CAFE LA LA

Bay Cities Italian Deli in Santa Monica

2012-02-09T15:40:00.002-08:00

I thought I posted this place already but apparently not. This Italian market/deli has been around for a long time and carries a great assortment of Italian goods and not just foods but also coffees and kitchenware. I bought some olive oil and two sandwiches. It's very close to Santa Monica High School where my daughters' team was playing that night. So I bought us sandwiches; meatball and a chicken. Unfortunately, by the time we got home, I was pressed for time and forgot to take pix. They're really good deli foods, nothing fancy, just great inexpedience and wonderful bread. Culver City won that night, bringing their league record to 7 an 0.

Norma's Tacos in Pasadena

2012-02-09T15:30:00.002-08:00

Last week, after being hounded with phone calls, emails, smail requests, I went to the red Cross and gave platelets. The closest lab is in Pasadena so I went after work. The people are super nice and you get to watch a movie (small screen and headphones). It was my second time. The first time I watched Kick Ass and this time Constantine. These are action films with a lot of blood. It makes the whole tubes coming out of each arm for ninety minutes-thing kind of colorful. I had eyed Norma's on my way in so after eating all that salt and sugar they have laid out at the Red Cross table, I decided to get carbs and protein at Norma's. Norma's Tacos is located at 1265 East Green Street, Pasadena CA 91106, 626-795-1224. It appears to be a renovated early American gasoline stand. The design is really effective and cool looking with a lot of fire engine reds, outdoor seating and a trendy use of screen. The order is taken in front of the outdoor counter and the tacos are made really quick. I got a spicy pollo (chicken) and carne asada (sauteed beef). Of course, I was still light-headed from the Red Cross but it was very good. I think the design of the place overwhelmed my eating experience. I would love to go back and order the other taco styles. It's very Pasadena to me and I think you'd like it.

Patrick's Roadhouse on PCH

2012-02-03T11:09:00.000-08:00

Even though I'd past this a thousand times, I didn't think about going here until I saw it on a episode of Man VS Food. Patrick's Roadhouse is located at 106 Entrada Drive LA CA 90402 but it faces PCH (just a hop skip & a jump away from the Eames House). Photographer Bill Short and I rode our bikes from Culver City to this place. We felt that we could work most of it off because on Man VS Food, the dishes looked big and hearty. Going through the menu, it was hard to make a decision. It's a huge list of choices. The busboy recommended the Govenator Special ($11.50) named after Arnold. I didn't like him as our govenor so i passed at first but after two glances through the menu, I couldn't resist. I'm glad they didn't call it the grop-e-ranator. So this dish is a bunch of vegetables, egg whites and seasoning. It is good but it wasn't great. Since Terminator, he just isn't happening to me anymore. Bill got the corned beef and hash was good but also not great. The texture was kind of raw. Lastly, we shared the chili fries. The said it was homemade chili but both Bill and I recognized the Hormell a mile away. I still like this place and would try other things on the menu but it wasn't the cool home cooked wild breakfast I thought it was going to be.

Little Dom's on Hillhurst

2012-02-03T10:56:00.000-08:00

"Lunchtime! I'm hungry" Jeff asked if I'd ever been to Little Dom's? Nope. Off we went. Little Dom's is located at 2128 Hillhurst Ave LA CA 90027. It's such a well designed place, not too big, personable with a bit of an old world flare. Jeff said it doesn't feel like LA, which I felt was true. It actually has a Brooklyn vibe to it. I walked in thinking light lunch but that sure didn't happen. Check out the photos, enough for four. The buffalo sloppy joe was amazing. i loved those garlic potatoes. The food here is just great. I can't wait to go back. They even have a deli. Very cool experience.

Yi Ssi Hwa Ro in Koreatown

2012-02-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

Artist Jeffrey James Mohr and I had some work to do in K-Town. In the morning, I woke up with the feeling that we should go to the ole Chapman Market on 6th. It's been converted into a multi-restaurant complex and I have only been to the sushi place there. In the middle of the day, we made our way there. Entering through the side driveway, we walked around, checking out each place and decided to go to Yi Ssi Hwa Ro. We walked in and only two or three tables were seated. Kind of strange for lunch time. It turns out that they do most of their business in the evening and it get's very lively. Jeffe and I were treated extremely well and the hostess personally guided us through the menu and what to order. It was a full on meat fest, BBq'd at the table. We had pork belly, duck, beef, an amazing chicken sautee, etc. The bancha was simple but tasty and they brought out this egg dish that was bubbling hot and really incredible. I could see that the experience lends itself to bigger groups/parties and drinking would be an important ingredient. We can't drink while we are working so that didn't happen but man this was a wonderful experience and the hostess really spoiled us.

Cafetales Restaurant in Inglewood

2012-02-03T10:32:00.001-08:00

I met with artist and arts commissioner Anne Cheek LaRose at the Inglewood Library for a meeting but we had a bit of time before the meeting and I was hungry so we walked over to La Brea to a place neither of us had ever been to. Cafetales Restaurant is located at 115 South La Brea Ave Inglewood CA 90301. The building must have been something like a Norms, Ships or Tiny Naylors back in the day. There's a very 50's-60's architecture with the use of rocks and "space ship" like details. Most of it is painted over but inside was what looked to be original counters, seats, tables and terrazzo like flooring; still intact. Cafetales is an El Salvadorian cafe. I ordered the papusas with cheese. It was delicious and a great quick breakfast. Anne had the pancakes, which she said were very good. Next time, I'd like to order other items on the menu. They seem to have a regular clientele although apparently they are fairly new to the neighborhood.

Guisado on Cesar Chavez Avenue

2012-01-25T16:33:00.000-08:00

Today, Angelene Campuzano introduced me to a place that opened about a year ago. It's an upscale taco place called Guisado and is located at 2100 E. Cesar Chavez Avenue, LA CA 90033 in East LA. Wow, great tacos. Angelene recommended the Taco Sampler Plate. Mini tacos, with hand made thick mini corn tortillas. Each topping is a unique mix of tastes using choice meats, chorizo, sauteed chickens, mole or al pastors. It's a small plate with small tacos but it really fills you up. About an hour later I was "muy" lethargic. The jamaica was delicious; not too sweet, cold and rich with hibiscus. I also ordered the chicken mole tamale. Tender, solid and rich. So I'm definitely going back soon. It's an upscale but affordable spin to the taco experience.

BCD Tofu House on Western

2012-01-24T16:26:00.001-08:00

Koreatown has a lot of soon tofu places. This one is a chain. Another BCD is that 24-7 on Wilshire near Normandie. This one is in a mini mall on Western and is smaller and more mini-mall-ish. I ordered the seafood soon tofu, spicy. The bancha was a little bit more minimal than most places but they had that fried salty fish I love. The soon tofu was great and perfect for the rainy weather we've been having. The service was great but there was this woman across the room who either was eating at one of the tables or wandered in who started cursing at the servers and eventually left. So a great lunch and some theater for $9. That's a good deal in Hollywood. BCD Tofu House is located at 869 S Western Ave, LA CA 90005

Compari's Pizza and Italian on Centinela

2012-01-24T16:08:00.001-08:00

Yesterday was my daughter's birthday. We had a family dinner the night before for her so when I picked her up from her High School basketball practice, I thought it would be nice to take her out to dinner with her coaches, who have been so supportive through out her four years at Culver City HS. One of the coaches recommended Compari's Pizza and Italian at 5490 W. Centinela Ave, Los Angeles CA 90045. I had never been there and of course that's always a determining factor when trying to decide where to go eat. Compari's was small, familiar, dimly lit and old school. I ordered the Lobster Ravioli, a small Cesar Salad and we shared a Tiramisu. The ravioli was al dente, thick pasta shell, cooked to that smooth texture and the lobster was chunky and the tomato sauce was creamy. The side bread was exceptional with lots of butter and garlic but the toasty crust vs the tender hot middle was perfect. I can't believe I'd never been there before. It's on that part of Centinela that spans under the 405 and shoots around the south-east back of Fox Hills Mall or Westfield or whatever that's called now.

Shin Sen Gumi Hakata Ramen in Little Tokyo

2012-01-22T14:27:00.000-08:00

I haven't seen artist Jeffrey James Mohr as regularly as I used to but the last three times I had, he always asks if I'd been to Shin Sen Gumi Hakata Ramen in Little Tokyo yet. It's on Central between First and Second Street where Izoya used to be. When you walk in, a choreographed chorus of "welcomes" in Japanese attack you. If you aren't ready for it, it can be alarming. This is not a quite dining experience because every time a customer enters, exits, pays the bill, orders and receives their meal, a chorus of declarations or rather an update of your experience is vocalized by the entire staff. At first, I was taken aback but then I began to realize that it's an audible symbol of their intentions; the design of this particular ramen eating experience. I ordered the Hakata Ramen with a side of BBQ Ribs and roasted garlic. The sides come separately. When you add them to the ramen, the various ingredients have more of a chance to retain their individualism.

Theatrics aside, this is a really wonderful ramen place. The food is excellent. You have choices; the "cooked" ness of the noodles, the broth's intensity, and tons of additional ingredients to add to your base ramen meal. Thanks for the recommendation Jeffe!

Cal Poly Pomona Kellogg's Hotel Cafeteria

2012-01-22T14:16:00.000-08:00

The Kellogg's Family, the one's famous for the cereal brand, sponsored the Cal Poly Pomona Kellogg's Hotel at Cal Poly Pomona University in Pomona CA. I went to visit friends Marta Perlas and Kipp Kobayashi, who teach at the universities architecture department and for lunch, much in the spirit of Denise Brown and Robert Venturi, decided to venture into the cafeteria. No promises where made about the place and the food was heavily downplayed but there was an implied campiness we were anticipating. like that Vegas study. True to form. The hotel is where visiting professors and lecturers stay. The cafeteria is a modest attempt for these academics culinary needs. There were little choices. By the time we arrived, around 12:40 PM, there were about six guests eating. The salmon was swimming in it's stainless steel bin, so too the baked chicken, there was coffee, cream of asparagus, salad, lime and chocolate cakes. "Oh, it's not as bad as I thought it was going to be". It reminded me of Sara Lee products. Visually spot on but highly processed and preserved; digestible and 100%$ Americana. I'm not entirely sure what to say about this place but it was truly a unique experience.

Oshogatsu 2012

2012-01-10T16:06:00.000-08:00

A belated Happy New Year to everyone. I wanted to share some images of my families Oshogatsu, the Japanese ala LA-hybrid we do each year. It's only immediate family, which is basically sixteen or so people in the course of an afternoon. It's fun, familiar and annual. In the past couple of years, my aunt and uncle, who had a business in Vegas, moved in with us. Part of the national or international economic breakdown, they now live with us within this 1913 triplex. I guess it's more like my aunt has returned, because this house, that my grandparents left us, is the architectural axis of our family. It's where all my mother's siblings grew up, having immigrated to LA in the 50's. 2011, was a rough year for many on so faceted fronts. I really pray, a well as a pagan can, that 2012 is much brighter of an experience for all of us because that year was uber-crazy!!!!

