Lake Lampy – France

When was the last time that you traveled, and where did you go?  What are your fondest memories from that trip?

When we reflect back on our travels, sometimes the memories that first come to mind or the ones that make us smile the most are not necessarily the ones most representative of that destination.  It’s usually not associated with the historical monuments, the world class museums, the ancient ruins or the 5 star hotels.  If it’s the first time that you are visiting a certain country, it’s almost obligatory to visit the famed sites and typical tourist attractions, but hardly do we ever really remember the details of these visits.  You can tell people that you’ve seen the Egyptian pyramids, London’s Big Ben and New York’s Times Square.  But when somebody asks you how your trip was, you’re more likely to go on and on about the romantic stroll through the park with the handsome boy you met in the train in Italy, how good that chicken skewer from the cheap food stall tasted after taking the wrong bus and getting lost in Ghana, or the charismatic matriarch of the small tapas bar in Madrid who chatted with you over several glasses of wine well after closing time.  Traveling is about those special moments that stay with you forever.  Sometimes, those moments are when we are simply doing nothing at all.

On the last full day of my recent trip to France, we did just that- nothing- and it was one of the highlights of the trip.  The entire trip was amazing, from the 3 Michelin star restaurants in Paris to working in the fields of my cousin’s vineyards in Burgundy, but by the time I got to my final destination Toulouse, my stomach was tired from eating extravagant food every day, and my body was tired from the repetitive cycles of packing and unpacking my suitcase.

We went to the local farmer’s market in the morning and bought fresh fruits and vegetables, charcuterie, bread and cheese.  We packed everything into my friend’s car and headed 80 km southeast toward Carcassonne to Lake Lampy, or Bassin du Lampy, in Aude.  The weather that day was perfect- sunny with some clouds, and a bit cool on the skin with no wind.  There were only a few other families on site that day, and it was quiet and peaceful.

We placed a big tablecloth on the soft green grass by the lake shore and opened up our picnic spread, which attracted a few hungry friends.  These 2 adorable dogs stayed with us for most of the afternoon, until we ran out of food.

We made a simple tuna salad with fresh farmer’s market vegetables, and dressed it with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  The Toulousian saucisson with baguette hit the spot.  Soft cow’s milk cheese, blue cheese and a goat cheese all complemented the chilled dry rosé wine that we brought from home.  Although it wasn’t extravagant by any means, this fresh and simple meal was exactly what I needed at the end of my long trip, and it tasted so good as I laid out on the picnic blanket and took in the breathtaking landscape of Lake Lampy.

We took a leisurely stroll around the perimeter of the lake and enjoyed the slightly damp coolness of the dense forests.  The lake was perfectly still and its surface was as smooth as glass, showing off an impressive reflection of the cloudy sky above. There was nobody else along our path, and it seemed as if this was our secret world, a magical utopia where we were safe from others.

Time seemed to stop as I dug my bare toes into the fresh cool grass and looked at the peaceful scenery.  I laid flat on my back with my canine companion snuggled up to me belly up, and we both reveled in peaceful nothingness as we watched the dense clouds slowly glide by.  I emptied my brain and focused on my breathing, inhaling deeply and slowly to benefit from the fresh clean air and enjoy the pure earthy aroma of my surroundings.  The only sounds aside from chirping birds and rustling trees were of us munching crispy carrots and gulping wine.  This…..this was one of those ‘moments’.

Random trivia:  Did you know that a dog‘s sense of smell is one of the keenest in nature, being able to smell up to 44 times better than man?  The bloodhound is the only animal whose evidence is admissible in an American court.

Georges- Toulouse, France

If you visit Toulouse, the ville rose, you don’t want to miss the breathtaking sunset view across the Garonne river.  The panoramic splash of colors across the expansive sky and its perfect reflection on the glassy water surface change almost every minute as the sun sets beyond the Pont St. Pierre and Pont des Catalans bridges.  After watching this romantic and magnificent sunset, we took a lazy stroll around the cobblestone backstreets of Place Saint-Pierre and sniffed our way to rue Blanchers.  Rue Blanchers is a small restaurant row of sorts with numerous cafés and restaurants offering international and local cuisine. 

Restaurant Georges was one of the first places we came upon and we knew immediately that it was the right place to dine.  We didn’t have to walk down the remaining stretch of rue Blanchers to check out our other options- the menu sounded tempting and the place was brimming with locals.  Georges’ menu represented Southwestern French regional cuisine with a modern twist, at reasonable prices.  Here you can order a Formule for 21 Euros (entrée + plat, plat + dessert, or 2 entrées + 1 dessert), or a Menu for 26 Euros (entrée + plat + dessert).

The atmosphere at Georges was friendly and casual, and happy diners filled the numerous tables that were tucked into every crevice of the small restaurant space.  Old paintings and antique photos adorned the brick exposed walls, and small stained glass lamps added to the rustic feel of the restaurant.   There was a tight narrow staircase that led to the downstairs cave and mini dining area that was stocked full of French wines.

Charlotte de Saint Jacques au coulis de crustacés – Molded shellfish coulis prepared in a cream sauce.  This dish was a modern twist on the traditional French dish of coquilles Saint Jacques, which is made with scallops in a white wine and mushroom cream sauce served on a coquille, or shell.  The soft and warm soufflé of delicious shellfish essence that stood proudly on a porcelain  scallop shell dish was just as good as any seared scallop I’ve ever had.

Forestière d’escargots en cassolette et son feuilleté à l’ail confit – Warm cassolette of escargots in a mushroom cream sauce accompanied by a delicious flaky slice of bread with garlic confit.   The cassolette was full of succulent meaty pieces of escargot that were even more delicious on top of the garlic bread, and the intense woodsy aroma of mushrooms filled the air.

