rjwong

Pardon my ignorance, David. First, what's the difference between seltzer and carbonated water? Second, what places carry seltzer, let alone have home delivery? And as for the free bag of mushrooms, can you have them officially approved by the health inspector??

To answer your question, here are a few photos I took about a week ago: As you can see, Mozza is closed. You and I, as well as everyone else (and that includes Jonathan Gold & S. Irene Virbila), are going to have to wait until Mozza is open for business. According to my sources, the pizzeria is going to open in September and the main restaurant is planning to open at the end of the year. If I hear any further updates, I’ll do my best to keep everyone informed.

Thank you Lars for letting us know about this! I wouldn't mind Glendale myself ... The city of Glendale is quite business-friendly.

IMO, no. I'm certain Providence can accommodate your father. tupac, do you mean "no clams", as in chowda'?? And yes, the dessert tasting menu is really good. Adrian tends to do savory desserts. Mind you, his sweet "breakfast" dessert was outstanding! Los Angeles is different from NYC. There are not as many diners in LA as one would expect. The "buzz and the scene" is a reality in LA. I remember reading in the LA Times how the LA restaurants are all trying to get the business of the same 500 customers who dine regularly. And everything is really spread out. Places are not crammed together as in Manhattan (so I've heard). Also, the summer months tend to be slow. Things will pick up in the fall, and then comes Thanksgiving & the holiday season ... Old Town Pasadena, Hollywood, Thai Town, Koreatown, Little Tokyo in downtown LA, Farmer's Market/The Grove on Fairfax & 3rd, Restaurant Row (La Cienega Blvd. & the Beverly Center) ... This probably sounds more touristy than anything else. Mind you, you might want to source some items yourself at a farmer's market & Gioia Cheese. The Hollywood farmers' market opens on Sun. morning. And if you want the burricotti, that will have to be ordered ahead of time from Gioia Cheese and picked up at their headquarters in South El Monte.

I don't think this will be any faster. A friend just told me that it took him over 8 hours of overhead (security checkpoint delay, flight cancellation and delay, take-off delay, etc.) for a 2 hour flight from Chicago to Atlanta. Going into Burbank and fly: 1 hour to dump the car and get to the terminal, 2 hour to get through security check, you may have a delayed or cancelled flight, you may have a take-way delay, 1 hour flight time, land at San Jose, another hour to get to the rental car counter and parking lot... trading this for a 6 hour drive via I-5. I don't think the time saving (1 to 2 hour if all goes well) is all that much. ← Burbank/Bob Hope Airport is not LAX!! Carlsbad is offering a viable option, even with the current situation. Southwest Airlines is offering special one-way trips from Burbank to San Jose for $49 with a 14-day advance purchase. tupac has about 2-3 days left to take advantage of that offer. And there are several flights offered nearly every hour, even flights at 11 a.m., 12 noon, etc. ... Driving from Pasadena to Burbank/Bob Hope Airport takes about 30 minutes. This option is worth looking into, tupac ... BTW, Ah Leung, you can fly from Sacramento down to Burbank for $49 as well with that same special offer. How about some yum cha??

As for SLJ, I usually go there late at night for their cakes, which are rather sweet. The cakes are definitely NOT your savory type of desserts. SLJ does make a really good trifle with lots of whole berries and whipped cream, light, airy, no calories ... tupac, I did an amazing thing: I placed a phone call to Jar restaurant and actually talked to a live hostess and asked her some questions about the Mozarella Monday. Here's the lowdown: If M.M. is still on your schedule, there's two other things for you to consider: Los Angeles Rush Hour Traffic and the all-day drive to Palo Alto/Manresa on Tuesday. From Pasadena to Jar, it can take at least one hour minimum driving time. I'm basing that time on my driving time from downtown LA to that area of the Beverly Center shopping area. During LA rush hour, you might experience LA road rage. You may not want that, it's up to you. Second, you probably want to be rested for your Manresa dining experience. If that's the case, a local Monday night dinner in Pasadena or one of the nearby neighborhoods (even downtown LA) is not a bad option. Manresa is one place you don't want to go there tired. I hope that clarifies the M.M. situation. I wanted to make sure you got the correct information, tupac.

tupac17616, you wrote something completely different in the e-mail you sent me when I wrote to you about La Terza. Are you being ... uhh ... indecisive?? I might have to do a Regis on you and ask: Is that your FINAL answer? Now that sounds rather decisive. Are you a Kellerite? Your father can have it all, tupac17616: Eat dim sum in Los Angeles and in San Francisco. He doesn't have to participate in the "full dim sum experience." Personally, I order some dumplings from the Chinese deli and take it back home. Besides, you're dragging him all over California (and/or vice-versa), ehh?? Your father deserves a few perks. It's his trip too!!

