Bazaar opens; bloggers already in revolt

Mozzarella tubes from KevinEats.com

Some bloggers with apparently plenty of disposable income have already hit Jose Andres' Bazaar at the SLS hotel. I really appreciate their effort, but I'm afraid I don't have the attention span for Kevin's rundown of the 49 courses he had. I confess, I skipped to the end: some courses were quite good, while others were frankly awful. Kevin is incensed also that the policy on photograhy is rather erratically enforced -- apparently they really don't want you to take pictures, but sometimes they'll let you if you arrange it beforehand. I don't think they counted on the rather enthusiastic foodbloggers in these parts. Uber-chowhound Exilekiss was there too (not sure if he was with Kevin or not), and seemed a little more enthusiastic, plus he doesn't mention being hassled about photos. Frankly, it all seems a bit much. But in these times, restaurants should probably do everything they can to inspire customer loyalty. You know how those bloggers tend to spread the word.

Stories: an Echo Park bookshop with coffee and lunch

Stories has a full cafe in back of the book racks.

We stopped by Saturday night's packed opening party for Stories, the new bookstore in the Sea Level records space on Sunset Blvd. near the Echo. The storefront has really undergone a makeover, with lots of tempting bookshelves upfront and a sleek little cafe at the back. Owner Liz Garo told me opening day will be Tuesday or Wednesday. Starting with Raven's Brew coffee and baked goods from Breadbar, the cafe will soon add sandwiches, soups and plates with hummus, couscous salad, etc. There's a good-sized patio out back which will accomodate several tables, so you can actually pick up a cool new or used book and have a full meal. It was too crowded to browse much, but we spied lots of books by local authors including the now-classic Bohemian Modern and a fun new book from Santa Monica Press, Pop Surf Culture.

Chop Suey Cafe closes downtown

The Downtown News has the story on the closure of Chop Suey Cafe in Little Tokyo. Despite a legacy of many old customers who remember its glory days, the kitchen never found its way. (My early disappointing review got dozens of comments from those whose ties to the place went back decades.) After struggling to replicate the old recipes, Chop Suey gave up and switched to "modern Chinese" fare. As it's a historic landmark, management isn't allowed to make many changes in the vintage interior, which makes it difficult to adapt to the times. But I think having a restaurant run by a community organization is a risky idea to begin with -- except in a very few cases (Homegirl Cafe comes to mind), it seems to work better to run a restaurant with a for-profit mentality that includes accountability to the customers. The cozier Far Bar remains open, and there's plans to re-open Chop Suey as a lounge with small plates. I hope something works out, because it would be a shame to waste the large space and great neon sign in a neighborhood that's really taking off.

Los Feliz author does "High Tea"

Sandra Harper, a Los Feliz writer I've known for years, as our sons were in preschool together, has just published an L.A.-set chick lit novel called High Tea. High Tea revolves around the sympathetic British owner and quirky employees of a traditional tea shop on Third St. It's fun spotting the references to familiar places like the "authentic French bistro on Vermont" and a place to "pick up some pad thai on Silver Lake Blvd," and the collection of needy and yearning actresses will be familiar to anyone who's ever worked a West Hollywood day job. Sandra based it the story on her earlier play "Magpie's Tearoom," and while the novel is sweet and airy like the Devon cream that tops the tearoom's scones, it's a fun read with engaging characters. By the end, you'll be ready to try brewing up some perfect Darjeeling, constructing some tea sandwiches and baking the famous scones from the recipes at the end of the book.

