A Kings win, the first I’d seen live in nearly 6 years, ended December 23, 2010 on a very happy note and waking up early on Christmas Eve we’d be departing Los Angeles en route for Las Vegas bright and early.Staying east of the city and having been made aware of a unique spot in San Marino, essentially a five minute detour to our morning, we checkout out and made our way through the quaint little city arriving at Julienne shortly after 7:30am – the patio would already be full and the inside bustling with patrons to both the restaurant and the attached gourmet restaurant.With folks clad in everything from Rudolph sweaters to USC Trojans athletic wear the crowd was a mixed group but everyone was smiling and happy as Christmas tunes piped in overhead.
Seated without delay, our server Herbert would show up rather quickly with menus and drink orders were placed.Browsing the menu – eclectic but delicious sounding – we waited for a rather long time before drinks would arrive, however water was filled quite rapidly by an ancillary server.When drinks arrived – two coffees and two teas – they were in pretty glass mugs…mugs that would sit empty for substantial periods of time despite repeated requests for refills throughout the meal.While I cannot comment as to how many tables he was serving, I will note that all in all Herbert was quite sub-par and his interaction with our table was essentially the same as a runner – dropping off plates, collecting empty plates, but never checking in or offering refills unless prompted.
With orders placed we were told it would be approximately twenty minutes before plates would arrive and took the opportunity to browse the store – a unique collection of artisan goods and house made items to go.Clearly catering to the Christmas crowd there were innumerable cookies and confections being picked up from the counter and all in all everything looked excellent.Returning to our table it would be only a few moments before our first item would arrive – well before our drink refills.
For our appetizer the decision was made to split a scone because the hostess who sat us specifically noted “if they have any scones left you have to try them – so good.”With my mom skeptical of scones and my experiences mixed I will have to tip my hat – this was the best scone I’ve ever tasted.Slightly dry but punctuated with pockets of lemon butter, the Lemon Crème Brulee Scone clocked in at $5 and likely a full pound of weight.Easily half the size of a football the scone was more than enough to share and as good as it was on its own the addition of a crackling lemon cream and dried currants only made the dish better.This is absolutely a must order to anyone who takes the opportunity to visit Julienne – it is worth the trip from Los Angeles.
With such an excellent start it would admittedly be difficult for our entrees to keep pace with the scone, but the effort was valiant.Beginning first with my mother’s seasonal pancakes – Pumpkin Pancakes with candied quince, crystallized ginger Butter, Pure Maple Syrup, dried currants – the pancakes were a tad heavy due to the ample amount of pumpkin within, but the lovely tender quince and ample notes of ginger worked to add some spice and levity to the dish.Almost savory on their own, the maple syrup was certainly necessary to this dish and served warm it accomplished its purpose admirably.
My sister’s selection, Bittersweet Chocolate Chip Waffles with Honey Vanilla Crème Fraiche, Shaved Chocolate, Fruit was a disappointment in my opinion, though I’ll note she enjoyed it.With small and largely bland waffles – literally Eggo size, and not much more nuanced in flavor – serving as the base the best aspect of this dish was the impressive fresh fruit.Topped with grated milk chocolate and ripe strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries that balanced nicely with the mildly sweet crème fraiche it is a shame that the waffle itself didn’t hold up its end of the bargain.
My aunt’s selection would prove to be the best option of the breakfast by a long distance – it was Griddle Café quality and perhaps better.Titled Baked Crème Brulee French Toast with Fresh Strawberry Sauce and Creme Anglaise the French toast itself was a large wedge of brioche, clearly premade given its level of custardization.Subsequently baked in the oven and then bruleed on each side to form a crackling sugar shell the toast was then doused in rich crème Anglaise, light maple syrup, and warm Strawberry compote.Dazzling in texture and taste, this dish along with the scone indicates that perhaps Julienne should brulee everything.
My choice, obvious to anyone who knows me, was the Bread Pudding French Toast with Fresh Peach Sauce, dried currants.While I still cannot distinguish what made the “Bread Pudding” different from the “Baked” version of French Toast at Julienne, that isn’t a bad thing since my dish featured the same lovely custard toast baked to a golden crisp, but instead topped with the very essence of pureed peach and currants.While I must say I was a tad disappointed that my strawberries were less ripe and tasty than those provided to the others, they certainly weren’t bad – just a bit bitter.Left with one choice I’d go with the Crème Brulee French Toast, but that is largely represents my love of Crème Anglaise moreso than anything being wrong with my dish.
Sitting and waiting with dirty plates on the table for some time before our waiter would finally return we watched a small line grow outside Julienne – clearly they are not hurting for business.Figuring that if we paid a dollar for every word uttered by our waiter the tip would only be about 7%, we settled for slightly more than that and made our way to the street having spent approximately $20 each on breakfast.Driving back through the quaint town and seeing all the Latin inspired architecture I can’t say I’d rush back to Julienne as a tourist across the country, but if I lived in Los Angeles I’d make the trek…but I’d avoid Herbert’s section at all costs.
While Valentino may be Southern California‘s most vaunted Italian dining space and Osteria Mozza the “hottest,” it would be hard to say that there is a bigger name in SoCal Italian than “Drago” with the family’s multiple restaurants throughout the area. With my frequent trips to the city it surprised me that I’d never been to any of Celestino Drago’s spaces and for this trip I made it a point to remedy that – a task made especially easy by the relatively new Drago Centro just down the street from StapleslaceName> CenterlaceType>.
The Sicilian native’s first downtown venture – and at $7 million his most expensive by far – Drago Centro sits in the heart of downtown and its focus is clearly the business sector with its clean and sexy design, notable cocktail list and bar menu, and relatively modernistic approach to rustic Italian food. Helmed by Ian Gresik, a man with considerable talents and training all over the globe, I was told by multiple folks that the secondi were “good,” but the pasta was where the money was at. Arriving early for our 5:00pm seating we actually saw Chef Gresik in the elevator coming up from the parking lot – and again when we were leaving and he was taking house made pizza’s to the valet crew.
Having wandered the business sector, my first time walking in downtown LA, for a bit before returning to the restaurant we sat at the bar for a few moments and nibbled on crispy breadsticks before we were seated. A very large restaurant, apparently a former bank according to the hostess, I have to say the designers did an excellent job with the conversion. Enormous windows, arched ceilings, and lots of black, silver, and glass left the space feeling contemporary while the Italian inspired modern to post-modernist art gave the restaurant a bit of a Eurocentric feel without screaming “Italian.”
Seated and presented menus our waters were filled and cocktails were offered – an excellent but pricey list which we declined instead opting for iced teas and diet cokes, plus my standard of water. Greeted by our waiter, a pleasant gentleman whose name I forget, the menu and daily specials were explained and questions about portion sizes and half orders were answered. Left to decide it took a while to decide which pastas sounded best and I have to admit I was a little off-put by the number of staffers clearly eyeing our table since we were the only people in the restaurant.
With orders placed our first bite of Drago Centro would be the daily amuse of Porcini Mozzarella with Apple Caponata. A tasty bite and slightly more than a mouthful the texture here was creamy and light while the flavors were largely that of the earthy mushrooms melding with the heavily reduced salted apples.House made I was quickly glad my sister had opted for the burrata appetizer as the only problem with this dish was that it was only a bite and a half.
Following the amuse we’d be visited by the bread attendant who provided a basket with two relatively unmemorable types – wheat sourdough and olive. Pairing the bread with a clean and slightly citrus olive oil certainly helped, but overall the bread’s purpose seemed solely to assist with sopping up sauce from the courses that would follow.
Having mentioned the Burrata above, the first proper dish of the menu to arrive was indeed “la burrata,” an absolutely wonderful dish with creamy house made burrata, sliced endive, basil pesto, and crispy crostini.Paired simply, not overly sweetened or salted like some preparations, everything about the dish was spot on – creamy and crunchy, slightly bitter with the endive , and the burrata was perhaps the best I’ve ever tasted.
Not tremendously hungry my mother’s meal would be that of a salad and a small pasta.For the salad her decision was the l’insalata di mele with pink lady apples, bacon, candied walnuts, spinach, and arugula.Tasty and fresh with just a touch of vinaigrette there really was not much you could fault about this salad given its ample portion for $9.
For my appetizer I opted to start off with a half-portion of perhaps Drago’s most famous pasta – le pappardelle al fagiano.Featuring hand torn pappardelle topped with a ragout of roasted pheasant, morel mushrooms, and game stock I’m sure anyone who has tasted each of these ingredients can imagine the dish was very rich.With the pasta perfect and al dente the mildly gamey bird was perfumed nicely by the earthy mushrooms, yet while each bite was delicious I must say it was largely homogenous.Perfect flavor pairing I was glad I opted for a half order because even for a person with an appetite like mine a full order would have bordered on “too heavy.”
With appetizer plates removed around 5:30 it would be only a short while before the second courses would arrive, yet by this time Drago was beginning to fill up nicely.With myself opting for two more half-orders of pasta for my main course, the first to garner my attention was the lo gnocco alla romana with semolina gnocchi, oxtail ragout, gorgonzola creme.Certainly not your Italian Grandma’s traditional gnocchi these pockets of potato and semolia were nearly 2.5×1.5×1.5 inches in size and slightly crisp inside with a buttery molten interior.Topped with sweet and savory ragout of oxtail in balsamic and a lightly creamy chees sauce I will note that this certainly wasn’t what I expected when I ordered it, but I was very pleasantly surprised.
My other selection would be a rather standard one and a good but not stunning example.A dish I first tasted on a wonderful trip to New York with my mother and sister when we lucked into a last minute table at Babbo, i ravioli di zucca with butternut squash ravioli, amaretti crumble, brown butter was quite tasty with the creamy sweet filling a lovely pairing with the butter and crumbled cookie.The unfortunate aspect of the dish was actually the pasta – simply too thick, it detracted from the texture of it’scontents.
For my aunt’s main course the choice was obvious the moment we saw the menu – gli spaghetti alla chitarra con pesto alla trapanese.Featuring perfectly cooked house-made basil spaghetti lightly tossed in almond pesto and drizzled with intense and sweet tomato sauce plus a shaving of Pecorino the dish was simply presented yet quite complicated in its breadth of flavors.
My sister’s selection would be another filled pasta, but much more successful than the ravioli.Titled gli agnolotti and featuring rich ricotta agnolotti, blanched spinach, and crispy pancetta in a foamy butter and white wine reduction the flavors in this dish were perfectly balanced with smooth and creamy tempering crispy and savory, plus the spinach lending its vegetal textures to the melange.This was probably my favorite pasta of the evening and an impressive portion with over a dozen individual agnolotti on the plate.
The last of the main courses would be my mother’s il risotto di zucca with risotto, butternut squash, spinach, fontina crème.With nicely prepared risotto and a lovely cream sauce I was somewhat disappointed that the dish lacked much textural variability.Soft rice, cooked squash, cooked spinach – the flavors were all there, but after a couple of bites it was just more of the same.
With the meal moving along briskly there was plenty of time for dessert before we had to make our way towards Staples center and as such we browsed the menus and placed orders.With a daily special that sounded excellent I opted to pair dessert with coffee – “Drago Blend” by LAMill.Bold and dark with ample refills this was a stellar cup of coffee with honey tones most prominent, but also with what tasted a bit like cinnamon.Perhaps not an ideal choice for a fruit based dessert, but perfect with what I’d be ordering.
For my dessert, la souffle – an obvious choice when I saw it was to be prepared with amadei dark chocolate.Served in a cast iron pot this was not a traditional souffle, but rather somewhere between souffle cake and a proper souffle – parhaps a fallen souffle would be most appropriate.Dense and moist, lovely on its own the souffle was paired with warm amadei milk chocolate cream and a side of hazelnut gelato with caramelized hazelnut crumble.As good as the burrata and some of the pastas were, it was this dish (and actually all of the desserts) that still stand in my memory best.
My sister’s dessert selection was, according to our server, enjoying its last week on the menu due to the seasonal change.Titled la coppa d’autunno with pumpkin, persimmon, brown sugar caramel, brown butter gelato the dish was essentially cake and ice cream in a sundae glass.With the brown butter gelato certainly the most dominant flavor of the dish there was no lack of nuance found beneath the sweetness.Moist persimmon pudding cake, slightly gritty (in a good way) caramel, fibrous pumpkin – this was certainly an autumnal dish, but it works quite nicely in early winter as well and I imagine it could be adapted to any season quite well.
My mother’s choice for dessert was la panna cotta with vanilla bean panna cotta, candied kumquats, blood orange, and caramel sorbet.While a bit citrusy for my tastes, this was an obvious choice for my mother given her new found fancy for panna cotta.Creamy and rich the presentation of this dish was nice with crumbled butter cookies beneath.Paired with a smooth caramel sorbet – interesting in the fact that it was indeed more ice and less cream than the gelati – the mild bitters of the blood orange worked well with both components while the intensely sweet kumquats were best enjoyed with the panna cotta.
The final dessert of the evening was the most simple, for sure.i bomboloni with doughnuts, strawberries, and mascarpone gelato featured four large and yeasty sugar dusted doughnuts resting atop small mounds of house made vanilla cream.Accompanying the balls of pastry was an excellent and mildly sweet gelato that acted as an ample foil to the sugary doughnuts plus some rather average Strawberries.While I realize it is indeed winter, for the price I’d have preferred fruit the quality of Matsuhisa – perhaps something more fitting for the season.
With the time approaching 6:30 our bill would arrive – at approximately $60/person after tax and tip it certainly was not an exorbanant amount, but perhaps slightly overpriced for the quality of the pastas. Finishing another cup of coffee and settling the bill we were bid farewell by our server and made our way back to the elevators and down to the valet.A solid meal and obviously catering to the business sector I cannot say that Drago Centro impressed on the same level as Mozza or Valentino, but for the price and convenience I could certainly justify a return visit before an event at Staples or Nokia if I lived locally.
Dining with two who prefer their seafood cooked but wanting to have some high quality sushi during our most recent trip to LA there were a number of choices, but in the end I went with the most “LA” of the group.Considered by many to be the birthplace of Japanese fusion in the United States and having spawned greater than twenty “Nobu” restaurants around the world we were admittedly familiar with the branding of chef Matsuhisa when we arrived – even if a meal at Nobu New York seemed like a lifetime ago in May 2007.Having been only mildly impressed with what Nobu New York had to offer for the price I felt obligated to return with a more refined palate and more open mind.
Pulling up to the small space just moments after our 12:30 reservation we were once again greeted by a friendly valet – $6 if I recall correctly.With the weather sunny and clear we made our way to the small door where we entered to find ourselves nearly face to face with the hostess.Greeted pleasantly she noted our reservation and my request for a space close to the sushi bar without being at the sushi bar (aunt was afraid it would smell “fishy.”)Dressed in my Kings jersey I hadn’t even found my seat when I was greeted with “Go Kings Go” from a sushi chef who later introduced himself as Kiri-san as we chatted about the Kings recent offensive struggles.While I’ll note that talking to Kiri was one of the highlights of my meal, another was standing directly next to him – Nobuyuki Matsuhisa himself working the sushi bar.
Seated with water filled in a mere moments we were next handed menus – both the standard Matsuhisa menu and the daily specials of fresh fish and prepared items (replicated on a whiteboard near the window.)Browsing the options in addition to the scene – many regulars, a table of guys in suits talking music, and even a pair working on a script – as light Asian pop played overhead the restaurant definitely has an traditional feel to it with all the blonde woods and traditional lighting, but at the same time there is something entirely “swanky” with the spot lighting and energy of the room.
With an entirely Japanese workforce staffing the restaurant on this particular afternoon and the room nearly full I will note that this was one of the louder sushi spots I have been in, but at the same time the service was refined and all specials were explained at length, fishes described in great detail, and plates delivered and removed rapidly on completion.With Matsuhisa mostly working the sushi bar but occasionally coming out to greet diners (and to chat with me about Dustin Brown, the Kings captain) I’m sure the top notch service was in part due to his presence…or perhaps his presence was due to the fact that they knew a certain celebrity would be stopping in at the end of the lunch hour…y’know, that Raging Bull guy.
Orders placed the first items to arrive would be the house miso soup.A rather traditional presentation of the soup and filled with medium-firm tofu with scallions and saline broth I quite liked the simple presentation, especially as it was included as part of the lunch orders.
With Nobu himself slicing fish and teaching one of the younger sushi-san behind the counter we sat and talking for perhaps fifteen minutes before our main courses would arrive – and of course we checked out the interesting restroom, and myriad posters signed by various celebrities as well.When orders arrived, complete with instructions on what should and should not be consumed with soy sauce, we all chuckled as we realized my aunt would have to maneuver chopsticks…even if her order of Tempura and Chicken with Teriyaki should have been simple to handle.Featuring an orange imbued chicken teriyaki, salad with walnut vinaigrette, and lovely lightly battered shrimp, zucchini, onions, and pumpkin the dish was tasty and ample in portion – and provided plenty of entertainment to us which ended when a diligent server arrived with a fork (she’d refused to ask, but clearly it was too painful for him to watch.)
For my mother’s selection the decision would be her Japanese restaurant “go to” of Rock Shrimp Tempura with Ponzu.Lacking the creamy sauce that often overwhelms this dish at other spots this was perhaps the best Ponzu shrimp I’ve ever tasted with the creamy citrus flavors actually melded with the tempura batter.Light and succulent, tender and sweet, ample in portion and balanced with just a slight bit of chopped scallion – it’s not what I’d order at a sushi restaurant, but I was glad to have experienced it.
For my sister the decision was Matsuhisa’s Combination Sushi – a collection of eight standard fish nigiri plus a cut tuna roll.At $28 the plating included Shrimp, Egg, Squid, Salmon, Tai, Tuna, Egg, Saba and the Tuna Roll.As I mentioned earlier, sushi in Ohio is nothing special and my sister has been known to enjoy that at Whole Foods quite well, but she mentioned that everything was quite good.
For my lunch I opted for the “Special Sushi” featuring eleven of the daily fresh catch and inclusive of dessert for $50.Starring cuts of Medium Toro, Nishin, Jumbo Clam, Bonito, Shrimp with Eggs, Amberjack, Sea Eel, Kohada, Kinmedai, King Salmon, Japanese Giant Squid, and Egg the only flavor which I’d never experienced before was the Nishin – apparently a form of Herring that was quite fatty and potent, but tender and mellowed by a brushing of Yuzu.Considering a slice of Kinmedai was listed on the menu at $9 while the medium Toro (probably the best slice of fish I’ve ever eaten) was marked at $7.50 the value of this lunch was notable and the Giant Squid, Jumbo Clam, and Amberjack were all exemplary.
With dessert already included on my tab – a selection of daily ice cream or sorbet – the others decided to peruse the dessert menu and with little hesitation decisions were made.For my included dessert the choice was Honey Sorbet with fresh fruit, a creamy fructose laden tennis-ball-sized scoop paired with better fruit than we’ll see for the next 5 months in Ohio.Never one to just order ice cream for dessert I will note that this was one of the tastiest ice creams I’ve had in some time and the mouth feel was smooth as silk.
Knowing ice cream was not going to be fancy enough I also decided to taste Matushisa’s Mochi – Red Bean and Coffee flavors, also paired with fruit.Mild and sweet, a bit sticky but not at all gummy the mochi skins were excellent while the ice cream within was mild and creamy. Had I known my sister’s dessert was to come with coffee ice cream I’d have likely ordered something different, but I’m actually glad I didn’t because the flavor was that of sweetened black coffee and a lovely last taste for the meal.
For my sister’s dessert she would defy her dislike for green tea and embrace her love for Tiramisu in the form of Nobu’s famous Green Tea Tiramisu.Certainly not your traditional Italian style this slightly bitter cake was full of matcha flavor counterbalanced with what I can only assume was Cointreau given the boozy orange top notes.Creamy with mascarpone and nicely presented the dish was decidedly heavy – like most tiramisu – but at the same time smooth and airy.Paired with coffee ice cream, clearly a nod to the original, there may have been a bit of bitter on this plate but the sweet certainly wasn’t overshadowed.
