Italian Wines and Lunch at Firenze Osteria with Fabio Viviani

I confess, I actually don't really watch much TV, including Iron Chef, Top Chef and all that, but I do hear about the contestants and winners. Most Angelenos probably know of Fabio Viviani, a Top Chef contestant and now cookbook author and celebrity chef, who then opened up Firenze Osteria in Toluca Lake and Cafe Firenze in Moorpark. I went for the first time for a hosted wine paired lunch with Santa Margherita wines. Fabio was there to prepare our lunch and talk to us, and with his travel schedule, this was a chance hard to pass up.

The reviews seemed mixed. LA Times' SIV went in 2009 and didn't like it, but my friend Weezer Monkey went recently and loved it. My Last Bite also says it's one of her favorites in the area. It turns out based on this lunch I'm loving it too. Now, I can't tell you if S Virbila's dislike of this place came from the fact that she went when they had just opened, or because Fabio is actually here taking care of our meals, or because I rarely agree with her in the first place. All I can tell you is that we had a great lunch and that this is what this restaurant can be.

Fabio Viviani at his restaurant.

Now, a bit of background on how this lunch came to be. Antonio Terlato, founder of Terlato Wines, was the first one to introduce Pinot Grigio to the US. Fabio Viviani's partnership with Terlato (and thus Santa Margherita) began when he won a trip to Napa in one of the Top Chef challenges. He did a tasting with Terlato and they fell in love with him. He says he grew up drinking Chianti and enjoy cooking with them.

The main dining room.

Unexpectedly, this was to be a seven course lunch! And Fabio warned us that the portions will not be small, either. He's Italian, he exclaims. He also says in an Italian home, if a guest doesn't finish his/her food, s/he won't be invited back. Uh oh.

Bracing for the courses ahead, we started with some Crostino di Pancetta (toasted bread, burrata, grilled pancetta, crispy sage, brown butter)

Read more »

Finding the ROOT at BLVD Bar (Studio City)

The BLVD Hotel in Studio City recently opened up their intimate lobby into a bar called BLVD Bar.

I was invited to their launch party and tasted the drinks they offered. It's a small place so the bar itself is not big, but enough to offer an eclectic menu.

All the drinks are named after boulevards in Los Angeles. Many of them are vodka-based 'tinis, which are appropriate for the target audience. There's even one with layered colors called Santa Monica Blvd, undeniably pretty, but for those who have gotten bored of those, there is still something here for you. The La Cienega Blvd drink is one of the best margaritas I've had in town, made with Don Julio tequila, agave syrup, and lime.

An unusual bottle of spirit caught my eye during the party: ROOT. The label says this 80-proof spirit was a "certified organic neutral spirits with North American herbs and pure cane sugar."

The ingredients listed included birch bark, wintergreen, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and more. They use this in a drink called Ventura Blvd made with Root , Canton ginger liqueur, black rum, grenadine and mango syrup. It was a sweet and balanced drink with an unusual herbal undertone.
I wanted to try the Root by itself so they gave me a shot of it. Upon the first whiff my brain said "root beer." Unmistakably root beer. With the first taste, though, it was most certainly not. It was potent, fairly thick, with strong herbal notes.
I was very happy with this particular spirit discovery, and pleasantly surprised that I found this at BLVD Bar!

BLVD Bar
10730 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604
http://www.theblvdhotel.com/cafe-bar-lounge/

Brunching in Old Town's New Gastropub, Kings Row (Pasadena)

Bananas Foster Griddle Cakes

When a gastropub opened up in Old Town Pasadena, I admit I didn't pay much attention. That is, until I saw Deep End Dining and Trippy Food rave about the oxtail at Kings Row. They claimed it was fit for a king, and that intrigued me, so when they invited me to try out the new brunch menu, I accepted.

Kings Row opened in the old Neomeze space, which they have completely transformed from the pink and blue-lit lounge to the brick-walled bare space playing country music.

The brunch menu was pretty diverse with dishes ranging from chorizo fajitas to chicken fried steak to fish and chips. And buckwheat waffles a.k.a. the best waffles I've ever had. More on that later.

