AT VINEYARD TERRACE, FARE SHARES VINTAGE ADVANTAGE.Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic BACK FROM ASIA Asia (ā`zhə), the world's largest continent, 17,139,000 sq mi (44,390,000 sq km), with about 3.3 billion people, nearly three fifths of the world's total population. after hotel stints in Bangkok and elsewhere, chef-owner Steve Thompson has opened a little restaurant and wine bar in Studio City that he calls Vineyard Terrace. Completely transformed, the former Saigon Annie space has been remodeled and redecorated. It is still cozy, but now it is an impeccable, tres intime InTIME Cardiology A clinical trial–Intravenous nPA for Treatment of Infarcting Myocardium Early–comparing efficacy of a weight-adjusted single bolus of nPA/lanoteplase to tPA–administered by infusion in restoring blood flow to the heart in Pts , candlelit can·dle·lit adj. Illuminated by candles: a candlelit ceremony. dining room brightened with glistening glis·ten intr.v. glis·tened, glis·ten·ing, glis·tens To shine by reflection with a sparkling luster. See Synonyms at flash. n. A sparkling, lustrous shine. glassware atop tables covered with snow-white tablecloths and dramatically vertical rolled napkins, tall ladder-back chairs and a quasi-view kitchen. A small bar stands ready for the wine-sipping clientele, and a raised minipatio faces the boulevard outside. Chef Thompson, obviously used to the more formal settings of hotel restaurants, sends out well-constructed, carefully arranged starters, entrees and desserts on pristine white ware. They are, for the most part, tasty and satisfying, often utilizing wine for added flavor, but sometimes appear small-portioned and occasionally have ingredients that lack heat. A somewhat thin but strongly extracted forest mushroom soup ($5.95) and a narrow wedge of neatly formed ratatouille ra·ta·tou·ille n. A vegetable stew, usually made with eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, and onions, seasoned with herbs and garlic. [French, from alteration of toillier, touiller, tart ($8.95) on mixed baby lettuces are our starters one evening. Another time we enjoy a Dungeness crab and avocado appetizer ($13.95) but are divided on an unusual ``house-smoked'' salmon and pears creation ($13.95). Chef Thompson handles good cuts of prime beef expertly. He favors wine- flavored reductions with both a garlicky gar·lick·y adj. Containing, tasting of, or smelling of garlic. Adj. 1. garlicky - relating to or tasting or smelling of garlic; "garlicky sauce" , blue cheese tenderloin offering ($24.95) and a juicy rib-eye and pommes frites plate ($22.95). I like his sliced, rare duck breast dish ($17.95), which he sauces with a pinot noir reduction, and am pleasantly surprised one night with a moist but firm bacon-wrapped pork loin loin (loin) the part of the back between the thorax and pelvis. loin n. The part of the body on either side of the spinal column between the ribs and the pelvis. entree ($17.95) flavor-boosted with pears and apples but kept savory with carefully crafted potatoes Anna, braised braise tr.v. braised, brais·ing, brais·es To cook (meat or vegetables) by browning in fat, then simmering in a small quantity of liquid in a covered container. tomatoes and spinach. His rich, zinfandel-soaked short ribs ($17.95) arrive nestled on a soothing puree of parsnip Parsnip, river, Canada Parsnip, river, c.150 mi (240 km) long, rising in central British Columbia, Canada, and flowing northwest to join the Finlay River at Williston Lake and form the Peace River. , and on a great rainy-day dish, he flanks loin of venison ($30.95) with baby versions of potato and squash. Fish fanciers who prefer nonwimpy recipes will find happiness with Thompson's pan-roasted halibut ($17.95) accompanied by chanterelle chanterelle Highly prized, fragrant, edible mushroom (Cantharellus cibarius, order Polyporales), rich yellow in colour, found in woods in summer and autumn. Its similarity to the poisonous jack-o-lantern (Clitocybe illudens, order Agaricales), an orange-yellow fungus of mushrooms. And his filet of trout ($15.95) comes forth perched on a chive-dill potato cake, zinged up with a dollop of corn salsa and a garlic-basil sauce. As for endings, on the menu here they're termed ``sweet dreams,'' mostly sorbets or ice cream arrangements with the best being poached, fresh mango ($4.95) flavored with Tahitian vanilla and paired with Thompson's premises-produced vanilla ice cream. And to keep the wine-themed fare going, Vineyard Terrace's sorbets include champagne and cabernet sauvignon flavors, there's a coulis cou·lis n. A thick sauce made of puréed fruit or vegetables: raspberry coulis. [French, strained liquid, from Old French couleis, from Vulgar Latin of cabernet sauvignon and raspberry with one dessert and a pear poached in zinfandel in another. Even if you neglect wine drinking here, you'll probably get it in your food anyway. Larry Lipson, (818) 713-3668 larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com VINEYARD TERRACE RESTAURANT & WINE BAR Food: Three stars - Service: Three stars - Wine: Two stars Where: 11266 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. Hours: Open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday, for dinner from 6 to 10 p.m. Sunday. Recommended items: Pan-seared duck breast, bacon-wrapped pork loin, zinfandel-braised short ribs, rib-eye steak, bleu cheese-crusted prime beef tenderloin, Tahitian vanilla-poached fresh mango. How much: Starters from $6 to $14, entrees from $16 to $25, desserts from $2 to $7. Beer and wine. AE, MC, V, Discover. Wine list: Starting selection of 37 labels include 11 whites from $22 to $32 with seven by the glass from $5 to $7, 25 reds from $22 to $65 (includes a 3.5 liter bottle for $150) and a dozen by the glass from $5 to $8. A 500-milliliter dessert wine sells for $9 a glass, $18 a bottle. Corkage: $5 per bottle. Reservations: Helpful. Call (818) 506-9463. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Chef-owner Steve Thompson presents a slice of tart and a glass of wine at his Studio City restaurant. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion