Yeah this was one of my favorite places. It’s gone up considerably in price over the last three years. I would say three times the price. Three of us used to go there for 60 bucks including margaritas for the family drinker (lol).
The asada has a really great smoky taste to it. Carnitas tasty as well.
going back through some online reviews, a few folks writing about how the prices have gone up a lot. i think the flavors were very good. overall is the experience $100-for-two-people great? not for this guy.
There are prices on the menus on their web site.
indeed, i wish i’d seen them before i went in the restaurant. the physical menus just have holes where someone took a punch to the prices. a little note at the bottom says ‘prices subject to change without notice.’
Seems like menus without prices would cause a lot of extra work for the staff.
If a lot of their stuff is imported maybe they’re holding off on printing new ones until the tariffs are final.
maybe i don’t follow the logic. extra logistical work? the staff has little pocket terminals where they input the orders. checks aren’t “dropped” in the traditional fashion: they present you with the terminal to approve of the final price and either tap a card to pay, or pay with cash to receive a “discount.”
i could see an issue where someone has a beer or three, orders a bunch of food, and receives a surprise bill at the end.
tariffs might be the underlying issue. waiting for stability before printing new menus.
More work because customers will constantly be asking what things cost.
Is it even legal not to have prices on a menu ?
Getting lost in the syntax here a bit, but based on the title of the clause, and the text highlighted in the link, looks like you are absolutely required to disclose prices (links to municipal code).
Whoever takes the time to report their error to whichever department deserves to be fined themselves for having too much time on their hands and wasting it.
Niceee is this the gcm location?
Indeed!
We must’ve crossed paths as the timestamp on my receipt picture is 3:10 and I think they close for lunch at 2:30. The trip was kind of a whirlwind and I was still a little buzzed that day from my night before at Meadowlark/Best Intentions, so memory isn’t spectacular, but I don’t think there were many patrons at the bar at that time. So if you remember a bald guy trying a bunch of random spirits there, yup.
On that note, quick? rundown. Had some letdown meals unfortunately, but also some solid ones.
Warlord
Did the tasting menu again as it was excellent the time before. Ended up being the only person actually doing it that night, but it was cool to be able to talk to the chefs/bar dudes I’ve built some friendliness with.
Meal was good, but had a few misses. Best bites were a smoked lobster and embered tomato (very reminiscent of the beet at angler), pictures are shit though so I’ll post just the steak. Perfumed by the herbs lit ablaze, a fun interactive dish, perfectly cooked and a FAT piece (probably since I was the only diner).
Early dinner at Sepia
This was a last minute thing due to extra time. It was alright, they are definitely pumping out food here. I accidentally booked for the next day, after arriving they were still able to accommodate the 8 course chefs menu (surprised, kinda). Most bites were fine, plating a little dated, there was a “pasta dish” that was basically fried dough balls with japaleno cream cheese - essentially jalapeño poppers. Tasty but weird. Best bite was the smoked trout/cav/herb oil dish seen below.
Few vintage amari at Billy Sunday, with a very mouthwashy 70s genepy. I like the color though
Late dinner at Warlord for a la carte.
Burger, blistered shishito, smoked baby corn, oysters and a foie ganache to put on the burger. Mostly good, but burger was lacking compared to how great it normally is. Seasoning issues both days surprisingly.
Smyth a few days later
Unfortunately a little disappointing, considering this has been at the top of my fav meals for the past 2.5 years. My 6th visit I believe. A lot of the staple dishes had different sets this time, most of which weren’t as pleasing to me as any of the other visits.
Signature custard dish was very runny, nut milk dish came with lobster that was slightly over and needed seasoning, weird dessert that tasted like potpourri…But a cool highlight was the poached sweetbreads seared tableside with bincho. Though I think a hard grill / fry is the best treatment, this was fun (below).
Next day I hit Obelix for lunch as mentioned, then a few drinks later had to try the pizza at Zarella. I thought it was quite good, probably still 3rd behind pizzamici and vito & nicks but, those are hard to beat (as well as get into/travel to respectively)
Dinner was a major dud at Esmé as @mzonelli foreshadowed
A few bites were fine, but most of the larger courses were a slodge, at the “wish I wasn’t eating this right now” level.
I suppose for posterity I’ll post the one bite that was tasty enough. Caviar fish thing, which looks oddly like the dish I liked the most at Sepia
Ended up back at Best Intentions for a cuppa shrimp, burger, and tons of draft angostura to wash away the taste of a stale hard cheese mignardise.
Friday- Shaw’s early lunch, classic and a must hit for me.
After more imbibing, linner was served at Pizz’amici - can’t stay away.
Back to Warlord for dinner. Mostly different alc menu this day, some hits like smoked plums and grilled enoki with caviar. Only got terrible pics.
Saturday - Gus’ Sip & Dip for snacks and drinks, very strong bar program here. Only small bites for us, but the larger things all looked great. Menu read very well imo.
The last big meal was another visit to Warlord lol. They told us the previous night that a few things would change on the alc menu that next day, and my buddy hadn’t tried the steak yet, so easy choice. Only picture I got was a delicious dish of charred cabbage with a perfectly cooked monkfish underneath (though not visible)
On my final day I was in Rosemont, which is very near O’Hare, and had been advised to check out Gene & Jude’s. Seemingly a Chicago/suburb staple. Huge line, old school Chicago style dogs with fries piled atop. No pics sadly as there are no tables or counters to eat at there, so it was a standing in the parking lot affair.
Liu’s Creamery.
No pics because I ate too fast but third visit to mustards bagels today (second since they moved the popup closer to me in culver which is now going to be their permanent home where they signed a lease)
Anchovy butter and guindilla pepper special fantastic. The other usuals also great but truly just thrilled by their nori everything bagel with miso scallion cc.
My fav bagel in LA for sure
actual stroke of genius for an asian creamery
Love these bagels! So sad they moved across town, but my loss is your gain haha. Treat them right, and then hopefully a second location will come back east someday.
Dang. That sounds amazing!
Agreed!!!
