Tag Archives: pairings

Lobster Paella and Other Spanish Wonders at Bar Pintxo

Posted on by

Lobster Paella

As the Los Angeles “chill” continues, it’s only natural to crave the comforting foods in which we take refuge. Luckily, there’s Bar Pinxto, a tapas place that has reinvigorated the Spanish traditions behind the term that was once disgracefully applied to all “small plates.” The place has the most mom and pop feel of anywhere in the tourist hub of Santa Monica, and the reasonable price points, accommodating happy hour specials and prix fixe menu options clinch its status as a neighborhood favorite.

Continue reading →

The Little Truffle Maker Cocktail Kicks Off 16-Course Black Truffle Dinner at SAAM, The Bazaar

Posted on by

The Little Truffle Maker: First Course in Saam’s Black Truffle Dinner

Starting tomorrow and every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening only for a limited time (until March 2nd), you can taste a 16-course black truffle dinner at SAAM for the ultimate, seasonal private dining experience at José Andres’ The Bazaar. The masterminds behind the dinner are Think Food Group’s research and development Chef Aitor Lozano, Executive Chef Joshua Whigham and Sous Chef Holly Jivin.

Continue reading →

Unearthing Heirloom LA, a Hidden Gem in Eagle Rock

Posted on by

Handcut Chitarra Pasta, fennel sausage, garden thyme, black preserved truffle, parmesan reggiano foam, cauliflower ash

It’d be a glaring omission to recall best Los Angeles meals of 2012 on Eater LA and not give my mentions a proper write-up, and so here is an account of my experience at the bespoke Salon at Heirloom LA.

I say bespoke because the act of stumbling into Heirloom was shockingly not via their famously flavor-packed, personal sized lasagna cupcakes found at farmer’s markets around town, but instead by luck of an invitation to a private dinner showcasing Bridlewood Wines in that said tasting room. Fortunately, they’ll be opening it up to the public a few days during the week, and I imagine the Eagle Rock community will meet that unveiling with elation. So bring on 2013, then.
Continue reading →

DieN’Isis XI: The Zombie Apocalpyse Beer Dinner is at Dusk on Sunday

Posted on by

Dio(e)nicess Poster

Something special is coming up on Sunday – it’s so special it’s “to die for,” and luckily there are a few tickets left, so grab them quick. Yet again, there’s something brewing down in Long Beach – but for this 11th installment of Dionicess, you can forget it being holiday themed, and instead Walking Dead themed. Zombie themed. What-have-you.

To match, the series has been temporarily renamed as “Die”-nisis and will be serving food to accommodate their vision, including food and beer inspired by corpses, skeletons, brains and all of the above. Though they say it’s a 5-course dinner, if you’re familiar at all with their events, you know there will be some extras.

Continue reading →

Colonial Wine Bar is the Neighborhood Spot Melrose Needs

Posted on by

Colonial Wine Bar Interior

There’s enjoying wine, and there’s enjoying wine with food. And maybe you live or are near Melrose just for the moment, but you probably were looking for something a little less bro-tastic. While pairings have gotten increasingly more attention as of late, it’s hard to come by an expert without the expectation of spending an exorbitant amount as a result of access to that expertise. Thankfully, Colonial Wine Bar brings that luxury to Melrose diners at neighborhood prices.

Lamb Burger

Chef de Cuisine Ryan Otey, who has all of Patina, Tasting Kitchen and Villetta on his resume, is serving up some rustic dishes in the intimate wine bar. The bar itself lines the wall as your eye is caught by the glass-encased wine cellar in the back. The overall feel of the crown-molding-adorned place is casual with plenty of play available towards getting as serious about the food and wine as needed.

You’ll find familiar dishes such as deviled eggs, bone marrow, flatbreads, burrata and heirloom tomatoes on the menu, but not-to-miss is their lamb – whether as meatballs or a burger. Their mushrom risotto is also solid, appropriately buttressing the definition of “comforting wine bar” as Colonial stands. There are a few beer taps behind the bar, as well, where I pleasantly found Hitachino White Ale on draft.

Continue reading →

Dionicess X Presents Coming of Age: Pairing 5 Aged Beers With 5 Aged Foods

Posted on by

Beachwood BBQ, Long Beach

You may be familiar with the Dionicess series by now, or perhaps not.

Whatever the case, it’s time to get (re-)acquainted for the tenth installment of pairing sessions, because the boys are about to bring you an extravaganza of aged beers and foods for your enjoyment.

Dionicess X Crew: Gev Kazanchyan, Dave Watrous, Randy Clemens, Julian Shrago & Gabe Gordon

Yes, you’ll have to venture to Long Beach for this special event, but let’s be honest: There’s really no better reason to do so than Beachwood BBQ. At an all-inclusive $80 with 5 pairings and the proceeds going to Real Medicine Foundation, you know this particular summer Sunday will be more than worth it.

