August 2024 Rundown

[js76wisco]

Seven Grams in Tustin seems to be very popular Chinese in the area. The few times we tried to go on a weekend the wait was approaching an hour.

The XLB are indeed excellent. Well made thin wrapper except the top part which was a teeny bit too thick. A lot and I mean a lot of broth. Great flavor. 6 to an order for $8.

Super thin and crispy scallion pancakes. Lovely.

Scallion noodles. Simple but love the chew on the noodles.

We would definitely go back. Saw a few tables with fried rice and beef noodle soup we’ll have to try another time.

[Starchtrade]

Happy to see the love for Aquarela! They are a couple of guys (and their team) that have been doing things right for a long time. We are lucky to have them.

[PeonyWarrior]

Kuya Lord delivery. I feel this pungent food will cure whatever ails you. Maybe wishful thinking, as I have covid.

Edit: I can now confirm that Kuya Lord cures Covid.

[set0312]

Goofy day of eating in the valley. Baja Subs was stop 1. Did the biryani, a kottu roti, and the rice and curry plate. Everything was pretty good, but as somebody who has spent a ton of time in Colombo, this was fine. The infatuation giving this a 9.2 means the infatuation has likely never had Sri Lankan food before.

Will get the pol roti plate next time, and I skipped the lump rice (aka lamprais) bc I had a tee time at Rustic.

[set0312]

Went to Lum Ka Naad in Encinitas and wasn’t impressed. They didn’t have half the southern specials they claimed to.

Did a Burmese pork curry that was gamey and a bit over cooked. The duck soup was fine, and a southern chicken specialty was actively bad. Rubbery chicken slices in a one-note spicy curry. Was hoping for something a lot closer to a luv2eat dish.

[PeonyWarrior]

I’ve been curious about Baja Subs because it was mentioned on Reddit too. Do you have a preferred Sri Lankan place?

[100percentdoghair]

I’ve been, and I agree with set0312. I haven’t had much (if any) Sri Lankan food. But after eating at Baja Subs, my sense was that it is good Sri Lankan food for Los Angeles. And not that it really matters, but it is an odd dining experience — the food takes forever, even when there’s no one else there.

Infatuation and Reddit overrate it. It’s definitely good, but it’s hard to understand that level of enthusiasm. (I think it may have something to do with the fact that it’s vaguely “in the know” — similar to how people seem to especially love taco trucks that are in car washes or gas stations or other unusual locations.) Indeed, the Baja Subs and Biryani Kabob House reviews are what killed the Infatuation for me.

[set0312]

So I should note that I was running late and had my pal order, so what I got was not what I would have ordered there.

It’s possible that if I ordered say the lamprais and then the pol roti meal with fish, and then some fish buns or whatever, I woulda been suitably wow’ed.

To answer your question, I liked Kurry Pinch a lot but they closed / moved to Valencia. Apey Kade is pretty solid. If I were you though. I’d go to Plate 50 in the general K-Town / Vermont / USC area and give that a try. For the proximity, it’s tough to beat that.

Obviously order only Sri Lankan dishes there. Skip the Indian food

[set0312]

Lol this sums up everything I wanted to say perfectly. If this were an establishment joint, similar to say Jitlada, and everybody knew about it, there’s no world in which it would be rated this high by that site of white dudes who likely haven’t had the joy of eating curry crab in a colombo crab joint.

[PeonyWarrior]

Thanks. We’ve been to Apey Kade twice and enjoyed it. We’ve driven by Plate50 multiple times but were never adventurous enough to try. Actually, I think it changed names recently based on my last drive-by. I’ll try to check it out sometime for lunch.

[PeonyWarrior]

Go’s Mart as top Japanese restaurant in LA and only Japanese restaurant in the top 25 sums up my attitude toward The Infatuation.

[100percentdoghair]

In fairness, I thought the lamprais was the best thing I had at Baja Subs.

[100percentdoghair]

Speaking of Infatuation’s relationship with Japanese restaurants in LA, have you read their various Hayato reviews? They’re jaw-dropping. They read like the scene from Licorice Pizza when his mom is writing copy for the Mikado restaurant.

[PeonyWarrior]

I remember one that read like: If you like over-serious, old-fashioned Japanese food in a temple-like environment where the music isn’t bumping and you’re sitting there with a bunch of olds, and you have lots of money to blow, try Hayato.

[Dommy]

@100percentdoghair

my sense was that it is good Sri Lankan food for Los Angeles.

Agreed. Back in the Pop Up craze there was a Sri Lankan chef that did a hoppers night. They were amazing and it wasn’t until I saw a youtube video last year about making them that I thought about them and was happy to FINALLY give Baja Subs a try. It was… okay. Not nearly as good as the hoppers I remember.

