Chego - Culver City, California

Address: 3300 Overland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Items Ordered:

• Prime Rib Bowl: chili-rubbed, w/fried egg, water spinach, creamed horseradish, roasted garlic serrano paste, and shallots
• Chubby Pork Belly Bowl: kochujang-lacquered kurobuta, w/fried egg, pickled watermelon radishes, water spinach, cilantro, cotija, and peanuts
• Zucchini appetizer
  

Go to Chego if you want to try the saltier version of Kogi Truck or Alibi Room. The haphazard combination of ingredients takes away from any outstanding flavors that might have existed. Sometimes simpler really is better.

--y

Cafecito - New York City, New York

Address: 185 Avenue C, New York 10009 (Btwn 11th & 12th St)

Items Ordered:

• Appetizer - Saborcito De Cuba: papa rellena (lightly breaded mashed potato with a beef picadillo filling), empanadas (three mini empanadas chicken, beef or vegetable), bollos (roasted corn and black bean fritters), shrimp fritters (crunchy on the outside and pillowy on the inside shrimp fritters and spicy cocktail sauce),croquetas de jamon(golden brown ham croquettes)
• Entrees - Ropa Vieja - cuban style beef stew made with pulled flank steak, fresh peppers, onions, plum tomatoes and freshly ground cumin served with white rice, black beans and tostones -Churrasco - char grilled skirt steak with cuban chimichurri sauce and lime cured onions served with yellow rice, black beans and tostones -Pollo Cafecito - grilled spice rubbed chicken breast served with white rice , black beans and maduros
• Drinks - Pitcher of Sangria
  

I was recently in New York and on my extensive weekend food tour, Cafecito was one of my favorite restaurants. Ok, so it didn't start off well - we were told it would be an approximate 30 minute wait that extended to over 1 hours, 15 minutes without any updates along the way. It's not completely their fault - the table we were eyeing was with a group of girls that wanted to be there for as long as possible. Needless to say, I was starving by the time we actually were able to be seated. The food and drinks definitely made me forget about the wait though! The appetizer plate we had first was delicious, each and every piece of it. A plate of fried goodness! The entrees that came out were equally as great. I ordered the Ropa Vieja, and the meat and sauce were perfect accompaniments with the rice. I tried the steak and chicken and those were good too. The chicken was a huge piece and it looked like it would be dry, but surprisingly, wasn't at all. The flan to end the night rounded out the meal. Definitely a great Cuban food experience in my opinion!

--v

Tofu Ya - West Los Angeles, California

Address: 2021 Sawtelle Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Items Ordered:

• Dumplings Soon Tofu
• Various Side Dishes (fishcake, noodles, kimchi)

Tofuya is one of those restaurants that I come back to time and time again. Yum! Even though it's in West LA and not Ktown, it is authentic Korean tofu soup, with all the side dishes. I actually prefer these side dishes over other tofu houses. This time around, I got the dumplings soon tofu soup and it was great. That, coupled with rice, fish cake, and noodles, were a medley of so many delicious flavors. They are nice enough to refill all the side dishes as we clean out each little tray. Love it!

--v

Pizzeria Mozza - Hollywood, California

Address: 641 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Items Ordered:

• Cauliflower fritti
  
• Artichokes al forno with ricotta crostini
• Funghi misti, fontina, taleggio & thyme
• Bacon, salami, fennel sausage, guanciale, tomato & mozzarella

After hearing rave reviews about Pizzeria Mozza, I had to check out the restaurant for myself. For the antipasti, our server recommended the cauliflower fritti, which was a hit. The batter was crispy and well-seasoned, and the aioli dipping sauce was a good accompaniment. We also ordered the artichoke dip of sorts, and while I love artichoke, the dish was too oily for me. After a few bites, I wished for some hot tea to cleanse all the oiliness from my palate. As for the pizzas, the funghi misti contained an abundance of flavorful mushrooms, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you're really a mushroom lover because all the fungi can get a little overwhelming. The "meat lovers" pizza had a great crust and the meats were delicious, especially the fennel sausage and even the bacon, which I usually don't prefer. The only drawback to this place is the overall greasiness of the dishes, which left me feeling uncomfortably full and sleepy post-lunch. I've always trusted chefs like Mario Batali who are more on the rotund side (:P) but this place is a visit only in moderation.

--y

Sushi Masu - Westwood, California

Address: 1911 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Items Ordered:

• Spicy Tuna Roll
• Octopus Sushi
• Shrimp Tempura Roll
• Spicy Tuna over Crispy Rice
  

Yum, sushi! Everything tasted really fresh. My favorite is the spicy tuna over crispy rice!

--v

La Provence Patisserie & Cafe - Brentwood, California

Address: 11677 San Vicente Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90049

Items Ordered:

• Smoked salmon omelette
  
• Egg whites, bacon, and cheddar sandwich
• Raspberry, rose, caramel fleur de sel, and chocolate macarons

I first visited the La Provence location in Beverly Hills, and after my first taste of a salted caramel macaron I instantly decided this was my new favorite macaron place. The macaron filling is sweet and has the perfect gooey consistency, while the cookie outside is not too sweet and tastes distinctly of the flavor advertised. I've tried every flavor here since then, and my favorites are raspberry, lemon, vanilla, and salted caramel, and my least favorites are rose and pistachio. At $1.95 for a large macaron compared to $1.60 for a small macaron at Paulette's, La Provence really beats out the competition in taste, location(s), and price. If you receive a box of La Provence macarons from me, then just know that I think you're really special! :)

Oh yea, their breakfast foods were average at best, but the fresh-baked baguette and raspberry jam on the side are really delicious. Give it a try.

