Flore, FoodJiva, Lot 1 Menu!

I like to think of myself as a relatively adventurous eater. Some of the stranger things I've ingested include giant water bugs (wrapped in bacon, but still very buggy), fried cod sperm sack, and fermented soy beans - a.k.a. natto. Trying new things is my thing, if you will. But when it comes to Flore Vegan Cuisine in Silverlake, I always get the same thing: the avocado and "cheese" sandwich.

So it was no different today when I met up with Ted from FoodJiva for lunch. FoodJiva is a really cool online meal delivery service that works with some of your favorite restaurants to get you what you want, quickly then donates a portion of the profits to charity. But back to the sandwich: lots of greens, sprouts, tomato, a layer of cashew cheese and perfectly ripe avocado on seeded six-grain bread. It's healthy, satisfying and so good that I can't seem to try anything else.

Ted, being a first-time Flore patron, opted for the Blueberry Buckwheat Bliss pancakes with tempeh bacon. He was very pleased with his dish and said he'd definitely return. Next time, I will have to try this!

Since I was in the general vicinity, I decided to drive over to Josef Centeno's almost open (May 5th) restaurant and take a peek. No one was there, but the menu was posted in the window so I snapped some pics. I apologize for the reflection in the glass; the sun was not on my side during my impromptu photo shoot. Some highlights from the brunch menu (above - click for larger image) include brioche french toast with rhubarb marmalade, baked eggs with salsa verde, crispy sourdough crust and chicharonnes (<--fried pork on anything is my idea of perfection) and the "Lot 1" spontaneous omelet.

The baco menu (above - click for larger image) reveals some old favorites like the crispy pork belly and short rib carnitas, with some new (to me, anyway) ones like the confit chicken with radicchio, pickled red onion and Greek lebni.

The a la carte menu (above - click for larger image) has a nice variety of light and heavy dishes; the sashimi of yellowtail with charred leek oil, serrano chile and French breakfast radish salad sounds like something I could eat every day, while the pepper crusted steak with bone marrow toast (YES!!!) and kennebec frites would be the perfect splurge.

I'm counting down the days...

Vietnamese Summer Rolls

Lately I've developed an obsession with Daisy Mint, a relatively new Vietnamese fusion restaurant in Pasadena. It's close to my house, but more importantly they serve a good variety of healthy and deliciously spicy Vietnamese food. I usually get an order of the summer rolls, and the Spicy Beef Salad with a side of brown rice. While I shouldn't indulge in the beef salad more than once a week (red meat = not good on a daily basis), the summer roll - with its fresh veggies and paper thin wrapper and $2.50 price tag - is something I could easily eat every day.

But I don't really want to go to Daisy Mint more than I already do, so I decided to make my own summer rolls. After all, I have a package of spring roll "paper" that I bought about 3 years ago and have yet to touch in my pantry.

The key, I learned, to making these types of rolls is to have everything prepped and ready to go. This is important because once you dip the hard paper into warm water and it becomes a soft, gelatinous sheet, you'll want to work quickly to assemble and seal the roll. With this in mind, I julienned some pea shoots, Persian cucumbers, romaine lettuce, jalapeno peppers, red bell peppers and scallions, and set aside a handful of cilantro and a few mint and basil leaves. I chose these vegetables based on what I like in a summer roll; you can choose just about whatever you want but the cilantro, mint and basil give the roll a real authentic flavor.

Though Daisy Mint's rolls are vegetarian, I was making my rolls for dinner, not an appetizer, so I included shrimp. I bought the cooked, tail-on, jumbo frozen shrimp from Trader Joe's, and picked a few out of the bag and let them defrost at room temperature. Next, I dampened a clean kitchen towel and filled a large bowl with hot tap water. In a nutshell, you place the hard paper into the hot water for about 20 seconds or until it softens. Place the softened paper on the damp towel. Place the veggies and shrimp toward the bottom of the paper, then wrap (see more detailed instructions here).

While my summer rolls didn't look as tight and neat as the ones at Daisy Mint, I have to say that I was very pleased with the end result. I served them with a side of sweet chili sauce from Trader Joe's, and a dinner salad with Asian dressing. The only thing I'd do differently next time is to use more jalapeno; the spice didn't come through (I was conservative fearing it would be TOO spicy). Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed these and will definitely make them again.

