Tag Archives: Wazuzu

The New Icons: Jet Tila

The New Potato
June 27, 2012

jet feat The New Icons: Jet TilaJet Tila is not your average restaurateur. Growing up in Los Angeles, Tila learned the ancient traditions of Asian cuisine from his Cantonese Grandmother, and went on to complete his training at Le Cordon Bleu. This killer combination of a mastery of Asian ingredients alongside French technique makes Tila both unique and innovative. Whether appearing on Iron Chef to battle Morimoto, or touring with Anthony Bourdain – who refers to Tila as the unofficial mayor of Thai Town in Hollywood – on No Reservations, Tila is an icon when it comes to Thai food in America. Thai Town evolved from The Bangkock Market (opened in 1972 by Tila’s parents as the first Thai market in the country) making Tila its current expert and champion. Now, this restaurateur is also notable for his food writing in publications such as The Los Angeles Times as well as for opening Wazuzu – the Pan-Asian bistro at Wynn Las Vegas’ Encore casino resort, where he reigned as executive chef until 2011. Tila continues to open numerous pop-up restaurant experiences in Los Vegas and Los Angeles, most recently The Charleston in Santa Monica. The venue features 1930′s decor and live entertainment, alongside Tila’s take on classic American comfort food. It seems there’s no limit to what we can expect from this eclectic restaurateur, whose on-screen, off-screen and on-page presence make him the culinary version of a triple threat.

1. Can you describe what your ideal food day would be?
Dim Sum Breakfast: Fresh Har Gow, Sui Mai, and Chive Dumplings. Then Pineapple Custard Buns.

Lunch: Go back in time head to South Central for Golden Bird Fried Chicken. Damn I miss that place! Dinner at Yai’s in Hollywood with Spicy Basil Pork Belly and Steamed Curry…10,000 calorie day!

2. Where would you like to travel for inspiration that you haven’t been to yet?
Basque for sure. I’ve been dying to get there after working with their chefs at CIA last year.

3. What are your favorite places to travel for food?
Mexico City DF, Bangkok, Singapore, Morocco

4. What do you love about pop-up restaurants? What do they allow for as a restaurateur?
It’s a break from the day to day that all restaurants need. It’s also an opportunity to attract a new demographic. It also promotes collaboration.

5. How does your background play into your food?
Wow. My background is the foundation; it’s my perspective. I see the world through [the eyes of] an Asian American born in a Mexican neighborhood in LA. It’s a unique perspective that allows me to be grounded at all times but understand refinement.

6. What we all should know about Asian cuisine…
That it’s many countries and perspectives! Do not judge all Asian [food] by the trip to one country in Asia or your favorite Asian restaurant! It’s like growing up and only eating Granny Smiths and thinking the world of apples is Granny Smith. You are missing Red Delicious, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, etc. I hate how everyone is a critic with no foundation!

7. What flavors make everything better? Which are overrated?
Balance makes things better…not extremes! What is salt, sour and spice without sweet? More is not better…better is better!

8. What is your go-to recipe when cooking for family and friends?
I can cook the piss out of any piece of meat or seafood! I’m an animal specialist not a vegetable specialist.

9. What do you always put out at a dinner party? Why?
I love balance in a meal, so there will be two or three vegetables to every meat. I love seasonals like snap peas, favas, and amazing seasonal stones and citrus.

10. What are your favorite cities for food? What spots do you go to in each?
Answered above. There’s a Hainanese restaurant in Bangkok called Kuan-ah. My grandparents, parents, cousins have all eaten there. Best Hainanese chicken and rice in the world…no BS!

11. If you could pick a chef to be in the competitive arena with, that you haven’t yet gone up against, who would it be?
Battling Morimoto was awesome. But battling Amanda Frietag, Scott Conant and Aaron Sanchez on Chopped would be fun as hell!

12. What ingredient would you like to be assigned?
Pork Belly, blood clams, bone marrow, and durian!

13. What ingredient would you dread?
Any and all insects!

14. Could you give us some menu favorites from the newly opened Charleston Grand?
Korean Tacos are super fun. Pork Belly Buns, and I’m pretty sure I’m gonna bring the drunken noodles!

