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Radhika Modern Indian Goes Gourmet

September 4, 2015 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) In his mission to mainstream authentic Indian food to American customers, trained Radhika Modern Indian chef owner Karan Raina has also achieved recognition as one of the best Indian restaurants in Los Angeles. Always on site at the restaurant, Raina was raised in the Punjab area in India, known for exporting innately knowledgeable restaurateurs, and Karen has shown he is one of the best.

The unique dishes are distinguished by refined, authentic regional flavors as their base. White Gaspacho on the summer menu is a perfect example. The Gazpacho of cultured yogurt, made in-house, parsley and mint is an echo of a refreshing salt lassi. Raina explains that a lot of care is taken with the spices, including the roasted cumin, Persian cucumbers (pressed into the liquid), tomato, lime juice salt and pepper and summery dill. “Each dish is built around one herb or spice,” he says, with dill honored in the Gazpacho. A surprisingly delicious, if subtle, starter with buttermilk tartness, it also makes it an excellent palate cleanser.

As tantalizing as bread from the oven can be, the Bread Basket at Radhika offers original and herb-flavored naans, a bit oversized with flavor to match. Prantha, stuffed whole wheat bread cooked in the Tandoor, is also available.

A slight variation on the ever-popular Saag Paneer or Cheese Spinach, Radhika Spicy Paneer with assorted vegetables, introduces the ability of the kitchen to infuse a dish with heat, rather than an assaultive spikiness. Raina described it as Indo-Chinese, a “kind of Manchurian dish,” with soy, sweet and sour chilies, and the sweetness of tomato, a fruit after all. Textures and color from the peppers add interest. And in this dish, basil is the main herb honored. So tomato and basil, for sweet and sour, all elements familiar to the universal palate are the base of the dish.

Malai Kofta, a sort of handmade ball of squash, veggies and cottage cheese, simmered in Almond and Cashew Broth, is a perfect vegetarian dish that also satisfies carnivores as an entrée or side dish because it has hearty protein and is also slightly sweet. This is from the mid-section of the Indian map, and “Gujarati style is always, always sweet,” laughs Raina. “They put sugar on everything.”

chicken Tandoor Cilantro is the herb featured in the tender, juicy, Tandoori Chicken, marinated and cooked in the Tandoor oven. It is a contemporary color palate with the grilled crusty yellow gold chicken on a bed of garden green Persian cukes, white cabbage and lime punctuated with red onion. The Raina demonstrated more of the full array of what Radhika kitchen can do with chicken by bringing out Chicken Tikka Masala, the mainstay with which every restaurant can be measured and a fun appetizer, Chicken Pikkora, infused with cayenne yet coated with the lightest batter reminiscent of tempura. A slightly sweet tamarind relish brings out even more of the flavors by contrasting with the cayenne pepper. chicken tikkamasala chicken Z pikkora

The chat masala, the spice blend that is the base of all sauces, is what makes the difference between a good Indian dish and a superb one.It is even used to flavor the pakora batter. Raina imports his spices and uses only the freshest.

Smoky flavor is what lingers from the Salmon Kabab, fresh salmon marinated with herbs and spices and cooked in the Tandoor. Fresh, highest quality marks the powered coriander, the very fine cumin and the mustard oil marinade. Pan fried vegetables accompany the salmon, including cauliflower, peas, zucchini and translucent mini-onion slabs. As with the Naan, this dish is meant to be eaten hot since the salmon continues to cook on the plate.

Radhika Lamb Shank, that most beloved dish of diners, is here accompanied by a side dish of the lightest, long grain Kasmiri Rice. The cherry on top signified the fruit and other exotic touches influenced by the regal Persian occupiers of the area.

Imported cinnamon, coriander and cloves, made into a yogurt sauce with the classic tomato, ginger, garlic and onion, seep into the lamb as it cooks. “We go through 12 lamb shanks a day.

Named after his mother, Radhika (also a prominent spirit in Indian mythology). Karen’s father was born in Kashmir, and his mother is Punjabi, the best of all culinary worlds.

Radhika is on a corner of one of the most inviting, if not the most inviting, streets anywhere. The feeling of history permeates the quaint neighborhood, with wonderful, over-sized windows peering out of two-story buildings that are only found in areas over a century old. Radhika is a handsome, intimate corner restaurant with a separate smaller wine room and lounge.

Radhika’s label as “gourmet,” is that of a connoisseur of fine food and drink rather than one meaning “high priced.” It pertains to a dish setting a standard in its visual appeal. It sets the standard in taste with fresh ingredients, balanced and seasoned perfectly and also maintaining the integrity of the original dish. And here the label falls under the category of a “gourmet” kitchen elaborately equipped for the preparation of fancy, specialize or exotic meals.

Radhika Modern Indian, 966 Million Street, S. Pasadena, CA 91030, (626)799-2200, (www.radhikarestaurat.com)

Order online for pickup or delivery below.

LA’s Best Coffee: ARO-LATIN’s Café de Olla Corretto

September 3, 2015 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Cafe de Olla Corretto, a beauty of a drink, was first created for me one hot, lazy day in South Pasadena this summer at the AROLATIN bar. And there is no hotter or lazier than on this quaint street. Alejandro Chavez revamped and elevated the drink for us. His recipe goes thusly:

Café de Olla, with pillonsillo and cinnamon

Shot of tequila

5 oz patron Café Liquor

Splash of rumchata

And how appropriate that we are on Mission Street, the set of blocks created by an eccentric bunch of businessman before the turn of the century, who made their money quickly and emphatically in the then nearby orange groves. This merry band took the term “mixed use property” to heart. They utilized the first floors as retail businesses and the second floors to house their concubines for monkey business.

