I’ve passed by the 64-year-old Brite Spot diner in Echo Park numerous times, usually on the way to Dodger Stadium. I never thought much about it other than noting the sign was pretty cool. But when I heard that Dana Hollister, owner of One-Eyed Gypsy and Villains Tavern in the Arts District downtown and Cliff’s Edge in Silver Lake, had recently remodeled the restaurant and revamped the menu, I was intrigued.
Shrimp n’ grits
The pop-up-turned-brick-and-mortar Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, helmed by Chef Kevin Kathman (Gramercy Tavern, French Laundry), is offering a special New Year’s Eve four-course prix fixe meal for $75. The Venice restaurant, which just opened in October, offers all kinds of Southern foods, and this holiday menu is no exception.
For the table:
Complimentary black eyed peas (a Southern good luck charm!)
Jalapeño cheddar cornbread with pear butter
First course, choice of:
Cauliflower soup, almond, gruyere and brown butter
Smoked trout salad, Meyer lemon, potato, fennel, horseradish and caviar
Kumamoto oysters, lime, cucumber and cilantro
Second course, choice of:
Braised pork belly, chicories, pickled watermelon and spicy mustard
Shrimp ‘n grits, garlic, bacon, shallot and cheddar grits (pictured above)
Caramelized salsify, and roasted, puréed and raw sun chokes
Third course, choice of:
Pan seared venison chop, huckleberries, turnip, onion and potato
Halibut, Maine lobster hash, pickled herbs and root vegetables
Dry aged New York strip steak, mushrooms, fingerling potatoes, shallot and bourbon béarnaise sauce
Dessert, choice of:
Sweet potato pie, cinnamon cream and candied pecans
Warm chocolate cake, vanilla bean ice cream and salty bourbon caramel
Passion fruit panna cotta, blueberry, grapefruit and basil
Plus ginger cookies for the table
Monday, Dec. 31, 2012
Reservations available from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
(310) 392-2425
Daniel Nelson, head mixologist at the Writer’s Room in Hollywood, designed the restaurant’s cocktail program, so you know the special New Year’s Eve drink, the Louisiana Purchase Champagne Cocktail ($12) with Peychaud’s bitters, brown sugar and praline liqueur, will hit the spot. The Car Car, with gin, jicama, ginger, apple, kaffir lime leaf and anise seed, is interestingly tasty, too.
Car Car
If you can’t make it to WiSC for New Year’s Eve, then weekend brunch is another good option. The shrimp n’ grits are available then, and don’t miss the pancakes topped with candied pecans, bourbon roasted bananas and maple cream.
Pancakes with candied pecans, bourbon roasted bananas and maple cream
Note: A brunch meal was complimentary.
Further reading:
Good Morning Eats: Brunch at Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by LAist
Pop-Up Pantry box. Pug not included.
Sometimes, after a long day, you just don’t want to cook dinner. That’s when a service such as Pop-Up Pantry comes in. Pick a meal created by a noted chef, choose a delivery day and presto — you’ve got dinner for two. You’ll need to do some light cooking, but other than that it’s pretty simple. And simple is good.
I ordered the meals from the final round of MasterChef by Christine Ha and Josh Marks. This is a special menu because it’s essentially two, two-person meals in one order. I didn’t realize that at first, so I cooked the entire thing — four servings — at once. At least I had lots of leftovers!
Ha’s meal, which won her the title of MasterChef last season, consists of pork belly (huge slabs!) served with pickled shallots, steamed rice and sauteed kale with mushrooms. The starter is a Thai crab salad, and dessert is apple pie. Marks’ meal starts with cheese soufflés, then moves onto a main of Indian curry hen with steamed rice, and ends with a pecan tart with bourbon caramel.
What the meal looks like before cooking
Slightly burned cheese souffles, apple pie and burned pecan tart
Thai crab salad
The meal
Burned pork belly, left, and Indian curry hen
Even though I burned part of the meal (gah!), I liked what I got and definitely appreciated the large portions. Everything was pretty tasty except for the pecan tart, which didn’t taste like it had any bourbon caramel in it. Preparation was relatively easy. There were quite a few steps involved in this particular meal, but nothing was hard to do as everything was basically precooked.
Note: This meal was complimentary.
10 Hour Beef Short Rib
The Churchill, which recently celebrated its first anniversary, has become a staple of West Third Street eating. And with Chef Bruce Kalman and mixologist Mia Sarazen now on board, both of whom launched new menus in the last few months, The Churchill is poised to make a lasting impression.
