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Remembering The Original Tops in Pasadena
The basic cheeseburger at Top's is decent. But the things that put the place over, well, the top are the bacon-avocado burger which is especially well-done here, and of course the luscious bistro burger, made from Kobe-style trims, which the countermen are happy to cook rare. The pickles for some reason are made with breathtaking amounts of turmeric, which give them almost a chutneylike edge.
Le Creuset: Is it worth it?
I'm still using the Le Creuset oven my grandmother got as a wedding present in the early '30s. It was probably expensive then too, but if you figure it has been used 200 times a year for almost 80 years, the per-use cost is pretty reasonable. I love the terrines and the ridged grill pans too, although the skillets are better for cooking down onions or tomato sauces than they are for searing.
How Well Will the Obama Administration Handle Food Issues?
You know, Thailand had an actual TV chef as president last year. It didn't work out so well.
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The 20 Dishes you need to know
This feels weirdly personal:
Roasted root vegetables
Brasato
Frisee aux lardons
Shrimp and grits
Armenian-style chicken kebabs with brothy rice
Spaghetti carbonara/spaghetti alla Gricia
Sole meuniere, little roast potatoes
Risotto Milanese
Tonkatsu
Slow-roasted pork shoulder with rosemary and wild fennel
Pan-roasted chicken with white wine and thyme
Roast chicken with bread salad
Umbrian-style sausage and grapes
Oricchiette with sausage and rapini
Sliced skirt steak with arugula
Crisp duck legs with polenta
Fried chicken with spoonbread
Miso-marinated black cod
Soupe au pistou
Farfalle with long-cooked romanesco and anchovies
Remembering The Original Tops in Pasadena
The basic cheeseburger at Top's is decent. But the things that put the place over, well, the top are the bacon-avocado burger which is especially well-done here, and of course the luscious bistro burger, made from Kobe-style trims, which the countermen are happy to cook rare. The pickles for some reason are made with breathtaking amounts of turmeric, which give them almost a chutneylike edge.
Le Creuset: Is it worth it?
I'm still using the Le Creuset oven my grandmother got as a wedding present in the early '30s. It was probably expensive then too, but if you figure it has been used 200 times a year for almost 80 years, the per-use cost is pretty reasonable. I love the terrines and the ridged grill pans too, although the skillets are better for cooking down onions or tomato sauces than they are for searing.
How Well Will the Obama Administration Handle Food Issues?
You know, Thailand had an actual TV chef as president last year. It didn't work out so well.
10 Strange Gourmet Foods
I've had all of it but the ortolan and the casu marzu, although I'd welcome the opportunity to try either of them. That being said, except for the live octopus and perhaps the huitlacoche, I can't say that I crave any of them. Durian is foul - and the best durian is the foulest of all, like an onion forgotten behind the refrigerator for six months. Balut is disconcerting if you look at it, but basically tastes like crunchy, goopy chicken soup. Snail caviar tastes like nothing; kopi luwak is a stunt coffee; and bird's nest soup, like most Cantonese luxury foods, is all texture. Blood sauces can be awfully good though - the reason coq au vin is never any good here is because nobody puts in the blood.
A Classic Los Angeles Burger with a Perfect Bun at Cassell's
When Mr. Cassell was still around, and the restaurant was in its original location a block west, it may well have served the best hamburger in America, or at least in Los Angeles, which amounts to the same thing.
Since he sold the place, although the new owners are well-meaning, it hasn't been the same. Cassell's never did French fries or onion rings before, and what they serve now is pretty bad. The lemonade is watery. But the burger is still pretty formidable, although it is hard to get a really rare burger there without ordering the 2/3 pound patty, which is for that reason necessary.
The potato salad is great, but the tang comes from dry mustard, not horseradish.
The Carney's Burger Trainwreck in Studio City, California
For non-Angeleno readers, it must be stressed that neither location of Carney's has ever appeared on any reputable list of great Los Angeles hamburgers, and that like the late Tail of the Pup, its photoreadiness has gone a long way toward establishing its reputation. That being said, on those days when you feel like eating a B-minus hot dog in a train car overlooking the Strip, there's really no other choice.
Anthony Bourdain Shares His Daughter's Favorite Foods
It's developmentally appropriate: At 18 months, a child will eat almost anything - including the contents of the catbox if you're not vigilant. It's not a sign of precocious culinary talent, , At four, four and a l half, which is to say the biologicalage when when children begin foraging for themselves, the same kid may well eat almost nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and broccoli.
