My Favorite Restaurants of 2018

December 31, 2018

This is by no means a full list, so I apologize if I’ve left anything off. In retrospect, it was a truly fantastic year of eating and I’m so lucky to get to share my thoughts with you! Please feel free to let me know what you think!

Los Angeles:

Dialogue: This is the best fine dining restaurant in Los Angeles. 18 seats and an ever-evolving menu make this my favorite place to be when I have 3 hours and the desire to be challenged and comforted all at once. Full disclosure: I went here 5 times this year. I have a problem.

Orsa & Winston: I’ve loved O&W for a few years now and it has consistently been a favorite of ours for romantic dates and even big festive occasions. The brunch is also incredible with fresh matcha croissants, satsuki rice porridge, and katsu sandos. The best.

P.Y.T.: Another child of Chef Josef Centeno, this vegetables forward restaurant has one of my favorite dishes in the city. Hand torn pasta with poblano cream. The rice pudding dessert is also completely insane.

Aburiya Raku: Great chicken on skewers, done perfectly, and other dishes like cold soba and stone-cooked wagyu, but my favorites here are the sashimi plates, the ikura bowls, and the tofu, which is phenomenal.

Bestia: It’s been here forever. It’s always good. I love their pastas and I love their chicken gizzards and endive. Also get the tonnato.

Majordomo: I love the giant format dishes here, from pork shoulder to short rib. The spicy lamb bing is fantastic as is the baked cod, the steak with pickled onion rings, and the very worthwhile kakigori desserts.

Park’s BBQ: Just get one of everything, but always get a kimchi pancake. My God.

Jon and Vinny’s: What’s not to love? The spicy fusilli is a classic and the meatballs with ricotta are an appetizer I would happily eat twice a day.

Petit Trois (Valley): I’ve always like Petit Trois but the original location was just too cramped for me. Now, I can spread out and have a Boursin-stuffed omelet and then crawl right back into bed. The steak and eggs are also a great way to stuff 1,000 calories into your morning and still make it feel worthwhile.

Broken Spanish: Refried lentils have always been the highlight of this place to me, but I can’t leave without the tostadas, which change regularly and always pack a nice punch.

Night + Market: CRISPY. RICE. SALAD. Also, the pastrami Pad Kee Mow which has been a special for a while really makes me very happy.

New York:

Momofuku Ko: (Bar) I love Ko but I also was really happy to see their new addition, which included a la carte dining, some really incredible sausages, sourdough crepes, and an unbelievably delicious steak.

Peking Duck House: Nuff said.

Una Pizza Napoletana: Marc and Pam Murphy took us here one night and we each had 1.25 pizzas (after dinner). It’s all just so very good.

Blackseed Bagels: These are my favorite bagels. They’re dense and slightly sweet and there’s a sandwich with beetroot gravlax, horseradish cream cheese, and I dare you to not order a second one.

Aska: I think this may be one of the better fine dining restaurants in America, and for me, one of the only New Nordic meals I’ve had outside of Scandinavia that really felt magical. The bread, the squab, the caviar and onion dish, and the pig’s blood pancake really warm my heart.

Sushi Noz: Is this amazing? Yes. Is it expensive? Very. And while I feel it is a little too much of an “homage” to other sushi shops in Tokyo, it is really the closest thing you can get to eating in Ginza without crossing the Pacific.

San Francisco:

Benu: This place just continues to improve. The thousand year quail egg will forever be one of my favorite dishes in the city. I always leave wanting more.

Saison: No matter how many times I eat here I always want more Uni on Liquid Toast. I can’t think of a more impressive mouthful.

East Ocean Seafood: It’s a 40 minute drive from the city, but it’s worth it. From the har gown to the char siu bao to everything else, this is just a great place to dim sum. Go early or the line is a nightmare.

The Mill: Good bread with cream cheese and jam can never go wrong.

Copenhagen, Denmark:

Noma 2.0 (Seafood Season): What can I say that hasn’t already been said? This is the world’s test kitchen, pushing boundaries while always delivering the most elegant and wondrous vibe. I wish I could visit more often.

