Drunks Along The Mohawk

Posted on September 9, 2011 by Val

Mohawk Bend
Echo Park (L.A.), California

Sorry kids, no matinee at Mohawk Bend

Sorry kids, no matinee at Mohawk Bend

Leave it to Tony Yanow, the producer behind the hit “Tony’s Darts Away” in Burbank, California to debut his next project in the resurrection of a 100 year-old vaudeville house in Los Angeles’ hip, up-and-coming Echo Park district. His sequel features the familiar craft beer and vegan victuals synonymous with Darts Away, but the darts have been replaced with movie cultural references (if only on the menu). The space is magnificent – airy and open with a phalanx of booths running up a narrow room with the open kitchen off to the side. The kitchen is halved, with the vegan fare being prepared isolated to one side without any contact with animal flesh. On the other side of the room from the kitchen is a bar featuring more taps than a Gene Kelly film, primarily featuring local craft beers. Oddly enough, although the wall behind the long bar is populated with over 70 suds spigots, beer is ordered under a handwritten sign reading “Beer Here”. In addition to the craft beers, Mohawk Bend also features wine and spirits that are vinted by local (California) craftsmen, including several authentic wormwood-laden absinthes.

That's a black licorice straw in the Absinthe Spritzer

That's a black licorice straw in the Absinthe Spritzer

Yanow has populated the walls of the front of the space with a collection of vintage beer lights with not an upscale logo in sight; the walk to the massive sky lit back room is like a trek through a blue collar canyon with neon blues and reds winking their Pabst Blue Ribbon and Miller High Life electric eyes at the procession below. Walking through the portal in the 30-fot high glass wall that separates the back room from the bar area is like entering another dimension; a dimension not of sight and sound but of the mind (the mind of Tony Yanow). The tables in the back area are wisely spread out, giving more elbow room than in the joyful chaos of the bar area. Such an immense roster of beers makes choosing difficult, so I decided to forgo the beer for a cocktail; being a sucker for licorice I opted for the Absinthe Spritzer, a fizzy, citrus-laden drink sweetened with agave nectar and spiked with locally-produced La Sorciere Absinthe Bleue and finished with a black licorice straw. It was hard to tell if the drink was absorbed into the licorice or the candy permeated the drink, but the refreshing and familiar tasting concoction and the straw were gone in no time

Rice-coated calamari with a squid ink aioli

Rice-coated calamari with a squid ink aioli

We started light with a basic flatbread complemented by three spreads: black-eyed pea hummus, a stew of peppers onions and tomato with ricotta cheese and spicy roasted eggplant. The other light plates to follow amped it up a bit – a chorizo-stuffed date wrapped in bacon smelled intoxicating, and the date melted like butter in my mouth, adding just the right amount of sweetness. The eggplant rolls were ambitious; slices of eggplant blanketed Serrano ham and mozzarella, but the skins were a bit chewy. A platter of tempura fried vegetables with yuzu ponzu were interesting in the choice of veggies, including kabocha squash, potato, carrots and peppers; the batter was light and the chips were crunchy without being greasy.

A far cry from its former life as a theater

A far cry from its former life as a theater

My favorite of the starter dishes was a generous mound of rice-coated calamari. It would be a fair mistake to think some of the pieces tasted exceptionally lemony, since lemon slices were battered and fried along with the squid, and even those were tasty. The platter was accompanied by a small bowl of squid ink aioli for dipping, a unique condiment that added another layer of taste and complexity to the dish.

The salads were fresh, with crispy greens and colorful ingredients; the Flash Gordon was a mix of grapefruit, pickled red onion, avocado and pine nuts that was simply too beautiful to eat. The JJ Kale was a departure, accenting the green with garlic and chili and julienned jicama. The menu is overflowing with vegetable dishes, in part to realize Yanow’s promise of 60 percent vegan fare; this includes omnivorian fare that can be made to satisfy the needs of the most devout herbivores. Unfortunately, we decided to taste-test a couple of the meatatarian pizzas next to their vegetative counterparts and with my hindsight goggles on I would state that if you’re a vegan, order the vegan version and enjoy it (as I’m sure you will); but, if you heartily and with great gusto consume meat and meat products, order the straight-up animal version.

