Manresa (Los Gatos, CA)

Manresa
320 Village Ln, Los Gatos, CA 95030
408.354.4330
www.manresarestaurant.com
Sat 11/22/2008, 05:30p-07:15p



I had two dinners in the Bay Area. For the first, I chose Coi in San Francisco. For the second, I ventured further south, to a restaurant nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains: Manresa, a showcase for Chef/Proprietor David Kinch's French- and Spanish-influenced contemporary California cuisine. I'd been interested in paying Manresa a visit for at least a couple of years, so would the place live up to my admittedly high expectations?


Manresa is located in Los Gatos' quaint downtown area, surrounded by a smattering of chic, upscale businesses. In its former life, the building was known as the Village House, a landmark tea room and restaurant.


The main dining room is luxurious yet inviting, while retaining a casual California vibe that matches the residential theme of the restaurant.


Diners are presented with two options: a four-course prix fix, or roughly 15-course tasting menu. We, of course, opted for the tasting at $155 per person. Since the tasting menu is not presented on the standard menu, we requested a typed out copy of the night's dishes (third photo). Click for larger versions.


Here we see the wines by the glass list. Click for a larger version. I had:

• NV Sekt, Solter Riesling Rheingau [$14.00] - I liked this sparkler, with its delicious citrus and apple nose, with like flavors on the palate. A tiny bit sweet, and very drinkable.
• 2005 Chenin Blanc, Château D'Epire Cuvée Spéciale Savennières [$16.00] - A light, refreshing wine, with lots of lemon on the nose, leading to a dry, minerally finish. Nice.
• 2005 Tempranillo, Bodegas Victoria "Pardina" Cariñena [$14.00] - Lots of smoke and spice on this one initially, leading to more subtle expressions of cherry and minerals. A bit tight, perhaps it'd benefit from some more bottle time. Good, not great.
• Domaine de Durban Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise [$10.00] - Unfortunately I forgot the vintage here, but I found this surprisingly light for a dessert wine. Quite good, with a lovely nose of apple and flowers, leading to plenty of honey and raisin on the palate.

One type of bread was offered: a homemade levain bread served with unsalted butter, topped with salt. The bread had a soft center, bound by an extremely flaky, smoky crust, which left a huge mess of crumbs on the table!


Petit Fours 1: "Red Pepper-Black Olive"
We started with roasted red pepper gelées and black olive madeleines. The gelées were nicely dense and chewy, but the madeleines really stole the show, with their warm, rich centers surrounded by slightly tough exteriors. I could eat them all day.


Amuse Bouche 1: Horchata and Lightly Toasted Parsnip
The horchata was topped with tonka bean, which had a lovely spice and chocolate aroma that worked wonderfully with the horchata's milky sweet spiciness. Very good.


Amuse Bouche 2: Chestnut Croquettes
Our server described these as "crumeskis(?)," a term I'm not familiar with, and told us to eat them in one bite. The croquettes had a warm liquid chestnut and foie gras center, which made a delightful pop in my mouth when masticated. Amazingly, they had a slightly liqueur-like finish.


Amuse Bouche 3: Arpege Farm Egg
The "Arpege" is a reference to restaurant L'Arpège in Paris and its owner Alain Passard, who ostensibly invented the dish. Kinch's version was topped with sherry vinaigrette and maple syrup, and was wonderful. The first thing I noted was a cool, refreshing, slightly sweet creaminess, followed by the warm runniness of the egg yolk, then followed by a sharp saltiness.


1: Foie Gras, Lightly Smoked, Quince Consommé
Very interesting texture on this one. The foie was, in a sense, halfway between a terrine and a seared preparation. The smokiness imparted to the foie during its cooking nicely balanced the sweetness of the quince, which otherwise would've been overwhelming. One of the better versions of foie gras I've had.


2: Roast Pumpkin Velouté "Blue Hubbard," Nasturtium Ice Cream
This reminded me a bit of the squash soup I had at Coi the previous night. Fortunately, it wasn't quite as sweet, and had a lovely temperature contrast thanks to the nasturtium ice cream. Surprisingly, the velouté didn't really draw attention to itself as I was expecting.


3: Into the Vegetable Garden...Their Natural Juices
Kinch is well-known for his pursuit of top notch ingredients, especially vegetables. This has led to a partnership with Cynthia Sandberg's biodynamic Love Apple Farm, where all of the restaurant's vegetables are grown. A corollary to Coi's "Garden, Late Fall" course, this dish is a seasonally-changing staple of Manresa's menu, and more than any other, is Kinch's heart on a plate. I don't know all the shoots, flowers, roots and seeds that were used here, but my favorite item was the potato. It was a fascinating study in contrasting textures and flavors, heightened by the "dirt" of dehydrated chicory root.


4: An Autumn Tidal Pool, Abalone, Sea Urchin, Foie Gras, Shellfish, Mushroom
The foie gras, along with the mushroom, lent an overarching richness to the soup, not unlike the shabu shabu broth at Urasawa. The other ingredients, specifically the uni and the abalone, were mild on their own, but together, they formed a cohesive dish that really captured the very essence of the sea. Inhaling the various aromas here was like taking a deep breath next to the ocean.


5: Black Cod in an Abalone Bouillon, Seaweed Persillade
I'm not a huge fan of cod, but quite enjoyed this course. It had a fantastic lingering saltiness that complemented the rich unctuousness of the fish. I still wasn't in love with the soft, spongy consistency of the cod, but the rest of the dish easily made up for it, especially the beans, which formed a great texture contrast.


6: Roasted Squab, Garden Carrots with Farro, Meyer Lemon Preserve
I wasn't enthralled with the texture of the breast piece, which was a bit tougher and rarer than I would've liked. I much preferred the leg portion, which was much richer, oilier, and more flavorful. The carrot was useful in cutting the heftiness of the bird, while the farro added a sweet "stuffing"-like taste to the dish.


7: Lamb Rack, Slowly Roasted, Cardoons with Bread Crusts, Tender Greens
This was a wonderful preparation of lamb. The meat itself was surprisingly light, and thus benefitted from the gravity provided by the very apparent layers of fat. I much enjoyed the addition of beech (shimeji) mushrooms, and the amalgam of cardoons and bread crusts reminded me, amazingly, of corned beef hash!


8: Meyer Lemon and Quince Vacherin
There was a lot going on here. Underneath everything was a layer of gelée and a hard cookie-like base, which, together with the meringues formed a delectable contrast with the quince and lemon sorbets. As mentioned by my dining companion, the combination of the dessert's pastry base and gelée resulted in a taste not unlike Fruit Loops! The use of candied kumquats was reminiscent of the Hawaiian Bread Pudding I had recently at Ford's Filling Station, and added nicely to the dish's key sweet/sour interplay.


9: Spice Cake with Ginger-Port Pears with Coconut Caramel
A heavier dessert than the preceding one, the cinnamon spice to the fruit was key; otherwise it would've been too one-dimensional. Meanwhile, the lime sorbet added a much needed bracing tartness to cut the sweetness of the dessert, and the chocolate cake had a bit of mintiness to it as well.


10: Chocolate Pastille with Ice Milk, Prickly Pear and Coconut Granité
The "pastilles" were actually delightful lumps of chocolate crème, with a gentle sweetness that was deftly set off by the ardent crimson sea of tart prickly pear bouillon. The coldness of the granité and ice milk further bolstered the dish. My favorite of the three desserts.


Petit Fours 2: "Strawberry-Chocolate"
The meal began with petit fours, and with petit fours it should end: here, we had strawberry gelées and chocolate madeleines. Unfortunately, they weren't as strong as the starters, with the strawberry completely dominating the flavor of the chocolate.

Going in, I had heard mixed reviews about Manresa, and I was concerned about the restaurant not being "creative" enough. I'm happy to report that my fears were unfounded, and that Manresa actually exceeded my expectations. Kinch manages to innovate in his own way, based on an unwavering respect for ingredients, unflinching technique, and just a dash of fancy: proof that progression doesn't have to be flashy.

