rjwong

The croissant tasted great, mixmaster b!! Toasty outside, tender inside, and the flakes fall apart as I eat into it and make a mess over the table. And Le Petit Beaujolais is in Eagle Rock, between Glendale and Pasadena, so it's convenient to me. Now, if you want sheer quantity, Costco sells croissant in bulk (18/box) and they're pretty decent. And when they get old, they can be used for a nice bread pudding recipe.

Ling, I'm sorry to hear that you had a horrible experience at SLJ. I usually go there for the cakes, which are definitely sugar bombs. Sometimes, I just need my late-night sugar fix & SLJ conveniently closes at 11:30 p.m. (which is amazing for LA) Back to Boule ... I would say the sorbets are the best deal there. Two scoops for under $5 on a hot afternoon really hits the spot.

In the San Francisco Chronicle article (11 June 2006), Bliss by the bay: Cream puff makes a sweet comeback / by Patricia Yollin

A friend recommended that I try this French bistro over in Eagle Rock called "Le Petit Beaujolais," across the street from Casa Bianca. This place serves breakfast & lunch, and is different from the dinner restaurant "Cafe Beaujolais" (same owners, apparently).

I asked about corkage: Providence has a two-bottle limit. Each bottle has a $25 corkage fee. You can always ask the sommelier, if you have further questions.

Just an idea ... when the various cities are set in stone, how about starting a thread in the specific geographical forum (i.e. "Chris's Show: Los Angeles" in the California forum; or "Chris's Show: Las Vegas" in the Southwest forum)? Questions for you Chris: Is this a 30-minute show? 60 minutes? How many places are you (i.e., The Food Network) planning to cover in each episode? Dare I ask this ... Is this the Food Network's version of a travel series, something like ... uhh ... Bourdain's series, with no Iceland or Vietnam? I'm sorry, Chris, if it sounds like I'm bashing ...

Yo, Chris! Way to go, man!! Chris, I promise not to do anything that will give the appearance of "police bashing."

