Tavern Off The Green

Posted on November 27, 2011 by Val

City Tavern
Culver City, California

Possibly the rear entrance of City Tavern

Possibly the rear entrance of City Tavern

Those of you expecting Culver City’s City Tavern to resemble the kind of place Paul Revere may have stopped in for a pint of ale may be disappointed, although to their credit, the space looks like someone reassembled an old tavern inside a modern building; in fact, the wood used in the flooring and paneled walls is reclaimed, giving the relatively new watering hole a rustic look. By night, yellowy lighting gives the bar area the appearance of a faded Polaroid, and the only thing that reminds you you’re in the 21st century is the computerized Table Tap system in the back booths. If the beer taps mounted on the booth wall confuse you, a tiny video screen in the vicinity of your splashing suds displays in graphical Technicolor how much brew you’re pouring – you only pay for what you pour, so if half a glass suits your fancy, have at it and save the change for cab fare. The featured beer and ales are changed out seasonally; currently each booth features Ventura, California’s Surf Brewery‘s Mondo’s Cream Ale, Shaka XPA, and Surfer’s Point Vienna Lager.

Of course like any reputable tavern, City Tavern has a list of commercial and craft beers available as long as the ride from Boston to Lexington. Draft, can, bottle – take your pick. They can probably set you up with a can of PBR if that’s your poison.  On my visit the bar was highlighting beers from local brewer Cismontane; our hostess was gracious enough to pair small glasses with some of the menu items. Although there are paper menus from which to select your food, the menu is also handwritten in chalk on the ceiling-to-floor slate wall beside the bar (similar drink items are chalked into the panels that run around the ceiling level below the exposed beams – they obviously hire Michelangelo to change the specials).

City Tavern's unique Table Tap system

City Tavern's unique Table Tap system

Most of the plates at City Tavern are tapas-style (shareable), although there are a few items from the Held portion of the menu (such as their burgers and ***gasp*** grilled cheese). Our group started with the South Park-themed cheesy poofs; I was expecting something akin to Cheetos, but as light as these fried Queso Manchego worms were they weren’t like eating cheese-flavored air and my fingers didn’t turn orange. Their poutine was far from authentic, but it was packed with flavor – the fries were seasoned and topped with bits of braised short rib and au jus which melted pimento cheese into the stack to give the whole mess a flavor reminiscent of chili cheese fries.

A burrata cheese dish came dressed in butternut squash and pumpkin seeds; although the seeds added a nice texture to the otherwise creamy consistency both the cheese and squash flavors were a bit on the mild side. There seemed to be an abundance of fresh figs – a salad featuring Asian pear slices over spring greens was drizzled with house-made fig vinaigrette; other dishes came garnished with fig. The meatballs were a bit of an oddity – although not completely denuded, they were dipped in a light creamy sauce rather than a tomato-based one.

Not your momma's shrimp and grits

Not your momma's shrimp and grits

Ordering the more substantial fare directly of the menu bears a certain element of surprise. Ordering the shrimp and grits conjures the image of a mound of creamy, cheesy grits topped with grilled shrimp worthy of a Charleston low country bistro, but what arrives at the table makes you wonder if the laws of physics truly do cease to exist on top of City Tavern’s stove. After cooking the grits, they’re chilled in a pan and cut into bars, which are then deep-fried to crispy dark brown blocks resembling fish sticks in appearance and texture. These are Jengoed on the plate and draped in wilted collard greens with a gang of grilled shrimp laid to rest on top. The presentation makes it a little more work to manage a forkful representing each ingredient, but the fruit of the labor is worth every bite.

An unusual preparation of skate

An unusual preparation of skate

There are multiple fish dishes available and each is assembled creatively in the kitchen; one rarity on most menus is the skate. For anyone who has had the pleasure of dining on skate wings, the light, soft flesh is wrapped around bony fingers of cartilage, resulting in an experience somewhere between working spare ribs off the bone and eating your way around the sinews and tendons in a turkey leg. At City Tavern, the cartilage is removed resulting in a blanket of meat that is folded onto the plate; the fish simply melts away with virtually no texture. The roasted opah we sampled was flaky but a tad dry although the presentation was museum quality – the complex structure of segmented baby artichokes held the fish aloft, with the opah crowned with a couple of slices of fresh fig, truly a sight to behold.

