Thursday, March 31, 2011

1MB Savvy Saveurs - Savings & Sweepstakes 3/31/11

Savings and sweepstakes uncovered this week - click here to follow me on Twitter for instant updates on the latest discoveries :)

You will only find foodie friendly deals / sweepstakes I think are interesting here. I hate time-wasters like 'sign up for sample of gum', that's not worth the cyberspace it sits on.
I may stray to feature a sweepstakes if it's not food focused but amazing - like trips to exotic destinations, or deep discounts off designer threads to fuel your fine-dining wardrobe etc. ;)
Happy grazing!

FOODIE FINDS:

FOR THE WIN:

  • Elle Miss Me Sweepstakes - Enter for a chance to win 4-night trip for two to Paris (ends 5/15/11 11:59pm ET) Official rules here
  • Expedia Friend Trips Sweepstakes - Enter for a chance to win a luxury vacation to one of 13 amazing destinations for you and 5 friends, valued from $37, 500 up to $160,000!  (Ends 5/11/11 11:59pm ET)(Requires Facebook account, which of course is free to sign up for.)  Official rules here
  • Princess Cruises Caribbean Cruise Sweepstakes - Enter for chance to win 7-day cruise for two to Southern Caribbean (ends 4/28/11) Official rules on same page - scroll to bottom.

This is meant to be an easily digestible (yes, I did) report of third party offers - I am not the sponsor nor affiliated in any way with any of the companies listed above. I do not receive any payment for these listings. Please read offer details / official rules carefully before deciding whether to submit your information.

********

To get more mileage for your money everyday - see Get More Bites Outta Your Budget. Check out my Sweepstakes Page "Win Your Next Bite" - for more foodie promotions!

Delphine - Raw Bar Monday at the W Hollywood

Recently, the respected Oxford English Dictionary sparked a battery of headlines with its latest additions from "LOL" and "OMG" to slang like "muffin top".  If they are releasing the drawbridge to popular culture, I would propose they add "Raw Bar Mondays" at Delphine - with its definition as [n. a fool-proof way by which to induce an incessant grin with fruits de mer fans on the least 'Like'd day of the week].

Every Monday from 5pm-10:30pm, Delphine offers a raw bar menu featuring oysters on the half shell at great prices (East Coast for $1, West Coast for $2 each), as well as cooked foods from lobster bisque ($3) to many other seafood offerings at below street food prices.  The deals are pretty unbelievable, especially for a fancy hotel like the W.

This Monday, after attending a free movie screening at the Arclight Cinerama Dome (thanks MyCinemaAccess!), "Designer" and I decided we needed to head over to Delphine to fill up on our favorite bivalves.

The most fanta-bulous thing about Delphine's Raw Bar Monday is that it goes from 5pm-10:30pm.  I know Happy Hours were created to be close at hand, to service people in the immediate area as their decompression chamber after emerging from a long day at work.  But as a foodie on a budget, I appreciate places that offer good food with their happy hours - and are considerate enough to extend the time so that people who don't work right next door would have time to get there and enjoy their offerings.

On this Monday night it was great to be able to catch a movie and still have time to meander over for the Raw Bar specials.  Delphine was just a short drive from the Arclight, and since it was a 'school night,' we found free parking fairly easily on Argyle. 

The long, marble countered bar beckoned to us the minute we walked in - we were starving and thought service would be faster there.  We love the 'laid back Provencal' decor of the restaurant overall, but the bar lured us with promise of instant gratification. 

Getting right down to business, we defied the definition and raison d'etre of Happy Hour by skipping the alcohol (I know, how dare we call this happy hour without cocktails!) - kicking off our meal with a gigantic platter of West Coast Oysters ($2 each) and Seafood Ceviche ($3).

So, you might say, Monday is possibly one of the worst days of the week for seafood.  And our answer would be - that's when you'll get the special pricing... But at Delphine, the quality is still there.  The oysters were not the best we've ever had, but still very lovely and great for the price.  The ceviche was also a good deal - each portion was only $3, and I would roughly estimate the portion size to be about an ice cream scoop full!  Each bite was packed with a mix of fresh tasting mussel, squid, lobster and slivers of bell peppers.

Next up was the Lobster Bisque ($3 cup) - a soothing, tomato based soup with massive chunks of lobster.  Some pieces were so big I had to try to carve them into separate bits with my spoon before putting in my mouth!  We scarfed two bowls down.  And then ordered one more, each.

Just as we debated a third bowl, our friendly bartender let us know that next time we're back, we should try the Grilled Head-On Prawn ($2) dipped in the lobster bisque - apparently this is amazing! Other items on the Raw Bar menu that aren't actually raw include Chilled Shrimp ($1/ pc), New Zealand Mussels ($1), Beer Battered Cod Fish ($3).  The most expensive items were Garlic Shrimp in Olive Oil ($5), Fried Calamari ($6) and Steamed Clams in white wine or marinara ($6).

There are of course also drink specials (for $5) including "Delphine Fusion Cocktail", Sparkling Rose, Pinot Grigio, Red & White Sangria, or $4 for PBR Beer.  Will have to try these next time we're back, which should be soon!

In any case, we debated a third bowl of lobster bisque, but at that point my muffin top, which Oxford English Dictionary so politely defines as [n. a protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers], rudely reminded me that it was time to stop.
While waiting for the bill, we amused ourselves by playing 'oyster shell Rorscharch', and observing the way we stacked our oyster shells.  As we were not given the usual massive bowl for discarded shells, we tossed them in the bowls used for lobster bisque.  I wondered if the way you stack your oyster shells reveal something about your personality?  If so what would Designer's vs. my 'shell art' above say about us? ;P

The last thing to note about Delphine is that, according to the bartender, because the hotel/restaurant is built atop the subway or public property - there is some city ordinance to build in 15% gratuity to ensure that tips are accurately reported for tax purposes.  His point was then that most of that tip will go to the city, so that we could 'if we wanted' leave him extra gratuity on top of that. On one hand, I do feel badly that a portion of his tips are taken away for taxes, but on the other, don't we all have to pay taxes?  It was a bit awkward as instead of leaving more because we wanted to (usually 20% anyways), we felt like we had to leave more because he asked us to.

Regardless, all in all, a fun time at Delphine for under $25 a person (before tax + tip) and a great way to turn my least favorite day of the week into one to look forward to - hurrah for Raw Bar Mondays!!!


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5.5 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 100%
 
___________________________________________________________________

Delphine 
6250 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028  
Ph: 323.798.1355

Raw Bar Mondays:  5pm-10:30pm throughout restaurant
Happy Hour daily:  5-7pm at the bar

Website: restaurantdelphine.com
______________________________________________________________________

Delphine on Urbanspoon

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Lemonade - FRESH in Every Way

"I don't always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis"
                                                    - 'The Most Interesting Man in the World'

That is how I feel about Lemonade, when it comes to salads. 

