Choz?
I’m eld.
3 Likes
Finally got to visit Reading Terminal Market. Comparison is inevitable but it is a larger Grand Central Market with different items that are local to ones perspective city. Every great city has a large public market like this!!!
The most impressive part imo is what @J_L mentioned above, there is part of the market where the Amish cornered.
I wish I took a picture but basically the LARGEST baked goods counter I ever seen in my life. I wanted to try everything but that is not humanely possible.
I have to say it seems you have to come here with a sweet tooth…Amish baked goods, apple dumplings, donuts, cannolis, etc it’s a little much for me personally.
DiNic’s…finally got to try the roast pork sandwich! Great interplay here with sharp provolone, broccoli rabe, peppers, and pork. Very tasty. To be perfectly honest I think Cortinas in OC has the better sandwich (named the Rocky Balboa at Cortinas), I know I know. Saying something like that would get my ass whopped. It’s still a very good sandwich!!!
Beiler’s …blueberry fritter! Wow this was outstanding! Best donut I had since moving away from Southern California. If I had one thing to say is I wish there was slightly more crunch on the outside like the apple fritters at mom n pop Cambodian spots. That could be just a personal preference or just be how the Amish make them.
Miller’s Twist…again the Amish! The pretzels are legit. Even better is the stuffed pretzels with hot dog, hot link, sausage, BaconEggCheese.
Walked around after that…Chinatown, Independence Hall, Washington Square, Italian Market, Little Saigon, Center City.
Italian Market…I like the vibe of that street and it’s too bad I was stuffed. Any suggestions or recs on Italian Market?
I’ll probably save my Chinese fix for Flushing tbh.
Saw a strip mall with all Vietnamese businesses which reminded me of Little Saigon back home.
21 Likes
Duly noted for next time!
Thank you for the recs!
1 Like
Hardena (Indon)
South Philly Barbacoa
Pat’s Steak (OG cheesesteak)
John’s roast pork (cheese steak too)
DiBruno Bros
https://kampar-kitchen.square.site/ (legit Malaysian)
Isgro (cannoli)
Pastificio, Ricci’s, Paesano (hoagie)
Chickie & Pete’s
If u need a pho fix - Pho 75
3 Likes
Cheese 
2 Likes
So I decided I didn’t have nearly enough calories today by only eating at burgers never say die. After all it was $2 Filet* O Fish Friday and FREE Medium fry Friday at McDonald’s
So, since McDs doesn’t do all day breakfast had to get the hash brown from Jack In The Box. Surprised at how large it is. A big square potato slab.
Pro tip. They are $1.99 each. But they are free with a purchase. So if you get 2 tacos for 99¢ in the app, it adds a delicious side dish.
So, I give you…
The Gr8pimpin Filet O Jack Brown Extra Value Meal. Filet O Jack Brown, 2 Tacos, medium fries and a drink (not pictured)
Sandwich is awesome. The Jack Brown was really good. Forgot how tasty this combo is.
You can’t beat the QPR
$2.00 Filet o Fish
$1.00 2 tacos
$1.00 drink
Free hash brown
Free medium fries
Free cardiology consult (ok not free)
*my stupid phone wants to keep changing Filet O Fish to Philleo fish
Cross posting to Filet O Hashbrown Thread
12 Likes
The Rocky Balboa at Cortina’s is one of the few reasons I miss having to go to north OC for work.
2 Likes
Good to know! I love that sandwich.
2 Likes
Yeah. I kinda figured 
LOL
Cheese on the burger, yes. Comes standard.
If you meant their cheese sauce for the fries? Nope.
I asked because I couldn’t see any cheese on your burgers
1 Like
Dear John’s (Culver City) resumes outdoor dining, with a lovely patio setup. Spaced tables, clear guidelines, and most of all, everything was prepared deliciously. Nothing fancy or groundbreaking here culinarily; just really pro-level cooking and well-poured drinks.
Caesar’s salad… This won’t win any photogenicity contests, but for a salad, the dish WAS truly tasty and well-executed.
Old-Fashioned… For an old-fashioned good time.
Garlic bread… More like garlic bread pizza. Not a bad thing, though.
Bougie tots… Shredded egg, ikura and caviar make most things bougie. And instagrammably yummy.
Main courses arrive…
18oz. ribeye with Dear John’s signature steak sauce… Perfect doneness. My cut was a bit too fatty this evening, though. (I should have ordered the NY Strip instead)…
Spaghetti & clams… Just the way ol’ Blue Eyes liked it.
Creamed corn & creamed spinach… Flawless.
German potatoes… Get this. Flavorful as heck.
Dessert time! Mascarpone cheesecake with raspberry coulis and fresh whipped heavy cream… Fantastic.
Chocolate bar with butterscotch and caramel… One of the best chocolate desserts in the city.
Service remains as professional and personable as ever.
Our entire meal was solid, start to finish. Dear John’s is a straight-up great, no-frills outdoor option.
24 Likes
OK, gave McDonald’s a second shot at their new crispy chicken sandwich.
