Los Angeles
Old World Charm in a Modern World
Musso & Frank Grill www.mussoandfrankgrill.com
6667 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028; Phone: 323-467-7788
My main squeeze and I are recent transplants to L.A. and have been on the hunt for some new treasure troves of deliciousness. Our 3rd anniversary fell on one of our first few days in our new home, so we decided to make it special and try Musso and Franks for some good old-fashioned meat and potatoes. In selecting the oldest restaurant in Hollywood to please our palates, we had high expectations, but M&F definitely did not disappoint.
Decorated with warm mahoganies and a buttressed ceiling, it feels like you slip a few decades into the past when you first walk in. We were greeted by a hearty man in a suit and promptly seated for our reservation. Our waiter was incredibly attentive, informative, prompt, and contributed largely to the overall pleasant dining experience. Not a single dirty plate stayed on our table for more than a few moments; no crumb was left astray on the table. They really focus on all the little details, which seems to be hard to find now-a-days in most places.
The food was equally impeccable; we started with the Hearts of Romaine salad, topped with a zesty red wine vinaigrette. For our entrees, my boyfriend opted for the filet mignon, I selected the Porterhouse and then we nibbled off bits of both. The filet mignon practically melted in my mouth. It was so tender and juicy, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a filet as melodic as this. The porterhouse was also tender, and gave me plenty of leftovers. Normally, I’d regale you with a number of pictures of the food I enjoyed so thoroughly. But, for this review, the pictures would never do the food proper justice.
As an added bonus, mid-way through our delicious taste experience, we looked up only to find that none-other than Mr. Gus Van Sant was seated in the booth next to us. Although tempted to scream, shout, and do a happy little jig around the restaurant in his honor, we played it cool and simply greeted him with a friendly smile. If M&F is good enough for Van Sant, it’s certainly more than good enough for me!
We were completely stuffed by the end of our entrees but our waiter convinced us to try the cheesecake, assuring us that we would not be disappointed. To me, a cheesecake is pretty much a cheesecake: heavy and overly sweet. M&F’s cheesecake, however, is beyond amazing. The cheese filling was delicate, flavorful, and light. It really helped to end our meal on just the right note.
It may seem silly to think that food has such an impact on the positive/negative experiences in our life, but M&F really did help to make our anniversary special and unforgettable. It’s good to know that impeccable service can still reach those of us in LA who are not gracing the covers of this month’s magazines.
*Photo of Europane pastry, but not at the actual location
The breads are baked fresh daily; Baguette, Ciabatta, Sourdough, Rosemary Currant, Multi-grain… the list goes on and on. They have that authentic fresh-baked, homemade taste; you’ll know you’re eating bakery bread, not store bread.
The pastries are also delicious. Though Europane does carry favorites like bran muffins, eclairs, and lemon bars, the ones that set them apart are the rustic european specialties. Try a blueberry brown butter tart, or a miniature apple pie, or a french macaroon (not a traditional macaroon; they are small and round and come in all kinds of colors and flavors. They showed them in the movie Marie Antoinette… so maybe you’ve seen them). My personal favorite (aside from the macaroons that make you feel like 18th century French royalty) is the cinnamon roll (pictured above). It goes great with a hot latte.
If you’re in the mood for something a little more substantial, Europane has some great sandwhiches. The tomato feta, made from fresh juicy tomatoes is always a great choice. The egg salad (served open faced on your choice of bread) has been gaining popularity after a recent Food Network special on it. The secret? Maybe it’s the sun-dried tomatoes underneath the egg… or maybe the toasted bread. Either way it’s delicious. A secret that has not yet been discovered by the food network is the salmon salad, served with a refreshing mango salsa.
Europane has a laid-back atmosphere; its an ideal place to relax with a cup of coffee after school or work. You can enjoy a cappuccino and a chocolate croissant while chatting with one of the friendly counter servers.
Nothing tastes artificial or processed because…. well, nothing is. This place is definitely a favorite!
**If you can’t get enough Europane, a second location just opened up less than a mile west on Colorado Blvd.
Hours:
Mon-Sat 7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Sun 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
950 E Colorado Blvd
Ste 107
Pasadena, CA 91106
Neighborhood: Pasadena
(626) 577-1828
Gingergrass is open late for L.A. diners
Hello, spring.