The rustic apple tart matches the ambience

The rustic apple tart matches the ambience

If you’ve saved room for desert, you can’t go wrong with the pint-or-so of Carmela ice cream; unfortunately for me, the flavor of the day that my fellow foodies went ape over was salted caramel (two of my least favorite flavors), although I had a couple of spoonsful to give it the old college try – if you enjoy those two tastes, the dessert will not disappoint. In the pastry department, we devoured a rustic apple tart topped with a dollop of vanilla-infused whipped cream that tasted like a compressed Dutch apple pie; the chocolate tart was brimming with dark, murky chocolate goo, a chocoholic’s dream to be sure, but I could only muster a spoonful.

As with any house of libations, City Tavern is the perfect place to stop in for a pint with the only crisis being how to choose from the huge menu. Make an evening of it and don’t neglect the unique and original dishes that you can share with your compatriots until that midnight ride home.

City Tavern
9739 Culver Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232-2739
GPS Coordinates: 34° 1’18.37″N 118°23’47.70″W

GALLERY: See images from Val’s visit to City Tavern in Culver City, California

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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Indelicatessen

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Val

Brent’s Delicatessen and Restaurant
Northridge, California

The well-stocked deli at Brent's

The well-stocked deli at Brent's

During my Wonder Years on the East Coast it was almost impossible to throw a bagel and not hit a decent deli; my prospects of doing likewise here on the Left Coast are not so bright. I’ve tried several of the recommended nosh spots in the L.A. area, but sadly most of them fell flatter than a matzo. Quite frankly, I’d given up even looking until a chance encounter with a MOT police officer with the authoritative name of Adam who suggested I try Brent’s in Northridge (the encounter did not involve handcuffs). It didn’t hurt that said Jewish law enforcement officer had spent a great deal of time in the Granite State, and I really had nothing to lose but faith and a few bucks.

The obligatory plate of "old" and "new" pickles

The obligatory plate of "old" and "new" pickles

I initially drove right past Brent’s – sandwiched between two unimpressive businesses in a strip mall with blackout shades in the windows it blended unobtrusively into the row of storefronts. Stepping through the door beneath the tell-tale stained glass sign presents you with the lady and the tiger dilemma (except in this case, behind both doors was a lady – a Jewish mother and a stove). To the immediate right – a fully stocked deli gaily festooned with hanging salami and fortified with a neck-height deli case filled with cold cuts, spreads, schmears, salads and a cornucopia of kosher consumables; to the left – the guard tower front counter where your gracious host or hostess will escort you to your table with a smile.

Brent's beefy Mushroom Cheddar Burger

Brent's beefy Mushroom Cheddar Burger

Owner Ron Peskin and his wife purchased the deli lox, stock and pickle barrel back in 1969 already bearing the familiar moniker; the restaurant was failing at the time, but its current popularity is a testament to the improvements Peskin brought over the years. Although I don’t know what the restaurant looked like in 1969, decor doesn’t appear to be one of the modernizations; the place has the look of a Coco’s or an older HoJo’s ( I guess I was expecting black and white tile and metal tables). If posh and glamor was what I was after I’d have hit the Carnegie at The Mirage in Vegas – I was here to stuff my face like a knish, and I was a man with a plan.

House-smoked whitefish and barbecued cod

House-smoked whitefish and barbecued cod

The first indication that I wasn’t in the Big Apple was when our waiter (Francisco) brought the slices of fresh Jewish rye to the table and asked if we wanted pickles. In most East Coast delis, the obligatory bowl of whole kosher dills arrives at the table unannounced, but the gesture was nice since wife and dining partner Claudia abhors pickles with a passion unparalleled – I simply pointed to the open area of the table and asked Francisco to bring the brine. Both “new” and “old” pickles were represented were already sliced into spears; the neon green youngsters gave way to the teeth with a snap and a hint of their short brine bath, while the old pickles were juicier and packed with pucker.

Claudia ordered the Mushroom Cheddar Burger (unfortunately well done) – the sautéed mushrooms were draped across the crown of the thick patty and although she essentially gave them carte blanche to blow torch that bad boy it still maintained a slightly-pink interior. The meat was flavorful and not overly dry, although Claudia didn’t feel it was the best mushroom cheese burger she’s ever had; still, everything was fresh and the option of grilled onions made it a decent choice.

