Porthos's Profile
Best Pizza in Orange County?
Nice summary for each. It's clear you prefer crispy crust though since you're ranking the crispy "Neapolitan" crust of Ecco and its mediocre sparse toppings ahead of the higher quality Ortica ;)
Trip Report: Cotogna, Ferry Building, Atelier Crenn, Koi Palace
That's absurd. It does not taste like Costo chicken. It is much better than the dry roast chicken Spice Table was doing at half the size and the same price. The bread salad soaked in juices is almost as good as the chicken itself.
I thought Cotogna was Friday night, Atelier Crenn was Saturday, and you were doing Bar Tartine I assumed for Sunday night which is why I recommended Commonwealth for Sunday night.
Just stick with Cotogna. Have a great trip!
Trip Report: Cotogna, Ferry Building, Atelier Crenn, Koi Palace
Value aside, Commonwealth is just straight up better than most of our mid-tier restaurants here in LA. Just check out the menu.
Below is a link to my Sept 2010 trip report. Oops, guess it was almost 2 years ago and not a year ago! Time sure does fly.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/732686
Which reminds me, you could always do the famous Zuni roasted chicken if lunch is still available Sunday (takes 1 hour to cook).
Trip Report: Cotogna, Ferry Building, Atelier Crenn, Koi Palace
I have never been impressed with Yank Sing. Someone from LA will likely take umbrage at the prices there and unlike Koi Palace, I would not say the quality at Yank Sing is as good as Elite or Sea Harbor in LA.
Trip Report: Cotogna, Ferry Building, Atelier Crenn, Koi Palace
Not foie and caviar but dungeness crab XLB and steamed lobster dumplings! Dim sum at Koi Palace is superior to dim sum at either Elite or Sea Harbor. Way more varieties and the quality is just as high if not higher.
Anyways you know best. But do take a look at Commonwealth too. I really enjoyed it last year. High quality, inventive Cal cuisine at a ridiculously reasonable price point. It'd be like Gjelina with the technique and skill seen in the appetizers at Red Medicine.
Trip Report: Cotogna, Ferry Building, Atelier Crenn, Koi Palace
What kind of SO doesn't like dim sum?!? ;)
Haven't been to Bar Tartine under this current chef but consider Commonwealth.
Trip Report: HK, Beijing, Shanghai
Really? I thought lamb hot pot was.
Anyways, I see merits to both arguments. No one is going to go to Beijing without trying at least 1 duck place. Having had it though you can't argue that there are tastier dishes out there.
Where has all the yellow corn gone?!
If only we could switch places! Don't like the tough old yellow stuff though. The sweet, tender, flavorful yellow stuff is what I'm craving! ;)
Where has all the yellow corn gone?!
Maybe you should put in a request at your local market(s),
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I'm sure that decision is based on supply and demand. They probably sell out of white corn more so they buy more white corn.
Where has all the yellow corn gone?!
I'm not sure what variety of white corn is in the regular supermarkets or what variety of yellow corn, but I have liked the flavor of the yellow ones better. I do like my yellow corn sweet but not as much as the high sugar white ones. But the flavor I'm referring to maybe more of a corn aroma and not so much as sweetness per se.
Where has all the yellow corn gone?!
I think the responses in the below 2009 thread explains why I can't find any yellow corn for my crab boil this weekend. To me, white corn is sweeter but yellow corn has more corn flavor, like white peach vs yellow peach.
Is this a problem just in LA or are other people finding it harder to find yellow corn these days?
Any lurking farmers, some of us still prefer yellow corn. I'm personally willing to pay a bit more for it!
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/667190
Pizzeria Mozza & Chris Bianco Tomatoes
Thanks for starting a new topic on this! I think I first had it in Feb or March.
The special pizzettes are a good second pizza to get. Last month was ramps and spring peas. Last week was spring peas and chanterelles. It's nice to get the juiciness of a tomato pie and then switch it up with the sweetness and greeness of a non-tomato based pie.
Pizzeria Mozza & Chris Bianco Tomatoes
That's the one. Your memory or search function is far superior to mine.
Pizzeria Mozza & Chris Bianco Tomatoes
It's actually been on the menu at least 3-4 months or so now. Someone else mentioned it in another thread a while back but I can't seem to find it. Anyways, it's delicious as you say; juicier, sweeter. Have had the margherita one twice now. Of note, it's available at the Hollywood one but still not at the Newport Beach one.
Another plus is that the asparagus al forno is back on the menu. Absolutely delicious. That means corn al forno should be making an appearance again soon.
Sushi In OC: Found! Kasen.
Anzu had the variety but not the quality that is found here at Kasen. I would rank this place above Kiriko and maybe even Zo for my tastes. Doesn't have the variety of Zo but what he has is pristine and he has rare stuff that I've never seen before period.
Sushi In OC: Found! Kasen.
This place is the real deal. The fish is much higher in quality than Kitsho. On par with Mori and Urasawa. The rice is as good as Sushi Zo is these days.
Not sure where the bluefin is from but it's bluefin and delicious and the highest quality every time.
Silvery fish last night included perfectly marinated rich saba and aji. Had kohada on my last visit. Was not avaialbe last night.
I keep getting full or I'd ask for the battera too because it looks so good.
Sushi In OC: Found! Kasen.
More rare stuff at Kasen last night: Torigai. No english name. It's supposed to be a "giant cockle".
