Tasty Places :: Blue Bottle Coffee & Rolling Dunes

I’m already a sucker for a clean, bright, hipster space. Add coffee and waffles and I could move in for weeks. Lucky for my family, the closest waffle-serving Blue Bottle Coffee is some 300 miles north of home so daily commutes to and from Long Beach to there would make it difficult to get my kid to school in the mornings and back home in plenty of time to make supper for the husband.

Over the week of New Year’s, I was at my parents’ home in Stockton, my back out of whack from several nights rest on the sofa bed and my brain fried from waiting, waiting, waiting out slow Wi-Fi. Before heading back down to Long Beach, I thought it might be nice to take a drive west to the Bay Area to visit family, a nice bulk of my cousins and an aunt and uncle living there. And since I’d be there, why not check out a spot that I’d heard about for years from a co-worker of mine, who’d raved of a certain coffee place with delicious waffles ever since returning from a conference in San Francisco. Blue Bottle Coffee. I looked it up.

First lesson learned was that this place was no longer just a Bay Area favorite; that there were now a couple of locations in Southern California. But I also discovered was that not all of their outposts serve waffles. And I wanted a waffle; after finding that the LA stores were waffle-challenged, I figured this was my chance.

I’d expected to have to cross the Bay Bridge to get to a Blue Bottle before visiting with my family in Oakland, paying a toll and shelling out even more to park at the Ferry Building in San Francisco. But be still my heart – there was a location in Oakland, and – gasp! – it served waffles! It was on.

The morning of my outing, I overslept and had difficulty getting the kids awake as we’d resorted to staying up until 2:00 or 3:00 while on vacation, settling down for breakfast each morning by 11:15. I’d planned to get to Blue Bottle by 10:00 – sip coffee, do a bit of writing, let my wonderful waffle digest and still have plenty of time to meet up with my cousins for lunch. By the time we finally got on the freeway, it was 9:30. In my haste, I looked up the website on my phone just before pulling out of the driveway, thumbing through the site until I saw “Oakland” and then mapped the address – 300 Webster Street.

With traffic, we arrived at 11:00, my youngest just as ravenous for the place as I was after all the waffle talk. I was pumped about my coffee, but oh how thrilled was I to finally get a Blue Bottle Coffee waffle.

“Oh, we don’t serve waffles at this location. Those are at the WC Morse location.” Yes. I was at the wrong place. What I hadn’t noticed before was that there were TWO Oakland locations; so while I was correct about an Oakland site having waffles, when I’d looked up the address before leaving, I’d done so for the wrong Oakland restaurant.

But I’m Dianderthal – and when I’m hungry for something, you best believe I’m going to get it. I still ordered my drink at the Webster spot – likely the best latte I’ve ever had in my time here on the planet with its pure, rich flavor that needed no further enhancement in the form of a sweetener – but took it to go along with a Snickerdoodle for my youngest kid, who could only shake her head at my goof. It would be tight with a time for lunch already scheduled, but I HAD to get to this WC Morse location.

And get there I did – eventually, as I had to get from the 300^th to the 4200^th block in town. Once I made it, I was fortunate enough to find a parking spot, taking the short walk over by myself, the kids probably worried about how I might react should things go badly.

And this is when I found my potential second home – plenty of light and high ceilings and busy, bustling people, none of them perturbed by (or perhaps unaware of) my bulky camera, fixed on the space, the fixings and clicking away. I could go on about how fascinated I am by Blue Bottle, mentioning their training labs, free coffee tastings, the thought that goes into individualizing each of their locations to fit the neighborhoods in which they stand, the fact that they run a coffee machine repair shop – but you’ve likely stopped reading by now anyway (I do have a tendency to go on in these posts, don’t I?).

I’ve gone on long enough so I’ll just say here that the lengthy trip that brought me to my first Blue Bottle waffle (and my second Blue Bottle location) was very much worth it. Hand held, it was crisp and thick, the insides sugary and fluffy. Thank goodness the locations in Southern California are waffle negative or I might lose my home, lose my marriage due to my addiction.

