Deep End Dining

La Bohème...Again! An Iconic West Hollywood Restaurant is Reborn.

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Mon, 7 Oct 2019 10:53:00 -0700

Bring the bling!

It's only fitting that the grand re-opening of L.A.'s beloved La Bohème restaurant coincided with Los Angeles Opera's own production of the timeless opera set in the cafés of 19th-century Paris. La Bohème also, not surprisingly, is the owner's favorite opera. Kozo Hasegawa is president and CEO of Global Dining Inc. and has owned and operated La Bohème restaurant in West Hollywood since it opened in the early '90s. In fact, Hasegawa named two of his restaurants after the tragic opera of bohemian love, the first one located in Japan.

The early '90s is also when I discovered La Bohème because this was the time I was actively dating in L.A. La Bohème came along just as I was forming my romantic and gastronomic ideals. At the time, like many of my contemporaries, I believed French cuisine was the epitome of class, glamour, and amour.

My notion of romance was embodied in the setting that La Bohème offered: Valentine's Day red hues covered the walls, candlelit tables draped with white tablecloth, a breathtaking grand dining room and the semi-private seating on the upper-level balcony, al fresco dining on a patio twinkling with a constellation of fairy lights, and, La Bohème's signature piece, a spectacular, crystal chandelier suspended at the center of the room. La Bohème was the most romantic place in town. Even if I didn't get the girl to fall in love with me, at least I lived a lavish fantasy for one night.

Against all odds, La Bohème has done what many restaurants in L.A. or anywhere else in the country have a difficult time doing—stay in business. This romantic dining destination has been around for decades now. It's had its share of ups and downs, experimentations with the menu, attempts at adapting to shifting customer taste, and other challenges that regularly confront the industry.

With its reintroduction to L.A. (what the principals dubbed La Bohème 2.0), La Bohème has come full circle and is embracing what originally defined it—a showstopping romantic atmosphere and its Frenchness. Now offering formal yet friendly fine dining service and classic French fare, this West Hollywood mainstay enters a new era with time-honored tradition.

The restaurant's refresh includes several additional stunning chandeliers, a sharply appointed waitstaff wearing crisp white suit jackets, a lively bar and lounge at the entrance, and the traditional French menu.

Pomme purée perfection

My vegan/vegetarian girlfriend finds it challenging to dine at traditional French restaurants for the clear reason that this cuisine is typically meat-centric as well as liberal with the use of animal by-product ingredients such as butter. This dietary dilemma can be averted easily at La Bohème by simply notifying the waitstaff of food restrictions. On our night out, Tommy Cardenas, the COO of Global Dining, took care of matters by having chef Atsushi Kenjo create a special salad for her. Along with that, she shared with the table an array of vegetarian sides that are truly French classics and always welcome to start a meal.

However, we were still at a very French restaurant, therefore along with our creamy mashed potatoes came a humongous dose of beautiful butter. The pomme purée was irresistible but obviously not vegan. But if dairy is good with your vegetarian lifestyle, then this silky potato party is as good as it gets.

Green beans with envy

Haricots verts are the green beans as skinny as the famously slim ladies of Paris. The serving at La Bohème was well seasoned with minced garlic and herbs although the beans were not as slender as the typical haricots verts I've had in the past. I'm not size-shaming, just saying.

Make room for mushrooms

Resistance is futile with flavorful fungi especially when prepared the classical French way. The sautéed mushrooms' earthiness coupled with the richness from the other ingredients is the reason why this dish is loved by so many. This is as meaty as you're going to get with veggies (although technically not a vegetable).

Orange you glad you got the duck à l'orange?

Duck à l'orange is one of those plates that have fallen out of vogue in the past decades, but it's back at La Bohème. Crispy skin with medium rare flesh is what you want when you bite into your duck, and it's exactly what I got with mine. The sauce is citrusy tart and balances out the unctuousness of the water fowl. Succulent and bursting with flavor, this classic quack is back, so to speak.

I've many fond and, yes, romantic memories of La Bohème. There was certainly a big time frame when the famous restaurant was not on my radar but whenever I drove by I always experienced a warm feeling of nostalgia. Other reasons for not visiting may have been the those lost years when the restaurant was in limbo. And now that La Bohème has its mojo back, it's absolutely time to rekindle your romance with this quintessential L.A. restaurant. C’est simple comme bonjour!

La Bohème
8400 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA

My Advance Preview Adventure at Disneyland's Long Anticipated Star Wars-Themed Land—Galaxy's Edge

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Fri, 24 May 2019 12:08:00 -0700

C'mon, Daddy, let's board this hunk of junk!

Everyone's asking how I managed to score a preview of Disneyland's eagerly awaited Galaxy's Edge, the Star Wars-themed land within The Happiest Place on Earth. If you really must know, I was smuggled in via a hidden cargo hold on a Corellian light freighter which can handily make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs. Is that enough of an explanation for you, old man? Sorry, okay, it's just that I know the right people, that's how I got in.

You will let me into Galaxy's Edge. Move along.

This is but one detail in a much more interesting adventure which began with sealing up any visual recording devices like cameras and smart phones in a vinyl security envelope. There was to be absolutely no photography or video allowed during the preview period. However, the Park was generous enough to deploy a small army of Nikon wielding souvenir photographers standing by to take complimentary photos with Star Wars universe characters, full scale starships or breathtaking, fully immersive bustling scenes of the Black Spire Outpost on the planet Batuu. The docked Millennium Falcon is absolutely the photo opp highlight, essentially the Sleeping Beauty Castle of Galaxy's Edge.

Advance tip: the Frontierland and Fantasyland entrances are the points of entry with the most epic scenic impact. Once you pass through the tunnel, an otherworldly landscape underscored by alien peaks and spires reveals itself in dramatic fashion (cue John Williams score) and you are transported to a far off place both strange and familiar. With rugged architecture integrated into a craggy habitat of earth tones and dust redolent of Tatooine, the Niima Outpost on Jakku or Jedha City, Galaxy's Edge feels like Star Wars and you are living in it. Suddenly the distinct roar of an incoming starship grabs your attention, enough so, in fact, you reflexively duck. However, there is no starship landing; it's more like the zillion point surround sound system in Galaxy's Edge that's immersing you in its sonic universe. Chewie, we're not in Disneyland anymore.

However, I entered through Critter Country where the preview entrance was. It was fairly lackluster with very little Star Wars aesthetic. For the most part, it felt like an extension of Critter Country or Frontierland. This sole entrance was used mainly for security purposes on my preview date. Don't enter here on your first visit.

Certain parts of Galaxy's Edge (although most people are still referring to this new section of Disneyland as Star Warsland and likely will for some time) are dedicated to the Resistance aka Rebels and other areas have a bigger showing of the First Order aka the Empire. So depending on where you find yourself wandering, you'll notice shops selling different souvenirs. A shop specializing in First Order propaganda gear sits next to a life size model of Kylo Ren's command shuttle where a show starring Kylo also takes place. (There's nothing more entertaining than a Sith guy air choking an Imperial officer. Good times.)

Speaking of shops, at moments strolling through Galaxy's Edge can feel more like strolling through an elaborate Star Wars-themed mall. Buildings that appear to house attractions of some sort end up being shops. A handful of these places have serious lines. One of the longer waits is for the lightsaber shop called Savi's Workshop. However, to gain entry you'll need to cough up 200 credits (or real world $200). At this early preview juncture of Savi's Workshop, there appears to be an inconsistency on whether guests who do not purchase a light saber are allowed admission into Savi's. Some were, some weren't. The policy was unclear.

As with Ollivanders for magic wands at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, there is a show involved with the light saber building process complete with a music soundtrack. Apparently the conclusion of the experience strikes an emotional chord as all guests who purchased a light saber raise and ignite them in unison (again cue John Williams score). Goosebumps, baby. But be prepared to spend more than a couple of hours at Savi's.

Alternatively, there's a more low-key option for custom souvenir building at the Droid Depot where you can create your very own droid. (Envision Build-A-Bear but with astromech unit parts.) A full-sized, chirping R2D2 wheeled about the store among shoppers adding to the droid vibe. If you're a Star Wars paraphernalia junkie, Galaxy's Edge is your ultimate souvenir store.

Marie Kondo is forbidden!

As much as I didn't care for the glut of shops, my jaw did drop when I entered Dok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities. Dok-Ondar is an Ithorian (hammerhead) who collects the rarest and most outrageous treasures, illicit and otherwise, from all corners of the galaxy. His shop is where you go to track down those highly coveted Star Wars collectibles—the good stuff! This souvenir shop is a dream come true for Star Wars geeks. Mounted on walls are trophies of wampas, tauntauns, and other creatures. Blasters and blades alike line the shop like an armory. There is quite an assortment of relics and artifacts both for sale and display only. Dok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities doubles as a museum, which earns points in my book. No need to purchase anything, window shopping is satisfying enough. But if you're in the market for kyber crystals, this is the place.

Dok-Ondar himself is perched high in a caged booth, counting money and mumbling indecipherable Ithorese under his breath. While perusing his den, I got a good long look at this state-of-the-art animatronic masterpiece that is Dok-Ondar. His movements are smooth and lifelike. Subtle facial expressions regularly articulate across his angled visage. True to Disney Imagineering form, intricate features of Dok-Ondar and his booth (basically anything below his waist), although not visible to most guests, are still fully built-out. This attention to detail is what separates Disney theme parks from the rest.

Star Wars collectibles spark joy!

As far as food, Galaxy's Edge runs with the Star Wars theme here too. An example: Ronto Roasters serves an herbivorous beast of burden native to Tatooine, usually domesticated by Jawas, called ronto that supposedly tastes amazing. Slowly roasted on a spit with the help of a giant jet engine from a podracer while rotated by a slave droid, this meat is actually cuts of pork and sausages.

Is there Blue Milk? Totally! Blue Milk is available at the Milk Stand. This fabled beverage (and Luke Skywalker's favorite treat) is made with a blend of coconut and rice milk and entirely plant-based. (Even ruffians on the Outer Rim are going vegan.)

Shirley Temples of Doom!

By far the most popular establishment for some food but mostly beverage is Oga's Cantina. It's also the only place thus far to imbibe anything boozy in Disneyland (besides private Club 33). The queue on the day equated to a 45 minute wait. It will easily be twice or thrice that when the general public is allowed entry. There's a selection of kitschy, themed drinks—both alcoholic and non—that puts TGIFriday and most tiki bars to shame. I was given a beverage menu by a cantina castmember. The prices are what you'd expect to pay at a ritzy bar or fine hotel, in other words, expensive. Yub Nub is the priciest drink at $42 and comes with a souvenir cup while Jedi Mind Trick is the strongest and will make your head spin, naturally. Furthermore, guests are limited to 45 minutes of cantina time as well as two alcoholic drinks per person. You don't have to go home but you can't stay at Oga's!

