la.foodblogging

One of the benefits of my recent move to the east side is being closer to affordable, good food. Sorry westside, but other than a handful of favorites, my heart belongs to the east — or the SGV at least. Chichen Itza isn’t in the SGV, but it is a few miles south of me, which is okay in my books. This sit down Yucatan restaurant offers dishes that can please meat eaters and vegetarians alike.

Being a Friday night, I started off with a glass of sangria. Did I mention it was a huge glass of sangria? The sanguine drink was fruity, strong, and not overly sweet. I’d suggest sharing a glass with a friend because it was so big, even I couldn’t finish it and I’ve been known to polish off whole pitchers of the stuff.

My dining companion and I split a jicama and citrus salad. At first, the saltiness of the dressing and the sweet juice from the citrus was jarring, but I quickly got used to it. It was unfortunate that we had such pulpy and pithy oranges because the hard pieces really prevented me from enjoying the salad. What’s funny was that my dining companion said it tasted too heavily of cilantro, but I didn’t notice at all; usually I’m the first to complain about cilantro.

For my entree, I ordered the baked chicken with confetti rice and fried plantains. The chicken was mouth-watering and tender with pieces just falling off the bone. Despite it being white meat, everything was juicy and flavorful thanks to the tangy sauce the chicken was cooked in. At first glance, the portion looked small, but by the time I was halfway through, I was satiated. The plantains were good as fried plantains often are, but the rice was just ordinary. It was clearly overshadowed by the fantastic chicken.

My dining companion ordered off their separate vegetarian menu and got the veggie panuchos. They looked like three tacos to me, but they were actually thin bean-stuffed corn tortillas topped with vegetables and pickled onions. They looked very pretty and had a deliciously savory crunch to each bite. The crispness of the toppings went well with the beans in the warm tortilla below. We both agreed that this dish would have benefited from a side of rice and beans, especially for the price. It just wasn’t filling enough and my dining companion had to order a side of confetti rice and plantains in order to leave full.

The dessert, a scoop of guanabana (soursop) was the highlight of my evening. The sorbet was tart and tasted slightly tropical, but it was the sprinkle of cayenne pepper and salt on top that brought it to a higher level. The pepper and salt brought out a distinct sweetness to each spoonful of sorbet. Don’t knock it till you try it.

Chichen Itza is a nice little restaurant with a friendly, knowledgeable staff and delicious dishes. The prices are a bit higher than the usual casual restaurant; it’s not a place we’d go to all the time, but it’s nice to know the option is there. Their separate vegetarian (almost) menu has one or two vegan options and makes the place ideal for people with different dietary needs. I’m thinking of returning just for the guanabana dessert.

View Larger Map

Chichen Itza
2501 W 6th St
Los Angeles, CA
(213) 380-0051

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.

When I think of an underground supper club, I think of walking through a dark, damp alley, opening a creaky steel door, meeting some guy named Boris and being led into a dimly lit room to sit at a crowded table with other diners. My first underground dinner with Chicks with Knives was nothing like that. All I had to do was drive to an address in the valley, park my car on the side of a winding road, follow a couple of hand-written signs through a spacious house and there I was, dining al fresco with twenty other eager people.

The five course dinner was said to be completely vegan, which was one reason why my dining companion and I had signed up for it. We were both under the impression that it would be difficult to attend an underground supper club which offered vegan options. Fortunately, Chicks with Knives are happy to accomodate vegans even during their omnivore dinners.

We started with a cold salad dish which consisted of freshly made tofu served with yuzu custard, pea greens, thinly sliced cucumbers, and a shiso leaf. The yuzu and shiso flavors were the stars of this dish. There’s just something so clean and summery tasting about citrus in salads. The cucumbers added a nice crunch to the salad, but I wanted a mixture of cucumber and fennel bulb instead of just cucumber. The anise taste in the fennel would have paired well with the citrus tang of the yuzu. I was totally jealous that Rachael, one of the Chicks with Knives, had a local hookup for yuzu.

Next came the mushroom and peas. Rachael had lamented to us before serving that this was supposed to be a morels and peas dish, but the mushroom man was no where to be seen that day at the Farmer’s Market. While that was unfortunate, it was also a reminder that yes, they do use local produce and their ingredients are as fresh as they can possibly get.