Baest: Sorry, everyone else, this is the best pizza in the world. Here’s a perfect order: pickled mussels, garlic bread, 1 pizza per person, and end with the tiramisu. Doesn’t get better, or fresher, than this.

Sanchez: The tacos and tostadas are amazing and the desserts are some of the best I’ve ever had. Also I just love the vibe. Sit at the counter if you can and watch it all go down. Molly and I loved this place so much we ate here two days in a row last trip.

Manfred’s: I dream about the tartare at Manfred’s on a daily basis. Everything here is good, but the tartare is world class, unmatched perfection.

Geist: Fun, beautiful, delicious dishes in a very lively environment and in the most convenient part of town if you want to wander the bridges or go to the theater after. The avocado wafer is the best known dish, but the enoki mushrooms and the peas are the things I remember most

Gasoline Grill: A good, good, good, filling burger. No bullshit.

Tokyo, Japan:

Sushi Yoshitake: To me this is the world’s best restaurant. Yoshitake is someone I consider a friend, but that came long after my respect for his work. I dream about this place and I try to go, at the very least, once a year. His abalone liver sauce has been imitated all over the world but never duplicated. I love this.

Moritaya: This is maybe Molly’s favorite restaurant in Japan. Really great and rich sukiyaki with an unbelievable view. You can even see Mount Fuji as you dine if it’s a clear day.

Ishigaki Yoshida: This is the most indulgent restaurant I visited this year. White truffles, A5 wagyu, caviar, and crab turn this meal into an event. It’s very much a special occasion place.

Rokurinsha: The one in Tokyo station is my favorite but you can also get their tsukemen at the store in Haneda airport on your way out. Thick thick broth and perfectly chewy thick noodles make this my favorite morning ramen stop.

Yakitori-Tei Ginza: This is an upscale yakitori spot but really a fun intro to all the different parts of the chicken you can eat, from oyster to skin to thigh to throat!

L’Effervescence: I love the vibe. I love the soundtrack (Counting Crows!). And I love the fish and the slow cooked radish.

Takumi Shingo: This was by far the most innovative and wild sushi dinner I ever had. We had 30+ pieces of nigiri before we finally relented, but we had fish we had never even heard of before. This place is totally impossible to find, so make sure someone who you know takes you.

Savoy Pizza: My second favorite pizza in the world is here. There are only about 10 seats, but from the moment you walk in and order a pizza, it’s only ten minutes before a little ball of dough becomes a thin and crispy Neapolitan style pizza.

Niseko, Japan:

Niseko Cheese Tarte: It’s a stand on the side of the road that just serves cheese tartes. Its fucking perfect.

Zaborin Ryokan: I’m honestly not sure if you can eat there unless you’re staying, but this ryokan serves classic kaiseki and somehow makes it different every single night, I had some of the most beautiful dishes of my life there.

A-Bu-Cha 2: After coming in from the cold, what could be better than a bowl of steaming hot rice and just a huge tray of uni? Nothing.

Kyoto, Japan

Kappo Sakamoto: This small kappo restaurant in Gion has a Michelin star but should have three. Six seats are at the counter and there are two small tables behind, and the intimacy extends beyond the seating arrangement and goes into each dish, which is handcrafted right before your eyes. The Yuba skin dish haunts me. I must go back soon.

Hatakaku: In the winter, this place does one dish: Wild Boar Hot Pot. Mushrooms and onions and rice balls and miso go into a bubbling broth over burning coal in the center of a room and for about eighty minutes you just keep eating until you fall over.

Nakamura: This place only has six seats and the chef does everything. The meal starts with chicken sashimi, which I know is scary to some, and slowly works through many variations of chicken, but this place feels more like a hip church than anything else. I’m not even sure how to tell you to get there, but maybe someone in Kyoto can help you. (this is NOT the 3* place by the same name

Seoul, South Korea:

Full disclosure, I had so many great meals in Korea but did a terrible job of remembering or writing down their names. Maybe Peter Merelis can help me put something together for S. Korea in the near future, BUT…

Jangin Dakgalbi: Hot and spicy chicken, served with a thick layer on mozzarella cheese. Sounds weird? It is. It’s also one of my favorite dishes I had this year. And it’s cheap and fast.

