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keith-mizuguchi · 5 years

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Year One

It’s been awhile — I’m sure I’ll eventually get this writing about LA thing down pat. But it’s been a busy year. I’ve enjoyed my time down here in Los Angeles. There’s so much I love about the city and surrounding area. I still feel like a newbie — haven’t explored enough. But hoping to do more of that in the new year. The things I do love — food, drinks and music — as you’ll see below are still a big part of what I’ve been able to enjoy outside of work. It’s been a fun year +. Some highlights below.

WORK

My time at KNX has been a learning experience. It is one of the most challenging newsrooms to work in — not many people are cut out for the pace. But I feel like I’ve taken the challenges head-on. As some of you know, I’m now full-time staff, serving as editor and producer. It’s rewarding to know that people appreciate the work I’ve done — that’s not always the case in this business. We’ve had numerous breaking stories and I think the station has risen to the occasion each time. Proud to be part of the team.

Outside of KNX — I’ve made a promise to myself to try to branch out and finally write about food this year. I still feel there are so many stories that need to be told, not only here in LA, but also back up in the Bay. So I’m preparing to pitch, pitch, pitch to see if I get any bites.

FOOD

I know some will say this is blasphemous, but I think Los Angeles beats the Bay in food and drinks. It was part of what attracted me to the area. I love the fact that there is such a wide-range — from expensive tasting menus to inexpensive strip mall restaurants that are out of this world. One unfortunate thing about both markets — I think you’re going to continue to see a lot of closures in the coming years, many of which will surprise people. It is really, really challenging for small businesses to survive in these cities. Not to mention, the competition is fierce and you really have to stand out. It’s why I respect my friends who are owners and chefs/bartenders. It can be a brutal, brutal business. But on to the good — here is some of what I have enjoyed eating and drinking down here (and it can be a decent list if you ever come down to visit).

Bavel (Arts District) - I’ve been blown away twice by this restaurant. It is always packed, is plenty loud (probably too loud for many), but the food and service have been terrific. Middle Eastern cuisine that has so much flavor, it jumps off the plate. Good cocktails too.

Bon Temps (Arts District) - I had a terrific dinner here. The dishes are beautifully prepared, almost like art. Lincoln Carson is obviously known for his pastries so even though I’m not a dessert person, it’s a necessity to save some room. The one thing about many of the restaurants in the Arts District is they’re built out of warehouses — so they have an industrial feel. But I didn't get that sense here.

Joy (Highland Park) - I loved Pine & Crane and this is their sister restaurant. Very casual, and for the most part, smaller bites. Comforting, seasonal Taiwanese food. It’s weird, but I really love the small seasonal appetizers that they have on display in the deli counter. They’re delicious.

Ototo (Echo Park) - Easily my favorite bar (they serve sake, lots and lots of sake). The owner Courtney is so knowledgeable and I love picking her brain about some of the choices on the extensive menu. There are so many interesting and unique sakes on their list — and it changes up quite a bit. It’s not just sake here as they have a really nice menu of Japanese snacks and food that is quite good. I have to also mention their restaurant next door, Tsubaki, which has some of the best Japanese food I’ve had here in LA.

Alta Adams (West Adams) - When I think of Alta Adams, I just think I’m being welcomed into the West Adams neighborhood. Unlike many restaurants, the staff seems like it’s made up of people from this historic neighborhood. And they treat guests with the hospitality that you would expect if you’re visiting their home. The food is terrific — just really comforting Southern food. It’s a lively restaurant and has one of the best vibes in the city. It’s the perfect fit in the perfect spot for a growing area.

Some of my other favorites that I’ll call standbys — Animal, Petit Trois, Ronan, Here’s Looking at You, Night + Market Song, Guerrilla Tacos, Tsujita, Rose Cafe, Rossoblu, AOC, Apollonia’s Pizzeria, Republique, and every place in Koreatown and San Gabriel Valley.

DRINK

Old Lightning (Marina Del Rey) - It will cost you far more than most places, but this is one of the most unique bars I’ve ever been to in this country. The spirit list has so many rare and unique bottles, it will make your head spin. The cocktails are terrific, but I think a tasting is the way to truly “get” this bar. Reservations only and they do take your phone at the door.

Bibo Ergo Sum (Beverly Grove) - I’d call this my go-to spot if I want a really great drink. The menu is pretty extensive with lighter and more spirit forward cocktails. Very cool decor inside with big booths and a half-circle bar. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad drink here.

The Varnish (Downtown) - A very cool speakeasy in the back of Cole’s. The best way to order is dealer’s choice and let the bartenders make you something.

The Normandie Club (Koreatown) - Just a good solid bar with a little bit of everything. You can get a really nice cocktail, a shot and a beer, a glass of wine. I loved Walker Inn too, which was in a secret door, but it’s since closed.

Gold Line (Highland Park) - First of all, I have a lot of respect for Peanut Butter Wolf, who is one of the owners (he also owns Stones Throw Records). I love the fact that part of his record collection is in the bar and he has guest DJ’s nightly spinning records. All that and the drinks are really solid.

