Chef Gray Reviews Deli Dining, Rice Cakes

Gray Davis, having wrapped up the Mammon part of the candidate’s job, was catching up on the God bits, campaigning in East Oakland at Allen Temple Baptist Church, meeting with black ministers and community activists.

Afterward, reporters tossed questions at Davis about allegations by Mark L. Nathanson, a former state coastal commissioner, that the governor egged him on to approve certain coastal projects for potential Davis donors.

Aides cut off the questions, saying Davis had to meet with black ministers in San Francisco before joining up with the president of the Philippines.

As the governor walked away, one reporter shouted out to ask the president whether he’d ever dined with Nathanson at Nate ‘n Al’s deli, where Nathanson said he and Davis transacted dubious business.

Without breaking stride, the governor called over his shoulder, “I’m not going to get into a debate with a convicted felon,” and then added, after a pause, “If you’ve ever been to Nate ‘n Al’s, you wouldn’t call it ‘dine.’ ”

The cautious governor quickly withdrew the barb, pointing out that Nate ‘n Al’s is a fine delicatessen.

More food news from Chef Gray: At a get-out-the-vote rally in Monterey Park, Davis ticked off a list of his Asian American appointees and achievements, and then mentioned a regulation that “the Korean community was concerned” about, requiring that rice cakes be refrigerated for health reasons.

“That kind of undermines the whole purpose of eating rice cakes,” Chef Gray said. If refrigerated, “they’re like hockey pucks when you bite into them.

“So we were able to pass a law, I was very pleased to sign the law, that said as long as you sell them within 24 hours -- there’s a little date stamp on there when they were manufactured -- you do not have to refrigerate them, allowing the Korean community to sell rice cakes as they have traditionally sold them, which was of great importance to the Korean community.

“And if you’ve eaten rice cakes, which I have, they taste a lot better than if they’re frozen. You have to have very strong teeth if they’re frozen.”

The crowd, well, ate it up.

Democratic Party Bash Heads West

For time out of mind, which in California is at least 20 years, the state’s Democratic Party has thrown its election night bash at downtown L.A.’s Biltmore Hotel, now known as the Millennium Biltmore.

But behind the gilt and marble lurked fire marshals, who did not hesitate to crack down on the crowds as ballrooms and meeting rooms filled to overflowing with celebrants or mourners monitoring vote counts.

Now and again the doors have been barred to big names and even bigger-moneyed contributors.

Davis’ own political strategist, Garry South, who has gotten many politicians out of tight places, on one occasion could not talk himself into one at the Biltmore.

“There has been an ugly scene every time,” he said.

So this year, the SoCal Democratic caravansary moves its Tuesday night do to the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City. Davis, superstitious about matters electoral, thought the move “would be a jinx,” South said. But this time, it was the governor who got vetoed.

‘Presidential’ Backing Brings Applause on Cue

The Big Man himself, endorsing a city measure?

Santa Monica’s Measure JJ would endorse what the City Council there already approved -- expanding on existing “living wage” ordinances that find the minimum wage inadequate for meeting real costs of living for the working poor, including rent and health insurance.

Cities such as L.A. and San Francisco already require living wages from companies that deal with city contracts or get city aid.

But Santa Monica’s would be the first living-wage measure to apply to private employers -- in this case principally targeting the big luxury seaside hotels.

It’s being monitored closely throughout the country because, as we all know, when it comes to social policy, “as California goes, so goes the nation.”

First entertained by ex-Doorsman and Santa Monican John Densmore and his Afro Latino jazz band, contributors then heard from activists, a hotel worker and the Wednesday night president, Martin Sheen of “The West Wing.”

In front of the crowd, which applauded on his cue, Sheen recorded a yes-on-JJ message to be telephoned to Santa Monica voters. He needed only two takes -- plenty of time, he pointed out to the crowd, to “still be able to get home and see your favorite TV show.”

Loser in Mayor’s Race Keeps Up His Visibility

Who’s the man whose face seems to be on more campaign mailers than Bill Simon’s -- and he’s not even running for anything? At least this time.

It’s Antonio Villaraigosa, the former Democratic speaker of the Assembly, who lost the L.A. mayor’s race in 2001.

