September 8th with Aaron Aldridge

Aaron's obsession with great food and drink began in his grandmother's Louisiana kitchen. She taught him where the best food comes from...the soul. He's perfected traditional Creole cuisine while mirroring the New Orleans melting pot culture. He recently relocated to Los Angeles and we are lucky to experience his first creations in the City of Angels!   

Sample Menu from Last Year
Snacks
Cornmeal, fat fried catfish, tartar sauce
Smoked paprika deviled eggs, pickled mustard seed, hot sauce aioli
Pimento cheese, caramelized onions, green tomato pickle

First
Creole Cochon de Gumbo
Tomato, andouille, hamhock, okra and Yukon gold potato salad

Second
Ca c’est bon!
Louisiana Blue crab claw meat, tomato, lemon aioli, jalapeno, corn bread croutons, fancy lettuce, first press olive oil

Third
Shrimp n’ Grits
Louisiana Gulf shrimp, yellow corn grits, courtbullion, pickled shallot & sweet peppers, charred green onion vinaigrette

Dessert
Iris’ Blueberry Torte
Blueberry reduction, chantilly cream, pecan pie crumble, Carmichael’s honey
 

July 28th with Vincent Samarco

The son and grandson of renowned French chefs, Vincent Samarco is a Parisian restaurateur who arrived in Los Angeles two years ago. He got his start in the restaurant industry at 18, and has never left. From dive bars to Michelin stars, Vincent has done it all… and with a joie de vivre you won’t forget. Since moving to L.A., Vincent has fallen in love with California and has big plans for his future here. 

MENU

Upon Arrival
Charcuterie & Cheeses
Wine: Sparkling & Still Rosé, Rosé, Rosé

To Start
Greek Salad with Herbs sent by the chef's father from Kalymnos
Wine: Alsace AOC, Pinot Gris Vieilles Vignes, Albert Hertz "Eguisheim" 2014

Main
Braised Lamb with Harissa, Tzatziki and Baby Veggies
Wine: Corbiere AOC, Grenache, Domaine Espirit de Pierres "Revelation" 2014

To Finish
Baba au Rhum with Whipped Cream
Digestif: Rhum

September 16, 2017 with Aaron Aldridge

Chef Aaron Aldridge
Aaron's obsession with great food and drink began in his grandmother's Louisiana kitchen. She taught him where the best food comes from- the soul. He took his passion to new heights after moving to New Orleans where he studied in the kitchens of legendary Southern Chefs that include Donald Link, Susan Spicer, and Emeril Lagasse. He's perfected traditional Creole cuisine while mirroring the New Orleans melting pot culture by infusing international flairs and modern techniques, creating food as bold as his personality. He recently relocated to Los Angeles but continues his passion of sharing his culinary heritage and representing the authentic Louisiana food experience.

MENU

Snacks
Cornmeal, fat fried Rock fish, tartar & hot sauce
Deviled Eggs, pickled mustard seeds, aleppo pepper
Pimento cheese, caramelized onions, pickle
Cocktail: French 75

First
Creole Cochon de Gumbo
Tomato, andouille, hamhock, tasso, okra
potato salad
Cocktail: Sazerac

Second
Ca c’est bon!
Fresh Dungeness crab, Heirloom tomatoes, lemon aioli, corn bread, red onion, parsley, mint, fancy lettuce, first press olive oil
Cocktail: Brandy Crusta

Third
Shrimp n’ Grits
Gulf shrimp, Yellow Corn Georgia grits, shrimp glace, pickled shallot & sweet peppers, charred green onion vinaigrette
Cocktail: Vieux Carre

Dessert
I ris’ Blueberry Torte
Blueberry reduction, Chantilly cream, pie crumble, Munsen’s honey
Cocktail: Rosemary Julep
 

As you can see, we changed up our beverage program a little bit and served 'spirit forward' cocktails with each course. We heard that a good time was had by all!

August 12, 2017 with Clark Staub

So much great talent for our latest dinner this past weekend. Clark Staub from Full of Life Foods was joined by Jill Davie from The Mar Vista and the amazing team from Martian Vineyards created a delicious Los Alamos combination.

MENU

Roots Farm Tropea Onion
Vegan: Black Olive, Almond, White Soy

Shaman’s Bread
36 Hour Organic Levain Flatbread, Flax Seed, Pistachio, Red Onion, Rosemary, Grana
+
Wine: Martian Vineyard - Down to Earth Rosé of Mouvédre
100% Mourvèdre. Crisp cherry and kiwi aromas, followed by flavors of Bing Cherry and watermelon. The wine finishes with a mouthwatering snap of acidity which works great with, or without food.

