Fig & Olive - West Hollywood, California

Address: 8490 Melrose Pl, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Items Ordered:

• Sea scallops & truffle artichoke tapenade (not pictured) - White Truffle Oil
• Paella del Mar - saffron rice w/ tiger shrimp, scallop, mussels, etc - Hojiblanca Olive Oil
• Mediterranean branzino w/ fig & balsamic - Koroneiki Olive Oil

Who doesn't love their birthday? Not only do you get to see people that you love all in one place BUT the best part is that they want to buy you food and drinks :D. On this particular birthday celebration, I got to see Connie and try some of her paella which had succulent scallops & shrimp atop creamy carbohydrates. As for my own dish, I enjoyed the crispy branzino skin, but the sweetness & mushiness of the figs were a little off-putting for my taste. The bread dipped in different olive oils was a great start to the meal, and I liked the richness that the different oils added to the flavor of the dishes. The overall decor of the restaurant was elegant and the service was impeccable. I could see why President Obama (or his staff) would have chosen to hold a fundraiser here. As for a return visit, I wasn't completely wowed by the food or concept, but if you're looking for a treat or somewhere to impress your date, then I would recommend paying a visit.

--y

Picca - West Los Angeles, California

Address: 9575 W Pico Blvd, West Los Angeles, CA 90035

Items Ordered:

• ceviche mixto. mixed seafood, sweet potato, choclo
• causa spicy yellowtail. spicy mayo, green onions, wasabi tobiko
• anticucho black cod. miso anticucho, crispy sweet potato (not pictured)
• chicharron de pollo. marinated crispy chicken, salsa criolla, rocoto sauce
• arroz con erizo. peruvian paella, mixed seafood , sea urchin sauce
• chanfainita. braised oxtail, mote and potato stew

Did you know that "pica" is an eating disorder where people eat largely non-food items? Well, to my astonishment, we were served delicious Peruvian tapas at Picca instead of pieces of glass and chalk. Already a plus in my book! The restaurant itself and presentation of dishes was beautiful and appetizing, and probably made me enjoy the experience more. Both of the small bites (causa and anticucho) are worth a try, but were so quickly consumed, that I can't remember much about them now. Ceviche was deliciously tangy and had a bountiful amount of seafood--highly recommend! Also, the fried chicken tasted like savory nuggets of deliciousness, but how can you really go wrong with fried chicken? My last favorite dish of the night was the braised oxtail stew, it was just good home-cooking and sopping up the sauce with house bread made it even better. Unfortunately, the paella was too rich and salty, and left me thirsty and chewing on some ice as I was leaving the restaurant...perhaps Picca and pica are slightly synonymous after all :O.You've got to try it for yourself to judge.

--y

Wurstküche - Downtown Los Angeles, California

Address: 800 E 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

Items Ordered:

• Bratwurst - fine cuts of pork, coriander and nutmeg
• Chicken Apple & Spices - apple and specks of cinnamon (pork free)
• Austin Blues - hot & spicy, tri-pepper, and hardwood smoked pork
• Louisiana Hot Link -beef and pork, onions and hot spices
• Duck & Bacon with Jalapeno Peppers
• Rattlesnake & Rabbit with Jalapeno Peppers
• Groot (L) fries w/ bleu cheese walnut & bacon, chipotle aioli, & curry ketchup dips
• Gouden Carolus Belgian beer

I have to admit it--I was really hungry last week so I ordered 6 sausages, 2 fries, and a beer for myself. I feel bad for my friends who had the misfortune of accompanying me to dinner, they must have been starving all night! So how did EVERYTHING taste? The flavor of the spicy sausages outshone the others so I would recommend the Austin Blues, hot link, and even rattlesnake & rabbit. Surprisingly, the rattlesnake and rabbit didn't taste very odd or gamey, and I actually enjoyed it. My least favorite sausage was probably the duck and bacon as I think it was too mild-tasting and needed a lot of mustard to spice it up. Last but not least, the hot and crispy french fries dipped in the above sauces might even be more enjoyable than the sausages themselves. Oh, and it might be a good idea to share some of this food with your friends to maximize the communal Wurstküche experience. Wurstküche is a good place to check out the "sharing is caring" theory, and I recommend you try it.

--y

Plan Check - West Los Angeles, California

Address: 1800 Sawtelle Blvd, West Los Angeles, CA 90025

Items Ordered (sorry bout the camera phone pics):

• Drinks (not pictured): little Osaka sour, adulterated soda (vanilla soda w/ whiskey)
  
• Appetizers: baked crab dip, fresh cut fries, veggie chips w/ avocado dip
• Mains: Plan Check Burger, Chef's Favorite Burger, southern fry, pastrami nosh (not pictured)
• Specials: shrimp burger, pork belly torta (not pictured)
  
