sku's Profile
Lamb Dishes at Beijing Restaurant
It was definitely on the regular as "Fried with Meat" along with a picture. I double checked. Can't say if it has a different name on the take out menu, though unlikely to be fried beef since it's lamb.
Birthday party (dol) in Koreatown
Lots of the BBQ places have rooms available for parties: ChoSun Galbee, Tahoe Galbi, Dang Il Jang, probably many others.
Non-BBQ options would include Kang Nam and Youngsusan.
12 Reasons to Drive to San Gabriel
You wouldn't consider Feng Mao Korean Chinese with its panchan?
Boos Philly Cheesesteak
I love a good Philly Cheesesteak. While I've been eating them for years and know what I like in a cheesesteak, I have literally never set foot in the City of Brotherly Love, so I can't tell you what's truly authentic. I can, however, tell you what's tasty, and the new Boos Philly Cheesesteaks at the corner of Virgil and Fountain is tasty.
This cheesesteak is a hefty overstuffed sandwhich served on a big Amoroso roll. I like them with provolone (yes Cheez Whiz is considered authentic and they offer it, but I've just never been able to do it). The steak was great, thin cut with plenty of pepper. I got mine with onions and then loaded with sweet peppers out of the condiment jar, but you can get it cooked up with mushrooms and peppers as well.
I'm thrilled to have a Hollywood/Los Feliz area option for cheesesteaks, and this is a satisfying one that measures up well to the best I've had. The cheese melts into a nearly transparent state and the bun soaks up the flavorful grease from the cheese, beef and onions, creating a slightly mushy whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. It's about the gestalt, and this place has got that down.
You could put ketchup on you steak (or Sriracha, which is also on the condiment table), but I've always preferred to eat my cheesesteaks sans condiments, just letting the beef, cheese, onions and peppers speak for themselves.
Fries are fine but nothing to write home about.
The biggest downside to this place is the parking. They have a tiny lot (four regular and one disabled space) and street parking is rough. Go off-peak to assure yourself a spot, but do go if you're a cheesesteak fan. And if you're from Philly, as the owners are, let me know how you think it stacks up to the real thing.
Boos Philly Cheesesteaks
4501 Fountain Ave. (parking lot off Virgil)
Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 661-1955
http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2012/01/boos-philly-cheesesteaks.html
What bourbon are you drinking these days?
The Buffalo Trace and Bowman Distilleries have common ownsership (The Sazerac Co.). The Bowman label whiskeys get their first distillation at Buffalo Trace in Kentucky and are then redistilled and aged at the Bowman Distillery in Virginia.
Bowman was long home to the Virginia Gentleman brand which is a good bargain whiskey, but they have recently have new distillery management and have really stepped up with the Bowman label. The Bowman rye from The Party Source is also excellent stuff.
Lamb Dishes at Beijing Restaurant
Lately I've been obsessing over Beijing Restaurant in San Gabriel. I went a few times last year or so when it first opened, but I've been going back for the lamb dishes.
The dish known on the menu as "Fried with meat" may be my favorite current dish anywhere. It's a Chinese wheat bun with sesame seeds filled with chunks of fried lamb. The lamb is crisply fried on the outside and fall-apart tender inside. The best part is that the salty grease from the lamb soaks into the bun. It's like lamb carnitas. The dish called "pork with cooked pie" (the restaurant has some odd English menu names even by SGV standards) is similar but with a white bun and filled with pork and cilantro. I like the lamb better because of that great crispiness.
The second lamb dish I can't get enough of is "lamb pot" which is actually a lamb stir fry with a huge dose of cumin seeds.
There are a lot of dishes I like at this place, but these two are the ones I continually go back for.
http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2012/01/luscious-lamb-fried-with-meat-at.html
What's the peatiest, smokiest scotch?
Octomore is technically the peatiest Scotch in parts per million of peat phenols coming off the still. I have only had the first edition, but I thought it was very good, not just a gimmick by any means; huge smoke but also some sweetness to balance it out and better than Bruichladdich's other peated experssion, the Port Charlotte series.
The more recent editions are even peatier but I haven't tried them yet.
Anyone been to the new Brazilian BBQ at Tahoe Galbi?
My understanding is that they opened a Brazilian BBQ restaurant in the same space as a separate section of the restaurant (though I haven't been, this is just what I've gathered from random reports). If you go by, theys till have the bit Tahoe Galbi sign but also a big sign for the grand opening of "Brazilian BBQ."
Short Order, Short Cake, Single Origin...Nancy Silverton at the Farmers Market
I liked the thyme/comte croissant as well; the only other savory pastry I saw on my trips was a cheddar bacon croissant. There were a number of pastries, brownies, cookies and cakes.
The potatoes are called "Short Order Spuds" on the menu. Didn't love any of the beef burgers and didn't try the ahi burger.
Alcohol newbie looking for some starter tips.
The first thing I would do is taste more drinks. Get a feel for what you like. There is no use in putting together a bar if you don't have a sense of what you want to make.
