What is a Foodie?

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a foodie is "A person who has an ardent or refined interest in food." As of now, I would say that I have an "ardent" interest in food. While, I still eat junk on occassion, I've come to use the phrase "wasting a meal" quite a bit. I have become passionate about cooking, experiencing, and exploring food at a higher level. I become upset when I have to "waste a meal" because of circumstances (others deciding the restaurant, restaurant fails to cook my meal properly, etc). I become excited at the sight of a beautifully presented dish. I become excited when I discover new and interesting flavor profiles. My passion for food led to this new adventure. An article on Slashfood.com states, "To be a foodie is not only to like food, but to be interested in it. Just as a good student will have a thirst for knowledge, a foodie wants to learn about food." I'm interested in learning more about new spices and preparations. This requires an adventurious spirit. I'm the first to admit that I am not a risktaker. However, I have found the world of cuisine a fairly safe place to test the waters. Perhaps, this burgeoning spirit will manifest in other areas of my life. I don't think that would be a bad thing at all.

So, why am I a wannabe foodie and not a foodie? Well, I don't quite have down the second part of the definition, namely the "refined interest". A large part of my adventure is refining my palate. As I experience new flavor profiles, I am widening my perspective. I'm learning more about what I do and do not like, and why. I'm learning more about how important quality ingredients are. It's more than a notion. I'm increasingly looking forward to exploring this world. It's good thing I'm a patient student.

Culinary Drive-bys

I'm slipping. I have not updated my blog in over a month. I'm horrible. But, my schedule was kinda hectic. My crazy schedule, coupled with the oddest financial shenanigans...I just could not make it work. HOWEVER, since last month, I've had the opportunity to dine at three fine dining establishments. Table 8, Bouchon, and Napa Valley Grille. The latter restaurants are not on the blog list, however, they were on my original list.

Table 8- I dined at Table 8 on the 27th of October. I've heard great things about Govind Armstrong, and after his appearance on Top Chef, I was even more interested in checking out the late night menu. So, we (a soror and I) decided to go after a Halloween event. Of course, I had a cocktail. It was delicious. I was also excited to see the fresh ingredients they had on hand to prepare the cocktails. Fresh basil and other fun things. I had a delicious cocktail made of mango puree and champagne. Mmmm. For my little snack, I had the grilled cheese with pulled pork. Omigoodness, it was so good. My only complaint was that I wish there was more. I also had a chance to sample my soror's dish. She had the grilled rare tuna crostini with chick pea puree and tapenade. Now, I'm not a big fan of tuna. However, I have never met a tapenade I didn't like. So, I gave it a try, and I LOVED IT. It was absolutely delish! Add to that, friendly and prompt service. I'm so there for dinner. On Tuesday night they have a $50 five course prix fix meal that I will check out later.

Bouchon- I dined at Bouchon (Cal-French fusion) on November 11th. My lovely best friend and I went wine tasting in Santa Barbara. I told her that I would have to drag her to this restaurant. I just HAD to go. This was the restaurant I decided not to go to on my last visit. Of course, I left my little notebook at home. So, here we go with my failing memory. I started with a broccoli soup. It was really smooth. I'm so jealous of how smooth that soup was. It was tasty, but not memorable. I really wanted to start with the Lobster Pot Pie, but it was too much for one person, so I didn't get it. Regret, thy name is Lobster Pot Pie. Anyway, I ordered the Bourbon & Maple-Glazed California Duck Breast with thyme-infused jus, succotash of corn, fava beans
applewood-smoked bacon and Windrose Farms butternut squash. The duck was perfect. It was simply perfect. Tender. Seasoned well. By far, the best of my Santa Barbara ducks. But, even the duck could not rival the vegetables. Now, I'm a big fan of veggies. However, I almost didn't order the duck because of the vegetables that accompanied the dish. Butternut squash? Succotash? Fava beans? Bacon? Ok, not a fan of ANY of those. But, hey, I tried it. I'm not 5. Really, I'm not. I'm so glad I did! It was magic. I know, strong words for vegetables, but I did not want to stop eating them. The sweetness from the corn and squash. The salty sweetness from the bacon. Also, add to that an unbelievably creamy sauce. Again, it was magic. See, that's why I admire great chefs. They can make a believer out of me. Alas, no cocktails or wine were had with dinner. We spent the day drinking an unbelievable amount of wine. That's about it. I know I'm leaving out a lot of details. Considering how much I drank that day, I am going to pat myself on the back for remembering anything at all. **pat pat**

Napa Valley Grille-Two of my wonderful soror-friends took me out to a surprise lunch to celebrate my AKAversary. So, last weekend I dined at Napa Valley Grille. First of all, can I just say CUTE. It was just so nicely decorated. Just, simple. Clean. Loved it. For lunch, I had the Yountville special. All of the lunch specials are named for a city in the Napa Valley. It included a soup, salad, and sandwich (which appeared on my plate trio style). Very nice. So, I started with my Onion Soup, not French Onion. I cannot remember the city, but the waiter made a point that it was not French Onion. It wasn't. It was a little sweeter and there was no cheese. Still, it was very good. Contrary to the actual size of my bowl, it turned out to be a neverending bowl of soup. Next, was the apple salad. It consisted of radicchio, blue cheese, apples, and a vinaigrette. It was refreshing, crisp, and light. Perfect in between the soup and the sandwich. Ok, thanks to my never ending bowl of soups, my dining companions were almost done with their meals before I started my sandwich. I took one bite of my tender braised BBQ Short Rib Sandwich and it was over. It was so good, I finished it in record time. I admit, it was a little messy, but the taste was wonderful. The short rib was so tender. I think I will have to go back...soon...just for that sandwich. I love when something as simple as short ribs are done so well. Again, that's the beauty of good chefs. Not only do they have the ability to deliver delicious high end products, they are able to elevate the mundane.

