Ibaraki Benefit Dinner at Breadbar - Great Cause, But Please Don't Serve Me Charred Food (Los Angeles)

Breadbar

I'll be the first to say, since my recent trip to NYC, I haven't been interested with the food scene in Los Angeles. The recent restaurant openings of Sotto, Son of a Gun, and Lukshon has not interested me one bit, and probably never will. However, when I was invited by Darin to a benefit dinner at the Breadbar in the Century City mall headlined by Hiro Urasawa of the famed Urasawa, I knew I had to try it. Ever since my previous dinner at Urasawa, I've been meaning to try his cooking again.

Menu

Along with Hiro Urasawa (Urasawa), we had Noriyuki Sugie (Breadbar), Michael Cimarusti (Providence), Walter Manzke (Formerly Church and State), David Myers (Comme Ça), and Ramon Perez (Sona) collaborating on this 6 course tasting menu. Priced at $110 sans tax and gratuity, all of the proceeds from this dinner (along with another dinner at Comme Ça) goes directly to the Japan Earthquake relief aid. A great cause, and hopefully for us, a great meal ahead.

Bread Basket from Breadbar

You'd assume the bread from a place called "Breadbar" would be out of this world right? Sadly it was merely passable, but I enjoyed the soft butter that accompanied the bread. Since I wasn't here for the bread, it's no big deal.

Canapé: Pumpernickel, Aged Lard. Artichoke Barigoule. Caramelized Eel, Sansho Pepper (Noriyuki Sugie)
NV Jean Philippe, “Brut, Blanquette de Limoux,” Languedoc, France

Here to start: a trio of canape.

Artichoke Barigoule

I'm a fan of artichokes, and I enjoyed this starter. This was a light and refreshing starter.

Pumpernickel, Aged Lard

Next we have shaved lard on top of pumpernickel bread. While I enjoyed the taste of the aged lard (similar to lop cheung (Chinese sausage)), I didn't particularly like the pumpernickel pairing.

Caramelized Eel, Sansho Pepper

This was my favorite of the trio. I enjoyed the sweet taste of the eel, which tasted similar to the eel found on Japanese eel rice (unagi don). The pineapple that went with the eel was a wonderful complement.

1. Tartar Duo - Hokkaido Scallop and Marinated Salmon Roe, Wasabi, Shiitake Mushroom. Toro, Osetra Caviar, Takuan, Scallion (Hiro Urasawa)
Hananomai Sake “Katana” Junmai Ginjo, Japan

This was my most anticipated course of the evening, a dish by Hiro Urasawa, and it fails to disappoint. I enjoyed the flavors of the scallops and ikura, but the texture of the scallops were slightly mushy, but that said, it was a wonderful bite. The second tartar of toro and caviar was definitely my favorite of the duo. I hope I'm not being partial since toro and caviar are two of my personal favorites, but that mouthful was quite delicious. Along with the duo of tartar, the accompanied daikon flowers and vegetables were delicious as well.

2. Soymilk Panna Cotta, Santa Barbara Sea Urchin, Geoduck Clam and Fresh Wasabi (Michael Cimarusti)
Epiphany 2009 Riesling Santa Barbara County, California

Next up was my favorite course of the night. The aesthetically looking, as well as the tasty looking dish was prepared by Providence's Michael Cimarusti. The soymilk panna cotta by itself reminded me of an unsweetened dou fu hua or tofu flower, which is a popular Chinese dessert. However when he added the Santa Barbara sea urchin, geoduck, tomatoes, wasabi and other components, it created something truly magical, epic even. This dish was one of the best things I've ate in the past year.

3. Santa Barbara Prawns, Thai Curry, Spring Pea (Walter Manzke)
Jean-Marc Brocard, 2009 Petit Chablis, Burgundy, France

Eating this course really made me wish Chef Manzke would quickly open up a permanent place here in Los Angeles. The initial layer of the pea purée was creamy and delicious, but the second layer of Thai curry was even better. It went wonderfully with the perfectly cooked piece of prawn. I couldn't have asked for a better dish from Chef Manzke. Trust me, there wasn't a drop of curry or piece of shrimp left when I was done with this one.

