Eat Your Drink Pop-Up at The Fat Dog North Hollywood!!!

Ever since I first sipped his truly mind-blowing, one-of-a-kind creations at a demo at Artisanal LA, and through his days at Library Bar, I've been a huge fan of Matt Biancaniello's cocktails - which he approaches more like a chef would his food, than a mixologist would his drinks: crafting with a ridiculous amount of boundless creativity and skill to perfect flavors, textures and presentation.

You know you've spotted a bar Matt's working at when the counter is so laden with herbs, flowers veggies and fruits that you can hardly see any counter surface.  There are ingredients (whether foraged or from the farmers market) you may have never seen or heard of; infusions upon infusions, combinations of flavors you would have never thought would go together. Like Pimm's Cup with lovage, thai basil, chamomile and ginger juice.  Or his latest sea urchin drink with strawberries and majoram with tequila.

And ever since he left the Library Bar, if you see him post a schedule, don't think - just drive, as fast as you can.

I almost don't want to share sometimes because the bar, the last two weeks, has already been packed with enthusiasts - and I'll be sad to make it harder on myself to access his work. But, he's just too good not to share.  Rooting for him to get his own permanent space soon!!!


What: Matt Biancaniello is doing pop-ups Wednesdays this summer at a bar/restaurant in North Hollywood!!!  Check out his latest creative concoctions from Lobster Ice Cream Cynar Affogatos to Padron Pepper Novo Fogo Cachaca with Plums & Parsley.  He uses ingredients from farmers markets so the drinks actually taste like they are good for you ;)

When: Wednesdays through August, 6pm-11pm

Where: The Fat Dog, 11050 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601 (back bar beyond patio)

How much: No admission charge - just pay for what you order!  Drinks range between $14-$18 each?  Very well worth it - you won't be able to get these kinds of cocktails elsewhere.

Web: matthewbiancaniello.com

Anticipated drool factor: 200%!!! Don't miss your chance to experience Matt's one of a kind cocktails.  Until he gets his own place (fingers crossed for him that it happens soon?), this is the best way to track Matt and his amazing drinks down!

He'll also be at a one-day only pop-up at Sweet Rose Creamery (mid-city location) on July 19th, 4-7pm, to offer in collaboration with Chef Shiho, a kombu and white balsamic Negroni ice cream!

Catch these if you can!!!

Kali Dining: Dinner Party with Patina Group Alum Chef Kevin Meehan

Imagine an intimate dinner party, with no more than 20 people, in a chic but unpretentious private home in a nice part of town...but instead of your friend the-good-amongst-your-friends-cook preparing your meal, it's a former Patina Group (Cafe Pinot) executive chef in the kitchen.

That is the basic concept of Kali Dining, my favorite not-a-pop-up pop up this year.

With an impressive resume that counts a Michelin starred restaurant in Brussels as well as local former temples of fine dining L’Orangerie and Bastide, we knew we were going to have a memorable experience.  Sneak peeks in Chef Meehan's Instagram feed for foie gras dishes of course only heightened our anticipation (*understatement of the year).

This particular iteration took place in Marina del Rey.  We were given an entry code to let ourselves in at the main gate - adding to the feeling of us going to a friend-of-a-friend's place.


Though it might feel a bit awkward for some, going to a dinner party where people didn't really know each other, Chef Meehan immediately put everyone at ease - multi-tasking to play host while finishing up prep in the wide open kitchen.  He guided us to the BYOB wine table, where dozens of welcoming bottles served both as topic of conversation and liquid encouragement to help break the ice with other guests.

When he heard how much Gourmetpigs and I adore and miss foie, Chef Meehan pulled out an off menu snack for us to taste:  something he created just for the heck of it.  That membrane you usually pull out and discard from a lobe of foie, when making torchon?  He took that and cured it with a blend of secret herbs and spices.

The taste and texture reminded me of the fat from duck proscuitto, fatty with a bit of resilience and toothsomeness, but next level delicious.  This was the way to start an underground supper club meal. 

After some time for guests to mix and mingle, Chef Meehan rounded everyone up to be seated at the communal table.

The 5-course prix fixe menu (set up as a 'donation' with minimum of $65 per person) kicked off with two amuse bouches.  The first was Egg Yolk Poached in Ash Oil, topped with a generous dollop of creme fraiche and sprinkle of chives.  This was beautifully served up in a delicate brown egg shell.

I loved how the oil helped the yolk glide into your mouth, to burst in an elegant release of liquid sunshine perfectly balanced by the other creamy / crunchy / granular ingredients.

Amuse Bouche 2: Foie Gras Truffle we loved this one before we ever met it.  Served up artfully on a smooth black pebble, the exterior of the truffle had an almost Oreo cookie crumb-like quality that yields to a luxe, super smooth interior of foie mousse, with satisfying depth of flavor (it had been way too long since we had been able to savor a professional prep of this in California, thanks to the ridiculous foie ban).

I could have sat there all night popping these by the dozen, cholesterol / calories be damned.

Abalone with basil, kumquat and virgin oil the element and art of surprise when it comes to food is not always easy to find, even in the Spring of LA's culinary landscape.  Chef Meehan achieves this multiple times throughout the dinner, but this was the dish that drew audible gasps around the table.

We'd had abalone the traditional Chinese way, braised whole in starchy oyster/soy/chicken broth sauce; the modern Chinese way, double boiled in broth in whole papaya shell; the Korean / Japanese way, sliced raw and served sashimi style.  I've never had it with citrus, kumquat, a creamy sauce, and edible flowers before.

The acidity lent brightness to the otherwise barely flavored gastropod; the cream based sauce was a nice counter foil to its chewy-crunchiness, while the flowers added nice visual and textural contrast.  I would have wanted the kumquat to be served with more of a delicate touch though - in its entirety, it was a little too bulky and didn't really flow with the rest of the dish.  But otherwise, a nice 'surprise and delight' course.

