Me & XIV.....finally!

Here we go, our fabulous fun filled three day weekend in Hollywood. We started the trip with a whirlwind night at my brothers restaurant XIV, it was so much fun I can't even describe it. Hopefully you have read my previous posts and know a little of the background of my brother and the restaurant. Suffice it to say, it totally lived up to all of my expectations and then some. Our dinner reservation was for 7:30, and we didn't leave until almost 1:00am. During that time, the following people were also enjoying dinner at XIV. The Prince of Saudi Arabia, (who pretty much trumped any other 'star' that wanted to come that evening, because his entourage and security detail is so large). The King had been in the night before, and so the Prince just had t come and check it out too! The CEO of Sony records and the President of CBS or NBC I can't remember now, and a big wig from Disney, who hopefully my brother can get to comp us into Disneyland! Also the band Fall Out Boy, and a couple of Lakers players, and their ladies!! A few Bangle football players were also there, and the lady who played the Mom on 7th Heaven for 11 seasons was there celebrating her daughters birthday. They sat right by us, and kept looking back to see who we were, we were seated at the VIP table, (yes, we not the Prince got the VIP table) so people were wondering who we were, because obviously we didn't look famous, but the chef kept coming and sitting with us and we had like five waiters attending to our every need, so people kept asking the staff who we were!! I think that is the closest thing I will ever get to fame.

Here is the photo recap so enjoy the montage!!

Here we are on the roof of our hotel, before we left. They had a pool and all of these little cabana's, it was very cool. We wanted to come up and skinny dip after we ate, but the pool closes at 1:00am, and we didn't get home until 1:30.

My Mom and I before we sat down to eat, I think I am part Amazon, because seriously could I look any bigger, it's like Mutt & Jeff.

Here is the Naan bread they serve first as you sit down, it is a nod to Michael Mina's native India. It was so yummy I seriously ordered seconds, it came with this yogurt dill, feta sauce that I licked off of the plate. You can't order this, it is not on the menu, but everyone gets it as soon as they sit down.

Our first of 14 courses, Michael's Caviar Parfait.

Ahi Tuna Tartare: Ancho Chile, Pears, Mint, Pine Nuts, Sesame Oil

Heirloom Beets: Burrata, Wild Arugula, Aged Balsamic, New Olive Oil

One of our favorites.

Chilled Maine Lobster: Potatoes, Celery, Chestnuts, Truffle

(note the additional Naan bread, I just couldn't get enough of it)

Dungeness Crab Crepe: Basil, Capers, Scampi Hollandaise

This was our absolute favorite, there is a thin Meyer Lemon sauce on the bottom that was in every bite, so yummy!

Nantucket Bay Scallops Tempura: Cauliflower, Passion Fruit, Almonds

Pumpkin Dumplings: Stewed Cherries, Brown Butter, Sage

To die for!

Jidori Chicken: Truffled Mac & Cheese, Caramelized Onion Sauce.

This puts Kraft to shame!

Crispy Pork Belly: Pea Leaves, Orange, Salted Cashew

(pork belly is like a fancy Bacon)

Braised Rabbit: Fresh Ricotta Cavatelli, Parsnip, Truffle Jus

(the ricotta cavatelli is like gnocchi, but so much better)

Japanese A5 Kobe Beef: Chanterelles, Haricots Verts

(so delightful, you could cut the meat with a fork, literally melts in your mouth)

Worcestershire-Braised Short Ribs: Celery Root Puree, Glazed Mirepoix

Loved, Loved, Loved!

Chaource: Rambutan, Guava, White Ale

Cameo by the Chef

(this is a soft cheese)

Idiazabal: Dates, Smoked Bacon Powder, PX

(this is a hard cheese)

"The Cake"
The whole gang.

Have you ever seen anything like it before, I can't even describe it's yumminous, it was so unbelievably delicious, I could have just died.

Where all the magic begins, Steve working hard making sure each plate looks fabulous!

The view from Sunset Boulevard

The interior of the restaurant, it looks like a living room, with bookshelves and fireplaces.

The patio, and the $60,000 chandeliers!

Spices

So there you have it, our fabulous trip. To give you an idea of what it would have cost to eat there, had we not had special connections!! The 'fourteen from XIV' is $95 a person, plus an additional $25 per person for the Kobe beef, and an additional $25 per person for the Caviar, plus the $250 for the Birthday Cake, and the 5 bottles of $8 Fuji water, and the three $9 'Mormon Mocktails' our grand total would have been with tax and tip, around $985 for the three of us! Good thing my brothers the chef!

In case you do want to check it out, they do have 'A Light Meal' of 8 courses for $55 a person, or 'Something More" which is 11 courses for $75 a person. You can always order individually for $8 a course, but if you are a party of four, that is $32 per course, because everyone gets the same thing. It is like social dining, so fun and causal, like a big house party. I can't wait to go back, there are 35 items on the menu, so I still have a few more to try, and in case you are wondering, you can order "The Gamut" all 35 courses for $250 a person, so bring your appetite!

