Kudos to Coupa Café

I have traveled to 17 countries, but not to Venezuela...yet. It looks like it's time to put it on my itinerary after eating at Coupa Café. Since January 7-13 is "Around the World in Beverly Hills" Restaurant Week, it's an ideal time to travel with your palate, without depleting your pocketbook.

I was invited to try Venezuelan food by the PR company which represents Coupa Café and I was intrigued enough to venture out to "exotic" Beverly Hills to this beautifully appointed and easily accessible home away from home for many South American expats. One of the tell tale signs that a restaurant is serving authentic cuisine is that expats eat there. Another tell tale sign is that the restaurant actually has a branch in their home country, and Coupa Café has a branch in Caracas! And the third sign of authentic cuisine is when they source their ingredients from natives; the cheese that they use in the restaurant is flown in from Miami where it is made by Venezuelans!

Since I was invited, my meal was fully comped, and they knew that I would be writing this post. Having worked in the industry and written many reviews, I know when good service and food are consistent and when they are not. It is definitely consistent here as I watched the reactions from other diners who were equally happy with their meals (if anything changes on a subsequent visit, it will be noted here).

The outdoor patio is a wonderful place to eat if the weather in Los Angeles is as balmy as it usually is, even in the winter.

I sat inside the lovely recently redecorated café.

 With a view of the wine bottles.

And a nice seating area with a fireplace.

The interior also had beautiful fresh flowers and a tempting pastry case with goodies to go.

One of the specials for this week is a traditional Venezuelan coconut milkshake called a Cocada for $4 that was the perfect tropical accompaniment to my meal. It is made with coconut water, so it it not as rich as a creamy milkshake, but perfect for those of us who love coconut water and freshly grated coconut.

My excellent server, Nicky, presented my first course of Tequeños, made with Paisa cheese wrapped in a flour dough and fried, and it came with a home made guava jam that I wanted to eat by the spoonful! For $7, this Venezuelan appetizer offered an umami combination of salty cheese with crispy fried dough and a sweet and sour guava jam that was so addictive I ate two! The home made jam was so good I asked Nicky if they had any for sale; unfortunately they do not sell it, but he offered to pack some to go for me :)

My next course was another appetizer, or pasapalos, the mini cachapas, also $7. These were mini corn griddle cakes with de mano cheese and served with a fresh sour cream called nata. I am not someone who loves sweet dishes, but the sweet corn in this dish was outstanding. I wanted to give the griddle cakes a standing ovation for the subtle fresh corn flavor, the caramelized crunchy sweetness on the bottom, and the wonderful combination of cheese and fresh sour cream that made this a dish you could eat as an appetizer, side dish or even dessert. You can tell how much I liked this dish because it came with four pieces, but I ate one before I realized I had not yet taken a photo!

My main course was the Pabellón with carne mechada, black beans, rice, and arepitas $19. I have never eaten the nationally known dish of carne mechada before, but now I believe that I am addicted to it! The flavors of the peppers, onions, and tomato are infused in the shredded beef and offer such an aromatic enhancement that you may wonder how you ever settled for any other kind of shredded beef. Because the flavor of the beef is vegetable based, the beef does not taste heavy like a braised short rib, so you can eat this as easily in the summer as the winter months.

The rice was fabulously done with a vegetable stock that sang out "eat me", and the beans were a good starch without much spice for those who prefer their beans plain. The arepitas are a crunchy fried cornmeal accompaniment which some people will adore and others will find bland, but like the beans, it will all depend on your preference.

The specialty appetizer I was invited to try was the torta de platano, a traditional sweet fried plantain dish, layered with white cheese and papelon, a raw hardened sugar cane pulp, for $8. It tasted more like a great dessert to me, especially if you love bananas or plantains and sugar. It was very rich and quite sweet, but not tooth achingly sweet. I ate about a third of one of these pieces and was completely satiated. If you have a sweet tooth you might be able to finish one piece (half an order).

Nicky promised me that the last thing I had to taste was the Mayan hot chocolate. I was happy to see it came in an small espresso cup after my many courses. After one sip, I was enthralled to discover that the flavor was spicy, warm, and chocolaty. They also make a mocha version, and since they are famous for their coffees, the next time I come, I will be ordering that variation.

