Consuming LA

January 7, 2013 · 11:51 am

500 Days of Scones

Last year I rejected the hackneyed New Year’s resolution to eat healthier and instead I boldly declared my resolution to eat more pie. That was so 2012. As we begin 2013, I feel we are entering a new era, an era of both frightening uncertainty and cautious optimism (and I’m not just talking about the Lakers). Accordingly, my resolution this year is to eat more scones!

There is something very warming and comforting about a scone, especially when accompanied by a hot drink on a cold day. First introduced to the world by the the Scots in the early 1500’s, the scone is more popular today than ever. There are two basic kinds of scones: the “cream tea scone” and the “drop scone” (aka “griddle scone”). The cream tea scone is light and fluffy and served with clotted cream and jam during a traditional English afternoon tea. I prefer drop scones (aka griddle scones) which resemble biscuits and are crispy and slightly browned on the outside, delicate and flaky on the inside.

My favorite scones in LA come from Rockenwagner Bakery/3 Square Cafe and Bakery, helmed by Austrian-bred master chef and baker Hans Rockenwagner. Rockenwagner’s scones are insanely good and his varieties include Triberry, Ginger, 5-Grain, Chocolate Chip, Blueberry, Bacon & Cheddar and my favorite, White Chocolate Raspberry. I’m also crazy about the Republic of Pies’ Bacon Scone, which is surprisingly sweet rather than savory. Another unique scone is Short Cake’s Campfire Scone, which tastes just like a S’more and is topped with toasted marshmallow. Below is my list of the top eight scones in the city. Happy New Year!

Raspberry White Chocolate Scone from Rockenwagner Bakery/3 Square Bakery and Cafe in Santa Monica, Mar Vista and Venice

Chocolate Pear Scone from Clementine in Westwood

Bacon Scone from Republic of Pies in North Hollywood

Maple Oatmeal Scone from Sweet Butter Kitchen in Sherman Oaks

Blueberry and Jam Scone from Bricks and Scone (403 N. Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles)

Blueberry and Jam Scone from Bricks and Scones in Larchmont

Campfire Scone from Short Cake in The Farmer’s Market

Ginger Apricot Scone from Susina Bakery & Cafe (7122 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles)

Ginger Apricot Scone from Susina Bakery & Cafe in Mid-City

Oatmeal Brown Butter Scone from Sycamore Kitchen in Mid-City

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Filed under Fairfax, Larchmont, Mar Vista, Mid-City, North Hollywood, Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Venice, Westwood

Tagged as 3 Square Bakery and Cafe, Best Scones, Best scones in LA, Best Scones in Los Angeles, Bricks and Scones, Bricks and Scones Larchmont, Campfire Scone, Clementine Bakery, Clementine's, Clementines Bakery, Clementines Century City, Clementines Los Angeles, Hans Rockenwagner, History of Scones, Republic of Pies, Republic of Pies North Hollywood, Rockenwagner, Rockenwagner Bakery, Rockenwagner Bakery Culver City, Rockenwagner Bakery Mar Vista, Rockenwagner Bakery Menu, Rockenwagner Bakery Santa Monica, Rockenwagner Bakery Venice, Rockenwagner Scones, S'mores Scone, Scones, Scones and Bricks, Short Cake, Short Cake Bakery, short cake campfire scones, short cake farmer's market, short cake los angles, short cake s'mores scones, Short Order Bakery, Susina, Susina Bakery and Cafe, Susina Los Angeles, Sweet Butter, Sweet Butter Bakery, Sweet Butter Cafe, Sweet Butter Cafe Sherman Oaks, Sweet Butter Kitchen, Sweet Butter Kitchen Sherman Oaks, Sweet Butter Sherman Oaks, Sycamore Kitchen, Sycamore Kitchen Los Angeles, Three Square Bakery and Cafe

December 26, 2012 · 10:24 am

The 10 Best Things I Consumed in 2012

2012 was a banner year food-wise in the City of Angels. Angelenos have never before had so many amazing restaurant options and I have tried to cover many of them on this blog. Of all the dishes that I wrote about in 2012, the following are my ten favorites; the ones that I happily dream about and crave pretty much all the time. Some of them were introduced at exciting and cutting-edge new local eateries this past year, while others are things that I have loved for years. Most are not “healthy choices,” so if you’re planning to make a New Year’s resolution to watch your weight, get to work; you only have a few days left to indulge!

