Westside Tavern

Friday evenings have not been the same since the Westside Tavern entered into the Westside Pavillion, a once sad wasteland of a mall in LA's sprawling west side. First came the new Landmark theater, arguably better than the Arclight in Hollywood. The LA Times actually claimed that the Landmark outdid the Arclight with it's Nasa designed seats and La Brea Bakery concessions. But that is beside the point. The Westside tavern, after it's first year, ended up on many a top ten new LA restaurant lists. Pair the WT's fare with that new art-house film at the Landmark and you are in for a perfect Los Angeles evening. You may even spot Tom Hanks going the opposite way on the escalator.  It has become my way of easing myself into the weekend and my Fridays have never been better.

If there is one food item on this earth that I crave it is their chicken liver mousse. It comes served in a mason jar, whipped to creamy perfection and is covered with a light layer of aspic to keep it creamy. Along with the mousse comes slices of thin, crispy toasted baguette and diced apples which cut the fat of the mousse so brilliantly. I literally have dreams about this and will not lie about the fact that I have polished one off on my own.

Their flat breads are also very good. They have three selections that will appeal to vegans and meat eaters alike. Their buratta plate is divine; the cheese tastes like's shipped straight from Italy and the heirloom tomatoes are sweet and delicious. There is something about the freshness of all the ingredients that is so appealing. As much as I do enjoy the Hillstone chain, and as often as the WT is compared to them, The WT is on a whole different level when it comes to farm to table. WT is a purveyor of local ingredients, you can just taste the freshness. That is why the menu changes seasonally; just when you found that new favorite menu item, it is gone. Beets come and go but thank goodness, chicken liver mousse is there to stay.

The Westside Tavern also has one of the best burgers in town. They cook it to whatever your preference and it always comes out pretty darn close. The bread is fluffy and light. The lamb French dip is another very popular item and it is very good and filling. The only problem with the entrees are that they are very large and very filling so I find myself mostly sticking to the appetizers, flat breads and soups. Otherwise, I might fall asleep during my movie.

All the wines by the glass are very fairly priced. They also have some very good and unique cocktails as well as that Moscow Mule you see on most bar menus these days. And theirs is equally good. The Grapefruit Rickey happens to be my favorite, made with Vodka, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Lime & Grapefruit Juices. It is refreshing and the St Germaine cuts the sourness of the grapefruit juice ever so nicely.

The Westside Tavern is a place to gather with your friends in the bar area either before or after a movie. There is no better place to congregate over cocktails and beautiful food on the Westside. The best time to grab a bar table would be before 6pm on most evenings as it fills up pretty quickly. Lunch is always a great time to snag a table as well. And remember, even if you don't like chicken liver, trust me, you must try theirs. Your life will never be the same.

http://www.westsidetavernla.com/

White Sangria

White Sangria from La Grande Orange

 

I absolutely love white sangria and have always wanted to make it, where to find that golden recipe was the question.  The LA Times ran this recipe in their food section just before Easter and I thought it was the perfect time to test it out.  I get my Pinto Grigio from Trader Joe's, there is a great bottle for $3.99  called Gaetano D'Aquino that I love (just call me Ramona from the Housewives of NYC).  If you don't have any Brandy sitting around at your house like me, go to your local liquor store and buy one little airplane size bottles, they measure out to exactly 1/4 C.  I never knew that?!  If you are worried about sugar then you can sub peach nectar to sweeten.  I find that the sugar really cuts the wine and brandy well, however.  Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 bottles pinot grigio or dry white wine
• 1 1/3 cup OJ
• 1/2 cup triple sec
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 orange sliced in one whole, thin slice (for looks)
• 1/2 lemon sliced the same way
• 1/2 apple sliced the same way
• large bunch grapes, stemmed and cut in half

In a large pitcher, whisk together the wine, OJ, triple sec and brandy.  Add the sugar and vanilla extract and continue to whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the sliced fruit.  Reserve some sliced fruit to put into each glass, the grapes will get icy and yummy.  Garnish with a slice of lemon or orange on the side of the glass.  You can even make this the day before you serve, just make sure to not add any ice to the pitcher as it will dilute it.  This is such a fabulous Spring/ Summer cocktail.  Be forewarned, it's very easy to drink!

