Weekend Docket: 9/30/11

Underground Rebel Bingo what?? Yep. That's where I'll be tonight. Shh... wait, I mean I'm going to a HEALTH & FITNESS SEMINAR. That's right. HEALTH & FITNESS SEMINAR at 9pm in Silverlake.

What can I expect? I honestly have no idea and that's half the fun! That and the fact that there will be some "hardcore bingo" going down. For any of you slackers who didn't buy tickets soon enough, they're still selling them at the door for $15.

Other than that, doing a little Champagne Brunching on Saturday, and a whole day of SUP Love on Sunday with Living Social! Stand Up Paddleboarding + Margaritas? Yep, this is probably one of the coolest jobs in the world. Now we just need to convince them to get Living Social wetsuits for the November + December trips!

Would love to hear what you guys are up to this weekend!

Remember, you can always Like Cake & Heels on Facebook and leave comments, or tweet me @nicolemiizuka!

All Weekend / All Week

DineLA Restaurant Week
Oct 2-7 || Oct 9-14
It's back & better than ever! dineLA Restaurant Week is a two-week dining event, showcasing Los Angeles as a premier dining destination and highlighting the diversity of culinary experiences that LA has to offer. Presented by LA INC. and American Express, dineLA Restaurant Week has been designed to stimulate business and introduce new customers to restaurants located in the many neighborhoods throughout LA County. Bonus: If you sync your American Express Card & save $5 at each DineLA restaurant when you check in on foursquare. www.dineLARestaurantWeek.com

Manhattan Beach Hometown Fair
Oct 1 & 2
Join us for a weekend of family fun, music, live entertainment, arts, crafts, kids games, wine & beer gardens for adults. The Fair is fun for all ages. Great fair food, beautiful arts & crafts from hand selected vendors, free entertainment on our Main Stage and South Stage, games for kids of all ages and of course, the Kids Country are just some of the venues available for visitors. This event is a Manhattan Beach tradition! Live Oak Park, Dorsey Field and the Joslyn Center, Manhattan Beach, CA www.mbfair.org

Friday, 9/30

The Macallan After Dark
10pm - 1am
Join The Macallan as we dim the lights and turn up the music at our exclusive Macallan After Dark event. Sip The Macallan to discover why it’s a top choice among single malt scotch connoisseurs around the world. Sample a flight at your table – or while flirting at the bar. Come party the night away, drinks are on us. There will be a $5 donation collected at the door to benefit the charity (i.e. water). Exchange LA, 618 S. Spring Street www.themacallanafterdark.com

Saturday, 10/1

The 13th Annual Eagle Rock Music Festival
4pm to 11pm
The Eagle Rock Music Festival will welcome the eclectic, local lineup for which it is known, highlighting the ethnic and cultural diversity of the Los Angeles music scene. Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock experiments with a multitude of genres to create a truly groundbreaking experience. The mix of localism and innovation has paved the way for many other community festivals. Musicians perform at ten unique one-night-only venues ranging from auto shops and formal stages to historical buildings and a motel balcony along Colorado Boulevard, which will be open to pedestrians between Eagle Rock Boulevard and Argus Street. Admission is a suggested donation of $5, and free parking is available at Eagle Rock Plaza. Eagle Rock Music Festival, Colorado Blvd. (between Argus St. & Eagle Rock Blvd.), Eagle Rock eaglerockmusicfestival.wordpress.com

Food Truck Festival at Santa Anita Park
11am - 5pm
The Santa Anita Food Truck Festival is back, and is going to be BIGGER and BETTER than the first. Enjoy gourmet food from 80 of Southern California’s finest gourmet food trucks including The Grilled Cheese Truck and the Lobsta Truck. Food trucks and foodies everywhere will take over the ENTIRE Santa Anita Infield. There will also be carnival games and live music as well as pony rides for the kiddies. $5. Santa Anita Park, 285 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia http://www.santaanita.com/specialevent/2011/food-truck-festival-ii

