Ghetto Gourmet tantalizes L.A.

Cabinet of Curiousities performs at a Ghetto Gourmet dinner
Eating L.A. attended one of Ghetto Gourmet's first L.A. dinners Tuesday night in a baroque Wilshire Blvd. apartment, and it was an evening full of wonders. Photographer Glenn Campbell hosted the dinner and showed his provocative clown porn slides, while chef Anita Bergman, who is the chef at Kinara Spa, cooked up a lovely meal.
We all uncorked the wine we brought and started to get to know each other over piquant artichoke lemon salad crostinis. Ghetto Gourmet's founder Jeremy regaled some 30 diners, seated on floor cushions around four low tables, with the origins of the roving dinner party concept which started in Oakland a few years ago. After a cheeky word game, we moved on to beets stuffed with goat cheese on mixed greens with balsamic viniagrette -- perfect beets, but the dish could have used a more imaginative touch. There was entertainment from the cabaret act Cabinet of Curiousities, and much discussion of Burning Man. The main course was red snapper steamed in grape leaves with lemon relish over bulgur, and the citrusy grain nicely complemented the fish which had strong anise notes. Dessert was chocolate cookie cups with fresh vanilla whipped cream and brownies -- again, although it was satisfyingly chocolatey, I would have liked to see something a touch more innovative with this course.
In sum, the snapper was excellent, and the chance to meet the host and his rather decadent friends, see a wonderful, huge vintage apartment, meet new people and share everyone's wine was well worth it. The Ghetto Gourmet plans to return to L.A. soon, possibly in August or September, so keep an eye out.