Buttered Shrimp in Sriracha

 

It's been eons since my last posting, busy times, these are...  My new four quart All Clad saute' pan got me in the mood.  I have been cooking and trying out some great new recipes when coming up for air and in from cars and airplanes.  Lately, I have been getting my recipes out of the LA Times Food section on Thursdays, they really have some great ones.  This particular recipe comes from Bon Appetit's June Issue (Gwynneth on cover).  On a recent adventure to San Gabriel with my Dad for LA's best dim sum, well, arguably, I picked up a gigantic container of Sriracha at 99 Ranch Market, one of my favorite ingredients (spicy also means burning additional calories).  So, when I came across Bon Appetit's page entitled, "Sriracha: 5 chef's -- 1 Ingredient,"  I knew I was going to have to prepare one of the five.  Create an easy recipe and do it with shrimp and it's game on for this girl!  It's so simple and I used wild caught and organic components, I even got to use my own mint!  There is something so gratifying about eating something you potted, but I digress...  Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 6 Tbsp Sriracha
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 Lb. shrimps ( I use the wild caught, peeled and deveined shrimp from Whole Foods)
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh mint
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh basil

First stir together softened butter and Sriracha, melt in a saute' pan until the butter melts.  Then add the garlic, saute' for several minutes and add the shrimps.  Just before they are done, add lemon zest, basil and mint, only allow them to wilt.  Bon Appetit says to serve as an app or atop a steamed artichoke but I thought they would be great atop butter lettuce or even as the filling of a lettuce wrap, which is how I ended up eating them.  There is a real Thai flavor: spicy, fresh and that amazing after taste of basil and mint.  I have most definitely found a new favorite recipe in this AND it burns fat while I eat it.  Well, I guess there is butter in there so maybe it burns some of that off...



Sole Meuniure with

Roasted Butternut Squash

 

I made this Barefoot Contessa recipe with my Mom over the holidays and I still have dreams about it. It is so simple and delicious. My mom's one problem with the dish was that it was too lemony and there are several comments under Ina's recipe on the Food Network site that say the same thing. So I am going to omit lemon zest from the recipe and just leave the same amount of lemon juice. We paired the fish with some roasted butternut squash. To save time, you can buy the squash pre-cut into cubes in baggies at Trader joe's. We bought three bags and roasted them with olive oil, kosher salt, cracked pepper and some fresh thyme in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes. The flavors of the lemony fish paired nicely together with the squash. Here is the recipe for the sole: (serves 2)
 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 fresh sole fillets 3-4 ounces ea.
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter
• 6 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
• 1 tbsp minced, fresh parsley

Directions:

Preheat overn to 200 degrees F. Have two heat proof dinner plates ready.
Combine the flour, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper in a large, shallow plate. Pat the sole fillets dry with paper towels and sprinkle one side with salt.

Heat 3 tbsp butter in a large (12") saute pan over medium heat until it starts to brown. Dredge two sole fillets in the seasoned flour on both sides and place them in the hot butter. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook two minutes. Turn carefully with a metal spatula and cook for two minutes on the other side. While the second side cooks, add 2-3 tbsp lemon juice (depending on how lemony you like your fish) to the pan. Carefully place the fish fillets on the oven proof plates and pour the sauce over them. Keep the cooked fillets warm in the oven while you cook the two remaining fillets. When they're done, add the cooked fillets to the plates in the oven. Sprinke with the parsley, salt and pepper and serve immediatley with whatever side you like!

 

The Pioneer Woman's Sonoma Chicken Salad



I have been making this once a month for about the last six months. It is a little time consuming chopping all the fruits and veggies and boiling the chicken but it is SO worth it and it lasts for days. The Pioneer Woman has an amazing website, http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/, her recipes are scrumptious. I really like that she gives healthier options as well. In this recipe, she calls for 1/2 cup mayo and a 1/2 cup sour cream but I like to use a cup of nonfat plain yogurt and then a few tbsp of lowfat mayo to make it a little creamier. She also calls for a whole cut up chicken but I like to use 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I make open face sandwiches on wheat toast with some honey mustard and spinach. Sometimes I just lay it on a bed of spniach and that is it! The dill mixed with the grapes and celery make it so crisp and clean and I never get sick of it. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 1 whole, cut up fryer
• 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 whole green onions, chopped, green and white parts
• 2 cups grapes halved (green and red make it very pretty)
• 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt or 1/2 mayo and 1/2 sour cream either light or regular work
• small handfull of dill, minced, I use lots!
• 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1-2 tbsp brown sugar
• kosher salt to taste
• fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preparation instructions:Rinse chicken and place in a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 45 minutes until chicken is done. While the chicken is cooking chop/ cut up all your fruits and veggies and place them in a bowl. In another bowl prepare the dressing: combine yogurt and or mayo, lemon juice, brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Once the chicken is cooked, allow to cool and then shred it with your fingers or a fork and chop into bite sized chunks. Add the chicken to the fruits and veggies and then add your dill and mix together. Pour the dressing over the chicken/ fruit, stir well to get the dressing evenly distributed. It is just so super yummy; Icannot wait to eat it for the next four days!

