Craft Exterior

Friday, May 29, 2009 was the first date night that my Fiancé and I had in quite some time. So the plan was to make it good . . . really good. (Unfortunately in LA, really good can often come at a price, but we nodded our heads in agreement when we decided upon the perfect place, and easily happened to “overlook” the prices on the tasting menu.)

Our Mission was to eat at Craft, Los Angeles (Tom Colicchio’s restaurant). It is located snugly and somewhat discretely at 10100 Constellation Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90067. However, it may have only appeared discrete because it is nestled…and somewhat dwarfed between the new Creative Arts Agency building and the Century City Twin Towers. The exterior is a nondescript boxy sort of building that can best be described as a concrete bunker from the street. The only indication that this stocky cube was our destination was the tiny sign labeling it as such (I definitely needed my glasses).

We dropped the car with the Valet, and agonizingly wasted about 5 minutes out front so we didn’t appear overeager for our culinary experience (this way we were only 10 minutes early). The atmosphere was somewhat casual with the host and hostess dressed entirely in black and the servers dressed in black pants and vests. The dining room was warm and inviting with honey colored hardwood floors and sage green upholstery.

Craft, Los Angeles Dining Room

As you can see, it was simple and lovely. I particularly liked the light fixtures. They were made to look like hand blown light bulbs from an era long forgotten. It was absolutely charming. Pictured to the right, you can see our lovely table front and center.

But enough of that. Let’s get down to brass tacks. . .

I began the evening with a cocktail. Grapes Three Ways. The first of which way was in the form of Cîroc vodka and with the help of Wikipedia we learn that “this is an upscale brand of distilled beverage manufactured in France . . . It is distinguished from other vodkas by the fact that it is derived from grapes”. The second way was in the form of a Riesling, and the third, delicious semi-frozen grapes on a skewer. This beverage, served in a frosty martini glass, was quite delicious and a great complement to the most delicious bread I have ever eaten!

‘Where does this bread come from?’, you may ask. My dear friends, it comes from La Brea Bakery. What was this crispy delight? It was Anise Bread. Now I am not a lover of the licorice flavor, but this bread was dynamite! When we called La Brea Bakery the next day they informed us that you can order this pillowy goodness one day in advance for pick-up. So after about 2 slices of said bread, we decided to cut off the waiter from bringing us any more. We had many courses ahead of us and it would have probably been a crime to fill up on the bread (however much we wanted to).

{Amuse Bouches} ‘Mouth Amuser’

An amuse-bouche has only become a staple of fine dining quite recently, and it can best be described as a single bite that serves to excite the taste buds and familiarize the patron with the Chef’s style. Here is a great quote that I found on my trusty online encyclopedia that seems to define an Amuse perfectly:

Jean-Georges Vongerichten, a popular celebrity chef with multiple restaurants around the world who is based in New York City has stated that: “The amuse-bouche is the best way for a great chef to express his big ideas in small bites.”

My thoughts exactly Jean-Georges! And our Amuse Bouches (plural!) at Craft were outstanding!

Our first amuse was a Chilled Asparagus Soup with Mushroom Crème Fresh. It was served in a small white shot glass-style cup, and it was smooth and silky, indicating that, yes, it had been strained to perfection. Had I not felt it inappropriate to stick my tongue in the little glass for the few additional drops, I most certainly would have.

Our second amuse was, in the Japanese tradition, a thin slice of raw Hamachi with Cara Cara Orange. In case you were wondering (and some of you might just be) Hamachi is young yellowtail. The Japanese variety has light golden flesh and has a smooth and buttery taste. Admittedly, I was not familiar with the Cara Cara Orange until I moved out here to California about 3 years ago, but with a little taste test and some research I discovered that they are a special variety of juicy, low acid, seedless navels. They are quite delicious and were a perfect complement to cut through the rich Hamachi.

