Archive for the 'Seafood' Category

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Son of a Gun – Los Angeles

Son of a Gun - Los Angeles

I like to visit restaurants that are “so-hot-right-now” after they’ve had a chance to cool off a bit. This sentiment isn’t popular among fellow food bloggers (ahem, Kevin and Darin), but I can’t deny that I like my restaurants worn in and comfortable, like an old pair of sneakers.

Some eight months after Son of a Gun opened its doors, my friend Lien and I made our way there for dinner. Whereas chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo focused on nose to tail cooking at their first restaurant, Animal, this follow up effort draws inspiration from coastal seafood shacks.

Son of a Gun - Los Angeles

The 55-seater was packed when Lien and I walked in on a weeknight. We were expecting to be relegated to the communal table since we didn’t have reservations, but were fortunately given two seats at the bar after waiting for twenty minutes. While sharing the communal table would’ve been festive and cozy, Lien and I preferred the relative seclusion the bar offered.

Son of a Gun - Los Angeles

Since neither of us had eaten here before, we ordered a mix of Son of a Gun’s most popular dishes and ones that read interestingly on the menu.

The first dish to arrive was the lobster roll ($7). Stretching three-inches long, the sandwich contained hunks of lemon aioli-dressed Maine lobster tucked into a buttered and toasted roll. Finely chopped chives and potato chips provided the finishing touches.

Lien and I split the roll down the middle. We were prepared to order another serving if necessary, but it turned out that a bite and half each was all that was needed to take in the rich and creamy sandwich.

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Oyster Bar – Las Vegas (Palace Station)

Oyster Bar at Palace Station - Las Vegas

Smack dab in the middle of the Palace Station casino floor is an eighteen-seat Oyster Bar with a cult-like following. I was sent here by three pandas, two hungry ones and one that knows kung food. “Get the pan roast,” they all advised. “And make sure to go at off-peak hours,” they added. Never once have these pandas led me and my stomach astray, so I happily did as I was told.

On our second day in Vegas, The Astronomer and I headed to Palace Station for lunch. In the excitement and anticipation of it all, I forgot to heed my friends’ second piece of advice. As a result, we stood in a lengthy line that ultimately took nearly two hours to get through. Eeek!

Oyster Bar at Palace Station - Las Vegas

The unassuming counter serves a diverse selection of seafood offerings, including a handful with a New Orleans bent. While waiting in line, I met a fellow Angeleno who originally hailed from the South. She’s been coming to Oyster Bar for years now and always orders the gumbo with either rice or pasta. Even though I had decided my fate from the get-go, I briefly considered switching it up. People passionate about their food can be so convincing!

Oyster Bar at Palace Station - Las Vegas

When it finally came time to grab two stools at the bar, I let out an enthusiastic squeal—the moment had finally arrived for me to experience the mysterious pan roast.

Every seat along the counter offered a great view of the open kitchen. The steam-powered pots with tilt-able handles were constantly bubbling away, filling the air with steamy goodness.

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Lobsta Truck – Los Angeles

Lobsta Truck - Los Angeles

It was a red letter day this past Friday night  in Pasadena. Of all the neighborhoods the Lobsta Truck could’ve debuted in, they chose to peddle their wares first in my fair city. How cool is that?

The man behind the truck is Justin Mi, a seafood industry veteran and fellow 626 resident. The idea for the truck was born after a recent gut-busting lobster roll tour through Maine. In the span of two days, he consumed half a dozen specimens, and at the end of it all, he was inspired to bring the simple, clean, and satisfying flavors that he experienced to Los Angeles.

Lobsta Truck - Los Angeles

The unwrapped Lobsta Tuck was parked near the corner of Colorado and Fair Oaks in Old Town Pasadena. A line ten or so deep was already formed when The Astronomer and I arrived on the scene—it was really great to see Pasadenians coming out to show their support. We took our spots  and eagerly anticipated the New England fare coming our way.

Lobsta Truck - Los Angeles

While waiting in line, we contemplated what to order. In addition to lobster rolls, the truck also offers crab rolls, New England clam chowder, Cape Cod chips, whoopie pies, and fresh squeezed lemonade. The lobsters, as well as the split-top buns that both the crab and lobster rolls are served on, are flown in several times each week from the East Coast.

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Neptune Oyster – Boston

Neptune Oyster - Boston

A warm bowl of chunky chowder has its charms, but the number one item on my Boston to-eat list was a luscious lobster roll. While I would have loved to stuff my face with a sandwich from each of the city’s best vendors, time constraints only allowed for one stop. After a good bit of research, including personal interviews with past and current Bostonians, I decided that Neptune Oyster would be the lucky destination.

Neptune Oyster - Boston

Located on the edge of Little Italy in Boston’s North End, Neptune Oyster is a charming seafood shack with an Old World feel. Jeff Nace opened the place six years ago, along with his wife Keli, after serving as beverage manager of Todd English’s Olives in Charlestown for twelve years.

The Astronomer and I lunched here with Rosalind and were seated straightaway. Since the restaurant only has twenty-six banquette seats and sixteen bar stools, a wait is usually inevitable during peak dining hours.

Neptune Oyster - Boston

Before the star of the Neptune Oyster show graced our table, we shared three light bites. I was also hoping for a basket of fried Ipswich clams (market price), but unfortunately the vendor had failed to deliver them this morning. The first appetizer to arrive was the buttermilk Johnnycake smothered with honey butter and topped with a smoked trout tartar and Little Pearl caviar ($16).

With the exception of the strange presentation, I liked everything about this dish. Who knew that a sweet and buttery cornmeal flat bread would pair so tastily with salty fish and caviar? Certainly not me.

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Dongbu Live Fish – Rowland Heights

Dongbu Live Fish - Rowland Heights

Promises of breathtakingly fresh sushi of the Korean variety brought my friends [Ravenous Couple, Kung Food Panda, Two Hungry Pandas, Stellar Recipes] and me to Rowland Heights. We almost always travel west in search of pristine raw fishes, but an enticing lead on a Chowhound thread led us down Rosemead Boulevard and further east on the 60.

Our destination was Dongbu Live Fish, a restaurant specializing in thinly sliced raw seafood known as hwal uh. Dongbu sits in the far corner of strip mall in the same complex as a veterinarian practice and a DIY barbecue joint. It is one of a handful of Korean businesses dotting the city’s mostly Taiwanese landscape.

Dongbu Live Fish - Rowland Heights

The restaurant is run by a family of four. Dad is the chief fisherman and chef, mom serves as his sous, and their son and daughter manage the cash register and serve customers. Together they delivered excellent service and made us feel like we’d been eating Korean sushi our whole lives.

Dongbu Live Fish - Rowland Heights

Our party of seven was seated immediately in the center of the cramped, but homey dining room. The soothing sounds of bubbling and gurgling tanks stocked with all manner of “live fish” provided a fitting soundtrack to our meal.

In addition to the house special hwal uh, Dongbu also serves funky sushi rolls, udon noodles, and rice bowls [see full menu here]. While the offerings sounded tempting, we had our heart and stomachs set on the hwal uh experience. After a short discussion with the restaurant’s owner, we chose the medium-sized serving ($85).

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