DIGEST: Los Angeles Times Food Section

jschyun · October 21, 2004

LA Times Food Section -- October 20, 2004

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What a catch! -- Russ Parsons

He says that right now, the commercial SoCal spiny lobster season is at its peak. "Spiny lobsters have a little firmer texture than Maine lobsters and a fuller, more complex flavor. And they are highly seasonal. The commercial harvest begins the first Wednesday of October, and though it lasts through mid-May, most of the catch occurs this month. "

Time for a kitchen tuneup -- Donna Deane

She tells you how to clean out, update your kitchen appliances/utensils/tools/etc, so you can get them ready for the holidays.

From small seeds, inspiration -- Donna Deane

Story about pine nuts. She gives examples of how to use them, from Middle Eastern dishes to Italian dishes. Too bad she didn't delve into Far East Asian ways of using them. Recipes

All smoke and swagger? -- Leslie Brenner

She's not very impressed with Bourdain's new cookbook. Some of the recipes she tries don't work; some border on the bizarre. "One dish did turn out OK: moules marinières. For once Bourdain gives us the traditional method. And guess what: It works. " Recipe for moules mariniere.

Perfectionism, rethought -- David Shaw

He's no longer the hands on chef that Shaw knew of old. He's older and lets other people do the cooking (only trusted chefs he's worked with before). Now he's opening L'Atelier Las Vegas, breaking into the U.S. market through the back door. He decided against New York after seeing what the critics did to Alain Ducasse.

The Parker principle -- W.R. Tish

"This weekend, in San Francisco and the Napa Valley, Robert M. Parker Jr. will be honored at a series of events marking the 25th anniversary of his influential newsletter, the Wine Advocate." It used to be useful to have the Parker 100 point scale around to figure out which were good ones. But now, it's getting cluttered and confusing and Tish concludes that people should stick with helpful wine shops to help choose.

L.A. Times Hot List

#1: "The Gourmet Cookbook by Ruth Reichl (editor) (Houghton Mifflin Co., $40) More than 1,000 recipes culled from the Conde Nast magazine's 60-year accumulation. "

Wine of the Week -- S. Irene Virbila

2001 Château Montus Madiran: "This is the wine to drink with a juicy roast duck or magnificent fatty goose. It likes pork too, and grilled sausages or ribs. It needs some cooler weather and shouldn't be served too warm. Give it a slight chill so it has somewhere to go." about $33

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Calendarlive Stories

The power of three -- Emily Green

She gives 3* to La Terza, Gino Angelini's restaurant. She liked the salumi plate, grilled cuttlefish, ravioli with grilled radicchio, slow-cooked pork shank, "everything from the rotisserie, grilled cuttlefish, cream tart with pine nuts, fruit fritters, sautéed rapini with chile." Great wines. Service is somewhat spotty.

jschyun · November 2, 2004

(Sorry about the delay but I was busy and nobody has taken this over yet.)

LA Times Food Section -- October 29, 2004

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

The soulful simmer -- Carolynn Carreño

She tells us all about ragù, long simmered sauce from Italy, traditionally made with ground beef, according to Marcella Hazan. Recipes

Just add water -- Corie Brown

"California vintners use a controversial practice to reduce over-the-top alcohol levels. Most have kept quiet about it, until now."

Grill your way through college -- Christy Hedges

Sort of a cooking 101 for budding cooks coming straight out of their dorms. Recipes

Success with style -- David Shaw

"Cobras & Matadors owner Steven Arroyo built a small empire through ambition and an uncanny intuition." He's an amazing success story.

Through the ages, a fried fish triathlon -- Charles Perry

Apparently all fried fish has a common fried ancestor. Interesting

High marks for grilling -- Cindy Dorn

"The Lodge Pro Logic Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Grill Pan was a clear winner, a real heavyweight." $23.95 at Crate & Barrel

Westside story -- Leslee Komaiko

Talks about a bunch of the small new places that have opened up on the Westside

Turkeys fit for a Pilgrim's table -- Cindy Dorn

"Heritage turkeys — the Narragansetts, Bourbon Reds and Standard Bronze — that were nearly impossible to find five years ago, are back again this year." Included is a list of locations where you can find these birds.

2001 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Zind -- S. Irene Virbila

"It pulls you in with a lovely bouquet of flowers and peaches, and delivers a mouthful of luscious ripe fruit balanced by a bracing dose of acidity. It shows well as an aperitif but really shines with food, especially Asian and fusion cuisines and the crazy quilt of flavors that make up California cuisine." about $30

Correction

"In the Oct. 13 Food section restaurant review, the name of a Brentwood restaurant was called Latini Osteria. The correct name is Osteria Latini. "

FoodZealot · November 18, 2004

LA Times Food Section -- November 17, 2004

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A THANKSGIVING FEAST

Each dish, as amazing as it can possibly be by Russ Parsons

An anthology of recipes spanning the entire Thanksgiving table. The bird by Judy Rodgers, potatoes by Daniel Boulud, cranberry sauce from Lydia Shire, stuffed cabbage from Michel Richard, apps from Thomas Keller.

Deglazing: It works like magic by Leslie Brenner

Advocates a pan sauce instead of gravy.

A carver's confession by David Shaw

To the carver, belong the spoils.

Congeniality by the bottle by Leslie Brenner

Comparative tasting of styles of wines to match with Thanksgiving - consensus this year seems to be Beaujolais cru.

Roasting Pans: Stick with these by Cindy Dorn

A hardware shootout.

Enjoy the feast without all the fuss by Leslee Komaiko

An overview of local restaurants who are serving Thanksgiving dinner.

The feast's perfect match: Beaujolais crus by Corie Brown

Tasting notes of various Beaujolais crus.

Bastide's extreme cuisine inspires opposing views

Letters about the crushing review of Bastide

A poet's touch in the kitchen

Regarding the feature on Maya Angelou.

HOLIDAY SOS

The case of the shrinking pies by Donna Deane

Turkey day Q&A

The bread winners by Barbara Hansen

Leavened options for Thanksgiving, with sources and prices.

Thanksgiving Preparation Guide

I'm too lazy to link all the articles here, but various articles and reference information about turkey, stuffing, mashers, etc.

A California Thanksgiving

Nine photos of what the recipes are supposed to look like.

How to carve a turkey

A handy cheat sheet

Happy Thanksgiving!

FoodZealot · December 7, 2004

LA Times Food Section -- December 7, 2004

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Whiskey Reinvented by Charles Perry

Artisanal whiskeys from the West - St. George, Old Potrero, Charbay, Peregrine Rock, McCarthy's, McMenamin's Hogshead, Lagunitas and Sweetwater are mentioned.

Tamales at home for the holidays by Corie Brown

Tamale tips and recipes from Alice Tapp, her daughter Tamara, owners of Tamara's Tamales in Culver City, where they use soy based margarine instead of lard.

Santa baby, I'll take one in red by Laurie Winer

Gift suggestions for food lovers and cooks - Demeyere cookware, bamboo cutting boards, cheese knives, Mertens dipping set, Emile Henry tureen and bakeware, Le Creuset enameled stoneware bakeware, a fondue set, and Soehnle scale. With links to sources.

So simple, so perfect by Regina Schrambling

Simple fish preparations adapted from Norman Van Aken, Jasper White, and Pierre Franey.

A sweet taste of winter by Barbara Hansen

Quince and Almond Clafouti from the Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa in Pasadena, courtesy of chef Craig Strong.

Vintage raspberry by Charles Perry

Raspberry wine from Trader Joe's, with serving suggestion as a fizz.

Wine of the Week: 2002 Red Horse Ranch Paso Robles Zinfandel Templeton Gap by S. Irene Virbila

Described by SIV as "unusually focused and elegant" and having "real varietal character and nuanced layers."

For the record a correction of chef Takashi Yagihashi's former restaurant's name - actually called Tribute.

jschyun · December 16, 2004

LA Times Food Section -- December 15, 2004

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SPECIAL HOLIDAY ISSUE

The flavors of Christmas -- Regina Schrambling

Talks in depth about spices of Christmas, some history, and has a paragraph an recipe each for flavors like cloves, ginger, nutmeg, orange, aniseed. Recipes

What's better than chocolate? -- Beth Fortune

Short story on choosing and cooking with chocolate. Recipes include gianduja truffles, chocolate covered orange peels..

One sings, the other does too -- Leslie Brenner

All about Armagnac and Cognac, comparing and contrasting the two.

A truffle under the tree -- David Shaw

Shaw currently has no flavor that he associates with Christmas, but he would like white truffles to have that role.

Foundation's future is a concern -- Regina Schrambling and Corie Brown; Leslie Komaiko

People are concerned about the James Beard Foundation's future, after the indictment of Leonard F. Pickell Jr. on grand larceny charges in the theft of at least $50,000. egullet discussion here... and here

2nd story

Yule lights and music on the menu

lots of festive dinners being held in SoCal Christmas season this year, including prix fixe dinner at Ritz-Carlton (Dana Point), roasted goose at Röckenwagner, and others.

A tisket, a tasket, a delectable basket -- Laurie Winer

You can make a "food lover's basket that wows" by raiding the aisles of Surfas.

Wine of the Week -- S. Irene Virbila

2003 Franz Hirtzberger Spitzer Riesling 'Singerriedel' Smaragd: "An absolutely dazzling Riesling from one of the world's great winemakers...The 2003 Spitzer Riesling "Singerriedel" is ripe and powerful, but also has incredible finesse and complexity. " about $75

Also quick blurbs on "2000 Mauro Molino Barolo" and "2001 Marimar Torres Estate Don Miguel Vineyard Chardonnay"

Sorry chefs' scariest nightmare -- Russ Parsons

Talks about the show "Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmare" the new four part series airing on BBC America. Basically the premise is that Ramsey (well known food icon in UK) goes to an "underperforming" kitchen and has a week to whip them into shape.

Cookstuff -- Emily Green, Wes Bausmith

"Ojai Olive Oil, 375 ml for $18; 250 ml for $12. Santa Monica Farmers Market, Wednesdays; Ojai Farmers Market, Sundays, until the 1,300 bottles sell out"

and Alfajores cookies "$6.95 to $9.95 for a dozen (or 24 bite-size), online at

http://www.splitbeancoffee.com . Call (818) 448-5185"

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Calendarlive Story

Frank and Dino, meet George and Brad -- S. Irene Virbila

She gives 2.5* to Dominick's citing good service, relaxed urban ambiance, very good Italian-Am food.

Edited May 17, 2005 by Rebel Rose (log)

jschyun · December 22, 2004

LA Times Food Section -- December 22, 2004

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

Eureka, it's from California! -- Corie Brown

"Forget about the Caspian stuff. Sacramento's now the source of some terrific caviar." After some trial and error, a couple Sacramento producers are putting out some respectable caviar. Also, results of the latimes CA caviar tasting, Sterling Royal from Stoalt Sea Farms led the pack.

Transparently trendy -- Jordan Mackay

Story about vodkas, results of tasting at end of story. Best in show: Stoli elit (Russia, $60).

