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Let The Chips Fall Where They May

Dec 28

Posted by val in Southern California, UK | No Comments

Mac’s Fish and Chip Shop
Santa Barbara, California

Mac's Fish and Chip Shop in Santa Barbara, CaliforniaMac's Fish and Chip Shop in Santa Barbara, California

When you’re a European-born chef trained in classical French cuisine, it only stands to reason that the obvious thing to do in order to utilize your culinary talents is to open a chip shop in Santa Barbara, California. Although British expatriate Grant “Mac” MacNaughton offers typical and traditional chippy fare (such as fish and chips with mushy peas), he also playfully takes the menu where few men have gone before. The first indication that MacNaughton has turned the chip shop on its ear is the decor – where most respectable chippies in the U.K. might barely achieve a “B” letter rating in Los Angeles county, Mac’s is sparse, crisp and neat. There’s no menu board menu with plastic letters missing here, no bins of pre-cooked fish or chips under lamps – everything is made to order and the place is spotless.

A sizeable piece of Alaskan cod in Mac's fish and chipsA sizeable piece of Alaskan cod in Mac's fish and chips

As with any chip shop worth their salt, Mac’s uses cod as their fish of choice; however, instead of the familiar Atlantic cod used for battering and frying, theirs is sourced from Alaska. All of Mac’s fried items (which include the fish and chips) are served in baskets lined with fake newsprint to recreate the British experience without getting ink all over your hands. The ample fish filet is flaky, hot and tender with only a slight residue of oil from the fryer. Bangers are also available from the menu – these are sourced locally, made especially by Shalhoob Meat for Mac’s. Naturally you can also get a side of baked beans (Heinz, of course – the most popular tinned baked beans in the U.K., courtesy of the folks from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania known domestically for their ketchup), the aforementioned mushy peas, curry sauce – everything you’d expect to find in a British chippy right down to the malt vinegar and brown sauce. Mac’s also carries homemade meat pies, including Cornish pastys, Shepherd’s pie and cheese and onion leaving little to want for the displaced Brit, save for possibly some black pudding.

The unique, homemade deep-fried haggisThe unique, homemade deep-fried haggis

As good as Mac’s fish and chips are, I’m as likely to queue up for a newspaper-full in Santa Barbara, California as for a Chicago hot dog, bowl of New England clam chowder or Tex-Mex combination plate – what got me through the open-air archway was the sign in the window advertising something I’d never seen before, even in the U.K. – battered haggis. MacNaughton makes his haggis in large batches, which can be a gamble since it doesn’t keep long once prepared.  Imagine a baseball-sized orb of the illustrious oat and organ mélange, dipped in the beer-based fish batter and deep fried to dark brown. Split with a fork, the steam rises from the gut ball’s innards and up to the nostrils to confirm that Mac’s haggis is the real deal (sans lights (lung), which the state of California bans in either fresh or imported haggis). The taste is a tad less earthy than a sturdy haggis consumed in the U.K., but it is still heady, fragrant and bursting with flavor although in its deep-fried form the inside temperature is slightly less than the surface of the sun.

The delightful mess that is the fried Reese's Peanut Butter CupThe delightful mess that is the fried Reese's Peanut Butter Cup

If you’ve saved room for dessert, Mac’s has taken a cue from New York’s The Chip Shop and offers up a variety of deep fried candy bars. With fried Snickers being old hat, I opted for what sounded like the perfect oil-submersible snack – the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. The problem with the Reese’s cup is that the peanut butter turns to lava-like goo in the Frialator which fights off the batter and results in a fried blob; as unattractive as this sounds, the taste is heaven. The fried candy bars are available simply with a light dusting of powdered sugar or nestled in a generous dollop of whipped Chantilly cream and drizzled with Ghirardelli chocolate sauce, and while it may have been overkill I opted for the dressed-up version. The dessert comes with two Reese’s cups, about twice the limit of how much of the ultra-sweet confection I could handle.

