[img]7|left|Frédérik Sisa||no_popup[/img] To continue, loosely, on last week’s column praising Huell Howser for his enthusiastic championing of California, this week I turn my attention to L.A. Like Mr. Howser, I am not a native of California, a little fact that often prompts people to ask me how I like L.A. My answer: I love L.A. For all its flaws and blemishes, for all the good and the bad, I actually prefer L.A. to the other city – you know, that big one on the East Coast – that is culturally correct to gush over.
For proof, we need look no further than the fact L.A.’s cosmopolitan and multicultural love affair with food. It’s frankly amazing just how many different cuisines and restaurants there are to satisfy the most devoted foodie. Of course, having all these great cuisines doesn’t necessarily mean consistently great dining experiences. For example:
*Lost in the Maze*
A week ago I went to The Minotaure – a small tapas restaurant that recently opened in Playa Del Rey – with my wife and a group of friends. The ambience was romantic; dimly lit, intimate, touched with that “designer” feel, red and creams, art on the wall, live music. A restaurant for lovers. Unfortunately, that good first impression quickly turned sour; the dining experience became, quite possibly, the most catastrophic I’ve ever endured. The service was inattentive, with errors in the orders and an inability to keep the group well-hydrated, and the food was hit and miss – mostly miss, actually. An explanation for the lack of service was provided, of course, by one of The Minotaure’s owners: short in the kitchen and among the wait staff. But while with a staff shortage necessarily comes slower service, which is understandable, it should not entail inaccurate service. Between waiting for our food and being either ignored or mishandled, the gang and I ended up spending more time fuming than enjoying ourselves – a disappointment given that a friend with a lovely singing voice was the evening’s vocalist.
We received an apology, of course, a nice gesture, that regrettably exacerbated our frustration rather than relieved it. Free dessert, only the flan was inexplicably flavourless, and the much-hyped bread pudding – topped with berries and drizzled with a caramel sauce – was blandly sweet and lacking in complexity. It was quite a surprise to end on such a downbeat note, but given the inconsistent quality of the tapas, perhaps not entirely surprising. Though a few tapas dishes were tasty, like the chicken empanadas, others only had a nice presentation. Vegetarian fare like the vegetable paella – ostensibly saffron-less “saffron” rice with vegetable – failed outright, begging the question as to what it says about a chef who struggles with making interesting, flavourful vegetarian dishes. This Minotaure should be left in the center of the maze.
*Good Eats!*
Thankfully, there are plenty of outstanding restaurants around to make up for the occasional crushing disappointment. The good news is that many of them are right here in Culver City. For sushi, one of the best restaurants around is Sushi Karen on Washington Boulevard opposite the Best Buy; I can’t praise it enough. Chef Toshi-san is a sorcerer, really, with spellbinding sushi and sashimi – the seared tuna and salmon are favourites – and a small but muscular number of highly creative rolls, such as a crunchy roll in a special sauce that effortlessly induces culinary euphoria. For raw, organic, vegan food, Leaf is a pure delight. And that new grilled cheese sandwich joint in downtown Culver City? Brilliant! Other noteworthies include, but aren’t limited to, Tender Greens and Ford’s Filling Station, with Vinum Populi on Cardiff getting props as a wonderfully intimate little wine bar, good for lovers and old friends.
A new favourite is Green Truck, a gourmet on-the-go service offering delicious organic food. But it’s not simply that the food is healthy and delicious; the Green Truck people actually put the environment in “environmentally friendly.” Their two trucks run on recycled vegetable oil, which has no harmful emissions. Food packaging is biodegradable to create zero trash and minimize the pollution in their production process. Certified organic food is bought locally as much as possible, which is not only great for local businesses, but also helps cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. Outstanding!
Yes, L.A. has a lot going for it in the culinary department – so much, in fact, that it’s certainly one reason not to take any guff from anyone. What’s that? You want more reasons? Stay tuned. In future columns I’ll write about other qualities that make L.A. worth loving.