Caulfield’s, one in what seems like a growing string of literary-themed bars and eateries (Hemmingway’s, Writer’s Room), is the Catcher in the Rye-inspired restaurant that took over the Bond Street space inside the Thompson Beverly Hills hotel. Now, I’m not sure how you get a French bistro out of the Holden Caulfield character, but I guess that’s neither here nor there. What would be significant is the food and drink; unfortunately, some of the menu here misses the mark. While some dishes are really good, others are kind of boring. The good thing is, nothing I tried here recently was actually bad.

The good:

We started and ended well. The appetizers Toad in a Hole, with the traditional egg cooked into a piece of toast and as well as a side of smoked trout salad, and the Pan-Seared Crab Cakes served with planks of corn were mighty tasty. These dishes were seasoned well and prepared nicely. The Banana Terrine dessert, which was really more like a trifle with layers of banana, wafers, chocolate and rum custard, was a delightful way to end the meal.

The not-so-good:

Our first Frisée Bacon-Lardon salad arrived sans bacon and with an overcooked poached egg. Our second salad was better, though there wasn’t much in terms of seasoning on it. Same goes for our mains: the chicken pot pie and the beef short ribs lacked pizazz, and by that I mean salt and pepper. This was unfortunate as the dishes could have been much better, though I could have done with some kind of starch to go with my huge plate of short ribs.

As for the cocktails…I don’t remember much about them other than whatever whiskey-based drink I ordered was very strong. Obviously these didn’t make much of an impression.

If Caulfield’s would step it up a notch and make some small adjustments, this could be a great place for an upscale-yet-unpretentious meal, which I would find welcoming in shi-shi Beverly Hills.

Note: This meal was hosted.

Gonpachi's courtyard

Restaurant Row on La Cienega Boulevard has been long known for its large, overly expensive eateries — Lawry’s The Prime Rib, Benihana, Woo Lae Oak, The Stinking Rose. But the Row’s Gonpachi Beverly Hills, though large, is one of the best values on that strip with its incredibly fresh-tasting sushi-grade fish and satisfying hot dishes, including robata.

I was recently invited to dinner at Gonpachi to try out its new menu. I hadn’t been to the restaurant for years, and only for happy hour, so I was excited to go back. The courtyard is lush with foliage and a koi pond, and the interior is reminiscent of the film Kill Bill (which was filmed at the Tokyo location of Gonpachi). All this really sets the scene for the fine meals served here.

Gonpachi Beverly Hills

I took Rory along as my dining companion (naturally), and we started our meal with the garlic soy edamame, which was a tasty twist on the usual edamame appetizer.

Garlic soy edamame at Gonpachi

One of my favorite dishes of the night was the Smoky Yellowtail Jalapeno crudo, which came with a dome of apple wood smoke over the yellowtail sashimi, avocado, jalapeno and citrus soy vinaigrette. A little flashy, yes, but oh-so tasty. The dish was creamy, spicy, smoky and citrusy — a great combination.

Smoky Yellowtail Jalapeno

Smoky Yellowtail Jalapeno

From the robata menu, we tried a bunch of items. I liked the scallops in soy butter, though it was rich! The presentation was nice, too.

Scallops in soy butter

My favorite robata item was the kakuni skewer made with braised Niman Ranch pork belly and karashi. The pork belly literally melted in my mouth — I was in heaven! The tsukune ground chicken skewer also had nice flavor, but the poached egg it came with was strange to me because it was cold. The negima crispy chicken skewer and the Brussels sprouts skewer weren’t stand outs.

(From left to right) tsukune, negima, kakuni and Brussels sprouts

The sushi roll we had, the Geisha made with a spicy tuna roll topped with assorted fish and avocado, was also a good choice. The fish was nice and fresh, though there was a lot of mayonnaise-based sauce going on.

Geisha roll

For dessert, we had the Pumpkin Zensai with sweet azuki beans, mochi balls and vanilla ice cream in a pumpkin soup topped with almonds. I liked this a lot because it was creamy but not too sweet, and I always like those red azuki beans and mochi.

Pumpkin Zenzai

All in all, Gonpachi offers great value — quality food in a pretty setting. Prices are moderate, especially for the type of cuisine. The most expensive item on the menu is the chef’s sushi omakase at $70, but most items fall under the $20 mark. It’s the best deal on the block.

