Niwattori (Torrance, CA)

Niwattori
1231 Cabrillo Ave, Torrance, CA 90501
310.781.9200
www.yelp.com/biz/niwattori-restaurant-torrance (Yelp, restaurant has no web site)
Sat 11/28/2009, 07:00p-09:15p




Yes, this is my first post ever in the South Bay. For this "momentous" occasion, I've chosen Niwattori, a new izakaya-style eatery that opened in late September. The name, Niwattori (usually spelled niwatori), translates roughly to "chicken," and indeed, the restaurant specializes in dishes featuring its eponymous bird. Note however, that Niwattori is not a yakitori joint (a place that focuses on grilled chicken skewers).

Going in, I thought that Niwattori was owned by the same people who run Yuzu a few doors down. The woman in charge of managing the Niwattori, Kumada-san, assured us that that was not the case. The two do share certain ties, however--the chef at Yuzu is Kaz Akutsu, and Akutsu-san is largely responsible for the menu at Niwattori as well. Interestingly, he is the nephew of Seiji Akutsu, the owner of famed soba house Otafuku in Gardena (one of Urasawa's favorite restaurants). There is also, apparently, a passageway in the building linking Niwattori and Yuzu physically.


Inside, the space is clean, contemporary, and is divided into a bar section, a main dining area, and some semi-private rooms.


Niwattori's menu is shown above; click for larger versions. As you'd expect, it's skewed heavily towards chicken, with nary a meat or raw fish dish in sight. Note that otsumami refers to small dishes typically eaten while imbibing alcoholic beverages.


And speaking of booze, what better way to start than with a round of Asahis? Note that this is the real deal Asahi Super Dry, imported from Tokyo, not the stuff brewed by Molson in Canada that one usually finds Stateside. If you haven't had the genuine article before, I urge you to do a comparison between the two versions.


Potato Salad [$5.50]
I don't think I've ever met a potato salad that I didn't like, and this was no exception. Pleasantly piquant in savor, the salad was heightened by the use of bacon, which lent a wonderful saltiness to the whole creamy amalgam, in addition to providing a nice crunchy textural element.


Nikogori [$3.80]
Nikogori usually refers to jellied fish (see a version made with fugu here), but Niwattori's uses chicken skin encased in a chicken broth gelée. Tasting it, I experience the unmitigated essence of chicken, which was subsequently tempered by the tart cucumbers pickles (kyuuri) and wakame seaweed. The momiji oroshi (grated daikon and red pepper), meanwhile, added a bit of heat into the equation.


Tori Wasabi [$6.50]
Next was my favorite course of the night. What we have is tori sasami, or chicken breast meat, seared rare, served with wasabi, nori, and onions. The chicken was immensely tender, delicate even, and took on an almost sashimi-like character. Flavor-wise, it possessed the subtle spirit of chicken, which was superbly countered by the fiery wasabi. I had a similar dish at Kokekokko, but liked this version even better.


Shumai [$7.50]
Shumai is, of course, a Chinese dish, so it was interesting to see Niwattori's take on the classic. The Chinese usually employ pork as the filling, but here, chicken was the star, along with ginger, lotus root, and dried shiitake mushrooms. I rather liked the result, savoring the shumai's rich, savory, ginger-tinged flavor, offset by the sweet/sour ankake sauce and spicy karashi mustard.


Tsukune [$6.50]
Tsukune refers to Japanese-style ground chicken meatballs. Though they're typically prepared in a yakitori (grilled) manner, frying or baking are acceptable cooking methods as well. The version here was fried, and came dressed in a sweet, soy-based sauce. The result was a very savory, gritty, juicy experience. However, I found it rather heavy-handed unfortunately, with the sauce overpowering the chicken's natural sapor. The karashi did help in balancing things out, though.


With our beers dispensed with, we moved on to sake, specifically the Hakkaisan Honjozo [$26]. Interestingly, we had it warm, which is something I almost never do, as heating is usually reserved for inferior-quality sakes. The Hakkaisan certainly was no such beast, and could've easily been served cold. As it turns out, the sake was indeed quite delicious hot. I thought that the heat tended to smooth out the flavors of the sake, accenting its nutty/earthy flavors while muting the floral and fruity flourishes.


Tori Nankotsu [$6.50]
Nankotsu refers to the cartilage, or gristle, of the chicken. Here, we had fritters of chicken tenderloin, with cartilage attached, deep-fried. Though the nankotsu didn't have much taste on its own, it did contribute a lovely (and loud!) crunch to the eating experience. The flavor came mostly from the attached bits of tender chicken, and was nicely countered by the sour tang of lemon.


Steamed Octopus and Watercress Salad [$13.50]
Here we have an appealing salad of octopus, watercress, carrot, cucumber, and nori. I appreciated the octopus' supple, tender consistency, as well as its subtly sweet flavor, which was deftly countered by the pungent bitterness of the greens. Quite nice.


Tori Hakkaisan [$10.50]
A fascinating dish, this was a grilled presentation of chicken that had been marinated in Hakkaisan sake kasu (sake lees, the residual precipitates left over from the sake-making process). The bird was wonderfully tender and succulent, abound in chicken flavor but with a finish imbued with the rice-y marrow of sake. Superb.


Tori "Dokkan" Negi [$10.50]
Next up was deep-fried chicken, coated in a sweetish soy-based sauce, topped with green onions. Taken alone, the chicken was a bit too sweet for me, but its flavor was expertly balanced by the bitter tang of the scallions. I only wish that the pieces had been fried to a crispier consistency.


Gobo Isobe [$5.50]
This was deep-fried gobo, or burdock, with dried seaweed, accompanied by two dipping salts--curry (kare shio) and green tea (matcha shio). The gobo itself had a delightfully firm, fibrous texture and a flavor that was mildly savory. I found that the curry tended to overwhelm the flavor of the burdock, but I did appreciate the matcha.


Our final tipple was a flask of the Hakkaisan Junmai Ginjo [$26], which we had cold. I've had this sake multiple times before, and again, it did not disappoint with its clean, floral flavors and softly spicy character. Very nice.


Odenmori [$12.50]
A prototypically winter dish, oden consists of a variety of ingredients simmered in a soy-dashi broth, served with karashi. The contents of the pot here were chikuwabu (tubes of gluten, popular in the Kanto region), konnyaku (konjac gel), daikon, tamago, and ganmodoki (tofu fritter), among others. It was a hearty, heartwarming dish, with the ganmodoki and the hard-boiled egg being particularly tasty. Interestingly, one of my dining companions remarked that, due to the color of the broth, the chef must be from the Kanto (or greater Tokyo) area and that the oden might be more appropriately called by the obscure term kantoni.


Kinpira [$4.80]
Kinpira denotes a cooking technique of sautéing and simmering root vegetables in a mixture of soy and mirin (sweet rice wine). Burdock, carrot, and lotus root were used here, sliced in large-ish pieces, giving the veggies a nice bite. Their flavor was simultaneously sweet yet savory, with the sesame providing a lovely accent.


Shionikomi [$4.50]
Here was a type of nimono, or stew, specifically a chicken skin stew in a salted broth, with lotus root, carrot, and konnyaku. They key here, for me, was the application of yuzu skin, which gave the whole commixture a charming, tangy finish.


Torisoba [$6.50]
We finished with a bowl of ramen noodles in a hot soy-based chicken broth. The noodles themselves were nice enough, and I enjoyed the lightening effect of the vegetables, but the broth was on the salty side unfortunately.

Overall, I left Niwattori generally pleased, especially considering that the place just recently opened. One of my dining companions, who's much more well-versed in Japanese cuisine than I, agreed, but remarked that he'd like to see the chef employ lighter, more Kyoto-influenced touches with the food. I see his point, especially with regard to dishes such as the tsukune, oden, and torisoba. In the end, it was nice to have some dishes that you don't see on menus all that often, and to experience the breadth of what's possible using chicken in a non-yakitori setting.

Rivera (Los Angeles, CA) [3]

Rivera
1050 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
213.749.1460
www.riverarestaurant.com
Wed 11/25/2009, 08:00p-11:50p



Regular kevinEats readers may recall that my first visit to Rivera in April of this year was for lunch. After a promising meal, I vowed to return, and did so in July, when I had a fantastic dinner. Despite the splendid eats, I wasn't planning on returning to Rivera in 2009...that is, until I was invited by Wesley of Two Hungry Pandas to this special dinner. You see, Chef/Owner John Rivera Sedlar has been hard at work developing a new menu for the coming winter months. The Chef was interested in garnering some feedback for a few of his new dishes, and somehow, Wes was able to finagle his way into securing a preview of the new viands (as a result, some, but not all, of the dishes were comped). Joining us were Wes' partner in crime Evelina, Christine of Folie à Choisauce, Danny of Kung Food Panda, and Nathan of Binary Tastebuds.


Above, we see Rivera's menu, a list of specials (the new items), and the drink list; click for larger versions. The main carta was much the same as before, so we were mainly interested in Sedlar's four new creations, consisting of three starters and one main. Unfortunately, according to Sous Chef Joe Panarello, the sweetbreads dish, "Quechwa," was not quite up to the Sedlar's standards yet during our visit, so we'll have to take a rain check on that one.


Amuse Bouche: piquillo relleno | STUFFED SPANISH PEPPER, CHORIZO, GRUYERE, JEREZ, AVOCADO OIL
The amuse bouche consisted of a single piquillo pepper, stuffed with a commixture of Gruyère cheese and chorizo, accompanied by vino de Jerez and avocado oil. It didn't look like much, but delivered where it counted: on flavor. I immediately noticed a powerful interplay between the rich, creamy, salty stuffing and the sweet, tangy pepper enrobing it. The bite finished with a savory flair, accented by a slight bitterness from the char. ¡Hola! indeed.