Where typically bread would be one of the first things on a dinner table, the fresh baked baby loaf of rosemary buttermilk bread with rosemary butter came in between courses, like a warm, pillowy, comforting palate cleanser.

Tuna beets vanilla celery leaf the sous vide fish course came with beautiful colors from ingredients handpicked from the chef's own garden.

For the meat course, what was on the preset menu was beef tenderloin, but during his intro, Chef Meehan mentioned that he happened to have two servings of squab available, that could substitute in for the beef.  My trusty arm shot up before my brain even had time to register the meaning of the words: so we were lucky enough to check out the Squab with burnt onion jam smoked potatoes parsley cooked sous vide for an amazingly tender, juicy piece with perfectly even flavor.  The burnt onion jam honestly looked like an oil slick, but added a nice savory-sweet punch to the squab and crispy stalk of spring onion.

Since we liked our new friends around the table, we shared tastings of the squab and traded for bites of beef tenderloin.

Throughout the dinner, those who have attended Kali Dining dinners before raved about Chef Meehan's White Truffled Truffles, so we were primed and excited to see it make an appearance just before dessert.  They may look like standard issue potatoes, but trust me these are actually weapons of mass destruction (of everyone's ability to enjoy a non-truffled white truffle ever again).

Apparently the 'simple to make' (by Chef Meehan's definition) nuggets-o-delicious were white chocolate truffles infused with white truffle oil, and rolled with cinnamon and other spices that I can't remember because I had endorphins mad-raging through my brain from how delicious these little insanely fragrant nuggets were.  Whatever you may usually think of truffle oil, it works here to spectacular effect.  If Chef Meehan had made these available for sale I would have gladly emptied my bank account to fill my open palms with whatever inventory he had.

The showstopping truffles almost overshadowed the 'official' on-menu dessert-proper: Bitter Chocolate Cremeaux with coffee cream, cocoa nib tuile.  But this was also every bit tasty: the intensity of great coffee flavor cutting through the chocolate and providing a bit of a wakening effect after the satisfying meal preceding it.

We were all sad when the meal concluded - and almost in spontaneous synchrony started to exchange contact info with other diners - almost as if we realized that we had been inducted into an unspoken club, ever bonded by our experience of something special.

All in all, one of the best dinner parties I've ever been to.  Sign me up for the next one (please).

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Kali Dining

Supper Club: location varies monthly - sign up for their newsletter to get info on upcoming events

Website: kalidining.com

Twitter:  @kalidining

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Cocktails: Next Incarnation by Matt Biancaniello

Matt Biancaniello probably singlehandedly got me into craft cocktails because of his culinary, farmers market-driven approach.

I was sad to hear when he left Library Bar , as that meant the end of a familiar schedule, a place I could refer friends to for a mind-blowingly fantastic drink after work. But I was also excited to see what the next chapter would bring for him, as his boundless creativity was sure to keep taking him to amazing places.

After some time behind the bar at Cliff's Edge, Matt had emerged with a first of its kind (as far as I'm aware) cocktail ice cream pop-ups at Scoops Westside a few months back - that were so incredible that I still think about and crave those creations now.

At these pop-ups, Matt was sort of like Willy Wonka - if Willy Wonka made treats for adults with finer palates - worked in a frozen, 'boozy' medium versus pure confection, and foraged some of his own ingredients.

Served at his first pop-up: 

Candy Cap Mushroom Bourbon ice cream with walnuts, homemade Nocino spray, and rosemary flowers

Coffee Infused Cynar with black sage & vanilla infused whipped cream

Stinging Nettle Infused St Germain & Pear Sorbet with pomelo infused St Germain air on top

Birch Liquer, Tangelo, Cinnamon with a side of either guava infused Dolin blanco vermouth or wild bay leaf infused cocchi Americano

You could get either a single treat for $8, or a sampler of all four for $25. I of course had to try all, waistline be damned!

I can't even pretend to understand the process that Matt's mind goes through to put these ingredients together - but they all worked to create possibly the most delicious ice cream treats ever.  I wanted more as soon as I finished my four scoops...

The second pop-up was even better.

Again at Scoops Westside, singles for $8, sampler of four for $25.

There was the returning crowd favorite, the Candy Cap Mushroom Bourbon, and his twist on the Coffee Infused Cynar this time with purple sage infused cream and dehydrated orange slices.

Then there were new, totally unexpected creations:

Curry Infused Campari with oro blanco pieces, arugula flowers, mug wort infused homemade beer, Himalayan sea salt, apricot pit infused aperol foam

This one has been haunting my dreams for months. Who would have thought to pair curry with ice cream, or Campari, or to use arugula flowers at all for that matter? And homemade beer on top of all that? And oro blanco too?  Mind. Blown. Even from the description of ingredients. And then the tasting: and here's the part where Matt's chef-like approach to cocktails comes in: you know how some so called 'tweezer food' is too cerebral, and fussy, where the whole thing is just lost in visual artistry and the actual flavors and textures are no longer enjoyable? That is what a skeptic who has never had the Matty B experience, and reading the menu might suspect this to be. But this one is genius AND tastes amazing - layers of different kinds of tart, bitter, sweet, salt and spice unfurl gradually, so that each spoonful is just a little bit different depending on how long you let it linger on your tongue. And it was such a beautiful shade of apricot. One of the best ice cream dishes I've ever had.

The fourth offering was also unusual, and delicious: Mochi Infused Sake ice cream with rice milk, kaffir lime zest, pistachios, wild bay leaf infused cocchi Americano, borage flowers

Loved the gorgeous presentation - and while more mild in flavor and less complex than the previous cup, no less delicious. I'd say this is also one of my favorite cups of ice cream ever.

