My younger brother has been visiting from Scotland the past two weeks. I’m so proud of Greg and all of his musical accomplishments. He plays in several bands and has been in town for the NAMM conference.
Greg and I have the best time eating together, and today we had lunch at Palsaik Samgyupsal Korean BBQ in Koreatown. If you haven’t been (and love pork belly), check out photos here.
Hoping Greg will be back in L.A. very soon…
Filed under Uncategorized
Many thanks to all who came out to Whist Restaurant for Chef De Cuisine Chris Crary‘s special “Wild Game” dinner last week. It was a super fun gathering of carnivore loving pals (sorry vegans!), local chefs (who came to support) and of course Top Chef fans!
Each of his dishes were beautiful, delicious works of art, and I had a hard time deciding on my favorite game meat of the night. Congrats to Chris and his team, for executing the awesome menu.
Amuse: Octopus with Potato Gratin
First Course: Roasted Rabbit, Carrot Panna Cotta, Thai Spices, Peanut Lime
Tiny, Frenched Rabbit Lollipop
Second Course: Venison Neck & Loin, Coffee, Huckleberry Mustard, Crispy Shallot, Forest Herbs
Third Course: Boar Belly, Root Vegetable Cassoulet, Truffle, Apple Ephemere (officially my favorite!)
Fourth Course: Antelope Osso Buco, Pearled Barley, Acacia Honey, Gremolata, Goji Berry
Fifth Course: Duck Egg Flan, Wild Turkey, Cardamom Crumble, Cajeta Ice Cream
The Menu (click for larger)
Such a fun dinner! Looking forward to MORE SOON!
Location: Whist Restaurant
1819 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA
Reservations> (310) 260-7511
Price was $60 per person
Event Date: January 5th
All photos from the Wild Game Dinner on Flickr
Follow @ChrisCrary on twitter
Follow @WhistChefs on twitter
Follow @ViceroySM on twitter
Check out photos from the evening: By Joann & Grace Park By Nicole
Many thanks for the press!>> L.A. Times | KCET | GrubStreet | Eater
Filed under Eating Out, Food Events (festivals, classes, etc.), Hot Chefs
As of 12/31/11, I’ve completed these 257 dishes at Jitlada.
I’ll definitely hit my goal of 300 dishes in 2012!
click above for details
More at EatingTheMenu.com
Filed under Eating Out
It really is about the little things isn’t it?
Hope you have a wonderful holiday celebration!
Cheers, Jo
(& Maxie)
Filed under Little Bites
I’m super excited to announce an upcoming dinner with Top Chef Contestant Chris Crary. The talented & hot chef (in and out of the kitchen) will be making a five-course ‘Wild Game’ tasting menu inspired by this season’s Episode 7. I’m a HUGE fan of Top Chef, so when we lunched together recently (at Jitlada Thai of course), we thought it would be fun to host a dinner together.
Date: Thursday, January 5th
Location: Whist Restaurant
1819 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA
Reservations> (310) 260-7511
Price is $60 per person.
Wine by the bottle, specials start at $30 per bottle.
Reservations required, seating is limited, available from 6:30-8:30pm.
Don’t miss this chance to try Chris’ cooking and meet him in person! And yes, I know I’m old enough to be his Auntie… but did I mention he’s HOT?
The Menu:
FIRST COURSE ~ ROASTED RABBIT
Carrot panna cotta o curry o carrot relish
SECOND COURSE ~ VENISON NECK
Coffee o huckleberry mustard o crispy shallot o forest herbs
THIRD COURSE ~ BOAR BELLY
Root vegetable cassoulet o truffle o apple o ephemere sponge
FOURTH COURSE ~ ANTELOPE OSSO BUCO
Pearl barley o acacia honey o gremolata o goji berry
FIFTH COURSE ~ OSTRICH EGG FLAN
Wild turkey o cradamon crumble o cajeta ice cream
Follow @ChrisCrary on twitter
Follow @WhistChefs on twitter
Follow @ViceroySM on twitter
Filed under Eating Out, Food Events (festivals, classes, etc.)
Chef Ludo PLUS Pork, for one night only? No chance I was going to miss this dinner!
Photos from Chef Ludo’s “Un Petit Porc” (read about here)
Menu (each table was given all four sides, served family style)
Ludo’s porchetta… just out of the oven!
Ludo’s Porchetta
Burnt Potatoes
Porchetta Sandwich at our table
Greens: Broccolini, Kale, Garlic Confit & Red Chili Flakes
White Beans
Cheesy Polenta
Pork Jus
Roasted Apple & Vanilla Ice Cream
Wine (Thanks Lisa & Dave!)
We loved it… we really, really LOVED it!
