LA Market by Kerry Simon - Hell's Kitchen Winner Chef Nona Sivley At The Helm (Los Angeles)

LA Market by Kerry Simon

Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen was a show I followed fairly closely in its earlier seasons. Even though I haven't been keeping track of the show these days, when I was invited to try the new menu at LA Market, whose new Executive Chef is Chef Nona Sivley, winner of Hell's Kitchen Season 8, I was definitely intrigued. Along with Cathy, one of my favorite dining partners, we ventured to the spacious LA Market, located inside the JW Marriot in Downtown Los Angeles.

The Ox

A meal is always better with a nice cocktail. I ordered "The Ox," which is a mix of grapefruit juice and vodka. Nice and refreshing!

Bread Basket

The bread basket was the usual fare, though the breadsticks were quite delicious.

Seared Shishito Peppers - sea salt, chili, lime

This was something I'm pretty familiar with. It's tasty, and fairly mild. Personally, you can't go wrong with a plate of shishito peppers, though I've seen this offered quite often in menus around Los Angeles.

Tuna Dynamite

Of the two appetizers, I liked this one the most. I enjoyed the sweet crab and sushi rice. Although this is considered "Asian Fusion," I can dig this anyday!

Veal and Ricotta Meatballs - polenta

Who here doesn't like meatballs? The combination of veal and ricotta served onto a bed of creamy polenta, although unspectacular, it was tasty nevertheless. I think I ate at least 3 of those balls.

Gnocchi in Cream Sauce with Lump Crab and Lemon Zest

A recent addition by Chef Sivley, this was one of my favorites of the night. The pillowy gnocchi meshed quite well with the sweet lump crab meat. The lemon zest added a nice flavor to the dish.

Handmade Papperdelle with Tomatoes, Artichokes, and Fresh Basil

Another new dish on Chef Sivley's menu was the papperdelle pasta. It was light and quite delicious. I think I had to battle Cathy for seconds and thirds with this one. A definite winner for the evening.

"The Meatloaf"

Since we were at Chef Simon's restaurant, we figured it was appropriate to order some of his staples. Recommended by the server of his meatloaf, we went with her recommendation. The meatloaf itself was tasty, but it was a bit too dense for my liking. That said, I can see why it's one the staples on the menu. The flavors were definitely quite good and it's hard to turn down the homey goodness of a meatloaf.

Bricked Organic Chicken

The last savory course was the bricked organic chicken. After reading about it on Diana's post, I knew I had to try it. The chicken arrived juicy and flavorful. The crispy skin was a definite plus. Though, it wasn't the best chicken I've had, it was definitely an entrée worth ordering.

Junk Food Platter

Onward to dessert. We went with two of Chef Simon's selections on the menu. The first dessert was the one I've seen that was being tweeted and posted, LA Market's Junk Food Platter. I'll have to say I was a bit disappointed with the dessert. Of the selections, I only enjoyed the cotton candy and the snowball. Everything else on the platter was sadly, quite unspectacular.

Homemade S’mores with Chocolate Sauce and Caramel Ice Cream

Maybe we ordered the dessert, but this one didn't work for me either. It's rare for me to dislike dessert, but this wasn't something I'd want to eat seconds of. The ice cream was a bit melted even before I start snapping pictures, the chocolate sauce was congealed. Frankly, the best S'mores are the ones found at a campfire. This one just wasn't it.

Chef Nona Sivley (Photo Courtesy of Gastronomyblog)

Although there were a few misses during the course of the meal, I think LA Market has a lot of potential with Chef Sivley at the helm. The favorites of the night were new items that she's added over the course of the past few months and hopefully she'll do more of the same in the future. While Chef Simon's staple items were solid, the infusion of these new dishes was definitely a wise move. I hope to hear more about Chef Sivley and LA Market in the coming months. What am I going to do for the time being? I think I'll be following Hell's Kitchen Season 9.

LA Market by Kerry Simon @ JW Marriott
900 West Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Website


Note: This was a sponsored meal

EFFEN Vodka Tasting @ La Vida (Los Angeles)

La Vida

Awhile back I was invited to attend a vodka tasting, hosted by EFFEN Vodka, and was located at a swank Hollywood eatery called La Vida.

