Thanks @A5KOBE for the Toros Market chip rec! I dropped by while waiting for my Burritos La Palma order for chips, salsa, and guacamole. The chips were a delight and made for easy chilequiles breakfasts this week. They blow the Northgate chips out of the water since Toros actually seasons their chips with salt. It makes such a difference.
I’ll probably be back this week since everyone is asking for a NYE nacho bar.
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The Antelope Valley (Lancaster, Palmdale, Quartz Hill, Hi Vista 
) is past the SFV, past Santa Clarita. Still LA County.
The Antelope Valley is my neck of the woods, I have to drive appx. 45-50 minutes to get to Pacoima (mmm, Birreria Apatzingan). Good to see Me Gusta is still out around, and getting some notice, something that didn’t happen when they were in Lancaster…except amongst locals. Bill Esparza mentioned them in his rundown of tamales for Eater LA 
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Lovely strawberry Christmas cake from Patisserie Chantilly. I felt bad cutting into it! The meringue Santa and snowman were a cute touch.
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Is that essentially a larger slice of the gateau fraise (which I bought yesterday)?. Such a lovely cake. One of our favorite desserts around.
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Yes! It’s about the size of four slices of the gateau fraise.
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Catching up in the last few hours of 2020 to wrap up the month!
All Time
Salmon and Crispy Rice
Wow this is legit. Not only is the salmon perfectly cooked with a crisp skin, but the sushi rice beneath has some fantastic socarrat action going on. It’s then taken up a level with greens and roasted onion mixed in, and with a generous squeeze of the charred lemon, this dish just gets amped up to another level. Get a side of the pique hot sauce too, because even though it isn’t that spicy, it is a tasty sauce that adds more acid for when you run out of lemon juice.
The fried brussels sprouts are superb. While they don’t quite reach the heights of Mizlala’s fried Brussels sprouts because they’re simpler, it’s still an exceptional side dish to a wonderful meal. All time is really like having your friends cook for you.
Porridge + Puffs
Corn Mochi Cookie
I’m a bit mixed on this cookie. It’s not that sweet, and is kind of like the firm crust of a mildly sweet corn bread. So go in knowing that it’s not that sweet, especially contrasted against another corn cookie such as the one at Milk Bar which is insanely sweet. The mochi filling isn’t that sweet either, but is a necessary element because it binds the crumbly corn cookie together. I still prefer the miso chocolate chip, but this is still an interesting and novel effort.
I also finished up 2020 in San Francisco, so many many many more thoughts on some great meals here.
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Finally have someone that gets me. I find everything at Milk Bar insanely sweet.
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The level of Milk Bar sweetness is optimal for the pallet of an 11 year old. To the rest of us mortals, individual bites can be good, but damn it’s challenging to finish a whole item off their menu by oneself 
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Ehh
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I have a high tolerance for sugar 
but I stand by their cakes (albeit also with limited bites). I wasn’t a big fan of their cookies because when I starting wondering if it’s too sweet then I know others definitely think it is.
A few more things to round out 2020.
Seung Buk Dong Kalbi Jjim and Dduk Gook - ok maybe I ate the latter a few days earlier than New Years 
Gjusta their menu is reduced to breakfast sandwiches and the fish plate (and of course the baguette and sourdough loaf I ordered not shown here). Still really like their fish offerings. No prime rib sandwich at the moment 
Thanks to @thecounterpart for the Spanish fish hookup!
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This is becoming a theme. It’s about the 3rd time in month I’ve read about a Chopped Cheese and I’d never heard of it before. Hmmm… I must try.
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That looks like my favorite way to eat @NYCtoLA. What Spanish fish hookup? I want the hookup? 
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Ahhh… I remember. I was confused because NYCtoLA thanked T3t. 
Thanks!
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ROW DTLA
Looks like we were on the same migrational food path that weekend @js76wisco.
Hayato Bento Box
This is the same box we’ve had three times - the same ingredients, the same preparations. I don’t know if it was the atmosphere, the lovely day or this box just had the perfect mojo, but it hit all the right notes perfectly and was my favorite. 
Simonnet-Febvre Crémant de Bourgogne Brute Rosé / Fall Old-Fashioned - Bourbon, Bitters, Warm Spiced Cranberry Juice, Maple Syrup, Dried Cranberry
This sparkling pinot noir rosé didn’t look very rosé but it was and the fruit, the freshness & the fine bubbles went quite well with the oysters. Hubs loved the old-fashioned.
Rappahannocks & Olde Salts
They’re served shucked w/the lids placed back on top, underneath are fresh, tasty oysters, perfectly shucked. The briny Olde Salts are very good but I loved the sweet, buttery little Rappahanocks. They offer 5 interesting toppings & sauces but we went simple - Achiote Cocktail Sauce & Horseradish.
Crispy Oysters + Lemon & Remoulade
I like lightly floured, pan-fried, not deep-fried oysters - too much coating covers up the oyster flavor, imo. But! 
We wolfed these down then my husband stood right up and said “I’m gettin’ more”. They’re light, crunchy, perfectly seasoned and the oyster flavor (probably the Olde Salts) came thru perfectly.
We too almost went to Holy Basil to pickup dinner, but ROW was so pleasant that we just stayed & chilled. If you want to be out & about and safely distance too I can’t think of a more kush locale.
Happy Eating!
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I had a Hayato bento last weekend—was that when you got it too @TheCookie? I ask because I had a similar experience being overwhelmed with how amazing it was. Maybe it was because it had been awhile, but every single bite was on point.
Though for the record, snow crab tofu was my favorite so: shrimp shinjo 4 / snow crab tofu 3
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Agreed. Every bite was great. Maybe it’s because we haven’t been dining out much? Maybe it’s because we were sitting outside on a beautiful sunny day.
Our favorite bites were the snow crab tofu, sweet potato and scallop.
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Hi @rlw!
Haha, no it wasn’t last weekend. My report is on the late freight… we had our bento on the 20th. 
Big thanks goes to a food talker with a quicker F5 finger than mine. One whose name I won’t mention…@PorkyBelly!
My favorite is still the Shrimp Shinjo, followed by my usuals and adding a couple of new faves to the list - the Seared Duck Breast & Dried Shiitake Nimono 
… but seriously everything hit the exact right notes of care, preparation, temperature & texture.
Happy Hayato Eating!
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