Mike (Gram & Papas owner) & Ludo
Obviously… so worth the wait!
front window
Event Date: 12/19/11
Read about the event on Eater L.A.
Chef Ludo Lefebvre
Ludo’s website
follow @ChefLudo on twitter (for info on upcoming events, dinners)
Location: Gram and Papas
227 E 9th St Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 624-7272
follow @gramandpapas on twitter
website
How to make porchetta by Serious Eats (slideshow)
Filed under Eating Out
Peter and I are so blessed. We work hard, play hard, eat very well and spoil our dogs just a bit too much. So throughout the year, we make an effort to give back by either donating our time, money or by using social media to spread the word of our favorite charities.
If you’re looking for a non-profit to support, check out some of the links below. Whether it’s a few dollars via text, a “like” on FaceBook, or a “retweet” on Twitter… it’s much easier to reach out and lend a hand these days.
Heifer
Heifer International’s mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth. By giving families a hand-up, not just a hand-out, they empower them to turn lives of hunger and poverty into self-reliance and hope.
With gifts of livestock and training, Heifer projects help families improve their nutrition and generate income in sustainable ways. They refer to the animals as “living loans” because in exchange for their livestock and training, families agree to give one of its animal’s offspring to another family in need. (read more) FaceBook Twitter
L.A. Food Bank
The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank mobilizes resources to fight hunger in our community.
Mission:
Source and acquire food and other products and distribute to needy people through charitable agencies or directly through programs;
Energize the community to get involved and support hunger relief;
Conduct hunger education and awareness campaigns and advocate for public policies that alleviate hunger. (read more) Los Angeles Area Agencies Serving Daily Meals FaceBook Twitter
Share Our Strength (No Kid Hungry)
Share Our Strength’s highest priority is to make sure that every child in America gets the nutritious food he or she needs to learn, grow and thrive. They are doing this by improving the access that families all across the country have to healthy, affordable food and by working at the state and city level. This “No Kid Hungry” strategy has four key components that, together, provide children with the nutritious food they need where they live, learn and play.
Taste of the Nation (Share our Strength) is one of my favorite fundraisers in L.A. Follow them for info on upcoming events> @TOTNLA on Twitter
Easy Text Donation: Wireless phone users can donate $10 to Share Our Strength by simply texting the word “SHARE” to 20222 on their mobile device. Donations from the text program will help provide food for the nearly 17 million children at risk of hunger in America and will help address the recent increase in demand for food aid across the nation. (read more) FaceBook Twitter
Kiva
Kiva is a a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world.
This past year, Peter and I helped give micro-loans to folks in Vietnam (for a food stall), Peru (catering business), Mongolia (small grocery store), Kenya (food market) and Lebanon (bakery). Note: Loans from last year were repaid in full, which allowed us to make loans to others in need.
100% of every dollar lent on Kiva goes directly towards funding loans; Kiva does not take a cut. (read more) FaceBook Twitter
Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves
Exposure to smoke from traditional cookstoves and open fires—the primary means of cooking and heating for nearly three billion people in the developing world—causes 1.9 million premature deaths annually, with women and young children the most affected. Cookstove smoke contributes to a range of chronic illnesses and acute health impacts such as early childhood pneumonia, emphysema, cataracts, lung cancer, bronchitis, cardiovascular disease, and low birth weight. The World Health Organization estimates harmful cookstove smoke to be one of the top five threats to public health in poor, developing countries.
The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves is a new public-private partnership to save lives, improve livelihoods, empower women, and combat climate change by creating a thriving global market for clean and efficient household cooking solutions. (read more) FaceBook Twitter
Alexandria House
Founded in 1996, Alexandria House is a non-profit transitional residence and house of hospitality providing safe and supportive housing for women and children in the process of moving from emergency shelter to permanent housing. Located in the densely populated and ethnically diverse Mid-Wilshire area, Alexandria House also serves its broader neighborhood community by providing educational and enrichment opportunities for residents and neighbors alike. FaceBook
Pet Orphans
As the oldest and largest private humane organization in Southern California with its own shelter, Pet Orphans has been rescuing, rehabilitating, and finding homes for these rescued animals for almost forty years. Pet Orphans of Southern California is dedicated to the advancement of companion animal welfare. They are committed to decreasing the number of animals euthanized annually in city and county shelters by focusing our efforts on rescue, adoption, medical, education, and training.
Each of our dogs (Maxwell, Martini & Harrison) were adopted from Pet Orphans. We wouldn’t be a family without them! FaceBook Twitter
School on Wheels is a Non-Profit Organization dedicated to the enhancement of educational opportunities for homeless children k-12th grade.
