STRIPSTEAK
Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel & Casino
3950 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 632-7414
website

Ordered:
Trio of Duck Fat Fries
American Kobe Burger
Grilled Half Organic Chicken
10 oz. Filet Mignon
Spinach Soufflé

Review:
We were a little hesitant about trying another Michael Mina restaurant, simply because of how many he has opened under his new empire.  With the rapid accumulation of so many businesses, quality (but moreover character) inevitably become lost and sidetracked.  Still, we were given this recommendation by someone who knew restaurants inside and out.

We actually took my father here to StripSteak after the line at Burger Bar proved too long for our famished, liquor filled bellies.  For those who have never been, StripSteak is on that “cobblestone” stretch by Shanghai Lily, Fleur de Lys, and Mary Sue Milliken’s famous Border Grille.  It looks more like a club than a steakhouse.

Started off with a trio of complimentary duck fat fries.  How French, right?  Below, you see each variety with their respective descriptions.

Trio of Duck Fat Fries (Garlic with Tomato Ketchup, Plain with Mayonnaise, BBQ with BBQ Sauce):

Pretty good, but not the best fries you’ll ever eat.  The garlic fries were made with plenty of very fresh garlic, giving them a nice spicy kick.  I think those were a unanimous favorite.

Next came my dad’s Kobe burger, which as you can see, came with another helping of french fries.  The burger in itself was fine.  The meat was cooked a perfect medium.  There were no toppings other than the fennel slaw and watercress, which to me were just OK.  Not very interesting, and surprisingly the fennel and watercress couldn’t stand on their own in relation to the burger.  The end result was a bit bland.

American Kobe Burger (Duck Fat Fries, Fennel Slaw, Watercress):

I ordered the half chicken.  If you order a whole chicken (which is supposed to feed two), they deep-fry it.  Anything less, and it gets grilled.  Even so, it doesn’t taste grilled; It tastes more like it has been sprinkled with flour and pan-fried.

Grilled Half Organic Chicken (Truffled Mac & Cheese, Onion Jus):

Very standard fancy-pants chicken, similar to what you’d find at Nick & Stef’s or Daniel Boulud Brasserie.  This one was better though, and the macaroni and cheese was very good.  I also enjoyed the broccoli florets, carrots, and crispy onions.  The chicken was not bad, but my favorite parts of the dish were everything else.   Keep it mind that this was a big portion!  If I had ordered a side dish or two, this entree could have easily fed another person.

Next came the filet mignon!

10 oz. Filet Mignon:

Ordered medium rare.  Came out exactly to those specifications, which was appreciated.  Could have been the aging process – or the way they salted the meat – but it was a bit dry (though still pink in the middle!).

We also ordered a spinach soufflé to accompany all our entrees.  The cheese sauce really made it.  Without that sauce, the whole thing would have been very boring.  We don’t regret ordering this, though it would have been ideal to order a side of spinach plus a separate cheese soufflé.  But no such option existed on the menu. 

Spinach Soufflé:

Overall, the food that we had at StripSteak was OK.

Note: The place is d-bag central.  Lots of spiky-haired divorced guys in un-tucked button down dress shirts.  They constantly grab and harass waitresses in an effort to hone their charms for a night at RumJungle (which is just up the way).  The plus side?  You may get to meet Jon Gosselin, or -  if you’re super lucky – a guy who’ll sell you roofies for a fraction of the street price.

Rating:
6 out of 10 spoonfuls

Value:
$$$$

*Third image courtesy of yelp! member Marck N.

Joe’s Restaurant
1023 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice, California 90291
(310) 399-5811
website

Ordered:
Nightly Prix fixe Menu (items listed in review)
a la carte items:
Grilled Ahi Tuna with Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras
Roasted Prime Sirloin of Beef
Chocolate Crunch Cake
Joe Miller Rose
John Daly

Review:
I have been a fan of Joe’s for years.  I love the fact that he churns out really delicious, classy food in a setting that is extremely intimate and cozy.  Of all the restaurants I’ve been to, Joe’s still remains one of the most romantic by far.  The bar gets very crowded, but perhaps expanding it would really compromise the candlelit ambiance.

Joe’s sits pretty on the east side of bustling Abbot Kinney Boulevard, just between Broadway and Westminster.  It is easy to pass by, so keep an eye out for the valet people!

