Picalilli

Picalilli has been on my radar for awhile, and I'm glad I finally taste tested their fusion cuisine on a balmy afternoon. They have a very spacious dog friendly patio, with plenty of heat lamps when Los Angeles gets chilly (that translates to around 50-60F).

I went with a local who had also not tried them yet, so we sent our tastebuds out to explore several plates, starting with the hamachi crudo for $22. It was a lovely presentation with fresh fish and edible flowers.

One the specials was an eggplant and pepper side dish that could easily have been a main course alongside some of the spicy crispy rice salad.

The spicy crispy rice salad for $18 was not spicy hot, but spicy complex that would please any vegetarian looking for something slightly different yet comforting at the same time.

I specifically came on a day they offered octopus, which was beautifully charred and tender, having come from a nice fire and delicate handling. 

I didn't need dessert, but my friend did, we we ordered the white chocolate blondie for $13 that was easily enough to share, but I graciously only tasted and allowed my friend the indulgence of a double portion of dessert :)

They offer brunch, happy hour, and craft cocktails, so there's still plenty for me to explore next time!

Metro Breakfasts

It's serendipitous when a favorite local place opens up a new outpost in another location that just happens to be a city that I frequent and where I have friends. The gigantic breakfasts at Metro Cafe in Culver City are available in El Segundo with the same people running both places, so it was wonderful to be greeted as a regular in a new location!

Their California scramble served with fresh fruit for $17 is as vibrant and fresh as it looks, and there is no way to finish this plate unless your appetite is gigantic!

They offer a yogurt, granola and fruit bowl for those days when you want something simple. I am always amazed by how ripe their fruit is on all their plates!

One day I wanted something a bit smaller so I opted for 2 eggs over medium with some of their wonderful guacamole with a side of fruit and an English muffin. A bit smaller was still a very filling breakfast plate!

I don't remember what this dish was because it was my friend's plate and I didn't eat it! But it looked beautiful and all my friends know that dining with me means I must take a picture before they taste anything :)

Since I'm heading down that way again next week, I'll have to figure out what the plate was, order it, and taste it!

Etta at the Shay

After seeing several posts about Etta, I was excited to taste and experience the place for myself. The dining room and patio are both beautiful spaces, very open, light, and appointed with classic clean comfortable furniture. There are plenty of heat lamps on the dog friendly patio, and service was impeccable. 

The menu is varied enough for vegetarians and vegans, with plenty of options for meat lovers. Prices are a bit high but not unreasonable. We chose 2 glasses of the French Chardonnay from Bourgogne for $18 each as we anticipated the vegetarian meal we ordered.

I went with a friend with a dog, so we sat on the patio and started with the eggplant appetizer for $16. Served with tahini ricotta, buttered hazelnuts, calabrian chili and herb salad, this was a pleasant appetizer, but I was surprised that it was not served warm. The crunch of the hazelnuts added a nice crunch to the overly fussy combination of flavors.

I was hopeful that the little gem salad for $17 would be better. Served with avocado, cucumbers, and a Creme Fraiche vinaigrette, this was blandly unremarkable.

Hoping for a knockout vegetable dish, this green bean, mushroom, and corn medley could have been much better if it did not have a refrigerator chill on all the vegetables (for around $16). I don't know why they chose to serve the vegetable sides at room temperature or chilled, but it definitely diminished the flavor of dishes. 

Thankfully the pasta was served warm with fresh basil and tomatoes (around $25) and was done with a light hand in both the preparation and flavors.

It was interesting to eat as a vegetarian and find out if a restaurant does a good job solely based on vegetarian dishes, but I was not impressed by any of the vegetarian food. I think a return visit for some pizza or brunch might sway my opinion to be more favorable. Since I did not taste any of the meat or fish options from the hearth, I might return to see if those options might be better as well. 

Hearty Australian and Irish Breakfasts

People from all over the world settle in Los Angeles and we become a delicious oasis when they bring their food and drinks to their new abode. The Ministry of Coffee or MOC in Westwood has an Australian and Turkish origin in both their drinks and food. I had their delectable Right Start egg white omelet  for $13 filled with kale, spinach, tomatoes, and avocado. Served with a side salad and toast, this was a very filling and healthy way to start my day.

One another day I had a hearty lamb sandwich one morning for $15 on delightful ciabatta bread, with slow cooked lamb, feta, salsa, sumac, tomato and greens that was such an umami bomb and so filling that I had to take half of it to go.

The Irish pub Auld Fella, may not be what you think of when you want brunch on a week-end, but the ambiance on the sidewalk with the street music, and people watching, may have you reconsider. Corned beef hash for $19 may sound boring but the quality of the corned beef elevates this to a crowd pleaser.

8 oz of Waygu steak, eggs, onion, and potato for $29 was un unbeatable bargain because they did each element perfectly.

