Sunny Spot In The Marina

Sunny Spot is an aptly named eatery in Marina Del Rey with an expansive enclosed patio which allows glimpses of blue skies even during the grayest of Southern California days. Our weather this week has been overcast skies with temperatures that have hovered in the 60-70 Fahrenheit range. Fortunately the smiles and the Caribbean ambiance here would brighten even rainy days, and they have indoor seating if the rumor is true that it truly rains in Southern California.

I am always impressed when the service team works together, but I am absolutely astounded when a manager steps in to take orders and clear plates. Matt, the manager during a prime time Sunday brunch came to take my order, gave it to my waitress, came back, cleared my plate, and asked how everything was, all with the grace of a symphony conductor who was filling in for one of the musicians in his orchestra, never missing a note.

I learned that one reason that brunch is so popular is that they offer bottomless mix and match cocktails like Mimosas and Bloody Marys for $10, so people come and stay all afternoon. I tried a Bloody Mary and it was delicious, with enough spice and kick to rival another brunch hot spot, Joe's, in nearby Venice. Although it was VERY loud, several people came with children in strollers, so this place is a kid friendly for brunch. Hopefully the kids in the strollers all had a sober driver to get them home.....

My waitress recommended the "Cash Money Calamari" for $9 ($6 during happy hour) and when it arrived I was disappointed with the color, which made it look undercooked. It was perfectly tender and lightly salted, but for aesthetics I would have preferred a more golden appearance. The spicy cocktail sauce and lemon helped, but it lacked flavor that would have made it special.

Since I wanted something spicy, and they are known for their wings marinated in habanero for $9 ($5 during happy hour), I segued on to their jerk wings. At first bite, I didn't feel any spice, but as I kept eating the warmth glowed like an ember, a bit stronger with every bite. If you are in the least bit sensitive to heat, do NOT get these because although I loved the flavor, by the end of my second wing I was looking for some milk. If you love heat, go for these. They are not super crispy even though they are double fried, but they are not mushy or greasy either.

The "one fisted" slider was adorable, about 3" in diameter, on a brioche bun with tomato jam, arugula, cheddar, herb mayo, and the perfect bar bite at $3 during happy hour or you can get the "two fisted" burger for $13 which is "normal" sized.

The brunch menu had a "Sunfire chicken salad" which is their Sunfire Salad, made butter lettuce, radicchio, arugula, cauliflower, grapefruit, goat cheese, a chili lime vinaigrette, made with the addition of jerk chicken for $13. This was my least favorite item because the jerk chicken was barely spiced, the greens were overly dressed, and it was not tossed well, with nearly all of the ingredients at the bottom of the plate under the lettuce. Because I ordered this during their Brunch and they were literally jam packed, I might try this again when the kitchen isn't slammed.

When the hostess, wait staff, bus staff, and manager all work together as a team during the height of a holiday brunch and manage to stay upbeat as they do their work, they bring a bright Sunny Spot to the gloomiest days in Marina Del Rey.

Wildcraft Sourdough Pizza

Sourdough Pizza? Yes, you read that correctly. Wildcraft has combined a Neapolitan style pizza place with gastropub ingredients to create a hybrid that works. With a wood oven that heats to 900 degrees Farenheit, the pizzas are literally made to order and delivered to you in minutes. For those die hard fans of authentic Napoli or New York style pizza, this is neither, but it is a nice fusion stepchild of both. This is the latest venture by the people who created Abigaile in Hermosa Beach, so it's nice that I get the same food talent now closer to home.


Located in the heart of Culver City, it is easy to access with two free parking structures and is walking distance to both the movie theater and Sony studios. Whether you are watching a movie or making one nearby, this is a convenient place for lunch, happy hour, or dinner.

I could make a meal out of the appetizers here. The fried green olives wrapped in fennel sausage, topped with grated parmesan and almonds for $8 ($5 during happy hour) are the perfect small bites to share for those who want a bit of meaty substance to a bar bite.

When I ordered these I thought the olives were stuffed WITH the fennel sausage, but the olives are stuffed IN the fennel sausage. It actually tastes better this way because it tastes more like meat with a surprise filling, and how often do you find that?