Coi (San Francisco, CA)

Coi
373 Broadway, San Francisco, CA 94133
415.393.9000
www.coirestaurant.com
Fri 11/21/2008, 09:05p-12:10a



Though I'd always known about Coi (pronounced "qua," not "coy"), the restaurant really stepped into my radar screen after its upgrade to a two-star rating in the latest Michelin guide. After examining the menu on the restaurant's web site, I was convinced that I had to give Chef Daniel Patterson's highly-innovative, beautifully-presented contemporary American cuisine a try on my latest trip to the Bay Area.


Coi is located in the Financial District of San Francisco, amid a surprisingly large number of strip clubs and adult video shops.


When we arrived, our table wasn't quite ready, so we were seated in the lounge, a lovely room replete with beautiful burled walnut tables and furry Flokati pillows.


After about ten minutes, we were moved to our table in the main dining room. The space is just as striking as the food, with its low, washi-covered ceilings, Catherine Wagner artwork, and even more of those hirsute pillows.


There was only one menu option available, an 11-course tasting menu at $120, focusing heavily on aromatic ingredients, essential oils, and inventive flavor combinations. Wine pairings can be had for an additional $95. Also pictured is the separate lounge menu. Click for larger versions.



In addition to having a fine wine list, Coi also offers a great selection of alternative beverages. In fact, instead of drinking wine, we decided to pair beer with the meal! Click for larger versions.


I started with the Coi Aperitif [$14.00], a lovely, subtly spicy drink consisting of a long pepper and hibiscus tea infused with cassia (a tree bark used as "cinnamon") and litsea cubeba (a.k.a. "may chang," a plant harvested for its lemony essential oil), finished with Champalou sparkling Vouvray. We then ordered a bottle of the 2007 Gouden Carolus 'Grand Cru of the Emperor' [$28.00], a heady (11% ABV), viscous dark Belgian ale with lovely flavors of cocoa, spice, and dark fruit. The beer is brewed by Brouwerij Het Anker in Mechelen, Belgium once a year on the birthday of Charles V (ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 to 1556).


Next up was the Kiuchi Brewery Hitachino Nest 'Red Rice' [$9.00] from Naka, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. It was a very different experience than the Gouden Carolus, showing sweet, fruity notes backed by rice, along with a crisp, light mouth feel. Finally, we had the Fantôme Saison [$32.00], from Brasserie Fantôme in Ardennes, Belgium. This slightly sour, citrusy beer with a touch of herbaceous spice was probably my favorite of the bunch.


The bread was a homemade smoked whole wheat, served with unsalted butter and sea salt. I found the bread rather addictive, and must have gone through six or seven of them!


Amuse Bouche: Milk & Honey
These reminded me of the "spherifications" popularized by Ferran Adrià and his disciples (see the "liquid olives" at The Bazaar). Basically liquid gels encased in thin membranes, they had a very light, initial sweetness followed by a salty finish.


1: Pink Grapefruit
Ginger, Tarragon, Black Pepper. If you look closely on the right side of the plate, you'll see a small dab of liquid. That liquid was Coi's signature scent, a perfume made from pink grapefruit, ginger, black pepper, cognac, and tarragon. We were instructed to dab a bit of the citrusy concoction on our wrists, to complement the flavor of the "sphere." That sphere was composed of an icy center covered by a creamier exterior, and had an initial, dominant taste of grapefruit, backed by a hint of spice and pepper. What was interesting is that its sweet-savory flavor just lingered in my mouth for nearly a minute.


2: Shiny Beets
Citrus Scented Gel, Vadouvan. This wasn't a particularly distinctive dish, as the beets lacked much flavor of their own, and instead relied on the citrus and vadouvan spice mixture. A bit boring perhaps, though my favorite beet was the darkest one, which was also the sweetest. The use of vadouvan gave the dish a somewhat Indian flair, and made me think of David Kinch's (Manresa) crispy mussels dish at this year's Providence 5x5 dinner.


3a: Fromage Blanc Tart
Chicories, Black Olive. The cheese was so delicate, both in flavor and in substance; it was almost airy, and formed a balance with its tough, crumbly crust. The use of chicory was key here, as the leaves provided a much needed foil in taste, but more importantly, in consistency.


3b: Oysters Under Glass
Marin Miyagi Oysters, Yuzu, Radish, Apple, Rau Ram. Also known as Pacific oysters, the Miyagis were slightly sweet, mild, with a bit of minerality. They were delicious on their own, and the use of yuzu, radish, apple, and rau ram (Vietnamese coriander) was akin to a tangy mignonette sauce. What made the dish really unique was the so-called "glass," which added a fantastic textural counterpoint to the soft, tender oysters.


4: Triamble Squash Soup
Asian Pear, Pomegranate, Padron Chile Flakes, Mint. Unfortunately, this course was a bit too sweet for me, as tends to be the case for squash soups. The use of Asian pear and pomegranate was genius here, as the fruits added a much needed variation in texture, and also contributed a tartness that offset the sweetness of the squash. The chili and mint served a similar role, but I would've liked their flavors to have been more apparent.


5a: Garden, Late Fall
Root Vegetables, Cocoa, Herbs. This was a somewhat desultory, yet strangely beautiful presentation of vegetables. I appreciated the natural flavor of the veggies here, and surprisingly, the use of cocoa powder actually worked rather well, adding a gritty consistency and contrasting bitter/sweet/savory notes.


5b: Roasted Cauliflower
Smoked Bone Marrow, Pickled Red Onion, Oregano. I'm generally a fan of cauliflower, and it didn't disappoint here. I loved it by itself, with its delicious smoky-burnt flavor that worked well with the onion and oregano. I wasn't as convinced about the foam however, as it distracted slightly from the cauliflower.


6: Earth and Sea
Steamed Tofu Mousseline, Yuba, Fresh Seaweeds, Mushroom Dashi. I thought this was a very Japanese-inspired dish. The mushroom dashi broth provided a rich base on which the delicate flavors of tofu and seaweed could interact. I'm not usually a fan of yuba, but here it was the key; it didn't have much flavor, but its consistency really made the dish. My dining companion mentioned that the broth was reminiscent of a shark's fin soup.


7a: Sautéed Monterey Bay Abalone
Escarole, Caper Berry-Sea Lettuce Vinaigrette. I've never had abalone quite like this before. Its firmness was halfway in between a raw sushi style and a Chinese braised preparation. The sauce added a tart, subtly bitter, vegetal flavor that went rather well with the soft sweetness of the mollusk.


7b: Matsutake Grilled on the Plancha
Potato-Pine Needle Puree. The matsutakes were delightful, though not as strong as the ones I had at Urasawa. Nevertheless, I enjoyed their earthy aroma, deftly set off by a sprinkle of salt & pepper, crunchy texture, and wanted more! The accompanying sauce was largely unnecessary.


8a: Slow Cooked Farm Egg
Green Farro, Erbette Chard, Brown Butter-Parmesan Sauce. The chard was the ticket here, as its slight bitterness proved to be a wonderful contrast to the rich, mild creaminess of the egg yolk. The farro was also superb, in that it added not much flavor, but rather a delightful risotto-esque consistency to the dish.


8b: Bolinas Goat, Different Forms
Sprouted Beans, Seeds, Nuts, Wheatgrass. This was a surprisingly stimulating dish. The goat itself, served rare as well as braised, had a very distinctive, almost "wild" flavor. It was expertly complemented by the sprouts, with their bracing, vegetal, bitter tang, as well as the seeds and nuts, which contributed their own distinctive flavor and added a nice bit of crunchiness.


Supplement: Country Pork Pâté [$12.00]
Cornichon, Grain Mustard. Since we weren't quite getting full, we decided to supplement the tasting menu with two dishes from the lounge menu. I enjoyed eating the pâté along with the included toast points, but found the mustard and pickles a bit too strong for the pork. This was reminiscent of the pâté I had at Charlie Palmer.


