Mucho Gusto El Borrego De Oro

The whole in the wall Mexican restaurant, El Borrego De Oro #2 (translated to the Golden Sheep), is worth the drive downtown. My husband discovered this restaurant after reading an article in Travel + Leisure stating it was one of "L.A.'s Best Mexican Restaurants." Now lets be clear.....It's not your average "LA" Mexican hot spot like a Don Antonios, Casa Vega or Marix. It isn't packed with Gringos waiting for a blended strawberry margarita. That said, it is a simple joint offering solid traditional Mexican fare.

When you pull up to the mini mall, don't get nervous by your surroundings nor the fact that when you walk in you will probably be the only American in the place. Once seated, and the chips and salsa arrive, you'll embrace your surroundings. They have a massive menu, however, it is in Spanish so make sure you brush up on the language before going...just kidding, you'll find the waitresses do in fact speak English. The menu is also full of pictures to give you an idea of the dishes.

We are classic taco lovers so our choice was easy...steak tacos (3 each). Nothing fancy, but classically made with fresh chopped carne asada served on a fresh warm corn tortilla, with onions, cilantro and lime. Add some hot sauce (has a good kick) and Voila! You have what is close to the perfect taco. Now, if you are in the mood for some barbarcoa, this is also a must. The restaurant cooks the meat underground with hot coals for (take a look at the website ---its crazy) and serves it with fresh corn tortillas, and the works. Also order their consomme - awesome soup served with all the juices and drippings.

This is a great place if your bored of the usual LA Mexican spot. Its simple, authentic, and worth the drive. And, if your lucky, you might get surprised by the local musicians looking to sing a song or two. Best for lunch.

El Borrego de Oro #2
2808 E. Washington Blvd.
Los Angeles 90023
323-780-1132

Wurst What?

Wurstküche. When a close friend told us of the restaurant, I immediately thought of a bunch of heavy old men having traditional German beers and a bunch weisswursts & schnitzels waiting for their hearts to give out...I certainly didn't picture this. The Wurstküche, located in the arts district of downtown, is a hip sausage parlor that goes well beyond traditional brats. In addition to a unique list of menu choices (more on this in a minute) & killer fries, the restaurant is filled with a phenomenal list of Belgium & German beers. This watering hole directly caters to that crowd that loves great food but wont settle for a shitty beer.

When you enter this hole-in-the-wall, grab a menu and stand in what's usually a crammed line to order at the counter. In the glass case in front of you lies 20 different sausages ranging from your traditional brats to healthy options like turkey with sun-dried tomato and even some exotics such as rattlesnake & rabbit with jalapeno peppers. After you figure out what magical meat you intend to consume, you get to personalize it with toppings such as caramelized onions, sauerkraut, sweet or spicy peppers. Since this was my first time, we ordered 4 different sausages (much more than the two of us needed, but really wanted to get a flavor for the offerings):

- Bratwurst made with coriander and nutmeg

- Duck & Bacon with jalapeno peppers

- Filipino Marharlika, a sweet pork with natural seasonings

- Chicken & Turkey with green chiles and cilantro

(Note all sausages come in buns)

Of course we had to order the fries which you can get with a truffle glaze (awesome) and come with some killer dipping sauces. We went with the Blue Cheese Walnut & Bacon, Sun-dried Tomato Mayo, and the Chipotle Aioli. After you order, you get a number and proceed down the long narrow hall on the right which opens up into a full blown bar. This has a bit of a Father's Office feel, but in my view, goes well beyond in terms of the beer selection. It's truly an awesome selection and if you're undecided, they will allow you to taste pretty much everything on tap. We went with the Houblan Chouffe (Indian Pale Ale) and a Kwak (rich amber Belgium ale), which came with its own bizarre holder (see pic). Both turned out to be the perfect poison to wash down this guilty pleasure.

On the table they have 5 different types of Mustard: Whole Grain, Dijon, Spicy Brown, Honey Mustard & Yellow. Once our order came, I realized how much food we got but still had to try it all! I immediately dove into the crispy fries which were excellent. I loved trying them in the different sauces though the sun-dried Tomato Mayo was my fave. The sausages on the other hand I wasn't overly impressed with. Don't get me wrong, they were very good but I expected them to WOW me. Instead, they were solid, perfectly hit the spot, but fell short of something you rave about. I think it would be beneficial to the customers if the menu gave suggestions for which toppings would go best with each sausage. While you can guess what "sounds" good, it was hard to tell exactly how to put it together... may not be the right pairing and can throw off the flavor.

