Viewing entries tagged
wine

Napa Valley Grille - Tasting Menu - Westwood

June 26, 2017

I've been to Napa Valley Grille twice already as well as talking about them here before. Coming here for my third time, I wasn't too sure with what to expect besides possibly trying out the rest of the menu items I've yet to lay my fork on. Without much notice, I made a reservation for the following day.

Upon arrival, we were informed that Chef Clinton had prepared a few special dishes for us to try. Without hesitation, I resigned the menu as I decided to let the chef prepare the whole meal for us.

|The first course| Melon Bowl |

When I first saw this.. I was caught off guard. My literal thoughts were wtf, where am I? This was definitely not something I am used to seeing at NVG.

The dish looked simple. A bowl of melons. But as you ate into this, you begin to realize how brilliant this course was. This melon bowl was the best starting course I've had all year. The flavors were bright, refreshing, and the citrus gazpacho hidden under these balls of wonder really opened up my palate for the next course.

|Second Course| Avocado Ravioli |

Yes. Avocado Ravioli. Inside the avocado is more of that house Steelhead Gravlax. Served with thinly sliced pickled cucumbers to help cut through the richness of the avocado and Steelhead. The choice of fresh herbs that was playfully placed made each bite fresh and vibrant.

|Third Course| Scallops |

Sweet Corn | Heart of Palm| Lava Fennel Salt | Ginger Citrus

At this point. I can't help but constantly look over my shoulders to see when the next creations arrive. I haven't had scallops in a long time. One of the reasons (if not the only) is people always mess it up. Either they are overcooked or sadly cooked with no sear marks. These were in no comparison to sad scallops. Beautifully seared served on top of a sweet corn puree/sauce, heart of palm with lava fennel salt on top, and a ginger citrus gastrique.

|Fourth Course| "Surf and Turf" |

Smoked King Crab | Bernaise | Wagyu | Armagnac Sauce | Crispy Rice

An amazing pairing with A5 wagyu beef with an Armagnac Sauce and a perfectly, but lightly smoked King Crab with a Bernaise sauce sitting in a claw. Beef was marbled and tender. Crab was definitely acting like a King with the crispy rice wrapped around like a crown. After this meal, I still had a lingering smoked sensation on my palate. Was pretty wonderful actually.

| Fifth Course | Dessert |

Basil Oil Cake | Creme Friache| Fruit | Strawberry Sorbet

How perfect is this. A basil cake with a strawberry sorbet to bring lighter flavors after a smokey entree. The basil olive cake eaten with the sorbet and all the components on the dish screams summertime. We enjoyed this with coffee. So delightful.

I spoke with Chef Clinton about his concepts and ideas. Playing with fresh local ingredients, he is able to create special tasting menus for any occasion. Napa Valley Grilled is open to preparing special menus such as the one I've experienced the past weekend. I would recommend for you to start thinking about your next food adventure with a group of friends. Call ahead and arrange a special menu, or go in a bigger group to share the fun.\

1100 Glendon Ave #100, Los Angeles, CA 90024 :: (310) 824-3322

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Momed - Atwater Village

September 7, 2016

I'm a firm believer about eating somewhere more than once, and the same goes with sharing it over again. I think one of the best compliments you can give a restaurant is going back again to show your appreciation for the food. Momed is a place that I speak highly of. I've never been to the location in Beverly Hills, but the location in Atwater Village is one that I've been to a few times (still thank my friend John Quintus for the recommendation).

I came here one Sunday in the late afternoon with my best friends after having a few drinks in Atwater Village. Like a pirate, I wailed my hands as I told them about Momed. "It's that way!" - with no slurs of course. For a moment, I was not confident I was headed towards the right direction. Momed is actually tucked away from the main strip in Atwater, but more within the residentials between studios and playhouses.

They only carry wine and beer which is fine with me. I am very excited at this point. It's also quite lovely that the train passes through next door.

