Craft, Century City

Restaurant Week Los Angeles began with me and my friends at Craft. I had been wanting to try Craft, for awhile now, but venturing to Westside is few and far between for me. And finally, Miss B was able to get us all together and set it up. Though, I kinda wish we had a later reservation. One other note, Tom Colicchio, of Top Chef fame, is founder of Craft restaurants. Top Chef, on Bravo, is a show I have been wanting to watch.

They complemented our meal with banana bread to take home to eat, as a late night snack. Nice touch.

We were all giddy with excitement while waiting for our food to come, or was that our stomachs growling and body's trembling for low blood sugar. Perhaps both. I know we ripped through the bread and butter as soon as it was set on the table. I barely got a photo before my friends ate it all up.

This was tonight's set menu.

Choice of Appetizers
House Made Charcuterie

Baby Lettuce

Pecorino & Hazelnuts

Choice of Entrees
Hawaiian Blue Prawns
Torpedo Onion & Anson Mills Grits
Niman Ranch Pork Shoulder
Molasses & La Ratte Potato Salad
House Made Ricotta Angolotti
& Braised Mushrooms
California Natural Ribeye
Gigante Beans

Choice of Desserts
Meyer Lemon Semifreddo
Market Citrus & Shortbread
Chocolate Crepes
Salty Peanuts & Malt Custard

Unfortunately, we only choose the Pork Shoulder and the California Natural Ribeye. We didn't realize, till later, that it was family style and that we should have at least added a pick of the Hawaiian Blue Prawns, as well. Oh well. . . our loss. Personally, I don't care much for shellfish.

Once we selected our entrees, it wasn't but 5 mins or so, that our appetizers came rolling out. The salad which featured hazelnuts was good, meaning not bad at all. I liked the hazelnuts addition. Made me dig for them, like a a toy in a cereal box, in my 2nd helping. Then there was the ocean trout - which looked like salmon, but isn't as luscious and more tougher. As Miss B. said, "It has a fishy smell & taste". And the liver pate wasn't favored by our dinner party, as well. The foie gras dip with wine and spice gelatin was really good. I am not normally a foie gras type-of-guy, but this was amazing. After we ran out of the accompanied bread, we used the flat bread from the liver pate, and then the table bread to finish off and clean the bowl of the dip. Not sure what it was, but it was the combination of the mixture with the sharpness of the pink jelly.

Next came our entree's - the pork shoulder and the ribeye. The pork shoulder was what I suggested and ordered, not all too surprising after all with my fascination with eating pig. The first bite, with much of the fat, was eye closingly yummy. But after that, the next bites, sans the fat, were dry, yet tender. In LA, fat can be construed as a negative thing, with its glamorous culture. But I don't care. After living overseas, I realized that fat give much flavor and juiciness. The ribeye, with it glistening glorious fat, was cut in easy portions for everyone to share. Not something I would order myself, I was pleasantly surprised by it. I must concur with Miss M, that red meat is good.

I think, if I remember, we also ate other things. . . like green things (like vegetables) . . .but that wasn't important. Yes, we are carnivores. But yes, I did eat vegetables - scroll up to read about the salad.

We were nearing the home stretch with our plates cleared off, then I remembered that we had dessert coming, with the chocolate crepes and the Meyer Lemon Semifreddo. The chocolate thing - and I don't think it was crepes. . . was too sweet. It needed the requisite after dinner coffee. But the Meyer Lemon Semifreddo, which looked like a big pineapple slice, is one of my desserts that I will remember. It had a wonderous slightly sweeten lemon taste. Meyer Lemon desserts are my lists of new favorite lemon sweet things!

Craft is good.

A view from our table. We spotted Warren Beatty, just a table away. I guess he's here for restaurant week, as well.

We wanted to eat the table cloth settings, since we were so hungry.

The set menu from Restaurant Week. My friends told me that Craft in NYC is excellent, but the one in Vegas is not so good. Another friend said her experience, at this location, wasn't as good as the hype.

Here's our baby lettuce salad. There are hazelnuts hidden in the salad. Does baby lettuce taste better than adult lettuce?

The pate with the flat bread.

Ocean trout. We ate it, but wasn't our favorite.

