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.
9/19/11 – The 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.
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.
9/21/11 – The 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.
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.
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.
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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