jdwdeville's Profile
Rome in late March- check my list and maybe some suggestions?
So, so far the gluten free hasn't been an issue at all, surprisingly!
Highlights thus far:
Cul de Sac- a beautiful bottle of Bruno Rocca's Rabaja Barbaresco and partridge pâté.
Flavio di Velosomethingsomething in Testaccio- with no reservation on a Friday night we got seated immediately at about 10pm, the service was incredible and the wine priced brilliantly, and my crisp baby pork dish was excellent. Our friends langoustine dish was perfectly prepared, if tough to shell.
Trattoria Anotonio (Tonino?)- no sign, so tough to tell the name here. Right near the vintage shops of V Governa Vecchia. Excellent simple pasta but I will dream about those meatballs for months. My vegetarian wife ate at least half the plate!
Al Ceppo- okay, this was a bit fancier than expected... Very good but we were the youngest people in the place (and we're not that young...) and even dressed up felt a bit out of place. Great meal though, centering on grilled meat (sliced beef, entrecôte, and lamb), a bottle of Gravner and a bottle of Barbaresco Riserva off the excellent list to wash it down.
Costanza- great meal, great setting, great seafood. About 250 degrees inside the restaurant. Had a whole Turbot with a bottle of Russiz Superiore Friulano, creeps of truffles and mushrooms, and octopus carpaccio with pink peppercorns. Excellent.
So, two days left. Thinking about hidden, affordable little places now. And have to hit Pizzarium at least once....
Rome in late March- check my list and maybe some suggestions?
Hey folks, since you've all been so helpful thus far:
Just found out one member of our group has to eat gluten-free, any ideas? I might have to sneak away to Bir & Fud by myself, but do you think it'll be tough for her to enjoy the places we've been talking about?
Rome in late March- check my list and maybe some suggestions?
Thanks everyone.
One last query- is there any exceptional, tiny, back-alley little place that you feel is a quintessentially Roman experience? I remember wandering past hundreds of tiny hidden little places last fall thinking how charming they were, does one or two stand out from the lot?
Rome in late March- check my list and maybe some suggestions?
Sorpasso is perfectly located and sounds great, thanks!
I am staying to the northwest of the Vatican, so you're rec's are very helpful.
Cheers.
Rome in late March- check my list and maybe some suggestions?
Katie,
Thank you!
A question about Sunday lunches- have heard they can be packed, especially at the better places. Can I/ should I reserve a table? How early do I need to reserve?
Rome in late March- check my list and maybe some suggestions?
Thanks for the insight, L'Eau Vive's menu seemed less interesting than what it is, and given only 6 nights I think I'll skip it.
Palatium seemed fun just for the Lazio angle as we don't get much of those wines here in Los Angeles short of Orvieto (full disclosure: one of the wineries I represent is the excellent Sergio Mottura)... Hmm, will have to find somewhere else with a local bent maybe.
Versailles
Honestly, none that I've found. I do it for special occasions or when Miami friends are in town, but it really is time consuming... Steven Raichlen has a great recipe for it (though he halves the amount of the garlic/lime/cumin secondary marinade that I use) in his excellent Miami Spice cookbook. Couldn't find a printed version online to link to, but if anyone is serious about making it I can give you mine.
Versailles
Tapeworm beat me to it. The most famous traditional Cuban restaurant in Miami is indeed Versailles. I must say though, the Miami restaurant has NOTHING to do with the LA chain and the cooking at the LA locations are at best "good for LA" and not "good Cuban food". Case in point is their Vaca Frita. No self-respecting Cuban joint within 100 miles of Miami would ever just deep-fry a skirt or flank steak and slap it on a plate! That steak has to be boiled with seasonings then finger-numbingly shredded and marinated overnight in garlic, lime, and cumin, then crisped in a hot pan with a small amount of oil. It is a painstakingly long process to do right...
Rome in late March- check my list and maybe some suggestions?
