PushStart Kitchen
March 3 , 2012


As you all may have heard, we're up and moving to a new and improved space!  In looking forward to what tomorrow holds, we're gonna take a look back at where we came from.  This weekend's menu is going to be comprised of dishes from our repertoire at Media Naranja, our restaurant in Costa Rica.


Literally translated, "Media Naranja" means "half an orange" but it also refers to your better half, the one that completes you.  Having a restaurant is not unlike having a child that needs to be nurtured and molded so, as you can probably imagine, it was a huge loss to us to have to close in 2009.  In our big move, we want to take a minute to pay tribute to our roots, where Cris and I started off.  This will be the first time I've cooked these dishes since we closed our doors so it will definitely be a poignant meal for us.  We are simply beside ourselves with excitement about the space and can not wait to have you all around our big table to christen our new surroundings!  


MENU:
(includes wine pairings)


-Cocktails + canapes
-Silk handkerchief pasta, wild mushroom fondue, porcini cream, tomato marmalade, pea tendrils
-Slow cooked pork tenderloin, pineapple conserves, black bean puree, spinach flan, garlic confit, smoked chile oil
-Roasted banana cake, anise ice cream, bruleed banana, dried banana, butter rum
-Candy + cordial


$50 per diner suggested donation
(cash only please)


If'n you're not on our mailing list, just fill in the subscription box to the right.  We'll be sending out invites very soon!

PushStart Kitchen
February 23, 24 + 25


We'll, I don't know if you know this or not, but movin' on up, "Jeffersons" style!  Thanks to all of you who've been so faithful in coming to eat with us, we've out grown our space and are going to be switching it up in TWO WEEKS!  So, we're going to be celebrating our remaining time with THREE dinners this week!  Have yourself a looksee and tell us what you think.


MENU:
(includes wine pairings)


-Cocktails and canapes
-Roasted root vegetable salad, cucumber, chicory, country ham aioli, grilled jack cheese on rye
-Rabbit confit, buckwheat crepe, wild mushroom ragout, roasted garlic ricotta, fennel conserves
-Banana pudding fritter, malt panna cotta, Guinness stout caramel, smoked salt
-Candy and cordial


$50 per diner suggested donation
(cash only please)


If you're not already in on how this happens, here's what you do.  Sign up for our mailing list in the box to the right, then go and wait all anxious like, by the computer for your invite to come.  When you get it, make sure you respond as quickly as you can.  We have been selling these things out pretty quickly so act sharpish!  We can't wait to see you soon!

STUPID CUPID
February 13th and 14th


Hey, we love love as much as the next guy (or gal) but seriously, do we really need to have a greeting card company tell us what day we should celebrate hugs and smooches?  And what is it with that nekkid flying baby, anyway?!


We've decided to occupy Valentine's Day, galdangit!  So, if you're tired of all the pink and red and chocolates and smarmy crap, maybe you should come have dinner with us!  We're serving up an anti-romance inspired feast and thumbing our noses at the rest of those suckers.


MENU:
(includes wine pairings):


-Cocktails and canapes
-Roasted sweet garlic soup, morcilla, pickled pear, red onion caramel, crispy farmer's bread
-Beef heart confit, horseradish cream, bloody mary gelee, crispy potatoes, watercress
-Seared quail "lovebird", croquetta de arroz, chestnut puree, ancho-dried plum marmalade, orange
-Blood orange creamcicle
-White chocolate cremeux, brandied cherry, vanilla honey, coriander scented galleta maria
-Candy and cordial


$75 per diner suggested donation
(cash only please)


If you'd like to join us, and you're not on the list, all you have to do is sign up in the box to the right and we'll send you an invite!  