Flirting with flavor -- Lynell George

An ode to chives. Recipes

Imagine the possibilities -- Laurie Winer

Story about blini, with blini recipe.

Is there a doctor in the winery? -- David Shaw

Two doctors are making "their impressive, small-production Thompkin Cellars Cabernet Franc" with grapes are grown in Santa Barbara, but made in Costa Mesa of all places. Of the wine they are making, Dan Rhodes of Hi-Time Wine Cellars (Costa Mesa) said "I was expecting something very California-ish, an overripe jam ball. But this wine really has a European flair to it. I was amazed by the balance and elegance and structure. It goes really well with food."

Culinary SOS

Barbara Hansen has the recipe for Frog Hollow Farm's Pear Ginger Cake

Wine of the Week -- S. Irene Virbila

2002 Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray Sec: "Its lush flowery perfume gives the impression of sweetness. The surprise is that it's bone-dry. Crisp and chiseled, the 2002 Domaine du Clos Naudin from third-generation wine producer Philippe Foreau is laced with minerals and has an intense, lingering finish." "Vouvray sec loves oysters, chilled shellfish, steamed mussels and clams, all sorts of seafood." About $26

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Calendarlive stories (viewable for about a week, and then you have to pay)

Cachet to spare -- S. Irene Virbila

She gives 1* to Central, a place for the beautiful people to meet, eat and mingle on Sunset Blvd. Beautiful view, decent if humdrum food. Owned by the Long brothers, of the Roxbury and Atlantic.

rjwong · January 15, 2005

NOTE: This is rjwong's first attempt in updating the LA Times Food section. Hopefully, it won't be my last.

LA Times Food Section -- December 29, 2004

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

Little works of art / by Laurie Winer

Boule on La Cienega & Jin Patisserie in Venice are highlighted. Michelle Myers opened up Boule across the street from the restaurant Sona, that's runned by her husband, chef David Myers. Myers wants to replicate the feel of Parisian shops. Enrolled at San Francisco's California Culinary Academy & worked at Raffles in Singapore, owner Kristy Choo emphasizes Asian flavors at Jin Patisserie. Mind you, both borrow extensively from other cultures.

There is a discussion thread on Boule.

As dollar falls, wine price tags pop corks / by Laurie Winer

Wine merchants bemoan the soaring wine prices, due to a weak US dollar and/or a strong euro. Americans have to deal with devalued currency. “There's no end in sight: Wine merchants expect prices to continue to rise.”

Oh, poor Barolista -- must you go thirsty? / by David Shaw

When Wine Spectator proclaimed the 2000 Barolos as “perfect,” worth 100 points, Barolista (or Barolo lover) David Shaw became worried that the Baroli would be priced beyond his reach. “As it turned out, a series of unhappy circumstances conspired to do just that.”

The best of 2004 / by Charles Perry

In 2004, the LA Times Food section published 380 recipes. Here are the 10 best:

Fig and almond tart / Leslie Brenner article, recipe from Alain Giraud

Cider-braised pork with fennel / Donna Deane article

Spring vegetable ragout / Regina Schrambling article

Limoncello / Charles Perry article, based on the recipe given on eGullet.com by forum host Katie Loeb

Shrimp albondigas with guajillo-chipotle sauce / Susan LaTempa article

Yum takrai (lemon grass with dried shrimp and cashews) / Barbara Hansen article, recipe from A-Roy Thai restaurant in Singapore

Spinach and Parmesan tart / Emily Green article, recipe from Jeremy Lee, chef of the Blueprint Cafe in London

Double-lemon cake / Regina Schrambling article

Artichokes with prosciutto and cream / Russ Parsons article

Crispy-skinned wild salmon with braised spring peas and mushrooms / Russ Parsons article, technique for crisping fish skin learned from Thomas Keller

This year's food and drink Hall of Shame / by Valli Herman

Dare I shame these nine worst offenders of ridiculous new food and drink products by mentioning them? Might as well: PB n' Go's peanut butter in a tube; Wet Willy's Edible Drink (a batch of 24-proof single-serving “adult gelatin cocktails”); Damrak gin (without the juniper, the thing that makes gin gin, sold as “the new vodka”); Liv-a-Littles dog treats (made with ingredients approved for human consumption); food-maker Sabra hired a professional sand sculptor to mold busts of Sen. Kerry & President Bust entirely out of hummus; Lt. Blender's Strawberry Daiquiri in a Bag; Gucci ice cube trays (a set of two rubber trays pops out G-logo ice for $60); Gourmet Garden herb paste in a tube; Slow Cooker Helper pot roast flavor.

Style and substance / by S. Irene Virbila

Meson G restaurant on Melrose is given a 2 1/2* rating. Tim and Liza Goodell of Aubergine in Newport Beach took over the Citrus/Alex space back in November. The chef is Eric Greenspan, formerly of Patina before it moved into Disney Hall. The result is an “avant-garde late-night Barcelona scene”, part Ferran Adrià's El Bulli influence, part Patina influence, “with a wildly eclectic crowd that's ready to dine till late.”

Sparkling into the new year / by S. Irene Virbila

“Here are a few to hunt down to ring the new year or keep on hand for that unforseen something to celebrate.”

Champagne Krug Grand Cuvée nonvintage brut: Champagne region; $100; yeasty and opulent.

Mionetto Vineyards Sergio Spumante Prosecco de Valdobiaddenne: Veneto region; $18; crisp and ripe.

1998 Champagne Larmandier-Bernier Vieille Vigne de Cramant Grand Cru: Champagne region; about $60; elegant and refined.

For the record

Television programs -- A story in the Dec. 15 Food section about British chef Gordon Ramsay's TV shows said the series “Hell's Kitchen” would air in the fall of 2005. The program is not yet on Fox's schedule. In addition, the program “Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmare” was characterized as a BBC production, but although it airs in this country on BBC America, it was filmed in the United Kingdom by Channel 4.

Mustard -- A gift-buying guide in the Dec. 15 section said that Denoix moutarde violette de Brive is made in Burgundy. It is made in Brive, France.

rjwong · January 15, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- January 5, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

Catch 'em while you can / by Russ Parsons

The process of bringing in the Dungeness harvest is detailed. “You want to know what it's like? Pile $35 million in $1 bills in the middle of the floor. Jam 600 fishermen in a circle around it and then blow a whistle and say, 'Go!'” Includes two shorter articles “A boom time for the crab harvest” and “How to prepare a fresh Dungeness”, plus three recipes: Dungeness crab salad with endive and watercress; Dungeness crab cakes with tarragon aioli (adapted from a recipe by chef Nicholas Petti at Fort Bragg's Mendo Bistro); Dungeness crab gratin.

There is a discussion thread on Dungeness crab.

He's counting his Meyer lemons before they're picked / by Russ Parsons

Russ Parsons has only 100 Meyer lemons to use for this season. A history of this fruit , its distinctive features and info about planting & caring for your own Meyer lemon tree are noted. Includes three recipes: Meyer lemon and pistachio panna cotta (adapted from a recipe by pastry chef Nancy Silverton); Meyer lemon curd tart; Meyer lemon granita.

The other white wine pulls ahead / by Jordan Mackay

“After years of languishing in second place, Sauvignon Blanc has turned a corner,” surpassing its glamorous rival Chardonnay. A chronology of its earlier, humbler days, and then, the emergence of the New Zealand Sauvignons. They “were more than just the anti-Chardonnay: They were unabashedly, unapologetically Sauvignon Blanc.” Now, there's a range of styles: Bordeaux, Loire/New Zealand. Includes a recommended list, “Picking California Sauvignon Blancs.”

On an upswing downtown / by S. Irene Virbila

Cafe Pinot is given a 2* rating. Joachim Splichal's first downtown spinoff of ten years “seems to have recaptured its momentum, at least at dinner.” Chef Mark Gold adds some graceful touches within the set style of Cafe Pinot to keep things interesting for its regulars. “It's a downtown restaurant with an authentic life, not dependent on conventions or tourists,” with a view of comsopolitan L.A. & its skyscrapers, urban & contemporary.

There is a link to The Patina Group, which includes Cafe Pinot.

Makai by any other name ... / by Leslee Komaiko

Legal action over a restaurant name: “Koi” (trendy Japanese restaurant) vs. the newer restaurant “Kai” (now called “Makai”).

A warming combination / by Barbara Hansen

Culinary SOS provides chef Brandon Boudet recipe for Dominick's Italian wedding soup from Dominick's restaurant in West Hollywood.

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2002 Simon Bize & Fils Savigny-les-Beaune “Les Bourgeots”: Burgundy region; about $24; soft and earthy; goes with a classic roast chicken. “No waiting on this bottle: Buy it and drink it now. Your chicken will thank you.”

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Calendarlive Stories

Thoroughly modern milieu / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Naya in Pasadena. Former owner of the House on Melrose,

Scooter Kanfer has a new restaurant in Old Town Pasadena that's sleek, understated, contemporary, “Moderne,” as the menu calls it.

Foie gras / by Leslee Komaiko

Five locations to try “one of those foodstuffs few of us would ever attempt to cook with at home”: Sona in West Hollywood; The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, Pasadena; L'Orangerie in West Hollywood; Aqua at St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort; Mélisse in Santa Monica.

rjwong · January 15, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- January 12, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

Made for each other / by Regina Schrambling

Cheese and potatoes make the best winter food combination. The article includes three recipes: Cheese-crusted potatoes; Salade petatou (Warm goat cheese and potato salad); & Three-cheese potato gratin.

Hollywood goes gastronomic / by Laurie Winer

Movies like “Spanglish”, “The Life Aquatic”, and “Sideways” are incorporating characters who have culinary abilities and detailed food knowledge. Includes the Thomas Keller recipe for “Spanglish” BLT with fried egg and melted cheese.

There is a discussion thread based on this article.

Mandoline picks / by Charles Perry

The mandoline, a kitchen tool with a stationary blade to “strum” your vegetables over, is now available for the home kitchen. Seven mandolines were tested ranging from $9.99 to $200.

Preserving a sense of place / by David Shaw

Marco Caprai, owner of the winery Arnaldo Caprai in Umbria, laments the globalization, the homogenization, of the world's wines. Caprai argues very strongly about the importance of indigenous wines. “The beauty of Italy, the essence of Italy, is that you can go anywhere in the country and find good local foods and good local wines native to that particular area.”

Franglais, fluently / by S. Irene Virbila

Christian Shaffer's Avenue in Manhattan Beach is given a 2 1/2* rating. It's a sophisticated French American, “family-run in the same spirit as one- and two-star restaurants in France, ... warming, convival and friendly. ”

Real cuisine in a reel setting / by Linda Burum

Named for the Hindu goddess of nourishment, Annapurna in Culver City serves vegetarian comfort food for all the homesick Indian desis, with Bollywood musicals playing in the background.

Overnight but easy / by Barbara Hansen

Culinary SOS provides the Chef Kazuto Matsusaka recipe for Beacon miso cod from the restaurant Beacon in Culver City.

