SHIKI: Affordable Fantastic Omakase and Washoku in Beverly Hills?!?

In the zip code synonymous with luxury, is not the place where you would most expect to find affordable and authentic ethnic cuisine.  Yet there it is, against the odds and expectation: SHIKI, helmed by talent from the kitchens of two of the sushi spots most beloved by those in-the-know in the city from Asanebo to Sushi Gen.

I have a fateful visit to the dentist in the area, and a combination of slowly-fading anesthetic and increasing hunger pangs to thank for motivating me to wander into SHIKI.  Seeing their emphasis on "washoku" (literal translation: Japanese food, but apparently references traditional Japanese cooking emphasizing harmony, respect for nature and balance in satisfying all senses) featured on their menu was the first sign that this would be a 'hidden gem' - but I had to do a triple-take when I saw that the omakase was 'only' $60 - astounding for any higher end place in the city.  It would include two appetizers, and 10 pieces of sushi of the chef's selection.

There was a moment when I worried that it would be the standard, snooze-inducing roster of yellowtail, salmon, tuna, etc. etc.  But at $60, and with my love and trust of Asanebo and Sushi Gen, I decided it was worth a try.  And it turned out to be one of the best omakase I've had in the city, especially for this price.
  

Appetizer #1: Agedashi tofu with tempura - every bite here is prepared with care and pride, and it shows from the start.  This tofu is perfectly silky smooth inside, and nicely fried outside, placed into the most elegant dashi (broth) and topped with two pieces of (eggplant?) tempura and shaved radish and ginger.

Appetizer #2: Seared Snapper and Barracuda with vegetables this dish too, embodied the Japanese pursuit of perfection in every detail: sweet, flaky snapper and barracuda were enhanced with the smokiness (and structure) from torching, and again the refreshing, light yet complex dashi, and chilled bites of boiled eggplant, juicy earthy mushrooms, and bright leaves of perfectly cooked spinach.

Then the sushi started arriving piece by piece, traditional style where you can tell the chef respects every beautiful cut of fish he puts in front of you.  Sushi #1: Snapper. 

I was lucky enough to be placed in head chef Hiro's care, and I need not have worried about the faux omakase some other popular sushi spots serve, where the courses are the same every day, to every diner. These would be the freshest cuts of the day, and I like to think, served based on the chef's interactions with you (he watches your reaction to each piece for feedback before serving the next one).

Here's what I got for the rest of my omakase rolls:
Sushi #2: Squid with ginger and ponzu.- loved the fresh crunch and well balanced savory/sweet with a kick from the ginger and wasabi
Sushi #3: Tuna
Sushi #4: Seared toro (one of my favorite bites of the meal, decadently fatty with just the right amount of smokiness and the whole thing just melts in your mouth and makes your eyes roll back as a gentle moan inadvertently escapes from your lips)
Sushi #5: Barracuda, gorgeously seared and sliced / shaped in such a way that it was somehow evocative to me of an origami armadillo
Sushi #6: Baby toro with ponzu jelly, scallion and ginger
Sushi #7: Sea perch torched for smokiness in perfect balance with the natural sweetness of the fish (chef described it as 'like white fish toro')
Sushi #8: Ikura (salmon roe) marinated in sardine dashi and steamed.  This was another creative departure from the traditional roll - the process of marinating and steaming both pulled back the bright brininess typical of salmon roe, and intensified the umami by introducing another fish element.  Delicious.
Sushi #9: Octopus brushed with a sauce made from tea, lentils and gyoza sauce - this one really exhibited the creativity of the team - they do traditional sushi really well, but also will do some creative things I've never seen at any other sushi spot.  Chef Hiro explained that with this one, they do cut the octopus a little bit thicker, intentionally so that as you bite into the piece and the 'meat' breaks apart, it releases the aromas upwards into your palate.  A fantastic piece to experience!
Sushi #10: Uni (sea urchin) from Santa Barbara, of course one of my favorite bites as an uni addict!!!

I would have been satiated just with the $60 omakase, but I was enjoying the meal so much that I went for the add-on (which by the way was only $20 for an extra 5 pieces of sushi!!! Amazing deal!) 

Extra sushi #1: Amberjack

Extra sushi #2: Shima aji

Extra sushi #3: so, I loved the seared toro so much that I decided to ask for another piece within my extra 5, risking the chance at trying one more type of fish that I might have also fawned over - because I knew I would not be able to sleep that night without having another bite of that proof of divine design. 

Extra sushi #4: chopped toro with pickled radish  this was an interesting one without rice, and a lovely crunches of radish sending bursts of acidity to cut through the fatty fish.  Tasty.

Extra sushi #5: sea eel - from Japan; this is not the oversauced eel that you get at lesser sushi spots - but a fresh one, lightly sauced so that you can still taste the eel itself, and served hot.

And as a reward for my seemingly endless stomach, Chef Hiro also gave me a block of tamago (sweet egg omelette)

Although all that sushi was a lot of food already, I wasn't ready to leave without tasting a few bites from the washoku menu.