Some intel to get you excited:

The base beer by Julian of Beachwood BBQ is high-gravity and contains Green Cardamom and was fermented with a bunch of Blackstrap Molasses. Jeff Duggan of Portola Coffee Lab was given a sample of this base beer in order to craft a coffee that would lend the beer an “Armenian coffee” note. These beans were then placed in the beer a few days ago. Soon, oak chips that have been soaked in 25-year-old Armenia Cognac will be used to age the beer in time for the event. And the resulting product, dubbed “System of a Stout,” will be an exclusive to Dionicess X for the series’ tenth anniversary and for your tasting pleasure.

You’ll have Gev Kazanchyan, a public health professor; Randy Clemens of Sriracha Cookbook fame; Dave Watrous, “The Guezehound” of Beachwood BBQ; Gabe Gordon, Executive Chef of Beachwood and Julian Shrago, Brewmaster of Beachwood to guide the way. Because you’d expect nothing short of the experts to impart knowledge and tastes to your palate, now wouldn’t you?

Basically, everything you’ll be enjoying on this evening will have undergone an aging process of some sort – whether beer or food. And there will be a couple goodies to take home with you, such as a specially-bottled, limited edition Bourbon Barrel Aged Chile Sauce. Talk about swag.

Tickets are almost sold out, so it’d be a good idea not to sleep on this one and reserve your seats now… I’ll see you there.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

5 PM

Tickets: $80 (Pre-registration & payment required)

Beachwood BBQ
210 E. 3rd Street
Long Beach, CA 90802
562.436.4020

Dionicess IX is Craft Cubed: Beer & Booze Pairing

Posted on by

Randy Clemens, Dave Watrous, Gev Kazanchyan and Matt Biancaniello | Photo credit to FoodGPS.com

We’re about due for another Dionicess event. Of course, these guys won’t stop outdoing themselves as they’ve brought a beer & booze pairing to fruition.

Matt Biancaniello of The Roosevelt Hotel’s Library Bar is brought into the fold with Randy Clemens, Dave Watrous and Gev Kazachyan as they pair five craft beers with five craft spirits. Prepare for a boozy evening in late October at Steingarten LA to benefit the Real Medicine Foundation for an all-inclusive $65 entrance fee.

And if you know anything about Matt or the Dionicess crew, you’ll automatically know this is something unique they have up their sleeves. Expect garden-fresh ingredients a la Matt with your spirits and beer pairings.

Better start arranging that taxi… See you there.

Friday, October 21, 2011

7 PM

$65 per person, all-inclusive tickets

Steingarten LA
10543 W. Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064

City Tavern and Ladyface Ale Beer Dinner: September 15, 2011

Posted on by

Grilled Stone Fruit, Burrata, Almonds, Ale Vinaigrette (paired with Eagle Rock Brewery Yearling Flanders Red ale)

Beer Dinners: You can’t really have too many. Good thing City Tavern, the Downtown Culver City hangout with taps at the tables (a couple of them, anyway) is holding one with Ladyface Ale Companie next Thursday, September 15th.

There will be one seating at 7 PM (up to 7:30 PM, if you prefer) and included in your $46 cost are 4 courses + amuse bouche, each paired with a Ladyface beer. For the full menu, peep below:

Amuse bouche
Deviled egg, asparagus, roe
Troisfillestripel
6oz., abv: 8.3%

1st course
Orzo salad with crab, avocado, grapefruit and beet vinaigrette
Chaparralsaison
6 oz., abv: 8.7%

2nd course
Potted duck confit and crisps
Chesebroipa
6 oz., abv: 10.9%

3rd course
Smoked cocoa-rubbed tri-tip sandwich and potato salad
Picture city porter
6 oz., abv: 7.0%

Dessert
Spiked watermelon and peppered strawberries
Sazerac-oaked red rye
6 oz., abv: 7.2%

 
I had a lovely time at one of City Tavern’s other beer dinners, which was in conjunction with Eagle Rock Brewery. My favorite was a stone fruit salad, which was paired expertly with their Yearling Flanders Red Ale. If this is any indication, next Thursday’s beer dinner will be solid. It’s a great way to support local business and beer while celebrating the end of summer (if that’s your thing).

Thursday, September 15, 2011

7 PM

Reserve: 310.838.9739

City Tavern
9739 Culver Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232

FOH/BOH³: The Fixers (Zadi, Haskell & Park) Debuts at LaOn in Koreatown

Posted on by

LaOn Dining Room

A couple days ago, there was an announcement of an alliance formed by Farid Zadi, David Haskell & Susan Park called FOH/BOH³. Derived from Front of the House and Back of the House acronyms (“to the third power” is of no detail), the name is meant to capture the essence of their partnership – the pursuit of proper, hands-on restaurant training from the ground up.

