Consuming LA

February 29, 2012

Sunny Delight

Roy Choi is my hero. After being laid off from his then-current chef position, classically-trained Choi did the unimaginable: he and a couple friends leased a food truck and began selling tacos filled with Korean BBQ in the streets of Los Angeles. Choi’s Kogi BBQ truck launched the modern food truck movement, which now has thousands of food trucks across the country tweeting their whereabouts and introducing people to all kinds of creative dishes and exotic cuisines. Not one to rest on his laurels, Choi has built a food empire in three short years that consists of five Kogi BBQ trucks and four amazing Los Angeles restaurants: The Alibi Room, Chego, A-Frame and his newest place, Sunny Spot in Venice.

I visited Sunny Spot recently with friends and fellow bloggers Angela and Mark from I Flip For Food and was blown away by Choi’s latest creation. Sunny Spot is a Caribbean-inspired “roadside cookshop.” Think hipster cocktail bar meets kitschy Caribbean beach shack, but with amazing food. It’s a festive atmosphere. The bar serves up rum-based cocktails such as the Dry Harbour (pot still rum, lime, absinthe and habanero pineapple shrub) and the San Juan Sling (white rum, cherry brandy, Angostura, Benedictine and lime), while the kitchen serves up small plates of sweet and savory goodness.

We started our dinner with Pineapple Lollipops, sweet spears of fresh pineapple liberally sprinkled with chili salt; a simple but tasty appetizer that I will no doubt replicate at home. Because of the name alone, I knew we would have to order the Muh-F*K*N Mofongo, a stew made with overripe plantains, bacon, garlic and black pepper. Plantains and bacon are two of my favorite things and not surprisingly, I absolutely loved this dish. Another winning menu item was the Sugar Cane Fried Pigs Feet, which were deliciously crispy, salty and fatty. The Sugar Scotch Bonnet Short Ribs (pictured above) were finger-lickin’ good!

Any respectable Caribbean-themed joint has got to have goat and Choi’s Slow Roasted G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) with Lettuce Wedges and Pickled Mango was pretty tasty. But my absolute favorite dish was the Cuban Torta with Pork Terrine, Prosciutto, Provolone, Pickled Jalapeno and Mustard. It was one of the best sandwiches I have ever had and I’ve craved it often since my visit to Sunny Spot. To end this incredible meal, we had an awesome dessert called “We Be Yammin,” which was a sweet potato tart with a walnut crust and toasted marshmallow ice cream, as well as a plate of decadent and delectable Housemade Caramels sprinkled with Maldon salt and crushed toasted cashews. Good stuff, Mon!

Sunny Spot is located at 822 Washington Blvd. on the Venice/Marina del Rey border.

Muh-F*K*N Mofongo

Sugar Cane Fried Pigs Feet

Slow Roasted G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) with Lettuce Wedges and Pickled Mango

Cuban Torta with Pork Terrine, Prosciutto, Provolone, Pickled Jalapeno & Mustard

Broiled Yellowtail Collar

We Be Yammin (Sweet Potato Tart with Walnut Crust and Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream)

Housemade Caramels with Maldon Salt and Toasted Cashews

Yummy Cocktails

1 Comment

Filed under Marina del Rey, Venice

Tagged as kogi bbq, kogi bbq truck, kogi truck, mofongo, roy choi, roy choi's new restaurant, sunny sport marina del rey, sunny spot, sunny spot menu, sunny spot restaurant, sunny spot review, sunny spot venice, sunny spot venice menu, sunny spot venice review

February 22, 2012

Little Osaka’s Groovy New Gastropub

What do you get when you pair a former Umami Burger executive chef with a local real estate developer turned restauranteur who takes inspiration from a municipal office charged with overseeing construction? You get Plan Check Kitchen + Bar, a great new gastropub which officially opens today in the Westside’s Japanese restaurant mecca known as Little Osaka. Plan Check is located adjacent to the Department of Building and Safety, which inspired Plan Check’s name and industrial-chic decor. Once you’ve been seated, the hostess carries out the theme further by stamping part of the drink menu onto the paper covering your table, using a large ink stamp like the ones used next door to approve architectural plans.

Besides its unique building plan approval motif, a couple things distinguish Plan Check from most of its neighbors on Sawtelle. First of all, although there is house-made yuzu soda and a dish made with rockshrimp tempura, this isn’t a Japanese restaurant. Plan Check serves elevated versions of traditional American comfort foods like Burgers and Fries, Pot Roast and Fried Chicken with exotic and unusual touches. Their eponymous burger is made with Akaushi Red Wagyu Beef and “Americanized” cheese, served on a crunch bun, and dressed with a strip of ketchup leather (like a fruit roll-up), savory onions and house-made pickles. It’s delicious, as is their “Pastrami Nosh” (pictured above), which has double smoked pastrami, Swiss cheese, kimchi mustard, pickles and is served with a fried egg on top. I also recommend the PC Tots (tater tots stuffed with cheddar and parmesan cheeses), which are served with smoked milk gravy and, upon request, an amazing house-made ketchup.

Another thing that sets Plan Check apart from most of the other eateries in Little Osaka is its cool bar and array of fun and tasty cocktails. You can order a Spaghetti Western (made with Vida Mezcal, Tapatio, Red Bell Pepper, Lime, Agave and Beer), a High & Low (which I assume is named after one of my favorite Akira Kurosawa films and is made with Zaya Rum, Fino Sherry, Cointreau and Grenadine), or one of their house-made sodas spiked with “moonshine.” Plan Check is as much a bar as a restaurant and is a great place to meet friends for drinks on the Westside. Whether you’re there for lunch, dinner or a late-night drink, I highly recommend getting dessert. The Cruller Donuts, which are cooked to order and served with cream and fresh bananas, are not to be missed.

Plan Check Kitchen + Bar is located at 1800 Sawtelle Blvd. in West LA.

Warm Crab Dip with dynamite sauce, masago, blistered tomato and toast

Plan Check Burger with Akaushi Red Wagyu Beef, Americanized cheese, ketchup leather, savory onions, mixed pickles and crunch bun

PC Tots with cheddar and parmesan cheeses, served with smoked milk gravy

Cruller Donuts cooked to order with cream and bananas

Banana and Dulce de Leche Ice Cream Bar

A cool bar with fun cocktails

A great new addition to Little Osaka

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3 Comments

Filed under West LA

Tagged as Ketchup Leather, Los Angeles Gastropub, Los Angeles Westside Gastropub, Plan Check, Plan Check Bar, Plan Check Kitchen + Bar, Plan Check Kitchen and Bar, Plan Check Los Angeles, Plan Check Menu, Plan Check Restaurant, Plan Check Restaurant Menu, Plan Check Restaurant Review, Plan Check Review, Plan Check Sawtelle, Sawtelle Gastropub

February 14, 2012

14 Best Peanut Butter Treats In LA

I am a peanut butter fanatic, a peanut butter fiend, a peanut butter junkie. I am nuts about peanut butter and I love it more than almost anything else. If a restaurant or bakery has a peanut butter dessert on the menu, I automatically order it. And I always keep a jar at home in the fridge for snacking or adding to other desserts. After years of dedicated research, I share with you my 14 favorite peanut butter treats in Los Angeles (in no particular order).

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cream Cookie from Xtreme Desserts

1. Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cream Cookie from Xtreme Desserts (11990 Ventura Blvd., Studio City) A peanut butter cream cheese filling sandwiched between two soft chocolate chip cookies with chocolate ganache drizzled on top. One of the best things ever!

Peanut Butter Meringue Pie from Pie 'n Burger

2. Peanut Butter Meringue Pie from Pie ‘n Burger (913 E. California in Pasadena) This is one awesome pie. Creamy and delicious peanut butter pudding in a delcious butter crust topped with meringue. They serve it every other day, alternating with Butterscotch Meringue Pie.

Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream from Mashti Malone's

3. Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream from Mashti Malone’s Ice Cream (1525 N. La Brea Ave. in Hollywood) Rich and creamy with chunks of peanut butter and chocolate. It’s surprising that a store famous for their Persian rosewater ice creams and sorbets would make the best peanut butter ice cream in the city, but they do!

The Huell from Stan's Doughnuts

4. The Huell from Stan’s Doughnuts (10948 Weyburn Ave. in Westwood) Stan’s actually makes three amazing peanut butter doughnuts: a Peanut Butter & Banana Doughnut, a PB&J Doughnut and “The Huell,” with chocolate chips and peanut butter, named after local TV celebrity Huell Howser.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Macaron from 'Lette Macarons

5. Peanut Butter and Jelly Macaron from ‘Lette Macarons (9466 Charleville Boulevard in Beverly Hills, 333 S Alameda Street in Downtown and 14 S. Fairoaks Ave. in Pasadena) The exciting marriage of a simple childhood favorite with a refined French pastry. Tastes really good too!

Peanut Butter Chip Cupcake from Sprinkles Cupcakes

6. Peanut Butter Chip Cupcake from Sprinkles Cupcakes (9635 S. Santa Monica Blvd. in Beverly Hills) My all-time favorite cupcake. Chocolate chip-studded peanut butter cake with peanut butter frosting covered in chocolate sprinkles. They only have them on Tuesdays and Sundays.

Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Cakewich from Cake Monkey

7. Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Cakewich from Cake Monkey Bakery (available in all Umami Burger locations as well as other restaurants and gourmet shops) Yummy yellow cake sandwich filled with peanut buttercream, housemade marshmallow and coated with bittersweet chocolate.

Pnut Butter Puff from The Groovy Gourmet Pnut Butter Bar Truck

8. Pnut Butter Puff from The Groovy Gourmet Pnut Butter Bar Truck Los Angeles has its own peanut butter-themed gourmet food truck and this sinful confection is their speciality. It’s like a large fluffy peanut butter beignet and is topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream.

Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwich from Down Beat Cafe

9. Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwich from Down Beat Cafe (10202 N. Alvarado St. in Echo Park) This funky hipster coffee shop bakes the best crispy peanut butter cookies in the city. They take two cookies and make a sandwich with a filling of peanut butter. Super delicious.

Peanut Butter Icebox Pie from Magnolia Bakery

10. Peanut Butter Icebox Pie from Magnolia Bakery (8389 W. 3rd Street in Mid-City) This is one of several peanut butter offerings from one of my favorite bakeries in the city. It has a super light, creamy and delicious filling which sits atop a denser crust. I can devour a slice in about five seconds flat.

Peanut Butter Stuffed Mochi from Fugetsu-Do

11. Peanut Butter Stuffed Mochi from Fugetsu-Do (315 E. 1st St. in Little Tokyo/Downtown) This sweet shop has some of the best mochi in town and my favorites are these soft and chewy mochi disks stuffed with peanut butter. It’s the Japanese equivalent of an Abba Zabba bar!

Deep Fried Fluffer Nutter with Fresh Bananas from Black Market Liquor Bar

12. Deep Fried Fluffer Nutter with Fresh Bananas from Black Market Liquor Bar (11915 Ventura Blvd. in Studio City) Top Chef’s Antonia Lofaso has created this dessert sandwich of peanut butter, marshmallow and bananas on sweet brioche, which is covered with panko bread crumbs and deep fried until golden. It’s wicked good!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bar from Joan's on Third

13. Peanut Butter and Jelly Bar from Joan’s on Third (8350 W. 3rd St. in Mid-City) Joan’s on Third makes amazing baked goods and this dense peanut butter bar with jam on top is no exception. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and salty, and excellent with a cold glass of milk.

Peanut Butter Pinkberry

14. Peanut Butter Pinkberry (numerous locations) Pinkberry hit it out of the park with their rich and luscious peanut butter flavor! Try it with the peanut butter crunch topping, strawberries and a dollop of jelly. They don’t carry this flavor at all locations (what’s with that?!), so call first.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwich

HONORABLE MENTION: Diddy Riese Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwich (926 Broxton Ave. in Westwood) There always seems to be a line outside Diddy Riese, which bakes up delicious cookies. I love their ice cream sandwich made with Dreyer’s Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream and peanut butter cookies. At $1.75, the price can’t be beat!

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Filed under Beverly Hills, Downtown, Echo Park, Food Trucks, Hollywood, Mid-City, Pasadena, Studio City, Westwood

Tagged as antonia lofaso, antonia top chef, Best Peanut Butter Desserts, Best Peanut Butter Desserts LA, Best Peanut Butter Desserts Los Angeles, Best Peanut Butter Treats, Best Peanutbutter Desserts, black market fluffer nutter, black market liquor, black market liquor bar, black market studio city, Cake Monkey, Cakewich, deep fried fluffer nutter, Down Beat Cafe, Extreme Desserts, Extreme Desserts Studio City, fluffer nutter, Groovy Gourmet, joan's on third, Magnolia Bakery, Magnolia Bakery LA, Magnolia Bakery Los Angeles, Magnolia Bakery Peanut Butter Pie, Mashti Malone, Mashti Malone's, Peanut Butter, peanut butter and jelly bar, Peanut Butter and Jelly Macaron, Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Cake, Peanut Butter Cookies Echo Park, Peanut Butter Cupcake, Peanut Butter Ice Cream, Peanut Butter Ice Cream LA, Peanut Butter Ice Cream Los Angeles, Peanut Butter Icebox Pie, Peanut Butter Macaron, Peanut Butter Pie, Peanut Butter Pie LA, Peanut Butter Pie Los Angeles, Peanut Butter Pinkberry, Peanut Butter Puff, Peanut Butter Truck, Peanutbutter, Pie 'n Burger, Pie and Burger, Pie and Burger Pasadena, Sprinkles Cupcakes, Stan's Donuts, Stan's Doughnuts, top chef restaurants, top chef restaurants los angeles, Xtreme Desserts, Xtreme Desserts Studio City

February 7, 2012

The Fastest Pizza In the West

I am a huge fan of Umami Burger and what they’ve done to elevate the common hamburger. So when I heard that Umami creator Adam Fleischman’s next venture would involve pizza, I was giddy with anticipation. 800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria finally opened in Westwood Village last month. It’s a cool looking restaurant and I love the concept: assembly line pizzas that are custom made on the spot with high quality ingredients. It’s kind of like Subway, but nicer and with pizzas instead of sub sandwiches. After your pizza is assembled, it goes into a super-hot 800 degree oven where it fully cooks in about 60 seconds. You can also design your own burrata cheese appetizer or salad. Sounds great, right?

But here’s the problem: as much as I wanted to love 800 Degrees, I didn’t particularly care for the pizza. First of all, I didn’t like the crust. There’s a sign when you walk in advising that the crust is intentionally not crisp, but soft and chewy. I don’t mind soft and chewy, but the center of the crust was very soggy and I just didn’t like its flavor. Furthermore, I don’t recommend taking out unless you like cold pizza because apparently the quick cooking time results in a very quick cooling time. I did like the toppings, especially the freshly cut meats and the pappadew peppers, but I thought 800 Degrees was too stingy with their dispersement. If a pizzeria is going to charge you for a topping, it should make sure you’re getting at least a piece of such topping on each slice, which was not the case with some of the pizzas I got.

Nevertheless, I predict great success for this future chain due in great part to the fact that the food is priced very inexpensively. Pizzas are only $5 or $6 plus $1 per topping. The pizzeria is located right near UCLA and it’s already a big hit with the budget-minded students. Since it just opened, I’ll check it out again in a few months to see if I like it any better.

