Plaza Athénée Hotel, Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre, Three Shows May 20, 21, 22 – Bangkok
May 10th, 2010Chesa Swiss Restaurant – Finally, White Asparagus From Europe – Bangkok
May 9th, 2010
WHITE ASPARAGUS FROM EUROPE
White Asparagus Soup 180.-
Rocket and White Asparagus Salad Tossed with vinaigrette 510.-
Pan-Fried Goose Liver on White Asparagus
Topped with a raspberry flavored port wine sauce 890.-
White Asparagus Risotto 580.-
Boiled White Asparagus with Smoked Ham Served with baby potatoes, Hollandaise or mayonnaise 890.-
White Asparagus “Ticinese Style” Gratinated with Parmesan cheese and thyme 810.-
Poached Salmon on White Asparagus Accompanied by noodles and a white wine sauce 850.-
5 Sukhumvit Soi 20 Klong Toey
Klong Toey Bangkok 10110
Thailand
Telephone +662 261 6650
L’Enclume, Cartmel, Lake District – UK
May 9th, 2010Contributed by Carole Chung
Michelin Star restaurant L’Enclume
Opening Hours: Lunch Wed – Sun, 12noon – 1.30pm
Dinner Mon – Sun, 6.30pm – 9.00pm
Accommodation available every day (check in 3pm/check out 11am)
Situated in the heart of the picturesque village of Cartmel at the Southern edge of the English Lake District is the restaurant L’Enclume along with 12 rooms where you can stay comfortably overnight, or longer. The restaurant is run by chef proprietor Simon Rogan, recently, it has been gleaning praise from culinary circles around the globe. Rogan’s dictum is, “Forever restless I am looking for tastes, textures and fragrances, visual presentations to stun with a little bit of humour added. To reduce dairy products and to eliminate heavy meat based stocks and sauces, instead letting the subtle herbs, roots and flowers take control”. This is one restaurant to keep your eye on in the future . . . its going places on the fast track! C. C.
Nihonmachi (Japanese Village), Behind K-Village, Sukhumvit Soi 26 – Bangkok
May 5th, 2010
Tenkaichi Yakiton Yakitori is very popular with the Japanese community and it is fully booked especially on weekends.
This is a new development and the list of restaurants and shops will as they open. At this time below is a selection of restaurants/shops currently open or almost open:
Restaurant featuring Doroyaki & Okonomiyaki
I have included this restaurant although it is not technically located in Nihonmachi, as it is across the road
Barbrix Wine Bar and Restaurant, Silver Lake – Los Angeles
May 5th, 2010By Sandy Driscoll
Chef Don Dickman prepares for the fourth course (Fresh Pasta on the trays, ready to cook) All images on this post ©2010 restaurantdiningcritiques.com & Sandy Driscoll
Barbrix Wine Bar and Restaurant
2442 Hyperion Avenue @ Tracy
Los Angeles, CA 90027 (Silver Lake area)
Website: http://www.barbrix.com/Home.html
Phone: 323-662-2442
Open: Sunday – Thursday 6pm – 11pm
Friday – Saturday 6pm – 12am
Credit Cards: Yes
Valet Parking: Available
Prices: Reasonable
Opening in May 2009, Barbrix was an instant hit with the hip, trendy, bohemian Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles. Just a few months later, they were named one of LA’s Top 10 New Restaurants by Los Angeles Magazine.
Located across from Baller Hardware in a tastefully renovated former 1940’s residence, there is an outdoor patio area, a 360 degree wine bar, and a 40 seat dining room with counter seats available (my personal favorite!) at the open kitchen. Chef Don Dickman has created a Mediterranean-influenced menu, studded with straightforward flavors that reflect the wide ranging bounty of fabulous fruits and vegetables always available from the many farmers markets in the area.
Most of the menu items (first courses, cheeses, charcuterie, vegetables & grains, fish & meat) are small plates, perfect for sharing. Prices are reasonable. Nothing is over $17 and most are $5-10.
Want a glass or two of interesting wine? Most are under $10.
I was very excited to attend their first Wine Dinner, featuring the wines of Navarro Vineyards. http://www.navarrowine.com/main.php Winemaker, informative and congenial Jim Klein, was on hand to introduce and chat about his wines, which were beautifully paired with each course. Appetizers, four generous courses, dessert and six wines were offered for a total of $75, inclusive of tax and gratuity. Portions were very generous (some at my table took home leftovers) and the restaurant was full of very happy and convivial diners.
The evening epitomized fine and fun dining. I sure hope they make this a regular tradition!
