When we lived in Los Angeles a favorite Italian restaurant of ours was Il Moro. It's on the ground floor of a high rise office building in West Los Angeles, on Santa Monica Bloulevard. It's right off the 405 freeway, so it's conveniently located. Christmas night is a difficult time to find any good restaurants open. It's mostly deli's and Chinese restaurants. Mom and I wanted something a little bit more, but not the traditional Christmas dinner. Would you believe I found a web site that listed many of the restaurants in LA that were open on Christmas? So we decided to go to Il Moro. I hadn't been there in several years and I was anxious to see if it had changed.
It had. First, a bar was added to the front of the restaurant where a deli case used to be. It wasn't busy on Christmas night, but I can imagine that during the week workers from the building come by for a drink and appetizer after work. It's a nice looking restaurant, with a private room in the back and big, beautiful patio for al fresco dining when weather permits.
The menu has changed drastically since I was last there. A few standards remain but the menu is far more interesting, innovative and appealing. I started with an old favorite of mine which is hard to find anywhere. It's a raw artichoke salad, with lettuce and parmesean cheese, dressed in a lemony vinegrette. It's one of my all time favorite salads. My mom started with a tuna tartare topped with a layer of avocado mousse. It was delicious too. Other starters included several seasonal soups, grilled vegetables, calamari, and Italian white sardines, baked tomato and mozzarella cubes with toasted bread.. My entree was a saffron risotto topped with fresh tuna tartare. I absolutely loved it. My mom had something unique that I would recommend to anyone who dines there. It was a little cheese souffle, creamy and rich, with culatell "king of prosciuto" on the side. I highly recommend this dish. Lots of pizzas, thin crusts, pastas are all home made, and meats and fish.
Prices are reasonable, most starters being around $10, most entrees around $21. (pasta dishes and pizzas are less). This is another great choice for those of you go make the journey to LA frequently, as I do. It's a nice place to stop for dinner before tackling the 405. This is NOT your standard old fashioned Italian restaurant. There is no eggplant parmesean or veal scaloppine on the menu. This is for those that want new, modern Northern Italian cuisine. I sure enjoyed it and I think you will too.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Pop Up Dining Comes to Encinitas
The two hottest trends in dining are food trucks and pop up dining. I've written about food trucks and how they are sweeping the nation. I was in Venice, California on a recent Friday night and there were no less than 30 trucks on Abbott Kinney to choose from. It's a real happening.
Pop up dining, so they say, started in Los Angeles several years ago with chef Ludo Lefebvre. He opened in a dinghy little restaurant that was not usually used for fine dining. He would open for six weeks, then close and pop up somewhere else. The concept has caught on around the country, particularly San Francisco and Boston, and now we have our very own pop up restaurant in Encinitas.
Thanks to Marie, who asked me several weeks if I had heard of Relate, the pop up restaurant in Encinatas, and getting me interested in researching the concept, and to Marcia, who ate there last week and told me all about it. It is Marcia's experience that I will tell you about.
Relate will be open for about a month, until early March. The chef is Dan Moody, a Del Mar chef, who recently worked as a sous chef with Ludo Lefebvre, who started it all. Relate is open at St. Germain Bistro on Coast Highway. The dinner is a fixe-prix meal at $55, plus $15 for wine pairings, if desired. The menu changes nightly. It is composed of six tiny entrees, some just a few bites. Marcia's meal began with French Onion soup in a "one bite" croquette, which she loved. The next course was a baby beet salad with golden beet vinegrette, again small but excellent.
Next she was served a butter poached lobster, warm egg and caviar salad, fennel jam, and onion froth on top. Beautiful presentation, but not exceptional. Next came a rabbit cassoulet, which she didn't care for, followed by a spiced beef over spinach avocado puree, which was only fair. Dessert was a s'more with home made graham crackers, agave marshmallows,chipotle ganache and tequilla creme Anglaise. Absolute heaven.
