One of my favorite foods in the whole wide world is Xiao Long Bao aka XLB. XLB is a dumpling which literally translates to "little basket bun".
These are commonly found in the areas of Shanghai and Wuxi, China. Here in the US, XLB are also referred to as Soup Dumplings.
These little pockets of love are worldly. A thin, slightly translucent, unleavened dough surrounds meat which has been steamed. In preparation, the meat includes a good amount of gelatin that once steamed, turns into soup within the wrapper of the dumpling.
Most commonly served with vinegar and slivers of ginger, I love to eat my XLB in the following way:
This gem sits on the busy Ventura Blvd. just a few steps from Il Tramezzino. With eleven franchises in the Los Angeles area and fifteen in New York, this little shop is on the move. Although the company is large, with franchises all over the world, the feel inside is that of a well run, privately held cafe.
On my first visit the cheese plate was disappointing but what I really loved is the coffee. Served similar to the fashion that Cafe Fanny serves their coffee, in a bowl, the rich cream and great brew just lit up my face. Add a touch of sweet agave nectar (instead of sugar) and I'm a happy 'yamper'.
Il Tramezzino - a place I first went to in Beverly Hills is now opening in Tarzana. The photos above were taken at the location in Sherman Oaks on Ventura Boulevard just west of Coldwater Canyon.
"Il Tram," as everyone calls it, is well known for its light and quick bites and also as a place to see and be seen. For some reason unclear to me, this place is very IN at the moment. I remember going there late one night and enjoying a hot croissant filled with Nutella and sliced Bananas.
This is definitely not an advertisement for this establishment, but merely a public announcement. If you ingest the garlic sauce...beware of the side effects which may include horrible breath and unpleasant "burps".
I did try this place on one of the first weeks of its existence at the new location off of Lassen and Mason in Chatsworth, CA. This location was previously a KFC so the fitting for a chicken restaurant was perfect but I gave to ask myself why KFC left the area - maybe the demographic was off?
At the farmer's market there are always lots of pretty good booths that offer an array of flavors. This past weekend we tried the Tamale vendor. With many flavors of Masa and different fillings, we chose the Blue Corn filled with Jack Cheese and Roasted Green Peppers.
The combination was great and the Tamale was very well seasoned and delicious.
Porto's is a true phenomenon. Upon arrival to this magical place, you get awestruck by how many people are in line and how massive of a project this really is.
It's always nice to walk into a place and watch it run, and this place sure does run like a well oiled machine. There is plenty of staff and the long lines pass quickly - try it if you're in the area.
We often stop there on the way to the Burbank Airport (Bob Hope) as it's right on the way.
Make sure to try the Cuban influenced snacks and save room for some sweets.
Back in 2001 I worked at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, California. I was out there on an externship under Jamie West. Great times were had but one of the best things about the experience was that I lived right behind the original Hamburger Habit in Goleta.
After a long night on the line (maybe not, since we didn't do that many covers at all!) the Habit was always there for a snack or breakfast around 1.30 pm - before getting to work.
Back then, I knew they had something going for them. There was another Habit on S. Milpas near the beach and another on State Street.
The logo was sharp and the menu fresh and 'light'.
Now they are popping up all over the LA area with a new location near my work in Chatsworth.
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