the spice table, the last connection

missed connection ads are usually written in this manner:

"i saw you standing there in the bread aisle at ralphs looking smoking hot in a short leopard print skirt. we made eye contact several times as my hand hovered over the wonderbread. call me maybe?"

in about 2 days, after december 31st to be exact, another missed connection ad will probably be sent out, but this time, dedicated to bryant ng's eatery, the spice table. i can imagine it sounding a bit like this:

"i kept running across you at little tokyo. your sexy interior and your old fashion brick exterior really intrigued me. i sat down for a bite, but now you're leaving? where ya going? tell me baby?"

oh those feisty southeast asian bites, best paired with beer since the offerings leans a bit salty and a tad spicy.

grilled bone marrow ($10)

sambal fried potatoes ($8)

char kway teow ($16)

beef rendang ($19)

crispy quail ($18)

the spice table cheeseburger ($13)

final dinner service at the spice table will be december 31st and for $75 per person, you can indulge in a final ayce meal of sorts from 8pm to 12:30am. if you can't catch them on new year's eve because of some popping plans you've already made, perhaps drop by within the day or two before this particular dining experience becomes a missed connection for you.

Spice Table
114 S Central Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 620-1840
http://www.thespicetable.com/

price:  $$
verdict: tasty, try it!

nozomi knows sushi

if you want a dead fish dangled in front of your face like a flaccid penis, i suggest you come to nozomi in torrance where the fish is fresh and the sushi chef is feisty.

do make reservations at the sushi bar, ask for yasu san, and be prepared for a nice raw omakase journey where soy sauce is totally unnecessary. say whut??

jelly fish

seared mackerel

one of the best bites of the night, the koshodai, also known as sweetlips. crispy in texture and dusted lightly with sea salt. i could have eaten this FOREVER. 

koshodai aka sweetlips

the phallic looking geoduck, once thinly sliced is quite sweet and crispy.

geoduck

bonito

ika with uni aka sea urchin riding piggy back on squid. look at how the uni is hanging on for dear life. delicious.

ika and uni

then you jump right into a bowl of silky steamed egg with bits of shrimp and shiitake mushrooms buried in it. kind of like a treasure hunt except it's in a bowl and you don't have to dig too deep.

chawanmushi

yellowback seabream with sesame sauce

pike mackerel

spanish mackerel

baby amberjack

blue fin tuna

my hubs is not a fan of uni (i know right?? weirdo. kidding. just means more for me). i dropped both in my mouf like a boss.

uni

toro

scottish salmon with sea kelp

not normally a fan of ikura because i ate some rank ones in the past, but these were entirely yummy. little sea pearls indeed.

ikura aka salmon eggs

the last bite was anago and a sweetened tamago. i learned a sweeten tamago signified the end of the meal. what a yummy way to say "pay the check and get out!"   

anago and tamago aka salt-water eel and japanese omelette

yasu san told us to come back once a month since the seasonal fish are always changing. i totally would except for this catch...my wallet has been empty as of late. 

Nozomi
1757 W Carson St.
Torrance, CA 90501
(310) 320-5511
http://www.sushinozomi.com

price: $$$
verdict  omg, i love it! 

hog it up at black hogg

don't let the innocent facade fool ya. black hogg in silverlake is capable of serving you a gazillion calories at one sitting. open wide, loosen your belt, prepare to gorge, it's a good thing.

in preparation for the fat-a-thon, do get yourself some darjeeling republic of tea ($4). the tea is fragrant and lacks sweetness which won't add too many calories to your gut busting meal there...i think.

or a ginger beer ($4), another non alcoholic option for those who want to order beer without the requisite buzz...but why? :(

 

the uni toast ($8) was tasty though the delicate flavors of this dear sweet uni competed mightly with the scallions. a uni purist enamored with the delicate sea flavors of this creature may find that it lacked an uni presence, but since i will order anything uni, then i had to try it. what? uni on a hobo's shoe? sure, one order please.

 

the spicy chicken liver toast ($8) with a chicken skin cracklin' on its cap. or how about raise the chicken cracklin' sail because this little liver toast ship is about to sail into yo' mouth! yes, i was really thinking that. i really did.

the infamous popcorn bacon ($8) were little fatty pork nuggets encased in a crust with a side of maple crema for your dipping pleasure. you will either clap your hands or clutch your heart after you take your first bite.

 

roasted bone marrow with corn tortillas ($10). never had marrow wrapped in a tortilla, but why not? 

  

the lamb burger ($17) was juicy. the fries were perfectly thin and crunchy. match made in heaven? definitely. a fat angel totally made this one happen.

the meal ended with a carby bread pudding ($8). sticky and decadent.

 

my dogs also had a bite of black hogg. the sweet little sighs and grunts we heard while they worked the bone marrow bone like a crunchy lollipop probably meant they plan to write a good review for black hogg on yelp after they are done.

bronx going to town.

lucy working the bone luge.

overall, black hogg is a nice addition to silverlake. they reopened with a wine and beer menu which makes a whole lotta good when you're fisting fried things left and right. corkage is $19, but if you eat there tuesday-thursday, wines bought from silver lake wine means no corkage fees! so don't forget to have that silver lake wine sticker on your bottle and pop some of that popcorn bacon in yo mouf.

Black Hogg
2852 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA  90026
(323) 953-2820
blackhogg.com

price:  $$
verdict:  tasty, try it!

no tacos for pops, just silverlake ramen

my dad has some busted old teeth but the funny thing is he likes his occasional hard shell taco and would walk down the block to a little family owned mexican restaurant in the same strip mall as silversun liquor store to buy his occasional taco crunch. my dad did it for years and the restaurant was there for years. ahhh, memories.

about a year or so ago, i had to break it to him that his go-to hard taco place was no more. it is now replaced with silverlake ramen. they serve eatables like THESE which do not resemble a hard taco AT ALL. sorry pops.

crispy rice with spicy tuna ($4.50). it was a good way to start the meal says the spicy tuna whoreasaurus.

spicy tuna bowl (which came with the combo meal but otherwise would be $4.50/$7.50 depending on the size). filling it was, though the bowl was rice heavy. i skipped much of the rice when i witnessed my flappy underarms jiggle as i reached for my glass of water.

a blossoming side salad offering you the only greens of the night, that is, if ruffiage is important to you and all. it's not? what?! are you like a constipated cave man?

tonkotsu ramen ($8.50) with the most custardy broth in the world. if i was to use a straw to suck up the broth (which i won't but if you do i won't judge) i don't think it would even go through. the sucker is thick and per their personal description of the broth, "our ramen broth soup is boiled for 16 hours for richness and taste." i wouldn't say i was a fan of the broth, but it was definitely full of flavor.

so those are a few things you can eat at silverlake ramen. sorry no more hard taco shell tacos for pops, though his younger daughter did offer him a taco bell run. i hope he says no.

Silverlake Ramen
2927 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
http://silverlakeramen.com/

price: $
verdict: it's aight

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!