5x5 Collaborative Event @ Ink Restaurant 2012

What an Amazing Night!!
Since we arrived early we decided to go next door to Ink Sack and try M. Voltaggio's Jose Andres Sandwich (a mini one at that) but extremely tasty and very well done, with Manchego cheese and Spanish Chorizo, I loved that they "dress" the greens in the sandwich with a light vinaigrette, it makes all the difference.

Later arrived at Ink Restaurant and started at the bar with one of there great drinks... mine had honey & ginger amongst other things and it was strong but balanced and very good. I do have to pick at one little thing (though minor and understandable due to the special event) I wanted an "off the menu" drink, but they politely declined to make it saying they are only serving from the menu proper, if that would have been any other night, that would have put me off a bit, however it's excusable due to the nature of the event.

Thanks to my dining companions who had arranged for us to be seated at the Chef's Table... we had the whole back room of the restaurant to ourselves, away from the louder music and commotion of the main dining area.

Service, as I have always experienced at Ink. was superb.  Water glasses never reached more than the half line before they were filled again, waiters and the manager checked in on us often, if not more.

I believe we were the only table who all 7 chefs came out to take pictures with and thank us.  What an honor that was.
A few times, the manager came out and asked us about our favorite dishes of the evening... and I think it was pretty unanimous: The Gazpacho Granita from Josiah Citrin of Melisse and the Monkfish from Michael Cimarusti of Providence... we had not yet had the dessert (Alex Talbot from Ideas in Food) but when our final dish arrived, we found ourselves scraping the bowl! it was that good... the ice cream tasted of corn flakes and milk! Delicious!

The overall experience, for $150 was a bargain in my book... 7 talented chefs including Alex Talbot and guest chef and brother to Michael Voltaggio, Brian Voltaggio in one night... its a rare occasion many of us get to experience in one night.

My Favorite dish was of course Melisse's Gazpacho Granita.  It's much more difficult to perfect a dish when its so light, and a cold dish at that, and to also make it so flavorful and comforting, I wanted a whole bowl of it and I could have eaten it all summer long.

The only dish of the night that was a little off was Angelini's Maltagliati di Polenta...The "pasta" a little thick and too aldente... taste was excellent, though a bit salty however texture-wise it was a "miss" in my book.

Also much to my surprise, Brian Voltaggio's Lambchetta, though delicious and nice combination of flavors... was too dry and the accompanying Almond and other dish components did not help... I would have liked the lamb a bit more rare - Au Jus, It felt like eating meat with a spoonful of Peanut Butter... Not to say the lamb was dry, because it was not, but there was a lack of juices in the dish.
sorry Brian, but it's true...
Still loved to have been in such presence of amazing chefs and to have the opportunity to see both Voltaggio Brothers cooking at the same event, which does not happen very often!

Overall, Lovely Evening! can't wait for 2013!

All the Chefs from last nights event... todos los Chefs del evento de anoche! Gino Angelini from Angelini Osteria, Michael Cimarusti from Providence, Alex Talbot from Ideas in Food, Brian Voltaggio from Volt, Josiah Citrin from Melisse, Rory Herrmann from Bouchon and my favorite: Michael Voltaggio from Ink

Me with Brian Voltaggio (left) and Michael Voltaggio (right)

Not Champagne Cocktail 
Michael Voltaggio - Ink



Tiny Bouquet
Michael Voltaggio - Ink.

Cool Ranch "Doritos, Pho
 Michael Voltaggio - Ink.

Avocado Gazpacho - Hokkaido scallop, king crab, oyster, mariscos cocktail granite
Josiah Citrin - Melisse

Hawaiian harts of Peach Palm - Heirloom beets, young fennel, candied macadamia nut & beet vinaigrette
Rory Herrmann - Bouchon

Wild Monkfish, blood sausage, weiser farms piquillo peppers, pickled celery
Michael Cimarusti - Providence

Maltagliati di Polenta - Lobster amatriciana sauce
Gino Angelini - Angelini Osteria

Lambchetta - Smoked almond, cocoa, raisins
Brian Voltaggio - Volt

Blueberry Pancakes
Alex Talbot - Ideas in Food

Saam @ The Bazaar, SLS Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA

How do you ever get through 22 courses in a meal?