While we enjoy the comfort of homes, health, food, and safety, others around the world are not as privileged, so please help in any way you can to support those in need with food, medical aid, or hygiene.

Bianca and Pizzana Week-end Encore

It's been nice to revisit local Italian favorites over the week-end now that the crowds from the Super bowl and Valentine's Day are gone. 

The Bianca House salad for $18 is one of my favorites in Los Angeles, combining a simple vinaigrette with arugula, frisée, radishes, carrots, and avocado.

The Kale Minestrone for $18 with pesto is a comforting, filling bowl of vegetable goodness, perfect for a chilly day (in Los Angeles that means under 70 F).

Also the first time I tried their Pollo alla Parmagiana for $26, and it was so perfectly pounded, breaded, and sauced, that I could only finish half of it (I ate the oven roasted string beans and potatoes), taking the other half home. This picture is only HALF of the portion they served!

On Sunday I took out curbside from Pizzana, starting with the Tricolore for $15 with arugula, treviso, endive, cherry tomatoes, candied walnuts, and parmagiano reggiano.

I'm a bit boring when it comes to pizza, going with a classic Margherita for $20 ready to heat and uncut so that I could get a crisp hot crust at home :)

Revisiting old favorites is as important to me as trying new places because without repeat patronage, old favorites fade away....

Auld Fella

I have tasted Guinness in other places (including the UK), but this draft at Auld Fella was the first time that I actually liked it! It was deeply satisfying, with a smooth robust, smoky almost chocolatey flavor. If you like American beer, this is very different, so you will either love it or perhaps hate it, but I highly recommend that give it a taste here!

They offer a combination of savory pies with a beer or glass of wine (for $6 more), so I chose the Irish Lamb Stew pie with the Guinness. It came with mushy peas to offer a bit of greenery on the plate (I generally don't like this dish and still don't), and a wonderful gravy that enhances the seasoning of the pie and mashed potatoes. I found the pie undercooked on the bottom and lacking seasoning without the gravy, but the rich lamb stew filling inside the pie was wonderful, and I would order the Shepherd's pie next time to avoid the soggy bottom crust. It was such a generous portion that I took half of it home, but it reheated well.

I tried one of their craft cocktails, the $15 Freckled Mexican, made with Uno Blanco tequila,ginger, jalapeno, lime, it was a nice balance of flavors and if I wasn't drinking beer or wine, I would order this again.

Their $16 Casear salad with Skellig cheese was unusual with the very salty Skellig helping out the very plain romaine. 

Their fish and chips uses Atlantic Cod for $23, set atop hand cut fries and served with tartar sauce and the mushy peas once again. I loved the fish, which was perfectly cooked, but I found the fries very oily underneath the fish, and the batter was not as crisp and seasoned as I would have liked. The tartar sauce was good, but a squeeze of the melon and perhaps some vinegar  are my preferred fish and chips condiments.

I ordered a glass of the Juggernaught Pinot Noir for $16 that paired well with the corned beef I ate for dinner.

I love corned beef, even more so when it is house cured and served with a lovely gravy, mashed potatoes, and vegetables for $23, this serving was big enough to share if you are ordering a side vegetable or salad.

The charred broccolini with garlic and almonds for $12 is a good fresh supplement to the meat centric menu.

It may seem strange that my favorite dish at an Irish Pub is a vegetable, but the $14 'Shrooms will convince meat eaters that vegetables can become your good friend :) The bed of caramelized onions add even more depth to this plate of umami goodness.

Musso & Frank Grill

It's been years since I've eaten at Musso & Frank, and I found out that since they reopened their dining room, many other people are also feeling nostalgic for old school fine dining in an historic venue. When I tried to get a reservation a week out, I quickly found that getting any available time and date takes about a month of advanced planning, but my patience was rewarded with the Joe Dimaggio and Marilyn Monroe booth :)

I very much appreciated that there was a guard at the door checking for reservations, Covid 19 vaccination cards, and IDs before allowing anyone inside! 

I am still thinking about the perfect Elit® dirty martini I drank that night. By the time I finished my one drink (I love the little side car of more martini on ice that replenished my glass 2 times more), I was very happy that I was not driving home!

If you have never seen this, this is jellied consommé for $6, basically consommé soup, but in jelly form eaten chilled with a squeeze of lemon, this is a refreshing way to eat your soup :)

Classic Caesar salad for $16 was loaded with parmesan, but very tame with no anchovy taste and very little garlic. 

It's been ages since I've eaten sand dabs, so I chose it as my main for $28 served with a meuniere sauce. The filets were very thin and a little overdone but not inedible.

The steamed asparagus with hollandaise  for $15 was a very generous portion of perfectly steamed tender asparagus.