The best dessert of the afternoon would belong to my mother – Banana cake with banana sorbet, caramel, and butter cream icing.A large round somewhere between bread pudding and angel food cake the texture of the cake was light and moist while the baked in caramelized bananas provided pockets of explosive sweetness.Topped with banana sauce, sticky caramel, and a spread of buttery icing before a large ball of banana ice cream (complete with chunks of frozen banana) was dropped atop the flavors were all familiar and although the least innovative, it was simply the most tasty.
The final dessert, my aunt’s choice, was a daily special – Gianduja Chocolate Fondue with Marshmallows, Ginger Cake, Fresh Fruit, Matcha Gelee, and Wafers.Featuring one of my favorite maker’s 62% dark chocolate melted atop a candle there was really no way this dessert could fail and it most certainly did not.With each fruit fresh and sweet and the marshmallows, cake, and wafers all prepared in house I have to say the Matcha Gelees did not appeal to my aunt, but I thought the bitter/bitter of dark chocolate atop matcha was really quite excellent.
With the bill settled I chatted a bit more with Kiri-san before we settled the bill and stood up from our seats.With Matsuhisa wishing us a farewell and a “go Kings” we made our way to collect the car from the valet…the valet who pull up with our rental Hyundai only moments before he would park the Mercedes of a living legend.
…sure we saw Robert DeNiro drive up in his Mercedes.Sure Nobuyuki Matsuhisa himself was cutting fish and plated a number of my sushi selections.Sure better fish can likely be found at a lower price in the Los Angeles area.Sure we couldn’t have been guaranteed some of the things we saw or tasted on the afternoon of December 23rd, but the fame and potential of such things were enough to prompt our Matsuhisa Beverly Hills reservations.In the end the simple fact is we don’t have good sushi, revolutionary sushi chefs, or celebrities (let alone perhaps the greatest actor of all time) in Ohio – and honestly, I would have been more than happy to settle for “great” as opposed to “killed on premises amazing” sushi at Matsuhisa even without the star gazing because the food and service were excellent – but I’m not going to lie, seeing Nobu and DeNiro was prettycool.
Time to revive a classic – and steal an intro from myself…”When I travel I make it a point to eat at different places every single time. I scour Zagats, Gayot, Frommers, Chowhound, and Yelp for opinions and eventually glean my list down to a few great choices for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks – I am rarely disappointed, despite never going back to the same place twice. Never, that is, aside from places that are simply too amazing, affordable, or unique to pass up. For me, Hollywood’s Griddle Cafe is one of those places. No glitz, no glam – just amazing food in a super casual setting with some of the most down to earth and friendly servers out there….and let’s not forget the great prices, absurd selections, and portions!”
My fourth trip to LA in four years once again brought me to The Griddle during the day of my annual pilgrimage to Staples Center for a Kings game and once again by arriving early we were met with a minimal wait…as a matter of fact, given the crummy weather and early hours this was the first time we arrived at The Griddle Café to find half the restaurant empty – no worries though, by the time we left there was a line.Greeted promptly by our server, a somewhat curt but efficient fellow named Sergio we were given menus and drink orders were taken – water all around, tea for two, and that lovely French Press for mother and I.Browsing the menu while listening to cheesy 80s music overhead I commented that this was the first time I could hear the sounds of the kitchen – again this didn’t last as the place filled up.
Browsing the menu and seeing options both old and new our decisions were easier than usual as we all wanted to try new things.As a new twist, Sergio actually inquired as to whether the persons ordering pancakes wanted one, two, or three – essentially a two dollars off per pancakes short of a full stack.With orders placed service would be swift with coffee and tea being refilled before they were even empty (resulting in two tea pots and two French presses on the large table at oncebusy or half full the service at The Griddle has never been anything less than impressive.Waiting a mere fifteen minutes while chatting and watching Sportscenter it would be no time before our desserts – er, breakfasts – would arrive.
Ordered by my sister and far better than its humble origins would suggest, a stack of two BLUESberry pancakes would arrive fluffy and light, jam packed with fresh blueberries and topped with a puree of blueberry juice and sour cream.Fearing the sour cream would be too tart I was duly impressed by the manner in which the powdered sugar and juice tempered the creamy sour cream and even my sister, a maple syrup fanatic, took it easy with the syrup on this dish allowing its natural flavors to shine.
For my mother, another fruited option – Barry Yellow.Similar in texture to the fluffy yet filling Blueberry option, this selection was loaded with pureed raspberries (complete with seeds) and lemon juice.Topped with merely butter and powdered sugar the buttermilk cakes were slightly more dry than I would have preferred, but with the pockets of jammy raspberry breaking up the dough the key was making sure to get both pancake and raspberry in each bite – then it was quite excellent.
My selection would be a result of my aunt choosing the newest menu option – the “Red Velvet” panCAKE, the dish I’d originally targeted.A single cake, both in title and in texture, this monstrous cake was mildly sweet, bright red, and loaded with subtle cocoa tones.Topped with a thick swirl of cream cheese icing with a slight acidity suggesting a nondescript citrus the cake was quite good, though not as successful as the version at Larchmont Bungalow.Dense and heavy compared to the standard pancakes a single cake was definitely enough for one, or to share.
Having already tried nearly all the pancake options on our multiple trips my selection would once again come from the French Toast section of the menu – this time Crème de la Crème with Griddle Café’s signature egg dipped Griddle Bread subsequently dipped in Graham Cracker crumbs before frying and subsequently loaded with slightly unsettled cheesecake and more graham cracker crumbles.Three thick slices, perfectly custardized inside and golden and buttery on the exterior I found the cheesecake topping particularly pleasant in its mildness.Adding only a drizzle of The Griddle Café’s pure maple syrup was a good, albeit unnecessary, decision as it worked quite nicely with the graham crackers and cream cheese both.
Honestly, there isn’t much more I can say about the Griddle than what has been stated in my previous three visits – the fact that I keep going back, from Ohio, says all you need to know.Obviously I cannot comment on the savories, but if you like sweet breakfasts this is the place for you and will continue to be a place for me on Kings game days (which would clearly be a health hazard if I lived locally.)
Continuing my traditional trajectory on leaving The Griddle it was time for some walking – this time the Hollywood Walk of Fame, then some driving around Beverly Hills, and finally a trip to Venice Beach to stare at the Ocean.Of course given my gluttonous nature the trip wasn’t without a food agenda – I’d heard rumor that there was a Bread Pudding themed restaurant right on the beach – Schulzie’s Bread Pudding – and that they served Blue Bottle Coffee.My favorite dessert style and my favorite coffee producer seemed like a can’t miss.
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Having walked up and down the beach for an hour or so in the only sunny weather of our trip the tiny shop was easy to find – tucked in next to a Middle Eastern place called Sabba and close to an empty Muscle Beach.With no bread pudding in site on arrival I asked the young man what time they started serving and he said “whenever ya like” – little did I know the Bread Pudding was pre-made in a tiny refrigerator.With eight total options including Brilliant Blackberry, Celestial Chocolate Chunk, Luba’s Peach Cobbler, and Biggie’s Figgie Pudding I opted for the Fig and Almond option, served with an ice cream scoop and drizzled with a balsamic sauce along with a drip brew cup of Single Origin African Dark roast.Paying the surprisingly modest tab of $5 I made my way back to the family to share.
While I will note that the coffee was superb – as good as all my previous Blue Bottle experiences had etched in my mind, the bread pudding was rather boring.Perhaps due to the storage, perhaps due to the temperature, perhaps due to the ingredients – everything about it was just sort of bland – without the small chunks of fig and balsamic reduction the bread itself was almost flavorless.Sharing around everyone agreed – homogenous and sub-par, especially from a place claiming it as a specialty.Disappointing for sure I’d perhaps consider a repeat visit for other flavors if I lived locally, but I’d not waste the stomach space or calories as a tourist when Los Angeles has so many wonderful bakeries.
Although not catering to the glamorous stars of Hollywood and not helmed by a celebrity chef I’d heard from a number of trusted sources that wonderful things were happening at 8009 Beverly Boulevard – the site of Bistro LQ.Living across the country I’ll admit I’d not heard of Chef Laurent Quenioux prior to 2009 when a friend suggested I should visit his Bistro on my next trip out west, but a quick search gave me all the information I needed – born and raised in France with an affinity for game, cheese, and heavy meats, trained in Michelin starred kitchens and alongside current mega-restaurateurs Splichal and Vongerichten, plus an uncanny knack for pairing unlikely ingredients into wonderful tastes and sensations – and all of that housed in a rather low key setting with a menu that doesn’t break the bank.Making reservations for four happened without a second thought – as a matter of fact it was the first reservation I made for our trip to Los Angeles.
Arriving at the small bistro and easily finding metered parking only yards away we made our way through the doors and were all immediately taken at how small the space was – you can quite literally see the entire dining room all the way back to the kitchen from the front door.While light tunes played overhead and the room was relatively quiet we next realized that despite the small size they were also apparently only seating in one half of the room – an odd choice that was never really explained.Greeted by a pleasant gentleman who noted our reservations we were led (with notes to watch a “lump” in the floor) to a cozy four-top along the far wall.
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Seated for mere moments at the white tableclothed spot we were soon greeted by one of the two servers working the room – a young man who seemingly described everything as “beautiful” – who would fill our water and present our menus.Decorated minimalistically the room was awash in subtle whites and off-whites while white and pink flowers dotted the tables – the chairs, similarly, were plain and black looking largely like something that would be seen in a typical office.Greeted next by our primary server, Jennifer, we were presented a menu and the male server returned to describe the “beautiful” tasting menu options.
With Jennifer returning after a short wait we’d made our decisions – or at least we thought we had until we were informed that three of the items we’d selected were “out of stock” (which turned out to mean they were only being served to people who ordered the tasting menu as we saw two of them arrive at the table next to us – a table with two “foodies” waxing poetic about restaurants they’d never been to and things they’d seen on the Food Network…yes, the tables were close enough that you couldn’t ignore their conversation if you tried.)Taking a moment to reorganize our plan of attack we made decisions and placed our orders.Without spending too much time discussing service issues I will note that in all reality Jennifer tried to be a good server – she simply wasn’t.Descriptions were inadequate, she could not name items on the cheese board, and worst of all despite the fact that there were less than forty people in the restaurant it took over an hour for our first courses to arrive – and when I mentioned this fact she actually had the audacity to say “it hasn’t been that long” before correcting herself with a “has it?”
Setting aside issues with the service, size, acoustics, and stylistic choices of the dining room at Bistro LQ I will move on to the food – obviously the focus of Quenioux’s talents and the reason the restaurant has gained the attention it has.The first taste of our meal would be in the form of the nightly amuse bouche – salmon and tuna tartare with seasonal citrus.A tasty bite with obviously fresh seafood mingling with micro greens and the flavors of lemon and orange, nothing revelatory, but a nice start.
Arriving shortly after our amuse would be the nightly bread basket – a hearty and crusty French bread with a good crumb paired with semi-sweet unsalted butter.As we’d be left in bread and water land for another 45 to 50 minutes while the table next to us received two entire courses from the tasting menu I was glad to have something to nibble on, though more variety would have been preferable.
Moving on to the meal itself I will note that one of my favorite aspects of the Bistro LQ menu is the ability to order 1/2 portions of many of the dishes in order to formulate one’s own tasting menu.Taking full advantage of this option the first bites of our meal were a full order of perhaps the restaurant’s most well known dish – “Uni” with Sea Urchin Tapioca Pudding, Yuzu Kosho, and Kumamoto oysters in Lobster gelee.An astoundingly textural dish and perhaps the most unique presentation of urchin outside of that at Joel Robuchon this dish balanced the naturally sweet and unctuous urchin with creamy and smooth tapioca pearls in one dish while the shot glass contained a “gelee” with a texture more akin to jello that tasted precisely like lobster coral.With the gelee resting atop an intense and briny oyster and tempered by the spicy citrus of the yuzukosho the entirety of this dish could best be described as somehow separating the sweetest and most savory aspects of the ocean and serving them on a single plate.
Course two was another successful choice – Foie Gras 2 ways.Placing two cold preparations on the same plate for a mere $17 my first thought was “wow, that is a lot of foie.”With the first preparation a traditional Torchon Style laced with Huckelberries with Violet and resting atop Corn Bread and the second a Terrine Style with Cold Vin Chaud, Cardamom Orange Brioche, and a Quince Marshmallow I found the Torchon superb while the Terrine was merely good.Supple and nicely cleaned both preparations were faultless in their quality – the Terrine simply lacked anything special and neither the brioche or marshmallow really tasted like their title indicated.The cornbread, I will note, was almost a cornbread pudding and it was fantastic.
Fairing less admirably than the 2-way dish would be the Foie Gras Tostada – Seared Foie, Candied Heirloom Tomatoes Salsa, Pomegranate Molasses.Another ample portion, the biggest issue with this dish was its serving temperature of luke warm.Finding a single vein on dissection the foie was characteristically unctuous but the acidic salsa and sweet molasses actually overtook the liver’s place as the predominant flavors on the plate – the balance was simply off.As this was the only warm dish to arrive during our first round of plates I do wonder if some of the issue was that it waited in the kitchen while the other dishes were composed, but even searing hot I feel I’d have been underwhelmed.
The other final option arriving during our first round of plates would be a soup – a half-order each for mom and aunt. Crab – Corn and Cheddar Soup, Poblano Chile, Bacon Powder was poured tableside with the lovely air spreading over the table as it was poured.With the bacon powder served on the spoon and instructed to be stirred in I will note that prior to mixing I tasted the crab solo and it was lovely – sweet and fresh Dungeness dusted with chili powder in an ample amount.As good as the crab was solo, however, the admixture of soup, crab, and powder really brought the dish to life.Sweet, savory, a bit of spice and the texture almost like a fondue, but the flavors of the crab still peaking through in each bite.
With burrata apparently all the rage in Southern California currently I figured we would see it on the menu at Bistro LQ and although it wasn’t featured, it was a lovely side on the first dish of round two. Presented as “Lobster Salad – Corn Cannoli, Red Beet, Burrata Sorbet” this troika of flavors was fun and tasty.Ordered as a half-portion (again by mother and aunt) the lobster component was a half-mit and half-tail of warm butter poached lobster – no more, no less.Accompanying the crustacean would be a curl of house made corn tortilla filled with succulent corn cream and three jewels of earthy beats topped with creamy, rich, and mildly sweet “Burrata Sorbet” that tasted precisely like the famous cheese, but less dense in texture.
For my sister’s second course, her favorite of the meal, the choice was “Black Bass – Lentil, Cippolini, Morcella, Smoked Duck Wing, Pequillo.” Well aware that she had no idea what Morcella was when she ordered the dish I was shocked when she took a bite of the Portuguese blood sausage and said “this is really good – but I don’t know what it is” and impressed when the information didn’t seem to faze her…then again, it was really stellar blood sausage.Not to be outdone, the nicely seared black bass and smoky fried duck wing were also excellent while the toothsome lentils, pungent onions, and mild peppers lent a additional complexity to the otherwise hefty proteins.This dish was the exact sort of dish I’d expected entering Bistro LQ and the subsequent dishes would continue the trend.
For my second course, reportedly a “half” portion, I received Duck 2 Ways, a dish consisting of a whole seared duck breast and a full confit leg resting atop pickled cabbage, pickled huckleberries, and a flatpastry-like Huckleberry Muffin.With the duck prepared expertly and the bursting huckleberries balancing nicely with the savory cabbage I think my favorite aspect of this dish was pairing bites of the duck’s crunchy skin with the huckleberry and duck fat saturated muffin.At $17 this “half” portion would have been a $30+ main course at many restaurants elsewhere.
Having obviously noted my displeasure with the early delay in the meal our next round of dishes would arrive perhaps a little too quickly – literally 2-3 minutes after we finished round two.With my aunt’s desired main course of beef being one of the sold out items she instead opted for the Veal Rack at Jennifer’s suggestion.Featuring a Veal Medallion, Basil Gnocchi Gratin, Fava Beans, and Eggplant Fondue this was the one main course I did not taste, but my aunt felt the veal was “too fatty” and left much of it on the plate.The portion I tasted, the basil gnocchi mixed with exquisitely prepared Fava Beans and creamy mozzarella and topped with crispy veal bacon was quite tasty, though the gnocchi was a tad mushy.
For my mother, Pork – Braised with Chocolate, Achiote, Epasote and Honey Semolina Cake was a masterpiece and clearly showed off the fact that Chef Quenioux knows more than just French fare.While the pork itself was nicely prepared, it largely just served as a mechanism to show off the topping – somewhere between a mole and savory pork gravy with obvious Hispanic influences the complexities of the sauce reminded me of something from a Bayless kitchen – smoky, savory, spicy, and robust.Seated alongside a hollowed green tomato whose insides had been rendered into a sort of ratatouille and matched with two fried sticks of sweet semolina cake this “half” dish was simply a mountain of flavor.
Selecting a half order one of the night’s specials, my sister received Hare Saddle – Cock’s Comb, Potato, Fava Beans, Garlic Puree.Nicely prepared and expectedly grassy in flavor the hare itself was nicely textured and lean while the pan jus and garlic puree were nice additions.Topping the hare with a cartilaginous comb that had been poached in sweet vinegar my sister was not a fan, but I gladly helped her out.Rounding out the dish with a tumbleweed of crunchy fried potato and thinly sliced fava beans plus almond powder was a nice touch.
The final main course of the evening was another of the nightly wild game specials – Wild Boar with Chestnut Tagliatelle, and Balsamic Blueberries.Perhaps the most simplistic presentation of the evening the portion size was once again quite ample for the $17 price tag and the flavor was that of pork meets lamb – somewhat tough in texture but easily cut, heavy but lacking “chewiness” – a nice first experience with wild boar.With the hand cut pasta somewhat softer than I’d have preferred the taste was quite nice and the balsamic soaked blueberries were literally bursting with flavor.
Skipping coffee as the nightly options were all citrus blends we were next offered cheese or dessert.Having seen the ample cheese carte.Featuring 43 options on this evening I couldn’t pass up such an option for a mere $10 charge.With the board so large I will note that if you desire to see the selections you have to leave the table (mind the “hump”) and most annoyingly despite me getting up to hear the selections Jennifer could only delineate cow vs. goat vs. sheep and a couple easy specifics such as Epoisse and Brie.Deciding to give up asking after the third “I don’t know” I simply asked her to prepare a plate and so she did.
Served with the ten 1+ ounce servings of cheese would be one of the more impressive trays of accoutrements I have seen and included Hazelnuts, Roasted Cumin Seeds, Apple Gelee, Huckleberry Gelee, Bell pepper Mustard, Tomatillo Compote, Truffle honey, Homemade Green Ketchup, and crispy petit pain.A good mix I know the selection included epoisse, brie, pecorino, Roquefort, and a lovely ash-bound sheep’s cheese but as good as the cheeses were I think the restaurant would be best served to have them presented by someone who could identify them.Then again, perhaps I was spoiled after Robuchon and Melisse on previous nights.
Opting next for desserts, normally under the direction of Pastry Chef Anthony Huynh but on that night the responsibility of Quenioux and the pastry sous-chef, we each selected differently and shared as always.Starting first with the Funnel Cake – Mixed Berries Sauce, Pop Corn Sorbet, Salted Caramel, Peanut Brittle I have to say I appreciated the whimsy.Crispy and light just like the carnival favorite the funnel cake was lovely while the sorbet truly did taste like hot buttered popcorn – at least until mixed with the brittle and caramel at which point it tasted like caramel corn.Clever.
My dessert option, unfortunately arriving last along with the mignardises because it was the only one that required on the spot preparation, was described as Steamed Persimmon Pudding with Sweet Potato Sorbet and Coffee Crème Anglaise.Somewherebetween a bread pudding and a sticky pudding the chunks of sweet bread were on their own delightful while the coffee cream added a nice degree of bitterness to the otherwise saccharine flavor profile.While I’ll note the ice cream was quite tasty I personally believe I was served the wrong option as it tasted a potent vanilla or marshmallow and was far more creamy than sorbet should be.
For my aunt, the most successful dessert – another Pot de Crème presentation, this time Espresso & Chocolate, and served alongside Butterscotch Tapioca Bread Pudding, and White Chocolate Ice Cream Affogato.With hot, warm, and cold all on the same plate and two coffee themed options I rather wondered how my aunt would enjoy this dish, but in reality the affogato was overwhelmingly smooth and chocolately and the Pot de Crème so dark a chocolate that the espresso was only a bitter note on the palate afterwards.The highlight of this dish would be the Butterscotch Tapioca bread pudding – creamy, salty, hefty yet with textural pockets throughout…who’d have thought to put tapioca in a bread pudding?I guess the same guy who balanced it with Uni so nicely earlier.