tupac17616, I think you should seriously consider using the services of experienced culinary tour guides, one for the LA area & one for the Bay Area. It would save you a lot of time being so indecisive, as well as saving everybody's sanity, particularly your father's I suspect, by not seeing you act so indecisive regarding culinary matters. If you and your father wish to take this approach, I would be more than willing to put you in contact with an experienced culinary tour guide for the LA area. tupac, you really need to cancel that Monday night reservation from Jar ... now ... There are better places in LA for Italian food, IMO. In fact, let me PM you about the best Italian chef in Los Angeles. Oh, did I get your attention? You need to be your father's son, tupac, and honor your father's culinary requests: Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles and Chinese dim sum. There's a Roscoe's on Lake Blvd. in Pasadena, a 10-15 minute drive from Cal Tech. Eating at Roscoe's for lunch on Monday would be a great time to fit it in your schedule, as you two visit Cal Tech. Trying Chinese dim sum on a Sunday morning would be the best time. You won't be able to have it on Sat. night , Sun. night or all day Monday. Tuesday, you leave for Manresa at 6:30 p.m. in Los Gatos. Having dim sum with 6-8 people to a table is ideal, because you can try a greater variety of dishes. If you and your father want to, you should post an ISO in the California forum to invite others to join you for some dim sum. Just an idea ... With your schedule in LA, here's my suggested itinerary (culinary & otherwise) for you and your father: Sat. night: La Terza Sat. late night (where 11 p.m. is early): Sweet Lady Jane; Hollywood Blvd, Thai Town & Koreatown (until 3 a.m.) Sun. morning: Chinese dim sum (i.e., NBC Seafood in Monterey Park; Empress Pavilion in Chinatown) Sun. afternoon: Farmer's Market/The Grove (3rd & Fairfax); Boule Sun. night: Lucques Mon. morning: Cal Tech tour Mon. afternoon: Roscoe's Mon. night: Spago or Providence Tues. morning: Leaving for Los Gatos I hope this gives you a more organized look, a little more structure, you being a practical M.E. instead of an E.E., ehh?? Because your visit is located in Pasadena, east of downtown LA, eating at restaurants over in Santa Monica & the Westside would seem a bit impractical ... for this trip. Of course, you will get accepted to Cal Tech and you'll be moving out to Southern California, correct??

NB rjwong’s 1000th post was made possible in part by an employee discount from one of rjwong’s anonymous friends, who works at one of Wolfgang Puck’s restaurants. Thank you, friend ... Ever since the 1980’s, there was one restaurant I’ve always dreamed of dining at: Spago. Even though I recently went to Spago, I only had some Sherry Yard desserts in the bar and not the full dinner experience. Well, now I had the full Spago dining experience and would like to post this report, mit Fotos natürlich ... When we arrived at the bar entrance, we were escorted to our table in the patio area. a view of the patio from my chair facing the other direction, the patio area connects to the main dining area and way to the back, the enclosed open kitchen. Two complimentary glasses of rosé were served, along with a series of appetizers: sesame tuile cornet with spicy tuna, orange tobbiko and bonito flakes duck foie gras pastrami with plum sauce, between crispy rye bread avocado cream tartlet topped with caviar bacon confit en croute This little piggy loved that appetizer. heirloom tomato sorbet with tomato water, basil oil and sundried tomato Then, the server gave us the menu: We looked over the menu anyways, even though we already decided on the chef’s tasting menu. I made one request: sautéed foie gras as one of the courses. Not the paté, not the terrine. Foie gras, hot & seared. sounds illegal, ehh? rye lavosh & country white bread The other selections were: walnut, olive & sourdough. oyster topped with avocado cream & caviar Was that déjà vu or what? heirloom tomatoes in four preparations layered panna cotta with fior di sarde (a cheese from Sardinia) mini-cherry tomatoes topped with cheese & a Spanish-cured anchovy heirloom tomato chunks topped with onion and goat milk ricotta This particular preparation, along with the previous heirloom tomato sorbet, is evidence that tomatoes do not have to taste bland. The intense flavor was refreshingly delightful. tomato tarte tatin filled with Point Reyes Hudson Valley foie gras prepared two ways grilled with nectarines, vanilla and moscato sautéed with roasted black Mission figs The foie gras course was paired with a German white wine, a Kabinett (Dr. Loosen). This wine was perfect with the foie gras. Both were fine, but I preferred the one with the figs. toasted pasta with sweet shrimp and mussels Weird! This is pasta, not risotto. Mind you, this dish does have risotto-like qualities to me. pan roasted sea bass on sweet corn puree with uni emulsion I suppose licking the uni emulsion off the plate would have been a bit tacky, ehh? young Sonoma lamb roasted & sliced, with black Mission figs and natural lamb jus Piemonte cheese covered in nebbiolo grape must with stewed fruit, served with walnut bread At first, I thought it was going to be a black truffle cheese. But truffles aren’t in season yet, right? summer berry crisp with fifty-bean vanilla ice cream cookies This was one of the best meals I had this year. The service was excellent. The dining experience was great. Admittedly, I think that my friend, as a Wolfgang Puck employee, might have had something to do with it. By the way, I got to shake hands with the man himself. He was greeting guests at the various tables in the patio, including ours. When Wolfgang Puck came to shake my hand, I said the Austrian greeting, “Gruß Gott!” I hope I didn’t make a fool of myself. After almost twenty-five years, Spago is still on top of its game.

