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Vegas Uncork’d 2013: Grand Tasting (Las Vegas, NV)

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Darin

Vegas Uncork’d Grand Tasting
Caesar’s Palace: Garden of the Gods
3570 S Las Vegas Blvd
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Dining date: 5/10/13

Each year, Vegas Uncork’d is one of the largest food and wine events on the West Coast. Las Vegas is an ideal place for one of these festivals, given its high concentration of notable chefs with a presence in the city. Granted, Las Vegas is rarely the location of their flagship restaurant, but a large-scale event such as this one really seems to bring in these chefs from across the country (and some internationally).

Vegas Uncork’d, presented by Bon Appetit, spans almost 30 individual, unique events. Intimate dinners and cooking demonstrations make up the bulk of the events, but the one I’ve gone to the past couple of years is the Grand Tasting (and my extended family has been going for many years now). This year, the all-you-can-eat/drink event brought together 100 different restaurants/wineries/spirits for a $225 admission. It’s definitely not cheap, but the food is typically of high quality and the event provides the unique ability to see and interact with many of these chefs (many of whom are elusive, hopping around between restaurants so often). Some of the bigger-name chefs I spotted this year (I’m sure there are others I missed) were Joel Robuchon, Gordon Ramsay, Bobby Flay, Michael Mina, Guy Savoy, Michel Richard, Francois Payard, Masaharu Morimoto, Hubert Keller, Graham Elliott, and Charlie Palmer. Yep, a lot.

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Le Grand Fooding (Los Angeles, CA)

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Darin

Le Grand Fooding Crush Paris – Los Angeles
The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA
152 N Central Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Dining date: 4/26/13 and 4/27/13

This past weekend, Le Grand Fooding made its first foray into Los Angeles. The traveling event, hosted in San Francisco and New York in past instances, seeks to promote chefs of both nations cooking a sort of bistronomics concept – fine dining concept in a more affordable atmosphere. The event was a two-day affair at downtown’s Geffen Contemporary at MOCA (in addition to an exclusive pre-event dinner cooked by Craig Thornton (Wolvesmouth) and Miles Thompson (Allumette) - full pictures here).

The chef lineup was pretty impressive, with 11 big-name chefs from both LA and Paris. Some of the chefs cooked on only one day and a handful cooked on both days. General admission tickets were $50 and included one dish from each chef and a glass of champagne. Ticket prices went up in three tiers, all the way up to a $125 VIP ticket that included early entrance, a secluded dining area, and an extra dish from a VIP-only chef. Tickets sold out in a hurry, but I managed to purchase a base level ticket for each day.

For the two evenings, MOCA’s outdoor venue was set up with a DJ tower, multiple chef booths and an impressive Veuve Clicquot tower.

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The Taste: Flavors of LA (Los Angeles, CA)

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Darin

The Taste 2012: Flavors of LA
Paramount Pictures Studios
5555 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Dining date: 9/2/12

Day 2 of The Taste brought two more events: ‘Flavors of LA’ during the day and ‘Dinner & Drinks’ at night. I went to the daytime session, featuring an eclectic mix of LA’s food scene. Some of the main highlights, to me, were the cooking demonstrations on this day. A very strong lineup of chefs would be showcasing their talent including Ludo Lefebvre (LudoBites), Kris Yenbamroong (Night + Market), and Ricardo Zarate (Mo-Chica, Picca).

Like the rest of the weekend’s events, all food, drink and seminars/demos were included in the price of admission ($65 in advance, $75 at the door, $50 via LivingSocial promo).

