EarlyBird's Profile
Moving to Claremont
Nice to know about Patty's. I still go out to the 'Mont quite a bit and have to check it out.
Moving to Claremont
I would agree nothing on the menu to me is a "must have" though I do like their Afghan fries (i.e., battered and deep fried potato slices) with chutney. I would also agree that it is expensive for what you get. To me it's about good memories and sitting out on the patio and people watching and so on.
Moving to Claremont
I like the food at Walter's quite a bit. But what I like more is the dining experience. I love Walter's on a warm-to-hot afternoon, sitting on the outside covered patio in the shade with a salad and some wine and just being there. Of course, I remember when Walter's was just a coffee shop, complete with red naugahyde booths, and so the whole place brings back pleasant memories.
Carne Asada Burrito or Taco in Los Angeles
So, Mexcellent, what's the closest to SD carne asada or Mexican food in general that you've gotten, in Los Angeles?
Easy fish to catch and eat in Bay Area for a newbie fisher?
The charter boats in the East Bay will take you a mile or so beyond the Golden Gate, and get into big ling cod. During salmon season (which I think just ended, at least it did in So Cal) you can get some great fish in this area too. I've caught two 40 lb salmon not a mile from the Golden Gate, and have limited numerous times in that area on monster ling cod.
Use the ling cod for fish tacos, and the salmon, well, for salmon! Better yet, if you get a number of different types of fish, make a cioppino, which is actually an Italian-American dish invented in San Francisco, not from the old country. Don't forget some good wine and bread.
Moving to Claremont
If Los Jarritos II is that little stand on the corner of the parking lot where M&I Surplus store is, YES!
I have never, ever, had a bad meal at ____________and I have eaten there over a dozen times!
Fiddler's Bistro
http://fiddlersbistro.com/
Loud and louder restos: Maybe I'm getting old, but...
You're not getting old, Annie. Even when I was a youngster I resented having to shout over my meal. I still do, very much, and I'm not old, and have great hearing.
I don't know what's the loudest restaurant in LA, but I can tell you I believe it's intentional: if you can't hear each other, you'll eat and get out to have your conversation, rather than dawdle at a table which could otherwise be turned over for additional paying customers.
Moving to Claremont
I grew up in Claremont and have lived in LA pretty much the rest of my life.
When I was a boy, Wolf's Market on Foothill Blvd. was one of the last, independent, family-run grocery stores. At some point, due to market pressures and the high income level of the neighborhood, they transformed themselves into an independent, family-run, high-end grocery store, known for very high quality meat, wine, cheese, produce, etc. My buddy's Christmas prime rib MUST come from there every year, because they actually sell restaurant grade Prime beef.
I'm not sure Wolf's Market fits specifically into any one of your 7 categories, but anyone serious about food living in Claremont must check it out.
Welcome to the 'Mont!
"Fresh" dried Pinto Beans in Los Angeles?
All,
I never really appreciated the need for dried beans to be "fresh," until I made some classic refried beans with a bag of dried pintos my sister brought home with her from a trip to New Mexico. They were so tender and tasty.
Though "fresh dried beans" sounds like a contradiction in terms, I mean to say dried beans that are not old, having been dried fairly recently.
Does anyone know where in Los Angeles I can find "new" or "fresh" dried pinto beans? I'm going to make a batch with my carnitas on Cinco de Mayo.
Gracias.
Five Guys vs. In-N-Out? [moved from Los Angeles board]
Ooh. I'm gonna have to try Marty's. Thanks for the recommendation.
Five Guys vs. In-N-Out? [moved from Los Angeles board]
Okay, I finally did my Five Guys vs. In-N-Out comparison.
First of all, to those who state that the two are nothing alike and therefore not a fair comparison, are you serious? Remember in 1st grade those tests that said, "a cat is like a lion like... A.) a dog is like a coyote, B.) a tree is like a pancake, or C.) a bicycle is like a blow dryer"? You were kept back a year.
- Same line up & order/sit & dine service
- Same type of burger (though granted, FG offers more toppings)
- Same fast food-using-high-quality-ingredients strategy even down to the fresh, unpeeled potatoes for fries
- Same price category
- Even the same color scheme
So. I visited Five Guys and had their regular sized (double) cheeseburger with raw onions, lettuce, tomato, mayo and pickles. I figured this is the fairest and most direct comparison to an INO Double-Double.
