D’Caché — Latin Fusion cuisine & lively music

Step inside this restored 1928 Spanish mission-style cottage, located on Riverside in Toluca Lake, and you might think you’ve been transported to somewhere in the exotic Spanish or Latin American countryside. D’Caché is a lively restaurant where they serve modern Latin-fusion cuisine, tapas and fine wines and great drinks. Try a fresh Columbian mojito made from Aguardiente and fresh mint or raspberry, melon and strawberry mojitos and margaritas.

The converted house has medium-sized dining rooms and secluded patios with comfy sofas to lounge on underneath white draperies. The back patio also has a pretty fountain. Out there, the two-seater tables are made from huge, polished discs of wood, hand-hewn from a large tree they had to lop down in the backyard. These beautiful tables are remarkable!

D’Caché also has a smoking patio and inside there is a small private room with a ‘U’ shaped couch and a TV. Perfect for a laid-back board meeting.

Before I get to the outstanding cuisine, one feature of the experience is the Rumba Gipsy and world music performances every night. The live entertainment starts at 7pm and goes until 9.30pm or so, Tuesday ’till Saturday evenings.

I went on a Wednesday evening and the musicians were incredible. Bandidos de Amor, a talented trio of flamenco-style guitarists and singers, sounded a lot like the Gipsy Kings and played plenty of boisterous music of that flavor.

So, to start with drinks, any Spanish restaurant worth their salt had better offer sangria. At D’Caché they concoct an exotic blend of three wines with gin and perfume it with cinnamon and brandy infused apples. Also their wine list is fairly extensive and features wine from Chile, Argentina and Spain as well as domestic varieties, all priced at around $8-9 per glass, bottles also available.

We started with the soupe du jour – wild mushroom soup ($9). This was unctuous and incredibly rich and delicious; a caramelized-sweet, smooth soup that was fragrant with truffle oil. Just fantastic!

With only twelve appetizers and eight entree dishes on the menu, you can tell the kitchen does it all well. We started with a serving of three large empanadas ($12) filled with slow-cooked shredded pork and dressed with a confetti of mango salsa. Lovely! Other appetizers to snack on include tapas such as Patacones con Cerviche – shrimp cocktail over fried plantains – or a variety of pizette.

Main courses include Spanish classics such as a smoky and seafood-packed Paella ($32) and Pollo Catalan. They also offer seared blue fin tuna with a cilantro crust and a warm salad of asparagus and greens.

Brazilian-style Lamb chops, crusted with pistachio pesto ($42), were perfectly cooked. The basil and truffle oils almost gild the lily, but the red wine reduction cuts through the rich sauce like Zorro!

Everything was very rich, so order wisely, but like a siren’s song, the best flavors of all Latin cultures at D’Caché will call you to return again and again.

Valet and street parking available.

D’Caché Restaurant, 10717 Riverside, Toluca Lake, between Lankershim and Cahuenga.
(818) 506 9600.
Open 5pm ’till midnight, Tues - Sat.
Sunday and Monday – only open for special events.

By MaxMillion (see more of her posts). Max Million is the nom de 'net of Pauline Adamek. Born in Sydney, Australia, Pauline has lived in Los Angeles for the past ten years and finds it agrees with her. She has been reviewing films and filing celebrity-based interview articles since 1991, and has filed stories from various international film festivals, including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Toronto and Sundance. She is completing a family cookbook and also writes novels for 8-12 year olds.

Birthday @ Upstairs 2

I took the BF out for a surprise birthday dinner last night to a nearby restaurant called Upstairs 2. It’s actually part of the Wine House which is downstairs. The place features tapas-sized plates of food as (obviously) a variety of wines.

They were offering a prix fixe menu that night and the items on the menu sounded good to me, so I chose that.

My appetizer was smoked blue marlin on top of some salad greens dressed with a pink peppercorn dressing. The smoked fish was good but didn’t taste any different than smoked salmon. The dressing was too salty, which overpowered the peppercorn taste to the point where I wouldn’t have known it was there if it were not on the menu. The salad dressing almost tasted like fish sauce, but I couldn’t tell if it was because of the fish on top or the excess salt. I would have preferred the dressing to be a bit more acidic to balance out the saltiness.
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By Louise (see more of her posts). You can find more of Louise's writing at her own website NakedSushi.