Not having known that the first appetizer of omakase was going to be tofu, I also ordered the Goma tofu: unfortunately turns out this was a bit too dense and 'sticky' for me.  I definitely preferred the agedashi tofu.

Momotaro with blue crab, in ume dashi dressing with ohba leaf (half portion $3 + $6 supplement for crab).  a beautiful perfect tomato - jewel toned inside - is served with fresh bits of blue crab in a vinegar-based dressing.  Momotaro is a Japanese tomato that is less acidic than the ones served in American salads, and only slightly sweet. This was a lovely way to feature the humble tomato, but I didn't find this dish as mindblowing as the next one (hmmm, no ingredient based bias there...;))

Then there was the show stopping Uni Shiokara sea urchin brined, then steamed and made into a paste and served with neat, crispy strips of toasted seaweed, and fresh wasabi.

You put a bit of the uni paste inside the seaweed, add a bit of wasabi, then down it goes like a Japanese taco.  The brining, steaming and pasting technique is interesting in that it made the texture more dense, and amplified the natural funk of fresh uni and made it more pungent (in the best way).

Serving it with toasted seaweed to add crisp crunch to counterbalance the richness of the uni paste was perfect.

Loved this dish!!!!

There were so many more washoku dishes I wanted to try, including a few A5 wagyu ones, but I'd tested the limits of my stomach capacity, and by this time I'd also pushed past their official closing time.  But I vowed to be back again soon!

(And for sake / Japanese whiskey fans: SHIKI also serves tasting flights of sake for $18, as well as award winning whiskeys like Yamazaki, and interesting ones like Akashi White Oak.)

All in all, omakase at SHIKI is a fantastic deal that I would definitely return for, even without a dentist visit as my excuse to be in the area - I would drive out for this, one that I now consider among my favorite sushi (and washoku) spots in the city.

On a 7 point scale:

Flavor - 6 bites  
Presentation - 6.5 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience -  6 stars
Service - 7 stars
Overall experience - 6.5 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 100% 

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SHIKI 

410 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Ph: 310.888.0036

 

Website: shikibeverlyhills.com  

Parking: lunch: free for first 2 hours; dinner: $5 flat fee for entry after 6pm, in public structure below Crate & Barrel (short walk)
  



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Freds at Barneys New York - Sunset Sips & Bites Over Beverly Hills

It's been more than 10 years since I'd visited the restaurant (formerly Barney Greengrass) inside Barneys New York in Beverly Hills.  The place has been completely replaced by Freds last October, a modern, sleek, open space with outdoor balcony seating, overlooking some of the most expensive real estate in the city, yet with an unexpectedly laid back vibe.

Today they launched a Sunset Menu, consisting of late afternoon snacks to pair with California inspired cocktails

I love that as a part of this menu they also offer fresh, house made juices including the Orange is the New Black (orange, carrot, ginger, turmeric) ($9) or Green Jeans (apple, spinach, kale, cucumber, celery, romaine, ginger), and some can even be spiked with your choice of spirit, the better to enable you to justify your liquor intake as being 'better for you' (could this become our new favorite way to 'juice')?

We were able to also sample some of their food offerings at a preview, including classic staples like tuna tartare, and dishes inspired by LA's fantastic farmers markets (one of their many flatbread options will be a special based on finds from Santa Monica Farmers Market).

But the unanimous favorite at our table was the steaming Robiola with Truffle Oil Pizza.  I'm not normally a fan of truffle oil, but it works with this delicious cheese bread 'pizza' that's fresh from the oven - it will take willpower stronger than mine to resist snacking on basket after basket of these (yes, we did shamelessly ask for second rounds, actually). Another standout was one of the three dipping sauces that accompany the Pommes Frites: Calypso sauce made with cognac and orange juice.

Prices are also pretty reasonable considering the location on the 5th floor of a luxury goods store in the middle of Beverly Hills: flatbreads are $16-$21, and the fairly generously portioned tuna tartare is $19.

The Sunset Menu is served 3pm-7pm Thursdays-Saturdays and 3pm-6pm

 Mondays-Wednesdays and Sundays.  

At the fairly affordable prices (for Beverly Hills), and lesser known (for now) location - this could be a great option for a late afternoon / early evening escape from LA rush hour - a place to unwind with coworkers, retreat to a quiet corner to discuss that all-important deal, or micro-analyze the latest episode of the Real Housewives over some sips, bites above the fray of Wilshire / Santa Monica / Beverly.
Regular menu also served lunch daily and brunch on weekends.

*Disclaimer: this meal was hosted.
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Freds
Barneys New York
9570 Wilshire Blvd, 5th Floor
Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Ph: 310.777.5877

Website: barneys.com

Look for reservations (and rewards points!) at OpenTable.

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Hakkasan: Happy Year of the Ram, 90210 Style

I'd always been curious about the global juggernaut restaurant/lounge/nightlife brand that is Hakkasan.  Originating in London, with Singaporean Executive Chef Tong Chee Hwee at the helm, Hakkasan had earned a Michelin-star within a year of opening.

