LOGO

I used to read.  Books.

Now, I sip Intelligentsia and read Tweets.  I might need counseling.

A few kids that I follow:

@TheDelicious @evankleiman @kimseverson @EatingLA @LAOCfoodie @TastingTableLA

Can’t get enough tweets in your day?  FOLLOW US!

www.Twitter.com/DanCoxPR

www.Twitter.com/JamieSammons

So, now I not only spend all my time READING Tweets, but the remaining time is now spent WRITING ABOUT Tweets?  Great. 

why twitter, you ask?

How else would I learn about…

LAist3.2 Earthquake Rumbles Near LAX: A minor 3.2 quake struck near Los Angeles International Air

(I didn’t even know we HAD an earthquake, until I read this!)

And, it’s nice to read tweets that make you realize you might be spending too much time twittering…

That was the Tweet that I read on my phone from food blogger Sarah Gim (www.thedeliciouslife.com) while dining at Bar Celona’s Running of the Bulls!

The Red Bull & Miss N

The night was an enormous success – A sold out dinner for “All You Can Eat Paella” (Which now continues every Sunday), Paella cooking demonstrations and tastings, complimentary cocktails, the mechanical bull for the adventurous and, of course, the RED BULL was once again the hit of the party.  The evening was also the FIFTH ANNIVERSARY for Pasadena’s Bar Celona Restaurant!

Cheers to Many More!

All You Can Eat Paella EVERY SUNDAY

Complimentary Tequila Tastings

MISTER GOLD GIVES A SHOUT OUT

MICHEL DOZOIS

Neve Luxury Ice, Owner

www.NeveIce.com

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Silk Purse: AT CHURCH & STATE, CHEF WALTER MANZKE TRANSFORMS A PIG’S EAR

By Jonathan Gold

Published on July 08, 2009 at 5:04pm

Pig’s ears are not hard to find in Los Angeles. Shanghai-style restaurants tend to have them, boiled and pressed into a kind of sliced terrine, and Sichuan chefs supplement the ears with three kinds of chile. Slivered pig’s ear is an essential component of the Thai pork salad nam sod, and Mexico City–style pig’s ears carnitas are everywhere. I haven’t been to the restaurant Yangchow in a while, but I was always amazed at the high quality of the simmered pig’s ears in the otherwise Americanized dining room.

But the best ears I’ve ever had, better than the crunchy ones at Spotted Pig in New York, better than the fritters at the Bristol in Paris, better than the ones I first learned to love at Mandarin Deli, were at Church & State not long ago: simultaneously crisp and chewy, soft and tasting like the best French roast pork, piled into a metal julep cup with a little dish of béarnaise sauce on the side, as impossible to stop eating as the onion rings on your girlfriend’s plate. This is the place to nibble on ears. Or pig’s-foot fritters. Or braised pork belly with fresh peas. Or giant, roasted marrowbones, naked and split in two.

A plate of Santa Barbara spot prawns, kept alive in the kitchen until they’re ordered, then briefly cooked, split in two, and served under drifts of finely diced cucumber, was good enough that a friend insisted a nonseafood-eating pal take at least a small bite, and compelling enough that she ended up eating every molecule of her first shrimp in more than 30 years.

We have been to Church & State before, you and I, the rough-edged artists’ brasserie built into a loading dock deep downtown. It is known for its skeins of bulbs that looked like Christmas in July, the cassoulet, and the decent fries. Church & State was — is — a Steven Arroyo joint, which means that the food was predictably less accomplished than the vibe, that the music was turned up high and the lights turned down low, and that there were beautiful young women everywhere your glance happened to fall. The wine list was basic. The onion soup was probably about 50 percent melted cheese. After the thrill of nibbling on duck confit in a place around the corner from former crack dens began to fade, the restaurant’s most interesting feature was probably its weekend bartender, Michel Dozois, whose dazzling cocktails were everything the cuisine was not.

Walter Manzke took over the kitchen a few months ago, fresh from a stint as the chef at Bastide, a technician able to orchestrate a 12-course degustation menu with the sure confidence of John Woo putting together an action sequence. He transformed the menu, which looks superficially the same, into something approaching a work of art — a document guaranteed to mist the eyes of even the steeliest gourmet.

Sherry Virbila at the Times gave the reborn restaurant a rare three-star review, and suddenly the sleepy dining room had an energy this part of downtown had never seen before, and a clientele that one waiter compared to Benjamin Button: Averaging well into their 60s at 7 p.m., the crowd becomes magically younger as the evening wears on, ending up as callow, tattooed 23-year-olds by the time the place closes at 11.

