Ann "menu taster" N.'s Profile

Ate here last month and still remember the food and experience. The food at Cleo is REALLY good!

Cleo is a Middle Eastern/Mediterranean tapas restaurant inside the Redbury Hotel by the SBE group. Let's get on to the drinks and food...

--DRINKS--
The bartenders at Cleo know how to make awesome drinks. The drinks were had a good balanced flavors and alcohol.

01. HONEY CITRUS SIDECAR ($14) - 5 stars, my fav, a must order
Jack Daniels Whiskey, Cointreau, Crushed Mint, Yuzu Juice, Agave Nectar

Complex sweet and sour flavors with a kick of whiskey. Love it!

--FOOD--
01. HUMMUS DIP ($6) - 4 stars
with Tahini, a sesame paste. The hummus was slightly tart and nutty. It tasted good.

02. YOGURT & CUCUMBER DIP ($6) - 5 stars, a must order
The yogurt tastes so good. It's not too thick or tart. One of the best yogurts ever!

The lavash flatbread served with the dips are served warm from the oven. It's a medium thick flatbread and can be filling, so don't eat too much unless you're hungry.

03. BEEF KEBAB ($6) - 4 stars, must order
One skewer of tender and flavorful beef for an order. I wish it came with 2 skewers for $6 instead of one.

04. SEASONAL MUSHROOM FLATBREAD ($14) - 4 stars
Topped with gruyere and wilted arugula was also tasty.

05. CHICKEN TAGINE ($16) - 4.5 stars
Moist and tender chicken served in a cast iron dish with preserved lemon, almonds, olives, roasted tomatoes and saffron rice. Super tasty eating everything together.

This place has it all: great food, craft cocktails, quality service and a hip-cool ambiance. Hollywood generally does not have many quality restaurants, but Cleo is one of the few good restos and I'll be back when I'm in the area.

P.S. Another good resto is Wood & Vine in this area.

I searched for a Quicksilver location on their site and found one in Venice. When I came to the store, the building says, "585 Boardriders" and I thought, "Wait a minute, the website said QuickSilver." I guess they re-branded this store to fit into the Abbot Kinney neighborhood.

Location
Look for a red brick building on the corner of S. Irving Tabor Ct and S. Venice Blvd. It's behind Lemonade Restaurant. They recently opened around late Nov. 2011.

Store
From what I read, the store is 6,000 square feet and is stocked with clothes and accessories from Quiksilver, Roxy, DC and SpiritHoods. If you're looking for gear, they have a large selection surf boards, skate boards and wetsuits. Did I mention? There's also a small art gallery in the back. The employees were upbeat and friendly.  

Store Hours
7 days a week; 10am to 8pm

Picca opened June 2011 and is still one of LA's hottest restaurants. If you're looking for good Peruvian food, this is the place to go. Plus it doesn't hurt that in March, Ricardo Zarate was (1 of 10 chefs) named Food & Wine's Best New Chefs for 2011.

A few weeks ago, I dined here with a handful of food bloggers and Steve Plotnicki, author of  "Opinionated about Dining" blog and "Opinionated About U.S. Restaurants" book. He treated us to dinner. A super nice treat since we provided feedback on West Coast restaurants for his 2012 book. Thanks, Steve!

Steve asked Chef Zarate to serve us omakase-style. We had:

--TAPAS & IZAKAYA DISHES--
01. albacore ceviche - 3 stars
rocoto-infused ponzu leche de tigre, japanese cucumber

02. chicharron de costillas - 3.5 stars
crispy pork ribs crostini, sweet potato puree, feta cheese sauce, salsa criolla

--
Causa is Ricardo's variation of sushi, he uses aji amarillo marinated potato in place of rice.

