A Night In & Out

Night In @ Elysian  Elysian Valley May '13
www.elysianla.com

e·ly·sian - relating to heaven or paradise. see blissful, delightful

In a city named after angels and bent on bliss, elysian fits right into L.A.'s vernacular. There's Elysian Park, an idyllic spot for picnics & ambles and Elysian Heights, the hilly, Eastside 'hood. Though shuttered, Elysian Fields, the Topanga nudist colony, lives on in L.A. lore and memories from my first year in town.

In Elysian Valley, a delightful spot is sandwiched between the 2, the 5, and the L.A. River. Tucked between ramshackle, Frogtown facades and behind a wooden gate, lies a tranquil garden and a stunning space. This is Elysian.

An intimate place for gatherings, weddings, and lectures, Elysian welcomes guests at its occasional, bi-monthly restaurant, Night In. Conceived by David Thorne, an accomplished artist/cook, Night In serves "good food in a lovely place."  Using a palette of farmers market fare, David creates unpretentious deliciousness. Each plate an edible oeuvre, he is redefining the concept of eating out.

Night In resembles a dinner party...one that is hosted by your artsy, culinary friend. An open kitchen, shelves stacked with books, and a worn, L-shaped couch in the waiting area further accentuate the house-like vibe.  Perhaps it feels like a home because David and his wife used to live at Elysian.This is not a pop-up; it's a pop-in.

While those who eat at Elysian aren't necessarily friends, we run in the same crowd. We like our produce seasonal, our meat pasture-raised, and our wine from Silverlake Wine. We go out to be nourished not to be seen; we are disciples of delicious. Since we speak the same language, the communal tables at Elysian don't feel forced; they are instead incubators for conversations.

As a mailing list subscriber to Elysian L.A. , I receive invites (aka enticing menus) in my inbox for upcoming dinners. On May 6, I was finally able to attend a dinner, so I rsvp'd on the website. A day before our reservation, David sent a reminder note, ending with, "we look forward to seeing you."  Let the dinner party begin...

Demetria Viognier

Night In is BYOB. For a springtime supper with my best ladies, Barndi & Alyce, I bring a 2010 Viognier, which blooms with grassy, apricot notes. This full-bodied white is from my beloved wine club, Demetria Estates, a Santa Ynez vineyard specializing in sustainable, biodynamic wines. 

Duck Rillettes

Pâté for the liver averse.  Rillettes--duck cooked and stored in its own fat--is lusciously rich. Roast cherries elevate the stone fruit from sweet to savory. Pickled onions, pistachios, and mache make for fabulous fixings. 

Shaved Beet and Fennel Salad

Taste the rainbow of spring with thinly shaved beets & fennel, little gem lettuces, tarragon, preserved lemon, walnuts, and feta. It's a salad of earthly delights.

 Beef Cheek

Succulent, braised beef cheek wears a dollop of horseradish cream well. With an array of diminutive, yet delicious veggies--English peas, fingerlings, treviso, carrots and turnips--this dish is omnivorous bliss.  Thank you, David, for reminding me that oregano is much more than a pizza topping; when fresh, the herb is aromatherapeutic.

Butterfish

With seared-crisp skin, this moist butterfish won't make you ask, "Where's the Beef?" It's served on an Oriental bed of nutty, black rice, snap peas, green garlic, mustard greens, asparagus, radish, and pickled ginger. 

Ginger Cake

 Living in the fruit basket of Southern California, dessert and fruit are natural bedfellows. Here, a sweet & tart kumquat compote accompanies a dense, ginger cake. Whipped lebneh, a yogurt-based, Middle-Eastern cheese, adds a tart finish.

Upon exiting a dinner party, thanks are exchanged; both hosts and guests expressing gratitude for a night well spent and well fed. Likewise, at Night In, the menu ends with a "thank you", reminding us that Elysian is happy we stopped by. It continues, "please tell your friends about us."  And so I have....

The next Night In is June 7th. Rsvp here

Tuck Into Tasty

Tuck Shop Montreal 15 Nov '12
www.tuckshop.ca
eat: Onion Bisque, Crab Salad, Wild Boar Duo, Lamb Shank, Cobia, Apple Pie
sip: "S" Sao Del Coster Priorat

Like Vienna's Wiener Schnitzel and Naples' pizza, Montreal boasts her own gastronomic stereotypes:  poutine, smoked meat, bagels, and, more recently, pig-centric cuisine (see Au Pied De Cochon) .  While indeed they are delicious (and naughtily not nutritious), after dozens of family trips to the City Of Stars, I was eager to venture beyond the culinary cliché.  My newfound friend and native Montrealer, David, guided me on this edible expedition. Luckily, he led me to Tuck Shop.


