Grub Club

dessert at el caserio, silverlake

2008-02-21T15:59:00.001-08:00

This is a lightly chocolate dreamy concoction atop a satsifyingly crunchy nutty base. yum.

the el caserio ambiance upgrade

2007-12-26T20:48:00.001-08:00

El Caserio has opened a finer dining branch of their ecuadorian-italian cuisine. Just a block away from their original restaurant at Virgil and Beverly, this more upscale version is right off the Silverlake Blvd 101 freeway exit. The cost of the dishes are comparable to the original, if not a buck higher. Old favorites like the llapingachos con fritadas that I have raved about in a previous posting are just as delicious here. But the rest of the menu won't include the typical south american greasy plates like lomo saltado and bistec a la pobre. You'll find more seafood dishes at higher prices here. But as my friend and dining buddy discovered, the kitchen would more than accommodate your needs if you just *must* have lomo saltado for lunch if you order off-the-menu in a white linen/dark wood setting. The attractive patio out back looks perfect for an office party and the expansive and well-appointed indoor bar was inviting us to imagine future happy hour mingling. I'm not quite sure if the location and deceptive residential bungalow appearance of the restaurant will help or hinder the success of this relatively new venture. I'm excited to have this new dining option.

"french" bakery, korean style

2007-09-11T23:50:00.001-07:00

Paris Baguette on 6th st, just west of Kenmore is quite a treat. Their fresh chocolate croissants fulfilled its yummy flaky buttery reputation. I threw in an almond bread filled with creamy filling for good measure, as I indeed did enjoy the walnut version I had tried at Cake House in the Ktown Galleria. Didn't know Koreans had these lightly sweetened and not too heavily creamy nut-breads. Who knew?

As far as the decaf coffee I had? Watery. Kinda like that of the union-busting Starbucks.

Grubclub grand total: five bucks and some change.

Paris Baguette
3470 W 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90020
213-384-0404
one on 6th st and another on Western.
Open 7am

spoon house's perfect business model

2007-08-31T16:31:00.001-07:00

With only noodles to cook and sauces to heat up, I believe Spoon House in Gardena has found the most deliciously affordable business model for restaurant food. Case in point: the light spaghetti with basil clams in cream sauce. yum. All for around 8 to 10 bucks a person.

Spoon House
1601 W Redondo beach Blvd
Gardena, CA 90247
310-538-0376

See. Even the parents think Spoon House is tasty!

Pann's Grub Goodness

2007-08-31T02:04:00.001-07:00

Who knew illewminator and I could find such a tasty deal at the ungodly crossroads of La Cienega, Centinela and La Tijera! For around 25 bucks including tax and tip, we had ourselves four juicy and meaty fried chicken wings atop a thick belgian waffle, a hearty bbq beef brisket sandwich with a side of bbq chips, two side salads and a caramel bread pudding to go.

Yelpers had compared it to a Denny's for Ladera Heights. But I think it has much more tastiness. Can you find caramelized brisket bits and 'jus' at a Denny's? And I would say that the meaty fried chicken wings of Pann's can go toe-to-toe with the Roscoe's chicken wings any day of the week. The waffle wasn't the best that I've had (I wish there was enough "structure" to stand up to the weight and heat of the four meaty wings). But the tastiness of our meal and the extensive menu was impressive enough that these two Downtown/Silverlake gals have already committed to trekking back out to Pann's for seconds.

I believe mac and cheese and barbecue plates are in our future.

Pann's Restaurant
6710 La Tijera Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
310-670-1441
Small lot parking. Counter seating for the diner experience. Booth seating for the Tarantino Pulp Fiction experience.

Foiled!

2007-07-16T22:34:00.000-07:00

I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I have been totally looking forward to seeing LA Weekly Restaurant Critic Jonathan Gold speak this evening at the Central Library in Downtown. In fact, I have been waiting for this day to come since Illewminator sent the invite a month ago. Even as I rushed out of the house, late as usual, I turned around to retrieve my copy of Counter Intelligence for Mr. Gold to autograph. I was so geeked.

When I get to the library, however, I meet this obnoxious Asian woman by the elevators in the parking garage. She's freaking out on her cell phone because she's late to some event. So I offer for her to follow me up the stairs to the library. Once we get there, she freaks out again because she doesn't know where to go, and I'm like, just follow me, I think we're going to the same place. Once we get to the auditorium, we see this HUGE line that bends around the corner and then some. The woman, still on the phone, bypasses me and just walks through crowd, ignoring the long line of increasingly impatient Gold fans. I immediately and instinctively follow her as she butts in front of all these people to the very head of the line, that is now blocked off due to overcapacity. She ducks under the barrier and is essentially carried off by her companion who was waiting securely on the other side. I, on the other hand, am left at the front of the line with all the crazies...

The coordinator of the Zocalo event then announces that the auditorium is full and no one else is allowed to enter. All of a sudden, what appears to be a group of cultured and civilized intellectuals turns into an hysterical, semi-apocalyptic mob in a seriously deep frenzy. They go berserk. They want blood.

But I rsvp'ed! Why did you overbook? Is there an overflow room? You must let me in. I have been waiting here for a half hour. We demand a formal apology. Everyone here should get their parking tickets validated. This is outrageous. This should have never happened. Will you ask Jonathan Gold if he will speak again in another hour? Let me speak to the person in charge!

The coordinator apologizes. "I'm sorry," she says over and over and over again, and louder each time. To deaf ears, of course. Yeah, I feel bad for her. But as part of the hungry pack, I also make a meager attempt:

Hey, I have a friend in there who is saving a seat for me.

Sorry, Miss, there are no available seats.

Oh, I see.

Finally, the security guards slowly turn the mob away and successfully divert a possible riot. I think to myself, maybe if I linger around just a little longer... but then I see other Grub Clubbers and realize that no one made it in! I feel better.

I guess Jonathan Gold will remain a mystery, a myth. Kind of like Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Jesus...

Pizzeria Mozza: Listen to Flavor Flav & Don't-Don't-Don't Believe the Hype!! (Sorta)

2007-05-29T20:04:00.001-07:00

(fennel sausage pizza image courtesy of rick p. http://speedm.yelp.com)

i can't believe i did it but i finally ventured out to see about the hype.

seating:
i couldn't get in on a last-minute reservation cancellation so we waited at 6:45p on a Wednesday night for two spots at the bar. we got in after a 20min wait or so.

service:
winebar guy in the corner was friendly. very responsive with refilling my water glass (for i am quite the thirsty diner). did some friendly and appropriate verbal sparring w/ me when i asked smarta*s questions about the menu. all-in-all. okay.

ambiance:
crowded. even the tables looked crowded. rather small space. i wonder how much more money they could be making right now if they had just 30% more table area. hmmmm..... overall really simple. casual clean decor.

food:
okay. here we go. overall, i think there are certain items that we tried which were a bit overpriced or not worth the cost. i proceed...

* roasted spears (4) of asparagus coated w/ finely grated parmesan, with ample buttery slices of quality prosciutto and drizzled w/ olive oil. - 8 dollars---this was divine. i'd say hearty enough to merit the price.
* tricolore salad, well-coated in grated parmesan and complex anchovy based dressing - 14 dollars!!!!! delicious...but TOO expensive, even for the ample portion!
* fennel-sausage pizza - 14 dollars---MEH. Salty sausages...though still tasty. otherwise the toppings were unremarkable...couldn't really taste the other ones. the crust was pretty nice. most food bloggers have already covered this finer point. i get it. nancy does bread and she does it well. let's move on.
* prosciutto pizza - 15 dollars---Also MEH. plenty of prosciutto covering the pizza but i couldn't taste really any of the other toppings. i think we were on prosciutto overkill after being satiated by the asparagus appetizer
* butterscotch budino for dessert - 8 dollars. too sweet...and salty

total bill without tip = $63.87 (for two young ladies eating everything but half of each 10inch pizza

overhyped for sure. good joint but for the hype and price of some of the food, it's a little TOO much drama to get in for me. worth the wait to beat the crowd if you got a first date that requires some action around you to keep the conversation interesting. next time, i'll just get a pizza (the price is okay for what you get) and the asparagus/prosciutto appetizer.

641 N Highland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90019

(323) 297-0101
www.mozza-la.com

Patisserie Chantilly's Black Sesame Cream Puffs

2007-05-29T19:49:00.001-07:00

(image courtesy of richard s. http://rrrichard.yelp.com)

chantilly is to beard papa's as filet mignon is to a good restaurant burger. when i have that meat craving, i can definitely squash it with a good burger and not break the bank. but when i want to make the investment, i'll get the filet.

it's the same with the cream puff. i'll trek out to chantilly for their black sesame seed cream puff when i have the deeper longing for buttery cream goodness. the sheer cost of the one puff (around 3-4 bucks) might make the most frugal dessert seeker cringe, but you'll get your money's worth in terms of flavor and pure butterfat creaminess. eating the chantilly black sesame puff gave me warm food memories of eating hot, comforting and sweet black sesame soup in taiwan. you really need to like the flavor of smoky black sesame to desire it in an all-taste-bud-encompassing bite of the cream puff.

chantilly, you have a special place in my heart. you'll mess up my diet, but i won't be indulging in you too much so i think i'm okay.

beard papa, don't you worry your cute bearded little head. i'll still shell out two bucks for your efficiently produced, chocolate eclair goodness.

2383 Lomita Blvd #10
Lomita, CA 90717

(310) 257-9454
www.patisseriechantilly.com

Yay Chichen Itza in MacArthur Park!!!

2007-01-13T01:45:00.000-08:00

Chichen Itza Yucatan Restaurant

2501 W. 6th Street

Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 380-0051

May 29th, 2007 UPDATE
I went there with co-workers last week on Friday for lunch and lo and behold - LUNCH SPECIALS! For $8.95 you can get reasonably priced cochinita pibil tres tacos with sides and a drink, and a number of other items. I was very pleased to see the change in pricing for the lunch crowd. I hope it helps their cashflow so they can stick around and remain a work lunch option for me (yes. it's all about ME).

Oh! I almost forgot. I had the jicama citrus salad again during that lunch and it was pretty bad. The size of the cuts of jicama and quartered orange slices were rough and larger than I remember. The worst part was that the quartered oranges weren't even done correctly! I had to chew hard on the skin of the orange pieces, even the really tough parts that connect towards the north and south poles of the orange. ick.

Previous Post (January 13th, 2007)
i'm trying hard not to gush here but i can't resist. I AM SO EXCITED TO HAVE CHICHEN ITZA'S RESTAURANT OPEN THREE BLOCKS AWAY FROM MY OFFICE. there. i had to say it. (let's be honest, the only food around my immediate vicinity is a carl's jr.)

i've always enjoyed their catering at meetings i've attended throughout los angeles. for one, i would bathe in their sweet habanero sauce if not for the completely impractical nature of such a task. i was impressed by the fact that their mass produced chicken stayed so perfectly moist and flavorful.

but now, with the restaurant open by macarthur park, i'm practically in heaven. i went for lunch yesterday. i loved the blend of the clean, fresh, sweet and spicy flavors featured in their yucatan palate.

overall: the ambiance is clean and more upscale with chichen itza etched into the tortilla holders and earthy colors of the matte paint wrapping the dining area. the acoustics can get a little "dinny" if people start talking too loud but overall it's very comfortable and spacious.

the food and value: lunch prices are slightly lower than dinner prices. the table setting started with a small glass of water (preserved without a need for a wait or a request), a bowl of thinly sliced crusty baguette like bread used for dipping into the sweet, black bean dip on the side. in addition, there was your usual bowl of tortilla chips - freshly fried with a great! salsa that has a smokiness from using roasted tomatoes (is my guess). good stuff.

my dining buddy and i started with the ceviche de camaron. the shrimp was perfectly tender but meaty...and good but not nearly as acidic or as spicy as we wanted (especially because we were specifically asked if we wanted it spicy and had said, 'yes.')

i had a bite of my buddy's Tikin-Xic, a sauteed sole filet swimming in a gorgeous pool of technicolor red-orange colored sour orange sauce with a bed of rice. plenty of depth in the sauce with a moist and beautifully presented filet. but the fish was almost going to be upstaged by the delicious side (practically a full plate) of Citrus Jicama salad, a fresh combo of sweet, spicy (from red chili flakes) and crunchy. this was a winner.

I had the Cochinita Pibil (pictured above courtesy of the restaurant's own website photos) a hefty chunk of pork "marinated with achiote, sour orange juice and spices, cooked in banana leaves, topped with pickled red onions served with sauted black beans, confetti rice and steamy corn tortillas." i was a little confused by the whole habanero pepper sitting on top of the meat though it looked colorful and attractive. the pork was not as moist as i was hoping but i wouldn't call it dry. upon suggestion by the chef gilberto himself (who was super friendly and checking on us and our food) i shredded the pork and made little corn soft tacos. turns out i was suppose to cut up pieces of the pepper for my little tacos! AH! that's what i was supposed to do! after that, i was in business and it all made sense. the corn tortillas felt handmade and was certainly fresh. overall the pork was definitely delicious and not at all greasy. but if i had a choice between the two dishes, i would pick the fish for its flavors and simple refinement. the pork would be if i wanted to feel that pork full goodness.

overall the value was definitely worth it for the food and ambiance, especially at the lunch prices. my strategy for good value grub will be to come eat here for lunch until i try the whole menu and then i'll know which dishes are worth eating AFTER work.

Is that safe to eat?

2007-01-09T00:41:00.000-08:00

My friend Wanda forwarded this GUIDE TO THE FUNKY FOOD IN YOUR KITCHEN.

I found it very educational. I hope it can assist you also.

Q: I went spelunking in my freezer and unearthed a burger patty from 2004. Should I toss it?

A: In a freezer set at 0° F (check using a refrigerator thermometer), frozen foods remain safe indefinitely. How long taste and texture stay OK depends on the meat. Frozen bacon and sausage retain their quality for a month or two; uncooked burgers, three to four months; uncooked steaks and roasts, four months to a year. Date food labels with an indelible marker as they go into the freezer.

Q: How long do refrigerated eggs last?

A: Federally graded fresh eggs in their shells are safe for three to five weeks after the expiration date on the carton; raw yolks and whites, for two to four days; hardcooked eggs, for one week. Try to keep the refrigerator temperature lower than 38° F.

Q: My refrigerated ground meat is gray. Wili turn green if I eat it?

A: A change in color does not necessarily mean the product is spoiled or will make you sick. Spoiled meat is likely to have an off odor or be sticky or slimy.

Q: Must peanut butter be refrigerated after it's opened?

A: That depends on the type. Regular peanut butter does not need refrigeration, though that might help retain its flavor. Refrigeration will keep natural peanut butter fresh and slow the process of separation but will make it hard to spread.

Q: If I cut those tiny bits of mold off the cheddar, will it be OK?

A: Maybe not, because spoilage (and sometimes toxins) could go beyond the visible mold. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says that if you cut off at least 1 inch around and below the mold spot, hard cheeses can still be safely consumed. (Intentional mold, such as that found on Stilton, is safe because it has purposely been introduced during the cheese-making process and is "good" mold.)

Q: I left pizza on the counter overnight. Can I eat It?

A: No. Perishable food, including any leftovers, should neyer be left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours. This is true even if there are no meat products on the pizza. Bacteria that might be present on foods grow fastest at temperatures between 40° F and 140° F and can double in number every 20 minutes. Use cooked, refrigerated leftovers within four days.

Q: I repeatedly refill a plastic spring-water bottle with tap water. Good Idea?

A: Probably not. It may be OK to reuse a botte a few times, but handwash it with hot soapy water between uses, or bacteria could grow. (Don't use a dishwasher: Its super-hot water could affect the plastic, and narrow bottlenecks might not let in enough water.)

Q: How long can I keep herbs and spices?

A: Ground spices can be kept for two or three years; whole spices for three or four years; herbs for one to three years. Air, light, moisture, and heat are enemies, so store spice.s and herbs tightly sealed in a cool, dry place. Red spices retain their color better and are best protected from
insects if refrigerated. If you don't use an item often, buy it in small amounts.

Q: How effective Is the "sniff" test?

A: Food that doesn't smell bad can still make you sick, and food that smells bad might not make you sick. Whatever you do, don't taste food to see whether it's spoiled. When in doubt. throw it out.

For more information about food storage, go to wwwJsis.usda.gov, www.cfsanJda.gov, or www.cdc.gov.

Citizen Smith: Sex and Inebriation Preferred

2007-01-08T01:36:00.000-08:00

Citizen Smith
1600 N Cahuenga Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028
(323) 461-5001

Category: American (Traditional)
District: Hollywood

Just came back from Citizen Smith (Sunday night with reservations).

Overall: Go here for the drinks and the Sunday night band and burlesque show. Great band and talented dancers. Get beers and the fried green tomatoes. Don't go for the food. If you inSIST on dinner, reservations make it easier to be seated. I'll be back only if I wanted the darker ambiance for a drinks only date.

The Scene: Mix of actor/actress/model wannabes with producer looking salt-and-pepper hair men at the bar. Lance Bass was there with his boyfriend and their party. But you know, since we LA people see "celebrities" all the time, no one harassed him. We focused on the semi-naked dancing ladies instead. So Hollywood.

The Show: The Sunday night burlesque show came with dining and drinking there (with no cover charge) and that was definitely worth the show. The ladies were fit, trained and sexily tasteful dancers in skimpy lingerie. The Miles something or other band was actually really professional, tight and good. Their music made for a creative show of burlesque dancing (up on the bar too!) The band was good enough to have been pleasing entertainment even without the dancing.

Food and Value: Entrees were just "meh." (Burger was big but uneventful, chicken alright as well). We paid too much for just "meh." (12 dollars base price for the tomatoes with micro greens, 21 dollars!! to split the burgur with fries...fries were nice and crispy though) The tomato basil soup with gruyere toasts was also mediocre for the 12 dollars paid...stick with drinking it out of a Trader Joe's Tomato & Red Pepper Soup carton.

Spirits: The Pinot Noir was suggested for me by the eye-candy waiter to pair with the burger. Not a good choice. Nearly 10 bucks for a glass...pass me the Newcastle.

Service: The hostess was snooty. The bouncer harassed me for no good reason and capriciously decided to let me in because I stated I had reservations with a party that was already seated. Weird. The secondary waiter/busboy that poured our waters went off about how he has had such a bad night because he had dropped a trayful of glasses and it was the woman's fault for bumping into him and he just wanted to go home. Yeah. Too Much Information.

Parking and Transport: I opted out of the pricey valet parking by hitching a bus on Sunset Blvd to Ivar. Convenient.

Total Cost: I paid $40 for the split burger, fried green tomatoes, glass of pinot noir, tax and tip with some bucks for the birthday girl whose dinner and drink we split among three ladies.

Fish Heads, Fish Heads...

2007-01-03T00:10:00.000-08:00

At the recommendation of fellow GrubClubber, Divinestyler, I dragged two of my friends to try out the Hunan Restaurant (don't know the exact name) in the shadow of the Shun Fat supermarket on Atlantic Blvd. just south of the 10 in Monterey Park. It had all the signs of a good Chinese restaurant: a nondescript location in a strip mall, a constant line of very Chinese-looking people waiting on the sidewalk outside, and... the ubiquitous feared-by-white-people-but-scoffed-at-by-Chinese-people "C" rating. I've peered in on many prior occasions, but since I'd never felt like waiting for a table, I always opted to go to Dumpling Master, just a few doors down (and one of my favorite grub spots).

