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.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

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!

Read more »

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.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

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.

Read more »

Uchi

Uchi

904 Westheimer Rd.

Houston, TX 77006

uchirestaurants.com

Yelp

Bair Hugger Deluxe made sure Uchi was the first dinner I had in Houston.  I guess it's a big deal here.  It is in Austin, where it was first opened up by Chef Tyson Cole.  He won Best Chef Southwest in 2011.  Uchi and its sister restaurant Uchiko might sound more familiar as the former kitchen of Top Chef season 9 winner Paul Qui.  He started there as an intern and over 7 years worked his way up to chef de cuisine.  Uchi can be thought of as a Nobu-esque restaurant.  Modern Japanese meets Asian fusion meets cool/upscale.  The place is super popular.  Bair Hugger makes it seem like restaurants of this caliber are few and far between.  He usually takes all out-of-towners here.

We got great seats at the bar.  I love sitting at the bar.  I love being a stone's throw from the action.  Sadly we didn't get to sit in front of this guy.  Only a bad ass can walk around with just one patch of hair on his head.  I believe he was the main sushi guy, cutting all the fish for sashimi/nigiri.  It's an interesting set up.  Each guy behind the bar mans a different station.  Our guy was actually just the roll guy.  There was another guy manning the yakitori type things.  There was another guy in the kitchen just making the Brussels sprouts.  

Sorbet
Refreshing, cool, not too sweet.  A pleasant way to start.

Read more »

Zydeco Louisiana Diner

Zydeco Louisiana Diner
1119 Pease St.
Houston, TX 77002
zydecolouisianadiner.com
Yelp

I've only ever been to Houston once in my life.  It was for a funeral.  Kinda morbid I know, but you can imagine that I didn't do much recreational eating during my short trip there 4 years ago.  I was visiting Bair Hugger, who calls Houston his home, ever so begrudgingly.  Bair Hugger is aware of my passion for eating and food blogging.  He too shares a similar passion, though he believes iPhone pictures posted on Facebook is passable food porn.  Unfortunately, we do not share the same love for Zydeco Kitchen.  I have a pretty high bar when it comes to Southern food because it's just not one of my favorites being so heavy and unhealthy.

The setup at Zydeco is pretty casual.  It's cafeteria style.  You grab a tray, you point to what you want and you're meal is handed to you.  Some dishes do require ordering and waiting for a number call.

Crawfish Etouffee stewed okra & tomatoes, corn maque choux, cornbread

So I guess the closest thing to Southern food I've had lately has been the panroast, gumbos, jambalayas at Ritters.  Maybe it's blasphemy that I even put Ritter's in the same category as Zydeco.  What do I know?  I am no Southern food expert.  I liked that the crawfish was plentiful here.  I wasn't very impressed with the depth of flavor.  Even the side dishes of okra, corn, and cornbread were slightly lacking in salt and sugar.  So overall, I was kinda meh about this set.

Fried Oysters & Shrimp jambalaya
I enjoyed this dish much more.  The oysters were plump and juicy.  The cornmeal based batter wasn't too heavy or overwhelming.  The shrimps were also similarly moist and lightly battered.  I enjoyed dipping them in the standard ketchup, cocktail sauce, and tartar sauce trio.  The jambalaya was a different style than I've had before.  It was drier and didn't pack that big of a punch.  The fries were really nothing special.

Read more »

Good Taste

Good Taste (Old Town - Chinatown location)
18 NW 4th Ave
Portland, OR 97209
Yelp

After a few miles hiking through the evergreen forests of Portland, we definitely worked up a appetite for something comforting.  The noodles at Good Taste really hit the spot.  The place is your typical fobby Chinese joint.  Their mastery of cleanliness is only slightly outshined by their mastery of the English language.  Though, one could argue the opposite depending on which server you get.  Just kidding.  There was no hair in my food or bugs in my water.  Ok, I'm really just kidding now.  Good Taste is known for their rice and egg noodle dishes.  Their portions are generous.  Their prices are right.  It's not crowded.  The MSG is not terribly obvious.  What is there to hate about this place?

Chinese Brocolli oyster sauce
I love extra side dishes to my main course.  Pretty standard fare.

Steamed Chicken, Roasted Duck over Rice

Zhu Zhu Hamster went for the rice.  I think she rather liked the ginger scallion sauce.

Read more »

Pip's Original Doughnut

Pip's Original Doughnuts

4759 NE Fremont St., Ste C

Portland, OR 97213

Yelp

When traveling, I grapple with this horrible first world problem.  There's just not enough meals and time in a day to eat everything I want to eat.  With some thoughtful planning, we were able to squeeze in a visit to Pip's for some fresh-from-the-fryer mini doughnuts.  Like everything else Portland, the shop is a charming little place with hipsters taking your orders using iPads and Square.  Actual inked signatures and paper receipts are becoming a thing of the past.  So Zhu Zhu Hamster and Little Pet finally rolled out of bed to meet us here before our hike.

While the doughnuts are the main attraction here, the chai is not to be missed.  I don't usually like chai.  All those spices in a hot beverage is not something I'm used to, but I quite enjoyed the offerings here.  You have the option of whole, skim, soy, hemp, or almond milk.

Read more »

Olympia Provisions

Olympia Provisions

107 SE Washington St.

Portland, OR 97214

olympiaprovisions.com

Yelp

My first visit to Olympia Provisions was 4 years ago, at a time when it was still known as Olympic Provisions (please refer to this link for the utterly ridiculous drama surrounding its name change).  But despite the name change, the place still remains the meat/charcuterie/savory centric dining destination that I've always been meaning to revisit.  I mean, how can you NOT come back to a place that welcomes you with this type of signage.  