{First Courses}

Panna Cotta (lit. ‘Cooked Cream’) is an Italian dessert and it is typically served with fresh wild berries or any number of sweet sauces. So much to my surprise, the first of the first courses was a savory version, Local Sea Urchin and Squash Blossom Panna Cotta. I was more interested than wary of the dish, and it was actually incredibly refreshing, as I happen to be a huge fan of the briny ocean flavor of sea urchin. For those of you who have never had sea urchin it has somewhat of a spongy texture, but in a good way. The fried squash blossom topping added the perfect crunch!

I feel a little silly saying this but the second . . .First Course (or the fourth course for those of you who were counting) was arguably my absolute favorite course of the evening, Soft Shell Crab on toasted Brioche with Tomato Marmalade. Have you ever had a spider roll? Well, if you have you will know that the primary protein in said roll is soft shell crab. You would also know that when you eat soft shell crab it is often fried, and you eat the whole dang thing, soft shell and all. And boy did I eat the whole dang thing soft shell, garnishes, and all. Le petit crab was about the size of the bottom of your standard size coffee mug, and its little crispity legs were outstanding.

The next course was Maine Lobster Ravioli Fava Beans & Black Truffle. I don’t believe I need to say anything more. . . Just kidding. But, you have to admit it doesn’t really get any more decadent than that. The dish was comprised of a single freshly made ravioli. I truly do not think I can put into words the pure glee I felt about this dish, particularly the sauce, which I believe was created from a reduced and thickened stock made from the lobster shells and shaved black truffles (as a side note, the flavor of black truffles is far less pungent and more refined than that of white truffles). I would say that the flavor is quite similar to the smell of a forest just after a spring rain. How’s that for poetry?

Now I consider myself somewhat of an animal lover. . .especially when it is on my plate and tastes delicious, and that is exactly what our optional course, Foie Gras with Sweet Red Onion Reduction was. Delicious. We happened to luck out for this particular course, as our server had been out for several weeks and didn’t realize that it had been taken off of the tasting menu when he first suggested it to us. However, the very accommodating chefs cooked us up some foie gras lovin’ anyway. A must have for the discriminating diner, should you visit Craft.

{Main Courses}

At craft the Roast Duck with Duck Spring Roll was prepared the way that duck was truly meant to be. Tender, not greasy, with just a sliver of fat around the edge, The crisp of the spring roll provided that extra special something that put this dish over the top.

Unfortunately in almost every meal there has to be a dish at the bottom of the list of favorites. The Braised and Roasted Lamb Saddle with Spring and Root Vegetables just so happens to be that dish. Now, don’t get me wrong it was wonderful, just not quite as spectacular as every single other dish we had that evening. It was cooked to perfection and quite tasty, so perhaps we’ll just take the “It’s not you it’s me” stance and say it is because I am not the biggest fan of lamb.

{Cheese Course}

I have three words to describe this culinary interlude : Divine Divine Divine! The Cheese Course with Candied Nuts and Fresh Fruit was the perfect way to transition the meal from savory to sweet. Not a single crumb of anything (even cracker dust) was left on that plate. I loved it so much that I have now firmly decided to have a cheese course at my own wedding!

{Dessert Courses}

The first dessert was an amuse bouche. It was a delightful, Crème Fresh Panna Cotta with Mulberries and Vanilla Bean. Have you ever seen a mulberry in person?!? Well I certainly had no idea that they were long and somewhat phallic. But despite the Washington Monument in my cup, I thoroughly enjoyed it! They are incredibly sweet but not quite as tangy as a blackberry. And, admittedly, it was the perfect complement to the traditional panna cotta that I love so dearly.

So I just asked my Fiancé what he thought of the final dessert, the Dark Chocolate Soufflé with Stewed Cherries and Crème Fresh. He could only reply ‘Oh My God!’. I will attempt now to further articulate this notion. It was absolutely fabulous. However, here is the sticking point the “dark chocolate soufflé”, while a classic, seems a bit unoriginal for such an outstanding meal. Honestly, because I have had my fair share of Soufflé, I would have much rather sampled one of the many exotic ice creams and sorbets that Craft has to offer. (i.e. Meyer Lemon, Blood Orange, Sarsaparilla, White Carrot, Bittersweet Chocolate, Maple Bacon, Banana Date, or even Earl Grey).

