January 2017 Weekend Rundown

I tried to go to Pailin this afternoon, but it was closed for the holidays, so it was the perfect excuse to try DeSano Pizza Bakery in East Hollywood. FTC’ers, you did not steer me wrong. I ordered the Verdura pizza, which was topped with some of my favorite ingredients: broccoli rabe, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and a combination of scamorza, mozzarella di bufala, and pecorino romano. I’m afraid that I ate way too much and will have to do a few more laps when I get back to jogging after the holidays, but it was worth it.

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I think they now make my favorite calzones, esp. since Sotto stopped making theirs.

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Oh, good to know, @ipsedixit!

Nice pizza @MaladyNelson! Glad you finally got to try DeSano. :slight_smile:

That looks like a delicious pie.

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Needed to refuel after the 11 mile Rose Parade bandit run so went to Cindy’s Eagle Rock for some pancakes. My daughter was hoping to see Justin Timberlake there, but no dice (see his video for “Can’t Stop the Feeling” if you don’t know the reference!).

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We tried Scotchery in Costa Mesa. We had the French onion soup and lobster bisque to start. Both were fantastic. The French onion soup had a really nice, deep flavor without being too salty, and the bisque was creamy lobster goodness.

We also had the foie gras creme brulee and the mussels. The sweetness of the brulee was a great complement to the subtle flavor of the foie. The mussels were perfectly cooked

This place has a strange location on Harbor Blvd. in a business park, but I’m looking forward to going back to try their steaks.

It was pretty dark, so the pictures didn’t turn out.

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Have someone use the flashlight function on their phone. But be quick about it. :wink:

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Mezcal Tequila Ice-Cream

It’s like rum raisin ice-cream, but with tequila and little pieces of chewy, dried breadfruit. Excellent.

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Tempura shiitakes from Inaba in Torrance, with some Juice Lee (Monkish Brewing and Cellarmaker Brewing collab):

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Fancy Fucking Beer for I-Naba…BYO, or menu?

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Are those rustic laws as good as the grapevine says for sour beers?

Is that a takeout order? how well did it travel?

It was a takeout order. I live in Torrance, practically down the street from Inaba, so it traveled fine. Still nice and crispy when I got home. Also got their teriyaki chicken plate which was very good, too.

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Oh yes. Especially their West Ashley and Saison Bernice.

Me and my new friends waiting for Shunji to open to get dat $40 lunch special. Got there at noon and waited for 20 minutes…I guesss its not happening. Probably still on vacation. So Plan B…

And got the Osaka-style chirashi bowl…


Pretty good. A little on the sweet side. I did feel a little jipped…not much fish imo, I get the chopped and diced style, but there is really not much when you consider there is other cooked and pickled items in the mix. If I am going to pay $30 for a chirashi bowl at lunch…well give me a little something. There was Uni though, it was okay not the sweetest.

While in the area I visited Simpang Asia:


Got a mango smoothie and some char kway teo. I enjoyed it, I wish there was some wok breath flavor. Went next door to get some kaya. Also interesting I asked both the restaurant and market-coffeeshop if they have kaya toast, they looked at me like I was speaking Swahili. I know it’s a Indo place but you guys got some Malay stuff going on too.

Early dinner I hit up:

I was pleasantly surprised! I really enjoyed dining here. The service and the food. We are very lucky in Southern California/LA to have sushi that can be enjoyed on all price levels. Don’t take that for granted. Noshi to me is like 1-2 times a week place where you can get a quick bite at a fair price. In a ideal world all of the “Rockin’” sushi places will be replaced by Noshi’s.

Some of the things I enjoyed: Tuna Roll, CA Roll, Baked Crab Roll, and the sweet shrimp nigiri with fried head. Also interesting seems like the LA sushi world is small, all of these sushi chefs know each other and are friends.

Arrr trying to upload photos on my potato iphone

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Shunji will reopen on 1/6 for dinner

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Title of the photo of that pair of birds on a lunch date, waiting for Shunji to open, only to find out they’re closed that day:

“This is what it sounds like when doves cry”…

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Monkish is so damn good. Them and Highland Park Brewing are definitely my local favorites. It’s great to be able to get good local sours.

Yass. I like the sours at Phantom Carriage, too.

Farther up the coast, but the new ish Firestone Walker restaurant/taproom in Venice has rotating Barrelworks wild ales on tap.

Sours and Belgians are two of my favorite styles. I’ve been enjoying therm from The Bruery for years.