los angeles 2011: food, part 1

upon hearing that i was going to travel to los angeles for work this november, i didn’t even blink before starting to  research food in L.A. i got some great recommendations from friends and some terrific picks from nytimes and serious eats, and i headed out on what ended up being a three day eating adventure.

lunch at pinches tacos:

i started out at pinche’s tacos, a local (and almost fast-food like) taco joint, with multiple locations in the city. i ordered the carnitas and the al pastor, and both were incredible. tons of flavor and some spice, with just light toppings on the wonderfully flavored meats. and who doesn’t love a squeeze of lime to top it off?

breakfast at huckleberry’s: a must

one of the highlights of my trip was the breakfast at huckleberry’s in santa monica. one bite of their breakfast burrito and maple bacon biscuit and i was in heaven. that biscuit is savory, sweet, crunchy, salty and doughy all at once. yes, please.

lunch at umami burger:

this is the classic umami burger: beef patty,  shiitake mushroom, caramelized onions, roasted tomato, parmesan crisp, umami ketchup. super juicy and an absolutely excellent burger. so what if i made a mess of myself (stain still on shirt) after one bite?

pizza mozza: snack

i heard from more people about pizza mozza than i did any other place in L.A. – the mario batali/nancy silverton pizza joint really has a cult following, and we soon learned why. that dough is so puffy and crispy, and you can actually taste how simple and fresh each topping and ingredients is. if i weren’t so stuffed, i might have even ordered a second pie. if i did, i think it would have been a tie between the squash blossoms, tomato & burrata pie and the funghi pie with taleggio and fontina. i wish they delivered to new york…

lunch: torrisi italian specialties

is there anything better than an amazing sandwich? i am really hard pressed to think of one thing that tops it. when you are super hungry around 1:14 pm and your stomach is grumbling and growling and you need food N-O-W!, a jam-packed sandwich on great bread is just unparalleled.

torrisi italian specialties in soho makes just the sandwich i am referring to. i think at this point i have tasted all of the sandwiches (tasted = scarfed down), and with some hesitation (because they are all so fantastic) i think i can say that the chicken parmesan is my favorite. this chicken parm sandwich on a roll is what all chicken parm sandwiches should be. it’s simple. the thin, breaded chicken cutlet still retains some bite when topped with fresh mozzarella and pure, old-school tomato sauce. the proportions are right in this sandwich, as well. not too much bread for the meat, and not too much meat/sauce for the bread.

the turkey hero seems to be the most popular sandwich torrisi makes. freshly roasted and nicely seasoned turkey is topped with a somewhat spicy mayo and lettuce, tomato and onion. the ingredients sound simple, but the result is just amazing.

and who could forget the classic italian combo hero? you can see the layer of meats, salamis and cheese atop a thin smear of romesco sauce, topped with shredded lettuce, tomato and oil in vinegar. mouth.watering.

every single time i leave this place, i wonder how something so simple could be so much better than all of its competitors. the problem here, though, is that all of these sandwiches are so divine, that it’s hard to get just one. so go with many friends and split a few (or just come back again and again…)

- torrisi is located at 250 mulberry St., new york, ny 10012

smorgasburg: food, food, food

is there anything better than tons and tons of great food trucks and small  vendors selling homemade, delicious looking (and smelling) food in one location? smorgasburg, a smaller “all-food bonanza” version of the brooklyn flea, takes place on the williamsburg waterfront on saturdays from 9-5.

hibiscus doughnut from dough (this was my favorite thing all morning, and as i went to pick up another one on my way out, i noticed that they were sold out…before noon)

a lobster roll from the red hook lobster pound

pimento mac and cheese from radish (very flavorful, and totally cheeeeeesy.  slightly cold, but it was a windy day..if piping hot, this stuff could be addictive)

an italian chicken cutlet sandwich 

a fried chicken and biscuit sandwich from king’s crumb (so messy to eat, so delicious, words cannot describe)

lulu cake boutique

lulu cake boutique in new york is (almost) everything i want in a bakery. i love, love the nostalgic treats they serve. reimagined twinkies, gourmet snowballs, childhood favorite cakes. it doesn’t hurt that their packaging is so cute, either. the boutique (which i just read does wedding cakes) is located in chelsea, which other than billy’s bakery, seemed to be craving a neighborhood bakeshop. the vibe of lulu isn’t quite warm or cozy, and doesn’t have little sofas or sweet-as-pie bakers behind the counters, but it sure does deliver on the goods.

each dessert we tried was terrific, but i think my favorite was the lazey river cake. the creme fraiche yellow cake was super moist and the prailine crunch and chocolate glaze on top was just the perfect compliment. i also i am biased. i love anything red velvet, so the red velvet lulu (which is basically a homemade twinkie) was the runner up.

