To say we had a good time is an understatement.
Our party of 11...yes, that is correct...7 + 4 1/2, ordered collectively, almost every item on the menu. Our reservation ran a little late as it seems most parties were ordering everything on the menu.
Let's start with the wine shall we? First off, there was no longer any BYOB. : (
But, somehow we "found" a corkscrew and some un-wine glasses.
We started with a Freeman Winery Ryo-Fu Chardonnay. Nice and buttery and just plain beautiful. We were sharing all our dishes family style so we started with the bread.
Vadouvan naan bread w/Salted coconut butter...delicious! We liked it so much we had to order seconds. The bread was just so soft and warm and perfect to start our hungry bellies off in the right direction.
Second came the Lightly smoked grilled squid , Cold white bean cream, Candied olives, Meyer lemon. The squid was cooked perfectly. Very fresh and very refreshing especially when eaten with the meyer lemon. The candied olives gave it a hint of sweetness and the gritty texture juxtaposed the chewiness of the squid.
Next was a dish that none of us had really considered ordering but one of the patrons who sat at our table before leaving told one of our party that it is a must try so we ordered it. Heirloom tomato salad, Mozzarella ice cream, Basil crumble...talk about a great summer salad. A very mod take on your classic caprese. The tomatoes tasted like they had just been picked right off the vine, the mozzarella ice cream took the taste to a whole other level and the basil crumble was like a basil infused shortbread...nice and crunchy and creamy and sweet and tangy all in one mouthful! Very nice!
We then moved on to what was one of my faves of the night...I had read so many reviews of what other diners had tried and knew that this was one of the must haves for me. Poached egg, Potato mousseline, Chorizo condiment...my oh my oh my. This was awesome! Perfectly poached egg at the bottom, then a layer of not super greasy chorizo topped with potato mousseline and garnished with micro orchids. I love love loved this dish. The slight spice of the chorizo and the consistency of the poached egg and the creaminess of the potatoes took my senses into overdrive. I don't think it was the wine influencing my taste buds at this time but hard to say because the wine was a stand-out on its own.
Which leads me to the wine...Egly Ouriet Ambonnay Rouge 2007. I must digress to explain about this wine. The hubby and I had dined a few times at Dakota Restaurant in the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood. Nice steakhouse and the chef does great things with lardon and short ribs (2 different dishes). We got to meet the sommelier who was also playing bartender and server one night. We finished off a bottle of Seghesio Zinfandel and were looking to order another bottle but they were out. He recommended the Turley instead, which we ordered, and proceeded to tell us about this Pinot Noir that he had tried and he described it as a "life-changing pinot noir." So of course that just piqued our interest even more and we set out to hunt for this bottle of wine. No one in the LA area carried it so we started branching out farther...Northern CA. One distributor in Berkeley carried it but listed no price and one had to call to check for availability. You know what this meant...beaucoup bucks! We made the call and sure enough...$120 was the price tag and it would need to be special ordered. With relatives about to visit from France, we asked our niece to help locate this elusive wine. She found it but she would not be able to order it in time for her departure...however, her fiancee would be joining her the week after and he could bring it. Magnifique...he ordered, flew and brought the precious cargo to LA! This night at LudoBites would be the night that we tried the "life-changing pinot noir." We had chilled the wine in the wine cooler and by the time it hit our glasses it was the perfect temperature.
Wine Notes on the Egly Ouriet...terroir terroir terroir. This was the smoothest pinot I had ever tasted. You could definitely taste that it was not made in CA. This was an old world wine full of character...not loud, sweet or jammy. Not in your face. It was smoky, earthy...you could taste clay, minerals...it was in one word...REFINED! It's one of those wines that you can just sit in front of a fire and sip...no food...just wine.
Next dish was the Hot foie gras dynamite, Raw tuna, Lychee, Crackers. Everyone kept looking for the crackers but it was not in the form of a cracker but more a mushed moist cracker paste. The foie and tuna and lychee were amazing. Perfect consistency on the foie...cooked but still nice and creamy in the center. The tuna was good quality fish and the lychee added just the right amount of sweetness. I regret to say I did not try the cracker.
Then we had Grilled octopus, Oregano, Grilled hazelnut polenta, Pineapple aoili, Piment d'espellette gelee. Definitely a surprise for us...this dish was really good! The octopus was tender. Chewy too but very tender and not fishy at all. Very good mouthfeel to the dish and the flavors played well together.
