01/13/2025
Some beautiful highlights from my visit to Bar Chelou in Pasadena. With all the devastation caused by last week's fires, I want to showcase them once again, as they are currently doing amazing work helping to feed displaced residents and volunteers who have come from all over the country and beyond to help those in need.
If you know of an organization in need of meals for volunteers, please email [email protected] for more info. If you have the means to do so, please consider donating to one or more of the fantastic organizations helping to bring comfort to those who have been displaced. The LAFD Foundation, World Central Kitchen, Pasadena Humane Society, and many more deserving organizations desperately need our help.
🥖 Burrata Toast with Paleta Ibérica & Pickled Peppers 🥖
An incredibly well-balanced bite and a perfect way to kick off your meal. The soft and mild burrata and piquant peppers perfectly complement the intense flavors of the ham.
🇫🇷 French Breakfast Radish 🇫🇷
With a mild, peppery flavor and crisp texture, this appetizer is topped with fromage blanc, furikake, black & white sesame seeds, and finally finished with a sprinkle of herbs. A perfectly balanced dish with earthiness, briny acidity, and nutty depth.
🐟 Anchovies with Peppers 🐟
Rich anchovies are paired with pickled peppers - very European, and very delicious. A simple dish that allows the quality of the ingredients to shine through.
🐖 Ibérico Pork Chop 🐖
With apologies to Babe, this perfectly cooked chop is paired with cabbage, the newly-popularized fennel pollen, and a dusting of furikake. The chop is golden brown, and the cabbage pairs well with the richness of the meat.
🦆 Duck Leg 🦆
"Fusion" dishes can sometimes catch a lot of flack (quack) but this one passes with flying colors. Okay, enough with the puns. Served on a bed of Yu Choy couscous, spicy labneh, and macadamia dukkah, this dish combines flavors from China, the Middle East, and North Africa. It's a delightfully intense bite, and the creamy labneh and nutty dukkah add a delightful zest and crunch.