Colossal stuffed cabbage and kishka

Colossal stuffed cabbage and kishka

I had a hankering for a little old school home cooking and therefore opted for the stuffed cabbage – the dinner menu item listed a plate with 2 stuffed cabbages, mashed potatoes and kishka, a combination I couldn’t have compiled on one of my better days. My mouth was watering in anticipation of tearing into what my mom used to call “pigs in a blanket” – Twinkie-sized loaves of ground beef and rice swaddled in cabbage leaves and slowly cooked in a tomato-based sauce. I think I spattered the diners with sweet and sour sauce as my jaw fell into the cup upon presentation of said stuffed cabbages which were roughly the size of small armadillos. The well-endowed kishka was stuffed with a perfectly blended mix of ingredients that made me glad I went with my gut; unfortunately I was only able to take down one of the leafy behemoths before throwing in the towel and requesting a to-go box. The limp cabbage stubbornly refused the knife, but one I was able to cut into it and combine it with a neat forkful of the beef stuffing it was like a little bite of heaven; although the accompanying sweet and sour sauce wasn’t too much of either and added a nice taste, I preferred to eat the stuffed cabbage with what was already on it.

I’ve had life changing experiences in New York delis, and although I didn’t really reach Kosher nirvana (if such a thing exists) at Brent’s, I will state emphatically that it was the best deli fare I’ve had in Southern California, and if that ain’t mazel tov, I don’t know what is.

Brent’s Delicatessen and Restaurant
19565 Parthenia Street
Northridge, CA 91324
GPS Coordinates: 34°13’43.49″N 118°33’36.39″W

GALLERY: See images from Val’s visit to Brent’s in Northridge, California

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Let Them Eat Macarons

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Val

Occupy Los Angeles
City Hall, Los Angeles, California

Corner of Spring and Temple Streets in Los Angeles

Corner of Spring and Temple Streets in Los Angeles

You’d have to live in a cave to not be aware of the movement occurring in cities across America (and throughout the world) under the collective title of “Occupy”; certainly those living in tents on either side of Los Angeles City Hall are not only aware but are active participants of the movement. In a show of solidarity for the original mass protest in New York City (Occupy Wall Street), disenfranchised and disillusioned Angelenos have amassed a smaller-scale live-in protest that is now well into its second month.

I recently toured the encampment on a warm and sunny Sunday morning, marveling that the cold, damp weather had not dampened the spirits of the protesters. The grassy areas on either side of City Hall were reminiscent of a Depression-era Hooverville, yet the air was not thick with despair; music was playing and groups were gathered together to plan protest activities for the week or to discuss their anger at a situation that has clearly ignited a spark that some politicians and members of the media are labeling “class warfare”.

Guy Fawkes, the face of the Occupy movement

Guy Fawkes, the face of the Occupy movement

There were no incidents of violence, no police assembled in riot gear, no pedestrians scrambling for safety as occupants lay siege to City Hall – in the encampment, Angelenos were doing something that one does not frequently see in Southern California – they were taking care of one another. One person was walking through the tents stopping to ask people if they needed food; those who did were handed sandwiches and fruit. Plywood walls were erected in order to protect the marble fountain in City Hall Park and although the box was “decorated” with images of a carnivorous, tentacled U.S. Stock Exchange and other protest imagery, the stone walls of City Hall were not defaced.

Rows of Port-o-Potties provided little sanitation; the encampment had the aroma of unwashed gym socks, not surprising when considering that occupants have been living in tents over a month. Had I been about 10 years older, the whole scene would have been like an acid flashback of waking up to the strains of Jimi Hendrix playing the Star Spangled Banner in a muddy field in upstate New York. It’s uncertain how long Occupy Los Angeles can continue their protest; even the most organized segments of the movement appear to have loosely formed demands, but whatever set them off, they’re mad as hell and they’re not going to take it anymore. For now, the briefcase set that gets up every morning to the alarm clock warning and takes the 8:15 into the city are going to have to get used to it, because Occupy Los Angeles is dug in for winter.

The customized wall protects the City Hall Park fountain

The customized wall protects the City Hall Park fountain

Those of us in the 99 percent that have jobs, a roof over our heads and don’t despair over where our next meal will come from should take a moment to be thankful, for there for the grace of God go us. Think about that the next time you’re gloating about how you got impossible to acquire reservations for Chef Rockstar Pop-up’s latest exclusive celebrity-packed bistro.

Occupy Los Angeles
Los Angeles City Hall
200 North Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
GPS coordinates:  34°3’10.26″N 118°14’36.53″W

GALLERY: See images from a quiet Sunday at Occupy Los Angeles at Los Angeles City Hall

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Veni, Vidi, Vino

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Val

Ombra Ristorante
Studio City (Los Angeles), California

Ombra's small but comfortable dining room

Ombra's small but comfortable dining room

Chef Michael Young has transformed the former Bollywood Cafe in Century City into a modern, formal but friendly classic Italian restaurant featuring the cuisine he perfected cutting his teeth at Il Grano, Valentino, Drago, Piccolo, and Domenico. Ombra Ristorante recently offered a dinner pairing traditional Sicilian and Italian dishes with Vietti wines, in some cases with the wines used in the preparation of the meal. The Vietti label has been part of Italian history for almost a century and their bottles, although vinted in the 21st Century hasten back to the old days; Vietti commissions international artists to create their labels with most creating art that give the bottles a nostalgic feel.