We then moved on to a fish course...Wild striped bass, Grilled yellow corn Mexican style, Salted butter powder, Fresh wasabi salsa. This dish was another amazing creation. The bass was perfectly cooked with a crispy skin on top. My dining companions couldn't stop raving about the corn with the salted butter powder. The corn was very fresh and sweet. The salted butter powder gave it just the right hint of saltiness and the fresh wasabi salsa was very refreshing. I believe it was tomatillo in the salsa. Another highlight of the evening.
Next was a dish that had just appeared on the menu that day...Slow roasted veal, Morels, Green asparagus, Yellow wine, Oysters, Garlic cheese bubbles, Chinese BBQ sauce. My hubby liked this dish best. The veal was very fresh and the Chinese BBQ sauce had a hint of star anise in it. Although foam was so 5 years ago...Chef Ludo did a great job with the garlic cheese bubbles. The morels were a great accompaniment to the veal. By this time we had moved on to our 3rd bottle of wine for the night. A zinfandel from the Russian River Valley. This went nicely with the veal.
Our last savory dish was the Confit pork belly, Raw choucroute Thai style, Mustard ice cream. Usually, pork belly is one of my favorite dishes; however, this one was too lean for my taste. The belly hardly had any fat...it was almost as if the pig had done sit ups...it was so lean. The choucroute was very refreshing and the mustard ice cream rounded out the taste nicely by enhancing the acidity of the choucroute. Our last bottle for the night was a nice Alexander Valley Cab Sauv from Lake Sonoma Winery. A nice bold Cab before hitting dessert.
Our first dessert that everyone had been drooling for at the beginning of dinner was the Caramel souffle, Blanco grapefruit, Fleur de sel ice cream. This dessert was outstanding! The sweet, the salty, then the slight bitter and citrus tang of the grapefruit just tied it all together. It was one of those desserts that you would not share if you didn't have to or if you weren't so full! Beautifully executed!
And last but not least was the Matcha green tea almond cake, Red berries, Mascarpone mousse. The matcha was very strong and made the cake a little too bitter for my taste. The red berries with the mascarpone mousse was good but nothing spectacular.
All in all a stellar night of food and wine and good company! Chef Ludo made an appearance and took the obligatory photos and signed our menus; however, you could tell the poor guy was tired and just wanted to get home. It was definitely a memorable meal. I was asked how this compared to our French Laundry experience. Both were stellar in their own ways. Both very different in style and taste and textures. It would not do one justice to compare it to the other as they were both fantastic experiences. I can only hope I should be so lucky to be able to score another reservation at LudoBites or French Laundry!
Friday, August 13, 2010
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Tanino (Westwood)
We made reservations through Opentable.com to celebrate my birthday. I had been there before but my hubby hadn't.
We got there and were seated promptly. We were handed menus and a wine list. Our server came over to introduce himself and for whatever reason, he took the wine list away. We asked if the chef was able to prepare a tasting menu but the server said they didn't have that available but he could do a sampler of sorts. We just needed to choose 3 pastas and 3 salads and he would "make it happen." We decided against the sampler and instead chose 4 courses that we were going to share.
1st course: Beef carpaccio - yummy - served with the traditional capers but they served them with these green olives that were salty and delicious!
2nd course: Risotto with squid ink and calamari - funky but delicious! - I'd been on a kick where I wanted to try food cooked with squid ink after seeing it on Richard Zimmern's show. The garlic and inky blackness of the risotto was so yummy.
3rd course: Linguine frutti di mare - the pasta was perfectly al dente and the sauce was great...not too acidic...just right! The seafood was also fairly fresh.
4th course: Osso Bucco - OMG...the meat was fall off the bone tender and the polenta was a fantastic complement. Creamy and delicious.
5th course: Tiramisu - the perfect end to our meal...not too sweet and deliciously creamy and light! Our server gave us complementary glasses of moscati di asti which was perfect with the tiramisu.
Only complaint of the evening was that they took the wine list away and our 1st course was served before they served us our wine choice...Caymus 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. Not only that but our server was rather sloppy when serving the wine since he splashed some of it and spilled it down the side of the glass. So did not expect this from an establishment like this.
Overall though, we will be back to Tanino...