15. A recipe you’re willing to share with us…
Please see attached.

16. What would your last meal be, and who would it be with?
Grandma’s sweet soy ginger braised pork trotters with a bowl of jasmine rice and a diet coke!

17. Is there any advice you have for chefs starting out?
Always assume you don’t know shit! Keep your eyes and ears open and mouth shut. Attach yourself to the best always if you want to be the best, and always have high standards. If you find yourself the one in the room that is being thought of as asking too much…you will make it! And just enjoy the journey!

18. Do you have any favorite upcoming chefs?
The two chefs in my kitchen that I work with daily, Carlos Arizaga and Marco Awad.

19. Are there other iconic chefs whose career you’ve always followed?
Fergus Henderson and my grandmother!

20. Whats always in your refrigerator and always on your grocery list?
Schmaltz, Diet coke, braised brisket, and greens.

To view Jet Tila’s recipe for Charleston Korean Tacos, click here

The Charleston: A Westside Speakeasy

by Scott Bridges
Huffington Post
May 23, 2012

The Charleston is what you get when you take a celebrity chef, a menu of classic American comfort foods, a team of mixologists and a friendly staff and put them in a small space full of art deco décor and fill it with live music every night. That might not be anything out of the ordinary downtown, but “Iron Chef” Jet Tila’s latest creation is in Santa Monica, in the location formerly occupied by Angel’s.

Apart from his television celebrity, the Le Cordon Bleu graduate gained respect with his pan-Asian Wazuzu at Steve Wynn’s Encore resort in Las Vegas. But this restaurant is a very different enterprise, featuring Tila’s modern take on traditional comfort foods like mac n’ cheese, shepherd’s pie and pulled pork sliders.

You’ll want to begin with a cocktail. Depending on when you come, there may or may not be room at the bar. It’s worth choosing an off-time just to enjoy the environment and get to know the talented bartenders there. The white leather seats are a nice touch, too. There’s a list of specialty cocktails that should be tried, including the Sazerac (Ri whisky, lemon peel, sugar, peychaud bitters, angostura bitters with Kubler absinthe wash), the Cucumber Cooler (Hendrick’s gin, a slice of cucumber, basil leaves, a sprig of rosemary, fresh lime and honey syrup) and the Ginger Kiss (Bombay Sapphire gin, lime juice, simple syrup, fresh ginger and habanero chili). There’s also a good selection of top-shelf liquors, and for the bold — a variety of absinthe.

For starters, consider the bacon-wrapped dates. Stuffed with marcona almonds, they’re not typical of the appetizer. Another dish worth trying is the short rib tacos with shaved Brussels sprouts and Korean Salsa.

The sides are good, too. The fries — both sweet potato and the garlic & herb — are what you’d expect from a modern take on American cuisine. And you can’t go wrong with the wedge, grilled Caesar or asparagus salad.

One of the most decadent items on the menu is the pork belly bao buns — spiced braised pork belly, pickle, hoisin sauce and five buns. Another is the pulled pork sliders — slow-smoked pork shoulder and cole slaw on a country roll. The cheese-crusted filet mignon crostini is yet one more.

The desserts are pleasantly unique. Imagine a crispy plantain with vanilla ice cream and candied nuts or a heaping scoop of vanilla bean ice cream floated in Guinness stout. I would also suggest the chocolate chip bread pudding, featuring brioche, chocolate chips and crème anglaise.

I’ve heard varying opinions on The Charleston, but everyone seems to agree that the food and drink are great. The discrepancies are a result of the atmosphere you are expecting. There are not a lot of booths — I strongly recommend reservations — and if you’ve got a loud group next to you, that may color your dining experience. The lines outside can be excruciating. The parking is basically valet or no way. The space is small and can become loud and overcrowded. The jazz is fantastic, for those who appreciate it, and the karaoke and ’80s night are fun — again, for those who appreciate it.