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2002 Ramey Chardonnay Carneros District: Sonoma County; about $32; rich and tropical; goes with chicken fricassee, seared scallops in beurre blanc, fish in Champagne sauce. “Drinking down is awfully hard going once you get used to the good stuff.”

For the record

Farm stand — In an article in the Dec. 29 Food section on two new patisseries in Los Angeles, a pastry chef said that she bought only organic produce and that the Chino Farms stand in San Diego County was one of her favorite produce suppliers. Chino Farms is not certified organic.

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Calendarlive Stories

The Tao of tea / by Valli Herman

LA teahouses are quietly creating a modern tea aesthetic, a departure from the stuffy British tradition with its little sandwiches and dainty doilies.

A little bit of Sicily / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Palmeri Ristorante in Brentwood. That's Palmeri, as in Ottavio Palmeri, formerly of Il Fornaio, now starting his own Sicilian-style ristorante.

Dolci / by Leslee Komaiko

A list of five locations to enjoy Italian desserts, mainly, alternatives to the ubiquitous tiramisu: La Terza in Los Angeles; Massimo's Cafe in Venice; Antonello in Santa Ana; Trattoria Tre Venezie in Pasadena; & Valentino in Santa Monica.

A “breakfast burger” for the diet-weary / by Dog Davis

Carl's Jr. has been revamping its morning menu. Its newest entry: Carl's Jr. Breakfast Burger (Basically, a bacon cheeseburger, throw out the lettuce & tomato, and put in a fried egg and fried potatoes. I'm not making this up).

rjwong · January 21, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- January 19, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

The world according to Gallo / by Corie Brown

“Think you're drinking an obscure Chianti, a surprising Australian Shiraz or an unusual Côtes-du-Rhône? Think again.” In a rare interview for the LA Times, Joe Gallo comments about the company's plans for wine globalization by producing international wines for American consumers. "'It's about making wine with an absence of negatives,' Gallo says, introducing a phrase he repeats several times during the four-hour interview.”

A movable feast day / by Charles Perry

“Festive Afghan dishes are among the foods prepared by Muslims worldwide to celebrate the Eid-al-Adha, ... the Feast of the Sacrifice. It's also known as the Great Feast (Eid al-Kabir).” Includes three recipes: Ab-e dandon (cardamom cookies); Qorma-e ru-ye nan (lamb with leeks, yogurt and flatbread croutons);

Seekh kebab (Afghan version of shish kebab).

Cubism makes a comeback / by Carolynn Carreño

When the writer went to Mexico City to learn cooking from her step-grandmother Josefina, Carreño was horrified when “with the deft nonchalance of a person who spends 12 or more hours a day in the kitchen, she [Josefina] (plop!) tossed a chicken bouillon cube.” Who else uses bouillon cubes? Giovanna and Wanda Tornabene, Marcella Hazan, and “at least one L.A. French chef ..., 'I've seen my mom use it, my grandmother…. It's good, no?' ” Includes a recipe for: Chiles rellenos de queso (chiles stuffed with panela cheese).

Staying svelte, à la française / by Laurie Winer

“At last, a diet book for people who love food, from a culture that celebrates it.”

"French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure" by Mireille Guiliano. Includes three recipes: Tagliatelle with lemon; Cooked pears with cinnamon; Magical leek soup.

One nation, overfed / by David Shaw

“It's no news that we're too fat. But why is it that Americans eat so much, especially as compared with Europeans?” Ramblings about Taco Bell specials, Hardee's “Monster Thickburger,” Center for Science in the Public Interest findings, a little history of this country's “gastronomic dark ages,” and comments from Morgan Spurlock (fast-food documentary “Super Size Me”).

Worth their salt? Not exactly

“The Times tasting panel met last week to put five bouillons to the test — four brands of chicken bouillon cubes and one chicken base. To sample them, we made broth with each according to the package directions and sipped it plain. On the panel were Times restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila, columnist David Shaw, Test Kitchen director Donna Deane and food editor Leslie Brenner.” Includes two recipes: Braised endives; Spaghetti alla chitarra with butter and rosemary sauce

Invention was his stock in trade / by Emily Green

Born in 1803, Justus Liebig anticipated Atkins, invented baby formula and made the bouillon cube possible. “Until William H. Brock wrote 'Justus von Liebig: the Chemical Gatekeeper,' published in 1997, a conviction had set in that modern food processing was somehow an American phenomenon. In fact, Brock's text shows us that much of its logic sprang from one 19th century German mind.”

Where your bottle is welcome / by Leslee Komaiko

“There's good news for wine collectors whose best-loved bottles outnumber their evenings at home: No or low corkage fees are a growing trend in L.A. restaurants.”

An elegant avocado dessert

Culinary SOS provides a most interesting and delicious dessert recipe from Yi Cuisine in Los Angeles — Yi Cuisine avocado mousse with lychee sorbet.

Sunshine, sangria and a tapa or two / by S. Irene Virbila

Jack Huang's Bar Celona in Pasadena is given a 1* rating. Although “the splashy design and hip sensibility keep things lively,” the restaurant's signage “Modern Spanish Cuisine” has to mean something. The reviewer comments, “I can't help but think that with the right recipes and with better ingredients, Bar Celona could be really good. No one appears to have done much research into Spanish cooking.”

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Terlano Alto Adige Pinot Grigio: Alto Adige, Italy; about $18; crisp and minerally; goes with prosciutto, grilled fish, spicy Asian food. Usually considered a lightweight summer wine, this Pinot Grigio is “an all-season basic.”

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Calendarlive Stories

Location, location … where? / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Venice Cantina, “the latest restaurant and lounge from the team behind Hollywood's Paladar and Nacional, ...an updated Mexican, lighter and healthier.” But keep the address and phone number to yourself. Sssh

Tequila taste tests / by Leslee Komaiko

“If your knowledge of tequila begins and ends with that silly party song, ... it might be time to do a little research” at these five locations: El Carmen on W. 3rd St.; Border Grill in Santa Monica; Mexicali in Studio City; Malo in Silver Lake; El Cholo on S. Western Ave.

rjwong · January 27, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- January 26, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

Real fireworks / by Charles Perry and Linda Burum

“We live in the dim sum capital of the country” begins this article of one of my favorite pastimes. Mind you, dim sum is departing from the familiar har gow and siu mai rolled out in carts. It's becoming more creative, more hip, more sophisticated, more competitive. Highlighted are seven A-list dim sum places: Sea Harbour Seafood; Mission 261; Din Tai Fung; New Concept; 888 Seafood Restaurant; Ocean Star; Empress Pavilion.

Don't miss these Chinese nibbles / by Linda Burum and Charles Perry

Try some of these new-style dim sum: Bitter melon roll; Hollow stem vegetables; Scallops and shrimp in spinach pastry; Three-layer squares; Almond-crusted taro balls; Tofu custard topped with dried scallops.

The top of her game / by David Shaw

Whoa!! Nancy Silverton has sold her interest in Campanile. She and Mark Peel are parting ways. And Nancy is teaming up with Mario Batali to start a new Italian in Los Angeles.

Beard ex-chief admits guilt / by Corie Brown

“Leonard Pickell Jr. pleads guilty to stealing more than $50,000 from the culinary foundation. He could face up to 15 years in prison, prosecutors say.”

The lentil moves uptown / by Regina Schrambling

The quickest and most effortless of all dried beans, lentils “now has enough cachet to show up in the toniest dishes.” Includes three recipes: Petrale sole with beluga lentils and rosemary cream; Lentils with chorizo; Lentil and duck sald with hazelnut dressing.

Start with bubbly--then go wild / by David Lansing

“Use that leftover Champagne to create cocktails with pizazz.” Includes these three liquid concoctions: “The taste of honey” from Lola's in West Hollywood; “The celebration” from Boa Steakhouse on Sunset; “The geisha” from Tengu in Westwood.

Beyond the cool factor / by S. Irene Virbila

Whist in Santa Monica is given a 1½* rating. Despite the management's commitment to serious cuisine, the bar scene with its hipsters continues to rule, while its third chef, Warren Schwartz, formerly of Saddle Peak Lodge, is cooking very conservatively.

Home cooking away from home / by Charles Perry

Bertha's Soul Food, the oldest soul food restaurant in town, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. They serve oxtails, gumbo, smothered steaks, and “for the health nuts, there's fried chicken.”

A suave starter / by Barbara Hansen

Culinary SOS shares this recipe for purée of portabello mushroom soup from Delmonico's in Encino.

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Château de St. Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône blanc: Southern Rhône; about $15; aromatic and lush; goes with seafood and vegetable first course. “The taste is opulent and honeyed, like Condrieu on steroids.”

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Calendarlive Stories

Beef is aged, but not the look / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Boa Steakhouse in Santa Monica. “Boa steakhouse features floor-to-ceiling windows on Ocean Avenue -- a steakhouse with a view!" It's not our parents' steakhouse. And the steaks are flavorful.

In praise of meat / by Leslee Komaiko

“In light of the low-carb craze, steakhouses are hotter than ever. Here are a few places to get your fix.” Nick & Stef's in downtown LA; Ruth's Chris in Beverly Hills; Lincoln Steakhouse Americana in Santa Monica; Fleming's in Newport Beach; Taylor's on W. 8th St.

Edited January 27, 2005 by rjwong (log)

rjwong · February 3, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- February 2, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

Revolution in a glass / by Jordan Mackay; Leslie Brenner

Welcome to Spain's new revolution! Not the culinary one with Ferran Adrià et al., but the revolution that can be found in the vineyards of Spain. The 3rd annual Madrid-Fusión conference featured wine for its first time. Spain's attempt to hit the top end of the market resulted in high-quality wines that “caught many tasters by surprise at Madrid-Fusión, generating lots of buzz.” Four emerging regions of Spain are highlighted: Toro region, Spain's biggest, boldest reds from the Tinta de Toro grape, a local clone of Tempranillo; Rueda region, dry white table wines from the Verdejo grape, similiar to Sauvignon Blanc; Bierzo region, red wines from the Mencia grape with more finesse than power and acidity over tannin; Jumilla region, red wines from the Monastreil (or Mourvèdre) grape, with great density and power.

This article is followed by: A tasting full of discoveries / by Leslie Brenner

Twenty-four wines from Rueda, Bierzo, Toro and Jumilla were sampled. Listed are the ones considered “best value” by the tasting panel: 2003 Basa Blanco (Rueda); 2003 Casa de la Ermita (Jumilla White); 1999 Bajoz Crianza (Toro). Five of the six wines from Bierzo were strongly recommended. And the surprise winner of the tasting: 2001 Caño (Toro).

Pass the chicken and tackle the pie / by the Times staff writers

“Here's a Super Bowl game plan sure to score big with both Patriot and Eagle fans.” Includes four recipes: Coleslaw with buttermilk dressing; Black bean, tropical fruits and queso fresco salsa; American fried chicken; California Key lime pie.

A ruby glow in winter / by Susan LaTempa

Sweet blood oranges used to be cultivated only in the Mediterranean. But now, they're grown in California, roughly from January to April or May. Includes four blood orange recipes: Argula with blood orange vinaigrette; Blood orange marmalade; Blood orange white sangria; Blood Orange Blossom.

