rjwong

Thanks everyone! I think I'll try Shibuya. It'll be a nice change from the other places I'm going to: Settebello Bartolotta Memphis Championship Barbecue Robuchon at the Mansion If I don't overdose on food, back to JP Maury Patisserie and maybe to Bouchon for some quiche (I don't do mornings ...) Full report, with photos ...

ayana, Welcome to the eGullet California forum! Congratulations on your move to Santa Monica. For this Glendale resident, SM is soooo far away, I need to bring my passport. Obviously, I don't frequent over to the Westside that much. Mind you, I know of someone who might help you ... JFLinLA, HELP!!! BTW, I love Sweet Lady Jane. Great desserts, and they're open so late!

Besides the Robuchon restaurants, what MGM Grand restaurants should I try? I'll be staying at the MGM Grand, and I''ll receive a $35 dinner credit for any MGM-owned restaurant (which exclude Robuchon). I'm leaving for Las Vegas this Friday through May Day. Thanks in advance!

Sandy, this was a great train ride/foodblog tour of Philly! The billboard did get it right: "Philadelphia isn't as bad as Philadelphians say it is." It sounds like you're no longer kicking and screaming to go back to Kansas City, right Sandy? Right??!! As a fellow transportation fan, I hope SEPTA can get its act together. Thanks for showing us Philly, especially all those markets and stores. Yo, Sandy!

This may be an overgeneralization, but most of the popular, chain restaurants will probably "rush" you and your party, sometimes blatantly, sometimes subtlely. And it also depends on each restaurant and where it's located. If you have dinner at 6:00 p.m. and the restuarant is near the concert hall or a sporting event that begins at 8:00 p.m., the service will probably be rushed, unless you tell the staff that you don't have to be at an event. Mind you, if you schedule your dinner at 8:00 p.m. during a concert event, you won't have to worry about "being rushed." Again, this is a generalization. Your restaurants may vary ... Verstehen Sie es?