Thanks to Lisa and Mila from PMBC Group for the invitation, thanks to Nicky for your wonderful service, and thank-you Camelia Coupal for creating such a wonderful space with delectable dishes to introduce those of us who live in Southern California to Venezuelan cuisine.

Novecento

Since it is a new year, I wanted to start it with a new place, and originally the plan was to try Public School 310, but since it was an hour's wait for this hot new gastropub, I settled for a place that was new for me, Novecento. Located literally on Main Street, it has been in business for nearly 20 years serving home made pastas in a cozy space. Friends who are both picky and vegetarian have liked the food so I figured it could be a good place to start off a new year's blog posts.

The space is warm and rustic with stone walls. The open kitchen and wine selection give the place a pleasant casual feel.

Service was friendly and a tapenade was immediately offered along with drinks. The tapenade had a distinctly spicy and lemony taste which was pleasant, but a bit unusual.

Once we placed our orders, a plate of sliced bread with a caper, herb, and red pepper dipping sauce was offered. Like the tapenade, it had an unusual flavor, in this case, I found it somewhat unpleasant, as if the herbs had been sitting in the olive oil too long.

My friend ordered her favorite dish here, the gnocchi with a creamy Gorgonzola sauce. I had a taste, and it was indeed wonderfully made, with rich blue cheese and light gnocchi. This is definitely a dish that will stick to your ribs and throw you off your diet, especially if you add grated Parmesan to it (which my friend did)!

I opted for a lighter dish, the Pollo Arrabbiata, chicken breasts with a spicy tomato sauce and a side of vegetables. The chicken breasts were cooked properly, and the vegetables were decent, but the arrabiata (literally "angry sauce") was completely bland and the tomatoes tasted canned. It was a disappointing plate when so many places do excellent renditions of this kind of food. Eating this here made me want to go to Il Grano or Campagnola to replace the food on my plate with better quality and better talent.

My friend wanted dessert, so she ordered the blueberry creme brulee and thought it had good blueberry flavor (the dark spots on the photo are actually blueberries). I thought it was not rich enough to be called a creme brulee, but a good version nonetheless.

It is sad when an experience does not live up to your expectations, but thankfully it was a pleasant experience overall. The service was professional, the atmosphere was relaxed, and the bill for 2 entrees with a glass of DOCG Chianti, a soft drink, and a dessert was only $60 including tax and a 20% gratuity. It could have been much better, but it could also have been much worse, so I am grateful this experience fell somewhere in between.

Joyeux Noël :)

Happy Holidays!

Brave Downtown for Baco Mercat

Baco Mercat is located on Skid Row. Literally. The Office for Skid Row housing is one block away. If I haven't scared you with this information on their location, you are willing to brave downtown traffic, and you are willing to pay for parking, then put this place in your GPS.

As everyone who knows me or reads this blog already knows, I love great bread. I will go miles out of my way to buy it and eat it. Bäco was originally a sandwich made with crispy pork belly and beef carnitas, and is the name of the bread they make and serve here. The bread was so popular that it became the basis for this place which specializes in sandwiches made with it and a crispy variation called Coca which serves as a kind of flatbread for toppings.

I wanted more than simply a sandwich so I ordered the caramelized cauliflower with garlic, tomatoes, sour cream, and green onions for $8. Although I'm not a cauliflower lover, I liked this vegetable side so much I took what I could not finish home with me!

I had the pescado Bäco with crispy shrimp, sirancha, and cole slaw for $11. Although the picture may make it look a bit too creamy, it was not. It was a perfectly dressed, slightly spicy slaw, with two large lightly breaded butterflied shrimp, all encased in the famous bäco bread. I could easily eat this once a week!

I had to come back for the beef tongue schnitzel bäco, with harissa, smoked aioli, and home made pickles for $10 because they had sold out of it by 1pm. Selling out of a tongue schnitzel sandwich is a great sign! I came back the same week around noon to be sure it would still be available and I was thrilled with my choice.

The hearty portion was succulent, tender (a sign of properly prepared tongue), and the accompanying pickles, arugula, aioli, and harissa made this unusual combination a standout. Just as I will travel for food, I will get down here by noon to get this bäco!

