What’s the Dish: Afternoon Tea at Mignon

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Rachael

WHO: Mignon, the Downtown LA wine bar with French charm and rustic cuisine

WHAT: Introduced by owner and oenophile Santos Uy, Mignon gets classy with its new high tea menu featuring Mariage Frères tea from the famed Parisienne tea house. For $15, guests can enjoy a proper salon de thè experience and choose from the following menu items:

Mariage Frères Tea assorted varieties

Assorted Finger Sandwiches: French Ham, Mustard, Jam Paprika Egg Salad, Smoked Salmon, Dill and Crème Fraiche, Cucumber and Butter.

Far Breton Cake

Items will also be available a la carte
Full wine list also available

WHEN: Every Saturday 3:00p-6:00p

WHERE: 128 E. 6th St. Los Angeles, CA 90014

CONTACT: 213.489.0131 | www.mignonla.com

Review: Fat Spoon (Downtown Los Angeles)

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Rachael

This post is rather late, as I recently learned that dear Fat Spoon closed its doors at the end of November. How did I find this out, you ask? Hankering for some delectable tonkatsu curry, I merrily ventured off to Little Tokyo after an early morning doctor appointment in downtown Los Angeles, did a little shopping in Marukai, and walked over to Fat Spoon…where I came face to face with a sign declaring the sad news that they had closed. In my most Shatner-esque moment, I flung my arms akimbo, groceries hanging heavily in each hand, threw my head back and cried, “Nooooooooooo!”

The note told of re-opening, however, and having a sister restaurant, Toranoko, that I have yet to patronize and therefore cannot comment on. I was lying in wait for another visit to Fat Spoon so I could have more dishes to comment on, but alas, who knows when that will be. My hope now is that this post will encourage others to give the gang at Fat Spoon another go if and when they re-open elsewhere. I just hope wherever, whenever they reopen, the restaurant remains close (or closer) to me!

I first came across Fat Spoon at the L.A. Street Food Festival this summer, where their beef tongue curry woke up my worn out tastebuds and reminded me of a love I once had for Japanese curry. Over the years, I have grown disenchanted with J-style curry, though, as I increasingly found it to be a salty, gloppy mess covering up poorly executed tonkatsu or chicken-katsu. So when the Fat Spoon curry crossed my path, I made quite a fuss over them in person and they rewarded my enthusiasm with a $20.00 gift certificate. Sweet.

Daikon Condiments

Flash forward a month or so when I decided to meet up with one of my ‘net pals and I suggested Fat Spoon. Only problem? Totally forgot my gift card. D’oh. Still, the prices weren’t overwhelmingly awful, so we stuck with Fat Spoon for lunch.

Tarako ($10)
Salted cod roe, cream, dried seaweed & chopped green onion

I was waffling between this, the uni pasta and the tonkatsu curry ever sine my companion agreed to dining at Fat Spoon. Figuring I would use my gift certificate for the Uni Pasta another day, I went with the Tarako. The perfect blend of salty and creamy, this dish was comfort incarnate. When I was a kid, Fettuccine Alfredo was my favorite, FAVORITE dish and had I grown up in a home with Japanese flavors, I like to think this dish is what I would have called my favorite, FAVORITE!

Pork Cutlet (Tonkatsu) Curry ($10)

Curry Sauce

My friend Ana ordered this signature dish (I credit my non-too-subtle brainwashing attempts, including quoting previous reviews claiming this to be the most moist pork cutlet ever) and happily tucked in. We both admired the plating of this dish, keeping the meat, rice and sauce separate to let the diner measure out how much of what they want. This curry is very authentic; the hint of natural sweetness from a fruit such as an apple was subtly evident under the mildly spiced earthy curry. Oh, and the pork? Totally lived up to the hype.

Baked Sweet Potato (compliments of the chef)
vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce

The chef sent this out for us to gorge out on. Gorge we did, too, after securing our eyes back into their sockets (too gross? Sorry; wanted to illustrate how surprised we were by the gesture and the simple genius of the dish itself). Sweet, but not sugary, this dessert had our spoons competing for another scoop. Yum.

