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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Whist at Viceroy Santa Monica - Drink Me, Eat Me Wonderland-Style

For 'Foodie Mentor''s birthday, we decided to celebrate at Whist at Viceroy hotel in Santa Monica.  I was excited to try the place for the first time, and with my BlackboardEats 30% off deal in hand we ventured to the calmer, more serene part of Santa Monica, across the street from Shutters on the Beach. 

Though Whist is famous for its exquisite dining room, since it was a relatively warm day we decided to check out the patio by the pool - little did we realize that the doorway was really a rabbit hole that sent us plunging into a space much like a movie set. 

Specifically, the set of some Beverly Hills-ified (ok that was so not a real word) version of Alice in Wonderland.

Among the lush, looming palm trees and greenery, sprouted marble tables surrounded by rings of high-backed, plush white leather chairs.  There were white cabanas with tables set up underneath, as if ready for a very important date/ tea party.  The chairs in particular were what made us feel like Alice - they were made oversized, so you pretty much sink into them (even if you're just average-sized!) - and the table top becomes mid-chest height so you feel like you have to reach up to eat off of it.

We thought of this as charming, but apparently the servers often receive questions about the seating and were already prepared to offer us cushions to help add height and split the difference with the table.

The friendly server who helped us with the seats unfortunately then disappeared into thin air, and in his place appeared...The Caterpillar.  A rather strict and stoic figure who made us feel we were taking quite a lot of his time - friendly requests for recommendations met with blank stares and half-absentminded / cryptic replies to the effect that we can choose whatever we want to. (We will later realize the further appropriateness of this nickname based on how quickly / often he came by to check on us)

Not to let that affect our evening, we were somewhat appeased when the bread plate arrived, which included lovely pretzel and pumpernickel loaves.

Knowing I was on a tighter budget than usual that month, Foodie Mentor went with a selection of small plates and one entree for us to share.

To start, we had the awesome Beet Salad ($16) with hazelnuts, baby lettuces, and truffle-pecorino panna cotta.  The truffle-pecorino panna cotta had EAT ME all over it - one bite and it really did inflate my endorphin levels, sending them shooting through the figurative roof.  The consistency of the panna cotta was more like burrata, and instead of the expected sweetness it was savory and head-spinningly fragrant with truffle.  The beets had perfect texture, tender but structured, and were a blush of lovely pink beneath the blooms of baby lettuces.  Yes, very pricey for a salad and not sure that I would be able to afford it without the BBE deal, but glad I got to try it.

Next up was Meatballs ($11), a seemingly simple, rustic dish that is much raved about at Whist.  So we couldn't go without trying this one.  It came in a cast iron pan with shaved parmesan, basil and olive oil, and lived up to the hype - juicy, tender, flavorful and most importantly, served at just the right temperature - piping hot but not so much it would scorch your mouth. 

For our entree to share, we had the 10oz. Dry Aged NY Steak ($36) served with brussel sprouts, bacon, and parmesan-buttered potatoes.  We asked for medium-rare but what we got was more like medium-well to well done.  Foodie Mentor didn't want to cause a fuss though, so we stuck with and polished off the dish.  On a normal day though I would be madder than a hatter to pay $36 for this steak.

Inexplicably, our other small plate came after the entree - continuing with the theme of familiar comfort foods with a twist - we had gone for the Spaghetti ($18) with tomato, chili, tarragon, dungeness crab and uni. 

I was excited to see what they would do with this dish, given the ingredients, and I guess some part of me expected perhaps a Japanese style execution with the pasta, given the use of uni.  It turned out to be classic Italian spaghetti, with a tomato sauce, and all the other ingredients piled on top.  The uni came in the form of a solitary tongue placed at the top of the pile, sticking out at us as if to mock us for the disporportionate amount of money (vs. what we got) spent on the dish.

For dessert, we went with the Brioche Donuts ($11) with housemade jam and ice cream. By that time it was too dark out to capture any photos - but our original friendly server came by to turn on the heat lamp for us and we enjoyed lounging and chatting with a cup of post-dinner coffee til late into the night.  The 'garden' setting had a different vibe at night, but equal to the charm it held during daytime - perhaps with just more of an air of mystery.

All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed the simultaneously chic and whimsical space.  There were a few standouts with food, but mostly it was pricey and inconsistent in quality for what we got. I personally probably would only return either with a group buy deal, for drinks, a date where ambience is the priority, or for the "7 B4 7 Happy Hour" - if I ever get out of work early enough to make it there from the Valley. Whist's 7 B4 7 Happy Hour runs Monday through Friday 4pm-7pm with a $7 per item menu including a selection of cocktails, wine, beer and bar food such as meatballs, mussels, chicken wings and hummus. 

They also have a great sounding lunch deal, which I also won't be able to take advantage of since my office is too far away - but it's called "Daily 5" and is $16 per person Monday to Friday 11am-2pm including sandwich, salad, 2 sides and dessert PLUS complimentary parking!  Great for those who work/live in the area and can get to the place at lunchtime!

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 5 stars
Overall experience - 5.5 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 70%

[To find more deals like the one used here, check out my Get More Bites Outta Your Budget page, and follow me on Twitter for up to the minute finds!]

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Whist
Viceroy Santa Monica 
1819 Ocean Avenue Santa Monica CA 90401   
Phone: 310.260.7500

Website: viceroyhotelsandresorts.com
Look for reservations: Opentable.com
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Osteria Mozza - Sweet Prix Fixe Menu at Amaro Bar

Nancy Silverton (La Brea Bakery), Mario Batali (eponymous culinary empire) and Joe Bastianich join forces to grace Los Angeles with two 'famous neighborhood gems' that sit side by side on the corner of Melrose and Highland.  Pizzeria Mozza serves incredible gourmet pizzas (with creative combinations of toppings and the most amazing crust I've ever tasted) in a casual, intimate setting, while Osteria Mozza offers more committed (and wealthier) diners a unique, more upscale concept restaurant anchored by two bars (mozzarella / 'Amaro') and a dining area serving gourmet Italian/Mediterrenean dishes in a cozy space that feels like it's the most sophisticated restaurant in a sleep East Coast town where everyone who comes in knows each other.

Pizzeria Mozza is hands-down my favorite place for pizza in the city - but in this post I'd like to talk about my night with its more upscale sibling - a Sunday evening adventure with the prix fixe menu at Osteria Mozza's Amaro bar.

Every Sunday through Thursday Osteria Mozza offers a special three-course menu, available only at their Amaro Bar. You have to sit at the counter and can then choose: one item from Nancy's Mozzarella Bar (or share the Mozzarella Tasting for two), one Pasta, a Dessert and a glass of either Bastianich Friulano or La Mozza Morellino di Scansano - all for the amazing price of $35 (tax and service extra).  They don't take reservations for these seatings - it's first come first served, so get there early if you want to take advantage of this menu!  We arrived just before opening (5pm) on a Sunday - love free street parking! - and there was already a small crowd waiting eagerly by the entrance.

After the excited diners politely piled in, we were happy to take the last two seats at the bar - which worked out really well, as we were right next to the service counter and were treated to lots of wine and champagne tips by the exceptionally friendly servers (one even asked my friend to help 'sample' the champagne when he popped open a brand new magnum, to make sure it was up to par!).

The only minor 'not so positive' thing about sitting at the Amaro bar, is that you sit facing the wall of wines, turned away from the nice ambience in the dining room, and from all the action in Nancy's Mozzarella Bar, where you can often see Nancy working the exquisite cheese dishes herself!  

With the seating arrangements all sorted, we all but devoured the menu with ravenous eyes.  The prix fixe menu allows you to choose one item from the full list of Mozzarella Bar options - the print alone made us salivate on sight.  There were no less than 14 different configurations of cheeses (Bufala, Burricota, Stracciatella, Burrata) with intriguing accompaniments from braised artichokes to spiced walnuts to fried rosemary.  We considered the task of selecting just one from among the incredible options an exercise in cruelty - though, when ultimately confronted by the sad reality that the size of our appetite was inversely proportional to the size of the contents of our wallets, we finally decided on the two dishes below.

