the hart and the hunter and three pounds later

if you want to gain three pounds in one sitting, and love every bite of it, then the hart and the hunter located in the palihotel is the place to do your pants tight...errr, i mean right. chef-owners kris tominaga and brian dunsmoor really whacked this one out of the ball park with their soulfully delectable twist on southern cuisine.

start with the chicken cracklins and hot pepper vinegar ($4). sweet baby jesus they were crispy and flaky, perfection when you splash a bit of the spicy pepper vinegar on a skin or two. order one...no two! trust me.

the butter biscuits and condiments ($6) were sinful discs of flaky awesome. you knew with every bite that you should stop, but can't and won't.

the la quercia country ham, bread and butter pickles ($10) was tasty but unnecessary if you're balling on a budget.

the fried chicken livers ($10) maintained a delicate balance of savory and sweet. the bits of apple were a sweet touch and it tricked me into thinking it was healthy. i'm gullible.

the smoked trout with avacado toast ($11) was delightful. flaky fish on avacado toast, two of my most favorite things in the world.

the chopped steak, bone marrow, and grilled toast ($16) was a bit of a miss for me, only because i start to cringe once i see puddles of blood forming.

hanger steak with soft grits ($21) was FA-BOO-LOUS. tender steak and flavorful grits, a must order people!! do it!

low country shrimp boil with andouille sausage, corn and potatoes ($22) reminded me a lot of my one year stint in louisiana. solid flavors all around.

 

fried green tomatoes with herbs ($13) was a tasty favorite. tart in just the right places, salty in others.

roasted brussel sprouts ($6) to add a little charred greenery to the meal.

sprouting broccoli ($7) cuz we respected the green side of the food pyramid.

 

 
the cheddar grits ($6) was WAAAAAYYYYY tooo over the top though. it's like i licked paula deen covered in grits, oy. i would skip this one.

the desserts by pastry chef sarah lange was a huge hit, another reason to loosen the belt, sit back, and revel in the sweet sugar rush that is sure to follow.

the lemon ice box pie ($6) was my absolute favorite. loved the tart flavors and that burst of iciness from it's partly frozen center.

chocolate pudding with ginger snap cookies ($6) was also a gastranomical homerun. simple but flavorful.

my husband really loved the sticky pumpkin cake with pecans ($6), a perfect reminder of the holidays that just past.

the warm apple dumpling and hooks cheddar ($6) was tasty, but the cheddar notes were on the light side.

the chocolate peanut crunch cake ($6) was intense. non chocolate lovas need not apply.

the meal was indeed a tasty treat for anyone who loves bold flavors. and if you start off with the chicken cracklins and end up with the lemon ice box pie, you're going to be a-ok regardless of what happens during the course of your meal.

The Hart and the Hunter
7950 Melrose Ave
Los Angeles, CA  90046
(323) 424-3055
http://www.thehartandthehunter.com

price:  $$
verdict:  omg, i love it! 

sqirl kitchen is da jam

my dogs like to chase squirrels. their mother (me), like to eat AT sqirl. sqirl kitchen that is. it's just a hop, skip, and a jump away from where i live and jessica koslow, owner and jammin' jam maker makes some darn good food...and it doesn't suck that G & B coffee is there as well. nope.

space is limited so we went early and snagged a little spot to the side. although it was cold, a nice hot cup of latte ($4.50) made us feel real toasty inside.

the hubs ordered an old skool breakfast ($9). it's a basic egg, bacon, and toast plate.

he also got the chicken, vegetable, and rice soup ($7) which was soul warming and hearty. not a bad way to combat l.a. cold weather...and yes, i'm freezing at 53 degrees.

i ordered the B4 santa rosa plum chutney, baserri sheeps cheese, with an egg ($8). OMG. if you enjoy savory sweet flavors, you should really get this. i would totally order this again, and again, and again.... *sigh*

and of course, i had to bring home a jar of freshly made wild blueberries and tarragon jam ($12). nothing like a little sweetness to slather on some boring toast when you're home.

great job jessica! i've been a fan of your food since your guest appearance at canele. much congratulations to your successes!