Even with the proliferation of British flags and smattering of regional signage I’m not sure I would classify Mac’s as an authentic chippy where you can shut out the masses on State Street and be transported to the Olde Country, but the classic chip shop fare served up with delightfully modern and tongue-in-cheek twist makes Mac’s a nice diversion from the standard Santa Barbara restaurant options; think of it as a chip off the old block.

Mac’s Fish and Chips Shop
503 State St
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
GPS Coordinates:  34°25’0.64″N 119°41’44.87″W

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Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Jan 20

Posted by val in Trippy Food (Tasty flora and fauna), USA | 2 Comments

The Glendon

Los Angeles, California

The Glendon in Westwood Village on a busy nightThe Glendon in Westwood Village on a busy night

When I arrived at The Glendon’s new menu item media tasting, I noticed the fare for the evening was billed as tapas. Although tapas has a centuries-old history starting in Spain in the 13th century, it has come to encompass a plethora of plates of bite-size food that’s designed to share, with The Glendon’s presentation being more of a tribute than a traditional take. The menu is still a work in progress and is scheduled to be unveiled around Valentine’s Day, so some of the items may not show their tiny little faces, but the offerings that night reflected influences from around the globe. The wine list was designed with a sense of humor with suggestions for wines to order on a first, second and third date. Since it was my first visit to the Glendon (which in previous lives had been a sushi bar and a swanky hang-out for the likes of Ol’ Blue Eyes), I opted for a nice red off the “First Date” menu – that and I liked the sound of “Radio Boca Tempranillo”. I have difficulty telling a zinfandel from a Thunderbird; I may not be a connoisseur, but there was something I really liked about this wine – it was a creamy, slightly spicy wine that I discovered came from Valencia, Spain. I was imagining in my head someone chopping fruit and dumping it in a pitcher of the tempranillo to make sangria and thought it would be a shame to add anything to this glass. I had to laugh when I looked to the right of the First, Second and Third Date wine menus to the Cocktails column and found a drink featuring Bacardi, lemon, mint, and something called “twisted cabernet” with the unfortunate title of “Twisted Bitch” – I assumed this was “10th Anniversary”.

Roasted eggplant with goat cheeseRoasted eggplant with goat cheese

Once the dishes started arriving I started to like this idea of small bites and wondered if they employed elves as sous chefs. The benefit is that you get to talk through the meal without your food getting cold, but if the conversation starts heading south you always have something to pop in your mouth. One of the things I had some difficulty with was the names of the dishes; while some were more than self-explanatory, others offered only a hint of what to expect. The first plate out was a black bean hummus that had the familiar garlic and olive oil essence you’d expect, yet not a hint of chick pea to be found. This Mexican spin on a Middle Eastern dish had a sprinkle of a spicy red sauce, which I discovered to be rich with Sriracha, an ingredient that permeated most of the sauces and dips presented that night. I jokingly asked Chef Nick Jacobs if he bought a pallet of the stuff off an unmarked truck, but I get the impression he really likes working with it. Once I got used to the black bean substitute it became a great starter to go with the tempranillo. An unusual little glop of caprese tartare featuring buffalo mozzarella and ricotta was brought out that had an egg-like taste to it, even though there was none employed. One of my favorites were the roasted eggplant slices with goat cheese – there was a slight taste of cumin in the tomato, which caressed the top like a pasta sauce – the slight crispiness of the eggplant and the cheese and tomato gave the dish a taste like a tiny doughless pizza.

