Delancey Part Deux.

Weeks after opening in late summer of 2009, I made a pit stop at Delancey in Seattle. For a recap of my first meal there, please visit here. Nearly two years later, I had to go back and see how things were cookin' up while visiting my mom in the Seattle area. The joint is still hoppin' and there was a line of eager diners waiting for their doors to open on a Saturday night (they only take reservations for parties of 6 or more), so we knew we were in fine company. The specials were written on the blackboard, just like a teacher writing her name on the board or this week's homework assignment. Instantly, I was drawn to the special pizza - nettles pesto, bacon, onion and lots of grated grana padana.

The salad was mixed greens with roasted beets from the farmer's market in a creamy buttermilk dressing. Lightly tossed, it was a salad worth fighting for - come on, let's duke it out in the street. Okay maybe you're not the fighting type, but this salad was a dream starter. Yes, you already know I ordered the "special" pizza and my mom opted for the mushroom pizza. We could debate great pizza til we are blue in the face, but I've had a religious experience eating pizza recently. I like mine cooked to perfection in a hellish fire, with semi black spots on the crust and an even keeled crust. I prefer amazing ingredients thoughtfully placed onto my pizza. Pizza like this isn't something to scarf down because you're stoned or you're starving, it's pizza you should enjoy, mull over, let your eyes roll back in your head - it's that good. It's probably good that we don't have that one on tape. Having saved some room for dessert, we had the butterscotch pots au creme with banana infused whip cream and these lovely shortbread cookies. Light and sweet, but not overly doused with butterscotch or banana, this pot au cream was a pot au ecstasy.

Since opening Delancey, owners Molly and Brandon have recently opened a new project known as The Pantry. Think of it as a communal cooking space, a place to learn and be inspired.If you live in Seattle or are planning on visiting, look it up, there may be a cooking class or a family style dinner you'd like to sign up for!

Run, Don't Walk to Canele.

I should've run to Canele the moment I heard about this gem several months back, but like all L.A. based foodies, sometimes we aren't able to run fast enough to check out a "new to me" restaurant. I'm not quite sure how long Canele has been around, but it's tucked into the up-and-coming downtown part of Atwater Village. I would describe Canele as a Neo-American/French bistro - the space is small, intimate (hence they do not take reservations) and the kitchen is open - in plain view for all to see. The tables are sparsley decorated with a votive candle and a teeny tiny glass jar of fresh flowers. But as you're about to find out, the flavors are anything but small here. The menu even had a nice touch - the dishes were arranged under the headings: beginning, middle, and end.

I met my dad there for dinner and we couldn't have been happier with the low key but attentive service and the delectable dishes. To start, my dad ordered the jamon serrano plate - served on a cheese board. It featured serrano ham (sweet, nutty, melt-in-your mouth and your roll-your-eyes back kinda way), pitted dates, toasted bread, marinated almonds and garrotxa cheese. The garrotxa is a Spanish sheeps milk cheese - easily compared to a manchego, but I found it milder. This plate reminded me of how I'd like to eat that dish on a regular basis, in fact, it inspired me to create my own little plate this weekend. I picked the dandelion salad with capers, parsley, garlic, croutons and a sherry viniagrette. This salad is not for the faint hearted, its pungent, bitter and should you dine with a date, I don't recommend kissing after eating it. Nonetheless, I loved it for its bold and unapologetic flavors all around.

Dad had the pancetta pasta with parsley, parmesan, pistacho and of course, pancetta. Very flavorful and light for a pasta dish. I went with the bistro steak - bordelaise sauce (a red wine sauce), creamed spinach and pommes anna (which is essentially a thinly sliced potato pie). I was easily transported to my future in Paris later this year, where I hope to leisurely dine at a bistro and enjoy a properly cooked steak. The meal was comfort food without the heavy qualities associated with these dishes. One could easily tell how much TLC was put into each dish and it shined throughout the plate.

Last but not least, we split the profiteroles with vanilla ice cream and homemade chocolate sauce (which had more a consistency of pudding, thick and luscious). Of course, I forgot to document the profiteroles before we dived into them, but there's proof of it's existence! :)

O is for Osteria and M is for Mozza.

