My friends at Animal Restaurant were just named “Best New Chefs” by Food and Wine Magazine. Congratulations to Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook!
The complete list at Food and Wine Magazine
Jon, Jo, Vin food and wine best new chefs chefs 2009 animal restaurant vinny dotolo jon shook food and wine best new chefs chefs 2009 animal restaurant vinny dotolo jon shook
Positively Delicious Photos from Animal on Flickr
My Many Visits to Animal, Start Here
Filed under Eating Out, Little Bites
When I heard that my favorite L.A. chefs (Animal Restaurant’s Vinny Dotolo and Jon Shook) were offering a cooking class, I immediately signed up and invited two friends, Jade and Afaf. I love the chefs new cookbook “Two Dudes, One Pan” which recently was voted one of the “Top 10 Cookbooks of 2008” by National Public Radio. The chapters in the book are divided up by pans: “The Big Bowl” (for salads & dressings), “Nonstick Skillet”, “Frying Pan”, “Dutch Oven”, “Roasting Pan” and “Baking Dish”. I’ve already tried some of the delicious recipes and am continuing to post them here.
The cooking class was held at “Let’s Get Cookin'” in Westlake Village. It was my first visit to this little gem and I loved the small culinary store up front. The shop is stocked with gourmet ingredients, artisanal pastas, cookware and tons of groovy gadgets!
The classroom area was located in the back of the space. It consisted of a long counter which worked as the “stage” area for guest chefs. We students were seated in chairs with tables that face the cooking stage. To the left of the students, there were in-house chefs assisting Vinny & Jon throughout their presentation.
It was all very organized and the evening flew by quickly. We watched as the chefs prepared five recipes from their book, and yes indeed…. we got to eat everything! Delicious and good fun!
On the menu:
Winter Fennel Salad w/ Apples, Grapes, Cinnamon Maple Vinaigrette
Bucatini Carbonara w/ C Pancetta and Peas
Spicy Roasted Cauliflower w/ Capers and Parmigiano
Lemon Roasted Chicken
Fallen Chocolate Cake w/ Rum Caramel Sauce
The recipes can be found on the following pages of “Two Dudes, One Pan” by Jon Shook & Vinny Dotolo.
Winter Fennel Salad w/ Apples, Grapes, Cinnamon Maple Vinaigrette, pg. 30
Bucatini Carbonara w/ Pancetta and Peas, pg. 154
Spicy Roasted Cauliflower w/ Capers and Parmigiano, pg. 178
Lemon Roasted Chicken, pg. 189
Fallen Chocolate Cake with Rum Caramel Sauce, pg. 231
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Photos after the class…
Jon, Jo & Vinny
Afaf & Jon
Jon, Jade & Vinny
Original Class Date: Wednesday, November 12, 6:30 PM
Cost: $80 per person
My visits (with LOTS of food photos) to Animal Restaurant
About Let’s Get Cookin’
Animal Restaurant Website
Filed under Food Events (festivals, classes, etc.), Recipes
I eat anything. Even if I don’t particularly like it, I’ll still eat it if it’s served. Except when it comes to lamb.
My first experience with lamb was during a visit to my father in Scotland when I was sixteen. We went to a restaurant that served authentic Scottish dishes and I was served mutton. I thought it the most disgusting thing I had ever seen or smelled, and embarrassed my dad by refusing to eat it.
Over the years I associated all lamb with mutton. Of course I eventually learned that lamb, young lamb, had a totally different taste than old skanky mutton meat. Still I wavered whenever I was served lamb at a friend’s house or at a party. I NEVER ordered it in restaurants and it became sort of a joke in my family…. “oh Jo will eat anything but lamb”.
There were some rare instances in my life where I ate lamb and actually liked it. Like when my Greek friends Elli and Daphne worked at their mother’s restaurant in Eugene, Oregon. Poppi served Greek and Indian food in her charming spot called “Anatolia”. During one summer visit we had a picnic by a lake. After swimming and relaxing on the shore, Poppi brought out a basket of leftovers from the night before and started plating up some garlic rubbed, grilled lamb souvlaki. I took a deep breath (trying to plug my nose from the inside) and reached for a stick of lamb. I took one bite, then took a breath. I don’t know if it was the garlic or the fresh Oregon air, but I liked it! I had seconds!
That was twenty years ago.
This past summer I went to the Gourmet on Fire food event with friends and family. My favorite bite of the event? Neal (Grace & BLD) Frasers LAMB Burgers. Yep. Lamb. I had seconds AND thirds. Recently I chatted with chef Fraser and told him how much I loved those burgers. My husband butted in and said “and she doesn’t eat lamb, so that’s a real compliment”.
While eating dinner at Animal Restaurant last week, chef Vinny whispered that he would be getting some amazing lamb in the next day. I sort of gave him a blank look and said “Great!”… but honestly I was thinking “Oh my but I don’t eat lamb! ANYTHING BUT LAMB!”. My husband does eat it, so I figured I would make him order it the next time we went to Animal… which was last night.