LA Burning Man
1pm - 2am
8 Stages of Entertainment, Tons of Art and Activities for All Ages. This is the official Burning Man Los Angeles Decompression event. Experience the art and culture of Burning Man brought to life in downtown LA. Be a participant in the LA Burner community and immerse yourself in twelve hours of art, performance, live bands, DJs, theme camps, art cars, green technology, puppetry, circus, marching bands, fire and 2011 imagery. Come be a part of the experience. $20. Los Angeles State Historic Park, 1245 N Spring Street, Los Angeles www.laburningman.com

Taste of Italy
4pm - 10pm
The third annual Taste of Italy, Los Angeles’ premier cultural-gastronomic event, takes place on Saturday, October 1, 2011. Featuring dozens of the region’s exceptional Italian and Italian American restaurants, wineries and purveyors of culinary specialties, as well as a variety of live entertainment, Taste of Italy benefits the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles. $45 pre-sale, $50 at the door (includes 6 food tickets and 6 drink tickets) 424 N Main St., Historic Little Italy, Los Angeles 90012 www.italianhall.org

Footloose @ Devil's Night Drive-In
6pm Start Time
Probably one of the best outdoor movie screening series, the Devil's Night Drive In is a totally awesome rooftop drive-in in the heart of Downtown LA. On Saturday they're screening an all time classic, Footloose! You can also munch on popcorn, burgers and hot dogs that are delivered to your window, car-hop-style, by the ladies of Angel City Derby Girls. Tickets cost $10 Devil's Night Drive-In, 240 W. 4th St., Downtown www.devilsnight.com

Sunday , 10/2

Sunday Night Sex Talks
8pm Show Time
From the always fabulous Jessie of 20-nothings, you should check out Sunday Night Sex Talks which is a monthly, girl's-only storytelling series featuring L.A.-based performers telling R-rated tales. The theme of September's show is: The first time I __________ I felt ___________. Prepare for candid, irreverent, genuine and hysterical stories told from the first-person perspective by some of this city's hottest talent (looks and skill-wise). Tickets are $6 Bar Lubitsch 7702 Santa Monica Blvd http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/194978

KFC or Korean Fried Chicken Adventure with FOODIES

I mean... after penis shaped pigs tails, live octopus & still moving lobster sashimi and a taco truck crawl through an area of los angeles I didn't even know existed (totally forgot to blog about that... whoops) this seemed sort of tame on the richer scale of FOODIE adventures?

But I do love the double fried, fatty & crispy, decadently delicious & supremely spicy joy that is Korean Fried Chicken and after reading this yelp review, I couldn't wait to check out the Prince Restaurant.

"Much of the lighting is provided by lamps shaped like white-wigged white men from the 18th century. I once got in trouble for bringing one down to sit next to me in our booth. I called him George. I guess George and his friends are too fragile to entertain drunk customers."

Traditionally eaten as a fast food snack, this delicately fried chicken has created a main-stay power in the new Angelino diet with the likes of Jonathan Gold raving about it as the "Best Fried Chicken"  Revolutionizing the way fried chicken is prepared, Korean chicken removes all of the fat from the skin which results in a paper thin & extremely flavorful crust.  They also always use fresh chicken with no trans fats & no heat lamps.  Part of the wait time is due to the fact that they'll only fry up chicken to order, but it's always well worth the wait. Here's a little excerpt from the NY Times detailing the process of cooking up this yummy snack.

Deep Fried Chicken (Whole) @ The Prince Restaurant

Korean-style fried chicken is radically different, reflecting an Asian frying technique that renders out the fat in the skin, transforming it into a thin, crackly and almost transparent crust. (Chinese cooks call this “paper fried chicken.”) The chicken is unseasoned, barely dredged in very fine flour and then dipped into a thin batter before going into the fryer. The oil temperature is a relatively low 350 degrees, and the chicken is cooked in two separate stages.

After 10 minutes, the chicken is removed from the oil, shaken vigorously in a wire strainer and allowed to cool for two minutes. This slows the cooking process, preventing the crust from getting too brown before the meat cooks through. It also shaves off all those crusty nubs and crags that American cooks strive for.

