DIGEST: Los Angeles Times Food Section

[rjwong]

LA Times Food Section – April 12, 2006

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee.

In the spirit of spring / by Regina Schrambling

There's a fabulous ease to the way modern Italians celebrate Easter -- just pull up a chair. One would think that with food & holidays like Easter (Pasqua), Italians would celebrate with a list of traditional dishes of the season. As an Italian friend explained to Schrambling, ”We have a saying: 'Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi.' It means, 'Christmas with family, Easter with friends.' You cook what you like."

Includes three recipes: Crespelles with prosciutto and zucchini; Asparagus flans; Strawberry crostata

Friends don't let friends drink plonk / by Corie Brown

It's Bordeaux night for the clutch of girlfriends who call themselves the Drinkettes. In the back room at 17th Street Café in Santa Monica a long table is jammed with wine glasses ready for the women, who arrive for dinner at 7 o'clock. Similiar to book discussion groups, starting a wine group is an increasingly popular way for friends to keep in touch with one another while exploring the world of wines. Learning about wine with a small group of intimates may be the most enjoyable way to improve your wine IQ.

Includes the side article, ”Wine group etiquette”

Wine tastings: All you need to do it yourself / by Corie Brown

WITH the following accessories on the table, your tasting group will be able to swirl, sniff and sip like pros.

Give them a hot minute / by Amy Scattergood

Blanching, done right, can capture the freshness of spring vegetables -- right down to the telltale crunch. The trick is in the timing.

Includes three recipes: Fiddleheads with fresh herbs; Young root-vegetable braise; Ramps in walnut vinaigrette with orange zest

Hail this Caesar's layers of intriguing flavors / by Barbara Hansen

Dear SOS: I am in love with Nook Bistro's Caesar salad. I have made several attempts at home, but still fail to re-create its mustardy masterpiece. Can you use your powers of persuasion to coax out the secret?

Cookstuff / by Leslie Brenner

A grand finish.....Sel gris de Guérande, a gray sea salt harvested on the west coast of France, has wonderful flavor.

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Domaine Olivier Pithon Côtes du Roussillon: LanguedocRoussillon; about $19; power with finesse; goes with barbecue, grilled meats, sirloin burger, roast leg of lamb. Tasting of black cherries, blackberries and cassis, this lovely Côtes du Roussillon rouge from Domaine Olivier Pithon is a blend of Grenache and Carignan.

Letters to the editor

What was the missing ingredient?

I have never written to you before, but on this occasion I felt I must. In Barbara Hansen's article ["Italian, Unraveled," April 5], which I like overall, she writes about Giada De Laurentiis' new book, "Giada's Family Dinners."

Artichoke's ardent fans speak out

TREMENDOUSLY enjoyed the artichoke article ["Look Out, It's Thistle Fever!" by Amy Scattergood, April 5]. There is nothing like true homage to a noble vegetable.

Buckling under its sweet spell

"BUILDING a Better Buckle" [April 5] was a great article. In the recipe for Spago's Pink Lady apple, fennel and rhubarb crumble there was a note that verjuice is available at specialty food stores. I live in the Kern River Valley. None of the local markets had heard of verjuice (verjus in French) so I Googled and e-mailed, [and found] a source of California-made, reasonably priced verjuice: Navarro Vineyards in Mendocino County, http://www.navarrowine.com .

Classic pairings

Wine buff C. Scott Hindell and chef Octavio Becerra (Pinot Bistro) teach a six-part UCLA Extension class on pairing wine with food. The course culminates in a wine dinner at a fine-dining restaurant.

For the record

Spanish wine in California — An article on wine in the March 29 Food section stated that Verdad winery is the only winery solely devoted to Spanish varieties. In fact, there is another: Bokisch Winery in Lodi.

***********************************************************

***********************************************************

Calendarlive Stories

Casual marks the hot spot / by S. Irene Virbila

Ford’s Filling Station in Culver City is given a 2* rating. When chef Ben Ford has a father named Harrison, you know the buzz about this place was huge long before it opened in February. Ford’s Filling Station is labeled as a gastropub, a place where people can grab a beer or a glass of wine and some good food, without commiting to a three-hour meal. And just like Brooke Williamson (Beechwood in Venice) or David Lentz (Hungry Cat in Hollywood), Ford, 39, is tapping into the way his generation actually wants to eat.

L.A. steals Bay Area players / by Laurie Winer

The Hatfields are coming to town. That’s Quinn & Karen Hatfields, founders of Cortez in San Francisco. They to move back to Karen’s hometown and start a restaurant called ... Hatfields ... With luck, they will open in May in the old Le Chine Wok space on Beverly Boulevard.

There is a discussion thread about the restaurant Cortez: Cortez

Always the right time / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Square One Dining on Fountain Ave. Three partners spruced up this small storefront along a busy street and opened up a cafe that serves breakfast all day long ... and the unexpected. The latter would include baked egg dishes cooked and served in a small cast-iron skillet, such as a fava bean, shiitake and oyster mushroom ragout on grits with feta ... And the ingredients are top quality, organic when possible.

Egg heads / by Leslee Komaiko

It doesn't get much more decadent than eggs Benedict topped with lots of luscious hollandaise — whether the classic recipe or one of myriad variations.

Includes five restaurants: Ned's on Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood; M Café de Chaya on Melrose Ave., L.A.; Mirabelle on Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; Omelette Parlor on Main St., Santa Monica; Taste on Melrose Ave., West Hollywood.

[rjwong]

LA Times Food Section – April 19, 2006

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee.

Halibut's big moment / by Russ Parsons

Wild salmon may be scarce this season, but Pacific halibut is plentiful and fabulous. Now that salmon won’t be in the limelight, the mild-mannered halibut gets is chance to shine. Mind you, you’ll have to pay a little more attention before the halibut gets overcooked. Russ Parsons show some techniques that’ll make halibut easy to prepare. That and a fish story about some salmon ...

Includes three recipes: Halibut chowder with spring herbs and sugar snap peas; Cold-poached halibut with fennel-olive salad; Halibut baked `in paper' with pea sprouts and herb butter

It's a cream puff renaissance / by Donna Deane

First, a French friend brings a spectacular homemade dessert to dinner. It's a Paris-Brest — a large ring of choux paste sliced horizontally, filled with praline pastry cream and whipped cream and topped with toasted almonds. Next, Thomas Keller opens Bouchon Bakery in the Time Warner Center in New York City, with a whole section on the dessert menu dedicated to pastries made with choux paste, or as it's called in French, pâte à choux.

Includes three recipes: Paris-Brest; Bouchon Bakery's Chantillys; Choux buns with coffee and Drambuie mousse

Bock beer's turn at the tap / by Charles Perry

This rich, malty brew is Germany's tribute to spring. It's time we took part in the celebration. Bock what? Most Americans don’t know much about bock, this strong lager, heavy on the malt, light on the hops, with lots of body and flavor. By the way, the annual tapping of the maibock keg at the Hofbräuhaus am Platzl in Munich ... happens next Wednesday.

From Positano, with a double shot of love / by Leslie Brenner

Enzo & Angela, named for the married chefs who own it, offers casual Italian cooking without pretense. What? Another Italian restaurant near Brentwood’s Italian restaurant row? Yes, Enzo Battarra and his wife Angela Battarra started their eponymous restaurant in a strip mall on Wilshire & Barrington. The service is calm, accommodating, not fussy, no attitude. And the simplest dishes are the best: pastas, gnocchi, hot & cold antipasti, simple grilled fish. And by the way, Angela is not only a chef, but also the daughter of actress Angela Lansbury.

Reach out, way out, and toast someone / by Leslee Komaiko & Cindy Dorn

To celebrate his brother's recent marriage, Santa Monica resident Ravinder Singh recently got together with about 200 of his nearest and dearest, half in Southern California and the rest in India. While revelers here savored a dinner of chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken, basmati rice and naan, the party-goers in India enjoyed breakfast. The two groups were united by a voice-activated video-conferencing system linking Fullerton's Sitar Authentic Indian Cuisine with its sister restaurant Haveli in Hyderabad.

And also in “Restaurant Journal”: Michelin inspectors are anonymously dining in and around San Francisco and the Bay Area. The company’s first West Coast guide is scheduled to be released in October.

Van Gogh, by the glass / by Barbara Hansen

Dear SOS: I was recently in New York City and visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In conjunction with its Van Gogh exhibition, they were offering a Champagne cocktail called Starry Night at the Petrie Court Cafe. It was one of the best I have ever tasted.

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Parador Tempranillo 'Rancho Chimiles Vineyard': Napa Valley; about $28; rich and spicy; goes with bean soup, charcuterie, country ham, lamb, pork chops. The Rancho Chimiles Vineyard produces a supple and juicy red ... dark and chewy, tasting of plums and spice ...

On the yummy side of the street

Stroll from one restaurant to another in Glendale during a downtown tasting event. Proceeds go to programs that provide uninsured children access to health care.

***********************************************************

***********************************************************

Calendarlive Stories

Late-night and sultry / by S. Irene Virbila

Citizen Smith in Hollywood is given a 1* rating. With a Thomas Schoos-designed decor of cowhides and rococo chandeliers, Citizen Smith is all about the scene, not the food. Mind you, the food is pretty decent for a place like this. Comfort food, with a few Southern-style items from Louisiana-born chef Taylor Boudreaux. Citizen Smith is another of a line of Hollywood restaurants popping up for all those night owls. Citizen Smith stays open until 4 a.m., except Sunday through Wednesday, when it closes early — at 2 a.m.