I’d still like to sample some of the drip coffee the next time I’m in downtown LA. Maybe they’ll bring their waffles here soon – I’d be willing to sign a 2-year lease for a window seat near the waffle iron if they ever do.

Blue Bottle Coffee
Oakland’s “Waffle” location (with other breakfast items)
4270 Broadway
Oakland’s coffee and other treats (no waffles) location
300 Webster Street
and locations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York

And lunch with the cousins was excellent – we spent time at Rolling Dunes on Oakland’s Lakeshore Avenue; a cozy “after church” kind of place with homey, succulent dishes – pastas, sandwiches, breakfast items. The kids and I enjoyed our delicious meals, and even more appreciated catching up with the cousins.

Rolling Dunes
3331 Lakeshore Avenue in Oakland

Quick Bites :: Ink.Sack

I could have slept in this past Saturday and further nursed my wicked allergies/cold (that I would later find out was a sinus infection), but why do that when the Work Son was offering a ride to LA to pick up sammies and ice cream? Only condition was that I had to busy myself for about 45 minutes while he got his haircut. He added that there was a popular coffee shop just around the corner where I could hang/read/write while he got snipped, I was all in – just had to load up on the OTC drugs.

The shop was Urth Caffe – which proved to be a little too well known, as I spent William’s hair cutting time waiting to order, and then waiting again for my drink, a Spanish latte that was delightfully rich and bold, just sweet enough, but teeny. The 35 minute wait to 2 minute swig ratio is just wrong.

The sandwiches were from Ink Sack, another short walk from the barbershop; a shop owned by Michael Voltaggio of Top Chef fame, known for general badassness. From here, I got the cold fried chicken sandwich on wheat and a bag of crab chips. The sandwich fared much better than my coffee in its ratio; add to it that it was affordable at five bucks and was packed with bright flavors (moist chicken, a creamy sauce with a slight tang) and robust texture (the chicken had a good bite to it, the bread balance soft and crunchy). And I didn’t ask what made the chips crabby – they looked like ordinary potato chips – but I finished every last greasy, crunchy crumb left in the bag. This place was definitely worth getting out of bed. (Work son William went for the turkey melt and the pork shoulder banh mi).

But then there was ice cream. Salt & Straw was our destination. I’ve been to one of the Portland locations but never to LA’s first outpost. After samples, I almost went with the gritty, unapologetic Stumptown Coffee & Burnside Bourbon, but opted instead for the indulgent Salted Malted Chocolate Cookie Dough. Honestly, I think the odds of going wrong at Salt & Straw are 0 to none – they just make quality ice cream. And they’re so cute!

Outing done, I spent the rest of the afternoon and the next day in bed, finally getting myself to urgent care on Monday with a trip to Northern Cali planned for the next morning. Happy to say I’m 90% recovered with a 100% chance that I’ll be eating lots more once I’m fully back.

Baxter Finley Barber & Shop
515 N. La Cienega Blvd.

Urth Caffe
8565 MelroseAvenue in West Hollywood
and other locations

ink.sack
8360 Melrose Avenue

Salt & Straw Larchmont
240 N. Larchmont Blvd.

Tasty Places :: Willie Jane

Sometimes you don’t get to pick your restaurant; sometimes, it picks you.

I hadn’t intended on a Sunday supper in Venice, but late in the week I was happy to receive an invitation to a birthday dinner for one of my dearest friends. Wonderful as it was to have a bit of a getaway from the LBC to look forward to, the chance to try out a new restaurant was the real thrill. Right away, I googled the name, familiar to me for some reason – Willie Jane. Quickly I learned that it was another restaurant of Post & Beam‘s Govind Armstrong (I’m quite the fan), a freshly touted location serving what my birthday pal referred to as hipster soul food. Just before heading out that evening, I flipped through my restaurant notebook to add this spot when I noticed it was already in my book – starred!; and I couldn’t help but wonder how I could have forgotten about it. Perhaps Willie Jane knew I was coming. Maybe Willie Jane picked me.