Tartiflette au magret fumé- a hearty gratin of potatoes, cheese and smoked duck.  A tartiflette is a warm winter dish that originated in the Savoie region of the French Alps, and is particularly  popular in keeping skiiers warm at ski resorts.  Although a true tartiflette should be made with Reblochon cheese and smoky bacon, modern versions can be made with any type of melty cheese and other hearty meats.   Indeed, this tartiflette was very hearty and had enough power to keep a whole family warm during any winter chill.

Emincé de boeuf au coulis de foie gras – Beef sirloin tips served with a foie gras sauce.  These cuts of meat were slightly tough, though the rich savory foie gras sauce almost made up for it.

Tartare de saumon a la crème d’herbes fraîches – Salmon tartare tossed with herbs and cream, was quite delicious.  The minced cuts of salmon were fatty and marvelous, perfectly enhanced by the zing of fresh parsley and chives.

Le Régal des Capitouls: foie gras de canard mi-cuit, magrets sec et fumé, gesiers confits, saucisse au pot, mesclun de salade, confiture de figues, marrons, noix et sel guerande – this was a classic Toulouse dish that showcased all of the beautiful duck delicacies of the region.  Toulouse is particularly famous for its foie gras and sausages.  Cuts of foie gras mi-cuit, slices of smoked duck breast, gizzard confit and cuts of smoked sausages were served with preserved figs, chestnuts and walnuts.  I loved every tender and flavorful morself of duck on this amazing plate, especially the smoked gizzards that had more texture than the other cuts.  The more I chewed on the gizzards, the more these smokey flavors permeated my taste buds.

Fondant au chocolat – chocolate cake with a somewhat molten center was decadent. The exterior was ever so slightly flaky, adding a textural contrast to the silken interior.

Crème brûlée aux framboises fraîches – crème brûlée with whole raspberries inside was quite flavorful, and the four of us finished it very quickly.

Our dinner at Georges was a fantastic experience, and it was a perfect treat to succeed the amazing sunset that we saw over the Garonne river.  Gratifying rustic French cuisine served by honest caring hosts at Georges is an experience not be missed on your next trip to Toulouse.  Michel Sarran, with 2 Michelin stars, is perhaps the most famous restaurant in Toulouse, but I also recommend Georges if you and your wallet want to take a break and keep it casual and homey.

Georges

4 rue des Blanchers

31000 Toulouse, France

+33 05 34 44 95 92

Open 7 days a week

Lunch 12 to 2pm, Dinner 8-11:30pm

Random trivia:  Did you know that the scallop shell is regarded as a symbol of fertility?  That’s why many paintings of Venus, the Roman goddess of love and fertility, also depict a scallop shell.  Botticelli’s famous painting in Firenze’s Uffizi gallery, The Birth of Venus, shows a beautiful and serene Venus emerging from the sea on a scallop shell.

Botticelli's 'The Birth of Venus' copied from Wikipedia

Toulouse, France

In the sunny southwest of France, close to the Pyrénées mountain range, lies the pink city of Toulouse.  Easily accessible by train or plane from Paris, Toulouse has been called the ville rose for its rose colored brick buildings in the historical center.  Being the fourth largest city in France after Paris, Lyon and Marseille, Toulouse is not only known for its universities, but also as homebase of the European aerospace industry.

The historical center of this quaint and lovely city is easy to explore on foot, although it’s more fun to explore by bicycle.  There are numerous bike rental stations conveniently scattered throughout the city so that pick up and drop off can be done at any of these stations. By swiping a credit card, one can rent these bikes for 1-2 Euros a day. On a recent trip to Toulouse, my friends and I took this bicycle tour of Toulouse, and it was one of the most fun activities that I had done in a long time.  The weather was sunny and the wind was low, and we set off on these two-wheelers through this charming pink city.

We weaved in and out through the narrow cobblestone streets lined with beautiful old buildings.  The first sight that we saw was the majestic Basilique St. Serrin, just down the street from my friend Olivier’s apartment.  It’s the largest Romanesque basilica in the western world, and the signature octagonal bell tower popped against the dramatic cloudy sky.

The Cathedrale St. Etienne has a unique exterior that looks like a mishmash of different architectural styles, since it was constructed by joining two incomplete churches.  Once inside, you can also appreciate the 2 different styles of Gothic architecture that are also structurally askew.

We bought delicious Indian chicken curry and tandoori chicken wraps to go, put them in our cute little baskets on the front of the bicycles, and headed to the serene Jardin des Plantes for a picnic.  On that Sunday afternoon the park was alive with smiling joggers, university students lost in their textbooks, lovers cuddling on their blanket and families enjoying their quality time playing games.  I love the feeling of grass and moist soil on my bare feet- it’s a good feeling to take off my shoes from time to time and really feel the earth under every part of the soles of my feet.  With the sun filtering through the green trees and caressing my face with its gentle warmth, the lullaby of laughing children in the distant background and a content belly full of good food, I drifted off into a quick postprandial snooze…

…but not for long, as we had a lot more pedaling to do.  The 150 mile long Canal du Midi is the oldest canal in Europe still in use, and has been designated a UNESCO world heritage site.  It felt exhilarating to pedal along this picturesque canal that was beautifully lined with lush green trees and where people still live on crazy looking old boathouses. 

The Place du Capitol, the epicenter of Toulouse, is a place of public gathering.  One can sit at any of the numerous outdoor cafes to people watch against the background of the majestic town hall and opera house.  When we went there, there was a demonstration going on in one corner of the plaza, while street vendors tried to entice people with paintings and trinkets on the other end.

After we returned our rental bikes to one of the rental stations, we walked over to the Garonne river to watch the beautiful sunset.  As the sun disappeared behind the pristine bridges of Pont Saint- Pierre and Pont des Catalans, the expansive sky captivated us with an awe inspiring panorama of lights, patterns and colors.  We talked about lost loves and new loves, as we  sat on the banks of the Garonne and stared at the sky until it turned dark.

