A Fair Fare Affair

Posted on August 9, 2012 by Val

The 2012 Orange County Fair
Costa Mesa, California

Big food is everywhere at the OC County Fair

Big food is everywhere at the OC County Fair

The Orange County Fair has firmly entrenched itself into Southern California culture as the bellwether of the often lunatic cuisine represented at the other area county fairs. In recent years they have stepped up their game, shifting the focus of the fair from the fairway where testosterone-fueled athletes hurl $20 worth of softballs at milk can to win a $5 stuffed Despicable Me minion to a destination spotlighting sustainable agriculture and providing a venue for celebrity chef demonstrations and where gourmet food trucks circle their wagons. Each year, all eyes turn to the ubiquitous Chicken Charlie’s to see what food item previously thought unfriable finds its way into the hot oil to the amazement and occasional disgust of foodies and fairgoers alike. There is a treasure trove of unusual and surprisingly high quality comestibles hidden in plain sight, rubbing elbows with vendors hawking fair staples such as corn dogs, turkey legs and cotton candy; one must simply take the time to stop and smell the Mazola.

Chicken-fried bacon from Bacon A-Fair

Chicken-fried bacon from Bacon A-Fair

Navigating the corridors of carts and stands can be a daunting, expensive and cholesterolic experience done alone, but a group of plastic fork-wielding omnivores can get a liberal sampling of the delicacies the OC Fair has to offer without having to catch a ride home in an ambulance. I recently joined a group of food journalists on a walking tour of some of the fair’s 2012 culinary highlights, which included some new items in addition to some overlooked gems that have been on the menu in previous seasons.

Just-cooked chips from Tasti Chips

Just-cooked chips from Tasti Chips

Bacon A-Fair is one of those monstrous carts that look like Dante’s Inferno Room with the lady of the evening replaced on their sideshow billboard with a nurse prepping a defibrillator. One might pass off the carnival-like appearance of the menu as garish and assume consuming items such as the “Meat-on-Meat Dog” or “Caveman Turkey Leg” may be hazardous to your health, but having Chef Mike Peterson present us with three of the second level treats was a taste bud-opening experience. The first item was a savory and succulent dish dubbed the “Porkabello” – a family of what is assumed to be baby Portobello siblings are generously stuffed with gouda cheese and then lanced, smothered in a blanket of bacon and grilled over an open flame; the skewer is then sprinkled with shredded aged gouda prior to serving. Naturally the first wave of flavor is delivered through the bacon, but each bite of the shrooms exposes the forbidden love between the tender fungi and the cheese. The second menu item was sheer genius; the dish is billed as “Beer-Battered Bacon” but “chicken-fried bacon” would be a more apt description. Thick slab-cut strips of uncooked bacon are dipped in a mixture of eggs and beer and then dredged through a spicy dry batter prior to immersion in the bubbling hell of the Frialator. The process is almost identical to making fried chicken, with the bacon cooking to a firm texture without getting all crispy and junk. Although the taste was reminiscent of the best country fry available, the porcine quality defined the dish. For desert, we were treated to chocolate covered bacon served chilled; rather than a perfect geometric rectangle, the melted Nestlé’s chocolate clung to the seductive curves of the fried bacon resulting in a lumpy, homemade appearance. There was some apprehension when Peterson suggested we sparingly sprinkle salt on the confection, but as cookout aficionados who have applied sodium chloride to watermelon will tell you, it actually amplifies the taste without making it too briny.

Chicken Charlie's bizarre 2012 option

Chicken Charlie's bizarre 2012 option

A brief stop at the oft-overlooked Legendary Gelato was worth the sample spoon encounter. All the gelatos admirably represented their ingredients; the coffee gelato was creamy and strong, the pistachio nutty and flavorful. By far the most popular flavor was their peach champagne, laden with tiny chunks of sweet, tender stone fruit and a hint of bubbly effervescence. The gelato was a temporary diversion while we waited for thin freshly-sliced white rose potatoes to emerge from their oil bath at Tasti Chips. Aside from the seasoned veterans in the group, there was a slight air of skepticism regarding a stand that served only potato chips but as the old adage goes, “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”. Apparently, the key to the perfect chip is using freshly unearthed potatoes no older than four days out of the ground. The chips fried to differing standards – some were thoroughly golden and crispy, while others had a soft inside area that concentrated the flavor of the potato; all were delicious.

