Beverly Hills - Simon LA

Simon LA by celebrity chef Kerry Simon, complementing and residing inside of the classy hotel The Sofitel LA, often gets questioned for whether or not it lives up to Simon's star status. The interior view is dim, airy and inviting. Outside seating is weather proof and heater friendly.

We were greeted and attended a few times by the dinner crew before the adventure could begin. Drinks and breads were served quickly as if we were the only guests. The assorted breads were mostly dry and less interesting.

Roasted tomato soup /10 and the colossal crab cake /16 were the starter recommendation of our attendant. The soup, paired with the little grilled cheese sandwich, tasted like a post hangover revival breakfast bite. The crab cake with the young papaya slaw was reminiscent of a Thai papaya salad. Both dishes were clean and cooked to perfection. Easily recommendable.

Tomahawk bone-in steak 32oz /75, one of the daily specials, was grilled perfectly to medium rare. The cuts were juicy and flavorful that worked just fine with either the red wine reduction or the béarnaise sauce. Roasted root vegetables and black rice with farro and spinach, the included two sides, tasted a bit like thanksgiving leftover stuffings. At $9 each per side, it could have been so much more.


Although there might be some uncertainty whether Simon LA is worthy of its stardom, as the friendly host wrapping up the souvenir tomahawk, it proved a good night of pleasant service and decent food.


Simon LA
www.simonlarestaurant.com | 8555 Beverly Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90048 | (310) 278-5444

Cookalong with Gordon Ramsay - Crab Pasta with Crab, Chili and Lime

I have always wondered how Gordon Ramsay gets away with being an asshole pushing people’s buttons around on American TV shows. He must either pay these people well or he had to be an amazing cook himself. I intended to find out just that myself by cookalong with one of his youtube recap.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup of white wine,
2 limes,
crab meat (about half container, 4 oz),
extra virgin olive oil,
angel hair pasta (about half pack),
2 chilis (chopped),
garlic (chopped),
Italian parsley (chopped),
scallion (chopped).

Hot oil hot pan, chopped garlic, chili & scallion in.

“Sauté and season it well, ya?” Yes chef!
White wine and reduce.

Cook the angel hair in salted boiling water. Squeeze half of a lime into the sauce. Crab in.

Cook the crab in the sauce for about a minute or two. Add the pasta straight into the pan. (pasta timed for four minutes) Sprinkle with chopped parsley and toss.

Serve with lime juice and drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serves two. Done!

Maybe it’s Gordon Ramsay or it’s the pressure of trying to cookalong with a 40 seconds video clip, i started to yell at the person near me to get the silverware and eat it while it’s hot. I was later pardoned after she tasted how good it was. Now that’s an amazing dish.

Los Angeles - Mo-Chica Contemporary Peruvian Restaurant

Mo-Chica is my first encounter for Peruvian cuisine. It’s located in an unfamiliar part of LA, tucked inside one of the most random food courts. Amidst totally inconsequential Asian and Latino food stands, it stands out with the most crowds, like the only fire pit in the wild. At Mo-Chica, you get to dress casual and still be served with upscale presentation.

Though the menu is not gigantic, with the specials, we were running out of space on our table with all the plates. At Mo-Chica, the chicas on the floor are friendly and efficient. Two $2 authentic Peruvian drinks (below), CHICHA MORADA (purple corn ice tea) & CEBADA (barley ice tea, ginger & herbs), were served before i took off my jacket.

For starters, we had ordered almost everything although the calories in yellow did pause our hearts for a few seconds. PAPA A LA HUANCAINA was more spicy than it looks yet it paired with the eggs and salad well.

CEVICHE of the day was the sea bass - 7. The ingredients were all fresh and made sense. The crunchy toasted corn and the acidic bass and the tender sweet potato work beautifully in a bite.

Lamb Belly Special - 13. The lamb was ridiculously tender and its slightly burn edges added that smoked depth - an instant favorite.

Below, ARROZ CON POLLO (chicken, sauteed rice, cilantro) - 13. It’s consistently cooked to perfection out the three times we had it. The chicken is juicy and the rice is seasoned unforgettably. It’s a must order dish at Mochica and a staple on my list, regardless of its top ranking calorie count of 650.

Chef owner Ricardo Zarate not only is a master of putting savory ingredients together and makes it tasty. His passion fruit creme brulee has got the right touch of acidity and sweet creamy goodness that will make you ask for it every time.

Mochica is a hidden gem and hopefully it will be relocated to downtown as rumored in the near future. I know I will be going back no matter where they go.

Mo-Chica
www.mo-chica.com | 3655 S Grand Ave Los Angeles, CA 90007 | (213) 747-2141

Cook - Sesame Oil Chicken

If I could rename this well known dish from Taiwan, rather than the direct translation “Sesame Oil Chicken”, I’d call it the Drunken Ginger Chicken. Though it won’t make you drunk because the alcohol is mostly evaporated during the cooking, I think it just sounds a bit better than an oily chicken.


