For those of you familiar with Epicure Imports, Epicurus Gourmet is your new replacement. I went this weekend to check it out with some friends. They’re currently located in wine storage facility in an industrial park not too far from where Epicure was located. The owner, Hilary, is very enthusiastic about the products she carries mentioned that they are looking for a more permanent home in the near future. The selection is nowhere near Epicure, but these folks don’t have a massive warehouse to maintain. The store is primarily open for phone/E-mail orders, but has been open for the last couple of weeks for walk-ins. Call or E-mail to see if they’re open for walk-ins in advance. Walk-in days mean that they have all the product out for you to look at and samples available.
My friends and I were struck by the selection of product available. A lot of the popular items Epicure used to sell are here. A large assortment of premium olive oils and vinegars, mustards, sea salts, cornichons, capers, jams/preserves, and sauces are available. The Edward Fallot mustards are a favorite in my house and run for about $3 for a jar…they have some unique flavors for the holidays (gingerbread, honey walnut…some that I never saw at Epicure). The selection of charcuterie is missing some cured sausages, jambon de Paris, proscuitto that Epicure used to sell, but the selection of Fabrique Delices sausages is fantastic (boudin blanc, boudin noir, lamb Merguez, wild boar, duck…just to name a few). They do carry foie lobes, cubes, and torchon in addition to duck confit and duck fat. The sweets section is a bit lacking compared to Epicure as are the nuts and dried fruit and spices. Where Epicurus really shines are the cheeses.
Since we were there on a walk-in day and the store wasn’t very busy, Hilary was able to spend some time with us and do a cheese sampling. We must have sampled at least 10 different cheeses. Some of their cheese is out on display…and yes, Epoisses is available for just a litter over $17 for a Camembert-sized wheel. The team here is pretty knowledgeable about the cheese they’re familiar with their stock and can provide descriptions of what each cheese is like…it was most impressive. Since we were cheese enthusiasts, Hilary started rolling out samples of items that weren’t vacuumed-sealed for display. I can’t remember all that we tried but I’m going to give it a shot: Sottocenere al tartufo under ash with black truffle, Moliterno al tartufo percorino with truffles (sheep’s milk), La Tur triple milk (cow, sheep, goat), Burgennus Alpine (raw cow), Rolf Beeler cave-aged Gruyere (18 months), Petit Pont L’eveque Graindorge (Normandy), and Raclette de Savoie Fermiere Paccard (raw). The selection of soft cheeses was also very good…so good that my friend ended up buying half of the products available. We ended up purchasing every one we sampled. The prices were very fair considering that the most expensive cheese we tried was $25 per pound. Hilary was able to customize our orders because these cheeses weren’t out, so we were able to purchase in 0.25 lb.-0.75 lb increments.
The team here is friendly and knowledgeable about the products they carry which I really enjoy because they can answer all the questions you have prior to purchasing if it’s an item not available for sampling. We all ended up with substantial tabs walking out the door. The detailed invoice-like receipt will help you remember what you purchased so that you can go back and order more, and the cheeses are packaged with clear stickers to help differentiate your purchase. That was the one hard thing about Epicure, the cheeses weren’t as clearly labeled so you could quickly forget what you had purchased. I hope that this business grows and flourishes because it’s a great source for reasonably priced European cheeses
Epicurus Gourmet
12134 Sherman Way
North Hollywood, CA 91605
Phone: 818-658-3637
Email: info@epicurusgourmet.com
Glad to know they are doing walk in days now. I had heard about them a few months ago, but didn’t really a need to order the full amounts they were asking for on pre-orders.
My husband will be happy to hear we can buy the Fabrique Delices sausages again – he loved the wild boar and lamb merguez!
can’t believe my girl meat me to this store… i’m the food chaser! she did bring home some goodies though.
I hadn’t seen your original post when I wrote mine. Thanks for posting this two years ago! I have been there twice the last few weeks and the joint is jumping. Bought two white Alba truffles for $90/oz. Served them up last weekend with 9 egg yolk pasta, Beurre Bordier, and Parmesan. So good and so ridiculous a price for white truffles! Hilary and Eric told me there are expanding into the space next door. I will document it when it happens unless #attran99 does it first. I highly recommend going on Saturdays as they encourage tasting and socializing in a very relaxed atmosphere. They are open longer hours this weekend.
