Food and Beer Blog

Gordon Ramsay at The London West Hollywood

2009-02-25T13:48:00.001-08:00

Gordon Ramsay is the signature restaurant of it's namesake Chef. Known for his potty-mouthed eccentricities on the TV shows Hell's Kitchen, and Kitchen Nightmares. Chef Andy Cook is at the helm. The restaurant which opened last year already received a Michelin Star. Quite an achievement, LA is sparse of Michelin Star restaurants and not one with three stars.

We had reservations on a Saturday for lunch during the DineLA week. The restaurant is located inside the London Hotel at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and San Vicente. Parking is strictly valet at $10 a pop. Unless you can find street parking, which is almost impossible in the evening. Sunset has bumper-to-bumper traffic from 7 pm 'til 3 am. It was lunch and we were lucky, we found a street parking spot.

The ambience is very upscale with a classical sophistication, mirrors the sharp gold-rich decors of the London Hotel. The restaurant was sparse, for a Saturday lunch, and on a Dine LA week. I wonder what it's like on a regular day. Makes me think if I'll see it in one of the Chef's "Kitchen Nightmares" show. The staff was dressed in gray suits, I couldn't help but tell our waitress how the suits made them look very "masculine". I like a little sexiness or is that amuse-oeil?

To start, I had a glass of 2005 Pinot Noir from the Bien Nacino Winery, one really good California Pinot from the beautiful wine growing area of Santa Maria.

We were given some complimentary amuse bouche of Crostini and Hummus. Light and tasty to wet the appetite.

They served the crusty bread with two types of butter, the sea-salt and the seaweed butter. I thought this was a delightful surprise, like a sign of what was about to come.

Rabbit and Smoked Bacon Ballottine - with vegetable piccalilli and toasted brioche. This was my appetizer. I like the presentation of the whole dish. The cold rabbit meat, wrapped in bacon, mildly tasted of rabbit. The smokey bacon taste was overpowering. I thought the dish was delicious.

Carpaccio of Wild Mushroom, balsalmic reduction, pine nuts and aged parmesan. I don't know if paper-thin slices of wild mushrooms is my thing. The dish for me was too subtle.

Chilled almond soup, sautéed spot prawns, glazed almonds and balsamic reduction. The prawns were very fresh and perfectly cooked. The soup had a very mild almond flavor to it.

Jerusalem Artichoke Risotto, with artichoke chips, black truffle and sherry caramel reduction. This was absolutely heavenly. Risotto was perfectly cooked with a hint of truffle taste. I could eat another plate of this. I would come back just for this.

Braised Ox Cheek with port wine, horseradish creamed potatoes, glazed turnips and braising jus. This was my main entrée. The dish looked delicious. The braised ox cheek was very tender, with a little gelatinous texture that was really good. It went really well with the horseradish creamed potatoes. I absolutely enjoyed this dish.

Chilled Coconut Tapioca with candied ginger, passion fruit and milk chocolate-star anise ice cream. This was my dessert. There was a flavor burst in my mouth when I tasted this. Simply delicious. I love the blending of creamy tapioca, coconut, ginger, chocolate, and anise flavors. This dessert has that salivary gland factor. Another reason for coming back.

Valrhona Chocolate Fondant with brown butter caramel and vanilla ice cream. I had a taste of this. Rich creamy decadent chocolate taste, served warm and compliments the stark contrast of the cold vanilla ice cream.

Pistachio Soufflé with Cherry Sorbet. I also had a taste of this. The pistachio taste was definitely there but subtle. The cherry sorbet melting in the middle of the warm soufflé was delicious. It added a different texture and flavor to the soufflé.

Double Chocolate with Truffles and Ginger Candy. We got this as a complimentary post-dinner treats.

We enjoyed our lunch at the restaurant. Service was impeccable, food was great. The highlights for me were the Jerusalem Artichoke Risotto, the Braised cheeks and the Coconut Tapioca. Since, it was during the DineLA week, it was a bargain at $34 per person, excluding drinks, taxes, and gratuity. Looking back, perfect would have been the Risotto for appetizers and Braised cheeks for main, and tapioca for dessert.

Gordon Ramsay at The London

1020 N. San Vicente Boulevard,

West Hollywood, CA 90069

(310) 358-7788

Ciudad

2009-02-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

Ciudad (which means "city" in Spanish) is the restaurant of the "Two Hot Tamales", Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. Located in downtown LA at the corner of Fifth and Figueroa. There is ample parking for $5 flat rate for dinner with validation. The restaurant features an amalgam of Latin-inspired cuisine. We went there during the DineLA week.

To start, I had some Palma Louca Beer, a Brazilian pilsener type of beer. Light and crisp and highly carbonated, nice for spicy foods.

Shrimp Tamale Negro black corn masa tamales filled with sweet shrimp, peppers, scallion, and aji amarillo chile sauce. This was really good, with just a bite of spiciness. I would come back to Ciudad just for this.

Spinach Empanada with pine nuts, raisins, and manchego cheese; served with salsa verde. The empanada casing was light and flaky and the filling was delicious.

Pan Seared Artic Char with five herb creamy pearled barley, wild mushrooms, pine nuts, smoked tomato sauce. I didn't order this one and wasn't able to taste it either. From the looks of it, ay caramba! Both my dining companions said it was delish.

Niman Ranch Pork Carnitas slow roasted niman ranch pork with spiced spaghetti squash, braised black kale, cranberry salsa, fried plantains,and creamy poblano sauce. I had this for my main dish, the pork was so tender you barely need any effort to break it apart. The savory pork goes well with the sweet spaghetti squash, as well as the fried plantains. The cranberry salsa added a tartness to the dish which I wasn't totally into. The whole dish to me was like a Cuban Thanksgiving.

We then ordered each of the three desserts offered. I love it when there are more people in your group, you get to sample a lot more.

Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake spiced rum glaze, cranberry compote, maple whipped cream. Imagine a pumkin pie but firmer with cream cheese. Delicious, specially with the maple whipped cream. I think I was the one who finished the cake.

Barcelona Chocolate Cake rich, dark chocolate cake topped with sweet crema and chocolate sauce. This was a really dense chocolate cake, something a chocolate monster would go wild about. I only had a couple of bites and that was it for me.

Torta Tres Leches with passion fruit and prickly pear sauces. The cake was really light and sweet. The sauces were somewhat tart. I liked this dessert.

We had an excellent time at Ciudad, I really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere, somewhere between casual and fine dining. The service was impeccable. Since it was DineLA week, it was a bargain at $34 per person for a three course meal, excluding drinks and tips. The DineLA week was originally scheduled from Jan. 25 to Feb. 6, they have since extended it for the whole month of February. Muy excellente!

Ciudad

445 S. Figueroa Street

Los Angeles, CA 90071

(213) 486-5171

La Dijonaise

2009-02-19T18:24:00.000-08:00

I'm sooo backed-up on my blogs! We went to La Dijonaise on a Friday before the DineLA week. The French bistro is located in the old Helms Bakery Building on Washington Boulevard in Culver City, right around the corner from Father's Office. The decor is simple clean and inviting, the atmosphere is casual with a very friendly staff. We started by ordering some drinks and appetizers.

Grimbergen Blonde Ale 6.7% ABV, a Belgian Pale Ale. The beer pours golden blonde with a white billowy head with little retention and decent lacing. The nose is mild fruity caramel. The mouthfeel is light-medium creaminess with light carbonation and a little dry at the end. The taste is on the sweet side, yeasty, fruity with some spiciness. Very drinkable but nothing outstanding.

Escargots de Bourguogne, half dozen escargots with garlic butter sauce. This was surprisingly good and the garlic butter sauce makes excellent dipping for the bread. We ordered another one later.

Moules Marinieres, mussels in white wine cream. The mussels were very fresh and tasty, the light smooth creamy broth was mild and clean tasting with a subtle wine taste. Nothing special but good.

Pork Loin with Au Gratin Potatoes and Veggies, my friend had this and I only had a taste. The pork loin was moist and tender. The blue cheese sauce added some good omph! to the mild tasting pork.

Confit de Canard, crispy duck leg confit with flageolet beans. This was my main entrée, the skin wasn't as crispy as I would like and the meat was a little on the dry side. The beans were soft and flavorful. The portions were very generous.

Chocolate Tart, we had this to end the meal. They had a glass showcase where you could pick your desserts. This looked delicious. However, the chocolate mouse was a little tough to break into and really chewy.

All in all, we spent around $80 before tips for three courses and two drinks each. The prices were very reasonable. The food was OK, not bad, not great either.

