News flash to those who missed out on the Ludo-sweepstakes: LudoBites isn't the only "pop-up" in town. In fact, it might not even be the best "pop-up" in town. Enter Chef Gary Menes, who was previously bouncing throughout the Valley, cheffing at Firefly, Palate Food + Wine, and most recently Marche L.A. Menes' most recent concept is a temporary one, housed downtown at an unassuming twelve-person counter at Tiara Cafe. Le Comptoir is French for 'the counter', and grabbing a seat at it for one of a few Thursday, Friday or Saturday seatings is relatively hassle-free.

On New Year's Eve I joined Aaron of Savory Hunter for an early 6 pm seating at Menes' counter. We chose wisely, as only two others were in attendance for the early seating and we virtually had the chef's undivided attention. The five-course tasting menu is a reasonably priced $46, and wine pairings are offered for $24. Sure, there are a few considerable supplements, should you opt for foie gras or truffles, but any way you slice it, the entire meal is a relative steal.

Aaron and I decided to get one of each when it came to the three supplements so we'd be able to try everything on the menu. With our orders in, a crispy amuse of chicken skin (below) teased our respective bouches for what was about to come. 

For our first course, we were served a fun play on a "soup and sandwich" (below). A small, crispy farinette waited in a bowl as a rich bisque of bittersweet San Marzano tomatos was poured around it, engulfing the tiny 'sandwich' with the luscious soup. 

As an alternative first course to the soup, a handsome offering of foie gras terrine came dusted with sea salt ($18 supplement) and served alongside dried cherry compote and house-made rustic pain de campagne. The terrine is simple but decadant. Above all else, it is generously portioned. It felt like I was buttering it onto Menes' fresh-out-of-the-oven country bread for days. 

Speaking of the bread, it's practically a course in itself. As fast as we could consume it - be it sopping up our soup or slathering it with foie gras - it was immediately replaced with a new crusty batch. I could've eaten an entire loaf myself. In fact, I think I did.

For our second course, we were presented with a sunny side-up egg still sizzling over cast-iron. This one was a more interactive dish, accompanied by an assortment of young lettuce, compound butter, herbs and sorrel jus. We mashed the ingredients around with the egg, and let the salt and butter melt over top. The result of playing with our food was a savory swirl of butter, egg and herb. 

For our third course, the veggie plate arrived - and what a plate it was, featuring musque de provence squash, beet greens, carrots, fennel, turnips, onion petals, Bosc pears, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, pea tendrils and fresh chick peas. A literal showcase of ingredients, laid out like a yard sale of unique and savory produce.

As an alternative third course to the vegetables, we had the housemade fettucini ($20 supplement) with preserved black truffles. Menes keeps it simple, respecting his ingredients and letting them do all the talking. 

For our fourth course, a rather hearty entree that, much to my surprise, was also vegetarian. The "pot roast" of heirlom shelling beans, pole beans, oyster mushrooms, young celery, smoked scallions, and sultana-pistacchio relish was one of my favorite courses of the evening. A truffle foam boasting an extremely interesting flavor rests over top, nearly hiding the fact that this "roast" contains no meat. And it didn't need to. If all meatless dishes tasted like this, I would seriously consider losing it from my diet. 

As an alternative, we also got the Strauss Ranch veal NY "Steak" ($8 supplement) with hearts of romaine, confit of Barbara's potatoes, baby leeks, sprouting broccoli and parsley vinaigrette. While Aaron loved the veal, I actually couldn't stop thinking about that veggie "pot roast". Aside from that delicious foie gras, I would've been perfectly content going completely meat-free for the evening.

For our fifth and final course, a beautiful presentation of chocolate cake, caramelized banana, graham cracker and ice cream, as delicious as it was attractive. With a long night of New Year's Eve festivities ahead, I decided on a pour of Intelligentsia coffee to accompany it. 

