Matu Steak

When friends who love to eat wanted to share a new favorite steak house, my only response was to ask, "When?". Matu serves only fantastic Wagyu grass fed meat, is less than 5 minutes from my place, offers easy valet parking, and online reservations, this may now also be my favorite steak house!

I started with a dirty Grey Goose Martini because it's my go to cocktail when Élit isn't available. Others at the table enjoyed nice glasses of Flowers Pinot Noir from Sonoma, and we ended up ordering a bottle after we finished our cocktails.

We all chose the 5 course Matu menu for $82 per person, and it was worth every dollar! The 24 hour bone broth starter was the perfect teaser to the quality of the food to come, with a rich deep nourishing flavor you can only get with high quality ingredients and the patience it takes to produce this deeply satisfying broth.

The tartare with Japanese accent was fabulous, so much so that the non raw meat eaters at the table ate a few bites before sharing their plates with us raw meat lovers.

The 3 oz center cut filet with 47 salad was a nice introduction to what the restaurant calls their medium rare. I loved that it was what would be called rare elsewhere. Even those at the table who usually prefer their meat pink and medium, ate every bite and proclaimed it to the only place where they liked a rarer temperature. 

The 8 hour braised beef cheek was so tender, no knives were needed. The celeriac purée was a nice accompaniment. I ended up exchanging some of my beef cheek for the tartare, because I knew the ribeye was coming!

Broccolini with garlic and red pepper flakes came with the dinner, and if I wasn't so full I could have eaten another order of these!

My foodies friends insisted on getting a side of fries (fried in beef tallow), so sinfully delicious that it was good to have so many people sharing the plate.

The star of the night was the ribeye with the cap cut separately. All we could say was OMG after taking a bite. I was too much for me to finish, but the leftovers made for a decadent snack the next day!

The atmosphere was very upscale but comfortable, with kids and casually dressed diners all equally enjoying their meals. We made friends with the table sitting next to us and traded names of other places to eat; after all if we all loved Matu, chances are we would all enjoy the places shared from all over the world, including a vegan place in Rome and a steak place overlooking the Bosporus. 

The pleasure of spending time with friends while eating great food and meeting new friends is the best kind of evening!

Spago Beverly Hills

I first went to Spago when they were on Sunset Blvd in the 1980's, and I have been to the Beverly Hills location a few times before they remodeled and took over the corner of Canon and Wilshire. Some people came out from out of state wanting to try the iconic restaurant, so it gave me a chance to revisit this classic Wolfgang Puck flagship.

Food and energy prices have risen since Covid 19, and that has been reflected in the menu, with starters averaging $35, entrées about $65, and cocktails / wines by the glass $25. Spago has always been a high end restaurant with great service and ambiance, but I found the food and drinks were not worth the splurge anymore. The dining room was full of tourists and old regulars who are diehard fans. The service and ambiance were still elegant and smooth, but I found the food to be bland and more exciting in presentation than in flavors.

The beet and burrata starter used quality ingredients and it was beautifully plated, but nothing noteworthy enough to warrant the $30 price tag.

The pear starter was equally beautiful, but the aged balsamic made it a tastier starter for the price point.

I chose the crispy black bass for $59 which included a bit of lobster and perfectly cooked fish, but the entire dish was as bland as the photo looks. My dining companions offered me a taste of the scallops and I found that the scallops were perfectly seared, but also unremarkable in terms of flavor.

The out of town visitors wanted dessert, so we got the chocolate soufflé. This may have been the highlight of the meal. Served with a flourish by our skilled server, this old school dish was executed perfectly.

Would I go back? No. The tourists and die hard regulars probably enjoy their meals here, but I prefer chef owned places where the food is more interesting and flavorful than the reputation and location.

Stevie's Creole on Pico

My favorite place in Los Angeles for Creole / Cajun food is Stevie's Creole Cafe. I had not been back since before Covid 19, so I decided it was time to satisfy my craving for Creole food and revisit. I had forgotten how big their portions were, so I ordered a bit of everything; their jambalaya is made up of large shrimp, andouille sausage, peppers, onions, and tomato that is a perfect comfort food. One portion is also enough for at least 3-4 meals!

I love their greens, simply made and addictive with a few splashes of hot sauce.

Seafood gumbo for $21.50 was full of crab, shrimp, andouille sausage, and chicken in a filé gumbo that had so many layers of flavor that I wanted to slurp up the liquid like soup, but settled for using rice to soak up all the deliciousness.