No disintegration flavors!

Also, is it just me, or did Disneyland blow an opportunity here to sell Boba Fett boba drinks? Well, Disney, it's not too late. You can thank me with free Boba Fett boba whenever I visit Galaxy's Edge. You're welcome.

"This little one's not worth the effort. Come, let me get you something."

Oga's Cantina is strikingly similar in appearance and layout to the famous (or infamous) watering hole found in Mos Eisley—right down to the blaster burns cratered into a wall. (Yeah, Han shot first.) Attracting scum and villainy from all over Anaheim and beyond, guests are led in and seated at specific tables or hightops. Revelers are free to wander around the cantina once drinks have been delivered. Disappointingly, for now at least, there was no Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes (Cantina Band) to entertain the scoundrels. Instead, Oga recruited (and Disneyland repurposed) REX the former Starspeeder 3000 pilot droid from Star Tours. Now known as DJ R-3X, he's in command of the playlist.

However, the biggest letdown of the cantina was the absolute lack of wretched hive of intergalactic weirdos. My drinking mates were pretty much other humans looking around the bar for aliens or geriatric Jedi knights itching for a fight. No Ithorian, no Defel, no Arcona, no Rodian, not a single Bith, not even a weird human—zero cantina characters were to be found. After a grueling 45 minute or longer wait, it'd be nice to do shots with a Jawa at the very least. (My hope is that the reason for this omission is this was only the castmember preview.)

To be fair, outside of the cantina First Order Stormtroopers interacted with waiting guests. The troops were searching for a Resistance spy in the outpost while also slyly checking for guests sneaking photos with their smartphones by inquiring if anyone was on their "data pads."

The Millennium Falcon is arguably the centerpiece of Galaxy's Edge. Situated at the far end of the land, she stands majestically and by no means resembles the "piece of junk" insult hurled throughout the saga. This starship is beautiful. Visitors will be in awe at her mighty mass. People are so used to seeing the Falcon on screen that there's an automatic intimacy when experiencing her at Disneyland. It's an unforgettable thing to examine this celebrity ship from all angles and at such close proximity. The Galaxy's Edge Millennium Falcon is the best thing to happen to Star Wars fans since Kenner's toy version of the ship.

Perhaps just as awesome is the Millennium Falcon attraction named "Smugglers Run" because now you get to board the ship. Located in the building next to the full scale model is the Falcon's flight simulation ride. The mission is commissioned by Hondo Ohnaka, a Weequay pirate. Guests are briefed on their mission to acquire (steal) an important energy source by a very realistic animatronic Ohnaka. Once the assignment is accepted, guests board the Falcon. (Chewbacca has ambivalently agreed to allow the ship to be used for the heist.) Upon boarding, each guest is given a role: pilot, gunner, engineer. Two of each role is given for a six passenger total in the Falcon's cockpit. The pilots navigate and take us into light speed—awesome! The engineers are in charge of repairing the ship on the fly as well as collecting the all-important energy source. The gunners, well, blast whatever is a threat (or not). I was a gunner. Pew, pew!

While waiting for the okay to takeoff, guests hang out in the main hold of the Falcon. Tremendous detail was given when Imagineers painstakingly recreated the Millennium Falcon's interior. Everything from the secret compartments for hiding illegal cargo to the legendary holographic dejarik table where the chess-like game is played was on display and available for guests to examine. As I waited for my group to be called, I sat at the dejarik table fantasizing that I was playing a friendly game against Chewbacca and, of course, letting the Wookie win. It was pure heaven.

"Smugglers Run" was like playing the ultimate video game. Everything was very realistic: video, motion simulation, and set design. Above all, playing the Falcon's crew was an unbelievable geek dream come true. Technically the gunner positions aren't in the cockpit, and all we had to do was repeatedly press a red button to fire, but it was still fantastic.

"Rise of the Resistance" is slated to open later in the year. This attraction, based on episodes 7-9, has a harrowing storyline of a botched Resistance mission. Featured will be full-scale starships and war machines along with multiple animatronics. It's highly interactive involving key character like Rey (seen as a hologram) and several locations. Sounds worthy of Galaxy's Edge.

Disneyland, as Walt Disney himself proclaimed, will never be completed. The same can be said of Galaxy's Edge. It's a work in progress. (In fact, the paint was literally still drying on a wall in the "Smuggler's Run" queue.) As the Star Wars saga evolves, Galaxy's Edge will follow suit. This is but the beginning.

The land dedicated to Star Wars, however, would do well populated by more characters from its beloved intergalactic universe. I did see Chewbacca, Rey, Kylo, a couple of Stormtroopers, and an Imperial officer. However, the lesser, obscure characters or even Star Wars extras can breathe more life into the streets, alleys, and establishments of Galaxy's Edge. But, I have a feeling this will eventually happen, and what I experienced was scaled down for my preview day. Fewer stores and more attractions would be nice too. Fingers crossed.

And remember: it's called Galaxy's Edge not Star Warsland.

Galaxy's Edge officially welcomes the public—for those who stay at Disneyland Resort Hotels and have Galaxy's Edge reservations—starting May 31 to June 23. Starting June 24, the flood gates open to all guests.

Until then...May the FOMO Be With You! Hopefully for not too much longer.

Roy Choi Got a TV Show! It's Time to Break Bread with His New Program Broken Bread on KCET and Tastemade, Premiering Wednesday, May 15.

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Thu, 16 May 2019 18:55:00 -0700

Chef Roy Choi has achieved a lot since his Kogi food truck hit the scene over a decade ago in 2008. He's opened many unique and deliciously diverse food concepts like the community conscience restaurants Locol to a Vegas hot spot called Best Friend. Roy's restaurants run the gamut while staying true to his roots and activism sensibility. Along with his prolific abilities for kicking off concepts, he's also snug with Hollywood A-listers. Since Roy's rise in the restaurant scene, many of Hollywood's biggest stars are among his loyal fans (Roy can drop names like Nicole Kidman and Elijah Wood without hesitation). He can even add to his resume a co-producing credit when Jon Favreau hit him up to consult on the indie hit film Chef.

Therefore it's hard to believe in a day and age when chefs are all over television that high profile Roy has never starred in his own show—that is, until now. He himself admitted at the premiere of his new series Broken Bread that he has come close many times to finalizing a deal for a t.v. show but ultimately never got one off the ground.

With Broken Bread broadcasting on local L.A. public television station KCET as well as everywhere on Tastemade.com, Roy has at last broke into t.v. with Broken Bread.

This is ideal programming for Roy to host. I can think of no other chef with the stature of Roy's who could be the face of a show in which the camera focuses on those at the fringes and who are, for the most part, invisible because they or the subject matter aren't "sexy" enough for t.v. Roy himself said at the premiere hosted at the majestic Wiltern Theater, "There's a lot of reality television but not enough reality on television." Broken Bread promises that reality with a good helping of hope and positivity. The show navigates hard topics like poverty, food deserts, racism, teen homelessness, hunger, among others. It also offers possible solutions given by the leaders of L.A. from Mayor Eric Garcetti to Father Gregory Boyle as well as many others who head up the fight for underserved people in the city.

I have a small appearance on Broken Bread's first episode titled "Transformation". I introduce Roy to a pizzeria in Lake Balboa featured in the show. The show opens with community centered Homeboy Bakery.

I've been on many food-related t.v. shows in my time but Broken Bread is very special. It fits Roy and it's good for us all. Give Broken Bread a chance and check it out. Airing and streaming now.

Thank you, Jonathan Gold.

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 14:41:00 -0700

My last photo with Jonathan Gold

Rest in peace, Jonathan. The doctor diagnosed you, and you left us shortly after, within a couple of weeks. I can't imagine how horrific that must've been. I can't imagine the staggering fear you must've felt. I suppose if I tried hard enough I could imagine but then those feelings would soon dissipate and I'd be back to thinking about what tasks were ahead of me, going through my day to day life. But not for you.

Death came to visit and it stayed, then it took you.

I know how much people say you did for their careers or restaurants. I know to what degree you were an inspiration for so many aspiring food writers of my generation and beyond. I know about the millions of readers who enjoyed your ceaselessly entertaining and thoughtful restaurant reviews that garnered you a Pulitzer Prize, the only one ever in your category of restaurant criticism. I know the power a Jonathan Gold recommendation wields as far as attracting new customers or getting the word out for any restaurant.

I know people have virtually deified you since your death from a mercilessly aggressive cancer. There are murals of your likeness on the walls of restaurants of which you single-handedly rescued from sure extinction. You shun the hatchet job, the kind other restaurant critics relish to write in hopes of going viral. You'd rather have a restaurant's special shrimp taco or irresistibly ambrosial toothpick lamb go viral among Angeleno eaters. You much prefer celebrating a restaurant over eviscerating it. This is why you are literally the Patron Saint of L.A. Restaurants. You've done the work of a saint in L.A.'s forgotten neighborhoods and strip malls, for mom & pops and food trucks, shining your golden light on their delicious and worthy creations. There's no need for canonization from the Church. The City of Angels and her multi-race, multi-culture, multi-everything multitude have already done this.

I know personally how you mentioned that one of the few food blogs you read was this very one. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard you say this on the radio at a talk honoring your Pulitzer win. I felt for a moment your golden light shining upon me. Is this what it's like for a restaurant owner or chef to read a glowing review of his or her establishment? Pure exhilaration, that's what I felt. Your endorsement was, well, pure gold to me. I felt like the richest man in the world.

But all of the riches in the world can't bring you back. We all die someday. Some of us will have the mixed blessing of a dying time long enough to process death. The Kübler-Ross model or five stages of grief is an unattainable luxury for the terminally ill if the death is swift. The news of your death was a shock to us all. Most of us didn't even know you were sick when the word spread. When death sweeps in and claims its soul, there is rarely an indication of how much time is budgeted for saying goodbye. My hope is that you were able to experience some kind of loving release from your family and close friends, for to be engulfed in fear and anguish up to the final moment is no decent way to die.

I am in gratitude to you, Jonathan, because you shaped my life for the better. We continue to celebrate you as we grieve your death. I just hope you didn't have to suffer too much. Thank you, J. Gold.

My Experience on Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours To Hell And Back Was Pure Heaven!

