Gastronomy Blog

Restaurant Review

09 Dec 2019

Birdie G’s – Santa Monica

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One of the most highly-anticipated openings of 2019 was Birdie G’s in Santa Monica. The Eater LA team met up for dinner at Chef Jeremy Fox’s homage to Midwestern fare this past summer and managed to make a sizable dent in the impressively extensive menu.

First up for me was a fitting and fine cocktail called “Mum’s An Old Fashioned Gal” ($15) made with chrysanthemum, cane sugar, Sazerac rye, barrel aged bitters, and a lemon twist.

Lighter bites included the burrata tomato salad with a fermented tomato vinaigrette, basil, capers, and Calabrian anchovies ($19)…

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Restaurant Review

04 Dec 2019

Malibu Seafood – Malibu

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Daytime dates with The Astronomer are a rare treat, so I packed the schedule for maximum good times. Before making our way to Malibu, we stopped into Bill’s Burgers in Van Nuys for a hearty bite. From there, we drove further west and hopped aboard a wine safari at Saddlerock Ranch. Last but not least, we headed to the coast for lunch at Malibu Seafood. Whatta day!

There are many dining options up and down the Pacific Coast Highway, but we settled on the nearly fifty-year-old Malibu Seafood for its unfussy environs and promises of expertly fried seafood.

After waiting in a sizable line and placing our order at the counter, The Astronomer and I settled into an outdoor picnic table to wait for our food.

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Restaurant Review

25 Nov 2019

Noodle Palace – Rosemead

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Wonton-goers still weep for the loss of Noodle Boy, but so it goes in the cut-throat San Gabriel Valley restaurant scene. Taking over its space is Noodle Palace, a Shanxi-style restaurant serving an assortment of cold dishes, dumplings, and pancakes, along with knife-cut and hand-formed noodles.

With so many flour-forward items to sample, it’s best to come in for lunch or dinner with two or three friends. While it might be hard to resist jumping straight in for noodles, please take a pause for pigs ears ($10).

The densely packed terrine, mesmerizingly stratified and full of cartilage and skin, arrived in satisfyingly thick slices. The sweet chile soy sauce served alongside took the ears’s snappy texture and gelatinous chew to the next level.

Following a pause for pigs ears was a parade chock-full of carbs. The scallion pancake ($3.99), draped on the plate like the coziest winter throw, delighted us with its light and flaky layers and subtle green onion glow.

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