An island cuisine with worldly ways / by Barbara Hansen

Asian Noodles, located in the south section of downtown Chinatown, is not a Chinese restaurant. It's Filipino, or as it calls itself, “Manila fusion.” Owner Philip Ma “descended from the Ma Mon Luk family, which, according to a story on the menu, brought pasta from Canton, China, to the Philippines in 1920.” The cafe serves traditional Filipino dishes like adobo, kare-kare, and grilled meats like inihaw na baboy. More Chinese-styled items includes siopao (steamed buns), Shanghai egg rolls, and seafood-noodle combinations. “Servings are generous, prices low: This is great food to linger over when chatting with friends, just right for the young, casual crowd that frequents the room at night.”

Bastide's troops march on / by Leslee Komaiko

The “Bastide diaspora” , where have these former employees gone? Here's the lowdown: Former general manager Donato Poto is teaming up with former Water Grill chef Michael Cimarusti to open a seafood restaurant called Providence this spring in the old Patina space on Melrose. Former sous-chef Kevin M. Meehan is now executive chef at Citrine, with former chef de partie Jeremy Strubel as Meehan's sous-chef and former assistant sommelier Drew Langley as new wine director. Ex-sommelier Christophe Rolland traveled north to San Rafael to become North American representative for Leroy. Ex-pastry cook Mario Ortiz is pastry chef at Geisha House in Hollywood and ex-pastry chef Koa Duncan has several options. Is that enough?

Darkly compelling / by David Shaw

David Shaw and Mort Rosenblum “had dinner at Spago -- to catch up, to talk about his chocolate book and to sample the chocolate desserts of Sherry Yard.” Rosenblum's newest book, “Chocolate: A Bittersweet Saga of Dark and Light” details the history and mystery of chocolate. In considering writing a book about cheese, Rosenblum instantly refuses, saying, “There aren't really any cheese wars. Nothing like Hershey's versus Mars or Amedei versus Valrhona. I like blood in my books.” The candy war between Hershey and Mars are on several pages in Chapter 5. Rosenblum details the Amedei versus Valrhona battle: Alessio Tessieri wanted to use Valrhona chocolate in a family business selling ingredients to bakers in Italy. The family was told “that they did not think Italians were ready for their products, and they were not sure we could do them justice. Right then and there, it was war.” Enter Sherry Yard and a high-spirited, high-level chocolate talk ensued. “Then it's, showtime. Yard sends out five chocolate desserts, each more delicious and more beautiful than the next.”

There's a thread to Mort Rosenblum's New Chocolate Book.

Tastes from Venice / by S. Irene Virbila

L'Ombretta in Santa Barbara is given a 2½* rating. This is not really a restaurant, but a Venetian wine bar to bere un'ombra or ombretta, or literally, to drink a “shadow,” a small glass of wine together. While A.O.C. is the closest thing in Los Angeles, “that's really Mediterranean, not Venetian.” L'Ombretta serves a selection of cichetti, the Venetian equivalent to tapas. Owner Andrea Gros is also the designer, the builder, the chef, and the wine buyer. He refuses to dumb down the Northern Italian list of dishes. Santa Barbara's L'Ombretta is as close to a true Venetian wine bar as you're likely to get in California.

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2001 Emilio Moro Ribera de Duero: Ribera de Duero, Spain; about $25; ripe and full-bodied; goes with roasted and braised meats. It “expresses the terroir in its deep red color, voluptuous texture and firm structure.”

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Calendarlive Stories

All the Modernist trappings / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Beechwood in Venice. It “takes over Menemsha's spot, and nothing is the same.” Beechwood, runned by Brooke Williamson and her partner Nick Roberts, has a Modernist bent, with a large, sprawling bar and stylish outdoor patio. They serve American classics with a twist: steamed Prince Edward Island mussels in a lemon grass broth, pasta with New Zealand cockles, balsamic-roasted market vegetables, duck leg confit, a pulled beef short rib pot pie, and steak accompanied by a Cabrales butter.

I'll eat at the bar / by Leslee Komaiko

“Sometimes you don't feel like a full-on restaurant dinner. Or you just want to nosh. Fortunately, a number of spots around town offer special bar menus.” Includes these five locations: Central on Sunset; Gardens on Glendon in Westwood; Windows Lounge in Beverly Hills; Mixville Bar at Edendale Grill in Silver Lake; Table 8 on Melrose.

rjwong · February 10, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- February 9, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

Advanced sushi / by Carolynn Carreño

Carreño interviews dozens of sushi chefs and sushi diners and concludes, “I'm happy to report that it is possible to enter a sushi bar for the first time, and just by knowing how to behave and what to order, to get something very close to the best experience the sushi bar is capable of providing.”

Includes three accompanying articles: Where to seek the special stuff; Cheat sheet for aspiring aficionados; A guide to sushi etiquette.

A bittersweet love affair / by Betty L. Baboujon

Baboujon is dragged along by her husband through the streets of Barcelona into a little alley to drink that hot chocolate. “This was no baby's chocolate milk. This was the thinking chocoholic's brew.”

Includes 3 recipes: Spanish hot chocolate (chocolate a la taza), adapted from Janet Mendel's "My Kitchen in Spain" ; Parisian-style hot chocolate, adapted from Dorie Greenspan's "Paris Sweets"; Hot cocoa

Embracing the darker side / by Susan LaTempa

Valrhona unsweetened cocoa powder (1 pound container, $10.85) is available at Surfas in Culver City.

Stalking the sizzling crepe / by Andrea Q. Nguyen

Nguyen returns to the streets of Vietnam to find out “how to achieve that chewy-crisp texture of a Vietnamese street vendor's creation,” bánh xèo (sizzling crepes).

Includes the Bánh xèo (sizzling crepes) recipe in 3 parts: dipping sauce (nuoc châm), batter, & assembly.

Beyond a come-hither label / by David Shaw

Bart O'Brien is selling a wine named Seduction. “What makes Seduction unusual is its intended audience: O'Brien is making, packaging and marketing the wine specifically for women, a demographic group that he's convinced is untapped and growing rapidly.”

Photos that look good enough to eat / by Regina Schrambling

Schrambling consults a food photographer on tips “to preserve their [amateur eaters and serious cooks] food memories in a digital age.”

Toy for the digital gourmet / by Wes Bausmith

Review of the Olympus Stylus 500, featuring “21 picture-taking modes (indoor, sport, behind glass, sunset, etc.) include one for cuisine.”

Toffee at its best / by Leslie Brenner

Valerie Confections, a new Los Angeles-based company, has a toffee assortment that “is the best rendition we've ever tasted.”

Isn't it romantic? Mais oui / by S. Irene Virbila

L'Orangerie on La Cienega Blvd. is given a 2* rating. Owners Gerard & Virginie Ferry hire new chef Christophe Bellanca, 33, who comes from the Michelin two-star Pic in Valence in the northern Rhône. For 27 years, the restaurant continues its commitment to contemporary French cuisine (not California-French). Virbila hopes that the new chef would save L'Orangerie from itself. “And while the atmosphere may recall Les Crayères in Reims or another temple of haute cuisine, the food at L'Orangerie doesn't match the level of a top two- or three-star in France. It just isn't exciting enough.”

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 La Spinetta Moscato d'Asti 'Bricco Quaglia': Piedmont; about $17; light and fragrant; goes with a plate of cookies, a slice of cake. “The taste is like biting into a peach.”

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Calendarlive Stories

Breakfast à la Bel-Air / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Hotel Bel Air. Virbila makes certain to arrange breakfast here for her East Coast friends, who want to escape the latest snowstorm.

Pancakes and eggs “If breakfast is, in fact, the most important meal of the day, then why not do it right?”

Includes these five locations: The Griddle Cafe in Hollywood; Marston's in Pasadena; John O' Groats in West L.A.; Pedals in Santa Monica; Off Vine in Hollywood.

rjwong · February 17, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- February 16, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

Crème de la custard / by Russ Parsons

Russ Parsons, fellow eGullet member (and LA Times food writer), writes this week's lead food article on quiche. He talked with Thomas Keller and Josie LeBalch. "When I see a well-made quiche, it gives me a sense of comfort, a sense of grounding," he [Keller] says. "Good food is not about fashion; it's about quality of product and execution. A dish that is good lasts forever." And what about those comments about quiche during the '70's and '80's? "The quiche just got a bad rap," says [Josie] LeBalch. "It was too frou-frou or whatever. 'Real men don't eat quiche.' Ha! I'll tell you what: All my men love my quiche, are you kidding me?" Keller's techniques for making quiche are detailed.

Includes four recipes: Basic quiche batter; Basic quiche shell; Ham and potato quiche; Roquefort and leek quiche.

New wines, ancient cellar / by David Shaw

Jean-Guillaume Prats, the 35-year-old director-general of Cos d'Estournel, in the St.-Estèphe region of Bordeaux recently attended lunch at Lucques in West Hollywood, organized by Steve Wallace and Christian Navarro of Wally's Wines and Spirits in West Los Angeles. Amongst these serious wine lovers & collectors, various questions were asked. And inevitably, this question was asked: "Does [Robert] Parker have too much power?" Shaw concludes, “Tasting good wines with the man responsible for them and willing to talk about them honestly is a rare and delightful experience.”

Dinner in the hot seat / by John Balzar

New restaurants are including an open kitchen for diners to view the chefs in action. But Chinois on Main, Wolfgang Puck's longest-lasting of his restaurant empire, has been doing this act for 21 years. With its nine stools at the counter surrounding the U-shaped kitchen arena precisely compact enough for seven, the team of six men and one woman create culinary dishes with amazing excitement for these serious kitchen voyeurs.

Rarefied cookbooks, well done / by Laurie Winer

“If by chance you are looking for a copy of a handmade, high-end food art book called La Conversation and are willing to shell out $600, you should step into Le Sanctuaire, the culinary shop in Santa Monica. Go to the glass case: Although the shop has shelves of ordinary cookbooks, here is where the special volumes are kept. Just as owner Jing Tio collects vinegars, chocolates, fleur de sel, porcelain, truffle slicers and spices from all over the world to offer for sale, he is also an avid collector of books. For the right price, he'll even part with some from his private collection.”

Silky, sophisticated and simple / by Leslie Brenner

Brenner recollects her husband's interview with lyricist Mitchell Parrish shortly before his death at age 92 in 1993. She remembers him as a guy who inadvertently gave her one of her favorite soups. Brenner articulates the joys of creating simple, nutritious, frugal yet luxurious soups.

Includes three recipes: arugula and potato soup, fennel-carrot soup, and broccoli soup.

Also includes “A clear reading on broths” / by Susan LaTempa

The Times tasting panel tasted 12 store-bought chicken broths. They recommended four of them: Trader Joe's Free Range; Swanson chicken broth; Williams Sonoma's All Natural and Whole Foods Market 365 Organic.