Raise your glass - of potato bacon soupRaise your glass - of potato bacon soup

The first dish with a naming issue was the potato and bacon soup shooter. This sturdy offering was like drinking a loaded baked potato, but the consistency was in the realm between soup and mashed potatoes. I always think of a shooter something you down to get the taste past your tongue as quickly as possible, reserved for rotgut like Jose Cuervo, but with the rich smoky taste of the bacon and the thick consistency, this was something I wanted to savor. The other difficulty associated with this dish was the presentation – because of the consistency, it did not want to slip free of the confines of the shot glass willingly but necessity being the mother of invention, I deftly plucked the straw from my water glass and put it to work, getting every last dollop. The next dish that arrived can only be described as calamari as close to perfect as I’ve ever had – tender as hell, light and golden, not greasy or dry. If there was any negative it was that it was slightly salty, but the quality was outstanding enough to encourage me to ask Chef Jacobs his secret. He unlocked the briefcase handcuffed to his wrist and told me that the squid pieces are first sautéed in garlic and butter and then refrigerated; they are then flash fried prior to serving. The accoutrement de jour for these golden wonders was a red pepper aioli, but the mollusks were so good I didn’t dip.

A tapas standard - fried calamariA tapas standard - fried calamari

A personal serving of baked brie on toast was drizzled with honey and topped with a syruped fig for a sweet and smoky treat that combined a variety of textures without merging them – I was pleased to see that the rind was left on the cheese. I could smell the barbecue sauce in the whiskey BBQ pork and beef meatballs as they were brought to the table, and the savory sauce was kicked up a notch with caramelized onions and garlic. It seemed like the hits just kept coming until I had to think again when the inappropriately named “Korean pork belly tacos” came out. I would have rather been enticed with the name “pork belly tacos” instead of dissecting the dish and combing through the cured, marinated pork belly and shredded cabbage looking for kimchi. Naturally, this tidbit was crowned with a light application of Sriracha. The final morsels to come out of the kitchen were unfortunately the least impressive: fried asparagus. It was a nice try, but the difficulty with asparagus is eliminating the stringy segments and in this case, getting the batter to stick. The dish was tasty but it was like eating your way through a box of Cracker Jacks with the prize being a woody piece of vegetable. Fortunately the dish was augmented with a garlic aioli (oh, yeah, and an artistic swirl of Sriracha).

Carl Larsen describes the meal while Chef Nick Jacobs looks onCarl Larsen describes the meal while Chef Nick Jacobs looks on

Finishing with chocolate and caramel cheesecake bites and a cup of coffee I realized that the presentation was perfect for an evening of sharing – food and well as conversation. The concept of the first, second and third date wine list was ideal for this type of dining, and even though I was breaking bread with other media folks instead of a date it made for an enjoyable evening nonetheless; I just hope my fellow diners found me to be more like the zinfandel and less like the Thunderbird.

The Glendon
1071 Glendon Ave.
Los Angeles (Westwood Village), CA 90024
GPS Coordinates: 34°3’39.90″N 118°26’40.09″W

GALLERY: See images from Val’s media dinner at The Glendon in Los Angeles, California

NOTE: This cost for this meal was provided by the restaurant. The content provided in this article was not influenced whatsoever by the organizer of the event

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Mmm. This IS a Tasty Burger

Jan 10

Posted by val in Trippy Food (Tasty flora and fauna), USA | No Comments

Skyline Restaurant

Portland, Oregon

The famous Skyline Restaurant in Portland ORThe famous Skyline Restaurant in Portland OR

