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Red Medicine is the infamous restaurant where famed food critic Irene Virbila was outed (i.e. photographed) and refused service. While I agree with many opinions on both sides of this incident, I had not been keen to go to this restaurant until a fellow foodie friend said it was high on his list of places to try.
Fortunately I am not famous enough to be either recognized or refused service for my “power” as a food critic, so I was seated and served without incident with two of my friends who are both as critical of food as I am.
Since the menu is meant to be shared, we ordered several small plates, the first one to arrive was the brussel sprouts with caramelized shallots, fish sauce, and vermouth for $9. The crunchy chips on top were a nice way to present this dish and some of the brussel sprouts were fabulous, while others (especially at the bottom of the dish) were overly salted. When using fish sauce, it is very important to use a light hand when salting and apparently the kitchen didn’t understand concept yet.
We also tried the beef tartare for $15 which was made with water lettuce, water chestnut, nuoc leo (peanut sauce), chlorophyll, and peanut. This was such an unusual version of beef tartare that we all said “Whoa!” after the first bite. But we all took second and third bites until we finished the dish. Combining all the ingredients on the rice chips was essential to getting the full flavors this dish incorporated. I’m not sure I would order this again, but I was glad I had tried it.
The most disappointing dish of the entire night was the white asparagus with fried burdock root and coated in tapioca salsify, with spot prawn roe, on top of almond milk. It was completely tasteless, with no seasoning whatsoever, and the asparagus was so stringy that we had trouble eating it (or even biting through it). It was a shame since we all loved asparagus, but none of us wanted to eat this.
It is hard to tell from the photo, but the sweetbreads under the charred cabbage were wonderful. This was one of our favorite dishes of the evening, with perfectly crispy and tender nuggets. Once again the salt was a bit overdone on the charred cabbage, but the sweetbreads made this dish a winner.
For our final hot course, we chose the rice porridge with the uni supplement for $27 made with egg yolk, hazelnuts, ginseng, butter and Santa Barbara Red Uni. This was a very rich dish which we all loved. The combination of flavors made this the ultimate comfort dish of all time. This was definitely not your run of the mill home made or even restaurant quality rice porridge. It should definitely be shared unless you want to eat only one dish here.
For our desserts we shared the Green Gage plum with frozen cream, sorrel, elderflower, wild chervil. It was an interesting (as in neither good nor bad) alchemy of flavors both tart and sweet, but no one like this enough to finish it.
The dessert winner of the evening was the birch ice. It was THE most unusual dessert I have ever tasted and it beckons me to come back to Red Medicine with it’s scintillating composition of textures and flavors. The presentation was beautiful.
But upon cracking open the crunchy top layer, the cold, sweet, and creamy secret treasures below were absolutely addictive. Made with birch ice, almond praline, red currants, green almond, and jasmine, this was a palate pleaser.
I’m glad I was not on their “hit list” and able to taste their unique fare. Although I loved all their presentations, I was not impressed with all their flavors, especially since over salting food is a big faux pas that was repeated in two of their dishes. At prices that hovered around $60 per person, this kind of amateur mistake should have happened even once. People care more about tasting their dishes than looking at them, so the execution of recipes must be precise to elevate the food to the same level as the plating.
We all remember a flavorful dish long after it is eaten, but no one will remember a beautiful plate after they have seen it.
My friends used to drive in from the Valley to come eat here, but for some reason I was a virgin to neighborhood favorite Sawtelle Kitchen. The menu is an eclectic mix of Asian curry, katsu dishes, Italian pasta, salads, and appetizers that incorporate ingredients as diverse as lotus roots, kabocha, mussels, and lamb shanks (not all in one dish)!
I had to try one of the hot appetizer/side dishes, so I chose the Japanese mushrooms with wild vegetables sauteed in a soy butter sauce for $7.95. It was a decadently rich rendition of vegetables whose silky sauce begged for bread to soak up the sauce (and I used my dinner roll to do just that).
I had a very nice bowl of Miso with lots of tofu and a huge piece of wakame (seaweed) with my dinner.
