Fresh Approach Cooking

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Now mind you, I am not the only woman vying for The Ombudsman’s time. Sure, his quality time is spent with me, (or so I like to think. Being that kind of friend) but he also spends some hours with The Historical Babe, doing all sorts of bendy yoga maneuvers and dining on raw foods.

Seriously, it seems as if they're always getting massages and doing all sorts of calming activities. It's sexy stuff.

So when I ran in to them outside of the very chic and delightful Akasha restaurant in when-did-this-place-become-cool Culver City the other night, I wasn't the slightest bit surprised. Having just eaten there myself in the company of everybody's favorite Texan, Pace, I was able to vouch for it's excellence and tranquil vibe.

The ideal spot for the health and environment conscious who still want a super star meal.

What is so darn-tastic loveroo about it is that they are all about the whole grains and locally sourced biz-nizz. Makes a girl happy. Plus, the food is just dreamy fabulocity. All earthy and groovy without getting too darned granola. (Not that I don't love my granola-eatin' peeps mind you, but this restaurant is just not that vibe) In other words, it gets my kudos rating.

Having split a roasted artichoke, tomato tart (so delish!), short ribs and a summertime trio of desserts (yum. rhubarb. yum.) I did think I may have gone a bit on the heavy side for such a postcard perfect evening. So the next day, with my farmers market bounty calling, I made this fun soup duo to balance things out. Light for heavy. Vegetable for animal.

Easy as can be to zip together and a visual delight to present. It's light and refreshing and just what a girl needs on a lazy summer day. Especially after sampling Akasha's key lime and hibiscus cocktails...

So do try this my peaches and taste the joy.

4 each tomatoes, 2 red, 2 yellow
4 cups melon, 1/2 watermelon, 1/2 cantaloupe
2 each bell pepper, 1 red, 1 yellow
2 each jalapeno chile pepper, one red, one green
2 each cucumber, peeled and seeded
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons sherry vinegar
2 cups white bread , crusts removed
2 tablespoons sugar, as needed
2 tablespoons tomato paste
salt and pepper
3 bunches chervil , optional, for garnish


In a food processor, combine all of the red ingredients (including all of the tomato paste) and half the garlic, olive oil , vinegar and bread. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding sugar only if needed.

Clean out the food processor bowl and do the same with the yellow ingredients, (excluding the tomato paste) taste and adjust seasoning (salt, sugar, vinegar) as needed.

Refrigerate each batch until chilled.

To serve, you can either pour the two colors into a bowl simultaneously (side by side) or use chef rings (round cookie cutters) to make a bulls-eye pattern. You can also use a toothpick, drawing out from the center to create a pattern.

Garnish with chervil and serve.

© 2008 Fresh Approach Cooking
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© 2008 Rachael at "Fresh Approach Cooking" www.freshcatering.blogspot.com This RSS Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. If you are not reading this material in your news aggregator, or at the aforementioned url, the site you are looking at is guilty of infringing upon terms of copyright. And generally cheesing me off.

Stellar Organics Wine from South Africa is the top selling organic wine brand in the UK. Organic wine is now the largest sector in the organic alcohol category, and accounts for 56% of its sales; which with an extra 267,000 shoppers buying organic wine this year compared to last year, is an increase of 42% year on year. Stellar's wines are organic and Fairtrade, the only wine to gain both labels. – Harpers.co.uk

It costs farmers £1.45 to produce a kilo of pork, according to BPEX (the British Pig Executive), which represents the pork industry. At the beginning of 2008 supermarkets sold pork for £1.05 a kilo, and by May - eight months after farmers had started bearing the increased cost of feed - it had still only gone up to £1.20 a kilo. 78 per cent of the British public said they were prepared to pay more for pork to help farmers who have been campaigning for a better price. - BBC

Labels: Appetizer, Raw, Restaurants, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian

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That's my boy.

Labels: Restaurants

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You know what I LOVE?

Hot Asian Buns.

Oh yea.

And here is how I got my hands on some...

I was in Chicago for, like, I dunno, 26 hours last week and my only requirement (other than celebrating the occasion that brought me there.) was a stop at Wow Bao.

Sure, sure there is amazing, sublime, fantastically local food in Chi-Town, but when a girl is in a hurry and a sit down meal isn't on the agenda, this is the way to go.

Bao. Steamed buns. Chewy, savory, delicious.

Available in the lobby of the Water Tower building. Limited menu (six to choose from including whole-wheat energy - pictured, classic pork, etc.), at the wallet friendly price of $1.29. All that and freshly made Pomegranate-GingerAle. Yum, yum and double yum.

And you may be asking, why does a girl who trys to support small businesses and lives in a town that has a huge and vibrant local Chinese-American population go to another city and eat a Fast-Food Westernized version of a classic that I can get pretty much anywhere here? My answer? Not really sure. I just loves it.

But you know what? Maybe it is because this place is the BEST.

There you go kids, yet another scintillating restaurant review courtesy of Fresh Approach. If you are in the area, stop in, and enjoy. Why not, right?

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What is bao? A classic, steamed yeast bun, filled with marinated pork, and soy and oyster sauce

Restaurant group Lettuce Entertain You owns and operates 31 establishments in the Chicago area, including award winning Tru

David Jung, founder of Los Angeles' Hong Kong Noodle Company, created the fortune cookie in 1916

Labels: Restaurants

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Southern California is a desert. I know because I paid attention in that botany class I once took (I started out school as a Botany/Art major. Can you imagine? Blessed little 21-year-old-me wanted to do botanical illustrations as a career. Turns out, I am wack at botany and the call for botanical illustrators in this day and age is almost nil. Doh! Plus, can you say nerd? Eek.) that it consists of a chaparral desert. That’s right kids, it’s a desert. The kind that burns every once in awhile. Now, while I am a fan of the extra "s" making all things delicious and "dessert," I still live in a dry, warm, breezy desert, and I am glad for it.

One of the things about living in this climate zone is that we can pretty much predict the weather before it happens. Rain? That would be the third week in October through "Storm Watch fill-in-the-year" in February. That’s about it.

That lack of rain leaves a girls car kinda filthy though, lemme tell ya.

The solution of course, is a good car washing. Lather that baby up, hose it down and bedazzling (temporary) cleanliness can be yours.

For a price. And a precious 45 minutes. Which is what makes Lucas my new favorite restaurant. Ever. (Or at least, on Tuesday mornings, when I get the gas-guzzling-dirt-attracting-monster cleaned.) Even if they have no parking lot. What they do have instead is an adorable cottage attached to the car wash. I mean come ON people. This is the road-side attraction we have all been missing in this day and age!

It's like a dream. Instead of sipping on a bottle of water and wondering "When’s lunch?" This little gem of a place offers up ocean-breeze fresh sushi and teriyaki right there at Expert Car Wash on La Brea Avenue. Is there better sushi? Sure! But at a car wash? I'm going with, no.

