Can I Interest You In A Fiji Mermaid?

Museum of Jurassic Technology

Culver City, California

The Museum of Jurassic Technology

The Museum of Jurassic Technology

It’s not a museum depicting how CGI was used to bring Michael Crichton’s novel to life; there is no reproduction of tools used by ceratosaurus, allosaurus and other prehistoric life. So what is it, exactly? Well, imagine a committee was formed to open a repository of knowledge in display format, and that this committee featured Rube Goldberg, Albert Einstein, P.T. Barnum, John Waters, L. Ron Hubbard, Robert LeRoy Ripley, Leonardo DiVinci, Baron Victor Frankenstein and Professor Irwin Corey. If you find that concept confusing, then you have head start on what’s to come with a trip to the MJT. Part of their mission statement is to “provide[s] the academic community with a specialized repository of relics and artifacts from the Lower Jurassic”, which technically was between 200 and 175 million years ago. Understanding this as you enter will put you in a better frame of mind to truly appreciate the museum. Suspension of disbelief is not required; disregard for disbelief is. Your visit to the museum will only work if you don’t wonder or even care what is true and what is false, but simply be entertained by what are literally thought-provoking and imaginative displays of curiosities. Like some bizarre closet of secrets, the museum features displays of everything from the importance and significance of cat’s cradles as language to early theater techniques for reproducing weather conditions onstage. Once you’ve rung the bell at the front to gain entrance to the windowless structure, you enter a dark and mysterious labyrinth; the narrow hallways join rooms that make a corn maze seem easy to navigate. The darkness allows the displays to be creatively lit using micro-spotlights, with some exhibits creating their own light. In some places, 3-D and holographic technology is used to have things appear in the display when looking through special lenses. Names and titles sound grand and familiar, but Google searches will leave you scratching your head.
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Until We Meat Again

Behind the scenes at the Orange County BBQ Festival

Costa Mesa, California

Shuji Sakai prepares the Bacon Explosion

Shuji Sakai prepares the Bacon Explosion

Nothing brings back the feeling of summer quicker than the smell of wood smoke and roasting meat. Granted, this is accentuated by the sound of the surf lapping at the shore and the warmth of the overhead sun, but let’s focus on the smoke and meat for the time being. It was impossible to turn down the opportunity to visit the competitors in the annual Orange County BBQ Festival the night before the festival. Each year, corporations, weekend warriors, chefs and grill hobbyists gather at the Orange County Fairgrounds to compete for cash prizes in multiple categories, including chicken, ribs, pork and brisket. The event also raises money for Kristie’s Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Laurie Kotas in 2003 to help improve the quality of life for terminally ill children. Although a few of the contestants do barbeque for their day jobs, do not for one minute doubt the determination and tenacity of the BBQ hobbyists that participate. Many of the team names sound like they may have been derived using a random barbecue name generator. Big Poppa Smokers was comprised of a group of barbecue aficionados from Ernie Ball, including Sterling Ball (son of the guitar string king). Naturally there was representation from firefighters (Cooks N’ Ladders) and law enforcement officers who, in this case, smiled at the obvious porcine references. As the sun set, the air at the fairgrounds was filled with more smoke than at a Grateful Dead concert; many of the competitors were firing up everything from backyard Weber grills to smokers that looked like engineless Hummers. Propane torches were the accelerant de rigueur; we’re not talking one of those candy-ass Coleman blowtorches, but something more akin to the M1A1 Flamethrower. Most of the closet pyromaniacs were more than happy to demonstrate their literal firepower, drastically cutting down the time to create the ideal cooking heat. A film crew from The Food Network kept popping up filming scenes for a reality show called “Family Style” featuring Joey and Melissa Maggiore from the Maggiore restaurant dynasty; it was difficult to tell exactly what the premise of the show will be based on their presence at the BBQ festival. Continue reading

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We Celebrate When The Gang’s All Here

