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.

Bäco Mercat, the new downtown Los Angeles restaurant from Chef Josef Centeno (of Lazy Ox Canteen fame) centered around his flatbread sandwich/pizza/taco creation, is a restaurant years in the making. Centeno first introduced the hybrid bäco as a staff meal at Meson G in Hollywood, where he was executive chef, and later put it on the lunch menu at Lot 1 in Echo Park. It occasionally shows up at Lazy Ox, too. Now the bäco has a home of its own, and it’s settling in nicely.

A good place to start on this menu is with The Original bäco made with pork, beef carnitas and salbitxada, a zesty tomato sauce made with almonds, serrano chile and garlic. The cocas, or pizzas made with thinner bäco flatbread, are also a good bet, and The Tomato & Cheese with smoked tomato, jalapeno and basil is a nice one.

The Original baco

The Tomato & Cheese coca

Don’t over look the small plates, though. The Caesar Brussels Sprouts, which are shaved and tossed with pecorino, anchovy and garlic, and the Crispy Head-On Shrimp with cubeb pepper and side of pickled cauliflower are delicious and addictive. The braised beef raviolo topped with pesto and egg is a revelation; unfortunately, it’s not always on the dinner menu. I hear the bazole is also good, but I didn’t try it on this recent visit.

Caesar Brussels Sprouts

Crispy Head-On Shrimp

Braised beef raviolo

As for dessert, make sure to try the Almond Cheesecake Pudding served with lemon curd and chocolate crumb. Skip the Banana Cream Cannoli, which just isn’t that tasty.

Almond Cheesecake Pudding

The drinks here are interesting, but I’m not entirely sold on them yet. You pick a spirit and a house-made sweet and sour soda from a list of seasonal flavors. I had a bourbon with a persimmon soda, which was fine but not extraordinary. There is also a rotating list of drink specials, too.

Drinks, bourbon and persimmon soda in back

Another thing to note: One of my dining companions commented that Centeno favors pickled onions, and lo and behold, most of our dishes contained pickled onions. Not that they’re bad, but what’s the deal?

The Blue Boar

The Blue Boar Public House, an English-style pub from Curtis Nysmith, tries hard to live up to its British theme. With its wrought-iron and dark-wood decor and traditional pub menu, Blue Boar is a far cry from the Nysmith-owned Capitol City sports bar that once stood in its place (you know, the one that had the humongous TV screen that could be seen from a mile away). The cocktails are pretty darn good for the vodka-and-Redbull Cahuenga Corridor neighborhood, so you’ll be pleasantly surprised there. But when it comes to the food, the menu is a bit hit-or-miss.

The Basset Hound cocktail, made with Bulleit rye whiskey, Travis Hasse apple pie liqueur, Liqueur 43 and black tea, is a good option, but ask for it made with less Travis Hasse to cut down on the sweetness. The London Eye with Hendrick’s gin and lavender bitters is simple but nicely balanced. All cocktails are reasonably priced at $10.

The Blue Burger and Chips is a really satisfying meal (and at $10, it’s a steal, too). The toppings are traditional — lettuce, onion, tomato and choice of cheese — but the juicy patty, fluffy brioche bun and savory garlic aioli really make this burger. And the fries! The fries are addictive to the nth degree. I ate way too many in one sitting. The Scotch eggs — hard boiled eggs encased in chicken sausage and deep fried — are kind of scary but also kind of good, especially if you’ve had one too many drinks. Speaking of hangover food, the English Fry Up, a terrifying plate full of fried eggs, English bacon, beans, fried potatoes, sausage (i.e, banger) and fried toast, is to be consumed only while under the influence or while recovering from such a state. Trust me on this one.

Blue Burger

Basset Hound

As Blue Boar takes up just a sliver of the old Capitol City space, Nysmith has plans for a Mexican cantina in the adjacent spot. I guess you can’t take the Hollywood out of…Hollywood?

