Duck confit

[kevin]

rreally good version? anywhere? looking for more authentic but any will do even the ones that arrived with a cherry chutney or braised or whatever?

[J.L.]

Old post (2006), but I'll chime in...

RH at the Andaz.

I agree with degustateur: Superb duck confit

[perk]

They sell it at Lindy & Grundy. Haven't had it....but everything I've had there is top notch.

[mollyomormon]

The duck confit that comes served atop salad at Father's Office is the best version I've had.

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Father's Office Bar
1618 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA

[mnosyne]

Salad is for wienies; gimme fries!!!

[Will Owen]

If you like it on salad, Le Petit Café in Santa Monica has okay confit on greens for about $14 at lunch. By okay I mean Worth Eating - it's chewy and as I recall a tad salty, NOT fall-off-the-bone but quite nice with a brisk white wine. I've liked it well enough to order it three times, and I don't get to SM that much.

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Le Petit Cafe
2842 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404

[mollyomormon]

I don't even need the salad part, but that FO duck confit is fabulous! although the salad has hazelnuts and I believe dried cherries and it's pretty damn good for a salad. I've been disappointed in the versions at Comme Ca and Animal (when it's on the menu. I think safe to say the only thing I've ever had there that didn't cause me to swoon) but I will definitely check out the Le Petit Cafe, although that's in line after Le Saint Amour, where I plan to treat myself to a charcuterie feast very soon!

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Le Petit Cafe
2842 Colorado Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90404

Le Saint Amour
9725 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

[Will Owen]

LPC is a pleasant place for lunch and a jolly place for supper, more of an enjoyable stop than a destination. That said, if I'm in Santa Monica around lunchtime and have $15-$20 I can spend, that's where I'll go. The owner is Alsatian, I believe, and the French portion of the menu leans that way.

[mnosyne]

I love that place but parking is impossible!

[Mattapoisett in LA]

There are several lots within blocks of the place and several bus lines too. but we are close enough to Bike. I guess it needs to go on our list to try.

[Will Owen]

I just find curb parking within the two or three blocks on the other side of the street. Never have not found a space. Okay, so I walk a couple of blocks, so what? I may be old but I'm not decrepit. The only real PITA is that there's just the one intersection where it's apparently legal to cross, but I don't pay much attention to that either. If I had my ancient mom-in-law with me it would be different...

[Will Owen]

Update: the confit at LPC is an occasional thing, as I was told when I tried to order it on September 30th. I had just lucked out on the previous occasions. Just for the hell of it I ordered the cheeseburger instead; if this were a cheeseburger thread I'd say how good it was, but it's not so I won't.

The city has however added a striped crosswalk leading directly to the front of the restaurant, thus cutting about half a block out of my average hike.

[degustateur]

I have enjoyed, or came close to enjoying (see notes), duck confit at these SoCal venues:

Animal
435 N Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90048
[phone]
http://www.animalrestaurant.com
Killer! One of the best ever. Their rendition undergoes more periodic changes than most.

Black Sheep Bistro
303 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92780
[phone]
http://www.blacksheepbistro.com
Served several ways – over salad, en cassoulet (my preference) and traditional. Great.

Bouchon
235 N Canon Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
[phone]
http://www.bouchonbistro.com
"Confit de Canard" – fabulous, extra crispy. Beautiful leg!

Cheval Blanc
41 S. De Lacey Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91105
[phone]
http://www.chevalblancbistro.com
"Cassoulet de Toulousse" – not a traditional duck confit. Deliciously satisfying.

Church & State
1850 Industrial St
Los Angeles, CA 90021
[phone]
www.churchandstatebistro.com
“Cassoulet de Toulousse” – not a traditional duck confit, yet a delectable dish overall.

Le Saint Amour
9725 Culver Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
[phone]
http://www.lesaintamour.com
“Confit de Canard” - absolutely wonderful. Decidedly my second favorite.

