The Ontario Table

Archive for April, 2012

Star Shopping

Beverly Hills, culinary holiday, culinary tourism, Los Angeles, lynn ogryzlo, travelLeave a comment

On my great shopping excursion to Beverly Hills, we drove downtown on Canon Drive past Spago and Fred Hayman’s but stopped at the Montage Beverly Hills, www.montagebeverlyhills.com just before Bouchon, Thomas Keller’s restaurant. The Montage is Beverly Hills newest luxury hotel and I was there to meet celebrity fashion stylist, Joe Katz. Joe is the hotel’s in-house stylist and he’s also the fashion commentator for the Oscars, you may even recognize him. He’s the man in charge of Beverly Hills glitz and glamour.

Beverly Hills is a 5.7 square mile city with only 30,000 residents making it North America’s most luxurious village. The streets are pristine and everything here is so perfect it’s like one giant movie set. Here you’ll find over 900 posh retailers and top talent agencies.

For a fee, Joe will shop for you. He’ll either bring clothes in to your room or take you out shopping on a one-on-one, very personal basis. He may take you to Prada, Goucci, or Armani depending on what he discovers in a 30-minute private consultation. He’ll help you shop for clothes, jewellery, gifts or will help you with a complete wardrobe make over. Joe’s fees are in the range of $1,500 for half a day or $2,400 for a full, of course depending on what you want him to do, the prices increase.

Before we went shopping, Joe treated me to a tour of one of the suites at the Montage. A luxurious one bedroom suite with 3 bathrooms, an office, kitchen, 3 balconies, a giant wall screen tv, 5 walk in closets, an intelligent toilet, automatic curtains, tv in the wall above the bathtub and of course, a personal chef. The daily rate is $7,200 per night and if you want a rooftop cabanna, that will be an additional $300 a day but includes specialty waters, fresh fruit and wi fi.

We go out shopping and Joe points out Anto, a distinctive shirtmaker. Inside the store the walls are lined with bolts of fabric and it’s said you can get a custom designed and crafted shirt made overnight if you want to pay the price.

We walk into Stephen Webster, a posh fewellery store with a long client list that includes the late Elizabeth volume pills work Taylor and Michael Jackson. Today, celebrity clients range from Madonna to the Ozzie Osborn and many more he wasn’t about to list. The jewellery style is unique; precious stones covered with clear quarts to create a stunningly mysterious opaque look. Keeping my modest budget and passion for food in mind, Joe picks out a coral crab ring surrounded in diamonds for only $12,500 (it was on sale). Upstairs in the No Regrets Lounge (yes, we’re still in the jewellery store) he hands me a glass of prosecco and a few chocolates from Madamme Chocolate truffles. The chocolate shop just down the road is owned by Hasty Torres, wife of the most famous chocolatier in the world, Jacques Torres (Paris) and yes, they are divine!

In the No Regrets Lounge there is a series of black and white pictures, a tribute to Elizabeth Taylor. In the room is a long black table. Here is where special client dinners and exhibitions events take place. These are mostly catered by Chef Mark Hicks of London. There is no mistaking the money in Beverly Hills, even the Rodeo Drive name on the street sign is studded in diamonds.

Our next stop is Palmaletto, a jewellery store with custom made jewellery from artisans in Milan. Here, they’re known for their clarity of stones set in rose gold. Each piece absolutely pops it’s so brilliant. Each piece in the collection I’m being shown today is comprised of one of a kind pieces known as the Cinderella collection. It’s named Cinderella because there are so many jewels on each piece that they simply cannot be sized to fit. So like the ruby red slipper, if you try it on and it fits – it’s yours. With only 20 pieces in the collection, Palmaletto is proud to have 8 pieces in their Beverly Hills store. The others are divided between Monaco, Dubi and Japan. I try on a Sergio Sylvestri bracelet costing a mere $33,000. My heart sinks at the sheer beauty of it and the fact that I’ll never own it. We walk back to the Montage and I say my goodby’s to Joe empty handed, but that’s ok, he doesn’t charge me a thing for not buying anything. Check it out!

