Sunday, January 18, 2009

Pastis

My last minute idea of dinner at Grace didn't quite work out, but Pastis was in the area so I dropped by. There was no way in hell I was going to wait until 9:30pm for a table at Grace.

Mimosa is a few blocks away too so you know they'll try to outdo the competition.
Well...at least I hope they'd try. Good chefs at Pastis are constantly getting plucked away by bigger restaurants, so I guess it's hard to be consistent.


Appetizers

Warm Goat Cheese and Artichoke Tart

GOOD. Flaky crust, sweet filling and very mild goat cheese makes this a star on the menu. The salad is impressive as well. The basil infused olive oil and a light drizzle of vinaigrette totally makes the salad.


Steamed Mussels

I tried my hand at making these over winter break, and while they turned out really really well, these mussels made my culinary accomplishment seem like a child's work. I'd put the mussels at Pastis on the same level as Mimosa's. "Broth" is a bit lighter here, though, and more apparent taste from white wine.


Seared Foie Gras

How predictable that I'd order foie gras. At Pastis, they sandwich it between two slices of caramelized pears and place is on the zigzag of some really good sauce. I completely forgot to ask for a copy of the menu so it's kinda hard for me to ID it. Toasted raisin brioche is not to be missed. Mop up the sauce with it! I'd say this is one must-order item.


Entrees

Oven Roasted Cod

My first reaction was: "Wow that is a dinky piece of cod...." After I got over it, I really enjoyed the crispy skin and that deliciously fatty flesh. Portion size in comparison to other entrees still ticks me off a bit though.

I don't know how I screwed up the shot...


Roasted Duck Breast

Medium rare. Kinda tough to pull off without a lot of experience. Undercook it and the meat becomes almost rubbery. Overcook it, and Roger will be even more unhappy. Pastis did a pretty good job here, though it was a tad on the rare side. Regardless, I'd still declare this a winner on their menu. The entree comes with two amazing pieces of duck confit/mushroom/basil ravioli that really should be offered on the entree menu. I don't want to say that it steals the duck breast's thunder, but it is really pushing it. Order this.


Sauteed Skate

Skate is one fugly fish that looks equally fugly on a plate but the meat is soft n sweet. I really like the texture too--a weird combination of soft, springy, and stringy. The dish itself is rather rich, but lemon capers help balance things out a bit with some acidity. This is another must-order item.


Desserts

Peach Almond Tart

I very much enjoyed this dessert. The top layer consists of caramelized fruit, which I'm sure you can imagine, is quite effin' good. As you can notice, the edge of the tart's crust is slightly burnt. While I personally kinda like my crust like this, some people probably don't. It's probably a fluke. Unlike most restaurant desserts, this one was not overly sweet, which again wins it major points. The vanilla ice cream really puts it over the top, though. I've never had such good vanilla before. Scoop some into your mouth and your tastebuds will scream "VANILLA" on the top of their lungs.


Pastis Choclate Profiterolles

Looks like fried baby drumsticks, but they are actually puffs with a rich dark chocolate filling. I wish Pastis would give more than five though.


Assorted Sorbets (mango, lime, raspberry)


Good restaurant with good food and cute servers. I can't decide which restaurant I like better: Mimosa or Pastis. Kinda (barely) leaning toward Mimosa, though because of the availability of daily prix-fixe specials and overall experience. Both are great places for a date, too! Not like that matters to me, but maybe you guys (and gals) would benefit from it :D


Stay tuned for a writeup of Grace.
Also, Will has a new seaonsal dessert platter as well as a VDay event! RSVP FAST since there aren't many tables left.





Pastis
8114 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323.655-8822

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

South Beach Bar and Grill

Been feeling a bit down lately, so I decided to go out for a night of drinking with some friends. Happy hour at South Beach Bar and Grill = awesome $2 tacos. To top it off, Monday nights = all-night happy hour! Eat up!

A pal started off with some fried clam strips, Jose cocktail, and shrimp cocktail. Cocktails were okay. I mean for two bucks it's a real bargain. I especially liked how they give you a dab of real horseradish in the cocktail sauce.

Fried Clam Strips

Don't get these. Rubbery and too much batter. Opt for the fried calamari or baby octopus instead. Also, skip the carne asada fries, which are unremarkable save for the guacamole.

I'm sure there are some good appetizer items on the menu for me to discover or hear about, but the real reason to come to South Beach Bar and Grill is for the tacos.

Oh my god the tacos...

Mini-taco platter: Mahi, Wahoo, Grilled Shrimp, Calamari, and Baja

For $5.48 you can treat yourself out to one great gastronomic experience. These tacos are anything but mini. Compare the limes in the background and fried pollock in the foreground and you can see how big these 'mini' tacos are. Despite all those condiments piled on, the meats come to you piping hot and the fried ones are still crispy! I only had a taste of the Mahi and Baja, and both were really fresh quality fish.

Baja and Mahi Tacos

Same as the mini-taco platter but bigger. No wait, I mean huger. These are freakin' GINORMOUS. I was full after chowing on these and washing it all down with a beer. I had only two eggs and a piece of toast that day too... You'd figure I'd be stuffing myself with three more of these babies. Oh yeah nearly forgot: I think you can tack on rice/beans for a teeny bit more money if you'd like.


Amazing. And to top it all off, the service is surprisingly good and attentive. I'm making the trip to Ocean Beach every other Monday now. Maybe I'll mix it up a bit with 3rd Corner too. See ya guys there!





South Beach Bar and Grill
5059 Newport Ave.
Ocean Beach, CA
619.226-4577

Friday, January 9, 2009

Regent's Pizzeria

Yes I know there haven't been any new posts since Christmas. I've just had a string of bad luck and disappointments towards the end of '08 that seems to have followed me into '09. Hobbies kinda take a back seat in these situations...

On the bright side, friend of mine got me a killer slice of pizza from Regent's Pizzeria. A lot of UCSD students should be familiar with this place, given its proximity to apartments on Regents/La Jolla Village Drive.

Chicago Meat Lover's: pepperoni, sausage, meatballs

What a beast. This hefty slice of pizza has several layers: sauce, pasta, sausage/meatballs, pepperoni, mozzarella, dough. I really liked the meats in here, particularly the spicy sausage. For a mere $3.50/slice, I'd say this is a pretty good deal. Hell, I'm going to get another slice tonight.


And yes, that is my Mickey Mouse mug.


Regent's Pizzeria
4150 Regents Park Row #170
La Jolla, CA 92037
858.550-0406