Downtown LA
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Downtown LA: Bottega Louie’s Sandwich Makes No Sense
Jan 28 2011
A food grudge is hard to shake. I should know because I’ve been holding one for a couple of weeks. The object of my rancor is the Vegetarian Club from Bottega Louie. On the menu, it sounded so good: zucchini, avocado, hard-boiled egg, whole grain mustard and curry aioli on 7-grain bread. Yes, please, I’ll take that!
When the sandwich came to the table, it was beautiful—from their high ceilings to their meticulous plating, presentation is where Bottega Louie shines. But take a closer look. Camouflaged by the appetizing color scheme and cute little cups of veggies is a sandwich that makes no sense.
I’m not a stickler for tradition, but the whole point of a club sandwich is that it has two layers of filling and three pieces of bread. That’s its point of distinction. This, however, was just a series of tea sandwiches speared by a wooden stick. Unless you’re willing to chuck a few slices of bread, most mouths aren’t big enough to eat this in proper club fashion. Plus, since there are 5 pieces, you’d be left with an extra layer.
Are you grasping the gravity of the situation?
Downtown LA: Shojin’s Veggie Japanese Won’t Kill You
Jan 05 2011
When I was younger, I had no sense of nutrition. I ate terribly unhealthy things—tons of fast food—all the time. Taco Bell and Denny’s were freaking delicious to me. Cringe. Then, I got older and realized that, for one, most fast food is not actually food, and two, healthy stuff is more satisfying in the long run.
Who would have thought?
That’s not to say I don’t indulge. As demonstrated frequently on this blog, I can be a major grubber. I love burgers, ice cream, most anything involving bacon, and other food stuff that sins are made of. I’m just more balanced now, and I mostly steer clear of the over-processed mumbo jumbo that they’re allowed to call food these days.
Things to Do This Weekend in LA: Pie & Beer, Eat My Blog Bake Sale, Holiday Cocktails and More Ideas
Dec 03 2010 My Candy Cane Cream Faux-reos for the Eat My Blog Charity Bake Sale this weekend.
There’s lots of stuff to do this weekend around LA—a few things on the Eastside and a few that require driving:
Eagle Rock: Pie & Beer is popping up at Eagle Rock Brewery on Sunday from 12-6pm. I Heart Pies will be selling their popular sweet and savory pie varieties, which all go great with handmade beers.
Echo Park: Stop by Allston Yacht Club for some holiday cocktails. They’re mixing up drinks with names like Figgy Pudding and The Accursed Fruitcake. You can read more about them here.
Maybe after, you can walk over to Xoia for some Bunrria, a new dish they’re debuting this weekend. Chunks of beef are marinated birria style and served in a rich beef broth with Bun noodles. You can garnish with onions, cilantro and salsa. They’ll even add a tortilla if you’re so inclined.
Downtown LA: Taste of Mexico is hosting a celebration of 200 Years of Mexico’s Cuisine at the Cathedral of Saint Vibiana on Saturday from 5-10pm. They’ll be food from the likes of Guelaguetza, tequila, mariachis and Oaxacan dance performance. Tickets are $100 at the door or $75 presale.
Hollywood: LA Street Food is teaming up with MAMA to host Less Mall More Melrose. Food trucks like Lobsta Truck and Me So Hungry will feed you while you shop for deals on Melrose, between Fairfax and La Brea.
West Hollywood: LA food bloggers and restaurants will be selling their baked goods in front of Tender Greens on Saturday from 10am-4pm. Menu includes: eggnog muffins, candy cane mashmallows, whoopie pies, bacon brownies and tons more. Plus, there’ll be dog treats! Proceeds go to Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.
Have a great weekend, and eat good stuff!
-Valentina
Downtown LA: A New Chef Debuts at Nick & Stef’s
Nov 02 2010
Nick & Stef’s new Executive Chef Megan Logan is a bit of an anomaly. A California native who got her start as a server at 15, attended Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena and rose through the ranks of the Patina Group, Logan is one of the few women in the industry to helm a steakhouse kitchen. I was recently invited to a media dinner to experience Logan’s prowess in the form of a multi-course meal with wine, cocktail and beer pairings. Oh, and there was a cheese plate! Well played, Chef.
Downtown LA: Artisanal LA Was Blissfully Delicious
Oct 24 2010Artisanal LA was a food lover’s carnival. The community event held in the Cooper Design Building this past weekend showcased some of LA’s most interesting food artisans with handmade wares ranging from chocolates and baked goods to cheese and pickles. Even better, there were plenty of samples.
The event was a pretty low-key experience-there were no relentless crowds or long lines. Of course, that probably won’t last. This event is sure to become a bigger draw as word of mouth spreads though food-crazy Los Angeles, but this time was blissfully delicious.
Here were some of my favorite sights and tastes from Artisanal LA:
Tartist had one of the most beautiful displays of the day. I believe that marscapone cheese lies below those apples and honey-vinegar glaze on top. Sigh. As if that weren’t enough, all the fruit and herbs used to make it came from Tartist Xárene’s (and her friends’) very own garden. No pesticides or fertilizers used in the growing process and the dairy used is sourced from Santa Monica Farmers’ Market.
The 3rd Annual Feria de los Moles: Puebla vs. Oaxaca
Oct 17 2010
When Bill Esparza of Street Gourmet LA told me that Oaxaca and Puebla would be battling it out at the 3rd Annual Feria de los Moles, I got pretty excited. A mole showdown? Fat chance I would turn that down.
