Showing posts with label prix fixe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prix fixe. Show all posts

Monday, April 2, 2012

Pre-Theatre Prix Fixe at Boulud Sud (New York, NY)

Early in the evening, Daniel Boulud's new Mediterranean restaurant, Boulud Sud, has a pre-theatre prix fixe menu, three courses for $55. Since I was going to see War Horse and the restaurant was just a stone's throw away from the Lincoln Center, I thought it would be a perfect time to check it out.

The restaurant was pretty full when we got there, but it was still quiet enough to hold a conversation.

Bread
The "bread", of course, was Mediterranean. 
For my first course, I ordered the Octopus a la plancha with marcona almonds, arugula, Jerez vinegar
Octopus
I liked how the subtle accompaniments showcase the flavors of the octopus itself, which also had a great texture.

My companion ordered the House made lamb kibbeh, swiss chard, feta, pine nuts
Lamb Kibbeh
It was not what he expected, apparently. It was good but I thought it was a little dry and we both preferred the octopus.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Junoon, a Michelin-starred Indian? (New York)

An Indian restaurant with a Michelin star? I couldn't really imagine it with the Indian places in LA, but I'm sure London would have plenty great restaurants and it seems like NYC is trying to catch up with Chef Vikas Khanna's Junoon.

Lunch was a great opportunity to dip our feet into Junoon, with their $24 deal for 3 course prix-fixe (limited menu) or $38 for 3 course a la carte prix-fixe (can order from the entire menu). The spacious and lavish decor is certainly Michelin-star worthy.

I was curious about the dishes on the regular menu, so I had the a la carte prix fixe while my companions ordered the $24 deal. For the appetizer, I went with the Adraki Bater (quail marinated in cumin, ginger juice, and lime juice)

Adraki Bater
These tandoori quail may be my favorite dish that we tried. It was both interesting and very flavorful and moist.

DestinationEats ordered the Piri Piri Shrimp in a Goan chili sauce with avocado and jicama salad
PiriPiri Shrimp
Not as spicy as Indian food can be but packed with spices nonetheless, and the shrimp were well cooked.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Valentine's Dining For $60 and Under

Nick+Stef's V-day dessert

Hamamori: $47 for three courses
Prix fixe menu selection includes wagyu beef tartare, cured yellowtail, and housemade ravioli with lobster.
South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bear St # 320, Costa Mesa, CA 92626. (714) 850-0880
Friday, February 11th to Monday, February 14th.


Nick + Stef's Steakhouse: $59 for three courses ($69 for four courses).
Selections include yellowtail sashimi, poached loup de mer, braised Kurobuta pork belly, and oak grilled filet mignon. The pictured dessert above is Rose petal macaroon, lychee sorbet and fresh raspberry sauce.
330 S. Hope Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071. 213 680 0330
Friday, February 11th to Monday, February 14th.

Pinot Bistro: $55 for three courses ($65 for four)
Menu choices include caviar, roasted beet salad, wild forest mushroom risotto, duo of beef and chocolate sable cake.
12969 Ventura Blvd, Studio City, CA 91604. (818) 990-0500

The Raymond: $55 for three courses ($65 for four)
Menu choices include Alaskan king crab salad, sashimi, New Zealand lamb, and flexible chocolate ganache.
1250 South Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105. (626) 441-3136
Sunday, February 13th and Monday, February 14th.


RH Restaurant: $120 per couple ($60 pp) for five courses
Menu includes roasted lobster and split pea bisque vinaigrette, homemade foie gras terrine with grape marmalade, slow braised beef cheek.
8401 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069. (323) 785-6090

SUGARFISH by Sushi Nozawa: $90 for two ($45 pp)
The special V-day menu has more than the usual Nozawa menu and includes a variety of nigiri sushi, sweet shrimp, and two pieces each of toro, crab, and yellowtail handrolls. See the full menu.
Multiple Locations.