Beef Roll

10. Beef Roll at 101 Noodle Express I’m crazy about this Northeastern Chinese delicacy made of thinly sliced and braised fatty beef with fresh chopped cilantro and sweet bean sauce rolled in a fried doughy Chinese pancake. It’s salty, crispy, beefy and incredibly delicious!

Papa Rellena

9. Papa Rellena at Porto’s Bakery & Cafe This Cuban treat (which I finally wrote about this past year) is essentially a ball of mashed potatoes which has been filled with seasoned ground beef and deep fried; kind of a spherical mini Shepherd’s Pie. Muy delicioso!

Bacon Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuit

8. Bacon Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuit with Maple Butter at MB Post Even if you live in the Valley or the Eastside, these biscuits are reason alone to travel to Manhattan Beach. Served hot out of the oven with soft and sweet maple butter, they are outrageously good.

Maple Custard Pie

7. Maple Custard Pie at The Pie Hole The only dessert to make the list, this is possibly the best pie I have ever had. It is the perfect combination of a sublime buttery not-too-sweet crust and an incredible caramelized custardy filling. I only wish they sold it year round!

Fried Clams

6. Fried Clams at Sonny McLean’s Irish Pub I went on a mission this year to find authentic New England-style battered and fried “whole belly” Ipswich clams (not strips!) and was surprised to find the real deal at this little Boston Irish sports bar in Santa Monica. They’re wicked good!

Cuban Torta

5. Cuban Torta with Pork Terrine, Prosciutto, Provolone, Pickled Jalapeno & Mustard at Sunny Spot Of all the amazing dishes at Chef Roy Choi’s creative Caribbean-themed restaurant, this mouth-watering, non-traditional version of a Cuban sandwich is my favorite.

“Philly Cheesesteak”

4. “Philly Cheesesteak” at The Bazaar The Bazaar is one of my favorite restaurants in the city and my favorite dish is this playful take on the Philadelphia classic sandwich. It’s made with "air bread" and cheddar cheese, and covered with thin slices of Wagyu beef and finely chopped chives.

Steak Tartare and Mustard Ice Cream

3. Steak Tartare and Mustard Ice Cream at Eat Drink Americano Savory and spicy mustard ice cream may not sound appealing on its own, but once mixed with a delectable steak tartare, the resulting flavor combination is unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before and out of this world!

"The Toron" BÃ¤co

2. “The Touron” BÃ¤co at BÃ¤co Mercat Each of Chef Josef Centeno’s original sandwich creations called “BÃ¤cos” are works of culinary genius. However, the best in my opinion is The Touron with oxtail hash, pickle, potato & cheddar cheese on BÃ¤co Mercat’s signature flatbread.

Gougere Sliders

1. Gougere Sliders with Fried Oysters, Tartar Sauce, Applewood Smoked Bacon and Arugula” at Little Bear These little sandwiches on Greyere cheese puffs combine cheese, dough, bacon and fried oysters, so it’s not a total surprise that they are my favorite dish of the year. I love them!

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Filed under Alhambra, Arcadia, Burbank, Culver City, Downey, Downtown, Glendale, Manhattan Beach, Mid-City, Santa Monica, Venice

Tagged as Best Dishes in LA, Best Dishes in Los Angeles, Best LA Food, Best Los Angeles Food, Best Restaurants in LA, Best Restaurants in Los Angeles, Top LA Restaurants, Top Los Angeles Restaurants

December 14, 2012 · 11:21 am

Snack Attack

Superba Snack Bar is full of surprises, starting with its name since it’s not a snack bar (at least not in the traditional sense) and it’s not on Superba Avenue, but several blocks north, on Rose. It has savory chocolate pasta, as well as cauliflower masquerading as a t-bone steak. Its funky/chic exterior was inspired by French cafes, as well as Jeff Spicoli from “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” But the biggest surprise is that this self-described “neighborhood joint” is so good, it has quickly become one of the best new restaurants in the city.

The food is all small plates with an emphasis on creative pastas. I recommend getting the tasting menu, but if you want to a-la-carte-it, I suggest ordering from each of the four sections of the menu: “Cold Cuts” (which are not all cold and include the excellent Superba Smoked Bacon & Membrillo), “Snacks” (the Fried Chicken is a must-have), “From Our Backyards” (vegetables and salads) and “From Our Hands” (pastas such as a surprisingly good Chocolate Papardelle and a delicious Chestnut Agnolotti).

