Week in Pictures: Waterzooi, Lamb Belly, LA Beer Week + More

Coffee Hawaii

9/25/11 - The Rusty's Hawaiian Coffee owner Lorie Obra grows, processes and roasts all of the beans for the company her late husband founded in 1999. She and her crew, including daughter Joan, introduced me to yellow caturra coffee beans that turn that color when ripe. They even shared a bean with me, straight from the branch, and it was naturally sweet.

Every week involves a seemingly continuous stream of food, drinks and people. Of course not every taste or conversation is post-able, but the range of experiences is usually pretty amazing. Here are some highlights from September 19 – 25, 2011, some of which will help to fuel full posts.


Bar Los Angeles

9/19/11The Roger Room continues to serve as a cocktail beacon on La Cienega Boulevard, lighting their neon tarot cards on a nightly basis. Ask about the “Also” menu, which is where head bartender Damian Windsor lists their most recent cocktail addenda.

Pizza Los Angeles

9/20/11 – The Gorbals chef-owner Ilan Hall started consulting on Urbano Pizza Bar a few weeks ago, working with executive chef Josh Moser to harness the full potential of their wood burning oven, which eats almond wood. A fall pizza involved goat cheese, pumpkin, bacon and sage.

Belgian Food Los Angeles

9/21/11The Tripel is the latest restaurant from chefs Brooke Williamson and Nick Roberts. The couple invokes the Hymn to Ninkasi on the wall and delivers beer-friendly food like Chicken Waterzooi, a play on a Belgian classic served in a skillet. Dark meat from a chicken’s thigh and drumstick help to bolster chicken stock with white wine, mirepoix and a little cream, along with heirloom carrots, leeks, kale, fenugreek and gremolata. The topper: a crispy golden potato latka.

Peruvian Food Los Angeles

9/23/11 – Other versions of seco de cordero have incorporated leg meat or shank, but Chimu chef/co-owner Mario Alberto presented the Peruvian classic with meaty slabs of mildly gamy lamb belly, with a green-hued black beer sauce, canario beans, shaved red onion strands, white rice, cancha, peas and more. They don’t have beer or wine beside Grand Central Market, so my choice was emoliente, a barley ginger tea.

Craft Beer Los Angeles

9/24/11 – At the latest meeting of the LA Beer Week committee, of which I am a member, Brandon Bradford busted out the official tasting glass that will be in effect on October 23 at the Union Station festival.

Farmers Market Hawaii

9/25/11 – Papa’a Palaoa Bakery Owner Eric Cox appeared at the Volcano Village Farmers’ Market with partner Paul Lackner. He comes to Hawaii from Covina by way of Alaska and bakes breads like cinnamon mac nut swirl, sourdough and spicy cornmeal. Cox also cooks breakfast sandwiches and French toast using his bread.

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Joshua Lurie

Joshua Lurie founded FoodGPS in 2005. Read about him here.

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