But on this particular night, there was one table open, seemingly waiting for us. None of the items on the menu looked familiar to me, so we ordered by looking at what other people were eating and pointing at their food -- and threw in an order of "Hunan style fried rice" for good measure, thinking "When in Hunan... " Turns out, the fried rice was a loser dish. Oh well. The other dishes were ok: Chinese celery with shredded pork & dried chilis and the puzzlingly named "A" vegetable sauteed with loads of garlic. But the real standout item was the "house specialty:" a steamed fish head loaded down with mounds of sliced yellow chili peppers and sitting in a pool of molten yellow pepper lava. We saw this on just about every table in the place, and when we ordered it, the waiter said that this was what everyone comes there for.

However, when he brought out our fish head, I felt every single person in the restaurant turning to see who the suckers were who ordered this behemoth. The first thing I thought when he set it down on our table was that they must be trying to gouge the non-Chinese speaking food tourists by giving us this gigantic order and then charging us triple what the real Chinese people paid. So I made my semi-Chinese speaking friend ask the waiter if he made a mistake in bringing out such a big order (since there were only 3 of us), but he assured us that was what we ordered. He then must have read my mind, because he volunteered the info that they were all the same price, no matter what size. This then caused the people next to us to complain to the waiter, asking why their fish head was so small compared to ours (!!!).

As we were a little unsure about how to proceed eating the fish head, we ended up poking gingerly around it with our chopsticks and found quite a few meat nugget pockets this way, including the very tasty and tender chunk under the fish collar. My first mistake was to pour the sauce over my fish; my lips felt like they were on fire the rest of the night. After that, we were careful not to let the fish meat fall into the moat of oily pepper sauce. We also got a little grossed out by the gelatinous pockets, unsure if we were supposed to eat those, too. Apparently you are; as we left, we surveyed the other tables and wondered what those people did because they had NOTHING left on their plates! They must have eaten the bones, eyeballs, gills, and everything in between because their fish head plates were totally empty.

All in all... it was a very authentic eating experience. You could totally feel like you're actually in China, which is probably a good thing for some people. But it all just reminded of how un-Chinese I felt when I was in China. And how glad I was to be back home, where I could eat tacos and spaghetti whenever I felt like it.

Next time, I think I'll go to Dumpling Master.

Sing a song for Seong Buk Dong!

2006-12-16T19:01:00.000-08:00

Goddamn I hate how blogger works. Sorry for the rant, but I wrote a great post about Seong Buk Dong and it didn't save properly... so I'm left to re-write this post in haste. Here it goes...

Forget everything you know about Corean food. You'll find neither smokey charcoal nor endless bottles of Soju at this fine establishment. Instead, you'll find a quaint and very family-welcoming feeling at the home-styled Seong Buk Dong, located next to my favorite bar - Dan Sungsa, on the corner of Berendo and 6th street, Los Angeles.

Aside from the fact that this was the restaurant that my dear friends took me to, after being released from my brief sting in da joint... Seong Buk Dong gets thug love for the food, word is bond. The dishes prepared are traditionally Corean dishes served at home, but don't let this make you think that you're in for a plain and ordinary meal. Quite the contrary.

Fortunately I'm smart enough to roll with Coreans whenever I dine in Coreatown. If you need me to explain why, you must've never dined in the land of ko-ko-mo. But of the many dishes that I've tasted here, all have been superb - especially the Galbi-Jiem; a short-rib dish slow broiled, with the most majestic soy based sauce - that it melts in your mouth. And a fish dish that is the restaurant's specialty, but I'm unsure of the name. I let my lover do all the ordering for me..

Galbi-Jiem

The fish dish...

Best breakfast burrito in town

2006-10-12T10:34:00.000-07:00

At Campos Restaurant (located on 10352 Venice Blvd, Culver City 90230, Btw S Goldwyn Ter & S Motor Ave Phone: 310-836-2680) you can get a breakfast burrito that is yummy, filling and super affordable (i.e. cheap!). For $2.91, including tax, you get a fresh and simple burrito with scrambled eggs, potatoes and beans... but not the whole beans that many of our proliferating health-conscious restaurants use, but fatty refried beans! It's so juicy and gooey, you don't need salsa, although Campos is very generous with their oh so spicy but won't burn your tongue salsa. You could use the salsa for the chips they also include in your order!

I'm not sure if this restaurant is part of the larger Campos chain in Los Angeles. Even if it may be, the joint is pretty old school. The staff can't speak English and they don't accept credit cards. The dining area is simple too, and the prices are dirt cheap. These breakfast burritos used to be $1.99 (like 5 years ago), and I'm bummed they raised the price, but it's still so worth it.

I'm finishing up my breakfast burrito as I type. It is so good. This is how everyone should start their mornings!

Pete's Cafe & Bar. Meh.

2006-09-25T22:10:00.000-07:00

Okay. I understand that the Historic Bank District in downtown Los Angeles is all about Pete's Cafe & Bar...as are all the downtown boosters like the Downtown News. So I had to take a bite out of the hype myself.

I went with a dining buddy for lunch. The place was crowded but I made reservations anyway cuz I plan like that. We were seated promptly at a table that was literally abutting another two people's table...ergh...too intimate with the strangers. So we requested another place. (strike one)

Service overall was friendly though.

Now on to the food. I thought I'd try their "famous" comfort food staple, their cheesy mac and cheese. Well. Too cheesy and too salty. I mean I like my cheese but it just turned kinda goopy and gross. To add insult to injury, the side salad was overdressed a little wilted by the time I got my food. Ack. You see that little rammekin in the picture? Not so big but I could only bear to eat a fourth of it. (that also is gonna set you back more than 10 or 15 bucks...I forgot the price...apologies)

Then I thought to myself. Okay. Maybe I can save this meal by mooching off of my dining buddy's blue cheese fries (specialty of the house they say). That TOO was too salty and cheesy. What's the deal, you might ask? Well. Perhaps it was poor menu choice you might say.

I say, NO. A mark of good grub is that nearly anything on the menu should hit its mark, especially if it's supposedly a specialty of the house.

Pete's on 4th and Main. I'm unimpressed. I'd go to Good Microbrew & Grill in Silverlake or Baccali Restaurant in Alhambra ANYDAY for some better-than-Meh comfort food at comparable prices.

I believe everything deep-fried is yummy, but...

2006-09-21T09:59:00.000-07:00

.... a Krispy Kreme Fried Chicken Sandwich is just gross... although I have to admit that I would like to have a taste!

At the Los Angeles County Fair in Pomona, you will find deep-fried Twinkies, deep-friend Oreos, deep-fried avocados, deep-fried pickles, deep-fried olives and more.

Yummy or Yucky? You decide.

Check out the article in today's LA Times.

El Tepeyac

2006-09-17T17:39:00.000-07:00

IMG_2462.JPG
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

One of the biggest advantages of living in Los Angeles is, in my view, the ready accessibility of great Mexican food. When you're hungry and just want to get your grub on, Mexican food is THE way to go and El Tepeyac does not disappoint.

Family owned and operated, El Tepeyac is an LA institution that now has two sites: the orignal in East LA, next to Evergreen Cemetery, and the other further east (is it San Gabriel? Rosemead? Montebello? not quite sure... ) on Potrero Grande, across from Resurrection Cemetery (hmm.... what's with the cemetery-adjacent locations??)

On this occasion, having just returned from a trip to Thailand and India, I was jonesing for some good homestyle Mexican grub, so went to the Potrero Grande location. After all the various curries and being semi-veggie, I was so ready for some meat, cheese, beans, and guacamole topped off with a refreshing horchata. As always, the grub was tasty and the portions huge. El Tepeyac is consistent, authentic, and doesn't disappoint. My personal faves include the homemade guacamole and the tacos which are buried in cheese, as you can see in the photo.

If you're *really* hungry, you challenge yourself with the Hollenbeck burrito or the Manny's Special (one -- i forget which one -- is literally the size of a 9x12 casserole pan; the other is half that size) but I don't think I have ever seen one person actually finish one of these monsters.

Official GrubClub Outing: Chibcha Colombian Cuisine

2006-09-16T00:59:00.000-07:00

The GrubClub recently made its first official outing to Chicha Colombian Restaurant on Sunset in Silverlake. Lured by the promise of a plethora of fried pork as so deliciously described in J's previous post, several of the GrubClub members gathered one summer evening to check it out for ourselves.

We started out with a round of fruity beverages, some made with milk and some not. This was the cause for a rather extended and convoluted negotiation process with our waitress/chef/owner (this is a family-run establishment, after all), but ended up in a colorful assortment of delicious drinks -- just don't ask me what was in them or what they're called. All I remember is the white one was guanabana and it's made with milk. Just close your eyes and pick one from the menu -- they're all good.

Next up was a plate of empanadas. Good stuff. Fried pie shells with meat inside -- who doesn't love that?? Then, our main dishes: the specialty of the house seems to be the combo plate pictured here. This was the plate so aptly described by J in her original post, complete with the crown of chicharon at the top. 'Nuff said.

Pictured above is a glorious pile of fried pork riblets, deep fried chicharon chunklets (is that a word? if not, it should be... chunklets is the perfect way to describe these mini-chunks of bacon-like pork) and grilled beef, interspersed with fried plantains, fried yuca, and potatoes. Whew! This would be the perfect accompaniment to a pitcher of beer and a ball game on a warm summer night.

Final analysis: good, stick to yer ribs, meat 'n potatoes comfort food. Not the place to go if you're trying to watch your cholesterol, that's for sure. But it's tasty and a great value -- which is, after all, what we GrubClubbers are all about.

Uzbekistan Restaurant

2006-08-21T23:33:00.000-07:00

Imagine a fusion of Russia and the Middle East, and you get Uzbekistan!

Perhaps that's an oversimplification, but it's true. At least that's what I learned from our journey to Uzbekistan Restaurant on 7077 West Sunset Blvd (and La Brea, in a strip mall, of course!).

The menu not only offered a variety of treats, it also provided a socio-political history of Uzbekistan. I learned that as part of the former Soviet Union, Uzbekistan borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south... which explains the influence of Eastern Europe and the Middle East in Uzbekistani culture. I felt educated and hungry at the same time! Learn more about Uzbekistan here.

It's quite a scene. I knew right away that the restaurant would be good when I saw that the patrons were also Uzbekistani. On the night that Divine Styler and I paid a visit, there was a birthday party for an older gentlemen. It seemed like his entire family was there -- wife, brothers, sisters, children, nieces and nephews... you know, like a very traditional immigrant family setting. It was sweet. The restaurant also provided a DJ who sang and played Uzbekistani songs. He was hot in a Phil Collins way. In fact, I believe he sang a Phil Collins song that Joe and I sang along to. The rest of the patrons there were odd folks like us (who probably read the Jonathan Gold review) and members of the Russian mafia (so we like to think).

Okay... to the food! I was very impressed. As a fan of both Middle Eastern and Eastern European food, this restaurant was really great... and the dishes were hugh! So Joe and I split several appetizers and one main dish.

Prior to receiving our orders, they served us bread that was essentially an enormous bagel, warmed perfectly and served along with flavored cream cheese (tasted like dill). We didn't want to be full on a mutant bagel, so we brought the gigantic bagel home (I finally managed to finish the humugous bagel on two separate occasions!) Dude, it was a dense bagel!

Bahor
Boiled beef, fresh cucumbers, tomato, feta cheese & cilantro in a yogurt-herb dressing.
I really liked this dish. It was very unique and bursting with flavors. Joe didn't like it so much, but then again, he doesn't like dairy. Although he denies it, I think he's a lactose-intolerant bee-otch. So, essentially, his opinion does not really count in this matter. Sorry, Divine.

Homemade Bugenina
Slow-roasted pork loin served with horseradish

This was excellent. Real excellent.

Samsa
Puff pastry with tender, juicy lamb
Sort of like a samosa, but better because it contained lamb.

Kaurma Lagman
Handmade noodles with vegetables and lamb
This was good, but the flavor reminded of a similar Chinese dish, but not as good as the Chinese dish so there you have it.

All in all, I would come back. I liked the ambiance -- sort of dark and glittery (as a disco ball hung from the ceiling), with tables that surrounded the dance floor. We ate our food on a couch and watched patrons dance. That was neat. The manager and waiters are really really nice (but super slow, so don't eat there if you're in a rush!)
The dinner prices are a little high, but they give tons of food. We were really full that night, so full we felt sick... and we had leftovers too! We spent about $22 each, so it's not too bad but not super affordable either. HOWEVER, I just discovered that they have a weekday lunch special that includes the soup of the day; a combo of 3 salads; samsa with cabbage or potato, chicken or lula kabob; vegetable rice or potato; ice cream; their famous bread and spread (that's the big bagel and dill cream cheese) FOR $7.95! Now that's a bargain! I'm returning there for lunch for sure!

4 reals, lucilles....

2006-08-19T18:42:00.000-07:00

as i pop my grub club cherry, i thought i'd blog about a meal surrounding my favorite food group: meat. for all those not yet acquainted with me, i am the grub club thug and part time street magician, divine styler. deez nutz, biatch! but enough about me, let's get to the delectable sin of gluttony. after all, this is THE grub club.

dr fong, a homie from the windy "go go" city of chicago, invited the mermaid and myself to celebrate our birthdays to any restaurant that suited our fancy. i of course offered up lucilles smokehouse bbq (http://www.lucillesbbq.com), a restaurant that a girl i used to date introduced me to. albeit a chain restaurant, it is everything you can ever want from a chain restaurant... themed décor matching all my preconceived notions of the south. apparently ‘lucille” is from greenville, and while i don’t know where that is, i don’t really care because the food is simply amazing.

we started with an order of the fried green tomatoes and the spinach and cheese dip, which was peppered with artichoke. both were excellent choices, which went tastefully well with the complimentary corn bread served with an apple syrup butter, which was also amazing. i had to caution myself and both my companions that we shouldn’t eat too much bread, because the main course was yet to be served and i recalled that every dish’s portion was huge.

for the main course, we ordered the lucille’s bbq combo platter with the beef brisket and the baby back pork ribs, which was dreamy. as i sit and reminisce today’s lunch, my mouth is salivating from the succulent and tender meat. we also ordered a smoked bbq half chicken, which was divine – smoked to perfection; soft and juicy, with a seasoned skin that was bbq’ed to ensure the subtle flare that it demanded. for the sides, we had the iron skillet bbq baked beans, the roasted garlic mashed potatoes, the southern sweet potatoes, and the honey roasted peanut slaw. here’s my tip: the southern sweet potatoes is not to be missed.

since there is such an extensive menu, i would definitely recommend getting a combo platter so that you can sample the different meats. i haven’t tried the steaks yet, but the ribs are delectable and the chicken is superb. honestly, i think there are better things to sample than getting a hot link and when i had it last, the tri-tip was a bit dry, but that could’ve been that one time. the service was friendly, the price very worth it for the portions and quality. and most importantly, the food is excellent. all in all, while it was located in a huge suburban strip mall and is a chain restaurant - lucille’s gets the divine styler seal of divineness.

Carl's Jr - Pastrami Burger

2006-08-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

Being a sucker for all fast food commercials I had to try the pastrami burger.

Construction:
Charbroiled all-beef patty, pastrami, lettuce, tomato, sliced red onion, pickles, mustard all on a sesame seed bun. Come in a single patty and a double patty version.

Overall a solid burger. The pastrami is not quite on par with the Hat or Hi-Life as expected, but not bad although it could have been jucier. I usually add mayo on my pastrami and this burger could have used a bit of best foods. I like how they had a double layer of mustard on the top and bottom bun. Other than that, it was pretty much like a famous star with pastrami on it.

On a scale between a Western Bacon Cheeseburger and the sad sad side salad, I would put it above the famous star and below the oreo cookie shake.

High class dining

2006-08-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

Stay tuned for another special Greg Lew food review.

Carl's Jr. hooked me with their pastrami burger commercials. I'm not expecting anything like Hi-Life or The Hat, but I need to try it at least once.

What's up with that?

2006-08-17T11:33:00.000-07:00

Freakin' bread.

This article just annoys me.

Dietary restrictions can complicate social dining

I have a solution on how to deal with this issue, don't invite these people to your party.

Universal Hilton -Part 2

2006-08-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday we went back to the Universal Hilton for their champangne brunch. If you recall the last time we went was for Father's day and the place was a zoo. This time it was much less crowded. The volume of food was less however I think the selection was only marginally smaller. Pretty much everything was still there with the exception of the outdoor grill that had the delicious lamb chops, hamburgers, ribs and sausages. There was no roast pig, but I had the leg of lamb which was most delicious. I guess i really like lamb. If I recall, the last time I went the lamb was on the rare side with not much flavor, this time the lamb was like the equivalent of the top part of the rib eye steak or the prime rib and part brisket like what we have on Christmas. The champange service was much better. I think between the two drinkers, they had to have finished off at least a dozen glasses between them.

I think the last time I gave it a 5 out of 10 rating. I was correct, with far less crowds and noise the place rates a 7 out of 10.

Spitz - Home of the Doner Kebab

2006-08-04T13:42:00.000-07:00

Short review. Pretty good. Sort of like Greek food in sandwich form made by college kids from Occidental.

Pro:
Great pita chips. Some may say greasy, but is that really a bad thing?
Sweet potato fries really good.
Regular fries with tzatziki and spicy sauce all over it, fantastic.
Falalfel, nice because it had flavor and was hot out of the fryer.
Hummus, not your typical Glendale hummus.
Gelato, haven't had bad gelato yet.

Cons:
Horrible parking. Don't even bother trying to find parking in their 2 space lot. Go straight for street parking.
Price to volume ratio - approx $8 for sandwich and drink and side. I guess that's about right, but that's 8 Filet-o-Fishes on Friday.
Mint flavor gelato. Good flavor but odd grainy texture.

Address:
2506 Colorado Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90041
323-257-5600 phone

Just east of the Eagle Rock plaza on the south side of the street right next to the Sizzler.

Hours:
Tues-Sat 11am - 10 pm
Sunday 11am - 8pm
Closed Monday

The second best taco truck in los scandelous

2006-08-04T10:37:00.000-07:00

On the corner of La Brea and Olympic. During the evenings and late hours. The proprietors are super nice and the eats are cheap ($1 tacos!). Yum.

Taco Zone is still the best, but this one is pretty damn good and, more importantly, close to my house!

4 shrimp won ton + 3 topping shave ice = happiness

2006-07-13T00:28:00.000-07:00

4 shrimp won ton
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

Check it out... on a return visit to
Won Ton Time, I brought my real camera and took this photo of a won ton literally bursting w/ shrimp. There are 4 -- count 'em, 4! -- whole shrimp stuffed into that won ton.

Also, I didn't really expand on this in my previous WonTonTime posting, so let me talk a bit about the Taiwanese shave ice you can get to cool your mouth after all that wonton soup at the Shau Mei outpost a couple doors down. If you've never had this type of shave ice, well... it's not quite as user-friendy as the Hawaiian style version. This one has a bunch of toppings that you choose from by pointing to whatever you want. You can get 3 toppings for $2.75 or 4 for $3.50, plus another $.25 for condensed milk.

