Girasol

After a lengthy break, Elkeer and I are finally back in the saddle again strapping on ye olde feedbag.  We celebrated with a visit to a local neighborhood foodie spot, Girasol, founded in July 2013 by chef C.J. Jacobson, from Bravo’s Top Chef.  Fresh from a stint at the world-famous Noma restaurant in Copenhagen, Jacobson strives to incorporate the same techniques, with ingredients foraged from Angeles National Forest.  After seeing a show about Noma earlier in the year, I was thrilled to have a little taste of it in my own backyard.

I walked the three short blocks from my house to the restaurant and was welcomed into a classy, cozy space with gorgeous swirling white paneled and stone-tiled walls. The tables were a little too close together, but fortunately, we only had neighbors on one side.  Our waiter was friendly and fun, offering recommendations of favorite dishes.

We started with the mussels (my first experience with mussels!) and they were good, but the very best part was the sauce (and I can’t remember for the life of me what the sauce consisted of, but I’m pretty sure there was cilantro in it.  Tangy and full of flavor!)

For a main, Elkeer opted for the Crispy Duck Confit with lentils, mushrooms, huckleberry, and charred wild California juniper.  I am not a big fan of duck, but this was pretty perfect. I didn’t sneak a taste of anything but the duck, but Elkeer seemed to really enjoy the entire dish.

I decided on our waiter’s favorite entree, the signature Whole Fried Red Snapper with crispy greens, citrus and a sauce of fermented fresno chili, kumquat and sorrel.  I’m usually not a fan of ordering fish with the face still attached, but our waiter insisted it was amazing, so I caved and I was glad I did.  The fish itself was really flavorful and the sauce was lovely, but for me the real star was the crispy greens!  I’ve never had greens like that before and I am still thinking about them five days later.  Perfect taste, great texture, and so very unique.  I’m a fan.

He looks a bit peevish, but can you blame him?

We finished up by making our waiter pick a dessert for us:  “You choose which dessert you think we’d like best.  And you’d better be right.”  Lucky for him, he chose well.  The chocolate brownie cake with homemade salted caramel gelato, sable cookie crumbs and on a bed of stiff chocolate pudding was divine, particularly the gelato.  It was hands down the best caramel gelato ever.

I will definitely return to Girasol, maybe not always for a full-out splurge (it’s pricey), but I plan on sampling the appetizers one by one on days when I need a little pick-me-up.  Well done, Girasol!

Ago

Staci

Ago, created in partnership with Robert De Niro, has been a leader in upscale Tuscan Cuisine for upwards of 17 years.  Just steps away from our first restaurant, Lucques, Ago was a peaceful, mid-week lunch spot.  We started with the Calamari alla Piastra, a delicious dish of fresh grilled calamari with green beans, black olives and cherry tomatoes.  Subtle and satisfying….and a squeeze of fresh lemon every few minutes sent me on a one-way trip Happyland.  I followed it up with a generous piece of white bass coated with a potato and zucchini crust and sauteed spinach.  Very fresh and lovely.

So here is the odd thing:  Admittedly, this was a lovely meal………but as I reflect back on it, I have to admit that I don’t see myself racing back to Ago anytime soon.  Or Lucques.  They were both very good.  I just know that there are some meals that I rave about and can’t wait to have again and that was distinctly missing at both spots.  What is the X Factor?  I want something that I can’t wait to share with other people.  Jitlada was much closer and I can see myself going back there when I’ve got Thai on the mind.  It’s the difference between a nice guy who will do and the one who you can’t stop thinking about….

Calamari alla Piastra

White bass with spinach

Elkeer

I  shared the Calamari alla Piastra with Staci. That alone would actually make me come back! It was crispy and with a squeeze of lemon it brought me to delicious oblivion! I almost wished I had it all to myself. For the entree, I ordered the Branzino Al Forno. A whole grilled mediterranean seabass served with sautéed spinach. It was light and paired well with the spinach. It was a lovely whole fish that was deboned table side (what a treat)! I prefer not to work for my food.

       

I did enjoy the atmosphere and the food, but I must comment on the service. Our waiter was less than attentive, which was surprising and a bit frustrating. It’s not like the restaurant was packed with many tables to be tended to. We were the only two out there until another pair was seated. That alone would not make me want to return.

It was a lovely day and a lovely meal with a lovely lady. We are so fortunate to live so close to so many wonderful choices. Now, if the service and the food would complement one another, this would be an awesome place!

Off to our next culinary adventure!

 

Jitlada

Staci

What, do I live under a rock?  Clearly….because Jitlada Thai Restaurant has been the talk of Thai Town for years and I have been absolutely clueless all this time.  Until now.  It’s easy to miss, tucked into a corner of a divey strip mall across from the 99-Cent Only store on Sunset.  Oh my, Southern Thai!

The ENORMOUS menu will make those with a leaning towards the ADD a little frantic, so it’s good to troll the good ole interwebs for selection suggestions before you get there.  We started with the Crispy Catfish Salad, a delicious blend of sweetness and tang.  Thin matchstick slices of mango, red onion, cilantro and peanuts topped with an unusual light, lacy nest of deep-fried catfish (they flake the fish with a fork, then drown it in extremely hot oil, which causes the flakes to move together and form a strange, crispy tapestry of yum).  It comes swimming in a pool of Thai fish sauce and kaffir lime juice that I would have gladly gulped from a glass.