After the amuses were dispensed with, we ordered a round of Tejocotes, a new drink that Chef Sedlar had created with Rivera's bartender extraordinaire Julian Cox (who, by the way, was having dinner with his family at the table next to ours). The drink is basically Rivera's take on ponche, a traditional Mexican fruit punch served during the holiday season. It starts with a hot concoction of tejocote (Mexican Hawthorn) fruit, piloncillo (a.k.a. panela, basically unrefined sugar made from evaporated sugarcane juice), prunes, canella (cinnamon bark), and tamarind, among other ingredients. Once the admixture cools, Del Maguey Crema de Mezcal and Fee Brothers West Indian Orange Bitters are added to create the final cocktail. The end result is a delicious, sweet 'n' spicy ponche with a hint of smoky mezcal and even a bit of sour Chinese suan mei character on the midpalate; it's a medley of flavors that's simultaneously powerful yet mysterious.


caballito de sopas dobles [$2.00] | TWO LATIN SOUPS, DIFFERENT FLAVORS, DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES
This course usually consists of two contrasting soups, served at different temperatures (for example, on my last visit, warm lobster bisque and chilled fennel-apple soup). This time, obviously, there was only a single potage, the reason being, according to our server, that the Chef was unable to find suitable quality ingredients for the second soup he had in mind. I had no problem with this, as the solitary butternut squash soup presented was easily the best example I've ever tasted. I always tend to find butternut squash soup too sugary, so I really appreciated the wonderful savory character of the version here, superbly set off by the use of cumin, and accented texturally by the popcorn.


tortillas florales [$7.00] | HOUSEMADE NIXTIMAL TORTILLAS, "INDIAN BUTTER"
The Tortillas Florales have become one the restaurant's most notorious dishes, and a meal at Rivera almost requires that we start off with an order. The tortillas are, of course, homemade, using ground dried corn. They're then embedded with flowers and herbs, browned on a griddle, and served warm, accompanied by the creamiest "guacamole" you've ever had. The taste is classic, earthy, yet profound; pair a bit of that delightful "Indian butter," and you're set.


conchas [$14.00] | OYSTERS OF THE DAY, CUCUMBER CAVIAR, MEZCAL
The first new item that we tried was this presentation of oysters, Kumamotos (my favorite) to be specific. The use of the various vegetables added a wondrous, bright accent to the sweetness of the "conchas," while the mezcal contributed a woody depth to counter the brine--very good. Evelina wanted a second order of these!


patates xips [$6.00] | CAVIAR, CHIPOTLE-LIME CREMA, KENNEBEC POTATO CHIPS
And now, a "snack" of Rivera's "potato chips." Popping one into my mouth, I first noted the expected saltiness of the xips, which was then followed by the creaminess of the chipotle-lime complex. The most interesting facet here, though, was the finish, which was dominated by the intense, positively lingering brine of the sturgeon caviar. Note the stencil, my favorite of the night: Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough..., attributed to our dear friend Bernie Madoff.


melon de mar [$16.00] | POACHED MAINE LOBSTER, COMPRESSED MELON, CHILE VERDE GELEE
The second brand new item presented to us was this poached Maine lobster tail. The langosta itself possessed a lovely, supple body and a light, bright flavor with just a hint of sweetness. My favorite part of the course, though, was the application of habanero sauce. It gave the crustacean a bit of heat on the finish, which only seemed to intensify as time went by. Further spice was provided by the cuboids of green chili gelée, while salt-topped mosaics of compressed cantaloupe and honeydew contributed a sweet-salty flair.


By this time, our Tejocotes had been all tapped out, so another round of cocktails was in order. Danny went with the Tony Manzana [$14], made with apple juice, applejack, honey, and ginger; upon tasting it, I called it "adult apple juice," a sentiment exactly echoed by Christine (great minds think alike?). Wes, meanwhile, ordered one of his favorites, the Blood Sugar Sex Magic [$14]. Comprised of rye whiskey, red pepper, agave nectar, and basil, it had a delightful piquant tang that deftly tempered the power of the whisky. Finally, I had the La Bamba [$12], consisting of pisco, curaçao, apricot eau de vie, and pineapple. It started with an intensely citrus-y nose, followed by a creamy, sugary, aggressive attack, leading to a bit of heat on the finish--quite good.


arabesque [$23.00] | SCALLOPS, EGGPLANT, PRESERVED LEMON
And now, our third and final newbie of the night. We have a triplet of scallops, topped with preserved lemon, atop eggplant purée and vadouvan (Indian spice blend) sauce. The scallops themselves were deftly cooked to a firm yet pliant consistency, and flavor-wise, their sweetness was heightened by the eggplant, while the vadouvan lent a spicy tang to the bivalves. And if you're wondering, the stencil represents the word "arabesque" in Arabic, written in ras el hanout (a mixture of herbs and spices found across the Middle East and North Africa). When applied to the scallops, it lent a marked Moroccan tinge to the dish.


My final cocktail was the Bee's Nuts [$12]. Made with Amontillado sherry, Rhum Agricole, and Bärenjäger (a honey liqueur), it had a initial sweetness, back by a mild sherry finish, with the nuts adding an additional textural element--nice.


duck enfrijolada [$21.00] | GOAT CHEESE, STACKED BLUE-CORN TORTILLAS, BLACK BEAN PUREE, CHILE RIOJA SAUCE
With all the new dishes done with, we decided to order some items from Rivera's old menu. First up was the Duck Enfrijolada, an amalgam of shredded duck confit, cheese, and puréed black bean, encased in blue corn tortillas, dressed with a deep aubergine Cabernet-chili sauce and sprinkled with flower petals. I would've been happy just eating the duck by itself, but the spicy-sweet-earthy beans, combined with the tempering effect of the tortillas, clearly took the duck to another level. The purple potatoes were icing on the cake. It's little wonder that Sedlar often refers to this as his signature dish.


trucha [$24.00] | TASMANIAN SEA TROUT, SAFFRON QUINOA, YELLOW GAZPACHO SAUCE
We have here a beautifully-cooked filet of sea trout, savory and moist, with a delightfully crisp skin. The fish was delicious on its own, but was even better when paired with the pungent saffron-infused quinoa. Meanwhile, a corn husk basket held a colorful medley of vegetables, which proved to be a great counterbalance to the gravity of the fish.


maya puerco pibil sous vide [$26.00] | BANANA LEAF BRAISED PORK SHOULDER, PERUVIAN POTATOES
Christine insisted that we try the puerco pibil, and having greatly enjoyed the dish on my last visit, I did not oppose the request. The dish comes to us from the Mayans, and is traditionally made by slow-roasting pork in a banana leaf. Rivera, though, utilizes a sous vide cooking process, one that elevates pork shoulder to another level of decadence: fantastically tender, stupendous pork-y in sapor, with just the right amount of fat. A masterful mix of sweet and savory flavors, the pork was superbly balanced by the various veggies--purple potato, sweet potato, shallot, radish--linked by aji amarillo.


Intermezzo: pomegranate | CLOUD
Before dessert, a palate cleanser was brought forth. Described as a "pomegranate cloud," it was akin to a fluffy foam, infused with a delicate tanginess.


torta xocolata [$8.00] | CHOCOLATE TORTE, DRUNKEN PINEAPPLE
We began with a chocolate torte, which can be thought of as a sort of flourless chocolate cake. It was incredibly dense, rich, and sugary. Thank goodness for the pineapple (bathed in white rum), which added a much needed counter to the sheer luxuriousness of the xocolata.


baba cachaca [$8.00] | CITRUS, DULCE DE LECHE
A repeat from last time was the Baba Cachaça, basically a yeast cake saturated with cachaça instead of rum, then filled with crème fraîche and supremes of citrus fruit. The baba cake itself was a bit less decadent this time around, though still marvelously sweet, with just a bit of alcoholic character. It was aptly offset by the tartness of the various cuts of citrus.


bizcocho de avellana [$8.00] | HAZELNUT-CHOCOLATE SPONGE WITH ORANGE-CAVA SORBET
Our final course of the evening was a sort of frozen hazelnut-chocolate sponge cake, topped with orange-cava sorbet and ethereal wisps of what I imagine must be sugar. This was my favorite of the trio, and I appreciated how the tartness of the sorbet balanced out the weight of the bizcocho. I also enjoyed the various textures at play here.


As mentioned above, Rivera's resident mixologist Julian Cox was seated next to us. Sitting next to him was Eddie Sotto, a Walt Disney Imagineering veteran who's the restaurant's designer as well as part owner (Bill Chait is the remaining principal). Interestingly, Sedlar and Sotto first collaborated at Encounter, the restaurant inside LAX's iconic Theme Building. Working with architect Osvaldo Maiozzi and interior designer Deborah Gregory, Sotto was largely responsible for the various environs inside Rivera. We were able to speak with Sotto and Sedlar about the three distinct areas within the restaurant, and the three different culinary plans being developed for each environment.

Above, we see the so-called Samba Lounge, which serves as Rivera's main space. Here, you'll find the restaurant's glass-walled wine cave, the ever-popular mixology bar, a 40-foot row of banquettes (where we were seated) backed by an electronic mural, as well as an octet of Sotto-designed bronze-and-leather Tequila Chairs. Chef Sedlar informed us that, eventually, this area will serve a selection of South American fare, which will include a tasting menu option.


Attached to the Samba room is the Playa Bar and adjacent communal table. Inspired by the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, the idea here is to have a no-reservations-required area where guests can watch food being prepared at the raw bar. By early next year, the hope is to have a menu comprised of Mexican-tinted specialties.


The final environment is the Iberian-inspired Sangre Room, easily the most formal space, with its placid vibe, white tablecloths, conquistador helmet lamps, and striking blood red chandelier. The name, which translates to "blood," is a nod to the Spanish conquest of Latin America. The menu here will expectedly be Spanish in origin, and may even be a tasting menu-only affair.


In the Sangre Room, the most obvious design elements are the two golden walls of tequila, described by Sotto as "drinkable architecture." The tequila is Sedlar's own handcrafted super añejo, which is protected under lock and key and only available to members (their names are inscribed on the bottles). Sedlar offered us a whiff from a bottle, and it was heady and intoxicating indeed. He hinted that servings of the extra-aged tequila would be available as part of the tasting menus here.


We were then given a tour of the kitchen. Above, we see the hot station. The cold station sits immediately across from it, which is also where you'll find the immersion circulators.


Wesley was particularly curious about Rivera's infamous use of stencils, so Sedlar obliged with a brief demonstration. I'll note that the stencils are created with a specific plate in mind. Including messages as part of the plating is a somewhat novel concept, one that I don't think I've seen elsewhere. We asked Sedlar about his reasoning behind it, and he responded that the idea is to stimulate conversation at the dinner table. This is why the stencils often refer to controversial topics: Madoff, the Stimulus Package, immigration, etc.

In the end, this was another strong meal at Rivera. Based on the strength of the three new dishes we tried, I'm excited for the rollout of the restaurant's revamped menu. I'm especially curious about the tasting menu options that will eventually be offered here, given my preference for the degustation format. My only concern is that the establishing of three different menus for three different dining areas may overextend the kitchen. Sedlar noted that the full implementation should be complete early next year--we'll be eagerly awaiting.

La Botte (Santa Monica, CA)

La Botte
620 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.576.3072
www.labottesantamonica.com
Fri 11/20/2009, 08:00p-11:25p



La Botte represents somewhat of a milestone for me: it was the last Michelin-starred restaurant in Southern California that I'd not visited. Though I may not agree entirely with Michelin's dole of étoiles, I do recognize its significance, and ever since the first Los Angeles edition came out in November 2007, I've been making a semi-concerted effort to try all the stars (including those that have lost theirs--Joe's, Matsuhisa, and Saddle Peak Lodge). Somewhat ironically, the conclusion of my Michelin tour comes right after the company announced that it will cease publication of the Los Angeles and Las Vegas guides. Note that Matsuhisa and Mori Sushi are conspicuously absent from the blog. The former was visited in my pre-blogging era, while the latter famously did not allow photos to be taken.