If I didn’t think I’d maim some flip-flopped pedestrian as I drove, I would’ve spent more time taking in in the bustle that is Venice’s Abbot Kinney Blvd. It’s a happening piece of street busy with beach goers, boutique shoppers, pressed juice drinkers, and satiated diners. It has presence. When Willie Jane finds me again, I’ll arrive early to check out its neighbors and to people watch; to purchase a plant from the garden next door, a place that adds life and delight to WJ’s lovely patio. The entire area is primed for savoring.

Once there, I caught up with both old friends and new acquaintances, then settled in behind my plate, studying the menu in distress, stuck between a few choices. Thankfully, someone ordered a couple plates of sumptuous appetizers, including a crusty sourdough bread that I lathered with pimento cheese – why haven’t I been eating pimento cheese all my life? And it was here and then that I enjoyed likely the moistest, tastiest, most excellent cornbread ever whipped together. Really, it couldn’t help but be great with all the butter I painted on the first, then another slice. There would have been a third piece eaten but I was too slow. I might have cried about this but then the birthday girl arrived!

With the merriment of the night, I was a little off my game, not taking a quick pic of the drink menu so I don’t recall the name of the cocktail I ordered once, then ordered again after sucking down the first one so easily. But you could taste the freshness of it; its sweet and herby simplicity, which made sense with Willie Jane harvesting produce from its own garden, the scratch-made culture of the place evident with even a cocktail. You can imagine how psyched I was becoming about my dinner plate.

The catfish ended up being my choice, a popular one among the table. Same with the macaroni and cheese side, but how could I go to a “hipster soul” Govind Armstrong place and not get the mac & cheese? And so glad am I that I did – rich, gooey, and breadcrumb topped, just how I like it. After finishing mine, I had to stop myself from taking a spoon to the plate of a dinner mate who stopped short on her macaroni, saying she was full, had to save room for dessert. If I knew her a little better, I would’ve gone for it.

The fish was pretty amazing too – breaded and softly fried, the fish buttery and moist. I’m only 80% sure that what rested underneath the fish was a polenta, but 0% remained once I got through. Yes, this was a no doggy-bag required night.

The night ended sweetly with a few bites of a brownie sundae with caramel and peanut butter-filled chocolate balls, both elegant and decadent. Those at the table who’d gone with the prix fixe meal were lucky enough to be served WJ’s peach cobbler. I’m no cobbler girl, but I couldn’t help but sample someone’s crust, and just that made me want to get up a clap. So glad that everyone was in a sharing mood.

Birthdays come and go, and as long as we keep living, all of us get to spend one every so often. But how wonderful is it to celebrate those we care about, tell them we love them, remember good times, and laugh about the silly gifts we decide to give them. And even more wonderful, to break bread with them, especially when that (crusty sourdough) bread comes from one of Govind Armstrong’s kitchens.

Happy birthday, A!

Willie Jane
1031 Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice, CA

Sweet Spots :: Georgetown Cupcake

When my daughter groaned immediately after I told her of my upcoming work trip to DC, I thought her upset about it was due to my proximity to the president and Michelle and the girls. But no – though she’d like to visit the White House and say what’s up to likely homegirls Malia and Sasha, what she really wanted to do was head to Georgetown Cupcake to chat and eat with the baking stars of TLC’s DC Cupcakes. In earnest, she asked if I could please, please stop at Georgetown Cupcake and bring something back for her.

What I hadn’t exactly made clear was that, although my flight is to DC, the meeting will be held at a conference center in Leesburg, VA; and with no car to get around, I’ll likely be stuck my entire trip, relegated to the conference center bar each night. But I figured it would be a nice gesture to Google Map the place, see if I might be able to hitchhike my way after a day long of plenaries and breakouts and boxed food.

To our delight, we learned that there was no need at all for me to venture away from the conference facility during my trip, as LA has a Georgetown Cupcake of its own. So this became a mini-adventure for us, an evening getaway that without homework or volleyball practices or dance classes a Monday ago we could afford to take. I did have a run scheduled that day after work, but what better way to get your cupcake on than stinky and sweaty. Heading to LA in my muggy workout clothes made me feel like I earned a few cupcakes.