If you liked a margarita, try a daiquiri ( a plain, shaken daiquiri, not some frozen slushy concoction) or a whiskey sour. All three of those drinks have fairly similar recipes (spirits mixed with lime juice and simple syrup), so it will be easy to make all of them.
From there, you may want to explore some of the more classic cocktails. Try a Manhattan, a Martini or a Negroni. See what you like.
Short Order, Short Cake, Single Origin...Nancy Silverton at the Farmers Market
After a few weeks of multiple tries, here is my quick take on each of these Silverton properties at the Farmers Market.
Short Order: The burgers were fine but nothing special. If you want to sell $14 burgers in this town, given the intense competition, you really have to do better. I tried the Frisee Lardon Raft, an open faced burger topped with frisee dressed in a light vinaigrette, lardons and a fried egg. The components were all very good, but the burger didn't come together. It felt like an egg on top of a salad on top of a burger, not a single composition. I also sampled the patty melt with pimento cheese sauce, which was good but not any sort of revelation and the pimento cheese sauce was reminiscent of ball park nacho sauce, though less gloppy. The "Short Order Spuds" though, are fabulous. They are little deep fried potato pieces, like quarter slices of a small potato. The cut gives lots of good surface area for frying and you can get them with truffle salt or dipping sauce. I could see running to the take out window for these while at the Market, but doubt I'd make a special trip for these and certainly not for the burgers.
Short Cake and Single Origin, despite having two names are really a single coffee and pastry stand (sort of like Cognoscenti Coffee and Proof Bakery in Atwater...I guess multiple names for the same place is a trend now) located where Thee's Bakery used to be. Nancy knows pastries and the ones I sampled here were very good as expected. I'm already addicted to the chocolate bear claw and the brunette (not a brownie or blondie, but a brunette, get it?) with pine nuts and thyme is also a winner. I didn't try any actual cakse (they sell smaller cakes but don't seem to sell slices) or the savory pastries, but I will get to them eventually.
The Coffee at Single Origin is pretty typical Third Wave, which is a good thing. In my experience, "third wave coffee" is almost always very good. This doesn't rise to the level of the best in town, but it's quite good and finally offers a decent espresso at the FM. They use Verve coffee from Santa Cruz.
Short Cake and Single Origin are the type of places I will probably stop at everytime I'm at the market, and maybe even make a special trip for if I'm in the neighborhood. Short Order, not so much.
http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2012/01/short-cakesingle-origin-more-nancy.html
Stove Top Popcorn Poppers
Any new thoughts on the best? I've heard that the new Whirly Pop design is not as good as previous ones. Anyone have a favorite stove top popper that's not an older design Whirly pop?
Nikka Japanese Whisky Coming to the US
It's been slow going so it doesn't look like they will make it until next year. However, Suntory's Hakushu, another Japanese whisky did recently arrive and is on the shelves in LA.
Eggnog
I like the Morgenthaler recipe a lot, but the one I like the most is this old NY Times recipe, which is almost more of a dessert (like an egg nog mousse), but really tasty. It's a huge recipe, so I usually cut it in half.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/magazine/23food-t.html
Rye vs Bourbon in a Manhattan
Well, it depends on the rye and the bourbon, but generally, rye is less sweet and more spicy than bourbon. In my experience, the spiciness of the rye plays a bit differently with vermouth than the sweetness of bourbon.
Are there any bourbons available that are independent (not owned by massive conglomerates)?
Lots of news items from the local press about their rye. Here's one:
http://www.gloucestertimes.com/local/x1019710809/Ryan-Wood-taps-whiskey-market
Shaking vs. stirring, Peychaud's, and other newbie tips?
The conventional wisdom is that drinks that are a combination of spirits (martinis, Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, etc.) should be stirred, but that drinks containing juice or egg whites should be shaken. Shaking creates froth, which you want in your juice/egg white drinks (and egg whites need shaking or else they will be pretty gross), but you want your martini and Manhattan to be crystal clear.
As to Pechaud's, there are a lot of cocktail mavens on hear who can probably tell you a number of good drinks, though in my experience, many include Absinthe, since it's similar to the Anise taste of Peychuad's. But the Vieux Carre is one that doesn't have Absinthe:
Vieux Carre
Ingredients (from Drinkboy):
3/4 ounce rye whiskey
3/4 ounce brandy
3/4 ounce sweet vermouth
1/8 ounce Benedictine
1 dash Peychaud's bitters
1 dash Angostura Bitters
Garnish with a lemon twist.
Are there any bourbons available that are independent (not owned by massive conglomerates)?
Thanks Dan. I appreciate it.
Are there any bourbons available that are independent (not owned by massive conglomerates)?
Well you asked about bourbon and none of the California distilleries make their own bourbon. The St. George distillery in Alameda just started marketing a bourbon (review linked below) but it is made from barrels they bought from the big Kentucky distilleries. One of the issues with bourbon is that to make a good product, you really need at least four years of ageing, and preferably more, and most of the small distilleries just don't have the ability to sit on product for that long.
http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2011/11/felonious-bourbon-breaking-entering.html
As to the California distilleries, I would guess they would all meet your definition except maybe Anchor/Old Potrero which is owned by a larger company.
