TASSOGRAPHY

Having succeed in getting away from San Fran for Memorial Weekend and 4th July, it was pretty obvious we’d do something for Labor Day Weekend. We made a pretty last minute booking at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay at The London West Hollywood. Despite booking late we also got a great deal at the Marriott in the centre of Hollywood, complete with a Spa which always makes Lisa happy!

Having already done the tasting menu (Menu Prestige) at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant's in London and New York, it was natural that we’d do the same again. We’d read a little bit (we’ll Lisa had) about the L.A. restaurant so our expectations had been lowered somewhat. We agreed with the reviews; whilst the food was excellent, there was no comparison between LA and NY or London.  And London still stands out as the best overall experience, although arguably we preferred the menu in New York…

Ocean Trout Carpaccio, Grapefruit, Lemon Oil and Confit Hon Shimeji Mushrooms. The unbelievable delicate flavour of the fish was matched by the subtle accompaniments. Good, but too delicate for me.
Mosaic of Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Mango Pudding, Goat’s Cheese and toasted Brioche It looks like Hudson Valley is the place to buy foie gras in the U.S. I don’t think I’ve had any other kind in my three years here.  Didn’t even come close to the foie gras in Gordon Ramsay NY, as evidenced by Lisa giving me half of hers.
Roasted Diver Scallop, Fresh Linguini, Paddle Fish Caviar and Lobster Bisque Quite possibly the best pasta and sauce combination I’ve ever had. Yes the Scallop was nice but the pasta was amazing!
Seared Skate in a Miso and Japanese Mushroom Broth I ventured off the menu because I so rarely see skate on a menu in the U.S. I was not disappointed!
Pan Fried Striped Bass, Parsnip Puree, Fennel and Celery Leaf Salad and Sudachi Broth Lisa stuck to the menu and surprisingly enjoyed the crispy skin.
Selection of Artisan’s Cheese Our hopes were so high for the cheese course, but unfortunately they were quickly dashed as soon as we saw the plates. In both London and New York, a HUGE selection was presented and we took great delight in sampling a variety of different cheeses. In L.A. we were presented with three cheeses that whilst good just weren’t the same!
Frozen Mandarin Capsule with Vanilla Cream, Cashew Crumble and Mixed Melon Sorbet Just OK.  Lisa’s quote: “Dessert isn’t as good without chocolate.”

On Monday we headed back to San Francisco via the infamous Hollywood and Paso Robles for some wine tasting!

The Hollywood Sign	Halter Ranch Vineyard	Tablas Creek Vineyard

Our drive down to L.A. was via the very boring Route 5 but we took the scenic route back via Santa Barbara and Pasa Robles.