Jwsel's Profile
Non-LA style sushi, oysters in Sherman Oaks, Studio City Area?
Sushi Iki in Tarzana is probably the best sushi option that fits your bill. The fish is excellent quality -- probably the best in the valley -- and the slices are much larger than the norm. The two downsides are the limited offerings and the price. Some of the items come only in live offerings only and even the nigiri price points are higher than most other restaurants in the area. However, the price is offset a bit by the size of the slices.
"Sushi at Sunset" the best sushi by the Sushi King.....Chef Keith Roberts.
He is the poster who likes Killer Shrimp.
What does "full flavor" mean when it comes to sushi?
California Foie Gras Ban
You should read the EU report. It's not nearly as conclusive as some of the summaries make it sound.
For instance, while it says members noted aversive behavior, it also acknowedges that the aversive behavior they noted (turning their heads from the feeder) was less than the avoidance behavior the ducks displayed "to the visit of a neutral person coming along the
cages one hour after the force feeding." And even the evidence of adverse behavior is unclear. That the bird shakes its head when held may be a reaction to being held, not to gavage. And it appears that using the same feeder for the entire gavage period does lower the aversive behavior, but it is not clear if that was the practice in the European foie gras producers. The description of some of the facilities, with small individual pens and birds being kept in near total darkness, seems very different than how Hudson Valley and Sonoma operate.
The EU repotr also concluded force-feeding was detrimental to the birds, but did so despite admitting that "no definite conclusions can be drawn concerning the physiological activity of birds in response to force feeding." It acknowledged that the main liver issue -- hepatic steatosis -- is a naturally occurring metabolic response and, when force feeding is stopped, the birds liver returned to normal. In addition, it recognized that they are killed before hepatic steatosis can have any real adverse effect on them.
Also, a lot of the issues they identified could have been related to birds being kept in small, individual pens, which is not how Hudson Valley or Sonoma keep their ducks.
Kiriko's $40 Lunch Sushi Omakase (Review and Pics)
So was the second course sashimi, not nigiri? I had counted those items as nigiri. But even if they were not, your 14 courses would have included 10 nigiri, seven sashimi preparations, a blue crab roll, and a half of a soft shell crab. That still seems reasonable for the price, considering the types of fish you had.
Found: Clabbered Cottage Cream from Cowgirl Creamery
Wally's tends to get some of the more unusual and lesser-known offerings from Cowgirl Creamery. I suspect that, if you want the cottage cheese on a regular basis, they could arrange to get it for you.
California Foie Gras Ban
It probably isn't even uncomfortable. The duck's throat also is coated to prevent those fish, which sometimes have spines, from damaging the inside of the throat.
The issue is that people anthropomorphize the ducks. Many people see a tube being shoved down a duck's throat and immediately think of how that would feel for a human with a gag reflex. But that ignores basic biological differences between us and the animal.
Kiriko's $40 Lunch Sushi Omakase (Review and Pics)
I'm surprised you didn't see that ice cream flavor. It and the black sesame are almost always on the dessert menu.
14 top-quality nigiri (including toro, sweet shrimp, smoked salmon with caviar, and uni), one blue crab roll, three types of sashimi, and a half of a soft shell crab for $110 doesn't sound that bad.
What to order at Scarpetta?
Thanks. I would jump to do a tasting menu, since it's my birthday. However, I'm going with my family, in which, one will pretty much only eat red meat or chicken and hates vegetables, another cannot eat beef, pork, shellfish, or anything with tomatoes, a third won't eat cooked fish (but loves raw), and the fourth won't eat game and considers anything that even smacks of molecular gastronomy as not "real food." I would not subject any chef to trying to do a tasting menu with those tastes.
It's okay, because I'm going with foodie friends to Red Medicine the following night.
What I learned in Vegas
I billed my meals at B&B and Cut four weeks ago to my room, so that doesn't sound right. In fact, my meal at B&B was covered by a food and dining credit that was part of my reservation.
It would be a terrible business decision for the restaurant and hotel to deny customers the option of billing their meals to their rooms. The ability of hotel guests to get comp credits for their meals is a major advantage for those restaurants. And the hotel benefits by keeping guests within the confines of the resort, which means they are more likely to gamble at that hotel's casino than at another hotel's.
Souffle in LA?
Morton's dessert souffles are excellent. The chocolate souffle is very rich, but not overly sweet.
Melisse has a dessert called "chocolate, chocolate, chocolate," which has four different preparations of chocolate. One is a mini-souffle in which they inject via syringe melted Valrhona chocolate. All four of the chocolate preparations are great, but I would get the dish just for that souffle. It's that good. (I've never asked, but perhaps they would do a single, larger souffle as a dessert.)
What to order at Scarpetta?
I'm going to Scarpetta for the first time tomorrow night. Are there any "must-gets"?
D'Artagnan products in LA
Wallys occasionally had D'Artagnan products, but I haven't seen them there regularly. Jenny once told me that it is particularly hard to get their products during summer months. It's a shame because D'Artagnan's foie gras mousse is infinitely superior to the Fabrique Delices foie gras that so many specialty stores carry.
Looking For Restaurant With Great Bone Marrow / Marrow-Based Dish
Except for the American wagyu porterhouse for two that I had the first time I went to Cut, which is the best steak I have ever had, I would tend to agree with you.
