Restaurant-Dining Critiques

Photo Credit: Vicbria Pearson

9635 S Santa Monica Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90291
Phone: (310) 274-8765
www.sprinklescupcakes.com
Prices: Expensive
$3.50 each $46 per dozen

Candace Nelson and her husband opened cupcake only shops about three years ago with a distinguishing trademarked dot within a dot as a design on most cupcakes, that same mark also distinguishes what flavors are being used. Other cupcakes in their lineup use smaller imported French sprinkles or grated coconut as a topping, and it should be mentioned that it is commendable that they do not bake with hydrogenated oils and use only natural ingredients for their icings and baking. What is more interesting, is the legal frenzy and law suits that have developed out of this, and after all, they are only cupcakes and nothing to get so worked up over. Or are they? Because as every entrepreneur knows; if it is innovative enough other persons will surely copy it and you must defend your brand. Sprinkles is the pioneer of the cupcake-only shop fancied by various American celebrities and it is really turning up the heat on competitors. The question is: can they really defend their trademarked “dot” and the name Sprinkles that is commonly used when referring to frosting and ice creams. Are they good or worth $3.50 when most cupcakes are going for $2.00 or less? That is a matter of conjecture and you will have to be the judge.
They have opened a few other branches already in Newport Beach in Corona del Mar Plaza, 944 Avocado Ave.; Dallas at Plaza at Preston Center, 3020 Villanova Dr.; Phoenix-Scottsdale at 4501 N. Scottsdale Rd.; S.F.- Palo Alto on 393 Stanford Shopping Center; Houston at Highland Village, 4010 Westheimer Rd. (Apr. 2009). Coming Soon: Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Kansas City, London, Las Vegas, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, SAn Diego, Seattle, Tokyo, Washington D. C. and other future locations worldwide.

Below: Candace Nelson of Sprinkles Cupcakes

Only the other day I commented to a friend of mine in Los Angeles, ”What has become of the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach?” My timing was right on, when I started to investigate, I found that a Gala Grand Opening had just transpired after completion of a 1 billion dollar renovation. Just as starters, there are seven different restaurants to choose from: Gotham Steak - Steakhouse; Hakkasan-Chinese Cantonese restaurant (Alan Yau’s London based, Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant); Scarpetta - Italian; La Cote, - French, Mediterranean; Vida - Pan-American; Solo - Cafe & Patisserie; Fresh - Snacks & Gelato. Sean O’Connell is the Executive Chef of Fontainebleau Resorts.

I will be updating as I become privy to new information. K.M.

Jean-Stephane Poinard is a fifth generation Lyonnaise chef who is also a member of the elite Les Toques Blanches Lyonnaises. Along with his wife, Valerie they are striving to make the Bistro de Leon, their first outlet in the United States and their dream for years, to ultimately become a great success. Both of them are passionate about cuisine and the integral part it plays in daily life.  The newly opened Bistro de Leon is from a chef who’s mentor is Paul Bocuse, and this is his sixth restaurant and is anchored in “la cuisine des nos meres” or “mother’s home cooking”. It is both classic and somewhat contemporary, relying on Poinard’s ingenuity and the quality of the freshest of locally grown ingredients.

They offer a daily three-course prix fixe menu for $22. The Bistro is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Bread is baked fresh daily on the premises and main entrees start at $15.95.

“Alright everyone, you can all come up on deck now, we’re the biggest!”  Bellowed Ricky di Portonova, as the yacht S. S. Miranda pulled into the port of Monte Carlo to bring aboard caviar and Champagne from a local supplier. Ricky, the heir to an enormous Texas oil fortune from his grandfather, oil wildcatter Hugh Roy Cullen, on his mothers side and what some people have called a “purchased” Italian Baronial title from his charming, father, Paulo di Portanova. Traveling in what he called his “taxi” a Lear jet he called the “Barefoot Contessa” between homes in Houston, Rome and a fabulous villa in Acapulco called “Arabesque” that was protected by a small army of machine-gun toting guards in towers and featured an indoor waterfall and 28 bedrooms.

The yacht, the S.S. Miranda with 27 in crew and only 6 of us aboard chartered by Ricky and calling on various ports around the Mediterranean for the months of July and August.  Guests aboard included Ricky’s girlfriend Sandra Hovis who later became his wife, Dee Hay from England, Patsy de Rothschild from Basil, Switzerland, and Ricky’s friend Eddie and his girlfriend along with my wife and I.  Ricky had sacked the ships English cook and replaced him with one of the Rothschild’s French chefs.  He immediately intimidated him by complaining that the lamb was too rare and it also turned out that this poor chef suffered from seasickness. After stocking up with many kilos of caviar in Monte Carlo he inflicting a couple of his favorite dishes almost every night—a baked potato filled to overflowing with Beluga caviar or fettuccine tossed with great quantities of caviar; who would complain? The latter dish years later made it onto the then tired menu of Tony’s Restaurant in Houston. Tagliatelle Portanova!

