Monthly Archive for October, 2010

Crest Cafe – San Diego (Hillcrest)

Published by Gastronomer on October 29, 2010 in Breakfast / Brunch, Burgers, Diner, Restaurant Review and San Diego. 5 Comments

Whenever I stumble upon a promising recipe that highlights cinnamon or raspberries, I immediately forward it to The Astronomer. If it’s an insightful piece on quinoa, my friend Diana is the lucky recipient. And a feature on the wonders of woopie pies or Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine is sure to land in my friend Laurie‘s inbox. The food-lovers in my life each have their own special passions, and I feel that it is my duty to treat their eyes and ears to the tastiest recipes and latest literature on the subject.

When I came across an article about Crest Cafe‘s Butter Burger on A Hamburger Today, I wasted no time posting the link onto my cousin Jimmy’s Facebook wall. For as long as I can remember, Jimmy has inhaled sticks of butter with enthusiasm. During family feasts of bò nướng vĩ, Jimmy always sat next to the butter dish. Every time he added another stick into the sizzling brasserie, his face lit up with great joy. Knowing his penchant for the pale yellow stuff, it came as no surprise when Jimmy replied back with, “let’s go!”

The Astronomer, Jimmy, and I rolled to Hillcrest on my most recent trip to San Diego to taste the famed Butter Burger. We arrived at the colorful diner hours after the lunch crowd had departed.

Jimmy stepped up to the plate and ordered the Butter Burger ($10.25), whose centerpiece was a half pound beef patty stuffed with garlic herb butter (tarragon, basil, and parsley). Following a hot minute under the broiler, the burger was topped with additional butter for extra flavor and richness. Cheddar cheese and a spicy garlic mayonnaise offered the final flourishes. And because Jimmy’s gluttony knows no bounds, he requested slices of bacon to top it all off.

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Thiên Ân Bò 7 Món – Rosemead

Published by Gastronomer on October 27, 2010 in Bo La Lot, Ca Nuong Da Don, Restaurant Review, Rosemead and Vietnamese. 8 Comments

I recently learned that my friend Evelina‘s family eats Vietnamese-style roasted catfish (cá nướng da dòn) in place of turkey every Thanksgiving and Christmas. As anyone who’s ever experienced this crackly and caramelized preparation can attest, twice a year is simply not enough. When a major craving hits and the holidays aren’t in sight, Evelina grabs a table at Thiên Ân Bò 7 Món in Rosemead. It’s certainly not as good as grandma’s homemade version, but the catfish here is still pure “scrumptiousness.” Evelina’s words, not mine.

When a sudden hankering surfaced a few weeks back, The Astronomer and I were on hand to join the catfish queen for dinner at Thiên Ân. A gaudily framed photo of the famed dish greeted us as we walked through the front door. Flanking it on both sides were glowing write-ups from the Los Angeles Times. It’s no secret that this place is delicious.

Evelina called a few hours before our arrival to order a medium-sized catfish ($39) for our party of six. Our whiskered guest of honor was placed before us soon after we received our drinks. If you forget to call ahead, it can take up to 30 minutes for the fish to be prepared. Trust me, the wait is worth it.

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Susan Feniger’s Street – Los Angeles (Hollywood)

Published by Gastronomer on October 25, 2010 in Breakfast / Brunch, Hawaiian, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Restaurant Review, Singaporean and Turkish. 18 Comments

I followed the opening of Susan Feniger’s Street with great anticipation during the early months of 2009. I had just moved into town following a year traveling and feasting abroad, so news of a local restaurant specializing in global street food was especially exciting to me. Every minuscule pre-opening detail, from the interior design to menu development, was captured on the restaurant’s “Street Noise” video series. I watched each one and felt like a privileged insider getting a behind-the-scenes look at the restaurant’s impending launch.

As stoked as I was to try Street, the lukewarm reviews that came out during the first few months of service changed my mind completely. It seemed that paying premium prices for street eats didn’t sit well with folks (see: $16 bowl of phở), and the hodgepodge menu was something of a minefield. Without glowing reviews all around, the restaurant soon fell off my radar.