We had dessert and wine. For dessert, we had the Chocolate Sampler. It included a milk chocolate mousse, warm chocolate cake, and a mocha semifreddo. They were really tasty. I've heard of semifreddo's, but I've never had one. It was good. The consistency is very hard to describe. It's like a softly frozen mousse. We also had a dessert wine flight with our trio. The wine was divine. Since, they were out of one of the wines commonly included with that flight, they gave us a replacement. I'm SO glad they were out because we were in for a treat. We were presented with a glass of Dolce Late Harvest dessert wine. It was a rich amber color. Lovely. So, great end to a great afternoon.

So, that's it for now. I'm trying to decide when and where to schedule my next dinner.

So, what now?

Well, I've completed all of my flashbacks and I'm officially finished with Top Chef. So, what now? I continue my quest that's what! Because I failed to write down my comments from the previous restaurants, I didn't want to visit new ones until I finished my flashbacks. Meals and reactions were all mushing together. From this point on, I will take notes. Cause, with food, it's all about the details.

So, here's the list of restaurants I plan to visit. Only the ones in Los Angeles.

Providence
Spago
Lucques
Simon LA
Craft
Taste
Osteria Mozza
Social
Table 8
Cut

My goal is to dine at a new restaurant at LEAST once every two weeks.

Hung and his Monkey Win Top Chef!!!

I made no secret of the fact that I was rooting for Hung and Tre. I thought we saw the final two during the first elimination challenge. Unfortunately, Tre was eliminated far too soon. Despite all the hateration from the likes of Dale, CJ, Brian, and occasionally Casey, Hung has claimed the Top Prize. Already an Executive Sous Chef at Guy Savoy in Las Vegas, he has managed to get his name out there in a major way. Not only is he known to the many Top Chef viewers, legends of the culinary world know exactly how talented he is. Way too go Chef Hung! Oh, and congrats to your monkey as well.



The recap. The chefs are taken on a ski lift to the exclusive Aspen Mountain Club. They are greeted with an array of wonderful, fresh seasonal ingredients to work with. Their challenge-simply to make the best three course meal of their lives. They have 35 minutes to work out a menu. Important changes this year-the chefs will present their courses at the same time. Awesome! So, the chefs begin to plan their menus. Later sharing their menus so that they can coordinate the meal. Again, although a couple of them had their itchy moments, this cast is so professional and mature. It's awesome. We did not see this much collaboration in group challenges last season. Dale: 1st-foie gras, 2nd-prawns (later changes to lobster), and 3rd-Colorado lamb. Casey-1st-foie gras, 2nd-prawns, and 3rd-pork belly. Hung:1st-hamachi, 2nd-prawns, and 3rd-duck. Ok, yum!



So, then we come to my least favorite part-the selection of the sous chefs. In past seasons, the sous chefs were former contestants. Um, bad idea. I know every reality does it. I even understand why they do it. But, I still think it's dumb and I hate it. They draw knives and Hung gets 1, Casey 2, and Dale 3. Hung is anticipating Clay (the first knifed chef), Micah (the fake South African), and Howie (the sweathog). But, oh no. Top Chef proves how awesome they are. Out comes Rocco, Michelle Bernstein, and Todd English! AWESOME!!! People who were nominated and/or won James Beard awards (that's like the Culinary Oscar). The chefs are relieved, humbled, and excited at the same time. The sous chefs have to take direction from the contestants, and they cannot offer advice. Although, we see that they REALLY want to. Hee. They prep. Rocco and Hung work well together. Casey is a mess. Dale is confident. I'm excited. The next day, about an hour before service, the chefs are told that they will have to prepare a fourth course-which can be served at any point in the meal. Dale cracks me up by adding that he wants to punch Tom in the face. ROFL. I understand. I've had that same feeling once or twice. AT THIS POINT, Sara, Howie, and CJ arrive to serve as sous chefs. Hung gets Sara, Casey gets Howie, and Dale and CJ-BFFs- get one another.



First course-Hung- a play on fish and chips using raw hamachi and fingerling potatoes. Dale-foie gras mousse with beets and donut peaches (and a bunch of other stuff). Casey -foie and cinnamon scented scallop with sous vide apple and lemon poached celery with a bit of roe on top.

Second course- Hung prawns caramelized with palm sugar, tamarind and garlic. Dale's dish is his "surprise" dish of purslane, fennel, and marinated grape salad under a seared scallop, which is topped with freeze-dried corn. Casey-sake-poached prawn on a crispy bamboo rice cake, surrounded by a yuzu-lobster broth topped with more roe.



Third course-Hung-sous-vide duck breast, a chanterelle and lobster mushroom ragout with foie gras, and a sauce of duck stock with lemongrass and black truffle essence. Dale- summer ragout with butter-poached lobster, raw sweet corn, chanterelle mushrooms, basil gnocchi, and curry jus. Casey-crispy pork belly over gingered pea shoots, a "perfectly roasted summer peach" with a sherry and shallot reduction, and a cardamom-whipped crème fraîche.

Fourth Course-Hung-molten chocolate cake with raspberries, an almond and nougatine tuile, and fresh vanilla cream. Dale- rack of lamb poached in duck fat (Mmm) with eggplant and onion puree, olive oil-poached cherry tomatoes, and raw summer squash. Casey-seared sirloin with roasted fingerling potatoes, roasted chanterelles, ruby chard, and a red wine reduction.


Hung won the first course, despite comments about his lack of acid. Dale's scallop dish won the second course. Hung's duck won the third course. Finally, Dale's duck fat poached Colorado lamb won over the judges. Only Casey's sirloin dish received positive reviews. However, she admitted that it was all Howie's work. Hung's dessert selection was heavily criticized as being uninspired and unoriginal. Tasty and beautiful, but unoriginal. Dale's lobster dish was totally panned as the worst of the evening. So, Casey was out of contention. So, the judges had to consider Dale and Hung's meals. In the end, consistency and superior technique won out. Hung was declared the new Top Chef!