The history of La Botte starts with Stefano De Lorenzo, who's currently the owner as well as General Manager. De Lorenzo hails from Cortina d'Ampezzo, a ski resort town near Italy's northern border with Austria. It was in his hometown where he began his restaurant career, starting at Ristorante Il Meloncino al Lago Ghedina. De Lorenzo visited Los Angeles in 1995, and was instantly captivated by the splendors of Southern California. He ended up staying permanently, and worked his way around various restaurants throughout the City, including Il Moro. It was here where De Lorenzo would meet Sicilian chef and future partner Antonio Muré, who'd previously cooked at Valentino Las Vegas, Locanda Veneta, and Allegria. In April 2004, De Lorenzo and Muré took over the 5 Dudley space in Venice, creating Piccolo (or Piccolo Cipriani, as it was originally known before the Cipriani family of Harry's Bar made a stink). Piccolo was a smashing success, allowing De Lorenzo and Muré to open La Botte in November 2005. Then, in June 2006, the duo partnered up with Michael Wilson (the son of Beach Boy Dennis Wilson, who worked at 5 Dudley as well as Piccolo) to open Wilson, an upscale wine bar-cum-cafe, in Culver City. In April 2009, Wilson transformed into Anejo at Wilson, a "modern Mexican restaurant with European twists," and then closed for good in September.

Splitting his time between three different restaurants took its toll on Muré, and he resigned from the partnership in December 2006, though he would still remain in the kitchen at Piccolo. De Lorenzo and Muré agreed to divide the business, with De Lorenzo retaining La Botte and Muré getting Piccolo. However, in July 2007, Muré would leave Piccolo as well (which is currently owned by Vittorio Viotti, with Roberto "Bobo" Ivan as the chef). Subsequently, Muré opened Il Carpaccio in the Palisades in September of that year. Despite garnering solid reviews and consistent business, the restaurant nevertheless closed in January 2009. Muré's next move would be to open rustic Italian eatery Ado in May of that year. The restaurant is located in the former Amuse space in Venice, and is a joint venture with Paolo Cesaro, the man behind Via Veneto and the now-shuttered Hidden.

Taking Muré's place at La Botte was Luigi Fineo, who'd previously toqued at Enoteca Drago as well as Drago Ristorante. Things went smoothly for a while, and in June 2008, De Lorenzo debuted La Botte Deli, located in the same building as its mother restaurant. The Deli was designed for the lunch crowd, and was a moderate success; however, it was shuttered by July of this year. In early 2009, there was another chef shake up: Fineo was out, replaced by his Sous Chef Collin Crannell.

Early in his career, Crannell had worked for three years under restaurant mogul Joachim Splichal, as Sous Chef at Patina and Pinot Blanc, as well as Chef du Cuisine of Patina catering. Crannell then moved to a Sous Chef position at the Mondrian's Asia de Cuba, before taking over the kitchens at Jazz Spot in Los Feliz. The chef also worked at Water Grill for two-and-a-half years, serving as the Executive Sous Chef to Michael Cimarusti. In the middle of 2004, he became the Chef de Cuisine at Casa Del Mar's Oceanfront Restaurant in Santa Monica, replacing Quinn Hatfield. Crannell didn't last long at Casa del Mar though, and by September 2004, he was the Chef de Cuisine at Christian Shaffer and Jeff Osaka's now-defunct Chloe in Playa del Rey. In August of 2005, Crannell had moved again, this time to The Tower Bar at the Argyle Hotel (where he worked with pastry chef Miho Travi). A couple months later, Crannell would be out again, replaced by Piero Morovich of Ammo fame. After Tower Bar, Crannell's history becomes hazy, and it's unclear what the chef was up to in between his departure from the Argyle and his start at La Botte.

Thus, as we've seen, the road to La Botte has been a long and turbulent one. What does the future hold for De Lorenzo? He mentioned that he was working on a pizza concept, a retooling of his stillborn Corso Italia Pizza idea from 2008 I imagine. Time will tell whether or not that comes to fruition, as I'm sure that La Botte is not the last we've heard from De Lorenzo.


"La Botte" translates to "wine cask," and the restaurant certainly takes its name to heart--the 50-seat dining room makes heavy use of wine barrels. The floor is pieced together from old wine staves, as are the walls, and I'm pretty sure that our table was even constructed from a used barrel. The centerpiece of the room is, of course, the wine rack, which wraps itself around two walls, holding hundreds of precious bottles.


As De Lorenzo comes from Veneto, and Muré from Sicily, La Botte's menu can be described as Northern Italian with a Sicilian flair. Click for larger versions.


Above, we see the brief wines by the glass list; click for a larger version. Wanting to keep things simple, we ended up going for a bottle of the Bisol Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Brut Desiderio Jeio [$28], a typical example of Prosecco. There are, naturally, much more impressive vinos here if you care to peruse the entire list, which is dominated by Italian producers; your Gaja's, your Sassicaia's, your Tignanello's--they're all here. La Botte has been somewhat infamous for not allowing outside wine, but it appears that they've loosened the policy a bit, as corkage is clearly stated as $20 per bottle (however, with a one bottle limit). Note that there is no bar, just beer and wine.


Three types of bread were presented: a fantastic, soft, savory caramelized onion bread, a straightforward ciabatta, and what I believe was an olive focaccia. La Botte's notorious for serving bread senza olive oil or butter, but I didn't find that to be a problem.


Prosciutto d'Anatra [$18.00]
We started with one of La Botte's best-known dishes: a plate of house-cured duck breast, sliced thin in a carpaccio style, then drizzled with a mild Gorgonzola dressing. The duck prosciutto has an interesting story: northern Italy was home to a large Jewish population; as they shunned pork, a version of the ham was created using duck as the protein. The prosciutto itself was tasty enough, but when paired with the tang of Gorgonzola, the whole amalgam was a bit too aggressive for me. However, throwing the bitter greens into the equation helped greatly in balancing things out, making for an overall enjoyable experience.


Carpaccio di Branzino e Ricci di Mare [$18.00]
If the Prosciutto d'Anatra is one of the restaurant's more popular dishes, then this next one is perhaps the most famous. We're talking about a carpaccio of branzino, topped with sea urchin sauce, lemon, olive oil, and green onions. Taken alone, the fish was delightfully delicate in flavor, with a firm, supple body. The use of uni added a superb sweet brininess into the fold, while the olive oil provided a palpable weightiness. The whole commixture was then set off by the bite of lemon and scallions. Beautiful.


Insalatina di Polipo con Patate, Pomodorini e Sedano Croccante [$18.00]
After having the wonderful octopus salad at Angelini Osteria, I just had to order this. La Botte's version tosses the polipo with potatoes, tomato, and celery. The octopus itself was suitably tender, as well as subtly sweet, but I would've liked to have seen a more savory component. Nevertheless, I loved the interplay between the octopus and the crispy raw cubes of potatoes, as well as the refreshing sweetness provided by the tomatoes. My only real problem was with the celery, which I found a touch overpowering; I will admit, though, that I'm not a fan of the vegetable in general.


Capesante con Zafferano e Insalata di Finocchio [$16.00]
Next we have a duo of pan-seared sea scallops, in a saffron-potato aioli, with a fennel-parmesan salad. The scallops were aptly cooked, with a nice sear and appropriate flavor. However, the seasoning of the dish was somewhat heavy-handed, masking the bivalve's natural sapor to an extent. The fennel salad provided a bit of a mitigating contrast, but wasn't enough to balance out the overwhelming savor of the scallops. This was in need of a more delicate touch.


Speciale: Raviolini del Plin al Tartufo Nero [$40.00]
One of the specials of the night was Raviolini del Plin, basically miniature ravioli stuffed with fonduta, a mixture of Fontina cheese, egg, and milk. It's a popular dish in the Piedmont region of Italy, where the pasta is covered in shaved white truffle (black truffle was used here). I enjoyed the intense, rich cheesiness of the dish, and how that was deftly countered by the profound bouquet and sapor of the truffles. I only wish there was a larger serving on the plate.


Tagliatelle alla Bolognese [$18.00]
Originating from Bologna, bolognese sauce is a mainstay in popular Italian cuisine and classically consists of beef, pancetta or other forms of pork, tomato, wine, and a mirepoix-esque vegetable blend. Traditionally, bolognese is served on top of freshly-made tagliatelle, as it was at La Botte. I felt that the pasta was superbly textured, and nicely accented by the sauce, which was keenly savory, yet possessing of sweet and herbal notes as well. A bit simple in terms of flavor, but effective.


Risotto con Pomodori Organici e Crostini [$22.00]
Regular readers will know that I must order risotto if it's on the menu. Hence, here we have an heirloom tomato risotto made with aged goat cheese. The problem, however, was that it almost appeared as if the goat cheese had been left out, as the rice itself tasted quite underseasoned. I'm not sure if that was intentional or not, but the result was that the rice couldn't really be eaten alone. However, I did enjoy it with the sweet, tangy tomatoes, and even the branzino below.


Il Pesce del Mercato: Branzino Mediterraneo con Capperi [$36.00]
The market fish special of the night was that prototypical Italian fish, branzino, a.k.a. Mediterranean sea bass. It was served here with olive oil, lemon, and capers, along with a side of chard and roasted potato. I must say that this was some of the best branzino I've ever had--tender, moist, succulent, and bursting with savory flavor. The bitterness of the accompanying greens was a fantastic foil to the fish as well; you just had to be careful with the capers. Interestingly, though the course was supposed to be served tableside, it was actually prepared on a cart halfway across the room (second photo); I'm not sure why.


Strudel di Mele con Gelato alla Vaniglia [$10.00]
Our first dessert clearly demonstrated La Botte's northern Italian roots, as strudel is a popular dessert in neighboring Austria. Apfelstrudel, or apple strudel, is the best known variant, and our interpretation here was a straightforward one, with the commingled essence of apple and puff pastry adroitly tempered by the cool creaminess of gelato.


Barretta di Cioccolato [$10.00]
A "chocolate bar," this was two layers of dense, rich, dark chocolate: the first creamy, the second crunchy. The end result was a decadent eating experience, reminding me of a high-class Kit-Kat bar.

There were two items that I took issue with here: the risotto, and to a lesser extent, the scallops--I wouldn't expect such missteps at this level. That being said, everything else was solid, and both preparations of branzino were standouts. In the end, given that La Botte is a northern Italian restaurant with one Michelin star, I would like to see the kitchen take more risks with the menu, perhaps gaining a little inspiration from that other starred northern Italian specialist, Trattoria Tre Venezie.