--y

Animal - Los Angeles, California

Address: 435 N Fairfax Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90048

Items Ordered:

• Marrow bone, chimichurri, caramelized onions
• Pig ear, chili, lime, fried egg
• Quail fry, grits, chard, slab bacon, maple jus
• Flat iron steak, sunchoke hash, truffle parmesan fondue
• Foie gras loco moco, quail egg, spam, hamburger

Located in a nondescript venue on Fairfax, Animal's concept and interior is typical of a trendy L.A. restaurant. Although we were early for our 8:30p reservation, we were seated promptly at 8p and had plenty of time to peruse the menu as well as gawk at Zach Galfinakis' table in the middle of the restaurant.

My favorite dish of the night came early; the bone marrow was soft and succulent and tasted absolutely scrumptious spread on the accompanying toast. We even ordered more toast so we could slowly savor the dish. The pig ear appetizer received good reviews on Yelp, and while the sunny side up egg was cooked perfectly, the pig ears tasted overwhelmingly of lime. The consensus was that the next time we order pig ears, it would be at a Chinese restaurant.

The fried quail and mashed potatoes were great, but even though it tasted just like chicken, it was a much smaller dish than fried chicken would have been :( . The flat-iron-steak was nothing extraordinary and the parmesan fondue was a little overpowering. Last but not least, the bite of the foie gras loco moco I had was delightful, and the birthday girl thoroughly enjoyed her dish! Overall, Animal has some interesting dishes, but I'm not tempted to return anytime soon.

--y

Joe's Stone Crab - Miami Beach, Florida

Address: 11 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Items Ordered:

• Stone crab - jumbo
• Lobster macaroni & cheese
• Sauteed mushrooms
• Hashbrowns
• Sauteed fresh corn - roasted with cilantro, whole butter and lemon juice
• Key Lime Pie
  

After reading articles and all kinds of reviews for Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach, I just HAD to go there while on a recent visit to Miami! I mean...BOBBY FLAY said it was one of the best things he'd ever had on, you guessed it, the Food Network's "Best Thing I Ever Ate." Maybe I just love too much food, but goodness, it was delicious!! The crabs are serve chilled, but each person is given hot butter and a mustard sauce to drench it in. I usually don't like mustard, but the concoction they had was great. All of the side dishes are huge and meant to be shared. They all went with each other so well. My favorite was the Lobster Mac & Cheese...baked to perfection.

When we arrived there, we were expecting to wait 2 hours, but by some miracle, we got there with a party of 8 and they seated us right away while other small groups were given estimates of 2-2.5 hours. Not sure how that happened but I love them for it! Our server was so nice and she gave us all the background on the stone crabs as well as all the suggestions for how much to order. She was right, I did leave satisfied and full. These stone crabs are from Joe's very own farm. The crab claws were SO easy to peel and the meat came off so easily. YUM!!!

--v

Pink Taco - West Los Angeles, California

Address: 10250 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90067

Items Ordered:

• Guacamole
  
• Crispy chipotle chicken tacos
• Orange braised carnitas
  
• White sangria, strawberry margarita, passion fruit margarita

On a post-work weekday, after waiting 45 minutes for a table, I thought "This better be the best Mexican food EVER." Luckily, Pink Taco's food was decent. Starting off with the guacamole was a great idea, as the guacamole was well-seasoned, fresh tasting, and paired really well with the crispy tortilla chips. My favorite dish of the night was the chicken tacos, they were super crispy and filled with an ample amount of shredded chicken. The orange braised carnitas were tender and flavorful, although the orange taste didn't really shine through. The drinks we ordered were nothing special, which was surprising given that the bar menu is huge. I would definitely return to Pink Taco for the chicken tacos and guacamole, and hopefully order better drinks to pair with the meal next time.

--y

Half & Half Tea House - San Gabriel Valley, California

Address: 120 N San Gabriel Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91778

Items Ordered:

• Shaved ice with boba, lychee jelly, pudding, and red bean
• Iced milk drinks with pudding and honey boba
  
• Green milk tea
• Almond brick toast

Half & Half Teahouse's honey boba has been described as the best tasting boba in the U.S. That probably explains the line out the door on a typical night here. I ordered a regular ice milk drink with honey boba, and while the drink itself tasted like the milk I buy from Ralphs, the honey boba was sweet, chewy, and delicious. I prefer the shaved ice to any of the drinks at Half & Half, and the portion is huge so it's perfect for sharing with friends. I've been back to this teahouse b/c it's a fun place to hang out, but Class 302 is still the ultimate shaved ice/dessert winner!!

--y

Brodard Restaurant - Garden Grove, California

Address: 9892 Westminster Ave, Garden Grove, CA 92844

Items Ordered:

• Nem Nuong Cuon: pork spring rolls
• Bun Bo Hue: tender beef shank with vermicelli in spicy soup
  
• Bun Cha Gio, Thit Nuong: bbq pork vermicelli with crispy eggrolls

Brodard is a super popular restaurant in the heart of Little Saigon. Pork spring rolls are a must order. A combination of sweet and savory pork with veggies and vermicelli, they are a delectable appetizer. I also got the bun bo hue, which was fine, but I wished it was spicier. Overall, , the meal really satisfied my craving for good Vietnamese food that day.