At this most recent Matty B sighting, he mentioned looking into his own space, as well as exploring cocktail infusions of other foods.

I was sad to have missed his pop-ups at Ramekin, but news broke recently that his next pop-up will be with chef Jason Park from Ramekin, at his new soft open sushi restaurant in Santa Monica - focusing on cocktails to pair with oysters! I love cocktails (now) and oysters are one of my favorite foods in the world so definitely count me in!!

Here's the 411:

Date: August 8, 2013

Time: 7pm-10pm

Location: Maru 12400 Wilshire Blvd Ste 150, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Can't wait!!!!!

Starry Kitchen Nights at Tiara Cafe: Singaporean Chili Crab in DTLA

One of my most memorable meals of 2012 was at a restaurant that wasn't really a restaurant (I know you've lost count by now of the number of times this year you've read that on any given LA food blog).

I had long read of the underground kitchen turned legit operation serving interesting pan-Asian fare (with a side of bold, quirky, costume-loving personality via owner Nguyen) - and had been mad at myself for missing it while it was at its original location, just a block from the courthouse in downtown LA where I spent three weeks in jury duty. 

So when they opened up a not-a-pop-up-pop-up at Tiara Cafe, and started serving Singaporean style Chili Crab (I had just fallen in love with the dish during a visit to Singapore the previous holiday), I knew I had to pay a long overdue visit. I cruelly convinced miffyeats to go with me even though she is allergic to crab (which I had forgotten until the very last minute...bad, bad, bad friend...) - being an amazing friend, she rallied a group together so that we can try more different dishes. In more poor form, knowing that the chili crab has been selling out like crazy, my type A self had to tweet Starry Kitchen to ask them to reserve two crabs for us...because if I was going to venture to DTLA at night (which usually freaks me out due to a past bad experience), I'm making damn sure I'm getting that crab, dammit.

We started with a comped plate of their signature Crispy Tofu Balls ($6.50), which I'd sampled at The Gold Standard previously - and like the last time, it was more tasty than a vegetable-hater would expect (and yes, despite the innuendos in the marketing of this dish so bold as to be against the very nature of innuendos). Crispy with puffed glutinous rice on the outside...    

...with the texture of the tofu inside like a firm cream cheese. The balls themselves are very mild in flavor, it's the sriracha mayo dipping sauce that gives it a nice and necessary kick.

 

Then came the Double-Fried Sweet Ginger Chicken Waaaaaaaaangs ($7.50) - which were "finger-lickin' good" and seriously addictive. Super crispy from the double fry, juicy dark meat inside, sweet with a bite from the ginger - these were a great way to whet our appetites for the meal ahead.

We knew we had to get the Grilled Fish "Heads+Tails" with Viet Fish Sauce ($11) as soon as we saw it on the menu - as expected, it was a show stopper - a very dramatic presentation of alternating fish heads and fish tails, with a crisp and lovely char, with that amazing sweet/tangy fish sauce.

Then there was the Pork Chili Oil Wonton + Szechuan Style Shredded Potatoes ($7) - the shredded potatoes were an interesting twist on the usual accompaniment for wontons: noodles.  

My favorite dish of the night, before the much-anticipated crustaceans ever hit the table - was the Claypot Caramelized Striped Bass+Pancetta (aka "Ca Kho To") ($22.95).  This was a perfect melding of two of my favorite styles of Cantonese cooking: steaming (of fish) and claypot stewing.  The fresh, skin-on striped bass (and broth) were delicate and light, tender and evenly infused with perfectly balanced sweet/savory flavors, punctuated by juicy cubes of pancetta (the western kind isn't an ingredient you see much in Cantonese cooking, but its distant umami inducing cousin, yunan ham is).  I loved this preparation - its flavors and presentation brought me home, if only temporarily.

Almost as a reprieve from all the stimulation, we had just before the crab, Japanese Garlic Noodles w/ Confit Garlic ($9).

And then...what we came for: Singaporean Chili Crab (Market Price) - whole crabs in all their glory, bowl piled high with french bread. So the moment of truth: was it what I tasted in Singapore?  I've only had it once, at one location in Singapore, so I don't have any real sample base for comparison, and I'm not sure that Starry Kitchen intended theirs to be an exact replica of however Singaporeans typically prepare theirs. The 1.5kg-er I inhaled in Singapore was a Sri Lankan crab in a very creamy, smooth thick orange colored sauce that was sweet and spicy, seamlessly blended together; the one at Starry Kitchen was a Dungeness crab in a more liquidy red sauce with chunks of tomato, that was primarily tart with strong garlic notes. In consistency only, if compared to pasta sauces I would say the difference was like vodka sauce vs marinara. And at LB Seafood I had loved sopping up the leftover sauce with fried mantou, which went perfectly with the sauce, with its slightly sweet pillowy doughiness offset by the crispy exterior that allowed it to hold up even with the sauce. But all I knew was that everyone at the Starry Kitchen table dug in with abandon - even with its differences, Starry Kitchen's version of chili crab is not something you can easily find in LA (if it can be found at all?), tasty and well worth a trip downtown to check out.

Nguyen was kind enough to comp us a plate of desserts: Osthmanthus Panna Cotta with Poached Pears ($5) Salted Plum Lychee Panna Cotta ($5) 5-Spiced Apple Fritters with Honey Bourbon Cream Sauce ($6) - I'd had the salted plum lychee panna cotta at another food fest, and still loved its unique blend of flavors every bit as much as the first time.


Hats off to chef Thi (aka "Kitchen Ninja" and wife of Nguyen) and of course Nguyen for a fantastically fun dinner!  Not sure how long the pair will be at Tiara Cafe, but try to catch them if you can - check their Facebook or Twitter for updates on their latest R&D creations, and make reservations in advance for their chili crab which sells out quickly!

