Suzanne Goin has a good thing going. The Hungry Cat was one of the first seafood restaurants I tried after moving to LA and remains a standard recommendation when friends ask about quality Hollywood eateries. I finally made it to A.O.C. on a date a couple months ago and I was really impressed with the menu and service — I hope to return very soon. I haven’t been to Lucques, but its reputation is top-notch. Aside from running the aforementioned restaurants, Goin is a three-time James Beard Award nominee, winning the award for Best Chef: California in 2006. To say she’s established herself as one of the premiere restauranteurs in the city would be to diminish all she’s accomplished here in Los Angeles.
Last night I was invited to a tasting event at the newest incarnation of The Larder, at Burton Way. There’s a Larder at Tavern (on San Vicente in Brentwood), and one at Maple Drive in Beverly Hills. Billed as “casual, sustainable eateries,” the Burton Way location is open for breakfast, lunch, happy hour and dinner. It features local, organic produce and meats as well as organic and/or biodynamic wines. Last night’s tasting composed of an amuse, four courses, and a dessert. Each plate (except for the dessert) was paired with a wine by the Larder’s sommelier, Caroline, who did an impeccable job choosing wines to compliment each plate. Seriously, I don’t know nearly as much about wine as I’d like to, but after tasting each dish and sampling the selected wines I felt like I knew exactly why she made each choice. I had to approach her afterwards and thank her for the job well done, I was that impressed. I know…I’m such a goober sometimes.
mediterranean trio with chickpea puree, muhammara, black olives & preserved lemon
2011 soloist, pinot noir rosé, sonoma coast
We started with a plate of purees, one of which was a fairly straightforward humus, and one of which was described by the chef as a Turkish take on muhammara made spicy peppers that gave the puree an excellent kick. The micro-salad of olives and lemon with parsley was a great touch, and the briny, tart flavor (plus the nuttiness and spice of the muhammara) all meshed perfectly with the rosé pairing.
market lettuces with cucumber, radish, & soft herbs
2011 talley, chardonnay, arroyo grande valley
What appeared on the surface to be a very basic, lightly dressed (I believe with a lemon vinaigrette) salad turned out to be way more complex than I’d imagined. The dish carried the slightest hint of anise, the lettuces were bright and crisp, and the radish added decent crunch (although maybe a tad on the soft side). The Chardonnay imparted some excellent fruit notes to enhance the greens.
faro with cucumbers, purslane, cherry tomato, feta & nyon olives
2011 walter hansel, savignon blanc, lake county
This was one of the better dishes of the evening. The grain was perfectly cooked, the tomatoes exploded with flavor, the feta was tangy and salty, and the olives ramped up the salinity. The wine was a touch on the sweet side, but it was still good. It was probably my least favorite of the wines we sampled, but I could see why you’d want to pair something on the sweet side with this plate given the flavor profiles of the different components.
achiote marinated market fish with saffron couscous, mizuna, cilantro & lime
2011 la cuisine de ma mére, chinon, loire valley
the market fish (sea bass) came topped with a lime yogurt, on a bed of japanese mustard, with a generous portion of couscous. The fish was cooked perfectly, soft and delicious. The combination of the light mustard green with the couscous made for a tasty bite. The wine pairing was interesting in part because it wasn’t locally sourced and because I always thought you had to pair white wine with fish. Who knew!? This one played well off the delicate fish with its spicy notes and light, peppery flavor.
braised pork shoulder with shell bean ragout, market peppers & tomatillo
2009 barrel 27, syrah, right hand man, central coast
The best course (and pairing!) of the night was the final one we were served. It was hearty, the shoulder was soft and pleasantly fatty, and as dark and heavy as the plate looked it wasn’t at all dense or too filling. The chef made sure to point out that all the beans were shelled by hand, which is a process that takes a good amount of time and most of the staff. The end most definitely justifies the means. It was easily the standout dish of the night. The syrah had a fruity aroma, flavors of herbs and dark fruit, and a mild bitterness that stood up to the boldness of the pork, beans, and peppers.
lemon bar with crème fraiche & blueberries
no wine pairing
What the hell is there not to like a lemon bar with yummy berries? The perfect palate cleanser to conclude the meal. Also, they sent us all home with a bag of homemade cookies, which didn’t survive the trip back across town.
I think I described that accurately. Who the fuck knows. I literally don’t understand wine. I’m trying…I swear, I’m trying…but it’s not the easiest thing in the world to GET. Hell, it took me something like five years to develop my beer/whiskey palate. Hopefully it won’t take that long for me to appreciate wine on the same level.
Hey, thanks everyone at the Larder at Burton Way! I had a blast last night. I’ll be back soon.
My Bloody Valentine – Don’t Ask Why [MP3]
