Carolyn Tillie

Therein lies a question of distributorship -- most establishments are limited to the distributor from whom they are purchasing and what is in "their book." While you might find a winery that you like, you need to find out if they are even distributed in your state and that is done by contacting your local distributors.

I've been remiss in posting lots of recent dinners which I hope to rectify (even by a little back-tracking in the next few days...) However, a stunning dinner last evening at Kappa is where I'll start... A farewell to a good friend was a great reason to return here and this time, I shot some pretty decent pics with the iPhone: An opening course comprised of a gelatinous goo comprised of okra and clarified fish stock on top fresh scallops, topped with large roe. A clean, bright starter... Kinpira-gobo. This is basically simmered burdock root which had a dressing of mostly sesame oil and seeds with a little red pepper flakes. A series of small bites; reading from left to right starting from the top-left: cold, seared marinated duck breast (tender and rich), squid rolled around fish roe, grilled meatball. Second row: sea snail, "sushi" of egg yolk wrapped with shrimp and cucumber, ankimo. Third row: tamagoyaki, smoked scallop, anago sushi. I love this presentation and all the various bites that are presented. Assorted sashimi: Very decent hamachi (yellowtail), halibut (very good, very tender), 2 pieces of maguro, and mirugai (giant clam). Also, real wasabi, which was sweet and not too hot. The fried bits; a corn fritter, a crab puff, cold seared toro, and black-skin pork, tonkatsu-style. The corn fritter was amazing - literally bursting squirts of freshness. The pork was tender and rich and the toro literally melted in the mouth. Nearing the finish, served in a martini glass was a concoction of pureed fava beans in which was set a single perfect bite of shrimp. Topping all of it was jellied fish broth. I'm not sure I have ever experienced the single essence of fava beans so delicately prepared. The sweet bites: Along with a selection of fresh melon and mango, are two house-made preparations - the one on the left is filled with red bean paste and topped with soy powder, kinako, and the one on the right molded with white bean and chestnut, a kuri wagashi. A word on service - this is a husband-and-wife establishment and with only ten seats, reservations are required as all the service is done by the Mrs. The plates and utensils used are delicate, expensive, and quite beautiful. The entire meal is a treat. edited to fix a few things which my dining companion knew about but I didn't... Thanks, J!

Que? I am not familiar with the term. ← Definition here.

Thanks for bringing this to light - all the big places get discussed and mentioned over and over but this one will be on my list now for a visit soon. Doc, if I get there before your visit, I'll post...

From Sweeney Todd and the making of meat pies:

Bless you, yes! How could I forget the lovely chestnut omelet... it added such depth to the duck and moji berries! Can't wait to see you in September as well!

For a change, I ate a breakfast on Friday - but this time with the delightful Maison Rustique! She recommended a spot in the Laguna Hills, Break of Dawn Restaurant. What a superb restaurant, but what fabulous company! I grabbed a flier but regrettably, the dish I ordered is not listed so I'm hoping Maison will chime in on what I am missing... I had a stunning roast duck creation that had two sauces. It was layered with (I think?) egg and house-made toast. The whole dish was heightened with macerated moji berries and that was the unexpected surprise. It was intensely rich and satisfying. Maison's dish IS listed in their tri-fold and it was Smoked Salmon with Egg - but served with an oatmeal galette, marinated tomatoes, and a preserved lemon-caper emulsion. What a stunning combination of flavors! The oatmeal galette was an interesting carb-component that grounded the dish and made it much more interesting than a mere potato galette would. After some errands and brakfast, I picked up a friend to head back into Laguna proper and we stopped at the Shake Shack (now owned and operated by Ruby's) on PCH for a Date Shake. I had forgotten about this little hideaway gem but the shakes were significantly sweeter than I recalled and could barely drink a few sips before the sugar high set in. Lunch with a friend that afternoon back in Laguna at first appeared promising; Sushi Laguna on 231 Ocean Avenue. I was very encouraged at the variety that was offered. We started with Ankimo which was not quite as firm as what I am accustomed to but still tasted good. We also ordered fresh sweet shrimp and abalone which provided some very interesting plating - the tail of the sweet shrimp was served next to the abalone shell filled with those slices, and the half of the once-live shrimp was placed vertically for our amusement as he continued to move and squirm during our consumption of his tail; slightly disconcerting as he seized in his death throws but still tasty. Once finished with the plate, the chef offered to fry up the head which he enjoyed. We also enjoyed a soft-shell crab roll and a fresh toro roll along with bottles of Okunomatsu sake. A delightful day in Laguna was finished up with gelato at Gelato Paradiso. A combination with lemon, mango, raspberry, and peach ended a great art-buying/ocean swimming trip as we headed back to my friend's house to pick his wife up for dinner. They had a great new Indian restaurant they were very happy with called Nirvana at 18774 Brookhurst in Fountain Valley. Much to my regrets, it seems that one of the previously-eaten bits of sushi was not good and while their dinner smelled truly fantastic, I spent more time running into the restaurant's loo to worship the porcelain throne than being able to even visit with my friends. Being the good friends they are, they ate quickly and got me back to their abode where the rest of the evening was spent in the not-too-pleasant manner... Happily, I believe all is much better as some morning toast has stayed down and I am looking forward to a fabulous evening with friends in Los Angeles and at Valentino's...