Bouchon (Beverly Hills, CA)

Bouchon
235 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
310.271.9910
www.bouchonbistro.com
Wed 11/18/2009, 07:30p-11:40p



When José Andrés' The Bazaar was unveiled last November 17th, it was arguably the hottest opening of 2008. Now here we are, a year later, almost exactly to the date, facing the debut of Bouchon, easily the most widely anticipated restaurant of this year. To get an idea of the excitement surrounding Bouchon, one only had to try to make reservations for opening night. The reservation line opened promptly at 11:00 in the morning, and was almost immediately saturated. One of my dining companions, Ryan, was finally able to get through at 11:09, and secured the very last reservation for four. So figure that roughly 95% of the restaurant was booked within 10 minutes, no easy feat, given that the place seats 200 guests. Within 24 hours, it was reported that Bouchon's first four days of service were completely filled. That, people, is the draw of Thomas Keller.

Keller, in a way, returns home to the Southland with Bouchon. The chef was born in 1955 at Camp Pendleton to Betty and Edward Keller (whom I am grateful to for helping me secure my first French Laundry reservation; sadly, Ed Keller passed away last April, due to injuries sustained in a car accident a year earlier), the youngest of five boys (Jimmy, Robert Charles, Michael, Joseph, in addition). After his parents divorced, the family moved to Palm Beach, Florida, and Keller began working as a plongeur (dishwasher) at the Palm Beach Yacht Club, which his mother managed. He quickly moved up the ranks (aided by his brother, Joseph Keller, who was already a chef), all the while discovering his passion for cooking (that famous hollandaise story occurred here). One summer, Keller made his way up to Rhode Island, where Roland Henin mentored the young chef at The Dunes Club, teaching him the basics of French cookery. After leaving Narragansett, Keller returned to Florida, working at various places, including now-shuttered Cafe du Parc in Lake Park, before heading up to Catskill, New York to work at the tiny 20-seat La Rive. Largely given control of the kitchen, it was here that Keller really started to come into his own as a chef. He eventually tried to purchase La Rive, and after the owners refused to give it up, moved to New York, helming the kitchens at the French bistro Raoul's. Following, Keller worked simultaneously at Christian Delouvrier's Maurice at the Parker Meridien Hotel and with Daniel Boulud at the Polo Lounge at the Westbury Hotel. The year was 1982; Keller was 26. After it was discovered that Keller was "playing both sides," working at both Maurice and Polo, the chef decided to stage throughout France, apprenticing at eight restaurants, including Guy Savoy, Le Pré Catelan, and Taillevent.

Keller returned to NYC in 1984, and was hired at Restaurant Raphael, and then as chef de cuisine at La Reserve. Keller left in 1986 to open his first restaurant, Rakel, with former boss and now partner Serge Raoul. Debuting in 1987, Rakel quickly garnered critical acclaim, but its popularity eventually waned; Keller left in 1990. Later that year, he decided to move out west, landing at the Checkers Hotel in Downtown LA, where he was executive chef. Keller left the hotel in 1992, when he began to dream up plans for his monumental restaurant. The space was already being used as an eatery, and the chef spent the better part of the year raising the $1.2 million needed to buy the place from Don and Sally Schmitt. The French Laundry reopened in the summer of 1994, and over the next few years, racked up numerous awards and accolades, cementing Keller as one of the defining chefs of our generation. The success of TFL allowed Keller to open Bouchon Yountville with his brother Joseph in 1998; Bouchon Bakery opened five years later (the Bakery's New York outpost debuted in 2006). In January 2004, Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery Las Vegas bowed at The Venetian. A month later, Per Se opened its doors to considerable fanfare. Keller's latest venture prior to Bouchon Beverly Hills, the comfort food specialist Ad Hoc, premiered in September 2006. With this newest Bouchon, Keller now commands nine eateries in four distinct locales. Interestingly, in a 1996 article in the New York Times, Keller was quoted as saying that he had no intentions for such an empire: "If this is Thomas Keller's cuisine, how can you have it in two places?" he said.

In any case, despite the fundamental change in his M.O., Keller had always possessed a certain fondness for bistro fare, and thus Bouchon was the chef's attempt to create a place where one could enjoy a perfect steak frites, a tiptop croque madame, or merely some first-rate oysters, all washed down with some Champagne--it's an attempt to capture the heart, the tradition, of French cooking. In fact, Bouchon is named after, well, the bouchon, a type of Lyonnaise eatery serving straightforward, yet profound food, all in a small, familial, convivial, almost home-like atmosphere. Though such a vibe can't exactly be duplicated here in Beverly Hills, the idea was to create something that was equally as engaging.

To lead Bouchon's kitchen, Keller tapped California native Rory Herrmann, who will be the Chef de Cuisine. Herrmann's last post was as the Private Dining Chef for Per Se; he'd joined Per Se as a chef de partie upon its debut in 2004. A graduate of the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan, Herrmann has cooked at a number of notable eateries besides Per Se, including Alain Ducasse's eponymous Essex House restaurant in New York, Ducasse's Mix in NYC, and Dan Barber's Blue Hill. The pastry department will be helmed by Scott Wheatfill, whose last gig was at Bouchon Las Vegas, where he was Pastry Chef. Wheatfill graduated from the Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas.

The front-of-the-house team is led by General Manager Grew Rowen, who came to Bouchon from Traci des Jardin's Jardiniere in San Francisco. Rowen also worked at Restaurant Lulu and the Four Seasons up in SF, and even as an Assistant Manager at Chaya Brasserie, located just a mile away from Bouchon. Meanwhile, Alex Weil is the Head Sommelier, and comes to Bouchon from Osteria and Pizzeria Mozza, the Four Seasons, as well as Wally's Wine and Spirits. Weil will be coordinating wine service along with James Hayes, Associate Wine Director for all Thomas Keller Restaurant Group (TKRG) restaurants. Finally, overseeing everything is Brian Cochran, Director of Operations for the entire Bouchon franchise, who started his career with TKRG as General Manager of Bouchon Las Vegas.





The interior, designed by the omnipresent Adam Tihany, doesn't stray too far from the other Bouchons, enveloping diners in Parisian salon-esque atmosphere. Bouchon actually spreads out over two levels (each with its own bar), with the first floor largely taken over by Bar Bouchon (Keller's first wine bar and small plates concept, opening the second week of December). We entered from the ground floor, and after conversing with the hostess, were led up the stairs to Bouchon proper. Up here, in addition to the main dining room, there's also a small private room for 12, as well as a "Champagne lounge" for up to 16.


The menu, as one'd expect, is fairly straightforward, and not too dissimilar from what's found in Yountville or Vegas. However, there are a few items that appear to be at least somewhat unique to BH--cotes de boeuf, tuna, frisée salad, boudin noir--though perhaps these represent merely seasonal variations, or lack of online menu updates from the other locations. Click for a larger version.


As mentioned above, the booze at Bouchon is the task of Head Sommelier Alex Weil. The restaurant's wine list (click for larger versions) is heavily focused on French and Californian producers. Mark-ups are significant, but not unreasonable. One notable aspect of the wine service is the Vin de Carafe program, which stems from traditional bistros in France, where low-cost, high-quality, locally-produced wine would be poured by the glass or carafe from a large barrel in the restaurant. Since US law doesn't allow such a thing, Bouchon purchases barrels of mature red and white wines directly from producers, to serve in a similar manner in glasses [$8], half-liter carafes [$25], or liter carafes [$50]. Currently, Bouchon's white is a Chardonnay from Matt Dees, winemaker for Jonata. We found it quite delectable, with a refreshing lightness and brightness not always found in California Chards. For red, we're talking about a Pinot Noir from Stolpman Vineyards' Sashi Moorman. Again, a great wine for the price.


If you're not into wine, beer is also a viable option here, with at least three beers on tap, and around 10 selections available by the bottle. In fact, there are two beers made exclusively for the Bouchon family of restaurants. The first is named Blue Apron [$12], a Belgian Brown Ale produced in collaboration with Brooklyn Brewery in New York. It showed fantastic dark fruit and chocolate character--great with dessert! The next is making its debut in Beverly Hills, and is dubbed White Apron [$7]. It comes from the famed Russian River Brewing Co in Sonoma and is of the Pilsner style. We found it reminiscent of Belgian Pale Ale, with delicious spicy and fruity notes over a lively acidity.


Finally, if you're into the hard stuff, Bouchon sports a full bar, and of course, we just had to pick a few cocktails from the drink menu (click for larger versions). I ordered the Pisco Sour (Pisco 100, Fresh Lime & Egg White, Angostura Bitters, Rocks) [$14]; it was a classic interpretation of the drink, which Ryan described as tasting like an "adult Fruit Roll-Up." I also was able to try the Pomme de Ciel (Calvados, Cinnamon-Infused Agave Syrup, Fresh Egg White, Lemon, Up) [$12] and the Le Moine Amére (Pimm's No. 1, Green Chartreuse, Tarragon, Angostura & Peychaud's BItters, Ginger Ale, Rocks) [$12], which had a fantastic herbal finish to it.


Bread consisted of pain de epi served with a wonderfully salty butter, as well as pieces of toasted, sliced baguette.


Huîtres [$18.00] | oysters (1/2 doz)
Bouchon was featuring five different types of East Coast oysters, so we just had to get one of each, served with mignonette and cocktail sauce:

• Beau Soleil, New Brunswick - Nicely crisp, with an extremely briny finish that belied their mild attack.
• Bagaduce, Maine - Milder yet sweeter, with more flavor up front, leading to a slightly bitter finish.
• Umami, Rhode Island - One of my favorites, with a great interplay of sweet, salty, and even petrol flavors (in Ryan's words).
• Island Creek, Massachusetts - Very nice; a meaty, salty oyster with a briny finish that seemed to strengthen after about 10 seconds.
• Fancy Sweet, New Brunswick - A very focused, concentrated oyster, quite nice.

Beignets de Brandade de Morue [$14.50] | cod brandade with tomato confit & fried sage
Quite simply, brandade is a fine purée of salt cold (morue), olive oil, milk, garlic, and potato, a specialty of the Languedoc and Provence regions of France. Here the brandade is turned into fried fritter form, possessing a light, delicate body as well as a profound cod flavor, balanced beautifully by the sweetness of the tomato and pepperiness of the sage. Very, very good.


Terrine de Foie Gras de Canard [$48.50] | served with toasted baguette (5 oz.)
To this very day, the best cold preparation of foie gras I've ever had is still the Moulard Duck "Foie Gras Terrine" that I consumed on my first French Laundry visit (the best hot version was at Guy Savoy). Thus, expectations were expectedly high. I was a bit surprised at the presentation here, with the liver served simply in a canning jar (à la Church & State), accompanied only by toasted bread. Nevertheless, the terrine was pretty stupendous, superbly capturing the quintessence of foie while still remaining refined and approachable. A bit of salt elevated things even further.