The fish and chips ($14) featured huge pieces of moist, nicely battered fish. We liked the fries as well, but could've skipped the mushy peas (is that a British thing?)

A hint for things to come: the portions are generous.

Read more »

Nespresso Pixie Launch Party with Ted Allen and Pixie Lott

My first exposure to Nespresso was from my former roommate who owned a machine. We would chat over an easily made espresso (pop in capsule, press button, and voila). And they were good! They may not be as good as the ones made by real baristas at, say, Intelligentsia, but they were certainly better than what I could achieve, and at $0.55 per capsule they make espressos a more affordable life style choice.

So, Nespresso recently launched a new model. A much more compact machine dubbed Pixie, which easily fits on small kitchen counters (my Pixie is smaller than my water kettle or my bread box). More about the machine later, let's talk about a party. To get word going about the Pixie, Nespresso held intimate parties around the US and I was invited to the LA one, held in a suite at the W Hotel in Hollywood. There were various reasons to come to this party, one of them was that Ted Allen from Food Network's Chopped was there to host the party.

A propos to the name Pixie, they had a British hit pop singer Pixie Lott perform a few songs for us also! Now, I hadn't heard of her before since I'm pretty unaware of the pop world, much less the British pop world, but apparently she's huge there and was actually named "Hottest Female" by Virgin Media Music Awards.

Read more »

Chew, Bow, Sip. Watching a Japanese Tea Ceremony (Sado)

I have always wanted to be a part of a Japanese tea ceremony (sado), but I wasn't able to find a place to do so until the Kulov Tea Festival last year. They had a tea ceremony workshop held by Mrs. Soshitsu Nishimura of the Edo Senke school. They have different school/styles of tea ceremony, and unfortunately I have no idea what the differences are. The workshop was held at Royal/T and they had quite a few attendees so we did not sit on tatami mats and participated fully. We sat in chairs and watched and partook in wagashi and the matcha that Nishimura sensei's student prepared.

The tea ceremony is all about purity and hospitality, so the first thing the host does after kneeling (or sitting) down is clean all the utensils and bowls that will be used (after the fire for the water is lit, of course). Afterward, she transfers some water to get it cooled down to the proper temperature.

Before tea, the guests are served a wagashi (traditional Japanese snack).

Read more »

Working Into the Night at Tom N Toms (Koreatown). Open til 4 AM!

It's past midnight. You need to get work done, but being in your room puts you to sleep. You need coffee and some snacks, and a change of atmosphere. Is there anyplace you can go? Actually, there is. Coffee houses in Koreatown apparently tends to open late, including Tom N Toms Coffee, which stays open until 4 am (they open at like 6 or 7 am also - who knows when they sleep!).

Apparently Tom N Toms is a big chain in Korea. There's only one location in LA right now but they are planning seven more. Oh, and they're famous for their butter toast (their version of brick toast).

They have different flavors including walnut and caramel, and they also have savory items like pepperoni pretzels.

Did I mention there's free wifi?

I was told that the most unique drink is their walnut Walnut Tomnccino ($3.95/4.50/4.80). It is actually the most expensive of their frozen blended drinks, but it is definitely different. I had expected flavors from a walnut syrup, but instead it had a strong walnut flavor, as if I was eating a Chinese walnut soup!

I tried the Caramel Bread ($5.50). Apparently they have a special toaster for these brick toasts. I actually like these better than the famous brick toast at Half and Half Teahouse in SGV. The one here is thicker yet more moist. I could do without the tall whipped cream, but it didn't really hurt either.  

It's after midnight. You need your laptop and wi-fi handy, plus some caffeine and sugar. K-town is the answer.

Tom N Tom's Coffee
3300 West 6th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90020-5613
(213) 427-9867
http://tomntomsusa.net/www/us.php

Disclosure: this visit was hosted.

Heirloom LA Launches Food Truck

Heirloom LA is not just any food truck. Matthew Poley brings his experience working for Gino Angelini into his homemade pastas, his famous lasagna cupcakes, and everything else from a braised brisket to pork belly. Tara Maxey, in charge of the sweets, honed her skills working at Cake Monkey Bakery.