I first met Ricky in Capri after hearing a booming voice shout out, “Where is the Christian section?”, as he moved across the crowded terrace of the Quisisana Hotel, turning heads as he authoritatively pushed through.  He sat down at the next table with a large party of friends including a pal of his by the name of Eddie who had recently lost his leg in the crash of his Ferrari.  Presumably, other parts were lost as well as he was an embittered man, who carried a cane with a sword in it - he was always waiting for any opportunity to use it.   We spent the summer in Capri.  Island life, on a small Island such as Capri, becomes rather clubby, with an influx of new players coming and going.  Sometime during this period of time Ricky made the suggestion that we join him in Ostia (the port of Rome) and cruise on a yacht he had chartered.
We stored our car at a friend of ours who was staying at a large villa just outside Rome, his name was Charlie Fawcett. I suggested that he come along with us to the port and board the yacht and meet Ricky whom oddly enough he had not met, and God knows, he had encountered almost everyone who was worth knowing in the entire world, and it was a great pleasure to introduce him to someone he did not know. They hit it off very well and became long-time friends after that first meeting.

One night, after a few days docked in Monte Carlo, Ricky said, “Let’s go to Au Pirate tonight, it is a very unusual, fun restaurant but we will not dine there as the food is inedible.  We may have a little Moussaka as an hors d’oeuvres, it’s passable, and there is nothing wrong with their Champagne and whiskey; until we can adjourn to a more gastronomic atmosphere later in the evening.”  As it turned out anything could happen or be acquired for a price in this bizarre restaurant, you could break anything, or order the waiter to throw the chairs or tables into the huge fireplace and burn them, which he would  gladly do and automatically tick them onto the bill realizing a great profit for the restaurant.  Ricky took off his gold chain studded with diamonds and gave it to the young son of the restaurant owner; the father now had a grin from ear to ear and reciprocated by firing up a big display of fireworks gratis, normally a big-ticket item if you ordered them yourself. You might also choose to have the house donkey brought over to the table and put through his paces by his trainer for added amusement. Or there was a tree in the courtyard, which guests could climb up to the bar on the next floor, although a major hazard was being hit by cocktail glasses that might, and usually did, rain down onto other guests climbing up on the lower branches.
The next day we pulled up anchor and set a course for St. Tropez, arriving in the late afternoon.  The Captain of the port told us that we drew too much water and would have to anchor outside the harbor. Three sailors in full dress uniform brought us to the quay by launch and I must say the launch was a great deal bigger than many of the yachts tied up in front of the Quay. En route to Corsica from St. Tropez we ran headlong into a violent Mistral that lashed the big ship and even broke the straps that were securing some of the cases of wine in the hold.  In Sardinia we went swimming in the small coves and had a very leisurely time and with the bar being tended 24 hours a day, by order of Ricky, the nights were sometimes very late.
We steamed back to the ship’s home port of Palma de Mallorca where Ricky commandeered the bar in the best hotel and told the Concierge to find him the first flight out, because he disliked Mallorca so intensely that he did not want to spend even one night there.  After about two hours the word came back that there were no flights available. Ricky sent the Concierge back to charter a plane.  The bewildered Concierge came back and said, “Senor Portanova, there is only one plane available but it seats over 250 passengers.” “I’ll take it”, said Ricky. “Make sure that they have plenty of French Champagne and caviar aboard.”  The cost: $10,000, a great deal of money for a one-way flight to Rome in 1969 for 6 passengers although this took into account the return flight back to Mallorca.