A Chinese New Year menu tasting at Hakkasan's Beverly Hills location gave me the occasion to finally check the place out.

The ultra-lounge ambience has a Chinese flare, with ornate, airy screens inspired by traditional interior design helping to section off tables so that you get a sense of the expansiveness of the place while enjoying a degree of privacy with your dining companions. As a fan and supporter of Chinese 'experience' restaurants - gastronomic temples balancing fine dining traditional / inventive Chinese with modern, chic decor is de rigeur in Hong Kong - the ambiance really does add to your enjoyment of the meal.

Elevated Asian food in experience restaurants is often met with skepticism in the US, and while I had my reservations as well, I tried to keep an open mind.  

From the CNY menu (see full listings at bottom), there was one huge standout for me: the Golden fried sea prawns dish, with red chili and curry leaf. The prawns were the perfect size, with a fragrant spicy-salty crispy crunch yielding to plump and juicy with a pleasant spring: best of all they were heaped with a giant mound of fried egg YOLK wisps, also with just the right amount of heat and umami to make them something you won't be able to stop eating.  I was surprised at how much I loved this dish - If they sold a giant gallon tub of even just those egg yolk wisps, I would happily squirrel and devour them by fistfuls.

Right now this dish is only being offered as part of the CNY menu, but I'm hoping they will decide to add it to the regular a la carte menu - it drew unanimous raves from everyone at our tasting, and is definitely a dish I would come back for.

Here is what the rest of the menu, offered for the next week or so, looks like:

Small Eats

• Dim sum platter *har gau, scallop shumai, Chinese chive dumpling and black pepper duck dumpling
• Spicy lamb lupin wrap
• Golden fried sea prawns with red chili and curry leaf

Main

• Spicy prawn with lily bulb and almond
• Stir-fry black pepper rib eye beef with merlot *
• Grilled Chilean seabass in honey
• Stir-fry lily bulb and French bean with preserved olive and dry chili
• Abalone and dry scallop fried rice *

Dessert

• Kumquat wishing tree

Cost: $138.88, minimum of two people to participate in the menu.

To complete the dining experience, the Kumquat wishing tree dessert consists of two parts: a chocolate kumquat dish with dramatic plating: a tree silhouette is painted in chocolate on the plate, with bright orange bursts of kumquat sorbet accompanying chocolate cake on top.

The second part is a futuristic looking plastic tree hung with edible candied kumquats.  This second tree comes with a red 'wishing slip' that you can write your wish on - a global community element then comes in the form of encouraging guests to share their written wish with others via social media.

Most dishes were tasty, but I did particularly wish for the fried rice to have more 'wok air'.  Even if the dish is meant to be served 'wet' style, the rice should have had more 'fragrance release'.  We did not get to try the dim sum nor the spicy prawn, and I hope to go back soon to check them out and get a more complete picture of Hakkasan's offerings.

In the meantime, here's to wishing everyone a happy Chinese New Year!

*Disclaimer:  This meal was hosted.

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Hakkasan Beverly Hills

233 N Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Ph: 310.888.8661

Website: hakkasan.com

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dineLA Winter 2013: Caulfield's at the Thompson Hotel Beverly Hills

For my first dineLA meal of the year, I knew I had to try Caulfield's, the newly overhauled restaurant in the Thompson Hotel in Beverly Hills - aside from new interiors by HD Buttercup to new leadership in the kitchen by Chef Stephen Kalt who has previously served in Daniel Boulud's kitchen at famed NYC icon Le Cirque - the menu just looked like fun, and a good deal at just $25 for 3-courses, practically surreal in most parts of Beverly Hills.

The interior design to me kind of had a Manhattan vibe, softened by SoCal sun streaming through huge windows.  It was well designed, yet comfortable, my fav combination in a restaurant.  The unpretentious space was well paired with an unpretentious staff - on the day of my visit there seemed to only be one server for four to five tables, all dineLA customers - but he was equally attentive (as much as he could be spread so thin) and friendly to all of us.

Where many others defaulted to boring salads or tuna of some sort as a starter, Caulfield's offered options like Rabbit Terrine, Latke with creme fraiche and salmon caviar, and one of their signature dishes, House Smoked Trout in a Jar ($12 on regular menu) with creme fraiche, egg, pickled veggies and toast.  I have a dear friend who adores rabbits and reads this blog (thank you for your support!!!) so I skipped the terrine and went for the trout.  LOVED the presentation (beautiful salmon-colored flakes in a mason jar, served on a wooden cheese board with perfect little toasts and small mound of veggies) backed by skillfully balanced flavors. I normally don't like my eggs hard-boiled, but I think it serves as a nice counterbalancing texture to the light flaky fish here, and its mildness a counterpoint to the sharp acidity of the pickled carrots, radish and brussel sprouts.