Finale Part I

Tonight, our four finalists arrive in Colorado. We get a little bit of info about why they cook. Honestly, it was very informative and touching. Hung and Dale's backgrounds were especially touching. The chefs are giving the opportunity to relax and catch up during a hot air balloon ride. Nice. Soon, the fun is interrupted by their Quickfire challenge.

This quickfire REALLY bothered me. I felt it was too late in the game for this type of foolishness. The chefs were asked to make a delicious dish from freshly caught trout....next to a river with equipment suitable for campers. Their judge? None other than Eric Ripert from Le Bernardin. Le Bernardin is regarded as one of the best restaurants in the entire country. Chef Ripert is considered one of the best chefs in the world, and the chefs knew that. Add this fact to the horrendous cooking conditions, I cannot imagine how nervous they were. In the end, Dale's was too spicy, Hung (aka Dash) finished several minutes before the end of the challenge and left off a very important ingredient, Brian's (who is an executive chef at a seafood restaurant) was a bit of a mess, and Casey's was great. So, Casey was victorious.

We later see that the contestants were able to bring a few items with them. Casey was allowed to use them during this challenge and not just the second part of the finale, which is the norm. Their elimination challenge was to cook for a bunch of cowboys. Their protein...elk? Eww. Dale and Brian turned out two very complex, ingredient laden dishes. In the end, it worked in Dale's favor. Not so much for Brian. Hung's dish, while described as technically perfect, lacked something the judge's called "soul". ***rolling eyes*** Whatever. Casey's elk was cooked too rare. However, her "smokey" sauce was apparently amazing. I call it magic sauce. Were it not for the sauce, I think she would have been in serious danger. In the end we bid adieu to Brian and congratulate Dale. Next up...Finale Pt. Deux!

FLASHBACK: Grace

Here it is, my last flashback. I truly saved the best for last. This was perhaps one of the best meals I have ever had. Simply delicious from start to finish. Standing ovation for Chef Neal Frasier.

As previously mentioned, I review the menu prior to visiting the restaurant. Most menus are posted on the website or on http://www.menupages.com/. Everything looked so appetizing, I just could not decide. So, I had to revisit the menu when I arrived at the restaurant.

One of the more interesting items on the menu is boar. On the web site, there is a picture of the boar chops. I have to admit, they looked very good. Also, I'm a wannabe foodie. Foodies are culinary adventurers. In the end, I decided that I needed to take baby steps. The key word was WANNABE. Next time, I might try the boar. Because there will be a next time. But, I'll get to that in a minute.

For my first course, I had the red wattle pork belly with purple sticky rice and roasted fig. Pork belly is everywhere. I've noticed it on quite a few menus. Again, my parents are from the South, so I've had my fair share of pork. However, I'm not really a huge fan of all types of pork. I hate bacon. I will eat pancetta and prosciutto though. Other ham, no thank you. Pork chops, eh. love Pork loin, yes. But, I suspect I enjoy cooking it more than eating it. My pork aversion aside, I decided to see what all the fuss was about. Verdict: the pork belly was very tasty. It took me a minute to adjust to the texture. After my first bite, I had not yet decided if I liked it or not. Soon, as I took in all of the components of the dish, I really enjoyed it. Pork has an element of sweetness. The purple rice with the fig complemented and heightened that aspect of the pork. It was unlike any pork dish I have had ever eaten in the past. The texture is hard to describe. It was fatty, yet throughout there were nice tender pieces of pork. Different, yet familiar.

When it was time to order my entree, I vacillated between the pork shanks and boar. Considering my first course and the season, I felt braised pork shanks were too heavy. Boar? Do I really want to eat boar? I thought about the first Top Chef episode and their exotic protein challenge. Boar was the winning dish (and the losing one). Bourdain went on to extol the greatness of wild boar. Blah, blah, blah. In the end, I decided it was another pig. So, I nixed it. Oh, but that was just the regular menu. I forgot about the specials. There were quite a few specials. I noticed sand dabs. I haven't had sand dabs in quite some time. I recall fishing trips when I was a girl and coming home with loads of them. They are delicious little fish. But then, Bourdain popped back in my head. He mentioned that restaurants have specials on Tuesday and Wednesdays because they are trying to get rid of fish. So, it's not that fresh and one should avoid ordering fish on Wednesday. *sigh* In the end, I decided on steak. That's not exciting, but hey. I ordered the NY Steak with bleu cheese ravioli. OH MY GOODNESS! That dish was freaking awesome! Most know that steak and bleu cheese complement one another quite well. On occasion, I have cooked steak with a bleu cheese filling. However, I never thought about a ravioli. I ordered the steak medium, and it came out perfectly cooked. It was tender and juicy. Next to the steak were a few perfect pasta pillows filled with a fine bleu cheese. The two flavors were beyond divine. I'm sure a "mmmm" escaped from my lips as I ate. All the while, I was thinking, THIS is food.

Although, I wanted to eat every bit of food on my plate, I refrained. Why? Three words: Donut Shoppe Wednesday. The reason I decided to dine at Grace on Wednesday night is because of donut shoppe night. Every Wednesday, the pastry chef presents an array of gourmet donuts. I had a selection of five donuts and two ice creams. I cannot remember all of the donuts. I recall a tiramisu, meyer lemon, butter brown sugar, and butterscotch. The ice cream flavors were vanilla and pecan rum caramel. Yes, it was as good as it sounds. My favs were the pecan rum caramel ice cream. It was really delicious. I'm a big fan of ice cream with nuts. The sweetness with a hint of saltiness and crunch is always nice. I'm also a big fan of rum. So, I was in heaven. All of the donuts were light, fresh, and delectable. However, the standout for me was the meyer lemon donut. Meyer lemons is a favorite of many chefs. Since I usually try to stay clear of citrus(allergies), this is my first time experiencing meyer lemon. Native to China, the meyer lemon is widely grown in California. They look alot like a lime, and flavorwise they are a cross between an orange and lemon. The donut was delightfully sweet with a hint of tartness. It was so good. The flavor was memorable. I soon realized why chefs love meyer lemons.