A brief look at EFFEN vodka: Based out of Holland, this smooth spirit was actually designed for the "club scene," thus a younger audience. The rubber non-slip grip is definitely a plus for those busy bartenders around town. In addition, the rubber sleeve helps with the insulation of the vodka. In terms of the taste itself, it goes down smooth and perfect for either a mixed drink or a simple vodka shot at a party.

Below were some of the drinks I tried during the event:

6th and Main - EFFEN Black Cherry, Prosecco, St. Germain

The first drink I tried was one that was made with the EFFEN Black Cherry flavored vodka. With the addition of the prosecco, it has all the makings of a nice, refreshing summertime drink! Very nice!

La Skyline - EFFEN Black Cherry, Chambord, Cranberry Juice

Next up, another drink made with the EFFEN Black Cherry, with a common mixer for vodka, cranberry juice. I enjoyed this one as well, though it was much stronger than the previous drink.

Coonley Playhouse - EFFEN, Simple Syrup, Fresh Mint, Fresh Lime, Soda Water

I likened this for a cross of a vodka tonic and a mojito. With these above referenced ingredients, it's hard to mess it up. I have a thing for refreshing drinks!

The Parker - EFFEN, Chambord, Agave Nectar, Fresh Lime Juice

Honestly, I had hoped this particular drink would be shaken, as I don't think it's mixed appropriately. However, the drink had a profound vodka taste, thus, was able to showcase the flavors of EFFEN.

EFFEN Vodka

All in all, it was a fun night. I was able to try a various cocktails with a EFFEN vodka base. The vodka itself was quite smooth and me being a vodka fan, I was quite impressed. Thanks for hosting a fun event EFFEN and La Vida!

Nakkara On Beverly - Thai, Made Right (Los Angeles)

Nakkara on Beverly

A Thai blogger dinner on a Wednesday night on Beverly? Coming from Pasadena, I always dread hitting traffic on the 110 or the 101, but since I haven't sat down with a group of bloggers for dinner in awhile, Thai sounded great! Joining me at Nakkara were: Kevin of kevinEats who received the invitation from the owners of Nakkara, Diana of DianaTakesaBite, Felicia of TheFoodLedger, Amy of The Roaming Belly, and Christina of Food, Je T'Aime.

Nakkara Mieng Kham

We first started off with an "amuse buche" of sort, and in this case, you have toasted coconut, cashew, dried shrimp, lime, ginger, Thai chili, and red onions wrapped in a leaf of lettuce, finished off in a flavorful sweet mieng sauce. You take this dish down in one bite and the complex of flavors hits your mouth, but in a good way. Quite a nice start to the dinner.

Spicy Filet Mignon Skewer

Here, we're presented with a simple skewer of wonderfully cooked filet mignon and bell pepper dunked in a green curry sauce. I heard the word "one bite" so I took the whole thing down again. Worried about being tough? Worry not. The meat was juicy and tender, and I loved the green curry sauce. I loved it enough to shoot the rest of the sauce and finish this dish clean. Yum!

Garlic Lamb Chop

Next, we have one of my favorite animals....to eat, lamb. I started to eat this with a knife and fork, but ended up gnawing the bones with my hands in the end. I probably didn't need the accompanied bell peppers and fried garlic bits and it'll still be good. For those afraid of the lamb's unique flavors, it wasn't that strong, so try it out.

Peking Duck Rolls

I think most in my group agreed, we weren't sure what part of this dish was "Peking." It was similar to a Vietnamese Goi Cuon, but with duck instead of shrimp and grilled pork. The dish itself was fine, as I enjoy the duck within the dish, but I probably would have preferred a more peanut based sauce instead of the hoisin & Sriracha sauce provided.

Big Surprise!

Here, we have one of my favorites of the night, the Big Surprise. In the metal cookware we have a mix of crab, calamari, and some other seafood I can't quite recall cooked in a red coconut based curry broth. The result? Fantastic! I probably could have ate the whole thing by myself. It's no wonder the Big Surprise is one of Nakkara's most ordered items. Just as a side note, the metal cookware was meant to be used for a Thai dessert, but Chef Kevin changed it up and start using it for the Big Surprise.

