New at Papilles: BYOB Tuesday & Wednesday; French wines get in free

When I saw the subject line of the email — “BYOB@papilles,” I thought, uh-oh, not another note from a disgruntled guest who found out, too late, that the Hollywood French bistro doesn’t allow outside bottles. I was already drafting my answer when I opened the message.

Wrong -- and happily so. This was a note from the bistro’s PR representative, one Joe Grantham, informing me that Papilles (pronounced pah-PEE) is starting BYOB nights this week. Here's what owner Santos Uy wrote on the restaurant's blog about the new policy:

"When we first opened, we decided to not allow outside bottles. We believe in our wine program, and in supporting artisans making small production, natural wines similar to those found in the proper bistros of Paris. . . We felt that these wines were underrepresented in LA and decided the best thing to do in order to 'spread the good news' about these wines was to not let our guests bring their own bottles. Many of you have embraced our restaurant and our policies and we’re extremely thankful. 

It turns out that many of you have the same type of wines in your cellar at home. So we invite you to bring in your prized possessions on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and we’ll be happy to open it for you.

If you bring a nice bottle of French wine, we will open it free of charge. Anything outside of France will be $15 to open. (And if you bring in a bottle of crap, we will laugh and scoff at you behind your back). Only 1 bottle per table please!"

You can’t get much fairer than that, considering that the three-course menu is such a bargain for the quality at around $35. I love this modest little French bistro with Tim Carey behind the stoves and owner Santos Uy (founder of Bacaro and Mignon) curating the wine list. Read the Feb. 23 review here.

The new policy satisfies the wine geeks out there who want an excuse to enjoy a special bottle from their cellar or the 2009 cru Beaujolais they just picked up from their local wine shop. And it beefs up the crowd on the slower Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Papilles, 6221 Franklin Ave. (at Argyle, in strip mall across from Mobil station), Los Angeles, (323) 871-2026, www.papillesla.com.

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Photos: Papilles. Credit: Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times.

Object of Desire: Frosted Lime

If you grew up in the San Gabriel Valley and are of a certain age, your memories of summer probably include a visit or 10 to Twohey's, on the corner where South Pasadena, San Marino and Alhambra collide, which was the great drive-in in this part of town.

Generations of local kids thronged Twohey's for bittersweet hot-fudge sundaes as good as anything this side of C.C. Brown's, for gargantuan onion rings, and for the Little Stinko, which presumably got its name at a time when the presence of raw onions on a burger might be considered risque.

Twohey's still packs them in, even decades after the magnificent drive-in was torn down and the operation moved into something resembling a suburban savings and loan.

Ironically, the bank to which Twohey's surrendered much of its lot was itself torn down, and an In-N-Out Burger now occupies the acreage -- it turns out that it was a good place to put a drive-in after all.

But when the days grow hotter, the evenings longer, and the urge to jump into the family car becomes the most important thing in the world, there may be no more powerful magnet than Twohey's Frosted Lime, a simple concoction of vanilla ice cream, fresh lime juice and a splash of soda water for spritz; barely tart; a chilled milkshake-glassful of pure, gleaming summer, as full of possibilities as a cool slab of the whitest Carrera marble. A Frosted Lime is, it goes without saying, the perfect accompaniment to a Little Stinko.

1224 N. Atlantic Blvd., Alhambra. (626) 284-7387

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Matt Molina, Wolfgang Puck win James Beard awards

Matt Molina, the executive chef at Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza, was named the best chef in the Pacific region Monday night at the 2012 James Beard Foundation restaurant awards. Wolfgang Puck was awarded the lifetime achievement award. In the journalism awards presented over the weekend, Los Angeles magazine's Leslie Barger Suter won an award for best food coverage in a general-interest publication. The Times does not enter the awards.

Other than that, it was not a great year for Southern California. Daniel Humm of New York's Eleven Madison Park won the award for outstanding chef, San Francisco's Boulevard won as outstanding restaurant, Christina Tosi from New York's Momofuku Milk Bar was honored as rising-star chef, and Grant Achatz's new project in Chicago, Next, won the award as best new restaurant. Find the foundation's complete list of the restaurant and cookbook awards after the jump.

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Photo: Matt Molina in the kitchen. Credit: Ringo H.W. Chiu / For The Times

And now for something completely different from Randall Grahm

Randall Grahm has long been known as one of the most curious, iconoclastic, even heroic winemakers around. And so why would we figure he would change when he opened a restaurant? Grahm's new project, called Le Cigare Volant after his first landmark wine, is located on the property of his winery, Bonny Doon Vineyard, just outside Santa Cruz.