Once inside the cool, inviting restaurant, we didn’t stop with the Cafe de Olla. This was a “dessert” visit so we indulged in the light, most moist, tres leches cake, created by Candy Garcia Raina, co-owner of AROLATIN with husband, Karan.

The original Cafe de Olla corretto tastes just as delicious, and was just as pretty although I’m not sure of the effect. Not only did the AROLATIN bartender take back the bottle he had handed me to help myself, after he learned that I was not taking the metro, he didn’t finish pouring the rest of the tequila!

In Italy it is known as Caffe corretto, a shot of espresso with a small amount of liquor, usually grappa and In Italy it is known as Caffe corretto, a shot of espresso with a small amount of liquor, usually grappa and sometimes Sambuca or brandy. Outside of Italy, it also goes by the name, “espresso corretto” and ordered as “un caffe corretto alla grappa.” But who cares about the details. Coffee by any name is my passion, proven by the fact that the ONLY password clue I remember is “Favorite Food,” and that being “coffee. “ It is the taste and the ritual that is important. Most Italian bartenders prepare a caffe corretto by adding a few drops of liquor into an espresso shot; however, when it is a favored customer, bartenders are known to present the espresso shot and liquor bottle and let the customer do the pour.

In Spain a similar drink is known as carajillo, and in Sweden, Norway and Denmark as Kaffekask, karsk and kaffepunch. However, it makes me smile to learn that karsk or kaffe is actually coffee added to moonshine to make it more palatable, rather than liquor added to coffee for flavor! I will have to remember this when I visit PLANCHECK next time, where moonshine is a star on Chef Ernesto’s menu.

Grappa (or tequila for that matter) in coffee is a crazy idea. However, the drink has become so popular and well known that the phase “corretto”, meaning “corrected” in English has become an idiomatic term in Italian, a Phraseme.

Added to this apology for the drink, you could say they are both stimulants is that espresso has less caffeine than coffee. When I was boarding a plane in Milano a few years back and had already taken a valium for the flight, I remembered that it was my mission to have an espresso in this glorious city – so I had a double. It was a singular and just as novel an experience as enjoying my first caffe corretto on a terrace overlooking Lake Garda a few weeks earlier. The espresso did not phase me at all except for a pleasant buzz; I slept like a baby all the way home.

I’m not sure how the more raw-tasting mezcal would work in the drink, but trust the bartenders. On a place of honor among the shelves on the impressive wall behind the bar are a changing row of infused mezcal in gleaming colors. We tried one of Bartender Alejandro’s refreshing, fruity creations with the prickly pear infused in a special cocktail.

AROLATIN, 1019 Mission Street, S. Pasadena, CA 91030 (626) 799-9400. (//arolatin.com/). Order online for pickup or delivery below.

“STEAK (R)EVOLUTION” Film Leaves Out America’s Finest

August 29, 2015 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Acclaimed French director-producer Franck Ribiere, who turns out to also be a dedicated carnivore, takes us on an international search for the best and healthiest steak in the world in the documentary STEAK (R)EVOLUTION. It plays exclusively for a one-week engagement at Landmark’s Nuart Theatre, starting August 28.

The passionate Ribiere entices us with images of butter-dripping luxury steaks and provokes us with a comprehensive tour to think about how beef is most humanely – and thus best-brought to table, and so all the more enjoyed. Winner of the Best Documentary COLCOA 2015, watch the trailer here //www.youtube.com/watch?v=45g90TCJ5OU.

So how could they have left out Piedmontese Beef, both in Italy and the USA, giving a nod fleetingly to cousins, the Chianina in the Piedmont area?

Ribiere’s visit to historic Peter Luger Restaurant in Brooklyn, USA is the inspiration for the film although he leaves out America’s finest altogether (Piedmontese). Yet even Robiere’s interspersed shots of his Peter Luger experience alone, from the painstaking preparing of the meat and ritual steak meal at table to interviewing the current family owner (trained with her aunties to purchase meat, as shown below) are enough to make you phone in a reservation to the legendary steakhouse and buy a ticket to NY.

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Ribiere’s family set the bar high, raising their own Charolais cows in France, which at one time he thought were the absolute best, and with good reason. That was until he experienced a steak at the famed Peter Luger’s in Brooklyn, New York, considered the oldest steakhouse in America. Could anything be better?

directorfrankribieremoxie

The director has his doubts. And so he embarks with us on a journey around the world – well, Japan, UK, USA anyway, with his trusty expert guide and favorite butcher,Yves-Marie Le Bourdonnec. The steaks are numbered in a countdown but that is the most cohesive element of the documentary that is so richly filmed but seems to lack editing – and comes in at over two hours! Still, such “moments,” such as the Japanese couple who bow and express their honor over being included in the film before they introduce the filmmaker to their pampered cattle, are worth the price of admission. And the notion that great beef prepared even in a stove pan the proper way sets a standard for excellence.

steakrevolutionmoxie

Director Ribere describes his quest: “I took the point of view of a consumer who loves meat. My approach was therefore first and foremost to look for quality products and also to try to understand the producer’s philosophy.” At over two hours, the film feels unedited and very much the seemingly casual trips taken in every direction, also interspersing footage from Peter Lugar’s here and there.

