allston yacht club for holiday boozing (echo park)

picture courtesy of allston yacht club (ayc)

i did not grow up celebrating thanksgiving. in fact, i might have tasted my first turkey at koo koo roos. shhh.... but as i grew up, the once foreign traditions of thanksgiving and green wreathed holiday cheer began to infiltrate our tightly fobby traditions. as each year overlapped the next, smashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, honey-glazed ham, eggnog etc...began to share the same space as the chow mein, fried rice, roasted duck, and eggrolls that normally occupied our holiday tables. so nowadays, the mere hint of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cold weather automatically sparks warm feelings of holiday cheer in me too...thanks for the melting pot effect america.

my holiday celebrations were kick started this year by allston yacht club in echo park. my sis and i were invited to try a few of their holiday cocktails and to nibble on some of their happy hour menu items.

accursed fruitcake cocktail. photo courtesy of ayc.

no joke, one of the best holiday cocktails ever. fragrant and boozy in the most subtle way. if you can squish christmas, thanksgiving, and a freakin' decorated pine tree into a glass cup, you will get the accursed fruitcake cocktail. i am TOTALLY going back with my friends to get my asian glow on with this sucka.

figgy pudding cocktail. photo courtesy of ayc.

the figgy pudding cocktail was an ultra sultry, boozy version of eggnog. if you like getting messed up while singing a christmas carol, DO so as you fist a glass of this.

a reasonably priced happy hour menu for food and drinks. yay!

korean style wings with dragon sauce...aka siracha? a tasty accompaniment to the real stars of the show...holiday cheer and boozy cocktails! yeah!

short rib poutine tostada was a bit tricky to eat and not that tasty. the short rib was dry and overly stringy.

the orange french toast grilled cheese sandwich was the oddest bite of food of the night. a definite skip unless you enjoy a failed combo of orange, bacon, and goat cheese....bleh.

you can never go wrong with garlic fries and these particular garlic fries were skinny and crispy, the perfect fry profile if you will. since my sis is a french fry enthusiast, as you can see, we got more than enough of our share that night.

with warm bellies full of booze and a heart clogged with french fry grease, i want to thank allston yacht club once again for jump starting my holiday cheer. i SHALL come back for the accursed fruitcake cocktail and fries as convos flow with old friends about life, love, and all the things we should be thankful for this holiday season. cheers.

Allston Yacht Club
1320 Echo Park Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 481 0454
http://allstonyachtclub.com/

mohawk bend for a quick trip down memory lane (echo park)

without specifying the digits that makes up my age, let's just say that i remember mohawk bend as an old movie theater and not as its current fashionable state as a vegan/vegetarian friendly feeding ground. in fact, i even watched "ghostbusters" there as a kid. yup, i'm kinda old and echo park has changed A LOT. trust.

after the theater finally closed its doors, the space remained vacant for a very long time and was a hotbed for graffiti and the homeless on sunset blvd. every time i drove by that boarded up theater, i always hoped it would reopen once again so i can catch a flick and reminisce about growing up in silverlake and watching movies with my cousins in echo park. but alas, any reminiscing will now be relegated to beer slinging in the now sultry, sexy mohawk bend. beer vs. popcorn, you decide.

as my friend and i settled down for our mohawk meal, we were given an extensive beer menu to peruse. i decided on the orange wheat beer ($5) which was delicious, fruity, and absolutely lip smacking pleasant for a non-beer lova like me. if i can swig a few glasses like this orange wheat, i reckon i will become a beer guzzling, beer enthusiast in no time. and for all the criticism about mohawk bend's food, you really can't beat their 72 beers on tap which to some folks may make a fine liquid dinner...screw the stuff that requires mastication and jaw work.

that night, we decided to pad our bellies with their fire roasted artichoke ($9) which was standard eats verging on boring. skip.