Shopsin's: Comical Rudeness
The food is worth it. The food is totally worth it. Kenny is an incredibly gifted, if intuitive, cook, and if he had a tenth as much self-discipline as he has imagination, he'd be up there with Ripert and Ducasse. People always do concentrate on the rules, which are silly and wonderful and arbitrary, at the expense of the cooking. Every restaurant has its ways of excluding undesirable clientele, whether by velvet rope, exorbitant prices, exotic monolingualism, loud music, dim lighting, bland or spicy food, strange location or infuriating reservations policies. Kenny (and his wonderful late wife Eve) tended to be just a little less passive about it.
Sourdough Doesn't Always Mean 'Good'
A good artisanal ``sourdough'' is, or should be, the sign of a slow rise, natural yeasts, bread that is literally alive instead of the industrial product of a chemical lab. There are other breads for other occasions - pain de mie, baguettes, foccaccia - but natural-starter bread is the alpha and omega.
There are people who prefer grape juice to wine, too...
The Great Strawberry Ice Cream Debate
I submit that the finest ice cream experience to be had in the United States is the fresh-strawberry milkshake at the Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham, Alabama.
Alabama strawberries!
Food Critics and Anonymity: Does It Impact Reviews?
Frank Bruni is recognized in restaurants. William Grimes was recognized (although he seemed to have a few anonymous months). Ruth Reichl was recognized, no matter how flashy her disguises. Bryan Miller might as well have had a neon sign flashing above his head. A critic who is not recognized at a major restaurant is a critic the house doesn't care about, and the sad thing is that there are maybe a dozen kitchens in the country skilled enough to change anything substantial about a meal, except for possibly portion size, when they do spot a critic. A kitchen can cook only as well as it is trained to cook, and the idea that there is some special meal it can pull out when a VIP walks in is a myth. Except of course at Daniel, which really does have a high gear.
Original White Lily Flour Plant Closes: The Geography of Taste
White Lily isn't the only, or even the best Southern flour. I've been mail-ordering for years from Weisenberger Mills, a family-owned, century-old water mill in Midway, Kentucky - if there are better biscuits than those made with Weisenberger flour, I have yet to taste them. The grits aren't sad either.
www.weisenberger.com
Gordon Ramsay on 'Nightline': Fed Up with Critics; Weighs Staff
If Ramsay is worried about what the critics think, he might try putting something decent on the plate, which he has so far failed to do in the United States. He's trotting out the same argument of every half-assed playwright, film director, painter, sitcom star, novelist and trequartista since time immemorial. Unfortunately, the only thing that counts is results - A's for effort pretty much stop in grade school. Or as football fans are fond of saying: ``Scoreboard!''
Blue Hill at Stone Barns: The Most Important Restaurant in America
If by most important restaurant in America you mean restaurant most reminiscent of Marie Antoinette playing shepardess with perfumed sheep, you are correct.
What's the Best Mexican Food Town in the U.S.?
Even the idea of a contest is absurd: Los Angeles is the second-largest city in greater Mexico, with millions more Mexicans than even Guadalajara. There are restaurants, taquerias and trucks from almost every conceivable region of Mexico in the metro area; an extensive network of farms and ranches growing Mexican-specific produce; and a hungry audience that knows exactly what the food from their village needs to taste like. Anybody who would posit another U.S. city as a better place to eat Mexican food is myopic, suffering from extreme nostalgia, or more likely, not getting to the right places in Los Angeles.
Best Date Shakes in Southern California
I hate to quibble, but the date region is better described as in the eastern part of Southern California. The specialties of the southern part include carne asada fries, fish tacos and incredibly hoppy beer.
Is Bar Boulud Special Enough?
Actually, the charcuterie is not particularly exciting. And perhaps, compared to the high-level Spanish and Italian charcuterie we've all been eating, the restrained world of terrines, pates and galantines is fairly tame, but really - who wouldn't rather have a slice of Babbo's testa than Bar Boulud's pallid head cheese, which is not even best of breed in New York; who wouldn't prefer a bit of Iberico, not even the bellota, to Bar Boulud's wet, underflavored ham? The boudin blanc is pretty extraordinary - Boulud would get his Lyonnaise stret cred yanked if it weren't - but the bar for meats is much higher than it was even a couple of years ago.
Gametime Guacamole Goes Head to Head
One reason the Hass Avocado Board may have bowed out of it: between the freezes and the fires there are essentially no California Hass avocados this year. None.
Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Southside Market Sausage
Phillip's Barbecue. Los Angeles. But I do like Southside's hot guts.
Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Bacon of the Month Club
Bendy, actually. But more important: dry-cured.
Which size Dutch oven is best?
