What Chowhounds are discussing on the LA Area board.
Restaurants, bars, food stores, and more that are new, old, weird, or totally under the radar.
SoCal minichain Veggie Grill is now preparing an utterly delicious vegan crab cake. "I love crab cakes," admits maudies5. "In all honesty, this vegan version could pass a blind tasting of 'real vs. faux.'" It's an affair of soy protein and wheat gluten, cleverly seasoned with seaweed to give it that distinctive seafood taste.
The "crab cake" is breaded, fried, and served on a bun with excellent tartar sauce, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and onions. "This is one delicious sandwich," says maudies5. "Big shout-out to the chef who created this amazing crab cake."
Also great: their buffalo wings, says VeganIndianHousewife. Skip the buffalo sandwich, though.
The Veggie Grill
Multiple locations
Discuss: I Had a Great Crabcake today at Veggie Grill
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on Sunday, May 27th, 2012
Most gelato in the United States is made in the northern Italian style, using eggs as a thickener. But greengelato is on the lookout for Sicilian-style gelato, thickened with cornstarch. The texture is seriously chewy, and the gelato is almost taffylike when it's scooped out.
Mr Taster says you might find it at Bulgarini. That chewy texture is present in some of their gelatos, but not in others. Tops for chewiness is the dark chocolate. "Its texture was such that it was almost like eating a dense frozen fudge brownie," says Mr Taster, who notes that the pistachio is almost as thick. Other flavors, like vanilla and peach, have "very little chewiness."
You can also try Turkish ice cream, says Mr. Roboto. Look for a style called maras dondurmasi: It's made from salep flour (which is ground from the roots of wild orchids), and is incredibly chewy.
Bulgarini Gelato [San Gabriel Valley]
749 E. Altadena Drive, Altadena
626-791-6174
Bulgarini Gelato [Westside - Inland]
8686 Washington Boulevard, Culver City
310-815-1723
Discuss: looking for "chewy" gelato
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on Saturday, May 26th, 2012
Farmshop at the Brentwood Country Mart is now carrying Cowgirl Creamery's clabbered cottage cheese. As far as dairy connoisseur JudiAU knows, it hasn't been available before in Los Angeles. It has an "extra big curd, [a] nice balance with salt, and [is] deeply flavored."
The Wally's Wine Cheese Box also sells it, in little containers. In general, they tend to get some of the more unusual and lesser-known offerings from Cowgirl Creamery, notes Jwsel.
Farmshop at the Brentwood Country Mart [Westside - Beaches]
225 26th Street, Santa Monica
310-566-2400 x2416
Wally's Wine Cheese Box [Westwood]
2107 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles
310-475-0606
Discuss: Found: Clabbered Cottage Cream from Cowgirl Creamery
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on Friday, May 25th, 2012
The menu at Yojisan, the new Beverly Hills Italian-Japanese fusion project from restaurateur Giacomino Drago and Chef Yoji Tajima, raises some doubts. It features a Rainbow Roll, a Crunchy Roll, and other ubiquitous sushi items, so J.L. was naturally concerned that the food would be run-of-the-mill.
But Yojisan actually turns out to be "a sophisticated dining experience, effortlessly melding crudo and sushi in a friendly setting," admits J.L. Yojisan takes the Italian tradition of crudo—raw fish treated with various citrus, olive oils, and salts—and forges it with sushi to form a delightful fusion omakase. "Sometimes a meal completely comes at me out of left field and knocks me off my feet," J.L. says. READ MORE
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on Thursday, May 24th, 2012
Attention bone marrow fans: The bone marrow flan at Cut is unusual and delicious, says Servorg. You can even skip the restaurant proper and get it at the bar.
wienermobile thinks that, in general, the side dishes at Cut are better than the steaks. Except for their American Wagyu porterhouse, says Jwsel, which is the "best steak I ever had."
Cut at the Beverly Wilshire [Beverly Hills]
9500 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills
310-276-8500
Discuss: Looking For Restaurant With Great Bone Marrow / Marrow-Based Dish
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on Wednesday, May 23rd, 2012
Though Chowhounds have varying opinions about UMAMIcatessen, everybody agrees on one thing: The foie gras doughnuts are spectacular. They'll disappear soon, after California's foie gras ban kicks in, so get them while you can.