If you still haven't made it over to Tiara Cafe, you absolutely must try Le Comptoir before its run comes to an end. Whether suiting your vegetarian fancy or endulging in the pure hedonism of creamy foie gras, you're practically stealing from Chef Menes and his small team at $46.

AMMO has long been known to be a great space for great food - a small oasis, tucked away on a quiet patch of Highland just around the corner from all the glitz and grime of Hollywood. Now they've set out to bring the same attention to their bar, and they've brought in the big guns. Jason Robey (of Santa Monica's Michael's) has designed the bar's new cocktail menu and bar manager Laila Ayad was on hand on a quiet Monday night to help guide us through the new libations. 

The Belgian Sunrise (below, left - $10) was a nice way to kick things off.  A true beer drinker's cocktail, this dark, dreamy glass features meticulously layered gradations of Allagash white ale, Lindemans lambic framboise and Framboise Liqeuer. A touch of raspberry shines through the dark sudsy brew.

The Johnny Green Spot (below, right - $14) was the clear-cut favorite of the night. An enticing aroma of Thai basil compliments the spicy, sweet cocktail of Tiera's anejo tequila, green chartreuse, meyer lemon juice, grapefruit juice and jalapeno. Perfectly balanced.

And of course you wouldn't want us sampling cocktails on an empty stomach, would you? The Mini Burgers (below - $8) featured two grassfed beef sliders and one turkey slider, each with tomato and aioli. As a general rule of thumb, turkey burgers never outshine their beef counterpart. But suprisingly, the juicy, moist turkey burger stood out the most to us. 

The Citrus Fashioned (below, left - $12) had a more polarizing reception amongst our party. Despite the delicious and strong base of Willet 5-yr Rye, the drink comes off as an interestingly watery version of its distant Old Fashion cousin. Lemon, orange and tangerine zest, maraschino jus, and bitters round out the drink.

The Maple Leaf Rag $12 (below, right) was another exemplary display of aromatics. A sprig of burnt rosemary left a wafting cloud of its fragrance over the bar before being dropped into a glass. Poured over top of it? Black Maple Hill bourbon, lemon juice and maple syrup helped make this an herby and sweet treat.

We took another break from the cocktails to snack on some more of the very straightforward, reasonably priced offerings from the Bar Menu. You just can't beat the no-fuss elegance of French breakfast radishes (below, left - $4) served with Straus butter and sea salt for dipping.

The AMMO crackers (below, right - $3) were another simple treat, pleasant crisps of flour, honey and water, baked in house and seasoned with herbs.

The charcuterie plate (below left - $12) with prosciutto di Parma, Fra’ Mani salame toscano & soppressata, quince jam, cornichons and toasted walnuts was a standard issue offering. 

The grilled cheese (below, left - $6) won us over with its crunchy grilled country white bread packed with gooey, savory Emmental cheese and crispy, caramelized shallots. 

If you can believe it, at this point, we were only halfway through the cocktail list. The Grand Rep (below, left - $18) gets a really smoky kick from Ilegal mezcal reposado (the big ticket item) that works well with the vanilla and hints of citrus from the Grand Marnier and lime juice. Applewood smoked salt brings the aromatic element.

A little less substantial, the Highland Fizz (below, right - $11) combined Tru organic lemon verbena infused vodka, tangerine juice, Bundaberg giner beer, mint, and bitters for a light, refreshing sip.

Our final savory dish was a showstopper: the baked penne (below - $8) with aged white cheddar, fresh thyme and breadcrumbs is crazy rich, luxurious and perfectly seasoned. A gut-buster of a dish, even the small-ish portion is enough to satisty a hungry diner. 

We moved on to our final drinks. The Dominicano (below, left - $10) is a real gin-drinker's treat. The Citadelle gin and the two different types of vermouth are the dominant flavors, leaving a thick herbal punch with just a touch of citric acidity.

Finally, the bubbly and citrus-y Blood Orange Crush (below, right - $11) marries Bele Casel Prosecco, Aperol, blood orange juice, and fresh thyme in a fun, sweet, spritzy way.