The menu consists of your standard Americanized Japanese fair. Spicy Tuna Rolls, (see photo) California Rolls, Teriyaki Chicken, Honeydew Melon Smoothies (Huh? Why is this item so hot right now? Oh yes, because they are TASTY.) and yakitori. Prices top out at $8.95 too, which is pretty rad. Everything is prepared fresh and for some reason, (and this is where it becomes obvious I am no restaurant reviewer) is really a cut above most sushi shacks. The fish is fresh (would you expect less?) and served with panache, the service is quick and the overall feeling is…happy. It is one happy little (read: seats 12) place. Kinda makes me wish they had a parking lot.

So if your neighbor kids wrote "Wash Me" in the dust on your windshield, and you really want a bite to eat, head over to this spot and make yourself a happy camper too. I certainly am.

Until tomorrow,
Rachael

Lucas Sushi and Teriyaki
900 S. La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA

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The Orange Honeydew Melon is also known as the "Temptation Melon."

Japan's annual per-capita vegetable consumption today is 105.2 kilograms - slightly less than that of the United States (107.7 kilograms), but more than that of Germany (95.5 kilograms) and the United Kingdom (92.8 kilograms). - Web-Japan.org

Labels: Restaurants

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It's that time again, time to Dine and Dish...and the theme this month? The extra wonderliciously titled Asian Persuasion brought to us once again by (L.A. Times featured blogger super-star) Sarah of Delicious Life fame. What a gal.

It just so happens that I love me the Asian foods. Hakka, Mandarin, Korean, Kaiseki-Ryori, Sushi, Kyhmer, you name it, I'm in. And being in LA, we have them all to choose from.

One national cuisine I super adore is Vietnamese. Using fresh herbs and lime, simple, straightforward broths and a huge variety of vegetables I cannot get enough of it.

That is where The Card Shark comes in. You know the type, a tiny slip of a glamour girl, dressed head to toe in Prada, (Bless her soul) with a sing-song voice and well, a proclivity towards gambling. That beautiful child, I swear, she sits down at a table of myself and nine burly men and with a stone cold face and with a bat of her eyelashes, cleans us out. Drains our pockets. Drop kicks every last one of us to the curb. It is beyond impressive. And while her sister The Queen (long may she reign) drinks herself silly and flirts like a mad woman (it was a room full of boys and she is a specialist.) I sit there in awe. And after five, six, seven hours of this brutal yet dainty assault, I am broke. It is then that hunger can no longer be ignored and the ladies and I departed for Pho Cafe. Or as they called it "You know, that place, without a sign, in the same mini-mall as Rambutan." It is pretty much the last place in town I can afford using the wooden nickles covered in lint I have in my pocket after The Card Shark was finished picking my bones.

Now kids, I have said time and time again, I do not take photos while dining and I am no restaurant reviewer. I'm the worst at it, yet I keep challenging myself. So here goes. Sorry for the lack of visuals. Perhaps my prose will build a picture in your mind instead.

Pho Cafe is a long, extremely brightly lit corridor of a restaurant with a floor to ceiling glass front wall. The whole joint is painted white and the chairs are orange plastic. (Love it) It is usually packed to the limit with the (trendy, gentrifying) neighborhood hipsters sitting at one of the 12 or so tables lining the wall.

Being with my girls the menus (divided into three parts, appetizers, rice noodle soups, and cold vermicelli rice noodles) are hardly given a glance, it was beef pho with rice noodles all around.

Nothing on the menu is more than $6.75, so I could actually afford it despite the clean out earlier. Since it is a Vietnamese place run by Vietnamese people, the food is served in the traditional style - each dish comes when it's ready, and that is pretty quick.

As for the food, its fresh, its zippy, its vibrant. The light (beef) broth was lightly flavored and served in a GIGANTIC bowl. Enough food for three people. Vegetables (uncooked, shredded), bean sprouts, carrots, onions, are piled on top and there's a variety of spicy condiments on the tables, (peppers, fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, more peppers) and each dish comes with its own side of fresh herbs, thai basil, cilantro, mint and more. Pile it all on and have yourself a giddy slurp-fest.

We ate and laughed and enjoyed ourselves immensely. (Being hipsters and all) I recommend it for sure. But the question remains, was it Asian Persuasian, or, Persuasian by Asians...

Food: Yum
Prices: Super thrifty
Parking: Street or tiny lot. No valet
Would I Return: Already have

Pho Café 2841 W. Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90026

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From Zagats: Thrifty hipsters converge at this Silver Lake Vietnamese whose kitchen cranks out “tasty” soups and other “flavorful” fare ferried by a “cranky staff”; the “mod” setting, though, may be “minimalist to a fault”, and the “cool” clientele may wish to wear sunglasses to deal with “harsh lighting” better suited to “performing surgery.”

According to a popular Japanese saying, Tokyo people ruin themselves by overspending on fine footwear, Kyoto people on fine clothing, and Osaka people on fine food. They are (have? suffer from?) kuidaore, meaning to eat oneself bankrupt.

Pho (pronounced fuh) beef noodle soup, is the national dish of Vietnam

Modern Vietnamese cuisine is heavily influenced by the French colonists. However, traditional Vietnamese cuisine is similar to Chinese cooking, only instead of using soy sauce, they use fish sauce almost exclusively. Vietnamese recipes use a lot of lemon grass, lime and kaffir lime. - Wikipedia

Labels: Restaurants

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There are a thousand things about East Hampton that makes it so irresistible a destination. For me, its a place I have family and friends, childhood memories and am given a chance to relax (because, you know, I'm like, so stressed most of the time.) and party in such an amazing place. Its no coincidence that so many artists and persons of note live there, because it really is true that the light and a general je ne sais quoi is like no other place on earth. I had the best time there this summer, and I can't wait to go back soon. Beaches, parties, world class food, some of the most beautiful homes on the east coast and great shopping. What more can you ask for in a picturesque town? (Wait, wait, I know! Less tourists!)


I noticed on epicurious this month, there is a list of the best places to eat in that area, and I was sort of pleased to see that the spots I really love were left off of that tourist cattle call compilation. (Of course, many I love were on there too.) For instance, they left out the Clam Bar at Napeague. The last remaining place on earth (according to my sister, who waxes rhapsodic over her yearly pilgrimages.) where you can get steamers served the way they should be. Unadorned. (Now, now, of course we know that isn't true, there must be other places to get steamers. I bet they have them on Cape Cod, but she said it with such conviction!)