Is it really a magic wand? / by Cindy Dorn

Introduced in the '80s, hand-held blenders were, at first, awkward to hold. But some of today's models work terrifically. Four most widely available versions are tested: the Cuisinart SmartStick, the Braun Multiquick, the Russell Hobbs hand blender and the KitchenAid immersion blender.

Asian chic, Hollywood style / by S. Irene Virbila

Geisha House in Hollywood is given a 2* rating. It's the Hollywood bar scene that brings the crowds in. And the food here? “That's why Geisha House is so unusual. The food is actually pretty good, a big cut above the nosh at most trendy places, and not one but two in-house sommeliers pour rare sakes and pricey bubbly .... It's not L'Orangerie, that's for sure. With its surrealist setting and fanciful Japanese food, this sexy new Hollywood restaurant and sake lounge sizzles.”

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2002 Ravenswood Big River Zinfandel, Alexander Valley: Sonoma, Alexander Valley region; about $25; rich, ripe and concentrated; goes with barbecue, roasted birds and meats, braises. “What really makes this wine soar is its impeccable balance. Soft, ripe tannins and a firm acidity mean it's brilliant with food.”

For the record

Sushi — In an article on sushi in the Feb. 9 Food section, there were several translation and spelling errors. Omakase was translated as "today's delicious one; I leave it to you," but it literally means "entrusting" and if written on a menu means "putting your trust in the chef." Tiny shrimp from Toyama are shira ebi, not shira evi; sawakani, not sawa gani, are fried tiny crabs; and "Irasshai mase!" not "Irasahi masai!" is the greeting one receives upon arrival.

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Calendarlive Stories

Spreading the aloha spirit / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Roy's in Woodland Hills. Roy's, the Hawaiian fusion restaurant concept from Roy Yamaguchi, has opened in the San Fernando Valley with all the expected razzmatazz. “Nothing at Roy's goes unadorned or unsauced. And many a dish seems to be still a work in progress.”

Hawaiiana / by Leslee Komaiko

“In the last few years, Hawaiian eateries have proliferated in Southern California. Now you can satisfy your cravings for mahi mahi and kalua pork without boarding a jet.”

Includes five restaurants: King's Hawaiian in Torrance; Yi Cuisine on W. 3rd St.; L & L Hawaiian Barbecue in Van Nuys; Ono Hawaiian BBQ in Westwood; Back Home in Lahaina in Manhattan beach.

rjwong · February 23, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- February 23, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

Untamed flavor / by Regina Schrambling

The wintry varieties of wild mushrooms are explored. Schrambling talks with Connie Green of Napa company Wine Forest Mushrooms and Kate Lowery, a spokeswoman for the Austin, Texas-based chain, Whole Foods Market.

Includes recipes: Wild mushroom ragout; Wild mushroom crepes with cheese and chives

Mexico City's new wave of chefs generates heat / by Corie Brown

In Mexico City's Condesa and Roma districts, under-40 upper-class young Mexican professionals, are being served Mexican food that doesn't remind them of their mother's. Gabriela Camara, a 29-year-old entrepreneur who now has seven restaurants, including two tapas bars, an Italian trattoria and an American-style diner, explains by saying, “Traditionally, good food in Mexico City was expensive French or Italian or Spanish, and then there were taco stands. My generation is willing to be Mexican without being traditional.”

Includes a recipe for: Contramar tuna tostadas with chipotle mayonnaise, from Gabriela Camara of Contramar restaurant.

An Oscar menu to steal the scene / by Susan LaTempa

LaTempa imagines what the Cocoanut Grove's Chef Henri would have prepared for this year's nominees for best picture, back during the glory days of Oscar night, when dinner was served during the Academy Awards ceremony.

Includes recipes: `Midlife Crisis' salad of goat cheese, hazelnuts and red onion, from Nat Ely, Los Olivos Cafe; `Stiff Upper Lip' clapshot, from "Traditional Scottish Cookery" by Theodora Fitzgibbon; `Million Dollar' pie, from Winifred Deane; `OCD' New York steak with 12 peas, from Donna Deane.

On the West Coast, true Pilseners on tap / by Jordan Mackay

The art and craft of making genuine Pilseners here on the West Coast (and not those mass-produced, flavorless beers) are explained.

Includes the side article, “Judging the brewer's art.”

Seven of the best West Coast craft Pilseners are described: Trumer Pils; Lagunitas Pils; Rouge Imperial; North Coast Scrimshaw; Firestone Lager; Gordon Biersch; Sudwerk.

Myriad small plates, terrific Thai tastes / by Barbara Hansen

Hansen encounters this northern Thai restaurant, Bua Siam on Sherman Way in The plate of ricenoodles, fragrant with chile, coconut and lime, transported her to Thailand's lush countryside. “I could have been eating in a rural market or from a noodle boat plying the klongs (canals).”

Animal rights and wrongs / by David Shaw

Shaw recounts vandalism attacks that were claimed by the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), who have been described as a very radical animal rights activist organization. He talks with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) regarding their means of acheiving their goals. Shaw anticipates “another avalanche of angry e-mail.”

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Cantina Santad Vermentino di Sardegna 'Cala Silente': Sardinia; about $14; ripe and round with a lively acidity; goes with seafood pasta or risotto, steamed shellfish, grilled fish. “Here's one more wine to add to your personal library of offbeat whites.”

Grown-up, with a wink / by S. Irene Virbila

Naya in Pasadena is given a 2* rating. Naya's manager and sommelier, Thierry Perez and Chef Scooter Kanfer, are creating a sophisticated yet playful menu. “The kitchen still needs to work on consistency. .... The ideas are good: It's the execution that needs work.”

For the record

Sushi chef — In an article on sushi in the Feb. 9 Food section, the name of Mori Sushi chef and owner Morihiro Onodera was misspelled as Onodero.

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Calendarlive Stories

Serving something different / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Pecorino Restaurant in Brentwood. Pecorino's owners have taken over the former Zax location and yes, have gone Italian. The chef just arrived from the Abruzzo region of Italy. So, Pecorino is more Northern Italian than the Tuscan dishes typically served in Brentwood.

Edited February 24, 2005 by rjwong (log)

rjwong · February 24, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- February 23, 2005 -- ADDENDUM

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

Pastapalooza / by Leslee Komaiko

With the L.A. Marathon in a couple of weeks, it's time to carbo-load. Not running? We won't tell.

Includes five restaurants: Gio Cucina Napoletana in Encino; Angelini Osteria on Beverly Blvd.; Sapori in Newport Beach; Capri in Venice; Enoteca Drago in Beverly Hills.

rjwong · March 3, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- March 2, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

The master of fusion / by Russ Parsons

After over a decade of moving around, Chef Kazuto Matsusaka & his wife Vicki Fan have come back to Southern California with their new restaurant Beacon in Culver City. The article details Matsusaka's culinary life from his days with Wolfgang Puck, Ma Maison, Chinois on Main, and fusion cuisine.

Includes three recipes: Avocado salad; Kakuni udon (with Udon dashi (broth), Braised pork belly & Udon and assembly); Chicken kushiyaki with umeboshi and shiso. Also includes the side article, Fusion flavors come home, a list of some ingredients called for in their recipes that may be a little unfamiliar.

There is a discussion thread about this restaurant here.

Who's killing the great wines of France? / by Corie Brown

The documentary "Mondovino" will be released in L.A. theaters April 29. Director Jonathan Nossiter belabors this reality: The French wine industry is in crisis. What happened? What is the French government going to do? And how about this notion: “Gallo, the savior of French wine? The chasm separating the French government from the traditional vintners in 'Mondovino' just got a little wider.”

There is a discussion thread about this article here.

Detour ahead for Michelin / by David Shaw

So, for the third year in a row, the coveted, eagerly awaited, zealously guarded Michelin Guide ratings for restaurants in France leaked early last week. Shaw has a little talk with the new director of Jean-Luc Naret. "One of the things that struck me," he said, "is that there's not a lot of transparency in our decision making.”

There is a discussion thread about this topic here.

Passage to Indian cooking / by Barbara Hansen

Chef Suvir Saran demystifies the flavors of the subcontinent with home cooking that surprises. Indian-style home cooking is the topic of his book "Indian Home Cooking," coauthored by Stephanie Lynes.

Includes three recipes: South Indian-style chicken with curry leaves and black peppercorns (dakshin murgh); Mangalore fried shrimp (jhinga Mangaloree); My sister's favorite corn curry (makayee noo curry)

'Mildred Pierce' still one hot plate / by Charles Perry

The 1945 movie Mildred Pierce, based on the James M. Cain novel, is the Glendale movie, according to Perry — “it's practically a how-to book on starting a restaurant in L.A. It's a classic recipe: A gutsy Glendale gal, the L.A. restaurant scene and a lot of tears.”

Includes a recipe for: Black bottom pie, adapted from a recipe that ran in The Times Nov. 14, 1932

A tropical theme with a backbeat of sophistication / by Charles Perry

Ecuador-born chef Fausto Alvarez is turning out modern pan-Latin American food in a Pasadena hole in the wall called Tropical Caribbean Restaurant. The result is exquisite.

The Hot List

LOS ANGELES TIMES LIST FOR MARCH 2, 2005 (Rankings are based on a Times poll of national and independent booksellers)

Included in the list are a couple of books by Rachel Ray and two from the “Beautiful Cookbook” series. And who's number one? Harold McGee's On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen.

Steak, with rare style / by S. Irene Virbila

Boa in Santa Monica is given a 1½* rating. An offshoot of the original on Sunset Strip, Boa is a stylish new beachfront steakhouse and latest hot spot in Santa Monica. The wine list, the salads, the sides, nor the steaks, at these prices, are impressive. “The kitchen doesn't demonstrate the precision cooking of the guys manning the broiler at Arnie Morton's or Ruth's Chris either.”

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Bodegas Artazu 'Artazuri': Navarra, Spain; about $9; power and grace; goes with just about anything. “It's a Grenache that holds something back .... Wow.”

For the record

Mexico City chef — In an article in last week's section about chefs in Mexico City, the name of the chef at Pujol restaurant, Enrique Olvera, was misspelled as Olver.

For the record

Brewmaster — In an article in last week's Food section about Pilsener beers, the last name of Trumer Brauerei brewmaster Lars Larson was misspelled as Larsen.

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Calendarlive Stories

Out at Meson G / by Leslee Komaiko

Former Patina executive chef Eric Greenspan, who “opened Meson G on Melrose Avenue in November, was given his walking papers Sunday night by owners Tim and Liza Goodell. The writing was on the wall for a long time."

Paris calling / by Leslee Komaiko

A little over a week ago, someone hacked into Paris Hilton's cellphone address book, and soon the list was posted on the Internet. But restaurants including Chaya Brasserie, Mr. Chow, Koi, La Scala and the Spanish Kitchen were also listed. "It's been an extremely annoying, frustrating headache. It's just ridiculous. People have no life and are calling from everywhere to say nothing.”

