Steak in the Jar

Chef Suzanne Tracht has been tirelessly putting her spin on traditional American dishes and comfort food at Beverly Boulevard's Jar for the past decade. While other restaurants rise and fall, explode in brightness and flame out, Jar just keeps on ticking, the Energizer Bunny of lA fine dining.

The menu is haute steakhouse, with an emphasis on traditionally prepared beef and fish. Cocktails are classic but refined, lacking the sweetness that is so typical in many sidecars and Manhattans. The fried clams, one of the signature dishes, were delicious with a light, flaky, batter, but they weren't much more exciting than a well executed calamari. Fried seafood is nearly always good, but rarely breathtaking.

We ordered a porterhouse for two. The steak arrived cooked perfectly to order (between rare and medium rare). I'm most familiar with the porterhouse at Matro's, so it was hard for me not to compare the two. The Mastro's porterhouse is a giant, Flintstone sized slab of steak which explodes with flavor from its butter bath and the bold, salty Mastro's rub. The Jar steak was a more subtle affair, a slightly smaller steak (though still more than enough for two - you just may end up taking less of it home) with a more delicate flavor and the tang of the peppercorn crusted rub used at Jar. They are two extremely good but very different versions of a classic steak, neither better than the other.

Jar allows you the choice of a side sauce for the steak, we picked the buttery Bearnaise and the horseradish sauce, both well done versions of steakhouse classics. I can't bear to sauce a good steak, so these were used primarily as dipping sauce for the excellent french fries.

While high end American comfort food isn't one of my favorite genres, Jar executes it with finesse and a light touch that shows a respect for its patrons, not a thing to be taken lightly in a dining scene that can have all of the flash of a Hollywood set.

Jar
8225 Beverly Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 655-6566

Ask Mr. Pyrite Returns

Nobel Prize winning food critic Jonathan Pyrite has graciously agreed to join us again this week to answer more reader questions about the Los Angeles food scene. (Thanks to our readers for the huge outpouring of questions; I promise that if we didn't get to your question yet, we will try to in the future).


Dear Mr. Pyrite:
Is there any good Thai food, either Isaan or Southern style, in East LA?
--Irene V., L.A.


Dear Ms. V.:

When I was a fledgling music writer, I told a then-unknown Kurt Cobain who had crashed on my couch after a particularly energetic gig at Raji’s in which his transcendent punk/metal riffs had washed over the audience to a crescendo not unlike the gradual attack on your sinuses when you squeeze an excessive amount of mustard on your French Dip at Philippes, that my goal for the year was to eat at least once at every restaurant on Sam Yorty Place. Sam Yorty Place, as it happens, is thinly populated cul-de-sac inhabited by a Carl's Jr and a taco truck. After accomplishing this task, I rewarded myself with a satisfying swig of Dom Perignon from an oversized champagne flute that I keep on hand for just such occasions. Kurt was so inspired by my success that he decided, at that very moment, to look for a deal with a major label.

But in terms of rock stars, even of the flannel-shirted, angst-ridden variety, there is no bigger celebrity in Thai cuisine than Lotus of Thailand. Simply put, there has never been, and until Nancy Silverton opens a Thai spot adjacent to Mozza, there will never be a better Thai restaurant in the history of the universe than Lotus of Thailand. Lotus of Thailand is, of course, the Vegas branch of the second best Thai restaurant in the history of the universe, Renu Norwalkian, which achieved a sort of culinary cognitive dissonance by serving Thai royal banquet food in a small, brick enclosure studded with travel posters. But at Lotus, you get the best of everything, from the rather simple fare that you might find in Bankok's floating markets to the street food along the bustling thoroughfares of Chiang Mai to royal cuisine, as subtly flavored as any dish you would find at one of the city's many temples of fine dining. The pepper tinged sauces sing with a piquancy reminiscent of a Maylay influenced Burundian sambal, the type of which can be cooled only with a bite of the cornmeal ugali, that near universal Central African starch. And if what you crave is the true taste of Central African food, you owe it to yourself to take leave for Burundi and experience that majestic combination first hand.

Lotus of Thailand, 953 E. Mojave Ave., Las Vegas, NV. Burundi, Central Africa.

Thanks again to Mr. Pyrite, and readers, keep those questions coming!

Whiskey Wednesday: Van Winkle Rye

It's time for some rye! Van Winkle rye, made by Julian Van Winkle in conjunction with the Buffalo Trace distillery, is a popular rye whiskey that has been hard to find in Southern California. Lately though, there is some Van Winkle on the shelves at premium liquor shops. I'm a big fan of Buffalo Trace's other ryes: Sazerac, Sazerac 18 year old, and Thomas Handy, so I figured I would try the Van Winkle. Julian Van Winkle sources his own whiskey, and this is thought by many to be a blend of ryes from two distilleries: Bernheim and Medley, though we don't know for certain and it could also be made by Buffalo Trace. (Note to whiskey geeks, this is one of the new "A" series bottles).

Tasting

Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye, 13 years old, 47.8% alcohol ($70)

The first whiff of this stuff is Bourbony sweetness, they you get flooded with the strong rye spice. The flavor flips that formula on its heads with rye spice in the forefront and a bit of bitterness, followed with some sweetness that lasts into the finish, hand in hand with the bitter. This is a bit less rounded than Buffalo Trace's other ryes and the sweetness and spice feel less integrated, but it gets points for a solid and complex rye flavor. If they could tame the bitter edges, this would be amazing stuff.

