Friday, June 18, 2010

Breakfast at The Peninsula

When I was looking for a hotel for my parents to stay at in Beverly Hills, someone on Twitter suggested the Peninsula. I can't remember for the life of me who suggested it, but whoever it was, thanks for a wonderful suggestion. It was exactly the kind of hotel I was looking for--luxurious but not pretentious, quiet and secluded yet still in the heart of Beverly Hills. While there are obviously many 5 star options in Beverly Hills, after extensive research, I found the rate per night at the Peninsula to be the most reasonable. From the complimentary upgrade, to the bowl of impeccably fresh fruit waiting in the fountain-view room, my parents could not have been more satisfied. I stayed one night in the room with my parents, and let's just say, it was a refreshing change from my small, cluttered dorm room.

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The following morning, my mom woke me up at 7AM. I have not been up at 7AM for a good 3 months. There is a reason why I try my hardest to schedule all my classes after 12PM--I am NOT a morning person. Luckily, breakfast at the hotel restaurant--The Belvedere--was amazing. It was the best non-buffet style hotel breakfast I've ever had. I've only been more impressed by the cereal bar at the Mandarin Oriental in Munich.

The Belvedere
@The Peninsula Beverly Hills
9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
tel: 310-975-2736

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I love the design of the dining room at The Belvedere. It felt very "Beverly Hills" with its taupes, light corals, and muted greens. Upon sitting down, we were offered orange and grapefruit juices or coffee. Of course, like with any hotel breakfast, freshly squeezed orange juice is pricey. Sometimes it's delicious and worth the splurge, and sometimes it's not. We splurged, but the orange juice was fairly average although obviously freshly squeezed.


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"Egg in the Hole"
brioche, turkey sausage, poached egg, fontina

I've always been intrigued by the concept of cutting a hole in a piece of toast and cooking an egg in it, but I've never gotten around to doing it. I'm pretty sure the version at The Belvedere isn't your typical egg-in-the-hole. The Belvedere's "Egg in the Hole" was a perfect square of "light" and fluffy house-made brioche filled with juicy turkey sausage and topped with a perfectly poached egg and fontina cheese. For some reason, when I cut through the poached egg and into the buttery brioche, I wasn't expecting turkey sausage at all and it was such a lovely surprise for me. I obviously was not reading the menu (probably because it was only 7AM in the morning!!). However, this egg-in-the-hole is definitely worth waking up in the morning for!


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Corned Beef Hash
tomato hollandaise

My dad ordered the corned beef hash--no surprise to me or my mom. If corned beef is on the menu, my dad will order it. I managed to steal a bite and found it to be pretty tasty, especially after breaking open the yolk of the poached eggs. The dish originally came with an interesting tomato hollandaise but my dad ordered it on the side to reduce the richness of the dish.


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Steel-Cut Oatmeal
with fresh berries

There was a bruléed oatmeal on the menu that looked so interesting to me but 1) I picked my egg-in-the-hole over it and 2) my mom couldn't be convinced to order it because there was maple syrup already mixed into the oatmeal. I didn't try too hard to persuade my mom to order the bruléed oatmeal because well, it's her breakfast and I guess plain, unsweetened oatmeal is healthier. This was a ridiculously large serving of oatmeal though. At least she chose fresh berries over bananas as the topping--which I enjoyed when I attempted to help her finish the monstrous bowl of oatmeal.


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It was wonderfully delicious and filling breakfast--perfect fuel for move-out day! Following this leisurely breakfast in such an elegant restaurant were hours of packing up all the clothes and junk I've accumulated over the past year. We also discovered I had a rather unpleasant amount of dust accumulated in my room--I will definitely dust more in the future. Luckily, we had lunch at Kiyokawa to look forward to :)

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Providence

Providence was at the top of my L.A. restaurant dream list. Even before the amuse bouche hit my lips, I knew I would love Providence. It was everything I loved in a restaurant--intimate setting, impeccable service, amazing fresh seafood, talented pastry chef...of course, the restaurant's two Michelin stars also made me that much more excited.

Two things happened in June: 1) my sophomore year at UCLA came to an end and my parents were in town to help me move out of the dorms and 2) Providence was having their 5-year anniversary special of 5 courses for $65.