Note: This meal was hosted.

Georgio's Cucina. From Gilt City.

Georgio’s Cucina: From New York chef Gary Robins and Chris Heyman, restaurateur behind Table 8 and 8 oz. Burger Bar, comes a Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes dinner at this new Studio City restaurant. The 7-course prix fixe ($65 per person, with a $45 wine pairing supplement; $15 children’s menu also available) will feature oysters on the half shell with prosecco gelée and black caviar, giant shrimp, big eye tuna, clams with pancetta, lobster risotto, roasted branzino and a selection of desserts.

Eva Restaurant: For a family-style dinner, hit up Eva’s prix fixe ($39 per person) on Christmas Eve to enjoy a prime rib roast, roasted organic chicken, creamed spinach, butterscotch pudding and more. Given the high quality of the food here, this meal looks like one of the best deals out there!

Gladstones Malibu: Looking for somewhere to nosh during the day? This SBE takeover is offering a Christmas Eve Dungeness crab feast ($70 per person; $30 for children 12 and younger) from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. You’ll also get Caesar salad, boiled new potatoes, steamed corn, asparagus and eggnog golden raisin brioche bread pudding. There’s fun for the whole family, too — new hopscotch courses and a sandbox, as well as a coloring contest for a chance to win special holiday treats.

Whist at Viceroy Hotel: Can’t decide which day to eat out? No worries because Whist is offering its Christmas menu ($75 per person) on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. You’ll start out with a smoked sturgeon salad with the option to add on foie gras torchon or raw oysters, and for the main course, choose two whole roasted meats, including a pork rack, organic turkey, prime rib and wild European turbot. There will be all kinds of sides, too, including black truffle, chestnut and pancetta risotto, and ricotta and spinach lasagna, in addition to a variety of desserts — even roasted chestnuts in a brown paper bag to go.

Oliverio at Avalon Hotel: Chef Mirko Paderno (a bit of a character, if you’ve ever met him) will be serving up some of his family’s Italian traditions on Christmas Day this year ($48 per person). These include marinated salmon in pink peppercorns with a citrus salad, a cauliflower soufflé topped with parmesan sauce, tonnarelli pasta made with crabmeat broth, and veal cheese and truffle fondue ravioli. Choose from either the roasted Mediterranean sea bass (AKA branzino) with cabbage and porcini mushrooms or the baked chicken served with artichoke and potato. Enjoy a cranberry parfait drizzled with dark chocolate sauce for dessert.

Junior Drake Shina bag

Junior Drake warehouse sale: The purveyor of handbags is at it again. Seems like JD has this sale every other week, but no matter. From Dec. 17 through Dec. 19, get bags at prices as low as $14.95 and even a three pack of leather bags for $99. Can’t make it to the sample sale? Get 60 percent off online purchases plus a free leather coin purse (discount is taken at checkout).

740 E. 60th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90001
Dec. 17 and 18: 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Dec. 19: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Oliverio‘s Choco-Sutra: Avalon Hotel’s tasty restaurant just got tastier: now there’s an unlimited chocolate buffet. Every Friday and Saturday, indulge in everything from triple chocolate truffle pizzettas made with Nutella, dark and milk chocolate, and topped with white chocolate shavings, to a dark chocolate, cinnamon and red chili pot de crème.

9400 W. Olympic Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Fridays and Saturdays, 7:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
$28 per person ($17 with dinner) or $50 per couple

Hilton HHonors Any weekend, Anywhere sale: Hilton HHonors members who book stays between now and Jan. 31, 2011, at the Hilton family of hotels can save from 20 percent to 50 percent on a future weekend stay any weekend in 2011. Current HHonors members will also receive double base points on completion of their stay.

The Bridge. Courtesy of The Bridge at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

The Bridge at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel: This Thanksgiving meal ($49 per person, $25 per child) includes chestnut agnolotti with crispy sage, ameritti cookies and shaved parmesan; squab-roasted root vegetables and foie gras remoulade with huckleberry jus; and chocolate cake with salted caramel.

Delphine at the W Hotel Hollywood: The brasserie-inspired prix fixe menu ($45 per person) includes the run of a raw bar with a selection of oysters, prawns and ceviche; butternut squash soup; a variety of hors d’oeuvres; an entree of roasted turkey with wild mushrooms, sweet potato puree, stuffing, and haricot vert and almonds; and dessert of pumpkin pie with brown sugar bourbon ice cream or chocolate pecan pie with nutmeg pear ice cream.