The absurdly colorful Flash Gordon salad

The absurdly colorful Flash Gordon salad

I was wondering how far of a stretch it was to take the Holy Trinity (Mohawk Bend’s version of the classic Italian Margarita pizza) and veganize it, forgetting about the cheese component. The straight-up version was simple and flavorful with the perfect texture to the crust (not cardboard and not flaccid) but I had a slight problem with the vegan mozzarella in that I thought it tasted like marshmallow. To be fair, the faux-cheese would be the perfect topping on a dessert pizza (think apples, cinnamon and walnuts), but it just hit me the wrong way. The seitan (vegan) sausage on the Able Farmin’ (the animal-free version of their Abe Froman sausage and pepper pizza) was a more admirable meat tribute; in fact, it looked more like sausage than the Sausage King of Chicago’s namesake. The vegan mozzarella on this pie was less obvious than on the Margarita, making it a vegan choice I could go with again, although the crust was a bit doughier. The peppers on the Abe were cooked down a bit but overall it would have stood up as a decent New York street slice.

The decadent insanity that is The Dork (ground duck and pork)

The decadent insanity that is The Dork (ground duck and pork)

The dish to beat for the evening had to be the meat lover’s portmanteau – the Dork. This thick, juicy burger paid honorable tribute to its pork and duck composition (I suppose “Puck” would not have been a good moniker for something similar in shape to object of play in a hockey game) – broken down to its basic component, the burger is clear indication that a flying pig would be outstandingly delicious. Forget the fact that this bad boy comes with options – we selected the gruyere cheese and crowned it with an apropos fried duck egg. Hidden in this haystack of burger wonderland was apple slices, fennel and pickled onion, and a side of vegan garlic aioli made the Dork a disk worth eating solo.

Abe Froman vs. Able Farmin' - Sausage King meets Veggie Tales

Abe Froman vs. Able Farmin' - Sausage King meets Veggie Tales

Just when it seemed impossible to consume another bite, the desserts arrived. I was willing to give what looked like a pan-fried chocolate chip cookie topped with ice cream a pass, but only because I’m not a big CCC fan – the chocolate lovers at the table dug it in a big way; likewise with the vegan s’mores, although I confess to trying the Graham crackers made in house. I have to give kudos to the berry and apple crostado made with Bisquick and cinnamon and topped with fresh sliced strawberries for lulling me out of my dessert boycott – that and a cup of coffee for me signaled the end to an orgy of fresh and flavorful cuisine.

Berry and apple crostado

Berry and apple crostado

Carnivores and herbivores alike can find something to enjoy at Mohawk Bend, and the space is conducive to hanging out afterwards and knocking a few back. Mohawk Bend is already reenergizing an area of town that is quickly becoming a bohemian district, and that’s a wrap!

Mohawk Bend
2141 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90026
GPS Coordinates: 34° 4’39.08″N 118°15’52.97″W

GALLERY: See images from Val’s dinner at Mohawk Bend in Los Angeles, 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.

Posted in Southern California, Trippy Food (Tasty flora and fauna) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Serpentine Fire

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Val

Extreme Chef viewing party

Café Pinot, Los Angeles CA

The rattlesnake mille-feuille as made on Extreme Chef

The rattlesnake mille-feuille as made on Extreme Chef

I was unfamiliar with the Food Network’s show Extreme Chef until I received an invitation to a viewing party of the episode featuring Chef Kevin Meehan, the Executive Chef at L.A.’s Café Pinot. Since the viewing was to be held at Meehan’s restaurant of residence and the menu was reported to have special items suggested by what the contestants were required to make on the show, I thought it would be up my alley – after all, the word “extreme” figured prominently in the show’s title. My imagination was working overtime trying to guess the menu – soft-shell tarantula sandwich? Emu balut? Walrus fries? We had a chance to look at the special item menu prior to the airing of the show, and although it didn’t look like the commissary list for Fear Factor, there were some otherwise exotic items that we thought may be featured on the program. We started with a round of drinks, and I opted for the Firewater (featuring top-shelf tequila, and lime rimmed and spiced with paprika). There seemed to be some aromatic unlisted ingredients as the drink was fragrant as it was tasty. We were introduced to Chef Meehan prior to ordering food and he mentioned that three of the menu items were influenced by his performance in the show, with one being as close a replica as he could recall of the first challenge.