Supplement: Spiny Lobster Ravioli [$16.00]
Tarragon, Brown Butter, Spinach. The raviolis seemed more like dumplings to me. I really had a tough time even identifying this as lobster (could've been shrimp for all I know), as the flavor was lost in the midst of the brown butter and tarragon. Clearly, the dishes on the lounge menu do belong in the lounge. That's not to say they're bad, but they simply lack the finesse and creativity found on the tasting menu.


9: Etude (Soyoung Scanlan)
Peppercress, Fuyu Persimmon, Black Walnuts. The Etude is a semi-hard goat's cheese from Soyoung Scanlan's Andante Dairy in Petaluma, CA (I also had their cheese at Meadowood). The Etude was mildly nutty and quite good on its own, but really benefitted from the sweetness of the persimmon and the smokiness of the walnuts.


Intermezzo: Mutsu Apple and Rose Soda
Mutsu apple, also known as the Crispin, is a Golden Delicious-Indo cross first grown in Japan. The soda had a sharp, intoxicating nose of apple, and this intensity carried over on to my palate. Sour, tart, refreshing: the perfect palate cleanser.


10: Quince and Huckleberry Parfait
Huckleberry Ice, Almond, Lemon Thyme. The mouth-watering sweetness of the quince and huckleberry was adroitly balanced by the mildness of the cream. The secret here though was the almond brittle, which contributed a fantastic crunch to the dessert. A simple concept, but delicious.


11: Chocolate-Mesquite Cake
Smoked Pepitas Praline, Kabocha Squash Sherbet. Kabocha is a type of sweet Japanese squash, and even in sherbet form, it was intense. It was thus very well tempered by the smokiness of the chocolate and pepitas (squash seeds). A lovely interpretation of the classic ice cream-chocolate cake dessert.



Mignardises
To close out the meal, we had Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles, which were just like cookie dough, but with a delightfully salty finish, as well as Tahitian Vanilla and Olive Oil Milkshakes, which were simply delicious (think of a standard milkshake, but with just a hint of savoriness to make it interesting).

The dinner was a success. Though not every dish was a hit, there were no blatant misses either; it was a cohesive, balanced meal, though perhaps a tad light. As I expected, Coi possessed the novelty I sought out, but without the overt pretension that I was afraid of. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen such a masterful use of the sweet/savory interplay as I saw at Coi. Patterson manages to combine innovation and cutting-edge culinary technique, but without losing sight of taste and edibility, a rare combination indeed. Nicely done.

The Bazaar (Los Angeles, CA)

The Bazaar
465 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048
310.246.5555
www.thebazaar.com
Mon 11/17/2008, 08:15p-12:50a



I was first introduced to José Andrés at his mezze eatery Zaytinya in Washington DC. This was several years ago, and ever since then, I'd wanted to try another one of Andrés' restaurants: Minibar at Cafe Atlantico, arguably the most progressive restaurant in the country. Andrés, a discipline of Ferran Adrià, is perhaps best known for his small plates, "avant garde" cuisine, so I was thus very excited to hear than he'd be opening a restaurant right here in LA. The anticipation built for several months, and I made reservations for opening night as soon as I could. I was especially interested in comparing the place to XIV (also owned by SBE), as I attended and reported on that restaurant's opening night a month ago.


Designed by Phillipe Stark, The Bazaar is divided into several distinct areas. The first is Bar Centro, located immediately behind the entrance. The bar/lounge is decorated eclectically, and makes interesting use of the space. The actual bar is located near the back.


While waiting for my entire party to show up, we decided to order a few drinks at the bar. Naturally, I had to go with a mojito [$16.00], replete with a piece of sugar cane (which was nice to chew on). It was an excellent example, well very balanced, with just the right amount of sweet and sour, while being still light and refreshing. I also sampled the "Salt Air" Margarita [$14.00], which was basically a classic margarita topped with salt air (foam). Again, an excellent example, with the air basically serving the exact same function as a salt rim. There were also some sweet "corn nuts" to munch on.


To the right of Bar Centro is the Patisserie, or dessert station. In addition to offering a selection of cakes, candies, and chocolates, the Patisserie also serves up tea and coffee.


Further to the right is the shopping area by Moss, showcasing a wide range of high-end trinkets and baubles.


With my party complete, we were seated in Rojo y Blanca, the main restaurant at The Bazaar. We were seated in "Rojo," one of two dining rooms, and were provided with an excellent view of the kitchen.



The menu focuses on tapas and is similarly divided into "Rojo" and "Blanca" sections, with the former being more traditional and the latter more progressive. As with XIV, our goal was to order "the gamut," or everything on the menu. There were 62 items, and I proposed that we order two of everything on the menu, split amongst six people. Unfortunately, this time we failed by 13 dishes, significantly underestimating the size of the courses. In hindsight, we should've ordered just one of everything (a paradigm which we did move to toward the end of the meal). Click for larger versions.


A small selection of wines is offered. We decided to go with a bottle of the 2006 Marge, Celler de l'Encastell, Garnacha-Carinena, Priorat [$86.00]. I thought the wine was way too young, though it did open up a bit after an hour or so, showing lots of spice, smoke, and earth, with a bit of heat on the finish; not enough fruit though. We were told that eventually, diners would be able to order the wine selections from Bar Centro as well. Click for larger versions.


There aren't a lot of desserts offered at Rojo y Blanca, though the Patisserie does supplement this list considerably. Click for larger versions.

Now, with all the formalities out of the way, we'll delve into each of the 49 dishes I had:


1: Jamón platter [$32.00]
Clockwise from top left, we have: Jamón Ibérico de bellota, Jamón Ibérico, and Jamón Serrano. Jamón Ibérico comes from the Black Iberian Pig, and was, until recently, not available in the US. Jamón Ibérico de bellota is the most prized version, and is made from pigs that eat only acorns during the last periods of their lives. This resulted in the meat being sweeter, nuttier, and fattier than the non bellota version, which had a stronger, "hammier" flavor. This was my first time having Jamón Ibérico and it didn't disappoint. The much more common Jamón Serrano (made from white pigs) was somewhat drier and less fatty, but still delicious.


2: Selection of five cheeses [$25.00]
Served with 'picos,' Spanish crispy bread, quince jam and almonds:

• Murcia al vino - This was a goat's milk, semi-soft, smooth cheese with a red wine-washed rind from Murcia in southeastern Spain. It had just a hint of fruitiness and nuttiness and was quite nice overall.
• La Serena - La Serena is made from Merino sheep's milk in La Serena, Spain. It had a soft, creamy consistency, backed by a bitter, almost astringent taste.
• Manchego 'Pasamontes' - Manchego is a sheep's milk cheese made in the La Mancha region of Spain. I found it firm and mild, with just a bit of saltiness.
• Idiazábal - Idiazábal is a hard, mildly smoky, nutty sheep's milk cheese from the Basque region in Spain. At XIV, I had it paired with bacon.
• Picón Bejes-Treviso - A creamy, sharp blue made from cow's, goat's, and sheep's milk from Liébana, Cantabria, Spain. A prototypical blue.

3: 'Pa amb' Tomaquet [$8.00]
Toasted sliced rustic bread brushed with fresh tomatoes. This typical preparation of Catalan cuisine was surprisingly tasty, with the tomato adding an interesting contrast to the toasted bread. It was a nice accompaniment for the jamón and cheese.


4: Mussels escabeche [$7.00]
Marinated in olive oil, vinegar and smoked paprika. This was definitely one of the better preparations of mussels I've had, with the marinade adding a spicy, tart kick to the natural flavor of the mollusks. Perfect texture too.


5: King Crab [$16.00]
With raspberry vinegar. The raspberry was initially a bit strange, but turned out quite nicely, with the flavor of the berries pairing well with the crab meat's inherent sweetness.


6: Kumamoto Oysters [$12.00]
With lemon and black pepper. Kumamotos are my favorite type of oyster, and here again, they lived up to their reputation, with the lemon adding a great kick. I will say though that although tasty, these were actually quite similar in taste to the oysters on the half shell that you normally get.