800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria is located at 10889 Lindbrook Ave., Los Angeles (in Westwood Village).

The assembly line

Burrata with Caponata and Pine Nuts

Tartufo Pizza with truffle cheese, roasted mushrooms, caramelized garlic and arugula

Gelato for dessert

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Filed under Westwood

Tagged as 800 Degrees, 800 Degrees Neapolitan PIzza, 800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria, 800 Degrees Pizza, 800 degrees pizza los angeles, 800 degrees pizza menu, 800 degrees pizza westwood, 800 Degrees Pizzeria, Eight Hundred Degrees Pizza, Eight Hundred Degrees Pizzeria, Pizza near UCLA, UCLA Pizza, Umami PIzza, Umami Pizzeria, Westwood Pizza

February 3, 2012

Attack Of The Killer Burrito

It’s surprising that until a few weeks ago, I’d never been to Manuel’s Original El Tepeyac Cafe in Boyle Heights. Serving up traditional Mexican food since 1955, El Tepeyac is an LA institution known for its legendary “Hollenbeck Burrito.” The restaurant was suggested to me by my friend Frank Buckley, anchor extraordinaire of the KTLA 5 Morning News, who does not play jazz flute like Ron Burgundy, but does knows a thing or two about good food. While Frank had heard about El Tepeyac, he too had never actually been there so we decided to check it out together to see if the burritos lived up to the hype.

Walking into El Tepeyac was like walking back in time into a different era. The restaurant is a small and lively diner packed to the gills with affable Angelenos of all races, ages, shapes and sizes. Presiding over the party is diminutive (in stature only) 78-year-old owner Manny Rojas, who arrives for work at the restaurant at 3am every morning and stays until early afternoon. Manny is incredibly charming and treats all of his customers as if they are his family or close friends. He loves to flirt with the ladies and greets many of his female customers with a kiss, while he welcomes the male clientele with a warm handshake or a hug. Manny poured Frank and me shots of tequilla from his private reserve and regaled us with stories of his youth interspersed with bits of his life philosophy. He is quite the character and no doubt a large contributing factor to the restaurant’s success.

But the food is also a huge draw at El Tepeyac, especially the delicious burritos that we devoured. My favorite was the Machaca Hollenbeck Burrito (pictured above), which contained shredded beef, sautéed onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, eggs, melted cheddar cheese, rice, beans and guacamole and was topped with ranchero sauce. There was a lot going on inside that flour tortilla but it all worked and I loved it! I also really enjoyed the original Hollenbeck, which contained chile verde (pork meat in chili sauce), rice, beans and guacamole and was topped with more chile verde. El Tepeyac has other burritos on its menu as well, including “Manuel’s Special Burritos,” which are ridiculously gigantic six-pound versions of the Hollenbecks. I seriously think that a family of four could come in, order only a single Manuel’s Special Burrito, split it four ways, and each family member would have a filling meal. There is a wide assortment of other Mexican dishes on the menu including huevos rancheros, chile rellenos, tacos, taquitos, tostadas and quesadillas, but the real stars of the show here are the burritos, and of course Manny.

Manuel’s Original El Tepeyac Cafe is located at 812 N. Evergreen Ave., Los Angeles (in Boyle Heights). A second location recently opened at 13131 Crossroads Pkwy South, City of Industry.

Original Hollenbeck Burrito de Chile Verde

Chile Relleno

An LA institution since 1955

Frank and Manny

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Filed under Boyle Heights, City of Industry

Tagged as Best Mexican Food LA, Best Mexican Food Los Angeles, boyle heights burrito, el tepeyac, frank buckley, frank buckley anchorman, frank buckley ktla morning news, giant burritos, hollister burrito, manny rojas, manny's special burrito, manuel rojas, manuel's el tepeyac, manuel's original el tepeyac cafe, mexican restaurant boyle heights

January 26, 2012

Sayonara Sushi Nazi

If you read this blog regularly, you know how much I love Japanese food. So it’s not a surprise that I’m going to be attending the Japanese Food and Sake Collection this Sunday. Many of the best Japanese restaurants in LA will be serving up some of the city’s finest sushi, ramen, okonomiyaki, tempura, yakisoba and yakitori. Endless amounts of premium sake and beer will be flowing. There will be sushi-eating and sake-tasting competitions, cooking demonstrations from Nobu Matsuhisa (of Nobu and Matsuhisa restaurants) and Katsuya Uechi (of Katsu-ya), and traditional Japanese entertainment. The Festival is being held at the Hilton in Universal City from 11-4. Tickets (which are $60 for adults) and more information can be obtained by clicking here.

Speaking of Japanese food, I hear that legendary sushi chef Kazunori Nozawa is going to retire and close his revered eponymous restaurant, Sushi Nozawa, on February 29th. Lovingly dubbed the “Sushi Nazi” because of his similarities to the “Soup Nazi” character on Seinfeld, the stern Nozawa demands that his patrons follow his rules (no talking on cell phones, no dipping of sushi which has been prepared with sauce, no eating only the fish and leaving over the sushi rice, etc.) and show the proper respect to the master and the sushi he meticulously prepares. On more than one occasion, I have seen Nozawa kick diners out of his small and sparse mini-mall restaurant who blatantly disregard his rules. I was almost evicted once myself when my wife insisted on ordering a Vegetable Roll, even though I warned her ahead of time about that kind of thing. Nozawa is a sushi purist and things like Vegetable Rolls, California Rolls and Spicy Tuna are anathema to him.

However, if you put yourself in Nozawa-san’s hands and follow his advice of “trust me,” which is prominently displayed on a wooden placard behind the sushi bar in reference to the omakase (chef’s choice) special, you will experience incredible life-alerting sushi prepared by a sushi genius. Nozawa’s sushi has pretty much ruined me for almost all other sushi in the city. The rice is warm and delicious and the fish is super fresh and of the highest quality. It literally melts in your mouth. I hear sushi chefs from other restaurants follow Nozawa around the fish market because of his mastery of seafood selection. Everything I’ve ever eaten at Sushi Nozawa (including the Baby Tuna Sashimi in ponzu sauce, the Blue Crab Hand Rolls, the Toro, the Baby Yellowtail and the Uni) has been nothing short of amazing.

But it should be noted that even after Nozawa retires, a bit of the magic will still live on. For the past couple years, Nozawa’s son Tom and a couple partners have been opening locations around Los Angeles of Sugarfish, a somewhat less expensive spin-off of Sushi Nozawa where the decor is modern and the chefs, who are trained by Kazunori Nozawa himself, prepare your sushi in a back kitchen, hidden from view. I hear that Sushi Nozawa will be turned into a Sugarfish. I like Sugarfish quite a bit and the sushi there is very similar to Sushi Nozawa, but nothing beats the mothership and I will be devastated when Nozawa retires. It will truly be the end of an era.

Sushi Nozawa is located at 11288 Ventura Blvd in Studio City. It is not open on weekends. Sugarfish has locations in Marina del Rey, Santa Monica, Brentwood and Downtown.

Baby Tuna Sashimi in Ponzu Sauce

Yellowtail Sushi

Crab Hand Rolls

Toro (Fatty Tuna) Sushi

Uni (Sea Urchin) Sushi

Red Snapper Sushi

7 Comments

Filed under Brentwood, Downtown, Marina del Rey, Santa Monica, Studio City

Tagged as Best Sushi LA, Best Sushi Los Angeles, Japanese Food and Sake Festival, Japanese Food Festival, Kazunori Nozawa, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Japanese Food Festival, Nozawa, Nozawa closing, Nozawa retiring, Sugar Fish, Sugarfish, Sugarfish Nozawa, Sushi Nazi, Sushi Nozawa, Sushi Nozawa closing, Sushi Studio City

January 19, 2012

Bäco-licious

I cannot stop thinking about Bäco Marcat, an awesome new Downtown restaurant from Josef Centeno, the super-talented chef of Lazy Ox Canteen. I think it’s the quintessential LA restaurant. Like Los Angeles, it’s not formal; it’s cool and laid back with a rustic industrial chic interior that feels very 2012. The cuisine defies classification and is incredibly original. Like the population here, the food is an eclectic mix of cultures including Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern and Moroccan. Most of all, Bäco Marcat is fun! They make and bottle their own “Bäco Pop,” an orange ginger juniper soda and they have an amazing bar serving super cool and inventive cocktails with names like the “Gin-Pop!” and the “Black Mint Spritz.”