Who remembers "Mrs. Bridges Upstairs Downstairs Cookery Book"?

LA Times Food Section – June 28, 2006 SPECIAL ISSUE: GRILLING Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee. SUMMER AND SMOKE / by Russ Parsons Alluring scents, captivating flavors. At long last wood grilling, in all its nuanced glory, comes home. Wood smoke. Those two words can make you hungry already. But unless you’re a barbecue expert, getting that aroma from your backyard grill has always been difficult. Now all that has changed. Cooking with real wood flavor has become so easy you can do it every day. Includes three recipes: Grilled butterflied leg of lamb with olive-fennel tapenade; Prosciutto-wrapped halibut with grape tomato salad; Brined pork tenderloin with `Tuscan home fries' Some real scorchers / by Jenn Garbee A little char, a little crunch, a hint of bitterness, a vinegar zing: That's the way to get grilled side dishes that sing. Includes three recipes: Green beans with pickled shallots; Radicchio slaw with balsamic vinaigrette; Grilled eggplant with red and yellow peppers Where chefs tease the most from the fire / by S. Irene Virbila It's inevitable: The fragrance of wood smoke and food cooking over mesquite or olive or alder sets the mouth watering. Fortunately, there are some L.A. chefs who have a passion for grilling or cooking over a wood fire. Here are some of the best places: Ammo on N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles Antica Pizzeria at Villa Marina Marketplace on Maxella Ave., Marina del Rey A.O.C. on W. 3rd St., West Hollywood Boneyard Bistro on Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks Brothers at Mattei's Tavern on Railway Ave., Los Olivos Campanile on S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles Cut at the Regent Beverly Wilshire on Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills Dominick's on Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood Hitching Post II on E. Highway 246, Buellton JR's Barbeque on S. La Cienega Blvd., Culver City La Terza on W. 3rd St., Los Angeles Literati II on Wilshire Blvd. (at Bundy), Los Angeles Saddle Peak Lodge on Cold Canyon Road, Calabasas Tierra Sur on Camino Del Sol, Oxnard Back ribs basted in L.A. sensibility / by Jenn Garbee The yard's a balcony and the wood is almond. Who knew it would be so toe-curlin' good? Garbee and her husband, a couple of Texans via North Carolina, were invited by a neighbor to a barbecue in Los Angeles, little did they know that barbecue, out in the West Coast, meant anything cooked outdoors, instead of briskets, smoked meats, & ribs. With nothing but grilled burgers in sight and serious withdrawals, we had to do something. So we decided to cook up a mess of barbecue ourselves. Includes a recipe for: Barbecue baby back ribs C'mon, smoked lager? / by Charles Perry Mark Jilg makes it just in time for the grilling season. It's one of many offbeat creations from his Craftsman line. Craftsman Brewing in Pasadena has been in business since 1995, but only produces 450 barrels a year and are not available in bottles. Yet serious beer palaces around LA are passionate to keep his brews on tap. But then there's the oddball side to Craftsman. "I have a lot of contrarian ideas," Jilg admits, and his brew list shows it. Includes the side article, ”Where it flows” OK, what are they smoking? / by Leslee Komaiko You've heard of pot brownies. Now there's stoner steak — at Tart, the eclectic restaurant that opened mid-March in the groovy Farmer's Daughter Hotel on Fairfax. Former executive chef Karim Dennis Mejia created this dish, based on the farmer's daughter theme, from a challenge by the hotel's owners, Peter and Ellen Picataggio. But the question remains: ”So how does Tart's kitchen make the steak dish that smells like marijuana?” Don’t ask me. I’m not the type that tells. Also in the Restaurant Journal: ∙ Simon LA opened on Monday in the Sofitel Hotel across from the Beverly Center. ∙ Caffe Roma in Beverly Hills has a new owner, Ago Sciandri (Ago, Sortino) and a new chef, Piero Topputo (Toscana). ∙ Sunday night is burger night at the