Our stomachs were near capacity, but AMMO's chocolate chip cookies were a great way to end the meal. The soft and chewy cookies are wholesome, deriving sweetness more from the thick gobs of melted chocolate stowed inside than from added sugar. But apparently the cookies didn't sell as well when they were formerly billed as 'wholesome' on the menu. As awesome as they are, let's all agree to just refer to them as 'decadent'. 

We may be relative newbies to the world of cocktails, but we do know what we like: balanced, thoughtful drinks utilizing the best ingredients, and that cater to both the palate and the nose. To that end, we were really impressed with the cocktail list at AMMO - definitely a destination for those wanting to take their imbibing to the next level. Paired with a solid bar menu, a cozy stool at AMMO's bar is a great place to spend any evening.

Disclosure: This was a hosted meal.

Based on our posts, it would be easy to assume that we never eat at a place more than once. That's mostly true - even if we like a place a lot, there are countless wonderful food adventures waiting to be had, and limited time, money and stomach space. But when we don't have the energy to devote to the quest for new restaurants to try (which happens most often at lunch on the weekends), we do have our neighborhood go-to options, like All About the Bread, Food + Lab, and new-to-the-roster Mendocino Farms. Recently we visited Black Cat Bakery on Fairfax, a potential addition to the weekend rotation.

Black Cat Bakery is cute as all get-out, exactly the kind of place I could see us visiting often for brunch. The outside patio, with plenty of seating, is a great place to lounge with a canine friend on warm days. Inside, an array of baked goods takes up a substantial portion of the tiny establishment.

The food here is pretty solid with a nod to the healthy and a tiny twist of the unexpected. For example, we've seen the combination of applewood smoked honey-cured bacon bits, apples, shallots and cheddar before, but never in the middle of a four-egg omelette. The result isn't mind-blowing, but it's nice and different. In contrast, the accompanying skillet potatoes are pretty standard.

The bibimbop-style farro takes us on more of a left turn. Swiss chard, roast tomatoes, mushrooms, asparagus, fresh burrata, and a sunny-side up egg top a heaping helping of farro for a dish that fills us up without weighing us down.

Black Cat also does lunch and dinner (though it's never open past 8 - click here for hours), offering a selection of sandwiches and salads.

While we won't write about it again, I wouldn't be surprised if you find us here on a sunny weekend in the future.

I woke up the other morning from a dream of creamy polenta. I don't know why - it's not like I'd recently eaten it, or ever craved it before. I've never even made polenta at home (the only time I've really ever had it at home is when I buy those tubes of ready made polenta at Trader Joe's, which is not what I was looking for). I just knew I wanted it.

I have made grits at home once before, which are, in my understanding, sorta kinda the same thing as polenta (different texture/slightly different preparation/different kind of corn? If anyone for real knows the answer to that question, please let me know!). In any event, once I had decided on polenta for dinner, I vaguely remembered seeing this recipe a couple of weeks back, which was just screaming for the addition of Italian sausage.

• 4 cups water
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 cup cornmeal
• About 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• Salted butter to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano or romano

The original recipe calls for quick cook polenta. And wouldn't you know, the store had just run out. BUT I did have coarse ground cornmeal. After quickly skimming some polenta recipes online, I decided to feel my way through it. I brought the water to a boil in a large pot, then added salt. I whisked in the cornmeal and reduced heat to low, cooking about 10 minutes and stirring often. Here and there, I added a bit of chicken broth when I thought the mixture was getting too thick.

After 10 minutes, I added milk and cooked another 5-6 minutes (until the cornmeal was cooked through and the mixture was smooth and creamy), then turned off the heat and whisked in copious amounts of butter (I think I added about 3 or 4 tbsp, obviously you can use less) and cheese. Then I covered it to keep warm while I made the rest.

