303096 Thu Apr 13 22:23:31 -0700 2006 19 29 Not About Food 0 1701990 Probably by way of demonstrating the fleeting (and fickle) nature of fame, a cookbook I got last weekend is by the proprietor of a LA area restaurant I've never heard of either: John Sedlar of Saint Estephe. The pub date is exactly 20 years ago, the book was published by Simon and Schuster, and there's a big blurb on the back by Craig Claiborne that is more than a little telling about the era and its awful excesses: "This is, to my mind, the most interesting of all cookbooks that deal with Southwest cooking. It is marvelously innovative...How about Salmon Mousse Tamales with Ground Nixtamal and Cilantro Cream Sauce...or Apricot Ravioli with Yerba Buena Créme Anglaise? John Sedlar is one of America's treasures, a genius in the kitchen." Okay. A little more than 20 years ago, a friend in Chicago took us to a joint called Topolobampo, where I had my first (and so far best) bowl of menudo, which I hope never to forget. Rick Bayless is still going from strength to strength, still cooking the real deal. I have no idea where this other "genius in the kitchen" might be, but I seriously doubt that I'll ever cook any of the silly recipes in his book. Thu Apr 13 22:23:31 -0700 2006 0 Will Owen 1 1701992 Sedlar was big in the L.A. area up to about 10 years ago or so. I think his last restaurant was southwest inspired and was at the beach, maybe Manhattan Beach. Link: http://www.indefatigable-indolence.org/Chow_Top_1.html Thu Apr 13 22:31:19 -0700 2006 1701990 0 Chino Wayne 1 1701996 St. Estephe was a restaurant in a beach-city mall, and was known for exquisitely plated, small-portioned, very frou frou and expensive SW-inspired food. I remember taking a non-foodie first date there, looking over the menu, the food on people's plates, and the prices and going somewhere else. Thu Apr 13 23:46:28 -0700 2006 1701990 0 nosh 2 1702003 I'm responding to this one because it most closely echoes my response to this book: "exquisitely plated, small-portioned, very frou-frou...I remember...looking over the menu, the food on people's plstes, and the prices and going somewhere else." Every photo in this book screams DON'T EAT THIS, YOU'LL MESS IT UP! This is the kind of piece montée bullshit that gave Foodieism such a bad name in the '80s; I remember being at a rawther swell restaurant in Nashville and someone got some Signature Dish or another that was really just an elaboration on something your mom probably made, and when it came it was about two feet tall and was tied with a spun-sugar ribbon. The whole table exploded with laughter, to the grave mortification of the waiter, who obviously saw his role as that of an acolyte assisting at the altar... Craig Claiborne wrote some damn good books, and aside from his bitch-fights with James Beard is/was mostly a sound guide to Real Food. This blurb does not speak well of his good sense, and I am frankly disappointed. Fri Apr 14 01:21:19 -0700 2006 1701996 0 Will Owen 3 1702006 to be fair, the crazy tower rage, biggest in LA at places like Checkers, was 1000000 times more insane than anything at St. Estephe. There is an element to the presentation of "work of art", that was part of the appeal, as it was at other places in France at the time - check out what Troisgros was doing, or what was happening at Pyramide in Vienne. For inspiration, though, Sedlar was using a southwest which wasn't bolo tie and wasnt' the huge squashblossom urbancowboy silliness of the time either. The food was good - it was food first, it wasn't imitating style at least. It was too expensive for a first date, and for a bunch of burly workers. I don't think (for those who know LA) the Bastide of late or Melisse would be good for either of those outings. It wasn't celebrity heavy like Ma Maison and was never as freakish as places that would have something like pan-roasted wild salmon with blueberry pork-kidney reduction on a coulis (not foam, too early) of sweet yellow grape tomato and damask plum. I wish I knew where he was today. For the time, he was innovative and given the changes in trends, I think he'd have interesting takes. Certainly as talented as Ken Frank (whose food I also enjoyed, on the rare occasions when I went to his establishments). Fri Apr 14 02:47:04 -0700 2006 1702003 0 Jerome 4 1702008 I miss vertical food. In SF, we had Albert Tordjman. He's likewise vanished. Maybe these guys were here on a mission from Alpha Centauri or somewhere -- testing the behaviour of proteins and hydrocarbons in gravitational fields perhaps -- then called back home. Fri Apr 14 03:16:36 -0700 2006 1702006 0 Attaturk 5 1702016 Attaturk, I strongly suggest you read "Spaceman" by Robert Olen Butler. All will be revealed to you. Fri Apr 14 13:18:17 -0700 2006 1702008 0 Leper 5 1704481 John is founding the Tamale Museum and catering large groups. He is alive and well. Google Tamale M I think you can find out info from there Fri Jun 09 23:12:58 -0700 2006 1702008 0 Nancy 1 1701998 Ate there in 1989. It was at the intersection of Sepulveda and Rosecrans in Manhattan Beach. If I remember correctly they only had 2 seatings the evening we were there. I don't remember what I had except for the dessert. Chili-chocolate ice cream. I was expecting a small bowl of ice cream, but what was served was a plate with 3 little sort of pyramid shaped pieces of ice cream. I've been mixing a little chili into my chocolate dishes ever since. What was most memorable from that night was the table of big burly airport employees at the table next to us. They were in a hurry as they had to catch a plane. They ordered the chorizo appetizer. Finally it was served to them. Placed in front of each of those big, hungry men was an egg cup with an egg shell filled with an egg-chorizo mixture and little arrow shaped fried tortilla strips shooting out of them. The look on the faces of these men was precious. I remember enjoying