The bottom line is that The Charleston is a great experience, but you need to check their website ahead of time to make sure you’re planning a visit that fits with the experience you desire. Pick the time and date that suits your style and you won’t be disappointed. On the contrary, you’ll find a speakeasy like nothing else on this side of town.

Do The Charleston

Where Los Angeles
May 2012

short rib tacos Do The CharlestonAmerican comfort fare meets house-made specialty cocktails and nightly live entertainment at a sexy restaurant and bar in Santa Monica. Transporting diners to the Jazz Age, The Charleston features a studded white leather bar, red-upholstered booths and vintage beaded chandeliers. Chef Jet Tila, noted for his appearance on Iron Chef America and his cooking at Wazuzu in Las Vegas, delights with shareable plates such as short rib tacos with shaved Brussels sprouts and Korean salsa and Manchego-stuffed piquillo peppers with toasted pine nuts and pesto. There are also flatbreads, salads and entrees including the five-spice pork belly bao buns, cheese-crusted filet mignon crostini and the Charleston Burger, made with cheddar, argula, onion marmalade and sun-dried tomato aioli. Monthly pop-ups showcase local and national chef talent and nightly entertainment includes ’80s cover bands and dueling pianos.

5 Questions for Jet Tila

by Betty Hallock
Los Angeles Times
April 23, 2012

tila latimes daily dish 042312 5 Questions for Jet TilaJet Tila’s Charleston just opened in Santa Monica, where he’s serving his take on American comfort food, through the lens of a chef specializing in all styles of Asian cuisine. Tila grew up in his family’s restaurants and Thai grocery store Bangkok Market in Hollywood, attended Le Cordon Bleu and was chef of pan-Asian restaurant Wazuzu at the Encore in Las Vegas and creator of the L.A. pop-up series Bistronomics. He also holds the Guinness World Record for the “World’s Largest Stir-Fry” at 4,010 pounds.

What’s coming up next on your menu? Asian pork belly bao. Pork belly braised for four hours in five-spice and sweet soy sauce. I stuff that into steamed gwah bao buns — fried brown and crispy — and finish with carrot pickle and hoisin. Panzarotti! For the unfamiliar, my version of pizza hot pockets.

Latest ingredient obsession? Crispy fried gwah bao. This is the dough that makes dim sum bao white, pillowy, semi-sweet and yielding. I deep-fry them so they are crunchy and pillowy at the same time; it’s insane!

The one piece of kitchen equipment you can’t live without, other than your knives? Wow, other than? Is there anything more important than my beloved knives? Then I’d have to say my Vitamix blender right now. It makes oils, acids and ingredients into aioli. It also makes garlic and ginger submit and give up their essential oils into marinades.

What’s your favorite breakfast? Machaca con huevos, without a doubt. I braise my own brisket for up to six hours and then make machaca. Slam it into a fresh tortilla with spicy salsa and ripe avocados and I’m happy.

The last cookbook you read –- and what inspired you to pick it up? I’ve been reading a lot of mixology lately. So the latest book was Tony Abou-Ganim’s “The Modern Mixologist.” I want some fun cocktails!

Happy hour savings in L.A.

Tasty food and drink specials for happy hour can be found at the Charleston, Drago Centro, the Prince and Urbano Pizza Bar.

by Jessica Gelt
Los Angeles Times
April 6, 2012

Chef Jet Tila, who has battled it out on “Iron Chef America” and opened the buzzy pan-Asian restaurant Wazuzu at the Wynn in Las Vegas, has brought his tasty brand of Asian-fusion comfort food to Santa Monica. Called the Charleston and decked out in snazzy 1930s-era decor, Tila’s new boîte features classic cocktails, live music — including jazz — and short rib tacos. Happy hour, which takes place Mondays through Fridays from 5 to 7 p.m., offers a chance to taste Tila’s food without residual wallet pain. Choose a $7 bacon, egg and cheese flatbread; $2 Korean tacos or $5 Thai sweet and sour hot wings with Sriracha — and more — and wash it all down with $7 craft cocktails or $5 well drinks.

