Ritz Bites

In Praise of Smaller Local Farmers' Markets

Big box chain store shopping shouldn't have much to do with farmers' marketing, but in one case, it's unavoidable. Bed Bath & Beyond is useful and all, thanks to those coupons that never expire and some crap I usually need. Yet over the years going to the Hollywood Farmers' Market inevitably means a trip to BB&B to validate my damn parking. (Unless I can swing brunch at the Hungry Cat.)

Lucky for us more little markets keep popping up, and at this rate, there'll eventually be one in my backyard. They might not all have the selection or variety of the big boys, but I'll take the convenience and lower key neighborhood vibe over teeming crowds on Sundays. Which isn't to say I don't love that, too; it's just a different deal. Lately it's about quicker in and out and easier kid management instead of extended socializing and leisurely weekend shopping.

While every market needs community support, I'm making an effort to patronize the vendors set up at Atwater Sunday, Barnsdall Wednesday, Silver Lake Saturday, and Los Feliz/Vermont Sunday markets. The Barnsdall market on Wednesday afternoons and evenings (12-6) is now managed by SEE-LA and is particularly pleasant, what with all the olive trees and historic setting and whatnot. Plus parking is easy and the location neatly contained. Head up the hill for a picnic if you're so inclined.

Along with plenty of produce peddlers, Angel sets up Cafecito Organico's shop, and if you time your visit right (which I did NOT yesterday), you might catch the righteous Grill Masters before the chicken fat-powered truck rolls off to its next destination. Or if all else fails, don't worry, there's still Hollywood on Sundays. Everyone could always use a bottle of multi-purpose cleaner.

What's up with Palate decor, Citrus hours?

The Los Angeles food blogging community doesn't need another long ranty post about Palate Food + Wine in Glendale. We all know it became an instant hit with good reason, since it's a concept that totally satisfies our seasonal, creative desires, budgetary issues and need for down-to-earthness that the zeitgeist requires. Every dish I've had there, from scallops with clever citrus accompaniments to chicken rillete pot to pig trotters to pork belly to orange panna cotta to fabulous cheese plate (pictured), hits the mark.

First meal at the bar we had stellar service and meticulously prepared cocktails by the skilled bartender Antoine. Second meal was in the main dining room, but next time will be in the back wine room because that hot pink lighting hurts. Palate is so spot on in so many ways, but it's prime material for a Top Design makeover challenge. Presumably the incredible antique bar from Chinatown was jettisoned to make the transition from Cinnabar to Palate complete. Understandable. I don't think, however, that comically over-sized urns spilling over with fake grapes and those lights do the trick. It's not fun kitsch or rock n' roll, it's just weird. Sorry to be Debby Downer here.

On the other end of the design spectrum at Citrus at Social Hollywood, every interior detail is highly attended to. Lots of bacon-filled rich snacks at the bar made for a nice Friday night repast. I hear, however, its hours are now erratic? And their emailing list sign up seems to be non-functional, or they don't deign to keep just anyone in the loop. Might this mean Michel Richard will again be a totally DC-centric chef? Even if Chodorow is a bitch of a boss to answer to, something about that feels sad and wrong.

Quick Fix in Echo Park

Any neighborhood would be lucky to have Fix Coffee. Echo Park really scored.

The beans: Portland's Zoka or Intelligentsia. Machine: La Marzocco. Sandwiches, salads and pastries: Susina.

It's obviously a big ol' Gentrification Symbol, so I can't exactly say it will definitely become an all-inclusive community gathering spot. But the outdoor area screened in with bamboo is lovely and holds a lot of potential (perfect for a play area, hint hint; others might agree). The pretty patina metal panels that extend from the outer wall to the low ceiling articulate the roof angle in a way that cleverly nods to Googie architecture. Love the orange recessed lights and the wood veneer touches. A couple Speak & Spell machines help entertain younger (or not, if that's still your thing) customers. 

Baristas could use some more training. Cups are too big for the hardcore Third wavers, and the milk in my capp was more seafoamy than microfoam. No latte art. Sorry, but it's becoming sorta standard in a place like this.

At least they got the right equipment. The rest just takes some time and practice.

Fix Coffee
2100 Echo Park Avenue
Echo Park 90026

She's gotta have it: Viet Noodle Bar

My mind is usually scattered among too many things to let food cravings inch their way in like they used to.

But for a few months there's been one major exception. On some afternoons I start thinking about the petite spring rolls and mildly warm noodles with soy skin rolls and shitake mushrooms at Viet Noodle Bar in Atwater, and I CANNOT STOP.

I find ways to acquiesce. Some days I'm alone and able to eat, read and think. Other times I call ahead, grab my food to go, and balance take-out containers with wiggly James in my arms. On such days, often the sublime spring rolls with tofu, fried shallots, basil, carrots and jicama are gone by the time I'm home. Their chewy and crunchy textures psyche me up for the sweet tang of the noodles and delicate tofu to come. Not the most flavorful dish in the world, but a few dashes of siracha push it along.