The story is told through interviews with passionate cattle breeders, professional butchers, chefs, meat experts and steak house operators, to come to a conclusion about how good and healthy red meat can be achieved—and why it is becoming a luxury product. Most of them are detailed and informative. They indirectly advocate moving toward sustainable farming practices and smaller-scale operations as one positive change, just about literally a film pairing Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma (2006).

japanesemeatmoxie

Far from large cattle farms with their industrial output, Ribière and Le Bourdonnec’s coverage extends from the surprisingly great beef in Great Britain (including grass-fed crazy Australia and New Zealand, to the raising of Kobe in Japanese spa-like conditions. One of the most fascinating segments, and yet treated as a novelty rather than one of the main elements in raising beef, is a breeder whose cattle live to the very, very ripe old age of 14 or so (rather than two). The cost of raising and feeding cattle could have been the focal point of the entire film.

We were heartbroken that they left out Piedmontese Beef, both in Italy and the USA, giving a nod fleetingly to cousins, the Chianina in the Piedmont area. The reason for the regality of Piedmontese is because the cattle have 1 or 2 copies of the inactive myostatin gene, which provides a higher lean-to-fat ratio. It is less marbled and has less connective tissue, thus more tender yet less fatty. This low fat beef is also lower in calories, higher in protein and contains a higher percentage of the good Omega 3 Fatty Acid. Piedmontese cattle spend the majority of their lives on grass and are finished on grains.

We did our own local research after the manager of Del Frisco Grille, billing itself as a “sophisticate chophouse chain serving steak…..) insisted on hosting us to try “the best steak in the world” at the Santa Monica location. Although he didn’t come out to watch our reaction, the chefs and staff eagerly awaited our reaction with baited breath as they brought out the ribeye, grilled at a high heat with no other seasoning than a coat of salt and pepper. The beef had a definite bite and distinct taste.

And so we give the last word to Del Frisco Grille’s National Director of Purchasing, Dave Tashman, who explains that the Del Frisco Grille’s beef is 100% Eastern Corn Fed, USDA Prime, and, like most American cattle, are raised on range or pasture for most of their lives and end life in the traditional and most humane way possible. In his words, “this method provides the marbling, flavor and makes US meat better than any beef in Europe or Great Britain. Millennials think grass-fed cattle is better but in reality most grass fed are ‘finished’ on some form of of non-grass veggies, usually corn, for the luscious mouthfeel and the best taste in the world.” (delfriscosgrille.com/santa-monica).

Another French director, the legendary, Academy Award winning director, René Clément and his iconic post-war masterpiece, Forbidden Games (1951) arrives with Steak (R)Evolution at the NuArt this week with a new digital presentation and translation. Plenty of table scenes, with lots of entrees, albeit straight from the field, made into finger food at the rustic dining table, round out the compelling friendship of two youngsters, five-year-old Brigitte Fossey and 11-year-old Georges Poujouly, a country boy who somehow acts in a regal manner amidst the idiotic peasant feuds of the adults around him.

ForbiddenGames

After Brigitte’s parents are killed by an air strike while the family flees Paris during the German invasion, she wanders off in her gorgeous little fashionable dress, into the nearby bucolic surroundings and a life as alien from the city as if were on another planet. The two youngsters form a special, secret bond that makes a lot more sense than the behavior of the adults around them, whose petty feuds mirrors that of the world war going on in what feels like a distant rest of Europe. Narciso Yepes’ haunting guitar vituoso score ranks right up there with that of The Third Man’s inspired zitherist, Anton Karas. The personal and disturbing, Forbidden Games, shot in stunning, elegant black and white, proves to be timeless after winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, the Independent Grand Prix at Cannes, the Best Foreign Film Award from the New York Film Critics Circle, and Clement’s second Academy Award® for Best Foreign Film.

Trailer: //www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_m00tBc1I4

East India Grill Defines “Hole-in-the-Wall”Treasure

August 28, 2015 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) East India Grill has aged gracefully from its original 1986 cutting-edge format, complete with performance kitchen and fresh ingredients geared toward the lighter California palate, into a funky hole-in-the-wall ethnic landmark. But its classic menu with consistently strong, clear flavors, along with friendly, considerate service have kept it on the list of most popular Los Angeles Indian restaurants to this day.

One example of pure graciousness was being offered Indian wine. It also turned out to have the honor of enjoying one of the East India Grill’s last bottles of Grover Vineyards Viognier Clairette (2005). It turns out that the 400-acre vineyard “at the foot of the misty Nandi Hills in Bangalore,” was established in 1988 to revive the Indian wine industry in India using French grapes. It succeeded to such an extent that it attracted a French market. This Claret, known to be high in alcohol and low in acidity, was a beautiful example, tasting very much like a crystal clear sauvignon blanc.

Meat Samosas with peas are an off-the-menu offering in the Appetizer Section, the dough thick as a pie dough crust and pinched in a sweet way as in a pie.

2015-08-25 13.24.56 HDR The “must-try” Wings from Hell, from the original 1986 menu, give a new meaning to “wing” appetizers. The sauce is about finished while you try to figure out the ingredients of the thick, thick, thick hot tomato chili sauce as fiery as you would like it.

Calamari (squid) Rings in a three-flour batter have an American appeal, especially with a squeeze of lemon and a dip into the mint chutney. The Curries are a simple choice. The menu reads, “Choose a curry, vegetable meat or seafood flavor and you come up with a dish. “ A thoughtful addition: “Also please specify how would (you) like it prepared: mild, medium or hot. If you do not specify we will make it mild.”