03. causa snow crab - 4 stars, must order
cucumber, avocado, huancaina sauce

04. causa spicy yellowtail - 3 stars
spicy mayo, green onions, wasabi tobiko
--

05. choritos - 4 stars, must order
steamed mussels, pancetta, aji amarillo butter

06. conchas a la parmesana - 4 stars, must order
scallops, parmesan cheese, spinach, lemon dressing sauce

--
Anticucho is grilled on a skewer

07. anticucho tomatoes - 3 stars
burrata, black mint pesto

08. anticucho black cod - 4 stars, must order
miso anticucho, crispy sweet potato

09. grilled eggplant  - 4 stars, must order
An off-menu dish served with mini croutons.

10. anticucho corazon - 2.5 stars, I'm not a fan
beef heart, rocoto walnut sauce
--

11. arroz con erizo - 3.5 stars
peruvian paella, mixed seafood , sea urchin sauce

12. grilled 32oz rib-eye - aji amarillo  - 4 stars, must order

13. seco de pato  - 3 stars
duck leg confit, black beer sauce, cilantro rice

--DESSERTS--
14. alfajores (2 cookies) - 4 stars, must order
Crumbly biscuit-like cookies sandwiches with a thick filling: dark chocolate and dulce de leche.

15. vanilla bean pisco flan - 4 stars, must order

16. bonbon churros - 4 stars, must order
Four crusty/spongy churro spheres filled with passion fruit cream and served with three dipping sauces: chocolate, caramel and raspberry.

17. quinoa pudding - 2.5 stars

Overall, the food is solid and really tasty. It's best to dine here with a large group to try a lot of dishes. Once you find what you like, come back and eat your favorites. I know I will. Picca gets busy packed, so make a ressie. Service here is excellent, food came out at a good pace and the atmosphere is energetic.

Looking forward to the 2012 edition of Opinionated about Dining, Steve.

At last... I ate the much lauded farm-to-table resto, Gjelina. The food didn't disappoint. Everything was fresh, well-prepared and tasty. Good ingredients are the key simple dishes. Now on to the individual food rating:

--DRINKS--
01. Mint Iced Tea ($4) - 4 stars
02. Italian Soda - Pomegrante ($4) - 4 stars

--FOOD--
01. Anchovy, heirloom tomato, burrata on baguette w/olive oil ($12) - 4 stars, must order
I just love burrata and this one was good. The anchovy was like the salt on the baguette. Everything went well together.

02. Zucchini Pizza ($15) - 4 stars, must order
Mozerella, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, zucchini flower and oregano. Served with red pepper flakes, shredded parm and dried oregano. The crust is paper thin, but crispy... except the very center because of the mozerella. Good mozerella cheese contains more water.

03. Pork Belly ($11) - 4 stars, must order
Two juicy chunks of pork belly lie atop a mound of polenta and mustard greens.

04. Smoked Salmon Crudo ($13) - 3 stars
Four thin slices salmon sashimi topped lemon and capers.

05. Butterscotch ($8) - 3 stars
It's super rich, sweet and denser than pudding. I couldn't eat much of this one and it need some kind of crunchy thing for texture. My fav is still at Scarpetta or Wood & Vine.

06. Stracciatella Gelato ($3) - 4 stars, must order
An Italian version of chocolate chip. It was light, creamy and tasty.

P.S. Dinner was on a Tuesday night and the place was packed. I made a reservation about a week in advance for a 7:30 time slot. Service was great. The host and our server was polite and friendly.

We came to Short Order on pre-opening night, Nov. 17, at the Farmers Market to support Amy Pressman's Baker's Dozen Memorial Scholarship. If you didn't know, this resto is by Nancy Silverton and the late Amy Pressman, with cocktails by Julian Cox. The place was packed with family, friends and industry folks. That night we ordered:

--DRINKS--
01. Fist Full of Dollars ($12) - 4 stars, must order
Craft method brandy, Combier, Amaro Montenegro, fresh lemon, cinnamon bark syrup, angostura, spiced castor sugar

02. Blue collar cocktail ($12) - 3 stars
Rye whiskey, cocchi vermouth Di Torino, American maraschino, Amer Picon, lemon twist

03. Coffee Malt Shake ($6) - 4 stars
A thick coffee, vanilla shake.

--FOOD--
01. Short Order Spuds ($4 + $2) and Dipping Sauce - 5 stars, must order
Spuds are torn pieces of deep-fried baked potato. It was delicious, crispy outside and starchy soft inside. Served with ketchup and a sour cream-bacon-chives-parsley-scallion dip.