• Desserts: Cereal ice cream bar from Momofuku, cruller donuts

Plan Check has been garnering a line outside the door ever since it opened in West L.A. Apparently, the restaurant is from the owners of Umami Burger, which might explain the hype. Since I love Umami Burger, I went a little overboard on my 2 visits, and have been able to try almost everything on the menu :P. Drinks-wise, I loved my adulterated soda, which tasted like an alcoholic ice-cream float. As I was nearing the end of my glass, a waiter came by and mistakenly poured ice tea into the glass. Did drama ensue? Was this a restaurant FAIL?! No, actually I got a replacement drink free of charge, and it actually made dinner even more enjoyable :). The appetizers didn't fare as well as the drinks as they were kind of small or a little too oily. I would recommend just ordering an extra burger instead! Having tried a bite or two of several burger offerings from Plan Check, the definite standouts were the Chef's Favorite Burger (CFB) and the pastrami nosh. The CFB actually had a spicy tang from the hot sauce, and I loved the runny egg paired with the soft bun--this one is a must order. The pastrami nosh was beautifully smoky, and had a nice contrasting flavor from the kimchi mustard. After eating both dishes though, I was super stuffed! As far as the other burgers go, I thought I would like the southern fry & PCB more, but they can't really match the flavors of the 2 standouts. The pork belly torta was tasty, but overall had too much fat and mayonnaise for me to order it again. Last but not least, I SUPER recommend the cereal milk bar for dessert if it's available. It's one of the best desserts I've had in a long time. Overall, if you've been debating whether braving LA traffic to the Westside is worth it to visit Plan Check, then I would say stop debating and start driving! :P

-y

Three Broomsticks - Orlando, Florida

Address: 6000 Universal Blvd (Islands of Adventure) Orlando, FL 32819

Items Ordered:

• Cornish pasties
• Fish and chips
• Turkey leg
  
• Butterbeer & pumpkin juice
  

Where's the happiest place on Earth located?! Hints: it's in Orlando, there's a mouse involved, and magic is everywhere--it's Wizarding World of Harry Potter of course!! The food at Three Broomsticks was perfectly acceptable and the butterbeer and pumpkin juice were super delicious. The only way the food and atmosphere could've been more enjoyable was if it was actually made by house elves. Being at Three Broomsticks just makes me kind of sad that I'm an ordinary, magic-less Muggle. For anyone who's a Harry Potter fan, Wizarding World of HP and Three Broomsticks is a must visit!

-y

The Apple Pan - West Los Angeles, CA

Address: 10801 W Pico Blvd, West Los Angeles, CA 90064

Items Ordered:

• Hickoryburger with Tillamook cheddar cheese
• Steakburger
• French fries
  
• Apple pie à la mode

The Apple Pan is within walking distance of where I live, yet I've only eaten pies there for the last 2 years--albeit deliciously, gooey, and warm boysenberry, apple, and banana cream pies. It was at the recommendation of Jonathan Gold's 99 Eats that I decided to brave the line and try the hickoryburger at The Apple Pan, and I'm so glad I did. The hickoryburger had a nice tangy sauce and the cheese was melted perfectly, making this one messy but super enjoyable burger. Oh yea, the fries are perfectly crispy here, and I would go back just for the fries as well. Last but not least, with a place called Apple Pan how can you not get the apple pie...mmm. I really loved this old school diner, and I highly recommend you try it!

--y

9021PHO - Beverly Hills, California

Address: 490 N Beverly Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

Items Ordered:

• Pho Bo
• BBQ pork Banh Mi

You might be surprised, but growing up in Houston, I was surrounded by authentic Vietnamese restaurants as well as homemade Vietnamese food from my friends' houses. So lets say I'm a Vietnamese food expert ;). Why then did I go to a pho restaurant in the middle of Beverly Hills?? Cuz 1. I liked the name, and 2. I'm still on an epic search for authentic Vietnamese food in West LA --it's debatable whether I will ever find that elusive place. So how was 9021PHO? The pho broth was a little on the bland side, and I wasn't in love with it. I'd only rate it above Pho Citi on the Westside. However, the BBQ pork banh mi was surprisingly flavorful and the baguette was nice and crunchy, but I couldn't wrap my mind around the hefty price tag. Would I recommend a visit? Nah, save your money and taste buds for some Sprinkles cupcakes or Urth Caffe instead.

-y

Elite Restaurant - Monterey Park, California

新年快樂！恭喜發財！Happy Lunar New Year! Gong xi fa cai! May your new year be filled with joy, luck, health and prosperity! In honor of the beginning of the Year of the Dragon, a dim sum post for you :)


Address: 700 S Atlantic Blvd, Monterey Park, CA 91754

Items Ordered:

• Pork siu mai, shrimp har gow, spare ribs, bean curd wrap, chicken feet (small items)
  
• Shrimp rice roll, steamed turnip, sticky rice in lotus leaf (larger items)
  
• Crispy snow bun, golden cream bun, bbq pork buns (dessert/buns)

Elite Restaurant is an order-off-the-checklist-menu dim sum restaurant, which I prefer since the food is more fresh and you don't feel as bad turning away the Chinese ladies hawking their food. My group of 5 arrived around 10:30am and the wait was only about 10 minutes long--come any later though, and your wait time can be up to an hour plus! I was really impressed with the quality of the food coming out of the kitchen and the pace of their service too. This was some of the best siu mai and har gow AND chicken feet I've had anywhere, and I've been itching to return to Elite Restaurant. The only thing that I wouldn't order again is the steamed turnip since I like the pan-fried version. Maybe it's the fatty inside me talking. Otherwise, I enjoyed everything from the food to the company, and hope you can make it out to Chinatown for a delicious visit sometime!

--y

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