LA Times Food Section – April 19, 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. Halibut's big moment / by Russ Parsons Wild salmon may be scarce this season, but Pacific halibut is plentiful and fabulous. Now that salmon won’t be in the limelight, the mild-mannered halibut gets is chance to shine. Mind you, you’ll have to pay a little more attention before the halibut gets overcooked. Russ Parsons show some techniques that’ll make halibut easy to prepare. That and a fish story about some salmon ... Includes three recipes: Halibut chowder with spring herbs and sugar snap peas; Cold-poached halibut with fennel-olive salad; Halibut baked `in paper' with pea sprouts and herb butter It's a cream puff renaissance / by Donna Deane First, a French friend brings a spectacular homemade dessert to dinner. It's a Paris-Brest — a large ring of choux paste sliced horizontally, filled with praline pastry cream and whipped cream and topped with toasted almonds. Next, Thomas Keller opens Bouchon Bakery in the Time Warner Center in New York City, with a whole section on the dessert menu dedicated to pastries made with choux paste, or as it's called in French, pâte à choux. Includes three recipes: Paris-Brest; Bouchon Bakery's Chantillys; Choux buns with coffee and Drambuie mousse Bock beer's turn at the tap / by Charles Perry This rich, malty brew is Germany's tribute to spring. It's time we took part in the celebration. Bock what? Most Americans don’t know much about bock, this strong lager, heavy on the malt, light on the hops, with lots of body and flavor. By the way, the annual tapping of the maibock keg at the Hofbräuhaus am Platzl in Munich ... happens next Wednesday. From Positano, with a double shot of love / by Leslie Brenner Enzo & Angela, named for the married chefs who own it, offers casual Italian cooking without pretense. What? Another Italian restaurant near Brentwood’s Italian restaurant row? Yes, Enzo Battarra and his wife Angela Battarra started their eponymous restaurant in a strip mall on Wilshire & Barrington. The service is calm, accommodating, not fussy, no attitude. And the simplest dishes are the best: pastas, gnocchi, hot & cold antipasti, simple grilled fish. And by the way, Angela is not only a chef, but also the daughter of actress Angela Lansbury. Reach out, way out, and toast someone / by Leslee Komaiko & Cindy Dorn To celebrate his brother's recent marriage, Santa Monica resident Ravinder Singh recently got together with about 200 of his nearest and dearest, half in Southern California and the rest in India. While revelers here savored a dinner of chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, basmati rice and naan, the party-goers in India enjoyed breakfast. The two groups were united by a voice-activated video-conferencing system linking Fullerton's Sitar Authentic Indian Cuisine with its sister restaurant Haveli in Hyderabad. And also in “Restaurant Journal”: Michelin inspectors are anonymously dining in and around San Francisco and the Bay Area. The company’s first West Coast guide is scheduled to be released in October. Van Gogh, by the glass / by Barbara Hansen Dear SOS: I was recently in New York City and visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In conjunction with its Van Gogh exhibition, they were offering a Champagne cocktail called Starry Night at the Petrie Court Cafe. It was one of the best I have ever tasted. WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila 2003 Parador Tempranillo 'Rancho Chimiles Vineyard': Napa Valley; about $28; rich and spicy; goes with bean soup, charcuterie, country ham, lamb, pork chops. The Rancho Chimiles Vineyard produces a supple and juicy red ... dark and chewy, tasting of plums and spice ... On the yummy side of the street Stroll from one restaurant to another in Glendale during a downtown tasting event. Proceeds go to programs that provide uninsured children access to health care. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories Late-night and sultry / by S. Irene Virbila Citizen Smith in Hollywood is given a 1* rating. With a Thomas Schoos-designed decor of cowhides and rococo chandeliers, Citizen Smith is all about the scene, not the food. Mind you, the food is pretty decent for a place like this. Comfort food, with a few Southern-style items from Louisiana-born chef Taylor Boudreaux. Citizen Smith is another of a line of Hollywood restaurants popping up for all those night owls. Citizen Smith stays open until 4 a.m., except Sunday through Wednesday, when it closes early — at 2 a.m. If you get through the door / by S. Irene Virbila Critic's notebook on Republic on N. La Cienega Blvd. This club / steakhouse / lounge has a very posh, very gorgeous decor with a restaurant attitude of its predecessors. A reservation system-as-ruse to generate buzz. Chef Gabe Morales ... knows what to do with a piece of dry-aged beef. And will Republic succeed? With several takeovers in the last few years on that southwest corner location of La Cienega and Melrose Place, Que sera, sera ... Having it all / by Leslee Komaiko Meat or seafood? Why stress when you can do both? Surf and turf to the rescue. Includes five restaurants: Spanish Kitchen on N. La Cienega Blvd., L.A.; Vibrato on Beverly Glen Circle, Bel-Air; Boa on Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica; Palomino on Wilshire Blvd., Westwood; Gladstone's Malibu on Pacific Coast Highway.

lamington, greetings (or g'day mate)! I suppose San Diego has various farmers' markets around. In the Los Angeles area, the Santa Monica Farmers' Market on Wed. morning is huge, as well as the one in Hollywood on Sun. morning. Not super-huge but all around is Trader Joe's. If your friend is a member, have him/her take you to Costco. It's more of a membership warehouse that has "everything." There are various ethnic markets that tend to have good produce, if you don't shop at the farmers' market. I hope this helps. Please let us know what you want.

Right on, right on, right on! (or is it ride on?) Is SEPTA more of a commuter rail service and are you allowed to eat on board? I take the Metrolink system in Southern California and passengers are allowed to eat on those trains. You'll probably touch on this later, but why is Philadelphia not mentioned enough as a culinary destination? (Sorry if I'm stealing your thunder) If you need any help with the GBC recipe, I'll hook a brotha' up. ← NO!

I was doing some food shopping over at Costco tonight and I saw the price of a Le Creuset 4 1/2 qt. round French oven (in bleu) drop down in price from $130 to $109. I bought it. Was that a good price? What should I cook in it first? Beef bourgignon? Roast? Can I do deep frying in that?