Gingergrass sounds like spring and tastes like it too. For when the days are longer and nights are warmer, this urban Vietnamese eatery, open until 11pm some nights, can make a fabulous spring even fabulouser.
Popular: Shrimp chips on the table, 33 Beer from Tien Giang Province ($5), Bo Bia (rice paper with jicama, coconut, mushrooms, egg and peanuts, $5.95) and the Pork Belly special
Atmosphere: Since the restaurant advertises “Fresh Vietnamese Cuisine,” it would be wrong to assume that steaming bowls of pho come out of the kitchen tasting like they do in mid-town Hanoi. It’s all about expectations; expect “fresh” and “cuisine” and a clientele to match; and order something besides the pho.
Gingergrass
2396 Glendale Blvd.
Silver Lake, Ca. 90039
(323) 644-1600
One of L.A.’s best soup & salad combos
L.A. girls can’t help it; we’re heat-seekers. Perpetually cold, we clutch venti mint teas and cling to bowls of hot soup like it’s our job. It’s all in the name of warmth. Even on sunny spring days the recently re-opened Doughboys in West L.A. is making a business out of serving one of my favorite soup and salad combos in the city: 15 salad selections, 11 soup selections, combined any way for $11.95. Plus, because no one should have to leave his or her sidewalk table without trying the restaurant’s homemade bread, the menu says the S & S combo comes with “our grilled French baguette bread.” Mine didn’t come out with the order, but I borrowed some slices from the side of my friend’s Warm Portabello Mushroom and Pancetta salad with potatoes (pictured) and we were equally happy. Triangles of crusty-on-the-outside bread dipped in my huge bowl of spinach-heavy Stracciatella soup next to a heap of Medditeraneo salad – takes the April chill off. Warms the soul.
Doughboys Café & Bakery Restaurant
8136 West Third Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323.852.1020
Burbank’s Little Secret
Ritchie Valens would be proud . . .
On the corner of Glenoaks and Lamer in Burbank, CA, there is a place that few know about, and few are worthy of. I risk ruining the secret for those who know, but dangit, La Bamba Island Cuisine deserves to be tasted by the world!
Like the Little Train That Could, La Bamba has been chugging along since as long as I can remember (and I would know since I live within walking distance of the place). I remember my childhood when we could come for chicken tacos after school. I remember during high school we would sip on the fruitiest shakes this side of the Caribbean (banana! mango! pineapple!). I remember college when their menu expanded. And now I remember these current days, when finally, after coming here for most of my life, they now serve a wide variety of beer and wine for $4.50!
La Bamba has a little bit of everything Latin. Looking for a slice of Cuba? Check out their Cuban sandwich: Cuban bread, pork, swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and awesomeness.
You want fish tacos? They’ve got it and more! Check out the menu for the best shrimp tacos you’ve ever had, the juiciest lobster tacos you’ve always wanted, and the freshest Mahi Mahi tacos you ever tasted.
Want something bigger? Then order the most popular item on their menu: The St. Thomas Burrito. A giant mixed frenzy of shredded pork, guacamole, jack and cheddar cheese, sour cream, and beans. It’s a challenge but totally worth passing. Don’t forget to order it “wet”: smothered in ranchero sauce and covered in cheese, if you can handle it.
Each meal is served with a side of yummy Caribbean rice and beans or decadent garlic fries. For a little place with only a very inviting patio to eat your meals, La Bamba’s menu and heart is really big. Fajitas, tacos, burritos, lobster and crab salads, Cuban sandwiches, quesadillas, tostadas. If you come to La Bamba, you’ve already made it to paradise.
Oh, did I mention they now serve beer and wine?
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La Bamba Island Cuisine
2600 Glenoaks Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91504
818-846-3358
As Lazy As An Ox, As Hungry As A Hippo
where food soulmates meet
Before having a religious experience at the Air concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall two Sundays ago, I was blessed by the patron saints of food at The Lazy Ox Canteen in the Little Tokyo district of Downtown Los Angeles.
Greeted by a cozy and urban atmosphere and illuminated by architecturally giant-size lightbulbs, The Lazy Ox is for foodies looking for something different and downright existential.
It’s hard to describe the food because it was just the most interesting and experimental combinations I’ve encountered in a really long time. And this is coming from the guy who once ate Fried Bat in San Francisco (it really tastes like chicken!).
In order to just gauge how awesome this place is, I’m just going to tell you what I had. There were four of us, but we ate a feast fit for eight.
