually posted today, and high profile foodie events like Cochon 555 coming up next (partnering with Chef Tim Goodell from Public Kitchen & Bar to compete with top chefs from around the country).  I'm calling it, look out for the duo to make headlines.

More pop-ups pairing cocktails with dinner may be in the future. As well as a continuing barrage of interviews with TV shows, print and online media (and he's still making time for fledgling bloggers - love him!).  And some other big projects in the works, not for me to mention here.

So pretty much get to Library Bar before Matt becomes an international superstar - if you live in LA, I promise you you'll kick yourself later if you don't pop down to get The Biancaniello Experience while you still have the chance!  Matt is at Library Bar off the lobby of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

[I am on a mission to try as many of Matt's creations as my liver can handle - check out photos of the latest and greatest photos in the full album on my Facebook page]

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Library Bar
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
7000 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Ph: 323.466.7000
Website: thompsonhotels.com
Like Matt on Facebook: facebook.com/people/Matthew-Biancaniello
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The Bazaar by José Andrés - Fantasy Fine Dining at SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills

In a town where creativity is a commodity of often fluctuating value, The Bazaar by José Andrés is that rare breakout blockbuster that manages to marry artistic vision with commercial success. The brainchild of James Beard Award winning chef and owner José Andrés, The Bazaar at the chic SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills is truly unique in all aspects: from the innovative concept, to the beautifully designed food and drinks - many showcasing molecular gastronomy - to the breathtaking decor by Phillippe Starck, which pits modern with traditional.

The concept is about a fluid 'fantasy'-like dining experience, allowing guests to move through uniquely designed spaces that are true visual treats, while tasting traditional and ultra-modern, innovative tapas (small plates allow for a wider range of samplings!) coupled with cocktails that can be theatrical productions in themselves, with dramatic use of liquid nitrogen and other molecular gastronomy wizardry from a cart wheeled tableside - and desserts again both traditional and those with interpretations all their own.  And for those so inclined, add the ability to peruse the eclectic retail displays curated by Moss, integrated into the mix.

The Bazaar recently extended their dineLA Restaurant Week to this past Friday (October 29th), and when my friend tipped us off to this - we made reservations immediately for a party of four and left work on time (for once) to meet up there on a weeknight.  The $44 dineLA offer featured your choice of one starter and three entrees from the extensive menu of over 40 different tapas, modern and traditional) plus one dessert.

Starting out in the "Blanca" or modern side of the dining room, on cream colored sofa style seats around a wooden table - we instantly dove into the task at hand - to narrow down our selections from the extensive (even for dineLA) menu of tapas on offer.  Luckily, with a table of four, we were able to get a much broader sampling by taking bites of each other's selections.

For our four starters, we chose: #1: "Philly Cheesesteak" - airbread, cheddar, Wagyu beef ($8 on regular menu).  I had liked the taste of this one from a previous visit - it's every bit as amazing as it sounds, with slices of buttery beef carpaccio layered on top of steaming, fluffy cheese-filled bread.

Starter #2: "Japanese Taco" - grilled eel, shiso, wasabi, and chicharron stuffed in thinly sliced cucumber wrappers ($10 on regular menu).  A creative dish that I would not so rashly label 'fusion', but rather, a Japanese inspired reimagining of a Mexican staple - that I truly enjoyed for its perfectly balanced mix of textures(flaky/crunchy/creamy/crispy) and flavors (savory/sweet eel with clean, subtle refreshing cucumber woken up with a small jolt of heat from the wasabi).

Starter #3: Papas Canarias - salty wrinkled potatoes with mojo verde ($8 on regular menu).  This one got mixed reviews - the potatoes themselves looked adorable - like chocolate nuggets rolled in powdered sugar - and tasted AMAZING, served at just the right temperature to bring out its natural flavor, with a perfectly crisped outer layer embellished with a kick of salt.  The unfortunate part was the mojo verde dip, which was much too salty for all four of us.  We would have loved to report layers of flavor unfolding with the heat of the potato, but we couldn't taste much beyond the salt.

Starter #4: (One that we actually ended up using an entree selection as well, as we all wanted a lot of this one) was West Coast Oysters with lemon and black pepper served in a tin can - in celebration of Spain's great canning tradition ($12 on regular menu).  A lovely dish with smooth oysters whose briny-ness was brought out all the more with lemon and black pepper.  I am usually a purist with oysters - love the taste of deep ocean in a freshly shucked oyster with nothing on it (especially if they are giant ones from any of the restaurants on the Bay in Monterey!) - but if I were to go for oysters served up with other accompaniments, this was a great choice and gets two cocktail forks up from me.

As one of our entrees was taken up by a second helping of West Coast Oysters - the  Brussel Sprouts with lemon puree, apricots, grapes, lemon air ($8 on regular menu) would be our second entree.  This probably ranks among the top of my favorite dishes for the night - with its original combination of slightly bitter and crisp brussel sprout leaves with the sweet / citrus fruit elements, topped by a dramatic burst of 'lemon air' (foam).  I've never really liked brussel sprouts - no, not a relic of childhood trauma, as my parents never served this veggie to us - but I have as an adult found it too bitter, and typical preparations (steamed whole) too dull.  But this dish made me a convert - proving that brussel sprouts can be delicious, and exciting to serve!

Other entrees which were good, but did not make as dramatic an impression, were: Wild Mushroom Rice with Idiazahal cheese ($10 on regular menu), Croquetas de Pollo - chicken and bechamel fritters ($9 on regular menu), and "Butifarra Senator Moynihan" -Catalan pork sausage, white beans and mushrooms ($12 on regular menu).  The chicken filling in the croquetas for some reason tasted like tuna, in consistency and flavor, which was not a bad thing - just, interesting.


