Slate Food

Son of a Gun

2012-02-03T13:54:00.000-08:00

(Clockwise from top left: Shrimp Toast, Lobster roll, Fried Oyster sandwich)

(Left to Right: Chicken Sandwich, Fish and Chips)

Son of a Gun!
I love Animal (Vinny and Jon's first outpost in LA) and when I heard Son of a Gun, their Seafood-centric new joint opened, I knew I had to pay a visit.

Since they're open for lunch now and miraculously, the lines are still not long yet, we decided to go before more people would hear about it. The three of us walked in a little earlier than LA lunch time, around 12pm sharp. We were able to get the communal table but you can make reservations ahead of time for the tables if you need your own space.

The decor was fabulous and the vibe was chill. My kind of place. The food is seafood centric but definitely the kind that goes better with beer since a lot of the food is fried.

We ordered the shrimp toast, the lobster roll, the fried oyster sandwich, the chicken sandwich, and the fish and chips. They were all so fried and fatty and good. The shrimp toast is off the hook. I'm definitely going back for that. The fried oyster sandwich was also amazing. The lobster roll was mayonaisey but still good.

The chicken sandwich was actually a good portion, unlike the other three "appetizers" but we still split it three ways so I didn't get a good feel for what the sandwich was like since I only got a little of the chicken. However, the breading was crispy and the chicken meat was super high quality, awesome chicken. The fish and chips, though awesome, veered on the greasy side. If that was the only thing I was eating, it would have been fine but with all the other fried bread-like items, it was a little too much.

Next time, I want to go for dinner but lunch is definitely a chill time.

Son of a Gun Restaurant

(323) 782-9033

Mid-City West

8370 W. 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Quinoa Soup

2012-01-17T22:49:00.000-08:00

It took me nearly ten years to see Bolivia again. In my mind, I built up Bolivia to be this magical place where not only my childhood took place, but a place untouched by the evilness of industrialization, mass production, and globalization.

(Lomas de Arena: Sand Dunes, Santa Cruz, Bolivia)

Of course, a lot of things have changed.

(La Paz, Bolivia)

When I lived in Bolivia, I barely left my city, Santa Cruz. The cuisine of the altiplano (or the high altitude regions) is pretty different from the cuisine of the lowlands. La Paz, the capital, is dry, cold in the shade, hot in the sun, and you're basically living amongst the clouds. People here eat a lot more quinoa than they do in Santa Cruz. Most of the quinoa comes from the altiplano because quinoa is hardy and it can grow in high altitudes. The andes are the perfect place for quinoa to grow. During our trip to La Paz and the Salar de Uyuni, we had a lot of quinoa soup and cooked quinoa instead of rice. European backpackers rejoiced.

Quinoa has been cultivated since the Incan times and they believed the crop was sacred. Quinoa means "mother of all grains" but when the Spanish conquered Bolivia, they scorned quinoa as "food for Indians." How ironic that now, in 2011, quinoa is recognized for what it is - a superfood, and people all over the world are shelling out the big bucks to get some quinoa in their diet.

In most of the world that now sells quinoa, it is usually sold in boxes or pre-packaged containers and it has already been pre-rinsed for convenience cuz let me tell you, rinsing organic, uncleaned quinoa is a step and a half!

The quinoa that I brought back from Bolivia is not pre-rinsed so the first step is to remove the saponins (natural laxative) by either soaking the quinoa in water for a few hours, then changing the water and resoaking, or rinsing the quinoa in ample running water for several minutes in a fine strainer. There's also small stones that I have to sift through, which is definitely easier to do when it's not cooked yet.

One of the things I love doing is making things ahead of time. Since quinoa can be eaten hot or cold, I like making them in batches to last throughout the week. My favorite dish though, has to be the Quinoa Soup. The European backpackers were gushing over it the entire tour of the Salar and when we got to our salt hotels and the lady brought us over some Quinoa Soup, we all felt this intense connection with the land, the people, the history, and the community.

This is my rendition of the Quinoa Soup that I had at Salar de Uyuni, the highest and largest salt bed in the entire world, containing more than 50-70% of the world's lithium.

Those little dots are people, not dirt on your computer screen. If you ever have a chance to visit the Salar de Uyuni, it's a once in a lifetime experience. Mostly because after seeing the beautiful landscape once, you probably won't want to go back again because the altitude sickness is no joke and riding around in an SUV for a few days in unpredictable terrain is nerve-wracking and not for the easily nauseous. But, pictures can do no justice to the immense beauty that you will experience when you see it with your own eyes.

Coming back home, one of the first things I knew I had to make was quinoa soup. I might be able to (or want to) go back to the Salar de Uyuni again but I sure as hell will miss having quinoa soup, the cute European cafe's hearty breakfast, and the coca tea that was the only saving grace when my altitude headaches were at its peak.

Quinoa Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon butter
1 cup diced onions (I use sweet yellow onions)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tomatoes, diced
2 carrots, sliced
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika (or just paprika)
1 teaspoon of Ancho Chile Pepper
1 teaspoon of ground cumin
.5 teaspoon of white pepper
1 teaspoon of 21 seasoning salute (Trader Joe's)
1 pound of beef
10 cups of water
2 cups peas (I used frozen)
2 cups cooked quinoa
4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
4 tablespoon chopped parsley or cilantro if you have it on hand
salt to taste

1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pot. This is where the rest of the soup will go in so make sure you get a big enough pot.

2. Add the onions, garlic, tomatoes, seasoning, cook for 5 min, stirring often.

3. Add the beef and cook until meat is browned.

4. Add the water, increase the heat and bring it to a boil.

5. Then, lower the heat to medium low and cook for around 40 minutes to an hour, until meat is tender.

6. Add the potatoes, peas, carrots, cooked quinoa, and bring to boil again.

7. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 30 min until the potatoes are tender.

8. Add herbs and salt (Unfortunately I didn't have any herbs on hand but it was still awesome).

9. Serve piping hot!

I love Quinoa Soup. This soup keeps really well but it won't last long, I promise!

In Bolivia, I discovered quinoa in many forms and in many different types of food. From quinoa flour to pasta, it was everywhere. But, the most fascinating form was popped quinoa, which they call Quinoa Pop. This kind of quinoa can be eaten like cereal, or combined with cereal, as well as a topping on ice cream, yogurt, and it even reminds me of rice krispies in chocolates.

So far, I haven't seen this form of quinoa in the U.S. so I'm savoring each bag of Quinoa Pop!

Best Apple Pie I've Ever Had - Higgins, Portland, OR

2011-12-28T13:18:00.001-08:00

I've never been to Portland, OR but I've read enough food blogs to know that there is a lively food and beer scene. So when my hubz tells me he's always wanted to go to Portland and books our trip there as a winter getaway, I get schoolgirl giddy.

This time, I leave everything up to my hubz so I don't have to plan a thing. I don't research food blogs or read restaurant reviews. I just sit back and relax as my hubz creates an itinerary for our winter getaway. He deftly calls on his foodie friends who have been there before and through all the recommendations, we have a food and hiking plan.

Portland is a beautiful city. Lively, even when it's soggy. I get a lot of mileage out of my yellow rain boots as we walk the downtown streets. It's great to take a break from driving everywhere in LA. We decide to check out Higgins, based on a few friends' recommendations. Located on the corner of Broadway and Jefferson in Downtown, Portland, we wade through rain with our loaned hotel umbrellas from Hotel Lucia.

We pass by the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, where a line forms to watch Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band. WTF? I never knew Woody Allen HAD a band. I'm the worst film school student ever.

There are two parts to Higgins. The restaurant and the bar. The bar is obvious from the outside as it is the one that has the fogged up windows while the restaurant is dimly lit and quiet. The ambiance is that of a serious gourmet restaurant in that old school kind of way. The food, however, is very much up to date.

The menu is all locally sourced. Our server has a fun sense of humor and one of the servers zig zags throughout the restaurant with his dancing feet.

We start with the House-made charcuterie plate with Higgins pickles ($15.50). The salami, lardo, the thinly sliced salami, mortadella, pate, terrines, the Italian cookies, and the pickled asparagus and vegetables are out of this world and only made better knowing that everything is made in-house. It's plentiful for two people, probably better shared for a group of three or more. The only thing I'd question is the plating. That looks awfully sexual.

At Higgins, ordering beer is just as easy as ordering wine. Their beer menu is extensive and the markup isn't bad. We get a bottle of Delirium Tremens ($16) and a bottle of Lindemen's Framboise ($9).

My hubz orders the Rigatoni pasta with spicy fennel sausage, broccoli, garlic cream and pecorino romano ($20.50). He likes it, doesn't love it.

Nothing really jumps out at me from the menu except the oysters and my hubz is allergic so I opt for their special that night, the Flat Iron Steak ($30 something ish) that comes with cauliflower, potatoes, and collard greens. The steak is perfectly cooked but the sides made the dish. The potatoes, cauliflower, and the collard greens round out the dish and it all goes down well with my Delirium.

