DineLA 3rd spot

No reservation.  About 45 min and a rosemary martini later....

The picture above is the reason for being one of my spots on my list.  Succulent creamy shells with a tease of truffle on my palate leaves me begging for more!   

DineLA Restaurant Week 2nd spot

The London West Hollywood:

It was a cloudless early afternoon...

Burrata and Artichoke
 Arugula, Fried Capers, Olive Tapenade

Broiled Salmon and Zucchini Pesto
 Roasted Beets, Marbled Potatoes, Swiss Chard

Valrhona Chocolate Fondant
 Salted Caramel

Buttery, Light, Perfect...

Light and Guiltless...

Salted caramel??   Yes!  It was hidden away under warm chocolate goodness.  I would return just to have this experience again...

DineLA Restaurant Week!!

DineLA Restaurant Week is a two-week dining event...

  

It's just about the best time to be in LA.  It started off at Fraiche in Culver City for me.  Guess what happened to be on the menu??  Ding ding ding!!  The Truffle Burger  [on a toasted brioche bun with truffle aioli, truffle boschetto cheese and caramelized onion fondue].  Just when I thought I was in heaven another gate opened to display the vanilla creme brulee with creamy custard with caramelized suger, accompanied with spritz cookies.  Thank God for fungus!

The Truffle Burger

Oops!!  The Better Late then Never Vanilla Creme Brulee...

Finally!

So here it goes...

I am a sun-kissed Texan girl that has been exploring L.A. going on 4 years now.  I come from a small town where my first experience with gourmet food was in my best friend's kitchen which included: roasted duck, fresh baby herbed salad, mushroom risotto, and strawberries marinated in vodka with homemade vanilla bean ice cream.  As I sat on the bar stool sipping my wine, I was blown away by his attention to details and his delicate touch every step of the way.  Caressing of the fragile strawberries, gentle shaving of the vanilla bean, and eagerly squeezing of the lemon.  By the end of the night, I felt consumed in both mind and body.   This ignited my passion for not only exquisite food but also for the bodily gratifying experience.

And so here I am to share not only my personal cooking experiments but also the epicurean encounters that often inspire my creative endeavors in this eclectic city called L.A.