Ah, hamburgers; the cornerstone of any nutritious breakfast. But where do you go for that burger to beat all burgers when you’re out retrieving property for Marcellus Wallace in the rainy northwest woods of Portland, Oregon? You need not look any further than the little diner that has been clogging Portlandian’s arteries since before anyone can remember – Skyline Restaurant. The Skyline has changed hands several times since its initial inception; the staff thinks it was started back in the 1920s and a picture on the menu is captioned “Circa 1935″ (although some of the cars in the picture look like 1950s convertibles). Facts don’t usually stand in the way of taste, and like the throngs that flock to see the Shroud of Turin (even though it has been dated to the 12th century or so), the faithful still take the mossy, winding roads up the mountain to eat at Skyline Restaurant. The inside looks like it may have been modernized in the early 1970s, and there was no shortage of red paint and vinyl when the place was “retroed”. One corner wall has some old photos of the Skyline, but the rest of the place appears to be decorated my Mrs. Saperstein’s 3rd grade class at P.S. 201 with crayon art festooning most of the walls. The menu is typical 50s diner, although they have a variety of milk shakes including one chock full of the local favorite, marion berries. On my visit, I wanted the one thing that brought people back, their pièce de résistance; the waitress said that all of their burgers were popular, but when I asked about #14 (the Everything Steak Burger), she said it was her personal favorite, which was good enough for me. This magnum opus was composed with a 1/2-pound ground sirloin patty with everything on it including cheese, bacon and a fried egg. As impressive as this bad boy was, there was a sinister, formidable behemoth on the menu that somehow slipped in under Adam Richman’s radar – #19: The Giant Giant Burger. This harbinger of arteriosclerosis combines 2 1/2 pound patties, each with its own layer of cheese – you can further hasten your coronary bypass with the choice of up to 6 pieces of bacon for a mere $3 – that’s about a third of the co-pay for your next cardiologist visit. I asked if any one ever finished one, and she told me that a lot of people do; the winner of the Portland marathon came in and ordered one, finishing the Giant Giant, an order of fries, and a shake. She let me know that she serves an average of three of these silent killers a day.

#14: The Everything Steak Burger#14: The Everything Steak Burger

I thought about a side dish, but wanted to keep it simple. I saw an order of fries delivered to another table that were skinless and uniformly thin, but still golden brown and crispy looking, but I decided to risk the onion rings. The rings were brought out with the burger, which was breathtaking in its artistic beauty. The burger was cleanly halved, and the strata was perfectly formed – pickles under a layer of mayo, under a layer of tomato, under a layer of onion, under a thick layer of lettuce, under a layer of egg, under the burger, under a generous melt of cheese, with a layer of Mesozoic fossilized sea creatures just under the bun (I may be making that last layer up). Several strips of bacon poked their crispy little arms out from under the bun like the victim of a pork pedestrian fatality. The meat was seared dark on the outside and cooked through with just a hint of pink (the waitress didn’t ask how I wanted it cooked, and it arrived medium well – hot, tasty and juicy, but not bloody). Each bite was heaven, and the ingredients complemented each other so well that it was difficult to tell that there was a layer of raw onions in there. I sat there with burger juice dripping from my wide grin in the misty morning fog with our hearts a-thumping and you – my Everything Steak Burger. The onion rings were passable – they seemed uniform in size and texture, but they weren’t greasy or soggy. For the most part, each bite didn’t free the cooked onion like some tiny white eel; they stayed crispy and hot, redeeming their diminutive size.

The old modern retro look of the Skyline RestaurantThe old modern retro look of the Skyline Restaurant

On my visits to Portland I usually try to find the traditional, the unusual or the delicious, and the Skyline Restaurant delivered on all three counts, regardless of the fact that it may be lying about its age. Now if I can just figure out why all this light is coming from this damned briefcase.

Skyline Restaurant
1313 NW Skyline Boulevard
Portland, Oregon 97229
GPS Coordinates: 45°31’54.42″N 122°45’17.82″W

Jules Winnfield apparently eats at the Skyline Restaurant

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That’s Some Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Nov 27