That said, I loved the entire experience. It wasn't the sausages, fries, or the beer that made this meal, but rather everything put together. Would definitely go back!

Wurstküche
800 E 3rd St
Los Angeles 90013
213-687-4444

"I Do" Ado

We recently tried the Italian restaurant Ado in Venice following a friends recommendation. Its a little worn down house past the main section of Venice in a poorly lit residential area..have too look carefully or you will drive right by it. That said, this hole in the wall actually has an intimate charm, especially if you can get a table outside on the second floor deck (very limited seating). The menu is short and sweet with a sprinkle of creativity that is either unique to an Italian on ecstasy or classic Venice experiment. What I mean by this, is that the menu has dishes that use ingredients that I have never seen before mixed together. In fact, a number dishes initially sound unpalatable, but actually come pretty close to perfection.

Yes, they have some basic dishes as well. We started off sharing a few apps including the Beef Carpaccio topped with shaved Parmesan cheese & arugula in a Mustard Dressing, and the Seared Foie-gras served on a Quail Egg Canapé with Caramelized Pear. I would classify the quail as a fantastic rustic dish, but note the carpaccio was rather mediocre. So far.....not exciting. Then came the pastas. We had a home-made Red Beets Tagliolini in a Marsala Quail Ragu served on a bed of Taleggio cheese fondue. The beets are integrated into the flour creating a pasta that comes out red/almost purple looking and possesses the inherent sweetness of beets. It's not a sweet dish. In fact, I don't think you even have to like beets to enjoy this dish. When it is mixed in with a quail ragu and cheese fondue, it struck me as probably the most unique pasta I have ever had. While many would feel this dish may be too overpowering as an entree, I have to say that I could have easily eaten the entire dish (Bravo on the creativity)!

We also ordered the black taglini pasta with dungeneous crab meat. This dish was very disappointing though not bad enough to send back. The pasta itself was a bit slimy and seaweed like and overall lacked flavor. We had high hopes for this one, but just didn't come out right. That said, the last pasta was an absolute hit. Though skeptical at first because of the dried prunes, my husband ordered the Home-made Pappardelle served with Rabbit Ragu, Porcini Mushrooms and Dried Prunes. Again, one would not normally think of these ingredients working well together, but the prunes brought the perfect amount of sweetness to the savory rabbit. Like the beet pasta, you definitely do not need to like prunes to enjoy this dish.

I cannot tell you every dish was incredible as there certainly were some shortfalls, but this restaurant brought something to the table that you just don't find in most Italian restaurants....creativity. So, keep an open mind when coming here.

796 Main St.
Venice 90291
(310) 399-9010

Mucho Gusto El Borrego de Oro

The whole in the wall Mexican restaurant, El Borrego De Oro #2 (translated to the Golden Sheep), is worth the drive downtown. My husband discovered this restaurant after reading an article in Travel + Leisure stating it was one of "L.A.'s Best Mexican Restaurants." Now lets be clear.....It's not your average "LA" Mexican hot spot like a Don Antonios, Casa Vega or Marix. It isn't packed with Gringos waiting for a blended strawberry margarita. That said, it is a simple joint offering solid traditional Mexican fare.

When you pull up to the mini mall, don't get nervous by your surroundings nor the fact that when you walk in you will probably be the only American in the place. Once seated, and the chips and salsa arrive, you'll embrace your surroundings.

They have a massive menu, however, it is in Spanish so make sure you brush up on the language before going...just kidding, you'll find the waitresses do in fact speak English. The menu is also full of pictures to give you an idea of the dishes. We are classic taco lovers so our choice was easy...steak tacos (3 each). Nothing fancy, but classically made with fresh chopped carne asada served on a fresh warm corn tortilla, with onions, cilantro and lime. Add some hot sauce (has a good kick) and Voila! You have what is close to the perfect taco.

