Mess With This Tex-Mex

Bar Amá  Downtown  March '13
www.bar-ama.com
eat: Queso Fundido, Fideo w/Octopus & Kielbasa, Peas & Grapes, Blood Sausage & Pork Cheeks, Mom's Green Enchiladas, Asparagus & Beets, Chicharrón, Frito Pie, Fennel & Snap Peas, Puffy Tacos, Sopapillas
sip: Nacho Vidal, Zapatista, Tahona Limon, Amá Old-Fashioned

Tex-Mex and I go way back.

For my first college gig, I hostessed at a rowdy, Tex-Mex restaurant: Caliente Cab Company. Famous for their frozen margaritas--evidenced by the monster cocktail beckoning from the facade--this was where locals went to get their tequila on, downing syrupy sweet margaritas or slamming shots wielded by bandolier-strapped waitresses. The edible offerings were cheesy, cheap, and filling--food was merely fuel for more boozing.

While Caliente was far from culinary, my experience there was meaningful. Within her trashy walls, I scored a fake ID, ventured beyond my NYU student body (while exploring the bodies of my male co-workers) and discovered the close-knit, motley crew that makes a restaurant hum. Nevertheless, after each shift, I would return to my dorm reeking of fajita smoke and fried chips, wishing I wanted to eat where I worked.

Enter Bar Amá, Chef Josef Centeno's answer to my freshman year dreams. Embracing his Texan heritage, Bar Amá is an homage to the women (ama) who raised Centeno; it is his "interpretation of their cooking". Integrating his fondness for the farmers market, his mastery of meat, and his love of spice, Centeno slings classics (enchiladas, queso fundido) and originals while taking Angelenos on a tour of Mexican quesos and chilies.

As an ardent member of the Josef fan club--falling hard at Lazy Ox, then his first joint, Baco Mercat--I had high expectations for Bar Amá. After my first visit, I was surprised by my Caliente-like experience,  where the booze outshone the edible. Chalking it up to new-restaurant jitters, I returned again, and again, to find food fitting of Centeno's skills.


Befitting a downtown restaurant, the decor is more industrial (metal chairs, wood-beam walls) than Latino. Instead of tacky chili pepper lights and sombreros, the Mexican accents are authentic: traditional tiles and a towering wall of tequila behind the bar. Come thirsty, for the entire agave family (from mezcal to sotol) is on hand. Deft bartenders shake up more than margaritas; fresh juices, chilies, homemade shrubs and bitters infuse fun and potent quaffs that pair well with the flavorful food.

Nacho Vidal

Bartenders about town are breaking Campari free from its Negroni norm. Here, the blood-red bitter is blended with tequila blanco, chile-lime shrub, and honey. This sassy combo is reigning queen of my cocktail favorites.

Zapatista and Tahona Limon

 On the left, the Zapatista mixes serrano, cilatnro, citrus and honey with Cielo Rojo Bacanora, a lesser-known agave-based spirit that is a subtle version of its smoky cousin, mezcal. The Tahona Limon, mezcal, lime, and sugar, is a gimlet, Mexican-style. 

 Amá Old-Fashioned

If you prefer your tequila unfettered, opt for this Mexican twist on a classic. Tequila añejo, house bitters and orange peel will warm you up for the eating ahead. 

Queso Fundido

Scoop up this oozy triple threat of cheddar, Jack, and panela (a Mexican, paneer-like cheese). With avocado, sour cream, and salsa hidden below and chorizo on top, this gut-bomb begs to be shared.  

Fideo with Octopus and Kielbasa

With a wink to Centeno's Spanish roots, he serves traditional noodles, fideo, flavored with shrimp broth and chilies. Mingled with charred octopus, smoky kielbasa, and crunchy pepitas, this comforting combo is the table's top pick.

English Peas & Black Grapes

Verdant peas and tendrils, sweet grapes, spicy árbol chili, and tangy crema illustrate Centeno's skill at creating delicious out of quirky medleys.   

Blood Sausage & Pork Cheek

Centeno's brand of bodacious meats is showcased with this blood sausage and pork cheek hash.  Dished over wood-fired corn and quinoa, then topped with a fried egg, this brunch-like combo is how I want to start and end every day.

Mom's Green Enchiladas

Mom knows what's best, especially with these stellar enchiladas. Homemade, flour tortillas stuffed with chicken are doused in delectable tomatillo sauce, crema, and a coat of blistered Monterey Jack,  A tasty take on this homey classic.

