N/a see other sources

A veritable who’s who of French chef-iness in L.A. watching the end of the final match aujourd’hui (Missing: The inimitable Chef Laurent Quenioux of course)…
Photo courtesy of Stephane Bombet

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That’s a great photo. They’re so happy!

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Re the zlevanka – FWIW, Kooks Illustrated Magazine says the best packaged cornmeal to cook/bake with is Arrowhead Mills Organic Yellow.

Just sayin’

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How’d you do on the over/under for this final match?

So true, Bobby. So true. And you called it on the very first day of the whole thing. I tip my beret to you. :woman_artist:

FRANCE FIELD REPORT #3: I’d left the game today with a bit before it was over, and headed from Torrance up the 405 to drop something off work-related near the Santa Monica Airport. After exiting and driving down Venice Blvd., I realized I’d be going right past one of our Francophile soccer venues, Atmosphere Mar Vista. So I pulled over, parked and went in. By then the game had finished 25 minutes prior, and presumably a lot of attendees had left. But there were still a lot of happy campers milling around; I was tickled at their glee. I got there at the time the jubilant proprietor was turning down the audio from the TV broadcast, and replacing it with Euro techno musique. I didn’t stay and get anything because I’d eaten earlier but, as mentioned in previous field report, the menu is creative and enticing and I’ll definitely be back. Some folks were there munching good-looking brunch plates with fresh dressed greens. It would have been a fun place to be for today’s big championship when the game-end moment struck! Congratulations France, and all your bleusfans in L.A. :kissing_heart:

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Merci.
Mostly luck with some knowledge. It wasn’t simply, “Hey, I like France so I think they will win.”

I follow European soccer quite closely and was fairly sure England, Belguim and France would do well.
All those teams have amazing striking power but the French midfield (Pogba and Kante) and defense sold me.
Croatia was a surprise.
As was the Argentine debacle.

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For a touch of irony, peruse some archives and find the official “odds” and/or “rankings” of the teams prior to the start of the games. Germany, Argentina, Spain at the top of the list…while England and Croatia (ESPECIALLY Croatia) only somewhere toward the middle.

Further, soccer is such a game of flukes. All it takes is one botched referee call or one inadvertent foul that can efffectively determine the winner.

If the Cup were structured so that a best-of series of games were played to determine who advances, I think the 2018 outcome would be TOTALLY different; and probably closer to the initial rankings/odds mentioned above.

The first two games of the World Cup are the most fun, because at that point hopes are high and everybody’s got an equal shot. After that, it’s all downhill. Ha!

GERMANY QUASI FIELD REPORT: Alpine Village is where I decided to go for the big championship game yesterday; hence I experienced a German venue, albeit for other teams and their fans. The crowd numbered about 150 (as opposed to the 600 in 2014 when Team Germany was in the final). Seating was ample and comfortable. Based on measuring the audible cheering, I’d say 70% of the crowd there was for Croatia, 30% for France.

It was another World Cup/big crowd service disaster, as I have been getting hit with during this journey. Early on, only ONE server was working the entire crowd. People were pissed off, she was visibly all stressed out, the long waits probably negatively impacted her tip, and it wasn’t her fault. I got there 15 minutes prior to kickoff, and didn’t get served till halftime (!); and even then, that was by a 2nd server who had just arrived and started her shift. Alpine Village has been in business far too long and should know better than to understaff when a big crowd is anticipated. What is the point of that? To save a hundred lousy bucks in minimum wage by not bringing on one more person? C’mon, not a big place like this. I don’t get it. ??!

Then there was the delightful bar. They had only one barmaid working. Early on, I wanted a mimosa, but the young barmaid politely told me to get it from my server instead, so it would all be on one bill. After waiting 20 minutes I returned to the bar and told her I hadn’t been served yet; whereupon the 'maid did agree to pour me one. I came back again after finishing it, asking if I could order my food from her as the server still hadn’t come around yet; so she said yes, plus gave me a free 2nd mimosa. (Thanx. : ) She said my sandwich would be ready in 5-10 minutes…I came back to the bar 15 minutes later to pick it up, but she said it wasn’t ready. 5 minutes after that a lady came to my table and brought a sandwich, but it was the wrong one. I said so and tried to give it back to her, but she wouldn’t take it and turned around and started quickly walking back to the bar, saying, “I’m only helping! I’m only helping!” I kept after her. So here I am, chasing after a lady while holding a sandwich on a plate, zigzagging through the crowd who are staring ahead at the soccer game. (When it was over, a guy at my table who’d been watching said the 2-woman chase looked funny, like something out of a slapstick comedy.) Ignoring me completely, she plopped back down on a stool at the bar. It was bizarre. I then turned to the barmaid and said it was the wrong sandwich. She tried to insist it was not. Finally she took it back and re-ordered the correct sandwich from the kitchen. It only took a minute or two to throw together, and I was handed it there on the spot.

After I walked again across the room with sandwich and sat back at my table, is when a server finally manifested. I ordered from her what was called the “Breakfast Bratrito”, which was chopped bratwurst, a little bit of mediocre, mild cheddary cheese, and “German” fried potatoes wrapped in a tortilla; with a side of the same “German” potatoes. It was not a great item, but a good price at only $6. Having “German” (I put in quotes as they didn’t taste ethnically too hardcore; the Red Lion’s would have been more authentic) potatoes as the side dish, when they already were a big component inside the burrito, was redundant and lazy. The sandwich I had ordered was just a couple slices of a heated deli cut, didn’t get the name but it began with an L (leberkaese probably), with a tiny scoop of the same “German” potatoes as a side. There was nothing in the sandwich but the meat, not even any breadspreads. The glossy-exterior soft roll it was in was excellent, and despite its softness almost seemed like it had been baked via griddling. Besides these items, their morning World Cup menu had only a breakfast sandwich with egg, and fruited pastry.