Hi 'hounds,
Fell in love with Rome last year during a 24hr stopover on a work trip, and find myself fortunate enough to be going back in late March with my wife and two friends for 6 nights. Can you help check my list and maybe add a few ideas please? We prefer the more traditional, hidden, homey type places to the "see and be seen" ones, and I work in the fine wine industry so excellent wine lists have heavy priority (read: depth and quality, not necessarily price).
Here's my agenda and questions:
1. loved Bir & Fud, so will be revisiting there. Is there a better pizzeria?
2. something in the Jewish Ghetto, Piperno maybe?
3. an excellent wine bar- Cul de Sac, Palatium, or Trimani? Did I miss something better?
4. a Sunday lunch (that's the big meal, right?) spot
5. because I just HAVE to, either La Carbonara or Matricana(sp?), which one? is it worth it?
6. good dinners, heard about Al Ceppo as a local's spot, and Agata e Romeo...
7. will be staying a bit outside of the main area, and have to basically walk past the Vatican every day to get into the old city- any good farmer's markets and such around there?
8. is L'Eau de Vive worth checking out? Seems interesting....
9. Any great hidden spots I absolutely need to try? We are adventurous eaters, and I'm trying to learn as much Italian as possible before we leave.
Thanks so much for your thoughts!
REVIEW w/ pics: The Jokbal (aka Braised Pork Foot and Shank) Was No Joke at Jangchung-Dong Wong Jokbal
okay, so... "Jokbal" is Korean for amazing. That is some darn good foot. It should be said that the large ($30.99) is enough pork for at least 3 or 4. Also tried the noodles on the above recommendation- flavor was great, but my one gripe is that they stuck together somewhat like superglue and therefore could not ever be mixed into the vegetables.
Got that outright "what are you doing here?" type of stare walking in that made me feel we were really onto something good.
Great rec, thanks!
REVIEW w/ pics: The Jokbal (aka Braised Pork Foot and Shank) Was No Joke at Jangchung-Dong Wong Jokbal
pleasurepalate, any chance you saw their hours? Was thinking of going tonight post LACMA...
Thaitown/ K Town lunch ideas with BYO?
Hey can anyone think of a really good spot for lunch today that will let us BYO? Friend has some crazy special Xmas beer he wants to drink...
Pailin would've been perfect but they are closed today, and now my mind is drawing a blank. Does Pa Ord let you BYO?
Thanks!
Name This Restaurant aka the foolish diner
Omotosando- having had both wines, I can tell you the Billecart is definitively the better wine. And, it's vintage as well as from a Grand Cru vineyard.
Has anyone seen black garlic in LA area supermarkets?
Hi All,
Saw a killer recipe for octopus that involves black garlic. I've been hearing about this stuff but haven't been able to source it yet, other than mail order for over $30/lb. Has anyone seen it in markets? Preferrably Silver Lake adjacent?
Thanks!
REVIEW w/ pics: The Flavors of Belize Made for a Happy Palate
We've been hunting for good Belizian food since our honeymoon in Plancencia! And close, too! Thanks for the review.
need some more Thai Town ideas- getting bored of the usual!
Done, and done. Pailin is amazing. Had the issan sausage (good, very homemade tasting, maybe liked Krua Siri's version a bit better for texture), that crazy smoky stewed chili thing (what are you supposed to do with the veggies they give you- dip? Pour over?), a clam dish from the white board thai menu (holyshit amazing), fried beef larp (good, very fried-y), and a pork nam tok, mainly because my brain got the translations messed up, that turned out to be spectacular, like, first-time-all-over-again amazing, comfort food amazing. Tony, thanks for the rec, and I'll be back often for all the exotic offerings, but I'm going to need that damn nam tok each time too.
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Krua Siri
5103 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
居酒屋 Izakaya in Little Tokyo - Anyone tried any of these?
Cheers. First cold day this month I'm going on an oden pilgrimage.
居酒屋 Izakaya in Little Tokyo - Anyone tried any of these?
