NEAT FACTS about LAMILL
La Marzocco espresso machine
$11,000 Clover coffee machine that brews single cups to order
Siphon tableside coffee service (popular in Japan)
Food as exquisite as the coffee
Similarities to Starbucks: ZERO … thankfully
Serves room temperature water (more easily absorbed)

LAMILL COFFEE BOUTIQUE
1636 Silver Lake Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
323-663-4441
Hours
Tuesday-Sunday
7:00AM-7:00PM
Closed Monday

This was a return visit to The Alcove - the first time, I had brunch, and this time, it was all about dindin. The location is oh-so-cozy - lots of brick accents, and a very warm and friendly, bring-your-dog kind of vibe. The service is counter-only, but for this style of eatin’, these guys do it up right. The staff is lovely and helpful, and the food is a sight.

It’s a cafe that fits in with the Los Feliz vibe like white on rice - dotted with outdoor tables and mist machines or heat lamps, depending on the elements, and always scattered with hungry hipsters, sipping lattes and planning scripts. But it lacks the pretentiousness of similar Hollywood haunts - this place truly is all-charm.

Food-wise, Alcove has a solid menu - lots of organic goodies, salads to die for, and decent sandwiches. The burgers look so-so, the brunch is above average, and the coffee is yummy. Did I mention desserts? They’re part bakery, afterall, so there are heaps of selections. I sampled the cookies last time - gotta say the textures were spot-on, but the flavor - eh. Just average. The cakes look pretty fantastic, however - will need to try those in short order. I’ve heard *very* good things, I might add.

Here’s the lowdown on food stuffs I devoured –

Drinks:

I had a nonfat iced soy latte - absolutely perfect.
Best friend had a green-tea based iced concoction - also awesome.

My entree:

Summer Shrimp Salad
- Features greens, tri-color peppers, shrimp, strawberries, almonds, and a killer raspberry vinaigrette.
** Definitely a fabulous and refreshing summer dish - and an absolutely gorgeous one at that (see picture above). Flavors were well matched and quite delish.

BFF
Roast Beef Panini
- Featured medium-rare roast beef, caramelized onions, sourdough, tomatoes, and served with a side o’ fries
* Tasty little devil, this one - the sandwich, while not piled-high, did feature very high quality beef, and the onions were tres-tastic. But the fries? Yeah, they’re decent, yet way too chilly. We like ‘em hot + fresh - these did not qualify.

The damage for a latte, iced tea, salad, and sandwich - about $25, before tip.

RESTAURANT REPORT CARD

Ambiance - B
Service - C
Food (Taste) - B-
Food (Presentation) - B-
Wine/Drinks - C+
Value - B-
Overall Experience - B-

Final word - A really lovely outdoor food-haven. Not top-notch, but a great little hang all the same. I’m goin’ back for sure.

Malo
4326 Sunset Blvd.
Silverlake, CA

I like Malo despite it’s many flaws. He’s rather like the super good friend you have that’s always flubbing meet-up times and inserting foot-in-mouth, but you see his goodness, so all is forgiven. Actually, wait, no - Malo is like that friend that screws up on a regular basis but looks adorable during every last blunder, so what the heck. The love goes on.

It’s the interior and vibe that makes me gaga. I love that there’s a huge adjacent bar, separate from the dining area, and a large outdoor patio. All my moods are covered. And inside, there’s dark gothic wall paper, sconce lighting, and a gorgeous crimson glow. Me likee. This is saying a great deal, I must duly note, as I don’t go for scenester LA hideaways - I like my favs to have good food, first and foremost. Malo is a special cat.

My darling friend Paul and I met up last night at Mr. Malo for good ‘ritas and a bit of noshing. I’ll say one thing about this place - I’ve been multiple times now, and they are quite consistent. Good and malo.

Service is always somewhat polite but oh-so-spotty; our waitress disappeared for eons at one point (when we needed the check - grrr), but, you know, I’ve had worse. And the food is really hit/miss. Stick to the basics and you’ll likely do just fine. I am never impressed with their specials. Except the gargantuan Mexican corn cob I had once. Those were good times.

If it’s the real-deal tequila you’re looking for, Malo’s got it in spades. Kudos for that. And while their ‘ritas aren’t quite as good as El Carmen’s, they certainly satisfy on a boilerplate day. See why I’m so forgiving?

