Crooked Gaff Kitchen (Whittier)
Crab cake - rajas, poblano crema, herb salad…probably one of the best crab cakes I’ve had in quite some time. Lots of crab, thick crisp crust, and piping hot…the steam emanating after I broke in was an easy reminder to not eat immediately.
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Quick Glendale bakery bang bang since I was in the area. Happy New Year all!
Papillon - Got a variety of stuff, all freshly fried to order. Favorite thing was the ponchik, crappy pic below, one w/ nutella and one w/ dulce de leche. Reminds me of a malasada, nice and fluffy. Savory stuff like lahmajoun and piroshki all solid too.
Zhengyalov Hatz - One of those things that gets better with each bite. Also got the paxlava, not pictured - would’ve liked the pastry more crisp, but I liked that it wasn’t as sweet as most baklava and so the nut flavor came through a lot more.
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Those DT Orange Rolls are the juvenile food of my adult dreams! The homemade version of the Pillsbury Orange Rolls we had as a kid! 
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Yep, there is no other way. 
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Grand Central Market - DTLA
Sari Sari Store
Lager & IPA
I can’t remember the brands but I enjoyed the crisp lager.
Chicken Lumpia
A tad greasy but very crispy w/creamy minced chicken filling. Delicious. I love that they do their lumpia with chicken and without sacrificing any flavor, imo. 
Adobo Fried Rice - Mary’s Chicken Thighs, Fried Egg, Pickled Peppers & Onions, Crispy Garlic & Shallots
The thigh meat was sooo tender, the rice, egg, everything was perfectly seasoned and perfectly cooked!
I’ve gotta get me some Hanh Phi!
Finally had the Buko Pie (young coconut & custard!)
We didn’t love Sari Sari Store the first time but glad we gave it another try. Yum delish! 
Fat + Flour
Finally made it to F+F. The Key Lime Pie was as great as promised 
(unfairly upstaged the the buko pie lol). The Cookies (choco chip bourbon, choco chip oatmeal, white chocolate chip) were good - my favorite being the thinner, crispy, chewy oatmeal choco chip. I feel like I still haven’t experienced F+F to the fullest. We happened to be there on a weekday afternoon and they only had cookies & a few slices of pie - must try at an optimal time.
Belcampo
Belcampo Burger
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
This was before they shuttered in November, but figured I’d post for posterity sake. I have know idea if the meat was labeled correctly or not, but the Belcampo Burger was delicious and the big juicy Chicken Sandwich w/Dijon Mayo was one of the best chix sandwiches I’ve ever had. Who knew? Would’ve liked one more before they closed. 
Moving along…
A pre-Christmas visit to Gish Bac - Arlington Heights
Barbacoa Enchilada aka Barbacoa Roja de Chivo
Hot, spicy & comforting on a cold rainy day!
Tamal de Mole - Chicken Mole Stuffed Tamale wrapped in Banana Leaf
More on the Tamales on the Tamale thread.
Food Talk Central New Years Resolution… post the monthly rundown during the actual month of the rundown!
Happy 2022!
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You and me both. Holy cow
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hi @TheCookie
nice report. you’ll have to come back and try the fruit hand pies.
how did f+f compare to fwd’s legendary key lime pie?
thanks.
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I spent my whole life in Asian markets and I never seen or noticed a tub of fried shallots. WTH. Back in the day when I would eat shin raymun more frequently that would have been a nice addition. Would go great in rice porridge as well.
Also any word on who is going to occupy Belcampo space? Bridgetown Roti would be a great addition. A smash burger place wouldn’t be a bad idea.
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Love the pup pic. Is that look “You’re not only leaving me in the car, you’re not bringing back anything for me!”?
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I posted on the Supermarket thread about where to get a different brand. IIRC the Sari Sari Store worker said he thinks theirs are bought and shipped directly from Asia, but he didn’t mention the exact country.
P.S. Those are good choices to replace Belcampo. That’d be a fun exercise, naming cool spots that should go in that space. 
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Andrea Nguyen said a good substitute was the TJ’s fried onions.
https://twitter.com/aqnguyen/status/1192572637395836928?s=20
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bangluck market
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Hi @PorkyBelly -
Yes, not getting a hand pie was disappointing. 
Sorry, but as good as F+F key lime pie is, FWD is twilight. Maybe it’s the meringue! 
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glad we’re on the same key lime pie page.
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99 Ranch.
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lax-c
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I buy them at Jasmine Market in Culver City. Theirs comes in a bag like this:
I love them. Use them for so many things. To flavor soups, to top salads and of course for rice bowls.
–Dommy!
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