condementia's Profile
Restaurants in Sonoma
I will be in Rohnert Park for a conference and would appreciate recommendations for lunch and dinner (Thursday dinner and Friday lunch). Open to any price range and cuisine as long as the food is something that will leave me savoring it long after I've gone back home to southern California.
Lunch - Olympic and Bundy
There's Chutney's at the corner of Barrington and Pico for some Indian/Pakistani food. My favorite there is the Nehari (tender chunks of slow-cooked beef shank meat in spicy curry sauce)...goes well with plain naan.
Good Inexpensive Sushi nr cnr of Larrabee & Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood?
i love the chirashi, ono, ikura, uni and salmon skin roll here. it's in an easy-to-miss spot, on the north side of san vicente just east of la cienega. it's next to LA paella.
Haru Sushi & Roll Café
www.harusushicafe.com
480 South San Vicente Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90048-4107
(323) 782-0547
My dad eats only hamburgers. I eat everything. He’s paying. Where to go?
Another option: the Westside Tavern in the Westside Pavilion Mall (by Pico/Westwood). They have burgers (and steak) on their lunch and dinner menus and I've had no problems customizing orders (sauce on the side, fries instead of chips, etc.). My favorite meal there is the jar of chicken liver mousse washed down with the grapefruit rickey.
http://www.westsidetavernla.com/
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Westside Tavern
10850 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
Looking for yufka and pismaniye in OC or LA
I've bought pismaniye at:
Super Hayat Market
16904 Prairie Avenue
Torrance, CA 90504
(310) 370-5707
I saw that this market, next to Sofra Kabab on Venice, carries different kinds of pastry dough in the refrigerated section but I didn't notice what kind they were. I did, however, notice other Turkish products in there, like some cheeses, so they may carry yuftka and leblebi (and I think I did see pismaniye there as well)..
Payless Produce Market
10817 Venice Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90034-7103
(310) 836-9841
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Super Hayat Market
16904 Prairie Ave, Torrance, CA 90504
ISO restaurant to celebrate 40th birthday
Thanks for your suggestions. We ended up at Vetri and had the grand tasting menu without the wine pairing. It was quite a lot of food and we ended up doggie-bagging the main course. It was well beyond the planned budget but I'm happy to have splurged.
Overall, it was a wonderful meal and the fabric bags with the take home goodies were a nice touch (particularly the bag itself). Some things were outstanding (gazpacho amuse bouche, foie gras, melon granita/palate cleanser) but the deserts (corn flan and steamed raspberry cake) were not at the same level as the other courses.
There were a couple of minor things that detracted from the experience. Although chicken liver was mentioned by my friend when they'd asked us if we had anything we didn't like from the sample menu items, they still served it to her. It wasn't a big deal since we happily exchanged items between the 2 of us.
Also, it was difficult to make a wine selection since we weren't told beforehand what we'd be getting. I don't know if he was the sommelier or manager but a man had come to see if we wanted to get something from the list and he offered to go find out what we were going to be getting so that helped a little but it was difficult to share a bottle.
Again, it was a wonderful evening and I thank you for making that suggestion.
ISO restaurant to celebrate 40th birthday
LA Hound looking for a great dinner spot to celebrate a 40th b-day...party of 2, just the girls.
Price range $20-$30 entrees or thereabouts (will spend more if it's one of those truly spectular places...places where it'd be a shame for a foodie to miss)
Cuisine: There's no preference for any particular country's cuisine, just food that's prepared thoughtfully and leaves you wanting another bite even after you've polished off the plate...food that's interesting, with unusual ingredients presented in innovative ways...dishes where the use of quality ingredients comes through. doesn't have to be fancy, just darn good..
Location: will be driving down from Newtown/Langhorne. The shorter the drive the better but we will travel for good food (I'm used to LA distances)
Date: Sat., Aug. 21
Little Bangladesh? Want more info!
It's been a while since the OP requested info but I just came across the thread today. Here are a couple of other places...I agree with sku that it's hit-or-miss. Although, I do find the sweets at Aladin to be fairly good most of the time. If you want to try the sweet yoghurt, make sure to ask for it in the clay pot as that tastes better than the one they serve in the foil containers.
To clear up some of the confusion, Bangladesh used to be a part of India (referred to as East Bengal) and then it became a part of Pakistan (East Pakistan). It gained independence in 1971 and, as such, no part of it is in India. West Bengal is a state in India and you will find Bengalis there as well as in Bangladesh. "Bengali" refers to both the people and the language and in Bengali, the word "bangla" refers specifically to the Bengali language and the word "desh" means country/land. Hope this helps.