The six-quart is just slightly too small to braise six chicken thighs or comfortably brown a pound of stew meat all at once, although I have to admit that I do both pretty regularly. The extra squosh of room in the seven-quart would be welcome, I think.
Seriously Delicious Holiday Food Giveaway: Russ & Daughters
An almond croissant from Claude's on West 4th St.
Best Bakeries in New York City
Claude's in the West Village for pain au chocolat, croissants, almond-apricot croissants, raisin rolls and delicious eclairs. Claude, who is always there, is the very model of a neighborhood artisanal baker.
The 20 Dishes you need to know
My personal Top 20:
1. Bacon and Potato Omelette (I'm from germany and can't live without my "Bauernfrüstück")
2. Pasta with a garlic sauce
3. Spaghetti with meatballs
4. Roasted Chicken
5. Kao Pad (I'm also half Thai, and grew up with this dish)
6. Pancakes
7. Steak
8. Pizza
9. Potato Soup
10. A good Sandwich
11. Satay Sticks
12. Mashed Potaoes
13. Meatloaf
14. Gravy
15. Thai Sausages
16. Green Cabbage and Smoked Pork Chop
17. Spareribs
18. Quesadillas
19. Burger with some Fries and Fried Onions
20. Double Mud Chocolate Cake
What's the Best Mexican Food Town in the U.S.?
This one is an absolute no brainer. I am a software programmer and fortunate enough to work for a company that allows me to work from home, I try my best to make a point of living in a different city every year, I pack light and go. I've gone from southern cali, mid-west to the east coast and NOTHING compares to the mexican food in San Diego! Travel just 60 miles up the coast to Los Angeles and the difference is night and day, doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same category. San Diego is on the border of Mexico, and the mexican food gets exponentially worse the farther you get from it. Ask anyone who has actually tried mexican food in mulitple cities, I will guarantee the same response, San Diego hands down. Anyone who calls them nachos instead of carne asada chips, or taquitos instead of rolled tacos can automatically be discredited in this discussion. Those of you who have lived in San Diego will know what I mean.
Best Date Shakes in Southern California
Munchiz Cold Delights is opening in the Palm Springs Mall in the beginning of October and they are serving Date Shakes and Raspados (Shaved Ice) along other snacks.
Best Date Shakes in Southern California
This list is so handy b/c tomorrow I'm going to Morongo, which is really close to Hadley's. I had no idea they served date shakes. I'd been to Shield's before, which wasn't bad except that the date crystals have a weird kinda fake sugary taste to them. I think Shields is great b/c the whole store acts as a novelty (especially the free movie they play about the "sex life" of a date), but I'm putting more faith in Hadley's. Thanks for the info!
A Classic Los Angeles Burger with a Perfect Bun at Cassell's
I first wrote about Cassell's in the L.A. Times Sunday Magazine, West, callling it "best in city." I wrote two more pieces, one in Oui, still posted on the wall, and in Rolling Stone (of all places). I spent a lot of time with Al Cassell, and know a thing or two about the history of the place. He started it after WW2 on Wilshire, across from the wonderful building then known as Bullock's Wilshire (now home to Southwestern Law School). When the landlord made it impossible for him to stay, he moved to the SE corner of 6th and Berendo. It was as bare-bones an operation as it is today in terms of decor: Al said that after his experience with that landlord, he would never invest in furnishings: all he prized was his double broiler (and his food). It was then known as Cassell's Patio, because Al made a deal with the apartment building next door to set up tables on a little patio on the apartment building's south side.
About 20 years ago, a family of butchers made Al (who was pretty tired of arriving at 5:30 to trim and grind the meat, make the mayo, etc.) what sounded like a great offer: they'd maintain standards, and expand, and he would share in profits from the new locations. Well, they started serving fries. (When I asked Al why he didn't, he said, "It isn't my picture." He saw himself as a painter.) Worse, they didn't cut him in on any revenue from the other locations (I remember one on Wilshire, in the mini-mall at Crescent Heights). Al got the place back...and sold to Koreans. They kept the standards pretty well at first...but expanded the menu to turkey burgers and veggie burgers.
There was a slide, I think, but at my most recent (albeit infrequent) visit, younger Koreans were at the register, and the quality was clearly back.
About what Al did and didn't make. Yes, mayo (!), yes lemonade (from Grade A lemons, he pointed out), yes potato salad (putting in a liberal dose of Colman's English mustard powder), yes a ketchup relish (but not ketchup itself -- that was Heinz), and yes, Roquefort salad dressing (using real Roquefort cheese).
If the "best days" seem behind Cassell's, in part that's a demographic issue: way back when, the mid-Wilshire area was filled at lunchtime with middle-class shoppers and office workers.
