Bäco Mercat

*Post by Mark.

How do you even categorize the food at Joseph Centeno's Bäco Mercat? Are these sandwiches, gyros or tacos that we're shoving into our mouths? Are those flatbreads or pizzas coming out of the kitchen of The Lazy Ox Canteen chef's latest venture? In fact, they're bäcos and cocas, respectively, but the globe of influence behind the food is even broader and more difficult to define. While the flatbread cocas originate in Spain, their ingredients hail from as far away as Tunisia. We're touring Italy, China, France, Mediterranean and the Deep South. Peru? Why not? To eat here is to travel across multiple continents within the compass of a single bite.

 

While Mercat is Catalan for 'market', the concept of bäco is a far more personal invention of the Lazy Ox chef. A flatbread created by using unique fats and lebni (a strained yogurt), Centeno’s bäco is a hybrid of the world’s flatbreads. The words 'global' and 'taco' have been combined and truncated to brand the restaurant’s namesake dish. 

Even though the place was virtually empty when we arrived just a few minutes after opening, it was well on its way to filling up a mere 20 minutes later. Not surprising - the recent arrival of Bäco Mercat has to be a breath of fresh air for those working downtown. We found a seat at a table for two in wood-backed chairs reminiscent of a grade-school classroom. The restaurant is painted in blue and brown hues, with exposed brick and a rustic, industrial style that comes as a pre-requisite for restaurant openings these days.

A nice first impression: a small cup of fried, crispy "Bäco chips" (continuing the theme, a cross between breadsticks and chips), and an addictive sticky, smoky, spicy sauce. 

We were eager to start the meal with one of the aforementioned flatbreads. The El Cordero has a thin, crispy base blanketed with wonderful harissa-based sauce, which had some heat, and topped with flavorful bits of merguez (lamb sausage), as well as handfuls of arugula with hints of mint. Thankfully the word 'pizza' is nowhere on the menu, because this coca, with its cracker-like crust, is far from it. 

Next to arrive was a gorgeously refreshing beet salad fattoush with endive, red onion, grapefruit, parsley, baby radish, burrata. In place of the traditional bread, this fattoush comes with thick leaves of endive - the perfect delivery system to insure the lightly dressed beets, cheese and flavorful accompaniments make it to your mouth.

The "Original" bäco is the real reason we're here. And it doesn't disappoint in the least. Filled with pork belly, beef carnitas, cherry tomatoes, pickled red onion, mixed greens including mint, and a flavorful salbitxada (Catalan salsa), this dish completely wins us over to the bäco concept. The highlight of the original is the crispy-on-the-outside-tender-on-the-inside carnitas. 

We liked our first bäco so much we went for another. The beef tongue schnitzel bäco is loaded up with breaded, fried slices of tongue, pickles, greens and a smoked aioli. The tart sauce pairs well with unctuous, tender meat. We weren't convinced that the tongue needed schnitzeling, but it didn't hurt. Another really solid rendition of the bäco, but if you order only one? Go with the 'Original'.

Sure, we could spend all day sorting through the global influences, but the sum total feels as authentic as any individual component. Bäco Mercat is absolutely a trip around the world we'll be taking again soon.

Hollywood Craft Beer Crawl from Thrillist Rewards

*Post by Mark.

A good beer crawl is a lot of fun, but finding enough good bars a walkable distance from one another and coordinating schedules with people are daunting enough tasks to derail your drinking plans. What better way to solve the problem than to have someone else organize a crawl for you? This Saturday, Thrillist Rewards is hosting their 2nd Craft Beer Crawl - which sets beer drinkers afoot through DTLA to enjoy nine craft beer pours from nine different bars and restaurants. Throw in some small bites provided along the way, and you've got yourself one helluva value for only $25. 