glazey river cake: creme fraiche yellow cake, hazelnut buttercream, praline crunch and bittersweet chocolate glaze

red velvet lulus: need i say more? cream cheese frosting piped inside of a small red velvet rectangle

white snowballs: an updated, DELICIOUS (and all-natural) version of a classic packaged childhood treat. a ball of vanilla cake with light white frosting and cocnut, then stuffed with a decadent coconut cream.

passionfruit lulus: another twinkie-style treat with a white chocolate and coconut glaze atop a vanilla cake stuffed with passionfruit cream.

lulu’s cake boutique is located at 112 8th avenue, between 15th and 16th st. in chelsea, new york. phone: 212-242-5858.

recipe: new york style crumb cake

it’s hard to find a better way to start the day than a fresh piece of crumb cake and a mug of coffee. my fantasy? someone wakes me up from a blissful slumber on a saturday around 10:00 with a nice little plate of two small pieces of crumb cakes, a cup of strong coffee with a little cream and sugar, and a big glass of water. i decided to take matters into my own hands and create a situation like this on a recent saturday. (ok, a few things were different. a) i woke up at 8 am because they are drilling outside of my apartment), and b) i made the crumb cake and by the time it was done, my coffee was gone. but still! this crumb cake was so delicious.

the recipe comes from the baked explorations cookbook, by matt lewis and renato poliafito, owners of baked bakery in red hook, brooklyn and charleston, south carolina. their version stays true to the iconic new york recipe, and it is perfectly graced with what i consider just the right amount of cinnamon.

the batter, before the crumb topping is put on it (it was a thick batter, and quite tasty)

the cinnamon sugar crumbs atop the batter, ready to go in the oven

the final product: moist cake with an extra crumbly, cinnamony topping

recipe courtesy of baked: explorations

makes and 8×8 sheet of crumb cake

*note – i halved this recipe and condensed the instructions

lunch for 2: no. 7 sub at the ace hotel

fridays are great enough, without added bonus of an exciting lunch. but a recent sunny summer friday allowed me to take a break from my normal boring lunches and head down to no. 7 sub in the ace hotel.

the menu sounded spectacular. these subs were way more exciting than their sub-family peers. no turkey, lettuce and tomato here. how about general tso’s tofu? or what about the fried clams with pickled strawberries, roasted leek mayo and frisee. i really wanted to try every single on the menu, but since my stomach and wallet wouldn’t allow that, we settled on two: the zucchini parmesan and the short rib with coconut mayo.

the zucchini parmesan was my favorite (but only by a hair). the crusty, warm bread was packed with fried zucchini, melted fontina cheese and topped with pickled jalepenos (that gave the sandwich a great kick) and bbq chips.

next up was the short rib with coconut mayo. this sub wasn’t hot, and i have to say, if it was it may have won the winner award for the best sub. braised short rib sat upon a fresh roll with a daikon salad and an ample amount of delicious coconut mayo. 

you can probably tell by this photo, but these subs did not sit around for long, nor did we leave any crumbs behind. they were devoured in about 5 minutes, and as i sit here writing this, i am already planning my next visit. move over subway, no.7 sub is here.

no.7 sub is located in the ace hotel on broadway and 29th st.

pappa al pomodoro

i love soup. i could eat it all of the time, except, sometimes i find that i am hungry about an hour after i eat it. i’m always looking for more filling soup recipes. something hearty and relatively healthy,  something comforting and something that will hold me over until my next meal. enter: pappa pomodoro.

ina garten’s recipe is really simple to make, and it makes about 8 servings, so it’s perfect for a crowd (or in my case, for lunch for the next week). it’s also a great use for a somewhat stale loaf of bread! note: i omitted the pancetta in the topping, and the soup was still very flavorful.

pappa al pomodoro

serves 6 to 8

recipe courtesy ina garten’s back to basics

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)
• 1 cup medium-diced carrots, unpeeled (3 carrots)
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and medium-diced (1 1/2 cups)
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
• 3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes, crusts removed
• 2 (28-ounce) cans good italian plum tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

for the topping:

• 3 cups (1-inch) diced ciabatta cubes
• 2 ounces thickly sliced pancetta, chopped
• 24 to 30 whole fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil, plus more for serving
• Salt and pepper

heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. add the onions,

carrots, fennel, and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until tender. add the ciabatta cubes and cook for 5 more minutes. place the tomatoes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process just until coarsely chopped. add the tomatoes to the pot along with the chicken stock, red wine, basil, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

for the topping, place the ciabatta cubes, pancetta, and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes, until all the ingredients are crisp. the basil leaves will turn dark and crisp, which is perfectly fine. reheat the soup, if necessary, beat with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up. stir in the parmesan and taste for seasoning. serve hot sprinkled with the topping and drizzled with additional olive oil.

