THINGS I ATE: Bites at Badmaash, Rattlesnake at Wurstküche

Posted on May 24, 2013 by B-Side

There’s not enough Indian food in Los Angeles. We have oodles of Korean restaurants (no complaints here), and there’s a Mexican spot on nearly every corner. Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese are also omnipresent, but alas, when it comes to Indian, our options are few and far between. My go-to place is Crown of India, located in a scenic strip mall often populated with vagrant trannies and the occasional meth head. Half the thrill is wondering if your car will still be there when you emerge from thali paradise.

Therefore, when I heard that Bread & Butter PR would be hosting the launch of their digital division at Badmaash, a new Indian gastropub Downtown, I was totally stoked to go. I’m always on the prowl for Indian food in this city, and even though the party would not promise to be a full-on meal, even just a few tasty hors d’oeuvres could make my evening. And so with my friend Kambra in tow, we headed to Badmaash where I proceeded to take pictures of everything BUT the food. I’m a real pro like that. I guess I’ll just have to go back!

Pics of Badmaash and bonus stuff from Wurstküche after the jump…

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THINGS I ATE: Hwe Dub Bap at A-Won; Also, Dessert at Cafe Mak

Posted on May 20, 2013 by B-Side

For a few years now, I’ve been hearing about the Hwe Dub Bap at A-Won Japanese Restaurant here in Los Angeles. This Korean dish, which is basically sashimi piled on top of lettuce and other veggies, has been thoroughly documented by the local media, blogs, and various Yelpers over the years. However, I’d never actually tried it before. I certainly had come close — going so far as to actually sitting down at the restaurant with every intention to order the dish. The thing is that A-Won also specializes in albap, a rich rice bowl topped with a beautiful assortment of caviar, and try as I may, I simply am not one who can ever resist a giant bowl of fish roe.

This weekend, however, I finally decided to MAN UP and go for the much-heralded Hwe Dub Bap. I had spent much of Saturday afternoon ambling about Disneyland (as one does), and while there had been a midday corn dog to stave off a wave of violent hunger pangs, the shocking truth is that it simply was not enough to sustain me. By the time dinner at A-Won rolled around, I knew a meager bowl of fish roe simply would not due. Delicious, yes. But enough to counter a ravenous post-Disneyland appetite? Hardly. And thus, the landmark decision by me to eschew my beloved albap for hwe dub bap was made.

This was a good thing.

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THINGS I ATE: Papa Cristo’s

Posted on May 17, 2013 by B-Side

Image via Food GPS

Los Angeles is not a city brimming with Greek food. In fact, I can only think of about six or seven Greek restaurants total — Le Petit Greek in Larchmont Village, The Great Greek in the Valley, Tony’s Taverna in Malibu, Ulysses Voyage at The Farmer’s Market, Petros in Manhattan Beach, and Joseph’s Cafe in Hollywood, which I think is probably closed by now, and I wouldn’t eat there anyway. But I digress.

Supposedly at the top of that Aegean totem pole is Papa Cristo’s, located in the Byzantine-Latino Quarter of Los Angeles. And yes, LA does have a Byzantine-Latino Quarter. It’s basically Koreatown. Anyway, Papa Cristo’s has earned raves from newspapers, magazines, and of course, lowly blogs. I’ve wanted to visit the place for some time, but annoyingly, the restaurant closes at 8 PM, which is highly inconvenient for me.

Nevertheless, the other night I managed to finally make my way into the BLQ an snuck into Papa Cristos with just under 25 minutes left before the doors shut. Did the place live up to the hype? A few grainy pics after the jump…

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THINGS I ATE: Cobb Salad at Square One Dining

Posted on May 16, 2013 by B-Side

Square One Dining has hands-down the best French toast in Los Angeles. Canelé and The Griddle come close, and BluJam has its oh-so-tasty crunchy variety, but Square One still takes the crown with its brioche french toast with bourbon-pecan topping and vanilla whipped cream. This is the stuff dreams are made of, people. It’s also, however, the stuff that love handles are made of too, and we don’t want those.

