Consuming LA

June 29, 2016 · 8:16 am

Disneyland’s Secret Restaurant

Harder to get into than a Broadway performance of Hamilton and more exclusive than a Pool Circle Box at the Hollywood Bowl, Club 33 has long been on my bucket list. Club 33 is the private dining club hidden in New Orleans Square in Disneyland not far from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. It opened around 50 years ago as a secret feature of the theme park accessed by top Disney brass, corporate sponsors and other VIP’s. Today, it remains as difficult as ever to infiltrate, with membership costing a small fortune and a waiting list many years long. Thanks to a friend of a friend of a friend, my dream of dining in this legendary club finally became a reality last month.

There are two parts to Club 33. The first is a dining room serving upscale sesonally-inspired New American cuisine and a wide variety of classic and modern cocktails, beer and wine. Before dining there, I expected the food to be good not great, with the main draws of the restaurant being the exclusivity and the distinction of being the only place in the Disneyland Park that serves alcohol. But my lunch there far exceeded my expectations, and I was very impressed with Club 33’s talented chef Andrew Sutton and many of his dishes including an amazing “Lobster Rockefeller” with Crispy Oysters and Lemon Hollandaise and a perfectly grilled Lamb T-bone with Braised Lamb Ravioli and Green Fennel Puree.

A lot of people don’t know about the second part of Club 33 — a jazz lounge known as Le Salon Nouveau, with an elegant bar and live music. It’s essentially a super cool clandestine oasis in the middle of the park; a refuge for the privileged away from the hoi polloi and bustling crowds. Both the lounge and its wine cellar-like corridor entrance have magical paintings that slowly change before your eyes, including one of a jazz quartet where the trumpeter disappears during his solo and emerges like a Haunted Mansion ghost above the club’s bar. Props from classic Disney films and other collectibles also can be found all around the club, adding to the uniqueness and charm of the venue.

I would love to return to Club 33 one day. Maybe if I wish upon a star, my dream will once again come true.

The table is set.

Cocktails!

"Lobster Rockefeller" with Cripsy Oysters and Lemon Hollandaise

“Lobster Rockefeller” with Crispy Oysters and Lemon Hollandaise

Artichoke, Goat Cheese Fondue, Tomato Vinaigrette, Spanish Chorizo and Black Garlic

Wild Blue Crab Cake with Toy Box Pepper Ragout and Crispy Capers

Grilled, Marinated and Roasted Mushrooms with Green Garlic Puree

“Lafayette” Garden Salad with Shaved Radish, Cucumbers and Vinaigrette Maison

Spring Leek – Potato Broth with Rhubarb Grilled Chicken, Fava Beans and Asparagus

Smoked Duck Breast Salad with Baby Kale, Frisée, Pecan and Orange Cherry Vinaigrette

House-made Gnocci with Asparagus, Morel Mushrooms and Truffle Parmesan Spritz

Chicken Schnitzel with Picnic Potato Salad, Bacon and Buttermilk Dreissing

Chicken Schnitzel with Picnic Potato Salad, Bacon and Buttermilk Dressing

Grilled Lamb T-bone with Braised Lamb Ravioli and Green Fennel Puree

Filet Mignon with Blackberry Braised Beef Short Rib and Grilled Corn

Citrus Celebration: Tart of Tangerine, Passion Fruit Meringue and Blood Orange Sorbet

Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart, Vanilla Chantilly Cream and Pistachio Crème

Dark Chocolate Coffee Pecan Bundt Cake, Café au Lait Gelato and Espresso

Finely Selected Cheeses with Apricot Mustardo, Pickled White Peach and Lemon-Poppyseed Madeleine

The Secret Entrance

Up the Grand Staircase

Mrs. Disney’s harpsichord in the waiting area

The Dining Room

Painting of the Mark Twain Riverboat

Special merchandise for sale in the lobby

Le Salon Nouveau Jazz Lounge

Magical Painting

Another Magical Painting

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Filed under Outside Los Angeles

Tagged as club 33, club 33 disneyland, club 33 menu, disneyland secret restaurant, how to get into club 33, private club disneyland, private restaurant disneyland, secret club disneyland, secret restaurant disneyland

May 24, 2016 · 10:20 am

Some Like It Hot

There’s a little bit of Nashville going on right now in Chinatown. Howlin Ray’s, which opened this month amid the souvenir shops and Chinese herb merchants in Far East Plaza, has brought Nashville-style Fried Chicken aka “Hot Chicken” to our fair city and it’s spectacular.

