fizzy's Profile
craving a ginger cocktail
Has anyone had a really great ginger cocktail recently? I'm looking for places around SD that make really delicious drinks with some element of ginger -- a ginger puree that gives it a sort of spicy zing, really good ginger brew, etc.
craving a ginger cocktail
Has anyone had a really great ginger cocktail recently? I'm looking for places around LA that make really delicious drinks with some element of ginger -- a ginger puree that gives it a sort of spicy zing, really good ginger brew, etc.
New Yorker looking for one restaurant to represent LA
Adding Animal + Lazy Ox Canteen to the list... both nice places that are a little more playful and focus on seasonal/local foods. Mozza is pretty amazing - but you probably already have a lot of great options for italian/pizza in nyc.
A second vote for Chosun Galbee -- it's an upscale Korean bbq place with some amazing food. There are some other great Korean bbq places in the city that are just as good and a little less expensive... but the atmosphere and service at chosun is where the extra cost is going.
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Lazy Ox Canteen
241 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
What is the freshest seafood shack in the San Diego area?
Mexican seafood places, definitely! They might be a little divey for a nice birthday dinner, but there's some really great places in SD. I don't think any are really near the water though.
Karina's -- for awesome ceviches, whole fish, grilled prawns, tamarind margaritas... looks like they have multiple locations, but i've only been to the one in national city.
I second the suggestion for the Marisco's German truck -- good fish/seafood tacos, a kickass seafood cocktail, ceviche served on tostadas, etc. Don't forget to ask for the soup with the shrimp they give out with each order. The only awkward bit you should be prepared for is that the truck is in a parking out where there isn't really anywhere to sit - we usually go to the one at 35th/University Ave. They used to have tables, but I think they had to take those down... so now we end up eating in the car or taking it home. They also close up kind of early -- usually around 6pm, I think.
El Pescador is a solid choice for casual seafood, not Mexican -- a couple blocks from the beach in La Jolla, though it may be a little more tame than what you're looking for... I think they close a little earlier also, around 8pm.
You should definitely check out the Little Italy Farmers market if you have a chance. There's a stand there that sells fresh live sea urchin harvested by a group of divers in San Diego -- really great stuff! They'll prepare it for your there at the market or you can take a whole one home to cut later. I've seen oysters there too, but haven't had a chance to try those out yet.
what are your favorite places on (or off) adams ave?
thanks for all the suggestions everyone! guess it's time to get to some eatin'... :)
Uni...great places for it (not only for sushi)
I think you guys are circling around some good points, but not really looking at the right things.
What you get at a high end sushi restaurant is premium grade uni that has been sorted so that you only get the best pieces of roe.
You take a little bit more of a chance with a live sea urchin... each urchin will give you several pieces of roe, some that are really beautiful and/or some that aren't as nice. It's the same chance you take when cutting open fruit, you can only make a guess as to how good the meat will be inside. How good live uni is will depend on the quality/conditions of the kelp beds that it lived in, transportation time, storage conditions, etc... so you can really only depend on the restaurant to choose a reliable source who will ensure that the uni comes from a good place and is treated well. I believe the same species of sea urchin are harvested from Santa Barbara + San Diego. The difference in quality and taste probably depend more on the above factors.
I don't think size really matters. I've noticed that SB/SD uni tends to be on the larger side. Hokkaido uni tends to be smaller -- but they're different species, so size really doesn't play into how one compares to the other. Both can be amazing. Size within each species probably depends some on how close the urchin might be to their mating times when harvested.
My experiences with live uni on the shell at restaurants have been mixed -- though my experiences buying from people who source directly from the divers have been generally very good. Unless you kind of know more specifically where your uni is coming from, I would probably stick with the prepared uni at higher end sushi restaurants since they do provide the extra selectivity and care in preparation that ensure consistently amazing experiences. You *can* have equally amazing live uni on the shell experiences -- you just have to either know/trust your source or take a chance.
what are your favorite places on (or off) adams ave?
My husband and I just moved to Normal Heights + have been exploring the neighborhood. We love to eat + were wondering what favorite places you might have in this area -- restaurants, fresh produce, unique eats, bakeries, etc.