Naturally, this  full day adventure made us hungry.  What shall it be tonight?  Which Toulousian specialty shall we indulge in?  Perhaps the most typical dish that represents Toulouse is cassoulet, a rich slow-cooked bean stew with white haricot beans, duck confit and pork sausage.  This heartiness of this stew was almost intimidating, and I couldn’t finish it off.  We enjoyed our meal with a bottle of Cahors red wine, and finished the meal with a glass of Armagnac to round out our Toulousian culinary experience.  Armagnac, which is a French brandy similar to Cognac, is made exclusively in this area.

Toulouse, beautiful charming ville rose of southwest France- come discover this treasure on bicycle and enjoy the delicious flavors of the region.

Random trivia:  Legend has it that France’s King Henry IV (1553 – 1610) had Armagnac and garlic placed on his lips by his grandfather on the day he was born. He is said to “have drawn wisdom and strength for his whole life” from that experience.

Opinionated About Dining- Best Meal of 2009 survey

I received an e-mail from Steve Plotnicki of Opinionated About Dining a few weeks ago while I was traveling through India.  He was surveying various people in the food industry, and asking them all the same two questions:

1.  What was your best meal of 2009?

2.  Name the chef that showed the most potential in 2009?

Unfortunately, when I received the initial e-mail I was deathly sick from some unidentified virus and in the midst of receiving my painful initiation into Indian travel.  Yes, I know that everybody who goes to India gets sick at least once, but after surviving 7 healthy months in the deep African bush, I didn’t think that it would happen to me.  In any case, being asked such important heavy-weighted culinary questions during a 5-day vomiting marathon was pretty tough.  I take these questions seriously, and I wanted to give him my best answers.

I had many fantastic meals this year, but in the end it was L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Paris, France.  There’s a reason why he’s been named ‘Chef of the Century’ and continues to expand his global empire.  His food is fantastic and flawless.  Nobody can argue with that.  Every dish was executed with perfection and grace, and there wasn’t a single dish that disappointed.  Egg cocotte with morel cream sauce was a divine masterpiece, grilled ribeye was dripping with flavorful juices and roasted beef marrow never tasted so luscious.  It was a magical evening of excellent food and wine in the trendy neighborhood of Saint Germain des Prés.  The evening ended with a crazy impromptu night tour through the deserted streets of Paris with a friendly taxi driver named Michel.  Gazing up at the enormous steel structure of the Tour Eiffel at 2AM, still drunk on Savigny-les-Beaune reds and high on the succulent veal liver with crispy onion rings, it now remains a happy memory that will always make me smile.

Egg cocotte with morel cream

As for chef showing the most potential?  I chose local celebrity chef Ludo Lefebvre, as his 2 successful LudoBites events have created quite a sensation here in LA.   Unlike traditional restaurants, LudoBites is a temporary pop-up event held in other restaurants that are normally only open for breakfast and lunch.  It’s a new style of dining that completely breaks free from the traditional and stuffy molds of restaurant bureaucracy.  During the limited engagement events at both the Breadbar and Royal/T, I saw a very energetic and happy Ludo shine in an environment where he could be free to express himself and his creativity without being bound by any chains.  In true Ludo style, his food was bursting with radical flavors and concepts.  The rich and smoky chorizo soup, topped with a dollop of tangy cornichon sorbet and tempered by the sweetness of the juicy cantaloupe cubes, was epic.  Black foie gras croque monsieur, grill pressed to a perfect crispy exterior to contrast the buttery foie gras treasure inside, was inspirational with the cherry amaretto sauce.  Escargots got a break from their standard corkscrew coffins to bathe in a warm bowl of aromatic yellow ginger curry.  I really feel that these limited time pop-up restaurants are the next wave of the future.  It’s a fresh new way for chefs to express their ideas and inspirations, and it’s an exciting avenue for diners to experience novel flavors and menu concepts.  Chef Ludo, you have potentially started an incredible culinary trend- and for that, I named you for this survey.

Chorizo soup with cantaloupe and cornichon sorbet

Check out the interesting OAD Best Meal of the Year 2009 survey, and see what the other 75 participants, which include Eric Ripert, Anthony Bourdain, Thomas Keller and Jay Rayner, named in the survey.  This wonderful website is also a great reference for any of you gourmands looking for exceptional eats all over the world.

What was your best meal of 2009?

Cooking at home with white truffles

One of the joys in life is cooking and sharing a beautiful meal with others.  There’s really nothing better than cooking and eating at home with good company while listening to music at whatever volume you want, at whatever time you want, and in whatever clothes you want.  All of the extra money that is usually spent on jacked up restaurant prices, extra tips that many servers usually don’t deserve anyway, and outrageous valet parking fees can be better spent on a good bottle of port for the post meal bliss.  And when you want to cook with white truffles, then for sure it’s a treat to do so in your own kitchen.

Being a doctor I am usually cool, calm and collected, but when my good friend Haru, sous chef at the Gordon Ramsay, showed up in my kitchen with a humongous lump of white truffle, I nearly lost it.  Behold the white diamond of all fungi, the holy radiant mother of all delicacies.  This enormous jewel of the earth was so powerful, that I could smell its intense perfume from the balcony.  The cross section of the truffle was practically as big as the palm of my hand, and I could really see the fine reticulated patterns on the fungus.  What was the best way to appreciate this beautiful treasure?  A simple risotto and salad.

I love the sounds of an active home kitchen: the soft blunted rhythmic taps of a knife against a wooden cutting board, the high pitched clicking of the stovetop gas ignitor followed by the quick tenor burst of flame, the gushing sound of water from the faucet filling the large pot, the pop of the wine cork succeeded by the glop glop glop of wine being poured into glasses, and the clanging of glass bowls and steel pots.  It’s really the only time that I can ever be in a peaceful zen state where my mind is clean and my heart is pure.

