Sushi Zo

Sushi Zo

9824 National Blvd

Los Angeles, CA 90034

sushizo.us

Yelp

Boy have I been wanting to try out Sushi Zo for a long time.  It has been on my radar ever since I started to appreciate really high quality sushi, and when I became willing to drop a couple hundies on one meal.  Sushi Zo ain't cheap, and so it was a bit jarring to arrive and find it situated in a ghetto strip mall.  I mean, it's not like it was a surprise.  I always do my research, but reading about it and seeing it for myself are two very different things.  For a Saturday night, the place was pretty empty for a 7:30 reservation.  Slowly, parties began to trickle in, but it was by no means crowded.  Overlord and Carnivorous Lush joined BHD and I for a parade of sushi.  I'll keep the editorial brief since sushi is but a simple food.

Miso Soup
Standard fare.

Kumamoto Oyster homemade ponzu
This was our first taste of Zo's homemade ponzu which I liked at first.  BHD was a big fan of it, but after a while I found it a tad too sweet for my liking.  The oyster was lovely.

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Frances

Frances

3870 17th St

San Francisco, CA 94114

frances-sf.com

Yelp

I was about ready to burst with my last and final meal for my SF summer trip.  Luckily, I pulled through and did not disappoint my fellow dining companions Triple F and Running Man, nor my dedicated readers/followers.  I always take one for the team.  After Lazy Bear, Frances was my next favorite spot during the weekend trip.  The food was simple but perfectly imagined and executed.  Everything about this place is what is right about the San Francisco dining scene.  Seasonal.  Farm to table.  No fuss.

Brokaw Avocado & Roasted Cauliflower zante currants, vadouvan, yogurt

I never really thought avocados and cauliflower would go together but I was proven wrong.  The buttery smoothness of the avocados went nicely with the crispy yet tender cauliflower florets.  The currants added some sweet tartness.  The yogurt was a cool creamy touch.

Grilled Beet Salad charred spring onion, blu del moncenisio, hazelnut

I loved the beet salad.  I love salads with varying textures and this definitely had that.  The charred spring onion definitely added some depth of flavor.

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Hog Island Oyster Co.

Hog Island Oyster Co.
1 Ferry Building, Shop 11
San Francisco, CA 94111
hogislandoysters.com
Yelp

The eat-a-thon continues with lunch at one of my favorite spots in San Francisco, The Ferry Building.  I love coming here on the Saturdays when the farmer's market is really bumpin'.  I usually get filled up by all the eats from the food stalls and fruit vendors before I've even set foot in the building.  So I've actually never had a sit down meal at any of the restaurants at the Ferry Building.  I was looking forward to lunch with Panda Bear and Mani Bear at Hog Island for some oysters.

Black Mission Fig radicchio, treviso, pine nuts, honey-sherry vinaigrette, figs
The salad definitely had a lot of texture from the radicchio which was a nice change from lettuce or spinach.  It leaned a little bitter as a result.  The dressing was light, maybe too light.  The pine nuts added some more crunch.  The figs were not very plentiful.

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Lazy Bear

Lazy Bear
3416 19th St
San Francisco, CA 94110
lazybearsf.com
Yelp

There are very few times I hand over the reigns to food planning.  Most people are not interested in dedicating the time to figure out what's good to eat.  Triple F is not that person.  She keeps her ear to the ground.  She subscribes to foodie newsletters just like I do.  She has been tracking Lazy Bear since its days as a pop-up.  They are now so successful and popular, that a ticket, at their now brick and mortar establishment, can be pretty hard to come by.  It's no exaggeration that this place is $$$$, but it was well worth it.  BEST MEAL OF 2015!

The set up is interesting.  They have 2 seatings for the night.  You arrive for your dinner service and pass the time upstairs noshing on little bites and sipping on drinks/cocktails, while overlooking the dining room below.  It's like a pre dinner cocktail hour.  The punch we were served wasn't terribly memorable.  It was light on the alcohol.  The little appetizers were a great way to start.

Whipped Scrambled Eggs bacon, maple, hot sauce

Those scrambled eggs were expertly infused with the flavor of Benton bacon.  It was a shot from umami heaven.  That savoriness was enhanced by the maple syrup and hot sauce.  It was everything that is great about breakfast in one fell swoop.  Yums!

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Mr. Holmes Bakehouse

Mr. Holmes Bakehouse
1042 Larkin St
San Francisco, CA 94109
mrholmesbakehouse.com 
Yelp


Being a true hardcore foodie entails dedication.  That could play out in any number of ways.  Trekking hundreds of miles for food.  Standing in long lines for food.  Waking up really early for food.  Basically, doing something that most people probably wouldn't be willing to do, just to eat something delicious, earns you the foodie badge of commitment in my book.  The friends I can deeply relate to on a food level will all go to the same great lengths as I would to satisfy the fat kid that lives within us all.  Fishing Zebra Man is such a friend.  He has been talking about the signature cruffin and California croissants from Mr. Holmes for some time now, but I was not looking forward to the early morning wait and long line.  

