Spoon House [Gardena]

Our visits to Spoon House (1) aren't going anywhere fast, since we are always sharing, but at least this time, we were able to try a few more dishes courtesy of our UYE (Unofficial Yelp Event) outing.

By far, the most popular choice was the Japanese Cod Roe and Butter Sauce (Tarako), which comes with seaweed, squid, sea urchin or a combination of the three. The butter sauce was mild and light, though the taste of the cod roe is a little understated for the dish (Il Chianti does better with its version).

#34 - Hot garlic with seasoned mushrooms, grated daikon, and bonito

Number 34 was a real hit and probably our favorite at Spoon House yet. The mushrooms are finely chopped and whipped into a slightly sticky and delicately sweet sauce, while the bonito and seaweed give the dish a distinct Japanese twist. It's not as hot as you'd expect it to be, though there are diced dried peppers tossed into the dish. The flavors really meld well and sing in your mouth.

An encore performance for number 34.

Spoon House
1601 W. Redondo Beach Boulevard.
Gardena, CA 90247
(310) 538-0376

Dinner Detective [Palms LA]

After coming across an LA Times article cataloging the area's array of Murder Mystery dinners, we rounded up a group to play detective at the comedy/improv-based Dinner Detective.

For $68.14, you are served a four-course meal of passed hor 'oeuvres, salad, an entre (chicken, beef, salmon, pumpkin ravioli), and dessert (apple tart, flourless chocolate cake, bread pudding) in addition to a 3-hour show, complete with a slew of murders, fake blood, and prize for the honorary deputy who solves the crime.

On the whole, the act is more interactive than other murder mysteries I've been to, with audience participation throughout and an interrogation session that gives you reason to talk to any stranger that your heart desires. Keep your eyes out for the conspicuous ones...

Improv is usually hit or miss and the Dinner Detective fell more upon the latter. The actors poked fun at the audience member's names, clothes, and demeanors, but didn't really have any biting wit of their own. The acting didn't really add much to the mystery, which is better solved by piecing together the clues that are handed out to your table.

The food was prepared by Cucina Paradiso and your standard fare of bulk-cooked items. In the case of such an event, keep your expectations low and choose items which lend themselves well to being cooked in large quantities. In the case of the Dinner Detective, that would mean the pumpkin ravioli and the bread pudding, though the ravioli was one of the smallest entrees on the table.

The solution to the crime was well within plausibility and we all glanced around, wondering who our Sherlock Holmes was. At the drum roll, we learned that is was Miss Scarlet also known as our very own, Yoshi! Her prize of Alfred Hitchcock DVDs, dinner for two at Cucina Paradiso, and a bottle of Fetzer Pinot Noir well made up for all the times we came home from Legendary Bingo empty-handed.

While the night was entertaining, my next murder mystery will be something more scripted--something that feels more like a show and less like I'm paying to watch a disorganized troop of actors mess around.

Yours Truly,
Fiona Fatale

Cucina Paradiso
3387 Motor Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(866) 496-0535

Bistro Beaux [Torrance]

We came here with my SO's parents, so my foremost criteria in restaurant choice was one that could accommodate both conservative and bolder tastes. I figured that Bistro Beaux' selection of familiar pastas, risottos, and Italian items would make the fusion restaurant appear more approachable for the timid. Our bill for five came out to be a little over $100 [we had leftovers].

The Baked Eryngil Mushroom with Sea Urchin came with King Oyster mushrooms, which were deeply fragrant and perfumed every bite with notes of vanilla bean and butter. While our waitress gave a less-than-flattering description of the gratin as "cubes of bread in a Gorgonzola sauce," our mouths watered at the delicate flavor, smooth creaminess, and crunchy baguette slices. We found the Seared Albacore Sashimi under-seasoned, though it was served with some good vinegared onions.

We ended up ordering three pastas, which allowed us to assess the kitchen's range. There were three different sauce bases, flavors, and proteins across our creamy-sweet Crab Mayonnaise, traditional meat sauce (not pictured), and spicy Mediterranean spaghetti dishes.

Each person at the table had their own favorite with mine being the Spicy Scallop Spaghetti from the special menu. The very light olive oil sauce got most of its flavor from generous slices of garlic [the precise knife work on the garlic was very impressive] and dried pepper pods. Across the board, the spaghetti noodles could have been thinner. We also tried the Salmon Cheese Risotto, which took 20 minutes to prepare and was our least favorite dish.

For dessert we had the forgettable Tiramisu (available Fridays only) and the Catarana, which can best be described as a frozen custard with the velvety texture of cheesecake and creme brulee top. It was unique and I can't say I've ever had anything quite like it.