Sorry I haven't been keeping up with this... I had two friends come in on Thursday afternoon - they were immediately starving and spied the Johnny Rockets on the corner. Whatever. A mediocre burger, fries, and root beer float sufficed but hardly set the tone for what I had been eating all week. That evening, however, we stopped at what I think was the Surf and Sea hotel for cocktails. Beautiful scenery - mediocre Sidecar (fake lime juice, I believe). We started walking north with the intention of going to French 75. We had no reservations but it was relatively early and a local gallery order recommended it. The waitress seemed put out when we informed her we had no reservations. I noticed a sign out front that indicated Champagne cocktails and half-price hors d'oeuvres from 5:00 to 7:00 and we were certainly within that window, however when we were seated, the only menu we received was some "twilight" prix-fixe menu that looked un-exciting. My friends and I were turned off by the bad mojo and left immediately. As we continued walking north, I mentioned Sapphire - that I had eaten there the previously evening and it couldn't hurt to ask how long the wait was. Much to my surprise, they recognized me immediately and offered to sit us as a great table by the wine racks. A new waiter I had never seen introduced himself but chimed in, "welcome back, Ms. Tillie." Nicely done. We repeated a few of my dishes, the crab warka and the truffle fries, but added two more starters, a roasted tomato and goat cheese tart with crispy pancetta, caramelized onion, and argula pesto. Obviously fresh ingredients and a great flavor - although I don't much remember an overt flavor of pancetta. We also shared a chicken Sikh-Kabob served with a lettuce wrap, green papapa salad, and mint raita. A new twist on the lettuce wrapas the kabobs were served on their own miniature grill and a self-assemble components. The duck had already been removed from the menu. We opted for three shared entrees: 1. Pan-seared barramundi, olive oil-poached tomato, warm baby vegetables, and herbes de Provence butter - this was an amazing piece of fish and the vegetables very fresh. A great summer dish. 2. Monk fish clay pot, baked polenta, with a country eggplant-tomato stew - almost too subtle in taste but beautifully served in Korean ddukbaege instead of a clay pot. 3. Baked Kurobuta pork shank with kabocha gnocchi, brussels sprouts, and homemade apple mustard. This was the clear winner of the evening as the meat was tender, the gnocchi light, and the the sauce rich. We finished the evening with previously-missed Pavlova and I can understand why it is so desired. Very light and refreshing, a great finish to a great second evening. You guys are lucky to have this in your neighborhood!

Yeah, its true... I was a professional critic and there is still a vein within me that looks at food critically instead of just enjoying it for what it is. Since I'm traveling alone, it has been a great way for me to share my vacation! If there were an art-chat board, I could go through the galleries and festivals and discuss the works I'm considering acquiring. (I've narrowed it down to two paintings and just can't decide!)