This was the foie gras dip. It was probably the most memorable dish.

The California Natural Ribeye. Very good.

The pork shoulder. Very tender. Look for the fatty parts.

Make sure you ask for horseradish. Fresh, too!

The chocolate dessert. Too sweet. It needs coffee to go with it.

The Meyer Lemon Semifreddo. Very good. I would recommend this to anyone.

Outside Craft. They offer valet parking as well as self-parking.

Rating
2 pigs, $$$

Craft Los Angeles
10100 Constellation Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90067
310.279.4180
http://www.craftrestaurant.com




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ESPN Zone, Downtown Los Angeles

The first time I went to an ESPN Zone was in Baltimore, when the first one opened over 12 years ago. I can't believe it took that long for ESPN to open its first one in Los Angeles. I know there's on in Anaheim at Downtown Disney - but that doesn't count.

In the heart of Los Angeles at LA Live.

First off, I should say that you don't plan to come to ESPN Zone for the food. You come to watch the great sports games. You come to LA Live and ESPN Zone for drink before the game at the Staple Center. Or you could be here waiting for the movie to start a the nearby Regency Theaters or the show to start at the Nokia theater. But I doubt you will come to ESPN for just the food.

But I was pleasantly surprised. I know it is typical bar food what we ordered - the sliders, the nachos, and the baby back ribs. But it wasn't all that bad.

The nachos - this huge monstrosity of a appetizer, was scary. This could have feed a family. They piled the cheese, the sour cream, and the jalapeno peppers so high we ALL had to take pictures of it. It took two manly hands and arms to lift this thing. I do not suggest this for little children, they should be allowed to look at it. On top of that, once I started eating it, I couldn't stop. They have a some sort of derivative of crack in there, I suspect. I couldn't believe we almost finished it. I should have took a picture of that.

Then we had the sliders and the baby back ribs. The sliders were good - nothing special. I enjoyed them. Thank goodness we did enjoy them rather than not. But you know, Jack-in-the-Box has these sirloin sliders, which are even better. Sorry for mentioning a fast food place . . .

Anyways, the baby back ribs were our next target. They were not bad. Good size portion to feed an NFL lineman, but not your standard Joe. These portions were bordering on Claimjumper epicness. As should be expected of all baby back ribs, the meat tore off the bone tenderly. The BBQ sauce was tangy and fine. It was a good suggestion from our waitress.

All in all, the food wasn't all that bad. Though we were a little perturbed with the idea of the requisite minimum charge of $10 per person per hour on a big game day. We felt a little pressured. But it is understandable.

The Baby Back Ribs - enough to feed an NFL Lineman. The fries were pretty good.

The sliders. eh . . .

The nachos were probably the best I have had in a long time.

ESPN Zone
1011 S Figueroa St
Ste B101
Los Angeles, CA 90016
(213) 765-7070
espnzone.com/losangeles
twitter.com/ESPNZoneLALIVE



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Blu La Cafe, Downtown Los Angeles

I found this place on a recommendation from a friend. We were looking for a non-Asian place to go. Then my buddy starts talking about a cafe, how cool it is, with artwork, and great burgers. All I heard blah blah blah and GREAT BURGERS!

Right next to Cole's and the Association. After dinner, you can get drinks, right next door.

Nothing gets between me and menu with burgers. Ok, maybe mac'n cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches, too. But still, burgers at almost any restaurant will get ordered by me. Something so simple, yet so common, restaurants will do their interpretation of the classic. Though it is hard to make into a disaster, it isn't easy to make it mind-blowingly memorable. In this case, I think Blu La Cafe will get high marks, but not quite the highest. The bread - on their signature Blu La Cafe Burger, the soft buns, held together nicely. The juices, the meat, and the veggies with mayo were all held together well. I assume that the burger patty was hand packed from scratch, since it fell apart while I was eating it. And that's a good thing. Though the only negative comment I had was that it was a bit too salty or seasoned a bit too much. Other than that, it was a solid burger.

My compatriots had the Monterey Burger, heavily influenced by our waitress. I might have ordered that if I wasn't swayed by the text of "award-winning" for the Blu La Cafe Burger. The bite I tried from the Monterey Burger had the kick from the jalapenos and monterey jack cheese. I think the slightly over savoriness of the burger melds well with the spiciness.