Josef Centeno: Back to Bacos!

I ran into Chef Josef Centeno (formerly of Opus) the other day and he had some great news: He's opening up a place the first week of May (May 5th or 6th I think) - he's teaming up with the building owner and her son on this venture. He told me it'll be a real "mom and pop" style joint with no fancy frills, just good food. Josef will be serving his famous "bacos" during the day, and an a la carte menu for dinner service every night except Tuesday - that evening will feature a by-reservation-only tasting menu (ressies won't be taken for any other day, just for the tasting menu). The weekend will offer a brunch menu, and Sunday evenings will be a family-style menu of homey stuff like roasted chicken.

The restaurant will be called Lot 1 and the address is 1533 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles (Echo Park). He didn't yet have a number when we spoke, and he's still working on the beer/wine license. I asked if it was BYOB and he said probably not, since allowing people to bring in alcohol will delay getting the license. I'm thinking I might sneak in a flask (shhhhhhhhhh!).

He says he'll be posting menus in the window this weekend, even though they're still a couple of weeks away from opening.

That's all the info I got, but pretty exciting, no???

A Balanced Lunch

Parsley-scallion hummus (Whole Foods), Mary's Gone Crackers (made with seeds), sauteed asparagus, green beans and red peppers, Persian cucumbers and sliced onions make for a filling and healthy lunch.

Scenes from a Family Dinner Party

Cheese plate with Gouda, Truffle Cheese, Hook's Cheddar and a Bleu

Tomatoes with cilantro and vinaigrette

A great Brunello

Teriyaki beef filet

Monk and Molly enjoying the festivities!

Vodka martini with lemon slice

Teriyaki chicken

Mom's famous potato salad

Green tea custard

What I'm Eating...

...after way too much of everything in Mexico. This week it's fish, protein bars and chopped salads. But don't feel sorry for me; I loooooove me a good chopped salad. Romaine, blanched green beans, Persian cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, red onions, corn and grilled chicken tossed with a bit of light dressing, salt and pepper make for a satisfying and healthy dinner any day. Besides, all that chopping is like strength training for my arms, ha ha.

Mexico City: What I Learned

My trip to Mexico City was partly for fun (to see my bro-in-law play; to visit with an old friend) and partly for work (will be writing a story about the Mercado de la Merced for a food magazine). But in the end, it was a learning experience that opened my eyes to the complicated, multi-faceted and curious culinary nature of this packed city.

I had a perfect meal at Pujol, a relatively fancy restaurant located in the Polanco district (called the "Beverly Hills" of Mexico City by some ex-pats). My meal consisted of a hamachi ceviche dotted with tiny dollops of fresh guacamole, a spiced lamb loin with a creamy potato puree and a cheese plate with three gorgeous and delicious marmalades (carrot, beet, tomatillo - what colors!). I didn't want to disrupt the serene atmosphere of the place by shoving my big camera in all my dishes, but you can see some photos on Rebecca's blog (she has a small camera - easy to hide!).

At the mercado, I feasted on real churros - perfectly light, crispy and not a hint of oil. I also split a huarache with my sister. The large, shoe-sole-like tortilla topped with a spicy red sauce, shredded lettuce and melted cheese was the ultimate Mexican street food: messy, sloppy, drippy and delicious. I also sampled some fresh made cheese, a lime skin stuffed with sweet coconut (think key lime pie without the graham cracker element) and a bite of zucchini blossom-stuffed tortilla.

I also had one of the better French meals I've had at Au Pied de Cochon, a restaurant in the Intercontinental Hotel. Between the eight of us, we sampled escargot, beef carpaccio, French onion soup, a chicken dish similar to coq au vin, crusty bread with rich, French butter, an amazing cheese platter, a beautiful steak and a couple of bottles of fabulous rich red wine - all after midnight. The place is open 24 hours; you'd be hard pressed to find that kind of food at that hour anywhere here in Los Angeles.

We dug into a big plate of guacamole with thick strips of chicharrones - known to you and me as pork rinds - at a casual Mexican eatery that featured live birds in cages all over the restaurant. The pork rinds were freshly fried, thick and crunchy and full of fatty goodness. With that I had a tart salmon ceviche with lots of pickled white onions. It just doesn't get any better.