Located off the beaten path in gentrified St. Henri, Tuck Shop is a homey, intimate, seasonally-driven spot.  With the zinc bar, subway-tiled walls, pendulum lamps, and chalkboard menu, Tuck Shop could be in Brooklyn or other hipster 'hoods, but what grounds it in "Mount Real" is the staff's oh-so Canadian affability and the use of regional ingredients, like wild boar and lamb.  In fact, David has personally foraged mushrooms for Tuck Shop, guaranteeing its commitment to local flavor.  Whether you sit at the zinc bar, the cozy banquette, or, like us, nestled against windows steamy from the outside cold, you are guaranteed a good time.

Priorat

If you share my predilection for pre-dinner cocktails, a full bar is on hand.  We keep it classic with an Old Fashioned and a Martini, both perfectly mixed.   Next, we savor the "S" Sao Del Coster Priorat, a full-bodied Carignan & Grenache blend that is soft, supple and wonderfully fruity without jam-ification.

Onion Soup

Lucky for us, the soup du jour is a luscious, roasted onion bisque adorned with buttery croutons.  It is so creamy good that David slurps it all, nullifying our agreement to share.   Our amiable waiter brings me my own bowl, both out of kindness and to prevent a tableside tussle.  

Crab Salad

A deconstructed version of the East Coast's classic crab roll.  Fresh crab is tossed with fennel, radishes, and celery on a bed of butter lettuce and white bread. Topped with bacon for good measure, this crunchy and refreshing salad wakes up our palate.

Wild Boar Duo

Double the pleasure, pig two ways. 1. Tender hunks of braised boar tucked into flaky perogies. 2. Pungent & gamey grilled leg is drenched in red wine sauce. With sauteed kale, grilled mushrooms, herbed yogurt, and dill pickled beets, this winter-y dish hums with Eastern European flavor.

Cobia

To dine is to discover.  In this case, it is my first foray with cobia, a firm and fatty fish  (imagine a thick cut of Chilean sea bass)  Served Asian-style, with crispy shrimp, an umami-rich shitake & soy puree, bok choy, carrots, pickled ginger, cucumber and spicy ailoli.  This colorful dish  is equally pleasing to the eye and the palate.  

Lamb Shank

Braised Quebec lamb shank is slathered with a garlicky gremolata and accompanied by white bean purée, rapini, fennel, olives, and roast peppers.  This hearty, Italian-accented dish is a welcome comfort in the winter chill.  

Apple Pie

Even after our multi-course meal, there's always room for dessert, especially when it's a homey, tasty slice of apple pie à la mode.  Turns out our Canadian counterparts know a thing or two about America's quintessential classic.   

For me, the word "tuck" has always had pleasant connotations: Tuck Everlasting is a favorite childhood tale and I have nostalgic memories of being tucked in as a kid.  After such a scrumptious meal at Tuck Shop, I'm armed with yet another reason to associate the t-word with pleasure.  

This Little Restaurant From A Market

Cortez  Echo Park  20 Oct '12
www.restaurantcortez.com
eat: Sardines, Radicchio Salad, Clams & Chorizo, Farro & Collards, Merguez Flatbread, Basque Cake, Roast Figs
sip: Urki Txakolina '11, Roagna Dolcetto D'alba '11, Saison Dupont

"Our produce, meat and seafood comes from farms, ranches and fisheries guided by principles of sustainability"  

This credo lines the menu at Cortez, the new, pint-sized restaurant on the edge of Echo Park. Phrases of this sort, peppered with utopian, food lingo--seasonal, local, organic--have become standard practice all over town.  Yet, how does a diner know if they are true?

Considering that Cortez is run by the pair who own Cookbook, the neighborhood's green grocer, the the proof is in the product. Cookbook's shelves are stocked--by owners Marta Teegan and Robert Stelzner--with artisan cheese & charcuterie, fresh-picked produce, and grass-fed beef. Each visit makes me feel like a kid in a candy store, yet instead of sweets, I swoon for caperberries, purple cauliflower, and olive bread.   Understandably, the shop's quality ingredients take center stage at Cortez.

Just opened two weeks ago, Cortez already feels like a neighborhood hub.  On a Sunday night, a medley of families with kids, couples, and solo diners filled the itty-bitty space. Lined with an exposed-brick wall, the intimate restaurant is filled with two communal wood tables, a kitchen-view bar, fresh flowers, and giant, bare bulb chandeliers.  The room mirrors the rustic simplicity of the dishes, which feature seasonal bounty flavored with Mediterranean flavors like za'atar, cumin, and pimenton. Our meal epitomizes late summer, which decadently lasts until mid-October here in L.A.

