Consuming LA

October 12, 2011 · 11:43 pm

I am giving away a free pair of tickets to the most exciting LA foodie event of the year.

If you read this blog and live in Los Angeles, then you will absolutely want to check out one or more events during the first annual Los Angeles Food & Wine, a four day food spectacular starting tomorrow night and running through Sunday. Celebrity chefs such as Tom Colicchio, Masaharu Marimoto, Hubert Keller and Daniel Boulud will be flying in from all over the country to personally plate and serve tasting portions of their culinary masterpieces. Events are being held all over the city and include a celebrity red carpet premiere tasting, a clambake at a private beach club in Santa Monica featuring Tom Colicchio, an over-the-top champagne and caviar party at L’Ermitage in Beverly Hills and a gourmet BBQ on the Santa Monica Pier hosted by Guy Fieri. All will have numerous celebrity chefs plating and will feature dozens of world class wines, beers, spirits or champagnes. There are after hours parties, including a decadent dessert party and an event called “Pigs, Pins and Pinot” at Lucky Strike Lanes hosted by Todd English, as well as an outdoor concert/tasting with the band Train. There are also special lunches and dinners at top local restaurants such as Providence, Melisse, Nobu and Cut. A portion of the events’ proceeds go to benefit a great cause, Meals on Wheels.

It is hard to decide which event to attend, but the events I am most looking forward to are the “Grand Tastings” Downtown at LA Live on Saturday and Sunday afternoon (from noon to 3 pm), which will each feature 30 different celebrity chefs and over 300 wines from 200 of the world’s most prestigious wineries, as well as cooking demonstrations. I am giving away a pair of tickets (which have a value of $390) to Sunday’s Grand Tasting to one lucky reader of this blog. For more information on how to win these tickets, click here. I look forward to seeing the lucky winner at the event!

For more information on Los Angeles Food & Wine and to buy tickets, click here.

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Tagged as Los Angeles Food & Wine; Los Angeles Food and Wine Free Tickets

October 7, 2011 · 10:45 am

Indelible Ink

The opening of Ink in West Hollywood two weeks ago has been one of the most eagerly anticipated restaurant openings in the country. Ink is the creation of Michael Voltaggio, the heavily tatted and touted bad-ass winner of season six of Top Chef and former chef at The Dining Room in the venerable Langham Huntington Hotel in Pasadena. In August, Voltaggio opened a small sandwich shop called ink.sack a few doors down from Ink (read my review here), which I have fallen in love with and frequented over the past several weeks, so I was more excited than ever to try Ink. Against all odds, I was able to score an 8pm reservation for a party of four last Saturday night.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is one of frenetic excitement. The decor is modern and the restaurant is dimly lit. There is an “omakase” bar on one side which accommodates eight people per night. There is a boisterous cocktail bar which serves creative and delicious libations and is presided over by talented mixologist Devon Espinosa, who served as chief wingman to molecular gastronomist Marcel Vigneron on the short-lived Syfy TV series Marcel’s Quatum Kitchen. And most notably, there is an open kitchen were you can see the chefs hard at work, including Voltaggio who works on the line with his staff.

The menu at Ink consists entirely of small plates; American tapas which Voltaggio describes as “modern Los Angeles cuisine” inspired by the myriad of cultures that make up LA. On the waiter’s recommendation, we ordered the whole menu — literally! Over the course of two and half hours, we were treated to a procession of beautiful, creative, cerebral and perfectly executed dishes. The flavor profiles were complex and interesting, although I thought some combinations worked better than others. My favorites were the Beef Tartare (with Horseradish, Hearts of Palm and Sea Bean Chimchurri), the Halibut Cheeks (with Red Pepper Dashi, Shishito Peppers and Kelp Pasta), the Berkshire Pork Tenderloin (with Charcoal Crust, Macaroni & Cheese and Leeks) and the “Spaghetti” (which was actually giant squid prepared to look like spaghetti, accompanied by squash, hazelnut-ink pesto and piment d’Espilette). Each of these were incredible! My least favorite dishes were the Dungeness Crab (with Smoked Mayo and Bok Choy “Kimchi”) and the Quail (with Banana Polenta, Beet Juice and Sorrel Salad), although I thought they were two of the most beautiful dishes. The desserts were equally creative, fun and delicious, with the stand-out being a dessert of Apple, Creme Caramel, Burnt Wood Sabayon and Walnuts, which was unlike anything I have ever had before.