Recommend Your Favorites

You have favorite spots to eat in Los Angeles. Maybe we have written about them, maybe we haven’t. Here is your chance to tell us about you favorite spots, suggest that we write about them and let our readers know about places that they should try.

Just fill out the form below, and we will publish the results:

You can also use this page, which will be the permanent recommendation page:

la.foodblogging Los Angeles Dining Recommendations

Thanks! Looking forward to the responses.

By Jonah (see more of his posts). Jonah is the founder of la.foodblogging and also created Digesty, a food blog aggregator and Cheww.com, a spam free foodblog search engine.

Susina Bakery - You Get What You Dessert

Back when I was out in the frozen tundra, I received a phone call from one of my friends in L.A. He had a food emergency. He was going to a birthday party and needed the “best cheesecake in L.A.” Without hesitation, I told him to get to Susina Bakery ASAP and purchase the orange cheesecake. Long story short, the cheesecake was the hit of the party, and all the guests at the birthday bash were impressed with my friend’s fine taste. Over the weekend, we introduced Susina to some other people. After a couple bites, they agreed that Susina is pretty special.

First of all, we were initially disappointed because their famous orange cheesecake was out. The staff did recommend the Oreo cheesecake as an alternative. They said they make it exactly the same way, just with a different filling and crust. The cheesecake was delightful. We were all impressed with how it has the same rich flavor as other cheesecakes but without the heaviness. I’m usually not a fan of an Oreo crust because I find it to be too dry for my taste, but the crust of this cheesecake was just right. We also really enjoyed the raspberry chocolate cake. We were pleasantly surprised to find actual raspberries in the cake, not raspberry filling. The raspberries were fresh and not drowned in sickening sweet syrup. This was one of the best cakes I’ve had in a while. Our last selection was the apple tart. I’ve eaten a lot of apple tarts, and the trend seems to be making apple slices as thin as possible and layering them. Susina’s apple tart, however, was topped with a generous amount of thick slices. Each bite is filled with a very strong apple presence. As we were leaving, I decided to buy something to go to give to my mother. I picked a blueberry custard tart and some Italian cookies. My mother started off intending to have just a bite, just to taste. She finished the whole thing in one sitting. She did offer me a taste, and just like the three desserts my friends and I shared, this one was absolutely wonderful. The blueberries were fresh, the custard was creamy, and the crust was crispy but not dry. The cookies were also a nice little treat. The cakes and tarts were approximately $5, while the cookies were $20 per pound. (I spent about $2 on a handful of the bite-size cookies.) We all felt that Susina’s price is very reasonable for a taste of heaven.

You can purchase whole cakes and pies and even place orders in advance. Susina is more than just sweets and pastries though. I haven’t had anything other than beverages and desserts here, but Susina also offers soups, salads, sandwiches, quiches, and lasagnas. The staff is incredibly friendly and amiable. There is parking available in the parking lot behind the building, but be careful of where you park. Not all the spaces are for Susina, and the spaces are stacked, so you may be blocked in (or be blocking someone else in).

Susina Bakery & Cafe
7122 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 934-7900
Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-11pm, Sat-Sun 8am-11pm

By Pauline (see more of her posts).

la.foodblogging Wordle

Here’s a fun toy for your Sunday: Wordle. I love words as art, here’s la.foodblogging run through Wordle:

I think I am going to have to do a version for our header image.

By Jonah (see more of his posts). Jonah is the founder of la.foodblogging and also created Digesty, a food blog aggregator and Cheww.com, a spam free foodblog search engine.

Infant Dining

After a couple of weeks of nesting with our new son, we hit the gates running on dining out. I took a chunk of time off of work to do some bonding and help out as my wife recovered and did feedings at what seemed like every five minutes, little guy can eat!

As predicted, our first meal out was at Sushi Karen. My wife devoured the sushi, we kept Simon in the car seat and he slept the whole time. Sushi Karen is majorly kid friendly and we have already been back.

We had breakfast at John O’Groats where the owners carefully selected a table so that we could wedge the car seat onto a chair so that it wouldn’t get bumped or jostled. We went mid-week so we didn’t have to deal with the weekend wait. Tried their new menu item — poached eggs on bruschetta — very tasty.

Dinner at Rockenwagner’s 3 Square was very tasty, especially the carrot soup and tuna burger. The space is a bit tight though. Fortunately, Simon is a saint and our dining neighbors just wanted to look at him and comment on his hair. The indoor lighting at 3 Square is awful, a weird dull orange that does not make the food look as appetizing as it really is.