The picadillo coca at the next table looked so good that my friend ordered it. With house ground beef, tomatillo, cheddar, and crème fraiche on a crispy version of the bäco, she was so impressed, she also ordered the chocolate root beer (made in house) our neighboring table was drinking, and she loved the chocolate root beer so much she took a case home!

Our neighboring table ordered the banana semifreddo with mixed nut brittle and caramel ($8), so of course in keeping with the neighboring table's menu choices, my dessert eating friend ordered the same thing and was so happy with it, she finished every last spoonful. She declared it the best dessert she's had in ages, which is a huge compliment from a former pastry chef for Michel Richard!

If you are willing to brave all the elements of downtown Los Angeles, you will be generously rewarded at Bäco Mercat.

Seasons 52

After 20 years, Houston's closed in Century City this October. The space has now been completely remodeled to house Seasons 52. The idea behind the restaurant is seasonal menus based on local ingredients and they seem to have mastered both the spirit and execution of this popular concept. The result is a very welcoming outdoor and warm indoor space with an equally warm and welcoming service team. 

With wines by the glass starting at just $8 (I chose an '09 Bordeaux for $10.50) and a full bar for premium alcohol, you can come in just for a drink and some appetizers, like their varied flatbreads starting at $11, or their crab, shrimp & spinach stuffed mushroom caps.

Every item on the menu is under 475 calories, so this is the perfect spot to go for a sensible meal without sacrificing ambiance and flavor. Their salads are made with organic greens and they even offer an EU certified organic salmon (for a $6 supplement).

The mixed organic green salad was dressed in a white balsamic and the greens included pumpkin seeds, cucumbers, and grape tomatoes. This would have been the ideal light meal, but as a side to my Buffalo burger, it was a fresh and flavorful accompaniment.

Since bison is one of my favorite meats, I had to order the buffalo burger, oak-fired and served with roasted red pepper salsa, and spicy chili sour cream for $12. The description included guacamole, but aside from a thin smear of green, I can't say that guacamole was evident in the burger (probably to keep within the 475 calorie allotment). It was done rare as I requested, and the quarter pound portion was perfect for me, although some hungrier people might have wanted a bigger serving.

Dinner items offer a much heartier portion. This crimini mushroom sauce on the bone in New York was a delectable way to enhance the meat without detracting from it. The sides of asparagus and roasted potatoes were simply done, but satisfying, and surprisingly this entire meal was still less than 500 calories! For $27, this dinner is easy both on wallets and waistlines.

A beautiful tray of mini desserts (all $2.75) allows you to choose from a Meyer Lemon meringue pie, a canoli with white chocolate filling, s'mores, peanut butter and chocolate, or a tropical fruit mix. 

In keeping with the season, I opted for the pumpkin pie, decorated with a gingersnap :) It was the perfect small bit of sweetness to round off my meal.

With a location next to shops, this is a great place for a respite from holiday shopping; after all even Santa gets milk & cookies, why shouldn't you?

Coco Laurent

After having brunch at Bottega Louie, my friend Marian and I went to look inside Coco Laurent across the street. They were going to open the next day and didn't even have menus or business cards yet, but the indoor/outdoor space was beautiful and the host said they had imported a chef from France, so of course we made plans to come back once they opened.

After giving them a week to let the dust settle a bit, I ventured in for lunch today since my favorite French restaurant downtown, Church & State, had already stopped lunch service by 2:30pm. Coco Laurent serves all day, so it seemed to be perfect timing. The complimentary filtered water had lemon in it, and as with any good French restaurant, they offered a decent sourdough with excellent butter.

It was a cold (for Los Angeles) afternoon, so I started with the Soupe de Poissons, a fish bisque soup with tomatoes, saffron, aromatic vegetables, croutons, and sour cream for $9. The saffron tomato base made this a nicely rich soup, and the flavor of fish was present without being overwhelming. I would have liked it to have been more aromatic and complex, but I think this was conceived to be more middle of the road for those who might not appreciate stronger flavors. Tant pis for me, but I'm sure most would like this soup (I did like it, but I just didn't love it).

