SON OF A GUN, WEST HOLLYWOOD

I was warned that I would find it too noisy at 'Son of a Gun'. At my first visit yesterday, I not only found it too loud, but annoyingly loud. I was simply impossible to have a conversation with my dining partner. Not that I have the desire of eating out in a church-like atmosphere, I like lively, but too much is too much. What's the point of having dinner with a friend if you cannot communicate and end up screaming at each other? I should have counted how many times I shouted 'what did you say?'. Unfortunately, we had lost our reserved table and had to sit at the communal table, because we were twenty minutes late. But I doubt, that it would have been much better at a smaller table.

I could have been appeased by great food, and was excited to be at seafood place, a rare thing in L.A. But unfortunately, the culinary mastery was limited. I felt like having been served home-cooked dishes by a bachelor who tries to impress a girl, but lacks experience and technique. We both went for the citrus salad, avocado, fennel, arugula, as a starter. There were lots of sliced citrus fruits like grapefruit and oranges, but so little avocado and arugula that I felt tempted to ask for a magnifying glass, and the fennel was completely missing. Too much citrus, guys! Way out of balance. This is not supposed to be fruit salad dessert. At least the seasoning was subtle and enhanced the flavors nicely.

After that we had mussels, Pernod, tarragon, fennel, toast. Those poor mussels were drowning in a thick, creamy, uniform tasting sauce. Where was the lemony-licory scent of tarragon? The anise-like taste of Pernod? Was there any starch mixed into the sauce for it too be so thick? And why salt the sauce generously when mussels have a natural salt content? And please don't make that toast so greasy! I would have liked the menu to mention the cream sauce, since I expected a light, mediterranean wine sauce. Ok, I could have asked, but it did not occur to me. It's always good to be given a lot of information to be able to make the right choice.

We also tried the Idaho trout, carrot, potato, caper dill butter. It was dry, boring and tasteless. Did they mention a caper dill butter on the menu? What can I say? Uninspired? Lazy? Do-not-care?

We gave the desserts a try and went for the frozen lime yogurt, graham crumble, toasted meringue. The yogurt lacked creaminess and was too sweet, but otherwise the dessert was ok and perfectly sized, the toasted meringue even very good.

As for beverages, I had a glass of 'Crémant du Jura' a sparkling wine from the French Jura region. I usually like the light Crémant, but the one served at 'Son of a Gun' was bad, real bad. Flat and tasting like cheap cider. And this for 18 Dollars a glass! My friend's Pinot Noir was good, but the 17 Dollars a glass were also quite steep. 

I liked the concept of serving small portions, for guests to playfully taste different dishes.

Still, my final verdict: the cuisine is too amateurish to be taken seriously.

Nice maritime-theme decor, though.

BREAKFAST AT THE SPORTSMEN'S LODGE, SHERMAN OAKS

Lured by the nice looking makeover at the Sportsmen's Lodge, favorite hangout of Hollywood and Rock'n'Roll celebrities in the 60s and 70s, I decided to pack my husband in the car and treat him with a Sunday breakfast at the Lodge's Patio Café. I have to admit that I have a fondness for rustic, dated decor, and with the few, recently added touch-ups, the Sherman Oaks legend looked quite appealing and in no way uncomfortably overdone. The place keeps true to his values, you could say. My first order of a freshly squeezed orange juice quickly uncovered a misunderstanding: I thought that the staff would squeeze fresh oranges in the kitchen, but was proven wrong at the first sip. When asked, the waiter insisted on 'freshly squeezed', informing me that this was what the package said, while laughing at the absurdity that they actually would do something like cutting oranges in half and SQUEEZING them. Well, I learnt my lesson. Then we ordered Eggs Benedict and Huevos Rancheros. The kitchen's philosophy of using pre-pepared, packaged OJ translated into their food as well, I could taste and smell artificial flavors and the distinct metallic taste of canned food all over the dishes. The worst being the almost inedible, tough ham and a super dry, strange tasting biscuit under the eggs benedict. Well guys, you lost me there. I will happily go back to the Sportsmen's Lodge for drinks at the bar enjoying the charms of the good old days, but for food? No thank you. Not for me.