I was very hungry when I ordered, so I also ordered the short ribs with red beans & rice, and some red pepper cabbage for $25. A portion big enough for 2 hearty appetites to share, but I found the short ribs a bit coring after the spicy jambalaya and seafood gumbo. The red pepper cabbage had some heat, and the red beans and rice were a contender for my favorite side dish.

I definitely need to becoming a regular customer again!

 

Willie Mae’s in West LA

I've never been to Willie Mae's in New Orleans, but I've seen and read about it for years, so I was thrilled to have them finally open up an outpost here in Los Angeles. There is a large public parking lot directly behind the multi kitchen co-op, with a back window for delivery drivers to pick up their order, and picnic tables with sun shade and televisions along the side, if you want to sit down and eat your take out.

I got the large tray with sides for $64.95 with 12 pieces of chicken, 4 sides, and cornbread. It was obviously way too much to eat at one sitting by myself, but I froze the leftover chicken so that I could have some extra food in case of an "emergency" :)

The chicken had a beautiful crunchy scald that was perfectly seasoned, and the chicken itself had been brined with love and heat. It was an absolutely awesome fried chicken. I ate a few pieces at the picnic table and took the rest home. I enjoyed the reheated pieces even more because excess oil dripped away onto my oven's drip tray and made every piece less greasy, but still very moist.

The side of sweet potato fries was a generous portion of plump, crisp, and lightly seasoned potatoes that also reheated perfectly in the oven.

The Mac & cheese was pretty basic, but my favorite side was the red beans and rice, which I ate so greedily, that I forgot to take a picture! I wanted to go back to get a quart! Complex and richly perfumed with the holy trinity of peppers, onions, and celery, their kidney beans may be my favorite rendition of beans and rice!

Last Meals in Detroit - Madcap Coffee and Besa

One of the first things I researched before arriving in Detroit was coffee. Specifically coffee found outside of my hotel and not one of the ubiquitous chains found nationwide. Thankfully Madcap coffee was literally less than 1 block away. They make an excellent cappuccino with oat milk and they sell their blends for those who love unique  flavors of their premium specialty coffee.

Unfortunately their spinach and feta "croissant" was neither a croissant nor remarkable. They were sold out of their regular croissants, so I can not confirm nor deny the taste of any other pastry they offer. Their staff is wonderful, and the space is perfect for people watching, reading, or working, with counter height seats facing a window and stand up tables in the middle with hooks for bags underneath the tables.

My last evening meal was at Besa, a gorgeous space in a beautiful building, with very nice service. The floating pool of olive oil and balsamic served with the focaccia was wasted as I barely tasted pre-dinner offering.

The calamari were perfect, served with a delightful marina for $16

I ordered the spinach to try to get some vegetables in my system before my flight, but they were smothered with parmigiano for $14 and lacked any other flavor.

I had read numerous suggestions to order the lamb shoulder with brown butter hummus for $18, but it was much too rich for me, especially paired with the rich spinach dish.

Hoping to find some solace at the end of my meal, I ordered the coconut milk malabi with lemonata granita, rose water rhubarb and basil for $12. It was a nice light and refreshing way to end the meal.

They offered a very nice 2016 French Merlot from Chateau Odilon for $17 a glass, and several other equally well curated wines, so I would go back to the bar for a drink and calamari.

 

Flowers of Vietnam Detroit

Flowers of Vietnam came highly recommended by a Michigan native. We started with the prawns, listed as menu item A-2 for $36. They were gigantic, crispy, and definitely enough to share if you enjoy the fried shrimp heads of ama ebi at sushi bars, you will enjoy this! If you prefer your prawns or shrimp without shells and head, do not order this unless you are eating without someone like me who enjoys separating the shell and head from the meat for others ;)

We ordered the Saigon fried rice menu item D 3 for $16 with bits of Chinese sausage and shrimp. This was a large portion of very sweet rice. We ended up leaving the rest after tasting 2 spoonfuls.

I was happy to see boy choy on the menu item C1 for $15, and again it was a generous portion and very sweet. The menu description said sweet soy, but it tasted as if that was the only seasoning they used.

We ordered the shaking beef that seemed to be everyone's favorite dish item E 2 on the menu for $26 and it was supposed to have been made with dry aged rib cap, but the meat was tough, again overly sweet, and although I took back the leftovers to my hotel, I only ate one piece of the meat at the restaurant and one of the leftover cubes the next day.