• 1 package ground hot Italian sausage
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bunch kale, leaves roughly torn
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

I heated a large pan over medium heat and cooked sausage until brown. I removed the meat to a plate with slotted spoon, leaving the drippings, then added oil to the pan.

Over medium heat, I let the onion, celery and sundried tomato roll around in the sausage-flavored oil and cooked for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Then I let the garlic join the party and cooked a minute or two more.

I added the kale, tossing, and cooked 1 minute, then added the broth and cooked about 5 minutes until kale was just wilted. I added meat back in, seasoned to taste, and cooked 1 more minute.

I turned off heat, added the balsamic vinegar and tossed one more time before heaping it all on top of a bed of polenta. Or “polenta” as the case may be – I have no idea if this was anything close to an authentic recipe for polenta. But it was exactly what I had been craving – rich, luxurious, buttery and cheesy, and a great bed for the kale, sausage and sundried tomatoes. I thought it was pretty darned good, and Mark thought it was pretty darned good, and so I guess my dreams came true.

With the recent opening of Sunny Spot, LA's resident king of fusion, Roy Choi has added another sucessful concept to his budding empire. Much like A-Frame, the newest venture features bold bursts of Asian and Latin flavors. But where A-Frame errs heavier on the Asian influences, you might think of Sunny Spot as its reggae-jamming, sandal-wearing, Caribbean step-brother. We were looking forward to checking it out when we met up with new friend Howard of Consuming LA.

After looking at the Caribbean-influenced menu, we were half-expecting the bartender to address us with a 'Hey Mon'. Thankfully, he didn't - the Caribbean theme is never heavy-handed in either the service or the decor. 

One place the Caribbean theme does make its presence strongly felt is on the cocktail menu, where rums from Haiti and Jamaica, as well as aged rums from Nicaragua dominate the list (below). Also available is a small selection of wines and a predominately Caribbean selection of beers on tap or in the bottle. 

We set the tone for the evening by enjoying a couple of these tropical libations at the huge bar. The Dry Harbour (below, left) blended pot still rum, lime, absinthe, habanero pineapple shrub to hit a good balance of heat and sweet. The Chilcano Bay (below, right) mixed pisco, lime, ginger, lemongrass and fernet branca for a drink that was refreshing in its tanginess, but also had a wonderful underlying warmth and fullness. 

Once we hit the table, we decided to indulge in a couple of the smaller plates. For just $4, we enjoyed the simplicity of the pineapple lollipops (not pictured), peppered with chili salt to off-set the sweetness of the fresh, juicy strips of fruit. 

We managed to resist the allure of the sweet and salty fried plantains and yucca fries, also $4, and instead opted for the yellow salty rice (below) for the same price: yellow and salty as promised, but the sodium didn’t overwhelm.

There was no need to curse when the next starch hit the table. The Muh-F*K*N Mofongo (below), a soupy mush of overripe plantains, bacon, garlic and black pepper might throw off those with textural issues, but the savory, hearty dish won us over. It may seem out of place at a nice, sit-down establishment, but it’s the kind of down-home, tasty dish for which Roy Choi is known. Food of the people, by the people and for the people, and we don't mean the 1%. 

The similarly street-ready sugar cane fried pigs feet (below) were a favorite, crunchy, fatty and delicious. The combination of the slightly sweet exterior and chile vinegar sauce made us consider placing another order.

Time for more drinks. The bartender made us an off-menu Trinidad Sour (below) - an inverted cocktail developed by NYC-bartender Giuseppe Gonzalez that calls for a base of bitters instead of the usual dash, orgeat, and alas - just a dash of lemon juice and Rittenhouse Rye. Quite tastier than the bitter-bomb we were tasting. 

Back to the food. We were hoping for more heat with the brown sugar scotch bonnet short ribs (below), but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the hell out of the slightly chewy, perfectly seasoned meat, (grilled LA-county style, whatever that means).

