My mom's special Lavender Cupcakes

My mom used to run a farmer's market in Richmond, VA. She also ran a little coffee shop where she did all of the baking. One of her growers at the market had fresh lavender buds which she used to make these cupcakes. Sometimes lavender in food can come across too "soapy" but these cupcakes are divine. The icing is so sweet and sugary that sometimes it can hurt your teeth - a quality I appreciate in a cupcake. I've made these a few times and they are simple and good. They also seem to impress people. You can put a little food coloring in the frosting to make pretty colors!

Recipe:

Cupcakes

6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon of lavender buds

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease the muffin pans for 10 cupcakes, line with fluted paper baking cups.

Combine the melted butter, eggs, milk and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat well. Put the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a sifter or strainer and sift them over the butter-and-egg mixture. Beat until the batter is perfectly smooth and thoroughly combined. This is the time to add lavender buds and blend well. Spoon into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool completely.

Portsmouth frosting

4 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups confectioners’ sugar

Combine the butter, cream and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Slowly beat in the sugar until the frosting is thick, smooth and spreadable. If too thick to spread, add droplets of cream; if too thin, beat in a little more sugar. This is plenty of frosting for the cupcakes or enough to fill and frost an 8-inch two-layer cake.

Ita-Cho, Revamped

I have been going to Ita-Cho regularly for the past six years and it has remained one of my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles throughout. I have had each item on the menu at least once and I always eagerly anticipate the wonderful Golden Dream sake poured into a wooden cup to indulge in with my meal.



Ita-Cho is located on Beverly Blvd., across the street from the famed El Coyote (where Sharon Tate ate her last meal) and directly next door to Angelini Osteria. The space is somewhat industrial and brightly lit with large tie dye fabrics hanging on the walls. However it maintains a certain ambiance that is quite nice and the servers are always eager and friendly. They do not serve sushi, but have some sashimi (excellent toro), and a wonderful variety of Japanese small dishes, ideal for sharing.
 
I revisited Ita-Cho two nights ago to find that they had reopened after the holidays with some changes to both the interior and the menu. They have added a considerable amount of bar seating along the kitchen giving full view of the chefs in action and creating a sushi bar environment. Not only does this allow for more seating and less wait, but it is much more conducive for the single diner to enjoy a more casual meal. The menu is essentially the same with only a few additions and a few items missing. Fortunately when I inquired about the absence of the yellowtail collar from the menu they were still able to whip it right out. It's served with ponzu sauce and daikon and is a wonderful dish. The shrimp shumai and marinated black cod were, sadly, no longer options.
 
We began our meal with the Shisito peppers, simply and perfectly prepared, slightly crisped, browned and full of flavor followed by the spicy, soy-glazed, wheel-shaped lotus roots. One of my favorite dishes is the uzaki, fresh water eel and cucumber in a vinegary brine. The eel is tender and fresh with all of the flavors comingling in perfection.


The tatsuta age (Japanese-style, boneless, deep-fried, chicken), which is crisp and tender, and served with tangy lemon mayonnaise is extremely popular but I find it slightly uninspired. There is a dish of braised pork, simmered in a broth for two days that is just divine. It's served with eyeball popping, spicy mustard and some spinach. It's very tender and rich and I almost always want to order a second serving. There are a variety of vegetarian dishes, salads and soups. The miso soup with steamed clams is wonderful. The dessert menu is limited, but you can't go wrong with the red bean ice cream.
 
While there may often be a bit of a wait to be seated, the service is deft and the food comes out at an expeditious, almost breakneck, pace.
 
Dinner for two with a plenitude of Golden Dream usually averages around $100. Street parking can be tough, but there is valet.

Ita-Cho
7311 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036-2534
Phone: (323) 938-9009

Dominick's

I have been to Dominick's a handful of times since they reopened under Warner Ebbink and Brandon Boudet (who also own the 101 Coffee Shop) in 2004. The original Dominick's restaurant and bar, established in 1948, was a favored watering hole for Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. To keep the "old Hollywood" feel they kept the white tiled floors, dark wood accents, and red booths, while adding a marble bar (a full bar, at that), and a beautiful, brick garden patio with a large, working fireplace. Dominick's serves a moderately priced, light Italian fare with nightly specials and a Sunday supper ($15 for three courses).
 
I found the service to be erratic at best. They seem to have maintained that "Hollywood" feel (a.k.a., exclusivity) in so much that they like to make one wait for a table as long as possible even when it's obvious there are plenty open. I have never seen the place full. And more than once I had to all but beg for the bread (served warm, in a little bakery bag, and quite tasty). The service - when you can get it - is usually quite friendly however, and food comes out at a nice clip.
 