Chilled Abrosia Melon Soup
Vegan: Habanero Chili, Onion, Cayenne, Charred Onion Oil, Mint
+
Wine: Martian Vineyard - Uforic Albariño
Along with sister-grape Tempranillo, Albariño is one of two Spanish varieties grown at Martian Ranch. Tropical flower and fruit aromas with zesty citrus on the palate. Gently crushed before pressing then aged in Foudre barrels. It’s bright on entry with a spicy early impression that morphs into something more fruit driven and attractively refreshing on the palate. For the historians out there, Albariño started to hit its stride in California around the year 2000. Its arrival allows us to drink more adventurously. That our Uforic sometimes produces a state of transcendent happiness doesn’t hurt either. Planet palate could be visited by far worse, but not by much better.

Mojama, Almond and Heirloom Tomato Salad
Vegan: Roots Farm Little Gems, Chili Vinaigrette, Onion, Herbs
+
Wine: Martian Vineyard - Gamay Noir
The first grape of the season to harvest, our Gamay is silky on the palate and low in tannins. This medium-bodied wine bursts with aromas of cherry and cranberry, which follow through on the palate along with sarsaparilla and cola notes, adding richness and spice.

Central Coast Seafood Platter
Cuyucos Abalone Boudin Noir, Hope Ranch Mussels, Gaviota Halibut, Roots Farm Polenta, Heirloom Tomatoes
+
Wine: Martian Vineyard - Gravitas Tempranillo
Along with sister-grape Albarino, Tempranillo is the other Spanish grape variety grown at Martian Ranch.  Wet gravel, bay leafe and rose petals with hints of smoke and blueberry.  Dark red fruit flavors surrounded by firm tannins and a long finish.  Enjoy with Portobello mushrooms with carmelized onion confit, spicy chile rellenos or oak-grilled hanger steak with rosemary compound butter. It sounds like something every Tempranillo should aspire to. It achieves it here. Gravitas was one of the Roman virtues. Just ask Caesar and Mark Antony. Along with pietas, dignitas and virtus, gravitas formed the cornerstone of a proper Roman’s expected conduct. Bear in mind, they also came up with the saying In Vino Veritas. Dignity and drinking enough to loosen the old tongue of honesty. A good combination those Romans were on to if you ask us. Our wine is so named because it connotes a certain substance and depth of personality. It’s a wine you’d want to date and marry. Of course, there’s also the other gravity, the force of nature that attracts a body to the center of the earth? Well, that doesn’t sound so bad either.

Dessert
White Fig and Candied Walnut Ice Cream
Fig Tart with Lavender Cream

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So much laughter and smiles matched with amazing food and wine - the best kind of night!

July 22, 2017 with Starry Kitchen

Nguyen and Thi Tran returned to eat+drink this past Saturday with another amazing dinner but more importantly, they brought their son and their new cookbook! Starry Kitchen FOR THE WIN!

MENU

Crispy Tofu Balls

Steamed Vietnamese Rice Crepes

Hanoi-style Grilled Pork (aka Bun Cha Hanoi)
This is the dish that Anthony Bourdain ate with President Obama in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Taiwanese Minced Pork + Pickled Cucumbers

Singaporean Chili Crab with Buttermilk Beer Beignets

Dessert
Almond "Tofu" with Fresh Fruit + Evaporated Milk

Adventures in Starry Kitchen:

88 Asian-Inspired Recipes from America's Most Famous Underground Restaurant

The behind-the-scenes story of America’s most famous underground restaurant, featuring more than eighty-eight deceptively simple and unbelievably delicious pan-Asian recipes and dozens of luscious full color photos.

In 2008, as the American economy cratered, newly unemployed Nguyen Tran and his newly unemployed wife-to-be, Thi, opened an off-the-grid eatery in their small Los Angeles studio apartment. Word of their fabulous food quickly spread, turning their culinary "speakeasy," Starry Kitchen, into an underground sensation—and the #1 Asian fusion restaurant in L.A. on Yelp.

Threatened by the city’s health inspector, Nguyen and Thi transformed Starry Kitchen into an acclaimed and wildly popular pop-up restaurant in a downtown sushi joint. But their success was only beginning. As their clientele exploded, thanks to raves in the Los Angeles Times, Nguyen and Thi moved to a bigger space of their own in Chinatown, where they helped make the neighborhood the epicenter of L.A.’s burgeoning food scene.

Adventures in Starry Kitchen chronicles Starry Kitchen’s DIY evolution—"this beautiful accident gone right"—the mayhem, mishaps, misdemeanors, milestones, and amazing meals that have contributed to (and nearly derailed) its success. As they tell their story, the Trans share more than eighty-eight easy-to-follow pan-Asian recipes—mouthwatering and flavorful comfort cuisine, including Claypot Striped Bass, Buttermilk Beer Beignets, Singaporean Chili Crab, Double-Fried Chicken Wings and, of course, Starry Kitchen's trademark Crispy Tofu Balls.

