May 17, 2012

West Hollywood: New Cocktails at Cecconi’s

Posted by the minty under alcohol education, booze, cocktalian, dessert, food, foodie alert, great cocktails, happy hour, hot bartenders, restaurant reviews, tasting menu | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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Head Bartender Patrick at Cecconi’s

I was invited to check out the new cocktails at Cecconi’s recently. Chris Ojeda, the Creative Bar Director for Soho House and Cecconi’s has come up with a list of classics with a twist. First, Head Bartender Patrick gave us the Aperol Punch to try. It’s a play on an Aperol Spritz. With Bombay London Dry gin, prosecco, rose petal tea syrup, lemon and Bittermens Boston Bittahs, this was an aromatic way to begin a leisurely evening at the bar.

Aperol Punch

Bittermens Boston Bittahs

I love that Bittermens has a bitters called Boston Bittahs. It’s a summery bitters with a lot of citrus and chamomile. It works very well with the rose petal syrup and the floral quality of the Aperol Punch.

the bar

The bar at Cecconi’s looks like a lab. Farm to Glass, indeed!

fava bean & burrata bruschetta

We ordered a round of cicchetti or bar bites. I love fava beans and burrata. Combining the two for bruschetta was an Eureka moment for me. I’ll have to try that at a dinner party or just go to Cecconi’s sooner rather than later for this bar bite.

burrata, zucchini blossom, black truffle pizzetta

If you thought fava beans and buratta was a bit like cheating than getting a pizzetta with burrata, zucchini blossoms and black truffle was stealing the exam and sharing the answers with all your friends. Get this pizzetta!

Pink Lady

Cecconi’s has played with the classic White Lady to come up with their Pink Lady (Bombay High Proof gin, apple brandy, egg white). Old Hollywood loved these cocktails and the updated version will appeal to modern palates.

Piccante Paloma

Patrick told us one evening a group of young ladies wanted a spicy cocktail and the Piccante Paloma was born. Cazadores tequila combined with Aperol, freson chili pepper, agave, grapefruit and sea salt combine got the blood going and the appetite as well. We had one more bar bite but decided to share a few items from the main menu as well.

lamb sausage and roast peppers

Lamb sausage with roast peppers was another great small bite to share. The sausages were so tender.

 

grilled octopus

 

I can’t help but order octopus everywhere I go. The grilled octopus under appetizers was so tender. Some have said this is the year of the octopus. It may be true. Treated right, the octopus has the same great “meaty” texture but it’s seafood.

linguine & clams

 

We decided to share a couple of pastas as well.  I’m always game to try a good linguine and clams. Cecconi’s makes theirs with sea urchin which is even more delightful.

Kentucky Maid

My go-to spirit of choice tends to be whiskey so I had my eye on the Kentucky Maid. Although it’s not a julep, it has leanings towards one with the bourbon and the mint. But updated with cucumber and lime, the drink is lively versus the slow sippin’ juleps.

crab ravioli

 

But my favorite pasta this evening was the crab ravioli with English peas and mint. I would be quite happy to have just ordered this and a salad. Well, and maybe some of those wonderful cicceti we had earlier- particularly the fava bean and burrata bruschetta.

Gallegante Swizzle

We finished off our night with the ginormous dessert platter despite the fact someone would have to roll me out of Cecconi’s. I was also very happy to have the Gallegante Swizzle which went perfectly with its flavors of Zaya rum, coffee, chocolate and mint. Topped off with a float of Fernet, this was the ideal digestive for me.