Posted by val in Trippy Food (Tasty flora and fauna), USA | No Comments

Pumpkin

North America and elsewhere

Pumpkin sculpture in Freemont CAPumpkin sculpture in Freemont CA

Although durian bears the title of the King of Fruit, the true crowned monarch is the world’s largest fruit, the pumpkin. Most people casually disregard the pumpkin as being only good for jack-o-lanterns and pies, but like other squashes, the pumpkin lends versatility and flavor to a wide variety of dishes including soups, side dishes and pastries with the flesh, seeds, flowers and leaves all being edible. Pumpkins come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors and textures, with every one of them being edible (although some of the ornamental varieties are somewhat lacking in taste). They are thought to originate in North America, but have been easily cultivated worldwide; the U.S. still grows and consumes more pumpkin than anywhere else in the world. Pumpkins keep for a while if the thick outer skin is unbroken, but once that has been compromised eating the fruit is not advised (your best bet is to throw that jack-o-lantern on the compost heap on November 1st). Since pumpkins typically reach maturity in the fall, that’s the best time to find them in grocery stores and on “seasonal” restaurant menus from early October through Thanksgiving Day. Fortunately you don’t have to live in New England to enjoy pumpkin in autumn dishes, but if you do you may have a hard time getting an iced tea to go with it.

Outstanding coniglio with pumpkin over wide noodlesOutstanding coniglio with pumpkin over wide noodles

Around the same time leaf-peepers are swarming through the woods of New Hampshire and Vermont with their SLRs at the ready, the leaves are also changing color in the Northwest, and in the Portland, Oregon area pumpkin rears its big, fat head in clever and delicious ways in many of the area restaurants. Typhoon, a local upscale Thai chain features several seasonal items, but the most spectacular is their pumpkin curry dumplings. The fried dumplings have an al dente chewiness to their skin, and each bite releases the creamy pumpkin inside. The dumplings wade in a sweet and slightly spicy pumpkin/curry sauce that demands sponging up with bread after the dumplings are done. A few doors down from Typhoon at The Round in Beaverton is MiNGO, an Italian bistro that features what I consider to be the ultimate autumn dish – coniglio. Although the name sounds like a skin disease, “coniglio” is Italian for rabbit, and this outstanding dish features a ground rabbit sausage, northwest mushrooms and chunks of pumpkin over wide, flat noodles and lightly drenched in a sage cream sauce. Just the aroma instantly transports you to the woods, where you can imagine yourself chasing the rabbit through freshly fallen leaves in the crisp autumn air; the experience gives way to the taste of victory with every savory, earthy bite. The combination of textures and flavors is what fall would taste like if you could capture it in a Mason jar.

Wiffies fried pumpkin pie at Cartopia food pod in PortlandWiffies fried pumpkin pie at Cartopia food pod in Portland

After either splendid meal, a venture to one of Portland’s few late-night food cart pods is in order for dessert. The aptly named Cartopia at the corner of Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard and Southeast 12th Avenue features one of Portland’s highest-rated and most talked-about food carts – Whiffies Fried Pies. The pod features a stand specializing in crepes, a Mexican cart, and other vendors dealing pizza and French fries, but Whiffies seems to be the cart Portland is talking about. They have a very simple menu, featuring a rotating variety of fried pies (about the size and shape of empanadas), including a mixed-berry pie that contains the oddly named Marion berry (which sounded eerily like Washington D.C.’s famous crack-smoking Mayor, Marion Barry). Lest I digress, this is an article on pumpkin and fall cuisine, and I was on a quest to try the seasonal fried pumpkin pie. My first bite into the thick flaky crust released a flow of spiced pumpkiny lava, which was rich, creamy and delicious. About halfway through the pie, the hot gooey filing refused to be contained and I ended up with a generous dollop on my pants, but it tasted so good I was tempted to recapture the spilled filling. It was a new take on a classic dessert – one I could easily get used to.

Pumpkin ravioli with chunks of pumpkin and seedsPumpkin ravioli with chunks of pumpkin and seeds