Here are the six nominees for the 2006 JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION AWARD CATEGORY: BEST NEW RESTAURANT: A restaurant opened in 2005 that already displays excellence in food, beverage and service, and is likely to make a significant impact in years to come. The winner will be announced on Mon. 8 May 2006. I’ve included links to each nominee’s website (if available) and eGullet discussion thread. ************ Alinea Owners: Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas; Chef: Grant Achatz 1723 N. Halsted; Chicago, IL 60614; 312-867-0110 Alinea website Alinea discussion thread Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare at Wynn Resort Owner: Steve Wynn; Chef: Paul Bartolotta 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; Las Vegas, NV 89109; 702-770-3305 Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare webpage in Wynn Resort website Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare discussion thread Del Posto Owners: Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, Joseph Bastianich, and Mario Batali; Chef: Mario Batali 85 Tenth Avenue; New York, NY 10011; 212-497-8090 Del Posto website (not available at the time of this posting) Del Posto discussion thread Joël Robuchon at the Mansion Owner: MGM Grand; Chef: Joël Robuchon MGM Grand Resort; 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South; Las Vegas, NV 89109; 702-891-7925 Joël Robuchon at the Mansion webpage on the MGM Grand website Joël Robuchon at the Mansion discussion thread The Modern Owner: Danny Meyer; Chef: Gabriel Kreuther 11 West 53rd Street; New York, NY 10019; 212-333-1220 The Modern at MoMA website The Modern discussion thread Providence Owners: Michael Cimarusti and Donato Poto; Chef: Michael Cimarusti 5955 Melrose Avenue; Los Angeles, CA 90038; 323-460-4170 Providence website Providence discussion thread ************ Yes, everyone has their favorites on who will win. However, I would also like to include in the discussion, who among us has eaten at all six restaurants?. If not six, how about three or more? READ. CHEW. DISCUSS.

Lars, It may have been called Jen Mai back three years ago. Since Dec. 2004, the long-time restaurant Mon Kee closed its doors for remodeling & renovation. Right next door is the restaurant chrisamirault went to called: Mayflower B.B.Q. Seafood Restaurant please note the exact wording I think the Mayflower B.B.Q. took over the Jen Mai location a couple of years ago. Mayflower B.B.Q. used to be over in another part of Chinatown for many years, across the street from Hop Li and a community park. I've been keeping an eye on those two places for a while. "Mon Kee" has done a really nice remodeling job. It still hasn't open yet. That's Los Angeles bureaucracy. I've been looking inside from time to time, and believe me, the place really needed sprucing up. Mind you, the old "Mon Kee" location put up new signage, which reads: Mayflower Seafood Restaurant please note the missing word "B.B.Q." Uhh, that's what happened to me when I started asking questions about the old "Mon Kee" location. I don't think the owner owns both places. edited to add photo Here's a photo to add to the confusion. To the left is the old "Mon Kee" restaurant location with the Mayflower signage without the word B.B.Q. Mon Kee had been around for twenty-five years and was a popular place for L.A. officials over the years. I'm figuring out why they didn't just keep the Mon Kee name. Mind you, more puzzling to me is why change the name to something technically different yet very similiar to your next door competitor.

Has anyone dined at Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare over at the Wynn? I read that it got nominated for a James Beard Award for "Best New Restaurant" and I was wanting to give this place a try on my next trip to Las Vegas at the end of the month. What would you suggest to eat? Is there a tasting menu? Please let me know. Thanks.