L'Epicerie Market in Culver City

2012-01-10T10:40:00.001-08:00

I really, REALLY wanted to like this place. It's a new-ish French restaurant/market on the first floor of a office development in Culver City CA. L'Epicerie Market is located at 9900 Culver Blvd, Culver City CA 90232. The interior is well designed with a really wonderful but small market area filled with patte's, macaroons, wines, etc. I ordered the L'Epicerie Breakfast which consists of eggs with arugula and salmon and my daughter ordered the chocolate chip pancakes. I ate the eggs but they left me with a highly salty after taste, so much so that I couldn't really taste any of the ingredients. At the end of the meal, my daughter's plate was 2/3 untouched. I asked if she liked her pancakes (sarcastic inquiry). She gave me one of those funny faces and I tried a taste. GUNPOWDER. Two years ago, I had surgery for sleep apnea. Long story short, I lost the use of my taste buds for six weeks. A lot of things had the sensation of gunpowder, which is what these pancakes reminded me off. I mean, it was so bad she and I were laughing. I wrote this fact on the comment section of our bill. I wonder if they read it? BUT, if you're looking for gunpowder pancakes, this is your place. They do it well.

Renaissance Club Sport Hotel Bar, Walnut Creek CA

2012-01-10T10:33:00.000-08:00

The second to final evening of our stay in Walnut Creek, after the team went to bed, the parents and friends gathered in the Renaissance Club Sport Hotel Bar. The following is my taste test of various gins (Gin and Tonic):
Tanquery, robust, distinguished, like a fun date
Hendrix, understated, simple, nice but not real nice
Sapphire, stealth, smooth, multilevel experience
Plymouth, underwhelming, like a plausible story lacking luster

House of Sake in Walnut Creek CA

2012-01-10T09:50:00.001-08:00

I was driving around on my first day in WC, scouting for places to eat near our hotel and my eye super focused on a sign that said House of Sake. They are located at 313 North Civic Drive, Walnut Creek CA 94596, 925-930-8811. So, when I saw that sign, the understated design, the little building receded into the property, I had extremely high hopes for this place. I was envisioning an assortment of fine sake; rows of bottles, some not even labeled, chilled, with those little cards in front of each bottle rating it's sweetness or dryness. Well, we did go and when I walked in and sat down with our entourage, I quickly started to realize that this was actually a family restaurant, run by folks who didn't know anything about sake. YIKES! My first clue was when I called to make reservations and they had a hard time spelling my last name. Ha ha! So they come to take our drink order and I sheepishly ask if they have any dry sake. They came back with a small little bottle, the type you buy in the coin machines in Japan. OUCH! The food is decent but not incredible. It's kind of like the iHop of Japanese food. It is was it is. I really think they should change the name of the restaurant, though.

Rocco's Pizzeria in Walnut Creek CA

2012-01-05T12:26:00.001-08:00

One of the players on my daughter's HS basketball team had a birthday while we were there for the West Coast Jamboree Basketball Tournament. One night after a game, our army of players, coaches and parents went to Rocco's Pizzeria to celebrate her B-Day. Rocco's is located at 2909 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek CA 925-947-6105. The place is a decent size restaurant. Before we were seated in the back, we had to wait a while outside, where it was in the mid 30's. Kind of cold for us Angelenos. Once in, the place was packed and full of local energy. Some of us complained about the service but i found it to be very decent, considering there were so many of us and that they were very busy. I especially appreciated that they graciously changed our wide screen TV from the Golden State game to the Laker's game. Try doing that in LA. I ordered a pizza called the Dominator. This pizza is filled with pepperoni, salami, mushrooms, ham, sausage and onions. I could not finish it, even though I ordered a small. I brought half of it back to the hotel for breakfast, which I still needed to share it with some of my daughter's friends. It was so delicious and even better the next morning. I'm glad my room had a fridge.

Blue Bottle in San Francisco

2012-01-05T12:18:00.000-08:00

Artist, Rick Bahto highly recommended Blue Bottle in San Francisco for fantastic coffee. I had some down time on my trip there last week and with a couple of friends, convinced them to join me. It's a fairly new shop just blocks away from the Powell Station. When we found it at 66 Mint Street, SF CA 94103, there was already a medium size line. I was sorry they weren't serving Siphon style so I ordered a Cappuccino, which was quite smooth and subtle. The atmosphere is wonderful, a clean interior design with heavy wood tables and everyone seemed to be happy to be there. My friend Julian got a hot chocolate which he enjoyed and we shared a molasses cookie that was really chewy and rich.

Sabella and La Torre Fishermans Wharf San Francisco

2012-01-04T13:44:00.000-08:00

One night, during our trip to the Bay Area, we decided to go to the Wharf for dinner. The drive from Antioch, where the girls played their basketball game that day, and Fisherman's Wharf took about an hour or so. Going over that Bay Bridge is awesome, what a magnificent structure and for only $6, what a cheap ride. Once you get off the freeway, it's very easy to find the Wharf; great signage! Half the group went to one place and the other half went to the little stands along the Wharf. We opted to get little plates at Sabella and La Torre. I'd been there a couple of times before but it's been over a seven years. I remember it being an Italian kind of place back then but now there's seems to be a lot of Asian immigrants employed, which makes for a very different atmosphere. The service was still fantastic and quick. We shared the clam chowder, clam fries and crab cocktail. This time around, I wasn't hungry enough to spend $26 on a boiled crab. It's a lot of crab and a lot of money. However, I have ordered it before and it is worth $26. It's such a fun place to visit, even though it's very tourist-eee.

Home of Chicken and Waffles in Walnut Creek CA

2012-01-03T21:40:00.000-08:00

The second night in Walnut Creek, we (15 varsity girls basketball players, 4 coaches and a bunch of family members) decided to go see a movie after our game. Online we found the closest theater was less than five minutes away. It turned out, this was the high-end retail neighborhood that my friend in LA alluded to when he said that Walnut Creek is like the Bel Air of San Francisco. Well, I don't know about that but the movie theater looked like any multi-theater complex we have in LA but something happened when we tried to eat at the Cheesecake Factory after the movie. There were about 25 of us, which is huge, I know, but we got the cold shoulder from the host there. She said the manager would have to come and talk to us. We waited and about ten minutes later she came. Basically, we would have to wait an hour till we got seated, even if we were broken up to various tables. The restaurant was 1/2 full. There were a lot of empty tables on that Tuesday night. We got the message. I suspect we were a little to Rainbow Coalition for them. Ironically, our head coach had eyed a chicken and waffle place down the street. So, we all walked over and low and behold, we were seated with no problem. Several of us found it suspect at first due to our Roscoe's loyalty but this place turned out to be pretty tasty. Home of Chicken and Waffles is located at 1635 Mount Diablo Blvd. Walnut Creek CA 94596, 925-280-1653.

Katy's Kreek Restaunrant in Walnut Creek CA

2012-01-03T21:30:00.001-08:00

In the posh section of Walnut Creek CA, amongst the Tiffany's and high-end boutiques is a small but comfortable restaurant called Katy's Kreek. I was staying in a hotel in Walnut Creek for my daughter's high school basketball teams tournament and one morning, one of the families raved about this place so the next day, we decided to see what the big deal was. Katy's Kreek is located at 1680 Locust Street, Walnut Creek CA 94596, 925-946-0949. I ordered the waffles and others ordered the Katy's Kreek special with a spinach scramble eggs dish. The food was very good, especially if you compare it with the hotel food but more than anything, I enjoyed the company. Great conversations, sharing personal histories and getting to better know someone while having breakfast is awesome. I have to give credit to the restaurants design. The moment you walk in, they are welcoming and the energy in the place is fun, positive and familiar. I really appreciated this place.

Steeltown in Pittsburg CA

2012-01-03T21:20:00.000-08:00

Came across this coffee shop in Pittsburg California, which is about 90 minutes east of San Francisco in Old Town Pittsburg. This little town is the kind of place Huell Howser would discover. I was walking down the little shopping street there and found Steeltown. The name gives hints to what this little town might have been at one point but you can see that it's being revitalized into a little bedroom community. Steeltown is a contemporary coffeehouse with a hip vibe. The artwork that was up had an aerosol feel to it. I just wanted something to drink so I ordered a Caffe Mocha. This semi-hot cup was amazing. It was like drinking a chocolate cake. The chocolate had a wonderful depth to it, not too sweet and not too bitter. If your ever in that area, I highly recommend it. They are located at 695 Railroad Ave Old Pittsburg CA 94565, 925-432-0307.

M and M on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd off of Crenshaw

2011-12-15T21:35:00.000-08:00

Inshrined in Hip Hop songs, M and M is almost soul food royalty. There are two location, I think? Photographer Bill Short and I went yesterday. The address is 3552 MLK Blvd, LA CA 90008, 323-299-1302. I can't say the food was great. it could be, if they went a little easy on the salt, or is that MSG? I'm not sure but within two hours, Bill and I started to feel encrusted in salt. I wish I could love this place but it's hard. I don't think that much salt is healthy for you. The flavor or base-flavor and textures of the food was excellent, it's just the salt-thing was rough.

Colburn Cafe in Downtown Los Angeles

2011-12-15T21:29:00.000-08:00

I've been to the Colburn School's Zipper Hall for several concerts. My favorite one was the Mauricio Kagel concert several years ago where during intermission they had 100 bicyclists whizzzz by you on grand Avenue. In back of the main building is the Colburn Cafe, 200 S Grand Ave LA CA 90012. Really, it's a cafeteria for the students at the Colburn but it's upscale enough for outsiders to show up and enjoy a meal. I had the pork loin lunch plate which was very decent and affordable. I think this is a great place if you want something good, fare in price and quick. Adjacent to MOCA and Disney Hall, it's in the midst of great experiences.

Native Food Cafe in Culver City

2011-12-15T21:21:00.000-08:00

The day I came home, I was really looking forward to seeing my daughter. It was only for three nights but I am such a wimp dad. I picked her up after her basketball practice and we agreed to go to a place in Downtown Culver City that she had requested a week ago. There's nothing I love more than when my kids suggest a place I've never been to. Native Food Cafe is a LA chain. I ordered the Chicago Dip, which was a fantastic sandwich that reminded me of a Vietnamese pressed sandwich, with the spicy chili, toasty baguette, etc. The au ju was great but not entirely necessary. The seitan strips were seasoned well and yummy. I loved the watermelon fresca. It's a little pricey for what it is but I would consider going again.

