Post 91: Back at Bouchon - Another Fried Chicken Dinner (LA: Beverly Hills)

Bouchon seems to be a great gathering place for friends and family, so we chose to dine at this restaurant once again for a very special occasion... to celebrate the engagement of our friends Grace and Paul.  Because the previous ah hoc chicken dinner was so memorable, we thought it was a good idea to make a reservation for the fried chicken dinner during Bouchon's August Sunday suppers.  It ended up being an awesome choice for two reasons.  First, the restaurant helped us make the occasion extra special by preparing an off-menu item for the night.  And... dining two tables away from us was Neil Patrick Harris and his family! Yes, he was having the fried chicken dinner also.  Celebrity sightings are always exciting, but we made sure not to let NPH steal the thunder that night.

As always, we started off with some fresh oysters, but our attention quickly turned to our fried chicken dinner.  We could smell the aroma of the deep fried poultry before it even arrived at the table.  The crust of the chicken was deep with ridges, nooks and crannies... a sign that biting into the crispy battered shell would result in an earth shattering crunch.  This cacophonously crunchy chicken came with waffles and grits on our previous occasion but was paired with different accompaniments this time... a creamy mac n cheese, a fresh cole slaw, and warm cornbread. 

I enjoyed the cornbread the most because it had a real gritty texture from the ground grain.  Many restaurants that serve cornbread that uses finely ground cornflour rather than cornmeal, which causes it to lack a genuine texture that some people look for.  But if a gritty texture is not what you are looking for, a little bit of Bouchon's honey butter will take care of that problem.

As we feasted on our fried chicken, the server brought out a special serving of the restaurant's also famous fish and chips to the table.  The thick squares of beer battered flounder arrived with tartar sauce in a gravy boat and fries wrapped in newspaper... all of which was placed in an iron skillet.  The fish was steaming hot... soft and flaky on the inside and lightly crisp on the outside... firm to the touch and delicate to the bite.  It was a very homey way of presenting the fish and chips... like we were eating in our own dining rooms.

A celebratory meal cannot go without dessert, and since it was an extra special occasion... we picked three of them from the menu.  The first was the tarte au citron, which is an absolute favorite amongst anyone who has ever tried it.  The second was bread pudding topped off with vanilla ice cream.  And the final dessert of the triple team was a pair of freshly made fruit gelato.  Many at our table enjoyed the bread pudding, but nothing compared to the tarte.  I've ordered the tarte about half a dozen times now, and it is truly defies expectations.  It really is delicious.

Thanks, as always, to Stephen and the team at Bouchon for perpetually providing a charming experience at the restaurant.  My friends and I have been back for the fried chicken dinners four times now, and it has always been a memorable time.

Congratulations to the happy couple, Grace and Paul.  We can't wait for the wedding! Until the next special occasion, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20120826

Post 80: By Invitation - Clifton's Cafeteria Facade Unveiling (LA: Downtown)

It's been quite a while since I've visited Clifton's Cafeteria.  In fact, it's been at least 15 years since I last visited Clifton's Silver Spoon location on 7th Street in Downtown LA.  When I would visit my dad at work on the weekends, he would take me down to Clifton's for their fried chicken and mashed potatoes or sliced turkey and stuffing.  On birthdays and other special occasions, my dad would bring Clifton's multi-layered chocolate cakes home to share with family and friends.  I loved Clifton's fried chicken.  It was crunchy and crispy and eons apart from the Pioneer and Kentucky Fried Chicken that I was used to.  On the occasions that I ordered the turkey and stuffing, I munched on the bread stuffing as slow as I could so that I could make the savory taste linger around on my tongue.  I always remembered those times because it was rare to have things like mashed potatoes or chocolate cake.  It was such a treat to have classic American fare because I was so used to having traditional Chinese and Taiwanese food at home in my younger years.  Anytime that I could get away from a taro birthday cake from the local Chinese bakery was a cherished moment in my eyes.  Clifton's has definitely been missed.

So imagine my excitement when I was invited to attend the revealing of the original Clifton's Cafeteria facade.  The building's facade at the Brookdale location had been covered with metal grating for almost half a century, so few people know (or remember) what the classic cafeteria actually looks like.  New owner Andrew Meieran (who also owns The Edison) put plans in to renovate Clifton's and restore its facade and entryway as part of the Bringing Back Broadway project.  Local media and fellow culinary cohorts were invited to have lunch at the cafeteria and watch the revealing of the facade.  How freaking cool.  The first person I thought to bring along was my dad.

Okay, so the facade needs a little work.  But we'll let the pros handle that.  In the meantime, though, I'm eagerly anticipating the classic cuisine of Clifton's Cafeteria from back in the day... except now it's going to be made with all organic produce and sustainable ingredients.  Other areas that the newly renovated Clifton's will bring are the bakery, a bar and lounge area, and a classic soda fountain the 50s.  The famous indoor waterfall will also be preserved.

During the media lunch, we were first treated to the cafeteria line... buffet style.  I went straight for the mashed potatoes.  The pot roast was definitely a side to my mashed potatoes.  There were plenty of choices for salad, but classic Caesar can't be beat.  Clifton's macaroni was prepared in the simple old fashioned way as mac n' cheese rather than macaroni drenched in cheese sauce.  The slightly burned cheese crust was magnificent.  I kept lunch light for fear of a food coma induced faltering of work place productivity.

For dessert? Raspberry jello, of course.  Personally, I think that jello has got to be one of the worst culinary inventions in history.  Truly, for the lack of a better word... yuck.  But I was in a cafeteria.  And when in Rome... raspberry jello it was.  Luckily, there were a variety of cupcakes at the dessert counter.  No multi-layered chocolate cake, but these red velvet cupcakes kept my nostalgia at bay.

Thank you, once again, to Arpi and Barbara for inviting me and my dad to attend this historic unveiling.  It brought back some cherished childhood memories for me, and it fueled the anticipation for Clifton's grand re-opening.  18 months and counting... can't wait to see it when it's complete!

Until next time, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20120208

Post 38.4: Connie's White Truffle Mac & Cheese

 

This past weekend Connie made mac & cheese with the white truffles that Diana and I got for her birthday.  Take a look at Connie's process of making white truffle mac & cheese with a few photos:

Props to Connie for the hard work... it's nice to see birthday presents being put to good use. And props to Michelle for the garlic bread spread from scratch.  It was delish! Until next time, y'all, let's all get S.O.F.A.T.

ML - 20111111/20101107