It's a good burger. It's surely bigger and more filling than a Double-Double, and also costs more, but I didn't feel ripped off.
Perhaps because I didn't order mushrooms and ate it immediately, the bun didn't have time to steam inside the foil wrapper and suffer the catastrophic disintegration that others have complained about. It is, however, a "messier" burger, but nothing like the sloppy mess some have described. (I for one hate getting messy when eating. My mother served Sloppy Joe's at my eighth birthday party and I cried.)
The bun is a bit sweet, more "bready" or roll-like than INO's and with sesame seeds. It's more crumbly but not in a bad way. It's served cold though, and I like that INO puts theirs on the flat top.
The patties are definitely meatier, and they are well done as INO does them. My only real criticism is that the cheese - American slice the way it should be on a cheeseburger - tasted and looked very processed, and was not melted, and was relatively skimpy given the ratio to other ingredients. They apparently apply it to the burger when they assemble it, rather than while cooking. That I didn't like. (Part of the joy of an INO Double Double is that the cheese melts into the wrapper and you have to peel it off and eat it.)
Definitely fresh, high quality ingredients. The lettuce, tomatoes and pickles remain crisper than an INO's since somehow INO's toppings get a bit heated.
Which brings me to the meat of the comparison: FG's is a nice burger, well assembled. INO's is a unique, singular amalgam of tastes - one taste really - all which make a Double Double a Double Double. Put another way, a lot of of places can and do make a FG's burger, while nobody but INO does - or can - make an INO burger.
I asked the counter person, "May I just try one fry?" and she kindly brought me a cup full for free. They are good. They are very similar to INO in the sense that they are hand cut, unpeeled and very "potatoey," but they use a seasoning salt similar to Lawry's. They taste higher end and more "restaurant-like" than INO's.
I should point out that I'm not a fry guy, and rarely order fries, and am not a fan of the unpeeled fry in general, especially INO's which are flabby even when well cooked. FG's are superior.
So:
FG's double cheese vs. INO Double-Double? Double Double absolutely any day of the week. There is just something about how a DD all comes together that blows the doors off of FG's. Far more flavor, texture and that special something that makes INO unique. Is it a "better" burger? Yes, because it is a far better eating experience. Period.
Fries?: FG's hand's down, but by no means would I, personally, go there just because the fries are superior. I'm just not a fry guy.
Now. Back to the East Coast-West Coast thing. East Coasters are going to find FG's a better burger, a better deal, more of a meal, and they'll wonder why Californians swoon over the Double Double. That's because they're not Californians who have been raised on the DD.
Californians are going to find FG a well-executed rip off of INO but lacking "wow." Don't get me wrong: it's good, but in LA, the Land of the Burger, it just doesn't make waves.
One final point: at the FG's Westwood location, the cook staff were constantly yelling orders and spirited admonitions to each other: "big line at the door!" "order up!" "next order people!' this sort of thing, and just generally hollering. The average Marine drill squad is softer spoken. I found it strange. The man hollered - literally screamed - my order number when it came up, though I was less than two feet in front of him. He must go home hoarse.
Favorite Frozen Food?
Trader Joe's vegetable gyozas or potstickers. Amy's Mexican and Indian meals.
Lawrence of India has fantastic Indian/Goan food!
I used to live just off of Inglewood Blvd. in Mar Vista, a very quick walk to the old Lawrence of India, right across the street from El Abajeno and Sanchez Meat Market. Boy those were the days, and I'll never forget showing up and finding that Lawrence was no longer. That was 20 years ago and I just figured he and his family moved back to India.
Oh the joy of discovering their new place on Venice! I was in the car with a buddy of mine and just happened to look over at the mini-mall and oila'! there was good ol' Lawrence of India! I can't WAIT to get back there.
Cracks on my Mario Batali Enameled Dutch Oven
I think you're exactly right, legourmet. The owner of the pot should not worry. That is normal "crazing" that happens after just a few usages, and should not lead to catastrophic cracks, in my experience.
Japanese Markets?
All,
This weekend a friend of mine caught a beautiful 12 lb. chinook salmon off of the Channel Islands (yes, they come that far south). He gave me a generous portion of it, plus the head. I made a classic Japanese soup using the head, miso, mirin, seaweed and somen noodles. Yum.
