OMFG! O-Bar Restaurant Review

Photo Courtesy of http://www.dealsurf.com/ 

So, I don't normally do restaurant reviews but this experience definitely deserves some recognition as it was by far the most bizarre experience I have ever had at a restaurant in my life.

I had never been to O-Bar before but drive past it on Santa Monica Boulevard pretty frequently and was curious about it. I got a text message from a friend saying that he was preforming some songs with his cast to help promote his upcoming play The Next Fairy Tale. I always like to support my friends so I was definitely in to see them preform. 

My friend and I looked up the menu for O-bar online and it looked honestly amazing so we made a reservation. When we got there it was packed and there was an older couple in front of us arguing with the host who looked like he was about to have a breakdown. We approached the host stand after the couple angrily stormed out and I told him that we had a reservation. He replied saying that he could seat us at our table but that they were slammed and we wouldn't be waited on for 20-30 minutes. We we're fine with that because we had really come to support our friend. He sat us and gave us the menu. Between the pistachio encrusted albacore tuna, the potato encrusted sea bass, and the lobster mac and cheese I was really excited to eat.

The waiter finally arrived 20-30 minutes later but we were fine at that point because we were told he would be late. My friend went to order the tuna and was told that they were out of it which happens from time to time so she then moved on to order the sea bass. The waiter then told her that they were also out of that dish so she asked what else they were out of. He replied that they were out of arugula and Parmesan so she told me to order and she would figure it out after I ordered. I decided to go with the lobster mac and cheese to which the waiter then informed me that they were also out of that dish as well. He then proceeded to tell us that and I quote "you guys should probably just get up and leave. It's going to be real bad if you stay, I mean it's going to be awful. I would seriously just leave". At this point I really thought Ashton Kutcher was about to jump out at us with cameras screaming that were just punked.  I asked him if there were any other good places that were quick nearby as we wanted to be back to see our friend preform and he said he didn't know. Utterly dumbfounded we left and found a great little spot called Basix Cafe and it was quick, good service, and most importantly good food. 

We were somewhat hesitant about going back to O-bar but we did because the whole point was to see our friend preform so we went back to the bar section and met some other friends there. We proceeded to try and order drinks from the bartender and after about 25 minutes we finally got our beverages but the majority of the people we were with still had not gotten theirs. We moved to a table on the other side of the bar and I proceeded to go get another round of drinks when I was told that they were out of tall glasses so I just got single glasses. About 30 minutes later I went back to order another round and the bartender told me that if I was ordering drinks I should go to the other side of the bar. Confused yet again I made my way over to the other side. I waited a bit again before being asked what I wanted to order. I replied with a Vodka and Soda, a Gin and Sprite, a Bacardi and Diet, and a Chardonnay. The bartender then told me that they were out of Sprite and Bacardi. I just went with it at this point because it was honestly becoming comical. Long story short, those were the last drinks we ordered there and will be the last ever ordered there by myself and probably most of the other patrons to this chaotic unorganized establishment. 

In terms of giving a review, I can say that the menu itself looked amazing, however; we weren't privy to taste any of the food as we were told we should leave because it would be "awful if we stayed". Based on that, the food probably wouldn't be that great. The service was terrible but I don't blame the waitstaff or the bartenders because this was obviously poor planning based on the manager and the executive chef. Not enough people were obviously scheduled to work and not enough food or beverages were purchased in terms of planning. I can't say that I would ever go back to this place. Maybe if a new manager or executive chef was in place but after a night like that I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth, especially because it wasn't actually Bacardi that I was drinking. I will say that it made for a hilarious story because normally I would have been mad but it just ended up panning out more and more like a crazy sitcom episode. The only good thing that came out of it was that I was with good friends and was having good comical conversation about the events that were transpiring.

Spanish Style Ham & Cheese Panini

This was a dish that I made for my roommate and myself one night and it really reminded me of one of my favorite little spots in LA, Monsieur Marcel. This place is awesome! Not only is it a gourmet market in the iconic LA Farmers Market but it also has a cafe. I had a version of this sandwich at their cafe and was immediately in love! If you love prosciutto then you will love Serrano ham. It is basically the same thing but it is really the Spanish version. With this panini I tried keeping with the theme of Spain and chose to use a Spanish Manchego Cheese. I finished the panini with some homemade roasted red pepper and warm shallots. This gourmet panini was simple and delicious! Sometimes the most delicious things to eat are also some of the most simple to make!