If you get through the door / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Republic on N. La Cienega Blvd. This club / steakhouse / lounge has a very posh, very gorgeous decor with a restaurant attitude of its predecessors. A reservation system-as-ruse to generate buzz. Chef Gabe Morales ... knows what to do with a piece of dry-aged beef. And will Republic succeed? With several takeovers in the last few years on that southwest corner location of La Cienega and Melrose Place, Que sera, sera ...

Having it all / by Leslee Komaiko

Meat or seafood? Why stress when you can do both? Surf and turf to the rescue.

Includes five restaurants: Spanish Kitchen on N. La Cienega Blvd., L.A.; Vibrato on Beverly Glen Circle, Bel-Air; Boa on Santa Monica Blvd., Santa Monica; Palomino on Wilshire Blvd., Westwood; Gladstone's Malibu on Pacific Coast Highway.

[rjwong]

LA Times Food Section – April 26, 2006

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee.

Of milk and silk / by Russ Parsons

Burrata, the dreamy, creamy cousin of mozzarella, may have roots in Italy, but its home is in L.A. Since 1993, Gioia Cheese Co., located in South El Monte & owned by Vito Girardi, was about the only American company making burrata. Cantaré Foods in San Diego started making it in 1996. Russ Parsons wants to build a statue of Girardi in his honor for introducing this wonderful cheese to the United States. Maybe he’s right ...

Includes two recipes: Angelini beet salad; Bruschetta with burrata and radicchio marmalade; and the side article, ”Tracking down fresh burrata’

Cocktail museum, cocktail chaser / by Jenny Hontz

The name itself evokes the clink of ice in a glass. So it may seem fitting that a museum celebrating the history of the cocktail has just moved into town.

The Museum of the American Cocktail, founded in New Orleans, was displaced by Hurricane Katrina. ... o when the owners of the original New Orleans Commander's Palace offered space at their Las Vegas branch, the museum founders — an intrepid band of cocktail professionals, collectors and enthusiasts — packed up lock, stock and 200-year-old crock jugs and moved into one of the restaurant's banquet rooms in March.

Includes four drink recipes: Gin-Gin Mule; La Perla; Brandy Crusta 21; Tiger's Eye

Meeting up in Paris / by Amy Scattergood

Daniel Young's 'The Bistros, Brasseries and Wine Bars of Paris' is a vicarious visit to the City of Light, filled with classic tastes and twists. Part cultural guide, part cookbook, and written by the former restaurant critic of the New York Daily News, 'The Bistros, Brasseries and Wine Bars of Paris' includes about one hundred bistro favorites.

Includes four recipes: Pan-fried goat cheese salad with hazelnut vinaigrette; Garlic soup with mussels; Pan-seared cod with potato and smoked sausage purée; Pineapple brochettes with saffron caramel

Perfecting the art of the cocktail / by Susan LaTempa

Right now, we're in a golden age of American cocktails. More and more, bartenders at the best lounges and bars are offering lists of aperitifs, small-plates drinks and after-dinner drinks that sparkle with sophistication and creativity. And a common notion among mixologists is a foundation in the classics. Tony Abou-Ganim says, ”If you don't understand the classics, it's tough to understand what makes a great cocktail. It comes down to balance, just like cooking."

Don't wait: Grab the garnet glow / by Amy Scattergood

Blood oranges get amazingly sweet and gloriously red as the season ebbs.

Easter tends to mark the beginning of the end for the blood orange season. A folksy caveat marks Easter as a the signal of the end, the blood of Christ a reminder that the blood oranges will soon be gone from the trees.

Includes three recipes: Blood orange tart; Blood orange Martini; Fanny's strawberry-orange compote

Pork with plenty of Korean-style sizzle / by Linda Burum

Every meal's a party at Honey Pig. The vibe is upbeat as diners feast on tabletop barbecue. Honey Pig, located on W. 8th St. in Koreatown, specializes in samgyeopsal jip (or pork belly barbecue house), combined with contemporary scene.

A table topper to floor you / by Leslie Brenner

Endives make a cunning display at the dining table. At Jer-ne restaurant at the Ritz Carlton, Marina Del Rey, former executive chef Troy Thompson came up with the idea of placing an endive root in a square case as part table art, part science project. BTW, , Thompson is set to be chef at David Burke Las Vegas, with a planned August opening at the Venetian. In the meantime, Dakota Weiss has taken Thompson's place as chef at Jer-ne.

Also in the news:

• Tim Goodell put to rest the rumor that his Melrose Avenue new American restaurant Meson G is going to become a Red Pearl Kitchen, calling it "completely false

• Three on Fourth is slated to open the week of May 3 in the old Rocca space in Santa Monica

• Solare, the Italian restaurant that opened last fall in the space formerly occupied by Em Bistro, has closed

• Chef James Boyce of Studio in Laguna Beach has created several citrus-themed "flights," really themed menus with cocktails.

With a glass of red ... / by Barbara Hansen

A variation on classic French pot-au-feu, this hearty dish appealed to Times restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila when she dined at Lou, a new wine bar on Vine Street in Los Angeles.

LOS ANGELES TIMES LIST FOR APRIL 26, 2006

Maraschino liqueur / by Susan LaTempa

The Italian company Luxardo makes all kinds of liqueurs — amaretto, limoncello, espresso — but Maraschino Luxardo in its straw-jacketed green bottle is a classic. Distilled and aged two years, it's made from a variety of sour cherry.

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2004 Albariño Pedralonga: Rias Baixas; about $19; crisp and minerally; goes with shellfish, peel 'n' eat shrimp, seafood paella, light summer dishes. It's a wonderfully versatile warm-season wine that can hold its own against all kinds of seafood.

***********************************************************

***********************************************************

Calendarlive Stories

A new energy by the beach / by S. Irene Virbila

Stonehill Tavern is given a 3* rating. The St. Regis Resort Monarch Beach has replaced the former Aqua restaurant with a newly-opened Stonehill Tavern, Michael Mina’s newest venture. To Mina's credit and the hotel's, the change is no half-hearted effort, but a total rethinking of the restaurant from the design and décor to the concept, the management and the menu. He's brought in a crack team to retool the restaurant.

There is a discussion about this restaurant: Stonehill Tavern

Pork with plenty of Korean-style sizzle / by Linda Burum

At Honey Pig, the stylish vibe is upbeat as diners feast on communal barbecue. Honey Pig, located on W. 8th St. in Koreatown, specializes in samgyeopsal jip (or pork belly barbecue house), combined with contemporary scene.

Sushi? What a fresh idea / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on Mia Sushi in Eagle Rock. Owner Rudy Martinez converted to the rest of his mortgage office building into a sushi restaurant, after getting tired of driving to Little Tokyo to eat sushi. Named for his daughter, Mia Sushi serves better fish, and includes an outdoor patio complete with a glass water feature and feathery bamboo hedges. Come full-on summer, it's going to be near impossible to get a seat out here.

Where Buddha sits / by Leslee Komaiko

Buddha has gone from spiritual symbol to pop icon, appearing on T-shirts and, now, at a restaurant near you.

Includes five restaurants: Zen Zoo Tea Cafe on S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills; Moz Buddha Lounge on Agoura Road, Agoura Hills; Nirvana Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills; Ten Asian Bistro on Macarthur Blvd., Newport Beach; Buddha's Belly on Beverly Blvd., L.A.

[rjwong]

LA Times Food Section – May 3, 2006

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee.

Something's cooking / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic's notebook on the Culver City scene. The chefs are coming -- and so are the bakers, wine bars, foodies, cafes. Culver City is hot. Not since the old Helms Bakery back in the ‘30’s through the ‘60’s has Culver City had a flurry of food activity. And it didn’t happen by accident ...

Culver City address book

Here’s the list with their weblinks:

Beacon ; Bluebird Bakery ; Café Nagomi ; Dolce Forno Bakery ; Ford's Filling Station ; Kaizuka ; K-Zo Restaurant ; New School of Cooking ; Surfas ; Café Surfas ; Tender Greens ; Wilson

The edge of greatness / by Leslie Brenner

Sliced razor thin, raw vegetables and fresh fruits take on new texture and flavor. Now that's a clever salad! And you don’t need a razor with some shaving cream. Just a mandoline, a vegetable peeler, or a very sharp knife.

Includes four recipes: Artichoke salad; Shaved fennel salad with smoked salmon; Shaved cantaloupe with prosciutto and mint; Tuna carpaccio with shaved fennel and watermelon

A simmer most delicate / by Regina Schrambling

If Dinah Washington had ever recorded a song about stew in springtime, the first line would have to be, "What a difference a name makes." While the word “stew” can sound very wintry, how about trying some lighter & jazzier versions, like blanquette, ragout, or fricassee?

Includes three recipes: Blanquette de veau; Seafood stew; Spring chicken

The accidental vintner / by Corie Brown

Brian Talley decided to share his grape-growing turf. Fortunately, he found a few neighbors willing to take a gamble. Talley comes from a vegetable farm family and doesn’t know “beans” about growing a vineyard. Thus, he makes an unconventional offer to two neighboring vintners. But if it works, it could be a template for how to shift more fields from vegetables to vineyards.

