Picca Peru by way of Test Kitchen

Food and Wine Classic's 2011 Best New Chef Ricardo Zarate, the chef behind Mo-Chica, opened his new Peruvian influenced restaurant last week in the old Test Kitchen prep space. For those not in 'the know' this is above the old Test Kitchen which is now housing Sotto. Some say the location is cursed as many restaurants have come and died before them. You wouldn't know it to go there now; the place is booming. Not to mention the overhaul that managing partner Stephane Bombet did on the place. It's truly gorgeous. 

Take The Cake - Pastry Class

Sometimes I get PR emails asking me to put stuff on my blog. I usually ignore those. This one actually appeals to me because I'm planning my good friend's baby shower and while I would have loved to make the cake myself, I am lacking the skills. Apparently a series of pastry classes are taking place at the Montage in Beverly Hills featuring 'The Best Cake Artist in America' Chef Richard Ruskell this summer and fall. I will probably try and attend at least one of them myself, specifically the gingerbread house class on the 30th of November.

Each class has a very limited seating of 15 people, so if you think this is something you want to do, and who doesn't want pretty desserts, sign up soon. The upcoming class on June 29th is featuring the Blackout Cake. If you're a chocolate lover, this might be the one for you.

When:              Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Where:             Scarpetta display kitchen
Time:                9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Cost:                $50 per guest
To reserve a seat with the Best Cake Artist in America, please call (310) 860-7940.
For a full list of Chef Ruskell’s pastry class dates and themes, visit http://www.montagebeverlyhills.com/beverly-hills-pastry-chef.php

This post was not sponsored in any way, shape or form. It just really sounds like fun.

Lunch in Midtown Manhattan

A couple of weeks ago I went on a work related trip to New York City, one of my favorite cities in the United States. NYC is one of those places I love to visit, and imagine myself living there. Alas, I would not want to raise a child in that city and therefore will not be relocating. Lucky for me, I do a lot of work with clients and station reps in that town so I'm there once or twice a year. This round I went to meet up with my Fox News ad sales reps for lunch. I put myself in their hands because I knew that they probably didn't need to be traipsing all over town for lunch. The ladies chose Quality Meats on 58th Street. Looked fine by me. I went for a morning walk after my early breakfast at Pastis in Greenwich, strolling from my Hell's Kitchen hotel over to Tiffany & Co (when in NY...), and then over to Quality Meats for lunch.

Let's Get Ethical

Yesterday's post opened up an interesting can of worms.  It was brought to my attention that there were a couple 'glowing' reviews of MoKo on the interwebs that directly contradicted what Rosa and I experienced.  A little research (aka Google) into it and I was able to find out what he was talking about. I'm not going to name names, mostly because I don't want to increase traffic to the ethical travesty that exists there. What I saw was two people whom attended a PR 'blogger dinner' and then wrote up the restaurant. They did not disclose the fact that they were there. They waxed poetic about the food, the chef, the drinks, you name it. This opened up a large conversation on the Twitter about the ethics of bloggers. 

In which her pocketbook was raped...

'Foodies', the group that I will grudgingly allow myself to be grouped in for the sake of this argument, will often shill out astronomical amounts of money for a meal. When the quality and experience back up the expense we have no problem with this. An amazing meal creates a lasting memory, and not all of it is about the food. Memories are a justifiable expense. Otherwise you'd take your vacations at home rather than some exotic locale. What is not justifiable is a meal that leaves one wanting, both in palate pleasure and in cash. Not to say that every meal needs to be a bargain, but what happened this last Friday night was assault on my wallet. I didn't go in with high hopes, but I certainly didn't expect what took place.

Photo: Rosa Camp

RH at Andaz Hotel

Bloomspot offered a deal on a tasting menu for two that my friend The Kung Food Panda and I couldn't pass up, so off we went. RH was helmed at the time by Michelin Star chef Sebastien Archambault (he's since moved on to L'epicerie). The kitchen at RH is just shy of being in the center of the dining room and is completely open. I do love an open kitchen as I love the process.

Ray's at LACMA

'Designed by famed architect Renzo Piano, Ray's and Stark Bar, named after Ray Stark, the late film producer known for such works as Funny Girl and Steel Magnolias, is adjacent to the new Resnick Pavilion at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Ray’s offers a bold, Mediterranean farm-to-table menu based on seasonal, local ingredients and the restaurant’s wood burning oven and grill. Ray's Executive Chef Kris Morningstar, who was most recently Executive Chef at District and Mercantile, and prior to that worked at such top L.A. establishments as AOC, Patina, and Blue Velvet, presides over the kitchen. A separate bar and lounge named Stark Bar offers handcrafted, seasonal cocktails by famed Los Angeles barsmith Michel Dozois and a dynamic menu of small plates.' 
 - Ray's and Stark Bar Website


Honestly, this is one of the best meals I've had in LA so far this year. Words escape me, so let's just dive in shall we?