Ingredients: (per panini)

• 1 Ciabatta Roll
• 2-3 Slices of Serrano Ham
• 2 Slices of Manchego Cheese
• 3-5 Slivers of Roasted Red Peppers
• 1 teaspoon of diced Shallot (sweated in olive oil)
• Dijon Mustard for spreading

     For the Roasted Red Pepper:
 Over the flame of your stove hold the pepper directly over the flame until the skin becomes black on all sides. Once the whole thing is cooked and black place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let sit until it is cooled. Once cooled you can just peel off the blackened skin, sliced, and discard the seeds.
 
     For the Warm Shallots:
 Take 1-2 shallots and mince or dice them. In a pan over medium low heat add some olive oil and your shallots and cook until the shallots are translucent. 

Cooking Instructions:

1.  Start to heat your panini press, double sided-indoor grill, grill, or grill pan on medium heat.
2. Slice the ciabatta bread and brush the tops lightly with olive oil. 
3. On one inside of the bread spread the Dijon Mustard. On the other side spread the warm shallots. 
4. Lay 2-3 slices of Serrano Ham, then Manchego Cheese, and Roasted Red Pepper in between each slice of bread. 
5. Place of your grill or panini press and cook until nice grill marks appear on each side and the cheese is melted.

TIPS:

• If you can't find Serrano Ham you can use Prosciutto but more importantly use whatever ham or sliced meat you like. The same goes for the cheese. Sliced Parmesan works as a good substitute for Manchego Cheese as well. 
• For a little heat to your panini try adding some pepperocini peppers. 
• To save time use pre-made roasted red peppers. 
• Sometimes you can also find shallots confit which is pre-cooked shallots and will save you time as well.
• Experiment and you are bound to come up with something delicious! 
 

 

Tequila Lime Chicken Thighs

First off, I want to apologize for not posting anything in a LONG while but I hope this recipe makes up for it because it's awesome!

This dish is awesome and really really easy! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
• 4 Limes
• Zest of 3 Limes
• Juice of 4 Limes
• 1 Poblano Pepper (sliced)
• 1 Orange Bell Pepper (sliced)
• 1/2 Yellow Onion (sliced)
• 1 TBL Freshly Minced Garlic
• 1/4 Cup Tequila
• 1 Cup Chicken Stock
• 1 TBL Chipotle Chili Powder
• Salt & Pepper (as needed)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, lime zest, and chipotle chili powder. 
2. Heat a medium saute pan over medium heat and place the chicken thighs in the pan. Cook until golden brown on both sides (3-4 minutes per side) and remove from the pan. 
3. Saute the onion and peppers until the onions are translucent. Add your garlic and cook until you smell the pungent garlic smell. 
4. Re- add the chicken to the pan and nestle it in the onions and peppers. 
5. De-Glaze with the tequila and cook until it has evaporated. Do this off the heat because it can create a large flame.
6. Add the lime juice and chicken stock and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Once simmered check the internal temp of the chicken. It should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Either slice the chicken and use for fajitas or eat it whole, spooning over the peppers and onions with the sauce.   

TIPS:

• Use chicken breasts if you like. 
• This dish is very versatile, you can make sandwiches, fajitas, or just eat it as is over some rice. 
• Use orange zest and orange liquor for a different outcome.  
• Add some sour cream to the sauce to create a creamy aspect to the dish.

Cajun Stuffin'

I've always loved Cajun food. In fact it may be my favorite cuisine. There's so many other cuisines that have influenced Cajun food ranging from French, Spanish, Portuguese, North African, Caribbean, and many others. It in itself is a melting pot of cuisine with tons of amazing flavors.

This Thanksgiving I got inspired by all of those flavors and decided to make a Cajun themed stuffing with Andouille Sausage, Crab meat, and a Trinity (Bell Peppers, Onions, & Celery). My family loved this dish and I personally couldn't get enough of it!

