Friday, January 30, 2015

Scopa Italian Roots (Los Angeles, CA)

Scopa Italian Roots
2905 W Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292
310.821.1100
www.scopaitalianroots.com
Fri 1/30/2015, 07:30p-11:25p




Scopa Italian Roots Exterior

One of the hottest spots to pop up in Venice in recent times is Scopa, which bowed back in November 2013. The restaurant features the Italian-American stylings of Top Chef alum Antonia Lofaso, and is a place that I'd been wanting to try for well over a year now.

About the Chef: Lofaso was born in 1977 to Italian-American parents from New York, and started cooking for family and friends at an early age. After finishing high school, she attended the French Culinary Institute, and during this period, dated rapper Heavy D, with whom she had a child, Xea Myers, in early 2000. Upon graduating from the FCI, she moved to Los Angeles in 2001, finding work at Wolfgang Puck's seminal Spago, where she toiled for six years under Lee Hefter. Lofaso left the iconic eatery in 2007 for an Executive Chef position at SBE's new Foxtail, which opened in February 2008. Around this time, she also competed on Season 4 of Top Chef, coming in at fourth place, behind the likes of Richard Blais and winner Stephanie Izard. Foxtail, however, turned into a nightclub that September, and closed in August 2009. Following her performance on TC, Lofaso made a brief appearance on Top Chef Masters that summer, assisting Hubert Keller in an Elimination Challenge (along with Elia Aboumrad and Spike Mendelsohn). At the end of 2010, she participated in Top Chef All-Stars, placing third behind Mike Isabella (her distant cousin, it turns out) and old rival Blais.

The Chef then partnered up with Steve Livigni and Pablo Moix from La Descarga/Harvard & Stone/Pour Vous, as well as Sal Aurora and Mario Guddemi of Hollywood's Happy Ending, and debuted Studio City's Black Market in June 2011. The restaurant was well received, and in 2012, Lofaso released The Busy Mom's Cookbook: 100 Recipes for Quick, Delicious, Home-Cooked Meals (re-released in fall 2013 in paperback) and also starred in Game Show Network's Beat the Chefs. The next August, she landed a judging role on Food Network's Alton Brown-hosted Cutthroat Kitchen, along with Simon Majumdar and Jet Tila. More importantly for us, she teamed up with her Black Market partners once again and launched Scopa in November 2013, with Moix behind the bar, Livigni managing the FOH, and Ashley Ragovin of Trois Mec/Animal/Osteria Mozza fame as Wine Director (she later moved to Superba Food + Bread and Marvin). August 2014 saw Lofaso compete on Top Chef Duels, where she scored a win against Mike Isabella, and simultaneously, she also made an appearance on NBC's Food Fighters, hosted by Adam Richman.

Scopa Italian Roots Interior
Scopa occupies the address of the longstanding Szechwan Restaurant, which closed in May 2013 after a whopping 31 years in business. The space has been thoroughly revamped and stripped, naturally, and the former 1980's style digs are now swathed in dark wood and leather, while exposed brick also makes an appearance. The bar dominates most of the room, and there's even a private dining area on the second floor.

Scopa Italian Roots Menu Scopa Italian Roots Beverage List Scopa Italian Roots Wine List
Scopa's menu reads Cal-Italian-American, divided into sections for cold/hot antipasti, a few crudos/salads, the requisite octet of pastas, larger mains, and simple desserts. Drink-wise, cocktails are obviously a draw, as is the extensive spirit collection. The wine list is nice, meanwhile, but corkage, sadly, is not an option. Click for larger versions.

East India Cocktail
East India Cocktail [$13.00] | cognac, maraschino, pineapple, lemon
A thorough examination of the cocktail selection was certainly called for tonight. This one was a pleasant way to start things off, with the drink's citrus-y, almost tea-like aromas leading to bracing tastes of lemon and bittersweetness supported by the potency of the cognac.

Ricotta Crostini
Ricotta Crostini [$12.00] | parsley, olive oil, ciabatta
Ricotta was among the best I've had, super creamy and lush, drenched in EVOO and accented by zesty bits of parsley and chili flakes, a perfect accompaniment to the crusty, charred bread.

