{favorite} bites
People always ask me "oh hey, you're a foodie, where should I go eat?"
While I can acknowledge that there are certain restaurants that have a fantastic menu, places with amazing hospitality, or unbelievable decor - what I most always reply with is not "where" but "what."
Because really -- yes a restaurant can be amazing, but if you're ordering the wrong things then you might walk away shaking your head thinking, boy did Nicole steer me in the wrong direction. So I'd rather write up my round-up of all of my favorites bites, flavors, and cocktail combos - and if you don't like those? Well then - I can't help you. Our tastebuds do not align.
MY HOMETOWN OF WEHO
- Night + Market {hama hama oysters} or since that’s off the menu, pork toro (www.nightmarketla.com)
- Baby Blues BBQ {suicide king} pulled pork (www.babyblueswh.com)
- Dominicks {rice balls} with mushrooms and mozzarella (www.dominicksrestaurant.com)
- Eveleigh {pot-roast mussels} chorizo, lemon, chili, parsley, aioli (theeveleigh.com/)
- Golden State {sweet potato} fries (thegoldenstatecafe.com)
- Griddle Café {tis the season flapjacks} with a side of bacon (www.thegriddlecafe.com)
- Salt’s Cure {2x2x2} slab o bacon (www.saltscure.com)
- Simplethings {banoffe} banana and toffee pie (www.simplethingsrestaurant.com )
- Singapore’s Banana Leaf {mee goreng} with chicken (http://www.singaporesbananaleaf.com/)
- Son of a Gun {benton’s country ham} honey butter & cornbread (www.sonofagunrestaurant.com/)
- Yoshi’s Sushi {sushi bomb} (http://www.yoshissushi.com/)
- Urth Caffe {orange juice} fresh squeezed (www.urthcaffe.com)
THE ASIANS: K-TOWN & THAI TOWN
- Beer Belly {duck fat fries} you’ll be glad you did (www.beerbellyla.com/)
- Boiling Crab {king crab legs} and corn (www.theboilingcrab.com)
- Guelaguetza {mole negro} con pollo (www.guelaguetzarestaurante.com)
- Harvard & Stone {r&d bar} anything on tap (http://www.harvardandstone.com/)
- Jaragua {niki’s true love cocktail} (http://www.jaraguarestaurant.com/)
- Jitlada {tom yum soup} with coconut. couldn’t handle the spicy challenge (www.JitladaLA.com)
- Kobawoo {pork bo ssam} milky soju (http://www.yelp.com/biz/kobawoo-house-los-angeles)
- Kyochon {honey wings} pickled radish (http://www.kyochon.us/)
THE AGENCY LIFE OF BEVERLY HILLS, CULVER, AND CENTURY CITY
- Attari Sandwich Shop {kashke bademjon} eggplant spread (http://www.yelp.com/biz/attari-sandwich-shop-west-los-angeles)
- Bouchon Bakery {nutter butter} cookie (http://www.bouchonbakery.com/)
- Factor’s Deli {debbie’s chopped} #2 (http://factorsdeli.com/)
- Fresh Corn Grill {veggie corn grill bowl} with shrimp & curry (www.freshcorngrill.com)
- Honor Bar {fried chicken} sandwich (http://www.hillstone.com/#/restaurants/southBeverlyGrill/)
- Lukshon {dandan noodles} kurobuta pork and spice (www.lukshon.com)
- M Cafe {kale salad} sweet potato fries (http://www.mcafedechaya.com/)
- Momed {duck schawarma} tomato, fig confit and garlic spread (http://www.atmomed.com/)
- Sunnin Lebanese Café {beef shawarma} with hommos (www.sunnin.com)
- 800 Degrees Neapolitan Pizzeria {tartufo} with bacon (www.800degreespizza.com)
- A-Frame {big john chili rich cakes} beef chili, korean rice cakes, white cheddar, sour cream, chives, and pineapple (aframela.com)
- California Roll Factory {chupa cabre roll} yellowtail, avocado, cucumber, scallion, garlic sauce (http://calrollfactory.com/)
- Feast from the East {chinese chicken salad} extra dressing (http://www.ffte.com/)
- Gottsui {angus beef okonomiyaki} fried egg (www.gottsui-usa.com)