Los Angeles Farmers’ Markets

Blog, culinary holiday, culinary tourism, Los Angeles, lynn ogryzlo, POW WOW, travelLeave a comment

It’s a different experience visiting a farmers’ markets in Los Angeles. When you live in Ontario, it’s more like walking through a grocery store, yet with 2 very distinct differences. First, the vegetables are not old and jet lagged and second there’s no 18-year old kid who could care less about the produce he’s stocking on the shelves. So why is it like walking through a grocery store – because they have everything you could want!

They have all the traditional vegetables like tomatoes and strawberries that look absolutely amazing, but then there are the exotic foods like beautiful artichokes twice the size of baseballs. Strips of cardoons lay next to cardoons with full leaves. There are lemons the size of grapefruit and grapefruit the size of melons. Their blueberries are in season along with multi-coloured, baby petti pans, zucchini blossoms, and baby fennel each with a full head of fragrant fronds.

The Los Angeles Farmers’ Market has morphed into a culinary destination with a full 2-story, outdoor shopping mall called The Grove and an older section filled with dozens of artisan food purveyors offering up roasted chicken, racks of spicy ribs in between the butchers counters full of succulent  cuts of beef supersmoker electronic cigarettes reviews and chicken. Sandwiches from fresh bakery bread and soup from market vegetables. Here you can get fresh seafood or order shrimp to go. They simply boil it up on the spot and put it in a paper cone for you to eat and go.

In the third section of the complex is where the farmers are selling their produce and wow, do they know how to display it. Large mounds of beets and giant radishes, stacks and stacks of strawberries and giant bins of olives.

It’s strawberry season in California and I guess you all know that because you can see them filling the shelves of our Ontario grocery stores. The only thing is the California strawberries I’m seeing at the California market are different than the California strawberries we see in Ontario. These medium sized berries are dark, soft, juicy and ultra sweet. They pick them differently here, they leave long stems on the berries and package them in little boxes and they just look so sexy. The prices are the same as we pay here in Ontario, $4.99 a quart which is a healthy price for both farmers and customer.

Let you eyes feast on these great market pictures.

A Celebrity Farmers’ Market

Beverly Hills, culinary holiday, culinary tourism, farmer, Farmers' Market, local food, Los Angeles, lynn ogryzlo, POW WOWLeave a comment

Like a galley kitchen, the Beverly Hills Farmers’ Market is as long as 2 city blocks and is as narrow as a country road. Artisan farmers line the laneway with fresh produce, pots of herbs and citrus stands squeezing fresh juice.

The market is open every Sunday from 9 to 1 and is filled with market shoppers and I’m told, celebrities – today I don’t see any. All farmers here need to be certified local and they can only bring in to sell, what they grow. To compliment the local food, the far end of the market is full of prepared, non agriculture foods so you can shop and then have a market lunch.

My tour guide was the executive chef of the Beverly Hills Hilton, Chris O’Connel.  He introduced us to some of his favourite farmers. The Beverly Hills Farmers Market is where you’ll find everything from blood oranges to rainbow carrots and many other surprises. A market lettuce gardener offered her greens from stylish whicker baskets and DeyDey’s Best Beef was grass fed, hormone free, pastured, short legged, exotic Australian cattle.

Bernard Ranches had truckload of fresh oranges and grapefruit and one giant citrus squeezer. I had a freshly squeezed orange and blood orange juice mixed – delicious! As I stood there praising the juice, owner AJ Bernard explained there are 2 sets of fruit on an orange tree and you can continually pick fruit Pokies from them for a 6 month period, depending on the variety. Each variety has their own harvest date for example Navels are in season from January to May and Valencia’s almost all year long.

The asparagus man offered his asparagus in three different sizes, 2-fingers thick, medium size and pencil sized asparagus. Harry’s Berries from Oxnard had giant strawberries. They were the first growth and so juicy, solid red throughout and candy sweet. They say it’s a special variety, Gaviota that doesn’t travel well meaning that Californians are keeping the very best for themselves. There were more farmers from honey to apple, preserves and the most interesting purple artichokes, ugly heirloom tomatoes and things I didn’t recognize.