Starters from Mozzarella Bar menu: Burrata with leeks, vinaigrette and mustard breadcrumbs ($14)I had the burrata (incredibly silky smooth, creamy, and soft - melts away on contact in your mouth!), topped with crunchy mustard flavored breadcrumbs, served on a thin strip of leeks sprinkled with pepper and marinated in a vinaigrette -  a divine combination of perfectly contrasting textures and harmonious tastes! 



Burrata with bacon, marinated escarole and carmelized shallots ($15)
Updated photo Feb 2011



My Foodie Mentor, who has had my dish on a previous visit, ordered burrata (slightly firmer and more chewy than the one in my dish) topped by carmelized shallots, which sat atop salty bacon strips, cushioned by marinated escarole, which topped a round of toast.  Again, a sophisticated layering of contrasting textures held together by a perfectly balanced blend of flavors.

First courses from Pasta menu:

Squid ink spaghetti with Dungeness Crab, uni and jalapeno ($19?) 

Being adventurous in no other area of my life, I am invariably drawn - when it comes to food only - to the exotic or unusual.  So for my first course, I had no choice but to order the squid ink spaghetti, which was served cold and punctuated by thick and fluffy chunks of Dungeness crab, topped by a sliver of fresh uni, and mixed in a jalapeno broth.  A surprising find on an otherwise authentic (and all mouthwatering) Italian menu!

Tagliatelle Verde with lamb ragu, olive Taggiasche and mint ($19)

Foodie Mentor opted for something which was in comparisan a little more traditional - the tagliatelle verde with lamb ragu - but with a refreshing surprise ingredient added - mint!  The dish was fantastic - with extremely tender and flavorful lamb mixed in with the perfectly cooked tagliatelle pasta.

Desserts:

Torta della Nonna with honeycomb and pine nuts  ($11)

Dessert for me is usually the best part of the meal, but it would be hard to top my previous two courses! At first I was unsure about the Torta della Nonna 'cheesecake' - that seemed to me a little plain and unimaginative - but after the first bite, I see the light. This is not the dense clunker of a dessert you would expect from its English name - but turned out to be incredibly light and airy, with a perfectly crumbly crust, and a crunchy, flaky top layer sprinkled with toasted pine nuts. The only thing that made the experience even better was dipping pieces of fluffy cake into the small pool of light, amber-colored honey on the side. I wasn't as into the honeycomb side, which was a sticky dense glob which didn't add fit with the lightness of the rest of the dish, and didn't provide a complementary contrast either.

Rosemary Olive Oil Cakes with olive oil gelato and rosemary brittle ($11)

Foodie Mentor had the rosemary olive oil cakes (in the shape of mini-muffins and consistency reminiscent of donuts) plated with a scoop of olive oil gelato, topped by a flip of spun sugar that encased a sprinkle of needles of rosemary.  I thought the taste was a little too subtle for me - but did appreciate the sophistication behind a dessert that wasn't 'whack-a-mole' style over the top sugary.

All-in-all, an amazing meal at an incredible price - definitely need to come back again the next chance I get!

Update Feb 2011:

Some more photos from another amazing visit to Osteria Mozza - still in my opinion the best deal in town for foodies with its very filling 3-course meal + glass of wine for $35!  I will forever assess the value of every other meal in 'units of Mozza'!!!

Amuse bouche - ricotta cheese on toast topped by
marinated olives & basil



Maltagliati with wild boar ragu ($18 on regular menu)



Bombolini mountain huckleberry marmellata
& vanilla gelato ($12 on regular menu)



Limoncello dessert


















Update Summer 2011: The prix fixe at Amaro Bar is now $42 per person.

On a 7 point scale:

Flavor - 7 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 6 stars


Overall experience - 6.5 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks - great deal)
Probability of return visit - 100%

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Osteria Mozza

6602 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038

Ph: 323.297.0100
Website: mozza-la.com
Twitter: twitter.com/osteriamozza
OpenTable: Look for reservations
 
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