Providence's Anniversary $80 Menu Extended to July

Chef Michael Cimarusti's Providence Restaurant celebrated its 10th anniversary with a four-course menu for $80 in June, but don't be mad that I didn't tell you because they've extended it to the month of July!

Providence is one of the top fine dining destinations in LA, as evidenced by it having survived 10 years! It's one of my favorites, and though it would usually cost quite a pretty penny to dine there, every June they celebrate their anniversary with a cheaper 4-course menu (it has gone up from the $65 from a few years ago, but hey, inflation). And lucky you, they usually also extend it to July.

Oh, and your $80 gets you more than just four courses. When I went there were amuse bouche upon amuse bouche and great bread service before the real dinner even started. The amuse bouche included salmon skin chips with creme fraiche.

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Lobster Wednesdays at Pearl's Sunset Strip

I admit, I tend to avoid eating on Sunset Strip, so there are a lot of places there I have not yet visited. I was pretty surprised when I stepped on the second floor patio of Pearl's overlooking Sunset Blvd. Oh, hey, this is a pretty nice al fresco dining area!

So, I was there to check out their lobster night, but first ...some oysters

On Wednesdays, Pearl's serves a whole Maine lobster dinner - with fries and sides, for only $25!

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Eat for FREE at Cafe Rio [sponsored]

Want to eat for free like a food blogger? Well, now you can at Cafe Rio.

Cafe Rio is a fast casual chain serving a variety of Mexican food. The Southern California locations at Cafe Rio is offering a free meal and dessert for first-time diners who are willing to come in and give them honest feedback.

All you have to do is go there and fill out a survey of your dining experience (the survey can be found here, or you can also scan the QR code which will be posted at the restaurants). This campaign starts today while quantities last. The deal should be available all of this week, so be sure to hurry in!

This deal is only available at the following four SoCal locations: 

1800 Rosecrans Ave Suite G
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
(424) 456-3800

1140 Irvine Blvd.
Tustin, CA 92780
(657) 622-3000

27510 W Lugonia Ave
Redlands, CA 92374
(909) 801-6900

24312 Rockfield Blvd.
Lake Forest, CA 92630
(949) 334-9292

Bibigo Celebrates Hwangap Tradition With Prix-Fixe Deal

Hwangap (or hwangab) is a 60th birthday celebration in Korea. Why 60? Because it apparently signifies accomplishing a "big circle" and coincides with the lunar calendar's 60 year cycle. In Korea, the 60th birthday celebration is usually thrown by the children of the one turning 60. Well, Bibigo's parent company, CJ Foods, just turned 60 so the "child", Bibigo, is throwing the celebration! I thought that was kind of cute.

Bibigo is celebrating by offering a three course prix fixe menu (the first two courses include two dishes each, though) for $45 per two people, which also includes a soju tasting. The menu will be available until Saturday, November 30th.

The first course includes two spicy pork steamed buns and a plate of brussels sprouts.
The steamed buns contain spicy pork, pickled radish and cucumber, lettuce, hoisin teriyaki on Chinese bao.

With this item I usually worry about the buns themselves being too dense or dry but the ones here were nice and fluffy.
The brussels sprouts are served with zucchini, cloves of garlic, zucchini, chili pepper and dried prunes.

Of course, the main course has to have Hot stone bibimbap (your choice of protein and type of rice)

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Mo-Chica's $27 Tuesday OG Tasting Menu

When Mo-Chica was just a stall at the Mercado La Paloma, Ricardo Zarate would do special tasting menus on Tuesdays. They've no revived the Tuesday tastings at the downtown Mo-Chica. The "OG Tasting Menu" offers 5 courses for just $27! A good deal, right?

The menu changes but when I went the 5 courses started with an Heirloom tomato salad, crispy red quinoa, fresh mozzarella, huacatay pesto

A fun Peruvian twist on the cliche tomato mozzarella with pesto

The next course is a Ceviche trio:
tuna sashimi, yuzu miso, green shiso, mountain yam
Diver scallop, aji amarillo aioli, wasabi, tobiko
Hamachi, jalapeno ponzu, nori lettuce, garlic crisp

I'm glad they included a ceviche course in the tasting menu, because what's a visit to Mo Chica without some? Because it was more unusual to find, my favorite here was the scallop. 

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$45 4-Course Menu at Scarpetta, Every Day

Were you excited about Scarpetta's $45 DineLA menu? Are you bummed you missed it? If you answer yes to either of those, you might want to know that Scarpetta's had a $45 4-course prix fixe menu for a while now and is continuing it after DineLA.