I’d planned to purchase several varieties, bringing treats to my fro-workers the next morning for all to try. But at $3 a pop and cupcakes to purchase for my girls, I had to split samples at work with a choice few instead of sharing the wealth with my entire suite. The Coffee Cookies & Cream, the Strawberry, and the Red Velvet cakes I tried were tasty – moist and balanced with a frosting that any sweeter would have been cloying; but what I can’t get out of my head is the Salted Caramel, one I shared (slightly begrudgingly) that was joyously received by all. I could eat another couple-few of those pretty soon. If I don’t get back up to the LA location soon, I really may have to consider the whole hitchhiking thing.

Georgetown Cupcake
143 S. Robertson Blvd. and other US locations

Sweet Spots :: Duff’s Cakemix

I’d heard that it was way overpriced. I’d read that the cakes weren’t delicious – dry and crumbly and lacking flavor. Some reviewers on sites I checked out called the staff inattentive and unfriendly, questioned the store’s sense of customer service. Yet, I hauled my birthday kid and her friends to West Hollywood anyway to give them the chance to decorate cakes in the studio helmed by television’s Ace of Cakes star Duff Goldman – Duff’s Cakemix.

Even before leaving Long Beach, I knew at least one of the sentiments about the do-it-yourself cake shop was true – the place isn’t cheap. But for a special occasion, I didn’t mind overspending, especially if it meant I didn’t have to clean up afterward.

Regardless of word on the street (that being the information super highway), this place is fun! Sure, there was disappointment in myself that I hadn’t arrived with an idea in mind for my cake, which made choosing colors, shapes, and sprinkles a bit of a chore; but still – whenever I get into that artsy dimension, I bubble over with endorphins.

Really, it wasn’t about me – it was about my daughter and her friends, who weren’t just high off the sprinkles and fondant but the energy in the place, which started with the staff. Perhaps the crabby, snappy ones complained about by others were off the day we went. Or had been fired or were taking their meds; those we dealt with were nothing but pleasant and helpful. And patient, as my pre-teen crew was composed of dancers who among them did several hundred second turns on Cakemix’s polished cement floor.

The biggest test for me was the taste – I waited until home for that, not wanting to show the disappointment (or disgust) on my face should I hate it. I made the mistake of leaving my cake in the warm car when dropping off one of the girls, and when I opened it up to show her mother, I’d found that the top layer had slid off. After trying to repair it, I had no choice but to lick my fingers and was thrilled to taste the non-cloying, buttery frosting. After fixing it as best as I could, I placed my cake in the fridge to help it set some but could only wait about ten minutes before cutting a slice. Perhaps my palate is unrefined, unable to identify a terrible and drab cake when it meets one, but I quite enjoyed my red velvet treat from Cakemix. Expensive, yes – but you can’t put a price on some experiences. Actually, you can – but this was a price I happened to be willing to pay this particular day.

If you ever do the same, know that the place gets busy on the weekends. You can make a reservation, or take advantage of discount prices during their weekday happy hours. But do go, with a goal of creating, rolling, squeezing, and just going for it.

Duff’s Cakemix
8302 Melrose in LA

Burger Quest :: Father’s Office

This will be a quick one – nearly all burger. The gang and I had planned our long awaited Eating LA Day (which proved to be bust, but more on that after burger talk) for a Sunday afternoon – lots of food, lots of booze, lots of LA. But first, two-fifths of our team (including the one-fifth scheduled to drive) had a conflict and had to back out (flake?) the day before; and then my oldest kid/babysitter decided to celebrate another of my kid’s 21st birthday with her on some party bus in San Diego (odd decision on her part, right?!), so I had to bring along my 11-year old.

Problem: No kids allowed at Father’s Office. We didn’t find that out until we got there. But we’re a dogged crew, ordering their famous burgers to-go.