It's sweet like ayoyagi but very silky and fine in texture. The chef mentioned that it was rare and that he was fortunate enough to get a batch. Below is a photo of what is left and the chef basically mentioned that it'll be gone after tonight. I'd recommend stopping by if you're in the area and hankering top notch sushi. It was $100pp before tip for the omakase.
Tori scallion handroll last night was delicious and the uni was particularly outstanding.
Trip Report: HK, Beijing, Shanghai
I don't necessarily disagree. The Peking duck at Duck House in Monterey Park here in LA is pretty good. The soup and sautéed duck tongue is as good as anything at Da Dong or Made in China. The soup I actually like better since it has tofu and vegetables in it. I just wanted to hit both of the most highly regarded Peking duck restaurants in Beijing so I could calibrate what "good" Peking duck was.
Probably would pick Da Dong if I had to only pick one.
Trip Report: HK, Beijing, Shanghai
Beijing- Gotta say, I wasn't impressed with the food here. We did both Da Dong and Made in China. We liked the skin at Da Dong better and the other dishes on the menu at Da Dong better. Napa cabbage with chestnuts and saffron was delicious as was brasied oxtail with chestnuts and honey.The meat at Made in China seemed more moist but the skin was also fattier. The stir fried bones at Made in Chinag were better than the soup made from the bones at Da Dong.
The best *find* of the trip was that we found a decent place to eat onthe Great Wall/Summer Palace tour path. We took Trueblu's advice and avoided the Badaling Great Wall portion and went to a food court/foodvillage right across from xiyuan station. Initially I was pretty upset because our driver told us there were asian food options and all I could see was McDonald's, PIzza Hut, Subway, and Starbucks as we pulled up. I even had my sister take a picture of me with my face hiding in my hands in shame. Refusing to eat American fast food inChina, I walked the entire foodcourt and strip until I came to the end of the alley one row back from the fast food wall of shame. Here was a restaurant that was clean, spacious, and packed full of asian tourists/locals. The menu was decent and we ordered an excellent meal of pork ribs soup with preserved mustard greens, pork ribs simmered in medicinal herbs, stir fried eggplant pieces, vegetables, and some other stir fried meat and vegetable dish. There is no english name or english menu and 6 dishes ended up being 180RMB. Ridiculous cheap.
Below are pictures of the napa cabbage with saffron, duck, and braised oxtails from Da Dong
Pizza Mozza, Patina, Gjelina and Spago reserved. Where else should I eat?
"Lose Patina, and do Providence instead "
+1 bigtime. IMO Patina hasn't been LA relevent since it was in the current Providence space back when Splichal was still in the kitchen cooking.
Trip Report: HK, Beijing, Shanghai
Mods deleted for mentioning I got ill from a restaurant I did not name in the report. I deleted my notes after I posted so I don't recall enough to make reposting worthwhile.
The gist is I found things to like about both Made in China and Da Dong.
Instead of eating at Great Wall, we ate near summer palace at a food court across from Xiyuan station. Good authentic cuisine, no tourists. Highly recommended.
Had interesting Yunan cuisine at a restaurant in the Yunan embassy.
Last Meal in LA? Leaving after 20 Years
I would have added In n Out but then realized that I haven't had it in at least 3 years and would rather have the burger at Father's Office. But I'm sure they make some good burgers out in Chicago.
And doesn't Shake Shack satisfy your brother's burger craving or is it more a nostalgia thing?
Last Meal in LA? Leaving after 20 Years
I've moved from LA to NYC to SF to Miami back to LA. I find myself craving the low end stuff from each city. Before I left NYC and when I return, I always have bagles with whitefish salad and pizza on Day 1. When I lived in NYC and visited LA I would focus on Asian food (except Japanese). I'd focus on whatever homey stuff you crave focusing on what's stronger here in LA.. Probably would pass on high end since Chicago's high end is supposed to be crushing it these days.
Maybe: Din Tai Fung, Park's BBQ, Pizzeria Mozza (not knowing how the pizza scene in Chicago is), sushi at your favorite sushi place better than Urasawa (mine is Mori), Yamadaya Ramen, Torihei in Torrance, maybe pho in Westminster?
Tourist Chowhound Food Crawl
Yes. Excellent pizza and excellent Italian food. Two totally different cuisines and both better than what can be had in Taiwan (I am assuming).
Tourist Chowhound Food Crawl
Red Medicine
Spago brunch in garden/atrium or Cut- Puck factor and BH factor and Pretty Woman factor and Rodeo factor.
Pizzeria Mozza
Osteria Mozza
Mori Sushi
Gjelina
Bouchon or Hungry Cat for raw bar
Totoraku if you can. If not, Park's BBQ.
Langer's
Tourist Chowhound Food Crawl
Be that as it may, my formula for recommendations go (Best of LA) - (Best of Visitor's City) = What you should try in LA. Not going to recommend sushi, French, or Italian for someone from NYC, not going to recommend cal cuisine, Italian, or pizza for someone from SF, etc.
Tourist Chowhound Food Crawl
You forgot the most important piece of info: Where are they from?
Kiriko's $40 Lunch Sushi Omakase (Review and Pics)
You'll hear the same complaints about Mori's lunch special or omakase experience at the tables instead of omakase at the bar.
Trip Report: HK, Beijing, Shanghai
Forgot to add Mak An Kee at 11am on Day 3 which puts Tasty IFC at 1130-ish. The wonton was delicious and splitting hairs, probably better than Law Fu Kee. Noodles were about the same. I liked the broth better at Law Fu Kee since the one at Mak An Kee had a strong dried squid smell.