La Dijonaise

8703 Washington Boulevard

Culver City, CA 90232

(310) 287-2770

Animal Appetite

2009-01-18T13:19:00.000-08:00

I first heard of Animal , the restaurant by the dynamic duo Dotolo and Shook, from one of potatomato's posts. Since then, it's been on my short list of places to go. I went there last Friday with a friend hoping to bag some seats at the bar. They have seven seats at the bar for walk-ins and everything in the menu is served there.

La Fin Du Monde, 9% ABV, a Golden Ale Tripel. We got this beer to start while waiting for a seat at the bar. The beer pours golden orange and the head is billowy white and huge with exellent retention and good lacing. The nose is yeasty lemony with hints of spices. The mouthfeel has a champagne-like effervescence when the beer first hits your tongue and tingles as it goes down you throat, light-medium creaminess, and a little tart with dryness at the end. The taste is malty sweetness with citrussy tartness and some hints of spices. Not something you would expect coming from Canada. I could drink this beer all night. If it was the "End of the World" as the name translates I'd be a happy cow drinking this beer. If only I could get that REM song out of my head while drinking this beer.

Burrata, olive oil, sea salt, crostini 10 . Burrata is now officially my favorite cheese, the creamy subtle buttery taste that melts on your tongue is exquisite. Mmmm. The olive oil and sea salt drizzled over the burrata only enhanced the flavors. The dish is served cold with some nice thin crostini.

Melted petit basque, chorizo, garlic bread 10. In contrast to the burrata, the petit basque has a more robust punch-in-the-face cheesy flavor, salty and nutty, and served baked and piping hot with chorizo. I think the chorizo pushed this dish to the saltier side. I'm glad I had some La Fin Du Monde to wash down the saltiness.

Rabbit & kale stuffed ravioli, truffle butter, parmesan 22. This was absolutely delicious, I love the creamy truffle butter and parmesan combination. The rabbit was subtle in taste adding a savory meaty component to the dish. I could eat another plate of this. This and the burrata was my favorite dishes of the night.

Quail fry, grits, maple jus, long cooked chard, slab bacon 24. We wanted to try the pig trotters but they ran out so we chose this instead. There is a downside to eating quail and it is dealing with the minute bones of the bird. If you can get over this, you can truly enjoy this dish. The bird was cooked well, light, crunchy and delicious. The slab bacon was thick, smoky, and went well with the grits, chard and maple jus.

We should have stopped after the main entree. We worked up such an appetite and were still hungry for more. So we pushed through and got some more food and of course beer.

St. Peter's English Ale 4.5% ABV, an English Pale Ale. My friend had this beer I only had a taste of it. The beer is served in an unusual oval green bottle. It pours orange amber color with a small head that quickly dissipates leaving minimal lacing. The nose is slightly fruity and slightly malty very little hop aroma. The mouthfeel is light medium creaminess with good crisp carbonation. The taste is not what I would expect of an English ale, it is mild smoky, lemony and yeasty with some hopiness and bitter in the end. Very drinkable.

Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale 5.5 % ABV, an American Pale Ale. The beer pours amber with an average creamy pale flesh colored head with good lacing and medium retention. The smell is definitely hops, citrusy, and piney with malty caramels. The mouthfeel is medium creaminess with some carbonation. The taste is hoppy, piney, with grapefruit-like citrus taste and bitterness which stays on your tongue throughout, there's also a hint of malty sweetness.

Pork belly, kimchi, peanuts, chili soy, scallion 10. This is an asian fusion dish, Thai-Korean. The kimchi topping was not made of the traditional cabbage, I think it was a mix of long papaya juliennes and some other vegetables. The pork belly was crunchy outside and melt in your mouth good.

Poutine, oxtail gravy, vermont cheddar 14. Poutine is a Canadian comfort food made with French fries topped with cheese curds and brown gravy. This variation was made with oxtail gravy and Vermont cheddar. Deliciously filling.

Joe’s doughnuts, apple, caramel 8. The donuts didn't live up to the hype for me. We ordered this because almost all of the staff were raving about it. We had the last serving. The couple next to us was almost angry because they ran out of this and after all of the hype, they really wanted to try it. These were small round donuts covered in crunchy brown sugar and and cinnamon and soaked in apple caramel sauce.

We left the restaurant stuffed to the brim. Since their menu changes daily, I don't know when we will be able to try the pig trotters. I hope the next time they will be on the menu.

Animal

435 N. Fairfax Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90036

(323) 782-9225

Bulgogi Sunrise

2009-01-12T08:40:00.000-08:00

Hodori is a 24/7 korean restaurant in the corner of Olympic and Vermont. A staple to a lot of late night clubbers wishing to let the spicy foods sober them up closer to a lucid state. The service can be really awful when the place is busy but terrific when there are only a few customers.

The array of banchans served. The seaweed soup is served hot and very welcoming on a cold winter morning.

One of the things I love about Los Angeles is the immense diversity of food at anytime of the day, and any day in the week. In Koreatown, you can have bulgogi anytime even for breakfast. Hot steamy and sizzling on a bed of onions served in an iron skillet. Delicious.

Hodori

1001 S Vermont Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90006

(213) 383-3554

All Porky Goodness

2008-11-19T18:42:00.000-08:00

Named after the traditional Filipino hat, Salakot, is a Filipino restaurant located just outside of DTLA along Beverly blvd. We saw the place driving along Beverly on our way to some other place after being turned down at Colori Kitchen in DTLA. We decided to try the place. It has it's own parking lot with ample space. Inside is spacious with bright lighting and very nice paintings on the wall.

Baked Mussles, we had this for starters, the mussels weren't quite fresh, I think they used the frozen on a half shell stuff.

Dinugoan, pork cooked in blood, traditionally the dish is cooked with the entrails, this however, they only used deep fried pork meat with the skin on. This was a delightful surprise and spin on the dish. I enjoyed the crunchy pork skin bathed in the creamy blood sauce. This was my favorite dish of the night.

Sizzling Sisig, traditionally the dish is made from parts of the pig's head with a spicy, salty, and vinegary taste. This was made from pork belly. It was missing the gelatinous texture that the pig's head brought to the dish, and I didn't think it was spicy nor vinegary enough. It wasn't even sizzling when they brought it to the table. I didn't like it.

Inihaw na Liempo, grilled pork belly and ribs, this is delicious, smoky, salty, with sweet caramelization, dipped in some garlic vinegar, yummy.

Crispy Pata , deep fried pig knuckes, this was done to perfection , I love the crunchy pork skin with the contrasting sticky almost melted soft tendons beneath, dipped in the garlic soy sauce. After this dish, I think I could feel my heart beating to rally my cholesterol level higher.

Talking to the owner during dinner, we were surprised to find out that it was their opening day. Hey! for a change, I get to blog first about a restaurant. I squirmed though when he proudly stated turning the second floor into a karaoke. All in all we spent about $ 58.00 for everything including rice and drinks but before tips. I would go back to this place, specially for the Dinugoan and before he gets that karaoke going.

Salakot

2122 Beverly Blvd.,

Los Angeles, CA 90057

(213) 483-0303

Damiano

2008-11-19T08:07:00.000-08:00

Pizza and beer is like a marriage made in heaven, they always go well together. In LA, one of the best places to get pizza and beer is Damiano. Located in the Fairfax district of LA, right accross the famous Canter's Deli. Inside you can see pizza being made in the left counter and a huge beer selection in the glass-door coolers on the right. We sat in one of the dark unlit booths further into the place.

Floris Apple 3.6% ABV, a Belgian Lambic beer. I had this to start with, it comes in a beautiful dark bottle with metallic green foil on the neck. Lambic beers undergo spontaneous fermentation with the vat left open for sometime in the bewery for the multiple strains of air-borne yeasts to accumulate. The beer pours cloudy amber with a white foamy head that easily subsides. The nose is definitetly sweet green apple. The mouthfeel is medium with some carbonation and a tart bite in the end. The taste is like apple cider, with some malty wheatiness to it and a slight hint of cinnamon. Crisp and fresh, very drinkable.

We got some Fried Clams $ 9.95, as appetizers. The batter was crunchy and the clams were not overcooked, nice and fresh, very flavorful.

We also got a Large Thin Crust Three-topping Pizza $19.00, with italian sausage, ham and pineapple. It's all about the dough at Damiano. Crunchy in the bottom with good browning yet still foldable with some chewiness.

Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale 7.0 % ABV, a Belgian Style Strong Pale Ale. Brewed from the the town of Hitachi in Japan where the electronic manufacturing company with the same name is from. I love the owl logo on the bottle. Brewed with wild red rice, this is the only beer I know that has a sake-like complexity. The nose is red rice, herbal, with some hints of strawberries. The mouthfeel is bitter up-front with light-medium body and high carbonation. The taste is definitely red rice, malty, with a sake after-taste. This brewery makes unique and very interesting beers. Their Hitachino White Ale is on of my favorite wheat beers. This is not the type of beer I would drink regularly, but very interesting.