We tried the Makhani Tikka Masala with a flowing tomato cream sauce, silky and non-acidic. Complementing this dish was the fragrant, perfectly balanced, affron and cashew nut- infused Chicken Korma curry.

The classic Saag Paneer provided healthy, light vegetable and protein, here with generous chunks of cheese (paneer).

Karahi, an Indian curry stir fry with onions, peppers and tomatoes, proved glorious in both color and straightforward flavors.

Basil, cilantro and garlic Naan prepared a few feet away in the tandoor oven makes it taste even more chewy and crunchy. 2015-08-25 13.23.24 Roti (a name derived from the Roma gypsies that carried it from India through Persia, where it was renamed Naan) is baked with whole wheat that lends it a more rustic taste and appearance.

Dessert saffron kulfi, was a beautiful muted saffron color. It has the feel of a creamsicle all in one bite, and East India Grill adds slivered almonds to enrich the little bars with a royal touch.

That East India Grill began its long history and reputation as one of LA’s best Indian restaurants, is in the very name, “Grill,” de rigueur in 1986 when it introduced a whole new generation of foodies to the California version of lighter Indian cuisine in the shadow of the very pop culture landmark, Pink’s Hot Dogs. It was one of four restaurants in a then very contemporary, one-story architectural complex, all with the same minimalist, bold style that seemed very bold among the brash car dealerships and high end restaurants just beginning to sprout up on the street. And it has endured for 25 years. The latest reinvention of La Brea Avenue into a yuppie yet funky neighborhood is also the newest and perfect setting for East India Grill.

I remember when an especially condescending L.A. Times restaurant writer complained that “the Wings from Hell were more like the wings from heck.” Maybe she did not read the fine print about choosing the level of heat. She also complained that, “everything is explained.”

Which is exactly what I love about the place.

East India grill, 345 N. La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90035, www.eastindiagrillla.com. Click below to order online now for pickup or delivery.

We even had a reminder of the past with a timeless Indian madras print shirt on the motorcycle rider next to our car!

Rare Southern Fare at Annapurna Indian Vegetarian in Culver City

August 19, 2015 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Dosas in all their glory have a starring role in Annapurna Southern Indian Vegetarian Restaurant’s new menu. They are so much fun, so satisfying that carnivores won’t notice the absence of meat. The Culver City restaurant, acclaimed as one of Los Angeles’ best Indian restaurant, may be named after a mythical angel, and one of the most revered, treacherous Nepalese mountains in the world but earthly comfort food is key here. In a more urban take, Annapurna offers 5 Cocktail Uthappams of the chefs sauce served with channa curry.

Also on the menu are authentic specialties just as whimsical in appearance and also healthy, such as Vada, a savory cousin of the American doughnut, pieces of and Puri, clouds of fried unleavened Indian bread that looks like kin to the southern American popover. Dahi Vada, deep-fried lentil donuts, laced with cilantro, dipped in a special yogurt sauce are served with yogurt and spices, the telltake clue it will not be sweet.

At Annapurna the Puri puffs out on on a tray like mountain Annapurna restaurant shares a name with on a metal tray with Channa masala, a spicy garbanzo bean stew filled with Serrano chilies usually topped with pomegranate molasses, and the Indochinese Paneer Chili, spiked with chilies in a sauce, onion and green pepper.

Dosas have one of the high rankings in the current World’s 50 most delicious foods compiled by CNN. The paper thin dosas are compared to a pancake but they most resemble a French tuille in appearance with the crunch of a potato chip.

Dosas come in all sizes. The three most popular forms are cylinders, circles that can be folded over into triangles like a crepe and cones, with a tiny one tilted atop a bigger one – or rolled up into a very long family version – it can be as long as the griddle they are cooked on so many families opt to eat them at restaurants with extra long professional stoves, as they have as Annapurna.

Dosas provide a great source of complete protein in the combination of rice flour and black gram lentil. This also makes it easy to digest although even one dosa can keep you adequately full because they are high in carbs although they contain no sugar or saturated fats. Not only is it a source of protein but the fermentation process increases the vitamin B and vitamin C content.

The adaptable Southern Indian Dosas are popular both at breakfast and at any time of the day. They are as versatile as a pancake and can be infused or filled with flavorings and spices (a popular one honors the Indian flag with chilies and cilantro at either end. They can be stuffed to make for a hearty meal, and their flavors enhance the most popular combinations they are paired with, most often coconut or tomato chutneys, or sambar vegetable curry. Sambar is a lentil-based vegetable stew or chowder based on a broth made with tamarind.

Dosas are only a part of the Annapurna Restaurant menu. Thali’s includes appetirs, rice, stew, urry, pickle, veggie, raita (yogurt based sauce, and dessert served on a round metal tray with a bowl of rice in the middle.

Dessert features Halwas made of fresh fruits and carrots, cooking in a heavy milk sauce and melted butter, and the Gulab Jamoon shown below.

A full buffet of changing items includes the Far Far crisp with the fun name.

Order online for pickup or delivery below.

Annapurna Cuisine, 10200 Venice Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232, (310) 204-5500. Business Hours: Monday – Thursday : 11:30am – 3:00pm, 5:30pm – 10:00pm. Friday – Sunday : 11:30am – 10:00pm. annapurnacuisine@gmail.com

Mexicano Rules

August 8, 2015 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Exceptional Los Angeles Eastside restaurants usually stay a well-kept secret and so it was with La Casita Mexicana in Bell (all of about 3 miles from downtown L.A. ) for the bold, traditional dishes and the Latin hospitality of charismatic chefs Jaime Martin del Campo and Ramiro Arvizu (www.tienditamex.com/first-restaurant-post). That was true until they opened Mexicano ( “me-hi-ka-no”)this year, on the west side in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw district. (www.mexicanola.com)(baldwinhillscrenshawplaza.com).

