My New Year's Resolutions

Everyone needs something to strive for and bloggers are no different, so I composed this list of New Year's Resolutions. These are just a few of the food and drink oriented goals I hope to accomplish in the coming year.


Go for Indian in Artesia

Artesia is home to a large South Asian community and countless Indian restaurants. I've never dipped in and it's time to start.


Get to Know Brandy

I'm fluent in whiskey and at least conversant in most other spirits, but I'm a brandy ignoramus. Yes, I admit it, I can't tell my Cognac from my Armagnac. Lately, I've been sipping some on the sly, and it's a whole world of flavor. It's high time I filled this massive gap in my liquid education. Too bad there isn't a day of the week that begins with B.


Eat East LA

I've sampled East LA's Mexican scene, but I'm still a stranger on Whittier Boulevard and haven't been to some of the most famed establishments. And I call myself an LA food blogger...go east young blogger.


Go to Seven Grand

A bar in downtown LA specializing in whiskey and I haven't been...it's downright embarrassing.


Find the Best Banh Mi in the OC

I love everything about the Vietnamese sandwich. The crusty bread, the salt of the meat, the crunch of the vegetables, the creamy pate. It's time to break out of Mr. Lee's grip and get to know the small-time players.


Explore Macallan

I've always sort of shunned Macallan. I like smoky, flavorful, complex whiskies. What do I need with a pumped up, overpriced sherry spiked Speysider. But recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with a few Macs and I thought, maybe there is something to all this hype. It's time for me to go back to basics and revisit this ubiquitous malt.


More Korean Food

As I was enjoying some pork blood sausage at the Koreatown Galleria foodcourt (Reason #8 why I love this town: blood sausage at the mall), I thought, for a Koreatown blogger, I really don't review much Korean food. There are numerous reasons for this. First, living in the neighborhood, most of my Korean food experiences are casual...parties, back yard barbecues, school events for the kids, etc. Second, with Bon Vivant and Raven doing regular Korean restaurant reports, I feel like the pressure is off in that department. Still, I owe it to my 'hood to show some pride in the local cuisine, so this I will try to do.



Will I keep my resolutions? Who knows? I'll have at least as much chance as keeping my non-food resolutions like exercising and leaving less of carbon footprint.

Coming Next Year

I'll be taking a week off between Christmas and New Years, so no new posts until January 1, but I wanted to give you a sense of just a few of the things I have in store for next year.


Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate

I'll be expanding my chocolate profile in a big way, tasting and reviewing some of the world's finest chocolate from producers big and small.


I'm Young and I Smoke

Whiskey Wednesday will launch into a series of ultra-young, ultra-smoky Scotches for the new year.


Viva America Sur

I've been doing some South American eating lately and will report in on some of the great LA South American eats.


LA's Best Liquor Stores

A rating of the best places to buy spirits in LA.

All that along with the pupusas, cheese, whiskey, butter, dumplings and fried food you've come to expect.

And tune in January 1 for my New Year's Resolutions.

'Tis the Season: Broguiere's Egg Nog

One of my favorite treats of the holiday season is Broguiere's supremely rich and creamy egg nog from Montebello. With a smooth, nutmeg taste and a consistency of melted ice cream, there is simply no better store bought egg nog, and I've tried a lot of them.

You can find Broguiere's at most premium and gourmet markets, including Bristol Farms and your higher end Ralph's stores.

Whiskey Wednesday: 'Tis the Season for Whiskey Gifts

Looking through the last year of Whiskey Wednesdays, I tried to come up with some whiskey oriented gift suggestions.

People often ask me what to get for their Whiskey Loving Loved Ones (WLLOs), and it's probably the hardest question around. There are so many variables that I hate to recommend something as a gift without knowing someone's particular taste, but with that caveat, here are a few whiskies and whiskey related items that would make great gifts for any whiskey lover.

1. Gifts for the Whiskey Novice

Two excellent introductory books for the beginning whiskey lover in your life.