I’ve been wanting to try this burger for months now – perhaps longer. It was a must try on my Burger Quest list simply because of the hype; because it’s on just about every LA burger list. Despite it being a beef burger, besides the lack of ketchup, besides chef Sang Yoon’s strict no substitutions policy, I was down. I’ve been down about getting my teeth into this burger.

So finally! On Eating LA Day, it was scheduled to happen whether I had a seat inside and a beer in hand or not. I was pretty dang glad I did. This burger was full-bodied and savory – a rich experience made full by the burger’s tangy blue and Gruyere cheeses and caramelized onions. And there was plenty of it – I shared mine with my work son to make sure I had plenty of room for the rest of Eating LA Day (a decision I came to regret).

And so I missed a chance to eat inside of Father’s Office, but the outdoors proved just as good an accompaniment to my delectable sandwich, our group grubbing in the courtyard of the Helm’s Bakery District in Mid-Town, a snappy spot for food and furniture. With an unimpressive fried chicken, a regular dessert spot of mine, and a motley collection of food stands that I knew little about making up the remainder of Eating LA Day*, Father’s Office – despite not really eating at Father’s Office – was my highlight.

But the big question is, how did the burger stack up to the rest of my list? Read on… because this post is already much longer than I hinted it would be.

Official Dianderthal Burger Quest Burger List:
1. Hawkins House of Burgers turkey burger with everything (mayo, mustard, pickles, tomato, red onion, lettuce), cheese added
2. PCB (Plan Check Burger) at Plan Check with americanized dashi cheese, ketchup leather, schmaltz onions, mixed pickles, crunch bun
3. 25 Degrees Number One Burger (turkey subbed for beef) with caramelized onions, crescenza, prelibato gorgonzola, bacon, arugula, thousand island
4. Father’s Office Burger with arugula, caramelized onions, Gruyere, applewood bacon, and maytag blue cheese
5. Island’s California Flyer turkey burger (BBQ sauce, “Island Reds” – fried onion straws, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato & mayo)
6.Golden State turkey burger with provolone, lettuce, tomato, red onion, aioli, and ketchup, (added grilled onions)
7. Yeah! Burger (Make It Your Own – turkey patty, whole wheat bun, pepper jack cheese, sriracha mayo, ketchup, grilled onions, honey mustard)
8. The Habit (Veggie burger made like a Charburger, with mayo, pickle, tomato, lettuce, caramelized onions, cucumber, and sprouts)
9. The Counter (Build Your Own – turkey patty, grilled onions, cheddar cheese, chipotle aioli, ketchup)
10. Burger City Grill (The BCG, turkey patty, pickles, grilled onions)

Fry Factor
1. Island’s fries with ranch dressing
2. Golden State fried sweet potato wedges with garlic aioli (and a few with curry ketchup)
3. 25 Degrees Half & Half (sweet potato and regular fries)
4. Father’s Office sweet potato fries with blue cheese aioli
5. The Counter 50-50 fries (half regular, half sweet Ps)
6. The Habit french fries
7. Plan Check sweet potato waffle fries and regular fries
8. Burger City Grill fries
9. Yeah! Burger sweet potato fries
10. Hawkins House of Burgers fries

Father’s Office
3229 Helms Avenue in Los Angeles
and a Santa Monica location

*We also stopped at Honey’s Kettle Chicken in Culver City, oft-blogged Milk, and LA’s Grand Central Market.

 

Tasty Places :: La Boulange

If you’re a Starbucks junkie, you’re likely familiar with the brand La Boulange, the coffee purveyor’s provider of all things pastry at their establishments. In June, the first La Boulange in Southern California opened, offering an expanded menu from the company’s Bay Area cafes, with burgers, salads, cocktails and beer, and all-day breakfast choices.

While I wasn’t exactly in the neighborhood, I was on the same street as La Boulange on Sunday night (for those of you who live elsewhere, LA has remarkably long streets) after finishing up as a guest on a KJLH radio show. Though a good 15-20 minutes north, how I could I pass on a trip up La Brea from Inglewood to Mid-Wilshire to give La Boulange a taste? The only convincing that needed to be done was with my road dogs for the evening – fellow food lover and fro-worker Kristina, who’d been on the show with me, and my often moody, always sassy ‘tween, Kourtney.