The food... I found the Rice Balls w/ Mushrooms & Mozzarella, Baked Ricotta w/ Roasted Sweet Peppers & Proscuitto perfectly palatable, if not mind blowing. The Fresh Mozzarella, Roasted Tomatoes, Grilled Mushrooms, and the Fresh Roasted Beets & Fried Goat Cheese were fresh, light, and just right. They have a lovely wine list with some real scores and reasonable prices in addition to their "signature" wine, Dago (Ebbink and Brandon blend their own wines with Palmina Winery), which is priced at an unbeatable $10 per bottle - offered in a red and a white.
 
The Sunday Supper I experienced was a major disappointment however. The three courses were puny, rushed, and had an entirely assembly line feel to them. I'd go as far as to say my entree, a pacific cod, may have been sitting under a heat lamp for quite some time before it found it's way to my table. Even for the $15 price tag, I would not return for another Sunday.
 
I do however feel that Dominick's has it's place here in the city of Angels. It's a beautiful setting, great lighting and ambiance, both inside and out on the patio. The wines are lovely as are the appetizers and snackables. It's a wonderful place for a meeting, a first date, a glass of wine, a small bite and some good conversation. And in the spirit of Hollywood, 9 times out of 10 you'll even get a Leonardo DiCapprio or another good celebrity sighting.

Dominick's
8715 Beverly Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90048
(310) 652-2335


 

Mozza's Deserved Fanfare

This was written late Summer, 2007...

 
A friend and I decided to explore Mozza last Wednesday night. We heard that - regardless of the LA, restaurant fanfare - it was relatively easy to roll in and sit at the mozzarella bar. That rumor is correct. We walked in at 8:30 and were guided to one of the tables by the bar while we waited. We ordered a bottle of the Bastianich rosé, which was elegant, crisp, with a light fruit. It seemed apropos as Joe Bastianich was in the house.We were told after 5 minutes that we could have a table if we wanted, but we opted to wait for our two seats at the bar - which only took a few moments more (the entirety of the menu is served at the mozzarella bar). It was a treat to watch Nancy Silverton hone her craft for the duration of our meal.
 
We perused the menu and decided to have the Crispy Pigs Trotter from the antipasti, the Scamorza Panino from the mozzarella bar, the Fresh Ricotta & Egg Raviolo AND the Orrechiette with Sausage & Swiss Chard from the Primi. We also ordered the side of Slow Cooked Broccoli. Much to our chagrin, our server insisted that we order everything at once. We intended to graze and savor. To take our time. However he would not put a single item in until we ordered completely. I am compelled to assume this is not actually the restaurant's policy but rather a server who wants to turn tables. He actually was our server at the pizzeria once and did the same maneuver... That aside, everyone and everything was sublime.
 
The pig's trotter was good, but generally uninteresting. The batter could have been lighter to allow the trotters to shine a bit more. The Panino was fantastic. Rich and rich with spice, with creamy, melty cheese. The Orriechette and the slow cooked broccoli came next. The broccoli was an extremely pleasant surprise, loaded with complex, smoky flavor. The orriechette was one of the dishes I had heard about before coming in and did not disappoint. The sausage and the chard provided wonderful textures and melded spice and bitterness, and the breadcrumb topped at the table created that wonderful bit of crunch that created a perfect accent. In my opinion the Raviolo was the standout of our selections. One, very large raviolo is centered on the plate, filled with the freshest, creamiest ricotta and a soft egg yolk. The entire dish is finished with browned butter. It could have used a small amount of coarse sea salt, but was otherwise heavenly.

 

We accompanied the latter part of the meal with a wonderful, Italian, white wine that cut through the rich, spicy, smoky, savoriness with perfection. For the life of me I cannot recall the name of that wine...
For dessert we had the Olive Oil Gelato and the Greek Yogurt Gelato and a suggested selection of cheeses. The olive oil gelato was subtle and mild, with a creamy texture that was like Summer in my mouth. I must say, that with the exception of the odd server who wanted us to order all at once, every person we encountered there were amazingly helpful, knowledgeable, kind and generous. We were given a selection of digestifs to sample at the end of our meal that were beautiful and delicious.
 
The prices did not offend me at all. It is not cheap, but for a long, winding meal that lasts hours upon hours, excellent, attentive service without rushing (I mean, they make you feel like they WANT you to stay all night.), wonderful, creative food and wine, it is well worth the cost (and really still won't break the bank. Hell, it's no Cut, price-wise.).
 
My friend and I agree. The experience on a whole was fantastic and I eagerly anticipate my return. I can't wait to try the Guinea Fowl and the Orata with a bottle of light, Italian red wine on a cool, Summer evening...

Osteria Mozza
6602 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90038
(323) 297-0100