The Clam Bar is a blast of a spot really. Incredibly easy going and laid back, but with that shimmer of chic glamour. Its not much in itself, I mean you sit outside in tables in the gravel parking lot on the side of the highway, the specials board is dragged over and you order (do you see now why I limit my restaurant reviews? Seriously. It's tragic!) and they have a full beer and wine list (lots of it local). Basically its the perfect spot to laze away an afternoon, or to stop on the way home from a dip in the water. Per usual with the crowd I was with, we went with mussels, a few decadent rich and meaty lobster rolls, the outrageously sweet corn on the cob, fries (which seems right, now that I think of it, since East Hampton is really a potato farming community.) the single best veggie burger ever (hey, not everyone likes seafood, right?) and steamers. Lots and lots of perfectly cooked, plump, briny, local steamers. Everything comes out quick enough, the plates are paper, the napkins are too. And my friends, the food really is fantastic. A perfect spot in every way. If you are ever in the area, check it out.




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A class action suit filed last week against DuPont, charges that Teflon releases PFOA under normal cooking use and that the company did not warn consumers about its dangers. Studies have shown that PFOA causes cancer and other health problems in laboratory animals, and it is under scrutiny by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration.

DuPont says that while PFOA is used to make Teflon, none of it remains in the finished product, and all Teflon-coated cookware is safe.

The Environmental Working Group says items other than pans are likely to be the major sources of PFOA. Scientists are examining the chemical makeup of other products like food containers to gauge their potential hazards. But the group, along with many scientists, points out a different problem: an empty overheated Teflon-coated pan does pose a risk by releasing toxic fumes. DuPont does not dispute that, but there is no agreement between the company and Teflon's critics over what temperature releases the fumes. The Environmental Working Group says 325 degrees, or a medium flame; DuPont says 660 degrees.

Labels: Restaurants, Seafood

There is a dining experience I revisit a few times a year that I would like to share today because it it not exactly a meal that everyone gets to try, and on terra firma, most people wouldn't bother. While the setting is constantly evolving and free flowing, overall it is an extraordinarily civilised and elegant and reminds me in a very tangible way just how fortunate and blessed I really am. First Class Meal Service on American Airlines.

Over the years, the experience itself, and the menu have changed, but at the same time, much has stayed the same. The recent changes, seats that recline to beds, and for the first time in ages, lobster tail on the menu, are all for the best. Other changes, including the removal of all metal cutlery and no individual salt and pepper shakers, are melancholy reminders of the sad times we live in.

We all know the jokes about airline food, and of course, despite their better efforts it is still dreck, (and now they have the gall to charge you for it! The outrage!) but for me, on long transatlantic flights, sitting there in that big loungy chair, (now with even more lumbar support) it transcends bad food and dry air and is a perfect metaphor for my entire life and I am able to briefly recapture the childhood I was so lucky to have. Times when my family would go on strange and exotic trips together, when everything was taken care of and my only worry was if I could get my brother to share the deck of cards.

I also remember flying to Florida as a little girl and the nice woman sitting in the next seat offering me her dessert, and later some dried papaya. I had never had papaya and was smitten, but it is that a perfect stranger offered me food from their plate that really stayed with me. Where else but on a plane do people feel guilty enough about wasting food, or the hunger of others, that this happens?

This past flight, after situating myself in the exceedingly decadent seat 3-A, the Flight Attendant came by (Flight Attendant, people. Flight Attendant. Not Stewardess. Never Stewardess. These are working professionals who are there primarily for your safety, please treat them with respect.) and offered me a pre-flight glass of Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque Champagne. Blitzed though I was from my hour long stay in the Admirals Club, and my extraordinary send off at Encounters restaurant, I could not resist. I took a sip, and settled back for my 11 hour stay.

An hour later I was present with a warm towel to wipe my hands, and mixed warm nuts and vegetables in a creamy pesto ranch dip. The warm nuts included the new addition of roasted soybeans that were a great compliment to the lightly salted cashews, almonds and pecans. The raw carrots and celery in ranch dip are presented in a slim glass with the dip at the bottom. The carrots, as they always seem to be, had that greyish hue they take on when they have dehydrated a bit. I ate them anyway and ordered a Sapphire and Tonic, which was poured generously, and served with a slice of lime. Ahhhh.

The menu itself is a little work of art, with a beautiful painting entitled Reach For The Light on the cover. I am not sure that is exactly the phrase I want to be focused on so high up in the air, but with another G&T my nerves settle. After a little struggle with my table, the cart comes around with our appetizers, composed to order. A delightful smoked salmon plate is offered with my choice of capers, red onion, sour cream and lemon wedges with toast points. I opt for extra capers and leave the onions. It is beautifully presented and since there is some sort of fact that we can’t taste as well at altitude, the saltiness is not overpowering. Mmm.

The plates are cleared and wine and warm rolls are offered. I have always taken the sour dough rolls, but this time opted for multi-grain, which was a touch tough, but tasted hearty and was a good foil for the obscene amount of butter I slathered on it. From the white wine choices, I had a small glass of Louis Latour Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru. It was served perfectly chilled and tasted rich with fig and honeysuckle.

Next course, the salad. They offer a light and airy focaccia bread and start with fresh, seasonal greens (seemingly so, in the dim light it isn’t entirely clear) and then you are offered your choice of tomato wedges (too green for my taste), olives (green or nicoise black, all pitted), onions, yellow bell peppers (which were ripe and crisp and sweet and delicious) and lobster tail with lemon wedges. Dressing choices were creamy basil or olive oil and balsamic. Since the lobster came with lemon, I just stuck with that, some salt and fresh ground pepper. The serving size was perfect and the lobster was delicate, yet meaty.

For the entrees there was a choice of: Lamb Medallions, Manchego Chicken, our old friend the Cannelloni or Filet Mignon. Since they also offer Dine Upon Request (meaning, you can have any of that food any time later in the flight) I thought I would start with the Filet. Sort of a surf and turf theme for my decadent little meal. The exceedingly tender stead was served with a slightly underseasoned red pepper and basil sauce (though the basil was fresh), a manchego cheese and tomato, potato torta which was, keeping with tradition, dry as a bone and flavorless, and then there were the lightly buttered, perfectly cooked (they were microwaved after all, weren’t they?) hariots verts. Being at altitude also affects ones ability to drink (more) so I had just a teensy taste of the Chateau Batailley 1999 Bordeaux. A dense, dry wine that had a sensuous berry flavor.

And now on to a girl’s favorite part. The dessert cart. This is where change has not reared it's ugly head in 15 years, and the choices are a cheese plate (Saga Blue and Jarlsberg.), Mango Sorbet, Grand Marnier Fruit Salad, OR the world famous, fantastic, yummy and delicious custom made, Ice Cream sundae served in the worlds cutest round glass. Vanilla Ice Cream with my choice of butterscotch, hot fudge, berries, whipped cream or pecans. Because my father always has it this way, I order it like him. Vanilla ice cream with a hearty splash of Kauluah and a small dollop of whipped cream. Heaven in a bowl.

What with all that eating and drinking, I laid back to sleep for a few hours, watched a few movies and then decided I just had a to try the Manchego Chicken. It was nice. Really juicy, but a touch oily. It was a breast of chicken wrapped in cheese (which seemed more to be broiled on) on overcooked basmati rice, with really divine artichoke hearts, wilted spinach and a rich and heady red-pepper demi glaze that made me want to lick the plate. Washed down with some sparkling water, this was a perfect midnight snack. I do sort of wish I had had room for the lamb, but even on an 11 hour flight a girl can only eat so many times, and we hadn’t even gotten to breakfast!