Though the original Soy Cafe's minuscule location on Hyperion had its charms (and its challenges; try balancing an infant and your own tush on what felt like 8" diameter stools), the second expanded location breathes easy. I usually sit at the communal table best set up for single diners, which is narrower than the more social table that lines the other side of the restaurant. Plus they try to like, feed your mind, man. Alas, the selection of smarty pants and culturally with-it books that filled the continuous rectangular niche in the north wall have been taken back by their owner. 

Best of all, the room's white-on-brown serenity and the meal serve to quell the intensity of my jones. Equilibrium and focus are then restored.

Viet Noodle Bar
3133 ½ Glendale Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
323.906.1575

Plenty of Grist for LA Mill Coffee

LA Mill will get people talking. To locals who dread the gentrification of Silver Lake, there's plenty to loathe. To folks who love top notch, exactingly made coffee and tea with simple honesty and sincerity, it offers reason to celebrate and a few things to be confused about. To people who love killer eclectic design matched with great drink and food, they -- o.k., WE -- will be excited. The national food press will inevitably be all over it. 

Think hybrid of Boule, Whist, Intelligentsia, and the long-gone Velvet Turtle coffee shop at the Beverly Wilshire. In contrast to the coffee salon at Sunset Junction that's awash in plywood, this is all slick polished expensive surfaces territory. The counter and faux-skin puffy chairs reference the comfort of 50s coffee shops, but I'm curious to see just how far that ethic goes. So far no wifi to encourage people to linger longer. Yet on opening day, customers were slowly soaking in the atmo and slurping down goodies from the extensive menu.

Andy might be onto something when he suggested a striking writer was hired to flesh out the very elaborate copy. At LA Mill you can order an espresso knowing exactly what it is, and read all about the subtle nuances of the teas and coffees, or that Thomas Keller-esque concoction you are about to enjoy. It's a wordy kind of place.

Lesley posted a good roundup of the decor. Honestly, though, aren't people going to tire of Regency soon enough already? Maybe the gorgeous sheets of floor-to-ceiling glass and action behind the counter will continue to dazzle when the appeal of French Poussin-inspired gray toned wallpaper and Dutch style brass chandeliers lose their kitschy cool.

Eager customers who showed up on Friday were lucky enough to get free stuff. Those of us who got there late missed out on food, save for the lone baguette, and a couple of Smurf blue colored macarons. But the cappuccino was silky smooth, with less acidity (in a good way) than Intelligentsia. To make sure that tea is steeped just so, an hourglass is placed in front of you so you can plunge the leaves into the pot at the right moment. Coffee also comes prepped via the Clover, Eva Solo, and Chemex apparatuses.

Though some might fear it, Intelligentsia won't get usurped from its rightful place within the Silver Lake hipster habitat. With its plentiful uniformed staff, use of words like "couture" and "boutique," and grown-up crowd, LA Mill could be as far west as La Cienega. At least. But with a much more down-to-earth, relaxed vibe. Expect to see bridal and baby showers happening beneath the baroque mirrors any day now.

LA Mill Coffee Boutique
1636 Silver Lake Blvd., 90026
323.663.4441

Quick Bites: Comme Ça, Oinkster and Seven Grand

For afternoons when it takes me forever to get out of the house and we miss lunch at most restaurants, Comme Ça comes in handy. Daylight is kind to the space. White vinyl tufted booths and high contrast decor elements demonstrate the waning yet persistent influences of the Hollywood Regency revival trend. There is not a single remaining trace of Noura, the Middle Eastern place we'd go for yogurt Push-Up pops almost every day after elementary school.

Very limited offerings at 3:30 meant just sandwiches and salads were available, plus amazingly smooth Malpeque oysters served with a perfect tangy mignonette sauce. I would've liked the $12 frisée aux lardons much, much more if all the bacon pieces were crispy. Instead I wound up with a pile of mushy pig fat. Who wants to eat that? But like everyone says, this is a restaurant L.A. has needed for a LONG time, so I'll inevitably give it another shot.

For less than half of what we spent on a modest lunch/snack at Comme Ça, we stuffed ourselves with meat sandwiches, salads, and fries at Oinkster in Eagle Rock. An apples and oranges comparison, but let's say Oinkster is far better suited to an early Sunday dinner for two families with young kids. James kept screaming for more aioli -- so much so that the other patrons were glad when we left. I didn't know that would be so popular with the tot set.

And last but not least: After the research I did about the history and previous tenants of 515 West 7th Street,  it was exciting to finally see the quirky new inhabit the old at the Seven Grand Bar.

Birthday Sweet Overload: Lark Cake Shop

Sweetcake is still closed until its new shop opens, so what to do for my birthday treats?  (It was yesterday the 5th).

Use this occasion as the perfect excuse for tasting some of Lark's on Sunset goodies, of course.  It's also a lot closer, and in this heat, short driving distance is key when picking up cake.  (Unfortunately, however, Lark lacks a key component of said errand -- easy parking.)