If one can fall in love with a restaurant, consider me smitten. I enjoyed everything about Grace. I cannot wait to go back. My long list of restaurants to visit is the only thing preventing me from taking up residence in the restaurant. Honestly, I went to sleep dreaming about the meal. In case you missed it, I highly recommend Grace. It is a bit expensive. However, the portions are extremely large and it is worth every penny.

http://www.gracerestaurant.com/

Top Chef Recap

This was the most awesome episode ever! Ok, so the chefs finally made it to New York. Finally, they were able to enjoy a bit of free time in the city before their challenges...which as I mentioned before were AWESOME.


The cheftestants were invited to eat at the legendary Le Cirque. While there, they were treated to a meal of sea bass paupiette--a potato wrapped sea bass sitting on leek fondue and mushrooms. It looked absolutely delicious. OF COURSE, the chefs were not able to enjoy their meal for too long. OF COURSE, this was all set up for a QF. The quickfire required the cheftestants to recreate the famous Le Cirque recipe in 20 minutes. Hung was first and recreated the dish perfectly. The owner was very impressed by the taste and technique. When he goes back to the table, Dale asks Hung to describe how he did it, and Hung declined to explain his technique. Dale called him heartless. EXCUSE ME!! This secured the nail in the I CAN'T STAND DALE coffin. Is he insane!!! That's the point of the entire challenge. Dale is next and his fish was dinged for lack of flavor. Brian did not completely recreate the dish. The taste was good, but he did not completely wrap his fish. Casey's was touted as the best tasting. Sara, oh Sara. She served seared bass. After proving he was a little pervy with his comment directed at Casey, he selected Hung as the winner. YAY!!! Hung was VERY pleased with himself.


Next up, elimination challenge. The chefs were taken to the French Culinary Institute. The test was to create a fantastic meal using only chicken, potatoes, and onion. Perfect ingredients. Hung made chicken by using the sous vide method (vacuum sealed and then 'poached' slowly). Casey made a variation of a Coq au Vin. Dale created a "duet" of chicken and mashed potatoes. Brian served a type of shepherd's pie using ramps and pheasant sausage. The ramps turning the potato layer neon green. Bleech. Finally, Sarah undercooked a fricassee. In a double smackdown, Hung won. Considering the judges, I was not surprised. Of the remaining chefs, Hung is the most technically skilled. I'm sorry, I don't care how good Brian's dish was. I would have never found out because the appearance was so scary. Who over the age of 5 wants to eat neon green potatoes? Casey, oh Casey. Not a good idea to label your dish Coq Au Vin when it technically wasn't. I know that most people use chicken in that dish now. However, one of your guest judges is responsible for introducing french food to Americans in a big way. If you call it Coq au Vin, he expects Coq au Vin. Know your audience. Dale and his disastrous duet were placed in the bottom two. Sarah, with her undercooked chicken was there also. Alas, the cheesemaker was sent home. I'm actually amazed she made it that far. She was seriously outclassed by the other chefs. Bye bye Sara.

So, now it's finally time. FINALE TIME! I'm so excited! At the same time, I hate to see my favorite show end. I'm pleased as punch at how they managed to redeem themselves from last year's disaster. Again, I'm pulling for my boy Hung. I think he could take it all.


Again, I loved this episode. The chefs were allowed to cook. Great judges and straight up good food.

Dining the Friendly Skies

Top Chef recap time!!! Yeah, I realize it's really late. Yes, I'm aware that this week's episode will be on in a few minutes. What can I say?

It's morning and the chefs are asleep in their beds. That is, until Padma annoyingly calls for them to wake up. CJ was all kinds of excited. Dale, not so much. Tee Hee. Hung dared to dream that maybe she had cooked breakfast for them. But, no. As Dale guessed, it was a breakfast challenge. So, there they are in tattered sleep clothes, robes, slippers, and bare feet...expected to cook a delicious breakfast. LOL. Of course, Hung and his monkey (throughout the show, Hung has referenced 'his monkey') in his manic running around knocked over a glass jar. Of course, he left it on the floor. But, enough about that. The food. Oh my goodness, after this challenge, I had a hankering for breakfast. Hung prepared eggs sunnyside up, seared NY steak topped with mushrooms and onions, and a smoothie. Ok, I wanted that smoothie. It consisted of papaya, bananas, honey, condensed milk, and Grand Marnier. That sounds sweetly delicious. Sara decided to prepare egg in a hole, using whole grain bread. The bread was prepared in the manner of french toast. She also added some prosciutto and maple syrup. She had the salty sweet action going on. Casey prepared a savory french toast with a sunny side up egg. She prepared a celery salsa to accompany her dish. CJ prepared strawberry and cream crepes. He also served a smoothie of blueberries, dates and marscapone. Dale presented a ham, apple, and onion frittata with mustard hollandaise. Brian presented a lobster and butter poached egg with smoked salmon and kalamata olives. There was more. A lot more in fact. He had alot going on with that dish. He also made a berry smoothie. Hung and his monkey reigned supreme. His prize, Padma's book. I was underwhelmed on his behalf. But, Hung was surprisingly non-snarky.


After the quickfire, the contestants were told that they were going to NY. Of course, they were super excited. But, oh no. This is Top Chef. The Magical Elves have a great time pulling the carpet from beneath the chefs. So, only the chefs that survive the Elimination Challenge will move on to the Big Apple.


Elimination Challenge: To create delicious airplane food. It must fit in a certain space, and withstand cooking for at least 10 minutes in the same container. Since Hung won the GF, he selects his protein first. He selects the seabass, which is an oily fish that will not dry out after the nuking. Brian selects NY strip. Dale selects filet mignon. Sara selects salmon. Casey selects veal. CJ selects halibut. My favorite part of this challenge is that my favorite person in the culinary world, Anthony Bourdain is a guest judge. He is the King of Snark. The only thing better than his little zingers is how much HE enjoys his little zingers. In the end, Hung and Casey emerge with the best dishes. Casey is victorious. That's two weeks in a row. She is really pulling out in the end. The judges were not happy with Sara's dry salmon and not-so-good couscous, CJ's too minty salmon and horrid broccolini, and Brian's mushy lobster-purple potato hash. Sadly (or not so sadly) CJ's broccolini is declared the single worst dish in Top Chef history (an overstatement I'm sure), and he was told to pack his knives and go.