Now, if you are in the mood for some barbarcoa, this is also a must. The restaurant cooks the meat underground with hot coals for (take a look at the website ---its crazy) and serves it with fresh corn tortillas, and the works. Also order their consomme - awesome soup served with all the juices and drippings.

This is a great place if your bored of the usual LA Mexican spot. Its simple, authentic, and worth the drive. And, if your lucky, you might get surprised by the local musicians looking to sing a song or two. Best for lunch.

El Borrego de Oro #2
2808 E. Washington Blvd.
Los Angeles 90023
323-780-1132

The New Boa

I must say we did not get excited when we heard BOA was opening another steakhouse in Los Angeles. We had been to the Santa Monica location a couple years back, had a mediocre meal and never went back. After hearing all the hype over the new location in West Hollywood, we figured we'd give it a try.

If you like dining outside this is definitely the place for you. The restaurant has a large outdoor area that is just perfect for that warm summer night or any night really. It's a fun scene; trendy and set up with that new steakhouse decor (think Cut with a kick instead of Morton's). Unlike your average steak restaurant, with the the usual Caesar salad and tuna tartare apps, the menu has a large variety too choose from. We ordered the BLT salad, the table-side prime steak tartare, seared Hudson Valley foie gras (on menu it says it comes on a brioche which it didn't that evening for some reason), and the goat cheese baklava. I have to say all were pretty incredible though there were two apps that really stood out. The goat cheese baklava is truly unique. It comes out looking like that classic Greek dish, but incorporates pistachios, black truffles and frisee. It had this sweet/savory contrast that just worked beautifully. We also enjoyed the table-side prime steak tartare. Its hard to describe why the tartare worked so well except to say it perfectly seasoned and just fresh (also loved the addition of the quail egg).

Now, on to the steaks. I ordered the Petite Filet Mignon, rare of course (have to say I was always a medium-rare girl until I met my husband!) and my husband ordered the NY Strip. Both were perfectly prepared for any steak-lover, but I must say I was most excited about the sauces. You can order the sampler which comes with 7 different sauces (everything from bernaise to a creamy horseradish) ....definitely the way to go! You may knock me for not being a purist steak-lover, but the creamy horseradish sauce was killer. As an added bonus, the sauces work well as various dipping options for the sweet potato fries (see pic). The only shortfall in the meal was the creamed spinach. Usually hard to go wrong, but it just lacked the texture and flavor.

As usual, we did bring our own bottles of wine. Of all the major steak restaurants in LA, this is by far the best corkage policy we've seen ($15/bottle w/no limit). BOA has great stemware and attentive wine service. Wines of the night included a 2001 Schrader To Kalon, 1990 Brunello di Montalcino La Casa Caparz0, 2005 Kistler Vine Hill, and a 2003 La Tour Blanche (solid dessert wine).

Overall, with the amount of high-end steak restaurants in LA, this one is a standout and shouldn't be missed.

BOA Steakhouse - Sunset
9200 W. Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood 90069
310-278-2050

Way To Go, Spago!

We took advantage of Dine LA last Friday night at Spago in Beverly Hills. We were able to get a great table in the outdoor courtyard....has a great European vibe and a truly beautiful setting for a romantic evening.

With Wolfgang's amazing menu, we only hoped that the Dine LA menu would have some of their top dishes, which luckily, it did. Both my husband and I began with a mushroom raviolini made with a butter sage sauce topped with grated parmesan cheese. It was absolutely delicious and came together perfectly.

For my entree I went with the Pan-Roasted Casco Bay Cod with puree and ragout of gigante and cranberry beans, pancetta, wild mushrooms and mascarpone emulsion. It's rare to find a fish dish with so many flavors that isn't overpowering and this was certainly one of them. My husband ordered the Kurabuto Pork Chop with pear-ginger compote, stir fried green beans and confit of pork, Chinese 10 spice and port-licorice reduction. The normally dry pork chop was well prepared. The combination of the saltiness from the confit with the sweetness of the compote & reduction really brought out that sweet/savory sensation.

We ended up bringing a bottle of Realm 04 Bard, a bordeaux style blend that really worked well with the the pork (not so much the fish). I must say, we were truly impressed with the wine service as well. The stemware is fantastic and the sommmelier really knew his stuff.

The dessert was an apple crumble which is a fave of mine! I of coursed polished off the dish.