Txakolina & Dolcetto D'alba

I opt for the Urki Txakolina '11. This fizzy and zesty Basque white pairs well with food because it doesn't dominate.  Rob has the Roagna Dolcetto D'alba '11 a light & fruity red well-suited for our Mediterranean fare.  Round two is Saison Dupont, the gold standard of Belgian saison ales. I'm a huge fan of its fermented funk. 

Sardines

Fresh is to tinned sardines as a foraged mushroom is to its canned counterpart. Oily and rich, all they need is the char of the grill, a pinch of parsley & cumin, a glug of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.  Less is more...

Radicchio Salad

Farm-fresh radicchio is tossed with crisp apples, walnuts, and a gorgeous St. Agur cheese, a buttery, creamy blue that pleases my normally anti-blue palate.  Its heartier than the usual salad thanks to the bitter radicchio, fatty nuts and pungent cheese. 

Clams & Chorizo

Plump, Pacific clams, chunks of chorizo, and onions arrive swimming in a saffron broth, which we soak up with addictive, fresh-baked bread.  A brimming bowl of comfort - Spanish-style.

Merguez Flatbread

While the menu reads "flatbread", our server, Hannah, describes it as Cortez' spin on a hamburger.  I dub it the Greatest Gourmet Gyro.  Two juicy, house-made merguez patties, pickled onions, pickles, and yogurt sauce are stuffed in a fluffy, home-made pita.  Please forgive the fuzzy photo; my hands were dripping with lamb-y, tangy goodness.

Farro & Greens

Nutty farro, charred collard greens, pecorino, and za'atar, a Middle-eastern spice blend, create a toothsome melange.  Healthy never tasted so good.

Basque Cake

Baked by Chef Alex, this dessert is a vanilla-lover's dream.   A buttery, almond crust enrobes fluffy, vanilla pastry cream.   My only complaint is that I wanted a heftier slice.  

Roasted Figs

Hannah generously gifts us with the roasted figs because of their "a-mazing" pairing with the basque cake.  Served with homemade, luscious, raisin walnut ice cream, this is what a good fruit dessert should be:  unfussy and focused on the fruit itself.   

Tonight (October 28th) Cortez will host a book launch party for Todd Selby, the global, food photographer who featured Cookbook in the New York Times.  The event illustrates how Cortez and Cookbook are inextricably linked.    They share commitment to quality, exquisite taste, and are ardently adored by yours truly.  At either locale, support sustainability...it does a body good!

Community Kitchen

Canelé Atwater Village
www.canele-la.com

Each visit to Canelé ends with a namesake pâtisserie: a gift of caramelized, eggy goodness.  Little in size but plump with meaning, the canelé is a thank-you treat for coming, for you, the diner, are an integral part of the restaurant. This isn't a one-sided relationship, where chef gives and diner takes and never the twain shall meet.  Canelé is more than a mere restaurant--it is a community. 


Helmed by enigmatic chef/co-owner Corina Weibel, Canelé is a cozy, culinary club where a love of food is all you need to become a member.  Here, the communal table is the best seat in the house, where solo diners are never lonely and conversation flows as easily as wine is poured.  One visit, I met the owners of nearby Club Tee Yee and was regaled with tales of their legendary, dive bar.  The open kitchen lets diners--especially those at the 3-seat stove-side bar--watch their meal unfold.   It also allows for spontaneous sharing, like when Corina offered me a slice of peanut-butter cake--that had been gifted by a baker friend--for she knew I was a fellow sweets-connoisseuse. 


While everyone (wisely) raves about Canelé's brunch, the entire, French-influenced menu is magnifique.  Since the menu doesn't change often, each dish has been practiced to perfection.  The food is just how I like it: rustic, seasonal, uncomplicated, full-bodied, and equally friendly to carnivores and vegetarians.   

Burrata & Peas
Spring is in the air with this verdant salad of peas, pea tendrils, asparagus, and mint.  Alongside ever-sumptuous Burrata, you get your good and your plenty.

Bistro Steak
You can judge a restaurant by its steak.  Here, the delectable meat is slathered with a luscious, wine-based   Bordelaise sauce.  Accompanied by creamed spinach and pommes anna (a.k.a. amazing potato cake), even I, the perpetual sharer, would recommend ordering this just for yourself. 