Realizing I jumped into this thread a bit late here, but don't discount Raku at all. It does have a bit of a Korean slant to some of the dishes, but it also brings a nice seasonality to the menu that is refreshing- it's one of my favorites in springtime for their pea shoot dishes...
Now, if someone could just point me to some oden.
need some more Thai Town ideas- getting bored of the usual!
okay, so tried Crispy Pork Gang tonight- crispy pork with preserved egg was very good, if not eactly a revelation. the sauce that came with the BBQ squid, however, was amazing! i want that stuff by the gallon.
okay, Pailin is next.
TonyC, thanks for the recs!
need some more Thai Town ideas- getting bored of the usual!
totally forgot to list Sapp as well- one of my favorites, for both quality and price!
need some more Thai Town ideas- getting bored of the usual!
Hi 'hounds,
Could someone give me some new Thai Town ideas? I think we're stuck in a rut with the same places.
Would love a place with top-notch curries, and maybe somewhere that does the grilled meats thing exceptionally well, but, really, anything would do!
Places we frequent already:
Jitlada- love it, but the waits have made it less of an "anytime" spot and more of a "destination"
Pa-Ord Noodle- yum.
Ruen Paar
Samanluang- maybe i get the wrong thing here, my friend loved it, I thought it was just ok...
Palm's (more for Thai Elvis than anything but their beef noodle soup and papaya salad is good!)
Also, have been several times to that Issan place with the "little birds", loved that.
Anyone have some places besides those that we've been missing out on? I seem to only see a few names when I search the board...
Thank you!
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Jitlada
5233 1/2 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
LA based hound looking for recs- 2 days in Viterbo, Lazio?
Hi folks,
I've got two unscheduled days during a work trip and I'm looking for some cool ideas. I will be based out of Viterbo, but will have a car, if not a command of the language... any ideas? I eat anything and love everything... and a good wine list is a plus.
Thanks for your help!
Seven cases of Coke
Smart and Final, Lincoln Blvd, assuming you don't own a Costco card...
Crossroads Barbecue - Sepulveda Blvd. @ National WLA
I've been a few times- Can only speak really about the pork ribs because that's what I get there, but at least they're better than Baby Blues. Pork ribs are well-smoked, have nice char, and are just chewy enough to be interesting. I'm not always sure I actually need the BBQ sauce they pour over them just before serving. As for sides, I've had the cole slaw and potato salad- the latter being forgettable (coulda just saved room for more ribs!) and the former hitting that nostalgic note that you might recognize if you, too, grew up with the concept that KFC was a "special dinner night"...
Not saying I would drive out of my way for these ribs, but they certainly are my pork go-to on the west side.
Crossroads Barbecue - Sepulveda Blvd. @ National WLA
re: West Side BBQ places- anyone try the place with the neon "Ribs" sign on Lincoln, just south of Washington? The whole neighborhood smells of woodsmoke in the mornings while they're smoking the ribs, and the ribs have nice smoke taste and a good chew (not fall-off-the-bone overdone)...
Westside Breakfast
Try out Rose Cafe in Venice- their weekend brunches are solid! Favorite dishes include the smoked salmon benedict-style on croissants with dill hollandaise and the puff pastry wrapped salmon dish. Their potatoes are great, too.
Worst of Rhode Island
Yeah- I left wondering if it was the same restaurant I grew up with- I'd been eating there since I was a kid and it was one of my absolute favorites! The one thing that was still good was their homefries. Wish I knew how they made those homefries.
Worst of Rhode Island
Having grown up on the east side of Providence it pains me to say it, but I'd have to add Louis' to this list. Just went back recently out of nostalgia while showing RI to my wife and god, was that ever underwhelming. And, when I was a kid I used to let Louis yell at me like that, and when I was older his attitude was fine because it was... idiosyncratic... but who the hell are these new people who feel like they can mimic his ways?
Worst of Rhode Island
y'know, as a former RI'er who lives in Los Angeles (a city without a single DD), when I come back the first thing I do is go straight to DD for a "large regulah" and it damn well tastes like the caffeinated nectar of the gods.