Barefoot Contessa Lemon Chicken

 

 

This is seriously the best chicken I have ever prepared, hands down. I can be bored to tears by chicken but this was so, dare I say, moist (I despise the word) . The combination of the lemon, thyme, garlic and white wine make this chicken so flavorfull and by leaving the skin on, very crisp on the outside yet juicy when you cut into it. Seriously yummy! And so easy. Since I get sick of things so quickly and there are four massive servings, I made sandwhiches out of the chicken:I add goat cheese atop wheat bread, some arugala, light mayo mixed with pesto and voila! I also made a salad with it: I added mandarin oranges, avocado, roasted asparagus with Trader Joe's herb salad mix... divine. Here is the recipe for the chicken:

• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• 3 tbsp minced garlic (9 cloves)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine (I use cheap chardonnay)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 boneless, skin on chicken breasts (ask the butcher at Whole Foods to do this)
• 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over med-low heat, add the garlic and cook for just one minute but don't allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 tsp salt and pour into a 9 x 12 baking dish.

 



Pat the chicken dry and place them skin up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck them among the chicken. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinke with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Ina reccomends serving with a couscous or rice to soak up the juices, I don't like eating starches so I roasted some asparagus to pair with it. Drizzle asparagus with olive oil and add Kosher salt and cracked pepper and cook for 10 minues on 400. Yummy and very healthy!

Barefoot Contessa Turkey Meatloaf

So I lied... I am now writing about my attempts at cooking. No, I am no Pioneer Woman but what the hell. I never dreamed I would like to cook as much as I do; it is my zen time. But, can I cook? Hmm, it's too early to tell. At least the recipes I follow are easy and use minimal, easy-to-find ingredients. Cooking more has been a new years resolution every year for at least 5 years and until now has been a MAJOR failure. But alas, it is January sixth and I have cooked absolutely everything I have put in my mouth (wheat bread aside) since the 2nd (the 1st, of course never counts whilst in recovery from the previous night's gluttony). I LOVE to eat but just never made the time to cook... Until this week. Dear God, hope I am decent, still waiting to taste the loaf...

Ok, so this recipe is really easy and I cut it in half, it typically serves 8-10 and I am a one. So this is for 4-5 servings:

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions or one onion
• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (b/c Ina always uses thyme)
• little less than a 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
• little less than 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 3/4 teaspoon tomato paste
• 2 1/2 lbs ground turkey breast
• 3/4 cup plain, dry breadcrumbs
• 2 regular size eggs beaten
• little less than 1/2 cup ketchup

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium saute pan, over medium-low heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent, but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased sheet pan. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F, the full portion recipe calls for 1 1/2 hours so try cooking for 50 minutes and check the temp. (A pan of hot water in the oven under the meatloaf will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.

Piatti -- Santa Barbara

In Italian Piatti means plates. To me, Piatti means dinner with Mom. The Montecito gem is tucked in back of the upper village shopping center off San Ysidro Road, right next to Pierre Lafond and Co., the market, deli, cafe and wine bar that has become a Santa Barbara institution. The main draw for us is Piatti's outdoor patio which sits along a meandering stream and is outfitted with a beautiful fireplace. Piatti has become our local escape to Italy, even if just for several hours...

Piatti's food probably won't be winning a Michelin star nor a James Beard award, but the restaurant is turning out some fine Italian food. I have found the food to be fairly consistent and the service always good, if not very friendly. This is a local's spot. We cannot go in without running into family friends or my Mother's elementary school students. It's where the neighborhood congregates and there is always a warm, friendly vibe permeating the inviting space. It is also great for families with young children. They are quick to bring the kids paper and crayons so their parents can enjoy that first cocktail.

The salads are quite large; I have often ordered the small salad as my lunch entree. My personal favorite is their spinach salad. The spinach leaves are so fresh and the dressing has a perfect sweetness to tame the bitterness of the leaves. Also noteworthy are the tricolore and Caesar salads. Really, you cannot go wrong with any salad at Piatti. Their pizzas and pastas are very good as well, everything is homemade. My favorite pasta is the papardelle with shrimp in a light white wine and lemon sauce. It is divine. All of the pastas are offered as half orders as well, a nice touch and not seen often enough on menus. We like to split a salad and order our own half portions of pasta. As for proteins, their meatloaf is made with veal and is quite indulgent and rich. It is often taken home and used for a sandwich the following day. The seafood entrees are always nice and light as well.

The wines by the glass are priced very fairly. Another draw to the restaurant for me is that they serve Sonoma-Cutrer by the glass, one of my most favorite buttery chardonnays. I believe it is priced around $12 a glass which is unheard of anywhere else but particularly for Montecito. In fact, all their prices are fair and I am sure that has a lot to do with why the restaurant is always packed.

If you're staying at the San Ysidro Ranch and feel like heading down the hill for something a little more casual and have already done the Plow and Angel, you can't beat Piatti. The most telling part about a restaurant, to me, is it's loyalty and whether or not the locals frequent it, Piatti happens to be one of those places. For me, it means coming home to Mom.