Sqirl Kitchen
720 North Virgil Ave #4 
Los Angeles 90029
(213)-394-6526
sqirlla.com

price:  $$
verdict:  tasty, try it!

heywood melts my cheesy heart

if you worship melty cow excretions between two slices of carbs, then let me point you towards a temple built for grilled cheese sandwich worshipping in silverlake....say "hey" to heywood peeps. although relatively new to the neighborhood, it is a delightfully cheesy addition to the silverlake food scene and caters wonderfully to cheese lovers, vegans, and those with gluten free diets.

each grilled cheese sandwich order comes with a side salad and a small container of their house spiced tomato soup which is creamy, crunchy, and superbly dippable. they should really consider selling the soup by a cup or bowl. totally tasty.

the first sandwich we consumed was the heywood ($11) which consisted of 2 year aged english cheddar, carmelized onion confit spread, and sourdough bread. it was deliciously buttery, had explosive flavors and a beautiful crunch. i really loved dipping the sandwich into the tomato soup.

but dear lord, the bon appetite brie ($11) will make you weak in the knees. this sandwich has triple creme french brie, cinnamon infused raisin bread, organic fig jam, and is topped with raspberry sugar crystals. it is definitely on the sweeter side, but is fragrant as heck and the brie cheese addition makes it a luscious bite. this is a definite must order if you love brie and sweeter flavors.

i'm looking forward to more pilgrimages to this grilled cheese temple. and since it has really late hours particularly on fridays and saturdays, i can worship there till the cows come home.

Heywood
A Grilled Cheese Shoppe
3337 1/2 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 667-1522
heywoodgrilledcheese.com

price: $$
verdict: omg, i love it!

Ración in pasadena for some sweet lovin'

dating can be an exhilarating experience for some and just plain awkward for others. i mean seriously, trying to decode the signs given by the opposite sex and their level of interest in you without a manual can be difficult...unless you're one of those panty droppers of course and dating is as simple to you as breathing fresh air.

but if you're anything like 99% of the population, dating brings about butterflies and lots of questions. will we hit it off? what should i wear? too much or not enough boobage? and if you're the dude, you definitely want to conceal that beer gut and manscape a little just in case you get lucky. with all the questions and worries swirling around your noggin as you get ready for your date, here's one worry you can eliminate if you schedule your date at Ración in pasadena...the eats are solid and the ambiance is sexy. there. go make reservations now.

their basque inspired menu is divided into four sections: pintxos (served on bread), manos (bar snacks), tenedor (tapas), and cuchillo (larger entrees). everything is shareable of course and when you're on a date, it is best to share and let's face it, you're trying to create an intimate moment here over a tiny table sans ripping off each other's clothes.

to set the mood for your date, don't forget the libations. the sangria had a nice sweetness to it but won't get you buzzed at all so if you want liquid courage, order something else.

the meal started out with a complimentary amuse bouche. shhhh...it kinda tasted like crispy wanton skins to me :0

house-made bread with dots of raisins. a perfect platform to swipe up juices from various plates coming your way.

the escabeche ($9) marinated mussels, shrimp, and calamari with peppers was a zingy tangy bite. soft in the right places, chewy in others. i'm soooooo not talking about your date right now.

soldaditos de pavia ($6) salt cod fritters with lemon cream. quite a hit these balls were with our group (hopefully a theme that will extend to the rest of your date). the light batter encrusting a savory soft fish flesh is a must order.

lengua on bread ($7) braised beef tongue, pickled spring onions, and honey aioli. you can never go wrong with some good tongue action and this was some good action.

calamar a la plancha ($7) caramelized calamari, melted onions, and lemon aioli. really tender pieces of calamari on bread. messy to eat as the calamari starts flopping all over the place, but the flavors are strong and savory.

arroz con gambas ($18) crispy whole prawns, lobster rice, bouillabaisse was hands down MY FAVORITE bite of the night. great flavors, prawns were cooked well, but the over the top detail for me was the crispy, crusty rice scattered intermittently in the dish reminding me of the hard, crusty rice you find adhered to the bottom of old school rice cookers. get this.