There was also a couple of orders of the turkey lasagna. Unfortunately, one of them came out a bit runny and not cooked all the way. Yet my other friend finished his, in record time. The small bite that I tried wasn't all that bad. But it isn't something I would fret over or suggest ordering.

There were two things that stood out on consensus. The fries and the fried mushroom ravioli. The shoestring fries, that came with my burger, were stolen, fry by fry, from my plate before I was able to finish my burger. I think I only had a couple of fries. They were thin, crispy, and not-all-too greasy, which they ought to be. Then the fried mushroom ravioli, fried ravioli stuffed w/ portobello mushroom, ricotta cheese & romano cheese, served w/ house chili oil, were the hit of the night. The chili oil was so good, they we used it as a substitute for ketchup for the fries. The two orders we had, were split among us all and were quickly devoured. I think one of girls' mouths was orgasming with delight - Miss B. Because of the ravioli, my friends made a blood pack to return again.

Anyways . . .Blu La is a nice joint in the heart of Downtown LA, next to Cole's and the Association. Parking will be a challenge, but I think well worth it.

Some of the decor from inside.

This is the Shiraz we had that night. I'm not a big wine drinker, but it was fine. Blu La Cafe only serves wine and beer. Also, the wine prices were very reasonable for the quality.

Fried Mushroom Ravioli! Excellent. Yet, I think the house chili oil sauce was the sleepy hit.

The Turkey Lasagna. I wouldn't suggest ordering that.

The Tamarid Salmon. This was a bit on the dry side.

This was my Blu La Cafe Burger - award-winning burger features house-made 1/2 lb. angus beef patty, topped w/ bacon, blue cheese, garlic mayo, lettuce & tomato on a toasted brioche bun. Fantastic burger, but little too savory, though.

The Monterey Burger - house-made 1/2 lb. angus beef patty, topped w/ monterey jack cheese, jalapenos, avocado, tomato, lettuce, & mayo on a brioche bun.


Blu La Cafe
126 E 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213) 488-2088
www.blu.la




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Wurstküche, Downtown LA - update

I was recently back at Wurstküche again. Not much has changed since I first went there. But it did get more crowded and popular. This time, I will just post up some pictures.

Check out my first post about it, here.
http://blog.thethirstypig.com/2009/06/wurstkuche-restaurant.html

The classic Bratwurst - fine cuts of pork, coriander & nutmeg.

I think this was the Kielbasa - polish style, pork & beef, onions and spices.

The Louisiana Hot Link - beef & pork, onions and hot spices.

My Austin Blues with Sauerkraut.

My Austin Blues - hot and spicy, tri-pepper & hardwood smoked pork. This was before I put anything on.

All waiting to be cooked. I know this, this past time we were there, the lines were long on a weekday lunchtime - around 1pm.

Wurstküche
800 E 3rd St
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 687-4444
wurstkucherestaurant.com
twitter.com/wurstkuche




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The Gorbals, Downtown Los Angeles

The Gorbals is new restaurant that opened in Downtown LA, late last year, in 2009. They are in an interesting space on the first floor of a converted loft apartment building.

Check out the video from Dine LA

Its a very cool space. The area around is a bit rundown, but I like it.

I was looking for a new place to try in Downtown, but I had certain criteria that I need to follow. I didn't want a uber trendy place. Nor, did I want a super expensive restaurant. I was in the mood for anything non-Asian. And The Gorbals fit the bill after reading newsletters, blogs, and other sites.

The first thing I took note was the Octopus with Gizzards. A bit of a strange combination. I like the Octopus, but the gizzards was not what I was looking forward to. But as it turns out, the gizzard was tastier than the octopus. I don't usually touch the strange parts of an animal, like gizzard, intestine, heart, etc. But in this case, it was pretty good. The gizzard has a unique consistency, a bit grainy. I thought it would be more chewy. I would recommend ordering this.

