PARIS: LA REINE DE POULET @ Richard Lenoir

During my mind-blowingly wonderous time spent in Paris, I frequented the Richard Lenoir market in the Bastille on Sunday mornings.  Paris' biggest outdoor market, Richard Lenoir is where the fromagers, boulangers, patissiers, charcutiers, and produce sellers conglomerated to make my weekend complete and completely awesome.  One particularly noteworthy vendor was "La Reine de Poulet" (The Queen of Chicken), who roasts plump birds on the rotisserie and lets their succulent drippings soak into the potatoes resting below.  Take one home- or two, if you happen to invite poultry-loving Charlotte over for dinner- reheat in the oven, tear the succulent meat off the bones WITH YOUR FINGERS, dip in dijon mustard, and float right on up to poulet heaven.

La Reine de Poulet herself! Serving up her prize-worthy poultry in paper bags, and topping them off with tender chicken gravy-soaked potatoes.  

El Mercado de Los Angeles (a.k.a "El Mercadito")

"Bienvenidos al Mercadito" reads the sign above you as you walk into the three-story mercado in Boyle Heights, one of L.A.'s many vibrant Mexican communities.  Walk inside and you are surrounded by a rainbow of technicolored aguas frescas (fruit waters), freshly handmade tortillas (you can watch them come off the oven belt!), moles from all over central America, dried ancho chili peppers, display cases filled with carnitas (meltingly-soft chunks of carmelized pork) and chicharrones (fried pork skin), tamales, sopes, gorditas, and an array of strange trinkets and electronics.  Venture up to the third floor and you will even find a Mariachi band!  It's like a Mexican food theme park!  The suffix -ito is used in Spanish to denote affection, and I can see why El Mercadito is near and dear to the residents of East L.A.'s hearts.

A rainbow of aguas frescas (including my favorita HORCHATA!)

Black mole from Oaxaca (Say it with me now: Wa-ha-ka).  We brought some of the delicious, complex, smoky, sweet, chocolatey, nutty mole home, diluted the thick paste with chicken broth, and braised chicken in the sauce.  SO GOOD.

*Fun Fact: The word Mole comes from Molino, which is Spanish for "mill"

3425 E 1st St. Los Angeles, CA 90063

SOUTHERN RED VELVET CAKE: drool

I was recently watching a special on Cake Man Raven and his famous Red Velvet Cake in Brookly NY.  I must make this cake, electric red and tender with cream cheese frosting; it is my destiny.  You are all invited over for a piece.

{I didn't take this photo...I got it off the Cake Man Raven website.  But have no fear, it will soon be replaced by a picture of my OWN red velvet cake!}

And heeeeere's the picture: (i did not make a cake, but RED VELVET CUPCAKES instead!)

DUBLIN: Queen of Tarts

While wandering down Dame Street in Dublin on a brisk March morning, me and my mates fell upon Queen of Tarts, a cute, quaint, seriously good spot for morning tea, scones, pies, cookies, and tarts (all at once).

Tender, flakey blueberry and raspberry scones.  Not dense or heavy like one sometimes expects with scones, but light and barely sweet.  Complemented with a pot of jam and a dusting of powdered sugar.  Also, look at those cupcakes...I want one!!!
A dizzying array of sweets behind the bakery counter at Queen of Tarts.  Blackberry pie, apple tart, chocolate cake, oh my!

Queen of Tarts: 4 Corkhill, Dublin, 2

LOS ANGELES: Too Many Tacos?...NEVER!

My brother makes a mean Chicken Taco

Leftover shredded Pollo a la Brasa chicken, chopped onion, cilantro, avocado slice, and avacado/cilantro/jalapeño mayo.

served with a side of black beans with bell pepper, garlic, and oregano.

LOS ANGELES: REDONDO BEACH: Naja's Place

BEEEEEEEEEEEEER (lots of it, on draft).

Naja's has 88 beers on draft.  88!!! Including hard-to-find favorites like Pliny the Elder, Old Rasputin, Razor 5, Dogfish 90 min IPA, Franzikaner Hefeweizen, Alagash White, and Stone.  Also, shout out to Naja's serving Magic Hat #9, a beer from Burligton, VT, and a favorite on my college campus in NY state.

My brother, smiling whilst eating wings at Naja's Place on the Redondo Beach Boardwalk.
Naja's Hot Chicken Wings, with a side of blue cheese dressingNaja's also serves an AWESOME chicken kabob plate, which the señor pictured above is grilling up with mushrooms and onions.  Served, somewhat untraditionally as some sort of beautiful middle eastern/mexican amalgamation, with pico de gallo, hummus, sour cream, jalapeno sauce, and warm pita.