The Maui Chicken from Pineapple Express

The Maui Chicken from Pineapple Express

Chicken Charlie’s fried item de jour was advertised as deep fried cereal (which employed Trix and Cinnamon Toast Crunch as the innards of choice), but as magically delicious as I’m sure they were, I was more intrigued by CC’s latest venture, a Pineapple Express cart inspired by a trip to Hawaii. While some of the items carried on the tradition of deep frying the bejezus out of the ingredients, they did a wonderful turn at couple of dishes that brought strains of pedal steel and ukulele to the palate. Their Naked Shrimp and Maui Chicken were similar in their preparation and presentation; a cored and halved pineapple acted as the serving dish for each, accompanied by white rice and chunks of the pineapple’s ultra-sweet and juicy golden flesh. Not being a big fan of chicken, I absolutely loved the long-marinated and grilled poultry, especially when combined with forkfuls of rice and fruit; although delicious, the spicy grilled shrimp took a back seat to the yardbird. Naturally, in the Chicken Charlie’s alternate universe Hawaii, the omnipresent SPAM makes an appearance in deep-fried format. Although the SPAM fingers resembled tiny corndogs, the coating is actually a tempura batter laced with lemon and garlic. The pig in a blanket is the ideal entry level choice for those wishing to foray into the seedy underworld of the canned spiced pork shoulder from Austin, Minnesota. The deep fried pineapple rings get high marks for the freshness of the fruit, but unfortunately the abundant moisture resulted in a batter that did not cling well and was a little soggy.

Dominic Palmieri shows of his burger featuring a 4 lb. patty

Dominic Palmieri shows of his burger featuring a 4 lb. patty

Biggie’s Meat Market doesn’t keep any dirty little secrets – the stand is visible from a considerable distance, marked by the Flintstonian representations of the food proudly displayed on the roof. One of the gluttonous food choices offered is the Bellybuster Burger, a behemoth with the approximate proportions of a small flying saucer; the beef patty alone weighs in at a hefty four pounds, prompting the question, “Where does he get such mammoth buns?” The Texas Tenderloin sandwich is a sharable affair featuring a football field-sized slab of pork beaten senseless, breaded and seasoned and then deep fried. It was reminiscent of a veal cutlet and accentuated by the application of a selection of pumped condiments and sauces. Owner Dominic Palmyra’s draw seems to be the meat club registered as a deadly weapon with the Costa Mesa police department under the name “The Big Rib” (“La Super Costilla” for our Spanish-speaking friends). I would not enter the two-pound meat hammer in a competition with any roadside Texas BBQ, but the meat was delicate and fresh.

Texas Donuts' behemoth maple bacon donut

Texas Donuts' behemoth maple bacon donut

Defying logic, we opted to try a couple of the desert offerings at the fare while preparing for the onslaught of a food coma at the tribute to Ensenada’s historic watering hole, Hussong’s Cantina. The open air seating area looked more like Walter Knott’s re-engineering of the infamous Mexican saloon but we were simply taking table space to satisfy our sweet tooth. Michael Davis of Toucan Funnel Cakes presented us with this year’s model, a new red velvet funnel cake; there seemed to be an understated representation of cocoa in the confection, with the nod to the exceptionally popular bakery item seemingly in color only with only a hint of difference from the traditional funnel cake. Davis agreed that a drizzle of chocolate sauce might amp up the flavor a bit. Since we were sharing, the usual bypassed Texas Donuts became a viable option, having selected their take on the classic maple bacon doughnut in homage to Omaha’s now-defunct Swirls Bakery. While sweet, the maple glaze was more along the lines of a light maple syrup with the sticky goo holding the crumbled bits of bacon on the top of the doughnut. Even though their take is a fair contender for the crown, this is a dessert best eaten using the buddy system.

Although I’m sure I neglected a few unique nuggets of tasty fair food, our small sampling adventure left us to where we swore off eating anything else for at least the next fortnight. It may be hitting below the belt, but all’s fair in love and war.

Orange County Fair
88 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
GPS coordinates:  33°39’56.67″N 117°54’3.51″W

GALLERY: See images from Val’s adventure at the 2012 Orange County Fair in Costa Mesa, California

NOTE: This cost for the fair admission and food was provided by the Orange County Fair. The content provided in this article was not influenced whatsoever by the organizer of the event.