Another item that I was looking forward to was the Bacon Wrap Matzoh Balls. Yes, I know, Bacon is like my krytonite. Anything with bacon, pork, pig will be my epic downfall. Unfortunately, my hastiness caused me to almost burn my tongue. The matzoh ball is hot! I should have left it to cool down. I understand the combination. But perhaps it could be improved. I would try it again - the combination sounds too good to pass up.

I also ordered the Manischewitz-braised pork belly, clapshot and apples. I have no idea what it said - except for the "PORK BELLY". Hence my weakness. This was actually really good. It is comparable to the pork belly that I had at Animal. Though Animal's was better - with a crispy and melty mouth feel. The mouth feel at The Gorbals was melty all around.

I apologize for the low light images. This was my old Nikon point and shoot. This was actually a dessert.

Octopus with Gizzards & Lemon. An interesting combination.

This was a bone marrow appetizer. This was really good. I like the pumpernickel bread. I don't think they have it anymore.

Manischewitz-braised pork belly, clapshot and apples - all you have to say is pork belly and I am there.

Bacon Wrap Matzoh Balls. This is something I would try again.

Rating
2 pigs, $$

The Gorbals
501 S Spring St
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 488-3408
thegorbalsla.com
twitter.com/thegorbals




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Lazy Ox Canteen, Downtown Los Angeles

On the edge of J-Town, yet still part of Downtown exist a new must-and-check-out space, Lazy Ox Canteen.

The cozyiness of the Lazy Ox Canteen.

Though I was dragged here from the recent artwalk, I kinda wanted to check out Lazy Ox, since I had heard about it, just a week or two before. Anytime someone who is bold enough to put a restaurant, fitting not of the same cultural neighborhood, better be good. Lazy Ox is in the Little Tokyo district of Downtown Los Angeles. Its like opening an Italian restaurant in Little Saigon in orange county.

The space the Lazy Ox resides emits a warmth that you feel when you walk into your favorite local local pub. Just past the bar, you see part of their kitchen. The brown hues give you a fuzzy welcoming feel. I usually like outdoor seating at most restaurants, but with the Lazy Ox, I'd rather be inside. The our large group got to sit on the high stools and table by the window.

Since I wasn't that hungry at the time, we really didn't get to try any entrees. Lazy Ox Canteen is mostly a tapas style restaurant. But their menu doesn't feature many selections, but its their blackboard daily specials that excel. Next time I come, I will have to spend more time on the blackboard and pick better items.

The hand-torn egg pasta with sunny-side egg, brown butter & fine herbs stood out. It reminded me of simple meat-less but great tasting pasta dishes like Crustacean's Garlic Noodles, Mi Piace's Linguine alla Carbonara, and my favorite of late Liang's Kitchen's Special Onion Dry Noodle. But I was a bit disappointed. The Hand-torn Egg Pasta lacked a flavor I was craving. Perhaps by design, this might have been a home recipe of their comfort food.

The little drinking sides we different from what I was used to. We had Peruvian style corn niblets. This savory replacement of peanuts was something I couldn't stop eating. We also had pickled cucumbers and carrots in which ordered 3 servings.

Unfortunately, the octopus dish, Charred Octopus with pickled shallots, corona beans, garlic-rapini & calamansi vinaigrette, had lima(or corona) beans. I hate lima beans. I hadn't had one in years, but I tried one and remembered why I didn't like it. Similar to the octopus dish from The Gorbals, this octopus was nuked till it wasn't chewy. Understandably, chewy is not good, but sometimes is. I think westerners need to try to accept this type of texture more.

Their simple and easy to ready menu

The Cod Brandade Fritters with Yuzu Aioli.

Shochu Kakushigura soju. This was actually really good. Make sure you have it with lemon and ice.

Chicken Livers with Whole-Grain Mustard & Guanciale. I didn't try this. I don't like anything with the word liver.

Blistered Shishito Peppers with coriander salad, grated mojama & meyer lemon vinaigrette. This was not bad. I thought it would be spicy. It had good flavor.

The hand-torn egg pasta with sunny-side egg, brown butter & fine herbs. I wanted to like it more.

Charred Octopus with pickled shallots, corona beans, garlic-rapini & calamansi vinaigrette

Rating
2 pigs, $$

Lazy Ox Canteen
241 S San Pedro
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 626-5299
lazyoxcanteen.com




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