for me yes, but i haven’t tried any of the new bromakase shops in nyc yet.
1 Like
From reliable source, opening soon new Yoshino is the closest competitor to Sho in the US
1 Like
I was at dinner with a Vietnamese-American friend who’s a good cook and likes eating out, but doesn’t really follow the restaurant biz. I was telling her how the scare has affected SGV restaurants. She said Americans maybe but she doubted Asians would stop eating at SGV restaurants because of the Coronavirus scare. Well…
My brother from another mother.
1 Like
Moros Cuban Restaurant (La Habra)
Following a morning match, it was time to feed the chowpup. Since nearby Early Bird had a wait, the chowpup asked for Cuban food. On weekends, they serve a brunch buffet of their greatest and traditional dishes. Ceviche, salads, fried plantains, rice, beans, rice and beans mixed, ropa vieja, paella, yucca, lechon asado, arroz con pollo, pollo asado, pargo frito, fruit and arroz con leche. It’s a pretty impressive spread and dishes get replenished often. Saturdays it’s $17 per person…and it’s great for someone who’s never been or tried Cuban food before. Sundays it’s a bit more but they have a carving station and an omelette station.
The chowpup went to town and tried everything they had to offer. He was most impressed by the chicken asado, paella, and lechon asado…and the house rice and beans mix. I was sad to find the paella without soccarat, but the seafood was well-cooked and tasty. And I could eat their fried plantains all day…it’s one of my favorite things.
Service is attentive and friendly. Do get the aguas de Moros…available in mango and gauva…perfect on a warm day or after being on the soccer field.
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken (Long Beach)
On a failed errand with another chowpup, we found the Long Beach location of Gus’s and we decided to stop by. The chowpup ordered the tenders with fries and beans. I got the half chicken with fries and beans…and a slice of the chess pie. The chicken is still moist and delicious, but not at all spicy. Just tasty. The chowpup really enjoyed his tenders with the honey mustard dipping sauce…he was not a fan of the beans. I thought the chess pie was good…reminded me of flan and creme brûlée, but it was a tad too sweet.
Service here is super friendly. Maybe the errand wasn’t a complete failure.
6 Likes
I hate when you say that… even though I believe you.
2 Likes
Big fail at 8:57am Sunday morning at the Brea Whole Foods. They went through two boxes and were done making bacon for the day.
6 Likes
We haven’t been to Moros for a while but always wind up wishing we hadn’t gotten the paellas since the other food has been much better.
1 Like
I’ve never ordered it before…it was a good excuse to try it. I’d only ever order it again if soccarat was guaranteed. But I get it…I’m a huge fan of their appetizers and their lechon asado.
1 Like
The first page of their website reminds me of a FTC report. Looks good @coffeezeri. I thought the wonton chips were cracklins and was about to get in my car and drive over there right now. 
3 Likes
Closing out February. I spent the last two weeks kayaking in Baja. Unfortunately the 30 mph winds and 12 ft seas stranded us in a lovely arroyo for five days. We did spend three days in Loreto, and had three excellent inexpensive meals.
First was at Canipole, a wonderful family restaurant we lucked into. The chef makes whatever she wants each night, ably supported by her son and daughter. As always I forgot to take pictures until we had dug in:
Its a beautiful spot - there is no roof so during the 2 inches of rain they get a year I don’t think they serve.
Awesome guacamole.
Excellent simple soup.
Weak margarita.
The main was so good; two types of mole, beans, rice, and a wonderful sauce.
The next night we went to La Palapa, a seafood restaurant where, if you have been lucky, they will cook your fish for you. We weren’t fishing so we had their catch.
You have to be careful not to fill up on chips and salsa.
My friends had had tacos earlier so they just had really good tortilla soup.
I got the garlic fish which was good, but not knock it out of the park good.
The last night, after finally getting off the island, we had the Saturday night bbq at our hotel. $17 gets you all you can eat clams cooked three ways, oysters cooked three ways, ribs, chicken, stuffed potatoes, corn, veggies, salad and a raw bar. Picture doesn’t do it justice. I ate more at one sitting than I have done in years!
Now the kicker…prices…first night was $80 for three with five beers and a margarita. Second night was $44 for three with three beers and two margaritas. I mentioned last night was $17 apiece. Oceanfront double rooms at the spotless Oasis Hotel were $115/night with breakfast.
The king of the Oasis Hotel…
10 Likes
Catching up on some meals from a few months ago. Perhaps some ideas for Takeout. 
Spoon By H
Spoon By H blew up in popularity thanks to Chef David Chang’s (Momofuku, Majordomo) grandiose comment, proclaiming it his “restaurant of the year.” That was high praise, but considering how mixed his menus are at his restaurants, we were cautiously optimistic.
Walking in, Spoon By H looks like a cheery Dessert Shop (its original focus), and it seems the owner has been adding savory Korean dishes to the menu over time.