Chinatown Summer Nights

Los Angeles, California

Miss Chinatown sandwiched between two other celebrants

Miss Chinatown sandwiched between two other celebrants

L.A. boasts a decent sized Chinatown, yet it is often culturally overlooked by the rest of the city. This recently prompted several civic organizations to plan and sponsor a festival spanning four Saturday nights in celebration of Chinatown’s diverse culture. Chinatown Summer Nights features DJs set up in several locations with live cooking demonstrations, street performances and participation of many of the local restaurants and shops who stay open late for the event. The festival also features many of L.A.’s food trucks, although oddly enough at the most recent event, only one food truck (Korean Ahn-Joo) was Asian-themed. Having the trucks at the festival was a double-edged sword; on one hand, some of the local restaurants objected to the trucks pulling away their business, but on the other hand, they attracted event-goers that might not normally come to Chinatown otherwise. The food truck population was well represented by the World Fare double-decker bus, Brazilian Ta-Bom, The Surfer Taco truck, Spring Street Smoke House (a BBQ truck), Tropical Shave Ice, the aforemetnioned Ahn-Joo, the Crepe’n Around crepe truck and the Grilled Cheese Truck, which seems to be everywhere these days. Even through the Grilled Cheese Truck had the largest line (which stretched up the block), the other trucks did a brisk business, some closing early after running out of food. Continue reading

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The Offal Truth

Waterloo and City – Culver City, California

Waterloo and City in Culver City

Waterloo and City in Culver City

Having missed my annual pilgrimage to the UK for the past couple of years, I eagerly accepted an invitation to partake in Waterloo and City’s family-style British lunch. Just going by name alone, I imagined it to be a pub with an Underground theme (not like an air raid shelter, like a London subway station). I was surprised to find the restaurant resembling a refurbished Denny’s from the outside, but once inside it most definitely took on the air of an older European establishment that had been mostly modernized. Our group of “foodies” sat at a single large table where we were introduced to chef and co-owner Brendan Collins whose British pedigree reflects a career stretching back to his teen years in the UK. Chef Collins and managing partner Carolos Tomazos bring the relatively recent gastropub concept to Culver City with a nod to traditional British and continental European cuisine. Collins is a subscriber of the “nose-to-tail” philosophy, but instead of focusing on using every part of the pig, he stuffs, roasts, terrines, and creates pâtés from a menagerie of furry creatures.

A platter fit for a king

A platter fit for a king

There are small, classic British touches in the look and feel of the restaurant – the kitchen crew wear pin-striped aprons and bowler hats, even though they work mostly behind the scenes; a game room features a pool table, a dart board and a table-top Pac Man video game with warm and friendly couches and a fireplace, and one corner of the restaurant features traditional Wedgwood-looking wallpaper with a hidden, tongue-in-cheek surprise. Disney’s Epcot Center is famous for dressing up facades to look like European bistros and pubs, but the food gives the illusion away – the opposite is the case here. You can forgive the lack of green glass lamps, subway signs, and wood and glass bar panels when you look at the blackboard menu (which on this day featured a full English breakfast, fish and chips, roast dinner and shepherd’s pie). One item that immediately caught my eye was the blood cake, which I imagined to be a pseudonym for black pudding. I ordered the roast dinner, remembering the delicious home-cooked taste of the last one I had in a Liverpool pub, and (like the rest of our group) let Chef Collins surprise us.

Roast dinner with Yorkshire pudding

Roast dinner with Yorkshire pudding

We started out with a breadboard with baked goods made on the premises including croissants, breads, scones and cookies. I somewhat jokingly asked where the Marmite was, which prompted our waiter to present a small tub of the salty goo at our table. Since it would have been rude to request it and then not eat it, I begrudgingly slathered the tar on a piece of raisin bread (which I think made the Marmite slightly more palatable). Surprise is a mild word for what came next – breathtaking would be more appropriate. A large plank was brought to the table bearing a collection of the finest representation of charcuterie I’ve ever seen. Terrines of bacon-wrapped trotters, rabbit with pistachio, venison and huckleberry, delicately prepared pates using the freshest and most exquisite combinations of offal and meats decorated the tray in what can only be described as food art (although food porn may be a more appropriate term). Chef Collins called the presentation “The King”, although these dishes took lowly peasant cuts and elevated them to royalty status. I was pleased that although we didn’t order it, the blood cake was brought to the table, and I have to admit it bore very little resemblance to black pudding. Where black pudding typically uses oats, barley or some type of grain for texture, the blood cake was mixed with pork fat, apples, onion and spices, making it moist and crumbly. The dark red mound was topped with a fried egg, but I wanted to get a taste of the dish without the distraction – what I experienced is difficult to put into words. The rich forkful melted in my mouth, with no trace of the metallic taste that often accompanies blood-based dishes, giving me a new death row last meal choice.