Some others I’ve enjoyed — Bar Clacson, The Wolves, Employees Only, Death and Co. (yes I know it’s brand new.. but it was really great my first visit during their soft opening), Melrose Umbrella Co., The Roger Room, The Daily Pint, Here & Now

MUSIC

The way I get away from the stress of work and the news cycle that never ends is going to live shows. And I went to way too many over the past year. But I wanted to check out as many venues as I could down here. I still haven’t been to a few — namely The Roxy and Whisky a Go Go. But here are a few of my favorite shows.

The Roots — Hollywood Bowl. I’ve seen them a few times but this was by far the group at its best. Black Thought did a crazy 5-10 minute medley of hip hop songs that was something I’ve never seen before.

Anderson.Paak — The Forum. I feel fortunate every time I get to see Anderson and the Free Nationals. I’m pretty sure he’s the artist I’ve seen the most in my life. His show at the Forum was amazing — hometown, so many great guest appearances. I continue to say he is the best live show going today.

Chris Cornell Tribute Show — The Forum. I was bummed when this sold out, and then magically, a few tickets went on sale a day or two before the concert. Chris Cornell was one of my favorite lead singers of all-time. And the show was 5-5 1/2 hours of amazing tributes.

Prophets of Rage - The Mayan. My mind was blown. This group, which is now disbanded with the return of Rage Against the Machine, was exactly what I thought — a mix of Rage, Public Enemy and Cypress — all in a cohesive and awesome group.

Also loved Herbie Hancock at the Bowl, Childish Gambino at the Forum, Big KRIT in the OC, my first time seeing JID and Vince Staples, The Raconteurs, two amazing groups - Bikini Kill and Sleater Kinney and finally getting to see Carlos Santana. And there was really so much more. Yes I go to a lot of shows.

It’s been a fun year down in LA. Yes, I still love the Bay and miss my family and friends. But meeting new people down here and making new friends has been a lot of fun. Excited to see what 2020 has in store for me.

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tallguycm · 2 years

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Yellowfin crudo • hummus ful • roasted carrots • wood-fire shawarma plate • lamb & pork kebab . It was an absolute delight to experience @saffysla on its second day of business last night, the newest restaurant from @chefori of Bestia and Bavel. And man, it’s another absolute stunner. . . . #eeeeeats #eatstagram #foodstagram #foodlover #foodie #foodaholic #instafood #dailybite #food #bestfood #fooddiary #foodporn #foodaddict #foodgram #hungry #gastronomy #photooftheday #latergram #losangeles #eat #foodpic #nofilter #dinner #saffys #easthollywood #kebab #shawarma (at Saffy's) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeW1xjGPCuW/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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eudaimoniacollection · 3 years

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Exhibition Analysis: Outline

Paragraph 1: Describe

Anselm Kiefer-The Land Between Two Rivers

o Original title: Zweistromland

o Date: 1995

o Medium/Materials: Emulsion, acrylic, lead, salt through electrolysis and zinc plates-condenser, on canvas

o Allegorical Landscape Painting (https://artsandculture.google.com/story/the-land-of-the-two-rivers-a-work-by-anselm-kiefer/qQIStLMIz4yMIg)

Depicting the land where the Euphrates and Tigris rivers meet, The Land of Two Rivers draw upon the cyclical nature of civilization, the natural world and regeneration. Its massive size – 710 cm wide by 416 cm high – soothing earth tones and ripped, raised texture make you wish you could reach out and touch it. Kiefer beautifully recreates this historical site, cracking its surface figuratively and literally, and putting the pieces back together again.

Opinion-

Meaning: This is the birthplace of civilization and everything that follows, it is just land but it is so much more than meets the eye.

After learning the meaning the painting is seen in a different light. (Ghostly)

What once was but is no more.

Paragraph 2: Analyze

Museum Description

The Land of the Two Rivers (Zweistromland, 1995) refers to the land delimited by the Euphrates and Tigris rivers-the site of ancient Babylonia, home to Gilgamesh (whose legend Kiefer explores in Gilgamesh and Enkidu in the Cedar Forest II [Gilgamesch und Enkidu im Zedernwald II, 1981], also in the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao collection), and a region central to both Judaism and Christianity. This was also where the Sumerians invented writing in the fourth millennium BCE. Kiefer's painting evokes the land, its civilizations, and the establishment of written culture. The inscribed title at the upper right of the canvas might be seen as an allusion to the written word itself, which leaves a lasting mark that transcends civilizations and eras. This monumental work was preceded by a sculpture of the same name, comprising several lead books that convey a sense of the enduring nature of the written word and history.

Babylonia/Babylon

Babylon, Babylonian Bab-ilu, Old Babylonian Bāb-ilim, Hebrew Bavel or Babel, Arabic Aṭlāl Bābil, one of the most famous cities of antiquity. It was the capital of southern Mesopotamia (Babylonia) from the early 2nd millennium to the early 1st millennium bce and capital of the Neo-Babylonian (Chaldean) empire in the 7th and 6th centuries bce, when it was at the height of its splendour. Its extensive ruins, on the Euphrates River about 55 miles (88 km) south of Baghdad, lie near the modern town of Al-Ḥillah, Iraq

Babylonia, ancient cultural region occupying southeastern Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (modern southern Iraq from around Baghdad to the Persian Gulf). Because the city of Babylon was the capital of this area for so many centuries, the term Babylonia has come to refer to the entire culture that developed in the area from the time it was first settled, about 4000 bce. Before Babylon’s rise to political prominence (c. 1850 bce), however, the area was divided into two countries: Sumer in the southeast and Akkad in the northwest.