Ingredients:
slices of ginger,
1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil,
2 cups Taiwanese cooking sake & 2 1/2 cups water,
four chicken drumsticks,
2 tbsp of vegetable oil


bring the vegetable oil hot
add ginger slices and fry it until golden brown both sides
add the sesame oil onto the gingers, pan fry for another minute to infuse the two well


add the drumsticks then brown them on all sides
add the sake to cover about 1/3 height of the chicken
bring to the boil then simmer for five minutes.


add water to cover 2/3 of the chicken
bring to the boil then let it simmer for another 20-30 minutes


add Japanese somen and make it a meal
Serves two.

Hollywood - Susan Feniger's Street

LA is a fun place to live. Being able to go to the restaurant owned by a prestige contestant after watching a few episodes of Top Chef Master is both fun and special. How often do you get to do that with your favorite show!?


Street's crew were attentive, friendly and entertaining. Curry flavored corn snack (on the house), citrus refreshment and poured Hong Kong milk tea were served in no time.

Above, BABY BEETS AND LOLA ROSSA aged sherry vinegar and grain mustard vinaigrette - 5. The sweet and tangy salad brought up the appetite in a good way.

BROILED SCALLOPS ON THE HALFSHELL with Peruvian aji amarillo cream, chorizo breadcrumbs, lime and fresh picked cilantro - 12. The combination of these wonderful bites were memorable and left me wishing for more though the serving size were perfect for two people.

BABY BACK RIBS in spicy Korean miso glaze with scallion ginger cream - 14. There was no Asian cow. What I am trying is say is that I did not taste the Korean miso nor the scallion and ginger in the cream. That said, the short rib was cooked to perfection and will sure be well qualified as “comfort food” for the most part.

TATSUTAGE FRIED CHICKEN marinated with soy, mirin, and sake crispy fried in rice batter and topped with spicy kewpie mayonnaise sauce - 15. First, you bite into the hot oil fried crispy and tender chicken with the rich spicy kewpie mayo. Then have a slurp of the cold sweet and savory soba. Then add a little spicy and sour from the kimchi. Heavenly!

Just as I have portraited Susan Feniger in my head, her food is just like her personality. She wants you to have a full belly with the generous portion and if you had brought some friends to share, you should have the big smile like hers when you walk out the Street. You will not need Susan there to confirm it.


Susan Feniger's Street
www.eatatstreet.com | 742 N Highland Los Angeles, CA 90038 | (323) 203-0500

Beverly Hills - Sushi & Kushi IMAI

Sushi AYCE. Yes, All You Can Eat Sushi. Many have offered but none has got me to go back. Ok, except Vegas. That being said, a sushi chef friend told me about Sushi IMAI. Sushi IMAI has been around for more than ten years and only up until recently the owner Imai-san decided to offer various specials -- AYCE sushi brunch on the weekend sure sounded worthy of a shot.

Sushi IMAI has turned the sushi bar into a buffet bar during weekend brunch. The first thing that got my attention was the shabu-shabu section. The CIY sheets of beef can be done in seconds for optimum tenderness and suitable for some hungry patient-less buffet crowds.

Sushi, though limited on its selection, successfully delivered IMAI’s sushi standard with its top-notch freshness and quality. Four pieces of the sweet succulent scallop sushi should get your money worth in no time. For those who wants only sushi, they also offer Omakase “Trust Me” sushi meal during dinner hours where one would pay $35 and get around $60 worth of top quality sushi.

The rest of IMAI’s offerings were above average. I told myself that I was stuffing myself for a good cause: for your viewing pleasure. (and the pleasure was all mine)


For $12 USD, where can you get an AYCE of all the Japanese all time favorites like Sushi, Shabu-Shabu & Tempura in one setting that actually taste good. My only advise: get there early!

Sushi & Kushi IMAI
sushiandkushiimai.com | 8300 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211 | (323)655-2253

Glendale - Palate Food + Wine

Although living in LA and dining out in Glendale is like fishing in a river, Palate has been on my wish list for some time.

We were led to the inner wine bar, a more friendly and lively space with some good selection of bottles, cheeses & books. The wine list was given quickly upon sitting. At the tasting bar, Chef/Principal Octavio Becerra and other executives were personable to everyone. I must admit: this place made me wish I was a drinker.
Below, a bottle of sparking water - 6, Crispini and the white bean soup made of swiss chard, kabocha squash and pumpkin seed oil - 7. The crispy Crispini was brushed with extra virgin oil and seasoned well. The soup unfortunately predominately tasted just beans with very little trace of kabocha and other essence.

braised short ribs / farro / melissa grapes / cavolo nero / cipollini onions / dijon 16 : a heavenly bite for me consists of small chunks of everything in the plate. The melting-in-the-mouth rib paired with the mildly sweet grape and onions will keep you forking nonstop to an empty plate. It’s not a plate for sharing.

branzino / broccoli 2-ways / bagna cauda / pine nuts / breadcrumbs 14 (above) : the fish was seasoned and cooked perfectly. fresh tender on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Below, chocolate pudding / crème fraîche / fleur de sel - 6 : The sea salt brought out some good sweetness of the treat. It’s indeed a good rich satisfying finish.

Palate has the right ingredients, people, attitude, cooking and drinks. Right after the dessert, I was ready to make a reservation for dinner. It’s a place new comers become regulars.