Mosu: After leaving San Francisco, I was happy to revisit some of the old dishes in a beautiful new space, as well as sampling some new dishes. An abalone taco was a real highlight for me here, but in honesty the whole experience was just remarkably homey and pleasant, a rarity in fine dining.

Four Seasons Patisserie: Get the bingsu. It’s good. Trust me.

Mos Burger, Incheon Airport: I just don’t love fast food burgers, but for some reason, this one really understood me.

Singapore:

Tim Ho Wan: Yes, I know it’s a chain and it’s growing out of control, but I still think their pork buns are the second best I’ve ever had (after Lung King Heen in Hong Kong), and their radish cakes, Sichuan wontons, and abalone mushrooms are all some of my favorite casual daytime dishes. I’ve literally eaten here three times in a day.

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle: This is a 1 Michelin starred pork noodle shop. The line is long, but it’s worth it because the flavors here are just so unique.

Tambua Mas: This Indonesian restaurant has delicious gado gado and some of the best otak otak I’ve ever had. Service was fast and the tumis udang (sauteed prawns!) was my favorite. The beef rendang here was also wildly rich and hearty.

Tian Tian Chicken Rice: Is this a tourist trap? Absolutely. It’s also really really fucking good. The chicken is moist and tender, but most importantly, the rice itself was just so flavorful. It’s totally changed the way I think about the possibilities of rice and for that I am grateful.

A Noodle Story:

Taste Paradise: All the classics are here and for me this place is such a great restaurant to just get all the classics. The Peking duck is great, along with the fish maw soup, swallows’ nest soup, abalone in XO sauce, and pretty much everything else. Oh, and the honey glazed pork is filthy addictive.

Jb Ah Meng: This casual walk-in restaurant is known for its white pepper crab and chili clams, both of which are really really delicious, but the lightly fried pork and the noodle pancake are the things that dreams are made of.

Molly's Beautiful Baby Buttermilk Pie

December 25, 2018

I wish I could tell you that this buttermilk pie recipe was passed down by my great, great grandmother, but it actually comes from a restaurant, “Lou’s Country Inn,” that my maternal grandmother loved to go to in the 1960’s.
My grandmother loved everything they made, especially their buttermilk pie, so when they put out a cook book she bought one immediately.
Turning to the dessert section my grandmother discovered that for Lou and Becky the buttermilk pie recipe wasn’t a family legacy either!
According to Lou, she and Becky wished one of them could claim it was her great, great grandmother’s recipe, but the truth was that Becky had originally found the recipe on the side of a buttermilk carton.
Over the years I’ve made some slight changes that I’ll include for y’all. Enjoy!

Kitchen equipment you need:

A 9 inch pie pan

An electric hand mixer

Here’s what you need for the crust:

1 cup all purpose flour
2 pinches of salt
Dusting of sugar
Sprinkle of cinnamon
1/3 cup Crisco vegetable shortening
4-6 tbsp. ice water (I usually use all 6. it’s good to stay hydrated)

Here’s how to make the crust:
I’m going to start with the crust recipe, for two reasons:
Obviously, you have to have a crust to pour the custard into, AND I think the secret to this pie turning out so mouthwatering is that it comes in a homemade crust.

Don’t be scared, it’s very easy. (First, pre-heat your oven to 375F)
Now that that’s done, mix the flour and salt together in a medium size bowl. This is where I also included a light dusting of sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Cut the Crisco into the flour mixture with a fork, then sprinkle with your ice water. You want everything to incorporate and to have a very slight glisten. This is a dough that I like to over incorporate, so don’t be afraid you’re touching it too much. This is a tough Texas pastry crust.
Put your pastry dough on the flat side of a cutting board and roll it out. The color will be beige with spots of white, it won’t be all one color!
I am hardly ever able to roll out one perfect sheet of crust to place in my pie dish. I usually make one good piece, then piecemeal the rest together. You can’t tell the difference when it comes out of the oven. When you’re done, the dough should come up all the way to the lip of your pie dish.
Now, just let that beautiful baby rest while you make the filling.
Here’s what you need to make the filling:

1 stick melted salted butter
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
2 cap fulls of vanilla
Cinnamon