Cézanne at Le Merigot Hotel: A three-course dinner ($49 per person) with choices including lobster chowder; persimmon salad with arugula, burrata and speck; braised short ribs en cassoulet; roast turkey; black pepper crusted filet mignon, duck breast and confit duck leg; rum baba; banana cream pie; pumpkin pie; pecan pie; and chocolate ganache cake.

Whist at the Viceroy Hotel: The meal ($68 per person) features a buffet including butternut squash soup topped with sage and prosciutto; a turkey and poached char carving station; and a risotto station (!).

Oliverio at the Avalon Hotel: The menu ($40 per person) features a winter pepita salad with pumpkin seeds, goat cheese and walnut dressing; roasted turkey; and apple pie topped with cinnamon ice cream.

Oliverio's Budino di Polenta

Oliverio, the delightfully sleek yet comfortable restaurant at the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills, is celebrating its first anniversary by offering a special prix fixe menu through Nov. 20:

That’s four courses AND a glass of wine for $40 per person. This is an amazing deal, especially when you consider that the chicken dish normally goes for $24 on its own. The tuna tartare on a crispy risotto cake, the truffle pizzetta and the budino are some of my favorites. Check out my previous post on Oliverio’s happy hour menu for more dining recommendations.

Pies at KCRW's Good Food pie contest

There were a lot of food-related events that happened over the long Labor Day weekend, but only one featured a homemade pie made by my friend, blogger Marni Landes of Happy Go Marni, and her mother, Joyce: KCRW’s Good Food pie contest. The event shared space with Taste of Beverly Hills, a three-day food extravaganza at the Beverly Hilton, but the best part was the pie contest was free! You could just walk up and sample from more than 100 pies that people had lovingly made in hopes of getting to the final, which was judged by L.A. foodie luminaries Jonathan Gold, Sang Yoon, Zoe Nathan, Eric Greenspan, Karen Hatfield and more. Marni won last year’s cream pie category, so she had a good chance of winning again this year.

There was also an apron fashion show, MC’ed by “Good Food” host Evan Kleiman. Here’s Marni in her cute apron:

Evan Kleiman (left) and Marni (right)

There were too many pies to taste, though I did get a good assortment of sweet and savory before I got exceedingly full. Everything from classic apple pies to more inventive ones such as a fig, goat cheese and rosemary pie were represented.

All kinds of pie!

Though Marni’s orange maple hazelnut pie with a chocolate glaze and candied orange peel didn’t make the cut (boo!), I thought it was gorgeous and delicious.

Marni's pie

In the end, it didn’t matter who won because Marni and her mother, Joyce, are the cutest! I can’t wait to see what they come up with next year.

Joyce, Marni's mom (left) and Marni (right)

Momed (“modern Mediterranean”), a new Beverly Hills eatery, offers diners authentic foods from all over the Mediterranean in a sleek space formerly occupied by Rosti Tuscan Kitchen on South Beverly Drive. The fact that nearly everything on the menu comes in under $20 just makes this place an even more welcome addition to the neighborhood. Good food at good prices can’t be beat.

I recently took part in a tasting of Momed’s dinner menu, which features everything from salads to duck wraps. Here are some of the highlights:

I liked the market salads best, which ranged from hummus to lentils to eggplant to quinoa. The salads are seasonal and may change daily, so there should always be something new and tasty to try.

(From left to right) Israeli couscous, orzo with lima beans and artichokes, quinoa with oranges

(From front to back) Avocado hummus (yes, it's like guacamole), carrots and cucumbers

The pita bread and the accompanying herbed olive oil is also a great choice. The bread is perfectly chewy.

Pita bread and olive oil

From the mezze appetizer menu, I enjoyed the baleela, a dish of warm chickpeas, toasted pine nuts, preserved lemon and brown butter, and the zucchini and feta cheese fritters served with a yogurt sauce.

Baleela

The pide, or Turkish flatbread, is also a good choice and is large enough for sharing. I liked the one with oven-roasted wild mushrooms, spigarello greens and Akawi cheese, and the chicken lahmajoun with minced chicken breast, pistachios and oven-roasted peaches.