On Thursday night, my credit card and I went to Providence. A view of Providence’s building, north side of Melrose Ave. Entrance door Interior view from my table. To the right of the entry area is the entrance door. Across the hallway is the bar. Slovenian Sauvignon Blanc, Pellegrino, butter, and a little flame kumamoto oyster with vodka gelee I’ve never eaten an oyster before, let alone a raw oyster. it did taste like the ocean!! What a great start! celery sorbet with spot prawn & tomato mille-feuille on a skewer The sorbet provided a nice change to eating celery, paired appropriately with tomato mille-feuille & spot prawn. coconut purée, white asparagus, brik The coconut had a good flavor, not sweet. The asparagus was fresh and the brik added a nice textural contrast. Japanese kanpanchi, sea urchin parfait I never had sea urchin before. The kanpanchi was quite delicious. I did finish my parfait, no problem. foie gras au torchon, sour cherries, black pepper I never gave foie gras a fair chance. I think I like their foie gras ... Santa Barbara spot prawn, candied kumquats, ramps The head was quite edible, quite tasty. I was savoring every bite. diver scallop with mushrooms, asparagus, salsify, foie gras powder I loved that scallop! It was excellent! The foie gras powder tasted great, and no, I didn’t snort it! Japanese eel risotto and skewered eel liver The eel was so fresh that when the restaurant received it, the tail was still twitching ... The eel liver had a good flavor, not overwhelming like regular liver, which I hate. braised pork belly with salad (bad photo, sorry!) The pork belly just melted in my mouth. This little piggy wouldn’t mind more. Tasmanian sea trout, applewood-smoked bacon bits, ramp (white part), ramp (green part) foam, fingerling potato slices The sea trout reminded me of salmon, which is an acquired taste to me. The bacon bits helped balance things out. Say cheese!! cow, sheep, goat, figs, candied walnuts, quince, bread Normally, I’m not really into cheese courses. And thinking back, I should have chosen the bleu cheese for my cow cheese. See, I was starting to wear down. Darjeeling tea mojito deconstructed (rum gelee, mint sorbet, lemon foam) Fascinating concept! It wasn’t too potent, I think. You can always go to the bar. blood orange & black licorice popsicle, almond cake, blood orange granite The texture of the popsicle had a tingling, dissolving sensation that woke up my mouth. The black licorice blended well with the blood orange and I’m not a black licorice fan (I’m red instead). freshly-made doughnut, rad el hanout (poached pear balls, curry soda mixture, lemon ice cream) The rad el hanout tasted different and good. The doughnut was definitely fresh. chocolate bread pudding, avocado/banana puree, nacho sorbet , chocolate disc This dessert was too savory for me. Except for the nacho sorbet, the flavors seemed quite plain. I’m pondering whether the avocado/banana pair is workable. Perhaps it needs some salsa to go with the nacho sorbet. Oh, yes, the nacho sorbet. Very grounded corn tortillas mixed into the sorbet. That worked very well! At this point, I was overwhelmed. And to end the menu, cookie powder mixture on a spoon and milk (sorry, the photo turned out really bad), as well as some ... petit fours Adrian, the pastry chef, came by the table and greeted me. Afterwards, my server, Peter, escorted me into the kitchen. I saw the glass-encased room called the chef’s table, which has an up-close view of the kitchen. I finally got to meet the chef. Chef Michael Cimarusti greeted me and said, “We’ve been waiting for you!” Well, so much for dining in cognito ... We had a wonderful chat. While I’m still digesting that meal, I’m recalling how excellent the service was. The server’s outfit was black top (t-shirt) and black pants, with a golden (mustard-toned) jacket unbuttoned, all made of soft cotton or cotton-like material. Thus, the servers looked casual and relaxed. Mind you, they were quite professional. They worked well ... together. There was a fluidity in the service that wasn’t stiff at all. As a result, I felt relaxed and was able to fully focus and enjoy the food. Four hours later, I was back in my car driving home and contemplating what just occurred at that restaurant on Melrose Ave. The oyster, the foie gras, the shrimp, the scallop, the eel, the pork belly, the desserts, the service, the kitchen tour, the chef ... So many different things on track at so many different levels. Now that I know that certain restaurant staff members have found me out, I want to express my deep appreciation & gratitude for a very wonderful culinary adventure at Providence Restaurant. That meal was one of the best meals I have ever had in my entire life. Thank you. edited for spelling and grammar