Another spot of whimsy would be found in mom’s selection of the “Candy Bar Plate.”Featuring most prominently a thick Peanut butter Cup Tart the size and density of a hockey puck, a Kit-Kat Parfait loaded with chocolate, wafer, and cream, and Snickers Ice Cream complete with nougat and served atop crumbled peanuts with swirls of chocolate there was nothing complicated about the dish – it was just fun and tasty.
The final tastes of Bistro LQ would arrive, as mentioned, along with my dessert – a tray of petit fores and mignardises including vanilla marshmallows, raspberry gelee, Valrhona cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, and tip-top quality macarons of strawberry and coffee.Shortly after this Jennifer would return with the bill – desserts and cheese comped on the house for the long delay – a nice but unnecessary gesture given the bargain prices and portions of the food (slightly over $60/pp with tax and tip.)
Handing Jennifer my credit card I was next asked if I’d like to meet the chef – another great gesture that was actually a wonderful surprise. Short and somewhat shy I will say that of all the chefs I’ve met and spoken to, Chef Quenioux was perhaps the most down to earth aside from RJ Cooper and Roland Passot.Pleasant and readily dishing his opinion on the restaurant, the Los Angeles dining scene, and even local sports (I mentioned I was a Kings fan and he knew they were playing Edmonton the following night) I thanked him for the experience and told him the food was largely wonderful because it was.Making our way out of the restaurant, a signed menu in hand, and realizing how full I was I have to say that Bistro LQ is definitely unique and Chef Quenioux is genuinely talented, but a new front of the house will be necessary to truly push Bistro LQ into the upper echelon Quenioux is capable of cooking in.
Perhaps the greatest American Chef of his time (or any other) I’m not ashamed to admit I have a bit of an epicurean fascination with Thomas Keller, his philosophy, and his long list of disciples…and it seems as though every time I think I’ve experienced all Keller has to offer a new opportunity presents itself.Having finally ticked Per Se off my list in December of 2009 I was made aware that yet another Bouchon had opened its doors all the way across the country in Beverly Hills – with my passion for Kings hockey and yearly pilgrimages to the city of Angels I knew I’d invariably land in a seat at Bouchon eventually – even if it was almost a year to the day later.Having survived the much hyped opening and now a well established brunch, lunch, and dinner favorite for business folk, tourists, and gourmands alike we decided to take advantage of the expansive lunch menu and booked a table for four with ease.
Arriving early at the Rory Herrmann helmed spaced parking was easily obtained via valet and after making our way through the Beverly Hills Garden area, through Bar Bouchon, and past the disappointing Bouchon Bakery “pop-up” we found our way up the stairs past a beautifully lit Christmas Tree and to the hostess podium where we collected on our reservations – a good thing as the restaurant was filled.A thoughtfulspace clearly influenced by the Salons of France the room was quite familiar to those who’ve been to the Yountville or Vegas outposts – it looks every bit the bistro it strives to be.Seated promptly at a four-top overlooking the rainy gardens we were presented menus and water was filled promptly.
True to form of the other Bouchons, the Beverly Hills iteration features a menu of familiar dishes served at each Bouchon while also highlighting a few site specific menu specials and a chalkboard of daily specials.Greeted by our server, Ponte, we declined wine while my mother and aunt opted for iced tea.Sitting and browsing the menu I will note that this Bouchon was by far the most crowded and loudest I’ve been to – not in a bad way, but in a bustling bistro way that felt very comfortable and accessible.Returning with our beverages our orders were placed, all of us neglecting the daily L’express menu despite its bargain price.
Within moments of our orders being placed the first item to arrive would be a familiar one – the house made epi-baguette. As good as ever and paired with that impressive creamy and grassy butter we went through two branches (7 and 4) during our meal.
Opting largely for lighter menu items given our breakfast and dinner plans the first items to arrive would be a soup for my sister and a salad for myself.Erika’s choice, the daily Cauliflower soup with chives and olive oil was exactly what would be expected of the dish – creamy and smooth, a bit like potato soup, but bespeckled with crunchy croutons and mildly sweet.While I personally would not have opted for this soup I will admit that for what it was it was quite good.
My appetizer selection would be the “Frisee aux Lardons et Oeuf Poche” – a frisee salad with lardons, poached egg, bacon vinaigrette & toasted brioche.Perhaps my favorite style of salad this dish was one of the better presentations I’ve experienced with salty and textural pork lardons mingling with the creamy poached egg.With a base of slightly bitter and characteristically light frisée topped with just a touch of savory bacon vinaigrette I was additionally happy to see a whole slice of Keller’s famous brioche on hand – just as warm and just as good as that at The French Laundry.
For our main courses there were some predictable choices for all – especially my mother who once again ordered the quiche.Having ordered similarly at Bouchon Yountville and subsequently tackling Keller’s Bouchon cookbook recipe for Thanksgiving, the Beverly Hills quiche would be every bit as good as before.Titled simply “quiche du jour” the daily option was Florentine style pairing the expected egg custard and pastry shell with spinach and gruyere – heavy and savory the dish was served with a light side of greens topped with a mild vinaigrette.Still the best quiche recipe I’ve tasted I’d recommend anyone try this at home – it is simple, rustic, and sure to please both the eye and the mouth.
For my sister’s main course there would be another salad – Salade de Cresson et d’Endives au Roquefort et Noix.Essentially a watercress & endive salad at its heart I actually loved the crisp and bitter greens more than I liked the frisee from my salad.Paired with pungent Roquefort, so strong my sister actually passed it on to me because she felt it overwhelming, and toasted walnuts plus a walnut vinaigrette this was the sort of salad that demanded your attention, not the sort that could be served as a “side.”It was fantastic.
At $21 and served with a plate of frites Le Burger Bouchon with cheddar was large and impressive.Sitting on a brioche bun with plenty of vegetables I’ll note I did not taste my aunt’s selection, but according to her it was the second best burger she has ever had (behind Boulevard San Francisco.)
For my main course selection I opted for a second “Hors d’oeuvres” – the Confit de Canard.Featuring Crispy duck leg confit served over toothsome lentils “du puy,” in “saucisson à lail & a matignon of root vegetables” the duck itself was superb – crispy skin, thin layer of fat, supple meat falling off the bone.As good as the duck was, however, the perfectly prepared vegetables in a garlic game stock was perhaps even more impressive – rustic and hearty yet nuanced and elegant.Shredding the duck with my fork and knife before discarding the bones to form a stew of sorts this was the dish that necessitated a second order of epi-baguette – not a drop of the sauce escaped.
Happy as ever with a Keller establishment dessert was mandatory – interestingly the first time I’d ordered dessert at a Bouchon Bistro as my previous meals had been associated with subsequent stops at Bouchon Bakery.With the standard Bouchon dessert menu featuring some seasonal variations our orders were placed along with a coffee – the same Equator Coffee blend served at each of the other Bouchons.
For my aunt the dessert of choice would be the eggnog pot du crème with shortbread.Not particularly a fan of eggnog my lone bite of this dessert displayed the expected creamy custard with ample notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.Paired with crispy and sugar encrusted cookies for dunking my aunt and sister enjoyed this immensely.
Less festive but far more tasty from my vantage point, my mother’s option was L’Ile Flottante – a traditional French Floating Island.Featuring a cloudlike vanilla meringue floating atop a glass of smooth vanilla creme anglaise and topped with crunchy almonds, almond cookies, and a boozy caramel the flavor profile was decidedly subtle but the dish was actually all the more impactful for it.A fantastic light closer for otherwise hearty bistro food.
For my dessert selection I went with the restaurant’s signature Bouchons.Featuring the eponymous little cork-shaped chocolate cakes – essentially the same texture as a Valrhona pudding cake – with a seasonal variation this version was simply entitled “S’mores” as the cakes were paired with graham cracker ice cream, burnt marshmallow cream, Valrhona fudge, and a large crunchy house made cinnamon graham.Wonderful ingredients, expert preparations – cake and ice cream is never a bad way to end a meal.
Settling the tab and making our way past myriad towers of seafood from the raw bar and a growing line of folks waiting for seats I realized suddenly how glad I was we’d been sat toward the back – the bar area is quite loud.Quickly browsing the Bouchon Bakery Pop-Up and subsequently the Bar Bouchon menu we collected car from the valet and were on our way to Arclight Hollywood in seconds.Sated and yet again impressed by Keller’s ability to bring that “French” feel to anywhere in America I can only imagine where his next project will appear…and where I’ll find a seat shortly thereafter.
As much as I know I could eat The Griddle Café every day I was on vacation in Los Angeles, I love to try new places and as such limit myself to their gluttonous pancakes once per trip.Having already tried Toast, Doughboys, CiCi’s, La Provence, and Jack n’ Jills I turned to friends and the blogs for suggestions and one thing became evident quite quickly – a trip to Larchmont Bungalow was required for this year’s itinerary.Located in the upscale but largely quiet Larchmont area of Los Angeles, the cozy restaurant featuring plenty of local sourced and organic goodness had been referred to as everything from creative and cozy to a “hidden treasure” to the best breakfast in Southern California.
Awaking early as ever to an ongoing downpour the roads were surprisingly quiet and we made it to the small café shortly after opening.With only two other couples already seated and dining the sprawling store was largely empty and metered parking was plentiful.Walking in we were greeted by a lovely young woman named Jessica who showed us the menu and told us that when we were ready we could order at the counter.Taking a seat and browsing for moments it wouldn’t take long as we had already scouted the menu – what would take time was browsing the pastry case and the store full of knick knacks, salts, spices, coffees, and crafts.
With decisions made we placed our order – far too much food, expectedly, and returned to our seats to wait.Essentially a two person operation at the front of the house with two cooks in the kitchen things were relaxed and we sat listening to XM Coffee Shop radio (literally, I feel bad for bands pigeonholed here.)After a few moments beverages would arrive – two single origin coffees and two teas.For the coffee La Amistad Costa Rica, a rich smooth coffee with plenty of caramel and chocolate tones and the tea, Earl Grey Vanilla, a stunning black tea with citrus, vanilla, and floral notes.Pricey and without refills I will say this was the best tea outside of Robuchon’s La Colombe that I had on the whole trip.
Beginning first with two selections from the pastry cabinet, our first bites of Larchmont Bungalow would be from a “Classic” Cupcake.Similar to the Hostess original but all the more dense with cocoa and hefty whipped cream this was a great cupcake and quite large for the price.
More exciting than the cupcake would be the house made chocolate chip bread pudding muffin.Made with day old croissants soaked in custard and loaded with dark chocolate chips Jessica offered to warm the item before delivery – a great idea.Served with sides of whipped cream, fresh berries, and Nutella I can say that there was little “muffin” about this pudding aside from the shape and delivery.With flavors and textures all balanced nicely and pockets of chocolate dotting the rich bread the sides were hardly necessary – but they were added liberally largely because there are few things that can’t be made better with nutella or whipped cream.The berries, fresh as can be, were eaten separately – and with some whipped cream.
Moving on to the main courses, perhaps LB’s most well known item is the Red and Blue Velvet Pancakes.A “side” (half order) portion that consisted of three slices of “cake” each approximately the size of the chocolate cupcake I can honestly say this was perhaps the second best Red Velvet presentation I’ve ever had – cake, pancake, or cupcake.Ribboned with cream cheese icing and topped with homemade whipped cream plus candied walnuts and served with a side of natural maple syrup (warmed) the cakes themselves were dense, flavorful, and ample with cocoa tones while the cream cheese was faintly citrus.With the blue and red interestingly tasting slightly different – the blue sweeter – I liked that the taste was not over the top sweet – at least until we added some syrup which was actually a bit over the top.
Sharing around, the next order was the LB French Toast.Though perhaps a bit similar to the bread pudding these six triangles of buttery brioche were dipped in a vanilla egg wash and perfectly fried until crispy.Stuffed with Nutella and plantains and then topped with toasted hazelnuts and more Nutella the dish was additionally served with a side of warm house blended hazelnut syrup.Not quite custardized, but also not doughy, another wonderful dish.
The next option was again three full slices of brioche dipped in the same vanilla custard, but this time the presentation was Strawberry Tequila French Toast.Slightly more custard infused and soft, this set was topped with a handful or two of tequila laden strawberries, mango and honey cream, and paired with warm agave nectar.Sweet and ever so slightly savory I really liked this presentation, but not quite as much as the others.
The final main course was another fruited selection – Strawberry Shortcake Pancakes.A rather standard stack of three pillowy flapjacks topped with fresh strawberries plus that same lovely house made whipped cream, this dish was the only one that was vastly improved by its paired syrup – a lovely strawberry infused maple.Slightly crisp these pancakes reminded me strongly of the “cupcake” pancakes at Chicago’s Southport Grocery and Café.
Full and satisfied we settled the bill – a somewhat pricey $20 per person after tax and tip – and made our way back into the rain.With strong emphasis on local sourcing and quality ingredients I’d personally compare Larchmont Bungalow to Toast more than I would to some of the more gluttonous breakfast spots in Los Angeles, but with that said you can certainly get your sugar fix at Larchmont, just as we did, and enjoy breakfast in a lovely café that feels miles away from the glitz and glam of Hollywood.
Holding off on Urasawa until I have a finer understanding of the nuances of raw fish, Melisse was the last of the (now defunct) Michelin Two Star restaurants on my Los Angeles dining list.While not as famous as Spago and not as innovative as Providence, I felt somewhat regretful about having missed the restaurant on previous visits largely because Melisse seemed like the sort of restaurant I would love – Fine, French, Sleek, and focused on ornate presentations of locally sourced ingredients.With reservations booked well in advance for our first night in Los Angeles I’d be dining alone at this meal largely due to the cost – the prix fixe beginning at $105 and the Carte Blanche currently running $250.
Arriving at the restaurant early and having wandered the rainy streets of Santa Monica for approximately an hour after leaving the car at the $8 valet station I’d thankfully worked up a decent appetite before entering the large doors under an ornate awning that reminded me very much of Daniel in New York’s Upper East Side.Consistently rated either the best or second best for “Top Food” in Los Angeles by Zagat and helmed by Josiah Citrin, a chef whose resume includes stints at Chinois under Puck and Patina under Splichal my expectations were high and although I was informed that Citrin himself would not be present that evening when I made reservations I was sure it wouldn’t really matter as Chef de Cuisine Ken Takayama has been running the kitchen successfully on a day-to-day basis for nearly six years.
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Arriving at the hostess stand and introducing myself I was greeted politely, but even though I was carrying a shopping bag the offer was not made to check it for me while I dined.Making my way though the festively decorated dining room I was once again reminded of Daniel with the raised edges of the room overlooking a central chandeliered area.Seated at a large and well adorned four top with thick linens and plenty of crystal and silver surrounding my charger the first person I would meet was actually the attendant who poured my water – house filtered tap that would be filled nearly every time I took two sips throughout the evening.
With ample lighting at each table yet a soft glow to the overall room I’ll note the feel of Melisse is certainly romantic in a sleek “LA meets Classic French” sort of way.The sort of way where soft Classical Christmas music playing overhead meets an automatic sliding glass door to the kitchen, the sort of way where one table has a man dressed in a Versace 3-piece suite and another has a guy in a hoodie and jeans, the sort of way where service is professional but somewhat aloof – i.e. sitting and waiting for nearly four minutes before a server would arrive with the menu – a server who handed me the menu, and explained the various options but did not know which wild game was available or the price of the Carte Blanche…thankfully, though I’m still uncertain as to why, she was replaced the moment I opted for the Carte Blanche but could be seen servicing other tables surrounding me throughout the evening.I will note here that an issue arriving later in the meal, an upcharge which was unexpected but certainly worth it, was likely her fault.
Taking care of me for the rest of the evening would be Douglas, a pleasant man who had clearly been at Melisse for some time.Capable and willing to discuss everything from sourcing to preparation techniques he represented my favorite type of server – the sort who seems to want to get to know the patron and is willing to offer his thoughts, as well.Offered wine or a cocktail I opted to begin things with a glass of Cremant de Bourgogne, Blanc de Blancs that was a bit brisk for my taste, but pleasant after acclimating to the flavor.A second mistake to the check would be attributed to this beverage choice, however, as I was charged for a much more expensive glass of Dom before the correction was made.
Assuring that there were no dietary restrictions though I’d prefer no beef the meal would begin with what has become the signature amuse at Melisse – Grapes in two forms.With the first taste arriving as half a frozen grape wrapped in Goat Cheese and Pistachio and the later an Adria inspired grape emulsion with Goat Cheese essence and Pistachio dust I really liked the exploration of temperatures and textures as the two flavor profiles were nearly identical, though entirely different.
Arriving post-amuse would be one of my favorite people at any restaurant – the bread man.Wielding a wooden basket laden with six options that arrived warm along with a subtly sweet locally sourced butter the choices for the evening were Bacon Ciabatta, Olive, Sourdough, Brioche, Basil Brioche, and Baguette.With the sourdough a tad hard for my liking I will note that the other options were all excellent though I stuck to the standard brioche and bacon ciabatta because both were soft, supple, and nicely paired with multiple courses…and per usual I ate way too much bread.
Starting off the menu proper would be a rather predictable course, but a tasty one – Kushi Oyster with Yuzu, American Osetra Caviar, Chives.Predictably briny and fresh the oyster/caviar pairing really never ceases to impress but whereas this is normally balanced with a tangy crème fraiche, the choice here to focus on lemony citrus and savory chives was a nice change.
Arriving as my second course would be something far more interesting, and far more complex than the Oyster.Described on the menu as Hokkaido Scallop, Santa Barbara Uni, Cauliflower, the dish featured all of the above arranged ornately and accented with mild lemon-uni cream and crunchy almonds.At once sweet, briny, creamy, crunchy, and vegetal this dish was the very sort of thing I expected entering Melisse – fresh local seafood and vegetables classically prepared but with Eastern accents.
Following the Scallop would be the first in a series of “wow” dishes – unsurprisingly given the menu’s progression, a soup.Poured tableside the Artichoke Veloute with chervil, goat cheese croquette, and white truffle foam arrived as only the spices, croquette, and a crispy artichoke in a cup.Adding the foamy soup and releasing the very essence of truffle as the steamy broth surrounded the croquette the presentation of this dish was not forgotten despite the elaborate dishes that would follow.Every bit as delicate and refined as Guy Savoy’s classic presentation the only thing missing was the truffled brioche.
At the end of the meal the fourth dish of the carte blanche would be the cause of a $65 upcharge on my bill – partially my fault, partially the fault of the servers.Having inquired about the dish and confirming I’d love to have it as part of the carte blanche I rather figured it would replace another dish rather than being added as a supplement, but in retrospect it was worth it…it was the best thing I have ever eaten.Titled “Truffle egg” with melting organic egg, shaved white truffle from Alba, truffle sauce and brioche, the dish arrived with explanation of its preparation – two “meringued” egg whites at the base and two at the top with a pair of sous-vide yolks within.Topped with buttery egg foam and resting in pool of truffled jus the “egg” was topped tableside with a substantial shaving of aromatic white truffles so potent I’m certain the table six feet away could smell it.Intoxicated by the aroma the first bite was purely truffle – earthy, lovely, powerful.With subsequent bites, however, the fluffy meringue and rich yolk stepped to the forefront mellowing the truffles ever so slightly.Using brioche only to wipe the plate clean the best way to describe the experience is eating a cloud of white truffles.
With the dining room manager stopping by to see how things were going and me gushing about the egg we chatted for a bit about my love for egg based dishes and foie gras, at which point he assured me that I’d likely be excited for the next dish which he would deliver himself – listed as “Seared Foie Gras & Pheasant Consomme” the dish was far more than that simple combination and featured not only the lovely seared liver, but also chunks of crispy confit pheasant in an aromatic broth laden with chanterelle mushrooms, sauternes, and shiso.As a lovely bonus, the small pasta in the dish were Foie Gras Agnolotti – rich and supple with foie terrine and packing a smooth gossamer finish.