Noelle Carter, LA Times Test Kitchen Director (with Chefs Ramiro and Jaime)

Ironically, street construction, torrid unseasonal weather and a packed schedule even makes a visit an out of town adventure. Hostess, Olga, made it even better by offering a cool drink at the door before leading out into the little breezy, shaded outdoor patio corridor (just outside the shopping center doors). There we were under the professional, cordial care of server Sylvia, although she handles both inside and outside tables.

(image courtesy of Mexicano restaurant)

(image courtesy of Mexicano restaurant)

Just-fried corn chips served warm in a stunning silver bowl inscripted with Mexicano, arrived at the table soon after. The chips topped with some smashed fijoles with a bit of pickled carrot and jalapeno strips and crumbled cotijo cheese, are accompanied by a ramekin of full-flavored smokey salsa with heat but none of the spikey .

A cucumber-mint agua fresca was in order avoid a sweet drink, with a shot of tequila on the side for omph. It arrived in a shot glass cleverly sitting tightly in a small round vase of ice, representative of very thought to aesthetics being brought to bear in this lovely space –

The colorful entrees included Chile Nogada (served only on the weekends), a large, no make that giant, chile, cooked just until fork tender, filled with chopped meats, walnuts and raisins; topped with a mousse-like somewhat sweet Mexican Crema and served with Pomegranate Seeds across the top. Sylvia acknowledged that Jaimie and Ramiro “have friends in the right places.” This is an outstanding version of the classic dish. We would have licked the plate if no one was looking but service was so attentive while still being friendly we gave up on this idea.

Also perfect for sharing is the refined “Tres Moles” entree, which can be served either over roasted pork or over pieces of chicken (and the chicken was placed like a painting on the plate). The three moles are: Verde Mole (Green – this is the hottest but it wasn’t hot by any means), Negro Mole (The black Oaxacan 30-ingredient kind with chocolate), and Roasted Red Mole (with soft flavors); served with homemade warm corn tortillas just off the comal. The three moles were artfully laid over the meat in stripes, with Pumpkin (Pepian) seeds over the Green version.

A shout-out to our server, Sylvia, who treated us so kindly. And thanks to the bussers for always keeping the water refilled, especially welcome on a hot, humid day.

The extensive menu at Mexicano features additional dishes to La Casita Mexica’s menu, along with many of Jaime and Ramiro’s signature items—from ceviches to moles and stuffed chilies. The diminutive and intimate “La Casita” filled an entire storefront, replicating an authentic cendaduria in Mexico and has a wonderful little store attached to it. Here the expansive, spiffy restaurant features a casual shop attached.

Mexicano features a spiffy, but informal interior, complete with a bar area and full beverage program, as well as a picturesque patio area for al fresco dining and just about any kind and size of party from casual to formal. Though part of the sprawling mall, parking is free and accessible nearby and the restaurant is set off with a beautiful wrought iron gate. The area opens up into a room with hexagonal turquoise and cream floor tiles, stained wood, and etched metal dividers with abundant appointments in the form of colorful lamps, retail items, and indigenous artwork from the chefs’ home state of Jalisco.

The brand new Mexicano reflects the $40 million shopping center renovation. It is in the same shopping center that Brad Johnson and Chef Govind Armstrong pioneered in not that long ago with their upscale hit, the sleek, casual Post and Beam Restaurant (replacing a Golden Bird Chicken).

Another new feature is the performance kitchen. Signature dishes they brought with them are the chicken flauta topped with Jaime and Ramiro’s legendary mole poblano and the potato and homemade chorizo flauta filled with potato, Mexican crema and spicy tomatillo sauce. Menu highlights include a 10-minute cooked-to-order grilled tamale, Nayarit Cod ceviche, and pechugas de pollo, a simmering Mexican dish of shredded chicken with poblano chiles, cream and mushrooms.

No expense was sparred for the humble al fresco dining area, including suspended incandescent, Edison-style bulbs and steel pendant fixtures to illuminate the space. A long menu of visually stunning cocktails matches these new digs. Several Mezcal based cocktails star along with three fun Raspados, the Mexican version of a snow cone.

(image courtesy of Mexicano restaurant)

Decadent desserts include mini churros to dip in cinnamon-laced café, guavas marinated in a Mexican-style eggnog and Chile en Nogada Ice Cream topped with candied Poblano Chile strips, a play on the traditional chile dish of Mexico.

Flautas is a casual stand right behind Mexicano located in the food court. Here Chefs Jaime and Ramiro offer a number of traditional crisp-fried Mexican rolled tacos. Larger in size than taquitos, and a favorite street food in the chef’s native Jalisco, the flautas are topped with various sauces, salsas, and moles. Over 10 varieties will be offered at all times, including the popular chicken flauta topped with Jaime and Ramiro’s legendary mole poblano, and the potato and homemade chorizo flauta filled with potato, Mexican crema and spicy tomatillo sauce.

Jaime and Ramiro have the personalities of two “bad boy” chefs in terms of sharing their sheer joy of cooking without formality. They encourage everyone to call them by their first names, for example, and at the C-CAP “Sweet and Savory Event,” (www.ccapinc.org) it was the two guys who were started the ball rolling for chefs to introduce themselves to each other, posing and laughing with former Spago star, Pastry Chef Sherry Yard (www.TheTuckTavern.com) (below). They also thought nothing of simply packing up a bundle of their tamales for me to take home.

