Signora's Profile
SoCal Artisanal Food Producers?
Do you have Gioia Cheese at 1605 Portrero Ave, South El Monte, CA 626-444-6015?
Fresh ricotta, buffalo mozzarella, burrata....
Paul Martin's - New in Manhattan Beach
We ate at Paul Martin's last evening and were disappointed. Yes, it had the ambience...it had flair...it had energy. All the "beautiful people" were there. But as for the dining experience, it left much to be desired in our book. First of all, though the servers appeared to be attentive and constantly asked if everything was alright, they had to be reminded about a number of things that had been ordered. One person's cocktail was forgotten and then arrived along with the soup and the glass of wine. An appetizer was forgotten. Items were brought to the wrong table. They have their spiel down pat...using the word sustainable in every other sentence. The food was not exceptional. I had the plank salmon (that was "sustainably farmed in Oregon") and it was overcooked. The meal was quite pricey and I doubt that we will return.
Best eats and Bars in San Luis Obispo / Central Coast
The last week in January we spent the entire week based in San Luis Obispo and exploring the Central Coast. I had written down the suggestions from this board. Here is our report back:
Dinner at Big Sky was very good. I had the special Goat Cheese Lasagna which was not at all heavy with a delicate pasta. He had the Lamb shank. Well prepared and nice portion.
Lunch at Firestone Grill, crowded with lunch crowd but the tri-tip and the sausage sandwiches were very tasty and tender.
Lunch at Pete's Pierside was fun. We liked the fish taco, fish sandwich and the cup of chowder. Good value.
Dinner at Splash in SLO. I don't know if this is any different from the Pismo Beach Splash, but we weren't that impressed with the chowder...overly thick for our palate.
Italian sandwiches from Muzio's Market were very good and enjoyed as a picnic at Montana de Oro bluffs.
Dinner at Corner View Restaurant in SLO. We had the Restaurant month fixe-prix dinner. Selected fish entrees that were well prepared. Creme Brulee was brutal...torched top was almost black and tasted burned...so much so that the custard had warmed to soup.
Dinner at Mama's Meatball in SLO, cozy and comfortable. Meal was good. Enjoyed the warm breadsticks.
Dinner at McClintoch's SLO was good and fun. These are steaks for the college crowd but they were tasty, prepared nicely and good value. We would go back.
Dinner at Bon Temps SLO was a disaster. Food very greasy, batter on popcorn shrimp over done, my husband was ill all night from his Jambalaya. Beware....
Also of interest to foodies: We had two delightful visits at the Cal Poly Organic Farm (open to the public). Cindy, the General Manager and Jerry, the Production manager could not have been friendlier. Nathan, the main gardener, answered our copious questions. It was great to talk with the student workers, wander through the garden and see how they run their CSA program that funds their effort.
Enjoyed brief visits at Mt. Olive Farm toward Paso Robles and a Lavendar Farm as well.
Beautiful country..and the wineries!!!! :-)
Where to buy farro in the South Bay
I hope you are right!! I didn't look in the do-it-yourself containers. I looked in the rice and grains aisle.
Good Italian in Culver City?
What about Novecento's on Main St. in Culver City? It's small but we found the food authentic.
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Novecento Pasta & Grill
3837 Main St, Culver City, CA 90232
Where to buy farro in the South Bay
With the weather cooling down I begin to fantasize about cool weather dishes. I had cooked cereal this morning! I was very disappointed to learn that Trader Joe's has discontinued it's dry Spelt with Red & Green Bell Peppers. This made a wonderful base for a Spelt Soup or Spelt Salad. I have had a difficult time trying to find spelt or farro locally. Does anyone know where it might be purchased? I tried Whole Foods but only found a tiny package that was quite expensive.
Best non-highend Italian on the west side
What about Cantalini's in Playa del Rey. Not great but I think it holds its own with some of the other non-highend Italian that have mentioned so far.
Do you know good restaurants in and around Manhattan Beach ?
Had dinner at Christine's two weeks ago and was disappointed. It had been a couple of years since we ate there and either memory was playing tricks on us or it is not the Christine's we remembered. We had two meat dishes, an Osso Buco and a Piedmonte sampler special. Both had wine reduction sauces that were very heavy and overpowered the dish. It was all you could taste.
help scottish tourists looking for good cheap food in lax area of los angeles
To satisfy your husband's simple tastes as well as offer some things a bit more adventurous, consider Truxton's, 8611 Truxton Ave. at Manchester Blvd. in Westchester. They have a very nice menu.