Despite its C-grade from the Los Angeles Department of Public Health, Bistro Beaux is a restaurant we look forward to coming back to. The menu is large, the choices are diverse, and the full bar keeps the restaurant open till 1am.

Disclaimer: There is nothing bistro-like about Bistro Beaux, which resembles an industrial warehouse, complete with security grates, sheet metal, and chain-link fences.

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Food update July 29, 2007

Ume is an acquired taste, but if you're unaccustomed like we were were, your mouth will pucker at its sourness and then cringe at the salt. The daikon itself is similar to jicama, but while the Ume Daikon received rave reviews on Yelp, its "uniqueness" was far beyond the comprehension of my palate. The Chili Bamboo Shoots were an excellent okazu (side dish) from the special menu.

I stand by my claim that anything with mushrooms on the menu is excellent at Bistro Beaux with the Scrambled Eggs and Mushroom being no exception. As humble as it may be, the eggs were incredibly moist with the soft curds intermingling perfectly with the chewy button and king trumpet mushrooms. The scents released into ours mouths were mesmerizing.

Our spaghettis were less successful this time with uneven execution across the three varieties. Some of the dishes were too oily, others too buttery, and the pasta not cooked al dente. The Seafood Spaghetti with tomato sauce was the only winner, piled high with sweet shrimp, calamari, and clams. The Carbonara was tossed with fatty bacon pieces and the Mentaiko (pollack roe) Spaghetti with Mushrooms tasted stale.

Dinner was a steal with three small dishes and three spaghetti plates coming only to $8.60 for each of our five table members.

Bistro Beaux
21605 S. Western Ave, Ste. A
Torrance, CA 90501
(310) 320-5820

Try: anything with the mushrooms in it, Crab Mayo Spaghetti, Catarana, Bolognese, Spicy Scallop Spaghetti
Skip: Pollack Roe Spaghetti, Ume Daikon, gratins, Carbonara

Kimera [Irvine]

Kimera has all the trappings of the type of restaurants I tend to be wary of. First, it belongs to a restaurant group (namely the Dining as Art Collection, which also owns Bastide). Second, it serves fusion food in a trendy lounge and dining room combo. And lastly, it falls into the category of restaurant that I call "overpriced fine dining designed to appease OC conservatism."

To say I was skeptical about coming to Kimera would be a gross understatement. To say that you'd have to drag me kicking and screaming on any other day besides Father's Day would be more like it.

What ended up really selling me on the restaurant was the OC Weekly's mention of "chef Chris Grodach—a true food alchemist from Napa Valley institution the French Laundry." French Laundry and molecular gastronomy? The two biggest buzz words on the culinary front right now? Now I was really curious.


The restaurant certainly makes a statement with its slanted bamboo ceiling and the splashes of abstract art scrawled across bold red walls. The flower arrangements at the center were nothing short of stunning and I'm told that they're brought in on a weekly basis.

Despite the Asian-sounding name and the few dishes reflecting influences from Japanese and Thai cooking, most of the menu has a Mediterranean slant with some Spanish and Italian thrown in for good measure. The menu is purposefully vague and begs you to ask questions of your waiter. We ordered three appetizers and two entrees to share between three people.

Based on our waiter's recommendations we started with the Polenta Beignets ($10.50) and the Seared Scallops ($12.75). I didn't feel as though frying was the best way to bring out the flavor of polenta and the most prominent flavor was the Parmesan cheese, which wasnt even mentioned on the menu. Regardless, the waiters were recommending it left and right and it seemed as though every party had an order on their table. The two jumbo scallops were perfectly cooked and were good enough to be served on their own (the olive oil emulsion and prosciutto didn't add much).

We also tried the Heirloom Squash Blossoms, which came with came with an ibarra and milk chocolate mole sauce. You would have expected the combination of achiote, lime, mole, and goat cheese to be overwhelming, but the flavors worked as good balances against each other and the dish was incredibly light.

For our mains, we ordered the Seared Ahi on ratatouille ($26.75) and the Paprika-dusted hangar steak on a bed of corn with a manchego fondue ($23.40). While both proteins were cooked well and of high quality, they were also both under-seasoned. The kernels of corn that came with hangar steak were like biting into little nuggets infused with the essence of summer.

As a whole, I felt that the flavors could have been crisper and more distinct. While the dishes tasted good overall, the individual flavor components were either incomplete, incompatible, or absent altogether. The aesthetic and presentation, however, was flawless.

I was glad to see that the restaurant had an in-house pastry chef and we opted for the Tropical Cheesecake ($7.50). The texture was good, though the flavors of the coconut macaroon crust and pineapple gelee were lost in the cheesecake.