The peas had a sweet, fresh crunch to them, but were overshadowed by the fantastic croutons that came on the side. The toasted pieces were crunchy, just the right amount of salty, and fantastic dipped in the small dollop of pesto which also came with the dish. I could have eaten a whole plate of those croutons dipped in the pesto and been happy.

My favorite dish of the night was the pyramid ravioli which came next. The filling was simply mushrooms, artichokes and olives, but oh so delicious. They were dressed plainly with a splash of olive oil and garnished with chive blossoms. The ravioli was so good that nothing else was needed — no, not even cheese. I was sad to see there were only two pieces per portion. The umami-fiend in me wanted a giant bowl of these just for myself.

When I had heard that there was to be a socca dish, I definitely wasn’t expecting what came next. I usually think of socca as a pancake-shaped flatbread. The socca in this dish was rolled up and sliced. Each bite was soft, spongey, savory, and soaked up the zesty sauce below perfectly. The tender broccolini and charred zucchini were also tasty with the sauce. One person at our table, who said she didn’t usually like zucchini, really liked the way it was prepared here. Really, what wouldn’t taste great dipped in a great sauce?

Last but not least came a dessert I was apprehensive about: layered carrot cake. Too many years of dry, tasteless, cafeteria carrot cake has scarred me. The fact that carrot cake was invented during WWII to use up dehydrated carrot rations also doesn’t make it sound all that appealing. Despite my fears of the cake, this layered carrot cake was worth writing home about. Maybe the war would have been won sooner if all carrot cake tasted this good. The slice was incredibly moist, thanks to the coconut and tapioca cream frosting. The cake would have been too sweet, but the tart pineapple pieces on the side cut down on the richness quite well.

During her introductions about the food, Rachael mentioned that she didn’t want to think of this dinner as a vegan dinner, but more of a “I love vegetables dinner.” Nothing rings truer. The dinner illustrated the concept that you don’t need a lot of complicated sauces or fancy equipment to produce a mouth-smacking meal as long as you have fresh ingredients that stand well on their own.

Dinner was delicious as a whole, my only complaint being that serving portions were too small. Maybe that’s just the glutton in me talking, but I really wanted more especially after the ravioli and socca dishes. I was wary about the supper club at first, but after this meal, I’m eager to see what they’ll come up with at an omnivore dinner. The fact that they can accommodate vegans even for those dinners certainly sweetens the deal.

Chicks with Knives

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.

Being someone who adores fancy cheeses, I am lucky enough to have a fantastic cheese store right in my ’hood for when I get those compulsive cravings for cheesy comestibles.

The Artisan Cheese Gallery offers a vast selection of all sorts of exquisite and boutique cheeses imported from all over the world, as well as all from over the States.

Every month they host evenings where you can sample selected cheeses and wines for a modest fee. I recently attended a fantastic introduction to certain French wines that were perfectly paired with French cheeses. It was then that I discovered a certain ambrosia known as Chaource. [pronounced - "shah - oourse"]

Chaource is a small village and commune in the Aube (aka the Champagne) region in France, about 120 miles south-east of Paris. Tourist sights include churches from the 12th and 16th centuries. But it is the cheese that is named after this village that I am most interested in describing.

Their heavenly stinky cheese has been made since the early 14th century in this small town. Similar to Brie and Camembert, but with a creamier texture, Chaource is a traditional cheese.

It is made from unpasteurised cows’ milk and the fat content is a minimum of 50%. When aged, Chaource becomes very creamy and a bit runny. Strong in aroma when fully matured, Chaource is redolent of mushrooms with a rich, earthy and creamy flavor. Chaource is good to eat at any stage of maturation. When young, Chaource is very smooth. When aged, the cheese is creamy. When fully matured, Chaource is nutty and a little bit salty.

Chaource is made in miniature wheels that gives it an elegant appearance. It is ideally paired with Champagne or, alternatively, with a dry white wine such as Sancerre or Chablis.

Chaource is easy to obtain. I suggest you call the Artisan Cheese Gallery to ensure they have it in stock. It will take approximately three days to get it in for a special order if they don’t have some on hand.

Owner Melody Dosch at Artisan sells the Chaource for $20.00 per whole cheese, or $44.00 per pound. The cheeses usually arrive fairly ripe and ready to eat, having been flown over by plane from France.