Naja's has live music on Sundays, is fun, has views of the beach, good food, and above all GREAT BREWS.

154 International Boardwalk, Redondo Beach, CA 90277

LOS ANGELES: Cactus Taqueria

In the Taco wonderland that is L.A., Cactus Taqueria, on Vine in Hollywood, is a must.

950 Vine St., Hollywood

Taco al Pastor...mmmmm.

($1.25/taco. Open 'till 3AM)

Beware of the killer orange Chipotle/habanero? sauce.  I ordered a large horchata to stop my mouth from burning, and I was still tearing up after my meal.. in a good way ;)

LOS ANGELES: India Sweets & Spices

9409 Venice Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232

Mango Lassi [pictured above].  Like the liquified essence of mango.  So. Freaking. Good.

Also don't forget to try the Samosas, fried crispy and filled with poatato, peas, spices, and goodness.  Served with two sauces on the side: spicy green chutney and sweet date/tamarind chutney.

LOS ANGELES: Intelligentsia Coffee & Tea

Hands down the best cup of coffee in Los Angeles (second to Sabor y Cultura on Hollywood Blvd nearby).  Great place to relax outside in the sun with a good book, wayfarers, and some plaid, among the youthful & hip residents of Sliverlake.3922 W. Sunset Blvd (in the über trendy barrio of Silver Lake).

Macchiato...a little demitasse cup of perfection.

LOS ANGELES: California Burger Heaven #2: IN-N-OUT BURGER

Although we here at Je Blague are semi-opposed to chains, and strive to promote independently owned eateries, I had to give a shout out to In-N-Out Burger in my Ode to California Burger Heaven.  This place is pretty impressive: it's a chain, yet the quality is consistent location to location and the burger is simply awesome.  Get the double-double (double meat, double cheese), because when has JUST 1 patty + 1 slice of cheese been enough? And get it ANIMAL STYLE, meaning pickles, extra "special sauce" (aka Thousand Island Dressing), grilled onions, and the meat patty is fried in mustard.  Insane.  Besides their use of fresh ingredients and their commitment to quality, we like In-N-Out because of their secret menu and West Coast elitism :)

Double-double animal style (pickles, extra special sauce, and grilled onions)

LOS ANGELES: California Burger Heaven #1: FATHER'S OFFICE

Heaven is a place, a place in culver city called Father's Office.

Sweet potato fries with roasted garlic, Cabrales blue cheese aioli.

[My apologies for the quality of above photo. See: "beverages consumed" below]

The (oh so famous) Office Burger: A killer combination of dry-aged beef (perfectly cooked to medium rare), maytag blue cheese, melty gruyere, sweet caramelized onions, and peppery arugula.  Served on a French Roll.  

Beverages consumed:

• Pliny the Elder (Russian River Brewing Co.) - American Double/Imperial IPA 8%
  
• Alagash White (Alagash Brewery- Portland, Maine) - Wheat Beer 5%
  
• La Fin du Monde (Unibroue Microbrewery) - Triple Fermentation Golden Ale 9%
  
• Decadence Anniversary Ale (Alesmith Brewery- San Diego, CA)- Old Ale (a whopping 11%)
  
• Manhattan (served with a twist of lemon peel and an olive) yummmmm.
  

PARIS' 17ème: Rue Poncelet

Alleosse Fromager (17éme, 13 Rue Poncelet).

This cheese shop is the only fromager in Paris with a cellar for cheese ageing underneath the store.

Market lettuce

[Pictured above]: Ash rine goat, champagne washed-rind cow, comté

[Pictured above]: Sharp, creamy Saint Agur Blue

PARIS: CHEZ GLADINES Rocks My World

Chez Gladines, a Basque restaurant in Paris' 13th arrondisement, is crowded, cosy, homey, inexpensive, inviting, and more than any other Parisian establishment makes me feel like I belong.  This is a great place to gather with friends, eat enormous salads served in no-frills metal mixing bowls, complete with gooey cheese, fried potatoes, delicious cuts of meat, and fried egg.  They provide the cheap Cote du Rhone, delicious, authentic food, fun ambience, and all you need is a few great friends to help you enjoy.  You may have to wait up to two hours for a table, but they provide you with 2€ cups of sangria to sip on while you wait.  And, waiting outside the restaurant feels more like attending a block party than a hassle.  
Megan eats: A gargantuan basque salad consisting of fried potatoes, fried egg, ham, and cheese.
Salad du Cinq Diamants [pictured above]- Basque salad consisting of liver, fried potatoes, fried egg, some type of delicious cheese, tomato, and (because that really isn't enough), bread slathered with goat cheese.  Oh, and I think there was a little lettuce mixed in there.