Dashi Marinated Yellowtail with Avocado, Hash Browns, and Creme Fraiche:
—We started off the night with this delectable dish. Hands down, the best yellowtail I’ve ever had (sorry, Noshi but still check out my review in the Hungry? City Guide: Los Angeles Handbook!).
Pig Ears with Pickles, Lime, and Horseradish Sauce
—I think my friend’s remark explains it all: “The pig ears were like decadent strips of bacon, I swear!” Pickles, lime, and horseradish sauce? How the hell do these people even think of putting these things together?!
Pig Ears with Pickles and Lime and Horseradish Sauce
Khlili (Moroccan-Style Beef Jerky) Served Over a Fried Egg on Toast, Topped with Red Pepper Sauce
—Holy $#!& this was good. The Khlili is sprinkled on top of the fried egg, and it’ all doused in a sultry sauce. It is true: the best breakfasts are for dinner.
Khlili over fried egg
Lengua Ravioli
—To be honest, I wasn’t really a fan of this. The texture was weird, and I didn’t think the combination worked. However, I still appreciated the risk of it.
Lengua Ravioli
Lamb Cheek
—Lamb anything is good. Lamb cheek at Lazy Ox is perfection. Soft, tender, and jam packed with flavor.
Pork Shoulder
—An excellent companion to the lamb cheek. Who knew meat anatomy was so delectable? It came with an insane barbeque sauce.
Pork Shoulder
Butter Biscuit with Strawberries and a Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream
—I really don’t know how we managed to make room for dessert, but it was just too delicious to pass up. The strawberries were sandwiched between two warm and insatiable butter biscuits. After you take a bite of that, you have some vanilla ice cream, and your mouth just screams in delight. It was a pure Ratatouille moment. You know, in the movie when Remy The Rat pairs two foods together and sees hallucinogenic colors. It’s exactly like that.
Strawberry & Butter Biscuit
Tapioca Brulee with Pineapple Sauce
—After all we ate, how could we only order one dessert? A very sweet but very awesome tapioca with a sugar-crispy outer shell that felt so good to bite into, it was all a happy surprise. Complemented with a bottomless pineapple sauce, you have to wonder why these two items have never met before on any other menu.
Tapioca Brulee
Combined with an eclectic mix of imported and domestic beers (St. Bernardus and Flying Dog “Raging Bitch” IPA are big winners here) and rich, flavorful wines, our meal reached near perfection. The cool thing about this place is that like Downtown, the menu is constantly changing every week with innovation and casual elegance. After our meal, ”Captain” Vincent Cummings came over to ask us how the meal was. He then gave us a 10% discount for being downtown natives!
Love is in the air at The Lazy Ox because not only do they pair foods really well together, they find their soul mates.
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The Lazy Ox Canteen
241 S. San Pedro St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-626-5299
***all photos courtesy of fellow Yelpers (www.yelp.com)
Brunch in Pasadena
Ambience and Great Food
I love L.A. I love it so much, if you say anything bad about it, I will kick your butt. That being said, sometimes we all need a break from the “hustle and bustle” – and by “hustle and bustle” I mean traffic, attitude, and restaurant/lounge identity crises.
Enter Pasadena, the calm, classy city 20 minutes away. And, if you’re looking for the calmest classiest place in Pasadena, then I suggest the Sunday Champagne Buffet Brunch at the Huntington Langham hotel.
Formerly the Pasadena Ritz-Carlton, this hotel has been around since 1865. It has beautiful architecture, a rich history and most importantly of all, delicious food.
The Sunday buffet brunch is like something out of a dream. It is served at “The Terrace” dining room, which has an indoor portion and a section actually on the terrace overlooking the pool and cabanas. Picture tables of innumerable delights. The seafood table: smoked salmon, shrimp cocktail, oysters (I hate oysters, but apparently they are extremely popular), smoked scallop salad… The dessert table: tiny chocolate cakes topped with gold leaf, parfait stacked with fresh berries. The Asian table: perfect steamed dumplings with chili sauce, fried pork dumplings, shiu mai.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention there’s a huge chocolate fountain, right when you walk in. You can pick what you want and cover it in chocolate (cake, strawberries, melon, even rice krispie treats). I wanted to just open my mouth and put my head under, but my parents said I would be asked to leave (just kidding people, I wasn’t REALLY going to do that).
