I Wanna Go Here: Test Kitchen
September 11, 2010
I’m in foodie heaven. I don’t know why I just heard about this last night from one of my favorite mixologists.
“Test kitchen is the product of many people’s efforts, but the concept of Bill Chait and Brian Saltsburg. Test kitchen is a showcase for chefs by restaurateurs and allows for experimentation and testing of new ideas and concepts. Visiting chefs will be serving dishes they are working on for future restaurant projects. Mixologists provide innovative pairing opportunities and avenues to express their craft. Each chef will be working alone or in consultation with Ricardo Zarate (of Mo-Chica), who is currently finalizing his own restaurant.” *
Below is the upcoming schedule of chefs and mixologists featured at Test Kitchen. The prixe-fixed menus look amazing. Check out the site here to get details and more info:
Sept 8-11: Jordan Kahn, Red Medicine, 7 Courses of Beef, $60
Sept 8 Vincenzo Marianella & Julian Cox Mixologists
Sept 9 Mathew Doerr Mixologist
Sept 10 Matthew Doerr Mioxologist
Sept 11 Erick Castro & Julian Cox Mixologits
Sept 12: Thi Tran (AKA Kitchen Ninja) of Starry Kitchen 8 courses, $45
Adrian Biggs of La Descarga Mixologist
Wine pairings by David Haskell
Sept 13: Joshua Smith of Church and State $55
7 courses North African /Mediterranean feast
David Fernie of Church and State Mixologist
Sept 14 Young Talent Team – Star sous-chefs from around the city $60
Joel Black & Julian Cox Mixologists
Sept 15-16 ???, The Hallucination , 5 Courses $60
Julian Cox Mixologists
Sept 17-18: Shelley Cooper, I come to the test kitchen for the FIRST time AND HOPE you will experience more substance than store bought hype. $55
Aidan Demarest Mixologist
* From testkitchenla.com
You have to try….Mo-Chica
June 24, 2009
It wasn’t my idea. One of my best friends is a foodie. She knows all the best places to go.
We’ve been wanting to try Mo-Chica for a few weeks now. Tonight, we finally tried the delicious Peruvian restaurant. (Actually, it’s not a restaurant. It’s one of many places to eat at the Mercado La Paloma food court near USC).
Mo-chica’s chef, and Lima native, Ricardo Zarate worked as a chef at high-end restaurants prior to opening this diamond in the rough.
Chef Zarate goes to the fish market daily to obtain fish for his ceviche del dia as well as the menu del dia. We actually got to meet the chef, as he came out as food was delivered. He told us to enjoy the meal.
We started with causa del dia, which is a Peruvian potato salad. It was so good. See photo above. It had yellow potatoes, crab, avocado and a very yummy spicy sauce.
Then we had the most delicious ceviche in the world. Today’s fish was Red Snapper. But, the chef also uses sushi grade tuna to make this dish. At only $5, it was such a great deal.
Four our main course, we shared Lomo Saltado made with Shrimp. It was also very yummy. It’s basically a stew-type dish with rice and french fries.
And for desert, we had carob mousse. It tasted like coffee candy–but so much creamier. It was soooooooo good.
If you’re ever in the downtown Los Angeles area, you must try this new Peruvian restaurant.
Visit the official Mo-Chica website for more info, photos and menu.
I took a few more photos of Mo-chica below. The food was beautiful, and it was absolutely fantastic.
This is where you eat.
This is where you order.
The sauces that came with the lomo saltado.
The cute logo was hand-stamped on all the napkins and order number plaques.