There are so many great things on the menu, it’s hard to know where to start. First of all, there are the “Bäcos,” inventive and scrumptious sandwiches prepared with the chef’s signature flat bread. I highly recommend “The Original” Bäco with pork belly, beef carnitas and salbitxada (a savory sauce similar to romesco), as well as “The Touron” Bäco with oxtail hash, pickles, crispy potatoes and cheddar. I also recommend the Bäzole Soup, which is kind of cross between a Japanese Ramen and a Mexican Pazole, made with house-made noodles, pork-chile broth, pork and beef carnitas and a fried egg. There are also delicious “Cocas,” crispy flat breads with a variety of toppings including one with house-made Merquez sausage, harissa and goat cheese. Bäco Mercat has several yummy specialty salads and vegetable dishes including my favorite dish on the whole menu, Kabocha Squash with brown butter. I’ve had pureed squash a million times before, but never like this; it is outrageously good! If you have room for dessert (or even if you don’t have room for dessert!), order the Pistachio Semifreddo Dark with pine nuts, caramel and sea salt. This sweet and salty dessert completely blew me away. If I lived or worked Downtown, I would probably eat here everyday.

Bäco Mercat is located at 408 S. Main St., Los Angeles (Downtown).

They make their own sodas!

Spice Roasted Peanuts with paprika

Bäzole (soup with house-made noodles, pork, chile broth, pork & beef carnitas with fried egg)

"The Toron" Bäco (sandwich with oxtail hash, pickle, tater & cheddar)

Kabocha Squash with brown butter

"The Tomato & Cheese" Coca (crispy flat bread with confit tomato sauce, mozzarella & smoked jalepeno)

Pistachio Semifreddo Dark with pine nuts, caramel & sea salt

I love this place!

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Filed under Downtown

Tagged as Baco, Baco Downtown Los Angeles, Baco Los Angeles, Baco Mercat, baco mercat los angeles, baco mercat menu, baco mercat review, Baco sandwich, Downtown LA restaurants, Downtown Los Angeles restaurants, josef centeno, josef centeno baco mercat, Pistachio Semifreddo

January 11, 2012

Take Your Medicine

Writing a food blog has its perks. Recently I was invited to a dinner for bloggers hosted by Maker’s Mark Bourbon at Red Medicine. Red Medicine serves upscale Vietnamese-inspired cuisine in a hip, modern setting in Beverly Hills. It opened a little over a year ago to controversy when they ousted and outed LA Times food critic Irene Virbila by not honoring her reservation, snapping a rare photo of her (she likes to dine incognito) and posting it online with a note about their disdain for her. I was pretty sure they weren’t going to take my photo and I love bourbon (the Meyers Manhattan is the house cocktail at my home bar), so I accepted the invitation without hesitation.

The dinner consisted of a parade of specialty cocktails made with either Maker’s Mark Bourbon or Maker’s 46 (a delicious, spicier, sweeter and stronger bourbon that Maker’s introduced a year and a half ago) and dishes from the Red Medicine menu paired with such drinks. Red Medicine is known for their tasty cocktails and the bourbon concoctions did not disappoint. My favorites were Red Medicine’s version of a “Moscow Mule” made with Maker’s Mark, lime and housemade grenadine and ginger beer and a warm holiday dessert cocktail made with Maker’s 46, Echire butter (artisan French butter), sugar, Maldon salt, hot water and nutmeg, which is a perfect drink for the cold nights we’ve had of late.

The paired dishes were equally enjoyable and included a Pork Rillette (with crispy chicken skin, lychee, clove, pistachio and spicy herbs), Brussels Sprouts (with caramelized shallots, fish sauce and vermouth), and Imperial Wagyu Beef Brisket (braised for 36 hours with palm sugar, fish sauce and Maker’s Mark). The food at Red Medicine is not traditional Vietnamese food in any way, shape or form, but rather modern and creative interpretations of Vietnamese classics. The highlight of the meal was a reworking of a traditional Vietnamese “congee”; an Heirloom Rice Porridge with egg yolk, toasted hazelnuts, ginseng and Echire butter. It was buttery, creamy, nutty and and out of this world! The meal concluded with a beautiful and unusual dessert called “Bitter Chocolate” with sweet soy sauce, oats, parsnip, brown butter and soy milk sorbet. It was the perfect ending to an extraordinary meal; one that I am eager to repeat.

Red Medicine is located at 8400 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills.

Moscow Mule with Maker's Mark, lime, housemade grenadine & ginger beer and CO2

Heirloom Rice Porridge with egg yolk, hazelnuts, ginseng and Echire butter

Sweet Corn with Kelley's Egg, turmeric crepe, black malt and shiitake

Beef Tartare with water lettuce, water chestnut, nuoc leo, chlorophyll and peanuts

Mint Julep with Maker's Mark, pineapple syrup, mint, grapefruit peel and Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters

Sword Fin Squid with onion soubise, young carrots, salted black bean and elderflower

Tomatoes with peanut, Malaysian spices, sake lees, lavender and rice crackers

Maker's Mark 46, Echire butter, sugar, Maldon salt, hot water and nutmeg

Coconut Bavarois with coffee, condensed milk, Thai basil, peanut croquant and chicory

Bitter Chocolate with sweet soy sauce, oats, parsnip, brown butter and soy milk sorbet

Shut Your Pie Hole

Everyone else can vow to go to the gym and eat healthier in 2012. My New Year’s resolution is to eat more pie. Obviously I’m kidding; well, maybe half-kidding. But even if I tried to watch it with the sweets, it would be difficult since I just discovered what is possibly the best pie I have ever tasted. It’s a Maple Custard Pie and it puts all other pies heretofore consumed by me to shame. This pie is the perfect combination of a sublime buttery not-too-sweet crust and an incredible caramelized custardy filling. I found it at The Pie Hole, a new pie joint packed with vintage-wearing, Weezer-listening hipsters and located downtown in the über-hip Downtown Arts District, right across the street from über-hip Wurstkuche.

The Pie Hole has a limited menu inscribed on hanging rolls of butcher paper each day of both sweet and savory pies. The daily pie offerings depend on what’s in season and what looks good to the Pie Hole’s bakers at local farmer’s markets that week. All the pies are baked on the premises and sold, along with great organic coffee, until they run out each day. The last couple times I was there, the savory pies included a tasty Chicken Pot Pie, a Mac-N-Cheese Hand Pie and a Burrata, Tomato & Basil Pocket Pie. The sweet pies included Lemon Meringue, Poached Pear and Cranberry, Mexican Chocolate and Bourbon Chocolate Pecan. They also had a delicious Chocolate, Caramel and Sea Salt Crostata (which is technically not a pie, but a shallow tart baked on a cookie sheet) as well as a triangular Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Almond “Pie Bar.” Every pie I tried was good, but the clear stand-out was the Maple Custard. It’s hard to put a price on perfection, but most slices cost around $6. This is comfort food at its best and worth every penny.

The Pie Hole is located at 714 Traction Ave., Los Angeles (Downtown).

Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot, Chicken Pot Pie!