Opinion-

Elements of Art and Principles of Design

o Texture- Rough Materials used create texture, feeling of a real landscape with a deep and torn past, wars, tension, and use

o Emphasis: Metal plates stand out from pale background…name of rivers

o Movement-Lines leading towards the center…classic horizon technique

Target Demographic: Students, Historians, People with a deep care for history

o History is a large part of this work in order to fully grasp the artist’s purpose you must know what it represents (the birth of civilization: writing, art, everything)

Paragraph 3: Interpret

Opinion-

The texture, title, and words aid the viewer to understand what the painting talks about and the land it is referring to.

Since I learned of this land throughout my school years, I was immediately drawn to the name of the work, as well as the colours and overall appearance. Becomes more interesting as you continue to look.

https://www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus/en/the-collection/works/the-land-of-the-two-rivers

https://mainlymuseums.com/post/598/a-virtual-art-experience-at-the-guggenheim-museum-bilbao/

https://academic-eb-com.vaniercollege.idm.oclc.org/levels/collegiate/article/Babylon/11618

https://academic-eb-com.vaniercollege.idm.oclc.org/levels/collegiate/article/Babylonia/11620

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bigyack-com · 5 years

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There’s No Winter Break From ‘Publish or Perish’

Jay Van Bavel, a social neuroscientist at New York University, is vowing not to work during the Christmas holidays.A few years ago, Dr. Van Bavel had agreed to conduct peer review on a couple of manuscripts before the end of the semester. But he got really busy and ended up having to do one on Christmas Day and another on New Year’s Eve, while his family was visiting.“I felt like I let down myself and my family,” said Dr. Van Bavel, who gets asked to conduct peer-review 100 to 200 times a year. But he says he has now learned his lesson, and is not planning to do any work in the Christmas holidays this year, except perhaps the odd email.If Dr. Van Bavel holds to his vow, he’ll beat the trend of many of his colleagues. While you might be setting an out-of-office message and backing away from your keyboard as the winter holidays set in, many researchers in academia can be found working straight through the season. Scientists based in the United States are, in fact, the third most likely to work during holidays, behind only their counterparts in Belgium and Japan, according to a study published Thursday in BMJ.The study — aiming to quantify some of the overwork and burnout experienced by researchers in the sciences — examined nearly 50,000 manuscript submissions and more than 75,000 peer-review submissions to BMJ and its sister journal, BMJ Open. More than a tenth of U.S.-based researchers who submitted manuscripts and peer review reports to journals did so during the holidays.At the same time, researchers in China lead the world in working on weekends, where more than a fifth of academics submitted papers and peer-review reports, followed by those based in Japan, Italy and Spain. More than a tenth of researchers in the United States turned in studies on weekends, and more than 15 percent conducted peer review.Scandinavian nations had the best work-life balance. Scientists in Sweden were least likely to work during holidays, and those in Norway generally kept their weekends free.Adrian Barnett, a statistician and metascience researcher at Queensland University of Technology in Australia, who co-wrote the analysis, thought of conducting the analysis while submitting a paper on the weekend.“This is a real marker of how hard I’m working,” he said.The study has shortcomings. Among them, it only accounts for manuscript submissions and peer review, just two of many tasks on an academic’s plate, for instance.“While this study provides a starting point to demonstrate that academics are indeed spending time working on weekends and holidays, it does not delve deeper into the types or amounts of work that academics may be doing on weekends or holidays,” says Valerie Miller, assistant director of postdoctoral affairs at the University of Chicago.Dr. Barnett acknowledges these shortcomings, although he noted that these markers were most easily traceable because academic publishers time-stamp electronic study and peer-review submissions.Dr. Miller is currently conducting a survey on the work of postdoctoral researchers, who are usually considered to be early in their careers. A study conducted by the Young Academy of Europe earlier this year found that around half of early-career researchers there work more than 50 hours a week. Other studies have also reported a mental health crisis among graduate students, with large numbers saying their Ph.D. is the cause of their mental condition.Another limitation of the BMJ study is that it can’t distinguish between researchers’ career stages, and only includes scientists working predominantly in health and medicine.While submitting a study can lead to a publication that is valuable for an academic’s career, peer-review can be a more thankless task.Some countries, like Italy, Spain, France and New Zealand report higher percentages of peer-review activity on weekends than manuscript submissions. Dr. Barnett suggests that academics find themselves lacking the time to perform this labor during their workweek because it’s often not considered “actual work.”As a measure of how peer review is regarded, a survey published earlier this year found that around half of just under 500 researchers had during their careers ghostwritten peer review reports on behalf of senior faculty.“Peer review is central to the scientific mission and ought to be re-centered in our evaluation systems, not something to be done in an academic’s ‘free time,’” said Rebecca Lijek, a biologist at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts who led the ghostwriting study.It’s also getting more difficult to recruit academics to conduct peer review, a report released last year showed, and a small batch of reviewers seem to be doing a disproportionate amount of peer review.Dr. Lijek thinks Dr. Barnett’s findings are only the tip of the iceberg: “What’s still under water are the many hours of labor performed by teams of junior researchers that precede submission.”Dr. Barnett feels that academics are forced to do too much.“We’re pushed to produce more so that universities can rise up the league tables,” he said.With that in mind, Dr. Van Bavel is trying to take a new approach in his lab.“A few weeks ago, I had a lab meeting where we created a work life balance policy to minimize the pressure to work on the weekend,” he said. Read the full article

