Put Some Deli In Your Belly

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Val

Langer’s Delicatessen-Restaurant
Los Angeles CA

Find the bloggers in Langer's line

Find the bloggers in Langer's line

I got schooled. East Coast boy, nothing gets past me. When the general question of where to get decent pastrami in the Los Angeles area on the Save the Deli Facebook page (hosted by David Sax, author of the book by the same name), I blurted out “Pasadena” like the meshugana goyishe schmuck I am. I’ve had Lucky Boy; Tops; The Hat… not bad, nice amount of spice, good flavor, but the ball is hit and goes right through Val Buckner’s legs. “Valentino Herrera – that’s the crappy pastrami I’m talking about. Those places are awful; you’ll agree once you have a Langer”, they said, over and over again until it rose to a deafening hum like the crowd in the house that Al Langer built. I’ve been to the Stage Door, 2nd Ave., The Carnegie but this is L.A. – I want a pastrami sandwich with a dish of neon green pickles and a nice bowl of matzo ball soup, not a pastrami taco – is that too much to ask? Well, it was time to roll up my sleeves and find out what the kvetching was all about; I contacted blogger friends Valentina (Eastside Food Bites), The Minty and Arianna Armstrong (GrapeSmart, Food Truck Times) and asked them if they wanted to participate in popping my Langer’s cherry.

The formidable matzo ball soup

The formidable matzo ball soup

Langer’s is a bit of an odd duck. It sits on a corner of one of Los Angeles’ busiest intersections (as it has since 1947) with its name in big letters contrasting with the predominately Spanish-language signs that populate the block; in fact the intersection is so dominated by Langer’s that it has been officially dubbed Langer Square. I viewed the line going up the street as a good sign and met with my fellow journalists who had already jockeyed a place in line; we were seated at Table 1, which I also (initially) viewed as a good sign. The decor looks like it’s changed very little since 1947; an odd, handmade sign behind the deli read, “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year” and at the front of the deli was a small electric sign with Celtic lettering reading, “Most Popular Sandwich #19 Pastrami, Swiss, Coleslaw, Russian Dressing” (a nice gentile sandwich, to be sure). To the left where one can enjoy counter service while watching the cheerful insanity of the clean, white-shirted wait staff hustling orders was a vinyl-covered swivel stool with the name “Al Langer” emblazoned on the back; I wondered if you had to prove yourself worthy to occupy the late Mr. Langer’s throne, but no one seemed to pay any mind to the gentleman stuffing a Ruben into his gaping maw.

A customer fights the urge to sit in Al Langer's chair

A customer fights the urge to sit in Al Langer's chair

We started with soup by the cup (so as not to take up valuable real estate in our stomachs). The Minty’s noodle soup seemed cooked well past al dente and there was a nice spattering of chicken fat bubbles on the surface; Valentina opted for the cabbage soup, a sturdy, tomato-based brew that was so thick it almost looked like kimchi. I felt I would be remiss to order anything but the matzo ball soup; the grain ball practically filled the entire cup – it was surrounded by a light, slightly salty chicken stock and had a texture not unlike firm tofu. I casually remarked how the obligatory bowl of dills hadn’t miraculously appeared at the table; while we ordered the sandwiches, at least three of us blurted out, “Can we please get some pickles?” I’m guessing that during these times that try men’s souls and wallets that delis are growing tired of tossing out the carefully brined cukes that remain uneaten (but probably not untouched) in the bowl.

#3 - corned beef with Swiss cheese and sauerkraut

#3 - corned beef with Swiss cheese and sauerkraut

Although I found myself drawn to the come-hither of the sign with its slowly changing colored lights touting the virtues of the #19, I was thinking I wanted something a little simpler.  The sandwich order was a symphony of brined beef – Arianna made the very sensible choice of a simple pastrami sandwich, allowing the meat to speak for itself. I went slightly upscale with the #1 (seeing as how we were seated at Table 1) – pastrami, cole slaw and Russian dressing (the latter of which I requested some restraint); I’m pretty sure that renegade Minty ordered the #3 (corned beef with Swiss cheese and sauerkraut). All eyes turned to Valentina, who brazenly ordered – wait for it – the Grilled Nippy Cheese. I’ll give her credit, I’d be embarrassed just to say its name, but more power to her and her gooey, American cheese lava sandwich.

