In case you haven’t had a chance to read the February issue of Bon Appetit magazine, the last page, which normally interviews a celebrity about food, caught up with British actor Alfred Molina.  Guess what he said was his favorite restaurant?  Our very own La Dolce Vita in Beverly Hills.  Long a favorite of mine, I love the rat pack vibe, the classic service, and the caesar salad, prepared at a special station while you watch, is the best in town (and can be made anchovy-less upon request!)  Request the ‘Ronald Reagan’ booth for one of the most entertaining shows in town: Hollywood high-rollers, Bev Hills doyennes in hats and opera gloves, and celebrities (I recently sat next to Tom Ford and his partner).  Going to La Dolce Vita is an event not just a meal.  Good choice, Alfie. 

http://www.ladolcevitabeverlyhills.com/

Why can’t LA manage to come up with at least one really great Indian restaurant?  I’m talking about the likes of which one sees in London.  They have the most fantastic places like Amaya (http://www.amaya.biz/) that are  sleek blends of hip style, incredible food, chill beats, and lively bar scenes.  Going out for Indian is a whole night of entertainment.  Sadly, LA lacks anything like it.  I know there’s Tanzore.  I like the ambiance but the food, while good enough, never manages to deliver the wow punch.  Then there’s reliable old Bombay Cafe, which hasn’t changed in years.  It’s more of mid-week restaurant than a big night out.  There are a smattering of places in Beverly Hills and across the city, but still…they just fall a little short.  So I give up.  I decided to try to create an Indian dinner party at home.  Hip Bollywood remixes, lush tropical flowers, and exotic scents set the mood.  I chose a few fusion-y starters and nibbles, as well as a mango fool for dessert. For the main, I settled on a Goan curry from Camellia Panjabi’s authoritative tome, “The Great Curries Of India”.  Where was I going to find all the ingredients for this meal?  Little India of course!  I headed straight to Pioneer Blvd in Artesia for one-stop shopping.  I found everything easily enough (except for “true Kashmiri chilis” that Ms. Panjabi insists upon).  But I had another motive for driving that far.  Ever since I read in the LA Times about a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant that specializes in Mumbai street food, and in particular a sandwich called a “dabeli”, I had to try it.  So after much searching and u-turns, I eventually ended up at Mumbai Ki Galliyon Se (From the streets of Mumbai).  Inside the simply decorated restaurant, I met the owner, Sailesh Shah, who with his wife have shaken up the Artesia food scene.   A gentle, unassuming man, Sailesh spoke to me at length about his profound beliefs in vegetarianism and the teachings of Gandhi.  It seemed clear to me that he was a deeply spiritual man.  He took time away from his busy day to go through my shopping list, instructing me on what to look for and which of the local markets was likely to have the obscure ingredients.  Then he added my name to a waiting list of people desperate to spend an afternoon in a cooking class with him, his 13-year-old daughter (who he brags is an amazing chef), and another Italian/Indian fusion chef from Napa.  The list has grown to 400 since the article in the Times.  Finally he brought me the dabeli, or to be more exact, two dabeli which is one order.  They consist of a feathery toasted bun cradling a wonderfully spicy, soft, and crumbly Mumbai-masala potato patty.  The flavors are then layered with chili peanuts, halved green grapes, raw onion, and pomegranate seeds.  The effect is dazzling!  The sandwiches are spicy, salty, sweet, tart, crunchy all at the same time.  The overall sensation is pure heaven.  I ate in a trance, washing them down with an iced yogurt drink flavored with saffron, cardamom, pistachio, and almond.  The complexity of this “piyush” floored me and left me feeling refreshed, exhilarated, and extremely lucky.  Ever since I shook hands with Sailesh and left Mumbai Ki Galliyon Se, I have not been able to stop thinking about the dabeli.  Perhaps I’ll have to host another Indian dinner party soon…  Oh, and the evening was a smash success!