Last month, we had ourselves a blast stumbling through Hollywood on their first crawl. With a diverse list of bars curated by LA Weekly contributer and fellow beer geek Steven Armstrong, the downtown crawl (from 1-6 on Sat. 1/28) sets out to be one bar more ambitous than the first. In preparation, let's take a look back at the eight spots and eight beers we encountered on our crawl through Hollywood last month (handy map below).

 

Stop #1 - Big Wangs

The beer? A Calico Amber Ale from Ballast Point Brewing in San Diego. 

To the discerning beer drinker, serving it in a Bud Light glass may be akin to serving caviar in styrofoam, but Big Wangs isn't trying to be anything it's not. With TV-lined walls, pool tables, cheap beer deals on the daily, and three locations spread throughout the city, Big Wangs is the ideal kind of place to park yourself on a Sunday to watch football.  We might've done just that had seven other bars not been calling our name.  Moving on...

 

Stop #2 - District 13

The beer? A Double Trouble IPA from Lost Coast Brewery in Northern California.

District 13 was a place we were excited to finally check out. Housed in a small shopping plaza between two other beer bars, (the aforementioned Big Wangs and Stout Burger - which has some pretty great craft beers on tap despite not being on this particular crawl) District 13 might be easily skipped. But with such a fun space, great beers on tap, and a collection of sausages on the menu (some of which we were able to sample, below), this is absolutely the kind of place we'll come back to.

Stop #3 - Blue Palms Brewhouse

The beer? Of the numerous options offered, we got a South Swell Double IPA from Surf Brewery and a Speakeasy Imperial California Common.

Any Hollywood craft beer fan knows that Blue Palms isn't just the best place to grab a pint in Hollywood, it's one of the best spots in the Los Angeles area. With 24 craft beers on tap, there's always something new and unique to try. As we sipped on our beers, we got our hands on some complimentary sandwiches they were passing around. But it's worth coming in for the food on the regular menu - BP has some seriously good bar food, including great gourmet sausages and some of the best onion rings in the city. 

   

Stop #4 - Hemmingway's Lounge

The beer? Old Rasputin Russian Imperialist Stout from North Coast Brewing Company.

Another new bar for us, Hemmingway's Lounge feels like a place where the man himself might've enjoyed entertaining a circle of writers and artists with one of his four wives - books everywhere you turn, shabby chic decor that is both cool and cozy (the wall of antique typewriters is a highlight), and a not-insubstantial list of beers and cocktails (named after Hemmingway's works). Finding this little oasis of calm nestled on oft chaotic, tourist-crowded Hollywood Boulevard was a pleasant surprise.

 

Stop #5 - The Writers Room

The beer? A Duvel Belgian Ale. 

In the spirit of the crawl, our bartenders were sport enough to pour us a glass of Duvel, but you'll want to come here for the cocktails. In this dark throw-back venue - where in-the-know bar seekers will find the entrance hidden in a parking lot behind Musso & Frank's - each of the Daniel Nelson's drinks seems an homage to the cultural melting pot of Los Angeles' past and present. 

Excited by the cocktail offerings, we took a temporary respite from beer and the crawl in general. The Dead Man Oaxacan (below, left) is an ode to LA's Oaxacan population, made with mezcal, mole-orange liqeur, Mexican oregano and a Chapulines garnish (note to the faint of stomach, chapulines is grasshopper - a popular snack in Oaxaca). The Fukushima Meltdown (below, left) draws its inspiration from Little Osaka, mixing a 12 year Yumazaki Japanese whisky, yuzukosho, sasho pepper (think tongue-numbing Szechuan peppercorn), and orange juice. The Cho Sun One (below, middle) is your K-Town rep, bringing corn whiskey, Korean pear, perilla leaf, lemon and sesame into the mix. And we can't forget Thai Town, can we? The Kaffir Rickey (below, right) adds vodka to the traditional gin-based cocktail of Kaffir lime juice, lemongrass and carbonated coconut water.

Look for even more of LA's diverse demographics represented when The Writers Room expands its cocktail list. We're particlularly looking forward to the Armenian Genocide (which is either a great drink or the best episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians ever). Until then, we've still got three more bars to hit.

