Beverly Hills - Simon LA

Simon LA by celebrity chef Kerry Simon, complementing and residing inside of the classy hotel The Sofitel LA, often gets questioned for whether or not it lives up to Simon's star status. The interior view is dim, airy and inviting. Outside seating is weather proof and heater friendly.

We were greeted and attended a few times by the dinner crew before the adventure could begin. Drinks and breads were served quickly as if we were the only guests. The assorted breads were mostly dry and less interesting.

Roasted tomato soup /10 and the colossal crab cake /16 were the starter recommendation of our attendant. The soup, paired with the little grilled cheese sandwich, tasted like a post hangover revival breakfast bite. The crab cake with the young papaya slaw was reminiscent of a Thai papaya salad. Both dishes were clean and cooked to perfection. Easily recommendable.

Tomahawk bone-in steak 32oz /75, one of the daily specials, was grilled perfectly to medium rare. The cuts were juicy and flavorful that worked just fine with either the red wine reduction or the béarnaise sauce. Roasted root vegetables and black rice with farro and spinach, the included two sides, tasted a bit like thanksgiving leftover stuffings. At $9 each per side, it could have been so much more.


Although there might be some uncertainty whether Simon LA is worthy of its stardom, as the friendly host wrapping up the souvenir tomahawk, it proved a good night of pleasant service and decent food.


Simon LA
www.simonlarestaurant.com | 8555 Beverly Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90048 | (310) 278-5444

Cookalong with Gordon Ramsay - Crab Pasta with Crab, Chili and Lime

I have always wondered how Gordon Ramsay gets away with being an asshole pushing people’s buttons around on American TV shows. He must either pay these people well or he had to be an amazing cook himself. I intended to find out just that myself by cookalong with one of his youtube recap.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup of white wine,
2 limes,
crab meat (about half container, 4 oz),
extra virgin olive oil,
angel hair pasta (about half pack),
2 chilis (chopped),
garlic (chopped),
Italian parsley (chopped),
scallion (chopped).

Hot oil hot pan, chopped garlic, chili & scallion in.

“Sauté and season it well, ya?” Yes chef!
White wine and reduce.

Cook the angel hair in salted boiling water. Squeeze half of a lime into the sauce. Crab in.

Cook the crab in the sauce for about a minute or two. Add the pasta straight into the pan. (pasta timed for four minutes) Sprinkle with chopped parsley and toss.

Serve with lime juice and drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serves two. Done!

Maybe it’s Gordon Ramsay or it’s the pressure of trying to cookalong with a 40 seconds video clip, i started to yell at the person near me to get the silverware and eat it while it’s hot. I was later pardoned after she tasted how good it was. Now that’s an amazing dish.

Los Angeles - Mo-Chica Contemporary Peruvian Restaurant

Mo-Chica is my first encounter for Peruvian cuisine. It’s located in an unfamiliar part of LA, tucked inside one of the most random food courts. Amidst totally inconsequential Asian and Latino food stands, it stands out with the most crowds, like the only fire pit in the wild. At Mo-Chica, you get to dress casual and still be served with upscale presentation.

Though the menu is not gigantic, with the specials, we were running out of space on our table with all the plates. At Mo-Chica, the chicas on the floor are friendly and efficient. Two $2 authentic Peruvian drinks (below), CHICHA MORADA (purple corn ice tea) & CEBADA (barley ice tea, ginger & herbs), were served before i took off my jacket.

For starters, we had ordered almost everything although the calories in yellow did pause our hearts for a few seconds. PAPA A LA HUANCAINA was more spicy than it looks yet it paired with the eggs and salad well.

CEVICHE of the day was the sea bass - 7. The ingredients were all fresh and made sense. The crunchy toasted corn and the acidic bass and the tender sweet potato work beautifully in a bite.

Lamb Belly Special - 13. The lamb was ridiculously tender and its slightly burn edges added that smoked depth - an instant favorite.

Below, ARROZ CON POLLO (chicken, sauteed rice, cilantro) - 13. It’s consistently cooked to perfection out the three times we had it. The chicken is juicy and the rice is seasoned unforgettably. It’s a must order dish at Mochica and a staple on my list, regardless of its top ranking calorie count of 650.

Chef owner Ricardo Zarate not only is a master of putting savory ingredients together and makes it tasty. His passion fruit creme brulee has got the right touch of acidity and sweet creamy goodness that will make you ask for it every time.

Mochica is a hidden gem and hopefully it will be relocated to downtown as rumored in the near future. I know I will be going back no matter where they go.

Mo-Chica
www.mo-chica.com | 3655 S Grand Ave Los Angeles, CA 90007 | (213) 747-2141