Joe’s Restaurant Signage:

Of course the place was busy when we went, but we didn’t have to stand in the crowded entry way for long (good thing because that area is the most unpleasant one in the restaurant!).  I recommend making reservations for this place because it is very small and popular.

House bread:

Started out with some passed bread.  I believed they were: black olive, onion, and brioche.  In the back, you will notice two small ramekins filled with olive tapenade and butter.

Joe Miller Rose & John Daly (Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, Ice Tea):

The John Daly (seen on the right) was really very good! Strong, though… be aware that the drinks they mix here are quite strong!

I decided to order a glass of Joe Miller’s very own Rose. I may give another one of his wines later, but probably wont order the rose again.  I found it to be very bitter.  It also had a slight “rubbing alcohol” scent that didn’t agree with me.

We also ordered a bottle of water, but not because we wanted to.  When we sat down, our waiter gave us the option of “regular” or “sparkling” water.  We said that “regular” would be fine. He then brought out a glass bottle of “regular” water, which I guess in his mind was any expensive kind that didn’t have bubbles.  It wasn’t until later that we realized there was an option for tap… but who knew what his definition of tap would have been?

Crispy Duck Galantine (Grilled Figs, Purslane, Shahi Cress, Truffled Lemon Buerre Noisette):

I decided to keep things easy on myself and order that night’s prix-fixe menu (3 courses priced reasonably at $45 bucks).  The first course off that menu was Crispy Duck Galantine with Grilled Figs.  For those who don’t yet know, galantine is perhaps most similar to what we commonly know as sausage.  De-boned fish or poultry (in this case, duck) is processed, stuffed and steamed after being coated in a natural animal gelatin. Think Vietnamese cold cuts.

The galantine was very tasty, though I didn’t detect any crispness.  Perhaps it was lightly seared along the outside at one point??  This was a cold dish with exception of the grilled figs.  I really enjoyed it very much.  The cress, figs, and galantine worked nicely together… creating a very clean, refreshing starter for my palate.

Grilled Ahi Tuna with Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras (Rosti Potato, Red Wine Herb Sauce):

The Seared Ahi Tuna was ordered as a first course off the a la carte menu.  You can see that there is a beautifully seared piece of foie gras mingling away on top.

This was definitely a heavy starter.  It was totally protein packed and tasted that way.  The ahi tuna was fresh and meaty.  The foie gras was softer than a dream.  The potatoes were another thing… as oppose to being crispy (like fresh hash browns), they were a bit rough and hard (like those crispy rice noodles served up at Chinese restaurants).  Yeah, we don’t like those noodles.  It is a wonder why people still make them.

To their credit, the potatoes weren’t as bad as crispy rice noodles.  But actually making them crispy could have totally made the dish. Here, they tasted a bit stale to me.

Next came my favorite dish of the night!

Roasted Lamb Loin and Grilled Merguez Sausage (Fregalo-stuffed Cavolo Nero, Stir-fried Grapes, Herb Lamb Jus):

Mmm, lamb.  This dish was so Californian, so “Joe’s.”  I mean, there were just clean, fresh flavors all around… even with a meat like lamb which can be very luxurious and rich (even gamey if not done right).

The lamb was *perfectly* cooked.  It was like they read my mind.  So juicy and tender.  The grapes were slightly warmed but still crunchy.  They, along with the green herbs, really lifted the lamb up.

I can’t seem to figure out with fregalo is, though in my best capacity I would describe the two green things you see on either side as tasting a lot like hominy wrapped in grape leaves.  I never had cavolo nero quite like this before, and am intrigued as to how they got it to be so delicate.

Below is a photo of the second course off the a la carte menu.

Roasted Prime Sirloin of Beef with Mashed Potatoes (Crispy Artichokes, Brown Butter Balsamic Vinaigrette, Red Pepper Juice):

One thing I have to commend Joe’s on: they know how to cook your meat to the correct specifications.  I believe this was ordered medium rare, though you can see there was a nice range offered… with none of the levels straying too far from our request.

That said, the meat didn’t come out very hot.  I suspect this was our waiter’s fault because his service was lackluster all night.  The busboys were always around to refill our waters, give us more bread… whatever we needed.  In fact, I’m sure they could have easily taken our order and made our waiters job totally obsolete.

Overall, this was a very hearty, straight forward dish.  Nothing fancy, nothing intimidating or weird.