For the beginning Scotch lover: The Instant Expert's Guide to Single Malt Scotch by Kevin Erskine is a must-have for anyone just getting into the wonders of Scotch. As I noted earlier this year, even a more experienced Scotch drinker can learn something from this slim but valuable volume.

For the beginning Bourbon lover: Bourbon, Straight by Charles Cowdery is an introduction to American whiskey (Bourbon, Tennessee and Rye) which includes general information, trivia and history. As with the Instant Expert's Guide, this is a must have for the enthusiast.

2. Bourbon

Buffalo Trace, the spicy standard bottling by the greatest Bourbon distiller in the country is now available in California for around $25.00. It's a great Bourbon with a nice rye kick.

Elijah Craig 18 year old single barrel Bourbon. As I noted last week, this is a fabulous Bourbon at a great price -- about $35 at most premium liquor stores. It really does not get much better in the world of Bourbon.

3. Rye

Sazerac Rye - both the standard bottling and the 18 year old are wonderful ryes with a subtle spice. Available at K&L Wine Merchants for $24 and $55, respectively.

4. Scotch

Want to surprise your Scotch loving friend? Do it with a bottle of Suntory Yamazaki Japanese Whisky. The Japanese whiskey industry is in full swing and both the 12 and 18 year olds are great whiskies. They won't believe it's not Scotch.

For an extravagant gift for your truly advanced Scotch lover, try a bottle of the ulta-hyped, ultra-collectible Bruichladdich PC5. I haven't yet reviewed this smoky 5 year old Islay malt (that review will be coming in January), but it is all the rage, and priced as such. Last time I was at Wine & Liquor Depot in Van Nuys, they still had a shelf full of bottles going for $120 a piece, and there were four left on the shelf at The Wine House in West LA as late as yesterday. Is it worth that much? Who knows, but it is definitely the flavor of the month in the Scotch world.

Happy Holidays

'Tis the Season: Gift Ideas

Well, we missed Chanukah with this post, but we are still in time for Christmas and the New Year. If you need gifts for your foodie friends, here are some suggestions, in no particular order.


1. DeVries caramelized cocoa nib clusters.

These addictive nuggets are nickel sized dollops of DeVries 77% Costa Rican chocolate topped with caramelized cocoa nibs (nibs are roasted cocoa bean pieces). They combine a deep, complex chocolate taste with the pleasant crunch of the nibs. At under $5.00 a pack, these handy snacks are a huge bargain, but they are being grabbed up quickly and supplies are limited, so order now!


2. Ratatouille

Pixar's wonderful film about a foodie rat in a Paris restaurant is now out on DVD. This is the ultimate movie for restaurant lovers and should not be missed. The DVD comes with an entertaining mini-documentary about rats and a brief "making of" piece featuring French Laundry chef and film consultant Thomas Keller, where you will briefly see him making the film's signature dish. I wish we could have seen more Keller in this piece, but overall it's still a great package and the perfect gift for food lovers of all ages. $14.99 on Amazon.

3. Lucid Absinthe

Newly legalized in the U.S., Absinthe is the wii of the spirit world this year, the must have gift for spirit-lovers. In my recent review, I found it to be very pleasant and, of course, full of mystique and ritual. Lucid is available at Hi-Times Wine Cellars for $59.99.



Coming This Wednesday: Whiskey Gifts

The Ultimate Guide to the LA Farmers Market

Well, I did it! A little more than a month ago, I pledged to visit every food stand in the Third and Fairfax Farmers Market, and I'm proud to stand on the proverbial aircraft carrier and say, "Mission Accomplished." Below are a few notes about my mission followed by a complete summary of my findings. My more detailed reviews are available here.

How did I do it?

My mission was simple, eat at every stand in the Farmers Market: old favorites as well as places I'd never gotten around to trying. However, I did not include chains (Starbucks, Johnny Rockets, Pinkberry) or restaurants in the adjacent properties (Marmalade Cafe, Morels, etc.). I also excluded the second floor sushi restaurant Kado; this was to be about the places occupying the actual Farmers Market property.

