tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9967881299099064162024-02-20T19:08:21.499-08:00A Matter Of TasteJason and Carl are two friends in Los Angeles with a love for good food. From critically acclaimed, high-end restaurants to random hole-in-the-walls, if the food is good, we are there.Carl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-8563113688432667652011-02-22T17:22:00.000-08:002011-02-22T17:24:23.138-08:00Michael Mina's XLV in West HollywoodThis is a Michael Mina restaurant in West Hollywood and I have to say that I was very impressed. The atmosphere was very Hollywood club feel, but felt inviting and comfortable. Everyone from management to the waiters was very friendly and helpful. I had the Lobster ravioli and it was outstanding. The pasta cooked perfectly, the lobster was very fresh and all of the flavors worked well together. I finished up with their Bourbon Glazed doughnuts. When people talk about foods that you just can’t just have one. These doughnuts are on that list. Nice light crunch on the outside and moist on the inside. The glaze took it right over the top.<br /><br />4 out of 5<br /><br />Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-65717934633611529842011-02-22T17:20:00.000-08:002011-02-22T17:22:50.942-08:00The Farm at LA Live Los AngelesMy wife and I went to The Farm to grab some lunch on a Saturday. The vibe of the place made me feel that we were eating in a nice northern California restaurant. I had a great salad and wish I knew the name. Might have been the house salad. It had spring mix, brie, caramelized pears, and caramelized red onions in red wine. Came with a shallot aioli.<br />The Salad was fresh and all of the ingredients works great together. The creaminess of the brie and sweetness of the caramelized pears and the flavor from the red onions made it a must get salad at The Farm at LA Live. If you want something that’s light and taste great, get this salad. <br /><br />4 out of 5<br />Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-69589738011945089372011-02-22T17:17:00.000-08:002011-02-22T17:20:05.000-08:00Stefan’s LA Farm June 2010Had to go to one of my favorite chefs on the TV show Top Chef. Love the feel of the restaurant and the staff is great. Stefan is moving all over the place and talking with guest and laughing it up. He really makes you feel like you’re at his house visiting. I had the following small plates.<br /><br />Truffle Arancini & Lemon Aioli: Very Good and the flavor was one point.<br /><br />Like a big mac: Is one of my favorites here. Might like it better than the actual Big mac.<br /><br />Salted organic fingerlings: Was very boring.<br /><br />Calicrufo: Was just ok. Wouldn’t order it again.<br /><br />Sonoma Foie Gras: Was absolutely decadent and addicting. <br /><br />Bud light tempura shrimp: Was very good and the sauce is great. Will always order this dish.<br /><br />Alaskan crab and melted butter: Is as good as it gets.<br /><br />Beef satay with peanut sauce: Did not make the cut.<br /><br />Chicken pate: I’m not a pate guy. If you are, you'll love it. Sweet salty flavored with great toast.<br /><br />Fried oyster: The oyster didn’t have much flavor, but the cole slaw was good though.<br /><br />Kumamoto oyster with absinthe jello: I thought it was just ok, but very fresh.<br /><br />Lentil soup and Duck: Was excellent. The soup was creamy and tasty. The duck was cook perfectly and had the entire flavor you want from your duck.<br /><br />Pork chop on braised cabbage and mash potatoes: The chops and cabbage were great. Foods that will stick to your bones have you leave very happy. Have to say that was surprised that the mash potatoes were a little bland though.<br /><br />King crab and prawn risotto: Could have been better if it didn’t have so much dill and pepper. It over powered the food. <br /><br />Apple beignet with caramel ice cream: This was Outstanding. Will get this every time!<br /><br />5 out of 5 <br /><br /> Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-84848694225194422672011-02-22T17:15:00.000-08:002011-02-22T17:16:57.229-08:00Spago’s Las Vegas May 2010I was in Vegas and I wanted to try Spago’s at Caesar Palace to see if I would enjoy it as much as the one in Beverly Hills. I went for lunch and ended up sitting at the bar. I decided to have the Chicken wings lollipops and the pizza with lamb chorizo with goat cheese and cilantro.<br /><br />The wings were solid. Not the best, but worth ordering. A solid traditional hot wing sauce with fresh made blue cheese. The cool factor is that they take the meat off the bone, then wrap it around the bone so all you have to do is bite a slide the meat off. The chicken was cooked perfectly with a little crunch. Overall it was a solid bar dish. Would I order it again? Maybe.<br />The pizza was great. The lamb chorizo was nice and spicy with plenty of flavor that played well with the creaminess of the goat cheese. I would order that again for sure. Spago’s did not disappoint. The bartender was really cool and personable. <br /><br />I’ll give it a 3 ½ out of 5.