Luckily, Square One offers up some pretty amazing salads too. Take the Cobb salad, for instance. Square One does a mean Cobb salad. I am aware that one does not often use the word “mean” when describing a salad, let alone a boring Cobb salad, but people, this is truly a MEAN Cobb salad. I’m surprised it didn’t arrive at my table on a motorcycle with a blaring electric guitar signaling its presence. And then the salad can take off its helmet, and we discover that it’s really a hot lady, maybe even Claudia Schiffer, and as she wags her head back and forth in slow-mo, her blonde hair cascades down and our jaws drop. Yeah, that’s pretty much sums up this salad. It’s awesome.

And as a healthy alternative to French toast, it’s an excellent choice. Although, buyer beware: this salad does feature bacon, humbolt fog cheese, and a buttermilk dressing; so it’s not like the pinnacle of low-cal dining… But you will feel much less guilty when you see restaurant regulars / professional beanpoles Adam Levine and Jake Gyllenhaal at the next table over…

Square One Dining
4854 Fountain Ave Los Angeles, CA 90029
(323) 661-1109 • SQUARE ONE DINING

THINGS I ATE: Bagel Broker Edition

Posted on May 15, 2013 by B-Side

Looking for a bagel in LA? Good luck. The city notoriously misses the mark when it comes to this hallowed specialty. Some say it’s because the water in LA isn’t the same as NY. Others blame general Los Angeles stupidity. I don’t really know where the problem lies, but I can assure you that hope is not lost. I’ve tried most of the top bagel spots: Brooklyn Bagel Bakery, Sammy’s, Noah’s, Western Bagel, The Nosh of Beverly Hills, and more. Some are solid (Western, The Nosh), some are overhyped (Brooklyn), and some are just expensive and wrong (Sammy’s). In the end, there’s only one bagel place that does it right (or as right as an LA bagel can be): Bagel Broker.

I’ve been going to Bagel Broker since the first week I arrived in LA back in 2001. It’s the best. Bar none. These aren’t perfect bagels — they’re slightly small, and sometimes they have a tendency to dry out on the bottom — but overall, it’s the best we’ve got in LA. I can assure you that I’ve had many divine moments of personal happiness biting into one of those doughy rings. My order of choice: sesame bagel with veggie spread (or lox spread if I’m feeling like a baller), toasted, and open faced. You can of course order in classic sandwich form, but I’m telling you: try open faced. There’s a difference…

Oh, one more warning: this bagel place has become increasingly popular over the years. Not only is it common to now see celebs like Seth Rogen and Charlie Hunnam in the mix, but also long lines. Don’t worry: the queue moves quickly, even when it’s out the door on the weekend. Additionally, the parking lot (located just off Orange Grove Ave and Beverly Blvd) is hellacious. It fills up quickly, often with idiot drivers. The good news is that people leave just as quickly as they arrive. Be patient. Or look for street parking. A good bagel is worth it.

Bagel Broker
7825 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA
(323) 931-1258 ‎ · bagelbroker.com

Adventures in San Francisco!

Posted on May 14, 2013 by B-Side

A few weeks ago I headed up to San Francisco where I saw a bunch of my friends, including blog regulars Meeshie, Malibu Judie, and even IndianJones. The weekend was full of all sorts of high adventure including waterfalls, ice cream, and trail mix. Okay, so not much adventure. But neat photos!

After the jump, check out some pics from the trip, as well as a few, brief restaurant notes…

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RESTAURANTS ARE FUN: Takara and Sun Ha Jang

Posted on April 29, 2013 by B-Side

I’ve decided to start a new little section of the blog called “Restaurants Are Fun” (name subject to change) to document some of the random spots I go to with my friends (and sometimes enemies, but that is VERY rare). I wouldn’t say these are full on reviews per se, but they’re kind of a simple “I ate this, and it was good” or a “I ate that, and it was bad” kind of thing. Whatever. This is a blog, not the New York Times. Just let me DO WHAT I WANT.