LARCHMONT BUNGALOW - A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

I haven't been in the Larchmont area for quite some time, which is a shame, since Larchmont Boulevard is such a charming place with lots of nice shops, restaurants and cafés. LARCHMONT BUNGALOW artisan café embodies the neat small-town feel –  it's so cozy you feel right at home. They serve breakfast all day long and fancy classic American fare such as Mini Burger Sliders, Bison Chilli Burgers, Lobster Crab Cake Sandwich,  Southern Fried Chicken Wrap, and the famous Red Velvet Pancakes. It's all fresh and really good. At LB they offer their own blends of organic, sustainable coffee as well as single origin roasts of exceptional good quality and teas that are custom crafted. I was happy to discover a lovely outdoor space with lots of tables and enjoyed some warming winter sun rays along with a long chat with a friend.

SUNDAY SUPPER

Sunday Supper at Lucques:

fennel and endive salad with green olives, parsley and meyer lemon cream – absolutely lovely, fresh as it can be (the endives were super crunchy), a wonderful fruity, slightly tangy dressing, amazing green olives

grilled market fish with cauliflower rice and hot saffron-ginger-tomato sauce – perfectly grilled pink snapper, crisp on the outside, very moist in the inside (congratulations), rice and cauliflower is a surprisingly good combination, and the saffron-ginger-tomato sauce was a exciting dance of flavors in the palate.

olive oil cake with candied tangerines, crème fraîche and pistachios – I liked the candies tangerines and the lovely crème fraîche, but wasn't too crazy about the olive oil cake. not because it wasn't well made, but personally I don't like cake for dessert. it would have been a perfect match for an afternoon tea.

clearly at Lucques they deeply care about food and their love for outstanding products is enchanting. too bad the staff was utterly disimpassioned. nothing really to complain about. it just wasn't fun to be around our waitress pulling a face all evening.

ARTISAN TOFU

I followed the advice of my fabulous health practitioner and drove all the way to Gardena to get some of what he claims to be the best tofu in California, if not the whole country, Meiji Tofu. Meji makes its tofu - regular, soft and zaru (in a pretty bamboo basket) - fresh every morning from non GMO soy beans and uses no preservatives. It's not only super fresh, but has supreme, outlandishly wonderful taste and extremely silky texture that almost melts in your mouth. It's absolutely fantastic plain with maybe a little sauce to your liking, but I am also excited to experiment with it. I never want to go back to regular supermarket tofu again, which sucks since I now will have to drive to Gardena on a regular basis.

BOUCHON - A PLEASANT TRIP TO BEVERLY HILLS

A recent lunch at Thomas Keller's BOUCHON BISTRO in Beverly Hills turned out to be a very pleasant experience. Even though I don't care much for the overly sleek buildings like the one Bouchon set up its operation , the interior of the bistro was elegant in a nice way, lacking every tackiness, which had a lot to do with it not trying to be French, but rather be inspired by it and admitting to be Beverly Hills. Also, my friend and I felt in good hands with the outstandingly knowledgeable staff. Those guys really know their stuff. Since I wasn't extremely hungry, I settled for a salad and a soup. What can I say? It was perfect. The Watercress & Endive Salad with Roquefort, toasted Walnuts and Roquefort Dressing, was extremely fresh and crunchy, the dressing enrobed the greens in just the right amount and the walnuts complemented the salad in with sprinkles of earthy, intense flavors. The highlight, though, was the velvety pumpkin soup. I have rarely eaten a soup so well rounded - sweet and savory, very smooth and a little meaty, substantial and almost volatile at the same time. The seasoning was absolutely perfect - not a grain of salt of pepper too much or too little. I will definitely go back, not only because of the food, but because it's the perfect place for feeling special.