Luckily, my kid is always hungry too. So she was down, and Kristina couldn’t resist a cafe-bakery meal. Alas, north we went.

It was a Sunday evening, so we didn’t hit much traffic, found a parking space in the lot. Didn’t have to wait in much of a line. My challenge was saying no to the sumptuous cocktails that appeared on the monitor, one after the next teasing me. With quite the drive back to Long Beach (and with expensive dinner plans for the next day), I’d told myself that I would just say no to alcohol. And I did. But I’m certainly curious about such concoctions as their lemon raspberry panache (pilsner, raspberries, housemade lemonade) or berry fruit fizz (sparkling wine, muddled fresh strawberries or fresh raspberries) – I love a refreshing drink.

The burger and fries were it for me. Since it was offered, I had to get my turkey burger on a croissant bun; although now that I’ve had one, I think I’d opt for the brioche bun instead (the croissant was fine, but what I love most about croissants – the flakiness, the butteriness – competed for my attention with the rest of the burger). I’m not knocking it, though – it was a delicious burger with great turkey flavor. What I fell in love with, though, were their sweet potato fries. I’m big on sweet ps, and many these days are quite formulaic – they taste fine but they aren’t fabulous. These were beyond fabulous, reminding me of some of my favs from other places like Simmzy’s. Dipped in La Boulange’s aioli, each bite was a sweet, fatty nugget of happy – crispy style.

Kristina dug her smoked salmon sandwich, and couldn’t stop talking about how much she liked the quinoa served alongside her dish. And after sampling my fries, she had to order a to-go bag for her fiance (although I’d bet a full order didn’t make its way back to him). Kourtney’s “kid” burger and fries satisfied her too, as did her “super thick” vanilla shake, and that girl’s picky about her shakes.

So did I make the right choice by taking a little detour on the way home from Inglewood? You bet I did. Will I return soon? I want to so I can try their breakfast and their cocktails but, dang – I keep finding my way to new tasty food and fun establishments. At this rate, either my funds will tap out or the button on my pants is going to pop off. Well, until one of those things happens, keep tuning in.

La Boulange LA
359 S. La Brea at 4th

Dinner Date :: Post & Beam

My first of this new series – Dinner Date, where I try out a new restaurant with one of my fabulous friends – started off on the sour side. After hefting my camera out of my bag, pointing the lens at Post & Beam’s appropriately lintel framed exterior, I found that I’d left my memory card at home in my computer. Not that the singular purpose of heading to Post & Beam was for the photos, but I am Dianderthal – I love nothing more than whipping out the DSLR and asking my dishes to say cheese so I can write witty (I try) descriptions of them for the five of you to read, as if they were my toddler children. With a patio reservation, the day’s sunlight thinning out and the air soothing and still, it was destined to be a great shoot.

But I couldn’t let the lack of a camera ruin what had the potential to be a sweet afternoon. Besides, I had my aged but handy 4s – not the best way to document but if it weren’t for my Iphone, I may have had to interrupt the couple sitting next to us, asking them to snap photos of our plates (at least three of each), giving them my e-mail to send the pictures once they finished their meal.

I’ve known my Post & Beam dinner date Jeannine since I was 17. We didn’t start out well – I think I may have called her a name and thrown something at her once or twice. The boy was the source of the tension. But that was a couple decades ago.

I don’t really like the term best friend, as it assumes I’ve evaluated and ranked all my friends, the one with the highest score winning the title. But if those who know me well were asked to name my “bestie” (can you hear me cringe?), they’d likely say Jeannine’s name. She’s really like a sister to me. We have daughters the same age and they dance at the same studio. Our husbands ride bikes together. We don’t live too far away from one another. Point – we see each other a lot. But rare is the chance for us to get away and get down with some cocktails and a couple plates of fine cuisine.