To me, salads have always been a necessary evil. They are something I *need* to eat versus something I want to eat. It's rare that I ever find a salad that excites me (foie gras with haricots verts and truffle vinaigrette at Petrossian under Ben Bailly's watch being a notable exception).  That all changed when a fellow juror introduced me to Lemonade (MOCA location downtown) a few months back. 

The name of the place is both appropriate and deceptive at the same time - you expect simplicity, clean flavors, basic ingredients, with that name - and Lemonade does deliver on these, but also offers so much more, without pretention in its casual space: fresh, creative takes on salads, mixing and matching global flavors, in an original marketplace concept that lets you choose any gourmet offering you want for one price.  You pay by 'portions' - 1 portion = 2 scoops of salad for $4 (two scoops $7.75, three $11) no matter which you choose. 

After a particularly grueling session of power yoga today, I decided to push myself on the healthy theme and pay a visit to Lemonade on Beverly in West Hollywood.  The sun had finally re-emerged after a long week of rain and 'freezing' (by LA standards) cold - and it was the first day where I didn't feel like my food had to bear the burden of raising my body temperature in addition to being tasty, giving me energy to get through my day etc.  I was ready for fresh fare, in the adorable, cozy little storefront / sun-bathed patio at Lemonade. (It's also casual dining, paper plates and all - so I didn't have to worry about being in my sweaty yoga gear.)

From the start of the cafeteria-style line, I nearly got whiplash looking over all the options behind the counter. There is a mix of classics reinterpreted, to unexpected combinations of ingredients, some of which I've never seen or heard of.
Besides their creativity, willingness to experiment, and fairly big regular and seasonal menu, the other awesome thing about Lemonade is that you can split 'portions', so that you can try a wider variety of their offerings (i.e. get different salads in each of your two scoops).  And their super friendly service is another big draw - they totally let you sample any of their dishes before making a 'commitment' - which was a good thing as there were a few that looked and sounded great, but I didn't end up liking - including a roasted heirloom carrot salad.

Anyways, I went for two portions, split, so that I can try four different salads for just $8:

1. Watermelon radish, ahi tuna, snap peas, black  sesame and ginger - This was the first time I'd ever seen watermelon radish, and I thought it was gorgeous! Loved the sesame flavors with the pickled radish - however, I thought the textures of all the ingredients were too similarly 'rough' (even the tuna, which was seared, but with the small bite-sized chunks the 'crust' was a bit too much) so that as a whole the salad did not have the best mouthfeel.

2. Israeli couscous, wild mushrooms, parmesan, lemon truffle - regular readers know about my truffle addiction, so it's no surprise that this was my favorite of the four! The lovely, al-dente couscous were perfectly balanced with the earthy, chewy, juicy mushrooms and the citrus blended with truffle flavors perfectly for an instantly addictive mix.  I could have scarfed down 3 full portions of this one!

3. Winter squash with white truffle, lemon vinaigrette and chives - I was drawn to this one as well because of the mention of truffle, and went for it without sampling.  Unfortunately, it was a little difficult to taste the truffle, though the winter squash with lemon vinaigrette and chives was a refreshing enough mix on its own.  In comparisan with the others, this one was just ok.

4. Orrechietta, tomato, perlini mozzarella, red pepper vinaigrette - my second favorite of the meal! This was lemonade's reinterpretation of the classic caprese, with pasta and a delicious red pepper vinaigrette tossed into the mix.  I loved the incredible, soft, fresh mozzarella, juicy, perfectly sized tomatoes, and how the orrechietta scooped up the vinaigrette and helped pack each bite with flavor.

On a previous visit, I had tried the lobster, soba noodle, lebanese cucumber, sesame and loved it - but wanted to give other items a try this time since they have such a vast menu.  Would definitely recommend the lobster salad though to anyone trying Lemonade for the first time. 

That ($8) plate alone would have made a satisfying meal - and I did end up taking leftovers to go.  But my friendly server tempted me with a sample of the soup of the day - mushroom ($4) - that I then absolutely had to have!  The soup was perfect - not too rich and creamy, and served with a piece of grilled rustic grain bread that could give LaBrea Bakery a run for its money. 

Barely able to fit all my plates on the tray, my last stop was at the cashier, which also served as the dessert / beverage station.  No meal at Lemonade would be complete without tasting of, of course, their namesake drinks!  Various fresh lemonades are on offer with some creative combinations from pomegranate tarragon to asia pear basil to blueberry mint. I opted for the Sugar Free Apple Jalapeno ($2.70) - sweet and tart with a kick!

I was way too full for dessert, but they have cases stocked with baked cookies, macaroons, cakes, cupcakes and custards and of course lemon meringue pie as well.

There were many other items that I need to come back and try - including toasted-to-order 'semi-traditional' and pot roast sandwiches, and hot foods at the 'braises' station from moroccan chicken to red miso beef short rib simmering in colorful pots.

All in all, though the selection of salads were hit or miss, I always enjoy seeing what the chefs have come up with, and the experience at Lemonade overall. And the salads that I loved were truly amazing.
So, in sum - I don't always eat salads - but when I do, I prefer Lemonade.  Thanks for making eating veggies / healthy an exciting / fun experience!

(P.S. - In addition to WeHo, Lemonade also has locations in Venice (Abbot Kinney), Downtown, at MOCA, and at USC.  Check website for details.)


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 100%
 
___________________________________________________________________

Lemonade
9001 Beverly Boulevard (at Almont), West Hollywood, CA 90048
Ph: 310. 247. 2500
   

Website: lemonadela.com
Twitter: twitter.com/lemonadela
______________________________________________________________________



Lemonade on Urbanspoon  Lemonade on Beverly in Los Angeles on Fooddigger

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Ramen Jinya - Tidings of Comfort and Joy on a Frosty Night in March / Steaming Bowl of Bliss

Sometimes life just gets too much to process.  Natural disasters.  Nuclear reactors on the verge.  Homeland Security.  Social insecurities.  We each do what we can to help, and then in the end it is difficult to face the reality of our limitations despite our best intentions.  On this aberrantly cold 'Spring' night in LA, with so much tragedy on a global level, and an insanely stressful week at work on a personal one, I dragged my weary body to Studio City, seeking shelter at Ramen Jinya. Knowing I can sneak a selfish moment of comfort in its steaming bowls.

