la.foodblogging

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).

Sushi joints are a dime a dozen in Los Angeles. So I have to ask myself, what makes someone come back to the same spot time and again? The freshest of fish, prepared by skilled hands is obviously first on the list, but what about service, or ambiance? Sadly, in my opinion, this is often what is lacking when I sit down down for sushi. But Sushi Hirosuke gets it right on at least two of these important ingredients.

While the decor ain’t gonna knock your socks off, think very 80’s, this place is always packed so there is a good energetic vibe when you eat here. The service is also really friendly. From the moment you enter you get the sense that these folks working here care about your time. I always try to sit at the sushi bar, a gargantuan 25 seater. But if you are dining with a larger party and want a chance to chat, they also have booths that seat six and a variety of tables.

On a recent night, we started off with the Ozeki Sake, a dry, cold sake that I thought was really good. I prefer cold sake to hot and I don’t like it to be too sweet. To go with that we had a Sapporo as well.

We then munched on the Sunomono. It’s a simple salad made up of thinly sliced cucumbers, asparagus chunks, seaweed and sesame seeds topped with a simple vinegar based dressing. It was simple and light and the perfect starter.

From there we ordered several items for the table, including Dynamite. It’s a bit like a pot pie. This dish was full of fish, onions and mushrooms and topped off with colorful smelt roe. The scallops were perfectly cooked and the dish was creamy, but a little rich for my taste.

Much more to my liking was the clean lines of the Albacore Sashimi. The texture was velvety, the taste mild and buttery. It was complemented perfectly by the crunchy fried onions that came with it.

Too bad they missed the mark on the Spicy Scallop Hand Roll. First off, it was not even close to being spicy and second, any flavor there might have been was completely masked by the mayonnaise they used to dress the fish.

The Special Tuna Roll was much better. There was pretty pink tuna on the outside and rice and vegetables on the inside. This time the fish was complimented by the creamy, mayo based sauce, rather than overwhelmed by it.

Another dish we all loved was the Seared Tuna Sashimi. The fish was meaty and flavorful with excellent texture. We enjoyed the simplicity of it so much we ordered a second round for the table.

The Spicy Octopus Salad was definitely a winner. The portion was huge and loaded with lots of fish and fresh vegetables (unfortunately my picture turned out crappy…you’ll have to trust me on this one!)

The Unagi, Japanese freshwater eel, wasn’t bad at all. The cute little parcels were prepared just right and dressed lightly.

We finished off with the Spicy Tuna Roll. I think of this as a good “beginners” roll because there is nothing too adventurous about it. While the spicy factor seemed to be missing, again, the tuna was, again, very fresh and flavorful. It was a good capper to the meal.

If you go to Sushi Hirosuke for a “hip” dining environment or dishes that are overly exotic, you might leave feeling disappointed. But at this friendly mom and pop place, where the sushi chefs are competent, the wait staff caring, you will get great service and fresh sushi that is, at the end of the day, really tasty.

Sushi Hirosuke
17237 Ventura Blvd.
Encino, CA
818.888.7548

By Erinn (see more of her posts). You can find more of Erinn's writing at her own website Sunday Dish.

Despite living within walking distance of Bar Hayama, I finally went for the first time last night for dinner. The outside is unassuming and easy to miss, but inside is a nice spacious shelter from the traffic on Sawtelle. The seats around the large fire pit were already taken, but we nabbed a table near it and it was just as pleasant without having to face a roaring fire.

We started with some sake samplers: the Legacy and the Classic. Each sampler (about $15) included 3 different sakes in 2 oz. cups. This was perfect for a sake newbie like me to taste different types without breaking the bank.
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Louise absolutely LOVES filthy, cheap places! (See more of her posts). You can also find more of Louise's writing at her own website NakedSushi.

Okay, I don’t usually get excited about sandwiches. They’re not really my… thing. It’s not that I avoid bread or anything, it’s just that I tend to prefer my carbs in pasta form, or as roasted or fried potatoes.

So —
you’ve gotta appreciate it when I go nuts about this new sandwich I tried.

Backstory: My hands-down, all-time favourite lunch place in the east Valley is healthyca (fyi – it’s pronounced ‘health-i-ka’). I already reviewed them a couple of years ago.

