Musubi Cafe – Honolulu, HI

Aloha Musubi Cafe! With so many musubi options, how does one decide? There’s only one choice to make and that’s to order one of each option on their menu. This cafe had paired up everyone’s favorite canned mystery meat with items such as bacon, egg, cheese, cucumber ume, kimchi, shush herb, and more.  Order enough to try freshly made musubis, as an in-room snack after returning from your Hawaiian adventures, from your lady/man-purse after a few cocktails, or just because you’re bored. It’s delicious, it’s filling, it’s also very comforting.

Kimchi, Avocado & Egg, and Cucumber Ume

 

Also offered are rice ball musubis with treasured middles including fried chicken mayo, salmon roe, miso salmon, ume Bonito, etc.

Available as part of their musubi combo are mini bowls such as the Unagi bowl pictured below.

Top view of some of my haul.

Close up of this sexy spam musubi with kimchi.   
The inside spore leading to the attached hotel lobby. I’d overdose on spam if I stayed at this hotel.

There’s metered street parking, private lots costing $10, and hotel parking structures charging various amounts.

 

The Attic – Long Beach, CA

The perfect brunch place for any occasion. A converted home turned restaurant offers indoor, outdoor, and partial outdoor seating. Allowing patrons to soak in some UV rays or feel the light breeze through their hair while dining. Feeling a bit chilly? The Attic is prepared with lap blankets or better yet, warm up with some of their delicious alcoholic concoctions.

Their signature Bloody Mary’s will hit the spot. The right amount of kick, lightness, and speared savory foods. Yep, these drinks come with meat lovers food items like pulled pork sliders, ribs, pickled eggs, bacon, and the option list goes on. Not feeling the combination offered in their signature drinks? They have a build-your-own option.

BBQ Bloody Mary

Meaty Man Bloody Mary

After trying the food, I understand why throngs of people are willing to wait to devour their delectables. This place supports the life motto that all good things require being a little bad. So leave your clean eating at the door and enter in with an open heart and an empty belly. 

Hot Cheetos Mac n Cheese

Creamy, gooey, cheesy goodness topped with a favorite childhood treat. Heat resistant folks need not fear. The cheese immediately puts out any fires these hot Cheetos may stir up. If the cheese isn’t enough, the bacon will keep your taste buds distracted. 

Below are the three eggs Benedict options available and they fired on all cylinders. Every ingredient melded together into a delicious eye rolling experience. Don’t be surprised if all you hear is the sound of “mmmm” coming from your table. Perfectly cooked eggs that ooze over your Benedict tower, a tangy hollondaise that pairs well with your perfectly seasoned choice of meat.  

F.G.T. (fried green tomatoes) Benedict

 Gator andouille sausage, fried green tomatoes, and Cajun hollondaise…it’s closer than the South and just as good!

Boxty Benedict

The Boxty Benedict is corned beef with potato cakes on top of a sliced tomato covered in a Guinness hollondaise sauce. Great for low carb loving folks and for those that aren’t, indulge in the seasoned potato hash. 

Chicken Fried Steak Benedict

 Placed atop a biscuit, the best bed for fried meats to lay on, this Benedict is toasty on the outside and juicy on the inside. 

Bring a date, bring the fam, bring yourself…doesn’t matter who you bring, just bring your appetite. 

 

The Cannibal Beer & Butcher – Manhattan, NY

Find solace from the bustling midtown city streets by stepping into The Cannibal. Be transported to a place of comfort & indulgence in this cozy tavern. A long bar lined with large glass jars full of candy leads to an outdoor patio filled with benched seating under twinkling string lights. Along the way is an alluring butcher case filled with edible treasures that may need a double back.

As a diehard fan of Beef Tartare, seeing Lamb Tartare for the very first time peaked my interest as cooked lamb has a very bold and unique taste. I was excited and anxious to how raw lamb would present in terms of boldness. The Lamb Tartare with red onion, capers, Harissa aioli, and egg yolk has stolen my heart and edged it’s way ahead of Beef Tartare. To my surprise, raw lamb is sweet and milder than it’s cooked version. Highly recommended as a starter.

The Chorizo Rubbed Half Pig’s Head was the draw to The Cannibal and exceeded expectations. The juicy and rich meat with a crisp outer sear provided layers of flavors and textures. The Corn salsa enhanced the savory meat with its refreshing zest. Eat it alone or make it a taco with the accompanying corn tortillas.

The Cannibal offers a wide variety of craft beers to enhance and wash down the decadent items on their menu. Great atmosphere, attentive and personable staff, and heart stopping good food. I fell in love over and over again with each bite. Are you ready for love?