Chocolate, Sea Salt and Caramel Crostata

Mexican Chocolate Pie

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

Pie Bar with Peanut Butter, Chocolate, Almonds & Sea Salt

Hipster hangout across from Wurstkuche

I love the Downtown Arts District!

2 Comments

Filed under Downtown

Tagged as Chicken Pot Pie Los Angeles, Chocolate Crostata, LA Downtown Arts District, Los Angeles Downtown Arts District, Mac-N-Cheese Pie, Maple Custard Pie, Mexican Chocolate Pie, Pie Bars, Pie Hole, pie hole downtown la, pie hole downtown los angeles, Pie Hole LA, Pie Hole Los Angeles, pie hole menu, Piehole, The Pie Hole, the pie hole downtown la, the pie hole downtown los angeles, The Piehole, Wurstkuche Pies

December 30, 2011

Wishing You A Delicious New Year

Happy New Year from Consuming LA! As the food scene in Los Angeles continues to get more and more innovative and exciting, I will be there to bring the best (and sometimes the worst) to your attention. I’ve got a great 2012 planned for this blog and have already made a few changes. Please check out my new Manifesto. Also, I’ve created indexes to make it easier when you’re using the blog as a reference guide to pick a place to eat. Now you can search not only by neighborhood, but also alphabetically and by type of cuisine. There are also separate lists of dessert places, food trucks and places which are suitable for special occasions. More changes will be coming in the New Year. See you on the other side!

4 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

December 20, 2011

Get Shorty

Short Order, which opened a few weeks ago in The Original Farmer’s Market (next to The Grove), is the latest in a number of upscale, hip, artisanal hamburger joints popping up around LA. Short Order is the creation of local celebrity chef Nancy Silverton (Osteria and Pizzeria Mozza, Campanile, La Brea Bakery) and chef Amy Pressman, who tragically died a few months ago before the restaurant opened. I’ve been there a few times already and while I don’t think Short Order’s burgers are as good as Umami’s, they are pretty darn good. They’re juicy, have brioche-type buns and ultra fresh ingredients. The menu features seven burgers, only three of which are beef; the others are turkey, pork, lamb and tuna. My favorite beef burger is Ida’s Old School Burger (pictured above) made with grass-fed beef, cheddar, pickles, tomato, griddled onion, iceberg lettuce and secret sauce. I also really like the unusual Pork Burger, which has rapini, Stracchino cheese, bibb lettuce and a lemony flavor.

Short Order is a two-story restaurant and I recommend sitting on the top level. I like the vibe up there better, probably because there’s a really cool bar with great cocktails designed by uber-talented mixologist Julian Cox. If you don’t want a burger, Short Order has “rafts” (open face sandwiches), melts, corn-dogs, as well as “pretzel pups” (two short dogs with kraut and mustard on a La Brea Bakery pretzel bun) which is the only thing I’ve had there which I didn’t really like. To accompany your burger or sandwich, I recommend getting a basket of the Short Order Spuds, which are closer to crispy potato skins than fries, along with the sour cream dipping or truffle sauce. Like any respectable burger joint, Short Order has rich, creamy shakes, and Short Order makes theirs with house-made frozen custard. You can finish your meal with a yummy seasonal mini pie or an awesome chocolate chip cookie.

If you want more of a dessert selection or a snack for later, walk over to Short Cake, the bakery sister of Short Order, which opened in the Farmer’s Market this past weekend. Short Cake’s array of gourmet baked goods is quite impressive. They have several savory items, including an excellent Anson Mills Corn Muffin with Aged Cheddar and Hatch Chiles, a very good Quiche with Bacon, Leeks and Comte cheese, and a delicious Feta Scallion Scone. The sweet offerings include Twice-Baked Hazelnut Croissants, Chocolate Cinnamon Babka, Sesame Date Scones, Chiffon Cake with Orange Curd and Meringue, Chocolate Bun Bread Pudding and amazing “Brunette” Bars with Pine Nuts and Thyme. Short Cake shares its Farmer’s Market stall with Single Origin Coffee, which serves pour-over coffee brewed to order.

Short Order and Short Cake are located in The Original Farmer’s Market at 6333 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles.

Nancy's Backyard Burger with cheddar, pickles, tomato, griddled onion, iceberg lettuce and secret sauce

Pretzel Pups

Pork Burger with rapini, Stracchino cheese and bibb lettuce

Short Order Spuds with dipping sauce

Mini Kabocha Pie topped with frozen custard

The patio on the top level

A nicely stocked bar of premium spirits and luxury liquors

Short Cake

"Brunette" with pine nuts and thyme

Anson Mills Corn Muffin with Widmer Two Year Aged Cheddar and Hatch Chiles

6 Comments

Filed under Fairfax, Mid-City

Tagged as Burgers Farmer's Market, Burgers LA Farmer's Market, Burgers Los Angeles Farmer's Market, Julian Cox, Nancy Silverton, Original Farmer's Market, Short Cake, Short Cake Bakery, Short Cake LA, Short Order, Short Order LA, Single Origin Coffee

December 16, 2011

Christmas, Hawaiian Style

I love King’s Hawaiian Bread, especially their irresistibly sweet, soft and buttery rolls. I used them all summer as the buns for my signature barbecue sliders. So when I discovered that King’s has a Hawaiian retail bakery and restaurant in Torrance, I hightailed it down to the South Bay to check it out. The restaurant reminded me of places I’d been to in Hawaii. It was very large, diner-ish and somewhat kitschy (in a fun way); a great place to take kids. There is an aquarium, a giant pineapple and right now it’s totally decked out for Christmas.

While I’m not sure King’s would appeal to hardcore foodies, I thought most of what I ordered was really good, and some things were great. All lunches and dinners begin with a basket of King’s famous Hawaiian rolls with butter. Their extensive menu features all of the typical Hawaiian comfort foods including Poke (Hawaiian marinated sashimi, which is really good here), Spam Musubi (basically a sushi roll with slices of spam instead of fish), Kalua Nachos (tortilla chips topped with Kalua Pork, black beans, cheese and sour cream, and served with guacamole and spicy pineapple chutney), Portuguese Bean Soup, Grilled Mahi Mahi, Huli Huli Chicken, Kalbi Ribs and great fried rice. There are several holiday specials which are on the menu until the end of the month, including a really yummy pork chop stuffed with King’s Hawaiian bread and Portuguese sausage, drizzled with guava glaze and served with “Hawaiian mashed potatoes” (which have cabbage in them and are really good), baby bok choy and fried onion strings.

The best part of the meal were the desserts. King’s most celebrated baked good is its Hawaiian Paradise Cake, a colorful and delicious three layer (guava, passionfruit and lime) cake with a whipped cream frosting and a fruit glaze. It was thankfully not too sweet and totally lived up to the hype! They also have an awesome Macadamia Nut Cream Pie. Make sure to stop at the bakery on the way out for Hawaiian bread, malasadas (Hawaiian doughnuts), delicious cookies (I highly recommend the snowball cookies) and other sweet treats. The cakes (especially the Hawaiian Paradise Cake), pies and cookies make great holiday gifts. Just write on the card “Mele Kalikimaka” (Merry Christmas).

King’s Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant is located at 2808 W. Sepulveda Blvd. in Torrance.

It's Poke, Mon!