For vegetarians, there are several pizzas and menu items like the baby spinach salad with salt roasted beets, walnuts, goat cheese, and avocado in a balsamic dressing for $9-14 depending on the size. You can add chicken to this and make it a heartier dish if you wish for $3.25. The one pictured is the large size and I recommend this only for a full meal unless you are a a large rabbit! The flavors were superb, but the dressing was a bit excessive, so if you like your greens lightly dressed, ask for your dressing on the side.

Another one of the appetizers I could eat as a meal by itself is the tuna crudo with veggie couscous, pistachios, and pea tendrils for $14 ($10 during happy hour). This is a light and filling dish that would please any pescatarian. What other pizza place would have this on their menu?

I had to try one of their pizzas, so I went with the white pizza with pork belly, fresh Manila clams, oregano, and red onions for $17 (I could not find nor taste any of the chilies nor fried sage that was supposed to have been on this pizza). I was very pleasantly surprised to find that I liked the slightly sourdough crust and that the toppings worked well together. I would have liked more toppings and the missing chilies and fried sage would have added a nice complexity that I found lacking in this pizza, but I enjoyed it enough to take half of the 12" pie home.

Go for their "Rest & Relaxation" happy hour from 4-7pm when you can get a Cabernet or Pinot Gris for $5, or one of their micro brew ales for $4. They offer complimentary flat or sparkling filtered water, and if you want a full meal with dessert, they also have espresso and tea.
Sometimes Californian hybrids work, and they do in this case.

A Taste of Ado

A couple I met at a wine tasting event at Wally's recommended Ado to me, and since people who know good wine usually know good food and visa versa, I went to taste for myself. Ado has two locations, the original, located in a converted house, and a smaller more casual outpost, both located in Venice. Both locations are in areas where parking can be a challenge, but the larger one has valet parking, so that was the one I chose.

The current menu is somewhat different with slightly higher prices than what is on their website, so be aware of that if you are planning to go based on what you see from their menu online.

The house is charming with a seating area downstairs, upstairs and on a terrace outdoors.

I rarely see watercress available, so I chose this salad with hearts of palm, roasted almonds, pecorino cheese and watercress for $13. It had a light balsamic dressing and the textures worked well together.

I wanted to order the menu item I saw online for tagliatelle with wild boar, but it was not on the menu. Instead I ordered the tagliatelle with rabbit and dried figs for $24. The pasta was wonderful, freshly made, light, and al dente, the ground rabbit was tasty, and the unusual addition of dried figs somehow worked with this dish, giving it some sweetness, but mostly some texture and a slightly earthiness with the crimni mushrooms.

I had a nice glass of Rosso for $15 with my meal, and a very good decaf espresso to finish.

The service was excellent with professional Italians who were clearly trained professionals, and the ambiance is relaxed yet upscale enough to make this place a destination for either a special occasion or a place to go in the neighborhood when you don't want to cook. They are open 7 days a week, so you can go to their house for dinner any night you wish:)

Brunch @ Eveleigh

You can find the Eveleigh hidden behind a wooden fence. This former residence was remodeled into a restaurant, and if you want to find it, you have to keep an eagle eye out. If you blink, you can easily miss the entrance to the restaurant's valet parking ($6), a few feet East of the big florescent green rotund building.

There are two outdoor spaces, so try to come on a warm sunny day when you can enjoy the trees, grass, and climate of Southern California. Since this was a home, this means that the former owners had the unheard of luxury of a front and back yard on Sunset Boulevard!

The offer decent wines by the glass, but because they also offer signature cocktails, I tried the Poor Carlito, made with Milago tequila, fresh lime, honey, and smoked salt for $12. I enjoyed this salty citrusy take on Margaritas and would have had another if I didn't need to drive home (it was so smooth I didn't realize how strong it was until I had finished it).

One of the special sandwiches was a Sloppy Joe, made with pulled pork, pickled red onions, and a creamy horseradish mayonnaise on foccacia for $16. The bread was dense and tasty, but I loved the contrast of the rich pulled pork with the pickled red onions. The portion was so big I ended up eating the filling with a fork after eating some of the bread. This was definitely too "sloppy" and big to eat with your hands. Thankfully, the waiter brought me a steak knife to help me conquer this hearty lunch. The chips were good, but were unevenly salted, so I concentrated on the sandwich.

