Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

28 Sep 2015

The Trails Cafe at Griffith Park – Los Angeles (Los Feliz)

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The Astronomer and I took June on her first “hike” at Griffith Park earlier this summer. She has quite an affection for the outdoors and loved gazing at the trees on our stroll. Afterward, the three of us stopped by The Trails Cafe for a small bite to eat.

Located near the edge of the park on Fern Dell Drive, The Trails Cafe is an idyllic walk-up eatery serving coffee, tea, baked goods, and sandwiches. Shaded picnic tables make for the best kind of al fresco dining. Mother Nature trumps city sidewalks every time.

I, unsurprisingly, desired pie. The restaurant was fresh out of classic apple since we visited late in the day, so I took a chance on a slice of vegan peach. The crust, which used Earth Balance shortening, was well constructed and tasty. It lacked the richness and flakiness of an all-butter crust, but I didn’t really mind. The peach filling was plentiful and spiced with a bit of cinnamon. (more…)

Restaurant Review

22 Sep 2015

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams – Los Angeles (Los Feliz)

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L.A.’s ice cream scene is on fire. The local offerings have always been superb (see: Fosselman’s, Carmela, and Scoops), but with national superstars like Columbus’ Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams and Portland’s Salt & Straw coming to town recently, there’s never been a better time to go out for a scoop, take home a pint, or better yet, both.

Founded by Jeni Britton Bauer in 2002, Jeni’s proudly makes every ice cream, sorbet, and frozen yogurt “from the ground up” using milk from grass-grazed cows and local produce from small farms. Quality input means quality output—it’s as simple as that.

Whereas The Astronomer selected light and refreshing flavors on our visit, I desired something far more decadent. For him: one scoop of red raspberry sorbet and another of mango lassi frozen yogurt. Both were tart, tangy, and just sweet enough. (more…)

Now Closed

10 Sep 2015

Pok Pok Phat Thai – Los Angeles (Chinatown)

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The arrival of Pok Pok Phat Thai was a mixed bag for me. As a Thai food lover, I was thrilled to have superb regional noodles available a stone’s throw from home. The only downside was that the restaurant took the space formerly occupied by Hoan Kiem, a Northern Vietnamese spot that served terrific banh cuon and pho ga. Alas, that’s how the cookie crumbles sometimes.

Phat Thai is the first of two Pok Pok concepts that Chef Andy Ricker is bringing to L.A. His full-service Pok Pok, which I was a fan of when I visited it in Portland, should be arriving before year’s end.

Phat Thai’s menu is succinct, and service is efficient. After ordering at the counter and grabbing a seat at the communal picnic table out front, we received our food within five minutes or so. Fast service makes for happy parents, always.

I had heard (and read) that careful application of condiments is key to a great Pok Pok experience. Otherwise, the food can taste bland. This cart full of fish sauce, sugar, and vinegar was on hand to season our dishes to taste. The chili-spiked fish sauce and fresh lime juice were essential for Pok Pok perfection for The Astronomer and me.

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