Intrigued that they have a whole section of Binchotan Charcoal Grilled proteins, for my main I went for the Binchotan Charcoal Grilled Marinated Skirt Steak with fingerling yams and antichucho sauce ($25 on its own on the regular menu, meaning for dineLA you would have gotten the starter and dessert free!) - this had a nice smokey crust outside, with an incredibly tender and flavor-rich inside.  The finely chopped buttery garlic and parsley mix reminding me of the sauce you usually get with escargot (I love French food so this is a + to me).  For those not into red meat - ladies at the next table over raved about the trout as the best they've ever had, and in talking with them they are well-travelled and know their food.  I just didn't want to do trout on trout over 2 courses though.

I had high hopes for the dessert, given the elaborate description: Frozen Milk Chocolate Souffle, Dark Chocolate Pearls, Orange Toffee, Coffee Caramel, Blood Orange. 

The other option was "doughnuts with pastry cream and jam".  The ladies who lunched at the next table had both, and said the donuts are better by far.  But, I had just met them for a few minutes at that point, and couldn't pass up what sounds far more exciting - so, I went with the souffle option.  I should have listened to them.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words - and it's very true in this case.  The presentation definitely evoked something that could occur in nature, and not in a good way - not very appetizing to look at, for sure. And in terms of taste and texture: though chocolate and orange are a common flavor pairing, the execution of the various elements just didn't come together coherently for me.  If I were to go back I would definitely want to see how the donuts are done.

But, two fantastic courses that saved me $12 regardless of dessert, made me a happy customer.  Also, if you don't have time or are unable to find street parking - valet parking here with restaurant validation comes out to just $4, much more affordable than other hotel valets in the area (*cough* Beverly Wilshire *cough*).

To check out my other dineLA picks, and tips on deal stacking, see my post here.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 
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Caulfield's at the Thompson Hotel
9360 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Ph: 310.388.6860

Parking: Valet $4 with validation

Website: caulfieldsbeverlyhills.com

OpenTable: Look for reservations and points here

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dineLA Summer 2012: Lunch on the Balcony at Bouchon Beverly Hills

I'd been meaning to check out Bouchon in, forever, and somehow never made it there.  Then dineLA rolled out their summer session, and Bouchon Bistro was on the list for lunch at $25 for 2 courses, $29 for 3. And I happened to be due for a dentist visit, right in the area - so was excited to be able to slide in a quick lunch - at probably the only Thomas Keller restaurant that is remotely within my price range, and only really because of dineLA - before my appointment.

(Best laid plans: I meant to write about my dineLA Summer 2012 experiences as I ate my way through town.  I meant to savor every detail and provide a vicarious taste of everything here as quickly as I could, so that people still have time to see and decide for themselves whether a particular place and menu is worth checking out. Then I got distracted by all the food - and gave in to my propensity to eat much faster than I can write.  For those on Instagram and Twitter, I was able to post photos with short captioned notes after each meal to give a quick, more timely idea of what's on offer. For everyone else, the next few posts will be more of a 'what you missed' or 'how they did it last time' as potential reference for the next time...)

Bouchon, of course is located at the Montage, facing a flawlessly manicured oasis of a park squeezed in between two wings of the hotel. There is Bar Bouchon on the first floor, a more casual space with patio seating overlooking said park.  Then there is Bouchon Bistro upstairs, with the power lunch crowd indoors, and culinary tourists / don't really need to work types out on the balcony (the only unfortunate thing: the balcony railings are so high you really can't enjoy the view of the park below. 

For me, dining al fresco is the way to go here.  The meal started with a lovely fresh loaf of bread with a ramekin of fresh butter.  

My starter choice was a no brainer: Mousse de Foie de Volaille ($16 on regular menu!) - no, Bouchon has not engaged in any 'illegal' activity, this isn't foie gras - foie translates to liver and this dish actually consists of chicken liver mousse with red wine poached prunes & toasted pain de campagne.  The mousse was perfect, lush and light, beautiful liver flavor balanced by the rich sweetness of the wine-poached prune and jelly.

I pretty much ate straight forkfuls for a while before remembering my manners and reluctantly spreading it on the toasts to regain some semblance of decorum.

For the entree, I had been excited about both the mussels steamed in white wine, mustard and saffron broth ($28.50 on regular menu), and the Confit de Canard - since I had the 'land creature' dish for the starter, I had originally wanted to go with the lighter mussels, but when my server confirmed that the duck is no longer on the menu (had been replaced by escargot, which of course I then had to add as supplement) - I decided to go full land creature feast.  This was a duck leg confit with French green lentils, a matignon of root vegetables and red wine vinegar duck jus (not sure pricing as no longer on regular menu).  As soon as it arrived I wish I had gone for the mussels - the duck leg was dry as sandpaper outside, and not much better inside.  The lentils were still sort of hard, and the red wine vinegar duck jus it sat in was nothing spectacular.  It took me by surprise, how poorly cooked this one was, considering this was Bouchon, as in a Thomas Keller establishment...Perhaps it was an 'off' day for the chef or maybe they pre-cooked dineLA meals and it just sat out too long or maybe got reheated too many times...In any case, hoping that I could make an impact for other diners, I did let the server know when he asked for feedback.  Though it was not my intention in sharing the comment, my friendly server very kindly took the initiative to remove the charge for this course, so that I only had to pay the $25 for 2-courses (saving $4).