For the past six weeks, I ate at the Market two to three days per week, sometimes more. Often, I would have more than one meal a day (or at a time) at the Market and, whenever possible, I would drag friends along to help increase my sampling possibilities. For stands I had never tried before, I tried to sample a variety of dishes, including specialties.

I ended up going to 34 different food stands/restaurants. Of those, 10 were places I had never tried before.

It was an interesting experience and gave me some small sense of what it must be like to be a professional food critic. Fun, but also tiring.

How did I rate them?

I divided the Market stands into three tiers using the following criteria:

TOP TIER: A great find. A place worth a special trip to the Market.

SECOND TIER: A good place. Not worth a special trip but a place that you might want to try if you happened to be at the Market.

THIRD TIER: Places that I would not go to again. Not necessarily bad (though some were), but generally unexceptional.

Of my new tries, two made it into the top spot, but most were relegated to the third tier.

Without further ado, here is the complete list with a few brief comments. New tries have been marked with an asterisk(*).

TOP TIER

Bob's Coffee and Doughnuts - LA's best cake doughnuts and apple fritters

Country Market* - Funnel cake of the gods

Du-Par's Restaurant - Great pies, pancakes and the last great Monte Cristo in LA

The French Crepe Company - Tasty Crepes, sweet and savory

Littlejohn's - The best toffee around and other tasty candies

¡Loteria! - Mexican, great chilaquiles and queso fundido, avoid the bland tacos

Moishe's Village* - Boerek (Turkish pizzas), get it with fried eggs

Monsieur Marcel's - Best fondue in town

Pampas Grill - Brazilian churrascaria

Patsy D’Amore’s Pizza - Real NY style pizza


SECOND TIER

Bennett's Ice Cream - Decent homemade ice cream

The Gumbo Pot - Cajun food, po-boys, jambalaya, etc.

Moishe’s - Lamb ka-bob and other Middle Eastern fare

Singapore’s Banana Leaf - Paratha with Curry sauce is the go-for dish

Thee's Continental Bakery - Good cookies and pastries

Tusquellas Fish & Oyster Bar - Fish & chips


THIRD TIER

The Bread Bin - Eastern European sweets

Bryan’s Pit Barbecue - Dry, underseasoned barbecue

Charlie's Coffee Shop* - Basic diner food with a homey atmosphere

China Depot - The better of two Chinese steam table stands

Coffee Corner* - A small selection of pastries

Deano's Gourmet Pizza* - Pizza and pastas

Gill’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream - Soft serve

Kokomo - New school diner food, interesting in theory, boring in fact

La Korea - Basic Korean food

Magee's Kitchen* - Carving station meats and old-time Mexican dishes

Market Grill - Cheeseburgers and fries

Peking Kitchen* - The lesser of two Chinese steam table stands

Phil's Grill* - Basic Jewish deli fare done competently

The Salad Bar* - My choice for worst place in the Market -- lackluster salads and cold sandwiches

Sushi A Go Go* - A small step up from Ralph's sushi bar

T&Y Bakery - Cakes and pastries that look better than they taste

Ultimate Nut and Candy - Flavored popcorn and candies

Ulysses Voyage - Unexceptional Greek sit-down restaurant

For more complete reviews, see my original postings, cataloged here.

There you have it, another exercise in my obsessive completionist tendencies and the Ultimate Guide to the Farmers Market.

Whiskey Wednesday: A New Favorite - Elijah Craig 18 year old

Elijah Craig, 18year old, single barrel, Straight Kentucky Bourbon, 45% alcohol, Heaven Hill Distillery.

Elijah Craig 18 year old single barrel Bourbon is a massive whiskey. A burst of rugged flavors: caramel, oak, polished wood, maple. Its combination of smoothness and complex flavor reminds me of a Northern Highland Scotch. In fact, in some ways, I'd call this a Scotch-lover's Bourbon. In any case, this is one that will serve an exalted, if short life on my shelf. It usually goes for between $35 and $45, a real steal, and is widely available at fine liquor stores near you.