Edited March 3, 2005 by rjwong (log)

rjwong · March 10, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- March 9, 2005

SPECIAL SECTION: L.A.'S ITALIAN LOVE AFFAIR

It's pure paradiso

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

Tuscany to Sicily in three blocks / by Valli Herman

One can find nearly a dozen and a half Italian restaurants in the area of Brentwood. On top of that, the owners and the chefs don't mind the competition.

Aisles and aisles before you eat / by Charles Perry

Mario's Italian Deli and Market in Glendale serves up big-league submarine sandwiches.

Heaven, thinly sliced / by David Shaw

“Essentially Italian, salumi -- smoked and cured meats -- are yours for the ordering all over L.A.” The Francophile Shaw recalls his fondest memories of superb Italian sandwiches.

A slow celebration of pork / by Laurie Winer

“You don't need a whole pig to capture that succulent tenderness. The right cut and long roasting make it easy.” The restaurants all have their own versions. “Here's what we say: Let the roasting commence.”

Includes two recipes: Slow-roasted shoulder of pork ; Salsa verde

The cream of caffè / by Russ Parsons

A chat with Guy Pasquini, “the youngest member of Los Angeles' first family of espesso, a clan that has been selling espresso machines for homes and businesses and running coffeehouses for almost 50 years.”

Chianti's quiet revolution / by Jordan Mackay

“With new blends, superior clones and modernized winemaking, the region has finally arrived.” Choosing a Chianti about ten years ago would have been very risky. “But today it's hard to go wrong.”

The strands that bind / by Laurie Winer

“Filippo Cortivo brought Mamma and her remarkable pasta-making skills to La Buca.” Cortivo & Mamma are working together at their restuarant on Melrose while trying to figure out how to bring the rest of the family over.

Includes two recipes: Reginette della Mamma (from Loredana Cecchinato at La Buca) ; Salsa Trevisana

Our own heirloom original / by Carolynn Carreño

“Spigarello, a delicious broccoli relative, isn't found anywhere but in a few Southland farmers markets. So what gives?” Carreño does some detective work about its origins.

Includes a recipe for: Spigarello sautéed Italian style (from Mark Peel at Campanile)

Our poet of Renaissance alta cucina / by Charles Perry

“Luigi Ballerini champions historical Italian cookbooks and brings the culinary past to the table.” Mind you, this former chair of UCLA's Italian department & specialist in avant-garde art is not a foodie. So, “why is Ballerini, a man of letters who admits he doesn't cook, involved with historical cookbooks?”

From start to finish / by Barbara Hansen

The Times Food section staffers recommends these dishes as beautifully executed examples of quintessential Italian recipes: La Terza peperoni arrostiti (from Gino Angelini at La Terza); Pecorino's pear and almond gratin (gratin di pere e mandorla, from Raffaele Sabatini at Pecorino)

Cookstuff by Becky Trowbridge

Four items for your Italian kitchen: Chitarra tagliapasta (“guitar”, or Italian noodle cutter); Muffuletta relish; Fluted pastry wheel; Wild Italian oregano

A rare talent for crudo / by S. Irene Virbila

Il Grano in West Los Angeles is given a 2* rating. Salvatore Marino takes crudo, the Italian restaurant equivalent of sashimi, up another level at the new Il Grano, which debuted several weeks ago. “The tasting menu was a revelation. ... The regular menu, though, is still uneven.”

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Enoteca Bisson 'Marea' Cinque Terre: Liguria, Italy; about $26; crisp and minerally; goes with raw and steamed shellfish, Dungeness crab, spiny lobster and grilled fish. “It grabs your attention with its lush minerality, cool fruit and crisp acidity.”

For the record

French wine — A graphic with an article about French wine in last week's Food section overstated the quantity of exports. The 1999 figure should have been 1.6 billion liters, not 160 billion. The 2004 figure should have been 1.42 billion liters, not 142.1 billion.

For the record

"Mildred Pierce" — An article about the book and movie "Mildred Pierce" in last week's section said that if Mildred Pierce had served 48 people at 85 cents a person on her restaurant's opening night, she would have made more than $80. The correct total is $40.80.

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Calendarlive Stories on Thursday

Happy anniversary for us / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Röckenwagner in Santa Monica. In celebration of its 20th anniversary, owner Hans Röckenwagner has reconfigured his restaurant with a stammtisch section, or the "regular's table" with three long communal tables he made himself. “In the stammtisch section, he's proposing a four-course prix fixe menu every night from now until June 20, the official anniversary, for an astonishing $20.20 per person.”

Communal tables / by Leslee Komaiko

“Communal tables offer Angelenos a rare chance to hobnob with strangers or at least share a table for an hour or two.”

Includes five restaurants: Olé Tapas Bar in Studio City; Seabar in West Hollywood; Nook in West L.A.; Le Pain Quotidien on Melrose; Jer-ne in Marina del Rey.

Edited March 10, 2005 by rjwong (log)

rjwong · March 17, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- March 16, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

IN SEARCH OF PERFECTION / by Russ Parsons

A strawberry that looks great, tastes delicious and travels beautifully? They're working on it. eGullet member Russ Parsons talks with Kirk Larson, a UC plant breeder, about the breeding of strawberries.

Includes two side articles, “Following the trail of the fruit,” & “Some berry basics” and two recipes: Strawberries and oranges in basil syrup; Strawberry vacherin.

Store-bought? Bah! / by Linda Burum

Various chefs around LA are recreating homemade condiments and candies, even goldfish crackers.

Includes three recipes: Sherry vinegar-cured anchovies (adapted from Sang Yoon at Father's Office); Doug Arango's ketchup; Root beer and vanilla bean lollipops (from Scooter Kanfer-Cartmill of Naya).

The taste of bacon, cubed / by Regina Schrambling

Not the crisp strips or crumbled bits so familiar in America, the French's idea of bacon “is chewy and succulent, with more flavor than fat. And they unflinchingly label it lardon.”

Includes three recipes: Beans with lardons and sage; Classic frisée salad; Brioche with lardons

What's behind the buzz / by David Shaw

It was a surprise hit at the Cannes Film Festival, then a box-office sensation throughout France — both a succès d'estime (the critics loved it) and a succès de scandale (many people in the wine world hated it, and a few threatened lawsuits over it). What did Shaw think of film director Jonathan Nossiter's movie “Mondovino”? “His film, however, is simplistic, reductionist, heavy-handed and unfair. ... 'Mondovino” is the viniculture version of 'Fahrenheit 9/11.'”

There is a discussion thread about this movie:

Mondovino: Make no documentary before it's time

Regulating the wild mushroom / by Corie Brown

L.A. County halts sales at farmers markets. Could restaurants and supermarkets be next? It all started on 2 Feb. 2005 at the Santa Monica farmers' market when mushroom vendor David West [eGullet member dfunghi] got shut down. Includes statements by: Terrance Powell, the environmental ombudsman with the LA County health dept.; circuit picker Hippie Mark; Mike Stephens, a buyer for several wild mushroom distributors, and Robert Miller, spokesman for the California Department of Health Services.

This topic was first made known in this discussion thread here, posted by eGullet member dfunghi (David West).

L.A. just can't resist a hot date

A.O.C.'s parmesan-stuffed, bacon-wrapped dates make a lasting impression. And other restaurants have gotten into the act with their own interpretations.

The bar steals the scene / by S. Irene Virbila

Beechwood in Venice is given a 2* rating. The bar is the center of attraction, while the dining room seems like an afterthought. The partners in Beechwood are Brooke Williamson, chef Nick Roberts, and David and Patti Reiss. Williamson runs the front of the house, which surprises the critic. “I still don't quite understand why such a talented young chef has given up the kitchen for the front of the house. .... And who's to argue? Because Beechwood is a bona fide hit.”

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Burge Family Winemakers Olive Hill: Barossa Vallet; about $40; complex; goes with game, grilled birds, braised meats. “Dark and concentrated, it has a taste of spice and something wild, but finishes smooth and opulent.”

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Calendarlive Stories on Thursday

Have stove, will travel / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Nancy Silverton, a chef without a restaurant. However, on Tuesday nights at La Terza on W. 3rd St., she has what she calls Tavola Italiana, or Italian Table. “It's a series of antipasti plates similar to the eye-popping array you might find at a traditional trattoria in Rome.”

Antipasto / by Leslee Komaiko

Sometimes it's nice to skip the pasta and secondi and make a meal of the marinated vegetables, cheeses and cured meats.

Includes five restaurants: Il Fornaio in Beverly Hills & other locations; Locanda del Lago in Santa Monica; Ago in West Hollywood; Ca' del Sole in North Hollywood; La Bottega Marino in West L.A.

rjwong · March 24, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- March 23, 2005

Luxuries of Spring

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

Elevated to the sublime / by Emily Green

The French have it right: The very best butter is oh, so cultured. European butter is far more superb than American butter. “Allison Hooper of Vermont Butter & Cheese dares us to buy any French butter — Président, Isigny, Echiré — and fail to notice the difference. It will have the character, the irresistibility, so lacking in most American butter.”

Includes three recipes: Butter tarts (from Audrey Haas); Fraisier with buttercream (adapted from "Desserts: A Lifelong Passion," by Michel Roux); Jeremiah Tower's Montpellier butter

For Easter, la vie en rose / by Anne Willan

Parsleyed ham can be found in other parts of France. “But only in Burgundy does jambon persillé hit the headlines, top choice in a region renowned for good eating.”

Includes two recipes: Jambon de Paques (Easter ham); Shortcut jambon persillé

A Chardonnay worth coveting / by David Shaw

Marcassin Chardonnay is one of the wines of Marcassin, a small-production Sonoma Coast winery, owned by Helen Turley, winemaker and co-proprietor, and John Wetlaufer, Turley's husband and partner, who's in charge of viticulture and marketing. Shaw proclaimed, “I loved the wine instantly. It's the best American white wine I've ever tasted, ...” However, in order to get some, you have to get on the winemaker's private mailing list. “About 5,000 people are on the waiting list to get on the mailing list; some have been waiting 10 years.”

Herbal extravagance / by Regina Schrambling

Spring showers? Bring 'em on. As long as we're talking about chervil, dill and chives strewn lavishly into a salad. “And nothing symbolizes abandon more extravagantly than a salad using fresh herbs not as a garnish, or even in the dressing, but as an essential ingredient.”

Includes two recipes: Spring herb salad; Spring herb salad with warm blue cheese

Pamper those delicate babies / by Donna Deane

With this season's baby vegetables just arriving, it's so tempting to eat them on the way home from the farmers market. “But there's also a way to get them to the dinner table with their glorious color and freshness and newness intact.”