Post & Beam certainly delivers in taste, atmosphere, and just dang quintessential coolness. Located in LA’s Crenshaw District, Post & Beam offers a chic spin on soul food, fresh and marvelously simple. Chef Govind Armstrong – who happened to be dining al fresco with what appeared to be his family while we were there – grows a range of greens right on the premises.

Having studied the menu for the last several months, I arrived torn between the fried chicken and the salmon. And the garden pizza. And the spicy turkey meatballs with marinara. But since Jeannine ordered the chicken and the meatballs were more of an appetizer and I could always return for pizza with my kid, I went with the salmon – mac n’ cheese and wood oven Brussels as siders. All were satisfying, the salmon succulent with major texture thanks to a flaky top. The mac n’ cheese slithered down my insides a bit too quickly – it was gone faster than my cocktail, which I sucked down pretty handily.

As we were finishing up with a not too sweet, just rich enough, and perfectly creamy slice of sweet potato pie, a jazz band was setting up, scheduled to play at 8:00 p.m. Next time, I’ll arrive a little later, and with my husband so he can drive us home after getting drunk on the live jazz and a few of those P&B cocktails. Yet another dinner date – and for that one, I’ll remember my memory card.

Post & Beam
3767 Santa Rosalia Drive
Los Angeles

Tasty Places :: Larchmont Bungalow

There’s nothing like earning your food. I don’t mean via a nine-to-five, hustling to earn a few dollars to pay for some grub. I mean spending your energy, your calories – so that when you suck up your food like a carb-manic pig, you don’t have to feel so guilty about it in the hours post-sup. So guilt never showed her fugly face yesterday after I chowed down with the homies and one of my kids at Larchmont Bungalow for a major breakfast; and that’s because prior to my mouth gettin’ busy, I busied my body with a round of boot camp with Leti_Grinder of Instagram fame (#grinderglamchallenge – but you don’t know?). We LBCers woke up early (a definite challenge for my daughter) to make it out to Pan Pacific Park in LA. Not only was I nursing a scratched cornea (which meant no contacts and sun sensitivity) but I’d just the night before gotten my hair done, so I was determined not to sweat. Yes, I held back some but still had an amazing workout – it was difficult to climb up onto my chair to write this post.

And that amazing workout left me and my compadres close to ravenous. Not yet caffeinated though high off our own endorphins, we made out way over to Larchmont Blvd. and walked around in search of a bountiful breakfast. As we neared the end of the strip, having passed nothing but boutiques, coffee shops, and juice bars, I thought I would have to admit defeat in my idea to park and be spontaneous. “I’m sure there are lots of options for breakfast here,” I’d told my companions, driving back towards the 101 rather than over to the Grove once we finished at the park. Just before that final Larchmont block ended, we stumbled upon the Larchmont Bungalow, not realizing the hunk of real estate the place was – and what a treat it would be.

A hasty Yelp! search gave us the confidence needed to head inside, though the crowd should have told us that we’d be good. Lucky enough to find a table, we marveled at the heavy plates of food that passed us on their way to other hungry bellies as we skimmed the menu for the right form of workout relief.

Mine came in the way of a breakfast panini, stacked with avocado, chicken apple sausage, eggs, tomato, and cheddar cheese. After sampling everyone else’s goods, I only had room for a few small bites of my sandwich, but man-oh-man, it was delish with perfectly crisped bread, fluffy eggs, and the schmoozy mmm of newly-ripe avocado. Just as awesome were the potatoes served alongside my panini, firm skins holding in pillows of fluffiness tinted with the taste of rosemary. Those disappeared quickly (thanks to my tablemates). My panini, I took home to finish later but I should have known better – the hub got to it for his dinner (perhaps I should have cooked something?).

Also tasty were the red and blue velvet pancakes – yummy creations that reminded me more of cupcakes than a traditional pancake – and the salmon crepes. If I’m in the area again, I’d love to check this place out for lunch. It surely satisfied my hungry, sweaty clique after putting in work.