As the dish sounded delicious on the menu and it's been a while since I'd had these lil creatures - I added the Escargot à la Bourguignonne ($18 on regular menu) - red wine braised Burgundy snails with garlic butter served in an adorable Staub cast iron pan, topped by Bouchon Bakery puff pastry. I think red wine braised anything will always taste amazing with complexity of flavor - and these escargot were no exception - but I did find a little too much garlic butter made it a bit too oily.  Perhaps that's what the puff pastry was for, to soak up all the oils - they were gorgeously light and flaky, and a delicious and interesting companion to the softly chewy snails - each bite-sized portion became like a mini snail tart.

Then came dessert: I couldn't leave without trying namesake Bouchons Valrhona chocolate brownies with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream.  These would send a chocoholic's endorphins through the proverbial roof - a trio of chocolate 'cakes' at perfect density with lightly crunchy exteriors, in a perfectly balanced chocolate sauce, with a seemingly perfect orb of smooth vanilla ice cream.  Punctuated by a 'line' of cacoa nibs for crunch and bursts of intense chocolate flavor. Loved this and may have to come back for coffee and dessert on the balcony one day.

All in all, glad I got to experience Bouchon at dineLA price, despite the disappointing duck confit (or all the more, because of it - I might have been BH-royally pissed if I had to pay full price for that leg...).  It is still a beautiful setting within the Montage hotel, and I may come back for coffee and dessert one afternoon or drinks and appetizers downstairs in Bar Bouchon one evening to enjoy the ambience without the hefty price of a full meal.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5.5 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 5.5 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks on regular menu)
Probability of return visit - 80% 

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Bouchon Bistro 
235 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Ph: 310.271.9910

Parking: Free parking for 2 hours in public lot underneath the Montage hotel
Website: bouchonbistro.com
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Momed: Mediterranean Brunch on Beverly Drive

'Everyone knows the duck schwarma at Momed is fantastic' - but did you know that they have an awesome weekend brunch as well? Every Saturday and Sunday, from 10am-3pm.

Momed is actually short for "modern mediterranean" - and is a sleek but cozy space that offers a restaurant, deli, espresso bar and marketplace in one.  On a lazy Saturday morning (morning means sometime after noonish on weekends for me), after enjoying a SpaWeek deal ($50 for treatments that normally run around $100 and up!) closeby, I decided to stop at Momed for an off the beaten track brunch.

Momed is an affordable dining option in Beverly Hills, and has both a casual indoor restaurant space, as well as outdoor front patio seating. I like both, but since it was a sunny day I chose to sit outside. 

And then I saw it: the mouthwatering options on their brunch menu. Basically it's a prix fixe brunch: you get your choice of entree + Intelligentsia coffee + orange juice = $14.50. All of the choices looked fantastic, but the ones that struck me as more unusual were the Khachapouri "traditional breakfast flatbreads". There were two options: the "Kaseri cheese, organic scrambled eggs, onions and seasoned with dried mint and sumac" seemed more to be different in flavor profile, whereas the "Spicy soujok sausage, organic scrambled eggs, Halloumi cheese and kalamata olives" seemed to have more unique ingredients. My super friendly and helpful server Malena (more on her later!) validated this line of thinking when she recommended the sausage flatbread - so I went for it.

I really had no idea what to expect - maybe breakfast pizza with mediterranean toppings. 

What arrived was a fantastic creation that was like a thin-crust pizza but roughly oval shaped, topped with breakfast staples with a mediterranean twist and wrapped around the edges like a calzone. With eggs baked in with the flatbread.

Despite the menu listing 'scrambled eggs', they actually came sunny-side up, which I actually prefer both cuz it looks way more fun that way, and I get to have my unadulterated, beautifully runny yolk - the way I usually like to have my eggs anyway.  The flatbread was fresh baked and incredibly fragrant, while the sausage (which actually resembled and tasted like tiny pieces of spicy pepperoni - with mediterranean flavoring) lent a bit of heat. The Halloumi cheese was perfectly melted in (NOT a thick, congealed mess which is one main reason I don't like most pizzas)  and everything just worked together in harmony.
I'm not normally a big coffee drinker, but do like Intelligentsia coffee and couldn't resist the fragrant (and refillable) cup along with good ole OJ (also refillable) with my flatbread.

All in all, a lovely, easy way to kick off the day on a sunny SoCal morning.  And for dog lovers - your best friend is welcome on the patio as well.

