Sure I have a photo somewhere but here’s an internet photo. It’s chunky beefy with a rich red sauce. It might be what they put in the burritos. 
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WAT. I had no idea El Pollo Loco had pozole. Gives me a reason to go back. 
I have driven by Dog Haus and Tito’s many a time and have tried them. Partner loves a good burrito, so maybe I’ll finally give it a try (and I like onion rings). Thanks for the info.
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I do love Tito’s but just keep in mind they are a 1950’s Mexican food joint, they do do everything from scratch and exactly the same way they always have but keep your expectations tempered. Expecting it to be something different or comparing it to the regional Mexican food we have today will only lead to disappointment.
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Starting off birthday weekend with Colapasta. Had a bunch of people with us so essentially ordered OOE but for my money you still can’t beat the casunziei
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NYC. Soulvaki in Astoria. L’industrie in Williamsburg. Art. Fat nyc pigeon.
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Jin Cook - Buena Park
Never heard of this place but apparently their original location is from Glendale. Their banchan is all good but their kimchi is amazing. I’m not kimchi expert but this one was quite memorable. Ordered the seol lung tang (beef bone broth) which was serviceable and comforting. No pictures because I forgot.
The spicy galbi jjim 
is amazing, much better than my last two experiences with Sun Nong Dan. The short ribs are all thick bone in short ribs, cooked meltingly tender and the potato/kabocha/rice cake all executed to perfection. The flavor is not too sweet, savory and enough heat slow you down, especially since is it so hard not to inhale it as quickly as you can.
Aliya Lavaland - Monterey Park
Really liking these lava filled moon cakes. Rich AF and oozing with delicious silky custard.
Huge Tree Pastry - Monterey Park
Fan tuan pork, egg, pickles
Los Dos Chingones - East Los Angeles
Maciza y cueritos chilaquiles (red and green) breakfast burrito
Mariscos El Governador - Anaheim
Excellent mariscos, everything ordered was a hit including the michelada.
Shrimp empanadas
Taquitos dorados
Ceviche, forgot which one this was but it had cooked shrimp and shrimp cooked in lime along with octopus and fish. It was excellent.
Tam’s Noodle House - San Gabriel
Brisket wonton noodle soup
Beef chow fun
Brisket and wonton lo mein
Kagura - Torrance
Mille feuille with cheese tonkatsu
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I love your rundowns btw you go all over LA and OC for good food.
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Thanks for the heads up on Jin Cook. That Galbi jjim looks way better than Sun Nung Don. Bookmarked.
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DX Lab for three of us adn we ate: for Sweet and Strange noodles; crispy beef noodles; fried pork wonton [excellent!]; buckchoy [their spelling]; boneless bang bang chicken
no drinks $63 before tip.
All was very good, and will make a quicker return for the sweet and strange noodles, the vegetable and the fried pork wonton.
HOWEVER and here’s the big news****
On the way home, there are many food vendors that set up on Cesar Chavez in the day near the Superior Grocers (Cesar Chavez and Rowan). Yesterday there was a stand set up with a handwritten sign “pancakes $10 for 25”
The other sign was in spanish, and offered fresh fruit and plaintains. The set up was not fancy and had two guys sitting at it. I’ve never seen this sort of thing before but am supportive of the beautiful mitosis of Los Angeles street food.
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love these things. I can’t just stop at 1 tho 
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Let’s be honest anything lava filled is going to be outstanding……HK french toast, pineapple bun, anything. Never had a moon cake lava filled but would love to try. I am a hardcore #teamlotus but sometimes I cheat with #teamredbean I would have a double fisted threesome with 2 lava filled moon cakes
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incoming caviar lava mooncakes.
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Technically this all happened at the end of December but what are you gonna do?
Chez Noir - Carmel-by-the-Sea
This spot opened in October and seemed like the greatest excuse to drive the 1 from Morro Bay and land in Carmel. Seems like we made one of the last trips up that stretch of 1 for a while.
We stopped into Chez Noir soon after they began offering their Let Us Cook for You menu. Glad we did.
I’m doing my best to remember specifics based on their a la carte but we had no printed menu, just eyes closed agreement
Wayward Bus - Rhum Agricole, Celeriac, Dill, Lime, Maraschino
Monterey Squid Gildas - Basque Pepper, Castelvetrano Olive, Anchovy
Crab and Dressed Oysters (Peach Pepper, Passionfruit, Fingerlime?)
