Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

01 Mar 2016

Little Sister – Los Angeles (Downtown)

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The original Little Sister in Manhattan Beach has always piqued my interest, but I never got around to dining there because: Bacon Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits. You know how it goes. It took a shiny new Downtown outlet, as well as the initiative of a few colleagues, for me to finally make my way here. And let me tell you, it was well worth the wait.

Here at this newish and very bustling spot, Chef Tin Vuong cooks up solid Vietnamese and Asian-inspired fare. Drawing from family recipes and his San Gabriel Valley roots, Chef Vuong’s creations are beautifully composed, boldly flavored, and straight-up tasty.

To start, our party ordered one of every item under the “Introductions” section of the menu. First up was the house-made sesame sourdough baguette with Echire AOC butter and sea salt ($5).

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Restaurant Review

23 Feb 2016

Brunch at Taco María – Costa Mesa

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My initial reaction to Jonathan Gold naming Taco María in Orange County the second best restaurant in Los Angeles was, “Wait, what?” My second reaction was, “I gotta get a reservation.”

Chef Carlos Salgado opened the restaurant in the summer of 2013 following stints cooking in the Bay Area at Coi and Commis and running a food truck by the same name in Orange County. Serving Chicano Cuisine, Taco María’s menu is market-driven, modern, and well… Mexican.

While dinner would’ve been the ideal scenario to experience Chef Salgado’s cooking, Sunday brunch was a better fit for the Astro-Gastro family’s schedule. We met up with my O.C.-dwelling friend Courtney and her family to feast.

Brunch, which is served only on Sundays, is a three-course pre-fixe affair priced at $36.

To start, both The Astronomer and I zeroed in on the molletes, grilled bread slathered with refried beans and topped with crumbles of queso fresco.

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Restaurant Review

17 Feb 2016

Union Square Donuts – Boston

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Following our stay in New York, The Astronomer, June, and I boarded a train and zoomed to Boston for high-quality family time with a side of high-quality doughnuts. For the latter part of the equation, we visited Union Square Donuts in Sommerville.

Heather Schmidt and Josh Danoff opened the shop three years ago. Legend has it that he had an idea and she had a recipe. The rest, as they say, is history.

Union Square offers both sweet and yeasted rings, as well as denser cake doughnuts. Between The Astronomer, The Astronomer’s dad, and me, we ordered half a dozen doughnuts to share including a Fluffernutter, Butter Hazelnut Crunch, Sea-Salted Bourbon Caramel, Boston Cream, Apple Crisp, and Vegan Apple Spice.

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