BOUCHON, LAS VEGAS
The Venetian, Venezia Tower, Las Vegas. www.venetian.com
Bouchon Las Vegas is exactly what you might hope it to be. A little hard to find. In a nice casino. Not too big. And perhaps most importantly, it doesn't feel like Vegas at all once you're inside.
Inside is exactly the kind of French bistro the name Bouchon implies. Tiled floor. Really cool pewter bar. Excellent woods. Etched glass accents. Beautiful fresh flowers. Huge ceiling fans twirling lazily from their bases perhaps 20 feet or more above your head. A little outdoor area.
The food is excellent, I had the hangar steak, but it really doesn't matter becasue it's all good, all you really need is a newspaper, a cigarette, your little half blind dog on the seat beside you wearing a wool vest, and a nice glass of wine and you'd swear you were in France.
Which brings me to my next point. Paul. He's the Sommelier at Bouchon and is the best Sommelier I've ever met. He is engaging, unhurried, conversational and loves people. His choices were excellent and, as I rarely do, I recommend using him. He capped the experience for me on both occasions and I know he's a favorite of some of my local friends. Paul. Ask for him by name.
My only warning about Bouchon is the fries. And I can't be more serious about this.
Beware of the Bouchon French Fry for it is the finest, most insidious French fry ever crafted by the hands of man.
When the fries come, the portion will look deceptively sufficient. But as one fry after another slides down, this perception will change.
You are laughing. You are eating. And soon you are lamenting, "Oh my god I can't stop eating these fries.". You are laughing. You are eating. You are lamenting, "Dear God somebody please take these fries away from me. Seriously." You are laughing. You are eating. Then suddenly you are justifying, "One more little handful and that's it. No more fries. I'm done."
Then you are staring.
And as you stare, you notice how the large salt crystals clinging to the golden sides of the fries sparkle like diamonds. You focus in on one crystal in particular. It seems to have light moving within it. Yes, yes it does. There are shapes in it. Images. Indeed images of you. Inside the crystal you suddenly realize that your future is playing out as if it were a movie inside the crystal of salt itself. It is your future. And it is a divine future. For it is one that intimately involves more French fries.
And in you go.
This may happen for several "rounds" of Fries.
You have been warned.
Whatever your schedule is, if you're going to Bouchon, Las Vegas, especially if you're with freinds, add 2 hours and take your time. After all, this is the French way, no?
Dress code is whatever you're comfortable in. But nice is always nice. Expect about $80 a person.
The Venetian, Venezia Tower, Las Vegas. www.venetian.com
Bouchon Las Vegas is exactly what you might hope it to be. A little hard to find. In a nice casino. Not too big. And perhaps most importantly, it doesn't feel like Vegas at all once you're inside.
Inside is exactly the kind of French bistro the name Bouchon implies. Tiled floor. Really cool pewter bar. Excellent woods. Etched glass accents. Beautiful fresh flowers. Huge ceiling fans twirling lazily from their bases perhaps 20 feet or more above your head. A little outdoor area.
The food is excellent, I had the hangar steak, but it really doesn't matter becasue it's all good, all you really need is a newspaper, a cigarette, your little half blind dog on the seat beside you wearing a wool vest, and a nice glass of wine and you'd swear you were in France.
Which brings me to my next point. Paul. He's the Sommelier at Bouchon and is the best Sommelier I've ever met. He is engaging, unhurried, conversational and loves people. His choices were excellent and, as I rarely do, I recommend using him. He capped the experience for me on both occasions and I know he's a favorite of some of my local friends. Paul. Ask for him by name.
My only warning about Bouchon is the fries. And I can't be more serious about this.
Beware of the Bouchon French Fry for it is the finest, most insidious French fry ever crafted by the hands of man.
When the fries come, the portion will look deceptively sufficient. But as one fry after another slides down, this perception will change.
You are laughing. You are eating. And soon you are lamenting, "Oh my god I can't stop eating these fries.". You are laughing. You are eating. You are lamenting, "Dear God somebody please take these fries away from me. Seriously." You are laughing. You are eating. Then suddenly you are justifying, "One more little handful and that's it. No more fries. I'm done."
Then you are staring.
