10 Course Degustation @ Kitchen 1540, Del Mar

When I think of San Diego, I think of my quick weekend girls trips in college to the lively Gaslamp District, beers in the casual beach town bars or the awesome surf that lines the Pacific Coast. I've never really been exposed to the swanky, effluent part of SD that many speak of. So I was excited to make the drive down south over the weekend when I was fortunate enough to be invited to a dinner that Kevineats was organizing- a 10 course Tasting Menu with wine pairing at Kitchen 1540 in Del Mar, California.

The restaurant is located in the L’ Auberge Del Mar Hotel that underwent a $26 million renovation two years ago. The hotel is exactly the type of place I’d love to stay at. Unfortunately I didn't. I guess Marriott Points don’t work here. The ocean-front hotel is luxurious, yet still retains somewhat of a cottage charm.

The dining room of Kitchen 1540 is stark white and elegant.

In contrast, the outside patio, where we were seated, seemed classy yet trendy with large trees, a fire pit and cabana seating that is reminiscent of a chic Miami hotel where Jay-Z would party at.

And don’t be fooled. Kitchen 1540 isn't that hotel restaurant. You won’t find mediocre and dated culinary fare or breakfast buffets. The menu is modern and exciting, and the kitchen utilizes fresh and seasonal ingredients. Chef Paul McCabe has won numerous awards including a James Beard. You can read more about the restaurant, chef and menu at Kevineat's very extensive blog.

Chef McCabe presented a Tasting Menu tailored for Kevin and his guests.

Classic Mojito to start.

The bread selection included olive, french baguette and foccacia with grape and rosemary which is made in-house.

Amuse Bouche: Chicken liver Pate, Granulated Honey, Crows Pass Farm Apples

Lovely presentation. The creamy liver pate paired with an apple gelee and little bits of apple was an excellent first bite. That definitely engaged the palate and left me wanting more.

1st: Hiramasa Crudo, Compressed Pear, Mint, Jalapeno, Corn nuts
Kono Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough 2009

The yellowtail was fresh although could have been cut more precisely. The corn nuts added crunch and salt to the dish. I also liked the heat from the jalapeno.

2nd: Seared Scallop, Popcorn Puree, Salted Caramel, Candied Almonds, Nasturtium
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2007

I enjoyed this dish which was a nice combination of savory and sweet. The scallop was cooked well and was richen by the creamy popcorn sauce. The dish was plated with popcorn cooked in liquid nitrogen.

Additional Course: Bison Tartare with smoked bacon sabayon, brioche and chive

Another standout dish. This wasn't on the Tasting Menu so it was a pleasant surprise. The Bison was made from North Dakota loin and you could tell that it was fresh as it melt in your mouth. The tartare was also adequately seasoned. I love spreading anything on bread so I could have used a bit more brioche.

3rd: Farm House Salad, Raw Vegetables, Pistou Gelee, Black Garlic, Orange Blossom Vinaigrette
Karl Joh. Molitor Riesling Rheingau 2008

This was probably my least favorite dish because I’m don’t swoon over vegetables, let alone raw vegetables. But I did appreciate that this was probably the most labor intensive dish of the night as many components seemed to be cooked in liquid nitrogen. There were a lot of ingredients in this dish, of which I enjoyed the sun dried tomato puree, ground pumpernickel and asparagus most.

4th: Stone Seared Hudson Foie Gras, Tangerine Pop Rocks, Black Pepper Financier, Tangerine Reduction
Pacific Rim Riesling "Vin De Glacier" Columbia Valley 2007

This next dish was a crowd favorite. The foie gras was seared on a 400 degree hot stone for 30 seconds. This is obviously quite a task for food bloggers attempting to take photos within that 30 second period.

The sizzling foie gras smelled amazing. It was rich and topped with cracking pop rocks. I've also mentioned numerous times before that financiers are one of my favorite baked goods, and this piece was moist and really added a nice sweetness. The dish was also paired with a lovely syrupy Reisling.

Palate Cleanser: Myer Lemon Snow Cone

I thought this was fun and playful. The tart lemon ice was complimented with a light coating of sugar on the cone in the bowl.

5th: Baramundi, Celery Root, Manila Clams, Pancetta, Tabasco
Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanee Burgundy 2004

Kevin correctly guessed the interpretation of this dish – a deconstructed clam chowder. Who knew? The dish included house made pancetta, crispy potatoes, clams and tabasco gelee. My piece of fish was a touch overcooked and the skin was a bit soggy. But overall, I enjoyed the flavor combination and the very spicy kick from Tabasco gelee.