After 10 more minutes in the fryer, the chicken is smooth, compact, golden-brown, and done. Then, it’s served plain (with a small dish of salt and pepper for seasoning) or lightly painted with sauce. When it’s done correctly, the sauce is absorbed into the crust, adding savor without making it soggy. - NY Times: Koreans Share Their Secret for Chicken With a Crunch

It's served up with a side of Picked Daikon (which is simply flavored with sugar & white vinegar) and best enjoyed with an ice cold beer or a shot of sweet soju.  So we hit up The Prince Restaurant who claims they are the originators of the KFC.  Also tried a variety of other things & to the best of my knowledge this is what we ate!  (Here's where I do have to apologize... I've learned my lesson & am never leaving the house without my trusty Olympus ever again!)

Sautéed Spicy Soondae with Vegetables 

We started with what I think was a heaping plate of Sautéed Spicy Soondae with Vegetables - Korean pork sausage filled with Korean vermicelli.  It was a little heavy on the sesame oil, but the pork sausages were seasoned with a nice bit of spice that really excited the taste buds & washed down well with a swig of Hite. Next came the huge plates filled with the good stuff and bowls of rice wraps, spicy kimchee & sweet pickled daikon to make our little bossam pouches.  Everyone got a kick out of eating the slippery wraps in Angelino taco formation. 

Spicy Chicken

Out came the "Spicy Chicken." I put it in quotes, because after having "Sweet & Spicy" at Kyochon, this really had nothing on the heat level. It tasted more like a nice orange chicken, albeit filled with annoying bones.  I'd say if you're with non-adventurous eaters this would be a good dish to order, but if you really want the true spicy Korean Fried Chicken experience, head to Kyochon or Bonchon instead.  The bits of rice cake immersed in sauce is always a nice touch, but this dish just sort of fell flat for me.

Roast Dried Squid

Then came the Roast Dried Squid with peanuts.  They tasted like beef jerky, albeit with a little squid-y flavor, but were defiantly not a favorite of the table. After watching others try the bright orange sauce that accompanied it & seeing their nostrils flare, I left good enough alone.  I understand spice, and that not all spices are created equal.  There are some things I just need not put myself through...

We also had some Seasoned Tofu with a garlic-y & onion dipping sauce that I probably could have eaten as the whole meal.  A good dose of Chapchae, a stir-fried cellophane noodle dish with beef and vegetables and a heavy helping platter of kimchee fried rice.  

Jokbal, a braised and seasoned pork trotter

But the dish that really did me in?  The Jokbal, a braised and seasoned pork trotter that came steaming hot in a metal plate full of spices & peppers.  The meat melted off the bone & was tender and succulent. If I wasn't already so stuffed from the massive feast of dishes, I could have lived happily with another helping.  All in all, probably 30 some odd dishes of food, 5 or 6 carafes of soju & 40 or so people, the total bill came out to $25 / person.  So if you're looking for a place with cheap eats & a fun kitschy ambiance complete with a ton of "George's" then this is the place for you. Plus they have 50% off at the bar from 5-7pm.

The Prince Restaurant
3198 1/2 W 7th St
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 389-1586
www.theprinceLA.com

Cloak & Dinner: The Time Machine || 9/24/11

This time around we thought, why not do a little time travel? What with the premieres of Boardwalk Empire, Pan Am and the Playboy Club right around the corner, this seemed perfectly fitting. 

There's no time like the present, but tonight we tastefully disagree. We've pondered over many a quaint and curious menu of forgotten food to discover the very best this past century had to offer. Cramming for this culinary history lesson has provided us ten decadent decades worth of tantalizing ideas, and we've selected our favorites from every era to create a meal worthy of Doc, Marty, Bill, and Ted. Sit back, relax, and strap your taste buds to their TARDIS because we're time travelling through the tasty twentieth ten years at a time. Let's see if you bastards can do ninety.

Having filtered through an arsenal of old menus, we selected our favorite representations of every era starting with the 1900's & worked our way up to the near future.

A few housekeeping notes.  If you'd like to be added to the mailing list for future Cloak & Dinner's, please email rsvp@cloakanddinner.com. and as always you can follow us on twitter @cloakanddinner.