Heirloom LA started off as a catering company, so their food so far might have eluded many people, except for a somewhat brief stint at Intelligentsia Pasadena, but now you can find them roaming the streets of LA with their new truck, powered by Windows Phone. They held a preview party last week at Bar Covell, which I happily attended (lasagna cupcakes!)

Read more »

Sotto: Beyond the Test Kitchen

Chefs Steve Samson and Zach Pollack (formerly of Pizzeria Ortica in Costa Mesa) recently opened up Sotto on the first floor of the old Test Kitchen space. Sotto focuses its menu on Southern Italian cuisine with a wood-burning Neapolitan pizza oven.

After hearing great reviews, I finally made my visit. The Test Kitchen space looks quite different now, but it was just as packed (and a little loud).

We started the meal with tomato-braised octopus ai ferri, chickpeas, preserved lemon, chard, bottarga ($14)

Sorry, David Chang, I like my "rustic Italian shit" including this one. There's just something about a hearty tomato-based dish, especially with this tender octopus and the chard.

Casarecce, braised lamb ragu, egg, pecorino ($15)

Casarecce, which means "homemade", is basically a short, partially rolled pappardelle. They're rolled loosely and look like scrolls. Al dente and almost chewy, it's hard to imagine what would go better with these pasta than chunky lamb ragu.

Grilled lamb ribs in agrodolce, sesame seeds, mustard green salad ($22)

Read more »

Snowiest Cities and Sam Adams' Summer Ale

The past winter, Columbia, Missouri had 51.6 inches of snow, making it the snowiest city in the US. Boston brewery Sam Adams decided to help by hosting a "Summer in a Bottle" party, hosted by brewer Dean Gianocostas. The party will be held on May 3 (that's tomorrow!), complete with grilling and beach photo backdrop. Lucky Columbia residents can win tickets through local promotions. They will also send summer ales to the 2nd through 10th snowiest cities.

Los Angeles certainly was not one of the snowiest city, but I received a special Summer Ale delivery anyway. According to Sam Adams, the Summer Ale was "brewed with lemon zest and grains of paradise, a centuries-old exotic African pepper." I was curious and googled it. Wikipedia says the pepper is a native West African plant, also commonly known as melegueta pepper, not to be confused with the South American malagueta pepper.

It wasn't as peppery as I had expected, just a hint below the citrus flavor. The golden-colored beer was crisp with a richer aftertaste, and only a touch hoppy which made it very drinkable for me. I'm sure I'm completely biased here since I drank one after a 7-hour bartending gig, but it was quite refreshing! Nothing like a glass of cold, crisp ale to revive you, right?

Hell's Kitchen Winner Nona Sivley Heads LA Market at LA Live

Kerry Simon's LA Market at the LA Live recently welcomed Chef de Cuisine Nona Sivley, the winner of Hell's Kitchen Season 8, to infuse the menu with her own creations. Some signature items from Chef Simon will remain, of course, but you can already see some of Chef Sivley's contributions to the menu.

With her Southern background (she hails from Texas) in tow, she's blending classic southern comfort dishes with the modern space that is LA Live, surrounded by glass panes.

Try the tender Grilled Ribeye, served with roasted garlic polenta, mache, pea shoot salad, molasses glazed bacon.

Read more »

Westwood Brunching at The Glendon

This space was first known to me as Moustache Cafe, which supposedly had good crepes but was closed when I heard of it, then it was a random Japanese restaurant (wasn't that good). Now it seems to have found the right occupants in The Glendon, with happy hour, late night food (open til 2 am!), and now brunch.

I was invited to try out the brunch 2 weekends ago, on the first day they were serving it.

The brunch menu covers the typical brunch fare (eggs, french toast, pancakes) plus sandwiches and a few interesting items. Oh, it also says you get free mimosa with purchase of an entree from 11am-2pm. We weren't really offered this when we were there, so you might have to ask them for it.

We started with The Ballerina Omelette (egg whites, avocado, tomato, mozzarella, roasted turkey, topped with tomato puree - $12)

For the side, we asked for sweet potato tater tots (never knew they existed!). Despite being the healthiest sounding omelette on the menu (egg whites only), it turned out to be one good omelette. The roasted turkey was moist, the avocado gave it a silky mouth feel, and the tomato puree was flavorful without being too salty. Surprisingly, I didn't miss the yolk.

