Season 8 Hell's Kitchen Winner, Chef Nona Sivley, Has Found a Home at LA Market

Yes, I admit it. I love watching Hell's Kitchen, but then I'm a cooking reality show nut. For someone who really isn't a cook herself, I'm enthralled by everything from Top Chef (Original, Masters and Just Desserts) to Chopped to Cake Boss and so forth. So when I received an invitation to meet Chef Nona Sivley, Season 8 Hell's Kitchen Winner at her new digs, the LA Market and also be hosted for dinner and wine, how could I say no?

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Currently located in the JW Marriott Lobby at LA Live, it's an airy restaurant that some of my dining partners compared to the look and ambiance of Vegas restaurants.

One piece of furniture I really did love was the long wooden table we all sat at for this dinner and depending on where you're sitting, you could even get a good view of Chef Sivley cooking in the kitchen.

The meal started with bread and I have to say that I could have easily eaten several of their pretzel rolls, but I did manage to restrain myself to just one, okay, maybe two, but that's all.

Just before reaching for a third pretzel roll, two dishes arrived to save me.  One was the Wok Charred Edamame with Ginger Sea Salt. I did like the char on the edamame although I couldn't quite taste the ginger in the sea salt.

The other item was the Seared Mild Shishito Peppers with sea salt, chili and lime. It was nice to have a little bit of heat to wake up our tastebuds.

Appropriately, the Tuna Dynamite with lump crab, tuna, sushi rice and red chili aioli hit our table just in time for something refreshing and cooling which was welcome after I had too many Shishito Peppers.  I also appreciated the generosity of the lump crab topping. No skimping there.

One of my favorite salads is actually a wedge salad, so I was happy to see the Iceberg Wedge with ranch, crumbled Point Reyes blue cheese and applewood smoked bacon.  This salad only works if the iceberg wedge itself is fresh and crunchy and it was.  There's nothing life changing about this salad, but sometimes, a classic done well is still enough to make my taste buds happy.

If you're a cheese lover, the Local Burrata with virgin olive oil, grilled farm bread and marinated tomatoes might make you a happy camper, but as a cheese lover, it didn't do much for me.  While I liked the freshness of the burrata, there was something a little lacking in this dish. Namely, it was missing flavor. Even with the marinated tomatoes, it felt like a whole bowl of just bland.

From cheese to Veal and Ricotta Meatballs with tomato sauce, garlic soft polenta and aged California white cheddar cheese. The meatballs had a light spongy texture which wasn't bad although I prefer more dense meatballs in general; however, I absolutely couldn't get enough of that garlic polenta with the cheese.

My favorite appetizer of the night came in the form of the Gnocchi and Lump Crab with Truffle Parmesan Cream. The interplay of flavors between the sharp, nutty and slight woodsiness of the cream, the sweetness of the crab and the fruity-tartness of the kumquats really did it for me.

After the appetizers, our group shared five main dishes and two vegetable sides before dessert. My favorite main dish of the meal was the Brick Organic Chicken with organic farro, braised beet greens and citrus jus. I loved the crispy skin and that the chicken itself was moist and tender, even the breast meat. I also liked how the slight bitterness of the beet greens went well with the citrus jus.

Another main was Chef Simon's signature dish, the Sushi Pizza with wasabi, tuna, crab and avocado. I thought the concept was interesting, but sushi on bread just seemed a little odd to me. It just wasn't my cup of tea, although I do enjoy sushi.

One thing I should also mention is that the menu is primarily a creation of Chef Kerry Simon; however, some of Chef Sivley's dishes will soon be making their way on the LA Market menu.  One such dish is the Grilled Ribeye with roasted garlic polenta, mache, pea shoot salad and molasses glazed bacon. Bacon on top of a Ribeye? Genius. Some may think it's overkill, but a carnivore like me certainly appreciated that extra touch.

From land to sea came the Fish of the Day, which that night was a Black Cod over lentils. I only had a little bite of the fish, but liked that the surface of the fish was crisped up; yet, still tender in the inside.