<br /><br />Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-30937491643151997312011-02-22T17:13:00.000-08:002011-02-22T17:15:13.038-08:00Spago's Las Vegas in December 2010Love Wolfgang Puck, so every time I come to Vegas I have to go to one of his restaurants. I tried the chicken salad sandwich for lunch and it was the best I ever had. The textures worked so perfectly together. You had the creamy from the mayo, the crunch from the nuts and the chew from the bread. The chicken was great and so tender. I will get this sandwich again and again. Also the service there is top notch. <br /><br />4 out of 5<br /><br />Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-10623943853855399442011-02-22T17:11:00.000-08:002011-02-22T17:12:44.700-08:00RM Seafood at The Mandalay Bay HotelWas staying at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Vegas and had to check out Rick Moonen’s spot RM Seafood. The restaurant had a very nice décor and feel. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. I had the following:<br /><br />Shrimp dogs: Very Very good. Great flavors that actually it melts in your mouth. I would order this again and again.<br /><br />Cornbread and bread in the beginning wasn't that impressive. Corn bread was bland and the bread was bland and a little doughy.<br /><br />“Famous fish and chips” weren’t that hot. The batter was great, but the fish was over cooked. The fries were seasoned and cooked well. Loved the seasoning. <br /><br />BBQ pork mac & cheese was good. The pork was tender and flavorful. Wasn't the biggest fan of the cheese. The cheese was more of a sauce. Would have been nice if the cheese was thicker. <br /><br />3 out of 5<br /><br />Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-61766294003127316552011-02-22T17:08:00.002-08:002011-02-22T17:11:27.270-08:00RAO'S Las VegasAlways wanted to go to the original spot in New York for years, so why not save a bunch of miles and go to the one in Vegas. They brought the décor, service and great food from NY. I started with the Heirloom Tomatoes Caprese salad and it was very good and fresh. Tried the shrimp cocktail and the shrimp were big, but have to say they were over cooked. The waiter handled it very well and took them back with no problem. They gave us a free desert for the trouble.<br />Up next was the penne pasta with vodka sauce. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce had Italian ham and over the entire dish was decedent. Not the best, but far from the worst. Last but far from the least was the Veal Parmesan on the bone hand pounded. Hands down was the best I ever had. It was so tender and had so much flavor from the bone. I couldn’t believe that veal can taste so incredible. It’s a must have when you come here. <br />Over all, Rao’s was great. When you come to Vegas, you have to make this a must go to place to eat amongst all the other great restaurants. My son gave it two thumbs up also. <br /><br />5 out of 5<br /><br />Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-44231293268646272202011-02-22T17:08:00.001-08:002011-02-22T17:08:46.662-08:00Pulino Pizza NYCSaw this spot on two different shows in The Foodnetwork channel. Everything they showed looked great and the chef/owner is from my home town of San Francisco. The atmosphere was very New York Italian/ Fan rancisco Italian. I first tried the burrata & Roasted tomatoes which was good. Burrata was nice and creamy and the tomatoes were very fresh and flavorful. Tasted the Broccoli salad and it was very very good. So much flavor and the broccoli was cooked perfectly. Last but not least was the pepperoni pizza with mushroom pizza and sadly to say it was only just ok. The crust was great, but to my surprised it was really bland. I will come back to give it another shot. <br /><br />3 ½ out of 5<br /><br />Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-65818731510737722862011-02-22T17:06:00.000-08:002011-02-22T17:07:03.168-08:00Providence in Los AngelesAs soon as I walked into Providence I was very impressed by the décor and energy of the restaurant. The first thing I tried was the Bacon bread and it was outstanding. How can you go wrong with bacon and bread? Then I had their version of Clam chowder. Absolutely amazing. Might be the best clam chowder I ever had. So silky and the flavor was out of this world. Next up to bat were the <br />Spot prawns baked in a mound of sea salt and rosemary. The prawns where cooked perfectly and not salty at all. Great dish. Finally I had their Pork belly dish. Are you kidding me? There are no words that can describe how great the flavors, tenderness of the belly and how everything work so well together. I could eat that everyday of my life. <br /><br />5 out of 5<br /><br />Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-85647974467502377622011-02-22T17:04:00.000-08:002011-02-22T17:05:57.059-08:00Ottavia in Walnut Creek, CAVery nice atmosphere, which seats 35-40-seat restaurant. The chef/owner worked with Mario Batali. I will come back.