What this incarnation reminds me of is the wave of bistros born from the ’90s recession in Paris, slightly grungy places opened by young chefs who had worked in the city’s best restaurants, and who transformed simple dishes through hard-won French technique. It was food no less noble than what they had cooked at the Ritz or the Crillon, and it was theirs: meals whose price was within reach of friends and peers, not just rich businessmen, Japanese tourists, and government officials on expense accounts. Some of those chefs — Yves Camdeborde, Christian Constant, Eric Fréchon — became the real drivers behind the retraditionalization of French cuisine.

Manzke shares some of the preoccupations of this wave of chefs: a fondness for pig parts; fetishes for farmers market produce and for detail; and the adoption of technology when it suits his purposes.

The roast chicken comes as parts that have been rolled and tied, so that the crackly skin nourishes the flesh. The snails have been baked in butter, herbs and plenty of garlic, in tiny, individual pastry-topped pots. The fries are cooked in pure lard. The charcuterie — house-made terrines and house-cured meats — is presented on a long plank, and a friend declared the ultrasmooth jar-cooked foie gras to be “delicious, delicious cruelty.’’

Those pig’s ears were sealed in plastic with herbs and simmered at low temperature until the cartilage transformed itself into a subtle memory of itself, and were then rolled in panko and fried. Escoffier may have known neither the cooking method nor the fine Japanese bread crumbs, but he surely would have recognized the crunchy, aromatic result. Deeply flavored short ribs also saw sous vide, I suspect, cooked down to an almost jellylike consistency and served in a little puddle of reduced red wine.

Church & State has always served a pretty good version of tarte flambé, a sort of Alsatian pizza topped with thickened cream, but Manzke’s is about a thousand times better than his predecessor’s, so thin and crisp that it practically shatters when you look at it, flavored with both wood smoke and the smoke of good bacon. If it’s on the menu, try the version with stinky Époisses cheese and poached duck tongues, an unpredictable but delicious combination.

Is this the most refined bistro cooking in Los Angeles? At the moment, it just might be.

Church & State: 1855 Industrial St., L.A., (213) 405-1434, www.churchandstatebistro.com. Lunch Tues.-Fri.,11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; dinner Tues.-Thurs. & Fri.-Sat., 6-11 p.m. Full bar. AE, MC, V. Dinner for two, food only, $52-$74. Recommended dishes: snails, fried pigs’ ears, charcuterie plate, prawns à la Nicoise, roast chicken à la bourgeoise, vanilla pot de crème.

From LA Weekly.

Kristofer Keith | Spacecraft | www.SpacecraftGroup.com

The Latest Project: Essex Public House

FROM FOODGPS

On June 3, Spacecraft designer Kristofer Keith led me on a tour of his latest project, a sharp-looking Hollywood pub called Essex. The former Parc space was already stocked with black-stained oak chairs. The only aspect that needed finishing was the back bar: 20 taps, mirrors, shelving and 6-7 flat screen TVs. Today, Essex co-owner Greg Link said the pub would soft open on July 1, with a grand opening the week after the Fourth.

Keith, who oversees a one-stop shop for design and construction, installed an industrial welded steel bar that he compared to a bridge or elevated train truss, with an oak top. Across the way, the exposed brick wall features a mirror and high-top banquettes. The adjacent room houses both black and natural brick walls, plus oversized chalkboard menus. Both rooms feature clear views of sidewalk tables.

Essex co-owner Greg Link joined me to discuss his pub. He said that he and his partners Essex “built the place we always wanted to drink. Up until BoHo, there was nowhere you could get really good beer and wine and pair it wth good food. We got tired of driving to Santa Monica or Melrose.”

Link met AU Group partner Hunter Hensley in Vegas, where they managed adjacent clubs. Link was in charge of a slew of clubs with $20 million + budgets, including Light, Jet, Rum Jungle and Mix. The friends moved to L.A., where Link was GM at Hollywood club Element. Hensley managed One Sunset, working with opening chef Chris Ennis. On Essex, they ended up partnering with Element land owner Michael Greco and Ennis.

Why the former Parc space? “We wanted something right on the main track,” said Link. “Everybody was trying to force something on this space. This was more natural. We’re all in the 25-45 bracket, so this is something we thought people our age would enjoy.”

“The goal was nobody would look at the menu and say, ‘What is that?,’” says Link. Possible signature dishes include the braised short rib Shepherd’s pie. They’re also playing with a TV dinner concept, “trying to appeal to everybody’s roots.” “Beer Chick” Christina Perozzi is consulting on the beer selection. They’ll have 20 taps and 25-30 bottles, plus beer cocktails. On the wine front, expect 20 wines by the glass and 3-4 sparkling options, all available by quartino and bottle.

In other Spacecraft news, Keith said he started back on Osaka Hollywood in mid May, but it wasn’t quite “full fledge rock ‘em sock ‘em.” The Japanese restaurant, a Lima import co-owned by Adolfo Suaya, will feature a tree-lined patio and an entrance that requires diners to traverse a pond via stepping-stones. Keith also said he was 30 days from completing construction on Public House/Stout, a nearby burgers-and-beer concept from Charles Lew and Alex Kagianaris.

