Los Angeles Digest

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Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

The Deepest Truck in LA

Antojitos de la Abuelita “is the most serious Mexican kitchen in the Valley, and one of the deepest trucks in LA,” says our resident Mexican-cuisine expert streetgourmetla. The owners are a family from Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, just outside of Mexico City.

Abuelita looks a lot like a weekend mobile restaurant in Mexico City. The owners set up a tent and tables, and customers order at the truck then take their food and sit. There are the usual antojitos: huaraches, pambazos, sopes, as well as more esoteric filled masa snacks. Try the guisados (meat stews) delivered in grilled quesadillas. Other excellent fillings: outstanding huitlacoche (corn smut), flor de calabaza (squash blossom) with cheese, and mushrooms with cheese.

Abuelita also has excellent soups, with two real stars. The first is “a sublime menudo served in a genuine curbside setting,” says streetgourmetla. And the second is caldo de gallina (chicken soup), the most common streetside soup served in Mexico City, but one that is incredibly hard to find in Los Angeles.

Other orders: the most satisfying tlayuda in town: huge, pizza-like, and crisp, with real, full-tasting meats. And tacos: “The cooking of meats here are deft in flavor and texture. On weekends they do barbacoa cooked in maguey spines, moist and elegant flavors of mutton,” says streetgourmetla.

The truck shows up Wednesdays through Fridays from around 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Antojitos de la Abuelita [San Fernando Valley - East]
6135 Vineland Avenue, North Hollywood
No phone available

Board Link: Antojitos de la Abuelita: Straight Outta Neza

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Veggie-Friendly Mexican Food

Los Chilangos is a new place specializing in the antojitos of Mexico City: huaraches (sandal-shaped stuffed masa dough), quesadillas (cheese-filled fried tortillas), tlacoyos (small, oval, stuffed huaraches). There’s also the heart-stopping alambre: carne asada, ham, bacon, onions, and red pepper griddled together and topped with melted cheese.

The pambozas (rolls dipped in chile sauce and griddled) are beautiful. They’re “surprisingly light, like a chile-head’s twisted idea of French toast, with a nice spread of beans, potato, and chorizo,” says Das Ubergeek.

Los Chilangos makes great nopales, too. “It takes talent to cook nopales, because they ooze like okra, and you run the risk of serving a pile of green snot to your guests,” explains Das Ubergeek. They work very well in a huarache with al pastor.

Los Chilangos [Orange County]
1830 West Lincoln Avenue, Anaheim
714-999-5515

Board Link: REVIEW: Los Chilangos, Anaheim

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Like a Hybrid Pecan-Mincemeat Pie

Avanti has exceptional baked goods, according to one hound’s report. “This place rocks,” says meltedcheese. “Their cookies, pies, date bars, and tapiocas are more SF than OC and it’s appreciated.”

The best thing there, especially right now, is the raisin walnut pie. It’s like a mincemeat pie crossed with a pecan pie, and it’s incredibly good. “If you bought a whole one and put some fresh whipped cream on it you would be the king of a party,” says meltedcheese.

Avanti Cafe [Orange County]
259 E. 17th Street, Costa Mesa
949-548-2224

Board Link: Walnut Raisin pie at Avanti today… amazing OC Costa Mesa

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Overheard on the Los Angeles Boards

“This is a common confusion in LA, which just doesn’t get the burrito.”
-a_and_w

“A few summers ago, Bouchon Yountville’s moule frites set the benchmark … Bouchon BevHills delivered huge with the iron boat full of cooked mussels and garlic confit. This time around, I paid attention to every bite and what popped out was the slightly sour garlic confit.”
-TonyC

“Figueroa Produce In Highland Park is now stocking grass-fed free range beef from Open Space Meats. We had a rib eye last week and it was excellent.”
-PurpleTeeth

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Overheard on the Los Angeles Boards

“The problem with any Milanese-style meat, whether it’s pork, veal, chicken or whatever is that you never get exactly the amount of breading you want.”
-lil mikey

“After the tour, we walked over to the covered patio for lunch which started with a tapas plate of cured meats, cheeses and olives.”

-pleasurepalate

“Thick, hand-made tortillas, super-fresh ingredients (open kitchen), spotless dining room, and a welcome alternative to a lot of the grubby/uncomfortable places farther east on Whittier Blvd.”
-cant talk…eating

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Fried Shrimp Balls

The best fried shrimp in town, says Al Bondigas, is found at the Original Shrimp Place. There are other things on the menu, but what you want are the fried shrimp fritters, which are like “doughball soft tempura shrimp balls,” says Cinnabon. They’re a real treat, particularly with the nice homemade salsa with dried chiles and black pepper that comes on the side.