Oh, and I broiled the collar of the fish with some ponzu sauce, and we picked out that delectably unctious, fatty meat around the bones. Wow.
This got me to thinking that I need to locate a good Japanese market, preferably in my mid-city, Miracle Mile neighborhood. I got lucky with the ingredients at Whole Foods, but surely I'm missing out on some wonders that only a Japanese market would have.
I'll be doing a lot more fishing this summer, and fish to me means Japanese food.
Any suggestions?
"A man's drink of choice , tells volumes of one's character"-- need help..
Holy smokes. At those prices it's worth the time and gas to go down and get some. Maybe get some good Vietnamese food while I'm down there. Thanks for the lead.
Do you roast with or without water in the roasting pan?
As little water as possible. I only put it in to stop the fat from burning in the bottom of the pan and smoking me out of my apartment. Also, if I want to make any kind of jus, you'll need to prevent the burning by way of a touch of water.
Not too much, or you steam the food, or at least don't get the nice crust and browning you typically want in a roast.
Miyata Menji on Sawtelle
Yes, I'll have to force myself to expand my horizons. Thanks for the leads.
303 Whiskey - distilled from potatoes?!?
Well I'll be damned. So, basically any spirit could technically be called whisky. Is that what I'm understanding here?
"A man's drink of choice , tells volumes of one's character"-- need help..
"Hi time wine has Bluecoat for $18 at the moment."
You're kidding! What/where is Hi Time Wine? I'm in L.A. and I've never heard of it.
"A man's drink of choice , tells volumes of one's character"-- need help..
Go classic: a very cold martini, up, with an olive, not too dry (about 3:1 booze/vermouth).
I must point out that I'm referring to a martini, i.e., one made with gin, not a "vodka martini." Not that there is anything wrong with vodka martinis, but a classic martini is made of gin..
Also, just make them with good, mid-shelf gin and high quality vermouth. I have found that many high end gins, say Bombay Sapphire or Plymouth, are so clean as to be bland. There are exceptions to that rule, for instance Blue Coat, which is THE best gin in the universe, and surely Hendrick's is loaded with flavor, but you need a bit of heat for a good martini. I could go on about Blue Coat, which is expensive, but beside its fantastic complexity and balance there is that bit of heat.
I actually think that Trader Joe's in-house "Admiral Joseph" gin is absolutely fantastic for the price, like $7.99 a bottle. But Bombay in the white label is great too.
What is also fun is that for the rest of your life you can experiment with and argue over the right glass, temperature, amount of ice, shaken vs. stirred, olive vs. twist, etc., etc. Talk about telling about a "man's character."
303 Whiskey - distilled from potatoes?!?
It could very well be delicious, but I don't know how it could be whisky if it's from potatoes. It's like saying, "Tofu = Meat." Not bad, but not meat.
Tell us how it tastes, though. I've not heard of it.
Miyata Menji on Sawtelle
Thanks for the report. I have always wanted to eat my way through Little Japan on Sawtelle, but can't get past Asahi Ramen, whcih makes mind-blowing ramen soup and very reasonably priced.
Potato salad secrets?
"My mother's secret ingredient was "pickle juice" from a jar of dill or polski orgorki pickles. I find it makes a real difference to the mayonaise based, traditional dressing."
Amen to that, Vanderb! I like using juice from dill pickles, and I also like a lot of fresh dill chopped up in it.
LA choices for NY foodies
You can find any food in the world in New York, so rather than focusing on unique LA food, focus on the LA "type" of restaurant. Check out Spago, Dan Tana's, The Ivy, and other restaurants where you'll likely see actors and other LA "types."
Posters may complain about these recs because they are a bit touristy, but that's my point. Not to say the food isn't good (though Dan Tana's isn't "great").
Best advice for a novice smoker?
That is excellent advice, bagofwater. I would suggest breaking in the smoker with a couple of whole chickens, perhaps the pork shoulder as you suggest, and graduate to ribs then brisket.
The trick to smoking is understanding the equipment being used, how hot it gets, how quickly, how quickly it cools down, how much venting you need, etc. Then, getting to understand how different meats and cuts react.
Learn the equipment, learn the meats. Once you figure that out, the recipes and rubs and so on are really just a matter of taste, but that can take time.
Oh but brisket IS the best BBQ!