[Deal alert: And oh, coincidentally, you can get $20 off dinner at Starry Kitchen Nights with the $20 for $40 worth of food & drink deal running at Bloomspot right now til around Saturday 1/12 - click here for details.]

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 - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 
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Starry Kitchen at Tiara Cafe 
127 E 9th St., Los Angeles, CA 90079

Ph: 213.623.3663
Website: starrykitchen.com
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The Coop Part Two: Memorial Day BBQ Brunch

Chefs Marcel Vigneron and Haru Kishi threw a brunch so good it felt like sin, this past Easter Sunday.  So when they announced that they were doing a second holiday brunch - Memorial Day weekend - under their emerging pop-up brand "The Coop", I was excited to see (1) what they would come up with to reinterpret that classic, all-American barbecue, and (2) if they plan to 'own' holiday pop-up brunches.  Especially since we ran into each other at a recent UCLA Science and Food lecture (the chefs were also spotted at Nathan Myhrvold's talk, where he spoke specifically about modernist bbq techniques) - I wondered if they would take any inspiration from those.

Another reason I was looking forward to the event?  It was to be held again at the so-gorgeous-it-can-reduce-you-to-tears Gonpachi space. 

Gonpachi the restaurant has folded, but the space, with its authentic, imported Japanese architecture and interiors, and lush greenery surrounding a serene koi pond, that on the whole make me think "zen temple meets tea house meets spa resort" is too amazing to let go to waste - I'm really hoping that either Chefs Vigneron and Kishi, obviously fans of the space, would take it over permanently at some point, or some other high caliber chef would come in and revive it, keeping the space exactly as is but infusing it with compelling fare that will draw diners and enough profit to sustain it.  (I was so excited about this second The Coop event, with incredible guilt I reserved with the blog email in hopes it would up my odds of getting in, given how packed it was last time as well!) 

Now that I've said my piece about the space - onto The Coop experience.  This was again to be a 5-course brunch ($42 per person this time), again with cocktails by Devon Espinosa. I don't know at what point it become de rigeur for me, but now I physically cannot have brunch without a cocktail. So my friend JK and I were both drawn to the Kentucky Punch Bourbon ($12) buffalo trace, lime juice, cucumber, mint - which turned out to be light, refreshing and was a perfect accompaniment to an indulgent meal of meats and other deliciousness to come. Just to try a different drink though I had Spiked Picnic Tea ($12) for my order, made with grey goose, passion fruit tea, lemon juice, strawberries.  I wasn't a fan of this one as it was simultaneously too sweet and too bitter - and I generally don't love pink drinks and hadn't expected this one to be one. Wish I had just gone for the Kentucky Punch Bourbon as well - at least JK shared a sip so I could taste it!

When it came to food, The Coop kicked off with a simply named 1st Course: PB&J and Compressed Watermelon Wedge, but what arrived was a clearly inventive plate.  The picnic food became, in Marcel & Haru's hands, an open-faced brioche toast topped with spherified pomegranate and blueberry puree, and peanut butter crumbs that we're guessing was flash frozen and then ground up.  The textures were a delightful surprise and skillfully executed as to be perfect for the first course - I especially loved that the peanut butter, usually a heavy goop, is so light and airy yet packed with distinct flavor, and that the spherication was a refreshing, clean, crisp burst of fruit and tartness versus the familiar sugary sticky mess, all counterbalanced by the squares of toast, cut at just the right size and thickness to serve as canvas and foil for the other elements. The chefs definitely know how to announce their arrival. 

On the other end of the plate: Compressed Watermelon Wedge - these beauties were instantly addictive - they were compressed with cherry blossom infused vodka and lemon puree (so we were advised by our server).  We thought we tasted fleur de sel too, there was something crunchy on top that went perfect with the juicy slices.  Loved these too - that's 2 for 2 just in the first course! 

Onward went the march into 2nd Course: Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich, cole slaw, Hawaiian roll - there was no visible modernist wizardry here, but it was a simply freaking awesome chicken sandwich that we wanted 10 more of, immediately.  It was just so juicy and flavorful, with perfectly even breading all around, and an extra juicy crunch of cole slaw between subtly sweet Hawaiian roll buns.  So good. The Hawaii reference on a holiday meant to pay tribute to American soldiers, held in a Japanese space - could be seen as tongue-in-cheek, or equally, a respectful bridging of two formerly opposing sides, across time, with soul-healing food and its power to connect. Or it could just be that the rolls went really well taste-wise with the chicken (yeah I've been told I have a tendency to overthink everything :P)

3rd course: Binchotan Baby Back Ribs, Chorizo Baked Beans these ribs were perfectly portioned, fall off the bone tender and beautifully charred.  Binchotan it turns out is Japanese white coal made from oak, and doesn't release smoke or odours, making it a good choice for yakitori chicken.  Which the chefs used to cook the pork ribs.  Interestingly the plate came with a wedge of lemon - but I don't think we ever figured out if that was for the beans or the ribs.  I put it on my ribs and the citrus added a nice layer of tart juicy-ness. 

Then came the course inspired by Nathan Myhrvold's lecture: 4th course: "Slow and Low" Beef Brisket, Kentucky BBQ Sauce, Smoked Potato Salad chef Haru was kind enough to stop by our table to introduce this dish and explained that, inspired by Myhrvold's insights into best way to barbecue meats for maximum tenderness and retaining juices - they cooked this brisket slowly and with low heat - over, in fact, three days! To me the tender texture kind of reminded me of oxtail. Paired with the Kentucky *bourbon* barbecue sauce, it was perfection - I don't think either of us looked up til there was nothing left to lick off our plates.