Vertical Wine Bistro: $49 for three courses
Selections include crab cakes, pan seared monkfish, beef wellington, and lemon souffle tart.
70 N. Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103. (626) 795-3999

Vū Restaurant: $120 per couple ($60 pp)
A 7-course tasting including a tasting of crudos, bison carpaccio, bone marrow, King Cole duck, and dark chocolate mousse.
14160 Palawan Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292. (310) 439-3033

Waterloo and City: $55 for three courses
12517 West Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90066. (310) 391-4222

The Yard: $50 for three courses (includes a glass of champagne).
Your main course selection is a Roasted Cote de Boeuf for two or a whole roasted loup de mer, and chocolate truffle tart for dessert.
119 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 395-6037

Zucca Ristorante: $55 for three courses ($65 for four)
Menu choices include squid ink risotto and lobster, bone-in pork loin, and rose petal macaroon.
801 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90017. (213) 614 7800.
Friday, February 11th to Monday, February 14th.


And while Petrossian did not make this under $60 list, their $75 pp menu is tempting as it includes 30g caviar to share per couple!

Sunday, December 26, 2010

New Year's Eve Dining Under $60

There's no need to drain your savings to eat out on New Year's Eve (or opt for AYCE kbbq like I've done in the past 2 years). For a classy night out that won't break the bank, check out these restaurants offering prix fixe menus for under $60:

Border Grill. 4-Course Dinner For $45, $5 wine pairings (half-glasses).
1445 4th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401. (213) 746-0050.
445 S. Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90071. (213) 486-5171

Corkbar. $55 for 4 courses, complimentary glass of sparkling wine included. 6:30 and 9:30 pm seatings.
Optional pairings: $10 beer, $18 wine, $25 champagne/sparkling. Live music from 9 pm.
403 W 12th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015. (213) 746-0050.

District. $45 for 3 courses and includes a glass of bubbly. Menu choices will include oyster, smoked pork, and market fish.
6600 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028. (323) 962-8200

Eva Restaurant. $55 for 4-course dinner (6 pm seating only, 6-course for a higher price for later seating). Chef Mark Gold promises bubblies for diners.
7458 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036. (323) 634-0700

Ford's Filling Station. $55 for 3 courses.
9531 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232. (310) 202-1470


Nick + Stef's Steakhouse. $59 for 3-course dinner. Menu includes lobster and truffle ravioli, venison loin and berry ladyfingers.
330 S Hope St, Los Angeles, CA 90071. (213) 680-0330

Noir Food and Wine. $59 for 4-course dinner for 8:30-9:30 PM (second seating, a la carte menu available earlier).
40 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106. (626) 795-7199

The Yard. $50 for 3 courses + champagne. Menu includes crab bisque, beef wellington, and meringue custard.
119 Broadway Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401. (310) 395-6037.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Dine Out this Holiday: Affordable Christmas Eve/Day Menus

We all know most restaurants jack up their prices on holidays, but that doesn't mean you can't dine out in style and still make it under budget. Here are a few options under $50. (PS. Eva's $39 family style dinner is the same price as their normal Sunday family dinners!)

Christmas Eve

Eva Restaurant. $39 Family-style dinner.
On the menu: Salted Prime Rib Roast, Whole Roasted Organic Chicken, Creamed Spinach, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Butterscotch Pudding.
7458 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036. T: (323)634-0700.

Nick + Stef's Steakhouse. $45 for 3 courses.
On the menu: Wild mushroom and mascarpone tortelloni, Roasted black cod with winter truffle sauce, and Bûche simplicity.
330 S Hope Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071. T: (213)680-0330.


Christmas Day

Cauliflower Souffle
Oliverio at the Avalon Hotel. $48 for 4 courses.
Choices include cauliflower souffle, veal ravioli with cheese and truffle fondue, roasted sea bass with cabbage and porcini, and cranberry parfait.
9400 W Olympic Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90212. T: (310) 277-5221.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Lunch Prix Fixe at The Kitchin (Edinburgh, UK)

The menu read: "Ravioli of game from the border"

I (stupidly) asked: "which border?"
The waiter looked at me. "The England-Scotland border."
Oh, right, silly me. I was in Scotland.

