rjwong

5 more days left before the MOE in LA: Chinese Dinner!! I have 8 "Yes" and 2 "Maybe" right now, according to my count. I'll be heading over to Empress Pavilion to finalize arrangements for Sunday night at 5 p.m. I reserved one table for 10 people. Hopefully, that will work out fine. Yes, I even bought a Minolta DImage X50 digital camera to take some photos of the event. Soup, my apologies. You did ask politely, unlike that other East Coaster who seemingly demanded photos in a rather profane manner. If I didn't know any better, that person was acting like ... a preschooler ... This is going to be fun. I hope there's enough food for everybody ...

Pan, I am glad that you and your cousin enjoyed the dim sum. I, too, am sorry for the snafu as well. If it was a choice between the dim sum or me, I would say you received the better choice. Perhaps, next time, I should return the favor and head out to New York ... I must admit that I'm rather spoiled to have CBS so close by, a 10-minute walk from my office. In fact, last week when my mother was visiting Southern California, I bought about $50 worth of dim sum to take over to my sister's place for a little family luncheon. I hope you and your cousin managed to get out of the parking lot without a scratch!

Fleming's is a high-end steakhouse chain, similiar to Ruth Chris', The Palm & Morton's. I never tried this particular location of Fleming's, so I don't know what the scene is like. Mind you, Fleming's offers about 100 wines, available by-the-glass. From LAX, drive southbound on Sepulveda Blvd. and turn eastbound (left) on Rosecrans Ave. towards Aviation Blvd. The restaurant is closer to Aviation Blvd. than Sepulveda. http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/ Fleming's Steakhouse 2301 Rosecrans Avenue #1199 El Segundo, CA 90245 310-643-6911

dlc, For a quick answer, click on this link: Food in Venice There is a local steakhouse in Culver City called Petrelli's on Sepulveda, as you go north from LAX. It's located on the southwest corner of Sepulveda & Jefferson Blvds. It's been around for decades. Not bad. Definitely old-school with the leather booths. edited to add: Petrelli's Steakhouse 5615 Sepulveda Blvd Culver City, CA 90230-6121 (310) 398-9777

Gorgeous! Colorful! Simply fantastic! How many hours did it take you? Which layer was the most challenging? What flavors are the cakes? ... or are you the type that tells? ... -- Rick

I can't believe you didn't nail down the whipped cream clause. ← I second that concern. Question for VaNC: If whipped cream is considered blasphemy, what is Cool Whip considered?

No, it's not too late. You and your guest are counted in!! That makes it 9 "Yes", 2 "Maybe", with 2 East Coasters demanding photos & 1 West Coaster politely asking for documentation ... I'll be PMing those of you attending with info about cost, travelling directions & parking early next week.

Wow! I like Northwoods Inn, but never mention it. The last time I did (on a certain snobbish board) I was berated! Those potatoes with butter cheese sauce are great. I love when the server throws the peanuts at your table. ← Here is my post about the North Woods Inn, the one along the 5 just north of the Orange County line near La Mirada. The cheese toast was definitely ... cheesy. Another place that serves great cheese toast is the Smoke House in Burbank. But that's a high-class retro place, so that doesn't count.