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Fri, 20 Jul 2018 07:00:00 -0700

Gordon Ramsay's ambitious new show

Late last year, I was invited to appear on Gordon Ramsay's latest food show slash f-bomb fest. Once again FOX is home to Ramsay's new restaurant rescue program called 24 Hours To Hell And Back. Essentially, this concept is similar to Ramsay's old show Kitchen Nightmares but with a hard time limit.

Each episode has Ramsay go undercover to stake out a featured struggling establishment. The crew installs remote cameras throughout the property under the premise that they're setting up for another show with the owner(s) and staff unaware that Gordon Ramsay is actually the star.

Just chillin' with Gordo!

24 Hours ups the stakes by really putting the pressure on the proprietor with the tight deadline. As the clock ticks frantically towards zero, every moment, conversation and decision lead to the restaurant's potential salvation. The time constraint is no t.v. sham. The owner and staff have literally 24 hours to patch up their sinking ship. From revamping the look of the place to creating a new menu then learning it in order to serve a full-capacity restaurant. If you think this was tough on the staff, just imagine how much more strenuous it was for the production crew that had to set up for this shoot. Absolute HELL!

The exit interview

As for me and my girlfriend and fellow food critic Stephanie Kordan aka Stephanie du Jour, we strolled into La Serenata when everything was ready for the big reveal. Stephanie actually has dined at the original La Serenata de Garibaldi (as it was known) in Boyle Heights.

All we had to do was eat and critique. That's my idea of heaven on earth. While everybody around me was running around like panicked ants or the walking dead, table 24, where the critics sat, was a center of bliss. Stephanie and I enjoyed La Serenata's new signature margaritas as we waited for our turn in the spotlight. Like I said, it was pure heaven surrounded by total hell.

I won't spoil the episode for you, so please view it for yourself. The La Serenata episode airs again on Saturday, July 21 at 11pm on FOX or online here.

A fox on FOX

Appu's Secret Burrito. Hospital Food that People Actually Love. Long Beach, CA

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Wed, 6 Jun 2018 18:54:00 -0700

Somewhere in this typical medical center in a typical Southern California neighborhood is a casual restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and early supper. The name of the place is Appu's Cafe. Specializing in vegetarian and vegan Indian fare, it's exceptionally popular on Yelp boasting a perfect five star rating with 410 reviews. (I know many restaurateurs who would kill for that. Yes, literally commit homicide to achieve such a pristine score.)

Many of Appu's clientele consist of the medical building's occupants and their employees while some are patients. Still others randomly wander into the cafe because of a visit to the building. A few, though, are curious foodies hoping to find a find. Like me.

The potential food find here is an extremely popular item on Appu's Yelp listing called the Maharaja Burrito. But before you can get your grubby hands on this coveted bit of tortilla wrapped hospital food, you need to locate it. When searching, you likely will drive past a sign reading Woodruff Medical Doctors Offices two or more times before figuring out that Appu's Cafe is in the big glass building you've already cruised by several times. Don't drive past again. Find parking. There is plenty. Pro tip: park in the back of the building where Appu's is actually located.

Head down the corridor, past the fertility place, the blood work joint, the lap band discounter, and you'll see a sign leading your way to the mighty Maharaja Burrito. You may begin to salivate as your imagination runs wild with anticipation, as I did.

Hang in there. You've just about arrived. A few more steps and you'll enter the enlightened eating place where no animals were harmed making the great and wonderful Maharaja Burrito.

Hopefully you can get there when I did to avoid the lunch rush. With only one customer in line, my wait was minimal. I could almost feel my gaping gob gripping his magnificence, the Maharaja of burritos. Patience, I reminded myself. This Mexican-Indian prince would be worth it.

Scan the menu board and you'll discover the magical, mystical Maharaja Burrito in the final position within the burrito section. Last but not least, as they say. There it was. It really does exist. The Maharaja Burrito: rice pilaf, lentils, saag paneer, and the piece de resistance, the chef's own "Secret Sauce." Anytime secret sauce is in quotations on a menu, you know you're in for a Fyre Festival in your mouth, baby. And as long as we're discussing "secret sauce," everybody knows how much Yelpers love their "secret sauce." Know what I'm sayin'?

So I got one. THE ONE! The Marvelous, Miraculous, Matchless, Mostest Maharaja Burrito itself. I took the first lustful bite waiting for a foodgasm like one never before experienced. I chewed, I savored, I let the ingredients dance on my tongue. I could taste the rice. And more rice. Even more rice. There was very little saag or paneer. Lentils were few and far between. And as for that "secret sauce," it was basically a combination of two common sauces which I won't give away since I promised the lady who worked there. (One was spicy, the other wasn't.)

Without much variety in flavor or texture, the Maharaja Burrito seemed like an emperor has no taste situation—a Mexican-inspired dud. Appu’s Cafe is a regular on Yelp’s 100 Best Restaurants in America. Other than the novelty of sniffing out a veggie-centric Indian spot in a medical building, it really is baffling why people, especially notoriously vicious Yelpers, revere Appu's so much. Some of the ingredients in Appu's signature burrito were microwaved. The restaurant doesn't try to hide this fact. It's simply how the place operates. The lemongrass chai was a very good drink, though.

As a food lover, I'm thrilled quirky little hidden eateries like this exist and thrive. I just don't know what the big, five star hubbub is all about when it comes to Appu's Cafe. At least I tried it, but the Maharajah is more like a Mahara-naw.

Appu's Cafe
3816 Woodruff Ave.
Ste. 100B
Long Beach, CA
ph: 562.452.7772

Plate & Petal is Pretty & Pleasing. The Hidden Modern American Gem in Glendale.

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 09:26:00 -0700

Brunch is a beautiful thing. It's a deliciously leisurely meal that's a cross between breakfast and lunch, typically enjoyed on weekends when, hopefully, you don't have a care in the world other than whether or not to refill your half-empty mimosa glass. (Or is it actually half-full?)

Hidden on a small side street between Central and Brand in Glendale is a jewel of a restaurant called Plate & Petal that many visitors to town very likely may have driven right by. But once you discover it, you'll never forget it.

At first glance, Plate & Petal could appear to be a sort of mom and pop café serving breakfast and pastries. However, a quick peek at the menu will have you realize that this is no basic neighborhood diner.

In fact, Plate & Petal chef and partner Robert Antonyan opened some of the most unforgettable restaurants in Los Angeles during his career. From breathtaking Perch in DTLA to the elegant oasis that is Wolfgang Puck at Hotel Bel Air, Antonyan has mastered his craft and is now loosening up his collar a bit. Plate & Petal is Antonyan's first restaurant, and it's truly a labor of love.

Antonyan described the cuisine at Plate & Petal as modern American. "This way we can be more creative," he explained.

Plate & Petal is certainly a colorful name for a restaurant. If you happen to order the avocado toast, it all makes sense. Chef Antonyan may as well have majored in floristry as his exquisite plating demonstrates. Finely sliced radish and dainty microgreens adorn the smashed avocado spread like a fertile garden in spring.

Subtly briny and supremely fresh, the oysters were an absolute pleasure to slurp down. Next time, a complete dozen will be necessary rather than the six that arrived. Irresistible oysters are requisite for a good brunch spread.

A wonderful example of Antonyan letting his creativity flow is evident with his signature Lobster "Benedict." Perfectly soft poached eggs draped in lemon hollandaise are nestled atop chunks of lobster, baby kale and mushrooms. The best part, though, are the two wheels of puff pastry that the dish rests upon. Usually, eggs Benedict is made with English muffin, but the puff pastry, way better!

Plate & Petal has another business and that's making pastries. Too beautiful to eat pastries in the form of edible coffee cups, festive "birthday cake" macarons, elevated eclairs, mini-cheesecakes, and so much more all tempt as dessert options.

Impossible to choose just one, you'll just have to select a sampling and walk it off on Brand Blvd.

Or your other option is to have a full on photo shoot with your treats and not actually eat any, just like the influencers.

Of course, that choice is highly not recommended. After all, there's really no such thing as "too beautiful to eat." However, the food at Plate & Petal come close.

Plate & Petal
216 N. Orange St.
Glendale, CA
(818) 484-5077

What the World Needs Now is Tsukemen Porn. Dip Those Noods!

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Mon, 9 Apr 2018 12:10:00 -0700

Tsukemen is a category of ramen also known as "dipping noodles." Pronounced "skeh-men", this type of noodling is my favorite because of the interaction between diner and noodles.

The server brings over two bowls: one with noodles and chasu pork, the other contains the thick porky tonkotsu broth for dipping the noodles.

Pull an Instagram-worthy portion of ramen out of the bowl with your chopsticks, then dunk those slurpy strands into the gravy-like broth, pull them out and devour your hefty noodles by simultaneously taking in a breath of air and slurping up the ramen. This is a noisy endeavor, but don't fret, everyone in the restaurant is doing it—like a choir of ramen heads.

Tsujita L.A. Artisan Noodle on Sawtelle is my favoritest of ramen spots to get my tsukemen slurp on. The 60-hour-brewed tonkotsu is unparalleled. I love the richness and depth of the soup (you can actually taste bone, it's been simmering so long). The broth's unctuousness is hearty enough to rumble against Tsujita's hunky cords of noodles. Any lesser broth wouldn't stick.

The pleasure of eating tsukemen is really in the worship of this sensual pair of ramen and tonkotsu. A glossy bowl of carefully coiled ramen made by the legendary Sun Noodle sits aside a murky brew of 60-hour pork bone soup. The soft-boiled ajitama egg and succulent slabs of chasu pork are delicious ornamentation that feeds the eyes before they do the mouth.

It all starts with raw, naked noods. Like everything else in life.

Tsujita L.A. Artisan Noodle
2057 Sawtelle Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA
Phone: 310.231.7373

Pasta Porn: Carbonara. The Irresistible Cheesy, Smoky, Porky, Peppery Noodles that I Love! Carbonara Day Stretches into One Month at Casa Barilla.

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Sat, 7 Apr 2018 13:39:00 -0700

Pasta alla Carbonara is alla amazing!

Carbonara is a peculiar name for a pasta dish consisting of pancetta or guanciale, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, eggs, cream and freshly cracked pepper. According to food lore, in mid-20th century Rome, this dish was popular as a hearty meal for Italian charcoal workers. There are other theories too, mostly revolving around charcoal and the men who worked with the stuff. Whatever the reason, it's one of my favorite pasta dishes mainly because of its purity and simplicity. Just a few basic ingredients results in a greatly satisfying plate of pasta.

Chef Alfonso Sanna of Casa Barilla Restaurants

At the newly launched Casa Barilla in the luxurious South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa (my old stomping grounds), chef Alfonso Sanna sets up his ingredients for a presentation of his signature pasta alla carbonara. He explains that although spaghetti is a favorite style for pasta alla carbonara, many pasta styles are used. Sanna himself enjoys penne with his carbonara sauce.