Brace yourself friends, after reading this post, you may find yourself salivating, drooling at the corners of your mouth and/or hungry. You may also wish to sue me for taunting and teasing, but let's hope that's not the case. And being that I am a legal professional, I'm confident that taunting and teasing is not a felony or misdemeanor, but you take that up with California statutes.

If you follow Madame Munchies you are aware of the "list". This isn't just any list, it's my restaurant list, which I started well over a year ago. It's where I keep track of restaurants I want to try out and last night I crossed Osteria Mozza off that list. I hate to admit that it's been sitting on that list, dusty, like an old pair of shoes, but it wasn't for not. This joint is so popular, getting a reservation is like going to war.

The benefits of going to OM with a party of seven is getting to taste a variety of dishes and we definitely ordered a larger variety of dishes, some of which will be pictured but I may not write about. I will focus on the dishes I ordered for time management's sake.

To start, I ordered the red endive, fennel and parmigiano reggiano salad with an anchovy-date dressing. It's the stacked salad pictured above. A beautiful presentation, the crunchy endive was layered with paper thin slices of sweet fennel and rectangles of a nutty parmigiano.

Prior to visiting OM, I had spent a considerable amount of time studying the menu and scheming exactly what I would like to order and when I scrolled to the pasta section, I knew I wanted to try the gnocchi with duck ragu. The last place I had gnocchi was at Angeli Caffe and I had a hard time believing that OM's gnocchi would surpass my expectations. The gnocchi were miniature and were lovingly dressed with a rich, comforting duck ragu. The gnocchi weren't necessarily better, they were just different. The best way to describe them is ultra-potato-ey. They were hearty, but not heavy.

The sauteed broccolini with vinegar and chiles were addictive. Tart, bright flavors with a splash of heat, easily devoured by all sitting at the table. For dessert, I had to go with the bombolini with a huckleberry marmalade and vanilla gelato on top of a lemon mascarpone cream. The bombolini are fried donuts tossed with sugar. The warm fritters of dough with the tangy huckleberries and lemon mascarpone were amazing.

It was definitely a night to remember, I'm looking forward to trying out the pizzeria next.

Susan Feniger's STREET.

Susan Feniger's STREET has been on my ever-growing restaurant list and with a coupon in hand (thanks to Open Table), several weeks ago, a friend and I hit the streets of Hollywood and spent an evening at STREET. Feniger is known for her artful approach and her homage-paying to all foods Latin in nature. If you've eaten at Ciudad (no longer) or Border Grill, you know what I'm talking about. Feniger definitely delivers her same approach, but in my opinion, has stepped up her game at STREET. Take street food from around the world and make it playful, inquisitive and you've got a fantastic menu.

Off the bat, each dish stands on its own and each as very complex layers, but it's not overpowering. In fact, there were several dishes, that we were pondering and brainstorming which certain flavor or note we were picking up. As if we were drinking a really expensive wine. I felt like a little kid in a candy store.

Dish#1 - Sashimi with spicy sesame mayonnaise, yuzu ponzu, smoked salt, pink peppercorns and wasabi radish sprouts - I could've easily ordered another round of this dish, highly recommended by our server, I was succumbed to temptation. Sweet, smoky, salty, each element complimented the fish. The perfect expression of balance and respect for beautiful ingredients.

Dish #2 - Broiled scallops on the half shell with Peruvian aji amarillo cream, chorizo breadcrumbs, lime and fresh picked cilantro - I'd have to say this was probably my least favorite dish, and it has nothing to do with taste, it just wasn't a show-stopper quite like the others and I would've preferred the scallops were bigger. They were bay scallops.

Dish #3 - Sauteed brussel sprouts with apples, hazelnuts, and goat cheese - Prior to going to STREET, I had just seen a recipe for brussel sprouts sauteed with apples and immediately I wanted to make it. I love brussel sprouts and when I saw this dish listed on the menu, I just knew it was fate. This would get any child or adult to eat brussel sprouts.

Dish #4 - Black kale with refried white beans served with toasted olive bread and white anchovy butter - Have you noticed my slight obsession with KALE??? It's Jess' fault, she's the one to blame. This was so satisfying, a dish that makes you feel like you're being truly good to yourself.

Dish #5 - Braised short ribs Korean style with a scallion ginger cream and arugula - Nothing says comfort food (when it comes to meat) quite like braised short ribs. Tender, sweet and slightly dangerous.