Shrimp Tom Yum

Chicken Tom Kha

Next we had the choice of either a Shrimp Tom Yum or a Chicken Tom Kha, so I paired up with D Takes a B and shared the two choices. The former, we have a hot and sour broth made from herbs, lemon grass, chili, and other Thai herbs, and the flavor of the soup was great. The latter, we have a similar base broth, but the addition of coconut milk made it much creamier and heavier. Which one did I prefer? Normally I'd prefer a cream based broth, but surprisingly, I'd go with the lighter Shrimp Tom Yum if I had to choose.

Green Papaya Salad

Here, we have a palate cleanser and one of the most famous Thai dish out there, the green papaya salad. Found almost at every Thai Restaurant to even the night markets in Taiwan, it's one dish I'm quite familiar with. Maybe I'm being slightly picky about this one since being a lover of spicy food, I'd prefer a spicy version, though I can see why they limited the use of spice. It's all about the client base, and I'm not sure if the normal diners there would appreciate "Thai Spice" like me. Other than that, a very well made version of the papaya salad!

Soft Shell Crab Panaeng

Soft shell crab? Yum! Soft shell crab in a Panaeng curry sauce? It sounded like double trouble to me since I love both. Though I really liked the dish, part of me thought the curry sauce was slightly strong to be use as a compliment to the deep fried soft shell crabs. I do enjoy the crispy basil leaves, as it reminds me of some of my favorite Taiwanese dishes.

Crying Tiger

What can beat tender, well cooked rib eye steak in a tangy and spicy sauce? Well, I think this was our table favorite (along with Big Surprise!) of the night. Not much to add other than saying it's delicious!

911 Catfish

Fried catfish, one of the fishes I rarely consume these days, flavored with a sauce made from young peppercorn, and red chili paste. Despite its name, it wasn't too spicy, though it had great flavors. This would be a perfect pairing with some jasmine rice! Like with a well prepared steak, it's hard to go wrong with fried fish.

Seafood Pad Thai

Another one of the more known Thai dishes, the Pad Thai. Even though it's well known, it's something I'd rarely order at a Thai restaurant. Chef Sukcharoen definitely didn't skimp on the ingredients, as our dish was filled with shrimp, calamari, mussels, etc in a "chow fun" like noodles. I'm didn't enjoy the texture of the noodles, as it's quite mushy, but the flavors are definitely there, albeit sweeter than I'd normally like.

Surf & Turf Fried Rice

Between the two carb component part of our meal, I much preferred the fried rice, though I normally love a good bowl of fried rice. The ginger based fried rice was topped with succulent filet mignon and shrimp. A very nice ending to our savory portion of the menu.

Mango & Sweet Sticky Rice

Last, but not least, my favorite part of any meal: dessert. In this case, one of my favorite desserts out there, the mango and sweet sticky rice. A few years back, at the much hyped, yet pretty disappointing Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas, their mango and sweet coconut rice dessert was the ONLY reason that dinner was deemed a failure (though the place still sucks. Don't go!). So I digress.....sticky rice flavored with coconut milk and mango, accompanied by some awesome ripened mangos. I might be biased, but it was probably my favorite dish of the night! What a way to close out the meal for me!

All in all, what a fun night! Thanks again for inviting us: Paul Burachati, Toon and Amy Vinyuwonge, and Chef Kevin Sukcharoen, it was truly a wonderful meal! Again, thanks for the invite Kevin, and great meeting and seeing the fellow bloggers that night. The meal was honestly better than I had expected and it's a place I'd definitely return to eat (Maybe with D Takes a B? Since it's in her neck of the woods). Worthy of a drive from Pasadena or West LA, and just a few steps away from the famed Animal and Angelini Osteria, it's nice to know there are more dinner options in the area.

7669 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 937-3100
Official Website

Gyenari - Korean or Korean Fusion? (Culver City)

Entrance

Gyenari, a new restaurant in Culver City's restaurant row opened by William Shin which presents a menu influenced by William's long lost cousin Debbie Lee of The Next Food Network Star fame, is one of the few Korean themed restaurant on the Westside of Los Angeles. When I received an invitation from the PR to visit Gyenari, I was more than happy to accept the invite.