Mercury Cafe Organic in Denver CO

2011-12-15T21:13:00.001-08:00

I forgot what part of Denver this was in but Mooey Moobau recommended it. I don't think Glenn had been here yet. Mercury Cafe Organic, 2199 California St Denver CO 303-294-9258 is a thematic, flamboyant organic restaurant with flourish lights, a diverse range of lamps, booths, artwork and an over all night garden festive interior. The food was delicious. I went easy. I had the quesadilla, which was melted cheeses in a blue corn tortilla with avocado and fruits. It hit the spot. The watermelon soda, bean soup and chocolate chip pecan pie was dee-li-cious!!! The staff was 2011 groovy, really sweet and helpful. There's also an upstairs where they have live music.

Petes Kitchen in Denver CO

2011-12-15T21:04:00.000-08:00

It was the morning of the Denver VS Bears game and Mooey Moobau and I were stoked. We had already determined the night before that we were going to eat breakfast at Pete's Kitchen, 1962 E Colfax Ave, Denver CO 80206, just blocks away from his apartment. Pete's has been open for 24 hours since 1942. It's a fantastic neighborhood diner where some of the Broncos actually eat on occasion. I ordered hot tea, french toast and potatoes. It was filling and down-home-delicious!!!! All the staff members wore a Broncos jersey, t shirt or hoodie. The anticipation of Tibo Time had already been in full swing when we came through the doors of Pete's Kitchen. I think it's funny how many Bears fans there were in town. One even made it into one of my pix here.

Watercourse Foods in Denver CO

2011-12-15T20:59:00.001-08:00

Watercourse Foods, 837 E 17th Ave Denver CO 80218, 303-832-7313, was actually my last dinner in Denver with Mooey Moobau. This place is owned by the same person who owns the City O City. I ordered a yummy bowl of Borscht with homemade rye bread, a hot tea (check out the glass cup with the collar, very DIY) and a chocolate cream pie. Organic, Vegetarian, blah blah blah, it's just great food in a comfortable surrounding. This place was about five blocks from Mooey Moobau's apartment so the walk in the frosty Denver night, navigating the ice on the sidewalk, was a lot of fun.

Tattered Cover Bookstore Denver CO

2011-12-15T20:48:00.000-08:00

Tattered Cover Bookstore is a chain bookstore of three in Denver CO. The one I went to was located at 1628 16th Street Denver CO 80202, 303-436-1070, where I ordered a hot cup of tea and brownie to thaw out from the cold weather. I'm sorry but I forgot to take pictures of my snack but this gives me an opportunity to share a couple of cool things around this bookstore that is along or near the "Mall". On the "Mall" where all these artist painted pianos. It's a public art project and anyone can play these instruments. It was so cool to here people playing in the cold. one dude played with his gloves on. That's very impressive. Also, I loved the view out this window near the bathroom at the Tattered Cover. It looks so retro. Lastly, I share with you a very cool recliner, which one could hang out and read a book in the bookstore.

City O City in Denver Colorado

2011-12-14T10:03:00.001-08:00

My first breakfast with Mooey Moobau in Denver CO. We went to Capitol City Bookshop first and then walked over to City O City at 206 East 13th Avenue, Denver CO 80203. MM told me that it is a very popular place. They expanded their facility which doubled the capacity but back in the day you would have to wait for an hour to get a seat during dinner. unfortunately, I was still digesting my carnivore tirade at the Buckhorn Exchange so I only ordered a parfait and tea. Although light, it was delicious. The granola was homemade tasting, freshly baked with spices perfect to the winter morning. The tea was delicious. The service was friendly and sharp. Check out the wacky, Jorge Pardo-like lamps.

Sports Authority Field Denver Colorado

2011-12-13T21:45:00.000-08:00

Mooey Moobau and I went to Sports Authority Field in Denver Colorado for pretzels and beer. Fat Tire on draft, sweet. It sure is a good beer. I have bought it at Trader Joes before but this was the first time I had it draft. Denver really makes great beers. Coincidentally, there happened to be a football game about to be played, so we stayed to watch it. The game was between the Broncos and Bears. The Broncos won the game in overtime. When did they stop calling it "Sudden Death"? I guess that's not PC. The pretzel was almost crunchy and was delicious in the freezing cold. The beer seemed warm compared to the weather. This Denver quarterback, Teabo is a kind of magician. You could really feel the momentum shift that won the game in the electric mayhem packed house. Also, wanted to share that in Denver, pot is legal or something like that. I got a contact high in the bus and at the game, standing in line for the restroom, which of course gives you the munchies, which of course makes you want to buy another pretzels. This was my first NFL game. When will LA get a team?

Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver CO

2011-12-13T21:36:00.000-08:00

My first day in Denver, I went to the Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver where there was a Counter Culture exhibition including Emory Douglas (artist for the Black Panther Party), A.N.T. Farm, The Cocktettes, Anna Halprin, and many more. It was a great exhibition in a really wonderful and contemporary building. In addition, an artist had installed a pigeon coop on the roof. Visitors could take home a homing pigeon, release it from there home and have it fly back to the museum. The coop is next to a one room cafe where I met my friend Glenn for some tea. I got the Red Rock Vanilla Tea and a gingerbread woman. They had gingerbreadman or men but when asked which one do I want, I couldn't resist the gingerbread woman. You know, in honor of Anna Halprin.

Buckhorn Exchange in Denver Colorado

2011-12-13T21:22:00.000-08:00

I took a short vacation this weekend. I went to go visit friends in Denver. The first night, I met Glenn, who moved there a couple of years ago for a job. This was the first time I went to go visit. It was cold, in the low 20's. He asked where did I want to go eat and I said the Buckhorn Exchange, Denver's oldest restaurant. Theodore Roosevelt ate there. I saw this place on Man VS. Food, Travel Channel. They are into "meat", frontier style. The two story interior is wall to wall taxidermy heads, cases of old rifles and muskets. They have a great bar, I had a local IPA. We ordered the appetizer you have to order when you are there, Rocky Mountain Oysters (Fried Ox Balls). At first, I enjoyed how they went well with my IPA and tasted like a gamey calamari but soon my mind couldn't stomach what they were and I had to stop eating them. I'm glad I tried them but it's a rough sell for me. Glenn and I ordered combos and shared buffalo, quail, salmon and elk. It was all very delicious, fresh and rich. I suspect if I hadn't had the ox balls, I would have been able to finish it all but, well, I did ok. When it was time for dessert, I couldn't resist so we shared an chocolate pie with vanilla. I was in denver for three fantastic nights and this was the dinner the first night. This and perhaps the combination of the altitude sort of messed me up. I didn't eat meat for the next two days and I didn't have the sensation of hunger till the plane touched the tarmac at LAX. The Buckhorn Exchange is a must. It's a tremendous eating experience. They are located at 1000 Osage Street, Denver CO

Fugetsudo in Little Tokyo

2011-12-13T21:15:00.000-08:00

Fugetsudo in Little Tokyo is classic LA. Around since 1903, this Japanese confectionary store is not only a great place to get your manjyu fix but also to pick up various chocolates, crackers, candies, drops, etc. from Japan. They are located at 315 East 1st Street, LA CA 90012. I've been going there for about 47 years and every time I go in, I am always treated like it's my first time there and they need to explain to me what a manjyu is. It's quite strange. It might be my American English? They assume I don't speak Japanese and therefore know nothing about Japanese culture. I go anyway. It's just too awesome of a place. On top of that, they have always been so supportive of the community. My kids had a field trip there when they were in grade school. I always appreciated that.

Scarlet Cupcakes in Pacific Palisades

2011-12-13T21:02:00.000-08:00

I was early for my daughters high school basketball game at Palisades High so I went scouting around. I found a cheerful little retail area with an antique store, Whole Foods, a coffee shop, and a couple of places to eat, just to name a few. It was early evening, in the low 40's and people were all over the place, so it had this Holiday feel to it. I walked past this little folding sign on the corner with a painting of a cupcake. The arrow beckoned me to get a cupcake, so i did. Scarlett's Cupcakes is located at 857 Via de la Paz, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272, 310-454-0290. I was the only customer. I could tell by the way the young female behind the counter reacted to me coming in that I didn't meet her customer demographic. She gave me that look of "oh, what do you want?". You know that look, right? Anyway, I wasn't going to let this over privileged teenager stand in the way of a cupcake experience so I looked at what they had and chose the chocolate cupcake with the tiny Oreo on top. It was around $3 or $4. The outside had a good chocolate cake like experience and the inside reminded me of that spongy chocolate Dolly Madison products tend to have. I ate it with pleasure and was on my way back to the high school.

Lazy Ox Canteen in Little Tokyo

2011-12-13T20:53:00.000-08:00

Lazy Ox is located at 241 South San Pedro Street LA CA 90012 213-626-5299. It's as much a bar as it is a dining place. The food was fabuloso! Polenta, Lazy Ox burger, fried potato & salad. I have to say my favorite was the Fritters, delicious fried balls of spices and potatoes. At the end of the meal, which was with artist Jeffrey James Mohr, we were both very full but I felt that if all of this amazing food, as home cooked as it felt, that the dessert has got to be amazing. Our server mentioned the rice pudding and when I said yes, she smiled and said "It's so good!" We were not disappointed. Tender rice pudding, not crazy sweet with this graham cracker top layer just was absolutely perfect. I hadn't had a meal with my dear friend in quite sometime so this was such a heartfelt lunch.

Walter Pyramid at Cal State Long Beach University

2011-11-23T10:27:00.000-08:00

My son is a Student Manager for the CSULB 49ers Mens Basketball Team, so he's been getting me tickets to games. Last night, I ordered a hot dog. They serve Nathan's but the skin didn't snap. Why is this? I only ate one. A Kobayashi I am not. A chili cheese dog is something I do not often order but when I do, I always recall eating chili cheese dogs with my little brother from our local Der Weinerschnitzel (yes, it was long ago). Now they're known as Weinerschnitzel. A chili dog is a double whammy. There's the oils from the dog and the oil and fat from the chili. It was delicious. The chili had beans. Long Beach beat Boise State, 72-62. A funny thing about these games at the Beach, because there's no NBA right now, Clipper Darryl is there in a awesome Long beach inspired suit. That man is awesome!

Museum of Jurassic Technology, Tula Tea Room

2011-11-21T15:13:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite places to visit is the Museum of Jurassic Technology, 9341 Venice Blvd. LA CA 90232. David Wilson, the founder and company have created this amazing and darkly aesthetic experience. Yesterday, it rained rather hard (for LA) and so it was a perfect day to visit the museum. I enjoyed the exhibit celebrating the dogs used in the Soviet Space Program, the 3-D film experience and ghostly music bell tree. What made the visit perfect on such a wet and "gloomy" day was the Tula Tea Room on the second floor; a complimentary glass of hot tea and cookies. In some ways, this museum reminds me of the Munsters or the Adams Family. Black and white or sepia toned, tugging at the Goth era but with a sly sense of humor. in fact, I was in one room where a girl with her parents started crying and asking if they could leave. If you have never visited this place, I highly recommend it. While you are there, please visit next door, the Center of Land Use Interpretation (CLUI), which is equally intriguing and gem-like but highly hidden.

