Terroni | Los Angeles
Before I went on a 2 week cleanse, I wanted get a little dressed up and have a nice meal. So a friend of min suggested a little place in Los Angeles called Terroni, just east of the Grove on Beverly Blvd. This is one of those places that you could miss if you were not paying attention. As you walk in, you notice the tight quarters of all of the two tops and larger tables along with the open kitchen and wine bar. You would think that this would be a louder place than it is. But the conversation that I had with my friend was was really easy. But I did notice that the couple next to us stopped many times to listen to what we had to say. The menu is a little confusing, all of the dishes are in italian and can be overwhelming, but there are explanations of each dish under the names. The wine list is rather limited in wine types, but the variety rather impressive from vintage to vineyard and region.
Piatto a Stutare
We started with the Piatto a Stutare (Prosciutto San Daniele, burrata, grilled fresh artichokes, mint & extra-virgin olive oil). Now Im almost addicted to prosciutto, so this was an amazing starter. The meat is sliced very thin and had a buttery finishing note. The burrata and artichoke gave it an added freshness that worked well on the tongue and gave it a lighter taste.
Santo Stefano
Since our dinner was rather late, I wanted to have a lighter dish as a main, so we shared this Santo Stefano pizza (Tomato, buffalo milk mozzarella, fresh arugola & prosciutto di Parma). What can I say, this hit the spot. Nothing on the pizza contracted or overpowered each other. The prosciutto di Parma has a distinctly different taste than the San Daniele and paired well with dollops of buffalo mozzarella and light tomato sauce. This is one of those pizzas that is satisfying but has no guilt. Now if I could only get it more often! All in all, Terroni is a great casual to dressy place, with prices in the high teens per dish or daily specials in the upper twenties, our dinner was about $75 for 2, which included 2 glasses of wine, the plates you see here, and coffee afterward. These dishes were more than enough for a quick nosh, but if you are looking for a couple appetizers and 2 main dishes with drinks, be prepared to spend another $50. Not an every day hitter, but a great place for a nice dinner on occassion.
I still need to figure out a ratings system. I would give it 4 out of 5 for now …
Noir Food & Wine: Pasadena, CA
I know, its been a while since I’ve actually posted something, and I will have to remedy that. I have taken the lazy route and just too the intagr.am pictures. I will have to get back into my foodie ways and go out toe some great places soon! I am a little rusty, so please forgive the review. I need to get back into form!
Anyway, let me tell you about this place I went to last night with a neighbor of mine called Noir Food & Wine. After only 8 months, I am still a newbie to the LA area, so most of the things that I have found are on pretty main streets, but this one is tucked quietly off on a side street with a fairly unassuming entrance, right next to a, from what I have heard, pretty popular comedy club called Ice House.
Simple and elegant come to mind when you walk into this place. A couple small rooms with 2 bars and small intimate tables with just enough room for one person to walk without running into someone. Traffic stops when food comes out. Anyway, so we sit down, and my friend used to call this place home so she schools me on the ins and outs of the restaurant. The owner is originally from Louisiana, so all of the dishes are relatively simple with a Louisiana flare, (and a really nice guy, he came out to talk with us during dessert.)
This is a small plate restaurant, everything is served tapas style. We started off with a couple of wine flights. I had a Malbec flight of three wines, (at this point, I honestly forgot to take pictures of the menu, but there I was), paired with a cheese plate with some slices meats, nuts, honey, and a preserve. Im a sucker for wine and cheese, so this was a perfect start to the meal to get me into the mood.
While we were waiting for a main course, we ordered Crab Fritters. This was a perfect light intermediary dish; lightly battered and fried, served with a couple of dipping sauces, a light tartar and a dijon style mustard. My main course was the Hanger Steak, medium rare of course! The steak was cooked to perfection served a in wine reduction with veggies. Ever bite was savory and perfectly tender.
Hanger Steak @ Noir Food & Wine, Pasadena, CA
As if this was not enough, after the main dinner, we went to the front bar for dessert. Now I will say, this was definitely the right call. You sit in again, simple elegance with white upholstered high chairs looking at the wine selection. I had a nice port wine with their Chocolate Terrine. Talk about heaven on a plate. Its a thick chocolate custard served with a raspberry reduction and fresh berries. That was worth the whole meal!
Chocolate Terrine @ Noir Food & Wine, Pasadena, CA
All said and done, this place is simple, elegant, and classy. A little on the pricy side. Dinner for 2 with wine and dessert was about $250. But this is definitely a great experience that is something that can be saved for a special occasion and would highly recommend it.
http://www.noirfoodandwine.com/
District 13, Los Angeles
I love to eat, and I love anything that Americans would consider “exotic.” And what better place to find exotic meats than District 13 located in the heard of Hollywood!
I find that the best restaurants keep it simple, and this is about as simple as you can get, sausages and beer. And what a beer list it is! But that is for another show. Anyway, when you peruse the menu, the choice becomes clear, regular or exotic sausages. I happened to choose a platter of exotic sausage: Wild Boar, Venison, and Smoked Buffalo with caramelized onions, mustard, and srirachafor dipping. What a taste treat! Venison has always been a little salty, but these were tastes that just melted in your mouth! Not at all gamey, but mild and flavorful with the snap of a Nathan’s hot dog. The caramelized onion and sriracha topper brought savory, salty, sweet, with a touch of heat all into one bite. Pair this dish with a beer, and its very fling and satisfying! All for under $30.
Check it out!
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