Assorted Skewers

Upon arrival, I was presented with a tray of skewers consisting of:

1) Grilled Eggplant with a spicy miso paste - Good texture, and the miso added a nice kick.
2) Spicy Pork - A tad spicy, which was nice. Quite flavorful
3) Beef with onions - Good flavor, but didn't really stand out.

Soju Caipirihna

The soju caipirihna, presented to the entire party was actually quite nice. Sweet, and not too strong, but a nice cocktail to start off the meal.

Pomegranate Pearl

In addition to the welcoming cocktail, I ordered a separate drink of pomegranate pearl. Made with pearl plum vodka, pomegrante rice wine (sake? soju?), and cranberry juice. It has a bit more bite than the soju caipirihna, but still, quite nice. Now, onto the food....

dduk buk kee (Spicy Rice Cakes)

During the drive up to Culver City, Cathy of Gastronomyblog told me duk buk kee was one of her favorite Korean dishes, in her "interesting" way of pronouncing it that cracked me up during the drive. When I saw it on the menu, I was intrigued with this dish, as this is also one of my favorite Korean dishes (Interesting enough, one of the few I could actually make). Sadly, it was a bit too sweet for me, as the gochujang seemed to have been mixed with another condiment. The dduk was cooked well, but I think I could have made a better version of this dish at home. Maybe I'll cook this one day for Cathy to try....... (Don't quote me on this one Cathy!)

Assorted Jeon

Fried seafood and vegetable, how can anyone not like this right? The dish as a whole was cooked well and had a nice diping sauce to accompany the dish, but none of the 3 choices stood out.

Pumpkin Porridge

This was a nice version of the Korean pumpkin porridge. Along with toasted pinenuts and soju infused dates, I enjoyed this bowl, but it could have easily served without the dates. Nevertheless, an enjoyable dish.

Pear and Shiso Salad

I'm not sure why this dish had "shiso" in its name as I barely tasted the supposed main ingredient. In fact, it should have been called Pear and Rib eye salad, as that was the overpowering ingredient. I wasn't too fond of this dish as it had too much meat (did I just say that?) to be really called a "salad."

Japchae

Japchae, or stir fried glass noodles with meat and vegetables is one dish I'm all too familiar with as it's one of the favorite thing my mom would make for me at home. After having other versions along with my mom's, the japchae at Gyenari is just too sweet for me. Although enjoyable, I'm not sure if I would order this again.

banchan and G1 Meat Set

One of the highlights from the dinner at Gyenari was the banchan dishes offered. All the choices were quite traditional and very "Korean." I enjoyed all the side dishes.
In terms of the G1 meat set, the meat were all very fresh and marinated well. However, the marinade was again, way too sweet, which I don't think I enjoyed. I liked the pork belly and the various dipping sauce offered to us. The chicken dipped into the chipotle mayo was also quite a nice combination.

Kimchi Jigae

The kimchi jigae was nice, but it really did not need the tomatoes in the soup. This would have been much better without the tomatoes. I do miss the spice from the usual kimchi jigae found in Koreatown.

Spicy Chocolate Creme Brulee with Green Tea Beignets

Dessert is probably my favorite part of any meal and the spicy chocolate creme brulee was quite nice, but slight too "chocolatey?" In addition, the beignet was slightly dry, but I solved that problem by dipping it into the creme brulee. All in all, a very pleasant ending to the meal.

Overall, I'd have to say Gyenari was an interesting experience. The food was actually more authentic than I expected, but we didn't not receive any of the "Seoulful" dishes that Debbie Lee was known for. It'll be something I'd be interested in trying those dishes next time, perhaps at Happy Hour that runs 7 days a week that lasts until 8pm. Although the dishes were sweeter and lack in the kick that I'm used to in Korean cuisine, Gyenari is definitely a good place for someone to try Korean BBQ or food for the first time. The food and flavors are quite tame compared to the same food found in Koreatown, but for the price, and quality, it's definitely not a bad deal. The service was friendly, the atmosphere was lively, and the bar made some bomb drinks. It's definitely one of the better restaurants to visit on the Westside for Happy Hour.

Gyenari
9540 Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
310-838-3131
http://www.gyenari.com/