I left the risotto making to my friend, as this was too special of an occasion to screw it up.  ‘You need to really understand the rice in order to cook a good risotto with the perfect consistency’, he said, as he effortlessly did so with experienced hands.

It was quite amazing to watch my friend as he carefully tended to the risotto. After the initial toasting process with melted butter, he was in a synchronous biofeedback with the risotto, knowing exactly how much liquid the Arborio rice needed at what stage of the cooking process.  Grana Padano and Parmigiano cheese added the perfect amount of creaminess and saltiness to the risotto, and it was cooked to a perfect consistency.

Meanwhile, on the northeast end of the stovetop, chopped bacon bits were quietly sizzling away in the pot, releasing a pungent smokey aroma into the air that woke my two cats out of a deep sleep.

Boiled asparagus stalks were assembled on the plates along with the crispy bacon bits and spinach leaves, and topped with a soft boiled egg.  A very simple olive oil vinaigrette was used to lightly dress the salad.  The creamy risotto, which was already delicious and restaurant worthy in this virgin state, was also plated.  Both were ready to be glammed up with a little bling-bling.

Here came the crowning moment, as my friend adjusted the screws on the truffle slicer to the perfect thickness.  I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing in my own kitchen- generous amounts of long delicate white truffle shavings, releasing that distinct earthy aroma with every slice against the sharp blade, being haphazardly strewn all over the plates as if it didn’t cost anything at all.

The egg in the salad dish was cooked to a perfect consistency, and the warm thick yolk slowly oozed all over the asparagus stalks like active Kona volcanic lava.  In an otherwise perfect dish where the saltiness of the bacon and the vinaigrette-dressed leaves added zing to the savory protein, these delectable white truffles elevated the experience by an unmeasurable magnitude.

I’ve had white truffle risotto at restaurants before, and for those of you who also have, I think you can agree with me that they never give you enough truffle shavings for the $50-100 that you pay.  This was the most extravagant plate of delicious white truffle risotto that I have ever had in my life, and of all places, in the comfort of my warm and cozy home.  The generous heap of truffles was so immense that I had the luxury of eating a whole long truffle shaving for each decadent bite.  This was just an exquisite and heavenly dish, perfect in every way, and will be ingrained into my culinary memory forever.

Delicious white truffle extravaganza at home- a typical weeknight affair.  Pas mal!

Random trivia:  Did you know that truffles, often found 2- 15 inches below the ground, are the only subterranean (underground) fungi on our planet? Also, among 70 species of truffles, only 7 are edible- so don’t get excited if you find something in your backyard that looks similar.

I conclude with a quote from Alexandre Dumas, French writer and author of The Three Musketeers:

“The most learned men have been questioned as to the nature of this tuber, and after two thousand years of argument and discussion their answer is the same as it was on the first day: we do not know.  The truffles themselves have been interrogated, and have answered simply: eat us and praise the Lord.”

LudoBites at Royal/T

One of my favorite chefs, Ludo Lefebvre, has returned once again for a short 13-day ‘guerrilla style pop-up’ LudoBites event this month.  After a hugely successful LudoBites part deux at the Breadbar this past summer where I had one of the best dining experiences this year, he has returned for a short stint at the Royal/T café and gallery in Culver City. Trained under the tutelage of legendary French grandmasters Pierre Gagnaire and Alain Passard, Ludo himself has earned prestige and recognition during his years as executive chef at L’Orangerie and Bastide here in Los Angeles.  This charming chef, who people love to hate but ultimately love anyway, kept us entertained this summer when he competed on Top Chef Masters.  Through LudoBites, he has detached himself from the bureaucracies of the traditional restaurant model in pursuit of a more free and independent way to express his creativity.

Royal/T….an interesting choice of venues, I thought.  Royal/T is a Japanese maid café メイドカフェwhere the young female waitresses are dressed up in Lolita style maid uniforms with short frilly petticoated skirts and knee high white socks.  It’s still widely popular all over Japan, but it originated in the heart of Akihabara where video game and anime ‘otaku’, who are usually socially awkward techie geeks, go to seek refuge from the otherwise fast-paced Japanese society where they don’t quite blend in.  At these maid cafés they are treated like masters of the house, or ‘goshujinsama’ご主人様, and they are welcomed by a cute ‘Welcome home, master’ as if they were returning home to their private mansion after a long day.  At the café customers enjoy a simple meal while playing games and taking photos with their maids.  They enjoy their precious time of getting full attention from their personal maids before going back out into the cold concrete Tokyo jungle.

I was surprised to arrive at Royal/T that evening for LudoBites and find that we were in fact going to be served by cute maids in full costume.  It was a surreal experience to be dining in this rather stunning large art space showcasing interesting contemporary installations while eating Ludo’s innovative cuisine served to us by a Japanese maid.  Was I really in Culver City?

The venue was packed that evening, and I wasn’t surprised, as I heard that the 13-day event sold out within a couple of days.  Among the other diners that evening were actor Fred Savage and the chef/owner of Jitlada.  Despite being short one sous chef who left a few days prior, Ludo prepared a spectacular dinner for a full house while his wife Krissy ran a tight ship up front and the highly efficient maids kept a perfect flow of service.

The first dish of tuna sashimi with sushi rice ice cream, soy sauce gelée and smoked ginger oil was a deconstructed contemporary interpretation of nigiri sushi.  The cold rice ice cream was light and refreshing while sprinkles of deep fried onions and aromatic ginger oil added a delightful smokiness to the tender cuts of tuna.  The soy gelée, daikon sprouts, hint of wasabi cream and flakes of togarashi red pepper lended different levels of tang and kick to this wonderful dish.

The caramelized endive with gingerbread croutons and citrus wedges was a simple dish that seemed almost plain and boring after the exciting crudo dish that we started with. Although it was nothing spectacular, we enjoyed the way that the acidity from the orange and grapefruit wedges was in perfect balance with the nutty olive oil.  It’s the kind of dish that I would expect an Italian cook to make at home for dinner on a regular weeknight- simple, honest and good.