Many L.A. area restaurants also roll out their fall menus, and at Culver City’s Rush Street pumpkin elbows its way throughout the menu. At a recent media dinner to coincide with the ongoing Culver City Block Party they had decorated the outside of the restaurant with scarecrows, pumpkins and faux-fall foliage. While deciding how to get my pumpkin on I considered several fall-influenced cocktails including their own green appletini and a frothy, whipped-cream infused pumpkin martini; although I had a taste of both I opted for the pumpkin ale from Buffalo Bill’s Brewery, which unfortunately only seemed to be pumpkin-colored (although not a bad ale, I feel like I drank a pig in a poke). I kicked off the meal with a bowl of rich and creamy soup featuring pumpkin’s second cousin, butternut squash. The thick, hot soup was naturally sweet, warming and welcome on the unusually brisk southern California fall evening. As far as substantial menu items go, the obvious choice was the pumpkin ravioli. While similar in appearance to the pumpkin curry dumplings at Typhoon, that’s where the similarity ended – there wasn’t a dramatic contrast between the pumpkin filling and the ravioli pasta and although it was slightly spiced with sage it was mostly sweet. Naturally no pumpkin adventure would be complete without a slice of pumpkin pie, and although there didn’t seem to be a landmark departure from the traditional telling, it did not disappoint.

The Zucha pizza with pumpkin at LucifersThe Zucha pizza with pumpkin at Lucifers

As covered in a previous article, Los Angeles’ Lucifer’s Damned Good Pizza features pies year-round topped with pumpkin: my personal favorite, the pumpkin and prosciutto with roast garlic, basil and spinach, and the Zucha (featuring pumpkin, olives, feta, zucchini, red bell pepper and spinach). Although I’m not certain if the luscious pumpkin tart from L.A.’s tartist is available year round, the rich dessert is the perfect end for any homemade fall meal – more information is available in the article on Artisanal L.A, where the tartist held a commanding presence. Because pumpkin is so versatile, it is easy to include it in meals cooked at home. It can be used as a substitute for potatoes, mashed, steamed – the possibilities are limitless. If cutting up a pumpkin to be used as an ingredient seems too much like work, you can take the easy way out and buy canned pureed pumpkin, but for flavor there’s no beating fresh. Pureed pumpkin added to pancake batter makes a wonderful seasonal breakfast or the basis for cupcakes and breads. Over Thanksgiving I created a dish I call (for lack of a better term) Puritan Chow; the concept was to make a side dish composed of only ingredients the English settlers and Wampanoag people would have had access to in 1621, which research shows to be not as easy as it sounds (sweet corn, potatoes and cranberry sauce were not readily available at the time). I finely chopped turkey and fried it, adding in diced pumpkin that was parboiled for 2 minutes. While cooking the two primary ingredients, I added in cranberries, raisins, green onions and finally shredded spinach and pumpkin seeds at the end. Those who sampled the dish seemed to like it, but I hope they weren’t being polite; since I’ve purchased several pumpkins to cook over the next few weeks I will probably try a version with venison and a vegan version and serve it in a baked whole pumpkin.

Puritan Chow featuring ingredients from 1621 Plymouth MAPuritan Chow featuring ingredients from 1621 Plymouth MA

Fall ends officially late in December, so take advantage of the availability of this delicious fruit. When next October rolls around, consider purchasing several pumpkins – one for carving and the others for your culinary enjoyment; you’ll be gobbling it down like there’s no tomorrow.

Typhoon
12600 SW Crescent Street
Beaverton, Oregon 97005
(other Portland area locations)
GPS Coordinates: 45°29’26.45″N 122°48’24.43″W

MiNGO
12600 SW Crescent Street
Suite 120
Beaverton, Oregon 97005
GPS Coordinates: 45°29’26.88″N 122°48’26.51″W

Whiffies
Cartopia
SE Hawthorne Blvd. at SE 12th Ave.
Portland, OR 97214
GPS Coordinates: 45°30’44.47″N 122°39’11.67″W

Rush Street
9546 Washington Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232-2631
GPS coordinates: 34°1’22.78″N 118°23’41.51″W

Lucifer’s Damned Good Pizza
1958 Hillhurst Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
GPS coordinates: 34°6’25.41″N 118°17’14.10″W

tartist
Address available for order pickup

See images of various pumpkin dishes Val has enjoyed

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Attack Of The 20-Foot Artichoke

Jul 5

Posted by val in Trippy Trips (On the road and overseas, things to see along the way), USA, USA | 2 Comments

