Moomin's Profile
Dogfish Head's 120 min IPA
The 120 IPA and the World Wide Stout are seasonal and are only available as individual 12 ounce bottles. The 120 IPA is generally out in the spring and is seriously hard to locate on the West Coast. High Time has occassionally has had it. Venice Whole Foods has had it (they're great... for instance, they have BrewDog Tactical Nuclear Penguin at the moment and have been offering occassional tastings of it).
Rajasthani food in Artesia (or anywhere else, really)?
To be fair, Samosas are regional. The OP may be looking for a particular filling, or spice blend, that marks the samosas as Rajasthani... also... Mughlai cuisine doesn't really correlate with a particular region. Many folks particularly associate it with Punjab, which borders Rajasthan... so that's another possibility.
If I were in this predicament I'd probably be sampling North Indian Kebabs from around town in the hopes of hiting something similar.
Rajasthani food in Artesia (or anywhere else, really)?
Okay... it you want to take a Reshmi Kebab tour, you'll need to his Shan, Mehfil, and possibly the Tangy Tomato in Artesia. In West LA Jaipur, Nizam, and Gate of India have it on the menu as well. Never tried any of them personally (I'm vegetarian) , so I can't speak to authenticity or quality... I just have an epic collection of Indian menus at hand here.
-----
Shan Restaurant
18621 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701
Tangy Tomato
11454 South St, Cerritos, CA 90703
Gate of India
7300 W Sunset Blvd Ste D, Los Angeles, CA 90046
Best Chaat in Little India?
Yes. Jay Bharat is more refined than what you'd see on the street in Mumbai. It is Gujarati, but they've created a preparation and service model that is pretty upscale. Of course I think that the product is fantastic (and their thalis can also be fantastic, but nobody talks about them).
Surati Farsan Mart is excellent, just a step less user friendly, and the menu is longer and more complex. It too is better (cleaner, fresher, brighter) than most of what you'd see in Mumbai.
Mumbai Ki Galliyon Se tries to provide "genuine" street food. But it isn't very good; either as "the real thing" or as a general statement of quality.
Ambala Sweets and Snacks is fine, much more "street," but less bright tasting, or fresh tasting, and they can go a bit overboard with the yogurt... so any dahi items tend to be a plate of yogurt soup with chaat floating in it.
If I'd never had chaat before I'd get Dahi Puri at Jay Bharat, eat it, and then walk over and order Bhel Puri at Surati Farsan Mart... and I'd dine in confidence that I was experiencing the best of both.
-----
Jay Bharat
18701 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701
Surati Farsan Mart
11814 186th St, Artesia, CA 90701
Ambala Sweets
18433 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701
Mumbai Ki Galliyon Se
17705 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701
Best Chaat in Little India?
Jay Bharat, and Surati Farsan Mart are the best, I'd go in that order because Jay Bharat is less overwhelming... and just provides a more refined seeming product.
-----
Jay Bharat
18701 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701
Surati Farsan Mart
11814 186th St, Artesia, CA 90701
The Stufffed Sandwich - Beer Nirvana in SGV
Last time I was there he was clearing out a mixed case of Young's... for a buck fifty a bottle. Good enough... until you realized they were from 1988. That is enough age to either thrill, or repulse you. Especially on a low alcohol brew.
I bought the whole case. Half the bottles had improved, half had turned. I really enjoyed the experiment and it was worth the $30 I gambled on it. No place else in town offers that kind of experience... nor should they.
The Stufffed Sandwich - Beer Nirvana in SGV
Let me preface this by saying, Sam is a nut. Total whackjob. Do not mention politics or anything that may be construed as political unless you want to be dropped into a Glen Beck-esque rant that may end with your ejection from the premesis. This has not happened to me, personally, but I have seen it happen.
Okay, too much is being made of the food. They don't want to serve food, they HAVE to serve food... otherwise they are a bar and regulated differently. They take this very seriously, and require that everybody MUST order food with their beer. Period. Order a small side if it bothers you, that's totally fine with them.
As to the beer. Well... there's alot more there (in the "cellar") than Sam lets on. If you want something don't be afraid to ask. Want a bottle of Landlord? It has happened at least once. Want Westvleteren? Ask whether there is any out back... the answer might be no... it might be yes. Especially, if you've put up with a few of Sam's "tasting recomendations" which tend toward the sort of unwelcome advice along the lines of, "I can get you one that you've never heard of with a few hundred more IBUs, but you probably won't like it. How 'bout trying that that?"