In the food section there was everything from popcorn to panini’s and ribs. The barbecued ribs smelt wonderful and as I walked over the vendor offered me a sample. They were glorious so I ordered a rack for Jon and I to share. In a form of rib showmanship he violently but masterfully chopped the ribs with a large machete that made me jump back from the splatter of the juices. Ok the next shock was the price, I’d just paid $25 for a paper cup of ribs (I think there were 8 ribs, aughhh). Oh well, this was Beverly Hills after all.

Click here for the Los Angeles Farmers’ Market and Santa Monica Farmers Market.

Santa Monica Farmers’ Market

Blog, culinary holiday, culinary tourism, farm fresh food, farmer, Farmers' Market, local food, Los Angeles, lynn ogryzlo, POW WOW, Santa MonicaLeave a comment

The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market was the most vibrant of them all. It filled 4 streets that all converged making for a central community meeting place. The produce was seductively stacked high, baskets of brilliant greens were overflowing and bins of olives glistened in the sun.

There was bins of fresh peas and layers of cardoons. Jake of Family Farms suggests to boil them and bake then in a gratin style. One farmer offers a taste of arugula blossoms. The tiny, delicate blossoms are the result of letting the arugula bolt. They’re peppery and bold, the perfect ingredient to spice up a salad. There are knarly bunches of what looks like pea vines, but not sure and this is where the fennel is the smallest, tenderest with the largest bouquet of fragrant fronds. Just walking down the street and you know where the fennel is piled high.

They have an event called the Farmers’ Market Guided Tour and Cocktail Class. Chef Josie Le Balch and a Master Mixologist Colleen Ford-Morales walk you through the market then you keep walking to Next Door by Josie (Restaurant) for a fabulous class on how to make market-fresh cocktails and snacks. It sounds wonderful! Pity I’m here on the wrong day.

There are green artichokes and what looks like black ones, but Levitra I’m immediately corrected. “they’re purple”, said one farmer rather annoyed. There are small ones and the largest, purple artichokes had green insides and looked absolutely beautiful.

Just around the corner from the market is a great restaurant called The Misfit Bar. The décor is ultra French posh with overly large dark woodwork, Parisian street light lamps, colourful mosaic floor tiles and an oversized, silver bar, imported from Paris. Its weight is not out of proportion to the towering 24-foot library bar that hosts an antique book library on the top layers and wine and liquors on the bottom. It’s probably the last place you’d expect to find classic California cuisine but chef Jordan Lynn is walking back from the market, arms laden with bags of fresh ingredients.

Seduced by the large, beautiful artichokes I order the Organic Grilled Artichoke with gremolata aioli ($12). It came sliced lengthwise in half and grilled. If you’ve ever eaten artichoke you know how much of a conversation finger food it is. Each leaf must be dunked in the aioli and then run across your bottom teeth to extract the soft flesh. It takes time. The flesh is meaty and smoky, the aioli is refreshing and spicy – oh, yum!

Check out the Los Angeles Farmers’ Market and Beverly Hills Farmers’ Market.

Eating My Way Through Los Angeles; Misfits

Blog, culinary holiday, culinary tourism, Dining, local food, Los Angeles, lynn ogryzlo, POW WOW, Restaurant Review, Santa MonicaLeave a comment

The Misfit, Santa Monica

Everything seems larger in California and that’s the feeling one gets from walking into The Misfit Bar. The décor is ultra French posh with overly large dark woodwork, Parisian street light lamps, colourful mosaic floor tiles and an oversized, silver bar, imported from Paris. Its weight is not out of proportion to the towering 24-foot library bar that hosts an antique book library on the top layers and wine and liquors on the bottom. It’s probably the last place you’d expect to find classic California cuisine but manager Jackie McGuire explains that’s why it’s called Misfits.

Executive Chef Jordan Lynn walks from the farmers market in the block behind the restaurant with his arms laden with bags and boxes of fresh produce. He changes his menu every 2 to 3 days, depending on how long his supplies last and they usually don’t last long.

