Sunny Spot Venice

*Post by Mark.

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.

M Café de Chaya

*Post by Angela.

Anyone who reads this blog with any regularity knows that while Mark and I avoid fast/overly processed foods, we tend to equally avoid diet choices on the other side of the spectrum – unless we are out with/cooking for people who require it, it’s pretty rare that we seek out restaurants or recipes that restrict the universe of foods (vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free, etc.). Which is why until last week, whenever we tried to decide on a quick and easy dinner in walking distance, M Café just wasn’t in the running (plus, it’s right next to All About the Bread! I love that place.). But the combination of a gift card and the opportunity to meet up with Lynn from The Actor’s Diet and her husband Abe changed that, and now we have another great (and healthy!) option for neighborhood dining.

At its very small, often packed West Hollywood location, M Café offers globally-inspired “contemporary macrobiotic cuisine.” Once we had managed to snag a spot at the cafeteria-style benches inside, my first reaction was to ask Lynn what “macrobiotic” meant, exactly, as it didn’t sound delicious to me. She explained that people adhering to a macrobiotic diet eschew any refined sugars, eggs, dairy, red meat or poultry, although fish is allowed.

M Café made a pretty good first impression with their wasabi potato salad, which somehow managed to be creamy sans dairy or egg. The wasabi was subtle, making this a dish we could – and did – easily scarf down in moments.

As noted, while M Café doesn't do red meat or poultry, it does have fish dishes, including a small selection of sushi. The spicy tuna roll was pretty standard - an enjoyable little bite to lead into our main courses. 

Lynn and Abe, M Café veterans, were there on a mission to sample items from the new fall menu. First up was the Philly cheese “steak,” made with thinly sliced seitan, grilled onions, bell peppers, and shiitake mushrooms, topped with a vegan cheese sauce. Lynn and Philly native (and vegetarian) Abe enjoyed it quite a bit as a veggie hoagie, while ceding that wasn’t really very close to an authentic cheesesteak. 

They also split another a new menu item, the korma curry, featuring seitan, brown rice, and steamed kale in a cashew cream curry sauce.  I didn’t try this one either, but Mark did and liked it a lot – it’s the kind of dish where the absence of meat and dairy really doesn’t make much of a difference.

I was feeling only mildly hungry for some reason, so I ordered the bi-bim-bap, with marinated pan-fried tofu, Korean-style vegetables, spicy miso sauce and house-made kim chee over rice, thinking it would be a light meal. I was wrong, but not unhappy about it – the combination of well-sauced and seasoned tofu, veggies and rice was surprisingly filling, so much so that I ended up taking about half of my meal home (and eating it later on that night). The only complaint I had? I wouldn’t have minded more pungent kim chee and spicier sauce.

 

On Lynn’s enthusiastic recommendation, Mark ordered the “Big Macro,” a whole grain brown rice and vegetable burger topped with special sauce, lettuce, soy mozzarella, tomato, pickles, onion, and sprouts on a house-baked whole wheat bun. While it doesn’t really compare to the taste of a nice medium-rare beef patty, it’s one of the better veggie burgers out there – the hefty patty avoided the mushy texture you find so often in non-meat burger patties, and was really flavorful, even without all the toppings. Mark also ordered an awesome side, which balanced slightly bitter kale with a light peanutty sauce.

To finish off the meal, Lynn was kind enough to share a dairy-free chocolate tart with my sweet toothed sweetheart. 

While I seriously doubt that either Mark or I could hold ourselves to a macrobiotic diet for any significant length of time (I’d give it two meals, and that would be impressive), it’s really nice to eat at a place where you know that whatever you order, it’ll be good for you.  M Café offers food that is pretty tasty, in a convenient setting.

Fried Banana Dumplings

*Post by Angela.

I'm not a huge fan of dessert. For some reason, that goes double for Asian desserts, which I generally find to be weird and unappetizing. However, there are some important exceptions: green tea ice cream, polvorón (which is more of a Spanish dessert anyway), and fried banana dumplings. After making the green curry chicken the other night, we had some leftover coconut milk, giving us the perfect opportunity to make this delicious deep-fried dish.

List of ingredients:

• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 12 small ripe Asian bananas
• Powdered sugar (optional)
• Chocolate sauce (optional)

First, I sifted together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Then I added the eggs and the coconut milk, whisking it together gradually until well combined.