Anyway, Sam is first and foremost a collector, and the Stuffed Sandwich pays for his hobby. It's not the most well conceived business model, but he's made it work for a long time now. I generally only make the drive when I want to try something with alot of age on it, or something that isn't distributed, or shipped here.
-----
Stuffed Sandwich
1145 E Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA
Okonomiaki
Ebisu in Fountain Valley has a few options. Not perfect, but closer than Gaja.
Anybody know of a Thai place that serves Pad Thai like they do in Thailand?
Weird, I thought I posted this earlier...
Pad Thai Krua Thai is pad thai on steroids. It has the authentic flavor profile of traditional pad thai, but instead of letting you season to your own taste, they throw everything but the kitchen sink in for you. If you like strongly flavored pad thai, it's phenomenal, if you want to adjust your own, there isn't much room for that. I personally love it.
-----
Krua Thai Restaurant
13130 Sherman Way, North Hollywood, CA 91605
Fathers Office=Pinks=Emperors Clothes
Okay. I'm in a position to offer a minimal insight here... the Corona Debacle wasn't a mistake or a misunderstanding.
I, once upon a time, had a relationship of sorts with one of the bartenders at Father's Office.
At that time they were, quite rightly, VERY proud of their selection of craft ales. They were, at that time, one of the only bars on the westside with a curated selection of craft ales AT ALL They took great care selecting seasonals, rare ales, and small production products.
Then their burger was reviewed in GQ. Then the crowds descended. The crowds all wanted Heineken... they wanted Corona... they wanted Coors. They complained bitterly that they couldn't get them. They wanted to talk to the manager! They wanted to make a scene! They would hold up the line!
And... of course... there was that long line out the door.
So the bartenders at Father's Office put their heads together... they developed a defensive position. They decided that they didn't need to cater to the beer philistines.
Since then, at Father's Office ordering works roughly like so:
Heineken = Pliny the Elder
Corona = Ruination IPA
Coors = YuleSmith
Or some variation on the above. Is this a nice game to play? No, it's a variation on "Freak out the square." Do these patrons return? Not usually. Does Sang Yoon care? Probably not much.
Of course, now there are better craft ale selections on the westside (The Daily Pint leaps to mind)... and the game doesn't seem as cute. But, generally, Your best bet at Father's Office is to know what you want... specifically... or ask for a small taster. Asking for something that tastes a bit like this one beer you had once... really isn't a safe bet at all
-----
Daily Pint
2310 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Father's Office Bar
1618 Montana Ave, Santa Monica, CA
Kerala or malabar-style biryani served with ulli surka?
Mayura may be your best bet. The Kerala Store in Artesia has an offsite catering business, but they closed their lunch counter years ago. Pickles, on South street used to have a Malabar biriyani... but it's Pickles... nobody would honestly endorse Pickles. Kabob Corner has great biryani and a great selection of pickles, but it's hyderabadi. Good Luck.
-----
Mayura
10406 Venice Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232
The new(ish) Gujerati Thali at Samosa House is...
I'm a big fan of Jay Bharat, but Surati Farsan Mart is just as good. Both are vegetarian, primarily chaat. Both have regional thalis, and meal specials, that rotate regularly. Mumbai Ki Galliyon Se is kind of a homestyle hybrid of the above, but not as good. For dosa and uttapam you'd probably do best at either Woodlands, or Udupi Palace... but I'm not a big fan of either. Tirupathi Bhimas also has terrific dosas if you can wrench yourself away from the Andrha Spicy Thali.
-----
Tirupathi Bhimas
18792 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701
Jay Bharat
18701 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701
Udupi Palace
18635 Pioneer Blvd, Artesia, CA 90701
Surati Farsan Mart
11814 186th St, Artesia, CA 90701
The new(ish) Gujerati Thali at Samosa House is...
...Gone.
Not enough interest in more authentic recipes to jutsify the expense and shelf space. Oh well. Artesia it is then.
The new(ish) Gujerati Thali at Samosa House is...
