Metropolitan Report
  • HOME
  • DINING
  • TRAVEL
  • SPIRITS
  • WINE TRAIL
  • BEAUTY / FASHION
  • CULTURE / NIGHTLIFE
  • GIFTS / TECHNOLOGY
  • FOOD & WINE NEWS
  • CONTACT
  • CHATEAUX
Provecho (CLOSED)
Picture
By Michael Hepworth

For five years chef Gabriel Morales plied his trade and built up a solid reputation at Republic Restaurant in West Hollywood, but now he is the majority owner in a new place called Provecho (5,100 sq.ft) in downtown Los Angeles. It is an upscale but not  over-pricey Mexican/ceviche restaurant with an emphasis on tequila pairings from the 96 varieties that the bar offers. House tequila will be Casadores, but make sure you check with the servers on some of the more interesting varieties available.

Hard core foodies have been anticipating the opening for some time, and wonder how it will compare to Casa and Rivera, both upscale Nuevo-Latina restaurants that will be open soon ( if not already). Initial reviews from numerous foodie web sites and blogs have been mixed at best, with comments about the expensive sub-par food, sloppy service and the over corporate feel about the dining room. Of course this will be a hangout for power lunches and after dinner drinks and tacos for the corporate crowd, but my prediction is that Provecho will be a big hit.

Originally from Jalisco and later on Alhambra, chef now has the luxury of a spacious open kitchen that he can check on at any time, and it is fronted by a waterfall that really captures the mood of the restaurant. Horrendous construction delays and permit issues forced the restaurant to open late, and although chef is reluctant to discuss the cost overruns, they must have been substantial.

It took over 18 months for Gabriel’s dream to become a reality, and the result is a complex menu prepared by the chef and his well trained team in a very comfortable atmosphere that also features a ceviche bar that will be up and running in February 2009. This might be a first in any restaurant, and it complements the dishes that are not even on the menu at this time such as the Butter Poached Australian Lobster with fried quail eggs, or the Kobe Beef Sorbet.

However the standout dish on my initial visit was the El Pastor Pork served with crispy shallot rings, and a spicy sauce that really brought out the flavor. If you are looking for something slightly more basic, I was assured that the Tamales, Taco’s and Mexican salads were outstanding. Another dish causing an early stir is the Lobster chile rellenos with a fiery cream sauce.

With a separate pastry chef in the kitchen who hails from Lebanon, the desserts here are more than just an afterthought, and were on a par with the rest of the tasting menu that I tried.

800 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles
213-489-1406

By Michael Hepworth

​
What exactly is GRAND BRULOT I thought to myself as I opened the bottle for the first time just around the time this lockdown took effect. Well, Grand Brulot is listed as a VSOP Cognac Café and it can be used in Bloody Mary’s, Manhattans, Negronis, Martinis, spritzes and sidecars , just for starters. It is a blend of Ugni Blanc & Colombard that is crafted into 80 proof VSOP. Then 100% Robusta Ecuadorian coffee bean essence is extracted and blended with brandy to meld for a few months and finally, it is blended with the VSOP Cognac. There is also a whiff of peppermint, nutmeg and hot cocoa in the drink. The retail price is $42.99.

The idea for the drink was instigated in 2015 by John Bernbach who asked for the help of industry veteran Francisco Tonarely to investigate the potential of a cognac/brandy drink blended with coffee. Three year later in August 2018 Grand Brulot was launched. This cognac comes from the Tardy Cognac Group and the grapes come from its single estate. Grand Brulot also plays homage to a New Orleans specialty of the same name that is still served around town.  The name Grand Brulot was inspired by the famous French pirate Jean Lafite who helped New Orleans repel the British invaders in 1812. He would order coffee, pour cognac in the saucer, set it alight and mix it with the coffee.
Recipes:

THE RISE AND SHINE
2 oz Grand Brulot
Orange Twist

Just pour Grand Brulot over ice and the orange will highlight the flavors
of the spirit.

BRULOT BLACK MANHATTAN
1 oz Grand Brulot
1 oz Bourbon
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
3 dashes Orange Bitters

Bartender Todd Smith created this one. Stir all the ingredients together in
a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass with ice and garnish

with orange wheel.

FRENCH NEGRONI
1 oz Grand Brulot
1 oz  Sweet Vermouth
1 oz Campari

Build in a rocks glass over ice and garnish w/orange wheel.

GRAND BRULOT CAFÉ HOLIDAY
1 oz Grand Brulot
0.5 oz Crème de Cacao
3 oz Porter Beer or Stout
3 dashes of bitters

Throw cocktail ingredients between two cups a couple of times to mix
And ignite the foam from the beer. Pour into a highball glass over ice
And garnish with nutmeg.



www.grandbrulot.com
Proudly powered by Weebly