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Mangia Mia

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Val

Soleto Trattoria and Pizza Bar
Los Angeles, California

Brick and wood give Soleto a modern recycled look

Brick and wood give Soleto a modern recycled look

Soleto is an urban enigma, an Italian bistro risen from the ashes of the former Zucca Ristorante in a building that from the exterior looks like an office front in downtown Los Angeles. The room is cavernous and modern, shiny, sleek and gleaming, yet finished with brick and reclaimed wooden floors; the Southern Italian-influenced dishes offered during Happy Hour are more akin to stuzzichini than large plates with artistically arranged foodstuffs. Soleto’s atmosphere is conducive to knocking back a few glasses of grappa or house-made limoncello with friends in a boisterous setting, and yet there’s something naggingly subtle about the feeling that you’re in an upscale trattoria. If you’re conjuring the image of an aproned waiter shoveling mass quantities of pasta onto the table from a wheelbarrow, well, paisan, you’ve come to the wrong place.

Soleto's sweet, citrus Gondola

Soleto's sweet, citrus Gondola

You could easily miss Soleto walking down the wide sidewalk past the lobby of the office tower the restaurant calls home; on the opposite corner of the building is a deceptively expansive patio for al fresco dining. The outdoor space is anchored by several story-high columns capped with modern art that mimics the colored art deco tile façade of the nearby Eastern Colombia Building; while the restaurant hints at a jumble of styles thrown together in an architectural mélange, there’s something comforting about it, having been raised in an Italian household where none of the plates and silverware matched.

Executive Chef Sascha Lyon’s background owes more to classic French than the cuisine of lo stivale, but he and the staff represent while adding a few twists. Some of the dishes take playful liberties with tradition – a calamari antipasto is sautéed in olive oil to fork-edge tenderness, augmented with a mild fire from chiles, marinated tomato and garlic; you’re likely to lose sight of the fact that you’re eating squid. Soleto’s beef meatball marinara pokes its char-encrusted, blackened flesh from beneath a cloak of marinara, its nearly crispy shell giving way to a hot, pink center. Even the egg and anchovy-free Caesar salad belies its Baja Californian roots, flashing a pedigree that’s more Julius Caesar than Caesar Cardini.

Gas and wood fired 800 degree pizza oven

Gas and wood fired 800 degree pizza oven

Although Soleto has not jumped on the same bandwagon as other fledgling Italian bistros that have installed massive stone pizza ovens, their gas and wood hybrid blast furnace blackens their pies to a crispiness that neither dries out the center nor leaves it doughy. Their potato and bacon pizza is astounding; topped with a fried egg, its yolk pierced to flood the top with its golden bounty, the pizza almost screams to be eaten for breakfast. The Skinny Pie is Margarita’s svelte yet flavorful cousin – topped with roasted tomatoes, firm blobs of ricotta and pesto, it is a tasty alternative tribute to the Italian tri-color. Even though the spicy smoked speck pizza comes packed with capsaicin, it turns in a more flavorful burn than some of the more established pizzerias that offer pies promising to deliver a hearty bout of Hades’ revenge.

Spicy sautéed calamari

Spicy sautéed calamari

The pastas were a welcome departure from the typical Southern Californian Italian fare; none were drenched in sauce – the rigatoni ragu with sweet, house-made sausage was in a light, clinging Bolognese that inexplicably contained no tomato; the savory and rich pumpkin ravioli was treated lightly to a butter sage sauce and the pasta had some nice teeth to it, a refreshing change to the typical dish that features a texture closely resembling an overcooked Cream of Wheat mush. The tart angel hair a la Checca with firm goat cheese featured tomatoes in a three way that didn’t include puree – the pasta dishes were as beautiful as they were flavorful.

Tomato-heavy angel hair a la Checca

Tomato-heavy angel hair a la Checca

Unfortunately, as good as they were, the main courses took a back seat to the lighter and more creative small dishes. A light and flaky branzino Milanese was fresh and had a nice crumbly crust, but unfortunately the skirt steak that was said to have been balsamic marinated for 24 hours tasted brined with perhaps a tad too much salinity – its saving grace was that the meat maintained a curious muscle fiber that brought out the carnivore in me.