Then I peeled the bananas. As you can probably tell, we couldn't find small Asian bananas (Mark would argue that I am a small Asian banana). We used a half dozen ripe regular variety bananas - Asian bananas would have been even better, as they are a little sweeter and have a slightly different texture, but the recipe still worked. I dipped each banana piece in the batter, making sure it was well coated.

I heated the vegetable oil in a big pot to about 375 degrees, then carefully dropped in half the batter-coated pieces.  

I cooked them about 5-7 minutes, until golden brown and extra crispy, then placed them on a paper towel-lined plate to get rid of the excess oil as I fried up the other half of the bananas.

Once I was done frying, Mark and I customized our shares to our preferences - I just sprinkled a little powdered sugar over mine, while sweet-toothed Mark drizzled his pieces generously with chocolate sauce. Either way, these sweet dumplings tied a really nice bow on a dinner at home.

A-Frame

*Post by Angela.

Roy Choi is a name that is inextricably linked to the Los Angeles food scene in our memories. Arguably the granddaddy of the food truck craze, Choi is the genius behind the ubitquitous Kogi BBQ trucks, out of which we were served our very first taste of city on our very first trip to LA together. Choi's food isn't all mobile, though. He's also responsible for serving up delicious fusion dishes at Chego in West LA, and now A-Frame in Culver City. We recently grabbed dinner at the latter, open since last fall, with Nick from TreasureLA.  

It turns out when you strip down an old IHOP, keeping its recognizable a-frame structure, the results are sleek, modern and surprisingly chic, yet cozy. As we wait for Nick, we sip a couple of brews from A-Frame's small but impressive craft beer list and enjoy the soundtrack of Dr. Dre and Ice Cube. The music selection is intentional, helping to create a calculated lack of pretension. The theme - as Choi likes to call it - is 'modern picnic'. Silverware and napkins are stowed in free-for-all containers in the center of long, communal picnic tables. Servers are constantly smiling, and the restaurants boasts pit-fire-heated patio seating for those wanting to enjoy the beautiful SoCal weather while munching. 

The best thing about Choi's food is how seamlessly he fuses different cuisines, twisting familar concepts to give diners something new and exciting. We start our cuisine hop with the Hawaiian-style  Blazin’ J's kettle corn, a buttery treat that brings together spice, sweetness and a hint of the ocean (from the furikake, a Japanese condiment made up of dried and ground fish, sesame seeds, chopped seaweed, sugar, salt and other seasonings). As part of the presentation, the server literally dumps half of the bowl in front of us. The sweet kernels are unlike any kettle corn we've ever tasted. The furikake evokes an ocean quality without overpowering the appetizer with fishiness - greatly appreciated as we lick the buttery residue from our fingers. 

We continue with an item well-known to me, a hearty five-grain pan de sal (a yeast-raised bread from the Philippines), served with Plugra (high butter fat) butter sprinkled with sea salt. The bread is served piping hot, with the crust protecting the fantastic spongy doughy-ness inside.

The warm cornbread and chicken salad with Italian sausage ragoût, salsa verde and pickled red onion (below, left) feels appropriately picnic-y. The real magic of this dish happens once your fork slices through to the bottom of the moist cornbread. There, a forkful of chicken and cornbread is coated with the thick salsa verde resulting in a crumbly, sweet, creamy bite that is entirely unexpected - the perfect mess. 

The knuckle "sandwich," features a braised bowl of oxtail, tendons, knuckles and other odds and ends, and is served with toasted bread (below, right). The tender meat tastes great devoured on top of a piece of crusty bread soaked in the unctuous broth. The knuckle is more of a soup than a sandwich, but I don't mind. If any dish is out of place it may be this one. Its some-assembly-required presentation isn't quite as easy to dive into as some of the other hands-on options. 

We're blown away by Choi's version of clam chowder with green curry, lemongrass, pancetta, coconut milk and toasted sourdough (below). Far from the gut bombs that most cream-based chowders tend to be, this is a delicate and nuanced broth, loaded with meaty morsels of clams and pork and brightened by the hints of lemongrass. It takes all my will power not to upend the contents of the bowl into my mouth.