Wiping the previous two plates clean with bread the next dish would continue the trend.Somewhere between soup and stew, “Coconut & Shellfish Nage” with chowder of Percebes, Maine Lobster, Aori Ika, Uni, and Chanterelles was miraculously light yet so packed with various seafood that each bite was an entirely different experience.Having never heard of Percebes it was explained that this was an imported form of barnacle and although the texture was similar to a clam, the flavor was sweeter and more briny.Paired with sweet lobster, creamy uni, and rich Japanese giant squid this was certainly a dish meant to wow with its ingredients, but in reality it was the simple way that the sweet coconut milk served to highlight each shellfish’s flavor that truly impressed me.
With Douglas returning to check in we talked about restaurants around town (he highly praises the kitchen at Providence and I certainly agree) and he informed me that since I was the only person in house who opted for the Carte Blanche that evening the chef wanted to send out a special surprise.Obviously never one to complain about such service my next presentation arrived with the same wooden box as the melting egg.Again topped tableside with perhaps even more truffle than the egg, White Truffle Risotto with Carnaroli Rice, Mascarpone and Shaved White Truffles was everything you’d expect from the ingredients – the smooth yet toothsome rice and mildly sweet cheese acting merely as backdrop for the aromatic truffles.While no toasted brioche was served, a simple request produced a slice within moments – another plate wiped clean, “manners” be damned.
The eighth plate of the evening would start the progression towards heavier protein dishes – a fish to be certain, but not just any fish, my favorite outside John Dory.Served again with Percebes, Wild Black Bass “En Ecailles” would pair a sous-vided filet of bass finished on a hot grill to make the scales crispy with Kubota Squash Gnocchi, Kohlrabi, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, White Carrots, and light cucumber consommé.Clear and clean the consommé itself was marvelous and the fish was perfectly executed.Less impressive were the gnocchi – more pan-seared pureed squash than true gnocchi and the White Carrots which were a tad bland.The weakest course of the evening, but I guess I can certainly forgive ‘good but not great’ sides when the central protein is so nicely done.
The menu would progress as expected next to bird – in this case a presentation from the wild game menu – Black Truffle Crusted Scottish Partridge, Marche Cherries, Celery, Foie Gras Jus, Potato Mille Feuille.With the expectedly succulent bird prepared medium rare it tasted quite unlike any poultry or fowl on a traditional menu – as a matter of fact, the lady at the table next to me had ordered this as her main course and did not enjoy it because it tasted “bloody.”From my perspective, however, this was perhaps the best fowl I’ve tasted outside a few select duck presentations and the Wood Pigeon I had at Picholine one year prior. Marrying the bird with a crust of light breadcrumbs and ample truffle served to make the flavors even more rustic and woodsy while the intense cherries and poached celery worked well together.Resting the entire presentation atop a potato that I can only describe as a sort of melting hash brown this was my second favorite course of a menu full of great courses.
My final savory of the evening would be another very solid presentation – an exploration of Jimemez Farms Lamb.Presented in four ways, all from the same animal according to my server, the dish featured braised shank, grilled sausage, and seared neck and loin.Paired with kohlrabi, carrots, and a Licorice/Olive Tapenade I will admit I would have preferred to see different vegetables than those from the eight course, but here the carrots were of the orange variety and more flavorful.The olive/licorice was interesting with the lamb but quite bitter on its own – the plate was no better or worse for it.
As a transition from savory to sweet Douglas would next arrive with the cheese carte.Featuring eighteen selections with each described by province, type, flavor profile, and Douglas’ opinion on its age and quality I will note that I did not get all the names, but of those remembered there were Brie de Meaux, Mimolette, Epoisse, Puget Oxford Blue, Gruyere, Comte, Gratte Paille, English Stilton, Roc Blu, Ladiosse, Dutch Gouda, Rocamadour, Fleur de Maquis, and Azeitão.Allowing Douglas to select a wide range for me the cheeses were presented with Pecan Currant bread, Walnuts cracked tableside, Kumquats, and port poached Pears.Noting that the Oxford Blue did not agree with my tongue as it was quite bracing, I particularly loved the Gratte Paille and Azeitao, both of which I’d never experienced before.
The twelfth course of the evening would be a palate cleanser of Vanilla Yogurt with Strawberry Compote, Strawberry Sorbet, and mint.House made the yogurt was simple, tangy, and smooth while the strawberry components were intense and lovely in texture.With a clean finish from the mint I was not surprised when my server told me that this used to be served in larger format as a dessert during the summer.
Ordering coffee – a $7 French Press of single origin Kenyan Estate sourced by LAMill I was largely underwhelmed by the choice largely because I simply don’t appreciate citrus tones in my coffee – it certainly wasn’t bad, but I’d have preferred more options.Arriving shortly after the coffee, my first dessert would be Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate – a quartet of desserts that reminded me much of desserts at The Inn At Little Washington and Jean-Georges.With chocolate injected via syringe at tableside the dish contained a hot Valhrona Souffle, Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch, Mascarpone While Chocolate Lollipop, and Coffee macchiato semifreddo.With each taste quite tasty I particularly enjoyed the subtle flavors of the Lollipop and the candy bar-like crunch of the peanut butter/wafer/ganache bite.
My final proper course would be another palate cleanser of sorts – titled Apple, Pomegranate, Dandelion-Burdock Soda the dish was actually better than the larger dessert and like the two forms of grape to begin the meal showed a bit of experimentation with an ingredient in both a natural and transformed presentation.With fresh pomegranate and mini-melon-balled chunks of apple sitting in the aromatic bubbly broth, the dish was then topped with crunchy dehydrated apple sticks and a dollop of apple sorbet.Crunchy, sweet, savory – a very nice way to finish.
Delivered with the check would be two trays of mignardises – the first with a pair of Caneles, Peanut Butter Cookies, and Gingerbread cookies and the second with Orange segments, Raspberries, Crème Fraiche, and Muscovado Sugar.Crunchy on the exterior and appropriately eggy within the caneles certainly stole the show from the other cookies, but dipping the raspberries in the crème fraiche and subsequently the sugar was simple and lovely as well.
After addressing the issue of the wine mistake and quizzically asking about the truffle supplement (which I assured them was no problem given the fact that the egg was amazing and that I received two white truffle courses, though I’d have still preferred been made aware when ordering) I settled the bill and thanked everyone for the lovely evening.Making my way to the street where it was pouring rain one my car was already waiting and I was headed back to the hotel within minutes.With the total bill including tax and tip topping $400 the question, of course, is whether the meal was worth it and although not every ingredient of every dish was a stunner, the number of exotic items and unique tastes were myriad while the service and setting were exemplary.For my dollar the best dining in Los Angeles is still Providence, but I’d not hesitate to return to Melisse and I would strongly suggest anyone who can afford the extravagance to go and order that incredible egg.
The drive from LV to LA started out as a good one – traffic (and myself) moving at a 80+ MPH clip.Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and the rain plus construction put an stop to progress with a nearly 2 hour ten-mile-per-hour crawl approximately 45 miles east of Los Angeles.Never one to deal well with ruined plans of missed reservations I was miffed, but we called Pizzeria Mozza and told them we’d be late.The girl on the phone was nice and said they could hold the table up to 15 minutes…..unfortunately we’d arrive an hour after that and despite it being a Wednesday at 1:00pm the lineup was out the door and our table was gone…rumor has it the restaurant has been this booked for nearly 3 and a half years now.
Having already paid the $8 Valet charge and with expectations were high given the names involved with the restaurant (Batali, Silverton, and Bastianich) we gave our name at the desk and were told it would be “about an hour” before we could be seated at a table, but if we’d like to sit at the bar all we had to do was grab a seat when others stood up.Cramped, fast paced, busy, and loud we decided to take our chances and left our names only to have two groups of two stand up from the bar moments later.While we’d be seated separately and unable to share as much as we’d hoped, standing and being bumped into for an hour after driving for nearly seven was far less ideal.
Sitting with my sister while my mother and Aunt sat less than ten feet away I’ll note that we couldn’t hear a word of their conversation.For those who claim Otto and Babbo are loud, they’ve not been to Mozza.With The Who, The Stones, and The White Stripes blasting overhead and groups of people clearly loosened up by wine the decibel level was probably on par with that of a Lakers Game.Greeted by our server, a Californian looking young man named Eric B, our waters were filled and we were offered beverages which were declined – we were also given a paper bag of crispy grissini (breadsticks ) similar to those at Otto.I will note that while Eric was quite helpful and conversant with my sister and I during our meal he largely ignored my mother and aunt, failing to give them bread and talking with them far less than us.
Not wanting to over-order as I had large dinner plans for the evening, my sister and I settled on one appetizer and two pizzas.With orders placed we sat and chatted for approximately fifteen minutes before the appetizer arrived – Butternut squash bruschetta with applewood smoked bacon and sautéed bitter greens.Having really enjoyed previous bruschetta at Batali spots (Otto, Babbo, Osteria Mozza) I must say that the portions were significantly sized down while the price was scaled up – but the flavor was outstanding.With crisp and buttery country bread at the base and topped with a puree of squash laced with bitter greens plus a slice of bacon the flavors all worked nicely together with the subdued sweetness of the squash providing an ample foil to the salty bacon and potent greens.
For our pizzas I must admit the variety of options was almost overwhelming – at least 3x the number of choices as Otto.Attempting to sample two different ends of the spectrum our orders would focus on different cheeses and toppings despite our rather similar tastes in esoteric pizza toppings.For my sister, Coach Farm goat cheese, leeks, scallions, garlic and bacon would arrive still bubbling.Perhaps the least homogenous pizza I have ever tasted, the toppings to the crust were quite literally strewn on which, when combined with the uneven yet flawlessly crisp and buttery crust led to a different taste experience with each bite.Occasionally bracingly salty, sometimes over the top with onion or garlic, sometimes crisp, sometimes soft and creamy – certainly not your average pie, but one that justifies the considerable hype.
For my selection I opted for the Egg, guanciale, escarole, radicchio & bagna cuada.Again arriving in heterogeneous beauty with a crust that was seconds short of burned (for the better as it was crisp and yeasty) while I didn’t find this pizza to be quite as revelatory as my sister’s, it was another damned fine example.With fatty jowl bacon tasting briny and supple and the sauce reminiscent of a garlic cream the addition of the creamy and succulent egg was extravagant but excellent.Using the mildly bitter greenery to add some levity to the otherwise heavy flavors my only complaint about the dish would be the fact that the crust at the very center, where the egg was, seemed undercooked and a bit limp.Perhaps adding the egg at a different state of cooking would prevent this, or perhaps it was simply an effect of where my pizza was located in the oven.
Having heard nothing but brilliance of Pizzeria Mozza’s dessert program (and having seen the recipe for my object of desire) we proceeded to dessert which would arrive quite rapidly, perhaps only ten minutes after ordering.For my sister the decision was the coconut gelato pie with cookie crumb crust and gianduja chocolate sauce.Tasty and dense the ice cream pie was actually surprisingly light bite-for-bite and while I can’t say I fancy coconut under most circumstances, the way the mild gelato interacted with the slightly bitter dark chocolate sauce was quite nice.
For my selection the choice was obvious – the infamous budino which is perhaps the most famous dessert in Los Angeles today.Titled Butterscotch budino, Maldon sea salt with rosemary pine nut cookies the pudding was everything it has been rumored to be, with one caveat – it isn’t the best budino I’ve ever had.A complex interplay of sweet and savory with an overpowering and creamy pudding at it’s base, the addition of a top layer of rum sauce and the use of rosemary and sea salt acted to mellow the intensity of the butterscotch.Dunking the cookies for added texture and crunch the dessert was another excellent balance, albeit less complex than the other menu options.A great taste, but certainly not the “dessert of the year” budino that I tasted at Marc Vetri’s Philadelphia Osteria…I will admit, however, that I love having the recipes for both.
While I cannot comment on my aunt’s Margherita or mom’s Funghi misti pizza they both seemed rather pleased with their choices and both raved the budino that they shared.At $38 a person (with tax/tip and no drinks) for lunch Pizzeria Mozza most certainly cannot be considered a “deal” but the product they are producing is quite excellent.Having not experienced much of the Los Angeles pizza scene I really can’t say if it is “the best” in town, but having had other famous pizza’s elsewhere I have to say it certainly isn’t “the best” I’ve had – perhaps not even in the top ten, and with the advent of Mozza2Go I really can’t see the sense in booking a pizza date a month in advance or waiting over an hour as a walk-in.
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Leaving Mozza we made the trek through the rain to get checked in to our hotel, unpack our bags, and get settled in.With traffic slowed by the weather the decision was made to head for Santa Monica – the location of dinner for the evening – early and with luck I actually arrived at the Pacific Ocean nearly two hours before dinner.Shopping and exploring as best as I could in the stormy weather I noted a location on the GPS I’d intended to visit on my last trip to LA – Huckleberry Café.Remembering the epic lines from my previous visit and realizing the store would be closing in approximately 45 minutes I made my way inside to see what, if anything, was fresh.
Greeted first by a friendly young man and then by a sleepy looking woman I noticed that although the store was soon to close for the evening, the ovens were still running and the baked goods were still plentiful.Explaining to me that they were open later than the stated hours for the holidays I inquired as to what was fresh and was told everything had been baked since noon…at that point I simply asked what was best and I was given a list of nearly a dozen things.
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Knowing I had a big dinner ahead and that samples would be going home with me for the ladies to sample I decided to go with the three things that sounded best and after paying the modest tab each was wrapped or placed in plastic and bagged to go.Opened for tasting and then re-wrapped and placed in the car I will note that each of the items remained delicious until the next morning, though one (expectedly) did liquefy modestly while sitting in the car.
Beginning first with perhaps Huckleberry’s most famous item – the maple bacon biscuit – my first flavor of Huckleberry was an excellent one.With the taste was every bit as good as expected the fresh, buttery biscuit was almost scone-like in texture and absolutely stuffed with Niman Ranch bacon and swirls of 100% maple syrup.Good the day of but even better the morning after with a pat of butter in the microwave I’d say that although simple, the biscuit is every bit worth the praise it has received.
The second taste would be better than the first, largely because of my love of the namesake cookie.Titled “Snickerdoodle Muffin,” the name itself should give you an idea of what the overall taste sensation was, but to describe the texture is best described as something between a cream cheese coffee cake and a traditional cinnamon sugar doughnut.Light and airy with a “fried” crispness on the exterior yet fluffy and full of texture within, loaded with cinnamon and butter…..delicious.
The final item was the salted caramel – pricey at $2.50 but quite large the flavors were spot on.Melting only a little while sitting in the car the thick and supremely sweet caramel was matched nicely by the buttery shortbread crust and the addition of a shake of coarse salt added savoriness, texture, and a lingering palate sensation that was every bit as impressive as Mozza’s budino.Sampling only a bite of this before giving the rest to my aunt she actually thought the caramel better than the budino, or the caramels from Robuchon two nights earlier.
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Having only gotten a quick sample of what Huckleberry has to offer on this visit the small café has jumped to the top of my places to check out breakfast on my next visit to Los Angeles – even if the breakfast menu changes between now and then and they eliminate the croquet and the duck hash I can be assured that there are at least a half dozen more bakery items I need to check out.
Leaving Las Vegas en route for Los Angeles we’d originally considered traveling pastries from Bouchon versus our leftovers from Robuchon as breakfast – at least until I heard about Babycakes Café.Highly regarded on Yelp! and reported to be committed to local high quality ingredients the small shop was a brief detour and, honestly, how often do I have a car at my disposal in Las Vegas?Opening at 7am we woke early, loaded the car, and arrived at the restaurant at 7:05 – so early the coffee hadn’t even finished brewing.
Entering the restaurant we were greeted sleepily by a young Hispanic woman at the front and seated by a young Hispanic man who would also act as our server throughout the meal.With water poured menus were delivered and once coffee and tea were optioned for we were told it would be a few moments as water was still boiling and coffee still brewing.Low on décor we sat back and watched highlights of DeSean Jackson lighting up the Giants on the plasma screen until the young man returned with beverages and took our orders.
With quality service throughout the meal – coffee refilled frequently and water never empty – we watched the restaurant slowly fill to half capacity while we waited…and from my vantage point I watched the kitchen, a two man operation running the griddles and grills with great speed and skill.With the time just shy of 7:30 our plates would arrive – each warm, well prepared, and accompanied with appropriate toppings in small plastic cups.
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The first plate, ordered by my sister, was the short stack of Peanut Butter and “make your own combination!” pancakes – in her case banana and chocolate.Served with maple syrup the pancakes were decent but not spectacular – a mild peanut butter taste within and chopped bananas and chocolate chips atop.
My aunt’s selection, a short stack of Red Velvet pancakes topped with whipped cream and chocolate crumbles and served with cream cheese syrup would fare better than my sister’s choice, albeit largely only because of the syrup.Cocoa tinged, thin, and somewhat crisp on the exterior the pancakes themselves were tasty while the addition of the chocolate crumbles lent some textural variation and the whipped cream was expectedly sweet.In the cup, imagine a mildly citrus cream cheese frosting thinned out – a great idea that worked nicely on both this dish and my selection.As we’d be dining on Red Velvet pancakes for the next two days I feel obligated to note that these were the worst of the group by a large margin.
For my choice, Carrot Cakes – certainly the most interesting of our pancake selections with shredded carrots and pecans studding the batter.Topped with more crumbled pecans and the same lovely syrup served with the red velvet options I actually enjoyed my short stack quite a bit and was glad I’d opted for less food so I could sample some of my mother’s choice – the best of the meal.
Titled Honey Toast and described as “two pieces of thick sliced honey toast dipped in a farm fresh egg wash and cooked to perfection! Then drizzled with sweet honey. Yummy!” I will have to agree with Babycake’s assessment – they were prefect and yummy.Significant in size and heft the two thick slices of toast were perfectly caramelized on the exterior and custard within while the slowly melting whipped cream and honey proved to be a smooth and sweet balance without being overly saccharine.While superfluous, I will note the house syrup was actually quite good – it reminded me of the Sweet Syrup at Camellia Grill in New Orleans.
Settling the modest bill – a mere $7.50/each with tax and tip – at the front before making our way to the car we were bid farewell and told to come back soon.While I’ll admit that in retrospect I rather wish we’d have simply gotten some pastries for the road, I certainly did not dislike Babycakes – it just wasn’t worth the special trip.While the small café would be well suited for a city like Columbus or Toledo, given the quality of the competition in Las Vegas it just doesn’t stack up, even if the price is a steal compared to options on the strip – I’d much sooner venture to Hash House a Go Go (on strip or off.)
Prior to 2008 Hubert Keller was a successful Chef operating a great restaurant in San Francisco, a second version of the same in Las Vegas, and haute bar-food spots in Vegas and St. Louis.He was talented and accomplished but I’m pretty sure the vast majority of casual diners had never heard of him or his restaurant…I know my mother and aunt had not.Flash forward to the end of 2010, over a year separated from a runner-up spot on a little show called Top Chef Masters – a show I did not watch a single episode of – and the mere mention that Chef Keller had a place in Las Vegas brought a smile to my family’s face…at least until I started planning the trip and visited the website which informed me that the restaurant had closed and was undergoing a format change, likely to be ready in January 2011 (which usually means 4 months later in the restaurant world.)We made excellent alternative plans…
…flash forward a couple months – sitting down to review the agenda and to confirm reservations shortly over a week prior to our departure I noted a quick review of the “soft opening” of Fleur by Hubert Keller on a Vegas Media blog.Having heard rumor of the format change to “French Tapas” I excitedly clicked on the Mandalay Bay site and Keller’s own site to find no updates – too bad I thought, but after a few more minutes of planning I decided to give them a call…Lo and behold the restaurant would be opening to the public with a “soft-opening menu” beginning days before our arrival.Moments after booking a table for four I called my mom and although she won’t admit it I’m pretty sure this meal instantly became the one she was most looking forward to aside from the dessert tasting at Joel Robuchon, and perhaps more so.