4. Charcoal Akage Beef, Maitake Tempura, Tsukemono (David Myers)
Fat Monk 2009 Pinot Noir, Central Coast, California

Next came what I thought was the weakest dish of the night. I've personally never had any of David Myer's cooking in the past, so this wasn't a good impression. Even though the beef and the maitake mushroom tempura was meant to be blackened and charred with the use of bamboo charcoal, I personally did not enjoy this technique. The mushroom quickly broke apart and was dry (though that was a given), nary of any flavor other than char. The beef itself was tender, but it wasn't anything special. Ultimately, it didn't look very good, nor did it taste very good. Even my camera had a hard time taking a picture of this dish. (Though it's probably my fault on the photography part)

5. Sakura Cream, Black Okinawa Sugar, Alpine Strawberry, Cherry Blossom-Yogurt Sorbet (Ramon Perez)
Mizbasho Sparkling Sake “Pure,” Gunma, Japan

Thankfully, we closed the night on a strong note with a dessert prepared by ex-Sona's Ramon Perez. The base itself was subtly sweet and delicious. The accompanied alpine strawberry was SO good, the sorbet was wonderful, and just as a whole, this dessert was truly delicious. This was my kind of dessert! The paired sparking sake was something new for me. I definitely need to get a bottle for myself.

Mignardises: Chocolates, Marshmallows, Green tea macarons (Photo Courtesy of Darin Dines)

The trio of mignardises were great, especially the green tea macaron. I just wish they served it to the tables instead of placing it at the one corner of the room.

Group Shot (Photo Courtesy of Darin Dines)

I thought the meal as a whole was very strong, even if there were a few thing I didn't particularly cared for. I do hope Chef Cimarusti would add that soy panna cotta to his tasting menu at Providence, because it was a definite hit with the most of us diners. In the end though, we have to remember this meal was more than for us to eat good food, but it was for a great cause. Bravo to all of the chefs who participated in this event!

Ibaraki Benefit Dinner at Breadbar
10250 Santa Monica Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90067

LQ @ SK: Laurent Quenioux's New Venture at Starry Kitchen (Los Angeles)

Chef Laurent Quenioux at Starry Kitchen

I'd like to take a quick break from my recent Taiwan Beef Noodle Tour posts for something interesting that's coming to Downtown Los Angeles. As some of you may know, Laurent Quenioux was the former executive chef and owner of the recently shuttered Bistro LQ. What you may also know is that he's recently taken the helm of Vertical Wine Bistro in Pasadena. However, what you may not know is that Chef Quenioux will be starting a pop-up venture of his own at the Downtown eatery, Starry Kitchen. The upcoming 5 course prix fixe dinner will be priced at $45/person (excluding tax and gratuity).

Laurent at Work (Picture courtesy of DJJewelz)

I've had the privilege of dining at Bistro LQ awhile back, and even though I've yet posted that dinner due to my laziness, I was very impressed by experience there. After receiving an invitation to try his yet to be opened pop-up venture, I quickly booked a seating.

Bread Basket from Bread Lounge

At the start of our meal, we were presented with a bread basket from Bread Lounge and olive oil. Even though I was saving room for the main courses, I managed to take down two pieces of bread.

Amuse: Escamoles (Ant Eggs)

Yes, you read it right, we were first served escamoles, or ant eggs in English. Before I get the "ewww" or "that's gross" comments, you really need to try it before judging the ingredient. Personally, I'm no fan of bugs, dead or alive. However, after trying fried grasshoppers in Tijuana and also here in Los Angeles, I've became more open to them. The flavors of the ant eggs were quite subtle, as it was actually accented by the lime and cilantro flavors used in the mini "taco." We were actually also given a shot of Sapporo beer to wash everything down. I really wanted seconds of these little buggers! (Yes, that was a bit lame, LOL)

1. Oxtail compote, Pickled spring vegetables, Mustard Tapioca
(Paired with 2007 Raventos i Blanc "de Nit" Cava, Spain)

The first course was oxtail, which is one of my favorite proteins, though it does seem I have a lot of favorites. Anyways, the oxtail was cooked perfectly. Tender, flavorful, it was quite delicious by itself. Though I'm not sure if the use of the pickled vegetables were necessary for this particular dish. I was hoping for some sort of starch, like potatoes. I guess I'm just a meat and potato kinda guy.

2. Tai snapper, Citruses, Zucchini, Tomatoes, Kohlrabi, Smoked black sea salts
(Paired with 2010 Francois Chidaine Touraine Rosé, France)

Truthfully, when I first saw the menu, I wasn't too interested in this course. While I like snapper, I didn't think any of the ingredients stood out, but boy, I was mistaken. First and foremost, the snapper itself was cooked pefectly. Tender, moist, and fork tender. I really liked the uses of the lime and tangerines in this dish, it provided the necessary acidity needed to go along with the fish. The smoked black salt added an interesting, and tasty component to this course. I really enjoyed this one.