7: Sea Urchin [$16.00]
With pipirrana and Andalusian vegetables. This was my favorite of the canned dishes, and was an exemplary preparation of uni. The sea urchin itself was mild, smooth, and delicious, while the veggies (peppers, tomatoes, onions, etc.) added a fantastic textural contrast. Arguably the best dish of the night.


8: Aceitunas con anchoas y piquillos [$6.00]
Stuffed green olives with piquillo and anchovies. Though advertised as "world's best," these tasted pretty much just like olives. The piquillos didn't add much, and the anchovies were simply not apparent.


9: Carrilleras de cerdo con naranja [$8.00]
Braised pork cheeks with California oranges. Quite nice. The pork was braised, so it was very tender, but the meat still had a bit of bite to it, which I appreciated. The oranges did well to offset the heaviness of the meat.


10: Alitas de pollo [$9.00]
Boneless chicken wings with green olive puree. I liked these. The chicken was extremely juicy and rather fatty, reminding me of almost an Asian-style street food. However, tasting the bird with the included olive puree and greens added layers of complexity to the dish that elevated it above mere fried chicken.


11: Arroz cremoso de setas con queso Idiazábal [$8.00]
Wild mushroom rice with Idiazábal cheese. The rice didn't have that risotto-like texture that I love, but nevertheless, I quite enjoyed this dish and its rich, hearty interplay between rice, earthy mushroom, and smoky cheese. It actually reminded me of the mushroom risotto I had at Café Hiro.


12: Espinacas a la Catalana [$8.00]
Catalan sautéed spinach with apple, pine nuts and raisins. The sweetness hits you first, which is then followed by the bitterness of spinach. A bit strange at first, but then it makes perfect sense. I had a similar Catalan style spinach at Mizuna only days earlier. There, I felt the amalgam was too sweet, but that didn't pose a problem here.


13: Japanese baby peaches [$12.00]
With yogurt and olive oil. The peaches had a lovely sweetness that was deftly set off by the yogurt, an interesting contrast. This looks like it could've been a dessert from Providence!


14: Lomo de buey a la parrilla con piquillos confitados [$12.00]
Seared NY strip with piquillo pepper confit. The meat was aptly cooked and I liked the texture, but the taste somehow seemed off to me; it just lacked the beefiness that I was looking for. The piquillos did work well here though.


15: Mozzarella-tomato pipettes [$8.00]
With micro basil. Interesting presentation here. You first taste the tomato with a hint of basil, then get hit by the mozzarella a second later, resulting in a quasi-insalata caprese experience. Quite a pleasing effect overall.


16: Pimientos del piquillo con queso Caña de Cabra [$9.00]
Seared piquillo peppers stuffed with goat cheese. Here I noted an initial burst of strong cheesy taste, gradually leading to the much milder flavor of pepper near the finish. Nothing special.


17: Sliced apples and fennel salad [$7.00]
With Manchego cheese, walnuts, olive oil and cava vinegar. I had a really hard time discerning anything else but apple here. There was just too much of it, and it dominated the other flavors. I didn't even know about the cheese and walnuts before reading the menu! With its sharp, cool tartness, this was almost like a palate cleanser.


18: Organized arugula salad [$9.00]
With raspberries, corn and Cabrales blue cheese. The arugula, when eaten alone, had a dry, spicy bitterness that wasn't too pleasant, but adding the cheese didn't help either, as it just overpowered everything else. The corn and raspberries were a tad incoherent.


19: 'Philly cheesesteak' [$7.00]
Air bread filled with cheese and topped with Kobe beef. I loved the lightness of the air bread and how it almost explodes in your mouth, coating it with cheese. Unfortunately, the cheese drowned out the taste of the beef.


20: Ensaladilla Rusa [$7.00]
Classic Spanish salad of potatoes, imported conserved tuna and mayonnaise. The tuna flavor was very strong here, though not unpleasantly so. The dish reminded me of a cross between tuna salad and potato salad. In that vein, I think it would've been better served a bit colder.


21: Lomo de corder con patatas y trufas [$14.00]
Lamb loin with foraged mushrooms and potato. The meat was extremely tender and almost pork-like in nature (one of my dining companions guessed that it was done sous-vide), and served as a base on which the potatoes and mushrooms could come to the fore.


22: Cigalas con algas Finisterrae [$14.00]
Norwegian lobster with seaweed and a soup essence. The seaweed added an extremely briny essence to the dish that tended to overpower the lobster; I wasn't a fan of its texture either. My attention was pretty much drawn to the seaweed and not the lobster.


23: Sautéed cauliflower "couscous" [$9.00]
With cauliflower puree, vegetable harissa broth, preserved lemon and fried quinoa. I'm generally a fan of cauliflower, and I appreciated its creative use here as "couscous." It had a subtle bitterness that contrasted with the sweeter elements of the dish, along with a great mouthfeel. Quite good.


24: Croquetas de pollo [$7.00]
Chicken and béchamel fritters. The unique amalgam of chicken and béchamel gave the croquettes a lovely golden brown interior hiding a warm, creamy center. It was akin to a chicken pot pie, and I rather liked it.


25: Artichokes and citrus salad [$9.00]
With orange blossom dressing and pomegranate. I found the citrus jarring, and not at all integrated with the artichoke, which was just bland. This was disjointed to say the least, a mismatched mishmash and one of the weakest dishes of the night.


26: Ajo blanco gelatin [$8.00]
With tomato granité. Also competing for the title of worst dish of the night was this strange amalgamation. Ajo blanco is a type soup traditionally made from bread, olive oil, vinegar, water, garlic, and almonds. Sounds pretty good on its own, but here the interplay of savory and sweet elements just didn't work out. The jarring coldness of the granité didn't help either. Like an experiment gone wrong at Alinea.


27: Seared cantaloupe [$7.00]
With arugula and grapefruit salad. I've never had seared cantaloupe before, but I must say that the cooking process intensified the natural flavor of the fruit and gave it a rich heaviness that stood in stark contrast to the grapefruit. Surprisingly nice.


28: Brussel sprout salad [$8.00]
With lemon puree, apricot preserves and lemon air. Having found a new appreciation for Brussels sprouts just days earlier at Ford's Filling Station, I rather liked the salad. The sprouts had a great crunchiness along with their signature bitterness, which was subsequently cut by the use of lemon and apricot.


29: Olives Ferran Adrià [$10.00]
Liquid 'olives'. A nod to his former teacher, the "olives" consisted of an olive flavored liquid encased in a thin membrane. I'm not sure what the hype is all about, it tasted like an olive, nothing more.


30: Traditional Ottoman carrot fritters [$7.00]
With pistachio sauce. The fritters had a decidedly "Indian" taste to them, which I rather enjoyed. I also appreciated their texture, which was not unlike that of a hash brown. Nice!


31: Stewed baby carrots [$8.00]
With coconut sorbet and ginger. The sorbet by itself was superb, with a rich taste of coconut backed by a lovely cool creaminess. The carrots were also quite tasty by themselves. But when eaten as a whole, the dish just fell apart for me, with its quasi-Thai flavor.


32: Taylor Bay scallops [$10.00]
With beet nitro, pistachios and arugula. All I could taste was the sweetness of the beets and berries, locked in some sort of frozen mass. Were there even scallops here? Could've fooled me!


33: Watermelon tomato skewers [$15.00]
With Pedro Ximénez reduction and sexy tomato seeds. Yes, the tomato seeds are actually described as "sexy" on the menu. But sexy or not, this was damn good. The tartness of the tomato formed the perfect foil for the watermelon, and the whole mélange was ridiculously juicy to boot.


34: Warm leek salad [$8.00]
With goat cheese and lemon dressing. I don't recall the particulars about this dish, but I do remember that I didn't care for it. The table agreed with me, and these were left largely untouched.


35: Japanese eggplant [$8.00]
With soy sauce-miso glaze and yogurt. Continuing the trend from the previous dish, this was pretty awful. I'm not sure what else to say. I don't think it had a single redeeming quality. Sorry.