The Glendon Bar & Kitchen bourbon buffalo wings

Valerie Confections brown derby grapefruit cake; blum’s coffee crunch cake

Ombra Ristorante vitello tonnato

Wurstküche mango jalapeno sausage, caramelized onions; rattlesnake and rabbit sausage, sweet peppers

Saffron Spot tutti frutti and saffron ice creams

Schulzies Bread Pudding assorted bread puddings (salted caramel and earl grey pictured)

Tamarind of London tangy semolina shells; mango-passion lassi

Mayura butter chicken, aloo palak, garlic naan

Bulgarini assorted gelati

Sam’s By the Beach artichoke souffle, roquefort cheese, chives

Susan Fenniger’s STREET paani puri

Waffles de Liege liege waffle

Coupa Café beef empanaditas; arepas

Locando del Lago farro ai funghi

CHAYA watermelon mojito; tuna burger

Gottsui okonomiyaki

Lukshon sichuan pig ear terrine; kimchi bloody maria

Picca/Mo-Chica unagi causa roll

La Casita Mexicana mole poblano chicken

bashi/Terranea caramelized shrimp, green papaya salad

Plan Check smokey fried chicken, smoked milk gravy, yam preserves, spicy pickled okra

Farmshop heirloom melon gazpacho, sweet corn, la quercia speck ham, opal basil, za’atar

Sushi Roku halibut, yuzu vinaigrette

The Cake Mamas chocolate salted caramel, good witch, churro cupcakes

Carvel 90210 custom dipped ice cream cones

Coolhaus assorted ice cream sandwiches

Of course, alcohol was plentiful at the event (as well as some non-alcoholic options!).

I also caught a glimpse of Jonathan Gold, Sang Yoon, Gustavo Arellano and Evan Kleinman discussing the state of the LA food scene.

And Ricardo Zarate talking about and preparing his highly regarded Peruvian ceviche.

I thought this was another successful event. Similar to the prior day, I didn’t find too much of the food to particularly stand out, but the overall variety of events was more than enough to pique my interest. Food-wise, perhaps my favorite bite of the weekend was Valerie Confections’ coffee crunch cake. Moist and light, it had just the right amount of coffee flavor and textural crunch, reminding me of the cake I had so many times growing up in San Francisco. Plan Check served a generous portion of their smokey fried chicken, a dish that’s quickly becoming a notable one around town. Exceedingly juicy, the chicken had a nice crust and paired well with the smokey milk gravy. Waffles de Liege served their namesake liege waffles hot off the iron – delicately crispy yet fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness. Lastly, Bulgarini served up some excellent gelato, including a refreshing jasmine flavor.

Note: This event was hosted.

The Taste: Field to Fork (Los Angeles, CA)

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Darin

The Taste 2012: Field to Fork
Paramount Pictures Studios
5555 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90038
Dining date: 9/1/12

This past weekend, The Taste returned to LA. In its second year, it’s one of the biggest food festivals in the city, stretching over the three day Labor Day weekend. It was a slightly slimmed down version this year with less events (5), one location (Paramount Studios), and a more approachable ticket price ($65 in advance, $75 at the door, $50 via a LivingSocial promo).

Similar to last year, the five events each had a different theme. Each featured its own lineup of cooking demonstrations, wine seminars, chef panels and book signings. Of course, unlimited food & drink tastings were included in the ticket price as well, making this one of the most complete (if not the most) food event packages for 65 bucks.

The first event of the weekend, ‘Field to Fork’, reflected the farm-to-table concept that we’ve been seeing more and more of around the country. In addition to the ~30 restaurants whipping up dishes, there were a number of farms showcasing their produce, as well a panel on the ‘State of the Farmers Market.’

Tender Greens freekeh, gazpacho sliders

Rocio’s Moles de Dioses grasshopper cream soup

Ombra Ristorante farro salad

9021PHO chicken pho

FigOly spicy gazpacho with crab

Ray’s & Stark Bar roasted pork belly, watermelon

Good Girl Dinette corn and tomato hand pie, peach hand pie

Valerie Confections basil panna cotta with blenheim preserves

Bistro 45 za’atar dusted duck, honey dates, goat cheese polenta

Locanda del Lago puree of market vegetables, micro arugula; eggplant sorbet, ricotta, red onion, golden raisin saute