Rice Cakes with Spicy Hamachi Tartar – Crostini with Crescenza & Crispy Sweetbreads
’08 Estate Gewurztraminer – Mendocino
Piquillo Pepper Stuffed with Bacalao – Stinging Nettle Pesto
’07 Chardonnay – Mendocino
Duck Confit Risotto with Alba Mushrooms & Fig Vin Cotto
’06 Pinot Noir – “Methode L’Ancienne” – Anderson Valley
Moroccan Spiced Lamb ‘Osso Buco’, Beldi Olive BBQ Sauce & Minted Fava Beans
’07 Zinfandel – “Old Vine Cuvee” – Anderson Valley
Pot Roasted Prime Beef Short Ribs, Black Pepper Noodles & Horseradish Gremolata
’06 Syrah – Mendocino
Pear Tarte Tatin, Whipped Mascarpone & Pine Cone Essence
’06 Riesling Late-Harvest “Cluster Select”
K Village, Restaurants & Shops, Sukhumvit Soi 26 – Bangkok
May 5th, 2010
The development company is called Kananan Co., hence the name K-Village, which falsely leads people to believe it may have something to do with Koreans, while in fact, it is owned by the Athakravi family. Although, as long-time developers of large scale buildings, they are entering the mall business using a concept widely proliferated in the U.S., mainly in the western states, where malls have plenty of space to spread out into wide-open barren lands. These first malls are typically two-story buildings surrounded by seemingly endless car parks. While this development is on a much smaller scale, it basically follows the same model as the first shopping center of this concept built in the world, Eastland, it was constructed in the 1950’s in West Covina, outside of Los Angeles. K-Village adjoins the French Supermarket Chain Carrefour on Sukhumvit Soi 26 & Rama IV of which the Athakravi’s also own the land it is built on. In the interest of diversification, behind the main complex that centers around the Gourmet Market and the K-Village Square is the Nihonmachi (Japanese Village). It is smaller than K-Village but duplicates the same format as does another complex, possibly unrelated, across the street where Torajiro Restaurant is located on the second floor. Below are a collection of some of the more interesting restaurants and shops in K-Village, they will be expanded as new restaurants/shops open. The destruction of Central World in the recent protestations, may steer more traffic to these fledgling malls; only time will tell.
The Gourmet Market is the only anchor at K-Village Mall
Hangari Galbi
Wine Connection Wine Shop, Deli & Bistro . . . more information here
Tenkaichi Yakiton Yakitori, Nagiya Nihonmachi – Bangkok
May 3rd, 2010
Nihonmachi 105, 115 soi Sukhumvit 26
Sukhumvit Rd., Klongtoey, Bangkok 10110
Tel. Japanese: 02-258-2790
Thai Fax: 02-258-2789
Opening Hours: 17:00-24:00; Last Order 23:00
Cash Only
Prices: Inexpensive-Moderate
Slightly in the rear of K-Village is Nihonmachi (Japanese Town) where this new Tenkaichi Yakitori is located. It is highly regarded in the Japanese community as offering very authentic yakitori. I would suggest going on a weekday or book in advance if you speak Japanese, as at the moment, they are usually fully booked on the weekend evenings.
The specials are written above the cooking line
From the bottom clockwise: chicken wings, chicken meat balls, grilled tomatoes & gizzards
Vraí French Yogurt Available at Villa Market – Bangkok
May 2nd, 2010
This fine product is imported from France, it is available in Bangkok at Villa Market
Cinco de Mayo at Coyote Sukhumvit – Bangkok
May 1st, 2010
Hatfield’s Restaurant in West Hollywood – Los Angeles
April 29th, 2010By Sandy Driscoll
The beautiful open kitchen! (All images on this post ©2010 by restaurantdiningcritiques.com & Sandy Driscoll)
6703 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, California 90038
Tel. (323) 935-2977
Opening Hours:
Lunch: Mon-Fri 11:45-2:15
Dinner: Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm; Friday & Sat 6pm-10:30pm
In food-laden Los Angeles, where the restaurant du jour is always changing, Hatfield’s is a current top contender. Just last week, both the Los Angeles Times and Los Angeles Magazine came out with exciting and very favorable reviews, three and four stars, respectively.
Quinn Hatfield (chef/owner) and his wife/partner Karen (pastry chef) have been in Los Angeles for several years. They have cooked at Spago and prior to that, at Jean-Georges and Gramercy Tavern, to name a few. This new and much larger location (formerly Citrus, then a succession of not-as-notable restaurants) has been open only three months. It seems perfect for them and particularly for those of us who love watching the action of an open kitchen while we eat.
When my friend Susan Beyrle was in town this weekend from NYC, we wanted an interesting place to dine and this seemed to be it. We were seated directly in front center, with a closeup full view of the open kitchen . . . action central!
The option of a prix fixe, four course menu (with several choices for each course) for $59 was the most intriguing, so we went for that. With a plethora of reviews, food websites, commentators, etc., detailed food descriptions are easily available elsewhere. Suffice it to say, we really enjoyed everything. The portions are small and flavors distinct and well managed. Between the main course and dessert, we were still hungry. However, we were quite comfortable after the generous and truly delicious desserts. Service was professional and well-timed. The excellent wine list provides some interesting wines by the glass. I particularly liked the 2003 Serie Magno, a Malbec/Tempranillo blend from Argentina’s Bodega Fantelli, paired with the beef.
Personally, I was struck by the unusual texture of the short ribs. I read somewhere that the cooking method was “sous vide”, so it was not the usual consistency one expects from short ribs however, the flavor was certainly there. Early on, I found myself taking mincing little bites of everything (particularly the Squid Salad) so as to prolong the flavor bursts in my mouth and to savor each taste and lengthen each delightful course.
At the end of the meal, the waitress invited us into the kitchen to meet the chef! Chalk it up to serendipitous luck! It was a fine and fun evening.
Amuse Bouche . . .Tuna on Shaved Celery Root
Roasted Sunchoke & Rocket Salad, French Feta ‘falafel’ crumble
Monterey Bay Squid Salad … Sauteed Blue Lake & Yellow Wax Beans, Ginger Chermoula
Sugar & Spice Beignets, Venezuelan Chocolate Fondue, Preserved Ginger Milkshake Shot
Hot Chocolate Souffle Tartlet with Chicory Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Mocha Caffe
Chef Hatfield (right) carefully inspects each plate and adds finishing touches
