mixmaster b

I love Cesar, the wine bar next to Chez Panisse. The food is terrific. The fries are as thin as ribbons and have fresh herbs throughout, and all the drinks are top-notch. Cafe Fanny in Berkeley is also a treat for a poached egg and a perfect cafe au lait. I had a terrific "super-quesadilla" at a hole-in-the-wall Alameda place--I think it had a name like Alameda Taqueria. It was very inexpensive and REALLY good. I can find out details from my friend (who lives there) if it doen't ring a bell.

There is a recipe in Emeril's Real & Rustic book (I know, Emiril sucks, this old book has some winners in it) that I get great results from. It includes lots of chopped bacon (cooked til crisp), lots of chopped onions (added & cooked down), salt, cayenne, garlic, pepper, a mess of greens (stems removed but still in big pieces), some beer, some white vinegar, and some molasses. This gets cooked for over an hour and is absolutely yum. Here is the recipe on the FoodTV site. I'd be interested to know what the Southerners think of the recipe. I was born in Virginia but I've been away far too long to consider myself expert on greens!

Oh my god how I love rose champagne. The Paul Bara is one I've not had. We drank a bottle of Nicolas Feuillatte brut rose (around $40) the other night and enjoyed it. Very dry. I am also partial to Nino Franco Rustico proseco. Usually around $12. edit: While it is not a champagne by any stretch, I am a fan of Brachetto D'aqui, a low-alcahol Italian sparkling red which is wonderful with sweets, especially chocolate. Could be an interesting end to what sounds like a very fun evening!

This sounds fabulous. Would you indulge me with answers to the following? 1) What is Mandarine Napoleon? Can I sub it with something else? (I have the rest of the ingredients already.) 2) What is a ringy dingy? Thanks!

Thanks for the link. I doesn't look bad-- and MUCH cheaper than Roxanne's. Is the food similar? (I mean taste, texture, technique--I know it's raw!) Hopefully Elissa will give us more of a review.

I really agree with you. I was looking at the LA Gayot's online, and I found it actually less helpful/accurate than Zagats. People slam the haikus, but often they give you a much better sense of the overall ambience at a restaurant than a more traditional short review. The main shortcoming, in my mind, is the lack of sophistication of much of the general public/Zagat voter. But honestly, that is a problem with the “democratic process” in general—again, look who we just voted into office!!! (But knowing this shortcoming, you can adjust for it in much the same way you adjust for the taste of an individual restaurant critic. And this is a convenient adjustment, as you don’t need to acquaint yourself with a multitude of regional critics’ tastes.)

Elissa- Not familiar with Gulianos. Can you provide a bit more detail? Thanks!

Robert- Thanks for your post. I enjoyed Roxanne's very much and would gladly go again. (Stone, I went in summer, so it is hard for me to predict how she deals with seasonal challenges. The perfect tomatoes, baby herbs, and greens did add a lot to the meal, but the more interesting components, like the nut cheeses, would actually be very nice in cooler months because of the richness.)

I like southern/Louisiana style sides with a Turducken: Long cooked collards Corn pudding Sweet potatoes Pecan pie for dessert Stuff like that. BTW, if the store-bought critters are anything like homemade, be prepered for a huge quantity of fat/drippings. (MMM, gravy...) The recipe I used called for 2 roasting pans--a small one, almost fitted to beast, and a lagre one, to catch all the drippings. We still had to bail the big pan to keep it from overflowing!

I noticed that, too. I wrote some really awful stuff about the "teflon" type spots, and took some major swipes at some of the super-trendy places, and most of my comments were ignored. ("Snotty" service at the Ivy made it in, but I bet I was not the only person to write that!) I think I like the new geography, but it will take some getting used to. I am much less mature than you, SWoody! I looked through all my votes to see how many of my pithy comments they used!!! (Small amusements, I know.) My best was regarding Takao on San Vicente: An "ugly" place, but the "stuff on the plate is beautiful". Interesting that they added the quotes where they did, as the whole phrase appeared almost exactly as I wrote it. (They deleted the word "little".)

I think the points he makes are good, and I agree that some of the ratings in the new LA guide are a joke. (Do people really think the food at the Ivy is good? Mr Chows? Ugh!) However, I still love the guides. I have discovered many good places by using them (Jitlada, George's at the Cove, Troquet, Guelegatza, Chinois on Main), especially when I was new to LA. And I think they are great for travel--especially when you don't have an e-gullet list with you. I have had great luck with the guides--there are some dissapointments, for sure, but I am still a fan.

Thanks, Russ. I am a lapsed member and am thinking of joining up again. The Salon sounds amazing! Do you ever do any of their local outings? Hard to imagine that they would rival the event you describe.

Russ- You have mentioned Evan Kleiman several times on these threads. (I will check out her books--thanks for the recs.) I think she is still the head of Slow Food LA. Could you tell us a little about your views on Slow Food, and if you think it has particular relevance in California? Thanks!

I am continuing to throw my money away at Bristol Farms, where no one is on strike. I will avoid Pavillions, where I sometimes shop, till the strike is over. The Doheny Bristol Farms is right across from a Ralph's. It was absolutely packed on Sunday afternoon with Ralph's regulars that did not want to cross the picket lines. Seems that the strikers are getting a lot of support!

Campanile 624 S. La Brea Ave. (bet. 6th St. & Wilshire Blvd., East side of street) LA (323) 938-1447 La Brea Bakery is next door. They have wonderful baked goods, cheeses, meats, sandwiches, etc.

Russ- Are there any standout books in these areas that you would recommend? Most specifically: - Cookbooks by Southern California authors, especially chefs? - Books on the history of food in CA? - Books on LA restaurant lore/history? - Particularly good, recent books on the CA wines? (I assume there are a lot here...) - Restaurant guides you find reliable? Thank you for a great Q & A!