Grilled Asparagus and Beets

Illustrating Centeno's penchant for seasonal produce, this dish welcomes the arrival of springtime asparagus as we bid adieu to winter beets. The veg are blanketed in luscious crema, slivered radish, spicy peppers, and hierba santa, a Central American leafy herb. As a student in Guatemala, I discovered hierba santa, which contains the same oil, safrole, used to make Ecstasy.  While the herb sadly doesn't trigger the same euphoria as the dance drug, this plate will bring you bliss.

Crispy Chicharrón & Poblano Cream

 A far cry from the salty snack with the same name. Here, chicharrón is pork belly not pork rinds, fried  crisp while tender inside. Dunked in pobalno cream and squirted with lime & bus driver (house-made hot sauce), they are equally savory as they are naughty.

Nana's Frito Pie

Be still my beating heart and clogged arteries. The corn chip classic, Frito Pie, is given a Centeno makeover with luscious lengua (tongue) chile con carne, house-made crema, mulato pepper. Yum!

Fennel & Snap Peas

Temper the hearty with this light and lovely melange of braised fennel, crunchy peas, queso fresco, and popped amaranth, an Aztec grain.  

Chorizo Puffy Taco

 The San Antonio signature, the puffy taco, has landed in L.A. Named for its deep-fried, tortilla shell, we opt for the house-made chorizo. While others have raved, ours arrived soggy and sparse on the fillings. Will try again next time...

Sopapillas & Mexican Chocolate

Although stuffed, I hadn't had sopapillas since my Caliente days. Deep-fried, tortilla pillows are dusted with powdered sugar & honey. Served with Mexican hot chocolate-spiced with chili, cinnamon, and Oaxacan sea salt, this is a sweet finish to our feast.

Before Bar Amá, my Tex-Mex memories were a tequila-tainted haze from my Caliente stint. Now, I'm able to get my agave and eat deliciously, too.

It Was A Good Day

Monster Dog

3am. Ext. Belltown Street. 1st day of 2013

First bite of 2013....a hot dog from Monster Dog.  I discover that cream cheese is the signature of a "Seattle Dog"...can someone please tell me the connection between shmear and this city? Initially skeptical, I love how the spread tempers the salty dog, which is served in my favorite fashion: split down the middle and grilled so that char is the primary condiment.  Robin adds pickled jalapenos and Steve doctors a spicy weiner with sliced onions and Sriracha.   Both genius.  Admittedly, anything would taste divine pre-dawn and post-boozing, yet these particular sausages embody more than just meat.  They are the sweet success after numerous failed attempts to find food. They are warmth as we  chow down in the heated cocoon of the Jetta.  They are togetherness as we pass them among old friends, sister, husband.  They are the beginning, a taste of what will come. 

11:30am Casa Joe & Les Buckwheat pancakes (from a mix gifted by Mom) and Skagit River Ranch breakfast sausages. Photo omission due to post-party groggy-ness.

2pm 
Russian tea cake--an annual treat made with love (and tons of butter) by Allison.

3pm

Lemony leftovers from roast chicken + chicken liver pâté = luxurious chicken salad fitting for a New Year's Day nibble.

6pm Beach @ Golden Gardens 
Bonfire-roasted onions & the aforementioned SRR andouille and sweet Italian sausages. Washed down with warm bourbon-spiked, apple cider.  Confirming our credo that everything tastes better when cooked and consumed on an alfresco flame.  For those who are counting, that is THREE sausages on this very first day of the year.  A fitting number for this pork-o-holic.

9pm

Keeping with the NYE (and Burmeister family tradition), we return home to find a Hoppin' John salad and Ham & Greens crostada lovingly made by Joe's mom, Toni. Each ingredient a prosperous metaphor: black-eyed peas = coins, greens = money,  and pork = moving forward (since pigs scrounge  forward).

This diary of my inaugural 2013 food reminds me why I keep this online journal afloat.  More than a written and visual record of What I Devour, it is an ode to the magical and multi-faceted experience of eating.  The provenance of ingredients, the setting where meals are consumed, the company with whom we share, and the traditions that are passed throughout the years: these all make food more than mere sustenance.  Just on Day One of 2013, I awoke to the buttery aroma of griddle pancakes, I snacked on homemade cookies, I dined at a beach bonfire, and I enjoyed the tasty trifecta that is local, organic, and grass-fed pork.  Each meal surrounded by friends and family. An auspicious and delicious start to a new year....

P.S. For more musings on the meaning of food, please check out this New Year post on my friend, and fellow scribe, Robin's blog, Chefs Wear Clogs.   