FLASHBACK: Epiphany

I was under the weather this past week, so blogging was not at the top of my list of "things to do." However, I'm all better and my fingers are itching to make up for lost time. After I post my experience at Epiphany, I will have one flashback left. After that, expect more detailed accounts of my dining experiences.

I dined at Epiphany on my first night in Santa Barbara. Again, after extensive research, I decided that I had to dine at Epiphany. Not only were the reviews great, but the menu looked amazing.

The B&B was only three blocks away from the restaurant, so I enjoyed a lovely stroll. Since I was a bit early, I stopped in at the bar to enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail--a Grey Goose Pear martini. Mmmm.

I decided on an entree after reviewing the menu online. I decided to have three courses. I ordered a glass of Pinot and looked over the menu. Soon, I was presented with an amuse bouche of a baked baby eggplant chip topped with goat cheese and a thin slice of grape tomato. That little morsel served as the perfect first bite. Eggplant and goat cheese have really distinctive flavors. Initially, I was unsure of the pairing. However, it was really nice. I actually wished there was a second bite. But, that was it. I decided to focus on my three courses.

I ordered a salad...which was unusual for me at a fine dining establishment. Salads are sort of a side show attraction at a fine dining establishment. It's sooooo not about the salad. But, I really wanted a salad. So, hey, I ordered a salad. I selected the Apple Bibb Salad. It consisted of a wedge of fresh Bibb lettuce. Bibb lettuce is a good place to start with a salad. It's not as common as romaine. It's not bitter like arugala, radicchio, or frisee. Bibb is buttery and tender. Highly enjoyable. It was accompanied by thin julienned apple, spiced pecans, and a blue cheese vinaigrette. It was a tasty salad. The sweetness and tartness of the apple paired well with the lettuce. The spiced pecans provided the right amount of spiciness and crunch. But, that was not the best part. The blue cheese vinaigrette was amazing. The blue cheese was not overpowering. I believe it was blended with balsamic vinegar. The combination was a revelation--if, a salad dressing can be described in that way. It was just so good. It was so good, I sat there trying to devise a way to replicate it. It was just that tasty.

For my entree, I selected the Crispy Skin Roasted Duck with foie gras risotto. The star of this entree was the risotto. It was creamy, but not runny. It was absolutely delicious. The only negative thing I could say about the risotto is that I wish there was more on my plate. The portion was minuscule. Sadly, I cannot applaud the duck. The skin was not as crispy as I anticipated. Again, I love Chinese duck. THAT is crispy skin. This, not so much. Also, the worse duck sin was committed. The fat was not rendered completely. Gross. It completely took away from any pleasant elements. Of course, there was a healthy serving of duck. Bleech.

So, because of my disappointment with the duck, I decided to seek refuge in an oldie, but goodie for dessert...Creme Brulee. For those who know me, that might not sound like a good idea. I have left many a restaurant complaining that their rendition of creme brulee was not indeed creme brulee, but pudding. So, there was a chance, that I would leave mad. But, I had faith. I knew they would make it up to me. The creme brulee was custard, not pudding. So, the meal ended on a happy note.

While, Epiphany was a bit of a disappointment, I cannot deny the highlights of the evening. Also, the staff was attentive and accommodating. However, a fantastic salad and side dish does not equal a good review. But, I am open to giving them a second chance. Next time, I will give the Limo Ride (their name for their tasting menu) a try.

http://www.epiphanysb.com/

FLASHBACK: JiRaffe

JiRaffe is a beautifully appointed restaurant in Santa Monica where Chef/Owner Raphael Lunetta reigns supreme. The restaurant specializes in California/French cuisine. For Top Chef devotees, he was the guest judge on last year's beach Elimination Challenge. So, not only is he a much beloved California chef, he is a surfer dude. Gotta love it.

Before entering the restaurant, I had no idea what to expect. Indeed, one cannot imagine the elegant, tastefully decorated two floor restaurant that is JiRaffe. Very simple, but refined. The decor set the tone for the meal. Simply put, the food is both simple and refined. Unpretentious fine dining.

JiRaffe emphasizes fresh, seasonal ingredients. The amuse, which was a little more substantial than a traditional amuse, was a little salad of fresh nectarines and walnuts. It was fresh and delicious.

Instead of the usual glass of wine, I decided to have a cocktail. It was a potent elixir comprised of pomegranate juice and ice wine. Ice wine is a dessert wine produced from grapes that were frozen on the vine. That was my first experience with ice wine. Definitely plan on revisiting it.

For my entree, I selected the Roasted All Natural Chicken with a Garden Ragout of Sweet Corn, English Peas, Caramelized Pearl Onions in a Roasted Chicken Jus. Again, the food was simple, yet very satisfying. The chicken was cooked perfectly. Juicy and succulent. The jus adding even more flavor. The sweet corn, english peas, and caramelized onions ragout was reminiscent of vegetable medley I ate when I was younger. The vegetables were good, however, the caramelized onion was a tad bit aggressive.

If you are in the Santa Monica area, give JiRaffe a try. Fine dining, done simple.

http://www.jirafferestaurant.com/index.html

FLASHBACK: Wine Cask

One of the reasons I started this blog was to maintain a record of my culinary experiences. Since I visited a few restaurants prior to the start of this blog, the flashback reviews will be a challenge. I blame it on turning 30 and therefore losing my memory. Initially, I planned to write my flashback posts in order. However, this week's LA Times Food Section focused on Santa Barbara. I was inspired to write about my experiences there last month. I will try my very best to remember the highlights.