Next up was the watercress with lemongrass, a simple, pleasant side dish that gave me permission to eat an entire small pizza later for dinner because I figured I got in my greens.  Please don’t bust my fantasy by telling me it had less nutritional value than I attributed to it.  I won’t survive it.

Last to arrive was a whole, deep-fried seabass in a sweet sauce with basil and chili peppers.  Lovely.

This post wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the decor in the ladies room:

Yes.  They did indeed decorate with knock-off barbie dolls, coffee mugs, banks, and a number of other weird knick-knacks (not one, but TWO stones declaring “Welcome to my garden!”)

Jitlada was a great choice for lunch and I’ll definitely go back and bring my mom, the ultimate Thai master.  It’s a little pricier than many of the Thai spots in Thai Town, but their dishes are unique and clearly made with great care.  And if you’re looking for spicy, I hear their dynamite sauce is a killer.  Literally.  Good luck with that, yo.

Elkeer

When I was first introduced to this restaurant by my friend Jay, we had a wonderful feast!  I have been back quite a few times. The menu is extensive and can be overwhelming, however you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. It’s definitely a place worth returning to over and over again. Asian food is a great cuisine for eating “family style.”  What a treat to order a few dishes and share the delectable dishes! Staci did her research before going to Jitlada.  The Crispy Catfish salad was phenomenal!

I could have had an extra serving, it was that good. All our choices worked so well together, like a medley.  In addition to our choices, I recommend the the deep fried sea bass with mango and basil.  It is amazing!

There are a ton of Thai restaurants in Los Angeles, especially in Thai Town, but Jitlada is a MUST!  I hear Ryan Gosling (http://laist.com/2012/07/19/ryan_gosling_loves_jitlada_and_jitl.php) is a patron and if you are an RG fan, that in and of itself is worth the trip for a possible sighting!

Lucques

Howdy and welcome to Staci and Elkeer’s Los Angeles food blog.  Elkeer and I met nearly 16 years ago while working at Disney Feature Animation and forged a lovely friendship.  One of the things we have always connected on is good food and wine.  Elkeer is an amazing cook and patisserie chef, and me, well……let’s just say I’m a big fan of eating tasty vittles.

I realized when I moved to Portland, Oregon about five months ago that after 20 years in Los Angeles, while I had experienced many of the cultural activities L.A. had to offer, I had never truly explored the food scene.  Portland has become one of the most vibrant and exciting food cities in the nation and in my short time there, I tried to fit in as many stellar restaurants as I could (yes – the Reggie Sandwich at Pine State Biscuits is really as transcendent as everyone claims).  With an unexpected return to L.A. a few weeks ago, I decided I needed to make this city brand new to me.  And the best way to do that is to finally find out what all of the hype is about surrounding the restaurants that consistently make the top 100 lists of local foodies.  I have never been to any of them.  Strange, I know.  But I’m going to right that wrong.

Up first:  Lucques.

Staci

Lucques opened in West Hollywood in 1998 and is the first restaurant of Chef Suzanne Goin and business partner Caroline Styne.  It was not at all busy for a Thursday lunch, which made me think that maybe dinner is where it’s at.  We were seated on their lovely, perfectly-lit garden patio beneath the branches of an olive tree (the leaves kept raining down on my head, but it was funny, so I didn’t mind).  Almost immediately we were graced with a small plate of multi-grain artisan bread with creamy, delicious butter and coarse rock salt.  Delicious.  Did I mention I’m gluten-free?  Well, not today.  They also brought a small dish with almonds and olives lounging in a pool of olive oil.  Simple and lovely.  I have always hated olives.  I don’t anymore.  I ate five and would have eaten more if I thought it wouldn’t have ruined my lunch.  I chose an appetizer of white bean soup with almond pesto, pecorino and scallion cream.  Light and well-flavored.  I did add a wee touch of salt, but I’m the daughter of a salt-a-holic.

My entree was the chopped chicken salad with romaine, string beans, cucumber, jalapeño and lime.  It was pretty perfect for a salad.  The jalapeño added an occasional kick and the chicken was perfectly cooked and chopped into thumb-sized pieces, which I really like.  Very nice.  If you’ve ever wondered what an $18 salad looks like, here you go:

For me, for a salad to be worth $18, it should at least come in a punch bowl so I can get a few more meals out of it.  But it tasted great.  All in all, a pleasant dining experience.

Elkeer

Lucques was the perfect setting for our first establishment to start us off on the culinary adventures we plan on cultivating.

I also enjoyed the white bean soup. It was light, creamy and satiny smooth! I definitely recommend this soup.

For the main course, I chose the grilled arctic char with farro, curried cauliflower, preserved lemon and tomato salsa. I nearly ate it all up were it not for the fact that I over indulged on the yummy artisan bread, olives and almonds.

This meal is definitely going to be a hard act to follow, but I look forward to our next meal with salivating glands.