{Petit Fours} ‘Small Oven’

So, using a little linguistic deduction we can easily determine the first half of this lovely French term ‘Petit’ refers to the size of this dainty little course. It is typically eaten at the end of a meal where they try to sweeten you up and lull you into a false sense of security before they lay the check on you! These petit fours were, despite signaling the end of our fabulous meal, quite delicious. We had dark chocolate biscuits sprinkled with a small amount of salt to bring out the flavor; gleaming little peach gelées that looked like little gems sitting right there on the plate; and finally a teensy weensy little cup of caramel popcorn! Truly a dainty, delicious, delight (say that 10 times fast).

{Une Surprise}

And just as we were about to bid adieu, the element of this meal that truly blew me away arrived at our table along with our check. We were given two fresh baked Blueberry Muffins for breakfast the next morning. And, despite being so full that I could hardly breathe that very next morning. . .I ate that muffin. . .and I enjoyed it. . . thoroughly.

So, when it is all said and done I give Craft, Los Angeles an 8.5 out of 10 possible points, and I would highly recommend this restaurant for everyone to try for themselves. A future culinary adventure may be to return to Craft to sample some of that Ice Cream and to take part in a slightly less expensive non-tasting menu that also consists of haute cuisine, but with ‘unique family-style service’.

{Till next time: Eat Well, Stay Safe, Be Happy!}

New York City, fashion mecca and land of the Bubby. As long as my memories go back, I have had this very hazy picture of eating corned beef, and not just any corned beef. . .corned beef from the deli promised land, nay the deli center of the universe, the Carnegie Deli. Where the words “extra lean, half sour, and Russian dressing” float through the air on smooth currents of “chopped liver”. Every grey haired man here was a potential grandpa or perhaps a not so distant relative of your great uncle’s cousin, Sheila.

So you sit there, and as you wait you feast on pickled tomatoes and other briny delectables from the pickle spectrum. And then, sheer glee, my five year old life was complete! In front of me appeared, as if by magic, the most luscious ruby layers of warm corned beef stacked mountainously high between two rye encrusted cushions.

Oh yes, Bubby’s favorite color just might have been black, and she also may have slept in curlers, and she may not have let me play with the little glass boxes on her side table in her living room, but the food in Bubby’s city really had some panache!

{Corned Beef Envy}

Now, after reading that I bet you can understand why it has been pretty difficult for me these past 20 some odd years to find a deli that lives up to my pedestaled Carnegie Deli memory. I even had a short glimmer of hope in the late eighties and early nineties when the Carnegie Deli opened a satellite location in Tyson’s Corner, VA– only a mere stone’s throw away from my childhood home! I’m not exactly sure when it closed but the last record of the restaurant being open that I was able to track down was an article written on November 16, 1994. It must have been around this time when the corned beef deprivation set in, as I can’t honestly remember having anything halfway decent until we moved out to Studio City in 2008!!!! But, before we get into that, maestro, a brief etymology if you please. . .

{A Little Wiki-Etymology}

Delicatessen is a German loanword in English, meaning “delicacies” or “fine foods”. Hence a shortened term for delicatessen store is sometimes additionally shorted to the informal term deli.
The word entered German from French délicatesse and means “delicious things (to eat)”. It ultimately originated from the Latin adjective delicatus, meaning “giving pleasure, delightful, pleasing”. So now that we have that information down pat, let me delicatus you with some délicatesse from Art’s Delicatessen in Studio City, CA.

Art's Deli Sign

{Every Sandwich is a Work of Art!}

Picking up where we left off, I somehow managed to move into a city that is only approximately seven square miles and it has not one but two quite delicious delis for my dining pleasure. The corned beef gods were truly smiling down on me. It must have been a reward for living without the sumptuous meaty goodness for so many years! Of these two delis, (Jerry’s Famous Deli and Art’s Deli) I am, without a doubt, a devoted fan of Art’s for more than a few reasons. . .

