Tartine Bakery - San Francisco, California

Address: 600 Guerrero St, San Francisco, CA 94110

Items Ordered:

• Spicy sopressata, fontina, broccoli rabe pesto sandwich
• Niman Ranch pastrami sandwich w/ horseradish & gruyere
• Croque Monsieur w/ bechamel, gruyere, thyme, & Niman Ranch ham
• Coconut passionfruit bavarian cake
• Chocolate eclair

You might think that if you visit Tartine Bakery on a random Tuesday at 11am or 2pm you wouldn't have to wait in line for savory sandwiches or moist delicious pastries. Well you'd be WRONG. There is always a line out the door at Tartine b/c their sandwiches are packed with flavor and perfectly melted ooey gooey cheese. The bread can be quite crunchy so it might not be the best place to bring Grandma :(. The mouthwatering pastries on display are hard to choose from, but you can't go wrong with anything you pick. Try not to eat too much here though b/c just a little walk away you can also visit Pizzeria Delfina and Bi-Rite Creamery--2 delicious San Francisco institutions. I'm experiencing some San Francisco withdrawal as I write this post so it might be time to plan a trip soon! Hopefully, I can snatch a morning bun at Tartine before they run out :O.

--y

Son of a Gun - Los Angeles, California

Address: 8370 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048

Items Ordered:

• Smoked mahi fish dip: celery, radish, crackers
• Lobster roll: celery, lemon aioli
• Shrimp toast sandwich: herbs, sriracha mayo
• Fried chicken sandwich: spicy b&b picckle slaw, rooster aioli
• Linguine and clams: uni aglio-olio, chili, breadcrumbs
• Roasted escolar: truffled pomme puree, chicken jus

HAPPY 2012!! Hope last year was fantastic, and that each new year continues to be better than the last! And now back to the food...

I was excited about trying Son of a Gun, the seafood counterpart to Animal, since I prefer seafood over random piggy parts, and the restaurant did not disappoint. First, the not-so-good: the shrimp toast was too oily for my taste, the fried chicken sandwich was overwhelmed by the tangy slaw, and the linguine and clams weren't that special for the price. With that said, we still polished off every plate. The goods: mahi dip was a smoky, creamy leap above tuna salad made in my kitchen, and the lobster roll was amazing! Too bad it came in such a small size, I recommend ordering one per person so you don't end up fighting over it. Last but not least, the roasted escolar was crispy and tender and probably one of my favorite dishes of 2011! The truffle potato puree was creamy and buttery, and the dish just really works. I would definitely return to Son of a Gun for the escolar and lobster roll. Try it and let me know what you think.

--y

Moo Moo Thai Cafe - Venice, California

Address: 11127 Venice Blvd, Culver City, CA 90034

Items Ordered:

• Thai Tea
• "I can't believe this is Mushroom" - fried crispy mushrooms
• Papaya Salad - level spicy, with green beans, tomatoes, shrimp, lime juice, & peanuts
• Kra-Pow Crispy Pork - stir fried with spicy garlic sauce, basil, green bean, & serrano
• Chicken Pad Thai - not pictured

Ever since visiting Thailand a few years ago, I've been searching for a remnant of authentic Thai street food in the U.S. Moo Moo Thai, a new restaurant in Culver City, comes reasonably close, but alas, the ultimate search continues. The mushroom appetizer was only okay, a tad too salty for my tastebuds. The papaya salad on the other hand, was refreshing, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Next time, I'll order it extra spicy so I can relive that burning but oh so delicious sensation I felt from eating papaya salad freshly made from street carts in Thailand. The crispy pork was flavorful, and had the right amount of spiciness, but the "crispiness" factor could have been a point of contention. Moo Moo Thai has some good looking noodle soups that I still want to try, and I would definitely return for some good papaya salad.

--y

P.S. The thai tea was fantastic.

Cafe 70 Degrees (formerly Westsubs) - Culver City, California

Address: 3863 Overland Ave, Culver City, CA 90232

Items Ordered (breakfast menu):

• Smoked salmon bagel with egg salad
  
• "Simply Yummy" - baked egg, turkey bacon, potatoes
• Peach Icy Snow with boba

I waited a long time to write this post b/c I kind of don't want to share this place with anyone :O. I first discovered this small cafe nestled in Culver City Center when I was in need of wi-fi for a few hours. I ordered a boba milk tea and to my surprise a giant beer mug of creamy, perfectly sweetened milk tea and chewy boba arrived at my table. I liked the drink so much, I proceeded to order a crunchy tuna wrap and thoroughly enjoyed polishing off the whole plate of fresh tasting ingredients including the side of cantaloupe and salad. I can't recall if I actually got any work done that day amidst all the eating...

Ever since discovering Cafe 70 Degrees, I've made multiple return visits, and honestly have loved everything I've ever ordered here. On this particular day, I went for breakfast with a friend, and thought the salmon was smoky, fresh-tasting, and paired beautifully with the toasted bagel. I was a little too stuffed with the egg salad atop, as it probably could've been made into FOUR delicious egg salad sandwiches--too much for one person! The peach icy snow was one of the best drinks I've had from Cafe 70 Degrees yet.

If you decide to visit, and love this place as much as I do, do me a favor and keep it on the DL. It'll be our little secret, yea? Thanks.