Ink is located at 8360 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles (in West Hollywood).

Beef Tartare with Horseradish, Hearts of Palm and Sea Bean Chimichurri

Dungeness Crab with Smoked Mayo and Bok Choy "Kimchi"

Octopus with Buttered Popcorn, Piquillo Pepper and Spinich

Bay Scallops with Cream of Dehydrated Potato, Potato Skins and Buttermilk-Shellfish Broth

Quail with Banana Polenta, Beet Juice and Sorrel Salad

Berkshire Pork Tenderloin with Charcoal Crus, Macaroni and Cheese and Leeks

Veal Cheek with Red Curry, Nante Carrots Baked in Salt and Fried Sticky Rice

Grapefruit Curd, Avocado, Cilantro Sorbet and Charred Maple-Lime

A boisterous and fun atmosphere

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Tagged as Devon Espinosa, Ink, ink melrose, ink melrose los angeles, ink menu, ink michael voltaggio, ink restaurant, ink restaurant los angeles, ink restaurant melrose, ink restaurant menu, ink restaurant review, ink review, ink review voltaggio, Ink Sack, ink voltaggio, Michael Voltaggio, top chef restaurants, top chef restaurants los angeles, Top Chefs, Voltaggio Brothers, West Hollywood Restaurants

September 30, 2011 · 12:16 pm

The Secret Japanese Beef Restaurant

Totoraku is LA’s most exclusive restaurant. It is so exclusive that you can’t even get in unless the owner/chef, Kaz Oyama, knows you and has given you permission to make a reservation or you are the dinner guest of someone with such permission. But the appeal of Totoraku is not just its exclusivity. Totoraku is one of LA’s best and most unique dining experiences and if you love red meat, you may very well find your dinner there to be one of the best and most memorable meals of your life.

There is no “Totoraku” sign on the restaurant; it’s located in what appears from the outside to be a closed inexpensive teriyaki house in a strip of non-descript stores on Pico Boulevard. The door is usually kept locked and if they do not know you because you are someone’s guest, you will need to identify yourself and your party before you will be permitted to enter. After entering, the door is locked behind you and you are shown to your table. The inside of the restaurant is not fancy. It’s a small space and there are only six tables, which are all separated by screens so that your dining experience will be private and intimate. Kaz’s super-nice wife Shizumi is usually your server. There’s no menu; it’s omakase and all courses are served family-style. It’s BYOB and most people bring expensive bottles of wine and share them with affable Kaz, who is a major wine connoisseur and will come out of the kitchen periodically to greet his guests. The dinner costs around $180 per person (including tip) and is worth every penny.

The meal starts out with a giant plate of appetizers for the table to share. The appetizers are exotic and spectacular. Highlights include Black Sesame Tofu with Gold Leaf, Monkfish Liver with Jellyfish, and Cantaloupe with Prosciutto. The appetizers are followed by an amazing Beef Carpaccio. After that, you are presented with a duo of charred Beef Ribeye Tataki and Beef Throat Sashimi, both of which are very delicious. Next is a stellar Beef Tartar, complete with a Quail Egg. And then the second act begins, the Yakiniku (Japanese grilled meats)! A small rectangular charcoal grill is brought to your table and as the evening progresses, you are presented with platter after platter of the tenderest and highest quality meats for you to grill at your table. Filet Mignon, Outside Ribeye, Inside Ribeye, Tongue, Short Rib and Skirt Steak; all are excellent as are the marinades and dipping sauces prepared by master chef Kaz. You are also brought a really awesome Momotaro tomato salad and a bowl of large lettuce leaves, cabbage and strips of carrots, cucumbers and radishes so that you can make wraps with some of the meat. Everything has been prepared to perfection, right down to charcoal in your grill which is a special variety from Malaysia. The perfect meal ends with the perfect dessert, your choice of homemade ice cream (white chocolate/raspberry, espresso or pistachio) or sorbet (blueberry or lychee).

I highly recommend Totoraku…if you can get in.

A deceptive facade. Don’t bother calling the phone number.

A variety of exotic appetizers

Amazing Beef Carpaccio

Duo of Beef Ribeye Tataki and Throat

Beef Tartar

Marinated beef and vegetables for grilling

Momotaro tomato salad

Skirt steak on the charcoal grill

Homemade Ice Cream!