Tom's Five on Pico

2011-11-21T15:06:00.001-08:00

Well, Tom's Five is a neighborhood hang. I get the sense that after school, a lot of LA High School students grab a munchy there. I ordered a chili burger, onion rings and curly fries. I have to say that the curly fries out shinned everything. they were golden, crunchy and had some delicious seasoning on them. They are located at 4497 West Pico Blvd LA CA 90019

Big Boys in Northridge

2011-11-21T12:59:00.001-08:00

Last Friday, I coordinated an event at Big Boys, 8876 Corbin Ave Northridge, CA, with artist Danny Heller in celebration of his Metro poster. In his illustration of Chatsworth, is a classic car and so we decided to have a poster signing at the Northridge Classic Car Night, a weekly event, in their parking lot. We had over sixty folks show up to get an autographed copy of the poster. Before the event started, I got there earlier and ordered the classic combo; cheese burger, fries and a drink. The cheese burger is a no nonsense burger with a 1,000 Island style sauce and shredded lettuce. The bun is toasted and the patty is a good size. The fries are golden brown; crunchy on the outside and tender in the inside. Big Boys brings back memories. My mom used to bring my brother and I to the one on Wilshire when we were growing up. The event Friday was awesome and we also got to see a lot of beautiful restored cars.

Cafe Mimosa in San Clemente

2011-11-18T21:10:00.000-08:00

The City synonymous with Richard Nixon. It's a very posh little beach town, like a tiny Carmel. My daughter and I were coming back from San Diego and it was lunch time. We got off the freeway and started searching and came across a cute little cafe called Cafe Mimosa. I was driving and my daughter is a teenager so no mimosas for us. I ordered the eggs benedict and she ordered the chicken panini. I also had the fresh squeezed orange juice. The food here is a little bland for my taste but it's super fresh and my daughter really liked her sandwich. The oj was delicious. Maybe if we had mimosas, it would have been better?

LA Burger on Pico Blvd

2011-11-18T21:04:00.000-08:00

Located at 6001 W. Pico Blvd, LA CA 323-938-4300, LA Burger is an old school burger joint. Artist Steven M Irvin and I were on our way to the Getty to see Carl Stone play last weekend. Not having time, and cutting across LA from Crenshaw, we came across a place we both had seen all our lives but never went to, LA Burger. It's across the street from the MINT. I ordered the LA Burger, naturally with chili fries and a root beer. The burger was good but was overshadowed by the chili fries which was fabuloso! The chili had little chunks of steak. I loved it but paid for it later at the Getty. They also have fried chicken, which is what I'd like to go back for.

Buffet Soul on Pico Blvd

2011-11-11T10:27:00.000-08:00

Ribs. A tricky business in LA. Where do you get great ribs? It's an individualistic pursuit. I ran out of time Tuesday and had to make a quick decision on my way back to a special dinner at home. Ribs, I'll buy ribs. I had remembered my kids saying they loved the food at this tiny place on Pico. It's called Buffet Soul, 5068 W Pico Blvd, LA CA 90019, 323-931-3879. If you look at the images, you can see how smothered they are in the sauce, which I really enjoyed; smokey and with a little bit of bite. The meat literally fell of the bones. It was made for a great evening of eating.

Pie Hole in the Arts District

2011-11-11T09:45:00.000-08:00

Traction Ave has seen a lot of change while consistently being a staple for the arts. A new store has emerged, Pie Hole, 714 Traction Ave LA CA. A pie shop but not just some typical pie shop, this place is amazing. We ordered the pecan pie and the mushroom. The pies are small but highly rich and beyond delicious. The ingredients are heartfelt , fresh and thoughtful.

Di Carlo Woodfire Pizzeria on Hollywood Blvd

2011-11-07T12:53:00.000-08:00

It looks like my daughter and I found our newest favorite pizza place. My friend Angelene told me about this place long ago but it took a trip to Frank Lloyd Wrights Hollyhock House this weekend to finally eat at Di Carlo Woodfire Pizzeria 4518 Hollywood Blvd. LA CA 90027, 323-644-9760. Oh man, it was perfect weather for pizza too. it had rained a lot that morning, was on the cool side with light wind, chilly for LA but maybe early morning summer for most place. I ordered the Arugula salad which was fresh, crisp and full of flavor. My daughter ordered the Salisiccia pizza; garlic, rosemary, Italian sausage, olive oil, tomato, and mozzarella. The moment my daughter and I bit into out first slice, we both smiled at eachother. I think that's all I want to write about this. I hope you get to go to this place.

Silverlake Juice and Tea

2011-11-07T12:46:00.000-08:00

Artist Megan DeArmond wanted to introduce this juice place to me last week. Oh, it turns out to be connected to Cowboys and Turbans at 2813 West Sunset Blvd LA CA 90026. The great thing about this relationship with C and T is they share that awesome outdoor dining area. The juice place is totally laid back but serious about their ingredients. I got a shake called "First date" which was a cold slush of dates, almond milk plus I ordered goji powder. Goji Power! Megan told me that the goji is helpful for people my age who's eyesight seems to be slowly fading away. Megan ordered the "Happy Hippie", bananas, raisins, almonds, pumpkin seeds, hemp milk and honey. Visually, these aren't interesting to look at but they are absolutely delicious and filling. Not lunch-time filling but filling for like "two hours and I'll be ok" filling.

Sea Minor in South Hollywood

2011-11-07T12:34:00.000-08:00

I had a guest from Japan last week, a dear friends associate at a public art organization in Tokyo. I gave her the LA tour and we found ourselves around Hollywood for dinner. I had eyed this place before. Mostly because through the windows, you can see an array of custom heavy-metal-ish guitars on the wall. Sea Minor, Pescetarian Restaurant is located at 5784 Melrose Ave, LA CA 90038, 323-464-2345. Well, it turns out, but not surprisingly, that the entire staff is made up of musicians from Asia. The menu is extensive and has a multi-Asian spin in every dish. We ordered the Spicy Seafood Platter; a mix of calamari, fish, shrimp and scallops. It was fresh, delicate and spicy. The second dish was a garlic shrimp dish that was delicious. I highly recommend this place for a casual sea food lunch or dinner. The interior is casual with this sort of clean, modern and metal feel with a prevalent mini-mall vibe.

Mels Fish Shack on Jefferson

2011-11-03T20:37:00.001-07:00

OG!!!!!! Mel's has been around for decades although not necessarily where it is right now at 4525 W. Jefferson Blvd LA CA. I got the fried catfish lunch plate with greens and hush puppies. It's fried fish heaven at Mel's and the greens where awesome. There's an oddly designed counter and the seating is tight but it's cool. I really want to go back and try some other items on the menu. Maybe I'll see you there?

Ramona's in Gardena

2011-11-03T20:26:00.001-07:00

The final game of the Serra High School Basketball League was last Saturday. Wasn't sure what we would go get to eat but I remembered a taco place I used to go to back in the early 80's and wondered if it was still around. It was and it sure brought back a lot of memories. Ramona's is a manufacturer of Mexican food but they also have several little snack stands including this one at their factory, 13633 South Western Ave Gardena CA 90249. The place was packed and as we stood in line, I couldn't help but think this is a place only locals know about. The tacos were exactly how I remembered them. It's stewed beef with diced potatoes with cheese and two kinds of lettuce in a crunchy tortilla. It's really good and they've remained consistent for decades. Much respect for this place.

All Angolo in Koreatown

2011-11-01T09:04:00.001-07:00

Photographer, Peter Watkinson recommended this new place called All Angolo in Koreatown. He said the owner is Italian and they have his favorite pizza now. I went with my daughter for dinner this past weekend. We ordered the Calamari, Marguerite pizza, meatball and pasta, Cesar Salad, and later that week, the all meat pizza (I forgot what they call it). The pasta was delicious, the salad was excellent but the calamari blew us away. The calamari comes with a red sauce that is delicious. The sauce is tomatoey and a bit creamy. The Marguerite pizza was ok but the all meat pizza was perfect. Their thin crust is really delicious and I highly recommend the meat pizza. They are located at 4050 W. 3rd St, LA CA 90020, 213-368-7888.

54 Holly Cafe in Pasadena

2011-11-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

As I've been mentioning, I'm trying to see as many of the Pacific Standard Time exhibitions as possible. So I went to go see the Wallace Berman and Robert Heinecken show at the Pasadena Armory for the Arts. This is a great show, as all of the PST's so far. After checking out the pieces, I was walking down Raymond and found 54 Holly Cafe (the name is the address). It's been there for 25 years but I have never been in there. I recall it being closed most of the times I was in the area but it was open that day and I walked in. There's American food and Chinese food. I looked through the menu and was torn between the Chili Size Burger and the Kung Pao Chicken. So I told this to the waiter and he looked at me sideways and said the Chili Size of course. The server seemed to be Chinese as well so this was a puzzling response but I appreciated the inside scoop. i was not disappointed. This 1/3 lb. burger, three slices of bun (three? reminds me of Monty Python) and homemade chili was fantastic. It's not super cuisine but it's pure diner.

Soul Burgers in Inglewood

2011-11-01T08:42:00.000-07:00

A couple weekends ago was the Taste of Soul festival on Crenshaw and Rodeo. This is an annual event. My co-worker had some mini-burgers there that he absolutely loved and in two meeting that week, he couldn't stop raving about them, so naturally, we all had to go hunt these down. It turns out that the food booth he went to was Soul Burgers, which is located at 1035 South Prairie Avenue, Inglewood CA, just across the street from Hollywood Park Race Track. About ten of us from the office showed up and packed the place, so it's a small restaurant. The types of burgers on the menu is huge but there's quite a few veggie burgers and turkey burgers and a lot of cool toppings like greens and sweet potato. I ordered the 3 mini burger sampler so I could get a variety. Others ordered regular burgers from the diverse menu. I have to say that it was my first time eating a burger with greens and sweet potato but I loved it. The burger is huge and tasty and the addition of soul food sides is amazing. I highly recommend this place. Make sure you have time because they make everything from scratch and it's not speed food.

Bowery Bar and Bistro in Hollywood

2011-11-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

Last week, I was on a photo shoot on the Red Line with photographer Peter Watkinson. We finished around noon so we decided to hop off at Sunset and Vine. Peter recommended the Bowery Bar and Bistro, located at 6268 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood CA 90028, 323-465-3400. He said they have great burgers. I think it's a night spot because we were the only two in the entire place for the duration of our lunch. It was odd having the place to ourselves as well as being in a bar and not drinking anything other than a soda. The burger was delicious. The patty had some great spices in it and the fries were awesome. I love how it's on an English muffin. The price is on the higher end but I felt the burger was worth it.

