THE WHALING POST

I arrived in Los Angeles yesterday. From the airport, Marie and I went right to Plan Check Kitchen + Bar. Just off the 405 on the Westside, this hip, new gastro-pub, with food from the ex-corporate executive chef of Umami Burger, is full of small plates featuring pickles, cheeses, cured meats, sandwiches, burgers, and more. 

We started with oysters. The yuzukosho cocktail sauce is awesome. We followed that with pickles (cucumber with kombu and dill, spicy cumber with sriracha and sesame, and chorizo with green garlic). Then we split the baked crab dip and the “Chef’s Favorite Burger: cheese two ways, bacon two ways, ketchup leather, sunny fried egg, hot sauce.” The burger is great, and the Plan Check Burger, Bleuprint Burger, and the special burger of the day featuring Funyon Straws all give enough reason to go back. The cocktail list seems promising, but I stuck with Strand Brewery’s 24th St. Pale Ale on draft. 

Go in the afternoon and sit at the bar to watch the line cooks flip burgers. 

PLAN CHECK KITCHEN + BAR

1800 Sawtelle Blvd. 

Los Angeles, CA 

(310) 288-6500

www.plancheckbar.com

Released this past fall, Kitchen Spice is one of the newest fragrances from Yankee Candle. They claim the scent is a modern blend of sweet orange, clove, ginger, and cinnamon, but I think it smells like that final sip of an Old Fashioned.  

Kitchen Spice by Yankee Candle $25.99 

www.yankeecandle.com

Much to my surprise, I received a package from amazon.com today. Inside I found a copy of the recently published book, Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas by Brad Thomas Parsons, as well as a note from my girlfriend’s parents saying, “Thought you might find this interesting.” I’ve had an eye on this book for quite some time and even more than interesting, I find this book essential.

“Gone are the days when a lonely bottle of Angostura bitters held court behind the bar.”

- Brad Thomas Parsons

The 200+ page book is packed full of bitters history as well as cocktail recipes and techniques for making bitters. The information is accurate and the book is well thought out. Traditionally, bitters are an extremely concentrated formula of high proof spirits that have been infused with herbs and botanicals. While they were once used as medicinal cure-alls, they soon found their way into cocktails. Many of the original brands are no longer produced, but we are left with a few turn of the century favorites including Angostura Aromatic Bitters and Peychaud’s Bitters.

Parsons clearly supports the new craft bitters movement but does address the never ending discussion regarding an over-saturation of craft cocktail ingredients presented by many of his colleagues. I say make your root beer bitters, your thyme syrups and your chili infused bourbons. Only the truly great will survive the test of time. Until then, we’ll sip some pretty delicious drinks.

Start off with a Pink Gin.

Pink Gin

3 oz Plymouth Gin

4-6 dashes of Angostura Bitters

Notes: Stirred up

Glass: Coupe glass

Garnish: none

Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All, with Cocktails, Recipes, and Formulas by Brad Thomas Parsons

For more information visit www.btparsons.com

Located in the heart of Williamsburg lies the oyster bar and self-proclaimed “cocktail den,” Maison Premiere. Designed to reflect staples of New York, Paris, and New Orleans, the menu focuses on oysters and absinthe. The room is both elegant and rustic and offers a round bar and bistro style seating. The oysters are fresh, the cocktails are fantastic, and the absinthe list is extensive (the largest in NYC).

*Absinthe Fountain - The worlds most accurate replica of the absinthe fountain that once flowed in the Absinthe House in New Orleans.

The oyster list is ever changing, but Maison Premiere usually offers around 30 oyster choices as well as various other raw bar options. Upon entering the bar you will be presented with a oyster list and a golf pencil. Mark the type and quantity of oysters you’d like to try. Because there are no minimums, I’d recommend getting 2 of each so and your date can compare and contrast. Or just cover then in cocktail sauce and dive in. There’s really no wrong way to eat an oyster.

Dollar oysters from 4 - 7 on Monday - Friday. Do this. 

Maison Premiere

298 Bedford Ave. Brooklyn, NY

P. (347) 335-0446

E. info@maisonpremiere.com

Monday - Friday: 4:00 PM - 4:00 AM

Saturday - Sunday: 12:00 PM - 4:00 AM

www.maisonpremiere.com

What better way to start the new year than with a Bloody Mary! The Bloody Mary’s history is vague and several bartenders in the 1920s and 30s claim to have invented the drink, but whoever first mixed this spicy tomato and vodka sipper stumbled upon the ultimate “hangover cure.”