Whether you’re cooking for two, four, or sixty, Adventures in Starry Kitchen demonstrates you don’t have to be a desperately hip (or even trained) chef to master sensational modern food that will amaze and delight.

May 20, 2017 with Kayson Chong

Menu

Appetizer
Hamachi with green goddess, watermelon, pickled fresno chili, soy-yuzu vinaigrette

Salad
Roasted Beets with wieser farms fingerling potatoes, oro blanco, goat cheese, lemon poppy vinaigrette

Entrée & Sides
Niman Ranch Pork Spare Ribs with Memphis style rub and tamarind BBQ sauce
+
Whole Roasted Blackened Strip Loin with chimichurri
+
Tuscan Kale with caramelized onions, applewood smoked bacon, sherry-molasses
+
Lamborn Pea Tendrils with English peas, Fat Uncle rosemary almonds

Desert
Harry’s Berries Strawberry, Rhubarb, olive oil cake with vanilla ice cream

Chef Kayson Chong

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Chong was exposed to restaurants at an early age, thanks to his mother. A curious child, he frequently slipped into the kitchens of the restaurants they frequented to admire the chefs at work.  Chong was also deeply inspired by the original Iron Chef on The Food Network, which reinforced his culinary calling.  In 2002, he enrolled in San Francisco’s California Culinary Academy, an affiliate of Le Cordon Bleu, and began his journey to becoming a successful chef.  Upon graduation, he joined the team of Master Chef Wolfgang Puck’s award-winning Postrio, located at the Prescott Hotel in San Francisco’s Union Square.  In 2003, Chong relocated to Las Vegas to work under Chef Julian Serrano at the five diamond French restaurant, Picasso, at the Bellagio Hotel & Casino.  Working with Serrano’s Chef de Cuisine Yoshi Honda for over two years on the meat station, Chong quickly learned the basics of how to be a well-rounded chef, from menu creation to cooking technique.

BLT Restaurant Group announced its plans to open a BLT Steak in Los Angeles.  Being a native Angeleno, Chong immediately recognized a calling to join the opening team at the renowned group’s first West Coast outpost.  Under the direction of a seasoned team of restaurateurs, Chong perfected the art of the modern American steakhouse and flexed his culinary artistry.  From there, he learned of Chef/Restaurateur Michael Mina’s plans to premier a new Los Angeles concept alongside hospitality group, SBE.  After a successful opening, Chong returned to his steakhouse expertise as part of the opening team of the new Sunset Blvd. location of BOA Steakhouse in West Hollywood.  Although his time at BOA Steakhouse was valuable, Chong maintained close relationships with the BLT Restaurant team and was encouraged to join the opening team of GO Burger.  With a diverse culinary background and an extensive resume of opening experience, Chong was perfectly poised to become chef de cuisine of the new burger concept of the renowned restaurant group.

After completing tenure with the BLT restaurant group, Chong spent two years opening six different concepts all over Southern California that continue to flourish today.  Chong joined the Röckenwagner family as the Corporate Chef and continued to provide his expertise to the multi-location group.  Chong was responsible for overseeing the kitchen staff, executing high-quality cuisine and upholding the high standards that is signature of Röckenwagner.

Multitasking as founding partner and chef of Mainland Poke Shop on West 3rd St. in Los Angeles, Chong has dedicated his skills to the current Poke craze in Los Angeles and continues to provide the quality of non-frozen fish in your personally customizable poke bowls.

September 17, 2016 with Rocio Siso-Gurriaran & J.Brix Wines

What a wonderful close-out dinner to finish the 2016 eat+drink Supper Club season! Chef Rocio Siso-Gurriaran along with her sous chefs Amy & Amy, brought the heat. Rocio's menu was spot on and the food was delicious. We should all rush down to see her at work at Nine-Ten Restaurant in La Jolla. Chef Rocio and J.Brix paired the wines beautifully for each course, of course. It's always sad to say goodbye to the Supper Club for many months but we're excited for 2017 and looking forward to new chefs, food and wine to experience next year.

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To Start:
Hudson Valley Foie Gras terrine
Lime crème fraiche cake , pickled celery green apple and herbs, red beet spicy glace
Wine: 2014 The Augur Dry Riesling

Salad:
Jabugo ham and melon salad
Monte enebro goat cheese, Castelveltrano and kalamata olives, wild arugula, radicchioand burnt honey-chamomile vinaigrette
Wine: 2015 Nomine Amoris Pinot Gris Rose

Main:
Braised Colorado lamb tortellini
Roasted carrots and hen of the woods mushrooms, pine roasted cipollini onions, lamb jus and pickled cherries
Wine: 2015 Audire Pinot Noir

Dessert:
Cariñena Pain Perdu and bay leaf ice cream (aka Devil’s Horse Toast in Galicia)
Wine: 2015 Rougarou Carignan