My solo trip to Santa Barbara was my reward for surviving the very stressful process of planning my family reunion. After months of running around and taking care of logistics, followed by a weekend of togetherness and love, I wanted to be alone. So, I booked a trip to Santa Barbara. Took the train, stayed at a charming B&B, and looked forward to a weekend of peace and quiet. Ahhh.

I thoroughly researched the restaurants in Santa Barbara prior to my trip. I decided on three resturants, one for lunch and two for dinner. Initially, Wine Cask was not one of my choices. However, it was noted as being one of the best restaurants in SB on several lists. How could I pass it up?

The restaurant was located a block off of State street and about seven blocks from the B&B. As I turned to enter the path to the restaurant, I entered this lovely courtyard. I was immediately transported to another place and time. As I walked along the path to the restaurant, I was no longer in Santa Barbara. Now, I was in a small Spanish town. It was absolutely peaceful and lovely. Serene. A perfect introduction of sorts.

The decor was simple, yet lovely. I settled in instantly. Ready to enjoy my meal. I started with the Vodka Infused Potato Soup. Ok, let me just say that I'm in love with this soup. No words can adequately convey my feelings about this soup. I just never wanted to finish it. Yes, I wanted a neverending bowl of this soup. The potato soup also had a potato gaufrette (thin waffle wafer), caviar and chive Mmmm. The soup was as smooth as silk. The perfect consistency. The flavor of the soup was unlike any potato soup I had ever tasted. The gaufrette and caviar were wonderful additions. The soup on it's own was strong enough. However, the added texture was a welcome treat.

I followed my superb soup with the Muscovy Duck Confit with dried cherry and sage stuffing with foie gras, wild arugula and cherry spiked duck jus. Whew. I know, that's a mouthful. In case some are unfamiliar with confit, it is a preparation in which food is preserved and cooked in it's own fat. The duck was absolutely succulent. Juicy and cooked to perfection. Outside of Chinese Duck (which is my favorite), this was by far the best duck I've had. The fat was rendered correctly and for that I was elated. When it's not, it can really spoil the experience. The jus. Omigoodness, the jus. It was marvelous. Simply delicious. The stuffing was interesting. It did contain my favorite element...a slighty crunchy crust. The bread was cut into little bite-size squares. The sage was a little strong, but the sweetness of the dried cherry made up for it. I love the juxtaposition of sweet and salty in food. It's just so interesting. As I am not a fan of arugula, it remained largely untouched. I took a small bite, and even I will admit it was pretty good. I enjoyed it far more when prepared this way than uncooked in salads. Since I was in Santa Barbara it was of utmost importance to enjoy a glass of wine with my meal. Frankly, I enjoyed quite a few glasses of wine that weekend. Hey, I say when in Rome.... I believe it was a nice Pinot Noir. I really can't remember. I do know that I am now instituting a note taking element to my excursions. I don't want to forget anything. I was stuffed after my soup and entree, so dessert was not an option. There was a creme brulee on the menu. Although it is my favorite dessert, I must admit that a creme brulee at a good restaurant is a creme brulee. The white chocolate bread pudding sounded delicious. But seriously, I could not eat another bite.

I had a truly enjoyable dining experience at Wine Cask. I plan to dine there the next time I'm in Santa Barbara. When I go back, I will remember to save room for dessert.

Goodbye Sweaty McSweaterson

So, today is Thursday. Therefore, it's Thoughts on Top Chef day. After the huge disappointment of Tre's departure a couple of weeks ago, this is exactly what I needed. I am not a Howie fan. Frankly, he is a bit of a curmudgeon...which is nothing new to Top Chef. In fact, one might characterize Season One winner, Harold Dieterle as a bit of a curmudgeon. However, he was of the cuddly variety. However, I never felt the warm fuzzies for Howie or thought of him as cuddly. He was sweaty, or Sweaty McSweaterson, as I like to call him. Also, he was not a team player. Something essential for a Top Chef (which he realizes as he packs his knives). Season Three is probably the nicest group of chefs...clearly the most professional and accomplished group. However, he was always moaning and complaining and sweating profusely. Eww. He also had a serious problem with speed and timing. Considering almost all of the challenges are timed, that's a problem. So, I say all that to say, tonight was my favorite episode EVER!

The episode starts off with CJ talking about the last challenge and how he did it "for the team". True, Tre is an Executive Chef and more qualified for the position. However, dude you are not a slouch in the kitchen. You own your own company. You want to be Top Chef. Step up to the plate. Also, not helping with Tre's Unbread Pudding was not in the best interest of the team. So, I'm not buying it, but whatever. We find Hung upset about Tre's departure. He considered Tre on his level and pretty much felt bad that his primary competition was gone. Well, he felt bad for all of five minutes. As he should be. No need to wallow. I'm rooting for Hung...it's his game to lose. Lastly, we find Casey saying something. I think it had to do with the fact that she is one of two female chefs left in the competition. But, I could not get over an observation made on one of the Top Chef message boards (yes, it's that serious for me)...namely, Casey is like the Black Widow. Seriously, I hope she never considers Hung a friend. The day she does is the day he's gonna pack his knives. I mean, seriously, stay away from her.

Now, on to the quickfire challenge. They were assigned an aisle at a store and given $10. They were asked to come up with something using ingredients from their assigned aisle and a few items from the Top Chef pantry. Interesting challenge. Hung's dish reminded me of Frank's Alice in Wonderland fantasy. I thought it was creative, but so not right for this. Casey's "banana pudding" looked interesting. I can imagine the ginger and mango pairing up really well. Casey is growing on me. Brian, Brian, Brian. I'm so mad that he ended up with the canned meat aisle. I have a hard time feeling it was decided by the pull of the knife. He picked up Spam. Seriously, he did. The dish he created was composed of Spam, corn beef hash, onions, and a balsamic reduction. I'm not sure how that all worked. I guess it worked just fine. He won the quickfire. I have to admit, it was beautifully plated. Then, there was Howie, who was so displeased by his dish that he trashed it and presented nothing. *sigh* That just annoyed me. First of all, everyone knows that although the judges constantly complain about the cheftestants (TM Keckler from TWOP) serving dishes they need to shove down the disposal...they really don't expect you not to present a dish. But, he blathers on about integrity and blah blah blah. It was lame. The other dishes were not that memorable, so I'll wrap up my thoughts on the quickfire.