Salty marinated skirt steak (Italian fajita meat)

Salty marinated skirt steak (Italian fajita meat)

Soleto’s proximity to Staples Center and L.A. Live, as well as their extended hours (these go to eleven) make it a destination for post-event dining and drinking, as well as a great place to hang after the workday when other establishments are rolling down the grates. Sometimes when you’re expecting Joe Pesci or Sophia Loren, it’s refreshing change to get Louis Prima.

Soleto Trattoria and Pizza Bar
801 S. Figueroa Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
GPS Coordinates: 34° 2’51.69″N 118°15’41.90″W

See images from Val’s visit to Soleto Trattoria and Pizza Bar in Los Angeles CA

NOTE: This cost for this meal was provided by the restaurant. The content provided in this article was not influenced whatsoever by the organizer of the event.

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Foie Gras Brouhaha

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Val
The foie gras "double-down" at Montreal's Joe Beef

The foie gras "double-down" at Montreal's Joe Beef

On a warm, sunny July morning in Southern California, chefs will rise from their slumber to begin preparing for meal service for the day. The only thing different on this day is their preparations may not include foie gras, the heady, buttery and pricey substance manufactured through gavage (the practice of force-feeding waterfowl by inserting a tube down their throats and then harvesting their fatty, over-sized livers). Unless you’ve been taking a twenty-year nap on a hillside behind a Hudson Valley farm, you’re undoubtedly aware of the ban on the sale, purchase, or consumption of foie gras fabricated using the gavage technique. California State Senate Bill 1520 was passed into law in September of 2004 to take effect July 1, 2012; the reason for the bill’s lengthy gestation period was to allow farmers to find an alternate means of creating the rich, cholesterolic delicacy. Opponents of the law (primarily chefs who stand to lose revenue from the sale of the pricey mush) argue that the process isn’t cruel at all, as these birds do not have a gag reflex, have esophagi that relax and enlarge to allow large items such as fish go down their gullets and do not experience discomfort or pain. Unless the duck that was interrogated had Gilbert Gottfried’s voice, I’m not sure how they drew that last conclusion, but in hidden camera video of the feeding of these birds, it doesn’t look like a day at a picnic.

Cafe del Rey's foie gras oyster (photo: Eddie Lin)

Cafe del Rey's foie gras oyster (photo: Eddie Lin)

A gaggle of California chefs have banded together to form a coalition with the nifty acronym C.H.E.F.S. (Coalition for Humane and Ethical Farming Standards) in which they try to develop “less cruel” means of feeding and caring for the birds, as well as allow independent investigation and analysis of the practice in hopes that it can be scientifically proven that the process is not as cruel as it is purported to be. Nationally, celebrity chefs are throwing their support behind the local hash slingers – the group of opponents includes Ludo Lefebvre, Andrew Zimmern, Alton Brown, and Anthony Bourdain (although there are a few notable exceptions, such as Wolfgang Puck and Charlie Trotter).  Melisse owner/chef Josiah Citrin posted a picture on Twitter that features a water bird with a fish bigger than its head sticking out of its gaping beak, accompanied by text reading, “this is what ducks feeding in the wild do. Does this look cruel to you?”; the post was retweeted by Andrew Zimmern, who lauded it as “Brilliant”. While I agree with Chef Citrin that the image of the bird feeding didn’t look cruel, I have to add several caveats: first off, the bird pictured is a cormorant, a fishing bird more akin to a pelican than a duck or goose; in addition, it didn’t look cruel because there wasn’t a human hand at the end of the fish pushing it down the cormorant’s throat. The picture was supposed to bolster one of the primary arguments put forth by opponents of the law – since these birds naturally over-eat, giving them a helping hand is perfectly legit.