Includes the side article, ”Pinot Noirs from Stone Corral”

Chicago says no to foie / by Russ Parsons

The city bans foie gras, but chefs refuse to give in quietly. California awaits the same fate. And some chefs ... trace the ban to a very public, very heated feud last year between two of Chicago's top chefs: Charlie Trotter, who announced that he had stopped serving foie gras, and Rick Tramonto, chef at TRU, one of Trotter's main luxe dining competitors.

There are three discussion threads about this topic: Chicago is the first city to ban foie gras ; Chicago's foie gras list ; Trotter and Tramonto square off over Foie Gras (Chicago Tribune article)

Crepes at midnight, with a side of fries / by Susan LaTempa

Solar de Cahuenga carves out a niche with the idea that cravings happen at all hours. Owner Milton Sznaider, born and raised in Argentina, has taken the location on the corner of Franklin and Cahuenga and turned it into a nice nieghborhood hangout, with an eclectic mix of a coffeehouse meets crêperie meets hookah bar (sans alcohol). And starting May 15, it’ll be open from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. (midnight, for now).

If life gives you heaps of avocados, make guacamole / by Leslie Brenner

The markets are awash in creamy, rich Hass -- at prices that won't break the bank. Avocados are now in season and are available at every farmers’ market stand. Better stock up on tortilla chips.

Includes a recipe for: Guacamole

A first course, pretty on the plate / by Barbara Hansen

Chef-owner Gino Angelini of La Terza on West 3rd Street in Los Angeles only makes this risotto of tiny favas, clams and carnaroli rice when he can get the first young, tender favas of spring. He'll have it on the menu until the middle of June; it recently caught the attention of Times restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila.

The craft of beer now an open book / by Charles Perry

If you're into craft beers, really into them, sooner or later you're going to have to get a big black book titled "The Essential Reference of Domestic Brewers and Their Bottled Brands, 2nd Edition" (MC Basset, $47.50). Beer lovers Michael S. Kuderka and Catherine A. Ench-Kuderka have packed a huge amount of information into its 341 pages. And yes, California is not only this country’s wine capital, but also this country’s beer capital as well.

English tradition preserved / by Charles Perry

This fudge-thick old-fashioned marmalade has a rich, winy orange flavor and a refreshing bitter edge. E. Waldo Ward & Son of Sierra Madre has been making it for the last 88 years from Seville oranges ...

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Domaine Courbis Saint-Joseph 'Les Royes': Northern Rhône; about $30; concentrated and lush; goes with charcuterie, grilled ribs, steak frites, beef daube with olives. ... [T]his is a Saint-Joseph that's got everything going for it: gorgeous fruit, solid structure, beguiling flavors and real character.

For the record

Commander's Palace chef — An article in last week's section about the Museum of the American Cocktail in Las Vegas said the Commander's Palace chef is Carlos H. Gula. His last name is Guia.

Spanish wine — The Wine of the Week column in last week's section stated that Albariño Pedralonga is made in Spain's Basque country. It is from Galicia.

***********************************************************

***********************************************************

Calendarlive Stories

Where classic is prime / by S. Irene Virbila

The Pacific Dining Car in Santa Monica is given a 1½* rating. Santa Monica's Pacific Dining Car trades flash for the familiar with its lavish house-aged steaks and traditional sides. With the latest arrivals of trendy, Hollywood-type steakhouses, PDC is the antithesis of flash. The menu is classic steakhouse, with items a la carte. The martini is made with gin, not vodka. We’re talking classic, ladies and gentlemen. Still, if you want to live large and spend big on the Westside in the middle of the night, Pacific Dining Car is your kind of place.

There is a discussion about this topic: Southern California steakhouses

Crepes at midnight, with a side of fries / by Susan LaTempa

Solar de Cahuenga carves out a niche with the idea that cravings happen at all hours. Owner Milton Sznaider, born and raised in Argentina, has taken the location on the corner of Franklin and Cahuenga and turned it into a nice nieghborhood hangout, with an eclectic mix of a coffeehouse meets crêperie meets hookah bar (sans alcohol). And starting May 15, it’ll be open from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. (midnight, for now).

Translating Koi chic into Italian / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic’s notebook on Bridge on La Cienega Blvd. The new Italian restaurant from Nick and Dipu Haque, is as splashy as they come along this stretch of La Cienega Boulevard. The chefs are Santos MacDonal and Mirko Paderno, whose last gig was as the chef at Dolce in West Hollywood. The menu is your standard L.A. Italian restaurant. Why open just another Italian restaurant? Because the Haque brothers already have a seemingly inexhaustible audience at Koi.

Restaurant row / by Leslee Komaiko

Not sure what you want to eat? La Cienega Boulevard has just about everything a hungry man, or woman, could want.

Includes five restaurants: Lawry's on 100 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills; L'Orangerie on 903 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood; Gyu-Kaku on 163 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills; Le Petit Bistro on 631 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood; Sona on 401 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood.

[rjwong]

LA Times Food Section – May 10, 2006

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee.

Spanish adventure / by Corie Brown

Southern California wine lovers are crazy for bargain reds and whites from Spain. Since the 1980’s, Spain’s wine industry has become a revolution. And it’s making its way into California. Rajat Parr, wine director for Michael Mina's restaurant group, says, "They taste totally different than California wines, but they have that same intensity and structure ... No place in the world makes better value wines today than Spain.” And these wines from Spain have the same quality at half-price.

Includes two side articles, ”A primer on grapes and places” ; the Times blind tasting of Spanish wines

Oh, get past the garnish / by Amy Scattergood

Chop-chop -- it's time for parsley and its herbal cousins to be at the center of the action. You buy a bunch of herbs, like parsley, cilantro, basil, or mint. And they get thrown into the bottom of the refrigerator, to be forgotten. Unless you remember you have them and you make a quick pesto. But there's a world of possibility out there besides pesto.

Includes three recipes: Roasted tomatoes persillade; Potato leek soup with cilantro-anchovy chop; Rack of lamb with mint gremolata crust

Rereading the Greek classics / by Donna Deane

Layer upon layer of complex flavors come together in modern versions of simple-to-make standards. Some of Greece's best loved dishes, like moussaka, pastitsio, and yiouvetsi, are as easy to make as macaroni & cheese. Mind you, ... the complex, layered creations were originally served for Sunday dinners and special occasions. “kali orexi!" — good appetite!

Includes three recipes: Moshari yiouvetsi (veal and pasta casserole); Balkan-style moussaka; Pastitsio; and the side article, ”Where to get Greek”

Far-flung kitchens send news / by Regina Schrambling

Stand facing the average newsstand lately and it's hard not to think American food magazines are speeding downhill in a Rachael Ray sled, with Paula Deen pushing. And then, ever increasingly, food magazines from overseas, like Donna Hay Magazine, Fresh and Olive, are arriving in the States from Australia and England, as well as New Zealand. They’re bring a worldly sophistication to the table. Even better at a tense time for national self-esteem, imported food magazines nicely convey how the rest of the world sees us.

Includes two recipes: Asparagus and Parmesan tarts; Orange granita with passion fruit

There is a discussion about this topic: Food magazines: US, overseas & Canada

What's for breakfast? Dinner / by Leslee Komaiko

Neal Fraser, chef-owner of Grace, plans to open BLD, as in "breakfast, lunch and dinner." Mike Garber, sous chef of Grace, is going to head the kitchen. BLD will be a little more casual than Grace, and more affordable. “The proximity [to Grace] makes sense to us because we can almost be at two places at the same time," says Fraser. "It's a block and a half away." BLD will be located in the old Café Capo/Opaline/Red space.

Also in the Restaurant Journal:

∙ The Patina Group is taking over management of Maple Drive, the 17-year-old Beverly Hills restaurant June 1.

∙ Ron Mendoza, “director of pastry operations" at Boule, as well as being pastry chef at sister restaurant Sona across the street, is now pastry chef at Ortolan.

∙ Koichiro and Akiyo Kikuchi closed their popular La Cienega Boulevard restaurant Kikuchi late last month after seven years.

∙ Mike Bryant has been promoted from executive sous chef to chef de cuisine at Norman's on Sunset Boulevard.

Refined rustic / by Barbara Hansen

This rich duck sauce is the basis of a dish called bigoli all' anatra after the thick, rustic semolina spaghetti called bigoli, in Verona, hometown of Chiara Conti of Fabiolus Café on Melrose. At Fabiolus, it's a frequent special, served with house-made bigoli, but it can also be served with tagliatelle, ordinary spaghetti or any other pasta cooked al dente.

New sausage ideas? He's on the casing / by Charles Perry

Bucking the trend of shrinking services in meat departments, Richard Schwartzberg offers about 10 kinds of fresh sausage a day as meat manager of Bob's Market in Santa Monica.

New coat for a classic / by Jenn Garbee

It's hard to imagine that classic, stainless steel mixing bowls could be improved, but the new melamine-coated stainless bowls from Crate & Barrel have done just that.

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Bera Sassisto Langhe: Piedmont; about $22; warm and earthy; goes with salami, prosciutto, pasta dishes, braised veal shank. Sassisto is a blend of Barbera with 10% Nebbiolo. Old vines mean concentration and heft.