I'm sure I'm going to get a lot of crap for saying this (particularly from GrubClub contributor "J") but I am not a big fan of the weird Chinese toppings that try to pass themselves off as "dessert items" -- these include things like cooked oatmeal (or "datmeal," according to the Shau Mei menu), barley, boiled peanuts, various beans, and grass jelly. So, I typically stick with the various canned fruits (longan, lychee, peaches, fruit cocktail) and almond jello that better suit my americanized palate. I like to get what we in the Lew family call the "White Special" (pictured on the left): longan, lychee, almond jello and topped off with condensed milk. My dining companions chose grass jelly, red beans, and longan -- a pretty funky tasting combo, if you ask me. But they seemed to like it. I just don't understand why you'd *want* to eat something that tastes like freshly cut grass...

Shaka's

2006-07-13T00:00:00.000-07:00

shakas
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

If you're like me and you long for a Hawaiian style "plate lunch" and shave ice when the weather turns hot, then Shaka's is the place for you. The plate lunch always features the meat of your choice, mac salad, rice (in hawaii, it's always "2 scoop") and usually tsukemono, or salted, pickled cabbage.

As seen in the photo, this particular plate lunch featured kalua pork -- quite a generous serving. This version was a bit salty, but nonetheless hit the spot. And even though the rice is not presented in two breast-like scoops as in Hawaii, the portion was generous enough to adequately ration with the kalua pork.

Other menu items of note include the mochiko chicken (pictured below), pork lau lau, lomi lomi salmon, kalbi ribs, loco moco, and, of course, spam musubi. The chinese chicken salad is also pretty good -- you can choose to substitute it instead of the mac salad and tsukemono for an additional $1.

Then... if you still have room, you have to get the shave ice, preferably with a scoop of ice cream at the bottom, your choice of flavored syrup (and/or azuki beans) on top, and either with or without condensed milk to cap it all off. But you might want to share: it's huge!

The original Shaka's is in Monterey Park, on Garfield and Riggin, about .5 mile north of the 60 fwy. The newer, bigger, and better location (where these photos were taken) is just offf Main street in downtown Alhambra. The newer location is much larger, has a more extensive menu, and the presentation is fancier/more impressive... prices seem to be about the same (they may be just a tad higher, but not noticeably so) AND they have a full bar, too. Are you sold, yet???

Haiku for White Castle

2006-07-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

Soft steamed sliders yum

Recyclable square box yay

Digest no guilt yo

Chibcha Colombian Restaurant on Sunset

2006-07-06T01:49:00.000-07:00

Chibcha Restaurant: Fine Colombian Food has officially been added to my list of easy-go-to neighborhood eateries for good comfort food grub a la Colombia. Located in a nondescript Sunset Blvd strip mall, the restaurant is on the north side, just at Benton Way. You'll be able to find plenty of starchy and meaty side dishes, breakfast options, meats, soups, chicken, seafood and deserts. Colombian drinks, imported beers and a variety of juices that I have yet to translate round out the menu.

THE FOOD
Good comfort food from Colombia at reasonable prices (entrees for 9 - 13 bucks). Every item tasting fresh, homemade and not overlyseasoned (read: salty). Thanks to their history and geographical location, we can thank them for their slightly caribbean twist on South American favorites. Not only will you get your Lomo Saltados and Bistek a la Criolla (Top Sirloin), you'll have a choice of sides that include fried plaintains, special corn cakes called Arepas, fried green plaintains (that are less sweet, slightly salty and chewier), chicharones (fried pork skin), morcilla arepa (or blood sausage), yuca (fried cassava root, like a starchier thicker french fry), and empanadas (yummy meat pies). I have yet to try the corn cakes but the plaintains are perfect, not overly mushy and overcooked like other places. The green plaintains are extremely satisfying for anyone craving carbs. Even better, the empanadas are unlike the wheat flour based doughs that I was accustomed to eating in Chile or Argentina (see above). They are deep fried with a crusty corn-based crust, filled with a tomato, potato, and meat center. YUM. At $1.25 for each empanada, it is well worth getting a couple to start off your meal.

What have I tried in my two visits thus far?
My friend ordered the Mojarra Roja Frita (Fried Fish) with salted white rice, friend plaintains and an incidental salad slaw (see right). At $10.95, my dining buddy was quite pleased with the meaty thickness of the fish (much meatier than the fried crusty skin only mojarra frita you get from our local MacArthur Park Pescado Mojado). You can easily share the fish for two for a light lunch or have a nice hearty dinner and eat it all yourself.

I had a half order of the Ajiaco Santafereno for $6.95 this same evening with the two empanadas thrown in for variety (see left). The Ajiaco is a hearty chicken soup that made me feel like my cold went away. Despite the "half size" portion, it was still ample enough to feel like a meal. With the lovely, not-too-salty broth, I had a few thick pieces of yummy stewed dark meat chicken, a few baby potatoes the color of yam with a buttery texture, and a sweet chunk of corn on the cob. You had the option to add in a sour cream-like substance or some large briney capers, but the soup stood well enough alone.

The first visit brought me to a GREAT dish that will be a regular in my rotation of local dining options. It's called the Bandeja Paisa. At $10.95, it is well worth the price for the generous slice and a half of carne asada (well seasoned, not too tough), dense and flavorful chunk of chorizo, huge crown of deep-fried pork skin (chicharon), side of beans, rice, fried plaintains, fried green plaintain, all topped with an over-easy fried egg. Once I get a photo, I'm definitely adding this to the must-have over-easy egg meals in L.A.

THE SERVICE
Service is extremely personal and friendly. Upon my second visit, the waiter remembered what I ordered. He actually split the bill for each of the four diners at our table without our request when I first ate there. His recommendation of the Bandeja Paisa was right on target as something that as the more uniquely colombian dish (with the Fritanga not far behind, a huge $16.95 platter of little pieces of pork riblets, beef, pork skin, sausauge, fried yucca and other such items used typically by revelers to wash down beers and alcohol). Patricia, another employee, even gave us a take home menu today and wrote her personal cell number on top just in case we couldn't communicate over the phone in Spanish when we call in during the more monolingual work shifts. But be mindful, they make everything to order (no freezers) so it takes a reasonable wait for the food to get to the table. I suggest calling ahead if ordering to-go.

LUNCH TIP
They have daily lunch specials at around 6 dollars. You can get a fair portioned meal such as arroz con pollo or slightly smaller plates of their dinner dishes.

Chibcha Colombian Restaurant
2617/2619 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
213-483-8072
call Patricia's cell if the person answering the regular number doesn't speak English: 323-497-0666

hot Latin cocktails to keep you cool this summer

2006-07-05T01:06:00.000-07:00

I tried the CAIPIRINHA for the first time this week. Excellent. Check out the recipe for that and then some.

Jonathan Gold's 99 Essential L.A. Restaurants

2006-06-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

Here's a list of 99 more L.A. grub spots, compiled by The LA Weekly's JG, the ultimate grubber. Check out his picks: 99 Essential L.A. Restaurants

LA Times' latest EATING OUT List

2006-06-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

Mmm... let's get our grub on! Check it out!

Universal Hilton

2006-06-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

After reading the Madame Matisse posting, do a 180 degree turn and you'll have the Universal Hilton sunday brunch Boo-Fay. Maybe it was because it was Father's day, but the place was crowded. I mean you have to use your chinese "lack of personal space" skills just to walk around. It had a distinct Las Vegas feel to it. Maybe it was all the chinese and filipinos that were eating there.

Foodwise, it was good. Not the best brunch I've ever had, and not the worst.

There was a huge seafood table with dungeness crab, king crab, stone crab, lobster, shrimp, oysters and seafood pate. While you think this is the high price item, you could almost skip it. The oysters on the half shell were not good, the king crab and lobster were till partially frozen and watery, the dungeness crab was okay, but I'd rather have mine hot with ginger and onion, shrimp, well it's boiled shrimp and I like peel-and-eat shrimp.

Next to the seafood table is the sushi area. Once again, it sounds good on paper, but you want to stay away from this too. They have salmon, halibut and tuna sashimi on a giant platter. Sashimi and giant platter shouldn't be said together without the word NOT somewhere in there. They also have the custom handroll. I guess that's okay, didn't get one.

In the another room they have traditional salad stuff, didn't get it, and other cooked chinese/asian dishes. Beef and broccoli, kalbi, potstickers..... in this room is the freezer where you can get the ice cream truck special. When I first went in they had individual Haagen Daaz cups, dibs and other assorted treats. When I went back a second time, they only had half melted snickers ice cream bars, ice cream sandwiches, strawberry shortcake bars, and butterfinger bars. Tip, go early and have ice cream first. There was also a dessert table which I did not partake in.

Next to the sushi station there was a pasta bar where you can choose your sauce, pasta and toppings and a guy puts it all together. Didn't try this one either, filler.

Across from the pasta bar is the mixed bag table. You have roasted fingerling potatoes, mac & cheese, some pasta dish, siu mai, haw gow, pastries and breads. I had the haw gow and siu mai since Allen likes that. I didn't eat much since Allen took the haw gow from me, ate the filling and returned the wrapper back to me. The joys of being a parent.

Next to the mixed bag table is the meat carving station. You have your prime rib, turkey, ham, lamb and.....roast pork, with the crispy skin. I only had to roast pork. Tip, ask the meat carver guy to only give you the skin. The hoisin sauce and green onions are right on the table. I meant to go back for more of the meats, but I didn't get a chance.

Across from the meat table is another mixed table. More breads and pastries and drinks. There was a hot chocolate urn, which I wasn't sure it was 100% hot chocolate. It tasted like there was some vanilla and maybe something else. Sort of like the mexican champurrado without the cinnamon. There was also an orange juice and apple juice dispenser on the table.

Outside in the atrium area is a grill station. They have ribs, steak, hamburgers hot dogs, some sort of sausage and lamb chops. I had the sausage, okay, needed more spices, it might have been good in a bun with mustard and onions and peppers, but I wasn't going to go for the filler. That's what they want you to do. I didn't have any ribs, I wanted some, but some people don't know buffet etiquette. I saw people with a huge pile of a single item on one plate. I know they might be sharing with the table, but at least save some for the people that are behind you. I had to go back a couple of times just to get the lamb chops. I'm glad that I did. Very good. Not gamy at all and nice and tender.

Going back inside, there's another dessert table. Your usual tarts and tortes, but this one also had a chocolate fountain. Once again, it sounds good in theory, but just think of all the people that are sticking their fingers and other things in that chocolate fountain. I was waiting for my turn when the lady in front of me was just grazing right in front of the fountain. Dip, shove it in her mouth, repeat.

Farther down the hall almost to the ballroom area is the breakfast food table. You have the make your own omelet/eggs/crepes/waffles and your usual breakfast buffet fare of sausage, bacon, ham, home fries and eggs benedict. When I came back with a plate of omelet, bacon and sausage my mom admonished me to get stuff that I usually don't get at home. I did, I never get to eat 5 strips of bacon AND sausage at one time at home.

I would rate it a 5 out of 10 experience. Maybe if it wasn't so crowded I would give it a higher rating.

Cafe Sierra at the Universal Hilton
Sunday Brunch: 10:30-2? (Don't believe the website that says it begins at 11:30)
$34.95 adults (before 11am, $5 off), $9 kids (3-9), we had to lie about Allen's age for the first time.

Madame Matisse

2006-06-18T22:49:00.000-07:00

My best friend Tonkhero has been raving about Madame Matisse since I've met him two years ago... and finally, I paid homage to the Madame today.

Located on 3536 W Sunset Blvd in Silverlake, across from the St. Francis of Assisi mural, Madame Matisse is a small, simple and quaint restaurant in the center of hipster-ville. So even though the patrons are a little yucky, the service is quite the opposite: down-to-earth and sweet. The menu reflects the service as well... a concise list of sweet and savory brunch entrees. You think with a name like Madame Matisse, you would have a menu filled with overpriced items and gratuitous descriptions in faux French. Instead, you have the Matisse Corned Beef Hash and Eggs:
I love love love corned beef hash and, thankfully, this dish of the Madame's was no disappointment. Because the hash was mixed with onions and green onions, it tasted healthier and more interesting. The texture of the hash was sticky too, and didn't crumble like some other hashes I've had. I believe the sticky texture helped with the seamless absorption of the runny eggs. By the way, I apologize if the picture above looks gross... I mashed my eggs before I remembered to take the photo. When the waitress brought my dish out, I got too excited and ahead of myself... sorry.
Kathy Jue ordered the Madame's special french toast, sausage and eggs. Since I'm not a french toast kind of gal (unless the toast is soaked in egg batter overnight), I couldn't really tell you if it was good, but Kathy said it was excellent. I tried a bit of it, and I have to admit, it was indeed tasty. The Madame added this orange flavor to the toast, which makes it much more interesting than the standard french toast. The sausage was real good, albeit a bit too spicy, but the eggs were on the bland side. Not bad still. Overall, it was a very nice experience.

* We also had a star sighting at Madame Matisse -- Michael from Lost. We do not know his real name. He had brunch with his white wife and biracial pre-teen daughter. I thought about snapping his picture for Joe Mak (a die-hard Lost fan), but the corned beef hash arrived and, well, you know the story...

Senor Fish, redux

2006-06-14T14:42:00.000-07:00

senor fish
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

here's a photo to accompany the Senor Fish review from August 2004. Pictured here is the taco lunch special: 2 tacos (choose your meat filling), rice, beans, and a drink for $4.95... or was it $5.95?? either way, it's still a deal. Oh, and someone else's burrito is pictured on the top right. Either of these choices are the biggest bang for your buck. Try the shrimp or scallop burrito. mmm mmm mmmm!!!

Wonton Time

2006-06-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

wonton time
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

Following the logic of fellow GrubClubber "NuttinButGlutton," I suppose Wonton Time could be categorized as a "Hong Kong Regional Specialty" -- except for the fact that this is some damned good wonton soup that satisfies your wonton cravings every time.

Wonton Time is an outpost of a Hong Kong chain, and that's all they do: wonton and various combinations of wonton with soup, noodles (the thin egg noodles pictured or the thicker rice noodles), handmade fish balls (pictured in soup), and sliced beef. You can also get green veggies (like chinese broccoli, but not quite... it's the one that looks like chinese broccoli but tastes more like a cross between it and bok choy).

These are no ordinary wontons... these are like wontons on crack. They are humungo... each one probably contains at least 3-4 whole shrimp inside. And the fish balls are not really balls at all; since they are all hand-made, they're more like the shape of what you get when you squish play-doh in the palm of your hand while making a fist. And, even though I am not ordinarily much of a fan of the fish ball ouevre, these are some tasty fish balls. Not at all like the rubbery, fishy-smelling things that come out of the freezer section, these are freshly-made, delicately flavored, tender, and perfect in the soup when they soak up the tasty broth.

Speaking of the soup, I like to get the wonton, noodles (either egg or rice... depends on my mood), and fish ball combo in the soup. The other option is to get all the ingredients on a plate and the broth served to you separately in a bowl (as shown at the top of the picture). Kind of like how at Daikokuya, you can get the ramen separate from the broth. Frankly, I just don't see the point of separating everything, since having everything together in the broth makes ties all the flavors together. But, hey, I'm the one who likes to put everything on my plate together in a sandwich, so that may be just me... Lastly, top everything off with the delicious chili oil concoction and you'll soon be a fan, too.

Located in the mall anchored by the Starbuck's on the NE corner of Garfield and Valley, Wonton Time is worth seeking out. But be forewarned that it is teeny tiny in there and I think they close rather early (maybe 8 or 9pm). But a bonus is that afterward, you can always walk over to the Shau May franchise (I think this one is called Kang Kang) and get yourself a shaved ice for dessert.

Food Trends

2006-06-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

I saw this in the LA Times today.

The Show Dogs of Summer

That's right, corn dogs are the food of the future.

I am so on board with that one.

I predict an all stick food movement. After that, edible bowls.

Singapore's Banana Leaf

2006-06-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

Although the Farmer's Market is one of my favorite places in LA, I was getting kinda bored with the market's favorites: the crepes from the french place owned by Filipinos; the po-boys from the New Orleans joint; the nachos and chilaquiles from the Mexican place; and the Brazilian food that always cost me an arm and a leg because I can never accurately eyeball how much the items on my plate weigh...

Singapore's Banana Leaf has revived 3rd and Fairfax in a big, delicious way. I've been there for a total of three times now, and I still crave more. This food blogger also agrees!

Pictured above is the Mee Goreng Indo Style -- savory Indian pan-fried noodles served with two satay sticks and a fried egg on top... for $8.50! This is my ultimate favorite.

For an appetizer, I recommend the Roti Paratha, a grilled Indian bread served with vegetarian curry dipping sauce. It tastes so fresh and so light, you can't tell how fatty it probably is. It's wonderful, and fun to share.

The only other items I've tasted were the Laksa Soup (spicy coconut curry soup with rice noodles, tofu, bean sprouts and homemade fishcake) and Tuna Sambal (solid white albacore tuna sauteed with garlic, onions, tomato and ginger, and served with rice and vegetables). Both entrees are huge. You can save the leftovers for another meal. Double the pleasure, double the fun!

I would attempt to try more entrees, but I'm addicted to the Mee Goreng pictured above. I mean, look at it! With the egg on top and two (not one, but two!) satay sticks make this the perfect dish!

Mamita

2006-06-12T16:02:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday we had a team lunch at work and picked up food from Mamita. It's a peruvian place sandwiched between the BMW dealer and the Mercedes dealer. Talk about bringing down the property values.

I had Pescado a lo macho. Fried fish filet topped with sauteed shrimp, squid and octopus, served with rice. It's similar in seasoning to the saltado de mariscos. It had the onions and the tomatoes and the soy sauce based sauce, except for one difference, instead of french fries, you use breaded fish filet. Point for cake right there. I like the french fries and all, but come on, it's fish and about the same price as the saltado. At about $10.95 it's not a cheap lunch, but it's good.

Mamita
714 S. Brand Blvd
Glendale, CA 91204
818-243-5121
Hours:
Wed-Thurs: 11:30-8:30
Fri-Sat: 11:30-9:30
Sunday: 11:30-8:00
Closed Monday & Tuesday

Costco Food Court

2006-06-12T15:47:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that there are enough people that don't know about the costco food court that there would be a need to run an article about it.

Seattle Times article

Leave it to Debbie Downer from the American Heart Association to say that a slice of pizza is probably enough for two people. Come on, the last time I went to the costco food court, Allen ate a slice of pizza on his own. He is a big kid and all, but he's not 3 years old yet. Hopefully I'm not growing one of those fat kids, but I'm just saying.

Question: Has anybody ever ordered the chicken bake more than once? At $2.69 is it almost two hot dogs good?

Vietnamese Regional Specialty

2006-06-12T14:52:00.000-07:00

Somewhat of an inside joke among the Lew family, but _____ regional specialty has come to be known as somewhere that serves one dish of something that you have no desire of eating.

I came across this article in the LA Times just last week.
Vietnamese Regional Specialty

Like any good article, the first sentence tells me everything I need to know about this place.

"In a dining area barely bigger than a lunch truck, Kevin Tran presides over the counter and dining room of Vinh Loi Tofu, a Vietnamese vegetarian café and tofu factory in Reseda. "

VEGETARIAN CAFE AND TOFU FACTORY.....okay, sure.

Now add the words "celery bar" and you can be sure that I won't be within a 2 mile radius of this place.

I'm all about trying places out before passing judgement, but really. Come on. Read the article and tell me I'm wrong by not wanting to go to this place.