Whether it was 5-star foodie fare or sloppy street food, what is evident is the passion and the love behind the food here. Watching the women roll masa in their hands to make fresh tortillas and slap them down on a super hot griddle and come up with something absolutely amazing was truly a sight to see; witnessing the perfect plating of paper-thin beef carpaccio by the studied chef was equally impressive.

Italian in Mexico

The street on which my hotel was located was pretty-near perfect. On one side, there was a beautifully manicured park with a giant fountain; on the other, cafes (like the one above), lined the wide sidewalk. Roma Sur, the district of which this street is part, is an area similar to Silverlake or Los Feliz in Los Angeles; its known for the artists, musicians and all-around hipster types that inhabit the artsy apartments here.

Just steps away from the hotel was La Piazza, an Italian restaurant and bar. My first encounter with the place proved the progressive nature of this district; my bartender was a transvestite (or transsexual - couldn't tell). She was clearly running the place - she barked instructions to the waiters and juggled pouring wine, wiping down counter tops and taking orders like a pro.

We returned on our last night for a proper meal, as we had witnessed dish after fabulous dish come out of the kitchen that night at the bar. Not to sound naive, but I never imagined finding great Italian food in Mexico. I was also misinformed that there was no good wine coming out of this country, where tequila is pretty much king. Wrong again. Rebecca was delighted to find her favorite Mexican wine, the Santo Tomas Cab Sav, on the list here and I was utterly blown away by how good it was. It could easily stand up to a California cab any day.

Happy with our wine, we hunkered down for a fantastic Italian meal. We started with the caprese salad, made with fresh mozzarella, tomato and what looked like Thai basil. It was drizzled with good olive oil and a sprinkling of dried basil. It was fresh, flavorful and lovely.

The pasta here is offered in the authentic Italian style: Choose a pasta from several options (fettuccine, ravioli, etc.) then choose a sauce (bolognese, carbornara, etc.). I chose the fettuccine with bolognese. The sauce was rich with a slight hint of creaminess from the Parmesan cheese, and the meat was a combination of veal and beef - delicious.

For dessert, we shared this wonderful chocolate mousse cake with three different chocolates (dark, milk, white). Even though Pablo insisted he would only take one bite, but in the end he was fighting forks with the rest of us to get as much as possible, it was that good!

If it wasn't for the Spanish being spoken all around the dining room, I'd have thought I was back in Chianti, Italy. Even the entertainment, in the form of a television playing a lively soccer match, was the same. The only difference was the price; this meal would have cost twice as much in Italy!

Gangs, Chilaquiles and Really Good Coffee

My peripheral vision is quite good. So when I saw what looked like a group of men walking a mere few steps behind us, I leaned over and whipsered to my friend Rebecca that we might want to duck into one of the shops and let them pass. After all, this is Mexico City, a place as known for its vibrant people and mouthwatering food as it is for its developing nation status and street crime. After the group passed us, Rebecca said, "Oh, those are the Hell Boys." Hell Boys? I felt quite proud of myself that we'd managed to avoid a confrontation with a gang - a real gang! "No, like in hair gel. They just pronounce it hell here," Rebecca informed me.

Turns out they were just a group of teenage boys who like to use lots of gooey hair product to make their mops look cool. When we ran into them at a 7-11 up the street a few minutes later, I asked to take their photo. Just look at those baby faces!? Maybe it's time to get my vision checked.

Mexico City, like the hell boys, can give one impression but leaves quite another. What you typically hear about is the how bad the water is and how shady the cops are. Everyone has an opinion on what you should or shouldn't carry/wear as not to attract too much attention, which can drive one toward a state of paranoia. What you'll experience once there is that, like in New York, if you use common sense and follow a few simple rules, you'll discover how wonderful the city is.

One of the wonders we discovered on this trip was Cafe la Habana, the restaurant where Castro and Che planned the Cuban Revolution - or so the story goes. Opened in 1952, the cafe serves an incredibly strong cup of coffee (you can smell it halfway down the block) and an array of Mexican classics and regular diner fare. It's popular with reporters in the nearby newspaper district; my friend Cat, who worked at English-language daily, The News, used to eat here almost daily.