The unctuous broiled hamachi collar dealt in more subtle flavors, despite the garlic thyme butter and lime and banana chili glaze - though getting at it was a little tricky to navigate, the focus stayed on the moist, flaky texture. Not a trace of fishiness, but it might be a dish more suited to those familiar with the cut.

The slow-roasted G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time) with lettuce wedges and pickled mango didn't quite live up to its name (that title stays with DC-favorite Komi's version for now), but it was very good, juicy, fork-tender and full of flavor.

We ordered the Cuban Torta (below) as an after-thought, but with the first bite, it skyrocketed to the top as one of the highlights of the night. The phenomenal combination of pork terrine, prosciutto, provolone, pickled jalapeno and mustard between two slices of crusty, delicious bread was an absolute winner.

After the explosion of flavor that was the torta, the housemade caramels with Maldon sea salt and toasted cashews, while fine, didn't set any fires.

We ended the meal on a good note with the We Be Yammin (below), a sweet potato tart with almond crust and toasted marshmallow ice cream. We liked the tart, which was a good balance of sweet, starchy, and nutty, and loved the accompanying ice cream, which brought memories of s'mores to mind. 

Given the company, the fantastically friendly and knowledgeable service and great food, it was a night warmly remembered and one we hope to recreate sometime soon. Sunny Spot is a very welcome addition, not just to Roy Choi's eccletic restaurant family, but to the Los Angeles food scene in general.

I love cookbooks. I really do. I have a fat stack of them in my kitchen, and I use them more than most people probably do. They have pretty pictures, and nice indexes, and they can also be used to even out table legs and hit people on the backside of their heads. Cookbooks are fun. BUT many times I prefer using recipes I find online. Why? The human element and feedback. Which is one of the main reasons I started this blog - to share my insights on the recipes I tried.

My experience making this sticky toffee pudding is a great example. I’ve never made sticky toffee pudding (a traditional Irish/English dessert), but decided to tackle it for the birthday of a good friend who really loves it. If I had followed the instructions in the original recipe (in The New Irish Table, which has been my go-to lately) to the letter, I think the dish would have been a failure – the sauce would have been way, way too thin. And the thick, rich, buttery sauce was the star of the show. And now I can share how to make it properly with you all.

• 4 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

The original recipe says to combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat (stirring constantly), then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the sauce has reduced to about 3 ½ cups.

5 to 7 minutes was a gross underestimation. It took 45 minutes of babying the sauce over medium low heat for it to reduce down to 3 ½ cups of glorious, buttery toffee. I made the sauce significantly ahead of time (maybe 6 hours) and refrigerated it uncovered, and just reheated it before putting the rest of the dish together.

• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 ¼ cups pitted and chopped Medjool dates
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 sticks (1 cup) softened unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Once I was ready to make the cake portion of the dish, I preheated the oven to 350 degrees and greased up a large bundt pan. I added the water, dates and baking soda to a small saucepan and brought it just to a boil over medium heat, which was just enough time to transform it into a hot, sugary, syrupy mixture. I set it aside to cool.

I combined the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl, then set it aside, and beat the softened butter and sugar together in my Kitchen Aid mixer for about 5 minutes, until it was fluffy and had lightened up in color (pale yellow). Keeping the mixer running, I added the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, then half the flour mixture.

Finally, I added the cooled date mixture and the remaining flour mixture to the mixer bowl, mixed thoroughly, and poured the batter into the greased bundt pan.

I baked the cake for about 45 minutes, until golden brown. I then poured about half the toffee sauce over the cake and continued baking for about 15 minutes. Once the baking was done, I let the cake cool for a bit, then inverted it onto a serving plate, cut it into slices, and slathered on the rest of the toffee sauce.

In spite of the instructions, my first attempt at sticky toffee pudding turned out pretty well. So the moral of the story here is, trust your instincts. If following the instructions in a recipe produces a result that seems/tastes wrong, do what your heart tells you. I did, and was rewarded with buttery toffee goodness!

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.

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. 

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.

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.

• 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...