Tower Bar in the Sunset Tower Hotel (formerly the Argyle). ∙ Eat Well Beverly has opened in the old Cafe Tartine space on Beverly Boulevard. The moment for brilliant plums and sweet ears / by Russ Parsons Just in: Santa Rosa plums, Corn A very juicy tip / by Jack Silberstein When you're hungry for just-smoked flavor but in no position to fire up the grill, stop by Western Kosher, a family-owned butcher shop and market in the Fairfax district ..., and pick up a smoked chicken. WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila 2003 Pesquera Tinto Ribera del Duero Crianza: Ribera del Duero; about $27; lush and velvety; goes with grilled lamb or pork chops, ribs with a dry rub, butterflied leg of lamb. Velvety in texture, with round ripe tannins, and concentrated enough to stain your teeth purple, it tastes like liquid plums. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories A breezy window at the pier / by Leslie Brenner Lobster in Santa Monica is given a 1½* rating. In the swing of summer, the Lobster's beachy location can't be beat. The vibe is fun and easy, and it's one of the few restaurants where the vibe and the view perfectly align. While S. Irene Virbila is away, Leslie Brenner reviews this seafood restaurant, located at the entrance of the Santa Monica Pier & named after its featured bug, to which chef Allyson Thurber is allergic (no joke). They can’t seem to cook lobster correctly. Mind you, the Lobster restaurant has other things to like: its 180-degree-plus views of the ocean and Palisades Park, the floor-to-ceiling windows, their cocktails, a great menu, and an overall wonderful feeling. That Texas twang / by Susan LaTempa Slow-cooked over oak or mesquite, terrific Lone Star 'cue in NoHo. Swinging Door opened in January by Michael Stephenson, who used to work at that landmark restaurant in Richmond, Texas (no affiliation). With a 3,400-pound steel smoker that Stephenson’s father built, the meats are not directly under the flame, resulting in authentic Texas-style 'cue. And when the neighborhood can smell the aroma, it’s time to line up, because when popular items, like baby back ribs, are gone, they’re gone. Penthouse panorama / by S. Irene Virbila Critic’s notebook on West at the Hotel Angeleno. Totally renovated Hotel Angeleno, located below the Getty Center, has opened West, its penthouse Italian steakhouse on the 17th floor. Executive chef Josh Moulton has a varied menu: small-plates for sharing, crudo, salads, pastas, and standard chophouse fare. And the 200-degree view is a killer. Who'd ever think the 405 would make such a mesmerizing view? View masters / by Leslee Komaiko In the world of Southern California restaurants, a knockout view usually means sand and sea. But not always, as the following attest. Includes five restaurants: Garden Grill on S. Los Angeles St., downtown L.A.; Typhoon on Donald Douglas Loop South, Santa Monica; Kantina on Newport Blvd., Newport Beach; Yamashiro on N. Sycamore Ave., Hollywood; L.A. Prime on S. Figueroa St., downtown L.A. NB This is rjwong’s last installment of the Los Angeles Times Food Section Digest. I’m stepping down from this “digestive” role to focus on some projects at work. I enjoyed learning so much from reading & summarizing one of the best food sections around each week for the past one-and-a-half years. Take care, rjwong.

Tamzen, thank you. I really enjoyed that vicarious dining experience. You definitely have extremely kind friends. Just to make sure in my own mind: You only ate the chocolate leaves and not the entire plant, right?? Question for you: Did you have any pre-conceived notions about El Bulli before your meal? What are your thoughts now, after your dinner?

BURP! I think that says it all, ehh?

TAPrice, thanks for listing the nominees! It's nice to see the late David Shaw (Los Angeles Times) being nominated. That's a wonderful tribute & acknowledgment to his food-writing career.

Andrew, here's the link to the Philadelphia's Best discussion thread. BTW, it's spelled eGullet, my fellow Angeleno.

Add two more titles: Nasty Bits. Peace, Love and Barbecue.