LA Times Food Section – June 7, 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. The salad, upended / by Regina Schrambling A leafless salad is a whole other experience. Summer's signature dish can be a marvelous thing. Who says that a salad has to be green and leafy? A great big toss of raw vegetables — some whole, some chopped — provides even more satisfying crunch and good, clean flavor than a bowl of dressed greens, ... Includes four recipes: Leafless salad; Steak salad; White anchovy salad; Spicy calamari salad Burgers? Say it ain't so, Tom ... / by Russ Parsons Thomas Keller, the chef behind Per Se, takes a distinctly American turn. Blame In-N-Out. Keller bought the Wine Garden restaurant property, and is going to open an American restaurant called Ad Hoc, ... for only six months. He has bigger plans in store: The new restaurant is merely something to occupy the space until he's ready to unveil his real purpose in buying the building — opening a burger barn. There is a discussion about this topic article: Wine Garden Sold! In a tiny village in Spain / by Betty Hallock Beyond Catalonia's cutting-edge food scene, a simple meal at an inn keeps a connection to the land. Las Nenas, a sleepy stone inn in the village of Jafre, is owned by Katy Ross and Martha Kroncke, who are California transplants and former teachers at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Ross and Kroncke provided the writer and her friend, ... a profound introduction to a way of eating and cooking that was so connected to the land. Includes four recipes: Grilled rabbit, lamb and chorizo with romesco sauce; Grilled rabbit, lamb and chorizo; Sofregit-vegetable rice; Crema catalana Poof! You're now a rich and silky wine / by Patrick Comiskey A novel device claims to smooth out the rough edges of a young pour. But critics ask, is that really a good thing? Patrick Farrell invented a magnetic device called the BevWizard that apparently can make that cheap bottle of wine rounder, softer and less tannic. But while nearly everyone can detect a difference using the BevWizard, not everyone falls sway to its magic. There is a discussion about this topic article: The BevWizard gadget, makes wines less tannic Capturing its sweet grassiness / by Barbara Hansen "Most restaurant soups are soothing and boring," says restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila, but, she says, you can always find an interesting soup at Govind Armstrong's Table 8, where she recently sampled this white corn soup that has "all the sweet grassiness of the first corn of the season." Lemon, artichoke meet in a bright summer dish / by Donna Deane Although it's better known as a soup, avgolemono, the familiar Greek mixture of chicken broth, egg yolks and lemon juice, is also often used as a sauce. Includes the recipe, Aginares avgolemono (artichoke bottoms in avgolemono) Early stone fruit and a snappy vegetable / by Russ Parsons Just in: Apriums ; Peak season: Sugar snap peas ; Last chance: Oroblanco Cazuelas cookware / Betty Hallock Terra-cotta cazuelas not only look good, they can be used in the oven, the microwave or on the stove top. But you have to treat them right. WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila 2004 Dveri-Pax Renski Rizling 'E' Maribor: Maribor, Slovenia; about $20; crisp and minerally; goes with sushi and sashimi, crudos, grilled salmon or other fish. Steely and minerally with lovely herbal and citrus overtones, it's everything you'd want in a summer Riesling. Letters In defense of the new Aubergine In S. Irene Virbila's review of Aubergine, ["Who's Minding This Kitchen?" May 31], Virbila wrote that she had heard that the restaurant had "stealthily reopened at the beginning of the year." Farmers markets' long, rich history Gardena farmers market may be the first of the contemporary craze ["The Idea That Shook the World," May 24], but there were many before. For the record Tart baking temperature In last week's Food section, the recipe for raspberry tart with hazelnut crust and lemon verbena ice cream left out the baking temperature for the crust. It should be 350 degrees. Sergio Mendes In an article about the Brazilian pianist in last week's Food section, the group Brasil '66 was incorrectly referred to as Brazil '66 in some editions. The Find A caption with last week's Food section review of Industry Cafe & Jazz misidentified Aron Tadesse as Aaron Tadeffe. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories Sushi, on the Rock / by S. Irene Virbila Mia Sushi in Eagle Rock is given a 2* rating. Eagle Rockers flock to stylish Mia Sushi, where the hip factor is high and the rolls are baroque. Various friends convinced mortgage broker Rudy Martinez, to turn the empty space next to his office into a restaurant. Instead of driving to Little Tokyo for sushi, Eagle Rock residents can stay local and eat straightforward sushi & sashimi, along with Matsuhisa-style fusion creations. The kitchen crew has tempura frying down. A major obsession, a minor sensation / by Linda Burum In Reseda, amazing fresh tofu, seasoned with lemon grass or whipped into a custard. Kevin Tran owns Vinh Loi Tofu, a Vietnamese vegetarian café and tofu factory in Reseda on Sherman Way, in the heart of the San Fernando Valley. He offers 20 tofu-based Vietnamese dishes and various noodle soups (but no pho), and you don’t have to drive to Little Saigon or San Gabriel to get it. Hula till you drop / by Leslie Brenner Critic’s notebook on Ma'kai Lounge's in Santa Monica. You don’t have to fly over to Hawaii for a Sunday luau. Just drive over to Ocean Ave. in Santa Monica for a "Mauaka platter," ... which includes slow-roasted kalua pig; Hawaiian barbecue ribs; something called laulau, which the menu describes as ginger chicken and pineapple coconut rice steamed in a bamboo leaf; Hawaiian macaroni salad; sesame cabbage salad; fruit; and, don'tcha know, poi — Hawaii's much-maligned state starch, mashed taro root. Polynesiology / by Leslee Komaiko In the mood for a little tropical kitsch? Pop a Don Ho CD into your car stereo and head for one of these spots. Includes five restaurants: Damon's on N. Brand Blvd., Glendale; Bahooka on N. Rosemead Blvd., Rosemead; Duke's on Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach; Trader Vic's on Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills; Islands on W. Pico Blvd., West L.A.

In the LA Times article (7 June 2006), Poof! You're now a rich and silky wine / by Patrick Comiskey The BevWizard costs about $30. Would you use one on that bottle of Two Buck Chuck?

In the LA Times article (7 June 2006), "Burgers? Say it ain't so, Tom ...", Russ Parsons informs us that Thomas Keller bought the old Wine Garden restaurant property, and will open a temporary venue called Ad Hoc, serving traditional American food. Wait, there's more ...

Welcome, Malaclypse! Las Vegas in mid-August? Make sure you bring along some cold water with you. I suggest that you first go to the Las Vegas Discussion Thread Index and read through the various discussion threads listed there. Everybody has their favorites. What kind of food are you looking for? And at what price range? Where will you be staying? Will you have a car? How many of "you" on your vacation? As you read through the different threads, Las Vegas has a lot to offer, on and off the Strip. On the affordable "must eat" or "must do" list: Jean-Philippe Maury Patisserie at the Bellagio. We're talking world-class pastries and made-to-order crepes. The Fountains of Bellagio. I know it's not an eating place, but if you can have dinner somewhere nearby with a clear view of the fountains at night ... Lotus of Siam. Thai restaurant located on Sahara Blvd., east of the Strip. These are just a start, Malaclypse. I hope this helps.