It was meant to be. I would finally be able to enjoy at meal at Providence.

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Providence
5955 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
tel: 323-460-4170

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bread service
bacon brioche, white roll

The bacon brioche had the delicious smokiness of bacon, but the texture was a little too fluffy for me. I enjoyed the plain white roll a lot more. It had a nice crusty crust and a chewy, yeasty center. A piece of the bread, smeared with butter, and a sprinkling of sea salt (served with that adorable miniature scoop) and I'm a happy girl.


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amuse bouche
gin and tonic gelée, margarita spherification, house cured Tasmanian ocean trout on top of lemon jelly with 4 spice whipped cream and 24 carat gold leaf

The gelée tasted exactly like a gin and tonic and was delicious with a squeeze of lime. The margarita spherification also tasted exactly like a margarita, complete with a spoon rimmed with coarse salt. The ocean trout served in a shot glass was the best bite of the bunch. The trout was deliciously fresh and the lemon jelly sweetly acidic. Digging a spoon straight down into the shot glass resulted in a bite of a delectable combination of salty, sweet, and acidic with the texture of raw fish interspersed with crunchy bits of toasted rice balls and salty bursts of fish roe.

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japanese kanpachi (kagoshima, japan)
crispy rice crackers, coriander, soy crème fraîche

Who knew sashimi could taste so good? First of all, the fish was incredibly fresh--with a deliciously supple texture and literally the essence of freshness and of the sea. The soy crème fraîche with the raw fish was a revelation. Slightly creamy, it elevated the mouthfeel of the kanpachi to a whole new level. The rice crackers not only provided a nice contrast in texture, but also had the flavor of toasted rice.


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bobby's block island scallops
japanese eggplant, rhubarb, cashews, reduction of vadouvan and jurançon

Perfectly cooked scallop--beautifully caramelized, yet still slightly rare and translucent in the middle, it was sweet and succulent. The flavors in this dish reminded me of India and curry--probably as a result of the vadouvan. I also enjoyed the scattering of toasted cashew pieces and the flavor of mint throughout the dish. Although it was only one scallop, it was extremely satisfying.

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spaghetti alla chitarra [$26 supplement]
santa barbara sea urchin, spot prawn, pea tendrils

This was the one supplement we added to our 5 course tasting menu and we shared one order between the three of us. I cannot resist freshly made pasta. Nor can I resist sea urchin and spot prawns. Obviously we had to have this. It was a nice addition to our meal. The al dente pasta was swimming in a luxuriously rich sauce made from sea urchin and spot prawn heads and eggs. Occasionally we would stumble across a piece of pea tendril and we'd get a little bit of vegetal sweetness. There were still intact piece of uni mingling with the pasta and the spot prawns were so sweet and snappy.


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wild day-boat pacific halibut (sitka, ak)
summer squash, black olive, dried apricot, basil

I enjoyed this halibut a lot, but my parents were a little less impressed. I think it's because we were served the rich pasta before this lighter course came out. I would've flipped the two dishes around. However, I do think this was a remarkable preparation of a normally dry and boring white fish. I would never voluntarily order halibut if I had other fish options, but this halibut was great. Barely cooked through, it was tender and moist with interesting accompaniments. The apricot, black olive and zucchini relish on top was slightly sweet, as well as the tomato compote underneath. The basil bread crumbs in combination with the spring onions, basil butter sauce gave the entire dish a decidedly Italian, yet innovative flavor profile.


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marcho farms veal tenderloin (franconia, pa)
sweet peas, bacon, almond, maitake mushrooms

Veal is another protein that, give other options, I would not necessarily gravitate towards. I tend to think of veal as slightly boring in taste and texture. This veal, however, changed my mind completely. Cooked for two hours at 140 degrees, it was pleasingly tender. The bacon added a smokey aspect to the dish, and the maitake a deep, earthy, "umami" complement. The double shelled sweet peas were not only a perfect example of the level of intricacy in Providence's dishes, but also a fresh counterpoint to the more robust flavors in the dish. The dollops of the slightly sweet almond milk confused us in a good way, and the blanched almond slivers were at that delightful point between crunchy and less crunchy from being in sauce. The green herb, apparently, was pruslane--an herb I had never tasted nor heard of before. Overall, an interesting dish that caused us to really question and evaluate the flavors we were tasting.