Expertly breaded and seasoned, spiced to your tolerance level (I prefer mine lip-burning and perspiration-inducing), and fried to crispy golden perfection, this chicken has people queued up way out the door. I waited in line for over an hour and have no regrets.

The menu is as simple as can be: hot chicken, hot chicken sandwich and, on weekends, hot chicken and waffles with butter and maple syrup. There’s a side dish that changes daily, but there’s always seasoned crinkle cut fries and pickle chips. Daisy Duke and Boss Hogg would no doubt approve.

Howlin Ray’s is located at 727 N. Broadway, Los Angeles (Downtown, in Chinatown).

Hot Chicken Wing

Hot Shake Fries

Chicken and Waffles served with Butter and Maple Syrup

Pickle Chips

“The Sandwich” with Boneless Breast, Slaw, Comeback Sauce, Pickles and Butter Bun

A little bit of Nashville in Chinatown

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Filed under Downtown

Tagged as fried chicken chinatown, hot chicken, hot chicken chinatown, hot chicken los angeles, howlin' rays, howling ray's, nashville chicken, nashville fried chicken, nashville hot chicken, nashville hot chicken dtla, nashville hot chicken los angeles

May 4, 2016 · 7:55 am

Bosam Buddies

If you live in Los Angeles and you’re not eating in Koreatown on at least a semi-regular basis, you’re doing it wrong. As the home to the largest number of ethnic Koreans outside of the Korean Peninsula, Los Angeles, not surprisingly, has an incredible breadth and variety of Korean food. Most people are at least familiar with Korean Barbecue, but that’s just the tip of the Korean cuisine iceberg.

Bossam, which consists of warm tender slices of seasoned and boiled pork belly wrapped in cold, crisp cabbage leaves or paper-thin slices of radishes, is one of my favorite Korean dishes. The best Bossam in town is at Kobawoo House, where they have you create your custom-built mouth-watering wraps with spicy fermented shrimp paste, jalapeños, and pickled radishes.

There are other tasty offerings at Kobawoo House. Their Haemul Panjun, a giant sizzling Seafood Pancake with Scallops, Shrimp, Oysters, Squid, Clams and Green Onions, is first-rate Korean comfort food, and their Braised Black Cod with Radish in Spicy Sauce is one of the most delicious versions of this dish I’ve ever eaten. Parking can be a hassle and there’s often a wait, but it’s well worth it.

Kobawoo House is located at 698 S. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles (in Koreatown).

Bossam. The best in town.

Braised Black Cod with Radish in Spicy Sauce

Kimchi Chigae

Haemul Pajun (sizzling seafood pancake with scallops, shrimp, oyster, squid, clam and green onion)

Dolshot Bibimbab

2 Comments

Filed under Koreatown

Tagged as best bo saam koreatown, best bossam koreatown, best korean restaurants los angeles, best restaurants koreatown, bossam kobawoo house, bossam los angeles, Braised Black Cod with Radish, kobawoo house, kobawoo house menu

April 7, 2016 · 7:32 am

The Great Blogiversary Giveaway

Consuming LA is celebrating its fifth blogiversary! As a thank you to my readers who have made Consuming LA one of the top food blogs in Los Angeles, I am giving away gift certificates to many of the places that I’ve written about and recommended. There are ten prizes in all.

Here’s how to enter to win: If you do not already subscribe to Consuming LA, you can enter simply by subscribing (which is free). If you are already a subscriber, you can enter by simply emailing me at Howard@ConsumingLA.com. Once you become a subscriber or if you have already been one, you can enter additional times by referring new subscribers. You will receive one entry for each referral and you can enter as many times as you want. The deadline to enter is April 20, 2016. Click here to see the official rules. Here are the prizes:

Marinated Kurobuta Pork Belly

$100 Gift Certificate from Hanjip. Favorite dishes include Kimchi Fried Rice Sauteed in Brown Butter, Bone Marrow Corn Cheese with Shaved Parmesan and Bonito Flakes, and Marinated Kurobuta Pork Belly.