The 3 competing chefs (Kevin Meehan at left)

The 3 competing chefs (Kevin Meehan at left)

Meehan was going up against Malibu Seaside chef Gina Clarke and Executive Chef Paul Menta of Amigo’s Tortilla Bar in Key West, Florida and they were told that their fist dish required that they use a “special ingredient” located in a wooden crate. When the crate was opened, each contained several large, writhing boa constrictors and pythons seething around a burlap sack containing the first ingredient – a skinned and gutted rattlesnake. I confided to Chef Meehan that had I been on the show I would have assumed the live serpents were the first ingredient and quickly dispatched and cleaned one of them for cooking, but that’s why he is an accomplished chef and I’m just a strange man that likes to eat unusual things. The show took place in a small Old West-themed, dirt street town near Twenty-nine Palms, California and before they could start, they had to fill wooden barrels with antique utensils and cookware and roll them half a mile to the cooking stations. I’ll leave Meehan’s opponent’s creations for your TiVo viewing pleasure, but he deftly whipped up a rattlesnake mille-feuille, a breakfast item featuring a snake burger served on French toast and topped with a fried egg. Meehan’s entry (as with the best dishes in any homespun International cuisine) featured a crest of fried hen fruit (think Korean bibimbap or Colombian bandeja paisa), and the dish was lovingly recreated on the special menu.
While watching Chef Meehan perform his frontier artistry, we sat in the balmy, shaded patio of Café Pinot enjoying his creation – “You’ve seen the show, now eat the snake”. The rattlerburger had the consistency and taste of coarsely ground sausage and when combined with the rich, runny yolk of the egg and the “French toast” ends sopping up the mess I can clearly see why he left the competition in the dust.

Buffalo short rib with roasted potatoes and cactus salad

Buffalo short rib with roasted potatoes and cactus salad

The second dish required the use of one of three western animals – bison brisket, quail or wild turkey (the avian, not the drink). Meehan chose the buffalo, and although the dish he concocted for the show was different then the special menu item, we were treated with a balsamic-braised buffalo short rib surrounded by roasted potatoes and topped lightly with a cactus salad. The buffalo was tender and pulled of the bone with little force and the meat lacked the wild taste that sometime accompanies the animal. Chef Meehan obviously knew how the show turned out, but he was as closed-lipped about the outcome as I was with my lips closed around the buffalo ribs. Other western-themed menu items included an outstanding “cowboy” burger adorned with thick slices of bacon and a pile of grilled onions. I was disappointed to discover that the patty was made of aged beef rather than cowboy but it was hot, juicy and worthy competition to most high-end burgers in Los Angeles.  The chuck wagon meatballs in chili were a little odd; the chili (which appeared to be augmented with young pinto beans) was savory and delicious, but it almost was begging for the meat to be in chunks rather than the familiar Italian globes. Layers of smoked trout sitting on creamy (but not mayo-heavy) potato salad rested on bed of greens as a contrast to the “dude ranch cuisine” theme and although simple and flavorful a gazpacho seemed to be asking, “¿Qué estoy haciendo aquí?”.

A blue corn ice cream sandwich

A blue corn ice cream sandwich

After the second challenge, one of the chefs was sent packing (obviously it wasn’t Chef Meehan, or that would have made for a short and somber event); the last challenge required the contestants to prepare a single bit of food using chicken, watermelon, dandelion and pickled eggs. The only chicken dish that appeared on the Extreme Menu at Café Pinot was a mildly incendiary batch of boneless chicken wings (which explains why they’re flightless birds); they were tangy and hot but I was wondering what the yardbird amuse-bouche might have tasted like, augmented with the dust of a western town. For dessert, Meehan had designed an ice cream dish similar to that which he made on the show (during the second challenge he was required to make ice cream in a churn with unusual ingredients and a 50-pound chunk of ice and a railroad spike). The Café Pinot dessert employed blue corn, which was utilized in the sandwich material. Visualize ice cream and a crumbly corn bread and you can almost taste what the dessert was like – funky, but not unappealing.