the cold jj kale salad ($8) with garlic, chili, and jicama fared slightly better. i enjoyed the ruffage and the acid from the dressing, but again, the taste profiles were neither mind blowing nor note worthy.

the keenwah ($10) salad with organic quinoa, pomegranate, red & gold beets, herbs, lemon-maple vinaigrette was tasty. the pistachios added a much needed crunch since the salad wilted rather quickly under the quinoa and beets.

the side of rosemary fries ($4) with togarashi for dipping were probably my favorite bites of the night. but then again, how does one eff up fries? yup, you just don't. the slightly sweet element to the togarashi makes this a must order beer accompaniment for me.

overall, although i am sad that i can no longer catch movies in this space, i am certainly excited for a place to unwind and hang out with friends over drinks. i think to avoid disappointment, do go in with the knowledge that food will be average but the libations are extensive and will cater to most beer lovers. hip hip hooray for drinking sans eating!

Mohawk Bend
2141 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 483-2337
www.mohawk.la

price: $$
verdict: (food) it's aight (beers) tasty, try it!

i'll gladly pay you tuesday for the park burger today

this weak economy has facilitated some sweet baby jesus deals for the belly. if you keep your eyes peeled, i'm sure you've seen a few good ones and perhaps partaken in a fair amount. i am definitely of the mindset that frugality during these harsh economic times DOES NOT mean that one has to give up on dining out altogether. eating out just means you have to be smart about it, and one of the BEST deals i've run across by far is $5 burger night at the park in echo park. oh man, this deal is good.

the process is quite simple and a tad bit easier than building a rocket. first, you choose between either the park burger (6 oz. sirloin) or a veggie burger as the "base burger." the burger comes with lettuce, tomatoes, and a choice of sides; thin french fries, side salad, coleslaw, or potato salad. if you want just the basic, then you're set. $5 baby.

if you want to dress up your burger a bit, you can choose to adorn your patty with a myriad of delicious toppings priced between $1 - $2. i chose to top my "the park burger" with the ever healthy crispy onion strings. 2 words. FREAKIN' TASTY. bad for the heart? yup. but let me restate, FREAKIN' TASTY. the side of skinny french fries were also delectably crunchy and should not be replaced with a wimpy side salad.

the absolutely affordable burger deal allowed my dining partner and i to take this deal one step further by ordering the watermelon and feta appetizer ($8). we were pleasantly surprised by the taste combi of the refreshing red and yellow watermelon slices, the creamy balsamic vinegar dressing, crumbled feta cheese, pickled onion ribbons, and chunks of avocado and basil. it was hard to stop and i loved every bite of it. delicious!

ahhh, a burger in one hand, a glass of redart ($7) in another, and a refreshing serving of watermelon salad and i was sooooooooo set. this delicious, value conscious deal left me full and burping for more. shall i just say that my wednesday nights are booked for the next few months. yup.

The Park
1400 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 482-9209

www.thepark1400sunset.com

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

xoia eating in echo park

i'm barely literate in english let alone vietnamese so when my friend asked me to meet her at xoia in echo park, i just said, "oh, that new vietnamese place. sure!" when we got there, both my friend and i decided that it was not a phonetic vietnamese name and sure enough, our server told us xoia was pronounced "soy-yah" and was named after the owner's child...either that or they might have named the child "mango" in vietnamese, but the spelling would still have been incorrect. xoia definitely sounds a lot cuter than "bob" or "martha" or "mango" doesn't it?

we decided to sit outside in their patio area to inhale the fresh exhaust that comes right off of busy sunset blvd. ahh, nothing like combusted fuel to expand my appetite. of course, if you don't enjoy the automotive bustle while you eat, there is a larger dining area inside for you to enjoy your meal.

we started off with the pho beef tacos ($5.75) which were surprisingly yummy! these tacos tasted like a bowl of beef pho sans the soup and the noodles. the salsa was a fusion of red salsa with a hint of sriracha. my friend was eager to begin grubbing and squeezed lime on our tacos while i snapped away. i would totally order these again. you should too.