Kodak Theater, where the Oscars are held.

Steve and Sophia on the steps of the Kodak Theater, where all the stars walk for the Oscars. She is so beautiful I wanted to vomit, and her English accent is just adorable. She is just as nice as she is cute, and they make a perfect match. We love you Sophia, welcome to the family!

XIV Preview

OK, so here is just a little taste of my fabulous trip to LA. In case you have been living in a cave, or haven't been within ear shot of me lately, here is a quick update. My Mom and I flew to LA in January for a belated 60th Birthday Bash, and met up with my sister Sheri. We stayed in a super swanky boutique hotel, and ate at my brothers most amazing restaurant XIV, which by the way is hosting the Sony Music Grammy after party bash tonight, as I type. So jealous! Here are just a few pictures to wet your appetite! Enjoy!

The lobby of our hotel, before the Chauffer picked us up, oh yeah, we showed up in style!

One of our favorite dishes, Heirloom Beets with Burrata, Wild Arugula, Aged Balsamic, New Olive Oil. So Yummy!

This was our first dish, after the traditional Nan Bread was served (which I will go into detail about in my longer, more elaborate post) Michael's Caviar Parfait. I could have died it was so tasty!

This is us, after consuming 14 courses, that yes indeed, I ate without any need to adjust the button on my pants. Oh and that chocolate concoction sitting in front of my mother, was her custom made birthday cake, that seriously was so good, words can't describe it, well they can, but this isn't the forum, and for those of you that have gone to Morning Glory with me, you know what I am talking about! I will post pictures of the inside, it had five layers of chocolate bliss, all infused with a different flower, like lavendar and elderberry, it was so delightful! So there you have it, a taste of things to come, this was such a once in a lifetime trip. Jen, we really missed you, and hope we can make this an annual girls trip!

XIV Opening

Update: Check out the blog to the left FOOD FASHIONISTA, she has two spectacular reviews of the restaurant and opening soiree, with tons of descriptions and photos.


Yesterday was the 'by invitation only' opening of my brothers new restaurant in Los Angeles, XIV (14 in Roman Numerals), Steve is the Executive Chef, under owner and celebrity chef Michael Mina (this is his 14th restaurant, hence the name). It is a collaboration with SBE, which is a huge entertainment group, and Philippe Starck, who is a designer extraordinaire! The restaurants interior plays off of the XIV theme with a Louise the XIV, futurist feel. They have been working on this project for years, and Michael has had my brother in mind as the head chef since its inception. He knew that someone with that kind of ego could only fit right in in the Hollywood scene. So here goes the hope that my brother doesn't show up on trashy celeb shows like TMZ, or end up hooking up with someone on The Hills!! To say I am not so proud of him would be a huge understatement. I have a series of posts in the works that chronicle his journey up the ranks in the realm of chefhood. He has put in his time. He has also seen his fare share of celebrities and cooked for the likes of Trump, Prince Harry, Martha Stewart, and Snoop Dogg to name a few. But I will give more details later. This post is all about his latest venue. Tomorrow is the grand opening to the public, and as of today, they were over booked, and the reservations were filling up fast through the end of the year! Last night was all about the Wow factor, but the true test will be from those with a more selective palate. Steve has spent countless hours coming up with new and innovative food ideas to knock the socks off even the most snooty of food critics ie, Michael Bauer, for all of those that read the SF Chronicle! It truly is an art form, and I marvel every time I see or taste his food. Here is a photo recap of the star studded event. The majority of the celebs were from Dancing with the Stars, and The Hills, which airs on MTV, super diva Cher also made an appearance. Steve, I know you don't have time to read my daily ramblings, but if you ever do, we are so proud of you. All of your hard work has finally paid off, and you are finally reaping those rewards! Not that the huge paycheck isn't bad either, but now you will get the press you deserve. Thanks Michael for taking a chance on my little bro, he will not let you down.

The front of the restaurant.

Celebrity Chef Michael Mina

The red carpet and press lineup.

The team: Philippe Starck-Designer, Sam Nazarian of SBE/Owner, Michael Mina-Chef.

Audrina Patridge and Kim Kardashian.

Lance Bass and Toni Braxton.

Spencer Pratt, Kimberly Brandon, Heidi Montag and owner Sam Nazarian.

My brother Chef Fretz at the far right.

The interior.

Pumpkin Dumplings-Stewed Cherries, Brown Butter, Sage

Dungeness Crab En Feuille de Brik - Avocado Creme Fraiche, Yuzu

White Chocolate Cube, Orange Blossom Cream, Coriander, Pistachio, Sake