Island time.
Cafe O’lei at the Plantation.
South Shore Tiki Lounge
Kioso
11 Likes
Lineage. Phenomenal! Amazing fried chicken with gochujang sauce. Everything was great. Best meal on island by a long shot.
Aji Tamago
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Liangban Salad
Korean Fried Chicken
Bread Pudding with POG cremeux and mango sorbet
16 Likes
Awan.
Didn’t know they are related to Dayglow Coffee. Really enjoyed all of the flavors here. Vanilla, strawberry, and passion fruit
14 Likes
I didn’t know that either.
I believe the owner of Dayglow is a co-owner of Awan, but I do not think he is the culinary brains behind Awan.
Awan is great, probably the best non-dairy ice cream I’ve had (I know, I know, it’s not ice cream).
5 Likes
New Kamara in Chinatown on N Hill (or rather, New Khmerer as on their business cards). Really good daytime noodles! The fried leek cakes are really good. Dry noodles are awesome. The broth is really good and it comes with the big bone as “proof of work”. I liked the dry noodles a little more – I can load up on the chili oil tableside (pretty decent, it’s a crisp but pretty fine so it goes well with noodles). Dry noodles might be giving a little less toppings than before, but it’s astounding how the price is the same – for now. The wonton soup includes more savory/salty notes, so not my favorite.
Also I really like the iced coffee. Vietnamese coffee style? Like a NOLA. But not too sweet. It’s actually my fave iced coffee in the neighborhoood. (I like thank you coffee’s lattes better hot than iced).
Just one person working all the tables, so we usually get up to pay at the counter. This is pretty good eating for “every new headline means my $$ is down and will continue to tank” and getting an appetizer + drink to share with lunch, all ~$20 each after tip.
12 Likes
Just to clarify, is it this place?
1 Like
Yes! New Kamara in Chinatown. It’s New Kamara everywhere public-facing (but not on their business cards onsite).
2 Likes
Mariscos Los Corchos made me feel like a real chow hound. I know Esparza wrote it up a few times, but it’s a bunch of tables in the back of an auto shop with a porta-potty in a community called Bloomington. Seemed byob, wouldn’t mind coming down here with some margaritas. Highly recommend, if you’re out that way. Sadly didn’t try the birreria de pescado bc I was being dumb and didn’t see them.
Cash or Zelle only. Was really damn good. There was an absurd shrimp empanada. Table next to me kept ordering more. Pescado zarandeado was tasty, especially the bites with a really good caramelized sear. 21 bucks a pound. Shrimp taco was elite. The pescado ceviche was tasty, though a tad light on the fish. Next time I’ll try the aguachile.
20 Likes
carby weekend
Chosun Galbee: mul-naengmyeon & galbi combo, a perfect lunch.
excellent noodles. maybe my top mul-naengmyeon
sikhye, nice mild sweetness after the all the pickled flavors
Pho Lovers, #12. A solid standby when Phoholic and others are too busy.
more sikhye, with boba (odd, I know). at Tira Tea House, 25% sweet.
Pizzeria Sei: special margherita
mala lamb
19 Likes
The Vandalist - Whittier
A delightful cocktail bar in uptown Whittier. Great happy hour specials and a terrific gimlet.
Also great is this amaretto sour that gets its sour from umeboshi.
Smorgasbord: Caviar Edition
I got Astrea and @Clayfu influenced and strolled over on Easter Sunday for some fun. We hadn’t been before, but it was a good time for the family. Free bumps of Astrea with purchase from the bar was pretty sweet, too.
Fine
Meh
Fantastic…I would have taken a full serving because this was lights out good
Teleféric - Long Beach
Dropped in for drinks and snacks.
The jamòn was the driest we’ve ever had, but wanted something to go with the delightful pan con tomate.
A window seat on a lovely, sunny day isn’t too shabby of a way to pass the time.
The Blind Rabbit - Anaheim
This cocktail hotspot always hits it out of the park. I always find the drinks well-balanced and delicious. The folks who work here are fun and gracious…and the only bad seats in the house are the ones in the dark corner next to the kitchen and dishwasher (because you can smell the cleaning solution from the dishwasher).
Sabor fresa: yogurt washed Mijenta Blanco, strawberry, lemon, fizz
Midsommar: garden of Eden infused Haka Vodka, Alma Finca, mango, lemon, honey
Wooden Pearl - Anaheim
The newest addition to the packing house offering surf, turf and cocktails. They’ve leaned into the caviar thing and are offering pairings and bumps.
I feel like they still need to work on execution as they just opened this past week. I wasn’t too impressed by the 2 apps that we got, but there’s quite a bit of hope for their pork chop…well-cooked, great char from their grill and super moist and tasty.
Brü Grill & Market - Lake Forest
The menu is reminiscent to the Cheesecake Factory in choice, if the Cheesecake Factory menu was reduced by 3/4. But in all seriousness, there are quite a number of options that will make most groups happy. We needed an early dinner on the way to south OC and this has a wide selection and a full bar.
We were there early enough to take advantage of the tail end of the weekend happy hour.
Filet mignon steak tips with house made steak sauce were particularly good as were their salads. The beet salad had 2 kinds of roasted beets and their chopped salad had a ton of ingredients with a great house made Balsamic dressing and freshly grilled-to-order chicken breast. The chicken was piping hot when the salad was delivered.
We’d probably drop in, if we need an easy meal in the area.
18 Likes
loveeeee awan!!!
1 Like
Rose Park Roasters, 4th Street Retro Row. Cap with oat.
Mangiafolie, LBC. 4th Street Retro Row. Vegan Italian. Delicious!
Current menus:
9 Likes
Earle’s, Crenshaw District. Went crazy lol vegan chili cheese fries, vegan link with sauerkraut/brown mustard/NY onions, vegan burger(only $5 special), and vegan lemon cake.
15 Likes
Salaya, Thai Town. Khua Kling Impossible Beef. Need to order this more spicy! Also need to try the krapow impossible beef.
Grabbed some banana sticky rice and pangchi.
Pizza Wagon of Brooklyn, Sherman Oaks. Had a pizza craving and my local spot was closed on Tuesdays (Redwood Pie). They close relatively late at 11pm.
12 Likes
The culinary brains behind Awan is Zen Ong - he was also the pastry chef at EP LP years ago. It’s pretty ridiculous how good it is for all being vegan - better than most people’s regular ice cream.
6 Likes
Agreed. Top ten percent ice cream for me.
1 Like
Has anyone been to Didi Vietnamese? You have about an hour to talk us out of a mistake.
Edit: changed res to Saffy’s. Didi is too far to go to have potentially bad food. The TikTok performer stuff scared me away.
1 Like
How was it??
1 Like