Monday, December 11, 2006

Linni Eats L.A.: Mia Sushi

Eagle Rock, a modest neighborhood in northeast L.A., wouldn't immediately strike you as the place to go for a glamorous sushi experience. That's the beautiful thing about Los Angeles, though--like a tree that grows in Brooklyn, you can always count on the city of angels to sprout elegant eateries in the most unexpected parts of town.


Enter Mia Sushi, nested between a liquor store and law office on the Taco Truck-laden Eagle Rock Boulevard. The place is soaked in swank, with a water fall in the outdoor seating section, chrome and wicker seating arrangements, and warm orange lamps that add an irresistible glow to the dark red and tan walls.

I came with a large group of 8 people and we were late, but the hostess was nothing but pleasant as she seated us. The equally agreeable wait staff brought out drinks and edamame in a timely fashion, considering the large Friday night crowd they had. The bar offers all the regular nigiri and sushi, but also has an extensive list of specialty rolls, all paying homage to local attractions and street names. From this list, we sampled the Colorado, Oxy, Highland Park, and Eagle Rock rolls. The Colorado, named for one of the town's main boulevards, featured salmon, cream cheese, and avocado, fried with a crunchy tempura exterior and drizzled with creamy lemon sauce. The crunch of the tempura was fantastic, as was the presentation. The roll itself was a little bland and the lemon flavor was almost nonexistent, but it was almost too pretty to notice those things.

The Oxy roll, named for nearby Occidental College, showcased salmon, shrimp, white fish, avocado, and cucumber baked in Mia's special sauce. I don't know what that special sauce involved, but this creamy masterpiece basically exploded in my mouth, with the perfect combination of ooze and flavor. (There was some argument over who got to finish these.) The Highland Park roll was a basic California roll topped with baked scallops in eel sauce. This tasted great, but the scallops did not hold together or stay on top of the roll and not even the best chopstick users at our table could eat one successfully.


We also sampled the octopus, which had great texture and was plated beautifully. The last of the specialty rolls we tried was the Eagle Rock roll, made up of spicy tuna and asparagus with a fried tempura coating and lemon sauce. This was more flavorful than the Colorado, probably due to the spice of the tuna and the crunchy asparagus, but the lemon flavor was still missing in action.

For dessert, we were given their Strawberry and Banana Tempura on the house for a birthday in our group. It was served with whipped cream and chocolate sauce and despite the odd appearance of the fried fruit, it tasted incredible. Be careful, though--the strawberries have maximum tongue-burning potential.


The ambiance was great--everyone at nearby tables seemed to be thoroughly enjoying their dining experience in this misplaced oasis of laidback trendiness. It manages to exude a vibe of modernity without going over the top, and while the sushi may not be the best I've ever had, Mia certainly provided a pleasurable evening--the hostess even hugged our birthday girl on her way out. This place has a lot of promise and I can't wait to try some more of their specialty concoctions.

4741 Eagle Rock Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90041
323-356-2562
Open Tue-Sun 5:30-11pm

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Linni Eats Newport Beach: Il Farro

I must tell you up front, I am not usually crazy for Italian food. I used to swoon over a good bowl of pesto pasta and my heart still warms at the thought of a perfectly executed margherita pizza. That said, the passing of the carb craze and my realization of the calorie content in pizza added a negative association to treats from that Mediterranean boot of gastronomical pleasure. Therefore, when a friend told me she would be taking me to the best Italian restaurant she knew, I thought I would order a Caprese salad and be done with it.


Thank god I refrained from this silly path. Newport Beach's Il Farro is currently staging a comeback for farro, a rare organic grain spilling over with health benefits and rich flavor. Learning this and spotting the dessert tray, I knew I had to abandon all hopes of dietary reservation and dive into this experience, fork first.

We were given a basket of bread, baked with farro grains that were visible and gave a wholesome, nutty taste to the warm loaf. Next came the enormous menus and supplementary specials list and a brief panic overcame me--everything looked amazing. Do I order the lobster ravioli with walnut sauce? The farro risotto with pancetta and white wine sauce? I decided on two of the day's specials--Shrimp Bisque and Pumpkin Gnocchi with vodka cream sauce. The bisque arrived at the perfect temperature and was creamy without being too milky. The flavor could have been a bit more explosive, but the consistency was excellent. Baby shrimp give me the creeps sometimes but these did not distract from the soup's texture--they were just as velvety as the rest of it. The gnocchi had just the right amount of subtle pumpkin flavor, and the chef didn't overdo it by adding any orange dye--the dish was a greyish hue, accented by the purple grilled onions in the sauce.


I also had the opportunity to sample the fettucine with sundried tomatoes, salmon, and scallops. This was absolutley breath-taking. I performed the dietary double-take we all know, where you take a bite and immediately bug out your eyes and unabashedly shout an exclamation with your mouth still full of food. The smokiness of the salmon in this dish mixed with the lavish earthiness of the tomatoes formed the epitome of taste perfection. My gnocchi was nothing short of outstanding, but I did experience some fetuccine envy across the table.

We grudgingly decided it would be wrong to miss out on dessert, despite already-extended bellies. The waiter brought a tray with at least ten choices. I ordered the panna cotta while my dining companions sampled something that looked like chocolate pie and home-made biscotti, served with a glass of amaretto for dipping. The feel of the egg-free panna cotta was sublime--like a creme brulee without the excess load of guilt and egg yolk. The biscotti bursted with flavor and purposeful crunch, unlike the stale, tooth-cracking bricks you find at corporate coffeehouses. The pie dish had a crust made with farro grain, woven into a lattice on top. Presentation was pleasing without trying too hard, a feeling that permeates the establishment. The spectacular food thrives in a simplistic atmosphere, small but dressed to the nines in remnants of Italy. Both the owner and chef came by to make sure we were enjoying ourselves, but they had no reason to worry. Everyone there was having a good time.


We arrived at 6:30 on a Friday and had no trouble getting a table, but any later than that and we may have encountered a wait. There is an outdoor seating section that looks out onto the Newport pier restaurant strip, but it is less cozy and warm than the glowing interior. Wherever you choose to sit, Il Farro has something for everyone, from their extensive wine list to their fresh, authentic ingredients. Rumor has it, you can ask the chef to make you anything in the Italian genre of food and he will make it, provided he has all of the necessary components. This kind of focus on pleasing your individual palate makes you feel like you are in the kitchen of your best friend--if your best friend could cook the best damn salmon fettucine this world has ever tasted.

All pictures c/o http://www.ilfarro.com/restaurant.htm

Sunday, December 3, 2006

Linni Eats L.A.: Hollywood Farmer's Market

LIt’s a situation college students are all too familiar with—drowning in a pool of junk food and empty coffee cups, going on your 50th consecutive hour of not leaving the dorms. It’s finals, and it’s always the same. But it doesn’t have to be. Next Sunday, before getting bogged down by books, stop by the Hollywood Farmer’s Market on Sunset and Ivar, a stimulation for all five senses.


The rainbow of Swiss chard and free smells of freshness are unavoidable, and no money is required to get the full sensory experience. They allow liberal testing of nearly all products, and will even give things away for free if you strike up a conversation with the vendors. This isn’t difficult, as they are all extremely friendly and happy to discuss their products. I asked one man what his heirloom tomatoes tasted like and he handed me a whole one, which I proceeded to eat like an apple. Bargaining is also an option—my last purchase was sugar snap peas and when I told them I only had one dollar left, they gave me a bag at half price.


If the ample samples of persimmons, tangerines and grapes do not satisfy your sweet tooth, head on over to the kettle corn stand. The vendor simply dips a folded newspaper into his giant vat of popped goodness and pours out however many warm kernels your two hands can hold. Next door, there is a table with at least a dozen open containers filled with Indian concoctions that range from mango lassi to red lentil curry, and they let you try all of them. Across from him, you’ll find the Mediterranean man, who has homemade pita in both fried and fresh-baked varieties, and countless open offerings of hummus, tabouli and baba ganouj. This area of the market also features other prepared foods, such as fresh tamales, corn on the cob, and a vegan spaghetti that was nothing to brag about.

To get a little fat in your diet, stop by one of the cheese or nut tables. One woman offered cheese curds in many varieties, but I found the plain fresh curds to be the best. California farms some of the country’s best pistachios, and one vendor offered them with different flavors—my favorite was the lemon zinger. The bakery stands featured great alternatives to your everyday white bread—one man sold gluten-free muffins and banana-chocolate brownies, while another offered yeast, wheat, and sugar-free sourdough bread.


Bluegrass bands play intermittently between tents, keeping spirits high in a sea of people literally stopping to smell the roses. I spent plenty of time at one spice booth, holding fresh thyme, lavender and lemon verbena to my nose. A woman was selling birds of paradise nearby, which she advertised to me as a great dorm flower that will last two weeks without much work. One man asked me to describe the difference between his yellow, orange and red carrots so that he would have a better idea of what to tell customers who made that inquiry—we decided the red was spicy, the yellow was bitter and the orange was sweet.


I entered the market with high hopes and a five-dollar bill in my pocket. I left with one pound of sugar snap peas, two heirloom tomatoes, one Satsuma orange, two sourdough olive rolls (one with orange peel and thyme), a sunflower, and a full brunch under my proverbial belt. Not only did I feel energized and productive, but I felt empowered knowing that those snap peas would be a guilt-free way to mindlessly munch while pounding out a 10-page research paper.