bohemiana's Profile
Dine LA Jan/Feb 2012 Reviews
SPAGO REVIEW for Dine LA 2012:
I am going to be critical because I expect quite a lot from Wolfgang Puck and paying these prices. (Although only paid $44 for Dine LA)
That said, I have been to Spago twice before about 5 years ago and my memory of it was better than last night. It wasn't bad last night, in fact it was quite good, but it wasn't as amazing as I remembered it to be.
First Course: The crab risotto was delicious! This was the winner for the evening. The squid ink was the ingredient that put it over the top. That's the kind of unique taste I expect from a renowned chef.
Second Course: I had the pork loin and pork belly. The loin had a nice peppercorn crust and maybe a wine reduction (?). The flavor was nice but not incredibly unique or special. The pork itself was very lean but a bit on the tough side. I have not had pork belly before so I can't compare it but I was expecting something smokey and it was just a braised piece of fatty pork, although very tender.
My husband had the scallops. We had read it was a small portion but when he actually got it, it was almost microscopic. One scallop the size of a quarter and the other the size of a half dollar. I wonder what an appetizer size would be?? They had a delicate, buttery flavor but not unique or special.
One of our friends paid the $19 supplement for the steak. He got 4 thin slices of steak. No way it was worth an additional $19. It was cooked perfectly but no intense on flavor. You could taste the charcoal edges more than any other flavor.
Third Course: Trio of desserts. One tasted like an orange pancake--not very good. One was a chocolate carmel pudding-type thing--the best. The other was a small apple tart with cinnamon ice cream--very good.
Service was very attentive.
We were torn between Spago and The Bazaar, and I'm glad we went to Spago. The crab risotto was enough to make the evening a success for me even though the other dishes were not standouts. I would definately go back for Dine LA again for $44 although, it convinced me not to pay the regular prices at Spago again.
DineLA @ The Bazaar
As the most expensive item the economist (i.e. cheapskate) in me says to order that, but on the otherhand it's just ham. I can go to La Espanola in Lomita and get 4 oz of serano ham for $9. Does he do something special to it?
DineLA @ The Bazaar
@fdb--can you tell us exactly what you ordered that made the DineLA selections such a great value? I've done come calculating and I come out at only $39 off the regular menu. I feel like I must be missing something. I have a reservation but I'm rethinking it.
DineLA @ The Bazaar
Look at the DineLA selection of tapas--sliders, oysters and lamb are not on the offerings. Also, only serano ham is available--the cheapest
It's DineLA Time Again: 1/22-27/12; 1/29-2/3/12
Between Lucques and Gordon Ramsey's The London, which is better AND has the best deal for restaurant week? I have tried to cross reference restaurants' regular menu prices with the $44 deal and quite a few don't really offer a savings. By the way, are the portion sizes the same?
Truthfully, I'm a little worried about Gordon Ramsey's being overhyped and not worth the money. Although the menu at Lucques doesn't really excite me. Frankly, we have waited so long, there are not many places with availability any more.
It's DineLA Time Again: 1/22-27/12; 1/29-2/3/12
I'm looking forward to seeing Spago's menu for the event. I got an email from Lawry's and it doesn't seem to be a better deal for the prime rib than you can get in the restaurant normally--I will skip although I really like Lawry's.
I'd like to know what people think is a deal not to miss on this year's lineup.
Under $100 for two on the strip...best picks??
We have been to Canaletto's in the Venetian a few times and liked it a lot. It's a small chain but the first few times we went we didn't even know that. Honestly, we went to Bouchon for our anniversary and were sorry we wasted the money there because we like Canalettos better.
Alamitos Bay Marina Eats and Drinks
I think the River's End has a pretty limited menu and I would not even bother with Joe's (a mediocre chain). In Seal Beach you might want to try 320 Main, however it's kind of small so if your group is really big that probably won't work. They specialize in cocktails and the food is also tasty. I think you could get by for $40 pp.
In Long Beach, the best Christmas lights are in Naples on the canals. Personally, I can't recommend any of the restaurants on 2nd street in Naples. I've only been to Naples Rib Co but I found it very average. However, there's tons of stuff on 2nd street in Belmont Shore. I went to Boubouffe a month ago and was pretty impressed and I think it has a full-bar. Depending on what day you are going, there are coupons on Restaurant.com for the restaurant.