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Filed under West LA

Tagged as Los Angeles Japanese Food, Secret Beef Restaurant, Secret Japanese Beef Restaurant, Totoraku, Yakiniku Los Angeles

September 23, 2011 · 9:15 am

Barrio-Fabulous

If I want to treat myself to something special on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, I drive over to Tacos Baja Ensenada, an East LA taco stand which serves the best fish tacos I have ever eaten. These are Baja-style tacos; fresh fish coated in the most delicious batter, deep fried to a golden crisp and then served on top of two warm corn tortillas with crispy shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, salsa and fresh crema. They are out of this world! Equally good are the shrimp tacos, which are the same as the fish ones, but made with battered and fried plump, succulent shrimp. If you’re looking for some citrus or extra spice, a condiment bar provides you with unlimited limes, grilled peppers and radishes.

Although I go mainly for the fish and shrimp tacos, Tacos Baja Ensenada (or “TBE” to its friends) has other excellent offerings that you will want to try including yummy fresh ceviche and shrimp tostadas and amazing fresh seafood cocktails. I also love their horchata (sweet rice drink). The prices for such heavenly dishes are incredibly low. A combo with two tacos, beans, rice and a soda will cost you only $5.00. If you come on a Wednesday, tacos are only 99 cents. Not surprisingly, TBE is a very popular joint and there is always a line. But don’t worry, Amigo, it moves very fast and in no time you will be enjoying hot, crunchy, salty awesomeness.

Tacos Baja Ensenada is located at 5385 Whittier Blvd in Los Angeles (East LA). They have two additional locations; one in Whittier and one in Glendora.

Tostada Ceviche de Pescado

Tostada de Camaron Entero

Cocktail Camaron (Shrimp Cocktail)

Limes, Grilled Peppers, Radishes and Horchata

Always a line!

Worth the trip to East LA

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Filed under East LA, Glendora, Whittier

Tagged as Tacos Baja Ensenada; Best Fish Tacos LA; Best Fish Tacos Los Angeles; Tacos Baja

September 16, 2011 · 10:30 am

Healthy Donuts: An Oxymoron?

Not surprisingly, it’s hard to lose weight when you write a food blog, especially if you have a sweet tooth like I do. So when Waylynn Lucas, the former pastry chef of The Bazaar and Patina, announced earlier this year that she was planning to open a bakery serving only healthier, non-fried, lower-sugar versions of donuts, she immediately had my attention. Fonuts (pronounced “Faux-nuts”) finally opened a few weeks ago to long lines of LA foodies (myself included), curious as to whether a fonut was the latest food trend to hit upscale urban neighborhoods or simply another phony LA model/actress-type rocking a beautiful exterior, but ultimately lacking in substance.

The interior of Fonuts is modern and sparse. There are no tables and chairs, just a small counter with a few stools and a bench out front. Besides the fonuts, they serve coffee drinks made with gourmet Lamill Coffee. Fonuts currently come in 13 varieties, 4 of which are wheat/gluten-free and 2 of which are also vegan. They are not cheap and range in price from $2.75 to $3.75 per fonut. While a dozen assorted donuts will usually run you less than $5, a dozen assorted fonuts will cost you around $40, making you evaluate how much you really like those office co-workers you’re buying them for.

So are fonuts as good as donuts? No; not even close. Essentially, fonuts are low fat cakes, many of which are similar to the low fat cakes that Starbucks sometimes offers, but in the shape of donuts. I tried 6 of the 13 varieties and was generally not impressed (my daughter even less so). The only fonut which I really loved was the savory Chorizo Cheddar. It was similar to a cheese bagel, but with a more cake-like consistentcy, and was really delicious. I thought most of the other fonuts were just OK including the Maple Bacon, which had crispy pieces of bacon on top of its maple glaze, and the PB&J stuffed fonut, which they should have called the “Goober Fonut” because the Peanut Butter & Jelly was unfortunately mixed together. My least favorites were the Strawberry Buttermilk, which was too mushy, and the Chocolate Hazelnut, which I thought was absolutely terrible. I do admire the concept though; selling low-fat cakes in the shape of donuts in a donut shop-type bakery could potentially be quite a brilliant marketing strategy.

Fonuts is located at 8104 West 3rd Street in Los Angeles.