They have all kinds of small plates, everything from fois gras to spicy tuna roll. They also have eggs benedict, made to order pasta, imported meats… and because it’s a buffet you can try it all. I can’t even explain it. You just have to see it. See, taste, and believe. And you will believe, I garuntee it.
I only had one complaint: the melon broth with caviar. It was so strange, I thought it must be good. Not the case.
The brunch is a little pricey so bring your wallet- or your parents (hee hee hee) – because it is totally worth it.
1401 South Oak Knoll Avenue,
Pasadena, California 91106,
T 1 (626) 568 3900
F 1 (626) 568 3700
Brunch Served from 10:00am to 3:00pm Sundays
Border Grill Taco Truck
I am spending the week in LA for a business trip. The sunshine is a nice diversion from the Chicago fickle weather. A meal of tacos from a cart was high on my list of options, but wanted to find some serious Mexican eats. The Border Grill ladies, Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, also own Ciudad but have a much more casual way of reaching customers: a rovering taco truck with locations known to Twitter followers (@bordergrill).
The truck was parked in front of an office building and had a short line gathered along the side. A very friendly lady took our orders; it took a while to decide what to select as the smells of steak, red onions, and green chilies were wafting through the air.
I ordered the potato & rajas (roasted onion & peppers) taco, a carne asada taco with guacamole, and roasted poblano quesadilla. All three of these items were well prepared, highly seasoned, flavorful, and worth the trouble of finding the location. I recommend taking the time to search for the truck and enjoy this casual meal.
Luscious Dumplings
Luscious Dumplings in San Gabriel is one of the best, cheapest and most filling dumpling houses in the area. Almost literally a hole-in-the-wall, this tiny restaurant is always packed during lunch and dinner and on the weekends. Because some of their food requires pre-prep, they even run out of certain things so it’s always wise to arrive early.
The dumplings can come either steamed or pan-fried. They offer the traditional soup dumpling as well as their own specialty dumplings. The pan-fried white fish and Napa cabbage is particularly delicious, as well as the green onion with pork dumpling. The crust on the pan-fried dumplings is crunchy and flavorful, as well as very hot, with every bite. I am not a big fan of pan-fried dumplings like gyoza but the dumplings at Luscious Dumplings are amazing.
They also have a nice selection of soup noodles. My favorite is the pork belly with noodles. The pork is marinated in this savory soy sauce concoction and then slow cooked until it is so tender it melts in your mouth.
The food is so cheap that I did not feel guilty ordering so much food. We all got a bowl of soup noodles, an order of seasonal vegetables, marinated tofu and a small order of dumplings for everyone. (Luscious Dumplings offer combo meals of noodles and dumplings for a discount price.) For my family of five, the bill came out to be less than $50.
A very satisfying restaurant with prompt service, this little dumpling house definitely lives up to its name.
704 W Las Tunas Dr
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 282-8695
Hours:
Tue-Sun 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Tue-Sat 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
AOC is A-OK!
Market fish (Greek white fish) with artichokes and braised bacon
First, let me say that I think the “small plates” trend is a bit of a scam. Small plates, an evolution of the Spanish tapas style, is really just a smaller re-plating of an entree… except the marked down price is not directly proportional to the scaled down size of the plate. And it only seems so cool and hip simply because it’s trendy.
That said, AOC takes the concept and produces exquisitely delicious dishes – small plates that pack big flavor.
Seafood is well-executed here: we orgasmed on wild bass, smoked black cod and a Greek white fish in addition to squid (beautifully mixed into a black rice risotto with saffron aioli). Not to snub the land animals, we also feasted on lamb and duck.
Lamb skewers with artichokes and almond salsa verde
For dessert? Cream-filled profiteroles with carmelized banana and a chocolate “French toast” with coffee ice cream and caramel sauce.
Everything was terrific, including the three wines I took an opportunity to sample (theirs is an impressive and generous wine list.)
And despite how I feel about the trend, the upside to small plates is that it’s one smart way to enjoy different dishes without a hefty price tag.
AOC is not cheap, by any means, but it’s great value for the money, and most of all, it’s a night well spent with good friends and great food.
AOC
8022 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048-4307
(323) 653-6359
Mon 6pm-10pm; Tue-Fri 6pm-11pm; Sat 5:30pm-11pm; Sun 5:30pm-10pm