Among the more interesting offerings was the Salmon Quiche Pizza (smoked salmon, baked eggs, spinach, arugula pesto, balsamic reduction - $14)

Read more »

Scarpetta (Beverly Hills, CA)

Scott Conant's Scarpetta was one of the hot restaurant openings last year, and his famous spaghetti became one of the must-try items in town.

Spaghetti, tomato, basil ($24)

On a nice day, sit on the patio, overlooking the courtyard and fountain of the Montage. The dining room is equally pleasant. Spacious with its high ceilings, and quiet.

Dive in early into your bread basket to find the bread wrapped around salami and cheese.

Read more »

How Girls Roll: Beer, Cupcakes, and Beauty Treatments

When The Beer Chicks throw an event with a female brewer, it was only natural to gear it towards the female bloggers out there. That was exactly what happened with Veronica Vega, the only female brewer at Deschutes Brewery (from Bend, Oregon) - and it was a blast.

My fave Deschutes: the Black Butte Porter

Our little party took place at Benefit Cosmetics in Santa Monica, where we also got beauty treatments while sipping beers.

OK, first thing's first: the beers!
My favorite of the Deschutes beers was the Black Butte Porter (5.2% ABV). I personally prefer this type of beer, rich and malty. This particular porter is rich in flavor and creamy, yet pretty light and smooth, which makes it a good entry point to darker beers. Christina Perozzi, one of the Beer Chicks, said that she wanted to clear up the misconception that women have that dark beers are heavy and bitter by introducing them to dark-yet-light-and-crisp like this porter.

Read more »

Fun Finds at Artisanal LA Spring Show

Going to Artisanal LA with their close-to-100 local vendors can be dangerous indeed. Going in you think you don't need anything, but you inevitable leave with a bag anyway, because there are just so many amazing goodies in there!

Here are some of my favorite discoveries from the last Spring Show at the Santa Monica Place:

Bacon chutney from Cast Iron Gourmet. It's spreadable bacon!!

Shortbreads from Shortnin Bread Bakery. They had some cute shapes like these mustache ones. I ended up buying the chocolate with sea salt shortbreads.

The vegetarian sandwich from Daily Dose Cafe (opening soon in downtown LA). The vegetable sandwich was my favorite? Yep, I was surprised, too.

And last but not least, a tea with my name on it from Sugarbird Sweets and Teas! (It's a blend of rooibos and raspberry)

Did you guys get to go to the Spring Show? If you didn't, be sure to check out the next one. The pre-sale tickets were only $10 and included drinks from VeeV, Greenbar Collective, and some interesting demos and panels. Oh, and a portion of that $10 went to benefit St Vincent Meals On Wheels.

My Favorite Japanese and Korean Food-Centric Dramas

Yes, I waste a lot of time watching Asian dramas online, and I know I'm not the only one among my food-blogging friends. What better way to combine our enjoyment of these dramas and food than watching tv series with stories centered around food and restaurants? Here are some of my favorites (and the title links to where you can watch it! You can also watch all the Korean ones on DramaFever):

Gourmet (Korean)
Synopsis (from Hulu):
Based on the graphic novel by Heo Young Man, 2008 South Korean drama "Gourmet" chronicles the happenings behind the scenes of renowned traditional Korean restaurant Woo Nam Jung. The story centers on the rivalry between brothers Lee Sung Chan and Oh Bong Joo.

My 2-cents: I really enjoyed this because it's centered pretty heavily on the food and cooking rather than cheesy love stories. It's a traditional Korean restaurant so it delves pretty deeply (and philosophically) on Korean food and cooking traditions with some great food shots! The story itself is good, as well, not your typical Korean cinderella love stories.

Buy it on Amazon: Gourmet / Sik Gaek - Korean Drama (6 DVD Digipak) All Region with English Subtitles

Osen (Japanese)
Synopsis (from mysoju.com):
Handa Sen is the "okami" (proprietress) of a long-standing restaurant in one of the lower parts of Tokyo. Though she is normally airheaded and loves to drink, she has an impressive mastery of a wide range skills, from cooking to ceramics to calligraphy. While the drama follows various events surrounding the restaurant, one of the series' highlights is its illustration of Japanese food and culture.