Arriving at Mandalay Bay via rental car (we’d be heading to LA early the next morning) and finding parking in the garage we entered the Hotel and walked less than 200 yards before the new signage for Fleur was gleaming in the distance.Approaching the hostess stand and announcing our party we were led swiftly to a nice two-top in the center of the dining room.While much has been made of Fleur’s design change – essentially opening up the front for a sort of brasserie/patio in front of the bar and replacing the flowered wall with more rustic design I personally found the feel of the restaurant warm and pleasant though perhaps not as romantic as prior.With low lighting, subtle music, and hard wood tables replacing the white tablecloths the feel was definitely “business casual” but vastly more refined than other small plates experiences on the strip.
Greeted by our server – a capable and friendly fellow who appeared to be working the whole restaurant – moments after seating our waters were filled and food menus were offered along with an immense list of wines, cocktails, and beverages.Opting for water myself my mother and aunt would select the Crantini and Cherry lemon pop from the martini list.Poured with a heavy hand the Crantini was a little too boozy for my tastes, but the Cherry Lemon Pop tasted like a stiff lemonade.
With my sister still feeling slightly “off” from lunch, we decided to each order separately and share around the things that sounded best.While I will note the menu has undergone substantial change since our visit (for the better – in my opinion, ) each of the items we ordered made the final cut, and for good reason – Steven Wolf’s execution was perfect on all but one dish…of course, the excellent execution and service may also have had something to do with Chef Keller being in house all evening. Both in the kitchen and at the front of the house at various times during our 2 hour experience Chef Keller was behaving every bit the “celebrity chef” – a gracious man clearly comfortable yet gracious for all his success, posing for pictures, signing menus, and even sitting down for a glass of wine as one of the patrons sampled the flaming absinthe towards the end of our meal.To the delight (and embarrassment when I sold them out for being big fans) of my mother and aunt he even stopped by at the end of our meal to ask how everything had went and signed personalized menus to each after posing for a picture.
Moving on to the most important part of the experience – the food.Our first taste of Fleur would arrive in the form of the Charcuterie platter.Described simply as an “array of dried & cured meats” on the menu, the evening selections would include a lovely country pate, head cheese, soppresatta, and an aromatic bologna-like selection in large quantity.Paired with cornichons, toasted bread, and mustard we were informed that all options were cured either in-house or at Fleur de Lys in San Francisco.An excellent start and nicely presented on a large wooden board.
Following the charcuterie, two plates would arrive simultaneously – the first hummus & baba ganoush with grilled bread.Ordered by my sister and a seemingly strange menu choice in a French restaurant the slate plate featured the appropriate spreads and grilled pita bread and while I will note that my taste was limited, the hummus was quite nicely textured and ample with garlic while the eggplant was a bit smoky for my liking.
Arriving alongside the dips would be something more “French” – the Foie gras mousse with huckleberry gelee and brioche.Obviously going through Foie withdraw after the previous night at Robuchon the only fault I can find with this dish is that it wasn’t served with enough brioche.Arriving in stemware the 2oz portion of Foie was clearly aerated and impossibly light. Topped with a sweet huckleberry jam and crushed hazelnuts the unctuous liver was nicely balanced and the hot brioche served as an excellent delivery mechanism.With more brioche requested and delivered as hot, golden, and buttery as the first I savored this plate slowly…pretty much until the next set of plates arrived.
The next dishes to appear would arrive as a quartet – three ordered and one “compliments of the chef.”Beginning first with the gift – Tuna tacos jalapeño, lime cilantro – I’d actually considered ordering these from the start but given the large amount of eating I was afraid the Jalapeno would lead to indigestion.Arriving as a trio (admittedly strange for four people, but fortunate as my mother does not like tuna) the jalapeno was easily removed and the rosy fish was a nice pairing with the crispy taco shells, crisp lettuce, and tart sauce.Not the best dish of the night, but certainly not bad the current menu does show the condiments have changed.
Bringing Spanish influences to the menu, Chicken croquettes with upland cress, garlic cream, and pine nut would be a significant improvement on the croquettas from Julian Seranno, largely due to the garlic cream and pine nuts.Served beneath a salad of the upland cress with accompanying red onions the small fried nuggets of creamy chicken melded nicely with the smooth garlic sauce while the pine nuts added their characteristic flavor both inside and out.
Similar in shape and structure, Salt cod fritters with Jamon Serrano and romesco were one of the highlights of the meal for me.With the fish flaky and smooth inside the golden shell, the real impact was the fact that the salinity was not just “salted cod” but a smoky pork-laden flavor that helped to accent the fish and make the end product different from other cod fritters.While the romesco sauce was tasty and ample with garlic and pine nut, I personally felt it overwhelmed the cod and enjoyed it moreso on the leftover pitas from the hummus.
The fourth plate was an intriguing presentation and perhaps the most unique dish of the evening – brick dough wrapped prawns with tropical fruit and curry.Clearly taking global influences to the dish the two enormous prawns were sweet, snappy, and perfectly prepared inside a golden shell not dissimilar from that of a carnival funnel cake (save for the sweetness.)Served in a glass, the prawns rested in a sweet and fruity salsa with ample notes of strawberry and pineapple plus savory flavors lent by vinegar and curry.Clearly made for dipping I actually opted to cut the prawns with a knife and stir it into the sauce creating a tropical prawn soup – truly a great dish.
Our last four plates would arrive together again.Beginning first with the only time I’ve ever seen the item on a true dinner menu, the Croque monsieur with smoked ham, gruyère, béchamel was superb.A large portion for the $7 price tag the house smoked ham was succulent and flavorful while the gruyere within and béchamel atop were both creamy and smooth.Served on brioche with cheese above and below the ham the only thing that could have made this dish better was an egg or two, because otherwise it rivals Comme Ca for the best croque in Las Vegas today.
Inspired (as I’m told) by his stint on Top Chef, the next dish was titled “In the shower” mac & cheese with lobster and brunoise vegetable.Baked to that perfect “almost burnt” consistency and served in an iron crock I can’t say this dish was my favorite of the evening, and the portion was actually quite small for the price tag.Tasting largely of cheese and minimally of lobster or vegetable my biggest issue of the dish was actually the noodles – no better than Kraft dinner, and mushy which led to an overall homogenous texture throughout the dish.
Fairing much better than macaroni would be Risotto with scallion, lemon, and basil.A small portion to be sure, the carnaroli rice was flawless – toothsome but soft and melding nicely with thinly sliced tellagio cheese.Subtly sweet with just enough salt to accent the herbs, the dish acted in the exact opposite manner of the macaroni – it highlighted the carbohydrate with the other ingredients instead of allowing the pasta to act merely as filler.
The final dish of the savories would be another exercise in simplicity and unexpectedly the best plate of the evening.Titled Gnocchi with San Marzano fondue and pesto the dish featured five perfect clouds of potato pasta resting in puddle of liquefied san marzano tomatoes accented with chicken stock and parmesan.Splashed with dollops of aromatic basil pesto and thin slices of parmesan the tomato flavor was acidic but sweet and every aspect of the dish acted in harmony…an absolute must order dish.
With my sister opting to sit out the sweets and do some shopping a quick look at the menu made that choice unlikely for the rest of us.While the options have expanded tremendously, the desserts on display during this soft opening were actually quite solid (pun totally intended.)Arriving with a French Press of Illy for myself, would be the most traditional of the group – a Chocolate soufflé with chocolate ganache and crème fraiche ice cream.Standing so tall and proud it appeared pompous (literally 1/3 of the soufflé rising above the ramekin) the flavor was deep and rich while the ample liquid ganache made the base nearly brownie thick.The ice cream – sweet, tart, divine.
For my aunt the Cheesecake lollipops with white chocolate, kumquat, gingerbread, and strawberry coulis would be a nice presentation of an old standard.With bites of creamy cheesecake dipped in Valhrona white chocolate and then pressed in dried kumquat on one side and gingerbread on the other the pops were made for dunking, specifically in a punchy but somewhat overly sweet strawberry jelly.Tasty on their own I personally think a selection of 2-3 different types of cheesecake would make for a more interesting dessert, but as a “tapas” place this dessert would also be perfect for sharing.
Our final dessert, Panna cotta blackberry with kalamansi sorbet, strawberry-citrus soup, and honey tuille arrived in a mason jar and truly shined.With the rich and creamy custard serving largely to smooth out the fruity toppings, I personally loved the manner in which the mild strawberry and blackberry “soup” combined blended with the acidity of the Chinese oranges.The Honey Tuille, crumbled at presentation, added texture – though perhaps a bit too much fructose to the already intensely sweet dish.
With our meal finished and a visit from Chef Keller wowing the family we settled the tab and thanked our server for the excellent service before making our way back out to the hotel for some strolling before heading back to the car.With tapas clearly forming the “next wave” in dining – even in Vegas – and names like Serrano and Andres already laying claim to the Spanish side of things I think Chef Wolf and team were most successful when they focused on technique and flavor rather than reinterpreting world cuisine.The least “fancy” of all my dinners in Las Vegas (or Los Angeles for that manner,) I think Fleur is a concept that has legs but requires time to mature…but I’d certainly not hesitate to return and see how the menu evolves.
…in The Big Lebowski “The Stranger” says to Lebowski “I like your style, Dude”…that pretty much sums up how I feel about Jose Andres.Having been to Comme Ca earlier in the week I saw Andres pacing circles around the inside of Jaleo – The Cosmopolitan had been open for two days and the restaurant was not yet fully operational.When I left Comme Ca he was standing outside and I walked up, said hello, and told him how I’d really enjoyed The Bazaar, Zaytinya, and Café Atlantico – and jokingly asked who I had to call to get a seat at minibar.He seemed a nice fellow, though clearly his mind was on other things during our brief chat.Excited as I was about his newest concept I told the chef we’d be visiting China Poblano later in the week and he said “it’s my best looking restaurant yet and the menu design has been amazing – be sure to order some tacos.”
Conceptually “Chinese Mexican fusion,” China Poblano is billed as a blending of the two rich cultures.Located on the 2nd floor of the Cosmopolitan somewhat hidden in the back, the restaurant is certainly eye catching.With an entryway shaped like Buddha and “Mexican Takeout” windows on either side the campy feel is palpable, but acceptable.With an interior of communal and separate dining tables, a noodle making station, and wall decorations ranging from Chinese Opera Masks and Lanterns to Luchador Masks and Oaxacan carvings the interior was colorful to say the least.In addition to the fixed objects there were also large morphing murals – projections of famous and peasant Chinese and Mexican individuals.Even the restroom continued the theme – papered in money from each country.
To see the restaurant is to love it – or perhaps to hate it depending on your taste – it is certainly over the top.
With reservations made and my sister and I running late shopping our mother and aunt would arrive at the restaurant before us to collect on the noon reservation, yet entering the doors around 12:10pm it actually wasn’t my family who first caught my eye, but rather Chef Andres who was wandering the premises.A dervish of energy the Chef was both in and out of the kitchen – at one moment visibly inspecting dishes at the pass and the next out chatting with clients, taking pictures, and helping the front of the house.Clearly splitting time between Jaleo and China Poblano his visits to diners were brief and seemingly orchestrated by a large man who would turn out to be the dining room manager.Though Jose never stopped by our table I was able to obtain a signed menu by asking the manager – another in my growing collection.
After finding the ladies (already seated at one of the large communal tables beneath the giant bubble of changing faces and images) we were greeted quickly by our server Brea and noticed menus were already in place as mom and aunt had already ordered Iced Tea ($4 each,) Chips and Salsa fresh tortilla chips/house-made chipotle salsa ($4,) and Guacamole made one-by-one/fresh tortillas ($12.)With the chips, salsa, and tortillas all fairly standard I was somewhat disappointed when my mother told me the salsa was not made tableside a la Café Atlantico – but it sure was good with lots of garlic and cilantro accenting the creamy yet chunky avocado.
With a $5 (10oz) diet coke ordered by my sister we pondered the admittedly eclectic menu for some time before placing orders – admittedly the service at this point was a tad overbearing with Brea eyeing our table frequently and stopping by thrice in a short period of time.With orders placed, however, I will note that the service at China Poblano was exemplary with dishes arriving randomly with excellent descriptions and not in a huge bolus (ie Julian Serrano.)Additionally, despite the bustling nature of the loud restaurant our waters never reached less than half empty, plates and paper napkins (in a dispenser, you’ll need ‘em for those tacos) plus silverware were quickly bussed away by ancillary staff and replaced before they were ever missed.
Beginning first with a round of tacos, we ordered four different options amongst the group.I will note that at the time of our visit the menu was still in development and tacos were sold solo as opposed to in pairs – some options were also cheaper.Arriving in warm soft shells and approximately three bites each the first tastes of taco would come from Langosta.Described as meaty lobster/mango/arbol chile sauce ($16 for 2 now, $6/e prev) the flavors were good, but unfortunately the lobster was slightly overcooked and I felt the chile sauce overwhelmed the subtleties of the sweet crustacean.
Faring better than the lobster would be Silencio tacos – duck tongue/rambutan fruit ($4.5/e.)Unfamiliar with rambutan until this time I was impressed by the fleshy sweet fruit and its ability to temper the salty, savory, and somewhat chewy tongues.While not as nuanced as some of the other tacos, these are definitely worth checking out if only to experience the ingredients at a relatively cheap price.
The Cochinita tacos, described as Yucatan-style pit barbeque pork/marinated onions ($4/e) were good, but rather expected and unidimensional.Savory and sweet the pork and onions melded nicely, but in total the flavor was no better or worse than a good pork taco anywhere else.
The final taco selection would be the best of the group and my favorite savory of the meal – Carnitas braised baby pig/pork rinds/spicy salsa verde cruda ($4/e prev.)With the braised baby pig perfectly done – supple, moist and flavorful – the addition of pork rinds added a lovely degree of crunch and saltiness.Tempering the other two dishes and adding a bit of spice plus vegetal acidity the salsa was spicy without being overly so – in my opinion they should serve this salsa instead of the chipotle version with the tortilla chips.
The next dish to arrive would be our worst of the meal – Coctel de Camarones fresh shrimp/jumbo lump crab meat/tomato/avocado ($12.)Essentially a whole lot of underwhelming salsa in a bowl with a couple of snappy sweet shrimp, thin shreds of crab, and chunks of avocado plus tortillas for dunking it was almost as if someone forgot to add salt, or spice, or vinegar, or really anything other than the listed ingredients which simply were not of all that impressive quality.
Seemingly in defiance of the Coctel, the other tomato based dish we ordered – Love Is In the Air heirloom tomatoes/sugar air ($8.8 was much simpler in ingredients and much more complex in flavor.Nicely presented in a large bowl with what must have been two fresh whole tomatoes and a splash of vinegar the dish was topped with an “mg” manufactured foam full of delicate sweetness that acted only to enhance the natural flavors of the tomatoes beneath.
Interestingly presented, Lamb Pot Stickers Stuck on You vegetables/crispy lace ($11.88 now, $8.88 at our visit) delivered five pockets of lamb, cabbage, radish, and smoky seasonings inside a crispy lace shell.While slightly oily, the lamb itself was impressively cooked and not a bit gamey – with the mélange of vegetables elevated by the cumin and black pepper this dish was clever and tasty with obvious contributions from both Hispanic and Chinese food cultures.
Leaning more towards the Chinese half of the menu for our larger dishes, Ocean Nest scallops/crab/shrimp/pan-fried egg noodles/seasonal vegetables ( $10 at our visit and now $22 w/ king crab/lobster) would be a successful yet rather ordinary dish.With crispy noodles resting in a gentle fish broth at the base and three head-on shrimp, three scallops, and a few chunks of crab interspersed with bok choy, spinach, and onions the flavors all worked and the textures were nicely done – at $10 the dish was a steal, but lobster or not I don’t think I’d recommend it at the current price point unless there was a good deal more seafood.
The second larger plate, The Unruly Monk with hand-cut noodles/bok choy/wild wood ear mushrooms/poached egg ($16) was ordered because we saw the chef hand stretching noodles at the counters.Served in an enormous bowl with perhaps a half liter of broth, boiled bok choy, a single egg, and a plethora of mushrooms the dish would be a nearly mirror experience of the Ocean Nest – a nicely executed dish, but no better than could be made at a local Chinese restaurant in most mid-sized US cities.With the creamy egg definitely adding its characteristic creamy mouth feel to the dish I will note that my sister, who ate the majority of this dish, felt rather ill the rest of the day and stated that she simply couldn’t get the taste of egg out of her stomach/throat until nearly 24 hours later.
Full and largely uninspired by the dessert menu we decided to order one dessert and share.Opting for the “Tres Lychees – a new take on the Mexican classic” ($ this dish was obviously another attempt at fusion and while it was light and flavorful, the taste was somewhat “minty” which blended with the lime to create a seemingly mojito flavored crema atop a sweet biscuit.An interestingconcept I’m simply not a fan of minty desserts and the concept seemed a tad “forced” – perhaps it would be better with more milky sweetness and less of the minty nuances.
In the end I think the verdict is still out on China Poblano – I’m not willing to rule it out, but I’m also not ready to say the “concept” (which is exactly what it is) “works.”While certain dishes worked to great effect, others merely represented decent versions of Americanized ethnic food, and some were simply underwhelming.Looking at the menu only 2 weeks after my visit I already see many changes and given Andres’ propensity for exploration I’ve no doubt the menu will continue to evolve as they find what works and doesn’t – I only hope the prices don’t continue to trend upwards unless the food does, as well.
With a room full of Robuchon gifts leftover our fourth day would have been an easy one to sleep in and eat breakfast in the room – but why do things easy when there are so many great places to dine in Las Vegas?Despite my multiple trips to Sin City in the past I’d regretfully been without a car on past visits and as such never been able to visit the local legend of “twisted farm food” – Hash House A Go-Go.Having heard that a third (the other in San Diego) location of the famous spot had recently opened in the Imperial Palace and waking up early as ever we made our way to the restaurant around 8:00am without reservations and found only 3-4 tables occupied.
With late eighties classics blasting we made our way to the hostess podium where we were greeted by a young lady clad in jeans and a HHAGG shirt who led us to a four-top big enough for eight – no doubt Hash House does everything big.Taking a seat we were soon greeted by our server, Noelle, a pleasant young woman who was substantially more cordial and efficient than necessary at such a restaurant (a good thing, for sure.)Menus in hand we were left to decide while a mountainous eggs benedict passed by en route for another table.Hilariously enough, while we were waiting a group of six young men approached the hostess stand and then left because “oh man, we thought this was a buffet.”Clearly they’d not seen the portion sizes.
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Sitting and chatting while coffee, water, orange juice, and tea were filled we decided to order only three items and share them around.With prices ranging from $7-$17 we were informed that one of us would have to pay a $2 split entree fee – when I chuckled saying okay the response was “you’d be amazed how angry some people get about it” – clearly I’m jaded.Sitting back and listening to Rock You Like a Hurricane while sipping the surprisingly good coffee the restaurant slowly filled up.
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Arriving in less than 20 minutes the portions were precisely as expected – enormous and delicious looking.With a sweet, a savory, and a “dessert” there was too much food for four people.Beginning first with the Blackberry Granola Flapjacks, my sister’s choice although I’d lobbied for the Snickers Flapjacks, the pancake itself was enormous – literally the size of a car tire in diameter though thankfully not as thick.With ample warm syrup and butter to spread there was really nothing subtle or nuanced, it was just good cofort food and the sweet blackberries worked nicely with the crunchy honey granola.
Perhaps the most famous Hash House dish would be my order – “Sage Fried Chicken stacked with our famous bacon waffle, hot maple caramel reduction and crowned with fried leeks.”Golden and crispy the chicken was amply accented with sage and actually quite delicious.Stacked above and below four golden waffles loaded with whole strips (not small bits like other places) of salty bacon and topped with crispy leeks plus a sauce that was much more maple than caramel I have to admit that this was a huge portion of food.While clearly not as subtle and refined as Bouchon’s chicken and waffles I actually much preferred this to Roscoe’s famous Los Angeles version and the less famous option at DC’s Founding Farmers.
Our dessert would be Andy’s famous Bread pudding topped with ice cream and served with a cup of coffee.With the coffee alone costing $2.50 on the menu this bread pudding is the deal of the breakfast menu at a mere $7.95.A portion easily large enough for two hungry people or a family of four to share after dinner the pudding was essentially a black and white coffee cake that would have filled 3/4 of a standard loaf pan.Buttery and rife with chocolate the steaming hot pudding was then topped with melted Snickers bars, doused with chocolate and caramel syrups, then piled high with two large scoops of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and crumbly brown sugar.Like the other choices there was nothing subtle about this caloric monster but honestly for all its audacity it was really quite good.
