Bert's Profile
The Sandwich at Roma Deli
sandwich cheese is just ok, but he has piave (a semi-hard cheese which is hard to find, like a sharper manchego) and some 10 year aged fontinella that's really great. last week, he also had, for the first time i've ever seen, some burrata imported from italy (as well as the domestic gioia burrata, which is plenty good as well).
for those who like authentic DOP san marzanos, he has large cans of Strianese for $3.99, which is a buck fifty cheaper than what they sell for at most other places.
ISO Fresh Morels
Mushroom guy at the Santa Monica Farmer's market had them for $40/lb.
Shunji is quite the genious, a great chef/cook
FYI, it has always been traditional in Japan to cure salmon, reason being that wild salmon often have parasites (note that when you eat salmon sushi/sashimi, it's almost always farm raised). So back in the day, the curing process essentially "cooked" the meat while allowing it to be eaten as if it were "raw."
quite a few japanese restaurants still do it that traditional way, even no-frills type places like hide and noshi sushi.
And i only know this because i finally asked a sushi chef what the deal was....
Spice Table Lunch
Second the sloppy joe! like a spicy asian bolognese plus french fries = awesome gut bomb. also, and i posted it before in another thread, i think their cold cut is the best take on a traditional banh mi anywhere. 3 times as expensive as a typical banh mi in the SGV or westminster, but well worth it in my opinion thanks to the housemade head cheese, pate, etc.
cheeseburger is tasty, too. nothing quite like it in LA.
Giant XLB's reviewed by J.Gold - Wang Xing Ji
I was there, too! didn't realize that the LA Times had just written it up. there never used to be a wait, but on sunday they were completely slammed.
Looking for a restaurant in San Diego that has Turnip Greens on their menu!
Ha, in either case you probably have to go to the nearest Cracker Barrel, which serves quite tasty turnip greens! too bad the closest one to SD is in arizona...
The Sandwich at Roma Deli
Yes you can, but he may look at you funny! a jewish friend who doesn't eat pork (but enjoys cheese) went with me once and asked about his options, to which Ross replied "I make you something nice, ok?" and wound up giving him a roast beef, turkey and swiss sandwich.
Langer's vs. Katz's and One Other LA vs NY Observation
great call on langer's vs katz's. never really internalized it myself, but i think you're right. the pastrami is just a little better at katz (with langer's being very good in its own right), but there is no comparison bread-wise. the rye at langer's is some of the best bread i've ever had, period. no comparison there.
Mastros Lobster Mashed Potatoes
I say no. Decent mashed potatoes with some pieces of lobster. Tastes exactly as it sounds, nothing transcendent. the whole is not greater than the sum of the parts. but if you love mashed potatoes and would like a bit of lobster in it, then get it. plenty of people do and are quite happy. just not for me.
Singaporean Food in LA Anyone?
The Spice Table's Laksa is really, really good. It's the kind that I used to have in singapore, with the thick noodles (not the rice vermicelli style that they have at most other places here). The otah (which you can't really find anywhere else in the area) is also very good. Kon Loh Mee is fine. Much of the rest of the food is singapore-inspired, but they have their own upscale take on satays, etc.
the Hainan Chicken Rice is actually sort of fusiony. The chicken is confited, which gives it a unique flavor/texture, different from the typical boiled/steamed and hacked chicken. the rice and sauces are very good, though. For my money, I would go and share apps, satays, a bowl of laksa, and maybe a special.
Straight dish on the food truck scene?
This is absolutely correct. Food trucks were exciting when they afforded a change of pace from the "usual suspects" people eat at near their workplaces. now there are so many that they're basically roving food courts that set up in parking lots or side streets. i can say that none of them are good "bang for the buck" deals (you'll always wind up spending $10 or more for tacos/sandwich/etc + a side). Food-wise, i can't think of any that are particularly destination-worthy. again, the beauty of the food truck was that they brought decent or unique food closer to you. no point in driving to one unless it's got something one-of-a-kind or really delicious, which is unusual. as people mention here, Kogi was the original truck so that's got historical value (korean taco trucks are in almost every large city now, though if not in yours, this might qualify as "unique" food worth finding). the Ludobites truck is good, too, though not cheap (celeb chef who quit the fine dining scene to just do food trucks and popup restaurnats). other than that, in my opinion there is no other food truck that offers anything i can't get a better version of (and probably for cheaper) someplace else.
