Al Bacio Ristorante: La Loggia Room: Old World Italy, Modern Style in WeHo

As far as I know, it's not often that a chef reaches out directly to invite bloggers to their restaurant.

So when I received an email from Chef Christian Simionato of Al Bacio, I was definitely curious.

It was for a tasting to be held in the La Loggia Room in the restaurant.  Reading that “Al Bacio” means detail, care, and experience, tradition, respect, and passion, and seeing the personal effort that the chef put in just on the outreach, I knew I would be in for an experience.

Chef Christian was raised on his family farm in Villanova, a small town bordering Venice, where growing food, making wine, and curing meats - everything done with respect, and tradition - was a way of life that passed down through the generations.

Chef Christian is passionate about sharing lesser known dishes and ways of cooking from Italy, that would take LA's food lovers beyond the tried and true but all too familiar pastas and antipasti, was clear - and now he has a nook of a platform to do it with, in a front room called La Loggia.  It's a cozy event / private dining space where he gets to showcase and share, with more curious diners, the dishes that he loves in a tasting menu format.

Our experience of this new front room started with a bountiful spread of charcuterie and antipasto served personally by the chef.

There was a gorgeous leg of prosciutto, and cutting boards piled with salami, sopressa...

But of all the charcuterie the one that made the biggest impression on me was the Heart & Liver Salsiccia.  Its rich, intense flavor, density and pleasing fattiness reminded me of the Chinese version I used to love growing up: yun cheong (preserved liver sausage).  I haven't seen these in other Italian restaurants in LA - so many are focused on fresh, housemade - and cured meats tend towards salami and sopressata.  I couldn't stop eating these lovely little preserved sausages.

Then there was the Focassia di Recco with mozzarella and tomato, and fun appetizers like salted cod in a mason jar with crostini, and oysters in tomato sauce - all beautifully presented but less memorable in texture / taste.

For the formal start of the meal, we were seated at one large communal table for 10, the better for encouraging conversation, and sense of shared experience by design.

Our first course was Tortellini al Parmigiano - Parmesan Cheese Tortellini, Chicken Consomme.  The tortellinis arrived first, then chef ladled roiling hot chicken broth over it, which released strong fresh dough fragrance on contact.  

Some of chef's plates come with interesting notes about its history: Maccheroni Ragu alla Barese - pasta topped w/ a roll of beef neck, pecorino, pancetta and herbs was the 'legal' version that could be served in the US.  In Italy, apparently they would make this with horse meat.

Loved the light touch with the tomato sauce, over the fresh made al dente pasta, topped by the flavor bomb roll.

The first meat course was Coniglio alla Siciliana - Sicilian rabbit with pine nuts, black olives, roasted fennel & carrots.  Though tasty, nothing really stood out for me on this one.

It was the next course that I still dream of: Quaglia e Piccione Cotti alla Spiedo - spit roasted quail & squab, with glazed cipollini, roasted potatoes.  Perfectly cooked to delicious succulence, it made me work hard to try to tear every last piece of meat off the tiny wings.

 After dinner, a selection of Italian cheeses were served at the banquet tables to the side.  There was the photogenic large wheel of super creamy, spreadable Bontazola gorgonzola cheese, Maccagno raw cow's milk cheese, and other luscious wedges.  But it was the accompaniment that were intriguing: one such was a red wine soaked rhubarb (?) preserve that somehow tasted like beets, and went perfectly with the gorgonzola.  There was the truffle honey, which I can never resist.

To finish, chef served us a Neopolitan Rum Cake and chocolate almond cake with gelato (sorry no pics as it got too dark by then to take good ones!).

The menu will change seasonally at La Loggia.  Can't wait to see what Chef Christian does for Fall!  To book a tasting at the La Loggia Room, contact the restaurant (see below).


*Disclaimer: This meal was hosted.

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Al Bacio Ristorante La Loggia Room

8741 W Sunset Boulevard West Hollywood, CA 90069

Ph: 310.657.1182

Website: albacioristorante.com  

Parking: public open air lot across the street (except Thursday nights when it is taken over by a farmers market), or limited parking behind restaurant

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The Church Key: Fun Brunch Spot on Sunset

Sundays.  For some, it's the 'day after', when you pull on your darkest pair of sunglasses to cover up the bloodshot eyes from the so-good-you-almost-can't-remember-a-thing night before, and drag yourself to the nearest feeding station for sustenance.  For us, Sunday IS our Fun day - brunch being a meal to look forward to, our last bit(e) of carefree indulgence - in the culinary sense - before we gear up for another hectic work week.