Only the original location. I think the family's matriach (who's name I've embarassingly never learned) is the one who does all of the cooking for this thali and lately she's been back at the original market.
The new(ish) Gujerati Thali at Samosa House is...
...Actually pretty good.
Well... at least it's much, much, much better than I expected it to be...
I'll preface this by reiterating; I like Samosa House, but it's a pretty pale shadow of Mumbai home cooking, or any good solid Pioneer Blvd. establishment. That said, it's generally as good as we can get on this side of town. Their menu is sort-of Indian-by-way-of-Leicester-if-your-clientelle-was-primarily-vegan. And for all that, it's pretty tasty.
But, they don't tend to come through with anything too terribly authentic or unfamiliar to a Western palate. The chaat can be pretty good, but they don't source anything too unusual anymore (black chhole, sprouted moong dal, karela... and so on, all used to feature more regularly). So, if I wanted a decent Gujerati Thali I would go to Artesia... every time.
But, about a month ago I noticed that there was a new, small, set of steam trays bejing the cashier, and I asked about it. At that time, there was no signage advertising anything new, so I assumed the steam trays weren't hooked up yet...
They were.
I asked what they were for, and the slightly addled cashier said they were going to try out a new Gujerati thali for 8.99. In the interest of variety I ordered one. It took about ten minutes to find somebody who knew how to assemble it for me, then another ten for them to track down and fry the bhatura and warm up the Gajar Halwa.
In the end, what I was served looked, and smelled entirely different than anything I've come to expect from Samosa House. It was distinctly Gujerati. Oily, sweet, salty, and hot. It featured a terrific soup, excelent sprouted daal, two complex, sweet, spicy varieties of shaak, and the aforementioned bhatura and halwa.
Much, much better then expected.
Is it the sort of thing that kills the craving for a trip to Mumbai? No. But it might save you a trip to Artesia.
I've opted for the Gujerati thali three times this month. Each time it was different, and each time it was good... and certainly much more authentic than anything else available on this side of town.
-----
Samosa House
11510 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA
What are the Best Craft Beer bars in the LA area
Not new to craft beer. Drank Westvletern at Cafe Verde in 1997, there were purchase limits then (scheduled pick-ups and per car limits at the monestary, bottle limits at the cafe). No bottles were sold with labels at all at that point (much to the Belgian government's horror) to prevent aftermarket sales. The story is not one of a long free for all followed by a crackdown. Rather it is one of a series of cycles in which there have clearly been more and less serious restrictions.
Your single favorite dish in LA
I wouldn't drive too far unless this is a serious fascination... Samosa House is local to me, so I'm particularly partial...
Also... check the Samosa House Twitter feed before you set out! It's not an every day item and they regularly sell out!
Your single favorite dish in LA
It's day to day. I've presently got an unholy obsession with the Charcoal Smoked Cauliflower at both Samosa House and Bawarchi.
Of course, last year it would have been Pescado Zarandeado at Mariscos Chente... and before that kaeng khĩaw-wãan khài “mang-kon” at Jitlada... and five years ago it would have been Langers Pastrami...
What are the Best Craft Beer bars in the LA area
Know what?
I was wrong. I did some research and made some calls. It turns out Westvleteren STILL occassionally turns up in Whole Foods (usually Westvleteren 8). But according to the beer guy at the Venice location it's NOT intended for sale. It's a gift from their Belgian Distributor to guarentee loyalty and further business. They never get more than a six pack and even that is only once or twice a year.
He's convinced nobody would ever sell the stuff (no bar codes, no price book) but a congenital idiot... but there you go. No question, you were right.
What are the Best Craft Beer bars in the LA area
I'm going to have to take issue with the Whole Foods claim. Westvleteren has NEVER been a retail product... anywhere... not even in Belgium. There are no UPCs for the product, and many (roughly half) of the bottles sold aren't ever even labeled.
As far as online sources, you're right. There is no legal constraint upon them. Rather the monestary simply stops selling to anybody it believes is buying for anything other than personal consumption.
Every year they run out, and every year (since roughly 1995) the locals blame the internet.
And on the St. Bernardus note, I prefer it... but it's not actually that similar. Rochefort is much closer (and bottled similarly to Westvleteren and stocked -at extortionate prices- at many Whole Foods).
looking for retail sales of Kaliber (or other decent non-alcoholic beer) Culver City/Westside
Whole Foods. They have it presently for Saint Patrick's day.
