The Foodist Chronicles - I Will Survive

When I was fifteen years old, I saw a news report I would never forget.  The year was 1995 and the Bosnian War had been going on for three years.  Up to that point, the war was something occurring another world away, a conflict I didn’t understand being fought by nations I’d never heard of.  Then NATO got involved, and on June 2, 1995 an American fighter pilot named Scott O’Grady was shot down.  After hiding in the woods for six days, narrowly avoiding capture by Bosnian-Serb forces, he was rescued by U.S. Marines.  After returning to safety, a press conference was held and O’Grady explained how he survived the ordeal.  When asked what he ate in the Bosnian wilderness for food, his response has stayed with me for 20 years- bugs.

     The notion that bugs could be consumed for survival officially blew my mind.  My mom had to further explain their high protein and nutritional value because my teenage brain couldn’t wrap itself around this idea.  In my mind, the only purpose an insect served this world was to be squashed by adolescent assholes like me.  Thankfully, my maturity and worldview have grown and evolved since then.  Okay, maybe not entirely because if you’re an insect trying to set up residence in my house I’m going to spray, squash, and swat you until I’m convinced you’re no longer alive.  But in cases of survival, I’m no longer freaked out by the idea of consuming bugs to live another day.

     Since starting The Foodist Chronicles, I’ve made an agreement with myself to dine and write about foods I wouldn’t ordinarily order.  I’m not going to go to a place with the intention of writing about it, only to play it safe and order a burger, then share all the juicy details.  You don’t need me for that because you can get a burger absolutely anywhere in this town.  So when my family sat down at Guelaguetza my eyes immediately began scanning the menu for something different.

Mole.

     Guelaguetza is an Oaxacan restaurant located in Koreatown on Olympic Blvd. Spacious, family-owned, and extremely hospitable, they are well renowned for producing authentic Oaxacan cuisine, and have one of the most extensive tequila and mezcal lists I’ve ever seen.  The first thing to hit the table was complimentary tortilla chips topped with their first class mole.  Truly exceptional, I couldn’t stop eating them while my survey of the menu for that “different” dish continued.  And then it happened, an appetizer dish just waiting to be ordered, if only I had the courage to go through with it- Chapulines a la Mexicana: fried grasshoppers sautéed with jalapenos, onions and tomatoes, served with Oaxacan string cheese and avocado.  Twenty years after being shocked at what Scott O’Grady had to eat to survive, I was going to eat grasshoppers just for the sport of it.  

Those sexy grasshoppers!

     For me, grasshoppers can stay in the grass.  There’s no pretending they’re something else, these are definitely insects being ingested.  After the initial crunch, a brininess covers the palate.  The flavor profile isn’t bad, I just couldn’t get passed grasshopper legs and antennae getting stuck in my teeth.  I tried masking the next bites by wrapping them in a tortilla and adding the avocado and string cheese, which provided only the slightest improvement.  Nope, it’s confirmed: grasshoppers are not for me.  Thankfully, the mezcal sampler we ordered was there to help wash it all down.  When my entrée hit the table I couldn’t have been happier.  Costilla de Puerco Enchilada:  chile-marinated grilled pork ribs, served with rice, black beans, and green salad.  This dish was truly outstanding and was devoured in minutes.

Mezcal sampler, thank god!

     I definitely recommend Guelaguetza to anyone looking for an authentic dining experience.  The entire staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable, and the space itself is quite large with plenty of seating available.  They also sell their famous mole and other merchandise up front.  And while I’ve learned consuming grasshoppers isn’t for me, it’s nice knowing that I could survive off of them if I’m ever stranded in the wild.  For now, I’ll stick to city living.

Chile marinated pork ribs, so good!

Restaurante Guelaguetza

3014 W. Olympic Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90006

(213) 427-0608

www.ilovemole.com

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A Perfect 'Union'

It’s just after 7:00 on a Tuesday night and my wife, Karina, and I are out celebrating our 3rd anniversary of being married.  With no pun intended, the restaurant we’re going to is Union in Pasadena.  So far, the night’s been a bit of a rush.  I’ve driven to my in-laws and back to drop of our almost 2 year-old, my wife came home from work, we both got ready to go out, and I’ve just finished navigating the drive from L.A. to Pasadena during rush hour with moderate success.  When we walk into the restaurant we’re immediately greeted warm and graciously by the hosts, thanking us for having called to say we may be a few minutes late. 

The restaurant is a smaller space with a 50-seat dining room and it’s completely full, ours is the only empty table.  The host walks us over, and as we’re sitting down neither of us has any idea that we’re about to enjoy the best dinner we’ve had a in a very long time. 

Owners Marie Petulla and Chef Bruce Kalman opened Union a little more than a year ago, and in that time it has received a flurry of rave reviews, establishing itself on numerous “best of” lists.  Believe the hype, folks, because it does not disappoint.  At the top of the chalk board next to the bar is a quote from Alice Waters, owner of Chez Panisse in Berkeley and matriarch of the farm to table movement: “Let things taste of what they are.”  Featuring a northern Italian cuisine with a California influence, Chef Kalman does a masterful job of doing just that.  From house made pastas, to in-house butchery, and farm to table ingredients, Union reminds you that, in the end, it’s all about the taste.

Porcetta

At our server’s recommendation, we decided to dine family-style, and requested wine director George Pitsironis to pair the wine with our courses.   Anytime a restaurant has a wine director or sommelier, use them!  George amplified our experience by a factor of ten.  The portions, while not enormous, are certainly filling.  The dinner opened with duck confit ravioli that immediately let us know we were in for a special night.  With parmigiano-reggiano, ricotta cheese, pickled beets, arugula, huge chunks of duck, and a touch of a savory sauce, this pasta dish was truly exceptional. 

Duck Confit Ravioli

This was followed by the squid ink garganelli with lobster, truffle butter, fennel, and meyer lemon.  Wow.  Oh my God, wow!!! Unlike anything I’d ever had, literally, since I’d never had squid ink before.  I ordered it like I completely knew what we were getting and then looked it up on my Wikipedia app.  This is one of their most insanely popular dishes and with good reason: truffle butter, truffle butter, truffle butter!  Just when we couldn’t get enough of it, our last dish hit the table.  Porchetta featuring Weiser Farms potatoes and topped with a touch of salsa verde.  Juicy pork with just the right amount of fat and spice: of course it was amazing and delicious.  Two bites in for each of us and we immediately knew we had to take the rest home, and I got to have the best leftover lunch ever.

Squid Ink Garganelli

The ambiance is very intimate and reservations are a must.  The décor is made up of white walls on one side, exposed brick on the other, and mason jars with their house made pickled vegetables.  You’re definitely sitting in close quarters to other guests, and as a result it can get a bit noisy.  None of this is a negative.  It’s not about being sleek and chic, it’s about the food on the table.  For us, we honestly felt as though we were a part of a big dinner party in someone’s home.  As it turned out, the couples sitting to our left and right were also celebrating anniversaries, so we all raised our glasses toasting one another.  I can’t think of a better way to have ended our experience.  Three couples all celebrating their union at Union.

Union Restaurant

37 E Union St, Pasadena, CA 91103

(626) 795-5841

unionpasadena.com

 Follow Joe on Twitter @JoeFoodist