July 28, 2007 Off

Jonathan Gold’s 99 Essential Restaurant in LA

//// By in Food: Los Angeles

Awhile ago Jonathan Gold’s did a 99 Essential Restaurants list on LA Weekly. I like Jonathan Gold’s review because he covers a wide range of restaurants, from high and low, celeb chefs to no-name. He would even review little ethnic eats from ethnic neighbourhoods that most mainstream media ignore. His list truely shows the diversity and his passion for good eats. Sadly to say we haven’t been to a lot of the restaurants that were on the list (particularly the chichi $$$ ones ^^;). I’m glad to see some of my favorites made on the list, and here are the ones we manage blogged on:

Angeli Caffe: 1
A.O.C: 1, 2
Apple Pan: 1
A-Won: 1
Beacon: An Asian Cafe: 1, 2, 3
Campanile: 1
Canele: 1
Chameau: 1
Chung King: 1
Cora

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July 27, 2007 4

Paris Baguette (Koreatown)

//// By in 07: Mid-Wilshire

DSC04077.jpgA Korean bakery chain called Paris Baguette in Koreatown opened its not so new anymore second store on the 6th st. (also in Koreatown). Despite the name, the majority of their baked goods are puff pastry. They have many cakes and a eat-in cafe space.

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I got take out: All good, fresh and not too greasy. Especially the Sweet Potato Stick, Chest Nut Custard and Red Bean and Custard. But they’re quite unhealthy to consume on a daily basis.

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July 26, 2007 6

Sushi Nozawa (Studio City)

//// By in 18: Greater LA

Haven’t been to Nozawa for a long time. I’ve heard notorious stories about the famed sushi Nazi who kicked people out for picking up their cellphones or ordering California rolls…but I haven’t witness these myself. We did take caution in turning off cellphones before walking in, and I was nervous whether I could take photos. Nozawa does special ‘warm rice sushi’, in which the rice are warm and easily fall apart (like Sasabune except Sasabune’s are too warm in my opinion).

Four of us got the omakase (with possible misidentification):
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Tuna Sashimi. Albacore

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The Blue Crab Hand Roll is easily the best of the night. LOVE it! Yellowtail

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Sea Bass (?), Toro Hand Roll

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Halibut is amazing! Lobster Hand Rolls.

DSC04076.jpgThe last one is Monkfish Liver Hand Roll, the miso sauce is a bit too strong, nice smokey pate-y flavor.

That was very satisfying: fresh fish, perfectly flavored rice and sauce. I’m still not a total convert of the warm rice yet…the nigiri falls apart too easily that makes eating a bit nerve-wrecking. ^^;; The vibe inside seems a bit quiet and tense. But I like how fast, efficient and absolute here and the sushi are all really good~

Sushi Nozawa
11288 Ventura Blvd. Suite C. Studio City, CA 91604
(caution: no cellphone! and don’t order California roll or spicy tuna roll and such ^^b).

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July 24, 2007 6

Fritto Misto (Santa Monica)

//// By in 16: Santa Monica

DSC03974.jpgFound a really nice cheap lunch spot at Santa Monica! My friend got a coupon for this Italian place at the Taste of Nation event. The service was very warm and welcoming. They have daily lunch specials on weekdays.

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A half soup half pasta special I got: Japanese Pumpkin Raviolli with Spinach in Garlic Cream Sauce. This is so delicious! The pumpkin was so sweet, while the raviolli skin was soft and light. The garlic cream sauce so so unforgettably tasty. I wished I had ordered a full pasta instead.

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My friends’ orders: Cold Pasta: Pillows Pesto (tasty as well) and Baked Ziti (alright).

I love that I found my favorite dish on a first visit. I can’t wait to try anything with that yummy garlic cream sauce~

Fritto Misto
601 Colorado Ave. Santa Monica

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July 23, 2007 3

The Elite (Monterey Park)

//// By in 01: San Gabriel, Favorite Food Entries

Sorry that we’re behind in updating entries. The quality of dim sum restaurants in LA goes up and down like rollarcoasters. They might start out good (ex: The Kitchen, Mission 261: 1.2) until the the chefs got recruit somewhere else and the quality drops. My last visits to The Kitchen and Mission 261 end up in huge disappointments. So when the formly good New Concept (1, 2) became The Elite (change of owners I heard), I have to check it out to see if it’s still as good.

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Shrimp ball with almonds, very good!

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BBQ pork buns is always a favorite dish of mine and they did a good job. Macau Roasted Pork , comes with sugar and hoisin sauce.

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Forgot what kind of dumpling that is. They did a good job on the skins on all their dumpling dishes. Thin, soft and springy.

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The fried rolls are so-so. Shark fin dumping, delicous!

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Very good shrimp dumplings. Pan fried turnip cakes.

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They called it snow mountain cake, I’ve never had it before and I love it! It’s an almond-based sweet, soft and melty inside.

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They have rather unusual desserts: Goji berry jello and Osmanthus jello. Very Chinese herby, refreshing and healthy tasting.

Verdict: I’m pleasantly surprised at the varieties and selections they offer. They delivered on the standard dim sum classics like Steamed Rice Pancake, Shirmp dumplings, shumai, buns as well as the newer creative stuffs. So as of now, this is the best dim sum restaurant in LA and let’s hope they stay that way for a awhile.

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