Good Gallic In A Petite Package

Buvette West Village Sept. '12
http://www.ilovebuvette.com/
eat: Terrine de Campagne, Carottes Rapées, Poulpes, Tarte Tatin
sip: Arneis

buvette 
noun (f)
1. a refreshment stall or counter
2. a snack bar at a theater, train station, beach, etc.

In French, and English for that matter, the diminutive "ette" connotes feminine (coquette) or little (cigarette), so it is implicit that buvettes are small.  Buvette, Jody Williams' Gallic gem, is indeed petite, but that's all it has in common with it's casual joints across the Atlantic.  Chef Williams' version--which she calls a gastrothèque-- is a pleasure chest of French delights, from fresh-baked croissants and housemade charcuterie, to classic coq-au-vin and cassoulet.   It is spot-on-Parisian without being too precious, yet with the amiable waitstaff, you avoid the oft French tradition of snooty service.

Tucked away on a picturesque, tree-lined, West Village street, Buvette feels at home amidst the gorgeous boutiques and fashionistas who frequent the neighborhood.   Inside the beautiful spot, tin-coffered ceilings, a zinc-top bar, an idyllic garden, and exposed brick walls make for an inviting and aesthetically-pleasing setting.   Waiters sport classic, striped aprons with a touch of personal style, like bow-ties.

Making most of the minimal space, the primary decor element is the food itself.  Jars of cornichons & olives, bottles of wine, a jambon slicer, baked goods, baskets of fruit, and an old-school citrus press adorn the café, creating a homey, culinary collage.  Accompanied by my foodie friend, Shari, who I met while studying in Paris, we are equally smitten with Buvette's likeness to our favorite French haunts.

The pop-up cocktail menu: whimsy that works. 

Arneis

  

Our waiter suggests Arneis, a Piedmontese white.  This light and crisp wine with hints of pear is a lovely daytime quaff.  One wall of Buvette features a chalkboard wine map to help geographically guide your sipping selection.

Terrine De Campagne

Don't be fooled by the diminutive size.  Each morsel of this country-style terrine is packed with porky pleasure. Wrapped in bacon, the smoky, intense pâté is served with a briny trifecta of cornichons, olives, and, my fave, caperberries.  It is served with a delectable, house-baked Pain de Campagne 

Carottes Rapées

Carrots are elevated to star status in this simple salad.  A mélange of grated carrots, pistachios, lemon, and vinegar is surprisingly delightful. It's just the thing for a hot, end-of-summer day.

Poulpes

 Ordering octopus is risky for it is so often incorrectly cooked (a.k.a. rubbery).  Here, the cephalopod is perfectly prepared and deliciously tossed with capers, shallots, olives, and refreshingly crunchy celery.   

Tarte Tatin

Throughout our meal, the tarte tatin teased me from its perch in my line of sight.  Sweet & gooey caramelized apples are crammed into a buttery crust and topped with tangy crème fraîche.  Stick a fork (or two, which our waiter so attentively did) in it - I've found taste nirvana. 

When we are presented with our bill, it is inscribed with the colloquial French translation: la douloureuse.  While its primary definition is "painful", here the word jokingly refers to the distress of having to dish out dollars.  I can't help but think that after such a lovely meal at Buvette, it should be called "happiness" (le bonheur) instead.

Things That Make You Go Hmmmm

The Gorbals Downtown 05 May 10
www.thegorbalsla.com
eat: Bacon-Wrapped Matzoh Balls, GLT, Crispy Broccoli, Potato Latkes, Welsh Rarebit, Fettucine with Artichoke Hearts, Sticky Toffee Pudding
sip: Cheesebro Rousanne, Dirty Martini

My job as a costumer requires that I spend most of my day in clothing stores. Lately, I've noticed an unfortunate trend in fashion - everything looks the same. Before, preppy JCrew and hipster Urban Outfitters never had crossover merchandise; now, they both carry oxford shirts, fedoras, and boyfriend blazers. A similar homogeneous current is affecting restaurants; even quality ingredients like pork belly, Jidori chicken, and beets have almost become monotonous due to their ubiquity on menus around town (how many gourmet burgers can one city have???) Consequently, I have been craving something different, something non-traditional, something to make me go "hmmm". Enter The Gorbals, an eclectic eatery in downtown LA, that will pique your culinary curiosity.

