Category Archives: Cheviot Hills

The 10 Best Things I Consumed in 2015

2015
2015 was a year of surprises. Caitlyn Jenner, Rachel Dolezal and the gold and white dress that some people saw as blue and black; things were not always what they appeared to be. The food scene in LA was no exception, as I discovered many unexpected pleasures this year in unlikely places. Here is my annual list of the ten best things I consumed and wrote about in the past year.

Gyoza from Beni Tora

Gyoza from Beni Tora


10. Gyoza from Beni Tora. Beni Tora is not the most popular restaurant in Sawtelle Japantown, but their excellent gyoza, which comes in nine different varieties, is reason alone to dine there.

Peanut Brittle Brownie from Beverly Hills Brownie Company

Peanut Brittle Brownie from Beverly Hills Brownie Company


9. Peanut Brittle Brownie from Beverly Hills Brownie Company. I love peanut butter more than almost anything. So when I met this dark chocolate brownie made with chunky peanut butter and peanut brittle from See's Candies, it was love at first bite.

Rabbit Baklava with Bing Cherries, White Beans, Pistachios and Carrots from Birch

Rabbit Baklava with Bing Cherries, White Beans, Pistachios and Carrots from Birch


8. Rabbit Baklava with Bing Cherries, White Beans, Pistachios and Carrots from Birch. “Rabbit” and “Baklava” are words that you usually don’t see paired together on a menu. The combo though is surprisingly great, especially when prepared by the talented chef of one of my favorite new restaurants.

Spicy Tuna Poké with Creamy Togarashi Sauce, Hijiki, Avocado and Chile Marinated Oranges from Sweet Fin Poké

Spicy Tuna Poké with Creamy Togarashi Sauce, Hijiki, Avocado and Chile Marinated Oranges from Sweet Fin Poké


7. Spicy Tuna Poké from Sweet Fin Poké. Poké is a food trend that exploded in LA in 2015 and something that I can’t get enough of. My favorite of the new raw fish joints is Sweet Fin in Santa Monica and my favorite thing to order there is creamy Spicy Tuna Poké with avocado and spicy chili marinated oranges.

Patty Melt from Cassell's Hamburgers

Patty Melt from Cassell’s Hamburgers


6. Patty Melt from Cassell’s Hamburgers. This year I went in search of the best burgers in LA. The winner was Cassell’s in K-town. But as much as I love the burgers at Cassell’s, their Patty Melt is even better.

Milk Bread Focaccia from Orsa and Winston

Milk Bread Focaccia from Orsa and Winston


5. Milk Bread Focaccia from Orsa and Winston. I’m a sucker for hot-out-of-the-oven bread and it doesn’t get any better than this fusion of Japanese milk bread and Italian focaccia topped with parsley, parmesan and speck.

Black Sea Bass Sushi with Kelp from Sushi Zo

Black Sea Bass Sushi with Kelp from Sushi Zo


4. Sushi from Sushi Zo. Los Angeles is the sushi capital of the United States and the best of the best here is Sushi Zo. Their omakase is pretty much a religious experience.

Blood Orange "Trifolo" with Semolina Cake and Fruit Compote from Maré

Blood Orange “Trifolo” with Semolina Cake and Fruit Compote from Maré


3. Blood Orange “Trifolo” with Semolina Cake and Fruit Compote from Maré. My favorite dessert of the year came from a clandestine hot spot which was full of surprises. Served in a mason jar, this unusual layered desert is tart and sweet and truly incredible.

Marinated Kurobuta Pork Belly from Hanjip

Marinated Kurobuta Pork Belly from Hanjip


2. Marinated Kurobuta Pork Belly from Hanjip. I’m not sure what “Hanjip” means in English, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Korean for “pork belly to die for.”

Ike's Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings from Pok Pok LA

Ike’s Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings from Pok Pok LA


1. Ike’s Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings from Pok Pok LA. Earlier this year, I wrote about my food adventures in Portland, Oregon, where my favorite restaurant was a creative Thai eatery called Pok Pok. As luck would have it, Pok Pok just opened an LA location in Chinatown, where they serve their incredible signature chicken wings, which I like to refer to as “meat candy.” It is my favorite thing that I consumed and wrote about this year.

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Filed under Beverly Hills, Cheviot Hills, Downtown, Hollywood, Koreatown, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, West LA

It’s Zo Good

Black Sea Bass Sushi with Kelp
In the competitive world of LA Sushidom, Sushi Zo is a titan. How good is Sushi Zo? It’s Breaking Bad good. It’s Chris Paul and Blake Griffin good. Or in terms my wife can understand, it’s Saks Fifth Avenue Friends and Family Sale good.

The original location resides in a Cheviot Hills shopping center and has been a mecca for sushi lovers for the past eight years. But if you’re willing to shell out some serious shekels, the newer location Downtown in the Old Bank District is the one to really get excited about. Its menu is strictly omakase (chef’s choice) and consists of 20 or so expertly curated and prepared bite-sized slices of the best raw fish you’ve ever consumed, along with a few other amazing Japanese delicacies including Sushi Zo’s famous Squid Noodles with Uni and Truffle Salt. It simply does not get better than this.

Sushi Zo is located at 9824 National Blvd, Los Angeles (in Cheviot Hills) and 334 S. Main St, Los Angeles (Downtown).

Kumamoto Oysters

Kumamoto Oysters


Amberjack

Amberjack Sashimi


Sea Bass

Sea Bass Sashimi


Bluefin Tuna Sashimi

Bluefin Tuna Sashimi


Octopus

Octopus Sashimi


Halibut Sushi

Halibut Sushi


Scallop Sushi

Scallop Sushi


Wild Caught Yellow Tail Belly

Wild Caught Yellow Tail Belly Sushi


Medium Toro

Medium Toro Sushi


Amberjack Sushi

Amberjack Sushi


Pompano Sushi

Pompano Sushi


Ankimo

Ankimo (Monk Fish Liver)


Japanese Barracuda Sushi

Japanese Barracuda Sushi


Chawanmushi (Egg Custard Dish)

Chawanmushi (Egg Custard Dish)


Red Snapper Sushi

Red Snapper Sushi


Squid Noodles with Uni and Truffle Salt

Squid Noodles with Uni and Truffle Salt


Salmon Roe

Salmon Roe


Uni (Sea Urchin) Sushi

Uni (Sea Urchin) Sushi


Giant Clam Sushi

Giant Clam Sushi


Cod Sperm Sac Sushi

Cod Sperm Sac Sushi


Sea Eel Sushi

Sea Eel Sushi


Sea Bass Soup

Sea Bass Soup


Tamago (Omelette)

Tamago (Omelette)


Sushi Masters

Sushi Masters




Sushi Zo on Urbanspoon
Zo on Urbanspoon

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Filed under Cheviot Hills, Downtown