Peach Beignets (Vanilla Bean Anglaise, Verbena Ice Cream):

Finally, dessert!  The Peach Beignets were part of the prix fixe menu, and were fluffy and delicious!  Each one was filled with just a bit of the chopped peach filling you see nestled at the bottom.  The Vanilla Bean Anglaise was cold and yummy, and the Verbena Ice Cream was so fragrant – almost ethereal to my senses.

The Chocolate Crunch Cake was the final item ordered that night off the a la carte menu.  The cake part was that little sliver you see down there. 

Chocolate Crunch Cake (Hazelnut Praline, Coffee Ice Cream, Candied Hazelnuts):

Oh man, it was so rich.  Good, but rich.  In fact, I wish it had come with another scoop of ice cream (preferably something more neutral like vanilla) and less chocolate.  The “cake” consisted of a thin layer at the bottom, piled up with an extremely generous amount of chocolate filling (which ate like a firm, dry mousse).

Service was not great, though Joe was an absolute gentleman. Food was very satisfying, and the alcohol packed a punch. Though it’s not perfect, this place is very easy for us to love. We definitely look forward to coming back.

Rating:
7.5 out of 10 spoonfuls

Value:
$$$$

The Lounge at Charlie Palmer Bloomingdale’s
South Coast Plaza
3333 South Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
website

Ordered:
Bleu Cheese Stuffed Dates, Bacon Wrapped
Crispy Veal Sweetbread, Fennel Caper Relish
Chicken Wings
Grilled Skirt Steak, Chimichurri, Roasted Peppers
Caramelized Banana Tarte Tatin

Review:
Since I last dined at Charlie Palmer SCP, the menu underwent a much needed overhaul and revival.  The current lounge menu featuring over 2 dozen small plates and 12 signature cocktails is particularly enticing.  Though 2 dozen may not sound like a huge number, there is actually a whole lot of variety to pick from.  From Marinated Olives and French Fries to Grilled Baby Octopus, Slow Braised Tripe, and Churros in Smoked Chocolate Sauce – the lounge menu is not just expansive, but arguably more exciting and affordable than the dining room one.  Keep in mind that these small plates are available every night for dinner in the dining room, as well as from 4pm to closing every night in the lounge.

I didn’t order alcohol this time.  I was famished and exhausted after a 12 hour work day, and just looking for some quick bites.  I started off by ordering a plate of Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates in Bacon.  So retro.

Bleu Cheese Stuffed Dates, Bacon Wrapped:

The lounge was bustling with drinkers that night, and though the dining room wasn’t nearly as busy, it wasn’t exactly empty either.  My stuffed dates came out surprisingly fast, as would everything else over the course of the meal.  As you can see, there were plenty of morsels to go around.  This plate would be easily shared between 3 or 4 people.

The dates were fine, though they were not hot.  The cheese hadn’t melted and the sugar in the dates hadn’t quite developed into chewy, melty deliciousness.  But the taste was good, and if I ever bring a bigger group, I might be inclined to order them again.  Very filling!

Next came the Crispy Veal Sweetbread with Fennel Caper Relish.  Looks like fried green tomatoes, doesn’t it?

Crispy Veal Sweetbread, Fennel Caper Relish:

Least favorite of the night.  I’m not sure if the chopped fennel, capers, and mustard seeds gave you any indication, but their pickled taste didn’t really suit the creaminess of the sweetbread all that well (at least, I didn’t think so in regard to this dish).  It seemed like a dish that was efficient to make in the kitchen… execution was pretty straight forward, ingredients for the relish were reasonably priced.  But it just didn’t work.

The Chicken Wings with Sriracha BBQ Sauce and Bleu Cheese Fondue was the most fun dish of the night!  It came with 6 little chicken drumlets, fried until crispy and then tossed in a tangy sauce.  The sauce had just a bit of spice – so don’t think you’d get anything more.  If I had to pinpoint, I’d say that it was between vinegary buffalo sauce and a smooth, rich BBQ…  lovely if balanced just right!

Chicken Wings (Sriracha BBQ Sauce, Bleu Cheese Fondue):

What you see on the right hand side is the “bleu cheese fondue,” essentially a regular dipping sauce.  I frankly don’t even remember it being hot, but that would have been a nice touch.  Still, I really enjoyed it and would certainly order it again.

Last small plate was the Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri and Roasted Peppers.  Good stuff!