Larchmont Bungalow
107 N. Larchmont

foodnews :: #bitenite

This Sunday past, food critic LA-Xtraordinaire Jonathan Gold gave the world his “Best of” list of Southern California cuisine, the second such list published via the LA Times in as many years. A few years ago while at my writing program at USC, Mr. Gold discussed his passion for food exploration while a panelist at a session sponsored by my program, which featured LA genre-smart phenoms speaking on food, movies, books, music. Each on the panel were memorable, but the pursuits Mr. Gold described – the near limitless steps he’d take to discover a new taste or an intriguing and relevant dish – begged respect.

Loved this venue – printing ops were in full swing

At the time, I thought I wanted to write for television. So instead of enrolling in J-Gold’s class on food writing the semester following the panel, I took a sitcom course. We were just next door to the food class, and at breaks could smell the varietal flavors seeping out from their classroom and into the hallway. Back then, I wasn’t too jealous – I cranked out my own Modern Family episode and got to sit in on a Simpsons table read. Looking back now, though, thinking about what stirs my passions, what stimulates me, the food writing class would have been very fitting.

Bite Nite 2014 in full eat

But sometimes our journeys take rewarding detours. I think I considered the class back then but I had so many food fears, I didn’t dare embarrass myself by taking a food writing course and opt to pass on 50-75% of the food. In the past couple of years, I’ve come a long way in my pickiness. And I’ve also come to savor and adore dining out, and then writing about my experience as a beloved hobby. Since skipping his class, I’ve stayed tuned in to Mr. Gold – his likes, his loves, his Pulitzer Prize winning turns of phrases when describing a dish. It makes sense that he is so well respected – just in the telling of food he offers a sensuous experience for the reader.

Jonathan Gold speaking with chefs from Corozon Y Miel

Last year’s Bite Nite – hosted by the Times – gave subscribers the chance to sample dishes from some of J-Gold’s list of 101 spots all in one night, and all in one space. This year, thanks to the popularity of last year’s event, they held two Bite Nites.

And I went.

And I ate. And I saw J-Gold once again. And I lived happily ever after.

My Nite featured plates from 20 restaurants, served along with signature cocktails, beer, and wine. And some groovy snacking music spun at the Times printing facility. I know I don’t eat everything – pork, beef, bananas, dishes that still have eyes when put on the plate – but I tried EVERYTHING. Mostly. Here are some of my favorites, and a list of must-try spots from the 101 that I hope to get to before 2014 comes to an end.

Favorite Single Bite: Cherries with chamomile, elderflower, and rye crisps from Girasol

Greatest New Thing I Tried: Grilled beef heart tartare crostino with mint, red onion, pine nuts, Fresno chilies, champagne vinegar, and dill from Bestia

Sweetest Sweet Treat: Peanut butter potato chip cupcake from Nickel Diner

Favorite Mini Meal: From Post & Beam – I can’t remembered what the protein was (not because it wasn’t worth remembering but I was so chef-struck at seeing Govind Armstrong in the flesh, I somehow forgot to take a picture of their menu), but the cornbread and greens with which they were served were out of this world

Bite I Can’t Forget: Boneless short ribs wrapped with rice paper

Can’t Wait to Eat Again: the classic chicken mole from Guelaguetza or the pistachio mole from La Casita Mexicana

Most Dynamic Carrots on the Planet: Mozza

Wonderful-est Moment: Running into Guillermo Diaz (aka Huck) from ABC’s Scandal

Where I Want to Eat Right Now: Girasol, Post & Beam, Bestia, La Casita Mexicana, Guelaguetza, Ink (they were at the Monday Bite Nite so I didn’t taste anything from there, but still need to get there ASAP)

Bite Nite – Tuesday

Bestia
Bulgarini Gelato
Chengdu Taste
Chichén Itzá
Corazón y Miel
CUT // Spago
Girasol
Guelaguetza
Jar
Kobawoo House
La Casita Mexicana
Meals by Genet
Melisse
Mexicali Taco & Co.
Nickel Diner
Mozza
Park’s BBQ
Post and Beam
Starry Kitchen
Sycamore Kitchen