3. Teriyaki rabbit albondigas, Teriyaki foie gras, Miso, Green Garlic tempura
(Paired with 2010 LIOCO Indica Rosé, California)

This was my favorite course of the night. Rabbit, foie gras, and fried vegetable tempura? Yes, please! I really enjoyed the combination of the rabbit "meatball" and the well cooked piece of foie gras. The added touch of the fried vegetable tempura and the miso sauce elevated this dish to the top. "Winner winner rabbit dinner!"

4. Veal sweetbreads, Morels, Chanterelles, Shishito peppers, Yuzu kosho
(Paired with 2000 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Rosado, Spain)

It must have been my lucky night, as sweetbread was on the menu. No, this wasn't some sort of sweet fried dough. Sweetbread is usually the thymus of a calf. I liked the use of the morels and the chanterelles in this dish. The sweetbread was fried, much similar to a fried chicken, but better. I personally didn't think the use of the shishito peppers were necessary, but I enjoyed it nevertheless.

5. Chocolate chipotle mousse, Lime serrano gel, Cinnamon soil
(Paired with NV Terres Dorées FRV100, France)

Ah, my arch nemesis: the fried dough, in this case, a churro was used. However, I believe the churro was quite vital in this dish. The chocolate chipotle mousse was quite nice and definitely packed a punch. I needed the churro to balance the flavors out a bit. The addition of lime was quite pleasant. This dessert definitely had a Mexican influence. I quite enjoyed this dessert.

Nguyen, Owner of Starry Kitchen

In my opinion, this dinner was quite a success. Although I had an idea what to expect going into this meal, Chef Quenioux exceeded my expectations. I liked the balance of flavors in his dishes, and I enjoyed his use of various Asian and Mexican flavors to enhance his French techniques.

A few housekeeping items: While the pop-up doesn't officially start until Sunday June 5th, I was excited to try this dinner before it officially commence (though just a note, this was not a hosted meal). The planned time for this run will be for the next 3 to 6 months, from Sunday to Tuesday nights, every other week.

Although all the wine from this particular dinner was paired by Domaine LA, Starry Kitchen does not have an alcohol license, thus, there will not be any optional wine pairing offered during the course of this run. If you would like to add any type of alcoholic beverage to your meal, you'll have to do it a la Wolvesmouth or Ludobites. If you need more hints than that, please feel free to email me or contact me on Twitter. If you need more information about this upcoming pop-up, I'd recommend for you to follow Chef Quenious on twitter.

My final word of advice, since this is a limited run, seating may be limited, thus, I'd suggest for you to book your reservation ASAP!

LQ @ Starry Kitchen
350 South Grand Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90071

Alinea - A Truly Memorable Experience (Chicago, IL)

Alinea

I think for most people, vacations are meant for relaxation and to check out the local attractions, while food planning might be secondary at best. However, for me, finding the right restaurants always comes first, and everything else can take shape once I get there. As for my meal at Alinea, this was my sole reason to be in Chicago. Though, I'd learn later on, Chicago has some awesome sights and sounds, and a ton of great food to boot.

I was asked by Bonnibella if I would be interested in joining her in Chicago and to dine at Alinea. I couldn't possibly say yes, right? I mean, a trip to Chicago just for food? After thinking it over, it really wasn't such a crazy idea. Alinea was THE restaurant for me to try in the United States, plus I was in dire need of a vacation, so Hellz to the Yes, I was down.

Entrance to the dining room of Alinea

An unique entrance. It's my pathway to "The Tour." The Tour is the now extinct 26 course tasting menu Alinea once offered. I was lucky enough to try it on its last month being offered on the menu. While I normally don't do the wine pairing offered, I've heard great things about the pairing here, so I added that to my tasting menu. I'll note the wine pairing during the courses below.

Table Ornament

Is this a table ornament? I will soon find out.

1. English Pea - iberico, sherry, honeydew
(Paired with Szigeti "Cuvee Prestige" with Qhilika, elderflower, and Peychaud's)

It was cold, sweet, savory, meaty, and creamy all in one bite. What a great start!

2. Lobster - lychee, gruyere, vanilla fragrance

Think of this as a high class lobster tempura. I loved the creaminess of the gruyere cheese and the vanilla accent from the vanilla bean.

3. Yuba - shrimp, miso, togarashi

Fried shrimp and tofu skin (yuba), it reminded me the most of something you'll see at dim sum, but much more refined, of course. The sauce of miso and the Japanese 7 spice (togarashi) added a nice zip to the course.