Having survived on grilled sandwiches (sorry, "toasties") for lunch that whole week and dining at bars/pubs with friends (which were awesome) after my conference sessions, I treated myself to one nice lunch: The Kitchin. The Kitchin was opened by husband and wife Tom and Michaela Kitchin in 2006 and six months later, in 2007, won a Michelin star.

IMG_4212
Gougere and an assortment of vegetable chips

Their tagline? From Nature to Plate. Meat sourced from a local game-keeper, hand-dived scallops, and mushrooms from around Edinburgh hunted by the Kitchins themselves.


Dining at The Kitchin is pretty expensive, but luckily they have a three-course lunch prix fixe for £24.50. The wine list was also notably expensive. The cheapest glass I could find was £9.50 (almost $15). Regardless, a glass must be had.


As an amuse bouche, I started with a bowl of Langoustine Bisque over tomato. It was cold in Edinburgh, and this bowl warmed my body right up as I hunted for the langoustine pieces.
Langoustine Bisque at The Kitchin

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

SUGARFISH: Quality Sushi, "Everyday Luxury"

Emmanuele (Lele) Massimini and his friends were avid fans of Sushi Nozawa and made the trek from Santa Monica to Studio City every week for Chef Kazunori Nozawa's sushi. When Chef Nozawa mentioned his concept of bringing his high quality sushi at a cheaper price to them, the SUGARFISH team was born.

Photo courtesy of SUGARFISH

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Preview: Upcoming Nameless Restaurant in Downtown LA

There was a nameless underground supper club in downtown associated with Daily Dose Coffeehouse. It may still be nameless, but soon it will no longer just an underground supper club.
The supper club maintained by developer Sarkis Vartanian, Chef Christian Page, and Ran Zimon is about to go public. Soon, the loft upstairs at Industrial St will be open up to serve prix-fixe multi course dinners (priced around $35) and simple breakfast and lunches at the coffeehouse downstairs.
They recently held a friends and media preview dinner for this supper club.

Chef Christian Page had previously worked with Chef Brian Bistrong at The Harrison in New York (Chef Bistrong now owns Braeburn in New York), so when this project started, he decided he must get Bistrong on board.

Chef Bistrong flew in for a day just to help prepare this preview dinner.

Guests mingled over hors d'oeuvres , including Nick Griffith from Intelligentsia since the supper club plans on serving Intelligentsia coffee once they open.



Our meal started with some French Onion Soup with oxtail, broth poured tableside.
I enjoyed this variation of french onion soup with the tender oxtail meat, though I did miss the melted cheese.

Blue Prawn with vinaigrette and heirloom tomatoes
A crisp, well prepared shrimp and sweet juicy tomatoes. A nice dish although compared to the other dishes to come that night, this became unmemorable.

Pappardelle with Braised Osso Buco
Pappardelle with some type of meat ragu is a dish I would order anywhere. The version here does not disappoint. A hearty dish with al dente pasta, tender meat and flavorful sauce.

Roast chicken, spinach, paprika sauce
I'm always wary about eating white meat at restaurants, but this one is surprisingly moist. The paprika sauce had a nice restrained spice as well.

Skirt steak, served in cast iron skillet
Have I told you I love skirt steak? More so than any other cut, skirt steak always has more flavor. If done well so that it doesn't become tough, that is. The one Chef Page and Bistrong prepared was certainly both flavorful and tender.

This main entree also came with three different sides.

Sesame-crusted asparagus

Roasted cauliflower

Carrot Puree
This sweet and creamy carrot puree ended up being my favorite side. If they fed me this when I was a kid, my eye sight might not be as bad now ...
(instead they fed me carrot juice. )

Ran Zimon runs his own pastry company and will providing all the desserts for the supper club.
During this dinner we had Chocolate mousse cake

Chocolate walnut tart
Rich with dark chocolate and crunchy. It's a great decadent end to my meal.

After dessert, Ran Zimon decided to bring out a special treat. I don't know if you'll get this at the supper club or not but you should hope you will: a plate of middle eastern-style tartare.

