bad nono's Profile
Where to Buy Monkfish in LA
I was at the Koreatown Galleria today and they had fresh mackerel from Sweden.
Where to Buy Monkfish in LA
Most Korean supermarkets should have it, some of them have them whole - I think I saw a whole one with the head at Assi in Koreatown recently. The Galleria supermarket on Western & Olympic (in the basement of the mall) have monkfish tails all the time, both imported and domestic. Assi has better quality seafood than Galleria, and more choice.
If you got o a market that sells them whole, ask for the cheeks , because monkfish cheeks are delicious.
Bacalao where to find in the San Fernando Valley?
For future reference, because it's not in the Valley, the Cuban (?) convenience store on Glendale Blvd in Atwater Village, down the block from Proof Bakery (when you walk toward Larga) has Bacalao. Also Spanish-made-in-America chorizo and tons of other things, including I think some bread and a few pastries from Porto's. It looks a bit shabby and truth be told, every surface you would touch inside is sticky, but it's worth exploring.
Food for plane on route from midtown to LAX
You might consider La Maison du Pain on Pico & Ridgeley, a stone's throw from La Brea http://www.lamaisondupain.net/ where they have small sandwiches and several types of quiches if you don't mind eating them cold (they could reheat them for you but not sure it will stay that way until you reach your gate) and of course many pastries.
If you go at the end of the day they're often out of many items, but the owners are super nice so if you call ahead and ask them to save things for you, I'm sure they will.
Not far from them there's Bloom Café http://www.bloomcafe.com/ that has several types of salads, sandwiches and wraps., and a quinoa/tandoori/chicken bowl that would be my option on a plane (healthy, easy to eat, good cold as well as warm, not smelly). They also have decent pizzas. The same owners have Chic Café/Wine Bar across the street, I've never had their sandwiches but they list a banh mi and other options http://chicwinebar.com/index.html
I think there's also a Fresh & Easy on La Cienega and 18th street (?), I've never had their prepared food and I don't know if they're marginally better than TJ's, but it might be worth a try.
Food-grade lye for pretzel baking?
I know I have seen it at the Jons on Santa Monica and Western but it was a few months ago. I can't remember which aisle, unfortunately - I was wandering around looking at all that exotic stuff not knowing what I'd do with it. But I remember seeing it and having a "ah ha" moment because I remembered that previous CH thread.
Maltesers/MaltEaster Bunny?
Have you tried Cost Plus? They carry Maltesers so maybe with a bit of luck...
Where can I buy European butter?
yes! I use the unsalted version, in a green package.
Where can I buy European butter?
Since this thread has been resurrected, I want to tell the world Whole Foods sells a totally insane Icelandic butter called, er... Smjörr (?) or something like that. Wrapped in green foil. It's fabulous for baking (a bit harder to work with than Kerrygold) and it tastes really good. I bake the best tart dough ever with it. Sometimes it's on sale and you can get 2 packets for $6. Try it, folks.
Need Surinamese Pom Tayer
Thanks for the link. I'm not sure what "two jars" of pickles are exactly in the recipe, like what type of pickles, etc. :-)
Here's the link to the Home Cooking board http://chowhound.chow.com/boards/31 so if indeed it was Malanga root you needed and you don't mind typing up your own recipe, please let us know what you came up with. Now you got me curious about Surinamese food!
Need Surinamese Pom Tayer
Hello,
So, I am not sure if you are looking for Malanga root or something else, but if it is indeed Malanga root, the Ralph's at 3rd & La Brea has it (as well as taro root) in the produce section. I saw it this afternoon. It's across from where they have the organic tomatoes, they have them with chayote squash, chilies, etc.
I don't know what pom tayer is but I'd sure like to try. Maybe you could post your recipe in the "home cooking" section?
LA's Oldest Still-Thriving Restaurants
I don't know since when it's open, but surely The Buggy Whip should be on that list? it's one of those places that seem to have been here since forever.
And, La Villa Basque (1960)
Speculoos in L.A. other than TJ's
Also, it depends what you call speculoos, if it's the cookies (traditional, Belgian or Dutch) or the spread. There's nothing really authentic or traditional about the spread, it didn't exist until maybe10 years ago, and it's definitively an industrial product.
