rjwong

Here are some photos I took this weekend at Beard Papa at Hollywood & Highland: Yes, Beard Papa is located on the "Road to Hollywood." Green tea cream puff

Here's the discussion thread link to Memphis Championship Barbecue. They have three locations in the Las Vegas area. They have a cookbook that got nominated for a Beard Award. Unfortunately, the book didn't win. But the ribs are great!! And they don't boil their ribs, thank God! joiei, it sounds like you are very focused on one thing, ehh?

Marlene, that's the point I think Arne is trying to make: YOU ARE NOT CAMPING! It would be similiar to saying that you're fine dining at Tim Horton's, ehh? Nothing against Tim Horton's, okay? Mind you, whatever you did this weekend sounded great! Did all of you finish the porterhouses for dinner? Boy, those were huge! And, uhh, where were the vegetables, Marlene? And did you bring the portable bar? You're inspring me, Marlene. I think I'm going to have a steak tonight.

Here's the Guardian Unlimited article (28 May 2006) citation: How the world's top chefs went global. By Jay Rayner, critic of the year jayratner, good on you! Mind you, I must bring to your attention that before there was a Nobu restaurant in New York in 1994, there was the original Matsuhisa restaurant in Beverly Hills. Los Angeles does have a few good restaurants. Also, are you optimistic or pessimistic that all these chefs can maintain culinary standards and not become "corporate", mediocre, formulaic, etc.?

Hey, therese! Isn't that the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, North Carolina?

In the 26 April 2006 edition of the LA Times Food Section Digest, I wrote this little blurb in the digest: My bad. I should have made a separate post in this forum when the article first came out. I should have also taken photos of the museum on my last trip to Las Vegas last month. The museum does use one of the Commander's Palace banquet rooms, to the left of the main entrance. It's free!

Wolfgang Puck is a very familiar name here in the US, especially in Los Angeles. How famous is Wolfgang Puck over in Germany/Austria? Is Puck considered too American for Germans?

Busboy, to answer your question with a question: Doesn't every country has its share of "hypersensitive jerks"? Or do you find such behavior uniquely American, as PCL posted previously? If the answer is yes, then what should be done about it? Move all the whiners to another place until they learn to behave themselves? PCL, I wouldn't mind if you expand on your statements. Aussie diners not whiny, ehh? Fair dinkum? How about them Kiwis, mate?

I went to the Beard Papa over on Hollywood & Highland this afternoon and ordered two cream puffs: one with regular vanilla filling and one with ... green tea filling ... Unfortunately (or fortunately), I didn't have my camera with me to take photos of the green tea cream puff. The puff pastry was nice and crunchy. The green tea filling was present, but not too intense. ... hmm, I just might go back and take some photos anyways, hehehe ... Price comparison: Over at the Hollywood & Highland location, the price of a regular is $1.50 & the green tea cream puff was $1.65. Those prices are definitely cheaper than those over in San Francisco. It must be that expenisve to do business over in SF, ehh?

Thanks for the shout, Captain. And here's a discussion thread link: Food in Venice One of the best places in Venice is Joe's. The restaurant is great, parking on your own is an adventure! From what I heard, Beechwood is an ideal place for late-night drinks and great food.

