Gastronomy Blog by Cathy Chaplin

Restaurant Review

10 Aug 2017

Asanebo – Los Angeles (Studio City)

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When The Astronomer and I were invited to a friend’s birthday party in Studio City, we decided to make an evening of it and have dinner beforehand. I mean, if we’re going to go through the trouble of getting a sitter…

The Valley is famous for its sushi restaurants, and Asanebo is one of its oldest and most highly regarded. Chef Tetsuya Nakao and his brother Shunji helped to open Matsuhisa in Beverly Hills prior to opening Asanebo in 1991. Notably, the restaurant received a Michelin star in both 2008 and 2009 when the gastronomical guide recognized Los Angeles-based restaurants.

Since this was our first time dining here, The Astronomer insisted that we experience one of the restaurant’s famed omakase. We selected option B ($140 per person) because it was “recommended for first time guests at Asanebo or for guests who want to try our basic omakase.” It featured the restaurant’s “signature and most popular dishes with sushi.”

While The Astronomer and I almost always see eye-to-eye when it comes to restaurants, we had completely different takes on Asanebo. As a sushi purist, I found the dishes to be over-sauced and much too fussily garnished. On the flip side, The Astronomer really embraced the creativity Asanebo put forth.

Here’s the parade of dishes that graced us at the sushi counter…

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Restaurant Review

03 Aug 2017

Viet Huong Restaurant – El Monte

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On a recent Press Play segment on KCRW, I chatted with Madeleine Brand about where to find the best Vietnamese food in the city of El Monte, the littler Saigon in Los Angeles County. Viet Huong, one of the spots I mentioned on the show, is lighting up Garvey Avenue with its homey Vietnamese cooking.

Opened in 2004 by the Tran family, longtime El Monte residents, Viet Huong’s menu is written in three languages—Vietnamese, English, and Spanish—as a nod to the diversity found in the neighborhood, as well as the restaurant’s clientele.

Four dishes were selected and shared between my lunch-mate and me. First up was the Cha Gio ($5.95), three crisp-golden rolls stuffed with ground pork and served with lettuce, herbs, and nuoc cham. The blistery wrappers, fried to perfection, were literally, shatteringly good.

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Now Closed

24 Jul 2017

Weekend Brunch at A-Frame – Los Angeles (Culver City)

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The Astronomer, June, and I are spending the week on Maui, so it feels like the perfect time to write about the weekend brunch at A-Frame, where Hawaiian grindz rein supreme.

After spending the morning on Venice beach building sand castles, burying feet in the sand, and splashing in the waves, we headed to A-Frame for brunch. I was initially concerned that the scene would be too boisterous for our gal, but I needn’t have worried—June loved the music and vibe.

We placed our order soon after our behinds hit the seats, as parents of toddlers tend to do, and the food arrived quickly. An order of the Musubi Meal ($12) was a must. The protein changes from day to day; today’s trio included Spam, Mochiko Fried Chicken, and Spicy Tuna.

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