 

Stop #6 - Five 0 Four

The beer? A Jockamo IPA by Abita Brewing Company 

Five0Four (504) might be the area code to New Orleans, but it's also home to some real NOLA menu options like Po' Boys, Jumbalaya or Chicken and Sausage Gumbo. On tap is a small selection of craft beers, with a few from Louisiana's own Abita Brewing Company highlighting the bunch. With the hours ticking down, we were in a hurry to move on, so we downed our beers and took a rain check on the 'food' and 'fun' billed on the restaurant's sign.

Stop #7 - Bodega Wine Bar

The beer? The Valkyrie Altbier by Enegren Brewing Company.

Stop 7? Our blurry pictures correlate with even blurrier memories. Bodega Wine Bar is one of three locations that compliments its focus on wine with a casual menu of sandwiches, pizzas and shared plates. We eagerly sampled some of their bacon wrapped medjool dates stuffed with pecorino cheese. Also on hand was Matt Enegren of Enegren Brewing to pour some of their locally brewed beer.

Stop #8 - Go Burger

The beer? A honey Blonde Ale by Firestone Walker Brewing Company.

Brought to us by ESquared Hospitality Group - most well known for their upscale chain of BLT Steakhouses - Go Burger is a more casual eatery known for their burgers and spiked milkshakes. If that sounds good to you, visit soon - word has it that Go Burger is about to undergo a conceptual make-over. We managed to snag a booth to relax after all that crawling, but most of the energetic Saturday night crowd was on its feet, surrounding the bar.

 

If any of this seems up your alley, don't forget to snag your tickets to this Saturday's Downtown Craft Beer Crawl. It's only $25, and we'll be there, so come share a beer... or nine... with us. 

Brunch at Mohawk Bend

*Post by Angela.

There is something just so lovely about brunch. Superficially, the portmanteau has a very simple definition: a meal eaten between or instead of breakfast and lunch. But “brunch” in the United States has developed into its own culture, bringing to mind lazy weekend mornings/afternoons, gossiping with friends, a range of sweet and savory dishes designed to soothe stomachs after a rough night out, and more often than not, day drinking. Mohawk Bend, the massive, 10,000 square foot Echo Park restaurant/bar from L.A. beer godfather and restaurateur Tony Yanow, is a great place to celebrate the languid brunch culture for meat-eaters, vegetarians and even vegans.

In the light of day, the vast and beautiful interior of Mohawk Bend transitions nicely from bar to brunch spot, whether you are seated on the lounge-y front patio under the restaurant’s marquee (it used to be a theater)... 

or perched at one of the red vinyl stools in front of the main bar's flat-screen TVs and a line-up of taps that appears almost endless...

or circled around a table in the absolutely stunning brick-enclosed back dining area in front of the roaring fireplace. No place in the restaurant is the immaculate design by Spacecraft more apparent.  

On this sunny Saturday morning, we started with a little hair of the dog. The chipotle Bloody Mary (below, left), no joke, is one of the finest versions I've ever sampled, equal and ideal parts salty, spicy, and smoky. The frothy Pisco Sour (below, right) is a lighter option, combining Marian Farms Bio-Dynamic Pisco with fresh lemon juice, sugar, Miracle Mile Peruvian bitters & egg white. And of course, we had to order at least one of 72 beers on tap, and went with a recent favorite, the Point the Way IPA from Yanow's own Golden Road Brewing (below, middle). 

While there are many dishes for the vegetarian/vegan bruncher on the menu, the Elvis French toast is not one of them. Slices of crisp bacon provide the necessary salty, meaty balance to the sweet creamy bananas sandwiched between the crunchy toast. Not decadent enough for you? Spoon on some fantastically rich (but not too-too sweet) peanut butter syrup. 

Next, something vegans (and those seeking a lighter dish) can enjoy: the JJ kale, which features wilted greens seared with chile, garlic, and red onion, topped with julienned jicama. This texturally delightful and refreshing side won’t satisfy your hunger pangs on its own, but it also won’t give you a heart attack.