LA Times Food Section – April 12, 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. In the spirit of spring / by Regina Schrambling There's a fabulous ease to the way modern Italians celebrate Easter -- just pull up a chair. One would think that with food & holidays like Easter (Pasqua), Italians would celebrate with a list of traditional dishes of the season. As an Italian friend explained to Schrambling, ”We have a saying: 'Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi.' It means, 'Christmas with family, Easter with friends.' You cook what you like." Includes three recipes: Crespelles with prosciutto and zucchini; Asparagus flans; Strawberry crostata Friends don't let friends drink plonk / by Corie Brown It's Bordeaux night for the clutch of girlfriends who call themselves the Drinkettes. In the back room at 17th Street Café in Santa Monica a long table is jammed with wine glasses ready for the women, who arrive for dinner at 7 o'clock. Similiar to book discussion groups, starting a wine group is an increasingly popular way for friends to keep in touch with one another while exploring the world of wines. Learning about wine with a small group of intimates may be the most enjoyable way to improve your wine IQ. Includes the side article, ”Wine group etiquette” Wine tastings: All you need to do it yourself / by Corie Brown WITH the following accessories on the table, your tasting group will be able to swirl, sniff and sip like pros. Give them a hot minute / by Amy Scattergood Blanching, done right, can capture the freshness of spring vegetables -- right down to the telltale crunch. The trick is in the timing. Includes three recipes: Fiddleheads with fresh herbs; Young root-vegetable braise; Ramps in walnut vinaigrette with orange zest Hail this Caesar's layers of intriguing flavors / by Barbara Hansen Dear SOS: I am in love with Nook Bistro's Caesar salad. I have made several attempts at home, but still fail to re-create its mustardy masterpiece. Can you use your powers of persuasion to coax out the secret? Cookstuff / by Leslie Brenner A grand finish.....Sel gris de Guérande, a gray sea salt harvested on the west coast of France, has wonderful flavor. WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila 2003 Domaine Olivier Pithon Côtes du Roussillon: LanguedocRoussillon; about $19; power with finesse; goes with barbecue, grilled meats, sirloin burger, roast leg of lamb. Tasting of black cherries, blackberries and cassis, this lovely Côtes du Roussillon rouge from Domaine Olivier Pithon is a blend of Grenache and Carignan. Letters to the editor What was the missing ingredient? I have never written to you before, but on this occasion I felt I must. In Barbara Hansen's article ["Italian, Unraveled," April 5], which I like overall, she writes about Giada De Laurentiis' new book, "Giada's Family Dinners." Artichoke's ardent fans speak out TREMENDOUSLY enjoyed the artichoke article ["Look Out, It's Thistle Fever!" by Amy Scattergood, April 5]. There is nothing like true homage to a noble vegetable. Buckling under its sweet spell "BUILDING a Better Buckle" [April 5] was a great article. In the recipe for Spago's Pink Lady apple, fennel and rhubarb crumble there was a note that verjuice is available at specialty food stores. I live in the Kern River Valley. None of the local markets had heard of verjuice (verjus in French) so I Googled and e-mailed, [and found] a source of California-made, reasonably priced verjuice: Navarro Vineyards in Mendocino County, http://www.navarrowine.com . Classic pairings Wine buff C. Scott Hindell and chef Octavio Becerra (Pinot Bistro) teach a six-part UCLA Extension class on pairing wine with food. The course culminates in a wine dinner at a fine-dining restaurant. For the record Spanish wine in California — An article on wine in the March 29 Food section stated that Verdad winery is the only winery solely devoted to Spanish varieties. In fact, there is another: Bokisch Winery in Lodi. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories Casual marks the hot spot / by S. Irene Virbila Ford’s Filling Station in Culver City is given a 2* rating. When chef Ben Ford has a father named Harrison, you know the buzz about this place was huge long before it opened in February. Ford’s Filling Station is labeled as a gastropub, a place where people can grab a beer or a glass of wine and some good food, without commiting to a three-hour meal. And just like Brooke Williamson (Beechwood in Venice) or David Lentz (Hungry Cat in Hollywood), Ford, 39, is tapping into the way his generation actually wants to eat. L.A. steals Bay Area players / by Laurie Winer The Hatfields are coming to town. That’s Quinn & Karen Hatfields, founders of Cortez in San Francisco. They to move back to Karen’s hometown and start a restaurant called ... Hatfields ... With luck, they will open in May in the old Le Chine Wok space on Beverly Boulevard. There is a discussion thread about the restaurant Cortez: Cortez Always the right time / by S. Irene Virbila Critic's notebook on Square One Dining on Fountain Ave. Three partners spruced up this small storefront along a busy street and opened up a cafe that serves breakfast all day long ... and the unexpected. The latter would include baked egg dishes cooked and served in a small cast-iron skillet, such as a fava bean, shiitake and oyster mushroom ragout on grits with feta ... And the ingredients are top quality, organic when possible. Egg heads / by Leslee Komaiko It doesn't get much more decadent than eggs Benedict topped with lots of luscious hollandaise — whether the classic recipe or one of myriad variations. Includes five restaurants: Ned's on Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood; M Café de Chaya on Melrose Ave., L.A.; Mirabelle on Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; Omelette Parlor on Main St., Santa Monica; Taste on Melrose Ave., West Hollywood.

