Checking out Ludobites (Twice in a Week)

The second time I went to Ludobites, the waiter stared at me and said "Weren't you just here ...?" Hey, that was 5 days ago! It's not like I come every day ...

The first time I checked out Ludobites with LAist's Sam Kim, they were still offering their 3-course prix fixe for $39 and a small selection of appetizers you can order separately.

We started with an order of Gougeres with Mornay Sauce ($4)
Cheesy puffy pastry with creamy mornay sauce. Yum! I've had gougeres that ended up falling flat or became soggy, but these as you can see from the photos, weren't like that at all.

Next, we ordered the Foie Gras Miso Soup and Radish ($10)
Yes, it worked! I've been very curious as to how this would taste. Well, it tastes like miso soup! The cubed foie gras only made a much richer and denser "tofu" and giving it more body.

After the soup. we started with our prix-fixe meal.
Appetizer choice #1:
Sauteed Diver Scallop, Curry-Yogurt, Spinach (on a la carte menu: 2 scallops for $12)
This was one of my faves from the first night and I ordered it again when I went back. The yogurt curry is not overwhelming and pairs well with the fresh scallop.

Appetizer choice #2:
Tuna, Multi-Color Beets, Watermelon, Balsamic Pearls (on a la carte menu: $12)
This was a very pretty-looking dish with bright red, well, everything! Quite an interesting dish although towards the end I think it was too sweet for me. Both appetizers were good, but we ended up preferring the scallop.

Entree choices were black cod (which neither of us ordered) and
Braised Lamb "Seven Hours", Black Curry, Rosemary Polenta
Overall a good dish, although I expected a more tender lamb considering it was braised for "seven hours." The curry flavor was definitely there but not dominant - mostly we were tasting the lamb.

For the dessert options you can also get a cheese plate. Sam Kim ordered the cheese plate which consisted of three cheeses. The one I remember the most is the creamy, rich, oh-so-deliciously-pungent black-truffled goat cheese!

Strawberry Soup, Rhubarb, Hibiscus, Marshmallow Ice Cream (on a la carte menu $7)
I really enjoyed this strawberry soup. The soup by itself is sweet and thick enough that I won't drink it on its own, but along with the light and cold marshmallow ice cream, it was perfect. The ice cream's coldness cuts the sweetness just right and you end up with a refreshing bowl of dessert.

During my first trip I wasn't able to try the famous duck-fat fried chicken, so naturally I made my way back (5 days later). Especially after hearing they changed their concept from prix-fixe to small plates to share. And yes, the duck fat fried chicken was on the menu.

The menu was largely the same with some changes here and there. It's time for me to try thins I didn't get to try before!
Poached egg, Mayo, Black Olive bread ($5)
The poached egg was fairly well done - I like it better that way, less messy. A nice starter which I'd love to have for breakfast too.

Cheesy Rosemary Polenta, Oxtail Beef, Yellow carrots ($10)

The oxtail was buried within the cheesy polenta:
The cheesy polenta was delicious - rich and aromatic with a nice slightly-gamy taste from the oxtail. The oxtail was pretty tender but could be more tender for my taste, but definitely flavorful. Overall, a dish worth getting.

Calamari, Avocado, Lime, Fresh Almonds ($9)
This was one of those good-but-not-memorable dishes.

And last but not least, I made sure to get the now-famous Fried Chicken in Duck Fat, Basquaise Vegetables ($13)
Not just because 'everything fried is good', but because anything fried in DUCK FAT must be that much better. First of all, this was dark meat chicken, which in my not-so-humble opinion just tastes waay better than white meat. And fried. And fried in duck fat. From the crispy skin you can taste the richness of duck fat but it wasn't overwhelmingly fatty or greasy. The meat itself was tender and juicy and very flavorful.

The dessert choices were the strawberry soup (as above) and chocolate mousse with bell pepper sauce. The chocolate mousse was rich and delicious, but I'm not so sure about pairing it with bell peppers. Others might enjoy it but I personally am not a big fan of spicy and all this capsaicin stuff, so while it was definitely interesting, I tried to eat as little of the sauce as I could.