Uni...great places for it (not only for sushi)
Forgot to add that Catalina Offshore Products in San Diego probably also offers fresh whole live uni like the ones sold at the market. You just have to learn to cut them yourself.
The experience is so different from what you get from the restaurants. That stuff is great... but this stuff is *amazing* esp over fresh pasta or risotto -- so creamy, it absolutely liquifies in your mouth. Really pure flavor, no other garnishes needed.
Uni...great places for it (not only for sushi)
Take a road trip down south! :)
There used to be a lady who sold whole uni at the Little Italy Farmers Market (Saturdays) in San Diego. I think her husband was one in a group of divers. She stopped for some reason and the uni is now being sold by another vendor -- the price went up a bit, but I tried them out recently + it seemed just as good/fresh.
An old article on the lady:
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2009/may/13/poor-little-devil/
I've been trying to go to La Guerrense forever, but they weren't working on the days I was down there on my last two trips to Ensenada. I've heard she does some awesome stuff with uni. The seafood in general is amazing down there.
Chef's Table @ Maialino
My husband and I are visiting NYC in the fall. We'd like to go to Maialino on one of our nights there + have been discussing whether we should go for the chef's table vs. a normal dinner reservation here.
We were wondering if anyone here has any opinions on this and/or has had personal experience with this menu. Do you think it's worth it to go for this instead of the normal dinner menu?
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Maialino
2 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10010
sushi/omakase for around $100/person?
i'm looking for something in west la, but i'll drive pretty much anywhere for good food... thanks everyone! i'll take a look at kiyokawa... mori + zo are at the top of my list, but i'm going to try to be good this year... thanks cls, i like the tip about letting the restaurant know about your budget beforehand... lol, that would probably be a little less dangerous than walking in and saying 'feed me' :-)
sushi/omakase for around $100/person?
I'm looking to take my sister out for her birthday dinner this week. I want to find an omakase place to go to that's closer to $100/person. The places I've been before have been closer to $150-$200 per person. They were worth every penny, but I'm trying to see if I can stay a little more within my budget this time. Let me know if anyone might have suggestions.
lol, just for kicks, does anyone know how much the average is per person at Sushi Zo these days? I've been craving it, but heard that prices have gone up pretty high.
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Sushi Zo
9824 National Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034
road trip through puerto rico -- culebra, central puerto rico, san juan
Hi, I'll be visiting puerto rico in a couple weeks and was looking for recommendations for a few locations. Just wondering if you guys might have some tips.
1. Culebra
2. Central Puerto Rico -- near Jayuya + Adjuntas
3. San Juan -- have some notes from previous posts
I'm especially curious about recommendations for dinner in Jayuya/Adjuntas. We'll be staying there for a night, but I haven't been able to find much about the food in that area. We're going to pass through Guavate earlier that day, so should we just load up on food before heading into the mountains? Or are there unique eats to be found up in that area?
Thanks!
visiting coffee plantations in Puerto Rico
My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to Puerto Rico in December. We wanted to spend part of our trip visiting the coffee plantations in the interior of the island... and just wanted to see if anyone here has recommendations for any of the places near Adjuntas or Jayuya.
We've never tried this before, so we wanted to see also if there was a certain etiquette to visiting the plantations. Should we expect to be able to do tastings/cuppings even though we may only be buying a low volume of beans? Do most places require that we call ahead or is it possible to make a stop while we're driving by?
craving pho in west la
Where should I go for great pho around the West LA / Santa Monica / Culver City area?
question about Fisherman's Terrace dim sum
Does anyone know what hours Fisherman's Terrace (Aberdeen Centre, Vancouver) serves dim sum over the weekend? We're visiting Vancouver this weekend and wanted to find an unforgettable dim sum experience. Would this be the place to go?
looking for punjabi market recommendations in vancouver
I just heard about the Punjabi Market in Vancouver and wanted to see if anyone might have tips on good places to eat in this area -- meals, snacks, etc. It sounds like it might be a fun place to visit.
