Grubtrotters

 

Platine Bakery in Culver City

My friend Rob and I attended the opening party for Platine Sweets & Savories bakery in Culver City over the weekend. The shop comes from French Laundry vet Jamie Cantor, who already had a successful online business called Platine Cookies. We had the opportunity to try her cookies last year, and they were delicious. But this time we got to sample a lot of other incredible delicate sweets.

My favorite was the Short Stack of little pancakes soaked with maple OJ emulsion with candied bacon on top. More proof that bacon makes everything better. I also enjoyed the rich and tasty chocolate peanut butter Baby Cakes ($1 each), the moist carrot coconut Cakelette ($1.50) and the bite-sized Cheesecake Cups ($1.75). All of these were even better than the cookies, which is saying a lot. The Chocolate Gingersnaps were pretty fab.

The only treat I didn’t dig so much was the Caramel Top Brownies ($2). Too chewy and sticky to eat at a party. But everything was displayed in lovely tiers, perfect for a dessert buffet at a wedding. (Legal or not, Rob is planning a big gay wedding in the fall, and I could see his wheels were turning.) The tiny size of the treats also make them great for Angelenos who want sweets without the guilt. Of course, if you’re like me, you couldn’t possibly just try one of these desserts. I left the party with quite the sugar high.

The bakery is situated in a nondescript area of Culver City that’s becoming a bit of a bakery row. A few doors down is the dessert store Essential Chocolate and the gluten-free bakery, The Sensitive Baker. So if you’re craving sweets, swing by Washington Boulevard for a sugar fix. – Jenny

Platine Sweets & Savories, 10850 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 310-559-9933

Liquid Nitrogen Cocktails

I’ve been meaning to write about The Bazaar by Jose Andres at the SLS Hotel for weeks now, but words have escaped me. There’s nothing like it in L.A. — or anywhere, for that matter. It’s the closest thing you will find to Vegas on the coast, the Cirque du Soleil of culinary adventures and a total sensory overload. Call it performance dining. The only place I’ve been that rivals its down-the rabbit-hole quality is Green T. Living in Beijing. Both are visual feasts, with settings that outshine the food but make the dining experience a magical, mystical journey — especially for people with ADD. The only problem is that element of surprise is ephemeral. I’ve been twice, and my second experience was not nearly as thrilling. The place gives you a fabulous sugar high the first time you see it, but sugar highs wear off.

Philippe Starck, with his quirky sensibilities, has his fingers all over SLS, as does owner Sam Nazarian. The Bazaar is designed like a three-ring circus, with two tapas restaurants on the left, one traditional and one modern, called Rojo y Blanco (the colors match the names). They’ve got a wonderful jamon (ham) bar serving the formerly banned jamon iberico, and tapas ranging from the most traditional (simple but delicious tomato on toasted bread) to the most experimental molecular gastronomy creations. We’re talking syringe-like pipettes of mozzarella you squeeze into your mouth with a cherry tomato and a liquid olive served on a spoon that’s the consistency of an over-easy egg yolk, solid on the outside, pops on your tongue. Foam is clearly the chef’s friend. Whether you sit on the modern or traditional side, you can order from both menus. Caricature artists and fortune tellers entertain on weekends.

Jamon Bar

In the center ring is Bar Centro, which has a more limited menu of caviar, raw bar selections and a few tapas. Except for the predictable crowd of Beverly Hills babes, this place is crazy cool. Individual movie screens are embedded into a communal table in the center. There are all kinds of eclectic nooks and crannies with unusual furniture where you can sit and eat, surrounded by screens that morph monkeys into men and giant crystal-like light installations that scream 80s retro chic. Waiter/performers roll around carts featuring liquid nitrogen cocktails that smoke like a science experiment and cotton candy machines used to wrap the sugary pouf around foie gras on a stick. Behind that is the whimsical patisserie with its twisted (like it melted) white chandelier, featuring desserts on display under precious glass containers, even chocolate pop rocks. Yes, we’re talking the kind that killed Mikey.

Making Cotton Candy Foie Gras

The third ring of this bizarro world is a museum-like emporium from Moss with edgy and offbeat high-design trinkets. Lots of twig/woodsy themes, which are in now, a Dutch Delight dildo, golden pigs, finger puppets of recently deceased celebrities, including Heath Ledger — you know, the usual. Judging from the prices on display at Moss and the tab it must have taken to design this place, it’s clear the concept of a recession was nowhere in evidence when The Bazaar was planned. If you need an escape from reality, this is the place to be. And yet, the food prices are not nearly as bad as I expected. Tapas plates are small, so you have to watch what you order or the tab does add up, but there are dishes you can buy for $4 and $5.

Jamon Plate

And how is the food? I’m not sure it merits the Four Stars the LA Times lavished upon it, but I certainly had some delightful dishes during my two visits. The Spanish chef, star of the public TV series “Made in Spain,” owns several D.C. restaurants and trained under the master culinary experimenter, Ferran Adria of El Bulli in Spain. He helped popularize tapas in America, and for that, we thank him.

