Skorgirl's Profile
Asian Grocery West Side?
They definitely stock lemongrass in the produce section, but I haven't seen galangal. Keffir lime leaves I've not seen when I've been there. It's a good place to get some Thai food basics, like fish sauce or coconut milk, but the produce area is pretty small.
The Apple Pan.
I have to agree with jay 1 on this. I don't have much to contribute on the burger side of things, but I do adore their egg salad sandwich on wheat bread. Overstuffed and delicious.
Has anyone tried the Mexican restaurant at the 101/Silverlake exit?
Man Bites World wrote a pleasant review of the restaurant with some great pictures:
http://manbitesworld.com/articles/27/day-18-ecuador
Thai Sticky Rice with Coconut Ice Cream
Original Thai BBQ on Riverside and Camarillo in North Hollywood has fantastic homemade coconut ice cream. They don't traditionally serve it with sticky rice, but I'm sure you could order it on the side, provided they have some made for other desserts. Or, you could buy some sticky rice at the seafood market on sherman way and coldwater (sorry, forget the name but there are thai vendors near the cash registers that sell desserts and hot foods) and then grab some coconut ice cream to go at Original TBBQ and enjoy your indulgence in the comfort and privacy of your home :)
Andrew's Cheese Shop on Montana
This place is a gem! Andrew is knowledgeable and down-to-earth, someone who wants to share his love and enthusiasm for cheese with everyone. I had a fantastic time at one of his cheese tastings and I am currently addicted to the Monte Enebro. The most intense goat cheese I've sampled, even just a taste of the ashy rind makes my mouth water! The other staff members have also been quite pleasant.
Sofra Kabab Express - new addition to Palms area
This is great news, considering that Sofra no longer exists in the Westside Pavilion. Thanks for the tip!
New Hole in the Wall Burger, W.L.A.
Indeed, it is the former Dainties space. I found this out 4 or 5 months ago when I went there seeking a cupcake and was surprised by the burger joint instead.
The Exquisite Heat of Oaxaca - Monte Alban [Review] w/ Pics!
Diana, Monte Alban is one of my favorite restaurants and I am also allergic to nuts. While we unfortunately cannot eat the moles, and after this thread it makes me want them more (!), they have a wonderful variety of other nutless items I love -- the clayuda as exilekiss lauded (though I thought it was normally topped with lettuce and not cabbage), sopa de azteca, enfrijoladas, chilaquiles, to name a few. From the starters, I also enjoy the molotes, the little fried pockets of potato/chorizo topped with the black bean paste used on the clayuda and enfrijoladas and lettuce and tomato.
Their tortas are also great and so cheap!
Saturday Lunch - Between Robertson & La Brea - with wine? Anywhere edible?
Bloom Cafe on Pico, perhaps? At least you could bring your own wine without a corkage fee. I usually go there for dinner, however, so I'm not sure how crowded it gets on a Saturday afternoon.
Empanada Factory on Robertson?
What? I live at this intersection and I have not noticed it! Where exactly is it located? Not finding anything on google at this point.
highs and lows at jitlada
Just to clarify, if you want it very spicy, the right way to say this is "pet mahg", not "pet ma." For the spiciest possible, you can try "pet mahg tee soot."
Father's Office - Los Angeles - Today
Yeah, but why accept it when you can actually avoid it at the CC location? It's nice to actually have the option, given how much bigger it is than the SM one. I personally don't mind eating at a less popular time at FO if it means I can walk right in and find a seat easily. It being a bar and not a restaurant makes it easier to be flexible since you can nurse your drink for awhile ....
Pizzeria Mozza - Perceptor's Report
Great photos! Made me want to try it again. I've only been there once and really wanted to love it, but my pizza (the long cooked broccoli) was immensely oily, it was quite unappetizing. Coupled with some service issues I wasn't dying to go back anytime soon but your pictures were mouthwatering! Thanks.
At what LA restaurant do you overlook horrible Food/Decor/Service for something great of theirs that you have to have?
I laughed out loud at your comment about the water; friends and I have been saying the exact same thing for years, but I do love the chocolate chip cookie shake in a portion big enough for three to share. I actually have had decent server experiences while dining there except when I get the hipster guy who steps in when things get busy. Mmmm and the pumpkin shake during the holidays ....
What do you think of Rachael Ray's picks?
Really? I'm more turned off by Canter's and Toast, but C y M seems to get mixed but mostly good reviews on the board ...
pasadena discovery
Does anyone know if the couple who runs the place is actually Thai? I'd love to take my (Thai) parents to this place, so we can satisfy their palates yet have something new and different, and I think they would find it interesting and fun if the ownership was also Thai. For family dinners out, we almost always end up at a Thai place, and while I love the stuff, I would like to branch out every so often, even if it means well-done Thai inspired food!
Good breakfast spots near Century City?
S & W's hash browns are my absolute favorite -perfectly crisp on the outside but meaty on the inside. I have to disagree about the "short wait at prime time." During peak breakfast hours I've experienced long waits (45-1 hour). They are deservedly popular, but I wouldn't advise going there during prime time if you are starving because you'll end up staring into the windows and salivating as everyone's dish gets served up! Service is pretty quick once you're seated. I keep meaning to try the non-breakfast items but everytime I go there I cave in and get breakfast so I can have those tasty hash browns.
Nakkara: new Thai on Beverly?
I have never been but I took a look at their online menu:
http://nakkaraonbeverly.com/
I have doubts about its authenticity, after reading it over, but it could still be a nice dining experience. Definitely seems to cater to a hipper and spendier crowd compared to the joints in Hollywood and the Valley. Personally, I'm not that enticed. Every time I try an upscale, fusion-y Thai place (such as Naraya on Robertson - eh), I end up disappointed. I don't go in there expecting total authenticity, but the flavors I grew up with and associate with Thai food are always lacking. Naraya has its ambience going for it, though.