Kobbler King

2011-11-01T08:19:00.000-07:00

There's a Kobbler King on Jefferson just west of Crenshaw. I've passed by it several times but I have never seen it open. There's an sign in the front window but it always says closed. Maybe I've missed their hours, I guess. I have asked my friends and people I have meet who live or work around the area and no one has ever been to it. It's next door to a gospel records shop. Last week, I was talking to Coach Julian, Girls Varsity Basketball Coach at Culver City High, who grew up in this neighborhood and is a foodie. He said that it's more of a catering place but you can buy the pies at the Albertson's on Venice Blvd at Culver Blvd (in the mall with the Ross and Starbucks). So, determined to try a Kobbler King pie, I drove to Albertsons. It's not in the dessert section. I must have walked around the market three times before I found them. Of course, I could have asked but you know how it is. Anyway, they have their own rack in front of the dairy section. They had Peach Cobblers and Pumpkin Pies. I bought a mini pumpkin pie and ate that in the car, it was delicious; really good. Not too sweet but sweet enough, tender and the crust was cookie like. The peach cobbler was dessert for a party I was on my way to. Our friend Danny is moving to Alabama and we were sending him off. I thought the peach cobbler was appropriate. I left the cobbler on the dessert table at the party and when i came back an hour later to the table, the pan was empty. Everyone said it was delicious. I'll have to take their word for it.

Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que at Westfield in Culver City

2011-10-24T11:12:00.000-07:00

My daughter's basketball ball practice this Saturday ended at Noon and when I went to go pick her up, the coaches asked me if I wanted to go out for lunch. Yes, i do. The coaches are foodies and they love BBQ. They had already decided where to go and neither my daughter or I had been there. Lucille's Smokehouse Bar-B-Que at Westfield in Culver City or Fox Hills Mall is a chain restaurant, which is usually suspect but I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered the Ribs and Chicken lunch special, which was awesome. The ribs are very good but the chicken and it's smokiness blew me away. There's a smoker in a glass room in the middle of the restaurant. How cool is that? I found that to be fairly impressive. For dessert, we shared the Snicker Ice Cream Cake with chocolate cookie crust. Also, I like the size of the iced tea, the sweet biscuits and the hot and spicy house BBQ sauce.

influx in San Diego

2011-10-24T11:01:00.000-07:00

I decided to trek down to the SD to check out the exhibits down there that are part of PST. I went to the PHENOMENAL exhibit about the CA light movement at both their La Jolla and Downtown SD spaces. I loved it and highly recommend these shows. I also dropped by the Mengei Museum in Balboa Park and saw the SD Craft Revolution exhibit which was a pleasant surprise. The exhibit was well curated and presented and the pieces are amazing. The only meal I had while in SD was in between these spots. I found influx at 1948 Broadway, SD CA 92102. It's a clean, modern but modest coffee spot with a solid menu of salad and sandwiches. I ordered an organic Guatemala medium roast coffee that was very good, the Arugula Salad (arugula, balsamic vinegar, grapes, walnuts, baked tofu, bleu cheese) and a toasted Everything Bagel with cream cheese. This was a very comfortable and cool looking place. If in the area, drop by and get a decent cup of jo.

Chucks in Long Beach

2011-10-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

I was in the LBC to check out the exhibit at the Long Beach Museum, part of the PST. Got there a little early and decided to get some breakfast. I like eateries of all shapes and sizes but I have to say that I have a higher level of excitement when I try out places like Chuck's, 4120 East Ocean Blvd Long Beach CA 90803. It's got a counter as well as a bunch of tables and chairs as well as an outdoor seating area. Chuck is actually there and says "good morning" to you when you walk into the bustling breakfast crowd. There are a lot of regulars. The servers are very sweet and helpful. I ordered the "Weasel", which seems to be a staple or a must order for first timers like yours truly. The Weasel is eggs, homemade chili, cheese and onions. It comes with a side of toast (they have Knotts Berry Farm jams), potatoes and coffee. It's a delicious, OG breakfast but I had to slap Tabasco on it and then I was very happy with it. Lastly, there's something wonderful about eating breakfast so close to the ocean.

Vees Cafe in West Adams

2011-10-24T10:42:00.000-07:00

I was presently surprised with Vees. I had eyed this place on the occasions I was at Basswerks art center or Fai Do Do. it's got a interesting sign and a small fenced sidewalk seating area that is not common for this neighborhood. I simply ordered a croissant and a coffee. I heard that their sandwiches are really good and they get fresh desserts from a Glendale bakery, daily. I think they have salads as well. They are located at 5418 West Adams Los Angeles CA 90016

Gram and Papas in the LA Garment and Flower District

2011-10-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

During CicLAvia several weeks ago, artist Clement Hanami pointed to Gram and Papa's and said I have to try this "slow food" spot. Recently, a bunch of us packed in my car and headed out there. I ordered the Banh Mi, a Vietnamese pressed sandwich. others ordered the Ahi plate, Cicken Pillard (salad), and chicken Sandwich. The food was absolutely fresh and delicious. We were all very pleased with our choices. I wanted to mention the potato chips. These homemade fried chips were really amazing. The challenge with this place, if you are driving, is parking. We found parking for $7, which makes this lunch a little expensive. It is a great place if you take public transportation or ride your bike. They are located at 227 East 9th Street Los Angeles CA 90015.

Pizza N Such in Claremont

2011-10-19T15:36:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had the pleasure of spending some time with my friends Marta Perlas and Kipp Kobayashi and their two amazing daughters. I had given a short presentation at Cal Poly Pomona for an architecture class and bumped into Marta on campus. Marta and Kipp teach in the architecture program. They, all four, decided that since I had never been to their favorite pizza place, that this is where we should eat. Pizza N Such is located at 202 Yale Avenue Claremont CA 91711. We ordered the meat special and shared a large salad. It was delicious and equal to the yummy dinner was this unusual building the pizza place occupied. It used to be a bank a very long time ago. The owners, who also own the art gallery next door bought it and restored it. The design decisions are subtle and respective. I had a great time, especially spending time with the kids, who are awesome.

Farm Stand at Cal Poly Pomona

2011-10-15T23:54:00.001-07:00

What was this? It felt like I was in another world. In the south east corner of Cal Poly Pomona, Farm Stand exists. The address is 4102 South University Drive, Pomona CA 91768. In the market they have all of these preserves, syrups, salsas, candy, vegetables, etc. Outside was a huge selection of gourds and pumpkins. Directly outside the parking lot is a huge pumpkin patch. Awesome place with a Cracker Barrel vibe.

Clementine in Century City

2011-10-15T23:37:00.000-07:00

Clementine, 1751 Ensley Ave, LA CA 90024, LA CA 90024, 310-552-1080, is known for it's awesome desserts but unfortunately I got full with half a sandwich, chili and drink so I didn't order any dessert. The drink was awesome, fresh squeezed ginger lemonade. The chili was tomato based with beans but not very spicy but on the good side, no heartburn. The sandwich was the Chipotle Chicken. This also was not very spicy. The food was fresh but I was bumped I couldn't have any dessert.

Uptown Market and Deli in Whittier

2011-10-13T23:43:00.000-07:00

Recently, I finished a project in Whittier so I treated myself to a lunch at this deli I eyed the last time I was there. Uptown Market and Deli is clean looking, cool looking and very no nonsense. They don't go overboard on the fluff or decorations, it's all about their fresh sandwiches and what was highly recommended to me was their Cashew Chicken Salad Sandwich. I think it's on pumpernickel bread and has chicken, cashews and raisins. What a delicious meal! The sweetness of the raisins counters the meaty nuttiness of the cashew and the saltiness of the chicken and sauce. I also was told that the corned beef sandwich as well as the breakfast burrito are fantastic.

The Standard Downtown LA

2011-10-13T23:36:00.001-07:00

It was a rainy day in LA and I umbrella-d it to the Standard. There's a cool little restaurant on the first floor across from where the pool table is. I ordered a hot bowl of mac n cheese with lobster. This was a $25 lunch, so it's not cheap. The mac n cheese was soupy but hot and delicious and not overly fatty either. I felt the cheese was just subtle enough so that you could really taste the lobster, which of course is mostly why this cost so much, I suspect. The Standard is such a great place to hang out. If you have time, check out the roof pool bar which is fun day or night but not when its raining.

Parks Barbeque in Koreatown

2011-10-13T23:24:00.000-07:00

Parks Barbeque in Koreatown is located at 955 South Vermont Ave, LA CA 90006, 213-380-1717. A new co-worker, Jihyong introduced this to us. It's a lot of fun to eat with new co-workers at a good Korean BBQ place because there's a informality to grilling the food in front of you that melts the ice. We decided to do ribs and tongue. The sides were yummy and Jihyoung ordered a spicy soup that was sort of like soon tofu but without the tofu. She was also worried we'd smell like Korean BBQ back at the office so she brought a bottle of Fabreeze, which I thought was hilarious. The twist to this lunch was the dessert. They had these fancy ice cream dishes including Spumoni. At a Korean restaurant? I could not resist but I have to say, it was delicious.

Umemura Restaurant in Gardena

2011-10-13T23:14:00.000-07:00

Umemura Restaurant, located at 1724 W Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena CA 90247, 310-217-0970 is a small place with a big heart. The building used to be a taco bell, I think, but they retrofitted a working ramen place. The night my daughter and i went, it was after her basketball game and it was a little on the cold side so a hot bowl of ramen was perfect. The broth was salty, hot and delicious. The noodles were thin and not over cooked. My chashu ramen had lots of chashu in it, so I was really happy with it. The gyoza was delicious. I ate most of them. The feeling you get inside is very reminiscent to a small ramen place in Japan. That broth with all of the secret ingredients fill the air, along with the heat and oils. Your greeted with a strong "IRASHIYAI!!!!" wich means "WELCOME!!!". This is a good and maybe great ramen place I would go back to.

Morfias Ribs and Pies in Marina Del Rey

2011-10-06T20:25:00.000-07:00

Up and coming writer Eden Orlando is someone I have had the pleasure to know since she was just a little thing. She's family and just "graduated" from UC Santa Cruz (Banana Slug) so I took her out for dinner. I had three objectives that night 1) Check out Morfias, 2) Catch up with Eden and 3) Check out the opening of the Women's Building exhibition (PST) at Otis Art Institute. Morfia's is located at 4077 Lincoln Blvd, Marina Del Rey CA 90292. It's a small tiny place but the food is huge. We ordered the #26 Combo Meat Platter. We couldn't even eat half of it. What were we thinking? Great leftovers, though. it was enough for two more meals that week. The greens and mac n cheese were fabuloso! I actually loved the chicken more than the beef and pork ribs. We also asked for sauce on the side because I wanted to taste the rub but I think it's better to order it drenched in the sauce. I'm just saying.