 

Nomad – Manhattan, NY

Put on your fancy breeches and head over to Nomad for a grown up meal surrounded by suits on their work break, beautiful people being fabulous, and appreciators of good food and excellent service. When foie gras is offered, I must oblige. Artfully presented in a pin-rolled form. If I’m not filling my pockets with riches, I may as well fill my tastebuds with richness…of flavor.

I apologize for the horridly blurred photo of the whole chicken. I was caught by surprise and so excited to taste this beautiful bird that I was too impatient to try for another photo. The server brings out the whole cooked chicken for the table’s viewing pleasure and then takes it back to the kitchen to carve and plate.

The plated chicken comes in two forms. The breast meat with foie gras and black truffles stuffed under the chicken skin and served with brioche, corn, chanterelles, & Freekeh. Then a shared plate consisting of the dark meat with cream sauce and sprinkled with fried chicken skin. So sinfully good I didn’t care that one minute on the lips meant a lifetime on the hips. Like Shakira, my hips don’t lie and they were saying, “Worth it”.

A sharp and on-point service staff rounds out the experience to make Nomad an expensive and worth-every-penny endeavor. Reservations are a must.

 

Bondir – Concord, MA

A quaint eatery with a rustic feel that provided delicious and visually stunning dishes served by our waiter, who’s strappingly handsome looks made up for the awkwardly long pauses at the start of all his responses. It gave me time to pretend he was communicating the spark he felt between us through intense eye contact. What better to accompany a great meal than with inappropriate thoughts? As for the decor and ambience, I would imagine this is what Sunday brunch at my grandmother’s home in the country would feel like. I enjoyed all the details down to the ribbons & country blooms on the table, uniquely designed starter plates, and so much more.

We started off with a buttermilk panna cotta. All the dishes were splendid. From the beef strip sirloin cooked to requested wellness, the tender & juicy duck, decadent stuffed Italian pasta, and the perfectly seared, crispy-skinned thick cut pork belly. Presentation was beautiful and the taste equally impressive.

A wonderful place to meet for a romantic meal or festive group outting. They offer an array of alcoholic drinks to tickle your tongue in preparation for the plated masterpieces soon to be devoured.

 

Tsujita LA Artisan Noodles Annex – Los Angeles, CA

Droplets of pork fat float atop this rich Tonkotsu soup like a string of beaded pearls. Beside it, sits a bowl of glistening ramen patiently waiting to be dipped and draped in a bath of pearls.

Dinner Combo Set

Start your endeavor with one of their mini-bowl options or have it as a sidekick to the rich and brothy ramen bowl.  Great as a dry break in between noodle slurping and broth dribbling.  “You got a little drop of soup on your…face…right…there….oh no-no, I’ll get that for you…with with my tongue.” Oh yeh, cuz it’s that good.  Our troop ordered the Ikura Don (salmon roe rice bowl) and Spicy Tuna Don.  Both fresh and flavorful.

Salmon Roe Don

Spicy Tuna Don

The gleaming bowl of ramen noodles looked enticing enough to eat alone.  Alas, this bowl of nude noodles is one of the rare times I would say that some things are made even better covered up.  The bowl of soup arrives with the main ingredients separated in nice compartments so the diner can clearly see what they’re in for…a bit of chili, a handful of bean sprouts, a seasoned soft-boiled egg, thick slices of char-siu pork, and a whole lotta hot broth waiting to tantalize your taste buds and envelope your arteries.  Like a maestro conducting an orchestra, I guided each ingredient together to make a perfectly mingled masterpiece.  Ok, I mixed everything in the soup bowl together. I also added 3 spoon full of the minced garlic for added depth of flavor and a hint of spice.  It was rich, had heat, full of flavor, and raised my body temperature…sounds like my online dating ad.

Oodles of Noodles

Dipping noodles with extra Char Siu

Pre-mix medley

Below is a snapshot of the opened soft-boiled egg posing beside the thick slices of char-siu pork as they soak in the flavors of the broth.  Yet the attention grabber was neither the egg with an intoxicating creamy yolk nor the tender slices of juicy bbq pork, it was the crimson colored soup with globules of fatty goodness bursting with salty, spicy, and sweet flavors.  Tsukemen Ramen is the way to go.  Consider the dipping part of the meal as the workout of the day, if you’re into that fad called exercising.

Post-mixed broth

If dipping becomes too tedious, the ramen masters behind the counter can, upon request, add broth to your soup bowl.  Shifting the deeply rich dipping soup into a lighter traditional ramen broth. Keep in mind, there are two Tsujita LA Artisan Noodles restaurants located across the street from each other.  One only serves ramen for lunch and sushi-only for dinner, Tsujita LA Artisan Noodles. While the other serves ramen all day and evening long, Tsujita LA Artisan Noodles ANNEX.  Make sure to visit the right Tsujita LA to fulfill your cravings.