With Celebrity Pastry Chef Sherry Yard at the C-CAP fundraiser event

So it was a surprise – that now makes sense – to learn of their strong corporate backgrounds – which catapulted them to such success in their restaurant careers. The two met as airline company executives 19 years ago, and bonded over their shared desire “to open a true Mexican restaurant” with their family’s heirloom recipes. This expertise combined with their dedication to La Casita Mexicana has made them among the biggest stars in the Mexican cooking world.

The duo’s passion for Mexican cuisine and their knowledge has earned them critical acclaim and numerous civic awards plus a James Beard nomination for best chefs. and they are judges on the Telemundo show, “Top Chef Estrellas.” They are active members of The Taste of Mexico Association, known as “the flagship organization of restaurant exponents of authentic Mexican cuisine in Los Angeles.” We’d love to see them on Food Network’s “Chopped!”

mexicano restaurant, (www.mexicanola.com)(baldwinhillscrenshawplaza.com).

Best “Holy” Mole and Other Heavenly Dishes at Aro Latin

August 7, 2015 Comments Off

aro mole verde

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Rocio Camacho’s Oaxacan moles may have made the reputation at the year-old Aro Latin Restaurant for a year now (above Sopes de Certo stylishly hones together recently fashionable pork belly, orange marinade, achiote. trendy pork belly version above), but the outstanding fish plates (overseen by owner Karan Raina) and desserts created by his El Salvadoran wife, co-owner and pastry chef, Candy Garcia Raina, are not to be missed. These dishes also helped earn the “destination” label to Aro Latin located on a historic, quaint street of shops in South Pasadena. When was the last time you saw a street with Farmer’s Market on Thursday evening and a piano music shop? And would you believe that a set of well to do businessmen created the mixed use architecture street in the -20’s to house their mistresses on the second floors of the commercial buildings?

Yes, Chef Camacho is entitled to all the praise she receives. The key in perfecting a mole is individually highlighting spice and sauce, and at the same time unifying the flavors. There was one other place we knew on a level as high: Mexicano. So we were not surprised to learn that is was the very same Chef Camacho who cooked for the ebullient duo, Jaime Martin Del Campo and Ramiro Arviaza, at La Casita Mexicana in Bell before they opened Mexicano in Baldwin Hills (reviewed in these pages).

Rocio consults in several places, and here it is her daughter, Grecia Comacho, chef de cuisine, who works the kitchen with Raina on a daily basis to create not only near flawless moles and salsas but also the more Indian-inspired chutneys, relishes and marinades. The match works because both Indian and Mexican (and certainly Central American) cuisines have as a base, sauces.

Ten to Try

Branzino a la parilla, marinatate ($26), whole grilled fresh branzino, turned out to be the standout dish for me, succulent, delicate and meaty. Even filleted, the crunch of the skin gave it the pop of bone. Shown here with the Coliflor, this colorful picture says it all.

Salsa Aro, the house staple of chips with “tooth” to them, chile morita salsa, tomatillo chipotle salsa and pecan walnut salsa. It is the second all-around favorite item of diners.

Ceviche a cocktail glass filled with ahi tuna, mango, jicama chunks, Serrano

Chutney de Pescado turns filet of snapper cooked in a banana leaf to keep in the juiciness and flavor, spanish fried rice, mole verde, peach habanero lime chutney into an entire entrée or a shared plate. The layers and layers of flavor include sweet and tart. Mole Polano con olio (18) features chicken, mole poblano, spanish fried rice.

Below are the three types of peppers used in the dish.

Esquites are what the folks write home about in most popular reviews. The roasted sweet corn and queso fresco form a natural subtle opposite, seamless pairing of opposites with chipotle and a Spanish paprika salsa. Spanish paprika completely tones down into a heat the usual spikiness of wilder Hungarian paprika and still holds up to a layer of crème on top.

Along with Coliflor , shown above with the branzino, root vegetable star of the winter menu, Coles de Bruselas, brussel sprouts incredibly tender yet stir fried and with a crunch on the outside, dressed in vinegar and olive oil.

Costillitas (baby back ribs) add a new meaning to “baby back” in a Latin setting of coconut milk, Cuban roast peppers, fresh rosemary, mango relish and cayenne pepper.

Coco Tres leeches, pastry chef Candy’s dense cake with coconut flakes soaked in three types of milk, served on a couli of fresh mango sauce.

The Raina’s other restaurant, Radhika, named for Karan’s mother, is just down the street. Karan Raina is a hands-on guy, happily moving between his two restaurants and overseeing and greeting guests. One lazy, hot afternoon when we popped in for a Mexican version of the Italian Caffe Correcto served in Italy as a cappuccino infused with grappa, and were happily sipping a just sweet enough Mexican iced coffee, laced with cinnamon and tequila, Karan dropped in — checking on the two restaurants in between his tennis match and before a daily run!

Again not exactly a surprise then, Raina was born in the Punjabi region and proves the area’s reputation for producing successful, hard-working restaurateurs. He trained in the British hotel system in India, where he also spent time in the kitchen with Indian chefs who carry down centuries of refined culinary traditions that focus on nuanced taste combinations and distinctive textures. Raina met his wife, Candy Garcia, while he was managing Latin restaurants in Los Angeles. Though Candy is now a full-time nurse, her love of baking and pastry propels her to continue overseeing the pastries.

