The Hudson launches weekday brunch; the Raymond goes for breakfast

The Hudson in West Hollywood is now serving weekday brunch while the Raymond in Pasadena is launching weekend breakfast.

At the Hudson, beginning at 11 a.m. daily, brunch lovers can linger over a menu of huevos rancheros; prosciutto benedict; steamed artichoke with arugula, lemon and capers; a "hangover" burger with bacon, avocado, charred jalapeno cheese sauce and a medium fried egg; fish tacos and more.

On the Eastside, the Raymond is bent on taking the late-morning stigma off weekend brunch by offering breakfast instead. The meal is served at the ungodly hour of 9 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. But fear not, if you like the idea of eating breakfast at 1 p.m. you still can. In fact, the menu is served up until 2:30 p.m.

Offerings include traditional omelets, eggs benedict, croissant sandwiches and pecan and banana griddle cakes with whipped honey butter and warm maple syrup.

The Hudson, 1114 N Crescent Heights Blvd., West Hollywood. (323) 654-6686; www.thehudsonla.com.

The Raymond, 1250 South Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena. (626) 441-3136; www.raymond.com.

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--Jessica Gelt

Photo: The Raymond. Credit: The Raymond.

 

Susan Feniger's Street gets vegan-friendly

Susan Feniger's Street launched a new menu today, with vegan and vegetarian dishes added to its globally inspired street food. More than 20 dishes on the new menu, executed by chef and co-owner Kajsa Alger, can be prepared sans meat.

The dinner menu is divided into seven categories, including Asian pub food, pizza, meatballs and fritters, veggie sides, Korean barbecue, salads and "classic street." Vegan-friendly dishes on the Asian pub menu include the mung bean pancake with scallion, kimchi and shiitake and the brown rice sushi roll made with umeboshi, apple and burdock.

A spicy black bean veggie burger (pictured above) with pea shoots, smashed avocado and tomato on toasted sourdough was added to the "classic street" portion of the menu. New veggie sides include the Roman broccoli and white beans with garlic, chile, olive oil and Pecorino and the coal-roasted Greek artichoke with wild oregano sauce.

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-- Jenn Harris
twitter.com/jenn_harris

Photos, from top: Brown rice sushi, spicy black bean burger. Credit: Street

Whist rolls out a Southern-style brunch

Looking to get your grits on? Beginning Sunday, chef Tony Disalvo at Whist is rolling out a new Southern brunch buffet. Forty-five dollars per person will buy you an unlimited procession of biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, fried chicken, green tomato salad, collard greens, cole slaw, mac 'n' cheese and house-cured Cajun salmon. 

Or you can opt out of all the fun and stick with traditional favorites like eggs Benedict or French toast. For dessert you can fill up on peach cobbler, pecan pie, and banana pudding with vanilla wafers.

And no Southern brunch worth its (substantial) salt would be complete without a cocktail. Choose from a $10 list including a farmers market mint julep, a marmalade breakfast cocktail, and a savory bacon-infused Bloody Mary.

Whist at the Viceroy Hotel, 1819 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica. (310) 260-7511; www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com.

--Jessica Gelt

Photos: Fried chicken, top right, peach cobber, bottom left. Credit: Whist

Xiomara Ardolina steps out of the kitchen and into California cuisine

Chef Xiomara Ardolina, who became known for her thoughtful Cuban-influenced nuevo Latino cooking with her eponymous restaurant on Melrose, has decided to step out of the kitchen and into the front of the house.

She has also brought in a young chef named Michael Reed as executive chef. Reed is a veteran of both Sona and Osteria Mozza, and he is helping to transform the menu into one that features fresh, market-driven California cuisine rather than Latin food.

Reed was raised in a farming community in Ventura and has a great deal of knowledge about a farm-to-table approach to cooking. In an e-mail, Ardolina said she felt that the time was right to make a change, especially given the public's increased awareness about the importance of sustainability, and the increasing prevalence of farmers markets in Los Angeles, with their diverse selections of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Ardolina said she is excited about the direction Reed is taking the menu and wrote, "Michael is doing a wonderful California Cuisine utilizing organic produce and using the local farmers markets for getting the freshest ingredients."

In addition to Reed, Ardolina has brought in two other young chefs, Brandon Furlow as chef de cuisine and Bobbi Jo Shapiro as pastry chef.

The new menu includes intricate small plates, salads, sandwiches and main courses including crispy pork belly with roasted Jerusalem artichoke, smoky eggplant puree, crispy kale and pork jus; roasted beets with lamb's lettuce, candied walnuts, goat cheese and anise seed vinaigrette; seared pork chop with soft goat cheese polenta, braised kale, sous vide onion, pancetta and pork jus; house-made tagliatelle with Bolonese sauce, basil and parmesan cheese; and beer-battered tiger prawns with jalapeno, roasted red pepper puree and garlic aoili.