LA Times Food Section -- August 17, 2005 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. Enchanted aisles / by Barbara Hansen L.A.'s ethnic markets serve up one enticing dish after another. Where in the world to begin? Instead of making reservations at a restaurant, go shopping ... at one of the ethnic markets. Here's a representative selection for the adventurous food eater: Arko Foods (Filipino); B-B-Q Express (Thai); Bharat Bazar (Indian); California Market (Korean); Carnicería La Oaxaqueña (Mexican); El Gaucho Meat Market (Argentinian); New Pardes Restaurant (Bangladeshi); New York Delicatessen (Russian); Tarzana Armenian Deli; Valley Hye Armenian Delicatessen, Restaurant and Bakery; Zamora Brothers Carnitas (Mexican) This is soda pop / by Susan LaTempa Creamy root beers, spicy-hot ginger ales and herb-scented colas hail the new golden age of soft drinks. Enough with the artificial flavorings, fructose and aluminum cans. A plethora of sodas made with “real” ingredients can be found everywhere from supermarkets to the French Laundry. REMEMBER, soda wasn't created for kids. Includes the side article, ”Tops in pops for grown-ups” Send in the clones / by Patrick Comiskey Oregon Chardonnays are finally something to celebrate, thanks to the arrival of a French vine called Dijon. In the wine world, clonal research is rather boring. Mind you, this is a wonderful story of Oregon Chardonnay that began in 1966 with David Lett, a recent oenology graduate from UC Davis, who wanted to start making Burgundy wines somewhere. And that somewhere was in the Willamette Valley. Includes the side article, ”Oregon Chardonnays come of age” Tomato ennui? Peach fatigue? / by Regina Schrambling When summer produce feels played out, go for the unexpected. Heat it up. Or chill it down. After a while, your favorite summer foods get a bit tiring and predictable, ehh? Even eating corn on the cob for three meals in a row can be a bit much. Try a different approach, a new attitude, ... one you could call the sushi/baked-Alaska inspiration: Don't cook what you usually do, and heat up the normally icy. Or simply serve anything unexpectedly. Includes four recipes: Caprese gratin; Chilled corn soup with avocado and crab; Bourbon-flamed peaches; Sautéed cucumbers with pancetta Home-style cooking, a bit pumped up / by Susan LaTempa Join the gymgoers at Comfort Café in Silver Lake, a health-conscious hangout where flavor comes first. The café, headed up by Jackie Joniec in the kitchen, assisted by manager-baker Reggie Southerland, serves up nostalgic home-cooking designed around taste, not diet guidelines, with portions fit for a bodybuilder after a workout. It's like floating on a cloud / by Barbara Hansen Dear SOS: Last year, the restaurant at the Hotel Bel-Air offered a fig soufflé with a pistachio crème anglaise. I would love to have the recipe. The crème anglaise was magical. Steakhouse swank / by S. Irene Virbila Dakota at the Roosevelt Hotel is given a 1½* rating. Restaurateurs Tim and Liza Goodell have opened their latest project in the form of a steakhouse with Dodd Mitchell-designed decor which makes Dakota the latest “see and be seen” (SABS) place in LA. As for the food, with Jeff Armstrong as chef, everything is reasonably well executed, but nothing has much personality or passion behind it. Virbila concludes that perhaps Dakota needs to please both the tourists staying in the hotel and the stylish set coming to see and be seen, it never quite comes into focus. WINE OF THE WEEK / S. Irene Virbila 2003 Torbreck Barossa Valley 'The Struie': Barossa Valley; about $45; lush and concentrated; goes with barbecued steaks, roast pork. Dave Powell's mid-priced 100% Shiraz from 40-year-old Eden Valley and 80-year-old Barossa Valley vines ... has power and finesse, which is why it's always such a beauty. For the record Rosé wines -- A story about rosé wines in last week's section said that the appellation Costières de Nîmes is in the Rhône region of France, and a sidebar to the story said it is in the Languedoc region. According to Institute National des Appellations d'Origine rules, Costières de Nîmes is officially part of the Languedoc, but some other wine authorities consider it to be part of the Rhône. Also, the sidebar said Bandol rosé is made from Grenache and Cinsault grapes. Bandol also may include Mourvèdre. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories on Thursday A $15 Sunday supper solution / by S. Irene Virbila Critic's notebook on Dominick's on Beverly Boulevard. This updated red-sauce Italian ... has just initiated a splendid Sunday dinner plan. It's a prix fixe menu — three courses served family-style — for $15 per person, which is quite the deal for a restaurant of this caliber. ASK THE CRITIC / by S. Irene Virbila Our restaurant critic opens up about how to send food back to the kitchen -- gracefully. Sunday specials / by Leslee Komaiko Sunday evening might signal the end of the weekend. But that's no reason to despair, especially when you can indulge in one of these Sunday night only specials. Includes five restaurants: Rocca on 4th St. in Santa Monica; The Belvedere on S. Santa Monica in Beverly Hills; Ciudad on Figueroa in downtown LA; Lucques on Melrose Ave.in West Hollywood; The Grill on the Alley on Dayton Way in Beverly Hills.