The best part of the entire meal and the reason why I'm even writing this post, is the Apple Pie. I know what you're thinking. It doesn't even look gooey or gelatinous - how could it be good? Well, I'm telling you... this apple pie expands your mind. Look, I don't want to feel like I put on ten pounds eating a slice of pie. I just want to enjoy it.

The menu's description doesn't do it justice, "Warm pie, cheddar crust, bay leaf ice cream." From the rum soaked raisins that dot the plate to the cheesy contrast to the warmth of the apple pie in juxtaposition to the cold and creamy ice cream makes this dessert the best thing ever. I'm not even mad that I can't taste the bay leaf flavor in the ice cream. It's very subtle.

There is no way to describe this apple pie than saying that it's the epitome of culinary contrast in a bite - cheesy/crusty/creamy/warm/cold/sweet/salty/herby/subtle/flavorful. My hubz just says the pie is "erotic" and come to think of it, that might be the best way to describe it.

Higgins Restaurant

1239 SW Broadway

Portland, OR 97205
Directions
(503) 222-9070

Mon-Fri 11:30am-12:00am
Sat & Sun 4:00pm- 12:00am

"Nutty Asian" Butternut Squash Soup

2011-11-13T12:14:00.000-08:00

It's what always happens. I have a whole bunch of film-related projects to finish and I get distracted looking up recipes online. It's getting chilly these days so I'm in a soup-y kind of mood. Last week, I made a slow-cooker turkey chili that's been the go to meal when we're too busy to sit down and eat. The hubz and I have very different eating schedules and he is so food-challenged that if I don't make these one pot meals for the week, he'll just end up eating white rice with dried, shredded pork (Vietnamese dish) that sits in the fridge. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just so boring. I guess it's better than eating cereal for dinner.

Anyway, on twitter, SkinnyJinny posted this picture of his curry cashew butternut squash soup with coconut yogurt that he made using Sensual Foodie's recipe and I KNEW I had to make a batch, or at least a rendition of it.

I call this the "Nutty Asian Butternut Squash Soup" because in some weird way, I feel like I find my identity in soups. I'm a nutty Asian, especially when my ADD gets the best of me and I put everything on hold to perfect my cravings. But, on the realz, it actually contains coconut milk and cashews which are NUTTY and curry and turmeric which are ASIAN.

The taste is very similar to Me's coconut curry that I make all the time, except it's sweeter and more squash-y (if that's a word).

Nutty Asian Butternut Squash Soup (serves a crap ton of people, or a few people a lot of times)

Ingredients

One whole butternut squash
4-5 Large carrots
1 whole white onion
Enough chicken stock to cover (I used about 3-4 cups)
1 can coconut milk
1 cup soaked cashews
4 cloves of garlic
2 tbs butter
1/2 tsp of curry powder
1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
A dash of paprika
salt and pepper

Directions

Soak the cashews in a bowl of filtered water. Put water just a little more than to cover it.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Halve the butternut squash lengthwise and stick it in the oven until it's roasted. Roasting it makes it much easier to handle. *You can skip this step and peel the butternut squash and cut it into same similar size cubes as the carrots.
Meanwhile, chop up all the carrots and onions into little one inch chunks. If you want to chop the butternuts instead of roasting it, do it now.
In a sauce pan, heat the butter over medium and then sauté the onions stirring, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Salt as needed.
Add in the carrot chunks and the squash if cubed. Add the stock, just enough to cover and bring to a boil.
If you roasted the butternut squash, this is a good time to take it out of the oven, let it cool slightly and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Then, scoop out the flesh with the spoon onto the boiling pot.
Lower the heat so that the soup stays at a gentle simmer and add the coconut milk, curry, and turmeric. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the carrots and squash have softened completely.
Transfer the contents of the pot to a food processor or a blender and add handfuls of soaked cashews with the soup. Puree until smooth and make sure to do it in batches. If you have an immersion blender, you can blend it straight into the pot and add the cashews to your pot.
Bring it all back into the pot and simmer a little longer to make sure they're all the right consistency. This is a good time to season.
Serve: Pour soup into bowl and add a little sour cream or yogurt, olive oil, and pepper. Cumin and yogurt will go very well together and you can create cute little swirls in it too.

This soup is amazeballs. My husbands eyes popped out of his head when he tried a few spoonfuls. It's also really hearty because of the nuts and the coconut milk so you will feel full after just a small bowl of it. It comes out really thick but you can always thin it out with more chicken stock. Yay to Nutty Asians!

Carrots, Squash, Onions simmering in chicken broth

After adding a can of coconut milk, simmer until squash and carrots are soft

blend, puree, process in whatever blending contraption you have until silky smooth

do it in batches

I put it back in the pot and let it simmer a bit more

to get all the batches to even out

Top with sour cream, creme fraiche, yogurt, whatever cooling white thing

I also drizzled some garlic olive oil and cracked some pepper

Make cute swirly designs. Thick.

Can thin it out with more chicken stock. I like mine thick.

LA Food and Wine Festival 2011

2011-11-04T15:49:00.000-07:00

This year I got to go to the first annual LA Food and Wine Festival held at LA Live as a freelance producer for KCET Food. I covered the Red Carpet, HEAT (LA's spiciest after party), Grand Tasting 1, Rick Bayless Demonstration, and Grand Tasting 2.

Check out the KCET Food version on their website. At least for now, it's on their front page! Thanks KCET Food for letting me go and eat like a pig for a few days, interview chefs, connect with other food lovers, and be a part of something huge that I wouldn't have been able to take advantage of with my lowly film school student budget.

The video on here is the song I initially chose for the event to capture the energy of a celebration for a first annual event of this magnitude. Unfortunately, for copyright reasons, I had to change it.

My favorite food part of the food festival was, Roy Choi's subtle jerk chicken, David LeFevre's meatballs (no pics, just in video) and:

Ray Garcia's bacon wrapped bacon

John Sedlar's corn flan with quinoa

(I can't believe I got to have it again after eating it for the first time in Mexico!)

Another reason to visit Rivera asap)

Graham Elliot's foielipops (foie gras discs covered in pop candy)

Daniel Boulud's terrines and assorted meat jams,

Mark Peel's mussels

Foie Gras Lollipop (thanks, Lexus!)

The Foundry's famous grilled cheese sandwich

(won best grilled cheese last year)

Celestino Drago's truffle boar angolotti pasta

(check out those black truffles)

Wolfgang's WP Catering's Bouillabaisse aka amazing soup

You really have to see it in all the angles

(possibly the best thing I had)

FIG's biscuit and gravy

(the biscuits were heavenly soft, though in the pic it looks like it could be hard)

Stefan Richter's red wine lollipop

Check out these posts from other food bloggers:

The Minty

Ravenous Couple

KCET Food

Caesars Restaurant - Tijuana, Mexico

2011-10-24T15:00:00.000-07:00

On the second day of our epic Tijuana trip, we head to the famous Caesar's restaurant for a "light" breakfast.

Call me ignorant, but I never knew that this was the place that the Caesar's Salad was invented. I always thought it was Italian, or at least European. Who woulda thunk that it was created in this small restaurant on Calle Revolucion in Tijuana.

The interior is really vintage and there are pictures of its history all over the walls. We file into the separate room and try to squeeze into this gigantic table.

Impossible. We add a few more sections to make it a bigger table.

When the bread and pastry come out, I think this is the light breakfast so I eat more than I should.

But then the fruit comes out. Well, that's also "light" so I eat it all.

Then the chilaquiles, mushroom and cheese omelette, and refried beans come out. Now I'm screwed. Especially since we're about to head out to the Baja Culinary Food Festival, where we'd be eating all day. I only eat about a third of this, even though it's pretty good.

The fresh squeezed OJ and coffee jolt me awake.

Afterwards, Abby from Pleasure Palate says there is a churros place she MUST go to. I'm not the biggest churro fan but I do enjoy the good kind so I follow.

Along the way we see ads for viagra, and a zebra painted donkey.

I don't understand who first thought about painting a donkey to look like a zebra. It's just so degrading. Poor donkey.

On calle Juarez, we hook a left and we see this small stand for Churros Rellenos.

Here's a little bouquet of churros. If someone ever got these for me for my birthday, I'd probably squeal in happiness.

It's crispy on the outside, soft and melty on the inside. I get the chocolate and dulce de leche filling. They have vanilla, cajeta, and other flavors that change every day.This is the first time I've ever gone here but will not be the last. This has to be a regular TJ stop!

On the bus, on our way to the Baja Culinary Food Fest.

P.S. Videos of the trip to come. I am now freelancing for KCET Food and will be filming more food related content. I'll be linking a few of my projects here. I even filmed a few things during this trip that will hopefully make it to the KCET website. A few noted foodbloggers will be starring. Stay tuned!

Caesar's Restaurant
Calle 5, Tijuana, Mexico
(664) 685-5608

Churros Rellenos
Calle Juarez and Revolucion, Tijuana, Mexico

Check out Wasima's churro write up.

Mision 19 - Tijuana, B.C., Mexico

2011-10-20T04:15:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, I'm impulsive. But, I also know I have an impulsive BFF who'd be down for anything. When Bill Esparza (Street Gourmet LA) posts a trip to Tijuana, I know we are getting on that bus. This isn't any regular road trip, it's a foodie road trip to attend the first ever Baja California Culinary Fest. The bus was full of food bloggers, food writers, and food lovers.