For some reason, the American Style breakfast (all that is really offered) just never cuts it. I ordered some orange juice and the extra rubbery Asiago Omelette, with roasted red pepper turkey sausage and a fantastically dry scallion and sour cream potato timbale. Since that was just not edible, I changed to having an English muffin, some of the salmon from dinner and a large bloody mary to wash it down. Leaving me full, satisfied, and just tipsy enough to find customs amusing.

I love American Airlines. I have the utmost respect and admiration for everyone who works there, and am beyond grateful for the incredible service I have always received. And if you ever get a chance to dine first class style, I really do recommend it. It is the ultimate bourgeoisie experience. Though I do wonder what they were served in coach…

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In flight catering is a $5 billion/year industry.

A spokeswoman for Virgin Atlantic, which commissioned a study, says taste and smell is affected because pressurised air in the cabin dries out the nose's olfactory bulb. The ability to taste salt and sweetness is reduced by at least 30%.

American Airlines’ Chef’s Conclave includes such luminaries as: Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, Dean Fearing and Stephan Pyles

“American, Delta and United are among carriers that recently started replacing some or all of their domestic meal service with bagged or boxed snacks such as tortilla chips, cookies and dried fruits.Airlines say the switch saves them money and may even give fliers more edibles for their buck, including some more healthful options such as granola bars and green tea. "It comes down to food wastage," said United spokeswoman Robin Urbanski. "We're not wasting food because the stuff is nonperishable. "Since implementing buy-on-board programs in the last couple of years, airlines have had trouble predicting how many customers would buy sandwiches and salads on flights. That left fliers hungry if the airline ran out of meals or the carrier with perishable leftovers if there were not enough takers. After snack boxes "sold out on almost every flight" when tested on its low-cost carrier Ted late last year, Urbanski said, United decided to replace its buy-on-board meal program with snacks on some flights starting last month.” LA TIMES, May 1st, 2005

Labels: Restaurants

A gremlin ate my computer last week, causing me to be offline for an insanely long time. I am back now, and super happy about it. I am now trying to get used to a laptop (yea me) that seems to have a little bit of a mind of its own.

Here now is the post I had all set and ready before the big crash. Better late than never though, right?

There is something so good and so right about spending a beautiful afternoon with your two favorite girlfriends drinking, eating and laughing the day away. Based on a challenge brought to the food blogging world by Sarah at Delicious Life, that I felt obliged -- compelled really -- to comply with -- I set off with my accomplices, B. McGee and Legs LaRue.

The challenge was to go eat at a bar. Now lets face facts, the only part of that that truly counts as a challenge was narrowing it down to just one bar. So what did we do? Think big. Big and bold and fab and delish. The choice was obvious. The luxurious Lounge at Hotel Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica.

After an interesting valet experience, we seated our selves up on tall stools at the bar in the center of the huge lobby area, with a view of the sparkling bay.

A large bowl of incredibly crisp and perfectly salty potato chips were continually refilled while we pondered our leather bound menu. For drinks, Legs went with her (now) usual glass of tequila, McGee had a martini and with the divine weather I decided on amazingly tasty mix of limeade, soda and vodka served in a tall glass with a sugar rim offered on the cocktail menu. Mmmm.

The disclaimer I will toss in now is that the prices at this swank place do seem high, but the ambiance, service and overall fantabulousness make it worth the splurge.

Choosing from an ethnically eclectic menu, we set upon four dishes that seemed to span the globe (at least the Asian part of the globe.) and sounded tasty and placed our order with the dishy bartender. We then moved to some of the many large leather lounge chairs by the (unlit) fire and everything was promptly served with full white linen service by a darling waitress who looked 15 but had the skills of a seasoned pro.

Since we had requested everything at once, it came that way. Frito misto, tuna burger with wasabi mayo, kobe beef burger with cabrales cheese, caramalized sweet onions and arugula, and chicken satay with peanut sauce.

The perfection of the potato chips should have been a tip off to how delicate and light, yet flavourful and perfectly seasoned the frito misto would be. The calamari was a dream, simply divine bits of tentacles and rings pulled from the oil at the exact moment they were cooked through. They hardly needed to be dipped in the generous servings of smooth and citrusy meyer lemon aioli and a lightly spicy arrabiatta sauce. There were also batons of fennel and elegantly thin asparagus spears also cooked in the shatteringly crisp batter and salted. ($15)

The three mini tuna burgers came open faced on an open multi grain bun, with a spicy but delicate celedon green wasabi mayo and a large pile of pink tinged pickled ginger that offset the richness of the seared fish. Along side the deep red of the fish they placed a lush green salad of mixed greens. Beautiful and tasty. ($18)

Chicken satay is usually not anything to get up in arms about. Marinated chicken breast meat grilled on a skewer. It is a testament to the chefs at Casa Del Mar that these satay took our breath away. The peanut sauce was smooth and creamy with coconut, redolent of chile and cilantro, thin enough to coat the chicken, but not so thin as to run off. The chicken was juicy but with just enough charring to give it a deep smoky taste. I could eat this all day. ($14)

Kobe beef is tricky. Is it as good as Argentinean? Is Wagu better? I really should set up a tasting sometime, but until then, I will highly recommend this thick, juicy burger. The sharpness of the Spanish cheese is a perfect match for the gorgeously carmelized onions and biting arugula. A connoisseurs dream. ($18)

We enjoyed ourselves immensely, drinking in the lush surroundings and positive atmosphere and lounging the day away.

Overall – Outstanding
Parking – Nearby meters are tricky (its on the beach after all) so go with valet
Prices – High-ish but worth it
Atmosphere – Casual elegance
Will I return - As long as I am breathing, I will crave those chips


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Club Casa Del Mar opened in 1926 as a beach club and hotel. Built in a Renaissance Revival style by noted Los Angeles architect Charles F. Plummer, Club Casa Del Mar, with its plush Oriental rugs, intricately hand-painted ceilings and heavy bronze statuary, immediately became the Grande Dame of Santa Monica -- and arguably the entire Pacific coast. It was the place to see and be seen, renowned for its swinging social scene and frequented by many of the city's elite including a number of Hollywood celebrities. The partying lasted until World War II when Casa Del Mar was converted to a military hotel. Following WW II, it continued as a beach club and hotel but never regained its former grandeur. Starting in 1959, it served for 20 years as the headquarters for the Synanon drug therapy program; and then from 1978 to 1997, as the Pritikin Longevity Center

Labels: Restaurants

Words can make a meal sound so much better than it ever really was. I know because I once read a review of an “ethereal” chocolate soufflé that turned out to be a gritty mound of inedible chalkiness. None of that applies to meals at the incomparable Hotel Bel Air. Descriptions that just scratch the surface are more along the lines of delectable, ambrosial, bewitching, nectareous, and divine. And let us not forget sumptuous and just plain delicious.

