53 posts tagged “dining”

Tofu and ground chicken curry

There was something suspicious about Curry House. It's like they were leaving clues that they don't actually make their curry from scratch. What's that on the placemat? House Foods curry mix!

Well, duh. Curry House is owned by House Foods.

So, why am I paying $9 for curry I can make at home if I purchase the $3 mix?

Because it's lunch and I'm lazy.

My rice is so happy to have curry.

I like myself a great grilled cheese and damned be those who get in my way.

I got the classic grilled from the all grilled-cheese Meltdown. It was ooey-gooey on buttery, grilled sourdough. I'm over sourdough. I wish I could have changed the bread. In fact, I wish we could customize our grilled cheese even more. Like The Counter does for burgers, but grilled cheese.

My lunch buddy J got the turkey melt. It has this horseradish spread that was apparently very powerful judging by J's face when he took his first bite.

But seriously, it's just grilled cheese. Break out the Foreman Grill and make one at home. It's cheaper and more rewarding because you did it yourself.

Grill full of meat at Soot Bull Jeep

Why did it take me so long to have Korean barbeque in Los Angeles? I've lived here for 8 years. I guess I felt intimidated and there are so many choices I didn't know where to go.

So, I let someone else decide.

H took me to Soot Bull Jeep - the place that uses real charcoal in their grills. It's a pyrotechnic showcase reminiscient of the movie Backdraft. Or at least Backdraft at Universal Studios. The coals will explode in your face and embers will fly and land on you. And it will hurt.

Ouchie.

The best cure for a burn is to eat grilled meat. I liked the bulgogi over the galbi. Much easier to eat. Less chewing. I sound like a senior citizen. H said that Jonathan Gold wrote that SBJ has the best squid in LA. So far the best squid for me is battered and deep fried. My apologizes Mr. Gold.

Have you met the one-armed man of Santa Monica? I first saw him walking down Wilshire. I tried to get a photo of him, but I was driving at the time and it's impossible to take a picture of a one-armed man and get onto the 405 at the same time.

Then he disappeared from my life until last week. I ran into him on Pico after leaving The Arsenal. He did exist. He asked me for some change. I ignored him. But, dammit, I should have taken a photo!

As for The Arsenal, this bar with delusions of grandeur proudly touting itself as a "fine dining" establishment, reminds me of The Regal Beagle. It's dark. It has those cheesy red candle holders. It's dark.

The food is what you'd expect from a bar trying to sober up its patrons. Salty, one-note, fried. It's bar food. Instinct tells me not to order ahi tuna tartare here. If you're going to get wasted, do yourself a favor and order some fried calamari. It's the universal law of drunk.

I made it out to La Dijonaise, one of the many french restaurants that dot Culver City. This bistro in the Helms Bakery/Arts district serves some affordable, diverse french cuisine and pastries. The bakery case looked enticing, but I was here for one thing - to try their salad Nicoise.

I was a little disappointed; the salad had *gasp* canned tuna and not seared tuna steak. This was probably why the price was so low. Real anchovy fillets though. Nice touch. W's coq au vin was a huge portion of chicken in a rich burgundy wine sauce. I had a bit of lunch envy, but it would have been too heavy a meal for midday. Bon jour food coma.

Fruits parfait

For Girls' Night Out we decided to go to Gaja Moc for some okonomiyaki. The last time I was there I said I would try a parfait - and I did. I ordered the fruits parfait - fruit cocktail, frosted corn flakes layered with vanilla ice cream, topped with fresh fruit. It was exactly as I had seen in the manga I read and J-dramas I watch.

We pigged out on two okonomiyaki - a seafood mix Hiroshima style, and the pork kimchee Osaka style. We also ordered beef shabu shabu, but it was served already cooked, so no need for a pot of boiling water. That part was a little disappointing.

This won't be my last trip to Gaja Moc. Maybe next time we'll try a more adventurous okonomiyaki flavor, like pork curry and cheese.

W and I went to Little Saigon for a food adventure. I wanted to go grocery shopping and buy all my favorite childhood treats. For lunch W took me to a bún bò shop. I've never been a fan of bún bò Huế, so I ordered cơm tấm thịt nướng. I've had better cơm tấm in places that specialize in the dish. I found the serving skimpy and the grilled pork left something to be desired in taste and portion. But I shouldn't be too tough. They don't make cơm tấm here; they make bún bò.

As an appetizer we ordered my favorite dish bánh bèo, little steamed rice flour pancakes topped with minced shrimp, sometimes mashed mung beans, and other toppings. They were alright, but I like my mom's better.

Prosciutto & Cheese

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I was driving around the maze of streets that is downtown Culver City in search of a parking spot when W spotted Grand Casino on Main Street.

We weren't sure what kind of place Grand Casino was, but W and N were very pleased to learn that it was Argentinian, and that means empanadas. W and N had an empanada each, which were smaller than the ones you get at Empanada's Place. I ordered a prosciutto and cheese sandwich. The prosciutto was delicious. W ordered a ribeye steak that he devoured, and N got a Milanesa - a battered steak, deep fried, topped with ham and chesse in a tomato sauce.

Various Pastries from Grand Casino Bakery

Grand Casino has a large bakery counter filled with Argentine sweets, breads, and rolls. I bought a variety pack for the office. It was full of various mini cream puffs, jelly cakerolls, and other treats unknown. This place was a fantastic find. A little piece of Argentina just a stone's throw from the office.