Overall, the meal was definitely worth the $44 per person 3-course menu. Too bad this deal doesn't run all the time! Think we would be regulars.

Spago Beverly Hills
176 N. Canon Dr.
Beverly Hills 90210

XIV - Scene vs. Cuisine

We went to Michael Mina's XIV for dinnerlast Friday. We heard it was a bit pricey so we figured we'd take advantage of the Dine LA menu. The decor was interesting in that it is supposed to reflect the era of Louis XIV but with a contemporary upgrade. With that said, it felt a little Vegas-esque. The scene was very happening and made for great people-watching.

Now on to the food. I need to start out by saying that they have THE most amazing grilled naan with an addicting white cheese sauce (very light in texture) that they bring out immediately to the table. The fun part was that they brought each of us our own little basket to enjoy. These are very easy to fill up on, however, they may be the best part of the entire meal.

After looking at the Dine LA menu they clearly put the worst looking entrees on there but I opted to go with it to save a few bucks. Everyone else ordered off the regular menu, which was the way to go.

I started with the heirloom beets with burrata (the best looking of the 3 apps offered) with arugula, and drizzled with balsamic. It was good but I've had better. I chose the Halibut for the entree which seemed to be the best of the worst options. Well, I was wrong, as it was the worst of the worst. It came out way overcooked and had no flavor. Luckily we had a fabulous waitress who brought me out the Tai Snapper instead. This dish was incredible and packed with flavor. It was tapioca-crusted with broccoli rabe, crispy rice (what you find in a sushi restaurant) and soy vinaigrette. Seriously, loved this dish. I finished the meal with a Rootbeer float served with warm chocolate chip cookies. The cookies beat out the float. My husband ordered the tempura scallops for an app with cauliflower, passion fruit, edamame and almonds, which I liked more than he did. He felt the scallops could have had a bit more of a crisp. For his entree he ordered the Kobe burger with farmhouse cheddar, glazed grilled onions and a "special sauce." What was most unique about this burger is that instead of one big patty it came with two thin patty's placed on top of each other. It wasn't the best burger we've ever had but it was pretty good. We did love the trio of french fries that came with it along with the 3 dipping sauces. Two of the fries seemed to be seasoned the same with a peppery flavoring and the other fries were cheese flavored. The sauces included bbq, a tartar-like sauce and ketchup. It was fun mixing it up - dipping the different fries in the different sauces.

Though it's a very expensive restaurant with apps ranging from $15-$18 and entrees ranging from $25-$60 (burger is $27), it's a fun scene and good enough food to make you feel okay with spending the dough. Would definitely go back as long as we're not picking up the tab.

New French Bistro In Town...

When we heard the news that Chef Jean-Francois Meteigner was closing down La Cachette restaurant in Century City we did not take it well. We have had many wonderful meals there and have always admired his creativity and precision in the kitchen. Though this fine dining establishment was closing, we were thrilled to hear he would be opening a bistro in Santa Monica. It's much more casual, targets a younger crowd and is a bit more Int'l in cuisine (strong Asian & California influence into French Bistro cooking).

So after much anticipation, we managed to make a reservation a week after it opened. When we got there, we opted for the patio, but got stuck waiting close to a half hour to get a table. As we sat at the bar waiting and drinking a decent & fairly priced sparkling rose ($7/glass) and a beer of Aligash White (awesome Belgium style beer), we couldn't help but find some disappointment in the decor. It doesn't strike you as a classic bistro, or for that matter a hip bistro, but rather a converted lobby of an office building into a restaurant.

That said, the menu genuinely excited us. It is a lengthy menu (would take a number of visits to conquer), is truly int'l, but still manages to include some of the classic dishes from the old La Cachette. We started with a couple of different apps to share including the Crab, Avocado and Heirloom Tomato Tower with Lemon Olive Oil (our favorite app), Oysters with ceviche seasoning (good oysters but not worth the price), Hawaiian Ahi Tuna Tartar with Korean chili paste (also very good), and Fresh Hawaiian Hearts of Palm "Two Ways" with truffle oil dressing. All the dishes were actually fantastic, except for that I felt the oysters needed a nice vinegar-shallot sauce. I want to stress that the first timers try the crab and avocado tower. It was served cold and has amazing flavor (acidity was perfect) and comes across as a truly refreshing dish. Additionally, the truffle dressing with the Hearts of Palm is out of this world, but unfortunately the dish could have used a bit more dressing so make sure to ask for extra!