We got there and were seated promptly. We were handed menus and a wine list. Our server came over to introduce himself and for whatever reason, he took the wine list away. We asked if the chef was able to prepare a tasting menu but the server said they didn't have that available but he could do a sampler of sorts. We just needed to choose 3 pastas and 3 salads and he would "make it happen." We decided against the sampler and instead chose 4 courses that we were going to share.
1st course: Beef carpaccio - yummy - served with the traditional capers but they served them with these green olives that were salty and delicious!
2nd course: Risotto with squid ink and calamari - funky but delicious! - I'd been on a kick where I wanted to try food cooked with squid ink after seeing it on Richard Zimmern's show. The garlic and inky blackness of the risotto was so yummy.
3rd course: Linguine frutti di mare - the pasta was perfectly al dente and the sauce was great...not too acidic...just right! The seafood was also fairly fresh.
4th course: Osso Bucco - OMG...the meat was fall off the bone tender and the polenta was a fantastic complement. Creamy and delicious.
5th course: Tiramisu - the perfect end to our meal...not too sweet and deliciously creamy and light! Our server gave us complementary glasses of moscati di asti which was perfect with the tiramisu.
Only complaint of the evening was that they took the wine list away and our 1st course was served before they served us our wine choice...Caymus 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. Not only that but our server was rather sloppy when serving the wine since he splashed some of it and spilled it down the side of the glass. So did not expect this from an establishment like this.
Overall though, we will be back to Tanino...
Captain Crab (San Gabriel)
I have to say that this place is an almost exact copy of Boiling Crab. Even the laminated menus are the same except this place offers a few other things on their menu and the wait was not nearly as long as BC.
We walked in (party of 5) around 7:15ish on a Saturday night and there was no wait. We were seated promptly and given menus. After that it was all downhill. They came to take our order but we weren't ready so we asked for a minute to decide...they never came back. We also had questions about the menu. My sister wanted to know what type of fish they used in their fish and fries basket...the waitress did not know. We also asked what type of oysters they served on their regular menu since they had a special menu which had 3 types listed and the prices were not the same as on their regular menu...the waitress didn't know. Also, another con is that the prices are all higher than BC...50 cents to $1.00 more per item.We finally had to raise our hands to get a waitress' attention to place our order. We ordered shrimp, fish and fries, fried scallops and fries, clams, oysters and a couple of beers. The shrimp was good...not as oily as BC's and had a hint of coconut in the sauce. The fish, which turned out to be halibut, was fairly fresh and we had asked that they substitute the regular french fries for sweet potato fries...they couldn't get this request correct so we had to send the order back. The scallops and fries were ok. The clams were pretty good. The oysters were Kumamoto and very yummy although they didn't serve them with a sauce the way BC does.We had also ordered corn to be cooked in the same bag as our shrimp but it never arrived. We weren't able to flag our waitress down until our meal was almost done so when we were finally able to get ahold of her, we asked her to cancel the corn. She said that the corn was coming and it would be ready in a minute. We said no, thank you, and wanted to cancel it but she couldn't understand that we really wanted to cancel the order. She said that if we'd wanted it in the shrimp bag she would bring the corn and mix it in the sauce for us...WTF?...we're not invalids...we're able to do that ourselves.Needless to say, we're not going to be returning to Capt. Crab anytime soon!
We walked in (party of 5) around 7:15ish on a Saturday night and there was no wait. We were seated promptly and given menus. After that it was all downhill. They came to take our order but we weren't ready so we asked for a minute to decide...they never came back. We also had questions about the menu. My sister wanted to know what type of fish they used in their fish and fries basket...the waitress did not know. We also asked what type of oysters they served on their regular menu since they had a special menu which had 3 types listed and the prices were not the same as on their regular menu...the waitress didn't know. Also, another con is that the prices are all higher than BC...50 cents to $1.00 more per item.We finally had to raise our hands to get a waitress' attention to place our order. We ordered shrimp, fish and fries, fried scallops and fries, clams, oysters and a couple of beers. The shrimp was good...not as oily as BC's and had a hint of coconut in the sauce. The fish, which turned out to be halibut, was fairly fresh and we had asked that they substitute the regular french fries for sweet potato fries...they couldn't get this request correct so we had to send the order back. The scallops and fries were ok. The clams were pretty good. The oysters were Kumamoto and very yummy although they didn't serve them with a sauce the way BC does.We had also ordered corn to be cooked in the same bag as our shrimp but it never arrived. We weren't able to flag our waitress down until our meal was almost done so when we were finally able to get ahold of her, we asked her to cancel the corn. She said that the corn was coming and it would be ready in a minute. We said no, thank you, and wanted to cancel it but she couldn't understand that we really wanted to cancel the order. She said that if we'd wanted it in the shrimp bag she would bring the corn and mix it in the sauce for us...WTF?...we're not invalids...we're able to do that ourselves.Needless to say, we're not going to be returning to Capt. Crab anytime soon!