This was my question in anticipation of what I knew would be at the very least an impressive and fun experience, filled with lots of play with food (call it Molecular Gastronomy if you'd like) although chefs are moving away from that term more and more... but why? Who cares what you call it... it was a food-fun-tasting 4 hr marathon!

The making of liquid cheese, spherification with Creme de Cassis imitating caviar, cocktails with Jalapeno, etc, etc... the evening was filled with anticipation as most of our large group of 10 decided against perusing the menu prior to our meal... we went all in blindly, without any knowledge of what they had in store for us, hoping some of the "favorites" would be included... but they were not.

We missed the Liquid Olives (although I have tried them before, as well as Mr. Adria's in Barcelona), and would have liked to try the Philly Cheese Steak or the mini Foie Burger, but sadly none of these made their appearance that night.

Having been to The Bazaar and Bar Centro, I would describe them as a hip, over the top decorated establishment, bordering Gaudy... Filled with trust fund babies, women who look like sausages in tight dresses, and if you are allergic to makeup... just don't go in! LOL



Don't get me wrong, I love, love Bazaar & Bar Centro, don't feel intimidated, especially if you wait until midnight, when the crowd has sort of loosened up... with $18 cocktails... :)

But Saam (sort of a private dining room behind The Bazaar restaurant), was a breath of fresh air from all that commotion, with superb service, very attentive staff who anticipates your every need.
A grandiose fine dining experience, only slightly tinted by an exuberant charge of $15 per person for Water! (Total of $150) ...There better be some booze in that water! LOL

In hopes not to bore you to death, I won't go into detail of all 22 courses, instead, I will give you my "Hits" and "Misses", however, as always, if you have any questions I will be more than happy to elaborate.

Hits:
* The Maitre D' was amazing, starting from the moment we were waiting in Bar Centro and grabing some drinks... once our tables were ready, he took our drinks and delivered them to SAAM.

* The lovely waitress from Bar Centro remembered me from the prior time I was there... that makes you feel special, right?
*The service all night was superb and elevated leaving us with the feeling of royalty.
*The Halle Berry Drink- Amazing! Sweet notes from the Berries, hints of spice from the Jalapeno and as soon as you move the martini glass towards your mouth, an almost instant whiff of the spicy chili hits all your senses, but in a sort of soft, subtle way... this will be the one drink I must try to replicate at home!
*Beets & Yogurt: this little Amuze melted in your mouth, the Beet crunchy merengue filled with tart, rich and thick Greek Yogurt.
* Parmesan macaron: spicy notes of the Parm, though very light.

* Uni & Eel Risotto: Admittedly never having tried Uni... it was surprisingly yummy... I really couldn't describe the taste...but it was very mild in flavor and the risotto was as should be, creamy and al dente (being a Risotto fanatic... I seldom order it, because I'm usually disappointed...but not this one.

* Mini Banh Mi- I loved this little Vietnamese sandwich delight!...soft mini baguette, rich & delicious with a hint of spicy and notes of acidity from the pickled veggies.

* The Foie Gras & Mushrooms were my favorite of the night... I think i even made a sound on my first bite, because the rest of the night the joke was "I'm having a moment"... "are you having another moment"?? LOL anyways, I guess you had to be there.... It was super rich tasting, the broth with a bit of heavy cream, and tasting of the woodsy mushrooms, the rich Foie Gras and Mushroom dish was a hit throughout.

* Dragon's Breath.... of course this was a hit!... lots of fun! took turns capturing each of us on film!

* Our first dessert was Apricot Timbale with Amaretto, a Rich, delicious frozen Apricot puree with a crust that seemed "caramelized" ... not sure how that was done... but it was superbly rich and almost creamy, flavorful yet refreshing at the same time.