I just bought a Cuisinart Custom Pro 11 tonight at Costco for $149. I was all set to buy a Canon SD 400 digital camera for under $340 so I can take some photos at restaurants, and they were all sold out (and no more is coming)!! I was so depressed that I decided to buy the Cuisinart instead. Please, don't try to figure this one out, except that I was thinking of buying a Cuisinart for a while. For starters, I was thinking of making some bread dough and later, some hummus with tahini. I'll give an update later on how my Cuisinart is working ...

I'm amazed that no one mentioned the Original Tommy's on Beverly Blvd. & Rampart. It is legendary!! Edited to add: I second Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles. If you want the full experience, go to the one in Hollywood near the Palladium with the bouncer out front ... of the restaurant, YES!! As for the Original Pantry, chicken fried steaks are served on Tuesdays & Saturdays while supplies last. In Culver City, there's a Mexican taco stand called Tito's Tacos on Washington Blvd, I think. Really good! Holly, could this thread be re-titled: The Dives of Southern California: Food for the Unrefined ? ... prim and proper lady encounters her meal at the Gardena Bowling Alley ... Mind you, I was referring to that Lily Tomlin character. I'm not implying that you're a lady, Holly, sir.

Two more weeks until the Chinese dinner at Empress Pavilion!! So far, I got 7 people saying "Yes", with 3 more saying "Maybe." Well, here's the menu, subject to change depending on how many more people say "Yes": Appetizer plate with BBQ meats and chilled jellyfish Soup: seafood soup or winter melon soup Whole crispy chicken Stir-fried scallops with vegetables Sizzling beef plate Chinese clay pot Stir-fried clams with black bean sauce Chinese vegetables Steamed whole fish To reiterate, the cost is about $30, which includes dinner, tax and gratuity. Drinks & cocktails are extra and on your own. Because the dinner coincides with the LA Chinese Food Festival, parking is at a premium. I'll get back to all of you with some more parking information. You are encouraged to use public transportation to get to Chinatown during that weekend of Aug. 27-28, 2005. Metro is a transportation partner with the Festival. By next Sunday night (Aug. 21), if possible, I would like a definite, final count of how many are planning to come, so I can finalize things with the restaurant a few days before. I ask you, my fellow eGulleteers, to please seriously consider coming to this Chinese dinner on the 28th of Aug., starting at 5:00 p.m. It's a really good menu with a variety of Cantonese dishes. I spared no expense in consulting a Chinese food expert (my SIL!!) in preparing this menu. So please come. Bring your friends, those who don't mind a culinary adventure. I hope you see you all at Empress Pavilion on Sun., Aug. 28.

I want to post this link titled MOE in LA: Chinese Dinner that's in the California forum. The Chinese dinner is going to be held at the Empress Pavilion on Sun. 28 Aug. at 5:00 p.m. Details when you click on the link. Mon Kee restaurant is still being renovated. I can see inside through the windows. The interior looks WAY BETTER (and cleaner) than what it was before. I'll try and find out when Mon Kee will re-open. Arcadia: Din Tai Fung is located there San Fernando Valley: There's a Sam Woo Restaurant & Ranch 99 Market on the NE corner of Sepulveda Blvd. & Victory. A&W BBQ on the south side of San Fernando Mission, east of Balboa Blvd., nearby Trader Joe's. A few Chinese restaurants along Reseda Blvd., near the CSU Northridge campus. yakiniku, we'll be waiting for your arrival into LA ...

I might have to try this place and see how it compares with Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles in Los Angeles.