everything we ate, but the time between courses was way too long. Fri Apr 14 00:46:40 -0700 2006 1701990 0 mar52 2 1702022 LOL-i ate there once around the same time and that's the part I remember, 'pretty' presentation and very small portions. I think we had a party of around 6 and do remember we all went away hungry! Fri Apr 14 16:43:45 -0700 2006 1701998 0 PatrickT 1 1702000 And likewise where is Craig Claiborne these days huh? :) Fri Apr 14 00:57:50 -0700 2006 1701990 0 Attaturk 2 1702004 ...is dead. Has been for maybe five years or so. Excellent writer. RIP. Fri Apr 14 02:14:57 -0700 2006 1702000 0 peg 3 1702011 Yes. Craig Claiborne lived not far from me and was an invalid for his last years. He could no longer enjoy food, but at least he had the memories. And if you find the recipes he recommends dated, just remember what the NY food scene was like before Claiborne came along. The top restaurants were serving canned mushrooms. Image: http://labellecuisine.com/images/Craig_Claiborne.jpg Fri Apr 14 11:44:37 -0700 2006 1702004 0 Brian S 1 1702010 I loved John Sedlar. I read recently that he has something to do with a Tamale Museum, but have not seen him as chef anywhere. He also co-wrote a good tamale book with Mark Miller and Stephen Pyles. I don't get the criticism, other than that the cookbook may not be "workable" for a person. The French Laundry cookbook is similar. Personally the kind of cuisine that is unmakable at home appeals to me. I can cook a damned good steak at home, so opt to spend my restaurant time looking for more elaborate and creative far. I went to St. Estephe and Abiqui a number of times, Bikini I think once. I really liked St. Estephe and thought Abiqui could be good but was more inconsistent and later faltered. It was not for everyone as it did feature food as art, small portions, and contrived combinations of flavors. In the years of LA dining I was always surprised and disappointed that there weren't better options for good Southwest cuisine. Bayless (also Miller and Pyles) and Sedlar feature(d) different cuisines. Bayless is much more traditional mexican-influenced cuisines. Sedlar's southwest cuisine was much more a new creation or at least wide-ranging variation of some traditional items. Fri Apr 14 11:12:26 -0700 2006 1701990 0 John Gonzales 2 1702014 IIRC, Abiqu is featured in the movie Get Shorty--it's the restaurant scene where (I think) John Travolta kicks someone down the stairs. I agree that John Sedlar is definitely a talented man who ran a beautiful restaurant for a time. I don't get why others are so offended at his experiment. Isn't there enough room in the restaurant scene for someone to deviate from the norm? I hope he's still involved in some interesting food-related projects now. Fri Apr 14 12:51:19 -0700 2006 1702010 0 bluemonster 1 1702017 According to an internet search, John Sedlar currently runs Sedlar's Southwest Kitchen, a Los Angeles based maker of upscale tamales sold at high end supermarkets. There's a link below but the site seems to be broken. Link: http://www.sedlars.com Fri Apr 14 13:47:34 -0700 2006 1701990 0 Bob Brooks 1 1702054 I have two interesting memories of St. Estephe. The first is a plated presentation of fish where the strips of fish were basket-woven flat on the plate and the veg and garnish were the basket filling. It blew me away! The second memory is of a group of A-holes who were occupying the table next to us, making a lot of noise, and upon getting up to leave, one of them walked by the dessert cart and grabbed a handful of coconut cake--literally a fistful! What nerve! I remember Bikini's interesting plates, handpainted with the Virgin of Guadalupe, among other designs. Sedlar has done some really clever things over the years. Sat Apr 15 15:26:26 -0700 2006 1701990 0 Mnosyne 1 4087169 Sedlar is a serious L.A. chef. Besides St. Estephe he opened a restaurant in Santa Monica (next door to JiRaffe) called Abiquiu - since closed. He will (hopefully) opening that The Tamale Museum soon. Tue Oct 07 00:50:51 -0700 2008 1701990 137061 foodiemahoodie 1 4687099 Sedlar recently opened Rivera restaurant in downtown Los Angeles. Now you can go have a personal experience. Lunch is not a bad value. Fri May 15 11:30:09 -0700 2009 1701990 71215 mlgb 1 5158468 I absolutely LOVED Saint Estephe when it was open! Went there many times and always was blown away by both the unique food and beautiful platings. My favorite dish was one called Radicchio Tacos with Smoked Chicken, Asparagus and Red Chili Mayonnaise - John was personable and accessible along with being one of the most cross-creative men I've ever met. I am so happy that I was able to get his cookbook when they started selling it at the restaurant. Yes, it was very expensive - and yes, the portions tiny, but it was never reputed to be an all-you-can eat buffet for truck drivers. On one occasion, the president of the corporation I was working for was coming to L.A. to meet with me and one of our customers. He asked me to take him to what I considered to be an extraordinary restaurant - price no concern. So I took him to St. Estephe. He was at first looking at me very dubiously - suspicious of both the location (in a strip mall), the minimalist Southwestern decor, and then seeing these very sparse and artistic platings coming out to other diners - as well as the unusual names (and prices) of the dishes on the menu. I kept telling him to just be patient and trust me. When his first dish was placed in front of him, he cocked his eyebrow at me and kind of glared - until he took his first bite. I'll never forget the expression on his face - it was pure shock and pleasure. He ended up ordering what would have been like three entrees and could not stop talking about the experience throughout his entire trip. With that said, I am now going to start preparing my favorite Radicchio Tacos! Thu Nov 05 11:01:48 -0800 2009 1701990 1121995 laserlady