Dim Sum, Art and Animals with Ken Tanaka at King Hua

Last weekend, my good friend Ken Tanaka, YouTube celebrity, artist, animal lover and otherwise renaissance man, accompanied me for dim sum at King Hua in Alhambra. King Hua is one of my current favorites for dim sum. Their food is fresher and sharper than your standard dim sum. I also appreciate that you can choose from a wider selection of teas than at most dim sum houses. Dim sum is so much better when enjoyed with a deeply earthy cup of pu-erh tea than the usual swill.

And unlike me, Ken photographs food (and animals). See his excellent report on our meal here. As for King Hua, it was excellent as usual. I especially liked their fried rice, which I hadn't tried before. It was well balanced with just the right amount of oil to give it that slightly glistening look.

King Hua Restaurant, Inc.
2000 W. Main St. (between Fremont and Atlantic)
Alhambra, CA 91801
(626) 282-8833

Brandy Friday: Germain-Robin Apple Brandy

In all of my Brandy Fridays, I have never reviewed an apple brandy. Apple brandy is probably the most popular brandy variety after grape. The French apple brandy Calvados has long been well known and loved, but of late, American apple brandies have been making a comeback.

Apple brandy, and more specifically applejack, was one of America's original spirits. You may remember the legendary Johnny Appleseed whose apple planting exploits are a staple of American elementary school curricula. Let's just say that there is a good reason that Johnny was so beloved, and it's not because people were excited to have more apple pie.

Germain-Robin, the Ukiah based microdistiller known for their fantastic California brandies (see reviews here and here) now has an apple brandy. It's made from a variety of apples from the nearby Anderson Valley and rounded out with some pear. The fruit is crushed into cider and then distilled (it isn't frozen first as with applejack).

Germain-Robin apple brandy sells for around $65, but there is also an XO that goes for $95, and they are working on a series of heirloom apple brandies using more obscure varieties of apple. According to Germain-Robin's production director Joe Thomas Corley, the trick of apple brandy is balancing the fresh apple flavor with those good, aged brandy characteristics. The standard apple brandy includes brandies ranging from five to seven years old with some older spirit added to give it some age. Corley says that the older XO includes some much older brandies but, consequently, less of that fresh apple flavor. I tried the standard apple brandy.


Tasting
Germain-Robin Apple Brandy, 40% alcohol ($65).

The nose on this is of Cognac and fresh apples. Talk about fresh apple; close you eyes and see the orchard. On tasting it, I find it surprisingly dry. The first taste is a burst of apple flavor but without the sweetness you might expect. Instead it is soft and dry and has many commonalities with Germain-Robin's Cognac style brandies, but with a hint of apple. The apple, itself, which is big in the nose and first taste, recedes some and takes its place with some vanilla and caramel notes and, yes, some sweetness at the end. The finish is sweet and delicate with only the slightest hint of apple.

I've only had a few Calvados, so I'm no expert on apple brandy, but this certainly ranks among the best I've had. I'll be excited to try more of our American apple brandies both from Germain-Robin and elsewhere.

Whiskey Wednesday: Storage is Overrated

Many whiskey lovers have elaborate shrines to display their wares. They often refer to their collections as the "bunker," which has a rustic connotation, but if you surf on-line whiskey forums, you will see pictures of beautiful, antique, polished wood cabinets, custom-made closets with special lighting and temperature control, wine-like cellars and caves and other special storage devices.

Not for me. I squirrel away the whiskey wherever it will fit, which tends to mean that any drawer or cabinet you open will include a bottle or two. The above picture is my main storage area, my bedroom closet. As you can see, while my collection is largely mixed in among clothes and shoes, I do have a vicious animal guarding the stash.



And this is a utility cabinet, including light bulbs, plastic wrap, cat food, and yes, whiskey. I guess I fall more on the utilitarian side of the whiskey storage spectrum, though I do have an unused closet space...hmmmm. How about you?

Smokin' Good Fish at Dacha

The only time I visited Russia and the Ukraine was back in the old Soviet days. Everything was heavily regulated, including where student tourist types like myself could go and what we could eat, which consisted mostly of cucumbers, borscht, sour cream (in a jar, to be eaten with a spoon) and the occasional really good, home cooked meal in the more remote areas of the Ukraine.

Dacha, in the San Fernando Valley, offers much more and without the Party propaganda of old. Located on Laurel Canyon, all of the seating is indoor/outdoor, in an enclosed but open to the outside patio-type set up.

Dacha has a sizable menu, but as in the Soviet days, not everything is always available. My advice would be to get the cold fish appetizers, and lots of them. The herring is delightfully pickled, less salty than typical and with lots of sour, fishy goodness. The smoked fish plate comes with salmon, sturgeon and sea bass; all three of these were great, but I especially liked the deep smoke that permeated the sea bass.

Another highlight was the stuffed cabbage which was one of the best versions of this iconic Eastern European dish that I've had. The cabbage was firm, the filling was nicely spiced and the sauce, so often a weak tomato water, was tangy and lively.

There are many other dishes on the menu, but none which I found exciting. Borscht, boiled dumplings and chicken Kiev were all competent but fairly standard and a bit bland. As I said, it is a big menu, so there is more to explore, but if I go back it will be for the smoked fish and stuffed cabbage...food that would make any old Bolshevik's mouth water.

Dacha
5338 Laurel Canyon Blvd
Valley Village, CA 91607
(818) 509-5828