--y

Savoy Kitchen - Alhambra, California

Address: 138 E Valley Boulevard, Alhambra, CA 91801

Items Ordered:

• Hainan chicken rice (darkmeat) with sweet soy sauce, ginger sauce and chili sauce
• Baked escargot
  

Savoy Kitchen is delicious!! It's been a while since I've ordered Hainan chicken, but coming here, you just have to order it. That's what they're known for and it certainly did not disappoint. I prefer dark meat so I got that. The ginger sauce was my favorite - drenched each piece of chicken in it and had it with the rice. The rice isn't just regular rice - it has a slight flavoring to it. Overall, great combination of rice, chicken and sauces. The place is pretty small, but there was outside seating too. In addition, we got the escargot that came with bread. The bread, I could pass on, but the escargot was decent.

Go there for the Hainan chicken rice!!

--v

8 oz. Burger Bar - Los Angeles, California

Address: 7661 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Items Ordered:

• Melrose: 6 oz. house blend, garlic roasted tomatoes, red onion marmalade with added fried mozzarella, roasted mushrooms and roasted garlic aioli sauce
• Truffled potato skins
• Kennebec fries
  

When I first looked at the menu, I decided I wanted a basic burger that I could do add ons with. It doesn't quite work like that - you have to choose one of their burgers (that already have add ons) and add on/remove from that. The options for add ons were full of all kinds of goodness from toppings to cheeses to sauces. Now how could I really resist fried mozzarella, mushrooms and garlic aioli?! Overall, the burger was delicious - especially because of all the creative add ons. The sides of fries and potato skins were good too. I especially liked the truffled potato skins - truffle oil basically just makes everything taste that much better! Didn't make it in time for happy hour this time, but I'd definitely want to go back -- I was eyeing the Kobe mini corn dogs and short rib grilled cheese sandwich for next time!

--v

Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery - Santa Monica, California

Address: 1517 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Items Ordered:

• The Godmother: genoa salami, mortadella, coppacola, ham, proscuiutto, and provolone with the works
• Bread pudding and macarons

Now that I'm a super famous food blogger extraordinaire, my friends recommend their favorite places for me to visit, and this location was definitely a hit! Victoria, Connie, and I heard that the line would be long so we placed our orders for 2 Godmother sandwiches online and went to pick up our order after about 45 mins to make it back in time for the UCLA vs. Texas game. The sandwich came with a great crunchy roll that didn't become soggy during travel, and the veggies and meats tasted fresh and delicious. Overall, this was a great sandwich that we started having random cravings for again and again over the next few weeks. The desserts we purchased from the refrigerated sections of the Italian grocery store were just okay, and I'd probably pass on them next time in exchange for a larger sandwich. Since UCLA beat Texas 34-12 in Austin that day, it's going to become a tradition that we visit Bay Cities Italian Deli whenever we play Texas again :P

--y

The Shed - Santa Fe, New Mexico

Address: 113 1/2 E Palace Avenue, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Items Ordered:

• Chicken Enchilada Plate - Fresh baked chicken, cheddar cheese & onion rolled in two blue corn tortillas & baked with red and green chile. Served with posole.
• Shed Salsa and Tortilla Chips
• Half Jug of Sangria
• Tacos Plate

We visited New Mexico for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, but we wanted to visit other parts of the state. Decided on visiting the state capital for a few hours to enjoy some Southwestern cuisine. New Mexico is know for their red & green chile - I opted for both options (they call it Christmas). I loved my enchiladas plate - everything was so hot and flavorful. I am glad I chose both the red and the green so I got to experiment with both. I slightly preferred the red over the green, but both were great! The chips and salsa started the meal just perfectly, along with the glass of sangria. The wait was pretty long, but we just walked around to the markets while we were waiting. If you're ever in the area, you've got to stop by here!

--v

The Park - West Los Angeles, California

Address: 1400 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Items Ordered:

• Fresh Orange Juice
• Marian's Frittata - wild mushrooms, spinach, onion & gruyere served with toast & home fries
• Side of Spicy Italian Sausage
• Arlene's Breakfast - half french toast, 2 eggs & soyrizo

Weekends are made to enjoy a nice, relaxing brunch. Headed out to the LA neighborhood of Echo Park to visit the Park, a cute little cafe off of Sunset Boulevard. There was no meat in the Frittata, so I opted for a side of sausage to go along with it. Yum! Each item on my plate went so well together. The Frittata was a great blend of mushrooms, eggs, onion and spinach and I really wanted to finish everything on my plate but it was just too much. Everything was topped off with a fresh orange juice - now that's what you call brunch!

--v

DineLA Restaurant Week - Nobu - West Hollywood, California

Address: 903 N La Cienega Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069-4709

Items Ordered:

• Mango Cocktail
• Family Style DineLA Menu
• Course 1: Yellowtail Sashimi with Jalapeno
• Course 2: Salmon New Style Sashimi (With Sesame Seeds)
• Course 3: Peruvian Lantern Scallops Tempura with Yuzu Koshio, Roasted Garlic Aioli
• Course 4 (Part 1): Black Pepper Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Truffle Teriyaki
• Course 4 (Part 2): Chilean Sea Bass with Jalapeno Miso
• Course 5: Dessert - Bento Box, Froyo, and Banana Caramel Soy Tobanyaki

I have been eating VERY well. DineLA Restaurant week happens twice every year and it features restaurants all over LA with special Prix Fixe menus at 3 different price tiers. Really, its just an excuse to indulge at ridiculously expensive restaurants. Nobu was the choice of the night and boy was it amazing! We chose to do the family style menu that was special to Nobu - every course was so tasty. My favorite was Course 2 - the Salmon Sashimi, but everything else was so delicious too! Since the portions were small, I made sure to savor every bite I took. From the yellowtail and salmon sashimi, to the scallops, to the beef tenderloin, to the sea bass, it truly was culinary heaven. I'm not a big desserts person, so I'd say those were just okay. Hmm...when can I go back?!