The pasta plate takes a few quick minutes to cook. The egg yolks are the ingredients that need particularly careful attention due to their quick curdling nature. "You don't want scrambled eggs," reminds Sanna.

Bits of pancetta are rendered in a pan and set aside. The aroma and smoky soul of pasta alla carbonara now reveals itself. Guanciale or cured pork jowl is also an option.

The al dente spaghetti is mixed in with the pork as well as some pasta water. This savory flavor of the pork infuse with the spaghetti.

A mixture of egg yolk, cream and milk is worked into the pasta thickening the sauce and binding the plate together with all its richness. Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino cheeses top off the magnificent pile of pasta. Time to eat like a famished Italian charcoal worker.

Casa Barilla's Carbonara Month is from April 6 to May 6. That's one month of celebrating carbonara!

Casa Barilla at the South Coast Plaza
3333 Bristol St.
Costa Mesa, CA
phone: 657.205.1025

My First Post: Bowl o' Snails—Food Court on The Bund in Shanghai, China.

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Sat, 2 Dec 2017 09:52:00 -0800

2017 Introduction:

Uncertainty in the world is as old as the world itself, but sometimes the tumult and the unknown can feel constant and overwhelming. These days it seems to be a way of life, particularly in print and web media. I remember the first paid assignment I got as a writer. It was for a Singaporean magazine called asia! I also remember thinking that I could now call myself a real writer and not just a blogger. Thus, began my freelance life as a food writer and occasional restaurant critic. All the while, I sporadically maintained this food blog.

As time went by, the big dogs of traditional media in my city—L.A. Times, L.A. Magazine, and L.A. Weekly—all launched blogs of their own to supplement their usual content and to stay nimble. I was asked by then L.A. Mag food edtior, Lesley Suter, to be one of the regular contributors for L.A. Mag's Digest Blog. This was the first time I had a "home" as a writer. It was a nice feeling. That lasted a little over 2 and a half years, then things started rapidly changing in the media landscape.

It seems that traditional media's keeping up with bloggers may have not been the best way to achieve financial viability. Inadvertently training readers to not pay for content by masquerading as blogs probably wasn't the most prudent look. Of course, that's not the only reason for the recent demise or deterioration of entities like LAist, Thrillist L.A., Grub Street L.A., O.C. Weekly, and most notably, L.A. Weekly, where I was an on and off again freelancer for years. Advertisers concentrating their ad buys at Facebook, Google, etc. plays a major role too.

It's too easy to get caught up in the helplessness, sorrow and bitterness of the ever-shifting sands on which media today sits. And it's even easier to forget why I got into writing in the first place: because I love it. I don't play a musical instrument. I don't paint. I'm not athletically gifted, but I've always enjoyed writing.

So to remind myself of my original joy for writing, I wanted to share my first post for Deep End Dining. It's brief but descriptive and a bit timid (a voice finding its way). It's been over 13 years since I wrote this, and I still remember typing out these word in the Santa Monica apartment I was sharing with my then wife. It was exciting to piece together my first food post and even more exhilarating to click "publish." What was going to happen after? Who would read it? How are they going to react? It turned out my clicking that button introduced to me a world of which I never thought I'd be a part, and it was fantastically crazy, wonderfully infuriating, full of dreadful doubt, unstable yet intoxicating, fulfilling, rewarding, sadness to the point of collapse, bone crushing, marrow sucking, joyous to an undeserved degree, and it goes on.

And it will go on. I will always write, not because there's a place with a gatekeeper that will allow me to do so, but because I have something to say and share. It's stormy out there, and the torrent will do its best to drown us. But it will never get to the flickering flame, deep within that fuels the creator.

My very first Deep End Dining post follows:

Every major city has its place of congregation and regeneration. New York has the sanctuary that is Central Park. Venice has the grand Piazza San Marco. Bloomington, Minnesota has the Mall of America. And Shanghai, China proudly offers The Bund, a lively esplanade that spans about a mile and runs along the Huangpu River.

At the crack of dawn the Bund comes to life as tai chi practitioners get their chi flowing. Later on a magical scene materializes as scores of ballroom dancers waltz gaily to the tinny music eeking out of a haggard boombox. And in no time, the tourists start flocking here to see what all the commotion is about. All this flowing chi, waltzing and picture snapping can make guts grumble with hunger. No worries here. A platoon of sidewalk vendors and the food court are at your service.

The offerings at most of the sidewalk food carts are handy, portable edibles. Many of these carts hawk colorful skewered fruit encased in a translucent, sugary shellac. If you're seeking more substantive sustenance, then head on over to the food court.

The food court on The Bund is in appearance and concept pretty much like any food court in any mall you've been to in the US. The big difference is that you probably won't hear any Valley slang and you most definitely won't find any Orange Julius or Hot Dog on a Sticks. However, you will find just about everything else, whether you like it or not. Actually, it's not that extreme. It's not as bold as many Chinese wet markets where you can find all kinds of "beast" meats, dead or alive. The kinkiest the food court fare gets are the strange shell fish and snails.

It had been a while since I indulged in escargot so I ordered it, but when it was served up I wish I hadn't. The contents of my bowl looked like a snail genocide was just perpetrated. There were at least a hundred snails piled up and out from the greasy, brown sauce. How did they get so many snails into a bowl? Easy. They were midget snails. It was quite difficult for me to extract the snails out of their shells even with a toothpick because they were so tiny. I'm guessing that after around thirty snails I just got tired of poking at them.

Snails are generally bland and, unfortunately, the brown sauce didn't do much to punch them up. The texture of snails are uniquely wacky because they have an initial crunch then the rest of the way it's chewy...chewy...chewy...chewy. C'mon, now, I've been chewing on this damn thing for the last fifteen minutes and it ain't goin' nowheres. I give up. Lil' dragon buns here I come!

O.M.G. It's C.O.D.—A Fresh Seafood (with an Asian Touch) Restaurant Haven. Los Angeles, CA.

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 19:48:00 -0800

Some of seafood's greatest hits can be gotten at C.O.D. on 3rd Street in the heart of the Beverly Grove district. You might even feel like you're nearer to the Pacific Ocean rather than the Beverly Center. The seafood specialist's initials stand for catch of the day, and this isn't hyperbole. Facing the dining room, separating the kitchen from the clientele is a fresh seafood stand of your dreams. Shimmering seabream, not-so-shrimpy but humongous carabineros shrimp, live uni, and enough premium oysters to satiate any ostreophile.

If you're an avid restaurant diner, you may find some of C.O.D.'s menu familiar, and, even the name of the restaurant itself may ring a bell. It so happens your instincts are correct. The proprietor of C.O.D. was involved with famous raw bar restaurant EMC a while back.

Oooh, yeah, uni!

I remember when I first began food blogging (*cough* 2004 *cough*), uni or sea urchin wasn't really too well known by the general restaurant going public. Today, it's a mark of luxury like freshly shaved truffle and fine caviar. Also, when it comes to uni, as far as I'm concerned, the fresher the better. You can not get any fresher than live. That's exactly how C.O.D. offers these tasty golden tranches of oceanic delights. Bonus: uni is supposedly an aphrodisiac. Shazam!

However, if you really, really want to eat uni right. Have a few of these tantalizing "tongues" on pasta. Oh my! Picture a pool of rich, creamy uni sauce swirling with a wide pasta, dotted by freshly shaved truffle and crowed with super fresh, probably still alive uni. It is life-changing. I still remember my first uni pasta. You never forget.

Shrimp fried nice

Anyone who doesn't love shrimp fried rice is a stupid head. Unless you have severe shellfish allergies like my daughter. Then you're not a stupid head. I am.

The point is C.O.D. woks up a wonderfully flavorful shrimp fried rice with all the requisite fried egg and green onion pieces. The bowl is enhanced by bits of bay scallops. I could eat this everyday of the week, for real.

Monster shrimp

Carabinero is the Spanish name for this gigantic prawn from the deep Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Seas. The name is Spanish for police and actually refers to the red color of a version of Spanish police uniforms. The vibrant red hue of the prawn remains even when cooked. The meat is remarkably fleshy and delicate in taste, however the real flavor bomb is in the head. Twist it off and suck out the innards for a heavy make-out session with the ocean. Or else, take it home for a nice shrimp stock.

Lobster love

The lobster was presented perfectly bisected. So considerate. I'm really bad with the lobster cracker and hammer. Now, a bib I could use. Chimichurri was a great choice as a sauce; the succulent lobster meat was an ideal vehicle for it while spicing things up just so.

Golden wangs of tastiness

C.O.D. isn't strictly a seafood restaurant, although the genre is the specialty of the place. But, of all things, the fried chicken wings at C.O.D. are some of the most habit-forming around town. An exceptionally golden brown, crispy skin conceals perfectly juicy, delicious dark meat. They are also intensified with some peppery heat. Grab a beer for these flappers.

Obligatory salad

No, seriously. I'm not just about meat anymore. I'm getting old. I gotta watch the animal protein intake. So when I come across a fantastic salad—one that doesn't feel like a chore when eating it—I am as happy as the clam I just ate. C.O.D.'s kale salad mixes pretty purple kale with blanched almonds, blue berries, cranberry, quinoa, shallot slices and blue cheese crumbles for a pungent punch, all tossed in a passion fruit, lychee vinaigrette. Good looking and good for you.

Catch of the day

Straight from the C.O.D. fish case to your plate.

I dream of seabream

Whole seabream is the fish of my sea dreams. (Too much?) It's so good though. The texture of the grilled fish was crispy and the flesh, delicate. Again, the accompanying chimichurri did wonders to the subtleness of the seabream, my favorite fish since I read the food manga Oishinbo.

Dracula's least favorite pasta

C.O.D.'s garlic noodles are right there with the famous ones at Crustacean in Beverly Hills. Since Crustacean is down for a major rebirth, the C.O.D. version will cure your jonesing for these garlicky, slurpy strands.

Squeeze these cheeks

My goodness, talk about tender as a baby's butt. These braised beef cheeks are that tender but better because you can bite them and chew them. Braising is one of my favorite cooking techniques. Why? Because of dishes like this beef cheek. Take a tough cut and patiently break it down by cooking it low and slow. If done right, the reward is moisty moist meat from your moistest dreams!

Joysters!

Oysters are just awesome. Unless, of course, you down a bad one, then it's not so great, really not so great. Anyway, the premium oysters available, ready-to-shuck at C.O.D. are the awesome ones. The selection varies by season and availability, so find out ahead if you're into certain varieties.