Chef Haru also brought out the Smoked Potato Salad which was possibly the most dramatic presentation of the meal - the salad came with a glass cover filled with smoke, like the mysterious haze inside a movie gypsy's crystal ball, which only slowly reveals the contents below once the smoke dissipates.  And we loved and enjoyed every morsel of this salad too - with its fingerling potatoes, freshest tasting peas and ribbons of onion sprinkled with delicate leaves of green and shallots.  Interesting that they went smokeless with the meat, and instead used the smoke in the salad.

And for the sweet finish: 5th course: Corn Bread, Maple Cloud, Bacon Ice Cream, Candied Pecan this was a nice, simple, not groundbreaking but well executed dessert set.  Everything was just the right portion: I loved the little bite-sized cornbread with the maple marshmallowy dollops on top, and the candied pecans were perfect with the subtly flavored bacon ice cream.  Again I loved their attention to detail: the serving dish for the corn bread was shaped like an ear of corn!

All in all, score another coup for The Coop.

Thank you chefs for another amazing, and very memorable, holiday brunch!  Can't wait til the next one (July 4th perhaps?!)


 
On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 6.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% (whenever they have their next pop up!)
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The Coop BBQ Brunch at Gonpachi
Saturday & Sunday, May 27th 2012
134 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90211 

Twitter: @marcelvigneron 
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LudoBites: Best of Foie Gras (and its last hurrahs in CA)

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" - Edmund Burke

As anyone who loves food (or animals) in California already knows, legislation banning foie gras is set to be enforced starting this July. It's a controversial subject in the food world, that has had both sides of the protest up in figurative arms.

With all that is going on in the world, it may seem silly to be so caught up in the politics of food, especially a luxury item like foie gras - which most Californians either do not enjoy, find morally reprehensible, have no interest in trying, or simply find cost prohibitive.  It is a relatively small contingent of food lovers who truly appreciate the luscious lobes in all its glory.

With world hunger, poverty, political instability, global climate change - is it entirely self-indulgent to rise up about a luxury good?

Yes and no. You can make the argument on both sides - is it equally 'frivolous' for PETA activists to sensationalize and witchhunt this cause (comprised of a relatively small group of artisan farms), when chickens are raised on a massive scale in conditions a million times more horrendous and impacts a much wider population of both birds and humans (as uncovered by the salmonella outbreak of 2010 that sickened 1,500 people and triggered a recall of 500 million eggs)?  Why is foie the priority when the poultry industry has animals living in such squalor that they are passing on disease and risking human lives at such huge numbers?  Could it be that they know victory against the giant poultry industry would be all but impossible - whereas small farms that produce foie would be easy prey?

And to me, on the other side, it is much more than just a small group of 'the privileged' 'whining' that they won't get their treats anymore.  Nevermind that the whole system by nature is designed to ensure the animals are well taken care of (among other things, this produces quality food - quality foie fetches a premium price - so farmers have a vested interest in the fowl living well).  Nevermind explanations that ducks/geese are migratory birds that do not have a gag reflex and naturally gorge seasonally to prepare for extended flight.  Whether or not birds are harmed can and will be disputed ad infinitum and ad nauseum in the absence of empirical scientific studies - and as in any other industry in the history of civilization, there will be bad producers that should be punished individually for their practices versus triggering an unjust blanket policy that indiscriminately disables business for the good ones as well. But at its core the fundamental issue with the foie ban is that government is now legislating our diets - it's a slippery slope.  If we let this slide now, it is a matter of time before there are no more lines.  What's to stop them from determining that ALL meat represents cruelty to animals - afterall, we are ultimately taking their lives?  In fact, what's to stop legislators from determining whatever they want about what we should and should not eat?  What's next to go after meat? You can make an argument for anything if you really put your mind to it.
We absolutely need government to enforce standards of cleanliness and safety in the kitchen, for public health reasons.  If an animal is on the endangered species list - absolutely the government should step in to prevent their extinction. But outside of that, we don't need a nanny/big brother state to control what we can and cannot eat.

This is not a case of California boldly going where no other government has gone before - Chicago also sucuumbed to PETA pressure in 2006 and outlawed foie, but quickly realized it was "the silliest thing they've ever done" and repealed the law.  Here's to hoping California comes to its senses soon as well.

With foie a key ingredient in French cooking (and essentially civilized cooking dating back to ancient Egyptians), the upcoming ban effectively cauterizes the heart of French cuisine in the state.  Chef Ludo Lefebvre has been a vocal crusader against this ban - and has hosted foie-centric dinners in simultaneous heated protest of the ban and joyous celebration of the ingredient.  There was an 8-course all foie meal in collaboration with Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook of Animal that I could not afford - and then a 1-night-only pop-up titled 'Best of LudoBites Foie Gras' (which ended up stretching to two nights) that I couldn't get a reservation for.  But as luck would have it, kind friends @EatsMeetsWest and @dorkyfoodie connected me with a benefactor - @Limer35 who had an extra seat at his table - and off I went for a culinary adventure unlike any other!

The concept of the dinner was a collection of Ludo's best foie dishes from past iterations of his pop-up restaurant.  I'd only been to two of them (007 at Gram & Papas and 8.0 at Lemon Moon), so I was really looking forward to 'caching up' on the unknown foie dishes.  To amuse our bouches: the meal kicked off with Foie Gras Cromesqui "MM".  These were basically croquettes filled with liquified foie and black truffles.  We were specifically instructed to just pop them in our mouths in one bite so that the liquid center isn't wasted leaking out onto the plate - but I couldn't resist the interior shot...look at that beautiful color! 