Brunch at Joe’s in Venice was delicious as always. Unfortunately we couldn’t get an outdoor table because of a private party, but Simon and I shared the bench seat and he slept through almost all of the meal. He popped up awake towards the end of the meal and we traded off holding him.

Joan’s on Third was a great stop while strolling in and out of the cool shops lining the street. We were a bit before the lunch rush and snagged an outdoor table. Simon was in the mood to be held and fortunately, the dishes were easy to eat one handed.

Simon’s first trip to Jinky’s was also our first stop into the Valley location. More open and roomy than the Santa Monica location, this was also a mid-week stop so there was no wait. I tried the turkey burger with curry spiced chili, a decadent delight. A messy chili burger is no meal to eat one handed, however, so Simon was in his seat on a chair.

La Bottega is the little casual cafe attached to Il Grano. In fact, I believe that they share a kitchen. We went with friends, sharing a four top. Simon’s car seat plopped down into an upside down high chair, a trick we learned having lunch in Napa. La Bottega is one of the best priced deals on the Westside; good, basic Italian food for a reasonable price. nice carafs of wine as well.

For a mellow weekend brunch Back on Broadway is a great choice. This place seems to be busier on weekdays, popular with the business crowd. Weekends are quieter, and we nabbed a huge table for my whole family, with Simon on the side. I can’t wait to go back for the breakfast quesadilla.

Burgers at The Counter was good, but our seat was next to the bus station and the servers were literally throwing the silverware and plates into the bus bins. Simon can sleep through noise no problem, as long as it isn’t big bangs. The crashing plates and silverware kept startling him, and annoyed us as well, so we had a quick dinner and split. The Counter does have this nice little hammock thing to put car seats into. It’s more stable than putting the car seat on top of a high chair and fit nicely next to the table.

At Marix in Santa Monica we met a bunch of friends for dinner. The restaurant was very accomodating to our party and gave us room for the car seat. That place can get really loud with the low ceilings, but Simon just slept and slept, loud talking doesn’t really bother him.

Cafe Brazil is casual and relaxed, with plenty of large tables and benches. A word of warning though. Their coffee is STRONG. I love it, but combined with my sleep deprivation, the high octane caffeine boost sent my mind spinning. I though that would be a good energy boost, but it made me edgy. Their spicy black bean soup is one of my favorite sides.

That’s a sampling of where we have been in the last couple of months. So far, dining with an infant has been great. We haven’t had any screaming fits, just a couple of diaper blowouts that have necessitated a trip to the car for a change. As he gets older, we’re pretty sure that things will get tougher, we will see!

By Jonah (see more of his posts). Jonah is the founder of la.foodblogging and also created Digesty, a food blog aggregator and Cheww.com, a spam free foodblog search engine.

Quickie Lunch @ Misasa

When I get the craving to eat some no-frills Japanese food, I head to Mitsuwa Marketplace on Centinela and Venice. Usually, I order something from the highly regarded Santouka, but I wanted something different from ramen this time. Enter the katsu-don from Misasa:

Misasa is on the far corner from the entrance when you face the foodcourt. They offer a variety of don’s including an egg and eel don, which I will need to try next time. There are also a couple of bento choices available.

The katsu-don, a big bowl of rice topped with cooked onions, a shoyu-based sauce, breaded pork cutlet and egg, also comes with a few sides: hiyakko tofu, some pickled veggies, miso soup, and cold barley tea. The pork is on the dry side, but the sauce and egg on top saved it. The dish isn’t anything amazing, but it’s good no-nonsense Japanese food. For about $7, it’s a pretty good deal for lunch on the west side.

For dessert, I visited the cafe by the entrance and got a green tea ice-cream with red-bean and mochi ($4.50). The mochi was the perfect amount of chewiness and I loved how the ice-cream has that nice matcha bitterness and wasn’t too sweet.

View Larger Map
Misasa in Mitsuwa Marketplace
CASH ONLY
3760 S Centinela Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90066

By Louise (see more of her posts). You can find more of Louise's writing at her own website NakedSushi.