Mumbai Ki Galliyon Se

17705 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, Ca 90701 (562) 860-6699

www.mumbaikgs.com

Toddrickallen stopped by the newly opened Tiato Market Garden Cafe in Santa Monica recently to check things out.  Tiato is the casual brainchild of the An family of Crustacean in Beverly Hills.  You might be forgiven for having driven by and not noticed.  In order to find it, you have to enter the lobby of the office building that houses Lionsgate at 2700 Colorado Ave.  I was assured that this would soon be remedied as they are putting the final touches on what will be their permanent entrance  from the street leading through the patio.  Juan, the affable assistant manager, gave me a tour of the restaurant starting with the large inviting patio.  He pointed out to me that the lush landscaping is actually the kitchen’s herb garden and was careful to show me the Vietnamese herb tiato, (or pernilla in english) which gives the restaurant its name.  Inside, the space is cool, modern, comfy, and cavernous with dark wood and teardrop glass fixtures.  There is casual dining (a la Urth) as well as full service,  and a take-away counter.  Tiato also has a bar with a happy hour from 4:00 to 8:00 on Thursday and Friday with drinks, beer, and a modest wine list.  The creative menus reflect a variety of influences, from Mexican to classic American, but a strong emphasis is on Vietnamese and Asian.  Breakfast consists of a variety of eggs, burritos, vegan scrambles, salads, and smoothes.   The lunch menu lists soups, salads,  bowls, sandwiches, and larger entrees.  And Juan confirmed the rumors that they will be bringing in limited supplies of Crustacean’s famous garlic noodles.  Currently, Tiato is open from 8:00 to 6:00 Monday through Wednesday and 8:00 to 8:00 Thursday and Friday, but starting July 24th, they will be serving a weekend brunch from 10:30 to 3:00.  With its great ambiance, friendly staff, fantastic patio, and An family cuisine, Tiato is well worth a trek to this sleepy Santa Monica neighborhood. 

Tiato Market Garden Cafe

2700 Colorado Avenue (between Princeton and 26th Streets), Santa Monica

310-866-5228  tiato.com

With all the new bakeries popping up across town, it’s easy to overlook the hidden gems.  One such place is Jin Patisserie in Venice.  Hidden behind a high fence is a tranquil garden of escape from the city.  There hardly is a lovelier place in LA to sit for afternoon tea than here.  The petit sandwiches and pastries are always wonderful.  Christine is masterful at her craft.  Her macarons shine, the gateaux perfect.  But I most love Jin for the amazing chocolates hand-crafted with rare steeped teas and Asian flavors.  They are extraordinary and are always the perfect gift.

1202 Abbot Kinney Boulevard
Venice, CA 90291-3366
(310) 399-8801  www.jinpatisserie.com

OK, I have to confess, I have not stopped dreaming of the Earth Burger at Umami Santa Monica since I had my first one a couple of weeks ago.  Dense, moist, deeply satisfying; I’m obsessed.  It differs from the other veggie burgers out there.  It isn’t rice based like most which leave one feeling like they’ve eaten a cinderblock.  Umami’s version is made with edamame and mushroom so it has a meatier texture.  Topped with white soy and truffle oil aioli, ricotta, cipollini onions, lettuce, and tomato, this is a burger of legends.  You can appreciate the skillful blending of flavors to achieve umami, the fifth or savory taste (after sweet, salty, bitter, sour).  Here the truffle oil becomes a player in a symphony flavors, not the usual overuse and the resulting petroleum backnote that ruins many a  dish.  The sum of the parts blend harmoniously into a mouth-watering whole.  And don’t get me started on the  indescribably delicious ‘cheesy tots’, house-made tater tots which are crispy on the outside and pillowy-moist on the inside with a hint of cheese.  Umami Burger Santa Monica is a magical combination of outstanding food, attentive and speedy service (ask for Kitty), and ocean breeze-fanned patio.  What could be better on a balmy summer evening?

