Monthly Archives: January 2015

Gordon Ramsay at The London WH

30 Friday Jan 2015

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Being that it is DineLA week, I looked up a few restaurants with well known chefs to see what type of menu they are offering. The menu at Gordon Ramsay at The London WH seemed appealing enough for me to want to try.

I have never really watched an entire episode of Gordon Ramsay’s TV shows, but I had seen small segments here and there, and I am not really a fan of his shows. However, I was curious whether the food at his restaurant matches his notoriety.

There was a parking space on the street right outside The London WH, a passerby told me that I had to move the car by 7pm, which meant I had an hour and a half to finish the dinner – enough time.

The restaurant and hotel, though not that new, was well kept and relatively clean. Service was prompt and friendly.

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Now the food. I asked for bread, but was informed that bread did not come with the meal. The waitress suggested the Cottage Cheese Rolls, and being that I was famished, I went with the suggestion. Well, it turned out that these rolls were the highlight of my meal that evening.

There were six of these warm, fragrant, soft and delicious rolls served with room temperature butter and salt on the side. I could have eaten the entire plate, but I was gracious enough to save some for my friend.

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The Marrow Toast was actually the appetizer that I was looking forward to, but was a bit disappointed at. I did not taste much of the marrow because there was not too little of it, and the edges of the toast were slightly too hard for my preference.

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I did enjoy my entree of Pork Belly and Scallop. The layer of fat in between the pork was incredibly luscious and smooth, and melted in my mouth before I had a chance to decide whether I really should be swallowing all these fat. My friend’s Filet Mignon Angus was nothing short of perfection – wonderfully seasoned, and tender.

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I preferred the Meyer Lemon Tart over the English Sticky Toffee Pudding. There was not enough “stickiness” to the pudding.

The crowd that evening seemed young and hip, quite a few ladies were wearing short dresses and mini skirts, and mostly in white or ivory colors, which was rather interesting, maybe that is the “in” color for this season.

Gordon Ramsay at The London WH – 1020 N. San Vicente Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90069   Phone: 310-358-7788

DineLa menu – Lunch $25, Dinner $50

Michael’s on Naples – Exquisite

13 Tuesday Jan 2015

Posted by in Food, Italian Food

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I have been on this culinary quest for good Italian food lately, and so when there was a Travelzoo deal for an Italian restaurant named Michael’s in Long Beach, I decided it might be worth while to give that a try, especially since the 5 course tasting menu seemed rather appetizing with its varieties of pasta dishes.

Even on this rainy Sunday evening, the restaurant was somewhat busy, which was indeed a good sign. I was immediately impressed with how clean the restaurant looked and felt. The table cloth was crisp and white, and I did not feel the urge to wipe any of the silverware nor the plates with any napkins, in fact, this was one of the few times when I did not even ask for paper napkins.

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The service was very prompt and friendly. The waiter was right there soon after I sat down and asked me if I wanted any beverage.

There were 2 tasting menu for the evening, and since we had already purchased the Travelzoo deal in advance, it was just a matter of waiting for the dishes to arrive.

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I was quite famished from not having much of a lunch, so the Ravioli with Mushroom was just what I needed to start, rich and creamy with the brown butter, so good. The Squid ink pasta with Fish in tomato sauce was equally delicious. My favorite was the next dish which was a homemade pasta with duck meat – the pasta itself had really great texture, chewy and thick, with a creamy yet not heavy sauce.

 

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By the time the fourth course arrived, I was already a bit full. Even though not a big fan of gnocchi, the homemade version here was the best that I had tried – light and smooth.

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There were 2 Italian Donuts with orange glaze and an Almond Cake w/Vanilla Whipped Crream for dessert. The donut was quite amazing, fresh and warm, slightly crunchy on the outside, and the best part was that it was not sweet, and together with the hot, smooth coffee, it was quite a perfect ending to an exquisite meal.

Michael’s on Naples: 5620 E. 2nd Street, Long Beach, CA 90803  Phone: 562-439-7080

Tasting menu: $55, $110.      Entrees: $30 to $42

Tres by José Andrés – A tasty, cozy, sweet beginning to 2015

03 Saturday Jan 2015

Posted by in American Food, Food, Spanish Food

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This is the 2nd year in a row that I have decided to celebrate New Year’s Day with a delicious Brunch Buffet. I searched long and hard to come up with one that would provide a nice ambiance in addition to good quality food.

I hit the jackpot with the New Year Brunch Buffet at Tres at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills. Before I go on about how exceptionally fantastic this experience was, let me just clarify that this is not a buffet with a huge selection of food (except for the unparalleled desserts selections), but what it did offer, were absolutely awesome.

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In fact, there were only 3 tables of food to choose from (and these were not very long tables). One table had the deliciously moist, juicy prime rib cut to order, as well as one of the most tender and succulent roasted pork that I have ever tasted. The meat was even better (though unbelievably) than my beloved Chinese roasted pork. There were smoked salmon and 2 types of fish roe (caviar), a good varieties of Prosciutto, salami, and delectable cheeses. There were also these really soft and warm miniature steamed buns that I adored and ate at least 6 of. There were some organic baby carrots, and miniature potatoes, etc…

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The other table had Greek Yogurt Parfait, Crudité cups, Baby Romaine Hearts, and Aquas Frescas (water infused with fresh juices) –  my friend was raving about how refreshing and soothing they were.

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The dessert table was magic. The plain croissant was the best I have tasted in the US – flaky, light and buttery. You can imagine how great the other pastries and desserts were if a plain croissant could be so good.  Every dessert was astonishing, but there was this particular one (made with passion fruit and coconut) that my friend and I thought was just incredible with its complex, tart and subtly sweet flavor. My friend had 3 of those despite the fact that he normally shuns desserts.

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Aside from the remarkable taste and quality of foods, the decor and the ambiance were nothing short of brilliant, fabulous, magical, comfortable. There were sections that had fireplaces, bookcases, and where the guests can sit around the table in comfortable sofas. The lighting provided a warm and cozy feeling. The furnishing,  light fixtures, and decorations were all unique, unusual and fun. I was utterly impressed with the unsurpassed attention to fine details.

I understand that they offer an Afternoon Tea for around $35 – $38, I hope to try that in the very near future.

Tres by José Andrés:  465 S. La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90048        Phone: 310-246-5551

New Year’s Brunch: $52       Sat, Sunday Brunch: $42