The Rock Goddess and I went to this heavenly spot last week and indulged our innermost gluttons. And believe me, we were more than satisfied.

If you are not familiar with the Hotel Bel Air, it is an extraordinary (and fantastically posh) spot that makes you feel as if you are living in another city. It is quiet and tranquil, lush and sedate and the perfect place to have an elegant meal away from the spotlight.

It is a testament to them that the very first thing that happens when you pull in is that enough valets come over to open every door. A small gesture, but one that makes an impression.

Once inside we were offered indoor or outdoor (under the jasmine and bougainvillea ladened trellises, near the fireplace) seating, and opted for indoor, thinking it was too quiet outside to really feel comfortable. Later in the summer it will be busier, but that night, it wasn’t.

To start we ordered Kir Royales. Some people (who aren’t French, I suppose) find it to be a little much, I call it the nectar of the Gods. And of course, they brought by the bread basket with a choice of focaccia, sourdough rolls, cheese sticks, flat bread or olive bread, all of which were perfect.

As an amuse bouche, the chef sent out a demitasse of impressively smooth and warm asparagus soup with black truffles. No more than three sips were offered in that tiny porcelain cup, but what was there was palate-awakening decadence. There was not a speck of pepper, yet a touch of spiciness, not a hint of fiber, only a deep rich springtime burst of asparagus and several large shavings of lusty truffle.

Being the outrageous women we are, the Rock Goddess and I opted to have three appetizers and split an entrée. It would have been obscene to order more, though it still verged on the sinful to do even that.

The three appetizers were: Foie Gras “Trois Facon” – Smoked Torchon, Seared BLT and Crème Brulee ($28), Wild Mushroom Risotto Oregon Truffles and Porcini Essence ($28), Ahi Tuna tartare with Avocado and melon (Can you tell I didn’t write that one down the way I did with the others? It sounds so much less interesting, but trust me, it was incandescent.)

Allow me to start by talking about the risotto. There is no denying it’s really a bowl of rice, but somehow with a little kitchen magic is was a feast. Rich and impressive, perfectly cooked (a tricky thing with risotto, I think.) redolent with truffle slices, buttery and saporous.

The tuna tower was amazing to behold. The fish was bright and sparkling and in perfect cubes with a hint of something spicy, (Radish seeds I think) the avocado was creamy and the lusciously orange and juicy melon set it all off perfectly. Topped with a salad of frissee, radish sprouts and batons of rainbow radish, the entire thing came together as spicy, sweet, fresh, lux and superbly balanced.

I can’t tell you about the Fois Gras. I’m sorry. It was just too, too much. Too swank, too heady, too masterful to describe. On a long platter they served two large bites of culinary bliss and a cup of lasciviously decadent crème brulee. If you are in Los Angeles, and you are willing and hungry, go to the Bel Air and order this. Savor it. Relish it. Worship it. It deserves no less.

For the entrée we split the truly remarkable Fennel Crusted Filet of West Coast Striped Bass with Bronze Fennel, Basil Whipped Celery Root and Niçoise Relish ($42) that they kindly put on two plates for us. I wish I hadn’t burnt out my thesaurus writing the last few descriptions, because this, well, it took the prize. The fish was cooked to be soft and white, but with an outrageous crispy crust of flavorful fennel. It sat on a bed of perfectly seasoned, Kelly green (due to the subtle basil) whipped celery root, which was just light enough to work like magic with the burst of flavor that came from the nicoise relish quenelles.

What did we drink to cleanse our palates during this decadent meal? A bottle of 1996 Iron Horse Brut Rose Sparkling Wine. The review of which will have to wait.

Desert was the last thing on our minds at that point, but they did send out a few little chocolate truffles (smooth and creamy, luscious and lovely) and a chocolate dipped strawberry.

After this soul satisfying meal, we went to their clubby bar and had a glass of Eau De Vie. A perfect ending to a perfect meal.

I forgot to tell you the occasion for this big night out! Absolutely nothing. That’s right. We are just girls who think life is short and eating well is the best thing ever. I hope you live that way too, because it makes everything else a touch more fantastic.


Overall – Dreamlike
Food – Exquisite yet approachable
Ambiance – Evenings are quiet, brunch is more festive
Service – Refined and kind
Prices – How can you put a price on perfection?
Will I return? – Is there a sun in the sky?

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Information on Oregon Truffles

Review of The Hotel Bel Air from Zagats: Supplying a “civil oasis in Gomorrah”, this “ultimate romantic hideaway” in the Bel-Air Hotel is renowned for its “gorgeous”, “blue-blood” decor (No. 1 in this Survey) and “breathtaking” grounds replete with “soothing swans” sailing by; “beautifully presented”, “superb” Cal-French fare and “fine wines” are “perfectly” served by the “top-notch” staff, and though it’s “pricey”, it’s “unbeatable for any occasion”, especially if you reserve the private Table One; N.B. jacket required during fall and winter.

Labels: Restaurants

Hotel Bel Air

Labels: Restaurants

There are weekends when you cook, and there are weekends where you end up eating out a lot. This weekend, which isn’t even over, has seen lot of the latter. Since I have officially decided not to take pictures of food in restaurants anymore you will just have to let my words convey the dining spot that is Café Marly, Beverly Hills.

Now before I start talking too much, I just want to clear up something about good ol B’Hills. Yes kids, there is a lot of money there, and yes, there are some fancy stores, but for the most part, and you see this more at night, when the tourists and the worker bees have gone away, that it is a city with a decidedly aged population, which doesn’t exactly make it a place the girls and I head to on a regular basis for dinner. (Lunch on the other hand, is a dream) But because a friend was performing with his jazz band at this little spot we got glam and decided to find out what's what in the world of Beverly Hills Bistro Dining.

We got to the little store front and took in the décor, best described as Provence chic (you know, that yellow and red fleur de lys fabric was everywhere) we were immediatly seated and loving the music when it dawned on us that (GASP!) have only a beer and wine license. We suspect that has something to do with the neighborhood, but aren’t quite sure. Looking around, we saw that the place was packed with patrons of the older and hushed variety.

The menu is a cliché of bistro classics, so in order to have the full affect, we went ahead and ordered a veritable smorgasbord of French delights. First up, French Onion Soup and Escargot de Bourgogne. The soup was quite good, with just the right amount of gooey cheese and mounds of softened onions in a clear broth that had just a hint of wine or sherry. The escargot, well, I’m no aficionado, so imho they were great. Lots of buttery-garlicy sauce over 12 plump little snails.