I ordered the Chilean Sea Bass with the ginger sauce and a salad instead of rice for $22.45 (it’s $19.95 with rice instead of salad). Sadly my fish was slightly overcooked and the ginger sauce was a bit too salty, but the salad was very good. I would definitely order another dish next time.
The Pasta Carbonara with ham, onion, cream and black pepper for $11.95 was absolutely perfect (as my Italian dinner partner said, he would have made this dish exactly the same way at home). This dish was the epitome of sublime decadence; not too rich to eat but luxurious enough to make you want to eat the entire bowl.
Perhaps the best thing about the place was that we went during happy hour which is from 3pm-10pm Monday-Thursday, 3-7pm Fridays, and 11:30-6pm on Sundays which means all our food and drinks were HALF PRICE (so take 50% off the prices I posted)! They serve French and Tahitian beers, espresso, and French lemonade, but if you want wine (they only serve two), bring your own and pay only a $5 corkage fee for each 750ml bottle.
Who would have thought that a neighborhood place in Little Osaka would have pasta an Italian would love? Not me, but that just means I will be going back for salad and a pasta soon.
Looking for a place to eat at 11:30 pm on the Westside during a week night is no easy task. There are of course the usual diners and the Brazilian place that over cooks nearly everything on their menu, but my friend Mika was starving and wanted something good. We were willing to try something new before resorting to the old mediocre standbys.
We saw the neon “Open” sign at Asian-Ya as we were driving to the mediocre places and Mika did a U-Turn, saying, “I hope they are good” as she turned into their parking lot. We were willing to chance it and we grew hopeful as we saw half the tables filled with young students, and the posted hours said open until 00:00 (Mika translated and told me it means midnight).
They are a bit of a sake bar, with a menu devoted to flavors ranging from dry to sweet, made from sweet potato, barley, and rice. Prices ranged from $5 to $15 a glass and a “glass” is a ceramic cup that is big enough to hold about 8 oz. For some strange reason when I asked for my sake cold, they put ice IN the sake. I didn’t mind since I had not chosen a $15 sake, but be forewarned if you do want your sake cold and order a premium sake.
Since I was along mainly for company, not because I was hungry, I chose the clams in sake for $7. They were very flavorful and tender. The broth was so delicious that I could have drunk it as a soup.
Mika ordered the Miso Eggplant which had a slightly sweet paste and the toasted sesame seeds added a nice smoky crunch to the soft eggplant.
Mika also chose the shrimp fried rice which was she liked so much she kept eating spoonfuls even after she declared, “I’m full” . It was also a very generous serving, easily enough for two.
Mika’s eyes were bigger than her stomach, so she only finish about half of everything she ordered, including the grilled mackerel, which was done classically and well; not too dry, and not too oily.
The mackerel dish also came with miso soup and the grand total for everything we ate (and all the food that Mika took home) and drank (Mika had a hot tea) was only $36!
It was a steal considering the quality of the food and the wide selection (there are some Korean choices on the menu as well as ramen, curry, and exotic grilled meats like beef tongue and gizzards). Even with these prices, they have a happy hour from 5-7pm with drinks priced below the already reasonable menu prices.
I think we may have found our late night spot on the Westside open and serving with a smile at 00:00:-)
Chinese food is very low on my list of favorites, perhaps because I grew up in NYC and the food here on the West Coast just does not make my taste buds say “yeah”. There are some very good restaurants in San Francisco, and some decent ones in the Monterey Park and San Gabriel area, but in West LA? Only one makes my list, and that one is Hop Li. Maybe because they have restaurants in Arcadia and Chinatown as well as Westwood and West Los Angeles, they actually cook food Chinese people would eat.
When my friend Mika wanted some Chinese comfort food, Hop Li was the only place near my house that I would take her (because she not only knows good Chinese food, but she has some Chinese in her background). Another plus in favor of Hop Li is that the typical rudeness found in most Chinese places towards nonChinese is absent at Hop Li; Mika even commented about how nice everyone was to both of us.