Saturday, May 24, 2008
750 ml (South Pasadena)
So the hubby and I were looking for a place to have a nice anniversary dinner. We celebrate like 3 anniversaries but that's neither here nor there. This year was our 10th year wedding anniversary, 11th year of knowing each other and 3rd year since the wedding. It's complicated...
Anyway, so we look for a place to try and my coworker had been browsing for a date night spot for him and his wife a few weeks ago and mentioned 750 ml. We are both foodies (my coworker and I) and knowing that this was a wine bar/bistro had both our mouths watering.
So I book the reservation for 6:30 pm on Thursday and LA was hit by some insane weather...rain, hail, tornadoes, etc. It was crazy! I work on the west side and it took me 2 hours to get to downtown LA and another 1.5 hours to get home since I hopped off the freeway and took surface streets. Needless to say I had to change our reservation and they were very nice and accommodating. By the time I got home all I wanted was a glass of wine and some good eats.
We drive to 750 ml and it's a quaint little spot right by the railroad tracks. We walk in and I was surprised by how casual the place was. The website I had visited had said casual elegant and I expected a much fancier place but it was very French in that it was dark with little bistro tables (even the light bulbs were different) a small bar and just very cozy. We were offered a seat by the window next to another couple but I wanted a little more privacy so I asked if we could be seated a little bit away on the other side of the alcove right by the window also. They were so nice and obliged.
The menu was very simple...starters and finishers (translated: appetizers and main courses). They had a wine list on a single sheet of paper, front and back, and they carried a lot of lesser known wines. We are used to California, particularly Napa wines, but they carried lots of foreign wines that we were not familiar with (French, Portuguese, Argentinia, Spain, etc.). No worries...we let the server know what dishes we were going to order and she kindly made suggestions on wines...which by the way went perfectly with the food.
I ordered the lamb prosciutto dish as a starter with the French burgundy. My hubby started with the soft shell crab dish and an Italian verdicchio. My prosciutto came with fresh house-made burrata, some micro greens and plantain chips. The prosciutto was very lamb-y but the burrata was very good. And it was very well paired with the burgundy. Hubby's soft-shell crab was fried and served with mango, plantain chips and a nice sauce. His went perfectly with the verdicchio.
For the finishers, we ordered the Alaskan halibut and the Kobe steak frites. The wines were just switched around this time as I was having the fish and he the red meat. My halibut was served on a bed of pureed potatoes (very buttery) with diced wild mushrooms. The texture was nice and firm and when served, the fish had a nice slight crispness to the outside. The Kobe was very lean...surprising since Kobe's are known for their marbling throughout. His steak was cooked perfectly (medium rare); however, it did not seem like a Kobe...too lean. We both finished our finishers and then came the dessert menu.
The dessert menu was more of a cheese menu with a few dessert selections thrown in. There were lots of cheese options and since neither of us were really big cheese eaters, we just moved on to the dessert section. Not very much to choose from...panna cotta with peach and blueberries, bread pudding and chocolate cake with ice cream. We opted for the chocolate cake but were a little disappointed. It tasted like it had been baked with way too much chocolate and the exterior was a little too hard. Not enough ice cream in my opinion.
All in all, it was good to have tried it. We now know where to go in case we really crave steak frites (since the Crepe Vine Bistro can no longer provide hot foods due to the multiple fires in their kitchen). I would say give it a try but be prepared to spend a good amount of $$$ since it is not cheap. You only live once, right? Bon appetit!
Anyway, so we look for a place to try and my coworker had been browsing for a date night spot for him and his wife a few weeks ago and mentioned 750 ml. We are both foodies (my coworker and I) and knowing that this was a wine bar/bistro had both our mouths watering.
So I book the reservation for 6:30 pm on Thursday and LA was hit by some insane weather...rain, hail, tornadoes, etc. It was crazy! I work on the west side and it took me 2 hours to get to downtown LA and another 1.5 hours to get home since I hopped off the freeway and took surface streets. Needless to say I had to change our reservation and they were very nice and accommodating. By the time I got home all I wanted was a glass of wine and some good eats.