Pie 'n Burger: The classics series

Behold the rhubarb pie of Pie 'n Burger

I hadn't stopped by Pie 'n Burger in quite a while and it's actually open until 10 at night, which is pretty late by Pasadena standards. So three of us stopped by for, what else, burgers and pie the other night to see if it's still up to snuff. Pie 'n Burger in the evening is a bit dreary, with hardly anyone at the counter and just a few tables of earnest looking folk looking like they might have just come from the Sierra Club meeting. As with all great, old classic places there's a few quirks to get used to: it's cash only and oddly, they don't serve cole slaw, which I generally use to meet my vegetable quota in diners. And the fries are deceptively good-looking --they're crisped to a delicious-looking golden hue, but they don't have a lot of taste.
But you're there for the burger, and although it's over $6 by now, it's definitely worth it. With a healthy swatch of lettuce, some secret sauce, grilled onions and cheese, the toppings achieve a perfect interplay with the flat, charbroiled patty. The Apple Pan's patty has more flavor, but the edge goes to Pie 'n Burger for the overall burger satisfaction quotient. It's what you want when you want a hamburger, and not every place can claim that. Sam ordered the rhubarb pie, which was topped with way too much vanilla ice cream. I'm sure the rhubarb wasn't fresh, but for someone who lusts after fruit pies like my son, it hit the spot. I like the breakfasts there too, and it's a good deal cheerier when it's a bit more crowded. At this point, it's worth it just to go somewhere that's stayed much the same for 45 years.

Auntie Em's delivery: What to do with a truckload of produce?

When I received a delivery of organic, local produce from Auntie Em's delivery service to try, I felt like this truck pictured on Boingboing had just pulled up to my house. I don't have that much time to cook, so at first I was a little worried I might not find a use for everything. But actually, the cooler bag looked like this, so it wasn't quite as big as the truck. Here's what I found to do with all my pretty fruits and veggies:

• I roasted parsnips, mixed heirloom carrots and mixed heirloom potatoes with olive oil.
• I had the sunshine squash roasted with brown sugar and butter served alongside a roast chicken.
• I sliced the Fuyu persimmon into the spicy baby greens, added feta cheese and pomegranate seeds and dressed it with pomegranate viniagrette for a lovely fall salad.
• I happily munched on pears, grapes and dates at work.

I boiled the pretty in pink baby jewel beets, and tossed them with viniagrette and some of the spicy carrots I pickled a while ago.
I still haven't used the sweet pea greens...any ideas?
A small box is $42 and a large box is $62, and it's all beautiful, flavorful stuff. If you don't know how to cook something, Auntie Em's will help with recipe suggestions via email. My box also came with one of the more amazing oatmeal cookies I've ever eaten -- you can augment your produce order with everything from red velvet cupcakes to mac 'n cheese to organic chicken pie.

• Auntie Em's is also cooking up Thanksgiving dinner to go for $35 per person, with delivery available for an extra fee. On the menu: Herb roasted turkey breast or veggie savory nut pie, stuffing with granny smith apples and sae, sweet potato casserole with pecans and orange cranberry relish. A pumpkin pie $17.95, with apple, pecan and pecan chocolate chunk pie also available. And cupcakes, of course. So no excuses, eat your veggies. If I can do it, you can too.
  

Fall menus from Josef Centeno, Laurent Quenioux and Lou on Vine

'Tis the season for chef dinners, even for chefs who don't currently have a home restaurant.
Here's a few featuring fall flavors like quince, root vegetables and kabocha squash:

Who: Josef Centeno
What: Wine pairing dinner
Where: Bar Celona, Pasadena
When: Tues. Nov. 18 How much: $100
What's on the menu: Fennel panna cotta, yellowtail sashimi, coddled egg with sherry cream, poblano soup with crispy pork belly, kabocha squash ravioli, slow braised beef ribs with quince aoili, tapioca brulee with pineapple-quince -- each course paired with a different wine, of course.
Call for 626-844-9009 for reservations.
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Who: Laurent Quenioux
What: Cassoulet month
Where: Vermont, Los Feliz
When: All of November How much: $44 with no wine; $70 with wine pairings
What's on the menu: Poached egg in red wine sauce with wild mushrooms and garlic crouton or lardons salad; cassoulet with duck confit, sausages, pork and lamb; praline chocolate mousse cake or pumpkin spice creme brulee or plum almond cake.
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And don't forget about Monday suppers at Lou on Vine. The menu only comes out a few days ahead, so last night's menu is listed below. Check the website or sign up for the mailing list to get notice of each week's menu.
Who: chef DJ Olsen
What: Monday suppers
Where: Lou on Vine
When: Mondays, duh. How much: $55 for three courses and five wine pairings.
What's on the menu: (This one's past, but here's an idea) Salad of chicories with Hook's 10 year cheddar (that stuff is good!), Lamb osso buco with white beans, roast root vegetables; caramel poached apple, caramelized honey ice cream.