4. Chao Tom - sugar cane, shrimp, mint

The next course was simply a piece of sugar cane, infused with the flavors of Vietnam and Thailand. The word simply probably was used too loosely by me as I was amazed they were able to get so much complex flavors out of one piece of sugar cane. You had to chew it, take in the flavors, and spit it out in a napkin provided.

5. Distillation - of Thai flavors

This glass wasn't part of my wine pairing. It was the next course. The "shot" of clear liquid had quite a multitude of flavors used in Thai cuisine. Lemongrass, peppers, etc. I've seen the course on other blogs, but it was still surprising once I had it for myself.

6. Pork Belly - curry cucumber, lime
(Paired with Abbazia di Novacella Kerner, Valle Isarco, Alto Adige 2008)

Remember that "table ornament" from earlier? Well, that was actually rice paper for wrapping the piping hot pork belly served tableside. The toppings included things like basil seeds, onions, lime, hot sauce, cashews, and a few other things. This course was slightly messy as it's more of a DIY course, but I loved every bite of it. Of course, a wet towel was provided post course. I loved this course!

7. King Crab - rhubarb, lilac, fennel
(Paired with Paul Blanck Pinot Gris "Classique," Alsace 2008)

I was a bit confused at first with this course was served on such a large oval looking bowl. In addition, the top was ice cold, while the bottom was steaming hot. Something must be up.....

7a. Crab Gelatin

First, we were presented with a refreshing and delicious crab gelatin. The flavors and texture were both on point. The flavors of the basil on the bottom was quite nice.

7b. King Crab, avocado, rhubarb

The server revealed the next layer, a nice piece of king crab meat, fried avocado to give it a creamy component, and finally, rhubarb for a tart flavor. The flavors worked quite well. Delicious.

7c. King Crab Brulee

The final course was revealed and it was my favorite of the trio. It was a crab dumpling in a brulee form. Served piping hot. The only regret was that I didn't get a bigger bowl of this stuff. It was probably one of my favorite, if not THE favorite course of the night.

8. Octopus - red wine, lavender, fava bean

Tender octopus, great flavors, no complaints from me. And a big thanks for the server who I used as a hand model.

9. Lamb - reflection of elysian fields farm
(Paired with Larkin Wines "Jack Larkin" Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2005)

I wish I had a better shot of this dish, my fault. What Chef Achatz was trying to do was to imitate the actual Elysian Fields Farm. The green was to represent the grass, the sauce on the bottom was meant to represent the river and so on. In terms of the flavors of the lamb, it was fantastic. It was a great touch to have all parts of the lamb used, creating a fantastic dish, covering the flavors and the looks.

10. Hot Potato - cold potato, black truffle, butter

The hot potato, cold potato dish has become one of Chef Achatz's staple dishes during the tasting at Alinea. The server told us this was a time sensitive dish, so with the pull of the pin, the butter, truffle, and the hot potato were dropped into the cold potato "soup" in the wax bowl. The temperature contrast of the potatoes was perfect. You'd get a slight burn from the hot potato, while the cold potato broth covers that heat pretty quickly. The added butter and truffle added a nice buttery and woodsy flavor to the dish. It's definitely one of my favorites of the evening.

11. Malt - english toffee, bourbon country stout, blueberry
(Paired with Vinhos Barbeito/Rare Wine Co. "Charleston Sercial" Reserve Madeira)

When presented with this dish, I was thinking the kitchen had made a mistake. Are we on our dessert courses already? Maybe this was an Intermission to the next set of savories, but the combination of textures and flavors of this was quite nice.

12. Bacon - butterscotch, apple, thyme

Another one of Chef Achatz's staples, the bacon on wires. Now, can anything go wrong with bacon? I don't think so!

13. Nutella - bread banana, chocolate

This one tastes like nutella with a hint of banana. I liked the texture, but overall, it wasn't one of my favorites.

14. Corn - crunchy, sweet, salty

This one was a one biter. I could use a bag of this stuff.

15. Surf Clam - celery, tabasco, oyster cracker
(Paired with L. Aubry Fils Brut, Jouy-Les-Reims)

We were told this was Chef Achatz's deconstruction of the classic New England Clam Chowder. Though, it's presented with the "sand," "water," and other components of a beach. The flavors were striking eerie of a bowl of clam chowder, and everything on the clam shell were edible.

16. Oxalis Pod - whipped sorrel, honey, salt

Next, another one biter. Here we have whipped sorrel, which is actually a bit fruity and tart, combined with the sweet and salty flavors from the honey and salt. It's definitely an interesting combination.