Celery root soup with black truffle and parmesan was rich and creamy with just enough parmesan presence that didn’t overwhelm the dish. The black truffle essence in this soup was earthy and delicious, and we all absolutely loved the soup.  For round 2 of the soup, one of my dining partners had brought something special for us that evening that would up the pleasure factor exponentially.

My friend Haru, sous chef at the Gordon Ramsay restaurant, brought a nice big piece of truffle to our LudoBites dinner to celebrate the beginning of winter black truffle season.  This soup was the perfect first dish to enhance with the black truffles.  Ludo and Krissy both laughed at us as Haru happily shaved away.

The slowly sautéed Monterey wild squid with kimchi purée, black olives, red onions and chorizo oil was an interesting dish.  The fresh squid, cooked perfectly to an exquisite tenderness, was quite amazing with the smokey chorizo oil. It was hard for me to fully embrace the kimchi purée.  It tasted exactly like kimchi when I popped it in my mouth with eyes closed, but there was something about this brownish yellow glob visually resembling Gerber’s baby food that I couldn’t get myself to accept.  My palate was also confused by this dish that tasted like ojinguh bokkeum, or Korean spicy stir fried squid, which I make at home all the time in my pajamas.  Don’t get me wrong, this dish was delicious, but after being blown away by dishes like foie gras croque monsieur with cherry amaretto sauce and escargot ginger curry at the previous LudoBites, I just didn’t expect to come here to taste something that is so everyday to me.

Did you notice that the photo of the squid dish was less yellow and looked more beautiful?  The biggest problem in taking photos inside dark restaurants is that the dim lighting is not kind to even the best of camera lenses, and Photoshop editing can only do so much to correct the problem (and I don’t even have Photoshop).  Well, the Lefebvres, who kindly embrace and welcome the presence of foodbloggers, purchased and set up a lightbox in one of the back rooms of Royal/T so that diners can take better photos of the food.  I was quite dumbfounded by this incredible act of thoughtfulness and hospitality, and at first I thought that Krissy was joking.  As you can see, it makes a huge difference in photo quality.  However, I chose to take the rest of the photos at the table so that my fellow diners and I could eat the food while it was still fresh and warm.  After all, I didn’t come here to take photos.  I came here to eat.

My favorite dish of the evening was the crispy confit pork belly with burnt eggplant purée, fried plantain chip, coconut foam and thai chili emulsion.  The pork belly, crispy and crackling on the outside and sinfully fatty on the inside, was in itself quite amazing with the aromatic coconut foam.  But it was the black purée, that unassuming dark dollop quietly sitting on the sideline waiting for its cue from the pork belly, that ended up being the showstopper.  It really tasted exactly like burnt eggplant, and we were all taken by surprise by this fact.  One of the best ways to enjoy Japanese eggplants during the autumn season is by simply charring them over a grill and peeling off the burnt skin, enjoying the smokey aromatic flesh with a little bit of soy sauce and grated ginger.  This black purée tasted exactly like that yakinasu dish at its fall peak, and I couldn’t get enough of it.  Innovative, brilliant, and simply genius.

The egg ‘Meurette’ with braised red cabbage and lardo toast was a contemporary ode to the classic oeufs en meurette, a traditional French Burgundy dish of poached eggs in red wine sauce.  The tartness of the red wine braised cabbage was in perfect equilibrium with the richness of the runny egg yolk and flavorful sheets of pork fat veneer.  We really enjoyed this dish that stayed pretty close and true to the classic bistro original.

For round 2, we enhanced the dish with the winter black truffles.  Did we go overboard with the truffle shavings?  Why, yes.  And why not?

I loved the textures of the foie gras beignet.  The outer shell was delightfully soft and chewy like delicate mochi, and the tender lumps of foie gras that practically came spilling out were delightful.  Although the dried apricot and saffron purée was too sweet for my palate which generally detests sweet fruit sauces in savory dishes, the Frenchmen at the table were all over it.

Braised veal with udon, caramelized onions, kombu dashi and enoki mushrooms sparked a huge debate at our table.  This dish was like the illegitimate cross cultural child born out of an adulterous affair between a French man and a Japanese woman.  With a French man, a Japanese woman (me), and a French-Japanese man in the dining party, you can imagine the conversation we had about this dish that came out of a big bang collision between blanquette de veau, soupe a l’oignon and nabeyaki udon.  One thing that we could all agree on was that on a deep visceral level, this dish was comforting- there was a moment when we all sipped and slurped in silence, breathing a sigh of relief after each gulp.  The garlic, ginger, miso and goat cheese paste was quite amazing, and in my opinion very pivotal in this dish.

The final savory dish was a perfectly grilled cut of juicy beef tenderloin with crispy lard and vichy carrots in a mustard sauce.  We used the last of the winter black truffle to enhance this delicious dish.  It was a deeply gratifying tasty dish that went especially well with our superb bottle of 2003 Vendanges Bordeaux from Chateau de Reignac.

Fourme d’Ambert tourte with wine poached pear and honey balsamic reduction sauce was heavenly.  The wonderful robust Fourme d’Ambert blue cheese, from the Auvergne region of France, is one of France’s oldest cheeses and has a distinct strong flavor.  The acidity of the balsamic sauce, along with the sweet tartness of the pear, kept the potentially overwhelming cheese in check and it all made for a delicious dessert.

I love when Ludo presents original and questionable flavor combinations that surprisingly work really well.  When we saw guacamole with ginger ice cream and exotic fruits on the menu, it kept us on our toes all evening.  What is it going to taste like, and what is it going to look like?  My brain couldn’t even begin to imagine what this dish would taste like before I scooped that first delectable spoonful into my mouth.  The buttery smoothness of avocado, the sweetness of mango and banana, the tang and crunch of passion fruit seeds, and the slight zest of aromatic ginger ice cream…it was luscious.

