Adore Dessert Café

I was very happy to hear that Patrick, my favorite French dessert maestro, is back in the US and has opened Adore Dessert Café with his partner Kaity! 

Their new space is much bigger with plenty of free parking, close to the Redondo Beach Pier on Catalina Ave. They will also be expanding their menu beyond desserts once they hire enough staff. In the meantime, they are serving their wonderful viennoiseries, patisseries, quiches, coffee and tea.

I love their buttery croissants, cannelés, pain au chocolat, ham and cheese croissants, and their incredibly light and fluffy vegetable and mushroom quiches.

I've missed their smiling faces and happy energy as much as their rose macarons. Like recovering a lost treasure, the sadness of loss only adds to the pleasure of finding more than you began with in the first place :)

Pizzeria Bianco

Like everyone else who watched the Netflix show about Pizzeria Bianco, I wanted to catch a flight to Phoenix just to eat pizza! Thankfully Chris Bianco came to DTLA and opened up in a beautiful space at the Row (where Smorgasburg is held on week-ends), with plenty of parking, and in a patrolled and well lit (i.e., safe) area. It took me months to get a reservation at 5:30pm, but I grabbed the 1st opening and even though I knew traffic would be a bear, my party was still 20 minutes late, taking freeway alternatives.

I got there 1st so I ordered a marvelous glass of Italian red, tried to settle in after the driving derby experience. We started with the little gem salad for $12 that was simply delicious and a perfect portion to share.

The marinara for $22 was a no brainer, with tomato sauce, oregano and garlic; like the salad, it was simply wonderful and every component perfectly complimented each other.

The Wise guy for $27 was a hit with the meat eaters who loved the wood roasted onions, smoked mozzarella, and fennel sausage. We alternated bites of a slice of the marinara and the Wise Guy, and found our happy place:) We contemplated ordering another pie to go, but since we still had leftovers, we decided to just make another reservation instead :)

Pizzeria Bianco is one of my favorite places in Los Angeles for pizza now! The crust is fabulously fermented and crisp, while the toppings are upscale classic. If you live or work downtown, this might be a good spot to pick up a slice during lunch (only slices at lunch for now), but otherwise, I would say it's definitely worth the wait and the drive to make a dinner reservation and enjoy a few full pies and sides.

 

Willie Mae's Venice

I haven't been to New Orleans in decades, so I was thrilled to hear that Willie Mae's was opening up here in Los Angeles. I went to their first operation at the Colony in West Los Angeles, which is set up for take up, but there are picnic tables (with shade) on the side of the co operative restaurant operation, as well as plenty of city parking directly behind the building. 

On my trip there, I got the massive family portion with cornbread, with sides of greens and red beans with rice. The chicken was a bit spicy (which I like) and very juicy, but also quite greasy. I reheated the leftovers at home and that helped render out some of the grease. The red beans and rice were fantastic; I could have easily made a meal of just that one side!

I hoped the actual restaurant in Venice would do better; I am very happy to report that not only was the chicken perfect, with great crunch, tender and juicy, but also NOT greasy at all! They offer a side salad for $6.95, just to help all of us say we ate something fresh and green ;)

The gumbo was very salty, oily, and the crab was overcooked, so I would stick to the fried chicken. (Stevie's Creole on Pico still is my gumbo go to spot).

I got the wings with red beans and rice for $19.95 The red beans and rice needed some hot sauce this time, but they were still delicious.

My dining partner got the 1/2 fried chicken for $24.95 with cabbage side. 

Their cabbage is sweetened, so if you like yours that way, this is a good side for you. 

Note that the Venice location is closed on Tuesdays, so plan your visit during non rush hours (i.e., not the week-end), and you will find great service, excellent fried chicken with a bit of heat, and a taste of new Orleans without having to deal with jet lag.

A Food Affair Encore

Today's post is an update on A Food Affair, still wonderful after all these years! It's been 11 years since they opened, and I am so very grateful to call them my French home away from home. Still family run, Babette welcoming guests and running the front of the house and Christian creating the recipes and doing the cooking. It's always a pleasure to walk into this softly lit, warm, and inviting oasis.

During Covid 19, I mainly ordered take out, but as the vaccines and boosters eased our concerns, it was nice to finally go out to eat again at my favorite restaurants. A Food Affair has managed to not only maintain their heart warming piece of Provence on Robertson Blvd, but they have also retained their standards of delicious dishes and professional service.

It's also been fun to introduce new people to this marvelous place! We started with Wild Alaskan crab cakes, served with a caper saffron yogurt sauce, and mango, green papaya, scallion, and bell pepper for $19.95

I love their Organic Artisan Salad for $14.95 with persimmons, goat cheese, pomegranate seeds, almonds, tomatoes, and aged balsamic.

The Scottish salmon and crispy calamari served over grilled corn, asparagus, cauliflower riced risotto, and honey chipotle for $34.95 is a wonderful dish for pescatarians who want a hearty bowl filled with a medley of flavors.

I ordered Mom's boeuf bourguignon for $33.95, still the best version I've ever eaten anywhere in the world. Made with prime beef, wild mushrooms, carrots, and served with pappardelle, this was easily enough for 2, so of course I took home leftovers for my second meal ;) 

People say you can't go back and expect things to be the same, but thankfully I can go back to A Food Affair and it is the same in all the ways that count, wonderful people, excellent food, and a place that warms my heart.

American Beauty Venice

I went to American Beauty Venice to celebrate friendship and the holidays, kicking off a wonderful end of 2022 and beginning of 2023. Life is a beautiful circle of old and new and American Beauty was a perfect place to incorporate both with old friends and a new place. 

We shared many plates, some of which were eaten before I got a chance to take a picture :) The wood grilled flatbread for $12 with labneh and smoked honey was devoured before I could even pull my phone out of my purse! It was a sesame topped hit, with everyone at the table.

Heritage Pork Baby back ribs for $34 with sweet and spicy glaze, pickled daikon and kohlrabi. The ribs were very tender, and the slaw was a nice vinegary compliment to the generous serving of rich pork. It was good enough to take the leftovers home, but I would have preferred a bit more spice or seasoning to the pork.

American Beauty is known as a steakhouse, so we ordered one grass fed NY strip for $ 65 medium (table consensus) and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was so perfectly seasoned, that no one touched the side sauce.

As a non meat dish, I chose the grilled Orata (a type of sea bream) for $34 with ajo bianco, grape and leek. It was very nicely done, with crispy skin and tender flesh. Anyone with allergies should note that it is served with hazelnuts.

I did not get a chance to taste the lamb chops since the meat lovers at the table pounced on them as soon as they arrived, but I heard they were delicious!

I also chose the broccolini for $13 which were so good that we nearly ordered another serving.

The onion stuffed hash brown for $15 with sour cream was a perfectly done huge patty that we managed to divide without using knives ;)

I loved the oyster and shiitake mushrooms with cippolini onions for $18 and could have easily eaten this as my main dish.

We ordered the burnt cheesecake for $12 (which was eaten before I got a picture) along with the apple pie for dessert and the table devoured both, so if you have a sweet tooth, save some room for dessert!

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.