Soft Opening at The Roof with Eric Greenspan and Michael Tipps

The Roof
The Hotel Wilshire
6317 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Last night, T, D & I had the pleasure of taking in the soft opening of The Roof, the brand spanking new rooftop lounge at the brand spanking new Hotel Wilshire. Eric Greenspan (still running The Foundry, and formerly cooking at El Bulli, Alain Ducasse and Patina) is cooking the food and Michael Tipps (seen on Bar Rescue and previously tending at Soho & Tribeca Grands and Milk & Honey)is heading up the cocktail program.

The Roof, The Roof, The Roof is on the 6th floor with beautiful views. I highly suggest a swing by at sunset. During this late summer/early fall the sun is setting right around 7, get in there.

With a smallish pool area appropriate to a smallish hotel (78 rooms, iirc) the deck is set up as equally well for lounging, drinking and dining as it is for sunbathing.

As I strolled around shooting phone pics, I envisioned PYTs draped over every loungeable service and the young men who chase them smoking a cigar or posing next to a heat lamp. This could really be the next hot spot, the next stop for the increasingly popular all day pool party. Indeed, there were already a couple celebs in the house for the soft opening enjoying the views and the stellar drinks.

The build out in the bar is a gorgeous almost art deco mix of mirrored and glass tiles with sleekly simple chairs and bar stools.

But what do I really care about? The food! 

We were informed that this really is a soft opening and the menu isn't set in stone. Eric and team have been working non-stop for the last week (they literally just got into the space to set up the restaurant in short order for the soft opening). Still, there are some outstanding items already on the menu when coupled with the space and the drinks definitely makes The Roof destination worthy.

Cocktail list above.

T started with The Cue Southside. Vodka, cucumber, mint and lime. Just sweet enough and beautifully summery...the southeast Asian flavors in this make it a perfect summer drink. After our martinis, D and I both had one as well. That good.

Nori nachos were a stand out. Tuna, avocado, salmon roe and kewpie mayo scooped up with deep fried nori. Why have I never seen this done? We almost licked the plate.

Asparagus three ways. I am not sure I understand the three-ways bit, but only because I think the description got lost in the shuffle. I wanted one of these to myself. Grilled asparagus, poached asparagus cut on the bias and an asparagus puree (I think) with cherry tomatoes and parm shavings. A beautiful veggie dish. I always am excited by chefs who give equal importance to the vegetables on the table. This is a winner.

The menu hit its highest note, in my opinion, with the Parisian gnocci. I have never eaten a more perfect gnocci. Firm almost to the tooth on the outside with an incredibly fluffy pillowy texture on the inside. Tossed in pesto, capers cherry tomatoes and red seedless grapes, Mediterranean flavors mixed nicely here with perfect attention to gnocci technique. Gimme more, please.

Baked potato fries. Thick wedge cut potatoes with cheese, bacon dust (which to me was really just like, um, bacon?) and sour cream with chives. Delicious, I thought it needed salt but I think everything needs salt. I carry around a salt lick in my handbag. I do. No, I do not.

The rest of my snaps suck because by the time we went in for round two of food and drinks the sun had set. Above are the mussels. Absinthe steamed mussels with fennel, cherry tomatoes and mustard croutons. I was introduced to steamed mussels in a classic prep with Pernod and cream when I worked at a seafood restaurant in SOMA San Francisco. Therefore, despite disliking licorice candies I adore the flavor of a little licorice with my mussels. These were perfectly steamed, still so tender, and just the right hint of absinthe to give the dish pop.

Sticky chicken wings with peanuts, chile and tamarind sauce. T and D agreed this was their favorite. A self admitted wing fanatic, I loved these too. But I actually think the Parisian gnocci was my favorite dish of the night.

Toward the end of the evening as we were getting ready to head out into the Los Angeles night, Michael Tipps came around to chat with us about cocktail likes and dislikes, east versus west coast cocktail approaches and just booze in general. After our chats, he sent out the following drinks: above, my Vargas Bramble made with gin, creme de cassis, lemon juice, blackberries and sparkling wine.

T's personalized poison, vodka with heavy citrus rind, grapefruit juice and something that fizzed, maybe soda water?

And D's Vallon.  Irish whiskey, bitters, sugar and a slice of orange. Michael made sure to add very little sugar, just a hint of sweetness and a few sparkling crystals on the rind of orange. Favorite things about Michael's drinks? The flavors are alcohol forward but still fruity and/or herbaceous. Never sweet and cloying or anything you would need to knock back as a shot.

All in all, I was thrilled by The Roof. I have plans to go back this week. No lie.