The place is in the downtown Foodcourt, mixed in with some other food stalls. The clientele can be a little rough around the edges, warns Al Bondigas.

Original Shrimp Place [Downtown]
327 S. Broadway, Los Angeles
213-687-8565

Board Link: The Original Shrimp Place- Best Fried Shrimp Around

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Straight Outta Auntie Em’s

What was once LA Bread has been taken over by new management and turned into the Village Bakery & Cafe. The fresh incarnation is much better than the old one, says scurvy. The secret is Barbara Monderine, the new owner. Barbara was one of the two founders of Auntie Em’s, which has long been one of the great purveyors of homey baked treats around town.

“The baked treats at Village are a wee bit more refined than what Barbara did at Auntie Em’s,” explains scurvy. There’s lemon and olive oil cake with almonds and rosemary, as well as possibly the best baguette in LA, says scurvy: “Crunchy and chewy and soft in all the right places.”

Some egg dishes come with a stunning cheesy leek and potato cake. “[It] is something you will think about later. You will wonder how long you have to wait until you can have more leek potato coke,” says scurvy.

There are excellent huge, fluffy, berry-filled pancakes, and great coffee, too.

Village Bakery & Cafe [Atwater Village]
3119 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles
323-662-8600

Auntie Em’s Kitchen [Eagle Rock]
4616 Eagle Rock Boulevard, Los Angeles
323-255-0800

Board Link: Village Bakery & Cafe - forget your LA Bread sadness and get over there for some real baking!

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Westside Chinese Two-Fer!

Some recent discoveries to file under that rarest of the rare category: good Chinese west of the San Gabriel Valley.

Find #1: xiao long bao (juicy, soup-filled dumplings) and cats’ ears noodles in the Valley. The place goes under multiple names: some call it Tampa Garden, the exterior signage says Chinese Delight, the menus says Tampa Garden Chinese Delight, and the Chinese-language business card carries the parenthetical name Happy Dumpling.

The place may look like a fast food Chinese place, says jotfoodie, but it’s not. It’s a sit-down restaurant, with rough, homemade dumplings and noodles. The folks there are genuinely nice. The cats’ ears noodles are a little thicker and chewier than is optimal, think a few hounds, but really: homemade dumplings and noodles in the Valley. That’s seven kinds of awesome all in itself.

Find #2: Mandarin Kitchen, a semi-authentic Chinese restaurant in Westwood. It’s owned by the folks who used to run Hop Woo. This place is mostly Hong Kong style, and it’s decently good, says Chandvakl. One strong point: fish maw, an internal fish organ, is a serious rarity on the Westside.

Tampa Garden [San Fernando Valley–West]
8241 Tampa Avenue, Los Angeles
818-349-2221

Mandarin Kitchen [Westside–Inland]
1822 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles
310-441-9651

Board Links: Xiao Long Bao and Cats’ Ears Noodles In Reseda
Westsiders Rejoice! Fish Maw on Westwood Boulevard

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Overheard on the Los Angeles Boards

“It has been way too long since the Beijing Olympics, which was the last time I had me some really, really great Shanxi-style hand cut noodles. These rocked it for sure.”
-Ciao Bob

“I always loved eating kimbap at Korean friends’ houses growing up. I once asked why I never saw it in restaurants or stores, and was told with a laugh ‘that would be like selling peanut butter and jelly sandwiches’.”
-QualityMart

“[A-1’s] burgers blow Fatburger in the weeds.”
-jlepire

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

Jamaican Patties Just Out of the Oven

The jerk chicken is merely good at beloved Jamaican joint Natraliart, but not as “crazy good” as the beef patty, says Senor Popusa.

“The patty was awesome—hot straight out of the oven,” says Senor Popusa. “The filling had some spice to it and was looser than most places. The crust was crispy but not dry. All around delicious.” He liked it so much he got some to go for the next day.

Natraliart is connected to a Jamaican market. It’s a separate room; there’s (casual) table service, and the folks are quite friendly.

Natraliart Food Market [Mid-Wilshire]
3426 W. Washington Boulevard, Los Angeles
323-732-8865

Board Link: Natraliart Jamaican Restaurant—excellent patties

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