I had a number of people recommend Sapphire to me and it was easy to see why - the place was hopping and while I was initially disgruntled to only be able to get a 5:30 reservation (geez, the shops are still open then!), by 6:00 it was packed and I felt lucky to have a table. The "scene" is that of the elite of Orange County - lots of perfectly tanned bodies, expensive clothes, and big diamonds. Yes, I felt out of place, but that's okay. Wanting to get through as much as possible, I was fortunate that another solo diner was seated next to me and we quickly became fast friends, thereby enabling me to taste considerably more than I would on my own. Hence I don't have pics of everything... I started with a trio of fish - a lollypop of ahi, escabeche of salmon, and sashimi kampachi. My first (and only?) big, unknowing mistake of the evening was that my first bite was the kampachi which was dressed with a hidden slice of jalapeno pepper. The jolt of spice slightly killed my ability to adequately taste the other fish. I vaguely remember the ahi having a bit of a bit and the scallop being slightly tougher than it should, but I had to eat too much bread to get through the burn in my mouth. Next I ordered a wild mushroom "cappucino" with porcini foam. Much of this dish is its supposed style; a large platter was placed in front of me and the "cappucino" was deftly poured into the dish from a paper Starbucks (or equivalent) cup. Kinda silly actually and if there was porcini foam, it was lost in the pour. Okay, this might have been my other mistake of the evening -- it was a great mushroom soup, but would have been much better appreciated on a chilly November afternoon; not on a hot August night when a tomato gazpacho or chilled cucumber soup would have been preferred. Wrong time of the year to serve such things... I then ordered a Tunisian crab warka served with an herb-chickpea salad and tomato-harissa aioli. This was just downright brilliant and clearly a show-stopper. The crab was succulent and moist, the chickpea salad was studded with lentils and fava beans, and dressed greens accentuated the rich, spicy aioli. Stunning. At this point, my neighbor shared with me his braised prime short ribs with creamy Parisian mashed potatoes and mirepoix garnish. This was just comfort food - nothing ground-breaking, but well-prepared with the expected tender stringiness and rich sauce. While we were chatting, we kept smelling the aroma of truffles in the air and when asked about it, were told it was a side on the lamb sirloin; "truffles pomme frites." The waiter informed us we could have them as a side and how could we say no? Perfectly crispy and hot, the flavor of truffle did not overwhelm, as it often can. I, on the other hand, opted for a more daring crispy duck leg confit with white polenta and cherry-chocolate mole. The duck itself was far from perfect - slightly on the tough side, the overwhelming heat from the plate led me to believe that it sat under a heat lamp a bit too long. However the polenta was intensely rich and the juxtaposition of the cherry-chocolate mole with the bright, crisp green beans and bits of corn played well of each other. This was all about the components and it was slightly sad that the meat was not up to par with the rest, but was easy to look aside because of the playfulness of the dish. For dessert, I should have listened to my waiter who suggested an Australian passion fruit Pavlova with fresh beeries, and a mango coulis. Instead, I was intrigued with a Buddha's hand confit which was described as part of a Hazelnut feuillitine. The feuillitine, like the mushroom soup, would be better suited for winter and fall - it was heavy and thick. Sadly, any hint of Buddha's hand was missing. It was well-plated and all that, but didn't do it for me. An enjoyable evening, most definitely. I regret that I didn't dine there with a large party - if only to taste through the entire menu as much looks very intriguing and innovative. The warka was a clear favorite. The waitstaff is attentive. Occasionally I felt rather abandoned but when a waiter was missing-in-action, a manager or busboy seemingly steps in. Very affordable - with my three starters, two glasses of wine, an entree, and a dessert, I spent around $150.00.

Concur - I went to Dottie's for the first time a few weeks ago. Fortunately, I could go on a week day morning, relatively early so the wait was minimal. Well worth it.