Dish #6 - Thai tea creme caramel - this dessert takes the cake and there's no cake. It's been a while since I've had dessert somewhere that BLEW my mind and this night was the exception to the rule. I love custard and thai iced tea. The infusion was so delicate and flavors were sumptuous, I felt like I had my very first kiss.

Say This Ten Times Fast...

Din Tai Fung. Din Tai Fung. Din Tai Fung. Din Tai Fung. Din Tai Fung. Din Tai Fung. Din Tai Fung. Din Tai Fung. Din Tai Fung. Din Tai Fung. Okay, you catch my drift, how did you do??? Well, perhaps you find yourself tongue-tied or maybe you drifted into a deep meditative state while saying the name of this famous dumpling house. Either way, you're setting yourself up for copious amounts of culinary pleasure, this I can promise you. Jonathan Gold of the L.A. Weekly even recommends you go to Din Tai Fung before you die and I'm jumping on this bandwagon myself after eating there last night with a bunch of friends. This place was jam-packed and apparently unless you hustle and get there right when it opens, you're likely to stand outside and wait for a table. Large round tables and a couple of booths are filled with people slurping away. It's hopping there, the servers are hard core, it's all about filling the order and clearing the tables. This isn't a restaurant to lounge around and eat your dumplings leisurely, you are in it to win it.

The dumplings were light, juicy, full-flavored bites of pork and/or shrimp goodness. Dipped in a ginger based sauce with soy and vinegar, these dumplings rival any dumpling you've had otherwise. We had juicy pork dumplings, vegetable dumplings, fish dumplings, pork and shrimp dumplings,juicy pork and crab dumplings and the list goes on. What tops the juicy dumplings above the others are pockets of juicy pork fat that has melted inside the dumpling.The fried pork chop rice was pretty ridiculous too, the perfect ratio of meat to fat. I'm already planning my next rendezvous there with another batch of friends. They also served several sweet dumplings like the red bean dumplings and the sesame buns which were filled with this black sesame paste. This dumpling gem is too good to hide from all of you. Run, don't walk to Din Tai Fung, you'll be thanking me. You may even invite me to join you.

Grand Opening.

There are moments you will always remember fondly and then there are moments you will never forget. Tonight has to be one of those nights, it will go down in my foodie history book. A couple weeks ago, my elusive foodie cohort found out that Rick Bayless was consulting a restaurant here in LA. Like white on rice, we jumped on the bandwagon and miracle of miracles, we were able to get a reservation for "opening night". When I got the text message that we were attending opening night, I just about peed my pants.

Red O, cooly located on Melrose Ave, in West Hollywood, is designer chic, classic Mexican elements doused the interior with a dash of modern hipster edge. The photos don't honestly do this restaurant justice, but it give you an inkling of the precision and attention to detail that the designers paid when creating this beautiful space. It feels homey and is far from a stiff drink in atmosphere. Even the servers and staff were decked out with Levis 501s, red Adidas and blue work shirts.

To start the evening, I ordered the tamarind margarita - semi-sweet, balanced and refreshing. I'm not the most enthusiastic about margaritas, but this one could convert me, if it tried. And I'll be honest, ir didn't have to try too hard now. An appetizer of guacamole and chips to wet the palette - Bayless studs his guacamole with sundried tomatoes and onions. Simple, this guacamole could've come in a bathtub and I would've soaked in all of its goodness. I thought it was well seasoned - creamy and delicious. The "house" salad consisted of arugula, romaine and watercress with "angel hair'" strips of tortillas, pickled red onions. The greens were dressed with a roasted garlic lime dressing that popped in your mouth like pop rocks (remember that candy from your childhood). Tart and bright citrus flavors pierced your tongue, along with the sweet and savory notes of roasted garlic.