Mika loves rice, so our rice dish was the BBQ pork fried rice. It was a very generous portion for $7.75. It was full of perfect char su (Chinese BBQ pork), egg, vegetables, and not too greasy. We loved it but could only eat about half of this order (we took the rest to go).
We had to order some vegetables, so we chose the tender greens for $8.75. Simply sauteed in oil and salt, this was a wonderful way to get our vegetables and again the portion was so generous we could only eat half of this dish (and again we took the rest to go).
Since Hop Li is one of the few places that does a dry style chow fun that I like, we got it done with beef for $8.95. The noodles were a bit greasy, but chow fun is very sticky and given a choice between slightly greasy and dry noodles stuck together, I will chose the greasy any day. The scallions and bean sprouts helped make the dish fresh and with the addition of some hot peppers, this dish was a winner. And yes, again we only ate about half and took the rest home.
Hop Li also serves fantastic fresh seafood like lobsters, crabs, and shrimp (see my previous post), so if you are craving Chinese food and are on the Westside of Los Angeles, you have an option that is both good and generous.
My friend Cindy wanted to spend a day shopping, eating, and getting our nails done, so we chose to spend our day in the neighborhood around Robertson in Beverly Hills. Robertson is paparazzi central during the day with numerous stores and restaurants which attract both celebrities and their stalkers; tourists get can a taste of the Hollywood lifestyle here and for an out of towner like Cindy, it added an element of entertainment to our day together.
We went to Chaya because it had been nearly a year since we have gone there and they have since remodeled and hired a new chef; it was like going to a new restaurant in a familiar location. The remodel took away the outdated rattan fans and replaced them with a bamboo and white muslin garden, creating a relaxing atrium space in the center of the restaurant. It felt clean and peaceful and the food was as clean and fresh as the new space.
Nice crusty bread was offered with an olive tapenade as we sat down.
Cindy chose to start with the roasted beet salad with oranges, mizuna, goat cheese, and campari for $9. She adored the detail design of the goat cheese and delighted in the taste of the campari.
I began with the tuna tartare for $16. It was a great rendition of this classic, with lightly dressed fresh sashimi on an avocado base. The tasted bread accompaniment was a nice touch, adding a hearty crunchiness to the delicate tartare.
Cindy chose the tuna, tuna, tuna as her entree, with spicy tuna, tuna sashimi, and tuna tataki on a bed of mixed greens for $18. She asked for pickled ginger to accompany her dish, but enjoyed her salad without the accompaniment. She said it was the best tuna combination she has ever had (and she has had a lot of tuna).
I chose the soy glazed black cod with sesame soy dressing, bok choy, steamed rice, and a side of fried shittake mushrooms for $20. I love how Chaya Venice does their fish, and this branch is just as deft in their handling of fish; it was perfectly cooked and the sides were a nice contrast of textures with the crunchy tempura shittakes and the tender steamed bok choy. Although only the fish was soy glazed, the sides really did not need any sauce since the glaze on the rice added a nice accent without overpowering the main flavor of the fish.
We had no room for dessert so we paraded ourselves around Robertson, but no paparazzi were interested in photographing us; no matter, we preferred being happy rather than being famous anyway.
>If you haven’t made plans for dinner tonight, you might want to go to Chaya Venice tonight. They offering a Valentine’s Day menu for two today that includes choices like Antipasto for two ($38), or surf and turf for two ($48), or dessert for two ($22). To delight your chocoholic, they have a Valentini chocolate martini ($12) or for champagne aficionados, a Champagne cocktail ($13).
Their food is always on point and the service is top notch, although the dining room can be noisy at times (when it is full). I enjoyed my last Dine LA menu here before I left on my trip to Paris.
The menu offered three courses for $22 that included a Blood Orange, Burrata Cheese, and Wild Arugula Salad with Balsamic Reduction. This was a wonderfully refreshing salad with the acidity of the blood oranges adding a bright note to the young arugula and the creamy burrata.