DUMPLING QUEEN

Call me crazy. I drove all the way to Arcadia (yes, deep in the San Gabriel Valley) at lunchtime, just to satisfy a little craving. After a trip to Europe with great, but exclusively local food, I could not stop thinking of those juicy, delicious dumplings at Din Tai Fung - the obsessive desire probably triggered by another of those yucky airline meals. I had to go. Truth is, I have never been big on Chinese food, but I find those cute dumplings at the Arcadian outpost of the Taiwanese legend simply irresistible. Plus, it has great entertainment value. It is so much fun watching through the huge plate glass the crew of adept dumpling-makers briskly composing golf-ballsized in a meticulously spotless kitchen. The dumplinistas swiftly roll out small circles of dough with a wooden dowel until almost transparent, spooning minced pork, shrimp and vegetables on top along with a spoonful of a heavenly fragrant consommé. Then they start pitching and twisting (just watching makes your head spin) those little guys into shape, placing them in round steel steamers - ten to a serving. Who needs to see a movie? The hostess usually has to drag me away from the huge window pane to seat me (shrieking “you now sit”); only succeeding because I already can smell the steamy juices of my dumplings floating in the air. I usually order nothing else along - no soups, no vegetables, no drinks, except for a little hot green tea. Those dumplings need my undivided attention. I carefully put each one of them on the spoon, add a little ponzu sauce together with the julienned ginger, inhale deeply and then bite through softly. In an almost religious experience, the aromas and juices start dancing in my mouth. Geez, am I happy to back in L.A. Its that magic place where midst of a broad nothingness you can discover truly the greatest treasures on this planet.

RIVERA DOWNTOWN - LATIN ELEGANCE

I have to admit that I never found Latin American cuisine, above all Mexican, especially enticing. Mainly because I feel that the dishes consist of too many overcooked ingredients and form some kind of mish-mash. But also because for me the seasoning often doesn't feel right, almost bland. Now, you will tell me about those nice and spicy chillies. Yes, they add spice, but a dish also needs to be balanced. So, where is the salt? I have never figured out why Mexican cuisine uses so little salt. With all this in mind, I drove to Rivera Restaurant - a modern Latin Restaurant - in Downtown L.A. And I must say, that I was pleasantly surprised. Chef John Rivera Sedlar has captured the essence of L.A. - Latin Culture meets Modernism. He understands that the city is at its best, when it stays true to itself, not pretending to be something it isn't, copying other cities and other cultures. The dining experience was lovely, because you could taste love and passion in the dishes. How poetic the flowers pressed into the tortillas, how thoughtful the words stenciled with spices, and how fun the small portions that give you room to taste many different dishes! Their execution, though, wasn't flawless. Interestingly, one of my soups and one sauce were overly salty. Just the opposite of my other Latin experiences. And the chocolate torte, I had for dessert felt mostly buttery, meaning fat, instead of giving away a rich chocolate flavor. While I wouldn't call the cooking 'brilliant', it is inventive and delicious.

FOLLOWING THE KOGI HYPE

I finally, FINALLY, made it to a Kogi BBQ truck, following the hype that precedes the Mexican meets Korean fusion food served at trucks rotating all over the L.A. area. Fans call it a revolution. Well, that's a big word. 

Turns out, that I have probably become too old for hypes. Don't get me wrong, I really liked the tacos and the kimchi quesadilla I ordered. The Korean touch made the usually quite heavy Mexican food pleasantly light - the cabbage, onions and pickled vegetables added a splash of tartness, freshness, crunchiness and the special salsas like the sesame-chili salsa rioja give a nice kick. And something I really liked: it wasn't too greasy. Just don't call it gourmet food.

I would certainly like to eat more of the Kogi dishes, BUT, the fact that I have to go to my local truck according to their set schedule (or make an extra trip to another location) and stand in line for half an hour or more, makes the whole experience a lot less appealing to me. In other words: is it really worth it?

GOOD GIRL!

Sometimes simple pleasures are the most wonderful. This certainly holds true at the Good Girl Dinette in Highland Park. Their American Diner meets Vietnamese Comfort Food concept is not only charming, but very delicious. Every single dish - from fresh spring rolls and chicken curry to vegetarian pho - is made from scratch with fresh organic ingredients sourced at local farmers markets. It's honest food, beautifully executed, healthy and fun.  

