revets2's Profile
New Farmers' Market in Pasadena Playhouse District opened last Wednesday
I love that some of my favorite CH are posting on Pasadena. Should do a Pasadena CH round up one of these days.
Studio (montage) vs Mar'sel (terranea)
Too late for the OP, but for others who look up this post, I concur with Bernphil. Our meals at Terrenea have been nothing but great. Have only been once to Studio and having a hard time coaxing myself to return.
Where is THE best Panna Cotta in greater Los Angeles or Orange County?
Tried the Pecan Panna Cotta at BACO MERCAT last night. Best panna cotta I've had in years and a very surprising flavor profile that totally worked. I'm used to a fruit component for panna cotta. These needed none.
It's a must try and probably in my top five desserts this year.
NEED CHEF FOR DINNER PARTY WEST LOS ANGELES
Or Walter Manzke, but he's been pretty busy.
Lazy Ox previously great, last night disappointing
New chef, folks. Perfecto Rocher, previously from the Beverly Regent Bar. Heard good things about his paella nights, but give the dude a chance to right the ship.
It's hard to lose Joe Centano.
It's less about the name and reputation of the reputation. It's more about whose in the kitchen.
Does Mariscos Chente still serve smoked marlin tacos?
Had them at CONI' SEAFOOD (former Mariscos Chente on Inglewood Blvd.) last week.
Sushi Ichi: Great addition to Pasadena
That octopus is great at Kimagure. It's my fave octopus. He even converted my niece who asked not to have it. She practically finished the whole plate. Kimagure's not Sushi Zo, but I'd put it on par with Sasabune (I know there are detractors, but it's still great and Nobi still has the best Uni from Catalina next to Hiro-san's from San Diego).
I need to go back to Ichi. He served the omakase two pieces each until we asked him to stop. Still not sure if he'd give me one piece if I was a single. A bit oversauced and not quite as refined as Kimagure as well as a tad pricey $50 per for lunch. We didn't have everything.
Randolph's Smoke House
Appreciate this point of view. Wish everyone posted (or reserved not posting) like this. More people would read CH if they did!
2012 Coffee List - Since any other list is Outdated
Lots of roasters carry the Geisha. It just depends on the time of release and roast to when you see it.
Having Geisha from six different roasters, for my palate La Mill does the most justice to the bean. It's super clean and elegant, like a nice Burgundy.
Blue Bottle is good, but I do think it is a tad overrated.
Ritual Roasters in San Francisco has been sending us the best beans lately. The Santa Lucia Sweet Tooth for espresso may be the best I've had in 12 mos.
As for Kopi Luwak, we've had it at the farm. It's difficult to get here and know whether it's the genuine article. It's muddy and the Balinese typically overroast it. Nothing special.
Dining near Kyoto Grand Hotel in LA
Concur with Porthos on this. We're eating in Little Tokyo almost twice per week right now.
Give Perfecto some time at Lazy Ox and see what he can do. That's not going to be an overnight turnaround, but I've heard good things about his Paella nights.
Kagaya is other worldly and very Japanese.
Spice Table is great.
We love, love, love Pie Hole and Wurstkuche.
Though I believe Demitasse is earnest and the best coffee in LT, I do not think it is on the same level as Handsome, La Mill, Intelli, etc. They have great beans, but the magic is in the brewer/barista.
Your staying in a culinary hot spot. Congratulations!
Baco Mercat
We've been a bunch of times once for lunch, five times for dinner. The food is top notch. The service needs some serious help. Detached, clueless, and aloof. Too bad because that's a mismatch for the brilliant chow.
LAX-C papaya salad FTW. What else is good there?
The woman making the Khanom Krok (coconut pancakes) seems to now be making them in the newly opened dessert store located next to LAX-C. Amazing when fresh off the griddle, not too sweet, topped with green onion or egg yolk. The woman in her 60's with a ton of makeup makes them best.
