GVDub's Profile
Boylan's Soda in Bottles
BevMo carries it (assuming there's a BevMo near Long Beach).
New to LA (Burbank), some specific questions (Long)
I've spent close to 20 years looking for decent Southeastern-style pulled pork in LA with no luck. Every place I've found that claims to serve pulled pork is more Memphis or St. Louis style, with the sauce overly sweet and barely a touch of vinegar (I tend more towards Carolina-style pulled pork with the finishing sauce mostly vinegar and peppers with just a hint of sweet and a vinegary slaw as the sandwich topping or a side dish). I'm afraid that your only solution is to get a smoker and do it yourself. You're more likely to find Texas, St. Louis and Southwest styles here.
Biscuits are another thing that you'll either have to get used to a different concept of or make for yourself. The closest thing I've found to the classic Southern rolled biscuit are the ones served at Popeye's, and for catshead (or drop) biscuits, you're pretty much out of luck entirely.
Not far from Burbank, in North Hollywood, you can find Miss Peaches Soul Food on Lankershim Blvd. just north of Burbank Blvd. I've had inconsistent food there, but overall it's been good, and their catfish dinner is good. Most everybody here tends to put sugar in their greens rather than a smoked hock or other cured meat product. Down-home food is not LA's forte.
Shawarma Dandoon in Reseda
Just discovered this place and was amazed to not find any mention of it here. It's a Lebanese restaurant at the NW corner of Victory and Reseda next to the 7-11. My wife had heard about it from friends and we got delivery from there the other night. Absolutely lovely babaganoush, excellent kebabs (we had the combo of lamb, chicken, and kofta), and a felafel with mint and some spicy heat as part of the seasoning that was superb. The hummus was a little on the bland side, but that was the only down check. We're looking forward to trying more of their menu. I would give this place a houndworthy recommendation.
Canoga Avenue & Burbank Blvd.
If deli is a possibility, try Weilers Deli on Victory between Canoga and DeSoto.
Weiner Factory Closing
Saw it on the news tonight. Weiner Factory on Ventura is going to be torn down and replaced by a Pinkberry. No details about when they're closing, but unless it's already done, you'd better get by there soon if you want a polish or a turkey dog.
Lunch in Thousand Oaks
Los Dos Amigos at 1421 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. has great tortas, good combos (had the pork tamale and chile relleno combo last Thursday. yumm!), and I would highly recommend as a good lunch alternative.
So it turns out LA has a subway...
Philadelphia Sandwiches for a good Philly cheese steak. Two blocks south on Lankershim and a half block east on Magnolia.
Jarin Thai - south to Magnolia and west a half block
Salomi Indian Cuisine - 1.5 blocks south on Lankershim on the west side of the street.
10 Warning Signs Before You Visit... (moved from Tristate)
IMO, there's only one thing that counts - do the customers leaving look happy and satisfied. It means they had a good experience and felt that the food was worth what they paid for it, possibly more. Anything else, really, is meaningless.
Charcoal
Most True Value associated hardware stores can get hardwood lump charcoal for you, as it's in their standard catalog. If they don't stock it, it takes a day or two to get in. The last several bags I got from Anawalt Lumber in North Hollywood have been oak charcoal. When I'm smoking pork shoulders for Carolina style pulled pork, I use a combination of hardwood lump and hickory chunks (or split logs if I can track some down).
Valley Pizza Review (North Hollywood, Studio City, Sherman Oaks)
I'm fond of the pizza at Dino's (Burbank Blvd. and Hollywood Way). Yes, it's in Burbank, but it's closer to my North Hollywood home than Little Toni's is and, for my taste, far better.
Cheap and Houndworthy in Westlake Village?
It's a copywriting gig. We surely must have met somewhere along the line, as I spent several years working for Tim Ryan at Midiman and 9 years working for Marcus Ryle at Line 6.
I know Brent's, but it is a little on the high side for regular lunches at my current budget. I know the choices around Kanan (Italia Deli in the mall at Kanan and T.O. Blvd is great, but always crowded)
Cheap and Houndworthy in Westlake Village?
Starting a new job next week at Guitar Center Corporate HQ at Lindero Canyon and Thousand Oaks Blvd. Looking for the inexpensive, houndworthy, non-chain options around there. I know there's lots of pricey stuff and chains, but I'm on a budget. Any ideas?
La Restaurants with Oxtail
I'd also recommend the Armenian style braised oxtail at Old Gyumri in Glendale.
Smoked Pork Jowl - Finding It In LA
On reflection, this is not to say that you can't find it in L.A. Your best bet is going to be markets that cater to the African-American community with roots in the South. Northwest Pasadena would be one place to look, or the Crenshaw District, or Leimert Park. It probably won't be in a larger market or a chain, but a small, neighborhood market where the local population is mostly from the Southeast.
Smoked Pork Jowl - Finding It In LA
Haven't found it other than mail/web order. I get mine from Burger's Smokehouse . Or go direct to the jowl at .
Smoked Pork Jowl - Finding It In LA
Guanciale is not smoked, though, only salt cured. Not really close to the same thing.
How's Market Open in North Hollywood!