I'll say it again: you can get a 4 course meal at Scarpetta for $45 any day.

All meals start with a bread basket that many consider to be the best in LA. Do try the Stromboli (they have a vegetarian version with broccolini which is equally delicious).

Now, on to the prix fixe menu. There are two options for each course, which will change seasonally. When I went last month the first course option included:

Tuscan Kale, red quinoa, medjool dates, and pecorino romano

It's hard to beat a well done kale salad, and this is definitely one of them.

The other options is a Braised Short Rib of Beef, vegetable, and farro risotto

It's certainly a heavier appetizer, but they were both good and will satisfy whichever mood you're in.

The second course is the pasta, or "Paste":
Spinach Pappardelle, housemade duck sausage ragu, morel mushrooms, and ramps

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Weekly $1 Oyster Specials!

A list of happy hours, half off wines and free corkage is great and all, but you know what's equally as good? Equally as important? OYSTERS. But oysters aren't cheap. Usually. Unless you find a deal for $1 oysters, so here's a list of where you can eat 20 oysters in one sitting any day of the week. Of course, if you know of another restaurant with this deal, please let me know!

Monday-Sunday/Daily
Chaya Downtown, 525 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071

$1 oysters daily, all night in the bar/lounge/patio area only (hat tip @dineLA)

Littlefork, 1600 Wilcox Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
$1 Naked Cowboy oysters daily, 5-7pm

EDIT: the deal is now $1.50 oyster of the day, daily 5-7pm and Friday&Saturday 10pm-close

Enterprise Fish Co, 174 Kinney St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Mon-Sat, 4-7pm. Sunday 8-10pm, plus Fri-Sat 9-11pm

EMC Seafood & Raw Bar, 3500 W 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Daily 5-7pm

Green Hut Cafe, 808 W 7th St., Los Angeles, CA 90017
Daily after 3pm

Drago Centro, 525 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Daily, anytime on the bar menu, $5 for 4 Crystal Point oysters (OK so that's $1.25 each but pretty close and served with peach mignonette!)

Monday-Friday
Fickle, 362 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
5-7PM (+$3 draft beers and $5 wines)

The Mercantile, 6600 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
5-8PM (+ happy hour drink specials)

Chaya Brasserie, 8741 Alden Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90048

Chaya Venice, 110 Navy St, Venice, CA 90291

5-7pm in the bar/lounge/patio area

Sunday-Thursday
Faith and Flower, 705 W 9th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
$1 oysters with pink peppercorn mignonette, 5-6:30pm. Bar/lounge area only.

---

Monday
The Hungry Cat Santa Monica, 100 W Channel Rd (@PCH), Santa Monica, CA 90402
1/2 oysters all night (OK, technically not $1 but half off makes $7.50 for half dozen. Close enough)

Delphine, 6250 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028
 5-10:30pm ($1 East Coast oysters, $2 West Coast oysters)

Bar Marmont, 8171 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046
"Oyster at Cost Mondays" so the price will vary depending on the oyster, but supposedly they're no more than $1.50 each

Tipple and Brine, 14633 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
$1 oyster all night (4:30-11pm), bar/lounge/patio area

--
Tuesday
MESSHALL, 4500 Hillhurst, Los Angeles, CA 90027
4-10pm (plus $5 beers)

Pearl's Liquor Bar, 8909 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
5pm-until they run out

--
Wednesday
McCormick and Schmick's, http://www.mccormickandschmicks.com/
5-10pm

The Churchill, 8384 W. 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048
6pm-close (hat tip to LAist)

--
Thursday
Cliff's Edge, 3626 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
6-7pm ($20 for a dozen after)

--
Friday
Caulfield's Bar and Dining Room, 9360 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
5-8PM

--
Saturday-Sunday
Littlefork, 1600 Wilcox Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
$1 oyster of the day for brunch, 11am-3pm

--
Sunday
BLVD16, 10740 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90024
$1 oyster all day

Pitfire Pizza's 15th Anniversary Special and New Fall Menu

Did you know that Pitfire Pizza has been around for 15 years, serving artisanal pizza?? I didn't know about them until they opened up the downtown location next to The Edison so I was surprised that they've been around for so long, but their original location in North Hollywood has been around for that long. Now they have locations in downtown, Westwood, West Hollywood, Culver City, and soon they'll be opening a Costa Mesa location.