Akar Studios in Santa Monica transformed the distinctive 1907 building space, a one-time bakery, into its stylish, contemporary, organic and inviting interior. A large, rustic bar on one side shows the consideration of the management with a set-in, unobtrusive TV. Banquette tables along the colorful back wall housing the kitchen, and tables along the windows on the side. The ceilings are in the high category that mark old historic Los Angeles, as doesthe free two-hour street parking without meters outside (!)

Aro Latin, 1019 Mission Street, South Pasadena, CA, 91030, (626)799-9400 (www.arolatin.com) Order online for pickup or delivery below.

French Cuisine and Hospitality Shine at Historic Le Vallauris

June 15, 2015 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Whether overseeing their Le Vallauris and Le St. Germain restaurants in Palm Springs, or catering a party of 50 in a landmark home straight up the mountain behind them (as they are here), the Belgian-American Bruggemans family and crews always makes it look and feel easy.

Valuable lessons that became second nature came early. Tony explains, “My parents were in the industry, my mother an incredible chef and my father in a service industry. Outside of their week-day jobs, they catered weddings, communions and other occasions on the week-ends. We were exposed at a very tender age to the meaning of doing service and ‘customer is King,.’ something we’ve maintained throughout our careers. It’s automatic that I will see to it that whoever walks through the door is happy.”

Both Paul and Tony graduated from hotel school in Belgium, Tony transferring from kitchen to front of the house by the time Jack Weiser at Frascatti in Los Angeles sponsored them to come to America. Tony and sister Christiane (Rorize), who has been with Paul for 30 years) arrived in Palm Springs to help with Le Vallauris about ten years ago.

“You have to think of restaurant hospitality,” Tony goes on,” like the travel industry, as a vocation (calling) more than a job. You work until the job is done, not by the clock. And you do the job with a smile and the best intentions so that the customer always has a great experience so that they come back. This is the first KEY to customers coming back.

“Though this idea of customer service is very European, it is a seriously refined one,” Tony goes on. “I can still remember horrific experiences in Berlin and even in France where food was thrown at me and waiters take orders as though they were doing you a favor. In the United States there can also be somewhat of a contradiction because management may believe in service but in this ‘the land of the free’ the staff may feel that catering to the client is being subservient. That leaves you with the attitude of, ‘I will give you service but don’t ask too much. What has to be understood is that even with free enterprise, in order to make money not only do you have to provide service, but you have to provide it from the heart.

“Los Angelenos live the pioneer spirit and want to try a new restaurant rather than dine at a familiar one,” he continues. But Palm Springs diners are more continental and love the familiar once they are assured of consistent cuisine and service,” which is the second key to success.

LeVallauris, 385 W. Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA, 92262, (760)325-5059. For details, menus and information, please visit: www.LeVallauris.com,

Mid-East Falafal, Sumac Transforms All-American Corn Soup at Upper West

June 7, 2015 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Kale may be the current reigning king of home and restaurant menus, but corn remains the star of the show at Upper West Restaurant. A steady parade of waiters march out of the upscale tavern’s kitchen with what has become a signature item. Diners rave about it as “straightforward and honest,” but as Executive Chef Nick Shipp reveals, “the secret to why our guests love it is also their sheer curiosity of what’s in it. “ The answer is, a thoughtful lot.

Chef Nick tells the story, “When we opened we had a lot of requests for soup. Yellow corn is one of my favorites because of the texture, the mouth feel, the sweetness and the versatility of it. I’m from Texas, where corn is very prevalent, and where we have the southern influence but we also have a strong Native American influence, too. And what could be more Native American than corn?

The aromatic Corn Soup satisfies like a whole meal. It’s one that’s velvety smooth and goes down easy, and that’s because of the veggie stock base. Then there’s rich heavy cream and carrot for sweetness and depth. And then there’s white pepper, garlic, Tabasco and onion power to add another set of layers and make it pop. And this is not even the entire ingredient list.

And why the airy, fritter-like falafel? “Falafel” is code word for middle eastern on a menu, and here a swirl of sumac oil punctuates this. Nick: “Our menu is international, and this element with its garbanzo bean base is my homage to our Israeli partners. Folding black beans into it brings in the Texas theme, and more spices, such as yellow curry, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, not only intermingle well with the oil but add a little mystery to it, and at the same time echoes the flavors of the soup.

Corn is also in demand in Chef Nick’s Whole Roasted Corn on the Cob with Cotija Cheese and a twist of Avocado Butter. And, as if to prove that vegetables rule, the second most popular dish on the menu is the earthy Caramelized Cauliflower with Sage, Apple & Parmesan – the chopped apple for texture and caramelization to make it creamy, and the seasonal Brussel Sprouts with Bacon & Roasted Peppers – a dish Nick had to “coax the flavor out of because Brussel Sprouts retain so much water.”

Chef Nick laughs when asked about making homey vegetables so popular. “I approach things with a certain simplicity, and good flavor is key. And if it’s healthy, too, then that’s great. “

Upper West Restaurant, 3321 W. Pico Blvd. (33^rd Street), Santa Monica, CA. (310) 586-1111, www.theupperwest.com.