LA Times Food Section – May 24, 2006 SPECIAL ISSUE: FARMERS MARKET 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 idea that shook the world / by Russ Parsons Straight from farmer with no middleman? Twenty-seven years ago these were radical notions. When then-Gov. Jerry Brown, back in 1977, signed an executive order exempting farmers from certain restrictions if they would sell their produce at farmers markets, Vance Corum opened the Gardena farmers market on June 23, 1979. ... [T]he Gardena farmers market was the first to open in Southern California and one of the first half a dozen in the state. Times sure have changed, ehh? Caught up in the moment / by Amy Scattergood Chefs go wild at farmers markets -- and so do their imaginations. The season's latest will inspire you too. Includes three recipes: Polenta cake with roasted cherries; Market vegetable pizza; Pan-roasted halibut with grits, morels and spring onions Cheese monger on wheels / by Corie Brown Brie, cheddar, blue? From his roving truck, Laurent Bonjour takes his fromage show on the road. Bonjour (yes, that’s his real name) can be called a cheese evangelist, proclaiming his message: Eating good cheese daily is the key to a healthy, happy life. Herbal cocktails, anyone? / by Donna Deane Basil, chervil and cilantro from the market lead to seriously sophisticated drinks. If you enjoy those herbs in Vietnamese and fusion cusine, why not add them into your cocktails and beverages? Include three cocktail recipes: Honeydew-cilantro agua fresca with tequila; Cool Cucumber Martini; Basil-berry wine punch Ripe debuts and peak performances / by Russ Parsons ... This week we're introducing a new occasional feature that will keep you up-to-date on the choicest fruits and vegetables in season at local markets. This way you know that now is the perfect time to pick up a couple of pints of Gaviota strawberries to use in something like these lemonade-strawberry floats with mascarpone ice cream. Includes the recipe, ”Lemonade-strawberry floats with mascarpone ice cream” Secret ingredient to starting a farmers market? Community / by Charles Perry Large and small, new ones get going in Southern California every year. Here's how it's done. Why not add on a kitchen? / by Charles Perry The Hollywood Farmers Market plans an ambitious multifunction kitchen that will operate six days a week. Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEE-LA), which runs the market, is developing this plan, by occupying a 1,500-square-foot space on Morningside Court, at the east end of the market, and calling it the Farmers Kitchen. Also in the Restaurant Journal: ∙ Cut by Wolfgang Puck opens in its Richard Meier-designed space in the Regent Beverly Wilshire on June 1. ∙ Meson G closes at the end of this month; the scheduled opening as Red Pearl Kitchen is September. ∙ Richard Kaye, owner of the Creole and soul food restaurant Cirxa Bistro has closed that Silver Lake spot and, after an extensive remodel, opened Sushi Koda in the same location. To pickle your fancy / by Jack Silberstein Moessner Orchard's pickled beets and red cabbage bring a touch of the old Midwest to the Southern California table. Fresh from fields to a street corner near you Markets accepting food-stamp electronic benefits transfer cards are indicated by the notation (EBT). WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila 2003 Pago de Carraovejas Ribera del Duero Crianza: Ribera del Duero; about $32; ripe and juicy with smooth tannins and a lively acidity; goes with manchego or other aged sheep's milk cheese, grilled lamb chops, barbecued ribs, a sirloin burger. You'll find sweet spices, notes of coffee and vanilla in the glass too. For the record Wine bottles — In last week's Food section, an article about winemakers reusing bottles said more than 30 billion wine bottles are used annually in California. The correct figure is more than 3 billion. Food reading — In the same issue, a photograph of an actor in a Getty Center reading of food fiction was misidentified as Isaiah Sheffer. The actor pictured was Steven Gilborn. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories With excitement on the plate / by S. Irene Virbila Jer-ne at the Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey is given a 2½* rating. Jer-ne’s new chef Dakota Weiss brings sparkle and a sense of fun to the Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey. 500-degree rocks brought to the dining table to cook raw shrimps, strips of filet or foie gras. Eating at Jer-ne is never passive. The dining experience is full of drama, with a number of dishes that involve the diner's participation or input. Delicious sizzle amid the salad / by Susan LaTempa What's that tempting aroma? Red Oak BBQ's ribs and sausages. People come to the farmers market for the produce, right? Well, there’s a line waiting for some spice-rubbed beef ribs, pork ribs, tri-tip, chicken and sausage, cooked on a fire fueled with real red oakwood. At farmers markets in Westchester (Wednesday), Wilmington (Thursday), San Pedro (Friday) and Menifee Valley (Sunday). Step into another world / by S. Irene Virbila Critic’s notebook on the Moroccan Room at Social Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. The décor is Moroccan. The transformation of the former 1920s Hollywood Athletic Club is absolutely beautiful. Chef Joe Ojeda, previously of Asia de Cuba, presents a menu that has global influences, like a short rib tagine with Oaxacan mole. Vital organs / by Leslee Komaiko Think organ meats are an acquired taste? We've heard that before. Includes five restaurants: The Ritz Restaurant (calf’s liver) on Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach; Ortolan (veal sweetbreads) on W. 3rd St., L.A.; Nate 'N Al's (beef liver) on N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills; Agora (chicken hearts) on Main St., Irvine; Norman's (sweetbreads) on W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood.