The entrees were equally as good. I ordered the Bouillabaisse with fish, clams, prawns and scallops. This was excellent and may have been the best Bouillabaisse I've ever had. Make sure to ask for the crostini's and rouille as I believe it completes the dish. My husband ordered the Krobuta Pork Shank, braised with honey & vinegar. It was served with sour cherries and mashed potatoes, which really complimented the flavors of the meat. Our friends got the Eco Mussels w/garlic, shallot, thyme, carrots, and celery in a light creamy white wine & saffron broth served with french fries on the side. This dish was good but nothing great (solid fries, average moules). The last entree was truly unique. It was a lightly smoked Alaskan True Cod, served alongside house-made Organic Salmon Sausages (creative and packed with flavor), fennel sauerkraut, and fennel lemon sauce. This sounds strange, but the sauerkraut made the dish...all I can say to the chef on this one -Bravo!

Always nice to finish with something sweet, something the former La Cachette excelled at. We had an apple tart with crème fraiche (crispy and perfect) and then a chocolate banana crepe.

Ok...so here's the verdict. The food is a clear home run, but there are certainly some negatives that are attached to it. In addition to the poor decor, the service was a bit of a mess (main courses came before we were even done with the apps) and the menu prices do not come across as a steal. While we do plan to go back, if the apps were cut down to $10-$12 (currently $14-$18) and entrees to the high teens, we would be absolute regulars. La Cachette Bistro 1733 Ocean Ave. Santa Monica 90401 310-434-9509

La Cachette Bistro

1733 Ocean Ave.

Santa Monica 90401

310-434-9509

Italian & Croatian Vacation!

My husband and I recently got back from a fabulous 2 week vacation to Italy & Croatia. We visited Ponza (S. of Rome off the coast), Hvar, Dubrovnik and Lake Como. We pretty much ate and drank our way through the trip...our favorite things to do! If you've ever been to Italy, it's truly amazing how much more you eat there than in the States. Guess with such great food it's hard not to eat everything...at least that's my philosophy!

Ponza
Our first stop was Ponza where the food was pretty remarkable. Pasta's, fresh fish, seafood salads...you really can't go wrong. Probably had a caprese salad with roma tomatoes and seafood pasta (with hot olive oil of course) for lunch everyday along with 2 bottles of white wine. Usually had lunch around 1 or 2pm and then dinner around 10pm. Needed a lot of time in between as you can imagine! I do have to mention the coolest lunch spot we found was at Frontone beach. You have to take a boat to get to the beach and then a small hike up the rocks to the restaurant. The view is worth it alone but luckily the food was out of this world. They have one chef (very hippie like), the only one working in a tiny open kitchen, who is busting out all the food with one waiter running all the dishes. Very impressive!



The dinners in Ponza were amazing. The one I am going to highlight is called Acqua Pazza. We decided to go big and get the Chef's tasting menu which included Potato croquettes with a creamy dipping sauce, a shrimp skewer dipped in tomato soup and a side shrimp in crispy flakes, artichoke w/squid carpaccio,
tartar trio (tuna, shrimp, swordfish), tortellini with fresh fish and tomato (surprisingly wasn't very good so we ordered a delicious sea urchin bottarga pasta), and a red snapper w/potatoes and rosemary. We were then served an apricot dessert wine to accompany the desserts. We had an unbelievable chocolate crumble with ginseng ice cream (and I'm not a huge chocolate person) and the other was a super thin biscotti with caramel whip cream and chocolate (not as good as the crumble).



One last addition to Ponza...they had my favorite Italian cocktail - a sgroppino (vodka, prosecco and lemon sorbet) - LOVE!

Croatia
We started off in Hvar which was beautiful. We stayed at the Adriana hotel which we feel is the best place to stay and they have a great breakfast buffet included which is always nice.

