Café Pinot, Los Angeles, California

CAFE PINOT: OUTDOOR ELEGANCE IN THE HEART OF L.A.

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett

An evening spent at Café Pinot is an evening well spent. In the heart of downtown Los Angeles, this Patina Group restaurant sits on some of the best real estate in the city near the Los Angeles Public Library, adjacent to Maguire Park at Flowers and Fifth Streets.

My party arrived for a light, late evening dinner and sat on the outdoor patio. Immediately we were transported from the high-energy urban setting to a serene garden atmosphere. Delicate white lights strung from the trees twinkled above us and candles flickered on the tables as we settled in for an easy, relaxing meal.

Our server expertly guided us through the wine and menu selections, which required some explanation, until we landed upon our choices. We began with a basic California red and two appetizers: the lightly-breaded Dungeness crab cake with Asian pear, lemongrass aioli and a small lettuce salad and the Seared Hudson Valley Valley fois gras complemented by a mountain huckleberry sauce with pistachio and frisée (curly endive). Both choices were exquisite and rich, although I favored the crab cake combination. My entrée selection was the rotisserie of free range chicken with three grain mustard and pinot fries, a safe bet compared to the more unusual fare, such as the farm-raised rabbit, lavendar [sic] poached loin, pot-roasted leg, autumn bean cassoulet, and braised Tuscan kale, or the Wagyu beef cap loin, porcini ravioli, roasted root vegetables with salsify mousseline. The chicken was tender, just as expected, and perfectly complimented by the mustard sauce and the ample portion of light crispy fries. I ordered the truffle mashed potato side dish, mostly out of curiosity. At an extravagant $22, I assumed the flavor would be a singular experience. The family-style serving was plenty to share; however, I could only faintly distinguish a mushroom taste, not distinctive enough to justify the expense.

Choosing dessert proved to be difficult, as the options were all equally intriguing. We went for the Apple Tarte Tatin with Lemon Verbena Ice Cream and Vanilla Anglaise as well as the Jasmin Pannacotta with Sweet n Sour Berries and a balsamic reduction. The Jasmin Pannacotta was almost like experiencing two desserts in one. By itself, the pannacotta with the balsamic reduction was strangely strong and sour as well as slightly sweet. Combined with the berries, it had almost no flavor, but its creamy, custard-like consistency was a light contrast to the intensity of the fruit. The menu boasts of some delightful cheeses from Wisconsin, Spain and France and a selection of teas for lighter after-dinner fare as well as dessert wines and liquors.

I had a glimpse of the inside décor, which is simple yet elegant. I will look forward to enjoying a meal from that perspective on another occasion. My first visit to Café Pinot was impressive. This expensive dinner in a world-class city sets the standard.

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Café Pinot
700 West Fifth Street
Los Angeles, CA 90071
213.239.6500
www.patinagroup.com

Hours:
Lunch: Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Dinner: Monday and Tuesday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday, 4:30 to 9 p.m.

The Stinking Rose: A Garlic Restaurant, San Francisco, CA

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

By Ellen "EJ" Sackett

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet…as garlic? That would be true if the name were The Stinking Rose, San Francisco's garlic restaurant, located near the landmark Coit Tower and the Embarcadero. Locals as well as visitors call this original restaurant a favorite, and this visitor in particular makes a point to go there whenever I visit the city-by-the-bay.

The menu says, "We season our garlic with food," and they mean it so much they even trademarked the saying. Everything they serve contains the odiferous herb. No exceptions-well, except for the desserts. But I go for the main attraction.

This Californian-Italian restaurant isn't a gimmick. Jerry Dal Bozzo came up with the concept and opened the restaurant with restauranteur Dante Serafini in 1991. In 1995, another Stinking Rose restaurant opened in Beverly Hills. In 1996, Executive Chef Andrea Foncillo joined the team and added his culinary expertise to the operation. This ain't no stinkin' slop joint. The Stinking Rose is dining at its finest.

Like any good Italian restaurant, the ambiance sets the tone. Curtains of strung corks and empty bottles of Chianti hang from the ceiling like grapevines. My companion and I were seated at a two top by the window in the back corner of a room, its walls covered with black-framed photographs of the famous and infamous. The music of Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald and Dean Martin crooned overhead. A waiter came over immediately, took our order, and returned promptly with our drinks and first appetizer.

Don't say you don't like garlic until you've tried the Bagna Calda, which means "garlic hot tub." Sensual, slippery, garlic cloves soaked in extra virgin olive oil, butter and anchovies are served with bread for dipping. This popular dish, kept warm at the table over a small votive, has only one drawback: it's entirely possible to gorge yourself on it, which could potentially spoil your ability to gorge on forthcoming courses.

Another "must do" appetizer is the Roasted Garlic Potato Onion Soup. The soup is hot when it arrives at the table, covered by a pastry cap over the bowl that creates a soft dough when mixed with the creamy potage. It's beyond good to the last drop. By the time I scrape the bottom of the soup bowl, I'm stuffed.

But wait, there's more. My husband and I choose the top two entries to split: bone-roasted Forty Clove Garlic Chicken or Garlic Braised Boneless Short Rib, served with yummy garlic Yukon Gold mashed potatoes. Priced under $20, these best sellers are worth every clove. If meat can melt in your mouth, these do.

Fish and seafood lovers will go for the sizzling iron skillets with any combination of peel and eat shrimp, crab or mussels or one of three tureens of either garlic steamed clams, seafood "zuppa," or Louisiana shrimp in a tomato broth. All of these menu items can be sized accordingly for small to extremely large appetites.

What would an Italian restaurant be without pasta? Again, fish aficionados have plenty of choices, which is always a safe bet so close to the sea. Whether you prefer pesto to tomato sauce, lasagna to linguini, or gnocchetti with gorgonzola, you can get it here. Ahem. With garlic, of course.

Meat lovers will not want for choices either. Try the Silence of the Lamb Shank with Chianti sauce and fava beans, or go for Roasted Rabbit with olives. The Porterhouse Pork Chop is another favorite, as is the Italian Garlic Meatloaf and the Baby Back Ribs. Those with expandable waistbands might consider a slab of the 100% USDA certified prime Midwestern beef Garlic Roasted Prime Rib, although the large cut is plenty. The Surf and Turf combines The Stinking Rose's Dungeness crab fresh from the Pacific Ocean with the Prime Rib that comes with the afore-mentioned potatoes and Swiss chard. You'll never have to eat again.

Did I mention desserts? There are the standards, all up to par: tiramisu, chocolate mousse, and vanilla ice cream. Oh yes. There's one more. Uh-huh. You guessed it. Leave enough space in your stomach for Gilroy's Famous Garlic Ice Cream-in case you didn't get enough of that which we call a stinking rose-by any other name would taste so sweet.

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The Stinking Rose
325 Columbus Avenue (between Vallejo and Broadway)
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-781-7673
Open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.