L & E Oyster Bar for a non doggy related silverlake experience

you don't have to be a four legged pooch or a skinny jean wearing hipster to enjoy the stroll down silverlake blvd towards the dog park. in my opinion, the neighborhood around the reservoir and the poochy playground is THE gem of silverlake. come on, what isn't there to love about doggy friendly facilities, a meadow for kite flying and picnic enthusiasts, a basketball court for the next up and coming jeremy lin, and just an overall chillaxing environment for walkers, runners, and people watchers alike. BUT if you catch your belly grumbling as you strut your stuff in the area, then you may find yourself wrestling with limited dining choices. let's see, there's lamill, reservoir, leela thai restaurant, and if you're desperate, 7-eleven for their hot dogs and a slurpee. not a lot to choose from unless you want to drive out of bounds that is.

however, dustin lancaster and matt kaner of bar covell recently gave the neighborhood a 5th option, L & E Oyster Bar, an oyster haven for those of you who like it raw....and in a shell....and on ice. methinks not a bad choice following your 7-11 slurpee appetizer.

they have a nice wine and beer menu which covers the basics so unless you're looking for very specific libations, i'm sure you can find something tasty to sip on while you're there. i settled on the lambrusco ($11) which had sweet, fruity notes with a slight fizz to the tongue while my sister settled for a glass of cold abita ($6).

the meal started with complimentary sweetened hush puppies with whole corn kernels nestled inside.

then we moved on to the daily dozen ($28) which is a must order when you're here. you get 3 types of oysters at 4 oysters each for a total of 12. if you were a third grader, i would explain, 3 groups of 4 oysters equals 12. 3 x 4= 12 but divided by 2 big mouths equals zero. you get my point yah? the oyster selection varies daily and that night, our daily three were the kumiai ($2/per), shigoku ($3/per), and my favorite, the marin miyagi ($2.50/per) which was nice and meaty. the oysters were served with cocktail sauce, "vinegar," and horseradish shavings. man they were good!

we also ordered grilled oysters, the rockefeller ($12), which was hefty in flavors. the ricard, bloomsdale spinach, lemon zest, and cream weighed down the oyster, but was still fetching in taste. obviously, if you're an oyster purist, you may want to stay away from these oyster renditions which does a great job in masking its oystery essence.

the cajun crawfish pie ($15) with itty bitty bits of crawfish tail was pretty to look at but awfully sweet and not at all spicy. i definitely wouldn't order this again and i highly suggest that you don't either unless you enjoy living regrettable moments.

the fries with aioli ($6) was yummy, as all fries are meant to be. thin, crispy, with slivers of fried garlic nestled in a tuberous mound makes it great nibbling fodder for all nibblers.

overall, my oyster eating experience at L & E was positive. i think the oysters are absolutely fresh and tasty and i will most certainly come back for more. i do, however, think they need to step up their dinner menu so they can offer their patrons a more complete dining experience unless sucking down oysters is all you need to eat for dinner. due to the limited space, they are also over eager with turning tables which may or may not bother you especially if you're trying to woo a lady and need a few more minutes to hit a homerun. anyways, come here and have a glass of wine and order the daily dozen and then head off to dinner somewhere else...that would be my game plan.

L & E Oyster Bar
1637 Silver Lake Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(323) 660-2255
http://www.leoysterbar.com/

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

lazy ox canteen for the not so lazy oxen in l.a.

sometimes, during the course of the work week, i feel like an ox. one that pulls heavy loads and walk through sh*t strewn about by careless folks that don't think too much about anyone else. although i make it out alive, on a daily basis, my inner ox calls for lazier times made merrier by good food, good wine, and great company. thank god for pam, marie, and remil for giving me that extra gust of wind for my sail last thursday so i could trod through the rest of my work week intact. AND, what better place to refuel the spirits than good eats at lazy ox in little tokyo.