Sierra Norte
Sierra Norte [$15.00] | mezcal, aperol, pineapple, lemon, bitters
Here was one of my favorite cocktails of the evening. It smelled of intoxicating citrus and spice, and tasted of more citrus, tropical fruit, and a touch of bitterness, all interlaced with the smoky, delicious heft of mezcal.

Fried Calamari
Fried Calamari [$14.00] | squid ink, lemon
The ubiquitous dish of fried squid was taken up a notch by the inclusion of nero di seppia, which served to amplify the inherent brine of the calamari. Lovely textures here as well, and things were even better with a squirt of lemon.

19th Century
19th Century [$14.00] | bourbon, cacao white, lillet rouge, lemon
This was also a standout for me. I loved the heady, chocolate-y bouquet of the cocktail, while I got more chocolate, citrus, and spicy fruit on the palate, over a base of boozy bourbon.

Fried Cauliflower
Fried Cauliflower [$7.00] | lemon, chives, parsley, parmigiano
Cauliflower arrived a bit softer than I'd like, but properly imbued with deep, heady, intensely savory flavors. Tasty.

Seafood Salad
Seafood Salad [$15.00] | octopus, shrimp, calamari, chili, garlic, white beans, fennel, parsley, lemon
I couldn't resist the seafood salad, and here I appreciated how each item was distinct, both in terms of taste and texture, but yet harmonious when taken together, presenting a sweet sort of brine countered by a great touch of acidity. Perhaps the best part, though, was the white bean, which did a wonderful job moderating the dish.

Paloma
Paloma [$13.00] | reposado tequila, grapefruit, lime, sugar, tonic, salt
One of the lighter cocktails that we tried, this was spritzy and effervescent, with bittersweet, juicy notes of grapefruit working well over the darker, heavier flavors of tequila.

Steak Tartare
Steak Tartare [$18.00] | capers, lemon, chives, lardo toast
The tartar was classic, a spot on rendition featuring well-textured chunks of steak accented by smartly placed hits of acidity and tartness.

El Camino
El Camino [$16.00] | mezcal, rye, benedictine, bitters
The second mezcal cocktail of the meal was an even more forceful presentation of the spirit. Think citrusy and smoky on the nose, while taste-wise, I got a bittersweet spice, leading to more mezcal toward the finish.

Roasted Romanesco
Roasted Romanesco [$8.00] | pecorino romano, hazelnuts, currants, mint
Romanesco was well charred and delightfully bitter, yet complemented by counterbalancing nuances of sweet and nutty. However, as was the case with the cauliflower above, I wanted a bit more crunchiness.

Gin Fix (raspberry)
Gin Fix (raspberry) [$14.00] | gin, raspberry, lemon, sugar
Our next cocktail was bright and light, with the essence of the gin giving way to juicy, jammy flavors of raspberry nearing the back end.

Creste Rigate
Creste Rigate [$17.00] | wild mushrooms, asparagus, parmesan, bread crumb
The first of four pasta courses brought out a shape that I don't encounter too often. Creste rigate was nicely textured and joined by a rich sauce and earthy notes of mushrooms. I appreciated the use of asparagus here, which lent a bright, bitter crunchiness that lightened the dish.

Cavatelli
Cavatelli [$16.00] | italian sausage, broccoli rabe, locatelli
Cavatelli was a winner as well. I loved the super savory, super herby bits of sausage, and how that melded with the cheese and astringent shards of rapini here.

Mamie Taylor
Mamie Taylor [$13.00] | blended scotch, ginger, lime, angostura bitters, soda
Named after a late 19th century actress-slash-singer, the drink did a commendable job showcasing the spiciness of ginger and its natural accompaniments of lime and bitters, with the scotch peeking through just a bit.

Chitarra
Chitarra [$14.00] | pecorino, black pepper
Scopa's take on Cacio e Pepe delivered as well, with straightforward notes of cheese and pepper working beautifully with the pleasantly al dente spaghetti.

The West Side
The West Side [$14.00] | vodka, orgeat, mint, cucumber, lime, angostura bitters
Scopa's "signature" cocktail was certainly the most visually arresting of the bunch. It featured a somewhat punch-like sweetness, one cut by notes of mint and citrus along with the drink's bitter backbone.

Bucatini
Bucatini [$19.00] | mussels fra diavolo, calabrian chili, tarragon
Bucatini came out properly textured, with a good bit of bite, and enrobed in a sweet, spicy, tangy sauce. The mussels added an additional layer of briny complexity to the dish, though unfortunately a couple of them came out muddy.