Mangia Mangia (Pasta Cafe)  Mangia Mangia
900 Southard Street,
Key West, Florida
Tel. (305) 294-2469
Website: http://www.mangia-mangia.com/
Opening Hours: Dinner 5:30 - 10 p.m. nightly.
Prices: Inexpensive

Mangia Mangia Pasta Cafe in Old Town Key West is located in a perfectly restored corner building with a wrap-around balcony and peaked roof, the restaurant is open every evening serving fresh pasta and other Italian fare. The pasta is made on premises as well as the sauces; and they have quite a variety to choose from. You may sit inside (cooler), or in the beautiful patio in the garden in back of the building surrounded by tropical foliage.
The wine list is well rounded with good selections in all price categories.
A few of the more interesting selections from the menu:
Broccoli Rabe - sauteed in olive oil, garlic, chopped tomatoes and a dash of red pepper flakes
Conch Minestrone - red chowder with kidney beans, fresh pasta, topped with grated Tomano Pecorino
Mostaciolli with Broccoli Rabe - wild broccoli rabe flash-sauteed in olive oil with garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped tomatoes and grilled sausage and topped with shaved Parmesan cheese

Nobu Matsuhisa has built an empire of Japanese restaurants beginning in the United States and branching out over three continents along with his current partners Robert De Niro, Meir Teper and Richard Notar.
His training included working at a well-known sushi bar in Tokyo before traveling to Peru where he opened a sushi bar and found that his classic training in sushi was put to the test by his discovery of entirely new ingredients, and he responded with originating some very innovative new styles of serving raw fish. He opened his first sushi restaurant in the United States in Beverly Hills in 1987 and in 1994 opened Nobu in New York City with actor Robert De Niro and restaurateur Drew Nieporent. Presently, he is expanding his global-network of Japanese sushi restaurants internationally with his current partners.

I dined many times at his first restaurant in Beverly Hills on La Cienega Boulevard and quite often when it first opened, as I was living in the area. When I moved to the West Side of Los Angeles I did not go as frequently, although I recall the time that we brought a Japanese monk to dine there with a couple of Japanese friends, he was dressed in a pure silk robe the size of a horse-blanket and he weighed almost 400 lbs., we sat at the sushi bar and as the meal drew to a close the monk told the sushi man, “make four tuna hand rolls”. The sushi man politely asked, “who are these for sir”? “For me”, he said firmly. The sushi man watched in amazement as the monk ate the large cone shaped hand-rolls one by one, and this, after consuming a great quantity of food just previously. Although, he was a huge man after all!

Following are locations and information on branches as of 2008:

USA

Beverly Hills
129 N. La Cienega Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
Tel: 310-659-9639
Fax: 310-659-0492
Hours:
Monday – Friday (Lunch) 11:45 – 2:15
Monday – Sunday (Dinner) 5:45 – 10:15

Los Angeles
903 North La Cienega Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90069
Tel. 310-657-5711
Fax. 310-657-4299
Hours:
Dinner: Monday-Thursday 6 - 11:15
Friday - Saturday 6 - Midnight
Bar: Monday - Thursday 5:30 - 11:15
Bar: Friday - Saturday 5:30 - Midnight
Bar: Sunday 5:30 - 10:15

Malibu
3835 Cross Creek Road #18A
Malibu, CA 90265
Tel: 310-317-9140
Fax: 310-317-9136
Hours:
Sunday – Thursday 5:45 – 10:00
Friday – Saturday 5:45 – 11:00

Aspen
303 East Main St.
Aspen, CO 81611
Tel: 970-544-6628
Fax: 970-544-6630
Opening hours changes seasonally

Las Vegas
Hard Rock Hotel
4455 Paradise Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Tel : 702-693-5090
Fax: 702-693-5091
Hours: Daily 6 - 11:15

Miami Beach
Shore Club
1901 Collins Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Tel : 305-695-3232
Fax: 305-695-3246
Hours:
Monday – Thursday 7:00 – 12:00am
Friday & Saturday 7:00 – 1:00am
Sunday 7:00 – 11:00

New York City

Nobu New York City
105 Hudson
New York, NY 10013
Tel : 212-219-0500
Fax: 212-219-1441
Hours:
Monday – Friday (Lunch) 11:45 – 2:15
Monday – Sunday (Dinner) 5:45 – 10:15

Nobu Next Door
105 Hudson
New York, NY 10013
Tel : 212-334-4445
Fax: 212-334-0044
Hours:
Monday – Thursday (Dinner) 5:45 – 12:00am
Friday & Saturday (Dinner) 5:45 – 1:00am
Sunday (Dinner) 5:45 – 11:00

Nobu Fifty Seven
40 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019
Tel : 212-757-3000
Fax: 212-757-6330
Hours:
Monday – Friday (Lunch) 11:45 – 2:15
Monday – Sunday (Dinner) 5:45 – 11:15

HAWAII

Nobu Waikiki
Waikiki Parc Hotel
2233 Helumoa Road
Honolulu, HI 96815
Tel : 808-237-6999
Fax : 808-237-6990
Hours:
Daily 5:30 – 11:00