The roast dinner was delicious in its simplicity – pure, fresh and flavorful ingredients were cooked to perfection, keeping in line with the traditional preparation. Fanciful desserts that were created by Chef Collins were brought to the table, my favorite being a moist and warm chocolate torte topped with a scoop of dulce de leche ice cream and glazed bananas that were like a vertical presentation of bananas Foster. Chef Collins was present off and on during the course of the meal, answering questions and making us want to return for dinner. He explained that while the focus is on traditional and inspired British cuisine, it was by no means limited to it. Chef Collins has brought together the best of centuries of elegant and simple European cuisine with some modern twists in an outstanding presentation that left me stuffed, yet craving more. There are three things I hope the British don’t attempt to reclaim: the melody to “America”, the original 13 colonies and Chef Collins. As historians look back on our lunch, for a thousand years men will still say, “This was their finest hour”.

Waterloo and City
12517 West Washington Blvd
Culver City, CA 90066
GPS coordinates: 33°59’49.04″N 118°25’53.28″W

See images from Val’s lunch at Waterloo and City

Enjoy the multimedia podcast of Val’s lunch at Waterloo and City with Deep End Dining‘s Eddie Lin

 


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The French War of 1918

French dip sandwiches

Philippe the Original and Cole’s Pacific Electric Buffet, Los Angeles, CA

Philippe the Original vs. Coles Pacific Electric Buffet

Philippe the Original vs. Coles Pacific Electric Buffet

No one doubts the French dip sandwich’s city of origin – it was born shortly after the turn of the 20th century, becoming one of Los Angeles’ signature dishes. But before you start feeling sorry for redheaded stepchildren French toast and French fries, understand that that the paternity of the French dip has been fraught with doubt and controversy since farther back than anyone still alive can remember. For those who have not visited L.A. and tried it, it is essentially a sliced roast beef sandwich (with pork, lamb, ham and turkey options added over the years) in a long roll that is dipped in au jus. It is usually served with as much or as little spicy “open-your-sinuses” mustard that you care to apply – this hellish concoction kicks Chinese mustard’s ass six ways from Sunday. The sandwich has evolved over the decades, with the roll originally having been dipped in beef gravy. You would think every restaurant in Los Angeles would be offering the dish, with either a nod to its creator or arguing over patent rights, but there are only two heavyweight contenders vying for the title of “Creator of The French Dip” sandwich – Philippe’s the Original, and Cole’s Pacific Electric Buffet. Both were first opened in 1908, and both claim to be the inventor of the tasty sandwich.