Erik: What are you using the Sa Cha BBQ Sauce for? A dip for your Subway sandwich? (Which may not be a bad idea...) ← I don't think you want to go there. Sa Cha sauce with a Subway Sandwich?? back to topic ... lbj23lbj, how much research have you done on your demographics? Who will be your customer base? Downtown office workers? Moms & kids in the neighborhood? Drivers along the 99 freeway? Just a few questions to think about, at first ... Have you thought of offering lamb and/or goat meat for your burritos? I heard at a recent BBQ I went to that California is the 3rd largest state in the US for providing lamb.

Over in Arcadia near the Santa Anita Race Track (east of Pasadena) is a place called Din Tai Fung. Here's the link to the discusssion thread Din Tai Fung Dumpling House. Another place where you can order "without carts" is New Concept in Monterey Park on S. Atlantic. It's a bit non-traditional, dumplings in different colors ... This is not your father's dim sum ... These two places are east of downtown Los Angeles. Quite a distance from LAX Airport. I hope this helps.

I second Prime at the Bellagio. It was the best meal on my last trip to Las Vegas back during the 4th of July. I haven't tried Craft over at the MGM or Smith & Wollensky's. They're on my short list for my next trip. Mind you, other restaurants have priority on my next trip ...

ErinB, Have you heard of "New Concept" in Monterey Park? I ate there for dim sum a while back. I'd definitely go back, next time with some friends. The dim sum is a little more "non-traditional", dumplings in various colors ... It's not my father's dim sum ... There are a couple of good Japanese restaurants over in Little Tokyo in downtown LA, Sushi Gen, R-23, Grill Lyon. Kagaya offers a Japanese hot pot (shabu-shabu). Or do you want more of a Chinese hot pot? Besides Japanese, have you tried Thai food? Saladang Song in Pasadena is pretty good, along with the myriad of mom-&-pop operations throughout Southern California. There are various Latin American places you can eat at, if you don't want to focus on Asian only. Just let us know. FYI A.O.C. is more of a winebar with small plates, if that's what you want. I recommend Grace on Beverly Blvd. , if you haven't tried it yet. You said you were here in LA before. Presumably, you know your way around Los Angeles. LA can be really spread out for those who aren't used to driving long distances, especially from LAX airport to the San Gabriel Valley! Anyways, enjoy your time in LA!!

... BOTHER!! ... Gerhard, your efforts are noted and greatly appreciated. I'm still siding with you.

iheartoffal, you are correct. We are ALL waiting for the doctor to come, just like in real life, ehh??

The excitement is building, like the finals of the Tri-Nations tournament, ehh?? I'm siding with you, Gerhard!

In the 4 April 2006 edition of the LA Times Food Section Digest, the LA Times food critic jotted down a few words in her "Critic's Notebook" about a southern Italian restaurant in Rancho Mirage named Villa Abbate Ristorante Italiano. She was impressed because it was traditional and high-end, not your stereotypically "cheesy" southern Italian restaurant.