Whole Branzino
Whole Branzino [$32.00] | fennel frond, lemon, basil
The whole branzino was expertly prepared, arriving at the table tender, juicy, and loaded with savory, saline flavors perked up by a great herbaceousness.

Bullock's-Wilshire
Bullock's-Wilshire [$13.00] | bonded bourbon, demerara rum, cynar, maraschino
This one certainly takes the cake for most viscous cocktail of the night. Thickness aside, I found the cocktail expectedly boozy, with bitter and sugary notes accented by a palpable vegetal quality from the Cynar.

side of polenta
side of polenta [$8.00] | milk, mascarpone, parmigiano
We couldn't resist ordering a side of polenta with our mains, and this was unquestionably the most luxurious I've had, a super creamy, super cheesy preparation that definitely satisfied.

Pasta Fagioli
Pasta Fagioli [$19.00] | orzo, cranberry beans, turnips, fennel, thyme, basil, arugula, seeded italian bread, poached egg
Our last savory was a homey, cozy sort of course, with its classic flavors of tangy tomato accompanied by various aromatics while the cranberry beans lent heft to the dish.

The Choker
The Choker [$13.00] | scotch, angostura bitters, absinthe
Our final cocktail really showcased the absinthe, presenting an intensely anise-laced nose while the palate was bitter and boozy, with the absinthe again taking center stage.

Cannoli
Cannoli [$7.00]
Getting into dessert now, the cannoli were among the best I've had, delightfully crisp little tubes encasing a light, sweet-but-not-too-sweet filling.

Ricotta Cheesecake
Ricotta Cheesecake [$8.00]
Given the use of ricotta, the cheesecake was lighter, fluffier than you typically get, with a tangy, lactic-like sweetness to it.

Zeppole
Zeppole [$8.00]
Last up were the zeppole, fried fritters that were surprisingly chewy, yet deeply flavored, with a distinct butteriness to 'em.

We had a good time at Scopa, which has gotta be the most exciting Italian joint to hit the area in a long while. The cooking's pretty straightforward and approachable, but also shows off enough lightheartedness and panache to keeps things interesting, and of course the cocktails were on point. I can certainly see why this place is so popular. It's another strong contender from Lofaso and company, and another score for Venice.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Dia de Campo (Hermosa Beach, CA)

Día de Campo Restaurant
1238 Hermosa Ave, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
310.379.1829
www.diadecampohb.com
Sun 1/25/2015, 07:00p-09:40p




Dia de Campo Exterior

I was looking for a spot in the South Bay to meet up with my old college roommate from Berkeley, and given my positive experience over at Little Sister, I decided to give Dia de Campo a go. Translated as "field day," the restaurant is the work of Chef Tin Vuong and partner Jed Sanford (i.e. Blackhouse) and is billed as a sort of "modern surf lodge." The place opened back in January last year, offering up a Mexican-inspired, seafood-leaning menu with former Abigaile Chef de Cuisine Ken Johnson at the helm.

Dia de Campo Interior
The restaurant occupies the old location of Cafe Boogaloo, but was transformed by Bishop Pass (Abigaile, Little Sister, and also The Parish and Gjelina) into a beachier sort of affair.

Dia de Campo Menu Dia de Campo dineLA Menu
Dia de Campo's menu is on the large-ish side, with a lot of familiar Mexican-ish items along with a few more unconventional selections. Note that we were here during dineLA week, so there was also that option as well, though we chose to stick with the standard carta. Click for larger versions.

Dia de Campo Cocktail & Beer List Dia de Campo Wine List
As for the booze, you get a pretty interesting cocktail list, some lightweight beers, as well as a surprisingly complete array of wine. Click for larger versions.

rubi
rubi [$12.00] | tequila blanco, grapefruit, lemon, froth, home spice
We began with my favorite of the cocktails. I loved its intense, aromatic nose of sweet spice overlaid on top of juicy grapefruit notes, leading to a flavors of more citrus, frothy egg, and spice over a subtle base of tequila.

Salsa
Salsa [$5.00] | negro, house chips
Salsa negra was deep and earthy, with a smokiness to it to cut the acidity of the dip. More interesting were the "chips," which actually comprised both your standard corn and flakier flour tortillas, deep-fried.