And as you stare, you notice how the large salt crystals clinging to the golden sides of the fries sparkle like diamonds. You focus in on one crystal in particular. It seems to have light moving within it. Yes, yes it does. There are shapes in it. Images. Indeed images of you. Inside the crystal you suddenly realize that your future is playing out as if it were a movie inside the crystal of salt itself. It is your future. And it is a divine future. For it is one that intimately involves more French fries.
And in you go.
This may happen for several "rounds" of Fries.
You have been warned.
Whatever your schedule is, if you're going to Bouchon, Las Vegas, especially if you're with freinds, add 2 hours and take your time. After all, this is the French way, no?
Dress code is whatever you're comfortable in. But nice is always nice. Expect about $80 a person.
STRIP HOUSE
1200 McKinney St. Houston,TX 713.659.6000
Girls and meat. If you like both, you will love Strip House Houston.
A classic steak house with an interior design nod worthy of an international playboy. With red leather, dark wood, black and white photography of beautiful women covering the walls. Velvet silhouettes of, you guessed it, more women. And sumptuous, warm, juicy, steamy, mouth watering meat. Hot on your plate with no complaints.
Its a no nonsense old world meets the sexual liberation of the 60's steak joint.
For starts, try the gorgonzola fondue. Then the "bone in" rib-eye (because everything is a little bit better with the bone in) with a side of potatoes Romanoff. Not sure who he is, but his potatoes are kick ass.
Order something absurd for dessert, and you'll get out of there for about $150 (for 2).
1200 McKinney St. Houston,TX 713.659.6000
Girls and meat. If you like both, you will love Strip House Houston.
A classic steak house with an interior design nod worthy of an international playboy. With red leather, dark wood, black and white photography of beautiful women covering the walls. Velvet silhouettes of, you guessed it, more women. And sumptuous, warm, juicy, steamy, mouth watering meat. Hot on your plate with no complaints.
Its a no nonsense old world meets the sexual liberation of the 60's steak joint.
For starts, try the gorgonzola fondue. Then the "bone in" rib-eye (because everything is a little bit better with the bone in) with a side of potatoes Romanoff. Not sure who he is, but his potatoes are kick ass.
Order something absurd for dessert, and you'll get out of there for about $150 (for 2).
ALI'S ROTI RESTAURANT
1035 Tremont St. - Near Mass. Ave - 617. 427.1079
When people play the "if you could only have one food for the rest of your life" game with me, I choose Roti everytime.
If you don't know what a roti is, but you like curry, you must go to Ali's. Order a roti with curry potato ONLY to start. To see if you like it. If you do, you can upgrade to chicken. If you still think you can handle it, you can upgrade to beef. If you're still feeling cocky, you can upgrade to goat. And if you really think you're a hustler, you can rock the oxtail. Yes, that is the tail of an Ox.
A roti is a West Indian food. It steals from Indian food in name and some spices, but is ultimately unique. It begins with a thin, flat breat called different things on different islands throughout the Carribbean. I know it as "Japati". It's like a pita, only much thinner. Like the Indian bread called "Roti" only not crispy. Like a soft taco shell, but lightly pan fried, as thin as two sheets of paper towel, with a dusting of chick peas in between plys.
Inside the "Japati" you toss in curried goodness. Potato and beef. That's my mix. Nice and simple. Nothing too crazy. Basic. Like Mom makes. Wash it down with something that has a little bite to it. Eventhough I don't drink soda, I recommend kicking the roti in the ass with a Jamaican Style Ginger Beer. Something that can cut through the spices and leave scratches on your throat on the way down.
Get a small at first. Ease into it. There's no rush. Ali's not going anywhere. You're on island time. It's cool.
Double park. Get it to go. Expect to pay about $10.
1035 Tremont St. - Near Mass. Ave - 617. 427.1079
When people play the "if you could only have one food for the rest of your life" game with me, I choose Roti everytime.
If you don't know what a roti is, but you like curry, you must go to Ali's. Order a roti with curry potato ONLY to start. To see if you like it. If you do, you can upgrade to chicken. If you still think you can handle it, you can upgrade to beef. If you're still feeling cocky, you can upgrade to goat. And if you really think you're a hustler, you can rock the oxtail. Yes, that is the tail of an Ox.