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yuzu curd, meringue
blackberry sorbet, jasmine

Finally, we were at dessert. I had high expectations of Adrian Vasquez's creations and he did not disappoint. I loved this dessert. It was perfect--from the delightfully tart yuzu curd, to the fragrant jasmine blackberry sorbet and buttery streusel crumbs. The only thing I found to be a little boring were the meringues. They didn't provide too much of a textural enhancement, nor did they offer anything in terms of flavor. However, I still enjoyed them because I can never say no to meringues. I thought the clean, bright-tasting flavors of this dessert was the perfect closing to a wonderful meal.


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mignardises
chocolate marzipan, banana caramel, nougat

I was less impressed by Providence's selection of mignardises. I thought Sona put out a much more innovative and delicious offering. The chocolate marzipan were alright and tasted exactly how you would expect them to. The banana caramel were nothing special and the nougat actually tasted a little weird to me. Still, I always get a little excited by mignardises.

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In all honesty, Providence was the best meal I've had in L.A. so far this year. It was simple, yet complex. Each dish was intricately prepared and had us scratching our heads trying to figure out what exactly it was we were tasting, however, the freshness of the ingredients and their inherent flavors still shined through. I had been scared that my palate had become jaded, that nothing could really make me have that eye-widening moment of "mmmm," but Providence reassured me that there are still delicious and impressive meals out there waiting to be had.

*We also had the wine pairing with the tasting menu, and it was one of the best pairings I've had to date. The wines and the dishes complemented each other so well. I chose not to include it in my review because 1) I didn't get great pictures of the wines and 2) I'm a lot less skilled in my descriptions of wines...but I'm working on it :) Basically, what I'm trying to say is, get the wine pairing!

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Taste of the Nation: Los Angeles 2010

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This was my first year attending Taste of the Nation, and it definitely will not be my last. I was impressed. The event was so well organized--there was no scramble for food, definitely no scarcity of food, and the whole atmosphere resembled that of a communal picnic of epic proportions under sunny blue skies. My kind of scene. Sitting underneath a tree in the grassy shade with a frisbee plate full of food prepared by some of the best chefs in L.A. is my kind of paradise.

I tried my best to pace myself, but I could hardly contain my excitement from the minute I entered the grounds to the very last bite I ate. Needless to say, I spent the entire three hours grabbing and trying every thing I could, eagerly moving from one booth to the next. I also tried to save desserts for last so that I would at least have some kind of order to my consumption--it worked except as a result, I missed out on certain things...such as Mercantile's homemade oreos. I will be ditching this technique next year. Who says dessert has to come last?

I had a hard time 1) picking out the pictures to use in this post because I took SO MANY that day and 2) deciding how to organize the whole thing. Do I present the restaurants and dishes in alphabetical order? From favorite to least favorite? In order of consumption? In the end, I went with the last option, namely because it allows me to relive the day, bite by bite, as I write this post. I figure, my appreciation of each dish was also affected by how late or early in the day I had it. Obviously as the day went on, I went from hungry to being ridiculously full. So here we go :)

Taste of the Nation: Los Angeles 2010
@Media Park in Culver City

XIV
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hamachi tartare, nuoc cham gelee, caramelized lapxuoug, peanut caramel powder, compressed cucumber

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braised and grilled Piedmontese beef cheeks, lime hoisin glaze, summer corn foam, micro cilantro

These were my first bites of the day, and they didn't disappoint. The beef cheek was tender and the hamachi dish was the best variation of raw fish I had all day. Both had an asian flair and they began the trend of a piece of braised meat on some kind of creamy base and that of overly sweet preparations.


Public Kitchen & Bar
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watermelon, creme fraiche, tomato

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duck & fennel sausage with foie gras, pink muscat grape/apple slaw

Public Kitchen & Bar is a new gastropub taking over what used to be Dakota in the Roosevelt Hotel and what they offered at TOTNLA was a preview of what's to come. At first I thought the creme fraiche was burrata, but sadly it wasn't. The watermelon itself was refreshing but, I'm not sure I loved this. The other dish was a duck sausage that tasted like italian sausage--probably because of the fennel. I didn't really get much foie gras in it, but the grape apple slaw was a nice touch.