Anyway, to celebrate this major milestone, Pitfire will be serving a special 15th Anniversary Tuscan Pizza (roasted potatoes, rosemary, gorgonzola, grilled chicken). Not only that, for the month of November, this pizza will be selling for the price it was back in 2006, which is $7.95! 

It's the perfect time to visit Pitfire Pizza, because at the same time they have just launched the Fall menu. Roasted Pear Salad

Farmer's Market Platter ($9.95) features heartier items like butternut squash and a bowl of  Cranberry beans and christmas beans. The brussel sprout and kale remain from previous seasons, and there is also a nice mixture of farro, crimini mushrooms, and hazelnut.

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Fleming's Sunday Prime Rib Dinner, Now $29.95 Until Sept 2

The Sunday Prime Rib dinner at Fleming's Steakhouse is typically $37.95, but this summer they've decided to offer it for only $29.95 until September 2nd. After trying it for myself and seeing how much you get for $29.95, I can say it's a pretty darn good deal! Here's what you get for it: salad, prime rib and a side, and dessert.

First off you get a full sized portion of your choice of salad.
There's THE WEDGE with crisp iceberg lettuce, grape tomatoes, red onions and crumbled blue cheese

Or if you don't want all that creamy dressing, then get the FLEMING'S SALAD with candied walnuts, dried cranberries, tomatoes, onions and croutons

The prime rib was rubbed with dry spices and served with three different sauces

Not only  was the prime rib huge, I honestly thought the prime rib was better than my last visit to Lawry's. Tender, cooked to a perfect medium rare pink, and I had enough leftover for a light lunch the next day.

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AYCE Pizza, Beer Flights, and More at Mohawk Bend

Mondays are happy days at Mohawk Bend with their all-you-can-eat pizza nights for only $15. But wait! For the rest of the year (2010), the AYCE pizza is only $12!! Even better!
The AYCE pizza nights take place in the Ramona Room which, when it isn't packed, makes for a good date night with its fireplace and arching tree (I'm not sure how crowded Mondays are now, though).

Instead of ordering, servers with trays of thin crust pizza fresh from the oven walks around and offers you a slice. Most of the pizzas on the menu will make its way out during the night, except for the Pig Newton (since Serrano ham is expensive, yo).

We tried quite a few that night, including a vegan pizza, a Thai chicken pizza, the Private Idaho (with potatoes, bacon, caramelized onions, creme fraiche), and the Abe Froman (house-made Italian sausage, peppers, fennel, mozzarella). The vegan pizza made with Daiya cheese was not too bad, but of course I will stick with the spicy Thai chicken pizza. You can also get a green salad for $4 extra.

Mohawk Bend is all about beer, of course, so you'll need some to wash down the pies. 5-7pm are flight hours at Mohawk, featuring two beer flights at $9 each, but you can get these beer flights in the Ramona Room all night. If you're not into the flights, you can also get specially-priced cocktails.

While waiting for the rest of our party, LA OC Foodie and I got one each of the available flights: the Bitter flight and the Dark. As LA OC Foodie said, we were dark and bitter people.

Point the Way, Picket Fence Wheat IPA, Stone Cali-Belgique,  Mongo DIPA

Brekle's Brown, DDH 15th Anniv, Navigator Doppelbock, Stone IRS 2010

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Hot and Soupy #3: Kaori Sushi, $50 Omakase, and Lobster Soup

I try not to come down to Orange County much (what would I do there?), but when I have to (i.e. when former roommate Kat's 9 Lives demands a visit from me), I ask for good food. The last I visited her in OC I was coaxed with some omakase at Kaori, a Korean-run sushi joint in Fullerton.

OK, this visit was actually quite some time ago, but I thought it would be an appropriate post for the "hot and soupy" series because the most memorable part of the meal was the lobster miso soup.

Now why would I go have omakase at a korean-run sushi place in Fullerton of all places? Well, Kat's previous report of a $50 omakase that included live lobster was pretty enticing.
Apparently you can call ahead and tell him you want to spend $50 and that you want the lobster soup so he can go buy lobster for you.

Turns out here at Kaori, $50 goes a long way.

We started with some vegetable tempura, followed by some Ankimo with ponzu sauce.

The came a plate of softshell crab.
Nice and crunchy although a tad heavy on the sauce.