One of our hosts presents the 2010 Vietti Roero Arneis

One of our hosts presents the 2010 Vietti Roero Arneis

The meal started with arancini, the Sicilian version of the croquette. The light, golden brown teardrops reminded me of a mellower coxinha with the bulk of the heart using risotto. This was accompanied by a dish of caponata with the eggplant cooked down to where the skin had some teeth to it but the flesh was soft and tender.

The first sturdy dish brought out was the vitello tonnato, cold thin sheets of rare veal covered with a generous dollop of a mayonnaise-like sauce made with pureed tuna and decorated with red onion and capers. The taste of the tuna in condiment didn’t overpower the taste of the veal, although the red onions made their presence known. The veal was paired with a white 2010 Vietti Arneis which was almost clear; I don’t consider myself even close to a connoisseur, but I though the wine was dry enough to not confuse the taste of the dish that already had a number of complex flavors to it.

Handmade Agnolotti al Plin ravioli followed, and although these pasta squares traditionally contain meat, Ombra’s rendition was simply stuffed with ricotta cheese. Most of the flavor came from the Parmesan-infused butter and sage the ravioli was dressed with, defining the taste as upscale cheese pasta. In fact, there was so much cheese flavor that the “Tre Vigne” Barbera D’Asti the dish was paired with served as a wash to prepare the palate for the next dish.

A sheet of rare veal with a tuna sauce (vitello tonnato)

A sheet of rare veal with a tuna sauce (vitello tonnato)

A somewhat soupy risotto al Barolo e radicchio was an odd little dish; the grains were al dente and the rice blob had a maroon tinge to it from the combination of the radicchio and the red wine. Naturally the dish was paired with a Vietti wine, in this case the Perbacco Nebbiolo – I didn’t think to ask if it was the wine used to prepare the dish. The risotto was followed by a manly mound of spezzatino, a stew made from chunks of cubed beef. Ombra sources their beef from Paso Prime Charolaise and Angus hybrids raised on grass on ranches in Paso Robles, Santa Maria and Santa Ynez, and the meat has a strong, distinct beef taste. To make the spezzatino, the meat is braised in red wine (presumably the Castiglione Barolo it was paired with) which created a heady reddish-brown gravy that flavored the bed of mashed potato the stew sat on. The meat was slightly chewy but not to the point where eating it became work.

Rich, hearty spezzatino (Italian beef stew)

Rich, hearty spezzatino (Italian beef stew)

The meal was followed with a sweet panna cotta with the consistency of pudding and heavily flavored with vanilla, also paired with a wine (the Cascinetta Moscato D’Asti). I don’t usually consume mass quantities of wine with a meal, and normally I stick with one bottle, but I enjoyed having sips of the wines that were paired with each of the dishes. The 5-course dinner and wine pairing is a tasty, educational experience for the Italian wine and food novice and a way to sample some wonderful regional dishes with carefully selected accompanying wines for the connoisseur. I came, I saw, I drank…

Ombra Ristorante
3737 Cahuenga Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90068
GPS Coordinates: 34° 8’8.01″N 118°21’43.35″W

GALLERY: See images from Val’s 5-course dinner and wine pairing at Ombra Ristorante in Studio City (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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Who Let The Dogs Out?

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Val

Dog Haus Biergarten
Pasadena, Californa

The downstairs room at Dog Haus

The downstairs room at Dog Haus

It isn’t easy being an upstart tube steak joint within in the Los Angeles County environs with heavy competition from senior citizens such as Pink’s, Hot Dog on a Stick, et al., and it’s even more of a challenge with more gourmet Frankenweenie establishments (including food trucks) popping up on a weekly basis.  It’s dog-eat-dog out there, but Pasadena pit bull Dog Haus recently marked the first anniversary of their North Hill Street restaurant by whelping a pup that looks poised to be the biggest, baddest dog on the street. Dog Haus just refitted the former Point 08 space on Green Street as Dog Haus Biergarten offering more space, a fully stocked bar, live music on weekends and the hot dog, burger and sausage menu items that put them on the map.