Jose Andres

Victor’s favorite dish was the Philly cheesesteak, which was like a pastry — they call it “air bread” — with gooey cheese and Kobe beef in the center. They have a veggie version, too, with mushrooms called a “Hilly cheesesteak.” My sister, Gretchen, currently on a veggie diet, gave that one a thumbs up, too. I’m a fan of the bite-sized caviar and salmon roe cones and all the cured hams. And my friend Jan looked orgasmic while eating the foie gras cotton candy (only $5).

The group’s favorite dish might have been one the waitress recommended, which I probably would not have ordered otherwise, the jicama wrapped guacamole with micro cilantro and corn nuts. I’m not a cilantro gal, but this dish was crunchy and packed with flavor, a real winner. I also recommend the gambas al ajillo (shrimp and garlic), the Japanese tacos of grilled eel, shiso leaf, cucumber and wasabi, as well as the tomato and mozzarella pipettes, which just made me happy. The watermelon and tomato skewers are also juicy and refreshing, and the olive is awesome, if you like olives, which I definitely do.

Paella

Victor raved about the paella with shrimp, which he described as “rich and hearty.” I thought it was passable, nothing spectacular, but big enough for a table of four to share, which was nice. The wrinkled potatoes are also a good bet for a big group. The name makes the dish sound downright awful, but these tiny potatoes are cooked in seawater, soaking up the salt. I love salty. They come with a dip of parsley, cilantro, garlic and olive oil. The spinach dish with apple, pine nuts and raisins was also a highlight.

Andres is into old-time canning, although the canned dishes are actually made fresh daily so it’s more of a serving shtick. I was underwhelmed by the canned crab and mussels. The flavor was a little bland. Jan was also disappointed with her mushroom soup, which she said tasted like Campbell’s. Vic and I had a sip and thought she was being a tad harsh, but hey, it was her soup. I would also skip the carrot dish. My sister said it wasn’t worth mentioning. I know there was a steak dish and a tuna dish that I enjoyed, but their names and exact details escape my alcohol-sodden memory. Hey, it was my birthday dinner. I wasn’t taking great notes. (The sangria, by the way, is terrific.) After dinner, they lead you to the patisserie for dessert, where we had fun squeezing a capsule of chocolate into our mousse filled with pop rocks.

Watermelon and Tomato

After my first visit to The Bazaar, I felt all sparkly and shiny, like I was floating. It was definitely one of the most exciting dining experiences of my life. By my second visit, I felt like Dorothy after Toto pulled the curtain back on the Wizard of Oz. The service, unfortunately, was way off that night. The table next to us, which sat down after we did, got at least two dishes before our drinks or any scrap of food arrived. By the time our first dish finally appeared, I was starving. We had to remind them to bring our drinks at that point. Not good. I felt like Estelle on “Seinfeld” describing dinner with George’s would-be in-laws: “We were sitting there, like idiots,  drinking coffee without a piece of cake!”

The pushcarts were also missing in action that night, but we ordered their tasty delights anyway. Unfortunately, our servers forgot to bring the cotton candy foie gras and caviar cones. After the meal ended, we had to remind them.  And this place got four stars? Where was the magic of my first visit? There’s no question The Bazaar is a must-see spot, especially for people who are into design. You can pretty much wander around for an hour and stay amused. The place has a kitschy sense of humor, and it’s fun. Whenever out-of-towners visit, I’m sure I will bring them to experience the insanity. However, the restaurant should not rest on its LA Times review, especially in this economy. They need to concentrate on the basics like service so locals will keep coming back. The hip place today can easily turn into the has-been of tomorrow. Keep the magic alive and serve the food on time. — Jenny

The Bazaar at the SLS Hotel, 465 South La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-247-0400

Victor and I had the pleasure of checking out AK Restaurant + Bar this week, another relatively new hot spot on Abbot Kinney in Venice from former Four Seasons chef Conny Andersson.  We enjoyed a cool beer tasting featuring a selection of brews from around the globe paired with various dishes. I’m more of a wine gal, but Victor, given his many years as a sports reporter (and now editor of the website SportsFanLive.com), is definitely a beer guy. Beer snob may be a better term. He won’t let me touch his collection of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ales. In any case, we both thought the concept of beer pairing was an entertaining change of pace.

My favorites were the complex German pilsner Konig paired with a chilled seafood appetizer, and the Japanese Hitachino Nest white ale, a light, bright and citrusy compliment to the perfectly cooked duck breast in a black pepper honey gastrique. Vic was partial to the Cupaca Mexican pale ale,  which he described as “fruity and hoppy.” The Sing Ha lager was decent, but nothing special, given that I’ve had it at dozens of Thai restaurants before. The Vietnamese pilsner Hue just didn’t hold up in this crowd when it came to flavor, strength and complexity. And the Belgium ale Maredsous 8 was too sweet when I first took a sip but tasted great with a bite of mac & cheese.