Settling the bill (about $14 each after tax and a 25% tip) and returning a large portion to the kitchen (we still had P.U.B. leftovers and the Robuchon basket in the room) we thanked our service team and made our way to the door accompanied by Eddie Van Halen’s Eruption.Generally a fan of refined flavors, elaborate cooking techniques, quiet dining rooms, excellent service, and great food Hash House A Go Go wasn’t exactly my kind of place – but the service was excellent and the food was pretty darn good.
One year ago a woman named Dara Pierce served as one of the best reservationists I’ve ever worked with and a lovely meal at Joel Robuchon at The Mansion followed.Highlighted by Kamel Guechida’s desserts there was no doubt in my mind that the next visit to Las Vegas would include dinner with The Chef of The Century’s team again.With my family planning to visit with me this year I formulated a plan and once again enlisted Ms. Pierce’s assistance – unfortunately (or fortunately for her) she had received a promotion at MGM and she passed my information on to Emmanuel Cornet, the new Director of Restaurants for Robuchon.
A pleasant and prompt individual, as expected after last year’s experience with Robuchon and Company, Emmanuel proved equally as helpful as Dara and after a few exchanges decisions were made and plans were finalized.As this trip was our first Christmas together as a family in four years I wanted to do something special and knowing my family’s palate I thought a dessert tasting at a Michelin 3-Star restaurant would be perfect.Obviously not wanting to miss out on savories myself I arranged for a solo dining experience at the bar at L’Atelier at 6:00pm followed by dessert at Robuchon at 8:30pm with the ladies for $50 per person.
Arriving at precisely six I was greeted at the hostess podium outside and led quickly to a spot at the end of the bar where I could watch every bit of the kitchen action – from the shaving of thin slices of Iberico de Bellota and Black Truffles to the frying of duck to the shucking of oysters.Similar to my experiences at the counters of Ko, Casa Mono, and The Girl and the Goat the staff was quite interactive with the crowd throughout and the technique on display was as entertaining as any Vegas show.Greeted by the dining room manager first he noted that he was aware that dessert would be next door and presented me the menu before describing the format.
Left to decide on how I would proceed I was suddenly surprised to see Chef Guechida standing in front of me.Chatting for a bit about the restaurant, the dishes he liked best, and the dessert plans he said he’d stop by later once we transitioned next door.As I was browsing the menu a glass of Bruno Paillard Champagne was poured, compliments of the chef.Deciding on my order I inquired about a specific dish from the Joel Robuchon menu and was told that Chef Le Tohic could certainly prepare it and send it over as the kitchens were connected.
With my order placed the first course to arrive would be the nightly L’AMUSE-BOUCHE, this evening featuring crémeux de foie gras au Porto et son émulsion au parmesan.Essentially a double shot glass served on a stone the Foie gras parfait with port wine and parmesan foam was lovely.Best eaten with a spoon the liver itself was surprisingly mild and melded perfectly (as expected) with the sweet port.Topped with a foam lending salinity and levity I found this to be a restrained opening flavor that not only paired well with the champagne, but also gave a glimpse of what was to come.
Arriving prior to my second course would be the nightly bread basket.While not the 20+ options available next door, this well culled selection was paired with the same delectable butter from next door.With whole grain rolls, buttery croissant bread, and epi-baguettes I’ll simply say all three were warm and tasty – but after one bite of that croissant bread the others sat untouched.
My first proper course of the evening would be my request from next door – a $65 supplement.Titled LE FOIE GRAS en duo mêlé de pomme ratte comme un carpaccio aux copeaux de truffe blanche, the dish was described as a carpaccio of foie gras and new potatoes topped with black and white truffle shavings.A large portion of foie gras and potatoes I’ll note that the truffles, though present, played a less prominent role than I’d have hoped.With chipped parmesan and thin blades of greens and daikon also intertwined in the dish each bite was a new experience – sometimes with the unctuous liver coming to the forefront and at other times with the truffle perfumed potatoes taking center stage.Though not my favorite dish of the meal, a single bite – foie, daikon, potato, truffle, parmesan – would be the perfect way to describe Robuchon’s cuisine…multiple exotic yet restrained flavors coming together to form something entirely original and perfect.
Never one to skimp on calories derived from duck, the next course would be the third of four foie gras dishes for the evening.Titled LE FOIE GRAS frais de canard cuit au torchon this version would be much more simplistic yet even better than the prior manifestation.For $36 the traditionally poached chilled duck foie gras was delivered as a torchon accompanied by a dusting of espelette and topped with sea salt and cracked black pepper.Sourced from the Gascony region of France the Foie was sweeter than I expected, though not artificially so.Arriving with a plate of grilled country bread I imagine this dish took me ~20-25 minutes to eat as I savored each bite…it was equally good on the croissant roll, as well.
The next course to arrive would be one of L’Atelier’s more famous – and with good cause.LA LANGOUSTINE dans une papillote croustillante au basilica, or Crispy langoustine fritter with basil pesto featured a single Langoustine, sweet and perfect, wrapped in a leaf of basil and flash fried in a batter so thin it was transparent.With the slight crackle of the shell giving way to sweet and snappy shellfish the effect was tremendous alone and better with the streaks of citrus and garlic pesto on the plate.At $22 the price point is certainly not for everyone and if I had to eat Langoustine in Vegas I’d go to Twist first, but I was glad to have experienced this.
Course four was obvious, it featured an egg and that is enough for me – L’OEUF cocotte et sa crème légère de champignons.At $19 this is another relatively famous L’Atelier dish and one whose recipe is widely published (though I’ve not attempted.)Featuring a farm fresh egg steamed until barely firm I watched the dish next covered in sautéed mushrooms by one chef while another whipped a foamy broth of cream, mushroom broth, and butter which was subsequently poured over the mushrooms.Finally topped with salt, pepper, and chili powder the final presentation was visual foam with specks of pepper while beneath lied another perfect balance of ingredients.Smooth and creamy egg, fibrous mushroom, plenty of butter – yet light as a cloud.
The next course would be a revelation – the sort of dish that on paper seems so simple yet in execution makes you realize why you even go to places like L’Atelier in the first place.LE RIS DE VEAU clouté de laurier frais à la feuille de romaine farcie featured a single sweetbread – the largest I’ve ever seen at nearly the size of a tennis balll – pierced with a bay leaf and pan seared in butter, herbs, and veal jus before being paired on the plate with sautéed romaine lettuce in a faintly garlic and dill foam.At $29 the offal itself cut easily with nothing but a fork and at 5-6 mouthfuls were the best tastes of the meal – almost caramelized on the exterior and creamy within.A fan of elaborate dishes it is plates like this that remind me just how exquisite simplicity can be when done right.
My final bites from L’Atelier would be another classic dish and the only one seemingly served at each and every L’Atelier – LA CAILLE au foie gras, caramélisée avec une pomme purée truffée.At $28 the portion was certainly small, but the impact of the caramelized foie gras stuffed free-range quail with Robuchon’s famous truffled-mashed potatoes is undeniable – the whole plate is simply decadence defined.Somewhat unbalanced compared to the other dishes I will note that the crispy quail was quite mild compared to the creamy liver, but obviously it’s not like I mind the flavor of foie gras.The potatoes – there really isn’t anything else that can be said…having had the buttered version last year all I can say is that the truffles make them even better.
Visited again by the manager who assured me it was no rush (the time was 7:45 and we were due at Robuchon at 8:30) I was offered coffee and when I asked who their supplier was I was surprised to hear they’d switched 8 weeks prior from Illy to La Colombe Torrefaction, perhaps my favorite coffee maker.Receiving a French press of Phocea – bold, full, without citrus, and hefty with notes of caramel and vanilla plus a single signature chocolate I sat and chatted with my neighbors for a bit before I was again visited by Kamel who said our table was open and we could come over at our leisure.Settling the L’Atelier bill I will say that the although steep, the only dishes I felt did not justify the cost were the supplemented Foie from next door which was good, but not life altering and the Langoustine which simply couldn’t shine after what I’d experienced at Twist the night before.Outstanding service and a true experience to watch the kitchen I’d definitely head back for a couple courses regularly if I lived locally…and of course to see what Chef Guechida was doing there as he works the pastries for both Robuchon properties.
Walking out the door and turning right I found the ladies waiting – the time was 8:15 and after stopping to snap a few photographs in front of the festive décor we stepped up to the enormous doors where we were greeted by name by the hostess and led to a four top directly behind where I sat the year prior.Expecting extravagance I was not disappointed – the chariot of mignardises and bread cart were as beautiful as ever and the Christmas decorations replacing the previous meal’s autumnal design were nothing less than glorious whites and golds.With a classical Christmas soundtrack playing quietly overhead we were greeted by our severs, Teresa and Bernard, both French and both extensively professional, knowledgeable, helpful, and courteous.
With Kamel coming to the table and introducing himself to the family he asked how many courses we would prefer to which I offered the only logical response – “as many as you like.”With a laugh he informed us he’d prepared us some gifts to take home, as well – and that he’d be serving two different desserts per course – similar but different.He said he’d check on us after the first round to see how things were going and with that our water was poured the meal would begin with cheese.
Delivered tableside by Theresa and described at length with animal, region, AOC designations, and flavor notes the list was too long to remember but almost entirely French.Cheeses I managed to note, largely because they are the ones we ordered, included Saelers, Tome des Bauges, Emmental de Savoie, Beaufort, Mimolette, Brie de Meaux, Cabecou, Cantal, Valencay, Camembert de Normandie, Epoisses de Bourgogne, Laguiole, Comte, Morbier, and Bleu de Bresse.Large portions, easily an ounce each, we received a total of 16 flavors divided into four plates – one ash, one mild and creamy, one pungent, and one aged.Served with a baguette and walnut raisin roll I personally loved the Mimolette, Brie, Valencay, and Morbier.
With cheese plates cleared and everyone anticipating the experience ahead it would be only moments before the first round would appear.Having originally met chef Guechida the previous year when I specifically requested Le Sucre, the dessert presented to my mother and sister would be the winter variation on that dish – La Sphère de Sucre – Fuji apple confit, almond praline cake, Tahitian vanilla sabayon, praline ice cream.The perfect crystal ball shattering with minimal pressure from the spoon, the sweet cream, the supple bread, the ice cream, the fruit – every bit as good as my passion fruit version last fall but even better given my love of apples.While my taste was limited, this would be my second favorite dessert of the night and my mother and sister’s favorite.
Presented to myself and my aunt, La Pomme was also apple – same yet entirely different.Essentially a Baba cake at its base, the choux pastry rested in a creamy and cool Fuji apple mousse and Tahitian vanilla cream, while atop sat a pearl of green apple sorbet and a crispy candied apple fleur.Buttery and smooth, as beautiful in the mouth as to the eye – the flavor was that of a grown up apple dumpling in heavy cream.
Arriving again to the table as promised, Kamel asked us how the first round had went and if he should precede the same, or if we’d prefer him simply send out the same dish for everyone.Loving the variety we said keep going and so the kitchen did.Presented next to my mother and sister would be “Les Banans” a meringue sort of Ille Flotant on ice.With honey mousse at its center atop a mountain of banana ice, the meringue was intentionally unsettled and contained a center of caramelized bananas.Topped with banana chips and lime zest the dish was intensely sweet to be certain, but at the same time self assured and balanced when everything was taken together.A mélange of textures and temperatures and quite light the dish was good, but the alternative was the best of the night.
For my aunt and I, also titled “Les Banans,” the dish would be presented in a long cylindrical glass and the alternating layers would present a parfait of sorts.With alternating layers of fresh cut banana, house made vanilla wafers, nougat, honeycomb, banana cream, and milk sorbet this dish was perhaps the least “fussed with” of the night (aside from the black plate painted with edible gold pain) but the flavors worked perfectly.Bite by bite, taste by taste, each spoonful offered a totally different taste and sensation.I think my favorite thing about the dish aside from its flavor was the simplicity – If one had all the ingredients this is the sort of thing that could be easily arranged at home, although perhaps not as attractively, as a true stunner for guests.
The following course would be the first time two entirely different items would appear – and thankfully it worked out without any plate envy.First presented to my mother and my sister(who is picky about oranges) was “L’Orange,” a light and refreshing citrus dessert featuring orange segments poached in an infusion of Ceylon Pekoe tea at top and bottom.Between the orange layers would be a thin layer of salty caramel, a bruleed layer of yogurt mousse, a quenelle of orange sorbet, and crunchy bits that tasted like pralines made from macadamia nuts.Gladly swapping my sister the flavor profile was actually quite unique and unexpected with the notes of tea actually substantially smoothing out the citrus and allowing the caramel to shine.
The alternative dish which I traded to my sister would be La Poire – confit anjour pear, foam of almonds and Anisette, pear sorbet.Largely liquid with small chunks of intensely sweet pear beneath this would be my second dessert withlicorice tones in two days and again it would serve notice that when used with restraint the flavor can be quite pleasant.With almond top notes and the licorice flavor only present on the palate the dish was a solid palate cleanser for what was next, but certainly not as stellar as the orange.
With no meal complete without something chocolate our last dessert would Le Chocolat, again in two entirely different forms – both pairing well with yet another French Press of Coffee from La Colombe Torrefaction.Comprised as a sort of parfait, the first dish arrived in a cup with a chocolate shell over the top.Beneath the shell, chocolate wafers, chocolate mousse, chocolate butter cake, chocolate ganache, and winter fruit confit.Using 66% Valrhona as the based and some lighter chocolates throughout the dish was exactly what the ingredients would dictate – a little citrus, a lot chocolate, and texturally lovely.
The second dish would be my preferred option of the two, again titled Le Chocolat this choice would pair white chocolate sabayon with lemon confit at the base and add the topping of rich coffee Ice cream, chocolate ribbons, and caramelized walnuts.Hesitant at first as I don’t prefer citrus toned coffees let alone lemon and coffee together, the white chocolate cream actually masked the citrus quite nicely and if anything the lemon actually helped to enhance the more floral notes of the coffee and chocolate combination.
Getting quite full the trolley of mignardises would arrive next with the a selection that included but was not limited to:Passion fruit marshmallow, salted caramels, confit ginger covered with chocolate, chocolate dome, dark truffle with mint, chocolate covered orange peel, liquid caramel centered chocolate, pinapple pate a fruit, white chocolate bark with puffed rice and orange, a chouxcette, strawberry cheesecake in white chocolate, tuile of almond and citrus, pear gelee filled with brandy, blackberry opera cake, chocolate religieux, blueberry financier, dry pineapple with white chocolate, raspberry praline, canele, white nougat, and at least 15 other selections.Choices made I’ll note the while the canele was a bit soft, the financier, opera cake, pear gelee, and cheesecake were all sublime.
As we were finishing up and the clock was reaching 11:00pm the restaurant was largely emptied out and Chef Guechida would once again stop by to say hello.With coffees refilled we chatted for perhaps 5 minutes before he said he had a surprise and returned with two Robuchon shopping bags filled with gifts.Explaining his philosophy a bit and telling us that it was an honor to have people come in to simply experience dessert we were bid a Merry Christmas before he returned to work.I will note here that when the bill arrived there was a small glitch – apparently Monsieur Cornet had never passed along the agreed upon price and we were charged a la carte – $25 for each dessert plus $15 each for the cheeses – but this was sorted without question and apologies were offered from both sides…them for failing to note this detail and us for getting out of such an unbelievable experience for such a bargain.Leaving a substantial tip and thanking Teresa (who only then did I realize had been my primary server a year before) before asking for a group picture we made our way out the doors full of great food and even better memories.
Returning to the hotel and delving through the contents of our bags would prove even more embarrassing – an embarrassment of riches.Containing two loaves of Banana Walnut Bread, two loaves of Raisin Cherry Bread, a loaf of Country bread, a loaf of Sourdough, a Baguette, a Panettone, four pure Valhrona chocolate bars, and three boxes of chocolates from the mignardise carte (94 pieces total) I was stunned. Also in the bag would be a hand written letter from Dara Pierce thanking us for choosing to dine at the restaurant and offering her assistance should I even want to book or look at properties at the MGM in the future.
With 6 days left in our trip but plenty of meals planned I’ll note that the consumption of the gifts went slow and that there are now some happy birds in Southern California who have dined on Michelin 3-Star Bread, but each of the options were tasted and the Pannetone and Banana Walnut Bread went quickly.Having not had a Pannetone since my grandfather passed in 1998 (he loved the stuff) I’ll note that this was much better than his store bought brand – almost a brioche in texture, loaded with cinnamon and citrus tones, and full of currants, raisins (golden and dark,) dried cherries, and apricot.The banana bread was equally luxurious with fresh bananas, plenty of nutmeg, candied walnuts, and gold dusted chocolate filling each bite.
Sitting at home and looking back at the pictures and experience it is really difficult for me to do justice to the food, treatment, and experience we received at Robuchon that evening.While restaurants are clearly in the service industry there is a difference between doing what is necessary and truly going above and beyond what expected.While I work hard for the opportunities to do the things I love with the people I love I certainly was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but for those 270 minutes between L’Atelier and Joel Robuchon my family and I were treated like royalty…and even two weeks later we’re giving out chocolates to friends and family to share the memories.
Lunch on day three would be perhaps the most low-key spot on our visit to Las Vegas.Located in a shopping mall (albeit an excessively upscale one,) titled with a rather useless acronym, and perhaps the least refined in the growing empire of restaurants from one of America’s more recognizable chefs, Todd English P.U.B. had popped onto my radar with mixed messages.Citing positives including excellent food for the price and a lively atmosphere to watch some Sunday football and negatives such as slow/bad service and loud/uncomfortable seating I decided I’d give them a chance – the menu had a lot of my favorite items, I’d never eaten at a Todd English restaurant, and my last “Pub” experience was a good one at Chicago’s Gage.
Entering the large, crowded, and indeed loud restaurant we were seated without hesitation – happily at a 4-top in the back with a direct view of the Eagles game and the workings of the kitchen.Handed menus and asked about beverage choices just before the noise reached an apex as Deshawn Jackson returned a last second punt to stun the Giants, the mood throughout the restaurant was definitely up-tempo.Packed as the restaurant was, our server John K seemed a bit disheveled early in the meal and drinks were slow to come, refills nonexistent, and plates waited for some time under the heat lamps at the bar before delivery.Once the restaurant became less frenetic service did improve and John actually became quite cordial.
Not wanting to overindulge too much considering the evening’s plans, we decided to start with a shared appetizer and an entrée each.Though delivery of the items was somewhat delayed (30 minutes after seating before orders were taken and about 25 before the appetizer arrived) we were given a bucket of hot buttered popcorn to pass the time and when our first course arrived it was as good as our server had suggested.“Dirty Chips” consisted of a large pile of house cut kettle chips topped with bits of crispy house cured bacon, tomatoes, chopped scallions, chunks of blue cheese, blue cheese dressing, and fried chicken livers.Never one to eat processed snack foods this was a rare experience for me with potato chips (or popcorn) and although the others ate more than myself, I loved the way the crisp chips held up to the ample toppings and despite the sheer gluttons of the dish the flavor profile was nicely balanced, albeit quite heavy.
While we were still picking at the remains of our chips (we sent some back to the kitchen as the portion was enormous) our main courses began to arrive.Starting with my sister’s choice, the Veggie Muffuletta, I will note that where PUB succeeds with meat it fails with vegetables.Featuring a grilled portobello burger, roasted red pepper, grilled zucchini, garlicky spinach, red onion, salsa verde, mozzarella cheese on a hoagie roll along with a bucket of pickled vegetables the sandwich was certainly ample for $15 but the taste was largely lacking.With the salsa verde (actually presented as a smear beneath half of the sandwich) tasting bitter and sour there was really nothing “muffuletta” about the sandwich and the only saving grace was the pickled vegetables, particularly the cauliflower.