we also ordered the lemongrass pork carnitas banh mi ($6.50) which was a fabulous rendition of the traditional banh mi with long cilantro tendrils and vinegared daikon and carrot sticks spilling out. i loved the chunky carnitas with my every bite and the hint of lemongrass for a lemongrass lova like me left a wonderful fragrance in my mouth. this banh mi was quite generous in portion size because behind those white shrimp chips was the other half. two words: cheap date. you eat one half, i eat the other half and then we fall in love.

the mi quang ($9.25) was the main reason why my friend wanted us to eat at xoia. this dish is a hoi an specialty which i thought was rather delicious. although per my friend's observation that the noodles were a bit wider and thicker than what she had tasted in that region, i thought the thick yellow noodles xoia used were a great medium to sop up the delicate sauce that puddled at the bottom of the bowl. crispy black sesame chips, chopped peanuts, and crunchy bean sprouts gave this dish all the crunch you would ever need in a bowl of noodles.

we ended the meal with the banh xeo ($6.50) which was our least favorite dish of the night. the banh xeo was crispy which was a plus, but the pork was severely oversalted with a double ugh of severely overcooked shrimp that resembled dried chicken which were nestled inside. i'm also not use to banh xeo with peanut sauce which is normally served with nuoc mam (fish sauce). not to mention that the peanut sauce tasted thick and straight from the jar and lacked the typical garlic notes which i am use to.

i'm normally very critical when it comes to vietnamese eats because i grew up eating superb homecooked vietnamese food, but xoia did not disappoint even though there were a few details that needed tweaking. this is a cash only spot so i'll be sure to return with a wallet full of greens to try other xoia eats on the menu. perhaps i might even bring my mother. great yummy addition there echo park. nice.

Xoia
1801 W. Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 413-3232

www.xoiaeats.com/

price: $$
verdict: tasty, try it!

the skip, skip, hit game at allston yacht club

when sinosoul contacted my people (my people being my gmail addy), and invited me to break bread with his chinese self, his lovely wife, daily gluttony, and weezermonkey, i was all over it. not only do i get to check out a new neighborhood eatery, allston yacht club (ayc), i also get to meet some fellow food bloggers. methinks it's a great way to celebrate the end of hump day wednesday! booyah!

so i flew down sunset blvd not exactly knowing where ayc was located, but once i made a left onto echo park blvd, i figured out ayc had taken over restaurant 15. although the exterior looks the same, ayc has changed the interior considerably, taking the dark walls and infusing it with color and even a hokusai inspired art piece at the other end of their dining area. interesting.

ayc currently has an extremely irresistable wicked wednesdays promotion in which every food item on their menu is priced at $5. this meant we HAD to order almost everything. oh yeah, BRING IT baby.....

the arancini. deep fried risotto balls served on tomatillo salsa. i liked this one and loved the crunchy texture inside and outside of the balls...mmm....crunchy balls :0 a hit.

mussels cuz every place has them so why not here. i found them to be a tad dried out. the flavors were alright but nothing special. skip.

the frico which are parmesan cheese crisps topped with tomato relish. i am a lover of cheese crisps and this combo did not disappoint. eat with caution though because they are rather addicting. another hit.

shrimp and feta gratin. i thought the shrimp was extremely overcooked to the point of chewy. bleh...and the feta gratin did nothing for me other than remind me why i'm still fat. skip.

beef skewers with chimichurri sauce. i found them to be little nuggets of overcooked meat. skip.

duck confit on goat cheese toasts with roasted figs. by far, my FAVORITE dish of the night. nice balance of flavors and wonderfully tender meat. i might have taken more than my fair share on this one. a hit! wowzas!

pork belly. i'm normally a fan of fatty pork belly, but i didn't find the sear to be consistent which meant blobs of unseared, untreated fat which is kinda ewww. skip.