A roti is a West Indian food. It steals from Indian food in name and some spices, but is ultimately unique. It begins with a thin, flat breat called different things on different islands throughout the Carribbean. I know it as "Japati". It's like a pita, only much thinner. Like the Indian bread called "Roti" only not crispy. Like a soft taco shell, but lightly pan fried, as thin as two sheets of paper towel, with a dusting of chick peas in between plys.
Inside the "Japati" you toss in curried goodness. Potato and beef. That's my mix. Nice and simple. Nothing too crazy. Basic. Like Mom makes. Wash it down with something that has a little bite to it. Eventhough I don't drink soda, I recommend kicking the roti in the ass with a Jamaican Style Ginger Beer. Something that can cut through the spices and leave scratches on your throat on the way down.
Get a small at first. Ease into it. There's no rush. Ali's not going anywhere. You're on island time. It's cool.
Double park. Get it to go. Expect to pay about $10.
NISHIMURA
8684 Melrose Ave. (San Vicente Blvd.) West Hollywood, CA +1.310.659.4770
Across from the Design Center you'll find a little white house. No sign. Just a wooden fence with a gate. Behind it, a courtyard with a Japanese garden and a little fountain. Follow the path to the door. Open the door and enter a new world.
The minimalist vibe and the mostly whiteness of the interior design isn't just a vibe. And the whiteness isn't just for style. It's symbolic of an ethos. Simple purity. And you'll find nothing but that at Nishimura.
No flash. No hype. No hullaballoo. Just exquisite, simple, beauty.
I love Nishimura.
It's my favorite sushi restaurant in the world. As I write this I literally miss it.
As Claude Debussy noted that the spaces between musical notes were just as important as the notes themselves, Nishimura makes it clear that what is on the plate is also only as important as what is not.
Minimal. Minimal. Minimal. A tissue paper thin slice of hot pepper, one drizzly line of ponzu sauce and literally one three leafed sprig of aromatic herb grace the top of the maguro sashimi.
You pop it into your mouth, start chewing and you find yourself looking at your dining companions and laughing. The taste is so amazing you can't believe it. You only thought you had sushi before. You sit and look at the plate for a while before you eat the next slice. You want to share it. So you do. You watch your friend's faces as they experience what you just did. They save you 3 slices. As you eat them you have mixed feelings about having shared. Then you say, why not. And order another.
The hamachi. The maguro. The clam miso. The Holy Trinity of Nishimura.
Amen.
It's not cheap. But you can wear sneakers and a t-shirt and noboby cares. Plus, when it comes to raw fish, it's probably a good idea to be willing to pay a little extra for something done right with nothing but love.
I miss Nishimura. I'm sad now.
8684 Melrose Ave. (San Vicente Blvd.) West Hollywood, CA +1.310.659.4770
Across from the Design Center you'll find a little white house. No sign. Just a wooden fence with a gate. Behind it, a courtyard with a Japanese garden and a little fountain. Follow the path to the door. Open the door and enter a new world.
The minimalist vibe and the mostly whiteness of the interior design isn't just a vibe. And the whiteness isn't just for style. It's symbolic of an ethos. Simple purity. And you'll find nothing but that at Nishimura.
No flash. No hype. No hullaballoo. Just exquisite, simple, beauty.
I love Nishimura.
It's my favorite sushi restaurant in the world. As I write this I literally miss it.
As Claude Debussy noted that the spaces between musical notes were just as important as the notes themselves, Nishimura makes it clear that what is on the plate is also only as important as what is not.
Minimal. Minimal. Minimal. A tissue paper thin slice of hot pepper, one drizzly line of ponzu sauce and literally one three leafed sprig of aromatic herb grace the top of the maguro sashimi.
You pop it into your mouth, start chewing and you find yourself looking at your dining companions and laughing. The taste is so amazing you can't believe it. You only thought you had sushi before. You sit and look at the plate for a while before you eat the next slice. You want to share it. So you do. You watch your friend's faces as they experience what you just did. They save you 3 slices. As you eat them you have mixed feelings about having shared. Then you say, why not. And order another.