Moonshadows
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spicy tuna tartar

Not a fan of this--for an event like TOTNLA, stomach space is precious real estate and this tasted too much like something I could get at any fusion sushi place. It seemed to be a lot of people's favorite. The tuna was indeed very fresh, but the seaweed salad overpowered the fish just like it does everything else. There wasn't really anything all that exciting about it, other than the wasabi creme that burned all the way up my nose.


The Foundry on Melrose
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grilled cheese

I finally got to try some of Chef Greenspan's famous grilled cheese. We hovered over this booth for a while, eagerly anticipating the gooey cheesiness frying up in butter. It didn't disappoint. The cheese was wonderfully melty and the bread was perfectly crusted. I'm not sure what kind of cheese it was but it reminded us of brie, and the bread had slightly sweet raisins and some nuts. I piece I ate only amounted to a quarter of an actual sandwich but it was rich enough to be satisfying...not sure I could finish an entire one.


Westside Tavern
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short rib with caramelized onion, horseradish creme fraiche

Westside Tavern's offering was so good it surprised us. It didn't look or sound like much, but it was so well prepared. Sitting on top of a crispy crostini, the unassuming piece of short rib was melt-in-your mouth tender, the caramelized onions so amazingly sweet, while the horseradish balanced the whole bite.


Napa Valley Grill
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Sweet Corn Agnolotti with La Quercia Pancetta

I didn't eat these two...my friend had an odd expression on after trying the tomato gelée so I figured I'd pass on it. Apparently the corn agnolotti was pretty standard. They were visually appealing though...


Bottega Louie
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torchon foie gras with organic apple gastrique & marcona almond brittle

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heirloom tomato, watermelon & feta salad

The torchon foie gras was my first favorite bite of the day. I loved how airy and crispy the little round of bread was, how seductively creamy the foie gras was, and how together, with the crunchy bits of almond brittle and sweet drizzle of apple gastrique, the whole thing made me swoon. I think I ate at least four of these throughout the day. I would've had more but they might've looked at me funny. The poor tomato, watermelon, feta salad couldn't to live up to the foie gras torchon. I think if it hadn't been sitting next to that little piece of perfection, it would've gotten a lot more attention from me. Even still, I thought the salad was a nice refreshing combination, and it's something I'm planning on repeating in my own kitchen this summer.


Nobu
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miso marinated black cod with butter lettuce

I don't understand all the hype about Nobu's miso black cod. Sure, maybe he's the one that made it popular here in the U.S. but heck, that doesn't make his the best. And to be honest, miso marinated fish is not difficult to prepare. I thought it was too sweet. My mom does it better ;)


Mercantile/District
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braised octopus, potato salad

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pork belly, pickled watermelon rind, grits

I think out of all the restaurants at TOTNLA, Mercantile had the most offerings. Other than the octopus and pork belly, they had a passionfruit sangria, some kind of beer, a homemade oreo, and some other sweet dish. I only got to try the octopus and pork belly. Both were actually pretty good. The octopus was very tender, though slightly overwhelmed by the heavily seasoned potato salad underneath. The pork belly was deliciously fatty and the grits were nice and creamy. Again, a meat and creaminess combo.


Rivera
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tortillas flor de calabaza

Rivera's tortillas were a revelation. I never used to be a fan of corn tortillas, but that's because I never knew they could be SO GOOD! They were amazing. Another favorite bite of the day. They were not only delicious, but also incredibly gorgeous. I love pressed flowers, and they're even better when they're edible :) If you've never had Rivera's tortillas get your ass downtown and try them NOW. Don't wait like I did. That green guacamole butter smear on top was also very tasty--creamy and spicy.


Akasha
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pulled Niman pork on pretzel rolls with slaw & pickles

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grilled market vegetable salad

I had heard that the best thing at Akasha was the pulled pork sliders. Sadly, they were dry and completely unremarkable. Grace/BLD was offering a similar pulled pork sandwich and theirs was much juicier. I took a picture of the salad just because. I didn't have any of it. Salad just really wasn't on my list of must-eats.