Includes three recipes: Spring ragout of asparagus and baby parsnips; Spring ragout of baby carrots; Mixed spring vegetable ragout

Their dream season / by Kent Black

No one’s more excited about the coming season than L.A.’s chefs. Included are four chefs & their desired spring luxury: Hans Rockenwagner (Rockernwagner in Santa Monica), white asparagus; Alain Giraud (Four Star Private Cuisine), petits pois; Scooter Kanfer-Cartmill (Formerly of Naya in Pasadena), morels; David Lefevre (Water Grill in Los Angeles), king salmon

Out of Africa, intriguing flavor combinations / by Linda Burum

Chef-owner Ibrahima Sarr has opened his Senegalese restaurant Le Teranga on Crenshaw Blvd. near the Baldwin Plaza shopping center. “When you enter the beveled glass door you immediately feel teranga (welcomed).“

Go east, aficionados / by S. Irene Virbila

New Concept Restaurant in Monterey Park is given a 3* rating. This “is the first U.S. outpost of a restaurant group that has more than 20 restaurants in China. The executive chef, Chen Chen Liang, who is from Canton province, opened the Monterey Park restaurant.” Even after four visits, Virbila has yet to exhaust the menu. “Bring on the Chinese.”

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2002 Brander Sauvignon Blanc au Naturel: Santa Ynez Valley; about $24; fresh and aromatic; goes with shellfish, grilled fish, asparagus, risotto with peas. “Because it sees no oak, the pure taste of the grape, its lively acidity and minerality, shines through.”

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Calendarlive Stories on Thursday

Feeling in a bistro mood / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Brass.-Cap (short for Brasserie Capo) on Channel Road.

Bruce Marder is ... now taken over the Beach House in Santa Monica Canyon and turned it into a French American brasserie.

Bistros / by Leslee Komaiko

Can't get to Paris? No problem. The following will take you there, culinarily speaking.

Includes five restaurants: Angelique Café on Spring St. in downtown L.A.; Pastis on Beverly Blvd.; Mirabeau in Dana Point; Mimosa on Beverly Blvd.; Le Petit Bistro on Ventura Blvd.

Edited March 24, 2005 by rjwong (log)

rjwong · March 31, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- March 30, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

Two Fish, One Fish / by Russ Parsons

The sand dab, that famous California flatfish, is nearly impossible to find. But no worries: The fabulous rex sole is at your command. Sand dabs and rex soles are really quite similiar, so there's no need to mourn about no sand dabs around.

Includes three recipes: Sauteéd rex sole with spring vegetable salad in bacon vinaigrette; Rex sole and sugar snaps steamed in foil; Rex sole baked with mushrooms and cream. Also includes the side article, “How to deal with those tiny bones.”

From oven to bread basket / by Susan LaTempa

You don't have to be an artisan or a bread-machine geek to make perfect crusty rolls. Get 'em while they're hot. The rewards of freshly-baked bread with little effort can be found. “Meet the crusty roll.”

Includes three recipes: Overnight honey-lemon whole-wheat rolls; Mini bolillos (Mexican crusty rolls); Basic crusty rolls

Long live the queen of desserts / by Charles Perry

Charlotte russe has been glorious since vanilla was exotic. Updated, she is even grander. And you don't have to be a trained professional to make one. “Queen charlotte is actually quite forgiving.” A little history lesson is added in as well.

Includes two recipes: Charlotte russe; Charlotte misu. Also includes the side article, “The mold they didn't break,” plus “steps to a deliciously updated charlotte.”

Top toques are up in the air / by Leslee Komaiko

Despite rapid-fire restaurant openings, a number of this city's most celebrated chefs don't have a stove to call their own. Here's the list: Alain Giraud, Nancy Silverton, Eric Greenspan, Chris Behre, Nick Coe, John Sedlar, Michael Cimarusti, and the latest, Scooter Kanfer-Cartmill.

Move over, mimosa! / by David Lansing

What's the best new idea in cocktails for spring? Fruit-infused sake. And who's behind these drinks? Rob Robinson, the former owner of Infusion in San Francisco, now at Ponzu.

Includes three recipes: Citrus-infused sake; Pineapple-infused sake; Strawberry-infused sake.

Find it once, and you'll go back / by S. Irene Virbila

Nook Bistro on Santa Monica Blvd. (at Barry) is given a 2* rating. Entrepreneurs Brian Frith-Smith and Jeffrey Stuppler and chef James Richardson started an American bistro with quality comfort food at moderate prices, tucked away in a strip mall on the Westside. “The menu is smart and simple, with no pretense of reinventing the wheel, which is sometimes a good thing. L.A. could definitely use a few more places like this one.”

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2002 Boekenhoutskloof Syrah: Franschhoek, South Africa; about $45; rich and full-bodied; goes with game, braised meats, grilled leg of lamb, roast duck. It “could easily be mistaken for a top Côte-Rôtie .... Kudos to winemaker Marc Kent for a fascinating wine.”

For the record

Restaurant review — In last week's Food section, the restaurant review listed Covina as an example of towns that are not in the San Gabriel Valley. Covina is in the San Gabriel Valley.

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Calendarlive Stories on Thursday

Worth shelling out for / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on The hungry cat on N. Vine St. in Hollywood. The hungry cat [spelled in lowercase] is the restaurant of chef-owner David Lentz (ex-Opaline), with oysters & shrimps and dinner hours until 1 a.m.

Oysters / by Leslee Komaiko

For those who embrace the adage that oysters should be consumed only in months featuring an "r," get your fix quick.

Includes five restaurants: Gumbo Pot at the Farmers Market; R23 on E. 2nd St. in downtown L.A.; BOA Steakhouse on Ocean Ave. in Santa Monica; Beacon on Helms Ave. in Culver City; Koi on N. La Cienega Blvd. in West Hollywood.

rjwong · April 7, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- April 6, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

Salt, that essential flavor / by Regina Schrambling

There's a world of varieties -- and each brings something different to the plate. From the seacoasts of England & France to India, Hawaii and California, “much of the reason the 'new' salts have taken off so aggressively in this country is that they impart so much with so few grains.”

Includes two side articles: “From seven seas” and “Where there's a trend, there's a backlash”

The prosciutto wore a cunning disguise ... / by Carolynn Carreño

These are good days for the lettuce-obsessed. Lately, in various restaurants, LA chefs are serving “plates of unabashed, unadorned, perfectly dressed gorgeous greens. Unadorned, that is, till you stick in your fork and pull out a treat.”

Includes two recipes: Escarole and parsley salad (from Brooke Williamson at Beechwood); Raw and braised seasonal vegetables with organic greens and citrus vinaigrette (from Theo Schoenegger at Patina)

A new frenzy for fine Scotch / by Charles Perry

Independent bottlings are all the rage among lovers of single malts, and there are hundreds of distinctive labels.

There's more to single-malt Scotch than Glenlivet and Macallan and Laphroaig.

There are the independent bottlers. “They aren't trying to maintain a standard flavor profile. They can give you a completely different impression of the character of the whisky.”

Includes two side articles: “Proof of individual tastes” and “How they compare”

A flavor combo that sings / by Barbara Hansen

Recipe from Zuni Cafe in San Francisco: Salad of blood orange, white asparagus and bottarga di tonno.

Chocolate to the nth degree / by Barbara Hansen

Recipe from the Some Crust Bakery in Claremont: Some Crust Bakery mocha cookies

His dream burger is rare indeed / by David Shaw

Forget E. coli. A hamburger should be served properly: thick, juicy and barely touched by a grill. Shaw gets deeply disappointed and more than mildly annoyed when he's turned down when trying to order a hamburger cooked rare. “Burger makers should worry less about minuscule threats to my health and more about impinging on my freedom of choice.” And the occurrences of E. coli have been decreasing in the U.S., “down 42% since 1996.”

A chef who led the way / by Russ Parsons

Michael Roberts helped put Los Angeles on the gastronomic map -- with joie de vivre and style to spare. Our own Russ Parsons writes an appreciation of Michael Roberts, who “was a key member of the first class of restaurateurs to establish Los Angeles as a prime attraction on the national dining scene.”

But for such an important pioneer, he was remarkably unpretentious about his cooking. Roberts was serious about food, but he never let that seriousness overwhelm his spirit of play. He will be remembered by restaurant lovers for dishes that always seemed to balance whimsy and deliciousness on a knife's edge.

There is a thread about Michael Roberts.

Saucy and sassy, this barbecue's got attitude / by Charles Perry

It's no sweet innocent. At Baby Blues, the smoky meats have a bite. Baby Blues Bar-B-Q in Venice serves some down-home barbecue, North Carolina-style, with a vinegary & spicy taste to it.

At home in the Korean kitchen / by Susan LaTempa

An L.A. author explores her cultural roots, inviting readers to share her cooking adventures. A new cookbook, “Eating Korean: from barbecue to kimchi, recipes from my home,” by Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee is reviewed. Strength: its down-to-earth conversational tone. Weakness: Not enough food photos to help cooks figure out what completed dishes should look like.

Includes three recipes: Simmered tofu (dubu jolim); Sweet potato noodles (japchae); Seafood hot pot (haemul jungol)

Just in from Italy / by S. Irene Virbila

Percorino in Brentwood is given a 2* rating. The owners — Giorgio Pierangeli, Mario Sabatini and the chef, Raffaele Sabatini, who happens to be Mario's fraternal twin — have opened a second-generation LA Italian in a city of cookie-cutter Italian restaurants. “Instead of rehashing the same familiar Tuscan dishes seen all over town, they've come up with something a little more original .... The dishes that are most interesting, though, are the ones that have a distinct sense of place. And that place is Abruzzo.”

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Jo Pithon Anjou “Les Bergères”: Loire Valley; about $20; crisp and minerally; goes with Asian food, raw or steamed shellfish, shrimp, seared scallops, grilled fish. “... a beautiful balance and texture, and notes of lime and honey in its perfume ...”

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Calendarlive Stories on Thursday

To review or not review / by S. Irene Virbila

Times' restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila reveals her methodology.

Calling all carnivores / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Fogo de Chão in Beverly Hills. This Brazilian churrascaria seats up to 300 with an entrance as grand as anything in Las Vegas. “Dare I point out that as a churrascaria, Fogo de Chão is basically all you can eat? I don't want there to be a stampede.”

'Cue in L.A. / by Leslee Komaiko

Texas and Kansas City natives might protest, but L.A. is a good town for barbecue.

Includes five restaurants: Mr. Cecil's California Ribs on Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks; Phillip's Bar-B-Que on Leimert Blvd. in Leimert Park; Dr. Hogly Wogly's Tyler Texas B-B-Q on Sepulveda Blvd. in Van Nuys; Barbecue King on W. Sunset Blvd. in downtown L.A.; Gyu-Kaku on Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks

rjwong · April 14, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- April 13, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. You can log on with username "egulleteer" and password "lafood". Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee, but you can see the calendarlive stories below free, for one week.

A new world of panaderías / by Barbara Hansen

Pan dulce has gone pan-Latin. Here's where to find the best around town.

Hansen proclaims her love for pan dulce, and provides a guided tour of an exuberant, ever-changing mix of Mexican and Central American pan dulce.

Includes two side articles: A guide to the best Latino bakeries and Pan dulce: Don't miss these

The other green pea / by Russ Parsons

The sugar snap has all the delicate flavor of its persnickety English cousin -- and best of all, it never lets you down. Finding great tasting English peas can be rather frustrating. Mind you, Russ Parsons says that there is a better choice. The sugar snap pea ... retains its sweetness and vitality long enough that you can actually get a chance to enjoy it.