Tip Top Meats

2006-06-12T14:09:00.000-07:00

I don't know where to begin with this.

breathe

When I die, I don't want clouds, a harp and pearly gates. I want to go to Tip Top Meats in Carlsbad.

breathe

Okay, on the surface it's a meat market with a vast selection on smoked meats and sausages. They also have a large European grocery product section. Words do not do this place justice. Come on, there's about 9 linear feet of bacon. From your thick sliced bacon, thin sliced bacon, slab bacon, double smoked bacon, single smoked bacon, hungarian hot bacon......then you move on to the smoked ham hocks, smoked pork loin, smoked pork butt........then you have the smoked turkey wings, drumsticks, breast, necks........ don't even get me started on the sausages. Bratwurst, breakfast links, bockwurst, frankfurters......drool.

I'm not a beer drinker, but the amount of european beers they have on stock is astounding. Then there's all the european chocolates. Mmmmmm.........

You can also get any european condiment or sauce you have ever had on your european trips. Not that I would know, but i can imagine what it would be like. Say you want curried ketchup. they got that. Remoulade sauce. Maggi sauce. HB sauce. They got it. The only thing missing is a great cheese and butter selection, but the meats more than make up for that shortcoming.

They also have a restaurant attached to the market. Maybe it was because we were there around 3pm and only blue hairs eat at that hour, but the restaurant area looks like somewhere old people eat. One thing to know is the Big John Breakfast. It's served from 6am-12pm. For $5.98 you get 3 eggs any style, home fried potatoes, toast and get this ALL THE MEATS YOU CAN EAT. This includes bacon, sausage, polish sausage, bratwurst or ham. They're not messing around here. Most places give you all you can eat of the cheap stuff, like pancakes, or toast, but not Tip Top Meats, they don't mess around with the all you can eat swine products.

Tip Top Meats
6118 Paseo Del Norte
Carlsbad, CA 92009
760-438-2620
Open Daily: 6am-8pm
Located just off of Palomar Airport Road across from the Red Roof Inn.

Taco Zone

2006-06-10T11:26:00.000-07:00

Located at Alvarado and Montana in Echo Park (adjacent to the parking lot of Vons), Taco Zone is THE BEST taco truck in Los Angeles. Hot, juicy tacos, burritos, quesadillas and more. Open late. Fuckin cheap. Good vibes. Very excellent.

Dusty's - Silverlake

2006-06-09T15:49:00.000-07:00

dusty's crab burger
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

After hearing so much about Dusty's, when I finally went I was very pleasantly surprised that it did indeed live up to its hype for being a cool, laid-back, yet highly presentable (meaning date-, parent-, and/or in-law-worthy), neighborhood bistro. And I can vouch for this quality for both daytime brunch and for evening dinner.

Dusty's features a French-inspired menu with several omelet and crepe options for brunch. On the day I went with 3 friends from brunch, I opted for lunch and selected the crab burger pictured above. What it was was a giant crab cake in an oversize toasted bun, served with tartar sauce, lettuce and tomato and a humongo serving of excellent french fries. The crab burger was probably 1.5x the size of a hamburger. On a really hungry day, I could probably finish it, but would then be comatose afterward. (On this day, I cut it in half and took the other half -- along w/ half of the fries -- home. It was even pretty good the next day.)

We also ordered a frisee salad, topped with a generous portion of lardons and a poached egg, with a vinaigrette dressing. The lardons are like chunks of bacon cubes, not too salty and cooked to a dense, chewy consistency. When you pierce the egg and let the yolk combine with the vinaigrette, what you get is a yummy, creamy, rich dressing all over your slightly bitter frisee and lardons... mmm.... Those French people know how to eat their salad.

For dinner, I've had an excellent escolar special, which was a delicious white fish topped it with a mango salsa. I've also tried the lamb chops with a balsamic reduction... quite delicious. For dessert, I've only had room to try the chocolate souffle, which requires a 20 min. wait time, but it's so worth the extra wait. It comes out piping hot, light and fluffy, so good you'll probably burn your mouth trying to eat it as fast as possible.

Located on busy Sunset Blvd. in Silverlake, Dusty's offers valet parking, which I only used when I was there on a particularly rainy night. Otherwise, being as opposed to valet parking as I am, I usually just try to find a spot on the north side of Sunset.

Jollibee

2006-06-09T14:52:00.000-07:00

jollibee hamburger
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

More popular in the Philippines than McDonald's and "Home to the Pinoy Heart Anywhere in the World," Jollibee is quick & cheap Filipino comfort food that can be conveniently found in the food court of the Eagle Rock mall (on Colorado, just east of the 2 fwy -- and, as a sidenote, soon to be The Filipino Mall, anchored by Target and Robinson's May on each ends and also containing a Magic Microphone karaoke kiosk and a Seafood City supermarket coming soon). Several other locations can also be found, always in da Filipino 'hoods, of course.

But onto the grub... as pictured above, my friend Calvin ordered the hamburger steak plate (complete with white rice, mushrooms, and brown gravy) and some noodle entree, called something like palotok(???). I got the 2-piece fried chicken meal pictured below (also comes w/ white rice and gravy). We also got the ube (purple yam) boba slushees (only $1 add-on w/ the combo meal!) and I got a peach mango pie for dessert.

I was not much of a fan of the padunkadunk-thing -- it was those thin, white vermicelli noodles topped w/ ground chicken and shrimp and coated w/ some sort of fish sauce. Calvin ate it in about 3 sec. flat, before moving on to the hamburger steak. Although the gravy was salty, I must admit it was pretty tasty atop the plain burgers and rice (throw in a fried egg and you got a hawaiian-style loco moco!). My friend chicken was pretty good, too... better than KFC. The ube slushees were nice and frosty with decent boba at the bottom.

But the real standout item, IMHO, was the peach mango pie (there's also a banana pie that I'll have to try another time). Remember how, back in the day, before they probably got sued from some stupid white woman, McD's would deep-fry their apple pie so that the filling inside was so hot it would burn the roof of your mouth when you took that first bite?? Well, Jollibee took a page out of that manual because their pie is deep-fried just like the McD's pie used to be and is even packaged in that same ovoid cardboard box w/ the flip out tabs on the ends. Since I have eaten many a McD's hot apple pie in my day, I knew not to bite too heartily into this pie -- and it was a good thing, too, as the delicious peach-mango filling was piping hot and oh-so-delicious!!! You could taste both the mango and the peach -- two great flavors that taste great together. I would go back again and again, just for that pie...

Paella por favor

2006-06-08T23:32:00.000-07:00

My craving for paella from the last several weeks was finally fulfilled at Restaurant Spain in Silverlake (1866 Glendale Blvd., 323-667-9045).
The verdict? Unfortunately, the paella wasn't great. It's hard out here for a pimp... er, i mean paella...

We ordered the Paella de Mar, which was a seafood medley that consists of little crab legs, mussels, clams, fish, shrimp and squid. The look was right but the texture was all wrong. The rice was dry and flavorless, and nothing was particularly special about the taste of the seafood. In fact, the seafood tasted too seafoody, like someone forgot to clean the shells or something. I tasted the sea.

I hate to admit this, but the paella is better at La Paella, a joint on San Vicente close to the Beverly Center. I despise going there, however, because the entrees are expensive, and the patrons are old stuffy rich white people. Unlike La Paella, Restaurant Spain has down-to-earth service and un-pretentious customers.

Despite the grubby mini-mall exterior, the interior was cute and clean. They even sold Spanish products at their deli! Look:

I think the key is tapas. The prices are reasonable and the plates are large. We ordered Embutidos Variados, a mix of salami, prosciutto, cheese and olives. Not awesome, but delightful.

And the sangria was good too... but then again, I never met a sangria I didn't like. Cheers!

Honey's Kettle Fried Chicken

2006-06-06T22:53:00.000-07:00

Hello Grub Club Members,

This is the newest member, DYY, writing about one of America's favorite pastimes: FRIED CHICKEN. But this time, it's fried like how Chinese people fry their chicken -- light, golden, crispy and ultimately superior (but without the venerable little pieces of feather still remaining). At Honey's Kettle Fried Chicken in Culver City, you will never stick your teeth in a piece of breast and eat crumpling bits and balls of batter.

Although the menu has a variety of items, including their speciality, deep-fried krispy katfish (you know it's serious when words that begin with C are spelled with a K), I only tried their chicken and, unfortunately, no sides. I actually already ate dinner, and stopped at Honey's Kettle only after we weren't swift or smart enough to get advance tickets to see Omen at Mann's Theater. Now that the 6/6/06 will officially end in about an hour, I doubt I will make another trip to see the movie. BUT the night was salvaged when Joe Mak and I ordered one Honey's Kettle chicken thigh for $1.70 and shared it. It was delish! Perhaps 666 ain't so unlucky after all? The devil ain't the only one singing yummy in my tummy.

9537 Culver Boulevard
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 202-5453

GC members, thank you for including me. It is an honor.

chicago, baby

2006-05-31T18:03:00.000-07:00

on my little business trip with our general manager in attendance, we did chicago up RIGHT. it was all about the reservations-only dinners, executive style. three nights of dinners: a tavola (northern italian, ukrainian village), frontera grill (rick bayless' casual mex joint), and redlight (asian fusion).

A Tavola
2148 W. Chicago Ave.
773-276-7567
$15-$25 entrees

first off, a tavola provided the best meal i have ever ever had (but then again, i eat cheap grub and not often do i go to pricier joints). the service was attentive, friendly, personal but not overly involved. the setting was intimate with fresh white linens and minimalist taupe walls and black and white photos as a gallery-like decor. we opened with four appetizers for five people, which included thinly-sliced dried cured ham with cheese, light salad with fresh greens and vinagrette, grilled vegetables, and grilled portobello. they ingredients didn't sound exotic or surprising but the ingredients themselves and the judiciousness of the seasoning were impeccable. exceedingly fresh.

we had two pastas as the first course (to share). the gnocchi was forgetful (cinnamon and nutmeg spiced). the lamb ragout(sp?) parpadelle(sp? wider than linguine) was SO. GOOD. see below.

My dish was the braised beef short ribs on a bed of saffron risotto (above). it was beautifully cooked, meat just falling apart. it was definitely done right. perfectly seasoned with the gelatin evenly distributed throughout the meat, giving just the perfect mouthfeel. yum. i finished every luscious bite.

my general manager had the braised pork shank over a bed of cannellini beans and topped with a wasabi slaw. again, the braising was simply perfect with the pork just perfectly tender, moist and gelatinous. the portion was large with the bones still in. look at this lovely beast.

to finish, the pana cotta was the best of the desserts that we had. luscious with a light caramel sauce, the white creamy confection was perfect.

Frontera Grill
445 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 661-1434
$15-$30 entrees

The Frontera Grill is the creation of Rick Bayless, a "celebrity chef" known for his academic knowledge of regional mexican ingredients and cuisine. He's the guy that looks like a middle-aged white guy with salt and pepper hair and nerdy glasses. I always saw him on television, talking about making the perfect mole and all the ingredients required while quiet portly mexican women bare knuckle peppers and other fare over stone. I wasn't expecting much and for the most part, the food was "meh" to me.

but the blood-orange margaritas are a can't miss!! yum. not too tart and plenty of tequila kick.

my dish was the special of the day, kinda dry honey and habanero glazed babybackribs. even dry ribs are good but not the juicy fall of the bone kind that i like. but apparently chicago style is a little tough. oh well.

Gold Coast Dogs
159 N Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL 60601-3605
(312) 917-1677
two chicago dog special with thick fries and a drink only $5.95!

Couldn't leave Chicago without gorging myself with some Chicago dogs. They are much loved by the locals. A weiner on (i got it charred, not boiled) on a soft poppy seed bun, sprinkled with celery salt, topped with a wedge of sweet and tangy pickle, slices of tomato, raw chopped onions, small spicy peppers and the atomic green relish that i forget what they call. SOOOO GOOD!

the italian beef sandwiches were just like french dip sandwiches that you added peppers and stuff too. forgettable, especially at gold coast dogs. i heard you should go elsewhere for this sandwich...but we needed to try it anyway. i had a half of that with a friend and she had the other dog in the two-dog special. i shoulda stuck with eating BOTH dogs. ;-P

Red Light
820 W Randolph St
Chicago, IL 60607-2308
(312) 733-8880
$15-$30 entrees

Pan-Asian fusion/eclectic. meh. 'nuff said.

seared halibut steak over light potatoes, asparagus and tomatoes, opped with some kind of slaw.
the only reason you go is if you want to impress non-asian friends with the theatrical decor and the large bronze boddhisvatta greeting you at the door.

The Ultimate Snack Site

2006-05-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

anyone who claims to be serious about their grub needs to check out this site -- it is the holy grail of snack 411.

i could spend hours reading through this site... and probably will.

You Can Take the Filipino Out of the Jungle.......

2006-05-04T15:49:00.000-07:00

Check out this article.

http://www.westislandchronicle.com/pages/article.php?noArticle=6063

Here are a few of my favorite excerpts.

“Mommy, I don’t want to eat anymore,” Gallardo says Luc told her at the kitchen table April 11. “My teacher is telling me that eating with a spoon and fork is yucky and disgusting.”

“He said, ‘Madame, you are in Canada. Here in Canada you should eat the way Canadians eat.’" - He forgot to add the eh at the end.

“If your son eats like a pig he has to go to another table because this is the way we do it and how we’re going to do it every time.”

“I don’t necessarily want students to eat with one hand or with only one instrument, I want them to eat intelligently at the table,”

Fried Dough of the World

2006-03-23T14:26:00.000-08:00

I have found my new obsession.

The Fried Dough of the World website.

Need I say more?

http://home.comcast.net/~osoono/ethnic-doughs.htm

beverages that can give you cancer

2006-03-13T11:31:00.000-08:00

It's a good thing San Pellegrino Limonata and Hansen's Root Beer (my latest beverages of choice) are not on this list, since I just bought two new 6-packs and am looking forward to cracking them open.

This list is not good news, however, for my friend (who will remain nameless here, but who should recognize himself when he reads this) who regularly consumes fanta orange and pineapple sodas as his daily "fruit" intake.

Released by the Environmental Working Group:
On February 24 and February 27, 2006, EWG purchased the following drinks at four major retail outlets in Washington, DC. They all contained ascorbic acid and either sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate—the ingredients that the FDA and the beverage industry have said can mix together to form benzene, a known human carcinogen. The actual levels of benzene formed in these products may be at trace levels and within legal limits for drinking water. EWG has no information indicating that benzene is actually present in any of these products at any level, however, we recommend that consumers avoid any amount of benzene in drinks intended for children (listed alphabetically):

* Country Time Lemonade
* Crystal Light Sunrise Classic Orange
* Diet Pepsi Twist
* Diet Pepsi Vanilla
* Diet RockStar Energy Drink
* Fanta Orange
* Fanta Pineapple
* Fruit20 Plus 10 Natural Apple
* Giant Fruity Punch Cooler
* Hawaiian Punch Fruit Juicy Red
* Hawaiian Punch Lemonade
* Hi-C Blast, Orange Supernova
* Kool-Aid Jammers Blue-Raspberry
* Kool-Aid Jammers Cherry
* Kool-Aid Jammers Grape
* Kool-Aid Jammers Orange
* Lo-Carb Monster Energy
* Monster Energy
* Pepsi Twist Lemon
* RockStar Energy Drink
* Sierra Mist
* Sunkist
* Sunny D
* Sunny D Baja
* Sunny D Intense Sport Cool Punch
* Sunny D Orange-Fused Strawberry
* Sunny D Smooth
* Sunny D Smooth + Calcium
* Tampico Citrus Punch
* Tampico Grape Punch
* Tampico Tropical Punch
* Tropicana Twister Diet Soda (Diet Orange)
* Tropicana Twister Soda Grape
* Tropicana Twister Soda Orange
* Tropicana Twister Soda Strawberry

Corner Bakery

2006-03-07T13:50:00.000-08:00

Almost every Sunday I ride with the San Fernando Valley Bike Club. We ride about 25-30 miles on the streets of the Valley. Halfway through the ride we usually stop at either a Western Bagel, a coffee shop, or Corner Bakery. This week was Corner Bakery. I've been there 3 times and everything I've order is quite excellent.

The first time I got a slice of the cinnamon creme cake. It's like a bunt cake and a coffee cake and quite excellent, but I felt it on the ride back.

The second time I got the mixed berry parfait, because everybody loves parfaits. It's layers of crunchy granola, low fat vanilla yogurt, and a delicious combination of strawberries & blueberries. While it was quite tasty, at $3.29 it's more than I would like to pay. I'd rather get the fruit and yogurt parfait at McD's for $.99.

Last Sunday I got the swiss oatmeal. It's a chilled European breakfast cereal made with rolled oats, fresh green apples, bananas, currants, dried cranberries, low fat yogurt, and skim milk. Served with a Sweet Crisp that's like a dried slice of sweet bread sprinkled with sugar. So it's cold oatmeal with fruits and yogurt mixed in. Pretty darn tasty and it doesn't sit in your stomach like a ton of bricks like the cinnamon cake did. The ride back was quite pleasant.

All in all a good bike breakfast. Next time I'm going to get the regular oatmeal.

L'Artiste Patisserie

2006-03-06T09:19:00.000-08:00

Going out to brunch/lunch with Susie's mom on Sunday is always a fun experience. She's game for almost anything so it's my time to try out new places. We went to L'Artiste Patisserie in Encino on Ventura and Louise. It's in the same shopping center as the Sav-on next to Catch 21.

Inside there are two large display cases with their beautiful pastries and breads. I would say there are about 6 round tables to fit 2-3 people inside and a number of the same round tables outside in a little patio area.

Susie got the almond brioche french toast which was pretty standard french toast. Nothing too exciting, it comes with a side of fruit salad.

Susie's mom and Allen shared the classic croissant with ham. It was a ham and swiss sandwich on a very good croissant. Allen ate out all the ham and cheese and had the top bread, so I got to have the bottom bread with lettuce and tomato and mayo.

I had the roast beef sandwich. It's not on the online menu, but it should be. It's hot roast beef slices with sauteed spinach and mushrooms, carmelized onions and cheddar cheese on a toasted baguette. Now that's a sandwich.

We also took some pastries home since they looked so good. We got a chocolate croissant bread pudding, red velvet cupcake, blueberry scone and a chocolate croissant. I haven't had the croissant yet, it's warming up in the skillet. I'm on a mission to find the best chocolate croissant. So far Portos is winning in the So. Cal region but after I eat this one we may have a new winner.

L'Artiste Patisserie
17312-A Ventura Blvd.
Encino, CA 91316
tel: 818-386-0061
fax: 818-386-0121

Hours
Tues-Fri
8am-7pm

Saturday
7:30am-5pm

Sunday
7:30am-4pm

Closed Monday

Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

2006-02-27T10:06:00.000-08:00

Don't get the chocolate croissant at CB&TL. I went there on the mid-ride break with the San Fernando Bike Club. I only had $5 and I had to decide between a coffee drink of a baked item. I figured since I had a water bottle I didn't need another drink, and the croissant looked pretty good. The croissant part was fairly good, but what made it bad was the chocolate. First, it should be dark chocolate not milk chocolate. Next, the chocolate filling shouldn't be grainy.

I ate it all.

