Consuming LA

March 20, 2013 · 11:37 am

Scottish Tapas for Reform Jews

The Gorbals is the ultimate hipster hang. Â It’sÂ accessed through the lobby of the creepy Alexandria hotel, which is something right out of a horror film and probably haunted. Â Inside the dimly lit restaurant, you’re safe and warm in the glow of a large open kitchen. The decor is minimal and vintage industrial chic. Â Bowler hats, handlebar moustaches or mutton chop sideburns would not look out of place here. Â On Thursday nights, a Hot Jazz/Americana band known as The California Feetwarmers blows the roof off the house while Lindy Hop dancers show off their mad swing skills. On other nights, you kind of expect someone to ride through the restaurant on one of those industrial revolution era tall bicycles with the gigantic front wheel and tiny back wheel.

The Gorbals is the Hasidic fever dream manifestation of Top Chef season two winner Ilan Hall and his business partner and childhood friend Natan Zion. The food was originally inspired by Hall’s Jewish and Scottish ancestry, a combo that I like to refer to as “Scotch and Rhoda (Morgenstern).” While neither the Jews nor the Scots are known for amazing regional cuisine, Hall’s fusion creations are delectably inventive and surprisingly wonderful.

The restaurant’s signature dish is Bacon-wrapped Matzoh Balls (pictured above), which Hall clearly had in mind when he famously described his mash-up fare as “old Jewish food that has been date-raped by bacon.” Although this irreverent intermix sounds like a joke, it tastes astonishingly good. Hall’s creations are not limited to Jewish and Scottish-themed eats and incorporate ingredients from all over the world like uni butter, feta and macadamia nuts. My favorite dishes are the Vietnamese/Canadian comfort concoction of Bahn Mi Poutine, the insanely amazing Lamb Neck with Creamy Oats and, to balance out the richness, the Israeli-inspired salad of Persian Cucumbers, Avocado, Crispy Garbanzos and Sumac. I love a good salty dessert and The Gorbals’ Sticky Toffee Pudding with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Maldon Salt is incredible. Just like the food, the cocktails are creative and fun, and highly recommended.Â

The Gorbals is located at 501 So. Spring St., Los Angeles (Downtown).

Latkes with Smoked Applesauce and Sage

Persian Cucumbers, Avocado, Crispy Garbanzos and Sumac

Cornbread Stuffed Quail with Red Wine Balsamic Reduction

Bahn Mi Poutine

Lamb Neck with Creamy Oats

Sticky Toffee Pudding with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Maldon Salt

Entrance to the The Gorbals inside the creepy Alexandria Hotel

Inside you’re safe and warm in the glow of a large open kitchen

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Fez Not Required

When I hear “Moroccan restaurant,” I think of waiters in fezzes and embroidered vests, belly dancers, exotic over-the-top decor and eating with my hands. Tagine in Beverly Hills has none of these things and is all the better for it. Instead of the typical Disney-esque tourist treatment of a Moroccan dining experience, you get the kind of meal that I could see served in the home of a wealthy and cultured family in Tangier or Marrakech.

Tagine, which is co-owned by actor Ryan Gosling, is upscale and incredibly romantic; the ultimate date spot if you’re looking to score. It’s intimate, beautifully understated and dimly lit. Parties of two sit side by side.

As for the food, talented chef Abdessamad “Ben” Benameur elevates classic Moroccan dishes and serves cuisine which is highly refined and across-the-board excellent. I highly recommend going with the tasting menu. Whether you do or not, your meal starts with a tray of amuse-bouches which often include cups of asparagus soup, vegetable cigars and spoons of goat cheese with dates. The homemade hummus with freshly baked Berber bread and the tomato and cucumber tartar topped with lemon sorbet and raspberries should not be missed. I also love the bastilla with buttery, crispy phyllo dough atop a mixture of Cornish hen, scrambled eggs, saffron and sugar, as well as the tender and juicy lamb chops marinated in Moroccan seven spices.

The best is saved for last: a life-altering rich chocolate soup with a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream, accompanied by sticky and sweet baklava. It’s one of the best chocolate desserts I’ve ever eaten; right up there with the Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity in NYC.

Tagine is located at 132 N. Robertson Blvd. in Beverly Hills.

Amuse Bouche: Asparagus Soup, Goat Cheese with Dates, and Vegetable Cigars

Amuse-Bouches: Asparagus Soup, Goat Cheese with Dates, and Vegetable Cigars

Bastilla

Roasted Vegetables

Sea Bass Tagine

Lamb Chops marinated in the seven spices

Chocolate Soup served with Vanilla Ice Cream and Baklava

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Big Taste in Little Tokyo

Little Tokyo is one of my favorite dining destinations in the city. There are only three official Japantowns in the whole country (the others are in San Francisco and San Jose) and just like the rest of Downtown, our Little Tokyo has seen amazing revitalization over the past few years. There are not only a slew of great Japanese restaurants of every variety, but a veritable smorgasbord of pre- and post-meal activities to entertain and amuse you, including museums and galleries, secluded Japanese gardens, interesting shops, and karaoke.

Of all the restaurants in Little Tokyo, my favorite is Aburiya Toranoko. It was opened only a couple years ago by the same owners as its next door neighbor, Lazy Ox Canteen, and is both a high-end sushi bar and izakaya (i.e. Japanese gastropub). The design of the restaurant is Ã¼ber-hip and modern; very urban with chandeliers and a giant colorful mural on a long brick wall.