We move on to slightly more substantial fare, though our stomachs are quickly running out of space. The A-Frame burger comes with tomato confit, pickled red onions, butter lettuce, hot sauce sharp cheddar, and sesame mayo on a buttered brioche bun (below) - a solidly good burger that is literally dripping with flavor. A mess, maybe, but there isn't an inch of this burger that isn't bursting with intense flavors. Those flavors just may find themselves on your fingers, your chin, perhaps even staining the front of your shirt. This is a small price to pay for such juicy, medium rare-cooked beef, tomatoes oozing with olive oil and assertive sauces. 

Then comes another savory course to get our fingers messy. The cracklin' beer can chicken with kimchi, century egg, salsa roja and salsa verde is quite the tasty version of roast chicken. Slow-roasted for several hours, this juicy half order gets its crispy exterior from a quick final dip in the flash fryer before it hits the table. A splash of the sweet, green salsa verde really hits the spot, cutting through the thick, crusty skin.  

Finally, finally, we finish off our feast with the pound cake cinnamon churros, served with a glass of malted chocolate milk and vanilla ice cream (below). The churros are enjoyable, if not a little dense. The chocolate milk helps wash them down. At first we attack the drink with our spoons, but it's not long before we're tilting the glass back like a shooter. By this point in the meal, any inhabitations have been wiped away with the mounds of dirty napkins we've cast aside. 

Nothing is quite as it seems at A-Frame, and that's a good thing. A variety of Asian flavors come together in a strange sort of American picnic. It's an east-meets-west mash-up that works considerably better than it should. Prices and portions are beyond reasonable. Part of the reason we ordered so much food was because we expected portions to be tiny considering the modest prices. And if there is any carryover from the previous tenants, this is it. Affordable food and an atmosphere where the attitude gets checked at the door. But the comparisons should stop there. A-Frame has since been transformed into the wonderful stage upon which Choi presents his unique style of food. By far the best meal I've ever eaten in an IHOP.

Picca Peru

*Post by Mark.

It seems like only yesterday that this was still Test Kitchen. In fact, it's been about six months since restaurants were doing pop-up runs on the inside. On the outside, it was just a large, undistinguishable red building. Those days are long gone. Now, it still doesn't have a sign, but it has sprawling letters artfully tossed across its front: P-I-C-C-A.

Picca is the joint effort of Chef Ricardo Zarate (of Mo-Chica) and managing partner Stephane Bombet. Zarate recently won the accolade of being named a Food & Wine Best New Chef, and the restaurant pairs his Peruvian cuisine with an opening cocktail menu crafted by Julian Cox. We loved our experience at Sotto downstairs. Could it be that two of our favorite new restaurants in LA would end up under the same roof?

Inside Picca, summer light pours in from ceiling-high windows. Walls feature a mix of wood, whites, and stylish design. Another mirrored wall outlines and defines some of the basic gastronomic staples of Peru- ceviche, anticuchos, pisco. The result is welcoming, cozy, and even a little informative for those less familiar with Peruvian cuisine. 

With their grand opening happening on Saturday night (June 25th), Picca opened their doors Thursday and Friday for a trial run in the vein of the good ol' Test Kitchen days. We were quite excited to meet Catty Critic and Rock My Palate for an early Friday crack at the menu, which is broken down into five sections, plus dessert. Picca recommends a progressive dinner, ordering one from each of the sections. 

We started things off with a few drinks. The house pisco sour (below, left) was subtle and refreshing. The Maracuyo (below, right) was refreshingly citrusy and subtly sweet, a perfect summer sipper. All drinks include pisco, the national liquor of Peru.

In addition to all the Pisco drinks on the cocktail menu (below, left) was the Banana Hammock (below, right). I don't normally order banana cocktails, but Mr. Cox seems to know his way around the pisco and made a banana cocktail I wasn't ashamed to drink. I was, however, a little ashamed to have to ask our server for a 'banana hammock'.

Our journey began with the tres leches de tigre (below), or "tiger's milk." Much like the bold-flavored ceviche marinade that this dish is named for, the trio of rocoto, aji amirillo, and sea urchin flavored shooters packed some serious punch. A few members of our party found them to be a little too overpowering, while others loved the eye-opening tartness. 

Zarate highlights his Peruvian menu with a touch of Japanese flair. With the causa sushi (below), he dresses mashed yellow potato with the toppings you'd expect from sushi. The snow crab with cucumber, avocado and huancaina sauce was on the fishier side but the sweet meat plus the creamy sauce was still a nice combination. The yellow tail with spicy mayo, green onions and wasabi tobiko had a bit of smokey flavor in addition to the spice. The spicy tuna with tobiko and cucumber had a nice little kick. 