The hamachi. The maguro. The clam miso. The Holy Trinity of Nishimura.
Amen.
It's not cheap. But you can wear sneakers and a t-shirt and noboby cares. Plus, when it comes to raw fish, it's probably a good idea to be willing to pay a little extra for something done right with nothing but love.
I miss Nishimura. I'm sad now.
WAGAMAMA
www.wagamama.com
Wagamama is Japanese for "selfish willful disobedience" and has become a synonymous with female empowerment for many young Japanese girls. How this relates to incredible Japanese soups I'm not sure.
I discovered Wagamama in Dublin. Wagamama is a chain. And in this case, that is a good thing. Check the website and you will hopefully find a Wagamama near you somewhere. Like I just did! There's a brand new one in my home base of Boston. I didn't even know. I am now officially salivating.
The next time it rains, sit inside and feel depressed until you can't take it anymore. Then, at 2:00, go to Wagamama to have a late lunch and you'll feel better.
Wagamama serves the freshest, most beautiful Ramen I've ever seen outside of Japan. Hell, even inside Japan!
It's an expensive bowl of soup. But then again, I was in Dublin, so the prices elsewhere will vary. Think of it this way, it's three times the soup you'll find anywhere else, so you have to expect to pay at least twice as much.
Wagamama serves other things. But I'll never know what they are. If you find something you like, stick with it. That's what I say.
The atmo is casual and, at least at the one in Dublin, the seating is "picnic table style" encouraging lots of interaction between you and hot young university students with accents you can't place.
It's fantastic.
I'm looking for people who want to go there with me tonight right now. Wait a second!!!! The Boston Wagamama doesn't open until the end of this month!
Damnit.
www.wagamama.com
Wagamama is Japanese for "selfish willful disobedience" and has become a synonymous with female empowerment for many young Japanese girls. How this relates to incredible Japanese soups I'm not sure.
I discovered Wagamama in Dublin. Wagamama is a chain. And in this case, that is a good thing. Check the website and you will hopefully find a Wagamama near you somewhere. Like I just did! There's a brand new one in my home base of Boston. I didn't even know. I am now officially salivating.
The next time it rains, sit inside and feel depressed until you can't take it anymore. Then, at 2:00, go to Wagamama to have a late lunch and you'll feel better.
Wagamama serves the freshest, most beautiful Ramen I've ever seen outside of Japan. Hell, even inside Japan!
It's an expensive bowl of soup. But then again, I was in Dublin, so the prices elsewhere will vary. Think of it this way, it's three times the soup you'll find anywhere else, so you have to expect to pay at least twice as much.
Wagamama serves other things. But I'll never know what they are. If you find something you like, stick with it. That's what I say.
The atmo is casual and, at least at the one in Dublin, the seating is "picnic table style" encouraging lots of interaction between you and hot young university students with accents you can't place.
It's fantastic.
I'm looking for people who want to go there with me tonight right now. Wait a second!!!! The Boston Wagamama doesn't open until the end of this month!
Damnit.
IL PANINO EXPRESS
Boston, Hanover St. North End (617) 720-5720
Fast, inexpensive, authentic Italian food.
Get the "Il panino" sandwich. Substitute the diced tomatoes for roasted red peppers, add chicken cutlet for an extra dollar, have them toast the whole thing in the oven and FEEGET ABBAT IT!
It's the best sandwich in town. Bar none.
On nice days, plan on taking it to go and walking to the nice park near the firehouse.
When you get a craving for this sandwhich, nothing else will do. It's usubstitutable.
The puttanesca pasta is a winner also.
Boston, Hanover St. North End (617) 720-5720
Fast, inexpensive, authentic Italian food.
Get the "Il panino" sandwich. Substitute the diced tomatoes for roasted red peppers, add chicken cutlet for an extra dollar, have them toast the whole thing in the oven and FEEGET ABBAT IT!
It's the best sandwich in town. Bar none.
On nice days, plan on taking it to go and walking to the nice park near the firehouse.
When you get a craving for this sandwhich, nothing else will do. It's usubstitutable.
The puttanesca pasta is a winner also.
