The Tavern

Posted June 26th, 2009 by Meg

Brentwood is not the same as it was when I first moved here. And that is a good thing. For quite a number of months, I have watched the slow transformation of a Hamburger Hamlet (a restaurant I have never been) turn into a beautiful hot spot, Tavern (a restaurant I want to go to everyday). Tavern (and Larder) is the product of renowned restaurateurs Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne. Their other amazing restaurants include A.O.C. and Lucques. Also, Suzanne Goin and her husband, David Lentz, own the delicious Hungry Cat.

A few weekends ago, my roommate and I decided we would go for drinks and appetizers at the bar. We went around six, which was early enough to avoid the dinner crowd. The stools at the bar counter were full, but the chairs and tables surrounding the bar were still available. The bar is beautiful. The design of the bar (and everywhere else) is well thought out; fluidly chic from the lighting to the upholstery on the chairs. The service was also excellent and consistent even as the place progressively became more crowded.

First drink: I had a glass of Cabernet. Instead of writing down the exact wine or trying to memorize what I ordered, I thought I could just go online and check their wine menu. Sadly, they don’t have it up. So I don’t know exactly which one I ordered.

Second Drink: Lucques Gimlet - Hangar One Vodka, fresh lime juice, and mint. Delicious. In my humble opinion, I prefer the cocktails to the wine. And in no way is that a criticism to the wine list, but instead a compliment to the cocktail menu. All their cocktails are creative and delicious. I would order any of them and be satisfied.

While I was there to just have a few drinks, my roommate ordered some bar food which I was fortunately able to sample:

Steak tartare with quail egg - It is hard to believe that I was a vegetarian for eight years, because I could eat this perfectly seasoned tartare with quail egg everyday. And part of me wants to only to catch up on the lost carnivorous years.

Gougères with french radishes - A gougères is a choux pastry (light  pastry dough made from butter, water, fllour and eggs) filled with cheese. I think Tavern follows tradition and makes their gougères with gruyere cheese, but I could be wrong and plan to return soon to taste again. A French radish, also known as French Breakfast Radish, is an elongated red-skinned and white root base. I only had one, but that is all I needed to fall in love. It’s a cheese pastry in a ball form that you can pop into your mouth. What’s not to like about it? 

The Tavern and the Larder (marketplace/café) are wonderful additions to my neighborhood. I love that in a short walk I can be consuming tasty drinks and amazing dishes. I plan to go back in the future, repeatedly.

100 proof of change.

Posted October 18th, 2008 by Meg

I have found my palate is evolving in ways that surprise myself. Last night, I purchased my first bottle of whiskey. Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey to be exact. This is a huge change of pace for me because I haven’t bought a bottle of hard liquor for probably a year (I do however have a growing collection of wine). Even more incredible is that I bought whiskey. I don’t know really how to explain it, but the feeling is similar to the craving of a cup of coffee in the morning. I don’t drink much at home so this bottle will probably just be for celebrations or “emergency” situations. However, I’m very pleased to include it into the family that is my cabinet.

Knob Creek is Jim Beam’s small batch, high-end bourbon. 100 proof, aged for 9 years, comes in a chic rectangular bottle with the reassuring black wax-sealed top. Their website has a few interesting facts on Bourbon:

• At least 51% of the grain used in making bourbon must be corn. The rest of the ingredients are commonly wheat, rye, and malted barley.

• Straight bourbon must be aged for a minimum of two years in new white oak barrels that have been charred.

• Nothing can be added at bottling to enhance flavor, add sweetness, or alter the color!

• Up to 3-4% of the bourbon in a barrel evaporates every year because of the againg process, so the longer the product is aged the less there is to sell. If a product is aged 7 to 9 years, the third that has evaporated is called the “angel’s share.”

• Bourbon began to be produced in the U.S. due to British blockades preventing importation of sugar and molasses needed to make rum. Because of the Revolutionary Army required spirit provisions, people began making bourbon (using rye as the predominant ingredient).

• For more than 30 years, 1876-1910, federal taxes on domestically produced distilled spirits (mostly bourbon) accounted for HALF of all U.S. government revenue.

• The federal personal income tax was adopted in part to replace revenue lost when the whiskey tax revenue dried up due to Prohibition.

• Bourbon was one of the first products to be sold using mass marketing techniques that set the foundation for modern advertising.

• America’s first consumer protection legislation, The Pure Food and Drug Act, was largely an effort to protect drinkers from adulterated bourbon.

• During Prohibition, bourbon was only legally available with a doctor’s prescription.

• “Ponying” a barrel is putting a few gallons of water into an empty used barrel and rolling it around for a day or two. The results tend not to be very good!

Viva la whiskey!