Kalman (The Misfit, Urbano Pizza Bar) is passionate about his food. On a recent visit, he insisted we try the 10 Hour Beef Short Rib (pictured above), which we were initially going to pass on as short rib has become ubiquitous on L.A. menus, but I’m glad we listened to the chef. This is a must-get dish. It’s super tender, and the braised carrots and apple lend just the right amount of sweetness.
Over at the bar, Sarazen (Harvard & Stone, Black Market, The Tasting Kitchen) has created a cocktail menu that showcases classics as well as twists. My personal favorite is the Thirsty in LA, named after blogger (and friend) Daniel Djang’s blog. It’s a well-balanced mix of Correlejo reposado tequila, Aperol and Amaro Ciociaro with a mezcal rinse. This isn’t a drink I would have normally ordered for myself, but turns out it’s now one of my new go-to drinks. It’s serious without being too serious. I could drink these all day (but I won’t)!
Thirsty in LA
In addition to these standouts, The Churchill is offering special Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinners for the holidays.
On Christmas Day, Kalman (The Misfit, Urbano Pizza Bar) will offer a three-course menu for $35 per person that includes choices of carrot, apple and ginger soup; glazed ham with figs and basil; cauliflower mashed potatoes; and Fuyu persimmon cake.
For New Year’s Eve, get a prix fixe dinner for $55 per person that includes a champagne toast, amuse bouche and three-course meal with choices including black truffle risotto and lobster thermidor. Starting at 10 p.m., The Churchill will hold a party featuring an open bar, snack buffet and champagne toast. (Regular tickets $95 for first 100 sold; $115 after that. $150 at the door. VIP packages available for groups; contact erika@the-churchill.com or call (323) 655-8384.)
Note: This meal was hosted.
Further reading:
The Churchill Ups The Game: New Cocktails By Mia Sarazen And Menu By Bruce Kalman by Gourmet Pigs
The Churchill’s New Cocktail Menu: Choose Your Own Drink Adventure by Caroline on Crack
Chef Bruce Kalman Takes Breakfast at The Churchill to New Heights by estarLA
Roasted Brusells sprouts at Jean-Georges
I went to New York, and I fell in love.
In love with Jean-Georges restaurant, that is.
The eponymous New York fine dining establishment from Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten offered the most elegant and flawlessly executed meal I’ve ever had. What else would you expect from a place with three Michelin stars?
I started my meal with a plate of beautiful roasted Brussels sprouts, avocado, pistachio and mustard vinaigrette. These were some gorgeous Brussels sprouts, and they didn’t tase bad, either.
The sea scallops with caramelized cauliflower and caper-raisin emulsion were hearty yet delicate.
Sea scallops
The yellowfin tuna ribbons with avocado, spicy radish and ginger marinade is the most straight-up delicious version of the tuna-and-avocado dish I’ve ever tasted.
Yellowfin tuna
My absolute favorite dish was the crispy confit of suckling pig served with corn “pudding” and smoked bacon marmalade. O.M.G. Perfectly cooked and prepared. There are no words, really.
Crispy confit of suckling pig
Special thanks to my aunt and uncle for treating me to this meal!
This Saturday, Nov. 24, is Small Business Saturday. Support your favorite local small business in between getting your deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Some of my favorites include Goo Salon, Giant Robot, Valerie Confections and just about every restaurant in Los Angeles.
Yes, Small Business Saturday is a movement founded by the large business American Express, which charges all businesses a lot for its services (that’s why a lot of stores won’t accept AmEx), but it’s still a good idea to shop small when you can. Small businesses give your city, your neighborhood, character, as well as provides jobs (duh!). If you haven’t seen the commercial, here it is:
If you have an AmEx card, sign up to get $25 back one time when you spend $25 at a qualifying small business on Nov. 24.
Happy shopping!
Mini sea urchin tostada with chicharron and esquites (Mexican street corn) from Cacao Mexicatessen
People always ask me what’s the best Mexican food in Los Angeles. Well, now those people — it could be you! — can find out for themselves at the 2nd Annual Taste of Mexico on Nov. 30 at Vibiana in downtown Los Angeles. Some of the best Mexican food in the city will be represented, including Playa, La Monarca Bakery, Guelaguetza, Cacao Mexicatessen and Guisados. I was recently invited to try some of these eateries’ offerings, and every single bite of food I had was delicious, especially the sea urchin tostada with chicharron and esquites (Mexican street corn off the cob) from Cacao Mexicatessen (above) and the Oaxacan mole negro pollo tamal from Guelaguetza (below). You won’t go wrong at Taste of Mexico.