LETTERS

Past favorites, new arrivals

Thanks for the article on the "culinary awakening" of Culver City ["Something's Cooking," by S. Irene Virbila, May 3]. Terrific that we are getting so many new restaurants, but we shouldn't forget those that have nourished us for the past few years.

Foie gras ban is a matter of respect

While I believe that one should be sensible about all things, I don't think that absence of foie gras is going to affect gourmet dining ["Chicago Says No to Foie," by Russ Parsons, May 3]. It's tasty and all that, but the planet will continue spinning if I never get to eat it again. I totally disagree with the suggestion by some chefs that other edibles may be targeted next. If the overall result of this ban is for us to treat all living things with a little more respect, then it's the right thing to do. Let's enjoy our food, but let's not torture absolutely everything before we eat it!

For the record

Nutritional information — In last week's Food, the nutritional breakdown for the recipe for La Terza's risotto with clams and fava beans was wrong. The correct breakdown is 471 calories; 20 grams protein; 66 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 13 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 24 mg. cholesterol; and 773 mg. sodium.

Wine shop's name — An article in last week's Food on the Culver City food scene gave the incorrect name for a wine shop and tasting bar opening there soon. It is BottleRock, not Bottle Rocket.

Stonehill Tavern manager — An April 26 Food review of Stonehill Tavern, the restaurant at St. Regis Resort Monarch Beach, stated that manager Tim Flowers is a master of wine. He is not.

***********************************************************

***********************************************************

Calendarlive Stories

Nestled in the trees of Ojai / by S. Irene Virbila

Auberge at Ojai is given a 2* rating. Chef-owner Christian Shaffer brings a welcome French- Californian sensibility to his Auberge. He limits his menu to eight first courses and eight main courses. Mind you, Shaffer changes the menu monthly, to take advantage of the seasons over at the farmers’ market. Consider most of the entrees as updated comfort food, with a few cutting-edge dishes. And the cost of all the main courses is under $30. I can't help but think Auberge at Ojai is the beginning of a beautiful restaurant in a beautiful place.

Alternative brunchality / by Leslie Brenner

Critic’s notebook on Four Seasons Biltmore Santa Barbara. After a six-month renovation, the legendary Bella Vista restaurant at the Four Seasons Biltmore Santa Barbara had just reopened, and the Sunday brunch had no shortage of ardent fans. But is it worth the $65-per-person price tag? Maybe not. Fortunately for Brenner, and her mother, they found a better way to take in that ocean view, and it involves real Champagne.

Here’s to you Mom / by Leslee Komaiko

Can't see Mom this Sunday? Treat her to lunch another day instead, with a glass of bubbly and a postcard view.

Includes five restaurants: The Tower Bar on Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; Top of the Cove on Prospect St., La Jolla; Oak Grill on Country Club Road, Ojai; Oceanfront on Ocean Way, Santa Monica; Restaurant 162' on Ritz-Carlton Drive, Dana Point.

[rjwong]

LA Times Food Section – May 17, 2006

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee.

Bonjour, Las Vegas! / by Leslie Brenner

Quietly, master French chef Guy Savoy has set up on the Strip. Can it be this easy? Caesar’s Palace made an offer to this 52-year-old chef and he couldn’t refuse. He’s about to open, in Las Vegas of all places, a near-replica of his Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris, ... seven months after French chef Joël Robuchon made his high-profile debut here at the MGM Grand ... Who is Guy Savoy, this chef who may not be as well-known in America as in Europe, but is mentioned as one of the top 10 chefs in the world? He's really a chef's chef, enormously well-regarded in the food world internationally for his focused, inventive, often playful cooking ...

Includes two recipes: Tuna `toutes saveurs'; Mushroom and spinach gratin

There is a discussion about this restaurant: Opening Date for Restaurant Guy Savoy in Vegas?

Down-home diarist / by Charles Perry

John T. Edge brings a little rococo to the study of plain ol' American food. The folklorist's main ingredient? Eccentricity. After his travels to find regiona lrecipes, John T. Edge, the food writer and director of the Southern Food Alliance has written a series of four books: "Fried Chicken," "Apple Pie," "Hamburgers & Fries" and the latest, "Donuts." Well, there's a lot of half-accurate food history out there. What makes Edge uniquely infuriating is the way he writes this mixture of genuine food lore and guesswork history.

Includes three recipes: Onion-entangled griddle burgers; Hypocrite pie; Baptist cakes

Try this get rich quick scheme / by Regina Schrambling

Key limes, Valrhona cocoa or rum elevate the pudding cake. (And we love a dessert that makes it own sauce.) The pudding cake from the 1955 Betty Crocker’s cookbook has been an old standby for many people like Schrambling. Bringing pudding cakes up to panna cotta speed is surprisingly simple, though.

Includes three recipes: Rum and coconut pudding cake; Key lime pudding cake; Hot fudge pudding cake

Not easy being green / by Matthew DeBord

Once upon a time, the eco-friendly practice of reusing wine bottles was commonplace. So why has it fallen by the wayside?

I see ... I see ... the future of toast / by Charles Perry

Behold the future of toast (maybe): two vertical sheets of glass rising from a gleaming chrome base to encase a slice of bread, like an edible ant farm. That's the Transparent Toaster. Mind you, it doesn’t exist. It’s just an idea from Inventables Concept Studio in Chicago. But think for a moment: What would your ideal toaster do?

Includes three toaster products: The Westinghouse ToasterSlicer (WST3001W); The Back to Basics Egg & Muffin Toaster (TEM500); The Kenwood Radio Toaster (TT756)

Show off your mussels / by S. Irene Virbila

When I ordered moules at Bouchon in Vegas, the glossy black mussels arrived in this egg-shaped cast iron pot from Staub, and I knew I had to have one.

SPIRIT OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

Plantation Rum Guyana Old Reserve 1990: Caribbean/South America; about $36; elegant and smooth; goes with a good book. Made in limited quantities and aged 13 years in oak casks, Plantation Rum Guyana is a pale rose gold with a delicate scent.

LETTERS

A narrow ban

I would like to comment on the article on the Chicago foie gras ban and the response of one reader.

Where even the writing is fresh

I enjoyed Amy Scattergood's article "Oh, Get Past the Garnish" [May 10]. A very enjoyable read, it was fresh in subject matter and writing.

For the record

Food letter — The name of a reader whose letter was published in last week's Food section was misspelled. His name is John Carl Brogdon, not Brogden.

***********************************************************

***********************************************************

Calendarlive Stories

In? It's never been out / by S. Irene Virbila

Dan Tana’s in West Hollywood is given a ½* (half-star) rating. Food is beside the point at Dan Tana's, where for years diners have wedged themselves in for a taste of the scene. Over 40 years ago when Dan Tana first opened, the top-quality ingredients were not available. But now that the place could upgrade their ingredients, the “if it’s not broken, why fix it” rule applies. And plenty of people love the big portions, the sloppy plates and the retro taste.

Mediterranean, with a host of influences / by Linda Burum

Sassi, a kosher Israeli restaurant in Encino, serves up Middle Eastern and North African specialties. Unlike the Ashkenazi cooking from Northern European Jews, Sassi’s menu consists of Sephardic dishes of the Eastern

Mediterranean, like moussaka, hummus, sesame tahini and baba ghanouj. And because it's a meat and fish restaurant, no dairy foods cross the threshold. And because Sassi keeps kosher, the restaurant is closed Friday nights and Saturdays.

A vintage experience / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic’s notebook on Upstairs 2 in West Los Angeles. Wine House owner Bill Knight is the driving force behind the restaurant, and the chef is Todd Barrie, formerly of Joe's in Venice. Upstairs 2 is only open 3 nights a week (Thurs.-Sat. until 1:30 a.m.), and is located above the Wine House on Cotner, with an already built-in clientele. Call it a wine restaurant with an appealing menu of Mediterranean small plates and 45 wines by the taste, glass or carafe. Three carafes of wine and a lot of food came to $50 per person. And with 70 parking spaces available, you don’t need valet parking. What an idea!

Meatball madness / by Leslee Komaiko

Whether you're an unwavering traditionalist or open to a little culinary experimentation, there's a meatball out there with your name on it.

Includes five restaurants: Biggs on E. 2nd St., Long Beach; Minibar on Cahuenga Blvd., Universal City; Al Gelato on S. Robertson Blvd., L.A.; Dominick's on Beverly Blvd., L.A.; Ciudad on S. Figueroa St., downtown L.A.

[rjwong]

LA Times Food Section – May 24, 2006

SPECIAL ISSUE: FARMERS MARKET

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee.

The idea that shook the world / by Russ Parsons

Straight from farmer with no middleman? Twenty-seven years ago these were radical notions. When then-Gov. Jerry Brown, back in 1977, signed an executive order exempting farmers from certain restrictions if they would sell their produce at farmers markets, Vance Corum opened the Gardena farmers market on June 23, 1979. ... [T]he Gardena farmers market was the first to open in Southern California and one of the first half a dozen in the state. Times sure have changed, ehh?

Caught up in the moment / by Amy Scattergood

Chefs go wild at farmers markets -- and so do their imaginations. The season's latest will inspire you too.

Includes three recipes: Polenta cake with roasted cherries; Market vegetable pizza; Pan-roasted halibut with grits, morels and spring onions

Cheese monger on wheels / by Corie Brown

Brie, cheddar, blue? From his roving truck, Laurent Bonjour takes his fromage show on the road. Bonjour (yes, that’s his real name) can be called a cheese evangelist, proclaiming his message: Eating good cheese daily is the key to a healthy, happy life.

