Step inside this restored 1928 Spanish mission-style cottage, located on Riverside in Toluca Lake, and you might think you’ve been transported to somewhere in the exotic Spanish or Latin American countryside. D’Caché is a lively restaurant where they serve modern Latin-fusion cuisine, tapas and fine wines and great drinks. Try a fresh Columbian mojito made from Aguardiente and fresh mint or raspberry, melon and strawberry mojitos and margaritas.

The converted house has medium-sized dining rooms and secluded patios with comfy sofas to lounge on underneath white draperies. The back patio also has a pretty fountain. Out there, the two-seater tables are made from huge, polished discs of wood, hand-hewn from a large tree they had to lop down in the backyard. These beautiful tables are remarkable!

D’Caché also has a smoking patio and inside there is a small private room with a ‘U’ shaped couch and a TV. Perfect for a laid-back board meeting.

Before I get to the outstanding cuisine, one feature of the experience is the Rumba Gipsy and world music performances every night. The live entertainment starts at 7pm and goes until 9.30pm or so, Tuesday ’till Saturday evenings.

I went on a Wednesday evening and the musicians were incredible. Bandidos de Amor, a talented trio of flamenco-style guitarists and singers, sounded a lot like the Gipsy Kings and played plenty of boisterous music of that flavor.

So, to start with drinks, any Spanish restaurant worth their salt had better offer sangria. At D’Caché they concoct an exotic blend of three wines with gin and perfume it with cinnamon and brandy infused apples. Also their wine list is fairly extensive and features wine from Chile, Argentina and Spain as well as domestic varieties, all priced at around $8-9 per glass, bottles also available.

We started with the soupe du jour – wild mushroom soup ($9). This was unctuous and incredibly rich and delicious; a caramelized-sweet, smooth soup that was fragrant with truffle oil. Just fantastic!

With only twelve appetizers and eight entree dishes on the menu, you can tell the kitchen does it all well. We started with a serving of three large empanadas ($12) filled with slow-cooked shredded pork and dressed with a confetti of mango salsa. Lovely! Other appetizers to snack on include tapas such as Patacones con Cerviche – shrimp cocktail over fried plantains – or a variety of pizette.

Main courses include Spanish classics such as a smoky and seafood-packed Paella ($32) and Pollo Catalan. They also offer seared blue fin tuna with a cilantro crust and a warm salad of asparagus and greens.

Brazilian-style Lamb chops, crusted with pistachio pesto ($42), were perfectly cooked. The basil and truffle oils almost gild the lily, but the red wine reduction cuts through the rich sauce like Zorro!

Everything was very rich, so order wisely, but like a siren’s song, the best flavors of all Latin cultures at D’Caché will call you to return again and again.

Valet and street parking available.

D’Caché Restaurant, 10717 Riverside, Toluca Lake, between Lankershim and Cahuenga.
(818) 506 9600.
Open 5pm ’till midnight, Tues - Sat.
Sunday and Monday – only open for special events.

Tarzana has a lovely European-style café restaurant that is one of the best kept secrets in the Valley. The only reason I am telling you about it because I want it always to be there, but please don’t tell everyone you know or we’ll never get a table!

Located right next door to the Corbin Bowl, in the corner of a large mall, is Nona Café and Restaurant, a little slice of the Mediterranean that offers some truly fabulous and seriously affordable food.

First things first, you have got to start with their sangria, either red or white. I’ve tasted both sangria, but far prefer the white. It is a little on the sweet side, but it has some delightfully peachy high notes. If sangria’s not your thing, they also offer wine and soju cocktails.

By far the best things on their fairly large menu are the tapas, and for once, the portions are generously sized.

One dish I always get is the creamy, dreamy burrata with roasted tomatoes ($5). For those of you who haven’t already encountered this heavenly dish, burrata is a very soft, yielding and exceptionally fresh version of mozzarella cheese mixed with cream. Yep, cream. The outer shell is solid mozzarella while the inside contains both mozzarella and cream, giving this Italian delicacy its unique soft texture.

I also love their ahi tuna tartar ($7), which is a generous portion of chopped, raw tuna served with scallions, piquant ginger and crisp sesame crackers. Their seared hamachi tuna is paired with avocado dip, ‘supreme’ sections of ruby red grapefruit (meaning the pith and membrane removed, with just the tender fruit remaining) and drizzled with citrus ponzu sauce. They do several middle eastern-inspired and fantastic shrimp dishes, including crisp rock shrimp with lemon aioli ($7) and a wonderful grilled shrimp served with plump pearls of Israeli couscous, fried leeks and spicy carrot puree ($7) – incredible!

Then there’s the lamb and mint kabob with pine nuts and tahini ($7) or sautéed salmon with refreshing cucumber, medjool date and walnut salad and saffron emulsion ($7) as well as a few LA small-plate standards such as shaved fennel salad ($5) or beet salad with chevre, tangerines and marcona almonds ($6). Their full-sized salads are enormous and well-priced, averaging around $11. A variety of sandwiches are also available. They bake their own irresistibly delicious bread and make their own desserts.

It’s all truly wonderful and eclectic cuisine. So far, I’ve been back about four times as there are so many different small plates to sample.

Breakfast looks fantastic, too, and is served until 2pm (take that fast food joints!), and as late as 3pm on weekends. Everything from the usual suspects of egg white or wild mushroom omelettes or even portobello mushroom benedict ($12) to buckwheat or berry waffles or blueberry oatmeal pancakes ($10) to an intriguing-sounding Oatmeal Crème Brulée (also $10).

Indoor seating is warm and pleasant, but they also have a large patio. Best of all, there is plenty of parking available.

At Nona they also have live music some evenings during the week. You might wanna call and find out. One Thursday night we were expertly entertained by a duo of guitarists, one of whom had played with Carlos Santana.

Love this place!

Nona Restaurant & Café

Open 7 days a week
Breakfast until 2pm, ’till 3pm on weekends
Lunch, dinner and tapas bar ’till late

19598 Ventura Boulevard, Tarzana CA 91356
(818) 881 9855

Upon walking in, I noticed three different things going on. Larco Mar not only serves Peruvian rotisserie chicken, but also has Mexican food and a decked out bakery with Mexican cakes and pastries. It was dead inside though. The cashier was sitting on a chair, absorbing the overly-dramatic soap operas on Telemundo. One of the cooks leaned against the counter with a towel draped over his shoulder. This was a ghost town and of course I got stares because, well, I’m not Peruvian. And maybe it’s the fact that they haven’t seen a customer since last week. I was gonna suggest that they buy an inflatable chicken that they can stack on their roof. The large clown/gorilla floats you see at car dealerships. That should let people know that they exist.

I didn’t feel like ordering a whole chicken so I went for the ¼ chicken with two side orders combo for $4.95, which comes out to $5.36. I was safe, and still $0.64 richer. I could use that for stuff like bum donations, sticky-hand toys from the vending machines or Chiclets. In addition to the $0.64, I also had about $1 worth of change. I ordered a ham croquette and ground beef empanada, which came out to like $1.25. So actually, I was $0.11 richer.

As I waited for my food, I noticed a recognizable logo on the rotisserie ovens. Apparently, our buddies here at Larco Mar found Boston Market rotisserie ovens on Craigslist or something. Funny. At least take the logo off. Nobody wears clothing with the price tags or size stickers still on them right?

A. 1/4 Chicken with 2 Side Orders - If you’re not health-conscious, definitely go for the dark meat because it’s moist and flavorful. The chicken was delicious. I asked the lady for some tortillas, which she gave for free, and made little tacos with the green Peruvian hot sauce. If you’ve been to Mario’s Peruvian & Seafood, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Addictive stuff. A few weeks later, I ordered the whole roasted chicken for $6 and 1/2 of it was moist (dark meat), and other being quite dry (white meat). I recommend this meal over the whole chicken. The rice and beans were average.

B. Ham Croquette and Ground Beef Empanada - Valued at $1.25, these are fun things to try. The ham croquette looks like a mozzarella stick but isn’t that tasty. What they meant by ham was really corned beef. It was mushy and just strange tasting. The empanada, on the other hand, was yum. Perfectly spiced and moist.

C. Cake City - Larco Mar is an activity center. While you’re waiting for your order, you can check out their bakery and cake designs. If you’re not into sweets, well you’re stuck with Mexican soap operas.

D. Boston Market, I mean, Larco Mar Rotisserie Ovens - Look at those babies in the chicken carousel.

E. Boston Market, I mean, Larco Mar - The resemblance is uncanny.

Next time you’re left with $6, don’t give in to the fast food joints. Larco Mar is there to save you. Thanks for reading.

Larco Mar Peruvian Rotisserie
10825 Venice Blvd.
West Los Angeles, Ca. 90034
(310) 838-0375

I started the meal off with a key lime cosmopolitan, as I was celebrating some good news. I have to say, while this wasn’t the best martini I’ve ever had (especially at $9.50 per glass), I did find it pleasant. Most lemon/lime martinis tend to be too tart for my taste, but this one was just fine. I also liked the contrast of the green lime sitting in my pink drink. Oh, and in case you can’t tell from the photo, I had a lovely table right next to the window. Yes, I was feeling very happy and comfortable at this restaurant.

I was surprised when the servers came and brought over a Spanish style amuse bouche to my table, especially after the elaborate bread basket was served. The bread basket consisted of four different types of carb-filled delight - thin, plain toasted bread; cheese bread; olive bread; and cheese and herb chips. While I had been happy enough with that, it was overshadowed by the oyster amuse bouche. I’m not entirely sure what went into the amuse bouche, but there was definitely some pancetta mixed in with it all. All I do know is that I could have had several more this oyster!

Next came the appetizers. The spinach salad ($8) wasn’t warm, as advertised, but it was still quite good. I definitely met my iron intake with the amount of spinach on the plate, and the potato fingerlings, more pancetta, and poached egg complemented the each other well. Overall, nothing special, but it still made a nice appetizer.

My lunch companion ordered the dungeness crab cakes ($12), which I liked quite a bit. Filled with a lot of crab meat, the interesting thing about the crab cakes is how the chef threw some curry into them. I totally was not expecting that and was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. Also be prepared that the crab meat is not chopped up very fine like at most restaurants. Instead, the crab cakes at 561 are shredded, so you can see how much crab was actually used.

My main course was the most unique seafood chowder ($16) I’ve ever had in my life. As you can see from the photo, it’s not a soup. What I got was elements of a typical seafood chowder, with probably less than half the fat. First of all, there were three mussels that I gobbled up immediately. The mussels were truly excellent. Served on top of a celery and some cubed potatoes is a generous serving of halibut. The halibut was very tender and moist. Even though the texture was wonderful, the flavor was a little lacking. The trick is to eat it with (or in alternating bites with) the dried prociutto (the red flakes you see in the photo). The prociutto is almost like bacon here and has such a nice salty contrast to the halibut. Not to be ignored, the celery and potatoes have soaked up the juices of the mussel and halibut, making them enjoyable to eat as well. This was a very creative entree, and the presentation was well done.

I also got the chance to try a bit of the beef cheeks ($17). Served with some onions, black truffles, and mashed potatoes, this dish is a winner. First of all, the beef cheeks taste almost identical to pot roast. The only difference is the beef cakes might have a little more fat to them, which is probably why the beef tasted so flavorful and tender that it almost seemed to melt in my mouth. I don’t even know where to begin with describing the black truffles other than I wish there had been more. Like with the seafood chowder, the accompanying sides supported the main feature on this plate.

We’re still not done yet! What is a meal at a nice fancy restaurant without dessert? We were shown the dessert menu right after we ordered our entrees because there were two desserts that take 20 minutes to prepare. One was the sweet potato souffle, which we passed on. We did wind up choosing the second dessert called Chocolate Euphoria ($9), and euphoric I was when I bit into this chocolate molten cake served on top of creme anglaise. The cake was so decadent and was stuffed with hot fudge. I think some restaurants call this dessert a lava cake, but 561 still found ways to make this dessert their own. Stuck on top of the cake was a mint cookie that went very well with the chocolate. To the right, a little scoop of homemade chocolate sorbet! This dessert is any chocolate lover’s dream.

Okay, so some of you might be tempted to check this place out but are looking at your wallets thinking 561 is still out of your reach. I’ve got some good news for you. If you walk through a narrow corridor at the restaurant (or just go next door), you will wind up at the School Cafe. This is an even cheaper way to enjoy good food at a low price. The menu isn’t as fancy, but still looks really good. Today’s special included flank steak and trout almondine, both for $8.95. Since it is a cafe, you can pick up specialty coffee beverages, sandwiches, salads, and desserts. The Neopolitan cake ($3) looked really good. There are other items on the menu like quesadillas. Everything here looked like it was under $10.

Definitely don’t miss out on checking out Bistro 561 or School Cafe. Who knows? Maybe in a few years, you’ll be paying $200 per plate by these future chefs.

Bistro 561
561 East Green Street (cross street Madison)
Pasadena, California 91101
(626) 405-1561

Serving Lunch 11:30-1:30
and Dinner 5:30-8:30
Monday - Friday

One last tip: Green Street is a one-way street, so if you’re not familiar with the area, check google’s map before trying to find this place.

Tapas has been long reviled as nouvelle food that reeks of elitism: overpriced, undersized and smug. Tapas has gotten a bad rap. Far from being gauche, tapas has a rich history as Spanish dinner food. Fact is, I like the idea that my entire dinner is comprised of appetizers. The appetizer, at least in haute cuisine, is really where the chef takes the most creative liberties to come up with something fun, tasty and unique. Entrees are usually reserved for the traditional preparations of starch, vegetables and protein.

We go to the C&M on Hollywood Blvd located right next to Wacko (which houses the La Luz de Jesus gallery and where we bought our Shag picture) Nice parenthetical aside. Cobras and Matadors is the brainchild of restaurant heavyweight Steven Arroyo, occupying the space formerly home to Boxer, another Arroyo venture. I never ate at Boxer, but I am thoroughly pleased with C&M. We go there at least once a week, first stopping by Wacko for a little tittilating glance at some of the art rock or fetish books, then hop next door for a table. Usually bustling on the weekends, C&M is quiet during the week, so you can just walk right in and sit down.

The space is not the most inviting, but it is certainly interesting. Made a bit cold by high ceilings, dim lighting and decor that is predominantly black with accents of red, the furniture also lends to an industrial feel as it is contructed from dark metal and wood. No matter, the space does work for atmosphere, but it is certainly far from plush.

We are greeted promptly, and served a bowl of mixed olives accented with sweet roasted almonds, with a cute metal pit spit ramakin on the side. Great contrast in salt/sweet, soft/hard. The menu is a carnival of ecclectic dishes, each distinct and interesting. The lomo emphucado is a slice of raisin bread crowned with dried cured pork with a slice of tres leches cheese. Add to that a forkfull of the accompanying tomato salad, and you have a perfectly complicated Spanish bruchetta. Everything works together, which is the beauty of tapas.

The sweet and spicy prawns are my favorite dish. Served four on the plate (which you’ll never see in an Asian restaurant, four symbolizes death), they are indeed, sweet and spicy, but pleasantly so. Coated to perfection and cooked to the right shade of brown glaze. Nayan ordered the butternut squash, which was vibrant yellow, creamy and sweet, and lent a brightness to the meal.

I’ve had albondigas before, and I always associate it with meatball soup, but in this case, it is spiced turkey meatballs. They are quite dense and a bit salty, and I love the sauce that served as their bed. It helped, again, balance the salt and other flavors.

Whatever you think about tapas being a ripoff for the size, you will re-evaluate your opinion after going to C&M. The portions are smaller than entrees, generally, but they are hearty and satisfying. We ordered a four cheese flatbread with sauteed mushrooms, and it was a nice size ‘pizza.’ In fact, we usually take leftovers home with us, as two dishes per person is a bit much (depending on how hungry you are, that is.)

My last comment and only complaint is the paper tablecloth. This is a tapas restaurant, not a Maryland crab joint, there is no need to use a huge tablecloth made out of the same material as a grocery bag. Each and every time I reach for something, I catch my sleeve on the paper, and it gets annoying as hell after the 16th time. Other than that, Cobras and Matadors is a total hit.

4655 Hollywood Blvd
Right next to Wacko

Looks like a new kebab shop is coming to Eagle Rock.

If I’m reading this correctly, it looks like two young graduates of Occidental College did a little travelling after graduation when one of them stumbled upon an amazing Doner kebab sandwich in Madrid. The two teamed up to open a little kebab shop of their own in Eagle Rock on Colorado. It’s still very much in the works, but they’ve got a website up detailing their soon-to-open store and their passion for, what else, kebabs:

“We have adapted the Spanish model to fit the American palate, keeping the slow roasting custom vertical broilers that allow the meat’s natural juices to percolate and self-infuse while adding the Panini toasted pita pocket with assorted toppings including lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, peppers, jalapeños, hummus, cool tzaziki sauce and a sweet and spicy chili sauce.”

Spitz’s menu looks pretty focussed, offering four Doner Kebab varieties: the classic, chicken doner, falafelite and a vegetarian. The same choices apply to salads. But it looks like they aren’t sleeping on good desserts, promising a “selection of gourmet Italian gelatos and sorbettos, as well as our signature chocolate-dipped cinnamon-sugar pita strips.”

Okay, we’re ready!

Spitz
2506 Colorado Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90041
323-257-5600

Additional note: though I’ve always thought of tomatoes as fruit because of the seeds, I recently heard that some food agency (maybe the FDA?) has definied tomatoes as vegetable. Despite this, I think the debate will continue for a long time to come.

Saturdays were looking a little lean on the special wining and dining events list. But a wine store that I can’t stop la.foodblogging about, has announced new once a month Saturday event that kicks off this weekend.

Sangria Saturdays

You may have guessed from the title above that we’re trying something new. Once a month we’re going to offer a new Sangria recipe and have a full, cold pitcher at the bar for any and all to enjoy (while it lasts!).

Is there a more civilized way to spend a hot Saturday afternoon than with a Sangria buzz, friends and good music? We don’t think so, either.

Saturday, July 23rd
Time: 1:00-9:00pm

Colorado Wine Company
2114 Colorado Boulevard
Eagle Rock, CA 90041
323.478.1985

There were four of us dining and no one had been there before, so we all chose a couple plates to pass and sample. The meal started out right, with the friendly waitress bringing us some spiced green olives and cinnamon laced almonds to nibble on while we sipped our sangria (both red and white) and worked our way through the menu.

First up were the Fried Sweet Potatoes, served in a generous bowl with two sauces and some kosher salt. We snacked on these all through the meal and I think there were even a few left at the end. They were tasty and a strong candidate for recreation in the home kitchen.

Next came the Grilled Octopus along with the Satueed Wild Mushrooms. Both dishes had a mild balsamic sauce on them. The octopus tentacles were cooked through, and were served hot with no toughness. I wouldn’t say that it was tender, but it was tasty. The mushrooms were excellent, the portion size was suited for the four of us to have a good sampling.

I believe that the Chicken Croquettes came next (once the dishes started coming, there was little lag before the next ones arrived). These were great as an anchor to the meal, helping to fill the stomach and give some protein. The croquettes had a mild flavor, with a bit of ham to add flavor and a tomato based dipping sauce.

Some Crispy Lentils came out, as well as some Prawns. The crispy lentils sparked some debate as to how they were prepared. The table did not reach consensus on the lentils, reviews ranged from indifference, to good to great. They had terrific flavor, but the crispy-ness was a bit odd. The prawns were very good, I believe that there were two types, heads on and heads off, and they were doused in a green sauce with some cilantro and spices.

I had considered ordering the Asparagus with Manchengo Cheese towards the end, but as the food began to settle I realized that I was conent. Next time. I would say that the menu seems fairly small for a tapas place where you are ordering a lot of dishes. On the plus side, all of the offerings seem to go well with each other. Also, it probably isn’t the best place to take a vegetarian, although there are some veggie based dishes, some have bits of ham or stock for flavor.

Would I go back? For sure, and it is a great place to take friends. The meal itself is social in nature, plus the atmosphere is fantastic, very Madrid feeling. I found the service to be excellent, attentive without being overbearing and the food came out quick, hot and correct.

Cobra Lily
8442 Wilshire Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(323) 651-5051