APOTEK
Reykjavik, Iceland www.veitingar.is
Built in an old pharmacy Apotek a great dining experience. The sophistication of the Icelandic people is present in the building, the food and the presentation. A great place you won't forget. And a welcome room for those who are getting freaked out by the constant sun or the lack thereof.
Interior design, and design in general, including the food, is the order of the day. Nobody hassles you. You can sit there as long as you want. No dress code. Easy going. Good drinks. Hot people. It's slammin'.
If you're in Reykjavik sometime, pop in there for a special evening with one of the famously friendly locals.
Spring and Fall have similar sun patterns to the rest of the world for those that feel they might not adjust well to big changes in one of the most constant elements of all life on Earth.
August is warmest.
Reykjavik, Iceland www.veitingar.is
Built in an old pharmacy Apotek a great dining experience. The sophistication of the Icelandic people is present in the building, the food and the presentation. A great place you won't forget. And a welcome room for those who are getting freaked out by the constant sun or the lack thereof.
Interior design, and design in general, including the food, is the order of the day. Nobody hassles you. You can sit there as long as you want. No dress code. Easy going. Good drinks. Hot people. It's slammin'.
If you're in Reykjavik sometime, pop in there for a special evening with one of the famously friendly locals.
Spring and Fall have similar sun patterns to the rest of the world for those that feel they might not adjust well to big changes in one of the most constant elements of all life on Earth.
August is warmest.
CHA CHA CHICKEN
Santa Monica, CA www.chachachicken.com
A west coast staple. When you're sick of loud crowds and just want to put something good in your stomach quickly. Hit up Cha Cha Chicken on the corner of Pico and Ocean Drive in Santa Monica. You'll find it diagnonally accross the street from the Viceroy and completly opposite to everything the Viceroy stands for.
It's a simple little Jamacian style shack serving up spicy goodness for cheap.
I recommend the jerk chicken enchiladas with rice and beans and fried plantains. Wash it down with a ginger beer. Hurts so good.
With the beach shack ambiance, a little area to park right out front, and a nice spice high going, you might even forget you are in LA for a while. Which is often a pleasant experience.
Damit I want to eat that right now.
Expect to pay about $10 and you'll get nothing but love. Pure sweet spicy love. One word Cha Cha Chicken. Franchise.
Santa Monica, CA www.chachachicken.com
A west coast staple. When you're sick of loud crowds and just want to put something good in your stomach quickly. Hit up Cha Cha Chicken on the corner of Pico and Ocean Drive in Santa Monica. You'll find it diagnonally accross the street from the Viceroy and completly opposite to everything the Viceroy stands for.
It's a simple little Jamacian style shack serving up spicy goodness for cheap.
I recommend the jerk chicken enchiladas with rice and beans and fried plantains. Wash it down with a ginger beer. Hurts so good.
With the beach shack ambiance, a little area to park right out front, and a nice spice high going, you might even forget you are in LA for a while. Which is often a pleasant experience.
Damit I want to eat that right now.
Expect to pay about $10 and you'll get nothing but love. Pure sweet spicy love. One word Cha Cha Chicken. Franchise.
O YA
Boston, MA 9 East St. 617.654.9900
In Japanese, one meaning of "o ya" is "discovery". No website. No sign out front, just a little flag. No lights by the descreet wooden door. O Ya lives up to it's name. You either know where it is or you don't. Once you discover it, you're changed forever.
Inside is a very upscale Japanese Izakaya serving the possibly the most perfectly prepared Japanese dishes in the whole of the United States. The best Sake list in Boston hands down. The best Tonkatsu in the Western hemisphere. And an 8oz Wagyu fillet priced at $149.99 instead of $150 even, to help make you smile as you order what you think is perhaps the stupidest waste of money of your life.
You will be wrong.
If you love steak, one bite and you won't regret the price. It's that good.
Now I'm a "Kobe Beef" chaser. I've ordered it here and there and it's never the real thing and it's kind of too fatty and it's not prepared with love and blah blah blah. It's always a bad choice. Not here.
There are only 3 places in the U.S. you can get this meat. French Laundry, the other is another Thomas Keller place, and the last is O Ya.
My world melted. I took the first bite and just started laughing. I laughed right into the second bite. Then I held my head in my hands. I had found the Holy Grail of Beef.