Chocolate souffle with a ramekin (or two) of whipped cream. It's light. It's airy. No calories.

The full tasting menu should be ten courses. When I was dining, I was offered the chef's menu, where the kitchen staff added a couple extra courses here and there, but who's counting anyways? According to their webpage, the dishes of the five course menu are indicated by a mark of some sort .

I don't remember. Mind you, the one that got my attention was the scotch bonnet pepper. It definitely wakes you up! The cannele was pretty good. I probably need to try another one to come to a complete conclusion. Yes, the ice creams were really good. And I barely mentioned it in my post above^. My bad. The ice creams hit the spot on a hot afternoon. In the lemon-basil, I tasted the lemon first, then I noticed the basil. When you're there, try the fromage blanc. It's like a light cheesecake flavor.

Is using coconut milk okay?

I found it! I knew there was a previous thread on Santa Barbara. Also in Santa Barbara are a few seafood places. When I visit, I sometimes go to Brophy Brother's, with a view of the dock.

Bump. I went to Boule one hot afternoon and decided to indulge. I had some refreshing ice creams (raspberry mint & lemon basil). While I was cooling myself, I surveyed the counters and eventually made my decisions: Chocolate cannelé bordelais The outside was crispy, the inside was creamy. Pretty good. Macarons (left, middle & right columns): Chocolate, Lavender, Rose Petal, Meyer Lemon, Pistachio, Dulce de Leche, Coffee, Coconut The macarons tasted sweet. Teh chocolate had more of a brownie texture. The flavors were present, but the sweetness wants to be prominent, if that makes sense. I had to be careful not to eat too much at one time or I would’ve been on a sugar-high. Box of chocolates (12) Dante (sicilian pistachio); Carver (peanut praline); Beckham (curry-gianduja); Brittany (fleur de sel caramel); Fatale (scotch bonnet pepper); Mahal (kalamanai lime); Isis (rose-caramel); Lilli (passion fruit-ivoire); Cela (quatre epice); Veda (candied ginger); Bronte (raspberry-earl grey); Jade (green tea) -- as listed on the card Yes, life is like a box of chocolates. Even though the box contained a small card listing the different flavors, the chocolates were not necessarily in order ... hehehe ... especially the one called Fatale (scotch bonnet pepper). It was like a game of culinary dare. And which one was which? Oh, I don’t remember. You'll have to find out for yourself.

I finally ate at Patina, Joachim Splichal’s flagship restaurant. I heard different things about this place, and I wanted to find out for myself what this restaurant was like. Patina, located at the south end of the Walt Disney Concert Hall Interior views It was 8:00 p.m. on a Friday night, where a concert was going on. So, the pre-concert diners left and the restaurant is a little more relaxed. Marinated Salmon, Tomatillo Slice, Eggplant Purée This amuse was okay. Nothing bold or striking about it. In fact, the salmon seemed to taste mild. Santa Barbara Spot Prawns and Jalapeno Pepper Ceviche The ceviche gave the spot prawns a little kick. Kobe Rib Eye Carpaccio, Oxtail Consommé, Shaved Farmers Market Vegetables and Foie Gras The consommé was poured into the bowl with the carpaccio. I really didn’t notice the foie gras. Seared Alaskan Halibut, Black Trumpet Tartare, Beet Swirled Cauliflower Purée and Grilled Scallions I really enjoyed the halibut, one of my favorite fishes. The flavor of the beet swirled cauliflower purée pleasantly caught my attention. Nice. Everything From Rabbit, Fried Panisse, Fava Beans and Morels with Savory Yes, I ate the wascally widdle wabbit, heh heh heh heh heh ... And yes, it tasted like chicken, only lighter. It wasn’t gamey at all to me. The rabbit sausage was less firm & less seasoned than a pork sausage. Chocolate Beignet with Cognac Ganache and Banana Ice Cream The beignets had a nice chocolate filling inside. Can’t go wrong with that. Earl Grey Tea They need to change their teapots. When I poured the tea into my teacup, the teapot was dripping tea from the bottom onto the tablcloth. And no, it wasn’t me! Petit Fours I was expecting more boldness in the chef’s menu. But to their credit, they did include rabbit as one of the courses, albeit a more mental challenge than anything else. The dishes seemed plain, dare I say bland? The only bold flavor I had was the cauliflower purée. The service was okay, casual, perhaps a bit too familiar for a high-end restaurant. I really enjoyed the decor. For lack of a better description, it has a plain, modern living room feel to it, especially with nicely-placed living-room lamps. Overall, I felt a bit underwhelmed. I’m speculating whether Patina is content with an already-made customer base, the Disney Concert Hall crowd. I should give it another opportunity, perhaps on a non-concert night.