We went this morning to look around. It probably won't be our regular market stop since it's a tad pricey, but as an occasional stop for special items, certainly. We picked up some of the SW Chicken Empanadas from the deli/prepared food counter, and they were quite good, as was the three bean salad we got to go with it. Also picked up makings for my version of chile verde (pork stew meat, pasilla chili peppers, tomatillos, and onions) and the meats look top notch, although on my current budget I'll be staying away from the $20/lb high-end cuts.
Lots of over-ripe bananas... but we don't care for banana bread. Ideas?
Banana pancakes or waffles. Just mash two of the overripe bananas up in a standard batch of batter.
Old Gyumri in Glendale?
Ate there not long ago and we enjoyed it. The barbecued sturgeon was excellent, as was the braised oxtail. We had a Russian salad called stalichni that was very good - a mix of chopped vegetables, ground pork, mayo, sour cream, and dill. The skewers of lamb heart and lung, while not for those who don't eat offal (or "variety meats" as they're sometimes called), were also quite tasty, although the texture of grilled lung can only be described as spongy/squishy. I'd recommend it, if you're willing to be adventurous.
Help me choose a cold cereal!
Here's my favorite hot weather cereal. I make the following mix up in advance (and since you're near a TJ's, you can do the same):
2 cans TJ's Multi Grain cereal
1 bag TJ's All Fruit Trail Mix
1 bag TJ's Dried Strawberries or Dried Bing Cherries (your choice)
Mix it all together in a big Rubbermaid container then, the night before mix 1 part of the cereal mix with 1 part yogurt (I'll use the TJ's Goat Milk Yogurt or some great stuff I get from a local Armenian market), and 1 part milk in a small container and let it sit in the fridge overnight. In the morning, the cereal and fruit have rehydrated and it's ready to eat. You can add a llittle sweetener if you want, but for me the amount of fruit in there adds enough sweetness. It's filling and cooling.
Best bbq pork bao for takeout for a CROWD?
I'm quite fond of the pork buns from BBQ Unlimited on Sherman Way between Coldwater and Fulton (same little strip mall as Sanamluang and Bangluck Market). They're $.60 each at retail, and if you call and order a bunch, they might give you a deal. You can even get a whole roast pig there, as well as an excellent roast duck.
Okay, Soul Food Mavens...
The Smitty's sauce is basically beer, cider vinegar, red pepper, and a touch of fruit juice. Not over sweetened or thick, more like a slightly sweet finishing sauce. It's great with pork or chicken.
Okay, Soul Food Mavens...
What's your favorite recipe for pig's feet? Boiled? Barbecued? Roasted? Pickled? Souse? Sauteed? I picked up a batch today and am planning on making them for Easter Dinner for the two of us. Current plan is boiled then roasted for a half hour in a barbecue sauce my wife makes (a recipe she's spent years trying to recreate from Smitty's in Rochester, NY), but I'm open to suggestions for new things to try. Bring it on!
m&m soulfood
I've never been to any of the M&M outlets that was any better than so-so compared to some of the best neighborhood soul food joints I've been used to. I would hate to think that it could be considered the best in LA. We're still searching for a regular place to go. It used to be Angelina's in North Hollywood, but since they've become Miss Peaches, the food's doesn't seem to be the same. Before that, it was a couple of cousins who were running a little place next to a rehearsal studio. If you didn't get it to go, you got to hear whoever had the space with the adjoining wall. We're thinking that there might be someplace in Sylmar/Pacoima near Andrae Crouch's church that's just a little neighborhood joint with great food, and we'll be going exploring soon.
Great dinner resto in NoHo/Surrounding area?
Here's a review from L.A. CityBeat. I have to agree that service can be a little spotty from when I've been there, but the food is good. If the weather's nice, the patio is a great spot to eat, as well.
http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=4273&IssueNum=169
Salt, salt, salt
Most properly it's not really 'kosher' salt (although that's the common parlance), but 'koshering' salt. It's called that because the coarse crystals do a better job of drawing out the blood (which is a necessary part of making meats kosher), precisely because they _don't_ dissolve so quickly and so stay on the surface of the meat longer.
Soul Brothers brand hot links and headcheese
We used to occasionally find it at the Foods4Less on Lake St. in Pasadena and in a small, non-chain grocery (whose name I've conveniently forgotten) in NW Pas. I seem to remember having gotten it once or twice at the market at Lankershim and Erwin while it was still a Von's, as well.
Soul Brothers brand hot links and headcheese
A few years back, my wife and I used to find a local L.A. brand of hot links and spicy headcheese at some stores called "Soul Brothers". Haven't seen it lately. Does anybody know if they're still in business and where it can be found? The headcheese was particularly good scrambled up with some eggs and green onion.
Great dinner resto in NoHo/Surrounding area?
I'd second Eclectic Cafe. Both the Goat Cheese and Stuffed Mushrom (stuffed with Spinach, Walnuts, and Gruyere) appetizers are very nice, the soups and salads that I've had have been quite good as have been the entrees (I'm a fan of their grilled portabello entrée) and pasta dishes. Nice atmosphere, and good people watching.