Is Cassell's burger the "best in the world"? Now that upscale luxe restaurants are serving up Kobe beef burgers, I guess not, although I believe that for a "commercial" burger, Cassell's is still in the money in any best burger race.
A Classic Los Angeles Burger with a Perfect Bun at Cassell's
I used to go there in the '80s, and Mr. Cassell was still there, it was THE best burger in LA, and at that time besides the mayonaise being made from scratch, so was the ketchup and mustard. The potato salad was killer and they also had a fantastic grilled ham and cheese sandwich on the thinnest rye bread. Haven't been there since the change in ownership, after reading your article and the comments, will try it again.
The 20 Dishes you need to know
My 20:
1. Buffalo, Beef, Ostrich, Elk or Venison Burgers
2. Lamb & Goat
3. Grilled Vegetables
4. Mixed Green Salad
5. Sauteed Vegetables
6. Eggs of all types
7. A Really Good soup
8. Broiled/Grilled Fish
9. Fish Stew
10. Spatch-Cock Chicken
11. Puttenesca Sauce
12. Ratatoullie
13. Tomato Sauce
14. Clam Sauce
15. Vegetable Stir Fry
16. Roasted Vegetables
... I cannot think of any more!
Sourdough Doesn't Always Mean 'Good'
For centuries, the only breads available were sourdough breads. Commercial yeast is a rather new invention in relation to the history of bread. Why anyone would bad mouth sourdoughs,shows that they have no knowledge or respect for the art and science of bread baking.
The 20 Dishes you need to know
I think that really depends on the audience, wouldn't you? I would say that macaroni and cheese may be essential because I have a small child at home, but I can count on one hand the number of times my parents have had mac and cheese in the past ten years.
Some of my staples:
I have 3 dishes I make with ground turkey or beef that can be whipped up in under 20 minutes -- one with worcestershire sauce and cheddar cheese, one with peppers, onions, fish sauce, sriracha and basil, and one that's a variation on sloppy joes.
Spaghetti Carbonara -- we almost always have bacon and eggs
Omelets -- They do in a pinch when the cupboard is bare
Various soups -- I make several variations on tortilla soup, which is a favorite in my house. I also frequently make butternut squash soup, and mushroom soup.
Panfried steak or pork chops with a pan sauce
Salad dressing
Beef Stew
Pot Roast
Tacos -- various fillings
Enchiladas -- various fillings
I can't imagine having only 20 dishes in my repertoire!
The 20 Dishes you need to know
roast chicken
cheese based salad (usually goat cheese)
homemade soup including beans of some kind
Indian style curry with Indian rice
stir fry, usually with tofu
a salmon (fresh) based dish
baked potato and salad
quiche
Thai style curry made with coconut milk
soup (made with beans), especially in the colder months
tacos (with pork or possibly chicken)
my style nachos (with anchovies on)
vegetarian chilli
ratatouille with rice or over pasta plus a protein
homemade burgers (usually lamb or possibly bison)
fillets of fish (haddock, catfish, etc.) baked in the oven over rice (brown) and veggies
The Great Strawberry Ice Cream Debate
im also a very huge fan of pink ice cream, too, as well.
The Great Strawberry Ice Cream Debate
i'm a very huge strawberry ice cream fan. but i dont like the strawberry chunks that's in there. i think that it can't have any strawberry chunks init, because the strawberry chunks are so very gross and also too hard as a rock. i also love strawberry milkshakes at mcdonald's, burger king, and any other restaurants including denny's.
The 20 Dishes you need to know
Grilled chicken
a good grilled steak
spaghetti olive oil and garlic
beef stew
chef salad or any large salad
chicken soup
The 20 Dishes you need to know
- SOUP and homemade bread
- moussaka
- main course salads, there's an infinite variety
- filled pastas (ravioli,tortalini, etc) in broth or with butternut squash sauce
- barbecued beef sandwiches
- tortilla soup
- fritatta or Spanish tortilla
- onion or leek tarts
The 20 Dishes you need to know
As with any list: give the 'how to" portion of the list. Anyone can make a list, show us you know what you are talking about, connect us to the recipies!
Remembering The Original Tops in Pasadena
One last thing, if you want a REALLY good burger in Pasadena, go to Burger Continental on Lake Blvd. and order the continental burger (hamburger with blue cheese!). It's killer!
Remembering The Original Tops in Pasadena
Damon, I'm afraid that you have missed the boat at Top's. The thing that they are actually famous for is the pastrami. Be it the pastrami burger or the sandwich (with a side of fried zucchini is my personal preference), the quality of the pastrami, and the quantity of course, will put you into a state of pastrami nirvana. The pastrami is much better than The Hat or any other pastrami chain around Los Angeles. The burgers there are fine, but no better than any of the other countless Burger/Mexican/Greek fast food places around. Do yourself a favor, go back and order yourself a pastrami sandwich, fried zucchini and chocolate shake. You won't be sorry!
What's the Best Mexican Food Town in the U.S.?
Good grief, anyone who says that San Antonio has bad Mexican food and is "touristy" clearly didn't stagger far enough from the Riverwalk to learn anything about this city and its cuisine. People who actually *live* here don't go near the tourist areas, unless they have no choice.
And to say that LA *isn't* touristy but still has good Mexican food is just laughable. I didn't find one decent restaurant in all of California when I lived there. The food was horrible, and the service abominable.
When you get away from the downtown area of San Antonio, that's when you find out just how awesome the Mexican food is here. There are dozens of wonderful mom-and pop joints tucked into unexpected places all over San Antonio. You just have to know how to look.
And if you want the best Mexican food, anywhere, Texas's Lower Rio Grande Valley is the place to go. Until you've had seso or eyeball soup or panchos, until you can lay out the perfect botana platter, you don't know jack about authentic MX food.
Remembering The Original Tops in Pasadena
Your life musings mixed with your burger philosphies are always a joy to read!
Le Creuset: Is it worth it?
I just checked out the lodge enameled dutch oven and IT'S MADE IN CHINA , probably has lead in the enamel , so I will not buy it no-matter what , give me one free I'll give it back. The lodge castiron D.O.'s are still made in the U.S. I used my 7qt. last night for an old fashioned pot roast and it was perfection as usual thanks to the dutchoven no-burning, no-scorching just thick rich full flavor melt-in-your-mouth meat falling apart moist with onions potatos carrots and garlic. now tonite I'm going for leftovers.
Le Creuset: Is it worth it?
Le Creuset is a quality product but is not the only quality product available. I believe that cast iron products from Paderno are also top quality - http://tinyurl.com/b8gqg7 There are less expensive good products but some of the issues mentioned above could be a concern. The French developed products are of similar quality but less expensive (still not cheap).
yogiwan
Your Smart Kitchen
Blue Hill at Stone Barns: The Most Important Restaurant in America
I just read the 9/3/08 comment.
I've been to Stone Barns five times. I've been sat next to my wife, facing out to the restaurant, about half those times. I actually enjoyed the intimacy of it. I've also seen all matters of dress there, from suit and tie to sleeves rolled up. Same with women. Just not an issue unless you're choosing to make it one.
I actually recognize the "James Carville doppleganger" you mentioned. The wait staff has never been anything but stellar. I'm probably a youngish guy compared to the kind of diner who regularly can afford a high-end meal, yet this place makes me feel like a million dollars every time. We even recieved a kitchen tour last time. One too many phone calls? Really....let it go.
I agree with the main review and consider this the best restaurant I've ever stepped foot it. I can't go there enough time in my life. Never go again? Great.....one more open reservation slot for me!
How Well Will the Obama Administration Handle Food Issues?
I couldn't care less about the White House chef, which I think is a frivolous issue. (I'm embarrassed for Alice Waters and that whole initiative.) But Tom Vilsack for Agriculture Secretary? We might as well start eating cornbread with corn fritters, with a side of corn salsa, for every meal.
How Well Will the Obama Administration Handle Food Issues?
Re: is Obama a foodie? He did appear on Check Please: http://www.gapersblock.com/merge/archives/2004/12/03/the-obama-episo/
How Well Will the Obama Administration Handle Food Issues?
I would like to see food issues addressed by any administration, but doesn't everyone think that another food related issue needs to be addressed first...obesity...Obesity is going to become, if it already has not, a huge health care issue for this country, If we are going to have a president address a food issue, it needs to be this.
Excellent point.
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This feels weirdly personal:
Roasted root vegetables
Brasato
Frisee aux lardons
Shrimp and grits
Armenian-style chicken kebabs with brothy rice
Spaghetti carbonara/spaghetti alla Gricia
Sole meuniere, little roast potatoes
Risotto Milanese
Tonkatsu
Slow-roasted pork shoulder with rosemary and wild fennel
Pan-roasted chicken with white wine and thyme
Roast chicken with bread salad
Umbrian-style sausage and grapes
Oricchiette with sausage and rapini
Sliced skirt steak with arugula
Crisp duck legs with polenta
Fried chicken with spoonbread
Miso-marinated black cod
Soupe au pistou
Farfalle with long-cooked romanesco and anchovies