For entrees we had the Salad Nicoise, Moules Frites, and the Vegetarian (Savory) Crepe. Let me just put it this way, while everything was tasty, nothing was very stunning looking. French Fries with dill (Dill?) which were served along side the huge bowl of delicious, hot and flavorful mussles were divine. The crepe was served the traditional French manner, with the fillings underneath, in this case, some large ripe chunks of avocado, nicely softened sun-dried tomatoes and lots of cheese (which may have been Swiss.) under a gorgeously turned out crepe that was obviously the work of a master. The Nicoise was made with all organic ingredients, which was nice, but seemed a little limp altogether.

For dessert we split a perfectly turned out, not overly sweet Crepe Suzette, which was enough to merit a return trip, but maybe during the day.

Overall food rating – Lovely
Décor – Southern French/Crafty
Noise level – Low
Odds of returning – Good
Parking – Free in city lots

Café Marly is located at 9669 Little Santa Monica Blvd. Beverly Hills, CA 90210

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In a study in the March issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers compared the effects of adding 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of dark chocolate or 90 grams (3.2 ounces) of white chocolate to the normal diets of 15 healthy Italians.

The participants ate a daily dose of dark chocolate for 15 days, followed by a seven-day no-chocolate phase, and then ate the white chocolate for another 15 days.

Researchers found that blood sugar metabolism was significantly improved after the dark chocolate phase, as evidenced by reduced insulin resistance and higher insulin sensitivity. But no such healthy effects were found after the white chocolate phase.The study also showed that the participants' systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) was significantly lower after 15 days of eating dark chocolate -- an average of 108 mm Hg compared with 114 mm Hg. Again, no effects were found after eating white chocolate.

Labels: Restaurants

I am a girl who lives in a world of hyperbole. There is no aspect of my life that doesn’t include an exclamation point or an over the top description. “Fantastic” and “terrific” are almost as good to me as a well cooked meal. “Spectacular” and “divine” run neck and neck with a bottle of fine wine. So when I write about food, or as I am today, restaurants, just keep in mind, I mean every word I say, I just happen to think everything is better when it's big, wow and pow! Inspired by the ethereal Tiffany, and my own blessed little existence -- I have had the supreme pleasure of dining at more than my fair share of joints around these parts and (lucky lucky!) have an opinion for one and all -- I give you a list of the places I have been in the last month or so:


C & O – Washington Blvd. Venice. Are garlic knots are part of your breakfast regime? Do you require all mimosas to have more sparkling wine than orange juice and enough food on one plate to feed a family of four? This is the spot then kids! Gorgeous outdoor seating and freaky-people watching. I know this place is top notch kitch at night, but trust me, for breakfast by the water, it kicks ass.

Café 101 – Franklin Blvd. – It’s a coffee shop. It was in the movie Swingers. They play rock and roll on the jukebox. No outdoor seating, no liquor license, and yet I return. Go figure. Must be the blueberry pancakes.

Coffee Shop at the Beverly Hills Hotel – Sunset Blvd. Yes, its geriatric, but the food is good, the orange juice is fresh squeezed, there is never a wait and they have a touch of class a girl and her hangover sometimes needs.

Eat Well, Various locations – You're young, you're hip, you need your coffee fix. This is it kids. Outdoor seating, delicious food, swishy boys and random celebs (Breakfast with Jack Black anyone?) dogs welcome and cheap eats.

Flora Kitchen – La Brea Blvd. Miracle Mile. My first choice, always. It’s a flower shop that serves breakfast, and they pour them like they know me. High quality food, open air room, and flowers, flowers, flowers. Smells like heaven, perhaps because it is?

Fred 62 - Vermont Ave. Los Feliz. Another common stop for me. Verges on “Too Cool For School” but worth it. (And besides, Too Cool For School is just right by me!) Totally scrumptious food. Liquor license and excellent outdoor seating if you can get it.

Hamburger Marys – Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood. Its early on a Sunday, your broke, hung over, and want breakfast. The choices are boundless, but the best bang for your buck, including (sort of sketchy) $2.00 Bloody Mary’s is this West Hollywood spot. It’s a little disco, a lot of fab and the food is just ok, but at these prices, who are you to complain!

La Dijonaise – Washington Blvd. Culver City. – French breakfast food. Pastries and the like. Outdoor seating. I don’t care for this place, but it makes do in a pinch. (The pinch being someone wants to either A. hang out in Culver City or B. Go furniture shopping afterwards next door at HD Buttercup.)

Original – 3rd Street. I love Original, but man, oh, man is the service bad. Always. Huge portions, great food, no liquor license. Outdoor seating but never a wait since they are on the shady side of the street.

Pacific Dining Car – Wilshire Blvd. Santa Monica. Are you old school? How about a Republican in a sea of liberals? Does your idea of a star spot include seeing Richard Meier live and in the flesh? If so, and you crave eating poached eggs in the dark (good when that hangover is just too glaring) along with a really good Bloody Mary, this is the spot for you.

The Rose Café – Rose and Main, Venice. I love the food here, I really do. The French toast is perfection on a plate. But they don’t serve drinks and ever since they put up that huge awning over the patio, I don’t know, it just lost its appeal. Why sit outdoors in the shade?

Toast – 3rd Street. I go back and forth with this joint. Yes, its on the sunny side of the street. Yes the food is spectacularly good and yes it is the hippest, trendiest place in the area. But if there is a wait, you can bet, I’m out of there. Outdoor seating, but no liquor license.

Urth Cafe - Beverly Blvd. Beverly Hills. This is the spot that hits the spot. Huge mugs of delicious coffee, counter service and a sunny outdoor patio. Sensational pastries, divine food, all together the tops. Just ignore all the other people there and enjoy.

Normandie Towers - West Hollywood. This is the perfect little hideaway. The service is smooth as a babies bottom, the food is better than any, anywhere, ever. Outdoor seating only, champagne and Bloody Mary's are always on the house. Heaven can't possibly hold a candle to this decadent little spot.

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A hearty and well deserved congratulations to Carpal Fish for his Paper Chef winning Garlic Chive and Goat's Cheese Ravioli with Sherry Vinegar Reduction and Prosciutto Shards. Recipe! I too would have chosen that as the winner! And thank you to Fatima at Gastronomie for judging, it certainly seemed like a challenge!