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yewavenue3-blog · 6 years

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The Year in Delicious: Top 10 Bites of 2018

It’s difficult to reflect upon 2018 without first acknowledging two events that shook me to my core: the passing of Jonathan Gold and the closing of Good Girl Dinette. It was a deeply sad year for those who root for the good guys, and truth be told, I’m not sure things will ever be the same. Still, I can appreciate the terrific meals that I had the privilege of sitting down to this past year.

Thank you for reading Gastronomy these past twelve years. And without further ado, here are the 10 best dishes that I ate this year…

Double HiHo Cheeseburger from HiHo Cheeseburger in Santa Monica, California

Made with 1/3 pound of house-ground, mustard-grilled beef, the burger’s fixings included American cheese, ketchup, onion jam, lettuce, and house-made pickles, all on a house-baked bun.

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Foie Gras Halva at Bavel in Los Angeles, California

There’s much to love about the entire menu at Bavel, but the “Foie Gras Halva,” a smooth and rich paté prettied with date paste, black sesame, and coarse salt, is on a whole ‘nother level.

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BBQ Oysters at Hog Island Oyster Farm in Marshall, California

Quite possibly even better than Hog Island’s famed the raw oysters were the meatier barbecued ones topped with chipotle bourbon garlic butter and grilled ’til cooked through. The Astronomer and I thoroughly adored this sweet and spicy preparation and had to get another four to share.

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Beef Kilawin at LASA in Los Angeles, California

The Beef Kilawin, a flat-iron steak tartare served with salt and vinegar chips, stole the show with its funk-forward patis (fish sauce) aioli. I want every steak tartare from here on out to be served with homemade, thick-cut potato chips.

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Yakimiso+Sausage Porridge at Porridge+Puffs in Los Angeles, California

My favorite porridge was the “Yakimiso+Sausage.” From the mashup of grilled black eyed peas with miso and nectarine to the numbing spice-braised pork sausage and the fennel in black bean sauce, it was impossible to say which element I adored most. It all tasted so good and so right atop the silky porridge canvas.

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Spanish Mackerel Sushi at Hayato in Los Angeles, California

The Spanish mackerel sushi was served on rice speckled with Japanese chives and topped with grated ginger. I could’ve easily polished off an entire roll or two or three—so it goes for a sushi fiend.

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Fried Arroz Negro with Squid and Romesco at Estela in New York City, New York

I adored all the dishes on the table, but the “fried arroz negro with squid and romesco (nut and red pepper-based sauce)” was my favorite. The textures and flavors brought me back to the shores of Valencia.

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Chirashi at Konohiki Seafoods in Lihue, Kauai

I loved how on Kauai there was an abundance of mom- and pop-run markets. While some specialized in prepared hot foods, others were better known for their poke and sashimi selections. One of my favorites was Konohiki. The chirashi with scallops, salmon, yellowtail, tuna, and tobiko was stunningly fresh.

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Smoked Dates at Freedman’s in Los Angeles, California

The smoked dates in schmaltz were one bite wonders. The combination of sweet, salty, and schmaltz-y was unexpectedly divine. Our one small complaint was that the dates weren’t deseeded, disrupting the rapture of each bite.

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Chocolate Buckwheat Cake from Friends & Family in East Hollywood, California

The Chocolate Buckwheat Cake with miso caramel, toasted coconut flakes, and coffee ice cream was the dreamiest dessert of 2019. Every element on the plate, from the dense, rich, and deeply chocolatey cake to the intriguingly salty caramel sauce and java-spiked ice cream, was swoon-worthy perfection. The plate was scraped clean and then some.

Honorable mentions: Trout Roe Popovers at Freedman’s; burger and biscuits at Everson Royce Bar; seared scallops with huitlacoche rice at Maestro; sweet corn cappellacci at HiPPO; all the bings at Majordomo; and last but least, BBQ Pork Rice Noodle Roll at Mr. Champion.

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Previously…

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Source: https://gastronomyblog.com/2019/01/07/best-of-2018/

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northsyria04-blog · 6 years

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The Year in Delicious: Top 10 Bites of 2018

Thank you for reading Gastronomy these past twelve years. And without further ado, here are the 10 best dishes that I ate this year…

Double HiHo Cheeseburger from HiHo Cheeseburger in Santa Monica, California

Made with 1/3 pound of house-ground, mustard-grilled beef, the burger’s fixings included American cheese, ketchup, onion jam, lettuce, and house-made pickles, all on a house-baked bun.