It sounds to me like a mini French Laundry (Napa Valley) at about 1/3 the cost. I think it's an experience every foodie wants to try at least once. If you try Relate, which you must book through Open Table, go for the early seating. Marcia had a 7pm reservation and waited until 8pm to be seated. Look for more pop up restaurants in the future. I see lots of reasons they should be popping up.
For a chef to open his own restaurant, he must be very wealthy or have lots of big investors. Here's a way for a chef to show off his skills and not have to make the big investment. Many restaurants are not open for dinner, like St. Germain Bistro, and are perfect venues for pop up restaurants. It's also an opportunity for we consumers to get to know some young new chefs. Pop ups seem like a great idea.
Thanks Marie and Marcia for introducing me to the concept. I have no plans to eat at Relate, as it will only be here a few weeks, but I will look for future pop ups and give one a try. If you go to Relate, please let me know how you liked it.
Pop up dining, so they say, started in Los Angeles several years ago with chef Ludo Lefebvre. He opened in a dinghy little restaurant that was not usually used for fine dining. He would open for six weeks, then close and pop up somewhere else. The concept has caught on around the country, particularly San Francisco and Boston, and now we have our very own pop up restaurant in Encinitas.
Thanks to Marie, who asked me several weeks if I had heard of Relate, the pop up restaurant in Encinatas, and getting me interested in researching the concept, and to Marcia, who ate there last week and told me all about it. It is Marcia's experience that I will tell you about.
Relate will be open for about a month, until early March. The chef is Dan Moody, a Del Mar chef, who recently worked as a sous chef with Ludo Lefebvre, who started it all. Relate is open at St. Germain Bistro on Coast Highway. The dinner is a fixe-prix meal at $55, plus $15 for wine pairings, if desired. The menu changes nightly. It is composed of six tiny entrees, some just a few bites. Marcia's meal began with French Onion soup in a "one bite" croquette, which she loved. The next course was a baby beet salad with golden beet vinegrette, again small but excellent.
Next she was served a butter poached lobster, warm egg and caviar salad, fennel jam, and onion froth on top. Beautiful presentation, but not exceptional. Next came a rabbit cassoulet, which she didn't care for, followed by a spiced beef over spinach avocado puree, which was only fair. Dessert was a s'more with home made graham crackers, agave marshmallows,chipotle ganache and tequilla creme Anglaise. Absolute heaven.
It sounds to me like a mini French Laundry (Napa Valley) at about 1/3 the cost. I think it's an experience every foodie wants to try at least once. If you try Relate, which you must book through Open Table, go for the early seating. Marcia had a 7pm reservation and waited until 8pm to be seated. Look for more pop up restaurants in the future. I see lots of reasons they should be popping up.
For a chef to open his own restaurant, he must be very wealthy or have lots of big investors. Here's a way for a chef to show off his skills and not have to make the big investment. Many restaurants are not open for dinner, like St. Germain Bistro, and are perfect venues for pop up restaurants. It's also an opportunity for we consumers to get to know some young new chefs. Pop ups seem like a great idea.
Thanks Marie and Marcia for introducing me to the concept. I have no plans to eat at Relate, as it will only be here a few weeks, but I will look for future pop ups and give one a try. If you go to Relate, please let me know how you liked it.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Fifty Fifth Visit to Taft
Before I came to visit Ron this week I was thinking about the friendships he has made at Taft. His best buddies are just the kind of men he knew and befriended on the outside. An accountant, a lawyer, a CEO of a public company, a businessman and a doctor. While they are at Taft they are very close, like family. They support each other through crisis, cry with each other when someone has a relative that dies, and even pray together. They promise each other that they will stay in touch after they are released (there are rules about this, but assuming they can see each other)and then they leave, one by one. At first the released inmate stays in touch by calling me, to see how I'm doing, how is Ron doing, how is such and such doing. Then, as the weeks turn into months, the calls are further apart, until they are no more. This is just what happens. Men that were as close as two men can be are no longer in touch. Once men are back in society they lose touch with where they were. Many of them want to forget. It's not that the men they were once so dependent on are no longer important, it's just that they have moved on. They're out, living normal lives, and the others are still in. I wonder how many of Ron's Taft friends will be in his life in three years. My guess is 3-4. They all have great plans for life after Taft, but it just doesn't always work out the way they plan. As the saying goes, life gets in the way.