Spam Spam Spam Spam

Sesame Chicken Wings

Kalua Nachos

Stuffed Pork Chop with Hawaiian mashed potatoes, baby bok choy and fried onion strings

Hawaiian Paradise Cake

Macadamia Nut Cream Pie

Big, kitschy and fun

2 Comments

Filed under Torrance

Tagged as Hawaiian Restaurant LA, Hawaiian Restaurant Los Angeles, Kalua Nachos, King's Hawaiian Bakery, King's Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant, King's Hawaiian Bread, King's Hawaiian Restaurant, King's Restaurant, Kings Hawaiian, Los Angeles Hawaiian Food, Los Angeles Hawaiian Restaurant, Spam Musubi, Torrance Restaurants

December 9, 2011

Super Soup Dumplings

A soup dumpling is a wonderful thing. For the uninitiated, a soup dumpling is not a dumpling that is found in soup like a kreplach or wonton. It’s the reverse; the soup is actually inside the dumpling. Soup Dumplings, also known as Shanghai Soup Dumplings or Xiao Long Bao, are a Chinese delicacy that were traditionally part of a Jiangnan-style morning tea. Nowadays, you can get them throughout the day and at restaurants located in places like Alhambra, Arcadia, Monterey Park and San Gabriel. My favorite place for soup dumplings is Din Tai Fung in Arcadia. Din Tai Fung serves over a dozen different kinds of dumplings, including chicken, melon & shrimp, shrimp & pork, vegetarian, sweet taro and red beans, but my favorite by far is the Juicy Pork Dumplings. These dumplings have a chewy and moist skin, which is wrapped around hot savory soup and delicious minced pork. They arrive at your table by the dozen, freshly steamed and ready to eat with vinegar, soy sauce, chili sauce if you are so inclined, and shredded ginger.

For novice soup dumpling explorers, here’s some instructions on how to eat these tasty treats:
Step 1: Use your chopsticks to pick up a soup dumpling by its ridged tip and place it on a Chinese soup spoon.
Step 2: Add a few drop of vinegar, soy sauce and chili sauce, as well as a few strands of shredded ginger.
Step 3: Bite a small hole in the top of the dumpling to release steam (so you don’t burn your mouth in Step 4!).
Step 4: Put the whole dumpling in your mouth.
Step 5: Bite into the dumpling, let the savory soup explode in your mouth and enjoy the hot, wet, doughy goodness.
Step 6: Repeat.

Din Tai Fung serves other things besides dumplings. They have pretty good noodles and decent fried rice. But why fill up on other carbs? Just eat more soup dumplings! Din Tai Fung is located at 1108 and 1088 S. Baldwin Ave. in Arcadia. UPDATE: Din Tai Fung is opening at the Americana in Glendale in September 2013. Now most of us won’t need to make the long schlep out to Arcadia anymore to get our soup dumpling fix!

Juicy Pork Dumplings

Makin' Dumplings

Noodles with Spicy Sauce

Fried Rice

Packed on the weekends

1 Comment

Filed under Arcadia

Tagged as Best Soup Dumplngs Los Angeles, Din Tai Fung, Dintaifung, Juicy Pork Soup Dumplings, Soup Dumplings, Soup Dumplings Arcadia, Soup Dumplings LA, Soup Dumplings Los Angeles, Xaio Long Bao

December 1, 2011

Dinner and a Show

For me, there’s nothing better than following a great meal with live entertainment. However, with driving and parking hassles in LA, it’s often too much of a schlep to go from a nice restaurant to a live concert or show in the same evening. The 1714 Vermont Group has provided the perfect solution. Their beautiful building in Los Feliz has three separate spaces: Vermont Kitchen and Bar, an elegant fine dining restaurant; Rockwell VT, a cool and casual multi-level bar with a beautiful patio and a seasonal small plate menu; and Show at Barre, a fun and intimate cabaret-style space which puts on incredible shows and also serves food and drinks. This past weekend, my wife and I had a great dinner at Vermont and then walked into the room next door and saw one of the most enjoyable shows I have ever seen in Los Angeles.

I hadn’t eaten at Vermont in several years and although I always liked it, I think the food is better than ever now. All of the things we ordered were very good and some dishes were excellent. I absolutely loved the Harvest Red Quinoa Salad with tangerines, Granny Smith apples, dried cranberries, scallions, baby arugula and toasted pecans with a blood orange-lime vinaigrette. The butternut squash soup was also great. For entrees, we ordered two winners: Asian Ahi Tuna, which was lemon grass marinated, seared rare and served with stir-fried vegetables, basmati rice and a mushroom soy sauce; and Muscovy Duck Medallions, which were stuffed with apples, wrapped in bacon and served on top of celery root puree and calvados sauce. The menu also offers Rib Eye, a Double Cut Pork Chop, Pan Seared Mahi Mahi, Port Wine Braised Short Ribs, Butter-Poached Jidori Chicken Breast, and Goat Cheese and Truffle Ravioli. For dessert, I highly recommend the decadent “Chocolate Chip Cookie,” which is baked and served piping hot in an individual skillet with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate caramel sauce on top. Vermont also has a very nice wine list and great signature cocktails.

As much as I enjoyed the dinner, what really blew me away was the show. It’s called “For the Record: John Hughes Holiday Road” and it’s hard to describe. It’s essentially a musical revue of songs from the soundtracks of John Hughes films such as The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pretty in Pink and Weird Science, as well as Hughes’ holiday classics such as Home Alone and Christmas Vacation. There’s a rockin’ live band and an uber-talented cast of six including, in some performances, NCIS-LA and Broadway star Barrett Foa who perfectly portrays all of the Anthony Michael Hall characters (as well as Ferris Bueller) and performs a hilarious version of “Bust a Move.” The actors not only perform the mostly ’80s songs, but also snippets of memorable dialogue from the films. The cabaret-style space is small and intimate and the cast utilizes the whole room, performing in the aisles, on top of the bar, and on a couple small stages throughout the room, so, as an audience member, you almost feel as if you’re actually in the show. The producers refer to it as a “360 degree live theatrical concert and dining experience” and it’s hard to imagine anyone who wouldn’t love this show. Keeping with the John Hughes theme, they serve speciality cocktails before and during the show with names such as the “Griswold” and the “Long Duk Dong.” Past “For the Record” shows have had the same format and included a Quentin Tarantino show and a Coen Brothers show. I hope they bring those shows back again because I can’t believe I missed them. A Baz Lurrman show starts in January which I can’t wait to see.

The current John Hughes show runs until December 30th. Tickets can be purchased on their website and are $35 each (plus a two drink or food item minimum), but you can get them for $20 right now by using the code GRISWOLD. Vermont Kitchen and Bar, Rockwell VT and Show at Barre are all located at 1714 N. Vermont, Los Angeles (in Los Feliz).

UPDATE: Vermont Kitchen & Bar and Show at Barre have been combined into one large dining/cabaret space. It is now called Rockwell Table & Stage and while the food is good (not amazing) the shows are better than ever! In addition to the John Hughes show, I have now seen shows based on the movies of Quentin Tarantino, the Coen Brothers, Baz Luhrmann and Paul Thomas Anderson. Each show was fantastic. I highly recommend this place.

Harvest Red Quinoa Salad

Butternut Squash Soup

Asian Ahi Tuna

Muscovy Duck Medallions stuffed with apples and wrapped and roasted in bacon

Baked Chocolate Chip Cookie in a skillet with vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate caramel sauce

Apple Tarte Tatin with whipped cream

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding with vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce

The show's incredibly talented cast includes Barrett Foa, James Snyder and Rogelio Douglas Jr.

1 Comment

Filed under Los Feliz

Tagged as 1714 Vermont, b, Barrett Foa, Bazz Lurman Show, Bazz Lurrman, Coen Brothers, Coen Brothers Musical, Coen Brothers Show, For the Record, James Snyder, John Hughes, John Hughes Show, Moulin Rogue Show, Quentin Tarantino, Quentin Tarantino Show, Rockwell, Rockwell Bar, Rockwell VT, Rogelio Douglas, Show at Barre, Tarantino Musical, Vermont Kitchen and Bar, Vermont Los Angeles, Vermont Los Feliz, Vermont Restaurant, Vermont Restaurant Los Angeles

November 19, 2011

A Sweet Thanksgiving

For most of us, the Thanksgiving meal is all about succulent roast turkey, savory herbed stuffing, buttery mashed potatoes, and tart and sweet cranberry relish. However, a great Thanksgiving meal should be like a great concert at the Hollywood Bowl; you need to end it with a fireworks finale! So whether you’re hosting a Thanksgiving dinner or you’re an invited guest thinking about what to bring, here are some really cool and unusual Thanksgiving desserts which are sure to impress.