Tantra closed in Silver Lake?

Tantra in Silver Lake has been on a downward slide seemingly for years now, randomly closing for events and then re-opening to provide bathrooms for Sunset Junction revelers. Now the fusion Indian restaurant with perhaps Silver Lake's most ambitious decor seems to have disconnected phones and isn't on Open Table anymore. A Chowhound poster thought it had already turned into a sushi restaurant, but I don't think it's been closed long enough to turn into anything. With Koda just a few doors away, the last thing Silver Lake needs is another dubious sushi restaurant. I ought to start believing my intuition, because just the other day the thought suddenly came into my head, "I'll bet Tantra isn't around anymore."

Chez Jay's Jay Fiondella dies at 82

Jay Fiondella, who opened Chez Jay in Santa Monica in 1959, died Thursday in Santa Monica at 82. Fiondella was a real Hollywood character who drew everyone from Frank Sinatra to Sean Penn to the little Ocean Ave. shack with the sawdust-covered floor for steaks, martinis and the famous potatoes au gratin with bananas.
Fiondella was also an actor, a real playboy and frequent visitor to the Playboy mansion, a trophy-winning hot air balloonist and a deep sea and Arctic treasure-hunter, according to his biographer Jon Stebbins. Some say Marilyn Monroe met JFK for pre-tryst drinks at Chez Jay; it certainly seems like the right kind of place for that, and Fiondella was friends with Peter Lawford, so it makes sense. The last time I walked by Chez Jay I snapped this picture and marvelled that it has lasted so long. Co-owner Michael Anderson will continue to run the restaurant, hopefully for a long time to come.

"Food Fight": Sobering documentary also celebrates California chefs

Suzanne Goin buys mint at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market in "Food Fight"

As foodies, many of us are interested in subjects like local, sustainable produce, gardening, farmer's markets, the recent vetoed Farm Bill, healthy school lunch programs, and most of all, delicious, fresh food. Food Fight, which had its North American premiere Saturday at the AFI Fest, weaves all these subjects together and despite the often-depressing state of American agriculture, manages to end on an upbeat note explaining how individuals can help improve the situation.
Campanile owner Mark Peel joined the film's director Chris Taylor and L.A. Times food editor Russ Parsons for the Q & A after the screening. "I've waited since I was 20 to see this film!" exclaimed a middle-aged woman in the audience, which included bloggers Javier from Teenage Glutser and Sharon, from vegan blog To Live and Eat in L.A., who sighed a little every time the film showed an adorable, sustainable baby lamb.
Food Fight has some similar themes as Participant Productions' Food, Inc, which will be released in theaters next year by Magnolia, but focuses more on fresh produce and the chefs that celebrate fruits and vegetables. Both films interview the ubiquitous Michael Pollan, but Food Fight balances the political aspect, like an enlightening interview with Farm Bill sponsor rep. Ron Kind, with a focus on Alice Waters and the birth of the sustainable movement. There's also interviews with many people who knew Chez Panisse at the start such as Jeremiah Tower, and with other culinary stars like Wolfgang Puck and Suzanne Goin talking mostly about how to grow food with the most taste. Lest anyone call these owners of pricey restaurants "elitist," ample time is given to a farm store for low-income shoppers in Milwaukee and Berkeley's revolutionary public school Edible Schoolyard.
"Every time you spend a dollar on food, you're voting for the system that you want," Parsons told the audience. "It's all about enlightened hedonism," concluded Mark Peel.
If you're interested in the politics and taste of the American food delivery system, you'll probably want to see both Food Fight, which also screens at HD Fest in Burbank Dec. 5-7, and Food Inc., which opens in theaters in the first half of 2009.