Service was uneven, though the effort was there. Our waiter neglected to bring us a basket of bread in addition to spilling a glass of water on our table. He seemed to struggle with his words when I asked questions about the menu, though that could have been a lack of eloquence more than anything else. But ultimately, we received our service with a smile and everyone worked together to make sure all our needs were attended. Hey, no harm, no foul.

Chef Grodach's experience at the French Laundry shows in the kitchen's ability to turn out dishes that are perfectly cooked, but the true test of his skill will only be known when the dishes are perfectly seasoned. Kimera just opened not too long ago and I suspect the kitchen and waitstaff have yet to work out the kinks. When they do, I'll be the first revisit.

Kimera

19530 Jamboree Rd
Irvine, CA 92612
(949) 261-1222

Spoon House [Gardena]

Updated July 15, 2007

Our visits to Spoon House (1) aren't going anywhere fast, since we are always sharing, but at least this time, we were able to try a few more dishes courtesy of our UYE (Unofficial Yelp Event) outing.

By far, the most popular choice was the Japanese Cod Roe and Butter Sauce (Tarako), which comes with seaweed, squid, sea urchin or a combination of the three. The butter sauce was mild and light, though the taste of the cod roe is a little understated for the dish (Il Chianti does better with its version).

#34 - Hot garlic with seasoned mushrooms, grated daikon, and bonito

Number 34 was a real hit and probably our favorite at Spoon House yet. The mushrooms are finely chopped and whipped into a slightly sticky and delicately sweet sauce, while the bonito and seaweed give the dish a distinct Japanese twist. It's not as hot as you'd expect it to be, though there are diced dried peppers tossed into the dish. The flavors really meld well and sing in your mouth.

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After failed lunch plans for Saturday, we opted to drive out to the South Bay again and check out Spoon House, the Japanese-Italian pasta place. After stopping off early at Sakura-Ya to pick up some manju sweets, we drove two minutes around the corner and found the bright turquoise storefront without difficulty.

Seating was ample at noon when we arrived and we chose to sit at the bar for its view of the open kitchen. We watched as plate after plate of piping hot spaghetti came out fresh from the kitchen and decided that one entree would be enough our small appetites on this particular Sunday afternoon. After perusing the menu and steering away from items we could have at any generic Italian restaurant, we settled on the Japanese-style clam sauce with shimeji and shitake mushrooms ($9.75). We also had them add shiso for an additional ($10.50)

Every meal at Spoon House starts off with a basket of bread and the customary $1 salad. Though Yelp had led us to believe that both of these starters were "to die for," we found them no better than something you would conjure up for a last-minute dinner. I've had far better French bread and the salad dressing was pretty standard for a Japanese restaurant.

The kitchen had the timing just right and our spaghetti came out just after we had finished our salads. The portions at Spoon House are just right--large enough to make you feel as if you're getting some really good bang for your buck and small enough so that you dont feel overwhelmed with gluttony.

I've always been weary of seafood-based pastas, but the mild clam sauce was a perfectly balanced against the citrusy shiso leaves and pungent seaweed which topped our spaghetti. The mushrooms captured the essence of the sauce, while retaining their own their own flavor. The dish as a whole was very light and between the two of us, we had a little left over.

Spoon House is perfect for families and was filled with kids of all ages. It is also unique in that it is one of the first South Bay Japanese restaurants where there were equal amounts of Japanese and non-Japanese patrons. We'll definitely have to come back on another day and hope that they have business cards in stock.

Spoon House
1601 W. Redondo Beach Boulevard.
Gardena, CA 90247
(310) 538-0376

Il Chianti [Lomita]

Update September 1, 2007. See original post below.

Thank you Il Chianti for another stellar meal. Our choices this time leaned towards Southern Italian-Mediterranean preparations and seemed lighter on the whole. See the following montage of photos and accompanying descriptions below.




The Caribbean Salad was your standard green salad with a variety of cold seafoods. It was nothing spectacular, though the miso hybrid was a touch more interesting than your average dressing.

The Tuna Tartar initially elicited a sigh of resignation from me. While the concept is quite stale, Il Chianti does a fabulous interpretation, macerating the tuna into a puree and pairing it with fresh green onions and a light lemon-scented olive oil.

The Fried Octopus in a Balsamico Sauce was excellent as well.

The Crab Pilaf was a spin-off of the popular Squid Ink Risotto with the addition of a gigantic crab leg and clams and minus the fancy sizzling clay pot. Without the table-side presentation, the rice is as good as ever with the seafood adding even more flavor and interest.

The Fresh Tagliatelle with Pancetta and Paprika was the star of the night. The chewy tagliatelle was made in-house and easily one of the best pasta choices I've had yet. The sauce was tart with an earthy savoriness from the pancetta.