Scarpetta porchetta, smoked brentwood corn, pickled mustard seed vinaigrette

Mr. Chow chicken satay; shanghai cucumber

Sysco sterling silver roasted new york

La Casita Mexicana dry white corn soup; bean salad

Casa Azul Cantina/Frida mexican corn snack

Guelaguetza oyster mushroom & cactus tostadas

BLVD 16 heirloom tomato & watermelon gazpacho; strawberry & piquillo gazpacho

Creme Caramel LA vanilla and emerald plum almond creme caramel; vanilla and upside down summer peach bread pudding

Terranea lobster rolls; peach blueberry oat streusel pie

Canele mixed bean salad

Lexington Social House grilled peaches with burrata and crispy pancetta; rice pudding with pineapple

Red O pork belly sopes

Soleto Trattoria & Pizza Bar chopped salad; salmon scallopini, tiramisu; strawberry shortcake

Wood & Vine chicken liver & foie gras pate

The Blvd at Beverly Wilshire Hotel quail breast, chayote jicama slaw, guajillo vinaigrette

Cook’s County spretzel with mustard dipping sauce; grilled sausage salad with pickled onion

Drinks were also plentiful, perhaps moreso than the food itself. One of my favorites was Veev pouring drinks (mojito or lemonade) into these mason jars.

I probably stopped by the Vita Coco stand a dozen times throughout the weekend.

And tasted my way through several pours of scotch and tequila…

in between other cocktails and wines.

I was also able to catch a few minutes of one of the wine tasting seminars and the tail end of a cooking competition between David LeFevre (M.B. Post) and Ray Garcia (Fig).

This was a fun event. Given it was outdoors and pretty damn hot out, shade and anything cold (cocktails!) were in high demand. Food-wise, I didn’t think there was anything spectacular, but some of the highlights were Scarpetta’s porchetta, Valerie Confections’ basil panna cotta, and Wood & Vine’s chicken liver & foie gras pate. Scarpetta’s porchetta, which seemed to actually just be roasted pork belly, was lucious, tender and delicious. Served with a smoky corn puree and a light vinaigrette to cut through the richness – it was a winner. Valerie Confections brought a couple of my favorite bites of the weekend; here, the panna cotta was smooth and creamy with a subtle basil flavor. Paired with a sweet apricot preserve, this was another hit. I thought Sysco was an odd inclusion in the ‘restaurant’ lineup, but I’ll never complain with large roasts of strip loin beef. Lastly, I appreciated Wood & Vine taking the opportunity to give away some foie gras, in a duo of tasty livers (chicken and foie) on a crispy crostini.

Being one of the more reasonable ticket prices in the LA food festival arena, The Taste presented quite a bit of value with its considerable array of food/drink-related activities. I’m excited to see how The Taste evolves next year.

Note: This was a hosted event.

LA Food & Wine: Saturday Grand Tasting (Los Angeles, CA)

Posted on August 15, 2012 by Darin

Saturday Grand Tasting
Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival 2012
L.A. Live
800 W. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Dining date: 8/11/12

While this past weekend’s LA Food & Wine festival offered a host of options in its 40+ events, the ones that piqued my interest most were the tastings. Food is the centerpiece of almost every event, but there are a few events (Saturday/Sunday Grand Tastings, Live on the Plaza) that offer food from dozens of different restaurants from around the country.

Saturday’s Grand Tasting featured around 30 chefs/restaurants and many more wineries (100+) in all-you-can-eat-and-drink fashion. The event was held during the day at LAFW’s “base” – LA Live. A huge tent shielded patrons from the searing sun, though the AC was overwhelmed by the sheer number of people (and makeshift kitchens) during one of the summer’s hottest heatwaves. Given the heat, water, champagne and cold beer seemed to be in strong demand to go along with the food.

Each chef/restaurant had its own booth, with many of them serving multiple tastes.

