Electric Karma
8222 1/2 W Third St
Los Angeles, CA 90048
Phone: (323) 653-2121

Speaking of Karma … I am writing a new blog called KarmalizedLife. Feel free to check it out!
With gratitude for great Indian food - FoodFlirt90210

We actually haven’t made it out to a restaurant yet with the baby, but we do have plans to make a sushi run this week.

We have had some great meals provided by family and friends, both home made and taken out.

Since we delivered at Santa Monica UCLA, we had some food from some of the Westside spots, including at least one place that I hadn’t tried yet — Izzy’s Deli. Izzy’s is a convenient spot when you’re at SM UCLA, it’s right across the street, has an enormous menu, and is open 24 hours. I had a chicken caeser salad delivered by my parents. It was huge and the ingredients were fresh.

My wife was able to order room service all day, anytime she wanted. The food was actually pretty good, plenty of options and enough variety to keep her interested.

I ate most of my breakfasts from the cafeteria. It’s probably the best meal available there. The cook makes up breakfast burritos and breakfast quesadillas to order. I have been long searching for a good source for breakfast burritos, and I may have found the spot in the SM UCLA cafeteria. Made with fresh scrambled eggs, cheese, onions, potatoes and wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla, a great way to start the day.

In the hospital we had two meals delivered by family from Jinky’s. I had a really good southwest chicken salad and my wife had her favorite: the chopped salad with turkey.

One night friends brought over Hawaiian BBQ Chicken from L&L Barbecue. The chicken, rice and macaroni salad was the perfect comfort food and after finishing dinner, I had enough left over for lunch the next day.

After we made it home, we had cooking support from my wife’s mom who did some shopping around for some special ingredients. Some of our treats:

• Burrata and Fresh Baked Bread from Bay Cities Deli, topped with basil pesto and tomatoes from Wednesday’s farmer’s market
• Cupcakes from Yummy Cupcakes
• Baked goodies from Amandine
• Chicken, hummous, garlic sauce (of course) and tabbouleh from Zankou — Twice!
• Fresh beef medallions from a vendor at Wednesday’s Farmer’s Market
• A full fridge from Trader Joe’s

The guard has changed and my mom is here now to take care of us for a bit. Chicken romano last night and french toast this morning to kick things off.

We’re a lucky family to have such great support and food. I’m lucky to be able to take a fair amount of time off of work, for all those new and soon to become dad’s, don’t miss out on California’s Paid Family Bonding Time.

Asahi Ramen
I like the curry ramen, she likes the wonton ramen. For about $20, the both of us can leave satisfied. The space is tight, but I think that we can bring an infant or baby here for sure. It’s an easy exit if he gets whiny, plus - what kid doesn’t like noodles? (hopefully ours likes them)

Chabuya Ramen
A bit more expensive than Asahi Ramen, but offering a little bit higher quality ramen and broth, Chabuya is sort of a “grown up” ramen restaurant. Chabuya satisfied some salty cravings during pregnancy, I’m not sure how kid friendly it is though. One tip, the Chabuya green salad is about the best house salad in town. Filled with fresh greens and topped with some blanched veggies like asparagus, and accompanied by perfect ginger dressing. I can’t remember the exact price, but I think that it’s under $4.

California Chicken Cafe
I like California Chicken Cafe for the sides. the chicken is certainly good, and I loooove rotisserie chicken in almost any form. We stopped here when it was a little but cooler and I enjoyed their soup with my dinner. Odds that we will come here with the infant? Almost guranteed for the simple fact that it is a couple doors down from the Pump Station.

Zankou Chicken
Zankou also fulfilled some cravings, specifically for the garlic sauce. We actually went here less than I would have guessed during the pregnancy. I predict that I will be stopping to pick up Zankou to go more than dining in the restaurant. The restaurant is plenty kid friendly though and I assume that hummous can be used as baby food? Garlic sauce, however, may result in terrible diaper blowouts (but will they smell like garlic?)