Quiche du Jour [$13.50] | selection varies
Quiche is something that I hadn't had in years prior to this meal. It's basically a dish of egg custard and other ingredients, baked in a pastry crust. Though often associated with French fare, it's actually from Germany originally, specifically from the Lothringen region, which is now known as Lorraine. The word "quiche" even comes from the German kuchen, or cake. The quiche of the day was a classic Lorraine according to our server, but due to the presence of spinach, it was more like a Florentine. It had a nice rustic flair, with a fitting interplay between the egg and spinach components. The greens, meanwhile, were a great counter to the heaviness of the quiche.


Pate de Campagne [$13.50] | country style pate with watercress, cornichons & radishes
A pâté de campagne translates to "country terrine," and true to its name, is a more rustic preparation than you'd find with many other pâtés. I appreciated its gritty, coarse texture, nicely moist, with identifiable pieces of pork mixed in (though I would prefer even larger chunks). Its flavor was markedly savory, with a substantial liver-y twang to boot. I liked the contrast of the peppery watercress, sour cornichons, and bitter radishes--all were helpful in balancing out the gravity of the pork.


Rillettes aux Deux Saumons [$16.75] | fresh & smoked salmon rillettes with toasted croutons
Traditionally, rillettes is a preparation of pork whereby the meat is cooked in fat and subsequently shredded into a paste. I had a superb version recently at The Tasting Kitchen in Venice. Bouchon, however, substitutes salmon--fresh and smoked--for pork, which is blended, but not cooked, with fat. The result was stupendous: a luxurious pate, imbued with the pure essence of salmon, but simultaneously rich, dense, and fatty. Excellent.


Forest Mushrooms [$13.50] | à la grecque
One of the specials of the night, this was a mix of mushrooms, done à la grecque, or cooked with vinegar, lemon, herbs, and olive oil, served cold. This resulted in a distinct sweet and sour sapor to the dish, which was light and refreshing. However, I would've preferred a more savory, earthier flavor, to be offset by the frisée.


Frisee aux Lardons et Oeuf Poche [$13.50] | frisee salad with lardons, poached egg, bacon vinaigrette & toasted brioche
With lardons, egg, and frisée on hand, it'd be fairly difficult to screw things up. And indeed, the combination of salty lardons, luscious egg, moderating brioche, and light frisée was excellent, an almost faultless commixture of tastes and textures tied together by the overarching creaminess of egg. Superb.


Pan-Seared Alaskan Halibut [$36.50] | sunchokes, fennel, confit of grapefruit, tarragon
Another special was the halibut. Texture-wise, the fish was near-perfect--soft, flaky, superb. By itself, the halibut was supremely mild, delicate even. I enjoyed the contrast provided by the sunchokes and tarragon, but felt that the fruit overwhelmed the fish's natural savor with a pronounced sweetness. The accompaniments needed to be toned down a bit.


Truite aux Amandes [$27.50] | pan-roasted trout with haricots verts, almonds & beurre noisette
The most controversial dish of the night, this was Bouchon's take on Truite aux Amandes, or trout amandine, a very classic dish of trout, with roots in French and Creole cookery. It's typically made by cooking trout filets in butter, and topping the fish with beurre noisette (brown butter), parsley, lemon (making trout Meunière), and almonds (turning it to Amandine). The trout alone was very mild, possibly underseasoned. Christine, who's had the dish before on multiple occasions at other Bouchons, even sent hers back. We thought that it might've been intentional, but when we asked Chef Keller about it, even he admitted that it wasn't, and that the kitchen was still learning. Looking past the fish, I appreciated the vegetal tang of the green beans, and surprisingly, the almonds weren't overpowering at all (I expected them to render the fish overly sweet). This needs to get better.


Thon Confit a la Nicoise [$31.50] | confit of big eye tuna, pole beans, fingerling potatoes, arugula, hard boiled egg & radish
The tuna was easily the most successful fish entrée of the night. I could've easily eaten the tuna by itself--mild at first, but with a delightful salty finish. However, I loved it with the various accoutrements, which recalled a Niçoise salad. The earthiness of the potatoes, the tang of the beans and lettuce, the bitterness of the radish, and the weightiness of the egg--all worked beautifully in concert with the lightly-cooked tuna.


Gigot d'Agneau [$31.50] | roasted leg of lamb with Swiss chard, pommes boulangère & lamb jus
I first tasted the lamb by itself. It was suitably tender, with a surprisingly elegant savor and just a hint of that signature lamb gaminess--quite nice. Given the finespun flavor of the meat, I found its accompaniments heavy-handed, overpowering the lamb if you weren't careful.


Boudin Noir [$26.50] | blood sausage with potato purée & caramelized apples
Ah, the infamous boudin noir, a blood sausage made with pork and its blood. Taken alone, it had a gritty, concentrated taste with just enough of that iron-tinged flavor. It was best when eaten simultaneously with the potato and apple, with the former tempering the power of the sausage, and the latter adding a sweet counterpoint.


Plats des Cotes de Boeuf [$34.50] | red wine braised beef short rib with caramelized Savoy cabbage, glazed sweet carrots, parsnips & jus de Boeuf
And here, our final savory of the night. It's hard to go too wrong with braised beef, and this was no exception. The beef was superbly balanced, both in terms of taste and texture, and I really appreciated the various vegetables used here, which added a rustic, hearty character to the dish, while balancing out the heft of the beef. Very nice.


Profiteroles [$9.50] | vanilla ice cream & chocolate sauce
A profiterole is a puffed pastry, made with pâte à choux , formed into small round spheres, and filled with ice cream. Here, the pastry was a keen tempering element to the ice cream, with the chocolate adding a nice accent to the puffs--a classic, but delicious flavor profile. Yum.


Ile Flottante [$9.00] | meringue with vanilla creme anglaise, almond & caramel
Ile Flottante, also known as floating island or œufs à la neige, is a somewhat fascinating dessert comprised of an "island" of meringue, set in a "sea" of vanilla crème anglaise, and topped here with almond and caramel. Here, the meringue was almost panna cotta-like in consistency, with an equally delicate flavor indubitably enhanced by its various sugary accoutrements.


Valrhona Chocolate Bouchons [$11.00]
How could we not end with Bouchon's eponymous dessert pastry? Think of these as miniature cork-shaped chocolate cakes, dusted with powdered sugar. Paired with the ice cream, they were a simple, but delicious way to end the meal.


After dinner, we asked for a tour of the kitchen, and were subsequently brought into Bouchon's inner sanctum, where we were able to briefly meet Chef Keller. I wonder if he remembered me from the Ad Hoc at Home book signing...


Apparently, Bouchon was the place to be tonight. Upon entering, I was quickly approached by two women from Columbia Tristar, who just happened to be kevinEats readers. Then, after I sat down, Esther of e*star LA came by and said hello. I then found out that a person at the table next to me, Melissa, was a reader. After she left, guess who replaced her? None other than Christine of Folie à Choisauce and Nathan of Binary Tastebuds. Then, Stephanie and Bobby from Gourmands Review walked by. I'd conversed with Stephanie over email prior, but this was a chance first meeting. Afterwards, I ran into Hilary, who'd commented on this blog before. Also, two tables down was Betty Hallock from the LA Times; she was sitting next to Joe Pesci, by the way. Oh, and on the way out, I finally met the elusive Rameniac (Rickmond Wong).

We walked out of Bouchon full and sated. In terms of food, though most of it was on point, there were certainly misses here and there. This isn't unexpected, given that it was opening night. I'm willing to give Bouchon a pass, with the explicit expectation that the wrinkles will be ironed out given time. Service, handled mostly by our lovely server Songhi, couldn't really be faulted. A particularly shining example of the level of service came when my fork fell through the crack between tables; I'd barely processed what'd happened before a waiter appeared with a new utensil--how did he know?

In the end, Bouchon is a welcomed addition to the Canon Drive dining scene, and I'm sure it'll become a go-to place to satisfy your beignets de brandade cravings, once the kinks get worked out, of course. Hopefully, Los Angeles hasn't seen the last of Thomas Keller. I don't think we're quite ready for another French Laundry, but wouldn't Culver City be a great place for another Ad Hoc, or even the long-awaited "burgers and bottles" concept? I think so.

Annapurna Cuisine (Culver City, CA)

Annapurna Cuisine
10200 Venice Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
310.204.5500
www.annapurnacuisine.com
Sun 11/15/2009, 06:00p-09:10p



It'd been years since I'd had a good dosa--I think we were still in the first G.W. Bush administration the last time the savory Indian treat touched these lips! A dosa is, of course, a crepe-like dish made from a batter of water, rice, and urad beans (black lentils). The batter is spread over a tava (flat griddle), and fried with ghee (clarified butter) or oil until crisp and golden. The dosa is a staple, and icon even, of South Indian cookery.

The reason for my dearth of dosas is that they're not a popular item at Indian eateries here in the US, which tend to focus on North Indian food. As such, if you're seeking dosas, you usually have to look for places specifically specializing in South Indian or vegetarian cuisine. Annapurna (a name that refers to an avatar of Hindu Goddess Durga, responsible for agriculture) is one such restaurant. I was brought here by Jai, a reader whom I'd met previously at The Tasting Kitchen in Venice. We'd initially agreed upon Udupi Palace in Artesia, but switched to Annapurna last minute, as it was more centrally located for some of the other members of our party (which included Dylan Hallas, currently sous chef at TTK, and formerly of The Bazaar, Providence, and Trattoria Tre Venezie).


Annapurna is situated in the Venice Plaza strip mall, just one street over from St. Augustine Church and not far from the restaurant hot spots near Culver Junction. Parking is provided in a private lot, with street parking available as well.


Inside, things are about what you'd expect. There's not much to say...


...Except for the computers integrated into the three booths. I don't think I've ever seen anything like this before. I guess it does makes it easier to live tweet your meal!


The entire menu is shown above; click for larger versions. As you can see, Annapurna sports a healthy dosa list, and is heavily biased toward South Indian specialties, though some of your more typical dishes are certainly represented as well. It is important to note that the menu is completely vegetarian.


There's no alcohol served here, so most of us decided to subsist on water and Hot Indian Masala Tea [$2], basically chai mixed with ginger and other spices. Jai, however, decided on the flamboyantly pink, Pepto-Bismol-tinged Rose Lassi [$2.95], a delightful drink flavored with rosewater syrup.


Idly Sambar [$5.50]
To begin, we ordered up some idlis, a South Indian snack of spongy, savory cakes made from a rice and urad batter, which is subsequenty poured into molds and steamed. Here, we have two pieces, soaked in sambar. Sambar itself is a stew-like dish made with toovar (pigeon pea) dal, tamarind, vegetables, and spices. The idlis themselves were mild in flavor, with a light, fluffy texture. They paired beautifully with the sambar, which lent an earthy, hearty, subtly spicy flavor to the cakes.