Here’s how to make the filling:
Reuse the same bowl! Have an electric hand mixer ready. You can just use a big wooden spoon, but I really like to make sure the sugar gets fully incorporated.
Melt that butter!
Mix the sugar, flour, and salt together. Remember that melted butter? Pour that puppy all over your dry ingredients and stir it up. Add the eggs, vanilla, and BUTTERMILK, and mix well. You want this smooth and a pretty canary yellow color.
Pour your beautiful mixture into your adorable pie crust. The buttermilk mixture will reach dangerously close to the top of your dish! Don’t let it overflow, but don’t quit too soon. Get it close to the brim.
Lightly sprinkle cinnamon over the top of your pie and then insert a spoon into the center of the filling, slowly making larger and larger circles until you reach the outside edge. This will give it a pretty swirling effect.
Open your oven, still pre-heated to 375, and gently place your pretty pie on the center rack.
Blow it a kiss and shut the oven. Set a timer for one hour.
At one hour, to check if your pie is done, insert a toothpick into the middle. The toothpick should come out clean. If it doesn’t come out smooth and clean, give it another 10 minutes.

Let the pie cool for an hour or so and then eat it voraciously, leaving none behind for anyone else.

Park City, Utah

December 21, 2018

Last week, Molly and I took a short trip to Park City, Utah to visit a few friends, ski a bit, work on a secret project (shh), and of course, eat!

The last time I spent a good amount of time in Park City was quite a while back and the food scene seems to have changed a bit. In my admittedly limited experience, it seems that Park City has taken a step away from comfort food and a step towards farm-to-table and “California cuisine.”

That’s a good thing for those who like dining diversity, but with a gentle caveat. On the one hand, Park City is in no danger of running short of comfort food. Chili, burgers, soups, and the like aren’t going anywhere (though the weather really made me want a shepherd’s pie, and I didn’t see one!), but the Californication of some restaurants will continue to add the variety every relatively small city craves.

The only downside is that these beet salads, assorted chutneys, and charcuterie boards tend to either skew too rote (see store-bought manchego and packaged salami) or too out there (I saw grapefruit slices on at least 6 different dishes). These things take time though, and if I had to guess, the food will continue to improve and I look forward to that, as I’ll be back very soon.

Our favorite restaurant we ate at on this trip was called Tupelo. As you walk in for brunch, you see a Bloody Mary bar, which is fun and interactive. Even though I don’t drink I ordered a Bloody and made my way over to fill my overflowing glass with pickled carrots, radishes, and a scotch bonnet sauce. Delicious. The waitress (who was awesome) STRONGLY recommended the elk burger and I love to take bold recommendations. She was 100% right as the burger was flavorful and most importantly, a perfect medium rare. The other standouts were the sourdough French toast and MOST IMPORTANTLY the biscuits with honey butter. Order two of those or you’ll end up biting off the hand of whoever grabs the last one.

Some other notable meals:

Riverhorse: This is the restaurant everyone tells you to go to, and they’re not wrong. The strong standout here was the filet, which was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The elk was also very good, but (and I admit some bias here), I just don’t understand why people put fruity compotes on gamey meat. I love the taste of game and order it for that reason. A simple scrape sending the sauce aside did the job though, and I was able to quickly resume my enjoyment. Some other highlights here: the blueberry cobbler is insanely good, the service is EXCELLENT, the fellow playing cover songs on a guitar in the corner is actually super talented, and they have a diverse and thoughtful vegetarian menu. I really think they take alternative diners into consideration rather than making them an afterthought and I really appreciate that even as someone with no particular dietary restrictions.

Goldener Hirsch: Though it is modeled after a hotel in Salzburg, Austria (birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart!) this place reminds me of every small hotel I’ve ever seen in Switzerland. Antlers everywhere and a crackling fireplace make this upscale eatery cozy and warm. The baffling thing about this restaurant is how well-executed some of the more difficult dishes were, but some of the simpler ones felt completely phoned in. The elk steak here was perfect (Though again with the fruits jams! Knock it off, everyone!) as was the duck (Also mysteriously and unnecessarily draped in citrus supremes), but the schnitzel was disastrous and the sides and fondue all felt hastily hodge-podged together. Get a hearty cut of meat and you’ll be satisfied. The dessert program is being overhauled and seems promising, but if you dine here, please give them honest feedback, as they are very close to excellence.

