Five-To Try Spots and Why for Inspired Indian Summer Dining

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(Gerry Furth-Sides) Indian summer is described as “a period of unusually dry, warm weather occurring in late autumn” or one that suits our own LA better these hot, humid days as, “a period of happiness or success occurring late in life.”

(5)

 

Pearl BBQ’s new home on 7th street has a backyard picnic area.  But the story for me remains three words long:  Texas BBQ Rib  — so much so that ever since I can feel my face break out into a spontaneous grin as soon as that bone is in sight, on a plate or in a box.  Sigh.  Sauce, as they say, is “frosting on the cake.”

At Pearl’s BBQ, American style ribs, beef or pork racks, are served with various barbecue sauces to be “torn” apart by hand, and the meat is eaten from the bone.  By the way, one order of the Texas beef ribs at Pearl’s holds about four servings for the $30 tab.

smoked Texas-style Ribs- Local Food Eater

A thing of beauty: Pearl’s BBQ smoked Texas-style Ribs (photo courtesy of Pearl’s BBQ)

Beef short ribs are the equivalent of spare ribs in pork, with beef short ribs but almost always larger and meatier than pork ribs.  And it is served, classic-style, with two pieces of white bread that make me long for meals in Watts at the Lark.

Smoked BBQ Ribs- Local Food Eater

Pearl’s Smoked BBQ Ribs

Key to the taste is the smoker. Pearl’s BBQ’s 1,000-gallon smoker, a big, impressive number created by at Fat Stack Smokers in Sun Valley.

Pearl’s BBQ 4th at 2010 E. 7th Street, Los Angeles, CA  90021.  For more information please visit www.PearlsBBQLA.com.

 

(4) Culinary mastermind, Chef Danny Elmaleh, shines with his award-winning sharable middle eastern plates at the third award-winning  Cleo location in Los Angeles, by being.   Every refined Japanese-Moroccan dish makes a gutsy statement, yet feels effortless and satisfying.

Danny Elmaleh- Local Food Eater

(photo courtesy of being) Second generation Chef Danny Elmaleh, Moroccan and Japanese.

Executive Chef Danny Elmaleh heads up the kitchen at both be Cleo at the Orlando Hotel, which sports the enclosed outdoor patio, and Mizlala, his family restaurant in Sherman Oaks.  His are dishes that make you sigh with pleasure and gasp with delight at times.  Cleo just launched brunch.  The menu includes a tower of Brioche Mini Doughnuts that come with a sour cream glaze, Smoked Salmon Benedict, Red Shakshouka and a Mushroom Omelette with truffle.
(3) Preux & Proper’s sweet two-floor home in a flat-iron building in DTLA location may be an odd match-up for New Orleans cuisine, but founder-owner Joshua Kopel and partner-Chef Sammy Monsour beautifully realize Kopel’s mission to “bring a little bit of authentic Southern food and hospitality to Southern California.” It is his modest Southern way of saying, “we moved mountains to bring it about.” www.PreuxandProper.com 

Owner-founder Joshua Kopel

Sammy Monsour - Local Food Eater

Chef Sammy Monsour

Chef Sammy Monsour’s Lebanese heritage and southern upbringing show up in the middle eastern flavors threading their way through dishes, infusing a sunny, cool Mediterranean light among the more earthy heat of New Orleans ingredients.   One perfect example of his inventiveness is the Hand Made Charcuterie is the SMOKED BEEF HEART PASTRAMI TOAST, hummus, lemon, and shaved trinity.

Smoked Beef Heart Pastrami Toast- Local Food Eater

Preux & Proper’s SMOKED BEEF HEART PASTRAMI TOAST

Still, the FRIED WHOLE GAME HEN is our pick among the number of favorites dishes on the menu because will make you forget about fried chicken forever. The secret is the crunch of crushed pecans and the honeycomb on top.  Add it to the buttermilk biscuits with serrano jelly taste for pure decadence.

Fried Whole Game Hen-Local Food Eater

FRIED WHOLE GAME HEN  at Preux & Proper

For details and hours, please seewww.PreuxandProper.com,840 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90014.  Phone: (213) 896-0090
(2)   Café Pinot feels like a secret garden cleverly tucked into a pocket on the dark side of the main Los Angeles Public Library.  New Executive Chef Phillip Martin’s  menu reflects the care and craftsmanship that has always gone into this DTLA treasure

The restaurant seems to fall away into the park by way of  floor-to-ceiling glass walls, one open

Happily, each engaging dish begins with the same class French technique since Café Pinot opened, with evolving inventive touches that are surprising and delightful.  The menu also includes shareable small and large plates (though Crispy Lamb Sweetbreads would never fall into this category for me).

Crispy Lamb Sweetbreads, our favorite dish,  with cumin Rojo, leeks, cucumber roll-up, yogurt and mint, our favorite bite of the evening in the Small Plates section, reflects both middle eastern and Latin inspiration.  Chef Martin’s sweetbread is perfectly smooth, tender and moist with a crispy outside complementing the mild, creamy flavor of the inside.  The sweetbreads interplay beautifully with the rich, more acidic flavors of the spice and yogurt, just as they should.

Crispy Lamb sweetbreads-Local Food Eater

Crispy Lamb sweetbreads at Café Pinot

Two dishes make a light meal.  Fennel composed salad has a Northern California autumn flair with pear, citrus, hazelnut, Humboldt Fog cheese and black pepper pairs beautiful with the Crispy Lamb Sweetbreads.

Fennel salad- Local Food Eater

Fennel salad at Café Pinot

Café Pinot, www.patinagroup.com/cafe-pinot, 700 West 5th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071,  parking available at the adjacent Library, located on Flower St. Validation required. Weekdays 1st 2 hours $6, after 5 PM & Weekends first 4 hours FREE.   Tel. 213-239-6500

(1) Newly renamed CHAYA Modern Izakaya makes good on its promise of a  Handcrafted Cocktail Program plus Wine, Sake, Premium Spirit, and Japanese Whisky Lists.  Paired perfectly are the inspired brightness of the revamped menu by chefs under the direction of Executive Chef, Yukon Kajimo.

only CHAYA Venice does not have outdoor dining but the private room features skylight windows and the beach just steps away.

(Photo courtesy of Acuna-Hansen)

 

The whole fish becomes the star of the table, served a couple of times a week when extraordinary fish is available, such as Bream. The whole fish is split horizontally with one half grilled and served with daikon, ponzu and chimichurri sauces to bring out a different element of flavor with each one.  Sushi and sashimi are prepared out of the other half.

Ginger Mackerel Roll for dessert at CHAYA Venice

For more information or to make reservations, please visit www.TheCHAYA.com or call CHAYA Modern Izakaya directly at 310.396.1179. They do answer the phone within three rings.

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