I was a bit disappointed that Zhu Zhu Hamster and Little Pet didn't join Decidedly Undecided and me for brunch.  Sure I tried to lay down a guilt trip like I missed their company, but really I wanted a bigger dining party so I could order and try more food.  Alas, between just two people, we could not do much damage.

I'm totally on this ginger beer kick, but this was just ok.

Read more »

Khao San

Khao San
1435 NW Flanders St.
Portland, OR 97209
khaosanpdx.com
Yelp

I love Asian food more than any other food on this planet.  After a couple non Asian meals, I will usually crave something Asian.  So I was happy to squeeze in some Thai food during my Portland trip.  The Thai food is noticeable solid in Portland.  Of course there are your average joints, but on the whole I've always been pleased with my options here.  After a long day out and about checking out parts of Portland unknown to me with Decidedly Undecided, Zhu Zhu Hamster, and Little Pet, we settled on Khao San which had pretty good Yelp reviews and wasn't too far off the beaten path.  Big Spoon was able to get away from a rough day on call to feast with us.

Blue Crab and Rice Noodle Stir Fry rice noodle, blue crab meat, egg, bean sprout, chives, garlic, chili, fried soft shell crab
Kind of like a less sweet/sour and more savory version of pad Thai.  There was great crabby flavor and the fried soft shell crab was a delicious crunchy addition.

Khao San Holy Basil minced chicken, holy basil, fried egg

I think this was like pad ka prao.  The fried egg and bit of fish sauce for dipping were snazzy touches.

Read more »

Sweedeedee

Sweedeedee
5202 N. Albina Ave.
Portland, OR 97217
sweedeedeepdx.tumblr.com
Yelp

Decidedly Undecided and I attempted to brunch it at one of my favorite spots, Tasty & Alder, but of course the wait was ridiculous so we skedaddled from the shiny part of Downtown Portland over to the more grungy Northwest Portland.  I had never heard of Sweedeedee, but Zhu Zhu Hamster suggested it and Decidedly Undecided gave it two thumbs up.  My friends are wary of sending bad food recommendations my way because they know about my discerning palate and high standards.  The restaurant itself is so typically Portland.  It basically looks like a shack from the outside and very quaint on the inside.  When I lived here, I would have turned my nose at this place or at least rolled my eyes and sighed "Oh, Portland..."  Now, I can really see the charm.  The place is just simple, and that is reflected in the food.  I wish I had taken a picture of the kitchen.  It didn't really look like a kitchen, more like a room with people cooking in it.  It was more wood than stainless steel.

Read more »

Cacao

Cacao
414 SW 13th Ave
Portland, OR 9720
cacaodrinkchocolate.com
Yelp

When I lived in Portland, the perpetual doom and gloom would get to me on certain days, especially so when I had a stressful day at work.  I'm definitely a stress eater.  I feel like indulging in something deliciously sinful soothes my woes away.  Living above this fancy schmancy chocolate shop made it easy to drown my sorrows in vats of high quality premium chocolate from all over the world.

Read more »

Ava Gene

Ava Gene was one of the few restaurants that impressed Perpetually Underwhelmed during her time in Portland.  Obviously, that is saying something given her name.  Zhu Zhu Hamster sang the restaurant's praises.  It was the first restaurant I wanted to try during my summer visit to my old city.  The weather left much to be desired, what with the normally hot sunny summer temps replaced by the standard Portlandian doom and gloom.  On the flip side, the experience at Ava Gene was more than we expected.  First of all, we did not have reservations but were able to walk in during prime dinner hours on a Friday and snag a table due to a last minute cancellation.  We were pretty stoked at our luck because it probably would have been over an hour wait otherwise.

Pane fresh sheep cheese, tomatoes, basil
Our waitress recommended this from the bread selection.  So simple, so balanced, so delectable.  Bravo!

Gnocco Fritto prosciutto, parmigiano, saba
I had this another time at Tasting Kitchen.  The more I eat it, the more I liked it.  My dining companions, Zhu Zhu Hamster, Little Pet, and Decidedly Undecided didn't speak one way or the other on this dish.  I imagine it was strange to them, as it was to me when I first tried it.  Hard to go wrong with fried dough and meat.  I liked the light drizzle of balsamic vinegar, which added a subtle sweet sour note.

Read more »

Larchmont Bungalow

I've heard of Larchmont Bungalow's famous red velvet pancakes for many moons now.  Hobag and I were not too hungover from our Italian, donut, and wine fiesta the previous night to indulge a little something sweet to get our day started.  The place itself has a casual cafe vibe with sidewalk seating, an outside patio, and indoor tables.  You order at the front and get a buzz when your food is ready.  The place was busy enough for a random weekday brunch, but that's just standard for the LA scene with its plethora of Hollywood types trying to make it.

Chinese Chicken Salad grilled chicken, radicchio, napa cabbage, sesame dressing, wonton chips
We knew right away we wanted the red velvet pancakes, but we hummed and hawed about our other choices.  I guess it's no surprise the rest of our order was just your average lunch food.  Nothing bad, but nothing great.

Turkey Guacamole Club oven roasted turkey, bacon, tomato, lettuce 

I probably could have made a better version of this at my house.

Read more »

SK Donuts

My last LA donut discovery was disappointing.  The cronuts at DK left much to be desired and even their regular blueberry donuts, which were supposedly amazing were just meh.  So I was a bit skeptical when Hobag told me SK had some amazing donuts.   I had pretty low expectations from this mom n' pop shop.

A pretty standard selection.

Read more »