--v

Newport Tan Cang Seafood Restaurant - San Gabriel, California

Address: 518 W Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91776

Items Ordered:

• Ong choy
  
• Clams with black bean sauce
  
• Beef loc lac (French style)
  
• 8-lb whole lobster with ginger and onions
  
• Deep fried tofu
  
• Crispy fried squid with salt and pepper
  

Whenever I get the craving for authentic Chinese food, I will sacrifice my sanity and sit in L.A. traffic on the long arduous trek to San Gabriel Valley or Monterey Park/Alhambra for the good stuff. On this visit I was more willing b/c I have been waiting to try Newport Seafood Restaurant for over a year. If you visit their website on Yelp you will see pictures of glistening delicious lobsters and even a 13.5 lb monster lobster! The lobster that arrived at our table looked spectacular and even though it weighed in at almost 8 lbs, it was so delicious that our table of 7 finished it all off. The clams with black bean sauce and beef loc lac was satisfying with rice and the vegetables were oily and garlicky just the way I like them. As far as the deep fried tofu and crispy fried squid, they were good, but I could do without them in my regular repertoire. Newport Seafood is the type of great, authentic Chinese restaurant that even my parents would love.

--y

Torafuku - West Los Angeles, California

Address: 10914 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Items Ordered:

• Fresh homemade tofu with grated wasabi and light soy sauce
• Udon and sushi dinner: udon soup, salad, 1 piece each of tuna, yellowtail, salmon, albacore, assorted tempura and side dish of the day
• Kamado rice set with miso soup
• Spicy tuna roll, rainbow roll, negi toro (chopped fatty tuna with scallions)

Connie had heard good things about Torafuku, especially the Kamado iron pot used to cook the rice and the homemade tofu so off we went for our long 2-mile drive to the restaurant. The interior was well-decorated, and when the dishes arrived, the plating was arranged in a cute manner. After the first taste of the highly-raved about Kamado rice, I didn't understand the hype--it just tasted like regular sticky rice but nothing spectacular stood out from the cooking process. The homemade tofu was pretty tasty, but it had a hint of sweetness so we decided to eat the tofu as dessert instead of during the meal. The BEST part of the meal had to be the sashimi. Each piece of fish was so buttery and smooth that I couldn't wait to take my next bite. We even ended up ordering an additional rainbow roll. Overall, the quality of the fish at Torafuku is amazing, and I would save my money for the fresh-tasting sashimi/sushi choices at Torafuku over the superfluous items.

--y

Bouchon Bistro - Las Vegas, Nevada

Address: Inside the Venetian at 3355 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109

Items Ordered:

• Croque Madame: toasted ham & cheese on brioche, fried egg, mornay sauce
  
• Eggs Hussard: ham, tomato, poached egg atop bread with Marchand de vin sauce
  
• Omelette du Jour: crab, cherry tomato, and cheddar 3-egg omelette
  
• Bouchon French Toast: warm layers of brioche, custard, & apples with syrup
  

What better way to end an all-girls Vegas outing than a fancy schmancy brunch at Bouchon Bistro? The Croque Madame was well-prepared, except possibly too much fried goodness, and the crab omelette while good was nothing spectacular. The french toast though was warm and sugary, and delicious, but the Eggs Hussard was the clear winner, with runny egg yolk, ham, and tomato in each bite--like an eggs benedict but not as heavy.

Since girls always get their way, we also received an off-the-menu dessert of raspberry/vanilla push pops compliments of pastry chef Chris Herrin. Even better IMO was the free tour of the Bouchon Bistro kitchen where the magic happens! I left stuffed and satisfied and will definitely return to Bouchon Bistro to try the chicken and waffles and probably dinner too.

--y

Road to Seoul BBQ - Los Angeles, California

Address: 1230 S Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006

Items Ordered (All You Can Eat):

• Meats: pork belly (bacon style), kalbi (beef rib meat), chicken, bulgogi, beef sirloin, octopus, squid
  
• Side dishes: potato salad, kimchi, rice paper, salad, etc
• Larger side dishes: steamed egg, kimchi pancake

Road to Seoul, how do I love thee, let me count the ways. One, your meats are so flavorful and tender that my stomach is able to expand 10x beyond its normal capacity whenever I visit. Two, the steamed egg is probably the best food invention ever, and three, $16.99 for some of the best all-you-can-eat BBQ is just amazing.

If you can't tell, Road to Seoul is my absolute favorite Korean BBQ restaurant in SoCal. I've been to Tahoe Galbi, Chosun Galbee, Soot Bull Jeep, etc. and there's just no beating the fatty, crispy pork belly and tender, sweet/salty marinade of the kalbi at Road to Seoul. If you're going to fill up on something, skip the bulgogi and stick with the kalbi and pork belly. However, in a large group, I would expand with the chicken, which is super tender and flavorful and the beef sirloin. Oh yeah, don't forget to dip the pork belly in some salt otherwise it will still be crispy but flavorless.

Another of my favorites, which always seems to run out too fast, is the steamed egg. It's just steamed egg, but I could eat 2 whole bowls of it myself b/c it has this silky texture and great eggy flavor that is like soup but more substantial. Sometimes, I imagine going to Road to Seoul by myself so I don't have to share the steamed egg :(. But no worries, if you ask for more steamed egg, 20-30 minutes later they will bring you another steaming hot bowl. Why so long? Because Road to Seoul is the best, and that's the price you have to pay and line you have to wait in to experience exceptional Korean BBQ.