Waterloo and City's chicken liver foie gras parfait

Waterloo and City's chicken liver foie gras parfait

Initially, California’s only foie gras producer (Sonoma Foie Gras) supported the measure, saying that if the production practice could not be supported or alternative could not be found after seven years, they would quietly fade into the California sunset (the farm closed just prior to July 1 as agreed). To a certain degree, the opponents of the bill are correct in their observation that the waterfowl will naturally over-eat, but their argument also works against them when considering the term “naturally”. Internationally, some farms are able to allow the birds to feed freely without having to gut load them by letting them be snow birds. As the seasons change and geese and ducks prepare to winter in Boca Raton they chow down like a busload of corn-fed Midwesterners stopping at a roadside Golden Corral, only they find that instead of first-class accommodations on Delta they’re given a one-way ticket to the abattoir. The problem with this natural process is that in a climate where the seasons favor year-long avian cavorting the birds have no reason to stock up for winter. In a discussion I had with Chef David McMillan of Joe Beef in Montreal, he recalls how foie gras was always a special treat around the winter holidays and that it was unusual to find it served other times of the year; modern foie gras farms can produce it year-round using gavage, and with the sheer number of high-profile chefs accommodating the tastes of wealthy foodies, the demand creates a constant market.

Umamicatessen's foie gras doughnut

Umamicatessen's foie gras doughnut

In an 11th hour Hail Mary attempt to revoke or postpone the ban, C.H.E.F.S and other opponents approached California legislators to champion their cause, but the reaction they received was less than warm and eager – most responded with a resounding “No” and chided that they should have opted not to make hay while the sun shone; not a single legislator sided with the chefs. In the two months prior to the ban’s enactment, California chefs have been hosting top-dollar foie gras feasts that demonstrate that waterfowl aren’t the only creatures capable of excess with the proceeds of these face-stuffing foie fests going towards funding C.H.E.F.S’ legal battle. Chef Laurent Quenioux (the Gary Hart of California chefs) stated publicly that he has no intention of complying with the ban; he would do well to speak with chef Kiyoshiro Yamamoto who saw his place of employment closed down after serving animal rights ninjas whale meat at Santa Monica’s Hump restaurant. The fine for violating the ban brings a fine of up to $1,000 per violation per day (which makes that some pretty expensive foie gras).

Coolhaus' Tracey Broderick offers a foie gras ice cream sandwich

Coolhaus' Tracey Broderick offers a foie gras ice cream sandwich

In some cases, the argument has been put forth that gavage is not as cruel as practices of factory farms such as feed cages and dismemberment, and while this may be true the question remains – would you rather be shot in the toe with a .22 or in the ass with a bazooka if your third choice is to remain intact? Gavage is admittedly low hanging fruit, small potatoes with only a single practitioner in all of California, but regardless, the practice is still outlawed. Senate Bill 1520 makes California the only state to ban foie gras made by force-feeding, and although chefs are hoping it is repealed as was a similar measure by the City of Chicago, the key difference is that they quite frankly don’t have a large support base; foie gras is a dish enjoyed primarily by the wealthy, and the 1 percent won’t miss what they haven’t had an opportunity to experience. Some chefs such as Perfecto Rocher of L.A.’s Lazy Ox Canteen have elevated that apathy to an art form, offering a cavalcade of liver dishes during foie gras’ last hurrah that don’t include duck or geese livers; perhaps this is the wave of the future, although some chefs are planning to exploit a loophole in the law by offering expensive dishes that feature “free” foie gras as an accoutrement.

In case I haven’t stated this previously, I am a card-carrying omnivore; I have had the pleasure of consuming foie gras in the past, as well as other items that have since been banned in the State of California; I have to ask where C.H.E.F.S. was each time these items were banned:

First they came for the horse meat and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a slaughterhouse owner.
Then they came for the shark fin soup and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Chinese chef.
Then they came for foie gras and there was no one left who cared.

GALLERY: A variety of foie gras dishes in honor of Senate Bill 1520

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Then Came The Last Days Of June

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Val

Lazy Ox Canteen
Los Angeles, California

Lazy Ox Canteen's cozy and rustic interior

Lazy Ox Canteen's cozy and rustic interior

As the thunderous sound from the webbed feet of the Waterfowl of the Apocalypse rises above the horizon to herald California’s ban on foie gras (Senate Bill 1520 is slated to become law on July 1, 2012), not everyone is trampling the bodies of the innocents to man the Titanic’s life rafts. Perfecto Rocher, Executive Chef and partner at Los Angeles’ Lazy Ox Canteen has elevated apathy to an art form with the announcement of the gastropub’s pending “Forget Foie” dinner menu, which will be offered at Lazy Ox on the last two days prior to the ban. Chef Rocher is quick to point out that there is no substitute for foie gras (the rich, decadent treat made from enlarging the liver of a waterfowl through force-feeding), and that he personally loves the organ paste, but he won’t be losing sleep over the ban.  Rocher cut his teeth learning the art of paella, but as a child he also picked up a thing or two from his grandmother (friends packed into his kitchen like fans of La Roja for a taste of his home-made Nutella). Originally the concept of Lazy Ox was to feature the cuisine the Catalan region of Spain that Chef Rocher calls home, but his flair for experimentation garnered from a stint under Ferran Adria at world-famous El Bulli results in a menu that changes daily.