Masala Dosa [$7.00]
With origins stemming from the Udupi subcuisine of South India, the popular masala dosa starts with your basic sada dosa, but adds a stuffing of cooked spiced potatoes, onions, and peas (before the invention of the masala dosa, the potato commixture was typically served on the side). Here, the dosa was accompanied by sambar (described above), a red chili chutney, and a coconut chutney (I believe we detected green chili and mint in there as well). The masala stuffing was reminiscent of that from a samosa, and contributed a delicately spicy, lightly vegetal sapor that deftly offset the flavor of the dosa itself. Meanwhile, the firm, somewhat crunchy texture of the crepe mixed things up texturally. Delicious.


Mysore Masala Dosa [$7.50]
The Mysore Masala Dosa (named after the second largest city in the Indian state of Karnataka) adds red hot chutney in with the bhaji (the aforementioned spiced potato amalgam). This, obviously, resulted in a spicier flavor profile compared to the standard Masala Dosa. Note, however, the drastically different shape of the crepe; it's folded rather than rolled, contributing to a softer, less crunchy consistency.


Paneer Bhurji Dosa [$7.95]
Our next variation, inspired by the popular dish Egg Bhurji, removes the bhaji and instead substitutes a mixture of paneer (cheese), tomato, onion, and cilantro. You usually see paneer in cubed form, but here it was presented in crumbles, and really resembled scrambled egg in appearance, taste, and texture. The combination of ingredients here really gave this dosa a light, familiar flavor profile, one that we all seemed to enjoy.


Special Rava Masala Dosa [$7.95]
Now we have the rava dosa, which, as the name implies, is made from rava (semolina). The version we had also included jalapenos in the batter, and was stuffed with the bhaji potato mixture. The use of rava made for a somewhat grittier, more rustic crepe, which was also a bit spicier due to the peppers.


Mixed Uthappam [$6.95]
And finally, we have yet another dish made from that ubiquitous batter of rice and urad dal. Described on the menu as a sort of Indian pizza, the uttapam incorporates ingredients right into the batter itself, and is cooked to a much greater thickness (thus lacking the dosa's crispness). A variety of toppings can be used, but in this case, we had tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos. These three items really did result in a delectable, slightly pizza-esque flavor. Even Jai, who's not normally a fan of uttapams, enjoyed this.


Gulab Jamoon [$2.95]
Dylan was keen on trying the gulab jamun, so we ordered up a set. It's basically a dessert consisting of deep fried balls of khoa (milk solids), slathered in a rosewater syrup. As expected, the spheres were warm, buttery, and tooth-achingly sweet. However, I would've liked a firmer texture for the globules.


Carrot Halwa with Vanilla Ice Cream [$4.95]
This dessert consisted of grated carrots cooked in condensed milk and ghee (butter), resulting in a hot, heavy, luxurious, immensely sugary, pudding-like confection. It was almost too much on its own, so the temper provided by the ice cream (drizzled with chocolate, mango, and rosewater syrups) was absolutely key. We also appreciated the hot/cold contrast inherent in the combination.


On the way out, you might want to grab some mukhwas, a blend of various seeds, including fennel and anise. The admixture is used as an after-dinner snack and digestive aid.

I've always thought that some of the best vegetarian food out there is Indian, and this meal at Annapurna definitely lent credence to that motto. I thoroughly enjoyed every dosa (idly and utthapam) we had, and at no time did I feel that I was missing out due to the lack of meat. Now I'm curious as to how Udupi compares...

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After we strolled out of Annapurna, Jai spotted a small Pakistani market, Asia Foods, in the same mini-mall. We all went inside, and for $1.29, I picked up a packet of Mopleez Khatta Meetha, a snack mix that Jai's sister Jasleen (who, by the way, was the inspiration for Boutique Jasleen in South Pasadena) described as "Indian crack." I didn't think that it was quite as addictive as crack cocaine, but it was a nice mix of sweet and salty, good with a light beer.

Neptune's Lounge (Los Angeles, CA)

Neptune's Lounge
601 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90005
213.365.0730
www.yelp.com/biz/neptunes-lounge-los-angeles (Yelp, restaurant has no web site)
Fri 11/13/2009, 07:35p-10:30p



When people think of consuming raw seafood, most think of the Japanese, with their ubiquitous iterations of sushi and sashimi. However, Koreans also have a tradition of eating raw fish and shellfish, specifically with saengseon hoe, basically raw seafood prepared in the same vein as sashimi. There are certain restaurants that specialize in live and raw, such as the subject of this post: Neptune's Lounge in Koreatown, which opened in February 2008. It's not the type of place that I would visit on my own volition, so I was brought here by Christine of Folie à Choisauce. She'd organized a small get-together with Danny of Kung Food Panda, Mike of Right Way to Eat, Noelle of Drink ‘n’ Dive, Ryan of Only Eat What Feeds Your Soul, Wesley (sans Evelina) of Two Hungry Pandas, and Will of FoodDigger.


Neptune's Lounge is situated on the south-west corner of Western and 6th, in a building that might be described as decrepit. If it weren't for the glaring neon sign, one might mistake the entrance for that of a business of lesser repute. Valet was $2 I believe, or you could always try your hand at street parking.



Inside, it's a different story altogether. One side of the room is dominated by the sushi bar, replete with fish tanks and awash in hues of blue light. Opposite that is a view into the semi-open kitchen. The south wall is taken up by private rooms, while the north houses a large projection screen, showing whatever sporting event might be on at the time. The space is the antithesis of cohesive, but it is fun and festive. And while we were there, the sound system was playing K-pop, which Danny seemed to enjoy (I believe he hinted at knowing the dance routine to the Wonder Girls' song Nobody).


Neptune's menu is a contradictory mishmash of Korean-Japanese fare, with some oddball items thrown in for good measure (did I see onion rings?). I didn't try to decipher it, and Christine quickly took charge of the ordering, being the only Korean speaker in the party (the staff's English left much to be desired). The restaurant is well-known for their prix fix all-you-can-eat deals (first photo; click for a larger version), and that's what we were here for. The so-called Basic Package runs $34.99 per person, and is probably all that you need. Upgrading to the $49.99 Mermaid Package includes live shrimp and live abalone, while the $69.99 Neptune Package adds live mirugai (geoduck) and toro. There are also cheaper $29.99 and $24.99 options, though I'm not sure exactly what they entail.


The libation of choice here was Korea's omnipresent brew, Hite. We went through a dozen large bottles, priced at $5 each. If you've never had Hite before, just think of it as Korea's answer to American macrobrew lagers--Bud, Coors, and the ilk--not great nor interesting, but drinkable.


Saeu & Edamame
Our first course was quickly brought to the table, consisting of a duet of boiled shrimp (saeu) and edamame. The soy beans were as expected, while the shrimp lacked flavor.


Korean Salad
Bits of lettuce, dressed with a sweet-tangy sauce. Not much to say here.


Jeonbokjuk
Now this I liked. Jeonbokjuk is a porridge of rice and abalone, and here it demonstrated a salty, hearty, almost ham-like flavor, with the essence of abalone on the finish. I should've requested another bowl of this.


Spicy Seafood Salad
I believe this next course amounted to a slices of fish, mixed with lettuce, and dressed with a spicy-sour sauce. It wasn't bad, with the dressing proving a nice accent to the fish and lettuce.


Sea Squirt & Conch
Here we have one of the more interesting plates of the night. On the right is conch, which had an almost abalone-esque texture and a flavor that was surprisingly mild. Next to it was the notorious sea squirt (meongge). Sea squirts, or tunicates, are underwater filter feeders; they're known for their pungent taste, which I found slightly astringent and very briny here.


Ojingeo Hoe
Along with the previous course came a dish of squid topped with chili sauce, with miyeok seaweed (wakame in Japanese) and broccoli. I actually enjoyed this course, appreciating the texture of the squid as well as its delicate flavor, heightened by the spicy accompaniment.


Seongge Hoe
Next was one of Neptune's most well-known dishes, the sea urchin bowl. We have a hemisphere of urchin, complete with five portions of uni, along with rice and masago (capelin roe). I like the idea behind the dish, but execution was lacking to say the least--Ryan complained that his uni tasted "rancid." Live urchin can be hit-or-miss I suppose. Mine wasn't great either, while Christine's uni tasted the freshest. This is one of the items that is not all-you-can-eat, though frankly, I wouldn't want another serving!


Maki Sushi Assortment
Now, an assortment of four types of rolled sushi. I believe they were: eel (jangeo), eel with avocado, crunchy roll, and some sort of California roll-like maki with an off-putting wrapper. All were quite pedestrian.


Nigiri Sushi Assortment
Sushi consisted of mackerel, tuna (the piece I had was particularly sinewy), yellowtail, and salmon. Once again, tolerable but uninspired.


Badagaje Hoe
Here we have the pièce de résistance, arguably the best thing we had the entire night. It was live lobster, cut in half, with the delectable tail portion served sashimi-style. The flesh was delightfully snappy, yet creamy, with a briny, yet subtly sweet sapor that was simply marvelous. This was definitely not AYCE. Click here for a video of the lobster struggling to escape.


Miso Soup
Textbook miso soup. Would this be considered a type of dengjang chigae?


Sashimi Assortment
An impressive spread of sashimi then appeared before us, placed atop a mass of uncooked dangmyeon (cellophane noodles). We detected tuna (chamchi hoe), salmon (yeoneo hoe), yellowtail (bangeo hoe), and still-moving abalone (jeonbok hoe) for sure. We initially thought that the white-fleshed fish was snapper (domi hoe), but in hindsight it was probably halibut (gwangeo hoe). There was also a small bit of very chewy sashimi, which I thought might've been halibut fin (engawa in Japanese). To accompany the fish, we had the standard wasabi-soy combination, as well as chogochujang (think gochujang, but sweeter). Given my disappointment with the sushi portion of our meal, my expectation for the sashimi was low. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality and flavor of the cuts here.


Badagaje
The squirming lobster torsos from above were subsequently taken away by our server, then returned to us in steamed form. Some went for head, while I grabbed a claw. Since there were fewer claws than people at the table, I offered Christine some of mine. However, my meat was being stubborn and wouldn't come out, so I told her to pull harder. However, she demurred, fearing that she'd break it off if she tugged too hard.


Humorously, the apparent double-entendre just begged to be live-tweeted, with Wes and Christine racing to see who could get the tweet out the fastest. Wes, ultimately, won that battle, though Christine got hers in mere seconds later.


Maki Sushi Assortment 2
Much the same as before: unsatisfying.


Sashimi Assortment 2
Given the success of the first sashimi platter, we decided to order up another round. All the same players were present minus the abalone.