Dine LA Jan/Feb 2012 Reviews
Re the pork belly, yup, that's how pork belly is served. unless it says "braised bacon," it's not going to be smoky. agreed on spago's DineLA portion sizes. I actually go every year and always order the supplemental agnolotti course. Spago's super spendy, though, so even spending $60 a person (the $44 plus $15 or so for the agnolotti) is still much cheaper than a meal typically is there.
For my money, Spago is only worthwhile for the tasting menu (still the best, in my opinion, though it's more and more predictable nowadays).
The Sandwich at Roma Deli
prices are quite reasonable. great prosciutto san daniele (best i've had in LA from a deli counter) for $19.99 a pound. Sopressata and various salumi are around $10/lb. fantastic mortadella is $6.99 or $7.99 a pound. just about everything is imported. great (though limited) selection of italian cheeses, too, like piave, fontinella, and aged provolone (as well as about 10 different varieties of pecorino).
The Sandwich at Roma Deli
I'm with others. I agree that the produce is very hit or miss, but i've had excellent melons there, and green pluots that were the best i had all year (and i usually buy from the farmer's markets). i don't typically make produce shopping my reason for going to Roma, but anything good is a bonus, though i did specifically make a trip this year just to pick up more pluots (and a side of sopressata)
Artisan Salumi
Fra'Mani is served at restaurants like AOC and can actually be found (in limited selection and quantities) at Whole Foods. It's Paul Bertolli's company. He used to own Oliveto restaurant in Oakland (one of my faves in the bay area), but quit to focus on salumi. Their Toscano is probably my favorite of any cured meat. I've never really been impressed by the stuff at Boccolone (except the spreadable salami, which is pure awesomeness).
If you're anywhere near pasadena, Ross at Roma Deli on Lake imports incredible mortadella and prosciutto san daniele. He also carries 2 great kinds of sopressata which are italian, but i can't remember the brands. nicest guy in the world and with amazing prices.
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AOC
8022 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048
What's fantastic at Spicy BBQ in E Hollywood?
The signature dishes are Khao Soi (a curry noodle soup) and their house made sour thai sausage. Note that the Khao Soi generates a lot of debate becauase, while everyone agrees that it's delicious, they add non-dairy creamer to get the perfect texture/consistency. but hey, it's tasty!
Weekend Indian lunch buffet in LA that doesn't suck. Does it exist?
only in Little India in Artesia, so nowhere near Burbank/NoHo. If you do drive out there, The India Restaurant has a great buffet. pakoras, samosas... usually about 5 curries (typically a palak, a lentil, an aloo, butter chicken and a lamb shank curry). quality is very good. most of the other places don't do buffets, but The India Restaurant is fantastic (great for dinner as well)
Name This Restaurant aka the foolish diner
Actually, the other option is that JudiAU did NOT go to spago.
Native New Yorker moving to LA - hancock park/larchmont village area and need some recs in the hood!
I'm with Jesstifer on this. Noshi isn't mind-blowing or life-altering, but it's a fantastic local sushi joint with a great price/quality ratio.
Best Sushi Lunch - Omakase. Nowza / Zo / Mori / Sasabune?
Have you been to Mori since it was sold? Any change in quality?
Edit: this was a misplaced response to Porthos, though it sounds like Mori still works there even though he no longer owns the place?
Providence or The Bazaar?
the LQ cart i believe is supplied by Nicole's Gourmet Foods in south pas, which is a shop that specializes in french products (though they have other things). it's a nod to Laurent's french heritage.
The Providence cart is more diverse.
Best cheese plate i ever had was in the midst of Spago's 10-course tasting menu (plus 6 amuses) about 7 years ago. they brought out 13 cheeses, and after we selected a few, the server just asked if we'd like a plate of all 13. no-brainer. we wound up being served well over a pound of cheese for just the two of us. gluttony galore.
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Spago
176 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Nicole's Gourmet Foods
921 Meridian Ave, South Pasadena, CA 91030
need some more Thai Town ideas- getting bored of the usual!
Sapp's for boat noodles (though you're probably getting that at Pa Ord).