Elimination time. Party food for 60 beautiful people at a fashion party. So Fun! Brian allowed everyone to have input. Good idea. However, he failed to make any decisions. Seriously, there were too many items. Ambitious, but not really. I mean, chicken salad on crostini? Salmon mousse on Cucumber? Asparagus with Prosciutto? Word? My appetizers are a little more ambitious than that. So, disappointed. Ambitious quantities of food, but a rather unambitious menu. However, Casey's beef carpaccio went over well. Served in a Chinese soup spoon. I'm so over stuff being served in spoons. But, I admit it was pretty. Oh, Sarah's tomato bread pudding. It looked really good...like a little popover! I will definitely have to try out that recipe. They attempt dessert again. Again, they fail miserably. What is with these people and dessert?!? I understand they are not pastry chefs, but come on. Everyone has at least ONE dessert they can make with their eyes closed. If not, have they never watched this show. Dessert is the Achilles Heel of almost every contestant. I can recall only one person, Dave, who actually thought to memorize a dessert. OH, and he was from the 1st season. Call me MC Lyte, cause I cram to understand.

Judges' Table. Basically, everyone sucked except Casey, Sarah, and CJ. While they were discussing what went wrong, Howie requests permission to address the judges. Then, here we go with all the pontificating and blah blah blah. He withdraws from the competition. So, I get up and start doing my happy dance. But, wait...Padma says it's not up to him. Really? Word? He can't decide to quit something he volunteered for. They let Otto quit last season. They allowed Mia to quit last season. But, noooo not Sweaty McSweaterson. Not Tom's Sweaty Golden Child. All of this was rather unsettling. They have to let him leave. He should have left the 1st episode. LET HIM LEAVE! They dismiss the cheftestants, discuss amongst themselves, call them back in...only to knife him. Woooooooow. That was mean. If they did that to another cheftestant, I would have called shenanigans. But, since it was Howie I just got back up and resumed my happy dance...complete with maniacal laughter.

Grabbing a Burger on Rodeo Drive

First of all, I want to thank everyone for the feedback. Please bear with me as I get more comfortable with this blogging thing.

Before hitting the stores yesterday with my shopping buddy, we had lunch at the Blvd in Beverly Hills. The restaurant located within the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, or as I often refer to it...the Pretty Woman hotel. Prior to visiting a restaurant I always have a little look see at the menu. So, I usually arrive with a pretty solid idea of what I will be eating. So, as I looked over the menu on Friday. One particular item jumped out at me...the Blvd Burger.

I've had burgers on the brain for a minute. Admittedly, I don't eat burgers very often. When I do, I expect to enjoy it. There is nothing better than a good old-fashioned hamburger...or cheeseburger in my case. But, back to my point. A couple of weeks ago on Top Chef, the quickfire challenge involved burgers. The chefs were asked to use the Red Robin menu for inspiration. Most of them were probably inspired more by the chef judging the quickfire...Chef Daniel Boulud. Boulud is a past James Beard award winner and chef of several restaurants. On the show, they highlighted one of Boulud's most popular dishes at his restaurant Daniel...the DB burger. In case you missed the description, the DB burger is composed of an exterior of ground sirloin with a filling of boned short ribs braised in red wine, foie gras, black truffle and a mirepoix of root vegetables. The homemade bun is topped with toasted parmesan and layered with fresh horseradish mayonnaise, tomato confit, fresh tomato and frisée lettuce. All of that, coming in at a cool $27. Amazing. Seriously, I'm salivating just thinking about how wonderful that burger is. It's a carnivore's dream.

So, when I saw the description of the BLVD Burger on website, I knew I had to have it. The website noted that the burger was composed of Kobe Beef, Foie Gras Mousse, Truffle Butter, Chanterelles, and Crispy Onion Rings. However, the burger I ate was a bit different. First of all, let's talk about the bun. The burger bun was a brioche with sesame and sunflower seeds. The texture was perfect. Not too soft, like a traditional bun and not too hard like the bread used for The Cheesecake Factory's Factory Burger. It was also a beautiful dark brown. So, great buns. hee hee

The patty was sirloin, not Kobe. That was fine with me. I enjoy sirloin. The patty needed a little bit more salt and it would have been perfect. In addition to the sirloin patty, we have foie gras mousse and truffle butter. The truffle butter just melted into the bun and added the perfect amount of moisture to the burger that we usually count on mayo to provide. The menu identified the mushrooms as simply "wild mushrooms". However, they appeared to be trumpet mushrooms. Which bring me to my least favorite part of the burger. They are a little waxier than the average mushroom, but very good. Still, the texture didn't work well for me. The burger was so juicy and the mushroom just interfered with the experience for me. I enjoy trumpets more in pasta dishes. Lastly, the onions were not fried rings, they were grilled red onions. I was a very happy camper. I love love love grilled onions on burgers. So, that made up for any disappointment with the mushrooms.

Since I gorged myself on the fantastic pretzel bread prior to the arrival of my meal, I was unable to finish my burger. However, what I did eat, I loved. It was rich and decadent. Extremely enjoyable. But, I would expect nothing less from a $20 burger.

http://www.fourseasons.com/beverlywilshire/dining/the_blvd.html

Flashback: Fraiche

I live in Culver City. For the past year or so, we have experienced an influx of new restaurants and wine bars. I'm loving it. One of the first of the new restaurants was Ford's Filling Station (which is owned by Harrison Ford's son, Chef Ben). I completely forgot my trip there when I wrote my first post. It was sometime late last year. Honestly, I forgot what I ate. I think it was a pot roast with lots of seasonal veggies. I don't recall any details. I just remember it was delicious. So, fork up to Ford's Filling Station.