1) Art’s is not a chain, it is a one of a kind old timey sort of place, while Jerry’s is a chain that has roughly 9 locations.

2)The prices are comparable between the two delis. However, I would like to remind you that eating at a deli is also about the quality of service. Art’s has Jerry’s beat on this aspect, no question!

3) History, History, History!!! Art’s has been around since 1957 and that blows the 1978, opening of Jerry’s in Studio City, CA completely out of the water.

4) When you eat at Art’s you’re likely to see Art Ginsburg, the original owner busily fluttering around the restaurant kibitizing with the regulars.

Studio City Welcome Sign

{Interesting Facts}

In doing a little research we learn that Art’s Deli goes through an amazing 1,000 pounds of corned beef and 400 dozen bagels every week. In one year, the kitchen serves 25,000 pounds of turkey!! And at one time a turkey sandwich was 75 cents (my how times have changed).

And like every good iconic restaurant should, Art’s has a little secret hidden away behind a round booth (the “executive booth”) that can seat 5-7 people. Before the dawn of the cell phone, a hidden phone was installed in a locked wall cabinet behind this booth where industry executives could do their wheeling and dealing over a hand sliced lox platter.

The great thing about Art’s is not only that it predates the cell phone, it predates the 101 freeway. There even used to be a Ferris wheel right across the street from this lovely little establishment, that at the time, only had three and a half booths and 12 counter stools! Today, Art’s has been enlarged four times, and the deli now seats 150. Two of Art Ginsburg’s three children run the business with him, and many of the wait staff have been around 25 years.

Art's Turkey Sandwich

{Slow-Cooked In-House}

So now let’s talk about my personal experiences at Art’s Delicatessen. 9 times out of 10 if you ask me if I want Art’s, my answer will be “yes”. The tenth time, I’ll likely be craving Chinese food. I now have lost track of how many times I have actually been there, but I can tell you that colleagues A through C, the Fiance, the Darling Friend, and even my Dear Ol’ Dad have all been thoroughly satisfied.

Here, like all the best delis, the corned beef is slow-cooked in-house, the shaved turkey breast is unprocessed and perfectly moist, and the rye bread, well it just makes you incandescently happy. You slather on a little Russian dressing or, depending on your preference, yellow mustard (Colleague C discovered her new sunshine yellow love on her inaugural visit to Art’s) , and you are good to go.

Art's Potato Chips

Recently, due to the changing economy, the changing restaurant scene, and the changing tastes of diners, Art’s has started making some changes for the better! Colleague B remarked that, to the best of her knowledge, it was only a year ago that she got one measly pickle spear and a shot glass amount of a side. This is not the case any longer, friends! Today the side portions have increased and the pickle spears are so plentiful that they rain down from the ceiling in a deluge. Colleague A did prefer the Jerry’s rendition of the Turkey Salad Sandwich to the one at Art’s, but on the whole everyone seemed quite delighted with their lunch (especially the amazing quality of service and attention payed to each customer).

A new item that is featured on the menu is the homemade potato chips. When you dine here, these are a not to be missed menu item. Skip the sweet potato fries, skip the onion rings, heck, even skip the regular fries, and get yourself an order of these perfectly cooked golden brown crispies.

{Conclusion}

On my last visit to Art’s, my colleagues and I were lucky enough to see the R.O.M.E.O (Retired Old Men Eating Out) club. And, as they all sat around the Executive Booth schmoozing, it was quite easy to imagine that this particular group of white haired fellas likely were the old Hollywood elite who dined here in their heyday.I would call myself lucky, even honored, to be a purple haired old lady dining at this place in 50 years!

For service I give Art’s 10 out of 10 possible points, for food I give it 8 out of 10 possible points, and if there were a Bubby scale it would also get 10 out of 10 possible nostalgia points!