dirt candy: vegetable love

in the past, i couldn’t really say that the idea of going to a vegetarian restaurant had me doing jumping jacks in my apartment to contain my excitement. typically, i wouldn’t seek out a vegetarian restaurant over the ever-growing list of restaurant i want to try, but dirt candy won me over. the menu items sounded so appealing, so different and quite different than the vegetarian meals i would have ever thought to make for myself.

we left the restaurant happily filled, after eating more than our fair share of jalenpeno hush puppies and fried cauliflower (and more), and surprisingly, the meal felt indulgent. as we left the tiny, tiny restaurant, i couldn’t help but look at all of the equally happily filled diners, gleaming with excitement over legitimately decadent things like “carrot buns.”

starter: jalenpeno hush puppies  (puffy, fried balls of hush puppy goodness, with chopped jalepenos and the lightest maple butter)

two appetizers:

carrot: steamed barbecue carrot buns, cucumber & sesame ginger salad (my personal favorite of the night. these buns were so doughy, and the vegetable filling was so tender and flavorful)

and

squash: butternut squash broth, squash dumplings, delicata coconut cream (really light and definitely not too sweet)

our entree, cauliflower: buttermilk battered cauliflower, waffles, horseradish, wild arugula (anything fried with a dipping sauce, sign me up!)

our dessert: popcorn pudding with salted caramel corn. i’m not quite sure the pudding tasted like popcorn, but i loved it anyway.

vegetarian or not, dirt candy is definitely worth a visit. warning: you may end up craving carrot buns!

dirt candy: east 9th st., between ave. a and 1st ave.

sweet, sweet, sweet potato biscuits

i think in another life i had a southern grandmother. the intensity with which i love home-cooked southern comfort food (and the idea of it) is really unwarranted, being that i have no nostalgic ties to anywhere that could even be classified as “almost the south,” and i didn’t ever have anyone cooking me memorable southern meals as a child.

however, when i think of things like  biscuits (especially sweet potato ones like these), i just picture myself sitting on a worn-in chair on a grandmother’s porch in a house in charleston, sipping sweet tea and laughing with her, as we munch on warm sweet potato, ham and honey biscuits.

these biscuits, although delicious, were consumed in new jersey, not charleston, and i ate them with my parents with our easter ham. maybe when i look back, i’ll embellish the story and say that we at least ate them on a porch while drinking sweet tea. the recipe is below.

mixing the sweet potato mixture in with all of the other ingredients

the dough, flattened and rolled out

the biscuits as they enter the oven…

the finished product, topped with a thin slice of ham and a teaspoon of honey, just like my fake southern grandmother used to make!

recipe: sweet, sweet, sweet potato biscuits

makes 12

roast sweet potato until inside is tender. scoop out flesh.

preheat oven to 400°F. butter bottom of a baking sheet.

mix all of the dry ingredients together. add cubed butter to flour mixture; toss to coat and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. whisk mashed sweet potatoes and buttermilk in medium bowl. add to dry ingredients; toss with fork. gather mixture in bowl, kneading until dough comes together. roll dough to 1 1/2 inch circle. using 11/2-inch round biscuit cutter or the top of a glass, cut out biscuits.

arrange biscuits side by side in on baking sheet. bake until slightly golden on top and tester inserted into center biscuit comes out clean, about 15 minutes. cool and remove from baking sheet. slice in half if you like, and spread honey and ham on top.

paris: part 2 (bistro best)

the most difficult decision in paris? deciding which bistros to go to! it always feels as though there are five different bistros on each block, and no way of knowing which ones are must-visits. before our trip, i did some research on what the most beloved bistros in the city were, and the results were great! below are some photos from bistro allard and bistrot paul bert.

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the chilled calamari salad with tomato, parsley and lemon at bistrot paul bert

the duck sausage and pork cassoulet at bistro paul bert. cassoulet is one of my favorite dishes in the world. it always tastes as if it was cooked for hours ( it probably was) and the flavor and texture of the stewed white beans with the succulent meats is one of the tastiest things that comes to mind when i think of french food. this one was off the charts!

the haricot vert salad at bistro allard. we first had this dish at bistro allard four years ago, and richard has been talking about it ever since. blanched thin green beans are tossed with a creamy dressing and topped with cured duck breast and chives.

the grand marnier souffle at bistrot paul bert. typically, i am not one for liquor flavored desserts, but this one was so light, airy and smooth, that the mild flavor of the grand marnier enhanced the flavor of the dish perfectly.

paris brest at bistrot paul bert. what else can i say? i have never had (or heard of) this dessert prior to this trip, and it was a.m.a.z.i.n.g! fluffed chestnut cream piped inside a light doughnut-type pastry circle.

chocolate mousse with crispy chocolate wafers at bistro allard. this is the ultimate chocolate mousse. it doesn’t try to be a deviation on a classic; it was just utter perfection of one of the best chocolate-lover’s desserts in existence.

bistrot paul bert: 18, rue Paul Bert, 11e, Paris, 75011

allard bistro: 41 Rue St André des Arts