At the suggestion of Wes, I made a stacked presentation of the saengseon hoe, topping the unholy amalgam with plenty of chogochujang and a sprinkle of wasabi. We named it the "Sashimi Gangbang," paying homage to Christine's creation of the infamous Cali McGangbang.


Ke
Now, one of the most widely-anticipated items of the meal was upon us: steamed stone crabs. I rather enjoyed these, with the claw meat being especially delectable--enchantingly briny, underscored by the inherent soft sweetness of crab. Very nice.


Kkongchi Gui
Here we have what I believe was grilled mackerel pike, delightfully salty and backed by a profound fishiness. Quite good.


Stone Grilled Beef
Up to this point, we'd pretty much been subsisting solely on seafood, so it was nice to finally have some beef thrown into the fray (there is an option for grilled fish instead, though no one seems to go for it). This was simply beef, cooked on a hot stone slab by our server (click here for a video of the grilling action), accompanied by a condiment best described as a watered-down A1 Steak Sauce. The beef wasn't the most flavorful cut, nor the most tender, but it sufficed.


Wes had the bright idea of using the stone slab to sear our fish. This came in handy for some of the yellowtail, which was still frozen.


Stone Grilled Beef 2
Danny and I were in the mood for some more meat, hence this second round. I even enjoyed the beef paired with the sweet chogochujang.


Sashimi Assortment 3
Sashimi number three, halibut and yellowtail only this time.


Ke 2
Given the strength of the crab, another order was a no-brainer. Messy fun, but worth it--yum!


Baechu Kimchi
What Korean meal would be complete without kimchi?


Maeuntang
We closed out the meal with some maeuntang, a spicy, savory, heartwarming fish stew incorporating gochujang, fish bits, and various vegetables. Nice.


Nurungji Bap
Along with the maeuntang came this rice porridge, made from toasted rice. I wasn't a fan, finding the soup rather bland, with a somewhat disconcerting nutty flavor.


Maeuntang 2
Christine liked the first maeuntang so much, she ordered another bowl, which she finished almost all by herself.



All said and done, the tab was less than $50 per person, inclusive of tax, tip, and tipple--not bad given all that we consumed. As expected, the food at Neptune's Lounge was hit-or-miss. The sushi was merely average, and some of the other items were of dubious quality, but there were certainly standouts--the lobster, crab, and abalone porridge come to mind. Come here with the right expectations, and you'll be fine.

---

These days, a dinner in K-Town must seemingly always end with some noraebanging, so we made our way to our favorite place, Palmtree LA. Though Palmtree is best known for its karaoke rooms, the space also houses S Bar, a lounge, as well as Arang restaurant, a "robata and sake bar." I'd never ventured into either of those before, but as we had to wait for a karaoke room to open up, we opted for a booth at S Bar.


Above, we see the decked out S Bar space, replete with a video projection screen playing mashups of the aforementioned Wonder Girls and Katy Perry.


Hites [$7.95] were a given, but we also decided to take a risk on the "House Champagne," the Francoise Chauvenet Silver Cap Blanc de Blancs. It was hardly Champagne, but rather a vin mousseux, a generic French sparkling wine. It retails for under $7, and tasted like it. We were charged $39 for the privilege, but at least it came with our choice of a fruit platter or a pizza.


Wisely, we went with the fruit. The best part of this was actually the frozen yogurt, which had a pleasant acidic tang reminiscent of the yogurt from Iceberry / Pinkberry / Kiwiberri / Red Mango / Cefiore / YogurBerry.


Perhaps fomented by the wretched wine we consumed, Danny decided to wow us with his Russell Peters impression (for the uninitiated, please refer to YouTube video above):

"I give you best price, thirty four fifty!...Fifty cents a lot of money. You save fifty cents here, then maybe you go somewhere else you save another fifty cents, then you have one dollar. Then you take your dollar, you go to the dollar store, you buy something else!...Hey, be a man!... Be a man, do the right thing!"

However, Christine was not amused by the inherent farcicality of a Chinese guy imitating an Indian guy imitating a Chinese guy, and tweeted to that effect.

We eventually made our way into the karaoke studio, where C-Town (the Chinese O-Town) serenaded crowds with their signature anthem, All or Nothing, as well as select hits from Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, and 'N Sync. Good times...

Ad Hoc at Home Book Signing (Costa Mesa, CA)

Ad Hoc at Home Book Signing
Williams-Sonoma
3333 Bristol St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714.751.1166
www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/tip/thomas-keller-book-signing.html
Thu 11/12/2009, 11:00a-02:00p



Of course, by now everyone is pretty much aware that Thomas Keller's long-awaited Bouchon bistro is opening in Beverly Hills next week. From what I hear, the restaurant is already booked solid for the first several days of service, so there's hasn't exactly been a dearth of excitement and anticipation surrounding the place. Adding fuel to the fire is Keller's new cookbook, Ad Hoc at Home, which was officially released just last Friday. This new tome takes a simpler, more comfort food-based approach, inspired by the menu of Keller's casual eatery Ad Hoc in Yountville. It should be more accessible to the average home cook vis-à-vis Keller's other books: The French Laundry Cookbook, Bouchon, and Under Pressure. Spanning 368 pages, the book details over 200 recipes for family-style dining (including such classics as beef stroganoff, Santa Maria tri-tip, and yes, the heavenly buttermilk fried chicken), and also provides step-by-step lessons in basic kitchen technique (e.g. how to truss a chicken--Keller's unfamiliarity with the technique famously made him a target of a knife throwing incident at Café du Parc).

The South Coast Plaza signing is the second of two in Southern California; the first took place on Monday the 9th at the Williams-Sonoma in Santa Monica. Future dates include:

• November 20, 2009 at 12:00pm - King of Prussia, PA
• Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 6:00pm - Oakbrook, IL
• Sunday, December 6, 2009 at 11:30am - Palo Alto, CA
f
• Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 6:00pm - Houston, TX
• Friday, December 11, 2009 at 6:00pm - Dallas, TX

South Coast Plaza is, of course, the nexus of high-end shopping here in Orange County. It's the third largest mall in the country, and home to notable eateries Marché Moderne, Charlie Palmer, and the soon-to-be Capital Grille, which replaces the ill-fated Clubhouse. Leatherby's, Mastro's, and Pizzeria Ortica are just across the street as well. I wasn't even sure if I could make it, but I ended up arriving about ten minutes after the mall opened, and was able to score parking in the valet area.


From the parking lot, it was a quick jaunt to Williams-Sonoma, which was already bustling with activity at this hour.


I was told that I had to go inside to purchase the book, at its full $50 retail price no less (it was under $30 at Amazon). Pretty much everyone was here for the signing, and piles of the cookbook were stacked haphazardly throughout the store.





After buying the volume, I made my way outside, only to be confronted by a rather long line of motley characters, which started at the Williams-Sonoma entrance, ran along the store, past the mall's secret VIP club, took a U-turn at Sak's Fifth Avenue, circled back and ended at the Macy's Men Store. The queue would eventually span past Lawry's Carvery, going all the way to Tourneau. I'm told that the line for Giada De Laurentiis' book signing here was even longer.


Williams-Sonoma's staff made sporadic rounds armed with food from the cookbook. First was a sugary Fig and Balsamic Jam, served with flatbread.


Next was the Cream of Cauliflower Soup, which seemed to lack the red beet chips called for in the actual recipe. Nevertheless, it was a rich, creamy, hearty potage that nicely captured the essence of cauliflower; croutons, meanwhile, mixed things up texturally.


While in line, I spied a few familiar faces. First was Holly of The Michelin Project, who we see striking a serious yet sultry pose (the guy beside her seems to be taking notice as well). In the second photo are Bruce (a reader whom I went to Urasawa with), two unidentified women, Christine of Folie à Choisauce, and Ryan of Only Eat What Feeds Your Soul.


The man in the chef's coat in line next to me was none other than Keith Stich, Executive Chef of Mastro's Ocean Club down in Newport Coast. We were joined by Idalia Garcia from LA Specialty, a supplier of produce and dairy products to restaurants across the Southland. Also next to me were Executive Chef Geovanny Delgado and Director of Sales & Catering Sarah Tarango from Minx Restaurant & Lounge out in Glendale. Having these like-minded people to talk to during the two-hour wait definitely made the time more bearable...


...And in no time, we were inside Williams-Sonoma's inner sanctum.


Idalia's turn with the chef--she brought two copies of Ad Hoc at Home, as well as a copy of French Laundry's menu from earlier this year.


Keith's time to shine.


And finally moi. We only had a minute or so with Chef Keller--no time to be verbose--but I did manage to speak with him about his father, Ed Keller. Ed, of course, was instrumental in helping me get my first reservation to French Laundry back in March 2007. I ended up returning to dine at TFL in May, and my dining companions and I had brought Ed some cigars as a token of our gratitude (Ed loved cigars), a beautiful box of 20 Macanudo Vintage 1997s. Unfortunately, Ed got into a serious auto accident the month prior, and was never able to enjoy the smokes prior to his passing in April 2008.


Holly and here new friend Bree, about to enter.


One last look before leaving.


And here's the cookbook, my first ever no less. Note Keller's fluid, graceful penmanship. It reads: "It's all about family." Indeed.

Fraiche (Santa Monica, CA)

Fraiche
312 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.451.7482
www.fraicherestaurantsm.com
Mon 11/02/2009, 08:00p-12:25a



When Will, head of business development for FoodDigger, emailed me asking if I'd be interested in dining at the new Fraiche, I jumped at the chance, especially given all the hoopla that's been surrounding the restaurant as of late. Despite being billed as a "mini" TastEvent, the dinner was anything but, with a special eight-course tasting menu prepared by the chef for us. Joining me were Marshal and Will from FoodDigger of course, as well as Caroline of Caroline on Crack, Esther of e*star LA, Julie of LAist, Lindsay of LAist, Maya of ShopEatSleep, and Ryan of Only Eat What Feeds Your Soul. And by the way, the Fraiche frenzy didn't stop here; apparently, FoodDigger also sponsored a dinner a week later on the 9th, this time at the original Culver City location.

A brief history lesson: Fraiche was opened in 2007 by a quartet of partners: Keith Fox, Amir Ohebsion, Thierry Perez, and of course, chef Jason Travi. The Massachusetts-raised Travi hails from a long line of restaurateurs, and started in the industry as a dishwasher at age 15, eventually working his way up to a line cook position. Afterwards, he enrolled at the CIA, graduating in 1997. Travi then made the move to sunny Southern California, taking a sous chef role at Wolfgang Puck's Granita, under the endearingly-named Jennifer Naylor. He then worked at Joe's in Venice before taking on another sous chef gig at Spago in 2000, under Lee Hefter.