36: Papas Islas Canarias [$8.00]
Salty wrinkled potatoes with "mojo verde." The potatoes were delightfully salty and very delicious on their own, with an absolutely lovely texture. They were even tastier when dipped in the piquant mojo sauce. Simple, yet effective, this was one of the highlights for me.


37: Traditional tzatziki [$7.00]
Diced cucumbers, garlic, dill and yogurt, served with pita chips. A very straightforward preparation of tzatziki, this would've been a great starter, but just seemed out of place at this point in the meal. Nothing wrong with it though.


38: Pisto Manchego con flor de calabaza [$9.00]
Sautéed peppers, zucchini, onions, eggplant and tomatoes with squash blossoms and egg. Here we have basically a medley of sautéed vegetables, decent on their own, but made much better by the unifying presence of the soft boiled egg.


39: Tortilla de patatas 'al momento' [$7.00]
Classic potato omelet prepared at the moment. I actually quite liked the flavor of this course, but its soft, creamy, foamy texture just seemed a bit incongruous to the dish's character.


40: Setas al Ajillo [$9.00]
Sautéed wild mushrooms in garlic and aromatic herbs. Sautéed mushrooms can hardly be bad, and certainly this was no exception. At the same time though, it's not like this brought anything new to the table.


41: Buñuelos de Bacalao [$8.00]
Codfish fritters with honey aioli. I'd appreciate another type of fish here, as I found the cod rather mushy and a touch fishy, though the aioli did help with the latter problem. Next!


42: Ibérico ham and pineapple [$12.00]
With fennel sherry dressing. While I was eating this, all I could think of was Hawaiian pizza (not necessarily a bad thing mind you). What really stood out to me though wasn't the ham, but the sweet juiciness of the pineapple.


43: Gambas al ajillo [$12.00]
Sautéed shrimp with garlic and guindilla pepper. Nice texture on the shrimp, but the accompanying sauce was just plain strange. I don't know what it was, but it certainly didn't taste like garlic or pepper. I thought the equivalent dish at The Courtyard was much better.


44: Jicama wrapped guacamole [$10.00]
With micro cilantro and corn nuts. I didn't get much of the supposed corn nuts, but the jicama wrapper added a lovely crunch to the smooth creaminess of the guacamole. Very light and refreshing, with a great avocado taste.


45: Bogavante a la Gallega [$15.00]
Galician-style lobster medallions with olive oil crushed potatoes and smoked paprika. I ate the claw of the lobster and was duly disappointed, as I found it overly salty and limp in texture. The potatoes were quite good though I'm told.


46: Endivas con queso de cabra y naranjas [$8.00]
Endive with goat cheese, oranges and almonds. Not bad, but not great, the whole thing just sort of melded together taste-wise and nothing was particularly discernable. Juicy though.


47: Butifarra con ceps y montgetes del gantxet 'Daniel Patrick Moynihan' [$9.00]
Homemade pork sausage with white beans and ceps. Daniel Patrick Moynihan was a US senator from New York, and apparently he was a huge fan of these sausages. I'm not as enthusiastic, though it certainly wasn't bad. It just lacked the rich flavor and juiciness that I'd hoped for.


48: Patatas Bravas "New Way Jose" [$7.00]
José's fried potatoes with aioli and spicy tomato sauce. The tomato sauce here tasted basically of ketchup, and the whole dish seemed rather blunt and unrefined. "No way José!"


49: Trucha a la Navarra [$8.00]
Seared trout with Jamón Serrano, Navarra style. We found this far too fishy and just not very good in general, one of the worst preparations of trout I've had actually. We didn't exactly end the meal on a good note here.


At nearly two feet long, this was certainly the longest bill I've had, though not the highest. Thankfully, the amount shown was subsequently cut in half. You see, I originally had a reservation for the 10th, and because the opening date of the restaurant was pushed back to the 17th, I received a 50% discount on the food. Not a bad deal if you ask me!

I think there are two things that need to be addressed at The Bazaar. First is the food. Though we had some great dishes, we also had some truly god awful ones. I mean, some of it just tasted plain bad (as in, what were they thinking putting this on the menu?). Indeed, many of the dishes are very ambitious in terms of flavor pairings, and while I appreciate such novelty, sometimes it just doesn't work. I think what needs to happen is that the menu needs to be rationalized, to cull out the weaker dishes, and perhaps add some new ones to make up the difference. Hopefully, if you're thinking of going to The Bazaar, I've been able to help in deciding which the stronger dishes are. I do think there is a lot of potential here though; the place simply needs time.

Moving away from the food now, I was actually much more put off by the no photography policy that the restaurant has. While we were waiting for our table, we were told that we could not photograph the decor, because it was designed by Phillipe Stark and thus "copyrighted." Now, I'm no lawyer, but this sounds like a BS reason and I question if it's legally defensible. Note that XIV was also designed by Stark and we encountered no such "copyright" issues there. Once we were seated, we were informed by the "manager" (I didn't get her name) that food photography was similarly prohibited; she then directed me to Andrea Sun, a public relations manager, who reiterated that line. Interestingly, one of my dining companions later told me that he'd received permission from Andrea to photograph the food earlier in the night, so perhaps the restaurant needs to hold a consistent line on this. Except for that, I actually didn't have a problem with the service, and in fact, give a lot of credit to our server for handling our sometimes mercurial requests. I will say though that I don't plan on coming back until the restaurant institutes some less ridiculous policies.

Fruition (Denver, CO)

Fruition
1313 E 6th Ave, Denver, CO 80218
303.831.1962
www.fruitionrestaurant.com
Fri 11/14/2008, 05:00p-06:10p



After having eaten at Mizuna the night before, I still had one more dinner to go in Denver. Though relatively new, Fruition also came highly recommended. The restaurant had been open for about a year and half, and represents a partnership between Executive Chef Alex Seidel and Maitre d’ Paul Attardi (both formerly of Mizuna, as is Sous Chef Drew Inman).


Fruition is located in a largely residential area along the 6th Avenue district of Denver, and is pretty easy to miss. It's also not far from Mizuna.


The space has a warm, inviting look, highlighted by tones of light woods, burgundy walls, and plenty of candles. In addition to this main dining room, there is also a smaller room off to the side.


The menu offers French-influenced seasonal contemporary American cuisine. Since there was no tasting menu option offered, I decided to make my own, opting for four appetizers. Click for larger versions.


I asked for a mojito to start, but a lack of mint stymied that idea rather quickly. Instead, I opted for a Tom Collins [$8.00], which unfortunately turned out a bit too sweet, like the one I had on my last visit to CUT; I prefer my Tom Collins on the dry and refreshing side, as at Capo and Napa Rose. Afterwards, I ordered a glass of the NV Francois Montand Crémant du Jura Brut Rosé [$9.00], an enjoyable, easy-drinking sparkler with lovely apple and yeasty notes.


A wheat bread and a French Bâtard (similar to a baguette) were provided, as was a particularly flavorful parsley-, thyme-, and sea salt-topped butter.


Potato-Wrapped Oysters Rockefeller [$12.00]
Parmesan-Leek Emulsion, Bacon Lardons, Baby Spinach. Traditional oysters Rockefeller consists of baked oysters on the half-shell topped with a variety of ingredients, so I was surprised at the presentation here. The potato wrappers reminded me of Lays chips, and their savory flavor, along with lardons', matched well with the oysters' brininess. To contrast this was the smooth creaminess of the Parmesan-leek emulsion and the bitterness of spinach. The overall effect was very enjoyable.


Pastrami Cured Salmon Sandwich [$11.00]
Dark Rye Toast, Honey Crisp Apple Choucroute, Mustard Crème. A twist on the traditional pastrami on rye, the spicing and smoking of the pastrami process gave the salmon a unique savory flavor and tempered its fishiness, while the crisp texture and sour tang of the apple choucroute (sauerkraut) further elevated the dish, as did the tangy mustard crème.


Pasta Carbonara [$11.00]
House-Cured Pork Belly, Hand-Made Cavatelli, Six Minute Egg, Parmesan Broth. The pork belly was everything you'd expect, falling-apart tender, rich, and fatty. But for me, the key to this dish was the egg, prepared as to be still soft and runny. By itself, the pork would have been overwhelming, so the egg was key in cutting its intensity. The cavatelli served a similar function, and also provided an important textural contrast. Very nice.