Executive Chef Perfecto Rocher prepares items from the "Forget Foie" menu

Executive Chef Perfecto Rocher prepares items from the "Forget Foie" menu

Although the chalkboard typically offers dishes featuring a variety of offal ingredients, the pending “Forget Foie” menu is a veritable cavalcade of liver, represented by the blood-filtering organ of cows, pigs, rabbits and even monkfish, with not a duck or goose liver to be found. On my visit to preview the menu, Chef Rocher took the opportunity to show off other creations that are well deserved sources of pride; we started out with a Carpaccio of Ibérico de Bellota pork lomo (loin) that was so thin it was translucent. The pork is sourced from Ibérico Fresco, a co-operative in Spain where the hogs are allowed to roam free and nosh on acorns; this rare breed is difficult to come by in the United States, and Chef Rocher is one of the few (along with The French Laundry’s Thomas Keller) who import it. The flesh literally melts – no chewing is required; it has a nutty flavor and a buttery texture with a slightly salty finish.

A remarkably refreshing Michelada made with Spanish Estrella Damm beer

A remarkably refreshing Michelada made with Spanish Estrella Damm beer

When visiting the House of Rocher, one must drink as the Valencians do; Lazy Ox makes their own sangria, a rich, purple, mint-accented beverage that despite the large cubes of fruit is not overly sweet. They also feature a salt-rimmed, spicy Michelada made with Estrella Damm (a high quality beer from Spain) – one sip and you will never go back to the freakish brew from Budweiser.

Another liverless dish we sampled was a stone fruit salad capped with a dollop of whipped goat cheese that melted into a crème and infused with a nectarine emulsion. The fresh, ripe plums offered a pleasant tartness to the dish, offset by sweet and juicy chunks of peach. With the combination of croutons added for crunch, a frisky laurel of parley, and a light balsamic dressing, the fruit was a lively and refreshing accoutrement.

Rabbit livers, crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside

Rabbit livers, crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside

The first order of business in the liver department was an exemplary entry that I would do great injustice to simply to refer to it as Crispy Rabbit Liver. The chicken-sized organs had been marinated in buttermilk and paprika for 24 hours and then flash-fried wearing a tempura-style coat. These were then laid to rest over a bed of dandelion, hearts of palm, pickled red onion that hid a shallow pool of arugula avocado dressing. The livers were light, sweet and mellow, with the hot contents almost liquefied to the point where they would have served well as foie gras methadone.

A powerful and sturdy beef liver a la plancha

A powerful and sturdy beef liver a la plancha

The namesake ox was represented in a sturdy barnyard dish of seared “beef liver a la plancha”, rare strips of meat that looked to be trying to escape from under a dominating fried egg. Underneath the hen fruit, soft chunks of yam mingled with the liver, adding some sweetness and cutting its extremely strong taste. This is not a dish for the meek; although the conglomeration of yams, radish, onion, and egg mixed with a tarragon emulsion added complexity to the dish’s flavor, the liver muscled its way to the foreground of the palate. If you are on the fence when it comes to beef liver, watch out – this bull will gore you in less than a heartbeat.

Fried pork liver with home-made pasta

Fried pork liver with home-made pasta

A pasta dish not appearing on the “Forget Foie” menu was an afterthought of Chef Rocher and a way to incorporate his freshly-made ravioli and what appeared to be a cross between tagliatelle and pappardelle noodles. This extraordinary concoction began at the bottom with the paper-thin ribbon noodles resting above a creamy sauce impregnated with blood sausage and chives; stacked above the noodles were the saucer-shaped ravioli, with the stack doused with more of the crème sauce. On top of old smoky was perched a small orb of fried pork liver, dark and moist with the color of stuffed mushroom; the core was pinkish in color and a generous forkful was intoxicating, where each bite begged for a follow-up.