A LOVELY LUNCH AT TAVERN, BRENTWOOD

The other day I had a meeting in the Pacific Palisades that ended around lunch time, and of course, due to that perfect timing, I couldn't resist stopping at a good restaurant. I ended up at Suzanne Goin's Tavern in Brentwood. I love those little lunch adventures with nobody else but myself. It makes me feel like 007 on a very secret mission. I was thrilled to find a nice spot at the bar. Isn't there anything more casual-chic than lunch at the bar of an elegant place like the Tavern? Wonderfully, I hit it off right away with Juan, the charming bar tender, who knew exactly how much to entertain me and when to give me space. The bread he served me was one of the best I had in the whole entire universe of L.A. - airy, light, mildly aromatic and with a super crunchy crust. Juan told me that Tavern makes its own bread on a daily basis in-house. Fabulous! I chose a Farro Tabouleh Salad with roasted beets and carrots and crumbled feta cheese. The citrus vinaigrette dressing complemented the nutty flavors of the farro nicely, and the root veggies were beautifully roasted. Too bad, they had an icy feeling, as if they just had come out of the fridge. Unfortunately, that's a huge flavor killer. While my stomach was already satisfied, I had to treat myself with one of the delicious sounding desserts. After contemplating various options, I finally decided to go for the Pistaccio Macaron with Rose Ice Cream and Raspberries. Let me say it right away, they messed up the macaron. What did those pastry guys use to make it? A powder mix? Artificial flavor? C'mon, you can do better than that. And the lovely sounding Rose Ice Cream  - a bit on the tame side. The soft rose could use a complementary ingredient to elevate it to something a bit more exciting. But maybe I am just not the rose type.

FRAICHE @ CULVER CITY

Yesterday we felt nostalgic visiting our old neighborhood Culver City. Boy, has it changed here. I know, I know, this is no breaking news, but every time I visit, I am pleasantly surprised how lively the scene has become - it almost has the vibe of an Italian piazza. We decided to have dinner at Fraîche, a restaurant, I hadn't crossed from my "restaurants I want to try" list, yet.

We ordered Beef Tartare with Bacon Sabayon, Chives and Argula; Ravioli with a Ricotta/English Pea filling and Francobolli (postage stamp in Italian), small rectangular Raviolis with fresh corn, sage and mushroom nage. It was good. The Beef Tartare was nicely seasoned, the Argula very, very fresh, aromatic and crisp. The Ravioli dough thin (as it should be), the fillings not bad, although the English Pea/Ricotta ones, were a teeny tiny bit on the bland side for my taste. The one thing that was really off, was the presentation. Splash - drop it off on a plate and don't bother  - that's how it looked. My better half ordered espresso, which I very rarely do, since a REALLY good espresso is one the hardest things to find in town. This one didn't proof me wrong, either, as I was told. We also had the Piccola Pasticceria, a selection of housemade confections, basically cookies. They were served warm, which some people might think of as sophisticated. It's not. Warm pastries just taste too much like dough - it is only with the cooling that the lovely aromas are being released.

It's is hard to complain about the food at Fraîche - but it also didn't excite me. My palate doesn't scream MORE, I WANT MORE, that's for sure.

FOURTEEN BY MICHAEL MINA

My dining experience at XIV Michael Mina on Sunset yesterday felt somewhat emblematic of the state of fine dining  in L.A. - some good stuff paired with some not so good stuff, but never really amazing. Once more, I left a high end restaurant with mixed feelings and a hint of disappointment in my heart. We had a business friend visiting from Europe and chose XIV because of it's Sunset Strip meets Philippe Starck glam and the trusted name of Michael Mina. Well, the interior design was way over the top for my taste, and it felt somewhat carelessly executed. I liked the airy feeling, though, the tables weren't cramped into the room - this had a relaxing effect on me. We chose the 11 course, the "Something More" tasting menu. The bite sized courses arrived grouped on rectangular white porcelain plates on an elegant silver platter. Unfortunately we got the dishes too fast one after another. It made me feel like a goose that has to be stuffed in order to produce foie gras quickly. Even though we paused and had several of the dishes on the table simultaneously, the waiters didn't get the hint, we had to ask them to please slow down. They were nice, but not really committed and not as knowledgeable as you would expect from a place like this (when I asked questions, they didn't know the answer). What I really did NOT appreciate is that when we left - after having spent way over 500 dollars - we didn't get a thank you or goodbye. This is just bad manners.

