Category Archives: Hollywood

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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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

April 10, 2012 · 11:00 am

The Cat’s Meow

I have a friend who is an aspiring comedic screenwriter. He says things like “I’m on a seafood diet — I see food and I eat it.” Not surprisingly, he doesn’t sell a lot of screenplays. But he did introduce me to my favorite seafood restaurant in LA, The Hungry Cat. In stark contrast to stodgy, old school seafood restaurants like McCormick & Schmick’s and Delmonico’s, The Hungry Cat is cool, sleek and modern. It has the best raw bar in the city and amazing, creative seafood concoctions. The Hungry Cat is also a great place to drink and has some of the freshest and tastiest cocktails in town; cocktails such as the Dorian Grey (Earl Grey-infused Plymouth Gin, blood orange, lemon, Sombra Mezcal), the Petula Clark (Pimm’s, Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, lemon, egg whites & house-made absinthe bitters) and the Hot Tamale (Reposado Tequila, orange, and lime juice with Fresno chili simple syrup).

The menu at The Hungry Cat changes daily. I recommend starting with selections from the raw bar. The oysters, lobster and snow crab legs are delicious, but if you want to try something a little different, order the fresh uni served in the shell; if you’ve never scraped sea urchin out of its black, spiny, spherical carapace, you have been missing out! The super-fresh raw fish dishes are ingenious and I recommend ordering at least one. Favorites of mine include the Tandoori Cured Char with Spiced Lebani Yogurt, Cucumber, Pickled Pineapple, Pepper Cress & Dates and the Big Eye Tuna Tartare with White Miso, Pickled Mushrooms, Shiso, Peanuts & Nori Crackers. For entrees, I recommend the House-made Chorizo and Braised Clams with Shell Beans, Black Kale, Grilled Bread & Aioli, as well as the Sea Urchin Risotto with Chanterelles, Slow Cooked Egg and Pea Tendrils. Surprisingly, The Hungry Cat also has a fantastic burger called The Pug Burger, which has blue cheese, bacon, avocado and optional fried egg. I wouldn’t normally order a burger at a seafood restaurant, but if you’re splitting several things, this dog-dubbed dish makes a nice contrast to the Cat’s coastal cuisine.

The Hungry Cat is located at 1535 N. Vine St. in Hollywood and 100 W. Channel Road in Santa Monica. If you enjoy Consuming LA, please subscribe, like me on Facebook and/or follow me on twitter at the top right of this page. And please forward to your friends!

Great Cocktails

Oysters and Sea Urchin

Tandoori Cured Char, Spiced Lebani Yogurt, Cucumber, Pickled Pineapple, Pepper Cress & Dates

Big Eye Tuna Tartare, White Miso, Pickled Mushrooms, Shiso, Peanuts & Nori Crackers

Grilled Asparagus, Pancetta, Walnuts, Arugula & Crispy Egg

House-made Chorizo and Braised Clams with Shell Beans, Black Kale, Grilled Bread & Aioli

Sea Urchin Risotto, Chanterelles, Slow Cooked Egg and Pea Tendrils

Best raw bar in LA!

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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!

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

UPDATE: The Groovy Gourmet Pnut Butter Bar Truck is no longer on the streets. Xtreme Desserts closed their Studio City store, but you can find their Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cream Cookies at many LA locations including Crave in Sherman Oaks and Studio City.

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

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November 4, 2011 · 12:58 pm

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. UPDATE: SUCK IT SWEETS & TREATS HAS MOVED. THEY ARE NOW LOCATED AT 6801 HOLLYWOOD BLVD, LOS ANGELES (HOLLYWOOD & HIGHLAND CENTER) INSIDE THE SWEET! HOLLYWOOD CANDY STORE.

Assortment of Sucksicles

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Raspberry Hibiscus

Spicy Avocado

Cinnamon Roll

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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 21, 2011 · 9:45 am

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 Torrance, Cerritos, Lakewood, Santa Clarita and City of Industry. UPDATE 5/26/13: Additional locations are now in Northridge, Long Beach and Azusa.