FranklinJefferson's Profile
REVIEW w/pics: The Best Counter Dining I Ever Had Was at Chef Gary Menes' Le Comptoir
"Chow notes need to be eaten with a few grains of salt."
Which can easily be obtained by dehydrating a few bitter tears of regret. I recommend using the Excalibur 5 tray w/ 26hr timer and the ParaFlexx Non-Stick Drying Sheets... :)
REVIEW w/pics: The Best Counter Dining I Ever Had Was at Chef Gary Menes' Le Comptoir
*sigh* ...pressure... :)
Rezzie's actually for the 29th.
Le Comptoir and after?
Dear DTLA Hounds (and those familiar with the area),
Heading to Le Comptoir @ Tiara Cafe (on 9th btwn Main and Los Angeles Streets) later this month for a 6pm seating. Would love to do something of a walking tour afterwards. Food, drink, dessert, what have you. Any recommendations within walking distance for new, exceptional, unusual from the restos and bars in the area would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Passover
While nothing's currently listed on their website, I attended Seder at Jar on Beverly Blvd. for several years and it was always a lovely experience.
One night, get out of jail free card- where to hit?
Per the Manifesto on the Red Medicine website: "Red Medicine is a restaurant that we envisioned while opening restaurants for Michael Mina. Conceived after 18-hour shifts in the restaurants, at 3 in the morning, usually at some dive in Chinatown, over steaming bowls of pho. The lack of sleep, partial apathy, and blurred vision are all symptoms to expect during the stressful time of opening a restaurant. We always needed some sort of medicine to cure our ails during the last few moments of freedom, before returning again, hours later. It seemed our cravings always migrated towards Asian, particularly Vietnamese. The smell of mint, cilantro, and peanuts, the radiant warmth of Thai chili, the satisfying richness and funk of fish sauce, the acidic slap in the face of lime. It was as heart-warming to us as our grandmother’s cooking… except, of course, she wasn’t Vietnamese. We are not Vietnamese. We’re not even Asian. Not even close. As nights like this continued, the concept began to take shape. At some point, it became clear what we would set out to do.
This is not a traditional Vietnamese restaurant. We are not Vietnamese. Hell, we’ve never even been to Vietnam! Don’t try to compare our banh mi or spring roll with your favorite spot in Westminster that you’ve been eating at since childhood. Ours is likely not better, just different. Our bun cha is not striving to replicate the one that your mother used to make. Hers is better, and next time she makes it we’d love to be over. We are not attempting to create a fusion, nor replicate classics. We are simply inspired by the cuisine itself, and how it makes us feel. This is our homage, our adoration, and our inspiration – this is our 3am dive in Chinatown – our version anyways."
In my experience, Red Medicine would be to Alinea as Ad Hoc is to The French Laundry. While the food is visually stunning, the overall Restaurant aesthetic is more industrial with simple tables and chairs and mis-matched serviceware placed in cups on the tables. The food is remarkably complex and nuanced but the flavors themselves are all very familiar... provided you're familiar with Pacific rim food which, it seems, you & your sister clearly are. And the price is nowhere near being as stratospheric as Alinea.
Again, my highest recommendation for this place for your GOOJF Night!
One night, get out of jail free card- where to hit?
Since you mentioned Alinea, I'm gonna recommend Red Medicine. The chef, Jordan Kahn, is an alum of that Chicago resto and created the most impressive dinner I'd had in all of Los Angeles in 2011. That's including the 18 course Truffle menu at LQ@SK and the opening weeks of INK and Picca... We called ahead to see if they could put a set menu together w/ wine pairing and a cocktail to start and what they came up with was sublime. Run, don't walk! And congrats on the new wee little one:)
Studio City/ Sherman Oaks casual, romantic dinner
While Mantee would be my first recommendation (I believe they just got their Beer/Wine License), I think they're only open until 9:30 on Thursdays. Otherwise, both Raphael and Ombra would make good options.
Cool/romantic dinner and hotel combo in LA?
Since you were looking for an "ink' experience, might I recommend Red Medicine? If you call ahead with your food/budget restrictions they can even put together a tasting menu that would undoubtedly outshine what you might have had at ink (my first time there, we presented a budget of $150pp with wine pairing and the result was one of the best meals I've ever had in Los Angeles!). After that, the newly opened Hotel Wilshire is just a little bit east and, according to their website, has a grand opening special for approx. $200 a night.
2 nights in LA
A.O.C. and Tasca are both great for solo dining and easily walkable from the Grove. And though I've never done the bar thing there, Jar restaurant always seems to have solo diners at theirs, especially on their Mozzarella Mondays.
Restaurant recs for dinner close to the Pantages Theatre
My first recs, Cleo or The Hungry Cat are both very close by by but you might have a hard time with seating 10 altogether. My guess would be that Delphine in the W Hotel could accommodate you as could Off Vine in their upstairs room.
Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Breakfast w/ Really Good Coffee?
Looking for some place in the area with a good cup. Would prefer something more ethnic than can be found at King's Road or Sweet Butter. Any thoughts?
Birthday celebration for my husband - alternative to INK
Very similar to Ink's. Both have an open, semi-industrial feel to them with a large focus of the space going to the Bar area. The main difference for me was that, although Red Medicine doesn't have Ink's open kitchen area, RM felt much more comfortable than Ink - most likely because we didn't feel as rushed through our dinner as we did at Ink.
-----
Red Medicine
8400 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
need to hire a food truck for a party
First suggestion would be, contact your favorite food truck and find out whether they can arrange this.
After that, look for a truck that strikes your fancy on FindLAFoodTrucks.com and see what they have to say. You'll most likely have to contact them via Twitter.
Good Luck!