We're number 1! Pastrami with cole slaw and Russian dressing

We're number 1! Pastrami with cole slaw and Russian dressing

My sandwich arrived guarded by two dill halves on either side (apparently Langer’s eschewed the obligatory bowl completely). The sandwich was packed full of moist, steamy and fragrant pastrami, but it wasn’t as insurmountable as the human head-sized mounds of meat that completely obliterate the helpless slice of bread beneath it as served in New York delis. I brought the sandwich to my mouth, taking time to smell the spice emanating from the meat in a wafty steam and calculated the angle of approach for the first bite to include the maximum amount of meat with the minimum amount of cole slaw – shredded cabbage, your time would come my friend, but this moment was devoted to the pastrami. My mouth was filled with the most incredible flavor; I let the bite linger on my tongue, awash in saliva and ecstasy. With slight pressure (virtually no chewing required), the pastrami simply melted away as I savored each and every bite. The bread was spongy yet sturdy enough to hold the wet sandwich together; the contrast of the crusty rind and the soft innards lovingly enveloped the meat and coleslaw in a perfect storm of tastes and textures.

I should have trusted David Sax when he stated in Save the Deli, “Los Angeles has become America’s premier deli city”; if this is truly the case than Langer’s is at its epicenter. What makes savoring Langer’s pastrami an event is the care they take in turning out the best in Los Angeles while giving East Coast delis a run for their money; what made it special was sharing the experience with good friends who share the love of delicious food. I return to the Facebook page with my tail between my legs a broken man; a broken man with a Cheshire cat grin releasing a steady stream of drool.

Langer’s Delicatessen-Restaurant
704 South Alvarado
Los Angeles, CA 90057
GPS Coordinates:  34° 3’22.38″N 118°16’36.19″W

GALLERY: See images from Val’s holiday lunch at Langer’s Delicatessen-Restaurant in Los Angeles CA

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We Dine Well Here In Clamalot

Posted on January 9, 2012 by Val

Clams, New England-style

The clam tanks at Quality Seafood

The clam tanks at Quality Seafood

There are a wide variety of clams found around the globe and on dinner plates worldwide; these include razor clams, Manila clams, giant clams, the bizarre and phallic geoduck and Pismo clams to name but a few. Nowhere on this planet are clams elevated to s higher cultural status than in New England, where the soft-shelled clam (Mya arenaria) and the hard clam, or quahog (Mercenaria mercenaria) are the basis for several dishes that virtually every New Englander has tried or knows by name. Clamming or clam digging is big business along the northwestern Atlantic shores, and where clams are not hand-dug, they are cultivated for mass markets. It’s not uncommon to find beachcombers out with wooden-pegged rakes at low tide sifting through the sand and muck for these sweet bivalves.

A bunch of soft-shelled clams for steaming

A bunch of soft-shelled clams for steaming

One of New England’s prized favorites is the soft-shelled clam. This is the mollusk you’ll get at your  neighborhood fish market when you ask for steamers, although it is also the clam most commonly used for fried clams. Locally the soft-shelled clam is also referred to as the piss clam because of its habit of sending up a stream of water when the sand it is buried in is stepped upon, which gives away its hiding place and puts it on the evening menu. The clam burrows backside-first (the end the “neck” doesn’t stick out of) into the sand and then extends its siphon to the water. Before preparing soft-shelled clams that have been recently extracted from their sandy homes it is best to keep them in saltwater for a few days so that they expel the sand inside them, although if you don’t have a tank with a filtration system that keeps the water moving, the clams may die, making them inedible (always discard clams that don’t react when you touch the end of the neck, a practice that works well on certain people as well). A reputable seafood market will keep them alive in tanks so that you won’t need to go through this process, and although they won’t fry them for you, some will steam them for you on the premises.

Golden nuggets of mollusk heaven

Golden nuggets of mollusk heaven

Of the different preparation methods, the richest and most decadent has to be fried. At clam shacks up and down the coast, these golden morsels of sweet delight are heaped up in paper cartons, generally to be eaten outdoors while taking in the salt air (although you if you don’t care to fight of the coastal garbage men known as seagulls, you may want to find a place away from Bodega Bay where you can dine safely). Legendary purveyors of these cholesterol-laden treats include The Clam Shack in Kennebunkport, Maine;  The Clam Box at Wollaston Beach in Quincy, Massachusetts (not to be confused with Ipswich’s famous Clam Box, which is actually shaped like a carton of fried clams); and Kelly’s Roast Beef in Revere, Massachusetts (that’s right, Kelly’s Roast Beef) et al, but if you want to enjoy fried clams at the location where they were allegedly invented, a road trip to Essex, Massachusetts for a stop at Woodman’s of Essex is in order.