Cafe Gratitude on Larchmont

2011-10-06T20:16:00.001-07:00

Kind of a silly name for a restaurant, or so I thought. Cafe Gratitude on Larchmont is a totally healthy healthy healthy food spot on Larchmont, just inches away from Melrose located at 639 N Larchmont Blvd, LA CA 90004. It's a relatively new place but I'd been wanting to go for a while, having passed it a number of times bike riding. This time, I was on a ride with artist Clement Hanami and Smithsonian Curator Sojin Kim. Everything on the menu has a "gratitude" name. The BLT is called "I Am Extraordinary" and has chipotle, maple, coconut, romaine lettuce, tomato, avocado, cashews, aiolion on a gluten free wrap. My drink was "I Am Grace", which is young coconut ,ilk, almond butter, dates and vanilla bean. This was amazing shake I would definitely order again. The wrap was delicious as well; the deliciousness over powering the healthy-ness of it, which is always a good sign. Oh, the appetizer was bruschetta on these crackers, it kicked butt.

Blue Whale Jazz Club in Little Tokyo

2011-09-23T14:49:00.000-07:00

Blue Whale Jazz Club is located at 123 Astronaut E. S. Onizuka Street, suite 301, LA CA 90012. I'm not sure if they call that Weller Court anymore? Last night, the Necks, an innovative experimental jazz trio from Australia played and I bumped into my friend Kio Griffith there who works a lot with Rocco who heads the Angel City jazz Festival, which this concert was part of. We decided to eat at the bar while the trio played what was an amazing set of improvised textures, beats and elegant cacophony. Here's what we ordered; Angus beef sliders called the Live Evil , Bitches Brew an amazing combo of cheese/mushrooms/garlic on polenta. I had the English Oatmeal-Stout, which was not too heavy but really flavorful and went well with the food. For dessert, we shared the Chocolate Lava Cake which has warm fudge in the center of the cake and once you fork into it, the chocolate oozes out.

Mas Malo in Downtown LA

2011-09-23T14:41:00.000-07:00

Mas Malo is Malo's sequel. This one is located at 515 West 7th Street, LA CA 90014. For the OG's it where the other Clifton's Cafeteria use to be. The ceiling and paintings are still in tact. I didn't venture upstairs so I don't know what remains up there from the ole Clifton's. Malo's has a inventive Mexican/Central American menu. I ordered the Chicken Pozole (a spicy red soup with hommus) and one Beef and Pickle taco, which my friend Josh Southwick recommended. The food is made with fresh ingredients and cooked with a healthy spin. Even the fried taco was refreshing. I also had a Cactus Flower water to drink which was awesome. It reminded me of watermelon juice.

Mayura in Culver City

2011-09-21T23:00:00.000-07:00

My co-worker friend Gwendolyn arranged a bunch of us from work to try this Indian place on Venice yesterday. They had a lunch buffet for about ten bucks. The food was surprisingly good for a buffet.. We found out there are four chefs who cook the food everyday. Tandoori Chickens, Domas, curries, fantastic mint and coconut chutneys, spicy sauces and eggplant dishes. I had seconds. Mayura is located at 10406 Venice Blvd Culver City CA 90232. Most of us had to get back for the same meeting. It was funny watching those who made it to Mayura try and stay awake half way through the 90 minute meeting. I had a deep black coffee that morning so I actually did well for a change. You know, my favorite, Groundwork's Bitches Brew.

Dans's Korean Gourmet Food at the Hollywood Farmer's Market

2011-09-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about going to the Hollywood Blvd and Ivar Sunday Farmer's Market is to grab a brunch while you shop for great produce and goods. Also, Amoeba records and Hennesy & Inglas Bookshop is also there. At Amoeba, I picked up Momus' new EP and Alvin Lucier's groundbreaking "I am Sitting in a Room." At the farmer's market, I picked up some great ice cold pomegranate juice and went to Dave's Gourmet Korean Food. There's quite a selection to pick from but I went for the Korean Pancakes and dumpling combo. The Pancakes aren't like breakfast pancakes but rather
Pajon, a wonderful Korean fratatta-like delicious grilled and spicy comfort food. The dumplings were amazing with that crunchy outer fried shell and semi spicy meat and vegetables filling. There's something about sitting outside on the streets of Hollywood with all these people, enjoying the Sunday morning; urban picnic.

Spice Table in Little Tokyo

2011-09-17T12:44:00.000-07:00

Spice Table is located at 114 South Central Ave, LA CA 213-620-1840. We went for lunch and having done so, I think dinner is actually important to try out before I make any final judgement. The special was an Asian Sloppy Joe and my friend Angelene ordered the cheeseburger with the intention that we'd cut them in half and share them. The fries were crispy and thin and came with sides of ketchup and a spicy cream sauce. The sloppy joe was not sloppy at all but it was a good medium spicy and came on a delicious baguette. The hamburger, which was grilled in front of our eyes (we sat at the counter) was decent but nothing to write home about. I thought the grade of beef or the quality of meats would be exceptional but the overall lunch left both Angelene and I sort of underwhelmed. I guess we were hoping to be blown away. The lunch ran over $30 so our expectations were perhaps too high. I suspect the dinner menu might be of higher grade and so I'm willing to go back one of these days. This place has a lot of promise.

Messob on Fairfax Ave

2011-09-16T10:21:00.000-07:00

On Fairfax, there are all these wonderful Ethiopian restaurants. I've been to three of them so far but last night I was treated to dinner at one of the places I'd never been. Artist Phung Huynh is a big fan of Messob and now I am too. We ordered both brands of beers to sample. They are quite different from each other so I recommend this sharing technique. We were both hungry so we ordered the Super Messob Exclusive dinner plate for two which included Doro Wot (stewed chicken), Siga Wot (beef strips), Yebeg Siga Alicha (a mild lamb stew), Kifto (finely ground lean beef), Tibs (cubes of select beef), Yatakilt Alicha (steamed peas and onions), Yemiser Wot (split lentil in red pepper sauce) and collard greens. We also had the Sambossa as an appetizer which is a like a fried knish with delicious lentils inside. The food was excellent. Wash your hands before you eat. There's a spongy like bread that you tear off and pocket scoop each food. No sppons or forks here, it's all right hand. It's a great design to bring a mouthful to your lips, no more, no less. We could not finish the Super Messob Exclusive so I have left overs in my fridge now. However, we did order dessert; Baklava with tea, Phung had coffee. We were so full we had to walk around the block before we got into our cars. What a great place!

D and A Bar B Que in Compton

2011-09-14T14:07:00.000-07:00

Just several blocks east of the Metro Compton Station is D and A Bar B Que at 1710 East Compton Blvd, Compton CA 90221, 310-637-8773. It's a honest shack aesthetic building with BBQ smoke frothing the streets. There's places to sit in the back it appears but I took my order to go. I got the 3 Rib lunch plate. The BBQ fell off the bone and the sauce was slightly tangy, smoky and had a strong kick to it. The cornbread was fantastic and the greens were tender and flavorful. The lunch special is suppose to be three pieces but they gave me four, which I really appreciated and finished while parked on the side of the road. Driving back to work was a challenge. It was a real pleasure to eat this BBQ. I'd love to go back and try the chicken. I was also told that they make the sweet potato pie and cake there. The food presentation is down home and heartfelt. I really appreciated this place.

Kotohira in Gardena

2011-09-12T20:15:00.000-07:00

Nostalgic to da bone, Kotohira is located at 1747 West Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena CA 90247, 310-323-3966. It's in a mini mall on the corner of RB and Western Ave. I ordered the Oyakodon and soba noodle combo. Oyako (parent and child) because of the cooked eggs and chicken in this broth with thinly sliced onions and some pickled ginger over steamed rice. My daughter ordered the tempura (batter fried shrimp and vegetables) and hot udon noodles. The interior is old school Japan with a lot of blonde wood, partitions between tables but there are these odd paintings and pastels of various non-Japanese looking individuals and animals. It's a combination of aesthetics worthy of the Museum of Jurassic Technology. The Oyakodon was very good. It's comfort food, hot and filling. The quality of the food reminds me of the corner cafes in Japan, where it's no-nonsense cooking to get you in and out briskly. My favorite element of this place is the Enka music. Enka is traditional Japanese post war pop. It's a hybrid music of Japanese folk, big band and Chanson. The singing resembles blues music but often it's in a minor key. I grew up listening to this style of music with my family and it creates a specific mood for me that goes very well with the food.

Cafe Canela at Plaza Mexico in Lynwood CD

2011-09-08T19:35:00.001-07:00

Cafe Canela at Plaza Mexico is located at 3100 E Imperial Highway Lynwood CA. They have a coffee they call Cafe de Olla which has cinnamon and brown sugar. I read they make the coffee in clay pots but I can't confirm if that's true or not. I forgot to ask. The coffee is delicious. I've had this at other places before and each maker has a different spin on it. Cafe Canela's version is super smooth and yummy. I was full from lunch so I didn't have a slice of flan or red velvet or cheese cake but I did order a little chocolate chip cookie. The people hear are very nice and understood my English unlike my earlier embarrassment. I read they have churros that are really good, homemade, maybe next time.

Rinconcito Poblano at Plaza Mexico in Lynwood

2011-09-08T19:13:00.000-07:00

I heard about Rinconcito Poblano at Plaza Mexico in Lynwood on the Radio. I think it was Jonathan Gold? So when I saw Plaza Mexico off the 90 today, I was so happy it was already lunchtime. The address is 3100 East Imperial Highway, Lynwood CA. It's in the "food court", which is on the second floor in this corner of the humongous shopping center. Plaza Mexico is an attempt to bring you to the center of Mexico City, the zocolo. But the way it's laid out is a little hogg podge and you can get a little lost, which of course lends itself to the illusion that you're in another country. There are maps to help you find your way. I arrived in the little food court upstairs and found Rinconcito Poblano. Their displayed menu has pictures, so it should be easy to figure out what you want to order, unless you're moronic like me and ask them "What's your most popular food?". That question seemed to have lifted a barrier between me and them. "Popular" was a foreign word to them, atleast the way I was pronouncing it. They said no, they don't sell "popular". I should know Spanish, I grew up in LA. Luckily, a young woman came to my rescue and explained what i was asking and they said the "poblano", DUH? So I ordered the Milanesa (fried thin-thin skirt steak) Poblano (like a sandwich). When I sat down in the table next to the stand, I noticed that I was sitting where all the Latino's were sitting and the Asians were all sitting in front of this ice cream shop across the way that seemed to be the only shop in the food court run by Asians. I thought that was a little funny. My poblano was awesome. The toasted sesame bun was perfect. Not too much condiments fo you could taste the skirt steak, avocado, bread and this wonderful red sauce that comes as a side. There's also grilled onions and shredded cheese. It was very VERY good. I ordered a jamaica but they have sodas and a assortment of Jarritos too. The challenge of this place is finding parking. For its size, Plaza Mexico has tiny parking lots but it's worth the poblano.