<br /><br />The service was very good from the beginning to end. Their regular water had a hint of peaches, apples and oranges. I was drinking buckets of it. Then they brought over their bread, which was very fresh and baked in house. I started out with the house smokes boars prosciutto with a special with cream cheese and Berry compote. The cream cheese and berry compote was very good, but the wild boar didn't have much flavor, and a funny gamey taste to it. Then I had the special gnocchi with oxtail ragu with white truffle oil. I’ll give this dish two very good. Gnocchi cooked perfectly and the oxtail ragu very flavorful and savory. I had to try the Pan roasted duck with fig & pomegranate sauce. It was good and cooked well and had some very nice flavors working in this dish. I see this place getting better. <br /><br />I’ll give it a 3 ½ out 5<br /><br />Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-1532842989572700932011-02-22T17:03:00.000-08:002011-02-22T17:04:11.058-08:00Osteria Mozza Los AngelesWalked into this restaurant and felt like I belong here from jump. Had the mozzarella bar right in the middle and the beautiful bar to the left. We were seated and from the start, the service was spot on. They brought out moos boosh, which was toasted bread with mozzarella and an olive topidad. It was very good. Then we had a bunch of items, which we all shared.<br /><br />• Soft shell crab great but a little oily<br /><br />• Garlic bread was excellent and buttery<br /><br />• The Burata, bacon with caramelized onions on their Italian bread was insane. <br /><br />• The Spot prawns were amazing. Cooked and seasoned perfectly<br /><br />• The pasta with an oxtail ragu was good, but was not great. When I hear that combination, I was wanting greatness and it turned out to just be good.<br /><br />• Ricotta and egg yolk ravioli with brown butter sauce was outstanding. The sweetness from the brown butter sauce and the creaminess that comes out when you push your fork through the ravioli and the yolk comes out and mixes with the brown butter sauce. Wow. All I can say is wow. <br /><br />• The Hanger steak was great and as cooked perfectly. Would I get it again? Maybe.<br /><br />• The Polenta was just ok. Thought it was lacking in flavor.<br /><br />• The spinach was a little bitter for my taste<br /><br />• Carbonara was excellent. Everything you love for a carbonara to be, this was it. <br /><br />• Quail marinated in honey sauce a good call. It was sweet and peppery and cooked perfectly. The stuffing was stuffing on point also.<br /><br />• Ok, ok, ok. The doughnut with vanilla and lemon pudding was a perfect ending to great night with my wife and friends. Sweet, but not too sweet. The acid of the lemon balanced the whole dish. Will have again.<br /><br />5 out of 5<br /><br />Jason RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-48582250810325342292011-02-22T17:01:00.000-08:002011-02-22T17:02:39.915-08:00Osteria Angelini Los AngelesI’ve seen two features on the Food Network channel about their spinach lasagna. So I took my wife out to dinner and we walked in and it had a nice rustic atmosphere. I felt very comfortable and it was very inviting. Everyone has an Italian accent and they made you feel like you were eating at their house. They brought over a basket of bread, which had a nice variety. The flat bread was my favorite. Then I started with their caprese salad, which was very good. Then came to the table the famous Spinach Lasagna. Lets see if it lived to the hype…….. Oh Yes! By far the best lasagna I ever had hands down. It melted in your mouth. It tasted like Mother Mary made it. 100% amazing! I was still floating after finishing that plate of heaven. They brought over this meat of love. Roasted Pork belly with red cabbage & potatoes, Are you kidding me? This dish was beyond good. The pork belly was so tender and flavor pouring out of every bite. Cabbage and potatoes were cooked and seasoned to perfection.<br /><br /> This was definitely a 5 out 5 this night.<br /><br />Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-8701672991934023542011-02-22T16:59:00.000-08:002011-02-22T17:01:18.412-08:00Norma's at The Parker Meridian NYCWas visiting New York with my wife and our Concierge suggested Norma’s for breakfast. It was a half a block up from where we were staying. It was a nice New York Mid-town atmosphere place. Service was good except when my wife’s food was cold. They took care of it right away. Now I had the duck confit hash and it was absolutely great. Everything about was spot on from the perfectly cooked duck, to the perfectly cooked potatoes. It was season great and looked amazing. I have to say that they gave me u enough to feed a small country. Will order that again, but next time I will invite a few friends and share. <br /><br />4 out of 5.<br /><br />Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-38462479865659915522011-02-22T16:57:00.000-08:002011-02-22T16:59:21.785-08:00Mozza Scruola di PizzaThis place is the best. It’s a room that’s connected to the Mozza 2 Go that only do special events. They have Pizza night where they show you how to make different kinds of pizza. Then they do a themed family style dinner nights on Friday and Saturday. It’s one big table that seats 24 people and they serve 6 courses and the seating goes quick. My and my family went on a Friday and needless to say we had a crazy amount of fun and good eats. Mind you the menu changes every month. <br /><br />The 1st course was cole slaw, salt fish polenta, marinated peppers<br /><br />2nd course: Fried Calamari, prawns, Red Mullet<br /><br />3rd course: Risotto Porcini with sea urchin, Cuttlefish and Clams<br /><br />4th: Duck Ragu with Polenta<br /><br />5th: Sausage, veal tongue, chicken, brisket, mash potatoes, spinach<br /><br />Everything was cooked perfectly and was food at it’s best. The service and atmosphere was top notch. You felt like you were at someone’s house having dinner. The chef would come out to before each course is served to explain what the course is and give you detailed information about the region of Italy from where the course comes from. It’s a must go to place when you’re in LA. <br />5 out of 5.