It wasn’t until I received a 30% off coupon from Blackboard Eats some months ago that I finally made my way to Street for a meal. Ain’t no better motivator than a hefty discount and promises of kaya toast.

The Astronomer and I, along with our friend Laurie, brunched here one Sunday afternoon following a terrific volunteer sesh with Project Angel Food. We’d been up and on our feet since 6:30 AM, so we were hoping that this meal would be a real battery charger.

Brunch began with a plate of spiced Turkish doughnuts simmered in cardamom rose syrup and served with sour cream and rose hip jam ($10.50). The sweet and slightly floral doughnuts were grease-less, pillowy wonders that had all three of us seriously impressed.

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Ludo Bites 5.0 at Gram & Papa’s – Los Angeles (Downtown)

Published by Gastronomer on October 23, 2010 in Downtown, French, Los Angeles and Restaurant Review. 9 Comments

I was one of the poor saps that Open Table kicked out of its reservation system while trying to snag a table to the sixth iteration of Ludo Bites. Since it doesn’t look like I’ll be experiencing Chef Ludo Lefebvre‘s latest and greatest creations over at MAX anytime soon, I will have to take comfort in reminiscing about Ludo Bites 5.0 instead. Consider this a trip down memory lane through the strongest and tastiest Ludo Bites to date…

Truth be told, I failed to score a table to 5.0 as well. The Astronomer and I luckily snatched up a canceled reservation via @FrenchChefWife, who tweets about such matters daily during every Ludo Bites run. We arrived a little before 9 PM and were seated soon after. Our table offered an unbeatable view of the open kitchen. With an animated chef like Ludo manning the stoves, a front row seat is a must.

Our first course was a vadouvan naan bread with salted coconut butter ($4). No one can touch Ludo when it comes to elevating butter to the next level. He deserves an honorary Ph.D in buttery infusions.

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Shaky Alibi – Los Angeles

Published by Gastronomer on October 21, 2010 in Belgian, Dessert, Los Angeles, Mid-City and Restaurant Review. 9 Comments

After attempting and failing to find a mind-blowingly good Liège waffle in Los Angeles at Holly’s Coffee and at Syrup Desserts, I decided to call it quits on the great waffle hunt. I left a few rocks unturned, namely Lucky Devils and Le Pain Quotidien, but another disappointing specimen would’ve surely put me over the edge.

Even though I had grown weary of the local selection of waffles, I still sought them out while on the road. In Seattle, I encountered brilliantly executed sweet and savory creations at Sweet Iron Waffles. And most recently, I returned to Bonte in Philadelphia, where the Liège waffle obsession was born, and fell in love all over again. Two standout renditions was all it took for waffles to woo me back.

I returned home from my trips with a renewed sense of purpose and drive—I was going to find Los Angeles’ best Liège waffle!

I headed to Shaky Alibi as soon as my enthusiasm for waffles was reignited. Opened by R.J. Milano this past summer, Shaky Alibi is a wafflerie, coffee shop, and tea bar all rolled into one. The waffles, which are made using a family recipe cooked up by the owner’s German-born great grandmother, are made from a yeast dough and are coated in pearl sugar to create a slightly crispy, caramelized shell.

Shaky Alibi serves both sweet and savory varieties. Nastassia, my dining companion this afternoon, and I shared two savory and one sweet. We started with a Black Forest ham with gruyere ($8.95). The waffle was made fresh to order, sliced in half, and filled with ham and cheese that had been microwaved for maximum meltage. A little powdered sugar on top and the plate came our way.

The sandwich’s flavors reminded me of a Monte Cristo, minus the blunt sweetness and oily aftertaste. While I appreciated the sweet and savory double punch, I felt like I didn’t get a true sense of the waffle’s personality. The flavorful filling, coupled with the fact that the waffle was sliced in half, made it difficult to tell whether this baby was the real deal or not.

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