We drive to 750 ml and it's a quaint little spot right by the railroad tracks. We walk in and I was surprised by how casual the place was. The website I had visited had said casual elegant and I expected a much fancier place but it was very French in that it was dark with little bistro tables (even the light bulbs were different) a small bar and just very cozy. We were offered a seat by the window next to another couple but I wanted a little more privacy so I asked if we could be seated a little bit away on the other side of the alcove right by the window also. They were so nice and obliged.
The menu was very simple...starters and finishers (translated: appetizers and main courses). They had a wine list on a single sheet of paper, front and back, and they carried a lot of lesser known wines. We are used to California, particularly Napa wines, but they carried lots of foreign wines that we were not familiar with (French, Portuguese, Argentinia, Spain, etc.). No worries...we let the server know what dishes we were going to order and she kindly made suggestions on wines...which by the way went perfectly with the food.
I ordered the lamb prosciutto dish as a starter with the French burgundy. My hubby started with the soft shell crab dish and an Italian verdicchio. My prosciutto came with fresh house-made burrata, some micro greens and plantain chips. The prosciutto was very lamb-y but the burrata was very good. And it was very well paired with the burgundy. Hubby's soft-shell crab was fried and served with mango, plantain chips and a nice sauce. His went perfectly with the verdicchio.
For the finishers, we ordered the Alaskan halibut and the Kobe steak frites. The wines were just switched around this time as I was having the fish and he the red meat. My halibut was served on a bed of pureed potatoes (very buttery) with diced wild mushrooms. The texture was nice and firm and when served, the fish had a nice slight crispness to the outside. The Kobe was very lean...surprising since Kobe's are known for their marbling throughout. His steak was cooked perfectly (medium rare); however, it did not seem like a Kobe...too lean. We both finished our finishers and then came the dessert menu.
The dessert menu was more of a cheese menu with a few dessert selections thrown in. There were lots of cheese options and since neither of us were really big cheese eaters, we just moved on to the dessert section. Not very much to choose from...panna cotta with peach and blueberries, bread pudding and chocolate cake with ice cream. We opted for the chocolate cake but were a little disappointed. It tasted like it had been baked with way too much chocolate and the exterior was a little too hard. Not enough ice cream in my opinion.
All in all, it was good to have tried it. We now know where to go in case we really crave steak frites (since the Crepe Vine Bistro can no longer provide hot foods due to the multiple fires in their kitchen). I would say give it a try but be prepared to spend a good amount of $$$ since it is not cheap. You only live once, right? Bon appetit!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
La Vie Restaurant (San Gabriel)
In a little nondescript strip mall in San Gabriel is a little gem of a French restaurant. You would never guess that it's there but it's a hidden treasure. The hubby and I found out about it from his sister. She'd never been but her friends had told her about it. I have to say that this is one of those neighborhood places that you hear about but never go to because you don't believe that it can be that good. I'm glad that we threw caution to the wind and gave it a try.
Here are some of the dishes that we've tried: escargots; shrimp and avocado salad; duck dish; filet mignon; rack of lamb; lamb roast; sea bass; rabbit stew; coq au vin; trout meuniere; creme brulee and souffle.
The names are not all correct but I haven't been for a while now so I'm trying to give the best description.
Escargot: cooked in butter, butter and more butter. There's also garlic. The sauce is great for dipping the bread that they serve. This is a must-try dish!
Shrimp and avocado salad: The dressing tasted like it was thousand island. The dish was good but you don't have to order salad since your entree is served with soup, salad and tea or coffee.
Duck: Mon dieu! For those of you who like duck, you will love this dish. The skin comes crispy and the meat is tender. The sauce has a hint of orange, not too much and the entree is served with haricots vert, carrot puree and pommes de terre dauphinois. The potatoes are like scalloped potatoes only richer.
Filet Mignon: The steak is good but not superb like a steakhouse steak. Don't come in expecting Ruth's Chris or Morton's quality.
Rack of Lamb/Lamb Roast: Both lamb dishes are good if you like lamb, but if you don't you may want to try something else. The lamb is very lamb-y (for lack of a better term). The rack is served with the meat sliced off the bones already the pre-requisite French sides (haricots vert, carrot puree, potatoes dauphinois).
