Monday, September 9, 2013

Chengdu Taste

Last year for my now fiance's birthday, we went to Beijing Duck House. This year we continued our exploration of regional Chinese cooking. Six of us visited Chengdu Taste in Alhambra for Sichuan cuisine. Chengdu Taste is a relatively new restaurant which has become quickly popular, thanks in large part to Johnathan Gold's review in the Los Angeles Times. This is my second experience with Sichuan cooking. The first was at a restaurant in Northern California several years ago. I don't remember many of the details of that meal, just that at the time I thought it was the best Chinese Food I had had.





Note that this was the take out version of the menu. In the rendition given to us at our table had a few variations.

Sichuan cooking is known for one attribute above all others: Spice. Many of the dishes involve Sichuan peppercorns, which present their own unique brand of spice. They actually make your mouth go slightly numb.In addition, several different kinds of chilies in fresh, dried, and fermented forms are used.


Our first dish was the ubiquitously named diced rabbit with younger sister's secret recipe. This involved sauteed rabbit bits, green onions, peanuts, and sesame seeds in a deeply flavored sauce. The rabbit was diced small and filled with bones, but I did not mind the labor required to eat the dish too much. I am also not usually a fan of peanuts, but found they nicely balanced this dish.


Next was twice cooked pork. This was bar far the least interesting, and the mos typical, dish of the evening. I liked the vegetables (mostly leeks) , but found the meet rather plain.


Here we have tan tan noodles, also known as dan dan mien on many menus. This is probably the most prototypical Sichuan dish. I've previously had this dish at Lukshon  in Culver City, but that version paled in comparison to this. The noodles were perfectly textured and the elements of the dish meshed impeccably.


To break up the spice present in all of the other dishes, we ordered this dish of sauteed potato threads and onion. I liked it a lot, and it certainly served its purpose between bites from other plates.


Most exotic plate of the night goes to this dish intestine and chicken in a spicy broth. It was interesting, but not my favorite, which was generally the table's consensus. The pieces of intestine did not have much flavor on their own, but a chewy texture.


Flour cooked shipped was universally enjoyed by the table. The shrimp were large and flavorful with a good kick of spice.


Here we have the best dish of the night, boiled fish with green pepper sauce. Notice the huge amount of diced Serrano peppers, dried chilies, and Sichuan pepper corns floating atop the broth. This was also an immense serving. The fish was very delicate, but not at all overwhelmed by the flavorful broth. This is a must order. 

By the end of the meal, the Sichuan peppercorns had certainly had their effect. My tongue and lips were tingling. The food may not be for every palate, but spice lovers should give Chengdu taste a try. It was interesting that everyone at the table disagreed which dish was spiciest. I thought it was the fish, but others thought it was the shrimp, the rabbit, or the noodles.

I certainly want to go back and try a few more dishes, notably the toothpick mutton and the wonton with pepper sauce (complimented by a special note on the menu stating numb-taste). 

After dinner, it was back to our place for drinks and birthday cake.



Chengdu Taste on Urbanspoon

Monday, August 19, 2013

Ray's and Stark Bar

Ray's and Stark Bar has been open for about two years at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. This post encompasses two meals at the establishment, one of their regular menu and one during the most recent Dine LA Restaurant Week.





We began our second visit here with a trio of cocktails, all of which were very constructed.


Seeing a drink named for the greatest filmmaker ever, I didn't have much of a choice but to begin with the Kubrick Fashioned (Elijah Craig 12yr Bourbon, spiced simple syrup, Toasted Pecan Bitters, Forbidden Bitters, lemon peel). It was a great play on the typical Old Fashioned. 


The Rose Wishes and Lavender Dreams (Gin, Château L’Afrique Côtes de Provence Rosé, St. Germain, lavender syrup, freshly squeezed lemon juice, sage) was perhaps the most interesting cocktail. Very refreshing. 


Third was the Gansta Green Point (Jameson Gold Reserve Irish Whiskey, Dolin Sweet Vermouth, 
Yellow Chartreuse, lemon peel). Good, but much more typical than the other drinks.


The amuse on our first visit was a trout mouse topped with caviar. It was a great little bite, with the salty caviar working wonderfully against the soft mouse. 


The amuse on our second visit was even better. This was a cold zucchini soup spiced with cinnamon and topped with a squash blossom. We all agreed that we could have done with a bigger bowl. 


This duck liver mouse with bing cherries, herb salad, and pistachio was one of the Dine LA appetizers. It was good, but mostly made me miss foie gras. 


Little gem lettuce salad with summer squash, pine nuts, ricotta salata, and red wine-mustard vinaigrette. Great salad. The ingredients were all very fresh and there was just enough dressing to coat everything without overpowering the flavors.




We had octopus dishes on both visits. The first rendition was served with burrata cheese, broccoli di cicco, and Fresno chili sauce. The Dine LA version came with heirloom tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, cucumber, and squid ink skordhalia. I preferred the first version. I thought the flavors played off each other better than did the typically Greek ingredients found in the second. 



To go with the appetizers during our second visit, we also ordered a bowl of shishito peppers, prepared simply with olive oil and maldon salt. 



Agnolotti on both visits as well. The fist rendition had a truffled rice filing with Hen of the Wood mushrooms, hazelnuts, wild arugula, and porcini sauce. The Dine LA version had a corn-mascarpone filling with hazelnuts, pea tendrils, and lime brown butter sauce. The pasta was well cooked and of the flavors worked in both versions. 


Guinea hen with preserved orange puree, bacon, winter savory, Anson Mills polenta, romanesco, garlic, and chard. This was my first time trying guinea hen. The flavor is much deeper than chicken, but it lacked the fattiness of duck. 