Alaskan King Crab Wholesale 10-20 pounds
What exactly are "Royal Red" crab legs??? The ad does not say "king crab." It only says "king size." I Googled it and came back with nothing except "red" king crab. I tried calling Ralphs but they didn't know anything about the ad. $9.99 is a good price although I prefer the colassal king crab that usually goes on sale at this time of year for $12.99/lb
I need a good hotel restaurant in Tucson for Thanksgiving BUT not for a turkey buffet
I will be in Tucson over Thanksgiving and I've called a bunch of good restaurants but nothing is open Thursday. I'm sure I will have to resort to a hotel restaurant. Can anyone provide a couple of recommendations for hotel dining rooms I can call to see if they are open and if they are offering their regular menu? (I'm not interested in a Thanksgiving buffet--I'll make my own awesome dinner when we are back at home.)
Thanks!!
Help me decide between these 3 restaurants--Matt's, Anthony's & Steelhead???
We ended up skipping Paseo and went to Anthony's and another place called Blueacre. You were right--Anthony's was very pedestrian. Actually the food was o.k.--nothing special, very average--but the service was terrible. Blueacre on the otherhand was very, very good, and the atmosphere and service were also very nice. We started out at happy hour at Blueacre for drinks and appetizers (and $1 oysters), and then moved to a table.
Help me decide between these 3 restaurants--Matt's, Anthony's & Steelhead???
"Crushingly" is too loud. I hate this trend in dining--it's like they think the louder you have to shout to be heard the more fun you must be having. My dad simply can't follow a conversation if it's loud. I'll call to see if they have a quite area.
Help me decide between these 3 restaurants--Matt's, Anthony's & Steelhead???
We've got two dinners in town this week before our cruise to Alaska. For one night I want to go to Paseo because I've heard so much about it. But I can't decide for the other night between Matt's in the Market, Anthony's Pier 66 and Steelhead Diner. We're staying downtown so I would like to stick around there or a short cab ride away. I'm most interested in good seafood and value for the money, less interested in chic/trendy/view. Also, my dad is a little hard of hearing so if one of these is really noisy that won't work.
Thanks!!
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Steelhead Diner
95 Pine Street, Suite 17, Seattle, WA 98101
My Review of Bouchon--I felt it was very average & not worth the money
Any average bistro in France will serve at least as good as this if not better for half the cost. O.k. so we are not in France so you have to pay extra, which I don't mind but it should be really, really good if I'm going to plunk down $38 for an entree and no sides.
First about the food...
We shared the grilled octopus salad, which was very nice. It was the best dish of the evening. The octopus was tender and mild, accompanied with some citrus sauce, rocket, and various peppers and pickled peppers.
My husband had the flat iron steak and fries. I had read rave reviews of the fries but it turns out they are just fries. They remind me of In & Out. We have a local bistro that has much better fries. The steak was good, cooked to order, with carmelized onion puree and some chive butter. Good but not spectacular.
I had the leg of lamb with escarole. Leg of lamb is a pretty big hunk of meat but this presentation was very thin medallions of lamb--about 8 small bites of meat. Yes, it was nice but nothing special. The escarole was fine, and it had about 1/4 cup of tasteless quinoa. I would have much preferred rich, creamy mashed potatoes. The highlight of the dish was the Hen of the Woods mushroom--fantastic! I would have ditched the lamb and rather had a plate of those.
We were so unimpressed that we decided to go without dessert. Ironically, it was our anniversary and the reservationist asked if it was a special occassion, which we said it was, and the matre d and waiter both gave congratulations but actually, that was the end of it. Have you ever been to any kind of restaurant that asks you if it is a special occassion and then does nothing? Not even a stupid chocolate covered strawberry. For those prices and that hype, you would expect a little something when you are paying $175 for 1 appetizer, 2 entrees and 2 glasses of wine. Why bother to ask?
The good thing is that we have always contemplated going to the French Laundry in Napa but this changed our mind. It would pain me too much to pay $600 and be disappointed. Again, it was certainly not a bad experience and it was a good meal but not at the price.
Years ago we went to Rosemary's. We really enjoyed that and felt it was a good value. I think next time we'll give that another try an stay off the strip and out of the celebrity restaurants.
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Napa Restaurant
3700 W Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89103
Bouchon at The Venetian
3355 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Need Fast Reply--Any pros or cons about The Four Season's Dining Room?
We ended up buying the Travelzoo deal for $99 and we were really pleased. Beautiful setting, nice variety of courses, great service. Our fillets were done excellently and the salted carmel ice cream with chocolate cake was great. I would go again, but I would probably only go on an expense account or on another deal like we had. (I like a bargain.)
Seal/Hunington Beach Visit- recomendations food and fun
In Seal Beach we like 320 Main but if you are looking for something unique, that's not it--they have lamp chops, mac & cheese, etc. but very good. Lots of people love Walt's Wharf for fish but it's not our favorite. In Huntington Beach I can't think of anything special. Depending on your tastes, it might be worth the drive to Westminster (10 minutes from Seal Beach) for some great Vietnamese or even Garden Grove (10 minutes from Seal Beach) for Korean.