Pyeon Chae

The trio wasted no time getting down to business as it has just been announced that they will be debuting at Jenee Park’s (also of Park’s BBQ and Don Dae Gam) LaOn (previous review) on Western this weekend. The location of their first project was secured at this newish restaurant just 3 hours after their interview with LA Weekly Squid Ink’s Amy Scattergood was finished. It’s a perfect setting for their launch, as Zadi has worked in Seoul for three years as a chef and managing partner at a restaurant. It also is expressive of David Haskell’s intense passion for Korean food.

Open Flame Abalone

Park and Zadi created a special menu of 8 dishes, dubbed “Lucky Cat”, to complement LaOn’s traditional menu. One thing’s for sure: The menu of this “limited engagement” is not to be underestimated. Nothing on the menu will be watered down, but instead will showcase the fabric of what Korean food is all about. 

“I have a lot of respect for Korean cooking. My mother in law is from Jeon-Ju, the culinary capital of South Korea,” Farid says. “This isn’t fusion or even modern Korean. We’re taking Korean ingredients, flavors and techniques and recontextualizing them while retaining the soul of Korean cuisine: the bold, stick to your guts flavors that make it so satisfying.”

Haskell will be pairing each menu item with a wine or beer, the pairing pours of which will be available for $6 each – or glass pours for $12 each. Expect this pairing experience to evolve your perceptions of and experiences in Korean food, as I can’t recall a single time I’ve had traditional Korean food with proper wine pairing. FOH/BOH³’s “front of the house” team will be on-hand to ensure top-notch service throughout both nights.

Check out the menu below:

LAON MENU (traditional tapas)

  • 편채 PYEON CHAE Beef carpaccio with onions,sesame leaf,radish sprout – 10
  • 칠절판 SEVEN WRAP Cucumber,carrot,beef,shiitake mushroom,egg with radish wrap – 7
  • ì–´ì„  FISH WRAP Steamed fish and assorted vegetables in an egg wrap – 10
  • 궁중떡볶이 TEOKBOKKI Rice cake in soy based sauce – 10
  • 갈비찜 GALBI JJIM Braised short rib – 15
  • 오징어순대 STUFFED SQUID Stuffed with tofu,beef,squid & vegetables – 10
  • 전복요리 OPEN FLAME ABALONE Lightly seasoned fresh abalone – MP
  • 잡채 JAPCHAE Clear noodle with mixed vegetables – 7

FOH/BOH³: Lucky Cat LaOn

  • Spicy chicken kochi/foie gras fat fingerlings/ garlic chips – 12
  • Crab and kimchi brik/orange and onion salad – 8
  • Thai cobb ssam – 10
  • Thai curry bacon, avocado, duck rillettes, quail egg, tomato, fried shallot, lettuce
  • Grilled oysters – 3 each
    Dashima, ponzu, serrano mignonette and gochujang vinaigrette
  • Uni and scallop chawanmushi – MP
  • ½ dozen peel ‘n’ eat grilled prawns/shiso chimichurri – MP
    Laotian curry marinated whole prawns
  • Braised beef cheeks/ slow roasted corn cheese/baby carrot/arugula quick-chi – 14
    Riff on braised kalbi

So be sure to secure your table now. This limited engagement will sell out fast! Call 323.798.4648 or email David Haskell at magnumdh@gmail.com. (Also note that reservations go til 1 AM – perfect for you nightowls.) Reservation lines are open now.

Sat – Sun: August 27 – 28, 2011

5 PM – 1 AM

To reserve: Call 323.798.4648 or email magnumdh@gmail.com

LaOn
1145 S. Western Ave
Los Angeles CA 90006

Savor Los Angeles Redux Presents “Pairings!” on June 2, 2011

Posted on by

Spicy Crab Cakes from Starry Kitchen

With their debut event occurring last year, Savor Los Angeles will return next week and instead of focusing on the sweet, the emphasis will be on pairings. “BFFs” for the acronymically inclined.

They’ll feature eateries and vendors trending in the Hollywood, Silver Lake and Downtown areas like The Oaks Gourmet, Mas/Malo Restaurants, Starry Kitchen, Reservoir, Bangers and Smashed and Cast Iron Gourmet. Of course, The Farm of Beverly Hills also deserves a mention as the west-most representative of this culinary extravaganza.

Tickets start at $55 plus tax for tastes of all vendors, pre-event cocktails, Veev event cocktails, Zhena’s Gypsy Tea and Duvel beer. VIP will run you $85 and will get you a VIP gift bag, open bar and a special entrance. Fancy.

Proceeds from Savor Los Angeles will benefit CoachArt, which teaches art and athletic classes to children and adolescents with chronic illness. All paper- and plasticware at this event will be reusable or rapid biodegradable.

So there you have it: A tasting event in a posh, intimate Hollywood studio setting. I’ll see you there!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

7 – 10 PM

Tickets: $55 & $85 (VIP)

Savor Los Angeles
Siren Studios
1050 N. Orange Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90038