After scrambling to get to Union Station on time (that's another story all together), we get on the private chartered bus to go south of the border.

Bill appoints Gourmet Pigs as the official carrier of the tequila Volcan,

and it gets passed around for the official start of #borrachageddon.

After a few naps, a few swigs of tequila, one rest stop, catching up with some food bloggers, and tweeting out our last messages before we start roaming, we are finally in Tijuana! Bill surprises us and tells us that we've been upgraded to the Grand Hotel in Tijuana, the twin tower hotel.

The lobby at the Grand Hotel, Tijuana

Our View from our room

There is a golf course in the back of the hotel!

The Tijuana horizon.

At night, we head to Mision 19, our first stop in Tijuana. For many of us, this is the first or second meal of the day. My companion last ate 12 hours ago for breakfast.

Some of us choose to hang out outside in the balcony while others choose to hang out inside near the bar.

Our special bracelet gives us unlimited Tijuana Moreno beer and Agavia tequila.

We finally get seated in groups of four.

Bill presents an award to Javier Plascencia, one of the hottest chefs in Baja and owner of Mision 19 and one of the organizers for the Baja Culinary Food Festival.

The menu consists of ten courses with wine and cocktail pairings featuring chefs from the region and from north of the border. Julian Cox is the mixologist and the Someliers are Stacie Hunt and Pauilina Velez. The chefs include Angel Vázquez, Pablo Salas (Toluca), John Sedlar (Los Angeles), Javier Plascencia (Tijuana), and Adria Marina Montaño.

The Tiradito de Hamachi

Rabanos/charales/chicharron/limon en conserva/habanero/sal negra

Chef: Angel Vazquez

with JC Bravo - Palomino 2010 wine pairing

The first course is amazing. The anchovies are crisp in contrast to the soft and sexy feel of the hamachi on my tongue. I end up rolling a bunch of anchovies with radish and hamachi for a perfect bite.

Tuetano de Res Rostizado

Atun aleta amarilla/tobiko/aire de serrano

Chef: Javier Plascencia

Cocktail: Cocktail Negrito Sandia (Julian Cox)

The bone marrow is absolutely delicious. It rests on top of coarse salt, though it does look like rice from afar (some people make the mistake of eating it). The bone marrow is topped off with tuna, thinly sliced and toasted bread, and some micro greens. I spread some marrow on the bread and I'm in heaven. More bread for spreading would be nice though. Julian Cox's watermelon cocktail is out of this world. It reminds me of a watermelon and lime aqua fresca but with alcohol. Can I get a refill?!

Ensalada de berros con vinagreta de piloncillo

Queso de Rancho Alegria

Chef: Pablo Salas (Toluca)

w/ Paralelo Emblema 2010 wine pairing

The greens are a welcoming break from all the meat. The watercress is dressed in an amazing vinaigrette and the fresh farmers cheese is a nice textural contrast. This is a salad I'll be remembering the next few days.

Bread courses in between, fried tortilla, zucchini bread,

cheese/tomato/jalapeno puff

Sardinera

Flan de elote/ quinoa negra/ flor de calabaza

Chef: John Rivera Sedlar

paired with Pijoan Dominica 2009

A corn custard dressed with black quinoa and squash blossom sauce. This Steamed egg and corn custard is to die for. Visually, the quinoa looks like caviar from afar, and the contrasting colors as well as the soft, buttery texture makes this the sexiest dish of the night. I've never been to Rivera in Los Angeles, where John Sedlar makes this dish every day. Now I have a reason to visit!

Codorniz de Valle de Guadalupe

Chile verde/duxelle de champinones

Chef: John Rivera Sedlar

paired with Pijoan Dominica

This is probably the most flattering picture I can find of this dish. This particular plate displays the cornish game hen in an interesting position. The green chile stuffed with mushroom is full of spice and flavors and contrasts well with the cornish game hen, which veers on the sweeter side.

I suck on these bones like I have no morals, almost tempted to use it as a toothpick.

Cerdo Almendrado

Papa cambray/aceitunas

Chef: Pablo Salas (Toluca)

paired with vino-yumano 2009

The almond sauce reminds me of the red pipian mole sauce because of the nutty flavor. Trade pumpkins for almonds and you get an amazingly nutty, full flavor. The potatoes and olives round out the pork dish but this one's all about the sauce.

Pork Belly

Platano/vainilla/naranja/relish de tomate verde con frijol de olla/reduccion de cocoa

Chef: Angel Vazquez

paired with Estacion porvenir-textura 3 2009

One of my favorite dishes of the night, the pork belly is crispy on the outside reminiscent of a chicharron texture while soft and tender on the inside, pliable with a fork. The sweetness from the chocolate, vanilla, and plantains brightens up the meat and the beans and chile verde reminds you where you are.

Pato Añejado en Seco

Persimo fuyu/granada/col de Bruselas/mazapan

Chef: Javier Plascencia

paired with Viñas Pijoan-Leonora 2009

The sweet duck is tender, juicy, and nutty. Slightly too sweet for me but by this point, I'm so full and wasted (hey, we started drinking on an empty stomach!) it's hard to tell how accurate my judgement and notes are.

Quesos Regionales

Miel de abeja/mermelada artesanal

From soft and fresh to Rustic to ones with rosemary, honey, and jam. My favorite of course is the oldest and stinkiest one. We skip out on dessert, which is in paste form and apparently amazing according to The Glutster (you can read his rave review on Mision 19 here). My friend is feeling sick and I'm not doing any better with so much alcohol in my system so off we go to our hotel room to rest it off for another full day tomorrow. Thanks Bill and Javier, for giving us a powerful first taste of Tijuana.

Mision 19

Mision de San Javier 10643

Segundo Piso, VIA corporativo

Zona Urbana Rio

Tijuana, B.C., Mexico

Tel: 011-52-664-634-2493

Other reviews:

Olympic Cheonggukjang

2011-10-11T02:59:00.000-07:00

Whenever I crave "REAL" Korean food, you can find me at Olympic Cheonggukjang. Not only was I the first to review this place, I kept it a secret for a long time because hell, this restaurant is NOT for everyone. But, Jonathan Gold reviewed it early this year so the droves of people are already flocking to this restaurant.

The moment you walk in, you will be greeted with a pungent smell that can only be described as nasty sewage poo fart. The reason for this is the Cheonggukjang, a way stinkier and more fermented version of Daen Jang jjigae (but also, apparently, much healthier).

You will also realize that for the most part, this restaurant is full of old people. I first came here with my health nut dad and mom because my dad was in the mood for Cheongukjang, a specialty that even many Koreans cannot stand to smell or eat in the same vicinity (hence, most restaurants with typical Korean menus will not serve this dish. Think of it as offensive as Durian).

I personally thought I was going to hurl when I first came here (and I love Durian). However, as soon as I ordered my tamer and less smelly dish of Corvina (jo gi goo eeh), I was floored. So crispy on the outside and meaty and juicy on the inside.

Jo Gi Goo Eeh (Corvina): fried to a crisp!

I realized that even though this place specializes in Cheonggukjang, there are few other places in Koreatown that has such high quality food as this place. Sure there are some hit or miss items (I'm not a fan of the duk gook here, for example), but their jjigaes (stews) are to die for and hit a nerve in your soul, and the banchans (side dishes) are all homemade, delicious, and super fresh. My favorite is their crispy gheem (seaweed lavers) that come with a toothpick stuck in the middle so it doesn't fly everywhere. The Spicy Pork Bulgogi even won an award last year.

The Spread: Pork Bulgogi, Daen Jang Jigae, Crispy Corvina with banchan

The Jak gok bap (brown rice and beans medley) is the legit version, not the white rice kind with a few beans in it.

]

Legit jak gok bap

Kimchi Jigae

Spicy pork bulgogi: winner of 2nd annual Korean bbq cookoff

banchan (their kak doo gi - the radish kimchi - is to die for)

more banchan.

If you can brave the smell and all the Korean (although their menu now has English translations) and sometimes, a wait, you will definitely be a return customer. There is no English sign outfront so just look for the suite number or a line of people waiting at lunch/dinner. Parking lot is usually crowded but never an issue.

I wasn't initially going to review this place since I've never ordered the Cheonggukjang before but since this is my go-to place for all things authentic Korean, I feel it deserves a review. I mean, considering that they even won "best pork" at the 2nd annual Korean cook off proves that they can serve more than just Cheonggukjang. Besides, I might try to brave the smell and order the Cheonggukjang next time and realize what I've been missing.

Olympic Cheonggukjang

2528 W Olympic Blvd

Ste 104

Los Angeles, CA 90006

(213) 480-1107

La Casita Mexicana - Bell, CA

2011-09-27T10:31:00.000-07:00

I've eaten here so many times I cannot believe I never blogged about it! I must have dozens of pictures of the same things. I've gone there many times, sometimes with my camera, other times without. I love Chef Jaime and Chef Ramiro, who are the men behind elevating Mexican food to a whole new level in Los Angeles. Dare I say it? This is my favorite Mexican restaurant! Yes, I said it. I even filmed a few films there (Foodie Nation, Bacon Wrapped Date).