Watching the fried clam action at Woodman’s

Watching the fried clam action at Woodman’s

The odds are pretty good that Lawrence Woodman wasn’t the first to fry up clams when he served them to Independence Day parade-goers from his stand in 1916; old menus from some Boston restaurants listed fried clams and other shellfish. What is certain is as far back as anyone can remember, Woodman’s have been the fried clams to beat, made the same way “Chubby” Woodman did almost 100 years ago and often imitated, seldom copied. Today’s Woodman’s is a big, gray wooden structure with typical nautical decor and hand-painted signs and menus. The benches and tables look as old as Chubby and there’s no table service, but keep in mind that you’re not here for the ambience – you’re here for the legendary fried clams, prepared a short walk from where Woodman dug up the clams himself. The clams are dipped, and then dragged through a flour mixture and dunked into the Frialator where they develop a slightly-crunchy crust that seals in the moisture of the clam – the counter where the clams are fried is open so that you can watch them cook while you drool all over yourself. As with any clam shack worth their salt, the whole clam is used, including the “belly” (literally, the clams guts) – as disgusting as this sounds, leaving the bellies intact adds a degree of flavor that is immeasurable – soft, squishy and slightly pasty, a veritable sea foie gras.

Steamers ready to eat

Steamers ready to eat

If you don’t want the flavor masked by battering and frying, there are few dishes as raw, satisfying and slightly erotic as steamers. Steaming the soft-shelled clams is ridiculously simple, although some people make the mistake of boiling them (which continues to cook the clams while they are submerged, often resulting in a chewier mollusk). At home, a simple steaming basket that separates the clams from the water is all it takes – once the water boils, put in the clams and cover, and as soon as the shells open, they’re done. The process is the same at a clam bake (an incredible New England summer ritual that generally takes place right on the beach), except that the clams are steamed between layers of seaweed that also contains lobster and other shellfish. Once done, the meat is pulled easily from the shell; a pinch at the base of the neck frees the inedible skin covering the “neck”, which is then peeled off like a used prophylactic (how’s that for a visual?). To get any residual sand off the clams, they should be dipped in the broth created from steaming the clams for flavor, and then (if desired) dunked in melted butter. The taste is incomparable – sweet and slightly earthy, with a contrast in textures from the chewy neck and the soft belly.

The thickened clam chowder at Union Oyster House

The thickened clam chowder at Union Oyster House

If clam bellies creep you out, there’s always clam strips; these are generally made from the meatier hard clam. The clam navigates the sea floor using its large “foot”, similar to single-shelled mollusks such as snails, resulting in a more muscular animal. Clam strips are cut from the foot of these animals and then battered and fried.  This method was perfected by Thomas Soffron who sold them to then up-and-coming roadside chain, Howard Johnson’s who made them famous throughout America.

A cooked quahog

A cooked quahog

Both or either the hard clams and/or soft-shelled clams are used for clam chowder; New England clam chowder (the familiar thick, white soup) is the most popular although there are other types including Manhattan clam chowder (with a red, tomato-based broth) and Rhode Island clam chowder, which, with its clear broth is more like a clam soup. Almost all of these contain chopped clams, potatoes and onion, and even though the New England variety is made with milk or cream, it is frequently thickened with flour or corn starch. Personally, I prefer the taste without the thickener (which adds flavor as well as viscosity), but many New Englanders see this as the standard.

The freshly stuffed clam ready to bake

The freshly stuffed clam ready to bake

The best way to enjoy the quahog is in baked stuffed clams (which some people claim is referred to by New Englanders as “stuffies”, which although possibly true is likely used about as little as “Beantown” is for Boston). Stuffed clams are considerably more work than steamers; the nearly impenetrable shell is best opened for use in the dish by immersing the clam in boiling water until the shell opens, and then immediately removed. With the quahog, if it is open and doesn’t clam up when picked up then it’s dead and should be discarded. When the meat is extracted, the shell should be retained since the clam is going to be reintroduced to its former home prior to being baked. There are different recipes for preparing the firm, rich and substantial dish, with most including a moist mixture of chopped clam meat, breadcrumbs, butter and spices; it is very similar in preparation to making stuffed mushrooms.

Enjoying clams as New Englanders do is relatively simple, yet most restaurants around the country can’t get it right. Although it’s not done that way in the northeast, clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl as served in many San Francisco establishments is a nice way to enjoy the bread, and some of the chowders aren’t bad, but sadly a large number of restaurants substitute different types of clams or add ingredients no New Englander would introduce to these dishes. If you can’t find an authentic version in your neighborhood bistro, consider a visit to a full service seafood market (such as Quality Seafood in Redondo Beach, California) and making these Northeastern favorites at home. I guarantee that with these warm regional dishes inside you, you’ll be happy as a… lark.