 

Cecconi’s

8764 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90069 – (310) 432-2000
© The Minty 2012
 
 

May 14, 2012

SGV: Phoenix Inn

Posted by the minty under food, foodie alert, minty life, restaurant reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , |
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fish, tofu & preserved egg soup

 

When I was a kid, my parents would take me to the original Phoenix Inn restaurant in Chinatown almost every week. They enjoyed the homey Chinese food not usually found in more upscale Chinese restaurants. We’d eat stuff I’d see more often at my grandparents’ house like salted fish and steamed meat loaf. Our order was almost the same every week- clams with black bean sauce, cold boneless chicken, squab lettuce wraps and whatever dish I wanted. While I chose something different every week, my brother always wanted the black bean sauce clams. Oh, and a bowl of complimentary soup always accompanied our meal.

boneless chicken

 

It was a bit of a surprise then to find myself at the Alhambra location. Oh, I’ve been to their more fast casual food boutiques where they serve a variety of casual noodle dishes and Chinese desserts but this second Phoenix Inn location was nice. It’s much larger than the original but it’s lost some of its old-fashioned charm. I had loved that the servers wore white jackets growing up despite working with a homestyle menu. Here’s a commercial (in Cantonese) for the new location from 2009 that shows glimpses of the old and new restaurants. It even features the cold boneless chicken which we ordered.

To start, we got the fish, tofu an preserved egg (1000 year old egg) soup. My brother liked it and I liked it better than the soups of my childhood.

Australian beef

The Australian beef caught my eye. What came can only be described as so homey Cantonese. Not only were there tender slices of beef but it came with wood ear mushrooms, bits of gluten, lily buds and veggies.

Chinese greens

 

The hollow-stemed vegetable or Morning Glory as the Thais call it with fermented bean paste was great. Nicely crunch and we needed the greens to complete our meal.

House special noodles

 

My brother wanted the house special noodles. To my surprise, we didn’t care for it. It wasn’t flavorful and the noodles were too soft. Actually, I don’t like this type of noodle but we boxed it up thinking maybe it’d be better the next day.

I suppose if I didn’t want to drive to the old location, this Alhambra location will do. The chicken is as good as I remembered. But then again, I’m embarking on my Chinatown project so perhaps I should revisit my childhood fave soon.

 

Phoenix Food Boutique

208 E Valley Blvd., Alhambra, CA 91801 — (626) 299-1238
 
© The Minty 2012

 

May 12, 2012

Hollywood: Return to Delphine

Posted by the minty under cocktalian, food, minty life, restaurant reviews, theatre | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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shrimp salad

 

I love going to dinner and shows. The dinner options around Pantages Theatre had been fairly dismal but in the last few years, things have picked up. My Noodles Partner hadn’t gone to Delphine before so I suggested it for dinner. We shared a few things to start including the shrimp Caesar salad. I also wanted the Brussel sprouts with a poached egg but it turned out was really more of a salad.

Brussels sprouts with poached egg

 

We really enjoyed both salads. And were fairly full when our entrees arrived. The Brussels sprouts with bacon was particularly filling.

burger at Delphine

 

Having been to Delphine before Happy Hour, I was familiar with their burger. My Noodles Partner prefers hers well done. I like it medium rare. We compromised on medium. I remembered Delphine had the cutest burgers display at Taste last year. What’s even better than a poached egg from the salad earlier? A fried egg on the burger.

Salmon with mushrooms

 

I got the salmon with mushrooms as my main course. Oh boy was it ever salty. I wanted to like it so much because the salmon and the other ingredients were actually great. I ended up not finishing or taking the leftovers as we were off to the theatre.

Smoking Gun

 

I tried the Smoking Gun cocktail this evening. The cocktail list is still a bit heavy on vodka cocktails for my taste but managed to find Smoking Gun (gin, Lillet blanc, grilled orange syrup). Fortunately, it wasn’t too sweet. I’m thinking it would be good with bourbon as well.

The other dining option I need to explore more is Wood & Vine. Now I’ve gone for drinks and some nibbles a few times, I’d like to try a full dinner. Next time! It’s good to have options in the neighborhood.

Delphine at the W Hotel

6250 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90028 — 323-798-1355

© The Minty 2012

 

May 11, 2012

Las Vegas: Return to D.O.C.G.