Crispy Duck Leg Confit [$13.00]
Maple-Candied Sweet Potato, Toasted Hazelnut Salad, Golden Raisin Vinaigrette. The confit itself was delicious, with its intensely flavored, super-soft flesh topped by a light crispy skin. However, the puréed sweet potato was far too sweet for the duck. The candied hazelnuts and raisin vinaigrette didn't help things either. The end result was an overbearing sweetness that drew all attention away from the natural flavor of the duck. I expressed my thoughts on the dish to my server, resulting in the course being comped.


Warm Sticky Toffee-Date Cake [$8.00]
Gala Apple Compote, Crème Fraiche Ice Cream, Hot Toffee Sauce. I had Maitre d’ Paul Attardi surprise me with a dessert selection, and his choice did not disappoint. I loved the interplay between the dense, warm cake and the refreshing coolness of the ice cream, while the toffee sauce and apples added even more interest. The dessert was paired with the Pacific Rim, Riesling, Eiswein, Washington [$9.00], and this match worked beautifully, with the wine's acidity balancing the weight of the dessert, while contributing lovely tropical fruit flavors to the mix. Both the dessert and the wine were also comped.

Fortunately, my hopes for Fruition did indeed come to fruition. Except for the duck, I was very pleased with the food, and the experience was further bolstered by Attardi's attentive and friendly service. Fruition has poached some of the talent from Mizuna, and like Mizuna, I think this place too is destined for greatness.

Mizuna (Denver, CO)

Mizuna
225 E 7th Ave, Denver, CO 80203
303.832.4778
www.mizunadenver.com
Thu 11/13/2008, 07:20p-09:20p



My business travels occasionally bring me to Denver, and being the foodie that I am, the first thing I ask when entering a new locale is: "Where are the best places to eat?" Mizuna had been the answer to that question before, but due to logistical issues, I'd never made it out to try the place. I wanted to come here on my last visit, but ended up at Kevin Taylor instead (which actually turned out quite good). In any case, I was determined to try Mizuna this time.


Located in the heart of the Governor's Park, Mizuna's exterior is modest and inconspicuous; I drove by without even noticing. Though there is valet service, street parking shouldn't be too hard to find.


Mizuna's main dining room is intimate, warm, and inviting, with seating for around 40 guests; there is also a small private dining room available. The restaurant had run out of tables for the night, so I sat at the bar, which gave me a perfect vantage point to view the open kitchen.


I opted for the Tasting Menu at $85, or $130 with wine. The menu is not set, so I had the restaurant write out the courses and wine pairings, signed by Chef/Owner Frank Bonanno. Click for larger versions.


The list of wines available by the glass and half-bottle are shown above. Click for larger versions.


Two types of home-made bread were available, a regular white and a Kalamata olive. Both were quite good, with the Kalamata being much more subtle than similar olive breads I've had. To accompany the bread was a trio of herbed butter, olive oil with balsamic, and regular butter.




1: Amuse Bouche Assortment
2005 Domaine du Margalleau Vouvray Brut, Loire Valley, France
We began with a quintet of amuse bouches, each one made by one of the five chefs in the kitchen. From left to right:

• Rabbit Meatball with Fondue - I would've preferred the meatball to have been a bit more uniform in texture, as I found it rather "chunky." Nevertheless, I quite enjoyed its flavor, finding the accompanying sauce superfluous.
• Fresh Lump Crab on Toasted Brioche - This was my favorite of the set, with the delicious, delicate flesh of the crab offset wonderfully by the crispness of the brioche, while the greens and watermelon added further complexity to the dish.
• Sunchoke Soup - A rich, hearty soup, this tasted almost of potato. It actually reminded me very much of the sunchoke soup I had at XIV recently. Delicious.
• Salmon Tartare with Avocado - Unfortunately, the salmon flavor was largely lost here, with the avocado completely dominating.
• Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese with Beet and Cherry Relish - I'm quite a fan of Humboldt Fog cheese, and found its light, mild flavor nicely complemented by the sweet relish.

The wine pairing was a sparkling Vouvray, made from Chenin Blanc, and was a great way to start things off. The wine was lovely, sweeter than its Champagne counterpart I'd say, with a bit less fizz.


2: Hudson Valley Foie Gras
2005 Maison Nicolas Sauternes, Bordeaux, France
With Apricot Chutney and Almond Pithivier. I much prefer my foie gras in a terrine style, as I find the seared presentations too sweet more often than not. This was the case here, though given that limitation, it faired pretty well. The almond pithivier, a type of puff pastry, did an admirable job in tempering the foie's sweetness. It reminded me a bit of the foie gras I had at Marché Moderne. As expected, the wine pairing was a Sauternes; the Maison Nicolas was a fairly typical example, showing the expected flavors of honey and stone fruit, with low acidity.


3: Chestnut Gnocchi
2006 Frédéric Magnien Bourgogne, Burgundy, France
With Crispy Sweetbreads, Chanterelles and Brussels Sprouts. The gnocchi was actually fairly nondescript; the real star here was the sweetbreads, with their slightly tough exteriors hiding luscious centers of intensely flavored goodness. The chanterelles and sprouts were also excellent in their supporting roles in this wonderful preparation of sweetbreads. The wine, a red Burgundy, was nothing special by itself, but paired beautifully with the food.


4: Maine Diver Scallop
2006 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Burgundy, France
With French Black Lentils, Potato and Leek Velouté and Fall Truffles. Truffles are always a nice touch, but it was the lentils that made all the difference in the world. I don't think I've ever had lentils paired with scallop, but here they added a simply fantastic contrast both in terms of taste and texture. The large mollusk itself was superbly cooked as well, and this combination, along with the velouté, was quite simply, one of the best preparations of scallop I've ever had. The paired wine was a light, crisp white Burgundy that provided an excellent foil to the dish with its slightly fruity, mineral-tinged flavor.


5: Peach Sorbet with Pecan Lavash
In preparation for the main course, a palate cleanser, or intermezzo, of home-made sorbet was presented. It had a mouth-watering, wonderfully intense flavor of peach that went nicely with the pecan cracker.


6: New Zealand Ostrich Loin
2004 Château Loudenne, Médoc, Bordeaux, France
With Catalan Style Spinach and Bleu Cheese Potatoes. This was only my second time having ostrich; interestingly, the first was also in Colorado, many years ago, at a place called The Warehouse in Colorado Springs. The meat, similar to an amalgam of beef, duck, and venison, was very tasty by itself, lean, yet tender and flavorful. However, the spinach salad that came with the bird was too sweet with its mixture of apple, pine nuts, and raisins, while the potato "chips" had a far too overpowering flavor of cheese. The ostrich went well enough with the paired Bordeaux, which I felt was surprisingly light, almost Burgundian in nature in fact.


7: Apple Charlotte
NV Chambers Muscadelle (Tokay) Rosewood Vineyards, Rutherglen, Victoria, Australia
Lady Finger Cake, Apple Bavarian, Apple Compote. This was my first time having a charlotte, a type of dessert in which custard (apple Bavarian here) is used to fill a bread or cake (lady fingers in this case) mold. The result was fantastic, with a perfect interplay of creamy and firm textures, all over a base of subtle apple flavor. The only fault was the compote, which was in my opinion, too strong for the delicate nature of the dish.


I had to drive down to Colorado Springs after the meal, so I was given a cookie for the road. Being quite full, I ended up eating it for breakfast the following day. Very nice.

I had a lovely time at Mizuna. Though the restaurant looks like a typical neighborhood type of place, the chefs here really do create some fantastic cuisine. I didn't agree with some of the preparations, but at the same time, there were some truly great dishes as well (the scallop, the sweetbreads). People say that Mizuna is the best restaurant in Denver; I can believe it.