I almost cried.
Add to that the sea urchin, the chicken yakitori, the hamachi taretare, the shitake and chanterelle plate, the tonkatsu, the smoked Wagyu sashimi, a couple of glasses of sake, a couple of glasses of white wine for my dining companion, and two desserts and you get one of the best meals I've ever had anywhere in the world at any time. And also, the most expensive at $420.00. Beating my old record set at Bouchon in Las Vegas of $350 for a 6 person brunch.
If it's a special occasion, go to Il Panini.
If it's a really special occasion, go to Teatro.
If it's a meal you want to remember for the rest of your life, go to O Ya.
I've been talking about it to everyone I know for two days.
Boston, MA 9 East St. 617.654.9900
In Japanese, one meaning of "o ya" is "discovery". No website. No sign out front, just a little flag. No lights by the descreet wooden door. O Ya lives up to it's name. You either know where it is or you don't. Once you discover it, you're changed forever.
Inside is a very upscale Japanese Izakaya serving the possibly the most perfectly prepared Japanese dishes in the whole of the United States. The best Sake list in Boston hands down. The best Tonkatsu in the Western hemisphere. And an 8oz Wagyu fillet priced at $149.99 instead of $150 even, to help make you smile as you order what you think is perhaps the stupidest waste of money of your life.
You will be wrong.
If you love steak, one bite and you won't regret the price. It's that good.
Now I'm a "Kobe Beef" chaser. I've ordered it here and there and it's never the real thing and it's kind of too fatty and it's not prepared with love and blah blah blah. It's always a bad choice. Not here.
There are only 3 places in the U.S. you can get this meat. French Laundry, the other is another Thomas Keller place, and the last is O Ya.
My world melted. I took the first bite and just started laughing. I laughed right into the second bite. Then I held my head in my hands. I had found the Holy Grail of Beef.
I almost cried.
Add to that the sea urchin, the chicken yakitori, the hamachi taretare, the shitake and chanterelle plate, the tonkatsu, the smoked Wagyu sashimi, a couple of glasses of sake, a couple of glasses of white wine for my dining companion, and two desserts and you get one of the best meals I've ever had anywhere in the world at any time. And also, the most expensive at $420.00. Beating my old record set at Bouchon in Las Vegas of $350 for a 6 person brunch.
If it's a special occasion, go to Il Panini.
If it's a really special occasion, go to Teatro.
If it's a meal you want to remember for the rest of your life, go to O Ya.
I've been talking about it to everyone I know for two days.
VIA VENETO
3009 Main St. Santa Monica, CA +1 310 399 1843
The best Italian food I've had in LA. Period. It ain't cheap. But it's good. As good as any Italian restaurant in NY or Boston's famous North End. If you have a moral problem with eating baby animals, the pounded, bone-in, veal chop mileanese at Via Veneto will solve it for you.
Usually I steer away from veal. It's very easy to mess up. Cut it too thick. It's over. Cook it too long. It's over. It's not easy to find a place that does veal right. That's what Italian Aunts are for. But at Via Veneto it is quite simply one of the best plates I've ever had in my life. Even better than the same dish at NYC's famed Da Silvano's.
My mouth is watering right now. I swear to God.
But it's not just the veal that's good. The longistinos are fantastic. The pasta is always perfectly textured. And they have a great wine list.
Call ahead. It's small. If you have a large party, ask for the table upstairs. It's a great table on a wine loft. So fun.
3009 Main St. Santa Monica, CA +1 310 399 1843
The best Italian food I've had in LA. Period. It ain't cheap. But it's good. As good as any Italian restaurant in NY or Boston's famous North End. If you have a moral problem with eating baby animals, the pounded, bone-in, veal chop mileanese at Via Veneto will solve it for you.
Usually I steer away from veal. It's very easy to mess up. Cut it too thick. It's over. Cook it too long. It's over. It's not easy to find a place that does veal right. That's what Italian Aunts are for. But at Via Veneto it is quite simply one of the best plates I've ever had in my life. Even better than the same dish at NYC's famed Da Silvano's.
My mouth is watering right now. I swear to God.