Posted by the minty under food, late night, minty life, restaurant reviews, travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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Mista di Campo

My last Las Vegas trip involved some pretty great eats. After stopping by the Malibu Red party, we went to D.O.C.G. which I had been to before. We had reservations but got seats at the bar. It looked like the restaurant was wrapping up even though it was about 9 PM. I still haven’t been to Scarpetta (in either Vegas or LA) so perhaps that’ll be the plan for the next trip. I seem to be knocking down one Cosmopolitan Hotel restaurant one at a time.

Clams al Forno

We started with the Mista di Campo salad and the Clams al Forno. The clams were a bit salty but I chalked that up to the pancetta. The sauce and clams were great though. The clams weren’t too chewy and were quite large.

Mushrooms, Fontina, Pancetta pizza

We wanted something simple so a pizza it was. I am always a fan of (fresh) mushroom pizza. This one with with mushroom, fontina cheese and pancetta was a classic combination. The only thing was it was also on the tad salty side. I was surprised as fontina is generally not as salty. Still, it must have been the pancetta. Thankfully service was really good at the bar and our waters were constantly refilled.

I’ve seen quite a few travelers eating alone at the bar. D.O.C.G. feels more comfortable than your general Vegas restaurant bar. I like that.

D.O.C.G. at the Cosmopolitan Hotel

3708 Las Vegas Blvd S., Las Vegas, NV 89109 — (877) 893-2001
 
© The Minty 2012
 

May 11, 2012

Las Vegas: Hash House A Go Go at the Plaza Hotel

Posted by the minty under food, foodie alert, minty life, restaurant reviews, travel | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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stuffed burger - mushroom & swiss

The last time I was in Vegas, we wanted to get a bite before the regional Speed Rack competition. It was at the Plaza Hotel and I saw they had a Hash House A Go Go. Having gone to the stand-alone restaurant, I never thought much about going to the ones inside the casinos. But our other options in the middle of the day didn’t seem too promising in Downtown Vegas. The portions are so huge, people started photographing their neighboring tables’ foods. But I wasn’t that crazy. I was overwhelmed by my stuffed mushroom and Swiss burger as it was.

stuffed!

I had asked for a medium rare burger but obviously this was medium well. Still, the abundance of cheese and mushrooms kept it interesting. Oddly, there were also droplets of teriyaki sauce around the plate. The same teriyaki sauce was served with the meatloaf and eggs.

meatloaf and eggs

I didn’t regret my burger but I think I should have gotten their famous chicken and waffles.

Hash House A Go Go at Plaza Hotel and Casino
1S Main St., Las Vegas, NV 89101  – (702) 384-4646

© The Minty 2012

 

May 10, 2012

Checking Out Kerry Simon’s SimonLA

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Thai Mussels

I had an event at the Sofitel so I suggested to a friend to try SimonLA for dinner. I have had bites from Kerry Simon at various food festivals but had never gone to SimonLA.

We started with the Thai mussels. The sauce was almost soup like so we requested spoons and were quite happy slurping it up.

Meatloaf

mac and cheese

Once I realized the name of the game was comfort food, I was ready to try the meatloaf and mac and cheese. My friend opted for the short ribs.

short ribs

I liked my food well enough but was confused by the short ribs. Very odd plating with a smidge of greens and three mushrooms laid out on one side. My friend remarked that while the food was fine, she couldn’t tell the difference between this dish and something you’d get at a buffet. Ouch.

In general, we found it all rather a let down considering the beautiful space. Service was a bit lacking. I don’t know if it’s because it’s a hotel restaurant but we didn’t seem to get a very on top of it server. It’s just as well as the food from the Stone Lounge looked more exciting (but unfortunately I was too full to partake) during the Caliche Rum launch party.

I’m glad I tried it but if I want more of Kerry Simon’s food, I rather stick closer to Downtown.  He does the food for LA Market and the bars and lounges at the JW Marriot.

SimonLA at The Sofitel

8555 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048 — (310) 278-5444
 
© The Minty 2012
 

May 10, 2012

Santa Monica: Sonoma Wine Garden

Posted by the minty under food, restaurant reviews, wine tasting | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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After Santa Monica Place opened, I had intended go back to Sonoma Wine Garden but the opportunity never arose until recently. I had suggested it for my friend’s birthday and after she looked at the menu, we agreed upon it.