Misses: Not many misses, but there's were some...

* $15 per person for water... Totaling $150 in our bill for water... we didn't request any "special water"... not sure what happened, but it was a lot!

* My Wagyu beef was delivered overdone... no pink in the middle as all the others... but they happily took it back, even agreeing with me that it was so.  The fact that they remedied the situation without blinking... won me over.

* The Sexy Little Sweets did not impress... I wished the chocolate would have been richer, more depth of flavor...I did like the white chocolate with the pink peppercorns... but the dark chocolate with salt could have used a heavier hand on the savory component.

Total 1 person: $223, including 2 cocktails, 1 $5 coffee, the famous $15 water, tax and tip. ouch!

Smoke on the Water Drink

Inside SAAM (Private dining room @ The Bazaar) SLS Hotel, Beverly Hills

Kaviar Kir Royal

Beet & Greek Yogurt

Oyster & Jamon

Seabeans in Tempura

Parmesan Macaron

Jose's Combination - Jamon Iberico de Bellota with Caviar

Patatas Bravas

Chicken Skin and Cigala

Not your everyday Caprese - with Liquid Mozzarella spheres

Crispy Nigiri

Uni & Eel Risotto

Chipirones

Banh Mi - Mini Vietnamese Sandwich

Carrot & Scallops

Halle Berry Cocktail - Spicy & Amazing!
1 Slice jalapeño
7 Blackberries
2 oz Gin
¼ oz Cointreau
¾ oz Lime juice
¾ oz Simple syrup
Ice
1 Twist of lemon

Mirugai

Wagyu Beef & Mushroom Escabeche

Mushroom & Foie Gras
Waiter mentioned they are not allowed to use the words "Foie Gras any more!... they are calling it Duck Liver... Guess who's going to be still serving FG after the ban in California starting July 1?

Inside the pouch

Japanese Baby Peaches

The making of the "Dragon's Breath - Tableside

"Dragon's Breath" Popcorn ... I have been waiting for this dish not only all night...but for weeks! It was soooo fun!

Frozen Apricot Timbale with Amaretto

Dessert Desert

Sexy Little Sweets - Mignardise

At the end of the night, and a record for me of a 4 hr dining extravaganza, I was rather content and satisfied, although by no means "full" as the portions are somewhat minuscule and someone with a rather larger appetite might need to supplement this 22 course marathon with a pre or post 4th meal.

PETROSSIAN-WEST HOLLYWOOD

Think of Petrossian in West Hollywood as everything you'd want in a Restaurant all rolled into one; Superb service, as in your water glass never empty, beautiful minimalist decor (loved the white chairs by the way!), and great modern french inspired cuisine...oh...and did I mention they specialize in Caviar?  Oh yes, those tiny, gorgeous black pearls enhanced every single dish. 

Transmontanus Caviar is  nutty, smooth and robust at the same time, similar Ossetra (My favorite of the Caviars), and I was really happy to have found a substitute if you will, that will lessen the whole in your pocket, yet still indulging in those amazing flavorful little pearls.

Our group was unanimously delighted with Petrossian, the service was attentive, thus not pretentious at all, with a waiter always close by, that would anticipate our every need. I am a sucker for good service, and Petrossian definitely delivers.

Egg Royale
Scrambled Egg, Vodka Whipped Cream, Caviar

The Egg Royale was simply amazing... I know other famous restaurants also have their version, and will eventually try those as well, but Petrossian's was sublime... you could really taste the Vodka in the Whipped Cream.  This starter was super creamy, a hint of booze is always welcomed of course, as is the caviar for a nice nutty, salty addition to finalize the dish. A definite hit.

Blinis
Caviar, Trout Roe, Salmon Roe 

Classic and traditional combination... From left to right we have: Salmon Roe, Transmontanus Caviar, and Trout Roe... I was surprised that I really liked the Salmon Roe as much as I did, with a hint of smokiness, delicious.

