DJH's Journal

I like to go to new restaurants. And I've written my fair share of reviews of said places (usually snarky comments about rude waitstaff and over-creative menus). So I thought it was time to write another restaurant review...however given that we're in a recession and all, this time I'll be reviewing one of my old favorites...err, my wife's cooking.

A NEW TWIST ON AN OLD CLASSIC

Last night, I had the pleasure of dining at (err, my house). The dining room is loud and boisterous (yes, my children), but lends an authentic Mediterranean air of sophistication and 'real' cooking behind the large front counter. The tables were nice, if sparsely, decorated, with small candles and a pre-opened bottle of Pinot (how did they know what I like?) which was airing out nicely. I was promptly seated and I looked forward to the meal.

This establishment doesn't offer a menu - instead,  management (my wife) decides what's fresh and most prominently displayed at Whole Foods and usually plans out the entire menu in the mid-morning.  Diners at this restaurant must understand that the somewhat hard-headed chef will not share that night's menu, and you must arrive with the understanding that what's ever in front of you is expected to be eaten. It can be unnerving and a bit off-putting, but even I, with my limited and very finicky tastes, have never run into a serious conundrum.

The waitstaff (err, me, my wife's mom and my wife) seemed genuinely knowledgeable about the meal (err, except me) and produced the meal in a timely, family-style (what a suprise! manner. The chef isn't classically trained, having grown up in the lush ricefields of the Philippines and then thrown into the hardscrabble LA dining associated with CPK and that hamburger shack near Cheviot Hills. Italian is a reach for the chef, and yet she pulls it off with elegance and grace. Her Fusili Pasta with Pink Sauce and Sausages is thick in all the right places, with the perfect ratio of meat to pasta and a thick aroma. Paired with the pinot, it's a perfect main course for an early-fall meal. Now, in traditional Italy, the salad is served after the main course, so the pasta was followed up with an interesting bit of small greens (who's name i forget) sprinkled with olive oil, and, in my opinion, a bit too much salt. I complained to management, who expressed a reasonable amount of concern but did not offer to replace my salad with another post-entree. Hrmph.

As for cost, I must say - this place is a bargain. OK, well, there wasn't actually a check.

I highly recommend this establishment; it's been under the radar for far too long, and I think the chef is really hitting her prime as she mixes up a combination of time-tested recipies (penne pink sauce, baked ziti, asian chicken, curry, marinated steaks, 'bricked' chicken) with daring new inventions. I'll be back.