Next up was what was chosen by most in our party as favorite dish of the night: Foie Gras Dynamite, tuna, lichi this one showed off Chef Ludo's boundless creativity: a lobe of foie gras was seared, then placed in the center of a ring of tuna tartare, which is then blanketed by white balsamic and salmon roe infused mayonnaise and clementine sauce.  You would expect the heavy creaminess of the mayo to overpower the tuna and be driven to excess with the already rich, buttery foie - but Ludo skillfully balances all elements so that they work perfectly together - the clean, refreshing and untouched centers of the tuna tartare pieces and surprising juicy bursts of sweet lychee cutting neatly through the flavorful, rich sauce; the tiny, delicate orbs of salmon roe counterbalancing the butteriness of the whole of the dish texturally.  A unique and beautiful piece.

Next up was a new interpretation of my favorite dish from LudoBites 8.0: Foie Gras Miso Soup, radish, turnips. At 8.0, beautiful rounds of foie had been placed into a creamy mushroom soup with squid-ink dyed breadcrumbs and a bit of port, and blew my mind as I've never seen nor would ever think to put foie in soup, but it worked.  In this version, foie was placed into miso soup with some radish and turnips for crunch.  I didn't actually enjoy this soup as much, as I found it overly salty and pungent, and the overabundance of veggies (and their constant crunch) distracted from the gorgeously smooth texture of the foie.

Then another amazingly creative piece: Foie Gras Black Croque-Monsieur, Grapes this was basically a PB&J, all grown up, moved to a metropolitan city and running with an uppercrust of friends of culture and sophistication. And mastered the art of the dramatic entrance. Instead of peanut butter, there was buttery foie.  Instead of jelly between the bread, there was cheese.  Instead of plain white bread, there was squid-ink dyed black toasts, the better to contrast with and highlight the foie oozing out from it.  The jelly (grape) was pushed off to the side.  I loved the novel feeling of the incredible, lush flanks of foie running over the edges of toast and cheese - and those flavors (this I say as my eyes close and roll back at the mere memory).  The only thing I would have changed was maybe to pat the bottom of the sandwich with a paper towel first, as it was dripping in grease from the foie and cheese.  The jelly was not too memorable and didn't love the presence of pieces of seeds. 

Next was probably tied for my favorite of the night along with the Dynamite dish: Foie Gras "Crepinette," morels, pears, green asparagus I absolutely adored this in its unique texture and flavor. I enjoyed it so much I forgot to stop and take a "cross section" shot :( But essentially this was a lobe of foie wrapped in sweetbread casing then in caul fat, then smothered in an amazing mushroom sauce with bits of pear and asparagus.  When I cut into this 'steak' of foie it was like cutting into some juicy rotisserie chicken - the caul fat had that resilient texture of nicely roasted chicken skin, but underneath that instead of tasteless meat the inside was a smooth, creamy, and yes I'm gonna overuse the word luscious piece of foie.  I've never had anything like it and wish Ludo had a permanent space so I could go back and have more of this.  The asparagus added nice contrasting crunch, as did the small pieces of pear which also punctuated all the heaviness with a little bit of sweet.  There were also grilled ramps which had just a hint of char and nice salinity.

  

For the finish: Foie Gras Sundae, brioche, black berries - this I wanted to love but couldn't, maybe as I just recently tried Chef Gisele Wellman's foie gras ice cream sandwich at Petrossian - and Ludo's could not match it in creaminess. The foie ice cream at LudoBites in fact felt a bit dry and powdery...and the berries didn't taste super fresh as I expected them to.  But the pieces of brioche, toasted in duck fat - were divine.

All in all, another inspired meal from creative force of nature Chef Ludo - the best of the last hurrahs for a beloved ingredient (at least until the law gets repealed).  The experience was bittersweet given the context for the event - but I am grateful for people like Ludo who have the will and fortitude to speak up and stand up for what they believe, and for the right to be free from arbitrary culinary censorship.  I am grateful for friends, old and new, to share a common passion - and who never ceases to amaze me with their generous spirits.  It reminds me that food should be something that connects people, not divides. It would be too easy to demonize those who you disagree with, but at the end of the day I hope that until scientific studies prove definitively one way or the other, that the two sides of the foie debate can agree to disagree, and respect each other's right to choose.

 
On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 6.5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks mains)
Probability of return visit - 100% (hopefully there will be more of these foie dinners before July!)
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Best of LudoBites Foie Gras Night at Gram & Papa's
227 East 9th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Ph: 213.624.7272

Website: ludolefebvre.com/ludobites
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Le Comptoir: At the Root, Of the Heart: Simply Extraordinary

Last Saturday, we had one of the most amazing meals we've ever had in LA. And it involved all manners of vegetables - yes, you read that right - by Chef Gary Menes, at his pop-up Le Comptoir at Tiara Cafe downtown.

Foodies had been flocking to "the counter," (translation of French name Le Comptoir) and I'd gathered that Chef Menes was doing something extraordinary - with vegetables. So at first, I was skeptical - to me veggies are for the health conscious, those in detox, or far more upstanding souls than I (I who love to consume almost any and all parts of anything that moves), or are at best garnish or a culinary 'gift with purchase' - something extra thrown in with the thing you really want to eat.  i.e. - Not something I usually enjoy. 

And a veggie-focused meal for $52, even if 5-courses, seemed a bit pricey - options with protein require supplemental cost. But Chef Menes has an impressive pedigree, with stints at Patina and THE French Laundry (which I will probably never be able to afford).  And rave reviews kept coming in, from people whose palates I trust.  And then I tasted Chef Menes' sous vide quail egg with coriander flowers - simply perfect - at Gold Standard 2012, and resolved to get it together and make my way downtown to Le Comptoir, asap.

An eclectic little spot with a sophisticated storefront, Tiara is located in the Fashion District in Downtown LA, across from the epicenter of the local industry - California Market Center - a space that serves cafe fare during the day. Despite the location, Le Comptoir is far from being trend-focused.