Further reading:

Cocktail Quick Pick: Hollywood’s Blue Boar Pub by LAist

Note: This meal was hosted.

Julian Serrano at the Aria Hotel in Las Vegas is a fun and flavorful way to have a meal. Not only is the food a delight, but the restaurant’s decor complements the playful tapas menu with its bright colors and modern design. This was one of my favorite meals while staying at the Aria.

First and foremost, the cocktails. The drinks here were great — the Manzana Deliziosa made with Hendrick’s gin, green apple purée, Lillet and fresh thyme was nicely balanced as it packed a punch. The Piña 43, made with Herradura añejo tequila, Cuarenta y Tres liqueur, pineapple and lime, and the Dulce y Picante, with Spanish brandy, St. Germain, strawberry and cayenne pepper, were also standouts.

As for the food, most of my favorite tapas dishes turned out to be vegetables. The sautéed baby spinach with pine nuts, raisins, apple and shallots, while it sounds a bit boring, was the most flavorful plate of spinach I have ever had. And I couldn’t down put the sautéed padron peppers (which I thought were piquillo peppers) simply prepared with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt. The Brava Potatoes topped with spicy tomato and alioli sauces were satisfying, and the seared scallops in romesco sauce were perfectly cooked.

And the, of course, there was the paella. We got the mixed version chock full of lobster, mussels, chicken, Spanish pork chorizo, vegetables and saffron rice. Take a look at the photo — somehow this huge plate is meant for just two people! With all the other dishes we had, we barely ate any of this, which was a shame, but it was tasty.

We had three desserts — churros with chocolate sauce, almond cake and rice pudding. The arroz con leche de coco, a rice pudding made with coconut milk topped with fresh pineapple, was the most appealing to me. I love rice pudding, and this version had perfect consistency and interesting flavors.

If you’re visiting Las Vegas, Julian Serrano should be on your short list of places to eat and drink. Hey, you’ll even get a Spanish lesson in the restroom over the speakers — not a moment will be wasted.

Further reading:

Destination Vegas: Lunch at Julian Serrano by LAist

Note: This meal was hosted.

Honey Sriracha Chicken Wings at Delphine

When I think of the W Hotel Hollywood, the last thing I think of is a plate of chicken wings. But now, thanks to Delphine‘s Tuesday Wing Nite, chicken wings and a swanky hotel aren’t mutually exclusive.

Choose from a variety of flavors, including Thai Red Curry, Ranch Country and (the ultra rich, very L.A.) Truffle Cheese. Or go for my favorites, the Honey Sriracha and the Spiced Honey — both are delightfully sweet and a little spicy. The spiced honey itself — clover honey infused with cardamom, clove, cinnamon and other spices with a splash of vinegar — is to die for. I wanted to bathe in it, it was so good!

The wings cost $4.50 for two to four wings, depending on the flavor. There are also side dishes for $3, including a pretty potato salad and a tasty cole slaw. I wasn’t a big fan of the special cocktails, the Honey Bee and the Early Tea, but they’re available for wing-eating pairings.

Delphine Executive Chef Sascha Lyon, formerly of New York’s Balthazar and Pastis, is a cool guy, and if the other food on the regular menu is as good as some of these wings, then I’ll have to make a trip back.

Note: This meal was hosted.

Mohawk Bend, Echo Park’s new restaurant in a converted movie theater with an impressive 72 beer taps, is a great place for a drink and light meal. Appetizers and salads, as well as a nicely curated beer list, are the stars here, and the atmosphere is lively if a bit crowded. But where Mohawk Bend excels, it overreaches in other areas, especially when it comes to burgers and pizza.

Dining room at Mohawk Bend

...and behind the curtains, the back room

The slightly puffy flatbread and an accompanying dip of mashed avocado and goat cheese was my favorite appetizer on a recent night. The bread was a little chewy, which I liked, and the avocado dip was smooth and creamy. The house ricotta with peperonata and the spicy white beans are also good dipping choices. You can get flatbread with one dip for $6 and with three dips for $12.