An impressive beer-braised octopus and monkfish liver dish

An impressive beer-braised octopus and monkfish liver dish

What followed was nothing short of impressive – a mound of thick segments of octopus tentacles that had been braised with greens in a beer-filled pressure cooker was stacked over cubes of monkfish liver that took on an odd orange hue from the tomato confit. The dish was an odd collection of surprising textures – the carbonation of the beer used to slow-cook the octopus resulted in it being able to be cut with a fork; it was the tenderest presentation of the mollusk I’ve ever sunk my teeth into. The monkfish liver mimicked the consistency of tofu (with which it was initially confused). The dish was treated with muscatel vinaigrette and the oily, red, tomato-tinged fluid coated the octopus, imparting an almost barbecue-like flavor. The taste that seemed to linger the longest was that of the vinaigrette; sadly, the cooked-down tomato slice at the bottom remained as an afterthought, not making its way into any of the mouthfuls of the other ingredients.

This Ibérico de Bellota shoulder loin could pass for beef

This Ibérico de Bellota shoulder loin could pass for beef

The pièce de résistance ironically contained no liver at all; a generous steak of richly-marbled Ibérico de Bellota presa (shoulder loin) accompanied by a potato-like sunchoke puree presented itself as a pig in cow’s clothing. The only tell that the thick slab of meat was porcine in nature was its color; for all intents and purposes, it could easily have passed for beef. The sparsely populated plate featured a couple of grilled yellow squash wedges and what originally looked like small curls of sautéed onion; one taste of the whitish pieces gave them away as grilled pork fat.

A decadent Nutella flan

A decadent Nutella flan

Dessert included a couple of uniform rectangles in a display of color contrast; a mousse-like flan made with Chef Rocher’s own Nutella was topped with almond crumbs and visually made the perfect dessert for the “Forget Foie” tasting as it almost looked like a slab of raw liver. A rich and sweet torrija a la plancha accompanied by a diminutive scoop of caramel ice cream employed toasted brioche; the result was a white, sweet, grainy cake that resembled thick rice pudding in texture and would be the perfect foil for one of Lazy Ox Canteen’s cups Intelligencia coffee. I had begun to regret finishing with the sweets as I wanted to savor the taste of the meats longer when Chef Rocher dashed across the room to have me sample a chunk of his home-made longanisa stuffed with pork and fava bean paste. The savory sausage brought me back to that special place where meat reigns as king, a fitting tidbit to cap the evening’s fare.

The “Forget Foie” menu also features corn soup with coconut cream and crispy pork livers, a Huevo Andoni and chicken liver dish and the award-wining Lazy Ox Burger accompanied by lamb liver, and while it certainly won’t trick your palate into thinking you’re on the Foie Gras Express train out of California, I guarantee you will forget about the… um… what was that dish again?

Lazy Ox Canteen
241 S. San Pedro Street
Los Angeles, California 90012
GPS Coordinates: 34° 2’54.79″N 118°14’31.85″W

GALLERY: See images from Val’s visit to the Lazy Ox Canteen in Los Angeles CA to preview the “Forget Foie”  menu

NOTE: This cost for this meal was provided by the restaurant. The content provided in this article was not influenced whatsoever by the organizer of the event.

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I Left My Meat In San Francisco

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Val

Miller’s East Coast Deli
San Francisco, California

A cross of modern and throwback culture at Miller's East Coast Deli

A cross of modern and throwback culture at Miller's East Coast Deli

What kind of meshugeneh has the chutzpah to open a deli in San Francisco’s upscale Nob Hill neighborhood and brazenly sandwich “East Coast” in the title? Enter Robby Morgenstein, a Jewish kid from Baltimore with a deli family pedigree and schmaltz running through his veins. How we get from Morgenstein to Miller is anybody’s guess, but the fare is as representative of your friendly neighborhood delicatessen as you could want in Shakytown. Once inside, it takes a moment or two to acclimate to the surroundings – there’s no black and white tile or tin ceilings here, and the pop art pieces on the wall make the open room look more like a gallery than a restaurant; a rustic-looking, out-of-place neon sign at the back advertises a “Coney Island Cafe” with “Chinese-American Food” leading one to wonder, with all the classic delis back east folding their tents, if they couldn’t have found something a little more Kosher.