Cajun Stuffin':

Ingredients:

• 2 Large bags of bread cubes for stuffing
• 2 Orange Bell Peppers (medium dice)
• 1 Large Onion (medium dice)
• 5-6 Stalks of Celery (medium dice)
• 4 minced Garlic Cloves
• 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 1lb Package of Andouille Sausage (medium diced if pre-cooked)
• 2 6oz can of Fancy White Crabmeat
• 2 Boxes of Chicken Stock (64oz total)
• 1 Cup White Wine
• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 Cup fresh minced Sage
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Minced Parsley
• 1/4 Cup Sliced Green Onions 
• Salt & Pepper as needed

Cooking Instructions: 

1. In a large skillet or sautee pan on medium heat start to brown the sausage until it is crispy and lightly golden brown. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Add the bell peppers, onions, celery, crushed red pepper flakes, and bay leaves to the pan and saute until lightly browned. Once browned add the Sage and Garlic. Once you smell the garlic cooking add the white wine and cook until the wine has evaporated. 
3. On low heat mix back in the sausage and crab meat with your vegetables. Let cool for a few minutes.
4. Place the sausage mixture and bread cubes in a baking dish large enough everything and mix together. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. 
5. Whisk your eggs with your chicken stock and pour over the stuffing mixture, stirring as to make sure everything gets moistened. 
6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the tops are slightly crispy. 
7. Garnish with minced parsley and green onions. 
8. Enjoy!

TIPS:

• Use whatever sausage you like. 
• Experiment with flavors and ingredients that you like. Stuffing are a jumble of a lot of different things!
• Make the day before and the flavors will marinate overnight and meld to become even better the following day. 

Bison Bolognese over Perciatelli Pasta

Bolognese is a very classic Italian pasta sauce originating from Bologna, Italy. One of the main components of the dish is meat. There are various forms of the dish itself and I ended up creating my own rendition with ground bison and wild mushrooms. I chose ground bison because it's a bit healthier while still getting a beef flavor. It's really a simple dish to make and tastes great!

Ingredients:

• 1 package ground bison meat
• 1 large Carrot (small dice) 1 onion (small dice)
• 1 Cup Oyster Mushrooms (rough chop)
• 1 Cup Shitake Mushrooms (rough chop)
• 2 TBL Fresh Minced Garlic
• 1 TBL Herbes de Provence
• 1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
• 2 Cups Red Wine
• 1 Large can of Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 Medium can of Petite Diced Tomatoes
• 1/4 Cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1 LB Perciatelli Pasta
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

1. Pre-Chop all of your vegetables. 
2. Over medium heat in a large sauce pan add your carrots and onion. Cook until onion is translucent.
3. Add your mushrooms to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes and add your Crushed Red Pepper, Herbes De Provence, Garlic and Balsamic Vinegar. Cook until the majority of the vinegar has evaporated.
4. Add the Ground Bison and mix with the other vegetables in the sauce pan. Add the Red Wine and let simmer.
5. After the wine has reduced a bit add your tomatoes and continue to let simmer. 
6. Add the cream once the sauce has simmered and reduced to a thick consistency. Let simmer for a few minutes. Taste and add necessary salt and pepper.
7. Boil the pasta in heavily salted water and cook until al dente. Generally about 8-10 minutes.

TIPS:

• The longer you simmer the sauce the better it will be. Generally go with about 1.5-2 hours minimum. 
• I have also found that as with many meat sauces they generally can even tend to taste better after they have chilled and been re-heated the next day. 
• Make a double batch and freeze half for future use. 
• Use whatever meat you like. You could also just use all mushrooms instead of meat and create a vegetarian rendition of this sauce.

Crispy Mustard White Fish with Safron Pilaf

Fish and seafood are great when cooking because they take barely any time to prep and very little cooking time. The main thing you want to look out for when buying fish or seafood in general is the freshness. A good test is literally to smell it. It should not smell "fishy". If whatever seafood you are purchasing smells "fishy" then steer clear. It should at most smell like the ocean.