So my brunching BFF, Curses, and I were excited to get an invite to check out The Church Key, on a sunny afternoon, in a fun WeHo space overlooking Sunset Blvd.  With all the buzz around the dim sum inspired cart service at dinnertime, and creative offerings like Pig's Ear Cheetos - we couldn't wait to see what they would bring to the table for brunch.

As soon as we sat down, we were greeted by the cocktail cart, complete with vintage-inspired PanAm wrap and 'stewardess'. 

The cart was loaded with what looked like hotel shampoo bottles, but were actually single serve drink mixes - to be combined with sparkling wine to create your brunch cocktail of choice.

Just like dim sum carts do, there is a log sheet, which each cart's server marks with their own unique stamp, to track your orders.

Unlike the throwaway tear sheets at dim sum houses, The Church Key prints theirs on card stock with their logo - and you can keep the final sheet as a souvenir if you want. 

And yes, that means there are more brunch carts to come - they roam around the restaurant and you can flag them down if you see something that catches your fancy - more on that later!

We enjoyed our St Germain elderflower sparkling wine cocktails.

Food at brunch is not limited to what's served on the roaming carts - there is a full made to order menu as well, of entree sized offerings.  Our first was the Grilled Asparagus with Sunny Side Up Egg, Smoked Tomato Hollandaise and Crispy Shallots ($15) because Curses loves veggies and I love eggs benedict, so this was our way of meeting in the middle.  Loved the crunchy crispy creamy textures here, punctuated by the smokiness and slight heat of the hollandaise sauce.

Next up was Jeffrey's Biscuits and Gravy ($18) with housemade chicken sausage, sunny side up eggs, and American cheese.  This was tasty, and the portion size was very generous - but was a bit too heavy for us and wasn't a standout in terms of flavor - it wasn't one that we left raving about.

Then came the showstopping Toad in the Hole "Croque Madame" ($18) - with Gruyere fondue and smoked bacon. Every element of this - from the bread sliced to perfect thickness, perfectly buttered and toasted to a golden brown, to the cheese sauce at just the right consistency - light enough not to overwhelm, substantial enough to mark its presence, sprinkled with finely chopped chives for visual and texture contrast - to the strips of bacon skillfully cooked to be crispy yet still juicy, tensile yet not overly chewy...

...all yielding to the beautiful egg cooked right into the center of the toast, with its gorgeous, sunny, runny yolk.

This one made me want to lock down our next brunch excursion to The Church Key before we had even finished eating.

Throughout our meal, the carts kept roaming around (all carrying off menu items for that fun element of surprise!), and we had spied lovely pastries that we definitely needed to try.

I love cart service in that you get to 'browse before you buy' and you feel like you get to choose 'the best one' of whatever it is that your heart desires. It's also a great conversation piece, especially helpful if you're eating with people you don't know very well - note to self for the next Meet Up.

After our savories, we were finally ready, and flagged down a friendly server to guide us through the offerings.

There were pain au chocolate, cinnamon buns, all fresh out of the oven.  But I'm a sucker for Monkey Bread, which you don't see all that often on LA menus.

This version is nothing short of fantastic.  It's served hot, pillowy, and despite the delicious all over glaze of caramel and cinnamon, the different sections pull apart very easily.  So incredibly delicious, and another item that I would say is a 'must get' at The Church Key.

Aside from the food and service, we loved the ambience as well.  The design aesthetic kind of reminded us of Hamptons meets Restoration Hardware.  It's airy, bright and cheery in the front dining room...

...with a lovely communal table for those in a big group, or just feeling social.  Definitely some great people / car watching as well over the Sunset Strip.

In the back area, the refined whimsy is more pronounced, with leather couches where you would normally expect chairs, and a random vintage telephone booth in the very back.

Mismatched dishware add pops of color to the design scheme to keep things from appearing too serious.

Sometimes, when a place is known for introducing a relatively new way of doing things (western food served up in carts), people worry that the food becomes secondary to the 'marketing hook'.  I would say that The Church Key strikes a balance here: fun dining experience, paired with some really good food!

All in all, a great new brunch spot that we hope to visit again very soon!

*Disclaimer:  This meal was hosted.