The oysters I had were Fat Bastards and Kusshi. Both were great with my Pinot Grigio. The Kusshis were clean and creamy while the Fat Bastards imparted a middling brininess and hints of cucumber.

My meal was washed down with a classy Manhattan like ocean waves lapping at my shore. No idea what that means.

See you at C.O.D.

C.O.D. Restaurant
8408 W. 3rd St.
Los Angeles
323.658.9188

I Know a Guy. They Call Him Fat Sal. He Makes Big Sandwiches.

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Wed, 30 Aug 2017 13:42:00 -0700

I'm a food writer, so I go to a lot of restaurants. Obviously! By the same token, I experience a lot of different restaurant concepts. Some of them work. Many don't. Once in a while, the concept is a home run like L.A.'s first Nashville hot chicken joint called Howlin' Ray's. It's uncomplicated, unpretentious and people love it to the point of waiting hours for a taste of Howlin' Ray's founder Johnny Ray Zone's spicy fried fowl.

A few weeks back, I tried a place I've been hearing about for a bit now and that the kids have been going nuts for. It's named Fat Sal's. And it is what it is.

The thing I thoroughly respect about a restaurant like Fat Sal's is that it doesn't pretend to be anything but what it is: a place to eat without giving an eff! Menu items like a mega-hero sandwich named Fat Jerry, stuffed silly with tasty things that you'd normally have to spread out on a platter—like ribeye steak, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, bacon and fried egg—are standard fare at Fat Sal's.

Salvatore Capek and Joshua Stone are the founders of Fat Sal's. Capek is the Sal of his eponymous, well-girded concept. He tends to hang back while Stone does the schmoozing and charming. As mouthpiece of the operation, Stone can play host like nobody's business. But, trust me, it's all business, and a really great one. Each of their Los Angeles locations are packed with hungry gluttons ready to down overstuffed heroes filled with all kinds of fried, crunchy goodies and layers of animal protein, then the tasty totality washed down by stupendous shakes, aka Fat Shakes, that may include a whole slice of cheesecake as an ingredient. The place is called Fat Sal's! What'd you expect? Quinoa bowls? Get outta town!

The newest location is in Encino. Like the other local Fat Sal's in Hollywood and Westwood, the Encino store has been doing brisk beefy business since its grand opening. Although there isn't much of a nightlife scene in Encino, Fat Sal's is open 'til 3 a.m. I'm not sure if that's going to be sustainable, but, hey, it could be a nice substitute for a 24/7 Denny's.

Back in the day, I could've eaten at Fat Sal's all night long until those Long Island iced teas in my gut were absorbed by these massive meatwiches. Now that I'm older, more sensible and quit the LI teas, I wonder what a Fat Sal's vegan option would look like. Then I imagine Fat Sal himself hollerin' in my ear, "We're makin' sandwiches ova here!" Suddenly, I spot the lonely veggie burger on the Fat Sal's menu board (yes, even Fat Sal's has a veggie option) and all is right with the world.

Nowadays, I may not eat like Fat Sal, but I appreciate its existence because it is what it is. And that's what makes Fat Sal's great!

Fat Sal's website

JFAT's Brunch is Tater Tot Heaven. Napoleon Dynamite's Dream Come True!

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Sun, 9 Jul 2017 11:26:00 -0700

Totchos are nachos snuggled up with tots!

To say Jimmy's Famous American Tavern, aka JFAT, is steadily expanding, with currently five locations spanning from San Diego up to Woodland Hills, means more than just geographically doing so. You need to simply look at my midsection after I housed the restaurant's new brunch menu selections to understand what JFAT really means when it's out to expand in SoCal.

JFAT's new brunch isn't your grandma's brunch, kids. This is brunch meets Man v. Food. The portion size for each entree is enough for more than one, unless you're me because I had several entrees with portions adding up to the total calories intake of a small village in Samoa. Even Adam Richman himself would find the closest corner and curl up in a ball at the enormity of my JFAT brunch!

And, no, I didn't just insta my plates, post 'em, push the dishes away and wait for the likes to roll in. I ate this food! I'm not an influencer. I'm a hungry food writer with no off switch! None!

Another thing I immediately noticed when my brunch brawl started, JFAT really loves tots. And I mean all kinds of tots: tots as sides, as the main event, as garnish, as car antenna ornamentation. Really, anything that can be done with tots, the kitchen will dream it up. JFAT is Napoleon Dynamite's tots dream come true in a gastropub.

Totchos is a beautiful marriage of tater tots and nachos. It's pretty straight forward: swap out tortilla chips for tots and pile on the cheese sauce, sour cream, bacon, and salsa fresca. And exactly like its inspiration plate, you'll need to gobble these potato babies quickly or else the tots can get soft and soggy. You won't have any trouble eating them fast once you get a taste. They're addictively delicious. Napoleon Dynamite might even elope with an order of them. Weirdo!

Shrimp N'awlins style

When I eat shrimp, I love it when the shell is still on because that's where a lot of the briny goodness is and, yes, that's a good thing if you enjoy shrimp. The Spicy N’awlins style Peel & Eat Shrimp on JFAT's brunch menu keeps the crustaceans' original outfit on so you can peel it off yourself, releasing all that excellent flavor.

Glutton tip: suck on the shrimp with the shell on before you peel to taste that ultimate salty shrimpy flavor. The shrimp meat is snappy yet tender. Wine, garlic butter, and Cajun spices season the seafood nicely, although it could've been spicier. You could always turn up the heat volume with Louisiana hot sauce. Also, grab the accompanying sourdough bread to soak up all that yummy shrimp juice in the skillet.

Pulled BBQ Pork Benedict

Some of my favorite items at JFAT are created by not just mashing up types of dishes but by combining a refined plate with something more down and homey. Case in point is the Pulled BBQ Pork Benedict. This is what happens when you join forces with English muffins, poached eggs, Anaheim chile, Tobasco Hollandaise, and a heap of smoky, saucy pulled pork. Uptown meets downtown equals flavor town. (Sorry, Guy Fieri!) And, this comes with a mound of tots!

The Bubba is for food lubbas!

What can I say about The Bubba other than it's got everything but the Southern kitchen sink! If you're in the mood for big and deep south kinda grubbin', then you need to buddy up with The Bubba. This good ol' bite is a massive endeavor: buttermilk biscuit filled with beer-battered fried chicken, cheddar, crispy bacon, sausage gravy, and a sunnyside up egg—and, of course, lots of tots!!!

If you manage to wrap your mouth around this beast, you're ahead of the game. Most will need to use a knife to even have a chance at devouring it, however, when you do, The Bubba will reward you with a symphony of comfort food savoriness.

JFLAT bread

The Breakfast Flatbread was probably my favorite of the brunch bunch. Flatbread as pizza has been trending for a while in the restaurant scene, and this breakfast version at JFAT is everything you could want. Scattered atop are Applewood smoked bacon, pieces of sausage, a couple of sunnyside eggs, gooey Fontina cheese, and chunky potatoes. It's all the breakfast you need in an easy to munch format. I like to dash on some hot sauce to give it some sass.

JFAT al fresco

I've eaten at two JFAT locations: Woodland Hills at the Westfield Topanga Village and, most recently, Santa Monica. The Santa Monica location offers patio seating facing fashionable Ocean Blvd. It's perfect for beautiful people watching while you pig out. It's better to eat good than to look good, I always say.

The Santa Monica JFAT interior also seems to have a bit of a nautical theme which fits its beachy locale. It's really a great spot to experience this comfort food juggernaut. Take a walk on the beach after your meal if you're feeling guilty; or drown that guilt with another mimosa. Cheers!

Jimmy's Famous American Tavern
1733 Ocean Ave.
Santa Monica
424.292.5222

Eddie Dreams of Tsujita Ramen. Slurps Four Bowls Then Has a Really Weird Dream!

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 14:00:00 -0700

There's no debating it, the bowls of ramen at Tsujita are my favorites in Los Angeles. I'm not only talking about the master ramen maker's famous 60-hour lovingly simmered, pork bone tonkotsu version either. That's the one where you can literally taste the bone and marrow lurking in all that porcine richness. All the styles of ramen at Tsujita are great—even the vegetarian selection is deep with umami flavor, infusing pungent bamboo shoots and woodear mushroom. I also slurped up Tsujita's crowd-pleaser dipping ramen a.k.a. tsukemen. And I ate all of these at one sitting. In the noodle world, tonkotsu is the Thanksgiving turkey dinner of the genre. I had two bowls of that particular style. Needless to say, a ramen-induced coma quickly descended upon me like a fluffy, down comforter on a chilly winter's eve. I was knocked out cold.

Then, a dream fueled by mass ramen began to play in my head.

The setting was a nondescript amphitheater. People were milling about before a music performance. I, however, was hellbent on scoring a photo with two celebrities at the event: Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner. Apparently, in my dream land, Nimoy and Shatner were performing songs from their respective albums—one night only! Yes, in our shared reality, there are actually record albums with the actors singing on them. For some in the real world, this fantasy concert would've been a dream show, but, alas, like Deborah Gibson sang, it was only in my dream.

While the audience began settling into their seats before the show started, I urgently sought out the headliners of the night for the purpose of scoring the ultimate selfie with Kirk and Spock together, and then plastering it across all my social media platforms, surely to induce rage-filled jealousy in my friends, never-met friends, and random Comic-Con fan boys and girls alike.

As I walked along a pathway, I happened upon Shatner. I asked him for a photo. He agreed and placed his hand on my shoulder, but then I hesitated and told him that we can't take the picture until we found Nimoy. He's a bit disappointed but came along anyway as we went in search of Nimoy. (Heh, get it? Nevermind.) After a little bit of looking, Shatner stopped following and I lose him. But as soon as this happened, I found Nimoy and asked if I could take a photo with him. He agreed. Then I told him that we first needed to locate Shatner so we can take the photo all together. He's okay with that, and off we went looking for Shatner. Unfortunately, we can't find Shatner anywhere, so Nimoy headed off to prepare for the concert. Now this time Shatner appeared out of nowhere and I told him to hurry with me because I was just with Nimoy. Reluctantly, he followed me for a while until his patience wore thin and then left me again. Repeatedly, I found myself wandering the amphitheater looking for Nimoy and Shatner. Once again, I'd spot Nimoy, but there'd be no Shatner in sight and vice versa, ad infinitum, while never ever getting Spock and Kirk together for the selfie.

Now let's delve into some juicy dream interpreting. If you're in the least familiar with Star Trek, you'd know that Spock is all logic and reason while Kirk is the yang to the Vulcan's ying. Kirk is fiery, emotional, passionate, impulsive, carnal; Spock is deliberate, dispassionate, calm, analytical, cerebral. Looking through a Freudian lens, one could describe Spock as the superego portion of the human psyche as opposed to Kirk's id-like characteristics.