Includes three recipes: Sugar snap pea soup with Parmesan cream; Sugar snap peas steamed in lettuce leaves; Risotto with sugar snap peas and prosciutto

Honest, we got it for the recipes / by Leslie Brenner

He's the guy your girlfriends warned you about. Look at him, emerging from the surf like a chef-Adonis, kelp fairly dangling from his biceps. He caught those big fish with his bare hands!

The book, Crave: The Feast of the 5ive Senses, and its author, Ludo Lefebvre, the daring renegade chef of Bastide on Melrose Place, are both ... uhh ... reviewed. The book's strength and weakness are one in the same: the restaurantiness of the recipes.

Includes two recipes: Young garlic soup with thyme, scallops and gold leaf ; Cake of apple confit

Chocolate by the bowlful / by Leslee Komaiko

The bolder, darker cousin of fruit soup makes forays into local eateries.

Now being served at restaurants like Sona, Minibar, Firefly Bistro, Valentino's, Naya, Chloe, Avenue, & Belvedere: chocolate soup.

Same wine, next year / by David Shaw

It all started on his wedding day. But can his Barolo supply keep up with all those anniversaries ahead?

Shaw worries about his dwindling supply of 1971 Barolo Monprivato from Giuseppe Mascarello that he and his wife drink on their anniversary. So he goes hunting for “his” wine at wine auctions.

Indian, rising to the occasion / by S. Irene Virbila

At Maurya in Beverly Hills, an ambitious menu expands on the classics with some subtle updates.

Maurya in Beverly Hills is given a 1* rating. The chef, J.K. Paul, comes from Bombay, and the dishes are basically northern and western Indian. Because the food isn't served blistering hot, you can taste how the flavors are intricately woven together. Don't rush to order. You might miss some of the more interesting dishes ...

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2002 Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons Classique: South Africa; about $19; lush; goes with roast duck, pork loin and steaks. Taste this wine blindfolded, ... and you might swear it's a young cru bourgeois.

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Calendarlive Stories on Thursday

Plenty of Latin flavor / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Posh on Pico. Owner Maricarmen Rodriguez, born in Honduras and a former division manager for General Electric, has opened this 8-week old pan-Latin American restaurant. This is a big project to take on, but she's up and running.

Eat, and shop too / by Leslee Komaiko

Here are a few favorite spots to grab lunch and stock your pantry.

Includes five restaurants/stores: Nicole's Gourmet Foods on Meridian Ave. in South Pasadena; Bay Cities on Lincoln Blvd. in Santa Monica; Papa Cristo's on W. Pico Blvd. in L.A.; Joan's on Third in L.A.; Picholine on W. 1st St. in L.A.

The place where a chef can act naturally / by Valli Herman

A writer accompanies a chef to the farmer's market and witnesses his true self

rjwong · April 21, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- April 20, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com requires registration. Some content is in the premium section, called calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee.

Beneath its shell / by Regina Schrambling

The subtle almond brings out the best in almost everything, especially in spring. The uniqueness of almonds is explored, from mature, roasted or green, from California to Spain.

Includes three recipes: Veal with Marcona almonds; Almond watercress pesto; Flourless almond-chocolate cake

The fish we love to hate / by Laurie Winer

Yes, it’s almost Passover, and it’s time for gefilte fish. Gefilte fish is explained, and there are a few fish stories included as well.

Includes two side articles: “Gefilte fish: The not-so FAQs” and “All gefilte are not created equal”

It's showtime for sorrel / by Donna Deane

The herb with that distinctive zing deserves a starring role. And right now, it's at its best. The lemony tanginess of sorrel makes it so versatile and springtime is its showtime. Head for the farmers market, and big bunches are yours for a song.

Includes three recipes: Sautéed chicken breasts stuffed with sorrel; Sorrel soup; Sorrel flan

Where sandwiches know no borders / by Linda Burum

In Westwood Village, a whimsical new café offers multicultural riffs on banh mi. East West Sandwich on Westwood Blvd. takes this combination of French baguette filled with Vietnamese meats and/or vegetables to new heights. Purists cry out “Sacrilege” but they should be reminded of banh mi's multicultural beginnings.

Leave it to the wine guy / by David Shaw

Being the designated wine connoisseur is a role laden with both small joys and potential pitfalls. Shaw tells about how he decides which wines to bring or order, whether among friends or among people he doesn't know well.

New York cookbook wins big / by Russ Parsons

"Arthur Schwartz's New York City Food," written by a Manhattan radio personality, was the surprise winner of the cookbook of the year award from the International Assn. of Culinary Professionals at its annual awards ceremony Saturday in Dallas.

Book fair features culinary talent

(LA)Among the cookbook authors appearing at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books is Sherry Yard ("The Secrets of Baking"), who demonstrates recipes at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. And let's not forget Russ Parsons, who will be in a panel discussion at 3:30 p.m. Sunday on “The Life and Legacy of Julia Child.”

Simple is the new trendy / by S. Irene Virbila

Nine Thirty at the W Hotel in Westwood is given a 2½* rating. Given this location's past history, Virbila was not expecting much from this restaurant. Beyond the dominating bar scene is the dining room drenched in amber-tinted lights overhead. Executive chef Travis Lett's menu is more like Chez Panisse than Sona. This is easygoing food, ideal hotel food ...

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Covenant Cabernet Sauvignon, California: Napa Valley; about $75; rich and opulet; goes with roasted meats and game. Velvety and intense, and tasting of black currants and tobacco ... And kosher. Yes, kosher.

For the record

Pan dulce price -- A chart in last week's Food section with an article about Latino bakeries gave an incorrect price. The panadero at El Rinconcito del Mar bakery in Los Angeles is three for $1, not three for $14.

Cookbook photographer -- An article in last week's Food section on “Crave,” a cookbook by Ludo Lefebvre, identified Steve Wayda as a photographer for both Playboy and Penthouse magazines. Wayda is a photographer for Playboy magazine; he no longer contributes to Penthouse.

Restaurant flag -- In the April 6 Food section, an article about Baby Blues Bar-B-Q in Venice said that a flag of North Carolina was painted on its front window. It is a flag of Tennessee.

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Calendarlive Stories on Thursday

Literati's new edition / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Literati II on Wilshire Blvd. The chef is Chris Kidder, who was chef de cuisine at Campanile a while back, and his food definitely has that California-Mediterranean thing going for it.

Bruschetta / by Charles Perry

Since the '80's, this humble appetizer has evolved to become almost a meal in itself.

Includes five restaurants: Pecorino on San Vicente Blvd.; Ammo on N. Highland Ave.; Il Fornaio on N. Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, with other branches in Irvine, Manhattan Beach, Del Mar and Pasadena; La Terza on W. 3rd St. (on Tuesday nights with Nancy Silverton's “Tavola Italiana”); Antica Pizzeria on Maxella Ave. in Marina del Rey

rjwong · April 28, 2005

LA Times Food Section -- April 27, 2005

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee.

Where cool is hot / by Russ Parsons

Water Grill's new chef, David LeFevre, has a radical approach to cooking fish: Take it nice and slow. The results are sublime. Low-temperature cooking techniques are definitely a departure from the more traditional grilling, pan frying and sautéing.

Includes the side article, Four easy techniques, and four recipes: Confited yellowtail with ginger-carrot purée and warmed Asian vinaigrette; White-wine steamed sea bass with horseradish crème; Slow-roasted arctic char with vegetable 'risotto'; Cold-poached halibut with coriander-cucumber yogurt

Fresh and luscious / by Carolynn Carreño

This is ricotta at its best, whether made from cow's milk or sheep's milk. And here in California, you're so close to the source. As member of the whey cheeses, ricotta is more than that flavorless, rubbery, cottage cheese-like curd in the refrigerator section of grocery stores. Cow's milk ricotta is available all year round and made fresh right here in Los Angeles (actually South El Monte).

Includes three recipes: Warm ricotta soup; Tortelloni with sage butter; Fried ricotta

Napa center's power grab / by Corie Brown

With plans for a glitzy awards show, Copia aims to unseat the Beard Foundation. With the James Beard Foundation in the throes of a financial scandal, those at Copia, a 3-year-old West Cost cultural center founded by Robert and Magrit Mondavi, are calling that “timely opportunity.”

There is a discussion thread about this article here.

A wine for every fish in the sea / by Rod Smith

Smith concludes that crisp Sauvignon Blancs, especially Sancerre and its close cousin Pouilly-Fumé (from Pouilly-Sur-Loire, just across the river) were ideal with just about any seafood.

Includes the side article “Some Sancerres to sip”

The look's the thing / by Leslee Komaiko

The American Institute of Architects Los Angeles Chapter will recognize the contributions of architects and designers to the food scene of this city with the Los Angeles Restaurant Design Awards, a new annual juried competition.

A crumbly favorite

Recipe for strawberry scones from Annie Miler of Clementine near Century City.

Don't pity the gefilte enthusiasts

If you meant for your article ("The Fish We Love to Hate," by Laurie Winer, April 20) to be insulting to Jewish people who regularly include and enjoy gefilte fish during holiday celebrations, you succeeded.

There is a discussion thread about this article here.

Words for the Wine Guy

Your article ("The Designated Wine Guy," by David Shaw, April 20) described my Wine Guy experiences perfectly, with but one exception. I would never ask restaurant dinner guests to split the cost of the bottles I bring. And although it may have worked well, so far, for you to do so, I humbly suggest that you stop.

Charge 'em with an error / by David Shaw

When die-hard Dodger fan Shaw heard that management had changed concessionaries this season, replacing Aramark with Chicago-based Levy Restaurants ..., “I thought the food might even be better. I was wrong.”

A bustling brasserie: C'est chic / by S. Irene Virbila

Brass.-Cap. American Brasserie on W. Channel Rd. is given a ½* rating.

Bruce Marder's new restaurant at the beach is his take on traditional French cooking. It's hard to fathom how someone can get the décor so right, but the food so wrong.

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Copain Viognier Broken Leg Vineyard: Anderson Valley; about $28; ripe and lush; goes with summery salads and light main courses. ... beguiling scent of flowers and ripe peaches and rich, mouth-filling texture.

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Calendarlive Stories on Thursday

Felicity in Los Feliz / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Breakfast at the Alcove on Hillhurst Ave. With its bungalow setting and old French garden tables set out under the trees, the Alcove only looks laid back. This place is together.

Who is the top dog? / by Dog Davis

L.A.'s one heck of a hot dog town. And Wienerschnitzel has put a new one on the block.

Breakfast alfresco / by Charles Perry

Nothing beats breakfast out of doors, when you can find a good place to do it.

Includes five restaurants: Clementine on Ensley Ave.; Bel-Air Hotel on Stone Canyon Road; The Raymond on S. Fair Oaks Ave. in Pasadena; Pane Fresco at the Brentwood Country Mart on San Vicente Blvd. in Brentwood; Jinky's Café on Ventura Blvd. in Sherman Oaks & also on 2nd St. in Santa Monica.

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