We got a bottle of Merlot for the table.

fries for the table

 

We got a couple of orders of fries for the table after we discovered you had to pay for bread. It’s not a lot– just $2– but the cheapness was ridiculous.  The fries were a bit salty but a few dunks in the aioli took care of that.

trout with green beans

pork chop with spaetzle

 

Quite a few people ordered the trout which I would have gotten but spied the pork chop came with spaetzle. Never one to pass up spaetzle, I got it as well as a side of Brussels sprouts. My chop was well cooked. I probably ate too much of it (read: all of it) but I didn’t want to take my leftovers home.

Brussels sprouts

 

I’ve had better Brussels sprouts, most recently at Freddy Smalls, but the table liked them.

There is an extensive wine list and the oyster specials for happy hour looked enticing enough to come back. Perhaps for a date. I did see large groups and the round communal table inside was interesting. Next time, I would sit outside though. The dining room doesn’t have any windows and I felt cut off from the world and the rest of the restaurant.

 

Sonoma Wine Garden at Santa Monica Place

395 Santa Monica Pl., Ste 300, Santa Monica, CA 90401 — (424) 214-4560
 
© The Minty 2012

 

 

 

May 9, 2012

Burger Culture Clash at Plan Check Recap

Posted by the minty under cocktalian, dessert, events, food, foodie alert, great cocktails, restaurant reviews, tasting menu | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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Livin’ Extra Large

 

Blogger Backyard Bite and Stussy sponsored a Burger Clash at Plan Check recently. A special menu was created with lifestyle brand Stussy in mind. To be honest, I was surprised Stussy was involved but it made sense. Always on the cutting edge of style, the brand now sees food as the “it” lifestyle at the moment. Foodies unite!

worldwide tribe fries

Given a choice of beer, juice or a cocktail, I of course, went with a cocktail. The Livin’ Extra Large is mango soda with kaffir lime and Brugal rum. I was especially enchanted by the special kaffir lime ice. You could have a mocktail, Livin’ Large, by not getting the rum but who wants to do that?

We shared the Worldwide tribe fries which were chorizo gravy ries with a fried egg on top. The mild roasted pasilla peppers added a splash of color. And like booze in drinks, a fried egg seems like a must on food these days. What’s the slogan? The incredible, edible egg? Well, this is more than marketing– it just tastes good!

 

ISB – International Stussy Burger

 

The International Stussy Burger immediately reminded me of a good bacon burger with BBQ sauce. A certain fast food burger comes to mind but Plan Check’s version is of course more refined. Plan Check’s chef is former Umami corporate Chef Ernesto Uchimura.

stoopid fresh donuts

I was so in love with the donuts last time that I was looking forward to the stoopid fresh donuts. As it turns out, my non-sweet tooth protested just a bit. With raisin frosting, cereal milk ice cream and carmelized cornflakes, this was a dessert loved by dessert fiends.

Thanks again to Backyard Bite and Stussy for a great Burger Clash.

Bonus shots!

Little Osaka Sour

 

Little Osaka Sour- Woodford Reserve bourbon, plum wine, lemon, egg white, sugar

Veggie burger

 

For the non-meat eaters, Plan Check has a veggie burger with a portabello mushroom patty.

 

Check out other blog posts about this event:

 

Backyard Bite

The Unvegan

 

Plan Check Bar

1800 Sawtelle Blvd., West Los Angeles, CA 90025 — (310) 288-6500
 

© The Minty 2012

 

May 4, 2012

Drinking at Home: Cocktails by the Minty

Posted by the minty under alcohol education, booze, cocktalian, cooking, food, foodie alert, vegetarian | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |
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my temporary bar

 

Whenever I get invited to dinner parties, I tend to bring the booze and take it upon myself to make drinks. In the last few years, my “bartending” skills have gotten better as I’ve gotten more interested in craft cocktails. I had wanted to make beer cocktails, punch and bring a dessert wine for an intimate dinner last week with a few friends. It didn’t quite go as planned. I gathered up an arsenal of supplies (mostly unopened bottles I had) and then bought a bottle of rum along with some fresh produce.What amused me the most was probably my “six-pack” which I dubbed the Minty six-pack; two bottles of Deschutes Mirror Pond pale ale and Deschutes Black Butte porter along with a couple of mini sparkling wines.