LA Times Food Section -- August 10, 2005 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 memoriam David Shaw: Letters An empty seat at the table I learned with great sadness about David Shaw's passing ["He Savored Life With Grace and Gusto," Aug. 3]. I enjoyed his wit, outspokenness and depth of knowledge. So many of his articles made me think, laugh … and respond. He is one of few journalists with whom I briefly corresponded because I found what he wrote so interesting that I just had to tell him. His replies were gracious. There's a discussion thread titled David Shaw R.I.P. *********************************************************** Shades of summer / by Russ Parsons; Leslie Brenner Rosés may be pale and pretty, but with the season's vivid flavors they're bold and beautiful. “Rosé” Russ Parsons declares his summer enjoyment of this type of wine. Mind you, rosés are far more than just hot-weather aperitif wines. This wine can carry you through from appetizers all the way to dessert. Includes three recipes: Garlic and herb-stuffed tomatoes and zucchini; Eggplant bruschetta; Swordfish with green olive salsa; with the side article, ”With this vintage of rosés from France, you can't go wrong” Just can't get enough / by Barbara Hansen Everyone loves a scone. And these days, it's easy to see why, as pastry chefs get creative with texture and flavor. Includes three recipes: La Brea Bakery chocolate-walnut scones; Maple Drive lemon poppy seed scones; Clementine apricot-ginger scones You call this a beer? / by John Balzar A new Gallup poll reports that wine has finally caught up, and perhaps surpass, beer as America's favorite alcoholic beverage. No need to cry, beer lovers. The more flavorful and adventurous drink we call craft beer is gaining ground on common beer faster than anything else, wine included. Down home, a real dust-up / by Regina Schrambling Taste of Home, America's most reliably gritty food magazine, ... is the perfect antidote to faux trendiness and wine-upmanship and kitchen makeovers indistinguishable from GE Profile ads. However, from the people behind Cook's Illustrated comes a publisher who decided that what the world really needs is another Taste of Home, namely, the new Cook's Country. Includes two recipes: Blueberry streusel coffee cake (adapted from Taste of Home, August 2005); Tomato-bacon-avocado salad (adapted from Cook's Country, August/September 2005) Authentic taste of Guadalajara / by Linda Burum At Birriería Jalisco in Boyle Heights, roasted goat is the specialty. It's prepared with a generations-old recipe. The family-run restaurant concentrates on birria de chivo, Guadalajara's famous roasted kid specialty, with tortillas, a few traditional desserts & house-made drinks. Apparently, this is not for the gastronomically challenged. It kind of gets their goat, ehh? Is it pulp fiction or juicy fact? / by Charles Perry Why does the sweetest, most flavorful OJ come from a press? We squeeze the experts for answers. Perry attempts to answer his question why squeezing oranges by hauling down on the big lever of a juice press taste sweeter than sticking them into a buzzing electric juicer. It's (fill in the blank) night / by Leslee Komaiko Mozzarella night at Jar? $1 hot dog night at the Stand? "Inner Child" night at Luna Park? Special nights are busting out all over town. Around five years ago, there were only a few special nights around Los Angeles. But in the last few months, special nights are all over the place and you need a spreadsheet just to keep track. Stealing the show in three acts / by S. Irene Virbila Kikuchi is given a 2* rating. Chef-owner Koichiro Kikuchi and his wife, Akiyo, operate a French-Japanese restaurant, that's hidden in the corner of a strip mall, in the midst of the flash, hype and chaos along La Cienega Blvd. It may not be a scene, but Kikuchi, with its understated drama, will wow food lovers with a well-crafted prix fixe trio of courses. WINE OF THE WEEK / S. Irene Virbila 2004 Château La Canorgue Côtes du Luberon: Provence; about $13; dry and fruity; goes with olives, soupe au pistou, salads, bouillabaisse. Dry and fruity, it goes down very easy, leaving behind an impression of fruit and earth. For the record Food bargains — An article in last week's Food section about delicious deals around town identified Robert Rogness as the owner of Wine Expo in Santa Monica. Rogness is the general manager of the wine shop. Ali Biglar is the owner. The article also said the oyster happy hour at Ocean Ave. Seafood in Santa Monica is from 4 to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. It's from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Saddle Peak Lodge — A restaurant review of Saddle Peak Lodge in last week's section misspelled actress Katharine Hepburn's first name as Katherine. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories on Thursday It's a little slice of Italy / by S. Irene Virbila Critic's notebook on La Sosta in Hermosa Beach. Owner Luca Manderino is playing up the idea of enoteca, or "wine library." Eat some Italian cheeses and salume with some bread, drink a little Barbera, feel the sea breeze, and La Sosta feels a little like an enoteca in Viareggio or Venice, anywhere close to the sea. Charcuterie / by Leslee Komaiko In Italy, it's salumi; in France, charcuterie. Any way you slice it, it's better than "luncheon meat." Includes five restaurants: Angelique Café on S. Spring St. in downtown L.A.; A.O.C. on W. 3rd St.; Mix on N. Crescent Heights Blvd. in West Hollywood; Pescadou Bistro on Newport Blvd. in Newport Beach; Mimosa on Beverly Blvd.