Mushroom pide

Chicken and peach pide

For dessert, get the bread pudding. It’s some of the best I’ve ever had!

Bread pudding

Further reading:

Momed: A Modern Take on Mediterranean by e*starLA

Momed: So much more than pita and falafel

Grilled tuna burger

M Cafe de Chaya, the macrobiotic mini chain that’s part of the Chaya Restaurant Group, is celebrating its 5th anniversary this month with different $5 specials each week at all three of its locations.

Week of June 7 — Falafel Wrap & M Chopped Salad (Grab & Go only)
Week of June 14 — 2 Salad Combo & Tofu Bento (Grab & Go only)
Week of June 21 — Breakfast Enchilada (breakfast hours only) and Double Chocolate Fudge Cake

What’s macrobiotic food? It’s food made from minimally processed, natural whole foods that are in-season. Fish is OK, but not poultry, red meat, eggs or dairy. I’ve been to M Cafe a few times, and it’s actually pretty tasty, despite its nearly vegan-like description. I have a few recommendations, none of which are part of the $5 specials. But no matter — you can always go back, and for certain items, it would be worth it.

My favorite menu item is the Big Macro, M Cafe’s veggie burger made with a whole grain brown rice and vegetable patty, “special sauce,” soy mozzarella, tomato, pickles, onion, sprouts and lettuce on a house-baked whole wheat bun. The grilled tuna burger (above) is also a good option, but I prefer the veggie version.

I also prefer the shoestring fries with shiso and nori to the sweet potato fries with chili and lime, which have a nice flavor but can lack the crispness of the regular version. The lime-y dipping sauce that comes with the sweet potato fries is really good, though.

Sweet potato fries

As for the deli salads, I really like the new chickpea and dandelion green salad as well as the kale dressed in peanut sauce. The red quinoa with beets and cucumbers is also good.

Chickpea and dandelion greens (left), quinoa and beets (right)

Kale with peanut dressing (and peanuts!)

To drink, get the mint green tea or the green lemonade, which has kale in it. I find M Cafe’s lemonade a bit too tart, but that’s a personal-preference thing.

As far as desserts go, the only one I’ve tried is the strawberry shortcake, which tastes more like a decadent Nutri-Grain bar than anything. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it is reminiscent of breakfast at dinner.

Strawberry shortcake

Note: The food shown in these photos was complimentary.

I attended a wine and chocolate tasting event at the store, my first such tasting. I had heard about these pairings but they never really interested me because I’m not a big wine person. But given Madame Chocolat’s proximity to my apartment and the fact that I had never been there before, I thought I would give it a whirl.

The store itself is decked out in classical French decor with lots of inviting pastel colors, which lend themselves nicely to all the Easter products currently displayed in the store. Check out what Torres has done to the place:

Chocolate animals for Easter

It kind of looks like the Easter Bunny exploded all over the store, right? But I couldn’t really find fault with the decorations because Torres seemed to really enjoy the holiday and had such passion for her work.

Owner Hasty Torres

Anyway, we had five chocolate and wine pairings. My favorite pairing was a white chocolate bonbon with a pinot grigio. It was interesting to see which pairings other people liked that I didn’t like (for example, some people really enjoyed the milk chocolate raspberry bonbon paired with a merlot, but it was definitely not for me).

Starting from upper left, going clockwise: milk chocolate raspberry; white chocolate; dark chocolate mendiant with almond, pistachio and apricot; milk chocolate caramel; and dark chocolate truffle (center)

While the bonbons were nice, my favorite items from Madame Chocolat were the cookie and chocolate-covered snacks. The chocolate chip cookie has those delightful layers of chocolate rather than chunks that I like so much.

Chocolate chip cookies

We were sent home with samples of the chocolate-covered Cheerios and the Chocolate Krispy Coconut Delight, a Rice Krispies treat made with chocolate Rice Krispies and marshmallow dipped in white chocolate and rolled in coconut flakes. The chocolate-covered Cheerios were simple yet very satisfying — I could have eaten a million of these. And Chocolate Krispy Coconut Delight was chewy and just sweet enough (I thought it would be overly sweet, but it wasn’t). I would go back for these two items alone. (I should have taken photos of these out of the plastic bags, but once I started eating them, there was no going back!)

Chocolate-covered Cheerios

Chocolate Krispy Coconut Delight