During visitation on Friday we were talking about this subject and Ron said I had it exactly right. Everyone says they're going to stay in touch, then they go home and get busy with their lives, and try to forget about Taft. One man Ron met early on at Taft, made promises to some men that he would write and keep in touch. Ron had a feeling he didn't mean it, and when asked, the man said he had no intention of ever seeing or talking to anyone from Taft again. He just said what he said to be nice.
About six months ago a close friend of Ron's went home. He was going to stay in contact. He did call about a month after he left to see how everything was, but since then the phone calls have stopped and my e-mails are unanswered.
Friendships, like everything else at Taft, are temporary. For the most part men are friends out of necessity. Luckily for Ron he has met a small group of men that he has a lot in common with and will probably have future contact with. Of course that all depends on what probation allows. Felons are not always allowed to socialize after release. Ron has always had a lot of men friends, so whether he's at Taft or home in Carlsbad, he'll have plenty people to be with.
During visitation on Friday we were talking about this subject and Ron said I had it exactly right. Everyone says they're going to stay in touch, then they go home and get busy with their lives, and try to forget about Taft. One man Ron met early on at Taft, made promises to some men that he would write and keep in touch. Ron had a feeling he didn't mean it, and when asked, the man said he had no intention of ever seeing or talking to anyone from Taft again. He just said what he said to be nice.
About six months ago a close friend of Ron's went home. He was going to stay in contact. He did call about a month after he left to see how everything was, but since then the phone calls have stopped and my e-mails are unanswered.
Friendships, like everything else at Taft, are temporary. For the most part men are friends out of necessity. Luckily for Ron he has met a small group of men that he has a lot in common with and will probably have future contact with. Of course that all depends on what probation allows. Felons are not always allowed to socialize after release. Ron has always had a lot of men friends, so whether he's at Taft or home in Carlsbad, he'll have plenty people to be with.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Eton Mess is Delicious
I don't know where the name of this dessert comes from, but you can just call it delicious. On Christmas Eve I overnighted in Bakersfield with Linda and Rod. Linda made a spectacular meal. Roast pork with gravy, fruit compote, mashed potatoes, seasonal roasted root vegetables and salad. Linda couldn't decide what to make for dessert, so she made 2 desserts. Eton Mess was my favorite. It's so simple yet elegant. Linda made her own homemade meringues, but for those of us who don't have that kind of time, just buy them at a local bakery. Your guests will rave about this dessert, and you will make it again and again because it's so easy. (I guess if you're really in a bind you could substitute Cool Whip for the whipping cream. It won't be quite as good)
Eton Mess From Ina Garten
"Eton Mess incorporates several of my favorite things all smooshed together. If you make it with raspberries and serve it in beautiful glasses, it's also very elegant. I cook the raspberries in advance and then assemble the glasses before the party."
Ingredients
4 (6-ounce) packages fresh raspberries
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon framboise liqueur
1 2/3 cups cold heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 (3-inch) bakery meringue shells, broken in pieces
Directions
1. Pour two packages of the raspberries, 1 cup of sugar, and the lemon juice into a 10-inch sauté pan. Crush the berries lightly with a fork and bring the mixture to a full boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is syrupy. Fold the remaining two packages of raspberries and the framboise into the hot mixture and refrigerate until very cold.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream, the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, and the vanilla together on medium-high speed until it forms firm peaks.
2. In decorative glasses, layer a spoonful of the whipped cream, a spoonful of the raspberry mixture, and then a few meringue pieces.
3. Repeat once or twice, depending on the size of the glasses, until the glasses are full, ending with berries and a dollop of cream.