Gourmet Thanksgiving Pies

1. Gourmet Thanksgiving Pies. These are probably the most beautiful, upscale and delicious Thanksgiving pies I have ever seen or tasted. Super talented French pastry chef Romain Drocourt of The Little Door and Little Next Door has created elevated versions of pecan and pumpkin pies with French flare. These elegant and sophisticated pies make the ones at Marie Calendar’s and House of Pies look like their poor Hillbilly cousins. The Pecan Pie is made with toasted and caramelized pecans, a thin gingerbread spice tart shell and lemon mascarpone and maple syrup cream on top and comes with a side of Earl Grey sauce. The Pumpkin Pie is made with organic pumpkin, praline custard and yummy homemade cinnamon marshmallows. You can purchase them both (make sure to order in advance) at the bakery at Little Next Door, along with a really cool table centerpiece: a large French baguette bread with sesame seeds in the shape of a Turkey (pictured above). I like to call it a “Vegetarian Turkey.” Little Next Door is located at 8142 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles (in Mid-City near West Hollywood)

Thanksgiving Cupcake Fourpack

2. Thanksgiving Cupcakes. Starting this Monday, for only three days, Yummy Cupakes will bring back their Thanksgiving themed cupcakes. These Turkey Day-inspired flavors are Marshmallow Yam (yam cupcake filled with marshmallow fluff and frosted with a brown sugar buttercream), Lime Jell-O (lime cupcake filled with lime Jell-O and topped with lime whipped cream frosting), Pumpkin Pie (pumpkin cake topped with a pumpkin cream cheese frosting) and Turkey Gravy Cranberry (a turkey gravy cupcake seasoned with savory Thanksgiving gravy, filled with a fresh cranberry relish and topped with a cranberry cream cheese frosting). I haven’t tried the Turkey Gravy ones but you can bet I will be first in line try one on Monday. Yummy Cupcakes has three locations: 2918 W. Magnolia Blvd in Burbank, 313 Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica, and 220 26th Street, Santa Monica (near Brentwood).

Candied Yam Ice Cream

3. Thanksgiving Ice Cream. One of my favorite ice cream shops in LA, Sweet Rose Creamery, is now selling several fun and delicious Thanksgiving flavors including Candied Yam, Cranberry Orange Sorbet, Spiced Pumpkin, Apple Cider and Quince with Manchego. I’ve tried them all and my favorites are Candied Yam (which has pieces of marshmallow in it) and Spiced Pumpkin. They also have three special holiday ice cream pies which look like traditional pumpkin, pecan and apple pies (make sure to order these in advance). The Pecan Ice Cream Pie has Salted Caramel Ice Cream and butter pecans in a chocolate cookie crust. The Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie has Spiced Pumpkin Ice Cream with whipped milk and pepitas and is dusted with cinnamon sugar in a ginger cookie crust. The Apple Pie Ice Cream Pie has Apple Pie Ice Cream topped with caramel sauce and is dusted with cinnamon sugar in a graham cracker crust. Sweet Rose Creamery is located in the Brentwood Country Mart at 225 26th Street in Santa Monica (near Brentwood).

Happy Thanksgiving!

The New Object of My Affection

Please don’t tell my wife, but I have fallen in love with a recent acquaintance. We met at a bar in Santa Monica a couple weeks ago and I have been thinking about her everyday since. The object of my affection is hot, enticing, earthy but sophisticated. In all candor, she’s also doughy and cheesy. She is a mushroom and truffle pizza; the best pizza I have ever had in LA and one of the best pizzas I have ever had in my life. I discovered this amazing umami white pizza, which has shaved Crimini mushrooms, gruyere, melted onions, black truffle, torn parsley, romemary and thyme, at Stella Rossa Pizza Bar, an exciting new restaurant which opened earlier this year.

The surprising thing about this pizza discovery is that I wouldn’t usually order a mushroom pizza; it was selected by my daughter who was dining with me. I almost always go for the meat and, accordingly, we also ordered the Housemade Organic Sausage Pizza with ground sausage made daily at Stella Rossa, tomato, fresh mozzarella, hand-picked oregano, fennel pollen and optional calabria chiles for extra heat. I loved the sausage pizza, but the mushroom pizza is the one that really blew me away.

The mastermind behind these amazing pizzas is a young genius chef named Jeff Mahin, who, at age 27, has already worked in three of best restaurants in the world – Arzak in Spain, Nobu in New York and my all-time favorite restaurant, The Fat Duck in England. The son of a scientist and an engineer, Mahin fashions himself a “food scientist” of sorts and has spent years researching and developing the perfect pizza. Although the quality and combinations of toppings on these pizzas are phenomenal, everyone knows that what makes a truly great pizza is the crust and the crust here is incredible. Chef Mahin uses a special blend he created of locally milled flour, filtered water, sea salt and fresh yeast and allows the dough mixture to ferment for at least 18 hours before assembling the pizzas and baking them in an ultra-hot 600 degree oven. The result is a crust which is golden and crispy on the outside but chewy on the inside. I am salivating just thinking about it.

Stella Rossa has other great offerings besides pizza. Their Oven Roasted Beet Carpaccio made with fresh burrata, toasted pistachios, aged balsamic and wild arugula, is an absolute must-have. I also like their Spinach & Purple Kale Salad with pecorino romano, medjool dates, shaved radishes and mustard vinaigrette. For dessert, I highly recommend the Salted Caramel Pot de Creme with Creme Fraiche; it’s a really delicious cup of pudding. The dimly lit restaurant, which plays great music and has a hip and relaxed atmosphere, also features a really great wine and beer list.

Stella Rossa Pizza Bar is located at 2000 Main Street in Santa Monica.

Oven Roasted Beet Carpaccio

Spinach & Purple Kale Salad

Homemade Organic Italian Sausage Pizza

Roasted Apple Cobbler with Creme Fraiche

Salted Caramel Pot de Creme

I love this place!

6 Comments

Filed under Santa Monica

Tagged as Arzak, Best Pizza LA, Best Pizza Los Angeles, Best Pizza Santa Monica, Fat Duck, Jeff Mahin, Mushroom and Truffle Pizza, Nobu, Stella Rossa, Stella Rossa Pizza, Stella Rossa Pizza Bar

November 4, 2011

The People Who Come Here Suck

This place has a cool concept, gourmet popsicles, and an even cooler name, “Suck It Sweet & Treats.” They sell homemade frozen treats called “Sucksicles” (“Popsicles” are apparently a trademarked brand), which are made from fresh, seasonal farmer’s market ingredients and natural sweeteners; they have no artificial colorings, flavorings or preservatives. The Sucksicle is the invention of store owner, Keileigh Brelle, a trained pastry chef, who was looking for a special treat to fit within her gluten-free diet. Besides being gluten-free, many of the Sucksicles are non-dairy and vegan.

The flavors change everyday and are posted on Suck It’s facebook page. Past and current fruit (and vegetable!) flavors include Raspberry Hibiscus, Lavender Lemonade, Pear Frangelico, Cucumber Lime Mint, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Peanut Butter Banana with Chocolate Chips, Baked Banana Walnuts, Pineapple Chile, Grapefruit Jalapeno, Mango Lassi, Kiwi, Plum, Key Lime Pie, Gazpacho, Spicy Avocado and Dill Pickle. Past and current non-fruit flavors include Coconut Cream, Saffron Pistachio, Chai Tea Latte, Mexican Hot Chocolate, Peppermint and Carmel Pecan. I haven’t tried the Dill Pickle Sucksicle yet, but my favorites are the slightly spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate and the yummy Cinnamon Roll. The only flavor I haven’t liked has been the Spicy Avocado. The Sucksicles are $4 each. On the weekends, they also sell gluten-free cookies and tarts. I haven’t tried the baked goods yet, but I suspect they don’t suck.

