First things first, before you can enjoy the world’s most amazing flapjacks, get to The Griddle between 8:30-9:00a.m.  to avoid a lengthy wait time of up to 2 1/2 hours.  (Yes, it really is that amazing!)  Conveniently located at 7916 W. Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood, next to the Director’s Guild,  The Griddle remains a great place for people-watching.   Whether you are eating inside or waiting outside, many famous folks are known to frequent the establishment so be prepared to see some stars!  Parking is not difficult, as there is street parking directly in front of the restaurant and a number of parking lots around.

Service is quick and friendly, but if you need a few minutes to browse their extensive menu they are more than accomodating.  After a good 15-20 mintues, I finally opted for the Scotch on the Rocks pancakes: three dinner-plate sized pancakes, filled with butterscotch chips, coconut, and walnuts.  Each bite was more delicious than the previous; the pancakes so fluffy, so moist, so buttery, so…yum!  By the time I finished, I made it about 1/6 of the way through the breakfast; I was so full it hurt to breathe .  So, be prepared to really eat and be prepared to eat pancakes for the next 5 or 6 meals!  The check averaged about $15.00 per person for our table of 3, so the price was very reasonable for the amount of food received.

Pancakes filled with love!

Final verdict: A definite go-to breakfast spot for residents, tourists, and celebrities alike!

“So what do Japanese people eat?” you might ask. Well, you should go and find out for yourself at Ginza. First let me tell you what you shouldn’t be expecting from Ginza. You shouldn’t go expecting to chow down on the best sushi you have ever had. You shouldn’t go in there expecting a chic atmosphere. You really shouldn’t walk up to the place expecting to find a classy exterior. Ginza, in true hole in the wall form, looks like a dump from the outside.

Don’t be afraid, though, because you’re really in for a treat. Ignore the fact that the Tokyo Hotel looks like it will crumble down around you before you finish your meal. Just walk right in. What you’ll find is a small oasis of Japan in the heart of Chicago. Ginza is not a first class restaurant, mind you. The decor looks more like that of a neighborhood Japanese restaurant than the zen interiors you might be accustomed to at Kamehachi. Still, Ginza’s as authentic as it gets around here. For a really Japanese experience, see if you can get a seat at one of the private Tatami rooms in the back. You’ll have to sit on the floor, but that’s the way it’s traditionally done over there.

The real reason you should go to Ginza is the traditional Japanese food. Really, skip the sushi and go straight for the traditional home cooked stuff. As an appetizer try the Yakitori, essentially marinated grilled chicken on a stick. On a colder day you might try the Ochazuke where you take a bowl of rice and mix it with a serving of green tea. This is a dish that you aren’t going to find in most Japanese restaurants around here. On the main courses, you generally can’t go wrong. If you want a real home-style meal, try the broiled fish dinner, where you get your choice of fish along with some tasty Japanese sides. If you’re in the mood for something light and cool, go with the Zaru Soba, which is simply a tray of buckwheat noodles with a delicious dipping sauce.

Finally, don’t rule this place out for lunch. I would venture to say that Ginza offers one of the best deals in this part of town. For nine dollars you get your choice of main dishes ranging from Japanese Curry to Deep Fried Chicken Cutlet along with your choice of side. Delicious!

Details
Name: Ginza Restaurant
Location:  19 E Ohio St, Chicago 60611 (Between State and Wabash)
Telephone: (312) 222-0600

For nearly 55 years, Veselka has served homestyle Ukrainian fare to the East Village. We felt right at home at this cozy eatery, stomachs growling for a taste of the old country.

American classics and Ukrainian specialties make up the extensive, 24-hour menu.  Freshly prepared soups tempted us with their homemade promise and gleaming cases of baked goods reminded us to save room for dessert (spoiler alert: we didn’t.)