For my main course, I chose the Grilled Angus Rib-Eye Steak, Pinot Noir Sauce
Mixed Potatoes, with Broccolini and specifically asked for it to be very rare (cold in the center). I have never ordered red meat here, so I was a bit tentative as I cut into the steak, but I did not need to worry; it was as I had ordered it, perfectly rare in the center. Since I am normally not a potato lover, I was surprised by the crispy medley of potatoes that were so delicious I nearly ate all of them!
I was so full after my meal the only dessert I had room for were the pistachio Chocolate Cookies that came warm so the chocolate chips were melting 
I hope this sample of Chaya’s food enticed you to try them (or go back if you already have); did it work?
One of my favorite times of the year is when Dine LA week is in effect, and it’s even better when one of the participating restaurants is one I frequent, like Rock Sugar. When $16 buys you three courses at lunch, it’s time to eat lunch out, and try out new dishes, while ordering old favorites.
We started with an appetizer we had never tried here before, the chicken potstickers. The dense meaty dumplings were served with a ponzu dipping sauce which boosted the rich flavor with a little zing. These are not my favorite potstickers, I found the meat too coarsely chopped and densely packed in doughy wrappers, but they were not bad.
We also ordered our favorite chicken samosas, filled with a chicken and a spice medley that was not hot, but very aromatic. The crunchy envelope of filo was a nice contrast to the tender ground chicken, and the cilantro dipping sauce added a nice extra component of texture for those who want it. This was the appetizer favorite for the table.
One of my friends ordered the chicken with red curry and received a small cast iron pot filled with vegetables. This was one of the new dishes (for us) and since she does not like shiitake mushrooms, she asked for them to be omitted. She was pleasantly surprised when the dish arrived with the addition of asparagus, which she loves. This is a very rich hearty dish, and you can have brown or white rice with it, so it is perfect cold weather food.
Our favorite main course here is the clay pot beef, and although the lunch portion is smaller than the dinner version, it was still more than I could finish in one sitting. If you only order one dish here, order this one.
Since we wisely stopped eating our entrees when we felt full, we saved some room for dessert. The popular banana caramelized cake served with chocolate ice cream was a hit, but our favorite dessert was not this one.
We have a weakness for doughnuts, so when we saw coconut doughnuts served with a passion fruit sauce on the menu, we knew we had to try it. If everything else in the meal had been terrible, these doughnuts would have saved it. The delicate doughnuts, still hot from the fryer and topped with toasted coconut were divine, but when dipped in the passionfruit sauce, they became ethereal. Everyone fought over this dessert, even though a dessert for one included TWO doughnuts!
Fortunately, DineLA week lasts two weeks and comes around twice a year, unlike Christmas; I know what I am going to be ordering at Rock Sugar during the next DineLA week (well, I should say that I know what I want for dessert).
Having been to Beacon for dinner (see my previous post), I wanted to try lunch on their patio during the day, and what better day than one in October when temperatures hit 80 here in Los Angeles? Even better than the weather, was the deal they had with set lunch menus for $16 during Dine LA week.
I started with the roasted beet and apple salad, served with goat cheese, toasted almonds and dressed with a miso white balsamic sauce. This salad is fusion as it should be, a medley of flavors which actually compliment each other without battling for attention. It was a nice refreshing way to start of my meal.
For my main course I chose the pulled pork sandwich with Asian slaw, and just looking at the picture is making my mouth water for another bite of this rich and crunchy balance. The soft bread allowed me to actually take a full bite and taste the sweetly sauced tender pork with the crisp cabbage and carrot Asian slaw which offered a nice counterpoint to the rich pork.
Portions were reasonable enough that I actually had room for my dessert of coconut panna cotta with strawberries and lychees. Normally I don’t like panna cotta, but I love coconut, so I figured I would give this dessert a taste. I liked the smooth light panna cotta so much I ate nearly half of it before eating the fruit!
Beacon is not only a Beacon in the night, but also in the day when you can enjoy the creative cuisine of Asians living in the West. Beacon truly is the best of both worlds.