A significant improvement from the Muffuletta would be my mother’s selection, the “Grichebactom.”Described as the “workman’s” grilled cheese I’m not so sure many “workmen” find this in their lunchbox, but the combination of grilled sourdough, creamy brie cheese, double smoked bacon, and fresh tomatoes with a side of skinny fries was certainly delicious.Using the fries largely as a delivery mechanism for Chef English’s signature ketchup and BBQ sauce the chunky ketchup was outstanding, loaded with smoke and garlic while the BBQ was a tad sweeter than I’d prefer.Seeing that we were enjoying them John actually packed up both bottles to go home with our leftovers, as well.
For my aunt’s main course she selected the BLT Sliders with Nueskes bacon, roma tomato, maple aioli, and skinny fries, an interesting choice given her aversion to maple syrup.Served as three buttery rolls loaded with supple bacon, sweet tomatoes, and crisp lettuce the aioli was actually quite mild and more hickory than maple.Another large portion considering the price and ingredients a whole sandwich ended up packed to go home along with most of the fries.
Never one to order simply I instead chose to order two appetizers as a main and both were excellent.Beginning first with the duck buns – a rather Asian inspired dish placing confit leg in an aromatic and sweet hoisin sauce on steamed buns, my first bite was good – the confit excellent.Next adding the cucumber slaw and cool yogurt sauce, this is where the buns truly shined – as good as any steamed bun I’ve had, whether Dim Sum or David Chang.
The final savory would be the Lobster Poppie with yorkshire pudding, creamy corn, and brown butter lobster.Essentially a pot pie with a significant portion of buttery fresh lobster baked atop flaky pastry and dressed In chipotle sauce and house made sweet cream corn the flavors were excellent, though the chipotle was a tad overwhelming in bites where too much had soaked into the pastry.Listed as a sharable appetizer I’m not sure how well this would divide as it was rather small, but as a main course it would satisfy most.
Like our previous day at Serrano we considered skipping dessert in favor of a visit to Jean Phillipe but a quick look at the menu made that unlikely.First ordering a coffee, again Illy, dessert was ordered without hesitation.For my choice I selected my obvious must-order; Mona’s bread pudding with English toffee sauce, salted caramel ice cream, cap’n crunch.A large brick of lovely custardized bread with a bruleed top, the bread pudding itself was loaded with cinnamon, sugar, and rum.Resting in a boozy toffee sauce that tasted largely butterscotch and topped with whipped cream and salty caramel ice cream the dish was finished with a playful handful of children’s cereal.Intensely sweet but subtle in the way all the ingredients contributed to the overall flavor the dish was simple and wonderful – a top 10 bread pudding.
An admirer of all things Nutella, my mother’s sweet selection was the oddly named “Ninja Snacks,” a plate of eight crispy wontons filled with nutella and banana served with “ninja sauce” that tasted quite similar to my English toffee.Naming issues aside, the wontons themselves were excellent and absolutely stuffed with filling.Using sliced banana instead of a puree lent texture beyond the crispy wrappers and while the sauce wasn’t necessary it certainly didn’t hurt.
Less successful than the others, my aunt’s choice was “The Elvis,” a dish described as pound cake, peanut butter, brûléed bananas, maple bacon and served with a shirley temple.Delivered as two “sandwiches” utilizing pound cake as the bread it really isn’t that the dish was poorly designed as it was that the cake was simply too dry.Tasty otherwise, especially the bacon/maple/banana/peanut butter combination, the Shirley Temple was very sweet and obviously added more for kitsch than flavor.The chocolate covered peanut was also quite tasty.
My sister’s choice, entitled Chocolate Rendezvous, would essentially represent a chocolate crème brulee topped with peanut butter mousse, topped with marshmallow, and then finished in the oven.A parfait of sorts with different textures as the spoon proceeded downward the dish was actually too large for something so rich…like the bread pudding and ninja snacks it was a dessert that could have easily been shared, and so it was.
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Drinking more coffee while watching the last seconds of the Colts game we received the bill – less than $40 a person with tax and tip – a Vegas bargain for the quality of the food.With leftovers, ketchup, and bbq sauce packed we returned to the mall and subsequently the strip quite happy with the experience.In a city where the rich and the poor are quite well represented (The amenities, the shopping, the restaurants, and the patrons) it is nice to see there are some places still targeting the “middle” and doing a good job with a “something for everyone” approach.Above average food made from above average ingredients in a nice space at below average prices should keep Mr. English’s P.U.B in business for quite some time, especially if a whole meal can be had at the price of a pair of socks at the shopping center next door.
…as it turns out there is more than one Morel’s French Steakhouse – when I made Brunch reservations for our third day in Las Vegas I really had no idea…not until we walked by the familiar façade four days later at The Grove in Los Angeles.While not as high profile as other restaurants on the Las Vegas culinary landscape a quick browse of the menu and positive words from a friend combined with early opening hours (8am) made brunch a logical choice…besides, I love French food and I’d already tasted “the best” of Sin City’s breakfast and brunch scene.
Arriving at eight on the dot we actually presented to closed doors – no worries though, they’d open only minutes later.Making our way into the vast confines of the restaurant we stated our names, though reservations clearly were not necessary.Led to a comfortable 4-top near the large glass windows we marveled at the black and white tiled floor, raw bar, cheese bar, cork wreath, chandeliers, and generally lovely layout of the space.Greeted quickly by our server, Gina G, we were provided with menus and water was filled for us all while the others opted for Orange Juice, Hot Tea, and a specialty French Press of Rwandan Komera coffee – a bold citrus blend with plenty of body that didn’t really appeal to me, but my mother enjoyed a lot.
Browsing the menu of both traditional and non-traditional bistro fare we settled on a pair of sweets and a pair of savories to be shared around.With service good throughout the meal there were two small issues considering only one other table was seated during the entirety of our brunch – the first being the fact that my water actually reached empty twice and the second when one of the ancillary staff nearly filled my sister’s tea with coffee.With light classical playing overhead it would be approximately 15 minutes before our plates would arrive.
For myself, the standard in such circumstances; a Croque Madame with Country Ham, Gruyère Cheese, Sauce Mornay,Crispy Sourdough, Fried Egg and a side of Pommes Frites with organic Heinz ketchup.While the frites were largely a miss – hot but somewhat anemic and flavorless, the sandwich was actually quite good, albeit lightly topped.With two thin slices of rich ham and an equal portion of Gruyere sandwiched between the crispy bread, the highlight of the dish was unquestionably the lovely Mornay and creamy egg yolk.
The second option, my mothers, was the crispy Belgium Waffle with fresh Berries and Housemade Vanilla Syrup.Simple in concept the execution of this dish was quite poor in my opinion – the waffle doughy and the vanilla syrup tasting identical to the pure maple syrup (not a bad thing, but false advertising) until blended with the dollop of vanilla cream atop the waffles.Admittedly the fruits were very fresh and tasty, however.
Opting for more unique dishes proved advantageous to my sister and aunt, the sooner ordering the Crab Oscar Benedict with Asparagus, Dungeness crab, Poached Eggs, and Citrus Hollandaise atop a round popover.Already hefty and artery clogging with the crab clearly cooked in butter and the lovely hollandaise with just a tinge of lemon, piercing the two creamy eggs with a fork added a whole new level to the dish.With white asparagus adding necessary fiber and texture the entirety of this dish was decadence well worth the calories.
The final choice, my aunts, was another winner – Banana and Mascarpone stuffed French Toast with Saigon cinnamon and pure maple syrup.With bread similarly shaped to that from the popover I gather the toast itself was actually a bread pudding style custard.With a thick layer of banana accented sweet cheese inside and fresh bananas atop the toast was first pan seared and then torch bruleed forming a crisp top that crackled on cutting.With plentiful notes of cinnamon and the maple syrup on the plate instead of being poured over top I really liked the flavor profile and presentation of the dish, as did my aunt who is not keen on maple as she finds it overwhelming.
With tax and tip the total for brunch would run approximately $25 a person – not a bargain compared to the $5 grand slam at Denny’s that we passed to get there, but on par with the prices at Mon Ami Gabi and slightly less pricey than MoZen, Tableau, or Bouchon.With that said, while there was nothing wrong with Morels, it also didn’t move me or wow me and at such a price I’d much sooner take the elevator up to Bouchon at the Venetian than the escalator down to Morels at the Palazzo.The Croque, Frites, French Toast, and Waffles at Bouchon are simply better….and the eggs and crab dish I’d have there on Christmas day left that Benedict a distant memory, regardless of how good it was.
Picasso came first from Serrano – the French masters came later; Robuchon, Savoy, Ducasse, and finally Gagnaire.Say what you will about Vegas, but without an overseas flight it is the only place (save for L’Atelier and Adour NYC) that you can sample the recipes of these masters. While some may not value the Michelin Stars of America as they do overseas, there is no doubt that the Las Vegas culinary landscape is star studded (both in names and by Michelin.)Having already experienced the rest of the best in Vegas, a visit to Twist was an absolute must – and it just so happened that Gagnaire would be on in town training new kitchen staff and working on the late fall/early winter along with chef de cuisine Pascal Sanchez during my visit.
Having done my homework I had mixed expectations going into Twist as I’d heard some diners say Gagnaire’s eclectic French fusion was not the most accessible or easily understood – that it often bordered on illogical and intentionally focused on nontraditional textures, tastes, and pairings.Cited as an influence to some of the best chefs currently making progressive cuisine both in the United States and overseas, a restaurateur since 1981, and achieving Three Michelin Stars as far back as 1992 with seven highly regarded restaurants prior to Twist, however, I was willing to trust my instincts.
Arranging my reservation through the same Megan Lundwall who suggested my excellent breakfast at MoZen I inquired (much like I did at Sage) whether a tailored tasting menu could be arranged and like all things in Vegas, customer service is of utmost importance.For $250 I was arranged an 8 course tasting borrowing both from the current Gagnaire’s Spirit menu and the a la carte menu.Having seen where the space was located earlier in the day I managed to overcome the difficulties of navigating the signage of The Mandarin Oriental, as well, and arrived approximately 10 minutes early for my 7:00 PM reservation.
First taking a right off the elevator to check out the amazing views from the Sky Bar and then taking the left turn down the long hallway of low lighting, sleek woods, metal, flowers, and glass I found myself quickly at the hostess stand where I was greeted and led to my window seat by a young woman in a stunning dress.Browsing the room I was struck first by the open kitchen in back and the “cracked eggshell” mural on the wall to match the chargers on the table.With the room subtly adorned and largely shades of grey, the floor to ceiling windows afforded an amazing view of the city while the floated bubbles and aerial wine bar dominated the other half of the room.Clearly a stylistic choice by the staff at Twist, my primary server, “Evesque” and the all male service staff was equally well dressed as the hostess.
Welcomed by my server, a man with a thick French accent who admitted later that this was the third Gagnaire restaurant on his resume, my choice of menu was confirmed and moments later the hostess would stop by to ask if I’d like a copy of Gagnaire’s “Reflections on Culinary Artistry” to browse while I dined.Agreeing to the offer and settling in for what would be 3 hours of dining I must note that while the restaurant was approximately 3/4 full and a light francophone soundtrack played above, it felt very quiet and refined throughout while service was nothing less than professional, cordial, and exemplary.
Ordering a cocktail to start things off I was told it would take a moment to prepare and without further ado, literally, Twist kicked into full gear with a flurry of canapés and amuses bouche.Arriving all at once and described in rapid succession I’m sure I missed some details in my notes, but the flavors included a Carrot Gelee with Chantilly Cream, Shaved Pickled Carrots, Caramelized Peanut/ a Tartlette with toasted pancake, goat cheese, and crystallized curry/ a Gingerbread crusted Guinness gelee cube/ a Lemongrass and ginger sable with toasted caramelized pecan/ a Medley of Haricot Verts, Ginger, Cuttlefish, Sesame Seed, Roasted Red Pepper, Mandarin Vinaigrette/ and a Pastry Puff Stick with sake and whisky Chantilly.Six separate tastes and flavors I was instructed to “take your time, savor the variety” and I did.With all components clearly French leaning with Asian influences there was seemingly no end to the textures, flavors, and temperatures of the selections and while only half (the Tartlette, Medley, and Pastry Puff) truly stuck out the flavor profile clearly opened the palate to any and all possibilities – appropriate since that is exactly what would come as the night progressed.
Arriving after the canapés would be the night’s bread selection and my cocktail.Starting first with the bread, served with salted and unsalted options of Isigny Normandy AOC butter the nights options would be rather timid compared to the rest of Gagnaire/Sanchez’s cuisine but well prepared and with excellent crust and crumb.Featuring a crusty 9 grain chapeau sourdough, white traditional baguette, and wheat molassess with raisin and walnut I (as usual) found myself eating way too much bread – particularly the raisin walnut.
For my cocktail the choice was entitled Lychee Smash.At $18 the drink was shaken and poured tableside, consisting of TY KU liqueur, house lychee liqueur, pear puree, simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, and mint leaves.With the mint only providing a cool lingering finish I honestly think this is the best cocktail I’ve ever had.Totally unfamiliar with TY KU until this visit the website describes it as “soft citrus, fresh melon with the balance of teas and botanicals added to the subtle structure of premium Asian spirits. The delicately blended taste finishes with a hint of ginger” and while I cannot say I detected all those nuances, the overall flavor of the drink was indeed that of a sweet citrus tea with pleasant notes of mint and pear.
Beginning the menu proper, my first course would consist of Mushroom Broth Zezette with Chicken Chiffonade, Vegetable Gnocchi/Kombawa Cod Cake/Bloody Mary Sorbet, Ratatouille Bavaroise.Presented in three separate plates with the soup poured tableside I think this dish truly exemplified what Gagnaire’s cuisine is all about – taking seemingly unrelated items and putting them together into something that just “works.”With the centerpiece featuring melt-in-the-mouth gnocchi of potato, lentil, and spinach atop thin strips of chicken, the green broth was hefty with Mushroom, chervil, tarragon and hints of maple and soy.Presented simply, the steaming hot cod cake coated with panko crumbs was crispy on the exterior, creamy and sweet inside, and paired nicely with the soup.Bringing everything together, the mousse of zucchini, eggplant, red bell pepper, red onion served atop an icy bloody Mary sorbet proved both palate refresher and taste enhancer, especially when taken as a bite with the cod.
The second course of the evening would be one from the Spirit menu and as such slightly less complicated than the a la carte options.Titled Duck Foie Gras with Fig Terrine, Dry Apricots, Speck/Eggplant, Rhubarb, Toasted Ginger Cake/Red Beet Syrup, Chanterelles, Pickles this intoxicating dish would arrive on a single plate along with a side of warm toasted bread.With the terrine composed of an admixture of fruits and liver plus a top layer of house-cured Speck the flavor was largely that of the liver with lively notes of sweet and salty playing games with the palate but never overwhelming.With the gingerbread leaf piercing the terrine adding an autumnal tone and crunch the terrine was outstanding.In front of the terrine on one side would be pickled chanterelle mushrooms – delectable and proving an ample foil to the terrine, while to the other side lied a moussline of rhubarb and eggplant that had a somewhat earthy flavor that really did not add much to the dish for me.Intensely sweet, the beet syrup proved tasty both with the mushrooms and the terrine.
The third dish on the tasting would be Gagnaire’s signature – the Langoustine 5-ways.A dish served at each of his restaurants but always with a different preparation the menu description of the Twist Autumnal offering was Langoustine – Sauteed, Terre de Sienna Spice, Yuzu Risotto/Grilled, Linzer Sable, Jambon de Paris, Ricotta, Pata Negra/Mousseline, Sorrel, Nantaise Beurre Blanc/Gelee, Barberry, Gourd Puree/Tartar, Fino Sherry Seasoned, Iced Tarragon, Tapioca.Instructed to consume this course from right to left progressing clockwise, the first plate featured a Langoustine sautéed and topped with yellow curry and esplette pepper resting in a yuzu citrus risotto while the second progressed towards a smoky Grilled Langoustine with ginger and cinnamon accented Iberico atop, French Jambon beneath, and ricotta forming the anchor beneath an almond cookie at the base.With the heat and citrus from the first plate nicely accenting the supple shellfish they additionally acted to open the taste buds to the creaminess of the savory follow up where even two types of pork couldn’t overwhelm the snappy sweetness of the langoustine.
Following the first two dishes, the third and fourth flavors would progress from warm to cold and featured a Steamed Mousse accented with sorrel, chives, and beurre blanc followed by a Gelee with lobster “dust” (coral,) and marmalade of squash respectively.While neither had the texture of langoustine, both maintained the very essence of the sea and proved a great textural variation from the previous and following selections.The final taste, a raw tartare of langoustine prepared ceviche style with olive oil and sherry, then topped with tapioca, candied soy and surrounded with tarragon ice would prove to be my favorite of the group as the crustacean literally melted in the mouth at a similar pace to the tarragon ice and the soy/tapioca lent a balancing texture and sweetness to the herbs.
My fourth (or was it twelfth?) course of the evening was Duck vs. Pigeon with Duck Foie Gras Terrine and Pigeon Fillet, Fig Puree, Red Beet Syrup/Shaved Foie Gras, Mesclun Salad, Champagne, Nuoc Mam Sauce/Salted Almond Ice Cream, Purple Cabbage, Celery.Served in three separate bowls the primary plate contained a Foie gras terrine bound with fig marmalade sitting atop a half of a roasted beet and topped with sliced roasted pigeon breast.Tasted separately the beet was quite sweet and the terrine a lovely blend of fig and the sapor of duck liver.The best flavor of the center plate would come from the pigeon breast, however – cooked rare and doused in pigeon jus and red beet syrup the bird was lovely.To the side of the plate was a small red cabbage gelee – superfluous, but tasty.
Joining the party in two separate bowls would be a Mesclun salad tossed tableside with champagne, vinegar, molasses, and fish sauce then adourned with Foie Gras utilizing a truffle shaver.Excellent and refreshing on its own, the salad proved an excellent balance to the terrine and pigeon as well as the second small plate featuring an intense salted almond ice cream topped with a gingerbread cracker and resting on a bed of sweetened but slightly bitter celery and cabbage.
Plate five found me sated but with plenty of stomach capacity remaining.From the spirit menu this time I would receive Roasted Filet of Deer perfumed with Dry Orange/Yellow Carrot Veloute, Grilled Cumin Seeds/Purple Potato Gnocchi, Sautéed Chestnuts, Crispy Bacon/Orange Marmalade, Mascarpone Cream.Another three plate delivery, this dish would prove to be my favorite of the evening with the flawless medium rare venison accented with citrus resting atop cabbage that had been deep fried in panko crumbs and a puree of carrot, cumin.Surrounding the deer was a sauce of game jus tinged with black and white pepper.
Served in the supporting plates would be Peruvian purple potato gnocchis – flawless and supple, melting in the mouth – in a broth of leek reduction, butter sautéed chestnuts, and crisp bacon.Instructed to consume the gnocchi along with the deer first and to then finish with the spoon, my final taste of this dish, obviously intended to be a palate cleanser in preparation for the next would be an intense orange and mascarpone cream topped with a dot of horseradish and crisp Brussels sprout leaf.
My final savory of the evening would be the dish I’d looked forward to the most and the two plate presentation did not disappoint.While not quite as impressive as the deer, Californian Muscovy Duck Oven Roasted, Cumin, Cinnamon, Silver Thyme/Bitter Chocolate Sauce, Dry Grapes, Banyuls Gelee/Red Cabbage Marmalade, Duck Confit was superb and only a notch below the Sage presentation for best I’ve had outside of New Orleans.With a small bowl containing fatty and supple confit over soft and sweet red cabbage as support, the central plate contained a large full breast of nearly rare duck with medium-crisp skin.While the duck itself was tasty featuring flavors of cumin and thyme as its top notes, the combination of chopped Daikon Radish and Raisin along with boozy chocolate beneath the breast was superb, albeit perhaps a bit overwhelming the fowl.While crispier skin and a bit less flavor from the sauce could have made the dish slightly better, I will note that the duck was one of the leanest I’ve ever experienced.
Moving on to dessert and feeling quite full I ordered coffee – an ornate setup to be certain and featuring Illy dark roast.While I like Illy I have to say I was surprised Gagnaire would feature something so…pedestrian.Interestingly the French Press at Twist (which was refilled at no extra charge) was less than the same breakfast coffee at MoZen.Opting to skip the signature “Grand Dessert Tasting” in favor of two a la carte selections, the two dishes arrived at once and when including their supporting plates the number of dishes on the table was once gain five.
