Saturday, May 30, 2009

The Diva Download: The Bazaar, Sushi Nozawa, Grilled Cheese & Champagne & The Street!

The Bazaar's Skirt Steak

Divas, it's been a whirlwind weekend so far and it's not even close to over! I want to take a moment to catch you up and all the great food happenings in my life. The Chicago Foodie has returned, and where she travels, great food manifests itself. We hit up The Bazaar by Jose Andres on Thursday night for trip numero quatro!

When we arrived they remembered me this time - or I should say they remembered my bottle of 1994 Dominus I toted with me last time around. This time I brought with me Tantara's 2003 Evelyn, their top bottling that I'd been cellaring for years. The wine was fantastic - floral with great fruit, smooth, beautifully crafted. A total winner! Kudos to my Tantara friends!! I can't wait to drink my other Evelyns (I've been collecting them vertically for several years).

The Bazaar's Cippolini Onions

We settled into our table and into our wine as the Chef's Tasting Menu began to flow from the kitchen. Favorite courses that we hadn't tried this time around were the foie gras popsicles - delicate, rich pieces of foie gras on a stick covered in fluffy cotton candy. A true play on savory and sweet. Marvelous! We also loved the cippolini onions, beautifully carmelized and served with citrus and the skirt steak with peppers, perfectly cooked, juicy, tender. Old standbys included the salt crusted potatoes with cilantro pesto, watermelon skewers and the lamb loin. For dessert, the flan was the clear winner - it was perfection. The Bazaar continues to impress.

The Bazaar's Foie Gras Popsicles

Then, Friday rolled around, and the Chicago Foodie and I snuck in a quick lunch at Sushi Nozawa. Chef's choice again (click here to read my earlier review). This is truly my favorite sushi restaurant in LA! After recovering from lunch, I prepared myself for a fabulous grilled cheese and champagne bash being hosted by my Foodie Friend, one of the most talented home chefs I've ever had the pleasure to meet. I walked into her impeccably decorated condo and the first thing that caught my eye was a chalkboard mounted on the wall over an incredible spread of food listing the evening's menu. In addition to multiple types of grilled cheese sandwiches, all made with fine cheese and ingredients, she had two rows of hand-pickled vegetables she had made, everything from okra to peaches. The jars glimmered as if lite up from within adding a touch of artistry to the food. My Foodie Friend had also crafted an stunning spread of macaroons, which like the pickled fruits and veggies, came in an array of colors and flavors.

The Bazaar's Salt Crusted Potatoes

I quickly filled my glass with pink champagne and loaded up my plate. Everything tasted amazing, but my clear favorite sandwich was the cheddar with bacon! It has a perfect touch of sweetness and I'm a sucker for great cheddar cheese. I also loved the mozzarella with stinging nettles. As for the pickled food, I LOVED the peaches - the sweetness with the vinegar was heavenly. And the macaroons were a perfect finish to the meal. I can't wait to spend more time with My Foodie Friend, whether it's cooking or feasting together at one of our favorite LA spots. And in the meantime, Happy Birthday!! Thanks for sharing it with me.

Next up, tonight I'm venturing to The Street, Susan Feniger's new restaurant featuring food from around the world. Kuzak and The Chicago Foodie are accompanying me. I'm leaning toward their tour of the world for $35. They also offer a beer pairing for an additional $15, so maybe I can give up my beloved wine for a night. Then tomorrow it's a marathon birthday celebration for The Chicago Foodie's family at a Russian restaurant. Now that should be an interesting event! I promise to report on both dining experiences.

Restaurants mentioned in this post:

The Bazaar by Jose Andres
465 S. La Cienega Blvd.

Beverly Hills, CA

(310) 246-5555


Sushi Nozawa

11288 Ventura Blvd

Studio City, CA 91604

(818) 508-7017


Susan Feniger's The Street
742 N. Highland Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038

(323) 203-0500

5 comments:

  1. Hi there. Just wanted to note it's Susan FENIGER (not Finnegan).

    http://www.eatatstreet.com

    Cheers!

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  2. Thank you for you comment! I've made the correction. I had the pleasure of meeting her last night and she is amazing. Will post my review soon!

    xoxo

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  3. I have to add that the Bazaar's little conoli- like savory pastries filled with red salmon caviar, creme freche, and dill were amazing. Also enjoyed the play on olives and tomatoe/mozz that explode in your mouth with flavor and of course the gazpacho. Sometimes the old classics are still great! Though a bit of constructive criticism (that is really a nit, if anything): while the idea of the philly cheese steaks with Kobe beef is fabulous, the execution needs a bit of improvement as the cheese tended to overpower the delicate meat. But all in all, I would go back and try more things in a heartbeat!

    Chicago Foodie

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  4. LOVE the grilled cheese and champagne party! I may have to play with that one myself!

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  5. That party was pretty amazing! It's a great concept. Seriously great.

    And so was The Bazaar! Thanks for your comments.

    xo

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