Day One at The Charleston

by Merrill Shindler
Zagat
April 2, 2012

The Charleston Day One at The Charleston

The name is from the 1920s, and the nightly live music leans towards retro jazz and rock, but the cooking at The Charleston is as modern as celebrity chef Jet Tila (ex Wazuzu at The Encore in Las Vegas) wants it to be. Which can be very modern, indeed – the amuse-bouche of sea urchin bocadillo that arrives soon after you sit down lets you know that. The Charleston space has been an assortment of bar/restaurants over the years, including the venerable Roundtable (where every bite tasted like cigarette smoke and bourbon). As The Charleston, it’s attracting a trendy crowd who might otherwise be hacking their way through traffic to get to a Hollywood club – and are glad to find a stylish joint on the Westside. We were there on opening night to check out the scene:

The Space

The room is mostly about the bar, which tends to get very crowded as the evening goes on, with various stand-up tables for drinks and food surrounding a small stage. There are a handful of booths and two-top tables. But mostly, this is a space built for those who drink and eat either standing up or sitting on a bar stool. There’s a large graphic of Parisian jazz singer Josephine Baker on one wall, setting the mood for the room.

The Food

Tila calls the concept “gastrolounge,” and the menu reflects that – gastropub food in a musical setting. He’s fond of giving a twist to familiar dishes: his edamame are sautéed with butter and roasted garlic. His chicken wings are bathed in a Sriracha sauce that’s both hot and sweet. His tacos are filled with slow roasted short ribs and topped with roasted Brussels sprouts with a spicy Korean salsa on the side. His mac ‘n cheese is made with smoked cheddar and gouda. Easy eating dishes that don’t distract from the music onstage.

The Drinks

Josephine Baker would be happy to find a selection of five absinthes on the small drink list – a tip of the hat to the drink of choice of L’ Belle Epoque. The cocktails range from classics like a Sazerac and a Sidecar to newer bits of mixology like the Cucumber Cooler, the Poison Rose and the Kaffir Lime Pie – which is good as a cocktail or dessert.

The Crowd

On its first night, The Charleston seemed to be a prime destination for small groups of women, dressed in designer jeans and LBDs for an evening of cocktails, small dishes and music. Guys trickled in as the evening went along. But mostly, it was girl’s night at The Charleston – even though the Lakers were playing on big screens over the bar.

The Vibe

Upbeat and trendy, with a crowd that seems glad to have discovered a stylish destination in the neighborhood (one with easy parking, no less).

The Cocktail of the Week

by Barbara Hansen
TableConversations.com
March 30, 2012

The Cocktail of the WeekIt’s the Jet 75 at The Charleston, which opened last night–at 10 p.m.–in Santa Monica.

The Jet in the name is Jet Tila, former executive chef at Wazuzu in Las Vegas and now The Charleston’s managing partner and in charge of the food.

The drink (it’s at right in the photo above) was perfect with anything he served at the pre-opening party, including shortrib tacos, margherita flatbreads and, best of all, uni bocadillos.

The Cocktail of the WeekThe oozy, unctuous bocadillos aren’t on the regular menu, at least not yet, because Tila hasn’t found a steady source of uni.

But the Jet 75 is there every day, or rather every night, because The Charleston doesn’t open until 5 p.m. It’s a blend of brut Champagne, gin, lemon juice and simple syrup, a perfect match for food with lots of flavor.

The 10 p.m. opening after the pre-party was perfect timing for a place to hang out at night, with drinks, food, live entertainment and, in the future, an occasional pop-up restaurant.