{Till next time: Eat Well, Stay Safe, Be Happy!}

Smoke House Sign

When you walk through those double doors, you disappear through a time warp. The bright California sun outside, a distant memory. The heavy wood beams, brick, and red vinyl carry you back. Back to the days when music was not electronic, but rather a cool croon from a talented vocalist with brass and strings as backup in dim comforting circles of light. Where a Hollywood starlet and her beau would dine on steak and potatoes rather than iceberg lettuce and saltines or the new fad raw diet. Where is this place? The answer, is Burbank, and with a heavy heart I acknowledge the Smoke House Restaurant as one of the disappearing classic American eateries.

The Smoke House Restaurant

Now, I’ve lived about two miles away from this place for nearly a year and a half, and never payed any notice to it. It has somewhat of a nondescript exterior modeled in the Tudor style, that can very easily be overlooked or taken for an old mom and pop hardware store. Especially when there are other iconic eateries such as one of the original Bob’s Big Boy restaurants in the immediate vicinity with a flashy neon sign and large big boy statue flanking the road.

Nevertheless, when you do finally make it to the Smoke House Restaurant in Burbank, CA, you will quickly realize that the destination, across from Warner Bros. Studios is a true landmark that was once a watering hole to elite Hollywood and music industry royalty the likes of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Errol Flynn, Judy Garland, Milton Berle, and Robert Redford… just to name a few!

{To paraphrase a bit of history from the restaurant’s website}

Danny Kaye

The Smoke House was founded in 1946 at the corner of Pass & Riverside in Burbank and later moved to a larger location at 4420 Lakeside Drive in 1948. This new location, we learn was originally built as a restaurant and dance hall by the darling Danny Kaye (who did a brilliant little film that I love from my childhood called “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”). I have to admit, I had a little crush even though it was a good 40 years after the film had been released!

{A Swanky Dinner… For Lunch}

So, if you are going to go to the Smoke House for lunch, I suggest you plan on eating a light dinner, as the portions are quite large. . .well, enormous would be a better fitting word. I suppose this is where the restaurant’s slogan applies “fine food at a fair price”. This slogan could roughly be translated to: “the price of two meals for just one really big honker of a meal”. But I am never one to turn down a generous portion, and in this case, in celebration of three of my work colleagues’ birthdays, the company was as bountiful and as enjoyable as the meal!

Interesting Fact: The five of us were seated in a large red vinyl booth that on April 25, 1985 played tush cushion to Ms. Helen Hoyt, the Smoke House’s 10,000,000th diner.

We started our meal with a large order of the restaurant’s renowned garlic bread. As the website tells us, the popularity of this “unique recipe for garlic bread made the Smoke House the largest purveyor of French bread west of the Mississippi”. So, you have to begin to wonder, or at least speculate as to what the secret might be? The blog Drink Your Milk. . .and Eat Your Greens! rather astutely notes that the “topping looks and tastes like the contents of those Kraft Macaroni and Cheese sauce packets”. I’d have to agree, but would definitely suggest, as an alternative, the other processed cheese “delight”, cheese wiz. I’m definitely not one to usually partake in eating a packet of cheese powder or a can of swirly cheese, however, exceptions must be made! So, with a few pieces or ten of this wonderful lip smacking bread behind us, we continued on to the main event: Dinner-lunch!

My colleagues partook in (and kindly let me sample) the half rack of the BBQ Baby Back Ribs, the Fillet & Shrimp Skewers, the Chopped Loin, and the Pulled Pork Sandwich. The latter was definitely the star of those particular selections. And, upon the recommendation of our server, I ordered the Steak Sinatra which was comprised of Tender Pieces of Fillet Sauteed with Tomatoes, Sweet Onions, Tricolor Peppers, and Mushrooms. This delectable mix was served over perfectly cooked Linguine and tossed together table side YUM!

