Consuming LA

June 22, 2012 · 11:00 am

End of the World Party

As you may have heard, the last day of the 5,125-year-long Mayan calendar is December 21st of this year. Is the world going to end on that day? Probably not. Is it a good reason for an end of the world party? You bet! And I know exactly where to get the food. Chichen Itza Restaurant, named after the ancient Mayan city, specializes in Mexican cuisine from the Yucatan region (where the Mayans lived) and is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. It’s located in the awesome Mercado La Paloma Community Marketplace, a cool and funky warehouse-like space/food court where you can get inexpensive gourmet grub, view an art show and buy a dress for a quinceanara. Mercado La Paloma was also the home of my favorite Peruvian restaurant, Mo-Chica, until it moved to swankier digs a few weeks ago.

I’ve had almost everything on the menu at Chichen Itza and I love every dish there. The Kibis are an amazing way to start your meal. Introduced to the Yucatan by Lebanese immigrants more than a century ago, they are ground beef and cracked wheat patties which have been seasoned with mint and spices, fried golden brown and served with Yucatecan pickled red onions. I also recommend the Sikil-Pac, a dip made with roasted tomatoes, pumpkin seeds & chives, and served with tortilla chips. The Tacos de Chicharron, made with crispy fried pork cracklings, pico de gallo and diced avocados are really unusual and a must-have. But my favorite dishes of all are the Queso Relleno, which is edam cheese stuffed with ground pork, olives and capers and served with a white sauce, and the Cochonita Pibil, a very popular Yucatecan specialty of braised pork which has been wrapped and cooked in a banana leaf with achiote marinade. To drink, get an Agua de Chaya, a sweet beverage made with a leafy green vegetable known as “tree spinach.” I know that a green vegetable drink might not sound appealing but trust me on this one. Like everything else at Chichen Itza, it’s really good!

Chichen Itza is located at 3655 S. Grand Ave in Los Angeles (South LA near USC).

Kibis

Sikil-Pac

Tacos de Chicharron

Queso Relleno

Cochonita Pibil

Poc Chuc (thin slices of pork loin, cooked over mesquite charcoal, marinated with sour orange juice served with roasted red onion, roasted tomato sauce, avocado, black bean puree and corn tortillas)

Platanos con Crema

Queso Napolitano

Agua de Chaya

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Filed under South Los Angeles

Tagged as Best Mexican Food LA, Best Mexican Food Los Angeles, Chichen Itza, Chichen Itza Los Angeles, Chichen Itza Menu, Chichen Itza Restaurant, Chichen Itza Restaurant Los Angeles, Chichen Itza Restaurant Menu, Chichen Itza Review, Chicken Itza, Chicken Itza Los Angeles, Chicken Itza Restaurant, End of the Mayan Calendar, Kibis, Mayan Calander, Mayan Food, Mercado La Paloma, Restaurants near USC, Yucatan Food Los Angeles

June 15, 2012 · 12:02 pm

Thai Me Up

Some like it hot and I, for one, love spicy food, the kind that makes my mouth burn a little, my heart race and my forehead perspire. My favorite Thai restaurant in LA, Jitlada, does not disappoint when it comes to turning up the heat. Jitlada specializes in exotic Southern Thai food, not the typical Pad Thai Noodles and Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce that you find in most American Thai restaurants (although you can get these dishes at Jitlada if you so desire). I recommend focusing on the Southern Thai portion of the extensive menu. There you will find extrordinary treasures; complex and unusual dishes, many of which pack a punch with their level of spiciness.

Any visit to Jitlada should start with the Crying Tiger Pork appetizer; juicy pieces of deliciously salty and sweet pork with a very spicy sauce served on the side. I also love the Crispy Morning Glory Salad (pictured above), an amazing salad of deep fried Chinese watercress, shrimp, red cabbage, onions and cilantro with a spicy citrus dressing. Be careful if you order the Papaya Salad; it is one of the spiciest things I’ve ever had there.

My favorite dish at Jitlada is the Soft Shell Crab Noodles; broad noodles with an amazing Thai sauce and battered and fried pieces of soft shell crab. If you want to go more exotic, try the Basil Frog Legs or the Green Curry Dragon Eggs, which are fish balls stuffed with duck egg yolks in a green curry sauce; very unique and delicious. To wash it all down, you could get a Thai Iced Tea, but I recommend a Mango Smoothie and because this is Jitlada, you can even order the smoothie spicy (I always do).

A word of warning about Jitlada: the service can often be very slow. But this is a small price to pay for such incredible Southern Thai Food. As is any suffering in the bathroom after your spicy meal.