But, this post is about Fraiche. I went on Sunday, July 22nd. I remember because it was the day after the Harry Potter book was released. Can you say non-stop reading machine? Earlier that day, I went to brunch at Taste (still salty that my poached eggs were overcooked) with a couple of friends and the most adorable baby this side of the Mississippi. I had nothing else to do that day except read my book. So, I holed up in a Starbucks after brunch and read for awhile. Then, I decided that I was hungry again. I thought, I know I'll try out that new restaurant down the street. Apparently, I didn't know what alot of real foodies know---it's not exactly a walk-in spot at the moment. It's really busy. So, picture my surprise when the hostess told me they MIGHT have a table in an hour. An hour? She said I was welcome to sit at the bar. Not. I didn't want the limited bar menu, I wanted a meal...the experience. So, I told her I'd wait. And, wait I did. But, as a true Potterhead, I whipped out my book. Wine and Harry Potter on a lovely, quiet Culver City day...what could be better?

Fast forward one hour. The hostess informs me that a table is available. I am seated at a table in the outdoor patio area. Lots of good people watching. So, I was very happy. Now, let's get down to the viddles.

I started with the Roasted Corn soup with clams and basil. It was so good that I had to remember that Emily Post would roll over in her grave if I did what I wanted to do...which was lick the bowl. Yeah, that was some good soup.

For my entree, I selected the Lamb Spezzatino with Ricotta Gnocchi and gremlota. Spezzatino is an Italian stew. It was a rich, nicely seasoned stew with little tender morsels of lamb. The gnoochi (potato based pasta--kinda like a little dumpling) was really nice. Coupled with a nice Pinot Noir, it was a very successful dish.


After eating every bit of the dish, I had no room for dessert. I was fine with that. Nothing really spoke to me.

Overall, Fraiche was great. I will definitely go back. It's close and yummy.

http://www.fraicherestaurantla.com/

Dining with Frankie and Dean

So, I dined at Jar last night. Let me start off by saying I felt like Frankie , Sammy, Dean, and Peter were going to walk through the door at any minute. The decor was modern retro. I don't even know if that's a real thing, but that's what it felt like. Ok, enough about that. Let's get to the food.

I had the Fried Ipswich Clams, cocktail sauce and roasted garlic tartar sauce as an appetizer. I was not that wild about them, and I love clams. I mean, they were tasty, but I wasn't super excited about them. I was ho hum about the tarter sauce and the cocktail sauce tasted like cocktail sauce. BUT, I was very excited about what I found underneath those little clams...crispy, grated potato goodness. It was a nice little surprise. They were crispy and delicious and a nice break from traditional fries.

My entree was the Char Sui Pork Chop. I ordered duck fried rice and braised mustard greens as sides. Ok, pork is delicious. I spent many years denying how tasty it is. While, I still dislike bacon, I have grown to love tenderloin, pork chops, and pancetta. Anyway, back to the chop. First of all, it was huge. The char sui sauce was really nice and I could taste the flavor throughout the meat. Mmmm. The sides were very good. The duck fried rice was delicious. I'm a big fan of the duck. So, the duck fried rice had me at hello. I also think it was prepared with brown rice. Sad to say, I'm not sure. All I can say is thumbs up! Now the mustard greens. I've eaten my share of mustard greens. I enjoy greens a great deal. So, I had high expectations. Thankfully, they were prepared quite nicely. Very flavorful. However, in the back of my mind, I could just imagine my mother having a fit about me spending $9 on a side of mustard greens.

Dessert. Yes, I had dessert. I was so full, but Banana Cream Pie was on the menu. I LOVE banana anything. It was a nice-size tart overflowing with bananas and cream. OH, and a nice little caramel drizzle. Mmmm. The cream itself was not sweet. As someone who grew up with banana pudding, it was a bit of a shock. However, coupled with the sweetness of the caramel, it worked...subtle.

I also had a glass of wine...white, of course. On the sweet side. I wanted a glass of Riesling or Gewurstraminer, but they did not come by the glass. The sommelier recommended a nice white (don't remember the name--I was kinda busy with my pork chop). So, it was really nice. The sweetness of the wine worked well with the sweetness of the pork.

In the end, I racked up a nice little tab---a subject I will explore on another day. But, I have lunch for today as well. Overall, great meal.

http://www.thejar.com/

So far

It all started with a dinner at Fraiche last month. Well, not really. It started a few months ago at this French restaurant in Culver City. But, it was a forgettable meal. So I will pretend that Fraiche was the start. Followed by dinner at Jiraffe a few weeks ago. After that, I went to Santa Barbara for the weekend. While there, I dined at Epiphany and Wine Cask. Two weeks ago, I ate at Grace. On donut shoppe night, of course. I really want to talk more about those meals. However, I will spread it out...kinda flasback style. Tonight, I'm flying solo at Jar. I'm really looking forward to this meal. More details to follow!

How it all began

I never thought it would come to this, but here I am. Let me start by asking for your grace when it comes to my writing. I can express my ideas, but I am horrible with technical matters. Ok, back to the how it all began. One of my sorority sisters asked if I authored a blog about a foodie in training. At the time, I didn't. However, I thought about it and it's a really great idea.

For the past few months, I have been obsessed with experiencing fine dining. Before that, my interest in fine dining was piqued by a little show called Top Chef (which I am obsessed with) and reading Anthony Boudain's Kitchen Confidential. While I am a decent home cook and enjoy the occasional cooking class, I know that I don't have what it takes to be a chef. However, that doesn't mean that I can't benefit from the fruit of someone else's labor. So, I decided to take up a new hobby---eating.

In the past month, I have been to about 5 or 6 fine dining establishments. I gave my opinions to family and on a couple of message boards. However, capturing my thoughts in one place will be awesome!!! So, this blog will mainly be about food. I'm sure there will be a little Top Chef commentary here and there. However, the focus will be the adventures of a wannabe foodie.