We're still not sure when the supper club is opening its doors to the public or what its name will be, but stay tuned,

Daily Dose Coffeehouse's Nameless Supper Club
1820 Industrial St.
Los Angeles, CA 90021

Friday, May 7, 2010

Old Town Pasadena Restaurant Week

Pasadena residents can look forward to the first week of June, when Old Pasadena Restaurant Week 2010 will be held.

From June 1st to June 8th, over 25 restaurants in Old Town Pasadena will be offering 3-course prix fixe lunches and dinners priced $15/25 and $25/35.

That's not all, you'll be doing good, too. 10% of the proceeds will go towards Union Station Homeless Services.

Check back on their website for updated menus and list of participating restaurants. Right now your options will include Crispy Soft Shell Crab at BarCelona, Acqua Pazza and Olive Oil Cake at La Grande Orange, and Farro Risotto at Vertical Wine Bistro, among others.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

La Cachette Bistro: Salmon Sausages and Rum Brunch

La Cachette was a long-standing restaurant in Century City, where chef/owner Jean Francois Meteigner served California-influenced French dishes for fifteen years. Now the restaurant has found a new home as La Cachette Bistro on Ocean Avenue, where you can take in the ocean breeze on the patio.
They wanted to promote their lunch prix fixe deal, so they invited me over for lunch. It was impossible for me to make it there during the weekday, however, so I ended up coming in for a Saturday brunch instead.

The lunch prix fixe on Monday-Friday gets you Soup of the Day or House Salad, One of Three Entree Choices, and Dessert of The Day for just $15. Pretty good deal, no?

Soon after we were seated, Marc Danays, the bartender came over to greet us and offered some libations. I had brought 0ne of my roommates with me. She's originally from Cambridge and she and Marc noted their common accent and the two of them hit it off immediately (Marc worked at major clubs in London).

We decided to let him make whatever he wants and these are what we got:
"Bubbly Love" (gin, lime, pomegranate liqueur, topped with champagne) for me.
"Deep South" (rum, OJ) for my roommate (who told him she liked rum lots and lots).
Both drinks were sweet and refreshing, but I ended up liking my roommate's drink more. Mine was a little bitter, perhaps the combination of the herbal gin and the rosemary was a bit much for me. There's also that whole "drink OJ during brunch" habit hardwired into my brain.

Some eggy bread with a sweet crust to start.
We really wanted to sit outside and enjoy the sun and breeze, but since it ended up being a rather windy day, we both started with some soups.

My roommate got the Smoked Tomato and Shiitake Mushroom Soup ($6)
The chunks of shiitake were very good and brought the dish up a notch. The soup had a nice smokiness (in the words of my roommate, it reminds her of when she puts bacon in tomato sauce).

Lightly creamed Lobster Bisque, served with Rouille ($7)
No lobster chunks here, but you can definitely taste the lobster. A thin but flavorful bisque.

At first I went for a standard brunch fare:
Organic Egg Benedict on Brioche, with House Smoked Salmon (or Ham), served with Baby Mixed Greens ($18)
The smoked salmon used here was on the meatier side and had a good smoked flavor. The brioche was nicely flaky and the egg was poached well - runny without being too much so.

My roommate never had a croque before so that's what she ordered.
Croque Monsieur on House Baked Bun with Bechamel, Swiss Cheese, Organic Ham ($14 + $2 for egg). She got the egg- so technically she got a Croque Madame.
I tried a bite and it was a pretty good although a heavier version of the croque, given the thicker, richer buns used in it. Even so the bread was pretty air so the dish was not overly dense. The ham was also smoked in house and was great. My roommate loved it and it was her favorite entree from the table.

Chef Meteigner decided to send out another dish that he wanted us to try:
Scrambled Eggs Wrapped in House Smoked Salmon, with House Made Salmon Sausage, Capers, Onions, served with Mixed Greens ($17)
The wonderfully moist scrambled eggs are indeed wrapped inside the salmon:
I'm glad he sent out this dish as it turned out to be my favorite. The lemony frisee complemented the salmon very well. I loved the moist and runny scrambled eggs. Most notably though was the salmon sausages made from smoked salmon, fresh salmon, and a bit of white fish. The sausages were light yet flavorful.