By now you’ve deduced that Chef Meehan aced the $10,000 challenge, and the Extreme Menu at Café Pinot is an extra feather in his cap. Café Pinot is a nice place to chill in the evening whether seated indoors or in the sunset of the Old West, and the menu prices for the viewing party were ridiculous – most items were around $8. Congratulations to Chef Meehan on both wins, and fortunately the only thing extreme we experienced while trying the show-based menu items was finding parking in downtown Los Angeles.

 

Café Pinot

700 West 5th Street

Los Angeles, CA 90071

GPS Coordinates: 34° 3’3.85″N 118°15’20.47″W

GALLERY: See images from the Extreme Chef viewing party featuring Executive Chef Kevin Meehan at Café Pinot, 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.

Posted in Southern California | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Serpentine Fire

Mary Had A Little Lamb

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Val

Palestinian lamb roast
Olive Tree Restaurant, Anaheim CA

The splendor that is kharouf mahshi

The splendor that is kharouf mahshi

In the spirit of  the famed annual Explorers Club dinner, Los Angeles food adventurers LA Gastronauts arrange monthly dinners around Southern California featuring unusual, ethnic and otherwise unique cuisine. These dinners can take the form of a “pop-up” with a restaurant hosting for a specialty chef, or as was the case recently at Anaheim, California’s Olive Tree Restaurant, a specialty signature dish presented by the restaurant. Olive Tree is quietly tucked into a horseshoe-shaped strip mall in the area of Anaheim known as “Little Arabia” (alternately “Little Gaza”), their base of operations for providing home-style preparations of a wide variety of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. The inside dining area was reserved for the Gastronauts dinner and owner Yusuf “Joe” Abdo was having to turn customers away while they prepared the room for the feast. Abdo introduced me to Nancy, the person responsible for turning a whole lamb into the gastronomic extravaganza known as kharouf mahshi – whole roasted lamb stuffed with rice, meat and almonds. Abdo explained that the dish is popular throughout the Arabic world, and although the dish is presented with the limbs on separate trays according to Islamic tradition, their version is done Palestinian-style (with the lamb presented whole on a single tray).

Olive Tree Restaurant in Anaheim, California

Olive Tree Restaurant in Anaheim, California

Since I arrived early I was offered a drink to hold me over until the feast began; I asked for something traditional and was presented a can of Vimto, a carbonated beverage flavored with grape, raspberry and currant juice as well as herbs and spices. The drink originated in the UK in 1890, although the original version was not carbonated and Abdo wanted me to try it so that I could compare it to his homemade version during the feast. In between setting up tables and bringing out the “side dishes”, he would occasionally bring something over to the table for me to try, such as a savory beef and lamb-filled arayes kufta; the crispy grilled pita pocket was lightly spiced and light enough not to spoil my appetite for the food orgy to come. At one point he arrived with a greyish-brown chunk of unknown origin impaled on the tines of a fork, stating, “Hey, you’re adventurous – try this”.  As the taste registered on my tongue he informed me that it was lamb kidney, and although I enjoy mammal kidney regardless of the sometimes musty taste, this was mellow and flavorful (which he attributed to the super-secret cooking technique). As the last regular patron was leaving, he attempted to pay for his meal with American Express; the cashier responded with, “We don’t take American Express, only Arabic Express – cash!”

A lavish spread to precede the roasted lamb

A lavish spread to precede the roasted lamb

The “side dishes” and starters were bough out around the same time the Gastronauts arrived; huge platters of hummus and mutabal (an eggplant dip), fresh Medjool dates and fattoush (a toasted pita chip salad packed with parsley, cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes and scallions and liberally garnished with sumac and mint) seemed about to collapse the table they rested on. At the end of the table was a platter of chopped pieces of mixed organ meats which included kidney, liver and a slightly spicy spleen. Abdo had two soda fountain bubblers off to the side dispensing a sweet apricot nectar that made the perfect mixer for the illicit hooch smuggled in pocket flasks and his homemade “Vimto”. The later beverage was heavy with rose water that you could smell well before the cup met your lips; the deep red brew had a rich cherry taste and undoubtedly would permanently stain your innards – it was sweet but tasted nothing like the Vimto soda I was offered earlier.