Groovy Times at Jazz Cat Cafe

On the corner of Valley and 7th in Alhambra is a restaurant that usually has a line out the door by 7pm daily. You wouldn’t know it by the name, but Jazz Cat Cafe is the place to go for some good hot pot. There is a slight twist. This is not your old-fashioned hot pot where everyone shares. Instead, each person gets a mini hot pot, and while you can still share, you don’t have to if you don’t want to.

First, you choose from one of the many soups for the base of your hot pot. For first timers or the less adventurous, I would recommend the Jazz Cat Soup. It’s a very basic broth. The more popular soups are the Hokkaido Miso Soup and Thai Lemongrass Soup. The Hokkaido Miso Soup uses Hokkaido milk, so the soup is very rich in flavor. Hokkaido is very well-known for its milk. There is almost a sweetness to the flavor. While the soup does not retain the sweetness, the distinct flavor of the milk is present. The Thai Lemongrass Soup is perhaps the most aromatic soup offered at Jazz Cat Cafe. The broth itself is very light and simple. If you’re having hot pot during the summer, this is the soup you want to order. It is so popular that Jazz Cat Cafe sells out of it some times. Personally, I am partial to the Hakkaido Kelp Soup (pictured on above). It is another light broth, but I find it to be surprisingly flavorful due to the addition of the thick slices of kelp. Not everyone enjoys kelp, however, so I am definitely selective about who I recommend this soup to. The price range is about $11.95 to $15.95, depending on what meats you want with your soup. Your choices are: chicken, beef, pork, lamb, shrimp, and assorted seafood. You could also opt for a veggie only plate, as well as order add-ons, such as udon noodles.

A typical plate includes your chosen meat, cabbage, cellophane noodles, bok choy, broccoli, pumpkin, carrots, tofu, fish paste (which will turn into fish balls after being cooked in the soup), and an egg for you to poach. There is also a little bowl of rice, but you can substitute it for additional cellophane noodles or onigiri (rice balls wrapped with seaweed). Your order will be brought to you on a tray with the mini hot pot, and under the hot pot is a little dish filled with a flammable jelly that they will light up for you. Once your soup gets a good boil going, it’s time to start cooking the food. Something you need to be cautious about: fire burns! One of my friends is unfortunately forever teased for accidentally setting her napkin on fire at Jazz Cat Cafe. The funny thing is when she went there on another occasion, she was retelling the story when at that exact same moment, a woman at another table had her napkin catch on fire. At my first visit to Jazz Cat Cafe, I am pleased to say I did not set anything on fire, though I did burn myself a couple of times when the flames from the pot across from me leaped towards me. If you sit near the edge of a table, be aware when people walk by you, the flames will move.

No alcohol is served here, but Jazz Cat Cafe offers an assortment of beverages. In truth, I’ve only tried two - the Brown Sugar Milk Tea and the Hokkaido Milk Tea. A friend let me sample his Brown Sugar Milk Tea on my first visit, and it’s okay. Nothing to write home about. The Hokkaido Milk Tea, on the other hand, is what I order every time. Remember what I wrote above about Hokkaido milk? That sweet flavor that was overpowered in the soup is very present here. I happened to order this on my first visit, and while I know I should venture out and try some of the other drinks on the menu, I have not been able to resist the Hokkaido Milk Tea. Now, the photo is a little deceptive. The milk teas are served in carafes, but they are short, small ones. Nevertheless, one carafe is more than enough for me. The milk teas are $4.50, but you get a discount if you order food.

Tips: Jazz Cat Cafe definitely gets busy during peak hours. If you’re going for dinner, try showing up around 5-5:30pm, otherwise you’ll be battling for a space in the parking lot or on the street. The wait for a table can also take quite some time. Service is overall good. Since they get so busy, the staff will typically not notice you unless you flag them down. Once you request something, they are quick to respond. For instance, if your fire has died out, they will put more flammable jelly in the tin for you and light up your hot pot again. Alternatively, if you’re done cooking and want the fire out, they’ll extinguish the flame. If you can’t finish your hot pot, containers are available, but everything must be cooked. You are not permitted to take home anything raw. Jazz Cat Cafe is worth a visit, but you should either hurry before the summer heat hits us in full blast or wait until fall/winter to check it out.

Jazz Cat Cafe
640 W Valley Blvd
Alhambra, CA 91803
(626) 293-8999
Hours: Sun - Thurs 11am-12am, Fri - Sat 11am-1am

By Pauline (see more of her posts).