Cloak & Dinner Presents

The Time Machine

The Progressive Era

“The Beginning of Trouble”

bread with fig, brie & thyme honey

The Golden Age

“Pisco Sour – Cocktail”

pisco, lemon, simple syrup, egg white, angostura

Roaring 20’s

“Blue Point Cocktail”

oyster cocktail

Prohibition

“Shine Gimlet”

moonshine, lime, simple syrup, cucumber, mint, celery bitters

G.I. Generation

“Tagliarini in Consommé with Crillion Special Combination”

 homemade pasta in beef consommé; haricots verts

Nifty 50’s

“Lavender French Seventy Five”

london dry gin, sugar, lemon, champagne, lavender

Swinging 60’s

“Kiss of Clouds”

scallops, cauliflower, apple, horseradish

Sexy 70’s

“Ko’aia Haia Kahiki, l’wi’ao’ao”

pineapple glazed spare ribs

Greedy 80’s

“Ginger Figgle aka Slow Screw”

gin, orange, fig, ginger root

Generation X

"Passionfruit Tequila & Grapefruit Sorbet with Cinnamon Dusted Tortilla's"

intermezzo palate cleanser

2020

“Cloak & Dinner Especial”

aztec chocolate lava, orange, cayenne milkshake with snow

And here are the menu inspirations...

Weekend Docket: 9/23/11

I will definitely be knee deep in Cloak & Dinner cooking this weekend & then pretty much sleeping all of Sunday to make up for one of the busiest weeks I've had in a long time.  :-)

All Weekend

A Current Affair Vintage Pop-Up Shop
Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m. and Sunday all day from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Following the success of three editions of A Current Affair: Pop-Up Vintage Marketplace, a fourth edition will take place September 24+25, 2011. Bringing together over 25 premier vintage retailers and private dealers from Los Angeles and beyond, A Current Affair presents a unique opportunity to shop a select assortment of vintage apparel, jewelry, accessories, eyewear, and ephemera including the likes of Azzedine Alaïa, Balmain, Chanel, Chloe, Comme des Garcons, Givenchy, Issey Miyake, Halston, Lanvin, and Yves Saint Laurent. Cooper Design Space 860 S. Los Angeles St. Admission is $10. http://itsacurrentaffair.com/

The 16th Annual Redondo Beach Surf 'N Turf Lobster Festival
Noon to 11 p.m.
The 16th Annual Redondo Beach Surf 'N Turf Lobster Festival takes the luxurious steak-and-lobster dinner to the masses with an end-of-summer-style outdoor celebration. Festivalgoers can enjoy special meal packages with fresh Maine lobsters served alongside herbed potatoes and coleslaw. Admission ranges for $5 to $10, with meal specials ranging from $33 to $68. Seaside Lagoon, 200 Portofino Way, Redondo Beach www.lobsterfestival.com

Friday, 9/23

The Big Lebrewski at Beer Belly (from Caroline on Crack)
5pm - 1am
Inspired by the Big Lebowski Fest that’s going down at the Wiltern, this K-town gastropub will be presenting a Dude-inspired food menu including Lingonberry pancakes with White Russian Whip Cream and “You’re entering a world of pain” Tapatio and pickled jalapeno wings. Those with a BL Fest ticket or dressed as one of the characters from the movie get 50% off their first beer. Beer Belly, 532 S. Western Avenue, Koreatown Beer Belly Flyer

Saturday, 9/24

Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day
Times Vary by Museum
In the spirit of Smithsonian Museums, who offer free admission everyday, Museum Day is an annual event hosted by Smithsonian magazine in which participating museums across the country open their doors to anyone presenting a Museum Day Ticket...for free. www.smithsonianmag.com.