Herbal cocktails, anyone? / by Donna Deane

Basil, chervil and cilantro from the market lead to seriously sophisticated drinks. If you enjoy those herbs in Vietnamese and fusion cusine, why not add them into your cocktails and beverages?

Include three cocktail recipes: Honeydew-cilantro agua fresca with tequila; Cool Cucumber Martini; Basil-berry wine punch

Ripe debuts and peak performances / by Russ Parsons

... This week we're introducing a new occasional feature that will keep you up-to-date on the choicest fruits and vegetables in season at local markets. This way you know that now is the perfect time to pick up a couple of pints of Gaviota strawberries to use in something like these lemonade-strawberry floats with mascarpone ice cream.

Includes the recipe, ”Lemonade-strawberry floats with mascarpone ice cream”

Secret ingredient to starting a farmers market? Community / by Charles Perry

Large and small, new ones get going in Southern California every year. Here's how it's done.

Why not add on a kitchen? / by Charles Perry

The Hollywood Farmers Market plans an ambitious multifunction kitchen that will operate six days a week. Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles (SEE-LA), which runs the market, is developing this plan, by occupying a 1,500-square-foot space on Morningside Court, at the east end of the market, and calling it the Farmers Kitchen.

Also in the Restaurant Journal:

∙ Cut by Wolfgang Puck opens in its Richard Meier-designed space in the Regent Beverly Wilshire on June 1.

∙ Meson G closes at the end of this month; the scheduled opening as Red Pearl Kitchen is September.

∙ Richard Kaye, owner of the Creole and soul food restaurant Cirxa Bistro has closed that Silver Lake spot and, after an extensive remodel, opened Sushi Koda in the same location.

To pickle your fancy / by Jack Silberstein

Moessner Orchard's pickled beets and red cabbage bring a touch of the old Midwest to the Southern California table.

Fresh from fields to a street corner near you

Markets accepting food-stamp electronic benefits transfer cards are indicated by the notation (EBT).

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Pago de Carraovejas Ribera del Duero Crianza: Ribera del Duero; about $32; ripe and juicy with smooth tannins and a lively acidity; goes with manchego or other aged sheep's milk cheese, grilled lamb chops, barbecued ribs, a sirloin burger. You'll find sweet spices, notes of coffee and vanilla in the glass too.

For the record

Wine bottles — In last week's Food section, an article about winemakers reusing bottles said more than 30 billion wine bottles are used annually in California. The correct figure is more than 3 billion.

Food reading — In the same issue, a photograph of an actor in a Getty Center reading of food fiction was misidentified as Isaiah Sheffer. The actor pictured was Steven Gilborn.

***********************************************************

***********************************************************

Calendarlive Stories

With excitement on the plate / by S. Irene Virbila

Jer-ne at the Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey is given a 2½* rating. Jer-ne’s new chef Dakota Weiss brings sparkle and a sense of fun to the Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey. 500-degree rocks brought to the dining table to cook raw shrimps, strips of filet or foie gras. Eating at Jer-ne is never passive. The dining experience is full of drama, with a number of dishes that involve the diner's participation or input.

Delicious sizzle amid the salad / by Susan LaTempa

What's that tempting aroma? Red Oak BBQ's ribs and sausages. People come to the farmers market for the produce, right? Well, there’s a line waiting for some spice-rubbed beef ribs, pork ribs, tri-tip, chicken and sausage, cooked on a fire fueled with real red oakwood. At farmers markets in Westchester (Wednesday), Wilmington (Thursday), San Pedro (Friday) and Menifee Valley (Sunday).

Step into another world / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic’s notebook on the Moroccan Room at Social Hollywood on Sunset Blvd. The décor is Moroccan. The transformation of the former 1920s Hollywood Athletic Club is absolutely beautiful. Chef Joe Ojeda, previously of Asia de Cuba, presents a menu that has global influences, like a short rib tagine with Oaxacan mole.

Vital organs / by Leslee Komaiko

Think organ meats are an acquired taste? We've heard that before.

Includes five restaurants: The Ritz Restaurant (calf’s liver) on Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach; Ortolan (veal sweetbreads) on W. 3rd St., L.A.; Nate 'N Al's (beef liver) on N. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills; Agora (chicken hearts) on Main St., Irvine; Norman's (sweetbreads) on W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood.

[rjwong]

LA Times Food Section – May 31, 2006

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee.

Dip into summer / by Russ Parsons

Provence's aioli monstre feast gets the California treatment -- what a wonderful, garlicky start to the alfresco season. Russ Parsons tries to find the perfect aioli recipe for his aioli monstre, California-style. It wasn’t that easy ...

Includes five recipes: Aioli; Steamed potatoes with pimentón; Hard-boiled eggs; Grilled flank steak; Grilled artichokes

The royal raspberry / by Jenn Garbee

The glorious fruit is once again ruling the season, and pastry chefs are playing it for all it's worth. The height of the raspberry season in Southern California is coming up soon, in June and July. Her summer reign is brief, so get to know her while you can.

Includes three recipes: Raspberry semifreddo; Raspberry tart with hazelnut crust and lemon verbena ice cream; Flourless raspberry soufflés

Tasted 30 years later: They're alive! / by Patrick Comiskey

A rematch of the historic 1976 Paris event proves California reds age gracefully, as they topple French classics. The 1976 event, known as the “Judgment of Paris,” sent shockwaves throughout the wine world.

Last week, to commemorate the event, wine critics from England, the U.S. and France gathered in panels chaired by Spurrier at the headquarters of London wine merchant Berry Bros. & Rudd, and by Gastaud-Gallagher at Copia (the American Center for Food, Wine and the Arts) in Napa to taste those same red wines from the early '70s and find out which, if any, held up.

Includes the side article, ”Judgment in Paris 30 years later”

There is a discussion about this topic: The French Resistance, to having their wines tasted blind again

Just 'listen to the harmony' / by Leslie Brenner

Dinner with music macher Sergio Mendes is a rare treat. He really knows food and wine. Brenner had dinner with Mendes and his wife, singer Gracinha Leporace, at Spago, one of their favorite restaurants. Sergio Mendes is quite passionate about food & wine: ... an 8,000-bottle wine cellar, entertains with gourmand extravagance at home in Woodland Hills and plans his world music tours according to where he most feels like dining — let's just say that food and wine are almost as important as music.

Chefs to the stars go public / by Leslee Komaiko

In the world of private chefs, especially those who cook for celebrities, discretion is the better part of valor. For those who might be tempted not to heed Falstaff's wise counsel, there are confidentiality agreements that compel them to keep mum about their clients' quirky tastes.

Also in the Restaurant Journal:

∙ Bin 8945, a modern bistro and raw bar offering nearly 60 wines by the glass, is opening in West Hollywood in mid-June.

∙ Eurochow, restaurateur and designer Michael Chow's 7-year-old Westwood Village looker, has closed.

The morning routine gets some buttering up / by Barbara Hansen

Square One in Los Angeles is among the newer restaurants catering to breakfast lovers who dine out.

On the lookout for spuds and spears / by Russ Parsons

Peak season: New potatoes ; Last chance: Asparagus

Indian at home / by Barbara Hansen

Rasa spice blends capture the authentic flavor of traditional Indian cooking because they're blended by Indian women who know how a terrific curry should taste.

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2002 Podere Le Boncie 'Le Trame' Chianti Classico: Tuscany; about $30; supple and elegant; goes with pasta with duck ragù, pork roast, chops, steak. With flavors of dark cherries, wild herbs and earth, it is supple and full of character ...

Letters

One big, happy market

Thank you so much for your thorough coverage of my favorite subject — my local farmers markets [special Issue: Farmers Markets, May 24]. I especially appreciate your story on Laurent Bonjour, a big part of the French "invasion" at the Culver City farmers market (and the advisor for the exquisite cheese plate I served recently to out-of-town visitors).

Dan Tana's fan begs to differ

I write to comment with respect to [s. Irene] Virbila's review of Dan Tana's restaurant on May 17. I was disappointed that her review was so negative. I am a New York-born Italian and frequent Dan Tana's when I crave veal and peppers like my mom used to make. The veal and chicken dishes are excellent and I continue to frequent the restaurant because the sauce and quality of meat is always perfect.

Shaken, stirred by martini mixes

It would appear that "feminization" has hit the bars ["Herbal Cocktails, Anyone?" by Donna Deane, May 24]. Too much soy has finally caught up with us.

For the record

Farmers markets — The following farmers markets should have been included in the Food section's May 24 listing of certified farmers markets: Tuesday, Los Angeles County: Highland Park (Old LA), Marmion Way between Avenues 57 and 58, 3 to 8 p.m. (323) 255-5030, http://www.oldla.org ; Wednesday, Orange County: Santa Ana, Bush and 3rd streets, Fiesta Marketplace parking lot, 3 to 7 p.m, (EBT), (714) 542-9392, http://www.grainproject.org ; Saturday, Orange County: Los Alamitos, U.S. Bank parking lot, Katella Avenue and Pine Street, 3 to 6 p.m. (562) 598-9790.