Tsujita LA entrance

2050 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Tel. 310-231-0222
http://tsujita-la.com

 

Burbank Bar & Grille PaintNite Event – Burbank, CA

What better way to spend an evening than to revert back to your childhood and forget your grown-up responsibilities for a couple of hours?  PaintNite joins up with restaurants & bars all over the country to offer evenings of adults-only painting events paired with drinks & food.  Choose a painting from their website, pick a location most conveniently located near you, and they provide the rest!  Be sure to bring your wallet on the night of the event as drinks and food are not included in the event price. Originally priced at $45, a deal for $25 can often be found through Groupon.

A PaintNite staffer guides you through each step by explaining, then demonstrating each brush and stroke technique to get you to the finished painting.  Our two guides were witty, helpful, friendly, and great at handling a group of drunk adults working with paint.  The event allows for plenty of time to move from step to step…giving all you type-A personality folks & slow movers the time to perfect your mural.  Everyone is set up with their own canvas and easel with a plate of paints, brushes, and a cup of brush rinsing water.  The main challenge for the evening was not to dunk the brushes in my drink and drink the rinsing water.  Mission accomplished.  My tummy is paint free.

Here’s the food portion of the night.  The best tater tots!  Fried up extra crispy, it paired well with alcohol, was easy to eat while painting, and the greasy plate bottom all together made this the most wonderful taters ever.  Simplicity at it’s best.

Interested in partaking in some PaintNite events?  Check out their calendar at http://paintnite.com.

In the Burbank area and the only thing you want are some tater tots?  Hit up Burbank Bar and Grille. They also offer a full menu from appetizers to full dinner entrees.  If you come for Paint Nite, Happy Hour is right before Paint Nite begins, so it’s a great way to loosen up your painting muscles and tap into your creative lush.

112 N San Fernando Blvd, Burbank, CA 91502
(818) 848-9611
http://www.burbank-barandgrill.com

 

Isaan Station Thai Street Food – Los Angeles, CA

You miss isaan (northern) thai street food or the thought of going to Thailand and eating on the side of the street freaks you out…Isaan Station will squash your cravings and allow you fearful ones the chance of enjoying it in the safety of a colorfully decorated and warmly welcoming spot situated in a plaza with free valet.  Good food, free valet parking, and personable staff…need I say more?  If you’re not convinced, I trust the photos will be the clincher.

Tom Saab Kra Dhook Mhoo:
Hot and sour soup of braised pork ribs, broth Thai herbs, lemongrass, galangal, kiffir lime leaves, chili and lime juice.

The Tom Saab was amazingly full of flavor and the spices smacked the diner across the face, leaving them to beg for more.  The pork ribs were extremely tender and absorbed the flavors of the broth.  Perfect to provide some heat from harsh cali winters (haha).

Mhu Daad Diew:
Marinated beef sirloin, air dried and deep fried

The challenge of this dish is getting the right balance between tender, chewy, and crispy.  Isaan station succeeded in finding the perfect trifecta while delivering robust taste and flavorful dipping sauces.

Sai Grok Isaan:
Deep fried sausages of fermented pork and glutinous rice.

The issan sausage was filled with the right amount of glutinous rice to pork ratio.  It’s more than the average sausage with its slight tang, thai spices, and a light chew.

Som Dtum Thai:
Green papaya salad with peanuts and dried shrimps: spicy and slightly sweet version.

Larb Moo:
Spicy minced pork salad w/ red onion, mint leaves, lime, rice powder, cilantro and green onion

Isaan Station’s chicken met the high expectations I had set for it.  Juicy and fall of the bone tender, well seasoned with a slight char that created some crisp on the skin.  It was fantastic.

Khai Yang Ob Oong:
Charcoal grilled turmeric marinated chicken (choice of chicken quarter or wings).

Khai Yang Ob Oong (Leg quarter or wings)

The owner of the joint offered us a dessert from his secret menu…the Shabooyah.  A thick slice of toasted bread topped with browned butter w/ two scoops of ice cream and caramel drizzle.  The bread alone was decadently amazing.  It’s similar to a bread pudding, but with an exciting twist.  Bread pudding would be the equivalent of a “before” picture and this would be the amazingly transformed “after” picture.

Shabooya Dessert

Isaan Station held on to the traditional form of the dishes.  Not toning down the flavors and spices to appease the taste buds of the masses, but celebrating in what makes thai food unique…the multi-layered flavors, confident presence of thai chili peppers, and bold seasonings.  I would come here even with bad service.  Luckily at Thai Isaan, I don’t have to choose between service or food since their staff is friendly, service is quick, and thai music videos play on their flat screen tv to complete the experience.