Woodman’s of Essex
121 Main Street
Essex, MA 01929-1305
GPS Coordinates: 42°37’50.25″N 70°46’28.43″W

Quality Seafood
130 South International Boardwalk
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
GPS Coordinates: 33°50’26.39″N 118°23’26.57″W

GALLERY: See images of clams Val has had the pleasure to make or eat

VIDEO: Watch Val make and eat steamers

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Everything Old Is New Again

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Val

Putnam Pantry, Danvers, Massachusetts
Fair Oaks Pharmacy, South Pasadena, California

Historic Putnam Pantry (top) and Fair Oaks Pharmacy (bottom)

Historic Putnam Pantry (top) and Fair Oaks Pharmacy (bottom)

Restaurants such as Boston’s historic Union Oyster House and Madrid’s centuries-old Sobrino de Botín have expanded over the years yet still maintain the rustic charm of antiquity. In a time when it’s easier to raze a historically significant structure and build a modern tribute or Disneyesque replica, kudos are due to establishments that although they may not be original to their locations, have been restored to period ambience. Two such places of historical importance are Putnam Pantry in Danvers, Massachusetts and South Pasadena, California’s Fair Oaks Pharmacy, unlikely bedfellows on opposite sides of the country that share a common denominator – ice cream.

Since Galo Putnam Emerson decided to open a confectionary in an old wooden building in 1951 north of Boston, Putnam Pantry has been a favorite year-round spot for purchasing candy and enjoying cold, creamy confections in their old-time ice cream parlor. What even some of Putnam Pantry’s biggest fans don’t realize is the historical significance of both the business and the location. The building has expanded over the years, but if you happen to be sitting in the room with the large central fireplace you’ll be able to visually mark out the original structure – a former shoe factory that was built in 1786 (the fireplace is a functional feature as during colonial times it served as the main source of heat to allow the factory workers to endure the harsh New England winters). As if that wasn’t historic enough, the property is still owned by the same family who built the shoe factory and the adjacent Putnam House (built around 1648) back when the area was known as Salem Village, lending their name to the establishment. Putnam Pantry’s logo features a side-facing bust of a man in Revolutionary War attire – Major General Israel Putnam who was born in the house in 1718. General Putnam is probably best known as the strategic leader credited with giving the order to William Prescott on Breed’s Hill, “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes” as the British approached at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Also born in the house was the General’s uncle, Thomas Putnam Jr. whose name may not be familiar, but was instrumental in escalating the 1692 witchcraft trials (his daughter Ann was one of the primary accusers).

The ice cream parlor in the original shoe factory

The ice cream parlor in the original shoe factory

Although Putnam Pantry was opened in the 1950s, the decor is a jumble of colonial and Victorian fixtures, including period steel-wire parlor chairs and rough-hewn exposed beams and posts. Behind the fireplace is counter where the line forms to order ice cream, decorated sparsely with plastic letter menu boards and a long stainless steel counter covered with sneeze shields. The flavors don’t change too much, but there is a wide variety of most popular flavors (including coffee and pistachio) – you can order anything from a single-scoop junior sundae, up through a banana split and culminating in the frozen orgy that is The Battle of Bunker Hill, featuring 17 scoops of your choice of flavors with the revolutionary price tag of $17.76. If you’re with a group of more than four people, the Battle of Bunker Hill is actually a more cost-effective choice, but if you’re calculating in your head how much ice cream your party can eat in your head, consider this – that gleaming metal counter that seems to stretch out to the horizon is home to Putnam pantry’s trademarked (seriously) Ice Cream Smorgasbord. This assembly line of sticky, nutty and crunchy toppings will more than likely provide at least half the volume of your ice cream; your carefully selected flavor of ice cream is suddenly engulfed in a blanket of pineapple, strawberries, peanuts, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, penuche, crushed Oreos, M&Ms, hot fudge and a laundry list of toppings too lengthy to repeat here.

A sundae that figures to be about 50% toppings

A sundae that figures to be about 50% toppings

The ice cream is good, but don’t expect some artisan rum and brown butter with cane shavings and blackcurrants – visiting Putnam Pantry is more about the ambience and the social activity of elbowing your way down the topping buffet with your friends. A visit to the newer section of the building where the candy is sold is a must; in addition to what is made on site, they also sell hard-to-find, novelty candies and gift boxes of chocolates. The Putnam House is currently undergoing restoration, so you history buffs should be able to shortly tour the house by appointment and walk off that colonial sugar high.

On the other coast, the ice cream at Fair Oaks Pharmacy is available in the same quantities and preparations you’d expect to find in an ice cream parlor, but more frequently finds its way into its authentic fountain drinks. The location has been a pharmacy since South Pasadena Pharmacy opened their doors back in 1915, conveniently located on what would become historic U.S. Route 66. When Meredith and Michael Miller purchased the modernized property in 1989, they decided to restore it to a period pharmacy and soda fountain. Their search for furnishings led them up Route 66 to Joplin, Missouri, where they essentially purchased the entire interior of the turn-of-the-century McGee Pharmacy. In addition to the antique furnishings, the Millers gutted the space and installed wood cabinetry in the pharmacy and hid the modernizations inside. On the far wall, a variety of hard-to-find candy is sold from old-fashioned penny candy jars (although you’d be hard pressed to find anything for that price anymore).