Jean, Check out this SLO thread, if you haven't already: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=69177 fiftyD's, I'll have to try Jocko's again. It's been a while. I've been doing some "research" on steakhouses in Southern California. Which cut would you recommend? New York? Rib eye? I want the pure flavor of the meat, no sauces .... As for McClintock's, Jean should at least go inside to check out the ... uhh ... atmosphere. Heck, she can get that at AJ Spur's as well. And for something completely different, isn't there a restaurant called the Gardens of Avila, right by Sycamore Hot Springs?? Last, but definitely not least, Jean, visit a winery over in Paso Robles (... hint, hint, Rebel Rose ... )

With about three weeks away, here's the summary of responses so far: rjwong Ore tejon Matsu + 1 guest Radio7 + 1 guest That's 7 people. Not bad, for a start ... Perhaps, people are squeezing in their vacation trips before Sept. It looks like Sunday 28 Aug. seems to work for everybody. So, let me update the basic information: What: A multi-course Chinese dinner, organized by members of the eGullet Society of Culinary Arts & Letters Who can attend: eGullet members & their guests, as well as the general public Where: Empress Pavilion; 2nd floor, Bamboo Plaza; 988 N. Hill St.; Los Angeles, CA 90012; (213) 617-9898 When: Sun. 28 Aug., 5:00-8:00 p.m. How much: About $30 per person (or hopefully less), which will include the dinner, tax & gratuity. A more exact price will be available depending on how many will attend. As for the menu, I want to order a whole variety of dishes to sample. Some of the more exotic dishes tend to be more expensive. Mind you, this is NOT going to be a glorified Panda Express-type of dinner, but there'll be a chicken dish and a beef dish. I want to include some chilled jellyfish, the steamed whole fish (with the head & the eyes ...), and shark fin soup. And as for the two eGullet forum hosts who responded: You two can do something about that, can't you? Hmmmm???

I decided to browse through my local used bookstore tonight (chefzadi, you know which one) and I found a paperback copy of Claudia Roden's book (1972 copyright). And no, I didn't buy it. Yet. Should I? Please inform this ignorant foodie here: Would Roden's book be considered the first book on Middle Eastern cuisine in the English-speaking world? I'm not necessarily talking in terms of chronology, but also in terms of prominence and/or popularity and/or authenticity. Am I asking the correct question?