Classic Cold Borscht
Warm Yukon Gold Potato, Chives, Crème Fraîche, Caviar

Classic Cold Borscht, a Ukrainian soup, also widely consumed in Russia and Poland, was a refreshing continuation of the meal.  A nice contrast with the Warm Yukon Gold Potatoes, Creamy Creme Fraiche, and nutty caviar, with a notable hint of citrus.  Needless to say, you must love Beets to love this dish, so if you do, this is not to miss.  

Tomato soup
brioche, 2-year aged white cheddar, and caviar

This soup was in the tasting menu, which I opted out of, however, I did get lucky and got to try the amazing Toasted Brioche with the tangy, semi-strong White cheddar and ample amounts of caviar!
I really wished I could have asked for some to go!... these were comfort food on steroids, with a lot of class.  Who would have thought to put caviar on a sandwich?
But these are not your ordinary sandwiches... the bread is thinner than your usual sliced bread, and toasted to a buttery perfection, with an amazing tasty strong,nutty cheese and caviar...I am definitely going to figure out how to make these at home!

Napoleon tartare
Transmontanus caviar & flat iron steak with Porcini sauce, sauteed mushrooms, Fresno chili, spring garlic, onions, and herb salad

Our main dish (we all opted for the same, as great minds think alike, right?) LOL, was the only slight, and I really mean slight disappointment of the night... the Steak Tartare was a bit under seasoned we thought, however the Flat iron Steak, cooked rare was flavorful, well seasoned and delicious, and nicely accompanied by the Porcini Sauce and Sauteed mushrooms.
The Fresno Chilies were not as spicy as I would have hoped, but did add a hint of heat.

Foie Gras Ice Cream
Raspberry Jam, Brioche, Honey, Sea Salt

Foie Gras (duck liver) in an ice cream??

Oh yes! it was soooooo good... very rich, creamy and sweet; You could really taste the Foie in it.

I just wished I could have grabbed that Brioche, made it into an ice cream sandwich! LOL

It was that good.

I've read reviews that say they don't understand why the Brioche is there... I think It did add another texture and element to the dessert, and the Raspberry was a nice fruity touch that added a bit of freshness if you will along with a bit of tartness to cut thought the rich, buttery flavors.

I can't wait to come back to Petrossian, next time I will get the Tasting Menu for sure... I left very happy both service-wise and with the Cuisine.

I also want to note that they were very willing to make changes to the Tasting Menu's, something other restaurants just don't do.

 

LQ@SK-Los Angeles

After much anticipation, the day finally came!  I couldn't wait to try Chef's Laurent Quenioux's whimsical dishes.  With 2 other in our party, our trio arrived with time to spare, and waited a few minutes until the first sitting was through.

I'm not embarrassed to admit that I am a sort of late bloomer in the foodie world, and only a few months ago learned about Chef LQ, so imagine my surprised when I learned that I had landed reservations to one of the last events of LQ@SK (Before he moves locations, or decides what his next endeavor will be).

Also very very excited the male in our trio brought one of my favorite wine's from the Mendoza region, which by the way, its been a bit difficult for me to find it so points to Gus for that.
Achaval Ferrer Quimera 2005! Oh, how I love thee... Let me count the ways!
Ok, too poetic for a wine, but I was super excited!

I brought another red from the other side of the pond that I bought in Paris a few years back.  Lighter bodied than the Achaval Ferrer, but still very good.
You see our pattern here right?  We are not big on White Wines... What can I say!

We started out with our AF Wine as they brought out some delicious bread with a very aromatic Olive Oil.  I'll tell you, the wine was flowing as the was the bread & Olive Oil...

A few minutes later, our playful, yummy & whimsical Amuse Bouche arrived.

I thought it was tasty and well combined with the little shot of Mustard Greens Artridge, a cute little bite that sort of took you back to your child days.  I didn't mind that it was after all Vienna Sausage, Points for Chef LQ for introducing some playfulness and fun onto a menu, it doesn't always have to be over the top and so avant garde. Life's too short... enjoy!