Drink:Eat:Play's Septemberfest
3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Septemberfest is America's answer to Oktoberfest. Having felt shorted for years by German food, Polka music, and Lederhosen, America finally claims its own tradition of BBQ and Daisy Dukes. The one constant? Beer. Septemberfest will feature over 150 beers, food trucks, and all in all, a celebration of everything that's great about American culture. Music performances by Black Crystal Wolf Kids and Petty Cash. Admission is $40 for general admission and $50 for VIP (food sold separately). If you don't purchase tickets, you're only letting the terrorists win. For more information, go to www.drinkeatplay.com/septemberfest. A percentage or proceeds supports local animal rescue, Noah's Bark. Santa Monica Pier 1550 Pacific Coast Highway http://www.drinkeatplay.com/septemberfest/

The NoHo Taco Cook-off Fest
11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Join us for this fun, festive event, featuring 20 local contestants competing for prizes and the title of “The NoHo Taco Cook-off champ”. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to “The Forgotten Dogs”, a local dog rescue organization. Participating will be: Over 20 gourmet food trucks, Local musicians, Hula hoop performances, Art & crafts, Piñatas breakings, Dog adoptions and much much more. Raffle Prizes will be hourly and brought to you by The Sears North Hollywood Store. Tickets are $4.00 online, $5.00 at the gate. Sears North Hollywood 12121 Victory Blvd North Hollywood , 91606 www.nohofoodtruckfest.com

Echo Park Artwalk and Shop Hop
Starts at Noon
The time has come again for the Echo Park Artwalk and Shop Hop. Local businesses, restaurants and art galleries will be hosting a series of art- and music-related events, from poetry readings to jazz concerts. Stories Books & Café and Mohawk Bend are just some of the local eateries offering promotional discounts and free giveaways (admission is free; click here for a list of all participating businesses). Sunset Blvd. (from Mohawk St. to Laguna Ave.); http://www.echoparkartwalk.com/

Sunday, September 25

Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon, 5th Annual
11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Chocolate lovers, en garde! The premier major chocolate show in the Los Angeles area this millenium takes place at the 5th Annual Los Angeles Luxury CHOCOLATE SALON on September 25th, 2011. Chocolate aficionados, fanatics, lovers and addicts can taste & experience the finest in artisan, gourmet & premium chocolate in one of the world's great culinary metropolitan areas. The 2011 Fifth Annual Los Angeles Luxury CHOCOLATE SALON participants included chocolatiers, confectioners, and other culinary artisans, such as Choclatique, Amano Artisan Chocolate, Mignon Chocolate, Nicole Lee Fine Chocolates, Jer's Chocolates, David Bacco Chocolatier, Seattle Chocolate Company, Chava Vital Chocolate, Ciel Chocolatier, Amella, Monterey Chocolate Company, The Toffee Box, Butterfly Brittle, The TeaRoom Chocolate Company, Blissed Out Chocolates, Bootleg Chocolates, Farm Fresh To You, Gourmet Blends, Precept Wine, The New York Times, Shell Vacations, , Yelp, Meetup.com, TasteTV, Chocolate Television, and more. Pasadena Center 300 Green Street Pasadena, CA 91101 http://www.lachocolatesalon.com/

Malibu Family Wines Grape Crush & Harvest Festival Malibu
12-3:30pm
Join us for our 11th Annual Malibu Family Wines Grape Crush & Harvest Festival at Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu on September 25, 2011 from 12:30-3:30pm. This is a charity event benefiting City Hearts, Kids Say 'Yes' to the Arts! 100% of the ticket price is donated to City Hearts, a local charity benefiting Los Angeles youth! Enjoy tasty bites served by the best Los Angeles restaurants, our always popular grape stomp, silent auction and best of all - wine tasting Semler & Saddlerock Wines! 32111 Mulholland Highway Malibu, CA 90265-2423 http://www.malibufamilywines.com/

ink. || Opening Night

There has been quite a lot of anticipation built up surrounding Michael Voltaggio's first solo venture as a chef & I'm happy to say that the hype was well worth the wait.  After dealing with the insane reservation frenzy, I was able to score a four-top for opening night at ink. & of course decided to share my rezzy with my Cloak & Dinner family. 

I must make a small annotation to this meal... having gorged myself at the Test Kitchen Reunion only days before, & still traumatized from the overwhelming amount of food caused by ordering the whole menu at LudoBites007, we opted to pick & choose a selected menu knowing full well that we'll be back in the very near future (after all it's within rock throwing distance of my house.)

That said, if you'd like a rundown of EVERY ITEM ON THE MENU, I will gladly send you to two of my food/eating/photographing/blogging heroes || EpicuRyan and KevinEats who not only ordered every morsel of food, but tried every one of DevDiggy's cocktails as well!

