A & J Seafood

I've been salivating over the photos from A&J Seafood on Instagram, so since my car still needed more freeway miles, I got on the road to Long Beach on a Sunday afternoon when I could actually drive the speed limit instead of 30 mph on the 405!

It was definitely worth the drive! So easy to find (except for the roundabout which took me a few tries to get back onto the street to the freeway coming back), with plenty of parking and a convenient street light at their corner. 

I got some of their chicken egg rolls, 5 for $6 to eat in the car on the way home:)

I got their instagram famous Cajun bag with a pound of BIG shrimp, mussels, corn on the cob, and potatoes in a mild boil (still spicy) for $25. It was so big that when I finally got home and opened the bag, I didn't think I could finish it in 4 meals! So glad they double plastic bagged it because it was very hot and did leak a bit on my ride home.

Just to be sure there was enough food, I got some grilled beef sticks for $11 that could have been a meal in and of itself! Lemongrass, tumeric, garlic, and shredded pickled veggie side with rice, this was a delightful fragrant appetizer or entrée.

Because my eyes are always bigger than my stomach, especially at prices like $10 for the rice noodles with chicken, shrimp, garlic and chinese broccoli and sausage, I ordered that as well and although it was smothered in sauce and a bit sweet, it was not greasy, and I think I now have enough food for the week!

For a total of $60 with tax and tip, I took home enough food to feed 6-8 people, so it is definitely worth the drive to Long Beach! Next time I will try the giant squid for $8 and the lobster for $40, but I am so glad that I "had" to take my car for more freeway driving and ended up at A & J Seafood!

Mayura Curbside

I've been doing my best to revisit all my favorite restaurants over the past year. I know the ever changing and very challenging Covid 19 restrictions and protocols have everyone scrambling for ways to keep their employees and businesses afloat. I am mindful of small places that don't have the budget and / or personnel to build patios, or offer delivery except through the apps which take 30% of their ticket, so curbside pick up has become my modus operandi for places like Mayura, which are close enough to go to on short notice when a craving hits for Indian food :)

The plate below was one of four meals I made from the order I placed for about $60 including tax and tip! The vegetarian biryani, chana (chickpeas), eggplant masala, and goat curry each had their own spice profile, but they also complemented each other splendidly! The order came with LOTS of white rice, which I did not even touch, a lovely yogurt and cucumber sauce to refresh my palate after the heat caught up with me (I ordered mild on all dishes), some hot pickled veggies, and several crisp thin lentil wafers that were very addictive.

As you can see from the container, the vegetable biryani was a HUGE portion and very fragrant.

All the other items came in durable plastic containers that were filled to the brim!

The next time I don't want to cook for a few days, I'll place another order :)

F.L.E. Mealz

I worked alongside chef Paul of F.L.E. Mealz (Fingr Lickn Eatz) a few years ago, so not only can I attest to his impeccable his culinary skills, but his work ethic and passion for food and his family are paradigms for a happy life. It is a pleasure to finally get a taste of his creations now that he has his own business. Not only does he deliver his food himself, but he follows all the Covid -19 protocols from masks to gloves.

The best part of the food he delivers is freshly made from quality ingredients, and at such affordable prices, you will want to hire him as your personal chef! The portions are generous, the flavors are on point, and he offers a welcome break for me by feeding me when many of my favorite restaurants are on restricted days/hours and I get burn out cooking so often.

I didn't understand that his weekly menu is offered so that each item is available the corresponding day of the week it is listed, so when I sent him a DM to order, I prepaid for the delivery of 4 orders on different days just for convenience and to know that I would not have to cook at least 2 times that week :)

His turkey chili was loaded with beans and veggies, with balanced heat and flavor, which you could adjust with the sliced jalapenos and sour cream accompaniments, and cornbread on the side for only $12 a serving, the large container was a very filling and generous portion.

I love that he included freshly made salsa and cut limes with his chicken fajitas!

This portion was also $12 and I made 2 meals of the delicious beans, rice, and sauteed chicken, onions, and peppers, served with 3 corn tortillas per order.

I can't wait to see what he has on next week's menu so I can schedule in my delicious food delivery for next week!

Pizzana To Go

The health and safety of my loved ones, both in and outside the service and health industries, has meant that I have not eaten at a restaurant in nearly a year. To support my beloved friends and restaurants, I regularly get curbside pick up or sometimes opt for delivery (not using an app whenever there is an option). Today's post is on Pizzana, which I visited almost exactly 1 year ago today! My previous post was about dining there, but I have gotten curbside pick up of both the meal I ate there and the one in this post, and I wanted to encourage everyone to get curbside pick up of their favorite meals in this post. 

For food like pizza, many places now offer the option of uncut pies so that you can heat it at home in your oven. Do it. It makes all the difference to be able to eat a great pizza HOT!

The salads come packed with the salad dressing separate so the greens are not soggy and wilted by the time you get home:) I chose the tricolore for $15 with arugula, treviso, endive, cherry tomatoes, candied walnuts, red wine vinaigrette, and parmigiano reggiano.

The Bianca for $20 with fennel sausage fior di latte, shaved fennel and red onion  was superb, especially with the shaved fennel topping packed separately to top the hot pizza out of the oven.

The only mistake I made was only ordering one pizza and one salad for pick up ;)