Our first reaction to AK as a whole was mixed. Given the timing of its opening, the similarities and proximity to Gjelina, I couldn’t stop myself from comparing the two. It didn’t help that it was a frigid night, and we sat close to the door, which wouldn’t close all the way on its own. We were cold. While drinking cold beer. Vic kept getting up and shutting the door himself. The overall feeling of the place left me cooler than Gjelina, even though it was hopping. Perhaps it’s the mid-century modern design. The original Earo Saarinen chairs are incredibly stylish and comfy. And the glass walls overlooking bamboo, the glass-enclosed fire feature, the communal tables in the bar are all very lovely. But I found the spare, clean lines of mid-century modernism a bit chilly on this winter night. The little upstairs nook of a terrace looks a lot cozier and more private, and I think I would have preferred it.

The food, too, was up and down. Both of our entrees were wonderful. The duck and the king salmon with grilled fennel and a honey mustard glaze were both outstanding –  moist and tender. The plating was gorgeous, the flavors divine. However, the steamed blue mussels starter was disappointing. Not terrible, but again, the ones at Gjelina are such much better. The dish needed something, maybe garlic? Spanish chorizo in the sauce was a little tough and chewy, although I have to say the tiny toasts covered in pistachio parsley pesto were a great idea. The buratta cheese and prosciutto appetizer with marinated peppers is always a favorite, and the cheese was silky and smooth. But it just didn’t wow me. And while the mac & cheese with chorizo, ham and manchego was yummy, the ricotta gnocchi was just bland. The crunchy texture of the chestnuts didn’t help the dish at all. Again, I couldn’t help but compare it to Evan Kleiman’s amazing ricotta gnocchi at Angeli Caffe, which we served at our wedding. Her buttery gnocchi is so wonderful that eating it is almost an orgasmic experience. This gnocchi inspired in me a Larry David-like expression of ambivalence, which frankly, I don’t know how to spell. “Eehhhh?” That’s the closest I can get.

Of course, I’d rather have a mediocre starter and side dish than a bad entree, and the entrees definitely delivered. So did the desserts. The chocolate obsession was filled with a river of gewey molten chocolate.  Mmmm, mmmm. It was almost identical to a dessert I ate at the Four Seasons in Bora Bora two weeks ago after winning a four-night stay there as a door prize at a party. (Mom always said I was lucky.) Given Andersson’s Four Seasons background, I suspect he knew he had a winner on his hands with that one. The raspberry sorbet was also delish.

I’m not going to be too quick to judge AK just yet. Andersson is Swedish, and I have yet to try his Swedish dishes, such as the meatballs and the salmon gravlax — both of which the Los Angeles Times food critic raved about in her recent review. So I’ll be back to AK, I’m sure.  On a warmer night next time. And perhaps I’ll try the wine. — Jenny

AK Restaurant + Bar: 1633 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, 310-392-6644.

We’ve all heard of organic and fair trade chocolate. But there’s a new product on the market called Intentional Chocolate, which has the blessing of the Dalai Lama. In fact, the chocolate itself has been blessed by Buddhist monks and other expert meditators who infused it with good intentions: “Whoever consumes this chocolate will manifest optimal health and functioning at physical, emotional and mental levels, and in particular will enjoy an increased sense of energy, vigor and well-being….for the benefit of mankind.”

Sounds nice, but does it really work? Well, the founder of Intentional Chocolate wanted to find out, too. So he commissioned Dr. Dean Radin, author of “The Conscious Universe” and senior scientist at the Institute of Noetic Sciences to conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled pilot experiment. Radin’s study, published last November in Explore, the Journal of Science and Healing, found that people who ate an ounce of Intentional Chocolate for three days scored themselves 67% higher on a standard psychological scale measuring well-being, which was much better than those in a control group who ate regular chocolate. You can watch Radin give a one-minute explanation (aka commercial) here.

This is one small pilot study, and perhaps it was a fluke. But what if it’s replicated, and we someday learn that the mood and intentions of the people making your food actually affect the food and how you feel after eating it? Perhaps someday we will all get to know our restaurant chefs before eating out. Angry chefs will be considered hazardous to your health. We’ll light a candle and set the mood when we cook at home. Sound far-fetched? As a fledgling yoga teacher, I can tell you that we always set an intention before class because sankalpa, as it’s called, is a powerful thing.

Regardless of what you think of the study, I can definitely recommend Intentional Chocolate for its flavor. The truffles are especially divine. Among the most nirvana-inducing chocolate I have tasted, for sure. It comes from the makers of Hawaiian Vintage Chocolates, which is a favorite of chefs such as Emeril Lagasse, Bobby Flay and Charlie Trotter. It may have been the power of suggestion, but I started having some pretty interesting insights after eating it. The chocolate isn’t cheap, but you can feel good knowing that 10% of the proceeds go toward the Deer Park Buddhist Center. Log onto www.intentionalchocolate.com to order some chocolate, boost your mood and make a difference. What could be better? –Jenny

Las Vegas has plenty of attractions, but this could be a first: A 13-foot clock, made to resemble a chocolate truffle, that makes chocolate truffles.

The chocolate clock will be on display at Francois Payard’s Patisseries & Bistro in Caesars Palace. The inner mechanics of the clock are rigged to crank out truffles every 15 minutes.

We can see the next step. Which casino will be the first to introduce a slot machine that dispenses chunks of chocolate instead of coins?