hitting the high notes in Los Angeles

You can not go to LA and not hit up a Farmer’s Market.  When I am out here for the winter I hit up Mar Vista every Sunday but this week I took the gang to Santa Monica’s Farmer Market.   Beautiful bok choy

Fresh ginger.

Cauliflower.

Carrots.

Dates.

Emu eggs.  Curious to say the least.

Eggs.  All the essentials.

Over to Huckleberry’s for a late breakfast.  One of my favorites in town.  They make a fine Chilaquiles.

Afterward we made our way over to Bergamot Station.  An area around a huge parking lot filled with galleries.  Now the new above rail train stops there.  I have heard that the city plans on growing this area into something even larger with more restaurants, galleries etc.  Blending in a Series:  Tupperware Party I by Shalene Valenzuela

Bourbon or Scotch by Brighton Smith

The Lotus Series that was done by Robert Rauschenberg, his last set of work before he had a stroke.  He had been traveling in Asia.

Cereal art?

There is a gallery in there that has art and also a collection of objects.  I have been into all the plates being produced by artists, this one of Alex Katz’s work.

Here is another piece in the midst of their items.

Lastly a gallery that shows artists from mostly Mexico and South America.  The ceramics were amazing by Gustavo Perez.

That night we returned to Yamakase.  We had been two years ago.  Not a place you want to go often but thought it was time to return.  The chef has moved into a new location with a much larger kitchen and even extra seating that is not situated around the bar.  Although part of the experience is really watching them prepare the food.  The place is too decadent as the chef overpowers the nuances of the flavors.  It was too much and honestly I remember it more flavorful.  Here are a few of the dishes.  This was one of the first 3 out of the gate.  Scallop, quail egg, uni, caviar and a slight taste of truffle.  It is just too much.  The caviar and egg would have been plenty and the flavors would have sung.

Soft toast with a large scoop of crab salad over the top, uni and a large piece of frozen toro.  Ridiculous.  The crab alone is so good that would have been plenty.

The man is a master with a knife.  This is the crab dish.  They literally break down dozens of crabs in minutes.  Before he was solo but now he has a sous chef to help for a larger place.

Underneath this mound of white truffles is wagu beef.  Rich?

The last thing is a warm crab salad roll stuff with chopped toro and a dollop of uni on top.  More uni?

It is a feat that the chef does every night for his guests but it is too much.  We all felt it the next day.  An experience to talk about but not sure I am returning for a very long time or if ever.