--y

Hakata Ramen Shinsengumi - Gardena, California

Address: 2015 W Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247

Items Ordered:

• Hakata Ramen with chasu, spicy miso, bean sprouts
• Takana fried rice
• Cold tofu with bonito flakes

Ramen is delicious. I don't know if it's the loads of MSG or pork fat in the broth, but I'm always up for ramen even when it's 80+ degrees outside. My current roommate had recommended Hakata Ramen Shinsengumi (HRS) to me before we visited Daikokuya b/c she said it was her ultimate ramen destination. I arrived around 5:30p on a Sunday and luckily there was no line. I chose my medium-oil miso broth with firm noodles and added spicy miso for a kick. When the bowl arrived, I immediately took a sip of the broth and while it was rich, it wasn't as fatty and full of flavor as Daikokuya's miso broth. The chasu was tender and flavorful though, and the noodles were just the right firmness, however, I still prefer egg noodles over white noodles. Overall, the ramen was excellent, but Daikokuya is still the reigning ramen champion. If you visit HRS definitely get the fried rice b/c my sister and I managed to finish off a bowl of ramen each, tofu, and the fried rice b/c it was so tasty.

--y

Myung Don Kyo Ja - Los Angeles, California

Address: 3630 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010

Items Ordered:

• Steamed pork dumplings
• Dumpling noodles
• Kim chi

Please excuse me for not having actual names of the dishes...I can't remember what they were called and I wasn't able to find a menu online! Anyway, I visited this place on my lunch break because it is only a couple minutes walk away. How could I have been working in Koreatown for a couple years now and not know about this place?? When you walk into the place, the aroma of garlic hits you immediately and once you taste the dishes, you understand why. Great flavorings in each dish. We eagerly devoured the dumplings and noodles and they were delicious! I can't wait to go back again! Oh, and did I mention its open 24 hours a day?? Move over 24 hour BCD Tofu House across the street (I still like you though)!

--v

Class 302 - Rowland Heights, California

Address: 1015 S Nogales St, Rowland Heights, CA 91748

Items Ordered:

• Mango shaved snow: mango snow, condensed milk, fresh mangoes, mochi
  

I LOVE LOVE LOVE (x 1,000,000) Class 302's shaved snow. It's the best I've had anywhere in the United States. The mango snow is soft, silky smooth, and really just melts in your mouth. The mangoes taste fresh, and mochi is probably my favorite topping for the sugary sweetness and sticky texture. I've had a few of their other flavors of shaved snow, and they are all fantastic. This place is not a very well-kept secret though, the lines are long, and after a certain time they might run out of shaved snow. However, it is totally worth it to visit. If I lived closer, I would probably go to Class 302 10 times a week!

--y

The Grilled Cheese Truck - Los Angeles, California

Address: Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk, Los Angeles, CA

Items Ordered:

• Cheesy Mac & Rib Melt: mac & cheese, BBQ smoked pork, caramelized onions

I was super excited to visit the Grilled Cheese Truck at the DTLA Art Walk that I made my current roommate (who doesn't like cheese) wait in the food truck line with me :P. I ordered their specialty sandwich to share, and while it was a great combination idea, the sandwich didn't taste as extraordinary as I anticipated. The mac and cheese just wasn't cheesy enough. Next time I would probably try a different sandwich without pasta and with more meaty cheesy goodness.

--y

OC Fair - Costa Mesa, California

Address: 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Items Ordered:

• Bacon and cheese tater tots
  
• Fried chicken and waffles
• Cheese-filled bratwurst dog
• Red velvet cupcake
• Turkey leg

The OC Fair scared me a little bit. I thought I might have to perform CPR that day looking at all the deep fried foods, coupons for free bacon, and especially the DEEP FRIED BUTTER stand. With that said, my favorite fair foods were the bratwurst, which had a good bite and cheesy innards, and the giant hunk o' meat also known as a turkey leg. The red velvet cupcake was not delicious (thumbs down). I think I could've lived an extra 3 months without the food from the OC Fair so attend at your own risk next year.

--y

Van's Restaurant - Garden Grove, California

Address: 14122 Brookhurst Street, Garden Grove, CA

• Banh Xeo (Vietnamese crepe with pork and shrimp)
• Banh Khot
• Nem Nuong Cuon (Spring rolls)
• Bun Bo Hue (Noodle soup)

Yes, I am Vietnamese and yes, Vietnamese food is my favorite cuisine. Living in West LA, the options are scarce and leave much to be desired, so trips to OC are always exciting for my taste buds. Van's is one of my favorite restaurants in the area. It is always a treat having their deliciously crispy banh xeo and banh khot. I always order these same two dishes. They are really greasy, but it's so good in the moment that it's worth the "ugh, I don't feel so good" afterwards! Oh, and the other dishes were decent too (obviously I'm playing favorites).

--v

LudoBites 5.0 at Gram & Papa's - Los Angeles, California

Address: 227 E 9th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015 (variable)

Items Ordered:

• Vadouvan Naan Bread with Salted Coconut Butter
  
• Poached Egg, Potato Mousseline, Chorizo Condiment
  
• Confit Pork Belly, Raw Choucroute Thai Style, Mustard Ice Cream
  
• Steamed Duck Lemon Verbena, Crispy Skin Puree, White Peach, Radish & Balsamic
• Campfire Smoked S'mores, Guacamole Sorbet
• Caramel Souffle, Blanco Grapefruit, Fleur de Sel Ice Cream
  

Everything was delicious. Now you don't even have to continue reading except if you're interested in my descriptions.