Manila clams with sweet vermouth, basil, shallots, garlic, and grilled bread. This was my entree for Dine LA. I was a little disappointed in it. The broth and bread were great, but the clams were one note. This could have used another element, perhaps something to had a little spice. 




Pork belly was also represented on both trips, and with good reason. First with parsnip puree, farro, forest mushrooms, cippolini onions, and black vinegar. Second with farro, santa rosa plums, apricot mostarda, charred broccoli, toasted almonds, and black vinegar. I highly recommend ordering the pork belly. Both versions were cooked wonderfully and properly crispy skin and a good amount of fat. I really loved the parsnip puree in the first version. 


Skirt steak with charred onion puree, mojo rojo, wood grilled scallions, sungold tomatoes. I did not try this one. My dining companion who ordered it said it was well cooked, but she did not like the charred flavor from the puree. Our server was gracious enough to replace the dish with another entree.


Dessert on the first visit was various forms of chocolate, including brownie, chocolate tuile, and chocolate covered marshmallows in a passion fruit sauce. Overall, it was too sweet for me. 


The Dine LA menu included two dessert choices First was a buttermilk panna cotta with stone fruits, bitter almond, and riseling consomme. Nothing revolutionary, but good flavord and not too sweet. 


the alternate choice was a spiced chocolate cake with rum, dulce de leche, chcolate crumble, and salted pumpkin seed ice cream. Of the five at our table, everyone ordered this except for me. They all enjoyed the dish. 



One the best features of Ray's has to be free corkage, a rare feature in the Los Angeles dining scene. I had recently returned from a trip to Romania and brought this bottle of Merlot, part of the Curtea Regala line from Crama Dobregenea Winery. This was not the typical Merlet which we usually hold in such low esteem in California. It was intensely fruity with an underlying minerality that was very food friendly. We shared a taste with our waiter, a trained sommelier, who agreed that the wine was a great choice. 

So often restaurants at places such as museums are an afterthought, present style over substance, or are designed to appeal to the masses. This is not the case with Ray'a and Stark Bar. I highly recommend a meal here if visiting LACMA (and there is always plenty of reason to visit LACMA). Also, many restaurants cheap out during Dine LA and serve substandard ingrediantes and downsized portions. This was note the case for Ray's, which is a great value during restaurant week or not. 


Ray's Restaurant and Stark Bar on Urbanspoon

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Plate by Plate 2013

Plate by Plate is an annual tasting event run by Project by Project. The event has iterations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York. This was my second year attending the event at the beautiful Vibiana in Downtown Los Angeles. Each year the group selects a charity in the Asian-American community as a beneficiary. Theater company East-West Players was this years recipient.




There were about 40 restaurants in attendance serving a lot of great food. I was excited that there were quite a few establishments which are very new to the Los Angeles food scene and that I have not yet had a chance to try. Here is some of the nights food



From Peruvian chef Ricardo Zarate's latest venture were yucca benigets. These surprised me. I was expecting something heavy, but instead the result was very light. The serrano sauce was also very flavorful.



Patina was the only restaurant serving my favorite meat, lamb. Great dish.




Stella Barra Pizzeria was among those serving both a savory and a sweet dish. The tomato salad was wonderful, packed with heirloom tomatoes at peak ripeness. The custard was decent.



Among my favorites was Saddle Peak Lodge's duck mousse. I visited their booth at least 5 times.



Another highlight was the ceviche negro from Petty Cash Taqueria consisting of sea bass cured in squid ink.




Lukshon served a dish I had at my last visit to the restaurant, a tea leaf salad with red prawn. You really can't go wrong with friend shrimp heads.




Shrimp spiced with paprika from Taberna Arros y Vi.



I thought this sort of crostini from Allumette was one of the more inventive dishes of the night.


I'm not a big fan of chocolate, but helped myself to several servings of Rivera's chocolate torte with candied habaneros. Very moist cake with a nice kick of flavor.


Redbird is a soon to be opened restaurant at the Vibiana. This crab salad was very good and didn't involve too much filler.




You can always rely on Starry Kitchen to serve some of the more inventive cuisine at any food event. The gumbo had a very deep flavor. I wasn't really a fan of the panna cotta.



I believe this was my first time having octopus in a curry. As you can see, Edie very much enjoyed Lazy Ox Canteen's rice pudding.


Lexington Social House served yellowtail crudo with compressed watermelon, tobiko, and frozen wasabi. This was actually voted best dish of the night.


Two preparations of oysters were on hand. First was a friend oyster slider from Little Bear


and second was a simple raw oyster served over a piece of succulent pork belly. Both were great.



Ramekin served an impressive spread of pastries, sorbets, and ice creams. After trying most of the ice creams and sorbets, my favorites were the earl grey ice cream and the ambrosia melon sorbet.


Patina Pasty served three modernist desserts, a deconstructed black forest cake, a mango and passion fruit custard, and liquid nitrogen macrons.

There were plenty of other dishes of which I neglected to take a picture. Other favorites included Seoul Sausage Co.'s deep friend been curry balls, Circa's Tunisian spiced prawn, and Bashan's sword squid.

Of course, there was no lack of drinks.



Like last year, Ketel One Vodka sponsored an open bar, giving patrons a choice of six drinks. I thought the drinks were much better than those served last year


1886 at the Raymond also offered a nice selection of cocktails.



There were 4 vendors sampling various sakes and sojus, as well as Ventura Limoncello. I was slightly disappointed that there was only one winery on hand, serving two wines, but it was a very minor point. 

Plate by Plate provided, once again, a wonderful night of food, drink, and fun. Highly recommended in future years.