On both occasions Ludo comes out to greet the customers and asked how our meals were and we talked a bit about how often he's going to change the menu (about every 2 weeks or so).

As I was leaving the waiter waved and shouted out "See you next week!"
Not next week, I'll come in 2 weeks, when you change the menu :P

Ludo Bites (@ Breadbar)
8718 W 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 205-0124
www.ludolefebvre.com

NYC: Gramercy Tavern

I've been making my Michelin rounds in NYC. Gramercy Tavern was another amazing dinner from my last NYC trip back in November. With a much more casual ambiance than Jean Georges or Le Bernardin, this was the perfect choice for our big group dinner, as we can all talk and enjoy ourselves.

Gramercy Tavern only had one big table (bigger than 6) so the only time we were able to snatch a reservation for 8 was at 5:45 pm since there was another party coming later that night. We stayed waaay late and felt bad for the incoming party, but they didn't rush us at all. Instead of the tasting menu, we went with the prix-fixe $86 for 3 courses.

As usual, some of the first courses made it around the table so we can all sample.
Veal Cappelletti (Cauliflower and sage)
Tender and flavorful veal with al dente pasta. I liked the slightly herb-y sauce due to the sage. In a cold night in NYC, this was one satisfying comfort food. This was a good start and a good intro to the Gramercy Tavern meal. Simple, flavorful, well-executed.

Black Tagliatelle (chorizo, mussels, and calamari)
The black tagliatelle is typically made black using squid or cuttlefish ink, which also adds another layer of flavor. I only had a bit of this dish but really enjoyed it. The calamari was nice and chewy and went very well with the pasta.

Lamb Pappardelle (Olives, lemon confit, swiss chard)
This was another great dish with shreds of tender lamb. It was very flavorful, if not a tad salty. As a warning, the last two pasta dish was definitely a little on the salty side, but not overwhelmingly so.

For my second course, I ordered the Sea Bass (spaghetti squash, sherry sauce)
This is rather unlike me to order a fish (instead of my usual red meat), but boy was I glad I did! In my opinion, this was the best dish of the night! The fish was very moist and had a great texture, and I absolutely loved how it paired with the spaghetti squash! Compared to the first courses, the sauce here is slightly more delicate but still has a lot of flavor. This was definitely a hit.

As far as desserts go, there were two that stand out. The first stood out because it's unique and interesting:
Coconut Tapioca (Passionfruit and coconut sorbet, passionfruit caramel, and cilantro syrup)
I thought this was a creative and well-executed dessert. The flavor is fairly light. I like the flavor combination - the cilantro added a refreshing kick for me (though I know some people don't like cilantro).

The second stood up simply because of how awesome it was:
Warm Chocolate Bread Pudding (Cacao Nib ice cream)
It was warm. It was a gooey rich chocolatey goodness. It was comfort food dessert to the max. Simply put, it was an amazing chocolate bread pudding.

We finished off with a nice little plate of petit fours.
Gramcercy Tavern was a no fuss meal. No foam, no spherical liquid. Just straight-up a delicious and satisfying meal you enjoy among friends. It's a total comfort food for me back in that freezing New York "fall".

Gramercy Tavern Reserve Now!
42 E 20th St
New York, NY 10003
(212) 477-0777
www.gramercytavern.com

Justa Taste, Justa Laugh!

Just letting you guys know about the fundraising event coming up next week for the California Women's Law Center ! My advisor has been going to this since its inception and takes his female students with him (he told me to bring "any rich boyfriends [I] have available" to participate in the silent auction :P ).

Called Justa Taste, Justa Laugh, this fundraiser features food samplings of various restaurants (with women chefs and/or women-owned!) in LA and free-flowing wine. Last year's event even had an oyster bar!There will be a silent auction going on benefiting the CWLC. Last year's auction includes items from children's toys, restaurant gift certificates, all the way to an original sketch by Picasso, Miro, Degas, etc. The comedy show (this year featuring Latina lesbian comedian Reno) will start at 8:30.

Tickets are $125 and includes all food and wine and comedy show.