No, I am not a food critic, where I get paid to review restaurants. The reason they were waiting for me is because members of the restaurant staff read the eGullet forums just like you and me. And my "screen name" is my real name, so people can recognize who I am apparently. I didn't expect this. Many restaurant chefs read the eGullet forums, so I've heard. kai, I'm glad you enjoyed your dinner at Providence. Is your shirt that had espesso on it getting better? Es geht Ihnen besser? What other restaurants did you eat at? Please post your dining experiences in the appropriate discussion threads. I, and many others I suspect, would like to read about the meals you ate here in the States.

TheDuke, Welcome to eGullet California forum! Truth be told, I've never eaten in Thai Town either, and I live close by there. A fellow eGer was telling me about several places in that area but I forgot them all. Perhaps I can get him to list a few restaurants in Thai Town: FoodZealot ... HELP! I hope this helps ... If all else fails, just do a little culinary research of Thai Town.

WHAT?? No Falafel King or Diddy Reese cookies in Westwood? No Stan's Donuts? Or tacos at the Grand Central Market, across the street from the Bradbury Building? Or the Original Pantry Cafe, two blocks away from Staples Center? Or Cicada restaurant inside the Oviatt Building, the first art deco building in LA? Or drinks at Traxx inside Union Station, across from Olvera St.? Or Spago's for some Sherry Yard desserts? Or Beard Papa cream puffs at Hollywood & Highland (they closed by 8:30 p.m.)? Or after-dinner drinks at Dakota inside the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel? As for the late night snack, that's a tough one! The Original Tommy's on Rampart & Beverly is celebrating its 60th year. Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles near the Palladium is where the action is at, complete with the bodyguard out front. A culinary & cultural experience! If you can get a professional guide to help you out, you'll have no problem fitting everything on the list. hhlodesign, you mean you're not going to see the Getty collection, Steve Martin-style, with roller skates hidden in your shoes?

Shaun, thank you for that unsolicited statement ... I would have to agree with you ... and me ... that Providence is the best new place in LA. Mind you, there are still some restaurants I haven't gone to yet. I just need a little more time ... and a little more money.

Huh? A mixed-pocket-depth crowd? Do you mean something for everyone at different price levels? If you're doing Pink's (I have yet to go there), then try the Original Tommy's on Rampart & Beverly. It just celebrated their 60th year. There are many Thai restaurants over in Thai Town on Hollywood Blvd. (between Western & Vermont). There are many Chinese restaurants over in Monterey Park, as well as in San Gabriel Valley (SGV) in general. Go over to Garvey Ave. (parallel to the 10 Freeway (southern half), between Atlantic Blvd. & Garfield Ave. Just pick a place. They all want your business! In downtown LA, there's Philippe's over by Chinatown near Union Station. And the Grand Central Market for some Mexican food. And there's Langer's Deli over by MacArthur Park (Haven't been there yet), if you want pastrami sandwiches. And of course, one of my favorites, the Original Pantry Cafe, especially on Tues. & Sat., when they have Country Fried Steak. If you have more questions, let us know.

It sounds like you've tasted Aidell sausages before and after the company "sold out" (what ever that means). Okay, I'll say it: rancho_gordo, spill the beans!! Question: When these small companies that make these artisanal products grow as big as they could & then, the big corporations want to buy them out, won't the products eventually decrease in quality as they increase in quantity? Would it be better for the small company to quit their business instead of selling the business to a corporation? Sorry if this is a bit off-topic ...