Chef Ludo Lefebvre, you have done it again.  Your bottomless tank of unique avant-garde flavor combinations and ideas is ingenious, and your mastery of manipulating these diverse ingredients is an art.  Your fervor to stay true to your passion for honest good food that is sterile from restaurant politics is intense and admirable, and your dynamic personality is enchanting.  Thank you for the amazing dinner experience at LudoBites, and thank you for the laughs, the drinks, and the beautiful gift- the wooden cutting board branded with your signature emblem of a knife wielding tattooed coq is almost too precious to use.  I hope to see you very soon at LudoBites part quatre.

As for the experience at this pop maid café?  Of course, the men at our table really enjoyed being served by our exceptional Japanese maid Ayumi chan.  And quite frankly, I did too.  I can see why it’s such a cult phenomenon in Japan.  Now if they would only open a butler café in LA…萌え〜！

LudoBites

Royal/T Cafe

Random trivia: Did you know that only female pigs are used to hunt for truffles, as the smell of white truffles in particular contain pheromones that are attractive to sows but not boars?

I conclude with a lovely quote from Brillet-Savarin, renowned French gastronome, on truffles: “The truffle is not a positive aphrodisiac, but it may under certain circumstances render women more affectionate, and men more amiable.”

Hatchi series at the Breadbar- Marcel Vigneron

The Hatchi 8 series, an innovative 1-night only event featuring a guest chef who compiles an original menu of 8 dishes for $8 each, continues its successful stint at the Breadbar in Century City.  After a wonderful performance by Chef Remi Lauvand in September (who is now at Cafe Pierre in Manhattan Beach) and a disappointing night by Chef Eda Vesterman in October, I was excited to attend this month’s dinner by Marcel Vigneron, the recognizable cocky villain from Top Chef Season 2.  I’m amazed at the power of the media and the ever growing popularity of reality TV shows, as Vigneron has become so famous that he is even on Wikipedia.  Regardless of his annoying attitude and outspoken nature, he is an accomplished chef who trained at the CIA and worked at ‘Chef of the Century’ Joël Robuchon’s restaurant in Las Vegas. Vigneron, who just left his stint as sous chef at The Bazaar a week or so ago, is a master of molecular gastronomy and a lover of foams.  I was interested to see what he would do for his Hatchi dinner called “Modern Global Tastings’.

The restaurant was completely packed and there was a buzz of chaos in the air.  Service was  backed up and table turnovers just weren’t happening- from my observation while waiting an hour for my table, it was a combination of poor timing and confusion in both the kitchen and the front of the room.  Still, the staff was trying their very best and I appreciated the gracious hospitality that they gave us while we waited.

The amuse bouche was a pomegranate blueberry spherification, a large plump grape-sized blueberry inside a sweet blob of fruity jelly. I loved the bursting textures of this jiggly spoonful, and it was a pleasant welcome after a long wait.

By the time we were finally seated, it was already past 9pm and I was deeply saddened to find out that they had run out of the hamachi sashimi dish that was garnished with kumquats, iceplant, momo chan and a splash of piment d’espelette.  I ran into my dear friend Chef Benjamin Bailly from Petrossian Caviar, who told me that the hamachi dish was excellent.  Grrr…Luckily I was still in a good mood thanks to the medium-bodied velvety smooth bottle of 2004 Primitiu de Bellmunt, Priorat that I brought.  This Catalan wine was quite amazing.

The Dayboat Scallops with cauliflower couscous on a bed of seaweed was delicious.  Colorful dots of cauliflower purée in Easter colors of pink, yellow and purple added a cute touch to the plate.  The perfectly cooked seared scallops were meaty and plump, and the slightly grainy texture of the couscous coupled with the firm crunch of the seaweed added an extra dimension to the dish.

2 of my fellow diners claimed that the Langoustine Ravioli was their favorite dish of the evening. A succulent piece of langoustine nestled inside a wonderfully thick ravioli looked longingly across the sea of thom khai foam to its perfectly coiffed lover, an avocado wrapped mango topped with basil seeds and coconut milk powder.  With the aid of a fork and knife, these 2 star crossed lovers were quickly reunited in a celebration of coconut and lemongrass aroma.  The silky avocado sheets gently glided across my tongue in joyful union with the chunks of juicy mango whose heavenly sweetness petted my taste buds into submission.

The Lyonaise Salad stuck pretty close to its classic flavors and Vigneron didn’t do anything too molecular or crazy in his interpretation.  The thick runny yolk was wonderful with the thin cuts of savory bacon and the zesty vinaigrette, but I noticed that we suffered the consequences of being seated late once again- we got breaded eggs that looked like a Scottish egg, rather than the intended ‘nesting’ egg with twigs of deep fried potato ribbons enveloping the poached egg.  They probably ran out of frisée too, as the salad was heavy on arugula and other baby greens.

Yet another slight tragedy in being seated during the busiest time of the dinner service was the miso honey black cod dish order.  The sweet, tender flavorful cod was served with a sesame oil powder in an aromatic dashi broth and garnished with nasturtium flowers and leaves.  The dish was served as you see it in the photo below.  I’m not easily fooled though- I know that the warm broth was supposed to be poured tableside, but the dish was still delicious so I’m willing to let it go.

My favorite dish of the evening was the Vadouvan Lamb with crispy light lavosh, pickled onions, yogurt powder, a sprinkle of sumac and Vigneron’s interpretation of tzatziki.  Small crunchy cucumber balls with a nicely tart sour yogurt cream went superbly with the great cut of lamb chop.  The perfectly cooked lamb was to die for, and if it weren’t for such a packed venue I would’ve started gnawing on that bone.  Nothing on this dish failed, and everything was delicious.  I couldn’t believe that I was eating this for $8.

