Best of L.A.

Not surprisingly, one of my favorite ways to research restaurants to search blogs for reviews. I came upon a great one today full of helpful info:

http://eatnymuchdependsondinner.blogspot.com

It inspired me to write this post.

Here are my favorite things to eat in L.A., slanted heavily toward my neighborhood:

Baguette (non-restaurant): LA Bread - bought at SL Cheese

Bread (restaurant): Lucques (WeHo)

Breakfast potatoes: Madame Matisse (hash browns) (SL)

Cappuccino: Intelligentsia (Silver Lake "SL"). Runners-up (in order): Urth Caffe, Caffe Luxxe in SM, and LA Mill (SL)

Charcuterie (restaurant): AOC

Cheese (store): Cheese Store of SL

Crab: Hungry Cat (crab legs w/ mustard butter; stone crab claws) (Hollywood)

Croissant: Urth Caffe (grilled)

Cupcake: Clementine (Chocolate w/ cream filling--westside); Lark (chocolate coconut--SL)

Dessert (restaurant): Pizzeria Mozza (Butterscotch budino)

Breakfast sandwich: Cafe Tropical (egg and cheese croissant)

French fries: Blair's (SL); Comme Ca (mid-city); Father's Office (SM).

Gelato: Osteria Mozza (olive oil gelato)

Guacamole: Rosa Mexicano (downtown); El Carmen (mid-City)

Ice cream (packaged): McConnell's Vanilla Bean and Turkish Coffee (sold at Gelson's, among other stores)

Ice cream sandwich: Nelson's (at Terranea resort in PV); Zax (RIP)

Iced coffee: Intelligentsia (Angeleno - SL)

Italian dessert: Angelini Osteria (Marscapone)

Mac n Cheese: Forage (SL)

Margaritas: El Carmen (mid-city); Loteria (Hollywood); Malo (SL)

Noodles (Vietnamese): Viet Noodle Bar (Atwater)

Oysters: Water Grill (downtown); Hungry Cat (Hollywood)

Pancakes: Little Dom's (Los Feliz)

Pasta: Osteria Mozza and Angelini Osteria

Pizza: Garage Pizza (SL); Vito's (mid-City); Casa Bianca (SL); Pizzeria Mozza

Pupusas: Farmer's Mkt stand (SL on Sat., Atwater on Sun.)

Roast Chicken: Comme Ca (WeHo)

Quiche: Canele (quiche lorraine served at brunch--Atwater)

Sandwiches: Larchmont Deli (Soppressata); Joan's on Third (Proscuitto and also Turkey Meatloaf)

Savory treat: Porto's (potato balls -- Glendale)

Sea Urchin: Hungry Cat (Hollywood) (seasonal)

Seared Toro: Azami (RIP)

Sushi: Sushi Gen (Little Tokyo); Saito's (SL); Zo (westside); Azami (RIP)

Tacos (restaurant): Loteria (carne desebrada - mid-City and Hollywood)

Back in the game!

My blog has been out of commission for 2 1/2 years. Keegan, my nearly 18 month old, is the reason. (Food blogging while pregnant proved a challenge.)

However, I realized today after reading some NYC food blogs that I really need to get mine up and running again. Fingers crossed that I find the time...

I've missed it.

All'Angelo

I have been slacking for the last few months--catching up on old posts I started but never finished, hence the many posts showing up as "October 2007." This is another old post--I actually ate this meal some time last summer. I feel this place is pretty underrated though, so wanted to put this post up. I hope to update it soon given the menu has changed a bit and now includes small plates.
It was dark in the restaurant so forgive the lack of clarity.

First starter we had was octopus carpaccio.
By far the best octopus dish I have ever had. So unbelievably tender.
Even those who would not touch octopus before should try this.

Charcuterie plate
Pretty hard to look at the beautiful slicer in the dining room and not go for the charcuterie plate for two. Fabulous.

Ravioli with mushrooms
My husband ordered this pasta, which was a tad thick for my tastes. However, the flavor was very good and the ingredients top notch.

Spaghetti chitarra with summer truffles
This past summer spaghetti chitarra became my favorite pasta to try around town. I had one a few weeks before this at Angelini that knocked my socks off. This was not on that level but was still very good. The sauce was amazing but again, the pasta was not on the level of Osteria Mozza or Angelini.

We had a terrific Italian wine, and overall the food was very good. I believe we finished with a lemon budino for dessert and a solid cappuccino, though for some reason I didn't photograph it. I went back a month or two later and had another very good meal, this time with more attentive service. I hope to return soon and see how it is holding up against the stiff competition (insane how many Italian restaurants have opened in L.A. in one year!)

http://www.allangelo.com/
Location: Melrose just west of La Brea

Tetsuya's (Sydney, Australia) - as of 2007, best meal of my life

My husband and I went to Australia for our honeymoon in October of 2006. We had lots of great meals, but it is the dinner at Tetsuya's that I am still thinking about one year later. I didn't have a blog then, but I did take some pics and because as of yet I have not had a better meal, I figured I'd go ahead and share my experience now. Note we were just getting the hang of taking photos in low light so these are not the greatest.