Guacamole
Guacamole [$8.00]
The guac was pretty prototypical, slightly chunky but imbued with a hint of spice.

la leona
la leona [$10.00] | tequila blanco, peach, lemon, mezcal
This next cocktail was more booze-forward, with the heft of the tequila serving as a stage for contrasting nuances of smoky and sweet.

Straight Ceviche
Straight Ceviche [$16.00] | uni, fried garlic-chili oil, apple-celery salad
The so-called "straight" ceviche didn't seem all that straight to me. This was mostly due to the uni, which added a lushness and brine to the typical players here. Nice acidity and textures at play, though the sweetness from the citrus was a bit much.

Chocolate Duck Quesadillas
Chocolate Duck Quesadillas [$14.00] | oaxacan cheese, salsa negra, tamarind
Quesadillas were appropriately cheesy, with the queso Oaxaca doing a great job bringing all the ducky flavors to bear here. Good flavors on the actual meat, but I wanted to taste more from the chocolate.

tia sangria
tia sangria [$10.00] | white wine, brandy, peach, passion fruit, citrus
The sangria was as light-hearted as you'd expect, with boatloads of peach-y sweetness intertwined with flavors of white wine.

crispy shrimp
crispy shrimp [$4.00] | pico
At this point, we ordered up some tacos. The shrimp were rather tasty, with their brine well played against the bright, crunchy veggies up top.

pollo
pollo [$3.00] | yellow mole
The chicken, meanwhile, was also enjoyable, with a particular depth to it thanks to the incorporation of that mole.

the mule
the mule [$12.00] | cucumber infused vodka, del maguey vida, lime, ginger beer
The restaurant's take on the traditional Moscow Mule was tarted up by the inclusion of cucumber and mezcal. Taste-wise, this was pretty classic, with clean, refreshing flavors overarched by just a whisper of the Del Maguey.

carnitas
carnitas [$3.00] | tomatillo avo
The pork was a touch drier than I'd prefer, but was on point flavor-wise, especially when taken with its accompaniment of crisp red cabbage and the substantial, house-made tortilla.

Wood Grilled Octopus
Wood Grilled Octopus [$10.00] | salsa verde, oven roasted tomato, radish salad
Octopus arrived well-charred and loaded with briny goodness, a good match to the zing of the salsa verde. The paired salad was effective, and made for a counterpoint to the protein, especially when everything was rolled into taco form.

french flamme
french flamme [$10.00] | the botanist, cointreau, aperol, lemon, "fire agua"
The last cocktail made for a fine conclusion to our drinks. Some great bittersweet, citrus-y notes in this one, all underpinned by a persistent, yet restrained touch of heat.

Shrimp & Chorizo Enchiladas
Shrimp & Chorizo Enchiladas [$19.00] | salsa verde, crispy queso, chile ranch
The enchiladas didn't look very pretty, but were a surprise hit this evening. The combo of shrimp and chorizo worked out beautifully, with the mild salinity of the former well matched with the spicy savor of the latter, all while layers of salsa and cheese helped bring it all together.

Caramelized Cauliflower
Caramelized Cauliflower [$9.00] | onions, egg, cotija
I couldn't resist ordering the cauliflower, and it was also another standout, with the rich, caramelized flavors of the veggie enhanced by the application of egg and cheese.

Dia de Campo Dessert Menu
We were initially going to pass on dessert given our fullness, but decided to opt for a twosome for completeness' sake. Click for a larger version.

YoYo's
YoYo's [$9.00] | coconut cake, spiced guava jam, toasted coconut
These cakes, unfortunately, went overly saccharine, with the sugariness of the guava overwhelming the coconut notes in the dessert.

Potted Tres Leches
Potted Tres Leches [$9.00] | sea salt-chili, spiced hazelnuts
The tres leches, on the other hand, made a strong showing for itself, with the traditional sweetness of the dessert melding seamlessly with the spice and hazelnuts to make for a very satisfying end to the meal.

Dia de Campo isn't a groundbreaking sort of place, but we still had an enjoyable experience here. Indeed, the restaurant isn't as ambitious as Little Sister, but delivered on what it promised: approachable Mexican-inspired fare that's both familiar, but still fun and interesting enough. Not a game-changer, but a good fit for the locale to be sure.