We had an early dinner with friends Jeffrey and Rina. Our server Billy recommended the LAMB, so we ordered it of course, as well as the Rock Cod, Raw Amberjack, Petit Basque and Fried Hominy. I also ordered the Duck Confit as a “back up” for me in case I couldn’t take eating the dreaded lamb.
Well surprise, surprise! I thought the Leg of Lamb was WONDERFUL. Tender, pink and juicy, served on a bed of stewed peppers and potatoes. I should have known not to worry if it came from the Animal kitchen!
So for any “lamb naysayers” out there… take note. I can now stand tall, with my head held up high and say with fierce conviction… “I EAT ANYTHING… EVEN LAMB!”.
Duck Confit, Orange Braised Fennel, Shishito Peppers $15
Rock Cod, King Crab, Tabasco Butter, Gold Rice Succotash Cipollini $26
Fried Hominy with Lime $5
DELICIOUS Leg of Lamb for Two, Stewed Peppers and Potatoes $52
Dining Date 11/2/08
“Anything But Lamb” by Jo Stougaard
Animal Restaurant
http://www.animalrestaurant.com
435 N. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 782-9225
Filed under Eating Out, Food Stories (written by me)
By Jo Stougaard Updated 11/3/08
“One Chick, One Pan”… Recipes that I’ve prepared from the cookbook “Two Dudes, One Pan: 
Maximum Flavor from a Minimalist Kitchen” written by Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, chef/owners of my favorite restaurant, ANIMAL.
(11/3/08) “Creamed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon”. Loved the creamy sauce! Can’t wait to try it on broccoli or asparagus. Page 137 of the cookbook.
(9/26/08) I made “Jon’s Sausage, Broccolini and Pasta Frittata” over the weekend. It was the easiest recipe yet, and also the most filling! We had it for breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. I topped with shaved Manchego cheese and served with fresh mango (topped with red pepper flakes). Recipe on page 58.
Recent recipes that I tried (9/20/08) are: “Chicken Provencal” Page 112.
“Fennel Salad with Cinnamon Vinaigrette” on page 30.
The chicken skin was SO CRISPY, and the fennel salad was a whole new flavor mix! Totally refreshing.
9/16/08
“Tri-Tips with Salsa Verde” on page 122.
“Spicy Roasted Cauliflower, Capers and Parm” on page 178.
I have never had tastier cauliflower, especially with the crispy bits on top. My husband Peter couldn’t figure out the mystery ingredient in the Salsa Verde. He thought I had made chimchurri (which I make all the time) but he was surprised to find a deeper, richer flavor in the sauce, that he couldn’t quite describe. I told him “It’s the Umami… the fifth taste”. The mystery flavor was anchovies. He still couldn’t taste them after I told him, and then he asked for more…
9/10/08
The first two recipes I tried were “Peaches & Arugula Salad” on page 29, and “Chicken in White Wine and Herbs” on page 114. One pan (skillet) for the chicken, and one bowl for the salad.
Easy prep, easy pan sauce and easy cleanup. I loved the tart flavor that the vinegar added to the wine sauce. And my friend Laur enjoyed the salad so much that she almost licked out the bowl!
Info on the book “Two Dudes, One Pan”
Filed under Recipes
It’s not all about bacon at ANIMAL Restaurant. Before the first of my many, many visits, I read a review that noted there was “too much” bacon on the menu. Of course that made me want to go ASAP, but in reality the restaurant is more about being adventurous… as chefs and as an eater.
Two of my favorite dishes were actually bacon-free. The Raw Amberjack and the Foie Gras with Strawberry & Grits (pics below). But there were plenty of pork accented plates that made me think I had died and gone to bacon heaven. Especially the Bacon Chocolate Crunch Bar dessert!
That very first dinner at ANIMAL (Aug 29th) was so good, that my husband Peter and I ate there again the next evening. The servers (Jeff on Friday night… Victor & Arlene on Saturday) were convivial and very helpful.
Chef Jon Shook stopped by our table a few times to chat and to recommend dishes. Chef Vinny Dotolo never left the busy kitchen but I blame that on our table… we just could not stop indulging ourselves and had to taste everything we could.
Simply put, the food at ANIMAL is fearless, delicious and full of passion. See you there soon!
Raw Amberjack, Nectarines, Orange, Mint and Serrano Chili $14
Crispy Squash Blossoms $14
Softshell Crab, Kimchi, Pork Belly, Chili Soy $20
Pork Ribs, Balsamic, Heirloom Tomato, Rocket and Bread Salad $15
Bacon Chocolate Crunch Bar with Creme’ Anglaise $8
Foie Gras, Strawberry, Hasty Pudding (old school grits) $20
Wine: We love the Joel Gott Zinfandel wine that we first tried at Animal. More info here
Dining Date 8/29/08
Animal Restaurant
http://www.animalrestaurant.com
435 N. Fairfax Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 782-9225
Filed under Eating Out
my last bite... 