The Naan Bread was even tastier than naan I've had at some of my favorite Indian restaurants, although the texture was more like pita bread than flaky naan. The salted coconut butter was delicious, and I wish I could buy a whole jar of that to keep at home. Our next dish was the poached egg, potato mousseline, which tasted like really creamy mashed potatoes with smoky chorizo flavor. 2 thumbs up! The confit pork belly was fatty and delicious, but I was not a huge fan of the raw vegetables or mustard ice cream. I can't eat ice cream that's not sweet--think garlic ice cream (bleh). My favorite dish of the night had to be the steamed duck. I can't even describe it, but the combination of balsamic, duck, and white peach really worked, and I think I ate more than my fair share of this dish.

I was super excited about the desserts, but the entrees edged out the desserts IMO. The s'mores were a cute concept, but difficult to eat, and again with the guacamole ice cream made this dessert my least favorite plate of the night (albeit still okay). The caramel souffle with Fleur de Sel ice cream was fantastic, but towards the end got a little too sweet.

Overall, Chef Ludo is an amazing chef and also quite nice as he took pictures with us (2 girls, 6 dishes?!) after the meal and didn't seem to mind too much that I kept taking pictures of him preparing dishes :D. The atmosphere was lively, all the servers were great at explaining the dishes and refilling glasses. I'm ready to make reservations for LudoBites 6.0 already!!!

--y

Sunnin Lebanese Cafe - Westwood, California

Address: 1776 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Items Ordered:

• Spicy Potatoes (Diced potatoes sauteed with garlic, cilantro and lemon juice)
• Chicken Kefta Kebab (Finely ground chicken seasoned with a blend of herbs and spices, grilled on a skewer served with rice, hommos, Lebanese salad and pita bread)

Yum yum yum! Started off the meal with the deliciously flavorful spicy potatoes! Then, I moved onto the chicken kefta kebab, my favorite dish there (although I must admit I haven't tried too many other dishes). Instead of the hommos, I opted to get the garlic sauce, a great choice every time. The plates are huge and I definitely had leftovers (good ones!) the next day. All around, great tasting Lebanese dishes!

--v

Crumbs Bakeshop - Beverly Hills, California

Address: 9465 S Santa Monica Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

• Strawberry, red velvet, mint chocolate chip, vanilla coconut cupcakes

Located about 1-2 blocks away from Sprinkles in Beverly Hills, Crumbs Bakeshop wasn't even on my radar, but the cupcakes looked too enticing, and I had to buy a few to go (after visiting Sprinkles already!) It might've been b/c I waited until the next day to eat one, but the red velvet cupcake I had was kind of dry, and much too dense. I've learned my lesson: huge cupcakes does not equal great taste. Overall, if I could rank the well-known cupcake locales in L.A., it would be Cupcakes Couture > Sprinkles > Crumbs Bakeshop.

--y

Clementine - West Los Angeles, California

Address: 1751 Ensley Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Items Ordered:

• Pimento cheese and turkey sandwich with side salad
• Chocolate chip cookie

There were so many rave reviews on Yelp that my roommate and I were really excited to try Clementine. Parking really was difficult on a Sunday afternoon, and unfortunately we were lazy butts and didn't make it in time for brunch :( . They have a really good deal of half salad, any salad, and dessert or drink on the menu. The pimento cheese was a little too salty, but the side salad was fresh and healthy tasting. Chocolate chip cookies are probably my favorite, and I read multiple reviews where people swore this was the best they've ever had! The verdict? It was soft and gooey, but unfortunately too oily. I would try Clementine again, and this time order a different sandwich and dessert to see if they can live up to the hype.

--y

Ambala Dhaba - Westwood, California

Address: 1781 Westwood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 90024

Items Ordered:

• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Garlic Naan
• Chili Garlic Naan

We came into Ambala Dhaba for a late lunch so it was pretty empty. We proceeded to order the Chicken Tikka Masala, 2 types of naan and white rice. Everything went together well and we were satisfied with our choices. The naan was definitely the highlight - so much flavor!

--v

Pie Face - Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Address: 289 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Items Ordered:

• Pie: Chicken & Mushroom with Mashed Peas & Potatoes and gravy

OMG can I open a franchise for this place in the US?? Open 24 hours on a main street in Melbourne, Australia, this place was full of cute little pies in all kinds of flavors including steak, eggs, chicken, sausage, etc etc! The mushroom and chicken one was delicious. We went for breakfast and the crust was a perfect flakiness and the contents were nice and warm and savory. In addition, we also got one with mashed potatoes and peas, and gravy on top - although I could do without the peas. Lastly, you can't help but love the smiley faces on them! :)

--v

T's Thai - Santa Monica, California

Address: 1215 4th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Items Ordered:

• Tom Kha Seafood Soup
• Panang Curry with Chicken
• Pad Thai with Chicken
• Pineapple Fried Rice

Located just a street away from 3rd Street Promenade, T's Thai offers a large selection of Thai dishes. My favorite dish was the Tom Kha Seafood soup that surprisingly, actually had a generous portion of all kinds of seafood - scallops, shrimp, crab and more. Everything else was solid - would recommend it for a meal after a long day of shopping on the promenade!