{The Unfortunate Down Side}

While the food was quite good on the whole, I do feel it necessary to share a few critiques with you, so you may become informed diners if you choose to partake in the Smoke House experience. Starting with the BBQ Baby Back Ribs. Let’s call her ‘Colleague A’, who had dined there several times before, mentioned that they were unusually dry. . .perhaps the victim of overcooking. Although, despite their dryness, I did happen to really enjoy their flavor (the next part is what makes me cringe). I asked our server what wood the ribs were smoked over, and she replied, “they are cooked on a gas grill”. Not certain if this was a misspeak or not (I mean come on the restaurant is called the “Smoke House”) I did a little investigating. It turns out, they age their own meat and cook it over a hickory grill. Tsk Tsk Tsk server lady!

Colleague B, who dined on the Fillet & Shrimp Skewers was quite happy with her meal, and rightly so! It was delicious, and the shrimp was cooked to perfection and joined by the ever-delicious skewer compliment, grilled pineapple. But, unfortunately, this success can be balanced out with a few other faux pas. Colleague C’s Chopped Loin (Hamburger-esque minus the bun) was sadly way overcooked beyond the medium-rare that was requested. **I must wonder though, if it cannot be served medium-rare due to cooking temperature health restrictions for E-Coli and the like?

Colleague D’s pulled pork sandwich was far and away the most delicious food that appeared on the table that afternoon, and although I only had a little taste, would recommend it to anyone. The only downfall to this succulent pork-wich was the unusual peanut topped coleslaw that accompanied it. So in an effort to spare you from the peanutty-ness, I recommend that you partake in a different side dish.

{Birthday Cake}

Last but not least were the three squares of white birthday cake laced with raspberry reduction that the restaurant supplied us free of charge. I have three words for you: cream cheese icing!!!! And, had I not been completely stuffed full of my Sinatra dish, I definitely would have taken larger and more frequent bites.

The Smoke House Interior

The Smoke House was definitely a blast from the past where I could absolutely see the Hollywood greats arriving for a whole evening of cocktails, dinner, and music. Although it wasn’t a true supper club, I definitely got the feel of what one might be like with its “simple” menus featuring prime rib, steaks, chicken, and fish. On a general eatery scale, I give the Smoke House a 6.5 out of 10 possible points (due to a few slip ups), but on a vintage eatery scale the Smoke House comes in strong with an 8.5.

If you are interested in more vintage eateries check out LA Time Machines!

As usual:

{Till next time: Eat Well, Stay Safe, Be Happy!}

BLD logo

{Breakfast}

It was an early Sunday morning when my body decided that sleep should merely be optional. I casually made more of a ruckus than I usually do in getting dressed. You know, things like slamming doors, sitting down violently on the bed to put on socks, or letting the cat in the bedroom to meow loudly until he is fed because we all know there is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast! And what a coincidence, my Fiance woke right up! The early morning hours of the weekend, by the way, are the best time to take a drive around Los Angeles, precisely because you can do exactly that, drive.

{“A waffle is like a pancake with a syrup trap.”}

So, at 8:30 AM on a Sunday morning in Lovely Los Angeles, we did exactly that with every intention of making it a culinary adventure as well. Our destination was BLD. These three simple letters of the alphabet symbolize what we, as humans, thrive on in various parts of the world. . . Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (or any combination therein such as Brunch, or Linner or even Dunch if you feel so inclined!).

BLD interior

We arrived, I’m sure, in record time to the corner of Beverly Boulevard, and we took a spot not too far down N. Vista Street. The interior of the restaurant is painted in cool tones of yellow, beige and deep blue-gray. In a very pleasant comforting sort of way, the atmosphere was airy ‘Farmhouse chic’ with clean lines, and lots of natural light.

BLD interior

They even have a very artsy nook where they display a beautiful blond colored tree branch! How Lovely, and how very feng shui of them!

{Aside}

I do think it is necessary to take a semi aside here and mention just how exactly we came to discover this place. The Food Network has this great new show: The Best Thing I Ever Ate that showcases favorite foods and restaurants of chefs. And, take my word for it, you should never watch if you are feeling hungry or noshy in any way shape or form. The culprit episode that lead us to this fabulous establishment was “Wake-up Call”, where BLD was featured.