I thought it was an appropriate way to start off St. Patrick's Day Week-end by getting the ‘bubble & squeak’, made with corned brisket, fingerling potato hash, kale, scotch egg for $14. I LOVED the scotch egg! For anyone who has never had one, get this dish and you will be hooked on the crispy batter fried egg done to a perfect medium (solid white, running yolk). The corned beef was meltingly tender and flavorful, and the kale and onions added a nice change of texture and flavor to the rich egg and meat. My only critique was that it was very greasy (that is oil you see at the bottom of the photo) so do not order this dish if you are counting your calories.

With a wonderful space, unique cocktails, and great meat dishes, this is a place for anyone who wants a tranquil getaway for a brunch or lunch on Sunset.*

*Since tomorrow is the Los Angeles Marathon, this entire strip of Sunset is towaway starting at 4am March 17, so if you want to eat brunch here, plan to park else where and walk (you CAN walk in Los Angeles, especially since so many others will be running:)

Frequent Wine Flights

I am a frequent Air Tahiti Nui customer, banking my miles so I can fly in an upgraded class or get a free flight in return for my loyalty. It's nice when a wine bar offers a similar program for loyal patrons who buy wine flights.

The Next Door by Josie has started Tuesday Night Wine Flights. For $15 you get four pours of any of the wines they offer by the glass and when you get four stamps on your "Wine Flight Boarding Pass", your next wine flight is on Josie!

And for those of you who want to come to Los Angeles to experience this deal, Air Tahiti Nui has now teamed with Expedia and they are offering a 10% discount on all new hotel reservations worldwide when you book and pay by March 31, 2013, just use code ATN10U. If you prefer to go to Tahiti or any of her islands, the discounts are even better, at 25-50% off.

Looks like it's time to formulate my flight plans :)

A New Food Affair

The best remedy for a sad love affair is a new one which is better.

A Food Affair is the perfect antidote to my grief of bad owner attitude and a revolving chef in residence from my formerly favorite French bistro. I had to keep eating out until I found a better combination of food and service.

Tonight I found the perfect neighborhood French bistro. Not only is the food superb, but the couple who own it are professionals who know how to be personable. This place only opened 4 months ago, but from my experience tonight, they will be here for as long as they wish to be.

This is truly a place for a friendly feast, and BYOB with no corkage means you can enjoy your meal with your favorite wine.

They offer nice rustic bread, butter and olives on the table.

I started with a charred romaine salad with crispy pancetta, blue cheese, pomegranate seeds and roasted bosc pear for $8 that could have been a meal in and of itself. Great combination of flavors and lovely presentation.

I chose the Boeuf Bourguignon for $18 which came with wild mushrooms, paparadelle, pearl onions, turkey bacon and carrots that was so perfectly done, I don't think I will ever go to the trouble of making it myself again. The portion was so generous that I ended up taking half of it home.

I tried the Bouillabaise another night and it invoked memories of Nice with fragrant fennel, leeks and grape tomatoes in a light seafood broth. The fish and seafood were cooked perfectly and I highly recommend this dish to anyone who wants something filling yet light.

For dessert my eyes immediately went to the Tahitian Vanilla crème brûlée which was absolutely perfect with the lightly burnt sugar topping and the creamy vanilla custard.

Even though I was full, I still wanted to taste a chocolate dessert, so Babette (one of the owners) suggested the 3 chocolate terrine since it would pack to go nicely if I couldn't finish it (I took half of it home). The other owner is the chef, Christian, who came out and greeted every diner, making sure everything tasted as good as it looked.

They source as many of their ingredients locally and organically as possible, so you can rest assured that they are not skimping on quality. Since they still cater, they are only open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday, so stop by and enjoy a taste of rustic French cuisine without having to endure any jet lag :)

Westside R.O.C. Kitchen

I always tell people that just because I look Asian, it doesn't mean that my knowledge, tastes, or skills fulfill the stereotypes. I have absolutely no idea when Chinese New Year was (I only know it's over....isn't it?), I prefer colors like purple and pink to red and gold, and I can not calculate simple numbers without a calculator.

If you've read this blog before then you already know my reviews of restaurants are rarely on places which serve any type of Chinese food. My eating partners all know that inviting me to brave traffic to eat dim sum or get authentic Chinese food in the San Gabriel Valley is comparable to inviting me to go camping (neither is likely to happen).

R.O.C. (Republic Of China) Kitchen apparently knew that many of us on the Westside would enjoy some dumplings, shu mai, steamed buns, Dungeness Crab glass noodles, and beef oxtail noodle soup without having to trek through traffic. They've only been open since October, so their sign isn't up yet, but the lines are already forming, especially around lunch and brunch times.