The interiors of the playful space can only be described as  Art-Deco-meets-Titanic-for-the-Proles-meets-Japanese-Diner-Cafe-Kitsch.  It definitely didn't take itself too seriously, with quirky statues of fictional creatures placed randomly in the dining room - and a wall of brightly colored plastic figures on the cafe side: yet the flow of the space, with its blue upholstered, gold-gilded booths, was at the same time strangely elegant. 

This was the setting for Le Comptoir - which literally involved 12 seats at the counter bridging to the open kitchen, the better for guests to see exactly how their food is prepared, and to be able to interact with chefs while they are doing it.  Perfectly in line with Chef Menes' philosophy that people should know where their food comes from. The setup of Le Comptoir takes that all the way through to 'the end'. The buzz phrase everyone is using now of "farm to fork", means much more here - Chef Menes not only takes utmost care in knowing the farmers who supply every element in his dishes - but really lets you in on the whole process, even in every part of how it's prepared before it arrives to your fork.  

We couldn't wait to taste it all. To start, an amuse bouche: Mushroom Croquette.  This was unfortunately to us not any indication of the meal to come - while the mushrooms we could taste as being incredibly fresh, we didn't love the flavoring and thought the individual elements were bland, while the whole was single note - oversalty.

For the main meal, there were two options for each of the 5-courses.  For our first course, we had a choice of Okinawan Sweet Potato Veloute, yogurt, green garlic, farinette, herbs or French Foie Gras Terrine, Dried Cherry Compote, Saba. While almost the entire population of food bloggers in LA were raving about the veggie pancake w/ sauce, 'Teech' and I both love foie and were conscious of the countdown clock on it being served in CA - so we both went for the carnivore option ($18 supplement).  It was Hudson Valley foie, smooth, rich and creamy and paired nicely with the sweet/tart dried cherry compote and grape syrup. But not something that seared into our brains for all eternity.

In between courses, we received a dish of Chef Mene's great bread made from his own 18 year old starter.  Delicious. And made us ignore the toasts that came with the foie terrine. 

Then came our first courses featuring veggies: Course 2a: Sunny Side-Up Egg, Young Lettuce, Herbs, Jus Vert.  This was a fun, interactive dish where you let the sizzling egg cook a little in its cast iron Staub mini-skillet, then, as chef instructed, add in other ingredients from bright flowers to herbed butter to lettuce leaves carefully selected so that what ends up on the plate is flawless. I actually found myself loving the veggie elements more than the protein! The egg was a little overcooked at the bottom - perhaps it was because we had been late for our reservation, so the second courses pushed up against the first - they arrived while we were only halfway through the foie, so did sit for a while on the side.  Our fault on that one.  But the flavors were amazing - I would have never thought to use that combination of ingredients as toppings for a fried egg, and they were not only beautiful to look at, the mix of fragrant, incredibly fresh herbs and creamy savory butter with the 'liquid sun' of the egg seemed like they were made for each other - just waiting for Chef Menes to come along to bring them together for their date with destiny.

  

The other option, for Course 2b: Asperge Vert et Oeuf Sur La Plat Reggiano, Beurre Noisette, Citron ($8 supplement) - as the chefs were preparing the dish, comforting aromas of butter in pan that somehow reminded me of home even though I don't cook very much, permeated the restaurant and heightened anticipation. Giant stalks of asparagus, possibly the biggest I've ever seen, were grilled, chopped and plated with a fried egg and cheese croutons, with lemon and pepper.  Every time I have asparagus, I always wonder why I don't eat it more often - but I never remember to crave it. But I have been dreaming of these long after the meal - each piece of asparagus was perfect - skillfully sized and cooked so that it has the perfect balance of crunch and delicious smokey char from the pan fry, but enough...don't know how else to say it...girth...so that there's that relatively untouched core of stalk which counterbalances that smokiness with its retained natural flavors, and was almost juicy inside without losing crunch. The citrus then cut through the rich fattiness of the butter nicely.  Loved this simple yet fantastic dish. Wish I thought to ask why it was the only one that was graced with a fancy French name (the others were very authentic, 'grounded' so to speak, titles highlighting essentially key ingredients, in English).

Next up: the deceptively simple-named "Veggie Plate," which drew disproportionate praise - and which I couldn't wait to try, as something that normally wouldn't appeal to me at all and would feel more like a temporary, necessary evil to enable my body to stay healthy enough to handle my next gluttonous meal of incredibly delicious creatures of the land, sea or sky. I knew that everyone who has tried it were blown away by it (not just vegetarians) - and I wanted to see what it was all about.  And the counter stock, plus the lineup of plates being prepped for this course, already had us drooling - it was a visual feast that sparked enormous excitement for the impending tasting.

And Course 3a was monumental: "Veggie Plate" consisted of Squash, Carrots, Pickled Onion Petals, Turnips, Kohlrabi, Pears, Tangerine Fava Beans, Celery, Celtuce, Grapes, Fingerling Potato, Cauliflower.  I loved that Chef Menes took the care to list each one - because each one was its own work of art, that all came together to form a masterpiece. 'Teech' said it best - the gorgeous plate reminded her of a Kandinsky painting. It was almost too beautiful to eat.  Almost - that's what I love about art on a plate - it's multisensory. We first enthusiastically admired the  impeccably curated and perfectly prepared collection just aesthetically - then dug in to experience it with our taste buds.  And though Chef Menes elevated humble vegetables with his artistry - it was never intended to be some lofty, inaccessible form - it's a celebration of the higher beauty of simple ingredients.  