I'll leave the caption on this one up to you

I'll leave the caption on this one up to you

On Halloween weekend, Dog Haus went all out with a masquerade party to herald the opening of the Green Street location. Since the restaurant will be piping in music from the 80s during the week, the grand opening party featured live music by preeminent 80s cover band The M80s. lead vocalist “Billy Bazzle” sported a Union Jack T-Shirt in homage to Def Leppard with a matching accent (which gradually disappeared as the evening progressed). Aside from those in attendance that chose not to don a costume, there seemed to be several 80s factions in the house – hair metal rockers, Madonnas, rappers and Olivia Newton-John workout tributes (punks were noticeably absent); the rest of the crowd was a grab bag, including a group in togas that must have assumed that “dress like back in ’80” literally meant dress like back in 80.

Libations flowed like zombie blood with the bartenders mixing signature drinks and custom cocktails as well as pouring craft beers on tap; of course you could always opt for the PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon) in a brown paper bag to wash down your wiener. For now, the food items are essentially identical to those on the original location’s menu, but since big dog and co-owner Hagop Giragossian likes to experiment in the kitchen, I’d look for new and unique items as time progresses. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of sampling the Dog Haus’ fare at North Hill Street or at the California Philharmonic Festival on the Green concerts at the Los Angeles County Arboretum, there are some standards you can expect, such as Hawaiian sweet rolls for the hot dog and burger buns and sturdy mini-baguettes for the sausages (although they seem quite amenable to substitutions); hot dogs can be requested as skinless or with a natural casing with snap (the kind that makes great rippers); naturally there’s a veggie dog to satisfy the nature lover as well. Sausage items include a spicy Andouille, bratwurst, hot Italian or chicken for those who have something against mammal consumption; Dog Haus has worked with Chef Walter Manzke to create their sausages, although they are moving to make them in-house and as Ross Perot will tell you, it’s not pretty to watch but it sure tastes good when you’re done.

The sausage king himself, Abe Froman

The sausage king himself, Abe Froman

Although you can build your own hot dog or burger creation there are a mind-numbing variety of toppings to choose from (both free and upgrades), so you might want to select a menu item that takes the guess work out of the equation for you. I had previously tried the Holy Aioli burger (with grilled onion, melted American cheese, smoked bacon and Dog Haus’ signature garlic aioli) and the Sooo Cali dog (topped with crisp greens, chopped tomato and onion, avocado and basil aioli) so I opted for a sausage. Strictly on the basis of its name, I couldn’t resist the allure of the Abe Froman, a spicy three-pepper kielbasa with the added protein kick of white American cheese and a fried egg and smothered in grilled jalapeño strips and onions. The Sausage King of Chicago would be proud of this sandwich; the egg enhanced the flavor of the meat without overpowering it and the jalapeño gave it a fiery kick with more gusto than Mrs. O’Leary’s cow.

All aboard the Love Boat

All aboard the Love Boat

Beware of the sides; if you’re expecting a cute little paper cone filled with your pomme frite selection you need to take a few steps back. The “baskets” are literally that – if you’re ordering one of the tater baskets with “add-ons”, I recommend sharing as the portions could serve as a main course for an NFL team. There’s nothing like the homespun comfort of the golden brown, perfectly prepared tater tots, especially when immersed in  chili, cheese and onions – incredibly they maintained their crispness while absorbing the spiciness of the topping. Deep End Diner Eddie Lin opted for The Love Boat (a mound of fries inundated with chili and a white creamy coleslaw) to go with his Double Dog Dare, a twin wiener prepared similar to the Abe Froman sans fried egg and swaddled in grilled Hawaiian bread. The fare at Dog Haus is hearty, substantial and satisfying, and it’s not for lightweights – Adam Richman would be perfectly at home here, most likely taking on the insane protein A-bomb that is the Big Ern McCracken.

The challenging Double Dog Dare

The challenging Double Dog Dare

In the case of the Dog Haus Biergarten, more of the same is a warm and welcome pleasure. After the hangover from the grand opening party has faded like the burn from the Abe Froman, Dog Haus will undoubtedly be the go-to location in Old Town for hot dogs, sausage and burgers that are certain to be the talk of L.A. County where the bark is every bit as big as the bite.

Dog Haus Biergarten
93 E. Green Street
Pasadena, CA 91105
GPS Coordinates: 34° 8’40.74″N 118° 8’53.98″W

GALLERY: See images from the grand opening masquerade party at Dog Haus’ 2nd location in Pasadena, California

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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