Located in an unassuming corner storefront in a non-descript mall in Studio City, lodged between of all things an Office Depot and a Marshalls, Ramen Jinya at first sight does not seem like a place you would go for authentic, amazing Japanese. But set one foot inside the place and you feel like you've stepped into some cozy neighborhood noodle joint in Tokyo - almost all of Ramen Jinya's bustling workers are Japanese who speak English with an accent, and although there is energy to the place, I would describe the vibe as sort of a respectful, pleasant hush over a casual crowd - the din typical of small spaces with a constant flow of guests is noticeably absent - conversations were flowing, but people didn't seem to think everyone across the room needed to hear their brilliant insights on whatever. People seemed focused on their food and enjoying it.  And along the bar, aligned with the open kitchen perched patrons who could have just come off the commuter train, there for a quick meal before heading home.   

I settled in with others at the short bar, loving the view into the open kitchen where the magic happens.  I am not at all a ramen expert - and in fact until a few years ago associated it with subsistence dorm dining, a simple meal in a styrofoam cup, 'cooked' in boiled tap water, flavored with various powders imitating taste.  I only discovered the beautiful, clean flavors of a well executed bowl of made-from-scratch-ramen relatively recently, after being introduced to some authentic places by co-workers at my last job at a Japanese company.

And now the office of my current job is a short drive away from Ramen Jinya!  I've visited several times already - and it takes a lot for me to repeat visits, since there are so many places in LA I still want to try, with such limited time and resources!  So if I go back to a place, it's either because I think it's amazing, and/or it offers really great value for the price. 

On this particular night - my 4th visit! - I opted for the Tokyo Tonkotsu Ramen ($8.55) with pork & bonito broth with pork chashu, spinach, green onion.  This was the perfect balance of broth to noodles to slight crunch added by green onions and bamboo shoots to fluffy, juicy leafs of spinach to fatty pork so tender it falls away at the slightest flick of your chopsticks.  It's served at just the right temperature, with tendrils of fragrant steam wafting up to your face to whet your appetite.  I think of this as 'surf n turf ramen' - with gorgeous, soft slabs of pork in broth made from that and bonito from the sea.  The bowl was perfect in itself, but I opted to add one topping from the 'make your own ramen' menu - Special Flavored Egg (Half Cooked) for $1.  This reminded me of Chinese 'tea eggs', pre-marinated in soy sauce and spices - but with a liquid gold center so creamy and tasty it made my toes curl.

On the first and one other visit, I had been drawn to the Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen ($9.55) - of course as it was noted as "limited to 20 servings per day".  Being a marketing nerd, that messaging definitely appealed with its sense of rarity and drove 'urgency to buy'.  This bowl consisted of premium rich flavored pork broth with pork chashu, spinach, and green onion.  For me at least, the broth was a bit too rich - sometimes premium doesn't mean best!  I liked the Hakata but preferred the cleaner tasting Tokyo Tonkotsu.

In the end, Ramen Jinya hits the spot every time.  I don't know what Jinya properly translates to - but its kanji, or name in Chinese characters, would directly translate to something like 'Fortress Home' - which is interesting, is it to convey to guests that it's safe to eat there?  That its noodles are so good that it needs to be carefully guarded, though at the same time the place is as welcoming as a second home? All I know is, whenever I need to escape from the daily wear and tear of life, I know I can count on Ramen Jinya for a steaming bowl of all that is right in the world.

[Recharged and ready to help:  Visit redcross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999 to Give $10 to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific.]


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 100%

 ______________________________________________________________________

Ramen Jinya

11239 Ventura Blvd. Studio City,CA 91604
Ph: 818.980.3977     

Website: jinya-la.com/ramen
______________________________________________________________________


1MB Savvy Saveurs - Savings and Sweepstakes 3/25/11

Savings and sweepstakes uncovered this week - click here to follow me on Twitter for instant updates on the latest discoveries :)

You will only find foodie friendly deals / sweepstakes I think are interesting here. I hate time-wasters like 'sign up for sample of gum', that's not worth the cyberspace it sits on.


I may stray to feature a sweepstakes if it's not food focused but amazing - like trips to exotic destinations, or deep discounts off designer threads to fuel your fine-dining wardrobe etc. ;)

Happy grazing!

FOODIE FINDS:
FOR THE WIN:
  • dineLA Foodies Experience Sweepstakes Enter for chance to win ultimate culinary stay-cation courtesy of  Jamaica Bay Inn and Vu Restaurant in Marina del Rey: 2-night stay at the Jamaica Bay Inn, in-kitchen demo with Executive Chef Kyle, and a personalized tasting (ends 5/13/11).  Official rules here
  • Taste of Home Mushrooms Every Day Every Way Recipe Contest Enter your favorite mushroom recipes for chance to win a grand prize trip for 2 including premier chef's experience at the Culinary Institute of America at one of three campus locations:  Napa, CA, San Antonio, TX or Hyde Park, NY.  Weekly prize (random drawing): black Weber 22-1/2" One Touch Gold charcoal grill (ends 8/1/11 11:59 PM CT).   Official rules here
  • Baileys Coffee Creamers Win a Trip to Ireland Sweepstakes - Enter to win 7-day trip to Ireland (ends 4/30/11 5pm ET) Official rules here
  • Travelocity The Royal Wedding Sweepstakes 4 night trip to London with Upper-Class tickets on Virgin Atlantic Airways. Trip worth $10,000.  (Ends 4/1/11 11:59 PM CT) Official rules here
  • Nestle Drumstick First Taste of Summer Sweepstakes Grand prize (1): $5000 shopping spree. First prizes (5): iPad 2 + $100 iTunes gift card!!! 
  • AMC Film Faves Sweepstakes Win free movies for a year with 3 of your friends (requires Facebook account - free to sign up), inviting three of your friends on FB, and sharing your fav films on AMC's FB page (ends 4/15/11 11:59pm CT). Official rules here
This is meant to be an easily digestible (yes, I did) report of third party offers - I am not the sponsor nor affiliated in any way with any of the companies listed above.  I do not receive any payment for these listings.  Please read offer details / official rules carefully before deciding whether to submit your information.

********

To get more mileage for your money everyday - see Get More Bites Outta Your Budget. Check out my Sweepstakes Page "Win Your Next Bite" - for more foodie promotions!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Willoughby Road: Inspired Southern / Fusion Thoroughfare

Part of the charm of food truck culture, at least for me, is that it makes every day kinda like waking up on Christmas morning as a kid - what will the day bring?  Has Santa delivered against my wishlist?  Will I receive that completely unexpected gift, that is beyond anything I could have thought to ask for?  Checking Twitter to see what culinary delights the day has brought to my 'hood is a little like that - going downstairs to see what's arrived under the tree. 