This isn't the first time Ardolina has shaken her restaurant up. In 1996, she switched her menu from French-style fine dining to the nuevo Latino cuisine that she helped define for Los Angeles. Xiomara on Melrose, 6101 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles (323) 461-0601; www.xiomararestaurant.com

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo: Xiomara Ardolina. Credit: Xiomara Ardolina

John Sedlar's new Rivera menu features 300 years' worth of culinary history and the sound bites to prove it [Updated]

John Sedlar, long known for his soulful Latin cooking, is introducing an equally soulful dining experience to his downtown restaurant, Rivera. Inspired by the rich history of Latin cuisine and the diversity of cultures that had a hand in creating it, Sedlar and the other cooks at Rivera embarked on an in-depth exploration of the varied roots of the Latin food that we enjoy in modern-day Los Angeles.

The result is a new menu, just released at Rivera, called "Conexiones." The menu draws culinary connections across 300 years and three continents, linking history with the present in food that draws its inspiration from locales including the Iberian Peninsula, South America, Mexico and California, as well as from cultures including the Moors, the Incas, the Mayans, the Aztecs and Angelenos.

The dishes are presented on special regional menus available in specific Rivera dining areas: Sangre (Iberian roots); Samba (South American, Central American and Caribbean influences); and Playa (mainly seafood that tips its hat to Mexico).

In addition, Sedlar has created a series of audio bites featuring his voice explaining the history, cultural context and preparation methods of particular dishes. The bites can be accessed by dialing a phone number on the menu (310-464-6884) and following the prompts based upon numerical coding beside each dish.

Called "Table Talk," this interactive feature showcases Sedlar's gift of gab--he is a good storyteller. It will also probably make guests aware of how far food has come since the historical times that they are learning about. After all, nothing says "Digital Era" like dialing up a story on your cellphone from your menu.

Hopefully the practice will jump-start conversation among guests at a table rather than end with a cursory Facebook and e-mail check. Don't be that person.

Rivera, 1050 S. Flower St., L.A. (213) 749-1460; www.riverarestaurant.com.

--Jessica Gelt

Photo: Rivera's tamale with braised pork short rib, hedgehog mushrooms and guajillo sauce. Credit: Ringo H.W. Chiu / For The Times

 

A Mexican food quiz, meatless Mondays, Happy Meal hoopla and more

--Even Mario is doing it. Going meatless on Mondays. He'll offer vegetarian friendly items on all his menus. [Huffington Post] 

--Blogspotting: The quarter-pound double chocolate cookies at Dawn Finicane's blog, Vanilla Sugar. Your Twip of the day: Follow Dawn @vanillakitchen

--Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a margarita and a ... Mexican food quiz. Do you know your pico de gallo from your pozole? [Houston Chronicle]

--As the debate continues to rage over Happy Meals, a new dad pleads for a level playing field: "Given that obesity is leading to insanely skyrocketing healthcare costs which are draining our economy ... it seems we should examine why children need to be bribed with toys to eat food which causes diseases." [Wall Street Cheat Sheet] 

--Sushi at home is simple. Just skip the fish. [New York Times]

--Horticulture professor Jay Scott thinks he's created a variety of tomato that will taste just like a tomato any day of the year. [Washington Post]

--Rene Lynch
On Twitter @renelynch

Photo: The quarter-pound double chocolate cookies. Credit: Used by permission of Dawn Finicane

Beer cheese and pizza-sized pretzels: Dodger Stadium's new menu items for 2010 season

Few things about sporting events make me giddy. I mean, I like the cheering, the good-natured rivalries, the spirit colors -- but the part that really makes me swoon? Game food. So when it comes to baseball -- where it is completely acceptable to hang out with friends and guiltlessly down hot dogs and beer -- I say count me in.

Dodger Stadium understands that the food gets (almost) as much attention as the game. So Executive Chef Joseph Martin and restaurant partner Levy Restaurants have made sure that when the Dodgers play the Arizona Diamondbacks on Opening Day next Tuesday (April 13), fans will be able to munch on exciting new food while warming those bleachers.

New on the menu is the giant Victory Knot pretzel with beer cheese dipping sauce, gourmet Niman Ranch sausages and the spicy Picante Dog, back by popular demand (literally -- it has its own Facebook fan group which was dedicated to bringing it back from menu dormancy).

The new pizza-sized Victory Knot is made with two pounds of dough, topped with sea salt and served with three dipping sauces -- chipotle honey mustard, sweet cinnamon crème, and beer cheese. The calorie information wasn't available when we wrote this, but we can surmise that it's best not to try and eat one by yourself -- it’s supposed to serve four.

If hot dogs and beer cheese don’t sound like something you want to stomach for nine innings, three Health Plate carts serve healthier fare: spicy shrimp cocktail, fresh seasonal fruit salad, curried chicken lettuce wraps and sushi. Spicy tuna rolls at a baseball game, though? I might just stick with my $5 Dodger Dog.

(Keep reading about Dodger Stadium's new grub after the jump.)

Fraiche Santa Monica to launch new bar and lounge via Concern Foundation fundraiser

On Thursday, Fraîche Santa Monica will launch its shiny new bar and lounge via a splashy fundraiser for the Concern Foundation, which benefits cancer research.

