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

Mimosa

Here's a sampling from an authentic little French bistro that doesn't break your wallet.

The setting is very casual and can get pretty loud as the dinner hour progresses. Brightness and tone of the lights also change the later it gets. This'll make for very dim lighting that requires either flash or a tripod. I used neither, thus the mediocre pictures that have been "rescued" using Photoshop.


Appetizers:

French Onion Soup Gratinee
w/ "Comte" Cheese

I can count the number of times I've had French onion soup on one hand, but my brother orders it whenever he spots it on a menu. He's one helluva picky eater and he gave the soup two thumbs up. The two of us have similar tastes, so I trust him.

House Country Pate
Onion Marmelade

I was hoping for a more liver-dominant pate (my favorite), but these meaty ones certainly did not disappoint. Mimosa's pate is comparable to Pascal's. Rich, meaty, fatty. One could easily make a meal out of this appetizer since the bread basket is endless.

Steamed Mussels Marinier
with White Wine, Shallots, and Herbs

I can't remember the last time I had mussels this good. Swear to God, they were so fresh that I wouldn't doubt it if Mimosa has a tank of live ones out in the back. There are a total of three flavor options for steamed mussels at Mimosa and I opted for the simplest one as to better taste the meat. These were steamed to perfection and subtly flavored.

Tomato "Confit" Tart "Tatin"

A great light appetizer for a summer evening. My brother ordered this item so I really couldn't get a good taste in since he really tears into his food. The small bit I did get to try, though, was glorious. Tart was so light and flaky that it almost melted in my mouth. Literally. I'm sure it's from all the butter! As you can see, Mimosa has cooked(stewed?) the tomatoes and removed the skin, leaving only the sweet flesh.


Main Courses:

Grilled Filet of Sole
Artichokes "Minestrone" with Fava Beans, Piquillos Pepper and Preserved Lemon Relish

Here we have a nice slab of juicy sole filet topped over an artichoke "minestrone" (aka artichoke soup). You won't believe how tender and juicy the fish is until you try it. None of that rubbery nonsense that you might encounter in some restaurants. Flavor of the artichokes fits really well in this dish and the lemon relish bumps up the flavor profile just a tad bit more.

Steak Tartar
(Black Angus) Hand Chopped Lightly Spicy with Condiments

Some folks feel uneasy about eating raw beef. I can't imagine why, though. Maybe this dish can convert some non-believers? It is strange to associate the word "creamy" with meat, but in this case, it will have to do. Creamy, lightly spicy, hint of green onion, and sweet raw Black Angus beef. Mmm mmm!

Veal Sweetbread with Haricots Verts, Potato Puree, Capers, Lemon Confit

My star of the night! Mimosa dumps a real sizable portion of sweetbread on the plate. A little too much, if you ask me. These were so rich and judging from the taste of the grease, it seems like they were seared in yummy animal fat or something. Thankfully the lemon confit helps to cut some of the richness, but not enough to make me swap plates halfway with my mother's lighter plate of grilled sole. I highly suggest sharing this. Seriously. The portions are huge at Mimosa.


Dessert:

Pot de Chocolate Mousse

Dark chocolate mousse that is not overly sweet = I get a mouthgasm. Mimosa's is very light and airy. I hope to one day learn how to make choco-mousse of this caliber...

Pear Financier
Served Warm, Pecan Caramel Sauce, Vanilla Ice Cream

I had no idea what a "Financier" was, but turns out it's kinda like a sponge cake that tastes like almonds. Top it with ice cream and caramel and you get a big plate of YUM.






Mimosa
8009 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323.655.8895

Joe's Pizza (Santa Monica)

Wow this has been a crazy summer. Haven't had a lot of time to organize my photos and thoughts to post on here. Boohoo. Like anyone really reads my humble little blog anyway...teehee!

Somewhere in between the partying, smoking, shopping, screaming at my dysfunctional family, and job searching, I found a pretty solid pizzeria in Santa Monica while hanging out.

Joe's Pizza hails from the East Coast and has quite the celeb following. They've got pictures across their walls of Hollywood celebs having a slice of Joe's pie. I have never eaten pizza outside of California so I can't compare West Coast Joe with East Coast Joe. It would be awesome to hear how the two locations compare.

We bought a whole pepperoni pizza (8 slices/pie) and being the glutton that I am, I ordered a slice of their white pie:

Caution: Sharp edges

I think I was expecting too much when eating at Joe's, especially after seeing all those Hollywood endorsements and reading all the buzz on the 'net . Food was great, but certainly not worth the high prices and definitely not reflective of all those endorsements. Though who takes Hollywood celebs seriously these days anyway? :P

The pepperoni pizza is very comparable to Bronx Pizza's. Both have a crispy crust that'll tear up the lining in your mouth, but Joe's tastes a bit better. Sauce was real similar too. All in all, a good pizza...but certainly not worth $18. I've had better.

<3 Cheese <3

White pie seems to be a very popular item at Joe's, and with good reason. I don't care if a slice costs $3.50. It was GOOD. See how much cheese there is?! If you love cheese, then buddy...this is the pizza for you. The drizzle of olive oil on the pizza further enhances the taste of mozzarella and (correct me if I'm wrong) ricotta. Despite it being 1-2pm, orders for white pizza constantly came in. I must try Bronx and Luigi's for a comparison.


I think the prices at Joe's are way too damn high, but if you're in the neighborhood and don't feel like eating at one of Santa Monica's many fabulous restaurants, then hop on over to Joe's Pizza and buy yourself a slice of awesomeness. Yes. I mean the white pie.






Joe's Pizza
111 Broadway (@ Ocean)
Santa Monica
310.395-9222 OR 310. 395-9220