LA Times Food Section -- August 3, 2005 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 memoriam David Shaw David Shaw, 62; Prize-Winning Times Writer Forged New Standards for Media Criticism / by Jon Thurber He savored life with grace and gusto / by John Balzar David Shaw's joyous appetite sprang from a heart and mind as grand as a six-course dinner. Eat well, he showed us, and all else will follow. There's a discussion thread titled David Shaw R.I.P. *********************************************************** 20 delicious deals / by Betty Baboujon and Leslie Brenner Count yourself among the lucky: This is the place for eating royally on a shoestring. THIS ISN'T FAIR!! They're giving away some of my secret places!! A wine guy at City Hall / by Patrick J. Comiskey Long before he was San Francisco's mayor, Gavin Newsom had a personal platform: Cabs for the people. Apparently, Gavin Newsom founded a small Napa winery called PlumpJack in a limited partnership in 1997. An invitation from Spain / by Leslie Brenner Penelope Casas is again a superb guide, this time beckoning us into home kitchens with irresistible family recipes. Penelope Casas, a well-respected authority on Spanish cooking, has written her newest book, "La Cocina de Mamá: The Great Home Cooking of Spain." This is simple home cooking. Leave it to Casas to remind us that Spanish food isn't just liquid nitrogen bonbons and powdered foie gras. Includes four recipes: Fernando's sherry-infused baked sliced potatoes; Manchego cheese canapés with olives and peppers; Sautéed green beans, Cáceres style; Chicken in garlic and wine sauce Ripe for spice and ice / by Russ Parsons One scoop of ice cream is a dusky rose, light and airy, with a flavor that is purely plum. But what's that warm floral quality in the finish? Another is a delicate daffodil yellow, the texture a little denser and chewier; the flavor is the essence of mango. But what's that fresh note in the background? Yet another is creamy golden orange. There's no mistaking the high-toned taste of a ripe nectarine, but that haunting spice echo is hard to place. Russ Parsons just bought a new ice cream maker, and he's playing with it. Then, he thought of this question: What if you made ice cream based on the fruit itself? Includes three recipes: Spiced plum ice cream; Nectarine-cardamom ice cream; Mango-ginger ice cream Beach, beer and a bite of Europe / by Susan LaTempa Swiss specialties, imported brews and an international crowd bring a global touch to a local hangout. On the Waterfront Cafe on the Venice boardwalk is owned by Stefan and Susi Bachofner Binder, both from Switzerland. And Stefan, a real beer aficionado, has some weiss beer available, the cloudy, unfiltered brew, on tap. Where to go for cool The hip, the chic abandon climate control for the pleasures of the patio. Hot List LOS ANGELES TIMES LIST FOR AUG. 3, 2005 Brightly fragrant flavors Dear SOS: I make a variety of crab salads, but I thought one I tasted at Grace restaurant was particularly good. Includes the recipe, “Dungeness crab salad with Thai basil and mint “ Tamer choices, gracious charm / by S. Irene Virbila Saddle Peak Lodge is given a 2* rating. Historically, Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabasas has been known for its game. Recently under chef Mark Murillo, the menu has moved away from such a strict game focus to feature more mainstream California cooking. Although Virbila thinks the new menu works out better, she's disheartened that the only real game restaurant in the area limit its "game" offerings to familiar, tame items. WINE OF THE WEEK / S. Irene Virbila 2001 San Vicente Rioja: Rioja, Spain; about $42; lush, modern; goes with duck, leg or rack of lamb, steaks. ... sophisticated and earthy, tasting of ripe berries, chocolate and wild herbs. For the record Georgia band — Last week's review of Opus Bar & Grill described Widespread Panic, which was performing at the Wiltern LG next door, as an L.A. punk band. It is a neo-jam band from Georgia. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories on Thursday A high-stakes enterprise / by S. Irene Virbila Critic's notebook on the Lodge in Beverly Hills. This Beverly Hills steakhouse comes from the group who brought Dolce to West Hollywood and Geisha House to Hollywood. This is the latest in a new genre called the hipster steakhouse. An order of fries, hold the potatoes / by Scott Sandell Burger King has just introduced Chicken Fries, which aren't even made of potatoes. So what exactly are they? Where's the beef? / by Leslee Komaiko Thought the steak craze was just a passing fad? Not so. The steakhouses just keep coming. Includes five restaurants: Lincoln Steakhouse Americana in Santa Monica; Chapter 8 in Agoura Hills; Dakota in Hollywood; BOA Steakhouse in Santa Monica; Sterling in Hollywood. There's a discussion thread titled Southern California steakhouses