One of the group's favorite dishes of the night had to be the ceviche mixto (below) which arranged mixed seafood, choclo and sweet potato into a beautifully composed dish. The choclo is a large-grain Andean corn that's common in Peruvian fare and in addition to its slightly nutty flavor, it is some seriously giant corn. And the kitchen doesn't skimp on the seafood - the dish was loaded with tasty squid rings, huge and juicy shrimp and sweet morsels of scallop. After the strong tartness of the Tiger's Milk trio, the creamy ceviche was a nice contrast.

Next, we went onto the tuna tartare (below) with tuna, avocado, lemon soy dressing and wanton chips. Conventionally prepared, the tartare was perfectly executed. Its simple, clean flavors expressed a noticeable subtlety in comparison to other dishes.

The conchas a la parmesana arrived, picturesquely nestled atop mounds of salt. The mild taste of the scallops and the hidden bed of spinach underneath them were a little overwhelmed by the layer of crispy parmesan cheese. But who doesn't love crispy cheese? And the bright lemon sauce cut through some of the oiliness of the parmesan. 

Another huge hit at our table were the choritos, steamed mussels, panccetta, aji amarillo butter. The briny flavor of the mussels was tempered deliciously by the lush, yolky sauce. After the shellfish was gone, we sopped up the rest of the buttery sauce with the accompanying toasted bread.  

The chicharron de pollo, marinated crispy chicken, salsa criolla, rocoto sauce was really flavorful - bright and fresh - and the chicken meat was juicy. We were hoping that the coating would be a little crispier, but this small glitch didn't stop us from picking the plate clean.

Anticuchos are a staple of Peruvian street-food, and Picca offers an extensive selection of skewered meats cooked over a charcoal flame. The beef filet (below, left) with sea urchin butter and garlic chip presented an awesome char over the tender meat. Unfortunately, the plate was cleared away by Picca's attentive crew before any of us were able to lick the delicious sea urchin butter from it. The corazon (below, right) is Zarate's beef heart anticuchos served with rocoto sauce. The slightly chewier meat had a delicious iron-y taste (which isn't to say it was ironic, but that it tasted of iron.) The Pollo (also below, right) was similarly enjoyable, and paired chicken breast with a tasty rocoto pesto.

We moved on to a couple of the entreees, first digging into the arroz con erizo (below), a Peruvian paella with mixed seafood. The tender grains of rice were bathed in a sumptuous, oceany sea urchin sauce that had us drooling, and each piece of seafood was perfectly plump and juicy.

The locro de quinoa (below), was just as hearty as the rice dish, thanks to the filling nature of the grain and the inclusion of more choclo. The sweet pumpkin stew got a salty flavor boost with the help of some parmesan cheese, and the crispy tomato topped with toasted bread crumbs lent a great tang.

The very simple Santa Barbara prawn (below) dish offered sweet shrimp meat with a nice char.

The chanfainita (below), was the ultimate way to end the parade of savory dishes. The braised oxtail, which featured mote and a hearty potato stew, simply fell off the bone and melted in your mouth. Typically, we're used to heavier renditions of this savory dish, but here the tender meat was accented with a welcomed dash of zest. 

And then there were churros (below, left). Oh boy, do I love a good a churro. And these are as good as they get. With a rich dulche de leches cream filling inside, these sugary meal-enders went well with all three of their dipping sauces (below, right) which consisted of chocolate, mango and carob.

Along with the churros, the Peruvian cheesecake (below) may have been a consensus favorite. A little aji amirillo provided a very unexpected pop of heat and savoriness amidst the otherwise sweet dessert. 

The lemon tart (below, left) was a favorite of Angela's, with an awesome candied lemon garnish and a wonderful crumbly crust supporting the creamy and bright filling. She also really enjoyed the tres leches (below, right) dessert, which embedded berries in its layers of liquid soaked butter cake.

We were giving adorable little Picca cow keychains to take away. Press the button on their cow's head and they light up like a mini-flashlight. 

We were literally blown away by the cuisine at Picca. Los Angeles is lucky to have chefs like Ricardo Zarate and we're glad to now have a second great reason to return to 9575 W. Pico Blvd.