LA Times Food Section – April 5, 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. Building a better buckle / by Betty Hallock ... or a cobbler or a crisp. Whatever the name, L.A. pastry chefs are raising the bar for them. When making cobblers and crisps, it’s all about the fruit, maintaining the integrity of the fruit, says Sherry Yard. Mind you, while it has a homey familiarity to it, a cobbler or crisp can have a complexity and an elegance as well. Includes three recipes: Literati II's strawberry and rhubarb crisp with crème fraîche sherbet and strawberry ice cream; Ford's Filling Station warm pear buckle; Spago's Pink Lady apple, fennel and rhubarb crumble with buttermilk sherbet Italian, unraveled / by Barbara Hansen Giada De Laurentiis keeps it simple and warm as she moves on from the everyday basics to grander meals. "Giada's Family Dinners" is her follow-up book to her first book, "Everyday Italian.” While Giada’s first book focused on the basics, the second is more ambitious, including Italian holiday dishes & party-size food. "This is the kind of unpretentious, authentic, down-home Italian cooking that my family loves," she writes in the introduction to "Giada's Family Dinners." Includes three recipes: Penne with spinach sauce; Roasted fennel with Parmesan; Apricot crostata Here's to Passover: new wines with soul / by Patrick Comiskey At a recent "warmup" Seder held at Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard, the leader Jay Buchsbaum invoked several Talmudic passages that emphasized the relationship between the faithful and wine. Traditionally, kosher wine meant swett, pungent, unbalanced. In 1998, the Herzog family hired Joe Hurliman to make a high-end, kosher California wines. And Hurliman is not Jewish: he has to convey the process to his Jewish workers to maintain the wine’s purity. "Winemaking involves faith ... As a winemaker you have to move beyond the things that have no substance." Includes the side article, ”Delicious possibilities for Passover” Look out, it's thistle fever! / by Amy Scattergood Hundreds of artichokes, 15 classic recipes: madness. But oh, the payoff! Boiled, pickled or dried (even at 3 a.m.), they're all divine. Scattergood decides to celebrate spring and the artichoke season. How? ... by cooking every single artichoke preparation in my beloved 1961 "Larousse Gastronomique. Okay, you go, girl! Includes three recipes: Artichokes Clamart; Artichokes barigoule; Artichokes à la grecque A touch of Rio, right next door / by Linda Burum Tropicalia Brazilian Grill in Los Feliz infuses Brazil's complexly spiced, gustily flavored fare with contemporary style. The menu from Tropicalia (pronounced tropi-cai-yuh) was dreamed up by Italian-born chef Santino Coccia and his partner Brazilian-born John Borghetti. So it’s not authentically Brazilian, but that’s by design: just add a little Italian or Mexican ingredient into the mix. For Borghetti and Coccia, the idea seemed a natural match for a neighborhood that they've come to understand well. Even Greeks spoke geek / by Charles Perry The ancients gushed wine-speak, which we uphold to this day. C'mon, give it a swirl. Oh, the rituals of a wine geek: checking a wine's color, the swirling, the slurping, the discussing of terroir, etc. This is nothing new. Wine geekery goes way back. Smile, it's kitchen camera / by S. Irene Virbila How can a chef be in two or more places at once? Plasma monitors. So, Thomas Keller can be at The French Laundry in Yountville demonstrating a new dish preparation to his staff over at Per Se in New York through the technological innovation of plasma monitors installed at both restaurants. LOS ANGELES TIMES LIST FOR APRIL 5, 2006 An intermission snack that really sings / by Barbara Hansen Dear SOS: The chili at the Walt Disney Concert Hall is excellent, and I haven't been able to duplicate it. Any chance they would make the recipe available? WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila 2003 Domaine de la Bégude Bandol: Provence; about $25; full-bodied and elegant; goes with leg or rack of lamb, beef daube with olives, Moroccan tagines. Deep in color, it has an earthy, spicy character softened by the sweet, ripe flavors of black currants and cherries. Letters to the editor Losing taste for Batali? AS a former fan of Mario Batali, I was appalled to read of his attitude and the "house rules" at Del Posto ("Where Has the Love Gone?" March 29). True grits, Georgia style THANKS for the article ("Grits," March 29). I was raised by Southern parents, and grits have always been a part of my diet. But coarse grits have been difficult, if not impossible, to find in local markets. For the record Farmers market closing: In an article in last week's Food section about the last meeting of the Westwood Village Farmers Market, the opinion attributed to manager Aaron Shapiro that no alternative sites for the market were available was paraphrased not from an interview with Shapiro but from an announcement on the market's website. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories In Hollywood, the late, late show / by S. Irene Virbila Magnolia on Sunset Blvd. is given a 1* rating. Magnolia is not a destination restaurant, just an easygoing place with a Modernist & spare decor where you can drop in without having to order a full meal late at night. And we’re talkin’ until 2 a.m., 3 a.m. on weekends. The combination of good looks, reliably good (if not great) cooking and moderate prices at the 6-month-old Hollywood restaurant is one that's almost impossible to find in L.A. Primo southern-style pasta / by S. Irene Virbila Critic's notebook on Villa Abbate Ristorante Italiano in Rancho Mirage. This is NOT your stereotypical southern Italian restaurant with the checkered tablecloths, the sugary soundtrack and the huge bowls of pasta with tons of red sauce. Instead, chef Nino Spinella prepares dishes from the region that are traditional and high-end. But once we sit down in a roomy booth and watch as the tuxedoed waiters roll a wheel of grana cheese past us to another table, I'm hooked. Side show / by Leslee Komaiko The heyday of tableside preparation might be long gone, but the practice is enjoying a resurgence. Includes five restaurants: Dal Rae on E. Washington Blvd., Pico Rivera; La Dolce Vita on Little Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills; Tequila Jack's on Shoreline Village Drive, Long Beach; Nick & Stef's on S. Hope St., downtown L.A.; Fogo de Chão on N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills.