Most interesting of all, in the frame of this Freudian model, I'd be the ego attempting to get id and superego together and act harmoniously long enough for a goddamn selfie (even that is symbolic: selfie is the self!), so I could show off to my friends! Too much to ask? Why can't these two cooperate??? No wonder I'm so loco! Stop eating four bowls of ramen at a time is essentially the moral of this blog post. I'm going to have a salad now. Live long and prosper.

The Next Best Thing to Brunch in Bangkok? Brunching at So Long, Hi.

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 12:02:00 -0700

Wangs!!!

I will resist every urge in my being to write anything punny when describing So Long, Hi, the super casual, oasis of tasty Thai street food and dishes in Downtown L.A.

Hello, phat pants! Well, that didn't take very long. No, really, when you chow down at So Long, Hi's Thai Family Picnic, basically the restaurant's version of a family-style, Thai brunch where you sit elbow to elbow with fellow diners as you reach for Thai ribs and wings and other all-you-can-eat, off-menu surprises exclusive to the picnic, served omakase-style at the chef's whim, like a great d.j. reading the dance floor. So Long, Hi is owned and operated by on-fire restaurateur Dave Tewasart (Side Chick, Sticky Rice, Monkey Bar, Matcha Matcha, RBTA) with Bryan Sharafkhah-Sharp (White Guy Pad Thai) behind the wheels of steel, er, wok of steel. Your stomach(s) is in very good hands.

Freestyle food

So Long, Hi's Thai Family Picnic happens each first Sunday of the month. The next feeding frenzy takes place in the back of the restaurant on the airy patio July 2nd, from 1-5pm, with a 3-hour limit (that restriction was definitely written for me!).

Nose to tail

It's difficult to predict what will be offered, but at the inaugural picnic at which I stuffed myself, we ate Thai jerky, pork spare ribs, papaya salad, pineapple fried rice, pad thai, "crying tiger" steak, whole grilled fish served on a fish-shaped platter and more. (Fish head, so underrated.) $25 gets you a seat to this feast. One of the best deals in town!

To drink: Buckets of 5 Chang beers for $20, soju-based Mai Tais, spicy chili margaritas and Bangkok Mules at our particular brunch (separately charged).

For this deal, you need to reserve in advance with tix at Eventbrite, OR, frugal tip, call/visit the restaurant to avoid Eventbrite processing fee. So Long, Hi's Thai Family Picnic is limited to 50 people, so get your spot before it's sold out.

25 bucks for all that Thai yum in the Cali sun, it's a fine way to spend the first Sunday of each month.

So Long, Hi
518 W. 7th St.
Los Angeles
213.372.5326
http://thaifamilypicnic.eventbrite.com

Don't Worry! Tofu Trump is Not a Food Trend—Just a Thing That Happened on My Plate.

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Wed, 17 May 2017 08:05:00 -0700

Egg Tofu with Vegetables

Some people see Jesus in strange places. Mostly, these people see him as the Shroud of Turin format imprinted on a bunch of bizarre things, typically edible, from toast to chips to a pizza slice or even the inside of an orange. Who knows, maybe they are actually witnessing a miraculous Jesus image, or perhaps it's more of a Rorschachy thing that's going on. Anyhow, seeing Jesus in stuff nowadays is pretty passé. On the other hand, seeing Donald Trump is more on trend, as I did the other day, and it was weird.

I don't follow Jesus or Trump, but I respect Jesus. He's a guy I'd gladly have a glass of wine with (of course, he'd have to make it first) and discuss all kinds of deep life stuff. As for Trump, not really.

Back to seeing Trump in food. My girl and I were craving some late night bites so we headed over to Jasmine House in Alhambra. The restaurant is run by chef Lupe Liang. The same chef/owner who opened Hop Woo in Chinatown. (That's where my girl and I had the notorious multi-course boa constrictor dinner that was turned into an epic video by VICE TV.) Recently opened, Jasmine House is Liang's new restaurant and specializes in Hong Kong cuisine. Liang began his chef's life in H.K. and brought his talents to this side of the Pacific via Mexico and finally L.A.

One of our favorite dishes at Jasmine House is the Egg Tofu. It's not a tofu dish you can find at many Chinese restaurants, and there are no actual eggs in the item, so it's completely veg. Egg Tofu's magic dwells in its two textures: a custard-like tofu sealed within a sort of a crunchy-leathery exterior. Once the toasty tofu sheath is pierced, there's a burst of steamy, silken soybean curd that surges into your mouth—it's a textural thrill. A light sauce flavors the dish as does clusters of enokitake and a few snow peas. This is about when Trump showed up.

The blond enokitake (these are the ones cultivated sans sunlight) were placed around and on top of the egg tofu. As the ingredients sat on the plate, this freaky Trump visage slowly revealed itself until it couldn't be denied (like nightmarish election results). I thought I might've been seeing things given how Trump news is all pervasive, so I asked the opinion of my girl, the waiter, and even chef Liang himself. Everyone agreed, something Trumpy was on my plate—the tiny stringy white shrooms made up his combover, the orange-tinted, pock-marked tofu shell resembled his persistent smirking mug. We all laughed, although my girlfriend was more disturbed than amused, so it was a nervous laughter out of her.

Tofu Trump, though, looked pissed that he was on a plate in a Chinese restaurant with all of us pointing and giggling at him. Not funny, Tofu Trump seemed to sneer. I'd fire you all if I could.

Tofu Trump is not amused
(photo: Eddie Lin. art: Stephanie Kordan)

Masters of Taste Returns to Pasadena's Iconic Rose Bowl. Get Your Food Fest Pants On! Sunday, May 7th

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Fri, 5 May 2017 14:34:00 -0700

Last year, Masters of Taste enjoyed its debut at the legendary Pasadena Rose Bowl. This year the delicious event returns and tastier than before. Why? Well, more restaurants, bakers, confectioners, brewmasters, wineries, and cocktail wizards for starters. There's just more of everything this time around. Take a peek at some of the lineup below.

118 Degrees - Chef Jenny Ross (Tarzana)
Alexander’s Steakhouse - Chef Matt Bata (Pasadena)
Bacchus Kitchen & Eatery and Claude & Co. - Chef Claud Beltran (Pasadena)
Bone Kettle and Komodo - Chef Erwin Tjahyadi (Pasadena and Los Angeles)
CAST at the Viceroy Santa Monica - Chef Larry Monaco (Santa Monica)
Celestino - Chef Calogero Drago (Pasadena)
Church & State and Spring - Chef Tony Esnault (Downtown Los Angeles)
Crossings - Chef Lalo Sanchez (South Pasadena)
HACHÉ LA - Chef Michael “Mick” Schepers (Silver Lake)
HokePoke - Chef Lauren Haas (Downtown Los Angeles)
Hamasaku - Chef Yoya Takahashi (Los Angeles)
Hyperion Public - Chef Paddy Aubrey (Silver Lake and Studio City)
INTRO Art Gallery & Chef’s Table - Chef Paul Shoemaker (North Hollywood)
Little Beast - Chef Jose Perez (Eagle Rock)
Magnolia House - Chef Evan Colter (Pasadena)
Mama Lion - Chef Michael Hung (Koreatown)
Mexikosher - Chef Katsuji Tanabi (Los Angeles)
Milk & Honey - Chef Lulu Cai (Hollywood)
Miro - Chef Gavin Mills (Downtown Los Angeles)
Momed - Chef Alex Sarkissian (Beverly Hills and Atwater Village)
Nerano - Chef Michele Lisi (Beverly Hills)
Prince of Venice
Ramen Tatsunoya (Pasadena)
SpireWorks - Chef Kuniko Yagi (Westwood Village and Eagle Rock)
Redbird - Chef Neal Fraser (Downtown Los Angeles)
The Raymond 1886 - Chef Tim Guiltinan (Pasadena)
True Food Kitchen - Chef Phil Noresetter (Pasadena)
Venice Whaler - Chef Nick Liberato (Venice)

2016's Masters of Taste event was the launch so the crowd was Goldilocks-sized, not too big, not too small. There was never a long wait for any particular restaurant's booth. This is the advantage of attending a new food festival. This year should be manageable too, I predict. But if they are slammed, good for them!

The portion and quality of some of the restaurants' food were outstanding. One memorable plate was served up by Hyde Sunset, the sceney but very food-focused spot on Sunset Boulevard.

Top Chef alum and fan-favorite Chris Crary was there to hand out the meaty portions of braised beef cheek. He was also available to take selfies (ahem, like mine) for his throng of fans and admirers. That's one of the very cool things about food festivals like Masters of Taste. You can get up close and personal with the talented chefs whom you may not get to meet at their restaurants.

Celestino Italian restaurant generously offered sauce smothered ravioli and a treat of cannoli freshly piped with ricotta.

Celestino's chef Calogero Drago was on hand to serve the inaugural crowd for Masters of Taste.

There was some excellent, fancy poke too. Lots of people loved this poke chock full of fresh fish and roe. It was probably the most popular booth. I'm not a big fan of the stuff. But what do I know. This one was very good though.

One of my favorite chefs, Brendan Collins of Birch, manned his booth. This master of charcuterie didn't disappoint with his housemade pate.

And, hey, if you were craving pizza, they got it too. In fact, the Made in Brooklyn Pizza truck was probably one of my top 5 favorites at the event. They greeted festival foodies as we walked in.

They were true New York slices, thin, blistered, cheesy and friggin' good. Nothing fancy, just an honest to goodness slice, baby!

The view of the Sensual Foodie was great too.

Bonus: this food festival is at the Rose Bowl. So you can run around the field recreating all your fantasy football fantasies (just not in your underwear on your laptop).

Masters of Taste is a touchdown! And I'm Tom Brady.

See you there, this Sunday afternoon May 7th at the Rose Bowl. Ticket info here.

Best of all, this is 100% for a great cause:

100% of the proceeds from Masters of Taste 2017 will directly benefit Union Station Homeless Services, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to helping homeless men, women and children rebuild their lives. Union Station is part of a premier group of human services agencies in Los Angeles County that are leading the way to end homelessness in our community and offers an array of services including street outreach, meals, shelter, housing, case management and career development. Last year, Masters of Taste 2016 raised over $435,000 for Union Station Homeless Services, and this year Masters of Taste hopes to grow that number to $560,000.