Spicy rum julep

 

Last week someone asked me what cocktail ingredient must I have (assuming booze, simple, citrus and ice were a given) and I replied mint. Since we are getting close to the Kentucky Derby, I decided to create a spicy rum version of a julep. First I muddled jalepeno, sugar and mint together, added rum and stirred before straining into glasses with fresh ice. Yes, I know I probably should have hand-cracked the ice but I’m an enthusiast making drinks for friends. Smack that mint and garnish the cocktails.

A note on this cocktail, I used organic, unrefined sugar. This created a coffee aroma and taste that wasn’t bad with the mint. Though next time, I’d probably use a regular sugar or simple syrup.  I recently read about making a minted simple syrup that sounds pretty good as well.

beer bread with fried egg and spicy mustard

 

The spicy rum julep went well with the homemade beer bread with fried egg and spicy mustard. Originally I had wanted to do beer cocktails for this course but decided to save the beer for later.

Gin cocktail by The Minty

 

When I’m at home, I make a simple cocktail that follows a formula of gin + citrus + and some sort of liqueur. This could sometimes be an amaro but lately I’ve been into Becherovka, a Czech liqueur. Sometimes I may add a sweet vermouth or agave (I tend to use agave over simple syrup) but Becherovka is sweet enough on its on. Then I added a couple of dashes of Arizona Bitters Lab Orange Sunshine bitters.  I garnished with lemon zest and a mint leaf (not necessary but it’s pretty).

garbanzo bean salad

 

The gin cocktail was paired with the garbanzo bean salad. This main course salad also featured bleu cheese, fennel, apple, pom seeds and dried cranberries. The citrus in the gin cocktail echoed the dressing of the salad.

Michelada Verde

 

You’re going to see that mint again though as mentioned before, its purpose here was to look pretty. Maybe next time I won’t buy four bunches. For this drink, I still had one jalepeno pepper left. I muddled it with ripe avocado, lemon juice (lime would work just fine, too), agave and arrack (White Lion VSOA). Then I strained onto fresh ice, topped with the Deschutes Mirror Pond pale ale and garnished with mint and a slice of avocado. This was the favorite drink of the night.

banana egg rolls (turon) with coconut ice cream

I also served a Sauternes with the banana egg rolls (the Filipino turon dessert) and coconut ice cream. My friend actually made frozen yogurt since the “ice cream” is made with Greek yogurt. Incredibly healthy and full of protein!

Minty’s version of the “Dada”

I thought I was done making cocktails but my friend handed me one of her cocktail books. I flipped through it quickly. Most of the cocktails seemed to be recently created and by recently I mean post-Prohibition by several decades. There were a handful of classics. I kept looking through the stylish and mod book– I have a weakness for design and found a recipe called the Dada. It was created by Kathy Budas for the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art’s Dada Ball. Mainly it jumped out on me because it used mint as a garnish (grin).

Here are her specs:

  • 1.5 light Barcadi rum
  • 1.5 fresh lime juice
  • 1.5 creme de cassis

 

Although I had limes, I decided to use what was left of the Meyer lemons I had juiced and as I didn’t have creme de casis handy, I used Kirsh. After sipping, I decided there was way too much lime and added agave. It was much too tart. It came out tasting like a Hemingway daiquiri which kind of makes sense as Kirsch is cherry flavored as is maraschino.

Now who’s going to invite me over next?

More Minty Mixology over at LA Cocktails.