[set0312]

there was a woman doing Sri Lankan crab curry that was sensational. Not a pop-up, but more of a catering type gig. I think I follow her on instagram. I’ll try to find her info and post it here.

I think the tldr with Sri Lankan food in LA is that it’s not very good, lol. Apey Kade is better than Baja Subs based on my one visit to the latter, but it’s still, all things considered, mediocre.

All the Sri Lankan spots in LA are not at all destination worthy, though I’d go often if i lived in the area.

[JLee]

All the best Sri Lankan food is in private households or thru private orders thru the community my friend would use to tell me. Recently based on my one dining experience in Kuala Lumpur with Sri Lankan, LA is way off. One is prob better off just waiting to go to Toronto if you want that cuisine.

[set0312]

Way off is fair. Good Sri Lankan, including Sri-Lankan Chinese which is its own spectacular mashup, is one of my favorite cuisines. I’m convinced hot butter cuttlefish is the best bar food on the planet. At best in LA you’ll get something to scratch the itch. Alas, we can’t have it all.

Even the famed Staten Island spots are just okay. Still not been to Toronto, but I’ve got to make it happen. (If it’s half the city that montreal is, I’d love it.)

What’s funny is that even in colombo, the best Sri Lankan was made at home, save for a few crab spots or kothu joints

[AmaroNeverDies]

Looks like these rundown threads are fine for non-LA meals? Will remove this if not the case, but…

Just got back from a week in Chicago and boy are my bowels tired. I took a flight up to Seattle to take the Amtrak to Chicago as a form of masochism and pre-atonement for the food I was about to consume. Incoming play by play:

Incredible divey smash at Loretta’s Northwesterner, always a stop from SeaTac into Seattle.

Dungeness in Seattle just before the train left

I will spare any train food pictures, but will note that it is what’s expected… though they are doing their best and I believe giving the standard train-goer what they want (basically meat & potatoes).

First dinner hot off the trains delayed arrival, Warlord, thankful for their kitchen being open until 1 am. Lobster mushroom, cav, sabayon:

Also has an embered tomato with tomato xo (angler vibes), salmon, octopus, smoked cherries for dessert. All delish. (Plenty of pictures of each meal, but will only post some of each to keep this from being a novel…)

Next day, some vintage Amari at Billy Sunday before dinner. This was an amazing alpine amaro, I would love more things to taste like this.

1st tasting menu: Indienne. Solid 5 courses of Indian flavors under a fine dining guise. Really great cocktail program as well. Lamb kebab and chili cheese kulcha:

Next dinner Oriole, great experience, very friendly staff who were stoked to talk about the dinner I had coming the next day (Schwa) as more than a few of them used to work there.

Loved this oyster and cav dish as well as this maple glazed sea urchin custard

Nightcap at Best Intentions. Great bar I ended up at 3 times this trip, ango on draft truly hits different.

First time Au Cheval lunch the next day. I realized after a bite that I fucked up by not doing the egg + bacon add on. Solid still, but the draft root beer might have been the highlight.

Dinner at Schwa. A wildly creative menu, lots of room for the chefs to innovate here. One of my friends is sous and tells me the chef runs it very punk rock style. A staple for its longevity, BYOB and raucous experience compared to any other fine dining establishment. Not every dish was a full on hit, but plenty were, like this wagyu, strawberry, seaweed dish:

Late night post nightcap Uber eats Pequods to my hotel room (I didn’t stay awake to receive it, pic from the next morning

Lunch at Obelix, needed to pack in as much foie gras as possible. Also had a great stone fruit salad.

The unparalleled Smyth. I’d go here weekly if it was in LA (and I had another income stream)

Avocado

Crab custard

Pats tavern style for lunch

Dinner (1) was Valhalla, a newer tasting menu spot that has recently moved from Time Out Market. Solid meal, portions were a good size. Water aged salmon was great, and a new technique to me. Desserts were excellent.

Maitake

Whole lemon (dessert)

Dinner (2): Kumiko. Didn’t opt for the tasting menu here when I made the res, wasn’t sure how full I’d be from Valhalla. Regretted it, but a la carte was still nice. Great drinks

Wagyu sando + tsukemono

More drinks and a burger at Warlord after this (no pics)

Last day in town, bar burger and cuppa shrimp at Best Intentions.

Flight then delayed for a few hours, so back to Warlord it was.

Duck

Also got a ribeye and scallops, which was just about too much food for me. Though it kept me stuffed through the further delays with everything being closed in O’Hare after like 9 PM(?!?)

[aaqjr]

looks like an epic eating trip!