The highlight of the meal was actually their wine, which included some very nice and reasonably priced glasses (by Los Angeles standards) of French wine. The total bill for 2 including tax and tip with 2 glasses of wine was $148, so I was very glad that the company and the wine were both excellent and that I was going back to a city where Vietnamese people and Vietnamese cuisine have been successful in bringing the complex flavors and subtlety of their homeland to Americans who appreciate unsweetened dishes.

Chartreuse Detroit

My first meal in Detroit was at Chartreuse, one of the most recommended restaurants in the area. The waitress said they do not have a refrigerator because everything on the menu is fresh and seasonal (one of the restaurant people at my table raised her eyebrow at this statement in disbelief). 

The menu ranged from smaller to larger bits, with the shrimp and grits being the beginning of the larger plate dishes.

We got 2 orders of the burrata for $17 served with tomatoes that were barely ripe

as well as 2 of the Gobi Manchurian (fried cauliflower) for $15 to share. I liked the fried cauliflower and looked forward to tasting more.

The hit of the night was the shrimp and grits with scallops for $28. I only tasted this dish because of my scallop sensitivity, but both the shrimp and grits were nicely seasoned and perfectly cooked.

 

I was disappointed by my pork ribs for $23, which were very tender, and very sweet, served with a sweet coconut rice. I loved the cucumber side salad and wished there was more, but even though I took my leftovers to go, I did not eat them.

My glass of wine was very nice and the rest of the table split a bottle of sherry which they enjoyed. So would I go back? Yes, but depending on what is on the menu, your satisfaction with your meal will depend on which plate you order, so going with several people so you can share and taste different dishes would be a wise choice.

 

Element Hotel Detroit / Monarch Club

My first trip by plane since Covid 19, was to Detroit for a wedding :) It was a city I had never visited before and it was fun to explore the downtown area from my home base at the Element Hotel. The renovation of this beautiful structure that was abandoned for 40 years, is documented here.

The extended stay focus of this hotel makes it an especially good choice if you are staying more than a night or two. Having a full refrigerator with freezer, 2 burners, microwave, dishwasher, dishes and silverware for 4, as well as utensils and pans for cooking, was very convenient for reheating and eating leftovers. 

I missed the usual hotel extras of bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer, and a full length mirror, but the full kitchen was a great trade off. They offer a complimentary breakfast on the Mezzanine level (only one of the elevators goes to that floor, so ask at the front desk which one if you don't want to take the stairs), and it offers the standard American eggs, sausage, toast, but also yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit.

The citywide people mover stops literally a block away, so for $0.75 a ride, you can tour the city from the rail.

Having the rooftop Monarch Club with panoramic city views was a nice in house option, but it is only open at the end of the week and closes at 11pm. I went there one night for a drink and snack, and noticed they had charged me 30% MORE for my VSOP cognac than the price listed on the menu. Once I told the waitress, they corrected it, but make sure you double check you bill before paying for your drinks.

The lamb meatballs were a bit dry and dense, but nicely seasoned, and definitely a large enough portion to share. It's a hearty enough appetizer to make a meal if you did not get a chance to eat dinner elsewhere.

Konbi Culver City

I've been waiting for Konbi to open in Culver City ever since I saw them put up the signs next to GGET. I'm so happy to finally taste their famous katsu sandwich, and I was thrilled to find that they do a marvelous salad medley with nectarines, sungold tomatoes, cucumbers, soy glazed hazelnuts, and greens, served with a miso dressing. It was around $15 and very a hearty vegetarian meal for one.

I asked James at the counter which sandwich he liked besides the katsu which I had ordered and he said the tuna, so that's what I ordered and it was a comforting rendition served on their fabulous milk bread (now made in house) with sliced cucumbers and nori mayo.

The pork katsu sandwich lived up to the hype, with the quality of the Peads and Barnetts pork loin, cabbage and bulldog sauce, I would order this is you are a meat eater and only have room for one thing from their menu.

They are now serving ICE CREAM! so I tried their chocolate caramel in a cup and the vegan pistachio on a waffle cone. Both were rich wonderful, and served at the perfect temperature to eat, not too hard nor soft. 

The quality of ingredients makes everything a bit pricey, from about $15 per sandwich/salad to around $8 for the ice cream on a cone, but if you want to budget this in once in a awhile, it is a worthwhile place for a midday treat.