to start off any form of merry making, one must fist a beautiful glass of wine. my choice that night was a glass of gruner veltliner from austria ($9). the wine had wonderful sweet, fruity notes to start off the night.

having read about their infamous lazy ox pig ears, i immediately scanned the menu and the chalkboard for an order...but couldn't locate them. a frantic inquiry with our server revealed a stash of pig ears in the back, the ones that the big bad wolf hadn't already consumed.

when the plate came out piled high with thick strands of crispy piggly wiggly ears, my own ears wiggled in anticipation. they were suprisingly plump, yet crispy. the tart tang from the lime juice and the pickled veggies alleviated the oiliness from the dish and made for a much tastier bite. delectable and a must order for me at the lazy ox.

the beef tongue escabeche with pickled tomato ($12) was tender and tart. the liberal use of acid masked the delicate tongue flavors, but the dish was still good in its own right and was a delicious addition to our feast.

crispy rabbit livers with cucumber and salmorejo ($12). little wabbits, big livers. the thin coat of flaky batter encased perfectly cooked livers. after a bite of that, what i really wanted was a glass of beer to go along with my wabbits.

lamb belly with lebni and mint ($16) might give pork belly a run for its money. unctuous and fragrant from the mint, this piece of baaaa baaaa belly will melt in your mouth. the real question is, can you deal with another piece of belly fat? i did.

the caramelized romanesco with chile, mint, pinenuts ($9) had strong broccoli flavors and was as dense as cauliflower when masticated. the charred bits of romanesco left a smoky presence in my mouth. the whole dish felt like a beautiful summer breeze.

the creamy farro with smoked sundried tomato and bone marrow butter ($13) was a creamy spoonful enjoyed by us all. and bone marrow butter?!? i die.

the blistered shishito peppers with mojama ($7) was simple and delightful.

the night ended with two wonderful desserts. the rice pudding with caramel and whipped cream gave this carb lover another reason to run around the block before heading home. the rice pudding itself had liberal amounts of cream incorporated into it and though unnecessary, the caramel and whipped creme sides should be spooned in for every bite to add another layer of decadence.

the dense chocolate cake was deliciously bitter. a nice reminder that bitterness is not always unpalatable as it is in real life.

AND that, my friends, was my wonderful thursday evening at lazy ox. man, what a fabulous watering hole for all the hard working oxen in l.a.

Lazy Ox Canteen
241 S. San Pedro St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 626-5299

www.lazyoxcanteen.com

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

ob bear for the chicken win!

i do not advocate drowning one's sorrows in alcohol, but if you MUST haze your memory or dull the pain brought upon you by a disgruntled god(s), then i suggest you drown yourself in a huge pitcher of hite beer at ob bear. that's right, the bitterness of life can be momentarily forgotten here as you experience all levels of delicious excess.

accompanied by danny of kung food panda fame and d, my usual eating partner in crime, we spent a night drinking, chatting, and sweating as the food burned our tongues whilst the beer simultaneously cooled it...as i had remembered, the ob bear menu did not disappoint and was lavish and craveable as usual. but not wanting a food gut on top of a beer gut, we ordered modestly for two lean boy bellies and my very pudgy roaming one.

we started off with the infamous ob bear fried chicken. the chicken skin was fried to such a delicate crisp that it reminded me of savory tissue paper that one finds in a child's art project. the chicken meat itself was moist and slightly salty and did not require any condiments with it. the finely shredded cabbage slaw with the thousand island dressing was intriguingly delicious as well. i found myself plucking strands of cabbage to eat in between my bites of chicken.

the spicy chicken wings were torturously delicious as well. the sweet heat stung my tongue like a million furious korean bees. as i ate, i inhaled and exhaled feverishly to temper the heat, but to no avail. trying to tame that sweet heat was like dousing fire with gasoline...not going to work. as my dining partners sweated the spiciness out of their systems, i just whined "ohhhmyyygoood this is spicy!" but sooooooo good. very craveable and a must order as well when you visit ob bear.

