LudoBites

October 15, 2012
Acclaim for chef Lefebvre doesn't necessarily promise a fully accessible cookbook. After all, how many home chefs can boast of owning an immersion circulator or have the wherewithal to buy quantities of foie gras and Jidori chicken? On the other hand, major points need to be awarded to a pioneering Los Angeles culinary wizard who, five years ago, launched a series of temporary, pop-up restaurants in friends' eating spaces. Such is the story of Lefebvre, a classically French-trained cuisinier with impeccable California cooking credentials (at Bastide and L'Orangerie restaurants), who now recounts the stories of seven of his pop-ups in his second book (the first: Crave, 2005). For the most part, the more than 130 recipes smack of innovation, great taste, and, unfortunately, lots of kitchen knowledge and prep. But who could resist Lefebvre's charm and phenomenally intriguing dishes, such as brocamole (guacamole with broccoli), Greek salad with a feta mousse, mustard ice cream, and squid pad Thai?(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)