As for the rest of UMAMIcatessen's offerings, many Chowhounds think the food is good, not great. sku, on the other hand, loves everything he's tried off Chef Chris Cosentino's Pigg menu, especially the pork liver pâté sandwich. "Served on a ciabatta roll, the liver was rich and juicy, shimmering with fat, more like a lobe of porky foie gras than a typical liver pâté," says sku.
UMAMIcatessen [Downtown]
825 S. Broadway, Los Angeles
213-413-8626
Discuss: UMAMIcatessen - Thoughts?!
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on Saturday, May 19th, 2012
A few Chowhounds have complained about the lack of sushi in Chef Shunji's omakase, so PeterCC quizzed him on a recent visit. Shunji explained that his omakase is intended to be a selection of cooked dishes—there was some sushi in the restaurant's opening weeks, but that was a grand-opening promo.
Part of what made Shunji give up sushi in the omakase was the way some patrons seemed to expect (and demand) expensive items for sushi courses: They were just getting too costly for the restaurant. Plus, it's hard for a non-sushi specialist to incorporate small amounts of expensive sushi-grade fish, since sushi is such an economy of scale, explains J.L. The fish markets only sell things like fatty tuna belly in quite large chunks, so it's hard for someone like Shunji to recoup this investment.
Shunji's omakase is now 10 to 12 courses of cooked dishes, some with sashimi elements. And anyway, "Shunji's forte are his non-sushi dishes, in my opinion," says J.L. "That's his niche."
As for the omakase itself, it's all about clean flavors, especially in the vegetables, notes jysh. Except for the potato-cheese balls, it's pretty much pure Japanese cooking.
Shunji's [Hollywood]
7015 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles
323-933-6500
Discuss: Shunji is quite the genious, a great chef/cook
First Review: SHUNJI'S (with photos)
Photograph of maguro sashimi with avocado by J.L.
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on Friday, May 18th, 2012
Kiriko is serving some excellent sushi omakase, says PeterCC. Surprisingly, the sushi sits on warm rice. A serving of chutoro "didn't so much melt in my mouth, as it just instantly incorporated itself into the rice," he says. "The combination of the warmth and tang of the rice with the coolness and, uh, toro-ness of the chutoro, was sublime." Tai nigiri, which has a refreshing lemon salt topping, is just as amazing.
"I have to say Tomo-san did a fantastic job," PeterCC says, referring to Kiriko's sushi chef. Even while Tomo-san was cranking out platter after platter for the lunch rush, "he somehow simultaneously made me feel like I had his attention the whole time, carefully preparing my individual pieces."
Kiriko [Westside-Inland]
11301 West Olympic Boulevard #102, Los Angeles
310-478-7769
Discuss: Kiriko's $40 Lunch Sushi Omakase (Review and Pics)
Photograph of aji and bonito nigiri by PeterCC
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on Thursday, May 17th, 2012
For a long time, many Chowhounds thought Los Angeles had only two truly great dim sum joints: Elite and Sea Harbour. But with the addition of King Hua, Los Angeles now has a "triumvirate of solid dim sum," says J.L. liu thinks King Hua might actually be the best: "We went to Elite for dim sum this past weekend, and the entire time I was wishing I were back at King Hua. I think their sticky rice, their shrimp dishes, and their BBQ Pork Honey Buns are calling me back...immediately!"
Elite [San Gabriel Valley]
700 South Atlantic Boulevard, Monterey Park
626-282-9998
Sea Harbour [San Gabriel Valley]
3939 Rosemead Boulevard, Rosemead
626-288-3939
King Hua [San Gabriel Valley]
2000 West Main Street, Alhambra
626-282-8833
Discuss: Dim sum at King Hua: A Pictorial Essay
Photograph of shrimp dumplings by J.L.
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on Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
The best croissant in the world is not in France but at Maison Giraud Bakery right here in Los Angeles, says world traveler blanch. The croissant is the product of pastry genius Noubar Yessayan. "Noubar makes great breads and pastries, but the croissants are a tour de force," says blanch. "The butter literally oozes out of the pastry. Get a big napkin."
Though still a fan of the bakery, cothev isn't as excited as blanch. "The croissants are indeed good, though small, but I'm not sure they are the greatest in the world," cothev says.
Maison Giraud Bakery [Westside - Beaches]
1032 Swarthmore Avenue, Pacific Palisades
310-459-7562
Discuss: Maison Giraud in Pacific Palisades has the greatest croissant in the world
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on Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
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