02. Corn Pups ($8) - 4 stars, must order
Two short dogs, Anson Mills corn batter, mustard

03. Hodo Tofu ($11) - 3 stars, like a Pad Thai flavor tofu dog
Glazed Hodo Tofu, spicy slaw, miso secret sauce

04. Short Order Burger ($12) - 4 stars
Grass fed beef, morbier, griddled mushrooms, bibb, mustardy mayo

05. Nancy's Backyard Burger ($13) - 4 stars, must order
Nancy Silverton's beef blend, artisan bacon, comté, avocado, tomato, onion, iceberg, spicy mayo

06. Amy's Turkey Burger ($12) - 3 stars
Organic turkey, sage cheddar, melted celery, leek, mustardy mayo, bibb

--DESSERT--
01. Fruit Pie ($6) Seasonal - 3 stars
The raspberry/cranberry pie came out in a small individual tin pan with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

02. Cookies ($2.50 + $2.50) - 3.5 stars
Snickerdoodle, Cashew Butter; Both cookies came out freshly baked and soft.

The food at Short Order is tasty. The beef patty portions are generous--totally shareable between 2 people--get a burger with a side. The burgers may seem pricey, but they are using quality ingredients. Price is on par with other gourmet burger joints: Father's Office, Umami, The Counter, and Red Robin. Service was a bit slow at first, but a bunch of different servers stopped by out table to constantly check on us.

The second floor patio has a fireplace, seating and bar is a happening spot. The view isn't too shabby either. It's a good place to enjoy the night and people watch. Short Order is a great place for gourmet burgers and boozes.

The food here is pretty damn good! Initially, I was hesitant about eating at ink because I've had his food at food events and didn't really liked it. But I'm glad I snagged a hot ressie at his hyped up resto. The menu is ordered from light to heavy food. Here's what I ate and drank:  

--DRINK--
01. SCOTCH LEMON, ginger, clover honey, angostura bitters ($13) - 5 stars

02. TEQUILA SERRANO, lime, grapefruit, soda ($11) - 4 stars

--FOOD--
01. KALE, burrata, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin preserves, yuzu ($12) - 5 stars; seasonal dish for fall

02. SPAGHETTI, giant squid, squash, hazelnut-ink pesto, piment d'espelette ($14)  - 5 stars

03. SEA BASS, cream of dehydrated potato, black olive oil, lemon, caper ($23) - 5 stars

04. BERKSHIRE PORK, charcoal crust, macaroni and cheese, leeks ($22) - 5 stars

05. WAGYU HANGER STEAK, turnips, coffee-cardamom soil, mustard, vadouvan ($25) - 3.5 stars; least fav, but still good

06. APPLE, crème caramel, burnt wood sabayon, walnut ($9) - 5 stars

I loved every dish. All of the food was expertly cooked with care and modernly presented. I can taste each individual element in the dish and each component complemented each other.

Service was on-point, prompt and friendly as well. Our server Elyse was great. She was super nice, exuberant and knowledgeable about the food.

The restaurant is situated on the corner of a block. Once inside you can see everything: bar on the right, omakase bar in the back, open window kitchen to the left of the omakase bar and in front, the main seating area. We were seated in the banquette seating area, which is a row of tables in front of the kitchen.

Cost for a party of 2 w/tax for 2 drinks and 6 dishes is about $140. I'd definitely come by to try more seasonal dishes.

The place is on the right as you walk up to the resort. It's a small, casual cafe filled with pastries, coffee, tea, gelato and beverages. In addition to being a cafe, it's also a mini-mart offering magazines, toiletries, and grocery type items.  

Monte Cristo sandwich - 3 stars
All of the sandwiches were already prepped. They just heat it up.

Berry museli - 3 stars
It was a bit too sweet and too soft due to a longer soaking time. The dish needed some more texture. The berries added a bit of freshness.