Eton Mess From Ina Garten
"Eton Mess incorporates several of my favorite things all smooshed together. If you make it with raspberries and serve it in beautiful glasses, it's also very elegant. I cook the raspberries in advance and then assemble the glasses before the party."
Ingredients
4 (6-ounce) packages fresh raspberries
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon framboise liqueur
1 2/3 cups cold heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 (3-inch) bakery meringue shells, broken in pieces
Directions
1. Pour two packages of the raspberries, 1 cup of sugar, and the lemon juice into a 10-inch sauté pan. Crush the berries lightly with a fork and bring the mixture to a full boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is syrupy. Fold the remaining two packages of raspberries and the framboise into the hot mixture and refrigerate until very cold.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the cream, the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar, and the vanilla together on medium-high speed until it forms firm peaks.
2. In decorative glasses, layer a spoonful of the whipped cream, a spoonful of the raspberry mixture, and then a few meringue pieces.
3. Repeat once or twice, depending on the size of the glasses, until the glasses are full, ending with berries and a dollop of cream.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
What Are Dandelion Greens?
One of my favorite stands at the farmers' markets is the one that sells all the little toppings I put on my salads. Alfafa sprouts, corn sprouts, broccoli sprouts, raddish sprouts, watercress, bean sprouts, pumpkin sprouts, mung bean sprouts, wheat sprouts and sunflower sprouts are all there. It's wonderful how raddish sprouts can spice up a salad, or wheat sprouts, cooked, can replace a wheat grain. I am always on the lookout for something new. My latest find is dandelion greens. They're not just a yellow flower that you thought was a weed. They're edible, stems, flower and roots. Here's a little more about dandelion greens and their possible uses.
Dandelion greens are the leaves of the common dandelion plant, which many people think of as a weed. In fact, dandelions are edible and highly nutritious, in addition to be ubiquitous. The leaves are the most frequently eaten section of the plant, and they are edible in both raw and cooked form. The flowers and roots may also be eaten, however, typically cooked to mitigate their more bitter flavor.
Dandelion greens can often be purchased in health food stores or farmers' markets, but they can be more readily harvested wild. In addition to being cheaper, wild harvesting is a great way to learn more about nature and the edible plants in your neighborhood.
The uses of dandelion greens as a food dates back for centuries. First in France, they finally made their way to America. As a general rule, dandelion greens are best when they have just emerged. The longer they are allowed to mature, the more bitter they become. When used raw, dandelion greens may be lightly steamed or sauteed with other vegetables. Light cooking is generally the way to go with dandelion greens.
The flowers can be fried, steamed or used to brew wines. Some people particularly enjoy the flowers pickled as a condiment. The edible roots can be roasted, boiled and stir fried, and they go well with naturally sweet root vegetables like carrots and yams.
People who are hesitant about foraging can harvest dandelion greens in confidence, since the plants are very distinctive and easy to identify. Dandelion greens are rich in iron, calcium and vitamins B,C, and E. This little known vegetable can be easily incorporated into your diet, so next time you're at the farmers' market, get a bag and experiment.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
What Are The Benefits of Drinking Lemon Water?
While visiting Linda and Rod in Bakersfield a few weeks ago, I was introduced to the benefits of drinking warm water with lemon upon rising. There it was, 6:30am on Christmas morning, and Linda came into my bedroom with a glass of warm water with freshly squeezed lemon. Pucker up, is all I can say. She used an entire lemon plus pulp, and was it ever tart. So what are the benefits of drinking lemon water each morning?
Apart from being an amazing body alkalizer, lemon water also gives the following benefits:
lemons are antiseptic
lemon water has excellent digestive properties and can ease heartburn, bloating and other digestive problems
lemon water cleanses and stimulates the liver and kidneys
lemon juice contains calcium, magnesium and potassium
lemon juice has been known to rlieve asthma
lemon water (hot) offers relief from cold and flu symptoms, while providing vitamin C
Lemon juice is a great skin cleanser.