The 2nd annual Chinese Food Festival in downtown Los Angeles on Aug. 27-28, 2005 provides the perfect opportunity for eGullet members and their guests to gather for a Member Organized Event (MOE) in LA: Chinese Dinner during that time. After spending an afternoon with thousands of attendees at the Chinese Food Festival, what a better way to end the day with a multi-course, Cantonese-style Chinese dinner at the Empress Pavilion, the “Grand Dame of Los Angeles' Chinatown.” Attendees can share their experiences about the Festival, while learning and tasting the distinctives of the Cantonese style of Chinese cuisine. Here's some basic information: What: A multi-course Chinese dinner, organized by members of the eGullet Society of Culinary Arts & Letters Who can attend: eGullet members & their guests, as well as the general public Where: Empress Pavilion; 2nd floor, Bamboo Plaza; 988 N. Hill St.; Los Angeles, CA 90012; (213) 617-9898 When: Either on Sat. 27 Aug. or on Sun. 28 Aug., 5:00-8:00 p.m., depending on which day is more desirable by the majority of attendees. How much: About $30 per person (or hopefully less), which will include the dinner, tax & gratuity. A more exact price will be available depending on how many will attend. Please respond so I can determine if there's enough interest, by posting on this thread with the following information: * how many persons attending, including you * which day you would attend (Sat., Sun., or Either) * how adventurous are you, in terms of eating (jellyfish? abalone? squid? whole fish with the head intact & the eyes looking at you?) Please come and join the fun! This event has been organized through eG Forums by members but is not sponsored by the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters or eG Forums. The event is open to all eGullet Society participating members, contributors and their guests. By participating in this event, you confirm your understanding and acceptance of the eG Calendar and Events Policy, to which all eGullet Society members have already agreed.

Add 2. Cooking at the Academy. Letters to a young chef by Daniel Boulud.

It sounds like you might want the Inn of the Seventh Ray: Inn of the Seventh Ray 128 Old Topanga Cyn Rd Topanga, CA 90290 310.455.1311

Perhaps you're referring to the thread "Opaque - Dining in the Dark". The proceeds benefit the Braille Institute of America. Also, you can check out the LA Times Food Section Digest. Besides the excellent food articles (especially those written by Russ Parsons), there are restaurant reviews and restaurants in the Critic's Notebook. The end of June was the annual restaurant list. There'll be several restaurants opening up towards the end of the year. One very highly anticipated seafood restaurant that opened recently is Providence with chef Michael Cimarusti, formerly of Water Grill. It's located on Melrose Ave., west of Cahuenga, at the former Patina location. LA Times critic S. Irene Virbila wrote about it in her Critic's Notebook: she was raving about it. Mind you, this is not the full review, yet ... If you're into what's hot & what's new, you might want to consider Providence.

No, PurpleDingo99, there are no restaurants down in LA. There are a bunch of pseudo-restaurants called SABS (See And Be Seen) ... Yeesh!!! Since Joe couldn't help you (he is from Torrance!), let's see if I can help you ... Some of the more popular places in Southern California, particularly on the weekends, are Santa Monica 3rd St. Promenade & Venice Beach on the Westside (that's west of the 405 freeway); The Farmer's Market/The Grove around 3rd & Fairfax; Melrose Ave.; Old Town Pasadena along Colorado Blvd. Even though I haven't eaten there yet, you can try Spago's in Beverly Hills. You'll have a good chance seeing some stars there. One suggestion: go there for dessert, at around 10-11 p.m. I heard that from Sherry Yard when she was doing a demo at UCLA earlier this year. If you can be more specific, that will help. Do you want historic and/or retro? Or do you want the newest? Seafood? Ethnic? Casual neighborhood places? Westside? Beverly Hills? Downtown LA? Pasadena? San Gabriel Valley? Southern California is really spread out.