It is interesting for me to think back and compare Bin 8945 with Stonehill Tavern. Yes, the Stonehill staff are obviously more polished and the plating is more symmetrical and precious in their perfection, but there is considerably more bang-for-the buck at Bin. Bin's tasting is $105 for food and $100 for wine for 10+ courses. Stonehill's was $115 for food and $65 or $70 for wine but for only six courses. I paid a pretty penny to have that cheese plate (plus an ungodly amount of $47 for a glass of the d'Yquem), making Stonehill prohibitively expensive. And Bin uses the right glassware, even down to the sake!

I'm going to Sapphire tonight, actually! I've heard about Marche Modern but I am getting to the point in this trip where I would like to stay local and not have to drive. As I am alone, it is hard to drink all this wine and then make sure I get back to the hotel safely... At least with Sapphire there is that nifty free Laguna shuttle that will see me home if I decide to get snockered!

I put my Stonehill Tavern report in its own thread.

Dining solo, I opted for the tasting menu with wine pairings. As in similar reports, there is a huge stemware SNAFU as every single wine I was served (except the Champagne) came in the basic, white wine glass. This is a massively glaring error, in my opinion. I also apologize for my non-lit iPhone photos... Domestic Caviar Parfait - smoked salmon, organic egg, chive, creme fraiche paired with Chartogne Taillet 'Cuvee Michael Mina' Champagne NV. This was a very nice start although the smokiness of the salmon and the saltiness of the caviar almost over-powered the subtleness of the egg and creme fraiche. Golden Tomato Gazpacho - Dungeness crab, avocado, and lemon basil served with Nora Albarino, Rais Baixas, Spain 2004. The freshness of the yellow tomato was quite good but for the life of me, I could barely detect the crab. The Albarino was bright and lemony but this hardly seemed an inspired pairing. Alaskan Halibut - Roasted bell peppers, potato-corn chowder, opal basil paired with Point Concepcion Chardonnay, Santa Barbara County, 2004. To start with, the wine served was too cold. It was downright icy. On the dish itself, the initial taste was that it was simply too salty. The halibut was perfectly prepared, but whatever green component was added to make the potato-corn chowder so bright green gave the dish an imbalanced tone. There was simply no cohesiveness to the flavors and the excessive salt highlighted that imbalance. Chardonnay is a classic pairing for fish and I could see why this was chosen, but as neither the wine nor the dish inspired, both seemed to fall a bit flat. Berkshire Pig - Yellow carrot puree, wild arugula, black truffle jus paired with Dom. des Margotieres Saint-Romain, Burgundy, France, 2002. What's this? A white wine glass with a Burgundy??? Wrong... The sauce on this dish was rich and reminded me of Julian Serrano's version from Picasso. Studded with truffles this was quite a lovely dish. The pairing, yet again, was uninspired. The wine was simply a decade too young for service. Colorado Lamb - Cappeletti pasta, braised artichokes, sundried tomato relish served with Peay Vineyards Syrah, 'Les Titans,' Sonoma Coast, 2005. This wine had a great jammy nose, showing potential, but is another I thought served far too early in its life. The lamb itself, despite its glistening, moist exterior, was surprisingly dry and tough. The green puree (spinach) was bitter and this dish was sent back, mostly un-eaten. Cheese Course - This was not part of the tasting menu. But I am a huge cheese fan and requested a cheese plate along with a glass of '02 d'Yquem. Apparently I was served the plate that is normally made for two, in the Mina trio genre and quite frankly, it was too much. I'm a cheese fan - I can do without the accompaniments. In the picture, from left to right, St. Venere served with raisins on the vine, peanut brittle, and acacia honey; Humboldt Fog with quince paste, Marconi almonds, and honeycomb; and Rogue smokey blue cheese with dried apricots, spiced pecans, and wildflower honey. Oh yeah, they did serve this in the appropriate glass - go figure! Strawberry Duo - Golden peach crisp and creme fraiche sorbet served with Coppo Moncalvina Moscato d'Asti, Italy, 2005. Hmmmm. Back to a white wine glass for this sparkler - not even a Champagne glass? This was not a bad dessert at all, actually. I was just pretty full at this point and prefer the cheese as a dessert. ~~~~~ A few words on service. The first few courses came VERY fast - almost within ten minutes of each other. Dining alone, it isn't like there is conversation to draw an evening out and the waitstaff did offer me reading material (like Mina's cookbook). The General Manager noticed to speed of service and slowed things down a tad. He introduced himself as Tim when I asked if he was the sommelier as he was very attentive to what was going on in the room. Huge points on that account. It is obvious they are serving a very high-end crowd and the bells and whistles of the complexity of the food combinations would easily impress those who like the scene - however, I think they were misguided. One can easily be overwhelmed with the beautiful ambience of the room and assume that everything being served is exceptional when it plainly is not. Pity.