Here's a compilation of my favorite dishes.

The first thing they bring you are the tortilla chips with three of their signature mole as a dressing on top. I never took a picture of it because it always disappears before I can take a good shot of it. I guess you just have to go there to see for yourself!

Most meals usually come with soup as a starter. The soup at La Casita Mexicana is no joke. It's always hearty, usually bean or rice based. If you're not careful, you CAN get full just off of this and the chips. I say save room for the bounty that is about to come!

I always get the Queso Azteca ($12.95). It's four kinds of Mexican cheeses filled with poblano chile slices, cactus, mushrooms, and mexican herbs wrapped in banana leaf, along with onions, chili, cilantro as garnish. It comes with handmade tortillas which are thick, fluffy, and flavorful. I always eat some but take the rest home for a quick lunch the next day.

I still have yet to find tortillas like this. There are orange and green tinted ones as well as the standard white ones. They are flavorful, thick, fluffy, and pretty filling. I dream about these tortillas at least twice a month.

We sometimes get the Queso Fundido with Chorizo ($9.95) if we have a huge party and I can still get the Queso Azteca. It is an amazing concoction - very oozy, like fondue. I still prefer the Queso Azteca because I prefer the texture of thicker, not as melty, cheese. Others prefer this. It's what kind of cheese you prefer, really. This Queso Fundido also has chorizo meat in it so it is much heavier and if you don't eat meat, then stick to the Queso Azteca.

We ordered the The Ceviche Verde ($13.95, comes with rice) once when we decided we weren't going to go for the Queso Azteca. It's a refreshing fish appetizer marinated in citrus salsa made with serrano peppers, cilantro and cucumbers. It's served on top of freshly made corn tostadas. This is a much lighter way to go if you are not in the mood to start off your meal in a big way, or if you know you're going to be eating a really hearty entree.

Is it my fault if I cannot help but get this beautiful Chile En Nogada ($15.95)? Look at it! It's the colors of the Mexican flag. Chef Ramiro says so.

The Chile en Nogada is Mexico's traditional school of "haute cuisine" and it is stuffed with meat, dried fruits, walnuts, candied cactus, enveloped with pecan cream sauce and drizzled with pomegranate seeds. It is on the sweeter side because of all the fruits involved but there is a nice savory balance from the chile and the meat as well. There's really nothing quite like it. Sweet, salty, nutty, fruity, meaty, it's pretty much a complete meal in one dish.

In La Casita Mexicana, the Chile en Nogada is served with white rice that also displays the colors of the Mexican flag.

One of the most delicious moles I've ever tried, is the traditional mole poblano ($14.95) over the tender chicken at La Casita Mexicana. The mole poblano is comprised of 46 different ingredients, and is a recipe handed down from their grandmothers. If you know you're getting this dish, I'd bring a big group so that the appetizers can be shared by the entire group and you can eat share some of this or take it home.

The Enchiladas ($13.95) are filled with either cheese or chicken, depending on your mood or dietary restrictions. You can pick from the three moles, which include the mole poblano, the red pepian, and the green pepian. It comes with white rice. You can also choose just one type of mole as well. I always choose three so I don't get bored of one flavor. But, if you're thinking of taking these babies home, just choose one type of mole so you don't have a mess later on.

Have you ever had Mexican coffee ($2.75)? Me neither. That is, until I came here. The coffee tastes like there is a bit of cinnamon or some sort of interesting spice in it that reminds me more of tea. It comes with rock sugar. It's so amazing and I try to recreate it at home but there is just no way. This coffee goes well with the desserts here.

The flan ($4.99) is thick, creamy, and honestly, one of the best flans ever. I'm a fan of the thick flan, not the watery kind. Some people don't like thick flan. They have the house flan, the kahlua flan (also amazingly rich), and the eggnog flan.

The fried rice pudding wraps with pecan cream sauce ($5.99) is a wonton-like pastry filled with cinnammon rice pudding, topped with cream. It's definitely one of the heartier desserts.

Not only are these churros ($4.25) so cute, delicious, and a sugar party in your mouth, it's also very easy to share. I'd recommend this if you have a big party. It's filled with Mexican caramel and goes amazingly well with the coffee

Go with the guayabas con rompompe (guavas with Mexican-style eggnog) if want something sweet but not too starchy ($5.99).

If you like sweets and carbs, you'll love the rice pudding wrap. If you love eggy stuff, you will love the flan. If you like sugary pastries, you'll love the churros. If you love fruit, you'll love the guayabas.

You're going to burst with flavors, spices, and heartiness if you attempt to eat all this goodness on your own at once. I still haven't tried everything on their menu and I've gone over six times. There are some fish items that I've had but haven't taken pictures but always look out for the special. I tried a fish with huitlacoche (corn fungus) sauce before that was out of this world.

Every time I go, I leave with boxes of leftovers. Usually it's because making the drive out to Bell is something I have to plan for, and so I end up ordering much more than I can eat, and sometimes it's just because I want my friends to try everything so we end up getting too many dishes. No matter, the leftovers usually last me a few days and what's better than waking up to a soft corn tortilla with Queso Azteca splayed in the middle of it, waiting for it to devour you?

La Casita Mexicana

4030 Gage Avenue
Bell, CA 90201-1127(323) 773-1898

Saffron - Beverly Hills

2011-09-23T00:25:00.001-07:00

Saffron in Beverly Hills is close to my internship on Mondays. I came here a while back in 2010 for a yelp event and knew I had to come back. It's a fast casual but healthy Indian restaurant. They have bowls as well as 2 item combos.

My favorite is the chicken tikka masala so I get it in a bowl, over rice. The price is a steal at $5.95.

My partner in crime gets the 2 item combo with saag paneer and chicken tikka masala and salad instead of rice. This costs $7.95 We share a side of naan ($0.95).

Our total comes out to less than $16. Score.

Photos from past yelp event:

Samosa $1.95. Light but crispy and filling.

Tofu Tikka Masala and Saag Paneer combo.

You can have it with rice instead if you want.

The yelp elite spread.

Saffron

Beverly Hills

230 S. Beverly Dr.

Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Downtown LA

City National Plaza

505 S. Flower ST. B Level #250

Los Angeles, CA 90071

Chick-Fil-A

2011-09-22T23:45:00.000-07:00

There is so much ruckus over the new Chick-Fil-A opening in Hollywood, on Sunset and Highland to be exact. They're giving away free chicken for a year to the first 100 people (based on a confusing lottery system) but the real controversy is over their political stance on gay marriage.

A lot of people, especially those living near this new location, are not too happy about Chick-Fil-A's political agenda. Before knowing all this, I ate a ton of Chick-Fil-A as soon as it opened in downtown LA on Figueroa (long before this scandal hit the news).

I usually get the original chicken sandwich but I don't feel like fried chicken so I get the Charbroiled Chicken Club Sandwich. It's good...but not as good as the original. The spicy one is good too, but still not as good as the original.

The waffle fries are perfect to dip in all the different sauces that they give out. I prefer the Chick-Fil-A sauce. Whatever your politics, Chick-Fil-A has mastered the chicken sandwich but to a lot of people, this restaurant is just one of many. Others think that businesses can do whatever they want with the money that they make and that shouldn't be an issue when it comes to what they sell.

There are so many companies that are "anti-gay." Target donates to anti-gay movements as well as Best Buy, Urban Outfitters, A-1 Storage, and the list goes on. I say pick your battles. It's hard to boycott every single business that doesn't agree with your politics. I still boycott Abercrombie and Fitch from way back in the day and will never buy an A&F product. That's just me. Everyone has their own stance against specific businesses.

What are your thoughts on Chick-Fil-A?

Chik-Fil-A

Multiple Locations

Bacon Wrapped Date

2011-09-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

Back in 2009 I set out to make a documentary about Foodies living in Los Angeles. Through that documentary, I got inspiration to make a short film about two food bloggers who meet for the first time and fall in love as they try to one up each other in their taste in hidden gems around town. This film is called Bacon Wrapped Date and it is dedicated to all the food fanatics, foodies, people who hate being called foodies, food bloggers, chefs, and people who just love to eat.

It is finally available to download on iPad (not yet available on other iphone platforms). I do not have an iPad but if you do, please download it, watch it, and let me know what you think. The app itself is free and Bacon Wrapped Date is only $1.99. It's our first distribution deal!

After two years of filming largely in the food scene, I can't say that I've gotten thinner! However, I can say that I know that my calling is in the film + food equation and I hope to bring informative documentaries and fictional narratives to you. I just ask that I get as much feedback while I'm still learning so that I can learn from my own productions and from readers like you.

More info on Bacon Wrapped Date Here.

Interview with the Actress, Hong Lei, Here.

LA County Fair

2011-09-21T00:38:00.000-07:00

What is better than going all the way out to BFE, engage in an all-day-face-stuffing festival with fried concoctions that someone who was quite possibly stoned off his butt invented? Top that off with concerts of varying kinds of artists from the Beach Boys (and John Stamos) to Salt n Pepa, some hurl-inducing rides, bars all over the place, and you get the LA COUNTY FAIR.