Ganda Siamese for a very authentic steam table of prepared dishes (3-item combo for only 7.95). i recommend the crispy catfish, the panang pork and fishball curries, and the pork belly and egg soup. you can also sit down and order off the menu, but oddly, the menu is made up mainly of the americanized stuff. great issan-style pork jerky, too (they'll give you like a pound of it for $5.50).
Meat Market in San Gabriel Valley Area
honestly, costco has plenty of prime meat, and so does how's at the corner of San Gabriel and Huntington. For ground pork and beef bones, nothing beats the chinese markets, where they have super high turnover in those products (since chinese people are always buying them). no need for "prime" quality, either.
Top Five L.A. Sandwiches?
1) Langer's #19 (pastrami, swiss and cole slaw). Legendary.
2) The Spice Table's cold cut banh mi. By far the best banh mi i've ever had, and i've had them at about 30 different palces including in Vietnam.
3) The "sandwich" at Roma Deli in Pasadena. Small little market, but you can ask for a sandwich at the deli counter, which is the simplest, most authentically Italian sandwich I've had here: Good roll, olive oil, and a couple slices each of mortadella, sopressata, prosciutto and provolone. Not a lot of fillings, but just a perfectly constructed sandwich. I like the Bay Cities Godmother, but this "sandwich" is the real deal.
4) Phillipe's lamb dip with blue cheese. Can't get it anywhere else, and it's only $6!
5) Tops' hoagie-style boiled pastrami sandwich (original location only, on Colorado in eastern Pasadena). Puts the Hat's and Johnnie's versions to shame.
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The Spice Table
114 S. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Michael Voltaggio's ink.sack sandwich shop is open.
i've sampled four of them now.
Cold Fried Chicken - very good. well-seasoned chicken thigh that appears to have been cooked sous-vide before flash-frying in panko (very japanese in style). good ranch dressing. probably the best sandwich i had.
Spicy Tuna - also very good. chunks of albacore tuna in a siracha mayo with pickled cucumbers. the tuna was a tad on the firm/overdone side, but in a sandwich with the mayo, it didn't make much of a difference.
beef tongue reuben - this was ok. i've had better reubens from canter's, langer's, brent's, etc. on the other hand, it's basically a reuben slider for $5, so it's good for a taste.
chicken liver, lettuce and tomato (the CLT) - i was most excited to try this one, but it was actually quite bad. barely any chicken liver mousse (which was already mild to begin with where you could hardly taste it), and a piece of fried chicken skin that tasted like old rancid oil. good tomatoes and lettuce, but given the fact that you could barely taste the liver, i don't see the point.
i also had the compressed watermelon with siracha and lime. quite tasty and interesting. spicier than i expected. not sure i'd order again, but not bad.
size-wise, most people will need 2 or 3 sandwiches to be full, but the menu is priced that way (sandwiches are around $5 a pop). the bread is ok, though not great. certainly not really crusty like a baguette. more like a very well-baked dinner roll with just a bit of crispness to it. works well for a sandwich, but it's not a star like the bread would be for a to-die-for sandwich.
for the variety alone, i would recommend this place, but i wasn't blown away by any of the sandwiches like i was by the cold cut or asian sloppy joe banh mis over at the Spice Table. still, you could do worse than get 2 voltaggio sandwiches for $10.
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The Spice Table
114 S. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
The Ivy in W. Hollywood?????
exactly. the ivy is what it is. very solid food at exorbitant prices, but you also have a decent chance of sitting at the table that separates brad pitt's and rupert murdoch's parties (which happened the last time i was there). agree on the grilled vegetable salad. i get it with lemon shrimp, and it's actually very good. is it worth $28 or whatever ridiculous price? no, it's a frickin' salad. but hey, if you want a uniquely LA experience with paparazzi across the street, this is the place to go. [note: i've only gone on expense accounts. never paid myself]
Where to buy aji amarillo?
sounds like peruvian ceviche to me... Border Grill recipe, perhaps?
Anyway, Baja Ranch markets in Monrovia and West Covina carry it... I'm sure other latin-themed markets do as well.
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Border Grill
1445 4th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401
Thai or Inidan Cooking Classes in West LA/SM/CC/Venice
New School of Cooking also has the occasional Thai or Indian class in their catalog. No first-hand experience.
Lawry's...why so much food?
Yup. Get yourself a California cut. I'll continue ordering the Diamond Jim Brady, though in my advancing age, i confess to having to take leftovers back now.