I finally ate at Spago's. Well, actually, I had a couple of desserts in the bar area at Spago's ... Here are a few photos of my Spago experience: Lion Mountain Keemum This tea had a smoky flavor, which is a nice change. Lemon: Creamy Lemon Sabayon with Lemon Coconut Cake and Meyer Lemon Gelato I really liked this dessert. There was a nice little crunchy meringue hidden inside for sweetness and textural contrast. Infinity Chocolate Gratin: Dark Chocolate Souffle Tart, Brandied Cherries and “50 Bean” Vanilla Ice Cream The chocolate dessert was good, but I liked the lemon one better. Notice the meringue underneath the ice cream. Sherry Yard must like using meringue. I couldn't taste the uniqueness of the 50-bean vanilla ice cream. I might have to try it again ... Since the desserts were pretty good, I think I'll try the full dinner meal, including some foie gras, while it's still legal in California ...

After a six-month hiatus from researching steakhouses in LA, I have a couple to report about: Mastro's in Beverly Hills is located on Canon, just about 5 doors away from ... Spago's, dahlink. The decor was definitely clubby, with Frank singing in the background. The tables were a bit crowded together, IMO. My table was wobbly. They fixed it as best they can. It was okay. I putted up with it. The onion rings looked good, then I tasted one: it was so underseasoned, a real disappointment. I managed to eat at least half because I was hungry, but I couldn't finish them. The New York steak was presented a la Ruth's Chris (a sizzling steak on a very hot plate), but then again, underseasoned. The asparagus were fine. The one amenity I was impressed with was the men's washroom attendant. The water was turned on for me as I washed my hands. A shoe-shining booth, assortment of colognes, mints, lollipops ... Now, if they can focus on their food ... As I was reading this year's LA Times Restaurant Issue, the LA Times food critic mentioned a steakhouse called Jar. I ordered the bone-in Kansas City steak, medium rare. I started with their butter lettuce salad. Not bad, nice presentation of a whole lettuce head. Next was one of their appetizers of the evening, a tempura spring blossom squash, stuffed with lobster and mushrooms. They were nice, crispy & hot. The filling, however, tasted bland. By the way, the decor was definitely retro, it reminded me of the decor over at Patina's. The best way for me to describe the room was like a retro 1960's living room, but in a very nice, classy manner. As for the steak, it tasted okay, not really stellar. I did manage to negotiate around the bone with my fork & knife without acting like a caveman. Their French fries were excellent!! Thin, very crispy, not greasy. They are a keeper. I decided to have some homemade butterscotch pudding. I'm glad I did. Very creamy, with whipped cream on top, I ate the whole thing. I would have licked it clean, but that would have been a bit tacky, ehh?? Overall, a few hits & misses, but a nice experience. At this point, I'm not interested in the steakhouse-as-scene places. The only other steakhouse I want to try is Wolfgang Puck's Cut.

I think Upper West Side of ... new york, new york ... Todd36, let me see if I can remember some of the important places to stop at as you drive along the California coast. You should have dim sum .. in Los Angeles, namely downtown Chinatown. CBS Seafood restaurant has excellent dim sum, and you don't have to take my word for it. eGullet member Pan from Manhattan likes it very much, and you can order dim sum to take out, starting at 7:30 a.m. (yes, in the morning). If you're going to the Farmers' Market on 3rd & Fairfax, you can go across the street (Fairfax, that is) to the Farmer's Daughter's Motel & try a place called Tart. Tart got a nice write-up in the LA Times Food Section recently. How long are you staying in LA, Todd? Santa Barbara: La Super Rica for great Mexican food. And here's the Santa Barbara discussion thread San Luis Obispo: The Thursday night Farmers' Market on Higuera. Plenty of produce to buy, as well as some wonderful Santa Maria-style tri-tip barbecue. And here's the San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay thread. If you're planning to drive along Highway 1 from SLO to Cambria/Hearst Castle to Big Sur/Carmel, you can have lunch at Nepenthe, mainly for the experience, not necessarily the food. Here are two threads in the Monterey/Carmel area: Restaurants in Monterey/Carmel area ; Monterey discussion thread I hope this helps.

In the 21 June 2006 edition of the LA Times Food Section Digest, S. Irene Virbila did a write-up in her Critic's Notebook on Hatfield's. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it ...