I admit I used to be a huge festival/fair fanatic. I stopped having the desire to go to all of them but this year, my desire to spend a whole day dehydrating in Pomona, pounding down beers, eating fried foods that I saw on food blogs like Gourmet Pigs and Gastronomy, going on the rides, and watching some concerts came back strong, like an old passionate flame.

After getting our first round of beers, we walk all over the fairplex to check out all the activities. Lots of animals, rides, food trucks, smoke from bbq pits, horribly ugly signage that look like the same person made it for all the vendors, and games speckle the campground. People of all ages gather to engage in funtastic eating and playing games. It's that one day in your life you get to leave all your diet worries at home and enjoy the kind of food you will never want to have outside of a fair.

Like 10 inch sausages.

Or, fried Kool-Aid.

Fried Kool-Aid

I imagined the fried kool-aid to be jello like for some reason but it's basically donut holes made with kool-aid, topped with kool-aid powder. We all liked that it's novel but we're probably not going to get these again. Now that the fried kool-aid is out of the way, we venture over to get some "real" food.

My friend gets the corn on the cob but something else catches my eye. GIANT TURKEY LEGS!

These are legit. Gigantic, impossible to eat, but so good.

I'm not even the biggest turkey freak but something about the way these are smoked makes it taste like ham, but better. After eating this turkey leg, we have to spend a few hours walking around before eating anything heavy again.

We go on a few rides and we play a few games. Some of the rides are plain scary. We, of course, choose to go on the Typhoon, a roller coaster with an immense line that lasts only a few seconds.

Then, we go on the ride that takes you all the way up and plunges you down in a free fall. I admit there is a video of me screaming my butt off but that is not going to make its way to this blog anytime soon.

All that screaming got us hungry so I get the 10 inch corn dog. I think it's going to be like the one I got at Disneyland but alas, the sausage was too skinny and the stick was too long so you have to eat around the stick, which gets annoying as hell. The outer corn bread isn't as brown as I usually like it. Perhaps a few more minutes in the fryer would have done it some good.

Update: The best corn dogs are the cowabunga corn dogs at JUICY'S. I came back a third time and had the best corn dog here, with the legit sausage (with casing and snap) battered in sweet, fried goodness. The only pic I have it this:

After the corn dog break, we go on the ferris wheel. The sun sets and a beautiful golden hue covers the parking lot. Who would've thought the parking lot could look so cool?

Afterwards, we make our way to watch The Beach Boys perform. It's labor day weekend and the stadium is crowded. John Stamos appears and sings, plays the guitar, and drums along with them. He sings every song with them and he even sings a song from Jesse and the Rippers. For a 49 year old man, he is still smokin' especially from where we are sitting.

We end the night with deep fried twinkies, deep fried snickers, and deep fried oreos. Of these, only the deep fried oreos receive an okay from us.

It tastes like a cookies and cream flavored donut hole.

The following week, my hubz and I are back and this time, to watch Salt n Pepa. I grew up watching Salt n Pepa so I know we are going to make the trek to Pomona again. I mean besides, we didn't get to try the Maple Bacon Donut or the Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich anyway. Might as well kill two birds with one stone! The best part is that we found the free concert ticket line and got to see Salt n Pepa for FREE.

Salt N Pepa kills it. They come on after Emotion and En Vogue follows. The best part is when Salt N Pepa come back on stage to perform "Whattaman" with En Vogue. The house is on fire!

After the concert, it takes us forever to find the Maple Bacon Donut vendors. It's literally way to one end of the fairgrounds, near the Blue Gate. From there, we ask around and finally find the donut.

It's like finding the holy grail. But better.

Yes, it is covering the entire plate. To give you a comparison, here it is, close to my face. Yes, it is about the size of my face.

We have to literally cut the bacon donut with our fork and knives to eat it. It's so good with the saltiness of the bacon and the sweetness from the maple flavor. The donut itself is pillowy soft. Miraculously, we don't feel like dying. Maybe it's because we didn't really eat anything before the donut.

We get a crazy idea - since we're already eating meat with donuts, why not try the Krispy Kreme Chicken Sandwich?! We trek back to Chicken Charlie's and we order the Krispy Kreme jelly filled donut which houses a fried chicken patty.

I seriously think this is gross. Many people might disagree with me but the only good thing I can say about this concoction is that the sweetness of the donuts makes the chicken taste saltier. Perhaps it would have been better without the jelly. This is the definition of overkill.

My hubz gets the Fry-B Q and this is one of those ideas where frying something doesn't make things better. I love barbeque ribs but frying it makes it dry and the glaze is too sticky... perhaps we're eating the last bits of the day's food since the park is about to close. No matter...

Because I'm going back again since I get to go for free through USC. This time I'll try the fried avocado and the Indian Fry Bread.

Gaby's Express

2011-09-20T02:35:00.000-07:00

I'm driving back home from an intense workout and I see a decent amount of people inside Gaby's Express, the more fast food version of Gaby's Mediterranean. I remember reading about this place on yelp so I park my car in the 7-Eleven shared parking lot and walk in to pick up some dinner.

I check out their menu and decide on ordering 2 of the 1/2 chicken valu-meal (why did they drop the "e" in value?) that comes with hummus, rice, house salad for $8.25. Total comes out to around $17 something and I round it out to $19. I never know if I should tip or not if I'm taking it to go but I mean, there is that credit card line...

I already know this is a great deal considering that I spent $9 on a crappy salad from Baja Fresh the day before, which I'm still regretting to this day. When I see the pictures of all the combos, I know that I'm going to get some quality food ala Zankou chicken. I go to the salsa bar and get me some fresh spicy salsa and take the prepared food home to share with the hubz.

At home, we open our plates and look at the sheer amount of food we're about to devour. Perhaps next time we can just order one. The chicken is so tender it melts in your mouth. The sides are pretty good and healthy too. Like Zankou, it has the garlic paste. We heart garlic paste. The half chicken is no joke though. We usually only eat a quarter with our meal when we order from Zankou or California Chicken Cafe.

Though healthy, the portions are gigantic and I wake up the next day still digesting. This place is cheap enough for me to go back to get take out on a regular basis but next time I'll just get one order of the 1/2 chicken valu-meal to share and cut some calories in the process.

Gaby's Express Mediterranean

(310) 559-1808

Culver City
10445 Venice Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90034
www.gabysexpress.com

Ippudo NYC

2011-09-17T00:53:00.000-07:00

We finally make it to Ippudo after having drinks and fries at Frying Pan. Of course, the first thing we do is down a few shots of sake! Check out the ramen underneath the bar counter's glass! Who would have thought instant ramen could be used as decoration?

One of my friends orders this and for the life of me I cannot figure out what the heck it is but check out how cute it is!

We also get the philly cheesesteak eggrolls and hirata buns, which are very popular with all the carnivores in the group.

The hirata buns are heaven in your mouth. There really isn't enough to go around so get your own! Some people say they are better than momofuku's version. I think it's different. Not as sweet, for sure.

As for the veggie lovers in our crowd, the agedashi tofu is one of the most clean and popular starters. It still doesn't beat Raku's version but it comes a close second to me.

The Tan Tan Ramen is the special ramen so I have to get it. I love the peanuts and spiciness of this ramen. While it isn't my favorite, it really hits the spot. I get extra pork belly and egg and it is completely worth it. It's nutty, spicy, with a giant kick. Although I initially came to get the Akamura Modern, I always end up ordering the Tan Tan Men when I see it on the menu to compare it to others.

I taste my friend's Akamura Modern and it is definitely the bomb. I'm going to get it next time I go. The broth is the donkatsu broth and the red circle is a spicy miso paste that reminds me of good old gochujang. It apparently is what gives this ramen the umami taste. Gochujang is what gives my cooking some umami taste!

One of my friends orders the Shimomaru Hakata Ramen, which smells and tastes porkier than the Akamura modern. It's usually topped with scallions, sesame seeds, ginger, mushrooms and half of a soft boiled egg. The chashu is thick but melty at the same time. If you're a fan of Hakata Ramen, this is for you.

For an extra $2 you can get extra noodles but we are all saving room for dessert. After all, we are going to be hitting a few more spots that night.

The first dessert of the night is The Lady M Crepe Cake. It is out of this world. If you look closely you can see all the millions of layers of crepe that make up this cake. I wish I could take a better photo of it but the ladies are hungry and the low light isn't a great condition (and my flash is broken). Also, sometimes the company takes precedence over being the best food photographer. This is one of those cases.

Ippudo
(212) 388-0088

East Village
65 4th Ave
New York, NY 10003
www.ippudony.com

Hakata Ramen Shin-Sen-Gumi - Little Tokyo

2011-09-16T01:39:00.000-07:00

Torn between Shin-Sen-Gumi or Spice Table because it is just so dayam hot outside and I'm not the biggest fan of slurping hot ramen in hot weather. But, I am also curious to see if there really is a legit rival in town so that I don't have to wait in Daikokuya's epic line when winter rolls around.