Bits of eye, brain and tongue mingle with savory lamb meat and rice

Bits of eye, brain and tongue mingle with savory lamb meat and rice

The main course arrived in a shroud of aluminum foil and placed on a round table in the center of the room atop a regal purple tablecloth; once the metallic veil was lifted there was a round of applause as an entire lamb sprung forth, meat hanging off in tatters and yellow rice spilling from its gut like an army of maggots. Abdo and several other of the staff began dismembering the beast, heaping the flesh in a mound on top. Under normal circumstances i would have had no contenders for the choice bits (eyes, tongue, brains); however, these were not normal circumstances as several of the Gastronauts had similar designs on the head meats. Since the Gastronauts are a civilized bunch, we ceremoniously split the prize among us so that anyone who wanted to taste it could, and it was worth the wait. Some of the lamb was added to a deep tray filled with bamia creating a wet stew rich in tomato and jam-packed with the cutest baby okra you ever saw in your life. The meat was strong without the gamey flavor that often accompanies lamb; the hours of roasting had not taken any of the moisture out and it was absolutely some of the best lamb I’ve ever eaten. The mountain of yellow rice the carcass rested on was prepared separately but the rice that had been cooked inside the lamb took on the appearance (and a little of the taste) of dirty rice, and between the two was my starch of choice.

Baklawa with a tea chaser

Baklawa with a tea chaser

Dessert was a sweet, sticky and flaky baklawa laced with custardy cheese and dusted with pistachio dust; trays of simple black tea complemented the pastry and was just enough to finish the feast. Olive Tree’s menu states that hookahs are available for $16, and although I don’t have the ghost of Walter Raleigh riding on my back I think I would have had a few puffs if one was brought out; fortunately there wasn’t one in sight. Both the lamb and I had been stuffed well past stupid, but Abdo suggested people take home the leftovers and like a crack whore I packed the meat and rice into a Styrofoam container and headed out. The children tell how Mary had a little lamb but had she been present at Olive Tree for the Palestinian lamb roast, I have no doubt she would have had a lot of lamb.

Olive Tree Restaurant
512 S. Brookhurst Street
Anaheim CA 92804
GPS Coordinates:  33°49’33.56″N 117°57’30.50″W

GALLERY: See images from the Gastronaut’s whole lamb roast at Olive Tree Restaurant in Anaheim CA

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A Night At The Opera

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Val

California Philharmonic Festival on the Green
Arcadia, California

An eager audience awaits the arrival of the maestro

An eager audience awaits the arrival of the maestro

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Festival on the Green is now held at Cal Phil’s new home at Santa Anita Park, across from the Arboretum

Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden on its own is a magical place featuring acres of lush and verdant botanical wonders as well as historical artifacts. Since 1947 the rancho once owned by famed businessman and investor Elias “Lucky” Baldwin has been under the stewardship of Los Angeles County and the State of California; the site includes Baldwin’s former home, the Queen Anne Cottage (which can be seen in the opening segment of “Fantasy Island” as well as substituting for the home of Bernie and Rozalin Focker in the film, “Meet the Fockers”). Peacocks that roam freely on the grounds can often be found wandering through yards in the neighborhood surrounding the Arboretum, and the presence of the now feral “Pasadena Parrots” give the Arboretum and surrounding area a strange tropical vibe.

Kings Row's completed pulled pork sandwich topped with slaw

Kings Row's completed pulled pork sandwich topped with slaw

For 15 years, the beautiful green landscape of the Arboretum has been the setting for the Festival on the Green concert series by the California Philharmonic. As the late summer sun sets, strains of classical music mingle with renditions of songs from Broadway musicals and popular artists such as The Beatles. Although you will find current Maestro Victor Vener and the members of the orchestra decked out in black tie and tails, the audience is quite a different story. Casual summer attire is the de rigueur, although the crowd runs the gamut from looking like they just came from the yacht club cotillion to having just stepped out of a smoke-filled VW van. The Arboretum closes early on nights when the Cal Phil are performing, but the gates are opened 2 hours prior to the show, allowing patrons to find the choices lawn spots.