As for vegetables dishes, I finally have an amazing recommendation for the vegetarian and vegan followers of this blog who keep reading every week despite my endless posts about bacon. The aforementioned Cauliflower T-Bone, which is topped with a parsley puree and an orange and olive pistou, looks and tastes like a juicy, well-seasoned steak. It’s one of the best things on the menu and one of the best vegetable dishes I have ever eaten. For dessert, I love the S’mores in a jar with smoked marshmallows and the Chocloate Peanut Butter Lava Cake.

Superba Snack Bar is located at 533 Rose Ave., Los Angeles (in Venice). They don’t take reservations except for parties of six or more ordering the tasting menu. UPDATE: Superba started going downhill and not surprisingly it is now closed.

Pan con Tomato, Olive Oil & Sea Salt

Superba Smoked Bacon & Membrillo

Superba Fried Chicken, Red Wine Glaze, Pickled Chilies & Parmesan

Cauliflower T-bone, Parsley Puree, Orange & Olive Pistou

Chocolate Pappardelle, Oxtail, Cherries, Olives & Ricotta

Chestnut Agnolotti, Black Truffle Puree, Poached Quince & Sage

Pumpkin Pie, Gingersnap Crumble, Burrata Gelato

S’mores, Chocolate Pudding, Graham Cracker, Smoked Marshmallow

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup, Almond Crumble

Best Mall Food Ever

Hanging out at a shopping mall is not my idea of a good time, especially during the holiday season. Parking is a pain, most of the chain stores are uninteresting and the food options are terrible. (I’m looking at you, Sbarro and Panda Express.) But lately I have a reason for frequenting the mall, or at least one mall in particular. I am head over heels in love with the Beef Rolls at 101 Noodle Express in Westfield Culver City.

This food court delicacy hails from the Shandong region in Northeastern China and consists of thinly sliced and braised fatty beef with fresh chopped cilantro and sweet bean sauce rolled in a fried doughy Chinese pancake. Salty, crispy and beefy, this dish checks a lot of boxes for me. It can be found not only at the Culver City Mall, but also at 101 Noodle Express’ two other locations in Arcadia and Alhambra.

While Beef Rolls are the standout dish, there are other great things on the menu. The Hot and Sour Soup is surprisingly good and the Soup Dumplings are definitely worth ordering. They’re not as good as the ones at Din Tai Fung, but they’re pretty damn tasty and the ones in Culver City are the best I’ve had without schlepping to the San Gabriel Valley.

101 Noodle Express is located at 6000 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City (in the Westfield Culver City Mall formerly known as the Fox Hills Mall), as well as 1025 Baldwin Ave. in Arcadia, and 1048 E. Valley Blvd. in Alhambra.

Soup Dumplings

Hot and Sour Soup

Food court excellence!

The Dynamic Duo

Many newly-formed couples made headlines in 2012: Kim & Kanye, Romney & Ryan, and Honey Boo Boo & TLC to name a few. But, to me, the most noteworthy new pairing of the year was Steak Tartare & Mustard Ice Cream. While raw beef and a scoop of frozen spicy dairy seem the unlikeliest of pairings, once mixed together, they transform into one the most incredible dishes I have ever tasted.

This ingenious coupling is the highlight of the menu at Eat Drink Americano, a cool little gastropub that opened downtown earlier this year. Located in an alley in the hipper-than-hip Downtown Arts District, just outside of Little Tokyo, the restaurant has a very cool industrial chic, steampunk-esque interior. It’s cozy, dark and intimate, with exposed brick walls, a giant graphic mural and a wine bottle chandelier.

The menu is eclectic and some items are much better than others. Besides the Steak Tartare and Mustard Ice Cream, I recommend the Soft Shell Crab Sandwich with wakame seaweed and saffron aioli on an English muffin. Other dishes, such as their “Third Street Salad” and the Classic Ceviche, are nothing to write home about. I love that they have an open kitchen, but they can use more than just two people working in it, as the service can be extremely slow. But if you order correctly, it’s definitely worth the wait.

Eat Drink Americano is located at 923 E. Third Street, Los Angeles (Downtown).

Craft Beer Sampler

Soft Shell Crab Sandwich with wakame seaweed and saffron aioli on an English muffin

Third Street Salad with butter lettuce, corn, black beans, bell pepper, tomato, red onion and a cilantro lime vinaigrette

Classic Ceviche with fresh caught yellowtail, peppers and choclo in a spicy citrus marinade

Exposed brick walls and a wine bottle chandelier

500 Days of Scones

The 10 Best Things I Consumed in 2012

Snack Attack

Best Mall Food Ever

The Dynamic Duo

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