*Remember to let your cheeses come to room temperature before you serve them*

Upcoming events at the Artisan Cheese Gallery include:

May 15 - Spanish Wines and Cheeses
7:30 p.m.

June 20 - Beer and Cheese, the Ultimate Pairing
7:30 p.m.

July 17 - Wines and Cheeses from Napa and Sonoma
7:30 p.m.

August 15 - Washed Rind Cheeses and Libations
7:30 p.m.

September 18 - Kosher Wines and Vegetarian Cheeses
7:30 p.m.

October 17 - Fondue at Artisan Cheese Gallery
6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

November 20 - The Other American Cheese and Wine (NO – not Velveeta!)
7:30

I urge you visit their website and get onto the Artisan Cheese Gallery’s mailing list and be sure to make a reservation if an event takes your fancy – prices will vary, depending on the offering.

Artisan Cheese Gallery

12023 Ventura Blvd.,
Studio City, CA 91604

Phone: (818) 505 0207
Fax: (818) 505 0282

Store Hours:
Mon-Sat 10:30AM—7PM
Sunday 9AM—5PM

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.

Sushi has become identified with ‘hip’, ‘in’, ‘trendy’…. Sadly to the point where it will soon be moving aside for the next wave of ‘exotic’ food for property owners to rape every penny out of. I know this review has started out poorly, perhaps I’m cynical or maybe observant.

This past Saturday I dined with a friend, a lady friend, at the swanky Hollywood restaurant, Geisha House. I have been told to go for the food and the environment to which I respond, “What other reason would you go to ANY restaurant?” Anyways, it did not impress me. If anything the Geisha House is a bar, not a restaurant. Granted, we did go on a Saturday night and they sat us down stairs which felt like a bar with tables. I could see the second floor from our table and it tortured me ever so softly. I had expected to see servers dressed as Geisha’s, little stringed instruments playing in the background and old men eating off the stomachs of women. What we saw were clubbers dressed in Express clothing and music that would make Dr. Dre actually bring a gun this time.

I don’t mind loud restaurant if the noise is chatter, but it was noise. Not conducive to a conversation.

We were served by the trendy metro sexual male who wore an Ed Hardy shirt two sizes too small. We bumped elbows with the people next to us and tried not to make eye contact with them.

Food time: We started with the Rainbow Roll. I was impressed with the freshness of the fish however was confused as to why the roll was so tiny. I mean, teeny like you could pickup two pieces at once. I wrote it off as to just being a style in roll making but figured others may know better. Aside from its size the roll was delicious, it made me forget that I could smell my neighbors toothpaste. Then came a special cold dish, Hollywood Four Stars its called. Its Tuna, Hamachi, Salmon and Albacore sushi with the Geisha House Signature Sauce. It was a really good sauce that tasted similar to Bruschetta. Sadly however the sauce overwhelmed the palate so much I could hardly taste the sushi. We then received a hot dish of Grilled Prime Fillet of Kobe Beef (8 oz) that comes with a sauce of Soy, Garlic Sauce with Mountain Wasabi (their words not mine). Being what it was, it sufficed. This isn’t Ruth’s Chris and it isn’t Japan so a fair steak was expected.

Overall I had to give it a 7 out of 10. The environment was obnoxious and too crowded, the food was marginal and the hype was over-rated. Go here to get a drink, not to eat.

(sorry I couldn’t take any photos because it was really dark and my little iphone is crap)

Geisha House- Hollywood

6633 Hollywood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(323) 460-6300

Visit Adam’s personal blog. Adam Has Opinion

I met up with some friends for dinner tonight in the SGV. One friend suggested Tasty Garden, a Hong Kong-styled cafe. I heard that the waiting times for tables on weekends are long, so I jumped at the opportunity to try out this restaurant on a weekday.

We ordered French Style Filet Mignon. I don’t know what French style is supposed to be, but this beef was juicy and tender. I always tell people that chopsticks are the ideal eating instrument, and they always counter and say “What if you need to cut stuff?” Well, the Chinese have already figured this out: just cut everything into small, manageable pieces before serving it! These bite sized pieces of beef are a perfect illustration of that.

Next came the stir fried long beans or string beans. I never know what they’re called in English. These were pretty standard and stir-fried perfectly. The small bits of garlic and preserved vegetables and the fact that the string beans are fried in such a high heat are key factors to making this dish good. I always order this at a restaurant if I can because it’s hard to achieve the right texture on the beans at home without a high heat-output stove.