DALLAS
Hotel Crescent Court
400 Crescent Court
Dallas, TX 75201
Tel : 214-252-7000
Fax: 214-252-7001
Hours:
Sunday 6:00 – 10:00
Monday Friday 6:00 – 11:00
Saturday 5:30 – 11:00

INTERNATIONAL

NOBU LONDON
The Metropolitan Hotel
19 Old Park Lane
London, W1Y 4LB, U.K.
Tel : +44-20-7447-4747
Fax: +44-20-7447-4749
Hours:
Monday – Friday (Lunch) 12:00 2:15
Saturday – Sunday (Lunch) 12:30 – 2:30
Monday – Friday (Dinner) 6:00 – 10:15
Saturday (Dinner) 6:00 – 11:15
Sunday (Dinner) 6:00 – 9:45

NOBU BERKELEY ST.
15 Berkeley St.
London, W1J 8DY, U.K.
Tel : 011-44-20-7290-9222
Fax: 011-44-20-7290-9223
Hours:
Monday – Friday (Lunch) 12:00 – 2:15
Monday – Wednesday (Dinner) 6:00 – 11:00
Thursday – Saturday (Dinner) 6:00 – 12:00
Sunday (Dinner) 6:00 – 9:15

UBON by NOBU (CLOSED)
34 Westferry Circus
Canary Wharf
London, E14 8RR, U.K.
Tel : 011-44-20-7719-7800
Fax: 011-44-20-7719-7801
TBA

NOBU TOKYO
4-1-28 Toranomon, Minato-ku,
Toranomon Towers 1st  Fl.
Tokyo, 105-0001 Japan
Tel : +81-(0)3-5733-0070
Fax: +81-(0)3-5733-0065
Hours:
Monday – Friday (Lunch) 11:30 – 3:00
Monday – Saturday (Dinner) 6:00 – 11:30
Sunday & Holiday (Dinner) 6:00 – 11:00
Hours:
Monday – Friday (Lunch) 12:00 2:15
Saturday – Sunday (Lunch) 12:30 – 2:30
Monday – Friday (Dinner) 6:00 – 10:15
Saturday (Dinner) 6:00 – 11:15
Sunday (Dinner) 6:00 – 9:45

NOBU MILANO
20121 Milano, ITALY
Tel : 011-44-20-7719-7800
Fax: 011-44-20-7719-7801
Hours:
Monday – Saturday (Lunch) 12:00 – 2:30
Monday – Sunday (Dinner) 7:00 – 11:30

MATSUHISA MYKONOS
Belvederc Hotel
School of Fine Arts District,
84600 Mykonos, GREECE
Tel : +30-22890-27362
Fax: +30-22890-25126
Hours:
Daily 8:00pm – 1:30am
Open Seasonally

NOBU INTERCONTINENTAL
NOBU HONG KONG
18 Salisbury Road.
Kowloon Hong Kong
Tel : 011-44-20-7719-7800
Fax: 011-44-20-7719-7801
Hours:
Daily (Lunch) 12:00 – 2:30
Daily (Dinner) 6:00 – 11:00

NOBU MELBOURNE
Crown Melbourne Australia
8 Whiteman Street
Southbank Vic 3006
Australia

Drive South on U.S. Highway 1 for approximately 120 miles to Little Torch Key and Mile Marker 28.5. After leaving Big Pine Key you will be on Little Torch Key. You will turn left on Pirates Road. Turn left into our parking lot where you will see an off-white building with a thatch roof, which is our Welcome Station. You will register here and wait for the next complimentary motor yacht shuttle to the Island. Our motor yacht departs the Welcome Station every hour on the bottom of the hour from 7:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m.

1-800-438-5678
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Very Expensive

Little Palm Island Resort & Spa is a hidden treasure in the Florida Keys, only accessible by boat or seaplane.
We experienced a lovely time there some years ago. We boarded a boat from Little Torch Key and arrived at the hotel after a short period of time.
I was particularly attracted to visit this island as I had heard many good things about the cooking. In fact, at the time it was quite good with a decent selection of fresh fish and an adequate wine list.
Thirty private bungalows look out to sea surrounded by hundreds of Jamaican coconut palms and tropical gardens.  Each bungalow houses two handsomely appointed one-bedroom suites with private sundecks and ocean views.

There is also a world-class spa, Spa Terre, and a dining room that is regularly ranked as one of the best in South Florida.