Ah, Fat Spoon. I had an incredible time visiting you and only snagged but a sampling of your delicious fare. My Christmas wish is that you will reopen in 2013 (somewhere easily attainable for me, She Who Does Not Drive) and serve up your flavorful, moderately priced albeit powerfully addictive food once more.

Stay Updated on Fat Spoon news:
http://fatspoonfood.com
and
Fat Spoon on Facebook

My Love Letter to Little Tokyo

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Rachael

I am currently stranded in Philadelphia, desperate to get home and away from Hurricane Sandy. In the meantime, please enjoy these photos I took in “research” for my fall article for The Place: Los Angeles, titled Sushi Three Ways. It is part of a larger article, Revisiting Downtown L.A. – part two of my continuing love letter to Downtown Los Angeles.

Toro | Fatty Tuna

Monkfish Liver

Oyster Shot

Kampachi | Amber Jack

Uni | Sea Urchin

Kanpai!

Unagi | Sea Eel

Sunomono

Ikura | Salmon Roe

Ika | Squid with Shiso Leaves

Yellowtail Collar

Showcase: Drago Centro Fall Cocktail Tasting

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Rachael

I kid you not it was approximately 100 degrees on the day the fall cocktail tasting at Drago Centro was scheduled. I’m not being hyperbolic, either; I don’t need to be with 100 degree weather. It’s true fact. So by the time I sat down on the sofa of the outdoor lounge I was more than ready for a cool libation (or two, or ten.) Thankfully some bites off of the bar/happy hour menu were also provided so prevent outright disorderly conduct. Ben.

autumn’s deluge
karlsson’s vodka, breckenridge bitters, white grapes, lemon, simple syrup, arugula, prosecco

When I read “prosecco” I foolishly assumed this would be sweet, but it was rather bitter. It kind of grew on me over the course of the night, but the highlight for me was the booze-soaked raisins.

il tagliere di affettati | charcuterie

fried gnocco

While I wasn’t a fan of the fried gnocco, I could have eaten most of the charcuterie plate by my lonesome. Great house selection.

break maiden
larceny bourbon, fig shrub, byrhh, mint

I wrote one word to describe this drink: “Burny.” I stand by my opinion. I would not care to order anything with bourbon; it is just not my liquor of choice.

il tagliere di formaggi assortiti | cheese selection

The camembert with apricot and candied walnuts were amazing. It was very difficult to share this!

campfire dawn
pierde almas puritita mezcal, clear creek eau de vie of douglas fir, scrappy’s lime bitters, fee bros. mint bitters, sugar

Smoky and strong. In other words, I am too much of a pansy for this drink.

through the looking glass
oxley gin, earl grey tea, cardamaro, sugar beet syrup, citric acid, cream, nutmeg

Sweet and heady. Still a little too boozy for my sensitive palate, but I could handle this one better than most.

la pizza al pesto
pesto, ricotta, spinach, bacon

An interesting combination of toppings that I would love to replicate, though I’d swap out the bacon for prosciutto.

indochina ti
smith and cross rum, coconut milk, thai basil, red bell pepper, serrano date syrup, lime, angostura bitters

A little too outlandish for me, but this spicy potion was well received by the other guests.

savoy rouge
bank note scotch, creme yvette, house rose vermouth, reagan’s orange bitters, cocktail kingdom wormwood bitters

Another “burny” drink that was appreciated by finer drinkers than I. Strong and stiff.

la pizza margherita
mozzarella, tomato, basil pizza

This flatbread pizza was my favorite, as it was the simplest. At only $4.00, it is a sure-fire steal for a crowd pleasing happy hour snack.

paraiso
tapatio blanco tequila, prickly pear cactus, cardamom honey, chive, lime, orange blossom water

I was looking forward to this drink all evening, and was slightly disappointed that it did not meet my desire for sweetness. Still, this one was another crowd favorite and my palate eventually warmed to it, or at least was morbidly curious enough to continue to sip it.

il calzone ai funghi e tartufo
filled pizza, ricotta, mushrooms, truffles

Get rid of the truffles and I’d be all over this. I’m over the truffle craze (truthfully, I never got on that bandwagon and cannot fathom it.) The truffles overwhelmed everything else and it was a little too heavy after everything we’d eaten. Great for soaking up a lot of alcohol, though, so apropos? I’m glad this was a favorite with the others; more margharita for me.