Another vegan-friendly (and gluten-free!) option is the scrapple, which subs in polenta and vegan sausage (as well as broccolini, rappini, spinach, onions, scallions, pasilla chiles, thyme, sage, soy milk, organic polenta, and house made veggie stock) for the traditional flour and pork scraps, and sits the loaf in a not-insignificantly spicy tomato sauce. While I'm a huge fan of pork in all its forms, anyone doubting that vegan dishes can be both hearty and flavorful would find the point difficult to argue after a bite of this dish.

At some point it our meal, it technically clicked over to afternoon, meaning we could order off the creative cocktail menu without judgment (although it doesn’t really seem like anyone at Mohawk Bend would ever judge a day drinker). Even the manliest of men would feel comfortable with the Mildred Pierce (below, left): despite its ingredients (TRU Organic Gin, FruitLab Jasmine Liqueur, agave nectar, brandied cherries, oranges & lemon, Miracle Mile Orange Bitters, and soda), it is only slightly sweet and fruity. The light, bright Thai Town Mule (below, right), with Hangar One Kaffir Lime Vodka, fresh limes, lime juice, St.Clair ginger beer & a stalk of lemongrass, is the kind of drink I want to have in my hand at all times on warm days.

As much as we were enjoying the vegan dishes, brunch just isn’t brunch without at least one egg dish. The Huevos Divorciados, with fried eggs, chilaquiles, queso fresco, crème fraiche, and red & green salsas dividing the plate, is as tasty as it is colorful, and is egg-actly (sorry) the kind of dish best suited for queasy stomachs – the thick-cut tortilla chips go a long way to soak up any lingering evil from the night before.

Our final dish was probably the most controversial of the b(r)unch. Sera’s Signature Waffles are not the sweet, dough-y treats you grew up with. Nutty and almost savory, with a slightly dense texture, I actually preferred this vegan and gluten-free dish to the more traditional version, especially when sweetened up with a little pecan syrup (maple and peanut butter syrups are also available). Mark and Aaron found it interesting, but were quite content to leggo my Eggo. But chances are that if milk, eggs and butter don't factor into your usual diet, you'll go nuts for this dish. 

Mohawk Bend only started doing brunch at the beginning of the year (available on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm), but it’s already nailed the brunch aesthetic: the décor, the great food, and the extensive drink menus are perfectly suited for leisurely midday meals with friends, whether they be carnivores or herbivores, day drinkers or teetotalers. It's enough to convert anyone into a bruncher.

*Disclosure: This was a hosted meal.

Duck with Dried Sour Cherry and Balsamic Sauce

*Post by Angela.

There's something about duck + fruit sauces that I just don't seem to get. Mark and I both love the combination when we order it out. But my limited experiences making it at home have generally not gone very well. I was hoping to improve my average with this recipe from The New Irish Table, since the lamb turned out so well, but alas - it was a decent dish, but the sauce was not as flavorful and satisfying as I would have liked. I think I may just keep working on it - there's a show-stopping dish somewhere in here, and I just have to make the right tweaks to find it.

List of ingredients:

• 4 large, skin-on boneless duck breasts (the original recipe calls for 6 breasts, 5-6 oz each)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 sage sprigs
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp dried sour/tart cherries (which I found in the bulk section of Whole Foods)
• 1 green onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 8 oz baby spinach, rinsed but not dried
• Dash of ground nutmeg

 First, I preheated the oven to 250 degrees, then scored and generously seasoned the duck breasts with salt and pepper.

In a small pot, I cooked the stock with the sage sprigs over medium heat until it had reduced down to about a cup (10-15 minutes).

While the stock was reducing, I heated the vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat and cooked the duck breasts, skin-side up for about 2 minutes, then flipped them over and cooked another 5 minutes. I flipped the duck over one more time and stuck the pan in oven for 20 minutes to cook through.