Perfecto Rocher (Lazy Ox Canteen) watermelon gazpacho, jamon iberico, caviar

Gabriel Ask (Montage Beverly Hills) corn panna cotta, bacon chips, uni

Floyd Cardoz (North End Grill) mangalitsa pork, chutney

Ernesto Uchimura (Plan Check) fried chicken, smoked milk gravy, pickled okra

Mark Estee (Campo) blood pudding, crispy polenta

Andre Bienvenu (Joe’s Stone Crab) popcorn with lobster, shrimp, crab, pork belly; seared ahi with merlot sugar

Hector Ramirez (Ruth’s Chris) mini filet oscar style; crabtini; sweet potato casserole

Fabio Viviani (Firenze Osteria) pasta with duck sausage and fennel

Anthony Meidenbauer (Holstein’s) pork belly slider

Joachim Splichal (Patina) summer corn pudding, crab salad, lobster espuma

Rick Tramonto (R’evolution) BBQ shrimp and grits

Jeremy Berlin (Church & State) heirloom tomatoes, balsamic vinegar

Stephan Pyles (Stephan Pyles) scallop escabeche, red corn, spiced chicharron, huitlacoche foam

Ricardo Zarate (Mo-Chica, Picca) grilled paiche miso

Kerry Simon and Nona Sivley (LA Market) snickers, chocolate peanut butter cups

Justin Everett (Murray Circle) saison ale peach preserves, oat financier, brown sugar creme

Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (Border Grill) summer bean salad tostadita

Hasty Torres (Madame Chocolat) assorted chocolates

Magnolia Bakery banana pudding, cupcakes

Mark Ainsworth (Pastry Smart) chocolate cremeaux

Ryan Morrison (Towne) pig in a blanket with lobster and smoked sausage

Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier (Arrows) lobster fried green tomato sandwich

Paul Shoemaker (Savory) ribeye, kimchi, umeboshi

Duane Owen (Pechanga) pan seared lobster and crispy pork belly, savoy cabbage slaw, chardonnay reduction, micro greens

Cold champagne was a popular choice in the muggy tent, and I had more than my own fair share.

Highlights for me included the dishes from Patina and Lazy Ox Canteen. Patina’s corn pudding and crab salad provided two layers of sweetness in some delicious, cool and refreshing bites. A little bit of lobster flavor provided some extra depth of flavor. Lazy Ox’s dish featured a duo of decadent flavors between the jamon iberico and caviar; the cool, sweet watermelon was a welcome accompaniment to bring it all together. Plan Check’s fried chicken was one of the most popular booths all afternoon and for good reason – the smoky fried chicken was very juicy and flavorful with an addicting crunch from the crispy batter. Finally, Fabio Viviani’s pasta with duck sausage was simple yet well-done, with an al dente pasta and rich duck ragu. I’m always a sucker for a good pasta, and came back for couple more portions.

Aside from stronger air conditioning, I’d like to see more national representation from the chefs and restaurants next year in this event. One of the things that separates LA Food & Wine (and Pebble Beach Food & Wine) from a lot of the other festivals in LA is the fact that it can draw chefs from outside of LA, allowing patrons more of an opportunity to try something new.

Note: This was a sponsored event.

LA Food & Wine: Asian Night Market (Los Angeles, CA)

Posted on August 12, 2012 by Darin

Asian Night Market
Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival 2012
Nokia Plaza
800 W. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Dining date: 8/10/12

Los Angeles Food & Wine is in its second year, already one of the largest (if not the largest) food festivals of the year in LA. With 40+ events over 4 days, it seemingly has something for everyone from tasting events to cooking demonstrations to wine tastings to some strong power lunches. It’s a sibling festival to Pebble Beach Food & Wine, one of Northern California’s marquee food festivals (which just completed its fifth year).

This year I attended two of the events: Asian Night Market and the Saturday Grand Tasting. Night markets seem to be all the rage in this city recently, with the 626 Night Market and Lucky Rice Night Market also happening in the last few weeks.

Tickets were $75 ($125 VIP), inclusive of all food & drink, with almost 30 chefs/restaurants represented and dozens more wineries/spirits/bars. While more expensive than competing night markets, this event uniquely offered access to a number of non-LA chefs, including Ming Tsai, Edward Lee, Susur Lee, and Charles Phan.