American Hillbilly
bulleit rye, pancetta and rosemary infused maple syrup, lemon juice, bar keep baked apple bitters, forbidden bitters

My favorite drink of the night, hands down, and I’m not just saying that because I am the descendant of hillbillies. Or am I? Sweet, slightly savory, this was like a boozy spiced cider and really hit the spot for me. The rosemary was just the hint of outdoorsy that added a twang of banjo touch.

i due kobe hamburgers
mini kobe beef burgers, mushrooms, fontina

I sneaked two of these tasty morsels. Definitely one of my favorite bar bites of the night.

rosie carver
fords gin, aylesbury vodka, lillet rose, smoked infused ice

Another sturdy, medicinal drink. Can I just order a mojito? Whisky sour? Sidecar? These drinks are just too high-brow for me, someone who drank PBR in a non-ironic way.

la panna cotta alla vaniglia
vanilla panna cotta, market berries, rosemary puff pastry

Another bit of food I was forced to share, but did not want to. For someone who went 29 years without trying panna cotta, I seem to be making up for it now.

long for yesterday
pink pigeon rum, espelette syrup, tempus fugit creme de cacao, miracle mile chocolate chili bitters, cream, soda

Another deceptive drink that I was expecting to be sweet but ended up being bitter. Ah, well. At least I enjoyed the chocolate dipped biscuit that adorned it!

If you’re into strong, stiff cocktails where you really taste every single one of the fresh ingredients and quality alcohol, I definitely recommend planning a cocktail date in your near future. This tasting was a celebration of bar manager and mixologist Jaymee Mandeville’s creativity, and a rather shameless exhibition of my taste in drinks. As for me, I’ll be eating the bar bites and sticking to the kind of drinks that come with little paper umbrellas.

Drago Centro
525 South Flower Street
Los Angeles, 90071
http://dragocentro.com
Tel: 213.228.8998

FTC Disclosure: While the drinks and bites were on the house, all wording and opinions remain my own!

Showcase: Màs Malo (Downtown Los Angeles)

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Rachael

I was invited to a media tasting dinner at Màs Malo, the sister venture to the popular Silver Lake eatery, Malo. Situated in an old jewelry store from the 1920s, the historically preserved opulence served as a splendidly bizarre juxtapose to the Chicano comfort food Chef Robert Luna boasts.

Habanero Creme – Black Bean – Guacamole – Salsa

We started our evening in The Vault – where precious gems were once stored, now a private room perfect for small parties or a private little pre-dinner mixer with chips and dips, as we used it for. The clear favorite of the evening was the habanero creme, though I liked to include a dollop of black bean dip for depth and contrast.

Margarita
Tequila Blanco – lime juice – agave

This was smooth and light, though I the agave was easily detected by a distinct sweetness I normally do not attribute to margaritas. By contrast, the salted rim packed a powerful punch; I think it was their chile lime salt. Whatever it was, it was tasty and went well with the agave.

Vegan Menudo

I am soy-sensitive and never cared for tofu as a substitute for meat, though the broth was tasty, especially with a squeeze of the provided lime wedge. I would still like to try the real deal menudo one day.

Kale and Pumpkin Seed Salad - Màs Malo - Downtown L.A.

Kale + Seed Salad
Pumpkin Seeds | Pistachio dressing

Chopped Salad
cactus + chorizo

Spinach Salad
Avocado + Chicharrón

Though the kale salad was mightily refreshing, nothing could top the spinach and Chicarrón. Not surprisingly, I dig the crispy little bits of fried pork skin atop an otherwise healthy salad. There is something so deliciously sinister about it.

Spinach and Corn Pancake - Màs Malo - Downtown L.A.