Ford's Filling Station (Culver City, CA)

Ford's Filling Station
9531 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
310.202.1470
www.fordsfillingstation.net
Wed 11/12/2008, 08:00p-11:20p



Ford's Filling Station describes itself as a "gastro pub," focusing mainly on modern American food, with some international flair thrown in for good measure. The restaurant is helmed by Chef/Owner Benjamin Ford, son of actor Harrison Ford. Ford honed his skills at such LA establishments as Opus and Campanile (as well as the iconic California cuisine eatery Chez Panisse) before opening his Filling Station, where he focuses on uncomplicated cuisine backed by high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients.

Rather than experiencing Ford's regular menu, we were here for a special suckling pig dinner, as featured on Andrew Zimmern's show Bizarre Foods. The pig is available by special request only, and requires 10 days advance notice. This meal was sponsored entirely by FoodDigger, a burgeoning online food community. Joining me were fellow bloggers Aaron of Food Destination, Fiona of Gourmet Pigs, H.C. of L.A. and O.C. Foodventures, Ila of I Nom Things, Javier of Teenage Glutster, Matt of Dig Lounge, Matt of Mattatouille, and last but not least, Sarah of The Delicious Life and Tastespotting.


Situated along a row of restaurants, Ford's is surprisingly inconspicuous. I actually passed by it without even knowing.


The bustling main dining room features lots of dark wood, exposed brick, and concrete, giving the space a quasi-industrial feel. Nevertheless, the room is casual and comfortable, if a bit loud.


We were seated off to the side in the covered patio. A smaller room, the vibe here is much more relaxed.


Knowing that none of us would remember everything we had, I requested a special copy of the night's menu. Click for a larger version.


We paired three wines with the pork:

• 2005 Château Monbousquet St. Émilion [from the personal cellar of Will from FoodDigger] - Soft and delicate, the Monbousquet demonstrated subtle notes of dark berry, cassis, and smoke. Very balanced and delicious, the wine would perhaps benefit from some more time in the bottle.
• 2005 III Somms Atlas Napa Valley [$52.00] - This was a primarily Cabernet Franc blend, and tasted of a spicy mix of dark fruit, currant, and chocolate, leading to a slightly hot finish. A bit blunt.
• 2007 Montgomery Place Napa Valley Red Wine [$64.00] - Another Cabernet Franc-dominated blend, the Montgomery showed similar characteristics to the III Somms, but had more refined tannins and a more subtle finish, with a touch more minerality.

Chef Ford first came out at the beginning of the meal to give us a quick introduction of what would go down. Later, he proudly presented the platter of pork to us.



Served on a gleaming silver platter, the suckling pig was an impressive sight to behold.


Pig 1: Porchetta
Porchetta is sort of a rolled, stuffed preparation of pork, done here with fennel and onions. It had a delightful taste, a base of pork, but augmented with the other ingredients. The skin was especially nice. Texture-wise, this was somewhere between the confit and the legs.


Pig 2: Pig's Tongue Salad
Formed over a base of frisée, the salad also came with crispy pig ears. I didn't particularly care for the tongue (which was cold and slightly metallic-tasting), though I did enjoy the crispy ears.


Pig 3: Deep Fried Pig's Eyes
I think this may have been my first time having eyes. Here, they were stuffed with smoked ham hock, which gave them a slightly chewy texture. Otherwise, the eyes were totally inoffensive, almost tasting like chicken.


Pig 4: Panchetta Wrapped Pork Loin
The meat itself here was a bit monolithic, and so the key was the panchetta (cured pork belly) wrapper, which lent the pork a delectable contrasting savoriness. Quite nice.


Pig 5: Confit of Pork Shoulder & Fresh Hams
This was what we were most looking forward to, and it did not disappoint. The confit preparation left the pork incredibly tender to the point of breaking apart, and imbued the meat with an immense depth of flavor. So juicy, so succulent, this was some of the best pork I've ever had.


Pig 6: Crispy Smoked Pork Legs
This lacked the tenderness of the confit, and was a bit too tough for my tastes. It was perhaps the most intensely-flavored of all the variations, with strong, smoky notes over a base of pork.


Pig 7: Pork Cheek
Chef Ford made sure to tell us about the pork cheek on the head of the pig. Very rich and very fatty, it was perhaps a touch too intense for me.


Side 1: Roasted Kabocha Risotto
Kabocha is a type of Japanese winter squash, known for its sweet flavor. Here, I felt the sweetness was too much for the risotto, and was all I could focus on with this dish.


Side 2: Brussels Sprouts with Bacon / Cavalo Nero & Escarole
The Brussels sprouts were some of the best I've had, with their subtle nutty flavor accented by the salty tang of bacon. Fantastic. Also on the plate were kale and endive, which both had a very pleasing bitterness.


Side 3: Roasted Carrots with Pomegranate
The carrots had a natural sweetness that was further elevated by the pomegranate. I would've preferred them a bit crisper though.


Dessert 1: Hawaiian Bread Pudding
After coming close to a pork coma, this light, fruity dessert was extremely appealing. The candied kumquats(?) provided a great contrasting sourness and I enjoyed their tough, chewy texture.


Dessert 2: Walnut Torte
Chocolate cake topped with ice cream is always a winning combination. Not particularly creative, but tasty indeed. The small bits of hard chocolate were a nice touch.


A photo with Chef Ben Ford shortly before he had to leave.

Though not everything worked for me, the clear standout was the pork confit, which was simply heavenly. That alone is something worth coming back for, though I'd also be curious about the regular menu as well. I must say that this was one of the most interesting meals I've had, not only for the food, but for the company. Sharing the meal with such like-minded individuals as mentioned above definitely heightened the experience, and I look forward to many more future meals in the same vein.

Totoraku (Los Angeles, CA)

Totoraku
10610 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
www.yelp.com/biz/totoraku-los-angeles (Yelp, restaurant has no web site)
Fri 11/07/2008, 07:45p-12:00a



Ah, Totoraku, a.k.a. "secret beef restaurant," a.k.a. Teriyaki House Pico, I'd heard so much about you for the past few years, but now my time has finally come. Actually, the place isn't really a secret any more. Perhaps it was years ago, but with the advent of the Internet, the cat's out of the bag. Totoraku even has its own Yelp page for crying out loud! But even if the place isn't secret per se, it's still damn tough to get in to. You basically have to go with someone who has an existing relationship with the Chef/Owner, Kaz Oyama.

This particular dinner was kindly set up by a professor of mine, who'd been to Totoraku many a time before. We'd organized a large party, 12 people in total, including a number of people from the Los Angeles foodie community, including: Aaron of Food Destination, Caroline of Caroline on Crack, Fiona of Gourmet Pigs, Ore of Potential Gold, Ryan of Tangmeister, and Will of FoodDigger.


Totoraku's exterior is completely nondescript, for a reason. The phone number listed is incorrect, and seems to belong to a guy named Rodney T Williams, a real estate attorney in LA. Knock on the locked door, and Oyama-san's wife will answer, only letting you in if you have a reservation for the night. The operation is small, staffed solely by Oyama-san, his wife, his daughter-in-law, and a dishwasher.




The interior continues the trend, which to me adds to the mystique. The room is divided in half; one half is the kitchen, while the other houses five tables of four. Some eclectic artwork adorns the walls, but the most striking design element is the collection of wine bottles dotting the space, hinting at Oyama-san's love of fine wine. I wonder if some of what we brought would be worthy of a spot? As a bonus, we spotted Masi Oka from Heroes dining with a female companion (a date perhaps?)!


A trio of dipping sauces was provided. I believe they were a light soy, lemon juice, and a sweet tare sauce. However, the meat was good enough to render them pretty much unnecessary.