Sea Bass: This was a very disappointing dish. It was one of the specials of the night. My hubby is a huge Chilean Sea Bass fan and decided to try it. He commented that it's really hard to mess up sea bass but they managed to do it. We know to not order it in the future.
Rabbit Stew This was also surprisingly good. The rabbit is fall-off-the-bone tender and was a little on the salty side for me, but I think it was just an off night.
Coq au vin: I ordered this the last time we were there. The sauce was delicious and although I have nothing to compare this to I trust my friend who is a French aficionado. She had some of my coq and she said that the taste was very authentic.
Trout Meuniere: This is not on the regular menu and is available as a special only whenever they have it in stock (which is not very often). I don't normally order fish in non-Asian restaurants as they tend to not be very fresh. I was very surprised at how fresh and tasty the dish was. I had a whole trout that was deboned and the brown sauce was very good.
Creme Brulee: Nice and creamy but not too heavy. It has just the right amount of sweetness. This is always a good choice and La Vie does not disappoint.
Souffle: Even if you're not a big souffle fan, you have to order this. Lots of restaurants offer souffle but not all do quite as authentic a job as La Vie. There is only one flavor (Grand Marnier) and you must order it before your dinner is served since they make this from scratch. It is light and airy and just sweet enough. The texture is different from the other souffles...it is not heavy at all. They serve this with milk poured into it and it is FABULOUS!
The place is very non-pretentious and not very fancy. There are lots of repeat customers (the restaurant has been there for 8+ years) and their wine list is limited. But, although the list is limited, they do not gouge you with the price. All their wines are not super marked up and that's very nice since you don't find too many places like that anymore. Give it a shot if you're in the area and want to try something different.
Here are some of the dishes that we've tried: escargots; shrimp and avocado salad; duck dish; filet mignon; rack of lamb; lamb roast; sea bass; rabbit stew; coq au vin; trout meuniere; creme brulee and souffle.
The names are not all correct but I haven't been for a while now so I'm trying to give the best description.
Escargot: cooked in butter, butter and more butter. There's also garlic. The sauce is great for dipping the bread that they serve. This is a must-try dish!
Shrimp and avocado salad: The dressing tasted like it was thousand island. The dish was good but you don't have to order salad since your entree is served with soup, salad and tea or coffee.
Duck: Mon dieu! For those of you who like duck, you will love this dish. The skin comes crispy and the meat is tender. The sauce has a hint of orange, not too much and the entree is served with haricots vert, carrot puree and pommes de terre dauphinois. The potatoes are like scalloped potatoes only richer.
Filet Mignon: The steak is good but not superb like a steakhouse steak. Don't come in expecting Ruth's Chris or Morton's quality.
Rack of Lamb/Lamb Roast: Both lamb dishes are good if you like lamb, but if you don't you may want to try something else. The lamb is very lamb-y (for lack of a better term). The rack is served with the meat sliced off the bones already the pre-requisite French sides (haricots vert, carrot puree, potatoes dauphinois).
Sea Bass: This was a very disappointing dish. It was one of the specials of the night. My hubby is a huge Chilean Sea Bass fan and decided to try it. He commented that it's really hard to mess up sea bass but they managed to do it. We know to not order it in the future.
Rabbit Stew This was also surprisingly good. The rabbit is fall-off-the-bone tender and was a little on the salty side for me, but I think it was just an off night.
Coq au vin: I ordered this the last time we were there. The sauce was delicious and although I have nothing to compare this to I trust my friend who is a French aficionado. She had some of my coq and she said that the taste was very authentic.
Trout Meuniere: This is not on the regular menu and is available as a special only whenever they have it in stock (which is not very often). I don't normally order fish in non-Asian restaurants as they tend to not be very fresh. I was very surprised at how fresh and tasty the dish was. I had a whole trout that was deboned and the brown sauce was very good.
Creme Brulee: Nice and creamy but not too heavy. It has just the right amount of sweetness. This is always a good choice and La Vie does not disappoint.
Souffle: Even if you're not a big souffle fan, you have to order this. Lots of restaurants offer souffle but not all do quite as authentic a job as La Vie. There is only one flavor (Grand Marnier) and you must order it before your dinner is served since they make this from scratch. It is light and airy and just sweet enough. The texture is different from the other souffles...it is not heavy at all. They serve this with milk poured into it and it is FABULOUS!
