I’ve been meaning to try Kawaba too, @Chowseeker1999, but finding parking on Melrose is kind of a deterrent.
And the black sesame cream puff from Patisserie Chantilly is heavenly!
I haven’t tried Blockheads, @paranoidgarliclover. My trick with Sunny Blue’s frozen yogurt is to let it melt ever so slightly, as the flavor seems to become more prominent. That said, I think their black sesame froyo is pretty good, and it’s fairly close to home.
Looks like I need to take another trip to Mitsuwa in Costa Mesa, @ipsedixit. Ah but Magpies is so much closer. I really enjoyed their yuzu froyo last weekend.
While the service was rather terse at Zafran Pot, some of the food was pretty good for a steam-table spot. I particularly enjoyed the chana masala, which had a lingering aromatic note - perhaps of cinnamon, cloves, star anise, or mace. The palak paneer was almost too rich, and the greens were overly pureed for my taste. The dal and the veggie puff were a bit bland.
My husband and I stopped by Shuhari Matcha Cafe on Abbot Kinney to pick up lunch. The cafe has a beachy minimalist aesthetic. In addition to drinks and some small bites, they sell teaware and tea from Shuhari’s parent company, Maeda-en.
Since their opening roughly coincided with Tanabata (Japanese/Chinese star festival), they had a bamboo plant outside festooned with written-out wishes.
My husband ordered the mint matcha sparkler, a refreshing, carbonated drink. Upon the recommendation of the cashier, I ordered the iced matcha kinako latte. I ordered it with less sugar, and the sweetness was spot on. The kinako provided a nice, nutty roast soybean back note. Next time I would probably order it with less milk as it muted the matcha flavor.
I also picked up the miso walnut pumpkin salad and yuzu miso avocado sliders. I also wanted to try the onigirazu, but they were still assembling them at noon. They’re still working out the kinks in their production; our sliders took quite a while to make. I liked the balance of the miso in the pumpkin salad. However, the miso overpowered the avocado slider, and the brioche roll became cloying.
Since the sliders were so dainty, I picked up a slice of salad pizza from Abbot’s Pizza Company. I loved the lemony salad and slices of avocado on the everything bagel crust. It was just perfect for a hot summer day.
Roast goat sandwich at Tender Greens, Culver City. It was one of the specials of the day. I ordered it because I like goat and hardly ever see it on menus. The sandwich turned out to be a pile of soft meat on a soft roll. There was no lettuce or vegetables or any sign of the aioli the menu described. It didn’t taste like goat. It didn’t taste like anything, except salt. SO SALTY.
I took a little bite of the meat, then, to be sure, one more little bite. Totally inedible. So I returned it and had a Niçoise salad instead, which was also not so great, but at least I could eat it.
What’s up with the Tender Greens in Culver City? The food has been totally off lately. Overcooked beef, fish with stringy bits, vegetables either hard or burnt, and the salads are always overdressed or underdressed. Now this fiasco of a sandwich.
STATUS KUO
Saw that they re-opened, so I stopped in for a quickie. The renovations are nice. There are two rooms now - the old dining space + a bar area on the other side of the wall. The big window makes it feel light, which helps since it all feels a bit narrow. I witnessed all of the staff introducing themselves to each other, so if you go in the near future, just be prepared for a bit of kink city as they get into the rhythm of being open again.
I got the Sunday Gravy, which is well documented in this past thread. It’s very comforting and addicting. I had it a while back, and it doesn’t seem to have changed, which is good. I’ll be back to try the rotisserie chicken.
HATCHET HALL (aka HOLY FUCKK)
Started with the Sliced Tomatoes (catalan aioli, pigeon peas, cucumber, summer herbs), which at first I thought was a fine and dandy, but then I got a hit of the aioli, and spring was sprung. I mostly visited to try the Rabbit Schnitzel based on the write ups on here. It was delicious. I was planning on taking half home, but I didn’t because I have no self control and it was so solid.
LUV2EAT
Long time review reader, first time visiter. I don’t know much about Thai food, but I thought the Jade Noodles was a bowl of savory/sweet delight. One question: the server asked if I wanted them dry or as a soup. Even though I feel like most pictures I’ve seen appear dry, I asked to have it how it’s traditionally prepared. She said soup. So I got that. I liked it, but just curious if I should go back and try it dry, too.
MUSSO & FRANK’S
Walked up for a mid-afternoon martini. The place was packed, and everyone seemed to be having a great time.
GJUSTA
Set out to try the falafel sandwich, but I guess they don’t start serving sandwiches till 11am. Instead, opted for the great smoked fish sampler. The salmon belly is insane. I also tried the carrot cake and didn’t regret it.
They do indeed. A full bar, in fact. The daily happy hour till 7pm actually seemed to have some good deals, too. If memory serves: $8 house cocktail / $5 house beer / $6 white or red wine. Ish.
I’ve always had the Jade noodles “dry.” I love them. That said, the one soup I’ve had there was great too so I imagine it was quite good as a soup as well.
[quote=“President_Mochi, post:76, topic:3671”]
MUSSO & FRANK’S Walked up for a mid-afternoon martini. The place was packed, and everyone seemed to be having a great time.
[/quote]Did anyone put this on @Eljeffy’s B+ Comforting Restaurants list? It’s definitely a place to go with a friend, have a classic meal, a great martini and superb service.
Thanks to the heads up from WesSabi, my partner treated me to a Plan Check date night for the Pom Pom Purin & Chococat set meal. Unfortunately the meal was more visually than gustatorily satisfying.
, fried smelt, scallop dumplings, truffle shumai