Flatbread with avocado and goat cheese spread

Mohawk’s salads are the best here. The Keenwah made with organic quinoa, shallots, herbs, arugula, haricots verts, avocado and pistachios is flavorful and satisfying with different textures, and The Local made with mixed leaves, roasted radishes and haricots verts, Capay Valley cherry tomatoes, toasted pepitas and a lemon maple vinaigrette is another palate pleaser. The Flash Gordon, with flash-grilled Little Gem lettuce, grapefruit, avocado, dill dressing, pine nuts and ume pickled onions, is another tasty concoction.

Keenwah salad

The Flash Gordon salad

Though the salads were great, the burgers were not. The Dork burger, made with ground duck and pork topped with aioli, house ketchup, fennel, pickled onions and apple served on a house-made English muffin, was much too heavy and overwhelming, especially when served on Mohawk’s super-dense English muffin. Same goes for the Pimp burger, made with chopped pork and shrimp, ginger aioli, spicy cress and mustard greens, water chestnut relish, and peanut hoisin. Just too much going on.

The Squash & Chips, a fish and chips vegan substitute made of seltzer-battered kabocha squash, potato slices, carrots and peppers served with yuzu ponzu, is basically a big plate of vegetable tempura. That’s fine, but it was billed by the server as vegan fish and chips, so I found it a bit disappointing. And as far as pizza goes, my table ordered the Pig Newton, with Serrano ham, goat cheese, fig and rosemary tapenade, which almost immediately fell apart as the ham peeled away from the crust and fell onto my plate with a loud smack. Sigh.

I was also disappointed in the cocktail menu. The Mildred Pierce (TRU Organic Gin, FruitLab Jasmine Liqueur, agave nectar, brandied cherries, orange, lemon, Miracle Mile Orange Bitters, soda) tasted fine, but the liquor was hidden by a large amount of citrus. The New Old-Fashioned (Fog’s End Monterrey Rye, muddled orange and brandied cherry, sugar cube, Miracle Mile Forbidden Bitters) was better — not shortage of liquor here — but I feel like I’ve had this drink many times before. The Absinthe Spritzer (La Sorcière Absinthe Bleue, lemon, lime, agave nectar, soda and a licorice stick) was actually not a bad drink, but the inclusion of the black licorice stick was off-putting, mostly because it was clearly the Red Vines kind (if you’re going to charge $14, at least give me a higher-quality licorice!).

Absinthe Spritzer

However, the beer list, which rotates daily, is quite impressive. Choose brews from Pliny the Elder, Racer 5, Solidarity, Grand Cru and many other respectable breweries.

Another thing to note: all the desserts at Mohawk are vegan. I understand that there are many a vegan in the Echo Park area, but Mohawk isn’t purely a vegan restaurant, so why should all its desserts lack dairy products? The cookie cooked and served in an iron skillet, as well as the strawberry-rhubarb crostata served the same way, were both misses for me. I missed the butter too much to enjoy these. Same goes for the s’mores — gelatin-free marshmallows, butter-free graham crackers and dairy-free chocolate sauce. On this particular night, the restaurant’s freezer was on the fritz, so the Pazzo gelato that Mohawk normally carries wasn’t available. Too bad, because I could have at least enjoyed that.

There is a lot to like at Mohawk but also a lot to avoid. I hope it figures out the burger situation — there isn’t even a regular burger on the menu — and adds a non-vegan dessert to its menu because this could be a great spot for the neighborhood.

Further reading:

It’s All About the Beer: Bellying Up to the Bar at Mohawk Bend by LAist

Note: This meal was hosted.

Jar of Picklings at Vodvil

Do you like to play with your food? And by playing with your food, I mean playing games while eating food. If your answer is yes, then Vodvil on Fairfax Avenue is the place for you. Part restaurant, part game show, Vodvil goes beyond the usual trivia night to include an upscale comfort food menu and bar with interactive games moderated by a cheesy-but-entertaining host.