Well, I am excited to report that healthyca has just launched a fresh new menu. I tried one of their new sandwiches on Friday and it was Oh. My. God. Fantastic!!

Portobello Mushroom on home whole wheat ciabatta (i.e. baked in-house, gentle readers) with beets, chevre, walnuts, roasted tomato (with a bit of a spicy kick!), black olive tapenade, lettuce and I sub’d grilled onion instead of raw red onion.

The complex flavour profile and combination of this heavenly sandwich was just a knockout. It was so damn good, I went back and got it again the very next day they were open (Monday). Remember - I said I don’t go for sandwiches very often.

Okay, having said that, I actually really like hot sandwiches. So, I love the variety – about thirty choices – at my new local sandwich joint Press Panini. Generally if I’m gonna have a sandwich, I’ll make a toasted ham, gruyère and pineapple one at home on my own panini maker (don’t laugh!) The benefits of now having a place around the corner that does Italian-style pressed sandwiches is (1) the variety, (2) the convenience – it’s a walk-up window and you can eat there or take it home, (3) it’s great for when you don’t have enough ingredients at home to put a lunch together and (4) um, there isn’t a (4)… BUT while the French-style bread roll they use at Press Panini is great in its own way, they don’t offer a whole wheat option at all, and I just can’t do white bread… Also, I probably won’t be craving hot sandwiches during this sweltering summer that often, either, which is too bad for them because I am sure I am not alone.
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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 thirteen 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 completed a family cookbook and has also written novels for 8-12 year olds. She is the creator and host of ArtsBeatLA.

I am working on an article for this site about the rising price of food, coupled with a decline in consumer spending; how is it (if at all) affecting businesses. I am looking for some input from local chefs and restaurateurs. If you are interested in answering a few questions and giving your take on the current economics of running a restaurant in Los Angeles, please get in touch:

foodblogging@gmail.com

I would also be interested in hearing from our readers — as customers — if they have noticed a shift in the way that their favorite dining spot is doing business these days.

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.

If you’ve lived in Southern California anytime in the 80’s, chances are, you tried a dish of  Penguin’s Frozen Yogurt.  This chain was the king of yogurt during that decade.  There seemed to, literally, be one on every corner. 

What you may not have known, (I didn’t) was that Dannonactually created the first frozen yogurt back in the 70’s.  It was frozen yogurt on a stick, called “Danny”.  To bad for Dannon, the idea of frozen yogurt as a dessert, didn’t take off until years later.  After the rise of the ubiquitous frozen yogurt shop, there was a period in the late nineties and into the new millennium, where the desserts’ popularity took a real nose dive.  Then, in 2005, along  came a little thing called Pinkberry…(is this where the Heavens part and the angels sing?  For some, I suppose this is true.)  It was a simple concept that really took off.   Fast forward to 3 years later and there seems to be, once again, a yogurt shop on every corner. 

But what sets these yogurt shops apart?  Does Pinkberry still reign supreme?  Of course, as with all food,  is there really such a thing as an objective opinion?  That’s a debate for another day.  In the mean time I set out to check out some of the Valley yogurt shops and get the “scoop” on “fro-yo.”

You really can’t do a frozen yogurt review without including Pinkberry, the chain that got this craze going again. 

Their shops definitely get top marks for first impressions.  From the large yellow banquet, to the colorful chairs and outside tables with adjustable heights, this chain hits the mark on design.  As for the yogurt, they offer three flavors, the original plain, coffee and green tea. 

The original flavor, I have to admit, is really delicious, but between you and me, PureNaked in Encino, tops it in my opinion (more on them in a moment.) The coffee flavor is also quite tart, and yummy as well.  Then there’s the green tee.  Let’s just say, for me, it’s an acquired taste.  They have a nice selection of toppings and their fresh fruit choices were top shelf.

Find the Pinkberry nearest you…

Then there is PureNaked Yogurt,  which opened up about a year ago. 

The original name of the shop was to be BareNaked, and you know, maybe they should have stuck with that name since it seems to really fit the bill.  The space itself has a very bare feel, as though no thought was put into the decor.  And then there are the yogurt choices, no wait, the yogurt choice, there is only one, plain, a la Pinkberry.  The good news?  The yogurt was delicious. 