danny then suggested an order of korean blood sausage. since i've had multiple versions of blood encased in a tube from other cuisines, i was intrigued to sample the korean version. once i nibbled on a slice, i immediately fell in bloody love. i absolutely enjoyed the noodles incorporated in the blood sausage. each bite was springy AND spicy. dangit, everything we ate sans the fried chicken were spicy. i was pretty ready for a tongue transplant at the end of this meal.

although my tongue burned slowly from all these spicy eats, the bottomless glass of hite beer momentarily dulled the heat and my worries. ob bear is a place where sorrows do not exist and the only thing i have to worry about is whether there's enough belly real estate to sock down all these delicious spicy eats. what a damn fine meal i had here...and thanks danny for your company!

OB Bear
3002 W. 7th St.
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 480-4910

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

ob beer at ob bear

fried chicken use to mean pioneer chicken with it's greasy hard casing, or the original fried chicken at kfc with it's crispy crust. then you find some money in your pockets so you go to roscoe's for some fried chicken and waffles. but boys and girls, when you talk about well executed fried chicken that elevates this poor dead bird into a delicacy, then we have ob bear fried chicken. word.

not too long ago, i found myself hankering for some fried chicken and beer, which i am apt to hanker for once in a while since i do house a rather fat, hairy, balls scratching mini me inside this roaming belly of mine. when that happens, i try to cross off the craving and a "must try" eatery at the same time. booyah!

enter ob bear, a pub eating, beer slinging kind of joint. the establishment was a bit intimidating at first because i was reminded once again that i'm not korean. say whut?! but i like kimchi so much.....

but the server noticed the perplexed look on my face and brought out the english version of the menu which was highly decorated with pooh bears. i appreciated the attempt to bring signs of familiarity back into my eating experience cuz pooh is soooooo american. or perhaps it's THE bear of ob bear. i dunno.

first up was their crispy fried chicken. my first bite generated an image of savory phyllo dough masquerading as chicken skin. i kid you not when i say that this is the lightest, airiest, crispiest chicken skin i've ever had. the chicken itself was moist and flavorful and easily pulled away from the bone. if you come here thinking you'll be getting the same old fried chicken, you may be pleasantly suprised. sweetened cubed radishes were given as a side as well as shredded cabbage with thousand island-esque dressing. this is like the best beer food ever!

we were also given a complimentary leeks pancake with soy sauce for dipping. the crust was formed just right and the sweetness of the leeks contrasted nicely with the salty dipping sauce.

we also ordered the spicy squid. the noodles came as a separate order but everything gets mixed in to create a fantastically spicy dish.

in this hot red mess are chunks of squid, zucchini slices, rice cake, onions, and green onions. it's rather spicy but well worth it. my beer drinking, fried chicken eating meal felt complete with this red noodly burn.

i dug this place A LOT. i can imagine endless nibblings throughout the night as you throw down a few bottles of ob beers. great chicken and spicy squid dish and although pricier than the typical korean restaurant, it is pretty fab. i will be back again.

O B Bear

3002 W 7th St

Los Angeles, CA 90005

(213) 480-4910

price: $$

verdict: omg, i love it!

juicy las vegas

excuse my tangent, but does this butt look familiar to you? i swear i’ve seen this bally’s billboard FOREVER. anytime we pull off the 15 and i see these round buttocks, i know i'm not in kansas anymore.

the first night’s dinner was spent at hot n’ juicy. we saw this on man vs. food and decided to check it out cuz i'm gullible like that. i had sneaking suspicions that this joint was the vegas version of boiling crab….and i was right! oh phooey. don't get me wrong, i enjoy boiling crab, but to eat that here in vegas was a waste of time and money especially when i can do the same at home. it's located in a strip mall so look for it's signboard if you happen to crave some of these cajun spices.