Our final main dish of the meal was the Braised Short Rib with soft potato puree and asparagus. Again, it's a classic dish without any fireworks, but with meat that is meltingly tender, that's good enough for me.

As for the two vegetable sides I mentioned earlier, one was their Market Vegetables, which I found uninteresting. The other vegetable side was the Sauteed Forest Mushrooms, which I didn't think needed to be on a thick slice of bread.  Either it should be on its own or perhaps it's better suited as an appetizer with the grilled bread as a side to the mushrooms.

By now, we've had quite a bit of food, but we still had to save room for dessert. A playful take on childhood snacks was Chef Simon's Junk Food Platter with cotton candy, caramel corn and more.

Chef Sivley also contributed to dessert with her Red Velvet Cake with Queso Fundido. I still don't quite understand why some people are so gaga about Red Velvet anything, but I have to say that at least, the cake itself was soft and moist and the cream cheese wasn't too overly sweet.  For all that, it's a darn good cake.

Overall, there were hits and misses to this menu, but for the most part, I enjoyed the meal and I would go back to see what Chef Sivley has in store for the menu.

LA Market at JW Marriott Hotel
900 West Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 765-8600


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Corkbar Introduces New Fall Menu

Life, work, being sick, having a computer that was sick, holidays, taking a mini vacation all have definitely contributed to this late post of the media dinner I attended last November at the Corkbar in downtown Los Angeles, but better late than never I say. On behalf of Corkbar, I was invited by Kelsey Beniasch of Wagstaff Worldwide, Inc along with other LA food bloggers to check out Corkbar and their new fall menu.

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In all honesty, I'm not much of a drinker, so a wine bar wouldn't be a place that would normally draw me to visit, but there was something specific about Corkbar that really impressed me. I had to commend them for being very supportive of the California wine industry by offering over 120 California wines by the bottle. 80 of those wines could even be ordered by the glass from many lesser-known producers with quite a few under $10 a glass. Their bar even offers beers from breweries from San Diego to Sonoma to keep with the California theme. I think it's great that Corkbar is supporting California businesses.

The interior design also incorporates wine country materials such as unstained woods and cork throughout a space that includes high, industrial ceilings and wood-lined walls. What's so unique about those wood-lined walls is that it's a collection of panels, some bordered with corks from actual wine bottles collected and consumed by the owners. Above the bar hangs an eye-catching 24-foot-high, tiered wooden shelf that displays over 800 wine bottles. That wooden shelf definitely drew my eye when I first walked in.

Now with everything said, regardless of how good a wine bar is in regards to its wine list, if there are no good food offerings to be had, it's definitely not a place you'd see me visiting anytime soon. Thankfully, after sampling Corkbar's menu that included some new fall items, I can definitely say that it's a wine bar that also has good eats.

Our tasting menu started with their Ball Park Sliders which were made up of burgers with homemade relish, homemade mayo and fennel sandwiched between pretzel bread. Honestly, I think all sliders should be made from pretzel bread from now on. I really enjoyed its crusty-salty surface and the addition of the tender fennel added a flavor component that I really found appealing. This particular dish came from their Test Kitchen Tuesdays where every Tuesday, Chef Albert Aviles features an experimental dish that customers can try for just $2. If it's a hit, it may just end up on the menu or as a special.

Next were the Cheddar Cheese Gougeres, which were basically light and airy cheese buns. They reminded me of Brazilian cheese bread and they were just as good. In fact, they were addicting. I could have easily eaten a whole plate all by myself.

With more cheesy goodness came Corkbar's own version of Mac and Cheese which included cheddar, monterey jack and roasted pasilla chiles. This is the first time I've had spicy mac and cheese and it was about time.

On the table next were two salads. First was the Double Wedge Salad, which was one of the specials for the evening. Second was the Root Vegetable Salad with arugula, dandelion greens, upland cress with roasted root vegetables, shallots, red wine-thyme viniagrette and balsamic drizzle. Neither salad was very memorable, but the greens were fresh and I was happy with that.