The draw here is soup dumplings (no other place on the Westside serves them), but I am not a fan, so I ordered some of the classic pork and shrimp steamed ones. For $9 it may seem expensive, but these are HUGE, and the serving of eight pieces is enough for a full meal for one person or enough to share with 2-3. The dough is freshly made and nicely tender with a bit of body. The filling was delightfully light and juicy, but be very careful when you take your first bite because these come out HOT and as hungry as I was, there were times I literally had to open my mouth to let the hot steam escape after a bite! You can make your own dipping sauce from the little saucers, freshly chopped ginger, and condiments on the table (if you want, you can ask for hot chili).

I ordered the sauteed shrimp with shishito pepper for $16. The shrimp were slightly overcooked, but overall this was a pleasant dish if you like spicy sautées.

When I was eating in, I saw the table of celebrities next me take FIVE bags of food to go after their meal, so I figured, why not take home something for later? I wanted to try the glass noodles with fresh Dungeness Crab $12, but they had run out of crab, so I opted for the oxtail beef noodle soup with bok choy for $8. I was pleasantly surprised by the aromatic star anise flavor in the broth and the huge tender oxtails. The noodles were perfect (freshly made), and if the beef and bok choy had been a bit hotter I would be raving about this dish. As you can see from the picture, the fat around the oxtail was white, and cold fat is never tasty.

I don't often chose Chinese food, but it was a pleasure to have a place to close to home for slightly upmarket Chinese food at decent (for the Westside) prices.

Plan Check

Plan Check celebrated their first year in business last week, and after tasting several of their dishes, it looks like they will be around for many years to come.

The table seated next to me lived in the neighborhood and as regulars, they insisted that I try the sweet potato fries with peach ketchup, and after one bite, I was glad that they were seated next to me. These were the best sweet potato fries I have ever eaten! A perfectly crispy exterior with soft centers and perfect salt, they were good by themselves, but a dip in the peach ketchup made this a hot, sweet, salty, tangy combination that was addictive. Available for only $6 a plate, this is an affordable addiction.

The exotic vegetable chips were the fresh version of the chips you can buy in a bag at the supermarket, but just as fresh popcorn tastes completely different from bagged, these were an elevated snack which came with an avocado dip. This was also $6 and a great crunchy munch.

The fries come fried in beef tallow (yes, beef fat), but you can opt for vegetable if you prefer. I did opt for the vegetable oil with my sweet potato fries, but for the regular fries my friend wanted the full beef fat flavor. They came with freshly made ketchup and smoked salt. She liked them, but loved my sweet potato fries.

The neighboring table had ordered the Caesar Kale salad and it looked so good I had to get one. For $8, this was a great light meal combining two of my favorite flavors, and I was glad to find a pronounced garlic taste in the Caesar dressing.

The dish that made me come to try this place was the fried jidori chicken thighs with sweet potato jam, smoked milk gravy and pickled okra for $13. It is a greasy, creamy, sweet combo which was not at all my preference for fried chicken, but I can see how it would appeal to those who like their fried foods with a sweet and creamy accompaniment. My favorite part of the dish was the pickled okra because it cut through all the grease. The chicken was very moist and had a nice flavor but as Roux said in "Chocolat" to the various chocolates offered, "Not my favorite".

The freshly made crullers with freshly whipped cream and sliced bananas ended the meal on a wonderfully sweet note for $6. If you love churros, imagine 3 huge round cinnamon sugar churros on a pile of cream. These crullers were actually the reason I tasted the sweet potato fries because I swapped with the neighboring table since there is no way to eat more than one unless you either eat nothing else or have a huge capacity for sweets!

Since one of the partners of Plan Check created Umami Burger, there are of course numerous burgers on the menu ranging from the pastrami burger with swiss cheese, kimchi mustard, pickles and sunny side up fried egg, to the blueprint burger with smoked blue cheese, pig candy, fried onions, roasted garlic steak sauce, and peppercress. All burgers are less than $13, and beers, wines and whiskeys range from $6-$50 a glass.