Yeah, I had to see if my first experience was a one off. Nope, my impressions are the same. The fillet is roughly the same size as a Chick-fil-A sandwich. And while they may dress up the same with just the pickles and the buttered bun that’s where the similarities end. This is a bland chicken fillet. They definitely went for a neutral flavor. McDonald’s uses no discernible seasonings. If you order it, make sure you get some sauces. Unlike Chick-fil-A, their sandwich needs it. Seriously, at least give me some salt and pepper.
It WAS crispy… it WAS juicy. So there is that.
Their spicy version uses the same bland chicken breast. Chick-fil-A uses a spicy chicken breast on their spicy sandwich. McDonalds is relying on their sauce to carry the day, for the flavor and the heat
I will say this, the sauce was very spicy compared to other fast food offerings. This, I liked.
Like I said in another post, the bun is the star of the show to me. They should totally make breakfast sandwiches on them. It’s a shame they didn’t spend as much time figuring out their chicken breast.
Cross posting in the Fast Food Thread
7 Likes
Popeye’s
I had to try to flounder sandwich because I do enjoy a fried fish sandwich. It’s a pretty hefty portion…lots of crunchy and crispy texture in the spiced Cajun batter. My filet itself was moist but there was a higher batter to fish ratio. The tartar sauce wasn’t very discernible…more mayo-y and not much else. The pickle slices did offer a nice contrast.
End result? Still gonna make my own with sourdough rolls and tartar sauce from the Original Fish Company in Los Alamitos and Costco fish sticks and American cheese.
PRD
The mind and skills of Chef @JLee continues to knock it out of the park. The McCharsiuRib was no joke amazing…and I’m gonna have fried turnip cakes with eggs for breakfast all week long.
P.S. I may need to add Maggi to my mayo going forward now.
Hayato
A beautiful and sunny southern California afternoon under the tree across from Rappahanock remains a great way to have a leisurely bento with sake…and a couple of friends who have since been vaccinated.
We were all delighted by Chef Go’s spectacular bento. I still own that the vegetables can go toe-to-toe with the exceptional proteins.
General manager, Yuki, suggested Matsuno Midori for our sake today. Apparently, it’s one of Chef Go’s favorites.
All Day Baby
Dessert was provided by All Day Baby…their Peanut Butter Fluffernutter with house made strawberry jam. It is a giant serving, but the cookie sandwich is truly balanced. It was not too sweet, and you are able to taste each component and enjoy the textures. Knock your socks off good. My friends raved about how perfect it was.
Biscuits to take home for later. Can’t leave without biscuits. They also had the bacon cheddar onion scones today, but it was a limited amount.
19 Likes
End of February photo dump:
Went to pick up treats from Republique for Valentine’s Day
Strawberry passionfruit cream pie – really good, but prefer the mango version
Basque cheesecake
quiche - husband loves this, has to get a slice every time. I like the custard-y soft texture of the egg in here.
Ube brioche. Didn’t take a pic of the inside but the ube pastry cream inside is delicious.
Tried the egg biscuit sandwich from All Day Baby for the first time and it was really good. Buttery, flaky biscuit and the jam was a nice bit of sweetness to the egg and cheese.
However the 2nd time I got the biscuit, it looked and tasted burned
Biscuit was drier too. Maybe it had been on the griddle too long. Look at how much darker it is than in the first photo. Also, it tasted strongly of meat, like someone had mistakenly put a sausage patty in there and then realized my order wasn’t supposed to have one and then removed it. I ate the whole thing because I didn’t want to waste it.
The brown butter chocolate chip cookie from All Day Baby (@rlw !) was really good too. I like when places use feves or wafers over chips. Outside edges were a little crispy but good chew on the interior.
Strawberry/milk twist softserve from Somi Somi in Little Tokyo after buying groceries.
22 Likes
This reminds me, I need to bake another Basque Cheesecake. So good.
4 Likes
Hello!
In college hubs could eat 2 Double Kings w/Chili, Cheese, Bacon & Egg in one sitting. 
6 Likes
Mama’s Shawarma, 1416 E. Colorado Street, Glendale 
What immediately stands about Syrian-owned Mama’s Shawarma in a city where shawarma wraps are a dime a dozen, is their devotion to Arabic-style shawarma plates. These are more like what you will find at night in the Levant’s largest cities, friends and families in front of plates of cut up shawarma wraps that have been covered in fries, squeeze bottles of ketchup at the ready on each table.
They offer two sizes for this, the Mama’s plate is $15 for one cut up sandwich, fries, a small salad, pickles, and of course garlic sauce. A much better deal is the Big Mama’s plate ($18, below), which adds a full second wrap to the mix and an extra container of garlic sauce for just three dollars more.
You will know just from looking at their shawarma spit inside the truck that the bird is going to be delicious, and the first bite does not disappoint. Fries for this order were overcooked and dried out, but still decent when dipped in their creamy garlic sauce. For the purists, ketchup packets are in your bag, so do not worry.
14 Likes