Aladin
139 S. Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90004
ph: 213-382-9592
Swadesh
4153 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90020-3446
(213) 386-7799
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Swadesh
4153 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Best Pakistani?
Every now and then I make the trek over to Shahnawaz (from Culver City). I love their bihari kabab and nehari. They have a special lunch buffet on Sundays and it allows me to venture away from my 2 staples..
Shahnawaz Restaurant
12225 Centralia St, Lakewood, CA 90715
(562) 402-7443
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Shahnawaz
12225 Centralia St, Lakewood, CA 90715
Szechuan hot pot in SGV - recommendations?
Haven't tried it yet but it's been a somewhat recent addition at Chung King. You can pick and choose which items you want to add to the pot and I don't remember too well but I think they can give you broth and/or oil as your base (not mixed; in different segments of the pot).
Chung King
206 S Garfield Ave
Monterey Park, CA 91754
626-280-7430
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Chung King Restaurant
206 S Garfield Ave, Monterey Park, CA 91754
Franky & Johnny's Seafood Outlet
Went there the other day...just off the 5, Stadium Way exit. They converted a gas station and now it's outfitted as a seafood place. It's mainly a retail place (with wholesale prices) with a large variety of items from different parts of the world...plenty of gorgeous shellfish and the price of the huge fillet of tuna made me do a doubletake (sorry, I don't remember what it was but it was pretty unbelievable...made me want to make the peppered tournadoes of tuna from the Patina cookbook...and it would've served at least 10 people). You can find cheaper tilapia at the Filipino stores but the prices of other stuff were definitely on the low side. The ready-to-bake tray of Su Boereg (phyllo-like pastry stuffed with cheese) in the freezer looked like a perfect thing for a party.
They set up a BBQ grill outside and you can order the daily special (or combo). I got some perfectly-cooked trout and orange roughy, with beautiful grill marks and a smoky flavor. It came with a side of tangy purple cabbage slaw (perfect amount of mustard flavor and slight hint of dill), potato salad and toasted french baguette. They even carry elderflower soda! The ginger beer has a great kick but I didn't care for the blood orange drink.
Johnny Nalbandian, one of the owners, was very warm and welcoming and funny. I was about to take the fish back to work, to eat at my desk but he insisted that I sit at one of the picnic tables outside and take a break, saying, "It's not worth it." My dad always tells me the same thing.
Franky & Johnny's Seafood Outlet
1633 Riverside Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90031
(323) 223-4740
www.fjseafoodoutlet.com
Any Chow-worthy lunch places around Slauson/405?
Some Culver City options:
PhoShow on Sepulveda, just south of Culver, next to Big 5
4349 Sepulveda Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 398-5200
I like their fish pho; haven't tried too many other things since they were just OK and didn't make me want to explore the menu. It's always been very busy every time I've been.
Jasmine, also on Sepulveda, just south of Washington Blvd, next to RadioShack, serves South Asian and Burmese food
4135 1/2 Sepulveda Blvd
Culver City, CA 90230
(310) 313-3767
I like: aloo puri, keema curry, dal goash curry
Pampas Grill in the Culver Center, down the same side as Bally's, across the parking lot from Starbucks
3857 Overland Ave
Culver City, CA 90232
(310) 836-0080
www.pampas-grill.com
They offer a wide variety of buffet items a la "por kilo" style, where you get charged for the weight of your food and you have the option to get a variety of meats from the churrasqueira. I like their pao de queijo and fried plantains.
ISO of a vegetarian restaurant (or one w/ plenty of veg options) for a bachelorette dinner
thanks, mollyomormon!
ISO of a vegetarian restaurant (or one w/ plenty of veg options) for a bachelorette dinner
Sorry for the delay. As of now, it looks like there will be six people. In terms of price, they're open to a range but would prefer a place which also has nice ambiance.
ISO of a vegetarian restaurant (or one w/ plenty of veg options) for a bachelorette dinner
Foodie friends are coming to town and staying in WeHo for a bachelorette weekend getaway. What would you recommend (preferably on the west side but will consider other locations if they're that good)?
Dinela 2010...is it just me?