Auntie Em's

2006-02-15T13:56:00.000-08:00

About a block south of Senor Fish in Eagle Rock on the other side of the street is a a little place called Auntie Em's. Inside you order at the counter off of a chalkboard menu and a refrigerated case of freshly made salads. On your left are their baked treats, huge cupcakes, blondie bars and small cakes by the slice. I ordered the grilled chicken breast sandwich with grilled chicken, thick sliced applewood smoked bacon, avocado, fancy lettuce, tomato and mayo on a rosemary roll and a small side of potato salad and a bottle of mexican coke. The sandwich was in the $8 range and the side salad was about $3, so it isn't cheap, but I split it with Sarah. The sandwich was okay. The bacon was really good, nice and thick and meaty. The best part was at the end when you just have the avocado and bacon left over. Next time I'm getting the B.L.A.S.T. (bacon, lettuce, avocado, sprouts, tomato). The potato salad was pretty good. Not the watery mayo and celery concoction that you usually get. It had just enough mayo to keep all the potatoes together and most memorable for me, no celery. The cupcakes are a bit smaller than the Costco muffins, but not by much. At $3.50 each they're not cheap. The chocolate cupcake cake was a bit on the dry side but the frosting was really good dark chocolate. If they would only put that frosting on the Costco chocolate muffin....

Next door there is a little marketplace that sells cheese, sweets, and other gourmet items. Most of the cheeses they have are from small California farmsteads which coincidentally are my favorite kinds of cheeses.

4616 Eagle Rock Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90041
phone: 323-255-0800
fax: 323-255-8068

hours:
mon-fri 8am to 7pm
sat-sun 8am to 4pm

Black Cherry Vanilla Coke

2006-02-02T11:53:00.000-08:00

I would best describe it as a cross between Coke and Dr. Pepper.

Best if you don't really like the medicine taste of Dr. Pepper, but you want your Coke to be a bit spicier.

I have to say, it makes for some tasty burps.

2006 L.A. Cultural Dining Tour

2006-02-01T16:02:00.000-08:00

Hey GrubClubbers,

Check this out: From Feb 6 through Feb 26, you can get your grub on AND help out a worthy cause! Read on:

The 2006 Los Angeles Cultural Dining Tour (www.culturaldining.com) is a celebration of the multitude of cultures in the Los Angeles area through participating restaurants and special cultural events in their venues. Currently, 66 Los Angeles area restaurants have come together to participate in this extraordinary 3-week event!

Beginning February 6th through 26th, each restaurant will be offering special prix fixe dining menus and incorporating events and performances reflecting their countries of origin. With each special Cultural Dining Tour prix fixe meal served, the restaurant will donate $1 to each of our two featured charities. Proceeds from the three weeks will benefit COPE and the Los Angeles Coalition To End Hunger and Homelessness. As the mayor recently referred to Los Angeles as the nation's homelessness capital, there may be no more vital time than now to show our support and involvement in this cause.

The Launch Party takes place Monday, February 6th, at Rita Flora Kitchen (460 S. La Brea Ave.), from 3pm-6pm. This event serves to introduce everyone to the details and significance of the incredible tour and to the participating restaurants, all while partaking in fabulous food. All participating restaurants are listed on the site: www.culturaldining.com.

The Closing Ceremony takes place Monday, February 27th, from 7pm-10pm, at Oasis Mediterranean Bar and Restaurant (611 N. La Brea), and features dancing, food, and special events, including the premiere of the Cultural Dining Tour Cook-Off Show.

Yoplait

2006-01-30T09:53:00.000-08:00

Every once in a while I go on a yogurt kick. Usually it coincides with the 10 for $5 sale at Ralphs. All varieties are usually on sale, so it's a good time to experiment and go with the alternative flavors and styles. This time I went with the this Thick & Creamy custard style.

It should come with a warning that says "If you enjoy our great Whips!, you shouldn't buy this." The two are polar opposites.

Whips!, well, it's pretty self explanatory, whipped yogurt.

The Thick and Creamy custard style is not very custard-y, but more like eating a block of softened cream cheese straight out of the package. Some people may like it, but it's not my cup of tea. I'll stay with the original style with the myriad of flavors.

the virtues of an over-easy egg

2006-01-27T12:57:00.000-08:00

i was thinking: is there ANYTHING that cannot be spruced up and make "grub"able with a nicely fried over-easy egg?

it seems to me that the over easy egg (lightly salted) can always add a protein heartiness to any dish. the oozy part of the yolk also makes a dish richer and yummy...an automatic natural "sauce" really.

some powerful examples of over-easy egg "grub"ability:
* El Caserio's "Llapingachos"...pile o' garlicky grilled pork riblets w/ potato cake topped with an over-easy egg.
* Fatburger w/ over-easy egg
* Thick french fries (papas fritas) w/ an over-easy egg (Chilean families/kids love this stuff)
* Yang family's power breakfast sandwich: over-easy egg w/ ketchup on wheat

other examples where the over-easy egg shows up in restaurant menus?

Indian Cafe

2006-01-17T23:11:00.000-08:00

taiwanese c. walken
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

Indian Cafe is a youth-oriented taiwanese cafe, apparently named for the giant wooden cigar store (american) indian that greets you as you walk into the front door. the interior of the space is done quite nicely, decorated with fake trees, tiny lights, and rustic wooden tables and benches, giving the place a disney-like pseudo-outdoorsy ambiance (if you can overlook the tv screens tuned in to whatever sports game is on and the KROQ tunes blaring from the speakers).

you can order beer by the glass or pitcher (unusual for a chinese place) and a pretty wide variety of foods to go along with your beer. We had fried calamari, a chicken hotpot dish, shredded tofu & pork, shrimp and pineapple, and some sort of chinese squash. everything was tasty, if a bit salty, but all the better to go with your beer.

but the real reason i'm posting this is to highlight the characters we saw here. Pictured above is the owner, whom we dubbed the "Chinese Christopher Walken." Below is a photo of one of the customers, who is sporting what i call the "Manchu Mullet."

if you can get over the racist/offensive premise of this place being called "Indian Cafe" apparently solely because of the presence of the wooden indian statue, and the fact that the waitresses wear Pocohontas-style headbands and a feather, then you might find yourself enjoying eating spicy taiwanese treats, drinking cold beers, and singing along to Linkin Park.

Indian Cafe is located (where else?) in a strip mall on San Gabriel Blvd, somewhere north of Valley...

Dragon Mark

2006-01-17T22:36:00.000-08:00

dragon mark dumplings
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

For anyone else who is *over* the overrated dumplings at the perennially overcrowded Din Tai Fung, consider giving Dragon Mark a try. Located in the corner of yet another mini-mall in the San Gabriel Valley, Dragon Mark specializes in Shanghai-style food. To me (and I freely admit I am no Shanghai cuisine expert), this means the delicate steamed "soup dumplings" (xio long bao), pan-fried pork dumplings, pan fried rice cakes, various noodle soups, and scallion pancakes (see below photo of our most recent meal). Everything I've had here has been delicious -- freshly prepared, not overly greasy, and rather delicately seasoned.

Even better, I've never had to wait in a crowded lobby or parking lot with hundreds of over hungry people AND it's cheaper than DTF -- I've never spent more than $10 for a meal (we usually go with a group of 4-6, and order several dishes to share). Check it out the next time you're in the area. And stop by the Konjac place in the mini-mall for a green tea konjac dessert to help you digest your food (or so they say).

Dragon Mark is located at 301 W. Valley Blvd. in San Gabriel.

Rabo Encendido

2006-01-17T22:16:00.000-08:00

rabo encendido
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

a.k.a. cuban oxtail stew... mm mm mmmmm!!! this tasty delight was photographed by yours truly, but consumed by grubclub contributor J (although i did have a taste) at el rincon criollo, a tiny cuban eatery on the westside (on sepulveda, maybe a block or so south of washington). my dish, billed as pork leg on the menu, was ok, but not nearly as delectable as the rabo encendido. on prior visits, i've have the masas de puerco (fried pork chunks) and the lechon asado (roasted pork), both of which were very tasty and both better than the pork leg.

but the real standout menu item that i've tried so far were the oxtails. although the portion is not that big, these tails were stewed until the meat literally melted in your mouth. so soft, so tender, it's easy to see why they soon looked like this:

all items on the menu are in the $8 - $10 range, so this is definitely a good bang for your buck value grub spot. since versailles is always such a zoo, consider venturing a bit further south along sepulveda to this intimate spot. you won't be disappointed.

Vallarta

2006-01-09T08:22:00.000-08:00

I was going to do a post of my own on Vallarta, but this blog says it all.

http://www.tacohunt.blogspot.com

On Saturday I went twice. I had the 3 taco special for lunch (2 carnitas, 1 carne asada) and I had sopes for dinner (1 carnitas, 1 carne asada).

the bacon candle: pure genius

2006-01-03T10:33:00.000-08:00

this was originally posted on the orkut "bacon community" boards, but since i no longer frequent orkut and have since started this blog, i'm re-posting it here (too bad i did this pre-camera phone, or else i'd have a picture of it, too):

Innovative Uses of Bacon By-Products 5/5/2004 9:50 AM

after making an entire package of bacon last week, i drained the fat into one of those little 7 oz. green chile salsa cans and put it into the freezer to solidify. then my friend jimmy came along with the brilliant idea of inserting a wick into the bacon fat can to make a bacon fat candle.

now, whenever we light it, people ask: is someone cooking bacon in here???

Langer's Deli

2005-12-22T23:53:00.000-08:00

langers3
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

Since I just posted about Mama's Hot Tamales, I figured I'd stay on the local tip and write about my other favorite grubspot in Macarthur Park -- Langer's Deli. Long considered an "LA Institution," Langer's is -- in my opinion -- hands-down, the BEST spot to get deli favorites like pastrami and corned beef sandwiches on rye.

The pastrami is out of this world... nothing like the salty slop you get at The Hat (though that salty slop is pretty damned tasty when you're jonesing for a greasy midnight snack... ). The corned beef is also heavenly. And, best of all, you can get both pastrami and corned beef together on one sandwich (like the one pictured above).

I also like the #19 sandwich (billed as their most popular sandwich), featuring pastrami, cole slaw, swiss cheese, and russian dressing on rye.

But for me, what really makes the sandwich is the rye bread: it's soft and warm, but with a great top crust that has a most satisfying crunch to contrast with the soft bread and tender meat inside.

There's also a full menu of other deli favorites, but I have never strayed from the pastrami or corned beef (except to get a cup of matzo ball or chicken noodle soup -- both are rather ordinary... stick to the sandwiches).

Langer's is open for breakfast and lunch only. It's located on the corner of 7th and Alvarado. Parking is a block west on 7th (they validate for 1 hr.). They also offer curbside take-out service -- you just call in your order and they'll bring it out for you so you can do a drive-by pickup. What more could you ask for?

Nora Ephron (the consummate New Yorker) loves Langer's, too:

Mama's Hot Tamales

2005-12-22T23:17:00.000-08:00

mamas tamales
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

At Mama's Hot Tamales, you might think you've died and gone to tamale heaven... Begun as a community economic development project to train and provide legal certification for the immigrant tamale vendors selling their edible wares in Macarthur Park, MHT is a place you can feel good about supporting -- and it certainly doesn't hurt that everything on the menu is delicious.

Since the focus of this blog is on grub, I'll skip over the highly worthwhile, do-gooder aspects of this operation and cut right to the tamale chase. On any given day, MHT offers 15-20 various types of tamales from just about every Central and South American country: Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatamala... all have their own variations on these little tasty, individually-wrapped treats.

Tamale styles vary from the Mexican green chile and pork-filled masa wrapped in corn husks to Honduran style tamales with chicken, potatoes, olives and raisin filled tamales inside a lighter, fluffier type of masa wrapped in a banana leaf. There are also sweet dessert tamales -- my favorites are the guava filled number and the sweet corn tamale.

There are also other items on the menu, mostly breakfast and lunch items (since MHT is only open in the mornings and afternoons). The horchata is especially tasty (and you get free refills if you eat in). Prices are very reasonable -- about $6 for a plate of two tamales, rice and beans.

On the particular day featured in the above photo, I bought a dozen tamales to go, selecting 12 different tamales. We brought it home and five of us devoured the entire tray, sampling each one. Standouts included the guava and sweet corn dessert tamales, the Mexican green chile pork & red chile beef tamales, Honduran chicken, Oaxacan chicken mole, and a black bean and pumpkin (or was it squash?) number.

Mama's Hot Tamales is located on 7th St., just west of Alvarado, right across the street from Macarthur Park lake. They also cater and can host meetings or small events in their space. I went to a fabulous tamale-making workshop there that was great fun (and we got to make a bunch of tamales to take home). Run, don't walk, to MHT. And be sure to bring hungry friends so you can try as many tamales as possible.

Petrillo's Pizza

2005-11-15T11:46:00.000-08:00

petrillo's
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

I almost don't want to write about Petrillo's because it's already eternally mobbed that we always have to wait an hour for a table. But since it is probably one of my top ten favorite grub spots in LA, it would be disingenuous of me to omit Petrillo's from grubclub for my own purely selfish reasons.

A family favorite for years, Petrillo's is THE go-to spot for pizza in the San Gabriel Valley -- perhaps in all of LA, even. Even though we grew up in the *other* valley, we would still make the trek to Petrillo's every so often. Nowhere else can you get the Petrillo's Special: a huge, rectangular shaped pie of thick, chewy crust topped with their tangy sauce, and tons of toppings: pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, olives and, for us -- always -- anchovies. The entire thing must weight at least 5 pounds.

Add to this the dense, chewy bread that arrives warm at your table (made with the same dough as used for the pizza crusts, but somehow seems different in loaf form) and a big antipasto salad that had generous toppings of pepperoni, salami, mortadella, chunks of mozzarella cheese, olives, onions, and pepperoncini... what more could you ask for?

Lately, we've taken to calling in our order and picking it up a the take-out window next door. It's less of a risk than having to wait an hour on the sidewalk for a table to open up. Just make sure you have somewhere close to take it to, since you'll want to devour it as soon as you get that Petrillo's scent in your car.

Petrillo's in on the north side of Valley, just east of San Gabriel Blvd.

Luscious Dumplings

2005-11-15T11:33:00.000-08:00

luscious dumplings
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

On a tip from "J," an occasional contributor to this blog, I went to Luscious Dumplings in San Gabriel (or is it Rosemead? I can never tell where the boundaries are in the San Gabriel Valley).

This tiny spot is clean and spare in its furnishings -- a good sign that they focus their energies on the food. Taking J's cue, my friend and I ordered 2 orders of the pan fried dumplings and decided to split a noodle soup and veggies.

The dumplings were luscious indeed. They were nicely fried to a golden crisp on one side, imparting a nice crunchy/chewy texture. The pork filling was juicy and tasty -- just right. You could also get them steamed or boiled, which would definitely cut down on the fat, but where's the fun in that???

The veggies were baby bok choy doused in oyster sauce. The noodle soup was rather unmemorable -- I guess that's what we get for ordering soup in a place called "Luscious Dumplings." But, still, it was a good complement to the dumplings to make it more of a meal. We couldn't quite finish all of the dumplings (I think we had about 6 left), so I took them home and had them for breakfast the next day.

If you're a dumpling lover, then you should check this place out. If you're a big eater, then dumplings alone probably won't fill you up enough to make you satisfied. But if you're just looking for a nice lunch or snack, these dumplings will definitely hit the spot.

Luscious Dumplings is located in a mini-mall (that also houses Vietnam House - mm! - and some other place with Shanghainese food that I'm curious to try out) on the SE corner of Mission and Las Tunas.

Flor Morena (Not So) Fine Foods

2005-11-11T17:50:00.000-08:00

10-03-05_1918
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

I wanted to like this place... I really did. It's on Rowena Ave. in Silverlake, just before it becomes Glendale Blvd., and I'd pass it almost weekly, watching its s-l-o-w development and wonder what it would be when it finally opened.

And so it finally opened, with a spare, slightly funky decor and colorful painted windows featuring the "Flor Morena Fine Foods" logo. It looked a little like a mini grocery store from the outside, but I think it's just the look of the deli case and the strange bar/case near the front door (I have no idea what that area is for).

The menu is a mixture of mexican and soul food, I think reflecting the ethnic background of the owner. I got the beef tamale with rice and beans, as you can see in the picture. Other friends ordered the BBQ beef brisket sandwich and the meatloaf. I recall also seeing ribs on the menu, and a variety of sides, including creamed spinach, baked beans, cole slaw, potato salad and mac & cheese.

As I said, I was really hoping to like it, as I'm always looking for another local grub spot, but it was really not so great. My tamale was quite unimpressive, rather dry and seemed like it was purchased elsewhere (perhaps frozen) and then reheated and served here. The rice had little bits of hardened grains in it, as if it had been sitting in the pot a few hours too long. And the beans seemed straight out of a can. In short, it was pretty much like what you'd get in a school lunch, but at about 3x the price (I think the tamale place costs about $6 or $7). And it was not even very filling.

My friend reported her beef brisket sandwich to be also unremarkable, except for the fact that it was served to her on burnt toast. The meatloaf was probably the best choice, in that there was really nothing wrong with it. Not that that should qualify it as *good*, mind you, but compared to our entrees, that was a plus.

I had heard the desserts were the best part of eating here, so I was looking forward to sampling the red velvet cake. However, I was informed that they did not have any cake the day I went. They did have banana empanadas, so we got one, as you can see in the top left corner of the photo. It was good, but a little small, and at that point, I had about given up on any hope for this place, anyway.

[It didn't help that their front door seemed to be missing that little arm thing that makes it shut slowly and quietly. We were seated pretty close to the door, so everytime someone came in or went out (which seemed to be every 30 seconds), there'd be a big BANG! and the whole front glass wall would shake as the heavy door slammed shut.]

I understand that this place just opened and they may still be working out some kinks. I really do. But I would still have hoped to see some glimmer of potential in the quality of the food... which I just didn't see.

Phong Dinh

2005-11-10T23:02:00.000-08:00

10-15-05_1934
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

Not for vegans, picky eaters or the faint of heart, Phong Dinh is kind of like adventure eating ala that Kitchen Confidential dude on the Food Network. As I discovered on my first outing to this Vietnamese restaurant in Rosemead, I am no Anthony Bourdain.

As the sign on the restaurant proclaims, it's all about the "baked fish" here. However, I didn't quite expect it to be a giant catfish on a platter, blackened and arranged as if it were swimming for its life. Now, I'm no wimp when it comes to eating whole steamed fish, so my issue with this place wasn't the presentation of the fish.

In fact, the fish was quite tasty, as long as you don't dig too deeply into it and strike black gold (i.e. the bitter, blackish stuff that you hit when you get to close to the fish's stomach). The chosen method of eating the fish is carefully separating one (or, in my case, two; every time I tried to pick off just one it would rip and I'd have to ball it up and start all over) of those thinner than paper, rubbery rice paper "tortillas", filling it up with a chunk of fish, along w/ some vermicelli, lettuce, shredded/pickled lettuce and radish, and sprigs of various herbs, then rolling the whole thing up like a little burrito.

No, my problem was with the fish sauce, which I was only able to single out as the offending ingredient toward the end of our meal. Since I had tasted fish sauce before and had no problem with it ever before *and* because we had also ordered a salad that was billed as having shrimp and "lotus stems," I thought something in this dish was causing the highly unpleasant taste in my mouth.

The only thing I could figure is that this fish sauce was the *real thing* where other Vietnamese restaurants I've been to use a watered down, sweeter version designed to please the American palate. Anyway, this stuff was rank and I felt like I was going to gag as soon as it hit my mouth. My dining companions didn't seem to have as strong a reaction to it, though, so you should try it and see for yourself.

As for the rest of the Greenpeace-offending menu goes, be forewarned that this place is also known for featuring exotic game meats. Some of these options include: frog, snake, deer, fox, alligator, and kangaroo. Our waiter encouraged us to come back to try some of these specialties. I've tried kangaroo and alligator before and would probably try the other meats, too, if I had different condiments that didn't involve that nasty fish sauce.