Any decent Thai restaurants in the SGV?
Oooohhhhh. He meant, "I'm sorry that you have, Ips." Without the comma I thought he was referring to an acronym for some sort of condition called L.P.S. .... :) Thanks for clearing it up, seems rather obvious now!!!
Any decent Thai restaurants in the SGV?
Oh, and what is "lps"? Is this chowhound lingo everyone knows but me?
Any decent Thai restaurants in the SGV?
I have to agree with Will Owen -- for Pasadena, Pres Thai and the Saladangs are fine, with P-Thai being superior to Saladangs, in my opinion. I repeat, for Pasadena. Compared to the greater LA Area, both of these places are unremarkable. I think the claim that "the food is as fresh and innovative as any Thai in LA" is rather bold, however, given the Thai communities in both SFV and Hollywood and the concentration of restaurants in those areas. The Thai restaurants in Pasadena definitely cater more towards Western tastes, and if its good for business, well, that's no surprise.
New Champion in AYCE sushi: Fuzen
Sure, as I mentioned, I didn't have high expectations for this place and certainly didn't think it would be of the same quality as my favorites (Zo, Masu ...). I've been to many an Asian themed AYCE restaurant, thanks to my parents, and the quality of the FuZen wasn't particularly worse. It was the experience of the chefs giving us rolls we didn't order that irked me, especially because they are so huge and doused in sauce and mayo. If I wanted that particular roll, I would have ordered it, and not eating it seemed so wasteful and I hate throwing out food. If they want their AYCE customers to only order rolls, they should limit it to rolls! Still seems like a good deal and it eliminates the potential awkwardness some of us experienced when we ordered nigiri sushi. I don't think anyone was expecting "amazing fish" from this AYCE experience.
New Champion in AYCE sushi: Fuzen
Ha! I asked for halibut but they were also conveniently all out. When we were seated, one of the chefs asked if we were big eaters, so I think the plan is usually to stuff people with the "garbage rolls" to prevent the ordering of other sushi.
New Champion in AYCE sushi: Fuzen
I would not depend on this place for nigiri. I tried it tonight, planning to get mostly nigiri and maybe split a roll with friends. Only certain fish fall under the "all you can eat" rule, and this is not indicated anywhere but explained by the chefs and host. They didn't seem totally certain as to what was and was not okay to order; I think they are used to customers that want the big monster rolls. We ordered scallop sushi first, which seemed to cause some surprise and confusion behind the counter. I think they figured that we'd only want nigiri (after that we ordered salmon) because the chef started giving us their signature theme rolls without our asking. We took the first one (the "dynamite" roll, which was a huge explosion of mayo and spicy sauce), but after the second, I politely asked if we could just order our own. He grudgingly said yes, but 10 minutes later gave us another unidentifiable roll (it was orange and had brown sauce drizzled all over it). We had to turn it away. I didn't have high expectations for this place; I was just hoping I could get some decent nigiri and see if it could be a potential neighborhood joint should I have a craving and not have the funds to go to my favorites, but I did not count on the pro-active chef and his monster roll intervention. He seemed annoyed that we were ordering plain nigiri and none of the inventions. Fish quality was decent, but rice was pretty hard. So, if you want to fill up on creative and extremely sauced rolls, this place is for you. If you have an aversion to mayo, you should definitely say something because almost every roll had an abundance of it. Otherwise, steer clear. I don't plan on returning.
Ravanellis - Best subs & great pizza
I'm really excited to try this place out! My parents live in the Valley and whenever I go to visit them, I'm always racking my brain for a non-chain, tasty, and affordable place to take them. The default is always Thai food, since we are Thai, but I get tired of the same old places .... I'm adding this to my list. Is Ravanelli's good for a dine-in experience? It doesn't have to be a fancy atmosphere, just as long as it doesn't have the "take-out only" vibe. Thanks!
Sushi Zo new policy
Hmmm, Keizo may prefer omakase for bar patrons only, but I've seen folks at tables having omakase frequently. Obviously the experience is different but it's certainly not impossible. I've been observant of this because its occurred on nights where I've ordered a la carte while most of the restaurant is doing omakase, and have suffered very slow service as a result (and the server warned us that service would be slow for our orders because omakase orders are given priority). Last week a friend went to Zo on a weeknight (Thursday) and had omakase and mentioned that other patrons had a la carte. However, as the night got busier, Zo only accepted those who ordered omakase. A few months ago I had omakase at the bar and asked Keizo about the different "rules" regarding omakase/a la carte/bar seating/reservations etc. He didn't express a preference for omakase vs. a la carte and their respective seatings and was very friendly about the whole thing. It seems to me that he institutes or changes the "rules" on a temporary basis, depending on how business goes and how crowded it gets. I don't mind the rules so much, as long as there is consistency and I know what to expect. It's frustrating when one evening, walking in a ordering a la carte is no problem while the next evening may be omakase only. The quality of the food is consistently fantastic, but seating and service speed is what varies, and this unpredictability makes it hit or miss for me in regards to those aspects.
Tia Juana in WLA is closing
I was there last week and the waiter said that the whole block was being bought .... that's all the information he had to offer. I asked about a relocation, and he referred me to a flyer on the table for a restaurant by the same owners .... in Huntington Beach! Tia Juana has always been my reliable choice when I'm in that chips and salsa/margarita on the rocks mood, but I wouldn't drive all the way to Huntington Beach! They certainly didn't have the greatest Mexican food, but they were pretty consistent, had nice waitstaff, and yummy fresh tortillas. I'm sad to see the old stand-by go ....