The vintage soda fountain at Fair Oaks Pharmacy

The vintage soda fountain at Fair Oaks Pharmacy

The tin ceiling is a nice touch (although it is suspended using a modern lowered-ceiling frame) and as is the honeycomb black and white tile floor. Although there is a small area for table service, there’s something warm and nostalgic about sitting at the antique bar bathed by the neon “Soda Fountain” light from above. Just as you would expect to find working a fountain, the jerks behind the counter look like this may be a temporary job right out of high school (I can empathize, since one of my first part time jobs was as a busboy at an ice cream parlor). Although Fair Oaks Pharmacy has tried to present as authentic experience as possible, I was a little disappointed that the soda jerks wore ball caps, eschewing the familiar paper crested hat.

The separated root beer float

The separated root beer float

The menu is full of items with names that have disappeared from modern culture: lime rickeys, egg creams, phosphates and the legendary ice cream soda. The beauty of bellying up to the bar on one of the swivel stools is that you get to watch them prepare your selection; I watched slack-jawed as one of the employees built a banana split that required a step ladder to consume. The ice cream flavors change regularly; on my visit I was intrigued by the pumpkin, but since I was taking a trip down Memory Lane with a root beer float, I thought it best to stick with tried-and-true vanilla. The staff is knowledgeable about the products they serve; I discovered that the root beer on tap is Barq’s, appropriate since their “Famous Olde Tyme Root Beer” has been manufactured since the turn of the last century. The beverage arrived in a manner I had never seen before; rather than “floating” in the root beer; the ample mound of ice cream was wedged into the mug so as to have its suspended above the surface of the beverage. A couple of digs with the spoon, some rooting with the straw and a sticky, wet counter later and I was drifting off to sweet, foamy heaven.

The start of a banana split

The start of a banana split

Although the egg creams are an interesting choice from a historic standpoint, they can be a little disappointing to the uninitiated -they are neither eggy nor creamy, as they do not contain those ingredients. The beverage is essentially milk and flavored syrup stirred with a long spiral-handled spoon and then finished off with a squirt of soda water, resulting in a concoction that tastes similar to Yoo Hoo or some hopped-up chocolate milk. The beauty of ordering the egg cream, rickey (an old-time play on limeade) or a phosphate is that your refills are free – I don’t know where else you can get that kind of deal outside of a coffee shop. As an unexpected and unrelated attraction that registers high on the Trippymeter, the Mission Street west of the pharmacy appears to be the roosting home of the wild flock of Pasadena parrots that have become a familiar sight in the area. Instead of the clutch of 5 or 6 of the squawking nuisances found around town, there was a flock that darkened the sky and drowned out traffic as they took to the wing in clouds around the building.

Neither Putnam Pantry nor Fair Oaks Pharmacy have the longevity of some taverns or bigger restaurants, but they both proudly flaunt their ties with the past in historic settings that take you back to days gone by when life was simpler, and these days that can be a fulfilling experience. Scratching a little below the surface offers a treasure trove of historical information about these ice cream emporiums, and I’m more than happy to have given you the full scoop.

Putnam Pantry
255 Newbury Street
Danvers, MA 01923
GPS Coordinates: 42°34’58.76″N 70°58’1.84″W

Fair Oaks Pharmacy
1526 Mission Street
South Pasadena, CA 91030-3297
GPS Coordinates: 34° 6’57.45″N 118° 9’1.88″W

GALLERY: See images from Val’s visits to Putnam Pantry in Danvers MA and Fair Oaks Pharmacy in S. Pasadena CA

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That 70s Show

Posted on January 4, 2012 by Val

Blue Öyster Cult and Kansas
Pacific Amphitheatre at the OC Fairgrounds, Costa Mesa CA

Pacific Amphitheatre fills up for the BÖC/Kansas show

Pacific Amphitheatre fills up for the BÖC/Kansas show

Some artists’ names will echo through the ages, not as a result of their longevity, body of work or talent, but because they were referenced in some other medium where the mention became a cultural phenomenon; nowhere is this more apparent than the infamous “more cowbell” VH-1 Blue Öyster Cult: Behind the Music skit on Saturday Night live and Ted Logan’s (Keanu Reeves) “Dust in the Wind” stab at philosophy in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Fortunately for both BÖC and Kansas, their legacy is built on the aforementioned characteristics as well, evidenced by resurgence in popularity including a new, younger audience. The likelihood of all but a few 70s metal gods and prog bands filling Wembley is slim at best, but both bands regularly frequent the last bastion of classic rock venues – the county fair.