<br /><br />Jason C Ricks<br /><br />www.pizzeriamozza.comCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-64936770906065716842011-02-22T16:56:00.000-08:002011-02-22T16:57:34.189-08:00Modern Steak in Scottsdale,AZI started with the bacon bread and it was out of this world. You have to try it. I could have a mattress made of this bread and sleep like a baby. Then we all shared this huge Kobe hot dog and it was great. Tender, flavorful and had a wonderful texture. Then I finished up with the Kobe rib eye steak. Are you kidding me? The best piece of meat I ever had. Where do I start? You can eat the steak with a spoon. It was so flavorful that you want to just put a stick in it and suck on it lick a lollipop all day. It was cooked perfectly and I will have it again when I get back to Scottsdale. <br /><br />4 out 5.<br /><br />Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-90182677996234612322011-02-22T16:52:00.000-08:002011-02-22T16:55:43.389-08:00II MulinoII Munilo<br /><br />You walk into this small intimate place that might seat 30 people. This place has such a welcoming feeling. The waiter are wearing tux and always waiting to serve you. Start u off with all kinds of bread, garlic bread, fried thin zucchini. I could have gone back to my hotel happy after that. Then we shared the following pastas. Flat pasta with sausage & tomato sauce was great. The flavor was spot on and I have to say that all of the homemade pasta was impeccable. Spaghetti in vodka sauce and lobster chunks was very good and the lobster was cooked perfectly. The Lagos e Fieno alla Papalina (cream, prosciutto, mushrooms and peas was hands down incredible. Everything was perfect from the presentation to the smell to the flavor. I had dreams about that dish. Over all, II Munilo has become my favorite restaurant in NY and on my top 10 over-all places to eat. <br /><br />5 out of 5<br /><br />Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-19050325075099153122011-02-22T16:23:00.000-08:002011-02-22T16:51:44.009-08:00Hubert Keller's Burger Bar at Mandalay BayWas staying at the Mandalay bay Hotel and had to try Burger bar by Chef Hubert Keller. I looked on the menu and the Rossini burger with Kobe beef, sautéed foie gras, shaved black truffles, black truffle sauce on an onion bun called my name.<br />This $60 burger was great. The meat was flavorful, but I should have had it medium rare instead of medium. The foie gras was rich and creamy. The sauce was decedent and the black truffles were just a great finishing touch. The one thing I would say, that it needed something to break up the richness of the burger. Is it worth 60? Not sure, but will have it again to make that decision. <br /><br />3 ½ out of 5.<br /><br />Jason C RicksCarl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-996788129909906416.post-68090490045274191152010-05-21T00:29:00.000-07:002010-05-21T00:50:28.101-07:00A Visit To Ortolan - 2 Reviews<div>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">Finally, after many years of wanting to try Ortolan, but prioritizing other restaurants in town ahead of it, we made our way to 3<sup>rd</sup> street to finally try Chef Eme’s cuisine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had read that Chef Eme’ was one of the youngest chefs to ever earn a Michelin star (at age 32) and was very excited to try his food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Unfortunately, the food was the worst part of the experience.</font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">My girlfriend Deborah and I arrived at the restaurant at about 6.45 on a Thursday night for our 7pm reservation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We stepped inside to find that the restaurant was completely empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By completely empty, I really mean COMPLETELY empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The only person in the room was Jamal, the host, who introduced himself and invited us to sit at the bar and have a drink while waiting for Jason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I immediately asked Jamal if they were expecting a late crowd and to my amazement he said that they were expecting 8 for dinner that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I asked “8 reservations?” and the response was “no…8 people”, of which we were 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Wow!