I have to admit that I was skeptical of Vodvil’s concept. I thought it might be annoying to have dinner while being subjected to shouts from game players. However, on the particular night my dinner companion, Lindsay of LAist, and I visited Vodvil, it happened to be word games night, which was perfect for us writers. We won our share of rounds and cashed in our winnings at the restaurant’s prize machine, which is filled with nostalgic trinkets. (By the way, there’s a $4 charge per person to play the games. There’s a small sign at the host stand stating this, but I don’t remember seeing it on the menu, which would be a good place to let people know.)

The executive chef here is Jamie Lauren, formerly of Beechwood and also of “Top Chef” fame. We actually saw Lauren in the dining room chatting it up with fellow “Top Chef” alum Antonia Lofaso — it was a very L.A. food world moment.

Highlights from our meal included the House Made Chips and Onion Dip, which we just couldn’t stop eating. The chips were thickly cut but also light and crisp, and the onion dip was creamy and flavorful. (Avoid the Pretzel Bites, which come unsalted, with an equally bland cheddar-beer sauce.) The Indian Inspired Lamb Slyders (yeah, I don’t get it, either) served with onion relish and dill yogurt on sweet Hawaiian bread were also good, and I’m not a big fan of lamb. The Mushroom Pot Pie is a good vegetarian choice, as it’s made with mushroom broth, and the side salad has a nice herby dressing.

House Made Chips and Onion Chips

Indian Inspired Lamb Slyders

Mushroom Pot Pie

Our favorite dish of the night was the smoked trout salad. It’s a simple mix of smoked trout, frisée, chives and fingerling potatoes, but the flavor packs a punch. I would go back just for this dish. (The salad seems to be missing from the online menu; I hope that doesn’t mean it’s gone!)

Smoked trout salad

As for the cocktails, stick with the punches, which serve 4 people. We had the Fairfax Scorpion made with Plymouth gin, Gran Sierpe pisco, Don Q rum, Orgeat syrup, orange juice and passion fruit puree, which we liked because of its lack of sweetness. When it comes to dessert, I preferred the chocolate chip pretzel cookies over the house-made cinnamon Pop Tart, which was too thick.

Fairfax Scorpion punch

Chocolate chip pretzel cookies

Overall, I had a good time at Vodvil. It would be a great place for a group outing, but if you have kids, Vodvil discourages you bringing them. Its website says that it will announce designated family nights soon, but there were children in the dining room when we were there, and there didn’t seem to be a problem.

Note: This meal was hosted.

Recess happy hour at Public School 612

If you’ve been to the downtown L.A. Daily Grill lately, you may have noticed a separate bar space just past the host stand. That’s Public School 612 (AKA PS 612), a new gastropub concept from the owners of the Daily Grill restaurants. This is the first of what the owners hope will be many PS 612 locations.

The bar opens every day at 4:00 p.m. and features food and drink, including a nicely edited beer list. There’s also a Recess happy hour on weekdays from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a bar bites menu that tops out at $4. The drink specials don’t include the bar’s cocktails, but there’s a $4 handle of beer (that’s actually available all night long), a $5 Skinny Margarita and a $10 carafe of wine.

I was recently invited to try out the Recess menu, and I definitely found some favorite items. The Adobo Short Rib Tacos are tasty and tender, even though I didn’t really find the vinegar flavor I was expecting with a name like adobo. But no matter; the tacos were good (and hearty) anyway.

Adobo Short Rib Tacos

The Schezwan Calamari surprised me. I was skeptical at first, but the spicy Chinese flavors worked really nicely with this traditional Italian dish. I think I may actually prefer this preparation.

Schezwan Calamari

I also tried some items that are on the regular dining menu, and the 1903 Fish & Chips served with remoulade was a standout. The fish was light and flaky, and the fries were nicely fried, too.

1903 Fish & Chips

There’s also a dessert menu that’s kind of a secret, mostly because the items aren’t listed. Why aren’t they listed? Because they ran out of room on the menu! Seriously. So make sure to ask for these two delicious items: the beer float and the peanut butter and jelly cookies with milk.