Since Tasty Garden is known for its clay pot dishes (called hot pots on their menu), we had to order one or two. For the meat eaters, we ordered the salty preserved fish with chicken. We didn’t know it came with tofu until it got to the table, but it was a nice addition. The tofu was silky, soft, and absorbed the umami flavor of the preserved fish. Some people say that preserved fish smells awfully fishy, but I actually enjoy the pungent aroma. A spoonful of this dish ladled on a bowl of rice makes some darn good comfort food.

For the vegetarian, we ordered the tofu and mushroom clay pot. Make sure to tell them to make this vegetarian by leaving off the regular sauce. Our server was helpful enough to inform us that this was usually made with a type of satay sauce which has dried shrimp in it, so we asked to just get this with soy sauce instead. It might be more bland with soy sauce, but at least vegetarians won’t be eating a mouthful of shrimp. Despite the lack of satay sauce, this dish was still flavorful. I don’t know what it is about a clay pot that makes everything taste delicious and earthy. I especially liked the contrast between the fried exterior of the tofu and its custardy soft interior.

I can’t say I’m a big fan of plain steamed or boiled chicken, like a lot of Chinese are, but I really liked the House Special (half) chicken. It was either steamed or boiled with just the right amount of salt added to it. If the saltiness of the chicken isn’t enough, it also comes with a delicious dipping sauce made from green onions, garlic, ginger, and chicken oil. It sounds gross, but it’s fantastic.

Last but not least, came the Hong Kong style waffles. The other dishes were good, but the waffles are what I’d be returning for. They’re crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The Chinese have taken the American waffle and perfected it with this bubbly shape that achieves the best crunchy to soft ratio. The batter is sweeter than an American waffle, but definitely not as sweet as say, a cake. I bet it’d be good with some condensed milk on top too.

The weird thing about Tasty Garden is that they bring out a plate of rice for each dish you order, so we ended up with a lot of rice. It seemed wasteful, but I guess they want to make sure you get your money’s worth in rice. I would have preferred just a bucket of rice for the table to share. The serving size of the dishes is smaller than what you’d expect in a family-style restaurant in the SGV, but the four of us still had leftovers.

I usually don’t eat Hong Kong cafe styled food that often, but I can see why there are lines in front of Tasty Garden on weekends. The food is good and the service is above average, especially for a Chinese restaurant. The servers all seem to speak English too, which makes this good for people who don’t speak Chinese. They also have free refills on their iced teas.

View Larger Map

Tasty Garden
288 W Valley Blvd
Ste 110
Alhambra, CA 91801
(626) 300-8262

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.

L and I decided to go on a date in Hollywood, again, to the shhh..famous (shamous for now on) restaurant, Katsuya. Hailed as “The new glam sushi restaurant” by the LA Times and lusted after by Los Angeles Magazine. The sushi restaurant is first and foremost, a place to be noticed. A place for people to see that you are one of ‘them’. A swanky, nose-in-the-air restaurant where the food tastes like the money you pay for it. Actually, the food was delicious. As much as I hate to admit it, it was very well prepared sushi. (I hate myself for leaving two ‘it’s next to each other) Katsuya is located at 6300 Hollywood Blvd and is easily seen from the street. You better have $15 cash because valet is $10 and at these kinds of places, you best be a tipper.

Walking into the restaurant there is a display by Phillipe Starck beckoning for your attention. 4.5? high pillars support a cube of plexi glass with white knives suspended within them. They serve as an interesting place to rest your martini whilst waiting for your table. FYI, Phillipe Starck is a renowned designer who is most famous for this restaurant but also for his creative ‘blunders’ in other things such as this fugly pair of ipod speakers. The color pallet of the restaurant is more than savory to the eye. An overtone of white among everything with large geisha eyes and lips plastered over lights. The staff was every bit of the ‘models that serve’ category and were used more for the model part of the job. The hostesses for example wore red mini-skirts and black turtle necks. When I say mini i really mean MICRO. Our waitress, server for L’s approval, was a pseudo-french Angelina Jolie that couldn’t serve us fast enough between all the pick up lines she had to dodge. Ok ok, I’ve spoken enough about the place, time for food.

