Oct 2011

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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Oct 2011

Stella Barra Pizzeria – Los Angeles (Santa Monica)

Stella Rossa - Santa Monica

Pizza dates are the best. Whether with a friend or lover, a feast of pies all but guarantees a hearty spread, fair prices, and best of all, leftovers for breakfast.

The Astronomer and I headed to Stella Rossa Pizza Bar in Santa Monica for our latest pizza date. Though barely six months old, the restaurant has made quite an impact on the city’s pizza scene. In fact, one old school restaurant critic even declared Stella’s pizzas some of the best in the world.

Stella Rossa - Santa Monica

The restaurant’s open kitchen is headed by Chef Jeff Mahin, a Cal grad who’s worked in some mighty fine kitchens including L2O, The Fat Duck, Nobu, and Arzak.

The key to Stella’s stellar pizzas is the dough. Made from milled flour from the San Joaquin Valley, filtered water, sea salt, and fresh yeast, the dough rests and ferments for thirty hours in special jars.

Stella Rossa - Santa Monica

To start, The Astronomer and I shared the prosciutto plate ($12.95) from the “For the Table” section of the menu. Pork products from La Quercia never fail to make me weak in the knees, and these silky slices of prosciutto rossa were no exception. The Astronomer and I were also taken by the amazing house-made bead dipped in Olave olive oil from Chile. All in all, this was a killer starter.

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Oct 2011

Vietnamese Steak and Eggs at Quán Lệ Hồng

Quan Le Hong - Ho Chi Minh City

Much to The Astronomer’s dismay, traditional steakhouses just aren’t my thing. While I can appreciate a slab of meat as much as the next carnivore, I’d rather sink my teeth into noodles, fried chicken, sushi, and the like whenever we eat out. However, there is one worthy exception to my general sentiment: Vietnamese-style steak. It’s hardly the tenderest cut or preparation, but the flavors and fixings make it impossible to resist.

Quan Le Hong - Ho Chi Minh City

An expat magazine pointed The Astronomer and me to Lệ Hồng, a popular steak shack hidden away in Phú Nhuận District. We came for lunch and dined amongst local office workers, as well as a dozen motorbikes because the dining room doubled up as a parking lot.

Quan Le Hong - Ho Chi Minh City

Each order of steak comes with a simple side salad made of iceberg lettuce, pickled shallots, sliced tomatoes, and cilantro sprigs. The vegetables are lightly dressed in a vinaigrette made from white vinegar.

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