The salads range from 9€ to 12€.  A steal!

Chez Gladines: 

30 rue des Cinq Diamants

Metro: CORVISART

BRISTOL, UK: Arch House Deli

Maddy eats: Leek, potato, and tarragon soup with a dollop of fresh cream, and a side of chickpea salad.

If you happen to find yourself in Bristol, UK (just 105 miles West of London), do yourself a massive favor and go to Arch House Deli.  It was awarded the Best New British Cheese Retailer Award in 2007 by Specialty Foods Magazine. Haha.  The quaint, charming deli offers british and french cheeses, deli case salads, soups, and gorgeous bread and baked goods.  The owners come from Provence, and have created the perfect establishment based on a French appreciation for cooking and ingredients combined with the freshest produce and delicacies England has to offer.

LOS ANGELES: Scoops Ice Cream (suck it, frozen yogurt)

712 N Heliotrope Dr Los Angeles, CA 90029
Cup #1:Banana/Cookies and cream (vegan)

Cup #2: Brown bread (made with GrapeNuts and caramel) and coffee white chocolate

$2.75 for two scoops

Some of owner and ice cream genius Tai Kim's other flavors:

-black currant lychee

-strawberry balsamic vinegar

-banana avocado

-roasted rice black sesame

-honeydew champagne mint sorbet

-olive oil

-FOIE GRAS!

Check out this neat NPR article about Scoops, among other LA ice cream destinations.

Homegrown goodness (and a Japanese market)

Salmon and albacore sashimi, homegrown lettuce dressed with a miso/ponzu/balsamic dressing [pictured above].

We bought this lovely sushi-grade fish at Mitsuwa Japanese Market on Centinela Blvd. in Santa Monica.  The market is a Japanese food paradise comprised of rows and rows of intriguing Japanese ingredients, including the freshest sushi-grade fish, an isle's worth of green tea, and at least 200 different kinds of rice.  The market also has a food hall in the back where you can get yummy bowls of ramen with salt or miso broth, among other delicacies.

Mitsuwa Marketplace

3760 Centinela Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90066

This is a ripe, luscious, immaculate strawberry grown by my father.  He has started a rather impressive backyard garden, in which he grows strawberries, a variety of lettuce, zucchini, tomatoes, and herbs.  It cannot be denied that cooking with freshly picked, home-grown ingredients elevates one's cooking to another level entirely.

Blueberry Oatmeal Scones: Sconetastic!

I recently made scones from a recipe based on that of the Standard Baking Company in Portland, Maine.  The scones are barely sweet, crumbly and flakey like biscuits, and freckled with blueberries. Sconetastic!

LOS ANGELES: Canelé

3219 Glendale Blvd

(Atwater Village)

Recently, I have found myself without expendable income to indulge in a certain echelon of LA dining experiences.  Yes, I am without a job.  Want to hire me??  Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised when, last night, my generous and thoughtful brother took me out to dinner at Canelé in Atwater Village.

The restaurant space itself is tres chic, with exposed hanging lights, elegant light wood tables, a big chalkboard menu, and the sweetest exposed kitchen I have ever seen, running almost the entire length of the restaurant.

Pork liver terrine served with pickled onions and green peppers, dijon mustard
Dandelion greens with capers, parsley, garlic, croutons, and sherry vinaigrette

Duck confit with wilted spinach, roasted mushrooms, and cherries

Herb-roasted leg of lamb with stuffed tomatoes, roasted potatoes, and olives

We started with a pork liver terrine that was rather, well, "liver-y", but delicious when paired with pickled onions, peppers, parsley, and dijon mustard. We also shared a dandelion salad, dressed in a sherry vinaigrette that was sooo right on the money. The vinaigrette, as well as the croutons and celery paired with the bitter dandelion greens really made this salad vibrant. I ordered the duck confit as a main. I'm ashamed to admit this, but I liked this version of duck confit more than any I had eaten in Paris. The duck was of superb quality, and the cherry reduction chilling at the bottom of the plate, when seeped up with the tender shredded morsels of duck leg, was divine. My brothers lamb was delish, if not slightly under seasoned. The potatoes that came with the dish were cooked to perfection, tossed with garlic, parseley, and olives. A killer side! Owner Corina Weibel knows what she's doing.