***********************************************************

***********************************************************

Calendarlive Stories

Who's minding this kitchen? / by S. Irene Virbila

The new Aubergine in Newport Beach is given an unsatisfactory rating. Décor, menu, service, cooking: Aubergine's new owner has changed most of what made the original so great. Apparently, and quietly, Tim and Liza Goodell sold the

Aubergine restaurant (and the Aubergine name) to Dennis Overstreet, proprietor of the well-known Beverly Hills shop the Wine Merchant. Uhh, the rating pretty much says it all.

Jazz with some rockin' specialties / by Susan LaTempa

Warm, friendly Industry Cafe dishes up East African hits, including fantastic breakfasts. Industry Cafe & Jazz on Washington Blvd. in Culver City has a delicious variety of East African dishes, great jazz music, and that social-club feel similiar in other African restaurants. But don’t worry, first-time visitors are warmly catered to.

A farm kitchen, but not really / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic’s notebook on Tart at the Farmer's Daughter Hotel on Fairfax Ave. Located across the street from the Farmers’ Market, Tart is a hotel restaurant with a little tongue-in-cheek fun and a surrealistic farm kitchen decor. And the restaurant recently added a dinner menu to its breakfast & lunch offerings.

Providing chills / by Leslee Komaiko

Fresh seafood, bright citrus, a hint of spice, then chill. To us, ceviche is the perfect antidote to the hot summer days on the way.

Includes five restaurants: Los Balcones del Peru on N. Vine St., Hollywood; Sevilla on Chapala St., Santa Barbara; La Playita on Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica; Café Hidalgo on N. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton; Frida on S. Beverly Drive, Beverly Hills.

[rjwong]

LA Times Food Section – June 7, 2006

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee.

The salad, upended / by Regina Schrambling

A leafless salad is a whole other experience. Summer's signature dish can be a marvelous thing. Who says that a salad has to be green and leafy? A great big toss of raw vegetables — some whole, some chopped — provides even more satisfying crunch and good, clean flavor than a bowl of dressed greens, ...

Includes four recipes: Leafless salad; Steak salad; White anchovy salad; Spicy calamari salad

Burgers? Say it ain't so, Tom ... / by Russ Parsons

Thomas Keller, the chef behind Per Se, takes a distinctly American turn. Blame In-N-Out. Keller bought the Wine Garden restaurant property, and is going to open an American restaurant called Ad Hoc, ... for only six months. He has bigger plans in store: The new restaurant is merely something to occupy the space until he's ready to unveil his real purpose in buying the building — opening a burger barn.

There is a discussion about this topic article: Wine Garden Sold!

In a tiny village in Spain / by Betty Hallock

Beyond Catalonia's cutting-edge food scene, a simple meal at an inn keeps a connection to the land. Las Nenas, a sleepy stone inn in the village of Jafre, is owned by Katy Ross and Martha Kroncke, who are California transplants and former teachers at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Ross and Kroncke provided the writer and her friend, ... a profound introduction to a way of eating and cooking that was so connected to the land.

Includes four recipes: Grilled rabbit, lamb and chorizo with romesco sauce; Grilled rabbit, lamb and chorizo; Sofregit-vegetable rice; Crema catalana

Poof! You're now a rich and silky wine / by Patrick Comiskey

A novel device claims to smooth out the rough edges of a young pour. But critics ask, is that really a good thing? Patrick Farrell invented a magnetic device called the BevWizard that apparently can make that cheap bottle of wine rounder, softer and less tannic. But while nearly everyone can detect a difference using the BevWizard, not everyone falls sway to its magic.

There is a discussion about this topic article: The BevWizard gadget, makes wines less tannic

Capturing its sweet grassiness / by Barbara Hansen

"Most restaurant soups are soothing and boring," says restaurant critic S. Irene Virbila, but, she says, you can always find an interesting soup at Govind Armstrong's Table 8, where she recently sampled this white corn soup that has "all the sweet grassiness of the first corn of the season."

Lemon, artichoke meet in a bright summer dish / by Donna Deane

Although it's better known as a soup, avgolemono, the familiar Greek mixture of chicken broth, egg yolks and lemon juice, is also often used as a sauce.

Includes the recipe, Aginares avgolemono (artichoke bottoms in avgolemono)

Early stone fruit and a snappy vegetable / by Russ Parsons

Just in: Apriums ; Peak season: Sugar snap peas ; Last chance: Oroblanco

Cazuelas cookware / Betty Hallock

Terra-cotta cazuelas not only look good, they can be used in the oven, the microwave or on the stove top. But you have to treat them right.

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2004 Dveri-Pax Renski Rizling 'E' Maribor: Maribor, Slovenia; about $20; crisp and minerally; goes with sushi and sashimi, crudos, grilled salmon or other fish. Steely and minerally with lovely herbal and citrus overtones, it's everything you'd want in a summer Riesling.

Letters

In defense of the new Aubergine

In S. Irene Virbila's review of Aubergine, ["Who's Minding This Kitchen?" May 31], Virbila wrote that she had heard that the restaurant had "stealthily reopened at the beginning of the year."

Farmers markets' long, rich history

Gardena farmers market may be the first of the contemporary craze ["The Idea That Shook the World," May 24], but there were many before.

For the record

Tart baking temperature

In last week's Food section, the recipe for raspberry tart with hazelnut crust and lemon verbena ice cream left out the baking temperature for the crust. It should be 350 degrees.

Sergio Mendes

In an article about the Brazilian pianist in last week's Food section, the group Brasil '66 was incorrectly referred to as Brazil '66 in some editions.

The Find

A caption with last week's Food section review of Industry Cafe & Jazz misidentified Aron Tadesse as Aaron Tadeffe.

***********************************************************

***********************************************************

Calendarlive Stories

Sushi, on the Rock / by S. Irene Virbila

Mia Sushi in Eagle Rock is given a 2* rating. Eagle Rockers flock to stylish Mia Sushi, where the hip factor is high and the rolls are baroque. Various friends convinced mortgage broker Rudy Martinez, to turn the empty space next to his office into a restaurant. Instead of driving to Little Tokyo for sushi, Eagle Rock residents can stay local and eat straightforward sushi & sashimi, along with Matsuhisa-style fusion creations. The kitchen crew has tempura frying down.

A major obsession, a minor sensation / by Linda Burum

In Reseda, amazing fresh tofu, seasoned with lemon grass or whipped into a custard. Kevin Tran owns Vinh Loi Tofu, a Vietnamese vegetarian café and tofu factory in Reseda on Sherman Way, in the heart of the San Fernando Valley. He offers 20 tofu-based Vietnamese dishes and various noodle soups (but no pho), and you don’t have to drive to Little Saigon or San Gabriel to get it.

Hula till you drop / by Leslie Brenner

Critic’s notebook on Ma'kai Lounge's in Santa Monica. You don’t have to fly over to Hawaii for a Sunday luau. Just drive over to Ocean Ave. in Santa Monica for a "Mauaka platter," ... which includes slow-roasted kalua pig; Hawaiian barbecue ribs; something called laulau, which the menu describes as ginger chicken and pineapple coconut rice steamed in a bamboo leaf; Hawaiian macaroni salad; sesame cabbage salad; fruit; and, don'tcha know, poi — Hawaii's much-maligned state starch, mashed taro root.

Polynesiology / by Leslee Komaiko

In the mood for a little tropical kitsch? Pop a Don Ho CD into your car stereo and head for one of these spots.

Includes five restaurants: Damon's on N. Brand Blvd., Glendale; Bahooka on N. Rosemead Blvd., Rosemead; Duke's on Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach; Trader Vic's on Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills; Islands on W. Pico Blvd., West L.A.

[rjwong]

LA Times Food Section – June 14, 2006

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee.

Shake It Up, Baby! / by Amy Scattergood

What says summer more than a luscious milkshake? The grooviest new flavors are turning up at hipster hangouts and retro landmarks -- and we'll take you to the best ones. Montana huckleberry, anyone?

Includes four recipes: 25 Degrees' strawberry milkshakes; 25 Degrees' vanilla ice cream; 25 Degrees' chocolate milkshakes; Pazzo Gelato's cinnamon milkshakes

Can't resist those patties / by Regina Schrambling

On menus or at home, crab cakes are a delicious obsession that just won't let go. This obsession was brought to the Pacific by Seattle chef Tom Douglas back in 1977. Eventually, Douglas has written a new book with Shelley Lance, titled "I Love Crab Cakes!"

Includes five recipes: Wild Ginger's Dungeness crab cakes with lime dipping sauce; Crab cakes; Avocado-tomatillo sauce; Sauce gribiche; Piquillo pepper sauce

So wildly elegant / by Amy Scattergood

They're not just for looks. Arugula flowers and other herbal blossoms add intriguing layers of flavor. These edible flowers add a new dimension into your cooking, but they can be fragile, especially in hot weather. So, ... park them in water in the refrigerator as soon as you get them home. And be flexible ...

Includes three recipes: Wild salmon steamed with cherry tomatoes and sage flower-tomato consommé; Thyme flower and goat cheese tart; Arugula-arugula flower soup

All hail Bordeaux -- again / by Corie Brown

It's the vintage of the century (déjà vu?) as the major châteaux build up demand, and prices, for 2005. Wasn’t 2000 also named “the vintage of the century”? You don't have to live in Hollywood's backyard to recognize hype.