"Several big food and beverage companies are looking at a new ingredient in the battle for health-conscious consumers: a chemical that tricks the taste buds into sensing sugar or salt even when it is not there.
Kraft Foods, Nestlé, Coca-Cola and Campbell Soup are all working with a biotechnology company called Senomyx, which has developed several chemicals, most of which do not have any flavor of their own but instead work by activating or blocking receptors in the mouth that are responsible for taste. They can enhance or replicate the taste of sugar, salt and monosodium glutamate, or MSG, in foods.
By adding one of Senomyx's flavorings to their products, manufacturers can, for instance, reduce the sugar in a cookie or salt in a can of soup by one-third to one-half while retaining the same sweetness or saltiness.
Now, for instance, a 10 3/4-ounce can of Campbell's Home-style chicken soup, which the company says contains two and a half servings, has more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium. That would probably be cut to a little over 1,500 milligrams when the chemical is added. (The government recommends consumption of no more than 2,400 milligrams of sodium a day.)
Unlike artificial sweeteners, Senomyx's chemical compounds will not be listed separately on ingredient labels. Instead, they will be lumped into a broad category - "artificial flavors" - already found on most packaged food labels." –NYTimes.com

Labels: Restaurants

The hip, the trendy, the chic, the fabulous, my friend and I all have one thing in common. We all wanted to go to the same restaurant this past Saturday night, a new little spot called Beechwood (which, interestingly is not in Beechwood Canyon, or on Beechwood Blvd. But in Venice, about 10 miles from there. My guess is that the interior is decorated with a Beechwood bar? Who knows.) that has been getting rave reviews.

So, like the overly optimistic girl I can be, I called up at 3:30 that day to see if two of us could get in that night. What happened? Well, of course, I was shot down. But not by a person. No. I was shot down by the website site called OpenTable that I had been directed to. Have you heard of this? It is basically an online reservation system that can reject you with having to bother a hostess. Leaving aside the fact that having online reservation system only is mildly elitist, it is in fact a fantastic idea. (But I thought you said you were shot down?) Instead of getting in to the spot I wanted, it directed me to a abso-fana-glori-tastic place I had never given any thought to. Pacé on Laurel Canyon Blvd. Brought to us by my new favorite person, Head Chef and Owner Sandy Gendel Not only is it less than 2 miles from my house, but it is just a gem of a spot, in a slightly rustic (by LA standards) area. They are located underneath a canyon grocery store (think hippies with lots of money) and is small, bustling, romantic and comfortable. The menu uses only organic ingredients and leans towards Italian.

Even though we got there 15 minutes early a hostess who was absolutely charming immediately seated us. A basket of best bread I have had in ages was brought, along with a pureed red pepper spread (SO good) and a small bowl of almonds and large dry cured black olives. Water was brought, and we ordered a bottle of Pellegrino just for laughs. (Bubbles. Hee hee) We also ordered a Piedmont wine, but honestly, I forget what it was. It was from a terrific and varied list, but the boy was in charge of that, so I just sat back and enjoyed.

We started with the Minestrone soup, ($5.75) They brought it without spoons, which was almost instantly remedied by three different people. It was piping hot, and full to the brim with perfectly cooked vegetables. The broth was light and perfectly seasoned.

Next up, the Pollo Affumicato ($13.50) Described as "home smoked chicken breast on a bed of grilled leeks and artichoke" and it was sublime. There was quite a bit of chicken, beautifully presented on a bed of grilled vegetables that were meltingly good and cooked to perfection. I was overwhelmed.

For our entrees (can you believe two people ate this much? We actually took a lot home.) we split The Wheeler Plate“ Flank steak rolled with various coldcuts, arugula, provolone and basil, grilled and served choice of two sides” ($18.00) Sides were almost as hard to choose as entrees (the waitress had to come by four times before we were able to commit. She had also read us at least 6 specials, which didn’t help our indecision.) but from a list of 12 fantastic sounding additions we opted for sauteed Italian kale and asparagus. Both of which were a revelation. The flank steak itself was out of this world. It was stuffed with mortadella and soppressata, just the right balance of herbs and cooked by someone who understands tough cuts. Sublime.


As a seriously over the top decision we ALSO had the Mystic Pie ($15.00) Wild mushrooms, (See entree below about Wild Mushrooms. Sigh) tomato sauce, garlic and parsley. That all sounds simple, but is in fact the most supremely amazing pizza I have ever taken a bite of. Ever. It is made on cibatta bread, which is light and airy and outstandingly good. I was blown away. Being cibatta, it is an oblong shape, making 8 small irregular slices. The mushrooms burst with flavor and the garlic was very obviously present (I love my garlic.)

Needless to say, we were unable to have dessert. Choices which included banana-bread pudding and a chocolate souffle. Oh well. Next time for sure.

Overall, I am madly in love with this place and will be back.

Prices: Very reasonable
Décor: Lovely
Noise Level: High
Patrons: Eclectic mix of Hollywood hipsters and soccer moms
Service: Top notch
Food: Simply divine

Pacé
2100 Laurel Canyon Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 323-654-8583.

Reservations can be made online at OpenTable.

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Sopressata is salami made from cured-dry pork and flavored with and black peppercorns.

Mortadella is a very large smoked sausage (usually pork) studded with cubes of pork fat.

Mortadella probably dates back to the 15th century, and the original recipes included myrtle,
'mortella' in Italian, hence the name.

Labels: Restaurants

Food, Celebrities, Money and Public Relations, all sort of end up in a sticky pudding sometimes…take for instance the “celebrity restaurant.” There are many celebrities (read: People with money who’s names attached to something attracts press/patrons) who invest in restaurants for a variety of reasons, (free food, cool place to hang out, etc) including just plain making an investment. (Wait! You mean to tell me people with money use it to make MORE money? What a fantastic concept!) What boggles my simple little mind is – as it is even when a celebrity ISN’T involved, - how bad some of these spots can be and yet the celebs still stay attached. (And props to Justin Timberlake for Kitana and Chi for being quite good, btw)

For instance, before popping upstairs to my friends huge, raging, all-kindsa-Hollywood par-TAY (celebs were in full effect, which was funny considering…well, I wont get too gossipy) in the private Moon Room (the roof retracts) at The Geisha House a few nights ago we decided to have a bite to eat (hey, when you are out to party serious it is a good idea to make sure there are some carbs in your tum, am I right?), which turned out to be a terrible, terrible mistake. First off, you should be warned that unless you drive an 88 Toyota Tercel, your car is not safe in that neighborhood, so you absolutely have to valet. But alas, the valet was full. I’m not going to tell you what sort of car I drive, but I certainly wasn’t about to let it sit out on Hollywood Blvd all night. Boyfriend actually thought a bribe might work, and shock of shocks, for $20, they managed to find another spot (On the street, I’m sure) So, fine, whatever. Not an auspicious start, but nothing we could do.

We go in and it is dim (good) and funky (good) and loud. We are told our table isn’t ready, so we sidle up and order some weak and overpriced cocktails at the bar. Literally the second the transaction is complete we are told our table IS ready and are escorted over (to, I admit, a pretty great location). We sit down and admire the ultra fab atmosphere. After about 20 minutes we are finally greeted by our floppy-haired waiter-actor who was easily pushing 27 but behaved like he was still gunning for pre-teen roles. He chatted mercilessly about his “lady friend”, and mispronounced the name of the $10 bottle of Welsh water he was shilling (which the boyfriend ever so politely corrected him on – to save him from further humiliation – FOUR times. Not that he paid attention.) and then forgot to take our order before flitting off. When he magically appeared 18 minutes later (luckily, my buzz was on, but I still noted how long it took. The boyfriend, being magically patient was non-plussed) When we did give our order, I swear the waiter-actor jumped up and down with glee. It was beyond bizarre.