If you’re with a large group, you’ll need to get a table, but if you’re dining alone or with only one companion, the beautiful polished wooden sushi bar is the place to be. There you can witness the formidable skills of talented and charming sushi master Seiji Nakano. If you can afford it, go with the omakase and let Chef Nakano be your guide. In terms of izakaya fare, the incredible Uni Goma Tofu (sesame tofu topped with sea urchin) is an absolute must-have. I also highly recommend the Sumiyaki (grills meats and fish on skewers), especially the Miso Black Cod and the Tsukune (chicken meatball). The Jidori Kara-age (fried chicken) is also excellent. For dessert, I love the Green Tea Pudding and the Chocolate Lava Cake.

Aburiya Toranoko is located at 243 So. San Pedro St., Los Angeles (Downtown).

Uni Three Ways (Kumamoto Oysters with Uni and Caviar, Uni Goma Tofu with Jellied Tuna, and Uni and Vegetable Tempura)

Tuna and Roasted Beets with Housemade Tofu Cheese and topped with Crispy Ginger

Jidori Kara-age (Fried Chicken)

Sashimi Carpaccio Plate with Tuna, Halibut, Sweet Shrimp, Giant Clam and Salmon

Tofu Dengaku with Miso Sauce and Grilled Vegetables

Assorted Sumiyaki (Miso Black Cod, Angus Beef, Tsukune, and Zucchini with Cherry Tomato)

Toro Sushi

Freshwater Eel Sushi Hiroshima Style

Green Tea Pudding

Mini Chocolate Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

Mini Chocolate Lave Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

Sushi Master Seiji Nakano

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It’s a Dog Eat Dog World

Like every great American city, Los Angeles has its fair share of wieneries; gastronomic temples dedicated to finely seasoned and cured processed meat cylinders served on long soft buns with a variety of condiments including mustard, relish, sauerkraut, onions, cheese and chili. Pink’s is the most famous in town, but hardly the best. Dodger Dogs are overrated. When I want a truly spectacular red hot — a juicy dog that snaps with every bite and explodes with flavor in my mouth — I head to one of my five favorites listed below.

Carney’s

#5 Carney’s (8351 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood and 12601 Ventura Blvd, Studio City). This dive restaurant in an old yellow train serves amazing hot dogs, including a spicy “New Yorker,” a traditional “Chicagoan” and a “Red Baron” with spicy mustard and red cabbage. If you like your dogs slathered with messy, meaty chili, there’s simply no better place.

Fab Hot Dogs

#4 Fab Hot Dogs (19417 Victory Blvd, Reseda) Well worth the drive to Reseda, Fab Hot Dogs are perfection. You can get grilled pastrami or BBQ baked beans on your dog and their speciality is a crunchy deep-fried “Bald Eagle Ripper” with housemade spicy mustard relish. It’s also well worth the risk to your arteries.

The Slaw Dogs

#3 The Slaw Dogs (720 N. Lake Ave, Pasadena; 19801 Ventura Blvd, Woodland Hills; 1355 Huntington Dr, Duarte) Their bacon-wrapped LA Street Dog topped with grilled peppers and onions, garlic mayo and pico de gallo is one of the best things ever. There’s also a Chicharron Dog with pork belly and kimchi and a Thai Dog with peanut curry satay sauce.

Vicious Dogs

#2 Vicious Dogs (5231 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood) The most fun and creative hot dogs in LA can be found here. I love the “Hot Chick,” which is bacon-wrapped and topped with mozzarella, chopped chicken tenders, ranch dressing and spicy Buffalo wing sauce. There’s even a hot dog with peanut butter and jelly.

Fritzi Dog

#1 Fritzi Dog (in the Original Farmer’s Market, 6333 W 3rd St, Los Angeles) Newcomer Fritzi Dog has become my favorite hot dog place in the city. It’s truly gourmet and elevates the hot dog to a whole new level. Their eponymous dog served on a fresh soft pretzel bun (pictured above) is not only insanely delicious, but a work of art. I also love their juicy “Porker” dog served on a sweet and doughy “Parker” bun (they have buttery brioche and gluten-free buns as well). Best of all, you can get a tasting sampler of mini dogs to make your hot dog selection a little easier.

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Filed under Duarte, Mid-City, North Hollywood, Pasadena, Reseda, Studio City, West Hollywood, Woodland Hills

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February 22, 2013 · 11:00 am

What the Fork?

I feel as if I’m channeling my inner-Don Draper as I down cocktails and feast on Clams Casino in the Mid-Century Modern digs of Littlefork, a great new restaurant that opened last month in Hollywood. Although its name sounds like a small town in Utah or the moniker bestowed upon some unfortunate child in Indian Guides, “Littlefork” actually refers to the diminutive three-pronged cocktail fork used to eat shellfish. It’s part of the restaurant’s theme; innovative and fun dishes inspired by the Atlantic Northeast, especially Boston and Montreal.

Chef Jason Travi’s menu consists of mostly small plates, with a strong emphasis on seafood. The aforementioned Clams Casino with Cracker Stuffing and Bacon is an absolute must-have, as is the Smoked Meats Poutine with Curds and Gravy. The Portuguese Mussels with Linguica, Beer and Chickpeas is one of the best mussel dishes I have ever eaten. I also recommend the Maple Eggs with Crispy Bacon (pictured above), the Clam Cakes with House Tartar Sauce, and the Apple Cider Braised Brussels Sprouts with Sage and Crispy Chicken Skin.

I’m hoping eventually they’ll be adding some version of fried whole-belly Ipswich clams to the menu, as well as my favorite New England dessert, Indian pudding with molasses and cornmeal. Until that happens, I recommend ending your meal with Littlefork’s Whoopie Pies with Marshmallow Fluff, although I’m pretty sure that’s not something Don Draper would eat. You’ll be channeling your inner-Sally Draper at that point.

Littlefork is located at 1600 Wilcox Ave., Hollywood. UPDATE: GOOD THINGS DON’T LAST FOREVER. LITTLEFORK IS CLOSED.