LA Times Food Section -- July 27, 2005 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. A zing thing / by Regina Schrambling A splash of vinegar can heighten flavor, balance richness or add a new dimension to a dish. Knowing how to use it is the mark of a great cook. Includes three recipes: Balsamic-glazed scallops; Pickled red onion; Haricots verts in red wine vinegar cream; and the side article, “ The vinegar variations” Walk on the mild side / by Ana Ortiz Longo The thin-skinned Japanese peppers called shishitos are barely spicy, slightly sweet and wholly addictive. Includes three recipes: Corn blini with shishito and Green Zebra tomato salsa; Tortilla Española with shishitos; Shishito pepper tempura It's all in the delivery / by Valli Herman When the rich and famous want to go organic, get in the Zone or visit South Beach at dinnertime, they can count on their personal chefs to bring together a strict diet and fine dining on one plate. For the rest of us, there's a growing number of meal delivery services that promise to keep us (and our hips) on the straight and narrow. Includes two recipes: Miso-glazed black cod; French lentils and feta; and the side article, ”At your door, at your service” Yang Chow slippery shrimp / by Barbara Hansen Dear SOS: I am a second-year college student at the University of Arizona, and I miss the fabulous taste of slippery shrimp served at Yang Chow restaurant in Pasadena. Whenever I get a chance to come home, I call my mom and ask if that can be our first meal. If you would try to locate the recipe so that we can make a modest effort in satisfying our shrimp fix, we would be ecstatic. Lights out, let's eat / by Cindy Dorn Opaque-Dining in the Dark puts on a shadowy event: diners enjoy dinner in a totally dark room, served by a blind wait staff. There is a discussion thread on this article here. For every kitchen, a rice cooker / by Judy Yao If you know how to boil water, you can cook rice. That's the theory, at least. You still have to watch over it, adjusting the heat and turning it off in time to make sure the pot doesn't boil over or burn. Several models of rice cookers, from a $30 Oster to a $260 Zojirushi, were tested and the results are here. A match made in Yerevan / by Charles Perry An Armenian brandy and the perfect almond kataif -- you'd think you were in the Caucasus. With a large Armenian community in Southern California, at least two dozen versions are available, from 3-year-olds at about $9 to rarities more than 30 years old in the $90 price range. Best for brandy / by Susan LaTempa In the French town of Cognac, where brandy is king, the last vessel connoisseurs would deign to raise to their lips is a snifter — the large surface area volatizes the alcohol too much, and that's pretty much all you smell. Cognac and other fine brandies are more properly sipped from small glasses with rounded bowls and slightly narrowed "chimneys" that focus the aromas. Turn for the better / by Betty Baboujon This hand-painted ceramic dish helps with the trickiest part of making the Spanish tortilla: the flip at the end. When the bottom of the tortilla has set, hold the dish by the pedestal, cover the tortilla in the skillet and invert it onto the dish. Then, slip it back into the pan to finish. And though it's marked "for turning the tortilla," it's also for serving it. The dish is handmade in Puente de Arzobispo, in central Spain, and designs vary from dish to dish. A stylish new kid on the block / by S. Irene Virbila Opus Bar & Grill is given a 2* rating. With a sharp look and smart menu, chef Sara Levine's California bar and grill is a pillar of the neighborhood. Owner John Chung, with executive chef Sara Levine & consulting chef Mark Dao, has put together a menu that's half steakhouse, half California cuisine, and an eclectic wine list that's reasonably affordable. Opus isn't very known yet, but that's going to change. And quite soon. WINE OF THE WEEK / S. Irene Virbila 2001 Bodegas Muga Rioja Reserva: Rioja, Spain; $20; classic and elegant; goes with just about everything, but clearly grilled lamb and pork, steaks, summer feasts. ... silky and robust, with a big generous bouquet of cherries and raspberries, tar and toast. For the record Wine of the Week— The Wine of the Week feature in the Food section last week said that the Commanderie de Peyrassol domaine takes its names from the Knights Templar who owned the property until the French Revolution. The Knights Templar owned the property until the early 1300s, when it was seized by the king of France. The Knights of Malta then controlled the property until the French Revolution when it was taken over by the state. *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Calendarlive Stories on Thursday Cozy cousin to the chic / by S. Irene Virbila Critic's notebook on Taste in West Hollywood. Executive chef Cathy Halter has created a menu with prices that are quite affordable for its location. Taste has something to offer: a cozy vibe and a patio that is pure gold. The patio / by Leslee Komaiko It's the season for dining outdoors. A spot on the patio, please. Includes five restaurants: Zip Fusion Sushi on E. 3rd St. in downtown L.A.; Ocean and Vine in Santa Monica; Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabasas; Café des Artistes on N. McCadden Place in Hollywood; Michael's in Santa Monica.