--v

Orochon Ramen - Los Angeles, California

Address: 123 S Onizuka Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90012

Items Ordered:

• Orochon Ramen (Spicy Levels of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) in Salt & Miso soup flavorings
• Gyoza

Lured here by the publicity of appearing on Man vs. Food, each of us set out to test our spice thresholds. They really aren't kidding when they say this bowl of noodles was spicy! I got the Salt #3 (Impact) and even though I was so hungry, I had difficulty eating it without gulps of water between spoonfuls. Adam Richman took on the Special #2 - the challenge was to finish the entire massive-sized bowl (noodles and soup and all) within a 30 minute period. I would be scared to even attempt it! Overall, I enjoyed my meal but I think my taste buds would have appreciated it more if they could actually taste it all after being numbed by the spiciness. Yes, I realize I just got the 3 (fifth spiciest), but I swear the Salt one is spicier than the other soups! Be prepared for long waits for the small restaurant, but definitely worth going to attempt the challenge (special #2 or otherwise)!

--v

Update

I'm finally back from my vacation so I'll be returning to blog on here soon. There's so many restaurants to blog about! Thank you YJ for blogging while I was gone!

--v

Alegria Cocina Latina - Long Beach, California

Address: 115 Pine Ave, Long Beach, CA 90802

Items Ordered:

• Chicken Mole: roasted chicken in an Oaxacan mole sauce (over 100 years old!)
  
• Ropa Vieja: braised marinated beef Cuban style
  
• Pescado Negro: blackened butterfish over jalapeno mashed potatoes
  
• Paella Valenciana: saffron rice with beef, chicken, ham, mussels, clams & vegetables

This place was pretty empty for daytime happy hour on a Wednesday, but with only 1 waitress for our party of 8 and other tables, it was an advantage. We ordered 3 appetizers (appetizer tower) and 4 entrees to share, and that was plenty of food. The chicken, beef, and butterfish had distinctive flavors of Latin America, and I was glad this wasn't just another typical bar food type of happy hour. However, the paella was way too salty, and I would not order this again. We also tried the sangria, which was adequate, but not better than Cafe Sevilla across the street. Overall, it's hard for me to imagine coming back here when Cafe Sevilla is right across the street beating Alegria Cocina Latina in service, taste, price, and sangria.

--y

Guppy House - Anaheim, California

Address: 5642 E La Palma Ave, Anaheim, CA 92807

Items Ordered:

• Kim chi fried rice
• Pineapple fried rice
• Popcorn chicken
• "To-Go" shaved ice with mango and strawberries

The food at Guppy House is not particularly interesting, but the upside of the place is that it's a good hangout spot and the plates are GINORMOUS so there's always enough to share. The pineapple fried rice is a pass, but popcorn chicken and shaved ice are pretty tasty. The "to-go" option is the smallest portion they have, but it can easily feed 5 teeny bopper girls. The one in Irvine is always busier than the Anaheim location so keep that in mind for Fri/Sat night outings.

--y

Michael Mina - San Francisco, California

Address: 335 Powell St (inside Westin St. Francis), San Francisco, CA 94102

Items Ordered:

• Ahi tuna tartare appetizer (not pictured)
  
• Sonoma County duck trio: duck breast, seared foie gras, leg confit
  
• Brandt Farm beef trio: filet mignon, grilled ribeye, braised oxtail
• Cheese trio (not pictured)
  
• Catherine Schimenti's dessert trio: panna cotta, raspberry chiboust, chocolate mousse cake
  

While the concept of trio plates and presentation of dishes was extremely exciting, the same can't really be said regarding the food at Michael Mina. Some noteable dishes were the ahi tuna tartare, which was a generous portion of well-seasoned tuna and the panna cotta, which was light and creamy at the same time. On the other hand, not much can be said about the entrees. I might have had more succulent duck meat at Chinese restaurants and the foie gras was too oily/fatty for my taste (although that might not be the restaurant's fault). As far as the beef trio, my roommate concluded that it was really just unremarkable. Overall, the ambiance and great service at the restaurant still made it a good experience, and that's why there are plans to visit another Michael Mina restaurant, XIV in Los Angeles, sometime soon.

Honey's Kettle - Culver City, California

Address: 9537 Culver Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

Items Ordered:

• 16-piece chicken meal, 8 biscuits, fries, macaroni salad, mashed potatoes & gravy
  

Did you know that at one point in my life my nickname was "fried chicken?" That's b/c all things chicken, and especially fried are my favorites. I'm not sure why it took me so long to try Honey's Kettle but once I bit into the crispy chicken skin and revealed the juicy, savory meat inside I was hooked. This has really got to be the best fried chicken in L.A. that I've tried. Even better than Korean fried chicken and Popeyes! (:P). The biscuits were soft and buttery and so good with honey on top. YUM!! Also, I would recommend the mashed potatoes b/c the gravy has chicken pieces in it and makes you not want to share it with anyone. Even after re-heating the chicken in the microwave, it was still crispy and scrumptious. All I can say is: EAT HERE, IT'S DELICIOUS.

--y

Crawfish Montage - Various

Addresses:
1. Hong Kong City Mall - 11205 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77072
2. Crawfish & Noodles - 10613 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77072
3. Boiling Crab - 13892 Brookhurst St, Garden Grove, CA 92843

Items Ordered:

• Crawfish, sausage, corn, and potatoes

One of my most favorite things to eat in Houston has to be crawfish. During crawfish season between March and June, the crawfish are HUGE and inexpensive. At Hong Kong City Mall, the crawfish are usually the largest and cheapest ($4/lb!), and for non-spice eaters, the mild seasoning is the perfect choice. However, my new favorite place is Crawfish & Noodles b/c the seasoning is the absolute best of all I've tried thus far. At $6/lb, it is slightly more expensive than other crawfish restaurants in Houston, but since there's no line and their other seafood options are also just as scrumptious, this has become my new go-to place to take visitors and meet up friends. Lastly, I don't eat crawfish in California often b/c of the ridiculous prices and crazy lines compared to in Texas, but Boiling Crab in Garden Grove has the cajun seasoning down, along with a great atmosphere to enjoy with friends. At ~$12/lb for crawfish, we supplemented the usual 1.5-2 lbs per person with plenty of fries, shrimp, corn & potatoes to offset costs. The crawfish were a bit smaller than in Houston, but in late June, that is to be expected anywhere. I'm having some crawfish withdrawal right now after this post. Can't wait for Spring 2011 to get here already!