Anyway, today I want to focus on two Asian restaurants I went to last month: Takara, the new ramen shop in Hollywood, and Sun Ha Jang, a Korean spot specializing in duck. Pics and thoughts after the jump…

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Keeping It Cute at Mignon

Posted on April 5, 2013 by B-Side

The Downtown Los Angeles renaissance continues (minus the occasional corpse found in a water tower), and nowhere is that more apparent than at the corner of 6th and Main where a variety of bars and restaurants have sprung up over the years. Between Artisan House, Cole’s, The Varnish, The Association, Las Perlas, and the new Black Sheep. Slightly hidden behind all these spots is the cute, grab-your-date-and-go French wine bar, Mignon. Of course, I’m loath to call Mignon cute because, well, that’s so literal (the name truly means “cute” in French), but the truth is that Mignon is just so damn… CUTE.

A former dry cleaners-turned-watering hole (look for the chandeliers formed from hangers dangling above), Mignon is first and foremost a wine spot. It’s helmed by Santos Uy, who curates an extensive wine list (keep an eye out for an Austrian wine night on April 11th, call for details: 213-489-0131) and features bistro food designed by Chef Tim Carey of Papilles in Hollywood. Recently I was fortunate to enjoy a media-comped dinner at Mignon where I was able to sample many of the dishes magically conjured up behind the bar (there is no kitchen). After the jump, check out pic of the meal…

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Healthy Dining From ‘The Biggest Loser’s’ Devin Alexander

Posted on January 29, 2013 by B-Side

Well, it’s January, which means most of the country is still feeling rather bullish about eating healthy and finally getting into shape. You can count me in on that bandwagon, and while I do feel rather cliché for adopting a lighter diet (I’ve already made quinoa twice in the span of eight days — what is happening to me??), I’m hoping I can ride this nutritious journey all the way to the Xanadu that is Summer Abs. Of course, it doesn’t help that I spent ten boozy hours in Los Angeles’s Koreatown on Saturday eating things like fried chicken, cheesy corn, and kimchi pancakes. But I digress.

The point is that I’m aspiring towards a healthy lifestyle, and so I was most excited when my friend Devin Alexander invited me down to the Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach to sample her healthy menu at Zinc Lounge. Devin, you see, cooks healthy. Real healthy. How healthy? She’s written all the Biggest Loser cookbooks (in addition to several of her own). In fact, Devin appeared on the show just last night to demonstrate her nutritious wares. Clearly, I needed to dive into Devin’s low-cal menu (named “30 Days of Devinly Decadence”).

I only had one concern: what if the food didn’t taste good? I mean, no disrespect to healthy dining, but it doesn’t always cause the tastebuds to sing. Would I be headed down an awkward path of me pretending to enjoy my friend’s menu??

Answers after the jump!

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Smashburger Opens First LA Store

Posted on January 9, 2013 by B-Side

Exciting news in the world of burgers: Smashburger has finally arrived in Los Angeles. The chain, which has been growing steadily since opening its first outpost in Denver several years ago, is known for its patties, which are actually smashed from meatballs. The resulting burger is thus juicier and more evenly cooked, according to Tom Ryan, the founder of Smashburger. I was able to sample one of these “smashburgers” today during a media-comped event to kick off the restaurant in Culver City. Pics and impressions after the jump…

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Category Archives: Restaurants

THINGS I ATE: Bites at Badmaash, Rattlesnake at Wurstküche

THINGS I ATE: Hwe Dub Bap at A-Won; Also, Dessert at Cafe Mak

THINGS I ATE: Papa Cristo’s

Image via Food GPS

THINGS I ATE: Cobb Salad at Square One Dining

THINGS I ATE: Bagel Broker Edition

Adventures in San Francisco!

RESTAURANTS ARE FUN: Takara and Sun Ha Jang

Keeping It Cute at Mignon

Healthy Dining From ‘The Biggest Loser’s’ Devin Alexander

Smashburger Opens First LA Store