We are grateful for our partnership with Chef Voltaggio this past year and wish him great success in his future endeavors!

The Dining Room will close on July 18 to undergo a renovation, with an expected re-opening by October 1. The restaurant will re-open with a new name and a more modern and stylish look and feel.

The LA Times has posted the news here: http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/celebrity-chef-micha-7111/

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At The Dining Room I pair a top fermented Flemish Ale called Duchesse de Bourgogne with Chef Voltaggio’s Pastrami Pigeon.  Scents of sour cherry and balsamic vinegar play off the yeast and that hint of malty breadiness.  When the Duchesse and the Pigeon meet, it’s a reminder of childhood days spent with a pastrami sandwich in one hand and a Dr. Brown’s Black Cherry Soda in the other.

The things that you have to remember when pairing beer with food are:

1. Sweet and malty flavors balance out spiciness and acidity.
2. Carbonation, alcohol, hoppy bitterness, and roasted malt balance out sweet and rich or fatty foods.
3. Guinness stout goes great with oysters.

Trust me on 3, it’s a life-saver.

- Josh Goldman, The Dining Room Sommelier

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OpenTable announced the winners of its 2010 Diners’ Choice Awards for Best Service and The Dining Room is the only restaurant in Los Angeles to be awarded this prestigious distinction. We are honored!

To see the full list, click here.

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I love variety.  If variety is the spice of life then I’ll have mine muy picante.  I only buy cereal in variety packs; I’ve lived in more places than I have fingers; but the real variety, the best varietal in life, comes in bottles of red and white.  For those of you who think cabernet sauvignon or chardonnay is the only way to drink – don’t read any further, the following may upset you.

Multiply the vast number of varietals that vintners are growing by the array of methods they are using, and there is simply no question that the varieties of wines have never been better or more fun to play with. Italy’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has documented over 350 grapes and granted them “authorized” status, though there are more than 500 other documented varietals in circulation as well.  In Greece: about 400 different varietals; over 600 varietals planted throughout Spain.  And that’s only three of the wine-producing countries I could name.  Today, the styles and tastes of the wines are limitless.

Listed below are a few varietals that you should be able to find at your better wine shops.  Try them out.  Savor them.  Expand your comfort zone—go beyond your run-of-the-mill Cabs and Chards.

Arneis from Piedmonte.  Literally translated “little rascal” in the local dialect, these grapes tend to be dry and full-bodied, with notes of pears and apricots.  Try some from producers Vietti or Bruno Giacosa.

Nero d’Avola.  The “Black of Avola” is the most important red wine grape in Sicily and is one of Italy’s most important indigenous varieties.  Its sweet tannins and plum or peppery flavors are compared to Australian Shiraz.  Try some from Duca di Salaparuta or Valle dell’Acate.

Sangiovese is a red Italian wine grape variety whose name derives from the Latin sanguis Jovis, “the blood of Jove.”  This grape is probably the most underrated grape in all of Italy even though it is the top producer in Italy.  Chances are you’ve heard of it but its name conjures up the image of a straw-covered fiasci with a very low price tag.  Just as the California bulk wines which masqueraded as “Chablis” damaged the popular perception of the wonderfully pure examples Burgundy’s chardonnay grape, the use of the word “Chianti” has similarly besmirched the Sangiovese.  It’s high time to give it another try. Producers Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi or Felsina will not disappoint.

Tempranillo from the Spanish temprano, or “early,” this dark beauty earns its name because it ripens several weeks earlier than most Spanish red grapes.  Tempranillo is a variety of black grape widely grown to make full-bodied red wines in its native Spain.  Theseo wines can be consumed young, but the most expressive ones are aged for several years in oak.  They pour out ruby red, mesmerizing, with aromas and flavors of berries, plum, tobacco, vanilla, leather and herb. Try some from producers Lopez de Heredia or Bodegas Muga.

Zweigelt.  A cross between Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent, this is a red wine grape variety developed in 1922 at the Federal Institute for Viticulture and Pomology in Austria, by, you guessed it, Fritz Zweigelt. Because of its fruity characteristics, it has been compared to the wines produced from the Gamay grape, like the red wines of Beaujolais.  Producers Geyerhof and Tegernseerhof are worth trying.

- Josh Goldman, Sommelier at The Dining Room

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One thing that most sparkling wines have in common is their high level of acidity. Acidity is awesome when you need a wine to pair with food. It does everything from kill the heat of spicy food to cut through fatty foods and cleans your palate. One of the reasons we start the evening off with something sparkling is to take the day off your palate and get your taste buds ready for what’s to come. One of my favorites is Thai food and sparkling Vouvray from Loire Valley in France. The acidity of the sparkling wine cuts through the heat of my sriracha soaked pad thai and the slight sweetness off sets the dish rather nicely.  Next time you sit down to breakfast or diner, pop open a bottle of bubbly and I guarantee it will enhance any meal.

- Josh Goldman, Sommelier at The Dining Room

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Strawberry Gazpacho
Burrata, Caviar, Nitro Olive Oil, Basil and Cucumber Flowers

Blue Fin Tuna
Coriander Flowers, Fresh Wasabi, Grapefruit, Tuna Noodles

Crispy Jidori Chicken Thigh
Winter Truffles, Egg, Sunflower Root, Chive Blossom Petals

Olive Oil Poached Arctic Char
Hibiscus Flower Air, Pink Pepper Corn, Puffed Mushroom Cracker

Four Story Hills Dry Aged Beef Rib Eye
Nasturtium Flower Geleé, Banana Polenta, Garlic Chips

Lavender Flower Macaroon
Crème Fraiche Panna Cotta, Vanilla-Passion Sorbet, Floral Cotton Candy

$110 per person              $180 per person w/ wine pairings

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Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Served 5:00 to 9:00pm
$110 per person without wine
$165 per person with wine

New Year’s Eve
First Seating
Served 5:00 to 6:30pm
$150 per person without wine
$200 per person with wine

Second Seating
Served 8:30 to 9:30pm
$175 per person without wine
$225 per person with wine

2009 Sample Holiday Menu

For reservations, please dial (626) 568-3900 or book online.

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PASADENA, Calif. – December 10, 2009 – The Langham Huntington is thrilled to announce that Chef de Cuisine Michael Voltaggio of The Dining Room is the winner of season six of Bravo’s EMMY and James Beard Award-winning series, Top Chef. Chef Michael Voltaggio was one of 17 “cheftestants” to compete on the series, alongside his brother, Bryan Voltaggio. In a nail biting finale, Michael was named Top Chef.

“It was a bittersweet ending to a highly competitive journey,” said Michael Voltaggio. “It was an honor to be named Top Chef but even more of an honor to cook with such professionals as Jennifer, Kevin and of course, my brother, Bryan, in one of the most important meals of our lives. I am humbled by having the opportunity to witness such talent first-hand and I value the continued support of fans, friends, family and those who occupy the seats at our tables,” he continued.

Currently, Michael Voltaggio is Chef de Cuisine of the Michelin star-awarded Dining Room at The Langham Huntington Hotel, just minutes from downtown Los Angeles in Pasadena, California, which showcases his artfully-inspired Modern American cuisine. Some of his signature items on the menu include Pacific Yellowtail with soy-watermelon, sea sponge and fresh wasabi; Rougie Foie Gras with grapefruit-campari puree, parsnip and soy caramel; and Pastrami Pigeon with rye infused jus, brussels-kraut and puffed gruyere cheese.

The Dining Room is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday starting at 6:00 p.m. The restaurant will continue operation into 2010 and is scheduled to undergo a full renovation in the second quarter, with exact dates of closure to be announced. The restaurant will reopen with a new name and a more modern, sophisticated look and feel developed by The Johnson Studio, more closely matching Chef Voltaggio’s exciting, innovative cuisine.  

“We are thrilled about Chef Michael Voltaggio’s performance on Top Chef and continue to be impressed with the innovative culinary techniques he brings to The Dining Room,” said Martin P. Nicholson, Managing Director of The Langham Huntington, Pasadena. “We look forward to Chef Voltaggio taking the helm of our new restaurant in 2010 and providing exceptional culinary experiences for our guests.”

In addition to being named Top Chef, Michael Voltaggio’s other accolades include a Michelin star and a 3.5 star review in the San Francisco Chronicle for his cuisine at Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen; a 4 Star review from the Los Angeles Times as Chef de Cuisine of The Bazaar; and noteworthy recognition from local and national media including The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, Food & Wine magazine, Gourmet and Travel + Leisure.

For more information or to make a reservation, dial (626) 585-6218 or visit www.thediningroom-langham.com Fans can also follow The Dining Room on twitter at http://twitter.com/thediningroom

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Congratulations Michael!

(photo courtesy BravoTV.com)

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