Teen Chef Makes Debut at Beverly Hills Restaurant

I’m so at this on Wednesday and will ABSOLUTELY blog about the experience!!

He has cooked for more than 120 people at a time, worked in top restaurants across the country, and entertains 12 people at his home monthly for an 18-course meal. These accomplishments may seem like the work of a veteran chef, but this cook is only 14 years old.

Flynn McGarry will be taking his talents to BierBeisl, an Austrian restaurant in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Jan. 30 where he will cook a 12-course meal for 40 people - an event that is already completely sold out and costs $160 a person.

“The chef at BierBeisl is super nice and said, ‘Whatever you need, I’ll help you cook,’” McGarry said. “It was a natural thing, and it works with the restaurant’s schedule and is a lot easier to do it in a restaurant. I am going into this a lot more confident than other dinners. I started working on this [Thursday], running around town getting supplies. It is a week process, which people don’t really realize.”  Read More

Rao’s at Caesar’s in Las Vegas

I recently spent a long weekend in Las Vegas.  Like most Southern California residents, I end up there a couple times a year.  It’s the playground of Los Angeles.  This particular trip had been scheduled for months and months as a present for my aunt to see Celine Dion in concert - one of her favorite performers.

We had a weekend scheduled full of food and shopping and chit-chatting and gambling - well, only two of us gambled so the other two ate and drank more (I was one of those two).  

Our first big meal was at Rao’s - the Las Vegas outpost of the New York City Italian food mecca.  I’ve never eaten at the one in New York but it’s apparently impossible to get in to and because of that, I think many dismiss the food as less than spectacular.  I really think Italian food is all about how it makes you feel and who you’re eating it with.  That’s why this dinner was extra special because I could share it with my half-Italian mother and aunt - both great cooks in their own right.

You may know Rao’s by their famous pasta sauce that is sold at many grocery stores across the country.  I didn’t even realize we use it all the time!

We started it all off with the Fritto Misto which was a little unusual because it included shrimp, cod and little julienne zucchini along with the calamari.  I LOVED the calamari.  The rest I could do without but my mother really enjoyed the cod.  I was the only one who really wanted the Caprese Salad and I ate almost all of it myself.  It was exactly what I’d expect at a good Italian restaurant.  

On to main courses, we shared the Veal Milanese with the Hot & Sweet Cherry Peppers that normally come with the Veal or Pork Chop at our waiter’s recommendation.  He said it would be spicy and it was!  Tere loved it, the rest of us just kept trying to cool off our tongues.

We also split three pastas: the Shells with Ricotta Sauce, Penne Vodka and  the Rigatoni Filetto di Pomodoro.  You can see all the details to them in the menu.  All three were very good although I really liked the Shells with Ricotta best - that ones a keeper!

We didn’t take any time for dessert as we ran out for the Celine Dion concert but we went out after at Serendipity 3….stay tuned!

Heather’s Rating: Worth Going Back

eatplusdrink:

Cornerstone Pub & Kitchen (Barre, Vt)

I know this seems like a completely random restaurant review and the likelihood of you ever showing up in the small town of Barre, let alone the great state of Vermont, is very slim.  But I was there recently and thought I’d take the opportunity to highlight a far off locale.

I’m from Vermont and my parents were both born and raised in the Barre-Montpelier area.  Psst - Montpelier is the capitol of Vermont - it’s a small state, we know no one remembers from geography class.  

Barre is the Granite City and home to Rock of Ages quarry.  My grandfather was a stone cutter and almost everyone in my family had something to do with granite and quarries in one way or another for a number of generations.  I love granite and until I was well into my 20’s I assumed that all granite looked like the stone that came out of Vermont - a light grey with flecks of black and silver and white.  It’s gorgeous and always reminds me of Vermont.

I’ve traveled back to Vermont more recently over the last few years mostly to join my Mom in her yearly pilgrimage to plant flowers at Hope Cemetery, one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the country I’m told primarily because all the stones are made from Vermont granite, and make sure my grandparent’s resting place is in pristine condition.  It’s been great fun spending a little time in this quiet area every summer.  It’s like a little serene bubble I get to visit every now and then.

Recently, Barre has been undergoing a “Big Dig” to revitalize and beautify downtown.  My Mom recently oohed and awwed over the new “old-timey” streetlights and how amazing Main Street looked without the old power lines and telephone poles.  Barre is on the way back to it’s former glory!  