Today, hundreds of volunteers work one-on-one with children whose homelessness prevents them from getting the academic stability and help they desperately need. The heart of the School on Wheels’ programs is the volunteer tutors who come from all backgrounds and professions, with a shared goal – to reach out to a child, to teach, to mentor, and assist in their educational life. Twitter FaceBook
ABC 7 (Spark of Love Toy Drive)
For 19 years, ABC7 and firefighters from Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, along with the Los Angeles City Fire Department, have joined forces to run the Spark of Love Toy Drive. This campaign collects new, unwrapped toys and sports equipment for the underserved children in our communities. Toys collected in the respective counties are distributed locally. Last year alone, Spark of Love collected over 500,000 toys within all five counties. “Like” ABC7 and $1 will go to the Spark-of-Love toy drive! FaceBook Twitter
What it means to “like” on FaceBook
What it means to “retweet” on Twitter
Happy Holidays!
Filed under Little Bites
How to make Gordon Ramsay’s Pressed Belly of Pork.
Watch this video (a short clip from his show, the F Word).
Shop for the ingredients (per video recipe)
Pork Belly
Thyme
Garlic
White Wine (1 bottle)
Chicken Stock (1 cup)
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil
Then follow these next steps:
Beautiful Pork Belly from Lindy & Grundy
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Score the pork belly, season with salt & pepper then drizzle with olive oil
Add garlic & thyme to pan, resting the scored pork belly on top
Pour about 1/2 bottle of wine around the belly
Cover with foil
Cook for 2 hours in oven
Remove pork from baking pan
Make the gravy by first deglazing with the rest of the white wine
Reduce, add chicken stock, reduce again then sieve into bowl
Cover and put gravy in fridge
Get two trays (I used two glass pans) and press together
Weigh down with heavy cans, or use foil-covered bricks
Cold-press in fridge for at least 6 hours
Remove weights and top pan (carefully)
Cut into portions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees
Cook for 10 minutes or until crisped to your liking
Warm the gravy
Gordon Ramsay’s Pressed Belly of Pork… DONE!
Follow Gordon Ramsay on Twitter
Follow Lindy & Grundy on Twitter
Filed under Recipes
Four pork-centric restaurants in Koreatown, with food-obsessed friends on a Sunday afternoon… ABSOLUTE PIG HEAVEN.
Photos from PORK MARATHON #1!
Stop One (2pm): Palsaik Samgyupsal Korean BBQ (maps, addresses & more info at end)
Palsaik (pronounced “pahl-sehk”) is a Korean BBQ restaurant that specializes in samgyeopsal aka PORK BELLY!
The restaurant offers “eight colorful flavors of pork” — wine, original (unmarinated), ginseng, garlic, herb, curry, miso paste, and the chile paste gochujang.
Palsaik’s Pork Belly on the table grill.
Haemul Jjigae (seafood soup) arrives (each dish cooked at the table).
Haemul Jjigae… the broth was beautiful.
Loved the pickled radish (to cut the fat… and there was lots of glorious fat!)
SEE, it’s printed on the menu so it must be TRUE! Pork is GOOD for me!
Aftermath of Pork Marathon Stop 1.
Palsaik’s front window.
Christine, our lovely tour guide (and dear friend) dancing with the animatronic pig in front of Palsaik!
Palsaik’s adorable sign!
The $39.99 set menu includes all eight flavors of pork, as well as seafood miso stew, mushrooms, and lettuce wrap. More info including Palsaik’s Menu & prices here.
Please read Jonathan Gold’s LA Weekly Palsaik Review & browse Anne Fishbein’s gorgeous photos here.
Stop Two (3:30pm): Baek Ha Chong
Baek Ha Chong is known for their Bossam (steamed pork), Daeji Galbi (pork ribs) and Kimchi Chigae (casserole).
Steamed Pork (I topped mine with kimchi, tons of raw garlic & ate it wrapped in vegetable leaves).
Spicy Pork Ribs at Baek Ha Chong.
Baek Ha Chong Interior.
Exterior of Baek Ha Chong.
Check out more Baek Ha Chong photos by Guzzle & Nosh here.
Stop Three (4:30pm) : Honey Pig Korean Barbecue
Another animatronic piggy in front of Honey Pig (I swear it wasn’t there on my last visit!)
At Honey Pig, the pork belly is cooked in the center of the table on iron, dome-shaped grills.
Were we sick of pork at this point? HECK NO.
After grilling the pork, veg and kimchi the server will bring rice (and more veg) to SOAK up all the juices. SO GOOD.
Honey Pig gives out these adorable pig lighters… make sure you ask for one after paying the bill! (Guess WHERE you stick the butane to refill it?)
Many photos of previous visits to Honey Pig here.