The Bouillabaisse was a cornucopia of shellfish with a broth spiked with sundried tomatoes and olives. Even after our server told us, we still couldn't identify the fish, which was chewy like calamari and flaked like black cod. The fish didn't work for us, though the rest of the dish was conceivably good.

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June 5, 2007

We wanted to share Il Chianti with some friends, so we came for a second visit only one week after our first [I'm going to combine both visits into one review]. We were disappointed that the May specials hadn't yet turned over, but the extremely tall menu gave us more than enough options to choose from. Since we had pretty much exhausted the specials on our last visit, we opted to delve more deeply into the regular menu this time around.

Il Chianti is the type of restaurant where you can dare to be adventurous without regret. It is suitable for business affairs without being overly stuffy for a casual night out. And best of all, it is very reasonably priced.

The restaurant is well sectioned off with a few patio areas, an eat-in bar, private rooms, and a raised seating area with views of the open kitchen. Even if Il Chianti was packed to the brim, you would never notice because of the intimate set-up that makes you feel as if the restaurant is only a handful of tables. The vibe is of an Italian trattoria, though the chalkboard specials are written in Japanese.

The Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant serves up salad, pizzas, pastas and entrees divided up by primi and secondi courses.

Every meal at Il Chianti comes with their special bread, which isnt so special in of itself were it not for the olive oil and balsamic onion confit. A step above your average balsamic vinegar and oil combo, the onion confit adds both texture and depth.

Appetizers

We started with the special edamame appetizer ($5), which came shelled and with parmesan. I didnt think the Italian treatment did much for the edamame, but the dish wasnt bad by any means. Then came the soft-shell crab rolls ($3.80 each), which were not what we expected at all. There is a two order minimum on these, which are billed as an Il Chianti special. They come with two crepes, two soft-shelled crabs (one of which is encrusted with sesame], lettuce, a miso dipping sauce, and a spicy mayo dipping sauce. After you assemble them like spring rolls, you can toss your head back and revel in the melody of flavors. They are simple, but very good.

Pastas
On our second visit, we also tried the Il Chianti crab cakes from the Specials. We were misled by the vague description, which cited only that the crab cakes were served with two sauces when it also should have mentioned that they were more like potato latkes with crab inside. The cakes were so starchy that we could barely even see the crab, let alone taste it. The tomato and cream cheese sauces that it came went were equally lackluster.

After filing through the Chowhound boards, we decided against the heartier entrees and went straight to the pastas. The first was the gnocchi of the day ($13.50 medium), which came with an herbed tomato cream sauce, dried tomatoes and duck meatballs. The flavor of the duck in the meatballs wasn't as pronounced as I would have liked, but they were robust nonetheless.

On our second visit, we tried two more specials including the gratin of the day ($8.50) and the chef's pasta ($12.50). The gratin was a baked penne in a spinach cream sauce with seasonal vegetables and while we loved the decadence of the high-end mashed potatoes, we didnt care much for the zucchinis and bell peppers. The chef's pasta is always a duo and this time, it was spaghetti prepared two ways: (1) Marinara sauce with mushrooms and bacon (2) Cream mentaiko [cod roe] sauce. While the pasta was undercooked, the sauces played well off of each other with the thin red sauce balancing the heavier cream base.

Risottos & Pilafs
The restaurant's specialty is the squid ink risotto ($12.50 medium), which is served in a hot stone pot. They mix and serve the risotto tableside and between the two of us, we each had one piece of squid to share (three pieces to share when we had four people). Though that may seem skimpy, it's really the risotto that's the star attraction.

Pizzas
To make sure we had adequately visited the menu, we added the Umibe pizza onto our order for round two. It was a seafood pizza topped with mozarella, baby clams, dried tomatoes, and an egg. It was unique in both its toppings and its treatment of the egg, which was baked separately from the pizza. Interesting flavor-wise, but not necessarily mouth watering.

Dessert
Dessert has been disappointing on both occasions with the tiramisu being too heavy for my taste (though my SO enjoyed it) and the cheesecake souffle lacking in both texture and flavor. We wanted to try the pineapple panna cotta, but were told they were still making it. We asked how long it would take and our waiter told us, "many hours."

Although some of the dishes didn't live up to their menu descriptions, we attributed that more to a language barrier than poor marketing. While the waiters speak enough English to answer your most basic questions, come equipped with a Japanese menu if you have other special requests that involve ingredients and preparations not already listed on the menu at some point or other. We have thoroughly enjoyed our dinners [both this week and last], which came out to a reasonable $47 with dessert for two people and $96 for four.

*Thanks to Sheepathon for taking photos of our dinner.

Il Chianti
24503 Narbonne Ave
Lomita, CA 90717
(310) 325-5000