REVIEW w/ pics: Marvelous Mumbai Vegetarian Street Food at Mumbai Ki Galliyon Se
I actually didn't love Mumbai Ki Galliyon Se. There were certainly some wonderful things to recomend about the restaurant. The menu is extensive and diverse (possibly too extensive), the Dabeli is excellent, and the piyush is amongst the best I've ever had.
That said, I probably wouldn't go back. Shruti, though very, very, very sweet took me for an "average gora" and asked what I was doing there. She asked three times whether I knew you, Abby. She also asked whether I knew that Indian food could be a little spicy again and again.
When I ordered in my rusty broken hindi she, still very sweetly, responded as though there were hidden cameras somewhere.
The food was fine, not brilliant, with the noted exceptions above. If I want Mumbai street food I'll probably head over to Jay Bharat in future which has a much less diverse menu, but is a much better example of the style.
Interestingly, the Pav Bhaji, which you loved, was one of my least favorite items. I know it isn't fair, but I'm accustomed to the Maharashtrian tradition of dressing up prepackaged pav, and I found the home made garlic bread to be more of a distraction than an enhancement. I also, unfairly, prefer Sadha Pav Bhaji which has an extra hit of butter added at the end, and this example was pretty ascetic when it came to fat content.
Incidentally, for westsiders who don't want to make the drive down to Artesia... as discussed in previous threads... the dabeli at Samosa House is a different regional spin (spicier, less sweet), but is legitimately the best thing on the menu there.
But... all that being said... for the homemade touch Mumbai Ki Galliyon Se is pretty good. I just think I'll be taking my business to slicker operations further down Pioneer Blvd.
Samosa House vs. Bawarchi
Totally agree. Shruti Shah, the chef and owners wife, is one of the loveliest people I've ever met.
That said, other than the piyush and the dabeli, which were both truly fantastic, everything else I've had there can be had in a better incarnation elsewhere.
Samosa House vs. Bawarchi
It turns out Mumbai Ki Galliyon Se, in Artesia, also has samosa chaat.
I stopped in today, while visiting family, and noticed it on the menu. I'm not crazy about the restaurant... it's Mumbai street food prepared to order, which is lovely, but it has a very home cooked slightly amateur feel to it, which can be quirky.
That said, it's yet another option that is both better and more authentic than anything we've got here on the west side.
Pain du Jour (Santa Monica) What gives?
Well, to be fair, in the last five years it has:
Changed owners twice (same pastry chef, Matthieu Chamussy, just a new owner).
Extended it's hours.
Changed the days of the week it's open a few times (up to 7 days from 4, most recently).
Dramatically increased it's offerings.
Ceased providing breads exclusively to Melisse.
Started providing breads to MANY other restaurants and shops in town.
And been featured on Curb Your Enthusiasm...
After all that... no it isn't the same. Quality on certain items has slipped, on others it has held strong. It's still one of the better croissants au beurre in Los Angeles, but I haven't been happy with the baguettes for a while. The rustic breads are still pretty good, but smaller than they once were...
The interesting thing to me is that the place still has the same strength it always has, it's almost totally authentic. The recipes are point by point the same as they would be in Paris... execution has slipped, but it's still arguably the most authentic french bakery in the city.
"Food Truck Village" in SM
Last count, only three trucks had arrived (Fishlips and two unnamed others). Any detailed updates?
Samosa House vs. Bawarchi
For Samosa Chaat... if you're willing to make the drive, or just find yourself in Artesia, Rasraj is good, and Bombay Sweets and Snacks is okay.
Jay Bharat and Surati Farsan Mart are better in general, but neither have Samosa Chaat on the fixed menu (both feature it occassionally as a special).
Samosa House vs. Bawarchi
Yup. Same situation at Bawarchi (more or less). Samosa House is down to one dairy option each day, Bawarchi is down to either two or three. They're both responding to customer demand that they offer less traditional recipes.
As far as toxicity in mustard seed oil, there were poisonings in India which were blamed on erucic acid. It was actually probably due to poor processing. Suffice it to say, you can't buy it for culinary use anymore. Whether you should be able to is another matter. It's just unusual to taste large quantities of it in recipes that aren't prepared at home.