Damiano

412 N Fairfax Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90036

(323) 658-7611

Chicken Day: A Damn Good Chicken

2008-11-09T21:41:00.000-08:00

Located in the middle corner of a strip mall on Western in Koreatown is Chicken Day. A Korean style chicken place. Parking is strictly valet in the basement for a buck. Free if you can find street parking after hours. The place is spacious with indoor and patio seating. Several paintings on the wall with a common theme, chicken :). There is a counter on the right side when you go in, this is where we made our orders and proceeded to get seated to wait. There is a large flat screen TV on the wall playing Korean shows, some with English subtitles. The owner was the one who took our orders and served our food, she was very friendly, conversational and accomodating. Not afraid to speak English. Eventhough, I know it was a little difficult for her to do so. She gave us something in a plate, three, one for each of us, white and small which I thought were marshmallows. It was the wet towelettes for our hands :).

Chicken Day Salad $ 3.45, this is delicious, the sweet pineapple puree was a surprisingly good dressing. Very refreshing. It compliments the spicy chicken very well.

Special Spicy Sauce Chicken Boneless $ 14.90, this is a lot of chicken 22 pieces. Almost like Bufallo chicken, it is sweet and sour, very garlicky and a little spicy. I was expecting to get toasted on the spiciness level like in Kyochon and Bonchon but here it is quite mild. I wonder if you could ask them to up the spiciness level, maybe next time.

Fried Chicken Drumsticks $ 13.90, again, this is a lot of chicken, eventhough it is hard to scale with the picture. This is a huge plate with over 12 pieces of drumsticks stacked on. This is the one I liked best, cooked to perfection. Crispy light aromatic batter and falling off the bone meat inside. A damn good chicken, reminds me of Sunburst chicken growing up.

People have been comparing the chicken here with Kyochon and Bonchon, so here is my two cents. Kyochon and Bonchon to me are so similar in so many ways that even in the name they differ only by two letters. Both I think are really good chicken, crispy caramel glazed skin and spicy enough to make you cry... for more. At Kyochon and Bonchon, 20 pieces of drumsticks will set you back around $ 30. Their spicy and soy garlic chicken, are more expensive, but better than Chicken Day. Of the three Kyochon is my favorite.

In the simple fried chicken area, you can't really compare Chicken Day's to both places. I would however, compare it to Roscoe's or Honey Kettle chicken. Chicken Day hands down is the best.

Chicken Day

301 S. Western Ave. #107,

Los Angeles, CA 90020

(213) 387-9933

Churrasco Latino

2008-11-07T16:49:00.000-08:00

I was feeling the pangs of a good steak so I called on a fellow foodie and asked him for a rec on some good steaks. What came next was a surprise. He suggested a place where he and the Mexicans who works in his company goes to. He said the place is popular to Mexicans specially the Gauchos in vaquero (cowboy) hats, who brings their whole family to the place. They also have a mean steak served sizzling in a cast iron skillet. I was in.

La Fonda is located at the edge of a strip mall on Century boulevard in Inglewood between La Brea and La Cienega near the Hollywood Park race track. Not to be confused with the La Fonda on Wilshire in LA, and my favorite Columbian restaurant La Fonda on Melrose also in LA. The place is small, with no atmosphere and booth seating. There's a small window to the kitchen where we placed our orders and proceeded to sit down and wait for the food to come. There is a TV on the wall was playing, of course, futbol.

They gave us some tortillas and dips while waiting for the food to arrive. I like the bean and queso dip for a change.

Huarache Al Pastor $ 5.75, this was delicious, the Al Pastor meat and beans was tasty topped with salsa verde and roja, lettuce, sour cream, and queso cotya. Me likey likey.

Churrasco Latino $ 9.99, this is New York steak Mexican style served with arroz and salad, you can also request American style served with baked potatoes and salad. This was served piping hot and sizzling on a bed of toasted garlic served in an iron skillet. The aroma of the garlic and steak was so irresistible I could not wait to dig in. I ordered my steak medium rare, but I think the extra cooking from the hot skillet pushed it to medium. The steak was still delicious. They gave us some A1 sauce infused with Jalapeño, that was new to me. When it comes to steaks, no A1 sauces for me, salt and pepper will do.

Negra Modelo 5% ABV, a Dark Lager served in a bottle. The beer has a light, highly carbonated mouthfeel with some bitterness in the end. It tastes slightly sour, even if I did not squeeze the lemon in, slighly sweet caramel, and some zesty spiciness. Crisp and refreshing it goes very well with the steak.

La Fonda

4649 Century Blvd.

Inglewood, CA

310-419-7596

Benley

2008-11-05T15:59:00.000-08:00

Benley is not really suggestive of a Vietnamese restaurant. Neither is the food strictly Vietnamese, more of a fusion type, so I guess the name is suitable. It is located near the right corner of a strip mall in Long Beach. I did not have a hard time finding the place, eventhough I missed the turn going into the stip mall and had to go around. The place is small and cozy but not cramped. I like the decor, minimal sharp and clean. When I got there the owner got my drink and ran next door to get her cook who was playing cards next door. I found it amusing. The menu was interesting. Their Pho was expensive and I was not in the mood for it. The entrees did not really appeal to me, but the appetizers did so I just got three appetizers.

Lemongrass Charred Pork Spring Rolls $ 6.95, this was really good, the pork was smoky-charred, salty-sweet with . Wrapped in fresh crunchy greens and some vemicelli. It holds up on it's own without the peanut dipping sauce.

Battered Salted Cuttlefish $ 7.95, nice and crunchy, very fresh and well salted. Delicious calamari.

Braised Short Rib with Avocado puree $ 6.95, I like braised short ribs, this one was really good and served in a bed of avocado puree. The beef is so tender it almost feels like melting in your mouth with the avocado puree. I would have preferred to have the ribs well seasoned. This was a good though to off-set the the salty cuttlefish that preceeded. There are no salt and pepper shakers on the table. I know guacamole is good on my beef tacos, but I never would have thought of serving it this way. Yummy.

Creme Brulee $ 6.95, I have said it before and I'll say it again, "If it's on the menu I'll order it." At least for the first time ;-) This was delicious with a nice candied ginger juliennes surprise on top. The bottom part of the creme was cold though.

Benley

8191 E Wardlow Rd

Long Beach, CA 90808

(562) 596-8130

In the Meantime...

2008-10-30T15:52:00.000-07:00

Meantime IPA 7.50% ABV, an English India Pale Ale, it comes in a beautiful bottle with a Champagne cork, pours orangy amber, has a huge bubbly head about three to four fingers and decent retention and lacing. The nose is citrusy and hoppy sweet that is a little toned down compared to American IPAs. The taste is a slightly caramel sweet, grassy, orange zest, hops, with some mint and anise undertones, and medium bitterness. The mouthfeel is medium creamy, smooth with some carbonation. My favorite English IPA. Absolutely drinkable. What I like about this beer is the way the taste lingers in your tongue, and lets you discover the depth of the flavor in stages. Made with over 2 lbs of hops per barrel. According to the makers: "Jam packed with English Fuggles and Goldings, the beer is brewed with as many hops as we can physically get into the copper."

House on the River

2008-10-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

More often than not I find myself hankering for hot noodles after a night out drinking in town. Enter Ruen Pair, one of a string of Thai restaurants occupying a mini-mall in Thai Town. It's the one on the right when you drive into the mini-mall with the bright green signage.

Ruen Pair in Thai means “House on the River” which is accordingly appropriate since we got some Thai Boat Noodles, that is usually served by those boats in the floating markets and along the river in Thailand. The noodle is very hearty with beef slices, beef balls, tripe, liver and a brown soup base thickened with beef blood. Delicious and spicy just right for a quick pick-me-up after a night out in the bars and clubs.

We also got some Shrimp Cakes, light crispy with a sweet and sour sauce dip. I've been to Ruen Pair several times and my favorite dish from their menu is the Black Egg with Chili and Thai Basil, that is the bomb!