Bergamot Cafe
The Bergamot Station Cafe is a great option for lunch on a nice day. The expansive patio and comforting food will provide a santuary for us. Plus, we can walk around the galleries and stores in Bergamot Station to provide the little one some visual stimulus. We actually didn’t make it to Bergamot Cafe together during the pregnancy, but I did go solo and had a nice lunch with my mom there.

Third and Fairfax Farmer’s Market
Some of the spots we hit during pregnancy: Loteria Grill, Moishes, The Banana Leaf, Gumbo Pot, and Bennett’s Bennett’s Bennett’s! This place is a slam dunk with kids. Plenty of room, good food at reasonable prices, a fun atmosphere (ok, a little touristy, but that’s alright). Danger factors are the stores at the Grove, including Pottery Barn Kids and The Children’s Place.

Costco
Yes, we eat Costco hot dogs. get over it.

Veggie Grill
The closest location for most of you will be across from the (massive) Whole Foods in El Segundo. It’s almost worth a special trip to eat here. Veggie Grill serves faux meat meals (tempeh, soy, tofu, etc) which are incredibly flavorful and filling. The buns on their burgers are some of the best wheat buns I have had. Also, try the sweet potato fries some time. I’m not sure that we will make a trip down there to eat, but if we’re in the area, it’s definitely a place you can eat with kids.

Sushi Karen
Yes, we did go to sushi during the pregnancy, although my wife stuck with mostly cooked stuff like the tempura rolls and some eel. I can say with 110% certainty that we will be going to Sushi Karen post-infant. In fact, my wife may divert our trip home from the hospital to go get some salmon there. Not only is Sushi Karen family friendly, but I believe that the owner, Toshi, has a couple of his daughter Karen’s old high chairs for people to use. These aren’t restaurant style wood or metal contraptions, they are fully pad home high chairs.

Previous Sushi Karen write ups here and here.

Baby Blues BBQ
Great pregnancy food, or anytime food that you need a meat boost in your life. I assume that when the baby gets here, we might have him try out their mashed sweet potatoes once he’s branching out from the breast milk. Baby Blues BBQ is pretty loud, which may comfort the baby or freak him out.

Previous Baby Blues BBQ write ups here and here.

3 Square
3 Square was a nice place to have a pre-infant meal. It’s pretty quite and the food is generally pretty heavy, but also very flavorful. They have revamped their menu a bit to include more vegetables, the first time we went was a bit overwhelming with the lack of greens on the plate. Also, one quick design note, replace the orange overhead lights with white lights. It’s not flattering to see everything on your plate look orange — orange pasta, orange tuna, orange potatoes, orange carrot soup (well, I guess that one is ok).

I would probably go back to 3 Square for brunch with the baby, but dinner is nice to enjoy without distraction and there isn’t a whole lot of room for baby accessories. Previous 3 Square address here.

John O’Groats
We had breakfast here just this past weekend. Still as good as ever with the Eggs Benedict over artichoke bottoms. Most breakfast spots are kid friendly, John O’Groats fits the bill and also has good room between the tables. If we do go here with the baby, it’s imperative to get here before 9:30 or risk waiting a long time for a table.

Minotaure
We should get double points for pre-infant dining here, since we went with another pregnant couple. Minotaure serves tasty tapas in an intimate setting, accompanied by live Spanish music. Minotaure is a spot to enjoy wine and sangria, I’m going to classify the space as not kid friendly. I’m sure that the friendly owner would accommodate babies, but this is another date night type place, particularly with friends.

Jinky’s
Another breakfast spot, already on heavy rotation. Like John O’Groats, very accommodating for families. Also, a place that can have a bit of a wait and not a very good waiting area, so going with a baby will require planning or preparation to stand around.

Odds that we will go with the baby? Nearly 100%.

Mao’s Kitchen
Mao’s Kitchen was a great spot to hit up to satisfy pregnancy cravings for wonton soup and tasty Chinese food. Space is pretty tight, so although I’m sure that we could bring an infant in, it is probably more comfortable to go without a baby. This can be a reasonably priced escape for dinner, or even for take out.