The place is quite big. The high ceiling creates a breezy space perfect for lounging and reading the paper over a steaming cup of killer (literally - prepare for heart palpitations, it's that strong) coffee.

Luckily for me and my blood pressure, the cafe offered decaf. It still tasted great - rich, bold, nutty, with a slight sweetness and a roasty essence but without that burnt aftertaste that coffee often has. But it is quite heavy. One cup will do, trust me.

Unlike restaurants in the U.S., bread baskets are typically not free at cafes or casual restaurants in Mexico City. Yes, the waiter brings it to your table without asking, but the rule generally is that if you eat any of it, you pay for the whole lot. It's cheap, but you still have to pay for it. If you leave it untouched, it will be recycled for the next new table. I wish U.S. rules and regulations would allow this, but restaurants here in the states have to, by law, throw out even untouched bread once it's been "served" to a customer. We didn't touch our bread since we all ordered bread-y breakfasts.

I, of course, got the chilaquiles because I heart them immensely. How good were they? Well, I think my favorite chilaquile dish (from the Primavera stand at the Ferry Building Farmer's Market in San Francisco) has officially been topped. The eggs were perfectly cooked, with just enough yolk to lightly coat the fiery red sauce and the chewy-crispy homemade tortilla chips. And the cool crema and light sprinkling of fresco cheese was the perfect compliment.

Rebecca, who lives in Mexico, opted for the pancakes and ham. While she thought they were a bit too sweet, I actually liked them a lot. I don't eat pancakes often, but these were light, fluffy and had a honey flavor to them.

My sister got the huevos con machaca, which is eggs scrambled with dried beef and a red sauce served with black refried beans and cheese. I think the red sauce was the same as the chilaquiles, but not as spicy. Very tasty and my sister was completely satisfied.

A little history, a great cup of coffee and good, homemade food made for a perfect morning out in Mexico City. Oh, and the service was above and beyond. One of the things you should always do in Mexico City is to have the waiter or restaurant manager call you a cab if you need one; never hail one on the street as you could end up in an illegal taxi cab and be robbed by the driver. Our waiter at La Habana not only called us a cab, he walked us out and made sure we got in safe and sound. It was pleasant and unexpected, just like much of Mexico City.

Cafe La Habana: Morelos #62 (On the corner of Avenida Cuauhtemoc and Morelos, at the eastern edge of the Reforma district)

Off to Mexico, But Before I Go...

...let me share with you this perfect appetizer. This is the butternut squash donuts with curry cream and a touch of honey from Firefly Bistro in South Pasadena (it comes with three - I had already eaten one when I took this photo!). The donut is savory, with the earthy flavors of the squash, and the curry cream is a spreadable texture full of spicy, rich Eastern flavors. But what just pulls the whole taste together is the slight sweetness from the drizzle of honey on the plate. Divine!!!

Brunch at Dan & Giselle's

Giving new meaning to the term, "Hostess with the Mostest," Giselle and Dan put together a spread worthy of greatness for Sunday brunch at their Los Feliz house last weekend. You want eggs? Giselle's got her fabulous goat cheese/sun dried tomato scramble. You want waffles? There's the lighter-than-air homemade variety with berries and whipped cream and whatever else you could possibly desire. Bagels? But of course! There's cream cheese, lox, tomatoes, capers and onions for those right there on the kitchen table. Coffee - with all the proper additions - is already brewed and ready for drinking.

I love these types of brunches because A) I can indulge in white-flour carbs (the best tasting kind!), because normally I eat sprouted wheat toast, and while it's good, nothing beats a big fat chewy bagel; B) Someone else is cooking and all I have to do is eat; C) it's fun to sit around on a lazy Sunday morning and chit chat with my friends.

So what did I eat, you ask? Ur...well...how about a bit of everything? I absolutely cannot refuse bagels with lox, a childhood favorite, with lots of raw onions and capers and easy cream cheese. And waffles...I hardly ever eat them as I don't own a waffle maker and those frozen ones are just bread formed into the shape of waffles. However, I eat mine with just a touch of syrup. Giselle, on the other hand...

...created this masterpiece of waffle/whipped cream/berry goodness. Looks delish, no?

Bagels from Noah's, which we all agreed are the best in California. Big, chewy and not too doughy, one of these will fill you up quite nicely for at least half a day.