The place was pretty packed with Vietnamese families, all of whom had a gigantic baked catfish among many other dishes whose cousins were probably featured in National Geographic. My guess is that it's pretty authentic Vietnamese cuisine. Maybe too much so for me.

Phong Dinh is on San Gabriel Blvd north of Garvey.

Chichen Itza

2005-11-01T20:28:00.000-08:00

09-22-05_1235
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

Chichen Itza (or as I refer to it in my voice of an ignorant American: "Chicken Itza") is one of those little Los Angeles "gems." Located inside the Mercado la Paloma, a nonprofit community economic development project near the USC campus, Chichen Itza is a small stall that churns out quality, authentic Yucatecan food. Well, I'll have to assume it's authentic, having never had the opportunity to have Yucatecan food on any other occasion.

Either way, it's some tasty grub. In the above photo, I had the chicken pibil with black beans, rice and fried plaintains. My dining companion had the bistec milanesa, being a sucker for deep fried meat wherever he dines.

Basically, the mercado is like a food court (FYI: it also has other stalls that sell other types of food, juices, and non-food specialty items) -- you order at the counter, they give you a number on a stick which you put on your table, then they bring your food out to you at your table when it's ready.

Parking is also validated (one-hour w/ purchase). It's located right across the street from the DMV near USC, on or around 37th and Grand, just east of the 110 (in fact, you can see the colorful mural on the wall with "Mercado la Paloma" painted in the sky if you're stuck in traffic heading north on the 110). Go check it out, buy some earrings or a Mexican blouse after lunch, and support the cause.

Joe's Shanghai - NYC

2005-11-01T20:10:00.000-08:00

09-19-05_1309
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

If you're ever in New York and you get a hankering for dumplings, go down to Chinatown and check out Joe's Shanghai. It's on a teeny tiny street a block or two south of Canal. It's not a huge place, but not tiny, either. The weekday lunch crowd was fairly light the day we went (lucky for us), but I've heard the place is a zoo on weekends.

These are Shanghai style soup dumplings, also known as "xio long bao." Basically, they're very delicate, bite-sized dumplings that release a bunch of liquid when you bite into them, thus the "soup" moniker.

Here's how you eat them: Before you take a bite, dip your dumpling into a soy sauce mixture with a bit of vinegar and some thin shards of ginger sliced in. Next, place it in your soup spoon, so that all that savory liquid inside doesn't run down your chin and onto your lap. Then, carefully bite into one end to make sure the liquid won't burn your mouth (if you're sure they're already cool enough, then you can pop the entire thing into your mouth).

The ones we ordered had pork & crab filling, the specialty at Joe's. We also got an order of pan fried rice cakes (see below), also a Joe's specialty, as we were assured by the friendly Chinese people seated next to us, and scallion pancakes.

Compared to Din Tai Fung (the "world famous" Shanghai style dumpling house in Arcadia), these dumplings blow those away. These are not only bigger and juicier, they also seemed to have much more flavor.

I'll post the address below when I find the card. But I know there are a few Joe's locations -- they've expanded based on the success of their original Chinatown location.

Price: quite reasonable. Lunch for 2: around $20.

Address: 9 Pell St, NY, NY 10013 (Chinatown location -- 2 other locations in Midtown and Flushing).

hodori: cheap quick korean basics

2005-10-27T19:34:00.000-07:00

*revise 1.0, per the comment of illewminator*

cheap quick korean basics you say? yes. just head to HODORI, at the southwest corner of Vermont and Olympic. okay. i have to say...not real razzle dazzle...not a lot of subtelty...but just good, cheap home cookin' style korean staples without the fuss, at very reasonable prices. an additional plus is that they are pretty quick on the to-go orders. i mean come on, what is usually the pain when it comes to saying "let's eat some korean food!"? well it often means paying at LEAST, at LEAST 14 bucks for something decent. in this case, i just had three dishes this evening (shared with an eating partner) for the total cost of $21.50...for those with quick division in the brain, that's about 7 bucks a dish.

i had duk mandu guk (rice cake ovals and meat/veg dumpling in soup), duk bulgi with fish cake (rice cake rods with kim chi and fish cake pieces in red spicy and sweet sauce), and yuk gae jiang (spicy glass noodle soup w/ rice). this came with four panchan's or little side pickled dishes/cold dishes that you can have with your hot and spicy food.

other items (a multitude of basics) are on the menu. nae myun (cold noodle soup) and its different varieties, bi bim bap, mandu (pan friend potstickers), and tonkatsu (okay, not so korean). some dishes that include "bacon" (don't really know what that means) went upwards to 12 bucks...but basically prices are between 6 and 13 dollars. the space itself if dining in is well-lit, spacious and no fuss.

let's be honest: the food is nothing to write home (or grubclub) about. not subtle but does its job. but really, this is absolutely the CHEAPEST korean food place one can find if you want convenient, no fuss, lower priced and BASically good korean food! we don't HAVE to gorge ourselves with pricey korean barbequed meats to get that korean palette on the tongue! and what's better is the fact that they never close (apparently post-party post norebang/karaoke kids like to go there).

so enjoy...and don't say this is a TRUE culinary adventure...just some basic grub that should be added to the cheap standbys when your in the mood for a 7 buck korean meal.

Supermarket Dining

2005-10-05T23:17:00.000-07:00

vallarta tacos
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

If you're in the vicinity of Burbank airport and are looking for some good, cheap, and fast grub, look no further than the Vallarta supermarket on Lankershim, north of Vanowen, just next to the takeoff/landing strip.

Housed in part of a former Costco, this Vallarta is not your average neighborhood Mexican grocery store. As you walk in, head past the panaderia and bolillos to the right of the entrance to the mini food court area. There's a full menu of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tostadas, tortas, etc, most of which are $5 or less. You can also get breakfast -- the day I was there, you could get a breakfast plate for $2.99 (pictured below).

There's also a decent salsa bar, with pico de gallo, salsa roja and salsa verde, pickled carrots/onion/jalapeno, as well as roasted jalapenos and grilled onions.

They also have a number of aguas fresca: horchata, tamarindo, jamaica, and cantaloupe, pineapple, and strawberry juices. I got the strawberry, which was a perfectly light and sweet (but not syrupy) complement to my tres tacos (carne asada, carnitas, and that red chile marinated pork -- I forgot what it's called... ) plate.

My mom got the cuban torta with carnitas, which was a humongous sandwich -- she only ate half. Dad, the original supermarket dining aficionado and the one who told me about this great "find," got the $2.99 breakfast pictured below, which he supplemented with a big pile of grilled onions and jalapenos from the free salsa bar.

And after you're done, get some bolillos and carnitas to go so you can make sandwiches at home!

The beauty of bacon: Is it the salt, the smoke, the size of the slice?

2005-09-30T10:47:00.000-07:00

By Marlene Parrish, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Bacon isn't a food, it's a flavor." John Martin Taylor, author and teacher.

"Ham is a celebration. Bacon is every day." Ari Weinzweig, owner of Zingerman's.

Bad bacon is an oxymoron. Some people even go so far as to call it the best food in the world. No wonder. A many-pleasured thing, bacon is salty, a bit sweet, smoky, and when it's hot out of the skillet, both meaty and crisp. Even though almost everyone loves it, hardly anyone agrees on which brand or which style is the best. Like love, bacon is a personal thing.

First and foremost, bacon is an agricultural product. Good bacon, which comes from the belly, back and sides of the hog, comes from good hogs and will vary from hog to hog. There is a wide range of flavor depending on the breed of the animal, where and how it was raised and what it has eaten. Expect to find a huge difference between standard commercial brands and bacon prepared by artisans and specialists around the country.

But any way you slice it, literally, bacon is cured pork. The only ways to preserve meat before refrigeration were by means of salting, drying and smoking. The salt dehydrates the meat and destroys microbes.

Nitrites are used to aid the penetration of the salt evenly throughout the raw pork and prevent spoilage by killing bacteria. They do more than that. Sodium nitrite changes the red color to the pink color of cured meats. Nitrites also contribute to bacon's characteristic cured flavor. Because nitrites are converted to cancer-causing nitrosamines in the body, the FDA regulates the maximum amounts that can be used. But because it tastes bland or insipid, nitrite-free bacon is an acquired taste for most people.

Today, with refrigeration, curing is done to add flavor to the meat. Some makers still use expensive and time-consuming dry-salt curing and smoking. But most large-scale producers cure their bacon with a salt brine along with sweeteners and flavorings. Some will also inject the meat with a saline solution that pumps up the weight. That's the reason some bacons exude a watery, white liquid when cooked.

All bacon is cured in some way, but not all bacon is smoked. The distinctive, we can almost say irresistible, flavor depends on the kind of wood used -- hickory, apple, maple. The bacon is cured, dried and hung in a smokehouse with smoldering logs, chips or sawdust depending on the manufacturer. The process can take as little as several hours or as long as several weeks. Smoke flavor can also be injected.

Some form of bacon is eaten in almost every country in the world. American-style "Canadian bacon" is lean back bacon, from the loin, and precooked. Real Canadian bacon from over the border is called peameal bacon and is sold uncooked and covered in pea or cornmeal. Irish bacon is a meaty, lean cut from the eye of the loin and a mainstay in a classic and hearty "Irish breakfast." Pancetta is Italian salt-cured and herb-flavored bacon that is not smoked, and it is widely used in Italian cooking. Salt pork, that resident of Boston baked beans, is salt-cured fat with a smidgen of meat; it's used primarily for seasoning dishes after it has been desalted. Fresh fatback is from the pig's back and is usually rendered into lard.

The Chinese developed techniques for curing pork some 4,000 years ago. Their bacon today is an intensely flavored product that is air-cured with soy, sugar and spices. It finds its way into many Asian dishes, but its piggy flavor is an acquired taste for Westerners.
Buying bacon

Try to take a look at a whole slice, flipping the flap on the packaged brands or asking the butcher to hold up a slice or two. There should be an equal ratio of meat to fat, and it should look streaky with no large areas of fat.

The color of the bacon will depend on how the meat was cured, and it will range from pinkish to reddish-brown. Much bacon in the supermarket will be wrapped shingle-style and vacuum-packed. Specialty stores and many delis will have piles of sliced bacon, and other will cut slices to order.

Thick-sliced, or country-style, bacon is a favorite of connoisseurs. Many artisan brands are thick-sliced. If you are looking for flavor over price, this type is a must-try.

Regular-sliced bacon is vacuum-packed and a standby of supermarkets. Thin-sliced bacon is mass-market, supermarket available and also found in lower-scale restaurants.

Slab bacon comes in one piece and keeps well in the fridge. Sliced as needed, it's a good choice when chunks and strips are needed such as for lardons.

Turkey, tofu and other ersatz types of bacon are not to be confused with a rewarding bacon experience. Someone once said that martinis aren't made with vodka, pesto is not made with spinach, and bacon isn't made with anything but hog.

All bacon is not created equal, but typically it's about 4 percent protein along with vitamins and minerals. When you add uncooked bacon to a dish, the fat remains in the dish. But in frying much of that fat melts away. A meat-streaked slice of cooked bacon will have about 36 calories.
Store bacons in the fridge, well-sealed and packaged. Bacon can be frozen, but after a month it tends to lose quality.

How to cook bacon:
Cooking bacon is a matter of personal preference, but here are time-tested rules of thumb:
Use room temperature bacon to prevent the raw bacon slices from tearing when you separate them.

Cook bacon at a low temperature to prevent shrinking, curling and uneven cooking. Splattering comes from too-high heat and from low-end bacons that are pumped with water.

Turn slices as often as you like. When slices are done to your preference, transfer them to paper towels to drain.

Turn the bacon with tongs, a fork or, if you are good at it, chopsticks. If the bacon begins to curl, snip the edges with kitchen scissors.

To make bacon in advance or to keep leftovers, refrigerate cooked slices and reheat in the oven.

Spoon off drippings into a heatproof container between batches when you are cooking for a crowd.

What about all that bacon grease? Keep it in a covered container in the fridge or freezer, and use a bit of it to add flavor to any number of dishes. Bacon dressing on German potato salad is classic. Add a dab to the skillet when making fried eggs. Bacon grease added to the fat for fried chicken is wonderful.

A bacon sampling

You are probably familiar with the phrase "bring home the bacon." Back in the 12th century, a deacon in the English town of Dunmow is said to have promised to give a side of bacon to any man who would swear that he had not quarreled with his wife for a year and a day. A husband who could "bring home the bacon" was held in high esteem by the community for his upstanding behavior.

We brought home seven locally available bacons to sample and compare. They were thick-cut bacons, from both specialty shops and supermarkets. Strips were pan-fried over medium-low heat in a black iron skillet to the same degree of doneness. One slice of raw bacon was held out to judge shrinkage. We noted saltiness, sweetness, smokiness, meatiness and general appeal. Here, the bacons are listed in descending order of price per pound, not preference. It took a whole afternoon to do the comparison, but I don't believe I've ever lived so high on the hog.

Schaller and Weber -- $6.99. If you want to get in touch with your inner butcher, this one's for you. Have a good, sharp knife handy to hand-slice the thick, meaty solid hunk of bacon. The double-smoked bacon is meaty and chewy, with a good meat-to-fat ratio. This might be a good choice when a recipe calls for lardons, pieces a quarter-inch wide and 1-inch long. It tastes a lot like a good end of a ham.

Whole Foods -- $5.99. Dry-rub, slab bacon is meaty and chewy with more meat than fat in the sample. There was not much shrinkage. The bacon has a pleasant smoky flavor, but it is not as "bacon-y" as others.

Boar's Head -- $4.99. This naturally-smoked Canadian product is a good value. This is what bacon should taste like -- light, smoky flavor, balance between salt and sweet and a crispness that never faded. Was it my imagination, or were the first two slices thicker than the others? With very little shrinkage as well, this proved to be a good, all-around bacon.

John McGinnis and Co. -- $4.89. This Amish-made slab bacon from Ohio is cut to order in-house. Place your order and the butcher picks up a slab the size of a doormat and asks, "how thick?" Depending on where and how slices are cut, the bacon will be variable. On our order, slices were very fatty and short and had lots of shrinkage. We'll go back for another try because the sweet-salt balance and smokiness were good.

365 Whole Foods -- $4.49. With no nitrates or nitrites in this uncured bacon, the flavor was bland with little detectable smoke or sweetness. It shrank to almost half. When I eat bacon, I want bacon flavor, not a health lesson.

Giant Eagle -- $3.99. The Iggle has eight different kinds of corporate-brand bacon, all specially made for them by some big name provider. Let's call him, Harry Potter-style, He Who Must Not Be Named. Aside from being very salty, the naturally-hardwood smoked bacon had a good meat-to-fat ratio, stayed crisp and had good flavor balance.

Sugardale Original -- $3.98. This is the top-selling bacon brand at Giant Eagle. I can see why this is Everyman's bacon. It had the least shrinkage (how do they do that?), and although it was a little on the sweet side with prominent smoky flavors, Sugardale said "bacon" with every bite.
Epilogue

Extra slices from the bacon tasting were recycled into bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches. Since the BLT is one of America's favorite lunch-counter classics, we wondered where to find a really good one in Pittsburgh.

Just about every lunch menu has its version. We found a really good one last summer at St. Clair Memorial Hospital in Mt. Lebanon, whose snack bar serves the definitive BLT. Two slices of lightly toasted sandwich bread, a couple of thick slices of fresh tomato, several leaves of crisp lettuce and four or five slices of crisp bacon. Mayo is on the side. The sandwich -- cut on the diagonal, of course -- is served with a bag of chips for $2.85. Such a deal. This is the experience that started me on the good bacon quest.

For more about bacon, read "Everything Tastes Better With Bacon" by Sara Perry.

LA Times Article: Where 'A' Is Not on the Menu

2005-09-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

COLUMN ONE

Where 'A' Is Not on the Menu

· Chinese eateries in an L.A. County enclave struggle with hygiene ratings. An inspector knows the challenges unique to the cuisine.

By David Pierson, Times Staff Writer

After concluding a three-hour inspection, Los Angeles County health officer Siu-Man Chiu sat down at a table in a closed-off banquet room to tally the letter grade for a Chinese dim sum eatery in the heart of the San Gabriel Valley.

She noted the uncovered glass left in the food preparation area. No paper towels by the hand sink. A moldy refrigerator. Dead bugs in a plastic container used to hold pig's blood. The restaurant's current grade was a B, but as Chiu began tabulating violations, she knew it was in jeopardy. "Right away, it's borderline," she said. "What killed them was the red beans. That's six points."

The cooks had left 7 pounds of cooked red beans cooling overnight on a food preparation table to make desserts for the next day. When food is left for three hours at room temperature, bacteria growth can reach unacceptable levels.

"I hope I have a C in the car," Chiu said.

At that moment, the doors swung open. A manager told Chiu that the restaurant was so jammed with lunch-hour customers that he needed the space. Before Chiu could finish, servers with steam carts began to unload glistening spareribs and braised chicken feet onto tables filled with noisy patrons.

"Some places, you don't feel like you're making a difference," Chiu said. "Some of the violations you see again and again, and they're still making good business. Even with a C, Chinese people don't care."

C is the lowest grade a restaurant can get before being shut down. It is given when a restaurant scores 70 to 79 points out of 100. Scoring 80 to 89 points lands a restaurant a B, and an A is 90 or higher.

According to a recent study in the Journal of Environmental Health, the bold letters posted by the health department at entrances to restaurants have helped reduce hospital visits for food-borne illnesses 13% in the county since the system was introduced seven years ago.

Many diners check out the letter grade before they check out the menu.

But in the San Gabriel Valley, home to the nation's largest Chinese American community, the letter-grade system is often viewed as little more than a minor intrusion on a proud cuisine — if diners consider it at all.

Patrons of one cafe in Monterey Park, which has repeatedly been cited for health violations and recently received a C from Chiu, are undeterred.

"I've been coming here forever," said Melvin Jin, 25, as he headed for lunch. "I'm getting the fried rice. It's quick, it's easy. Besides, my friend used to work here and he says it's OK."

Michael Ke, 30, a USC student who frequents the restaurant, is equally unconcerned. "I don't even know where they post the letters. B and C is so much gray area."

The county does not categorize restaurants by their cuisine. But, anecdotally, officials have long believed that Chinese restaurants elude A grades at a rate greater than any other type of restaurant. Consider this: 80% of the county's eateries have an A. So why is it so hard to find an authentic Chinese restaurant with anything other than a B or C?

Chinese restaurateurs argue that their kitchens simply use too many ingredients and too many cooking techniques to comply with the all the rules of health inspectors like Chiu.

They say inspectors are overly strict and that a perfect score is tantamount to destroying the flavor of their food. If a roast duck were kept at the temperature the county wants it at all times, for example, chefs say you'd be left with duck jerky, not the succulent flesh and crispy skin diners expect.

And if diners were getting sick, restaurant owners say, they wouldn't be coming to eat in such large numbers.

"We've been cooking like this for 5,000 years," said Harvey Ng, owner of Mission 261 in San Gabriel. "Why do we have a problem now?"

Ng's restaurant has a strong clientele, both local Chinese Americans and foodies drawn by the glowing write-ups in national magazines. But if he gets an A, he doesn't keep it for long.

Chiu, a Hong Kong native, doesn't buy the excuses.