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Truxton's American Bistro
8611 Truxton Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90045
palm springs/desert/rancho mirage
I second the Fisherman's Market. If you want small, local and good food, we also always stop at:
El Gallito in Cathedral City (carnitas on Thursday only...no reservations, cash only, local),
El Mirasole in Palm Springs,
La Bella Cucina (72-355 Hwy 111, Palm Desert (family owned and operated)
A little fancier is Pomme Fritte in Palm Springs (Belgian - great mussels)
New Indian Restaurant in Westchester
Today we tried a newly-opened Indian Restaurant for lunch today and had a delightful experience. Taj India Palace opened about 2 weeks in a small strip mall at 8320 Lincoln Blvd. in Westchester. We tried their lunch "all you can eat" buffet for $6.95 and found the food authentic and tasty. In addition to salad, raita, basmati rice and rice pudding, there were curries, a spinach dish and tandoori chicken. The owner says that the buffet changes daily. This seems to be a family owned and operated venture. The owner and his wife as well as other employees went out of their way to make us feel welcomed. The atmosphere was so clean, light and airy. They are open 7 days a week and have free delivery to the area. Their menu showed a great variety of dishes available for dinner. The construction on Lincoln Blvd. is a nuisance but we will definitely be back. With Thai Taley closed, we miss the ethnic food in the neighborhood and welcome this new addition.
Adler theater in Hollywood - Dinner suggestions
Looking for a simple place for dinner before a play at the Adler theater (6773 Hollywood Blvd.). We are coming from the South Bay and don't know the area. Any suggestions??
Rome to Lucca food itinerary suggestions needed
We just returned from an Italy trip where we spent two weeks in the small town of Calci and did day trips. Three that stand out as off the beaten path and gave us a look at ther various environs were: North of Lucca into the Garfagnana...a national park area that follows the Serchio River. We took this route all the way up to Carrara. No freeways but spectacular views (for the passenger...the curves can be quite hairpin in areas). We stopped in Barga for lunch at one of the trattorias in the main square (L'Osteria di Riccardo) and were quite happy with the meal.
Second day trip was to the Pisan Hills south of Pisa...a small loop that included lunch in the quaint town of Lari at Antica Osteria al Castello - excellent!, and a stop at a Frantaio where we saw olives being pressed.
Third day trip was to the Marrema...down the coast to Piombino.
A fourth day trip was to Volterra, the old Etruscan city. It was quite cold that day and we ended up in a trattoria that featured gnomes (yes!) and farro soup. On the way back we went through Greve.
Lots to see and the countryside is quite varied.
DeLuca's Trattoria in El Segundo
I was wondering if anyone has tried the new Italian restaurant in El Segundo. DeLuca's Trattoria is the new "child" of Johannes of Chef Hannes. We tried it a few nights ago and were disappointed. The waiter continued to tell us "it's a work in progress" and we know all new restaurants have to work out the kinks. Here was our experience:
It was a Tuesday evening, the restaurant was about 1/3 full, so there was no rush. We ordered:
Cream of Pumpkin Soup: very bland and tasted more like sweetened milk.
Chopped Salad: "cosi-cosi" - has dried cranberries that seemed to overpower everything else.
Spaghetti and meatballs (my real test of a new Italian restaurant): Sauce tasted more like a tomato soup that a rich pomodoro sauce and the meatballs had the rubbery taste of frozen meatballs.
Spaghetti picante (pasta with oil, red pepper, calamari, garlic) This was better than the other dish.
Bread: This was really a surprise...it looked lovely in the basket but when you bit into it, it was as soft and "crust-less" as a piece of sliced Wonder Bread. We asked about it and were told that the dough is purchased and then baked in their ovens. They really need a nice crusty, textured italian pane to go with their garlic infused olive oil.
Overall...the entire meal seemed bland and "watered down," more like an Italian wannabe. We had high hopes...but we think this work-in-progress needs some progression.
Best non-highend Italian on the west side
Recently we have returned to Fioretto, 12740 Culver Blvd, CA 90066, 310-448-8000, and been most pleasantly surprised. The food is authentic Tuscan cuisine. We have enjoyed the homemade pastas especially and the arugula and lemon salad. Service is very attentive and the atmosphere is calm and pleasant. The chef changes his menu seasonally. We were there Saturday night and were told that the fall menu was debuting on Sunday. Dinner for two, (cup of soup, salad, two entrees, 2 glasses of wine and no dessert) about $65 before tip.
Chef Hannes - June 23, 2007
It is my understanding that Chef Hannes has no corkage fee on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Bay Cities vs. Claro's Italian Sandwich
I have to chime in with agreement about Claro's. First of all, I don't buy sandwiches. I buy the meat and make my own and the meat at Claro's is authentic, imported from the "old country." If you shop at the San Gabriel location, Frank, the owner sits behind his small counter in the back and is available for any question or recommendation. He will tell you why the fresh cardoon is not yet available. The people talk to you and remember you. The smells harken back to the deli's of old with the imported cheeses hanging from the rafters. The sausage is fantastic...made on the premises. The cookies are made by Claro's as well. I have asked Frank many times why there is no Claro's on the Westside or the south bay...we drive from Playa del Rey. He says that he doesn't need to go into an area where there are already deli's...like Bay Cities. He has a niche in his areas. I do not like Bay Cities. It is a plastic imitation of an authentic Italian Deli in my book. It fills it's shelves with imported canned and dry items but when it comes to the fresh, it just doesn't measure up. I would go to Sorrento's in Culver City before I would go to Bay Cities. Just my second generation Italian opinion.
Italian food in Hermosa or Manhattan Beach?