J N J on Adams Blvd

2011-09-07T13:49:00.000-07:00

"Hey Noel and Sheila, I finally made it to J N J!!!!" J N J, 5754 West Adams Blvd., LA CA 90016, 323-933-7366. Sheila said if you drive too fast you'll miss it and I did. It's nice when friends know you better than you know yourself. The first thing that struck me was that on the same property, they sell firewood (I'd say that was a very good sign). The second thing is that the BBQ counter and the burger counter are separated. Of course, I went to the BBQ counter. So basically, I learned that someone else owned it up until the 70's and the current family from Tennessee bought it. The wife was born and raised in the local community. The mother bakes all of the desserts. The decor alone won me over. It's so backwoods and almost hidden. Everyone likes to be part of a secret. I ordered the pork ribs dinner and a sweet potato pie. WOW!!! The dinner comes with six huge ribs in a semi spicy sauce. I think I will ask for the sauce on the side next time. The meat was tender and full of deep dense smoky flavor. I couldn't finish it. I ate six one night and six the following night with my daughter. The BBQ beans where very good, sweet, smoky and not overcooked. They offer both wheat and white bread which is a little unusual. I went unorthodox and got wheat. All was delicious. J N J may be on my top five now. It was the sweet potato pie that won me over. Oh mann, that was amazing. First of all, the slice was three times the size you get from other places and it was so fresh, creamy and not overly sweet but perfectly sweet. I can't wait to go back.

Pizzicotto in Brentwood

2011-08-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

I was discussing Italian food with Jeffrey James Mohr and he recommended a place in Brentwood. He had heard about this place through a co-worker who said whenever he comes into town (he lives in Texas) he makes it a point to stop at this place for an "authentic" Italian meal. So, I went last night with my daughter. Pizzicotto is located at 11758 San Vincente Blvd, Brentwood CA 90049. It's a small and narrow restaurant. The decor is warm and cozy in scale. The first floor has a market feel to it and was packed. First the waiter asked if we wouldn't mind sitting at this dinky and dark table near the door to the dish washing area. He anticipated a "no" and guided us to the second floor. This is a tiny room that houses around seven tables. We sat down and ordered Cesar Salad (too much dressing, you have to eat fast before the greens drown) After we finished our salad, we were asked to move to another table closer to the glass wall that overlooks the first floor. It was kind of an upgrade but it's bad practice to be asked to be re-seated after you begin the meal. It's a sign of floor miss-management. It makes you wonder why other tables weren't asked to move, why were we singled out? Then came the Ravioli filled with grilled vegetables, ricotto cheese, topped with prosciutto cotto, cherry tomatoes, green beans, butter nut squash. The sauce was white wine with a touch of pesto. We also ordered the Spaghetti Calamari with garlic, chopped tomatoes, lemon, spices, parsley, a touch of tomato sauce and olive oil. The pasta is correct. It reminded me of the many meals as a teenager at the DiFabrizio's. The attention to the pasta and the flavorful-ness of the al dente durham; the specific result of the water and heat ;and the enhancement (and not the suffocation) of the sauce was all there. For dessert, we shared a Tiramisu and I had the house coffee with it. The Tiramisu was delicious, delicate, creamy and maybe the second or third best I have ever had. Even without drinks, the meal was around $75. It was excellent and memorable but it brings up the bigger issue; why is great Italian food so hard to find in LA? Why must we spend $75 for pasta? It's not like there's truffles in the pasta or anything that should be costly? It boggles the mind. Let's see, there's Mozza, I guess, and maybe Chianti in Lomita but it's still going to be around the same price. Anyone know of an affordable Italian place in LA that you can get away with under $40 or $50 for two?

Bayou Grille in Inglewood

2011-08-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

Tuesday afternoons at work; what better way to melt the cubicle blues than a pipping hot bowl of Crawfish Etouffee, long grain rice, buttered bread and a root beer? Bayou Grille is the perfect place to serve this remedy of peer joy, not to mention another pre-season game on the hi-def screen (Texans VS 49ers). Pre-season is so low tech. It's weird when the three commentators keep joking about something that has nothing to do with the game through three plays. Anyway, the Etouffee was so hot and delicious, deep and chunky. I mean I tore the bread up at the end, chunked it on the fork and used it to wipe way down in the container to get every last bit. (bad side, I almost nodded off during the afternoon meeting about five times in 90 minutes) I finished, still had an hour before the next meeting so I ordered one plate of Beignets. They fry'em up fresh per order so they're hot, fluffy and melt in your mouth. No MSG here, so that's a good thing. My friend said the catfish is awesome so guess what I'm ordering next week? Bayou Grille, 1400 N. La Brea Ave, Inglewood CA 90302

Paradis on Vermont

2011-08-29T14:29:00.001-07:00

Scandinavian ice cream or gelato anyone? I'm game! Such a colorful design and next door to the awesome Blue Rooster Art Store, who could say "no" on such a hot LA day as today was? Paradis is located at 1726 North Vermont Ave, 1726 N. Vermont Ave, LA CA 90027. A solid assortment of freshly made ice creams, just made this morning I was told. They had a good selection of vegan/ sugar free assortments too. Today, I wanted something cold but not necessarily really sweet, so this was perfect. I chose the Chocolate Sorbet, which is vegan but also chose the sugar cone (one step forward and two steps back). The sorbet reminded be of the "ices" in Philadelphia. Delicious but subtle chocolate frozen-ness. It was so good. I am looking forward to going back and try more of their flavors. I did have a sample of the almond chocolate chip which was delicious but I just wanted chocolate today.

Kyochon Chicken in Koreatown

2011-08-29T12:23:00.000-07:00

I had several folks tell me about this place. Some said it was the best chicken in K-Town, others said you have to try it at least once. I spent the entire day at poolside at Belly Flop for the Eternal Telethon and didn't feel like cooking so my daughter and made our way to Kyochon Chicken, 3833 W 6th Street, LA CA 90020, off the corner of Serrano Ave in a mini-mall. She ordered the chicken wrap and I ordered the 9 piece. I had an image of a rotisserie type chicken place but boy was I wrong. This is a clean, contemporary type fast-food looking place. The chicken is made to order, fried in Canola oil and served like a buffalo wing place. I ordered half spicy and half honey batter. The honey batter was crispy and juicy. The hot was awesomely hot. 9 pieces ended up being perfect for me but if I were a little bit more hungry, I probably would have needed a side of potato wedges or something. They have fresh cold filtered water for free but I got a bottled green tea. They have two large big screens and that day the Lions vs Patriots game was on, which was a pretty good game for pre-season. I left feeling good about that spicy chicken. I think having a box of those in front of the TV with a beer sounds ideal. It's not the most amazing food but it is unique, a Korean spice spin on buffalo wings. Oh, the pickled radish was funny. It comes in a pre-packaged box. I ordered one but they gave me two. They said it's a two for one item. It was pretty good, crunchy and on the sweet side. We took the other box home. Maybe we'll eat that tonight.

Cafe Mak in Koreatown

2011-08-23T19:42:00.000-07:00

Cafe Mak is located at 612 Shatto Place LA CA 90005 just a block east from Vermont and Wilshire. It opens late and closes late. On a kind of a dare, I ordered the Fresh Ginseng Drink what was literally ground ginseng and milk. Interesting i-n-t--e-r-e-s-t-i-n-g texture. I can only hope that the health benefits greatly out weight the drinking experience. Also, we shared a pumpkin cake which was covered with coconut shavings. I don't know, I think this after dinner experience was too chewy for me. The tables had those funny ringers/buttons for service. I am still not used to that. The decor is quite "handsome", I like it. The service is very good. I think next time I won't be so adventuresome and just order tea and biscuits. Lastly, sitting outdoors on a summer night is lovely.

Mapo Kkak Doo Gee in Koreatown

2011-08-23T19:31:00.000-07:00

Mapo Kkak Doo Gee is located in Koreatown at 3611 W. 6th Street LA CA 90020 at the corner of Normandie and 6th. So over a year ago artist Sojung Kwon said there was a fantastic country-style Korean place she wanted to take me to. It took over a year but we finally made it. I wish I could tell you what the names of these dishes were but basically they were items #5 braised cod fish and #17 soy bean paste stew. The cod was heavenly. Sojung doesn't eat a lot and I do so I got the majority of the cod. YES! It's really amazing. The fish is fresh, full of flavor and tender with this deep red sauce. I have no idea what was in there but Sojung said they are well known for this dish. No wonder!

Yu Chun in Koreatoown

2011-08-23T19:21:00.000-07:00

Yu Chun is located at 3185 W. Olympic Blvd, LA CA 90006. I joined Sojin Kim, historian; sound artist Liam Mooney and curator Kristin Hayashi for a feast. First of all, I was familiar with their dumplings already because Sojin gave me a container full once. they sell them frozen for you to take home but I can say now that eating them there is a totally different experience. These are the best dumplings in LA. YES!!! The skin is firm but fresh. The spicy pork inside is just spicy enough and filled with soup and goodness and luv! Now, we ordered other dishes i.e. cold noodles, soon tofu, and BBQ beef in that cool iron turtle. If I were to turn into a super hero, I think that would be it! IRON TURTLE!!!! Hands down, the dumplings are my favorite dish here. Now let's talk about the "BROTH". What's up with the broth and why is it self serve? The other wonderful item is the water. I am not sure what the filtering system is but it's delicious water.

Pan Tang in Tujunga

2011-08-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

"Tujunga's not that far" was my first thought as I got off the freeway. Kaoru was saying that she and Brad lived out in the boonies but really it's just north of Glendale. Once you're off the freeway, it definitely doesn't feel like LA anymore but it's not that bad. Their house is awesome. You could easily come to the conclusion that it's a house of musicians and artists. Brad showed me his array of percussion. It was spectacular with sets, cajon, conga's, fields of cymbals, marimba, xylophone, piano, crotales, etc. Really awesome. Kaoru had already picked up the take out Thai from Pan Tang located at 6841 Foothill Blvd, Tujunga CA 91042. Delicious Satay, Pad Thai and a great spicy fish dish with daikon. Brad and I shared a beer. Wimpy but practical as we both had full evenings in front of us. I specifically went to pick up a new Boss RC30 Kaoru had got for me. It's our dream machine! Kaoru got one too. It rocks!!!!