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The Church Key

8730 W Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069

Ph: 424.249.3700

Website: thechurchkeyla.com

OpenTable: Look for reservations (and points!) here

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Gorge: Fighting the Good (Food) Fight

A while back, Beauty Jones and I stopped by Gorge on Sunset.

It's got that perfect storm of elements that appeal to us: cozy, off the beaten path, unpretentious, stacking their investment where it really counts - in the kitchen, with owner/chefs of impressive pedigree - Elia Aboumrad (Joel Robuchon Paris & Las Vegas), and Uyen Nguyen (Guy Savoy, Le Cirque, Fleur de Lys). And it had a name with meaning: Gorge apparently comes from the old war expression, “A la gorge!”,  once an exclamation by French soldiers hurtling into battle, which literally means, “To the throat!”.  The expression was adopted by militant kitchen brigades preparing to give themselves to service. To us that read: thoughtful chefs in the kitchen, good food ahead!

As usual - I tried not to do too much more research beforehand so as to get an as unbiased experience as possible. So we were kind of surprised to step into a cozy little nook that felt in decor a bit like an Irish rural neighborhood pub meets mom & pop diner.  Loved it all the more for offering a casual, relaxed setting for the food that would not be out of place in the finest white-tableclothed, silver-utensiled, multi-award-winning restaurants in the city.

We were greeted by Master Sommelier Darius Allyn, who gave us a tour of the menu along with his recommendations, including wine pairings with each dish. I'm not usually into wine, but Beauty Jones takes annual trips to Italy's wine regions, was just about to leave for the Loire valley, and had just filled my head with visions of lush vineyards and liquid sun/ terroir captured in radiant bottles. And Darius made us feel at home right away, like we were his best customers here for our weekly meal, though it was really our first. There was none of the pretentiousness you may expect from other master sommeliers.  

So we started off with Chicken Liver Parfait ($10) accompanied by cornichons and country bread.  This was an incredibly light, smooth yet flavor rich spread that we didn't want to stop eating, ever.

This was paired (if memory serves correctly) perfectly with a pinot gris.

Then, because we couldn't, and didn't want to, limit our choices on charcuterie/cheese - we went for the platter: Saucisson Sec & Cheese ($29) House dried saucisson sec, Frommage de tete, House pickles, Country bread & GORGE Cheese selection

This was possibly the best charcuterie and cheese platter I've had in LA. Every bite was foodgasm inducing including the sides of pickled romanesco (a veggie that looks like some alien microbe lifeform under the magnifying lens of a microscope), almonds, and housemade strawberry preserves. And yes, you can tell our visit was a while ago, since we were able to get Mimolette on the board. 

For a change of pace, and honestly only because Beauty Jones wanted to try it:
Belgian Endives ($14) Poached in aromatic broth, Served warm, Vanilla bean sauce, Toasted almonds

This was food art - a gorgeous plate that tasted as great as it looks.  I didn't miss my proteins one bit.

Then a terrine for good measure (and because they had me at truffles): Pheasant Terrine ($25) Wild pheasant, Black truffles, Pecans, Potato puree, Organic baby kale salad

This also, like every bite we had before it, was perfect in flavor, texture, temperature, presentation. Taken to the next level with a pairing of Vouvray.

For dessert, there was a choice of different flavors of St. Honore. We went for the Pistachio St. Honore ($10) Pistachio pastry cream, Vanilla chantilly, Pistachio macaron

So deliciously light, with macarons in the true Parisian style - ones that have a crispy shell that yield to airy interiors, that do not collapse into a sticky mess on contact. And if we hadn't both been raised right, would have fought each other for the last bite. 

With the superstar team of women at its helm, it would be so easy and trite, to make this a 'Go Girls!' story - but that would be doing Gorge and its amazing team a disservice. Gorge is simply, the product of true passion and dedication by a trifecta of chefs and sommelier - an amazing still somewhat hidden gem that everyone who loves food and wine needs to experience, asap.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites  
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience -  5.5 stars
Service - 6.5 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% 

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Gorge

8917 West Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Ph: 310.657.6328

Parking: Meters on Sunset Blvd.

Website: gorgela.com

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Katana: Haute Summer Grilling Over Sunset Blvd

As a kid - even up through college - summer seemed to last forever.  Two months felt like an eternity to do with as you please - and by the time September rolled around, you were for the most part ready to head back to school, to see your friends, to tackle the excitement of a new year and what it might bring. 