It was a toss up between the striped bass grilled with red chile and served with rice, sweet plaintains and three salsas or the roasted suckling pig served with black beans and a green salad and pickled red onions. Guy, our server, twisted my arm and I ordered the roasted suckling pig, which was a good decision on my part. The roasted suckling pig was wrapped in banana leaves before it went to roasting heaven. So tender, and no need for a knife, the pig was succulent, juicy, smoky and juicy. Wrapped up some of the roasted pig in a tortilla with some black beans, pickled red onion and salsa. O.M.G. Guy brought us a tasting of three salsas, a roasted tomato salsa, salsa verde and habenero. My favorite was the habanero and the salsa verde. Each salsa was distinct, sweet, spicy and robust. My foodie cohort ordered the Carne Asada Brava - ribeye served to perfection. Beautiful marbling on this steak, juicy and uber tender as well. Melted in your mouth like butter. The sweet corn tamales topped with crema were tasty as well - creamy, hearty, comfort food in Spanish.

With room for dessert, I was immediately drawn to the Bunelos served with salted caramel ice cream and a warm Kahlua chocolate sauce. The bunelos were light, crispy, rolled in cinnamon-sugar goodness. The kicker for me was the salted caramel ice cream - genius lies in this deadly combination of opposites attract. It was a light dessert, but a perfect way to end the meal.

To finish the night with dessert wasn't the "cherry" on top though. Guy hooked us up with a chance to meet Rick Bayless and get our photo opp! Rick was pleasant and seemed pre-occupied with dinner service, it makes sense. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy and we were honored to meet him and take a picture with him to document this foodie adventure! It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening, gorgeous and tall LA eye candy and a few celeb spottings while we were there too. I'm definitely grateful to live in a city the embraces culture, food, and art, tonight I totally felt like I was living the dream.

Church and State: No Separation.

This past week, one of my foodie cohorts and I went on our second foodie adventure together (we are trying to make 2010 a year of adventures and new dining experiences). Since I've been back in LA, I've heard glowing reviews of Church and State, which is located outside of downtown LA, in the Warehouse district. The restaurant sits below the National Biscuit Company building which was converted into swanky lofts several years back.

The restaurant is cozy, well designed and hearkens back to Paris and what a typical bistro feels and looks like, if we were inclined to jump on a plane right this minute and head for gay Paris. Tables are close together and lights are strung, the only thing missing was the French music, but wait, we are in LA. Instead of the classic French music, they have replaced it with cool, cutting edge tunes, yeah, now it reminds you that yes, you are still in LA my friends.

The menu features typical dishes you might see on a menu at any French bistro - escargot, cheese plates, mussels, steak frites, french onion soup, the list truly goes on and on, which brings me to our selections of the evening. Mind you, it was definitely difficult to choose, there were so many things I wanted to try. I began the meal with the Salade Frisee aux Lardons, a frisee salad with poached egg, crispy bacon, delicate croutons and a simple viniagrette. Breaking the yolk up and letting it seep into the web-like frisee, this salad made me roll my eyes in ecstasy - several times I might add. The creaminess of the yolk and the saltiness of the bacon are a match made in ingredient heaven. My foodie co-hort ordered the Gratin de Macaronis et Fromage, how could she resist?!? This concoction of macaroni and cheese was divine. Made with Gruyere and Cantal, this decadent treat was thick, creamy, delicious and so well-balanced.

The Fruits der Mer was absolutely breathtaking, a slice of grilled bread with a generous slather of bright aioli livened up the plate next to a bouquet of shrimp, mussels, clams and potatoes in a saffron infused broth. Again, my eyes rolled with delight and my belly sang joyfully. The Poulet Roti was ordered by my foodie co-hort and while I only tasted the sauce (sweet and mellow tomatoes), she insisted that the chicken was moist and tender, not to mention the vegetables. A beautiful presentation too for such a simplistic dish.

And to finish off this intoxicating meal, the Chocolat Pot de Creme spoke my name (I'm sorry Creme Brulee, next time, I promise). The pot de creme was studded with caramel, fleur de sel, hazelnuts and raspberries. Rich, rich, rich, but I still managed to pick apart each ingredient. Considering that all these ingredients are rich on their own, I was surprised that each ingredient remained true to its form. The dark Vahlrona chocolate with the smoky caramel and delicate salt was simply melt-in-your-mouth food orgasm at best!

Now that I can finally say I've eaten at Church and State, there are many reasons why I want to return. The diners who sat next to us ordered several dishes we didn't get to try but the aroma and sight is enough for me to go back and order different dishes. There may be separation of church and state in America but please don't separate my Church and State in LA.