Josie's menu does have Jidori Chicken but also offers lots of other tempting items. Although I haven't been there during dineLA, all the other times were quite memorable (I still miss their roasted bone marrow app).
http://discoverlosangeles.com/play/dining/restaurantweek/aapartdetail.jsp?id=27733
Dinner
Choice of Appetizers
Oro Blanco Grapefruit Salad
baby lettuces, radishes, tarragon vinaigrette
Picpoul de Pinet, Cave de Pomerols, Côteaux du Languedoc, 2008
Kabocha Pumpkin and Heirloom Apple Soup
roasted vegetable hash
Riesling, Reuscher-Haart, Mosel, 2007
Crispy Berkshire Pork Belly
celery root purée, blood orange
Pinot Noir, ‘T. Solomon Wellborn,’ Tantara, Santa Barbara County, 2007
Choice of Entrees
Josie's Famous 'Campfire' Trout
whole boneless trout, green beans, asparagus, tomato, lemongrass nage
Sauvignon Blanc, ‘Paragon Vineyard,’ Tangent, Edna Valley, 2007
Brittany Salt-Crusted Jidori Chicken Breast
Allen Brothers’ grits, pancetta-roasted carrots, baby mustard greens
Garnacha, ‘Tres Ojos,’ Bodegas San Gregorio, Calatayud, Spain, 2007
Braised Pork ‘Osso Buco’
black barley risotto, cavolo nero
Syrah, ‘La Coppa,’ Stolpman, Santa Ynez Valley, 2005
Choice of Desserts
Warm Chocolate Bread Pudding
chocolate sauce, whipped cream
Brachetto d’Acqui, Braida, Piemonte, 2007
Sticky Pecan Pumpkin Cake
muscovado sugar ice cream, caramel sauce
Banyuls, ‘Rimage’ Cornet & Cie, Banyuls, 2006
Heirloom Apple Crisp
toasted oatmeal crumble, vanilla bean ice cream
Moscato, ‘Vigna Senza Nome’ Braida, 2008
SUPPLEMENTS
(Not included in dineLA Restaurant Week menu pricing.)
Appetizer: Seared East Coast Diver Scallops - baby pink turnips, butter-roasted cauliflower, horseradish sauce $5
Chardonnay, luli, Santa Lucia Highlands, 2008
Entree: Prime ‘Bistro-Cut’ New York Steak - garlic mashed potatoes, candied garlic – watercress – Gorgonzola salad, Pop’s peppercorn sauce $10
Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley Vineyards, Alexander Valley, 2007
Sunday Brunch
gorgeous buffet with cocktails? just a tad east of your parameters but the terrace at the langham in pasadena is known for their champagne brunch buffet.
Nice Dinner Westside W/ TV to Watch the World Series
Westside Tavern at the Westside Pavilion has a flat screen in the bar area and has good food, too.
Best Wine Pairing in LA?
Upstairs 2 in WLA
2311 Cotner Ave.,
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Tel. 310-231-0316
http://upstairs2.com/dinnermenu/
Something delicious to bring on the plane with me, but must buy the day before
Recently heard about this place...haven't tried it yet but some of the things sound delicious (esp. the deli salad of albacore tuna confit)
The Point
(310) 836-8400
8522 National Blvd
Culver City, CA 90232
Monday-Friday 8am- 6pm
http://www.thepoint-la.com/
Brief Report: $55 Seafood Buffet Extravaganza at the Terrace/Langham Pasadena
They were initially offering this just in Sept and then extended it to Oct because of the response. It's only on Wednesdays from 6-9p.
Simply, WONDERFUL. AMAZING DEAL. Excellent service.
5 stations (all but salad and dessert are prepared right as you order it)
1. fresh oysters, king crab legs, lobster lollipops and shrimp sous vide, cioppino
2. steamed mussels and seared swordfish tapas style
3. another 2 tapas-style preps (shrimp on rice cakes in one and I forget the other...halibut? with crispy leeks)
4. salads/antipasto
5. desserts (green tea panna cotta, raspberry parfait, carrot cake, creme brulee, etc....all beautifully served)
For the 2 tapas-style stations, I believe the seafood they use may vary from week to week. I more than got my money's worth with the chilled shellfish and didn't spend much time/stomach space at the other stations.
PS
Free valet parking with restaurant validation.
What to order at Drago?
i love their polenta app with fontina and mushrooms and their spaghetti with tuna bottarga.
Dinner "Specials" in Los Angeles
Will be trying this on Wednesday...seafood buffet at the Langham in Pasadena on Wednesdays in Sept & Oct.