Aside from the awesome food / brunch set - I wanted to take a moment to rave about service as well - I don't know if Malena is representative of all of the servers at Momed, but she was a big part of making my brunch experience great.  It was fairly busy out on the patio that morning and she seemed to be the only one helping with all the tables, but never wavered from her sunny disposition - even with the annoying non-customer who perched on the patio to loudly complain about the overabundance of actors in this town - all while flirting with the also cliched director guy and trying to get him to take her number (an oh-so-LA moment?).  Malena's one of those people who you can see are just genuinely happy, enjoy their jobs no matter what they're doing, and want to make sure you're having as good a time as she is.  And she had pretty good intuition about when to stick around and chat, and when to just hover a ways away - offering help if needed but giving you enough space to enjoy your meal.  I don't normally review service in this much detail, but really wanted to say that I wish more people were like Malena - because everyone she served that morning left in a good mood and ready to take on whatever the day may bring.  And people like her are a reminder that every person can make an impact on someone else in their lives - it doesn't have to be ground-breaking work like philanthropy trips overseas for victims of great tragedy - it can be as simple as spreading a little bit of sunshine to everyone you interact with in your daily life, in a moment as undramatic as neighborhood brunch.

In any case, a week later, I'm still dreaming about the insanely delicious flatbread.  Hope to be back to Momed soon!

In addition to the brunch deal, there are also others you can take advantage of.  See below:

Deal alerts (subject to change, please check with restaurant before ordering):

• Happy Espresso Hour: 50% off Intelligentsia coffee from 2:30-5:30pm daily
• Foursquare: Check-in, order the daily lunch special and get a Mint Lemonade, Hammam or Berry Iced Tea for $1

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

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Momed
233 S Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Ph: 310.270.4444

Parking: 2 hours free in public structure across the street on Beverly Blvd

Website: atmomed.com
Twitter: @momedfoodwine
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Happy National Cheese Day!

What can I say about a day dedicated to one of the best foods ever invented? Genius. It should not just be a national day, it should be declared a religious holiday. Where we engage in a decadent communion with as much of the stuff as possible.

Especially cheese with truffle in it. Absolutely transcendent. Here is the holy trinity of truffle cheeses, in my humble opinion:

Sottocenere: I die every time I eat this. An Italian semi-soft cow's milk cheese, aged in a beautiful, grey, edible vegetable ash rind made with nutmeg, coriander, cinnamon, licorice, cloves, and fennel.

The cheese inside has a beautifully restrained sweetness tempered by very slight saltiness, and in texture is smooth, silky and studded throughout with pieces of black truffle that infuses the entire thing with its intoxicating fragrance.

A super indulgent and my all time favorite truffle cheese. I don't actually like to eat the rind, it's dry and um...ashy (duh!) and more for visual effect, but if pieces of it land on the cheese when you slice it, it does lend a great salty spice to the cheese.

Moliterno al Tartufo: Another Italian beauty - made with sheep's milk. This one's firm in texture and the truffle is woven in gorgeous veins through the cheese.

How do they get the truffles into the vein-like formation? Truffle, don't forget is a fungus, and cheesemakers actually inject a paste of it into pecorino cheese wheels that have already undergone some aging. Then the truffle is allowed to 'grow' and find its way through the cheese, forming the lovely veins.
The cheese is then aged for about another five months, rubbed with vinegar and olive oil which combine with the flavors of the truffle to spread throughout the cheese.
Besides the amazing truffle flavors, the rest of the cheese is quite a bit saltier and nuttier than Sottocenere, and much more crumbly. If there were Oscars for cheese, this one would definitely win for Best Drama.

Last but not least is Il Boschetto al Tartufo: You guessed it, another Italian one. This is a semi-soft mix of cow's and sheep's milk cheese, combined with BOTH black and white truffle, and aged for a few months.

It's a perfect union: the cheese is mild, a good balance of subtle savory, sweet and slightly tangy, with specks of truffle that taste earthy and garlicky. It's more chewy than the other two. My favorite by far is still Sottocenere, but this has an intriguing flavor profile.

I eat all of these by themselves as I think they are perfect on their own - but The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills recommends besides eating by itself, also trying to put them in omelettes or grilled cheese.

(Thanks to the awesome guys at The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills for introducing me to the Moliterno and Boschetto on my last visit! And patientlly explaining each one to me!)

Alleluia per Formaggio!

*Sorry for the bad photos - got these with my phone on the fly! Will go back and some point and shoot better ones!
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Two of my favorite cheese stores in LA:
The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills
419 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Ph: 310.278.2855

Website: cheesestorebh.com
Twitter: @cheesestorebh

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Artisan Cheese Gallery
12023 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA 91604
Ph: 818.505.0207

Website: artisancheesegallery.com
Twitter: @ArtisanCheese

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Vosges Boutique - Haut Chocolate for Cold Winter Day

It doesn't very often rain this hard in LA.  Yes, it's November, but we have been spoiled with continuing sunshine for the most part - and until today I haven't had to dig out the old fleece-lined, waterproof, zips up over nose, nearly ready for nuclear winter ski jacket.  Today it poured down so hard I could hardly hear traffic beyond the pounding on my car as I drove; on many streets the backwash from storm drains swallowed sidewalks whole; cars parked by the (now invisible) curb were on the verge of floating away in bumper-height water.    