125 N Western Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90004
http://www.isaanstationthaila.com

 

Philippe the Original – Los Angeles, CA

Front door of Philippe

Boasted as the home of the original french dipped sandwich.  Based on their website bio, a staff of Philippe accidentally dropped a french roll into the vat of meat juice & the policeman who’s order it was said to go ahead and use the roll anyway.  That’s how the french dip was born.  I’ve never been so grateful for a clumsy food handler and an easy going policeman.

At first glance, the rows of family style tables and stool seating and the lines of people ordering may seem a bit overwhelming.  Fear not, friendly staff and even more friendly patrons are eager to share their favorite menu items and help guide you along your path towards the cashier.

Sitting beside each cash register is a jar of purple pickled eggs.  It was so alluring.  For a moment, I felt as if i was an insect being beckoned to the light of an electric bug zapper.  Luckily, my fate would end with being overly stuffed by delicious food…a more appealing end compared to my insect friend.

Jar of eggs in pickled beet juice.

After staring at this deeply enriching colorful jar for the duration of my line-standing, it was a no brainer…I needed to taste what my eyes had been gazing at for so long (ok, only about 15 minutes).  My order included two of the Philippe “French Dipped” Sandwich (one beef, one lamb), pickled eggs, potato salad, and macaroni salad.  The sandwiches were requested to be “double-dipped”, but it seems our cashier may have forgotten.  Next time, I plan to request a side of au jus sauce.  Even without the bread being soaked in the juices, the meat held in a lot of the au jus and was moist enough on it’s own.  The french roll was soft and absorbed the au jus which seeped out of the tender meat.  The mac salad and potato salad had a tangy bite from the relish which I enjoyed.  A refreshing break in between bites of the hot sandwiches.  They tasted similar, the main difference being texture.  The pickled eggs had a hint of beets that wasn’t over powering.  So if you’re fan of beets, eggs, and pickled things…this is a good side option.  As a whole, a great tasting meal at a historical food stop.

French Dipped Lamb Sandwich

French Dipped Beef Sandwich

1001 N Alameda St
Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 628-3781

philippes.com

 

Playground (Sunday Supper) – Santa Ana, CA

This is my 3rd post of Playground, 2nd post about their Sunday Supper.  Therefore, I’m keeping it short and sweet.  Delicious food, fast and friendly service, and the most bang for your buck.  For $40 (includes tax and gratuity) per person, your party enjoys approximately 15 dishes consisting of appetizers, main course items, and desserts.  Reservations are maxed out at 10 people, which is perfect to maintain an intimate family dinner feel.  Typically 2 to 3 dishes are brought out of each item.  If the kitchen has extra, they will bring out additional plates if requested.  Anything your party doesn’t finish, they will box up for you to take home.  It’s B.Y.O.B. for wine with no corkage fee and there is a full-bar available for anyone that would like beer and cocktails with their meal.  Libations from the full-bar are pay as you go.

Sunday Supper is by reservations only.  Call in now as reservations are currently about 3 months out.

Now…prepare for an eyegasm. Note: click on photo for an enlarged view.

First

A refreshing starter salad

Kobe Beef Tartare

Lone little tartare about to be devoured

Hamachi Sashimi

Pan Roasted Wild Mushrooms, Rajas, Lime Crema, Queso Fresco, Tortilla Strips, Garlic, Jalapeño, Slow Egg

Broken egg, happy heart

Fried Cauliflower, Olives, Capers, Lemon, Parsley, Pickled Shallot, Sultana

Fried Brussels Sprouts, Torn Baked Potato, Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Egg pasta topped with Pork Ragu

Second

Rude and Unreasonable Baby Back Ribs

Tender, fall-of-the-bone, juicy ribs

Soft Shell Steamer Clams, Longanisa, Caramelized Onion, Potato

Specialty fried chicken wings

Uncle Lou’s Fried Chicken

Maple Glazed Pork Chop

A close up of the inner workings of the pork chop

Grilled Wagyu Tri Tip

Wagyu Trip Tip fixins

24 Hour Wagyu Hangar Steak, Cumin-Roasted Onion Glaze, PFC Spiced Blumenthals, Cilantro Slaw

Cilantro Slaw to accompany the Wagyu

Third

The Sexy Chocolate Tart, Pistachio Semifreddo

Ecclair

Curd & Cookies, Lemon, Poppyseed Shortbread, Honey Whip

Black Mission Fig Sticky 
Toffee Pudding

B.Y.O.B (Wine) w/ no corkage fee

http://playgrounddtsa.com
220 E 4th St #102, Santa Ana, CA 92701
(714) 560-4444