Fraîche owners Amir Ohebsion and Keith Fox are ardent supporters of the Concern Foundation due to a personal experience: Fox's 22-year-old daughter, Olivia,  a model and actress, suffered from devastating leg/bone cancer last year and recovered, somewhat miraculously, according to Ohebsion. To celebrate her second chance, Olivia will walk the L.A. Marathon on March 20, the day before the actual race, in order to raise money for the Concern Foundation and promote cancer awareness.

On the day of the launch, beginning at 5:30 p.m., Fraîche will throw a party with a DJ and roll out a new specialty cocktail called Olivia's Crush (organic blackberries, vodka, açai, house-made ginger syrup, mint and Prosecco), which will sell for $20 until the date of the marathon. All proceeds from the cocktail will go directly to the Concern Foundation. Olivia and a friend, "Entourage" star Kevin Connolly, will tend bar during the festivities.

Fraîche will also unveil its new bar and lounge menu that evening. Items include cheese and chocolate fondue ($7); short rib sliders $6); moules frites ($8); and a lobster roll ($14). Also on offer: a nice selection of charcuterie as well as oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp and tuna ceviche.

The new Fraîche Lounge will be open daily from 5:30 p.m., with happy hour from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.  On Saturdays, Fraîche will open at 4:30 p.m. and host happy hour until 6:30 p.m. In addition to the bar menu, Fraîche Lounge will serve the restaurant's full dinner menu.

Fraîche Santa Monica, 312 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica. (310) 451-7482. www.fraicherestaurantsm.com/.

--Jessica Gelt

Photos:The new bar and lounge at Fraîche (top); the fondue on the new lounge menu (bottom). Credit: Fraîche

Eat this one-pound black truffle at Patina

On Thursday, Patina concluded three nights of black truffle tasting dinners, and now it is featuring a variety of dishes made using this magnificent one-pound black truffle (pictured).

The outsized beauty was on display during the tasting dinners, having been whisked to Patina by Christopher Poron, the president of French black-truffle exporter Plantin. Truffles are generally an ounce or two, and are about the size of pingpong balls. As you can see, this meaty beast dwarfs a humble breakfast egg, and rivals a plump grapefruit in size and stature.

Menu items currently shaving this bad boy down to size include winter-glazed vegetables mosaic;
sweetbread “meunière” with wild mushrooms; seared day boat scallops with leeks and potatoes; foie gras ravioli with celery and sunchoke emulsion; and roasted Jidori chicken with Swiss chard.

Patina, 141 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. (213) 972-3331; www.patinagroup.com.

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo credit: Patina 

Small Bites: Street's new seasonal menu, Kitchen 24's new cupcakes, Agura's new happy hour

Word on the Street: This Friday, Susan Feniger's Street officially debuts its new seasonal dinner menu, featuring: Argentinian/Italian ricotta dumplings simmered in brown butter and lemon with celery root puree; black-eyed pea fritters; lamb kafta meatballs; Moscow-style eggplant; toasted amaranth, chicken and spoon bread dumplings; beef tenderloin schnitzel; honey-glazed Peking quail; barbecued Hawaiian pork wrapped in banana leaves and slow-cooked over a marinade of sugar cane, pineapple and soy; and more. The new lunch menu, which debuts on Saturday, also has several additions: mini Kobe beef chili dogs; crispy lamb taquitos; Vietnamese pulled pork sandwiches; Andouille sausage and shrimp gumbo; Moroccan spiced winter squash with roasted chestnuts; Burmese lettuce wraps with lentils, toasted coconut, peanuts, fried onions and sesame ginger dressing; Hawaiian ono sashimi in spicy sesame mayo; and more. 742 N. Highland Ave., L.A. (323) 203-0500, www.eatatstreet.com.

Cocktails and cupcakes: Kitchen 24's pastry chef, Daisy Roman, recently launched a featured daily cupcake at the 24-hour Cahuenga corridor diner. Flavors include: chocolate (Monday), carrot (Tuesday), vanilla (Wednesday), pumpkin (Thursday), winter mint chocolate (Friday), buttered pecan (Saturday) and red velvet (Sunday). Kitchen 24 also debuted four seasonal cocktails, including the Sweet-Tartini with muddled cranberries, Tanqueray, elderflower liqueur, cranberry juice and lime juice; and the Hot Spiced Cider with unfiltered apple juice, Jim Beam, orange liqueur and a secret spice syrup. 1608 N. Cahuenga Blvd., L.A. (323) 465-2424, www.kitchen24.info.

C'mon, get happy: Sushi and Japanese fusion restaurant Agura, the latest addition to La Cienega's restaurant row, recently launched a happy hour that features 50% off drinks and $3 to $5 small plates of salmon nachos, fried popcorn shrimp, spicy tuna and yellowtail rolls, shrimp-wrapped spring rolls, unagi avocado rolls, takoyaki and more. (10 p.m. to midnight Monday to Saturday and 6 p.m. to midnight Sunday). 514 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood. (310) 289-1940, www.aguradining.com.

-- Elina Shatkin

Photo: The interior of Kitchen 24 in Hollywood. Credit: From Kitchen 24.