Ackee Bamboo in Leimert Park

2011-08-16T20:48:00.000-07:00

Ackee Bamboo, 4305 Degnan Blvd. LA CA 90008 has outlasted a lot of other eateries in Leimert Park and that alone deserves much respect. I went with two co-workers today and we ordered the Jerk Chicken, Curry Chicken and the Talapia (fish). Each dish came with spicy red bean rice, plantain, and stewed cabbage. So goooood. They also make a killer ginger beer. I love their ginger beer. They also have a drink, sorrel, which is sort of like hibiscus tea/punch. Ackee is a staple. The food here is hearty, soulful and filled with wisdom. There was even a customer who was selling dried sage. $5 for a wrapped bunch, is that the going rate? I remember taking a hike with the late Vera & Manuel Rocha, Shoshone Nations. (name dropping and caught!). i remember they talked about the various types of sages and pointed some out along our walk in the Pasadena Hills. We didn't pick it, we let it be on the side of the hill. I wish they were still around. I really think they would have liked Ackee. They were into chicken. Why does Ackee awaken memory like this?

Axe on Abbot Kinney in Venice

2011-08-16T20:38:00.000-07:00

Axe is located at 1009 Abbot Kinney, Venice CA 90291, 310-664-9787. I went with my dear friend, painter Dana Liston. She said this is her favorite spot on the Abbot. It's very Westside. Even the grilled cheese was fatless. Ha ha. The service is wonderful and the folks there are really sweet. We shared the multi grained pancake, which was highly reccomended by the hostess. This is one of the most delicious breakfast dishes I have had in a while. The grains. THE GRAINS!!!!! They were quite "multi", actually. The bacon, smokey as hell!!! That was some dangerous slices of pig. The grilled cheese....hmmmm, lacked soul, like a beginner trying to play some Zepplin. Most of all, at the risk of sounding OG, Abbot Kinney has really changed.

Earlez Grille on Crenshaw

2011-08-06T14:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I am guilty again for passing a place in my hood for decades and not stopping by. Guilt encouraged me. You see, I'm working on a project now that will eventually demo the block this long time eatery has been on. It's a unique and odd emotion to stand in line during lunch with this looming reality. I held my cards close to my chest. The people here were so wonderful, proud and welcoming. I'm told they already know about the inevitable change but this was about lunch and so I ordered the special. The daily special that day was the spicy sausage which turns out to be an elaborate hot dog. The sausage is old school, the grilled onions was an array of onions and peppers. The bun was a good solid hot dog bun. I also ordered the vege chili fries. The chef asked me if I was a vegetarian and I shook my head, "nope". So that's when he recommended the daily special. The man in front of me, whose name turned out to be Clemons (I remembered because it reminded me that Clarence Clemons died about a month ago), touched his chest when I ordered the daily special. Clemons said that he can't eat that, it gives him heartburn, actually he said, " can't eat that, it just stays with me in the wrong way." The vege chili fries were awesome as well, with large steak fries and a heavy bean type chili, a fabuloso garnish! I brought this back to the office and ate it in my cubicle. About an hour later, I confronted the sleeping angel. We battled and I eventually extinguished her with an ice green tea unsweetened from Starbucks. This was my first Earlez Grille experience. It's located at 3670 Crenshaw Blvd LA CA, 323-299-2867. Side note, they have this very cool hand painted replica of the album cover of Curtis Mayfields "Superfly" album. It looks like it may originally been one of the paintings outside the local record shop back in the day. It's as cool as Earlez.

Donut King in Culver City

2011-08-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

What makes us eat the things we know that are not good for us? Donuts. It's difficult to say no. I was in search of a little breakfast the other day. I past by this donut shop in a fairly non-descript mini mall on Sepulveda. Donut King, 3970-2 Sepulveda Blvd LA CA didn't seem very impressive at first but I was nearing that point in the morning where my sugar level was hitting empty which in turn makes my decision making poor, so i walked in. I ordered a chocolate old fashion, a toasted onion bagel with cream cheese and an orange juice. The bagel and the donut came with little donut holes, which turned out to be fresh and airy-puffy. These delicate little pastries, although free sides, where awesome. The donut was not impressive. old fashions are not time forgiving and mine tasted like it had been on the shelf for a while. The bagel on the other hand was really interesting. It was a cross between a bagel and a vietnamese pressed sandwich. It was good, toasty-crunchy and filling but not a traditional bagel experience. What won me over was the clientele. Part of eating out is people watching and there was a good energy steady stream of people, most of which were regulars. So the banter between the servers and the customers was colorful. The servers were Asians and one Latina. Good Morning America was playing on the television. There was something really theatrical about this place.

Singapores Banana Leaf in the Farmers Market

2011-08-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

P Knitty and Tom Clancy told me about this place around four years ago. I'm slow but I'm steady, finally made it this past Sunday. Sojin Kim, Clement Hanami and I rode our bikes to the MOCA at the PDC to see George Hermes exhibit. Not quite sure how i felt about that show. I don't think it was curated very well. So on our way back, we were hungry so we decided to go to Singapores Banana Leaf in the Farmer's Market at 3rd and Fairfax (the original); 6333 West 3rd Street #122, LA CA 90036. P Knitty and Tom were spot on! DELICIOUS food. The curry puffs or samosas were tender and yummy as well as near super spicy. My Rendang Beef was amazing. It's a Singapore style curry with spicy coconut, chili, ginger beef, side of rice and pickled cucumber. Sojin ordered a Chendol, a cold drink with palm sugar, coconut, chendol bean, and crushed ice; refreshing! I'm looking forward to get back and explore more things on the menu.

Tinga on La Brea

2011-07-31T00:40:00.000-07:00

Thank you to P Knitty and Tom for recommending Tinga located at 142 South LA Brea Ave, LA CA 90036. I was disappointed with my short rib tacos but the Tinga chicken tostados were amazing. The tacos had this potato paste on the bottom and it overshadowed the ribs. The Tinga Chicken tostado was super delicious with spices and great flavor. The Elote Special, roasted corn mix of chilies and spices, was delicious with the tacos and chips. The chips here are excellent. They even sell them in bags. The frescas are yummy. I got the blueberry ginger and artist Megan DeArmond got the watermelon. I think the item that took the prize for me was the coconut macaroon which they poured a homemade caramel on. This kicked butt!!! It's pricey Mexican food. I left feeling full and good but later I thought about it and felt $35 for tacos and a tostado lunch is a bit much. Not sure if I'd go back although I sort of would like to try the Adobo Burrito.

Scotty's in Whittier

2011-07-31T00:13:00.000-07:00

My first lunch in Whittier. Had a meeting at the Central Library. I asked artist Jane Gillespie Pryor, who lives there, what would be a good OG Whittier place and her husband recommended Scotty's. Located at 8426 Laurel Ave Whittier CA 90605, the exterior is no nonsense but the interior is classic. The servers were totally awesome. You can tell they we're determined for you to have a good eating experience. I enjoyed deciding what to eat with their input. It was fun. So Jane and I shared 1) Sourdough Roast Beef MElt with Au JU and Onion Rings, 2) Chicken Sandwich and 3) Banana Split. Robert made the B Split, the servers were specific with that info. It was in a bowl and huge. I liked the O rings, crunchy and thick. The roast beef was thinly sliced but not really flavorful but it was saved by this awesome roasted green chili and butter toasted sourdough. The chicken was also on a delicious bread and the avocado/chicken combo was great. Jane said it had too much mayo but I like mayo, I was fine with it. It was a great experience. I would love to go back someday.

L'Angolo Cafe in Downtown LA

2011-07-29T09:28:00.000-07:00

L'Angolo Cafe is located at 101 W. 9th Street, LA CA 90015 in Downtown LA. I eyed this place many-a-times. it's right on a corner and it looks interesting but I had reports that the food was just so-so. We took a chance and ventured in. A. Campuzano and I shared a skirt steak salad and the five cheese ravioli. The salad was delicious with a creamy vinaigrette dressing. The greens were fresh but not quite bouncy. The skirts steak was a little too fatty for a salad and chewy but it had great flavor. The ravioli was good. Five cheeses is hard. I couldn't taste five cheeses, it tasted more like three. I guess once it's popped in the boiling water and melts, five cheeses begin to morph into a hybrid cheese. I suspect if the pasta skin were thinner and you placed the cheeses separately in each pouch, you could dip the pasta for a minimum of time and preserve each of the five cheeses as five cheeses. There's gotta be a better logistics to punch up the fact that there are five cheeses. I'm just saying.

Lola's in Long Beach

2011-07-26T23:59:00.000-07:00

Drove to the LBC last week for a performance at Open with my peeps, Southern California Soundscape Ensemble. This was for International Day of Listening. I got there early and decided to get a bite to eat and found Lola's at 2030 East 4th Street, Long Beach CA. Cute interior and very friendly service. The chips came with a red and green sauce. The green sauce was awesome. It sort of tasted like it had pumpkin seed or something like that. I ate a lot of that. I decided to order the chili relleno burrito, which was awesome but the chille relleno was not cooked completely like chili rellenos usually are, in fact, it was still fresh and crunchy. You know, it wasn't bad. It was like eating a burrito and a salad at the same time. I was alright with it.

Ryan Brothers Coffee in San Diego

2011-07-26T23:50:00.000-07:00

After a tour of Chicano Park, Artist Alessandra Moctezuma and I went to a coffee place about a block or so away. Ryan Brothers Coffee roast there own and have eats to boot! I The interior was very warm and colorful. I wish we had more time to spend there. They had a wonderful array of pastries and cookies. Maybe next time. I did purchase some coffee beans to go.

Cafe Moto in San Diego

2011-07-26T23:38:00.000-07:00

I was in SD two weeks ago and visited Chicano Park for the first time. It was an amazing visit. They recently received major funding for restoration of the murals there. There were several crews out there at work. About three blocks away is Cafe Moto, 2619 National Avenue San Diego, CA 92113. I was first taken by the design of the place; slick, clean and slightly mod. I ordered an ice mocha with a shot of espresso. It was delicious. I especially enjoyed watching them chill the coffee in a cocktail pot before they poured it into the cup with ice, NICE! In the back is a market of teas and coffee as well as a huge coffee roasting plant.

A1 Burger in Leimert Park

2011-07-22T23:30:00.000-07:00

I was talking to a fellow foodie at work this week. He said the best burger in LA is A1 Burger, 2915 W Vernon Ave, LA CA 90008. Now, favorite burger, that's personal. I ordered the A1-Burger with a fried egg. The burger was like a homemade patty, chunky and full of spices. I loved the burger configuration, sloppy, juicy tomato, fresh lettuce and a decent bun. The fries were mediocre. I also loved the take out facade; bare bones, bullet proof window. Nice!