One email did catch my eye this week. From a PR company, I got a cleverly titled email, “Recession Concessions at Table 8″. Hm, sounds enticing, Table 8 is certainly one of the more talked about restaurants in Los Angeles. The “Recession Concession” is priced at $38 and looking at the options, it is a reduction of Table 8’s normal prices, but is it prudent financial advice to go drop $100 for two (after tax and tip) if you are facing tough financial times? Isn’t this what got us into financial trouble in the first place? Spending more than we should?

In fairness to Table 8, here is what they are offering (Monday through Friday only)

Appetizers
(choose one)

local baby oak lettuces with feta, roasted beets, sweet onions and black olive oil
pan-roasted baby broccoli with confit potatoes, flaked salt cod and parsley hollandaise
kobe beef carpaccio with celery root salad, treviso and truffle aioli

Entrees
(choose one)

grilled baby chicken on short rib hash and cipollini onion jus
olive oil poached sea trout with shaved artichoke salad and caramelized onion mash
estancia grass fed rib eye with pea tendrils, potato puree, roasted baby carrots and pearl onions

Desserts
(choose one)

vanilla panna cotta with honeyed blueberries
dulce de leche chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream

Note that this doesn’t include wine, cocktails or sparkling water (maybe cut those out in order to pay your mortgage?)

Here is my la.foodblogging Recession Concession advice. Rather than dropping $100 for lettuce and beet salad, grilled baby chicken and vanilla panna cotta, head over to Zankou. Split a half chicken with pickled turnips, hummous and pita for under $10 then go splurge on dessert for another $5 at Scoops. (That’s a dinner for two!)

Money “saved”? $85!

So where would your Recession Concession meal be? How much would you spend? Are you cutting back on eating out?

There are a few joints that seem to be offering deep discounts. This is assuming that the dishes served during restaurant week are IDENTICAL to the ones they serve during normal weeks. From a quick look through the three courses (listed at the DineLA Site), so far the best deal I can find is at Abode, where if you order right, you could save $37. Here’s how it stacks up:

Appetizer - Roasted Baby Beet Salad, Horseradish Goat Cheese Mousse ($14)
Entree - Duo of Lamb, Pea and Saffron Puree, Tapenade ($39 based on Duo of Duck)
Dessert - Chef’s Selection of Cheeses ($18)

Total if you ordered off the normal menu: $71
Total During Restaurant Week: $34
Savings: $37!

That’s pretty good. I haven’t called, but looking on Open Table there aren’t any are tables available during Restaurant Week (which is actually two weeks, starting next Monday, Jan 28th, but excluding Saturday).

Are there any other great deal out there? You can save about $12 at Beacon, $15 at 3 on Fourth, I would be interested which restaurant is offering the steepest discounts. Which are offering their top dishes and which are just serving up their pastas and castoffs? Please let me know in the comments if you go somewhere and they are not serving the same dishes they normally offer. Let me know where you go and get a great deal.

Are you planning on trying out any spots just because they are on the DineLA list?

Update:
I called for a Table8 reservation, I got a rather curt host who responded to my reservation request with “is this for DineLA?”. Stupidly, I said yes, and he said “I think that all we have left is 10:00 PM”. I asked him if he could make sure and he instantly said “Yeah, 10:00 PM is all we have”.

Maybe I’m cynical, but I strongly suspect that these DineLA meals are like frequent flyer flights — limited seats for the times you would want to use them.

• Sushi is out. There are some options for my wife to safely eat, like eel and cooked shrimp, but it’s a bit torturous for me to eat luscious tuna in front of her.
• Steak is in. Iron is good! Craft? Mastros? ….Cut? (sorry baby, no college for you)
• We’re trying to stay away from places that we have been, although Hatfield’s was our favorite meal from last year and we might cave on that one. Besides, their space is so small, we could never wheel a stroller in there.
• On that note, crowded, loud, pretentious spots preferred. It’s adult time!
• Our time is limited. April is coming sooner than you think and we have some there plans between now and then
• Wine lists aren’t important, but places that have creative non-alcoholic drinks are nice (like Luna Park’s drink list)

So then, if you could pick six restaurants to eat at before your baby comes, where would you go?