Grilled Skirt Steak, Chimichurri, Roasted Peppers:

Something I’ve noticed with Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale’s is that the kitchen tends to cook your meat a couple levels more than you request.  For instance, this skirt steak was ordered medium rare, but came out closer to medium well and (on the ends) well done.  Just keep in mind that you have to be very adamant about how you want your meat.  Even then, I’m not sure they’d get the clue.

Other than that, the steak was tender and the chimichurri zesty and fresh.  Peppers were room temp – I don’t know if it was supposed to be that way.  None of our food really came out hot, though I want to give them the benefit of the doubt and say that it wasn’t because the dishes had been sitting around.  Some of the dishes, like the Stuffed Dates and Veal Sweetbreads, did leave me wondering though.

For dessert, we ordered the Caramelized Banana Tart Tatin.

Caramelized Banana Tarte Tatin (Hazelnut Ice Cream, Passion Fruit Caramel):

Of course, the bananas and hazelnuts worked well together (they are meant for each other).  The fresh passion fruit added a fragrant touch, but – oh – it was so sour!  Sour sour!  I wouldn’t order this again, but to their credit – I did enjoy the tart crust; It was buttery, flaky, but yielded easily under the pressure of my fork.

In conclusion, I look forward to checking out the lounge menu again.  Next on my list are the: Roasted Bone Marrow with Raisin Marmelade, Duck Meatballs, and Sunny Side Up Egg with Tuna Ham.  Oh, and of course the Vino Fresco.  Yum.

Rating:
6+ out of 10 spoonfuls

Value:
$$ – $$$

*Click here to check out my review of Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale’s

Chaya Downtown
525 South Flower Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 236-9577
thechaya.com

Ordered:
Chaya Downtown Silver Shaker
Baked Salmon Skin Roll
Spicy Shrimp Roll
Kobe Beef Roll
Roasted Organic Beets with White Peaches & Chevre
Squid Ink Orecchiette with East Coast Calamari
Rigatoni with Kobe Beef Porcini Bolognese
Milk Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding
Mango Parfait with Coconut Tapioca

Review:
Chaya Downtown is a great place for lunch, and is an undoubtedly popular watering hole for all the corporate suits nearby.  But because I don’t work in Downtown LA, I’ve never been here during their very busy weekday afternoons.  The atmosphere at night is probably much different, darker and sexier (especially if you are willing to snuggle up on the heated patio).  On a side note: choose valet parking on the backside of the building if you can.  It is worth a few bucks to avoid the inconvenience and expense of self-parking in downtown.

Started off with a drink, the Chaya Downtown Silver Shaker.  Other people found it to be a bit strong, but I thought it was perfect (Coincidentally, I’ve noticed that the longer I keep this blog, the higher my alcohol tolerance becomes).  The Silver Shaker was extremely refreshing.  The acidity kind of reminded me of hard lemonade or even a sweeter Corona with lime (sans suds).  It was a pretty big drink, too!  Maybe 16 oz., so easily shared or enjoyed as a double take.

Chaya Downtown Silver Shaker (Milagro Silver Tequila, Fresh Squeezed OJ, Lemon & Lime):

The house bread was crusty on the outside, and soft and chewy in the middle.  Even though it was brought out in scarce amounts, the slices were always warm… so kudos to them for keeping up with that.

House Bread & Butter:

Since the food at Chaya definitely had Japanese leanings, we thought it would be a good idea to sample some of their fun sushi options for readers to check out.

The sushi wasn’t bad, but for some reason it didn’t translate as well off paper.  I wasn’t sure where the baked salmon skin was on the baked salmon skin roll (see left).  The flavor of everything was OK, not terribly different from what you might find at a nicer sushi buffet.  I will say that the crab and shrimp fillings were fresh and, in the case of the crab, non-artificial; That is something I always appreciate.

Baked Salmon Skin, Spicy Shrimp, and Kobe Beef Rolls:

The roasted beet salad was interesting.  All the elements were good – The white peaches were perfectly sweet and fragrant, the beets had beautiful color and a gentle snap… but for some reason the final product just didn’t gel.  I didn’t really know how the dried figs and dates really worked with the fresh ingredients.  Also, underneath the greens was a big dollop of tangy chevre.  Nothing was done to it, so it just sat there like a big hunk of sticky cream cheese.

This was more like a deconstructed salad.  Deconstructed salads are just fine, as long as the elements go together.  In this case, I felt like I was eating a bunch of random things that tasted separate even when I tried to force them together.

Roasted Organic Beets with White Peaches & Chevre (Dried Figs, Dates, Candied Pecans, White Balsamic Modena):

At this point, I was pretty stuffed… But I plowed on!