Now for last night’s rundown:

Drinks:

I had their basic margarita, with salt, on zee rocks. Thumbs way up.

Paul stuck to Pacifico. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that.

Chips/Salsa:

Habanero and Cream
* Malo gets a lot of crap for charging people for salsas, but I don’t actually mind - they’re all homemade, along with the chips, and really quite tasty. This is my favorite, but it’s got serious kick - you’re going to feel the burn for quite awhile. To that I say, yes, please.

Appetizers:

Green Salad
* A handful of greens dressed up with tomatoes, carrots, onions, and the house dressing.
Um, ewww. We both got this, as a little healthy rabbit food, and while none of us voiced the obvious, neither of us got past about two bites. Not good. Bad dressing, bland as all get out. Blech.

Entrees:

Eggplant and Potato Tacos
* A tiny bit of eggplant and a dollop of potato wrapped in a corn tortilla and fried. Served with guacamole and sour cream.
I always forget that the “corn tortilla” tacos are served taquito style, which makes me a bit steamed. I didn’t want fried goods, but so be it. My fault for having the memory of a goldfish.
These are OK. Not a lot of flavor, and if there was eggplant in there, not much died for my tacos.

Grilled Chicken Flour Tortilla Tacos
* Grilled chicken strips, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, salsa, on flour tortillas
I can’t say these are a home run, but they’re solid. Nothing scary or offensive. Goes good with beer.

Sides:

Mexican Corn
* A small ear of corn, cut in half, grilled, and dosed with butter and a bit of spice.
Good. Nuff said.

The damage for one beer, one ‘rita, two salads, two entrees, and one side of corn was $60, including tax and tip. Yup, you’re right - more than it ought to be.

RESTAURANT REPORT CARD - Malo, Visit 4

Ambiance - B+
Service - C-
Food (Taste) - C
Food (Presentation) - D
Wine/Drinks - B
Value - C
Vibe/Energy/Scene - A-

Overall Experience - C+

Final word - It’s just one of those places I can’t resist. I’ll be back, see - it’s not so Malo.

Gingergrass
2396 Glendale
Silverlake, CA

My first impression of Gingergrass felt warm and fuzzy - I love the lofty, minimalist feel. The building feels unfinished, artsy, yet oddly comfortable. No distracting frou frou scenester fanfare - and the smells were intoxicating from the get-go. The place was slammin’, and a little too warm, but that only adds to the cozy-factor. Good start.

Service was consistent and non-evasive - great for a lunchtime buzz, as everyone seemed rushed. I loved the very fresh and yummy sounding menu, loaded with unique ingredients (Asian jackfruit, pickled veggies, etc.) and all priced super duper reasonably.

They do serve a wee bit o’ alcohol, but at noon on the dial, I held back the urge. Who says I don’t have willpower?

Zee food - well, it’s strange. In a good way, I think, but the samples I had were a bit - hmm. Off. My best friend in the world is Vietnamese, and she assured me it’s anything but authentic here. Unique and fresh scores high in my book, so overall, I’d say Yes to Gingergrass. Here’s why:

Drinks:

Just sodas

Appetizer:

Gingergrass Fresh Rolls
* Crab and avocado rolled with lettuce and cucumbers served with a creamy spicy aioli
I was a little disappointed by the texture on these - the skin was too chewy and overall, unsubstantial. The flavors were a bit overwhelmed by the heavy mayo sauce - this was an OK dish. What annoyed me - they serve 1 1/2 rolls, or 3 half pieces. I loathe appetizers that become difficult to share - because let’s face it, that’s what most of us do. Why not just serve us the two whole rolls? Would it really break the bank? Grr.

Salad:

Jack and Ginger Salad (pictured above)
* Asian jackfruit mixed with fresh cabbage, lotus root, poached shrimp, caramelized shallots and topped with white and black sesame seeds and peanuts, with a shrimp sauce vinaigrette.
THIS is where things got interesting. What a unique, refreshing, and incredibly flavorful salad. The textures and, as you can see, colors, were stunning. I really loved this dish, despite it’s unexpected sweetness. The lotus root and jackfruit were succulent, juicy, and perfectly matched. I also spied a significant amount of shrimp and goodies for the low $8 price tag. This one was so well played.