Philippe's pork French dip sandwich

Philippe's pork French dip sandwich

In this corner, Philippe the Original; the restaurant opened by French immigrant (take notes here) Philippe Mathieu in 1908 was originally on Alameda Avenue (without the sandwich as a menu item). Prior to his death in 1960, Mathieu stated that after moving to a new location in 1918, he was preparing a sandwich for a policeman in a hurry and when the roll fell into the gravy, the officer said he’d take it anyway. As the story goes, on the policeman’s next visit, he asked for the sandwich prepared the same way, and so a star was born. Mathieu sold the restaurant in 1927, and in 1951 the new owner moved Philippe’s to the current location on North Alameda Street in a building that formerly housed a machine shop. The decor is blue-collar factory deli – rows of plain counters line the main area where the food is ordered; the concrete slab floor is sprinkled liberally with sawdust. Patrons queue up in lines between the counters and order at the long deli case that lines the room; the line frequently stretches outside. The full menu is displayed on a blackboard-sized sign to the right of where you order, but specials and hot items are listed on signs behind the counter. Let the staff know what you want (although I recommend just asking for what they’re famous for), and any extras (they have delicious potato salad, pickled eggs, macaroni salad – you get the drill). Your sandwich will be dipped, but you have the option of requesting “double dipped”; dipping entails gently immersing the open face of the roll in the au jus prior to adding the meat. Don’t miss the opportunity to have what is most likely the only 9-cent cup [now 45 cents – Ed.] of coffee in town. When the time comes to pay for your selection, the server at the counter will push a little tray towards you with a pen. Don’t be offended – for sanitary purposes, your cash doesn’t “change hands”. You may have to wait for a seat at one of the communal counters, unless you’re lucky enough to snag a booth; try to feel good for the homeless guy who managed to grab the leftovers of the previous patrons of the adjoining counter. There’s plenty of nuclear death mustard on the counter (and no, it is the mustard that is that spicy – no horseradish, wasabi, habanero, etc); I would advise tasting a fork-end of the stuff before dousing your sandwich. Personally, I think it adds a nice kick, but just a fair word of warning – I did not see a medical aid station on the premises.

French dip sandwich and Coles slaw at Coles

French dip sandwich and Coles slaw at Coles

In this corner, Cole’s Pacific Electric Buffet; until 2007, Cole’s was renowned for being the oldest restaurant in Los Angeles in continuous operation until being closed for renovation and restoration, reopening in December of 2008. It is on the ground floor of the Pacific Electric Building, the former main terminal for the Pacific Electric Railway (Los Angeles’ famous Red Car line). Opened as a public house by Henry Cole (not a French name for those keeping score) in 1908, Cole’s was guaranteed clientele from the hustle and bustle of riders of the electric cars. Cole’s testimony regarding the origin of the sandwich is that sometime shortly after opening in 1908, a patron with sore gums requested his French bread (please take notes, I’m not repeating this) be dipped in the beef drippings to soften it up. After the recent restoration, the decor can best be described as ice cream parlor meets Victorian bordello; red-flocked wallpaper adorns the walls, and the restaurant is capped with a red tin ceiling. The white octagonal tile floors have some patches missing where counters or cabinets once stood and the seating options are wooden parlor chairs or plush vinyl 50’s style booths that look out of place with the turn-of-the-century decor. The restaurant is v-shaped, with the dining room on one arm and the fully stocked mahogany and glass Red Car Bar on the other. Cole’s is strictly sit-down dining; take any seat you like and the waitress will bring you a printed menu. There are two French dip options: the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper with the differences being the price and amount of meat. On my outing there I couldn’t resist ordering the “Cole’s Slaw” as a side; maybe I’m just not wowed by coleslaw, but theirs tasted like just about every other mayonnaise-based shredded cabbage and carrot salad I’ve ever had. One item (Atomic Pickles) sounded intriguing – I considered ordering them until my waitress informed me that two of them came with the sandwich. These tasted like someone took some dill spears and stuck them in a can of pickled jalapenos for a while, although there was an odd, sweet undertone to them as well. The sandwich was delivered to the table halved down the middle with a small cup of au jus on the side for dipping at the table. The meat seemed moister than Philippe’s (both are thoroughly cooked with no pink), but it may be because I ordered the Big Dipper, reducing the bread-to-meat ratio. Like Philippe’s, Cole’s also uses their own brand of deadly napalm mustard in the never ending French dip sandwich war, so caution is strongly advised.

The battle over exactly who invented the French dip sandwich has been raging for almost a century; it is doubtful the outcome will be decided in our lifetime, if ever. One thing is clear, this is a war where the diner is clearly the winner. Some of you may be looking to me for my opinion on who should emerge victorious, but I’m simply a war correspondent; I prefer to remain fair and balanced.

Philippe The Original
1001 North Alameda Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012-1803
GPS coordinates: 34°3’34.54″N 118°14’13.04″W

Cole’s Pacific Electric Buffet
118 E 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90014-2006
GPS coordinates: 34° 2’41.23″N 118°14’58.25″W

GALLERY: See images from Val covering the French dip war from Cole’s and Philippe’s in Los Angeles

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