Miller's meat selection

Miller's meat selection

A banner of monochromatic art deco posters border the room at table level – the often-repeating panels push generic, occasionally tongue-in-cheek messages such as, “Good Foods Served Right”, “The Finest Meats in Town”, “Your Favorite Cheese”, and the descriptive “Golden Waffles Wallowing in Butter and Maple Syrup”. The vibe gives the feel of what an anthropological deli museum exhibit might look like two hundred years in the future. Although the posters aren’t very helpful in deciding what to nosh on, their expansive menu hangs behind the counter on a movie theater screen-sized board to help you choose while you wait to be seated. Nearly everything you would expect to be on an East Coast deli menu is, with treats like tongue Polonaise, kishka and even and sour green tomatoes (which, with my luck, they had conveniently run out of). While the starters included knishes, I ended up muttering “East Coast, Shmeast Coast” to myself after seeing only the vegetarian potato, spinach or Coney Island potato (which I pray differs greatly from Coney Island whitefish) on the menu, obviously catering to the twigs-and-bunny crowd from Marin County.

The celery-flavored Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray

The celery-flavored Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray

My original intention was to break the yard stick pastrami sandwich down to its simplest form to see what kind of East Coast game Chef Morgenstein is bringing to the Bay Area, but my eyes widened to the size of teacup saucers when I looked at the proliferation of celebrity given name and surname christened sandwiches and saw The Buddha, a sandwich obviously made specifically for me. This omnivore’s dream features a heap of layered chopped chicken liver, pastrami, red onion, tomato, coleslaw and Russian dressing and it was a foregone conclusion that Buddha was getting in my belly. I opted for the Russian dressing on the side, as I correctly anticipated the behemoth would be a glorious moist mess. My choice of cold beverage with which to wash down this fine mélange was the venerated Cel-Ray (the Dr. Brown’s variety with the Brooklyn Bridge, not the Golden Gate, on the label) as I had never had the celery-flavored drink before. If you haven’t tried it, the first sip has a sweet, almost ginger ale character, but finishes with a kick of celery that remains on the tongue after the swallow – the rest of the bottle gradually amps up the celery flavor, so caution is in order if the stalky vegetable isn’t your cup of tea.

A cross-section of the ample Buddha

A cross-section of the ample Buddha

When my sandwich arrived neatly halved and guarding a perfectly formed scoop of horseradish-laced potato salad, I appreciated the image that the waiter-recommended marbled rye presented, framing the sandwich in spongy, color-coordinated heaven. Although I enjoy Jewish rye, the anise flavor of the caraway seeds would have been too over-the-top with this “everything but the kitchen sink” dish. Since each component was neatly layered in flora and fauna strata I decided to sample a loose piece of the pastrami to see if it held a candle to geographical East Coast delis; the meat was tender and moist with a slight amount of teeth to it – it was neither too spicy nor too salty. Miller’s imports their pastrami from the city that is synonymous with pastrami – Detroit. While that claim might prompt a bat attack from the Bronx Bombers, the waiter explained that Morgenstein tried a variety of pastrami from various sources in New York but found that the product lacked consistency (it was often too fatty, while other times too lean) until finally settling on Motor City’s Sy Ginsburg Gold Label.

t was more like hunger removed while I ate

t was more like hunger removed while I ate

By all rights, the contents of the sandwich promised not to play well with each other, but from the first bite to licking the last dregs of chicken liver from the plate, the dish was an orgasmic cacophony of flavor and texture. The red onion was sweet without being overpowering; the coleslaw and tomato offered a cool and crunchy garden flavor. Both the chicken liver and the pastrami could very well have stood on their own two feet, but the rich, creamy and earthy mush was muted by the spice and savory flavor of the meat, and each stood their ground without stepping on each other’s toes.

Miller’s has enjoyed a healthy success since opening their doors in 2004 and the installation of a pizza oven in 2010 added to the deli’s roster as well as its popularity. The deli business has been so good to Morgenstein that he was able to expand across the bay to San Rafael early in 2012. I’m not sure I’d trade a ticket to JFK for a trip to Miller’s, but it is worth taking a Brodie off the Golden Gate for authentic East Coast deli fare.

Miller’s East Coast Deli
1725 Polk Street
San Francisco, California 94109
GPS Coordinates: 37°47’33.89″N 122°25’16.83″W

See images from Val’s visit to Miller’s East Coast Deli in San Francisco CA

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