BruBruBlah: Los Angeles

Showing posts with label Los Angeles. Show all posts

Sunday, December 5, 2010

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

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Los Angeles - The Lazy Ox Canteen

The Lazy Ox Canteen has been one of the longest queue in my MustTryList in LA.
Knowing Yelp’s offering passport to Little Tokyo this week, with 20% off, I was pushed over the edge with an open arms.

The host and waitress were very efficient and friendly. The place was packed at 7pm and full of energy.

Above right, toasted Peruvian corn seasoned with lime & salt. I love crunchy snacks as a starter.
On the left, as one of the Chalkboard Specials, creamy farro with sun-dried tomato & bone marrow butter was the first dish out in no time. It’s very rich and flavorful.

Soon followed by the second dish, dashi marinated yellowtail with avocado, hash brown & tonburi - 15. I piled all the ingredients like a layered wedding cake with the hash brown as the base. The crispy hash marries the soft avocado and fresh hamachi happily ever after.

Buttermilk fried 1/2 quail with smoked sesame, wilted greens & chive dressing - 14, above. The bird was tender and paired well with the sauce. The batter could be a bit more crispier to my likings.

Lastly, the braised beef paleron with cream of wheat, kumquats & red wine - 25. The paleron was super tender and a bit on the sweet side with chopped beets and kumquats in red wine reduction. This sure was the highlight of the evening.
It’s a place worth coming back and next time I will sure to bring a few more company to really explore the Chalkboard Specials.
The Lazy Ox Canteen
Menu: http://www.lazyoxcanteen.com/menus.html