Marche Moderne
3333 Bristol St
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
[phone]
http://www.marchemoderne.net
Muscovy duck leg confit – par excellence. A superior rendition. My undeniable favorite.

RH at the Andaz
8401 W Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069
[phone]
http://westhollywood.hyatt.com/hyatt/ho...
Superb. What more need I say.

Quadrupel Brasserie
43 E Union
Pasadena, CA 91103
[phone]
http://www.quadrupelbrasserie.com
“Grilled Orange-Marinated Quail & Duck Confit” – non-traditional, yet excellent.

The Foundry
7465 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90046
[phone]
http://www.thefoundryonmelrose.com
DC is on the menu, but I opted for the squab – outstanding.

I omitted several establishments serving renditions that were not to my liking. I also omitted places where DC is no longer on the menu although may be available upon request, e.g., Tradition by Pascal.

… Yes, I do love duck … from tongue to feet …

[exilekiss]

Hi degustateur,

Nice list. :) Is Marche Moderne's Duck Confit on their regular menu? I don't seem to recall seeing it on multiple visits. Thanks.

[degustateur]

Hi exilekiss,

The duck confit is still on MM’s current dinner menu as an entrée. They apply fairly frequent updates to their menus. I’ve witnessed it come, go and return again over the past three years.

[olaviniao]

Whatever you do, don't order the Duck Confit at Comme Ca. I'm not sure if it was just a one-time thing but I was severly disappointed when they served it without ANY skin on it. I couldn't believe it.. I was completely floored. But if you do go there, their mussels are phenomenal as well as their drinks.

[sfgrub]

Don't have the Duck Confit at AOC I just had it on Saturday and it was good but not great the skin wasn't even crisp thats one of the best parts of duck confit. In my experience the simplest food is rarely made well because chefs and cooks want to doctor it up and make their own version. I've never had Duck Confit in the states that compares to what one could get in France.

[wegitt]

Angelique Cafe in Downtown Los Angeles on Spring Street and 8th Street. Delicious. Cost only 10.95.

[Will Owen]

UPDATE as of last year sometime: Herve Commereuc (sp?), who with his wife used to own and run Angelique, has opened Le Saint Amour in Culver City. His duck confit at Angelique was the first I'd ever had, and damned good; the goodest news is that he's gotten better at it! You get two big legs on a plate atop a mound of perfect shoestring frites for not really much money at all, and on a nice day you can sit outside and eat this and bliss out while Culver City goes by. Hint: to eat, don't bother trying to cut the meat off the bone. Just hold the meat down with your fork and give the bone a yank, and there ya go...

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Le Saint Amour
9725 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

[kevin]

that sounds good, how much is not much money? and is it served at lunch too?

sounds beyond awesome, hopefully it's healthy too, since i gotta lose some weight (after all the bite bar stuff).

[mnosyne]

I think it's $14.95, at least at lunch.

[Will Owen]

I don't remember $$ exactly, but they have a website, to which Google will direct you. Just type Saint Amour Culver City. There's a menu which was not perfectly up-to-date last time I looked, but it's a good approximation. Yes about lunch; that's when I had it. Until the light rail extension is running we won't be doing evenings in Culver City.

Healthy? Not if you eat it every day. Probably healthier than a burger. I just make sure I have something like fish and salad for supper that night and my conscience is clear...

[RacerX]

If you want to buy Saint Amour's duck confit to go, he sells them in a vaccum sealed bag, $8 for two leg/thigh pieces.

I bought a pack after reading Will's glowing review and they were delicious. I simply heated them up in a cast iron skillet to warm them and crisp up the skin. And while its definitely not low cal, it wasn't as fatty as I expected.

[Will Owen]

Yes, that's another thing: the guy kept up his charcuterie after selling Angelique, and I think that's really his core business. His stuff is not cheap, but $8 for two big legs beats hell out of Whole Foods' prices; I'm not sure I could make my own for much less than that! I also really want to try his andouillette, which is supposed to be challengingly authentic to the American taste, but if that's true then my Ma-in-law will adore it; she's almost despaired of finding any with the taste she loved in France.