Umami Santa Monica @ Fred Segal (and other locations throughout the city)

500 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90401 (310) 451-1300 http://www.umamiburger.com/

Sunday-Thursday 11am to 11pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-12am

Clockwise from top left:  Earth Burger, ‘Cheesy Tots’, Tempura Onion Rings

We thought we’d check out the hot new restaurant Red O on Melrose in the beautiful new basket-like building that used to house old Moustache Cafe space.  Of course there’s no way to get a rezzie at this point, but the reservationist told us to show up and avail ourselves of the copious space at the two bars.  Well, apparently she must have told everyone in LA county and perhaps half of Orange county the same thing because by the time we got there, “They were at capacity.”  Or so stated the icy and officious door man.  We were curtly told we could wait and since we were the first in an increasingly long line of people waiting, we decided to wait.  And wait we did.  45 minutes.  Even when we pointed out to the doorman that many people had left and we could see that the side bar was almost empty, he kept to his line, “We’re at capacity.”  Oh well.  Many had it worse than us.  Others who had been sent away to put on more suitable attire were sent to the back of the line when they returned.  And many people with reservations were turned away when they arrived in shorts (as it should be).  Tempers flared around us but we kept our cool and continued to wait.  Eventually the doorman warmed up and was actually a nice guy.  Finally we were rewarded with two seats at the front bar.  Curiously, we noticed that the communal table and back bar were about 25% occupied.  Oh Well.  The interior was bright, breezy, tropical meets north African with many small niches and corners to sit.  Unfortunately, our seats at the bar were next to two black leather swings which were irresistable to the many women who obviously went to the Linsay Lohan School of Charm  and kept swinging into us.  The barman was friendly and helpful and gave us prompt service despite the demanding club-scene ambiance.  The wine list was quite good and we settled on a Falanghina.  However, when we asked the barman what was vegetarian on the menu, his face fell.  Turns out, not much.  A sum total of seven items, mostly nibbles and snacks.  Even many of the things that appeared to be vegetarian contain lard.  Now, we’re not naive about Mexican food, but this is LA.  Hot chef Rick Bayless, fresh from his recent White House state dinner, clearly has put together a complex menu.  Everyone around us were raving about the dishes so we decided to go ahead.  We started with the guac and chips, about as standard as you’d get anywhere.  We moved on to the Red O salad, a mixture of lettuces with garlic-lime dressing, wire-thin crisps of tortilla, and pickled onion.  Again, very good, but nothing over the top.  Next came the queso fundidos, with its pile of mushrooms on top, served with warm corn tortillas.  Warm, cheesy, comforting, we liked it best when combined with the mushroom soft tacos, which were mixed with beans.  Everything was very good, but clearly vegetarians are an afterthought here.  The scene was great, the crowd beautiful, the service good, the food ok.  Would we kill ourselves coming back?  Probably not.  Oh well.

Red O/Restaurant

8155 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA  90046

323.655.5009 redorestaurant.com

Have you ever been driving through Orange County and wondered, “Where in the Hell am I going to eat?”  A great place to keep tucked into your mental rolodex is David Myer’s casual Italian restaurant Pizzeria Ortica.  Centrally located at South Coast Plaza, it’s a breath of fresh air.  The interior is bright and sunny and the staff friendly and helpful.  But it is the food that shines here.  The Roman artichokes with ricotta salata were buttery and rich.  The wood-roasted vegetable with buratta and basil oil, while a little too heavy on the peppers, especially shishito, was still a satisfying and creative starter.  The pizzas here are stellar.  They start with a 300 year-old starter (a ‘biga’), hand stretch the crusts, top, and bake in a wood-burning oven.  The results are fantastic; moist, malty, crispy, and burnt in a few spots.  The margherita was excellent, but the Milanesa stole the show.  Topped with fontina, asparagus, Parmigiano Reggiano, and a fried egg, it was a perfect balance of topping and crust.  I love a fried egg on pizza.  You often see this in France.  When the egg is cut, the yolk oozes over the pizza and creates a rich carbonara as it cooks slightly adding complex character.  The entire table agreed that this was one of the best pizzas we’d had in a while.  Pizzeria Ortica is well worth a visit.  Although David Myers may be having some difficulties north of the border, in OC he’s still thoroughly in control. 

Pizzeria Ortica

650 Anton Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (714)445-4900

http://pizzeriaortica.com/