Grilled artichoke cooked to perfection with a preserved lemon aioli. The artichoke is seasoned lightly with Moroccan spices. All the crispy edges and tender parts towards the heart were literally finger licking good. I felt like I was engulfing the pedals. This is a must order if you are a huge fan of artichokes.

This oven roasted salmon is one of the best prepared fishes I've had. Served with seasonal vegetables and a cashew salsa. I'm sure this is something easy that they've created, but it was ridiculously delicious. The salmon was just cooked PERFECTLY. The Moroccan spices were mild and not over powering. The seasonal veggies were generous and not dinky. I still remember the salmon like a past summer fling I've never had. It's just so good I would think that's what it feels like.

Without further ado, the address is 3245 Casitas Ave, Atwater CA 90039.

They also serve breakfast and brunch. ( K i l l e r)

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Weho Bistro - West Hollywood

August 9, 2016

Weho Bistro is a low key French-inspired restaurant located on the corner of La Cienega and Holloway drive. With a large variety of selections on their menu, I am delighted to share a few items from our dinner. Our dinner was accompanied by great friends, Frances, Hugh, Rob, and mi amor John.

1040 N La Cienega Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90069

High Valley Vineyard 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon - Excellent red. Full bodied with a smooth finish.

Bread, herb olive oil & balsamic, and olive tapenade.

We planned ordered family style. A few items from their shareables were avocado and burrata toast, escargot, Cheese and pate board, mushroom soup and french onion soup.

Filet Mignon with Peppercorn Mushroom sauce

Angus filet, wrapped in bacon, seared till golden and medium rare, topped with crispy onions, served with a side of potatoes dauphinoise and tomato provencal . The mushroom sauce was killer in this dish. Each bite of the filet gets a glorious dip with a slather of mushrooms.

Duck breast with a cognac and honey sauce. The duck was cooked beautifully. Crispy skin which soaked up the decadent cognac sauce. Also served with potato dauphinoise and their tomato provencal.

Six sauteed JUMBO tiger shrimp drenched in a garlic, basil, shallot, and tomato sauce served with a basmati and wild rice medley and sauteed garlic green beans. Anything drench in the sauce described above is an absolutely hands down "GIVE IT TO ME" dish. I can't help but eat the tails as well.

Dessert crepes, tartetatin, ice cream sandwich and banana creme brulee to end our dinner extravaganza.

Parking is available shared with CVS. That's right, free parking in West Hollywood. So surreal.

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Pizza Romana - Fairfax

June 1, 2016

“All of our dough is fermented for 24 hours in the traditional Roman style. We then hand-stretch and bake all our pizzas in authentic Italian wood-fired ovens. We use produce from the farmer’s market and our own downtown garden, organic and pesticide-free whenever possible; meats raised in a humane manner and without the use of antibiotics.”

— Pizza Romana

I just want to immediately say how amazingly delicious the food was at Pizza Romana. It doesn't get anymore authentic than this. Almost all the ingredients used in this restaurant is imported from Italy. We are talking from the tomato sauce to their water used to make their pizza and lasagna pasta sheets.

615 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

There's plenty of seating from indoors to outdoors. They also have wine tasting every Thursday night which you will definitely find me there pretty soon. Pizza Romana also carries an extensive wine list. I highly recommend you ask about their wines to pair perfectly with your tastes.

Pizza Bianca served with the Salumi & Fromaggi. Super thin and killer crust.

Super simple, but having all cheeses and salumi imported from Italy just makes it that much more exquisite. These were so delicious to eat. I mean, there isn't any other way to really describe how tasty these were. We have Speck, Capicola, and Mortadella. Served with some dried cranberries, apricots, cashews, and 2 types of cheeses. The cheeses were mild, but complex. Nothing gamey about them which I can appreciate. I'm not a huge fan of stinky cheese as it takes over everything. Their pairings were spot on.