Instead of a normal palate cleanser, Marc sent out one in alcoholic liquid shot form. A palate cleanser cocktail? I think Marc's on a mission ... to get us drunk :p
This was made with thyme, lemon, and a rather special vodka: Zubrowka, a bison grass flavored vodka from Poland. Sweet and smooth. Dangerous.

Then came desserts.

Floating Island w/ Caramel & Hazelnut Pistachio Almond Nougatine ($9)
This was a fluffy meringue sitting on top of a pool of Crème anglaise and topped with pralines. We both absolutely loved the praline.

Homemade Rum Baba with Pressed Pineapple and Creme Fraiche ($8)
After biting into just the rum baba, we thought it was definitely a good rum baba, but it wasn't until we found out what was in the little tin jug that this dessert become amazing. No, not maple syrup.
Rum.
Jamaican dark rum. Just a spoonful of dark rum ... and a little piece of baba. Oh yes.

Maybe it was the overflowing libations we had but we both really enjoyed our experience here. The patio had a classic French bistro look with the added bonus of So Cal sun and sea breeze. Chef Meteigner's food was good, especially the delectable house made salmon sausages, as well as their house smoked salmon and ham. Both of the classic desserts we had were more than solid. Give me some eggs, salmon sausages, and a rum-soaked baba, and I'm good. If only I can make it here during the week for their $15 three course lunches.

La Cachette Bistro
1733 Ocean Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 434-9509
www.lacachettebistro.com
La Cachette Bistro on Urbanspoon
La Cachette Bistro in Los Angeles

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Marea: Seafood, Pasta, and My Latest Fave NYC Lunch

Oh, Marea ... Your Michelin 1-star, NYT 3 stars, and best new restaurant are all well-deserved.

But that wasn't why I went. I went because Sam Kim of LAist said I should, and I'm more than glad I did.

Business lunch at Marea runs $34 for 2 courses and the bright and spacious restaurant across from Central Park was a pleasure to dine in.

My lunch buddy got a tasting of three crudos for the first course ($8 supplement).
All three of the crudos we chose were wonderful but in particular I really enjoyed the delicateness and simplicity of the PASSERA which is the long island fluke with lemon thyme and olio nuovo.

For a better view: SEPPIA and PASSERA

I (surprise, surprise) ordered the ASTICE containing Nova Scotia lobster, burrata, eggplant al fungheto, basil and basil seeds.
Get it. Get it, get it. The burrata and the light basil seed sauce wonderfully accentuates the fresh lobster. Never overwhelming in any way, this was a lovely and balanced dish.

Moving into a more flavor-forward dish with the POLIPO (grilled octopus, insalata di riso, fava, yellow tomato).
Another highly recommended dish with the chewy and meaty octopus. The rice salad nicely mellows out the saltiness of the octopus and if that wasn't enough texture contrast for you, combine it with the pine nuts on the side.

In contrast to the delicate and meticulous plating of our first courses, the pasta courses looked decidedly simple but they were just as masterfully executed.
For my second course: Spaghetti with Santa Barbara uni, crab, and basil.
The creaminess of the uni really shone through with this al dente pasta. This was a dish bursting with flavor.

You can actually get some meat or fish dishes as your second course, but we both got our pasta this late afternoon. My companion had the equally delicious MARE (acquarello risotto, scallops, gulf shrimp, lobster - $5 supplement).
A much more subtle dish than the uni spaghetti - this is perhaps the best risotto I've had in a while.

Both of the desserts we initially ordered were nice but they were shadowed by the brilliance of our two courses.






The dessert portions were small and we were somehow unsatisfied, and so we ended up getting another one. Our server recommended the Torrone and it proved to be more satisfying than the first two.
Still, since the desserts range about $14 each, if you're like us foodbloggers trying to squeeze 50 eating places in a 5-day NYC trip, you'd be better off getting your dessert elsewhere.

For their crudi, antipasti, and pasta, however, there is no reason not to go to Marea. Just go.


Marea
240 Central Park South
New York, NY 10021
(212) 582-5100
www.marea-nyc.com
Marea on Urbanspoon
Marea in New York

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