In any case, I believe the TJ's version of the cookies and the spread are made by the same brand that makes the "Biscoff" cookies and spread, which is Lotus ( a Belgian company, but they could really well be part of the Kraft empire). TJ's sells the cookies under the name "bistrot cookies".
You can find the spread at Cost Plus (also made by Lotus), too, and I'm wondering if I haven't seen them at Fresh & Easy as well. And Amazon also sells it as "biscoff". Occasionally I see the cookies at Walgreens, but not the spread.
The common thing is... all brands you will easily find are made by Lotus, including TJs.
Easter Sunday- what are my chances at finding a great birthday dinner!
you'll have a better idea here http://www.kevineats.com/2011/11/maison-giraud-pacific-palisades-ca.html
seems there are several seafood options.
Easter Sunday- what are my chances at finding a great birthday dinner!
haven't been to the new spot myself, so I cannot say. But I'd go there over Lucques. I know I'm eying Maison Giraud for my own birthday, but it will come after yours. Don't know about the SGV, it's such a completely different atmosphere it's hard to tell.
Ah, I really like Son of a Gun. Don't know if it seems birthday-ish enough for you, but the food is truly good and they have really interesting wines.
Easter Sunday- what are my chances at finding a great birthday dinner!
Hatfield's? Maison Giraud? I would call now and ask and book if available.
French garlic sausage
With respect to what everybody says above, when I need to use saucisse de Morteau or Montbéliar, I get some Kielbasa myself (that my friend brings me back from Greenpoint in Brooklyn, so I have no local source to offer). But it tastes nothing like the saucisse de Toulouse, at all, nor like saucisson à l'ail, and I agree it wouldn't be the best in cassoulet.
To the best of my French knowledge, which is limited as far as cassoulet is concerned (I'm from the North of France), I don't think you put Morteau or Montbéliard sausage in it (these are made in a totally different region). Normally, I think you put some saucisse de Toulouse in the cassoulet from Toulouse then, and saucisson à l'ail if you're making the cassoulet from Castelnaudary.
But I know where you can find French-type sausages: in the refrigerated section at Monsieur Marcel at the Farmer's Market, ditto at Surfas, all made I think by "fabrique Les Délices". I did see some saucisse de Toulouse there in the past (also Morteau), saucisson à l'ail I'm not so sure. So... maybe you should stick to cassoulet de Toulouse?
There's another charcuterie retailer called D'artagnan, can't remember where I've seen their products, but they may make saucisson à l'ail?
There use to be a French guy who was selling charcuterie at the Larchmont farmer's market who could have provided you with everything you needed, but I haven't seen him in a while. If someone remembers his name, he had a business based in Silverlake or Los Feliz where you could special order most staples of French charcuterie. Hope he's still in business.
Anyway, good luck. I think Monsieur Marcel and Surfas are your best bets.
Fresh Yeast- where to buy
a past thread indicates Gloria's has it. Don't know of it's still the case but here's their website http://gloriascakecandysuplys.com/store/ Might be worth giving them a call.
Fresh Yeast- where to buy
well, every year someone comes on CH with that exact same query, and for the past couple of years it dwindled to "only Surfas carries it and not all the time". So your best bet is online, unfortunately. I wish I could find it easily. The resources I haven't tried yet are Erewhon, and the Co-Op in Santa Monica. If you find it there, please report, thanks!
Spanish Chorizo substitute for Paella
well, not only you don't put pig brains in Spanish chorizo - that I know of, but on top of that, normally you don't put chorizo in paella. Besides, I believe (but I'm not sure) that all "Spanish" chorizo in the US is made here and not imported, and you can have it at la Espanola, order it online through La Tienda, and the La Espanola-made ones are available at Whole Foods and also at Surfas. But really, no chorizo in paella is not only fine, it's how it's traditionally done.
Any foodie worthy restaurants in this region?
I am French too, and I have to say that if you live in LA, just go eat all the great ethnic food that isn't available in France (or NYC in some instances). If you know how to cook, there's no point in going to French restaurants except in case of extreme homesickness, and for this you have Le Saint-Amour and Alain Giraud's new restaurant in the Palisades.
In the San Gabriel Valley you will eat Chinese food like you never had, there is great Thai food to be found in Hollywood, and I'm not speaking about all the Mexican, Salvadoran, Peruvian places, etc. Taco trucks are a local treasure. We have two of the most perfect gelato places with Bulgarini in Altadena and Culver City, and Grom in Malibu. There are great pupuserias all over the place. Just peruse this board and you will find great recommendations for pretty much everything.
