Potential Gold

Lemongrass Thai Restaurant - Tarzana

Welcome to Lemongrass - I Loved The Flower On The Tip Of My Straw...

Crispy Fried Springrolls - Just OK - Great Dipping Sauce

Soup - My Father's FAVE - Tom Yum something - He Asks For It The Way He Gets It In Thailand
 It's Good

Yogen Fruz - Tarzana

So it opened a few weeks ago.  It's cool.  The yogurt is okay and after sushi...well, actually I can't say what it's like after sushi since every time I leave Kushiyu I am stuffed with no room for anything, especially yogurt.

The yogurt here is made elsewhere and delivered in small packages.  It's pretty simple for any monkey to whip up some Yogen Fruz...

1. Grab a bar of yogurt.  Make sure the size and color of the packaging is what the customer ordered.

2. Open package and place yogurt in machine.  Add toppings/fruit and turn machine on.  (while the machine works, it basically mixes the yogurt and topping/fruit around itself, blending the ingredients together (as seen at Humphrey Yogart in Sherman Oaks)).

3. Add yogurt back into cup and add spoon - give to customer.  Customer pays and eats.

Easy!

Bossa Nova

One of our all time favorite restaurants in the LA area, Bossa Nova is a must try if you've never been.

 

Now - don't expect fine dining at this place but do know that until 4 AM they crank out delicious pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and Brazilian favorites.

Tonight we were at the Bossa Nova off of Pico Blvd. There is also one on Sunset Blvd. right next door to Falcon.  If you are local to the establishments, they offer a delivery service too.

I 

These little yummy morsels are resemble gougieres and are delicious - I think they're called "cheese bread" on the menu.

One of the tastiest treats was this delicious soft drink called Guarana Antarctica.  This one was a diet offering as that is all they had available and it was delicious.  Served with an orange slice, I could easily be a fan of this drink for a long, long time.  I wonder what kind of cocktails are made with this drink?

Honshu Sushi - Chatsworth, CA

There aren't many great lunch places in the Chatsworth area.  This sushi spot is close to work and isn't bad at all.  Going to sushi is always a treat for me because I know that I can't sit at the bar and leave without spending at least $25 for lunch (which is a lot).

This sushi combo plate was about $16 and came with all that you see here, along with one roll of my choice and a nice amount of edemame.  Now, if I stayed with that, I would leave with about an $18 or $19 check which isn't bad.  You'll see why it got more expensive when you keep reading...

BLD for Brunch - Los Angeles

Another stop on Justinians quick weekend tour was Sunday Brunch - actually - it may have been Saturday Breakfast at BLD on Beverly Boulevard near Fairfax.

We arrived at BLD around noon and found a nice table ready for us on the sidewalk, just what we wanted.  The restaurant was busy as all the tables in the dining room were full of people devouring their salads, pancakes and egg dishes.

(Wow...look at all those Fra' Mani offerings - I really had such a great experience there...)

Another look at the menu and I decided on the Huevos Rancheros.  Limor chose a Frittata and Justin, the poach.

Justin is a true fan of poached eggs and a true fan of pork and luckily for him they put it together on a menu!

These eggs were really good but the only shitty thing about this dish was that the bread or brioche used was days old and hard as a rock.  Not something I would expect and not something of the norm for BLD so it may have just been Justin's bad luck.  The Pork was braised very well and the Potatoes BLD does with the Spanish Chorizo is simply amazing.

Father's Office - Los Angeles - Best Burger & Sweet Potato Fries

Father's Office!

My friend Justin was in town the other week - he was visiting from Minneapolis and needed to get some real, good food into him FAST.  One of our stops on that weekend was to Father's Office in Santa Monica.  After hearing all the hype and rave reviews, we had to try it for ourselves.

To the bar we went because there aren't any servers to take your order.  After a short line, we were helped by one of the friendly bartenders.  For a beverage, Justin was ok with water as the night before we visited Tokyo Delves and anyone who is familiar with Tokyo Delves knows that you can't leave that place sober unless you're the DD.

The bartender helped me choose a glass of Great White from Lost Coast Brewery.  This beer resembled the Hoegaarden which I like so much.

For a snack we ordered the amazing sweet potato fries which are served in a mini shopping cart with a small side of strong blue cheese dipping sauce.  My beer went really well with this.  As we waited for our burger, we took in the atmosphere and had a few laughs.

We arrived at Father's Office at around 5 PM on a Saturday so in my opinion there weren't too many people there, and it wasn't a problem to order and get your food.  It's pretty simple - you order at the bar and get a plastic number - your food magically appears at your seat in a few minutes.

I didn't get the vibe that they don't want you there or that it's a foodie only type of place.  Its much more of a neighborhood bar type of place.  Simple and easy.  If we had bigger appetites, we would have ordered much more food.  Although the prices or above market average, it seems like you really get quality stuff.

Our burger arrived and it looked so good.  It was not what I was expecting.  The oval shaped burger was already cut in half which made it much easier to share.  The meat was cooked medium just the way we ordered it and after the first bite, it was very very good.

I can see how people say that this is the most amazing burger and bla bla bla but in my opinion, the burger was very very good - executed to the dot and I'm sure its exactly what the chef is trying to put out.  The bun was fresh and tasty - it was more bread then a bun - the meat was juicy and well seasoned.  The arugula was tatsty and added the right flavors that worked overall.  The blue cheese was on the money - not too much or overbearing and not too little - all of it was just right.

I can't wait to get back to Father's Office.  I want to go more hungry, and with more friends as it seems like a really fun place to let loose and have a good time with great beers and very tasty food.

XLB - the eating guide & Mei Long Village

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:

Le Pain Quotidien

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

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. 

Sevan Chicken Rotisserie

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?

Blue Corn Tamales

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. 

For more info about Tamales, click here!

Porto's Bakery - Burbank

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.

How Porto's Started

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.

Hamburger Habit - Albacore

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.

 

Omino

Yesterday's Lunch - about $20+

They've got super fresh fish and all of the chefs are super professional - packed at lunch.

The tamago was really great too - no inari though...

Sushi Omino