--y

Bing Crosby's - San Diego, California

Address: 7007 Friars Rd, San Diego, CA 92108

Items Ordered:

• Crab & shrimp stuffed loch duart salmon w/ sweet corn succotash & potatoes
  
• Grilled NY steak w/ Dianne sauce & garlic mashed potatoes
• Chocolate decadence
• Grand marnier creme brulee
  

How do you get to eat at some of the nicest restaurants in any city for free? You just have to sell your soul and attend a drug talk sponsored by a pharmaceutical company. Since Bing Crosby's was known for good food and atmosphere, I decided that 2 hours of nodding and feigning interest was worth it this time. We were seated in a private room so I didn't get to see people dancing outside or hear as much of the music as I would have liked, but the atmosphere was very lively when we ventured outside. The stuffed salmon was crispy on the outside and the crab tasted fresh inside. I really liked the concept of stuffed seafood. The steak was only okay as I found the Dianne sauce a little too salty. The chocolate decadence was kind of dry, but the creme brulee made up for it, and the meal ended on a positive note overall. As for the drug that was presented, I can't remember a darn thing about it.

--y

The Breakfast Klub - Houston, Texas

Address: 3711 Travis St, Houston, TX 77002

Items Ordered:

• Wings and french toast
  
• Katfish with butter grits & biscuit
• Eggs benedict

So you've eaten at Roscoe's in L.A., and you think you're a fried chicken and waffles connoisseur. Well, wait till you go to Texas and eat at The Breakfast Klub (TBK), you will be blown away! Instead of small pieces of chicken and a hard waffle, TBK serves 3 huge pieces of juicy, crispy fried chicken wings, and you can substitute french toast for waffles--although both options are sweet and delicious. I tried the catfish and SUPER BUTTERY grits too, and now I can't decide what to order for my next visit. The food is so spectacular here, but the bad part is everybody and their mamas know it too. However, I wouldn't mind waiting in line for some of the most delicious Southern food ever in the whole wide world.

--y

Border Grill - Santa Monica, California

Address: 1445 4th St, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Items Ordered:

• Guacamole and chips
  
• Green corn tamales
• Roasted lamb tacos? or carnitas tacos?
  

Obviously I can't remember everything I ordered from Border Grill, but what I do remember is that the guacamole was super fresh tasting and the green corn tamales were like a special dessert treat at dinnertime. Hot and full of corny goodness (ha ha), I would go back for the tamales alone. I remember we went during happy hour so the food was a bit cheaper, but we did wait at the bar for about 35 minutes--just enough time to get buzzed enough to enjoy everything about the meal.

--y

E Tutto Qua - San Francisco, California

Address: 270 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

Items Ordered:

• Ravioli alla Fiorentina: ricotta & spinach filled ravioli in a basil & tomato sauce
  
• Paccheri Ripieni: tube pasta filled with spiced meat in a tomato/mozarella sauce
  
• Spaghetti Neri: squid ink pasta with mixed seafood in a garlic white wine sauce
  
• Tiramisu

I liked everything about E Tutto Qua. The decor was festive with lights hanging on the walls and the waiters had Italian accents, which was charming and even makes your food taste more authentic :D. The vegetarian ravioli and Paccheri were plump and generously filled with meats or veggies, and both sauces were good to the last drop. Someone ordered the squid ink pasta, which was new to me, and actually very tasty. The birthday tiramisu had the right texture and amount of bitterness. Overall, great restaurant to check out if you get the chance.

--y

Update

Hi! Victoria will be out of town for the next few weeks so you'll just be seeing posts from me for a bit. Hope that doesn't make you too sad. :(

--YJ

Cozymel's - El Segundo, California

Address: 2171 Rosecrans Ave, El Segundo, CA 90245

Items Ordered:

• Chicken fajitas
• Fajita steak salad
• Fish and shrimp tacos

Came here for a going-away lunch a few weeks ago, and I thought the restaurant was very spacious and good for group events. There are also a ton of options on the menu for picky eaters. I ordered the fajita steak salad and thought the meat tasted great, but the vegetables were just okay. Overall, the food was adequate, could definitely be more fresh-tasting, but sometimes its having great company that counts ;)

--y

King's Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant - Torrance, California

Address: 2808 Sepulveda Blvd, Torrance, CA 90505

Items Ordered (sorry about the phone pics):

• Spam musubi
• Kimchi fried rice
• Chicken katsu loco moco
  
• Paradise cake

The King's Hawaiian rolls are always delicious at BBQs and holiday parties so I just had to try their restaurant in Torrance. The spam musubi was miniaturized, which made it even better and cuter to eat. The kimchi fried rice was greasy and delicious. As far as the chicken katsu curry: fried stuff + gravy on top just cannot be beat. Unfortunately, the paradise cake was only okay; it tasted like those cakes from Asian bakeries with the bleh icing on top. I also bought some blueberry muffins and cookies to go, and they were SO GOOD!! I wish this bakery was right by my house so I could eat one of those muffins for breakfast every morning.

--y