Squid Ink Orecchiette with East Coast Calamari (Chopped Scallops and Shrimp, Tomato Olive Oil):

Here is the thing about the pasta dishes at Chaya – you can debate their flavor, but you can’t really deny how fresh everything is.  I don’t know if they make their pastas in-house, but it certainly tastes like they do.  My squid ink orecchiette was so tender.  It had just the right amount of chewiness, too; This made the pasta seem even fresher and made it less texturally boring.

The calamari was very milky, and the tomatoes and parsley added another element of freshness to the dish.  I enjoyed the tart sweetness of the crushed tomatoes and the very sharp, green aroma of the parsley.  For me, the only shortcoming of this dish was that it was TOO mild for my palate.  I wanted an extra sprinkle of salt, some crushed pepper flakes or minced garlic… anything to give this dish more oomph.  Someone who paid less attention could have easily passed it off as having “no taste.”

Rigatoni with Kobe Beef Porcini Bolognese (Parmigianno-reggiano, White Truffle Oil):

The rigatoni with kobe porcini bolognese was very good.  Again, the pasta was perfect.  This dish (as the photo suggests) tasted much heartier than the previous.  The bolognese was creamy and rich.  The beef and mushrooms were cooked to the point where they were so soft and just melted into each other – delicious!

Then came dessert.  Yeah… you’ve got to have dessert at Chaya.

Warm Milk Chocolate Bread Pudding (Caramel Ice Cream):

Good lord this was delicious.  I practically felt my arm go numb as I continued to dig in.  To be specific, this was a croissant bread pudding.  With ice cream.  And caramel sauce.  And powdered sugar.  And chocolate bits.

The croissant layers were crisp and puffy on top.  Toward the bottom, they were so piping hot and heavy with butter that they tasted like deliciously moist, yellowed dough.  I loved the bittersweet chocolate chunks, too; They melted perfectly into the custard.  Don’t think I’ll have it again for another several years, but man was it good.

Mango Parfait (Coconut Tapioca, Lychee):

The mango parfait was also a great dessert.  From the bottom up, it consisted of: coconut tapioca pearls, mango mousse, chopped fresh mangoes and lychee fruit.  The mangoes were not as ripe and sweet as they should have been (given that it is mango season, and this year’s crop has been very good).  Also, the lychees were canned in heavy syrup (again, it is lychee season, and while the crop hasn’t been great – perfectly good, fresh lychees are readily available).

The mousse was light and tasty.  The tapioca really added great interest to the dish (in fact, I think it made the dish).  I really enjoyed this dessert.

In conclusion, we like Chaya Downtown.  There’s always room for improvement, but they definitely have a good thing going on.  Drinks are very good.  Dessert is always worth having, too.  Also, we suggest trying their steak/meat entrees, and their shellfish or paella.

Rating:
7 out of 10 spoonfuls

Value:
$$$

Layer Cake Bakery
4250 Barranca Parkway
Suite I
Irvine, CA 92604
layercakebakery.com

Ordered:
Red Velvet Cupcake
Turkey & Cheese Croissant
Blondie
Chocolate Eclair

Review:
I rarely go this far into Irvine, but was prompted to visit Layer Cake Bakery once I found out it was one of the only places around that sold blondies. “Great!,” I thought, “I don’t have to look for parking in LA.”

Layer Cake Bakery sits at the heart of Stonecreek Plaza, nestled between Pho Bac and Tapioca Express. On nice days, you will see people enjoying light lunches at any of the creepy Irvine Company tables laid out front.

Exterior:

The inside of the bakery is very nice, too. Clean, uncluttered, generally peaceful on the afternoon I went. There is a large glass case displaying some smaller cakes, cake slices, etc. Next to the case, you will find other baked goods that don’t need refrigeration (double chocolate cookies, biscotti, and blondies) Behind the cash register is a limited but attractive lunch menu consisting of sandwiches, teas, and salads. We ordered some sweets, and a croissant to go.

Red Velvet Cupcake:

The Red Velvet Cupcake was moist, and topped off with a generous swirl of eggy swiss meringue cream cheese buttercream. If buttercream is your thing, then you will appreciate that they use real butter. If you are looking for something lighter and more subtle, you may want to stick with a traditional French bakery. Layer Cake is definitely more American.