Grass fed ‘Corned Beef’ was the title of this next dish.  A large tall piece of sous vide beef short rib stood towering over Saul’s pastrami, dehydrated black trumpets and a potpourri of corn.  The playful corn medley featured baby corn, corn purée and popcorn.  The thinly sliced pastrami slices were beautifully marbled and stunningly flavorful, and I would have been happy just having a whole plateful of it, especially since the short rib was a bit on the tough side.  Both of our red meat dishes were perfectly paired with a bottle of 2006 Rey Grenache from Paso Robles.

The complimentary ‘palate cleanser’ from the kitchen was a classic Bazaar delicacy, liquid nitrogen cooked caramel popcorn, aka ‘Dragon’s Breath’.  As soon as we popped these frozen bites into our mouths and bit down, cold white liquid nitrogen smoke came swirling out of our mouths and nostrils.  A true Kodak moment.

The green chartreuse soufflé came out warm, fluffy and airy.  Although the consistency and the taste was a little too eggy, I loved the subtle anise kick that the chartreuse imparted to the dish.  The vanilla ice cream with orange zest and almond crumble was exquisite.

As if the fruit spherification amuse and the nitro popcorn weren’t enough bonuses to the dinner, we were also surprised by a plate of mignardises.  Cute tiny chocolate macaroons and pillowy marshmallows rounded up this sensational dinner.

Vigneron’s contemporary interpretation of classic global dishes shined at the Hatchi series dinner.  I was really impressed with his innovative creations and compelling combinations of flavors and aromas.  He didn’t go too overboard with his usual display of molecular gastronomy, but just enough to keep us smiling.  Normally the 8 dishes of the Hatchi series are supposed to have 6 savory dishes and 2 sweet dishes, and I’m not sure why Vigneron decided to do 7 savory dishes instead.  He even did 3 extra bonus dishes on top of that, perhaps creating a little too much work for his kitchen staff, resulting in the inconsistent plating and skewed timing of service flow.  Nonetheless it was a great performance and each dish was worth well over $8.  Now that he’s left The Bazaar, I wonder what’s next?

Breadbar

January 28th: Ricardo Zarate- Peru Mucho Gusto

February 25th: Iso Rabins- Forage

Random trivia:  Did you know that the classic paisley design came from India and was inspired by the irregular shape of the mango?

Providence

Providence restaurant on Melrose Avenue, headed by Executive Chef Michael Cimarusti, needs little introduction.  Cimarusti opened this restaurant after mastering the art of seafood cuisine at the Water Grill in downtown LA.  With 2 Michelin stars under its belt and a good fight by Chef Cimarusti on Top Chef Masters, this restaurant is already a legend in the US.  Specializing in seafood and consistently ranked one of the best restaurants in Los Angeles for food and service, my recent dinner experience here at Providence did not disappoint.  The white porcelain barnacles that decorate the walls of the dimly lit dining room climb all the way up to the high ceilings, giving diners the illusion of being small fish submerged in the depths of the Pacific Ocean.

As I sipped on my excellent Dorian Gray cocktail with campari and rosemary, I looked around the dining room and immediately noticed how the heirarchy and craft of each staff was reflected in their uniform. The last time I saw this type of formal distinction was at Le Meurice in Paris.  I don’t know what it is, but dining in a restaurant where there is such formality and tradition makes me feel safe and secure.  It gives me the comfort of knowing that everything will be perfect and that I am in good hands.

Looking through their market menu, I was ecstatic to find my cousin’s wine.  It’s quite rare to find it in wine stores in LA let alone restaurants.  Even though I was drinking the same bottle for free just a few months ago when I visited my cousin in Burgundy, I didn’t hesitate to dish out the big bucks to order this wine for my tasting menu dinner.  The Simon Bize Bourgogne Blanc 2007 ‘Les Perrières’ was an excellent pairing with our special seafood dinner.

The amuse bouche was a playful tribute to 3 classic cocktails in molecular gastronomy style.  The greyhound, one of my all time favorite cocktails, was a vodka and pink grapefruit sphere with a soft gelatinous membrane that burst splendidly inside my mouth.  The gin and tonic jelly, with a fresh twist of lime juice, was refreshing and amazing.  With a crunchy sugar layer on top and a soft gelatinous texture inside, this made for a really fun amuse.  The mojito sphere was my favorite, having a silky and smooth consistency.  Que rico!

Our next plate had a lot going on.  The house cured Tasmanian sea trout with shimeji mushrooms, ginger crème fraîche and crispy rice crackers was an absolutely divine play of wonderful textures and flavors, and one of my favorite dishes.  The sea trout was smoked to perfection and and the crème fraîche had the perfect amount of subtle ginger zing to bring out the fatty and sweet flavors of the fish.  The hint of toasted rice aroma that infused my nasal passages when I crunched down on the rice crackers added another level of enjoyment to this bite.  The soy marshmallow cube with wasabi pea crust had a soft, almost liquidy texture that was amazing.  The mini grujere, a type of French cheese bread, was delightful.  Warm, soft, airy and succulent…being served only 1 of these tiny grujeres was the ultimate tease.  The carrot soup with crème fraîche was smooth and creamy, and had a nice subtle vadouvan kick.

The Santa Barbara sea urchin with toasted sesame seeds, avocado, rice chip, crème fraîche and caviar was insane (everything here at Providence was so good that I’m running out of adjectives already). Fresh buttery sea urchin with caviar is a combination that is almost fail proof, but Chef Cimarusti took that to a whole new level.  The avocado added more buttery texture, the crème fraîche added more creaminess, and the rice crisp imparted a light and pleasant texture to the dish.  The only complaint I had about this amazing dish was that the toasted sesame seeds overwhelmed the pure essence of the uni, and should be taken out.

Kanpachi with shaved white truffles and deep fried soba/buckwheat was excellent.  The crispy texture of the soba was fantastic with the tender cuts of fresh kanpachi sashimi, all bound together with a nice creamy viniagrette.  I was sad that the white truffles shavings were weak in aroma and flavor.  White truffles normally make my heart dance and flutter, but these were severely lacking in potency.