Today, I got that unexpected gift - its name is Willoughby Road.

Whenever I'm looking for quick, inexpensive food on a weeknight after work, or on a weekend when I wake up starving and/or don't feel like cooking - I've developed the habit of checking which purveyor of gourmet-on-wheels is in my neighborhood via Twitter.com/foodtruckssfv.  I love that on any given day, I can get anything from  Japanese to Brazilian to everything-bacon to creative fusion to artisanal desserts, and you can even make multi-course meals by mixing and matching from truck to truck - but you don't know until usually days before if not the day of, what will come your way.

Willoughby Road had been recommended by "3starbackpacker" a while back, and their slogan "southern cuisine redefined" definitely piqued my interest - but it was always just out of reach, on days that I was valley-bound.  So I nearly jumped up in my car today when I saw that it is in my neighborhood, finally, and headed over immediately!

Though its entire menu of mainly bbq items sounded appealing, I asked Jeshua, chef and co-owner - what he would recommend if I could only get two items.  And yes, both for me. 

His first recommendation was a new item on the menu: Fried Grit Cake ($6) - this lit a series of fireworks on my tongue and in my brain!  Basically, incredibly creamy garlic cheddar cornmeal is crusted and fried, then smoked corn whiskey sausage gravy is poured over it, then the whole thing is topped with apple slaw that has been marinated in malt vinegar and sprinkled with herbs.

Jeshua said he came up with this while dining at his friend Ilan Hall's restaurant, The Gorbals, and while thinking about a way to do southern inspired poutine that doesn't involve cheese fries, which are difficult to do on a truck.

Jeshua has worked in the kitchens of notable chefs including Ludo, and the pride he takes in pushing the envelope really shows. Grits are a simple food that is easy to just relish to a canvas to make other ingredients shine, but Jeshua found a way to bring its simple beauty center stage, while kicking it up a few notches with the creative combination of savory, sweet, spicy, tart!  And I consider it a balanced meal with its inclusion of protein, fruit, dairy, (can I consider herbs veggie?!) and of course grain.  The incredible interplays of textures and flavors, and skillful control of consistency and temperature easily made this the best side dish I've ever had from a truck!  If not for the rapid outgrowing of my jeans, the Fried Grit Cake would have compelled me to make a second trip to Willoughby Road for dinner.



The second recommended dish was Smoked Fried Ribs ($10) which comes with a choice of two sides, from Thai Slaw, Mac & Cheese to Pork & Beans.  This was fall-off-the-bone tender pork ribs, flash fried to form a light, nice crisp shell over rich layers of delicious meat and fat.  I would have liked the flavor to be infused more evenly through the meat, but I did like the light crust over the meat.  The Mac & Cheese was creamy, but in my opinion could have used richer flavor perhaps by using a more pungent cheese or combination of cheeses.  The Thai  Slaw, I expected to taste like the slaw from LudoTruck, but ended up being a little bland.

The portion sizes of each of the two dishes were hearty - I could have just had either one as a meal on its own, and did end up saving some of the ribs for dinner.

Other items on the menu that I look forward to checking out are the Fried Chicken of course, and pulled pork sandwich.

All in all, because of the amazing Fried Grit Cake, which I haven't seen anywhere else with this type of execution - I can't wait to take Willoughby Road to Taste Bud Utopia again! 

Will be eagerly checking Twitter for the next time it ventures into my area (and perhaps will even venture out myself to chase it)!  Thanks 3starbackpacker for the rec!

Update April 2011:

So excited one night after work when I saw that Willoughby Road is again on the road, this time in Glasell Park for late night dining, outside Verdugo Bar.  I was probably the only one in jeans and a sweatshirt, there just for the food - no interest in the bar. 

Though I had no idea if Jeshua would have the amazing Fried Grit Cake that night, I made the trek out from the SFV on pure faith - but knowing that I would probably love whatever they had on the menu anyway.

So I was a little sad when they didn't have the Fried Grit Cake on the menu that night - apparently people didn't know what it was and so hadn't been ordering it (come on, people, it is insanely good - please please ask Jeshua for it so he will keep it on the menu!!)  But Jeshua recommended the Pork Belly Sliders instead. Everything Jeshua makes is packed with flavor, and the sliders are no exception - he uses hoisin sauce with the most incredible, perfectly juicy/fatty pork belly skillfully fried to a crisp but light shell.  An instant favorite that I plan to order again next time Willoughby Road is within range!


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 95%
______________________________________________________________________

Willoughby Road

All around Los Angeles - check Twitter for latest location
Ph: 760.784.5301     

Website: willoughbyroad.com/
Follow on Twitter: twitter.com/willoughbyroad
______________________________________________________________________

Willoughby Road on Urbanspoon


Thursday, March 17, 2011

1MB Savvy Saveurs: Savings and Sweepstakes 3/17/11

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Here are the dericious savings and sweepstakes uncovered this week - click here to follow me on Twitter for instant updates on the latest discoveries :)

You will only find foodie friendly deals / sweepstakes I think are interesting here. I hate time-wasters like 'sign up for sample of gum', that's not worth the cyberspace it sits on.


I may stray to feature a sweepstakes if it's not food focused but amazing - like trips to exotic destinations, or deep discounts off designer threads to fuel your fine-dining wardrobe etc. ;)

Happy grazing!

FOODIE FINDS:

FOR THE WIN:
  • SPG Pack Your Bags Giveaway Win 1 of 10 5-day grand prize trips to exotic member favorite resorts for a dream getaway. Look for a new category every Tuesday & Friday (ends 4/14/11 11:59:59pm ET)  This week's is about exotic getaways - choose your dream trip among resorts from Fiji to Mauritius to the Maldives!  Requires signup as Starwood member, but membership is FREE.  Official rules here
  • BloomSpot All Inclusive Getaway Sweepstakes Win trip to NYC with 2 nights at Mercer hotel, $400 chef's tasting menu at celebrated Michelin restaurant Jean Georges, drinks at the award-winning mixology lounge Pegu Club ($50 gift cert), and $500 shopping spree at Bloomingdale's (ends 6/1/11 11:59 p.m. PT) Official rules here
  • Ghiradelli My Pleasure Squared Sweepstakes Enter for chance to win 4-day trip for you and three guests to San Francisco, stay at Ghiradelli Square, $1400 spending money, Chocolate School at Ghirardelli Factory, build a sundae at Ghirardelli Square; a Ghirardelli gift basket; and Cellar 360 wine & chocolate pairing. (ends 9/30/11 11:59:59pm ET) Official rules here
  • Win 4-day trip to Paris for you and guest, plus tickets to French Open (ends 4/9/11) - so I dn't care much about tennis, it's all about Paris and all the amazing eats there!  Official rules at bottom of entry page.
This ismeant to be an easily digestible (yes, I did) report of third party offers - I am not the sponsor nor affiliated in any way with any of the companies listed above.  I do not receive any payment for these listings.  Please read offer details / official rules carefully before deciding whether to submit your information.