Foodie-Girl, fear not. There are some really great places to eat that are relatively inexpensive, and I don't mean In-N-Out or Fatburger. Based on the LA Times article (17 May 2006) noted above ^, I suspect there is an a la carte menu. The article mentions one dish, Perhaps, there is someone who may be able to answer your question more thoroughly.

Mon Kee's is still closed. I haven't seen any builders or construction workers around. I still don't know what's up. I'm still trying to find out. to be continued ... ← I've been checking off & on for a few months about Mon Kee. Finally, I was able to peek through one of the windows. The dining area in totally gutted right now. I was talking with a co-worker and he mentioned that it can take several months to get the correct permits to do some renovations on the place. ← FINALLY! After a year and a half, the former Mon Kee location has opened. Mon Kee is no more. The restaurant's name is Mayflower Seafood Restaurant. The restaurant next door moved into the newly-renovated location. New location, same old menu, same old service ...

Here's a discussion link to La Super-Rica, with a few photos ... There are some discussion threads about SB dinner, but you said lunch, and La Super-Rica is the place!!

LA Times Food Section – May 31, 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. Dip into summer / by Russ Parsons Provence's aioli monstre feast gets the California treatment -- what a wonderful, garlicky start to the alfresco season. Russ Parsons tries to find the perfect aioli recipe for his aioli monstre, California-style. It wasn’t that easy ... Includes five recipes: Aioli; Steamed potatoes with pimentón; Hard-boiled eggs; Grilled flank steak; Grilled artichokes The royal raspberry / by Jenn Garbee The glorious fruit is once again ruling the season, and pastry chefs are playing it for all it's worth. The height of the raspberry season in Southern California is coming up soon, in June and July. Her summer reign is brief, so get to know her while you can. Includes three recipes: Raspberry semifreddo; Raspberry tart with hazelnut crust and lemon verbena ice cream; Flourless raspberry soufflés Tasted 30 years later: They're alive! / by Patrick Comiskey A rematch of the historic 1976 Paris event proves California reds age gracefully, as they topple French classics. The 1976 event, known as the “Judgment of Paris,” sent shockwaves throughout the wine world. Includes the side article, ”Judgment in Paris 30 years later” There is a discussion about this topic: The French Resistance, to having their wines tasted blind again Just 'listen to the harmony' / by Leslie Brenner Dinner with music macher Sergio Mendes is a rare treat. He really knows food and wine. Brenner had dinner with Mendes and his wife, singer Gracinha Leporace, at Spago, one of their favorite restaurants. Sergio Mendes is quite passionate about food & wine: ... an 8,000-bottle wine cellar, entertains with gourmand extravagance at home in Woodland Hills and plans his world music tours according to where he most feels like dining — let's just say that food and wine are almost as important as music. Chefs to the stars go public / by Leslee Komaiko In the world of private chefs, especially those who cook for celebrities, discretion is the better part of valor. For those who might be tempted not to heed Falstaff's wise counsel, there are confidentiality agreements that compel them to keep mum about their clients' quirky tastes. Also in the Restaurant Journal: ∙ Bin 8945, a modern bistro and raw bar offering nearly 60 wines by the glass, is opening in West Hollywood in mid-June. ∙ Eurochow, restaurateur and designer Michael Chow's 7-year-old Westwood Village looker, has closed. The morning routine gets some buttering up / by Barbara Hansen Square One in Los Angeles is among the newer restaurants catering to breakfast lovers who dine out. On the lookout for spuds and spears / by Russ Parsons Peak season: New potatoes ; Last chance: Asparagus Indian at home / by Barbara Hansen Rasa spice blends capture the authentic flavor of traditional Indian cooking because they're blended by Indian women who know how a terrific curry should taste. WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila 2002 Podere Le Boncie 'Le Trame' Chianti Classico: Tuscany; about $30; supple and elegant; goes with pasta with duck ragù, pork roast, chops, steak. With flavors of dark cherries, wild herbs and earth, it is supple and full of character ... Letters One