1: Amuse Bouche Assortment
Our meal began with an appealing selection of nine appetizers, to be shared amongst four people:

• Cantaloupe and Prosciutto - I'm not usually a huge fan of sweet and savory pairings, but this was surprisingly good. I think it benefited from the ham's relatively light texture and flavor, which really allowed the fruit to come to the fore.
• Asparagus and Walnuts - These weren't ordinary walnuts; they appeared to have been marinated in some sort of sweet sauce, which made them stand in stark contrast to the delicate asparagus.
• Lobster Salad - This was my favorite item on the plate. The lobster's flesh had a great snap to it and the flavor was extraordinarily clean and crisp, going well with the other elements in the dish.
• King Crab Gelée - This was interesting. The crab itself was quite nice, while the gelatin acted as a sort of glue that bound the pieces together.
• Sockeye Salmon - Salmon stuffed with avocado and sprouts. What's not to like here? I just wished the piece were bigger!
• Hard Boiled Quail Egg with Caviar - Egg and egg, a winning combination. The key here was how the briny tang of caviar penetrated the subtle rich creaminess of the egg.
• Japanese Persimmon Salad - This was almost like a "potato salad"-type presentation, with the persimmon acting as a softer, sweeter version of potato.
• Momotaro Tomato and Ricotta Cheese - This combination of tomato and cheese made me think of pizza!
• Steamed Abalone - The abalone had a very nice texture, not at all tough, with a fine flavor. It was served with zenmai (also known as Japanese royal fern), a type of sansai, or mountain vegetable, and topped with gold flake.

2: Beef Tataki & Beef Throat Sashimi
Next was a duo of barely cooked beef. I tried the beef tataki first. The light searing of the meat gave the exterior a slightly charred, tougher texture that went beautifully with the interior. Pairing this with the provided ginger proved to be an excellent combination. The beef throat, on the other hand, had a bit of a crunch to it, and reminded me of the horse neck sashimi I had in Japan. We were told that it takes one and a half cows to come up with one plate. This was more about the texture than the flavor; very unique and quite nice!


Supplement: Culatello di Zibello Della Consorzio
This next course was not part of the normal meal, but instead brought by Ore. Aged 22 months, the culatello was a type of prosciutto, but more refined and made without the bone. It was from Zibello, a commune of the Province of Parma having DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) status. It was simply fantastic, I'd say the best ham I'd ever tasted in fact, with its slightly sweet flavor over a base of delicate saltiness, and its perfect marriage of lean and fat. Meraviglioso!



3: Beef Tartare
The tartare was basically a version of the Korean dish yukhoe. I'm not sure what the cut of beef used here was, but the accoutrements were raw egg yolk, daikon, cucumber, pine nuts, and what I believe was yamaimo (Japanese mountain yam). In any case, Aaron, being the youngest member of our table, had the honors of mixing the various ingredients into a delicious amalgam. The beef here did not stand out per se; rather, it provided a solid footing to demonstrate the complex, multi-layered flavors of the dish's other components. Most "Western" style tartares suddenly seem blunt compared to this. In fact, Aaron and I both thought that this was reminiscent of a Chinese dish of cold jellyfish salad. Fantastic!


Once the grills were brought out, we knew it was time for the gauntlet of barbecued meats to begin. I was told that they burned binchotan, a traditional Japanese charcoal made from ubame oak.



4: Beef Tongue
I had my first experience with tongue not too long ago, at Tsuruhashi in Fountain Valley. I found the tongue surprisingly tasty there, and I'm happy to report that the tongue here was even better. It was less rubbery and even more tender, while being more flavorful. The meat at Tsuruhashi was a bit chewy, but that wasn't a problem here; it was as luxurious as tongue can be. Simply lovely.


5: Crudités
As a break from all the meat, we were provided with a selection of vegetables, which helped cut the richness of the beef. First was a bowl of lettuce, carrots, and cucumber, all served with a spicy/sweet miso dip. Next, we had Momotaro tomatoes. Named after a Japanese folk hero, Momotaros are one of the most popular varieties in Japan, with a subtle sweetness backed up with a tangy zest.



6: Filet Mignon
Next up were slices of filet mignon with an assortment of veggies: onions, bell peppers, mushrooms (shiitakes I believe), and peppers. Cooked rare, the meat was tender as you'd expect, but also surprisingly flavorsome as well. Given its relatively low fat content, the beef wasn't too heavy and was a great way to kick things off. The quality of meat wouldn't seem out of place at a fine steakhouse.



7: Inside Rib Eye
Compared to the filet, the inside rib eye was richer, fattier, and noticeably stronger in taste. Its marinade successfully complemented the meat's flavor while not overpowering it. I would've liked to have seen the cuts a bit thicker though, to give them more bite.


8: Outside Rib Eye
Also known as rib eye cap, I think this might have been even more unctuous and succulent than the inside rib eye. Meanwhile, the salt and pepper topping did a nice job of heightening the beef's natural flavor. Though both were superb, I'd have to give the edge to the outside over the inside rib eye.


9: Short Rib
This was basically the Japanese take on Korean galbi short ribs. In Korean preparations, the meat is usually very thoroughly marinated. However, here, the meat was of such high caliber that such a thing was largely unnecessary. This was arguably the richest of all the meats, and though galbi can be a bit tough and chewy at times, this was just as tender as any of the other cuts we had.


10: Skirt Steak
The skirt steak is a cut from the underbelly of the cow. Traditionally, it's known to be a flavorful, but tough cut of meat. Fortunately, Oyama-san worked his magic here and I didn't find it to be tough at all, though it was less fatty than most of the other meats we sampled.


11: Kuppa Soup
This was basically a spicy rice soup, derived from the Korean gukbap, which literally means "soup with rice." Pleasantly piquant and not too heavy, it was a fitting close to the savory courses.


12: Selection of Ice Creams and Sorbets
Usually, each person picks one flavor to try, but this time, each table of four got one scoop each of the five varieties offered: pistachio ice cream, lychee sorbet, blueberry sorbet, coffee ice cream, and white chocolate/raspberry ice cream. They were all quite interesting in their own way, but I probably say that dI'd liked the pistachio and lychee the best.


Oyama-san is known to be quite the wine connoisseur, and indeed, guests are expected to share their wines with him. I believe we offered him the Kistler, Único, and Léoville (which he thought was good, but a bit young). Some of the wines benefited from decanting, and in the photo on the right, the first one I opened to let breathe was the Único. There is no corkage charge.






A full recounting of the wines we had follows:

• Hakkaisan Daiginjo Sake - We kicked things off with some sake. This was my second experience with the Hakkaisan. I had picked up a bottle of this on my trip to Japan earlier in the year, and I found it to be arguably the best sake I've tasted, exceedingly smooth, with multiple layers of fruity and floral notes. Unfortunately, this one's tough to find here in the States.
• 2000 Marcel Deiss Gruenspiel, Alsace, France - A mixture of Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Gewürztraminer, this one was almost dessert-like in sweetness. Yet at the same time, the sweetness was balanced with just a tinge of acidity, and there were plenty of citrus and stone fruit accents to go around. Finishes smooth and long.
• 2004 Jermann Vinnaioli Capo Martino, Venezia Giulia, Italy - This was a fascinating blend of Malvasia, Picolit, Ribolla, and Tocai grapes. I'm not sure I've had any of those varietals alone, let alone in a blend. It was a much drier wine compared to the preceding Gruenspiel, with far less fruit but considerably more spice. Quite nice overall.
• 2005 Bibi Graetz Bugia Bianco, Toscana, Italy - The Bugia is made from Ansonica (a.k.a. Inzolia), an Italian varietal that I have no experience with. Nevertheless, I found it very fascinating and quite liked it, noting hints of lemon and peach, with a bit of oak, in a complex amalgam. Very interesting!
• 2006 Kistler Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California - This was a table favorite. Loads of light, juicy red fruit hit you first, followed by a bit of heat, leading to a smooth, lingering finish.
• 2005 Sangiovese - This was a home-brew Sangiovese made by Fiona. I was told the wine was made three years ago, and it was drinking quite well indeed. The wine was fairly spicy, yet soft and smooth. Good job Fiona!
• 2006 State Lane Cellars Cabernet-Merlot Cyclone, Yountville, California - Cyclone is an unfined and unfiltered blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, aged in French oak. The taste was prototypical meritage. Perhaps this could've benefited from some more time in the bottle.
• 1996 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon