Friday, September 28, 2012

LA TIMES: THE TASTE 2012

What better way to spend Labor Day weekend than to munch and consume gourmet food and drinks at Paramount Studios?  Unless you really love family barbecues there isn't a better way.  I was lucky enough to attend one of The Taste events, the Cocktail Confidential, for free rather than paying the $75 entry fee (although you do get your monies worth since the food and [alcoholic]drinks are unlimited).

The Cocktail Confidential was held Saturday night inside Paramount Studios.  Dozens of gourmet food and drink vendors set up shop on the studio lot and provided patrons samples of food, beer, wine or cocktails from 8pm-11pm.  The event also had mixologist demonstrations but I was too busy stuffing my face to remember to watch.  The lines could get a bit long but if you had a food buddy like I did, splitting up and grabbing plates for each other was the most efficient way to sample each vendor.

   Everything was tasty but the highlights (i.e. the dishes that I remembered a month later) were:
Bulgarini Gelato:  almond gelato with red wine  and The Gorbals: confit beef tongue romesco .
Bulgarini Gelato: Almond Gelato with Red Wine (poured over)


The Gorbals: Confit Beef Tongue Romesco








Bourbon cocktails
Cheddar popcorn


















The participating vendors are listed below.  (Photos courtesy of the lovely Christina Phan)
Restaurants
A-Frame
American Tea Room 
Ammo
Be. Flirty
Blue Palms Brewhouse
Bulgarini
Casa Azul Cantina
Creme Caramel LA
Factors Deli
FEED Body + Soul
Glendon Bar &; Kitchen
Haven Gastropub
Industriel Green Street Tavern
Katana
Marsatta Fancy Chocolates
Nonna Of Italy
Pig’s Feed Under Plantation Rum
Pig’s Feet Under
Pinches Tacos
Ray’s & Stark Bar
Red Lion 
Sadie
Sunny Spot
Takami Sushi 
Terroni Restaurant
The Blvd at Beverly Wilshire Hotel
The Cake Mamas
The Counter Custom Built Burgers
The Gorbals
The Pub at Golden Road 
The Roger Room
Villains Tavern
Wood & Vine


Wines, Beers & Spirits

ABSOLUT Vodka
Adult Beverage Company
Akvinta Vodka
Ancnoc Whisky
Atlantico Rum
Bernardus Winery
BlackBeard Spiced Rum
Bulleit Rye
Caorunn Gin
Chopin Vodka
Citadelle Gin
Cline Cellars
Coco Breve
Cold Spring Brewing Co.
Death’s Door Spirits
Don Q Rum
Double Cross Vodka
Francis Ford Coppola Winery
Freixnet USA
Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
Herzog Wine Cellars
Jefferson’s Very Small Batch Bourbon
Karlsson’s Gold Vodka
Karma Tequila
Kooksoondang Brewery/Bekseju USA
Mionetto
Pearl Vodka
Pearl Wedding Cake Vodka
Peroni
Prévu
Rebel Yell Bourbon
Seven Daughters
Simply Naked Wines
SkinnyGirl
Stella Artois
Svedka 
Tequila Semental
The Glenrothes Select Reserve 
Tyku Premium Sake & Spirits
VeeV Açaí Spirit 
Wente Family Estates
Wild Turkey 

http://events.latimes.com/taste/

Thursday, September 27, 2012

FOOD SHOP LA: PART DEUX

This menu was so popular before that chef Itay and Hjeyin brought it back.  Since it was my second time, I remembered to take more pictures for the Dinette Set.  I brought Christina with me this time knowing that she'd appreciate the rustic romantic atmosphere and amazing food.

The Menu 

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Aperitif Vodka, lychee, kaffir lime leaves
Grape Salad Arugula, black grapes, Comte cheese, Marcona Almonds
Kaffir Kabobs ground brisket, kaffir leaves, Thai basil, la lot leaves
Curried Mussels fresh mussels, coconut curry, kaffir leaves, Belgian ale 
Garlic Fries Hand-cut potatoes, fresh herbs, Garlic

Crumble Warm peach crumble, Thai basil ice cream




Kaffir Kabobs
The meal always starts off with an aperitif to get guests to mingle while waiting for everyone to arrive.  The aperitif was refreshing but maybe a bit too sweet for my taste-- I'd prefer more of the kaffir lime taste.  For this meal it was suggested to bring Belgian ales but many guests brought bottles of white and red wine as an accompaniment.

The grape salad was perfectly dressed and I can eat handfuls of those marcona almonds.  But what took my breath away were the delicious Kaffir Kabobs, which tasted very authentic of Southeast Asian cuisine and really reminded me of eating out with my parents to a cheesy asian restaurant in Westminster.  The Curried Mussels with the Garlic Fries were also a delight.  I think Christina and I ended up eating 30+ mussels and a whole loaf of garlic bread.




Curried mussels with garlic bread
Peach crumble with Thai Basil Ice Cream


Ending the meal was the peach crumble, but the crumble was overshadowed by how good the thai basil ice cream was.  I've never had anything like it and it was phenomenal.