big, happy market Thank you so much for your thorough coverage of my favorite subject — my local farmers markets [special Issue: Farmers Markets, May 24]. I especially appreciate your story on Laurent Bonjour, a big part of the French "invasion" at the Culver City farmers market (and the advisor for the exquisite cheese plate I served recently to out-of-town visitors). Dan Tana's fan begs to differ I write to comment with respect to [s. Irene] Virbila's review of Dan Tana's restaurant on May 17. I was disappointed that her review was so negative. I am a New York-born Italian and frequent Dan Tana's when I crave veal and peppers like my mom used to make. The veal and chicken dishes are excellent and I continue to frequent the restaurant because the sauce and quality of meat is always perfect. Shaken, stirred by martini mixes It would appear that "feminization" has hit the bars ["Herbal Cocktails, Anyone?" by Donna Deane, May 24]. Too much soy has finally caught up with us. For the record Farmers markets — The following farmers markets should have been included in the Food section's May 24 listing of certified farmers markets: Tuesday, Los Angeles County: Highland Park (Old LA), Marmion Way between Avenues 57 and 58, 3 to 8 p.m. (323) 255-5030, http://www.oldla.org ; Wednesday, Orange County: Santa Ana, Bush and 3rd streets, Fiesta Marketplace parking lot, 3 to 7 p.m, (EBT), (714) 542-9392, http://www.grainproject.org ; Saturday, Orange County: Los Alamitos, U.S. Bank parking lot, Katella Avenue and Pine Street, 3 to 6 p.m. (562) 598-9790. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories Who's minding this kitchen? / by S. Irene Virbila The new Aubergine in Newport Beach is given an unsatisfactory rating. Décor, menu, service, cooking: Aubergine's new owner has changed most of what made the original so great. Apparently, and quietly, Tim and Liza Goodell sold the Aubergine restaurant (and the Aubergine name) to Dennis Overstreet, proprietor of the well-known Beverly Hills shop the Wine Merchant. Uhh, the rating pretty much says it all. Jazz with some rockin' specialties / by Susan LaTempa Warm, friendly Industry Cafe dishes up East African hits, including fantastic breakfasts. Industry Cafe & Jazz on Washington Blvd. in Culver City has a delicious variety of East African dishes, great jazz music, and that social-club feel similiar in other African restaurants. But don’t worry, first-time visitors are warmly catered to. A farm kitchen, but not really / by S. Irene Virbila Critic’s notebook on Tart at the Farmer's Daughter Hotel on Fairfax Ave. Located across the street from the Farmers’ Market, Tart is a hotel restaurant with a little tongue-in-cheek fun and a surrealistic farm kitchen decor. And the restaurant recently added a dinner menu to its breakfast & lunch offerings. Providing chills / by Leslee Komaiko Fresh seafood, bright citrus, a hint of spice, then chill. To us, ceviche is the perfect antidote to the hot summer days on the way. Includes five restaurants: Los Balcones del Peru on N. Vine St., Hollywood; Sevilla on Chapala St., Santa Barbara; La Playita on Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica; Café Hidalgo on N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton; Frida on S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills.

With all due respect to Orange County, California, perhaps you can wait until you're in downtown Los Angeles to try one of these tacos, as noted in this post?

Here is the link to my dinner post at Robuchon at the Mansion. DutchMuse, while I'll still say that this dinner is the best meal I have ever had, I have never eaten at any of the other Robuchon restaurants. As I read your dining experience, I couldn't help wondering whether eating at one of his Paris restaurants would be so much better. I will admit that I am relatively young, in terms of my culinary adventure. I'm still in a "joy of discovery" mode right now. The dishes I had from the 16-course menu were all new to me. DuthMuse, yes, "this is Las Vegas, mon." One would hope that diners who are planning to eat at Robuchon at the Mansion would act accordingly ...

Musso & Frank's is the oldest restaurant in Hollywood, where writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald & Dashiell Hammett would frequent. I've only eaten there once. They serve an a la carte menu, continental cuisine. Boy, that goes way back! This place is way before my time! Someone else is going to have to help you from here, Ling.