The food did not impress me. There was nothing that really stood out, nothing memorable - there were good things, sure, but not good enough if you want to be that kind of a restaurant. The highlight of the evening were clearly the desserts, the really were very good. The pastry chef definitely knows his stuff.

I guess, SBE buying names (Philippe Starck, Michael Mina) attracts that kind of crowd that loves to see and to be seen and cares more about body shape than good food.

Here's what we had:

Naan Bread with Crème Fraîche

Naan, what Naan? This one simply had no character. The crème fraîche was topped with dried "Fines Herbes", a mix of different herbs, that were overpowering.

Hamachi Tataki, Fermented Black Beans, Pickled Daikon Radish, Fried Shallots

Tender and buttery fish, beans and radish tasted like a big mish mash, the fried shallots added a nice crunch.

Beef Carpaccio, Heart of Romaine, Cherry Tomatoes, Horseradish, Black Pepper

Would have been a beautiful, flavorful dish (the beef was outstanding), hadn't they used too much salt back in the kitchen, and I couldn't detect the taste of horseradish at all.

Spring Asparagus Soup, Maine Lobster, Meyer Lemon, Crème Fraîche, Harissa

Lovely, but a little bit on the bland side, unfortunately the waitress poured the soup over the lobster in a very inelegant way - it looked like she wanted to drawn that damn lobster.

Jidori Chicken Tajine, Vadouvan, Baby Carrot, Fennel, Cilantro

Whoooops, that one didn't really didn't do it for me. Give me pureed baby food with a chunk of chicken instead. Did they list cilantro? Where was it?

Beaufort Cheese Agnolotti, Morels, English Peas, Pea Shoots, New Olive Oil

Liked the peas, and morels, but hey, those Agnolotti were boring, dry and hard.

Wild King Salmon, Cavatelli Pasta, Fava Beans, Spring Onion, Pickled Ramps

Charred Salmon displayed burned stripes, which gave it bitter aftertaste, the fish meat was dry and tasted like - nothing? The pasta was hard and dry.

Baked Potato Pierogi, Braised Pork Belly, Gouda Cheese, Chive Blossoms

Nice...the braised pork belly was very tasty, the pierogi unfortunately dry and bland.

Piedmontese Filet Mignon, Asparagus, Bone Marrow Flan, Chanterelles

Great, tasty filet mignon, perfectly seared, bone marrow flan had nothing of the beautiful bone marrow taste, it tasted like - fat...not appealing

Goat Cheese, Black Olive Purée, Cracker

Not sure, if goat cheese and black olives go together, individually nice, the olive puree killed the delicate goat cheese. The cracker was an insult, it tasted like chipboard.

Passion Fruit Panna Cotta, Mandarin, Yuzu, Lemongrass

Wonderful creamy, yet light panna cotta, the mandarin, yuzu and lemongrass were in nice harmony. A hint less sugar and it would be perfection.

Mascarpone Mousse Tiramisú, Chocolate Sorbet, Milk Songe Cake

Oh, pastry chef, you were the only one, who made me happy. I especially liked the light but intensely chocolaty sorbet, and the tiramisú and sponge cake were delicious.