LOX. A perfect food, in my opinion. Rich, high in protein, salty and lovely. The combo of salmon and cream cheese is better than P&B, if you ask me.

OH, I completely spaced on the BACON. Here's Dan cooking up some bacon in the broiler. He's looking mean here but is actually a super nice dude. Maybe he's getting splattered with bacon fat? In any case, the bacon was fab-u-lous. Even vegetarians crave bacon, or so I hear. I can understand why.

Here's Kai's well-balanced plate. You've got your fruit/veg with the berries, your dairy with the butter, your meat with the bacon, eggs for protein and the waffle for carbs.

Thanks to Dan & Giselle for an amazing brunch!

LAMill: A Hipster's Paradise

Oh, LAMill. You are THE hipster hangout these days. In one corner, we've got the visiting West Side couple with their matching kids: Mom's dressed in black leggings with an American Apparel off-the-shoulder fuchsia sweat dress with a Gucci belt and a $2000 designer handbag. Dad's sporting jeans that can only be found at Fred Segal and a checkered thrift store shirt over an Ed Hardy tee. And the kids? Considering they'd have grown out of their designer duds by the time you read this blog entry, does it even matter? In the other corner, we've got the super skinny alt-rock couple, looking distant and full of ennui, because smiling is sooooo 2007.

These are the kinds of patron that LAMill, with its perfect Silverlake location, fancy-schmancy coffee service and antique-chic interior, craves. Who else is going to spend $15 for coffee? And yes, the coffee is good, though they could use a bit of help on the execution. On my first visit, I got the second-fanciest coffee, and it was good (ok, great), but it was served in a glass pot. Half-way through my first cup, the rest of the coffee in the pot had gone room temperature. For $12, I expect the coffee to remain hot through the duration of my meal. They must find a better way to execute this pricey coffee.

In any case, we decided to try LAMill again, partly to give it a second chance and mainly because my bro-in-law wanted to check it out. As it was the first time, the food was quite good; my first meal there was a luscious, soft-scrambled egg and crab dish with two pieces of bone-dry brioche toast. The eggs were fabulous, but the toast could use some work. My second visit order was the classic French ham baguette sandwich with butter, served with a side of mustards and cippolini onions and homemade potato chips. The bread was that delightful combination of crispy/chewy, the butter was rich and fatty (read: real French butter) and overall the sandwich was an example of simple food done right but priced for people who don't understand simple food. This time I skipped the coffee and opted for their housemade lemonade, which was not a good choice. The drink was so sour my cheeks ached with every sip. I gave up after finishing half.

My bro-in-law ordered the baked eggs with crab (forgot to take pic). He said it was fine, but nothing special. Our consensus was that the scrambled egg dishes are much better than the baked variety. My sister got the panini with tomato and mozzarella. It was rather bland, and the mozzarella, cut in thick slabs, overwhelmed the rest of the ingredients. The best part of the sandwich was the potato chips that come on the side - light, crispy and absolutely addictive.

Throughout our meal, we were distracted by the lack of service (we had to flag our waitress down every time we needed something; she was completely unaware of our existence unless we practically jumped up and down on the table), and the uber hipsters that decorate the place. The trio at the table next to us were having a riveting discussion about Bob Dylan's hair and role it plays in the fringe culture of folk-alt music. It's hard to feel comfortable eating amidst all that hipster malarkey.

Thanks, but no thanks.

LA Mill

1636 Silverlake Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90026

Open

7 a.m. - 10 p.m., Monday - Friday

7 a.m. - 11 p.m., Saturday and Sunday

Annibirthday Dinner Party

In our family, we like to group birthdays and other significant holidays together. Between February 6-14th, my poor father and brother-in-law have to deal with my birthday, my sister's birthday, my sister's wedding anniversary, my mother's birthday and Valentine's Day. So, it's no surprise that my dad's birthday and my parents' wedding anniversary is one day apart in March. Since we were little, we've always called it the "annibirthday," an annual event that gives us just another excuse to indulge in great food and wine.

This year, I hosted at my place and took on the always-fun role of chef. For starters, we uncorked a good Brunello and paired that with cheese and pate. I picked up a St. Agur Blue cheese, a Campo de Montalban cheese and a chicken pistachio pate from Whole Foods. All three were perfect for the bold, hearty wine.