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Walt's Wharf Restaurant
201 Main St, Seal Beach, CA 90740
Need Fast Reply--Any pros or cons about The Four Season's Dining Room?
Well, yes my question was regarding the dining room in the hotel. (I see Chowhound automatically put some other restaurant on my original post.)
Anyway, I went ahead a purchased the deal--it was (still is) posted on Travelzoo.
Why isn't White Castle in L.A.?
Who cares what they are made of really, I mean, most fast-food is pretty questionable. I eat White Castles because they are unique and taste good. Actually, the frozen ones in the grocery are good enough for me.
I would rather eat White Castles than In-and-Out anyday, although I grew up in Chicago.
Need Fast Reply--Any pros or cons about The Four Season's Dining Room?
There's a prix fixe meal at The Four Season's Dining Room for 2 people for $99. But it's not a deal if the food isn't great. Should we go for it? There are so many great restaurants in all price ranges that we might be able to do better with a small local place. What do you think?
Recommendations for Orange County Restaurant Week 2011 ?
I really hope a few people reply to you quickly because I'd like to know, too.
So, it sounds like you would recommend both 320 Main and French 75, but maybe 320 Main a little more? (I've only been to 320 Main for drinks and appetizers--they have a great happy hour.)
Death Valley - Furnace Creek Inn and Ranch
While I agree that the ambiance is very nice at the Furnace Creek Inn and it's wonderful to clean up after a long day of hiking to sit down for a fine meal, however, the Inn just didn't deliver. I don't expect the food to match the price because it's the desert and it costs a lot to transport food. However, I expected an above average meal and I got one of the worst meals I can remember.
The positives--excellent homemade breads, fairly attentive staff, casual elegant dining room.
The negatives--the waiter warned me not to get the smoked lamb because it was too smokey, but I love smoked meats and have never had smoked lamb. Well, he was right to avoid it but for the wrong reasons. The plate came with 4 small lamb chops (for $33) plated in pairs. I could barely cut into the lamb it was so tough. Then I realized why...they were completely raw and cold inside--like it was seared. And, it wasn't actually "smoked," they were just regular lamb chops covered with BBQ sauce. I can only remember a handful of times I have turned back a meal but this was one of them. I knew they would just microwave the meat so I chose a different meal--the glazed duck. The duck came with two good-sized leg/thigh pieces; one was tender and juicey but the other was dry and tough.
The waiter voluntarily took off half of the meal price because of the lamb incident, which we had not asked for but appreciated. (He seemed genuinely sorry for the kitchen's performance).
During our stay, we ate two other evenings at the 49er Cafe. It's very casual and filled with kids but the food was much better--simple and cooked well. Our party had fried chicken, chicken fried steak, and the BBQ burger--all were much better than our meal at the Inn. (Well, the chicken fried steak was a little too salty and the side vegetables were just canned, but otherwise all selections were quite good.)
I think the Inn should stick to simpler food and just do it right.
Any real Jordanian Shawarma in LA/Long Beach area?
To be honest, when we went to Israel after Jordan I just wasn't going to pay $8 for a shawarma sandwich that cost $1 in Jordan so I didn't get to taste the difference.
I'm near Orange & Brookhurst fairly often so I'll give it a try--thanks!
Disappointed with the Beef French Dip Sandwich at Philippe or Am I Missing Something?
YES! Try the lamb...I like it MUCH better than the beef. (I've never had it with cheese; the lamb is good enough for me.)
Any real Jordanian Shawarma in LA/Long Beach area?
We spent a few weeks in Jordan this year and the shawarma was unbeliveable! Every little hole-in-the-wall place we went had delicious, moist, flavorful meat. Incredible!
A few years ago I tried it at Open Sesame in Long Beach but my memory of it is that it was vinegary and tart; not savory.
Any authentic place you know of??
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Open Sesame
5215 E 2nd St, Long Beach, CA 90803
Please help me choose between these restaurants for dinner
Here's where we ended up going...
First night--went to NOLA. We sat upstairs, thankfully because downstairs was really noisy. I had the BBQ shrimp & cheese grits and my husband had the smoke duck. I've never had shrimp & grits before so I can't compare it to another but I enjoyed it. Did it knock my socks off? No. Would I get it again. No. Overall, I felt the flavors went well together but I would have liked an extra shrimp or two. My husband loved the duck. His only negative comment was the dressing was bland and dry. Wait staff was attentive. The manager came over when he saw me gnawing on my husband's duck bones and joked about it.