© The Minty 2012

* post #1000

 

May 4, 2012

Double the Fun – Cinco de Derby

Posted by the minty under bar crawl, calendar, cocktalian, concerts/ shows, events, food, foodie alert, great cocktails, happy hour, hot bartenders, music | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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mint julep

May 5 is going to be so much fun with both Cinco de Mayo and Derby events around town. Here are some restaurants and bars doing specials in LA:

Blue Cow – noon to 3P

350 S Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90071 — (213) 621-2249

The Grilled Cheese Truck and Blue Cow are throwing a “Big Cheese Patio Party.” The Grilled Cheese Truck will be serving their latest creations and quench your thirst with microbrews and cocktails created by Steve Livigni. Plus, all the profits will benefit the Men’s Guild for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Blue Cow will be showing the derby races on their outdoor televisions.

** read my Blue Cow post here

Los Angeles Athletic Club – 1-4P

431 W 7th St., Los Angeles, CA 90014 — (213) 625-2211

Hold Your Horses Kentucky Derby Viewing Party – $30/ per person which includes entry, 1 Mint julep, buffet, games, live entertainment plus ticket gets you a free cocktail at Seven Grand after the viewing party.

The club is normally private but this event is public. Here’s your chance to hobnob while sippin’ on a julep. Marcos Tellos will be serving serveral drinks including his spin on the traditional mint julep with gin juleps (with Holland gin), Georgia julep (with French Brandy), Kentucky julep (bourbon). There will also be Kentucky-inspired food assorted canapés, pulled pork sandwiches, Kentucky hot brown sandwiches, garlic truffle fries, bourbon glazed chicken wings and shrimp and corn fritters. Dessert will include pecan tarts and cream cheese and chocolate fudge brownies.

Outpost – all day “Country Fiesta”

1624 N Cahuenga Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028 — (323) 464-7678
 
 
The Hollywood saloon is featuring all day and night specials on beer such as $4 PBR Tall Boys, $4 Dos Equis Lager & Amber Pints, $5 Margaritas & Tequila Shots. Plus there will be a margarita bar from 11A-2P featuring 5 different $3 margaritas and $3 tequila Shots. Then from 5-7P, you can watch the Kentucky Derby and enjoy $5 Jim Beam shots.

8570 West Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069 — (310) 657-4991
 
800 W Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015 — (213) 746-0001
For Cinco de Mayo, Rosa Mexicano will feature live music at both their West Hollywood and LA Live locations. They’re also serving a special Cinco de Mayo menu featuring three specialty cocktails including the margarita and pina colada fusion Coco de Mayoa (silver tequila, coconut, fresh pineapple, lemon) , Flor de Cinco (Herradura Silver, St. Germaine Elderflower Liqueur, Canton Ginger Liqueur, lemon juice, Angostura bitters, served as a shot) and the “skinny margarita” Rosalita (silver tequila, organic agave, fresh lime, orange juice). Shareable plates include Pollo Yucateco (Spiced chicken, plantains, sweet peppers, chile de árbol salsa, crema), Carne Asada (Ancho chile-rubbed Niman Ranch skirt steak, white beans, radish salad and cana de cama crema), Pescado de Baja (Line-caught crispy local fish, jalapeño tartar sauce, flour tortilla).
 
Spare Room - 1-5P
Mezzanine Level of the Roosevelt Hotel, 7000 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028 – 323-769-7296
The Spare Room will be screening the races, serving free snacks from Kentucky Burgoo, featuring Kentucky bourbon cocktails and there will be live music. Also, you can play the “pick-a-horse” game ($5 bets will get you a cocktail, worth $14), winners from $10 bets will win a punchbowl ($60 value) and winners of $20 bets will win a punch bowl, an hour of bowling and a Spare Room X Motley dopp kit ($295 value). Proceeds from the game benefit CANTER, to help ex-race horses.
 
Read my posts on Spare Room
 
Hollywood Hot Bartender Crawl
 
Wednesday Specials at Spare Room
 
Spare Room with Aidan Demerast
 
 
© The Minty 2012

 
 

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