Ruen Pair

5257 Hollywood Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90027

Chicken Paella with Cardamom

2008-10-30T13:36:00.000-07:00

I tried my hand at cooking a Chicken Paella with Cardamom, this is my take on it though with a little Indian spice twist. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

10 small pcs Boneless Skinless Chicken Cutlets

3/4 cup Rice I used Shirakiku Calrose

1 3/4 cups Water (Rice to water ratio is key, it has to be 1 part Rice to 2 parts Water plus a little bit more for an open pan)

1 large Beefsteak tomato diced and leave 3 round slices

1 Medium Bell Pepper julienned (I used a yellow one)

1 tbsp Pemienton (Spanish sweet paprika)

4 Cloves of Garlic minced

5 pods Cardamom

3 tbsp Extravirgin Olive Oil

Salt and Fresh ground pepper (I use a pepper mill)

Season the raw Chicken with salt a pepper to taste, then brown in the pan on both sides under high heat. Once the chicken are browned, remove from the pan and set aside. Toast the crushed cardamom pods for a few seconds in the oilve oil, throw in the minced garlic don't let it burn so keep stirring, thow in the julienned bell peppers, then the diced tomatoes stir thoroughly. When the tomatoes have cooked down add the Rice. Add a little salt and pepper to taste and the Pemienton, stir until all the rice is coated with the Pemienton. Cook until the Rice becomes almost translucent, then add the water. Stir to deglaze the pan and spead out the rice for even cooking. Wait until it starts to boil then add the Chicken back, spread out evenly. Just lay the chicken on top, just immersed in the fluids, don't mix it in. Place the Beefsteak Tomato slices on top. Let it simmer on high heat for 5 minutes then lower it down to low-medium and leave for 15 to 20 min. Ressist the urge to touch, don't even try to taste. Just leave the whole thing alone and don't cover. You'll know when it's done when you can hear a little crackling noise from the bottom of the pan. A proper Paella should have a crust in the bottom. Serve and enjoy!

I might be biased, but my Chicken Paella with Cardamom turned out delicious ;-). And there's that added surprise from the cardamom when you get a burst of what I would describe as a "bouquet of flowers in your mouth". I had mine with a nice bottle of Mission St. Pale Ale 4.6% ABV, light crisp citrusy sweet, and lemony bitterness.

Hunan-Szechuan Dilemma

2008-10-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

I was in Visalia over the weekend to visit my brother. He mentioned an amazing story in Chowhound and the newspaper about an Executive Chef in China who opened his own restaurant in Fresno. To make a long story short: Chef Zhongyi Liu is a former Executive Chef of the Grand Hotel Beijing and trained in the Chinese aristocrat cuisine called Tianjian cooking. He is the lone representative of China to the 1999 World Cuisine Contest Bocus D'Or in Lyon, France. He was invited here to head a restaurant in Evansville, IN. In 2003, he moved to Albany, CA to run China Village where he made waves and impressed a Chowhounder and SF resident Melanie Wong. He later left Albany and bought a restaurant in Fresno with two partners, the Hunan Restaurant. She was so impressed with the Chef's skills that she tried to track him down with the help of another Chowhounder form Fresno. You can read the whole story here. They later arranged a Chef's Tasting Menu last Oct. 18, pictures here.

After hearing the story, I was dead set to have a meal at this place. The Hunan Restaurant is located in a nondescript strip mall next to Long's Drug, there are no big signs, just a small name bunched with other tennants of the place. I was hoping to try the Chef's tasting menu but it is only by special arrangement on Monday nights when they are closed and at least 10 people. Bummer.

It so happens that the local regulars to the old Hunan restaurant had a hard time adjusting to the Chef's Szechuan food , so mainly Hunan dishes are served. I wish there was a grant for Chef's as artists so they can practice their art without compromising freedom.

Here are some of the dishes we tried:

Chicken Salad with Black Beans, sweet and salty dressing with added crunch from the black beans.

Dry Cooked String Beans, crunchy and fresh at every bite, wonderful.

Combination Fried Rice, most of the dishes were heavy so plain steamed rice would have been the better choice.

Slender Bamboo Shoots and Shredded Pork, this was really good, nice and spicy.

Butter Cream Prawns, this was my favorite dish, so delicious, the shrimp was light and crispy outside, moist and fresh inside, with a creamy sauce.

Mongolian Barbecue Lamb, cooked with peppers, celery, onions and carrots . Yum.

Sweet and Sour Fish, the fish was moist and fresh, coated in a light and crunchy batter even with the sauce.

Szechuan Hot Pot Chicken, another stellar dish, chicken with mushrooms and hot peppers. Most of the dishes we got were specified mild, I wished I had medium heat.

I walked out of the place with dry mouth and thirsty from the heavy, spicy and salty dishes. Overall, the food was really good, but nothing compared to the Chef's Tasting Menu. Service was excellent.

The Hunan Restaurant

6716 N Cedar Avenue Suite 104

Fresno, CA 93710

(559) 297-0336

info@thehunanrestaurant.com

Pliny in the Corner

2008-10-24T11:53:00.000-07:00

Finally, a more than worthy brewpub in the Los Angeles area. The Blue Palms Brewhouse, located in the Hollywood and Vine vicinity right next to the Music Box Theater. My hats off to these guys who have the balls to turn a deaf ear to those clamoring to have Budweiser or Miller on their tap. Respect, Respect. Great beer selection on tap and a Firkin tapped each week to boot. The bartender is very knowledgeable about beers and very engaging once you start talking about beers. You can feel there is passion for beer in this place, and I like that.

To start I had to try their Firkin beer, Stone Smoked Porter with American Oak 5.90% ABV, an American Porter. Served at celler temperature a little warmer than usual with very little to no carbonation. And pumped at the bar directly from the cask to your glass.

The rich robust beer goes well with my Brew Burger, Kobe beef patty with Gruyere and some onion rings. Delicious but I had mine cooked medium and the burger turned out a little drier than what I wanted.

Next I got their Oktoberfest special, Schönramer Gold Fest Beer 6.00% ABV, a German Märzen, served in a majestic looking bottle emblazoned with metallic gold tones and a coat of arms. The beer pours golden color with a billowy head that easily subsides. The nose is citrusy, hoppy, and a little grassy. The taste is a strong hoppy floral taste in the beginning then with a lemony sweetness in the back and very little bitterness. Mouthfeel is between light to medium, and with good carbonation. This beer could be drank all night on Oktoberfest.

To finish I had some Pliny the Elder 8.00% ABV, an American Double IPA, this is from the private growler of the owner. The beer pours light orange with a decent white head that subsides easily but clings to the glass with very nice lacing. The nose is sweet citrusy hops and huge floral notes. The taste is like an MMA match strong bitterness up front that give you a kick followed by a punch from the hops, just when you are back in you corner you are doused with bucket full of orange peel, pine, and malts that is smooth and silky. Ding-ding. You go back in cause you want some more of that! My favorite Double IPA.

Blue Palms Brewhouse

6124 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA, 90028
phone: (323) 464-2337

The Dumpling Empress

2008-10-23T22:00:00.000-07:00

I was recently invited to a dimsum party at New Capital in the SGV. There were several items that we got that I wished I had taken pictures of, but more often when the "Lazy Susan" gets in front of me it's either empty or half full. The food was good though. So I decided to do my own dimsum escapade to Empress Pavillion in Chinatown DTLA. Getting into the restaurant on the weekend can be tough, sometimes you have to be there by 10 am to get in by lunch. I made it a point go there during the week to avoid this. There's validated parking in the back, and with 4 levels of parking you will probably find a spot. You are greeted by a Maître d' who then takes you into a huge ballroom and to your seat. Once there, you are on your own with choices, choices, and more choices. Straggling along the lanes of the restaurant are these moving carts filled with sumptious goodies waiting to be discovered.

(From L-R) Pork and Shrimp Siumai, Shrimp and Vegetable Dumpling, Scallops and Vegetable Dumpling, Steamed Pork Spareribs.

(From L-R) Steamed Tofu Skin with Enoki Mushrooms, Steamed Chicken Feet, Roasted Suckiling Pig, Steamed Rice with Spareribs with Chinese Sausage.

The stand-outs were the Tofu skin with the Enoki mushrooms, there is a delightful play in your mouth with the textures and flavors, the enoki mushrooms have that loud crunchiness when you bite in, and the Tofu skin wrap is so smooth like silk on your tongue and has a wonderful almost meaty texture. The only drawback with this is that the Enoki mushrooms keeps getting in between your teeth. Both the Shrimp and vegetable dumplings and the Scallop and vegetable dumplings were delicious, fresh, lots of flavor bursting out from the light and thin dumpling wrap into you mouth when you bite in.

Empress Pavillion

988 N Hill St., Ste 201

Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 617-9898

** Dimsum served only until 2:30 pm

Monks and Mussels

2008-10-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

The Bowery is located in the heart of Hollywood around Sunset and Vine, accross the street from the newly updated Palladium. I went there with a "Belgian Beer" friend. I love the white ceramic tile facade in front. Inside, it is cramped and very cozy, where you would literally be rubbing elbows with the young trendy crowd, the shiny tin roof is a stand-out.