Culina
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burrata with peperonata and Manni estra virgin olive oil "Toscano"

I grabbed this without thinking and it turned out to be a delight. I think it may just be because I love burrata.


FIG
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FIG dog with bacon habanero marmalde, cheesy comte fondue and fritos

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Taco dog with all-beef weiner, slow-braised carnitas, guacamole, creamed rajas, homemade escabeche, thinly-sliced radish, sesame seed bun

So basically, I got bullied into taking a hot dog at the FIG booth. I wanted one of the FIG frisbees to use as a plate--ingenious, I know--but they wouldn't give me one without taking a hot dog. In retrospect, I'm glad the dog was forced upon me because later on in the day, they ran out of the taco dog. It was actually very good. It was just...a WHOLE hot dog. Where am I going to get the stomach space for that? How much food did I already consume? How much MORE am I going to eat? One day, I will visit the FIG hot dog cart just for a hot dog and enjoy it on an empty stomach. But really, the flavor combination of carnitas, guac, and the awkwardly large slice of sweet and spicy pickled carrot actually worked pretty well on top of a hot dog instead of a taco shell.


Fraiche
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albacore tuna tartar, harissa aioli, potato chips

Tasted like potato chip with some creamy dip...honestly, could not really tell it was tuna.


Bistro LQ
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soy milk white chocolate ice cream, america caviar

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macarons--pistachio, black sesame, lemon, salted caramel, chocolate

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chilled porcini soup, mirabelle coulis, foie gras chantilly/espuma

I wasn't a big fan of Bistro LQ's offering at The Gold Standard and really didn't enjoy the similar tapioca-like dish they at had TOTNLA. Their sweets, on the other hand (namely the macarons) I loved. The minute I saw the macarons out of the corner of my eye, I made a beeline for them. The miniature sized macarons were pleasant in texture and not too cloyingly sweet. The salted caramel macaron, especially, was delectable. Luckily, I got the last one :) The pistachio were also very good. I didn't get to try the chocolate but considering how the other ones were, I'm willing to bet the chocolate ones were great as well. Bistro LQ also had a little cone of white chocolate ice cream with caviar. It sounds like a great idea, but I really didn't end up getting much from the caviar. The little cone it came in tasted like a buttery langue de chat. It could potentially be a great flavor combination--if only it had been more forceful.


Border Grill/Ciudad
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cochinita pibil tostaditas

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yellowtail ceviche

I love the Border Grill truck--it's only the only food trucks I get excited for. The bite-sized tostaditas were tasty but nothing too special. The best part was being offered a tostadita by Susan Feniger herself. Love her! The second offering was apparently a yellowtail ceviche, but I didn't eat very much of it. I was excited to see the bits of pig's ear but the whole thing just had a weird taste that didn't agree with me.


Comme Ça
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tomato gazpacho with strawberry sorbet and shaved foie gras

Shaving foie gras seems to be getting more and more popular nowadays. My friend Andrew informed me that it was actually David Chang of Momofuku who started doing it. Although Comme Ça's gazpacho looked like it just experienced a foie gras blizzard, I didn't get much foie gras flavor out of it. It was, however, interesting and I enjoyed the combination of the sweet strawberry sorbet with the acidic tomato gazpacho.


Hatfield's
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horseradish dusted braised short rib on smoked potatoes

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creme fraiche cheesecake with blueberry compote

I finally got to try some Quinn and Karen Hatfield's creations, and they were nothing short of amazing. Hatfield's short rib was one of the best preparations of short rib I've ever had. Definitely one of my favorite bites. From what I understand, this is a dish that is currently on their tasting menu. They meat was perfectly cooked--just look at that beautiful pink color! The potatoes also added a nice smokey layer to the entire dish. And the dessert! This cross between a delicate cheesecake and smooth panna cotta, sitting on top of a sugary graham cracker, and finished with a blueberry compote was the best variation of cheesecake I've ever had. I know, I've already announced quite a few favorites but this is another one of my honest-to-god favorite bites!