6th: Bison Tenderloin, Hash, Smoked Lobster Mushrooms, Coffee, Chocolate
Turley "Dragon Vineyard" Zinfandel Howell Mountain 2007

The tenderloin was seared with three types of salt and served with a coffee chocolate reduction. The hash and mushrooms were like a taste of home. That is, if your mom cooked such refined side dishes.

7th: Cheese, Crottin De Chavignol, Vintage Gouda, Roaring Forties
Delas Saint-Joseph "Francois de Tournon" Rhone 2005

You’ll have to refer to Kevin’s post for thoughts on this course because I don’t like cheese. In my defense, I did try a tiny bite of the 10 year aged goat cheese but it still didn't win me over. I did however finish every last piece of the sharp Gouda, as well as the salt crystals and apple slices on the plate.

The cheese course was served with additional bread.

8th: Caramel Apple, Crumbled Crust, Sour Cream Ice Cream
Broadbent 5 Year Old Reserve Madeira Portugal

To be honest, I wasn't too excited about this dessert when I first read it on the menu. I've never been a fan of caramel apple. But this is not your every day carnival fair. It’s smart and inventive. The dish resembled a lasagna with apple slices in between flexible caramel. I really liked the texture of the caramel. The apple lasagna was served with crushed caramel with prosciutto, and ice cream.

The Madeira, which was full bodied and sweet, was one of my favorite wines of the night.

9th: Chocolate tart, Orange Marshmallows, Carbonated Orange, Chocolate Gelato
Grahm's 30 Year Tawny Port Portugal



Our tasting rightfully ended with chocolate. The chocolate tart was indulgent, not overly sweet and topped with sea salt. I also liked the crust which was buttery and crumbly.

This concluded an excellent dining experience. I thought the dishes were well conceived and well executed. The dishes were refined and you could tell a lot of thought went into them. I was impressed with the presentation and inventiveness of some of the dishes such as the foie and caramel apple. I also liked the textural contrast in some of the dishes and the subtle use of “molecular gastronomy” techniques. The wine pairing was phenomenal, with the Rieslings and dessert wines topping my list. My only critique is the long lull between courses. Our meal lasted almost six hours.

It was a great opportunity for us Angelenos to experience the fine cuisine of San Diego. Often times, there are too many other dining options in LA, but once in a while, it’s worth the drive to SD, to experience an amazing meal which starts with liver pate, transitions to scallops, foie, bison tartare and ends with a decadent chocolate tart.

Hits: foie, liver pate, scallops, desserts, wine pairing
Misses: 120miles from the Westside
Rating: ****

Kitchen 1540
1540 Camino Del Mar
Del Mar, CA 92014
(858) 793-6460
www.laubergedelmar.com/kitchen1540

The perfect end to my San Diego trip was getting up the next morning for a surf at Swami's in Encinitas. With consistent waves, mellow surf crowd and a view like that, it was definitely tough to leave this paradise.

Tinto Tapas, Weho - authentic & unassuming

I really don't like eating a heavy meal too late in the evening. I don't like going to bed feeling uncomfortably full. So after getting out of a movie at 8.30pm, I really needed some food but not a full-on meal. Tapas are perfect for a night like this. Portions are small so you'll quench your hunger without committing to a large entree. So we made our way to Tinto Tapas on Santa Monica in West Hollywood. I've never been but my colleagues frequent the restaurant.

It's located on a street that's kind of dead and a bit gritty with a couple businesses and a nude bar a few steps away. But when you enter the restaurant, you really do feel transported into a Spainish establishment. It's dark, a bit goth with chandeliers, brick walls and bright red accents. Even the bartender has a Catalan accent. They also have live music on Thursdays.

Albarino Salneval 2008 and Rioja Ramón Bilbao 2005 to start.

Tapas are around $10 except for the cured meat. They have Ibérico (Black Footed Spanish Pig - 24 Month-Cured Ham) for $28 and the Ibérico de Bellota (Acorn Fed Only) for $42. I was tempted to order but maybe some other time. Apart from tapas, they also offer entrees such as paella, fish, lamb chops and arroz negro.

Tabla de Ibéricos - 4 kinds of regional Spanish cured meat: Chorizo, Catalana, Lomo Embuchado & Salchichón. Served w/olives, capers and garlic
I thought the cured meat was nothing special. Some of the meats seemed a bit sweated. I did enjoy the pickled garlic which had a strong vinegary taste.

