Archive for January, 2010

The Not Best Kept Secret in L.A……Giorgio’s

Monday, January 25th, 2010

It actually has a different name, some cockamamie name like Giorgio Baldi.

There’s a story behind that, I just don’t know what it is.  There’s probably a LOT of stories behind this restaurant.  And some rumors like that this restaurant first started right here in Pacific Palisades. It didn’t quite “make it” here and moved to it’s permanent and quite successful location in Santa Monica canyon.  Which of course, proves my conspiracy theory about the Palisades  (refer to earlier piece called conspiracy theories).giorgio's to go

Is this ghetto? When I’m craving the pasta from Giorgios , I head down the hill and pick it up to go.  That’s what I did last night.  The rain throws us off here in Los Angeles, so much so that we won’t head out to restaurants or go anywhere for that matter.  And it really isn’t safe, there’s some serious flooding in the streets, trees tend to fall over and even onto cars. So we stay in.  I realized last night, not so when it comes to the amazing and yes famous Giorgio’s.  It was getting packed at 6:30 when I was picking up my to go order.  I was impressed with that fact.  And I too would have been there braving the rain soaked streets to get the best meal L.A. has to offer.  But no one was interested in going out so I ordered it in.  But the truth is I often order in as I said, when I’m craving the penne with langoustines in a slightly spicy tomato sauce.  I hate to go food or home delivery so this is the only place I would ever pick up from. (more…)

Amuse Bouche

Monday, January 18th, 2010

Tonight I really amused my bouche.  And, I hope I amused my husbands and even Domy’s bouche.  And yes I do love that it all sounds very naughty.  I’m glad to say it’s really G-rated, is French and literally means it entertains the mouth.  It is a small appetizer served at some great restaurants. When I am served an Amuse Bouche in a restaurant, I often get very greedy and ask for more.  Maybe it’s greedy AND rude, I’m never sure.  And yet, I still do it.  Just did it the other night at Fraiche in Santa Monica when they gave me one small bite of the best caesar salad I’ve ever had.  Ten of those amuse bouches could have made a nice little meal for me.

The appetizer I made for tonight was crostini served with an olive tapenade and burrata cheese.  How simple it is to make and how impressive it is to serve.

my amuse bouche

I totally copied from one of these restaurants, both served a version of this dish.  It was either Delfina Restaurant on 18’th street in the Mission district of San Francisco or Rustic Canyon Restaurant on Wilshire in Santa Monica, California.

Burrata cheese and olive Tapenade Crostini recipe

Cut slices of your favorite french bread

drizzle with olive oil and fresh garlic

toast lightly in oven, I do 400 degrees and turn it over after a few minutes, two minutes on each side is good

sorry but I buy my olive tapenade from a local gourmet market but I’m sure you can chop a bunch of black olives to make your own

I get Burrata cheese from the same market, Burrata, Italian meaning is buttered, it’s really mozzarella and cream so you can just use a very good mozzarella

put the olive tapenade on the crostini first and then burrata and blow everyone away

Sleep Reports, High Drama, and One Great Meal

Saturday, January 2nd, 2010

Tre Lune

Years ago when I was first dating my husband, I would stumble out of bed, hours after he started his day and announce my daily sleep report.  It was and is always detailed with what time I had to pee( sometimes up to three times a night) to what noise in or outside of the house was disturbing to my restless nature.    I often zero in on something negative and let my brain get stuck there, like an old warped record.  Last night in an expensive and lovely bed and breakfast in Santa Barbara was no different.  I was rendered sleepless by various ambient noises that I now block out in my own home with white sound.  And this was no just semi-sleepless night, this was a full blown insomniac’d out, never even drift off for a moment of peace.  The trying ended with the bing of a text, it’s not like me but apparently I had forgotten to turn my cell phone off.  After living through losing both parents and waiting for the possible call, I gave up being available during the night with a phone call.  I unplug, turn off, anything to aid the possibility of slumber.

There is a huge, stay away from trigger for a person with insomnia and that is a plan in the morning.  I don’t make plans for anything, including construction on my home anytime before 11:00 am.

The bed and breakfast called for their gourmet breakfast from 8:30-9:30 which I’m sure is the reason I was rendered entirely sleepless.  No one but another person with insomnia would be able to relate to this.  I was quite determined not to miss the lemon souffled pancakes with thyme and lemon infused melon balls as the first course.  No fucking way was I losing out on this meal.  Ask me if I remember it?  I was there, I barely remember now, even though it was earlier today, gritting my teeth from anxiety and humorless.

The focul point of the large former barn room at our bed and breakfast is the big bathtub right there in the room.  My husband went out for a walk and I took a long, sleepy  bath.  I was then ready for lunch with the girls! We went to Opal at both the hotel and my friend Kayla’s suggestion.  I remember that we were there, I know we spent most of our time laughing our heads off about all of our “70’s” experiences together and separate.  I do not remember the food that well.   I do recall that Kayla’s lunch choice of grilled salmon in a curry sauce was the clear winner. I tried it and it was far better then the cobb salad I shared with my other old friend Cathy. (more…)