My wonderful server Justin, as well as the manager Pascale, stopped by to see how I liked the soup. I appreciated the attention to customers from the staff very much. The busboy even picked up a button that fell off my raincoat for me and set it on the table! The wine list is quite varied and reasonably priced with a glass of St. Emilion for $15 or a Malbec for $9, for drinkers of white, they have a a nice Chardonnay from Sonoma Cutrer for $10.

I couldn't wait to try my steak tartare, made with extra lean Angus ground beef, cocktail sauce, onions, capers, cornichons, capers, chopped parsley and topped with a quail egg, served with smoked rosemary waffle potato chips for $14. Like the Soupe de Poissons, I found this good, but not great.

The quality of the beef was wonderful, but the flavor was a bit bland. I loved the rosemary waffle potato chips and although they were fragile, topping them with the beef tartare added a nice texture and seasoning to the beef. I mixed in the micro cilantro greens, but I found that they detracted a bit from the tartare, so I would recommend not incorporating them into the beef.

The desserts looked lovely, but with aggressive Los Angeles parking enforcement, I risked being towed if I lingered. Coco Laurent would be worth another visit, perhaps after a few more weeks as the kitchen and executive chef improves to equal the service in the front of the house. If the wait at Bottega Louie is over 30 minutes, which it often is, this place will surely get some of the overflow, but they won't keep it unless they add more flavor to their French menu.

Las Vegas in December?

If you want a quick getaway this December, you can go to Las Vegas and stay at the Vdara* in a suite for less than $95 a night, or a 1 Bedroom Penthouse Suite for less than $277 a night. A $28 resort fee and 12 % tax are not included, but a $50 daily spa credit is included, so no matter how you do the math, this works out to a good deal for a stay at a AAA Four Diamond Resort.

Ahhh I hear you all checking airfares and your mileage as you try to figure out how to get to Las Vegas....how about trying the new Megabus? They have an inaugural fare of $1 each way, yes, you read that correctly ONE DOLLAR between December 12-19 on trips from Los Angeles to Las Vegas or San Francisco! These are the huge climate controlled, WiFi behemoths which have bathrooms, reclining seats, and outlets. The only "hidden fee" is a $.50 (yes, FIFTY CENT) per transaction booking fee.

As in all great deals, these won't last long, so book them now if you want them!

*Please note that this resort is nonsmoking and there is no gaming, so if you are looking for a casino/hotel, I would suggest another hotel like the Bellagio next door or the Wynn further down the strip.

The Bad, The Bland, and The Best

Sometimes I feel like Goldilocks tasting food across the city; some dishes are bad, some are just bland, and I keep searching for ones that are just right, hoping to find the best ones. Unlike the notoriously bad review by the New York Times of American Kitchen and Bar, I do my best to post something likeable or hopeful about every place I go, unless something happens so beyond good taste or good manners that I remove a review, which has only happened once (for exceedingly bad manners).

So with all this being said, I will begin with the bad. Jinya Ramen recently opened on Sawtelle and I was looking forward to good broth to rival the excellent Tsujita which has lines around the block for a table. Unfortunately when their own press release says the broth is "pumped up with industrial quantities of dashi and dried fish" it means INDUSTRIAL, which a is distinctly different than QUALITY. As a franchise, I did not expect much, but I was appalled to see them using a MICROWAVE to heat up some ingredients! The spicy pork miso I ordered was presented beautifully, but after a few spoonfuls, I could not eat this exceedingly sweet slightly foul smelling soup.

Later that night I had an upset stomach and I woke up with the horrible consequence of having eaten an industrially produced soup stock. It is well worth the wait to eat at Tsujita.

After that experience I had to go get a bowl of something good to put into my system, so I headed over to Urth Cafe for their marvelous vegetarian chili. It is on their menu everyday and my favorite vegetarian chili (besides the one I make myself).

The quality of the ingredients and the blend of perfect spices, make this a filling and savory bowl of comfort food for any cold or rainy day.

After trying something new and something old, I wanted to try something different, so I went to Vino and Tapas in the Valley before a movie screening in the area. They have a Happy Hour from 4-7pm with drinks ranging from $4-7 and tapas for only $5. Since they open at 4pm the place was empty, but that was fine with me since that meant I could get in and out before my movie with ease.