fideua negra ($9) spanish pasta, mussels, poached quail egg.

calamares rellenos ($15) duck sausage stuffed squid with brava sauce. let me tell ya, one step short of being a dainty version of a turducken. all kidding aside, it's very, very tasty and another favorite of the night.

almejas con chorizo ($10) littleneck clams, green garlic, and vino blanco.

pulpo a la gallega ($10) beer-braised octopus, fingerling potatoes, pimenton.

cochinillo ($16) the daily pork prep which turned out to be dry as hell. not the best savory dish to end the night, but the other fine dishes more than made up for it. lesson to self: pork should not always have an automatic green light.

sweet cubes of marshmallows to round out the night.

so there you have it. zone in on a potential date, make reservations at Ración, eat lots, drink lots, and have yourself a jolly good time. dating can sometimes be awkward and uncomfortable but if you find the right match...boy is it worth it. and if you're a great husband who's planning out a date for his lovely wife to celebrate a special occasion, i suggest Ración for dinner and then a short walk over to tiffany & co....which reminds me i have to send the link to this blog post to my darling husband. :P

Ración
119 W. Green Street
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 396-3090
http://racionrestaurant.com/

price: $$$
verdict: tasty, try it!

go KINGS go!

major CONGRATULATIONS to the L.A. Kings!! Such a great achievement for the organization and the win was a long time coming. if anyone ever says hard work and perseverance is overrated, then do show them this picture of dustin brown hoisting up the stanley cup!

#8 seed knocking off #1,2,3 and then winning it all at home....the word PROUD hardly describes the feelings welling up inside me. thank you l.a. kings for an epic season! AND thank you for making my huge kings fan hubby so darn happy.... we're already looking forward to the next season boys as DEFENDING CHAMPS! :P

dragon beard candy 龍鬚糖 cuz i like my candy wispy

i love awkward translations of things. especially the asian ones into english...or how about this one?! not asian, but still awkward, right??

it's a real disservice to the original language because the wording probably sounded pretty rad before its massacre into english (literally). take this 龍鬚糖 (lóng​ xū​ táng) or dragon beard/whisker candy. in chinese, the wording connotes images of strong, majestic dragons with long flowy beards....in candy form. so purty, so delicate. but in english, you just think, wtf?? candy whiskers?! candy beards?! what is this edible hair follicle that you speak of? can it even be tasty?

when i saw edythe's tweet about dragon whiskers/ beard candy at the hawaii supermarket in the sgv, i got so excited that i almost peed in my pants. my last taste of this unique chinese candy was about 20+ years ago and never once did i run across it again till now.

not only is this a tasty concoction, it is also steeped in ancient chinese traditions, a confection served only to the chinese emperor and his court back in the days. the fine hair-like strands are created by constant pulling, stretching, folding of a sugary "dough" made of maltose, sugar, corn syrup, or in this case, honey. i liken it to savory hand pulled noodles, but of course this is a more delicate, sweet version. normally, the strands harden after a day, but the addition of honey keeps this candy soft.

alex goh practiced the art of dragon beard/whiskers candy making for over 20+ years. he might even look familiar to you if went to that night market fiasco in pasadena not too long ago.

stretching.

twisting.

pulling.

the strands double up in minutes.

a sweet beard indeed.

then he pulled off sections of the dragon beard and filled each piece with loose chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, and/or toasted coconut.

he carefully folds the "beard" over its peanut innards.

a sweet, silky looking cocoon is the result of all that labor!

for $5, you get a box of 8. although they are on the "smaller" side and not as sweet as i remembered, i do appreciate rediscovering them again. it is just a unique candy with an interesting history and totally worth a try especially due to its rarity. if you want your fix of some sweet hair follicles, alex is at the hawaii supermarket in san gabriel during the weekends. thanks again edythe for the lead!

Alex Goh
Dragon Whiskers Candy
(919) 597-9325

Hawaii Supermarket
120 E. Valley Blvd.
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 307-0062

price: $
verdict: tasty, try it!