Bar 210
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POM spherification

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thai shrimp skewer

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"grown-up" snow cone

The POM spherification literally popped and started fizzing in my mouth. I appreciate that the carbonation made it different from all the other spherifications I've had. It was in one word, fun. The "grown-up" snow cone had vodka, cucumber, and something else and was interesting. However, I can't say I'd want an entire cone of it. The cool smoke from the liquid nitrogen billowing out from the stand mixer definitely helped me cool down though. It was hot that day! The thai skewer I also wasn't very fond of. The shrimp was only okay.


Mar'sel
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barbequed beef bahn mi with house pickled vegetables and chili aioli
California avocado salad, fresh hearts of pal, persian cucumber, yogurt, lemon and dill

I wasn't interested in this bahn mi and from what I heard, it wasn't all that great...


Osteria Mozza/Pizzeria Mozza
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vanilla panna cotta with mized berry compote and biscotti

I wanted to love Mozza's panna cotta, but I really didn't. The flavors were kind of bland and the nutty biscotti didn't help it. I wish they'd brought some kind of cheese...maybe mozzarella?


Sprinkles Cupcakes
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vanilla, black and white, red velvet

I can't resist Sprinkles cupcakes as it is...bake them miniature size and I'm even more in love. They were so cute! Of course, I got the red velvet and ate it in two bites even though at this point, I was already stuffed. I think I actually prefer them miniature sized. The frosting to cake proportion was perfect for me.


Patina
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marinated hamachi, cucumber vinegar, avocado, granny smith apple

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crispy chocolate hazelnut, chocolate mousse

I took one look at the chocolate-colored square and just knew it would be a chocolate hazelnut concoction. I was right. It was basically just a square of chocolate hazelnut mousse on top of a crispy feuilletine. Good but nothing mind-blowing. The marinated hamachi, however, was served on this adorable wooden spoon. Yes, I kept the spoon :) it was too cute. I also love when they break out the tweezers haha. The hamachi itself was good and all the announced flavors were there but they were just a little disparate. I don't think they were working together harmoniously.


Eva
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charred beef, grated radish

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We walked by Eva's booth and Mark Gold was munching on a Riviera tortilla topped with his charred beef. So what do we do? Do the same thing of course! It was the best improvisation we did all day. So good. Eva's beef wasn't fussy at all--hibachi grilled instead of, for example, cooked sous vide--but still wonderfully tender while maintaining the integrity of the meat itself. It was a very good piece of unadulterated beef.


Ford's Filling Station
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lamb burger with wild arugula, spicy tomato chutney and melted Wisconsin hook's baby blue

I was already too full by this point so I only had a bite of this. Fairly good. I thought the blue cheese complimented the lamb very well, but I'm not sure I'd want an entire burger.


BLT Steak
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shortrib tortelli "caramelles," sweet corn, chantrelles, summer truffle

This was good, but I wasn't gushing over it. I actually had the tortelli with some of Kerry Simon's grilled skirt steak and I think that added a little more flavor to the whole bite. Sadly, I didn't get a picture of Simon LA's offering. First fail of the day.


Lago
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housemade parmesan gelato with market grape tomatoes "caprese-style" and 12-year balsamic vinegar

By this time, we were getting close to 4 o'clock and most of the restaurants were either out of food or just starting to pack up. Despite the melted gelato, Lago's offering was actually pretty interesting. It was very much like a caprese salad dressed in a cool, cheesy soup.


Lucques/AOC/Tavern
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olive oil cake with citrus and pistachio aillade

Initially, I wasn't in love with this olive oil cake. However, after a few bites, I realized I actually liked it a lot. The texture reminded me of cornbread, probably as a result of the use of semolina flour, and it was soaked in a fragrant olive oil. The pistachio that topped the little cake was probably the best part of the whole thing. The fresh tangerine segments added a burst of citrus.


Intelligentsia Coffee
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cappuccino

We ended the day with a cup of coffee from Intelligentsia. It was not only beautifully poured, but also simply one of the best cappuccinos I've ever had. Smooth and dreamy, not harsh at all, I wish I could have a cup of cappuccino like this every day.


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It was a great food-filled day, and I can't wait until next year's TOTNLA!