As a postscript the aged Brillat de Savarin cheese is wonderful! I fell in love with Delice de Bourgogne when Costco, TJs, and Murray’s introduced it; I consider it superior to the triple cream Bries despite it’s bitter rind, but Brillat de Savarin is even creamier and more flavorful.
They are pursuing a wine license, which considering Eric’s encyclopedic knowledge of wonderful obscure European wines will be another reason to make the trek to the hinterlands of the Valley.
I’ve been twice in the last two months. I was just there on Tuesday. Not too busy within the first 30 minutes of opening, but with the holidays approaching, it was jumping by noon.
The selection has increased so much since it opened 2 years ago. For the holidays, they have a lovely Vacherin that carries a funk even more delicious than the Epoisses. Do check out the panettone section of the store if you enjoy panettone. The one with Amerena cherries was so lovely last year that I purchased 4 this year as gifts. The selection of Beurre Bordier is simply amazing. It freezes super well so if you don’t go often, you can buy it and freeze it in an airtight container. Their pate and charcuterie game is pretty great, too. I bought a bunch of stuff (foie, goose mousse, truffle mousse, pate de campagne, and a couple of others) last month as part of my appetizer set up and it was completely demolished by the end of the evening.
Thanks, @ebethsdad, for your additional notes and for sharing your pasta recipe! It sounds delicious…I can’t wait to see how the wine section of this wonderful place develops.
I go every few weeks to stock up on cheeses, meats and their awesome frozen Baguettes. I spend way more than i plan to every time. 
I always end up spending more than planned. Everything is so tempting.
Really great to learn about the Vacherin cheese. The hubby and I are huge fans of Epoisses and if you are saying they have something even better? I need to check it out!
They are open until 6 tonight, and then closed until after Christmas. BTW considering your screen name you will be delighted at their selections of chocolate, vanillas, Italian flours and of course butters. If you want something let them know and they can order it for you. I am trying to get them to stock leaf lard as I think Surfas is the only place in town that carries it and it is unrendered.
I too often spend more than I intended to when visiting, but their prices are very reasonable.
You had me at Italian flours.
(Dear heavens, this could be trouble.)
But hey - the husband does not know what to get me for my birthday - after Xmas but before end of December - so a trip there to explore, play and buy could be pretty darn awesome and appropriate… Thank you for the info!
To be honest, I purchased it as gift and it runs $27/lb. I’m heading to that house for a Christmas Eve party. I’ll be able to taste it if they serve it. The cheese smelled so good.
I have not purchased epoisses for years. A quick price check shows it runs $22 for 8 oz - at least that’s what the online prices show. So $27 a pound for something that might be better? Not bad. Not bad at all!
I pick up Epoisses every time I head over to Epicurus. They sell the Camembert-sized wheel for $17/18 each.
Wtf do y’all do with so much freaking cheese?
Eat it. It’s usually purchased for parties or for all-day home snacking days. Which Christmas Day is for us…I setup a spread, people may come by, but we snack and graze all day.
Have to agree with attran99.
I buy really good cheese on the days (or holidays) I can share it with folks. An 8 oz rich wheel is too much for just the hubster and I, but to be able to share it with friends? At a party or an open house day? Perfect.
The place is a hidden gem.
Yes, you can find almost all the products elsewhere in town, but they will be more expensive than Epicurus.
If you go Saturday middle of the day, Eric will have you taste a few bottles from his collection.
“If you go Saturday middle of the day, Eric will have you taste a few bottles from his collection.”
Ooooo. I am actually hoping to hit there Saturday, mid-day, as part of my birthday celebration. Honey smoked salmon https://honeysmokedfish.com on a brooklyn bagel bakery bagel for b-fast, then yoga for the hubby, then lunch here - http://chengduhouseusa.com then Epicurious Gourmet afterwards…
Then I will waddle on home : )
Happy almost birthday! Good plan as when I am full I buy much less food. Hilary asked me to keep the free we on the qt (why I always suggest going there on Saturday) as there is a special permit needed even if you are giving away we. Enjoy your birthday, the chocolate, vanilla and flours!
Asterisks ended up as e’s. As all of you are intelligent I am sure it will be clear. Merry Christmas to all who celebrate it (we had a wonderful dry-aged prime rib and all the trimmings). Really appreciate everything I learn from this website especially from our Asian experts.