But it's not just the veal that's good. The longistinos are fantastic. The pasta is always perfectly textured. And they have a great wine list.
Call ahead. It's small. If you have a large party, ask for the table upstairs. It's a great table on a wine loft. So fun.
HAMASAKU
Santa Monica, California www.hamasakula.com
The owner's name is Toshi, and had he opened this restaurant in Japan, he would have been arrested and shot for treason.
It is so creative and it pushes the boundaries of "Japanse sushi" so far out there, that it flies totally counter to the Japanese ethos that the nail which sticks out gets hammered down. So innovative it's offensive. A cultural insult. Morally wrong in every way but one: It's delicious.
Liberal use of soy paper for those who don't like kelp. A "cheeseburger roll" which is a hand held tuna roll that somehow tastes exactly like a cheeseburger. And a myriad of other unexpected ingredients will make the hardest choice on the menu, what NOT to order. It all looks good.
Probably a good idea to call ahead. I've never been turned away for wearing sneakers or whatever. Expect to walk away at about $120 for two people with a glass or two of sake or wine.
Santa Monica, California www.hamasakula.com
The owner's name is Toshi, and had he opened this restaurant in Japan, he would have been arrested and shot for treason.
It is so creative and it pushes the boundaries of "Japanse sushi" so far out there, that it flies totally counter to the Japanese ethos that the nail which sticks out gets hammered down. So innovative it's offensive. A cultural insult. Morally wrong in every way but one: It's delicious.
Liberal use of soy paper for those who don't like kelp. A "cheeseburger roll" which is a hand held tuna roll that somehow tastes exactly like a cheeseburger. And a myriad of other unexpected ingredients will make the hardest choice on the menu, what NOT to order. It all looks good.
Probably a good idea to call ahead. I've never been turned away for wearing sneakers or whatever. Expect to walk away at about $120 for two people with a glass or two of sake or wine.
WHO IS THE GOLDEN TONGUE?
Shane Hutton is the tongue. Mr. Hutton is a Creative Director of independent advertising agency Modernista! Mr. Hutton travels extensively and has logged many hours in some of the world’s finest restaurants.
Ashamedly, on the road, one sumptuous, luxurious meal tends to blend in to another, and before you know it, you become spoiled. Jaded. Apathetic. And indifferent. Soon it’s all to common that you find yourself pushing away steak frites while openly dreaming of a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
But every once in a while, a meal jumps out of the background and wakes you up. Every once in a while, you experience something that becomes a private tradition. A meal that literally has you salivating on the plane as you approach the runway of the city that houses the restaurant where that meal can be found. These are places you return to. Over and over again. Each time praying that they have not become too crowded. Too arrogant. Too experimental. Or wost of all, haven’t gone out of business altogether.
These are places you will find on this site. Some are expensive. Some are dirt cheap. And none of them, in the opinion of one, can be missed.
Mr. Hutton is not paid by any of the restaurants he writes about. In fact, most probably don’t even know he writes about them at all. He is however, always happy when his patronage is appreciated with a gesture.
May this website serve you well.
Shane Hutton is the tongue. Mr. Hutton is a Creative Director of independent advertising agency Modernista! Mr. Hutton travels extensively and has logged many hours in some of the world’s finest restaurants.
Ashamedly, on the road, one sumptuous, luxurious meal tends to blend in to another, and before you know it, you become spoiled. Jaded. Apathetic. And indifferent. Soon it’s all to common that you find yourself pushing away steak frites while openly dreaming of a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
But every once in a while, a meal jumps out of the background and wakes you up. Every once in a while, you experience something that becomes a private tradition. A meal that literally has you salivating on the plane as you approach the runway of the city that houses the restaurant where that meal can be found. These are places you return to. Over and over again. Each time praying that they have not become too crowded. Too arrogant. Too experimental. Or wost of all, haven’t gone out of business altogether.
These are places you will find on this site. Some are expensive. Some are dirt cheap. And none of them, in the opinion of one, can be missed.
Mr. Hutton is not paid by any of the restaurants he writes about. In fact, most probably don’t even know he writes about them at all. He is however, always happy when his patronage is appreciated with a gesture.
May this website serve you well.