It is my belief that soup is the most overlooked dish in the kitchen, and even more so on a restaurant’s menu. For 2008, it is my mission to bring soup to the forefront of your palate. I love soup, I love to make it and to eat it, if I was running for office, it would be for King of Soup (or King of Breakfast).

I admit, I do not always order soup when it’s on the menu, but this next year, I will make it my mission. Simple vegetable soups, both creamy and hearty; stews and comfortable broths loaded with meat. Various Asian soups - Thai, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese…

I look forward to the creamless vegetable soups at Joe’s in Venice, the tomato soup at Urth Caffe and their gazpacho too, even if it is over blended.

Chinese restaurants, bring me your War Wontons (yes you, Mao’s and Chang’s) and your spiciest Hot and Sours. If you can’t clear my sinuses, you are no good to me. In a pinch, I will have your sizzling rice and if the mood strikes me, your egg drop.

For seafood stews, I’m fishing for Bouillabaisse in France and Cioppino in Italy. French for flavor and Italian for spice.

While we’re in France, let’s go on the hunt for French Onion. Le Petit serves a piping hot earthenware bowl with topped with melted chewy cheese.

Seasonal soups are a delicious way to taste what is in season. Autumn and winter squash, summer vegetable with fresh corn. We can slurp our way through the farmer’s market.

I am encouraged by the changing soup selections at Bistro style spots like The Nook, where I recently had a flavorful chicken chipotle soup. There’s nothing like soup of the day. Just ask Mr. Lloyd Christmas:

Lloyd: Uh, what is the Soup Du Jour?
Waitress: It’s the Soup of the Day.
Lloyd: Mmmm. That sounds good. I’ll have that.

So there is my declaration. This year, I will have soup. I will make it at home and I will order it when offered. 2008, The Year of the Soup.

To get you started, here is my very basic recipe for Creamy Creamless Cauliflower Soup:

1 Head Cauliflower, somewhat chopped
1 Yellow Onion, roughly chopped
2 Celery Stalks, sort of chopped
1 Large Carrot, kind of chopped
1 Bay Leaf
1 Medium-Large Russet Potato, imprecisely chopped
2 Tsp White Pepper
2 Tsp Rice Vinegar
Stock
Olive Oil

Directions: Pour a good amount of olive oil into a stock pot or dutch oven. Saute the onions, celery and carrots over medium heat. Add the potato, stir and saute. Add the cauliflower, stir and saute. Now, add enough stock (chicken or vegetable) to cover the ingredients in the pot. Also add the bay leaf and any other herbs you like in your soup.

Allow the stock to just come to a simmer and reduce the heat to keep the simmer going without boil. Allow the soup to simmer for about 45 minute or until the cauliflower is very tender and can be mashed easily with a fork.

Fish out the bay leaf. Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables. This can also be done with a blender or food processor, but the immersion blender is much easier and less messy. Make sure that you blend up all of the chunks.

Pass the soup through a fine strainer to get out any chunks and make the soup very smooth. Turn the heat back on medium low and add the white pepper and rice vinegar. The white pepper will add a mild spice and the rice vinegar will brighten the flavors. Depending on how salty your stock was, add some more salt to taste. Use the immersion blender to mix in the ingredients. Simmer for another 20 minutes or so and serve.

Tastes best the next day.

This is the easiest soup to make. You can substitute the cauliflower for almost any other vegetable.

(photo via sonicwalker)

Have you ever been to Verona? The ancient city, nestled in Northern Italy, is the setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Many lovers visit the legendary (albeit symbolic) balcony where Mr. Romeo lured Miss Juliet. I too tumbled into a great love affair while in Verona … with the fabulous food. I always assumed a revisit to Italy would be necessary to again devour pasta made with such luxurious finesse. Ristorante Donatella, in Rancho Mirage, reminded me of one of The Four Agreements … “Don’t make assumptions.� Owner, Donatella, is a native of Verona and has successfully re-created her towns cuisine on American soil, twice. Tucked away in an inconspicuous location, next to mainly retail and office space, the Italian gem sparkles with a warm inviting ambiance oncinside.             