LA doesn't deal very well with unusual weather conditions.  I don't deal very well with unusually bad weather conditions.  But holing up in my apartment, I knew, would only give me cabin fever.  So I pulled on my ready-for-almost-anything-double-lined ski jacket, my no longer fashionable but perfect for this weather Uggs, and headed out in search of that which makes everything better - even in the dreariest downpour of grey - hot chocolate.

And if I'm going to risk pneumonia and/or a 10-car pile-up, might as well do it for really good hot chocolate. So good it's spelled haut - at the newly opened Vosges boutique, whose owner and chocolatier Katrina Markoff was an apprentice at El Bulli.

I first became a fan of Vosges chocolate when I almost literally stumbled onto a display of them around the checkout aisle at Whole Foods 5, 6 years ago - and fell in love with the sweet/savory Mo's Bacon Bar. According to legend (i.e. her bio printed on the back of Vosges chocolate bar boxes and/or on the Vosge site) - Katrina studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris before launching on a world tour that started with an apprenticeship with the inimitable Ferran Adriá. Her journey inspired the concept of travelling the world through chocolate, bringing global ingredients to gourmet chocolates with the stated goal to use her creations to raise interest and awareness in different cultures.

Apparently all Vosges boutique locations take inspiration from different cultures as well - and this latest branch in Beverly Hills draws from Moroccan design aesthetics.

The gorgeous yet cozy space has a lofty and elaborately painted ceiling, with ornate white stone arches at each end of the retail area, which is in turn bookended by cafe seating area and counter/kitchen.

The retail area is lined with shelves of gourmet chocolate bars ($7.50 each, buy 5 get 1 free!), truffles as well as fun boxes of chocolate-powered baking mixes like a bacon-chocolate chip pancake mix ($12) and ultimate chocolate chip cookie mix ($18).  They also have a chocolate dipped tortilla chip and chocolate toffees. 

 It's a somewhat interactive experience with bowls of generous samples for select items and bell jars displaying more exotic ingredients in their original form like star anise, curry powder, goji berries etc.

I loved the cafe spaces, with its Moroccan / French flair and delicious sounding blackboard drink and food specials (surprisingly affordable, especially for a Beverly Hills venue!)

There are three hot chocolates ("Chocolat Chaud", $5 each), two of which are more classic: Parisienne (tahitian vanilla and dark chocolate), Aztec Elixir (chili ceylon cinnamon) and a third, which I went for, that is more unique called Bianca (with white chocolate, lavendar and lemon myrtle).

The Chocolat Chaud Bianca was lovely, served steaming hot in a large ceramic bowl, though a bit of an acquired taste - the first sip reminded me a little of lotion due to the floral and citrus notes.  But as the initial disorientation wears off quickly, it's a smooth, nuanced and unique hot chocolate drink. 

(Coffee lovers note they have Blue Bottle drip coffee for $4! Other drinks include gourmet teas and "cocoa water")

I wanted to try their Love Goddess Cake with ancho & chipotle or chillies, with Mo's Bacon chocolate ($6) but unfortunately they did not have it today.  So I went for the Armenian Apricot & Saffron Pot de Creme ($6) - which ended up going perfectly with the hot chocolate, with its well balanced sweet / savory/ tart flavors, and subtle crunch of sugar crust with hefty, juicy pieces of apricot on top.

Here's a shot of their menu so far - I can't wait to go back and try the cake, Saffron & Rose Petal Sugar Cookies ($3) cheese and chocolate plates ($9) and affogato ($4)....

First impressions count, and Vosges was a ray of sunshine on a truly dreary day.  I love initmate and well designed spaces without the pretentiousness, and Vosges (today anyway, all staffers at hand were warm and friendly) - fit that bill.  I could see myself going back to meet up with friends, or on my own, for afternoon tea or dessert, as a pit stop on the way to/from the Beverly Hills Cheese Store :)

[For 25+ photos from my visit, check out the album on my Facebook page]

Have you tried any of their other cafe fare or specialty chocolate items? If so do share in comments below!

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Vosges Haut Chocolate - Beverly Hills
311 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Ph: 310.275.3621

Parking: 2 hours free parking at 345 Beverly Dr (between Brighton and Dayton, entrance next to Williams Sonoma store)

Website: vosgeschocolate.com
Twitter: twitter.com/VosgesBeverlyDr
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Scarpetta - dineLA Escapade at the Montage Beverly Hills

When would you ever pay $24 for a plate of spaghetti?  For a lot of die-hard fans, the resounding answer has been: when you're at Scarpetta.

I didn't really get it - from all accounts, there weren't any luxury ingredients added - no truffle, no caviar, no champagne sauce or exotic shellfish.  Supposedly the beauty is in the simplicity - and skillful execution using highest quality ingredients. I do love fresh pasta and was extremely curious about that spaghetti, given all the rave reviews - but just couldn't bring myself to throw down that much cash for noodles with tomato sauce.  Then along came dineLA.