Looking For Restaurant With Great Bone Marrow / Marrow-Based Dish
I second the bone marrow flan. It's amazing.
Kiriko's $40 Lunch Sushi Omakase (Review and Pics)
I know Kiriko is receptive to setting a price. I once was planning on treating someone to omakase dinner and they brought along a friend without telling me. Afraid of getting hit with a huge bill, I quietly asked Ken-san if they would do the omakase for a set price. They did it without a problem.
Kiriko's $40 Lunch Sushi Omakase (Review and Pics)
The "lemon" was almost certainly yuzu. They often top the snapper and scallop with yuzu and salt, giving the instruction not to use soy.
Glad you enjoyed the omakase. It is a great deal for what you get. Sometimes, btw, they do give two pieces of toro, one raw and one seared in the fashion of the golden snapper.
Carne Asada Burrito or Taco in Los Angeles
I know the one on Magnolia closed. But I thought the one on Sherman Way is still open. I also think there is one on Whitsett.
Italian Semolina Bread in Los Angeles?
Can you describe what you mean? Maybe a link to a picture would help.
Meatball Subs
I love the meatballs at Al Gelato in Beverly Hills, and think they are the best in LA. However, the meatball sandwich is not a sub. It's open-faced piece of their huge bread with a couple of meatballs on top covered in their sweet tomato and basil sauce. A picture: http://s3-media4.ak.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/DV7LIIeE5EdX0DHRdThcBQ/l.jpg
Italian Semolina Bread in Los Angeles?
I don't know exactly what semolina bread is, but would the bread at Al Gelato on Robertson in Beverly Hills fit the bill? It is a big, crusty loaf, with a fluffy, chewy interior.
Here's a link with a picture: http://foodflirt90210.blogspot.com/2009/08/best-of-secret-fab-food-la.html
DTLA Sunday brunch?
We sometimes go to Sunday matinees and find Pete's Cafe pretty reliable. It won't knock your socks off, but the pickings are pretty slim for Sunday brunch in the area.
Weekday Sushi Lunch near Century City
We go to Kiriko regularly from Century City. It usually takes no more than 10 minutes on Olympic.
Marino's on Melrose - suggestions?
As I mentioned in the in the prior thread, the Branzino, if they have it, is excellent. I've always been happy with the seafood there. And don't miss the antipasta selection.
Carne Asada Burrito or Taco in Los Angeles
I didn't say Alberto's was the best carne asada, but since the OP wants San Diego style asada (whatever that is) and didn't seem to like carne asada that consists of small pieces, Alberto's seemed like it fit the bill of what he wants. Not only is it a San Diego franchise, but the asada pieces are decent-sized and definitely do not look pre-chewed. (I will say that the meat in Talpa's carne asada taco definitely fits the bill.)
Having said that, I probably should have said the asada at the Alberto's in Van Nuys is decent. I can't speak for other branches, and I generally prefer the rolled tacos (a true guilty pleasure) and chorizo tacos at Alberto's. In the valley, I personally prefer the North Hollywood El Taco Llama's and Tacos La Fonda's carne asada, but they don't seem to fit the OP's description of what he wants since the meat is minced pretty small at both places.
I also should have added that my biggest problem with Alberto's is that the salsa roja absolutely sucks. The spicy salsa verde is decent, but I sometimes run by Rigo's at Woodman/Oxnard for salsa roja.
Carne Asada Burrito or Taco in Los Angeles
I like the carne asada taco at the Talpa in West LA. The meat is very flavorful and doesn't look pre-chewed.
Also, my regular taco haunt is Alberto's in Van Nuys. It's a San Diego chain with a few branches up here. The asada is pretty good and they are known for carne asada fries and the California burrito.
Ice cream parlors in Vegas?
What about the Ghiradelli shop on the Strip? It's between Harrahs and Flamingo, I think. It's rather chain-ish like a Swenson's, but the sundae is definitely the old-fashioned type, served in a glass bowl with hot fudge, gobs of whipped cream, and a cherry.
extremely short review of La Frite (sherman oaks)
For once, I agree with carter. GR's changes were terrible. He tried to turn it into an overpriced French bistro when it had been a neighborhood lunch and dinner place with some French dishes (moulles frites, pate, ratatouille). Their fries, actually, used to be fantastic.
My family had been regulars at La Frite over 30+ years, but have only gone twice since the redesign in Jan 2011.
Mexican salsa?
I have the same issue with King Taco. I've found similar smokey and spicy salsa roja at Rigo's (I go to the one at Oxnard and Woodman in Sherman Oaks) and El Taco Llama (the branches on Vanowen, Van Nuys, and Sherman Way).
Rigo's will sell a side of the salsa in a small drink cup with chips, which are topped with refried beans. I usually take it home and put it in an airtight container so it lasts a few days.
I find El Taco Llama maddening because sometimes they will sell salsa in a cup and other times they won't. But the three branches I mentioned all have the salsa roja in a salsa bar so you can fill multiple little cups or keep going back.
Late night eats in Vegas (budget friendly)
There also is a Grand Lux in the Palazzo.
Nam Prink Ong
I don't know if Jitlada does it, because Nam Prik Ong is a Northern Thai dish, and Jitlada's specialty is Southern Thai. Spicy BBQ in Hollywood does Northern Thai and has a good version. I also like the Nam Prik Ong at Sri Siam in North Hollywood, though I generally prefer their fantastic Nam Prik Oom.