They're the R2-D2s of marinating / by Charles Perry

Summer’s here, the lazy days of summer, so what do we want to do? Speed up the barbecue, of course. Vacation time and long bright evenings are terrible things to waste. And marinating your meats for hours takes the spontaneity of eating barbecue right now, ehh? And that's why some companies want us to buy vacuum marinators.

Includes two side articles: “The monster marinator” (The Reveo MariVac); “The lesser vessel” (The Countertop Tumbler by American Gourmet Secret (AGS))

Authentically, locally, Oaxacan / by Leslie Brenner

Skillfully prepared regional dishes are the draw at family-friendly Juquila in West L.A. Juanita has been around for eight years, headed up by chef Juana Hernandez. Yes, you can order tacos, burritos, and carne asada plates, but the Oaxacan dishes are the real specialties: crunchy chapulines (grasshoppers), Oaxacan chorizo; tasajo (thinly sliced, grilled, salty beef round), among others. And don’t forget all those moles ...

The show dogs of summer / by Leslee Komaiko

The specialty corn dog isn't your run-of-the-mill carnival variety. Places like Boa, Republic, Bistro, and Parkway Grill, are serving variants of the traditional wiener, be they chorizo, lobster, or tiger prawns.

Also in the Restaurant Journal:

∙ Rumor: Lincoln Steakhouse has closed or is closing. John Baydale of Star Group Management sets the record straight: Incorrect, but ...

∙ Venice Cantina has closed.

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2005 Domaine Hubert Chavy Chardonnay 'Les Femelottes' Vieille Vigne: Burgundy; about $19; lean and sinewy; goes with artichokes, crudités, steamed mussels, chilled seafood platter, Santa Barbara spot prawns. The grapes come from old vines, and as a result this Chardonnay has an intensity and crisp mineral quality that makes for perfect summer drinking.

Letters

More magic with wine

I'm afraid [Patrick] Farrell's BevWizard is too late ["Poof! You're Now a Rich and Silky Wine," June 7]. Most wineries are making Parkerized low-tannin wines already.

Pretty in pink

My mom and I made the raspberry soufflé recipe ["Flourless Raspberry Soufflés," May 31] and it turned out amazing. It was fun and easy to make, and it tasted great too. It was light, fluffy and a pretty pink.

For the record

Restaurant name: In an article in last week's Food section, the name of the restaurant where Mia Sushi chef Kazo Ozawa previously worked was incorrectly stated as Flying Fish. The restaurant's name is Frying Fish.

***********************************************************

***********************************************************

Calendarlive Stories

Where fairy tales meet reality / by S. Irene Virbila

Republic on La Cienega Blvd. is given a ½* (half-star) rating. The designer's vision comes through clearly at Republic. The chef's concepts, on the other hand, are a tad murky. Owner Mikayel Israyelyan chose the right designer for this latest trendy restaurant. Designer Peg O'Brien made this awkward space look glamorous, with a gorgeous 20-foot glass wine tower. And with executive chef Gabriel Morales’s experience at Boa Steakhouse, Virbila thought the steaks would be first rate. Wrong. Mind you, biscuits, smoked mac ‘n cheese, bourbon-glazed doughnuts, ... they've got that Southern thing going for them.

Classic steak, Modernist house / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic’s notebook on Cut at the Regent Beverly Wilshire hotel in Beverly Hills.

Wolfgang Puck and Richard Meier collaborated on this new, Modernist steakhouse with a glassed-in kitchen. Okay, where’s the beef? Dry-aged prime from Nebraska, wet-aged prime from Illinois and Kobe-style Wagyu beef from Idaho and Australia. But the pièce de résistance is true Japanese Wagyu beef from Niigata prefecture that is just now being imported for the first time in any quantity. And you don’t need to see its paper, you can taste it.

Game for duck / by Leslee Komaiko

Duck is as versatile as chicken, and it usually has more flavor. But it requires a bit more finesse to cook just right. That's why we usually leave it to the professionals.

Includes five restaurants: Xi'an N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills; Stonehill Tavern on Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point; Xiomara on N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena; Wilshire on Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica; Boe at the Crescent Hotel on N. Crescent Drive, Beverly Hills.

[rjwong]

West Magazine, Los Angeles Times -- June 18, 2006

THE RESTAURANT ISSUE

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which require an additional fee.

Admittedly, Having Just One Dish Is Fare-ly Lame / by Rick Wartzman

An editor’s note

Stick a fork in it... / by S. Irene Virbila

...or a steak knife. Or a skewer. Or a spoon. Wrap a pair of chopsticks around it. Or plunge in a corkscrew. Because of our wealth of restaurants, we're a multi-utensil town. A primer on what cutlery to use where — and hands are fair game here as will — in restaurants across Southern California.

Pressure cooker / by Lynell George

When the heat finally got to Russell Jackson, the highflying chef landed hard. So why is he jumping back into the fire?

Mixed doubles / by Charles Perry

At Norman's, Charles Perry finds a sympathetic pairing of a cocktail and dessert. Can other marriages be far behind?

Eating out

Our guide to more than 250 restaurants across Southern California.

The restaurants are categorized geographically and then listed alphabetically: Beverly Hills; Brentwood; Century City; Culver City; Downtown; East and South Los Angeles; Glendale/Eagle Rock/Highland Park; Hollywood; Huntington Park/Bell/Downey; Koreatown; La Cienega/Fairfax/La Brea; Los Feliz/Silverlake/Echo Park; Malibu; Marina Del Rey; Pasadena; San Fernando Valley; San Gabriel Valley; Santa Monica; South Bay; Venice; West Hollywood; West Los Angeles; Westwood; Orange County; Santa Barbara/Santa Clarita/Ventura.

[rjwong]

LA Times Food Section – June 21, 2006

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee.

Koreatown, 24/7 / by Betty Hallock

The neighborhood never sleeps, so why should we? Barbecue pork belly, fiery kimchi, late-night noodles and Crown Royal keep things rolling past dawn.

With about 660 restaurants in the neighborhood known as Koreatown, Hallock spends the next twenty-four hours there, eating her way through Korean cafes, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs ….

Includes the side article, ”Food, frolicking into the wee hours“

Coming soon: Jubilee! / by Russ Parsons

California's cherry crop was the pits this year, but look out -- from up north, lots of fabulous fruit is on the way. Good thing for second chances: the cherriy season in the Pacific Northwest is just beginning. And how could you let spring go by without eating a cherry?

Includes three recipes: Homemade ricotta with red wine-poached cherries; Cold spiced cherry soup; Cherry-almond cobbler

Rev up those palates / by Amy Scattergood

Fragrant flatbreads and snazzy dips with Middle Eastern allure are an irresistible invitation to the table. Flatbreads can make you forget about bread and olive oil ... or pizzas for appetizers. In fact, Ford's Filling Station chef Ben Ford has three of them on his menu. "If I'm going to be innovative," he says, "I don't want to be in the same sentence as Wolfgang Puck."

Includes five recipes: Lamb tartare with fried chickpeas, oil-cured olives and cumin flatbread; Bubble bread; Fava bean hummus; Cherry tomato confit; Japanese eggplant baba ghanouj

Napa's go-to virtuoso / by Patrick Comiskey

Winemaker Philippe Melka brings a meticulously gentle touch to some of the showiest cult Cabs. Melka, who carries his own Melka Wines label, is consulted in Napa Valley on everything: the weight of the bottle, the label design, the cork, and particularly, in the vineyard. Mind you, Philippe Melka has this ability ... to work under the radar; to make wines simply, in a noninterventionist way, and bring out the character of each site.

Green tea chiffon, red bean beignets / by Barbara Hansen and Susan LaTempa

New wave Korean bakeries are turning out some of the most exciting pastries around. These Korean-Euro bakeries are attracting Koreans & non-Korean Southern Californians, who ... are quickly picking up on the appeal of cakes, pastries, cookies and breads made with European baking techniques adapted to Korean tastes.

Includes the side article, ”Sweet sources”

A prime time for snappy picks / by Russ Parsons

Just in: Green beans ; Peak season: Lettuce ; Last chance: Beets

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2005 Château de Ségriès rosé: Provence; about $13; dry and fruity; goes with tapenade, salade niçoise, soupe de poissons, roast chicken. It's perfect as a warm-weather aperitif but also has enough structure to come to the table.

For the record

Corkage policy: A review of Republic restaurant in last week's Food section said that if a customer buys a bottle of wine from the list, the corkage fee is waived. The policy is that if a customer buys a bottle of wine from the list, the corkage fee on a bottle of wine brought in by the customer is waived.

Milkshakes: An article in last week's Food section about where to get a great milkshake misspelled the last name of Louis B. Mayer as Meyer. Also, the former name of ice cream store Mashti Malone's was Mugsy Malone's, not Bugsy Malone's.

***********************************************************

***********************************************************

Calendarlive Stories

Constantly chic / by S. Irene Virbila

Pinot Bistro on Ventura Blvd. in Studio City is given a 1* rating. Pinot Bistro's lively ambience and reliable menu have kept it a Studio City favorite. Constant and consistent ... that’s how it should be at a bistro. Even when Pinot Bistro’s new chef, Charlie Schaeffer, is now in place. Chef after chef, the house style at Pinot Bistro has remained pretty consistent since Joachim Splichal opened it as the first Patina spinoff in 1992.