Croquetas de Jamón - Authentic Spanish ham croquettes.

The croquettes were filled with bechamel and little chunks of jamon. The jamon added a distinct cured pork flavoring. I was afraid that the croquettes would be too heavy and creamy, but instead they were fluffy like mash potatoes.

Escalivada - Roasted eggplant, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes & garlic, seasoned w/ olive oil & Sherry vinegar. Served cold.
This reminded me of Italian antipasto. I'm not a bell pepper fan but it seemed to be stewed and rendered to a point that it lost most of its bitterness. It's good to see a vegetarian dish that is both substantial and flavorful.

Gambas al Ajillo - Shrimp sautéed in white wine w/ garlic, chili flakes & parsley
This was my favorite dish. The sauce really made this dish. It was rich, buttery and great to dip bread into. I also liked the slices of garlic and the heat from the chili flakes.

I liked the food at Tinto Tapas but I still prefer my favorite Westside tapas joint, Bar Pintxo. Tinto's dishes are more authentic yet simple while Pintxo's are more unique and exciting. Take for example, Pintxo's grilled octopus and potato salad, or pork belly with grilled peaches. With that said, Tinto Tapas is a great place to get the whole Spanish experience from the Spanish bartender, to the live Spanish music and the classic tapas. It would also be a great place for happy hour where tapas are priced at $5.

Hits: shrimp, ambiance
Misses: cured meat
Rating: **1/2

Tinto Tapas
7511 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood CA 90046
(323) 512-3095
http://www.tintotapas.com/

Lahaina Grill, Maui

Lahaina Grill is a popular fine dining restaurant in Maui that has won numerous local awards. It's been around for 20 years, yet its decor and location still feels contemporary. The restaurant is located in the quaint town of Lahaina, just off the busy Front Street that houses numerous bars, shops and restaurants. Their kitchen focuses on utilizing local and seasonal ingredients.

Our waiter brought by these purse hooks. I know it looks cheesy but I love it! There's nothing worse than placing your bag on the floor while it gets trampled on or gets gum stuck to the bottom.

We had our eye on the Chef's Tasting menu for $78 each which included a selection of signature appetizers, salads, either seafood or meat courses, and dessert.

Good to see that fresh handcrafted cocktails have made their way to Hawaiian restaurants.

Samurai (square one organic cucumber vodka, fresh cucumber, ginger, lime, basil, ginger ale)
Ginger Buddha Drop (Hangar One Citron vodka, fresh lemon juice, crystallized ginger)

Bread was warm and fresh. I liked the soft herb butter which they replaced every time they brought by another round of bread.

Ahi Tuna Poke with avocado and cucumber
This wasn't part of the tasting menu but we added it on. It's Hawaii, we gotta have tuna poke. The tuna was fresh but I thought the pieces were too large and cumbersome.

The Cake Walk - petite servings of maine lobster crab cake, pacific northwest white rock shrimp cake and seared ahi cake

I thought this was a great way to showcase various seafood cakes. The lobster and shrimp cake were my favorite because they were like little croquettes with a soft interior and deep fried on the outside.

Bufala tomato salad - olowalu tomatoes, bufala mozzarella, truffle oil, aged balsamic vinaigrette, alziari extra virgin olive oil with black kilauea sea salt
Organic golden and red beet salad - oven roasted hana baby beets, alziari extra virgin olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar from modena, candied pecans, toasted dalmatia fig
Caby romaine caesar salad - garlic-anchovy dressing, croutons, shaved parmesan reggiano cheese, white italian anchovies

The trio of salads was a nice light way to balance out the heavy meal. I especially love the whole anchovies in the caesar. Unfortunately, the plating just looked so cramped and amateur. The mozzarella was chalky and the beet salad was boring.

Land Platter
Certified angus beef filet mignon - 8 oz. certified angus center cut beef filet, potato wrapped prawn, herbed mashed potatoes, whole grain mustard port wine demi-glace
Kona coffee roasted mountain meadows rack of lamb - light coffee-cabernet demi-glace, herbed mashed potatoes
Kalua duck - confit of woodland farms all natural free range duck leg, thyme wild rice, plum wine reduction

I actually really liked all three meat courses. The duck was so soft that it seemed like it had been stewed for a long time. The filet and lamb were both cooked to perfection. I also liked the accompaniments which were tasty, although generic. My only criticism is that once again, the plating was messy. All the different sauces and reductions ended up mixing together so I was tasting flavors that didn't necessarily pair well with the meat. Doubt that was the intention of the kitchen.