The event was largely outdoors, somewhat a concern in the midst of a sweltering heat wave. However, the sun set pretty soon after the event opened and I didn’t think it was that bad. Plus, it was particularly night being out under the lights at night.

Keep hydrated was key all evening, and smartwater was well-stocked all evening (seriously, I’m amazed how often events like these run out of water). This is exactly what I dream of when I’m hungover.

Each chef/restaurant had their own booth, serving up their interpretation of an east Asian street food dish.

Ming Tsai (Blue Ginger) tea smoked sirloin with mala oil

Roy Yamaguchi (Roy’s) chicken, jade pesto, cherry blossom rice

Jet Tila (The Charleston) five spice pork belly bun

Bryant Ng (The Spice Table) skate, sambal, coconut rice

Roy Choi (Kogi)

Sam Choy (Sam Choy’s, Pineapple Express) loco moco

Robert Magsalin (Fukuburger) honey sesame fried chicken, okinawan donut holes

Mohan Ismail (RockSugar) short rib rendang sliders

Edward Lee (610 Magnolia) kimchi rice cakes

Jorge Mijangos (Nobu LA) tuna tacos and wagyu tacos

Hiroshi Shima (Sushi Roku) fluke sashimi

Thi Tran (Starry Kitchen) malaysian chicken curry, lychee panda cotta

Fluff Ice 18 hour lamill cold brew, condensed milk, raspberries, espresso beans

Andrew Zimmern (Bizarre Foods) pork ribs, spareribs sliders

Ricardo Zarate (Mo-Chica, Picca) grilled tuna, asian pesto, camote al hilo

David LeFevre (MB Post) green tea soba, lotus root, shiitake mushrooms

Huge Tree Pastry beef roll

Michael Ginor (Lola) duck slider

Charles Phan (Slanted Door) banh nam, dried shrimp and pork

David Myers chili crab wontons

Yu Bo (Yu’s Family Kitchen) sichuan pork dumplings

John Lechleidner (WP24) malaysian chicken feet, dan dan chicken dumplings, peking duck roll, ovaltine fudgesickles, passionfruit push pops, watermelon rose icies, galia pandan icies

Eddie Wong (Mr. Chow) walnut shrimp, red bean sauce noodles

Duff Goldman (Charm City Cakes West) ginger cake, green tea ice cream

A host of wines and spirits were involved, but I especially appreciated the lineup of cocktail bars serving up ice cold drinks all night long.

If I had to choose one main highlight, it was probably one of the most unassuming dishes I tried – the 18-hour cold brew Taiwanese shaved ice from Fluff Ice. The rich, deep flavor of the coffee really came through; almost like a really good coffee ice cream, albeit much lighter. Condensed milk provided some creaminess and sweetness, while whole espresso beans added additional coffee flavor and texture. While it was the perfect thing for a warm evening, I would’ve eaten this anywhere.

Jet Tila’s pork belly bun consistently had one of the longer lines and for good reason. Tender pork belly with a sweet glaze was sandwiched in between an exceptional warm, delicately crispy bun. Sam Choy’s loco moco was another highlight for me. It was a huge portion of hamburger patty, rice, gravy and a fried egg that tasted very well together with a good balance of flavors. Susur Lee’s puff pastry with duck sausage (unfortunately I forgot to take a picture) was another good one, with a very light, flaky pastry being a difference-maker. Host Andrew Zimmern’s pork ribs were huge, meaty, delicious things that I wanted to rip into teeth-first (though I expected something a little more bizarre, I don’t think he or I were ready for, say, stinky tofu).

I thought this was a lot of fun and probably a good deal as one of the more approachable LAFW tasting events at the $75pp price point. Yes, it’s more expensive than an evening in the San Gabriel Valley, but it’s a whole different type of experience altogether. Though I have one request: can someone please make boba milk tea next year?