An easy stretch for good food / by Susan LaTempa

Vegetarian Nite Moon Café is a peaceful oasis of tranquillity and calm. In the heart of a bustling Hollywood district, Nite Moon Café, located inside the Golden Bridge Yoga Center on De Longpre Ave., serves sandwiches, salads, soups, drinks, and desserts in a spacious converted warehouse. It's like hanging out in the kitchen of an accomplished vegetarian cook who appreciates intense flavor, knows how to make smart choices and insists on high-quality ingredients, organic whenever possible. There are plenty of vegan choices.

Nothing fancy about it / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic’s notebook on Hatfield’s on Beverly Blvd. But that’s a plus at Hatfield’s, which lacks pretense — but not good food. Quinn and Karen Hatfield, former co-chefs of Cortez in San Francisco, have moved and opened this 50-seat place in Karen’s hometown. A relief from all the trendy places where setting trumps the food every time, Hatfield's is, thankfully, all about the food.

There is a discussion about this topic article: Hatfield’s Restaurant

Italian seduction / by Leslee Komaiko

If you're a fan of crème brûlée and flan, panna cotta should be on your list of creamy desserts too. Served chilled, this Italian-born custard seems made for summer.

Includes five restaurants: Providence on Melrose Ave., L.A.; The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton Pasadena on S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena; Sage on Eastbluff Drive, Newport Beach; Sona on N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood; Blend on Calle Barcelona, La Quinta.

[rjwong]

LA Times Food Section – June 28, 2006

SPECIAL ISSUE: GRILLING

Viewing the LA Times website, www.latimes.com, requires registration. If that is unacceptable, try clicking this link here, enter the URL address of the LA Times and proceed accordingly. Some content is in the premium section called www.calendarlive.com, which requires an additional fee.

SUMMER AND SMOKE / by Russ Parsons

Alluring scents, captivating flavors. At long last wood grilling, in all its nuanced glory, comes home. Wood smoke. Those two words can make you hungry already. But unless you’re a barbecue expert, getting that aroma from your backyard grill has always been difficult. Now all that has changed. Cooking with real wood flavor has become so easy you can do it every day.

Includes three recipes: Grilled butterflied leg of lamb with olive-fennel tapenade; Prosciutto-wrapped halibut with grape tomato salad; Brined pork tenderloin with `Tuscan home fries'

Some real scorchers / by Jenn Garbee

A little char, a little crunch, a hint of bitterness, a vinegar zing: That's the way to get grilled side dishes that sing.

Includes three recipes: Green beans with pickled shallots; Radicchio slaw with balsamic vinaigrette; Grilled eggplant with red and yellow peppers

Where chefs tease the most from the fire / by S. Irene Virbila

It's inevitable: The fragrance of wood smoke and food cooking over mesquite or olive or alder sets the mouth watering. Fortunately, there are some L.A. chefs who have a passion for grilling or cooking over a wood fire. Here are some of the best places:

Ammo on N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles

Antica Pizzeria at Villa Marina Marketplace on Maxella Ave., Marina del Rey

A.O.C. on W. 3rd St., West Hollywood

Boneyard Bistro on Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks

Brothers at Mattei's Tavern on Railway Ave., Los Olivos

Campanile on S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles

Cut at the Regent Beverly Wilshire on Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills

Dominick's on Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood

Hitching Post II on E. Highway 246, Buellton

JR's Barbeque on S. La Cienega Blvd., Culver City

La Terza on W. 3rd St., Los Angeles

Literati II on Wilshire Blvd. (at Bundy), Los Angeles

Saddle Peak Lodge on Cold Canyon Road, Calabasas

Tierra Sur on Camino Del Sol, Oxnard

Back ribs basted in L.A. sensibility / by Jenn Garbee

The yard's a balcony and the wood is almond. Who knew it would be so toe-curlin' good? Garbee and her husband, a couple of Texans via North Carolina, were invited by a neighbor to a barbecue in Los Angeles, little did they know that barbecue, out in the West Coast, meant anything cooked outdoors, instead of briskets, smoked meats, & ribs. With nothing but grilled burgers in sight and serious withdrawals, we had to do something. So we decided to cook up a mess of barbecue ourselves.

Includes a recipe for: Barbecue baby back ribs

C'mon, smoked lager? / by Charles Perry

Mark Jilg makes it just in time for the grilling season. It's one of many offbeat creations from his Craftsman line. Craftsman Brewing in Pasadena has been in business since 1995, but only produces 450 barrels a year and are not available in bottles. Yet serious beer palaces around LA are passionate to keep his brews on tap. But then there's the oddball side to Craftsman. "I have a lot of contrarian ideas," Jilg admits, and his brew list shows it.

Includes the side article, ”Where it flows”

OK, what are they smoking? / by Leslee Komaiko

You've heard of pot brownies. Now there's stoner steak — at Tart, the eclectic restaurant that opened mid-March in the groovy Farmer's Daughter Hotel on Fairfax. Former executive chef Karim Dennis Mejia created this dish, based on the farmer's daughter theme, from a challenge by the hotel's owners, Peter and Ellen Picataggio. But the question remains: ”So how does Tart's kitchen make the steak dish that smells like marijuana?” Don’t ask me. I’m not the type that tells.

Also in the Restaurant Journal:

∙ Simon LA opened on Monday in the Sofitel Hotel across from the Beverly Center.

∙ Caffe Roma in Beverly Hills has a new owner, Ago Sciandri (Ago, Sortino) and a new chef, Piero Topputo (Toscana).

∙ Sunday night is burger night at the Tower Bar in the Sunset Tower Hotel (formerly the Argyle).

∙ Eat Well Beverly has opened in the old Cafe Tartine space on Beverly Boulevard.

The moment for brilliant plums and sweet ears / by Russ Parsons

Just in: Santa Rosa plums, Corn

A very juicy tip / by Jack Silberstein

When you're hungry for just-smoked flavor but in no position to fire up the grill, stop by Western Kosher, a family-owned butcher shop and market in the Fairfax district ..., and pick up a smoked chicken.

WINE OF THE WEEK / by S. Irene Virbila

2003 Pesquera Tinto Ribera del Duero Crianza: Ribera del Duero; about $27; lush and velvety; goes with grilled lamb or pork chops, ribs with a dry rub, butterflied leg of lamb. Velvety in texture, with round ripe tannins, and concentrated enough to stain your teeth purple, it tastes like liquid plums.

***********************************************************

***********************************************************

Calendarlive Stories

A breezy window at the pier / by Leslie Brenner

Lobster in Santa Monica is given a 1½* rating. In the swing of summer, the Lobster's beachy location can't be beat. The vibe is fun and easy, and it's one of the few restaurants where the vibe and the view perfectly align. While S. Irene Virbila is away, Leslie Brenner reviews this seafood restaurant, located at the entrance of the Santa Monica Pier & named after its featured bug, to which chef Allyson Thurber is allergic (no joke). They can’t seem to cook lobster correctly. Mind you, the Lobster restaurant has other things to like: its 180-degree-plus views of the ocean and Palisades Park, the floor-to-ceiling windows, their cocktails, a great menu, and an overall wonderful feeling.

That Texas twang / by Susan LaTempa

Slow-cooked over oak or mesquite, terrific Lone Star 'cue in NoHo. Swinging Door opened in January by Michael Stephenson, who used to work at that landmark restaurant in Richmond, Texas (no affiliation). With a 3,400-pound steel smoker that Stephenson’s father built, the meats are not directly under the flame, resulting in authentic Texas-style 'cue. And when the neighborhood can smell the aroma, it’s time to line up, because when popular items, like baby back ribs, are gone, they’re gone.

Penthouse panorama / by S. Irene Virbila

Critic’s notebook on West at the Hotel Angeleno. Totally renovated Hotel Angeleno, located below the Getty Center, has opened West, its penthouse Italian steakhouse on the 17th floor. Executive chef Josh Moulton has a varied menu: small-plates for sharing, crudo, salads, pastas, and standard chophouse fare. And the 200-degree view is a killer. Who'd ever think the 405 would make such a mesmerizing view?

View masters / by Leslee Komaiko

In the world of Southern California restaurants, a knockout view usually means sand and sea. But not always, as the following attest.

Includes five restaurants: Garden Grill on S. Los Angeles St., downtown L.A.; Typhoon on Donald Douglas Loop South, Santa Monica; Kantina on Newport Blvd., Newport Beach; Yamashiro on N. Sycamore Ave., Hollywood; L.A. Prime on S. Figueroa St., downtown L.A.

NB This is rjwong’s last installment of the Los Angeles Times Food Section Digest. I’m stepping down from this “digestive” role to focus on some projects at work. I enjoyed learning so much from reading & summarizing one of the best food sections around each week for the past one-and-a-half years. Take care, rjwong.

[mcohen]

Recently, the LA Times has allowed their archives to become available to the public for free. Before, when you clicked on these links, you couldn't read the articles without paying a fee. So, I've decided to bump up this thread in case people in the past might have skipped some of the earlier links because they didn't want to read them.

But, one thing I've noticed reading through some of the older links is how much stronger the LA Times food section used to be which is a microcosm of what's happening to the Times. The newspaper industry has been hit really hard in the past few years by the loss of advertising revenue, and the newspaper industry has responded by massive layoffs which is taking a toll on the quality of these newspapers.