Mole negro chicken tamal from Guelaguetza
The event, which promises to be a veritable party judging by the hosts, will also feature Mexican beer, Baja wines, mezcal and tequila in addition to unlimited samplings from the participating restaurants. For even more fun, you’ll also find live music, mariachi and DJs. A portion of every ticket sold will benefit Los Angeles’ Downtown Art Walk.
Tickets cost $50 for general admission and $70 for VIP, which includes the uber-pricey Casa Dragones tequila and early admission to the event.
Burger Lounge wild elk burger. Courtesy of Burger Lounge.
Burger Lounge, the San Diego-based chain that’s making its way into the Los Angeles area, has started offering a seasonal wild game menu with a different featured burger every two months (priced at $9.95 each and available at all locations). The first special, available this month and through December, is the grass-fed Minnesota bison burger with bleu cheese and pickled red onions.
Here’s the rest of the lineup:
January/February 2013: Grass-fed Texas wild boar burger with applewood-smoked cheddar, oven-roasted tomato relish and sriracha aioli
March/April 2013: Grass-fed elk burger with fontina, duck cracklings and jicama slaw
May/June 2013: Grass-fed BBQ venison burger with house-made BBQ sauce, crispy onion rings and smoked mozzarella
You may have noticed that all the meat on these burgers is grass-fed. That’s Burger Lounge’s thing: free-range, grass-fed meat, which applies to both the beef and turkey on the regular menu, too (the salmon burger uses wild Alaskan salmon). The company makes efforts toward environmentally sustainable choices, too.
As for Burger Lounge’s everyday menu offerings, don’t overlook the turkey burger, which is made with basil ground into both white and dark meat for a juicy, flavor-packed patty. It’s my favorite item on the menu. The salmon burger, with fried green tomatoes, sounds good, but the patty is too fishy-tasting for me. Whichever burger you get — even the very respectable house-made quinoa veggie burger — make sure to get a milkshake (they even come in small sizes!), which don’t contain any gross syrups, or a fair-trade Maine Root soda made with organic sugar cane.
Turkey burger
Chocolate shake
Note: This meal was hosted.
Elvis at Graceland
I recently visited Memphis — you know, that other music town in Tennessee. It’s a little funkier, a little dirtier. But that’s why I like it so much!
Memphis is home to Elvis Presley’s Graceland, Stax Records Museum and Sun Studio, some of the most-storied spots in all American music history. Graceland is…well, Graceland. Stax, considered the Southern equivalent to Motown, produced some of the best in soul music, including Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and Booker T. and the MG’s. And Sun Studio was where Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison recorded. I’d say Memphis has more than enough of its share of street cred.
I visited all three, and all the tours are fun and totally worth the price of admission.
Courtesy of Grubwithus
Let me set a scene for you.
You move to a new city. You work a lot and don’t have much time to meet new people. Or maybe you want an easy way to try new restaurants, because, you know, you like to eat. And you’d like to eat with like-minded people.
Sound familiar?
If it does, then you know how Grubwithus co-founders Daishin Sugano and Eddy Lu felt when they started the dining social network two years ago. They had moved to Chicago after quitting their big-time corporate jobs to open a Beard Papa’s franchise and found themselves working and spending all their free time together. Making friends in a new city was tough, and Sugano’s efforts to bond with people over a mutual appreciation for basketball didn’t work (maybe wearing a Lakers cap in Bulls territory wasn’t the best idea).
Then one day, Sugano and Lu, while lamenting their loneliness, looked over at a restaurant across the street and asked themselves, “Why can’t we meet people there?” And just like that, the idea for Grubwithus was born.
Founders Eddy Lu, left, and Daishin Sugano hard at work. Courtesy of Grubwithus.
Now, Grubwithus is operating throughout the United States and in parts of Canada and the United Kingdom with more than 65,000 users and 1,000 restaurants, so you’re sure to find someone you can eat and socialize with. Just create a free profile and choose some interests. Then browse the meals, which include those at Border Grill, The Tasting Kitchen and Gjelina here in Los Angeles, and reserve a seat. The price of the meal includes food, tax and gratuity, so it’s pretty hassle-free. If you want booze, you’ll have to pay separately, though. You can even start your own topic, and when enough people like it, you can build a meal around it. And if you’d like to create your own meal, Grubwithus will work with you and your preferred restaurant to set something up.
Meeting new people and trying new food has never been easier.
