losmosis » FEATURE

Chop Cup

MK — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 01:44:12 +0000

Love this strange diddy from WeAreOm.

Sam3 – Exsitu Insitu [wall animation]

MK — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 20:18:25 +0000

Brilliant wall-animation done by Sam3 during his exhibition in San Jose, CA. Love the music in conjunction with the watercolor-esque imagery, reminds me of something that should’ve come out of the 60s.

RYAN MCGINLEY – Moonmilk series

MK — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:35:49 +0000

These otherworldly photos by Ryan McGinley are stunning. The use of color and landscape in conjunction with his subjects — beautiful.
[Moonmilk]

Pork indulgence reigns supreme @ Don Dae Gam, Los Angeles (Park’s Pork BBQ review)

MK — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:02:21 +0000

Differentiating the sheer number of restaurants and kbbq joints that line block after block in Koreatown can sometimes be a challenge. Sure, by now the network of food communications and blogging have allowed for a fair handful of established institutions to differentiate themselves as predominant de facto destinations — Bosam at Kobawoo, Korean blood sausage at Western Soon Dae, an icy bowl of arrowheat noodles at Yu Chun, or perhaps some nourishing abalone porridge at the hole-in-the-wall Mountain Cafe?

But really, despite this prevailing sense that everything to be found has already been unearthed, how many restaurants get lost in the shuffle and left waiting to be discovered?

It was with this thought and a tinge of anxious excitement that led us to Don Dae Gam, resting solely on a tip via the twitter of “The Belly of Los Angeles” and LA’s own intrepid food explorer, Mr. Jonathan Gold.

Don Dae Gam is the second KBBQ establishment for restauranteur Jenny Park of Park’s BBQ. Tucked between 11th and 12th street off Olympic boulevard, the restaurant sports a large and open interior space scattered with circular steel tables and stool-seating setup for parties of 3~5, and larger long-table seating arrangements in back for parties of 6+. With an aesthetic that’s noticeably modern and an atmosphere designed towards the casual, it becomes clear — this is an environment designed for conversation and consumption, with an emphasis on the latter in mass quantities of pork and soju.

We opted for the “Combo #3″ platter — pork neck, chop, belly, marinated pork rib, and pork intestine so good the experience could only be described as revelatory. As per custom, an array of banchan was laid out before us as we waited in anticipation for the meat. The grills are gas-powered but are of the newer hybrid variety lined with baskets of charcoal near the base. As we sipped our soju, the meat arrived in a tear-inducing platter of sheer beauty.

Slivers of pork neck began the meal in fine fashion. Despite the lean nature of this meat, the slight ribbons of fat that line it maximize the porky flavor.

And before we knew it, glorious cuts of pork belly began to fall with a satisfactory sizzle upon the grill. Fatty, rich, and tender — everything you’ve learned to love and expect from it.

As the meal continued, we became subject to a multi-course meal celebrating all things pork, an animal not properly given its due in a short-rib dominated KBBQ world.

And as pork belly was devoured, as promised by Mr. Gold, a wonderful chop was then put onto the grill. They tempered the pace of the meats well, alternating between something slightly lean, then hitting you with fat, and repeating. A uniquely butchered piece of pork-rib, marinated and fixed to somewhat mimic the look of traditional beef short-rib followed. But really, what stole the show at the end were the pieces of pig intestine. Crispy on the outside, slightly chewy as you’d expect, but the surprise in the wonderfully unctuous marrow-like inside.

Then with bellies stuffed and logic skewed by multiple bottles of soju, we defied all rationale and ordered their dish of spicy baby squid and pork belly. To say the least, that was one hell of a way to end the meal. Baby squid was stir-fried in an almost shallow stew full of spicy chili flavors and vegetables. As the concoction cooked down, the waiter returned to surprise us with a delight on par with the finding extra money in ones pocket. A full-flavored crispy fried-rice was made from the leftover bits.

While I’ve always been a fan of all things porcine, never had I experienced it in a kbbq fashion, the way I had at Don Dae Gam. Ms. Park — she knows her pork. Each cut perfectly butchered and each cut with its own defined taste and texture, showcasing all the dimensions of the animal from a Korean perspective. To top it all off, the $60 combo was more than adequate to feed a party of 5. However, perhaps the logo of the pig wiggling its butt inspired us to indulge in a little extra gluttony with the squid dish. This restaurant is a wonderful and fully welcomed addition to the neighborhood.

Don Dae Gam – Park’s Pork BBQ
1145 S Western Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90006
(323) 373-0700

*All photos taken by and graciously allowed to use by the illustrious Baron von Chinn @ benjaminchinn.com

Thomas Hicks – animator and visual artist

MK — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 19:19:51 +0000

Thomas Hicks Animation Montage from Thomas Hicks on Vimeo.

Love the sparse minimalism inherent in his style and his use of integrated film/video footage. Follow the Vimeo link to see more of his works.

Bangarang by Pogo

MK — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 19:26:41 +0000

Video for my track ‘Bangarang’. This piece is composed of sounds from the Spielberg classic film ‘Hook’, a sine wave bass, and a few cymbals for extra spice. Enjoy!