17. Salad - ranch dressing, soup, powdered
(Paired with Nicodemi Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, Italy 2008)

Next up, salad. Probably not the most exciting dish since it was mainly vegetables and powered ranch dressing, until......the bottom of the dish revealed a slightly chilled, though rich and creamy soup. It's the perfect combination of soup and salad. I was surprised the ranch soup actually tasted this good.

18. Sardine - horseradish, pepper cress, tomato

Look Ma, no hands! As you can tell from the pictures, this was a hands free course. It was definitely a fun and tasty course, though I had to make sure I don't stab myself with the contraption.

19. Squab - charred strawberries, lettuce, birch log
(Paired with Domaine des Remizieres Hermitage "Cuvee Emilie," N. Rhone 2004)

First, I loved the way it's presented. We were served the squab on a heated birch log, which gave off a great scent while I was consuming the dish. The overall taste, looks, was truly wonderful. I wish my pictures were better, as that was one delicious cooked piece of squab! This was definitely was one of my favorites.

20. Black Truffle - explosion, romaine, parmean

Can I say, OMG? Wow! The bottom of this dish was hollow, and we were instructed to take this down in one bite as well. The liquefied truffle center was truly something. I can see why this is one of Chef Achatz's signature dishes. I hope this dish remained on the menu for my hopeful return to Alinea.

21. Tournedo - a la persane
(Paired with Anima Negra "An," Mallorca, Spain 2004)

As what the name states, this piece of steak was from  the leanest part of the tenderloin. In this case, the tenderloin was from an Australian Wagyu beef. This was our last savory course of the evening and what a way to end it with some wagyu beef.

22. Lemon Soda - one bite

I likened this course to be more of a subtle version of Pop Rocks. It was tart and bubbly, a perfect palate cleanser.

23. Transparency - of raspberry, yogurt
(Paired with Elio Perrone "Bigaro," Piemonte 2009)

One thing I've yet mentioned was my wine pairing throughout this meal. The wine selections by our Sommelier (who was from South Pasadena and worked previously at French Laundry) was wonderful, but this pairing in particular was my favorite of the night. The sparkling rose was fruity and delicious, which meshed well with this course. In fact, it was too pretty to be eaten at first. It was definitely aesthetically pleasing.

24. Bubble Gum - long pepper, hibiscus, creme fraiche

This definitely tasted like bubble gum. I don't know the combination of hibiscus, tapioca, creme fraiche, and long pepper could produce such a flavor, but it worked!

25. Earl Grey - lemon, pine nut, caramelized white chocolate
(Paired with De Bortoli "Noble One," New South Wales, Australia 2006)

First, the course was served upon a pillow that was inflated with a vanilla scent which deflated during the course of the dessert while giving off a pleasant vanilla scent. The chocolate and lemon flavors surprisingly worked well together, but the best part of the dish was the varying textures on the plate.

26. Chocolate - coconut, menthol, hyssop
(Paired with Ferreira "Duque de Braganca," 20 year Tawny Port)

At this point, we've reached the last course of the meal. Our table was covered with a special (rubber material I believe) table cloth, and by our surprise, Chef Grant Achatz personally made our dessert tableside. You can check out the video shot by Bonnibella below:

First, we were definitely surprised to see him make this for us tableside since he didn't come out for any of the surrounding tables. Also, we were told this was meant to serve four people, so they knew we had some hearty appetite. Overall, I enjoyed the textures, flavors, temperature contrast of this dessert. I was slightly surprised with the liberal use of coconut milk and the menthol. The menthol and chocolate mix was reminded me of a strong version of an Andes chocolate bar.

Did we finish? Do you really have to ask?

So what do I really think of this meal? Now, I'm not one that believes in a life altering meal, but if I did, this would definitely be one of them. Alinea for me lived up to all the hype, to all the blog posts I've read over time, my main reason visiting Chicago, and then some. This was definitely a memorable meal. From the start, the food was excellent, and fun. The service was beyond exceptional (Thanks for the signed menus and the last dessert course BTW), the courses were well paced, the wine pairing was lovely (a must for anyone visiting Alinea), it was truly a great experience for me. Now, I'd never thought there would be a meal that's better than my experience at Urasawa, but if that was tops, then Alinea would easily be an 1a. for me. You may have guessed, but I'm already planning for a return trip to Chicago, and you can bet Alinea (along with Grant Achatz's newest ventures of Next and Aviary) will be atop my dining agenda. I can see why this is the #1 ranked restaurant in North America. Easily, it was the best meal for me in 2010.

Thanks again to my dining partner in crime, Bonnibella, and of course, for setting this experience up for me.

To end it post, I want to share this video of Alinea:

Alinea
1723 N Halsted St
Chicago, Illinois 60614
(312) 867-0110
Website