After chowing down the food, I left at the score of 4-2, not staying to the end as I just could not bear to see Croatia’s heartbreak. I had been pulling for Croatia (which felt weird, because my DNA’s half French! :ok_woman: )

On a positive note, the venue was enthusiastially decorated in World Cup regalia and broadly strung with flags of the teams’ nations. It was beauteous, festive, and a sweet escape from L.A. and the everyday realm.

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Hell yea France. Daddy won some nice coin by picking them to win it all from the very start.

Just want to say thanks Cousteau for a fun thread! Looking forward to the 2019 Copa America version :slight_smile:

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Why thank you, Bruins! If I do this again in 2019, it would be a double-dose; being the Copa America, AND the Womens World Cup. They’re being conducted simultaneously; agh! :confounded:

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Here are the winners (and losers) in terms of the 2018 World Cup L.A. View-Dine Experience:

BEST VENUE - The Robin Hood Pub

BEST MEAL - Polka, for its well-made Polish buffet

BEST RESTAURANT SERVERS/SERVICE - Guelaguetza and The Robin Hood Pub (tie)

BEST VENUE MANAGEMENT - Guelaguetza

BEST BAR ASPECT - Miyako Hybrid Hotel and the Red Lion Tavern (tie)

WORST BAR ASPECT - Traktir

BEST ENVIRON FOR KIDS - Olson’s Scandinavian Deli, and their delightful staff!

MOST FESTIVE AND DECORATED FOR THE WORLD CUP - Alpine Village

MOST EXOTIC - Cairo Restaurant (for its menu and Arabic-language broadcast)

YOUNGEST CROWD (aka MOST MILLENNIALS PER SQUARE INCH) - Gravlax

OLDEST CROWD - The Robin Hood Pub

MOST ROCK & ROLL - Cat & Fiddle and Fox & Hounds (tie)

YOU CAN’T DANCE AT ALL THE WEDDINGS - Con Sabor a Peru and El Rincon de Giovannita Peru, neither of which, due to game schedule conflicts, I was able to partake in

VIVE LES CHAMPIONS - Atmosphere Mar Vista, La Poubelle, Petit Trois Sherman Oaks

BEST TEAM UNIFORMS - Croatia

MOST GORGEOUS, LUSCIOUS, HUNKY MEN - Iceland (team)

MOST BEAUTEOUS WOMEN (aka HOT MAMAS) - Colombia (fans)

UGLIEST MEN/TEAM - no such thing

BIGGEST HEARTBREAK - Japan

BEST BEVERAGE - gin/tonic/lemonade w/ cucumber chunks at Little Bear

NEEDING ITS OWN ETHNIC VENUE IN L.A., SOMEBODY COULD OPEN ONE AND MAKE A NICE LIVING - Switzerland

WORST VENUE OVERALL - Traktir

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What a fun thread. I really enjoyed reading your reviews and updates, lots of great information and interesting details. The Russia report was hilarious.

Thanks for sharing your World Cup experiences with us!

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Luv ya, Bookwich, and it’s been a pleasure “meeting” you! And thank you, too, for your sharing and positive posts. Your order-in of Persian food for a Team Iran game was just the thing, and I am still lusting after the lentil-fenugreek soup you included in the photo.

I remember you mentioned the take-out restaurant was in Westchester. I thought of you and your Persian food when I drove thru Westchester on my way out of the Cock & Bull (Santa Monica) for an Australia game, on my way to Victoria’s Kitchen (Inglewood) for a Nigeria game. In between, there was an hour of extra time, so I used it to discover Venice Beach’s/MDR’s Pacific Ave. with all the mansions on the east side of the street, and the Venice canals which, believe it or not, after 3 decades in L.A., I had never seen. That was really something. Those abodes must go for bazillions.

BTW, the Russia report was not meant to be hilarious; though I can see where someone would think so. (LoL) Every word of it was true.

Cousteau :tipping_hand_woman:

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To me, what was REALLY hilarious was the zig-zagged chase thru the crowd of 150 at Alpine Village of me clutching a sandwich on a plate, shouting after the quick-stepping woman who brought it to me who refused to turn around or acknowledge me or take it back. It was like a scene out of a Marx Brothers movie.

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“Meet Cousteau!” I am inspired to do a victory lap at one of our French venues to congratulate them in-person on their world championship, and to engage in a little of that fine cuisine! If any of y’all care to join me, I’m happy to buy you a drink. :wink: Reply with your choice of:

Atmosphere (Mar Vista),
La Poubelle Bistro (Hollywood) or
Les Petit Trois (Sherman Oaks);

start time:
3pm, 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm

dates:
July 22
July 23
July 24
July 25
July 26
July 27
July 28

Probably better to respond off-board via email; thanks.

Otherwise, the 2018 World Cup is a wrap! Thanxx so much to y’all who contributed, as well as those who read quietly. Maybe we’ll x paths again here on FoodTalkCentral.

Bonsoir,
Cousteau :woman_cook:

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Greetings from 2018, bringing it into 2019! For those of you who were with this post of mine for the Men’s Soccer World Cup last year, I am delighted to now be reprising something similar for the Soccer Women’s World Cup. The tournament starts this Friday. Look for my post in a day or two, and your comments and field reports from the restaurants will be welcome. GO USA! :grinning::soccer::us:

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So excited to have you back, @Cousteau! Looking forward to your notes.

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