Jamaica: Hibiscus flowers tea drink~ Our entrees each came with Sopa Azteca, very yummy veggie soup with zucchini, carrot and potato (top with guacamole and tortilla chip).
Tamale Qaxacaquenos: chicken tamale with Qaxacan mole sauce. The mole is…alright, a bit light for my taste and not as complex tasting (too cocoa but without hint of sweetness). Tequila Shrimp.
Joan’s Chiles en Nogada: green pepper stuffed with blends of fish, meat, almonds and raisin, topped with creamy walnut sauce. The clashing of multiple flavors is too weird for her. Seafood Burrito: a safe choice, and good!
We drove down to Southern California beaches via the ocean view Pacific Coast Highway this past Labor day holiday weekend with our parents. We were hungry after suffering the traffic jamming at Laguna Beach so we stopped for lunch. We passed by some seemingly good hole-in-the-wall joints but because of parents, we ended up in this family restaurant called Olamendi’s. The interior is quite over-the-top (what are those chinese red pockets doing up there?). This place is not bad but rather expensive (every entree is $15+). Mexican food is complete exotic realm for my parents, they seems fine with it so it’s all good.
Olamendi’s (Laguna Beach)
//// By Freda in 18: Greater LACoco Noche Chocolate and Wine (Manhattan Beach)
//// By Joan in 17: South Bay
Late arrival at Manhattan Beach on a lazy Sunday morning, Jon and I found that our original destination Ocean View Cafe was closed for the day. Then our Plan B destination Uncle Bill Pancake also closed. After circling the blocks we surrendered to this newly open tapas/wine bar/chocolate place due to extreme hunger. They let us have their serve-till-2 pm $16 brunch menu even it was well pass 2:00 pm already.
the Brunch menu has choices of sandwich+drinks+chocolate. Croissant Breakfast Sandwich and Breakfast Burrito with Fresh Black bean corn salsa. I didn’t expect them to be THAT small portion ^^;; The burrito looks like you can finish in 2 bites. The croissant was good though, fresh and light. There’s bacon inside.
The drinks were where most of the $ go to: Basil Bloody Mary and Mimosa. Delicious! At last there’re a variety of gourmet chocoate to choose from for dessert. Only one per person. We both chose the graphical designy Marie Belle‘s chocolates. The one on the left is cappacino and the one on the right is Champaign. Both are fantastic!
Terried Sake House (Santa Monica Blvd)
//// By Joan in 11: West LA
Had to grab a quick dinner before a movie so we tried the nearby Izakaya Terried Sake House that’s right next to Sasaya. Terried Sake House been around for much longer and has been a neighborhood favorite. Though a couple of my friends gave it thumbs down. Maguro Natto, Jon loves Natto while I’m not a big fan so he ate most of it. Healthy Tasting, better with a bit of soy sauce. Yakitori (chicken breast and Gizzard). The Gizzard is good, but the chicken breast are rather dry and tasteless.
sauted spinach (great!), Uni sushi (not so fresh/sweet) and rice balls (a bit overburnt and dry). I find their menu a bit too standard for my taste. I kept looking over the menu up and down and most items don’t stood out or raise my curiousity. Still it’s not bad for a more standard/everyday eat since they’re more affordable than other Izakaya in LA. Overall I still prefer its next door neighbour Sasaya for a more interesting and eclective menu (particularly the unforgettable simmer pork).
Marouch Lebanese Restaurant (Santa monica blvd)
//// By Joan in 04: Los Feliz
I usually go to Marouch for big group dinner and we would get their courses. This time a few collegues and I came here for lunch. I absolutely love their Warak-Inah-Bizeyt (Grape leaves) and Kebbeh (lean veal mixed with crushed wheat, stuffed with seasoned ground beef and pine nut, deep fried). THE best in LA! The pink pickles and grape leaves are great appetizers for whetting your appetite.
Gyros Shawarma and Chicken Shawarma. In the lunch menu, you can get them as a sandwich, medium or full plate size.
I got the Lamb Kafta Kaba ground kaba spiced and charbroiled. It’s very good, the lamb meat was tender and juicy. To everyone suprised I finish the entire plate. Lahm Mishwi Filet Mignon (beef). The hummus came with everyone’s plate and they’re fresh and tasty. Very satisfied!
Tags: Filet Mignon, Kebab, Lamb, Lebanese, Middle Eastern
Loteria Grill (Farmer’s Market)
//// By Freda in 09: Weho
Horchata. Like the last entry we ate at toursity places because of shopping demand. Loteria Grill is an acclaimed and popular Mexican joint at the Farmer’s market.
Chicken Mole and Shredded Beef Taco, the mole sauce is a bit water down but it’s still pretty good. Beef one was very tasty though. Huevos a la Mexicana, just Mexican scramble eggs that taste like…tasteless scramble egg…