The California Philharmonic with full choir

The California Philharmonic with full choir

Food at these concerts can be an elaborate affair; picnic baskets open and out pops fine china, fluted stemware, candles, live floral centerpieces, silverware, linen napkins, portable wine coolers – there’s some finer dining on display than some area high-end restaurants. Of course if you opt to partake of food available at the Arboretum, just as in classical music it’s all about the timing. Just to the side of the pool that divides the massive lawn, several local sell freshly made and prepared food prior to the show, but fair warning – when the show starts, they break it down. Many of the vendors vary, including Bristol Farm selling pre-packaged food and Robin’s Wood Fire BBQ whose meat-laced smoke can be smelled from across the field. One of Pasadena’s newest hot spots, Kings Row Gastropub provides some of their more portable signature dishes such as their white chocolate macaroni and cheese; on one evening Kings Row owner Shivie Dhillon was building a moist, melt-away pulled pork sandwich topped with slaw and drizzled with a sweet and unusual pomegranate BBQ sauce. Neighbors The Dog Haus flip burgers and grill dogs presented in decadent and glorious fashion topped with avocado, grilled onion, basil aioli, bacon, sauerkraut and any number of rich and fresh toppings. If you stand at their booth long enough you’re liable to end up with one of their latest creations. Looking for a cappuccino to sip during the show with an extended pinkie? No worries, as Boar’s Java House, one of the older purveyors at the Festival on the Green can set you up.

The crazy tasty Sooo Cali from The Dog Haus

The crazy tasty Sooo Cali from The Dog Haus

Once the concert begins a hush falls over the massive crowd and Maestro Vener conducts the orchestra in works from Bach to Bernstein; most of the shows mix classical themes with Broadway show music. At the last performance the audience was treated to Rossini’s “William Tell Overture”, the theme from “The Sound of Music”, Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” and a rousing sing-along of the theme from Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” As the evening progresses, guest vocalists solo with the orchestra and a full choir takes the stage to create the biggest sound ever to fill the Arboretum. In such a beautiful setting beneath the moon and stars, one can overlook the occasional screaming peacock in the distance that never seems to be able to find the right key. The last show of the season will be on August 20 when the Cal Phil pulls out all the stops with Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” and features music from “My Fair Lady” and “Pirates of the Caribbean”, undoubtedly along with some surprises. This show will mark the end of an era for the Cal Phil, as next year they move across the street to bigger facilities on a specially constructed stage on the infield at Santa Anita Racetrack; undoubtedly they’ll perform music from the films “Seabiscuit” and “A Day at the Races”…

At Santa Anita Park:
285 W Huntington Drive
Arcadia CA 91066
GPS Coordinates: 34° 8’23.29″N 118° 2’34.54″W

At Walt Disney Concert Hall:
111 S Grand Avenue
Los Angeles CA 90012
GPS Coordinates: 34° 3’19.05″N 118°14’57.83″W

GALLERY: See images from the California Philharmonic’s final season of the Festival on the Green at the L.A. Arboretum

NOTE: This costs for this event and meal were provided by the venue and food vendors. The content provided was not influenced whatsoever by the organizer of the event.

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Run, Grunion, Run!

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Val

Running of the grunion
Southern California through Baja California

A banner announces the Meet the Grunion program

A banner announces the Meet the Grunion program

Since before recorded history, the California grunion have been performing their forbidden dance of love from Santa Barbara down through Baja California. When the tide is highest between March and August during the full and new moons, the female fish beaches herself in the wet sand and begins a belly dance that half submerges her head-up. The male grunion also comes in with the tide, wrapping himself around the female and depositing milt to fertilize the eggs that she has laid in the sand. As momma grunion works her way free, sand covers the eggs and then both lovers are then swallowed up by the next crashing wave like Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr. As romantic as this interlude sounds, the whole process takes place in the time it takes two waves to hit the beach and their act of love is consummated alongside sometimes thousands of their piscine counterparts in a veritable aquatic version of Plato’s Retreat.