- Huckleberry Café {salted caramel} bar (www.huckleberrycafe.com)
- Steingarten LA {wild boar and berry} sausage (http://www.steingartenla.com/)
- Tavern Brentwood {pecan sticky bun} suzanne style (http://www.tavernla.com/)
- The Apple Pan {hickory burger} slice of apple pie (http://www.applepan.com/)
THE BEACHES, JUST ALL OF THEM
- Bay Cities {meatball sub} with all the fixins (baycitiesitaliandeli.com)
- Big Deans Cafe {extra large blue moon} with an orange slice (http://www.bigdeansoceanfrontcafe.com/)
- Fig {death by bacon} bacon waffles, bacon ice cream, bacon syrup (www.figsantamonica.com)
- Stella Rosa Pizza Bar {distefano burrata} roasted grapes, bread (http://stellarossapizzabar.com/)
- Sunny Spot {muh-f*k*n mofongo} overripe plantains, bacon, garlic, black pepper (http://sunnyspotvenice.com/)
JUST DON'T HANG OUT ON LOS ANGELES ST. IN DTLA
- Bottegga Louie {portobello fries} bacon monkey bread (www.bottegalouie.com)
- Casey’s Irish Pub {shot of jameson} pickleback (http://213nightlife.com/caseysirishpub)
- Seven Grand {the eastside} cucumber and gin (http://213nightlife.com/sevengrand)
- Spitz {street cart fries} white sangria (http://www.eatatspitz.com/)
HOLLYWOOD & HIPSTERLAND
- La Descarga {rum} flor de cana aged 12 years (http://www.ladescargala.com/)
- 25 Degrees {number one} onion, gorgonzola, crescenza, bacon, arugula, thousand (http://25degreesrestaurant.com/)
- Stout Burgers {six weeker} fig, brie, arugula, caramelized onions (http://www.stoutburgersandbeers.com/)
WHERE I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL (a.k.a THE VAL)
- Black Market Liquor Bar {mussels} fennel, chili, garlic baguette (www.BlackMarketLiquorBar.com)
The Bucket List
Birch
Cassia
Jon & Vinny's
RedBird
Broken Spanish
Arthur J
Aburiya Toranoko (http://toranokola.com/)
Cassia
Jon & Vinny's
RedBird
Broken Spanish
Arthur J
Aburiya Toranoko (http://toranokola.com/)
Baco Mercat (http://bacomercat.com/)
Big Mista’s BBQ (http://bigmista.com/)
Bludso's (http://bludsosbbqandcatering.com/)
Chichén Itzá (http://www.chichenitzarestaurant.com/)
Delphine's (http://www.restaurantdelphine.com)
DGM – Dwit Gol Mok (http://www.yelp.com/biz/dgm---dwitgolmok-los-angeles)
Fat Spoon (http://fatspoonfood.com/)
Guisados (http://guisados.co/about.htm)
Hollywood Pies (http://hollywoodpies.com/)
Little Dom's (http://www.littledoms.com/)
Maison Giraud (http://www.maison-giraud.com/)
Malibu Seafood Fresh Fish Market (http://www.malibuseafood.com/)
Mario's Peruvian & Seafood (http://www.yelp.com/biz/marios-peruvian-and-seafood-los-angeles)
MB Post (http://eatmbpost.com/)
Melisse (http://melisse.com/)
Milo & Olive (http://www.miloandolive.com/)
Musso & Frank Grill (http://www.mussoandfrankgrill.com/)
n/naka (http://www.n-naka.com/)
Palsaik Samgyupsal Korean BBQ (http://www.yelp.com/biz/palsaik-samgyupsal-korean-bbq-los-angeles)
Park’s BBQ (http://www.parksbbq.com/)
Providence (http://www.providencela.com/)
Rustic Canyon (http://www.rusticcanyonwinebar.com/)
Shikdorak (http://www.yelp.com/biz/shikdorak-los-angeles)
SooWon Galbi (http://www.soowongalbi.net/)
Saam @ Bazaar (http://www.thebazaar.com/experience/saam)
Sushi Nozawa (http://www.sushinozawa.com/)
Tacos Villa Corona (http://www.yelp.com/biz/tacos-villa-corona-los-angeles)
Terroni (http://www.terroni.com/)
The Tasting Kitchen (http://thetastingkitchen.com/)
Totoraku (http://www.yelp.com/biz/totoraku-los-angeles)
Yu Chun Chic Naeng Myun (http://www.yelp.com/biz/yu-chun-chic-naeng-myun-los-angeles-2)
*restaurants are hyper-linked to my review :)