—

Foie Gras Halva at Bavel in Los Angeles, California

There’s much to love about the entire menu at Bavel, but the “Foie Gras Halva,” a smooth and rich paté prettied with date paste, black sesame, and coarse salt, is on a whole ‘nother level.

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BBQ Oysters at Hog Island Oyster Farm in Marshall, California

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Beef Kilawin at LASA in Los Angeles, California

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Yakimiso+Sausage Porridge at Porridge+Puffs in Los Angeles, California

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Spanish Mackerel Sushi at Hayato in Los Angeles, California

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Fried Arroz Negro with Squid and Romesco at Estela in New York City, New York

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Chirashi at Konohiki Seafoods in Lihue, Kauai

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Smoked Dates at Freedman’s in Los Angeles, California

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Chocolate Buckwheat Cake from Friends & Family in East Hollywood, California

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Previously…

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Source: https://gastronomyblog.com/2019/01/07/best-of-2018/

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knoshcrush-blog · 6 years

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Interesting plating of Bavel’s Foie Gras Halva! Creamy pate with date puree, black sesame seeds, and buckwheat loaf with a good char and chew. 😋👍 . 👉 Tip: Make a reservation. It’s super crowded even at 10pm on a Thursday evening! $9 Valet or park around a corner somewhere in DTLA. . 📍$$$ Bavel, Los Angeles, CA . . . #dinner #appetizer #foiegras #pate #datepuree #losangeles #dtla #baveldtla #indulge #delicious #foodphotography #foodie #eeeeeats #foodporn #foodgasm #foodstagrsm #foodpic #igfood #instafood #forkyeah #nomnomnom #yummy #knoshcrush #lafoodie #foodinfatuation #feedfeed (at Bavel DTLA) https://www.instagram.com/p/BsUPV1kAuiw/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=174lpoh37kzwl

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businessweekme · 6 years

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The 16 Dishes You Should Have Eaten in 2018

The year 2018 has not been a great one for the food world. There was the loss of two of the brightest people in the business, Anthony Bourdain and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Los Angeles critic Jonathan Gold. Likewise, it was hard to find one new, unifying restaurant that captured everyone’s imagination.

That doesn’t mean there weren’t captivating dishes. In fact, these 16 were positively remarkable. They run the gamut from just-caught king salmon in Alaska to exquisitely aged Irish beef in London. There’s a lot of bread—it was, after all, the 2017 dish of the year and still looming large—but no noodles. New York introduced two places you’d assume would make the cut: Missy Robbins’s pasta-focused Misi followed her breakout, Lilia, and David Chang reimagined ramen at the new Momofuku. Yet different dishes stood out more on their menus instead.

To find out what those dishes are, and the 14 other most outstanding ones, read on. And grab a snack while you’re at it—you’re going to get hungry.

Sukchae | Atomix, New YorkUnlike most dishes that feature a dollop of caviar, what grabs your attention with this exquisite Korean omakase counter’s cooked vegetable course is not the pricey fish roe. Chef-owner Junghyun Park layers tender celery root on a bed of fresh, yogurtlike buttermilk cheese—and adds the caviar, sure. But then comes the unforgettable component: creamy, softly sweet hazelnut sauce that Park pours over it all to finish the dish. It balances the saline pop of caviar, the silkiness of the celery root, and the tang from the cheese.

Whole Roast Duck With Duck Confit Salad | Spoken English, Washington, D.C.This small, standing-room-only restaurant (literally) is hidden in the groovy Line hotel, a new D.C. hotspot that once was a church. The dining room consists of two short counters, which are an extension of the kitchen; it’s like snacking at a friend’s house. On the menu are twisted classics such as chicken skin dumplings from chefs Erik Bruner Yang and Matthew Crowley, as well as the best duck I ate this year—a time when there’s been a lot of good duck out there. Here it’s cured in tea for four to five days before being roasted over wood and carved up. The legs are confited and tossed into a salad, the breast is thickly sliced, and the supple tortillas to roll it all up in are made with duck fat instead of lard.

Roasted Tomatoes With Hot Honey | Misi, BrooklynA few years ago at Lilia, chef Missy Robbins made a long, curly stretch of malfadini noodle with buttery pink peppercorns New York’s most sought-after dish. At her new place, Misi, in the southern reaches of Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, the best thing isn’t pasta but oven-blasted tomatoes. Roasting for a couple of hours intensifies their sweetness, which is then hit with a drizzle of Calabrian chile-infused honey, further punching up the shriveled halves. A licorice bite from the cracked coriander seeds and fennel, tucked into the oil, takes it over the top.

Maine Chutoro Hand Roll | Mr. Tuna, Portland, MaineInstagram: Mr. Tuna on Instagram: “End Labor Day…

Forget lobster and oysters. The local bluefin tuna belly that Jordan Rubin gets in late summer and the fall is the seafood standout in Portland, Maine. In mid-2017, Rubin bought a hot dog cart and started making hand rolls and sushi burritos on the downtown streets. His operation quickly grew into a mini food truck empire that now includes a space in the Portland Public Market. The hand roll’s nori wrapper is notably crisp because Rubin keeps it warmed in an electric toaster before wrapping it around tangy rice and fatty, melt-in-your-mouth chopped fish mixed with sea salt, scallions, and potent fresh wasabi sauce.