She has patrolled the restaurants of the San Gabriel Valley for more than a decade, cajoling, sweet-talking and even scolding the most grizzled of Chinese chefs. But her task — bridging a cultural divide over hygiene — is foundering on the long lines outside eateries with B and C ratings.

It was 10:33 a.m. when Chiu entered the dim sum house with the red bean problem, which like several other restaurants permitted a reporter to follow Chiu through the inspection process provided their names not be used. Chiu, who stands 5 feet tall, conducts her inspections wearing casual clothes and a county ID card.

In preparation for the noon dim sum horde, four chefs worked frantically in a back room behind the kitchen, forming row upon row of miniature dumplings and pastries.

A giant floor mixer stirred a pasty combination of shrimp and pork, later to be stuffed into yellow dumpling wrappers. Heated cabinets held trays of baked roast pork buns, milk buns and taro cakes. Strips of fatty pork were being defrosted under running water, to be ground for more dumplings.

Chiu acknowledged that no other type of restaurant can compare to the Chinese kitchen in volume and variety of dishes — and therein lies the problem. Each dish requires more handling, more ingredients and less time to do it all.

Chiu stabbed bowls of pork with her thermometer and crouched beneath sinks with her flashlight to check for vermin. She ordered the manager to remove greasy rags from table tops and clean a chopping board with bleach.

"Here is very bad," she said, pointing to grease on a hood above a wok station.

"We clean it once a week, maybe twice," a cook replied in Cantonese.

The owner arrived, appearing agitated. Chiu spotted an open plastic container of shrimp on a table and ordered it covered. The owner pointed at the shellfish and barked at his staff in Cantonese, "Are you kidding me?"

Chiu rolled her eyes. It's all for show, she said later.

In the end, the restaurant maintained its B, but barely, scoring 80.

The inspection, one of hundreds Chiu has done over the years, reinforced her long-standing belief that it's nearly impossible for large Chinese restaurants to earn an A.

The pressure on the employees would be tremendous, she said. It would force them to work several hours on top of 10-hour workdays just to clean up. The Chinese restaurant business is notoriously competitive, and owners cannot afford to pay more for cleaning staff.

"Sometimes I feel sorry for them," she said. "I don't take their attitude personal."

Chinese restaurants don't have the efficiency of major chains, which pack in just as many customers, she said.

"A place like the Cheesecake Factory or Acapulco, a lot of the food is precooked," Chiu said. "They have cleaning crews. In a big Chinese restaurant, the dishwashers have to do the cleaning. They have six or seven refrigerators. What are the chances that they're all going to be clean?"

The cultural gap became vividly clear when Chiu visited a Chinese restaurant in Monterey Park that had come under new management, which requires an inspection. The restaurant was prized for its roast duck and pork.

In Chinese cuisine, uncooked ducks and geese are hung to air dry, ridding them of as much moisture as possible. Drying allows the skin to become exceptionally crispy when roasted, as with Peking duck. The debate is over how long the birds can be left to hang in the bacteria-friendly danger zone from 41 to 135 degrees. The law allows only four hours.

The first thing Chiu noticed when she walked into the kitchen were the raw ducks and slabs of pork hanging on silver hooks, waiting to be barbecued. She immediately prodded them with her thermometer, explaining to the cooks that in two hours they would have to cook or refrigerate them.

Chiu walked to the takeout area and told a manager that a side of golden roast pork must be heated to 135 degrees and that he was in violation.

The manager pleaded with Chiu for some leeway. "It will be so dry we won't be able to sell it."

"Yeah, I know, I know, I know," Chiu said, her eyes still on the report she was filling out.

After four pages of handwritten notes on violations — including dirty gaskets, a lack of hot water in the bathrooms and unrefrigerated garlic in oil — Chiu was done. She had the manager sign each page and then walked toward the main entrance, where at least 30 people were waiting in line for a table.

Chiu stripped the green B placard from the glass door. Because it was an inspection prompted by a change in ownership, the restaurant would operate without a visible grade until another inspector arrived in the following weeks.

Otherwise, "They would have gotten a C," Chiu said. "It was pretty bad."

Chiu grew up in Hong Kong, a city with one of Asia's richest culinary traditions and where residents still buy food from "wet markets," outdoor stalls where slabs of meat hang from hooks without refrigeration and shoppers eat cooked food from unlicensed hawkers.

"Our stomachs must be used to the germs," Chiu said.

Chiu went to Cal State Northridge to earn a master's degree in epidemiology and biostatistics. But she did not complete her thesis, opting to take a job with the Department of Health Services in 1987.

She joined the department amid a major demographic shift in the San Gabriel Valley, as largely white suburbs such as Monterey Park, Alhambra and San Gabriel became the epicenter for a wave of Chinese immigration. Suddenly, the area became home to hundreds of Chinese restaurants.

The first six months on the job were not easy for Chiu, who was still adjusting to life in the U.S. She was too passive, she said, and was often intimidated.

"Some of them would chew me out," Chiu said. "But I got more confidence in myself from the job because I know what I'm doing."

She believes the restaurant owners' attitudes toward her also changed with time.

"When I started, they thought I'd be easy on them because I'm Chinese," said Chiu, now the mother of three teenage daughters. But from the beginning, she said, she was a stickler for the county's rules.

And over the years, she has come to command the respect — and fear — of the Chinese restaurant owners.

The most gratifying inspections are the ones that produce results, Chiu said. Take Au 79, a Taiwanese cafe in an Arcadia strip mall that boasts an A.

On her first visit, Chiu found numerous temperature violations and handed out a C. It took a year of encouragement and educating on the part of Chiu and other inspectors for Au 79 to earn an A. It meant translating the rules into Chinese for the kitchen staff, teaching the correct way to wash dishes and how to store food to prevent cross-contamination.

"She is very, very strict. My heart was pounding so fast when she came in," said Megan Lee, 27, who manages the business for her parents. "We moved here from Taipei. There were a lot of new rules to learn. It's completely different from Taiwan."

But Au 79 is an uncommon example.

More typical for Chiu was her trip to a Hong Kong-style restaurant in Monterey Park that serves a distinct Chinese take on Western food, such as chicken a la king and grilled steak smothered with brown pepper sauce.

The restaurant had been clinging to a B for more than a year. Heat from a deep fryer, a grill top, two stove tops, four woks and six stock pots raised the tartar sauce and Thousand Island dressing on an adjacent counter 19 degrees above the highest allowable temperature.

A container of rice porridge had a dead fly in it, food was stored in the employee changing room, a rice scooper was left in standing water and a meat slicer was encrusted with dirt.

Chiu sat down at a booth to write up the report. She refused a drink, as she always does. The owner, a Chinese immigrant who came to the U.S. in the 1960s, sipped hot tea and sat across from Chiu, hoping again to elicit some sympathy.

"We're month to month now," he said. "The owner won't renew our lease. I can't even change the plates. We wanted to renovate. We're barely paying our bills."

Chiu flashed a wan smile and said, "I hate to give you a bad grade."

"I don't mind, I don't mind," the owner said. "You're doing your job. And I get to scream bloody murder at the staff tomorrow."

The restaurant dodged closure by only two points, with a 71.

As Chiu left the restaurant, she stripped the green B placard from the window with one swipe.

She walked to her car, grabbed a red C from her back seat and returned to the front door. There, she taped up the new grade without attracting any attention.

Soon, customers filled the restaurant, as if Chiu had never been there.

Izayoi

2005-08-09T01:22:00.000-07:00

Izayoi is a new Japanese izakaya (loosely translated, this means a restaurant that serves little plates of various foods, appetizer style, kind of like Japanese tapas) in Little Tokyo, on Central between 1st and 2nd streets.

Everything about this place is beautifully presented: beautiful food served on beautiful plates and served in a beautiful setting -- well, as beautiful as you can get in a space in a newly constructed strip mall 2 doors down from a starbuck's and an office depot. dark wood tables contrast with the loft-like open space, furnished in that sparse Japanese style that exudes a sense of tranquility.

the sashimi is very good and nicely presented in the sashimi plate (but not as generous as what you'd get at sushi-gen). the kumamoto oysters were also delicious, topped with just a bit of ponzu sauce and some thinly sliced green onion.

the special combination bento (served to only the first 20 customers) has an assortment of items just like you'd get in japan: a nicely dressed mixed green salad, followed by a bento filled with a piece of broiled fish, shrimp & veggie tempura, boiled japanese vegetables, japanese pickles, and chawanmushi (a savory, steamed egg custard with mushrooms and fish cake mixed in).

We went for lunch, but I think the izayoi style may be more suited for late night/happy hour type dining, where you can get little plates of food along w/ your drinks.

Lunch prices are reasonable -- around the $10-12 range. The iced green tea is a little scary looking (as thick and green as pond scum), but it's quite refreshing -- and you get free refills, always a plus in my book.

El Caserio

2005-07-27T00:16:00.000-07:00

chuchucara
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

right near picholine (at that weird intersection of temple, beverly, first and virgil) is a little corner mini-mall that has two of my favorite eateries in LA: Don Felix and El Caserio (i think i've already done an entry on don felix).

el caserio is labeled as an ecuadorian and italian restaurant on its sign, but i don't quite get the italian part, as it seems pretty ecuadorian to me.

when you sit down, they bring you some crusty bread and a little gravy boat filled with what looks like salsa. i made the mistake of thinking it was that italian tomato-basil stuff you usually put on bruschetta and paid for it when it burned the hell out of my lips and tongue. be careful -- this is really hot stuff.

the best thing i've had so far is pictured above -- the chuchucara is meant to be split by two people, but it's probably enough food for three. it's grilled (or fried) chunks of garlicky pork, fried (sweet) plaintains, and a whole lot of boiled white hominy, topped with even more crunchy fried hominy (kind of like corn nuts).

other specialties are these potato pancakes that are like the delicious comfort food your ecuadorian grandma used to make. there's a good bit of seafood on the menu, and lots of grilled/fried meat items, many of them served with rice and black beans.

the fresh juices are also nice -- there's a drink called quaker (like the oats) because it's made from oatmeal and blended up with sugar and some other spices. it's not bad, but it's kind of an unfamiliar flavor. there's also passionfruit and some other fruit juices -- all of these are good.

my ecuadorian friend even confirmed that the food tastes very authentic here, so that's a good sign. if you've never had ecuadorian food before, it seems kind of similar to cuban and peruvian food. lots of grilled meats, lots of seafood, plaintains, and black beans. with the exception of that salsa-like stuff, nothing i've had on the menu is too spicy.

prices are also quite reasonable. the chuchucara plate for two is only $16; most other items on the menu are in the $10-15 price ranges. el caserio is located on the NW corner of virgil and temple, right next to don felix.

Picholine

2005-07-26T23:49:00.000-07:00

picholine
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

who would ever expect to find a lovely little french cafe and gourmet chocolatier in the middle of gritty, urban LA? picholine is an unexpected find in the very non-pedestrian-friendly area near the weird intersection west of downtown where temple, beverly, first and virgil all sort of converge while the 101 freeway roars overhead.

picholine is a casual french lunch spot that offers freshly made sandwiches with quality ingredients. we shared the smoked salmon sandwich, the grilled vegetable with cheese, and the chicken salad -- all of which were excellent. along with your sandwich, you get a choice of green salad, pasta salad, or a curried couscous salad (pictured above). i also had a lovely sparkling lemonade that seemed a perfect accompaniment to my lunch, which came out somewhere in the neighborhood of $10.

but the BEST part is stepping next door after your meal for some beautiful and deliciously fresh, handmade chocolates with interesting, but very subtle, flavor infusions. everything is sold by the weight, so you just select whatever individual pieces strike your fancy and the very friendly, very french shop owner/chocolate maker will put your selections on a tiny scale and ring you up. he also proudly tells you how everything is handmade and that he uses a different process to prepare the chocolate -- one that uses less sugar and thus imparts a more pure chocolate flavor. i sampled 3 pieces: a lavender infused chocolate, a jasmine tea infused number, and an espresso truffle. yum, yum, and YUM! just heavenly. and not too extravagantly priced, either -- my total was less than $3... an affordable luxury that everyone should indulge in once in awhile.

picholine is only open for lunch, M-F. it's located on first, just west of virgil. i think the chocolate place next door is open as long as the cafe is open, since it's the same people who run both places. check it out the next time you're feeling like treating yourself.

Dave's Chillin-N-Grillin

2005-07-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

Based on a recommendation on Chowhound we went to Dave's Chillin-n-Grillin. It's a sandwich and smoothie shop in Eagle Rock. It's a couple of storefronts off of the corner of Colorado and Eagle Rock Blvd. There's a Swork* coffee shop on the corner.

On the menu they have hot sandwiches, grilled sandwiches, cold sandwiches and a variety of smoothies and shakes. The hot sandwich selection is meatballs, sausage, pastrami and French Dip. The grilled sandwiches are ham and cheese, tuna melt, turkey melt, tomato and cheese and something else I can't remember. I remember even less of the cold sandwich selection. There are also weekly specials. There's a king crab melt that I really wanted to get, but he didn't have the crab this week. For $7 you get king crab mixed with a bit of Best Foods mayo, provolone all grilled on sourdough or wheat bread. There's also the Pilgrim which is turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce and the all important condiment, gravy. I'm so in.

We had the 6" meatball sub for and the tuna melt. Both were great sandwiches. The meatball is made in-house with a blend of veal, beef and pork. It's on french bread with sauce and provolone. The bread was what really made the sandwich. It was a good combo of chewy and crusty. We also had the tuna melt. I usually don't get tuna because they always ruin it by putting in celery. They don't have celery in this version. It's just tuna, Best Foods mayo and celery salt. I'm good with that. It's all on sourdough bread with cheese and tomato and grilled up. He also had this jalpeno hot and spicy relish that he puts on there too. It's like the giardiniera that you put on Chicago Italian beef sandwiches. It was the best tuna melt that I've ever had.

The Dave is quite a character. Typical Boston guy. He talked to us the whole time we were there. He went on with how he buys expensive albacore tuna to make the tuna melt, and how he has to have the no water added turkey or else he won't carry the sandwich that day if he can't get the 0% turkey, and how fresh his bread is and on and on.

I'm not proud to admit that I know this, but he has another person working there that looks just like Miranda from Lizzie McGuire.

Dave’s Chllin-N-Grillin
2152 Colorado Blvd.
Eagle Rock, CA 90041

New Concept

2005-07-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

newconcept
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

New Concept is supposedly named for its innovative approach to dim sum. It's a chain of 28 restaurants in China and 1 here in Monterey Park, home to every Chinese person in the US (ok, that's a slight exaggeration, but you get the picture).

Wanting to try out this supposed "new concept" in dim sum after reading about it in the LA Times, two friends and I decided to give it a try one Sunday morning. First off, you'd better go with someone who speaks Chinese, as the hostess will give you a little piece of paper with your number on it (written in English), but only calls out the numbers in Chinese. We waited about half and hour for our table, so clearly, this place is pretty popular with the locals -- a good sign (I was fearing hoardes of white people who might have also read about it in the Times).

The dim sum is ordered from a menu, kind of like a sushi menu (no carts clamoring for your attention). You look at the list and check off the items you want. Not entirely trusting the one Chinese-reading person in our group, I asked for an English menu and received a laminated version which I checked against the Chinese menu and it appeared to be exactly the same -- another good sign.

We ordered about 5-6 items from the printed menu, which was a good move, because we ended up also getting several of the off-menu "specials" carried around by the waiters.

As you can see from the photo, the dim sum is very attractively presented. I think the green wrapped one has a crab and shark fin filling. Everything was delicately prepared and presented, delicious and fresh-tasting. This also means that the portions of the non-dumpling items like noodles or veggies are considerably smaller than what you might get at your standard dim sum restaurants.

The desserts also looked to be innovative and attractive. The only item we managed to fit in were these lightly fried green tea mochi balls filled with that ground-up black sesame seed filling (I call it black sand). I wanted to try the pumpkin filled dumplings, but we were too full. Next time...

Overall review: definitely worth a try. It's more expensive than standard dim sum (I think we spent close to $20 ea.), but it's a nice deviation from the usual.

New Concept is on Atlantic Blvd, about halfway between the 10 and the 60 freeways -- it's a few blocks south of Garvey on the east side of the street.

Tito's Tacos

2005-07-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

titos tacos
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

it's no la taquiza (meaning it's not exactly authentic mexican cuisine), but oh, how i love tito's tacos!!!

to tito's non-enthusiasts, it's hard to explain how the hard shell tacos with shredded beef and cheese (for $.35 extra -- who doesn't get cheese on their taco??!!), the extra-crunchy chips of the kind you have to be careful while eating lest you rip open your gums, and the semi-watery blended tomato salsa can be so highly addictive.

there's not much choice on the menu. you're pretty much restricted to the tacos mentioned above, a burrito filled with either chunks of beef and beans or ALL beef or ALL beans (again, cheese is $.35 extra), tostadas that are pretty much like a flattened taco, with the added benefit of a layer of refried beans serving as the glue to which the toppings stick, tamales (that seem straight out of the Xochitl freezer pack), and enchiladas, which i've only tried once and don't remember as being very spectacular. Sides are the basics: rice, beans, guacamole, and, i think, chili con carne (your guess is as good as mine).

all i can say is that every time i fly back home via LAX, i look forward to stopping at tito's. nothing says i'm home quite like 2 tacos w/ cheese, chips and salsa, and a large root beer (always in a to-go box -- you get more chips that way!).

tito's is located on Washington PLACE (one block north of Washington Blvd.) just west of Sepulveda in Culver City, literally right next to and beneath the 405 fwy).

Jack in the Box

2005-06-24T13:55:00.000-07:00

Continuing on my fine reputation for reviewing the fine dining establishments that this fine city has to offer, may I present my latest review.

Jack-in-the-Box Bacon Cheddar Wedges.

I'm not a big fan of Yack-in-the-Box, but one of my co-workers got it for free. Most people get screwed in the drive-thru, but she always manages to get free stuff.

For those of you that haven't discovered this gastronomic treat, it's seasoned potato wedges covered in melted "cheddar" (tasted like american cheese to me) cheese with bacon bits sprinkled over. Mine also had the fried remnants of the curly fries mixed in for an added treat. I like to call it White Trash Surprise. Since I've been training for a triathlon I'm watching what I eat for the most part, but who can resist free food? Usually when you go through the drive thru and the fries sit in the bag for a few minutes it gets soggy and gross. Not these. Through the miracle of food engineering, the cheese somehow keeps it all crispy and tasty, and every once in a while you get a curly fry covered in the melted american cheese for an added spicy treat.

Not for every day or every week eating, but when you've been watching what you eat for a whole week, the bacon "cheddar"potato wedges are the way to make sure you fall way off the wagon.

What the Pho?