Suck It Sweets & Treats is located at 4361 1/2 Tujunga Blvd. in Studio City.

Assortment of Sucksicles

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Raspberry Hibiscus

Spicy Avocado

Cinnamon Roll

1 Comment

Filed under Studio City

Tagged as Gourmet Popsicle, Gourmet Popsicles, Keileigh Brelle, Studio City Popsicle, Studio City Popsicles, Suck It, Suck It Sweets & Treats, Suck It Sweets and Treats, Sucksicle, Tujunga Popsicles

October 27, 2011

Mexican Gourmet Goodness

Several high-end Mexican restaurants have opened in LA in the past couple years, most notably Red O, which I found disappointing. I think a lot of these restaurants have cool decor, great mixed drinks, beautiful plates, but taste-wise the food is nothing spectacular. This is not the case with Rosa Mexicano, which just opened its second location on Sunset in West Hollywood (the other location is Downtown in LA Live). Everything about Rosa Mexicano is muy excellente, especially the food! When I first heard about Rosa Mexicano, I was skeptical about a Mexican restaurant that is part of small chain originating in New York City, but I was quickly and completely won over.

The restaurant is quite beautiful with vibrant colored lights and a waterfall and it has a fun, sexy atmosphere. The signature drink here is a Frozen Pomegranate Margarita, which is really tasty and packs a punch. But my favorite beverage is their awesome White Wine Sangria. Rosa Mexicano makes some of the best guacamole I have ever eaten and they make it fresh for you tableside. They also serve two amazing spicy salsas, a Oaxacan pasilla salsa and a tomatillo and habanero salsa, so between each of these and the guacamole, it’s pretty much a dilemma as to what to dip your tortilla chip into; I usually alternate between the three.

In terms of appetizers, I loved the Pacific Yellowtail (Hamachi) Tartare (diced yellowtail, watermelon, cucumber and jicama served with a tomato-habanero sauce and a ball of jalapeno ice on top) and the Pork Belly and Sea Scallop Tacos (braised heritage pork belly and seared diver scallop served on warm corn tortillas with a citrus-habanero salsa). For entrees, there is a wide variety of traditional Mexican dishes which have been refined and taken to a whole new level. My favorite is the Carne Asada Tacos (grilled skirt steak marinated in juajillo and pasilla chiles, garlic, cumin and black pepper and served on a shallow bed of melted Chihuahua cheese with fresh corn tortillas and sides of red bean chorizo chili and creamy corn esquites). Other main courses include ancho chiles stuffed with slow-cooked marinated pork, a chicken tortilla pie, perfectly seasoned and grilled shrimp brochettes and a variety of gourmet enchiladas. There are also several great vegetarian options as well as a gluten-free menu. You will want to save room for dessert, especially the scrumptious tres leches cake topped with blackberry-hibiscus glaze and toasted meringue, and the decadent Banana Chocolate Chip Cake filled with peanut butter mousse and topped with dark chocolate sauce and cinnamon swirl ice cream.

Rosa Mexicano is located at 8570 West Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood and 800 W. Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles (Downtown; in LA Live).

Frozen Pomegranate Margarita

Incredible guacamole and great salsa!

Pacific Yellowtail (Hamachi) Tartare

Carne Asada Tacos

Shrimp Brochette

Tres Leches Cake

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

Beautiful, fun and sexy decor

2 Comments

Filed under Downtown, West Hollywood

October 21, 2011

Politically Incorrect Chicken

I’ve heard a lot about Chick-fil-A and their famous fried chicken sandwiches over the years, but had never been to one of their fast food restaurants. So when they opened their second LA location a few weeks ago in Hollywood, I was there in line with hundreds of other people who were either already fans or curious as to whether the food would live up to the hype. Chick-fil-A started in Georgia in 1946 and has the kind of loyal following and reputation, especially in the South, that In-N-Out Burger has here in Southern California. They offer a menu that features inexpensive and much lauded sandwiches made with super fresh, high quality ingredients; fast food that transcends the genre. But Chick-fil-A also has some detractors who call for a boycott of the chain due mainly to Chick-fil-A’s political contributions to groups that campaign against gay marriage. The owners of Chik-fil-A, much like the owners of In-N-Out, are Christian conservatives with traditional Christian values. But unlike In-N-Out, which simply puts tiny references to biblical verses on the bottoms of cups without further explanation, Chick-fil-A is a lot more vocal about its Christian values and is even closed on Sundays.

Putting aside politics and marriage equality (which I support), what did I think of the food at Chick-fil-A? I loved it! They have basically perfected the fried chicken sandwich. Crispy, superbly seasoned batter on the outside, juicy and flavorful white meat chicken on the inside. You have your choice of spicy or regular chicken; both are spectacular. The chicken is freshly battered and fried in each Chick-fil-A location and the bread and everything else in the sandwiches are also super fresh. I liked the waffle fries (although I hear they don’t fare as well if not eaten right away), but what I really loved were the seven different dipping sauces, with my favorites being the Honey Mustard, Polynesian and Chick-fil-A sauces. I highly recommend the shakes, which include Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Peach and my favorite, Cookies & Cream. They also have great cole slaw and carrot-raisin salad, which are made fresh at each location. If you have room for dessert (or a second dessert if you’ve ordered a shake and consider a shake a dessert), I recommend the lemon meringue pie. For breakfast, which is only served until 10:30 am, the chicken sandwiches are served on biscuits (which was the only thing I was disappointed in; too soft and mushy).

Chick-fil-A is located at 6750 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles (in Hollywood) and 3758 S. Figueroa St, Los Angeles (Downtown near USC). There are also locations in Redondo Beach, Torrance, Cerritos, Lakewood, Santa Clarita and City of Industry.

Chicken Sandwich

Waffle Potato Fries and Dipping Sauces

Chick-n-Minis for breakfast

Lemon Pie

What happened to barnyard animal solidarity?

New Hollywood location

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Filed under Cerritos, City of Industry, Downtown, Hollywood, Lakewood, Redondo Beach, Santa Clarita, Torrance

Tagged as Chick-fil-A gay, Chik-fil-A, Chik-fil-A Hollywood, Chik-fil-A Los Angeles, gay boycott, gay boycott Chik-fil-A

October 13, 2011

A Sneak Peek at the Mother of All Tasting Menus

Further to my blog post last night, I have procured a copy of the previously unpublished list of dishes to be plated by the bevy of celebrity chefs on Los Angeles Food & Wine’s Lexus Grand Tasting on Sunday. It looks amazing! If you haven’t entered my sweepstakes to win a pair of tickets to this event, click here. You have until midnight tomorrow (Friday) night to enter. Click here for the lineup on Sunday.

Sunny Delight

Little Osaka’s Groovy New Gastropub

14 Best Peanut Butter Treats In LA

The Fastest Pizza In the West

Attack Of The Killer Burrito

Sayonara Sushi Nazi

Bäco-licious

Take Your Medicine

Shut Your Pie Hole

Wishing You A Delicious New Year

Get Shorty

Christmas, Hawaiian Style

Super Soup Dumplings

Dinner and a Show

A Sweet Thanksgiving

The New Object of My Affection

The People Who Come Here Suck

Mexican Gourmet Goodness

Politically Incorrect Chicken

A Sneak Peek at the Mother of All Tasting Menus

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