Poulet Roti | Frenchette, New YorkTwenty years ago the roast chicken at Balthazar, carved tableside, made the bird chic in Manhattan. Now the chefs who helped put it on the map there—Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr—have reintroduced it at their beyond-buzzy Frenchette. Not simply a vehicle for crispy skin, it’s a superbly juicy and supple bird served in a shallow casserole. Standing alongside is a separate pot of pommes purée that’s approximately half butter, and often garnished with roasted maitake mushrooms, giving you all the earthy flavors on one table.

Panna Cotta | Brawn, LondonFor those who think they never want to eat panna cotta again, it’s time you taste the triangular wedge at Columbia Street’s cult favorite wine bar, where it’s served as if it were a cake. The custard is infused with piquant cardamom and topped with charred orange slices that offset the sweetness. But the beauty of this dish is the rich double cream that chef-owner Ed Wilson sources to make it, lending a texture that’s not too gummy, not too loose—just perfect, like the best ice cream made ever-so-slightly more solid.

Aged Beef Sobrasada on Toast | Bright, LondonAt this spare new Scandi restaurant and wine bar, chefs Will Gleave and Peppe Belvedere rely on their neighbors—specifically the great local butcher shop, Hill & Szork. They take Irish sirloin that’s been aged at the shop for 45 days (there’s not enough room at Bright to age it themselves) and then grind it with funky aged beef fat and salt, pepper, and paprika. It’s served on sourdough toast brushed with more of the fat, then topped with capers and chives macerated with elderberry. It’s the platonic ideal of beef tartare.

Blum’s Coffee Crunch Cake | Valerie, Los AngelesValerie Gordon may have gained notoriety for her chocolate bars, now a common sight at coffee shops across the country, with their bold packaging and flavors such as salt and pepper with crispy rice. But the real standout of her eponymous confectionary are the classic desserts she re-creates out of fear they’re fading into oblivion. Blum’s cake is an architectural masterpiece, studded with shards of chewy, coffee-infused honeycomb that superbly contrast the coffee whipped cream oozing out between layers of tender yellow cake.

Cheese & Crackers | Elske, ChicagoThe deceptively simple dish at Michelin-starred restaurant Elske has just three components: cheese, jam, and crackers. The cheese is Wilde Weide, a two-year-old aged raw cow gouda with crystallized streaks. The jam is vanilla-infused tomato dolloped into a nest. And the crackers are made from a yeasted dough that’s doused in olive oil before baking, which gives them a superbly flaky, buttery texture, like a French pastry you didn’t know existed. Together, they’re unstoppable.

Slow-Roasted Lamb Neck Shawarma | Bavel, Los AngelesAmong the slew of promising new Middle Eastern restaurants across the U.S. is the greenery-filled Bavel in downtown L.A. Ori Menashe takes an underused cut—lamb neck—and coats it with a paste of tangy sumac and caramelized onions. The meat is roasted for hours until falling-apart tender, and the rub is baked in. It’s served with an array of sides including pickled vegetables and creamy house-made tahini, as well as the flatbreads for which the restaurant has rightly become famous.

Fried Blue Prawns | Momofuku Noodle Bar Columbus Circle, New YorkDavid Chang is on a mission to get you to eat the whole shrimp—shell, head, all of it. To accomplish this, he and his crack chef team of Tony Kim, Matthew Rudofker, and J.J. Basil have created a scintillatingly spicy coating at the new Noodle Bar in the Shops at Columbus Circle, aka the Time Warner Center. A blend of cumin, togarashi (the Japanese version of chili powder), sugar, salt, and Sichuan peppercorn is plastered onto the delicately fried shrimp, making it impossible not to eat the wafer-crisp shell along with the sweet meat inside. A spritz of lemon and an accompanying bowl of yuzu mayo cools it all down.

Dilliwala Butter Chicken | Adda, New YorkNormally, butter chicken is a forgettable staple of Indian takeaway. That all changes at the thrilling, no-frills Adda in Long Island City, Queens. The dish is recognizable only by name, and it makes you realize that all the versions you’ve had before are lame. The deep orange sauce is lit up with darkly sweet fenugreek, cardamom, cilantro root, and a generous hit of red chiles, making it much hotter than usual. The biggest difference: the local tomatoes and honey that replace the standard canned tomatoes and sugar, lending the dish a punchy freshness that cuts through that classic slick of butter on top.

Pork and Shrimp Bao Bao With Fried Egg | Kym’s, LondonWell-made dumplings are enough for most people, especially when the filling is a mix of juicy seasoned pork and chopped shrimp in a tender wonton wrapper. But at Kym’s in the Bloomberg Arcade, chef Andrew Wong, who heads the Michelin-starred A. Wong, ups the ante by frying them with eggs for extra unctuousness. The result is an Asian-style shakshuka with golden, crispy bits of white and creamy yolk enriching the already rich dumplings. The final touch is a sprinkling of scallions, sesame, and chili oil studded with alluring bits of fried onion.

