The Divine Dish

Dinner at Faux Pas Restaurant

Posted on May 17, 2012 under Archives | No Comment

Diagonally across from the Farmer’s Market sits Faux Pas, the newest Spacecraft designed restaurant.   The huge bar centers the space and divides the bistro into two sections.

To the right of the entrance is a romantic dimly lit lounge area with big red leather booths, dark wood and antique mirrors and cabinets.

To the left of the entrance is a lighter and brighter airy open space overlooking the bustle of 3rd Street with a big rustic fireplace and a French bistro vibe.   At the helm of the French-American menu is Chef Oz Ramuco.  I took my friend Dalbert to Faux Pas last night for a tasting dinner.  Here is what we sampled:

Faux Pas has a very extensive list of specialty cocktails and the ones we tasted were the bomb.  We started with the Faux Pas cocktail, with vodka, plum puree, citrus juices and apple cider (right in the pic above) and the Redhead in Bed, with Absolut Citron, strawberry puree, Moscato and citrus juices.  Both were refreshing and tangy.

Chef Ramuco sent us a special tuna and cucumber stacked appetizer with a nice red pepper aioli.

We both liked that the bread came out French style, in a big brown bag.

Next came a delicious pizza bianca with brussel sprouts.

The light crispy dough was topped with a white creamy bechamel sauce, roasted brussel sprouts, fresh parsley and a white truffle oil.  Not too heavy and very tasty.

Our next cocktails were a refreshing white wine sangria with Patron Citronage, white wine, brandy and lemon juice.  Lovely.  Dalbert received the Blackberry Fix, a fruity blend of scotch, blackberries, mint and citrus juices.  If you don’t come for the food definitely come for these outstanding cocktails.

Our fave of the night was the beautifully plated Scottish Salmon, featuring oven roasted salmon (perfectly cooked) with a port reduction sauce, sauteed haricort verts and a delicious portion of spinach fettuccine.

We both loved this dish and will definitely return to taste it again.

Dessert was a wonderful comforting butter cake with caramelized pineapples and a tasty vanilla cream side.  Very filling and a great way to end the meal.

Faux Pas is a perfect spot for a drink with a date in the romantic lounge area or a French bistro dinner overlooking 3rd Street in the airy dining room.  Located at 7910 West Third Street, reservations at 323/424-4767.

Interview with Chef Bernhard Mairinger of BierBeisl, Beverly Hills

Posted on May 17, 2012 under Archives, Chefs, Interviews | No Comment

At the age of 15, Austrian born Bernhard Mairinger began his formal culinary training as the Commis de Cuisine at Austria Classic Hotel Aichinger, a four star Resort & Spa where he worked during his tenure at the respected culinary academy Höhere Bundeslehranstalt für Tourismus Bad Ischl.

He continued to work his way up the ranks at various restaurants and resorts throughout Europe, including Hotel Alex in Zermatt Switzerland, Ashdown Park Hotel near London, and Hotel Zürserhof, one of Austria’s top ski resorts of the Arlberg. This seven year journey led to Mairinger’s entry into the Michelin star world, in his position as Chef Tournant for Da Gianni in Mannheim, Germany.

At 23, Mairinger was recruited by the Patina Restaurant Group to serve as Chef de Cuisine for Patina at the Hollywood Bowl, Nick & Stef’s Steakhouse and, most recently at Patina, the company’s Michelin star flagship restaurant, which was also rated four stars and named Best Restaurant of Los Angeles in 2010 by the Los Angeles Times.

At 27, Chef Mairinger brings Los Angeles its first taste of authentic Austrian fare with the opening of his restaurant BierBeisl, his highly anticipated solo debut to LA’s dining scene.

In February 2012 shortly after the restaurant opened Mairinger was named to Zagat Guides’ 30Under30 list honoring the rising stars of the Los Angeles culinary scene.  After a  tasting dinner of some delicious Austrian fare, I sat down with Chef Mairinger to chat about his love of traditional Austrian food, see pics at http://thedivinedish.com/?p=2855 and the opening of BierBeisl.

 

Lunch at the Ariola Winery in Langhirano Parma

Posted on May 14, 2012 under Archives, Italy | No Comment

After an informative and fascinating tour of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and Parma ham factories, my good foodie friend Andrea Aiolfi from Food Valley Gourmet Tours drove me to the Ariola Winery in Langhirano in the province of Parma.

The vineyards at this winery lie on the rolling hills overlooking the Po Valley.  Andrea brings guests of his Parma food tour here to sample the wonderful wines and also the cheese and ham created at the factories visited during the tour.

Here is a sampling of what we shared for lunch, with plenty of sparkling lambrusco and good conversation about food.

We started with a plate of mixed salami and cheese and ham from the factories we visited.  Andrea showed me how Italians enjoy their Parma ham.

We also enjoyed some of the Ariola’s great sparkling wines.

We also enjoyed a lovely dish of ravioli with cheese and herbs.  Delicious.

The tour was one of the most memorable days of my trip.  If interested in booking a tour with Food Valley Travel while in Parma or other areas of Emilia-Romagna, visit their website at www.foodvalleytravel.com.

Conti Parma Ham Factory, Parma

Posted on May 11, 2012 under Archives, Italy | No Comment

The second stop on my personal food tour with my friend Andrea Aiolfi from Food Valley Gourmet Tours was to the Conti Parma Ham factory in Parma.  I got to see the entire process of how the Italians make this gold standard of ham.

I learned that similar to the production of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, everything about the production of each ham can be traced to its beginnings on some 1,100 farms in north-central Italy. Each pig’s date of birth and the farm where it was raised are known. The details of its diet are specified, including grains and cereals and the whey that is drained off during the production of Parmigiano-Reggiano and given to the pigs to eat.

Each artisanal ham is an all-natural prime product from  the province of Parma in the region of Emilia Romagna. The only ingredients used in production are pork, sea salt, air and time.

The ham arrives at the Conti factory and goes through a machine that massages it so it will be ready to be salted.  Maestro salatores (salt masters) hand-rubs just the right amount of sea salt onto the ham ’s surface to begin the long curing process.

The hams are moved to the hanging room after salting.  During the first 100 days, temperature and humidity are carefully controlled in refrigerated curing rooms so that the meat absorbs just the right amount of salt.

After that, the hams are rinsed, then spend the next four months hanging on floor-to-ceiling racks in large, airy rooms on the upper floors of the prosciuttificio. Windows are opened and closed during the right weather conditions so the Parma breezes will dry and cure the hams as well as impart their special flavor to them.

After four months, the exposed surfaces of the hams are hand-coated with a mixture of lard, salt and pepper to soften them and help control the rate of moisture loss. Then they’re transferred to cellars for the final phase of curing, which lasts at least five months.

Before they can be sold, however, inspectors from the Consorzio del prosciutto di Parma will perform la punctura (the puncturing).

Using specially fashioned bone needles, inspectors pierce each ham in five strategic places and then sniff the needles to be sure the scent or aroma of the ham is as it should be. If the ham measures up, it will be fire-branded with the distinctive stamp of a true Parma ham — a five-pointed ducal crown with ” Parma ” printed in its center.

The ham is then packaged and is ready to ship all over the world.  Andrea and I left the Conti factory and headed to a local winery where we got to sample some of this tasty ham.

My tour with Andrea also included the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese factory.  I highly recommend booking a food tour with Food Valley Gourmet Tours if you are traveling to Parma, reservations can be made on their website at www.foodvalleytravel.com.