Second Night--K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen. I was there about 20 years ago and it's changed. We sat downstairs and it was incredibly loud--there was a table of obnoxious convention-goers next to us who fortunately left before our food came. The bread basket was a nice touch--something Emeril's could add as their two tiny rolls weren't much to write home about. My husband had one of the the 3-course specials, which was a great deal. He chose the blackened ribeye and it was done nicely. For an appetizer he had a spicy cheese-stuffed sausage, that was REALLY spicy. Dessert was breadpudding which was fine but my sister makes better. Actually, my husband makes a great steak so he wasn't as impressed as he thought he would be. I had the blackened drum. It was very good but it was exactly how I remembered the REAL blackened to be, which knocked my socks off the first time I had it. I really enjoyed it but probably should have tried something different this time.
Overall, I thought K-Pauls was a better value for the money, especially the fall specials. Taste and inventiveness were about equal for all dishes sampled. Both were lacking in atmopshere as they were just too noisy (I think restaurant designers think if it's noisy and people are shouting it makes it more festive.)
For lunch one day we went to Grand Isle and had their alligator sausage po-boy--interesting and I would recommend it. The pickeled onions were a nice taste addition to the spicy sausage. Their fries and onion rings were really greasy--skip those.
Also had the muffalata at Central Grocery, which was not quite as amazing as I remembered but still really good.
P.S. Visiting on a Sunday and Monday was a real bummer because so many things are closed.
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Emeril's Restaurant
800 Tchoupitoulas, New Orleans, LA 70130
Grand Isle Restaurant
575 Convention Center Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70130
Please help me choose between these restaurants for dinner
CharlieH--are these your meal recommendations for Galatoires or Bonton?
Everyone--we are only considering options for dinner, not lunch. Thanks for the tip on jackets available at Galatoires (with carry-on luggage only, it's a paint to lug along a jacket for one dinner)
I think we are kind of set on Galatoires and Bonton, thanks to all your recommendations.
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Galatoire's Restaurant
209 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70130
Curious about Kobe beef...
My last research online was about a year ago so it appears some have come online. However, I just called 1-800-kobebeef.com and they do not import from Japan anymore but they import from Greg Norman's ranch and Darling Downs ranch in Australia. I also found this website that seems to describe that although the Australian ranches have 100% wagyu cattle, they don't follow exactly the same methods as the Japanese which is taste/texture/fat content distinguisher.
In Japan I lived in Kobe and I had both Kobe steak and the next level down and there was no comparison.
However, I would be interested to try the beef from 1-800-kobebeef just for kicks to see how closely it compares.
The Japanese are such rule-followers that I might only believe it's 100% Kobe beef coming from a Japanese company.
Interesting article in the Japanese Times--thanks!
Please help me choose between these restaurants for dinner
We're from the Los Angeles area. We are staying just outside the French Quarter without a car but not afraid to hike around town for the best food. We will be in NO during the week.
I checked out the menu at Galatoire's and the prices are pretty reasonable, especially if the food is that fantastic. Would my husband feel out of place without a jacket?
Bon Ton also seems reasonable but the last thing I would order would be a steak or broiled fish and they seem to have quite a few on the menu. Although, someone suggested the crawfish etouffe.
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Galatoire's Restaurant
209 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70130
Bon Ton Cafe
401 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Curious about Kobe beef...
I did quite a bit of research on this over the years, searching for true Kobe beef in the U.S. that I could buy and make at home...I haven't found it yet. There is an outfit in the U.S. that raises and sells "Kobe" beef with imported Wagyu cows from Japan BUT they have breed them with American breeds. I spoke with someone at that company (I can't remember the name) and he said the market for beef with that much fat isn't big enough in the U.S. I also contacted an outfit in Tasmania, AU that raises pure-bred Wagyu but they don't market to the U.S.
From what I could find, only Puck's CUT or that type of high-end restaurant is going to fly meat in from Japan. I wouldn't believe it's the true Kobe beef unless you were spending considerable bucks at famous restaurant like CUT.
Please help me choose between these restaurants for dinner
We've only got two dinners in NO--our breakfasts and lunches are planned (i.e. Cafe du Monde, Central Grocery, Acme...) but I just can't decide where to go.
We've been to NO a few times--hated Brennan's (pretentous and food was only so-so); loved K-Pauls, and have been to several fine but not memorable other places. We don't care about atmosphere, cocktails, fine wines or even average service; we are looking for the best meal for the money.
I'm considering:
--Brigtsen's
--Elizabeth's (duck waffle, praline bacon)
--Cochon (small plates)
--Mr. B's (but my husband makes killer BBQ shrimp so I'm afraid I might be disappointed or make him feel bad if Mr. B's is better)
Which two would you choose or would you pick something else?