My 2-cents: I like this for similar reasons as I like the previous one. Centered around a ryotei, a traditional Japanese fine dining restaurant, it talks about preserving traditional methods of Japanese cooking and food production. There's an episode about making miso, another about fresh-shaven bonito flakes, and more.

Buy it on Amazon: Osen (Japanese TV Series, English Sub, All Zone DVDs, Complete Series Episode 1-10)

Honorable mentions:

Bambino (Japanese)
Synopsis (from mysoju.com):
Shogo Ban (Jun Matsumoto) is a cocky, arrogant and fiercely driven youngster, who aspires to become a first-class chef. After enjoying success as a junior chef back home, Ban is ready to flaunt his skills when he comes to train at the prestigious Trattoria Baccanale in Tokyo, but his pride is shattered upon finding himself completely helpless in the cutting-edge kitchen.

My 2-cents: What I like about this drama is that it shows how harsh the working conditions are in a busy restaurant, it doesn't present the culinary world in an idealistic and romantic manner.

Shinya Shokudo/Late Night Diner (Japanese)
Synopsis (from mysoju.com): Set in a small restaurant in the corner of a shopping district. The unusual eatery is only open after midnight, and its standard menu consists of just a single choice. However, the customers still come for the amusing chatter and the proprietor's willingness to cook any dish that they request. This drama depicts the lives of the restaurant's patrons, including a yakuza, an unsuccessful actor, a group of office ladies, a newspaper delivery boy, and a stripper.

My 2-cents: Every episode is a little slice-of-life story of a customer, accompanied by a particular dish, usually some sort of simple comfort food. It made me crave ochazuke so bad one night!

Kimchi Family (Korean)
Watch on DramaFever
Synopsis: Lee Kang San and Lee Woo Joo find themselves taking over the management of their family's traditional kimchi restaurant, Heaven, Earth and Man, when their father sets off on a journey one day without their knowledge. Ki Ho Tae coincidentally arrives at the restaurant in search of the missing pieces of his past. Together with the other restaurant employees, long-time customers and a growing circle of friends, they work towards their individual goals while finding warmth and family through their sharing of food and support of each other.

My 2-cents: This one has a bit more action and "mystery" than the others, rather than just food. Every episode shows the two main female characters as little girls making a different type of kimchi with their late mother. I never knew there were so many different types of kimchi!

Buy it on Amazon: Kimchi Family / Fermentation Family (NTSC All Region, Korean TV Drama, English Sub, Complete Series 24 Episodes 6-DVD)

Public Kitchen and Bar at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

Crispy Oxtail Galette, poached egg, frisee ($9)

The Hollywood Roosevelt hotel is already the local hotspot, and it's now even more so with Chef Tim Goodell's newly opened Public Kitchen and Bar (he is also responsible for the burger joint, 25 Degrees).

They managed to keep the look continuous with the iconic hotel without the "drab". The tall windows let in plenty of light at 6pm, giving it a spacious and bright feel.

Loved the clean look of the chandelier, too.

The Hollywood Roosevelt hotel has strong cocktail programs all around, with Matt Biancanello at Library Bar and Aidan Demarest heading The Spare Room. The cocktail program at Public is not to be left behind either, the menu was actually created by Matt's mentor. I'm sure I'll end up drinking at Public more than Library Bar or Spare Room since the cocktails here are only $9!


I started with the Kentucky Brunch (r1-rye whiskey, apricot marmalade, lemon, egg white), a refreshingly sweet yet potent drink. The cocktails here definitely on par with the best bars in LA.

My next drink was the Alexandra (milagro silver tequila, aperol, st. germain, lemon syrup, passionfruit, yuzu juice, mint).  It sounded like it would be sweet with the list of ingredients but it was nicely balanced.

Now, onto the food.
Parker House Rolls with Vermont creamery butter ($5), which was a recipe of Chef Goodell's grandmother.

Read more »