Now, with a full-time job and year round responsibilities -  summer seems to pass with the blink of an eye.  We are blessed in Southern California that the Fall and Winter don't really get that bad...(another reason I will probably never leave) - the weather is pretty much great all the time (relatively to say, Toronto) with the exception of February and June. But those summer months, where the sun seems to shine even brighter, and the air seems to be denser with promise of carefree adventure - are still incredibly precious.  It's the time of year where you want to be outdoors, as much as you can - for me, that does NOT mean roughing it on bare bones campgrounds, but more like grabbing good food, with great company, al fresco.

So I was excited when I was invited to check out Katana, a robatayaki/sushi hotspot featuring outdoor dining on its patio overlooking Sunset Blvd. 

The place feels like a hidden gem, located on the second floor with a barely visible sign that's easy to miss while driving down Sunset - the biggest landmark being its neighbor, The Comedy Store.  You pull into the narrow entrance of the garage and take a questionably vintage elevator ride - that opens up to a serene, chic space that feels like a different world from the stereotypical Hollywood vibe on the street below.

The interiors are modern Asian fusion, lush, dark, cavernous, ornate - with two large, open kitchens - one for robata service, the other for sushi - side by side.  But we were there for the patio - a gorgeous space with dark, long rattan couches and a flowering fountain.

Mims and I kicked off the sultry summer evening with a round of cocktails: Ginger Lychee Mojito ($14) Barcardi Rum, Fresh Mint, Lychee, Ginger, and fresh lime juice. Kimono Dragon ($14) Oxley Gin, Aperol, grapefruit juice, fresh lemon sour, muddled lemon, and basil

Before our food arrived, we were treated to a tour of the kitchens and got to meet the chefs - checking out the open-flame, charcoal-fired grills and impressive glass case of skewers of every kind of meat imaginable.  They use a special kind of charcoal here called binchotan, imported from Japan. It's a white charcoal that does not release smoke or unpleasant odors as it burns, letting the flavors of the ingredients shine through instead.

Back on the patio, we started with the sushi side of the house - a beautiful presentation of sashimi that made us feel like we were on vacation. 

Flowers make everything better: edible gorgeousness.

I usually don't love tuna tartare, but this one was super fresh and I loved the addition of briny caviar, and the counterbalancing crunch of wonton 'scoopers', with mayonnaise and sesame oil as well as soy sauce.

One of the first skewers to arrive was also one of our favorites: Chilean Sea Bass ($5.25): super tender, juicy with a lovely sweetness balanced by a delicious robata char. Skewers are served with three dipping sauces: soy mustard, ginger and ponzu.

Then, because I have a penchant for the unusual, there were Quail Eggs ($3), Chicken Liver ($3) and Chicken Cartilage ($2.75).  The quail eggs got a little too rubbery on the outside, and the chicken cartilage was as to be expected tough and chewy - not ones I might get again - but I enjoyed the rich, flavorful chicken liver skewers.

The more classic Wagyu beef ($20) skewers were tender, juicy, flavor-packed and another favorite.  We also tried the Chicken Meatballs ($3.75) - a nice price point for those who just want small bites to go with their drinks, Izakaya style.

The showstopper though was hands-down the Wagyu beef + lobster skewers with UNI TRUFFLE BUTTER ($26).  During the kitchen tour the chef seemed especially proud of this one, and I was sold as soon as I heard the magic words Uni and Truffle.

Here's a shot of the grilled skewer.  SO delicious. Definitely the one to order if you're at a client dinner powered by an expense account.

Those on a budget should not miss the Lamb Chop Marinated in Soy Garlic ($6) this might have been one of the best bites of lamb I'd had in the city this year.  Sorry for the dark pic as we were having such a great time eating and catching up, that we didn't notice that our meal was heading into like the third hour until the light started changing on us.

All in all, a fantastic time and great spot to 'choose your own adventure' especially during summer - whether it's after work drink and small bites, or for a splurgey client meal over an iconic stretch of Hollywood literally and figuratively elevated above the fray.

Note: On the weeknight that we went, it had a very relaxed, serene vibe until closer to 10pm when the patio got more crowded, and noticeably louder.  We heard on Saturdays the patio gets more packed, with more of the Hollywood crowd, so plan your visit according to whatever you're more into.

 
*Disclaimer: This meal was hosted.