--y

Thanksgiving 2011

Items Prepared:

• Crab and cream cheese spread with toasted almonds on French bread
• French onion soup
• Arugula, beets, and goat cheese salad
• Prime rib and Yorkshire pudding with au jus
• Chocolate mousse with mint and raspberries
  

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'm thankful for my beautiful family and friends today as I am everyday. No turkey this year, but prime rib is still a winner! Hope your Thanksgiving gathering is fabulous and delicious.

--y

Paco's Tacos - Los Angeles, California

Address: 4141 S Centinela Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90066

Items Ordered:

• Two beef tacos combo plate - no beans
  
• Chicken taco and tamale combo plate - no beans
  

"SHOW ME THE TACOS!" I imagine that's what Tom Cruise would have said when they filmed Jerry Maguire at Paco's Tacos. When our plates arrived, they were huge and heavy and looked like they could've weighed 8 pounds! The crispy tacos at Paco's Tacos were crunchy, flavorful, and especially satisfying with the addition of spicy salsa. The mexican rice was delicious and made me happy that I skipped the beans. As for the tamale, it arrived a little on the cold side so I'll reserve judgement for another day. However, the real winner at Paco's Tacos were the homemade tortillas made fresh every minute by the tortilla lady. The tortillas arrived piping hot, soft, and chewy, and I wanted to wrap everything into them and just eat it up. Somehow I managed to reserve a tortilla to take home, and after reheating it on a grill, and wrapping it around eggs, sausage, and hot sauce, it made for one of the best breakfast burritos I've ever eaten. YUM!! I would definitely return to Paco's Tacos--after all, they had me at tortilla ;).

--y

Scarpetta at The Montage - Beverly Hills, California

Address: 225 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Items Ordered:

• Sunday Brunch
  

I blame my lackluster Scarpetta experience on the breathtaking scenery of the Beverly Canyon Gardens. The food was doomed to failure against such an amazing backdrop. The quality of the food was impeccable (think fresh fruits, veggies, seafood) but the taste and selection was just not up to par for the $70+ dollar price tag. The shellfish was a little too cold, the meats a little too dry, the vegetables a little too soggy, and the desserts were hit or miss. In fact, I much prefer the brunch buffet at M Resort in Vegas which provides flavorful food items at a reasonable price including drinks (try it!). I might visit Scarpetta again, but only for the tomato-basil spaghetti, which in accordance with popular belief can do no wrong. Toothsome and flavorful, it was the only item that garnered repeat trips to the kitchen. I wouldn't steer you away from visiting Scarpetta--it is a pleasant experience--but so is being $70 richer!

--y

The Bazaar by José Andrés - Los Angeles, California

Address: 465 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048

Items Ordered:

• Tortilla de Patatas "New Way": potato foam, egg 63, caramalized onions (skip this)
  
• "Philly cheesesteak": air bread, cheddar, Wagyu beef
  
• Embutidos platter: chorizo, lomo, salchichon with tomato bread (SO GOOD!!)
  
• Papas canarias: salty wrinkled potatoes, mojo verdé
• Pisto: vegetable stew, tomato, egg 63
• The "ultimate" spanish tapa: potatoes, carrots, mayo, tuna belly (skip this)
• Sautéed shrimp: garlic, guindalla pepper
• Sea scallops with romesco sauce
• Beef hanger steak: Piquillo pepper confit
• Traditional Spanish flan: vanilla and fruit
  
• Greek yogurt panna cotta: apricots and muscat gelatin
  

Don't read this post! Why not? Because your time could be much better spent making a reservation for The Bazaar, and then enjoying one of your most delicious meals ever. Succulent shrimp and scallops, tasty potatoes, savory embutidos and creamy flan. I can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu!!

--y

Din Tai Fung - Arcadia, California

Address: 1088 S Baldwin Ave, Arcadia, CA 91007

Items Ordered:

• Xiao Long Bao: juicy soup dumplings with pork and fish
• Shanghai rice cake with pork
  
• Stir fried green beans

I visited Din Tai Fung (DTF) only so I could brag to my parents that I could have an authentic taste of Taiwan in L.A. while they'd have to resort to eating their own cooking...suckers! After waiting 30 minutes in the sweltering heat, the restaurant was kind enough to offer us cups of ice cold water. When we were finally seated, the soup dumplings and green beans arrived looking extremely photogenic. Tastewise, the dumplings lacked the spoonful of soup which I love, but the outstanding flavor of the fish dumplings made up for the scarcity of soup. The stir fried green beans were crunchy and devoured quickly. Overall though, eating at DTF just made me jealous that I couldn't eat my parents home cooking :(.

--y

Jitlada Thai - Hollywood, California

Address: 5233 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027

Items Ordered:

• Green Mussel Curry: New Zealand mussels in southern Thai curry with pineapples
  
• Crying Tiger Pork
• Deep fried seabass
• Pad Thai (not pictured)

Jitlada has been on my to-eat-list for almost a year now. After being bombarded by reviews from Jonathan Gold, the Food Network, and other bloggers, I wanted to participate in the Jitlada experience too! The mussels were one of the best I've ever had, and the mussel broth was drinkable like a delicious seafood soup. The best part of the famous crying tiger pork was the spicy sauce that accompanied it, which was really a delight and punishment for the taste buds. Last but not least, the deep fried seabass was a standout dish--probably my favorite of the night. The fish was crispy and delicious even without any sauce. Next time I return to Jitlada, I would definitely order the fried fish and mussels again. Try it for yourself!

--y