Corn Soup with Black Bean Falafel & Sumac Oil

4 cups yellow corn (fresh or frozen)
2 cups veggie stock or chicken stock (I prefer chicken stock
1-cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons coriander
1-tablespoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon onion powder
1-teaspoon fresh garlic (chopped)
2 dashes Tabasco
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon chipotle powder
½ yellow onion (small dice)
Small carrot (peeled & chopped)
Stalk celery (chopped)

-In soup pot, on medium/low heat, sauté onion, celery & carrot until onion begins to sweat

-Add fresh garlic & cook for another 2 minutes. Stir constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn

-Add corn; continue cooking for another minute or so

-Add cumin, coriander onion powder, and white pepper chipotle powder.

-Cook for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly

-Add chicken or veggie stock (I prefer chicken stock)

-Cover, and let simmer for 5 minutes

-Remove soup mixture from heat & carefully blend until smooth

-Put blended soup back in a soup pot on low heat. Stir in cream & Tabasco

-Salt to taste

Black bean falafel

1 cup cooked black beans
½ cup cooked garbanzo beans
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 ½ tablespoons kosher salt
1-teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
1-teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ cup chopped onion

-Mash all ingredients well

-Form into small balls & fry in 350 degree oil until crispy on the outside

-Place on paper towel to cool slightly before putting in soup

Sumac oil

1-cup olive oil
4 tablespoons ground sumac
½ reason smoked paprika

1-tablespoon kosher salt

-Bland all ingredients well

-Strain though a fine mesh strainer

-Drizzle onto soup

Caramelized cauliflower

1 head cauliflower (flowerets only 1×1 pieces) or any size you wish
1-tablespoon fresh sage (thinly sliced)
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup green apples (small dice)
1 pat of unsalted butter
¼ cup of dry white wine like a sauvignon blank
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar

-In a pot of slightly salted boiling water, cook the cauliflower for approximately 5 to 7 minutes, or until just tender

-Remove cauliflower from water and place immediately in an ice bath

-After a couple of minutes, remove cauliflower from the ice bath & dry as much as possible with a towel

-Toss cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil & 1 teaspoon of kosher salt & cracked black pepper to taste

-Placer cauliflower on a parchment paper lined baking dish & cook in a 475-degree oven until cauliflower has reached a golden brown color

-Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan until it begins to barely smoke.

-Carefully add vinegar, white wine, sage & apples to the pan

-Briefly cook until ingredients are well mixed

-Add cauliflower & Parmesan to the pan and mix quickly

-Remove and serve. Top with more Parmesan as desired

Who is Alain Cohen and Why he offers Kosher – with no apologies

June 3, 2015 Comments Off

(Gerry Furth-Sides) Chef-owner Alain Cohen understands that most people think of kosher food as bland and without imagination – that’s because they’re eating the Eastern European version. Alain: I consider my treasured Tunisian recipes as a reflection of my passion for delicious food that’s kosher, and definitely kosher “with no apologies.”

And that includes the recipes he developed over time for Shabbat, catered parties and his restaurant menus. And he has experienced cuisines from all over the world, including the sophisticated foods of Paris where he grew up.

The history behind his statement is the little-known secret is that Tunisia was home to a thriving Jewish community since the 12 century BCE. Old Testament documentation reveals that the fishing tribe of Zebulon fished the coral in the area to make the blue color of their religious sacraments, and Jewish graves have been uncovered in the ruins of Carthage.

The Jews brought their food with them from biblical Israel and integrated their dishes with the native Berber cuisine and all the subsequent strata that form modern Tunisian cuisine.

However, with the departure of the French leading to Arab ruler ship in the early sixties, following the Algerian war, Tunisian Jews embarked upon yet another Odyssey. They mainly went to France as a whole community and replanted their roots in Paris, Marseille and Nice.

Alain Cohen’s family was among them. His story is contemporary, timeless and brings with it to Los Angeles a history of splendid food. Here it is:

“I was born in Tunisia. My family traces their roots back to the destruction of the first temple of Jerusalem in 586 AD. In 1961 my family was part of the exodus that moved to Paris. We brought a suitcase and a few possessions with us. That suitcase was our table the first night we arrived and moved into our apartment.

My dad opened a little place that served drinks and kemia (small appetizers, a little salty, to accompany light spirits). I offer them today as an amuse bouche.

My mom did the cooking – and I remember everyone looking at me in the metro when I carried hampers of food from home to the restaurant after school! He kept moving into bigger and bigger places until our family owned the landmark kosher Tunisian restaurant, Les Ailes (“the Wings”) in 1973. I started working there when I was nine years old. When I was a teen-ager I adapted the restaurant to more contemporary French Tunisian fusion cuisine. Les Ailes remained the Still a hub of the Tunisian Jewish community of Paris, and on the must-visit foodie list until it closed a couple of years ago.

But by 1991 I had crossed the Atlantic to establish roots in Los Angeles, bringing with me all the memories and the recipes of my family. In love with the movies, Iarrived in Hollywood to attend film school, but even there I began cooking for more and more new friends until I knew I had to rejoin the culinary world full time. After a series of learning jobs, ranging from catering at the prolific Raleigh Studios to learning from Nancy Silverton at the legendary LaBakery, the magic of using only the finest and freshest ingredients to prepare truly artisanal sandwiches.

a carnivore’s dream

In answer to the call for kosher catering and in-house dining, I then created a café and catering service that now serves hospitals, airports, hotels, institutions, schools and even the celebrity parties catered by Wolfgang Puck and Patina.

During the whole time, I cooked for friends and family in numbers that grew and grew and grew until I began cooking professionally again – first with sandwiches and then provisions, and now full service with a catering and a national commissary operation at Got Kosher? Restaurant and Bakery. Again, the numbers are growing and growing as we prepare for our second expansion.”