________________________

FROM DAILY CANDY

July 2, 2009

The Weekend Guide

What to Do This Weekend

Essex Public House
What: A new modern-day pub with more than 40 specialty brews, twenty wines by the glass, and bar food worth the crawl.
Why: They beer what you’re saying.
When: Daily, 5:30-11:30 p.m.; bar until 2 a.m.
Where: 6683 Hollywood Blvd., between N. Las Palmas & N. Cherokee Aves., Hollywood (323-460-6608).

__________________

FROM THRILLIST

Essex Public House

6683 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood; 323.460.6608

Some classic combos never grow tired, like the fat dude/skinny sidekick formula that produced comic genius from Laurel & Hardy, Farley & Spade, and Siskel & Ebert. For the timeless combo of great beer and great food, check out Essex Public House. Opening Thursday, Essex is a casual gastropub laser-focused on its menu and beer list, with two distinct interior sections designed by the Kitchen 24 dude: a patio-looking entrance room w/ red-brick floor, exposed-duct ceiling, and two monstrous chalkboards w/ food and drink menus, while further inside’s an oak-topped, wrought-iron-bottomed bar, surrounded by high-top black leather banquettes and mismatched light fixtures — so, much like your grandparents house, without the sneaking suspicion a Life Alert commercial is about to go down. Food’s from a former Asia De Cuba chef, and spans all sorts of gourmetness: “Figs in a Blanket” w/ La Quercia prosciutto & goat cheese fondue; yam gnocchi w/ smoked duck confit, pea tendrils, and hazelnut sauce; and chicken and biscuits w/ sweet English peas & natural gravy, which will taste delicious on your beloved roll, Bun-derboy. Brew’s from the ubiquitous “Beer Chick” (The Library Bar, Father’s Office, etc), who put together a 50+ list including specialty draughts like Lost Coast Raspberry Wheat, Bruery Black Orchid, and Alesmith Nautical Nut Brown, bottles like Green Flash Le Freak Belgian IPA, Chimay Blue, and Hitachino Nest White Ale, and even hard-to-find and vintage bottles like the dense, dark Harviestoun OLA Dubh, which was aged in a whiskey barrel for at least 30 years, so its liver’s probably doing worse than yours.

They’re only open for dinner now, but lunch hours’ll come later this month. In other planned changes, the small patio’s currently smoking-only, though they’re hoping to secure permits for drinking out there too, guaranteeing another classic combo: stocking up on liquid courage before you bat your eyes winsomely for a cigarette.

_____________________

FROM URBAN DADDY

Great Essex
Hollywood’s New Anything-Goes Hangout

So you’re in Hollywood. You need a respectable dinner. Or a round of pre-club shots. Or some dessert. Or a quick lunch. Or a beer cocktail.

Okay, so sometimes you’re a little all over the place. So you could use one single open-air kind of spot that can manage all of the above—welcome to Essex Public House, soft-opening Thursday.

In the former home of Parc, you’ll now find an industrial pub that brings a little of the gritty Lower East Side to Hollywood Boulevard via two distinct but flowing spaces. Old brick, ramshackle tile and illuminated steel surround one room’s dominant oak-topped bar, and thanks to the doors that open all the way across, the dining area at the entrance is a room that’s actually a patio. (Or maybe a patio that’s actually a room.)

It’s all meant to convey a casually neighborhood-y, anything-goes vibe, fueled by upscale versions of old classics. You might go for some Figs in a Blanket to start, then maybe the Chicken and Biscuits and Banana-Bacon Fritters—all with help from a boutique-heavy list of nearly 60 beers, like an Arrogant Bastard or a Hollywood Blonde.

And we know how you like those.

Essex Public House
6683 Hollywood Blvd
(E. of Las Palmas)
Los Angeles, CA 90028
323-460-6608

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FROM RARE DAILY

Good Libations on Hollywood Boulevard

Essex Public House opens

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

FROM L.A. AND O.C. FOODVENTURES

I’ve been compelled to check out Bar Celona ever since I found out that Josef Centeno (well-knowned years past for his spontaneous tasting menus at Opus) is consulting there, but my group of Old Town friends have never felt particuarly inclined to go, preferring the gianormous-if-mediocre portions offered by the various Pasadena chains over the small plates tapas-style dishes this place is known for. That tide quickly changed with they announced their latest event . . .

all-you-can-eat paellas

Being a sucker for this Valencian dish in general, I heartily accepted when their PR folks invited me to check out the celebration on the house. So my friend and I visited them on the first day of their anniversary event.