It was tart, refreshing with bright tangy flavors. 

17499 Ventura Blvd.  Encino, 91316.  818-461-0346.

Yum Yum Yogurt has a very different feel then some of the newer yogurt shops.

I was reminded of a mom and pop burger shack, complete with wood paneled walls.  Along with eight different yogurt offerings, including the ubiquitous plain, they also had about 20 different kinds of toppings.

If yogurt doesn’t strike your fancy, they also have a full menu of salads, sandwiches, burgers and dogs.  I found the yogurt to be quite good.

16545 Ventura Blvd.  Encino, 91316.  818-783-5931

When you enter Hollyberry (Formerly Snowberry) it’s like walking into a little jewel box.

Peach and green walls, blown glass light fixtures and chrome chairs give it a “ladies who lunch” kind of sensibility.  Their menu consists of four regular flavors: plain, peach, vanilla and pomegranate, along with a small selection of gelatoes.  The plain yogurt was very good, but oddly, the peach tasted almost exactly like the plain.  Oh yeah, and toppings, here you get about 20 to choose from.

14425 Ventura Blvd.  Sherman Oaks, 91423.  818-817-2350

I felt like I stepped into a full fledged ice cream shop upon entering Humphrey’s. 

My first impression was how friendly the service was.  It’s the kind of place you’d take your kids on a hot summer day.  Along with ice cream, frozen dipped bananas, a full sandwich and salad menu, they carry three frozen yogurt flavors:  tart vanilla, sweet vanilla and chocolate.  I tried a combo of the vanillas and couldn’t really tell the difference between the two.  While the yogurt was okay, it was certainly not stellar.  They get huge points for their toppings which include real chocolate chip cookie dough bits.
4574 Van Nuys Blvd.  Sherman Oaks, 91403.  818-906-2490.

Limelite felt a bit different the the other shops. 

There was house music playing, a big graphic print on the main wall, colorful resin chairs and a large green leather couch to kick back on.  The yogurt, on the other hand, was pretty standard.  Three choices:  plain, mango and chocolate along with a selection of about 30 toppings.
15030 Ventura Blvd.  Sherman Oaks 91403.  818-728-8358

If you feel like you’ve stepped back into the 80’s, you might be at Studio Yogurt. 

Of all the shops I visited, this one felt the most like an old Penguins.  Not so much in the decor but in the yogurt flavors and topping choices.  On the day I visited there wasn’t a plain/tart yogurt in sight.  Instead there was a selection of 10 flavors including Irish Cream, Cake Batter and Cheesecake.  There are fat free/sugar free option, and for those less calorie conscious, there’s ice cream too. 
12050 Ventura Blvd.  Studio City, 91604.  818-508-7811

Menchies sets itself apart by being 100% self service, which is just fun, I don’t care if you are seven or 70. 

There are four machines, each with two flavor choices.  And you get the option to swirl the two flavors together, fancy!  There are more than 40 toppings and for $1 they’ll hook you up with a waffle cone bowl.  Since it’s self service, they charge you by the ounce, 39 cents to be exact, including toppings.

I thought the topping quality was a bit better than the yogurt, but at the end of the day the yogurt and the experience were both pretty darn good.

4849 Laurel Cyn. Blvd.  Valley Village, 91607.  818-985-9150

If you are a “fro-yo” aficionado, and you know who you are, then you’ll find that perfect spot and stand by it ’till the end.  But for the rest of us who just want a cool spot to sit and enjoy a frozen yogurt on a hot summer day, we’ve got it made.  With a shop on every corner you are sure to find one serving up something that will satisfy your yogurt craving.

By Erinn (see more of her posts). You can find more of Erinn's writing at her own website Sunday Dish.

On our never-ending quest to try hand-made noodles, the BF and I drove to Hacienda Heights to try out Malan Noodles. When we walked in, the woman who worked there grabbed an order sheet, some water in styrofoam cups and pointed us to an empty table.

