Hello LA!

January 10, 2014

Sitting outside at Connie and Ted's, eating a giant sea urchin.  It's rich, soft and so fragrant that the flavor is still singing in my mouth long after the last little bit has been swallowed. The sun is shining.

At the next table a man with very large teeth and a woman of a certain age without a wrinkle on her face are listening politely to a British man pitching a movie; his dream is to have Kim Kardashian star in his film.

A single, amazing scallop arrives, still in its shell, swimming in butter. It is like no scallop I've had before: the texture is both soft and slightly chewy, and the entire scallop sings with flavor.

Then steamers – perfectly cooked, still tender, without a single grain of sand. They've been steamed with sliced garlic and a little bit of chile.  They are astonishingly delicious. 

And then the fried clams, with their soft, full bellies, like little fried clouds. These are East Coast clams; why is it that there is not a single decent fried clam in all of New York?

It is very good to be in Los Angeles on a clear January day.

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