Grilled Ivory King Salmon | In Bocca al Lupo, Juneau, AlaskaChef Beau Schooler of Juneau’s In Bocca al Lupo calls his dish simply “salmon offcuts,” which may be true, if perhaps a disservice to the quality of what you get on your plate: a combination of the collar, belly, tail, and head, depending on what was caught in the last 24 hours. There’s never a guarantee that he’ll have white king salmon, but if he does, order it. The incredibly fresh fish has a cleaner richness then common salmon. Salted and drizzled with olive oil, the fish gets popped into a wood-burning oven, right next to the coals, so the skin chars. The accompaniment is an equally elemental charred lemon wedge, a garlicky parsley pesto that’s intensified with a blast of fish sauce, and a finishing sprinkle of Alaskan sea salt from Sitka.

Ibérico Katsu Sando | Ferris, New YorkIt’s been a big year for sandos in New York, the most high-profile being the $185 version of the Japanese sandwich made with wagyu beef. But pay attention to the one crafted by chef Greg Proechel at Ferris that costs about one-tenth the price. Made with succulent acorn-fed Spanish pork, about ¾-inch thick, it’s egged, breaded, and fried to medium rare so it’s crunchy but still supremely juicy. The toast is judiciously brushed with a fruity, hoisin sauce and is just thick enough to keep the cutlet secure.

Ilaria Pie | Una Pizza Napoletana, New YorkPizza prince Anthony Mangieri figures he’s tried every buffalo mozzarella in the U.S. and half of the ones in Italy. He came across his favorite outside Naples—it’s grassy and slightly animal-y—and along with that classic “mozz,” he brings in a quantity that’s been wood-smoked to star on Una Pizza Napoletana’s simple, standout pie. The Ilaria, named for his wife, is a doughy delight, like a lightly charred pillow. It features pools of that smoky mozzarella paired with the refreshing snap of cherry tomatoes and arugula.

The post The 16 Dishes You Should Have Eaten in 2018 appeared first on Bloomberg Businessweek Middle East.

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Most newspaper restaurant critics are best known to people in the region they write about. But when Jonathan Gold, the Pulitzer-winning food critic for the Los Angeles Times, died at the age of 57 on Saturday night, the outpouring of tributes that stretched well beyond LA’s borders made it clear that he was no ordinary restaurant critic.

Of course, Gold — who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer only weeks earlier — was well known to Angelenos. In addition to his writing in the LA Times, he’d written for LA Weekly and Gourmet, and was a regular on KCRW’s program Good Food. His anticipated annual map of 101 great LA restaurants was a fixture for the LA food scene, a guide for locals and newbies alike.

But Gold was beloved far beyond Los Angeles. That’s not to say he “transcended” LA; it’s more that he embodied LA, embedded himself in its culture and, as many people attested following the news of his death, epitomized what Angelenos love about their city:

A very sad day for LA as Jonathan Gold left us. He was the soul of this city and all of its amazing flavors. He was a personal friend and inspiration–there will never be another like him. My heart goes out to the Gold family with the millions of Angelenos who loved him. EG

— Eric Garcetti (@ericgarcetti) July 22, 2018

I have never been sadder. Jonathan Gold is gone.

— ruthreichl (@ruthreichl) July 22, 2018

“I write about taco stands and fancy French restaurants to try to get people less afraid of their neighbors and to live in their entire city instead of sticking to their one part of town.” — Jonathan Gold. RIP to a hero and a giant. I love this city because he did.

— Andy Greenwald (@andygreenwald) July 22, 2018

yesterday I had lunch alone at Zankou Chicken, where a Gold quote about the garlic sauce is posted on the wall, and was thinking about how Zankou and Jonathan Gold are exactly what LA means to me

— Molly Lambert (@mollylambert) July 22, 2018

Yet the praise went far beyond those who lived in Gold’s city, spilling over to other artists, writers, and critics who work in various media all over the country.

Gold’s evocative prose sparkled in ways that were enjoyable to read even if you were far from LA. NPR’s tribute, for instance, cited a passage from his writing in which he “described mole negro, a Mexican dish, as so dark that it seems to suck the light out of the airspace around it, spicy as a novella and bitter as tears.” Gold continued writing until just a few weeks ago, which means you can read, for instance, his June 15 review of the new Israeli restaurant Bavel, which contains passages like this:

You will be drinking salty island wines from Sardinia and the Canary Islands. Your date will barely hear you above the din. You will wonder whether there is a point to an old-fashioned made with lamb-fat-washed bourbon or a pisco sour with pink peppercorns, and you will decide that there might be. You will probably be having a very good time.

But another factor that extended Gold’s fame past LA’s borders was the release of the acclaimed 2015 documentary City of Gold. The New York Times critic A.O. Scott wrote that the movie “transcends its modest methods, largely because it connects Mr. Gold’s appealing personality with a passionate argument about the civic culture of Los Angeles and the place of food within it.”