Jitlada is located at 5233 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles (in Hollywood).

Spicy Mango Smoothies

Crying Tiger Pork

Fried Chicken

Soft Shell Crab Noodles

Green Curry Dragon Eggs

Basil Frog Legs

It's not fancy but it's awesome!

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Filed under Hollywood

Tagged as Best Thai Food Los Angeles, Best Thai Restaurant Los Angeles, Crying Tiger Beef, Crying Tiger Pork, Dragon Eggs, Green Curry Dragon Eggs, Jitlada, Jitlada Crying Tiger Pork, Jitlada Dragon Eggs, Jitlada Menu, Jitlada Morning Glory Salad, Jitlada Restaurant, Jitlada Review, Jitlada Sunset, Jitlada Thai, Jitlada Thai Restaurant, Morning Glory Salad, Spiciest Thai Food

June 8, 2012 · 11:00 am

Popcorn Bacon

If dining out was a sport, then eating at Black Hogg would be referred to as “Extreme Gastropubbing.” Debuting a few months ago in Silverlake, but awaiting its liquor license, Black Hogg is not for timid (or healthy) eaters. Their signature dish is “Popcorn Bacon” (pictured above), small chunks of bacon which have been battered and deep fried just like Popcorn Shrimp. It’s good (how could it not be?), but undeniably hardcore.

Other small plates include Fried Olives with Honey Goat Cheese, Roasted Marrow Bones with Breakfast Radishes, Longaniza Sausage Hash with Fried Egg, Ale-Battered Cod with Ruffle Chips, and Spicy Chicken Liver on Toast with Chicken Cracklin’. On a recent visit, my favorite dish was the Pork Belly Tacos with Fuji Apple Slaw and Jalapeno Relish. It’s very spicy and insanely good. I also really liked the Brussels Sprouts with Anchovy Citronette and Gremolata, although maybe I just felt good about eating a vegetable dish among all the rich indulgences.

The deep fried fun continues with dessert, where you can order Chai Spiced Churros with Warm Walnut Oil Ganache. Crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, these are possibly the best churros I have ever tasted. The other dessert on the menu combines three of my favorite things (tres leches, rhubarb and bread pudding), but it was disappointing. The restaurant space itself is surprising. With this kind of fare and the Silverlake location, I was expecting dark and ornate, but the room is actually light with mostly modern decor.

Final verdict on Black Hogg: it’s quite good and very fun, but you might want to get your cholesterol checked first. Black Hogg is located at 2852 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles (in Silverlake).

Spicy Chicken Liver on Toast with Chicken Cracklin'

Pork Belly Tacos with Fuji Apple Slaw and Jalapeno Relish

Mary's Brick Chicken, Brussels Sprouts, Anchovy Citronette

Chai Spiced Churros with Warm Walnut Oil Ganache

Three Milks & Rhubarb Bread Pudding with Fresh Cream and Hazelnuts

Surprisingly bright and modern interior

Welcome to the Gun Show

Son of a Gun is one of the hottest joints in town. Launched last year by chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Son of a Gun is the seafood version of their amazing meat-centric restaurant Animal. Like Animal, Son of a Gun is situated in a small, cozy space and serves pricy little plates of creative genius. The atmosphere is casual and fun. The walls are strewn with nautical tchotchkes and the bar turns out luscious libations such as Tiki-Cones (alcoholic snow cones) and Dark & Stormies made with housemade ginger beer. Dinner reservations at Son of a Gun are difficult to get on short notice, but walk-ins are accommodated at a very long communal table in the center of the restaurant.

The menu, which changes daily, features around 35 different small plates, almost all of which are meant for sharing. Surprisingly, one of the most popular items at this seafood eatery is a fried chicken sandwich. It’s incredibly delicious and is prepared with an unruly mass of spicy bread & butter pickle slaw and “Rooster” aioli. Other sandwiches that are definite must-haves are the Lobster Roll with Celery and Lemon Aioli and the Shrimp Toast Sandwich with Herbs and Sriracha Mayo. I also highly recommend Benton’s Country Ham Hush Puppies with Honey Butter, which looks at first glance like falafel balls with hummus. If you want something healthier and equally delicious, get the Amberjack Crudo with Galbi Vinaigrette and Pink Lady, as well as the Raw Gloucester Scallop with Yuzo Kosho Viniagrette and Wood Sorrel. The desserts are less impressive, but each time I get to that point at Son of a Gun, I’m usually too stuffed to care.

Son of a Gun is located at 8370 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles (Mid-City).