Ever watch that movie 'Like Water for Chocolate', where what the chef was feeling at the time, poured into the food she was making, and diners could experience those intense emotions as they taste the food?  Well that's what this plate reminded me of - it was his heart and soul, that Chef Menes put on this plate. You could feel the intense love for every single element, and their sum, expressed in every bite.

[I had to look up a couple of the veggies too: "Kohlrabi" is apparently an Italian turnip, and "Celtuce" is as it sounds - a celery lettuce.  Both, like everything else on the plate, were amazing.]

And Chef Menes was very passionate in explaining to us the need to know where his food comes from - he knows and is great friends with every single farmer who produces every item he serves up,  so that he can rely on the care that was taken in their growth, and from that the quality of the ingredients.  That is sort of the reason why his food is currently veggie-focused, not due to any sort of anti-meat philosophy - just that he doesn't have as many strong relationships with meat farmers, and if he did have sources for high quality meats, he would serve it more.  So attention, quality meat farmers!!! :)

Some might see all this attention to detail as obsessive - but for us that's what makes him an amazing chef/food artist, one that can achieve the extraordinary with what is seemingly very simple.

The next dish involved one of my favorite ingredients in the world: truffle. But I almost didn't get it as it didn't seem as exciting as the other dishes, in writing anyways - 'just' truffle shaved over pasta.  But it was 'only' (everything is relative, right?) a $20 supplement, less than half of what other restaurants would charge - so we went for it.  Chef Menes personally prepared every element of this dish, we watched him cook the pasta right in front of us, watched him take meticulous care in shaving paper-thin black spring truffle over it, right in front of us. Loved it before it ever hit my fork.

So without further ado: Course 3b: Tagliolini with Black Spring Truffles ($20 supplement).  Teech wasn't as impressed with this, but I loved it - not for mind-blowing innovation or creativity (but it was never intended for that), but for being a classic, extremely well executed.  The pasta was perfectly balanced - so tender and creamy it could make you cry, but still al dente - the cream was carefully controlled so as not to be too heavy nor overpower the whole.  The truffle was intoxicating in fragrance and in beauty - the thin slices fluttered over the pasta, looking light but packing heavy-hitting flavor.

Chef Menes did say that we would be surprised by how satiated we will be, even just on veggie-focused fare - and he was right - we were pretty much full by end of course 3.

But of course we didn't want the meal to end.  Course 4a: English Peas, Hearts of Romaine, Pea Tendrils, Stone Ground Grits, Spring Onions, Jus, Truffle Froth this was a spring appropriate dish with fresh greenery, especially the peas which were perfectly cooked (I usually detest peas as they're either too mushy or like tiny green pebbles), the grits a nice balance of light and lush, with the truffle froth adding a nice subtle bit of earthy flavor in airy form.

Then a protein course: 4b: "Poitrine de Porc", slow-braised heritage pork belly, barley, apples, broccoli, blueberry relish ($8 supplement).  This was a victim of being overshadowed by its 'grounded' cousins - while the pork belly was beautifully cooked, tender and rich with flavor and juice, it just didn't measure up to the spectacular veggie dishes (I never thought I'd ever say that!).  The apple was a nice (and possibly most delicious apple) bite with subtle tinge of cinnamon.

For the grand finale: we could choose from either a cheese plate or pound cake. I'm not a big fan of cheese plates at restaurants, just because I feel like I can get gourmet cheeses from The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills or Wally's Cheese Box. And would rather focus my limited funds on experiencing the culinary creativity of chefs via their cooked/baked dishes.  Knowing of course that chefs likely have access to better cuts and varieties of cheese and will often serve them up with perfectly paired accompaniments of housemade preserves etc. But I just would rather experience cooked/baked dishes. And at Le Comptoir, I didn't want to go for the $12 supplement for cheese. 

So both Teech and I went for course 5b: Pound Cake, Chocolate, Orange, Sour Cream, Almonds, Graham Cracker.  The pound cake was fine, but it was the accoutrements that really impressed us:  with the softly crunchy marcona almonds counterbalanced by the perfectly ripened, bite-sized piece of orange, punctuated by the tart/bittersweet dots of raspberry and chocolate reduction.  Fresh sour cream and graham cracker crust and bit of candied orange rind added textural contrast.  A nice finish to a meal that left us, as Chef said it would, satiated but feeling good - not uncomfortably full and ready to fall into a food coma as usual after a large meal.

After the amazing dinner, we were made an offer we couldn't refuse, even though we were not big coffee aficionados: Handsome Roasters Coffee single origin pour over coffee from Columbia.  Chef Menes takes the same care with coffee, as he does with his food.  The coffee station looked like a science lab with its digital scale, jars, funnels, timers (and I thought I saw a thermometer too?!) - all to ensure precision resulting in consistently high quality cups of joe.  Again we are not coffee connoiseurs, but loved the sips we took of the incredibly smooth, fragrant and naturally sweet coffee that didn't even require any cream or sugar. 

All in all, one of the best meals I've had in LA, ever.  Especially with things that don't normally appeal to us.  All rooted in love and respect for his ingredients, fueled by a core of inspiration, passion and utmost dedication to his craft. Chef Menes accomplished the near impossible with us that day: he changed our perspective on veggies as things that we 'need', into things that we 'want' - and beyond that - even crave.

Looking forward to Chef Menes getting a place of his own so that we can make these mind-blowing meals a regular occurence!
 
In the meantime, if you haven't gone yet, Le Comptoir at last check runs Thursdays-Saturdays through May.  Contact the restaurant for details (info below).

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites
Presentation - 6.5 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100%
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Le Comptoir at Tiara Cafe
127 E 9th St., Los Angeles,CA 90079

Thursdays-Saturdays through May (contact below for details)
Website: lecomptoirla.com

For reservations: lecomptoirla@gmail.com or check Urbanspoon Rezbook

Twitter: @garymenes 
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