The other star player of the evening was the Santa Barbara spot prawn dish in salt crust and rosemary, prepared and served tableside.  As soon as they wheeled the cart into the main dining room, the wonderful aroma of prawns filled the air and everybody looked over in awe. With the speed and calmness of a Shaolin master and the precision of a neurosurgeon, our veteraned server prepared these prawns so quickly that his hands and forks look like squiggly lines in my photo.  The whole process was a demonstration of supreme craft and skill, and I had front row VIP tickets to this amazing show.  The prawns were dressed with cold pressed Arnaud olive oil and ready for eating within minutes.  The succulent sweet flesh paired with the intense flavor of the prawn eggs and innards was simply astonishing.  This was my favorite and most memorable dish of the evening- and how ironic, given that it was only prepared with salt, olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.  Simple IS best when using fresh ingredients.

The next dish of eel and foie gras with bermuda onion, soba, frisée and thin white truffle slices with vinegar sauce and parsley dots was confusing.  I had an eel and foie gras dish at Bistro LQ not too long ago that left me equally puzzled.  I love eel and boy do I love foie gras.  But I feel like these 2 proteins compete against each other rather than complement each other, and I’m still finding it difficult to accept this combination.  Otherwise, the sauces and other components of this dish were flawless.

Salmon belly with matsutake mushrooms was quite sensational.  This dish showcased 3 ways to enjoy this highly prized fungus- raw thin slices, large braised chunks, and an intensely rich and flavorful sauce.  I was surprised to see matsutake prepared with salmon- matsutake is a delicate fungus that is normally paired with a lighter white fish that doesn’t dominate its presence.  Salmon has such a distinct flavor, presence and fattiness that would normally overshadow matsutake, but Cimarusti knew exactly what he was doing.  I could tell that he really understood ‘his Holiness the Matsutake’- by preparing it 3 ways, he pulled out its aroma and essence to a maximum to make it all about the matsutake.  The wonderfully tender and fresh salmon was just there to make sure that the mushroom really shined on stage.

French turbot with tomatoes, cauliflower (chunks and purée) and panisse with basil sauce was Chef Cimarusti’s final bow to the seafood portion of the tasting menu.  The fish was tender, buttery and remarkable.  Whenever I dine at a restaurant, I always get a meat dish- not only because I love a good cut of red meat, but also because I’ve never been excited with cooked fish dishes.  It’s very rare for me to be impressed and happy with cooked fish, as I often find it either overcooked or boring.  Not so here at Providence, where almost every dish was a sensation and an absolute joy.  Dining at Providence almost made me wonder why one would ever eat meat at all- okay, that’s taking it a bit too far now.  Bravo to Chef Cimarusti, who obviously loves and understands the precious creatures of the ocean.

And what’s a meal without a cheese cart?  Providence offered a really fine selection of cheeses, from my favorite stinky Epoisse to the robust Robluchon, an aromatic truffled cheese to a soft ashed goat cheese.

Apples, figs, candied walnuts and a wonderful apricot, black pepper and Riesling jam accompanied our superb cheese dish.  Sommelier Drew Langley chose 2 divine ports for us to enjoy with our cheeses that transported me to heaven.  The 1998 Graham’s vintage port Quinta dos Malvedos, was full of sultry richness and smooth texture.  What really hit the spot for me was the 30 year Taylor Fladgate Tawny Port.  Smooth and sweet like honey with a sophisticated boldness, this was one of the best ports that I’ve ever tasted.

And now it was time to enjoy pastry chef Adrian Vasquez’s sweet delights.  Melon soup with mint granité, blackberry gelée, vanilla ice cream and fresh blackberries was a cool and refreshing way to start the dessert course.  The soup tasted like sweet exquisite Japanese melon from Senbikiya, and was without a doubt the winning dessert of the evening.

The deconstructed banana cream pie with graham crackers was interesting.  Although it wasn’t my favorite dessert dish, I appreciated the playfulness of this dish.

Pineapple mousse on a pineapple sheet with horchata gelato, goat’s milk caramel dulce de leche, guava pate de fruits and a rice cracker was a sensational play of varying textures and sweetness.

We also had 2 other dessert dishes that I unfortunately forgot to photograph.  As you can imagine, I was a bit distracted with the feast.  A coffee mousse with chicory caramel ice cream and roasted hazelnuts tasted like really good tiramisu.  A chocolate peanut butter ganache with Chambly Noire ice cream and chocolate covered pretzels wasn’t so successful.  The ice cream, made with a black Belgian ale, sounded better than it tasted.

As if the tasting menu wasn’t satisfying enough, we were gifted with a lovely box of chocolates all handmade by pastry chef Vasquez.  The beautiful chocolates came in a sleek black Providence box with a magnet flap closure that I plan to use as a jewelry box after I’ve devoured all of the delicious chocolates.

Is Providence worthy of 2 Michelin stars?  Absolutely.  Fresh quality seafood executed with innovative concepts and astounding flavors, coupled with impeccable service make for a high class establishment.  In this LA environment where a ‘celebrity chef’ or reality TV hotshot seems to be opening up a new restaurant every month,  it’s comforting to know that I can get unpretentious service in this classic longstanding restaurant.  There is absolutely no attitude here- only warm hospitality and excellent food.  Come to Providence to experience true fine dining in its purest form.

Providence

5955 Melrose Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90038

(323) 460- 4170

Random trivia: Did you know that turbot, along with flounder, halibut and sole, is a type of flatfish that has both eyes on the same side of their head?  They are all born looking like normal fish, but after a few weeks one eye migrates to the other side, one side of their body turns white and the other dark, and their body flattens out.  Turbot is a ‘left-eyed’ flatfish whereas halibut, sole and flounder are ‘right-eyed’.