Veal Chop
Size does matter with this magnificently meaty chop.  Unbelievably juicy and glistening with anchovy salsa verde, it will change the way you think about veal.  Served with buttery, roast cauliflower & potatoes and sautéed watercress   When Corina sees me gnawing at the bone, she admits the animalistic act is more complimentary than any verbal praise.   

Blood Orange Granita
This refreshing granita is topped with tangy sour cream and a buttery, homemade biscuit that's reminiscent of blue, Royal Dansk cookie tins.   An adult version of a cremesicle. 

Fried Chicken Sandwich
Simply delicious, this sammy just has 3 ingredients: a Crisp & tender fried chicken breast and a slice of pickled green tomato on a spongy, white bun.  Paired with a perfectly dressed Canelé salad, it's unfussy and unforgettable.

Ricotta Coffee Cake 

A genius spin on Italian affogato.   Espresso is poured over ricotta pound cake, instead of ice cream, so that each bite is drenched in caffeine.  With a healthy dollop of crème fraîche, it's a wonderful way to start, or end, your brunch. 




A unique place merits more than the standard restaurant review of titillating photos and prose.  For what makes Canelé hum is the food, and then some...as witnessed by these three tales of yum.   

Friends Cook @ Canelé

Me & Lesley flanking Corina,
our fearless leader 

On random Tuesdays, Corina opens her kitchen to friends, rookie or rock-star cooks, and dreamers who want to live out their chef fantasies.  This is how my twin sis, Lesley, and I were able to cook for a full house of friends and strangers.  Playing chefs-for-a-day, we created a 3-course menu, bought ingredients at the Hollywood Farmers' Market, then prepped, cooked, and plated our meal--with the incredible support of the kitchen and waitstaff. 

On the line

Friends enjoying our meal @
the communal table

We had ZERO experience -- exhibited by my amateur lemon-zesting accident that gave me my first kitchen scar -- yet were welcomed with open arms by Corina and her cooks, who were patient, eager to teach us, and a heck of a lot of fun.   By generously sharing her kitchen, Corina gave Lesley and I a rare glimpse into the inner-workings of cheffing and a night to never forget.  Conversely, we brought her 60 new customers.  

Dinner @ Coleman Farms

Coleman Farm

Canelé's menu brims with seasonal fare from local farms.  I witnessed this firsthand when Lesley & I shopped at the Hollywood Farmer's Market with Matt, Canelé's Sunday forager, who bought crates upon crates of fresh-picked produce. To honor this influential relationship between farmers and chefs, Corina hosted a supper in May at Coleman Farms, one of her most-valuable vendors.  

Corina & the Colemans (Romeo, Delia, and Bill)
next to the grill

Our communal table

Pigs

Situated on picturesque rolling hills in Carpinteria, Coleman Farms is a small, family-run business with a large variety of produce, ranging from everyday radishes to exotic shiso.  As Romeo jokingly explained during the tour, his father, Bill --an avid horticulturist--is the "R&D Department" while he heads up "Marketing".  Before dinner, Romeo showed us around the idyllic 6-acre farm serenaded by bleats, quacks and oinks

Grilled Leg of Pork & Escarole

Antipasti: celery root salad, olives,
 tomatoes, white beans and
artichoke hearts

Goat chops

We dined under a canopy of trees at a communal table. Family-style plates of slow-roasted pork and goat, golden polenta, ruby red tomatoes, deep green cavolo nero, and parsley-flecked celery root were passed around.  I felt like I was living in a food-magazine photo shoot, with each perfect platter as gorgeous as it was delicious. As Romeo aptly stated, Corina and fellow chefs are Coleman Farms P.R. Dept, for they showcase their produce beautifully. 

Paella Party 

How do chefs celebrate their birthdays?  In Corina's case, a co-hosted paella fiesta for 100+ family and friends.  It was a spectacular affair split between two houses; chez Corina, she reigned over the crackling fire, churning out five of her signature, enormous paellas.  At Kristin's casa, platters of grilled yellowtail, green beans, and summer's finest fruit, tomatoes, were passed among guests.  

Paella!

Grilled yellowtail & cherry tomatoes

With views of shimmering, Silver Lake reservoir, plenty of chilled rosé, and Euro-centric nibbles (Marconas, Castelvetranos, and Sopressatas), Corina magically whisked us away to the Mediterranean.  Unlike many clique-y L.A. fêtes, this was a convivial affair where amigos old and new mingled al fresco, sharing in the simple delight of good eating.  If Canelé had a back patio, it would feel like this.     