KLOS' "Uncle" Joe Benson introduces the acts

KLOS' "Uncle" Joe Benson introduces the acts

BÖC and Kansas recently performed on a double bill at this year’s Orange County Fair at the Pacific Amphitheater, an ideal venue to catch those bands you thought sailed off to the point of no return; the bowl is designed specific for live music (as opposed to those teetering scaffolded stages that have a nasty habit of collapsing in high wind). Then there’s the added benefit of admission to the OC Fair with the purchase of your ticket, which quite frankly will not set you back anywhere near catching Pink Floyd in the nosebleed seats.

On a personal note, I am not embarrassed to admit that I had seen BÖC shortly after their 1976 release, Agents of Fortune, but was looking forward to hearing how almost 35 years had changed their sound. This was around the same time Kansas had released their third album, Leftoverture which contained their first Top 40 hit, “Carry On Wayward Son” and I was making up for lost time, never having seen the band previously. Local rock historian and “Off the Record” host “Uncle” Joe Benson from KLOS came out to rally the troops (with an approximate 50 year range in age) several times before BÖC hit the stage. The air was filled with excitement and the faint aroma of cannabis as the sound of Christopher Walken’s voice was piped through the speakers, exclaiming, “I got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell!”, probably the only other reference to the SNL skit the entire night and BÖC blasted into the grungy tribute to the RCMP, “The Red and The Black” sounding like an edgy Ted Nugent in his glory days. The set leapt forward into the MTV-era “Burning For You” and into the almost-pizzicato death march, “Black Blade” before the band relaxed and stretched out with an extended version of their underrated freshman single, “Then Came the Last Days in May”. The song showcased band founder Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser’s weepy blues guitar skills and the fact that the song was based on a story about friends of Roeser’s who were ambushed in a drug deal gone wrong was not lost on the audience (most of whom were likely encountering a contact high).

Guitarists Eric Bloom (L) and Donald Roeser (R) are all that remain of the original group

Guitarists Eric Bloom (L) and Donald Roeser (R) are all that remain of the original group

When the band launched into “Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll” (a song that gained popularity after appearing on BÖC’s live album, On Your Feet Or On Your Knees) it seemed to plod on lifelessly; other longtime member and guitarist Eric Bloom’s Brooklynesque lead vocals weren’t much of an improvement over departed member Allen Lanier’s and the band sunk into the depths of self-indulgence with their 1977 sing-along, “Godzilla”. Guest bassist and metal legend Rudy Sarzo took center stage in the middle of the song when the audience had to endure Bloom introducing each band Sarzo had played in while Sarzo copped the bass riffs from such songs as “Crazy Train”, “Cum on Feel the Noize”, “Here I Go Again”, et al and then careened into the biggest bass noodling fest since Derek Small’s “Jazz Odyssey” – the only bearable parts were low-end versions of “Cliffs of Dover” and “Birdland”. Unfortunately the audience was also treated to the obligatory drum solo (which admittedly newest member Jules Radino handled skillfully) before returning to “Godzilla”.

Metal bassist Rudy Sarzo held down the bottom for BÖC

Metal bassist Rudy Sarzo held down the bottom for BÖC

BÖC was able to salvage their dignity with a tight and powerful rendition of their now-legendary highest charting single, “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper”; the only SNL references were Randino’s highly amplified cowbell and an air cowbell performance by Eric Bloom. Third guitarist and keyboard player Richie Castellano wasn’t showcased during the set, but he was invaluable in filling out the sound of the band. Maybe it was my own pre-concert partying back in 1976 that made it difficult to tell if the band had grown musically, but there was no doubt that BÖC came across as powerful and skillful musicians, forgiving the over-indulgent “Godzilla”.

A stripped-down Kansas hits the Pacific Amphitheatre stage

A stripped-down Kansas hits the Pacific Amphitheatre stage

The atmosphere was different when Kansas took the stage – their cerebral prog-tinged set was more attuned to rapt listening than screaming with fists thrust high in the air. I was relieved to see original members keyboardist/lead vocalist Steve Walsh, guitarist Rich Williams and drummer Phil Ehard along with erstwhile front man, bassist and long-time member Billy Greer augmented by recent addition Dave Ragsdale on violin and second guitar as the band built the crescendo that in title and form was “Magnum Opus” from 1976’s Leftoverture. The complex syncopation and erratic structure was a throwback to the heydays of the progressive rock genre and Kansas executed the symphonic piece flawlessly. The Kerry Livgren composition, “Belexes” (from their debut album) sounded more akin to something that might have a B-side to a Joe Lynn Turner-era Rainbow single, but it allowed the band (and the audience) to rock out, if only briefly.