I ordered a Kaiken 2009 Malbec which was quite nice, but ended with the much nicer DeLoach Pinot Noir, both $6 each during Happy Hour and served in the perfect glassware for the varietal!

I hardly ever see chicken livers on any menu, so I had to order them. They were a bit overcooked and a bit bland, so I asked for some salt, but even adding seasoning could not save this dish.

I also ordered some mushrooms with garlic, herbs and a Chardonnay sauce which were so delectable that I ate the sauce with slices of bread to soak up every last bite!

To get rid of the taste of the chicken livers, I ordered the meatballs in tomato sauce which had a nice basil flavor and decent tomato sauce. It was not an outstanding dish, but it was executed well and a nice rendition of the classic.

It was wonderful to end on the excellent flourless chocolate cake dessert for $8 with vanilla ice cream and a chocolate sauce. It is a very rare event when I finish a dessert and I finished this one!

I am very grateful to have a happy sweet ending to this week before Thanksgiving, and I am very grateful for all of you who read my blog and for all that I am able to share with you!

Book A Beach Stay on Black Friday

I'm not one of those people who camp out for a special on Black Friday, but I do appreciate a great one day deal. The Surf & Sand in Laguna Beach is one of my favorite hotels, with wonderful food, spectacular views, and within walking distance to Forest Avenue (the main thoroughfare).

The rooms normally go for about $400 a night during low season and as much as double that in the Summer, so if you add on the resort fee and parking, you are looking at a premium price for a premium resort. I appreciate quality, but when you can get quality at a discount, that is literally the best of both worlds.

If you set your alarm clock to call 866.860.6154 or book online on November 23, 2012 between 7am and 7pm, you can book a one night stay for as little as $219 Sunday-Thursday or $299 Friday and Saturday. You must go by January 31, 2013, but you also get complimentary resort fee and parking for this rate!

The best part is that if you can't get through, they are offering the same deal on Cyber Monday but only online!

Get set, ready, dial (or type)!

Lunch at Lucques

Lucques was last restaurant at the intersection of La Cienega and Melrose that I had not yet tried. I can now say that I have eaten in every one with a smile:) Comme Ca, Taste, and Fig & Olive are all very good, with menus and atmospheres that range from casual (Taste) to hip (Fig & Olive) with a bit of flair thrown in (Comme Ca) for good measure. Ago is the only one I would avoid completely in this mecca for good food.

Lucques has been around since 1998, and the only reason I haven't been here is because Tavern (also created by Suzanne Goin with her business partner Carolyne Styne) is closer to home, and traffic dictates how far I am willing to travel in Los Angeles! Sometimes it is good to venture out a bit from my neighborhood, and since West Hollywood isn't that far away during midday traffic, I decided to brave the drive and I am very happy I did.

The space is welcoming both inside and out.

Since it was one of those beautiful 80 degree days we get in Southern California in November, I sat outside in the covered patio. The walls of climbing ivy made this space much more inviting than the indoor tables on a balmy afternoon.

The bread and this small plate of amuse bouche made me smile with delight. The small plate of kosher salt and butter harkens to the Tavern presentation, but the olives and almonds were a nice variation and I am glad I saved room for my meal because I could have easily made a meal of bread, olives and almonds.

My waiter came by to inform me that the market fish today was Salmon, and when he saw the disappointed look on my face, he quickly offered to see if he could substitute another fish for me.  The substitute fish he offered was a Barramundi (one of my favorites), and it was served with farro, caramelized brussel sprouts, baby carrots and haricots verts so fresh they could have been green candy! A nice tapenade and sour cream accent made this Barramundi a perfect lunch for $25. They have a variety of wonderful wines by the glass from $8-$30, and I chose an Entre Deux Mers at $12 to compliment this tender white fish.

The plate was quite large, but I did manage to finish nearly every grain of farro. I wish I had saved some room for dessert because the woman at the next table loved her coupe so much she ordered TWO!

Oh well, that just means I will have to come back for another meal (or maybe just for two desserts:)