**I have to say my only criticism of this concept is that you cannot search by location on the Food Network website. So for example, if I wanted to try every restaurant in Los Angeles that this show mentions, I would have to most likely re-watch the episodes to create a list or go searching through other blogs. Too much work Food Network! I’d say it is about time for a widget!

{But I Digress–Back to Business}

There couldn’t have been more than 5 other parties in the restaurant, and I have to say the attentiveness of our server may just have encouraged me to get out of bed early every Sunday! After giving the menu a once or five times over, my fiance and I decided to take the Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes, featured on the Food Network, out for a spin. In addition, we both split a pot of coffee and a Brûléed Grapefruit.

French Press

Let’s begin with the coffee. It is not very often, at least in my experience, that a French press is brought to your table. And boy was I happy.

{A little wiki-history}

“A French Press is a simple filter-less coffee brewing device that consists of a narrow cylindrical beaker, equipped with a lid and a “plunger”. The Coffee is brewed by placing the coffee and water together, leaving to brew for a few minutes, then depressing the plunger to trap the coffee grounds at the bottom of the beaker. Because the French press is a filter-less brewing method, coffee brewed with the French press is said to capture more of the coffee’s flavor and essential oils. It is also usually stronger and thicker with more sediment than drip-brewed coffee.” And in my personal opinion, the perfect way to begin your Sunday morning! Mmmm!

* * * * * * * * * *

For those of you who are tea fanatics, a French Press can also be used in place of a tea infuser to brew loose tea!

* * * * * * * * * *

Bruleed Grapefruit

About 5 minutes after we began sipping our warm ground goodness, out comes sunshine on a plate. The most delectable refreshing, and unique: Brûléed Grapefruit. Now I am sure we have all, at one time or another, experienced the grapefruit half sprinkled with sugar. You might say that this would be similar, only imagine that your regular sugared grapefruit has won the lottery. Even my grapefruit-hating Fiance scraped his half clean with delight. This is surely a dish I will eat again and again and again in the future!

Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes

After nearly consuming the rind of said citrusy jewel, out come the Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes. I dare you to take a look at the picture to the right and not want to eat your computer screen! The ricotta added into the batter definitely makes these hot cakes moist and creamy. As an added bonus, I found these particular pancakes a little less sweet than your typical pancake (so when I spread them with salty butter and warm maple syrup I got that magical combination of salty and sweet), and this maple syrup was no ordinary syrup! I would gladly take up residency in the little log cabin maple syrup house pictured below (that could be me in the doorway!).

Syrup

It was truly a viscous treat, and I would have loved nothing better than to drink it directly from the syrup spout. I also managed not to get that “wonderful” feeling of digesting rocks that you often get after you have eaten a pancake breakfast. The blueberries were perfection, and the warm tart little capsules burst in your mouth and add the perfect fruity compliment to these delightful fluffy discs!

So remember the next time you are in Los Angeles and craving something similar to vittles, supper, breakfast, brunch, chow, dessert, din-din, dinner, eats, fare, feast, feed, grub, lunch, luncheon, mess, munchies, picnic, potluck, refection, refreshment, regalement,repast, snack, spread, tea, or even a banquet. I would suggest you look for one of the above options at BLD.

{For Your Dining Pleasure}

Make sure to check out the special events at BLD:

Every MONDAY is BARBECUE SMOKE NIGHT
Every TUESDAY is FRIED CHICKEN NIGHT
Every WEDNESDAY is HOUSE MADE RAVIOLI NIGHT
Every THURSDAY is FLATBREAD NIGHT

*The next MILKSHAKE MADNESS is Sunday September 27th, 2009. Pastry Chef Mariah Swan whips up her ice creamy concoctions at the counter. The madness begins at 5:00pm!

Take a BLD PICNIC BOX to your next outdoor concert, film or day at the park or beach filled with all your BLD favorites.

I would gladly visit BLD again to sample L and D. Yet, purely on a breakfast scale, I would have to give this restaurant my highest rating of 10 out of 10 possible points!

{Till next time: Eat Well, Stay Safe, Be Happy!}