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I know we are in a recession and Ortolan is not a cheap restaurant, but with the introduction of their Spring Tasting Menu at $40/person, I was shocked to hear that they were only expecting 8 patrons that night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Per Jamal, Chef Eme’ is in the kitchen every night, so regardless of the fact that the restaurant was empty, we expected a Michelin star quality meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was not.</font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">The Spring Tasting Menu, which all 3 of us decided to try, consisted of an appetizer, entrée and desert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We each chose different items, with the idea that we would then get to try everything offered on the menu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The menu consisted of the following appetizers:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>1)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>marinated Salmon with lemongrass sorbet, ginger and ponzu sauce, 2)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sauteed Frog legs with cream of watercress, potato gnocchi and zest of lemon juice and 3)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Seared Quail in mushroom soup with duck jus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Before the appetizer course was served however, we were presented with an amuse bouche, which consisted of 2 soups, presented in shot glasses and a small serving of eggplant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The first soup was a creamy potato soup which really captured the essence of a potato.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was like eating a liquid baked potato.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was one of the best items that we tried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Excited by the first amuse, we dove into the second, a asparagus soup with tarragon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Unfortunately, this was inedible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The tarragon flavor was so strong and overpowering that you could not taste the asparagus at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The tarragon was almost bitter and after the first try, I could not bring myself to finish it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Finally, the eggplant dish, which resembled a dip, tasted like a very smokey, tart version of babaganoush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Not great, not bad…just average.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Now it was time for the appetizers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The salmon was an interesting combination of flavors and temperatures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The fist bit hit you with the sourness of the lemongrass, ginger and ponzu and then the chill of the sorbet hit your mouth with an unexpected freeze.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In all, this dish was tasty and interesting, but you could only have a bite or two of it as the flavors were very strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The frog legs were fresh but overcooked and a little dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had not had frog legs in quite a while and although decent, they were not very memorable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The potato gnocchi which were boiled and then seared in butter were the highlight of this dish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Unfortunately, there were only 3 tiny ones (the size of maybe 3 tic tacs) on the plate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Finally, the best appetizer of the lot was the seared quail in mushroom soup with duck jus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The quail was perfectly cooked and the soup was absolutely amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was rich, creamy and had an amazing mushroom flavor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I literally could have ordered more of this soup and been happy eating only this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This was the only dish in the appetizer section that met our expectations for this restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">Next, it was time for the entrees to be served.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The entrée’s consisted of :<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>1)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lobster Spaghetti with Beef Jus and white asparagus cream, 2)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Potato Ravioli with Morel Mushrooms, Fava Beans and Scallions, and 3) Lamb confit with Potato gnocchi, Green Asparagus and Tomato Confit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">The lobster spaghetti consisted of some minute pieces of lobster (it seemed like it was the lobster equivalent of ground beef), in a tube shape, wrapped in spaghetti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was barely any lobster flavor to the dish and the spaghetti was dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Although I understand that this is part of a (fairly) inexpensive tasting menu, why put lobster on the menu if its going to unnoticeable in the dish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They could have made this dish with spot prawns and used the entire prawn, which would have made it much tastier and much more presentable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Anyway, this dish was boring and a waste of my stomach space.