AYCE Korean BBQ at Soot Bul Gui Rim 2

Soot Bul Gui Rim 2
233 S. Vermont Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90020
213-365-9992

Friday night making dinner plans with my husband, his brother and my sister-in-law, I was in the mood for something adventurous and interactive. It just so happened whilst making these plans I was heading eastward on Pico right through my old K-town stomping grounds. Korean BBQ. Hadn't done that in awhile I thought to myself. I consulted my Asian food guru Tony C of Sinosoul. Tony has literally never steered me wrong, and there have been PLENTY of consultations. I owe this guy lunch. Anyway, Soot Bul Gui Rim was not his rec. His recs either didn't take reservations or were already booked, so we ended up here and I'm glad we did. It was fun and pretty damn good.

D and I started off with some soju, Yipsejoo. Yipsejoo is not on this blogger's top five list and I love how one Chowhounder refers to soju in general as "ghetto alcohol". I've had soju more than a few times and ultimately prefer sake. But Yipsejoo was fairly dry and preferable to the Jinro Fresh I tasted later at Cafe Bleu down the road.

Dipping sauce for the meats and the start of the banchan, an egg pancake with scallions and a little kimchee. One of the reasons I chose Soot Bul Gui Rim was the price point. All you can eat BBQ for $17.50 a head. I've eaten at a few hole-in-the-wall Korean BBQ when I lived at 5th and Catalina. However, the most memorable Korean BBQ experiences I have had to date were at Chosan Galbee and Woo Lae Oak (back when WLO were still open in K-town). Both places have good food with significantly different approaches to banchan and with similarly high price points. It's all about picking and choosing when to spend big bucks dining these days, and we happily walked out of Soot Bul Gui Rim stuffed to the gils, entertained and only out about $25 a head including drinks.

I wasn't overly impressed with the banchan here. Banchan are the little shared dishes served at the table during a Korean meal. Every restaurant I have been to does them a little differently. Here, there wasn't a large choice and a couple of them were just meh in terms of excitement level. Both kimchee dishes were good, but not as spicy as some I have had. Above is kimchee pickles, very tasty. D loves anything pickled.

Above is the generally more recognized cabbage kimchee. This was really good. I wondered if they made it themselves and thought of asking but our server was super busy barely swinging by the table to drop off plates and light the fire under the BBQ. There was also a pureed potato salad dish that reminded the boys of San Fernando Valley circa 1978 and sauteed sprouts with a little sesame oil that I hogged all to myself. I'm a bitch like that.

The spread. Everything looked, smelled and tasted really fresh. The restaurant was busy and stayed that way the entire time we were there, something you look for when dining AYCE. Turn over in ingredients ensures that the stuff is fresh.

Blurry picture of marinated short ribs courtesy of iPhone and laziness. These were delicious! Probably my favorite of the evening, not as fatty as short ribs can sometimes be. Succulent and easy to chew.

Tissue thin beef, not marinated. We grilled these quickly and I dipped my medium-rare slices in my sweet soy mixture.

Chicken on the left and marinated squid on the right. The marinade on the squid was sweet and savory but no one else even touched it except me. The tentacles were far easier to manage eating-wise then the squid steaks because the steak part was just huge and unruly.

All up on my grill!

Mid-way through the meal our server dropped off this sizzling little bowl of scrambled eggs with scallions. Scrambled eggs with scallions. Nothing more. I don't think. Was I missing something here?

The atmosphere is nothing to write home about at Soot Bul Gui Rim, probably not for a special occasion or even a first date. But it was spotlessly clean, the crowd was mixed and friendly, the food tasted good and didn't leave our wallets light. I'd hit that again.

Late Summer at Drago Centro and the Taylor Swift Experience

Saturday a very dear, dear friend came to town for a special one night only appearance. After spending the hot humid afternoon showing her LA's original Farmer's Market, we escaped the heat for an early and climatized late summer dinner at Drago Centro. Afterward, we took in a mega-concert at Staples. The two together made for an epic evening of intense experiences. A trifecta of sight, sound and taste.

Above, the amuse. Perfect tiny cubes of watermelon in a white balsamic drizzle with micro-basil. Pop goes the bright burst of flavor!

My starter was actually from the degustation menu. I almost always plead for something on their tasting menu as a starter. I guess I am that customer. They seemed pleased to oblige, so I don't care. Heirloom tomatoes with cuttlefish, arugula and dehydrated pesto. The highlight of the dish is the scoop of Bloody Mary granita on top. I made everyone taste. This salad epitomizes what I love about Drago's food. The best ingredients with classic Italian partnerships and something else just a little interesting. Not Jose Andres interesting, nothing that will overpower the Italian-ness of it all or put your life at risk. But just a little something to talk about.