I had the organic grilled artichoke with gremolata aioli ($12). It came sliced lengthwise in half and char grilled. If you’ve ever eaten artichoke you know how much of a where can i buy electronic cigarettes in appleton wisconsin conversation finger food it is. Each leaf must be dunked in the aioli and then run across your bottom teeth to extract the soft flesh. It takes time. The flesh is meaty and smoky, the aioli is refreshing and spicy – oh, yum!

Next was the Shredded Kale and Quinoa Salad with suflower seeds, grapes, preserved lemon, manchego and parmesan cheese ($10). In this dish chef Lynn brines the kale to remove the bitterness and the result is a delicious dance of flavours with the other ingredients.

I seem to be having a love affair with Los Angeles ribs so I order the lean Danish Pork, Korean barbecue style ($16). The rack is cut in half so I begin to pull apart the ribs. The juicy meat offers no resistance when I pull and it literally melts in my mouth with soft spicy tones. With the cheque comes a little platter of mini chocolate chip cookies dressed with coarse sea salt. They’re soft and chewy, chocolaty and salty.

Take a look at the restaurant and my lunch there.

 

Eating My Way Through Los Angeles; Bouchon

Beverly Hills, Dining, Los Angeles, lynn ogryzlo, POW WOWLeave a comment

Bouchon, a Thomas Keller restaurant

In downtown Beverly Hills, sharing a beautiful park with the Montage (hotel), the newest luxury property in Beverly Hills, Bouchon is both a bakery and bistro. In romantic French style with tall ceilings, the décor includes Parisian street lights, white tablecloths, romantic ivory lace curtains, dark wood around ivory walls with an olive hue, distressed mirrors and an elaborate mosaic tiled floor. Bouchon is a Thomas Keller restaurant.

The menu changes every 2 weeks and almost weekly during the summer as the concept is the celebration of neighbouring farmers or produce. On my visit it’s the season for wild ramps, most are pickled and added to dishes like the sweet shrimp salad with baby heirloom tomatoes and rocket. More ramps are pureed into sauces, made into marmalade or minced and worked into delicious cavatelli served with English peas and pecorino cheese.

They are offering a special 4-course Wild Ramp menu ($75) and there is a recommended glass of wine for each course (additional $35). I ordered the shrimp and ramp salad with heirloom baby tomatoes and tart pickled ramps. The flavours are light and bright with crisp spring textures.

There is not a lot of complexity to the dishes at Bouchon, but perfection here is seen as the simplest of culinary pleasures. My entrée is herb roasted rack of Salmon Creek Farm Pork Chop with ramp marmalade and walnut sable. I look across at the next table and they’re nibbling on a selection of cheeses garnished with delicious pickled ramps. They’re everywhere tonight.

Jon ordered the Gigot d’Agneau, roasted leg Pokies of lamb with eggplant, tomato fondue, crispy panisse and lamb jus ($33). It’s a warm, rich dinner with dark flavours that layer to please a hearty palate.

Bouchon the restaurant is on the second floor. Patrons walk through the bakery on the first floor, past the loaves of crusty French baguettes, billowy meringues and sexy lemon curd tarts.  It gets you thinking of dessert even before the meal begins.

My pick for dessert is the Tarte au Citron ($9.50), a lemon tart that is more like a citrus cloud, so light on the palate and full of sweet and tart flavour. Perfect for the end of a meal drenched in gastronomy.

The chef sent over 2 more desserts. One called Bouchon (after the Swiss Bouchon, chocolate in the shape of corks). These look more like mini cupcakes than corks, but on the palate they’re dense, velvety chocolate that turn to thick ganache on the tongue. It’s accompanied with rich vanilla mint ice cream that refreshes against the dense chocolate. I am no match for this decadence and I find myself moderating my intention of moderation. The second dessert was a pot au pistachio crème.  If I were not more than satisfied with my chocolate Bouchon, I would have swooned over the luscious, creamy pistachio heaven in a tiny little pot – perhaps another day.

My dinner ran late into the evening and the pictures didn’t turn out well in the dark. You’re just going to have to use your imagination and salivate over this one. Here are a few more of my fantastic dining finds.

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