Entree:

Shrimp Noodles
* Shrimp served over sticky rice noodles with shredded lettuce, pickled vegetables, herbs and nuoc cham.
Just what you’d expect - freshly wok-ed noodles, veggies, and shrimp. Tasty, but rather insignificant.

The damage for one soda, one appetizer, one entree, and one salad was about $29 before tip. Not too shabby-licious!

RESTAURANT REPORT CARD - Gingergrass, Visit 1

Ambiance - B-
Service - B-
Food (Taste) - B-
Food (Presentation) - B-
Wine/Drinks - C
Value - B+
Vibe/Energy/Scene - C+

Overall Experience - B-

Final word - Great local lunch hang, if you like ‘em original and LOUD!

Again it’s time for the Annual Sunset Junction festival in Silverlake. Come checkout some indie bands and a whole variety of food vendors. I had a great time last year, though I don’t remember which groups I saw.

Here’s my posting from last year.

Sunset Junction Festival
4019 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA. 90029
(323) 661-7771
Sat 8/26 - Sun 8/27 - 10 am - 11 pm

There’s nothing better than the sweet subtle taste of apples, pears, and strawberries to round out the last of this summer’s cool winetasting evenings. First tastes make for either a favorable impression or for a bitter evening. And with our first sip of the 2004 Craftsman Királyleányka from the Neszmély Region, I knew it would be a good night.

It was light, crisp and deliciously sweet - just how I like my white wines. Great chilled, it would be a fantastic pairing with some fruit as you listen to music under the stars at the Hollywood Bowl. (Hint to my Zero7 concert buddies next weekend on what I’ll be bringing to the picnic.)

The anniversary celebrations for this little Silverlake wine shop started early at 5pm. I showed up a little later to find the small space crowded with smiling faces, clinking glasses, and hoards of oenophiles around the grilled meats, crackers and cheese spreads. I was lucky to grab a hot empanada, eat a couple crackers with gourmet cheese, and a chicken taco without the fixings before they were gone, gone, ALL GONE!

When we were finished, I paid for my $12 tasting and $8.50 (with a small percentage off) for a bottle of Királyleányka for my own. And lucky me, Oishii bought me some deliciously soft and sweet cookies made by Southern California’s own Isabella’s Cookie Company. The Maui Wowie Cookies were made with bits of dried pineapple and coconut, white chocolate, and macadamia nuts for a great treat of 150 calories per chunky cookie. For non-coconut lovers like me, let it be known that these cookies were absolutely delicious without the overpowering flavor or texture of coconut - and one that I’ll have to try my baker’s hand to make.

And if that wasn’t enough, I made the suggestion to my food friends to grab a cup of gelato to finish up the night. (And I’m so glad they humoured me to eat the icy treat out in below 60 degree temperatures.)

The special Kyo-ho Grape gelato was an extra 50¢ more per scoop, and well worth the extra two quarters. The Japanese flavors of grape candy and sweet summer grapes from my childhood memories filled my senses as I took in each bite. My second scoop of White Peach was also a good fruity choice. But the Grape was definitely the best I’ve had so far - topping even my favorite flavors of Mango and Lychee.

Oishii added a third scoop to her medium sized gelato, including a Lemon Basil scoop. Both JI and I had to take a taste, and both of our fourth generation Japanese American almond-shaped eyes popped! An interesting combination of flavors, the basil just jumped in the mouth and BAM! …Instant sensations!

With friends who love wine, good food, and gelato as much as me in the city, there’s always so much fun (and calories) to be had!

Silverlake Wine
street: 2395 Glendale Blvd | Los Angeles, CA 90039
tel: 1.323.662.9024
Su, M-W: 11a-9p, Th-F: 11a-10p, Sa: 10a-10p
check web for tastings: http://silverlakewine.com

Pazzo Gelato
street: 3827 W Sunset Blvd
tel: 1.323.662.1410
street parking and small lot

Isabella Cookie Company
tel: 1.310.318.1920
check web for locations: www.isabellascookies.com

Over the last couple of years, Siete Mares has become my favorite Mexican seafood restaurant. They have several locations throughout greater Los Angeles, but I’ve only been to the one on Sunset. Nothing fancy, but the fish is fresh and the salsa is always surprising because it is never the same. Its not elitist, but it is not a hole either. It falls somewhere in between, leaning precariously closer to hole than haute. I don’t know what the turnover rate is in the kitchen, but it means there is always a fresh take on pico de gallo.