we ordered a pound of crawfish in their hot n' juicy special sauce. you get to tailor your spice level so we picked "medium" because i didn't want my butt to burn the following day when i visit the toilet. the sauce was tasty with spices that were very reminiscent of boiling crab. the crawfish is a favorite crustacean of mine, but eating it entails a lot of work. there's a teensie weensie bit of meat in the tail so remember to suck the crawfish head and eat the tailmeat and then you're done.

we also ordered a dungeness crab in their lemon pepper sauce. we should have inquired about the size because the whole darn thing costed $30, holy moly. the meat was sweet and trumped over the crawfish because the spices weren't as potent so you can actually taste something other than sauce. here it comes out, suffocated and ready for consumption.

a side of cajun fries. very crispy. i likey fries.

the david and goliath of the seafood world.

see, i came here because of him. so the moral of this story is, stop watching t.v. and eating where this white man eats. fool. the food with tip came out to be $54.04 and honestly, it still left us a bit hungry but gambling dulled the hunger pangs a bit.

Hot N Juicy Crawfish

4810 Spring Mountain Rd

Ste C & D

Las Vegas, NV 89102

(702) 891-8889

www.myspace.com/hotnjuicy_crawfish

price: $$

verdict: it's aight

vino for the wino

Vinoteca Farfalla
1968 Hillhurst Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90189
(323) 661-8070
http://www.vinotecafarfalla.com/

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

in my brain, the word THIRST always conjures up an image of a skinny white dude in a dirty torn up dress shirt crawling his way through the sahara desert. how did he get there? who knows, but i do know that he's crawling towards a mirage thinking he finally found water. so sad when he finds nothing but sand around him.

now imagine me, waiting for the last minute of the work day on a friday to conclude and then sprinting towards my car. i too, am driven by the word THIRST like that poor white dude that i just described, but mine ALWAYS result in pleasantries and not death...and it almost always involves wine and not just plain water. it is absolutely 100% cooler than what happened to that dude. for reals.

this friday, a friend and i checked out vinoteca farfalla in los feliz for their happy hora. from 4-7, you can spend 3 full hours drowning your THIRST with $6 wine or $4 beers. holla! the space is also narrow, chic, and dark. a GREAT place for a date or for weary workers like us who wanted good eats while we drank.

check out the way they dispense wine...ghetto fabulous?

omg cheese. cheese like a wheel, cheese in buckets, cheese, cheese, cheese!

the happy hora menu looked awesome. we decided on three dishes (click on the picture if you want to read what's on the menu you blind bat) and a glass of chardonnay for my thirsty self. they do generous pours as well. marry me...please? i can cook.

we started off with the ceviche vinoteca which was limey white fish, shrimp, basil dip, and guac served with tortilla chips. the ceviche is tart but sweet and not super sour like most places. i thought it was yummy.

we also ordered the empanadas plate which were three empanadas with different types of filling: oozy cheese with hearts of palm (my favorite amongst the three), beef (which tasted like chinese stir fry for some reason. there were celery and carrot bits in it), and chicken (which tasted like chicken pot pie). although only one of the empanadas was truly amazing, if you plan to split something, this would be a good pick so i recommend that you try it.

empanada with oozy cheese and hearts of palm. salty and tart wrapped up and fried. did god make this because it is good!

and being the burger whore that i am, i convinced my friend that we NEEDED to order the braziburger or else we would be lame. the burger had a thousand island, mcdonald's big mac inspired sauce on it dressed up with grilled onions. the buns were sweet which made me think it was either a hawiian sweet roll or some sort of brioche bread. it also came with delicious crusty fries which made my lips smack. yummy. anyways, the knife stabbed through its center was dramatic and hilarious and such an appropriate way to celebrate the end of another work week.

since i eat INSANELY early, i will beat the happy hora vinoteca farfalla crowd by rolling in at 5 on the dot sometime soon. fyi, chatting up with the server revealed to me that 2 doors down on the corner is vinoteca farfalla the RESTAURANT. please don't be a stupid ass like me and go there first before finding the right place.