The Twin Tornadoes caused a bit of a travel delay, and I ended up arriving 30 minutes later than our agreed meet time of 8am.  I had just missed out on the "golden tickets," or in this case, the "pink sticker."  These were passed out to the first"x" amount of customers waiting in line prior to the bakeshop opening.  A pink sticker guaranteed you 2 cruffins.   Fishing Zebra Man being the generous and gracious friend that he is, gave me his sticker.  He is crazy for the California croissant and could care less about cruffins anymore.

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SPQR

SPQR

1911 Fillmore St

San Francisco, CA 94115

Yelp

After 9 years of bustling urban living, Triple F is finally leaving the city of San Francisco for a cushier life in the 'burbs.  I felt I should squeeze in one last visit before I lose my free city housing for good.  Well, that and I wanted to spend some quality time with my Triple F, Running Man, and the Twin Tornadoes.  My stomach may be bottomless, but my heart continues to beat warm for the ones I love.  Interestingly the ones I love either have a bedtime of 8pm or more important people to hang out with, so it was just Triple F and me for SPQR.  Triple F has always spoken very highly of this place so I was excited to finally get to try it.

Summer Squash cooked and raw, calabrian chili, radish, 'nduja, ricotta salata

The pairing of cooked and raw squash piqued my interest, but unfortunately the raw version paled in comparison to the cooked counterpart.  I didn't think they went well together.  The pickled radishes added some brightness while the 'nduja sausage balls definitely brought the heat.  The ricotta salata tied all the components together.

Chicken Liver Mousse strawberry marmellata, balsamic gelatina

Smooth, livery, savory.  The strawberry marmellata was a unique pairing.  I've seen other fruits, typically stone fruits or figs, paired with pates and mousses.  The strawberry aroma was a bit more sweet and dessert forward than what I was used to.  All in all, still a tasty dish since I love liver mousse.

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Totoraku

Totoraku
10610 Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Yelp

I previously blogged about Totoraku, or what I referred to as the "secret beef restaurant."  Well if you look on Yelp, Totoraku isn't much of a secret to the 209 Yelpers who posted the mostly 5 star reviews.  But the policy still remains. You cannot eat here unless you are one of Oyama-san's "regular customers."  I've been here now 4 times, so I think that qualifies me as "regular" enough.  Honestly, each time hasn't always been worth the $$$$.  Smooth Obturator, who was my original "in" to Totoraku, says Oyama-san just "phones it in" sometimes.  So I was pleased to bring Fishing Zebra Man here, and have one of my best experiences.  I must say that this time was just as good as the first time, if not better.  

While every meal at Totoraku is reliably unchanging, the same cannot be said for the appetizers which have been different every time.  They are usually stunning on a presentation level, but can be a little lackluster or weird compared with the main course of meat upon meat.  This time, however, I was delighted by the presentation of little bites.

Shrimp with Caviar - simple with a zing of ocean salinity from the caviar

Black Sesame Tofu - smooth and nutty

Japanese Sea Bass - really clean and fresh

Okra squid, flying fish eggs - slimy okra paired with the firm texture of squid

Candy Stripped Fig prosciutto di parma, goat cheese - This was probably my favorite bite of the lot.  The sweet figs, the salty prosciutto, and the bit of stinky goat cheese made for a sophisticated and standout bite.

Egg mashed yams, crispy anchovy - I definitely liked the crispy fishy dried anchovy, which was a nice contrast to the soft sweet mashed yams.

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Hugo's

Hugo's
1600 Westheimer Rd
Houston, TX 77006
hugorestaurant.net
Yelp

Our next meal was supposed to be something fancy schmancy.  BHD must think that's all I like to eat.  In fact, most people think that's all I like to eat.  I'm a food blogger, not a strictly 3 star Michelin eater.  Yes, I blog about the finer foods in life, but really I will blog about anything delicious and/or special.  It just so happens that most food that is delicious and special is $$$$$.  Anyways, I said let's forget about another couple hundred dollar meal and just eat something good.  Hugo's is such a place.  BHD takes the out of towners here too.

Peanuts

A little spicy, a little sweet.  The chips 'n salsa was quickly laid down next so I ditched these fast.

Chips salsa, guacamole

Standard fare, but still delicious.

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Killen's BBQ

Killen's BBQ
3613 E. Broadway
Pearland, TX 77581
killensbarbeque.com
Yelp


When in Rome, do as the Romans.  In Houston, they stand in long lines under the punishing sun, enveloped in the sweltering heat, with a beer in one hand, all for the promise of Killen's BBQ.  Texas is all about the BBQ.  This line was no joke.  We got there at 10:30? or maybe later and the line was at least 50 if not 100 people deep.  That's not counting the people hanging out in the shade while the kinder souls in the party stood in line.  Notice where I'm taking this picture from???  Bair Hugger Deluxe is such a soul.  He shooed off JW and I to get some free icy cold beer for her, and water for me, while we waited in the shade.  Once the place opened up at 11, it started moving along.  We probably sat down to eat around 12-12:30?

Finally getting my foot in the door was glorious.  Not only was I just minutes away from stuffing my face, but the blast of cold AC was godsend.  The setup at Killen's is another cafeteria style joint.  You have your piles of BBQ meat.

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