Handle: I love the vibe of this place. It’s open and airy without being loud and (again even though I don’t drink) the drink menu was extensive and seemed fantastic. There were hits and misses in the usual amount. The 25oz “baller steak” was perfectly cooked and served with addictive duck fat potatoes. The lamb shank, however, was delicious but the accompanying lentils and red pepper chutney, well, they just made no sense. Oysters were fresh and bright but needed a mignonette or something (though I applaud the charred lemon they provided for acid!) and the cheese and charcuterie board was fun and a crowd-pleaser but for the love of God lose the manchego!). The apple pie was a pitch perfect dessert with a smear of roasted marshmallow for added richness and depth! I shall return!

Places on the list for next time:

The Eating Establishment

High West

Yuki Yama

Five5eeds

Recipe - Sagey Baby Chicken Soup

December 12, 2018

This soup was named by Molly, who, upon tasting this soup said, “It’s so good, and it’s so sagey, baby.” She was correct. Anyway, it’s cold outside and you need this soup in your life.

Here’s what you need:

4 skin-on chicken breasts

8 chicken drumsticks

1 whole leek

1 bunch of green onions

1 large sweet brown onion (white is fine if that’s all you have)

6 carrots

4 parsnips (only if you’re bored and love parsnips)

4 stalks of celery

1 large handful of parsley

1 large handful of cilantro

1 small palmful of oregano leaves

8 sage leaves

1 bay leaf

1 shitload of garlic

1/2 a lemon, delicately juiced

20+ tiny potatoes

Lots of salt

Lots of pepper

Olive Oil

Apple Cider Vinegar

64-96oz of chicken stock (or double stock or chicken “bone broth” or whatever honestly it’s fine just figure it out)

Also, have a big bowl handy

1 large pot to make soup in. Make sure you have this or else the rest of this is pointless. I used a big Le Creuset 7.5qt Dutch Oven, but you can make it in anything, as long as it’s big

Here’s how to make it:

Wash and trim your vegetables. Listen to me. Do this first. Just take 10 minutes and peel your carrots and parsnips, wash all your herbs, scrub your potatoes, and peel your garlic. Some people like to do this as they go. That is wrong. Don’t do that. Just focus on prep and then the rest is a breeze.
Cut your carrots and parsnips and leek into rounds and your celery into tiny c’s (for celery) and finely dice your sweet onion. Coarsely chop your garlic and herbs. Keep it coarse, baby. This shit is rustic. Don’t be fancy.
Heat up your pot over medium heat and throw in some good olive oil. Lay the chicken breasts in there, skin side down and surround them with the drumsticks. Leave it there for a few minutes until the skin starts to brown. Add salt and pepper to the side that is facing up and then flip. Cover and wait about 5 minutes, so the chicken is just barely cooked through.
Take out the big bowl I told you about and use tongs to remove all the chicken from the pot. Let the browned bits on the bottom of the pot stay there. Set the chicken aside to cool down
With the heat still on, add in the chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Add a little more olive oil and sauté all of this together for 8-10 minutes to get things a little softer.
Add in the parsnips, leeks, and green onion, as well as your entire shitload of garlic. Keep combining for about 5 more minutes AND THEN…
Add the broth or stock or combo or whatever you’re using. The temperature will drop, so now is a good time to bring it up to medium high and let it get back up to boiling.
Now, throw in a bay leaf, chop up 4 sage leaves, half of your oregano, half of your parsley, and half of your cilantro. Stir it all up, add a bit of salt (unless your broth is super salty, in which case, don’t), and let the heat rise.
As you’re waiting for it to boil, go back towards your chicken. Remove the skin and chop up all the meat, coarsely (no fancy shit), into bite-size pieces. Once you’re ready, add the meat back into the pot and one again, bring the soup up to a boil.
Add in about 2 tablespoons (4 splashes?) of Apple Cider Vinegar.
Add in all of your potatoes.
Once the boiling is happening, drop the heat to a simmer. Partially cover it and let this just cook down for an hour or two (taste it occasionally to make sure the salt level is right. Adjust as needed by adding more salt. If it’s too salty, add a little water).
Do the dishes. Clean this place up. By the time the soup is ready, the kitchen should be spotless. All that should be left on the counter is a small cutting board where half your oregano, half your sage, half your parsley, half your cilantro, and half a lemon are waiting.
Now, kill the heat, juice half a lemon into the soup, and then add in the rest of your waiting herbs. Stir it all up and serve it. Give people a side of bread. Something nice like a sourdough or a rye or a nice piece of challah.
Blow on the soup while it’s in your spoon. Some people say this is a display of bad manners, but I think it’s very cool and very legal.