LA Times Food Section – June 21, 2006 Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee. Koreatown, 24/7 / by Betty Hallock The neighborhood never sleeps, so why should we? Barbecue pork belly, fiery kimchi, late-night noodles and Crown Royal keep things rolling past dawn. With about 660 restaurants in the neighborhood known as Koreatown, Hallock spends the next twenty-four hours there, eating her way through Korean cafes, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs …. Includes the side article, ”Food, frolicking into the wee hours“ Coming soon: Jubilee! / by Russ Parsons California's cherry crop was the pits this year, but look out -- from up north, lots of fabulous fruit is on the way. Good thing for second chances: the cherriy season in the Pacific Northwest is just beginning. And how could you let spring go by without eating a cherry? Includes three recipes: Homemade ricotta with red wine-poached cherries; Cold spiced cherry soup; Cherry-almond cobbler Rev up those palates / by Amy Scattergood Fragrant flatbreads and snazzy dips with Middle Eastern allure are an irresistible invitation to the table. Flatbreads can make you forget about bread and olive oil ... or pizzas for appetizers. In fact, Ford's Filling Station chef Ben Ford has three of them on his menu. "If I'm going to be innovative," he says, "I don't want to be in the same sentence as Wolfgang Puck." Includes five recipes: Lamb tartare with fried chickpeas, oil-cured olives and cumin flatbread; Bubble bread; Fava bean hummus; Cherry tomato confit; Japanese eggplant baba ghanouj Napa's go-to virtuoso / by Patrick Comiskey Winemaker Philippe Melka brings a meticulously gentle touch to some of the showiest cult Cabs. Melka, who carries his own Melka Wines label, is consulted in Napa Valley on everything: the weight of the bottle, the label design, the cork, and particularly, in the vineyard. Mind you, Philippe Melka has this ability ... to work under the radar; to make wines simply, in a noninterventionist way, and bring out the character of each site. Green tea chiffon, red bean beignets / by Barbara Hansen and Susan LaTempa New wave Korean bakeries are turning out some of the most exciting pastries around. These Korean-Euro bakeries are attracting Koreans & non-Korean Southern Californians, who ... are quickly picking up on the appeal of cakes, pastries, cookies and breads made with European baking techniques adapted to Korean tastes. Includes the side article, ”Sweet sources” A prime time for snappy picks / by Russ Parsons Just in: Green beans ; Peak season: Lettuce ; Last chance: Beets WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila 2005 Château de Ségriès rosé: Provence; about $13; dry and fruity; goes with tapenade, salade niçoise, soupe de poissons, roast chicken. It's perfect as a warm-weather aperitif but also has enough structure to come to the table. For the record Corkage policy: A review of Republic restaurant in last week's Food section said that if a customer buys a bottle of wine from the list, the corkage fee is waived. The policy is that if a customer buys a bottle of wine from the list, the corkage fee on a bottle of wine brought in by the customer is waived. Milkshakes: An article in last week's Food section about where to get a great milkshake misspelled the last name of Louis B. Mayer as Meyer. Also, the former name of ice cream store Mashti Malone's was Mugsy Malone's, not Bugsy Malone's. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories Constantly chic / by S. Irene Virbila Pinot Bistro on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City is given a 1* rating. Pinot Bistro's lively ambience and reliable menu have kept it a Studio City favorite. Constant and consistent ... that’s how it should be at a bistro. Even when Pinot Bistro’s new chef, Charlie Schaeffer, is now in place. Chef after chef, the house style at Pinot Bistro has remained pretty consistent since Joachim Splichal opened it as the first Patina spinoff in 1992. An easy stretch for good food / by Susan LaTempa Vegetarian Nite Moon Café is a peaceful oasis of tranquillity and calm. In the heart of a bustling Hollywood district, Nite Moon Café, located inside the Golden Bridge Yoga Center on De Longpre Ave., serves sandwiches, salads, soups, drinks, and desserts in a spacious converted warehouse. It's like hanging out in the kitchen of an accomplished vegetarian cook who appreciates intense flavor, knows how to make smart choices and insists on high-quality ingredients, organic whenever possible. There are plenty of vegan choices. Nothing fancy about it / by S. Irene Virbila Critic’s notebook on Hatfield’s on Beverly Blvd. But that’s a plus at Hatfield’s, which lacks pretense — but not good food. Quinn and Karen Hatfield, former co-chefs of Cortez in San Francisco, have moved and opened this 50-seat place in Karen’s hometown. A relief from all the trendy places where setting trumps the food every time, Hatfield's is, thankfully, all about the food. There is a discussion about this topic article: Hatfield’s Restaurant Italian seduction / by Leslee Komaiko If you're a fan of crème brûlée and flan, panna cotta should be on your list of creamy desserts too. Served chilled, this Italian-born custard seems made for summer. Includes five restaurants: Providence on Melrose Ave., L.A.; The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Pasadena on S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena; Sage on Eastbluff Drive, Newport Beach; Sona on N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood; Blend on Calle Barcelona, La Quinta.