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The next entrée was the Potato Gnocchi with Morels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were excited to have some morels as the morel season this year is particularly short and we had not had any yet this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Unfortunately, the morels in this dish were not properly cleaned and were filled with sand and grit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>For me, once I find sand and/or grit in a dish, it is very difficult for me to bring myself to eat more of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The sound and texture of the grit against my teeth is too much for me to bear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We literally mentioned this to Jamal who apologized profusely, but when I asked him to let the kitchen know and to tell me what their response was, he was embarrassed to tell us that the chef’s response was “sometimes that happens with morels.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>That was unbelievable to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Of course it sometimes happens to morels…but it shouldn’t happen at a Michelin starred restaurant…and even if it does happen all the time, the chef’s lack of remorse or interest was unbelievable to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Finally, the last of the entrees was the lamb confit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This dish unfortunately was another in the line of disappointments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The lamb was overcooked and dry, and there is nothing worst than dry lamb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It literally tasted as though the lamb had been prepared on Monday and reheated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There was no way on earth that this was a freshly made dish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Again, a huge disappointment for a well regarded restaurant.</font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">Following the entrees, we received the deserts which consisted of: 1)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Vanilla Honey Panna Cotta with Strawberry Caviar, 2)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Lemon Tart with Tangerine Sorbet and Citrus Supreme and 3)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Apple Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The apple tart was fairly basic and straightforward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It wasn’t the best I have ever had and it wasn’t the worst.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a middle of the road desert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The Vanilla Honey Panna Cotta was pretty good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was tasty and rich, but the strawberry caviar was clearly overcooked (a result of being left in the bath too long).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Finally, the lemon tart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The tart had a nice citrus flavor and the tangerine sorbet was a good compliment to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In all, this was the best desert by far.</font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">Although, the spring tasting menu is fairly well priced ( I say fairly well because the portions were pretty small considering it was a 3 course meal) at $40 per head, the quality of the food certainly did not command that price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The three of us were really disappointed that the small details were not taken care of and that the Chef did not seem to care when we informed him of the morel issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>My take away from the experience is that while Chef Eme’ may be a talented chef, his food seemed uninspired.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The food preparation and attention to detail were lazy and it seemed as though they threw this spring tasting menu together to attract new business, without considering that once the new clients showed up, that the food needed to be good in order to get them to return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Unfortunately for Chef Eme and Ortolan, the highlight of the evening for us, was our conversation with the host, Jamal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In a town such as Los Angeles, with so many restaurants, you only get one chance to make a strong first impression and unfortunately I left this restaurant with no desire to return.</font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">I give Ortolan 1 ½ stars out of 5.</font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri"></font> </p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">Carl</font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri"></font> </p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">Ortolan Restaurant</font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">8338 West 3rd Street</font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">Los Angeles, CA 90048</font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri"><a href="http://www.ortolanrestaurant.com/">www.ortolanrestaurant.com</a></font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri"></font> </p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">____________________________________________________________________________________</font></p><font face="Calibri">