Monterey Bay Abalone Skewers - Bay Laurel, Liver Butter, Meyer Lemon
Grilled Oyster - Caviar, French Sorrel, Chervil
Vaca Viejo Beef Carpaccio - Ruby Beet, Mutsu Apple, Horseradish
Pebble Beach Porcini Mushroom Salad - Oregon Hazelnut, Chicories, Heirloom Celery
Bluefin Tuna Crudo - Market Radishes, Mint, Nuoc Cham
Brioche-à-Tête and Stepladder Creamery Cultured Butter
Rock Crab & Jamón Croquettes
Bluefin Tuna Collar from near Santa Cruz
Tortilla Española - Shishito Pepper, Salt Cod, Saffron Aioli
Guinea Hen Tortellini En Brodo - Carmel Valley Chanterelle, Tuscan Kale
Lingcod - Swordfish Bacon, New Zealand Spinach, “Chowder” Jus
Cod Head - Pickled Chanterelles, Salsa Verde (?), Saffron Aioli (?)
Grilled California Squab - Radicchio, Bahri Date, Sauce Albufera
Meyer Lemon w/ Other Brother Olive Oil
Chocolate
Flan
Mille-Feuille
Ancora - San Francisco
I only set aside room for one night out while back home. The rest of the time was cooking at home or getting old favorites. I’ve tried to focus less on food when home because it can really take over the ease and comfort of why I’m back in the first place.
I had a great time here and am glad this was my choice.
Pacific Oyster - Traditional Garnish
Cannoli - Smoked Mt. Lassen Trout
Kaluga Caviar - Kennebec Potato Chip
Clairette, La Bouïssière
Escabeche - Salt Springs Mussels, Pickled Cherry Peppers
Zuppa di Pesce
Boudin Blanc - Giardiniera, Dijonnaise, Seeded Roll
Spaghetti Alla Chitarra - Squid, Uni, Kumquat, Baccala
Monterey Abalone - Braised Chicory, Sauce Nantua
Panna Cotta - Pomegranate, Brown Butter
Candle
We finished off the night at Bar Iris. I had my favorite cocktail of the year here - the Linda Linda. Kinda bittersweet in a way. A week after we visited, Ilya Romanov, the bar manager, passed in a freak accident. He was a young father, barely older than me, and here I was having just enjoyed a space he helped bring to life.
Linda Linda - Gin, Violettes, Hojicha, Citrus, Pineapple, Yogurt
Faithful Fool - Calvados, Yuzu Sake, Apple, Sweet Woodruff, Fizzy Water
Ice Cream Sando - Soy Milk Ice Cream, Black Sesame Sable, Magic Shell, Granola
Tamago Sando - Shokupan, Soft Jidori Egg, Kewpie Egg Salad
Uni Temaki - Santa Barbara Sea Urchin, Nori, Sushi Rice
Bell’s - Los Alamos
Santa Barbara Sea Urchin, Caviar, Mille Crêpe
Rusty’s Sourdough & Pollen Butter
Sunchoke Soup
Salade of Finley Farms Lettuces - Shallot and Medjool Date Vinaigrette
Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir), Bernard Huber
“Leeks Vinaigrette” - Lompoc Chanterelle Mushrooms, Hen Egg, Mustard Vinaigrette
“Stuffed Leeks”
MC Ranch Braised Lamb - Fingerling Potatoes, Arrowleaf Spinach, Mint, Sour Cherry, Black Garlic Jus
Cassoulet de Légumes - Christmas Lima & Cassoulet Beans, Broccoli Greens, Hazelnut Persillade
Meyer Lemon Glacée - Torched Meringue, Thyme, Olive Oil
Gâteau Breton To Go
And of course Hayato. Really this kicked off the trip. The night before we drove up the coast to Chez Noir. Stopped in at Kato too
Tipperary - duck fat washed Redbreast sherry cask Irish whiskey and l’encantada xo cask strength armagnac stirred with chartreuse cuvee des mod and Principe de barbadillo amontillado sherry
Daiquiri - one shooter for each of us
Boba
Hiroki Shuzo ‘Hiroki’ Junmai Daiginjo - Chef Brandon said he hand carries these bottles back to the States when visiting Japan. He was happy I picked it out.
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Damn that’s a hard post to follow up. Imma have to save that for some good bathroom reading later.
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damn. added to the list. how many people was that for?
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I’m no expert but I think you’ll enjoy it. They have some other items I need to investigate as well.
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There’s a GoFundMe set up for his family:
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Four people. The skewers and croquettes were doubled. Those pictures are the servings for two.
$195 pp. I’d love to return a few times a year. The a la carte menu is constantly updating in some way, with proteins coming on and off and sets changing
That tuna collar was my favorite bite + those chanterelles with the cod head, they were wild
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