Mango Ice Cream Float:
Visually, all of Spoon By H’s Dessert / Drinks are gorgeous. 
It looks developed for Instagram.
Taking a sip: The dream is shattered. 
It’s so sweet it’s saccharine. It tasted of Sprite, with more Sugar added, then the Mango and other fruity bits. And then you had Vanilla Ice Cream scooped on top. I gave up mainstream Soda a longtime ago, and after a couple of sips, I couldn’t drink anymore. 
Pork Belly Dumpling Soup:
The cashier strongly recommended their Pork Belly Dumpling Soup as the “must try” item. First, this doesn’t look very common. Taking a sip, the Soup is watery and thin, however it has good flavor, savory, peppery, and the Fried Shallots on top really enhanced the flavor.
The Mandu Dumplings were solid, fresh-tasting, but nothing mind-blowing. The Glass Noodles, Shredded Carrots, thin strips of Pork Belly (boiled) finished things off.
2nd Visit:
Kimchi Fried Rice:
This is clearly fusion territory, as their Kimchi Fried Rice came with some generic-tasting, mass produced Shredded Mozzarella Cheese on top(!). 
Mixing it all up, it works. The generic pre-shredded Mozzarella Cheese is unremarkable, but adds a bit of creaminess to each bite. The Kimchi was mediocre (as @JeetKuneBao pointed out), and the Fried Rice had zero Wok Hei (Breath of the Wok). At $16 (+ tax & tip), this felt like poor QPR.
Blue Yuzu Limeade with Butterfly Pea Tea:
Another pretty-looking Drink, I love Yuzu normally, and couldn’t wait to see what this was like. It was sadly, as sickly sweet as the previous visit’s Mango Drink. It’s not a little sweet, it’s like this was made for little kids who can pound multiple cans of Coke or Sprite and down mass produced Candy Bars in a single sitting and feel happy about it. It reminds me of the Rain Drop Dessert that @PorkyBelly called out at Smorgasburg: Made for Instagram. Taste? Not so much.
Beef Short Rib Rice Cake Soup:
Their newer menu item, the Beef Short Rib Rice Cake Soup, reused the same watery Soup from their most popular menu item, the Pork Belly Dumpling Soup. As before, the Soup itself was nicely savory, if a bit thin, but it would’ve been nice to see some variation / innovation, instead of reusing the same base.
The Beef Short Rib meat was a bit chewy, but tender enough. It could’ve been cooked down a bit more, to be more tender, but it works. The Rice Cakes were just carbs to fill out the dish, nothing more.
Spoon By H feels like a nice neighborhood spot for Instagram-friendly Desserts & Drinks (but with enough Sugar to give you diabetes), and nice Korean fusion dishes that put a different spin on what you’re used to. Nothing was mind-blowing or amazing, and it certainly wasn’t even close to being what Chef David Chang calls “restaurant of the year.” Not even close. Perhaps he’s hyping up a fellow Korean to help their business out.
I’d agree with @AlwaysHungry and other FTC’ers in saying Spoon By H is decent at best; nice for the neighborhood, but we’re in no hurry to return.
Spoon By H
7158 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Tel: (323) 930-0789
Jon & Vinny’s (Fairfax) (Revisit)
Mafaldine (Six Hour Bolognese, Parmesan):
Mouth-wateringly delicious! 
Deeply savory, meaty, tasting like it’s been slow-cooked for hours. The Mafaldine Pasta was a nice al dente as well.
The one question is if you think this Pasta is worth $30 ($23.25 + tax + automatic 18% service charge)?
Sarah & Shiri’s Super Shroom Pizza (Mushroom, Garlic Rachera, Parmesan, Oregano):
Jon & Vinny’s Pizzas might be off-putting to some. It’s a thinner, sturdier crust, and many of the Pies are a bit too oily (you can see the Oil seeping through the crust above).
I love Mushrooms, and this was generally pretty tasty, with plenty of Mushrooms, funky Cheese and a tangy Tomato Sauce, but the Sauce and Pizza dough feel like they take away from the overall enjoyment. It’s not “bad” at all, but on a better Pizza Crust and a more balanced Red Sauce, this Pizza would be outstanding.
PSA: Jon & Vinny’s charges an automatic 18% Service Charge to the final bill, but if you weren’t paying attention to the line item, they also list a “Tip” line, with no mention of it being in addition to the Service Charge. At many restaurants they at least have the decency of either listing it as “Additional Tip”, or the servers will circle / tell you explicitly that there’s an automatic 18% Service Charge added already, but Jon & Vinny’s did neither on this visit.
Jon & Vinny’s (Fairfax)
412 N. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Tel: (323) 334-3369
Bhan Kanom Thai
Love this little mom & pop Thai Dessert specialist in the heart of Thai Town.