My dining companion chose sautéed calf's liver and onions with bacon for $24 and graciously shared some of the bacon :) 

Leaving was sad, but after being regaled by the stories of shenanigans of previous customers, a nostalgic meal of old fashioned comfort food, and perhaps the best elit martini I've ever tasted, it was mitigated by a mental note that I could return anytime I planned ahead with a reservation a few weeks out!

Sunday Brunch Maple Block BBQ

It was NFL playoff Sunday yesterday, so when deciding where to eat for brunch, my football loving friends all wanted to watch the game. Thankfully Maple Block has several big screens set up, so that anyone who wanted to feed their sports addiction while they ate, could do so :)

Some diners wore their team jerseys to eat, while others showed their support by cheering their teams on good plays. I have no allegiance to any team other than a team of great restaurant workers and owners, so Maple Block was a sure win for me!

Their Maple Block breakfast is composed of eggs, bacon, biscuit, and either tomatoes or potatoes for $16 that will satisfy any appetite for a classic American breakfast done expertly using quality ingredients.

I chose the Brioche French Toast with berries for $15.50 which included grade A Vermont Maple syrup. The portion was so generous and delicious that I took half of it home :)

Seeing the grill set up on the patio and other tables getting the special Maple Block smash burger (sometimes one person ate more than one burger...) Made us order the brisket, chuck and short rib, with onion jam, aged cheddar, and special sauce for $12 . The yummy sounds made with each bite almost drowned out the game on tv :) I got to try a taste and it was a great burger, but since I don't like sweet pickles, I would hold them and replace them with regular pickles. 

I know I am a bit strange to have no interest in either football nor sweet pickles, but that leaves both for everyone else to enjoy as I enjoy my wonderful brunch outdoors on a beautiful 70 F day in LA :)

Venice Noodles

It's a wonderful surprise when I find a new place nearby that serves good take out food. Venice Noodles is almost walking distance away (it would be a wonderful walk if my hips and knees would agree to ANY walk), but that just means it's an easy 5 minute drive to pick up food :) The name is because it is on Venice Blvd, not because it serves noodles as you might find in Venice!

Their large shrimp wonton for $14 was masterfully packaged with the soup in a separate container UNDERNEATH the wontons and bok choy! It added to the take out experience so much that I wish all restaurants would adopt this brilliant container! Unfortunately the soup was sweet, but overall the wontons and bok choy were good, so I would say order it if you don't mind a slightly sweet soup.

Their salad rolls are freshly made, light, and refreshing bites for $8. 

A mixed vegetables with rice for $13 was simple but again used fresh ingredients.

Pad Thai for $13 was very nicely done, as you would expect from a place that has "noodles" in its name! 

Pad See Ew for $13 was very tasty, again with fresh ingredients and it was a generous helping.

Venice Noodles definitely made my rotation list, with friendly service, fresh ingredients, and a very close location (street parking only).

Alta West Adams

I've been wanting to try Alta since they opened, and I am so glad that I finally made the time to go; I was so impressed by their food that I went back twice the same week! 

It's better to make a reservation no matter when you want to go because chances are there will be a wait. Note that their reservation system will charge your card $45 for a no show if you do not change or cancel your reservation more than 24 hours in advance.

The main outdoor patio is my preferred seating area, but to be avoided on the rare rainy days in Los Angeles. Also to be avoided, the tables by the right rear ramp, which is unpleasantly close to odors emanating from the back alley :(

One visit started with their house salad for $14 that was easily enough to share or could be a meal if you want to add some protein to the greens for a supplement. The dressing had a slightly smoky flavor that enhanced the greens in a very unique way and became addictive as I ate more of the salad.

I was very hungry so I chose deviled eggs for $9 which were a creamy and satisfying appetizer.

I usually don't like black eyed peas, but these fritters for $10 were black eyed peas I would eat any day, especially with the bright fresh herb sauce accompaniment.

My only disappointment were the oxtails for $34, the flavors were superb, but the oxtails needed much more time to become tender and for the wonderful gelatinous nature of the bones revealed themselves. Another 2 hours or more of slow braise would have made this wonderful. 

Their fried chicken was my favorite dish, either as a combo (I chose rice and beans and collard greens) for $28, or solo on either 3 or 6 piece plates.

I loved the red beans and rice and collard greens so much I ordered both side orders to go as well :)

For vegetarians, the California gombo for $21 is a comforting, delicious way to eat your vegetables. You can add tofu, chicken or shrimp for a supplement for $7-10 and make this even an heartier dish.

Service was excellent, even though a rainstorm caught everyone off guard and the shuffle of personnel from patio to dining area was unorganized and had our table served by 5 different people, everyone was helpful, professional, and did what they could to make the transition easier than sitting in the rain outside.

As the rain started to getting worse, I sipped on a wonderful glass of Nessun Dorma (which they also sell next door at their wine shop by the bottle) waiting for the rain to stop while enjoying the warmth of good food and good company.