Seafood Platter
Sautéed line caught local mahi-mahi - kula spinach, herbed mashed potatoes, gorgonzola, pancetta and chardonnay beurre blanc
Maui onion and sesame seed crusted seared ahi - fresh local ahi steak, vanilla bean jasmine rice, apple cider-soy butter vinaigrette
Tequila shrimp and firecracker rice - pacific northwest shrimp, southwestern herbs and spices, tequila butter

I thought the seafood was also cooked well -none of the fish or shrimp were overcooked. This was also a great way to showcase the local fresh products. But as you will notice, the sauces were amalgamating.

The Tasting Menu ended with a dessert sampler. Unfortunately we were stuffed by then and were rushing to catch the shuttle back to the hotel, so we requested for our desserts to be packed to-go.

Triple berry pie - combination of raspberries, blueberries and black currants nestled in a light flaky crust set on whipped cream
Road to hana, maui - layers of Hawaiian vintage chocolate cake, chocolate sour cream mousse and macadamia nut caramel

This was definitely not a cheap meal by any means, most meals in Hawaii aren't. Appetizers were around $20 and entrees were in the $40s. But I do think that if you are going to commit to it, the Chef's Tasting Menu is the way to go. We were able to get a taste of so many dishes. I really enjoyed the cakewalk and the entree platters. I inhaled my entree, but that could have been because I only had breakfast all day and surfed a good 3 hours and went for a run. I thought the food was tasty and cooked well, but I probably wouldn't compare it to most good LA restaurants at the same price point. I also thought the presentation was messy, with multiple sauces mixing on the place. But overall, a decent dinner and a good taste of the island.

Hits: Chef's tasting, meat course
Misses: pricey
Rating: ***

Lahaina Grill
127 Lahainaluna Rd.,
Lahaina, Hawaii 96761
(808) 667-5117
http://www.lahainagrill.com/

Old Lahaina Luau- where you can OD on Hawaiian fare

There were only two things I had to check off my list in Maui. Surf, and try a kahlua pig and poi. As such, attending a luau was necessary. After some research, it seemed that Old Lahaina Luau had the most popular and traditional one. Not only does it offer a night of cultural performances and an extensive spread of Hawaiian cuisine, but it's also located ocean side so you'll get to catch the gorgeous sunset while dining.

When you walk in, you're welcomed with an Aloha and a fresh flower lei.

And a giant mai tai.

The event is open bar, with a special Tropical Fruit Punch menu.

I tried the Honey Girl (Vodka, Pineapple, Strawberry, Guava). It tasted good but was very sweet and more than one would definitely lead to a massive sugar hangover the next day.

The feast is served buffet style with an array of Hawaiian specialties. I was already eyeing the Laulau and poke.

We all gathered to watch the unearthing of the kahlua pig from the imu.

We were then led, in a very organized manner, to the buffet. With over 400 attendees, I thought it'd take forever for us to get to the food line, but everything seemed to move smoothly.

There was Kahlua Pig, Baked Mahi Mahi with Coconut Sauce, Pulehu Steak, Laulau (pork wrapped in taro leaf), Chicken Long Rice (the rice was actually vermicelli noodles), Local Fried Rice, Sweet Potato, Crab Salad, Octopus Poke, Ahi Poke, Taro Salad, Poi Rolls, Banana Bread, Poi and Fresh Fruits. You can return for seconds but I decided to pile up my plate with as much food as possible. And yes, I finished every last morsel on my plate. My favorite was the Octopus Poke, Crab Salad, Kahlua Pig and Papaya. Unfortunately, I didn't care for Poi, which is mashed Taro root. I thought it'd be similar to Teochew Yam Paste dessert, which I love, but poi is bland and lacked sugar, unlike the yam paste dessert.

Desserts included Fresh Maui Pineapple Tarts, Lilikoi Mousse Cups, Coconut Haupia and Tropical Brownies.

The performance started shortly after, with hula dancing.

A luau is definitely a very touristy event but it's a great way to experience Hawaiian history, culture, and most importantly their cuisine, all in one night.

Old Lahaina Luau
1251 Front St.,
Lahaina, HI 96761
(808) 667-1998
www.oldlahainaluau.com