So I did what anyone in my position would do. I tweeted...and waited. Sinosoul tweets back "gumi fo sho." He hates carbs and he said to go here so...Gumi it is! My friend finally joins me and we snag a seat before the lunch crowd comes bursting in. The decor is kawaii in that Japanese cafe style and the seating is intimate. There are tables or you can sit at the counter around the ramen creators.

The chandeliers are made out of ramen strainers. Too cute. Inspiring, funny, and seriously, too cute.

We decide to share a Sapporo so we can harden up the place a little. The waitress comes over and asks us if we wanted to do a loud toast. We definitely wanted to do a loud toast. The entire restaurant erupts in a Japanese phrase and ends with "Kampai!" Too cute.

My friend wants to eat the fried squid legs probably because she likes reading that on the menu. I'm imagining a squid walking around in heels, not the tentacles shown here. However, the kewpie mayo and lemon wedge is really the only thing the squid legs need to have the brightness, contrast in texture. Though fried, it doesn't feel heavy at all.

We both get the same thing. Hakata Ramen normal noodle texture (not hard or soft), light oil (too hot for oily hot soup), medium soup base, yes to sesame seeds, ginger, and scallions. They're out of my beloved eggs so I get the crispy garlic on the side as an extra topping.

With the crispy garlic, really the only extra topping needed.

The final, customized to order hakata ramen has chashu, crispy garlic (extra cost), ginger, scallions, sesame seeds, and the noodles are much thinner than the ones from daikokuya. It reminds me of angel hair pasta but in a good way. It feels like a lighter ramen but with all the full flavor of the pork broth that's been stewing for hours. I'm not usually one to slurp up all the soup with my ramen so I'm enjoying a sinful dish without all the bloating I usually get from salty food.

Some drawbacks: Halfway through our meal, a second waitress brings us two bowl of wontons. We tell her we didn't order it. When the check comes, the wontons are on the receipt. We tell her that we didn't order it. They take it off so it's all good. Also, how can a ramen place run out of EGGS at 11:50am, 50 minutes after they open? Perhaps they didn't go get them yet?

The question is, are they on par with Daikokuya and will I be back? I will definitely be back, if only to try this same ramen with my beloved egg. In the winter, I will probably prefer Daikokuya's thicker noodles and thicker chashu. I know I can get them here too if I pay extra. I like the thinner noodles here for now since I'm craving lighter food. Daikokuya has free garlic paste. Is the garlic chip so much better I have to pay for it? Meh... At the end of the day, it is going to be all about the line anyway.

Shin-Sen-Gumi

132 S Central Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Neighborhoods: Downtown, Little Tokyo

(213) 687-7108

www.shinsengumigroup.com

Wood Spoon

2011-09-15T15:17:00.000-07:00

I needed a partner in crime. Someone who was willing to be my subject for all my cinematography assignments in exchange for checking out a new place to eat in downtown LA.

I called up my BFF Mira and she was totally down for an impromptu photo session and then checking out Wood Spoon afterwards.

Banksy was going crazy with his publicity art for Exit Through the Gift Shop (awesome movie btw) during this time so we caught this snapshot.

After walking around admiring all the historical buildings in downtown LA and daydreaming about buying a loft around here, we headed towards Wood Spoon on 9th and Spring.

The small restaurant was packed but fortunately for us, we didn't have to wait long to be seated. We chose this cute little window seat. We perused the menu but the waiter came over and told us they were missing 3 of the items I really wanted to try so we got the mixed appetizer plate ($8) which came with Coxinha, potato croquette, portuguese croquette, pastel portuguese, and kibe. It was all fried, some creamy, mostly meaty deliciousness. You can't go wrong with this if you don't know what to get.

But the real reason I dragged Mira here was to try the chicken pot pie, which everyone's been raving about (and it was featured on Best Thing I Ever Ate and Giada De Laurentiis said it was the best chicken pot pie she had). What's the big deal about chicken pot pie that people go crazy about it? Fortunately for me, I was sick and craving some hearty chicken based food to comfort my sinus and headache. Sure, it's an excuse to indulge in this creamy goodness but really, it's more of a logical reason to give myself permission to "share" a sinful entree.

The chicken pot pie ($13) came with a wood spoon logo on it. It was so cute and the size was actually small enough that we didn't feel like pigs. The creamy insides were filled with chunky veggies and chicken. Perfectly cooked. The food here is dense, hearty, creamy, fried, unless you go for their salads or non chicken pot pie option but if you're already here, why wouldn't you order this? It's so good and hearty you'll forget you were ever sick. It's even better when it's chilly outside because it will stick to your ribs and hug you for hours. Is it the best chicken pot pie I ever had? Yes, because the only other chicken pot pie I had was from KFC.

Wood Spoon

107 W 9th St
Los Angeles, CA 90015
Neighborhood: Downtown

(213) 629-1765

woodspoonla.com

Other Food Bloggers who have reviewed this place in case you need more convincing to go:

Pleasure Palate
Pepsi Monster
Actor's Diet
Darin Dines

Larchmont Bungalow

2011-09-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

I heart Larchmont Village. In the bustling, chaotic, and annoyingly crowded Los Angeles, it's good to know that a quiet and quirky little area exists. Hence, I was uber excited when I found a livingsocial coupon for Larchmont Bungalow last year.

Apparently, they've been fighting a law suit all this time and they may have to shut down or fight to serve sit down patients. Essentially, they only had a permit for takeout, not a restaurant license. The city demanded they get rid of their chairs and tables, so LB put up signs saying they are selling their furnitures and their food was takeout only but they could sit on the chairs until someone "bought" them.

I have no idea if they won or lost or what but I'm thinking I need to go back really soon to get me some of this red and blue velvet pancakes again. They were off the chain. A little too sweet as an entree but oh so decadent. As you can see, they're thicker than the average pancake. It was somewhere between a pancake and a cake but tasted more like a cake. They're topped with a cream cheese spread and homemade whipped cream and on the side, more sugary maple syrup. Half orders are $9.95 and Regular is $14.95. You really only need a half order unless you have a sweet tooth the size of a Rhinoceros. I'm surprised I wasn't jumping off the walls after this.

My friend got the Sunshine's Huevos Rancheros which is 3 eggs served any style on top of tri-colored tortilla shells, black beans, roasted peppers, and topped with warm salsa and slices of avo. Sour cream and fresh fruit on the side. It was $11.95 and probably a good choice for someone who is watching their carbs.

My vegetarian friend got the Vegetarian Breakfast Panini which included eggs, goat cheese, tomato and spinach served on focaccia and she chose fries on the side. $11.95.

I've had some of their muffins and pastries and I can't wait to go back to get some hearty savory meals and top it off with some red and blue pancakes. This time though, I will take 75% of it home.

Larchmont Bungalow

107 N Larchmont Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Neighborhood: Mid Wilshire

(323) 461-1528

LORCA - Santa Cruz, Bolivia

2011-09-08T19:54:00.000-07:00

We arrive in Santa Cruz, Bolivia in the dead of winter. I know much has changed since the last time I was there in 2002, so I ask my best friend from high school, Ana Carola, to meet us at Cafe Victory, an old hangout spot we used to frequent in high school. We get to Cafe Victory around noon, and except for a few old men, the cafe is deserted.

We order a cup of coffee and hot chocolate to stave off the freezing cold. Whoever thinks South America is a tropical paradise has never come here during the winter (summer for the U.S. is winter in South America, and vice versa).

Ana Carola meets us and takes us down the block to her favorite hangout spot, Lorca.

She's good friends with the manager, Ubaldo Nallar, who is also an actor, producer, theater director, dramaturge, and cultural manager. Felipe Ibarreche, who is also the Bachelor of Tourism and Cultural Heritage Conservation expert, is the mixologist and part of Lorca's administrative team.

Ana Carola is there around three times a week and gushes that it's expanded to two stories, and outdoor area, and many indoor quarters. At night, a dj spins and it becomes a lively hot spot with the local artsy crowd, very open to foreigners, and a go-to spot for the Santa Cruz elite.

Lorca, named after Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca (talk about a long name), the famous Spanish poet, dramatist and theatre director (sense a pattern here?) is known for their French-Arabian food and a huge wine list as well as opening up their space for theatre plays, concerts, art exhibits and auctions, record releases, workshops and indie film screenings. Talk about an artist's haven!

The moment we enter Lorca, we are enveloped by the bold interiors. The first room we are in is painted in green, orange, and red, with a gold-rimmed chalkboard menu, contrasting paintings, vintage hookahs on the bar, and some tables and chairs.

Rounding the corner is the outdoor patio area, speckled with red chairs. The black, white, and red decor matches their bold logo design. Along with the Spanish style architecture of the building, which is right next to the Plaza and the historical church of Santa Cruz, I feel like I'm transported to another time, another place. Wait, I technically am...

Lorca has wine from all over the Americas, Europe, etc. They even have Bolivian wine, which is amazing since I never knew Bolivia even made wines.

Most of the paintings at Lorca are done by local artists in Santa Cruz, or traveling artists who have come and gone.

There are many different rooms at Lorca. The one below has interesting decals. I believe this is the hookah room.