You have to be willing to drive and spend some time looking around, realize that most Euro-inspired food in Los Angeles will be Americanized, and give in to the fact that you can't recreate France here, the same way you wouldn't try to re-create NYC in Paris, as Servorg and Wienermobile are saying below.
Looking for Raclette (Cheese)
Trader Joes very regularly has some. You can also try Laurent Bonjour (he has a truck at the Larchmont farmers market on Sunday) but TJ's is cheaper.
Vintage Roper Stove - to keep or sell?
I don't know that specific stove but I have a vintage one a bit like that and I adore cooking in it. Took me some time to get adjusted to the oven (I bake a lot) but now I could never get back to a recent model. No idea how much yours costs, I believe there is a store somewhere on Western specialized in fixing up and selling old stoves like that. I know if it were me I'd keep it.
Chipwich - is this available in LA???
I've never had Chipwhich but wouldn't the TJ's ice cream sandwiches with the chocolate chips be similar? These http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l00y8rbul61qavbv1o1_500.jpg
I also used to love Flaky Flix. Wish they'd come back.
Drip in Koreatown
This is a newish coffee place in Koreatown, Drip.
I stumbled upon that place with a friend this weekend and feared the worst as it's located on the 2nd floor of a shopping mall (on 8th street and Serrano I think) that was rather deserted at that particular time.
The decor would be alright (hip and modern but not too aggressively so) but the lack of natural light makes it a bit depressing. It's not very big, I saw a couple of people with computers working but I didn't check if there were outlets or if they offered wifi.
The staff was super sweet and friendly.
I'm strictly an espresso drinker and being European I usually despair of the quality of espresso in this town (no, I don't like Intelligentsia, nor LA Mill, nor Groundworks renditions of it), or maybe it's just my taste buds that are used to something different. I usually stick with places offering Danesi or Illy but even that isn't a guaranty I'll like it (i.e. the espresso at the now defunct Massimo's Mudspot was terrible, and it was made with Danesi).
I winced at the $3 charged for the espresso at Drip, but after I drank it I thought it was well worth the price. Smooth and sharp, no hint of burnt rubber like I usually get elsewhere, and not too watery (I'm looking at you, coffee chain from Seattle).
I also had a sample of the dark chocolate they sell and it was very good even if it didn't look so. They sell it for I believe $4 per bar.
I'm not sure Drip can survive in its current location since you need to know it's there and that mall doesn't look super popular. I sure hope Drip will be around for a while because I would certainly come back when I'm in the area and caffeine-deprived and I can drop $3 on some espresso.
La Brea just south of Wilshire?
Might be Rascal? Haven't been there myself, it seems more like a bar with sandwiches than a real restaurant to me.
fresh yeast?
Your best bet is Surfas, but you might want to call them as they don't always carry it. If they have it, it's in a 1 lb brick.
Sorrel in LA
I used it to make a camembert and sorrel quiche. You know how they sell some camembert Le Rustique at Trader Joe's when the holidays are coming up? Now is the time.
Sorrel in LA
I find it very regularly at the Hollywood farmers market. I bought some there about a week ago so with some luck there will still be some next Sunday.
TEA HOUNDS! Why are we not talking about Dr. Tea's Tea Garden & Herbal Emporium on Pico/La Brea??
well, I'm not a "tea hound" per se (being European I lean more toward black teas in the Mariage, Fortnum & Mason, Kusmi styles, which probably disqualify me as a tea person) but I like the Tea place at the Farmer's Market on 3rd & Fairfax.
Never heard about that place on Pico and La Brea and I live a stone throw away. I can't even picture where it is.
New Year's Eve dinner in Amsterdam for a solo traveler?
Hello 'hounds,
I will be on an overnight layover in Amsterdam on December 31st. Looking for a nice place for dinner, preferably Indonesian or traditional Dutch. Open to other sorts of cuisines, too, except French because I will have been having a lot of it in the previous 10 days.
I don't want to spend an arm and a leg (let's say 50 euros absolute max including one drink), just have a pleasant dinner rather than eat something dismal at the airport or at the hotel's restaurant. Bonus if I can book via Internet or even better, if I don't need to book.
Thanks in advance!