It's been a while since I bought Aidell sausage. I first noticed Aidell sausage when I was shopping at ... Costco. Uhh, did Aidell sausages "taste like something" before they became available en masse at Costco?

With all due respect, srhcb, doesn't the phrase "selling out" or "sold out" imply some form of wrong-doing, perceived and/or genuine? When "we" say "They sold out," don't "we" imply that the company is no longer committed (or faithful) to their original mission statement, which leads to the seemingly cynical notion that ... "everybody has a price"?

Aitch, Welcome to eGullet, California forum! I'm saddened that you, ulterior epicure et al. had an unfortunate experience at TFL. I've been reading the accounts of your group's evening. To me, it seems as though your service started going down after this exchange (or a facsimile thereof): We're foregoing the wine tonight, thank you. Oh. Am I mistaken, but doesn't TFL have a non-alcoholic pairing?

Don't cancel Sensi. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I like the open kitchen and the "water" decor. Try not to get too wet ...

LA Times Food Section – May 17, 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. Bonjour, Las Vegas! / by Leslie Brenner Quietly, master French chef Guy Savoy has set up on the Strip. Can it be this easy? Caesar’s Palace made an offer to this 52-year-old chef and he couldn’t refuse. He’s about to open, in Las Vegas of all places, a near-replica of his Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris, ... seven months after French chef Joël Robuchon made his high-profile debut here at the MGM Grand ... Who is Guy Savoy, this chef who may not be as well-known in America as in Europe, but is mentioned as one of the top 10 chefs in the world? He's really a chef's chef, enormously well-regarded in the food world internationally for his focused, inventive, often playful cooking ... Includes two recipes: Tuna `toutes saveurs'; Mushroom and spinach gratin There is a discussion about this restaurant: Opening Date for Restaurant Guy Savoy in Vegas? Down-home diarist / by Charles Perry John T. Edge brings a little rococo to the study of plain ol' American food. The folklorist's main ingredient? Eccentricity. After his travels to find regiona lrecipes, John T. Edge, the food writer and director of the Southern Food Alliance has written a series of four books: "Fried Chicken," "Apple Pie," "Hamburgers & Fries" and the latest, "Donuts." Well, there's a lot of half-accurate food history out there. What makes Edge uniquely infuriating is the way he writes this mixture of genuine food lore and guesswork history. Includes three recipes: Onion-entangled griddle burgers; Hypocrite pie; Baptist cakes Try this get rich quick scheme / by Regina Schrambling Key limes, Valrhona cocoa or rum elevate the pudding cake. (And we love a dessert that makes it own sauce.) The pudding cake from the 1955 Betty Crocker’s cookbook has been an old standby for many people like Schrambling. Bringing pudding cakes up to panna cotta speed is surprisingly simple, though. Includes three recipes: Rum and coconut pudding cake; Key lime pudding cake; Hot fudge pudding cake Not easy being green / by Matthew DeBord Once upon a time, the eco-friendly practice of reusing wine bottles was commonplace. So why has it fallen by the wayside? I see ... I see ... the future of toast / by Charles Perry Behold the future of toast (maybe): two vertical sheets of glass rising from a gleaming chrome base to encase a slice of bread, like an edible ant farm. That's the Transparent Toaster. Mind you, it doesn’t exist. It’s just an idea from Inventables Concept Studio in Chicago. But think for a moment: What would your ideal toaster do? Includes three toaster products: The Westinghouse ToasterSlicer (WST3001W); The Back to Basics Egg & Muffin Toaster (TEM500); The Kenwood Radio Toaster (TT756) Show off your mussels / by S. Irene Virbila When I ordered moules at Bouchon in Vegas, the glossy black mussels arrived in this egg-shaped cast iron pot from Staub, and I knew I had to have one. SPIRIT OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila Plantation Rum Guyana Old Reserve 1990: Caribbean/South America; about $36; elegant and smooth; goes with a good book. Made in limited quantities and aged 13 years in oak casks, Plantation Rum Guyana is a pale rose gold with a delicate scent. LETTERS A narrow ban I would like to comment on the article on the Chicago foie gras ban and the response of one reader. Where even the writing is fresh I enjoyed Amy Scattergood's article "Oh, Get Past the Garnish" [May 10]. A very enjoyable read, it was fresh in subject matter and writing. For the record Food letter — The name of a reader whose letter was published in last week's Food section was misspelled. His name is John Carl Brogdon, not Brogden. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories In? It's never been out / by S. Irene Virbila Dan Tana’s in West Hollywood is given a ½* (half-star) rating. Food is beside the point at Dan Tana's, where for years diners have wedged themselves in for a taste of the scene. Over 40 years ago when Dan Tana first opened, the top-quality ingredients were not available. But now that the place could upgrade their ingredients, the “if it’s not broken, why fix it” rule applies. And plenty of people love the big portions, the sloppy plates and the retro taste. Mediterranean, with a host of influences / by Linda Burum Sassi, a kosher Israeli restaurant in Encino, serves up Middle Eastern and North African specialties. Unlike the Ashkenazi cooking from Northern European Jews, Sassi’s menu consists of Sephardic dishes of the Eastern Mediterranean, like moussaka, hummus, sesame tahini and baba ghanouj. And because it's a meat and fish restaurant, no dairy foods cross the threshold. And because Sassi keeps kosher, the restaurant is closed Friday nights and Saturdays. A vintage experience / by S. Irene Virbila Critic’s notebook on Upstairs 2 in West Los Angeles. Wine House owner Bill Knight is the driving force behind the restaurant, and the chef is Todd Barrie, formerly of Joe's in Venice. Upstairs 2 is only open 3 nights a week (Thurs.-Sat. until 1:30 a.m.), and is located above the Wine House on Cotner, with an already built-in clientele. Call it a wine restaurant with an appealing menu of Mediterranean small plates and 45 wines by the taste, glass or carafe. Three carafes of wine and a lot of food came to $50 per person. And with 70 parking spaces available, you don’t need valet parking. What an idea! Meatball madness / by Leslee Komaiko Whether you're an unwavering traditionalist or open to a little culinary experimentation, there's a meatball out there with your name on it. Includes five restaurants: Biggs on E. 2nd St., Long Beach; Minibar on Cahuenga Blvd., Universal City; Al Gelato on S. Robertson Blvd., L.A.; Dominick's on Beverly Blvd., L.A.; Ciudad on S. Figueroa St., downtown L.A.