ISO Half Suckling Pig (OC or San Gabriel) for this Saturday
We have the BEST suckling pig we've ever had at TOP ISLAND in Alhambra. It's not inexpensive and I'm not sure if they sell it by the half. But the skin was akin to peking duck skin only pork.
I dream about this piggy all day long.
Steaks from Lindy & Grundy
Never bought steaks from L&G, but they have butchered a whole pig for us.
If you didn't have a lot of marbling, know that you certainly paid for a grass fed steak. The grass feds at Whole Foods have so much fat that my rancher friends and I wonder if they're grain finishing those babies.
The LaFrieda and Lobel's are not grass fed, so it's hard to compare on price. Grass feeding is a much, more expensive process.
Six weeks will produce a decent amount of funk and shrinkage, so it was probably worth the E ticket especially if the steak was very tender (a difficult thing to do with a grass fed steak that is NOT cooked sous vide). I'm compelled that there is someone out there that is doing a grass fed steak that's not so chewy as so many of them are.
All that being said, why did you remove the bone before cooking? Just wondering.
Thanks for the report!
OC - Fresh Beer
FWIW, some Whole Foods who sell a goodly inventory of Bruery Beers as well as some other great brewers are having a 20% beer sale ONE DAY ONLY on JANUARY 20th. Call your WF to see if they are holding that promotion.
The pricing is much better than even buying directly from the Bruery. My store had Mischief, Saison Rue, and 4 Calling Birds as well as Allagash Curieux, North Coast Gold, a host of Stone Brewery beers plus some other beauties.
Bangkok- Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin at Siam Kempinski
Had dinner here earlier in October. Perhaps we're jaded on molecular cuisine, but really wanted to try as we were intrigued by the Thai aspect and decomposition. We've had the carrot pot before with Voltaggio and sadly the rest of the meal that followed (we all had the long menu) felt uninspired. The service level was NOT up to the level of fine dining. Servers could not explain the dishes and referred us to our menus.
It was not allegorically or physically warm. One in my party kept his rain jacket on for warmth. We all laughed about how the bathrooms felt 20F degrees cooler than the dining room.
I hope there is more inspired fine dining in Bangkok. We'll stick to smaller restaurants like Krua Apsorn or the street in the meantime.
Great Roti Prata in SIN
Thanks for all the helpful posts. Have not had great access to Internet til arriving here in SIN. M, used to have roti prays closer to the office near Intercon, but was most interested in the coffee shop you once mentioned on BT and 6th ave.
Rip, have been to that roti place in Suntec 3 years ago.
It is good!
Will report back. Thanks for all your terrific suggestions!
Rip
Great Roti Prata in SIN
Staying at the Intercontinental. Thanks klyeoh!
I've seen M_Gomez post about a coffee shop at Bukit Timah and Sixth Avenue, but no name.
Really appreciate you still posting for SIN.
Great Roti Prata in SIN
Hello Singapore!
Former expat returning after three years. Flying in to Changi in the AM and would love to have my breakfast of excellent Roti Prata, curry and tea without having to navigate the traffic to the outskirts.
Any ideas for great roti prata near the central business district?
TIA
Best Upscale Thai Dinner in Bangkok?
Thanks, Curt. Can you tell me why you go on that cruise? Is the food better. The sticks is okay.
Best Upscale Thai Dinner in Bangkok?
Curt...Which cruise do you think is better in your opinion? Thx!
Chowdown in Singapore
FourSeasons & M_Gomez...
Can't believe there are too few hounds in Singapore! We're four Hounds from Los Angeles (FS, hope you enjoyed your trip). We're swinging through SIN 22 OCT & 23 OCT. Was last in SIN a little less than two years ago and lived in Taglin as an expat the late 90's. If you want to plan a chowdown, we're in. You can email me at revets2@aol.com.
The Spice Table - Perceptor's Photo Report
Really? I love the curry chicken, not wild about the chile prawn. The tripe and sweetbread satays when they have them are my fave.
