riceflour's Profile
Burgers
Went to 8oz. Tuesday night after hearing good things about their drinks. I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by the entire meal. From the whiskey sour made with bourbon, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and "sweetness" (simple syrup? agave?) to the grass fed burger (I opted to add bel paese cheese to the charred escarole and roasted mushrooms that come with it) to the banana split (I wish I could take a jar of the caramel sauce home), it was all very tasty. The bf had their 8oz. burger, considerably larger than mine, and scarfed it down.
Spoiler alert:
The "Grounds for Divorce" cocktail, described as "Don't ask" on the menu, is absinthe. Very strong, very fragrant.
http://www.8ozburgerbar.com/
For a more detailed review, there are pics and descriptions on my blog:
http://tastefuladventures.blogspot.com
Sweetbreads
The flatiron steak comes with sweetbreads nuggets at Animal on Fairfax. Tasty. Went there two weeks ago with the bf and a college buddy, and the buddy and I flipped a coin for the last nugget.
The website's not up yet, but here's a link to check back to:
http://www.animalrestaurant.com/
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Animal
435 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Porto's must try's
I adore their pastries with cream cheese and guava. The sweetness of the guava is tempered by the slight tang of the cream cheese--so delicious!
Congratulations on breaking your diet :)
Great article on wine ice cream
Oh good gracious. I'm drooling on my keyboard. Many thanks, sugarbuzz!
Great article on wine ice cream
Good advice. It works now. Thanks! I thought I was going insane.
Great article on wine ice cream
I tried the link and got a message saying the server was not found. Do you have another link? Or a link to the main website? (I tried http://suite101.com and http://www.suite101.com with no success.)
I am REALLY excited for a wine ice cream recipe, as the others I have tried haven't worked out for me. Thanks so much!!
Yellowtail Collar
Hatfield's has a hemp-crusted yellowtail collar on their tasting menu that is a yummy combination of juicy, salty, and creamy.
IRON CHEF
I think the judge you're referring to Akiko Katayama. According to the intro they give her on the show, she's a food writer and consultant for the Japanese government (or something like that--I'm usually too engrossed in the food to listen intently to judge bios).
http://nymag.com/daily/food/2008/04/akiko_katayama_tells_monday_ro_1.html
What do Chowhounds do for a living (besides eat of course)?
You have a point there, Boudleaux. My boyfriend is a recent gourmand, mostly under my tutelage, but his career in the music industry has grown at the same rate as his love of food. It's almost as if, in embracing the art and soul of dining, he has re-connected with the art and soul of music.
Idea
Great idea, Zucumber84! I toyed with that idea just after college, but my face was made for radio (as the saying goes). Given the current writers' strike, I'd say networks are hungry for fresh ideas that don't involve union writers. But I agree with others that posting on YouTube is a great way to drum up interest and generate buzz in the first stages. Good luck!
Let us know when you post your first episode : )
I need a food WOW! moment
I second the Sona rec, but would also like to throw my two cents in for Hatfield's. I had the seven course tasting menu Wednesday night and was blown away by six out of the seven dishes, which were designed to pair well with the small bottle of vouvray I was drinking. And there's foie--always a plus!
Strip Mall Haute
Hirozen on Beverly and Orlando, just east of the Beverly Center. Not necessarily the best for purely sushi (though the ocean trout and spanish makerel are delicious), but tasty small dishes and purple yam yokan for dessert--with coconut tapioca, my personal favorite. Enjoy! And welcome to Los Angeles : )
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Hirozen
8385 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048
How common are food allergies and aversions- really?
Ah, now I see. My mom is the one who told me he had developed an allergy to grapefruit due to the medication, but the above explanations make more sense to me. Thanks for clearing it up, everyone! :)
How common are food allergies and aversions- really?
I dated a guy who was allergic to legumes, my dad is allergic to grapefruit due to a medication he's taking, and my boyfriend's mom is allergic to shellfish.
When I was younger, I was allergic to pineapple--we discovered that when I ate a piece of "Hawaiian" pizza and broke out in hives. My allergy to MSG started when I was 21, so no Doritos or other kinds of mainstream chips for me. Sad, because I love Funyons...
Poll: What restaurants do you eat in most often?
The BF and I eat at Opus two or three times a month. It's just down the street from us, plus we always have a great experience.
We also go to Hirozen or Mishima whenever we're around the Beverly Center, depending on what we're in the mood for.
For takeout, we typically head to BCD Tofu House on Wilshire--local, easy, cheap, and 24 hours. A real plus, given our post-work hours!
If anyone has any recs for another Korean place with that yummy soup, please let me know. Thanks!
Looking for a crusty, butter croissant (pastry style) nearest to the Miracle Mile
What about Paris Baguette on Western? I've heard good things, but can't attest to the quality. Has anyone tried their croissants?
Restaurants in Venetian - what's recommended?
Delmonico is wonderful, indeed. As is Bouchon. Even their cafe stand just beyond the casino floor has great stuff--the chocolate eclair, especially, as it is filled with deliciously rich (but light) chocolate.
I also rather enjoyed Batali's other restaurant in San Marco Plaza (at the end of the shopping mall section) for their salted caramel gelato and pancetta pizza.