Overall, Sea Beans is a nice cafe for a a quick bite to eat.

Overall, this place is about 3.5 stars. At Nelson's you have the perfect view of Catalina, the lighthouse and the blue ocean water. Sit on the patio and enjoy the view, especially on a sunny day. Some dishes I tried were:

01. "The" Fish Taco ($12) for 2 tacos - 4 stars
mahi mahi, pickled cabbage, avocado, pico de gallo

The taco came out in a taco holder. Nice, it keeps the soft taco in place. There were chunks of tasty mahi mahi inside--- yum for a fresh Cali-taco.

02. Loaded Waffle Fries ($9) - 3.5 stars
chopped bacon, sour cream, scallions, yummy cheese sauce

Two words: large portion. This plate will feed 4 people. The pile of fries were crispy and tasty w/the the toppings.

03. Nelson's Daydream ($12) - 3.5 stars
grand marnier, peach schnapps, OJ, champagne

Similar to a mimosa, but with more fruit flavor.

04. Bloody Mary ($12) - 3 stars
vodka and spicy tomato mix

Prices are on the high side since it's in a 5-star resort, but the portions are generally large. Burgers and sandwiches are enough for 2 people, so split it. Beside you don't want to over eat and not be able to walk around the gorgeous grounds.

Inside the beautiful Terranea Resort on the 2nd level near the main pool. There's plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Weekend brunch is available from 9:30am to 2:30pm. You can opt for the brunch buffet or get an a la carte item. Now on to the food rating:

Vanilla Cinnamon French Toast ($12) - 3 stars
mascarpone cream, strawberry compote, caramelized banana

Thick, soft and tasty french toast. I prefer a little more crispy edges on the bread. You'll get 2 slices or 4 triangles of french toast with a mound of berry-licious toppings.

Classic Eggs Benedict ($16) - 4 stars
canadian bacon, poached farm fresh eggs, hollandise, hash browns, truffle salsa

Two perfectly poached eggs atop of bacon and a slice of muffin. The other muffin is toasted and is free of toppings, used for soaking up all the goodness.

Orange Juice ($3) - 4 stars

Catalina Kitchen seems to be popular on the weekends. Everyone in PV and nearby areas flock to this place to relax, eat and be seen. Well the beautiful walking trails and grounds doesn't hurt either. Gorgeous views everywhere.

mar'sel is the fine dining, seasonal food, Cal-French resto on the resort. The name is a combo: French word for "sea" and the Spanish word for "salt" fitting since it's located by the sea. Chef Michael Fiorelli heads up the kitchen at mar'sel. There is no chef's tasting menu here, dishes are a la carte. Now on to the food rating:

AMUSE BOUCHE - comp - 5 stars
california fig, ricotta cheese and salami

--
STARTERS

01. charred local cauliflower ($14) - 4.5 stars
buratta cheese, duck salami, toasted croutons

02. maple glazed idaho pork belly ($15) - 5 stars
dimitri's dandelion greens, local apples, kabocha squash puree

--
ENTREE

03. roasted california duck breast ($29) - 3 stars
black grapes, wild arugula, hen of the woods mushrooms, kendall farm's crème fraiche

04. wild alaskan black cod ($34) - 3 stars
cauliflower puree, fried potatoes, hobbs bacon, escarol

--
DESSERT

05. milk chocolate and hazelnut cremeux ($13) - 3 stars
caramelized banana, luxardo cherry, espresso and strawberry gelatos

--
MIGNARDISES - 3.5 stars
a single bite chocolate s'more

The amuse and starters were delicious and cooked perfectly. But the entrees were okay. The duck wasn't as tender as it could be and the skin on the cod could have been crisper. Service at mar'sel was okay, a bit slow. For a fine dining establishment, service should be more attentive and polished. Overall, mar'sel is a good place to dine at for a special occasion--especially during the summer when the sunsets later.

Atmosphere and view: 5 stars
People watching: 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Food: see individual ratings above
Cocktails: see individual ratings above