********

To get more mileage for your money everyday - see Get More Bites Outta Your Budget. Check out my Sweepstakes Page "Win Your Next Bite" - for more foodie promotions!

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Umami Burger - Fifth Taste Finds Foothold in Fifth Location

By now, anyone who is at all into food in Los Angeles knows about Umami Burger, brainchild of Adam Fleischman.  Named for the almost onomatopoeic Japanese word that describes the savory taste imparted by an amino acid, and ribonucleotides that occur naturally in foods, Umami as a taste is "subtle" but blends with other tastes to "expand your (dining) experience" - Umami as a restaurant / bar on a high traffic stretch of Ventura Blvd in the Valley is anything but.

With its sharp black, white and red themed decor, Umami Valli makes no attempt to blend in.  It may be a relatively small space with a narrow door front, but with its starkly chic design, full bar, and street front open patio barstool seating, unlike its more laid back siblings (love the Space15 Twenty location), Umami Valli is quite deliberately a place to see and be seen.

Not one to go for the 'scene', I had driven past on several occasions hoping to catch a late afternoon meal these past two weekends - but the lines were always so long they spilled out all over the curb in front of the restaurant. I would take one look, decided I didn't want to spend 2 hours on a sunny Saturday / Sunday afternoon waiting for a burger, and kept driving.

But with an unusually large block of happy 'nothing' on my calendar on either side of lunch today, I decided to give Umami a try, leaving a bit early and dragging along my coworker "Sawyer" (yes, named after my fav character from Lost) in hopes that there would be less of a (hipster) crowd on a weekday. 

We arrived just a few minutes after noon, and found a spot at the meter mere feet from the restaurant, immediately.  With that great start, we walked up to the place with fingers crossed - though there were barstool seats available outside, it was too hot at lunch, so we opted for indoor seating and were promptly given the last open two top inside (score!). 
I ended up loving the cozy interior with white marble tables, sleek black walls and fixtures, glittery chandeliers and red plush barstools lining the counter at the bar.  And yes, the much written about random stuffed swan is there to preside over the front bar area.

We started out with Arnold Palmers (though there were beer floats on the menu - unfortunately we realized we had to go back to work at some point!) - which turned out to taste like all lemonade, from a fountain, so not impressed on the non-alcoholic beverage / service front ($2.50). 

But on to the main reason we were there - burgers.   Sawyer had intended to order 'something healthy' (i.e. veggie burger), but after hearing the special, decided on the Spicy Bird burger with pepper (?) aioli and onion fries ($11).  Cooked medium rare, this was tender, juicy but just ever so slightly too spicy.
I of course had to have the Truffle Burger ($11) with house-made truffle cheese and truffle glaze.  This was also super juicy and had just the right bun to patty to cheese ratio.  It wasn't the most mind-blowing burger I've ever had (not that I've had many /any burger that has really blown my mind...), but good "fine dining fast food", and infused with enough truffle flavor to cause most of our meal to be conducted in silence (silent except for sounds of shameless, double-handed face-stuffing).  I haven't tried The Counter, a few doors down from Umami Valli yet - so will have to wait to report on that for comparisan.
To round out the meal, we tried the off-menu Cheese Tots ($4.50?) - Umami's version of tater tots but bigger than bite-sized, with cheese baked in.  Not a fan of these as all we could taste was salt - the potatoes were otherwise bland, and even the umami ketchup, infused with truffle, did not help. 

Will I crave Umami day and night like I do with Aroma Cafe and the truffle pizza from 8/12 Taverna, both just down the street?  Probably not.  But this Umami location is one of the few decent restaurants open daily until 2am in the area - and with yuzu and jalapeno on the cocktails menu, I would be interested in coming back both for dinner / drinks after work, as well as to check out other items on the menu for weekday lunch (when we have time to have a leisurely lunch) or late night dining.

As we left, there was a crowd lining up outside the restaurant again - judging by the amount of traffic it's been maintaining over its first weeks, Umami Burger's 5th location seems to have found a solid foohold in the depths of the San Fernando Valley.
 

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5.5 bites
Presentation - 5 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 5 stars
Overall experience - 5.5 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 90%
______________________________________________________________________

Umami Valli

12159 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, CA 91604
Ph: 818.286.9004      
Website: umamiburger.com/umami-studio-city
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Umami Burger on Urbanspoon

Saturday, March 12, 2011

1MB Travels: Hong Kong: Yung Kee Restaurant - Best Roast Goose, Wonton, Thousand Year Old Eggs Ever

There are three more restaurants from my holiday trip to Hong Kong that I want to cover here before too much time passes!   The first of these: Yung Kee.

As a kid, at least one Sunday a month, our family used to go to Yung Kee for lunch after church - just a short walk down the hill, and on the way to the MTR (HK's subway system) and taxi stands in Central, Hong Kong's financial district.

I remembered my parents telling us every visit that Yung Kee was famous for its roasted goose, and it never disappointed us - my brother and I looked forward to it every week, as though it were the true reward for each trying to be as good a person as we can be, including sitting still during church service (was the afterlife that important when you can have roast goose in this one?!).  The family-owned restaurant has been a staple of Hong Kong since its founder opened his first small food stall in 1942, is steeped in the city's history, and one of the few that has truly stood the test of time - recently becoming a one Michelin Star restaurant (2010). 

Though the awarding of Michelin stars in Hong Kong has been the subject of controversy (locals feel inspectors do not have enough knowledge of Chinese cuisine to appreciate local venues - and purported the awards resulted from a superficial survey of western friendly restaurants, mainly conveniently found in five star hotels).
Wholesale controversy aside, Yung Kee is one of the restaurants that are respected by locals and in my opinion deserving of the star. 

On this visit, we opted for dinner.  Meals at Yung Kee always begin with an amuse bouche of Thousand Year Old Eggs (pidan) with sliced Pickled Ginger

Those unfamiliar with this Cantonese staple may be a bit appalled by its appearance - the eggs are brown / black and the preserved yolk basically looks like it's long past being safe for human consumption.  In fact, it looks like even bacteria might keel over at first bite of these things.  But I grew up with this so I love it. Nowadays you would mainly find these eggs chopped up in congee (rice porridge) with lean pork (pidan shao yuk juk) - but Yung Kee lets their pure taste /texture shine on their own halved, with sliced pickled ginger - and I find their offering the - um - the freshest tasting ones I've ever had, with an incredibly creamy, unique tasting savory center with just a hint of sweet, encased by a light, lovely gelatinous outer layer that falls away with each bite. 