Having spent the better part of my Sunday in the sun, I was definitely in the mood for a light, refreshing cocktail when I arrived at 7 p.m. The Flamenco Kiss, made with vanilla vodka and fresh strawberry puree, does the task well — simple but tasty, like a liquid strawberry pie with lots of whipped cream.

Before the paella main show, we started off with sauteed cremini & oyster mushrooms with bay leaf & thyme cream ($7) and an aromatic seafood soup ($21), both heartier and more substantial than their tapas label suggest. The ‘shrooms, meaty and earthy and perfectly palatable on their own, was wonderfully enhanced by the herby cream sauce — though I might opt for it on the side next time since it was pretty heavy. We both we loved the seafood soup, comforting even on a summer night and packed full of firm and plump shellfish (shrimp, calamari, mussels, clams) swimming in a light, fragrant saffron-flavored broth.

Now for the main show — the paellas! Being indecisive about which one we wanted, the staff was gracious enough to bring us a small sampler of all four — from vegetarian, castellana (beef, pork sausage and chicken), marinaera (shellfish) and valenciana (surf & turf, looks like a combo of the previous two) ($18-24). Asides from the addition of assorted meats, the four paellas tasted nearly identical, aromatic with a bouquet of herbs, a little spicy and just savory enough w/o being oversalted. The rice had a great toothy (firm yet chewy) texture that I loved, though my friend would’ve preferred a creamier, softer risotto-esque preparation. And having had the two starter dishes beforehand, we alas threw in the towel after a single serving of paella — though being a carb-filled fare I’m not sure I would’ve been able to do more than two servings otherwise.

We also had a taste of their red wine sangria, which is complimentary with an AYCE paella order, whose portion was larger than we expected. Like the cocktail, it was not fussy and totally pleasant to drink – striking a nice balance between the wine and juices so it’s neither too tannic nor fruity-sweet.

Despite our collective fullness, a second stomach popped up when we were offered the sweets menu — so we opted to share a seasonal strawberry-apple crisp a la mode (even though I was seriously eye-ing the churros & chocolate or the crema catalana). Like everything else so far, it was incredibly satisfying and elegantly simple, a fine exhibit of the fruit crisp/pie dessert.

Also a bit surprising is how reasonably priced the meal was, when the bill came (the determine our tips) we found out the total was in the $70-80 range; considering we had 2 cocktails, 2 starters, 2 entrees and a dessert — that’s not bad at all. And since the paella is all-you-can-eat and comes with a sangria, couples can totally get away with ~$50-60 bill and a merrily full stomach.

If you can’t make it tonight or tomorrow for their celebration, don’t fret; I was informed they plan on bringing back for Sunday dinners. I for one can’t complain about starting off a week with soup, paella and sangrias (finished off with perhaps a churro or two…)

And FYI, their anniversary celebration culminates tomorrow night — when they have All-Night Happy Hour specials on drinks and tapas, along with dish demos & tastings, live music AND a mechanical bull at the bar, should you feel courageous enough (or had enough liquid courage.)

Kris Keith’s latest project

Essex Public House

NOW OPEN!!!

www.SpacecraftGroup.com

www.EssexHollywood.com

It’s become an official Pasadena tradition: The Running of the Bulls!! Each year, Bar Celona Restaurant & Bar hosts a weeklong celebration to honor the Pamplona festival of San Fermin. The local recreation takes place July 5 through July 9, 2009. Beginning Sunday (July 5), Bar Celona hosts an annual food festival featuring “All You Can Eat Paella.” This year, consulting chef Josef Centeno will offer bottomless servings of Vegetarian ($22); Castellana (Beef, pork, or chicken. $24); Marinaera (Seasonal Shellfish. $26); and Valenciana Paellas (Surf & Turf. $28) All Paellas are accompanied by a complimentary glass of house made red or white Sangria.

The weeklong festival culminates on Thursday, July 9, 2009 with THE FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. Bar Celona owners Jack and Karen Huang have planned the ultimate celebration to coincide with their annual Running of the Bulls, featuring all night Happy Hour & Tapas Specials ($5. House made sangrias, select beer, and cocktails), Paella cooking demonstrations and tasting events throughout the evening; and – for those that dream of running in Pamplona – a mechanical bull in the bar for the brave of heart. House DJs spin throughout the evening in the bar, while Flamenco guitar serenades in the dining area. The official “Running of the Bulls” begins at 9:30 pm, a hilarious take on the Pamplona tradition that brings a week of celebration to conclusion with a night of laughter, food, and friends.

The “All You Can Eat” Paella offering continues every Sunday night thereafter.

For more information or to make reservations, please contact
Bar Celona | 46 E. Colorado Blvd | Pasadena, CA | 626.405.1000 | www.BarCelonaPasadena.com
For all press inquiries, Please contact: Dan Cox | 323.481.0983 | Dan@DanCoxPR.com