Formerly called "The Cellar Door," it re-opened re-dubbed April 1. Make of that date what you will. Ryan Shelton is the chef, and by all accounts it's pretty danged good. But what really makes it something different is -- no surprise -- the wine list. Grahm is a freak about soil. He calls himself a "terroirist" (and even a "vinarchist").

The wine list at Le Cigare Volant is arranged not by "red" and "white," or even by "light" and "heavy" but according to what kind of dirt the grapes' vines grew in. "Gravel" wines, for example, tend to produce wines that have a quality of "dustiness," Grahm says (those familiar with his writings will instantly recognize that he said a whole lot more than that). From that category he recommends a Bordeaux Superieur, a Bourguiel and a Pomerol.

Volcanic soils, Grahm says, produce wines that "possess perhaps the strongest expression of 'minerality.' They are often wines with a preternaturally great life-force, or resistance to oxidation, and will generally require lots of air before they open up." That's more in the nature of a Grahm quote. Oh, yes, there is a footnote too. The wines are a Fiano di Avellino, an Aglianico del Vulture, an Etna Rosso, and a Tinto Malpais from the Canary Islands.

Wine lists are usually fascinating reading only for wine geeks. This one is something special.

328 Ingalls St., Santa Cruz, (831) 425-6771.

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Photo: Randall Grahm. Credit Bonny Doon Vineyard

 

Front row at the World's 50 Best Restaurant Awards

When Noma in Copenhagen was anointed No. 1 at the 10th annual World's 50 Best Restaurant Awards ceremony in London, the assembled crowd of world-renowned chefs, journalists and foodies let out a roar. It wasn't a big surprise -- Rene Redzepi and his team pulled top rank last year and the year before.

It took some time for the guys -- and this time, one female with bare, tattooed arms -- to extricate themselves from the tight seating and rush onstage, hugging, forming a chorus line, jumping up and down, making giddy celebration. Redzepi ceded the speech-making duties to Ali Sonko, the dishwasher member of the team who couldn't get a visa to Britain two years ago when Noma got its first win. That night the team ran onstage, pulling on T-shirts with Ali's face imprinted on them so he wouldn't feel left out. This time, Sonko said he was glad to be able to come and thanked everyone simply and gracefully.

American chefs held three positions in the top 10 -- Grant Achatz from Alinea in Chicago (No. 7), Thomas Keller of Per Se at No. 6 and Daniel Humm of Eleven Madison Park at No. 10. Spain also took three spots in the top 10 with El Celler de Can Roca in Girona at No. 2, Mugaritz in San Sebastian at No. 3 and Arzak in San Sebastian at No. 8.

Even outside before the event, the cameras and videographers were mobbing Ferran Adria (no longer eligible since El Bulli closed) and father-daughter Juan Mari Arzak and Elena Arzak Espina. Massimo Bottura, the three-star Michelin chef from Modena got nearly as much attention, though. His Osteria Francescana came in at No. 5 this year. Only two other Italian restaurants made the list: Le Calandre in Padua at No. 32 and Il Canto in Siena at No. 46.

13-year-old Flynn McGarry to cook at Playa

Flynn McGarry's calendar for the next couple of months includes both running his Eureka pop-up dinner at Playa restaurant and finishing the eighth grade. Just 13 years old, McGarry is set to man the stoves Tuesday, May 9, at John Sedlar's Beverly Boulevard restaurant, preparing eight courses of his "progressive American" cuisine. 

The budding chef is raising money to pay for his flight and accommodations for a stage at Grant Achatz's cutting-edge culinary project, Next in Chicago. The benefit dinner already is sold out, but Playa is planning to offer four of McGarry's creations on a special menu for two weeks following the fundraiser. (McGarry's mini-cookbook also will be for sale at Playa.) As Sedlar said, "Boy, people are getting into the professional kitchen at a younger and younger age."

Playa, 7360 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 933-5300, www.playarivera.com.

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Photo: Flynn McGarry. Credit: www.diningwithflynn.com.

Rock star butcher Dario Cecchini blows his horn at Valentino

Pity the poor soul who ventured into Valentino on Thursday night hoping for the usual display of elegant, quiet and refined alta cucina. Who was that guy in the bright red pants wandering around blowing that danged horn?

When rock star butcher Dario Cecchini is in the house, it's always his party. And Valentino's Piero Selvaggio -- who invited Cecchini to teach a butchering class and then host the dinner -- seemed like he couldn't have been happier about that. It was, after all, the kickoff to the restaurant's 40th birthday celebration, which is scheduled to stretch into fall.

Cecchini is the Tuscan who rocketed to culinary stardom based on his wondrous ways with pork and beef at his Panzano butcher shop Antica Macelleria Cecchini. Well, that and his penchant for standing up in the middle of any dinner and declaiming Dante's "Inferno" in loud and impeccably Tuscan-accented Italian.

Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita,
Mi ritrovai per una selva oscura,
Che la diritta via era smarrita.

There was no Dante on Thursday night, but there was a four-throated horn called a tromba that had all the pleasant melodiousness of a Brazilian vuvuzuela or a demented Fiat. And Cecchini played it as long and as loud and as often as he could.

Not that anyone minded. After all, the packed house was there to see him. Among the crowd were Italian food expert Faith Willinger, who had flown in from Florence with Cecchini and his wife Kim, and their hosts Marvin and Judy Zeidler. Also in from Panzano was top Chianti producer Giovanni Manetti of Fontodi, whose wines were poured at the dinner (the 2008 "Flaccianello" in magnum was superb).

What did we eat? Though the menu was billed as "Non-Solociccia" (not meat only), there was indeed a lot of it -- crostini with a puree of ragu and lardo; a spectacular crudo of beef thinly sliced and dressed with great olive oil; spaghetti with wild boar ragu; roasted pork loin, and bistecca Fiorentina (or as Cecchini called it, "beef cooked on a wood-burning grill as 'God's Order'"). There was a salad, but it was a little arugula and a lot of pork, first braised in white wine and then shredded.

Tonight, calm and serenity will return to the restaurant. But what a heckuva party it was while it lasted. Even at 40, Valentino can still kick up its heels.

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Photo: Dario Cecchini, left, and Piero Selvaggio. Credit: Russ Parsons / Los Angeles Times

Fig & Olive to open at Fashion Island

Fashion Island, the popular Newport Beach outdoor shopping center with the ocean views is welcoming a new addition to its culinary lineup. The olive oil-centric restaurant Fig & Olive is slated to open its sixth U.S. location at the center by summer 2013.

The restaurant will be located on the south side of the shopping center in a new standalone structure. It will accommodate 300 and feature limestone stucco walls, a terra-cotta ceiling, green rosemary and olive trees and other items meant to bring the French Riviera to mind. The menu will include Mediterranean-style items created by executive chef Pascal Lorange as well as a wine list including more than 30 varietals from the South of France, Italy and Spain.

401 Newport Center Drive,  Newport Beach, www.shopfashionisland.com.

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Photo: Interior of Fig & Olive in Los Angeles. Credit: Lisa Cohen.

Hungry Cat's Crabfest 8 (and more half-price oysters)

It's only April but already the Hungry Cat is selling tickets for its Crabfest -- which takes place Sunday, July 15. Guess spots go fast when people hear "crabs, crabs and more crabs." It's the eighth annual blue crab extravaganza for the original Hollywood Hungry Cat -- expect messy crab cracking and Old Bay-stained fingers. Tickets, $75 each, are pre-sale only and won't be sold the day of the event. Call or stop by the Hollywood location to purchase tickets. 

Meanwhile, the Hungry Cat in Santa Monica Canyon is celebrating its first anniversary on Wednesday, April 25. That means half-price oysters (regularly $15 for a half dozen or $30 for a dozen) and all-night happy hour -- half-price cocktails and draft beer. 

Hollywood Hungry Cat, 1535 N. Vine St., Hollywood, (323) 462-2155 (you can also email infohollywood@thehungrycat.com); Santa Monica Canyon Hungry Cat, 100 W. Channel Road, (310) 459-3337, www.thehungrycat.com. 

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-- Betty Hallock

Photo: Maryland blue crab. Credit: Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press.

The get-foie-gras-while-you-can menu at Mélisse

Mélisse chef Josiah Citrin is offering a "Foie for All" five-course tasting menu at his Santa Monica restaurant ahead of California's foie gras ban. The ban was signed into law by former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and is set to take effect in July. 

Mélisse's "Foie for All" all-foie-gras menu will be available nightly until then. “I don’t agree that the state should regulate what we serve on our menus; I’ll comply, but until then, I feel our guests that request foie gras should be able to enjoy this delicacy while they can,” Citrin said in a news release.

The five-course dinner includes foie gras cromesquis and foie gras flan with blood orange gelée; torchon and crisp foie gras with beets and asparagus; truffled foie gras agnolotti, chicken oysters and consommé; dayboat scallop “Rossini,” Dover sole and poached foie gras with fava beans and morels; and prime beef rib-eye and braised beef cheek with cured foie gras and foie gras parfait. Don't think dessert won't include foie gras.

Available Tuesday through Saturday until July 1. $185 per person. 1104 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, (310) 395-0881, www.melisserestaurant.com.

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Photo: Judges inspect ducks at a foie gras contest in southern France. Credit: Bob Edme/Associated Press.