They have flights of whiskeys starting at $20 and going to $100, so this can be a pure bar experience after a meal elsewhere, or the place to come before heading home if you can get here for Happy Hour between 3-6 for a bite and some drinks. I would recommend coming for a bite with your drinks since it's never a good idea to drink without food :)

Travel Safely

I have two friends traveling to Paris next month and after giving them both tips on places to stay and eat (of course), I also offered them some tips to save money on credit card usage, cell phones/data usage overseas, and cautionary advice to keep their possessions safe. I'm passing on the information here because I think anyone who reads this blog probably loves to travel (as well as eat) so keep these links and info handy for your next trip:)

Before you leave, you may want to get a chip & PIN credit card (I got one from Bank of America) because many places like train stations and gas stations will not accept a US credit card for payment without a chip. If you are carrying enough cash to cover most transactions and want to only use a credit card for bigger purchases, then get a credit card which doesn't charge foreign transaction fees before you leave. The fees could amount to 3% OVER the purchase price! Make sure your cards (and passport) are always carried in an RFID safe wallet or simply wrap some foil around them.

Before you can use any of the SIM card options, you must have an unlocked phone, so either go to your cell provider and have them unlock it or buy/borrow an unlocked phone for travel. For cell phones and data, there are two providers of international phones/SIM cards/data plans which I would recommend if traveling to France (or several other countries). Le French Mobile was created in UK for students studying in France so their rates are substantially lower (starting at 20 Euros) than regular retail and their entire website is in English (recommended for longer stays). For most tourists from the US, Telestial has higher rates (about $50 USD) but easy options. If you are able or willing to translate the website info, the local French provider SFR has options for calls, texts, and data on prepaid plans and Simyo has deeply discounted rates (although I can't vouch for their service).

Since many people are taking their phones and tablets/laptops with them, it's helpful to have some applications installed in case they get stolen. I recently received a Nexus 7 for Christmas from the generous @John8600 and installed AVG which protects against viruses and theft for free on Android devices. If you have an iPad or iPhone, and plan on taking it with you on a trip, you might want to install an application like gadgettrak.com for $19.95 a year (for phones) or lojackforlaptops.com $19.99 year (for laptops). It gave me peace of mind to know I could remotely lock, erase, track my device, and give the location of my stolen device to local law enforcement!

No matter where you travel, keep copies of your passport, tickets and credit cards somewhere (I have scanned mine and emailed them to myself) because it is always better to be prepared for the worst while expecting the best :)

Happy Valentine's Day

Modern Muddy Leek

After trying Muddy Leek during Dine LA last week, I went back with a friend for lunch today. The house salad with arugula, baby beets, pistachios, and goat cheese is a fresh way to start your meal for $10.

Today's salad special was made with avocado, mandarin orange segments, radishes, candied almonds, and arugula with a citrus dressing. No matter which salad you prefer, each is made with farm fresh produce and prepared with a light dressing which enhances the ingredients instead of masking or drowning them.

The special soup was chicken with a fermented cabbage (think of a mild version of kimchee). It's a wonderfully hearty dish and I could have easily made this my meal. If you like hot & sour soup, you would probably enjoy this milder version made with chicken thigh meat. They also had a turnip puree and a sweet potato rosemary soup if you prefer other more vegetable based soups for $5.

I chose the leek and potato tart for $12 which came with a nicely dressed arugula salad. The tart needed some salt, and the crust was a bit underdone, but overall it was a pleasant vegetarian dish.

The hit of the meal was the grass fed sliders with wasabi aioli on brioche mini buns and sweet potato fries for $14. We asked for extra rare and got it :) The excellent buns with just the right amount of aioli to slider ratio made this the perfect small bite (two 4 oz sliders). Sweet potato fries were a nice creative variation on the standard fries that accompany burgers.

The warm chocolate cake with freshly made whipped cream for $7 was such a delight that I actually ate more than one spoonful! The consistency of the warm cake with chocolate sauce and freshly whipped cream made this about as close to perfection as I have eaten in a chocolate dessert. Not too sweet and not too rich, but sweet and rich enough to satisfy a dessert lover (my friend the former pastry chef)!

The decor is modern with music by Nina Simone, and outdoor seating on warmer days makes this a perfect spot for a lazy afternoon, especially if you can stop by for happy hour between 4-6pm when they serve bites like pizzettes and merguez "hot dogs".

Eating in a place which embraces local organic and sustainable ingredients with servers like Sergio providing the paradigm of excellent service makes Muddy Leek a wonderful stop next time you're shopping at nearby Surfas for that must have gourmet spice or gadget.