gordon ramsay @ the london

gordon ramsay @ the london
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

#25 on my 101 in 1001 list (26/143)
refined and elegant, the food and the experience at gordon ramsay surprised me after two weeks of mostly unexceptional food during restaurant week. the interiors take the luxury of old world louis iv and the hipper details of the fanciful eighties without all the excess that both are known for. what you get is this subdued dusty pink and warm place that makes you feel like you're eating at a fine restaurant but you don't have to be afraid of sitting on uncomfortable furniture or worry about which fork you're suppose to be using. it's really a cocktails and conversation over small plates of goodness kind of place.

the french bread and bacon rosemary bread were both very good, especially with the seaweed butter. the amuse bouche consisted of a shitake mushroom & bamboo shoots chawanmushi w/ soy dashi sauce. chawanmushi is a tofu custard, and although the first bite, which had a lot of sauce, was a tad salty, this dish had a nice texture and earthy flavors with bits of chewy mushrooms & bamboo shoots. it definitely whet my appetite.

rich, creamy and full of flavor, the wild mushroom veloute w/ sauteed mushrooms and chive cream appetizer was one of the best dishes of the meal. it seemed like such a simple preparation, but they really brought out the wonderful and complex mushroom flavors. i had to try the rabbit & smoked bacon ballottine w/ vegetable piccalilli & toasted brioche. how often do you get to eat stuffed meat, and one that is done so artfully. the stuffed part as well as the bacon wrapping the disc of meat were surprisingly light and not gamey at all. the pate that came with it was very intense and kind of gamey, but the tartness of the pickled vegetables provided a nice balance.

the sea trout, which is very similar to salmon, was nicely browned with a crispy exterior, and sat atop some sweet cabbage and cubes of kohlrabi. the celeriac cream was simply delicious. we also shared the creamy jerusalem artichoke risotto w/ artichoke chips, black truffle & sherry caramel reduction. although i thought it needed some other stronger flavor in there, it was a well done risotto.

the pre-dessert was a layered glass of cara cara orange in 3 preparations--orange slices w/ rose syrup, orange cinnamon cream, and orange granita, tart, sweet and creamy without being too heavy, it was a nice palate cleanser.

both the desserts we shared were excellent. the chocolate savarin w/ malted milk emulsion, salted caramel ice cream & caramel powder refines classic flavors sure to please any chocolate lover with creamy, crunchy, airy textures.

i enjoyed the balance of creamy creme fraiche with tart quince panna cotta and spicy gingerbread ice cream.

service was excellent. i will definitely be back to try their tasting menu or even their weekend brunch tasting menu.

la chocolate salon 08

la chocolate salon 08
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

i love chocolate and never thought i'd say this, but there is a limit to how much chocolate a person can consume in an hour. i was somewhat thankful that the show wasn't as big as i thought it would be, although if it had been, i'm sure i would have mustered the strength to try something from every vendor. between the caffeine from the cacao and the sugar high, i was starting to shake by the time we left. that's not to say that i didn't enjoy it all.

noteworthy chocolates included those from valerie confections, chuao chocolate, amano artisan chocolate, christopher michael artisan chocolates, jade chocolate. there were some that i found way too sweet for my palate, but i won't dwell on those. there was something for everyone--sweet or rich, dark, milk or white, salty, spicy, sugary, and heady.

a trend i noticed were chilis in chocolates, which added a kick, and exotic fruit infusions. chuao had a bar aptly called firecracker made with chilis & pop rocks. it was quite the experience that moves beyond your tongue and brings you into the moment. valerie confections' salt & pepper truffle was divine richness with textural peppery finish. sometimes simple is best to savor the depth and subtle nuances of chocolate-y darkness as was found in amano artisans' various 70% cacao bars made from beans from different locales. jade chocolates had some interesting asian spices and flavors including a nutty toasted sesame & genmai green tea, while christopher michael offered variety in their beautifully silk-screened and airbrushed artisan chocolates with a nice balance of flavors in not too sweet dark and milk chocolate.

i've paid $20 for chocolate tastings at artisanal chocolate shops for 6-8 pieces of chocolate, and usually, the fine chocolates that are freshly made by hand and not machines with no preservatives and short lifespans cost upwards of $2 for a single piece of chocolate with infused ganache, so i thought this was a good deal and opportunity to try a lot of chocolates and chocolate products from different chocolatiers. granted, not all were artisan chocolates, i still thought it was reasonable. lucky for friends and family, i picked up some goodies for them.

they need to provide more water though. by table four, my mouth was a desert (not dessert) made from chocolate. those little plastic cups they give you at the one water dispenser in the whole place only lasts so long. the other complaint i had was that they could have come into the 21st century with checking will call and used a database. i didn't mind the wait which wasn't too bad at opening time, but if the show does grow, they'll want to streamline the entry process.

compartes chocolates

compartes chocolates
Originally uploaded by bluepupae.

if you love dark chocolate, you'll love the chocolates at compartes. even if you aren't a fan of dark chocolate, you should give it a try because not all dark chocolates are created equal, and this one is one of the best i've had. it's neither too bitter nor too sweet. jonathan graham, the owner, continues to introduce new and delectable flavors to the infusions of his chocolates, including cardamom, pepper & cherry blossoms from japan.

at a tasting at compartes, i fell in love. i had to laugh at jonathan's story of how he went on a reality tv show and had his shop designed by a blind person in order to modernize it. it goes to show you how passionate he is about what he does, and you can taste it and see it from the fun designs on the chocolates that include patterned elephants, skull & crossbones and modern geometric shapes, to the cute little shop displaying pieces of chocolate like works of art. the chocolates were dark, rich and a perfect balance of interesting flavors. here are some i have tasted:

kaffir lime & lemongrass: fragrant, tangy & refreshing. you can smell the citrus before you even taste the chocolate.

cocoa nibs: pure unadulterated dark chocolate goodness with a little texture

cardamom & coconut cream: sweet & rich, with hints of cardamom

rosemary peach: interesting combination of sweet fruit with subtle earthiness. it was more peach than rosemary.

carmelized plantain: if you like bananas & chocolate, get this. the banana flavor hits instantly.

salted peanut butter & honey: wow. i'm not a huge peanut butter fan, but the pb really makes this great. that bit of salt does its job of bringing out the richness of the pb. i prefer eating plain on a day to day basis with flavored chocolates on special occasions, but i can see myself popping these things into my mouth one after another.

passionfruit: extremely tart, but very flavorful. if you like fruit, and especially passionfruit, this is for you.

blackberry bunch: fruity, berry

orange hazelnut crunch bunch: orange fragrance, crunchy hazelnut texture

italian tiramisu: mostly coffee flavors and sweet

vanilla bean chocolate: subtle hings of vanilla

mexican hot chocolate: literally drinking warm liquid chocolate, with a spicy tingle left on your tongue

you'll find hand-crafted artisanal chocolates and truffles as well as candied fruits dressed in chocolate, gift boxes, bar chocolates embedded with fruit. they have an outdoor area with tables and indoor seating, so if you want to stop and enjoy chocolates, you can. parking is a challenge, but it's totally worth it.