The list of ingredients found in a Bloody Mary can be endless, and every bar seems to put their own spin on the drink, but vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire, Tabasco, lemon juice, salt and pepper will traditionally make a pretty fine Bloody Mary. Everything from A1 Steak Sauce to Old Bay Seasoning can be found in Bloody Marys across the country, and the garnishes are often times equally exciting, ranging from olives, pickles, shrimp, bacon, and other salty snacks.

A note on bloody mary mixes: Don’t buy them. Instead, make yourself a “bloody mud” by pre-batching all of the ingredients except vodka and tomato juice. While your tomato juice will spoil within the week, your mud will last for months. Below is our traditional style house recipe. 

TWP’s Bloody Mud 

5 parts Worcestershire Sauce

2 parts grated horseradish

1 part lemon juice

1 part celery salt

1 part pepper

1/2 part Tabasco sauce

1/2 part Sriracha sauce

*combine all ingredients and chill

Bloody Mary 

Well known throughout New York City for their “Sweet Action” is the local Brooklyn brewery, Sixpoint Craft Ales. By fermenting locally grown malted barley, hops, and yeast, with NYC tap water, Sixpoint delivers an incredibly fresh beer. With names like “The Crisp,” a sharp, clean lager, “Bengal Tiger,” their signature IPA, and of course “Sweet Action,” which has been described as a bitter cream ale, amongst other things, Sixpoint Craft Ales has made quite an impression on the city of New York. Their Sweet Action can be found in almost every bar in NYC and many of their brews have found their way into 16 oz. cans, which seems to be a signature move for brewery. 

Sixpoint also appears to be brewing super-small custom batches for individual restaurants and bars with either enough credibility or enough money to back the Sixpoint name. Beers like “The Wheatball Ale” at the LES’s Meatball Shop and “The Brass Ale” at EMM Group’s new midtown brasserie, Lexington Brass, are a few worth trying. 

Sixpoint, which opened in 2004, now distributes beer locally from Brooklyn to Philadelphia. But, don’t get your hopes up about the beer heading west. According to a recent NPR discussion, they have plans to keep things local. So stop into a pub and order a Sweet Action on draft and grab a 4 pack of The Crisp on your way home.

Sixpoint Craft Ales

40 Van Dyke St. Brooklyn, NY

P. (917) 696-0438

www.sixpoint.com

Rockabilly, pompadours, and hot rods are what you’ll find at this Greenpoint, Brooklyn based barbershop. Located just off of Manhattan Ave., Tomcats offers classic cuts and hot shaves.

The shop does accept walk-ins, but you’re better off making an appointment. Your clipper cut will take 30 minutes and will only cost you 20 dollars. Your barber will probably offer to put some serious pomade in your hair. Let him, and buy a jar while you’re there, because although the brand it’s probably older than your grandfather, you won’t be able to find it at Duane Reade.

Also, go early to enjoy your complimentary PBR. 

Tomcats Barbershop 

135 India St. Brooklyn, NY 11222

Mon. - Sat. 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Sunday 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM

P. (718) 349-9666

The Queens Kickshaw is home to some of the best craft beers, specialty coffees, and grilled cheese sandwiches you’ll find in New York City. A labor of love for husband and wife Ben Sandler and Jennifer Lim, the team opened “the kickshaw” in early 2011. While the menu does focus on coffee, beer, and grilled cheese, they do offer wine, tea, house-made sodas, and various other treats. The miso mustard pickles are a personal favorite of mine.

The design, provided by Ecosystems, is both rustically simple and environmentally friendly. The atmosphere, provided by a small band of tattooed baristas, is casual, comfortable, and never overbearing. Get a coffee and grilled cheese for lunch and stay as long as you’d like doing work on your macbook pro. Then go back for beer after dinner. Try a few because I doubt you’ll have heard of anything off the list!

The Queens Kickshaw

40-17 Broadway Astoria, NY 11103

Monday - Friday 7:30 AM - 1:00 AM

Saturday - Sunday 9:00 AM - 1:00 AM

www.thequeenskickshaw.com