When it came to the Curried Mussels with black mussels in a coconut curry broth served with a sliced baguette, I had two complaints. One, there wasn't enough bread to sop up all that delicious broth. Two, I wish I wasn't already getting full because I would have definitely eaten more of it.

Another special for the evening was the apple juice brined pork tenderloin with German purple cabbage and a cream cheese potato puree. Chef Aviles mentioned that the purple cabbage was his Grandma's recipe and he certainly did Grandma proud. Cooked with green apples, pineapple juice, a bay leaf and more, that cabbage had a tart, fruitiness to it that added a different dimension, flavor-wise. Also, the pork was cooked perfectly and I enjoyed the creaminess of the potato puree.

Back to the ocean for the Seared Sea Scallops with parsnip puree and spinach sautéed with bacon and topped with brown butter and to the ranch with the Hanger Steak, a pan seared hanger steak on a bed of red wine and mushroom risotto and topped with a red wine and balsamic reduction. Scallops aren't usually my seafood of choice, but I had no issues with their scallop dish and while I liked the red wine and mushroom risotto, I thought the steak itself was a little overcooked; hence, chewy.

We also tried out the Farmer's Market Veggie Sandwich with roasted eggplant, peppers, cucumbers, spinach, red onion and a feta spread on olive bread. As vegetable sandwiches go, I thought it was pretty tasty.

Our final savory course before dessert was the Root Beer Braised Short Ribs served over cheesy polenta. Those short ribs were meltingly tender, so that was the big plus of this dish; however, I thought the dish was a little too "saucy" and I wish the polenta was cheesier.

When it came to dessert, we shared two. One was a Creme Brulee, but the second one was simply referred to as Breakfast. So what's Breakfast? Simply, it's a cinnamon brioche bread pudding with caramel sauce, creme fraiche and sprinkled with bacon. Unfortunately, Breakfast usually shows up as a special and not on the regular menu, so when you see it, get it! You won't regret it.

Overall, I enjoyed the food at Corkbar. It's a wine bar that has great wine selection, but it's also a restaurant where one can enjoy a delicious dining experience. Of course, if you also need help pairing wines with items from the menu, there's a knowledgeable staff to help you do just that. Corkbar is definitely a great addition to downtown LA and who knows, you may even see a Corkbar coming to your neighborhood sometime in the future as well.

Corkbar
403 W. 12th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
213-746-0050
www.corkbar.com


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There's Something Simple, Fresh and Different about the Sushi at Sugarfish

I find it interesting that while I enjoy sushi, it's not something I necessarily crave. In fact, when I'm trying to decide where I want to eat out and I'm going through the files in my head of cuisines and restaurants, a sushi restaurant doesn't usually make a blip on my brain waves. But when I received an invitation to dine at the new downtown location of Sugarfish, how could I say no to a restaurant owned by celebrated sushi chef Kazunori Nozawa? After all, if I'm going to have sushi, a Nozawa-owned restaurant is the definitely the place to be.

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I was also told that I could bring a guest, so when my friend arrived and we were seated, we first took a look around the decor. I liked the use of the natural woods, the lights enclosed in globes that reminded me of water bubbles and the back wall that had a wave pattern that made me think of ocean waves.

Soon we were joined by co-owner, Emmanuelle "Lele" Massimmi, who sat with us and ordered the first part of our meal. This more one-to-one exchange was a little different from the usual media dinners I've attended in the past where there were usually 10 or more other bloggers in attendance. What I liked about this approach was the personalization of the whole experience where he was able to share info as a part of a dialogue that also allowed me to ask questions where I could get an immediate response. I'll share some of the info I learned as I talk about the food.

For dinner that night, Lele ordered for us"The Nozawa", a tasting menu that included 9 items from their current menu and a 10th item, which is a daily special. The cost runs between $35-$38 and is dependent on what that daily special is. Earlier, Lele mentioned their food utilizes only between 2 to 3 ingredients. That was evident in our first course, a Big Eye Tuna Sashimi. The dish was comprised simply of the tuna, a sprinkle of green scallion and their house ponzu sauce and it was absolutely delicious.