The sweet / sour/ spiciness of the fresh, crunchy pickled ginger slices cut through the denser flavors and textures of the egg nicely.  Other preserved goods Yung Kee has for sale: chinese 'waxed' sausages (lap cheong) and Preserved Fresh Goose Liver Sausages.

That Yung Kee is focused on service and keeping up with the times is evident in its menu.  Its answer to the questions most people ask of any new restaurant they go to - "What are your signature / best dishes?  What would you recommend?" - is to create prix fixe menus around their award winning dishes - calling awards out right on the menu - and to do it in four languages - the better to service all the tourists who have found their way to the place.  Some of the awards were from quite a while back, but the quality of some of the dishes have been lovingly maintained with pride.

At our very knowledgeable server's (been with the restaurant 10+ years!) recommendation, we went with the prix fixe for two people, even though there were three of us - since the dishes included some of our favorites, and the portions were large enough to feed us all.  First dish, of course, was the Roasted Goose with Preserved Trotter with Soy Sauce (Best of the Best Culinary Award 2002).  This is hands down heaven on a plate - the most succulent, flavorful roast goose I have ever had, with the perfect fat to meat ratio and incredibly juicy yet crisp skin.  The preserved trotters had a subtle salinity and crunch that served as worthy companion to the goose.  According to my parents, the secret to the unbelievable deliciousness of Yung Kee's roasted goose is that they roast them on the premises daily.  I would gladly sentence myself to calorie purgatory for all eternity if I could just have this roast goose forever.

Next up was the Deep Fried Prawn with Mini Crab Roe (Best of the Best Culinary Awards 2001).  Our favorite thing about this dish was the little baby crab they included as garnish (to indicate the presence of crab roe) - an adorable detail that we ended up having a lot of fun with via discussions of how to get the fragile little guy home without crushing him (he ended up travelling in 10 layers of tissue that then went into my dad's shirt pocket), and Amelie/gnome inspired photos.

The fried prawns themselves were unremarkable in taste and texture, unfortunately - and even a little soggy.
Our next course was Abalone with Mushroom in Superior Broth - this one we ended up ordering a third serving as they come in individual portions and it's hard to split an abalone in soup!  This broth was amazing - its clear, clean taste really hits you to your core at first sip.  The abalone was perfect, just the right (bite) size - and cooked to the perfect degree so that it's very soft and easy to chew, but still retains its structure so that you get substantial bites for a soup that's nourishing but not overwhelmingly rich. 

For our second entree, we had the Steamed Garoupa with Chinese Ham, plated with kai lan for contrasting crunch and pops of green.  The saltiness of the cured ham helped enhance the subtle flavors of the fish.  We enjoyed this dish, but it was not mind-blowing.








Our last savory course was Wonton Noodles - this is somewhat unusual as people typically eat wonton noodles as a single-bowl meal, not as part of a multi-course dinner.  With formal Chinese dinners - especially with banquets - it is customary to serve rice and/or noodles at the finish, but usually in the form of fried rice and/or stir-fried e-fu noodles, not wonton.

In discussing this dish, I learned Yung Kee's original rise to fame was with their wonton noodles.  The family was poor and started out with a simple food stall serving wonton noodles.  Word of mouth spread quickly and people came far and wide to taste them - and it is with the money the family made from their wonton noodles that they then built their signature roast goose business.  It's easy to see how they could become famous for this simple dish - sometimes it is the simple ones that require most skill:  you can't hide behind fancy ingredients and complex visual presentations. Yung Kee wins with fresh, amazing, clean, perfectly sized shrimp wontons clearly made with fresh wrappers, fresh noodles made needle thin to let the wontons shine, but substantial enough to sop up the clear flavorful broth, served at just the right temperature - just hot enough to seize your soul, but not scorching so as to burn you going down.  (You can always tell when wrappers are mass produced or pre-made days ahead - they are usually more dense, stiff where they are 'sealed' with egg, and some even rubbery in texture.  Yung Kee's wrappers are almost rice paper thin, yet hold together even in the hot broth, and are flowing / light.)  Though there has been sadly reported infighting within the family in recent years with the heirs debating whether to sell the business off, on my particular visit at least, it did not impact the quality of the food - and the traditions, care and pride in their 'founding' dish seems to have still come through.  The Wonton Noodles was my second favorite dish of the meal (tied with the Abalone soup), after the roast goose. 

For a sweet finish, the meal ends with Mango Pudding, which has a consistency between custard and jello.  This has become a standard dessert course at Chinese restaurants.  Yung Kee's stands out again with simple, quality ingredients and preparation - the pudding is smooth, with large chunks of fresh mango inside.

All in all, our six-course meal came out to HK$860 + 10% service charge = HK$946 total or about US$121 for 3 people!!!

I may not go to church very much (at all?) anymore, but I am still very much in love with Yung Kee and see it as a treat / reward. Definitely going back first chance I get next time I'm in Hong Kong.  And keeping my fingers and toes crossed that one day they will look to create an outpost in LA or San Francisco - I would attend their services religiously for sure!!!

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6.5 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$ (2 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100%

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Hong Kong
Yung Kee Restaurant
32-40 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong
Ph: 852-2522-1624


Website:  yungkee.com.hk
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Thursday, March 10, 2011

1MB Savvy Saveurs - Savings and Sweepstakes 3/10/11

Dericious avings and sweepstakes uncovered this week - click here to follow me on Twitter for instant updates on the latest discoveries :)

You will only find foodie friendly deals / sweepstakes I think are interesting here. I hate time-wasters like 'sign up for sample of gum', that's not worth the cyberspace it sits on.


I may stray to feature a sweepstakes if it's not food focused but amazing - like trips to exotic destinations, or deep discounts off designer threads to fuel your fine-dining wardrobe etc. ;)

Happy grazing!