Tonight L was treating me and I was ecstatic, I have never had a girl pay for a lavish event like this for me so it was in every essence a treat. I was so craving some good sushi and immediately knew I would be ordering one order of Yellowtail and one order of Unagi. For the entree I ordered the Rainbow Roll. Whenever dining at a sushi restaurant for the first time I always order the Rainbow Roll. It is an assortment of all the basic rolls they have and is the best way to determine the quality of the chef and their fish. L ordered the spicy tuna roll and an order of Salmon sushi. After finishing a more than decent Miso I felt like ordering sake.We ordered a Shouchu style sake which was very crisp and had an after taste of Umami. Fruity best describes it.

Rainbow Roll @ Katsuya

 The Sushi tasted amazing! I was extremely surprised to taste such a fresh fish in Hollywierd. The preparation however could have used work. The sushi didn’t not stay firm and unified between the chopsticks. I think the chef was just lazy. The roll was above average but overall a good Rainbow Roll. Katusya puts no carrots in their rolls and that is very important to me. Carrots in a sushi roll is just retarded, stupid, bad, no good. After the meal I required coffee to get my lazy butt back home. This was the cherry on top, french pressed coffee delivered to the table and they leave the press there! I so adore a good coffee and even better, glass coffee mugs. Overall, a great treat. I owe her for this and I’m already planning the event. So, go to Katsuya if you are willing to take the trip, be seen and spend money. Oh, and eat good sushi.

Katsuya.Starck

6300 Hollywood Blvd

Los Angeles CA

(323) 871-8777

Posted by Adam: to see more post click here. To visit Adam’s personal blog click here.

Rahel is one restaurant in a row of tasty Ethiopian restaurants in Little Ethiopia on Fairfax. How does this restaurant stand out against the rest? It serves delicious vegan food.

The interior is dim but cozy and the servers are always ready to answer any questions. Upon entering, you get a choice of sitting at a conventional table, or around a lower table. I usually pick the regular tables because it makes eating easier, especially if a couple of people have beverages.

The best way to try out the most food at Rahel is to order one of the combos. This time, we went with the Dudade Special Combo for two, which comes with:

Shiro wot(Chick pea stew), Split lentil stew, Yeatkilt stew, Split-pea stew, String beans mixed with carrots, Yeshimbra assa (powder chick-pea stew), Greens, Yebagela siljo (broad beans paste), Stuffed green, Peppers, Tomatoes Salad, Sunflower mixed with Injera and Salad.

My favorites from the Dudade Special are the chickpea stew, the broad bean paste, and greens, but in reality, everything on the plate was delicious. Except for the tomato salad. It might have been an off-day because usually I like this refreshing salad, but this time, the tomatoes were tasteless and watery. I guess that’s what happens when tomatoes aren’t in season.

It’s hard not to leave stuffed from Rahel Ethiopian. The plentiful injera (the bread) and the hearty supply of stews makes this vegan restaurant one of my favorites because I always leave satiated and happy. It’s an ideal place to come with friends who aren’t squeamish about sharing the same plate of food.

View Larger Map

Rahel Ethiopian Vegan Restaurant
1047 S Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA? - (323) 937-8401?

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.

From my side project, 365 Places to Eat

Ketchy’s II is comfort in a little shop. It’s a food truck in a store front. Ketchy’s reminds me of coming off the beach in Hawaii and walking across the beach to get some chili and rice.

If you’re looking for gourmet, look elsewhere. If you want a satisfying lunch or snack with a taco, hot dog, chili or fries, this is what you’re looking for.

The Ketchy’s taco is unique and polarizing. You will love it or hate it. It’s simple. A thin hamburger patty, on the griddle, put onto a tortilla, topped with lettuce, tomato and hot sauce, folded in half and kissed on the griddle again.

Ketchy's Taco

At $2, it’s a junky deal. Then there are the hot dogs. Cooked to order on the griddle split in half and then topped with your choice of goodies. They are greasy and delicious. I like a juicy dog and it’s fun to have them topped for you.

Ketchy's Hot Dog

Adding to the casual atmosphere is the friendly service, very Hawaiian style and personable. There are no indoor tables, heck there is barely enough room to fit two people at the counter where you order. There are a couple of tables outside and a heater if it’s cold.

Hours are only 9am to 6pm, which is a bit limited. This should be late night food. Parking in the lot is free.

Ketchy’s II
11270 La Grange Ave,
Los Angeles CA 90025

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.