Those are alot of great reasons to drink warm lemon water every morning. I'm going to add it to my daily routine for the next month and see if I feel or look any different.
One word of advice. It is best to brush your teeth after drinking the lemon water. Toothpaste is highly alkaline so neutralises any acids in your mouth. Some people are concerned about tooth enamel and lemon water, but if you follow the above advice you should not have a problem.
It'll take some getting used to the very tart taste of lemon in the morning, but I believe it may have some positive benefits, as noted above. Like anything else new, it'll take some getting used to.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
The Nook-Hard to Find, Hard to Forget
I recently had the priviledge of dining at The Nook, a hard to find restaurant in Santa Monica, but also hard to forget after you've eaten there. It is tucked away in a strip mall on Santa Monica Blvd near Barrington Avenue in Santa Monica. Decor wise, it is minimal. Concrete floors, nothing on the walls, and simple furniture and lighting. Still, it's a friendly place with a family style table in the center of the room. A single can go in and sit at the table with other singles or with small parties that enjoy talking and dining with new people.
I went there with my mom and her friend Heinz, and we had a nice booth on the side. We ordered the Nook Burger, topped with gruyere cheese, red wine onion jam and baby arugula on grilled rustic bread. The plate was loaded with delicious fries (or greens if you want), and at $12 it's a real bargain. Heinz ordered the spicy Gulf shrimp and grits. It was wonderful. My mom ordered the slow roasted steelhead salmon with sweet potato puree, winter greens, persimmon and balsamic soy reduction. She rated it the best salmon she's ever had. That's saying alot. She's eaten a lot of salmon in her life. Other entrees include a flat iron steak with fries, braised pot roast with red onions, bacon sweet pea pesto and potato puree, and herb roasted pork chops. Main courses are generally $18-$21. I did not eat dessert, but word has it that the chocolate banana bread pudding is to die for. Also on the menu is key lime pie and chocolate pot de creme.
One of the best features of the restaurant is that on Monday and Tuesday you can bring your own wine and are NOT charged a corkage fee. That's a great deal, as many restaurants are now charging up to $15 per bottle for corkage.
Check their website at www.nookbistro.com, and next time you're in Santa Monica, give them a try. Be sure to make a reservation, as the restaurant is quite small and very popular. The Nook is also open for lunch, and you can check their lunch menu on the website. I will definitely go back, but beware. The chef likes his menu just the way it is and isn't willing to substitute on many of his dishes. I guess that's his perogative. It's his restaurant.
I went there with my mom and her friend Heinz, and we had a nice booth on the side. We ordered the Nook Burger, topped with gruyere cheese, red wine onion jam and baby arugula on grilled rustic bread. The plate was loaded with delicious fries (or greens if you want), and at $12 it's a real bargain. Heinz ordered the spicy Gulf shrimp and grits. It was wonderful. My mom ordered the slow roasted steelhead salmon with sweet potato puree, winter greens, persimmon and balsamic soy reduction. She rated it the best salmon she's ever had. That's saying alot. She's eaten a lot of salmon in her life. Other entrees include a flat iron steak with fries, braised pot roast with red onions, bacon sweet pea pesto and potato puree, and herb roasted pork chops. Main courses are generally $18-$21. I did not eat dessert, but word has it that the chocolate banana bread pudding is to die for. Also on the menu is key lime pie and chocolate pot de creme.
One of the best features of the restaurant is that on Monday and Tuesday you can bring your own wine and are NOT charged a corkage fee. That's a great deal, as many restaurants are now charging up to $15 per bottle for corkage.
Check their website at www.nookbistro.com, and next time you're in Santa Monica, give them a try. Be sure to make a reservation, as the restaurant is quite small and very popular. The Nook is also open for lunch, and you can check their lunch menu on the website. I will definitely go back, but beware. The chef likes his menu just the way it is and isn't willing to substitute on many of his dishes. I guess that's his perogative. It's his restaurant.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