World’s Largest Artichoke, Giant Artichoke Restaurant

Castroville, California

Grateful that the artichokes are a peaceful raceGrateful that the artichokes are a peaceful race

Castroville, California bills itself as the Artichoke Capital of the World, and as discussed in the article on the Castroville Artichoke Festival, it is well justified. When you have the chutzpah to adopt such a lofty title for yourself, it only stands to reason that you’ll want to erect a monument to establish your dominance and strike fear in the hearts of also-rans and other vegetable king wannabes. In 1963, this monument took the form of a 20-foot tall steel and concrete artichoke, the symbol of Castroville’s fame and prosperity. Of course, giant vegetable advertising didn’t hurt Ray Bei’s vegetable stand, which eventually grew into the sprawling stop for all things artichoke simply known as “The Giant Artichoke”. This includes a continuation of the original vegetable stand featuring fresh and frozen artichokes and even dried artichoke flowers. You can also get local honey (still in the honeycomb), nuts, a variety of vegetables and fresh and dried fruit. A walk through the heart of the artichoke (an empty inverted green globe hallway) takes you into the restaurant.

If there is another artichoke dish, they missed itIf there is another artichoke dish, they missed it

The front of the restaurant features a gift shop where you can purchase your standard artichoke souvenirs such as shot glasses, postcards, T-shirts, but ironically no mini tribute knock-offs of the goliath guarding the entrance with its concrete petals and metal thorns. The restaurant is simple, decorated with Artichoke Festival posters from the good old days, and the immediate expectation is you’ll be offered an artichoke as a side dish for everything on the menu. Fortunately there’s a variety of artichoke food options to choose from, or you can simply cut to the chase and get the artichoke platter which features a three-way bonanza: fried, steamed and artichoke bread. Claudia was full from the food from the festival and opted for a bowl of the cream of artichoke soup. I imagine this dish is a no-brainer, as soup is the perfect way to market the previous day’s menu surplus. The food didn’t take too long – I felt that Yoda and Kermit the Frog would have enjoyed the presentation, since it was a veritable testament to the color green. The steamed artichoke was tender without being wilted, but the fried hearts were a dark brown color, usually a sign of being left in the oily bubble bath a little long. They were crispy without being crunchy with pretty green juicy centers. I wasn’t sure what to make of the artichoke bread – it was the consistency of zucchini bread with similar flavor, but with a green hue that hinted at the possibility of food coloring doping. The soup was full of flavor, but depending on the spoonful it was sometimes difficult to differentiate from cream of broccoli until you hit upon the familiar slightly bitter aftertaste (a tell-tale by-product of the cynarine compound produced by the vegetable). The food exuded the essence of the armored vegetable and was both flavorful and relatively inexpensive. The only disappointment was the city’s missed opportunity of concocting an artichoke ice cream – it would have been a fitting desert as well as a nice feature at the festival. Don’t get me wrong here; this is road food, not haute cuisine, but when in Castroville, do as the Castrovillians do.

Not the recommended method of eating an artichokeNot the recommended method of eating an artichoke

Should you drive from Peoria, Illinois non-stop to eat at The Giant Artichoke? No. Should you make this a stop traveling the length of Highway 101 from San Diego up through the redwood coast or on your quest to see all the California Missions? Sure, why not? Should you dine here in the shadow of the vegetable behemoth born in the days of Camelot and the New Frontier while attending the venerable Castroville Artichoke Festival? Most assuredly. It’s a great way to try a variety of artichoke preparations, see the uncontested world’s largest artichoke and attend the famous festival all in one fell swoop, crossing the three items off your California bucket list. Make that a bucket of artichokes, please.

Giant Artichoke Restaurant
11261 Merritt St
Castroville, CA 95012
GPS Coordinates: 36°45’44.81″N 121°45’10.99″W

See images of Val’s visit to The Giant Artichoke Restaurant

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