Los Angeles Area

Chicken pot pie at Daily Grill is one of the best around. Wonderfully flaky crust, plenty of white meat, some veg and a rich, rich gravy. They also do a damn good lobster pot pie, with big hunks of lobster in bechamel sauce. Chicken pot pie is $16; lobster is about $19. Look for their promotional fliers, which offer good deals on these dishes.

Henry Moffett’s is a chicken pie place, but the dine-in experience really isn’t worth it. Get a pie to go–they’ve got very tasty chicken, nice gravy and a good, firm crust. The food served at table, on the other hand, seems like it’s been sitting around waiting for a sucker like you. Mashed potatoes are a tiny cloud of starch, and bread a tasteless cottony puff. Biscuits, on the other hand, are top-notch–you can get those to go, too. Chicken pie is about $5.

Clementine, a great spot for baked goods and homestyle take-home entrees for the kitchen-averse gourmet, also offers a chicken pot pie for $9.

Daily Grill [Multiple locations]

Clementine [Century City]
1751 Ensley Ave., Los Angeles
310-552-1080
Locater

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Chicken pie challenge
Opinions on lobster pot pie
Lobster pot pie report

Tasca just got its beer and wine license, so they’re pouring as well as serving up tasty tapas, says can’t talk… eating.

There are small plates and larger ones, nothing cutting-edge, just tasty food like potatoes with linguica, duck and polenta, and grilled scallops.

It’s a laid-back place, pretty much the antithesis of loud, cramped Cobras & Matadors. Two people can dine for about $40 before tax and tip.

Tasca [Fairfax Village]
8108 W. Third St., Los Angeles
323-951-9890
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Legal at last
Loving Tasca

Tucked away in South Bay, Sushi Ken is on par with the likes of Nishimura and Mori, says ToroTaku, but much cheaper.

Sushi is traditional and they don’t do rolls, but the owner, who’s the sole chef, is no nazi. You can’t get a California roll, but feel free to ask for more (or less) wasabi. Nigiri is just the right size for the rice.

The clientele is mostly Japanese, being in Torrance, and the decor is new and very clean–a wooden counter and black-and-marble tables. Rather brightly lit, though.

Omakase runs $60-75.

Sushi Ken [South Bay]
22831 Hawthorne Blvd. # Bi, Torrance
310-378-9595
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Outstanding sushi joint

You’ll find a grand item of slow-food/fast-food at B&R, says kevin: the Royale burger. It’s like a Fatburger in heaven. We’re talking two half-pound burgers of well-seasoned beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato, house-made beef chili, a fried egg, relish, other condiments, and a few slices of bacon (or is that pastrami?). You’ll need a knife and fork.

The menu’s motto is, “Our fresh meat and produce purchased daily.”

It’s an excellent burger for just $5.

B & R Old Fashion Burgers [South Bay]
3512 W. Rosecrans Ave., Hawthorne
310-679-4774
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B&R’s burgers the old fashioned way

Determined to pit the kings of the fish taco against each other, Das Ubergeek arranged a face-off between Tacos Baja Ensenada and El Taco Nazo.

The fish in tacos from both places was a bit dry (but they’d traveled a bit to the face-off), but Tacos Baja Ensenada came out the winner. TBE’s cabbage was shredded more finely, and the crema was fresher. TBE’s fried hot peppers also have a tangier seasoning.

El Taco Nazo, though, takes the crown for shrimp tacos. Shrimp are juicy and wonderful, fried in a tempura-like batter. Salsa is good (better than the crema), but all it really needs is a hit of lime.

Tacos Baja Ensenada [East LA-ish]
5385 Whittier Blvd., Los Angeles
323-887-1980
Locater

El Taco Nazo [East LA-ish]
8713 Washington Blvd., Pico Rivera
562-949-5200
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El Taco Nazo vs. Tacos Baja Ensenada

The aunties have “retired” and there’s new blood in the kitchen at Samosa House. (Some of you may know Samosa House as the restaurant addition to Bharat Bazaar.) “What were formerly delicious samosas only available with a whisper and wink toward under the counter have actually now gotten even better–they are now literally made to order. Only in India or my own kitchen have I tasted samosas so fresh!” says aliris.

They serve great jackfruit, and occasionally, outstanding lily root, says westsidegal.

Meanwhile, Asian Kitchen has changed hands and is now Mayurama–still a South Asian restaurant.

Samosa House [West LA]
formerly Bharat Bazaar
11938 West Washington Blvd, Los Angeles
310-390-6005
Map

Mayurama [Culver City-ish]
formerly Asian Kitchen
10406 Venice Blvd., Culver City
310-559-9644
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Samosa House serving up lily root
Asian Kitchen becomes Mayurma

Word has it that the best, most flavorful lahmajoun–a ground-lamb-topped Middle Eastern flatbread–are at Partamian’s bakery. Partamian’s also sells bourek (turnovers) and manti (meat-filled ravioli).

The mom-and-pop vibe at Arax is part of its appeal–and so are their herbaceous maenesh, boureks (the bready type, not the filo-like crispy type) and lahmajoun, says modernist.

Arax has the edge in lahmajoun, but Sasoun has better bourek, says Normal Garciaparra.

Koko’s Bakery is a solid place for lahmajoun.

And modernist got a mysterious tip that a place in St. Vincent Court downtown has amazing lahmajoun.

Abraham Partamian Armenian Bakery [South LA]
5410 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles
323-937-2870
Locater

St. Vincent Court [Downtown]
Alley between Broadway and Hill, and 6th and 7th Sts., Los Angeles
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Where to get lahmajoun?
Where to get Syrian pizza?

The latest cupcakerie to pop up is Big Sugar Bakeshop. They have a massive variety of treats, and their cupcakes are way more affordable than the competition’s cupcakes (i.e., Leda’s).

Maxmillion goes for their hummingbird, coconut and mocha cupcakes. There are also small bites like fudge squares and peanut butter buckeyes, and cake whole or by the slice.

Cupcakes are $1.50-$2 apiece. Cookies are $1. Check the Big Sugar blog for daily specials.

Big Sugar Bakeshop Fernando Valley]
12182 Ventura Blvd, Studio City
818-508-5855
Map
Blog

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More cupcakes in Studio City.

Obsessed with pork burgers, ipsedixit has been frequenting Wood Spoon when the need for a fix comes on. It’s hard to beat this baby, with good, crusty-yet-tender country roll, a very juicy pork patty, and roasted cabbage as garnish. Check out their version of chicken pot pie, too.

Wood Spoon
107 West 9th Street, Los Angeles
213-629-1765
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Jonesing for pork burgers

Yai, a Thai restaurant that’s sibling to the well-liked Yai (and Yai Noodles) in Thai Town, has finally opened after months of sitting empty (is rent free or what?). Chowpatty went to check it out and found the food pretty much the same as at the original Yai, if a little greasy. A big plus compared to Thai Town–super-easy parking.

Just up the street, a new Pinkberry has opened in Los Feliz Village. Great for cooling off after some spicy Thai.

Yai [Los Feliz]
1627 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles
323-644-1076
Locater

Pinkberry [Los Feliz]
1726 N. Vermont Ave., between Prospect and Kingswell, Los Angeles
323-661-0411
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Yai Thai pushes eastward
Los Feliz gets its very own Pinkberry