Lobster Roll with Celery and Lemon Aioli

Fried Chicken Sandwich with Spicy B&B Pickle Slaw and Rooster Aioli

Shrimp Toast Sandwich with Herbs and Sriracha Mayo

Benton's Country Ham Hush Puppies with Honey Butter

Octopus Confit Salad with Mirepoix and Chili

Raw Gloucester Scallop with Yuzu Kosho Vinaigrette and Wood Sorrel

Amberjack Crudo with Galbi Vinaigrette and Pink Lady

Monkfish in Pho Fumet with Herbs, Lime and Bok Choy

Frozen Lime Yogurt with Graham Crumble and Toasted Meringue

The big communal table

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Filed under Mid-City

Tagged as Animal Seafood Restaurant, Jon Shook, Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo, Los Angeles Seafood Restaurants, Son of a Gun, Son of a Gun Chicken Sandwich, Son of a Gun Lobster Roll, Son of a Gun Los Angeles, Son of a Gun Menu, Son of a Gun Restaurant, Son of a Gun Review, Son of a Gun Shrimp Toast, Vinny Dotolo

May 25, 2012 · 10:30 am

Cuban Pastry Crisis

Porto’s Bakery and Cafe is a loud and lively LA institution selling pastries and awesome Cuban comfort food to Angelenos for decades. All three of its locations (Glendale, Burbank and Downey) have counter service only and the lines are usually long, but move fast. With so many delicious offerings, the only real crisis at Porto’s is deciding what to order. Here are my seven favorites:

Potato Ball

1. Potato Balls. Also known as Papas Rellenas, these are balls of mashed potatoes which have been filled with seasoned ground beef and deep fried; kind of a spherical mini Shepherd’s Pie. This is my favorite thing at Porto’s and an absolute must-have.

Rellenito

2. Rellenitos. These are small pieces of sweet plantains filled with black beans and coated with sugar. I love plantains and these little concoctions are not too sweet and perfect for an appetizer.

Chorizo Pie

3. Chorizo Pies. Another favorite of mine are these Spanish-style empanadas with a flaky, buttery pastry dough crust and stuffed with spicy ground pork sausage. What’s not to love?

Medianoche (Midnight Sandwich)

4. Hot-Pressed Sandwiches. There are fifteen sandwich choices, but my favorites are the hot-pressed Cubano (Cuban Sandwich) with slow roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, butter, mayo/mustard and pickles on Cuban Bread, and the Medianoche (Midnight Sandwich) which is the same as the Cubano except on a sweet roll.

Mariquitas (Plantain Chips)

5. Mariquitas (Plantain Chips). Crispy, salty and slightly sweet, these are perhaps the best chips ever. They come with all of the sandwiches or you can get a separate order with a side of Cuban garlic sauce.

Individual Tres Leches Cake

6. Tres Leches Cake. I’m actually not a huge fan of the kind of creamy, fancy pastries sold at Porto’s, although most people love these desserts. I do however love Porto’s traditional Tres Leches Cake. Soaked in three kinds of milk and topped with meringue, this yellow sponge cake is moist and delicious.

Malta

7. Malta Soda. Malta is an acquired taste. Sometimes known as “Children’s Beer,” it’s a carbonated non-alcoholic malt soda which is essentially unfermented dark beer. It’s sweet and tastes like molasses. Other beverages at Porto’s include horchata, mango smoothies, mamey shakes and coffee drinks such as cafe con leche and dulce de leche latte.

Always a line, but worth the wait

Porto’s Bakery & Cafe is located at 3614 W. Magnolia Blvd in Burbank, 315 N. Brand Blvd in Glendale and 8233 Firestone Blvd in Downey.

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Filed under Burbank, Downey, Glendale

Tagged as Best Restaurants Downey, Best Restaurants Glendale, Best Restaurants in Downey, Best Restaurants in Glendale, Cuban Restaurant Glendale, Cuban Restaurants, Cuban Restaurants Los Angeles, Downey Restaurants, Glendale Restaurants, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Cuban Bakery, Los Angeles Cuban Food, Los Angeles Cuban Restaurant, malta, malta los angeles, malta soda, malta soda los angeles, Medianoche Sandwich, Porto's, Porto's Bakery and Cafe, Porto's Burbank, Porto's Cuban Bakery and Cafe, Porto's Downey, Porto's Glendale, Porto's Los Angeles, Porto's Menu, Porto's Potato Balls, Porto's Review, Rellenitos, tres leches, tres leches cake

End of the World Party

Thai Me Up

Popcorn Bacon

Welcome to the Gun Show

Cuban Pastry Crisis

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