LA Times has an article on Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas: Bonjour, Las Vegas! / by Leslie Brenner Quietly, master French chef Guy Savoy has set up on the Strip. Can it be this easy? It is worth reading the entire article. And Guy Savoy answers the question: Why Las Vegas? I can hardly wait for LA Times food critic S. Irene Virbila's review. Sooner or later, we know it's going to happen ...

Marlene, was there any difference in flavor between the spit roasted prime rib and the oven roasted prime rib that you usually do? No Yorkshire pudding, ehh?

I agree with that. The "risk" the restaurant is taking can indicate their commitment to the long-term, establishing a solid customer base. To me, how a restaurant treats its solo diners is a great indicator if the restaurant has really done its homework. Once, I dined at a "name" restaurant, and while the food was okay, the service was unfortunately awful. Apparently, I wasn't a party of 6 and the wine was flowing ... I see the interaction between the restaurant and the solo diner as a two-way street. I'm not as intimidated or self-conscious as I used to be. What can be really fun is to focus on the food, how it's presented, the portions, observe how the restaurant operates, the coordination between FOH & BOH, the timing, the refills, the waiting for the bill, notice how the staff interacts with customers, as well with one another ... Sometimes, I wonder if solo diners tend to feel awkward because the restaurant staff don't know how to treat solo diners.