CECCONI, MY LOVE

I am now a member of the exclusive circle "Friends of Cecconi's". I must have either unknowingly applied for a membership or something. Anyway, I have no idea why they think I am worthy of such an honor, but they mailed me a key chain with their sky blue logo entitling me of a "variety of benefits", including invitations to special events. Whoo hoo! Well, what they got right is that I really like going to the WeHo sister of the London institution. But by no means am I a mover or shaker or one of those very important personalities in town. Thank you, amici at Cecconi's, to make me feel like one for a change! The letter along with the key chain was signed by Marino Monferrato (general manager) and Andrea Cavaliere (executive chef). Sounds like they are real Italians (they are, I checked), and that's great, since they don't have to pretend. And they don't. The menu is clearly Californian, but with an Italian twist, or better, approach, meaning that their focus is on fresh, high-quality market ingredients and a simple preparation. The food is good, plain good. Nothing more, nothing less. Same with the pricing, not cheap, not expensive. There is a casual self-confidence about the whole thing that is truly wonderful. Besides, it is a great place to hang out. After all, the interior design was created by the super talented London-based Martin Brudnizki. That guy just knows how to put things together with an astonishing ease. He always makes me wonder if the first he did after being born, was to redecorate hisnursery.  Cecconi's is sophisticated without any stiffness, stylish and warm. It feels like the better version of home. And even those over the top Hollywood/Beverly Hills types blend in without being an annoying distraction. Last time I had the grilled octopus with lemon, capers and olives. It was light, refreshing and delicious, maybe the octopus could have been a little more tender. As an entrée I went for the Barolo braised short-rib with the truffle mashed potato. Comfort food at its best. I wasn't too crazy about the profiteroles with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. They tasted a little like cardboard, just like those mass produced you find in the freezer at Smart & Final's. And the vanilla ice cream was on the bland side. But hey, nobody is perfect! I still love you, my friends. Woo, I am sooo nice! Isn't it amazing what a little friendship can do?

  

OINK - OINKSTER

What exactly does "slow fast food" mean? 'Sloooow-roasted pork&nbsp sandwich' as quoted on the Oinkster's website (which is the only slow-roasted dish on the menu)? Or is the 'slow' a reference to the Slow Food movement? In this case the description would be misleading, since the Slow Food movement stands for locally grown and organic ingredients, and there are no locally grown organic ingredients used at the Eagle Rock fast food joint. At least, that's what I have been told by the waiter.

When I went there for lunch today, I was surprised to find a couple of severely obese customers eating out - it was scary. Hmm, I thought, if they like it here, the food must be, to say it politely, very satisfying. We had the BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich with Carolina BBQ sauce, the Veggie Burger and Belgian fries with garlic aioli and chipotle ketchup. The sauces were really very yummy and the Belgian fries crisp and nice, but not the best I ever had. I liked the pork sandwich, the meat was juicy and flavorful and the shredded blue cabbage was a nice crunchy and colorful addition, but the bread was too soggy. The whole thing could be a little more modest – it was way too big of a portion, I would have been happy with only  half the meat. The Veggie Burger was ok, I couldn't tell the difference between a meat patty and this veggie patty, which is actually strange, but the veggies were so minced and mashed that together with  with the Thousand Island sauce it didn't really make a difference. Which can be a good or a bad thing, depending on what you're after. I didn't like the bun at all, it was soaked with fat, too soft and mushy, and made of highly processed flour.

All in all it was ok, but the Oinkster is a fast food place, not matter how much you're told that they are 'slow'.

SUSAN FENIGER'S STREET - GREAT CONCEPT, BAD EXECUTION

I was really excited to go to Susan Feniger's Street for dinner with a couple of friends. The concept of world street food in a restaurant setting is intriguing after all, and the smell of exotic spices and unexpected ingredients went straight from the online menu into my nose.

But what a disappointment the real thing was. In a nutshell: the seasoning was totally off, the dishes were either bland or overly salty, the jellies and marmalades, served along with some of them, so loaded with sugar that they virtually killed all the other flavors. For instance, I had the Spinach Varnyky, those small Ukranian dumplings served with sour cream and that horrible sugary acidic lemon marmalade. Please! Also, every single dish was overcooked resulting in food that was either super dry, like the Argentine Ricotta Noquis, that I almost choked on then, or BURNED, yikes!

I know, things can go wrong sometimes, but I really felt that the kitchen staff at STREET has a basic lack of understanding how to treat and prepare food properly, and this is simple street food, for heaven's sake!