The deluxe vegetarian plate, was a standout favorite at $13.75. Served with a choice of soup, salad, stuffed cabbage, kasha and 3 pierogi, it was the ideal “entry level” dish for Ukrainian newbies. Steaming bowls of cabbage borscht were topped with fresh dill and served alongside challah. Salads arrived crisp and colorful with a creamy dill vinaigrette.

The pierogi varied in flavor intensity.  The sauerkraut and mushroom satisfied, but the potato and cheese varieties left us reaching for the salt shaker. Arugula and goat cheese was the surprise winner, rich and buttery, albeit untraditional.

Whether you go for the history, the food or the chance to see Jon Stewart (he’s a regular!), stop by Veselka, sidle up to the table and experience Ukrainian soul food…without a visit to your grandmother’s kitchen.

Veselka

144 2^nd Avenue, New York, NY 10013

(212) 228-9682‎ (one word: delivery)

http://www.veselka.com

Damage: $

Recommendations: Vegetarian borscht, arugula and goat cheese pierogi, sauerkraut and mushroom pierogi, Obolon Ukranian Lager.

A dog limps into a saloon and says, “I’m looking for the man who shot my paw.”

bras and dollars on ceiling

“Four?” you say? Yes, this is one of the legendary places in the Quarter open 24/7/363 ½.

Dogballs and Tots

What keeps ‘em coming back? For starters their amazing menu featuring such things as Chili Cheese Tater Tots,  Gravy Fries, The Gumbo Sandwich, The Salisbury Burger and their famous 12 hour smoked barbecue.  When I ate there last I had the Dog Balls with tots.  It’s a Swedish meatball sandwich with gooey cheese and plenty of gravy!

But the place also provides entertainment, sports, video poker, and the largest screen Golden Tee golf game in the city!  They also have a laundromat!  But what’s the real secret?  Well, I’m sure that would be the twenty four hour two-for-one drink special!  And this is a real drink special, not your Bourbon St. 3-for-1 that gives you a choice of Bud or Miller and costs you $9.25 (three for one?  and monkeys are flying out my butt).  No, here at The Dog the bottled beer and the liquor, all the liquor, top and bottom shelf, are two-for-one twenty four hours a day!

Remember my article in the book “White Trash Chic?”  Well you’ll feel right at home here with an excellent selection of the best of the worst: High Life, Natural Light, PBR, Dixie and Mickey’s.

On top of all of this The Dog is the focal point of many events of truly local flavor.  On French Quarter Fest weekend (April 9-11) they will have their annual Crawfish Boil Bash that I spoke of in the previous blog.  By far the crowning event at this bar is The Running of the Bulls, this year on July 9th at 8AM sharp!  It features grandma’s secret Sangria recipe, 4000 people in white with red sashes, and a stable full of Roller Derby girls with wiffle-ball bats (the “bulls”).  The event became world famous on its first year (www.nolabulls.com)!

Any time anything is going on, or nothing at all, you can bet there will be people of local flavor at the Three Legged Dog celebrating.

So if you’re in town and you need to be clean, fed, drunk and entertained, and you want to party like or with the locals…there is simply no better place than The Three Legged Dog.

There is street parking only, but on the spacious streets of Little Armenia (a mini universe within Los Feliz), it won’t be hard to find a spot. Just make sure you bring cash, since they don’t believe in those fancy schmancy little magic cards here…

If you’re wondering what the most popular dish at this joint is…it’s, yup, you guessed it: FISH TACOS!!!!

Seriously, this place is amazing. As you can see, there are only two food items on the menu. Fish tacos and shrimp tacos. Both are excellent, but go for the fish. (After all, it’s not called The Best Shrimp Taco in Ensenada, now is it?) The fish is fresh and perfectly fried, crispy but not greasy, and nestled in a soft, doughy tortilla. Small enough you can eat four or five and not feel guilty, but large enough you know you got your money’s worth.