Are they good? I love Old Potrero's rye whiskey and Charbay's hopped whisky is unique and wonderful though extremely pricey. I'm not a huge fan of Barbershop Rye which is an unaged whiskey (I'm just not partial to unaged whiskey). St. George malt whisky is very fruity; if you like fruit brandy, you might like it
Are there any bourbons available that are independent (not owned by massive conglomerates)?
It depends what you mean by "massive conglomerate" vs. "independent." Bulleit and Knob Creek are pretty extreme examples. The Bulleit label is owned by Diageo, the largest drinks company in the world and Knob Creek is made by Jim Beam, the largest US based spirits company. However, there are a number of large companies that are family held, and there are some corporate owned distilleries that have preserved their sense of craftsmanship.
Heaven Hill (makers of Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Old Fitzgerald, Rittenhouse Rye and others) is a large company but it is privately held and family owned.
The Sazerac Company which owns Buffalo Trace, makers of Eagle Rare, George T. Stagg, WL Weller, Blanton's and many other bourbons and ryes is also a large company but it is also privately held and family owned.
Most of the other big distilleries are owned by publicly traded or internationally based corporations, but that doesn't make them bad. Four Roses, which is owned by the Kirin Beer Company out of Japan, is a fantastic operation with a real personal touch.
There are a growing number of craft distilleries that are very small (sometimes just a few people), but not many of them make bourbon, and I have yet to have a bourbon from one of these distilleries that can compete with the major players (though I haven't had them all).
See this link for my best attempt at a complete list of whiskey distillers and bottlers in the US, along with their corporate parents: http://recenteats.blogspot.com/p/complete-list-of-american-whiskey.html
Jack Daniel's is not Bourbon.
Bernheim is actually a straight wheat whiskey which is different from a wheated bourbon. Wheated bourbons are made from a mash bill made up of at least 51% corn with wheat as the secondary flavor grain. Straight wheat whiskeys, like Bernheim are made from at least 51% wheat. For Bernheim, I believe corn is the secondary grain.
Jack Daniel's is not Bourbon.
Zin, you may know this, but wheated bourbons are a pretty small part of the market. The only major distilleries making them are Maker's, Buffalo Trace (Weller and Van Winkle lines) and Heaven Hill (Old Fitzgerald). Of course, there are some independent bottlings that use them and there are still some old stocks of wheated whiskey from Stitzel-Weller and Bernheim distilleries (such as the Jefferson Presidential series and Pappy Van Winkle 20 and 23).
Bourbon question
The annual Woodford Reserve Master's Collection release is made entirely at the Woodford distillery using only pot still whiskey. The Master's Collection is a limited releases which is different each year. This year it is two rye whiskeys.
http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2011/05/whiskey-wednesday-woodford-reserve.html
Bourbon question
Rye brings a spicier flavor to the bourbon. All of those I've listed above are rye recipe bourbons with the exception of the Wellers.
Bourbon question
If you like Maker's, I would try the Weller line. Like Maker's, these are wheated bourbons (bourbons that use wheat instead of rye as the secondary grain).
Other good bourbons under $50 to try if you are starting out:
Eage Rare 10 year old single barrel
Four Roses Single Barrel
Buffalo Trace
Elijah Craig 12 or 18
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
http://recenteats.blogspot.com/2011/06/whiskey-wednesday-18-american-whiskeys.html
The new pure Super Rums
Interesting but pretty absurdly priced. They justify price by promoting purity, which is actually less work for them (not filtering, coloring, etc.).
Also, fyi, single malts can indeed (and many do) add coloring, though there is a trend to leave it out. That being said, you are absolutely right that rum is the wild west compared to heavily regulated whiskey.
Still, a 14 year old single malt that put on a $350 price tag just because it was free of coloring would be laughed off the shelf.
10 Year Old Bourbon
Why ten years in particular? There actually aren't that many ten year old bourbons (there are older and younger, but for some reason, not that many ten), but there are a few. The last two editions of Parker's Heritage Collection (an annual release that is different every year) are both ten years old (the 2010 is a wheated bourbon and the 2011 is finished in Cognac casks). These would both make excellent gifts and will likely run you $70-$80.
If you want something cheaper, Eagle Rare Single Barrel is a very good 10 year old that is more in the $25 range and is pretty easy to find.
Not available in the US
If you have friends who like Scotch, go for whisky.
We get very little Japanese Whisky in the US. The only things we have currently are Suntory Yamazaki and Hibiki. Nikka and Hakushu are rumored to be arriving sometime soon, but still not here, and we don't get anything from Karuizawa, Chichibu, Ichiro's Malt, Miyagikyou or any other distilleries. This is great stuff that any malt whisky lover would be thrilled to get.
Looking for a Gift for a Cocktail Fiend: What 'Goes With' Whisky?
How about absinthe and Peychaud's bitters to make Sazeracs? They can also be used in many other cocktails so it won't be limiting.
Alternatively, you could do selection of bitters. There are so many new and interesting ones out there these days.