As the only one at the table who had been to The Bazaar previously, I had to have all the ladies try the piece de resistance - Cotton Candy Foie Gras - even if it was off the dineLA menu and had to be added to the tab (not too bad at $5 per person).  You simply can't visit The Bazaar without trying this, just for the experience.  In taste, you can definitely have much better foie in their Foie Gras quince and toasted brioche sandwiches (plate of 3 sliders) - but it's the concept and presentation that is an experiment not to miss.  Essentially a block of foie gras is served on a stick, with a cloud of cotton candy wound around it.  It's supposed to be consumed like an amuse bouche - all in one bite.  A little difficult at first to see how the whole cloud would fit, but the candy of course shrinks down on contact.  Definitely a conversation piece - and again the taste is not really for foie connoisseurs, but it is fun and interesting to experience the blend of the creamy, dense, savory block of foie with airy, sugary strands of cotton candy.

Back to the mains - we also tried the Jamón Serrano Fermin (not pictured, $16 on regular menu), which was served on two plates with the slices of ham on one, and toasts with a tomato spread on the other.  This one was good, but again overshadowed by its more groundbreaking, drama-filled counterparts.

We also tried the Sea Scallops with Romesco Sauce ($14 on regular menu) - the scallops were huge, with a great crispy crust bookending juicy and tender meat inside. 

Our last main was the Beef Hanger Steak with piquillo pepper confit and natural jus  ($12 on regular menu) - though we had a tendency to be more impressed by the creative twists in the modern tapas dishes, it's worth noting that the traditional tapas also exhibited a high level of skill and definitely provided a haute cuisine experience as well.  The hanger steak in particular was super tender and juicy, and I loved its simple but lovely plating as well.

As we finished with the last of our entrees, our fabulous waitress arranged for a table in The Patisserie space, where we were to move to enjoy our desserts (for those who want to stay in the same space, you are offered the option too, but then you would miss out on the whole concept of the place, and the opportunity to experience the awesome, whimsical space).

The Patisserie area features an 'open kitchen' done completely in pink, with an almost Alice in Wonderland / Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tone and feel - the double-decker counter is stacked with ornate glass 'bell jars' of candies and cookies, interspersed with lollipops made of wispy chocolate emblems and tiny, exquisite fine china tea cups and beads.  There are hidden gems like a small loveseat whose design looks like a modern take on Marie Antoinette style, built into a glass pillar between The Patisserie and Bar Centro areas, that is a truly romantic and unique space - perfect for a date if you can book this seat.

It was too dark for any photos, so you'll just have to experience this space for yourselves! 

So onto dessert - yes, of course I chose the Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta with apricots and muscat gelatin ($12 on regular menu)!  Each layer was a revelation, with apricot puree (sprinkled with crushed pistachios) sitting atop the creamy panna cotta, which sat on top of jello cubes made with moscato wine.  Amazing.

The other three in our party all ordered the Traditional Spanish Flan with vanilla ice cream and fruit ($12 on regular menu) - which was also incredible.

After our meal, it was fun to walk through the designated retail area to the side of The Patisserie, which showcased an eclectic array of goods from the food and travel related, to jewelry and other accessories. 

The only thing to note for other budget foodies, is that valet parking at the hotel will run you $12 minimum before tip.  If you are very lucky, you might be able to find street parking - but it's simply easier, given the location, to just valet park it.

Although this season's dineLA is over, the good news is that all of the dishes above are still available (though at higher prices from the regular menu), with many, many other exciting options on offer.

If you are looking for a place that will provide a sensory experience like no other in LA - head to The Bazaar.  It's perfect for almost every occasion - from a date to girls' night out or happy hour with coworkers (Bar Centro is actually pretty lively, though in a sophisticated way) - to foodies who simply want to celebrate and support culinary creativity, which José Andrés has done an amazing job in demonstrating, is very much alive and well in LA. 

I for one can't wait to go back, for any occasion at all (and due to budget constraints, I normally don't repeat visits unless the place is amazing)!  It is expensive - but SO worth it.

Updates from subsequent visits:

 Tuna ceviche and avocado roll ($15) - amazing interpretation of classic sushi roll.  No rice or nori, just the freshest tuna tartare wrapped in incredible, paper-thin slices of avocado!

Sea Urchin sandwich with avocado and steamed bun (3 for $12) - LOVE this dish with the briny, nutty flavored sea urchin paired with creamy yet structured slices of avocado and placed in tiny, pillowy little bao!  Presentation, in a steamer, is awesome as well.

Not your everyday Caprésé with cherry tomatoes, liquid mozzarella ($12) - inventive reconstructed version of the classic Italian insalata. Very good, but not as mind blowing as other dishes at The Bazaar.

Foie gras cotton candy ($5 each) - like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Santa Monica beach and Third Street Promenade, these cubes of foie gras wrapped in cotton candy and served on a stick are like a tourist trap - something you have to bring 'out of towners', like my brother and his wife, to experience on their first visit.

There is always one liquid nitrogen drink on the menu - they wheel a bar cart tableside, then 'freeze' your alcoholic beverage with liquid nitrogen.  Deliciously theatrical and entertaining!

I forget what the name of the drink was now, but they always rotate the drinks anyway.  So cool to have to 'spoon' your cocktail - like having an uber upscale slurpy / saved ice that also gives you a nice buzz.





On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 7 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100%

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The Bazaar by José Andrés
465 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
Ph: 310.246.5555
Website: thebazaar.com
Twitter: twitter.com/chefjoseandres
OpenTable: Look for reservations
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