"During the months of September and October, The Terrace will be offering a seafood extravaganza buffet, including a variety of fresh seafood delicacies and action stations featuring chefs preparing specialty small plates. Cost is $55 for adults; $22 children 13 and under (plus tax and gratuity) Wednesday nights in September and October from 6 to 9 pm"
Westside Tavern -- a resounding success
have been several times and it was packed the last time i went (this past saturday night), with a large crowd milling outside. at first i thought that the landmark was having a special event but no, they were all waiting for a table. the hostess had mentioned bar seating (either at the main bar or the private space) and even those areas were packed and had to wait a little while.
i LOVE their grapefruit rickeys, chicken liver mousse and the ale battered halibut fish and chips (our version of chips, not fries) and a finger-licking good dill tarragon tartar sauce. i didn't care too much for their angus strip steak.
initially, this past weekend, i was planning to have the chicken liver mousse again but then reconsidered, having thought about irene virbila's mention of the fish and chips. so, when ordering, i had asked for "the halibut," not having bothered with the menu nor (stupidly) considered that there may be other halibut dishes. the couple that had sat next to me and ordered well after me got their dishes before me (and it wasn't because they were getting special treatment for being regulars; they said it was their 2nd time). the bartender saw my quizzical look and explained that my dish would be out shortly and that the halibut takes longer...tho, i didn't buy that. when my order finally came, i was surprised to see a different dish. the bartender apologized for the confusion and fixed the situation...putting my order at the front of the line and i got it within minutes. you get three large fieces of perfectly-cooked fish and it's worth every penny of the $19 and the overall long wait. i told the bartender that they should offer the chips by themselves and he said that even though it's not on the menu, you can always ask for them.
the chicken liver mousse, which i'd had at an earlier visit, comes in a little mason jar and is wonderful. it's very rich and there's plenty to share. the mango salsa wasn't anything special, not too flavorful and not enough to be able to enjoy a few pieces on every bite but its acidity does help balance the unctuousness of the mousse.
the grapefruit rickeys were great every time...not too sweet or bitter.
on another occasion, i had the grilled angus strip steak...it was well cooked (i ordered it med rare) but the cut of meat was a little too tough. i'm not a big fan of having cheese with my steak but the big hunk of st. agar blue that was on the side was delicious and helped me get through the meat. the heirloom tomatoes didn't do too much either and there could've been a little more of the aged balsamic on the plate. i really felt like some fries with my steak and had asked the waitress for some...a side of fries wasn't on the menu, either but they happily obliged.
lesson? if you don't see something on the menu that's offered with other dishes but not as stand-alones, just ask them.
Brown Rice Sushi Restaurant?
amazing sushi/sashimi...they go and get them every morning...and the prices are even better, especially for what you get (including many organic ingredients). you can ask them to sub in brown rice for whatever they offer.
ono, sake, ikura and uni are my standing faves. their salmon skin roll is the best i've had, perfectly crisp and with just enough bits of flesh to make it super satisfying. their organic green tea is wonderful (hot or cold), as well as the green tea ice cream that's drizzled with a little brown sugar syrup and a light dusting of soy powder.
Haru Sushi Cafe
480 S San Vicente Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 782-0547
www.harusushicafe.com
CLOSED ON SUNDAYS
DineLA- running reviews of places so far
in brief:
been to 3 lunches so far: boa santa monica, cafe rodeo at the luxe hotel and spago...spago wins hands down (no surprise there).
boa SM---have been wanting to try it since it had opened but never got around to it. huge disappointment...not worth the soup/salad, sandwich and cookie for $28 "deal." the burger i ordered (medium rare) came out medium and really tough...not a good sign for a place specialzing in that meat. the sandwich came apart (tomato kept slipping out and the bun got too soggy and i just ate it with a fork and knife. mcd's and in-n-out are way better.
cafe rodeo--tuna tartar app was delicious. the salad part of the beef salad entree was good but i didn't like the flavor of the beef (a little too game-y). the cookies were fine; nothing to write home about. also, the lunch is $22 (opentable had it listed at $16)...still a lot better than boa.
spago---loved the pear, prosciutto and burrata app; didn't like the cod (way too salty and the mascarpone foam didn't have much flavor and body). dobos torte was good. overall, totally worth the $28 (tho, at the end of the day, it was a $60 lunch, counting a glass of prosecco, tax/tip and the valet).