Kanom Bueng (Crispy Crepe):
Has anyone tried this Thai Dessert here? (@JeetKuneBao and others.) Just wondering if it’s worth a try. Thanks.
Pangchi (Taro, Corn, Coconut, Sugar, Flour):
My favorite Dessert at Bhan Kanom Thai is the Pangchi. If you love Taro, this Dessert is for you! Be sure to check if they are making a fresh batch (they make them throughout the day). It arrives piping hot, crisped, fragrant, tropical, lightly earthy, balanced, not too sweet but just delicious!
Bhan Kanom Thai
5271 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Tel: (323) 871-8030
Mountain
The partially overlooked restaurant next to the ever-popular Sun Nong Dan in Koreatown, we remembered a few FTC’ers recommending this spot, so we finally remembered to stop by and give it a try.
(Complimentary) Banchan:
While their Banchan (Small Side Dishes) are a bit standard, they had a unique offering on our visit: Stewed Beef(!), which was pretty tasty.
Cow & Ox Foot in Soup with Rice (Marrow Bone Soup):
Like most Sul Lung Tang specialists, Mountain’s Cow & Ox Foot Soup arrives unadorned, and you can choose to add however much Salt and Green Onions as you like. Taking a sip: Nice, mellow beefiness. Solid, respectable. While it doesn’t dethrone K-Town’s best, it’s great for a late night bite.
Whole Chicken, Ginseng, Garlic, Jujube, Pine Nuts, Ginger & Sweet Rice in Chicken Soup with Rice:
Mountain’s version of Samgye Tang (Ginseng Chicken Soup) has a nice Chicken broth base, was perfectly warming on the chilly evening when we visited, and lightly herbal and nutty. We preferred Buil Sam Gye Tang (@TheCookie), but since Mountain is open 24 hours a day(!), this is a good alternative when Buil is closed.
Mountain
3470 W. 6th St. #5
Los Angeles, CA 90020
Tel: (213) 487-7615
Western Doma Noodle
A big thanks to @skramzlife @JeetKuneBao for the recommendation, Western Doma Noodle is a quiet little mom & pop shop in a nondescript strip mall in Koreatown.
Loved the array of free Banchan!
(Complimentary) Banchan (Small Side Dishes):
Western Doma Noodle’s Banchan variety is nice. I really enjoyed quite a few of them, all very solid to great. I think Soban and Park’s BBQ’s Banchan are still our favorites in K-Town (so far), but Western Doma’s was quite good.
Dak Dori Tang (Tender Chicken Portions Served with Potatoes and Carrots, Mixed with Special Herbs and Sauce):
There was some nice heat (you can order it Spicy or Non-Spicy), beautiful aromatics, Garlic, Ginger, Green Onions, Sesame nuttiness, and a solid punch of Gochujang (Chili Paste). The slow-cooked Chicken morsels were tender, moist, and beautifully marinated in the Sauce. Delicious!
Dolsot Bibimbap (Hot Stone Pot Mixed Rice):
Western Doma’s version of Dolsot Bibimbap (Hot Stone Pot Mixed Rice) was quite enjoyable: The Rice gets nice and crispy on the edges, and then you mix everything together for a balanced bite of some Spinach, Carrots, Seaweed, Stewed Mushrooms, Squash, Radishes and an Egg that gets cooked as you mix it in with the blazing hot Stone Pot.
We can’t wait to try more items at Western Doma Noodle in the future.
Western Doma Noodle
429 N. Western Ave. # 10
Los Angeles, CA 90004
Tel: (323) 871-1955
9 Likes
Bhan Kanom Thai’s Khanom Buang/Crispy Crepe…not my favorite thing on the menu, there is coconut cream and the topping is usually something salty or savory. I only really get the pangchi, pandan custard, and if the coconut cakes were made recently. The pangchi when warm is so good!!!
Re:Spoon By H, I think I appreciate the creativity side. The dishes interplay between traditional and creative. The kimchi yes is not as good as the Grandmas and Aunties at a soup specialists (take your pick of any of them on Western)
Glad you like Western Doma! If your into more homestyle food with banchan selection try Mapo Kkak Do Gee and Jang Ga Ne, both in Koreatown, although I am not sure how are the hours now currently.
1 Like
Wait you’ve had the porridge before at Mountain right?
Hi @JeetKuneBao,
Thanks for the info on Bhan Kanom’s other desserts. 
I can’t wait to try the pandan custard next time!
Re: Mapo Kkak Do Gee - Thanks for the reminder, I had that bookmarked for a while now.
Mountain: No, I haven’t tried the porridge yet. Is it worth trying? Thanks.
The Abalone Porridge at Mountain…is very light subtle flavor. Their is braised beef banchan that is quite savory. It hits the spot after a night out, sick, etc. Bonjuk is the other well known porridge place in Koreatown
2 Likes