Exactly 7 minutes later our food arrived. Wow. That’s mighty fast! Yes, yes it is, but it wasn’t just our appetizers that showed up, it was EVERYTHING. Edamame, tempura, miso, sushi, salad, entrees, everything. SPLAT, right onto the tiny table. Hot, cold, you name it, it was all there. Had we ordered dessert, I’m sure it would have shown up too. Not so good in my book.

Now, as for the food itself, here is the breakdown. Edamame had no salt and there was none on the table. The waiter never showed up again, so it wasn’t an option to get some either. Since I have a thing about salt - I love it - I missed it. The salad was absolutely too bitter to eat and there was no dressing on it. Not a drop. Fine whatever, I’m over it. But then the miso was cold. Not tepid, not lukewarm – COLD, and had no tofu or green onion as advertised. Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura? Oddly lacking any sort of discernible batter, yet greasy, and the asparagus was uncooked. The rice surrounding the maki rolls on the other hand was overcooked and smushed into an unappetizing paste, (and there was no nori, just that rice paper, which is fine, but should have been noted on the menu), the yellowtail was bizarrely slimy, the Mongolian Lamb Chop was sickly sweet, the Hamachi tasted like bell peppers and the black cod which came without the vegetable and starch mentioned on the menu was the lone item that actually tasted fantastic. Can you IMAGINE? What a DISATSTER this joint is! I was willing to overlook one or two problems, it being a new-ish restaurant, and let’s face it, not really about the food, but this was beyond acceptable. Our urge to leave combined with the noise level (deafening) would have made it impossible to complain, so we just paid and ran upstairs.

The upshot is that like most of Hollywood, this place is all flash, zero substance. Had we not ended up at the party with enough free alcohol to balance out the cost, (which was pretty much average, thankfully. Actually much less than it would have cost to go to a real Japanese place) I may have bothered someone with my concerns, but I didn’t (the boyfriend sort of frowns on that sort of thing anyway. Seems to be part of being British.) I will just have to make sure never to set foot near that flashy place again…unless there is another guest list only party and my name is on it.


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Two-thirds of American adults are overweight, having a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or more, or obese, with a BMI of 30 or more.

Celebrity Owned Restaurants I can think of:
AGO – Robert DiNiro and Christopher Walken
Backstage Café – Sting (ok, not really. I think his brother owns it actually. Who cares though, its terrible)
Chi and Kitana – Justin Timberlake
Geisha House and Dolce – Ashton Kutcher (among other That 70’s Show cast members) and Jamie Kennedy (who I have inexplicably developed a crush on recently.)
Hollywood Fries – Danny Glover
House of Blues – Dan Akroyd
Kenny Rogers Roasters – Kenny Rogers
La Boca del Conga Room – Jimmy Smits, Sheila E, Paul Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez
Madres – Jennifer Lopez
Mulberry Street Pizza – Catherine Moriarity (who gets points for actually WORKING there)
The Clubhouse – Kevin CostnerThe Cutting Room (NYC) – Chris Noth

Labels: Restaurants

Let's just imagine for a minute you went out to a chic little French bistro for dinner with a peach of a man, you laughed and ate, (he offered to split everything because you wanted to try it all), he plied you with wine and champagne and then over a perfect tart tatin, proposed marriage. Then you stay up all night having more drinks and planning your pending nuptials and don’t get to sleep until 4 am. That would be a good thing right? Of course it would!

The only trouble is, the next day you are hung over as can be (did you know girls become hung over more easily and more extremely than men? See below.) and have dinner plans early the next evening with a friend who is a wild and crazy rock and roll goddess who you never can manage to pin down (so you cant possibly flake out) and your head feels like it's under two tons of cement even if your heart is a-flutter. Then what? WELL, if it were ME (and I’m not saying it was), you would end up eating at the first Italian restaurant that comes to mind. For instance AMMO, on Highland Ave in Hollywood. A restaurant dedicated to using organic and seasonal ingredients served in a quiet setting with soft light, carbs galore, a compassionate waitstaff and a full bar for all of your hair-of-the-dog needs. In other words, an all around excellent dining choice.

But what to have? First, I would suggest the gorgonzola pizza with pinenuts, baby spinach and fresh tomato sauce. It has about 6 smallish slices of ooey-gooey goodness with a thin and crisp crust cooked to perfection (though, for my taste, there were too many pine nuts. The Rock Goddess was ok with it), and a to drink, a refreshingly crisp Austrian Hirsch Gruener Veltliner 2000 to take the edge off that hangover.

Moving on the the second course, you can split the pappardelle with oven roasted eggplant, gaeta olives and a bolognese sauce and the rigatoni with spicy cauliflower and rapini, olives and breadcrumbs. The pappardelle is seemingly house made, and the eggplant melts (the way it should) in your mouth, the olives add just enough saltiness and the sauce is just the most glorious thing you ever ate. The rigatoni turns out to be orecchiette, but all is forgiven because the cauliflower is golden-roasted to its utmost sweetness and the entire dish is your idea of divinity (though, warning a girl there were large anchovy pieces in there might have been nice. I mean, I'm all for a good anchovy, but they should meld in, not be their own entity.)

But do you think that’s enough to cure what ails your aching head? Most likely not, in which case, I suggest another bottle of wine, maybe this time something French, from the Cotes de Provence region. Perhaps the Domaine Ott "Claire de Noirs" 2001 Rose, (I know what you are thinking, Rose? But it went so well with the next course!) and then dive into the Oven Roasted Organic Chicken served with farmer's market beets, carrots and heirloom potatoes and a side of mashed potatoes with horseradish creme fraiche. That chicken, I must admit was an entrée not to be missed. The chicken skin was crisp while the meat was still juicy and flavorful. Whoever is in charge of the ovens at Ammo should be congratulated, because after that chicken and those amazing beets, I think anyone’s hangover would be cured.

Of course after all that food you couldn’t possibly eat dessert. But your hangover is cured and that is what was most important, is it not? Especially when it turns out the proposal was all in fun, and the boy in question – while truly one of the best men ever – isn’t your boyfriend. (And you have a boyfriend, who you love, so it's ok) At least you had a great couple of nights out!

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There are more than 600 types of pasta worldwide

Canadians eat about 15 lbs. of pasta a year.

"The average weight difference between women and men is one reason why women tend to
get intoxicated faster, but there's more. Women also tend to have more fat and less muscle
than men, and because muscle tissue contains more water than fat does, and alcohol
dissolves in water the more water in the body the more it is diluted. With about ten percent
more water in their bodies than women, men can drink more alcohol than women before
becoming intoxicated. In fact, studies show that women suffer worse hangovers than
men too. Overall, women suffer more, dehydration, exhaustion, headaches, and nausea. "
From www.amos.indiana.edu/

Labels: Restaurants