15 – Jon & Vinny’s, Night + Market Song, Smoke.Oil.Salt, The Walker Inn

Posted in Los Angeles by Mary Lynne Kupchella

Jon & Vinny’s
It’s definitely the sign of a vacation day to be able to go out for breakfast. Luckily my early flight landed on time and despite having eaten on the plane I was starving by the time that I arrived. I loved my seat overlooking the kitchen and could see spending far too much time here if I lived in LA. Such a great breakfast and I can’t wait to make a return trip for dinner (and the avocado toast) and to buy some wine! This is yet another fantastic addition for John Shook and Vinny Dotolo and now I can’t even pick a favorite.

Peach Crostada
Kenter Canyon Stone Ground Porridge, toasted almonds, gaviota strawberry, orange blossom honey

Night + Market Song
I love an addictively spicy dish so much and I haven’t had a good one in quite some time. My mouth was on fire but I just couldn’t stop eating the papaya salad. Not after I had downed a few glasses of water and wine and not when I was completely full. The LA Times review summed it up perfectly with “just eat, don’t ask.”

Som tum – mortar pounded green papaya salad with palm sugar, lime juice, bird eye chile, peanuts

grapow khai dao – wok fried minced chicken, long beans, chile, garlic, thai basil with steamed rice, topped with fried egg

Smoke.Oil.Salt
I was debating keeping Smoke.Oil.Salt on my itinerary as Chef Perfecto Rocher had departed right before my visit. But I’m not one to cancel reservations last minute and I’m so glad that I went anyway. Stephen Gelber is a wonderful host, I had my favorite wine of summer and the octopus was one of the best that I’ve ever had. My only regret is leaving before Caitlyn and Boy George showed up. Oh LA!

olivos con bitet – olives, toasted almonds, pickled vegetables

zanahoria – slow cooked carrots, carrot salad, carrot puree

pulpo con tomate – smoked spicy octopus, sliced chorizo, caramelized onion, tomato chutney

The Walker Inn
Of course I am a sucker for a cocktail bar with any form of secret door and doorbell. Although more so I like the ability to make a reservation. The Walker Inn is tucked in the back of the Normandie Club which perhaps would be fun earlier in the evening but was overwhelmingly loud late at night. The space is fantastic and actually slightly larger than I was expecting. Sitting at the bar you don’t receive a menu so unfortunately no descriptions of these but I enjoyed both and they were perfect based on the description I provided to the bartender.

9Aug2015

NYC – 7/22/15 – Rebelle

Posted in New York by Mary Lynne Kupchella

I finally made it to Rebelle and I think it took me at least 30 minutes to get over the fact that this space used to be R Bar. Having spent a few interesting evenings there it was just crazy to see it as something so completely different.

The menu is divided into four sections and you are encouraged to order a dish from each which makes me wonder why this isn’t just a 4 course prix fixe. That said, the portion sizes are small enough that you can even add a course and not feel overwhelmed (and which we happily did with the foie gras). I’m now a bit torn as to whether Rebelle or Pearl & Ash will be my future go-to before heading to the Bowery Ballroom!

Foie Gras
Fluke – brown butter, sherry, caper, lemon
Lamb Tartare – green chickpea, olive, yogurt, espelette
Scallop – turnip, apple, green juice
Carrots – chanterelle, blue foot, snap peas, black pepper

Monkfish – shellfish, hen of the wood, sea bean

Peach – poached peach, lavender granite, perilla tapioca

9Aug2015

NYC – 6/29/15 – Ai Fiori

Posted in New York by Mary Lynne Kupchella

I oddly find myself writing this in the midst of restaurant week. I know everybody in the industry dislikes it, I no longer care for it myself because I never actually want anything on the restaurant week menu, and I always wonder why anybody participates. But the first time I dined at Ai Fiori was at lunch during restaurant week several years ago. I have come back many times since and have happily followed the white label burger to Costata. So perhaps restaurant week isn’t such a bad idea after all as at least for a minority of diners, a good experience will translate into loyal customers.

I seem to have a rather large weakness for Michael White’s pasta. And while the fusilli will always be my favorite, the various versions of agnolotti at Ai Fiori definitely come in second place. Its very rare that I even order pasta because why bother if its not this good? Dining at Ai Fiori is always lovely and this was no exception. Pasta aside we loved the very summery cocktails and desserts and while I seem to have been ordering quite a lot of octopus lately, this one definitely ranks near the top of the list. As tends to happen far too often, I was distracted by conversation and didn’t take notes on the dishes so the only descriptions I have are from the ones still on the menu.

I look forward to checking out the newest Altamarea addition soon!

amuse
octopus
Crudo di Passera – fluke crudo, American sturgeon caviar, Meyer lemon Trofie Nero – ligurian crustacean ragu, seppia, scallops, spiced mollica
Agnolotti – braised veal parcels, roasted eggplant, pine nuts, balsamic sugo
Astice – butter poached Nova Scotia lobster scallops
Torta di Olio – mascarpone mousse, Sicilian pistachio, strawberry sorbetto