Singer and keyboardist Steve Walsh, grayer but still hitting the note

Singer and keyboardist Steve Walsh, grayer but still hitting the note

Kansas returned to their second charting prog-pop single, “Point of No Return” with its familiar strings and keyboard punctuation driving the blistering and near impossible vocal high notes. Walsh’s voice showed the waver of age, but he was still able to belt out the glass-breaking notes in the song’s bridge with seemingly little effort. From behind the keyboards, the gray long-haired and bearded Walsh he looked like he was going to require assistance getting around but he proved to be surprisingly spry and agile when occasionally descending the riser to sing front-and-center like a hopped-up Gandalf.

Original member Rich Williams on guitar

Original member Rich Williams on guitar

The band eased the pace a bit with “Hold On”, the stand-out track from the 1980 album Audio-Visions which saw the last of the original lineup. The song is probably the closest Kansas has to a rock anthem and one of their more accessible tunes, and it appeared that the audience concurred. While still on familiar ground, Williams switched to acoustic guitar for what has become the band’s signature tune and highest charting single, the immortal ballad, “Dust in the Wind”. The problem with live ballads, especially ones as ingrained in rock culture as “Dust in the Wind” is that the audience has a tendency to sing along; fortunately they didn’t overpower Walsh’s delivery and he didn’t succumb to the lazy practice of pointing the microphone into the audience to let them sing a chorus or two.

Most recent addition, violinist Dave Ragsdale

Most recent addition, violinist Dave Ragsdale

Greer talked to the audience a bit afterwards, clearly demonstrating that he was the band’s front man, if only as their acting mouth piece; it was strange that as lead vocalist and founding member that those duties were not the responsibility of Walsh. The band came out of the break with two dramatic pieces from Leftoverture that featured Walsh’s soaring operatic vocals (“The Wall” and a brilliant “Miracles Out Of Nowhere”, the latter with nicely blended 3-man harmonies) before going backwards into “Icarus – Borne on Wings of Steel” of 1975’s Masque. “Portrait (He Knew)” was originally said to be written as a tribute to Albert Einstein, although in a later Livgren re-write it becomes obvious that it refers to Jesus – if the audience was put off by this, it wasn’t apparent from the Greer-instigated hand claps that paced the song, an odd augmentation for such an ambitious composition.

Long-time drummer Phil Ehard

Long-time drummer Phil Ehard

Walsh easily copped, if not bested the vocal style of John Elefante (who had been the lead vocalist on 1983’s Drastic Measures) on the mainstream rock single “Fight Fire with Fire”, most likely the most straight-ahead number of the night, which was dedicated to the military. When the band belted out the first strains of “Carry On Wayward Son”, it was all over but the shouting, except it was a tall, gaunt bearded and graying man who brought the house down, not a fat lady. Naturally, the crowd went crazy during the letter-perfect rendition of the prog rock favorite, and Walsh still delivered on the piercing vocals.

With bands like Hall and Oates and The Doobie Brothers hitting the county fair circuit it’s a great opportunity to get up close and personal with legends of classic rock, especially in the confines of the Pacific Amphitheater. The sound is great from any seat, although personally I could have used a little more cowbell.

Pacific Amphitheatre
100 Fair Drive
Costa Mesa, CA 92626-6521
GPS Coordinates: 33°39’58.55″N 117°54’17.38″W

GALLERY: See images from the Blue Öyster Cult / Kansas concert at Pacific Amphitheatre at the OC Fairgrounds in  Costa Mesa CA

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

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The Ukraine Girls Really Knock Me Out

Posted on January 2, 2012 by Val

Roxolana Restaurant
Pasadena, California (CLOSED)

Roxolana's spacious dining room

Roxolana’s spacious dining room

Historically Roxelana was a woman of Ukrainian ancestry who rose from status as a harem slave to Sultan Suleiman I (one of the most powerful sultans of the Ottoman Empire) to becoming his wife and the sultana. By the time of her death (eight years before that of the sultan), she had become the most influential woman in the history of the Ottoman Empire, if not the world. To introduce the Southern Californian palate to the cuisine of the region takes strength and motivation, so it is befitting that Executive Chef and owner Igor Zagorodnyy and his son-in-law Alex Balinsky have chosen to christen their young restaurant after the great sultana. Ukrainian native Zagorodnyy wisely chose Old Town Pasadena for the location of the restaurant since the district is a melting pot of different cultures including Tibetan, Thai, Vietnamese, Argentinian, Spanish and Brazilian in an area easily navigable by foot.

