Geisha House - Santa Ana, California

Address: 2773 N Main St, Santa Ana, CA 92705

Items Ordered:

• Spicy tuna on crispy rice
  
• Beef robata
  
• Rock shrimp
• Black cod with miso (not pictured)
  
• Various sushi rolls

I would probably never go to Geisha House if they didn't offer 50% off food and drinks on Monday nights. It's not because I'm cheap, but because the food is way overpriced. With that said, I do enjoy myself whenever I happen to visit Geisha House. The spicy tuna on crispy rice is the highlight of their menu. The spicy tuna is fresh, packs some heat, and the crispy rice provides a nice contrast to the texture of the dish. The miso black cod is also a fantastic dish to try. The stellar seafood quality makes up for the inexperienced wait staff and overpriced drinks. A word to the wise, if you're not an 18 to 21 year old Asian teeny bopper (which I am NOT), I would avoid visiting the club/lounge on Friday and Saturday nights.

--y

Simpang Asia - Culver City, California

Address: 10433 National Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90034

Items Ordered:

• Laksa - mild curry noodle soup served with shrimp, boiled egg, sliced fish cake, and shredded chicken
• Bihun Goreng Special - stir fry rice noodle with chicken, shrimp, beef ball, and veggie
• Lumpia Semarang - Indonesian style egg roll with chicken, dried shrimp, and veggie
• Potato balls

There's this food blog I frequent where tantalizing pictures of curry laksa, nasi rames, and Hainanese chicken rice are displayed once every few posts. I haven't eaten much Indonesian food, but after drooling over those photographs, I decided it was time to take my own Indonesian eating adventure. At Simpang Asia, my curry laksa came in a large bowl overflowing with shrimp and a perfectly hard-boiled egg in a creamy, mild curry soup. The noodles had a nice bite, and I was pleased that my first laksa was a success. Victoria's stir fry noodle dish had a nice smokiness and great flavor, and I couldn't stop eating her food either :P. The appetizers were on special for $2/plate; they were alright, although the potato balls definitely fell short of Porto's version. I enjoyed Simpang Asia, and am on the hunt for more authentic Indonesian restaurants to try if you have suggestions or want to join me on my excursions!

--y

Musha Restaurant - Santa Monica, California

Address: 424 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Items Ordered:

• Tofu French Fries
• Spicy Tuna Dip
• Salmon Sashimi
• Musha’s Risotto
• Pork Belly
• Seared Mackerel
• Takotama
• Saikoro Steak
• Crispy Shrimp
  

Love at first sight. Or should I say love at first bite? I love Japanese tapas and this place was full of everything I love about Japanese Izakayas. We got our own room in the back so it was definitely an all around fun experience. The mackerel was seared at the table with a blow torch and the risotto was stirred right in front of us – how cool is that! I love fries and I love tofu, so tofu in French fry form, nothing could go wrong. The pork belly just melted in my mouth and the fish was fresh and delicious. The crispy shrimp had a perfect amount of breading and crispiness and the mayo sauce on top sealed the deal. Each of the items we had were great and I’m getting really hungry thinking about it. I think I need to make a trip back there soon!

--v

BLD - West Los Angeles, California

Address: 7450 Beverly Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Items Ordered:

• Eggs Floretine: wilted baby spinach, crispy fingerling potatoes, piquillo pepper hollandaise, english muffin
  
• Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes with Berkshire maple syrup
• Merguez Chicken Sausage
• Trio of housemade pastries

Is brunch a girls-only thing? If so, then BLD is the perfect place for girlfriends to get together and enjoy a nice brunch. The food is artfully prepared and the space is modern and cute. The spinach for the eggs florentine was fresh and the potatoes underneath were indeed crispy and delicious. I ordered the ricotta blueberry pancakes I heard so much about, and they were fluffy and HUGE, although the blueberry flavor didn't really shine. My friend who doesn't eat much meat thought the chicken sausages were tasty and had a hint of spiciness to them. I enjoyed BLD immensely and would definitely go back to sample the L and D (lunch and dinner) as well!

--y