shead, Welcome to eGullet, California forum! In the 15 Feb. 2006 edition of the Los Angeles Times Food Section Digest, LA Times food critic reviewed a fine dining hotel restaurant at the Le Meridien hotel called Mister Parker's. It got a decent review. Mind you, Palm Springs tends to be a few decades behind the rest of Southern California ...

I recently ate at Water Grill. It’s been several months since the new executive chef David Lefevre replaced Michael Cimarusti. Now, I wanted to find out how Lefevre is shaping the menu. Pellegrino Déjà vu! I got sitted at the same exact table as last time, towards the front of the restaurant with a window view of the sidewalk out front. The server looked familiar to me, and vice-versa. Crab cake I like crab cakes, and this one was no exception. The harissa encircling the crab cake had a slight spiciness. Pretty good. Then, there was a very long wait for my main course. And there should have been no excuse: I was the second customer that evening. The kitchen needs a little more work on timing. Alaskan halibut, two-ways When the entree arrived, the two pieces of halibut were prepared slow-steamed and sauteed. The slow-steamed portion was so moist, quite excellent. The sauteed halibut cheek was firmer and stringy. The ginger/yuzu froth on top was a nice delightful addition to the fish. Not bad. After my halibut, I was in the middle of finishing my bread when the serving staff was quickly clearing my table for dessert, while I was eating the last of my bread. I felt rushed. Devil’s food pudding The pudding tasted moist, not dry. I was told Valrhona 66% was used. The ice cream was not overly sweet. The carmelized disc added a nice contrast. Pretty good. Citric green tea I asked my server when the chef will start a tasting menu. There is a tasting menu already. Oh. I did get to see it anyways. The tasting menu has been out for just a couple of weeks. Sorry, no photo of the menu without creating a major scene. For about $85 it has six courses: trout, scallop (?), duck, lamb, two desserts. Afterwards, petit fours. Interesting that the menu was not all seafood. Overall, the meal was not bad. A little highlight here & there, a couple of service glitches that need attention. I should try to get a change of tables & servers next time for a different perspective.