The place is very non-pretentious and not very fancy. There are lots of repeat customers (the restaurant has been there for 8+ years) and their wine list is limited. But, although the list is limited, they do not gouge you with the price. All their wines are not super marked up and that's very nice since you don't find too many places like that anymore. Give it a shot if you're in the area and want to try something different.
Cafe Ba Ba Reeba (Las Vegas)
I had to go to LV for a client meeting and decided to stay the night to visit my little sister. So we made plans for dinner...ok, it was more like "where do you want to go (me)...I don't know, where do you want to go (her)...well, you live here so you suggest (me)...well there are lotsa choices (her)" and so on and so forth for about 30 minutes before we settled on Cafe Ba Ba Reeba.
It's outside of the mall on the Las Vegas Strip and it was a busy spot. We were seated promptly and the server was very knowledgeable and made some really good recommendations. We ended up order the following: padron chilies with coarse sea salt; bacon wrapped dates; platter w/manchego cheese, serrano ham and chorizo; sausage platter w/morcilla, chorizo, salchichon and butisfarra (I think); seared ahi tuna salad; beef empanada; and a couple of pitchers of sangria.
I know it sounds like a lot of food but the plates were small and it really was not that much food. Let's start with the details...
The padron chilies were not spicy for the most part until you hit one of hot ones that was maybe 1 out of 10.
The bacon wrapped dates were very good...sweet and salty and you couldn't eat just one.
The platter with manchego cheese, serrano ham and chorizo was good as well...I love manchego!
The sausage platter was very yummy but heavy...the sausages were all cooked in quite a bit of oil and you could see that at the bottom of the platter.
The seared ahi tuna salad could have used a little bit more dressing and ahi...I counted 3 slices of ahi.
The beef empanada was another favorite. it was baked and not fried like some other empanadas and the filling was very flavorful.
As for the sangrias...they were great for washing down all the little plates. We ordered the Black Raspberry and when that was all gone we ordered the Sparkling that was made with cava, licor 43 and another alcohol.
Both were good! My sister liked the cava since she's into bubbly at the moment. I thought they were both refreshing but I like my own sangria (I think it tastes way better...but that's just my opinion).
Overall, a good location, decent food and we will most likely go back and try the other stuff on the menu.
I saw paella and some other "a la plancha" items that sounded good...until next time then.
It's outside of the mall on the Las Vegas Strip and it was a busy spot. We were seated promptly and the server was very knowledgeable and made some really good recommendations. We ended up order the following: padron chilies with coarse sea salt; bacon wrapped dates; platter w/manchego cheese, serrano ham and chorizo; sausage platter w/morcilla, chorizo, salchichon and butisfarra (I think); seared ahi tuna salad; beef empanada; and a couple of pitchers of sangria.
I know it sounds like a lot of food but the plates were small and it really was not that much food. Let's start with the details...
The padron chilies were not spicy for the most part until you hit one of hot ones that was maybe 1 out of 10.
The bacon wrapped dates were very good...sweet and salty and you couldn't eat just one.
The platter with manchego cheese, serrano ham and chorizo was good as well...I love manchego!
The sausage platter was very yummy but heavy...the sausages were all cooked in quite a bit of oil and you could see that at the bottom of the platter.
The seared ahi tuna salad could have used a little bit more dressing and ahi...I counted 3 slices of ahi.
The beef empanada was another favorite. it was baked and not fried like some other empanadas and the filling was very flavorful.
As for the sangrias...they were great for washing down all the little plates. We ordered the Black Raspberry and when that was all gone we ordered the Sparkling that was made with cava, licor 43 and another alcohol.
Both were good! My sister liked the cava since she's into bubbly at the moment. I thought they were both refreshing but I like my own sangria (I think it tastes way better...but that's just my opinion).
Overall, a good location, decent food and we will most likely go back and try the other stuff on the menu.
I saw paella and some other "a la plancha" items that sounded good...until next time then.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Grace Restaurant (Hollywood)
So, my hubby and I celebrated our anniversary last night at Grace Restaurant. We arrived early for our reservation and had drinks at the bar/lounge area. He ordered a Rooftop Garden (Ketel One, thyme and mint) and I the Eenie Meenie Miney (Prosecco w/fruit syrup). The rooftop garden was very refreshing and my eenie was very bubbly of course.