Amaebi

Marinated oyster.
The Sashimi plates were also pretty impressive. We got two plates throughout the night consisting of toro, uni, hamachi belly, and more.
While they aren't the best pieces of sashimi you'd find around town, the quality and variety were both quite good considering the price we were paying.

A series of sushi came next, from Albacore belly to Ono with jalapeno ponzu sauce.

The sushi chef Gino showed his own flair too with local ingredients, as exemplified with the Anaheim Chili stuffed with salmon, topped with sriracha sauce.
It was just a li~ttle spicy for my level (I'm training, believe me), but it was a pretty creative dish. An Asian, fishy take on Chile Relleno?

Finally came the main attraction. The headliner of the night. Live lobster!
Live lobster sashimi in a $50 omakase? You have to call ahead and tell him you want it so he can go buy one for you, but if you do, a lobster will be killed and snapped in front of you.

Well, enough with the gore. Here's the delicious part: Live Lobster Sashimi
That's not all though. The best part is still to come. After you're done with the tail sashimi, he will take the rest and make an amazing Lobster Miso Soup.
This was the tour de force of the meal. The soup had so much flavor and texture from the miso base, the bits of lobster meat, and - perhaps the key secret ingredient - the lobster eggs which really added a lot of texture.

The meal ended with a simple matcha ice cream. Being my first time here, I was actually rather worried at the end, incredulous that the meal would actually only cost $50, but there it was on the bill: $50 per person.

Definitely a great deal for some omakase and while the sushi isn't at the level of the top joints in town, the lobster miso soup is worth a try.

Kaori Japanese Restaurant
500 N Harbor Blvd #C
Fullerton, CA 92832
(714) 871-9395

NYC: Pre-Theatre Deal at Center Cut Steakhouse

I decided to go to Center Cut since:1) it also happened to the OpenTable Stimulus Week when I was in NY and wanted to take advantage of the deal, and 2) it was right next to the Lincoln Center where I was going to see the musical South Pacific (AWESOME, btw).

It turned out though, Center Cut has a $39 pre/post-theatre prix-fixe deal all the time anyway! Oh well ...
The $39 deal is called the "Center Cut 4^2" so as you can deduce, it comes with 4 items: Soup, Salad, Entree, Side (and bonus cookies at the end).

First came the bread - which looked like a popover. It had a different texture and taste though (still hollow in the middle, however).For the soup I opted for the Golden Potato & White Truffle Cream w/ crispy shoestring potatoes
Nice texture (rich, creamy), and pretty aromatic with both the white truffle cream and the sliver of black truffle on there.

I also tried the Five Alarm Wagyu Chili Soup corn bread crisps and sour cream, that someone else ordered.
This tastes great, except that it was somewhat spicy for me - I had to finish it off with the rich, creamy potato soup to calm my tongue down.

For the "salad" I got the Mozzarella Compression opal basil and virgin olive oil
A great and simple appetizer. The tomatoes were amazing: sweet and juicy. All four of us ordered this dish and are glad we did.

For the entree I ordered the Steak Au Poivre: 6oz brandt beef filet, red peppercorn crust and braised belgian endive
This is actually a great steak! Well-prepared (I asked for medium rare), tender and juicy - it wasn't at all overcooked! The peppercorn crust really adds a nice flavor.
Really enjoyed it over all.

The other ppl on the table got:
Hot Smoked King Salmon poached asparagus, morel mushrooms and dried cherry butter
Jumbo Pink Shrimp Scampi basmati strudel
They seemed to be enjoying these dishes too.

Some of the sides were pretty interesting, like these Eggplant Fries:
All the food was good quality and well-prepared. While not mind-blowing, they were very solid and enjoyable. Plus with the prix-fixe deal, we believe this was the best deal we got in NY this trip!

The $39 meal also came with cookies and milk (!) which you can take to go (to take to the theatre with you) or eat there. What we didn't know before was how big these cookies were going to be!
This huge stack was for ONE person. They were WARM, right out of the oven, and moist.

The milk came in individual ceramic bottles - CUTE.

Being stuffed and happy (and happy for the bill too), we ambled to the Lincoln Center - just across the street pretty much.

I would definitely recommend Center Cut's theatre deal for people who are in New York. It's no Jean Georges but it's very solid food and quite a deal. The restaurant is also not loud, allowing actual conversations, with very courteous servers.


Center Cut (at The Empire Hotel)
44 W 63rd St, New York 10017
Btwn Columbus Ave & Central Park W
Phone: 212-956-1288