Turkey & Cheese Croissant:

The Turkey & Cheese Croissant was our favorite. The cashier toasted it up to perfection for us, which was very nice of her. I’m not sure what kind of cheese they used (will call and update that soon), but it was very creamy and melted beautifully. It may have been a combination of different cheeses, as the mixture was mild (but not tasteless like some lower quality swiss varieties can be) and a tad sweet.

Close-up of Turkey & Cheese Croissant:

Would have liked to get a bit more turkey, but still very good. Don’t know if I will drive all the way out here again any time soon, but if I do, the Turkey & Cheese Croissant will probably be on my list.

Blondie:

The Blondie was the whole reason for my coming out there. I was pretty disappointed in it. It was hard and crusty, but overwhelmingly sweet in the middle. Also it was not in a bar shape, but baked individually in a paper lining that resembled the shape of a disposable coffee filter. Kind of hard to eat. I took one bite, and put it away. It is probably around my kitchen somewhere unless it’s been thrown out.

Chocolate Eclair:

The Chocolate Eclair was kinda iffy, as well. The chocolate shell had a nice snap to it, but was unpleasantly thick. Also, they either cooked their egg yolks during the process of making pastry cream or overcooked the pastry cream itself. The result was a very thick cream with chunks in it.

In conclusion, Layer Cake Bakery is on-and-off. I would come back here for lunch if I find myself in the area. I don’t think I will be coming back for baked goods simply because I am looking for something more spot-on.

Rating:
5.5 out of 10 spoonfuls

Value:
$

Cream Pan
602 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92780
(714) 665-8239

Ordered:
Original Cream Pan
Strawberry Croissant
Bacon Onion
Ham & Cheese Croissant
Blueberry

Review:
Cream Pan is a bakery directly next (and attached) to Japanoise Cafe in Tustin.  People get them confused, but technically I guess they are two different sister establishments.

Aside from the delicious name, Cream Pan is known for its scrumptious desserts.  For about $3 dollars a piece, you can leave the bakery with a big box of fresh pastries.  Below, you see their signature bun, the Original Cream Pan.

Original Cream Pan:

The Original Cream Pan consists of a white flour bun, similar to a soft dinner roll or sandwich bread.  Inside, there is a generous amount of vanilla pastry cream.  A little boring for my taste, but certainly good.  Would be nice with a hot cup of tea.

The Strawberry Croissant is arguably one of Cream Pan’s most popular items.  If they stopped making these crispy treats, a lot of people would probably be upset.  I certainly would be less motivated to give them business.

Strawberry Croissant:

Cream Pan’s Strawberry Croissants are flaky shells, split open to reveal generous amounts of vanilla pastry cream and strawberry slices tucked inside.  The shell is very similar to your standard butter croissant, but is noticeably drier.  Each pastry comes with three strawberry slices.

Bacon Onion:

The Bacon Onion is probably my least favorite yet.  It is white flour dough (like the Original), cut into a flower shape.  There is a large amount of slivered onions and chopped bacon in the middle and over the top.  The bacon is fatty and soft, not fried to a crisp.  The overall thing is greasy.

Ham & Cheese Croissant:

The Ham & Cheese Croissant is small compared to many others.  I think it is made with Jack Cheese because it is slightly salty.  Every part save for the ends is tasty.  The ham and cheese poke out at the ends, burns, and gets unpleasantly hard.

Blueberry:

The Blueberry is basically a hybrid between a blueberry croissant and danish.  The shell is the same flaky one used for their Strawberry Croissants.  You see that there is a cream filling.  I’m not sure what is in it, but it tastes very similar to cheese danish filling.  Yum.  There is also a smattering of fresh blueberries all across the top.

Cream Pan is a very nice bakery that serves up fresh pastries and cakes.  You can even order celebration cakes here, though I think styles are limited.  I have yet to have anything bad here, and can’t wait for my next chance to surprise friends with a big box of Strawberry Croissants.

Rating:
7 out of 10 spoonfuls

Value:
$

Tavern
11648 San Vicente Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90049
(310) 806-6464
tavernla.com

Ordered:
Southern Belle
Domaine Gresser Riesling
Haricot Verts with Jamon, Hazelnuts, and Seal Bay Triple Cream
Halibut Grilled in Fig Leaves, Wild Mushrooms, Pancetta, and Figs
Niman Ranch Rib-eye Steak Frites with Chimichurri and Arugula
“Snickers” Bar, Salted Peanuts

Review:
To add onto last week’s review of the bar at Tavern, here is a peek at the restaurant’s dinner fare. We would recommend making reservations on any given night if possible. We’ve never made a reservation here, but also have never been seated in an ideal location because of it.