-----
Good Luck Bar
1514 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90027
LQ@SK 18 Course White Truffle Dinner in Photos. Minimal Verbiage
"Of the few things I don't eat, runny cheeses might just be it"
That's a shame... We also had a Concoillote that evening that made the Epoisses seem absolutely rigid by comparison, and they were both delicious. And when it comes to runny cheeses, always remember Clifton Paul Fadiman's famous quote, "Cheese - Milk's Leap Towards Immortality!"
LQ@SK 18 Course White Truffle Dinner in Photos. Minimal Verbiage
Yoiks! My friend and I managed to make it through all "19" courses w/ 2 bottles of wine and didn't bat an eye on the 14th... btw, favorite course of the night: Course #8, which on Monday was a Truffled Lobster Tapioca Pudding, Diver Scallops, Green Tea Sabayon dish. It's all in the pacing.
Mexican recs
Such an incredibly wide range of Mexican food available here...
Is StreetGourmetLA available to chime in?
First drink
While it might smack some as being too trendy (Silverlake locale; live music; same folks who brought us "Bigfoot Lodge"), I recommend the Thirsty Crow. I've been on several occasions and, ancient as I am, never felt out of place. They're focus is primarily on Whiskeys, Bourbons, and Scotch - though they do host an "Absinthe Minded Tuesday" - and they have a Bourbon Education program (Sundays, I think). Had a great Sazerac there when they first opened and their Old Fashioned is very proper.
2.5 Days in L.A. (2011)
First things first, The Cheese Cart at LQ@SK is the way to go - but it depends entirely upon the day you're coming in as it's a pop-up and Chef Quenioux's cheese is only at Starry Kitchen when he is... call ahead.
Then, while I believe Westsidegal may disagree with my cheese choice I have no doubt she would heartily recommend Mariscos Chentes for lunch (assuming they open that early).
-----
Mariscos Chente
4532 S Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066
Starry Kitchen
350 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071
LK at SK White Truffle tasting menu or dinner at Urasawa???
Granted, Urasawa is the apotheosis of Kaiseki dining here in LA (if not the entire country save Masa) but LQ@SK, as a pop-up concept, is such an ephemeral thing I would have to go with the Truffles - and I am!!!... Urusawa will still be here after the 15th. ;)
-----
Urasawa Restaurant
218 N Rodeo Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Rec in NoHo near El Portal Theatre?
Eclectic Cafe, Pitfire Pizza, and the Federal Bar are all passable. Not a whole lot of "ChowHound" level stuff in the region but since it looks like you're trying to go before a show in the area, these are the most frequented by folks that work at the Theaters in the area.
-----
Pitfire Pizza
108 W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Laurrent Quenoix truffle tasting menu dinner??? when/
November 14th, 2011. 6:30pm - 11pm at Starry Kitchen downtown
18 (!!!) Courses.
Got my tix already
-----
Starry Kitchen
350 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Birthday celebration for my husband - alternative to INK
*suppressed "yay!!!!"* you won't be disapointed.
Birthday celebration for my husband - alternative to INK
Cannot recommend Red Medicine highly enough!!! Called ahead to request a tasting menu and the experience was sublime. Same price point as (if not sllghtly lower than) INK. With food that was far more polished and inventive... Afraid it seems like I'm fawning everytime I mention this place but it is unequivocally the best - most inventive - dinner I've experienced in L.A. in the last 5 years for the price.
-----
Red Medicine
8400 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Paul Shoemaker's Savory?
Anyone have an idea when this is opening? Just read a Halloween-themed article in the NY Magazine and his contribution reminded me that my last visit to Bastide (2 weeks before its penultimate closure) was under his watch and the experience was amazing. The closest I think I'll ever come to a casual dinner in Provence, outside under an Olive tree, at the country home of a 4-Star Michelin Chef... 6 and a half hours and 18 courses of sheer bliss!
WHITE TRUFFLE TASTING MENUS - 2011/2012
"Valentino always scores the best white truffles."... And a frustrated Joe Pytka - with his now-permanently shuttered Bastide - could not be reached for comment... ;(
WHITE TRUFFLE TASTING MENUS - 2011/2012
Hmmm... First, responding to jkaz313, LQ @ SK is Laurent Quenioux's semi-permanent temporary pop-up/guest stint at Starry Kitchen in the Water Court complex downtown. Second,
-----
Starry Kitchen
350 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071
WHITE TRUFFLE TASTING MENUS - 2011/2012
LQ @ SK has said their upcoming 18 course (!!!!) truffle menu will be announced this week. How much of that will be white truffle remains to be seen but still... eighteen!!!!
Native New Yorker moving to LA - hancock park/larchmont village area and need some recs in the hood!
Street on Highland just north of Melrose
California Chicken Cafe on Melrose just across Highland
M Cafe de Chaya on Melrose just past La Brea
Mozza2Go on Melrose and Highland
Xiomara on Melrose before Highland
Angeli Cafe on Melrose just across La Brea
and of course, Campanile on La Brea just above Wilshire (not generally considered 'casual', but their Monday Night 'Family Dinner', Thursday Night 'Grilled Cheese Night' and the ongoing $5 Wine/Appetizers at the bar promotion make for a much less formal atmosphere)
Welcome to LA!
-----
Xiomara
6101 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038
M Cafe de Chaya
9433 Brighton Way, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Ink. To those who've been, is it worth the effort?
When I made the reservation on the website, I informed them that we'd be interested in doing the Omakase menu and specified our dietary restrictions. Since the Omakase info was - and still is - up on their site and there was nothing to indicate that it wouldn't be available (and no one from the restaurant has contacted me in the month since I made the rezzie), I assumed all this had been worked out. .