Amuse - Pretzel bite, Vienna Sausage, Mustard Greens artridge

Some more bread, some more wine... nice laid-back ambiance, great company and conversation...more Achaval Ferrer... the arrival of each course was spaced out a bit longer than I'm accustomed to, but we really didn't mind, as the mood lend itself for such a laid-back evening.
Finally, our next course arrives and it's beyond spectacular.

An explosion of flavors from the soft mild buttery, perfectly presented Hamachi, nicely complimented with the acidity burst from the Lemon Curd, the luscious creamy Avocado and that intense sweet smoky flavor from the Soy Gel all together in 1 amazingly intense bite.

The Sesame Cremeux was airy and creamy with obvious but subtle sesame flavors as not to overpower the soft fish. We also really enjoyed the tiny Tobico Caviar pearls which burst and pop! as you bite into them..Pretty fun!

Hamachi, Lemon Curd, Black Sesame Cremeux, Soy Gel, Avocado Smear, Tobico, Uni Air

Next was one of the favorites of the night... and although a safe choice for Mr. LQ, Its not easy to pull off something as simple as "Fish & Chips" and make it memorable... but he did!
The fish was just beyond amazing and cooked perfectly, Soft, mild but flavorful and flaky with a nice light & crispy tempura coating, cute little baby chips infused with Sour Cream Flavor!, Chorizo and Lime for some added intensity to this amazing dish.

Skate Fish and Chips, Chyote, Argan Oil, Epazote, Chorizo, Lime, "La Ratte"

Next was the tender soft Rabbit Albondigas, well flavored and paired nicely with a bright Miso Dashi Broth... a nice kick of spiciness there, crunch from the Ramps Tempura and the creamy,buttery and fatty deliciousness that was the Foie Gras with the Teriyaki Glaze.

At this point you should notice a trend here, these are all "Comfort Foods" re-invented or re-done in in a more "Adult" & "Upscale" manner, but comfort food nonetheless...and our trio couldn't have been happier!

Rabbit Albondigas, Terryaki Foie, Miso Dashi Broth, Red Tosaka, Ramps Tempura

At this point the skinny gentleman in our group who usually could eat up a storm, couldn't believe he was getting quite satisfied with such "small" portions... LOL it was funny!

Next came the best grilled cheese dish I think I've ever had! It was so good and gooey, , I'd probably rate it "R" just so the kids couldn't eat it! ... This is definitely an Adult Grilled Cheese with Comte as a very nice replacement for your typical and ordinary cheddar!
Combined with a very tender and flavorful Oxtail, its little bit of broth would get all soaked up by the grilled cheese and add to that the House-Made veggie pickles for some brightness and crunch! Oh Man! This was The Grilled Cheese you wished your mom would have done for dinner, you know what I mean?

Oxtail, Comte Grilled Cheese, Pickled Vegetables, Tarragon

Next up was the much anticipated Cheese Cart!
We only chose to try 5 among the 3 of us because we were more than satisfied at this point and we still have dessert.
Although I don't have pictures of all of them, and my memory for French words could improve, here are some that I do remember and or have pictures!

Blue D'Tuvergne, Comte, Cavet and 2 others that although pungent and delicious, no power on earth will make me remember those names :(

Saving the best for last and this is not just a pretty face! (Or dish), the Tonka bean infused Tres Leches Cake with a Cajeta mousse, rich creamy Guava Gel and a refreshing Blood Orange Sorbet this was a hit all around!
I'm not usually a ice cream (or sorbet for that matter) person, but this was incredibly flavorful, and the slight acidity did an excelent job at cutting through the rich sweet cake.

It was an event! more than just a nice dinner... Hopefully Mr. Chef LQ will stick around L.A. for a long, long time!

Tonka bean Tres Leche, Cajeta, Guava Gel, Blood Orange Sorbet, Serrano Lime Thai Basil Seeds