The night's catch - approximately 25 grunion

The night's catch - approximately 25 grunion

Even though the lurid beach invasion of thousands of silvery fish flopping about in the moonlight is spectacular to watch, many Southern Californians have never seen this aquatic ritual. In order to ensure the perpetuation of the species, the grunion spawns (or “runs” as they are popularly called) can be observed during the entire season, but the fish can only caught in April and May. The fishing method is simple by law – a fishing license is required and you can only take the fish by hand. Like the running of the bulls in Pamplona, the running of the grunion can be fraught with peril, although instead of horned bovine stampeders one must deal with sometimes hundreds of grunion fishermen rushing to the water’s edge in a maddening melee in order to catch as many fish as they can before the grunion get spooked and decide to call it a night.

Milking the grunion for eggs and milt

Milking the grunion for eggs and milt

In San Pedro, California the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium runs a program called Meet the Grunion. Around 8 PM, participants are let into the aquarium where they can see tanked grunion (as well as the aquarium’s regular exhibits), watch an educational film and learn about the fish and its unusual mating habits. Just before the run starts (usually after 10:00 PM), the crowd is led to the cove on Cabrillo Beach where they are asked to refrain from making noise or shining flashlights as waves of the fish arrive in order to ensure the maximum number of fish. At the staff’s command, the crowd makes a mad dash to the water to scoop up the fish. The number of fish that arrive is unpredictable; on some nights Bubba Gump wannabes may end up with a single fish or none at all. On my recent visit, I walked away with a sizeable catch (approximately 25 fish); before taking the catch home, the Aquarium has a lighted booth set up where they will milk your catch for the eggs and milt which they will use to fertilize, hatch and release tens of thousands of the fish. The program costs about $5, but although grunion fisherman are free to hit any beaches along the lower California coast to give it a go on their own the educational aspect alone at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is well worth the money spent.

Cleaning the grunion for cooking

Cleaning the grunion for cooking

With a decent catch in tow, I had to figure out how I wanted to prepare the fish. Since I seldom do anything straightforward or normal, I decided to create a dish that would be a play on words in true pun fashion: grunion rings. As simple as this sounds, it was extremely labor intensive – I had to behead and betail each one, scale and gut it and try to remove as much as the tiny-boned spine and ribs as I could. Once I had a mess of tiny filets, I pinched the head end of one around the tail end of another and fastened them with a knotted chive (which I found to be the perfect ingredient to play into the onion pun). Each ring-of-three was dusted with flour and then coated with onion ring batter made from a recipe I found online. A dip into the hot oil bath was all that was left to create the golden brown grunion rings.

The finished product - grunion rings!

The finished product - grunion rings!

The fish itself was delicious – the flaky, mild white flesh held up well, although the taste was so delicate that the thick application of the batter almost totally subdued it. We also dredged some of the butterflied filets through the batter and fried them directly resulting in a thinner coating that allowed more of the flavor of the fish to cut through. The arduous preparation was worth it, but if you’re simply curious about how the fish tastes a catch of three or four pan fried would do the trick, and for those who don’t like to see their dinner alive first, considers the fun of simply observing the run or catching and releasing. The sport is kid-friendly (although it undoubtedly means a late bedtime) and a fishing license is not required for residents under the age of 17.

Cross-section of a grunion ring

Cross-section of a grunion ring

As this phenomenon is limited to this specific species and only in the range previously mentioned, it is truly a Southern California pastime that should not be missed; a grunion run is a ton of fun that’s second to none.

Special thanks to Deep End Dining‘s Eddie Lin who held the bucket, helped with the concept of the grunion ring and allowed me to single-handedly destroy his kitchen.

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
3720 Stephen M. White Drive
San Pedro, CA 90731
GPS coordinates: 33°42’41.91″N 118°17’7.65″W

GALLERY: See images from Val’s visit to the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium grunion run and making grunion rings

VIDEO: See National Geographic video of the grunion runs at Cabrillo Marine Aquarium’s website

NOTE: This cost for admission to Cabrillo Marine Aquarium 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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