One of the greatest things about this cafe/restaurant/bar/club/theatre space is the beautiful view of the Plaza 24 de Septiembre, the city's primary and central plaza. To the left of this view is the church, Catedral de San Lorenzo, built in 1770.

Because it is so cold, sitting in this particular table would be masochistic.

We start with the Foie Gras ($14 USD) accompanied by local Bolivian bread. This is straight from France, imported by a local.

Ubaldo asks what I'm in the mood for and I tell him that I want something warm and comforting. I get the Tartiflette ($6 USD), a French dish from the Haute Savoie. I've never heard of this particular dish so I'm excited. It's like scalloped potato/potato au gratin's older, more voluptuous sister who gets more ass. It's made with potatoes, white wine, cheese, bacon, onion, and cream. In this version, a small fingerling variety of potatoes were used rather than slicing large potatoes. Did you know that Bolivia has over 200 varieties of potatoes and that potatoes originated from South America?

My husband is an adventurous eater when we travel. He vowed to try a llama burger and other exotic meats while in Bolivia so he was game for the alligator tail ($8 USD). The alligator tail is breaded and fried, with an oyster sauce. It's reminiscent to tang soo-yook, a Korean version of a Chinese dish that I could never find in a real Chinese restaurant. It's basically a dense tempura of a meat of your choice with a sweet and tangy sauce over it. The potatoes were soft and delicious.

Ana Carola gets the Moqueca ($7 USD), which is a dish influenced by the Bahia region of Brazil where the cooking is very much derived from Africa. Moqueca Bahiana is basically a stew with vegetables, spices, with coconut milk and dendé oil (palm oil). The meat of choice here is chicken. To me, it seems more derivative of Thai cuisine than African - at least from the look and smell. The potatoes are mashed here.

Lorca has tons of wine from all over South America, the U.S, and other places but because I never tried Bolivian wine nor knew that Bolivia made wine, it was the perfect day for my first sip of Bolivian wine. Truth be told, it isn't the best wine but I've also had worse so for being patriotic since we were a few days away from Bolivian Independence Day, it fit the bill.

Lorca has interesting desserts (mostly $3 USD). Both of the ones we got are yogurts that are gelled with agar, topped with fruit. The first is called Federico and the berries on top tasted like black currants - definitely more tart and bitter than blackberries or its counterparts.

My favorite dessert is the Aladino, or the Aladdin, which is also yogurt with agar to make it gel up into this thick pudding consistency but the yogurt itself is infused with rose water so it has a floral scent to it, which is intoxicating. The dates add the sweetness to it and conceptually, it really does live up to its name. Some trivia: my dad's Bolivian name is Aladino (after his textile store). Hence, this is doubly special to me.

Ana Carola gets the Almendrado, which looks like a tiramisu of some sort but it's actually homemade vanilla ice cream with almond praline. Bolivia's ice creams are amazingly creamy, delicious, and completely natural. One of the biggest expanding businesses in Bolivia is Piccolo, an heladeria (ice cream parlor).

Lorca is a definite must-eat and must-see in Santa Cruz. It represents the rise of contemporary culture in Santa Cruz, and the food is made with local ingredients as well as exotic ingredients from abroad. It's at the epicenter of the cool, with global past times like smoking hookah and dancing the night away as part of their agenda - you never have to leave! On any given weekend, Lorca is packed with young, hip, amazingly beautiful people and it's located in the heart of El Centro. After eating at Lorca, you can cross the street to the plaza on a weekend to watch impromptu tango dancing, go souvenir shopping at the artisanal stands behind the church, or hang out on the benches with your friends, enjoying the hot coffee from the coffee vendors. Too bad the sloths are gone. They used to provide lots of entertainment but they've since been moved to the zoo.

Lorca

Sucre # 8 Esq. René Moreno

Santa Cruz de la Sierra - Bolivia

Phone: (00-591) - 3 - 334 - 05 62

lorcacafe@gmail.com

http://www.lorcasantacruz.org

Watch it on trip films.

The Taste LA: Taco Tequila Tryst

2011-09-04T16:08:00.000-07:00

I had the fortune of having been invited as a guest for The Taste's Taco Tequila Tryst event on September 3rd at the Paramount Lot. My good friend Harmonie won a pair of tickets from a yelp scavenger hunt and wanted me to be her plus one! Thanks Harmonie!

We were one of the lucky ones who got on the golf cart just as we were leaving, and we somehow bypassed the big line since we were there to pick up tickets (as well as our wristbands). As soon as we entered, we were greeted by Roy Choi, owner of the famous Kogi food truck that started the food truck revolution. He also owns Chego, a restaurant in Palms that has some pretty good reviews and I'm waiting to try (hopefully with Harmonie since she loved his Korean tofu tacos).

The Paramount Lot was beautifully set up with Christmas lights, in the New York street. We first headed to Taberna Mexicana because they had a veg option for Harmonie.

I got the Shrimp Ceviche on a jicama wrap. It was so refreshing, light, and flavorful. I didn't miss the tortilla at all. Besides, by the night's end, I knew I would have eaten at least 3 pounds of tortilla. It was taco night after all.

Taberna had the veggie sope, but this one had cheese on it so Harmz gave them to me. Score! It was really filling. Crap, would I have enough room for all these tacos?

Well, right next to them was Rosa Mexicano and I noticed that they had octopus tacos! Tacos de Tinga de Pulpo con Salsa Habanero to be exact! I had to have me one of these so I quickly stuffed one in my mouth. Man, were they good. Not rubbery octopus but the kind that just melts in your mouth.

Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Red O. Rick Bayless' restaurant in LA which I still have not been to so of course I ran over there to see what they had.

They also had a shrimp taco wrapped in jicama (is there a trend going on?) but they amped it up with caviar and the green sauce was creamy and delicious and it felt so interesting to have all that going on in my mouth. Okay, Rick. You got me. I have to walk over to your restaurant now.

Next up, we caught sight of something called MexiKosher. Always curious of restaurants that cater to specific dietary needs, we meandered over there to see what they had.

It was a veal taco (and it tasted a little like sweetbread and I think the lady said it was sweetbread but don't quote me on that. It was super loud and crowded).

It was pretty delicious and tender but I normally don't like enjoy eating veal so much so I took a drink from SkinnyGirl's sangria to wash out my guilt.

At Mercado, I had the al pastor taco and I ate it before I could take a picture of it. Here, you can see a tray full of veggies. Harmonie loved these tacos. Plus, you were allowed to dress it however you want.

Someone tipped us off saying that the tofu line at the Kogi truck was completely empty. We headed over this way and since I've had all the Kogi tacos before, even the tofu, I was fine eating the tofu taco. I needed a break from all that meat anyway. Harmonie went back to get a second one. These are definitely amazeballs.

Next up, I had a crispy taco from Malo & Mas Malo. It definitely took me back to crispy taco lunch days in the cafeteria. The sauce, too.

We noticed a whole alley that we didn't explore so we headed over to B Sweet. They were doing global tacos.

Their signage is a little confusing but I gathered they are a global food truck that has these tacos along with other menu items from around the world.

I chose the Indian taco which was chicken tikka masala in a taco. It sounded the most different from everything I've already had.

It was pretty damn good. This inspires me in many ways. I kind of just want to go and get a pack of taco tortillas and just wrap everything and make it a taco. If I want it lighter, jicama!

The Chinese taco was vegetarian so naturally, all the vegetarians in our group got this one. Very cabbagey but delicious.

Close to it was La Flor de Yucatan. I skipped over Chichen Itza because the line was horrendous and I eat there like every other day anyway. Plus, my stomach could handle only a few more. This taco was pretty heavy, though it looks light. I could only stomach a bite of it but it was filling with lots of flavors. I'm not the biggest fan of porkiness though I love pork and this one definitely had a more porky flavor.

Next to them was a place called La Sandia (watermelon) so I naturally assumed they'd have fresh, light tacos. I wanted something less fatty and saw that they had beef sopes and shrimp ceviche tacos.

I already ate a bunch of shrimp ceviches but I had another one anyway. Yup, who's dieting tonight?!

It was a tostada so it wasn't as light as the jicama tacos, which I would have preferred by this time. Now that I was full to the brim, it was time for drinking and walking off the calories.

Along the way, I saw Border Grill and was curious to see what they had. Lamb tacos. Okay, I'll get one. They were tiny bite sized tostadas anyway. Pretty good, but I think I got a tendonous part cuz it was really hard and chewy.

After sitting, drinking, and laughing, I spotted Mariscos Chente's, and considering it's been bookmarked on my yelp page for years and I still haven't managed to try their food, I wandered over.

The wait was pretty long because they were making each taco one by one. This gave me more time to digest. I spotted some food bloggers having a great time, couples making out, Roy Choi talking on stage, then it was my turn. The lady handed me this:

I said thank you and slid over to the side to take a photo of it and then devour it. It tasted like a fresh smoked beef quesadilla. After I was done, she asked me how it was. I could only nod and smile with my mouth full of amazing flavors. She then told a customer that it was smoked marlin. WTF? Tasted so beefy. The avocado was a nice complement to the taco. I cannot wait to go and check out the restaurant. I kept telling the line of people that it's worth the wait and then headed next door to try the Birria.