The add-as-much-as-you-want-for-free Sessy’s Sauces are really the icing on the cake. Unique and insanely flavorful, the sauce bar includes “radish relish”, “mad mango”, “la crema magica”, “mild mexican”, “hot guac”, and “pineapple kiss”. Mix and match to create some unbelievable flavor combinations. Live a little, why doncha?

The drink selection is pretty limited here, but all drinks are sold for a mere dolla apiece. Really, you should probably just order water so you can cram yourself with tacos, but there is also lemonade and Coca-Cola available to satisfy a sweet tooth in a pinch.

Scattered seating inside accommodates about 20, and outside, the breezy patio (decorated in cheesy Christmas tree lights and glowing fish signs) seats about 10 or 15 comfortably.

While stuffing my face, I eavesdropped on multiple conversations, and everyone who visits this place seems to be in high spirits, if only because they are astounded by how delicious (and CHEAP!) the tacos really are. The owner is a gregarious and amiable old fellow, as quick to crack a joke as he is to make sure every customer is a satisfied one. The decor is bright and garish, and adds to the lively atmosphere and the loud (but not deafening) music which makes this spot a fun favorite for locals in the know. (And now, gratefully, I am one of those locals.)

The Best Fish Taco in Ensenada

1650 Hillhurst Ave., Los Feliz 90027
(at Camero Ave.)

(323) 466-5552

www.bestfishtacoinensenada.com

Open Daily, 11 am-8 pm

P.S. Don’t tell, but they’ve also just opened a new location in Glendale at 604 W. Glenoaks, and if you mention that you read their yelp reviews before visiting (http://www.yelp.com/biz/best-fish-taco-in-ensenada-los-angeles), they’ll give you a free taco at the new location! But go to the one in Los Feliz first–everyone here will win your heart (even the old lady with the weird, hairy mole who rings you up at the register).

Galettes are buckwheat crepes which originated in Brittany, France and I’m pretty sure Anthony Bourdain sampled some of these yummy breakfast treats on a recent episode of No Reservations. I was so excited to see such a menu, that my dining companions and I had to sample a little bit of everything. To kick off brunch, we started with two galettes, one stuffed with chorizo and onion confit, topped with an over easy egg, and the other stuffed with ham, swiss and topped with a sunny side up egg. Both were delicious and gooey, just how I like my breakfast treats.

For our main course, I went with the gluten free burger (made with prime, short rib and brisket), as I know Boulud does one of the best burgers in town. My guests tried out the wheat filled and caramel stuffed French toast, a burger with the bun, and the eggs benedict with smoked salmon. We didn’t speak for several minutes when we first received our dishes. When we came up for air, we all said the same thing, “amazing.”

We were having such a good meal that we didn’t want it to end. So, naturally, we moved onto dessert. We shared the gluten free chocolate mousse and crème brulee. The mouse was rich and creamy and such a big portion we could’ve ordered only one. The crème brulee was just as tasty and had just the right caramelization of sugar on top.

The beauty of Bar Breton is that everyone can enjoy this meal. For those with food allergies or those without, the menu is exquisite and the restaurant is extremely accommodating. I’m looking forward to going back for dinner, however I will miss my brunch mimosa by my side.

http://www.chefpiano.com/bar-breton

254 Fifth Avenue

N.Y., N.Y.

10001

212-213-4999

Price $$

Already starting to win me over with its complimentary valet parking on a Saturday night, Messob (on the intersection of Fairfax and Olympic) screams authenticity from the hand-woven basket tables to its traditional selection of Ethiopian honey wine, beer, and world-renown coffee (their website claims, “Coffee is our bread!”).   My girlfriend ordered the honey wine while I got the Ethiopian beer in order to taste the best of both worlds.  Neither disappointed as the beer was smooth and colorful while the wine was a great balance of sweet honey that wasn’t overwhelming and what I think was a hint of lemon, but hey, I’m no Ratatouille.