This beer float, made with vanilla ice cream and Young’s Double Chocolate Stout, is my favorite beer float. The chocolate stout just makes sense — it’s not too bitter, but just bitter enough to give it some bite.

Beer float

The peanut butter and jelly cookies are also a great choice. The peanut cookie is rich, and the sweetness from the fruit jelly balances that out.

Peanut butter and jelly cookies

As for the drinks here, stick with the beer. There are beers from Craftsman, Allagash, Unibroue, Telegraph and The Bruery, among other quality breweries. Oh, and you can play darts in the back. It’s a recipe for good times.

Note: This meal was hosted.

The items I liked best from Horton were the Asian ones. The Crispy Pork Belly, a kind of deconstructed banh mi made with house-made French sausage, nuoc mam fish sauce, capsicum, herbs and pickles on brioche, was my favorite item off the Bar Bites menu, where nothing tops $12. The different layers of flavor were very satisfying, not to mention pretty.

Crispy Pork Belly at Raphael

Speaking of pretty, check out the Som Tam made with green papaya, Thai chili, lime, garlic, peanuts and herbs. I really like Thai papaya salads, and this one is a tasty choice.

Som Tam at Raphael

The cocktail menu, designed by mixologist Chris Parke (formerly of the Patina and SBE restaurant groups), has some noteworthy drinks, too. The Balsamic, made with Ketel One vodka, muddled strawberries, balsamic vinegar and lemon, reminded me of Matt Biancaniello’s Last Tango in Modena at Library Bar in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, but it was lighter and brighter.

Balsamic cocktail at Raphael

The New Fashioned, made with Makers Mark bourbon, muddled peach and cherry, Regan’s orange bitters and soda, came with a pickled cherry that Parke had recently made. He admitted that he wasn’t sure what he was going to do with the cherries, so I’m not really going to fault the strange combination of the pickled cherry with the sweetness of the rest of the drink. The cherry aside, any cocktail with bourbon and peach is OK by me.

New Fashioned cocktail

And FYI: The Cilantro cocktail made with Karma tequila, cilantro, jalapeno, Cointreau and agave nectar is super spicy!

Cilantro cockatil at Raphael

Raphael’s happy hour in the bar area takes place from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and features half-off appetizers from the dinner menu (the Crispy Pork Belly is on both the dinner and Bar Bites menus) and bartender’s choice of three different $8 glasses of wine. No cocktail deal, unfortunately, so you’ll pay $13 for the specialty drinks at all times. The Bar Bites menu is offered at the bar after 9:00 p.m. during the week and after 10:00 p.m. on weekends.

Useable living garden wall at Raphael

 Note: This meal was hosted.

Here were some of my favorite bites from this year’s event.

Baja Bites

Sea Urchin Tostada by Sabina Bandera of La Guerrerense

Pacific Oyster Asada w/ chicharron short rib, serrano ponzu butter, lemongrass foam by Javier Plascencia of Mision 19

Local L.A. Tastes

Nayarit Shrimp Ceviche by Mariscos Chente

Peruvian Cau Cau by Chef Ricardo Zarate of Mo-Chica and Picca

Shoyu Tonkotsu Ramen by Ramen JINYA

Cheese Pierogies by Steel City Sandwich Truck

Gin y Hendrick's with Hendrick's gin, lime juice, sugar, mint and cucumber espuma by Julian Cox

Sweet Treats

Pandan Donut Holes by Starry Kitchen

Banana Bread Pudding a la Pecan Pie by Chef Dan Moody of Relate

Shaved ice with azuki beans, watermelon and kiwi by IOTA

Hammer Thyme (strawberry, thyme, lemon, ginger) by Ice Ice Shavie

A good time was had by all.

Esther of estarLA.com and LAist.com's Lindsay enjoy a laugh over Singha beers.

Note: My admission was complimentary.