Eddie Huang of Fresh Off the Boat and Bao Haus fame coming to town for L.A. Times Food Bowl

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Fri, 5 May 2017 13:20:00 -0700

If you ever wanted to see outspoken celeb chef Eddie Huang in action, you need to check out the L.A. Times Food Bowl event this Sunday, May 7 at E.P. & L.P. in West Hollywood. Huang teams up with uber-talented chef Louis Tikaram for an unforgettable night of Asian eats celebrating the Year of the Cock! Or chicken. Rooster, whatever. There's an edible panda in the mix somewhere too. All the deets are below. Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Hot Dog Dreams: The Slaw Dogs' TNT Super Dog & Weird Wiener Visions

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Sun, 16 Apr 2017 20:03:00 -0700

The gorgeous TNT Super Dog

What happens when a gut bomb explodes then seeps into your dreams?

I know me. And I know I shouldn't consume heavy meals close to bedtime, especially ones involving meat. Acid reflux or indigestion is almost guaranteed, definitely so if I washed down the grub with alcohol of any kind. Even more challenging sometimes are the dreams that are inspired by the mélange gurgling in my gut. Because I was hanging out at Westfield's Topanga Village shopping center, I couldn't resist stopping by Ray Byrne's The Slaw Dogs stand. Famous for creative and, often, over-the-top works of wiener art, The Slaw Dogs is one of my must eats when I'm nearby. Well, I was nearby recently, so I stopped in to grab a TNT Super Dog. This meaty monster is an ode to the infamous, after-hours, punk rocker favorite Oki Dog: two grilled hot dogs snuggled up in American cheese slices, smothered with runny beef chili, paired with pickles and pastrami, then bound by a massive flour tortilla. Slaw Dogs' rendition is upgraded with better quality ingredients, a fried egg, and spiked with extra carbs in the form of french fries—It's a hefty mouthful and extremely satisfying to eat. Super meaty, gooey, savory, salty, cheesy, punctuated with crispy bits of fries and drippy chili, this was not something for the faint of heart. Straight up dude food, dude!

The only guilty pang I experienced while choking down this enjoyable enormity was derived from the 24 Hour Fitness gym that is situated exactly across the dining area of The Slaw Dogs stand. My view was of jacked gym rats of both sexes exiting the place, dripping in sweat while wearing skin tight yoga pants or compression shirts, the kind that leaves nothing to the imagination as far as what anatomical form is concealed underneath. I sat on a stool at a communal dining bar as the workout crowd paraded by giving me looks of pity like I was trapped in the refugee camp of my own soft, endomorphic body with no way out. I averted their gaze as best as I could, deflecting their judgement with every insanely tasty bite of my TNT Super Dog.

That night, I got home and read a chapter from my current favorite book Walking to Listen by Andrew Forsthoefel. It's about a young guy who decided to walk across the country to see what advice he could get about living his life from people he met along his journey. Fatigued, my brain melted into a mushy fog while reading, but I got through the chapter. I fell asleep pretty quickly. The dream that flickered behind my eyelids started to play.

In the dream, it was present day. I was excited about winning a contest from a local jazz radio station. The prize was meeting Ella Fitzgerald, you know, the First Lady of Song. I was extremely thrilled. I couldn't wait for the day I'd meet her at a special event. In fact, I was beyond thrilled, I was really nervous. I didn't want to act stupid or too fanboy around her. I wanted to get to know her like a regular person, BUT THIS WAS ELLA!!

Then at one point in my dream, I suddenly realized that this in fact was only a dream because I knew Ella Fitzgerald was dead. She died a long time ago. June 15, 1996 to be exact. I got very dejected. You know like as a kid you have the dream when you finally get that awesome toy you always wanted and then wake up? That's the feeling except I was still dreaming. Is that like lucid dreaming? I don't know. Anyway, in the dream, I did meet her at the event, but it wasn't her. It was someone who everyone said was Ella but didn't look like her at all. The lady who everyone was passing off as Ella Fitzgerald resembled more the maid from the old '70s sitcom The Jeffersons. Weird. Definitely TNT Super Dog generated.

The Ella Fitzgerald dream segued into a much darker one about a friend who dies. In real life, he's still alive. It was a bummer dream, the kind you wake up from and still feel sad.

That TNT Super Dog was delicious and a favorite of mine, but, man, those dreams.

The Slaw Dogs
6220 Topanga Canyon Blvd.
Unit 9080
Woodland Hills, CA
747.226.3119

Are You Ready For This Jelly? Ramen Jello is Coming to Town.

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 16:53:00 -0700

Tonkotsu flavored ramen jello joins fruit flavored jello

Ramen is ruler of noodle dishes all over L.A. People just can't seem to slurp up enough of it. New ramen shops open up every year specializing in one style or another. Although this relatively modern bowl of goodness remains pretty basic—broth, noodles, toppings—there hasn't been much innovation, unless you count the Ramen Burger. But, even the Ramen Burger was minimal with ramen-esque flavor. It was mostly the bun that made up the ramen concept.

Now steps in ramen jello. And it's exactly what it sounds like: ramen noodles, broth and toppings in gelatin form. The chef who thought of this jiggly ramen concoction is not really a chef, but he likes to call himself one. He's a (surprise, surprise) recent college grad from CSUN in the San Fernando Valley. His name is Randy Mann, but his friends call him Ramann. Get it?

He's been obsessed with ramen since his buddies gave him his nickname. Like most people, he discovered ramen in the Cup Noodles format, then moved on to packet ramen and, finally, enjoyed his first legit ramen experience at Daikokuya in Little Tokyo. He got a job as a dishwasher at a few ramen spots around the Valley near his university while studying chemistry. He wants to make ramen flavor packs for a living. "Ramen flavors have been stagnant. I want to step it up. There's so much to flavor your bland noodles with," said Mann.

Whenever Mann finishes a hefty bowl of ramen, he enjoys sweetening his palate with dessert but nothing rich. He prefers Jell-O. "Lime is my go to." Then one day he had a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup moment and wondered what it would be like to have ramen as Jell-O, so he busily went to work. Fortunately, he was armed with chemistry knowledge and figured out that tonkotsu aka pork bone broth congeals when cooled. So he cooked up some ramen from a recipe he lifted from one of his former employers and created the basic ramen. After a few failed attempts, he perfected his ramen jello. He laughs at the failures, "The form didn't hold. It was like ramen slime. So gross!"

He's been hawking Ramann Jello at pop-ups around campus events and underground food festivals where "basically nobody is licensed to prepare food." Apparently, the college crowd is into it. He's been selling out his 50 batch limit at every pop-up. "CSUN kids will eat anything. I'm happy for that." How far does he want to take Ramann Jello? "I'd love to have a stand at Smorgasburg. It's like a dream of mine."

Along with the tonkotsu broth and Mitsuwa-sourced noodles, Mann throws in corn kernels, thinly sliced braised pork belly and nori pieces—reminiscent of the famed savory Jell-O salads of Utah. And if you want to get technical about it, this dish is essentially a ramen aspic. There's a lot of flavor, and it gets really concentrated in gelatin form. It's tasty, an acquired kind of tasty but, hey, a taste nonetheless. Not sure if it will be the next big ramen thing though. Succeed or not, Mann is at least using his degree for something and also flexing his entrepreneurial muscles. Not bad for a recent grad. Rock on, Ramann!

Ramann Jello Pop-ups' Instagram

Silence of the Lambs...Because I Ate Their Tongues. The Factory Kitchen @ DTLA, Arts District

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 12:53:00 -0700

The Factory Kitchen's piattograsso special

It's been a while or, as the kids say, a minute. I haven't been sitting idle, plucking lint out of my belly button though. Lots of things happening. I finally got a Deep End Dining Insta account like all the kids these days. (Not snapping on Snapchat yet however.) So do me a solid and head over to my Deep End Dining Instagram page and follow me! I'll probably be posting more there than here. Still be writing stuff here, just so you know. So check back now and then.

Although, you've probably seen me posting mainstream food on my blog, I normally try to pick the most interesting item on the menu to share with you all. But, if the restaurant is good and they don't happen to have anything all that unique, I'll still post the meal here because I think you might want to know.

Furthermore, I'll be posting random thoughts that are food and/or restaurant-related. Hey, it's still food writing, right?

So let's get into my latest meal which I'm quite excited about. It took place after I attended an event that I misinterpreted as a sit down, multi-course dinner, which turned out instead to be a casual gathering where guests stood around ravenously waiting for the chef and cooks to plate tiny, teensy bites of food. No booze either. After snapping up and wolfing down five diminutive servings, my friend and I debated on where to go after the "dinner party" to have a real dinner. Don't you hate when that happens?

Luckily we were in the fashionable Arts District of downtown Los Angeles where the restaurant scene is scorching hot. Among reputable eating places like Bestia and Church & State, there were many excellent options, especially for the stuff I like. We were walking distance to The Factory Kitchen, which I heard many good things about but never yet ventured into. So that was the call.

We got there before the rush and snagged two spots at the bar, ordered a couple of bourbons, and scoured the menu for interesting eats. What leapt off the page instantly was the piattograsso or plate of fat. What could be better? But, this entree wasn't to be taken in the literal sense, it was a described as "seared lamb tongue, traditional Modena’s pork sausage, Umbrian lentils, foie gras." Now if that doesn't sound like a party on a plate, then I don't know what kind of parties you go to, probably boring ones.

When the dish arrived, my dining partner was disappointed (he ordered the same). He had imagined a plate with each described item occupying its own area, instead the order was presented like a stew. Lamb tongues and cotechino di Modena piled on top of a bed of lentils with foie gras strewn throughout. It was very rustic, more comfort food than haute cuisine. He also was anticipating the seared lamb tongue to be crispy, at least slightly. It wasn't. The tender textures mostly blended together.

I, on the other hand, didn't mind the presentation at all. Everything was heavenly tender and, for a guy who just had many molars extracted aka yanked out, I was delighted. The feel of the tongue (yeah, I said it) was that of pulled pork but softer. And there wasn't just one tongue, more like three per plate. You could even make out the taste buds. How's that for knowing where your food came from? And, yes, tongue is a food that tastes you back in a way. Best of all, the lamb tongue was very subtly gamy, just enough to know it's lamb you're eating. Perfect.

The loosely packed Modena sausage was savory and pleasing to the bite. The essences of the ingredients melded with the earthy lentils to satisfaction and more. One thing, though, I thought the foie was extraneous. Didn't lend much to the overall plate. Reads nice on the menu though, but as far as eating, it was outperformed by its plate mates: lamb tongue and cotechino. C'est la vie, foie gras.

Even though The Factory Kitchen is heralded for its outstanding fresh pasta, I always suspected its offals game was spot on, especially with its proximity to Bestia, the king of offals in L.A. My hunch was deliciously confirmed with the plattograsso, in particular the ideally prepared lamb tongues. Silencing lambs never tasted so good.