[exilekiss]

Hi Will,

I'm still waiting for your Andouillette report! :) I have to see if my "funky" encounter was as good as what you had in France. :)

[Will Owen]

And I'm still awaiting the chance to make that report, though (as I mentioned) it's Maman's taste memories we're considering here. The only andouillettes I had in France was a bite or two from her plate at lunch one day. I need to find out if M. Commereuc sells this in packages as well...

[mnosyne]

He sells them by the "each" at @$10

[degustateur]

Hey Will & exilekiss,

I too have partaken in and experienced the tsunami like wave of umami-ness of the andouillette l’ancienne at Le Saint Amour. My appreciation for it is predicated upon a lifetime of eating and enjoying offal of virtually all varieties, particularly, chitterlings, tripe and tripas in various preparations. I’ve previously sampled French, Cajun and homemade (z’andouille) versions of the same. Some were made with pork and beef while the more rustic versions were entirely pork. M. Herve-Commereuc's rendition is of the former variety and is indeed very respectable.

If you are familiar with gumbo, the Louisiana Cajun-Creole roux-based dish, I’ll add that older (19th and 20th Century), traditional versions (both meat and seafood) often included a coin-cut link of smoked z’andouille as a flavor enhancer in addition to the regular andouille and sausage components. The flavor of such a gumbo is nothing short of amazing in its layers and complexity. Unfortunately, the art and practice of making z’andouille has been all but lost with the passing of the elders who inherited the technique originally brought from France.

[kevin]

anywhere in LA or La. that we can get gumbo z andouille?

thanks.

[degustateur]

Hi Kevin,

I am not aware of anywhere in LA to get bone fide Creole z’andouille. M. Herve-Commereuc's product would likely suffice if it were wood (preferably hickory) smoked. You would boil it whole and the resultant broth would be used to make stock for the gumbo. The z’andouille would then be sliced into ½” rounds and added to the gumbo along with any other sausage meats, including regular andouille.

I plan on talking to M. Herve-Commereuc's and inquiring if he would make and smoke some to my specification. If not, I will buy a few links from him, smoke them myself and proceed as stated above.

Another option would be to buy some large pork intestines, clean them thoroughly, season them, stuff them one inside the other into links, tie them off and smoke them myself. A local butcher carries them fresh and I have seen them frozen at Super H Market.

For many of my younger years there was a family friend who made wonderful boudin, smoked sausages, andouille and z’andouille. My mother would incorporate her products into her own gumbos to great satisfaction. Alas, she, along with her craft, has since passed on.

Here is a picture from an Ile de la Reunion source for what we seek:

http://www.colifondker.com/PBSCProduct.asp?ItmID=3608571

Unfortunately, it’s a half a world away!

Here’s a picture of a non-smoked Creole version:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia...

[Will Owen]

@ degustateur: I have no information about French andouille, but a charcuterie book I have shows how to make andouillettes. In those, the intestines for filling are cut into long, narrow strips, seasoned, and then stuffed into medium-sized casings. It appears to be a laborious process, but the fact that I remember with great pleasure the small bite Maman shared with me, back in 1991, convinces me it might be worth the effort.

[nl06]

Thanks very much for the posts on the duck-confit-to-go at Saint Amour.

I recently purchased several packs and followed what RacerX did. It made for a fantastic, easy meal. Only thing that I had to remember to do was: take the bag out of the freezer the night before.

Like RacerX, I thought that the duck legs were not that fatty.

[JonInLA]

I think Brook over at Beeachwood does an amazing duck confit. Depending on the menu (it changes every month) it can be the classic way or smoetimes a duck confit salad. Either way it always amazing...best I've had in la. She really specializes in slow roasted, slow cooking methods like braising, confit, roasts and stews....love beechwood.

[mikester]

Black Sheep Bistro in Tustin also has very good duck confit, you can get it either in their dishes or they also usually have it to-go, also they usually have tubs of duck-fat (yum!)