Lunch today was at Mother India on Baker Street in Costa Mesa. This was at the request of close friends of mine and not my choosing. The last time I took these friends to lunch, they asked to be taken to Natraj at 998-B South Coast Highway in Laguna Beach and I only wish we had gone back to Natraj as Mother India was an abomination. For starters, there was no paneer in the saag and the saag was thick and pasty. The masala was lifeless. There was something with zucchini which was so overcooked as to be incredibly limp. Their mango lassi was thin. The saving grace was the gulab jamin which was at least prepared when it was ordered = it was hot. I didn't eat much in preparation for dinner...

Here is my return visit to Bin, a restaurant that is continually astonishing me in its innovation. Amuse of Vichyssoise with chive oil and bits of bacon - a creamy, subtle start with a nice punctuation of salty bacon bits. Oyster Rockefeller – Prince Edward Oysters with Herb Crema, Gruyere, Uni foam and American Caviar. This was paired with Nagarawaga sparkling Nigori sake. It is combinations like this that impresses me so much about the restaurant. There is a great juxtaposition between the saltiness of the foam and caviar which is tamed with the sweetness of the sake. Heirloom Tomato Tart, Gruyere, Lomo, Cucumber, Basil, Thyme, Oregano, and Sherry Vinaigrette accompanied with Egly ouriet-"Vignes de Vrigny," NV, Pinot Meunier from Ambonnay, France. Knowing how much food was coming our way, when I saw the size of this tart I immediately thought I would only eat half to save room. After one bite, I realized that was not possible. The "crust" of the tart was melted cheese and while I thought the combination would be sharp-tasting, it was rich. The complement of a 100% Pinot Meunier sparkling brought out the elegance of the tomatoes. On the far left, crispy plaintain, in the center shrimp ceviche with pickeled habanero chile and on the far right, bacon and coconut foam served with 2005 Emrich Schonleber Halbtrocken Riesling Nahe, Germany. The idea here is to bring all these flavors together so a bit of the creamy foam was spread on the plantain and then a few bites of shrimp were added so that the plantain could be lifted to the mouth... I was concerned about the habanero chile being too spicy for me and realized the sweetness of the riesling was served to counter the chile's bite. I had little reason to be worried as the overwhelming spice I was anticipated did not exist. It was a stunning combination. Pacific Striped Sea Bass with asparagus, fried egg and summer black truffles from Italy. David cooked the bass tableside on a 500 million year old salt block that had been heated for 45 minutes in a 700 degree oven. The plates with the egg and asparagus were then presented and David plated the bass and then shaved the truffles on top of the egg. There is something supremely satisfying about runny eggs with truffles and the addition of the freshly grilled sea bass and asparagus was oddly wholesome. The brilliance of this dish was the pairing of a show-stopper wine, 1999 Maion Lucien Le Moine "Valmur," Chablis, France. Tasted blind, NO ONE would know this wine was a Chablis - it was so intensely rich and elegant, I was SURE it was a classic Montrachet... Crispy Frogs Legs with Vandouvan and Oranges. Vandouvan generally consists of a blend of curry leaves, fenugreek, mustard seeds, and garlic served with 2005 Deus "Brut de Flanders" Beer Flanders/Champagne. This was my show-stopper for the evening. I'm not sure if it was the crispiness of the frogs legs, the spicy blend of flavors, or how the beer/champagne brought it all together, but there was this sense of comfort food in handling the legs and tearing the meat off with my teeth. I could have -- and should have! -- licked the plate. La Belle Farms foie gras, caramelized plaintains, house-cured duck prosciutto, red plum gastric with a touch of watercress for spice served with a Calem 20 year old Port, Portugal. As was discussed during dining, this dish was a tad too sweet for me. I could completely understand what David was trying to do in moving us towards the heftier dishes, but the sweetness of the plaintains, the plum sauce, AND the port made for a bit of sugar shock. Some tang of contrast was needed - in a slice of sour apple, or shred of shiso leaf... I'm not sure what. Actually, I would have loved this dish at