This is better than Mom's lasagna. This is quite frankly the best lasagna I've ever had in my life. The bolognese sauce is made with 3 meats: pork, beef & veal. Layered with bechamel and mozzarella, this rustic dish deserves to be put at a 5 star restaurant. Each bite was luscious with a beautiful bite from the elasticity of the handmade pasta sheet. For $8, there's definitely nothing to complain about. No sharing on this one.

Simple Margherita pizza with an amazing crust and chew. The pizzas are light and airy. The dough is also easy to digest. What really stood out from the pizza was the cheese. Amazing quality. With the delicious tomato sauce and fresh basil, I could sit by the beach and eat this while watching the sunset.

Buffalo Mozzarella with arugula and Prosciutto

There is absolutely nothing that tastes like this. Nothing. You have to get this. The prosciutto was amazing. The creamy Mozzarella was to die for. The pizza dough. Just everything is perfect about this. The saltiness of the prosciutto paired with the cheese and the lingering peppery arugula... this has changed my life.

When we think of Pistachio ice cream, we think of mont green. I grew up eating Thrifty's ice cream from Rite Aid, but never understood what tasted like pistachios in that ice cream. I loved it though and has always been one of my favorite go to. The gelato from Pizza Romana is actually imported from Sicily. How f'ing cool is that right? This tasted nothing like Pistachio made here. This is the real deal. Sweet and subtle. Has a faint flavor of roasted pistachios. An amazing treat to end our amazing meal.

I highly recommend you check this place out for many reasons. One big reason is how it made me felt like I was traveling. Each item on the menu has a story from where the ingredients were sourced. Ask about it. They have something great going on here. The other reason, and I really want to stress on this, is how affordable the items on the menu are. Even their bottle of wines are less than $40.

Map it now: 615 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Buon Appetito!

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Sushi Roku - Pasadena

May 15, 2016

I've been dining at Sushi Roku for over 6 years now. Sushi Roku is not just a place for food, but also a great place to have parties, celebrations, dinners, brunch, or whatever you want to call it. I've sat at this place for hours. With drinks. And friends. I'm not a weirdo, I swear.

I went to Sushi Roku last week to try a new item on their menu. Well, it's not really a new item, but something that is enhanced for the true connoisseur. Their executive chirashi. This was made, because not everyone wants the regular plain oh chirashi bowl. Don't get me wrong. It's still good. But if I can get a larger variety of premium fishes for lunch prices, I would jump all over this like you know, fat kid love cake kind of deal.

First things first, wine, DUH. I want all of you to know that I am a red wine drinker. I just had a bad night of white wine and it just kind of ruined it for me. Kind of like Grey Goose. Drank that thing back in the day with warm Sunny D that ended up NOT a great night to remember.

Turning a healthy snack into a not so healthy snack. I chuckled a little with that line.

I like to think of the executive chirashi as a mashup of whatever fresh fishes the chef wants to present. Doesn't that look stunning? I got more heads turned looking at this thing than me. I mean I get it. There's no way I can compete, but the wine does help me feel better about myself.

Some of the fishes features were Amaebi (sweet shrimp with fried head), Hon Hon Maguro, Kanpachi, toro, Uni, tai, hirame, & Kinmedai. Of course fish varies from time to time, so don't expect the same. I wouldn't expect the same executive chirashi everytime. This was well worth the $36. The quality was great, presentation was exquisite (of course the gold flakes helped), and it was just an overall really tasty dish.

Sushi Roku is located in Miller Alley. The restaurant is next to Crate and Barrel if you are really lost. If you are really lost, find a security that are floating all over Old Town Pasadena. They are in the yellow polos. And if you can't find them, just go home and cry because you failed in life.

33 Miller Alley, Pasadena, CA 91103, United States

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Wine & Dine

Napa Valley Grille - Tasting Menu - Westwood

Momed - Atwater Village

Weho Bistro - West Hollywood

Pizza Romana - Fairfax

Sushi Roku - Pasadena