As I was waiting for the duck I finished off the sauce. I added the vinegar to the stock and cooked about a minute, then added the cherries and cooked an additional 5 minutes. I added the green onion, cooked just 30 seconds, and took the sauce off the heat to wait for the duck.

Finally, right before the duck was finished, I heated the olive oil in a pot over medium heat, added the shallot and cooked just a minute or two, then added the spinach and cooked until the greens were just wilted. I added just a touch of salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

I took the duck out of the oven, removed it from the pan to the cutting board and let it rest about 5 minutes before slicing it on a bias. I served it atop a bed of the spinach, with the sauce spooned over the top (Mark contributed a side of couscous with chickpeas and the leftover cherries). The duck was cooked perfectly, and the spinach was fine, but the slightly mouth-puckering sauce didn't quite pull it together - I think I would have liked a thicker sauce, maybe more sweet and less tart. Still, it was nice enough, and like I said at the top, I think I can find a way to improve on the recipe. Sigh. And so, my quest for the perfect duck & fruit sauce recipe continues...

Osteria La Buca

*Post by Angela.

We didn't exactly end up at Osteria La Buca on purpose. Rushing to make reservations for one final meal out together in 2011 before splitting up for the holidays, the conversation went something like this:

"How about that Italian place, that...Osteria something?" "Hmmm...Mozza?" "Nope, the other one." "Mamma? Angelini? La Buca?" "Uh, La Buca. Yeah, that's the one I mean."

It was not the one he meant, a fact we realized about 10 minutes before leaving the house. To be fair, Osteria La Buca has undergone a name change and two expansions since opening, and shares a past with a neighboring Osteria - in 2009 chef Filippo Corvino and mother, Loredanna, left Osteria La Buca to open Osteria Mamma, just down the street.

Traditionally, an osteria in Italy is an intimate neighborhood place serving wine and simple food. To say that La Buca has dressed up the concept is an understatement. Located on Melrose near Paramount Studios, Osteria La Buca’s façade sprawls across three storefronts, with ceiling-to-floor picture windows allowing views of the modern, elegant brick and wood interior designed by L.A. local Brendan Ravenhill. We were seated downstairs, but loved the look of the glass-enclosed upstairs dining area, which overlooks the beautiful zinc-topped bar.

Fully on board with the décor, we turned our attentions to the food, designed by another local, Southern California native Jason Neroni. Little bites of rustic, slightly charred, buttery bread, topped with rosemary was a nice start to the meal.

The burrata with roasted leeks, pancetta, and hazelnut vinaigrette was very good, if not as refined as some of the selections at Mozza. The pronounced flavor of the leeks was particularly noteworthy.

Also solid was the fried egg pizza with speck, mozzarella, tomato and arugula. I’m not sure if the chewy, charred crust is worthy of a stamp from the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana, but it’s tasty enough, as are the toppings. The arugula may be a little heavy-handed, but somewhere beneath the towering pile of greens is an egg ready to spill its yolky insides all over your next slice. 

Probably the favorite dish of the night, the rye rigatoni with braised duck leg, Swiss chard, figs and goat cheese paired bold sweet and savory flavors with hefty pasta. The hearty rye pasta would likely overwhelm most ingredients, but seems perfect when combined with such rich accompaniments as figs, duck and goat cheese. 

Much more subtle, the agnolotti with jerusalem artichoke, crispy pancetta, sage and crema fresca was a fine dish, if not quite as exciting on the tongue as on paper.

Finally, the smooth, thick chocolate budino with salted caramel cream did a pretty decent job of leaving us with a good impression. The very word 'budino' often brings to mind thoughts of another popular Osteria/Pizzeria's famous dessert just down the street, but La Buca's is not far off its pace. 

Regardless of which Osteria we actually meant to attend, La Buca proved more than worthy of our final holiday meal together. Yes, there are a few others we still need to visit, but I think just may come back around to La Buca in the future.