Our waiter Caesar's smile appears to be permanent

Our waiter Caesar’s smile appears to be permanent

The space is airy and full of light; the brown mottled walls complement the dark wooden columns and furniture as well as tile floor and there’s plenty of elbow room throughout – the decor easily suggests a high-end Spanish or Latin American eatery.  The library-style bar at the end of the room is well stocked with imported Ukrainian beers and the wide-open space lets the staff use it as a command center. On my visit there appeared to be one member of the service staff on duty but the light mid-afternoon crowd afforded Caesar to attend to the needs of all the patrons, including being available to answer my constant annoying barrage of questions.

Salo, unctuous slabs of artery-clogging heaven

Salo, unctuous slabs of artery-clogging heaven

The menu leans heavily on Zagorodnyy’s regional favorites, but doesn’t limit itself to only the cuisine of Kiev, his home (naturally you’ll find chicken Kiev of on the menu). Since Roxolana is touted as a Ukrainian restaurant, we tried to adhere to as close to traditional dishes as possible. For starters we opted for the salo, a dish that should probably come with a cardiologist’s warning label. Salo is unrendered pork fat (similar to lardo) that can be brined or cured with a variety of spices (predominately paprika). The curled shavings of unctuous hog fat arrived at the table with pickles (tomatoes, garlic and sauerkraut), fresh red onion and dark rye bread, unceremoniously presented as our “lard”. A light-handed flick of the wrist with a butter knife was all took to adhere the pure white paprika-dusted slices onto the rye. As expected, the salo melted like a fine, loose brie and the taste was literally like pig butter. Crowning the salo with various pickles took too much away from the taste, so they were for the most part eaten separately.

Roxolana's home made borsch

Roxolana’s home made borsch

Roxolana’s borsch was not what I had expected; rather than the cold variety, the soup was served hot with enough of a tomato base to offset the earthy taste of the root vegetables and to make the color redder than usual. Big cubes of firm potato easily gave way to the teeth and although they had absorbed the crimson broth they maintained their taste. Per tradition, the soup was served with sour cream on the side and a couple of firm, crusty pampushkas that sopped up the dregs left at the bottom of the bowl.

Creamy, slightly chewy vareniki dumplings

Creamy, slightly chewy vareniki dumplings

The vareniki dumplings were hot and moist and the thick dough was cooked al dente. The menu offers a variety of fillings, but we deferred to Caesar for a traditional filling which turned out to be potato and mushroom. The fungi was diced so small as to be almost unrecognizable, although it certainly offered flavor to the dumpling, as did the sautéed onion sprinkled on top. The filling was straight out of the mashed potato handbook, although a little moister, giving the dumpling the flavor of gnocchi.

The busy but tasty Olivier 1904 salad

The busy but tasty Olivier 1904 salad

The salad options leaned more towards the international; the Cesar salad would have been better suited to our waiter Caesar’s Sonoran heritage, and the thought of ordering a Greek salad never crossed our minds. The most suitable option was the Olivier 1904, named for its inventor, Chef Lucien Olivier of Moscow’s Hermitage restaurant. The term Olivier salad (also commonly called Russian salad) was given the “1904” surname because it is a loose tribute to a recipe published in 1904. Roxolana’s version keeps true to what is essentially a pedigreed egg or potato salad; chopped potato, hard-boiled egg, beef and chicken roll around in a mayonnaise base, accented by diced black olives and pickles with shredded carrot. The dish is crowned with a dollop of salmon caviar (which also hides inside the salad) and accessorized with cooked shrimp. As high-society as this salad purports to be, it would be perfectly at home served at a picnic or cookout; the flavors didn’t step on each other’s toes (unless you got a bite laden with pickles and olives) and the mayonnaise wasn’t present enough to be off-putting.

Grilled sturgeon, the fish that launched 1,000 caviar

Grilled sturgeon, the fish that launched 1,000 caviar

The main event was the grilled sturgeon. To dine in a Ukrainian restaurant without indulging the Black Sea denizen responsible for the high-dollar caviar we’ve come to love would be unthinkable. The thick slab of fish flesh had a delightful char on it that had more flavor than the flaky, white meat within. Although similar in flavor to a mild whitefish, the size made it slightly dry; a drizzle of the accompanying sauce of garlic, chardonnay and tiny white caviar was all it took to restore the moisture end enhance the flavor. Because the sturgeon is imported from the Ukraine, it is not always available on the menu and is undoubtedly the highest priced item on the menu (at around $30).

There are no complaints about the service at Roxolana; the staff answered our myriad of questions and did so with a smile. The food was an Eastern European adventure, full of flavor and history and the atmosphere and location make this a must-visit culinary destination; I’ll be Russian down to Roxolana again very soon.

Roxolana Restaurant
34 S. Raymond Avenue
Pasadena, California 91105
GPS Coordinates: 34° 8’42.20″N 118° 8’55.52″W

GALLERY: See images from Val’s visit to Roxolana Restaurant in Pasadena, California

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