Please The Palate |

Monday is Valencian Putxero Night at Smoke.Oil.Salt.

Monday night may be the night you like to stay in. And, perhaps it is a good night for cooking at home as many restaurants are closed on Mondays. But, if you want to have that home-cooked meal and don't want to do the work, head to Smoke.Oil.Salt in West Hollywood. Smoke.Oil.Salt is an authentic Spanish restaurant and wine bar known for its traditional Catalan dishes (paella, fideua, wood-grilled fish and seafoods). But, on Monday nights, Chef Perfecto Rocher is preparing a traditional stew from Valencia, a region south of Catalan. At Smoke.Oil.Salt., Chef Rocher's Valencian Putxero is served on a “TV Dinner/School Cafeteria Tray” with the items in different sections. Traditional Valencian Putxero is a Spanish stew made with rice, lamb, beef, pork, pilotes (Valencian meatballs), chickpeas, potatoes and other vegetables. This stew may vary from household to household in Valencia but it always contains meat, vegetables and sometimes sausage with ingredients typical to the area where it is prepared.

16 February, 2015

Sushi Tsujita Los Angeles

It may not be the easiest restaurant name to say. But, those in the know can easily pronounce Tsujita. After all, Tsujita LA and Tsujita Annex have been popular ramen destinations on Sawtelle Blvd. since 2011. And, last year Tsujita opened it's 3rd location on Sawtelle Blvd, Sushi Tsujita, in the space that used to house Orris. If you didn't know how to say it before, you will quickly want to learn it now. I had been to Tsujita for lunch and had the special lunch deal - Bara-Chirashi, a bowl of warm sushi rice with an assortment of sashimi and miso soup for $15. (Note that they only make 15 of these each day.)

But, I was really looking forward to coming back for dinner where they serve an edomae-inspired, omakase-focused menu. Edomae-inspired means is that the dishes are about simplicity. Because it about the fish, it is about serving the best quality. And omakase means that you are in the chef's hands. There are three price options, $120, $150 and $180, and once you make that decision, you sit back and leave the rest to the chef.

02 February, 2015

Aestus Restaurant – Santa Monica Newest Dining Destination

Is Santa Monica the new drinking and dining destination in Los Angeles? It's definitely one of them, especially along Wilshire Blvd. First Brilliantshine and Chestnut Club opened last year. Then Cadet and Tacoteca opened just before the holidays and now Aestus opened just after the new year. 2015 in Santa Monica is off to a great start. Aestus is owned by Kevin O'Connor, who also acts as the restaurant's sommelier. Former Spago wine director, Kevin is also co-owner of Lioco Winery. He selected the name Aestus, which is a Latin word that means heat, fire, tide, the surge of the sea, because it just seemed to perfectly represent what they are doing. Aestus is about expressing passion through food, wine and drinks. Located on the ground floor of the Arezzo residental builidng on Wilshire Blvd, between 5th and 6th streets, Aestus is a large open mid-century modern space. There is a 15-seat brass bar when you first walk in and a 60-seat dining room. And, from everywhere in low-lit room, you can see the brightly lit open kitchen where Chef Alex Ageneau is at the helm.

29 January, 2015