The infamous Joe Francis has a reputation for displaying despicable and appallingly distasteful behavior in public and private, especially where women are concerned. He has been planning to open as he calls it, “a chain of topless restaurants”, one branch is planned to open in Cancun, and another possibly in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. However, Mexico has sent a blunt message: open your topless restaurants in your own country we do not want them here. It is not clear anyway as to who would be topless, waitresses, customers or no one at all?  He has top (less) credentials going in, as he is the founder of “Girls Gone Wild“, Paris Hilton was a girlfriend for a time, and he usually is facing charges on various felonies and his office is handling a swinging-door of constant lawsuits. These so-called “restaurants” I suspect, will be no more than bars with snacks and not restaurants at all. In any case, I hope this particular project never comes to fruition, as this person should stay in his own world of soft-porn, and leave the restaurant business to be operated by more ligitimate persons.

La Piaggia Beach Club
1000 South Pointe Drive
South Beach  Florida 33139
Tel. 1 (305) 674 0647
Website: www.lapiaggiabeach.com
Opening Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30am - 5pm, Sat 11:30am - 6pm, Sun 11:30am - 7pm Bar open until 6 p.m. weekdays, 8 p.m.
Reservations: Required
Parking: Valet
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Expensive

La Piaggia may have an Italian name but it is French down to the core due to the influence of Robert Pascal, French restaurateur who brought St. Tropez’s La Voile Rouge to Miami. Although, VR didn’t cut it, this new operation is definitely the trendy spot to be seen these days.
It is situated at the end of Miami Beach, facing Fisher Island; the popular beach club is below the towering Murano Grande condos complex. A St. Tropez style bar and outdoor restaurant with brightly colored yellow-and-orange canopies, yellow beach furniture interspersed with white to calm it down and flashy orange umbrellas to heat it up. There are plenty of knockout model-types strutting around the sandy floor and lots of male celebrities ogling them, including an appearance by Bill Clinton, who was certainly not there to hunt for truffles.
Speaking of food, the menu here is very interesting aside from the obligatory pasta choices you can find some very authentic and well prepared French dishes. Especially interesting; Les Moules Marinières   $ 21.50; Fresh Mussels, White Wine and Cream, served with French Fries; La Nicoise   $ 17.50 Boston Lettuce, Tuna, Potato, Egg, Olive, Cucumber, Green Pepper, Green Beans With Fresh Tuna   $ 24.50; La Salade de Lentilles   $ 9.00 Lentils with Onion, Parsley, Pancetta and Vinaigrette; La Chin Chin Salade   $ 16.50; Famous Chinese Chicken Salad;  La Paillarde de Poulet Romana   $16.50; Grilled Escalope of Chicken and French Fries; Le Tartare du Gorille   $19.50; Traditional Tartar Steak with French Fries; L’Onglet aux Echalottes   $23.50; Hanger Steak with Shallots and French Fries; La Tropezienne   $ 10.00 The Famous Tart from St. Tropez
I have included prices, which usually I do not because of upward fluctuation, only to show that there are some items that are moderately priced, but please note that they will change as time goes on.

1728 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056
Tel. 713-840-1111
Website: www.cafe-annie.com
Opening Hours: Lunch: Tuesday - Friday 11:30 - 14:00; Dinner: Monday- Thursday 18:00 - 22:00; Friday - Saturday 18:00 - 22:30
Bar: Monday - Saturday 17:30 - 23:00
Credit Cards: All Major
Prices: Expensive

I first met Robert Del Grande and his wife Mimi at Cafe Annie’s original location in a small strip mall in Houston during the early to mid eighties when I spent a good deal of time in Houston and Dallas. I really enjoyed the easy-going relaxed feel of the place and the simple, although at the same time innovative cuisine, that Robert was turning out.
Robert had just earned his PhD in Biochemistry, but he had always loved to cook. Initially he planned to spend a little time in the Cafe Annie kitchen until he found a permanent biochemistry job. However, he found out shortly after that he really preferred cooking and Robert and Mimi took over the operation of Cafe Annie with Robert in the kitchen and Mimi in the front of house.
During the 80’s Cafe Annie’s reputation grew, with Robert winning some very important culinary awards: the James Beard Award, Top Ten restaurants in America, Who is Who of Cooking in Texas, Honor Roll of American Chefs, Food & Wine; he also appeared with Julia Child in her “Great Chefs” PBS special. He cooked for George Bush and James Baker at the Houston Economic summit along with many others. Robert and several other regional chefs including Mark Miller created what is now known as Southwestern Cuisine.
In 1989 Cafe Annie moved to its new location on Post Oak Blvd., a larger space, although not necessarily as comfortable a feeling as the previous situation. Just recently however, Cafe Annie introduced Bar Annie, the more informal option to the main dining room, with a more simplified bar menu, which reminds me more of the original space as it was in the eighties.