Springtime: Shaken, Not Stirred

Growing up in Connecticut, spring embodied an awakening of the senses.  After months of bitter cold and winter's dreary palette of white and grey, spring was a welcome burst of fragrant flowers, blue skies, and sun-kissed shoulders.  While L.A. doesn't have such a drastic change of seasons, springtime's arrival still delights me.  My Elysian Park hikes have wildflowers galore, the wisteria vines pop purple, and the farmers markets team with seasonal goodness, like pea tendrils, fava beans and green garlic.  April's bounty is even affecting my beverage consumption, inspiring me to sample garden-variety cocktails all over town.  Here are my favorite ways to get your daily allowance of fruits, veggies, and intoxication.

Stark Bar's G-Funk Era and Owl & Pussycat

Stark Bar @ LACMA  Mid-City West

A night at the museum doesn’t have to include Ben Stiller.  But, a night at LACMA must involve a visit to Stark Bar.  Lounge in lipstick-red chairs at this alfresco bar where cocktails are works of art.  Try the Owl and Pussycat, a lovely mix of rum, strawberries, lemon juice, simple syrup, and chili.  Reminiscent of red-pepper jelly, it's both sweet and spicy.  The G-funk Era features gin, grapefruit peel, Fever Tree tonic, and bitters.  The flavorful gin is made in-house using botanical herbs, like lemon verbena, from the museum's garden; now that's a locavore libation!  By day, Stark Bar buzzes with museum-goers. At night, it becomes a destination in its own right, as diners bask under the glow of Chris Burden's lamppost sculpture.  For you music-lovers, live jazz begins in May, on Friday nights and Saturday afternoons.

Picca's The Avocado Project and Sabertooth

Picca West L.A. 

I came to Picca in search of Ricardo Zarate's much-praised Peruvian cooking.  As (my version of) the saying goes,  "Behind every great chef there's a great mixologist".  At Picca, Julian Cox shakes, mixes, and muddles delicious proof to my proclamation.   My preferred potation, The Avocado Project, has 5 Island white rum, avocado, fresh lime juice, and agave nectar.  In all my years of boozing, I had never thought to combine avocado and alcohol, though there's been much practice with guacamole and margaritas.  Julian takes that perfect pairing, replaces tequila with rum, and creates one of the tastiest drinks I've ever swigged. Like egg whites, the avocado adds a frothy, creamy-ness without being cloying.  The Sabertooth is composed of cachaça, blueberries, apricot liquor, fresh lime, and simple syrup.  True to its name, it still packs a punch, in spite of its girly, purple hue. 

Hungry Cat's Petula Clark

Hungry Cat Hollywood

There are three clues that Hungry Cat offers fresh-squeezed cocktails 1: They are located a block from the Hollywood Farmers' Market  2. Giant pails of citrus and a massive, metal juicer line the bar  3. Chef-owner David Lentz is married to fellow, farm-to-table chef, Suzanne Goin.   In fact, the couple's garden is where Lentz found inspiration for his hand-crafted cocktails.  Try the Petula Clark: Pimm’s, Hayman’s Old Tom gin, egg white, homemade absinthe bitters, lemon, rosemary garnish. It's a gussied-up version of the classically British Pimm's cup.

Write Off

In honor of Tax Day, the drink du jour is the Write Off: cognac, Cara Cara juice, kumquat, and orange blossom water.   The tri-orange medley is so fragrant our friendly bartendress, Minnie, exclaims "I want to smell like this".  (Ask nice and she'll sneak you some kumquats for a healthy, bar snack).  At brunch, Hungry Cat's Bloody Marys (pictured at top) are the perfect hangover cure, packed with plucked-from-the-vine tomato goodness.

Fresh herbs atop the Library Bar

Library Bar Hollywood

After hearing mixmaster Matt Biancaniello interviewed while shopping at the Santa Monica's Farmers Market, I raced to the Library Bar to sample his cocktails.  Tucked off the lobby of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, this jewel box of a bar is a hub for bespoke beverages.  No menu exists, so ordering consists of a conversation with Matt and his trusty staff.  Pick your poison, then an adjective or two. Be inspired by the treasure trove of herbs, fruits, and pickled yum lining the bar.  My request for "herbal gin" rewards me with a refreshing gin, cucumber, dill, and lime concoction.  "Spicy berries" leads to a lip-smacking rum, mixed berry, and chili drink.  Matt also excels at incorporating ingredients normally reserved for the kitchen--balsamic vinegar, arugula--in his libations.  A sip of his gin, sage, and curry creation is a savory delight.

Library Bar's Mixed Berries & Chili and Cucumber Dill