the end of the meal AS a dessert. Perfectly grilled foie. Pork Roulade. The pork had been stuffed with a mixture of chopped scallops and shrimp. It was served with herb spaetzle and bing cherry demi glace, 1985 "Les Cazeetiers", Pierre Bouree Gevery Chambertin, France. This was a near-perfect course. The pork was fork tender. The stuffing was not overly rich. The demi glace had the right amount of sweetness. My only suggestion came with my second-to-last bite when a mouthful of spaetzle that had a bit more herbs than the previous bites and I realized I loved how the flavor of the herbs highlighted the entire dish and accentuated the wine. Wild boar sausage with boar jus, caramelized onions and crispy garlic chips served with a 2002 Marques del Puerto, Gran Riserva, Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Graciano; Rioja, Spain. This dish was a show-stopper for the men as both raved enthusiastically over the taste of the sausage. Yes, I was enamored, but preferred the pork a bit more... Amazing wine pairing. Again. Filet with English peas, applewood smoked bacon and a duck fat onion ring served with a 2004 "Agno Tinto", Vignalta Petite Syrah; Veneto, Italy. I'm not sure why I love this course so much - the contrast of the fresh peas against the onion ring and tender meat just seems almost Elizabethan in sentiments. The Petite Syrah was a surprise and inspiration. Cheese – Pont le Vec, Lavender and Epoisse served with a 2000 "St. Hippolyte" Marcel Deiss Gewurztraminer, Bergheim, France. I like a simple cheese plate and get annoyed with too much "stuff" - I don't need fresh fruit or dried fruit or compotes or nuts. I just like the cheese. The lavender was definitely the strongest and for it alone, I would have preferred a Tokaj but in conjunction with the other cheeses, this Gewurz was fine. Crème Fraiche Panna Cotta ~ market berries with 1993 Chateau Pajzos "5 Puttonyos," Furmint Hungary. Creamy, simple, and perfect with the wine. But for me, it was about the OTHER dessert... Churros with a Chocolate sauce. Seriously - how can anyone go wrong with fried dough? It is comfort food to its core and is so hard to screw up. Good thing for me there were only a few on the plate; I could have eaten a dozen. I thought I had reached Nirvana with the churros, but a mignardise of sorts followed - miniature chocolate cupcakes. That did it for me. Or, I should say, the cupcakes and the fact that I got the waitress to bring me a glass of cold milk as the pairing. Seriously, is there anything better than a perfect bite of chocolate cake followed with a splash of cold milk? Not in my book... A perfect ending to a perfect dinner!

I'm having some difficulty finding any info on this place. This 2002 review is the most current info I can seem to detect. No website for the place?

Yes -- there is actually this family joke that my grandmother loved tiny service ware and would "lift" pieces that she liked. My sisters and I remember her wiping out the pewter butter dish and slipping it in her purse. While we have no idea what ultimately happened to that particular dish, I have in my collection a very small, pewter cream pitcher which is etched "Palace Hotel." It is no more than 2 1/2 to 3 inches tall and to this day, I am still curious where the Palace Hotel was that she swiped it from.

I have eaten at every Japanese/sushi restaurant in Japantown. For a very unforgettable experience, consider getting reservations at Kappa Restaurant. They only seat eight or ten in an evening so reservations are a must. It is an event in that there is no menu - you simply eat the dozen or so bites of food placed before you. It is hard to find as there is no English name of the restaurant on the door and its entrance is rather hidden (upstairs from Denny's and adjacent to a night club). If there is no time to make reservations, a great back-up is Maki which is also very small but a bit more accessible in the Japantown mall itself. Maki has the advantage of having sushi on the menu as well as lovely savory offerings that are beyond your classic tempura, teriyaki, and tonkatsu. Lastly, Kiss Sushi is somewhat the standard of high-end, reservations-suggested sushi in San Francisco. Right on the edge of Japantown, this establishment only seats about 13 or 15 and I have occasionally been able to walk in and eat, but that is only because I have done so as a solo diner on weeknights.