Skirt Steak with Oregano Chimichurri and Sea Urchin Butter

$100 Gift Certificate from Maré Favorite dishes include Branzino with Fig Pomegranate Sauce, Skirt Steak with Oregano Chimichurri and Sea Urchin Butter, and Blood Orange "Trifolo" with Semolina Cake and Fruit Compote.

Albacore Poké with Mango on Jasmine Rice

$100 Gift Certificate from Sweetfin Poké Favorite Dishes include Spicy Tuna Poké on Kelp Noodles, Mango Albacore Poké on Jasmine Rice, and Sriracha Tuna on Citrus-Kale Salad.

Cheeseburger from Cassell’s Hamburgers with House Ground Prime Beef Patty and Cheddar Cheese on a Parker House Bun.

$50 Gift Certificate from Cassell’s Hamburgers This is my favorite burger joint in the city! Favorite dishes include the Cheese Burger, the Patty Melt and the Dulce de Leche Pie.

The best popcorn ever!

$50 Gift Certificate to California Mad Poppers Favorite items: “South of the Border” Cheese Popcorn with Jalapeños and Cheddar, "Bacon on the Brain" Caramel Corn with Maple and Bacon, and “Elvis” Caramel Corn with Peanut Butter, Banana and Bacon.

Maple Bacon Doughnut

$50 Gift Certificate from Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee This is my favorite donut shop in LA! Favorite donuts include the Butter & Salt Doughnut, the Huckleberry Doughnut, and the Breakfast Doughnut with sliced country ham and a poached egg inside.

Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce

$50 Gift Certificate from The Independence Favorite dishes include Ricotta Gnudi with Asparagus, Bacon and Parmesan Cheese, Angus Burger with French Onions, Gruyere and Herb Aioli on an Onion Bun, and Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce.

Aussie Pie Tiger Stack

Lunch or Dinner for Two at Aussie Pie Kitchen Favorite Dishes include Ground Beef and Shiraz Pie, Chicken and Tarragon Pie, and any pie served “Tiger Style,” which means it’s served on a pile of Garlic Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes and topped with a scoop of bacon-laced Mushy Minty Peas and a ladleful of Creamy Thyme Gravy.

Blue Crab Hand Roll

Lunch or Dinner for Two at KazuNori Favorite dishes include Blue Crab Hand Roll, Bay Scallop Hand Roll, Toro Hand Roll and Lobster Hand Roll.

Figueroa Philly

Lunch or Dinner for Two at Figueroa Philly This is my favorite cheesesteak place in Los Angeles. Favorite dishes: Cheesesteaks and Hot Pastrami Sandwiches.

Good luck!

Small is the New Big

It’s a simple law of nature that small versions of everyday things are cute. Babies, puppies, Mini Coopers; all are friggin’ adorable. We should also add Petit Trois, a diminutive version of a French Bistro, to this list.

Petit Trois is the younger sister and strip mall nextdoor neighbor of Trois Mec. Both restaurants are tiny and are helmed by heavily tatted, reality tv-starring, bad-boy chef Ludo Lefebvre. But unlike Troi Mec, which serves creative and cutting-edge cuisine, the food at Petit Trois is more traditionally French, with offerings such as French Onion Soup, Confit-fried Chicken Leg with Brioche Butter and Frisée Salad, Croque Monsieur/Madame, and Escargots. All are excellent. The one non-traditional item on the menu is the “Big Mec,” an awesome gourmet cheeseburger with caramelized onions, garlic aioli and a red wine bordelaise sauce made with foie gras.

There are no tables at Petit Trois. All seating is either at a bar facing an open kitchen or at a counter facing the back wall. So it’s not the kind of place you want to go with a big group, but it’s perfect if you’re dining alone or with a single companion. I also recommended going at an off hour to avoid a wait; they don’t take reservations.

Petit Trois is located at 718 Highland Ave., Los Angeles (in Hollywood).