I think grilled cheese night is a ton of fun--I used to go a lot when they first started doing it. Unfortunately, it got way too popular, and the waits got to be outrageous. (They only use the front area for the grilled cheese menu, and the situation gets ugly because they take reservations for parties of 8 or more only. One night they had three large parties, which took up practically the whole space, so the wait was outrageous! Hopefully they are handling it better now...) But go early (7.00 or before) if you want to check it out. Coachboy is right about the check--it is not as cheap as it might be. But to me the quality of the food and the inventiveness of the menu make it worth the price. Going with the more unusual combos might make it seem more interesting--my favorite is burata cheese with bitter treviso. MMM.

have you been to roxanne's? the raw food movement holds only slight interest to me. i might see i can somehow squeeze the laundry into my schedule. if i can somehow get a reso. mike I had a very interesting and enjoyable meal at Roxanne's in July. Raw food is not of particular interest to me, either, but the meal was still worthwhile. Many of the techniques are very unusual, and could perhaps be considered avant garde. The best things I had were the coconut "noodle" pad thai, a coconut soup, and a lovely hierloom tomato salad. It had the most miniscule baby herbs on it. If you are after unique cooking, it is a good place to go. However, some of SF's other restaurants might be more enjoyable from a "wow, that's delicious" perspective. I wonder what Micheal Minna will be up to at the St Francis. Maybe not avant garde, but should be interesting.

Great news, Beachfan! Did they have a new sommelier?

Tanino's is good, but it's not in Mori's league. In its league--Italian with nice vibe and good food--it's a cut above like all the Drago family spots. Tanino's is nice--a good choice in Westwood, for sure. But in my book, Angelini Osteria has much better food. H'wood--do you mean Di Mori in Beverly Hills? I've not been there...

Best of luck with your big move. Wow! How about Taylor's? Along the same lines as Musso & Frank's, but a little off the beaten path. Matsuhisa would be a good spot to bis farwell to that great LA sushi. I would have to have a goodbye drink at Shutters, too. In terms of classics of tomorrow, I think Campanile will rate--so good, year after year, and with a distinct point of view.

Cheap and fast can be a tough combo. Cheaper cuts of meat usually need longer cooking, and the dried beans, which are almost free, take a while, too. I am considering the crock pot option--I love long cooked stuff, and there have been some great thread/recipes here. A few more ideas: Couscous (the instant kind) is fast and cheap. A very nice Moroccan spiced veggie stew can be made quickly as a topping: some carrots (use halved "baby" carrots for the quickest result), chopped onions, canned tomatoes, spices (garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, tumeric, lemon zest), simmer till carrots are tender, then add some green beans, a can of garbanzos, and let the green beans cook. This works with almost any veggie--turnips, carrots, frozen beans, canned artichokes--and all the spices actually make for a nice comforting dinner. I did this last night, and fried up some merguez sausage. For 4, with leftovers, was about 45 minutes. Couscous can also be thrown into a soup as a thickener at the end: I like thinly sliced onion, carrot, mushroom, sauteed in evoo, add some chicken broth, simmer for a few minutes, then add couscous and some chopped parsley. Instant polenta is good, too. Tomato sauce, sauteed bitter greens, Italian sausage. This is fast if you make your own tomato sauce, and jarred sauce would make it really fast. Anne Willan has a quick cookbook, and I make a minestrone from it: sautee onions and garlic, add canned tomatoes, beans (cannellini) , and stock. Simmer till heated. You can throw in some bitter greens or zucchini for your greenery, along with some basil or parsely or oregano. Serve with pasta that has been cooked seperately. (You can throw the pasta in the soup too cook, but if there are leftovers the pasta gets all mushy.) And pork tenderloin loin is my pick for fastest and cheapest cut of meat.

I grew up in Berkerley, too! (Now I'm in LA.) I would also like to thank Leff J (great pix) and Extra MSG for reminding me of great times in one of my favorite spots.

Is that happening? That thread seems to have gotten lost...

Sona has a very food-centered vibe, and is usually quiet. I love the food. It is very personal, very interesting. There are sometimes misses, but it all seems worth it in the end. And the desserts are wonderful! I am no wine expert, but I think they have some trouble in that area. I have had 2 tasting dinners there with paired wines, which were good but not really on par with the food, IMO. I have heard that the list is good; next time we will chose our own wines. Here is a Sona thread. AOC is much more of a scene, and can get loud. It is sophisticated (bith the food and the vibe), but still casual and fun. The food is boldly flavored, Mediterranean style with an emphasis on cheeses and charcuterie, with tapas-sized portions and many wines by the glass. I like the food very much, escecially the parmesan-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon and grilled. (bacon.....) The same chef and manager also run Lucques, which is a bit more grown up. I have had some good meals there, but lately I think they are paying attention to AOC and Lucques is suffering a little. Grace is fun, too, and a bit of a scene. I had one good/very good meal there. But the level of cooking at Sona is more subtle and more carefully considered, IMO. I also have to recommend Mori Sushi on Pico at Gateway. I just had another MIND BLOWING omakase dinner there on Wednesday night. Mori is a master. I have raved about this place on a few threads, here is one. I have not yet been to Alex or Bastide, two of LA's other new "fine dining" spots. I have heard mixed things about both. Re: Rockenwagner, I also think he is underrated. I have not been the the restaurant on Main St. in a while, but I used to enjoy it when I lived in Santa Monica. I think the Marina Del Rey location Roc, closed. It was a very casual place, really wild decor and a pizza/salad influence. Best of luck in picking a spot! SONA!!! Or Mori Sushi. You must at least consider these 2 spots.