3 days in LA - can anyone suggest a Chowhound Tour?
lol, do you have any room for dessert? these are some dessert experiences that might be fun to try while you're here....
gelato + ice cream:
* the persian ice cream parlour on westwood blvd. (between wilshire blvd. + santa monica blvd, i think the cross street might be wilkins ave but i'm not sure)
* scoops --> experiments with some very unique flavors
* pazzo gelato --> has some interesting flavors + across from intelligentsia coffee
* milk --> awesome ice cream sandwich desserts
other:
* Providence offers some great multi-course dessert tasting menus
* samosa house --> has some good indian desserts
* huckleberry --> delicious bakery/cafe in santa monica (maple bacon biscuits!)
* LA Mill Coffee Boutique --> some amazing coffee + desserts
* Sushi Zo finishes with a really good yuzu drink at the end
seattle to vancouver -- looking for amazing food experiences that focus on local produce
Thanks for the suggestions!! I almost forgot about the restrictions at the border crossing. We'll be in Bellingham for a night, so we'll probably just pick up enough along the way to last us through the day and the next morning then. The statement I found on the CBSA website seemed kind of vague. lol, it'll be all the more reason to pay a visit to the Granville Island market to replenish.
trying to remember name of indian restaurant in vancouver
Jambo Grill & Good Morning Paan sounds very familiar. I think that might be the one, thanks!!
seattle to vancouver -- looking for amazing food experiences that focus on local produce
I'm going to be driving from seattle to vancouver with my mom and sister in the first week of september and wanted to see if anyone might have suggestions for some fun food experiences in between.
I heard there were a number of farms around Bellingham and wanted to see if anyone has favorites they can suggest in this area -- farm stands or u-pick farms. Also, what would be in season now?
We're also really interested in suggestions for restaurants in the area that focus on using fresh, local produce. We love to eat (!) and are looking for places that would be able to capture and define the flavor of the region that we'll be passing through.
We will probably drive up the 5 and then take Chuckanut Drive up to Bellingham. We are definitely willing to veer away from this route, though, if there is something tempting to the side. lol, the decision about which border crossing to take may also depend on where we'll be eating directly beforehand. :-)
trying to remember name of indian restaurant in vancouver
This may be a long shot -- but I stayed at the Cassandra Hotel a couple years ago while visiting Vancouver and remembered a pretty good Indian place that was within walking distance of the hotel. Would anyone have any idea what the name of this place might be?
looking for little gem lettuce
I was just wondering if anyone has come across little gem lettuce salad in Los Angeles recently or knows of any markets where they are selling this type of lettuce right now. I just returned from a trip to Portland where I had the most amazing little gem lettuce salad.... and was hoping that I might be able to find something a little closer to home where I can satisfy this craving.
mmm.... cannolis
i'm craving cannolis and wanted to see if anyone might have any tips about where the best ones are in la.... also, do you guys know any places where they might sell the cannoli shells and filling separately so i can fill them at home?
kokekokko
lol, this is kind of a late reply, but i just wanted to say thanks for an awesome recommendation!! i ended up trying shin sen gumi a little later on and have been unable to resist wandering back ever since... the yakitori locations in fountain valley and gardena are really good.... and the hakata ramen location in fountain valley is pretty amazing....
dinner at eleven madison park
Thanks guys! We ended up going for the 11-course menu. The food was fantastic, but I think we'll try to clear the whole evening next time so we can really savor the experience. The timing of the meal was perfect and the service was impeccable.
santa barbara & san lui obispo
Looking for some day trip ideas that involve the local food -- farms where we can pick fruit, suggestions for some not-to-be-missed wineries, and other possible culinary adventures... the wilder the better! We're not afraid to climb trees and dive in the ocean for some good fresh eats.
kokekokko
Just curious if anyone knows what the vip course is at kokekokko. I've come across some brief references to this, but haven't been able to find much info online. Is this by invitation only or would I be able to request this when making the reservation? How much does this cost?
dinner at eleven madison park
My boyfriend and I are having dinner at Eleven Madison Park in a couple weeks and are trying to decide between the four course dinner or the 11-course tasting menu. Just wondering what experiences chowhounders have had recently with either menu. We are also kind of limited with time and were curious if two hours might be too little time to really savor the longer tasting menu.