Held at Placita Olvera on one of the hottest days of the year, the mole fair was a crowded and lively affair. Live music played in the background as we waited in long lines, anticipating styrofoam containers filled with weighty helpings of moles of every variety-verde, coloradito, pepita, poblano, amarillo…you name it, it was there.
This was my favorite plate of the day. The chicken on the left was Oaxacan and the pork on the right was Pueblan. Both were from Antojitos de la Abuelita, a food trailer that can usually be found on Vineland Ave in North Hollywood. The mole pepita was really divine-the gritty texture of the pumpkin seeds (i.e. pepitas) added so much dimension to this rich and spicy mole. We were definitely putting our tortillas to good use, scooping up every last drop.
Downtown LA: The Gorbals Gets Schmaltzy
Sep 21 2010
“Ooh, we gotta get that,” my husband Josh said when he spotted Shmaltz on The Gorbals menu last night. He’d never actually tried the fatty spread, which made its debut during happy hour yesterday (the waitress said we were the first to try it. Yay!), but it had always held folklore status in his mind. “As a kid, I’d hear my grandma and her sister talk about schmaltz with nostalgia, but nobody really ate it anymore because it was so bad for you.”
Italian Home Cooking in Downtown LA: Colori Kitchen
Jul 20 2010
A block away from the pandemonium of Bottega Louie is the cozy and casual Colori Kitchen. Though I’m a fan of both restaurants, when I’m in the mood for Italian and Downtown, I tend to opt for the more accessible Colori. But it’s not just their “hole in the wall” appeal that lures me, there’s also the fresh pasta, the burrata, and the no-corkage fee BYOB policy—a trifecta of trattoria bliss.
The menu at Colori Kitchen is relatively small and refreshingly simple. Chef Luigi Barducci Contessi, Italian born and formerly the executive chef at Ca’ Brea, has created a menu that relies on flavor and quality without too much adornment. The enthusiastic yet no-frills execution is reminiscent of La Buca back before the expansion compromised it.
This burrata appetizer is a good example of the Colori approach. It’s just a few slices of the decadent cheese, garnished with salad and drizzled with olive oil. It’s not overdone or dressed up beyond recognition. Thank goodness because in the case of burrata, the cheese really should stand alone.
Colori makes a good ravioli. The night we went, they had a meat ravioli, filled with pork, chicken and veal (pictured at the top of this post), on special. The large pillows of ravioli were tender and the flavors of the different meats were surprisingly distinct. The mushroom sauce was rich but not overbearing, much like the creamy walnut sauce that covered this Pumpkin Ravioli. The crunch of the walnut pieces added a nice contrast to the soft texture of the pumpkin filling without going into the dreaded pumpkin pie territory. The whole dish had an unexpected lightness.
Ordering calamari steak is always a huge risk. A lot of times it’s chewy and overcooked, but that was not a problem here. This one had a melty quality, and the citrus added a zesty kick to the otherwise even flavor. The salad made it the perfect summer dish.
Pre-Theater Dining Downtown: The Laxy Ox Canteen Keeps Getting Better
Jun 16 2010
Just last weekend, we hit up The Lazy Ox Canteen before going to see the weirdly fantastic play 1951-2006 at the Los Angeles Theatre Center. This was the first time I’ve ever eaten by sunlight at The Lazy Ox because usually I’m taking advantage of their much-welcomed late night service (they beat The York by an hour and a half, serving their full menu until midnight thurs-sat), so it felt like a whole new experience.
The time-of-day aspect was only part of it, though. Since opening late last year, their food has gotten progressively better. Not to say that it hasn’t always been good, but while I’ve been blown away by the vibe and beer list, foodwise I’ve rarely been blown away by anything but the burger. I’ve often felt that the concepts were a little ahead of the actual execution in some of the dishes.
That was not the case this last time. All the flavors were so right on, and I was very impressed—I tried all new things, minus the burger, which is a must every time. I know it’s been described on every food blog in LA, but good grief, it’s so damn good. I love that the short rib/sirloin patty is served nearly raw in the center, so that it gets all mushed up with the smooth, butter Carmody cheese and aioli. And then the butter lettuce adds a contrasting crisp coldness. I’ve heard some smack about the bun being too thick, but I’ve got no problem with it because it keeps that marvelous mess under control.
But wait, what was I talking about? Oh, that’s right, the new stuff I tried…
First up were these Ricotta Fritters. My goodness. I mean, of course, it’s fried cheese, and fried cheese is always good, but these were so fluffy and the fact that they were sitting so delicately in honey gave them oomph I didn’t expect. You could hear the slight crunch when you bit into one.
Next was the curious sautéed radish dish. Odd in a good way, these cooked radishes maintained some firmness and spiciness to perfectly showcase the garlic and blue cheese flavor. So good.
Downtown Brunch Spot: French Food at Angelique Cafe
May 28 2010 Angelique Cafe doesn’t get enough props. Maybe it’s because they don’t have a liquor license, but even if you can’t have a mimosa, you can have quiche, which is almost as good.
If you haven’t been, you’ve probably seen it-it’s that place that sits on that island where Main and Spring Street become one. It’s a cozy little restaurant with a big menu that includes most of the Frenchie stuff you’d want: lots of different croissants, crepes, ratatouille, escargot and a few duck dishes.
Josh got the Spinach and Goat Cheese Quiche, which was very good. The goat cheese made it light and the crust was nice and flaky, so it didn’t give you that ton-of-bricks feeling that plagues many quiche-eating experiences. And since they make them in-house, it was also really fresh.