Stop Four (6pm): DGM – Dwit Gol Mok
DGM – Dwit Gol Mok is Korean for “back alley”, and it literally LOOKS like an old, alley INSIDE. It’s difficult to find (we entered through the back entrance), but worth the effort. I loved the street-food ambience and quirky decor because it reminded me of my childhood in Okinawa.
Fried Pork at DGM (our final pork dish of the day).
Haemul Pajeon (Seafood Pancake).
Menu at Dwit Gol Mok is in Korean. Luckily we had Korean-speaking Christine guiding us through the day!
Kooksoondang Draft Makkoli (Korean rice wine) at Dwit Gol Mok.
“Cheese Corn” at Dwit Gol Mok. After all the salty, porky goodness I was happy to tuck into this sweet, sizzling dish. Great for soaking up the Makkoli too.
Check out GastronomyBlog’s beautiful photos of DGM (with more info) here.
The next time I go to Dwit Gol Mok, I’ll have my iPad ready with a photos from blog posts (so I can point out a few more dishes to try)!
Dining date: 11/6/11
Many, many thanks to Christine & Julian Fang for organizing this EPIC PORK FEST!
CHEERS to everyone else who joined in the fun throughout the day: Peter (of course), Jill, Elina, Neil, Leilani, Caleb, Evelina, Sandra, Wes, Jin and H.C.
CANNOT wait for the next one!!
All Pork Marathon Photos on Flickr
Restaurant Addresses & Info:
Stop 1: Palsaik Samgyupsal Korean BBQ
863 S Western Ave Los Angeles, CA 90005
MAP
(213) 365-1750
Follow @PalsaikBBQ on Twitter
More photos on Flickr
Stop 2: Baek Ha Chong
3929 W Olympic Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90019
MAP
(323) 935-5554
Stop 3: Honey Pig
3400 W 8th St Los Angeles, CA 90005
MAP
(213) 380-0256
More photos on Flickr
Stop 4: DGM – Dwit Gol Mok
3275 Wilshire Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90010
MAP
(213) 382-8432
More Photos on Flickr
Follow @PorkMarathon on Twitter
Filed under Eating Out
Le Comptoir at Tiara Cafe (in downtown L.A.) is a temporary, pop-up restaurant by Chef Gary Menes. Peter and I have been HUGE fans of Gary’s ever since he cooked at Marche’, which was our favorite neighborhood spot before it shuttered last year.
I was actually kind of broken-hearted when the Sherman Oaks restaurant closed. Marche’ was our local jewel, our special night out with friends, our proof that the valley had destination dining too.
Chef Menes’ impressive resume includes (to name a few) working in the kitchens of Patina, Palate Food and Wine, and Thomas Keller’s French Laundry. If you haven’t been lucky enough to taste his food yet, email for a coveted counter seat at Le Comptoir before the pop-up ends. Gary’s not only a super-talented chef, but one of the most genuine and kindest as well.
Our beautiful evening at Le Comptoir:
Amuse: (Chef Gary Menes said this dish was inspired by Chef Alain Passard) Pressure cooked beets from Kelli Johnson’s urban farm in long beach, lime pudding, homemade cheese with raw milk, little celery.
San Marzano Tomato Veloute, Yogurt, Celery
Sunny Side-Up Egg, Young Lettuce Herbs, Sorrel Jus. We mixed the ingredients ourselves, starting with melting butter in the sizzling pan. I love playing with my food!
Blue Hubbard Squash, Brussels Sprouts, Dried Cherry Marmalade, Smoked Scallions, Santa Barbara Chanterelles, Spanish Padron Peppers.
Grass Fed New York Strip, 72-Hour Braised Short Ribs, Hearts of Romaine, Carrots, Forbidden Rice, Currant Relish
Sourdough donut holes, cinnamon suger, nutella, candied walnuts
Sous Wesley Avila, Beautiful eggs from Kelly Johnson’s farm in Long Beach.
Dining at the counter, means the BEST SEATS in the house! I could have sat there all evening watching Chef Menes plating dishes. Note: “Le Comptoir” means the counter.
Brenden Day, commis
The culinary team (from left to right)
Wesley Avila, sous chef
Gary Menes, chef
Joachim Cooder, commis
Brenden Day, commis
Le Comptoir at Tiara Cafe
All my photos of Chef Gary Menes’ food!
Jonathan Gold Reviews Le Comptoir
Also on Jonathan Gold’s 99 MUST list!
Le Comptoir at Tiara Cafe
127 East 9th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Website
Thu – Sat: 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Reserve Here of via email LeComptoirLA@gmail.com
$46 for 5 Courses
$24 for Wine Pairing
Follow Chef Gary Menes on Twitter
Dining date: 11/12/11
Filed under Eating Out
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