Monthly Archives: December 2013

The 10 Best Things I Consumed in 2013

Screen Shot 2013-12-30 at 12.23.02 AM
2013 was a year of unrestrained action and fervid movement; a year of twerking and not treading lightly. We experienced the exuberance of the Harlem Shake, the fury of the Red Wedding and the whirlwind of Sharknado. And the Los Angeles restaurant scene was no exception. 2013 saw the continued meteoric rise of Los Angeles as one of the dominant food cities in the world. Of all of the offerings from LA culinary movers and shakers that I wrote about in 2013, the following are my ten favorites.

Hannosuke Tendon
10. Tendon (Tempura Rice Bowl) with Fresh Salt Water Eel from Hannosuke. This stand in the Mitsuwa Marketplace in Mar Vista is the only place in LA that serves the kind of tempura that you would find in Japan. Their Tendon is a glorious pile of golden brown, crispy, salty and unctuous tempura with a slightly sweet sauce piled high on a bed of rice. Plus there’s a tempura soft-boiled egg to break open and mix with your rice. Need I say more?

Spicy Albacore Tuna Tartare from Fishing With Dynamite
9. Spicy Albacore Tuna Tartare from Fishing with Dynamite. I wouldn’t normally get that excited about tuna tartare, but Chef David LeFevre’s unusual version of the dish at his fun new South Bay seafood joint is exceptionally good. It has complex layers of flavor, a nice kick of spice and it’s served with two giant crispy shrimp chips.

Pulled Pork Sandwich from Roadside Eats
8. Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich from Roadside Eats. This unexpected discovery in Hollywood is my favorite new sandwich of the year. It’s overflowing with a mixture of crispy, tender and sweet shredded pork, vinegary coleslaw and pickle chips.

Shaved Mushroom Pizza with Gruyere, Melted Onions, Black Truffle, Torn Parsley, Rosemary and Thyme from Stella Barra Pizzeria
7. Mushroom and Truffle Pizza from Stella Barra Pizzeria. This is hands-down my favorite pizza in the city. With Stella Barra’s new second location in Holllywood, Eastsiders who won’t schlep to Santa Monica can now experience umami pizza greatness.

Chocolate Soup (served with Vanilla Ice Cream and Baklava) from Tagine
6. Chocolate Soup from Tagine. This is the only dessert to make my list and it’s incredible. Served with vanilla ice cream and baklava, this “soup” is the crescendo of an incredible meal of modern Moroccan cuisine. Its rich flavor reminds me of Frozen Hot Chocolate from Serendipity in NYC.

Chubby Pork Belly Rice Bowl from Chego
5. Chubby Pork Belly Rice Bowl from Chego. Roy Choi is a genius at elevating street food and the rice bowls at Chego are no exception. My favorite thing to order there is the comforting yet complex “Chubby Pork Belly,” an insanely good combination of kochujang-lacquered Kurobuta pork belly, fried egg, pickled radishes, water spinach, Chinese broccoli, cotija cheese, peanuts and steamed rice.

Anticucho de Pulpo (Grilled Octopus with Roasted Potatoes and Jalapeno Sauce) from Mo-Chica
4. Grilled Octopus with Roasted Potatoes and Jalapeno Sauce from Mo-Chica. This is my favorite of all the new dishes introduced by chef Ricardo Zarate when he moved his Modern Peruvian eatery to its new location on 7th Street Downtown. It’s a sublime mix of savory flavors and textures, and easily the best octopus dish I’ve ever eaten.

Chicken Liver Toast and Date Jam from Alma
3. Chicken Liver Toast and Date Jam from Alma. There are so many dishes I love at Alma, but if I had to pick just one, this would be it. I love the combination of sweet and savory, and this pairing of the most delicious chicken liver mousse I’ve ever tasted and toast covered in a delectable date jam is total perfection.

Potato Pulp
2. Potato Pulp from Trois Mec. Trois Mec was the most anticipated restaurant opening of the year and the incredible food and intimate dining experience I had there certainly lived up to the hype. The Potato Pulp has quickly become the restaurant’s signature dish and combines potatoes, brown butter, onion soubise, Salers cheese and bonito flakes into a plate of transcendent awesomeness.

Lamb Neck with Creamy Oats from The Gorbals
1. Lamb Neck with Creamy Oats from The Gorbals. Tender, juicy, incredibly flavorful and falling right off the bone, this is the best lamb dish I’ve ever eaten. Uber-talented chef Ilan Hall serves it atop a risotto-like bed of deliciously creamy oats. It’s wonderfully rich and decadent and it’s my favorite dish that I wrote about this year.

If you enjoy Consuming LA, please subscribe, like me on Facebook and/or follow me on Twitter at the top right of this page. Also you can now follow me on Instagram @ConsumingLA. And please forward to your friends!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Beverly Hills, Downtown, Hollywood, Manhattan Beach, Mar Vista, Santa Monica

Mighty Good Eats

Pulled Pork Sandwich
I’ve passed by Roadside Eats many times on my way in and out of the Arclight Hollywood, and never thought to go in, probably due to its corporate looking logo and signage, which make it seem like a slick new fast food concept restaurant hoping to become the next Chipotle. I was pleasantly surprised when I finally did check it out because even though the decor was clean and modern, the food reminded me of the great mom and the pop barbeque joints I encountered on a recent road trip through Kentucky and Tennessee.

You order at a counter from a menu which features mostly sandwiches. There’s Hickory-Smoked Tri-Tip, Low and Slow Brisket, Pecan Fried Chicken, and even a classic Fried Bologna, Egg and Cheese. But the must-have sandwich here is the Carolina Pulled Pork; an overflowing mound of crispy and tender pieces of shredded and sauced meat topped with vinegary cole slaw and pickle chips, all on a sweet bun. As they say in Dixie, it’s flat cold good!

There’s also a large variety of Southern sides. My favorites are the Baked Beans with Trimmings, a Southern-inspired Brussels Sprouts Salad, and crunchy, tart and salty Fried Green Tomatoes. You can end your down-home meal with a slice of pie — chocolate pecan, buttermilk custard or apple, deep-fried on request and served a la mode. It will leave you grinnin’ like a possum eatin’ a sweet tater.

Roadside Eats is located at 6374 W Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles (in Hollywood) across from the Arclight movie theaters.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried Green Tomatoes


Mac & Cheese

Mac & Cheese


Brussels Sprouts Salas

Brussels Sprouts


Hickory-Smoked Tri-Tip Sandwich with Smoked Onions and Spiced Aioli

Hickory-Smoked Tri-Tip Sandwich with Smoked Onions and Spiced Aioli


The pies have it.

The pies have it.


Across from the Arclight Hollywood

Across from the Arclight Hollywood


Cleaner and more modern than any roadside BBQ joint I've ever eaten at.

Cleaner and more modern than any roadside BBQ joint I’ve ever eaten at.



Roadside Eats on Urbanspoon

1 Comment

Filed under Hollywood