Palate Food & Wine
933 S Brand Blvd Glendale, CA 91204 - (818) 662-9463
www.palatefoodwine.com | menu

Little Tokyo - Hama Sushi

Hama Sushi is my “sushi-craving-quick-fix” spot. It’s located in the center of Little Tokyo. It’s in my home turf.

It’s usually packed everyday with constant 15-20 minutes wait during dinner hours. While you are waiting, you can’t skip to see a sign, not pictured, saying that they refuse to serve Tempura, Teriyaki or other common Japanese a la carte. They only have two tables while the sushi counter sits about fifteen. Ginger, wasabi and steamy towel are served right away when you sit at the counter.

Below, Salmon Teriyaki (I’m thankful but mystery to me as it should be one of their refuse-to-serve items), the salmon is very juicy and fresh with the right amount of crispy skin every time. The sauce is well balanced with sweet and savory. I also like to order the Miso Soup with Clam. The clam adds that Umami flavor to the plain ol’ miso soup that is good for my heart.

Sushi rice here is mildly sweet and sour. Raw fish are fresh. The combination is very well rounded. Below Sushi Deluxe Set C, at $17, comes with eight pieces of sushi, four California rolls & regular miso soup. (not all pieces pictured, egg sushi sold separately)

At Hama Sushi, adults order hand rolls like fat kids would want to order ice cream cones. It’s been said that one must finish a fresh served hand roll in five seconds to fully enjoy it before the dry crispy Nori becomes soggy and ruin the texture. From the left: Yellowtail, Spicy Salmon & Spicy Yellowtail easy bites, at around $4 each, are never short on demand.

Like any good sushi joints, some nicely carved orange wedges that shows chief’s knife skill are served as the last plate before the bill to refresh.

Hama Sushi is not a place for a surprise. It’s a place you will find consistent fresh raw fish and excellent spicy hand rolls. It’s a place that keeps me going back on a typical day any given time.

Hama Sushi - Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, CA
www.yelp.com/biz/hama-sushi-los-angeles | 347 E 2nd St Los Angeles, CA 90012 | (213) 680-3454

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Hawaii - Island Breakfast

Whether you echo the idea or not, Breakfast, the so called the most important meal of the day, turned out to be the most memorable meals on my vacation days. Over a course of a few days, with a little help of the Yelp iPhone app, we drove our way around those Nearby would-be Hot Spots and they sure live up most of their hype.

First: Kaka'ako Kitchen. Located inside of the Ward Centers, it opens before most of the stores does in the plaza. Seating is spacious and clean; ideal for morning moods.

Below, the Hawaiian Egg Bread French Toast and the Local Breakfast that comes with two eggs, sausage and home fried red potatoes. Since they use local produce,  everything tasted fresh. At around $6 each, the generous servings are reasonably priced.

Kaka'ako Kitchen - Honolulu, HI
www.yelp.com/biz/kakaako-kitchen-honolulu
1200 Ala Moana Blvd Honolulu, HI 96814 | (808) 596-7488

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Boots & Kimos. A re-visit since two years ago and it’s becoming a town landmark locally and to me personally.

Below, Banana Pancake With Macadamia Nut Sauce $8.59, with just the right amount of creamy nutty sweetness on the fluffy stacks that reminded my now two years old love at first bite. The Hawaiian Smoked Sausage was very juicy and savory while the fried rice took a different turn being tasteless and dry.

Although I missed the old hold-in-the-wall decor, the larger sittings certainly shorten the wait while keeping their pancake hot and onolicious.

Boots & Kimo's Homestyle Kitchen - Kailua, HI
www.yelp.com/biz/boots-and-kimos-homestyle-kitchen-kailua
131 Hekili St Kailua, HI 96734 | (808) 263-7929

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Kihei Caffe. Whether you are a tourist or a smiling local, this is a spot you don’t want to miss when you are in Kihei.

Besides the great location and the ocean front view, their offerings are sure worth all the yelp stars. Below, French Toast 7.5 (topped with banana and macadamia nut +2), it’s crispy out fluffy in and everything one could ask for. It’s almost worth waking up in the morning. Don’t hesitate to ask for a second jar of coconut syrup because it will run out before you notice it.

Above, the Loco Moco Local Fry 11.95. It’s Loco Moco over fried rice like two eggs and a hamburger patty wasn’t enough. No, really. It’s savory, satisfying and you don’t have to be a Hawaiian to appreciate it.

Kihei Caffe
www.kiheicaffe.com
1945 South Kihei Road, Kihei, HI 96753 | (808) 879-2230

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Gazebo Restaurant is located in one of the most beautiful private beach in the U.S.

Below, Combo Short Stack $8.25. Sausage & Eggs $9.5. Ocean view: priceless.

In case you haven’t already notice, I’m a pancake french toast addict. Gazebo’s version of my favorite staple was not the best I have had but with such view and a little walk of the beach afterwards, it’s unbeatable.

Gazebo Restaurant - Lahaina, HI
www.yelp.com/biz/gazebo-restaurant-lahaina
5315 Lower Honoapiilani Rd Lahaina, HI 96761 | (808) 669-5621

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