So here goes...

hamachi green apple, aged soy, ginger ice (16)

gorgeous presentation!  these arrived at the table amid a cloud of smoke & what was revealed was incredible. like something out of dr. seuss's imagination i could easily see a lorax hiding in between the rolls of green apple.

dungeness crab toast, tarragon mayo, celery, house made hot sauce (16)

this was a very unique combination of flavors, a mild siraccha with a light tarragon, and who can resist a crunchy cigar filled with luxurious crab?  i'd say on the scale of inventive, i've had the core of this dish many times, but the stand-out flavors easily came from the dots of sauce.

corned beef appenzeller churro, red onion, pastrami syrup (14)

whaaaat? what was this?  heaven?  yes. i think it was. red onion rose petals? gorgeous.  textured churro? why not.  pastrami sauce? pour it all over me please.  my only point of confusion, the "snow" topping the dish was certainly NOT coconut shavings. so a mouthful gave me quite a bit of a surprise.

sea bass egg yolk, caper, romanesco, black olive oil (22)

sorry for all the length-wise photos. without a decent flash, this was the only way i could use the wee-bit-o-light from the kitchen to capture the food.  considering we had to convince isaac time & time again that this was in fact sea bass and not a mouthwatering piece of steak speaks simply to the texture & the flavor created in the cooking. 

octopus buttered popcorn, piquillo pepper, spinach (16)

this was probably my most anticipated dish of the night & again, like the rest of the evening, it did not disappoint.  after having eating live octopus, i was more than thrilled that this came out cooked & still. i could honestly have eaten the buttered popcorn with a spoon & called it a night. 

spaghetti giant squid, squash, hazelnut-ink pesto, piment d'espilette (14)

can we agree to put the spaghetti in air quotes? made from squid, they still resembled & even texturally felt like a light & perfectly cooked bowl of pasta.  plus the pesto was the perfect compliment to the slightly sweet and chewy "spaghetti."

iberian pork chantrelle mushrooms, mushroom chicharron, hazelnut "beans" (22)

chicharron yes please. it was funny, in discussing with my co-chef how we'd like to plate certain dishes for our up-coming cloak & dinner, i was trying to explain exactly how this was plated with a lot of hand gesturing & body motions.  thank god voltaggio did it for me. there was a collective, ahh, i get it, once this dish came to our table.

veal cheek red curry, coconut rice, nante carrots baked in salk (17)

 who knew veal could taste like this?  or cut like a stick of melted butter?  i certainly didn't.  this was the n-th degree of perfection & the crunchy rice, the sweet & smoky curry, and the (lemongrass?) carrots all balanced out for a delightful dish.

beef short rib heart of palm, smoked marrow toast, gremolata, ras el hanout (25)

and finally the last savory course of the evening. i do have to say after the veal, this was a slight bit of a let-down, but that could also be my total aversion to bone marrow. (and before you ask, i've tried it maybe 6 different ways now and i still loath it each and every time.)  the meat was tender, the hearts of palm well flavored & the toast added a nice bite of crunch, but the veal was the clear winner in the protein category.

rum lime, house falernum (10)

bourbon antica, fernet jelnick, allspice dram (13)

mezcal lemon, ginger, clover honey, angostura bitters (12)

scotch lemon, apple cider, egg white, cinnamon (13)

oh barkeep, could you please comment on these cocktails below?  thanks!

goat cheese ash, concord grape, arugula (10)

having no idea what to expect, this far exceeded any of my wildest imaginations.  a log of creamy goat cheese was offset by arugula cake (YES i said arugula CAKE.) and a sweet & sour grape ice cream that was very reminiscent of @loveonthego's childhood. being of the not super sweet category, this was a perfect dessert combination for moi.

apple creme caramel, burnt wood ice cream, walnut (8)

and finally our last course of the evening, a lightly sweet & happy combination of smoky ice cream, sharp apple, sweet sauce & crunchy crumbles.

ink.

8360 Melrose Ave.

Los Angeles, ca 90069

(323) 651-5866

http://mvink.com/