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Cambria">When I first walked into the Ortolan to meet Carl and Deborah, the décor and atmosphere caught my attention right away. Very warm and elegant. The host was very friendly. I have to first say that Jamal (Host/waiter) really made the whole experience there enjoyable</font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Cambria"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>Now to the food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We decided on the 3 course tasting menu special they do on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursday. We all order something different so we could share. The chef sent out a trio of soups in shot glasses. One was the potato cream, which was great. It was very flavorful and creamy. Could have had 10 more shots of it. Next shot was the asparagus……… Terrible. Last shot was an eggplant, which could have been good if the smokiness wasn’t so over powering. One out of three is a good baseball average.</font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Cambria"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>For the first course we had a taste of the Marinated Salmon with lemongrass sorbet, ginger and ponzu. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was very fresh as I notice it trying swim out of the glass it was served in. I first thought salmon and sorbet…WTF. When I tasted it, I was a believer. The combination played so well off of each other. The rich and saltiness of the salmon and the sweetness of the sorbet worked so well together. Great first course.. Then I tried the frog legs. Understand that this was my first time trying frog legs. Did I mention they were frog legs? They were a little dry, but seasoned well. It had a buddy with them called gnocchi and they were exceptional. They were cooked and seasoned perfectly. Wish I had more. Last but not least, I had the Seared quail surrounded by a cream of mushroom soup and duck jus. This dish was bananas. Made me want to slap Carl and my mom because it was so good. It was absolutely exceptional. The quail was cooked perfectly and the mushroom sauce/soup was decadent. I asked if they could just bring out the pot and a straw to make my night. </font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Cambria"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>Now for the second course. We had the lobster spaghetti, lamb confit <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>and the potato ravioli. The lobster spaghetti was just ok at best. Nothing I would order again. The dish was bland and you can’t tell that there’s lobster in the dish. It was some type of lobster mix. Kind of like that mystery meat at the high school cafeteria. That pretty much explains that dish. Now for the lamb. It was cooked fine and seasoned well, but very boring and unexciting. Then there was potato ravioli to be had and had I did. I enjoyed this very much. Everything was on point. The presentation, flavor and texture. Cooked, seasoned and taste very well. </font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Cambria"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>Time for the last course………… Desert </font><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings">J</span></span><font face="Cambria"> There was the Apple Tart, Vanilla Honey Panna Cotta with a strawberry caviar and the Lemon Tart with a Tangerine Sorbet. The apple tart was just an apple tart. The panna cotta was good. It was creamy and the flavors of the honey and strawberries made it enjoyable. Now the lemon tart was the star of the deserts. Everything was working in that bad boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was eating that like it was going to get up and run from me. It had the right amount of sweetness and tartness. It was the best lemon tart I had hands down. </font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Cambria"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </span>So my grade out of 5 is a 3 ½. It had some stars and it had some dudes. The food wasn’t consistent enough for me. The service and atmosphere was great. The quail and lemon tart was exceptional. Will come back to give it another shot down the road. That’s my storey and I’m sticking to it!!!!!</font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal">Jason</font></p>
<br /><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"> </p></div>Carl and Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10579746720830679116noreply@blogger.com3