Next was a trio of fish that included Albacore Sushi with a House Ponzu, Snapper Sushi with a Chili Ponzu Sauce and Salmon Sushi. Again, for each item, only 2 to 3 ingredients were at play, but there was something different about the sushi rice that I've never experienced before. Instead of a cold, white rice, the rice was warm and loosely packed. Apparently, the rice is made in small batches every 20 minutes. I absolutely loved it. The softer, warmer texture of the rice just meshed well with the tender texture of the fish itself. It was as if you were just eating one food. Whereas, fish on top of a rice that is cold and sometimes more tightly packed feels like two separate entities that you just happen to be eating together.

Our next foray into seafood goodness included Yellowtail Sushi, Halibut Sushi and the "Daily Special", which were Scallops with Yuzu Ponzu, all on one plate. Lele mentioned in our conversation and it's also noted in their menu, that the sushi that already comes with sauce should not be dipped in soy. I have to say that the various ponzu sauces that I had tasted up to that point were fantastic, a perfect balance of salty, tart and citrusy flavors. Interestingly enough, even for the fish that didn't come with a ponzu sauce, I steer cleared of the soy sauce. The fish and the rice were just so fresh and tasty on their own that they didn't need the additional embellishment of that soy sauce.

The last two items of The Nozawa were the Toro Hand Roll and the Crab Roll. Eating these two hand rolls were at the same time delicious; yet, also like being part of a speed eating contest. Simply, the seaweed that makes up the nori comes from the deep waters of the Japanese coast and is a very special order that Chef Nozawa makes for all his restaurants. To be really enjoyed, these rolls have to be eaten as soon as they are placed in front of you. Your first bite can literally be a clean bite through that first section of the roll that you can quickly chew and swallow. If you linger too much, the nori will absorb the moisture from the fish and the rice and nori can get quite a bit chewier. According to Lele, three bites does it for him.

After the Nozawa Tasting menu was complete, Lele invited us to order other things from the menu. He personally recommended the Halibut Fin (Engawa), which I've never had before. Of course, the ponzu sauce it came in gave it some great flavor, but I wasn't that enamored with the fins' chewy texture.

My friend also had the Nozawa Shrimp Sushi while I had the Unagi (eel) and we shared the Blue Crab Rolls and Yellowtail Rolls. We liked our respective sushi, but unfortunately, we let our sushi rolls sit for a little too long because we were busy catching up. By the time we got to them, the nori lost its crispness so the overall rolls were more on the chewy side.

Overall, I really enjoyed the sushi at Sugarfish. Although I'm not a regular sushi eater, I can say that based on previous experiences, I definitely haven't had very good sushi. It's as if I've been flank steak all this time when I could have been enjoying a rib eye instead. I love the fact that Chef Nozawa is responsible for shopping for the fish for both his high end restaurant, Sushi Nozawa and all the Sugarfish locations. In fact, the same fish is served at Sushi Nozawa and Sugarfish, although Sushi Nozawa will feature more specialty seafood items that aren't on the menu at Sugarfish. So there's definitely no scrimping on fish quality.

When it comes to Sugarfish, the real emphasis is on "Everyday Sushi as an Everyday Luxury." By keeping to a limited menu and eliminating the presence of a sushi bar, the margins are brought down and savings are passed down to the customers. Of course, this is all done without compromising quality.

With more affordable sushi prices, customers don't have to think of sushi restaurants as special occasion restaurants. In fact, Lele mentioned that Sugarfish locations in Brentwood and Marina del Rey have taken on the mantle of being like neighborhood restaurants where customers dine there several times a week. His sincere hope is that this new downtown Los Angeles location will also attract a regular, loyal clientele and after the wonderful meal I had there, I don't see that as a problem.

Sugarfish
600 W. 7th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90017
(213) 627-3000
www.sugarfish.com


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