Moule Frites, Steamed mussels and French fries . The mussels are cooked with leeks, garlic, white wine, tomatoes and saffron. So I ordered some to pair with a Trappist Ale, Chimay Red. What a disappointment, the mussels were not fresh, there was a fishy sardine taste and smell to it. Mussels are not supposed to smell like that. And to make matters worse that the mussels were pathetically small, and the meat inside was shriveled. Well, at least I had a really good beer on hand and some really good Shoestring French fries.

Chimay Red is a Dubbel Trappist Ale 7.00% ABV, only a few Belgian beers can be called Trappist, meaning it is brewed within a Trappist monastery. A Dubbel is when double the normal amount of sugars is added to the beer making process, more sugars for the yeast means more alcoholic by products. The beer pours in the chalice a turbid coppery orange color with a creamy head that easily subsides. The nose is sweet malty, fruity apricot, and spicy with hints of cloves. The mouthfeel is light medium creamy, smooth on the tongue, with little carbonation. The taste is complex subtle malty sweetness, doughy yeastiness, fruity astringence with some floral undertones in the back, and light bitterness in the end. A very drinkable beer.

My friend got the Charcuterie Plate, two kinds of cheeses, chicken liver mousse, three types of cured meats, crusty baguette slices, preserved olives, and some almond nuts. Suffice to say, I was envious. Despite the outstanding service we got, I shant be back soon. The next day, it was on the news that, someone got shot a block away at past 2 am. Luckily, we were already home by then.

The Bowery

6268 Sunset Blvd. (@ Vine)

Los Angeles, CA 90028

(323) 465-3400

Food & Grog

2008-10-16T20:01:00.000-07:00

Named after "Her Majesty's Ship" the Bounty, immortalized in Nordhoff and Hall's 1932 novel "Mutiny on the Bounty". HMS Bounty is located in Koreatown right accross the now demolished Ambassador Hotel where Robert Kennedy was shot. And right next to what used to be the Brown Derby converted into a strip mall. Ramon who started working as a teenager at the place as a dishwasher now owns and operates the place. A real "American Dream" success story, the previous owner Gordon Fields even paid for his English lessons.

The HMS Bounty is as rich in stories and history as the novel. My favorite story is that Sir Winston Churchill regularly went here for a nightcap while staying at the Ambassador Hotel. This place is a throwback to Old Hollywood, you can almost relive the era while sitting in one of their red booths. The dimly lit interior, the nautical theme complete with portholes on the wall, and thick hardwood beams on the roof, adds to the process. You can even choose the exact booth where Churchill used to sit.

I sat in one of the booths sipping a Dirty "Gin" Martini while waiting for my dinner, and listening to oldies music from the jukebox that still plays the old 45s.

Their Ribeye Steak is great and always consistent, I've been coming back here for years and I am never disappointed.

HMS Bounty

3357 Wilshire Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90010

(213) 385-7275

Jitlada

2008-10-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

My brother and his family were visiting from Visalia. He mentioned that he was looking for good seafood. So I took him, his wife, and a friend to Jitlada, a Southern Thai restaurant in Thai Town. The story is that they use to have their menu in Thai until a Chowhound from Chicago, Erik M., spent several days with the owner to translate the menu into English and the rest is history. You can read more of the whole story here.

It is located near the Sunset and Western junction of Hollywood, in a nondescript strip mall they share with several other businesses and right next to an Armenian dance club. It is my second time to Jitlada, the first time, I was there with a couple of friends and we were very well taken cared of by Jazz, the Owner and the Chef's sister. This time she only said "Hello" and let us explore their menu.

The Steamed Green Mussels, fresh and delicous mussels, the broth is simply amazing, well spiced with just the right amount of heat you can feel going down your throat. There are times I simply crave for this. Even as I write this entry my mouth is watering just thinking about this.

Spicy Salmon Roll, light and crispy, the mildest tasting of everything we ate.

Flambe Prawns. On my first visit there, Jazz showed us how to properly eat this by adding a scoop of plain steam rice and stuffing it into the head of the prawns. She then continued to say "Best tasting rice you've ever had". A tall claim, but you know what, she just might be right. Everyone knows that all the flavor of the prawns is concentrated in the head. This plus that wonderful sweet and spicy Chu Chee sauce and coconut milk . . . OMG!

Grilled Pork, Southern style with papaya salad and sticky rice. The way to eat this, per Jazz, is you take a small amount of sticky rice from the little basket, add some papaya salad over it, then add some pork over the salad, and drizzle the whole thing with the spicy sauce. This stuff is delicious, amazing mouthfeel, soft sticky rice, crunchy papaya and savory pork.

Deep Fried Sea Bass and Lobster Tails with the Spicy Sweet Chili and Mango Sauce. The fish and lobster were fresh delicious by itself without the sauce. When these came to the table the girls were like "Ooo mango!" thinking it would be sweet and a little spicy. Only to find their Ooo's replaced by silence and an "about to cry" look on their faces. If you are like me who would rather taste their food than have their taste buds incapacitated by the heat. You must specify to the waiter to keep the degree of heat to mild, and that is "Thai mild" which is about medium. And for you wussies out there :) . . . yes, there is super-mild. If the heat is too much, you can always douse it off with some Singha or Chang Beer. You can ask Jazz for her special stash of almost frozen beers.

To end the meal we shared some Sticky Rice and Mango, sweet sticky rice cooked in coconut milk and sweet mango go perfectly well together. Excellent food and even better company makes this a great meal.

Jitlada

5233 Sunset Blvd.,

Los Angeles, CA 90027

(323) 667-9809

Cerelac Batter

2008-10-08T18:05:00.000-07:00

We went to a restaurant called Blue Marlin, a Japanese-Italian fusion type of place. It is one of several restaurants in a strip-mall in Sawtelle in WLA. I've been to three other places along this line but it's my first time here. They have food pics displayed near the door, and one item caught my attention, Uni Spaghetti. Must come back for this.

There is an underwater theme to the decor with boats on the ceiling and fish on the walls. We got some Miso soup and Salad with some sesame seed dressing (no pics). We ordered some appetizers to share and taste.

The first one to arrive was the Fried Calamari, the squid was delicate and thinly sliced, the batter was light and deliciously salty. I've never had calamari served this way. Usually it is served thick and heavy on the batter. This was really good, I'd come back for this alone.

Next was the Crab Croquette, the batter was light and crunchy, inside was moist and delicious. They used real fresh chunky crabmeat, which added great texture in my mouth. Only two pieces :( there were three of us. We all still got to taste it though.

Last to come was the Tuna Tartare served with some dough chips. The dish is light, mild tasting and fresh. Nothing special, looks great though.

And for the piece de resistance, Uni Spaghetti. The spaghetti is served in a deep bowl like ramen. But why? I love Uni sushi, but this is not for the light hearted. There is a lot of Uni in the dish. The aroma is intense, the best I could describe it is "sea urchin cheese". The texture is creamy akin to carbonara sauce. The taste is definitely Uni but subtle. Okay, not my favorite dish, but well executed. This goes into my list of "tried it". To wash it down I had some Kirin draft beer.

We also got the Uni Rice, I only had a taste of this. I thought it was okay.

Pork Cutlet (Katsu) with the demi-glace sauce, I also had a taste of this. I found it really tasty, and the sauce was delicious.

Ah! Creme Brule, if it's on the menu I will order it. This was very good, crispy sweet crust and creamy delicious under.

Tempura Green Tea Ice Cream, the Green Tea ice cream is coated in a batter and deep fried, Tempura style! We were kind of giggling because the batter tasted like "Cerelac", the baby food. It does!

So, I may not be back for the Uni Spag but I am still interested in other things in their very interesting menu.

Blue Marlin

2121 Sawtelle Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90025

(310) 445-2522

Bleu Morning

2008-10-03T19:02:00.000-07:00

Located along San Pedro's main thoroughfare, Gaffey street, is a really nice restaurant called Omelette and Waffle Shop. The staff is great really friendly. The crowd is diverse, from high school kids to retirees. And the menu is excellent.

I got the first one on the list, Bleu Cheese Burger Patty and Eggs. The burger patty is topped with melted bleu cheese and sauteed spinach. I like ketchup on my eggs, as you can see. The dish is simply amazing, blew me away. I'm coming back to try other stuff on their menu.

Omelette and Waffle Shop

1103 S. Gaffey St.,

San Pedro, CA 90731

(310) 831-3277

*Open only until 2 pm

Route 66 Diner

2008-10-01T18:58:00.000-07:00

I found myself in a diner along Route 66 in WLA on Santa Monica called Cafe 50's. The place is not easy to miss with it's blaring red neon signs outside. Inside is a real throwback in time, their signs, equipments, and decors look authentically 50's. There's even a phone booth inside. I also saw some vintage-style postcards for sale.

I had Corned Beef sandwich, Fries, and a Root beer with a complimentary side of Coleslaw and a slice of pickle. The sandwich was delicious and huge. I had to take home half.