braised short rib on a root veggie puree (probably mashies). tender and flavorful, but spectacular it was not.

polenta disks with gorgonzola and greens. EXTREMELY BLAND. skip

merguez sausage with smoked corn succotash. i found the sausage to be a tad overcooked, but the flavors were strong in a good way. i enjoyed this dish and would order it again...methinks perfect if paired with beer. a hit.

shishito peppers. i suggest you get these at a japanese yakitori and save your $5 for something else...like girl scouts cookies. skip.

last but not least, the controversial sweet potato fritters. they don't have much of a sweet potato presence and has the density of cakey donuts. definitely a dessert tasting item even though there's yogurt sauce under it, possibly tricking you into thinking it's a savory dish. i think i was the only one at the table that enjoyed them and WHOO HOO cuz it meant i got the lion's share of it. i liked the salty spices on top of these cakey orbs.

everything was washed down with a nice alcoholic concoction that was conceptualized right before our arrival. if i had a name for it, i would call it "fizzy with a touch of nail polish remover." something in the list of ingredients did not sit well with my tastebuds, though i downed that shit like i was parched. yay alcohol.

it was great to see this place bustling with activity especially since echo park definitely has limited dining choices at this point. allston yacht club is a nice addition to the hood and i suggest that you take advantage of their wicked wednesdays to try their menu on the cheaps. although inconsistent in taste and flavors, the broad range of foods there will probably mean you'll hit on SOMETHING enticing. i sure did and the name is duck confit with a plate of sweet potato fritters. besides, their uniform price point is pretty awesome don't you think with a fun ambience to boot.

thanks tony for the invite and it was my pleasure to yak and eat with you, daily gluttony, weezermonkey, and your lovely wife (lucky bastard). till we eat again.

Allston Yacht Club
1320 Echo Park Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 481-0454
allstonyachtclub.com

price: $$
verdict: tasty, try it!

this time, i prefer to gulp, not sip

when i have wine in my face, especially after a long, stressful work week, i prefer to gulp, NOT sip it. however, i still try to maintain a semblance of refinement by holding my wine glass by the stem and perhaps sticking my left pinky out. but food friends mind you, if you looked at my adam's apple, you would notice it rocks up and down in a frenzied pace as i chug it down QUIETLY. yes, sometimes i prefer to gulp and not sip my wine.

this past friday, my two dear friends and i went to city sip in echo park to decompress, chat, and to reward ourselves for a long work week. although the venue is cozy and cute, once crowded (which it was on a friday night), it meant cramped quarters and little to no elbow room. not exactly the best place to physically decompress and to add upon this discomfort was the lack of attentive service. i think this is where the little buzzers you see at your table in korean restaurants would be helpful. ghetto you say? yes. but being forgotten is worse don't you think?

since i arrived after happy hour, i decided to get their regularly priced flight (three tastings) and cheese combo ($23). you can order a flight ($15) if you prefer to drink on an empty stomach but i did not so i ordered the bubbly flight which comprised of all kinds of sparkly wines from cali with cheese. very tasty, BUT unfortunately, they are a bit stingy with their pours. although i did not expect a full glass because it is a wine TASTING after all, small pours in thin flutey glasses is no bueno. the whole combo came out to be $30 with tax and tip included and the value and taste just does not compare to silverlake wine and i wished we were there instead.

less is not more.

cheeses and sweetened dried fruit. i liked the kiwi.

don't get me wrong, i think the ambience is great, but my desire to seek BOTH value and quality sometimes surpasses my need for chic spaces with dark corners. i felt unfulfilled after my wine flight but my companions were awesome as always and i'm glad to have checked out this wine bar that i drive by so often. now i know there's not much reason to stop in again. if you want a satisfying, yummy wine tasting, then i suggest you head over to silverlake wine where the pours are generous and the wines are absolutely fabulous.

City Sip
2150 Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90026
(213) 483-9463
citysipla.com

price: $$
verdict: it's aight