I served the cheeses and pate with crostini, a few water crackers and some dried figs. I love starting a dinner party in the living room, with everyone lounging on the couches and helping themselves to whatever is on the coffee table. It helps to relax people, which is really the whole point of a dinner party anyway, right? There's nothing more off-putting than rushing your dinner guests to the dining table upon arrival.

For the main course, I chose Salmon Cannelloni with Lemon Cream Sauce from Gourmet magazine. The recipe looked fairly easy, and, most importantly, it was something I could make in advance. I hate spending an entire dinner party in the kitchen, so this assemble-ahead-of-time dish was the perfect solution.

I made the tarragon crepes earlier in the day and kept them resting between layers of kitchen towels. After they cooled, I put a dollop of a butter/shallot mixture on the salmon, then put the fish butter-side-down on the crepe before rolling it all up into a neat cannelloni shape.

I then placed the cannellonis in a single layer in a baking dish. The next step, which I failed to document, was to make an easy cream sauce from butter, flour, cream, lemon zest, clam juice and seasoning. After letting the sauce cool to room temperature, I covered the cannellonis with the sauce and placed it in the refrigerator. About 30 minutes before baking, I removed the dish from the fridge to bring it up to room temperature.

Because this dish is somewhat rich (as were our apps!), I served it with only a simple green bean/red bell pepper/onion saute with a dash of good balsamic.

The fish was tender, surprisingly light and delicious. I would highly recommend this for a dinner party; it's easy, but different enough to impress your guests. Don't be intimidated by the crepe-making; I've never made crepes before, and now I'm hooked. It was that easy.

For dessert, my mom made carrot cupcakes, since carrot cake is one of my dad's favorite desserts. These were super moist and light on the frosting, which I love. There was just a hint of orange zest in the frosting, which matched perfectly with the sweet cake. All in all, another fabulous dinner party. Here's to many more!

La Grande Orange Opening Party

I don't care how fashionably late the typical Los Angeleno thinks he/she is; when there's an offer of free food and drinks, everyone - and I mean everyone - shows up right on time. So it was no surprise that within 10 minutes of the 7 p.m. start time of the opening party for La Grande Orange in Pasadena, the place was already full of people.

But the difference between most restaurant opening parties I've been to (read: BESO!) and this one was that everyone actually got a good amount of food and drink. The place was well-prepared for the onslaught; waiters walked around with glasses of wine, the taco buffet was refilled constantly and the dessert trays were kept stocked all night long. As for the food, we tried the swordfish tacos (excellent), the shrimp ceviche (very good, just needed a bit of salt), guacamole (possibly the best I've had in a restaurant) and the brussel sprout salad (our favorite - crunchy, delicious and well-dressed).

The atmosphere of LGO, as it is affectionately called by its employees, is welcoming and warm. There is a taco bar area, plenty of comfortable seating (booths and tables) and two bar areas that open up to large patios - one of which features a lovely fireplace.

My only fear is that these bar/patio areas will attract the silk-shirt-wearing, hairy-chest-sporting, gold-medallion-toting guys and the stripper-heels-and-tight-dress-that-makes-you-look-like-a-stuffed-sausage-wearing gals that seem to descend on any and every bar in the Pasadena area. They treat every venue as if it's Florentine Gardens circa 1989. There's just no excuse.

But I digress. While the menu here is quite adventurous; they've got a variety of tacos, plus bistro food like steak with mashed potatoes, chicken and pan-seared salmon, plus comfort foods such as mac 'n cheese, and a range of burgers. I'm hoping they can pull it all off, but usually when a restaurant tries to cater to every palate, it does a mediocre job across the board. That said, everything we had at the party was really tasty, so only more visits will tell.

I'll definitely be back, as this place is conveniently located and has a laid-back, easy-going vibe. Summer on the patios will be fantastic, and will likely draw a huge happy hour crowd on a daily basis.

The desserts were so-so, but I don't think any of what was served for the party will be featured on the regular menu. We had little orange cupcakes with a citrus frosting, and split another cake that tasted oddly similar to the cupcakes. Regardless, I am excited to have this great addition to the neighborhood and have high hopes for future dining experiences here. Welcome to the 'dena, La Grande Orange!