Buttermilk Spinach & Corn Pancake
honey-caramelized carnitas | powered sugar

It’s not as if I’m inexperienced with savory pancakes, but this was delightfully unexpected and wildly different. Appropriately enough, this is listed under the brunch section of the menu, and brunch is available at any time. While I could leave or take carnitas in general, the caramelized honey glaze elevated them to the point wherein I cannot imagine this dish without them. I thought one more bite and Angela from I Flip for Food was going to compose a sonnet for the pancake! One bite was enough for me, though, because we had a long way to go.

Chile Relleno - Màs Malo - Downtown L.A.

Cheese Chile Bomba Relleno

I’ve never really been a fan of chile relleno, or big green peppers/salsa verde for that matter, and I have to say that I am still not a fan.

Soyrizo Fundido

Another soy-based dish I couldn’t get behind. It was popular among the vegetarians, though!

White Sangria - Màs Malo - Downtown L.A.

White Wine Sangria

Time for another drink, please. This was a very mild white wine sangria, light and dainty. It was good under the circumstances of having all of this heavy, abundant food, but I would probably go for the red next time for a heftier flavor.

Shrimp Fundido

One of my favorite dishes of the evening, the fundido – or fondue – is cheesy, rich and perfect for sharing with friends or going solo in full-on glutton mode. The toasted bread is adequate enough, but for a bonus layer of taste, we started using the chewy chips to dip in the fundido.

Chewy Chips

They’re nothing spectacular to look at, but these home made chips are flash fried to have a crispy edge and chewy center. Chef Luna said his father used to make these for the family to snack on, and I myself make whole tortillas like this when I make my own taco shells. It is a familiarly welcoming texture. Proceed with caution, though, as these will fill a body up a lot faster than normal chips.

Beef and Pickle Tacos - Màs Malo - Downtown L.A.

Ground beef and Pickle Tacos

I like beef. I like pickles, even. And I most definitely love crispy shell tacos. Put them together, though, and you have the perfect drinking-night-out cure-all. As my wits about me when these were put before me, however, I just wasn’t into them.

Squash Blossom Taco - Màs Malo - Downtown L.A.

Squash Blossom Taco with Red Onion

The red onion and seasoning combated with the other ingredients and overwhelmed my taste buds. Sadly, not my favorite.

Chicken in Mole Poblano

Once, twice, three times is supposed to be the charm but alas, this was my third and dare I say final time I will try mole. Just not really my cuppa. This is strictly a personal preference; others at the dinner were head over heels for this dish.

Split Chicken with Apricot Sauce - Màs Malo - Downtown L.A.

Blasted 1/2 Baby Chicken with apricot sauce

My favorite dish of the evening, hands down. Chicken so moist and tender I found it near impossible to believe it had been baked boneless, but I heard it from Chef himself! The sauce was an amazing apricot base and I yearn to replicate it. Another beloved dish from Chef Robert Luna’s childhood, whose skill and talent keep the memories and flavor of his East L.A. upbringing alive.

Màs Malo
515 W. 7th Street – 1st Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90014
(213)-985-4332
http://masmalorestaurant.com
Sunday-Thursday: 10a-11p
Friday & Saturday: 10a-2a

Disclosure: The meal was on the house, but all opinions remain my own.

What’s the Dish: Sausage pop-up service KNACKIG – Downtown Los Angeles

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Rachael

WHO: Santos Uy of Papilles and partner Kevin Stuart of Infinity Imports

WHAT: KNACKIG, a pop-up service serving up the best of Bavarian cuisine with Bratwurst, Kasekrainer, Knackwurst, and Polish Kielbasa along with sauerkraut, rotkraut, German mustard’s, and traditional German potato salad from Chef Tim Carey at Papilles and locally sourced buns/bread. Two rotating German beers and two German or Austrian wines will also be available.

WHEN: Launching this Sunday, September 16th and will be open every Sunday from 11:30a – 4:30p

WHERE: Outside of Mignon LA 128 E. 6th St., 90014

BONUS: During its launch this Sunday, sausages will be given away to the first fifty people in line. One per guest.

MORE INFO: KNACKIG Official Website

info courtesy of Bread & Butter PR

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adventures of a food loving, globe-trekking geek girl extraordinaire

Tag Archives: Downtown Los Angeles