The carrot cake is cute as a button, and for those who fall into the no-nuts camp, you'll be pleased.  (The smudge was the result of a minor yet unfortunate box sliding incident.)  The cake is super moist and dense, and a strong but not overpowering cinnamon zing chimes through.  Even my friend who is decidedly pro-nuts in carrot cake gave it high marks.  They don't go too overboard with the cream cheese frosting either. 

The white paisley motif doesn't do much for the chocolate  mousse cake, which could use some more design experimenting to hit on something as appealing and simple as the carrot.  It's also not a practical cake for summer in Los Angeles, as my friend pointed out; by the end of the evening we had a little landslide action with the layers. 

But no matter what the temp or condition of the cake, it tastes fanfizzletastic.  Love the layers of mouse, silky frosting, velvety dark cake, and what I think is marshmallow cream. 

I look forward to seeing what Lark has to offer by the time my birthday rolls around next year, when their larger cake offerings will presumably have expanded.  For now, there are lots more cupcakes to try. 

P.S. I must apologize for having wiped them out of their "3" candles.

Lark Cake Shop
3337 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles 90026
323.667.2968

Thursday Tastes

I've read about Blossom, the Vietnamese restaurant in the Historic Core, but it's still a little shocking to find a place like this while walking from City Hall to 6th Street along Main on a weekday.  I love the barely-there celadon green colored walls and thick wood tables, and the menu appeals. 

Though tempted by the packed with goodies crepes, I try the bun with cia gio and steak ($5.75) since that's a good litmus test.  (Today is too hot for pho.)  The bun is OK, nothing to write home about.  The bowl contains firm noodles, freshly shredded lettuce, tender steak slices, and underwhelming cha gio and sauce on the side.  The skin of the egg rolls doesn't have the satisfying heft and crackling exterior I crave.  I know the sauce isn't supposed to have too strong of a flavor, but this seems quite weak and I need to add in a lot of the bright red hot sauce to compensate.  Of all things, the ginger lemonade packs a serious punch.  Yet I can't say I don't enjoy lunch.  All in all, I can read my magazine in well-lit, stylish peace in a location that would be considered highly unlikely just a few years ago.   

For more flava I stop at Pazzo Gelato on my way back to the office.  It's toasty outside, I'm six months pregnant, so what's wrong with a mid-week daytime ice cream break?  I easily thrill to the fact that the gelato cycle is finally coming back, unseen since the 80s quickly witnessed a similar trend (anyone remember Gelato per Tutti on Melrose?).  It makes such perfect sense; there's no reason we should go without quality freshly made ice creams, diet trends be damned.   

A couple weeks ago five adults and one baby occupied a table here for a couple hours while we took turns going back to the counter for more scoops.  So I'm obviously already a fan of this place.  Today the fig balsamic and pistachio I order make for an odd combo at first.  It's unclear where the balsamic comes into the fig gelato equation; the most discernable taste is that of the earthy, perfumed fruit.  With the other flavor, I first sense the typical sweetness of pistachio, and then the rich nuttiness kicks in.  These actually two wind up being very complimentary.  Other flavors I can endorse are strawberry/banana, espresso, chocolate malt, and Madagascar vanilla.  It's no San Crispino or Giolitti in Rome, but these gelati strike a balance between traditional and inventive, and are among the best we'll see in the area � until June starts serving their versions. 

Blossom Restaurant
426 South Main Street (at Winston)
Los Angeles 90013

Pazzo Gelato
3827 W. Sunset Blvd. (at Hyperion)
Los Angeles 90026

Looking forward to June

Though it's obvious to anyone who glances at me that I'm not in it for the wine, yesterday I took up space at Silverlake Wine's Sunday tasting to try a preview of June Restaurant.  Let's just say that I'm P-S-Y-C-H-E-D.  The talents of Roxana, Dan and Elizabeth are never in question.  But the steamed mussels with sofrito, prosciutto topped with rich stewed cherries and roasted almonds, unbelievable shredded rabbit, and walnut bread with honey and a pungent Alsatian cheese (pasteurized, lucky for me), hugely turned up the level of anticipation for the restaurant's opening sometime this fall.  If you haven't yet been to the store on a Sunday this month, go before July is here.

But we actually did go for the wines, too, and grabbed the recent releases of Sea Smoke Southing and Ten pinots the second we walked in the door.  (Only six bottles of Ten were for sale.)  Since experiencing Ten at Sona we've never been able to find it locally because this winemaker pretty much exclusively sells to its list, and average joes are hard-pressed to find bottles available in regular retail locations.  The other attraction of the day: we're big fans of Samsara syrah; while their pinot packs a bit more of a punch than I like, we've now got one stashed anyway. 

Yes, I did take teeny tiny sips, aided by the super sense of Pregnancy Smell.  And even more emphatic yes, I'm eager for the day when I can partake in cracking open some of these bottles and start getting my palate used to wine again. 

Regarding June, I at least have the frozen remainders of our brown butter hazelnut gianduia wedding cake, which Roxana made, to look forward to eating for our anniversary in July.  A small consolation that should barely tide me over until June's doors on Hillhurst open.