PushStart Dinner
We're really looking forward to this week's round of dinners, mostly because we love getting to meet and then feed so many different people, but also because Zach just got himself a new dehydrator and pasta machine for the kitchen.  MORE TOYS, YIPPEE!  
MENU:
(includes wine pairings)


-Cocktails and canapes
-Black eyed pea ravioli, collards, smoked pork neck, peppadew chile, cotija, roasted onion broth
-Roasted chicken, huitlacoche goat cheese, parsley root puree, crispy farmers bread, celery leaf,  sirope de vinaigre de xerez
-Leche frita, molasses pickled apple, dried heirloom apple, apple brandy caramel, white cheddar
-Candy and cordial


$50 per diner suggested donation
(cash only please)


Do you know how this all goes down?  First you sign up for the mailing list to the right.  Then we'll send you an invite.  You say "yum" and respond to the invite as fast as you can (we hit a new sell out record this week: 2 minutes and 14 seconds).  We tell you if you got in.  You come and get fed.  Easy as falling off a log.  Now, sign up already!

PushStart Kitchen
Sunday, January 29th, 2012


After a great party with I Love LA Eats and Urban Reclaimed, we're back at it again in our own space, this time for a Sunday meal for twelve of our new closest friends (that's y'all). Have a peek at the menu below to see what we'll be having and get ready to get fed!


MENU:
(Includes wine pairings)


-Cocktails and canapes
-Porcini mushroom fritters, horseradish aioli, garlic confit, roasted portobella, golden pepper marmalade
-Silver prawn, crispy potato dumpling, avocado, orange, tobacco onion, "red eye" broth
-Banana cream pie, butterscotch, cracked pretzel, bourbon chantilly
-Candy and cordial


$50 per diner suggested donation
(cash only please)




If you're new to the game, just sign up in our subscription box to receive an invite to our dinner party.  Then wait for the email to come.  You'll respond with how many in your party and a good contact number and we'll do the rest!  We're looking forward to having another table of wonderful folks to feed, so be quick and we'll see you soon!

DEAD of WINTER
We're kinda bummed that the excitement of the holidays is over and we've slipped into the winter doldrums, so we're cracking the wine and breaking out the forks!  It's time to celebrate the dead of winter with I Love L.A. Eats and Urban Reclaimed.  This time around, we're doing things a little differently and we think you'll be pleased!

We're hosting two dinner parties on Friday 20 and Saturday 21, at an amazing home in VA Highlands!  Each night, we'll serve a winter inspired, five course meal with all the trimmings, for 20 lucky people at an enormous hand made table!  We're so excited!

MENU:
(Includes wine pairings)

-cocktails and canapes
-cauliflower soup, house-made chorizo, golden raisin puree, caper berries, fried capers
-hearts of palm, salted cucumber, roasted beet, shaved manchego, lime mayonnaise, cumin puffed rice
-pork confit, white bean puree, pickled apple, dried plum marmalade, thyme croquant
-coconut panna cotta, guava jelly, pistachio praline
-lemongrass arroz con leche, pineapple brulee, salted gingersnap, madras cream
-candies and cordial

$75 per diner, suggested donation
(cash only please)

Same deal applies: Sign up, get invite, respond, get fed.  ONLY we're not going to be in the same spot as usual.  If you're one of the lucky ones (read "speedy"), we'll send you all the directions and scheduling!  We can't wait to have you.  SERIOUSLY...don't miss this!

ROOT VEGETABLES!
Celery root, carrots, parsnips, potatoes, kohlrabi.  This is the time for them and we're bringing it.  We've put together a menu jammed full of them.  Have yourself a peek and sign up for our mailing list down to the right, if you haven't already.


MENU:
(includes wine pairings)

-Cocktails and canapes
-Celery root veloute, burned shallot, pickled heirloom apple, spiced cider gel, crispy farmers bread
-Sous vide beef petit tender, crispy thyme scented oats, roasted sweet potato, wild mushroom fricasse, queso fresco
-Parsnip cake, honeyed goat cheese, maple granola, cajeta, smoked sea salt
-Candy and cordial

$50 per diner suggested donation
(cash only please)

You're no starnge to how this works.  You sign up to the right. We send you an invite. You rush to reserve.  You show up.  You get fed.  Like falling off a log, right?!  Now, get to it because I've got a feeling we're gonna fill up quickly.