FOODIE FINDS:

FOR THE WIN:
  • SpaFinder A Year of Spa Sweepstakes Enter for chance to win Costa Rica 7-night all-inclusive spa vacation for 2, PLUS 11 months of spa treatments (ends 4/14/11 11:59pm ET) Official rules here
  • Travel Channel Vienna, Austria Sweepstakes Winner and guest will fly to Vienna for 6 nights, enjoying city tours, concerts, museums, a Salzburg day-trip, $750 in spending money, and much more.  (Ends 3/31/11 11:59pm ET) Official rules here
  • Puma & Finish Line Usain Bolt Sweepstakes - Enter for chance to win trip for 4 to Montego Bay, Jamaica including roundtrip air transportation, five nights' accommodations at the Rose Hall Resort, meals and golf costs (ends 3/31/11 11:59pm ET) Official rules here
  • Conde Nast Traveller Readers Travel Awards Warning:  LONG survey required.  Everyone who votes has the option of entering a free prize draw to win a luxury five-night stay for two at the award-winning Banyan Tree Phuket in Thailand, arranged through W&O Travel. The holiday is on a full-board basis, staying in a Spa Pool Villa, and includes return flights from Heathrow with Eva Air and transfers.
  • Lucky Magazine 45 Days of Giveaways enter for chance to win grand prize trip to London plus shopping sprees at REISS and Boots - enter daily for chance to win daily fashion focused prizes (ends 3/26/11 11:59 PM ET) Official rules here
  • American Airlines Million Reasons to Book Sweepstakes - Enter for chance to win 1,000,000 AAdvantage Miles from American Airlines (ends 5/2/11  11:59am CT) Official rules here
This ismeant to be an easily digestible (yes, I did) report of third party offers - I am not the sponsor nor affiliated in any way with any of the companies listed above.  I do not receive any payment for these listings.  Please read offer details / official rules carefully before deciding whether to submit your information.

********

To get more mileage for your money everyday - see Get More Bites Outta Your Budget. Check out my Sweepstakes Page "Win Your Next Bite" - for more foodie promotions!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Gold Standard 2011 - Setting New Bar with Culinary Currency

Yesterday's 3rd Annual Gold Standard Food & Wine Event was easily the best gourmet gathering I have ever been to in Los Angeles - the best $50 I have ever spent - and one that could only have been pulled together with the cache of LA Weekly's pulitzer-prize winning food critic Jonathan Gold. 

That the event was created for the people, to celebrate the essence of the Los Angeles dining scene - while reflecting Mr. Gold's personal, eclectic approach - is apparent in every carefully crafted detail.

First off, the event was held inside the Petersen Automotive Museum, an unusual choice for a destination food & wine event - a venue with a vibe that feels more Hard Rock than Pebble Beach (in the most fabulous way - it was eye-opening to check out all the classic, futuristic, movie-prop and vintage 'Hot Wheels' cars on display, after the gorgefest was done).  Read:  no pretentiousness served here, only a curated collection of the noteworthy.

The restaurants and vintners who were hand-picked out of thousands for the event ran the gamut from street food by emerging superstars to fine dining culinary luminaries, with cuisines reflecting some of the incredible diversity that Los Angeles has to offer, from Southeast Asian to Mexican to French to fusion.

The space was well designed - with the main room divided into three aisles, two on the outside for food, and the center aisle for wines - this was perfect as you didn't have to travel far to move from one to the other, and  'Designer Cyclist', her hubby and I found that we loved floating easily between the aisles to spontaneously create our own pairings!

Armed only with a souvenir wine glass, plastic 'fife' (fork + knife hybrid), event program and near-hysterical-excitement, we launched straight into the locust swarm of enthusiastic food lovers buzzing from booth to booth.

I knew we were off to a great start when the first booth we saw upon entering the main room was Mozza.  Regular readers know that Pizzeria and Osteria Mozzas are two of my favorite restaurants in LA, and they didn't disappoint with an incredibly smooth, creamy and yieldy ball of burrata topped with roasted tomato, basil and bread crumbs for contrasting crunch.

The tastings that followed were a blur of blissful, extended ecstasy.  I struggled with how best to represent them, chronologically or by favorites - and decided to on the latter.

So here are the highlights - my absolute favorite / pick for best of show (out of the items we tasted) would be Drago Centro's Foie Gras Panna Cotta with Duck Confit and Beet Crouton in a shot glass.  I might be a bit biased as this features some of my favorite foods on earth - but I thought it was a brilliant idea to turn rich, earthy foie into incredibly creamy panna cotta, then to counterbalance with gamey duck and crunchy beet croutons!  All in a presentation that highlighted the gorgeous colors, and smartly made it easy for guests to carry away quickly and eat while standing / scurrying through the crowds without making a mess! Sheepishly, I went back for seconds - twice.

My runner-up for best of show has to be the Bahn Mi with pork belly + ears, kumquat, pistachio and lardon from Palate Food+Wine.  Given my last semi-traumatic experience at the restaurant, I was a bit hesitant to allocate precious stomach space to them - but Designer Cyclist and "Mr. Cyclist" tasted first and convinced me with their lit-up eyes and disregard to the sauces dripping down their arms.  They were right - I absolutely LOVED the sandwich with its unique combination of ingredients and fatty juices soaked into the bottom of the bread - ESPECIALLY the fact that it is a completely unexpected ethnic offering from a place not normally known for...ethnic dishes.  And, we decided that from now on, like Windex in 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding', if something needs fixing or sprucing up we're going to say "put some Banh Mi sauce on it!".  Palate's Banh Mi paired incredibly well with a sauvignon blanc whose label I can't remember - will have to ask Designer Cyclist later! 

Funny enough, directly next door to Palate was Starry Kitchen - the husband and wife team who started with an 'underground' kitchen run out of their apartment, built a cult following, and now serves up their pan-Asian creations to masses of fans from a brick and mortar opened downtown just last year.  Nguyen playfully ribbed Chef Octavio for not notifying him of taking over 'his' cuisine!  I loved SK's sweet, spicy, coconut-y Malaysian Chicken Curry, and liked the Crispy Tofu Ball (stuffed with corn and fried in green colored breading) which was so popular they ran out maybe an hour and half into the event.  Nguyen "of course" dressed in Top Hat and suit, with a Gold mustache paying fitting tribute to his host. 

On the subject of blowing expectations - Italian is not normally my first pick, but "Foodie Mentor" has always raved about Little Dom's, and when we finally made our way to the tents in the back patio, we spotted a huge line and happy looking people walking away with BBQ Oysters!!!  Unfortunately, just an hour or so into the event, they ran out just as we got to the front of the line.  So we grabbed their last two Spiced Caramel Sundaes with candied pecans (delish!!!) as a palate cleanser.  The team was incredibly nice though, and instead of shutting down early like some (disappointing) restaurants that shall remain unnamed (why bother to exhibit / take up a precious slot if you're going to be stingy about it?) - they sent for additional supplies from the restaurant and reassured us that they would be 'back in business' shortly.  The service alone, even at an AYCE event, made me want to go visit Little Dom's at some point.  The team made good on their promise, and I was in absolute heaven to taste the fresh-off-the-grill oysters marinated in butter infused with paprika, garlic and other spices I can't report because I my eyes were rolled too far back in my head and my fingers - dripping with delicious buttery goodness - were jammed too far in my mouth for me to be able to take any notes!

Another favorite was Bistro LQ - which offered up two exquisite dishes - the tenderest, addictively-flavored Braised Ox Cheek on Grits, and Wild Hare Terrine with pickled huckleberries (I think they ran out of stuffed duck neck which was to accompany the dish, at that point?)  Again my inner glutton overtook the blogger - suffice it to say I would have eaten these all day if I could!

My go-to favorite for foodie-friendly happy hour on the westside, Waterloo & City, brought Chicken Liver Foie Gras Mousse complete with aspic in little plastic shot glasses, served up with a slice of baby baguette.  Loved this - it was a little pungent but still a sollid tasting.












The thing I was MOST sad about missing at the event is Michael Cimarusti's (Providence) leaf-wrapped scallops.  (I also missed Ludo Bites! :( They ran out when I got there and I didn't get a chance to go back) I had originally planned to hit Providence FIRST, but got distracted with all the whip-lash-inducing offerings around the room.  By the time we made our way to Providence, they had completely run out of scallops, but had started serving dessert - which was an amazing skewer of Compressed Pineapple whose density contrasted nicely with the levity of the Pineapple Curry Pectin Fruit.  Heaven on a stick!

The Gorbals, true to form, brought probably the most unusual protein of the show - Grilled Chicken Gizzards with Romesco Sauce and saffron.  If there had been a bone for this to fall off of, it would have fallen off the bone - it was that unexpectedly tender.

One that I had been dying to try was Jitlada - based on all the rave reviews from critics and bloggers alike, about its hard-to-find authentic Southern Thai food.  When I asked for the name of the dishes they were serving, I was told simply "beef and chicken in green curry".  Aware of the spiciness of its dishes as one of its claims to fame, when asked whether I wanted chili sauce I asked for just a small dollop on the side. Turns out I wouldn't even make it anywhere near the sauce - the dishes were so hot I think the three of us each downed a half a bottle of water before our eyelids could fall back safely over our eyeballs (I guess we had the Crying Tiger Beef!).  The burn was worth it for the taste - though I'm not so sure now that I can handle an entire meal of this level of spice!

Since my office is literally minutes away from Ramen Jinya, I didn't want to take up stomach space when I have such easy access any day of the week.  However, its rich, nuanced Tonkotsu broth lured me in, and after Designer Cyclist and hubby headed home, I snuck back to end the show with just one more bite (and sip), hard won through sheer force of willpower (my jeans were seriously in danger of splitting at that point).  It was well worth it, and a nice belly-warming finish to an amazing experience.

I also really liked - but could only sample - A-Frame's Furikake Kettle Corn that was spicy and sweet at the same time, with nori, sesame and corn nuts.
And yes, going out of order chronologically  - next up in terms of favorites is the Braised Short Rib (?) with flatbread from Cut.  This was a bit too salty for me - but the cute, friendly blond chef at the booth (whose name I was too shy to get) made that fly immediately out of my head.

Chichen Itza served up Tripe Soup (wonderfully but not overwhelmingly spicy, though a little hard to eat while wading through the sea of humanity), Banana-Leaf Braised Pork, and Ceviche with Habanero.  I liked them all, but there was a little too much heat in the ceviche for me to handle.  "Made" me guzzle more wine than I wanted to, only for purposes of neutralizing the spice, of course.


Susan Feniger is one of those personalities that people love to love - and Street is on my list of places to try (though to Foodie Mentor's point, it's tough for an Asian to pay gourmet prices for street food that is not designed as a unique culinary excursion through different cultures, but simply presented 'mix and match' as is).  At the show, guests got to sample the Coconut Mung Bean Crepe filled with pickled daikon, long beans, carrot, bean sprouts and peanuts.  The crepe was a little sour, and the style of preparation reminded me of Ethiopian.  Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of this particular dish - it was a toss up of flavors that didn't come together for me.

To be perfectly honest, I am not at all knowledgeable about wines - luckily Designer Cyclist and her hubby are experts, and took me on a guided tour down center aisle throughout the event.  A complete lightweight, I am normally done after one glass - but for some reason I was able to hold up at the event and got to try tons of amazing wines.  I can't name half of them, but I do remember Jeio Cuvée Rosé Prosecco, from Bisol - a medium-bodied sparkler with fruity notes (do I sound somewhat like I know what I'm talking about?  No? Ok.)  I also loved that the event offered a range of cocktails and mocktails as well.  My favs were Fine Print cocktail from A-Frame - with its luscious layers of sweet / tangy/ floral flavors from rum, hibiscus, falemum, lime and orange bitters, the Olympus Mons with ginger and lemon infused artisanal vodka from Moon Mountain, and the POM Julep - which was refreshing and critical to hydrate between sips of alcohol.


All in all, we had an awesome time.  Beyond all my raving above, I also loved that even A-list chefs were actually in their booths, some actually cooking.  In my opinion this is the best collection of amazing restaurants / chefs etc from a wide-ranging spectrum that you will find in LA for just $50 (General Admission is $60, but early birds got $10 with publicized promotion code) - setting a high bar thanks to the eponymous Mr. Gold's currency in the culinary arena.  And is the antithesis of the awful, fool-me-once-shame-on-you-fool-me-twice-shame-on-me event thrown by Los Angeles Times ($65 at door). For one thing, I actually left stuffed to the gills, and at no time did I feel like I was going to expire from dehydration out on the streets due to 'exposure' to extreme heat in an uncovered venue in the dead of SoCal summer, with little obvious access to water or other beverages besides alcohol.   And I didn't have to pay for any food that's even the tiniest bit larger than one bite-full, after paying exorbitant admission - Gold Standard was AYCE, once you're in the venue, it was a free for all.  Gold Standard is definitely, especially very much appreciated by foodies on a budget - if you only go to one food event next year - make it this one!  (And as I mentioned, with admission to the event you also get to wander through the awesome auto museum, which includes of all things the Batmobile - the regular cost of admission just to the museum is $10 for adults, so I consider it an additional value!)

Well done LA Weekly - and thank you Mr. Gold - I will definitely be back next year!!!

_________________________________________________________________________

3rd Annual Gold Standard Food & Wine Event 2011
March 6th 1pm-5pm General Admission, VIP early entry 12pm
Petersen Automotive Museum
6060 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036

$60 General Admission, $80 VIP

Website: laweekly.com      
Twitter: twitter.com/thejgold

Parking:
$8 self parking in Petersen Automotive Museum structure was full by 12:55pm!  Not sure if next year's event will be held in the same venue and on the same day of the week, but I was happy to find street parking fairly easily just 2 blocks away, down Wilshire - free because it was Sunday! 

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