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Katana

8439 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Ph:323.650.8585

Parking: Valet in structure below restaurant (entry on Sunset)

Website: innovativedining.com/restaurants/katana

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RivaBella: Reflection of Beauty on Sunset

Have I mentioned how much I love indoor/outdoor spaces? Maybe because often, I love the idea of dining al fresco more than the actual experience.  Restaurants that bring all that is lovely about being outside, into a more refined and controlled environment gives you the best of both worlds. So I was excited to be invited to check out the recently opened RivaBella in West Hollywood, featuring an 8,000 square foot dining space described as "rustic Tuscan" AND chef Gino Angelini of locally beloved Angelini Osteria - creating an anticipated pairing of style and substance.

 

It was a pretty breath-taking space from the moment you set foot inside the main dining room, with its soaring ceilings, sleek, sophisticated woods and elegant greenery all around including several manicured trees between sections of tables.  And a wine cave with arched brick ceiling!

The roof is retractable, for when the signature SoCal sunny weather returns.  In terms of ambience, this place is perfect for date night or that Hollywood power lunch. The crowd on a weeknight? If there was a Housewives of Hollywood Hills - this is a place where they might often be spotted.  There were also lots of beautiful people in their 30s, 40s and up, dressed to impress.

 

Our tasting started with an off-menu item: Seared Swordfish with Bottarga - personally, I'm not a big fan of swordfish, but those who are would say this is a nicely seared piece - and who doesn't love bottarga!

Next up was the Beef Carpaccio Romagna Style ($15 on regular menu - full sized.  Image shown is sample sized for our tasting only) - this was a lovely starter that mixes Italian staples together: raw beef slices with (fresh-tasting) anchovies topped by shavings of parmesan

One of the most unforgettable dishes of the night was the Roasted Octopus Salad ($21 on regular menu - image shown is sample sized for tasting only) with potatoes, Taggiasche olives, salsa verde - the octopus was roasted perfectly, nice crisp clean smokey charred exterior opening up to incredibly tender, flavorful meat inside.  Loved the use of potatoes to soak up the amazing juices and for a different type of crunch, while the brininess of olives and acidity of tomatoes helped cut through the heft of the proteins and carbs.

We were then generously treated to another unscheduled dish, Eggplant Parmagiana ($14 full size on regular menu) the chef's own modern interpretation of it topped by delicious flash-fried eggplant skin!

Where's the pasta, you say?  It came in the form of the showstopper for the night in my opinion: Nidi di Rondine nested pasta with Italian ham and parmagiano cream ($17 full size on regular menu) - I have never seen pasta presented this way, wrapped like a Jewish deli roll, but with layers of freshmade noodle around delicious, juicy ham.  The 'roll' is then topped by amazing veal and wild boar ragu that I think must have been wine-braised (for great depth of flavor that is instantly addictive) and baked onto the roll with a nice slightly crunchy crusty texture.  The parmagiano cream sent me over the edge - I couldn't even pause for breath, I loved this thing so much and only wished I could have ten more. This one was my favorite of the night, hands down, and one I would definitely have to go back to RivaBella for, especially since at $17 for an entree sized dish, it's not a bad deal at all either.

Grilled Filet of Branzino with Sautéed Spinach and Sicilian Style Sauce I didn't see this on the regular menu posted online.  Not the most impressive plating, nor game changing execution, but a tasty piece of fish and 'safe' choice for date night.

Our tasting concluded with a round of various desserts: I liked the presentations especially of the Beignets with raspberry, chocolate and mocha sauces...

...and the Tiramisu with a silhouette of a fork reversed into cocoa powder.

In terms of taste, the tiramisu was a solid execution of a classic.  The others weren't very memorable and were not something I would crave and make a special trip back for.

While we were finishing up, we noticed several tables around us with guests celebrating birthdays - it was cool for us to see the waitstaff bring out treats with sparklers, showing that despite our inital assessment of the 'scene' here, that at least the restaurant doesn't take itself too seriously (even if some of its patrons do).

All things considered, RivaBella successfully delivers with upscale, event dining ambiance paired with some fantastic dishes and great people watching. A nice addition to the WeHo area!

*Disclaimer: This meal was hosted.

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RivaBella
9201 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
Ph: 310.278.2060
Website: innovativedining.com/restaurants/rivabella

Parking: Valet parking is probably your best bet in this area $10 for first 3 hours

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