Cafe 50's

11623 Santa Monica Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90025

(310) 479-1955

Taste Buds Fatigue

2008-09-25T23:55:00.000-07:00

If you can get over the ever confusing San Vicente Blvd. in the Mid-Wilshire area , you can find a nice Spanish restaurant called La Paella. Almost everyone in our group had to go around the block at least once to find this place. Inside, the place gives a very homey vibe, candle-lit tables, lots of hand painted ceramic plates on the wall, very colorful and vibrant. A woman singing Spanish songs was playing in the background.

We got a few tapas: Calamares a la Plancha (Grilled Squid with garlic and parsley), Mejillones Costa Brava (Steamed mussles with white wine), Gambas al Ajillo (Shrimp sautee with garlic and chili pod), Vieras al Ajillo (Scallops sautee with garlic and chili pod), Callos a la Madrileña (Tripe stew with sausage and garbanzo beans), Boquerones en Vinagre (Marinated anchovy filets), and Jamon Serrano from Spain. I really enjoyed each and every tapa, the seafoods were clearly fresh and deliciously cooked lightly, making it soft and savory. The Mejillones, steamed mussles, were so good we ordered another one, the wine broth made excellent dipping for the crusty bread. The Callos had a creamy texture that felt like butter on the tongue and the savory mix of chorizos, garbanzos and tomatoes makes you forget it is tripe. I expected the Boquerones to be salty and fishy, so I was delightfully surprised to find it fresh, sweet, and tart, reminds me of pickled Herring. The Jamon Serrano from Spain was also so good we had to order another one. The paper-thin slices of ham looked deliciously smooth and glossy, the bite is firm not soft, and the taste is unforgettable, nutty and sweet, with a wonderfully floral hint.

We had two huge pans of paellas, what a magnificent sight, Paella Valenciana Mixta (lower) and Paella de Montaña con Chorizo (upper).

The Paella Valenciana is made with rice, seafood and vegetables with saffron and rosemary. The dish is pure eye candy. I think Paellas are the best looking dishes. In terms of taste, this is sensory overdrive with so much going on in your palate. Delicious but a little salty. The Paella de Montaña con Chorizo is made with rice, chicken, in-lieu of the traditional rabbit, pork chorizo, green beans and lima beans with saffron. Also delicious, I must have had some form of "taste buds fatigue" because I swear both paellas tasted the same! Except for the distinct seafood flavor in the Valenciana and the robust flavor of chorizo in the Montaña. These were still superb dishes that I would come back for.

Unfortunately, they did not have any Txakoli, so I had some Estrella Damm beer to go with my food, a Spanish pilsner beer from Barcelona, light crisp and refreshing, goes very well with Spanish food. I took this picture with my iPhone before the tapas were served. I looked at the picture and decided to bring out the camera.

La Paella

476 S. San Vicente Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90048

The General's Grub

2008-09-21T20:45:00.000-07:00

After having a few Belgian beers at Lucky Baldwins we headed off to Thai Town, in the east edge of Hollywood boulevard, to a swarm of late night clubbers out for a quick grub at Sanamluang. We got seated in under 5 mins. The place was full and spilled out into the seats outside. It is a very popular place, maybe because it is open very late until 4 am, or maybe because of it's close proximity to the clubs and bars in Sunset Blvd. I would like to think it is because of their food.

The General's Noodle Soup $ 6.50, is rumored to have been named after a Thai general who used to direct traffic in the parking lot on weekends. The soup base is a clear , light amber, thin in density and rich in flavor. Loaded with thin egg noodles cooked just the right amount, slices of charsiu pork, ground pork, roasted duck slices, and whole shrimps. Topped with chopped scallions and wonderfully smokey roasted garlic bits. Simply delicious.

Sanamluang

5176 Hollywood Boulevard,

Hollywood, CA

(323) 660-8006

Lucky Lucky Lucky

2008-09-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

Located in Old Town Pasadena is simply the best place to sample Belgian beers in Los Angeles, Lucky Baldwins . Twice a year they have a Belgian Beer Festival where everything on their 50 plus beer taps is Belgian. Even in Belgium you can't get that much Belgian beers on tap in a single place. They also have hundreds of Belgian beers in bottles.

My friend and I were lucky enough to snag a couple of spots at the bar. I like sitting at the bar, that way I can see what beers I am having next and talk to the bar keep as well. The food is so-so here, British pub grub, fish and chips, meat pies, hot wings, burgers etc. During Belgian Beer Festivals they do offer some specialty foods, I was able to go last February and had some Flemish carbonades (Beef Stew) in Maredsous 8, absolutely sublime.

To start I had some Gulden Draak Tripel 10.50% ABV a Belgian style strong ale. A friend of mine, who has been to many beer tastings with me, introduced me to this beer. This is probably the first Belgian beer I tasted and got me hooked for good. The bottle and even the tap handle for this beer evokes an image of a Golden Dragon when in fact Gulden Draak translates as "Golden Duck".

The beer pours a cloudy deep dark brown with a reddish hue, the head is thin with little or no lacing. The nose is hops, malts, sweet and fruity, like mixed dark berry jam. The aroma carries on with the taste that is sweet caramel and fruity, with raisins, and some chocolate undertones. It is not sour, but sweet with some bitterness that lingers in your mouth. The mouthfeel is creamy almost syrupy with little natural carbonation. Easy to drink despite it's 10.5% ABV, a deadly combination.

Then I had some Scotch Silly 8% ABV a Scotch Ale type of beer. I never had this before. The beer pours deep dark copper with a nice foamy head and excellent lacing. The nose is malty caramel reminiscent of toffee and some dried fruits. I get the same metallic taste as with Double Enghien Blonde in the beginning which rapidly disappears, then some malty toffee sweetness and tea-like bitterness. I also get some complex flavors of butterscotch, cherries and dates. The mouthfeel is medium creamy with good carbonation. This beer is easily dinkable and might go very well with some nice warm beef stew.

To finish, I had some (maybe a couple) Hoegaarden 4.9% ABV a Belgian Witbier (wheatbeer or white beer). One of my favorite beers. It is made with wheat, flavored with coriander seeds and orange peel. This is the standard to which I hold other Witbiers against. I would describe this beer poured in a glass as "a light golden cloud of beer under a billowy white head". The cloudiness is because it is unfiltered and still has some yeast suspended. The nose is unmistakably distinct, citrusy, with strong wheatiness and a hint of coriander. The taste, mirroring the nose, is a masterclass in balance and subtlety, not too sweet, not too bitter, not too citrusy, and not too spicy. The mouthfeel is light with excellent carbonation making it crisp and refreshing. A very drinkable beer specially during summer, and SoCal weather ;) . This beer is great with spicy foods.

Lucky Baldwins Pub

17 S. Raymond Ave.

Pasadena, CA 91105

(626) 795-0652

Lucky Baldwins

DELIRIUM PUB

21 Kersting Ct.

Sierra Madre, CA 91024

(626) 355-114

Tall Ships and Clams

2008-09-21T01:01:00.000-07:00

I had time to have lunch on Friday, but had to get back to work. I knew the Port O'Call was having their annual Lobster Fest, I didn't want to deal with the crowd, and opted to go to Fisherman's Seafood for lunch.

Surrounded by aquariums of live seafood the people working in the place were all busy chopping onions and potatoes. I managed to distract one of them to order some Steamed Clams. He took a bunch from the aquariums to cook. I also got some French fries and a beer. The whole spread looked delicious.

The Steamed Clams were so fresh and delicious I had to ask for a spoon to get all of that wonderful clam juice. He added some ginger, when he steamed my clams, which I did not ask for. I was glad he did. The clams came with some lime wedges, butter, and chili sauce, which I did not use. I liked it "as is". I did use the lime wedge on my Corona. The fries went really well with the clams, crunchy and buffered the briney saltiness of the clams.

Everything cost me around $ 18 and change. Kind of pricey. And here is the view from where I was eating. I can even see some of the Tall Ships in the distance. Makes you want to eat more. Too bad I could not stay longer, had to get back to work.

Fisherman's Seafood Restaurant

950 Sampson Way

San Pedro, CA 90731

(310) 519-7333

Full House

2008-09-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

Full House Seafood Restaurant in Chinatown, is a place we usually go to for late night hankering because they open until 3 am. There are only a few places in Chinatown that open this late.

Sizzling Rice Seafood Soup $7.95, this is one of my favorite soups, it's your basic clear broth seafood soup then they dump a whole plate of deep fried rice and the dish just sizzles from the heat and popping of the rice. The rice adds a smoky caramelized taste to the soup.. yum.

Fresh Clams with ginger and green onion $ 9.50, we usually get the one with the black bean sauce but opted for this for a change.

