la.foodblogging

The only thing that is keeping me from pouting about sitting at home with nursing this awful cold is the fact that I finally received a new issue of Los Angeles Magazine in the mail today. It has been months since that has happened. As if finally getting the magazine isn’t enough of a delight, what should be on the cover but in big bold letters Food Lovers Guide to Los Angeles - Where to Find the Good Stuff! Of course, my friends think I’m totally crazy for getting this excited about anything food related, so I shall share the magazine’s secrets with you. Besides, I figure if I mention LA Magazine enough on this site, at some point they might actually put la.foodblogging on its list… afterall, Chowhound made #12! (Congrats!)

1. Bel-Air Caviar Merchants - 10423 Santa Monica Blvd., Westwood, 310-474-9518
Usually open Wed-Fri, come here for malasol roe (lightly salted & fresh)

2. Organic Pastures Dair Co. - 877-RAWMILK
Unsalted fresh butter available at Santa Monica Farmers’ Market (Wed & Sat) and also at Whole Foods Market

3. Santa Monica Mariculture - 210 Wilson St., Santa Barbara, 805-886-1283
Home-grown oysters that are “grit free” available at the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market (Sun)

4. www.lobels.com - Though in New York, LA Magazine put them on the list because this butcher shop ships.

5. Angelique - 840 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, 213-623-8698
Angelique is a downtown fav, but who knew to go here for mi-cuit foie gras? (For those like me who usually just go yum and doesn’t really know the difference between the types of foie gras, mi-cuit is “pure cognac-anointed duck liver cooked slowly and lightly in a terrine.” Call ahead for this order.)

6. Joan’s on Third - 8350 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, 323-655-2285
Go for lunch and do some gourmet shopping while you’re there. Store favorites: Modjeskas, caramel-coated marshmallows.

7. Stroh’s Gourmet - 1239 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, 310-450-5119
Stop here for locally made goods or for some breakfast or lunch. Keep your eyes open for some South African spices located on the shelves.

8. Pasquini Espresso Co. - 1501 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, 213-739-0480
For those who can afford $1300+ for one of these espresso machines, feel free to buy me one, too.

9. Le Sanctuaire - 2710 Main St., Santa Monica, 310-581-8999
If South African spices at Stroh’s aren’t for you, try this place for some rare spices from Indonesia.

10. 1993 Dom Perignon - Pink champagne available at any “fine” wine shop for about $350. (This one’s also on my Christmas list for anyone who doesn’t feel like splurging on the Pasquini for me.)

11. Market Gourmet - 1800 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, 310-305-9800
Forget wine tasting and go oil tasting (along with fine vinegar) instead.

12. Chowhound - no explanations needed.

13. Surfas - 8825 National Blvd., Culver City, 310-559-4770
Go here for the d’Artagnan duck leg confit. It takes them all day to make this but will take just seconds for you to enjoy.

14. Tortilleria La Azteca - 4538 Cesar E. Chavez Ave., East Los Angeles, 323-262-5977
As authentic as corn tortillas get. Get a dozen for $1.75.

15. www.gratefulpalate.com - Quoting directly from the magazine: “Dan Philips’s site is home to the bacon-of-the-month club (hickory, cob, alder smoked), coffees made by vintners, fruit syrups, jarrah stirrers, and tons more eye-catching oddities.”
When I went to the site, I was told “no site found,” so this one is really going to be anyone’s guess.

16. Silverlake Wine - 2395 Glendale Blvd., Silver Lake, 323-662-9024

17. Carniceria Sanchez - 4525 Inglewood Blvd., Culver City, 310-822-8880
Not only do you get fresh, quality beef here, but they’ll marinate it for you, too!

18. European Deluxe Sausage Kitchen - 9109 W. Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-276-1331
While the name says it all, this place also carries cookies, chutneys, and teas.

19. Cook’s Library - 8373 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, 323-655-3141
Go pick up a copy of La bonne Cuisine by Madame E. Saint-Ange or The New Best Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen.

20. Isola - 1012 Fair Oaks Ave., South Pasadena, 626-799-2077
All sorts of pottery, including dishwasher safe dinnerware, are available here.

21. Tito’s Vodka - from Texas but can be found at your local Trader Joe’s.

22. Boule - 420 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, 310-289-9977
Los Angeles Magazine goes on and on about the chocolate, the cannelles, the pecan pie macarons, etc. Still, none of the descriptions are nearly as tantilizing as the reports first brought to you by SoCalorie!