West Magazine, Los Angeles Times -- June 18, 2006 THE RESTAURANT ISSUE Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which require an additional fee. Admittedly, Having Just One Dish Is Fare-ly Lame / by Rick Wartzman An editor’s note Stick a fork in it... / by S. Irene Virbila ...or a steak knife. Or a skewer. Or a spoon. Wrap a pair of chopsticks around it. Or plunge in a corkscrew. Because of our wealth of restaurants, we're a multi-utensil town. A primer on what cutlery to use where — and hands are fair game here as will — in restaurants across Southern California. Pressure cooker / by Lynell George When the heat finally got to Russell Jackson, the highflying chef landed hard. So why is he jumping back into the fire? Mixed doubles / by Charles Perry At Norman's, Charles Perry finds a sympathetic pairing of a cocktail and dessert. Can other marriages be far behind? Eating out Our guide to more than 250 restaurants across Southern California. The restaurants are categorized geographically and then listed alphabetically: Beverly Hills; Brentwood; Century City; Culver City; Downtown; East and South Los Angeles; Glendale/Eagle Rock/Highland Park; Hollywood; Huntington Park/Bell/Downey; Koreatown; La Cienega/Fairfax/La Brea; Los Feliz/Silverlake/Echo Park; Malibu; Marina Del Rey; Pasadena; San Fernando Valley; San Gabriel Valley; Santa Monica; South Bay; Venice; West Hollywood; West Los Angeles; Westwood; Orange County; Santa Barbara/Santa Clarita/Ventura.

bunny, the last I heard (about 1-2 months ago?) was that they haven't even started on construction/redesigning the restaurant. Perhaps LA bureaucracy is winning right now. I'll see if I can get some recent & accurate information. Mind you, no guarantees!

As I was driving by Beverly Blvd. earlier this week, I noticed that the location where Hatfield’s is looked busy. Oh, they must have opened by now. I need to try that place ... In fact, the restaurant opened about two weeks ago. Tonight, I got back from Hatfield’s. Unfortunately, I didn’t memorize the menu as well as I should. So, below are my dinner courses, without photos ... Quinn & Karen Hatfield decided to move from San Francisco, down to Los Angeles, where Karen grew up. The restaurant is pretty small, 40 seats, not 400. That’s by design. Most of the tables are for two than for four. The servers were fine & knowledgable when I was asking questions & inviting recommendations. Karen Hatfield, hostess/pastry chef, was quite helpful in the dessert selections, obviously. As a result, I sensed an intimacy and a familiarity with a small restaurant, without compromising on professionalism. Again, I didn’t take any photos. Mind you, I saw a man come into the restaurant with a big camera and camera bag. ... if that isn’t a professional photographer from the LA Times... I’m going to put myself on a limb and say that there’s going to be at least a write-up on Hatfield’s in the Los Angeles Times Food Section next Wednesday. Hatfield's Restaurant edited for additional information