Unfortunately, the food in Croatia isn't reason enough to go there nor is the wine. In fact, the wine is TERRIBLE (stick to Slovenian white wines). For the food, I only recommend the fish dishes as the fish is very fresh. Everyday for lunch I had an octopus salad which I have to say I truly loved. Most were made with grilled octopus, onions and potato and marinated in olive oil. Definitely a delicacy there. For dinner our favorite spot was called Gariful. The setting was stunning and right at the edge of the docks with yachts parked in front. Since we had to wait both nights for a table, even with a reservation, they served us complimentary wine and prosecco while we waited - a very nice touch. The most unique part of the meal is picking out the fish. The manager leads you to a table where a number of fresh fish lay on ice for your choosing. Our favorite fish was the local Sea Bream grilled and drizzled with olive oil and lemon.

We then headed to Dubrovnik which is a medieval town right on the water - so beautiful! We really only had one solid good meal there at a place called Nautika. We got a great seat on the patio overlooking the ocean. We started with a seafood carpaccio sampler (lobster, octopus, shrimp and fish) and fish soup. For the entrees I had the squid ink risotto (pretty much ordered it at all restaurants if it was on the menu...love squid ink risotto!) and my husband had lamb with pancetta served with polenta cheese puffs which he enjoyed.

Lake Como
This was our last stop of the trip and by far the best! The best hotel, the best food, the best wine and the best service! We were told we had to go to this lunch restaurant called Locanda dell'ISOLA Comacina which is located on the only island in Lake Como. We had to take a taxi boat there which we used to tour the lake, so it worked out perfectly. There is no menu they just bring out everything to you. Also have to mention it is all you can drink white Gavi wine which is chilled and already waiting for you at the table. Immediately when you finish a bottle they bring you another - does life get better than that?!

The meal starts with 7 veggie antipasti including marinated peppers, marinated beets, marinated carrots, marinated celery, marinated fava beans, marinated cucumbers and these enormous baked onions (wood fired oven) with balsamic and olive oil - unbelievable! All of these were delicious though easy to fill up on. They also brought out a charcuterie plate with bresaola and home smoked ham. The second course (yes only second) was a river caught salmon. It was probably the best salmon we've ever had. They deboned it at the table and seasoned it with lemon, olive oil, salt & pepper. It was super light and fresh. By this point I was super full but knew I had to press on as their were a few dishes left. The third course was a chicken dish. It is cooked in a pot then followed by crisping it on a BBQ (technically fried), then served with lemon and salt. Accompanying the dish is a lemon butter lettuce salad...sounds plain but it was so refreshing and had great flavor. They then come out with a HUGE half of a parmesan wheel which the waiter scoops out a chunk with a knife and serves it directly to you. I loved this! The last course, the dessert course, were fresh peaches with ice cream and liquor (can you believe we were still eating at this point?!).

But wait, there is more...the owner of the restaurant comes around and hands us a small pamphlet with the history of the restaurant and on the cover was a picture of him from his 20's (I would guess) and wearing a beanie. He then comes back out (probably now around 75-80 years old) wearing the same beanie from the picture. It was really cute. He then goes into this 5 minute blessing all in Italian (we had no idea what he was saying) while making this unique coffee liquor for all the customers there. It was such a unique experience.

I wish I could talk about every meal in Lake Como as all are worth mentioning but will try to keep the rest brief.

The other lunches we had were at the Villa d'Este hotel - all were phenomenal. We usually went with the same pasta which was a spaghetti with chunks of crispy proscuitto.

Our favorite dinner there was our last night where we went to George Clooney's favorite spot called Gato Nero. Absolutely amazing! We got a great table in the center of the room (the room is open so you can look out to the lake) which made all the difference. We started out with a fresh Buffalo Mozzarella with grilled

toast. Then we moved on to the pasta course - I had the parpadelle bolognese and my husband had the ravioli with marzano tomatoes, eggplant and ricotta cheese - both incredible. For my entree I had to get the Vitello Tonnato (a favorite of mine). For those of you you who don't know what this is, it's thinly sliced veal served with a tuna sauce. Sounds gross but it's awesome! This one may have been the best I've ever had. My husband ordered the rabbit with bacon which he loved. We had a delicious wine to go with the meal which was a 2006 Le Serre Nuove dell'Ornellaia. While great today, this wine will be killer in 5 years.

Overall, Italy took the cake as expected for wining and dining.