What to Eat at The Charleston, Grand-Open Tomorrow in Santa Monica

by Hadley Tomicki
Grub Street Los Angeles
March 28, 2012

20120328 charleston 560x375 What to Eat at The Charleston, Grand Open Tomorrow in Santa Monica
Already soft-open and serving over the last few weeks, Jet Tila grand-debuts The Charleston tomorrow night. This is the former Wazuzu chef and big-time bistronomics pumper’s reworking of the Angels space in Santa Monica into another nightlife venue that, like Angel’s before it, plans to have nightly live entertainment by bands. This includes that jerky eighties cover band that must have played everywhere else by now, as well as karaoke, comedy, and get this, dueling pianos (apparently, you can take the guy out of Vegas, but…well, you know). Anyway, what we’re really here for is the food and drink, and here Tila plans a selection of unique comfort eats and spruced-up cocktails, along with a series of pop-ups (an event with chef Evan Kleiman is already in the works we’re told). Come check the menu and bar.

The interior exhales the same vintage supper club cool as its predecessor, with a bar wrapped in kinky white leather (we’re imagining this, but like, at a bar), red booths, and a central portrait of Josephine Baker (please be this one).

20120328 charlestonint 560x375 What to Eat at The Charleston, Grand Open Tomorrow in Santa Monica

The menu features Tila’s take on comfort eats and will include tacos with slow-roasted short ribs and shaved brussels sprouts, fried chicken wings in a sweet chili sriracha, flatbreads of various designs, Welsh rarebit, and five-spice pork belly bao.

Tila will not, as far as we can tell, take Kaya toast back from Susan Feniger. Nor will he introduce a bar program called Tila’s Tequila. Instead, the spot offers beer, wine, and craft cocktails like a vodka-soaked “Kaffir Lime Pie” and a “Jet 75.”

See The Charleston’s full drinking and dining menus.

New Details: Jet Tila Waxes Poetic on The Charleston

by Kat O’Dell
EaterLA
February 1, 2012

Jet%20Tila thumb New Details: Jet Tila Waxes Poetic on The CharlestonAs reported yesterday, chef Jet Tila (Wazuzu at Encore Las Vegas) is in the process of taking over Angel’s cocktail bar in Santa Monica and reopening the venue as a dinner and drinks spot called The Charleston. Not, in fact, a gastropub as originally rumored. On his decision to makeover the bar Tila explains, “I’m going away from my roots as an Asian chef by highlighting my roots as a restaurateur. I wanted to be home. I wanted to have an F&B presence back home….It’s a fantastic location. No one has really understood how to cut this diamond to make it shine.”

While the lounge will stay open during renovations, or as Tila puts it, “We take the car into the body shop for a few weeks and pimp it out,” expect to see a major renovation of the menu and cocktail list. “Basically I want everyone to understand it’s going to be a bar with great food first,” Tila says. “We’ll be debuting brunch by the mid part of this year. We’ll feature very beverage-friendly small bites.”

Tila plans to serve Thai street fare similar to the plates he introduces next week during a pop-up dinner at Origin India Restaurantx and Lounge in Las Vegas. “[The Charleston] will be a laboratory for me to play where I come up with some crazy ideas. I don’t want to call it a gastropub. It’s a fun place to have a bunch of food and drinks.”

At his pop-up dinner in Vegas, he’s partnering with master mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim who will create a cocktail pairing for the night. Abou-Ganim is also giving The Charleston drink menu “an eyeball to see if he can inspire some cocktails.”

In other Tila news, the common ownership between Bru Haus and The Charleston could turn his consulting gig at the pub into something more in the future, but no plans are inked. Tila will also continue his Breadbar Bistronomics pop-up dinners sometime in the spring.

Chef Jet reveals plans for the Charleston

Chef Jet reveals plans for the CharlestonRecently, as Chef Jet was about to head out his post at Wazuzu in Las Vegas, he told Las Vegas Weekly his plans for the upcoming menu at the Charleston. What’s on the menu? A lot. Besides his take on American comfort food, he plans a series of pop-ups featuring special menus from himself and guest chefs like Evan Kleiman. In addition, look for a ‘resident chef’ program featuring guest chefs to come in and create special menus for a select period of time. The results should deliver some of the most ambitious food to ever hit Southern California. Look for it to start hitting the Charleston come the middle of March.