I was back in Barre two weeks ago and we had heard about the new eatery in town - the Cornerstone Pub & Kitchen.  It’s located in what my mother told me is the old bank right on the main drag in town and was all the talk of the locals.  On our last night in town we tried to make a reservation with no luck so I drove over and begged Keith Paxman, one of the owners along with Keith McSheffrey, to find us a table that night.  He took pity on me and set us up in a great spot.

Chef Jesse LeClair didn’t disappoint.  It probably helped that we knew he was an old friend of my cousin Eric, also a chef, but I digress.  I had the New England Clam Chowder (appropriate right?) and then the Pan Seared Diver Scallops.  Others at the table tried the fish and chips and the filet.  It was all quite good.  I can’t wax on poetic about the food because it wasn’t other-worldly.  It was solid cooking and I can’t complain about that.  I tried a wine that didn’t measure up but that was a bit of my fault wasn’t it?  

The outstanding part of the menu which is the area I have the least knowledge in (other than all that beer drinking in Germany during high school) was the Draft Beer Menu.  Cornerstone’s motto is “Helping to Rebuild Barre One Pint at a Time” and apparently they mean it.  My cousin Steve was in awe at the list and especially commented on the Dogfish which happens to be an Imperial IPA - a robust, alcohol infused beer with a hop profile “that might rip your tongue out”.  The Imperial IPA comes from Russian Imperial Stout, a style originally brewed in England for the Russian Imperial Court of the 1700’s.  There’s my factoid for the day.

So if you happen to find yourself up in Vermont and close to Barre, stop by and visit Cornerstone.  Drink a beer, chat up Keith and then wander up the road a bit and wander around Hope Cemetery checking out all the amazing granite sculptures and headstones.  There are some fascinating stories up there…..

Heather’s Rating: Worth Going

Cornerstone Pub & Kitchen (Barre, Vt)

I know this seems like a completely random restaurant review and the likelihood of you ever showing up in the small town of Barre, let alone the great state of Vermont, is very slim.  But I was there recently and thought I’d take the opportunity to highlight a far off locale.

I’m from Vermont and my parents were both born and raised in the Barre-Montpelier area.  Psst - Montpelier is the capitol of Vermont - it’s a small state, we know no one remembers from geography class.  

Barre is the Granite City and home to Rock of Ages quarry.  My grandfather was a stone cutter and almost everyone in my family had something to do with granite and quarries in one way or another for a number of generations.  I love granite and until I was well into my 20’s I assumed that all granite looked like the stone that came out of Vermont - a light grey with flecks of black and silver and white.  It’s gorgeous and always reminds me of Vermont.

I’ve traveled back to Vermont more recently over the last few years mostly to join my Mom in her yearly pilgrimage to plant flowers at Hope Cemetery, one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the country I’m told primarily because all the stones are made from Vermont granite, and make sure my grandparent’s resting place is in pristine condition.  It’s been great fun spending a little time in this quiet area every summer.  It’s like a little serene bubble I get to visit every now and then.

Recently, Barre has been undergoing a “Big Dig” to revitalize and beautify downtown.  My Mom recently oohed and awwed over the new “old-timey” streetlights and how amazing Main Street looked without the old power lines and telephone poles.  Barre is on the way back to it’s former glory!  

I was back in Barre two weeks ago and we had heard about the new eatery in town - the Cornerstone Pub & Kitchen.  It’s located in what my mother told me is the old bank right on the main drag in town and was all the talk of the locals.  On our last night in town we tried to make a reservation with no luck so I drove over and begged Keith Paxman, one of the owners along with Keith McSheffrey, to find us a table that night.  He took pity on me and set us up in a great spot.

Chef Jesse LeClair didn’t disappoint.  It probably helped that we knew he was an old friend of my cousin Eric, also a chef, but I digress.  I had the New England Clam Chowder (appropriate right?) and then the Pan Seared Diver Scallops.  Others at the table tried the fish and chips and the filet.  It was all quite good.  I can’t wax on poetic about the food because it wasn’t other-worldly.  It was solid cooking and I can’t complain about that.  I tried a wine that didn’t measure up but that was a bit of my fault wasn’t it?  

The outstanding part of the menu which is the area I have the least knowledge in (other than all that beer drinking in Germany during high school) was the Draft Beer Menu.  Cornerstone’s motto is “Helping to Rebuild Barre One Pint at a Time” and apparently they mean it.  My cousin Steve was in awe at the list and especially commented on the Dogfish which happens to be an Imperial IPA - a robust, alcohol infused beer with a hop profile “that might rip your tongue out”.  The Imperial IPA comes from Russian Imperial Stout, a style originally brewed in England for the Russian Imperial Court of the 1700’s.  There’s my factoid for the day.