At the front of the restaurant is a refrigerated case with assorted cold appetizers like slices of beef, Chinese salads, and tofu salads. We chose the baked tofu and cilantro (vegetarian) and the woman promptly brought it out. The dish was decent, fresh tasting and with the addition of the chili-sauce and vinegar they provided on the table, very satisfying.
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Louise absolutely LOVES filthy, cheap places! (See more of her posts). You can also find more of Louise's writing at her own website NakedSushi.

I love Mexican food, but I’ve been rather wary of it ever since I got severe food poisoning at Poquito Mas a couple years ago. Don’t get me wrong now. I’ve had Mexican food - good Mexican food - several times since then, but I still approach new Mexican restaurants or ones I only occasionally frequent with some trepidation. So with all this in mind, for me to recommend Las Fuentes is a very big deal.

One of the favorites at Las Fuentes is the Burrito Pollo Con Rajas ($6.15) topped with their salsa de rajas and cheese (for an extra $1). The inside is filled with large strips of chicken breast, chile peppers, beans, and onions. There is also avocado in the burrito, but it is scarcely there. I certainly couldn’t taste any, but I did see a little in one bite. Fortunately, my friends and I ordered a basket of chips ($0.95) with guacamole ($1.10). I merely added the guacamole to my burrito to compensate for the lack of avocado. The burrito itself is a huge meal, and half of the portion was more than enough for me. One thing I liked a lot about this burrito is chicken itself. The meat was very tender and moist. The only thing I did not like about my burrito was that I happened to bite into a piece of bone (which I’m guessing was the keel bone because it was a very thin and flat). The burrito is supposed to be spicy, but the only heat I felt at dinner was from the lack of air conditioning in the restaurant.

We also ordered a soft taco ($2.50), a tamale ($2.45), and tostadas ($6.75). The tamale and taco were not very impressive or unique. The tostadas, on the other hand, stood out if for no other reason than they were, as one friend exclaimed “monster” sized. The shell does not seem to much larger than ones at other restaurants, but everything inside the shell is filled to the very top. In addition, I like the fact that you can choose between a flour or corn shell. Most restaurants I’ve been to don’t give you a choice. One of my friends said she usually gets a tostada when she dines at Las Fuentes. If you don’t eat the whole shell, it seems like it’s a fairly light meal. A different friend, however, disagreed. He felt that the tostada was extremely heavy, but I think that was because the shredded beef in the tostada did not sit well with him.

Other items we tried were the horchata (small $1.69, medium $2.09, large $2.45) and the flan ($2.15). The horchata (sweet rice milk) is made from scratch. I can’t tell the difference between homemade versus store-bought horchata. I did like the strong presence of cinnamon in this batch of horchata. Usually when I order horchata, I have to add some in myself. Las Fuentes offers refills on their soft drinks for $0.30, but unfortunately, there is no refill on the horchata. The flan was a pleasant way to finish the meal, but it wasn’t anything special. In addition, the caramel was very watery. In fact, my friends and I made a run for Red Mango immediately after leaving Las Fuentes. Nevertheless, the food was overall good and everything we ordered was under $7.

There are a few negatives about Las Fuentes, though the faults do not lie with the restaurant. As the restaurant has been around for almost 26 years, it has quite a following. People really pack into the restaurant. There is a parking lot, but it gets filled rather quickly, and with cars coming and going, you might be better off parking on the street. The line to order moves fast, so don’t be discouraged if you see a lot of people. Tables get snatched up in the blink of an eye, and regulars are aggressive in pouncing on one as soon as one is available. If you try Las Fuentes, you definitely want to go with at least one additional person so that someone can take the order and pick up the food while the other goes to find a table. This is also a little uncomfortable for diners, as hungry customers are circling their tables like vultures. No one likes to be hovered over while eating. The staff is extremely nice, friendly, and helpful, which truly contrasts the sour attitudes of many customers who probably got irritated by the heatwave and the hunt for available tables. If you are not a very patient person, you might want to try Las Fuentes during off-peak hours.

Las Fuentes
18415 Vanowen Street
Reseda, CA 91335
(818) 708-3344
Sun-Wed: 8am-10pm, Thurs-Sat: 8am-11pm

By Pauline (see more of her posts).