We were then led to our table and we sat by the window. It was nice and cozy. The menu was simple...not too many crazy choices and all looked very yummy but the hubby and I had heard about the tasting menu at Grace and we wanted to see what they had for the new season. The Seasonal Tasting Menu looked good enough but the Chef's Tasting Menu sounded intriguing. There was nothing listed...it was the chef's whimsy. So we had the waitress ask the chef how adventurous he was feeling and his response was that he's always adventurous. Right on!!! We decided on the Chef's Tasting Menu and we had the wine-pairing that complemented the food. It was a great choice. We let the chef know what we wanted to try from his regular menu and he totally indulged us.
First Course (separate): mine - Crab Salad with English Peas and Citrus. his - House Cured Canadian Halibut Sashimi / vinho verde from Portugal
Second Course: Fried Frog Drumsticks with Morels and Pea Tendrils / sauvignon blanc from Germany
Third Course: Seared Day Boat Scallops topped with Foie Gras on a bed of Nettles and Raisin Caper Sauce / gewurtzraminer from Alsace
Fourth Course: Bacon-wrapped Rabbit / qupe grenache - central coast
Fifth Course: Wild Boar Tenderloin with Oven Roasted Baby Carrots and Orzo Perlata / I forgot
Sixth Course: New York Steak with Wild Onion Flowers and Burgundy Snails on a bed of Eggplant / cabernet
Seventh Course (Dessert): Crepe filled with Lemon Curd, Cream Cheese Ice Cream and a Coffee/Chocolate Parfait / sounded cinq du monde
The dishes were all great. The only one that really didn't do much for me was the rabbit because I thought it was overcooked (too dry) and the bacon overpowered the rabbit. The dessert was to-die-for!!! The lemon curd was a little too tart but it was delish nontheless. The Cream Cheese Ice Cream was fabulous...my hubby is not a cheese person and he totally loved the ice cream. And the coffee/chocolate parfait was HEAVENLY! OMG...I was totally full but I couldn't stop eating the parfait. The top layer was light creamy deliciousness, followed by the middle layer of a slightly heavier creamy deliciousness and the last layer was like a perfectly baked brownie! I like chocolate but I never crave it...this dessert I crave!!!
Definitely give this restaurant a shot if you're celebrating something special. The service was top-notch and the food was amazing!
We were then led to our table and we sat by the window. It was nice and cozy. The menu was simple...not too many crazy choices and all looked very yummy but the hubby and I had heard about the tasting menu at Grace and we wanted to see what they had for the new season. The Seasonal Tasting Menu looked good enough but the Chef's Tasting Menu sounded intriguing. There was nothing listed...it was the chef's whimsy. So we had the waitress ask the chef how adventurous he was feeling and his response was that he's always adventurous. Right on!!! We decided on the Chef's Tasting Menu and we had the wine-pairing that complemented the food. It was a great choice. We let the chef know what we wanted to try from his regular menu and he totally indulged us.
First Course (separate): mine - Crab Salad with English Peas and Citrus. his - House Cured Canadian Halibut Sashimi / vinho verde from Portugal
Second Course: Fried Frog Drumsticks with Morels and Pea Tendrils / sauvignon blanc from Germany
Third Course: Seared Day Boat Scallops topped with Foie Gras on a bed of Nettles and Raisin Caper Sauce / gewurtzraminer from Alsace
Fourth Course: Bacon-wrapped Rabbit / qupe grenache - central coast
Fifth Course: Wild Boar Tenderloin with Oven Roasted Baby Carrots and Orzo Perlata / I forgot
Sixth Course: New York Steak with Wild Onion Flowers and Burgundy Snails on a bed of Eggplant / cabernet
Seventh Course (Dessert): Crepe filled with Lemon Curd, Cream Cheese Ice Cream and a Coffee/Chocolate Parfait / sounded cinq du monde
The dishes were all great. The only one that really didn't do much for me was the rabbit because I thought it was overcooked (too dry) and the bacon overpowered the rabbit. The dessert was to-die-for!!! The lemon curd was a little too tart but it was delish nontheless. The Cream Cheese Ice Cream was fabulous...my hubby is not a cheese person and he totally loved the ice cream. And the coffee/chocolate parfait was HEAVENLY! OMG...I was totally full but I couldn't stop eating the parfait. The top layer was light creamy deliciousness, followed by the middle layer of a slightly heavier creamy deliciousness and the last layer was like a perfectly baked brownie! I like chocolate but I never crave it...this dessert I crave!!!
Definitely give this restaurant a shot if you're celebrating something special. The service was top-notch and the food was amazing!
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