Perspective

When you step away and see a different perspective, you understand the more complete meaning ...

May you all discover more perspectives that enhance your life :)

Rain and Fire

With the "Shelter In Place" in California, I won't be posting a regular restaurant blog post, but you can still follow my food (and life) adventures via Instagram. I may change the format a bit to be recipes that I'm making (or inventing), or take out I'm getting, or maybe a new food related inspiration will emerge.

If you would like to help your local restaurants survive, please take a look at https://www.saverestaurants.co/ , buy takeout directly from the restaurants you love, buy a gift card, or simply ask them what they would like you to do to support them.

Sending love and appreciation to all my food service friends; please DM me if you need anything and I will either help or find a resource to help.

A reminder that even while it rains, warmth can be created :)

Ramen Retrospective

With all the best practices protocols put into place for many states (CA guideline here) and cities, including Los Angeles, I am doing my part by ordering take out, delivery, or cooking until we are cleared for the health and well being of all. To help keep the restaurants you love in business, buy a gift card to use later, or take advantage of the new curbside pick up many offer now.

Unfortunately it is not only the elderly with pre-existing conditions who are at risk, many of us may seem healthy without symptoms, but may be carriers to more vulnerable people. Because I am in close proximity to several people with compromised immune systems I am wearing gloves and a face mask in any interactions outside my home.

Take out pictures not as pretty as plated dine-in pictures, so for today's post I went through some comfort food photos of ramen from other posts I took when I dined out; which one do you think was my favorite? (I won't divulge names, but it was #2).

Hopefully we will all remain healthy as we ride this wave of uncertainty, and that really is the point isn't it?

Avenue Italy

When an Italian immigrant in Los Angeles says that an Italian restaurant is good, that carries more weight for me than someone who has either never been to Italy and/or someone who has never had an Italian home made meal. Having both been to Italy (different regions) several times, and had the wonderful fortune of knowing Italians who have cooked for me in their home, I am picky, so I was nicely surprised that Avenue Italy in Palos Verdes served up some delightful bites.

I judge restaurants by their bread; if it is great, it is a portend of more great flavors to come, but if it is bad, my suspicions and doubts begin to taint my opinion of food coming out afterwards. Thankfully the focaccia was a great preview of things to come, with an olive oil and herb side that was addictive.

We decided to order the Insalata di Barbabietole from the regular menu for $15 with baby spring greens, roasted beets, candied walnuts, dried cranberries, feta, and a lovely balsamic vinaigrette.

Their calamari for $18 was perfectly executed, with a light crisp exterior and tender calamari accompanied by a lightly spicy tomato sauce that was so good we could have eaten it by the spoonful!

Even though we only really ordered two appetizers, we were too full to order anything else, so we know what that means....#ReturningSoon :)

Kogi Taqueria

Ten years ago I stood in line for an hour to get a taste of the elusive Kogi truck menu because they ran out of food! It was worth the wait as you can read from my first blog post about them. As the saying goes, things have come a long way in 10 years :) 

Kogi Taqueria is a brick and mortar that not only has (nearly) unlimited food, but also parking (which is as elusive in Los Angeles as being able to drive over 50 mph on the 405 at 5pm during the week).

Their famous calamari taco is still only $4 and as delicious as it was a decade ago.

The OG Style Burrito for $7 is the king of Korean Mexican fusion at its best with enough umami and comfort food to make either culture happy and satiated.

 The kimchi quesdilla for $7 is a nice compliment to the 

blackjack quesadilla for $8 that will have you switching bites between the two trying to decide which one you prefer.

The best part of living within driving distance of the brick and mortar kitchen is that you never have to decide between one or the other because everything on the menu is (probably) available and you can eat it all (or at least as much as you want)!