It was my husband's birthday, and the last night of our honeymoon, so we decided to splurge and try Tetsuya Wakuda's famous restaurant. We took a cab to the restaurant, and the cab pulled up to a gate, as if we were going to a private house in the middle of the Sydney business district. After we were "buzzed in," we pulled into a circular driveway, and were greeted at our car and escorted in. Wow. Quite a first impression!

The restaurant is Japanese in style, and has one entire wall of glass, which looks out onto a Japanese garden. Very different from any U.S. restaurant I have been to. The restaurant has a pretty serene vibe, but does not feel stuffy. We did the tasting menu, which I believe is your only option, and opted for wine pairings, all of which we liked (but do not recall one year later).

Sweet Corn Soup with Basil Ice Cream
This was a nice start. It sounds weirder than it tasted--both creamy and refreshing.

Tartare of tuna on sushi rice with avocado
This was familiar but beautifully done. The presentation alone wowed me.

Tuna marinated in soy & marin, soy smoked ocean trout w/ asparagus, and marinated NZ scampi w/ chicken parfait & walnut
Again, some familiarity given all of our sushi excursions, but still top notch all around. The third piece, the scampi, but was the most unique for me.

Confit of Tasmanian ocean trout w/ konbu, daikon & fennel w/ seasonal green salad
I'd had Tasmanian ocean trout before but this by far took the cake. (Apparently this is a signature dish). The texture of the konbu (kelp) seemed to bring this dish to another level. The roe was also outstanding. Just a great dish overall.

Ravioli of Queensland crab w/ tomato & basil vinaigrette
This was delicious. The ravioli was perfectly cooked and the crab and the sauce went well together.

Twice-cooked deboned spatchcock w/ braised daikon & bread sauce
This may sound crazy, but this dish actually brought me to tears. To tears! And it was not just all the wine I had been drinking. It was to date the most memorable dish of my life. I had to ask them what this deliciousness was all about. Our server explained it was a baby chicken (poussin), which they debone, flatten out, then roll up and double cook (?). I hope I get to visit Sydney again so I can try this one more time.

Grilled wagyu beef w/ Asian mushrooms and lime jus
After the last dish, hard to compete but this managed not to disappoint. The beef was incredible and the preparation thankfully did not overshadow it. I thought at this point there would be little food left to come, but I was wrong...

Cheese plate
The cheese plate was nice. I don't recall much else, but I know I liked it.

Beet root and blood orange sorbet
Very refreshing and perfect for this point in the meal.

Vanilla bean ice cream w/ white beans and dates
I was so full but this was so creamy and delicious I had to eat half.

Ginger & lime creme brulee
I am sort of a traditionalist about creme brulee, but Tetsuya's version perfectly suited the style of food w/o veering too far away from what makes creme brulee so great. Another winner.

Floating island w/ vanilla bean & praline anglaise
This was not my favorite but I honestly could only take a bite at this point anyway. So full!

Cappuccino
As was true of everywhere in Australia, the coffee was very good.

The best overall meal of our lives to date, and a perfect time to hit that mark. The service was attentive but not overbearing. I hope others get to try this amazing restaurant!

Matyson (Philadelphia)

This was my third visit to Matyson. The first time, soon after it had first opened, I was pretty unimpressed. I returned in 2006, and thought the restaurant had really hit its stride. This visit did not change my mind - it's not adventurous food, but most dishes are well-executed with good flavors. My sister and I split a few dishes and all but one were very good. Plus, it's a BYOB, so very reasonable for the quality of the meal. Service was also courteous and attentive. Note the chef has left, but I hear the sous chef took over and quality has not slipped.

Grilled Quail & Spinach Salad
This was really lovely. It was served with bits of warm butternut squash, candied pecans, blue cheese, & honey mustard vinaigrette. The quail was so nicely done.

Fried Virgina Oysters
Sorry, no photo of these. The oysters were served with brussels sprouts, warm bacon vinaigrette, spiced onion marmalade. Just ok.

Baby Spanish Rock Octopus
This was served with Chick peas, chorizo, jalapeno, & smoked paprika aioli. A little scary looking but so delicious. Especially that chorizo. Wow.

Lemon Lime Souffle Tart with Blackberry sorbet


Chocolate cake
I don't remember much about this, except that it was very creamy and moist (a cross btwn a ganache and a mousse cake). I would have liked a contrasting flavor, but this would definitely satisfy any chocolate freak.

Website: www.matyson.com
Location: Just north of Chestnut on 19th in Center City.