As their website accurately states, The Gorbals "does not fall into a category". The cuisine is a unique hybrid of Jewish, Scottish, and Spanish cooking. It's run by a Top Chef Winner, Ilan Hall, yet there isn't an ounce of pretentiousness from the celeb chef. They serve food until the rare hour of 2am. An ethnic folk band, The Petrojvic Blasting Co, plays Thursday nights. The restaurant is housed in the enchantingly bizarre Alexandria Hotel. Although the historic Alexandria has recently been renovated into low income apartments, the building still has a faded, Lynchian charm - a trip to the bathroom reveals a hidden jazz club and a dusty, majestic ballroom. The decor is industrial and raw, with highlights including an enormous communal table of rough-hewn wood, kitchen-view seating, and angular, wooden pillar-like stools. In spite of the minimalism, the room still hums with a convivial, homey vibe thanks to the affable staff. Since the menu features obscure organs like sweetbreads and gizzards, an adventurous and carnivorous eater will be in hog heaven here; however, when I came with my pseudo-veggie friend, Gretchen, she was able to find something to nosh. Having dined here three times, here is a smattering of my faves:


Many have dubbed the Bacon-Wrapped Matzoh Balls to be the "signature dish" of The Gorbals. They have garnered a lot of attention due to their shamelessly un-Kosher combo ; yet they are more than just a provocative plate. The crispy, fatty bacon accentuates the soft, doughyness of the matzoh ball and the fresh grated horseradish and parsely add a welcome zing to the plate. Surprisingly, these are amazingly light; like donut holes, one could practically pop a dozen in your mouth before getting full.


Latkes with Smoked Applesauce I wish latkes were not just restricted to Jewish delis. In spite of their deliciousness, they are a pain-in-the-arse to make, both because of their tendency to disintegrate mid-frying as well as the pungent oil smell that permeates your kitchen for days . Ilan's version is crispy, salty, thin and tinged with rosemary. The accompanying smoked applesauce pairs well with these and other meaty menu items.



Gribenes, Lettuce, Tomato Sandwich Gribenes, aka chicken skin, is the Jewish version of chicharrón -pork rinds. I had expected the gribenes to resemble the crunchy, oily skin of a roast chicken, but was sorely mistaken (as you can see from the photo on the right). In fact, the skin is cooked in it's own fat (similar to the French confit) which keeps it juicy, succulent, and meatier. Admittedly, I am that eater who relishes the fatty gristle around the steak almost as much as the steak itself, but I strongly believe that even the faint at heart would enjoy this sandwich. The combination of the fresh lettuce and tomato, the creamy dill aoli, and the gribenes is excellent. I would even go so far as to say I like this better than a traditional BLT. In the words of the Sizzlean adds: "Move over bacon....."



Crispy Broccoli with Soy, Chiles, Vinegar Don't be fooled by the few ingredients; this dish packs a powerful punch. On the outside, the broccoli has been charred to a shriveled crisp , yet inside the green flesh is flavorful and moist. It is a clever spin on the usual side of greens sauteed with garlic; it's so good that we debate ordering a second round.



Fettucini With Artichoke Hearts is a light and refreshing pasta perfect for springtime. The pasta glistens with a buttery, lemon sauce which is so unctuous that we are convinced that cream is a primary ingredient (turns out it's not even in the dish!)





Welsh Rarebit with Fried Egg My English ancestors would be ashamed, but I always thought this was a meat dish (maybe I mixed up "rarebit" with "rabbit"?) Thankfully, I tasted my inaugural rarebit here and was excited to find that it is essentially melted cheese sauce on toast. I like the addition of the fried egg and Worcestershire sauce on top; this would be a perfect late-night, prevent-a-hangover snack.



Sticky Toffee Pudding with Nutella-Buttermilk Ice Cream This is more cakey and dense than the traditional oozy version. I sampled this dessert twice; the first time, the pudding had just a hint of toffee sauce, but the second time, the cake was drenched. The sprinkled sea salt transforms the pudding into the flavor du jour, salted caramel. Love the tangy ice cream too.


In beverage-land, The Gorbals has quality liquor, a smattering of microbrews, and an inexpensive wine list. In keeping with my recent white-wine infatuation, I drink Cheesebro Roussane a Carmel Valley, Rhone-style white which has a nice balance of fruit and minerals.


To be frank, this isn't a restaurant for everybody. The eclectic menu is small and lacks any food wimp options. Some have said the decor feels unfinished. Downtown parking sucks. Some experimental dishes are flops. In spite of these critiques, The Gorbals succeeds because it is like nothing else out there - it is artsy, innovative, communal, and relaxed. Each time you visit, who knows what you will find. The ever-changing menu is full of surprises. One night, Ilan served us his famous matzoh balls himself. Another night, my friend hosted a circus-themed, costume soiree. Maybe it's the hybrid cuisine or the diverse crowd, but The Gorbals feels like it could be located anywhere. Fortunately, it's here in good ol' Los Angeles.