Nonetheless, his picture appears five times on the Yes on B flier for L.A. County trauma care (once with Sheriff Lee Baca), and three times on one Yes on K flier for more school construction bucks.

Villaraigosa has been at least as visible around town as the man who beat him, Jim Hahn, showing up at Ed and Cindy Asner’s house a couple of weeks ago for a salon with Dennis Kucinich, the Ohio congressman who’s become a progressive hero, and at Stanley and Betty Sheinbaum’s house supporting the living-wage measure in Santa Monica.

No surprise that word on the street -- at least in the 90012 ZIP Code pages of the Thomas Bros. guide -- is that Villaraigosa is leaving his old Mount Washington neighborhood to run in the 14th Council District for the seat of Nick Pacheco, who supported Hahn for mayor.

Points Taken

* Not long ago, his election days were spent plotting the course of Congress. This year, Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House, will spend election day at a news conference followed by a luncheon-lecture for students and faculty as part of the Res Publica speaker series at Claremont McKenna College.

* L.A. Police Chief Bill Bratton’s boss and possible fellow Brentwoodian, Police Commission President Rick Caruso, threw a private party for about 200 people for the new chief, an event whose floral decor alone, an overwhelmed guest estimated, probably cost nearly five figures. Jim Hahn spoke. Then Bratton spoke. And then Bratton’s wife, Court TV anchor Rikki Klieman, spoke -- and spoke -- singing the praises of her boy in LAPD blue. Cameras were rolling: A “60 Minutes” crew evidently was the only media members permitted on the premises.

* Mayor who? At a reception for key Los Angeles-area officials at KNBC-TV in Burbank, NBC news anchor Tom Brokaw thanked the group for gathering, including “the mayor” -- and indicated City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo. “No,” came a voice from the crowd, “the mayor’s over here” -- and Brokaw swung to look at Jim Hahn. “Yes, of course,” Brokaw said smoothly. (A smile crossed the face of Antonio Villaraigosa, the man Hahn beat for the mayor’s job.) And Hahn spoke his father Kenneth’s name more often than his own as he campaigned for mayor. But still, an Associated Press story in the New York Times on Bratton’s swearing in referred to L.A.’s mayor as “Kenneth K. Hahn.”

* His name will still be on the ballot for Santa Monica City Council but lifelong peace activist Jerry Rubin announced at a news conference -- where “a light but healthful lunch” was served -- that health concerns and the presence of four other like-minded candidates on the ballot mean he’s withdrawing from the race. Endorsing the four, he said: “I think the city will do just fine even if Jerry Rubin is not on the council.”

* Sports notes: a plane towing a “Simon for Governor” banner flew overhead, but Anaheim’s mayor, Tom Daly, was touting the man of the hour, the Angels’ manager. Daly shouted to the crowd at an Angel rally, “Mike Scioscia for governor! Mike Scioscia for governor!”

* Location, location, location: Ronald Reagan’s onetime Southern California gubernatorial headquarters became a strip club, and Jim Hahn’s former mayoral headquarters on Crenshaw Boulevard is now the City Council campaign office of ... Bernard C. Parks, whose option as LAPD chief Hahn chose not to pick up.

You Can Quote Me

“Too legit!”

Teenage choir girls squealing at First AME Church in Los Angeles, excited at spotting a celebrity on the premises during Gray Davis’ political stopover at the huge and politically influential church. The celebrity? Not Davis -- rap singer Hammer, guest pastor for the noon service, and trailed by a camera crew for a reality TV show he’s making. “Too Legit” comes from the title of an early Hammer album.

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MEDIA MOMENT: They’re too young to vote, but not too young to be photo ops for California gubernatorial candidates Bill Simon Jr., left, and incumbent Gray Davis. Simon, the Republican challenger, interacts with students at Harbor Summit Elementary School in San Diego, while Davis meets with children and supporters in Compton at a Democratic Party office.

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Patt Morrison’s e-mail is patt.morrison@latimes.com. This week’s contributors include Mark Z. Barabak, Michael Finnegan, Matea Gold, Steve Marble and Jean O. Pasco.