23. Cutlery - With Thanksgiving around the corner, stop by one of the following:
Standard Cutlery & Supply Co. - 9509 S. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-276-7898
Ross Cutlery & Sharpening Services - 310 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, 213-626-1897 (handles ceramic knives!)
Michael’s Mobile Sharpening - 310-828-1305
Capehart Cutlery - 818-831-5959

24. Kurobuta Pork (Berkshire) - called the “Ben & Jerry’s of pork,” it can be found at:
Vicente Foods - 12027 San vicente Blvd., Brentwood, 310-472-5215
Alexander’s Prime Meats - 6580 N. San Gabriel Blvd., San Gabriel, 626-286-8871
Harvey’s Guss Meat Co. - 949 S. Ogden Drive, Los Angeles, 323-937-4622

25. Prosecco - Sparkling wine ($15.99) that can be found at fine wine shops
Try Mission Wines - 1114 Mission St., South Pasadena, 626-403-9463

26. Le Pain Quotidien - originally from Belgium, their bread can be found all over the world.

27. Reserva de la Familia - Jose Cuervo’s tequila
Found at Wally’s Wine & Spirits - 2107 Westwood Blvd., Westwood, 310-475-0606

28. Clog Master - 440 1/2 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, 310-657-8083
Nothing to do with food, but apparently these are great shoes to give anyone working in the restaurant business. Happy feet of the kitchen staff means happy food in our stomachs.

29. Organic Meat - hormone & antibiotic free cuts available at Whole Foods Market and www.preferredmeats.com.

30. Eight-inch Chef’s Knife - A kitchen necessity, Wusthof model recommended.

31. Home Beer, Wine & Cheesemaking Shop - 22836 Venutra Blvd., Ste. 2, Woodland Hills, 818-884-8586
Feel like creating your own label? For $99.50 you get your own starter kit for a five-gallon batch.

32. Santa Monica Farmers’ Market

33. Bel-Air Prime Meats - Beverly Glen Marketplace, 2964 Beverly Glen Circle, Bel-Air, 310-475-5915
For crown roasts (or even larger crowns).

34. www.sautewednesday.com - not really LA, but it’s funny and related to food.

35. Vignalta Herbed Sea Salt - sea salt mixed with rosemary, sage, and garlic. Found at Wally’s.

36. www.chefswarehouse.com - for any chef in search of almost anything…

37. Pistachio Grill - 8560 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 310-854-1080
Go for the cupcakes.

38. Wild Salmon - Should contain less PCBs (the fat that absorbs industrial waste) than farmed salmon. When in doubt, go with the Copper River salmon… found in most fish departments.

39. Twenty Twenty Wine Merchants - 2020 Cotner Ave., West Los Angeles, 310-447-2020
Even if you know nothing about wines, go check this place out. It’s just pretty to look at with all the mahogany wine shelves.

40. Truffles - always a top 10 on my list, but what do I know? Can be found:
Surfas (see above)
Cheese Store of Beverly Hills - 419 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-278-2855
Cheese Store of Silver Lake - 3926 W. Sunset Blvd., Silver Lake, 323-644-7511

41. La Mill Coffee Company - 112 Westminster Ave., Alhambra, 626-202-0100
“Eco-sensitive” coffeee.

42. Split Bean Coffee - 818-448-5184
Go for alfajores - shortbread cookie sandwiches served with guava, quince, and raspberry fillings.

43. Rose Tree Cottage - 828 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, 626-793-3337
If you feel like checking out AGA stoves, stop by the cottage for a demonstration.

44. Cooking School - Who doesn’t want to take a class or two?
JAR - 8225 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-655-6566
La Cachette - 10506 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, 310-470-4992
Josie - 2424 Pico blvd., Santa Monica, 310-581-9888
Maurya - 151 S. Doheny Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-786-7858

45. Cheese Store of Beverly Hills - 419 N. Beverly Dr., Beverly Hills, 310-278-2855
Seller of fine cheeses and sun-dried tomatoes.

46. Giada de Laurentiis of Everyday Italian - I read the article, and I’m still not sure how she fits in to this list, but I have to admit I do watch her show on the food network every so often.

Bon Appetit!

By Pauline (see more of her posts).