Another restaurant we like in Hermosa Beach is Il Boccaccio. It is on Pier Ave. in the pedestrian area near the water. It has very authentic Italian food...not a chain. It is a little more upscale but a nice place for a Saturday night dinner.
http://www.ilboccaccio.com/
OC - Casual Dinner in Huntington Beach
We actually talked about the Vitello Tonnato and then decided to pass on an appetizer...che peccato!
We will return when we are in the neighborhood.
OC - Casual Dinner in Huntington Beach
Thanks for the recommendation. We had a great, simple meal at Mangia Mangia as well as a delightful conversation with Pietro Cefalu, one of the brothers who own this restaurant. He is the cook. I had the Scampi Cefalu over spaghetti which was delicious. The menu said light cream, but it was a bit more than light. The shrimp were done to perfection. My husband had the Linguini del Mare which was loaded with seafood...but he preferred my scampi! He enjoyed the cup of Straciacelli soup as a primi piatto. We enjoyed the Ricotta Cheesecake for dessert. We would go back.
I've never made pork chops
These are wonderful recipes and make me hungry for pork chops! I fix them many ways with great results. But I have a question for the pros: When I prepare a recipe that calls for me to saute the pork chops first, I make sure they are at room temperature and that I have patted them dry with paper towels. I will give a light dredge in seasoned flour and then place them in the hot oil/butter. Invariably, I have to deal with that juicy liquid that solidifies to a white, unappetizing gook (not a technical term). What am I doing wrong?
St. Katherine's Greek Festival this weekend
Last night we went to the St. Katherine Greek Orthodox church's Greek Festival for my annual fix on their fried calamari and my annual purchase of their Greek honey. They serve authentic Greek food...a full dinner served inside the hall and quick food (calamari, souvlaki, gyro, greek fries, appetizer plate, desserts) at booths outside. Beer, wine, metaxa, coffee...Greek or regular. The weather was great and we were surrounded by Greek music. If you are in the area, today or tomorrow (July 14-15) you might want to stop by:
St. Katherine's Greek Orthodox Church
722 Knob Hill
Redondo Beach
Places to eat in Marina del Rey?
I second the recommendation for Antica Pizzaria. We find their food consistently good and authentic of the Southern Italy style. Especially enjoy their grilled vegetable plate that comes with gargonzola cheese and grilled polenta. It used to be an appetizer but is now an entree.
OC - Casual Dinner in Huntington Beach
We are attending a late-afternoon lecture in Huntington Beach (Library) on Talbert. We are looking for reccomendations for a casual but GOOD dinner afterwards in the general area. We always enjoy Italian or fish. Any suggestions?
nontraditional guacamole ingredients
A Guacamole that always gets raves and questions is a recipe from Dan and Steve...the Hearty (?) boys. Mashed avocado with lime juice, salt, sugar, olive oil (about 1/3 cup for 2 avocados), minced fresh tarragon, salt and pepper. Served with crisp pita chips.
After movie dining near Landmark theater?
Anyone online with a suggestion???
We are heading out to the Landmark Theater in the Westside Pavilion for a matinee. Would like any ideas for a nice, simple dinner afterward...casual.
La Venta Inn / New York Food Company
We were married at La Venta Inn 8 years ago. We were very pleased with New York Food Company. I wouldn't want to recommend any specific items since it has been so long, but we were very pleased with the set up, the attentiveness and yet inobtrusiveness of the staff, and the quality of the food. We attended a tasting of their food prior to making our menu selections. We also brought our cake in from the outside. I think you will be very happy with them. And congratulations!
Briganti-Pasadena
I have to tell you we were very disappointed in a meal at Briganti's last week. We decided to stop there for dinner before attending a lecture at Cal Tech. We had read raves on chowhound and were looking forward to a good meal. We got there early and had reservations and were seated immediately. There seemed to be confusion with the servers. We were given some specials and then listened to the table next to us being given other choices. We started with the pasta fagiole which was pleasant...a thick puree with a nice hint of rosemary. Then we had their caesar salad which was nothing special. For entrees I had the linguini al mare which was to have a light tomato sauce. It was heavy and extremely oily...a regular pool of oil sitting on the bottom of the sauce. My husband ordered the special fish grill with mango salsa. The fish was a great disappointment...it tasted and smelled fishy and we do not think is was fresh. We were so underwhelmed that we passed on the dessert. It may have been an off night, but we will not return. There are too many other restaurants in the area that we know will not disappoint.
Farmers' markets
I go here to find local certified Farmer's Markets, days and times. http://www.farmernet.com/events/cfms
Torrance has a huge market on Saturday mornings.
Eat Italian when going to the Royal Theater
This weekend we went to the Royal theater on Santa Monica Bl. to see an indie film and stopped in at La Bottega Marino Cafe/Deli for a quick dinner. Were we ever surprised at the quality of the food! It was chilly out and we started with Zuppe di Lentichhie which was very authentic. For entrees we had the Spezzatino Genovese (actually a stick to your ribs pork shoulder stew) and the Bistecca Fiorentina. We were amazed at the quality of the food and then found out that they are affiliated with the Italian Up-scale restaurant next door, Il Grano, and they share the kitchen! They have a website with menus at www.labottegausa.com.