[cvc]

I'd have to agree with Lizzie about Bin 8945. Probably the best new offering of a classic duck let confit I've had in awhile. Otherwise, try the great variation at Max in Sherman Oaks: risotto with duck confit, mushrooms and arugula.

[Dogbite Williams]

Bin 8945 has closed.

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Bin 8945
8945 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

[dano]

not hard to make at all, a simple cure and confit em.

[Marco Polo]

The best duck confit I have had in LA is at MAXIMILIANS in Noho. The duck confit was specifically mentioned in the nice write up they got in the LA Times, but I found it first (haha). I just had it last week there -- delish. BTW, their chocolate souffles and fruit tarts are excellent also.

Maximilians
11330 Weddington St. (corner of Tujunga and Weddington)
818.980.6294

[kevin]

sorry i'm not that great a cook so basically looking for restaurant recs. thanks.

but angelique sounds good.

[Das Ubergeek]

It's so easy anyone could do it, but I hear you—so to go with my "buy the confit at Epicerie Pascal", you can also have the duck confit at Tradition by Pascal.

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Tradition by Pascal
1000 Bristol St N, Newport Beach, CA 92660

[estone888]

I've had excellent, simple duck confit at Angelique Cafe in downtown. Unfortunately they are only open for lunch or I'd happily go there for dinner sometimes.

Strangely enough, the duck confit you can order online through Amazon is also really good. It is very simple to make - I just pull out the legs and stick them in the convection oven or on the grill until they are hot. They come fully cooked.

[skwasha]

I believe Surfas also sells both prepared confit, and tubs of duck fat should you decide to make your own.

[George]

Whole Foods sells the legs in the deli section, with the pates. You probably just need to heat them.

[Will Owen]

I think George is actually referring to duck leg confit. If you want to make your own, which is time-consuming but dead easy, raw duck legs are much cheaper from 99 Ranch or other Asian markets, where they go for about $3.50/lb. Nicole's in South Pas has duck fat for about $14 for a 1-liter tub; good lard (from Latino markets) also works. If you need guidance, go over to the Home Cooking Board and inquire there.

[chica]

Do you mean foie gras? Or something cooked differently? I've seen duck confit written on some menus, but have always assumed they mean foie gras.

[AquaW]

Here's what the all-knowing Wikipedia said of the dish:

Duck confit (French: confit de canard) is a French dish made with duck legs.

This speciality of Gascony, France, is derived from an ancient method of preserving meat (usually goose, duck or pork) whereby it is salted and slowly cooked in its own fat. The cooked meat is then packed into a crock or pot and covered with its cooking fat, which acts as a seal and preservative. Confit can be refrigerated up to 6 months.

It is also sold in cans, which can be kept for several years.

A classic recipe tells to slowly cook the legs in a bit of the fat, and use the rest of the fat to bake some potatoes to go with the legs.

~~~~~~~~~

The only duck confit I've had is up in Napa Valley (and even then it's only a small portion in a salad) -- but good stuff though.

[Das Ubergeek]

Confit de canard is duck (usually legs, but I make gésiers confits with duck gizzards every year) rubbed with salt and then poached in duck fat. It's put in crocks, fat and all, and topped with more melted fat to cover, then left to cure.

Traditionally, you crisp the duck in a pan and use the rendered fat to fry potatoes. Gésiers confits are traditionally cooked off and put into salad with tomatoes, bitter lettuces, a very sharp vinaigrette or citronette (which is just a vinaigrette made with lemon juice instead of vinegar), poached-then-fried nubs of bacon called lardons, and the aforementioned duck-fat potatoes.

You can buy cans of confit de canard at Epicerie Pascal in Newport Beach, and at Monsieur Marcel in the permanent farmers market at 3rd and Fairfax.

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Monsieur Marcel
6333 W. 3rd St. AND 3rd St. Arizona at the Promenade, Los Angeles/Santa Monica, CA 90036