Our wine steward (male) was wearing a professional suit and tie. Our server (female) was wearing a dark, Nehru jacket-like outfit; dark and professional. No wench dresses.

I suspect they were king oyster mushrooms a.k.a. eryngii mushrooms. They are big and meaty with a tendency to toughness unless braised into submission; the big fat stems, when sliced into slabs, can indeed look a lot like steak fries. Pity they didn't cook them long enough, because they can be quite nice if handled right. But it sounds like this restaurant is not about the newfangled ingredients but the old standbys anyway. ← Thank you - yes. I didn't take notes and remembered the "oyster" part of the description but not the "king" (and I'm a mushroom fan!).

Just returned from Five Crowns... There were four of us and we started with the following: Starters 1. Many-Onion Soup - okay, this is no longer a French Onion Soup apparently, where we expected a toasted crouton topped with melted cheese. This was an incredibly lame, flavorless concoction of wilted, flavorless onions with a limp broth and chunks of sweet, dark bread. Now I like sweet dark bread - but usually with butter and from my hand; not as a soggy addition to wimpy soup. 2. Crab Cakes - reasonably decent. Crusted with panko crumbs and redolent with chunky crab, served with a tangy sauce that was well-enjoyed. 3. Lobster Bisque - this was almost too rich and creamy. Topped with a creme fraiche foam and finely diced sundried tomatoes, only a few tastes sufficed. 4. Napolean of freshly-roasted beets and goat cheese - this was a replacement dish. I wanted and ordered the foie gras (apparently new to the menu) was already sold out. The beets were well-roasted with a red slice on the bottom, some creamy goat cheese, a golden orange slice in the middle with a bit more goat cheese, and topped with a bright yellow slice of beet atop. Served with a side of dressed mesclun, this was nothing better than what I could prepare at home, but still nicely done. Two Sides 1. Sesame- and ginger-sauteed asparagus. Didn't fit with the rest of the genre of the evening, but well-prepared and will make a great salad for lunch tomorrow. 2. It was described as Oyster Mushrooms but I have never seen slices of oyster mushroom this big and chewy before. Almost flavorless. No - they were flavorless. On the platter, they looked like steak fries. Seriously. Entrees 1. Classic cut of prime rib served with creamed spinach, broccolini, and a pop-over. This was a huge, classic piece and I admitted to being surprised at the fact that no steak knives were placed on any of our settings. They weren't needed. This is a Lawry's restaurant and they prepared a perfect hunk of prime rib. The spinach was lackluster and un-interesting but the additions of au jus and fluffy, creamed horseradish was perfect. 2. Grilled Rib Eye with mashed potatoes and served with topped, tiny onion rings. This was amazing cut of meat. Again, I was surprised there were no steak knives offered but none were needed. This was an intensely well-marbled hunk of meat that was tender enough to be cut with a butter knife. It definitely stood out throughout the entire meal. 3. Roast Duck with sliced apples, prunes, and a sweet port reduction. This was served with a wild rice studded with walnuts, broccolini, and some well-turned carrots. Although a tad on the sweet side, this was one of the better pieces of prepared duck I have ever tasted. Instead of the classic, half-cut whole piece, these were quartered so no bones had to be fought with and all the pieces were tender and rich. Really great duck. 4. Butterfly shrimp and scallops in a creamy, coconut spicy sauce with a touch of curry. Centered with mound Forbidden Black Rice (rather over-cooked, I thought, on the mushy side), this was a rich, slightly spicy dish that somewhat overpowered the shellfish. Don't get me wrong; it was great sauce! But any hunk of fish could have been served in this sauce and had it taste pretty good - from halibut to calamari steak... Desserts 1. Souffle - we pre-ordered a souffle and for the life of me, I can't remember what the flavor was. It was just okay; already slightly deflated and filled with whipped cream and creme anglaise when it was served. There were a few brown, crunchy edges that interested me more and I ate those quickly. 