If you enjoyed the Alice video poster earlier, here’s another great one from Pogo. Firmly standing by my previous assertion that he sounds like The Avalanches if they’d snorted massive lines of pixie dust.

related: Alice

Grass Burger preview @ Canele [preview]

MK — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:05:21 +0000

Funny how one blog post can instantly change your evening plans. Via the food-wire, if you hear there’s a one-night event involving one of LA’s finest chefs themed around burgers — recession be damned, you go. At least, that’s how my mind works.

Nancy Silverton while famous through her La Brea Bakery and her collaborative Mozza-venture with Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali, is not unfamiliar with the burger world. Few chefs can champion a specific butcher item named after them, but those who have frequented Huntington Meats at the Grove can attest to the glories of the “Nancy Silverton blend,” a specific burger mixture of prime chuck and sirloin fat, combining to a juicy total of about 20~28% fat.

This event was said to be a preview of a possible burger restaurant and joint project with Amy Pressman of Old Town Bakery. Oh yes, we knew two things coming in — the bun and burger patty would and should be delicious. But before we could attain carnivorous gratification, came course 1 in a 3-plate prix fixe.

A clean enjoyable plate of ripe honey dew and cantaloupe pieces topped with Cowgirl Creamery cottage cheese, a light chiffonade of mint, and the smallest pinch of chili flakes. Tart and sweet with the most minimal undertones of spicy. The dish was an unexpected starter, awakening the palate and preparing us for the rich burger to come.

Two burger options were available for the evening. The first that was tried was the grassfed cheeseburger, which came topped with Grafton cheddar and pickled green tomatoes. Accompaniments for the dish were some shoestring fries and a small slaw of red cabbage and corn. In regards to bun and patty expectations — they were instantly met upon first bite. The brioche bun was rich, buttery, soft but thoroughly firm enough to hold up to the meat. The patty itself came perfectly rare though not nearly as juicy as I had expected, the overall beefy flavor was quite good. While I tend to be a fan of most things pickled, the green tomatoes had an overwhelming flavor of cinnamon that led us to eventually take them off midway through the meal. The side of slaw went well with the burger and the mini shoestring fries were sublime, some of the best I’ve ever had. In fact, I think the small set of sides were our favorite part of the dish.

The bacon lardon burger came sans top-bun, meant to be eaten with a fork and knife. It was topped with dressed frisee and a fried egg. Delectable smoky bits of bacon lardons were scattered about. What hit us first was the aggressive use of black pepper for this burger iteration. In conjunction with the richness of egg and smoky lardons, it worked harmoniously. If living in Los Angeles has taught me anything, it’s that Angelenos all seem to have their own preferred flavor profiles when it comes to burgers. Admittedly, this was far and above much more to my liking. I’d eat this breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Again, to my delight the patty came rare. It occurs to me that the server never took our desired temperature for this order, but the meat was fortunately cooked the way I would usually order it. Taken into consideration that these patties are made from grassfed beef which typically has a lower fat content, I wouldn’t be surprise to see that the default cooking for the rest of that evening (and for the future restaurant) stayed at rare, no more than medium-rare. The patty while fairly flavorful, did lack that rich and fatty juicy “punch.” However in this case, it was compensated by the bacon lardons.

Dessert was comprised of bourbon ice cream topped with a sliced fig and salted cashew cookies. My dinner companion really loved the cookie, while I was fairly pleased with the not-too-sweet bourbon ice cream. Dessert usually being an afterthought for me, I’ll say was an enjoyable end note to the meal, but didn’t wow either of us by any means.

What does this glimpse offer us? A future burger joint with strong and varied flavor profiles that’ll also offer seasonally-inspired plates governed by that same philosophy. If Tuesday night was a sneak peek of things to come, count me pleasantly intrigued for the feature showing.

Neurosonics Audiomedical Labs

MK — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:30:17 +0000

Neurosonics Audiomedical Labs Inc. from Chris Cairns on Vimeo.

Really odd/fun/awesome video incorporating UK’s long-standing Scratch Perverts.

C’était un rendez-vous

MK — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:43:14 +0000

on an august morning in 1978, french filmmaker claude lelouch mounted a gyro-stabilized camera to the bumper of a ferrari 275 gtb Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 and had a friend, a professional formula 1 race car driver, drive at breakneck speeds through the heart of paris.

He was arrested after his 1976 film, C’était un rendez-vous, featuring a Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 being illegally driven at high speed through the streets of Paris, was first shown publicly.

Head over to Tons of Land to watch this 8-minute film that at times, feels too ridiculous to be real (and I mean that in a good way).

The Cat Found Project

MK — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 19:57:10 +0000

Step 1. Create fake, semi-convincing sign for a “lost cat” you found, complete with adorable photos of said feline.
Step 2. Setup a voicemail for people to respond.
Step 3. Document and post the gamut of reactions that spill forth.

Insofar as I know, these flyers may have been posted in various cities throughout the country. There are images floating around advertising the “cat” to have been found on Sunset Blvd, as well as another saying it was found on 27th and A1A. In the Flickr comments for the image a member says they saw a similar sign in Australia. Regardless, finding images of the sign was fantastic in itself — hearing the actual calls and responders took it over the top. Kudos to you, good sir or ma’am, who got this viral project in motion.