The Messob menu is incredibly extensive, and the details just made everything sound appetizing.  From Doro Wot to to Fit Fit to Alitcha to Tibs, we wanted it all!  And so we got it all by ordering the Super Messob Exclusive, which gave us large samples of everything that included Siga Wot (strips of beef braised in red pepper and other spices), Kittfo (finely chopped, lean beef with spiced butter and chiles), and the Yebeg Siga Alitcha (mild lamb stew spiced with garlic and ginger).  Of course, they gave us a hefty quantity of Injera, the excellent soft bread that acts as the perfect complement to the decadent meat and juices.

When you get there, don’t forget to eat it Gursha, the technique of hand feeding your dinner partner by placing chunks of food in their mouth.  Usually exchanged by close friends, married couples, and the adventurous, it is a traditional Ethiopian sign of affection.

If only I could have somehow hand fed the restaurant to show how much I loved the food . . .

Store Details:

Messob Ethiopian Restaurant

1041 South Fairfax Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90019

(323) 938-8827          www.messob.com

I was in the Logan Square neighborhood and knew that the Dill Pickle Food Co-op was nearby and decided to make a quick stop before going home.

The small but deep store had everything from fresh breads to vegetables to loose leaf teas to canned tomatoes.  The narrow aisles take some side-stepping and several “pardon me’s” to/from other customers.  There is a good mix of local companies and producers in addition to the usual suspects of grocery brands. I liked the variety of fruits & vegetables as well as the special deal on tortilla chips.  The co-op employees mentioned the bakeries deliver fresh bread very early each morning.

Customers are a mix of members and non-members; prices are the same for both groups.  Speaking of pricing, the store isn’t any more expensive than Whole Foods or other smaller grocery stores.  For shoppers that mainly make purchases from national grocery stores, there might be a bit of a surprise.

While I would not make the Dill Pickle Co-op a regular store on my list as I don’t live in the neighborhood, I would go the next time I am in the area.  It is a wonderful and welcomed addition.

Store Details:

3039 W. Fullerton Ave (near Sacramento)

773-252-2667

http://www.dillpicklefoodcoop.org

En Route to my favorite Brighton coffee spot, I was stopped dead in my tracks by a giant “A” protruding from the store fronts. It was Athens, a breakfast experience I had heard about in passing but never given second thought to. With lots of work to do, a desperate need for caffeine, I could not resist the call of the empty window side table that sat in the glow of the February sun.

The menu did not disappoint the breakfast lover within me, nor did it stretch my poor freelance writer’s wallet. For less than eight dollars, I could have anything from eggs benedict, to the Monte Cristo, a brioche sandwich with house roasted turkey, cheddar cheese, cranberry mayonnaise, dipped in egg batter and grilled with home fries. Or for just $3.95, I could have the house-made vanilla pancakes with real maple syrup and sour cherry butter.

I settled on Irish steel cut oatmeal, slow cooked rolled oats cooked with dried fruits and nuts, enhanced only by fresh coffee and cream. It was a little taste of home that filled me up for hours of studying…joy.

I stopped in to grab coffee and catch up on my Hungry?City blogs, but now that I’ve got my hands on a menu; I think its time to do some research. This espresso bar and Creperie has a fantastic assortment of crepes, paninis, and fresh salads. On the French side of the menu, the crepes touch on both sweet and savory. There is caramel apple crisp, chocolate strawberry, mushroom and caramelized onion, pesto chicken, and crab and avocado to name a few. Then there are paninis including the Blue Mushroom complete with sautéed portabella mushroom caps, baby spinach, tomatoes, crumbled blue cheese and balsamic glaze or the Panino Panini, with Caprese and thin slices of imported brusciutto.

I opt for the Zesty tuna melt with its signature tuna recipe, cheddar, tomatoes, and romaine lettuce. Nothing hits the spot more than this warm crispy melt on freshly toasted multigrain bread. The house made tuna has a nice kick to it complimented by the sharp cheddar and tomato, it is simple and perfect served with a side of greens and sweet balsamic dressing.