City of Gold, directed by Laura Gabbert and currently streaming on Hulu, follows Gold as he drives his green pickup truck through his beloved Los Angeles, eating at a handful of hole-in-the-wall, strip mall restaurants that most people just blithely sail past, talking about his career and his approach to his work. It’s an illuminating portrait not just of a writer but of a city, and as Scott put it in his review, it is “worth attending to even if you think you have no interest in food, California or criticism.”

For a critic in any medium — even, say, a New York-based film critic like myself — City of Gold is also a kind of masterclass in the things that good critics do. As many noted over the weekend, a hallmark of Gold’s writing is that he wrote not just about eating, but also about culture and about being a person, and that’s what the film underlines well.

That’s why, watching City of Gold, I actually fist-pumped a few times, as the film pointed to a lot of what made Gold such an important critic. Two in particular stuck with me, qualities that good critics aspire to, no matter what they’re writing about.

City of Gold often shows visually, on a map, the LA neighborhood in which the restaurant Gold is about to visit is geographically placed. And — as a number of people note in the film — it shows how Gold’s work often helped Angelenos connect the seemingly disparate parts of their sprawling city.

“I’m trying to get people to be less afraid of their neighbors,” Gold said in a 2015 interview.

A prime example of this is Gold’s 1998 essay “The Year I Ate Pico Boulevard,” about his experiences eating his way down a main drag that cuts across LA. It’s an essay about food, but really it’s about the culture that gave rise to that food, and the ways the connecting flavors and experiences work as a cipher for the broader city and its history.

Jonathan Gold in City of Gold. Sundance Institute

Of course, restaurant criticism is one of the few areas of critique that is expressly tied to physical locations, and thus the restaurant critic’s “mapping” job is literal.

But it’s part of other critical pursuits as well. As a film critic, for instance, I partly think of my job as “mapping” the movie terrain for the reader. Different critics do this in different ways: some are better at drawing the map on the ground of film history, others through the politics of the industry, and others through the technical and theoretical aspects of it. Some, like me, like to figure out where the paths the film carves into the cultural landscape intersect with other regions, like literature and religion and philosophy.

All critics, though, do some mapping work, and you should walk away from a good piece of criticism understanding more than just that a work of art exists, but where and how it exists. Critics are cartographers.

A distinction City of Gold makes is between the idea of writing about food and the idea of writing about eating. Gold wrote about eating.

That’s a small distinction that might not seem too important, but to the critic it’s everything. Critics can’t view things “objectively.” We’re humans. What we can do is pay very close attention to our experience with a film through the lens we bring to the table (or the screening room or the gallery or the concert), then articulate it as carefully as possible. When we’re successful, the reader feels freed to have their own experience with the film.

Gold was the living manifestation of this way of thinking about criticism. His writing, particularly in the latter part of his career, was often positive and devoted to a democratized range of restaurants. A good meal could be had anywhere, no matter the trappings. In the film, he remarks that he often went to a restaurant five times or more before writing about it, and that he doesn’t take notes because he wants to be able to absorb the experience.

Sundance Institute

Then, when he writes about it, it reads like poetry — full of descriptions that draw on a cross-pollinated blend of mediums and references. (Before he wrote about food, Gold wrote about music, and especially hip-hop.) It’s hard to evoke tastes and smells in words, but Gold pulled it off by appealing to all the senses.

Of course, what you got in his writing was Gold’s palate, not your own. But by putting words to his own experience, you got a taste of what he had experienced, and the urge to go try it for yourself. And that carried over for the experience of the chefs, too.

In the documentary, Roy Choi (of the BBQ taco truck Kogi and fast-food restaurant Locol) tries to explain: “The weird thing about my first interaction with Jonathan is he helped me figure out what I was trying to do. When he writes about me, he understands and is able to articulate the little kind of secret tangled webs I have inside that I’m trying to put out into the plate — he understands it. And I’ve never explained it to him.”

That’s what critics are after. It’s a glorious feeling to not just articulate one’s own experience, but help an artist put words to what they experienced as they made the work, too — whether it’s a movie or a painting or a song. A critic can’t read minds, but often artists aren’t able to fully explain what they’ve made, either. In an ideal situation, working in concert, criticism helps expand the art, and the art expands the critic, too.

Doing this requires a mastery of the critic’s own form, which is writing, and Gold was a master at this as well; in one of my favorite passages in the film, one commentator (performing an act of criticism, one might say) explains how Gold harnessed and used the second person point of view — that its, addressing the reader as “you” — to make his writing even better. Reading Gold, you can hear a well-read mind in love with language turning over phrases till they sparkle.

So Gold’s work does exemplify the best of what criticism has to offer. (It’s no mistake that he is, to date, the first and only restaurant critic to receive the Pulitzer Prize for criticism.)

City of Gold helps show how and why that’s true — and why, in the wake of Gold’s passing, the world could use a lot more critics, eaters, and neighbors like him.

City of Gold is available to stream on Hulu and to digitally rent on Amazon, Vudu, YouTube, iTunes, and Google Play.

Original Source -> Jonathan Gold wrote about food, but his approach to criticism was universal

via The Conservative Brief

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