Starting first with the plate to the left (largely because the other was so hot it was steaming) my first dessert at Twist would be Babba Babo with syrup soaked Baba, Vanilla Gelee, Golden Raisins, Red Pepper Confit/Orange Cream Cocktail.Two separate plates, the centerpiece was clearly the baba however it was not at all rum soaked but rather stuffed with vanilla cream and soaked in simple syrup spiked with champagne.Resting in a broth of candied raisins and red pepper the dish was anything but traditional but delectable – and a reading of Gagnaire’s book seems to indicate it is amongst his favorite desserts to experiment with.Accompanying the Baba would be a martini glass loaded with orange sorbet, crème Fraiche ice cream, and – of course – rum…an adult creamsicle they should strongly consider for the cocktail menu.
The second dessert, after cooling a bit, would prove the better of the two and amongst the most memorable desserts in a trip that included some absolutely incredible desserts.Amaretto Almond Souffle with Roasted Plums, Rhubarb Fondue, Licorice Chocolate Praline/Cassis Eclate with Orange Sherbet, Muscovado Tuile featured at its center a deep bowl with a somewhat (intentionally) fallen soufflé.Beneath the buttery and boozy pastry would be an amalgam of plum, rhubarb, and crunchy nuts more licorice than chocolate.With the bitterness of the licorice actually acting to nicely offset the sweetness of the rest of the dish this was perhaps the first dessert I’ve had where the licorice didn’t act to unbalance the rest of the dish.Accompanying the soufflé would be two satellites, the first a simple caramel topped with orange mousse and the second an amaretto spiked pastry cream sitting atop Cassis Marmalade with a dollop of Orange Sherbet and a sugary tuile.With shared ingredients between each of the plates I really liked what Twist did with this dish – each component memorable on its own, but the whole greater than the sum of its parts.
With my second French Press filled I next received the bill along with five mignardises – Chocolate barrel with pastry cream and Whisky Caramel, Goat Cheese and Pistachio covered Cherry, White Almond Paste with black currant gelee, plus Strawberry and Lychee sugar straws.With the straws something like a solid pixie stick and the barrels a bit too boozy for my tongue I reall enjoyed the cherries and the almond paste/gelee was simply beautiful in taste and texture.
Settling the bill and bidding farewell to my server I returned my reading material (if selling me this book was their goal I’ll have them know Amazon recently received an order) and before making my way to the elevator I received a signed copy of my tailored menu from Sanchez and Gagnaire both, a nice gesture and printed on sparkling wax paper – the nicest menu I’ve received outside the unique rubberized version at L2o.Looking back on my meal I can only sit and smile – while I know the experience isn’t for everyone, Twist is honestly the first restaurant I’d return to on my next trip to Vegas and when I go to France there is no doubt I’ll be visiting Pierre Gagnaire’s home base.Call it Avant Garde, call it unconventional, call it confusing – I’ll call it delicious and I’ll call it the most interesting restaurant in Las Vegas today.
…with a great meal at Sage the night before I’d had a chance to scope out the menu at Julian Serrano, the concept looked to be eclectic tapas with “something for everyone” and as such a great fit for our first group meal of the trip. Largely identifiable as the man who reinvented Vegas fine dining back in 1998 with Picasso at Bellagio, Serrano’s new eponymous restaurant seemed to be the first foray into Tapas for Vegas – odd considering America’s recent fascination with small plates in other major cities.
Stylish and sleek, the restaurant was clearly Spanish in design with bold colors, hanging bubbles, a Hitchcockian entryway, and a 40+ person bar.A Spanish native with two Beard Awards and a resume stretching from Paris to Zurich to San Francisco, Julian Serrano restaurant would serve a proving ground for Serrano’s (and Chef de Cuisine Jose Picazzo – a Andres protégé) take on modern Spanish food – something not really shown off with Picasso’s contemporary French menu.
Arriving early for our 12:30 reservation we were quickly sat at a four person hightop attached to the bar.Greeted by our server, Adrian S, a man who would be a source of much annoyance during the meal we declined Sangria and requested water – water that would be filled and remain filled by the ancillary staff quite adequately.What followed was a nearly 20 minute wait to order as Adrian simply seemed to disappear despite the fact that the restaurant’s ~150 seats were only 1/3 full.On his return Adrian took orders adequately, but seemed largely disinterested.
Sitting and chatting as the ladies had just landed 60 minutes prior to arriving at the restaurant there was a surprisingly long wait before the start of the meal – at least 20 minutes which seemed odd for a tapas place.When the food did begin to arrive, however, we figured out why there was a delay – instead of batching our dozen dishes into waves, they were about to be served all at once.With plate after plate after plate arriving and filling the table I asked Adrian why this was happening and suggested slowing things down to which he responded “this is a tapas restaurant, sir, it is how things are served.”Having already assured himself a lousy tip by this point I explained to him that although I’ve never been to Spain I have been to a multitude of Andres and Garces spots, plus other “tapas” style restaurants and have never seen anything like this.Without apology I watched him amble off to the kitchen where he actually stopped two servers carrying plates (they would have been numbers 8 and 9 on the table at once) and after this service did improve, mildly.
Without belaboring service issues any longer, the menu at Julian Serrano featured hits and misses like any other menu, but unfortunately none of the hits were “wowing” while two of the misses were far off target.Beginning first with the Pan Machego – toasted bread fresh garlic tomato sauce one-year-old manchego cheese, it was perhaps one of the best dishes of the afternoon – the tomato sauce tangy and fresh, the cheese pungent and strong, the bread hot and crisp.
Dish two, Traditional spanish chicken croquetas chicken béchamel would be another solid dish, much like the versions at The Bazaar and Jaleo the chicken was soft and supple, the béchamel creamy and mild.Classic and simple the kitchen executed this dish well, but arriving with all the other plates I did not get a chance to sample until they were already luke-warm, which was a bummer.
A third classic, Stuffed dates almond applewood bacon wrap spicy piquillo pepper would prove to be one of my favorite dishes of the meal.Sweet and smoky the dates themselves were top notch.Stuffed with an almond that I can only assume had been precooked in pork fat and wrapped in a thick slice of savory bacon before flash frying the flavors all worked as expected.Served with a side of intensely hot pepper sauce most of us stuck to the dates solo while my sister enjoyed the heat.
Having already noted her fancy for spice, Stuffed piquillo peppers goat cheese mushrooms would be another choice of my sister’s.While she enjoyed the dish, I personally found the peppers to be quite muted and the cheese overwhelming.Had I not done a double take, I’d have never guessed mushrooms were included in the filling, either.I will note, like the croquetas, this dish was already becoming chilly by the time I had a chance to taste.
Amongst the others arriving early to the party, Salmon with truffle truffle béchamel portabello mushroom did not work for me at all.Not generally a fan of salmon I will say the fish itself was quite good, albeit overcooked and a little dry.Where the dish failed, unfortunately was in pairing such a thick and heavy sauce with an already meaty and flavorful fish.While I understand that in order to convey the mushroom/truffle essence on salmon it would have to be potent, I personally would have just opted for a less dense fish – instead this just ended up tasting like a slightly fishy cream of mushroom soup.
Plate six was Mediterranean stew in deconstruction prawns bronzinni sofrito, the first of the more “modern” tapas.Familiar with European seabass I think the cut we received was a bit close to the tail and the fish’s generally sweet taste was much brinier than expected.With the prawn slightly overcooked and rubbery the seafood on the plate was fortunately brought up a notch by puréed sweet potato and “sofrito” of garlic, olive oil, tomato, and onion.Taking bites of everything mixed did indeed harken to a seafood stew, but not an exceptional one in any way.
The final plate in the first (self limited) wave was the best “modern” tapas of the meal – tuna-raspberry skewer ahi tuna “molecular” raspberry wasabi sesame seed.At $14 the portion/price ratio was poor, but the flavors and quality more than made up for it.With the “molecular” aspect a similar texture to a gelee, the sweetness of the raspberry was nicely tempered by the heat of the wasabi while the pan seared tuna coated in sesame seeds lent heft and crunch to the dish.At the same time visually appealing, texturally intriguing, and tasty this was the sort of dish I had expected when walking into Julian Serrano, though I’d have personally preferred sashimi style from the fish.
Clearly able to detect my annoyance, Adrian stopped by frequently after my complaint to see how things were going – he also asked whether we were ready for more food once we’d finished a few plates. Agreeable the second wave would feature all five dishes arriving at once…a much more manageable number for 4 people and limited table space.The first dish, Octopus cachelo potatoes spanish paprika would be a straightforward preparation similar to what I experienced at Amada earlier this year, but superior is size, preparation, and taste.Flawless in texture I’d not be surprised if the Octopus had received Sous Vide treatment prior to a pan finish, but aside from the excessive olive oil (undoubtedly at least 1/4 cup returned to the kitchen) everything of the dish was textbook…and really, the wasted oil is on the kitchen…had they given me bread I’d have soaked it all up as it was very high quality.
The second dish, Wild mushroom soup shiitake crimini oyster foie gras cream would prove to be another excellent classic dish spruced up with modern technique.Similar to my favorite mushroom soup of all time (Canoe’s creamless Mushroom soup) but topped off with foam featuring the unctuous sapor of foie gras.Taken on its own the soup itself was hearty, earthy, and minimally sweet – the cream simply added a whole extra layer of flavor.This, along with the subsequent dish would prove my favorite of the meal.
Overlooked by myself but ordered by my mother, Creamy risotto wild mushroom manchego cheese natural jus was the steal of the menu at a mere $10.With a base of flawless rice cooked in mushroom broth the dish found heft in the addition of creamy mushroom broth (quite similar in flavor to that on the salmon) while slices of fibrous mushroom added textural variety.Topped with a slice of slowly melting year-old manchego that added its characteristic aged salinity the entirety of the dish was flawless – I was especially thankful to receive this in the second wave of dishes as I imagine it would not have been as successful in the cooled state.
Where the tuna skewers succeeded, Lobster-pineapple skewer lobster tail “molecular” pineapple sesame oil failed.Whether it was the small portions of overcooked lobster or the over sweetened and disconcertingly fibrous pineapple gelee I cannot be certain, but the dish was simply unbalanced and any nuance that may have been intended was lost in the sweetness.As the final fish dish of the night I’ll simply say that aside from the octopus the kitchen at Serrano really needs to pay attention to the textures coming out of the kitchen as nearly every fish was overcooked.
The final plate would present from the “Platos Grandes” section – Chicken breast pollo sous vide finished a la plancha sautéed potatoes spanish pork chorizo.An ample half chicken perfectly succulent on the inside and crispy on the exterior the bird had clearly been brined in rosemary, parsley, and garlic.Sitting atop a pile of peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, and spicy chorizo and alongside a “mashed potato” clearly made using an ISI whipper the dish was a fine chicken presentation, but aside from the potatoes nothing revolutionary, just very well done.
Having already waltzed by Jean Phillipe earlier we originally considered forgoing dessert and heading to the Patisserie, but a look at the menu obligated a round of desserts largely because my sister was so intrigued by Eggnog Flan spiced stout foam vanilla tulipa.As someone who fancies neither eggnog nor beer I fully anticipated disliking this dish but the one small bite I tasted was actually well balanced and sweeter than I’d expected.Everyone else at the table raved the dish and it was certainly attractive, just not my cup of tea…or beer…or eggnog.
For my dessert I selected Leche fritafried citrus milkdulce de lechevanilla ice cream.At $8 I will note that the portion size for this item was quite small, but the flavor was excellent.Almost like a deep fried flan or custard the citrus was mild and married perfectly with the dulce de leche.The ice cream was tasty – but yes, Vanilla.Personally I’d have liked to see a more unique ice cream with this dish, something more conducive to a “tres leches” feel.
For my mother the choice was Crema catalane Spanish crème bruleeginger thyme ice cream.It was a good crème brulee – no more, no less while the ice cream was excellent and evidence that the kichen is more than capable of generating more intriguing options than vanilla.
The final dessert, and the best in my opinion, was BunuelosSpanish doughnutsbutterscotch caramel.Slightly larger and more airy than the doughnut holes the night before at Sage the texture of the doughnuts was spot on.Paired with a hefty butterscotch caramel that harkened to a similar dip at Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak in Detroit this simple dessert was once again evidence that the Serrano kitchen works best when it doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel.
Tax and moderate tip included the total cost of the meal turned out to be ~$55/person – not a bad deal considering the fact that we ordered four dishes per person and did not pick based on price.With that said, when a chef like Serrano attaches his name to something there is an expectation that follows and that expectation was not met.Overcooked fishes, muddled flavor profiles, and service gaffs (especially the sort where the server tells the diner he/she is wrong) have no place in such restaurants and considering the superstar competition that just arrived in town with two restaurants at The Cosmopolitan these are the sorts of mistakes that could send diners looking for better.
While I will fully admit that I could eat breakfast at Bouchon every single day I am in Vegas I am also very fond of trying new places and therefore limit my repeats as much as possible.Having already made reservations at Twist for dinner on my second night in Vegas through a lovely reservationist named Megan Lundwall asked me if I’d heard of MoZen.Informing her that I had indeed heard good things she strongly suggested the Sunday brunch but with my family coming into town Saturday afternoon I deferred and instead opted for Saturday Breakfast…it wasn’t a hard sell for Megan as the menu looked divine for breakfast and brunch both.
Arriving early at The Mandarin Oriental for my 7am reservation I first had to navigate the space between Crystals/Aria/Mandarin Oriental.While the Claes Oldenburg piece is certainly interesting and well placed, the directions to the Mandarin front door are not.A walk, a 2 foot elevator ride (couldn’t find the stairs,) more stairs, a doorman, and finally an elevator to the 23rd floor eventually found me standing at the hostess podium where I was greeted pleasantly by a pair of young Asian women – one of whom would end up being my server, Kristy.
Offered a free Newspaper (Times, Journal, or USA Today) I opted for the Times and was led to a comfortable seat near the window.With soft wood tones and plenty of natural light throughout the room and a mild ambient soundtrack playing overhead I’ll note that the restaurant was largely empty with only three other couples dining during my 90 minute breakfast.With that noted, Kristy was an exemplary server and beverages remained full with her checking in on me frequently, asking about where I was from, and making small talk without being invasive at all.
Browsing the menu I’ll note that the prices at MoZen are not at all cheap – but the quality service, room, sourcing, and preparation are worth the cost.With orders placed my coffee was filled (Illy) and I browsed the provided selection of Staud’s honey and jam while waiting.To start my meal I was offered an amuse from the kitchen – a yuzu infused grapefruit “elixir” that was intensely tart but surprisingly sweet – a great way to awaken the palate, though not particularly a great match for the coffee.
For my first course (yes, I ordered two breakfasts since I couldn’t decide on one) I opted for the Croque Madame featuringgrilled sourdough, Serrano ham, Gruyère cheese, sunny-side up eggs and gratin of Mornay.Served with grilled vegetables and a side of apple wood smoked Kurobuta pork bacon, the Croque was excellent, albeit somewhat small and underfilled compared to that at Comme Ca, Bouchon, Morels, or Fleur.Flawless eggs topping smooth and delicate ham, the sourdough itself was nicely toasted and the cheese/Mornay combination proved a mellow foil to the salty ham – all told a solid Croque, but probably not justifying the $19 price tag.
With at least my third refill of coffee (I lost track, but at $7 I figured I’d drink to my heart’s content) poured it was only a matter or 15 minutes reading about the Islander’s woeful season before my second dish would arrive – this time Walnut-Banana Bread French Toast.Featuring “thickly sliced warm banana and walnut bread, lightly battered and pan-fried with whipped cream and Vermont maple syrup” this was one of those dishes that tasted every bit as good as it sounded.While I generally prefer my French Toast in the custard style, using a hearty bread like Banana Walnut in this case allowed a crispy caramelized exterior while the bread itself maintained its characteristic pastry-like consistency.Topped with warm and bubbly fresh syrup and creamy whipped butter (no whipped cream as noted on the menu) the taste and texture of dish was closer to dessert than breakfast and the flavors went very nicely with the coffee.A hearty portion at $18 the price was still high, but I’d definitely order this one again on a return visit.
Finishing the French Toast Kristy asked if the chef could send out one last taste and I agreed without question.While I cannot recall the official name, the item I received was delivered by the chef himself and described as a warm “donut.”Essentially a pate a choux similar to a large gougere but stuffed with warm vanilla custard the pastry itself literally melted in the mouth leaving behind a warm splash of creamy vanilla – while not exactly a donut, if it were a donut it’d be the best I’ve ever had.
Settling the hefty bill (about the same price as their Sunday brunch after tax and tip) I will note that Mozen was the most expensive solo breakfast I’ve ever attended, but at the same time it really is not out of line with what one would pay at Bouchon or Tableau and the food was just as good while the service was actually superior…and all three are equally tricky to locate.Packing me up a cup of coffee and two extra “donuts” (no charge) to go I thanked Kristy and the woman at the reservations desk for a lovely meal and got lost, again, en route to the lobby.Next time I’m in Vegas I’m heading back to MoZen for the brunch – assuming I can find it.For now I’ll just call it a hidden gem and hope that others discover it for themselves.
…I’m no stranger to Bouchon or its sister Bakery – I’ve been to each of them at least once and to the Vegas location multiple times on each previous trip.Like my previous stays in Vegas this vacation would be no different – except this time the offerings featured a holiday appropriate theme.Visiting the bakery four times during out five days in Vegas many repeats were ordered and all remained as excellent as prior – the Carrot Cake cookie, the Nutter Butter, the Red Velvet Cupcake, the Pistachio Macaron, and the Pain au Chocolate to name a few.Focusing my own ordering on new items and holiday themed selections I managed to sample six new items during the various visits.
Beginning first with the croissant of the month, December featured Dutch Apple.While I personally feel that “croissant” is a bit of a misnomer for such a dense pastry, the dough was unmistakably the same – the difference was the presentation.Essentially a hemi-sected butter croissant topped with cinnamon roasted apples and buttery strudel topping the flavor was that of apple crisp in a warm and portable form.
Moving on to the holiday items, my first would be the Christmas Tree TKO.For those unfamiliar with Keller’s famous take on the Oreo, the recipe is out there and the cookie is divine.This time cut into the shape of a Christmas tree and filled with a mint chocolate cream I personally fancy the original more so as I find mint to be overpowering.On the contrary, however, my mother loved this cookie and ended up with two in her luggage in addition to the two she ate while in Vegas.
Another holiday special featured a frosted shortbread snowflake.At a cost of $4.50 the palm-sized cookie likely weighed in at nearly 8 ounces and if I had to guess the cost was almost entirely based on the full stick of butter included.Dense and crisp, the cookie quite literally melted in the mouth leaving behind a sweet buttery memory.Not for the faint of heart (or high in cholesterol) a single cookie was almost “too much,” but thankfully there was a group of four to split the pair we ordered.
The gingerbread man (and accompanying woman) were a bit of a letdown in my personal opinion.Lightly frosted and quite thin the cookies were hefty in cinnamon and sweetness, but rather lacking in the characteristic gingerbread flavor.
A fan of all things mint and equally of macarons, the Peppermint Macaron was a no-brainer for my mother.For those unfamiliar with Bouchon’s style of Macaron, they are approximately the size of an adult male palm and when fresh they are every bit on par with the best I’ve tasted in the United States.A shining example, the peppermint variation featured the characteristic crackling shell which gave way to the soft and supple cookie within.Filled with a cocoa accented peppermint ganache I know some folks contest that Bouchon’s macarons are too sweet and while I’ll fully admit this was the sweetest I’ve tasted, the flavor was akin to a York Peppermint Patty in cookie form – it was delicious.
The final selection of our visits to Bouchon Bakery would be the Chocolate Bouche de Noel.Served as a 1.5 inch thick slice of the “log” and garnished with meringue mushrooms and cocoa covered almond stones, the chocolate Génoise was rolled and frosted with chocolate buttercream and lightly dusted with confectioner’s sugar snow.Dense and filling I was glad I ordered coffee with the cake while my companions contested this was the sort of dish best enjoyed with milk.
Rarely one to revisit the same spot multiple times at all let alone on the same visit I will continue to frequent Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery whenever I have the chance – like when I visited the Beverly Hills location on December 22nd and the Vegas location for Christmas brunch.
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