The Factory Kitchen
1300 Factory Pl.
Downtown Los Angeles Arts District
213.996.6000

17 Vs. 4 During MasterChef Season 7's Critics' Choice Episode. Final Four Competitors Try to Impress 17 Restaurant Critics. Guess Who's One of Them?

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Wed, 7 Sep 2016 11:53:00 -0700

That's me in the MasterChef dining room!

Obviously I can't say much here because "spoiler alert" and that terrifying non-disclosure agreement I signed. But, I can tell you that there were 17 renown critics from all over the country. Some I didn't know. Others I respect and am even a bit of a fanboy for; e.g., Jeffrey Steingarten. He's a long-time food writing legend and national treasure. I had the pleasure of helping him up and down the tricky catwalk in the soundstage. Also, meeting Amanda Hesser of Food52 was great. I've been following her ever since I got into food blogging 12 years ago. It was fun giving Adam Sachs, editor-in-chief of Saveur, L.A. dining tips. If he had been in town longer, I would've taken him to all my favorite San Gabriel Valley dumpling spots. Even my former editor from Los Angeles Magazine, Lesley Suter, was there!

Gordon Ramsay welcoming his VIP guests

This MasterChef will be my third appearance on the show and the biggest for me; it's the Final Four show with a lot at stake. It's also the first appearance, I believe, for one of the rotating chef-judges, Richard Blais. I've never heard of or met him before the taping, but he was quite friendly and easy to get to know.

A little behind the scenes peek: we were in a "holding" tent outside of the soundstage. There, we food writers and critics got to know one another as we snacked on an endless bounty of food. We had to be careful not to fill ourselves up, otherwise what good were we? We still needed to sing, or rather critique, for our supper.

Gordon Ramsay, Christina Tosi and Richard Blais visited the tent before we were led into the stage for our grand entrances. It was good chatting with Gordon ahead of the taping.

Stephanie Kordan of The Sensual Foodie

My girlfriend and fellow food writer Stephanie Kordan of Huffington Post and her excellent food blog The Sensual Foodie also appears on the show. I was really proud of how poised she was under the circumstances: multiple-cameras, unforgiving lights, and, of course, Gordon himself calling on her. (She did great. We probably should get our own food show, don't you agree?)

Time to eat and get all judgmental

But none of that matters in the end. You just want to know how the food was, what my fellow food critics thought, and, most of all, which team won us over with their tantalizing creations. But, of course, you'd rather see all of this unfold for yourself. So watch tonight, Wednesday, September 7 at 8/9c pm on FOX or online after it airs.

Meh or yeah?

So what did I think? Hmmm, that's a pretty good poker face I have going on, isn't it? Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy the Critics' Choice episode.

The Burger Games: Being Super Judgy for Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival at the NFL's Bring Your Burger Game Challenge. Upper West Restaurant. Santa Monica, CA

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 14:45:00 -0700

Chef-coach Bruce Kalman holding the Kim K burger! Haha!

Now the Olympics are over, let the real games begin. Because stuff just got real. NFL meets Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival for the Bring Your Burger Game challenge at one of L.A.'s best neighborhood restaurant-bars Upper West helmed by chef Nick Shipp. (Nick was on one of the final Kamikaze Kitchen episodes produced. He was studly and crazy enough to cook 3 guinea pigs.) But not to worry, no guinea pigs were involved at this event. Little Zhu Zhu is just fine.

Chef Nick Shipp along with bad ass meat and pasta chef Bruce Kalman of Union and Knead restaurants acted as burger building coaches for two groups of local food bloggers and influencers, divided into blue and gold teams. The objective was simple: make an awesomely delicious slider and impress the judges. I was one of the three judges which also included Jax Tranchida (Tastemade) and James Velarde (L.A. Food & Wine Festival).

One of the team's sliders.

The competition was fierce, and I'm not kidding. I was really impressed with how serious and competitive the teams were. They went at it like two pro NFL teams battling for victory on any given Sunday. Team members even threw intimidating gazes or blew kisses our way (whichever technique worked better at influencing us; they are influencers, after all!).

The ingredients ranged from stinky cheeses to healthful green veggies of all kinds, beef patties and even vegan ones. The burger building station buzzed with a flurry of activity, pickles and bits of bacon flipping in the air like a swarm of bees. Coaches Shipp and Kalman called out plays, er, I mean, ingredients while channeling their inner Pete Carroll screaming into a Motorola headset. It was intense, and it was beautiful.

We'll be the judges and coaches of this! (From L to R: Jax Tranchida, Nick Shipp, Bruce Kalman, and Eddie Lin)

Ultimately, we judges had to call a winning team. The contest was extremely close. No joke. However, in the end, the blue team was victorious because they kept it simple and tasty whereas the gold team muddled their burgers with a bit too many toppings. Less was more in this case.

However more is always more at a food festival, especially the Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival. That's the place to be starting tomorrow August 25 till Sunday August 28. L.A. Food & Wine Fest never disappoints. Lots of food to eat from up and coming restaurants as well as the hot spots. Also, taste wines from all over. Meet celebrity chefs and L.A.'s hometown top chefs. Go to LAFW.com for more info.

Here's a link to my friend Lynn Chen's video of the NFL's Bring Your Burger Game action!

The Halal Guys and Five Guys Got Busy and Had a Baby. The Five Halal Guys Burger Be Borne! The Halal Guys, Koreatown.

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Thu, 7 Jul 2016 22:05:00 -0700

It's all guys at this party.

This Friday, July 8, The Halal Guys cracks open its brand new L.A.-centric location smack dab in Koreatown on Wilshire near Normandie. Anticipate hours long lines like the ones during The Halal Guys Costa Mesa and Long Beach grand openings. Devotees of this legendary New York food cart will be drooling over the assembly line action as chicken, beef gyro, or falafel are piled onto the signature bright orange rice along side iceberg lettuce. Then the platter is deliciously drizzled with the famous Halal Guys white cream sauce known as "crack" sauce to fans. Btw, the hot sauce is no joke. It's absolutely incendiary—probably just above habanero heat and below ghost pepper in Scoville scorchability. I'm not sure what is exactly in it because the ingredients list vaguely describes the heat as "spices," so no clue there.

That said, I've had The Halal Guys plenty of times before since I visit NYC a lot for my gig as the tasting judge for MasterChef open calls. It's pretty good stuff, but I wanted to make this "street meat" more interesting. Therefore I dreamt up a mash-up. It's like Superman vs. Batman but hopefully much tastier. My vision was to combine The Halal Guys beef gyro with the beef patty at Five Guys Burgers, all drizzled with The Halal Guys crack sauce, thus conceiving The Five Halal Guys Burger.

So I visited the new KTown Halal Guys, then a Five Guys, and carefully mingled them like a good dating app. And this is the sexy tasty result.

Both The Halal Guys and Five Guys swiped right!

It's easy: pick up a gyro platter from The Halal Guys, go to Five Guys and get the hamburger with the "all the way" toppings option minus mustard and ketchup, remove top bun and heap on hunks of gyro, finally drizzle on the magic Halal Guys white sauce and enjoy the hell out of it!

A match made in meat heaven

Try not to get the cream sauce all over your lips. The Five Halal Guys Burger is so good, I surprised even myself. That white sauce seriously is some kind of crack sauce. It's awesome sauce in the most literal sense. So savory and magical, I can't even tell you how much it enhances every bit of the Five Guys Burger it comes into contact with. However, the sautéed mushrooms were especially elevated by the sauce. Try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

Check out The Five Halal Guys Burger instructional video below.

The Halal Guys
3432 Wilshire Blvd.
Koreatown, CA
213.480.7738

The Five Halal Guys Burger Mash-Up from Alatta Coffee Productions on Vimeo.

Jimmy's Famous American Tavern Does it Different. It's All About the Meatballs, Banana and Dip! Woodland Hills, CA.

deependdining@gmail.com (Eddie Lin) — Wed, 11 May 2016 18:20:00 -0700

Great balls of fire!

Whenever I check out a new restaurant, especially one that is on the funky, fun side of the food and hospitality spectrum, I always scan for the most interesting or oddest items on the menu. Jimmy's Famous American Tavern is one of those casual, upbeat booze and grub spots. Furthermore, the new Woodland Hills location offers some creative spins on classic comfort foods.

In the starters section are "Buffalo Style" Meatballs. If you've never met a Buffalo wing you didn't love and devour meatballs like a carnivorous Pac Man, then the "Buffalo Style" Meatballs at JFAT (the stubbier moniker for Jimmy's Famous American Tavern) is the ideal mashup appetizer.

Tangy, spicy & ballsy!

One bite of the "Buffalo Style" Meatballs and you'll get it. Any weird notions you had about this blending of Buffalo hot sauce and moist meatballs fly out the window like a winged buffalo. Bright flavors of the familiar tangy and spicy sauce completely penetrate the soft, moist meatballs. It's a total pleasure to eat and savor. Get a nice pale lager with it. That's a must.

The (almost) French dip

JFAT's Prime Rib French Dip is not quite 100% French. The meat isn't sandwiched between a French roll or baguette. Instead, Italian ciabatta bread is the carb of choice. I preferred this over French bread. The ciabatta is lighter and less bready with a bounty of air pockets ready to take in the savory jus. Also, the meat to bread ratio tilts towards the beef side; the beef in this case is thinly sliced, tender prime rib.

When gooey Swiss cheese and flaky, crispy, fried onion strings are piled onto the meat, the texture party is on. (Mouthfeel party just sounds too kinky.) Horseradish cream and jus complete this just about perfect, albeit untraditional, French dip.

Bananageddon is only a disaster for your waistline

Why is JFAT's signature dessert named Bananageddon? Because there's banana in it. Who cares! It's incredibly good and ridiculously fattening. And if fat equals flavor, then Bananageddon has more than you can possibly handle. Bananas, vanilla bean pastry cream, pecan blondie crumbles, butter pecan ice cream, salty rum-caramel sauce, candied pecans and whipped cream, this is sort of an evolved banana split for those of you who never got one at Farrell's when you were a little brat. Get this one and you'll make up for lost time.

JFAT is where it's at.

I'm not sure how famous this Jimmy guy is. Hell, I don't even know his last name. But as far as the food goes, Jimmy's Famous American Tavern is a good fit for Woodland Hills and the ever-evolving restaurant landscape in the San Fernando Valley. Besides, you should never trust a restaurant called JThin. Am I right?

Jimmy's Famous American Tavern
(at Westfield Topanga's The Village)
6250 Topanga Canyon Blvd #1550
Woodland Hills
818.369.0005