Found: One Hep, Hungry Cat

Regular readers may notice the usual headline is missing today. I deliberately avoided including it here, mainly because the temptation to make bad cat puns (e.g., cat's meow) was irresistible. Instead, let me tell you a sob story.

The one and only classified ad I ever posted ran, "Wanted: One Hep Cat." I was looking for someone with whom I could swing the night away. Oh, I got replies, but sadly, none up to my hep hep standards. Maybe the kind of people who respond to blind classifieds looking for a dancing partner are not the best 'hep' crowd. (Of course, this reflects nothing at all on me . . . ).

Fast forward a few years, and just when I'm no longer looking for a hep cat, the oh so very hep Hungry Cat found me. Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too?

The Hungry Cat logo, from thehungrycat.com

Taste & See: What this entry will not do is review The Hungry Cat. Many, many people have done that, 131 on Yelp alone, and that's just the tip o' the iceberg. What it will do is show you some lovely photos and tell you more stories--about a liquor that has generated international conflict and Casanova's preferred method for eating oysters. The stories behind the food--that's why I'm here. Oh, and of course, for the food itself.

We start with the lovely cocktails to which I introduced you the other day. In addition the cucumber-mango Echo Park, people tried a raspberry-infused-rum lemonade (back) and blood orange seasonal sangria (front). Hungry Cat does cocktails really, really well.

I forgot to mention the Echo Park used monopolowa vodka, which is, btw, a centuries old Austrian potato vodka. Duh.

Image from Monopolowa.at

For appetizers, raw oysters ($15 for 1/2 dozen)

Oysters are, of course, "the ultimate aphrodisiac." (Ours were au naturel.) Perhaps the reputation derives from the high amounts of phosphorus and iodine, believed to be conducive to stamina, and amino acids which stimulate certain hormones? Or it could just be . . . Anyway, I hear Casanova ate 50 raw oysters every morning with his mistress in a bathtub designed for two, with a particular method of serving them:

‘I placed the shell on the edge of her lips and after a good deal of laughing, she sucked in the oyster, which she held between her lips. I instantly recovered it by placing my lips on hers.’

See The Old Foodie for more where that came from. As for us, we just had one a piece, at the table, so there was no funny business.

Swordfish Ceviche with pisco, citrus, cumin, cilantro and ribbons of yucca chips ($14). There are also bits of orange & grapefruit, red onion, and (rather spicy) red peppers.


Pisco is a liquor worthy of international legal spats, literally. Pisco the word comes from pisqu, Quechua for "little bird," and pisco the liquor is a brandy, distilled from grapes in Peru and Chile. Chile, Pero and Bolivia not only consume it more than any other spirit (most iconically, the pisco sour), they've actually fought over the right to produce and promote pisco. People can be very territorial about their iconic regional staples . . . (Exhibit A, Exhibit B,Exhibit C)

Tempura fried squash blossoms stuffed with shrimp and pine nuts ($12)


Squash blossoms are quite the perishable treat, and equal opportunity vegetables: you can cook with either the female or the male. But only the girls make baby squashes.

Do It Yourself: Christina promises to have your guests moaning with pleasure, if you're into that kind of thing. They're delightful raw, or cooked as above, but beware, my squash-gardening, farmers-market-visiting friends. Lest you think you can tear a squash blossoms from its moorings and neglect it until you find the time to make that squash-blossom frittata you always knew you had in you, you should know the poor dears are rather delicate: they have about the same shelf life as a mayfly. Not the best visual image, but at least you'll remember to take care.

To get the most from your blossoms: rinse them, let them air dry, wrap them in paper towels and "nest" them in a sealed plastic storage container in a fridge set at precisely 34 degrees. Or just go to The Hungry Cat.

Diver scallops with spicy tasso, corn, roasted squash and romesco ($26)


A special, sea bass with pine nuts, eggplant, onion, & stone fruit (apricot & prunes? alas my memory fails me and the photo looks like currants) all sauteed together to create the most lovely, almost honeyed sauce and equally flavorful oil. The fish had a nice crispy crust on the outside, reminiscent of another gorgeous meal.


I have a lovely stone fruit recipe of my own I've been meaning to share; one of these days I'll put it up; you can make it and console yourself for not getting to eat the sea bass at The Hungry Cat.

And if I'm really good, I'll work out a do-it-yourself substitute for this most marvelous of desserts: glorious, glorious chocolate bread and butter pudding with crisp sugar crust, gooey bread pudding, and chocolate pot at the bottom ($8)



With food like this, who needs a hep cat?