It was at Spago where Travi met his future wife, Miho, who would eventually serve as Fraiche's pastry chef (she worked under the legendary Sherry Yard at Spago, and under Michelle Myers at Sona). Travi's next move was to Opaline, where he was executive chef; the next year, he jumped to La Terza, where we helmed the kitchens for Gino Angelini (Miho moved here around the same time). Shortly before deciding to open Fraiche, Travi staged at Al Cavallino Bianco in northern Italy, where he learned the art of salumi, the Italian process for curing meats.

At Fraiche, Travi's vision was to put forth a menu of French and Italian fare, emphasizing local, seasonal ingredients and rustic preparations, utilizing all that he'd learned over the years. For the most part, he was successful, and Fraiche quickly became one of LA's most popular restaurants. Travi and his partners capitalized on this success, and opened the appropriately-named Riva ("shoreline" in Italian), an Italian small plates/stuzzichini joint (with pizza, at one point), near the beach in Santa Monica in 2008. All seemed to be going well, until early this year. In April, co-owner Thierry Perez dropped out of the partnership in order to open his own restaurant nearby, the unfortunately-named Ben Fatto ("well done" in Italian), apparently taking over the space of the Crest House Family Restaurant.

The other shoe fell in October, when it was announced that Riva would close, to be replaced by Fraiche II on October 14th. At the same time, it was discovered that Jason and Miho hadn't been involved with the restaurants for some time, and were on a multi-month "sabbatical," returning in December (brought about by the birth of the couple's first child, officially). The company line was that the two were working on a "consulting" basis. However, in late October, word came out that the Travis were going to open up their own restaurant, somewhere in LA (but not in Culver City or Santa Monica). Apparently, Travi has the financial backing in place for his own venture, but according to Fraiche 2.0 management, he still retains an interest in the Fraiche franchise.

And so here we are today. With both Travis out of the picture, Elderoy Arendse is now the Chef de Cuisine at Fraiche Culver City, with Sydney Charles Hunter III taking over the same position in Santa Monica. The pastry department for both restaurants in headed by John Park, whom we last met at Water Grill. The front of the house, meanwhile, is under the direction of Maître d' Catherine Stratton, while Iain Walling fills that role in Culver City. Walling also acts as Wine Director for both restaurants; he comes to Fraiche from Saddle Peak Lodge (in fact, he was responsible for promoting their current Chef de Cuisine Adam Horton). Finally, Bruno Bagbeni is the General Manager, overseeing both locations.


Unfortunately, I never had the chance to dine here when the space was Riva, so I can't really tell exactly what has been done to the interior since the switcheroo. Looking at old photos of Riva, however, it does look like the room has been gussied up a bit, with swaths of fresh paint at the very least. In any case, it is a fairly large dining room, with a bar to the right as you enter, a chef's counter in the back, and a semi-private room off to the side. Lighting is dim and challenging, with photos being shot at around ISO1600, 1/8s, f/2.


Upon being seated, I was given a glass of sparkling wine as a sort of apéritif, specifically the 1999 Giuseppe Contratto Asti Spumante Classico Riserva. It was remarkably different than any other Asti I've had, being notably dry, with a marked toasty character not unlike that of a fine vintage Champagne.


Above, we see the custom menu created for this FoodDigger dinner; click for a larger version. It is not complete, however, as the chef surprised us with two spontaneous courses (see below). Nor does it list the superb wine pairings provided by Iain Walling.


Before the meal began, Chef de Cuisine Sydney Hunter III came out to say a few words about the restaurant and the menu that he'd prepared. Hunter started at Riva in 2008 as an opening Sous Chef, and subsequently was promoted to Chef de Cuisine after the switchover to Fraiche.

Born in Los Angeles in 1976, Chef Hunter began his culinary education in 2001, at the California School of Culinary Arts Le Cordon Bleu program in Pasadena. During his tenure there, he started an externship at the legendary L'Orangerie restaurant, working under none other than Ludovic Lefebvre (notice the similar haircuts). In 2002, Hunter secured a chef de partie position at the infamous Bastide, then helmed by Alain Giraud (who went on to open Anisette). In July 2004, Lefebvre took over the kitchens at Bastide, and thus Hunter was reunited with his former boss; Ludo subsequently promoted him to sous chef. The restaurant closed in January 2006, only to reopen in September 2007 under the watch of Walter Manzke (who's now at Church & State, of course); Hunter would again join the Bastide team as sous chef. When Providence alum Paul Shoemaker (anyone know what he's up to?) replaced Manzke in May 2008, Hunter was there yet again, up until the restaurant closed, once more, in November 2008.

I find it very fascinating that Hunter was able to cook with all four Bastide exec chefs (does this mean that he'll go over once more when Joseph Mahon starts?), as I doubt anyone else can make that claim. It'd be interesting to hear what he'd have to say about working under each of them. [Note to self: for an awesome, unique culinary event, have all Bastide chefs de cuisine, past and present, collaborate on a 10-course (two courses each) degustation together! Somebody seriously needs to organize this.]


1: Japanese Scallops | Braised Pearl Onions, Lobster Glace, Lemon Oil, Orange
1995 Ferrari Rose, Trentino, Italy
Upon consuming this bit of scallop, I knew that we were in for a special meal. There was a fascinating interplay of sweet, sour, and savory flavors going on here, creating a certain level of refinement that took me by surprise. However, I would've liked a more substantial, possibly thicker piece of scallop here, in order to better highlight the bivalve's natural brininess and subtle sweetness.


2: Foie Gras Terrine | Layered with Prosciutto and Fig Purée, Orange Gelée, Campari Gastrique
2006 Charles Hours Jurancon, Monein, France
Taken alone, the foie gras demonstrated a sweet, jammy attack, which gradually gave way to the liver's rich essence, closing with a lingering savoriness--it was pretty good. However, to take things to the next level, I had to eat everything on the plate together. The sugariness of the gastrique, the sourness of the gelée, the tempering element of the brioche, and most importantly, the marked bitterness of the arugula--all these elements combined beautifully, offsetting and complementing each other, forming a near perfect amalgam in my mouth. Chef Hunter would later reveal that the dish was, in a way, inspired by his time working for Ludo, who encouraged him to experiment with new and inventive flavor combinations. Will even remarked that he was able to "taste" Ludo in the terrine (personally, I thought Ludo would taste saltier!).


3: John Dory | Pearl Onions, Baby Turnips, Carrots, Toasted Brioche Crumbs
2007 Domaine Drouhin, “Arthur” Chardonnay, Dundee Hills, Oregon
Somewhat surprisingly for Dory, the fish's flesh was actually very subtle on its own, and was nicely accented by the bitterness of its crunchy brioche crumb "crust." The key to this course, though, were the vegetables. They were absolutely integral, and provided a great depth of flavor, a fantastic heartiness, a much-needed weight to the fish.


And now, a brief visit from Amir Ohebsion, co-owner and president of Fraiche Management Group. Outside of Fraiche, the Berkeley- and UCLA-trained Ohebsion is an attorney at his own law firm, specializing in corporate and M&A law.


4: Halibut | Paddlefish Roe, Cauliflower Caviar, Peas, Chanterelle
2003 Albert Seltz Sono Contento Sylvaner, Alsace, France
Our first spontaneous course, this was a beautifully cooked piece of fish, with an uncommonly heavy, dense, meaty consistency that was a bit surprising for halibut (some of us even thought that it might've been done sous vide). The flavor was very mild, delicate even, and was deftly augmented by the briny tinge of caviar and the vegetal tang of the peas, while the mushrooms added a certain gravity to the dish. Quite nice.


5: Rabbit Three Ways | Rack, Saddle, Confit
2006 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret, Fixin, Burgundy, France
And now, our second surprise. It's been a while since I've had a good rabbit, so I really appreciated this course. My favorite of the troika was the confit, melt-in-your-mouth tender and intensely flavored with a touch of rabbit-y gaminess. The saddle, meanwhile, had a great, supple texture and a milder flavor backed by a wondrous herbal finish; it was excellent with the sauce, which itself was flavored with rabbit entrails. Finally, we have the rack, the fattiest, most unctuous part I'd say, with a lipsmackingly luscious flavor.


6a: Kurobuta Pork Two Ways -- Wood Fire Braised Loin | Lentils, Carrot Sauce, Ginger-Honey Emulsion
2006 Ghost Block Cabernet, Oakville, Napa Valley, California
Returning to the printed menu, here we have our first part of the pork duet. The meat itself was braised to tender perfection, and smothered in a delectable sweet/spicy sauce that almost recalled a Chinese-style preparation. The carrots added a rustic element into the fray, while the lentils proved a superb, earthy complement to the decadence of the pork. Half the table asked for a second serving of this!


6b: Kurobuta Pork Two Ways -- Bone-in Chop | Baby Turnips, Brussel Sprouts, Butternut Squash Purée, Pepitas
2006 Ghost Block Cabernet, Oakville, Napa Valley, California
The other part of the pork pair couldn't have been more different. The meat here was only slightly less tender than the braised version, but its sapor was much more subtle. I loved how it was balanced by the light, bright flavors of the Brussels sprouts and the bitterness of the turnips, as well as the smokiness imparted by the pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds). My only quibble was with the squash, with I felt was a touch too sweet for the pork.


7: Milk Chocolate Cremeux | Candied Pecans, Brown Butter, Ganache, Coconut Sorbet
Framboise and Allagash White
And now, the sweet ending. The three main flavor components here--the decadent sugariness of the chocolate, the coolness of the coconut, the fruitiness of the "noodles"--all went together superbly here, creating a opulent, yet balanced commixture elevated even further by the textural contrast provided by the pecans.



After dinner, we were given a tour of the kitchen by Chef Hunter. Fraiche's kitchen is divided into two areas. Above, we see the outer section, which includes the pizza oven. It'll be interesting to see what the restaurant will create in there, given that pizzas are no longer on the menu.


We then made our way into the kitchen's inner sanctum, sort of a long, narrow space that connects to the semi-private dining room.


And here were are in said dining room, posing for the requisite group photo with Chef Hunter. That's Ryan, Will, Lindsay, Sydney Hunter III, Julie, and Marshal. The others had left by this point, with Esther taking off especially early due to her sick cat Rufus.

When I heard about this TastEvent, the first thing I did was check out the menu for Fraiche Culver City. What I saw online consisted of somewhat bistro-inspired fare, with a nice selection of pasta, and a great spread of charcuterie--straightforward, good food. However, what I ate on this night was really a notch up in terms of refinement, flair, and panache, a nod to Chef Hunter's time spent at Bastide perhaps. Fraiche la seconde may have started with a base of the original's menu, but it looks like Hunter has had some leeway in adding his own unique touches, his flourishes to the carte, which sounds like good news to me. I think he'll do fine, with or without Travi.

To see Will's recap of the meal, check out the FoodDigger blog.