First, let me get this out of the way: I have a beef, which means a rant for you.

There are a growing number of seafood restaurants that offer crab. Siete Mares has a combination platter, which offers a panoply of fried goods piled on a plate. Accompanying that are a few sauteed…uh, logs…of…um…crab? Burned again. What I thought was crab turned out to be Asia’s greatest deception against the West: K-rab.

What is this living nightmare, K-rab? There is not a breathing human that believes this cut rate pollack mush is low grade carrion, let alone crab. The idea -the very notion- of finely grinding a fish, squeezing it out like telephone cable, and air brushing it red, is absurd, laughable, and teetering precipitously close to personal insult.

I propose a law, which, if Schoolhouse Rock taught me correctly,

needs to jog a labyrinthine process of cajoling, hand-wringing, and consultations with Jack Abramoff, in its long and arduous gestation period.

Any food that lists ‘crab’ as an ingredient that is not real crab shall be banned, and the supplier fined $10,000 and imprisoned for up to 15 years without parole. Punishment would be further envigorated by a strict diet of surimi for the entire term.

There is no greater disharmonious miscarriage of nature, than manufacturing a fish product you can unravel like a fruit rollup and write a will on.

Now that I got that off my chest, you have been duly warned. All the crab is K-rab. The one exception is their namesake. The ubiquitous Seite Mares, the Mexican BoooYa Base. In it, you will find a plump, real crab, shell and all.

Now you can enjoy yourself! Siete Mares, as the name implies, specializes in seafood. There is a consistent thread among Mexican style seafood, and they cover all the themes.

Cocteles, which are large seafood cocktails served in a schooner glass. You know, the one they try to upsell you in Bennigans, equating to an extra five dollars for three ounces of beer. Well, it doesn’t matter here, you are getting 20 ounces of seafood in a cold tomato soup base, augmented with onions, cilantro, spices, cucumber, avocado and tomato. It is fresh, inviting, and filling. Each one runs about 10 bucks. One thing I like about Siete Mares are the paleolithic slabs of cucumber and orange that seem to accompany everything, including Tecate.

They have cheap ceviche appetizers: whole tortillas with a liberal mound of seafood, whether it is fish, shrimp, K-rab (why, oh, why) or octopus. Each runs about 3-4 dollars. You can get the entree portion for 10 bucks a pop, but I couldn’t eat that much ceviche, could you? Some things are best in small bites.

You can get all forms of shrimp: Shrimp Veracruz, shrimp diablo, shrimp mojo de ajo, shrimp ranchero. Veracruz, now that is something that would be banned on any high school menu. Bacon wrapped, cheese stuffed, deep fried shrimp. You bet its healthy!

However, I have a new favorite dish, which veers 180 off the chart for this or any place. Molcajete. Named after the spanish word for mortar and pestle, this stew is served in a volcanic rock basin.

They don’t screw around. This thing is so hot, it’s like you planted your face in a steam vent. I dropped my napkin on it. It burst into flame. Spilling out of the mouth of Pele is a boiling cornucopia of shrimp, chorizo, mexican cheese and a cactus leaf. Binding the seafood and meat is a stew base that is dense, palpable, and feverish with tumultuous flavor.

The Molcajete is simulteneously hellish and divine, angrily simmering the whole time I carefully picked through the food. Each splatter is like napalm, and cutting a skittish piece of cactus is a skill developed that I haven’t quite mastered. The Molcajete is a grand paradox, comfort foot yet little comfort in eating it. It is Frankenstein’s monster, parts netted from the sea, ground meat rended from the land, a block of diary, and a strange vegetable choice I’m not convinced can be considered a vegetable. Together, it is an otherworldly stew that will surprise, confound and overwhelmingly satiate.

I’m serious when I say this thing is hot. Thirty minutes later, long after onions slowly weep their way to an oily death on a dank fajita plate, the Molcajete is still steaming and hot to the touch.

When I order fajitas at my local sexually ambiguous national chain, Boobz, the waitress comes out in a tank top, short shorts, welding mask and tungsten-chromium reinforced apron and gloves. Before serving I have to sign,

in triplicate, an agreement that will indemnify Boobz against damages, and hold them harmless should I (hereafter referred to as The Customer): burn, sear, char or otherwise conflagrate myself while in the commission of my dinner thereof. I sign the papers on her butt and she scuttles off.

You could never serve something that bold and hot in a national chain, with the fear of constant litigation due to the occassional, itinerant cockroach in the salad, let alone someone losing their face in a rocky crater of boiling stew.

Despite the risk, he seems to be having a good time.

This tragic smile serves as an indelible barrier to the presidency.

I know its out of the way for most of you, but if you’re in my ‘hood and heading toward Spaceland or Silverlake Lounge, you are not too far away. You can’t miss it, it is big, orange and blue. It also has a convenient outside cash-only stand, and parking fo’ free.

El Siete Mares (The Seven Seas)
3131 W. Sunset Blvd.

Spotted this plastic thingamajig at a new store in Silver Lake this weekend. Now every one of the stockings I stuff may have a Swedish touch, due soley to Herman Rasmuson, the former chef and inventor behind the GarlicCard. First of all, this baby is cheap ($6); second, it has an appealing design; third, I love garlic and I want my family and friends to whip up more garlic-starring meals. A swinging video on the GarlicCard site demonstrates why it’s so much more fun and washable than a rusty, nasty, scuzzy ol’ metal garlic press.

A+R
1716 Silver Lake Boulevard
(between Effie Street and Swan Place)
Silver Lake
323-913-9558

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

Figaro Cafe is a charming French sidewalk cafe and boulangerie set amid the quaint storefronts and theaters on nouveaupunk Vermont Avenue in Los Feliz Village. Figaro is a truly cozy venue. Even the emulation of the French sidewalk atmosphere offers a cocoon where diners can enjoy a quiet meal without the distractions of other diners or passers-by. There is no barrier, just the environment effectively washes away extraneous city bustle. Inside, dark mahogany and antique fixtures set up an old world feel.

I’ll avoid the obvious euphamistic jokes on how I surrendered myself to the lobster bisque, or why I question the fact that every time I go into a French restaurant, it is magically staffed by people with French accents even though there is no definitive French community anywhere in Los Angeles. Yes, the city is populated with actors, I already figured that out.

Bistro food to the French is what McDonald’s is to Americans, and they have us beat, hands down. Service is quick, the food is reasonably priced and prepared with care and affection. Some other time I will do a deconstruction between haute cuisine and bistro, but I’ve discovered the foundation is the same. Bechemel, cognac cream peppercorn, melted guyere, are all some of the common ingredients between the two distinct cooking styles.

Figaro offers the staples of bistro dining. A sweet, lovingly simmered onion soup, with plenty of browned cheese hugging the crock starts off any good meal.

Their escargot, however, are prepared differently than the drowned-in-garlic butter style…and I like them drowned in a pool of garlic butter. This is your only warning, they are presented stylishly, but a bit too much of the gamey snail creeps through the tomato garlic dressing. At first chew, it is rich and flavorful. By chew three it is rubbery and snailish. By chew six it can taste a bit like spent gum. Chew 12 finds it broken down into a gut-like, muddy ball. Yes, I wish I could swallow at chew three, but you are probably familiar with the dynamic of trying to choke down something rubbery and slightly too large, and its ability to trigger the gag reflex. You have to choke through six of them.

Escargot aside, if you are familiar with bistro fare, you proabably know the standards, but I’ll run down a few: Chicken and mushroom crepes with cream sauce, ham and guyere sandwiches, beef bourgnion, thyme chicken, fromage plate, creme brulee, fondue. All the foods are rich and exciting (except the aforementioned escargot…try the ones at Rainbow Room, you’ll be surprised). I know I may be speaking in generalities, but, like my comparison to McDonalds earlier, any competent French bistro will make these dishes with the care and flavor they deserve. I’ll get into specifics when the food fails to live up to my expectations, and Figaro surpasses them.

They have a respectable wine list, but I stick with Chimay Red label on tap. Chimay is Belgian ale brewed by Trappist monks. It has a fruity taste, nice weight, and decent alcohol content. Other Belgian ales can suffer from being overmalted, thickly sweet and undercarbonated, but Chimay Red is perfectly paired for a hearty French meal.

Figaro is located at 1802 Vermont Ave in Los Feliz, valet parking is available to shake you down, or you can circle for six hours and park nine blocks away…if you’re not familiar with Vermont Ave.