2005-06-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

I heard that What the Pho sells T-shirts. If any of you ever go by this place please get me one.

la taquiza

2005-06-20T17:34:00.000-07:00

so i am on my way to pick up food for a meeting, and my stomach is already growling in anticipation of the grindz that i'm going to get at la taquiza (not to be confused with the horrible tequila-beer combo...that's tequiza ).
Located near USC on Figueroa, a few blocks north of jefferson, in the corner spot of the mini-mall that also has a yoshinoya, on the surface, La Taquiza looks like your standard taqueria. but it's not. they have a pretty full menu including the standard burritos, tacos, enchiladas, etc. but for the uninitiated, i would definitely try the mulitas. Basically a mulita is about the size of a taco, but it's made with two thick grilled corn tortillas (similar to those used for the huaraches mentioned earlier), which sandwich meat of your choice, cheese, and guacamole. YUM. my description really does the mulitas no justice. suffice it to say, i first ate here about 4 weeks ago..and have been back 4 times since! (and tonight will be my first).

the mulitas go for about $2 each.

they also have really good quesadillas which can be made with your choice of meat as well, and some of the BEST horchata ever.

i think they're open relatively late (maybe 10pm-ish...) but that needs to be verified.
edit it's mulIta, not mulEta. my bad.

peach boy

2005-06-01T00:35:00.000-07:00

allen breadhelmet
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

this is just an excuse to post a photo of my cute little nephew wearing a "helmet" made of bread and decorated to look like a peach.

you might be wondering: why is there a giant piece of bread made in the shape of a peach? we were at sam woo's in the giant chinese mall on the corner of valley and del mar in the san gabriel valley for a 70th b-day banquet for my uncle. i guess the chinese chefs were feeling especially festive - the dessert plate featured little bread buns filled with white lotus seed paste decorated like peaches and attractively arranged around (and under) a giant "peach" shell.

seeing that this bread shell was approximately the size of my nephew's head, i decided to see what he would do if we put it on him like a bike helmet. unfortunately, all the other little brats around us saw what we were doing and decided to copy us, so all-out mayhem soon broke out. but not until after i got these precious shots.

Crawfish Festival

2005-05-31T23:58:00.000-07:00

crawfest2
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

how could grubclub be complete without a review of the 13th annual crawfish festival held in redondo beach on may 14-15?

for a mere $20 (i purchased the online pre-sale package), i got entrance to the festival, a t-shirt, and this well-balanced meal, as you can see in the photo, which consisted of 3lbs of crawfish (a.k.a. waterbugs), a tiny corn cobbette and a tiny red potato. in fact, all four of us in my party got the same deal, so between us, we downed 12 lbs. of these ugly little suckers.

they were quite tasty, though. for those of you who are grossed out by the looks of them here, i can tell you that they looked a whole lot better in person, and especially after waiting in line for over an hour to get them. still, 3 lbs of crawfish is quite a bit -- we were trying to eat them quickly (because they taste much better when they're hot). so all of us were sitting there with these huge mounds of crawfish in front of us, silently cracking them open, and methodically tearing open the tails to get at the tiny bit of meat. our concentration was so intense, it felt a bit like we were contestants in The Amazing Race and had to finish our plates before we could advance to our next challenge.

the rest of the festival was not all that exciting. after tearing through our trays (we estimated we each ate probably close to 100 waterbugs), we headed for a wendy's to take advantage of the free frosty weekend -- which turned out to be the perfect antidote to soothe our spice/salt-chapped lips.

here we are pigging out with our 3 lb. trays o' waterbugs EACH!

J-town (Los Angeles) eats

2005-05-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

If you've ever wondered "where to go to for what" in J-town, this is a special grubclub posting with tips culled from 8+ years of eating experience while working in J-town:

for JA diner fare:
Suehiro's still has the best spam musubi and other JA diner fare, but i also love Mitsuru Grill for their spam gacha (breakfast only), "honey stung fried chicken," salmon collars (when they have them), and broiled saba. [too bad Tokyo Garden had to close -- they had a great roast pork special, just like the kind my mom made... ]

for ramen:
Daikokuya - the best tonkotsu-style (pork-based broth) ramen around (see earlier "daikokuya" grubclub entry), but before it, there was Koraku, this little 70s-era, orange-boothed diner with a pretty varied menu, but i like their tonkotsu and popeye ramen specials.

other stuff:
the Korean BBQ place in Japanese Village Plaza is good for take-out (it's usually too crowded to eat in) -- lots of food for a fairly reasonable prices. we used to always order from here when we had meetings.

TOT used to have really good (and reasonably priced) lunch specials, but they seem to have gotten kind of pricey lately.

Sushi-Gen - for their sashimi lunch special

Mandarin Deli (now called something else, but i think the menu is still the same or similar) - loved their pork chop soup noodle and the preserved vegetable & shredded pork soup noodle. get both with the scallion pancake and some steamed (or pan-fried) dumplings and you're set for 3 people (or 4 light eaters).

Miki-chan's - Little Tokyo Towers: for when you feel like eating with a bunch of senior citizens. prices aren't that cheap anymore, but you're helping the cause (this place is run by Little Tokyo Service Center).

Mikawaya - for great shave ice. i like to get it with a scoop of ice cream on the bottom and azuki beans and condensed milk sponned over the top. mm mmm mmmmmm!

for Non-Asian food, still in J-town
Senor Fish - the lunch special is a good bargain: 2 tacos, rice and beans for $5 (i think it's still $5). also, great burritos (i like the scallop the best, but shrimp, carne asada and carnitas are also good, depending on your mood) that are as big as your head. you could finish one, but you'll be sleepy the rest of the afternoon.

Breadwinner - in lobby of medical bldg on third and san pedro (is it still there?). good sandwiches, reasonable prices. not great, but fair. [before Subway and Quizno's came to 1st street, this was pretty much the only place to get a decent sandwich]

410 Boyd - not Asian and not cheap, but has a great burger, BLT, and steak salad. also, their green apple caramel bread pudding is to die for. and they have happy hour drink specials.

but here are the *real* insider tips:

Poppy's (take-out only): this JA guy runs a snack shop in a tiny cubbyhole located in the lobby of Sumitomo (now Calif. Bank & Trust) building on 1st and San Pedro. he has GREAT chili & rice on Wednesdays. he also used to have good beef ribs (i think also on weds). other stuff: tacos, spaghetti and meatballs, salisburg steak... we only went consistently for the chili & rice (w/ wieners). lots of food at dirt cheap prices (less than $5). get there early (before noon is best) because he only makes a limited amount of food (how could he make more?? there's no room in there... ). once that's gone, he's out.

Mitsuwa snack bar - really cheap (and huge) bowls of ramen. again, i like the tonkotsu ramen. their chicken karaage is also pretty good, but they tend to run out of it if you don't get here early. can't speak for anything else on their menu, though. their sushi and other bento boxes are also good & cheap. and you can do some shopping while you're here!

Marukai - good bento boxes. better than enbun market

did i miss any? feel free to post comments.

Bojangle's

2005-05-13T01:28:00.000-07:00

bojangles
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

for anyone who has spent some time in the south, you should recognize bojangle's fried chicken. it's the south's answer to KFC -- except it puts kfc's chicken to shame. i think bojangle's must own highway 70 in north carolina from raleigh to atlantic beach -- we must have spotted at least 50 bojangles along the way, compared to perhaps only 5 mcdonald's.

i have several fond memories of bojangle's. first off, it is some tasty fried chicken and they also have these great seasoned fries. bojangle's is also where i was introduced to the southern style "sweet tea," which is iced tea loaded up with sugar -- esp. at bojangles, where their tea is like syrup. and if you ask for unsweetened tea at bojangles, you'll just get a reaction as if you just asked to suck on all the used tea bags before they tell you they don't have unsweetened tea.

but here's my favorite bojangle's story: a friend of ours who was living in NC told us about his cousin who was visiting from california. his cousin, being well-versed in PC lingo, was trying to show off his knowledge of the latino culture and made some comment about the "Bo-Hahn-geh-les." after finally figuring out what the hell he was talking about, our friend said, "this is not california -- you are in the SOUTH... there is no such thing as "Bo-Hahn-geh-les" here. that sh*t is bo-JANG-les!"

hunting for pork products in north carolina

2005-05-13T00:53:00.000-07:00

nahunta sign
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

on a recent trip to north carolina, one of my missions was to hunt down some down-home-style country ham, as requested by NuttinButGlutton. [in case you didn't know... country ham is dry cured, as opposed to soaked in brine, like most hams found in stores. consequently, it is much saltier and has a firmer texture than the brined variety.)

this mission took me down a country road off of highway 70, following the promise of a series of screaming yellow signs proclaiming, "Nahunta: Largest Pork Display in the Nation!"

little did i know i'd be following this road about 5 miles, only to come to another sign, directing me to continue for another 5 miles past a bunch of houses, a small racetrack, and some rotted-out tobacco shacks, until finally we were greeted by the pungent -- and distinct -- aroma of pig pens. lo and behold, the nahunta pork store was right in front of us, about the size of a small grocery store with shiny metal grocery carts standing at the ready outside the automatic front doors. these people are serious about their pork products.

inside, there are several meat cases, filled with every imaginable part of the pig. and just in case you forgot where you were, in one of the first cases, there was a pig face (not the whole head, just the face) staring up at you from a cellophane-wrapped styrofoam tray.

i found my way to the ham section, where i've never seen so many varieties and cuts of ham. lined up against the walls were metal racks loaded up with whole country hams. you could also get cured side meats, ham hocks, and ham slices. i opted for the vacuum-packed ham slices as i was not prepared to lug a whole ham back with me on the plane.

i was so tempted to also buy several packages of bacon, but i knew they would never withstand the cross-country journey back home. still, the variety and quantity of bacon was impressive, as you'll see in the photo (which reminds me... i should post my story on my homemade bacon candle on this blog).

as a follow up, NuttonButGlutton will have to post an entry on what he did with the country ham. stay tuned...

Ben and Jerry's Free Cone Day

2005-04-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

Ben and Jerry's Free Cone Day
Originally uploaded by Nuttin But Glutton.

I just saw on the Ben & Jerry's website that the annual Free Cone Night is on April 19th from 12pm-8pm. It's not like the bogus Baskin-Robbins free cone offer with the ultra-fine print, for the first 200 customers.

On the website you can also vote to bring back a flavor from the flavor graveyard. I voted to bring back From Russia with Buzz........ coffee ice cream with Kaluha fudge ribbons and espresso chips.

http://www.benjerry.com

Free Coldstone Ice Cream Cake

2005-04-12T14:13:00.000-07:00

coldstone
Originally uploaded by Nuttin But Glutton.

On April 25th from 5:00 - 8:00pm, guests will be treated to a slice of Make-A-Wish Cake*. In exchange for the free cake slice, customers are encouraged to make donations to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

We suggest you try a very special “Make-A-Wish Cake Slice,” inspired by Micah, age 12 a wish child from Massachusetts. The cake slice consists of layers of moist Yellow Cake with Chocolate Ice Cream, Cookie Dough and Chocolate Shavings, covered in a rich fudge Ganache.

As with all these free offers, it's best to get there early before they run out. Did I really need to say that? You should already know. We suggest you try a very special “Make-A-Wish Cake Slice,” inspired by Micah, age 12 a wish child from Massachusetts. The cake slice consists of layers of moist Yellow Cake with Chocolate Ice Cream, Cookie Dough and Chocolate Shavings, covered in a rich fudge Ganache.

As with all these free offers, it's best to get there early before they run out. Did I really need to say that? You should already know.

Monterey Palace Spread

2005-04-10T16:33:00.000-07:00

Monterey Palace Spread
Originally uploaded by jihfang.

Monterey Palace Restaurant in Monterey Park: A Lunch Time Winner

On one rainy noonish Monterey Park day, I joined Gena and some of her chinese tennis buddies on a lunch outing to Monterey Palace Restaurant. I was supposed to do some tabling for the Lunar New Year festival that morning but apparently electrical cords and messy tent setups don't mix well with wet weather. I invited one Alex S. out for the lunch affair and it was ON!

I was first impressed by the clean and friendly service. The place was packed, as it should be on a weekend lunch hour. The parking is not quite sufficient but there is always street spaces nearby.

There should be NO reason to order OFF of the lunch special menu because they cover practically everything. As you can see by the adjacent photo of the overall lunch spread we had the following items:

1. The "Koh" Meat with Sour Pickled Cabbage (see closer pic in entry below). This is a fatty pork classic in the Taiwanese gastronomy. I've had it momma's style so this restaurant type was far fattier (yet more tender) and much sweeter than our homemade version. Lots of sugar. But it makes the meat that much more succulent. I avoid the cabbage part but suffice it to say that you can still enjoy the meat sitting on top of the Taiwanese's answer to sourkraut if you don't like the particular flavors.

2. Roast Duck with Shrimp Chips. Self-explanatory. Chips weren't too greasy. The real star is the juicy and well-crisped skin of the chicken. I prefer to eat it without the dip in the salt but that condiment is available on the dish.

3. Beef Chow Fun. This was surprisingly good, given the fact that there is a lot of chow fun out there...often cheap and greasy. This had some subtlety in the taste. Been so long since I had it I can't recall the nuances. But trust me. Don't recall having been so pleasantly surprised by chow fun in a long time.

4. Seafood dish with Asparagus. Forgot its formal name but this was yummy too. Not too drenched with corn starch thickener. Flavors were light and the dish came with plenty of meaty chunky seafood...fish, scallops, etc. Great dish to get that's lighter and that will give you plenty of chunky asparagus to fulfill your well-rounded diet vege quota and stuff.

5. Fried Squid. Yet another dish often served, but rarely done with subtlety. This had a light batter that was nicer than most San Gabriel Valley cafe type places. There was more meaty substance to the squid chosen. A definite winner.

6. Tofu stuff with Baby Bok Choy. Uh. I didn't order this. Texture of the tofu roulades were weird but the others seemed to like it. Bok Choy is fresh and stir-fried. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Read below for info & directions.

Monterey Palace Lunch Special Menu

2005-04-10T16:19:00.001-07:00

Monterey Palace Lunch Special Menu
Originally uploaded by jihfang.

This is the $5.50 section. There's another $6.50 section. Soo good!

"Koh" Meat with Sour Pickled Cabbage

2005-04-10T16:19:00.000-07:00

"Koh" Meat with Sour Pickled Cabbage
Originally uploaded by jihfang.

A dish ("Koh" meat with sour pickled cabbage) from our February 19th, 2005 outing to Monterey Palace Restaurant; located on Garvey at New Avenue in the fine city of Monterey Park. Call them at (626) 571-0888. This sour pickled cabbage stuff is a Taiwanese favorite...an acquired taste that my mom adores and that I avoid.

Al Gelato

2005-03-28T02:10:00.000-08:00

al gelato
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

like Porto's Bakery is more than just a bakery, Al Gelato is so much more than just place to get gelato. although the gelato is really, really good, there are so many more delicious things to eat at this reasonably-priced, cozy little eatery in beverly hills. who'd have thought???

the food is so delicious, i forgot to take a picture of our meal before we devoured it, so the only photos i have are of the gelato counter and the dessert case, where you'll find cakes and pies with slices as big as your head. no kidding. i've never seen a lemon meringue pie or an apple pie this big outside of an episode of the flintstones.

but back to the real grub... homemade soups, salads, pastas, pizza, and sandwiches are all great and served in extremely generous portions. the homemade rigatoni is cooked just right and covered with a sweet, tomato basil marinara that i find completely addicting. and the small order is a huge bowl that two people can easily share and still be full. the beef barley soup is also crave-inducing, the pizza fresh and tasty, and the salads crisp and dressed with a sweet but tangy balsamic vinaigrette. i've yet to order a sandwich, but from what i've seen, they are also gi-normous.

when you sit down, you also get a basket of enormous slices of freshly baked bread, thick, chewy and warm, a little dish with a couple different types of olives, and a veggie/pepper relish.

but you really have to try to control yourself here, or else you'll never have room for dessert. i've actually never had room for anything other than gelato for dessert for precisely this reason. but even the gelato portions are big -- you can order one scoop with a "taste" of a second flavor, which is basically a generous scoop-and-a-half. if you get 2 scoops, you'll get about the same quantity of gelato as you'd get from a double scoop of ice cream from the fat guy at the thrifty counter.

definitely not for those on a low-carb diet, al gelato is on robertson just south of wilshire in the low-rent part of beverly hills (if there is such a thing). street parking only, but it's not usually a problem. and i think they're closed mondays.

Porto's Bakery

2005-03-28T01:22:00.000-08:00

portos1
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

yes, porto's is a cuban bakery, but it's oh-so-much more! located in glendale, porto's is my #1 favorite neighborhood breakfast, lunch, coffee, and dessert grub spot. in addition to a beautiful assortment of cakes in a rainbow of colors and flavors, porto's is also well-known for their freshly baked breads, cuban pastries, and cuban pressed sandwiches.

on weekends, be prepared to stand in line, but the newly-expanded porto's is now twice the size. for food orders, you go to the new side -- cakes and bread orders are still on the old side -- where the cordoned line is a vast improvement over the old take-a-number system that resulted in hordes of people all eagerly pressed up against the pastry counter waiting to get their hands on some freshly baked grub.

my favorite menu items include:
- midnight sandwich with ham croquettes: a pressed/grilled sandwich with roast pork, ham, swiss cheese and ham croquettes all squished between a sweet bread roll.
- pan con lechon: a tender, juicy roast pork sandwich with a garlic mojo sauce on cuban bread.
- potato balls: a ball of mashed potatoes with a spiced ground beef center, dusted in a light flour breading and deep fried... so good when they're hot and eaten with a dash of tapatio!
- pretty much anything from the pastry counter, but some notables include the guava cheese strudel, the sweet cream cheese stuffed pastry rolls, and the buttery, flaky croissants (plain, chocolate or almond filled, or with strawberries and cream cheese).
- cuban coffee - i like mine milky and sweet, so i usually get the cafe con leche, which is made to order and involves more strategic maneuvering to get to the counter to get your drink orders.

as you can see in the photo, our meal consisted of a little of everything -- clockwise from the top are the potato balls; dessert plate, consisting of a fruit tart, white chocolate raspberry cheesecake, and triple chocolate mousse; midnight sandwich with croquettes; and lechon sandwich. with drinks, the bill for the three of us (we had another lechon sandwich, too) came to about $30. and we were totally stuffed after eating all this.

and i haven't even started on the desserts... the fruit tarts are beautiful and delicious, the chocolate opera cake is dense and rich... suffice it to say that i haven't had a bad item, yet.

oh, and here's an exclusive grubclub tip: porto's is best to go with at least one other person, but even better with 3-4 people, so that you can use the lew family tested and approved "divide and conquer strategy for eating in crowded places." here's how it works (also described in NuttinButGlutton's posting last summer on dining at the redondo beach pier) one person stands in line to place the order, a second person scouts and holds an available table, and the third person is "the runner" who helps the first person to pick up the food, drinks, napkins, plasticware, and assorted condiments and bring them back to the table.

porto's is located in glendale on brand blvd, a few blocks south of the 134. they're only open for breakfast and lunch, so don't bother trying to go after mid-afternoon. and if you try to go on any major family holiday (thanksgiving, christmas, easter), you'd better order your cakes and bread well in advance -- and good luck getting in the door.

The Hat

2005-03-21T00:20:00.000-08:00

hat chili fries
Originally uploaded by illewminator.

If you go to The Hat, you'd better be prepared for cardiac arrest -- or at least some seriously artery-clogging fare.

The Hat is a chain featuring their signature hot pastrami dip sandwiches, burgers, fries, and other stuff that you know is bad for you, yet you crave every so often.

Pictured above is our humongous order of chili cheese fries with a side of gravy and a half of a pastrami dip sandwich. Suffice it to say that you'd better have at least 3-4 people to finish off one order of chili fries and we usually split the pastrami sandwich between 2 people. If you're really hungry, you could finish off a whole sandwich by yourself, but you might regret it afterwards.

The Hat's pastrami is not the best quality pastrami to be had in LA, but it's probably the cheapest and quite possibly the only place you can get it with a side of chili cheese fries and an horchata ole (plus all the condiments you can snag from their seemingly endless supply).

The Hat can be found in various locations throughout the San Gabriel Valley.