The Tasting Kitchen

I had heard so much about the "takeover" from Conni Anderson's Swedish themed A/K, to the Tasting Kitchen, a restaurant opened by a group of young ex-Portlandites. It had already reached high acclaim in the first year it had been open. I am always cautious before blowing $100 on a meal and tend to read up on the reviews. But, Jonathan Gold hailed it as one of LA's best and there was very good local Venetian buzz. So when my old book group proposed that we reunite there, I was happy to do my own personal "research."

When I arrived a bit late the girls were noshing on a cheese plate and pork rillette. Now a cheese platter is hard to do wrong, in my eyes, and it was top notch. But the rillette was mind blowing. I have found a new love for pate's and rillettes. I hugely enjoy fatty organ meats whipped up in a jar and covered in aspic (meat jelly). I don't think there is anything that I enjoy more these days and their's was nothing short of incredible. In fact, it was so good that I met a friend the following night for more.

They have some interesting combination plates. We ordered kumamoto oysters which were to be chased by a thin slice of salami. It was an interesting pairing but I think I prefer to relish in that 'fresh from the sea' taste from the oyster. There were several other oyster pairings that sounded equally intesreting but next time I would just go the straight oyster-and- lemon route.

They had some very nice wines by the glass, most of which were Italian or Spanish. I think the average price per glass is $13 which is a tad bit steep. I think next time I went I would order one of the signature drinks, they looked great and all the ingredients were, of course, farm fresh. Eveything was. I was very impressed by all of their locally sourced veggies and proteins. It's very apparent that everything at the Tasting Kitchen was plucked from the ground merely days ago, if that. Their farmer's market platter is a must order. It changes daily according to what the chefs grabbed at market.

The proteins were also great. We ordered braised short ribs which were divine. The meat was succulent and tender and it literally dripped from the bone. The sauce was a wine reduction that was not too overpowering nor too sweet. And there was the perfect amount of fat; I never like too much fat but they are ribs after all and there has to be a some fat to enhance the flavor. These were perfection.

The two times I have gone to the Tasting Kitchen were both very fun and experimental. I have only sat at the communal table and the bar. When I back (hopefully soon) I'd definitely sit at the bar again. The bartender/ mixologist was one of the Portlandites and he was very knowledgeable about every dish and ingredient. Actually, they all are. But since there are so many small plates and I wanted to know the right ones for me, the bar is the place to go to get constant recs, not to mention quick cocktail service. I cannot wait to go again.

Brunching on the west side

It's been about two or so years since my last post, not that anyone reads this anyway... But I have been finding that many Angelenos are stumped on where to get the best brunch. I thought I would jot some of my favorites down:

Boozy brunch- Hals's Bar and Grill. It is my boyfriend's VERY favorite. The Bloodies are great and the Eggs Beny are fabulous, they have options for both vegetarians and carnivores. My personal favorite is the omelette with chardonnay onions, cheddar cheese and bacon (I order egg whites to offset the rest of the fat). They also give you biscuits and mini muffins to start served with whipped butter and jam. I love a place that gives you breakfast apps.

Pretty Patio- The Rose Cafe has a gorgeous, giant patio in a lush garden setting. Their brunch menu is rather large and has tons of options. And I always hate waiting for a table when I'm starved after a morning workout but at the Rose there is rarely a wait. I love their deli case salads and breakfast burrito. Fish tacos are great for lunch as well.

By the Beach- Shutters, need I say more? Be prepared to wait and pay a hefty valet fee. But what an amazing spot.

With your girls- World Cafe is always fun with groups, great patio and it always smells good. After the Farmer's Market on Sunday mornings, gather friends around a table. Food is not why we go but when you are with the girls, who cares! Order some cheap chard, have it chilled and order up some small dishes to share. They do a great hummus plate. I prefer their apps to their entrees.

Romantic- Geoffrey's of Malibu is so unbelievably beautiful. Mimosas are the best in town because they use quality champagne, but they do not come cheap. The food is to die for and you cannot forget that view. It is the best in all of LA or Santa Barbara counties, for all I am concerned.

French Breakie- Anisette Brasserie- Most amazing oysters and french onion soup. They do their eggs very well. I would KILL for one of their bloodies, too. They do it all right. To save some do-re-me, go for brunch vs. dinner.

Best scrambles- The Omelette Parlor on Main Street. I love their scrambles and omelettes, I always order egg whites and they do them well. They also have fantastic potatoes and I don't even like potatoes. Very low key and zero attitude.

Best brunch time burger- Three Square Cafe and Bakery. The old Rockenwagner bakers are at it again. The pretzel bun makes this burger so other worldly. And those grilled onions mixed with high quality meat... scrumptious. If not in the mood for a burger, try their bratwurst, grilled onions and eggs. Also divine.