So if you happen to find yourself up in Vermont and close to Barre, stop by and visit Cornerstone.  Drink a beer, chat up Keith and then wander up the road a bit and wander around Hope Cemetery checking out all the amazing granite sculptures and headstones.  There are some fascinating stories up there…..

Heather’s Rating: Worth Going

Apple Pan

My paternal grandmother is not a good cook.  A wonderful woman, yes, but a horror in the kitchen.  When I was young, my family would drive up from Orange County to visit her and my grandfather in West Los Angeles but always with a caveat – we’d stop at the Apple Pan.  This tiny shack on Pico Boulevard is an LA institution with its original menu and décor which date back to the 1940’s.   In my formidable years, I wanted to be a grown-up just so I could work in the movies and eat at the Apple Pan every day.  I suppose this dream isn’t so far-fetched but if only my waistline would co-sign with these ambitions…

The options are limited but oh so satisfying.  I always order the fries well done as they arrive with the perfect amount of crispiness on the outside that crunch into a soft, slightly salty potato center.  You can’t go wrong with either the hickory or steak burger – it’s just a matter of personal preference.  The hickory features their special house-made barbecue sauce while the steak burger is their take on an all-American classic.  Both come adorned with pickles, lettuce and mayo with the opportunity to add a slice of Tillamook Cheese (which is an obvious yes).  At this point in the meal I’m almost always full…but that doesn’t mean the party’s over.  It is the Apple Pan for goodness sake’s!  Now here’s where things get controversial. Yes, they are known for their apple pie.  Yes, it is great.  However, the banana cream pie is the real show stopper.  The cream mixes with sliced bananas proudly perched on top of flaky pie crust into a delectable presentation with an entrancing fragrance.  It’s pretty close to pure perfection. 

After such a satisfying meal, I’m either ready to curl up on the couch with a good movie or immediately schedule my next appointment at the gym.  Even though I am now firmly cemented in my adulthood, it doesn’t seem like all that much has changed as far as my priorities go. Maybe instead I should call up my grandmother and see if she’d be up for a visit?  

Lauren’s Rating: Worth Going Back Over and Over

Apple Pan

10801 W. Pico Blvd, Los Angeles 90064

(310)475-3585

Hours: 11:00a-12:00a Every Day

BOA

Although our Christmas holiday involved more food than anyone could ever consume, we found ourselves watching the Food Network non-stop this past Saturday.  If you recall, the morning started out cold but dry and quickly devolved into a rainy, soggy mess.  I was out on my bike and got caught in the rain - fun.  So once I got home, all I wanted to do was sink into our bed and watch tv.  And watch tv we did.  In the early afternoon we were starting to get very hungry as we watched a series of restaurant shows on The Travel Channel.  One in particular, Food Paradise, was all about steakhouses.  We learned about dry-aging beef, wet-aging beef and how to get the best cuts of meat from a cow.

We were all dying for a steak and started calling around town to secure an early reservation with the kids.  Mastro’s was booked, Lawry’s was going to be too touristy but BOA was reasonably close and could seat us at 5:30p.  Perfect!  

We threw on slightly nicer clothes, slicked down the kids’ hair and took off for Santa Monica.  As we walked in, our son asked where the pictures were on the walls - unfortunately, he thought we were going to The Palm which he saw on that show.  Now I’m forced to take him there one day soon.  Only WE would have kids that think going to The Palm is normal.

I’ve eaten at BOA many times and this trip didn’t disappoint.  We started off with a special bruschetta appetizer with ricotta cheese, cherry tomatoes and truffle oil that was heavenly and a picture perfect chop salad.  The steaks were wonderful although my gigantic Porterhouse (to share with the kids - hello!) was much more rare than the “medium to medium well” I asked for.  I also really loved the wine menu with a number of unique, hard to find wines but mostly the half-bottles that allowed the two of us to try two different wines without spending a small fortune.

The coup de grace of the evening though was the perfectly square mound of blue cotton candy they made for the kids.  They went nuts.  Everyone around us was in awe of it and it was awe worthy.  For a last minute trip out for “cow” as my daughter said, it was a pretty great night.

Heather’s Rating: Worth Going Back Again 

BOA

101 Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica 90401

(310)899-4466

Reservations