June 29, 2007 3

Cilantro Live (San Diego: Hillcrest)

//// By in 18: Greater LA

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Drove down to San Diego for a day without doing any research on where to eat. We felt like eating something healthy, and so upon seeing the “100% RAW, 100% ORGANIC” sign at the door of Cilantro live, we knew that’s the one to try. The interior space is very designey (I love the wood wallpanel and table), so it”s quite a surprise to see how UN-design their website is…^^;;;

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I got the Sampler platter: two nori rolls (daikon, bell peppers, cucumbers, avocado, wild rice and pine nut pate), spring roll (broccoli sprouts, red and yellow peppers, cilantro, mint, cabbage, avocado and jicama wrappe in fine sun-dried rice paper), buenos vida wrap (cilantro pate, wild rice, house cheese, topped with salsa fresca), rawviolis (Thinly-sliced roma tomatoes delicately stuffed with pine nut-basil cheese and topped with a pesto sauce), mini pizzazas (Crispy multi-seed crust topped with sun-dried tomato sauce, house cheese, tri-colored onions, red peppers and kalamata olives).

Taste very very healthy and oh yes, definitely raw. Everything is tasty. The “rawviolis” and “pizzazas” are the best and have the most flavors. Least favorite is the spring roll as it’s the most “biting into grass” tasting.

DSCN0552.jpgJon got the Heavenly Tacos corn tortillas stuffed with nut meat, avocado, salsa fresca, sour cream with mexican wild rise.

The food actually filled up our stomach well! We didn’t get hungry until dinner time nor needed afternoon snacks like we worried. And I felt good and “cleanse” for the rest of the day.

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June 26, 2007 5

The Oinkster (Eagle rock)

//// By in 03: Eagle Rock

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We always pass by The Oinkster when driving through Eagle Rock. It offers classic American diner fares like Pastrami sandwich and burgers that’re prepared in “gourmet restaurant” way. or as they call it, slow fast food. I love the retro 50s modern red and white interior. The surrounding neighbourhood is very charming too: rows of tall big trees and pretty craftmanship houses. Perfect for a stroll after the meal.

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Oinskter Pastrami with Gruyere cheese, caramelized onion and red cabbage slaw. Their pastrami are “cured for two weeks, rubbed with a special spice blend and smoked with applewood” according to the menu. They’re indeed delicious, juicy and tender. I like the red cabbage slaw too. A minor complaint would be the bread, it’s a little hard. The fries are really good, thin and crispy.

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Chocolate Malt, good! BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich with red cabbage slaw, caramelized onions and Carolina bbq sauce. According to the menu, their pork is “brined with soy and honey then slowly roasted and smoked.” The meat is tender and juicy as well. I prefer the pastrami sandwich though.

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June 20, 2007 3

Vermont with Guest Chef Laurent Quenioux (Los Feliz)

//// By in 04: Los Feliz, Favorite Food Entries

So I heard that chef Laurent Quenioux left Bistro K (see our wonderful old entries: here, here), taking his creative fusion French tasting menu with him. I read that Bistro K is now traditional French. Few weeks ago we got an email annoucement that Quenioux’d guest chef at Los Feliz’s Vermont Restaurant for four nights. They host Guest Chef Dinners on Tuesday and Wednesday occasionally. So we RSVP immediately.

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I’ve never been to Vermont before. Seems like most of the older patrons got the courses menu (they came for Laurent Quenioux like us?). Very good bread~

No doubt, we got the $80 Six Course pre fix Dinner
($120 with wine pairing):
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1st: Venison tartar – soy sauce gel, quail egg and sea urchin. The soy sauce gel managed to contrast the sea urchin to bring out its amazing sweetness. We pour the raw quail egg on top of the venison tartar, very good!

2nd: Halibut Cheek – lobster saffron infusion, zucchini blossom, and pork blood sausage. The lobster sauce is a bit too salty (without other flavor/texture to counter-balance). Pork Blood sausage is hot and melty~

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3rd: Diver Sea Scallops – oxtail jus, liquorice powder, slivers of foie gras and corn flakes. Silky smooth and rich foie gras, alright on the scallop (jumbo ones tend to be more rough texture) and very tasty oxtail. Yet the true shinning ingredient is the supporter cast: liquorice powder. It compliment and even enhance the foie gras and left you a wonderfully golden, minty sweet aftertaste that lingers on and on.

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4th: Kid Goat Salad – marinated and served with beet millefeuille. Not much impression.

5th: Lamb Loin stuffed with roasted pistachio, turmeric and coriander jus, roasted pasilla chiles, very spiced and Moroccan flair. The lamb is tender.

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6th: Dessert. Forgot to write down what it is. It is so riched with aroma and flavor of Jasmine tea, very good!

I can’t wait to find out what chef Laurent Quenioux will be up to. A rumored new restaurant in Hollywood area?

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June 20, 2007 2

3 Square Cafe + Bakery (Abbot Kinney)

//// By in 15: Venice

Since I’m back working at the westside, I finally get to try Hans Rockenwagner’s not-so-new anymore lunch spot on Abbot Kinney. Strangely, there wasn’t really one casual sit-down space for salad, sandwich, burger (or your typical LA lunch) around those blocks until now. It’s at the ground floor of one of the many new grey glass box lofts erected all over that street. The menu is Cal-German.

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My lunch partner: Pretzel burger with Swiss cheese, caramelized onions and French fries I tried a little, the patty is a bit lacking in flavor but the whole thing taste neat and clean for a burger.

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Schnitzel with Lingonberries, Fries & cucumber salad. Schnitzel is battered veal cutlet, thin and tender, very good! The fries are good too. This is a very convenient and casual-chichi spot for lunch…however my co-workers seem to favor Burrito and Pizza…hmm… ^^;;

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June 17, 2007 Off

Tiki-ti (Sunset Blvd.)

//// By in 05: Silver Lake + Echo Park

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We have a new entry by guest writer Jon:
Tiki-ti is a unique little bar for a couple of reasons. 1) It was founded by the current owner’s father not long after prohibition ended and was reportedly where the Mai Tai was first invented. 2) It is one of the few bars in LA where you can smoke legal, if you are so inclined — everyone who works there is on the lease. And 3) it has to be the only place in LA serving up a drink called “Skip and Go Naked.” This place is something of a legend and deservedly so. It’s crammed full of the most tikis this side of a Brady Bunch special and the drink menu is longer than my arm. It’s packed full cocktails with names like “Skull & Bones”, “Painkiller”, and “Ray’s Mistake.” The drinks ain’t cheap, $9-$13 mostly – but trust me, you only need one drink. Joan got a beverage called Bonnie and Clyde – Rum, Dark Rum, Gin and juice. I got The Missionary’s Downfall, which I ordered entirely based on the name. It was sort of like a mojito – a glass, some rum, and a bushel of mint. Of the two, I liked Joan’s better. But I’m eager go back and sample “Ray’s Mistake.”

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