Enjoy the soup, sagey babies

Welcome to The Food Of Elan

December 9, 2018

For the past five years or so, I have spent almost all of my free time obsessing over food. I obsess over the foods I’ve eaten and the foods I’ve yet to eat. When I wake up I like to think about breakfast, and while I am eating breakfast I like to think about lunch. As I’m deciding what to eat for lunch, I’m already thinking about dinner. And while I eat dinner I like to think about what I’m eating for dinner tomorrow.

I think a lot of people are like me. For me, food has always helped drown out the noise. When I get home after a long day and my mind is racing, the simple act of chopping an onion helps me focus on what’s in front of me, instead of the voices in my head.

When I take a bite of something I love, my eyes close, my shoulders drop, and I look ridiculous, as I drift away from my troubles and into flavor, my cavern of bliss.

As a kid, I always liked food, and I always had a problematic relationship with food. I always ate too fast and too much.

This subsided a bit when I fell in love (or lust, I suppose) with alcohol. For those of you that know me, you know that this love affair lasted for a while. It was something of an open relationship, and I still had time to be a gluttonous food-consuming trash-disposalesque monster, but the whole thing was physically, financially, and emotionally untenable.

And then, exactly four and a half years ago, I broke up with alcohol permanently.

I stopped drinking, but I never stopped being an addict. And all of that energy, all of that want, all of that unbridled, unquenchable, unsatiable (I know that’s not the word but I like the alliteration), had nowhere to go…

Until food.

Food brings me joy even in moments when nothing else can. And food, because it is such a fundamental part of being a human, has connected me to so many people and so many corners of the world, that I think it’s fair to say it’s the most important thing in my life (family, friends, etc. excluded, but to be honest, just barely).

I find myself talking about food all the time. Restaurants and recipes. How to brine pork. Where to eat on Christmas in Kyoto. The best food city in the world. How and why to make fresh pasta at home. Why it’s so important to wash your produce at home. How truffle oil is fucking garbage. Why potato starch has changed my life. I learn so much from friends and strangers alike. So I decided to start up this blog in earnest, with the hopes that I will learn more, connect with more people, and have a home where I can share the things I love with people whom I hope love them as well.

Here, I will be doing all sorts of things.

I will occasionally post recipes that Molly (my girlfriend) and I come up with at home
I will write short travel guides to cities I love (Tokyo, Copenhagen, Los Angeles) and more, since so many people ask me about my favorite places to go
I will share opinions about restaurants and stores and even occasionally products (donabes and sous vide I’m looking at you)
I will NOT be shitting all over restaurants I don’t like

Some quick things to know about me, in case this is your first time reading something I write:

I am just a regular person in the food world. I am not a chef. I am not a critic. I am not an expert in travel, food, hospitality, or really much of anything else. I understand how very hard it is to work in the field of food, so I approach everything from a place of awe rather than from one of thinking I know better. The other thing about food is that there is no “right way to do things” (almost always). Me not liking something does not necessarily mean it is not good. And me loving something doesn’t necessarily mean it is. I don’t want to be right. I just want to talk about it.

I am a food enthusiast.

I’m also brand new at this, so your feedback is wanted and welcomed. If you have ideas or requests, let me know, and I’ll do my best to satisfy your desires. If you think I’m wrong about something, there’s a good chance that I am, so that’s not really an amazing discovery you’ve made. I am here to have a good time with you. Let’s do it.

Hungrily yours,

Elan