2. Fresh Peach Cobbler - served very hot and a bit on the chewy side, this was served with ice cream and was neither great nor bad. It just was. I only had one bite. 3. English Triffle - LAME! Mediocre cake layered with English cream and fresh fruit, as far as triffles go this one was decidedly mediocre. I tasted none of the much-desired brandy that should soak the cake. I only had one bite. 4. Stilton plate with a port wine pairing. A few mis-steps in this dish. For starters, it was advertised as being served with raisin bread (it was not). I also ordered it served with a 20-year Taylor's port which they were out of (gee, just like the foie!). Instead, I asked the sommelier to serve me something appropriate and he gave me a rather decent Eos late-harvest Zinfandel. Alongside the three ample chunks of stilton were walnuts, water crackers, sliced dried figs, and a rather interesting and spicy apricot compote. I always prefer a good cheese plate with sweet wine to the classic dessert and even with the mis-steps, this was the preferred dessert. Some Other Notes The reason for this visit is entirely sentimental - I was born and raised in Orange County and this was the restaurant that my parents would go to and take visiting family members to on special occasions 30+ years ago. My sisters and I went here this evening in honor of my parents and it was the very first time that my two sisters, my niece, and I have ever spent alone time together other than our parents' funerals. I have memories of my mother's 40th birthday party here when I was just six years old and again when I was 9 and my grandmother visited form Pennsylvania. This restaurant has staying power and heritage. In those 30-ish some years, the Five Crowns has not changed in its decor or demeanor. It is dark and old-worldy in its service and presentation. What has changed is that all the dishes are no longer served entirely on pewter and many classic dishes are gone (no more escargot, Welsh rarebit, or classic French Onion Soup). The classic dishes are just that: Classic. It is a great hunk of prime rib and the rib eye was a stunning piece of meat. There is also the price. Besides my glass of port, I ordered a 2001 Lamborn Howell Mountain Zinfandel. The bottle of wine, four starters, two sides, four entrees, and four desserts with a single glass of port came out to just over $300. That, in itself, made this quite a bargain. For the rib-eye and prime rib alone, I would return. The service was professional and helpful and for a Monday night in the summer, the restaurant was about 75% full with quick service. I would not want to be there on a weekend. Also, a good portion of the guests were -- okay, let's say from an era that would appreciate this style of food... Yes: Elderly. It was reminiscent of days-gone-by and quite enjoyable for what it was. I don't need to go again for another twenty years but sincerely doubt it will be any different twenty years from now. They will still serve a really good hunk of meat at a reasonable value...

So begins my week in Laguna Beach. I actually arrived on Sunday and started with intensely mediocre salad at Piknic in Playa Vista. I ordered the chopped salad with turkey, garbanzo beans, bacon, and provolone and my friend, W, had a Niman Ranch steak salad. The dressings were bottled and the steak was disgustingly thin and chewy. That's okay - it is about the company and not the food... The evening, however, was about the company AND the food. Another fabulous visit to Bin 8945. As I am still digesting the notes (and the meal!) I will be posting a full accounting in its separate thread in a day or so. Suffice to say this is currently my favorite restaurant in Los Angeles and the *best* wine pairings I've had in the entire state. David's sensibilities and ability to pair is incomparable. This thread will remain for all the places I will eat at around the art festivals. For starters, I have reservations tonight for the Five Crowns which is a Lawry's link in their chain and Stonehill Tavern for tomorrow night. The rest of the week is still as-yet undecided...

aguynamedrobert, are you In The Business? If so, you can't beat Pacific Gourmet at 1060 Marin Street [(415) 641-8400]- it is wholesale only so you would need to open an account to shop there (and they don't have a website), but they have the most diverse and expansive selection of everything; truffles, dried mushrooms, condiments, mustards, vinegars, oils, cheeses, meats, etc...