Tavern is hugely popular for dinner, particularly Thursdays through Sundays. Regular weeknights are often packed as well, so don’t be surprised if they just squeeze your unreserved party at the bar. When it’s crowded, you definitely want to be seated in the main dining room. There is a level of order and sanity there that is not available at the bar.  So unless you want to sit 6 inches away from a group of self-proclaimed liberals talking about the Cambridge arrest of “that crazy old black guy,” call the restaurant first.

As usual, our meal started off with a bowl of crusty sourdough.

House Bread:

We ordered a cocktail and a glass of wine. The Southern Belle was quite good. Tavern literally mixes the freshest tasting cocktails I have ever had (anyone will tell you how much I appreciate a regular cocktail). I really think that freshness is their secret. The drinks, I suspect, will change in coming months as the availability of certain fruits and herbs go in and out of season.

Southern Belle (Peach, Lemon, Rye), Domaine Gresser:

The Southern Belle was made with fresh lemons, rye, and crushed peaches. If you look carefully, you can see bits of pretty red and orange skin. The peaches were so sweet, fragrant, and delicious! I was a bit concerned about the rye (don’t drink it often because it has that strong herbal element that reminds me of absinthe). The rye, however, was not overpowering at all. $14

The Domaine Gresser Reisling was also very nice. It was dry and tart, very clean and not sweet. I would like to pick up a bottle or two for Chinese dinners in the future. Priced per glass at around $9 dollars.

We shared the following starter of Haricot Verts. Had to pat my back for making such a good selection!

Haricot Verts with Jamon, Hazelnuts, and Seal Bay Triple Cream:

There was a savory element to this dish that we couldn’t quite put our finger on. The green beans were lightly pan fried in something that really made them taste salty and deep. Perhaps pork fat and fried shallots? We couldn’t figure out what it was, but we really enjoyed it. The hazelnuts also added a sweet crunchiness that really carried the grease and saltiness of the rest of the dish well.

As you can see, Seal Bay Triple Cream is a very soft, very fine brie. So delicious that we asked for more bread.

Next came the Halibut grilled in Fig Leaves. I assure you that under all that creamy risotto, there is a juicy piece of fish.

Halibut Grilled in Fig Leaves, Wild Mushrooms, Pancetta, and Figs:

This dish was a great melding of luxurious Italian and fresh Mediterranean flavors. The fig leaves were grilled to a nice crisp; This encased the halibut and made it extra moist and flaky.  Believe me when I say that the fish portion was very big!

Niman Ranch Rib-eye Steak Frites, Chimichurri and Arugula:

The Niman Ranch Rib-eye was huge, and completely encrusted with fried rosemary leaves. The chimichurri gave it a bright kick of flavor.

The cut itself was quite fatty, even for a rib-eye. Fortunately, it was a big a portion so there was still enough to eat after trimming off large areas of yellowed fat.  The meat that was there was very soft and juicy.  Again, freshness prevailed.

A word of warning: They never overcook your meat here, so consider ordering it cooked one level higher than you normally would. For instance, the steak below was ordered medium-rare.  Ha. 

Close-up of steak:

Arugula and mayonnaise:

Even though we’ve never been crazy about the desserts at Goin restaurants, we ordered one here for the sake of being thorough. This dessert was recommended by our waitress. It also seemed like quite a popular item in the restaurant that night.

“Snickers” Bar, Salted Peanuts:

Better than decent. Very rich. Very big. This “Snickers” bar was coated in smooth dark chocolate, and sprinkled with a really delicious, crisp honeycomb type candy (similar to Butterfinger). The very bottom layer was a paper-thin crisp wafer.

Unfortunately, the nougat was extremely tough. We were given a steak knife to eat it with. The knife was cumbersome, and not really effective in cutting through the rock-hard nougat. (Homemade nougat can be tricky, but perhaps they should have tried to perfect a better version before featuring it on the menu.  We’ve had soft nougat at many other restaurants, so it’s not impossible.)

Done!:

All in all, we like Tavern. Lots of similarities to Lucques. Desserts leave something to be desired, but we will continue to be loyal bar patrons during our slow afternoons.

Can’t wait to stop by for brunch!

Rating:
8+ out of 10 spoonfuls

Value:
$$$$