I never got a chance to venture beyond the hotel last time I was there, but I hear Bobby Flay's Masa is surprisingly tasty.
For a more comprehensive look at my most recent Venetian expedition, check out this thread: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/416196
Enjoy your trip!
The Grove
I second the note on Morels and Whisper Lounge. The dinner I had at Whisper was actually good enough for me to return. As for Morels, it's my go-to spot for drinks and charcuterie plate when I'm at The Grove anyway for an evening movie.
I must admit, though, that I'd rather head to Hirozen or Cobras for dinner than any of The Grove restaurants if I have no further shopping to do for the night.
my daughter tells me NOW that's it's mulitcultural day tomorrow!
Frozen char siu bao, available at most major grocery stores, keep well through lunch if kept refrigerated overnight after steaming/microwaving. I remember taking these for lunch during grade school, and they held up really well--must be the insulation of the bread, or the low meat to bun ratio.
Also, vegetarian egg rolls (also available frozen at the grocery store) won't go bad, though they may get a little soggy.
Good luck!
Filipino Food: Educate me, please
Agreed, pilinut. My grandmother always used what was freshest when making any dish--Filipino or otherwise. I've found that many LA Filipino places use what's "traditional" (in terms of what they have on the shelves at Pacific Market), but not necessarily fresh (in terms of what I see at Farmer's Markets and local growers).
One place that tends towards market-fresh as well as traditional Filipino flavors is Bistro Luneta in the Bay Area. It's how my mom would cook if she had the time and knowledge. It's how *I* cook now when I have that kind of time. No MSG for me, despite the recommendation of many of my friends.
Besa's book is, indeed, my go-to when it comes to replicating the dishes my grandma used to make for us way back when...
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Bistro Luneta
615 3rd Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94401
Looking for a crusty, butter croissant (pastry style) nearest to the Miracle Mile
If you're at La Conversation anyway, please also try a chocolate-filled chocolate eclair. Closest thing i've found to those in France. Most American ones are filled with vanilla pastry cream--blech.
Also, further away from Miracle Mile but worth stopping at if you're in the area: La Dijonaise for the butter croissant. They're usually only available in the mornings, as many customers buy them for take-out before work.
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La Conversation
638 N Doheny Dr, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Filipino Food: Educate me, please
Tofu sisig is the only thing I remember from my lunch at Max's in Manila last year. Compared to the pork sisig I had tried a few days prior (some place at the Greenbelt? across from the Renaissance Makati), it was a revelation. If only I could figure out how to replicate it here in LA...
Any recipe suggestions, makatiboy?
Things you like slightly burned or burnt?
Oh man...fried eggplant pizza. One of two foods I miss from Boston (crispy Pad Thai extra spicy with crispy chicken being the other one). It seems to be a primarily East Coast phenomenon, but I believe Village Pizzeria on Larchmont here in LA offers the fried eggplant as a topping.
Feast, this may be why others may not know of the magic that is fried eggplant pizza.
And Freida, the eggplant is breaded and fried before topping the saucy, chewy thin crust of which most eggplant pizzas are comprised.
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Village Pizzeria
131 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004
Best breakfast in L.A.
The BF had a fabulous eggs benedict this morning at Monsieur Marcel in the Farmer's Market. I know most hounds avoid Farmer's Market, but I was pleasantly surprised to find the hollandaise on the benedict (benedict a la marcel, served on croissant) incredibly tasty. Nice hint of lemon juice, buttery and rich without that heavy mouthfeel that is so common. The poached egg looked to be cooked just to the BF's liking, and the croissant was light and airy, nicely layered and just a tiny bit sweet.
My nutella and banana tartine was really good, too. Monsieur Marcel seems only to have this brunch menu on Sundays. 11-1.
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Farmers Market
6333 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90036
This one's tough
I second the Opus rec. Their waitstaff is knowledgeable and willing to accommodate any kind of diner. Enjoy!
LAST MEAL?
Every time I eat one of those, I think it'll be my last meal. I get mine loaded with all the onions, peppers, mayo, mustard, and ketchup that the lady will give me. Nothing beats that greasy goodness after a night of tequila! I go to whatever stand is outside whatever bar/club I'm leaving, but my favorite used to be outside of Joseph's in Hollywood on Monday nights. Now that Joseph's is, er, wack...I go local.
Need First Date Option in Hollywood
I'll probably get some flak for this, but I had a great date with my boyfriend a few months ago at Cafe des Artistes in Hollywood. The service was timely and unintrusive, and the waiter's wine suggestion was perfect. My steak tartare with frites was tasty and made tableside, so the seasoning was to my liking. The BF's steak frites was lovely--cooked perfectly, nice and juicy. We shared the apple tart, but I would recommend trying something else (the crust was a bit soggy).
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Cafe Des Artistes
1534 N. McCadden Pl., Hollywood, CA 90028
Suggestions for Las Vegas dining?
It would have been, except that we were eating dinner at 11p or later most nights, and brunch/lunch at around 11:30a. And with no time to venture outside of the building (see my update below), all of our "adventures" were limited to establishments in The Venetian.
Hopefully, our next convention/vacation will allow for more time to explore the rest of the city and NOT be in the middle of the 115F heatwave. Ugh--that was enough incentive for me to stay in the building, for sure : \