Birria is a goat stew and I was introduced to it by the glutster a few years back. It was probably better in reality than when I had it because by this point I was about to pass out from a food coma. The goat wasn't too gamey but I think mine needed a bit more sauce and onions.

Then, someone told me that all the chefs were going to Sofiy's Catering so I had to go and try it. It was a pulled pork taco with a tomato sauce. Simple but light.

Then I saw Xoia, a Vietnamese Restaurant serving Chicharron tacos so I snagged one. It was really crispy... maybe a little too crispy because there was no chewiness at all, kind of broke apart in a brittle way. But I think I was in the minority because people were really enjoying it.

Finally, I saw a huge line at Yamashiro's and I saw Javier stuffing his face with their taco. He nodded and told me that it was worth the wait so I waited, then got distracted, came back and waited again. I got the duck confit taco and a vegetarian one for Harmonie.

It was pretty good. Again, I'm not the biggest fan of gaminess when it comes to my meat but this wasn't that bad. I love the shishito peppers that came with the food.

Then we got drunk. I'm surprised I still haven't thrown up.

Grom Gelato

2011-08-21T23:16:00.000-07:00

Grom Gelato is finally in California. Is it fair that NYC gets all the European exports first (I hear Laduree is open now in NYC, and let's not forget all the fashion brands that go to NYC before hitting LA) while we wait out here in the sunny coast until it is deemed profitable for Americans? Also, what's up with the no marketing? I didn't hear about Grom being open in Malibu until a year later! That's so blasphemous when I think about all the times I could have been stuffing my face with pistachio... for a whole year... what a waste.

I first had Grom in NYC, then again in Paris, and every time, I couldn't resist coming back to the pistachio flavor over and over again. Grom started in Italy, of course, with over 33 locations in the motherland. Worldwide, you can find Grom in Malibu, Paris, Osaka, Tokyo, and New York. There is something comforting knowing that you can get the same flavor of gelato in so many different countries. Sure, there are negatives to globalization but when you taste Grom's pistachio flavor, you're going to need one closer to home like, right now.

Grom in Paris:

Check out the video blog and let me know what you think, what is missing, any questions or comments you may have. I want to make these videos as informative and fun as possible.

Grom Gelato

3886 Cross Creek Rd.

Malibu, CA 90265

(310) 456-9797

www.grom.it

Rawesome Raided Again

2011-08-04T23:08:00.000-07:00

When can citizens of the United States start eating what they want, whether it's raw, cooked, organic, or not? What do you think about the FDA regulating the sale of raw milk? James Stewart, the man behind Rawesome in Venice, a private food club where members pay an annual fee in order to access organic, raw vegetables, raw dairy, raw honey, raw meat, was taken into custody with a bail set at 123,000 dollars. The court date for his arraignment was today and they just reduced his bail to 30,000 dollars. That's obviously not the point. It is getting increasingly difficult for people to find raw, unpasteurized, non homogenized dairy products and Rawesome was one of these places where people could go to find these items. The FDA wants to regulate the sale of these products on the basis that it's not "safe" for consumption. Many people disagree with this statement, saying that people from the olden days have consumed raw, unpasteurized milk with no negative effects and in fact, consuming it raw is ideal because none of the good vitamins, minerals, and bacterias are killed off, making it a more nutritious food that is easier on the stomach (since the lactase is not completely killed off in the pasteurization process it is easier to digest for lactose intolerant people). However, ideologically, many people who support drinking, selling, buying of raw dairy products are just fed up with government involvement when it comes to food consumption and argue that the government has no right to mess with their rights to consume whatever they want.

Here is a video of the court date today and the protest that gathered to support the release of James Stewart and his cohorts.

Last year, I made a documentary called The Raw Truth that explored the Raw Vegan movement in Los Angeles. James Stewart was one of my subjects and he spoke very articulately about the raw food movement, the crisis that it's at. Although the documentary focused on raw vegan (non dairy) issues, the longer project will be including issues revolving around the consumption of raw dairy products and the food politics that surround this crisis. Please stay tuned and ask yourself how you might feel about your personal food rights. Here is a link to all the updates on this case: http://www.yovenice.com/2011/08/03/rawesome-food-raid-update-8-3-11/

Foodie Nation Teaser

2011-08-01T00:43:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this long term project called Foodie Nation. I'm looking to hire an editor and a post production supervisor to help me shape the arc of this documentary. Two years ago, I followed a Los Angeles based foodies as they brought me into their world of food, and why it was so important for them.

Take a look and let me know what you think of it!

Levain Bakery

2011-07-31T23:50:00.000-07:00

When I go to NYC, the one place I never forget to go to before I head back to LA is Levain Bakery. There are now two locations (One in Harlem, one in the Upper West Side) and I'm hoping to God that one day, they will decide to have a west coast branch in LA. I'll help man it if I have to!

My first time: I've read all the yelp reviews and food blog posts regarding this particular bakery before my stay in the Upper West Side so I knew that I would be tasting this amazing cookie...which is more like a brownie shaped into a cookie. I was only 7 blocks away but of course, it's NYC sized blocks so it's more like 2 LA blocks away.

On the first visit, I must have still thought I was in LA because I ordered the oatmeal raisin cookie thinking that it was somehow a little healthier than the artery clogging deeply chocolatey or walnutty ones everyone was raving about.

The oatmeal raisin was okay. It wasn't the best oatmeal raising cookie I ever had. I couldn't finish the cookie because it was about half a pound! I want to know who can actually eat the cookie in its entirety and not skip a meal. I saved it for future ingestion but it didn't leave that much of an impression on me or the calling wasn't that strong for me to return to it so eventually, it ended up sorta rotting in my bag.

But!!!!! I knew there was no way in hell I was going back to LA without having tried the chocolate peanut butter cookie or the chocolate chip walnut cookie son on the day I was flying out, I got up two hours earlier and I RAN (not jogged) to Levain Bakery (wearing my pj's, no socks, and tattered sneakers no less) and bought FIVE cookies. I spent $17.50 on COOKIES! I skipped happily back with 2.5 pounds of cookies.

The results. Let me just say that by the time I got back to LA, 2 of the 5 cookies were gone and 3 of the 5 I saved for my brothers to try and they were completely gone in 1.5 days. They're not big eaters and I snuck in a few cookie bits every time I passed by the kitchen.

I was torn between sending my body to the coronary ER or saving the cookie with frugal bites so that I could refill my taste buds with its gooey buttery chocolatey peanut buttery goodness again. It was like being stuck between heaven and hell, not knowing which way I was to go.

Yes, of course they were deliriously good. So good that I never have any good shots of the damn things. I went back a couple more times over the years and it's stuffed in my face before I can take another freakin' picture of it.

I apologize to all those who were victims of my morning run on July 15th, 2011, who had to wait in line next to a hungry and sweaty and slightly demented girl.

(Post from 2007, went back almost every year and still as good, if not better!)

Levain Bakery

167 W 74th St
New York, NY 10023

(212) 874-6080

2167 Fredrick Douglas Blvd
New York, NY 10026

Frying Pan, NYC

2011-07-29T18:24:00.000-07:00

One of the coolest spots I was introduced to in NYC was Frying Pan, off of pier 66. My very best friends took me here for one of the culinary stops on my bridal shower/bachelorette party, getting a tip from my foodie and world traveler cousin-in-law. We started the night out with happy hour at Frying Pan, which is basically an old boat that turned into a raucous restaurant. When we got there, it was quiet and almost empty.

We strolled around, taking in the view of what the ship had to offer.

The periphery of the ship was loaded with tables and chairs, and there was a huge bar in the middle of the ship.

Their bathrooms were legit ship bathrooms.

There was random art all over the place.

The scenic view of the Hudson River was awesome, especially for this non-New Yorker.

We finally decided to settle down and get a table since a lot of beautiful Wellesley women were to join us in a bit.

We got an amazing pitcher of white sangria, that had pieces of cantaloupe and other fruits in there ($37) as well as some coronas ($7) and some old bay garlic fries ($3).

These garlic fries were the real deal. They had real roasted garlic at the bottom of each container of fries. I wish someone in LA would do em like this. If you know of anyone, let me know because I have yet to find roasted garlic in garlic fries, just minced garlic, which is totally different. The whole roasted garlic is so soft, like butter. You can't really appreciate the texture of roasted garlic in the minced versions. The fries were like $3 or something like that, which made it the most worth it menu item. But, the drinks were expensive. I didn't know my friends paid so much for it until I looked it up. They're amazing friends. I'm so lucky to have friends who know how much I love food and bless me with amazing deliciousness.

And of course, no Frying Pan trip is complete without people ballsy enough to go for a swim. I say ballsy because the restaurant was throwing ice buckets and whatever else over the boat. I definitely would not be swimming in that. The dumping of the ice buckets over the edge kind of grossed me out to get some of the splatter while we were eating.

By the time we left, it was like walking through a rave...on a boat that is. There were so many drunkards and loud, horny people. We were off to Ippudo!

Frying Pan

Pier 66

New York, NY 10011

(212) 989-6363