For the Fish:

Ingredients:

• White Fish Fillets (1 per person)
• 2 Cups Milk (per 4 portions)
• 5 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 1-2 Cups Flour (for dredging)
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest
• 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• Salt & Pepper (as needed)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Mix Mustard with milk.
2. Place fish fillets in a baking dish and pour milk/mustard mixture over to let marinate. Marinate anywhere from 1 hour to overnight. 
3. Mix flour, salt & pepper, lemon zest, and crushed red pepper together and place in separate dish for dredging fish. 
4. Drain off fish and dredge in flour mixture. Shake off excess flour. 
5. In a saute pan on medium heat place oil and allow to heat. Once the oil ripple and moves rapidly throughout the pan you are ready to add your fish. 
6. Add the fish to the saute pan away and cook until you can see golden brown on the edges of the fish. Then flip the fish and cook for another minute or so.
7. Remove the fish and place on a baking sheet. 
8. Serve immediately or let rest and re-heat in the oven while your rice is cooking. 

For the rice:

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Brown Basmati Rice
• 3 Cups Chicken Stock
• 1 Shallot minced
• 1 teaspoon Saffron
• 1 Bay Leaf
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 2 Tablespoons Butter or Oil

Cooking Instructions:

1. Sweat Shallot, Bay Leaf, & Saffron until the Shallot is translucent.
2. Add rice and coat with fat (oil/butter).
3. Add Chicken Stock and bring to a boil. Once Boiling cover and reduce the temp to low and let simmer until the liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked. 
4. Add salt & pepper to taste. 

TIPS:

• Use whatever white fish you would like for this dish. 
• I use a fish spatula for this recipe and most fish recipes because it just makes it easier to flip the fish. 
• Change up the spices to spices you like.
• You can omit the flour portion of this recipe but it will help to create a crispier fish.
• I used Brown Basmati Rice for this dish to make it a bit healthier but you can use whatever rice you like. Quinoa is also a great low carb alternative.  

Creamy Asparagus & Bacon Fusilli with Roma Tomatoes

Here's a great easy dish that will surely have you coming back for seconds.


Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup Bacon Chopped into Bits
• 2-3 Cups Half & Half (as needed to cover sauce)
• 1/2 Onion Diced
• 1 Bunch Asparagus cooked & cut into 1'' pieces
• 4-5 Roma Tomatoes Diced
• 2 Tablespoons minced Fresh Garlic
• Pinch of Nutmeg
• Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/4 Cup White Wine
• 2-3 Cups shredded Parmesan (as needed)
• 1 Teaspoon Herbes de Provence
• 1lb Fusilli Pasta
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

1.  Cook Pasta until al dente. Generally about 8-10 minutes.
2. Cook Bacon in a sauce pan that will hold all of the sauce ingredients until crisp. Once crisp drain off the excess fat and dice bacon. Reserve the bacon to toss in at the end.
3. Sweat Onion and Crushed Red Pepper Flakes until translucent. Once the onion is translucent add the garlic. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Once you smell that pungent garlic smell immediately move on to the next step.
4. Deglaze with White Wine and let reduce by half. 
5. Add Tomatoes and cook for a few minutes. 
6. Add Bacon, Herbes de Provence, and nutmeg and cover with cream.
7. Simmer to thicken and add Parmesan Cheese. 
8. Once the cheese is melted add asparagus and toss with Pasta.
9. Garnish with a little extra Parmesan. 

TIPS:

• To save time use bacon bits and pre-cooked asparagus. 
• Use whatever pasta you like. I have found that ribbed pastas or pastas with texture help when having the sauce stick to them. 
• Keep the pasta warm in the oven. Add a bit more cream or half & half to keep the sauce from drying out. 
• You can use milk to make the sauce healthier but you will lose some of the richness.
• Use Sundried tomatoes instead of Roma Tomatoes to add an additional level of flavor. 
• Use fresh herbs like Basil, Thyme, and Oregano to add a level of freshness to the pasta instead of using Herbes de Provence.
• You can make this a healthier dish by using whole wheat pasta or even quinoa pasta. I would say use turkey bacon but some studies show that it isn't that much healthier than regular bacon.