For my entree, seared scallops on a tomato panzanella with zucchini, fresh and pureed arugula. The bread chunks under the scallops were perfectly soaked in cool watery tomato juice and the bright verdant mix of arugula textures have me scheming about how to recreate this in my own kitchen. Don't think I won't try.

The three of us lingered over coffee and dessert, not caring if we missed the opening act. We shared but didn't finish a chocolate mousse. I am eternally spoiled by my mother's cooking, and this case is no exception. Mom's mousse is much lighter than this, this was a mousse/cake hybrid. I'm really not sure what characterizes an Italian mousse as opposed to the mousse recipe my mom still makes that she has been carrying around with her from her gourmet supper parties in the seventies and early eighties. But hers stands out in my mind as the mousse against which all others shall be judged and found lacking. Taix on Sunset makes a mousse akin to my mother's. I once scooped out the lingering mousse along the sides of the bowl with my fingers, my husband was appalled and said so. Ooops.

The basil ice cream over crunchy chocolate cookie bits? Amazecream. So good I am thinking about exactly how to add basil essence to a creme anglaise next time I am ice cream making in Lake Havasu with Carrie. Best part of the dessert. The cookie bits held their crunch and the sweetened basil flavor, herbaceous and sweet at the same time.

The exclamation point on our day was the Taylor Swift concert. To the right of the middle of the photo you can see a bright white kinda square shaped thing floating through the darkness. That's Taylor in a basket swooping through the glitter and fireworks. I hadn't expected a show to rival the likes of Madonna and dozens of dancers in camouflage on yards of scaffolding extended above the crowds or J. Lo descending on a giant swing, but that's exactly what we got. I expected something a little more down home. Nevertheless, I enjoyed every minute. The combination of Vegas meta-musical, Disney Princess, Americana and pop concert is every tween's dream show. It might have been a bit much, but I enjoyed the music and the spectacle. 

A Moment in Barceloneta

Barceloneta is a neighborhood running along the northwest of the port of Barcelona. Originally constructed in the 18th century to serve the residents of the Ribera neighborhood, the shops and restaurants along the boardwalk are now fairly modern looking.  Barceloneta definitely has a locals feel to it. Just to the left of this photo between the boardwalk and the water is an unfenced dog park and along this sidewalk dozens of joggers and roller bladers pass by.

One evening we ventured into Barceloneta under the promise of fresh seafood, more than a little tired of the sodium laden pintxos and tapas. Prior to dining, we stopped for liquid refreshment at this kiosk.

Kiosks like this pepper the city wherever there is room on a sidewalk, near a museum or similar attraction. They sell ice cream, sandwiches & snacks, drinks & booze.

Bacardi & diet. I fantasize about running a small business like this, just me. Open everyday to serve locals and tourists. Putting out my aluminum chairs, napkins and menus everyday in the cool morning air.

We took a seat and enjoyed some liquid refreshment as we watched the city pass by.

The treatment of dogs all over really impressed me.  There are dogs literally everywhere, in every neighborhood, accompanying every kind of person. I didn't see a single stray dog, dog without collar and only the occasional dog off leash following owner very closely. I love to think about the well cared for dogs of Barcelona.

Strolling Pismo Beach

This week, I slept 40 miles from my work location in an effort to experience a little central California change of scenery. These are some of the things I saw on a stroll up and down the beach and through town.

I don't know why I was expecting a Manhattan or Huntington Beach, but in town the architecture in Pismo Beach is much older than our local beaches in L.A. or O.C. 

PB brought to mind the film Brighton Beach Memoirs because most of the buildings looked to be built in and around the 30's and 40's. Indeed, the first fishing pier was built in 1924. You can still fish of the end of the pier without a license.

In the water there were plenty of surfers, body and boogie boarders. I passed a few people sprinting theoretically post work toward the water in their half-suit with a board under their arm trying to get in some time on the water before the sun went down.

Parts of the town are a tiny bit run down and there are some prime beach front pieces of property empty and for sale, a sign of the economy probably more than a sign about Pismo Beach.

Pismo Beach was thrumming with vacationers this week.

The hotel I stayed in, every restaurant I visited and the water's edge were all populated heavily with Europeans. "Foreign", said the waiter near me at one spot when I stopped for local oysters on the half shell. 

I heard Spanish, British, German, Japanese and more.

Conveniently for me, Pismo Beach sits right at an intersection of the 1 and the 101, making it an easy 40 mile trip from the ocean to my training site inland.

There are other little beach communities to the north including Grover Beach, Avila Beach (home to one of my favorite wine bars, Cuvee), Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo.

Pismo Beach is known as the clam capitol of the world, hosting the Clam Festival every October.

The places you'll go and the things you'll see.