LA Times Food Section – June 14, 2006 Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee. Shake It Up, Baby! / by Amy Scattergood What says summer more than a luscious milkshake? The grooviest new flavors are turning up at hipster hangouts and retro landmarks -- and we'll take you to the best ones. Montana huckleberry, anyone? Includes four recipes: 25 Degrees' strawberry milkshakes; 25 Degrees' vanilla ice cream; 25 Degrees' chocolate milkshakes; Pazzo Gelato's cinnamon milkshakes Can't resist those patties / by Regina Schrambling On menus or at home, crab cakes are a delicious obsession that just won't let go. This obsession was brought to the Pacific by Seattle chef Tom Douglas back in 1977. Eventually, Douglas has written a new book with Shelley Lance, titled "I Love Crab Cakes!" Includes five recipes: Wild Ginger's Dungeness crab cakes with lime dipping sauce; Crab cakes; Avocado-tomatillo sauce; Sauce gribiche; Piquillo pepper sauce So wildly elegant / by Amy Scattergood They're not just for looks. Arugula flowers and other herbal blossoms add intriguing layers of flavor. These edible flowers add a new dimension into your cooking, but they can be fragile, especially in hot weather. So, ... park them in water in the refrigerator as soon as you get them home. And be flexible ... Includes three recipes: Wild salmon steamed with cherry tomatoes and sage flower-tomato consommé; Thyme flower and goat cheese tart; Arugula-arugula flower soup All hail Bordeaux -- again / by Corie Brown It's the vintage of the century (déjà vu?) as the major châteaux build up demand, and prices, for 2005. Wasn’t 2000 also named “the vintage of the century”? You don't have to live in Hollywood's backyard to recognize hype. They're the R2-D2s of marinating / by Charles Perry Summer’s here, the lazy days of summer, so what do we want to do? Speed up the barbecue, of course. Vacation time and long bright evenings are terrible things to waste. And marinating your meats for hours takes the spontaneity of eating barbecue right now, ehh? And that's why some companies want us to buy vacuum marinators. Includes two side articles: “The monster marinator” (The Reveo MariVac); “The lesser vessel” (The Countertop Tumbler by American Gourmet Secret (AGS)) Authentically, locally, Oaxacan / by Leslie Brenner Skillfully prepared regional dishes are the draw at family-friendly Juquila in West L.A. Juanita has been around for eight years, headed up by chef Juana Hernandez. Yes, you can order tacos, burritos, and carne asada plates, but the Oaxacan dishes are the real specialties: crunchy chapulines (grasshoppers), Oaxacan chorizo; tasajo (thinly sliced, grilled, salty beef round), among others. And don’t forget all those moles ... The show dogs of summer / by Leslee Komaiko The specialty corn dog isn't your run-of-the-mill carnival variety. Places like Boa, Republic, Bistro, and Parkway Grill, are serving variants of the traditional wiener, be they chorizo, lobster, or tiger prawns. Also in the Restaurant Journal: ∙ Rumor: Lincoln Steakhouse has closed or is closing. John Baydale of Star Group Management sets the record straight: Incorrect, but ... ∙ Venice Cantina has closed. WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila 2005 Domaine Hubert Chavy Chardonnay 'Les Femelottes' Vieille Vigne: Burgundy; about $19; lean and sinewy; goes with artichokes, crudités, steamed mussels, chilled seafood platter, Santa Barbara spot prawns. The grapes come from old vines, and as a result this Chardonnay has an intensity and crisp mineral quality that makes for perfect summer drinking. Letters More magic with wine I'm afraid [Patrick] Farrell's BevWizard is too late ["Poof! You're Now a Rich and Silky Wine," June 7]. Most wineries are making Parkerized low-tannin wines already. Pretty in pink My mom and I made the raspberry soufflé recipe ["Flourless Raspberry Soufflés," May 31] and it turned out amazing. It was fun and easy to make, and it tasted great too. It was light, fluffy and a pretty pink. For the record Restaurant name: In an article in last week's Food section, the name of the restaurant where Mia Sushi chef Kazo Ozawa previously worked was incorrectly stated as Flying Fish. The restaurant's name is Frying Fish. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories Where fairy tales meet reality / by S. Irene Virbila Republic on La Cienega Blvd. is given a ½* (half-star) rating. The designer's vision comes through clearly at Republic. The chef's concepts, on the other hand, are a tad murky. Owner Mikayel Israyelyan chose the right designer for this latest trendy restaurant. Designer Peg O'Brien made this awkward space look glamorous, with a gorgeous 20-foot glass wine tower. And with executive chef Gabriel Morales’s experience at Boa Steakhouse, Virbila thought the steaks would be first rate. Wrong. Mind you, biscuits, smoked mac ‘n cheese, bourbon-glazed doughnuts, ... they've got that Southern thing going for them. Classic steak, Modernist house / by S. Irene Virbila Critic’s notebook on Cut at the Regent Beverly Wilshire hotel in Beverly Hills. Wolfgang Puck and Richard Meier collaborated on this new, Modernist steakhouse with a glassed-in kitchen. Okay, where’s the beef? Dry-aged prime from Nebraska, wet-aged prime from Illinois and Kobe-style Wagyu beef from Idaho and Australia. But the pièce de résistance is true Japanese Wagyu beef from Niigata prefecture that is just now being imported for the first time in any quantity. And you don’t need to see its paper, you can taste it. Game for duck / by Leslee Komaiko Duck is as versatile as chicken, and it usually has more flavor. But it requires a bit more finesse to cook just right. That's why we usually leave it to the professionals. Includes five restaurants: Xi'an N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills; Stonehill Tavern on Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point; Xiomara on N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena; Wilshire on Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica; Boe at the Crescent Hotel on N. Crescent Drive, Beverly Hills.