Chinese Mushrooms with X.O. sauce $ 10.50, three kinds of mushrooms stir fried with their X.O. sauce. For me, this was the dish I liked the best in the whole meal.

Cantonese Beef Stew with turnips $ 7.95, beef in a hot pot braised to delightful tenderness. Not as tender as I hoped it would be, the tendons were a little rubbery.

Full House Seafood Restaurant
963 N. Hill Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 617-8382

Naja's Place: 88 Beers on the Wall

2008-09-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

If you know what cerevisaphile means you probably know about Naja's Place in Redondo Beach. A mecca for beer lovers in LA, the place is located along the International Boardwalk.

There are about 88 beers on tap and more selection in bottles.

To start I had some Green Flash West Coast IPA 7% ABV. When the Brits started sending beer to India as a colony they found that the Pale Ales did not travel very well in the train or ship going there. Even now, the Bass Pale Ales in the US is not as good as in the UK where it is brewed. So they created the IPA's (India Pale Ale) with a generally a higher alcohol and hops content, a brewers weapon against spoilage in lieu of refrigeration.

This is a very good IPA, nice foamy head and dark amber color very lacy; the nose is hoppy, citrusy, floral, with hints of pine; the mouthfeel is medium with low carbonation, the taste is strong on hops with some sweetness that balances the bitterness.

Then I had some Rogue Hazelnut Brown Ale 6.2% ABV. My brother intoduced me to this beer when we had a beer tasting at his place.

The beer pours brown with a nice white head and nice lacing. The nose is definitely hazelnut, and tasted of sweet malty caramel with hazelnuts, and a little bitterness. Delicious. The mouthfeel is medium with some carbonation. An easy to drink beer especially with dessert. This is one of my favorite brown ales.

To finish I got some Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier 5.4% ABV.

This is a wheat beer, yeasty and turbid, with medium golden color and foamy white head with very little lacing. The nose is citrusy, with wheat malts and a hint of fruitiness and cloves. The taste is definitely on the sweeter side with doughy yeastiness and lemony tones. The mouthfeel has some good carbonation and some creaminess. A very drinkable beer specially for summer and with spicy foods.

Great bar and great beers to enjoy with some conversation and a nice view of the sunset in the backdrop of the marina.

Naja's Place
154 International Boardwalk
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 376-9951

Sumire Miso Ramen: Hokkaido Fair 2008

2008-09-13T17:01:00.000-07:00

The Mitsuwa Marketplace in Torrance was hosting the Hokkaido Fair 2008. I called a fellow food and beer enthusiast and we were off. Fellow blogger Exile Kiss already blogged about the event and I couldn't wait to have a taste myself, specially that Miso Butter Corn Ramen from the Sumire Ramen-ya.

When we got there, a sign was posted saying that the Miso Butter Corn Ramen was sold out. Already!? Just the second day? After I got over my disappointment, we ordered some Miso Ramen.

The soup was really literally hot. Really deceiving because it doesn't steam-up like what real hot soups do. A closer look at the soup, there's a definitely thicker than usual film of fat on the surface, hence, preventing some steaming action. As a result, plus a little over-eagerness on my part, I burned the tip of my tongue! I had to let the soup cool down a bit. There's a love hate relationship between me and fats. I love it ,but it hates me.

The soup base is very rich, very fatty and delicious. The bits of Chasu pork cut into tiny cubes was really good, better than any I have tasted. The ramen noodles was thicker and very fresh. There were some bits of ground pork as well in the soup which I haven't seen used in ramens. I finished the whole bowl to the last drop, a very good sign. Now, where do I sign the petition to bring Sumire here permanently?

We also had some Mint Julep Soda we got at the supermarket to drink. My friend chose this. I think it was a good call, nice cool refreshing minty drink after that hot heavy and fatty ramen.

We then moved to the stalls selling all sorts of goodies. There was a whole line of deep fried stuffed pastry and croquettes. Hey, you can't go wrong with anything deep fried.

We got a variety of Maruhiro Ota Croquettes: Spicy Cod Roe Croquette, Scallop Croquette, and Crab Croquette. The casing of mashed potatoes and breadcrumbs was crunchy outside and moist inside. They used a whole scallop, very nice, and I think King Crabs for the crab croquette because of the noticeably stringier texture of the King Crab meat. I could eat a few more of those Scallop Croquettes. We then headed to Naja's Place in Redondo Beach after for some beer.

Hokkaido Fair 2008
Mitsuwa Market
21515 Western Ave.
Torrance, CA 90501
(310) 782-0335

Mien Nghia: Party in a Bowl

2008-09-11T22:04:00.000-07:00

I never even knew this place existed, much like a lot of places in Chinatown. I pass by Mien Nghia often to get to Phoenix Inn for their Century Egg and Duck Chok. I first heard about this place from fellow blogger Eatdrinknbmerry in his Noodle Whore blog. Since then, I have been back there numerous times for their awesome Beef Stew with Egg Noodles (Hu Tieu Mi Bo Kho) $ 7.25.

This time I had to try the Seafood with Rice Noodles (Hu Tieu Hai San) $ 6.75. There is a crispy dough with a shrimp in the middle when they serve it. Nice, crunchy, and tasty, a good prelude to the dish. The soup base is light and delicious. The fish cakes, shrimp and squid balls are made in-house. The shrimps were nice and fresh.

The party really doesn't get started until you take a whole spoonful of that amazing chili sauce that they have and "Helloooo!" It takes this soup a few notches up the goodness level. Don't be afraid to put a lot of this stuff into your bowl, it's not that hot. I think they put some ground peanuts with the peppers into the sauce. I don't think I can stop myself from coming back for more for this.

Mien Nghia

304 Ord St

Los Angeles, CA, 90012

(213) 680-2411

Other Branches:

Mien Nghia

7755 Garvey Ave

Rosemead, CA, 91770

(626) 288-0177

Mien Nghia

406 W Valley Blvd

San Gabriel, CA, 91776

(626) 570-1668

Cassell's Burger Buffet

2008-09-11T19:19:00.000-07:00

Right smack in the middle of kimchi and bulgogi paradise of Koreatown is an easy to miss place, Cassell's Burger. It's also easy to miss that the "Hamburger" sign painted on the window is missing an "R".

Inside is a cafeteria style line where you order by the number and how you want you burger cooked, where "23 medium" means you'll be getting a 1/3 pounder cheeseburger cooked medium in a monstrous double broiler. 33 is an upgrade to a 2/3 pounder.

You then go through the "buffet" line to add your condiments of choice: ketchup, mayo, mustard, thousand island dressing, Roquefort dressing, pickle relish and slices, onion, beefsteak tomato, and lettuce. There's also some potato salad, cottage cheese, pineapple chunks, and pear halves for sides. It's all about customizing.

Kind of sloppy but I made it stacked and fully dressed. The beef patty is ground fresh daily using Prime USDA beef. The mayonnaise and salad dressings are made in-house. The burger is delicious.

The Cheese burger, fries, and medium drink set me back $11 and change. If I had a Cassell's 23 Medium in my left hand and an In-n-Out Cheeseburger animal-style in my right hand and I could only keep one, I will gladly hand you my left hand even if it's double the price. You can't really compare both, it's a matter of preference.

I guess the whole appeal of Cassell's Burger is that it reminds people of burgers that mom used to make elevated to the nth degree. Simple, straightforward, using great ingredients.

Cassell's Hamburgers
3266 W. Sixth St.
Los Angeles, CA 90020
(213) 480-8668

Chabelita Tacos

2008-09-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

Late night hankering takes me to a Mexican food hut called Chabelita on Western just off the 10 freeway. It is located right next to a fire station and is open 24/7.

Al fresco dining on tables and benches outside, where you are constantly looking behind your back for anything/anyone who might creep up specially on really late nights/early morning.

I had two huge Tacos Cabeza (left) and Lengua (right), both deliciously spicy, soaked in salsa, chopped onions, cilantro, and avocado. I spent around $ 5.50 for two tacos and a regular drink. Now why would you go to McDonalds when you can have this?

Chabelita Tacos
2001 S. Western Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90018

LA Greek Fest 2008

2008-09-07T20:57:00.000-07:00

I went to the LA Greek Fest, at the Saint Sophia Cathedral in the Byzantine Latino quarter in Los Angeles, for lunch. It was a very festive atmosphere lots of Greek food, wine, music and dancing.

What caught my attention was a line of 10! vertical gyro grills. It's a gotta have one moment.

The gyro with the Tsatsiki sauce was delicous.

I had a Greek beer called Hillas a pilsiner type of beer. This was the highlight of the whole event for me. The aggressive hops seem to hit your whole palate at first gulp, very good beer, ranks up there along Checvar and Pilsner Urquell.