When I saw the notorious famous dish listed on the dineLA menu, as part of a 3-course lunch for $28, I knew this was my chance to go and try it.  I'd passed by the grounds of the Montage so many times, with its perfectly manicured 'park' between two wings of the hotel - and imagined what it would be like to be able to dine at any of the restaurants there. 

The bad news? They weren't offering the dineLA menu on either of the Sundays, and I wasn't ready to commit to a $44 dinner for the same menu items I could try at lunch for $28.

That's when I realized the event I most wanted to avoid that week - a visit to the dentist - was really a blessing in disguise. The dentist office was only a short drive from Scarpetta.  I was already going to take time off work for the appointment - couldn't I just make a 'quick' stop as my late lunch hour?  Afterall, it's probably a good idea to eat before I potentially lose the ability to, for a few hours.

And so I found myself at Scarpetta on a weekday, freshly released from work and a short time away from my dreaded date with novocaine.  A finite, measured moment of anticipated joy, sunshine between bouts of rain (cue Base Rob song...can anyone say child of the 80s?)

For just a little while, I could live the fantasy of being a lady who lunches.  Whenever she wants to.  Even late in the afternoon.  The serene, mostly empty dining room fueled my imagination, and the servers kindly played along, offering the lone diner a magazine for entertainment, while they prepared my meal.

I of course went straight for the Creamy Polenta with fricassee of truffled mushrooms.  It's so hard to find a place that knows how to do polenta right (it's often too rubbery, or too mealy) - but Scarpetta serves theirs pitch perfect - living up to its name in lush texture and rich flavor.  Loved the generous portion as well - you could almost fill up on it alone.  This one could be a strong contender for 'the one dish I would choose, if I could only eat one dish for the rest of my life'. 


And then it came - the long awaited Spaghetti.  I didn't know what I thought it would be like, but hype by nature builds up unrealistic expectations, and stacks the odds against the object to deliver on them.  Like the feeling you got when you were 12, and totally crushing on that cute celebrity who has been giving you smoldering looks from your Tiger Beat pullout on your wall, for like, ever - only to find when you finally meet them in person that they're 'not all that', or not very nice, or have all the personality of a paperweight (*ahem* hypothetically speaking). 

I wanted to be dazzled - and mulled over bite after bite, second guessing my taste buds, challenging them to find the magic.  But at last, it just wasn't there.  Taste is obviously subjective - I love fresh pasta but this just didn't do it for me. Personally I found the noodles to be too thick, tough and chewy, so that it felt like I had to put a lot of work into eating it.  The sauce was fantastic - clean and well balanced with the ratio of noodles, and just a hint of acidity - you could still taste the sunshine in the tomatoes, and smell the fragrant, fresh basil in its folds.  This was indeed one of the best sauces I've ever had (with giant caveat that I've never actually been to Italy) - but the dish just wasn't $24 good.  But I was glad I got to try it during dineLA, when I could feel like it really didn't cost as much - with the $28 being spread across three courses.

For dessert, I went with the Vanilla Caramel Budino with gianduja chocolate sable cookies.  I LOVED this - as the streaks left on the glass by an apparently frenzied tongue would attest.

I knew I would not have time to brush my teeth before going to my dentist - she was going to take one look in and shake her head in disgust. But the budino left me no choice - it lured me with its creamy sea salty sweet caramelly pie crust crunchy crumbly deliciousness!

The portions for each of the courses were very generous, and I had to take a few deep breaths at the end of the meal before I could polish off the two sable cookies. A nice deal for lunch, I think. As the items I ordered are all on the regular menu, you can see that the dineLA deal saves you an estimated $20 per person for these dishes.
 
So, Scarpetta is actually an Italian colloquialism meaning 'little shoe', which is the shape that bread starts to look like, when you use it to scoop up sauce on your plate.  I love that visual of a happy diner relishing the last few bites of their meal. 

And even though I think this will be my first and last "$24 spaghetti", as I scooped up the last of the crumbs from my three course meal - I was glad I got to try the spaghetti while it's 'on a deal'.  (For my money, I prefer the more inventive pastas of Osteria Mozza - and their 3-course prix fixe, almost any mozza bar starter+pasta+dessert+glass of wine now $42 per person Sundays-Thursdays). I did enjoy it well enough at the dineLA price - and now I can say "di fare la scarpetta" - I've done the Scarpetta.

[For photos from other meals / deals from dineLA Fall 2011, check out the album on my Facebook page]

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5.5 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 4.5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 5.5 bites
Price - $$$$ (4 bite marks regular menu)
Probability of return visit - 90% (for polenta & other dishes)
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Scarpetta 
Montage Beverly Hills, 225 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Ph: 310.860.7970     

dineLA - $28 lunch, $44 dinner
Parking:  Self-parking in structure next to hotel - 2 hours free

Website: montagebeverlyhills.com
OpenTable: Look for reservations
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