The extensive menu reads in traditional Italian style, beginning with antipasti and moving through pasta, carne, pesce etc. My parents and I spent at least 30 minutes poring over the menu, pre-tasting with our eyes. Risotto alone is prepared in six different ways! The wine list is formed from both Italy and California with many reasonably priced options. We sipped on a bottle of Tormaresco Chardonnay from

Puglia. The insalata choices seemed endless so we decided to share three of them. (Many of the salads can be ordered small or large which I liked.)The Caesar was classic, creamy, and crisp, resonating with garlic and parmigiano cheese. They raise the bar with their “house salad;� chopped red leaf, fresh mozzarella, pepperoncinis, olives, cherry tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes, and proscuitto. This was a mansion of a salad to me!
 

We all ordered our own entrees, but next time I would order one or two pasta dishes, one meat, and one fish and share family style since the portions are large.

 

I indulged in the fettuccine zucchini gamberi, but replaced the fettuccini with pappardelle. The wide ribbons of satiny pasta, perfectly al dente, dallied in a light white wine sauce along with long rectangular slices of wholesome zucchini and a copious amount of plush pink shrimp.

 

My dad went the way of meat and ordered veal scaloppini in a rich, velvety tomato sauce dotted with porcini mushrooms and served with penne. While the pasta and sauce were quite good, the veal itself was a bit dry and lackluster.

 

My mom had the fish special, Sand Dabs swimming in a shallow lagoon of luscious white wine butter sauce. The fish was so deliciously delicate, that it vanished in your mouth almost instantly. Emerald green spinach sautéed in garlic and olive oil was the perfect simple accompaniment. Unfortunately, we were too satisfied (aka full) to pamper ourselves with dessert, so we’ll just have to make a return visit to Ristorante Donatella. Thankfully, it’s but a 2 hour drive from my home in Los Angeles; a far more manageably trek than returning to Verona on a regular basis and every bit as authentic.

Ristorante Donatella
71511 Hwy. 111 Ste. A-B
Rancho Mirage, Ca 92270
760-773-6434

My love affair continued when I was in France on a business trip and my host insisted on us going to a full French lunch which included enormously plump mussels on a half shell. I can still taste them ten years later, with their soupy, herby sauce.

On my next trip to Paris, for New Year’s 200, I ate mussels at least once a day — often for lunch. I did have one misstep, however, when employing my I-can’t-speak-French-so-I-point-at-what-looks-good method of communication. I ended up with more of a mussel casserole which was actually a bit of a chore to eat and the mussel meat was overpowered by the cheesy mass around it.

At a pub in the English countryside, my Aunt’s husband taught me the best way to attack a bowl of mussels. First eating the meat from one shell and then using that shell as a pair of tongs to pull out the little bivalves from the rest of the shells. And of course, no one had to teach me to finish the soup with sturdy pieces of crusty bread.

When we are at my wife’s parents for Christmas and the tide is just right we hike out to Mussel Rock and pull off buckets of mussels using screwdrivers. It is a struggle to get back up the hill with our loot. That’s where I learned about BBQ mussels. We were outside cleaning the bounty and one of our friends tossed some mussels on the grill until they popped open, dripped a little butter and lemon inside and the result was a little taste of heaven.

On occasion I make mussels at home. I have bought them at Whole Foods, Santa Monica Seafood and I think the best batch I got was at the Redondo Beach Pier from one of the live tanks.

At local restaurants I almost never find mussels presented as a full entree, unless they are part of a bouillabaisse, paella or added as more of a garnish. It’s not so uncommon to find them as an appetizer and I am often tempted to make a meal out of that.

So tell me friends, where should I go on my mussel hunt? How are they served? Best for a casual lunch? Point me in the right direction, my dollars wont get me to Paris like they used to.

Photo by SpeedM