For dessert, there were a lot of Baklava's and Filo dough sweets, I chose to have some Greek doughnuts called Loukomathes almost like beignets but very crispy on the outside, soaked in honey and drizzled with cinnamon and hazelnuts. Very good and very light.

A lot of the food items they have at the festival you can actually buy across the street at Papa Cristo's and much cheaper. I went there to get a few more of that wonderful Hillas beer.

Bocadillos

2008-09-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

I blame Anthony Bourdain for my recent quest for Spanish foods. His No Reservation show's recent episode on Spain was so good it makes you wanna pack up and leave the next day for Spain. And since reality hits you on the head going through the door. I digress. Scouring the web for places to go to for anything Spanish I came accross La Española in Harbor City.

The place is not difficult to locate but once you are there the warehouse-look makes you wonder if you are in the right place. See the small door in the picture go in there, at first I thought it was the backdoor or something.

Once in, you are in a treasure trove of anything Española, Bomba rice, Cabrales cheese, Rioja wine, Chorizos, Jamons and even Paella pans. Like a kid in a candy store.

After picking up a few items, I asked if they could make me a Bocadillo $5.49, a Spanish sandwich made with Jamon Serrano, Manchego Cheese (sheep), dry cured sausage, roasted piquillo peppers, drizzled with some olive oil in a toasted bread. And to wash it all down I had some Spanish beer, Estrella Galicia Cerveza $1.75.

The Bocadillo came with a side of preserved olives, garlics, peppers, and what looks to me like slices of gherkins. I took my food to a covered patio on the side of the building with tables and chairs.

The sandwich was absolutely delicious, the crunchy bread, the chewiness and smoky salty goodness of the Jamon Serrano, and the manchego cheese added a wonderful aroma. The preserved olive, garlic, and pepper were soaked in olive oil and pimienton, yum.

The Estrella Galicia beer was a light pilsiner they kept in the freezer next to the cheeses, so it was refreshingly cold for a hot day. There was nothing extraordinary about this beer. It complimented the Bocadillo, the nice light crisp taste cuts through the robustness of the sandwich.

This will easily become one of my favorite sandwiches and guaranteed I'll be back for more.

La Española
25020 Doble Ave.
Harbor City, CA 90710
(310) 539-0455

Voodoo Chicken

2008-09-01T00:11:00.000-07:00

I went to TiGeorges' Chicken a couple of times with different people and both times it was closed when the website said it would be open. See, George, an overtly friendly guy from Haiti, is "The" man behind this, he cooks, he greets, he takes your order, and he rings the cash register. When George is away or taking a siesta the place is closed. The place is almost always open for lunch, but dinner ... maybe. So call ahead if you are planning to go there specially for dinner or on weekends.

I first heard about this place a few months ago when Huell Howser did a show on this restaurant. When I was there I heard a couple of people saying, "I saw you on Huell's show!" The place is located in a part of LA called "Historic Filipinotown" which is mostly on the way to somewhere. There's the Bob Baker Marionette Theatre nearby and a Thai Massage place.

What draws people to this place is this. Slow roasted chicken on a pitfire grill fired with avocado wood. I haven't seen this type of roasting contraption before and the owner claims to have ordered it customized to his specification.

That grill is just something to watch, imagine having this in your kitchen. Oh the things I could roast... I could just get lost in my imagination. Visions of, not one but, SIX sucking pigs on that glorious rotisserie. Now back to my blog before I drift further into food porn lala land. I have to admit that what drew my interest to this place was the Lambi, a spicy Haitian Conch dish, and the Cabrit Fricasse made with goat meat. There is not a lot of places in LA to get these. But just looking at those chicken on the rotisserie, pure seduction.

So I got the lunch special, a quarter of TiGeorges's Chicken that came with some rice and beans, salad, and a kind of spicy coleslaw $7.65 and I got some Haitian fruity soda to go with the meal called Cola Lacaye $1.75. The chicken was so tender, falling of the bone tender is one thing but eating off the bone tender is another. See, one thing I will never forget about this meal is that the tip portion of the keel bone which is usually hard and cartilagenous was turned gelatinous in texture. Something I didn't think you could achieve by slow roasting. The indistinguishable spice rub on the chicken was really good and the avocado wood fire added some distinct smokiness to the chicken. I could not help but compare TiGeorges' chicken with the Peruvian chicken place Pollo Ala Brasa, both are wood fired. But I still prefer Pollo Ala Brasa's spicy well seasoned chicken. The big difference I think is brining, I don't think TiGeorges brines their chicken thereby the meat is less moist compared to Pollo ala Brasa. The thing is, TiGeorges is not just about chicken, there's Lambi, Cabrit, and Haitian Coffee which the brew fresh. I will surely be back to try the Lambi and Cabrit.

Before, when I thought of Haiti, I thought of the Carribean and Voodoo. But now Haiti to me is this place TiGeorges' Chicken and a very friendly face in George.

TiGeorges' Chicken
309 N. Glendale Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 353-9994

Pollo ala Brasa
764 S Western Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 382-4090

Fe fi Pho Yum!

2008-08-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like some steaming hot soup early in the morning. I love Pho (pronounced like "fuh" rather than "faux"), a Vietnamese rice noodle soup with meats or seafood. The delicious clear broth is made by boiling and hours of simmering beef bones. Cinnamon, star anise, almonds, and fresh ginger are all toasted then added to the broth. There are numerous variations to this, the Vietnamese God has a simple recipe for this in his blog.

There are no really good Pho joints in Koreatown, and only a few are open 24 hours. For really good Pho you have to venture out of LA and go to the SGV or Westminster. I work mostly at night and go home fairly late in the evening. So my choices are really limited. There is Pho Western and Pho LA both open 24 hours and Pho 55 open until 3 am. These are all owned and operated by Koreans and not Vietnamese. The prices are much steeper too. The place I most frequently go to is the Pho Western. I find their soup base to be more flavorful and the tendon pieces more generous. Second is Pho LA, even though it is not the best they still make decent Pho.

I usually get the Dac Biet, which is a mixture of meats rare beef, brisket, tripe, and tendons. This time I got the Pho Oxtail $8.35, which is served with the meat and some soup on the side, cilantro leaves, mung bean sprouts, thinly sliced onions, Thai basil, and some lime wedges. I like to add a lot of cilantro, bean sprouts, and Thai Basil into the soup, and some sliced onions and a little Siracha for heat. The bean sprouts adds a little crunch and freshness to the dish.

The thin rice noodles in the Pho will absorb the soup and quickly become soggy, so you really have to eat fast. And you don't want your soup to get cold either.

After I finished the big bowl, I was left with the small bowl of soup where the Oxtail meat was separated. The soup in this bowl tasted richer and meatier with a lot of the essence of the oxtail imparted into it. You can see tiny bubbles of fat floating on the surface. A good end to a Pho trip.

Pho LA
3470 W 6th St # 5
Los Angeles, CA 90020

Chicken and Waffles

2008-08-25T07:25:00.000-07:00

I had always been wanting to go to Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles for quite some time now, never really had the chance. Last week, I was in Long Beach on my way to San Pedro. It was already past 12 pm and I was hungry with Fried Chicken in my mind. I remembered there is a Roscoe's branch near Atlantic and Broadway which was perfectly along the way to San Pedro. So target was set and I was off. The sign was huge so you really can't miss it, parking was across the street with lots of space. There was some kind of Jazz club on the right side when you go in and the main dining area is on the left.

I got the Scoes #2 Fried Chicken 2 pcs and 2 Waffles $ 10.40 and requested the gravy on the side, I wanted to try the chicken with out the gravy first. The waffles were crunchy outside and soft inside, there was really nothing special about it a bit bland for my taste.

The chicken was very good really crunchy skin and moist meat inside. The gravy added more dimension to the chicken almost like a feeling that the chicken is melting in your mouth. The whole dish made sense the sweetness of the waffles and maple syrup, contrasting with the saltiness of the chicken and gravy. I found myself going back and forth. For days, was thinking about how much I liked the food there that I came back a second time.

This time I tried the Lord Harvey $ 11.90, Half a chicken smothered in gravy and onions, grits and biscuit. I have never had grits before so I wanted to try it and I know biscuits are great with gravy. I didn't ask for the gravy on the side this time.

The grits came with a small cup of butter, I assumed you pour this on the grits which I opted not to. The grits was kind of mushy and bland there was no "corn" taste that I expected. I suppose this was something you eat to fill you up. The biscuits were great when I mixed some with the gravy. After I finished a couple of pieces of chicken the rest were already soggy which was what I was avoiding the first time. Next time I'll keep it on the side.

Roscoe's House of Chicken and Waffles
730 E Broadway,
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562)-437-8355