Bula , Thanks for the donut pics ,
So jealous .
Yah, one of my relatives from Japan brought it while in town visiting family.
1 Like
What did it look like???
What was the horchata coconut one like? And did you feel that the chocolate one had an intense-enough chocolate flavor?
Carne asada from Costco for dinner tonight - the nerve, right? 
It pleased everyone as usual, so 
.
My daughter actually grilled this tonight and did a nice job for a young teen.
She was shooting for medium rare/medium - I think she came close.
I made some sides as well. Grilled corn with Stoney Hill seasoned butter, pimenton and thyme.
Shishito peppers with furikake.
Melon and goat cheese salad. Forget what kind of melon but the entrancing scent drew me to them at a stall on Saturdayâs SM FM. Goat cheese was from Drakeâs - great stuff.
The Farmers markets are only getting better right now. Make a point of visiting one and I think you will appreciate the abundance and quality that is gifted to this region.
8 Likes
It literally looks like a surfboard shaped biscuit. If you google âunagi pieâ there are plenty of pictures. I still have half the box (I ate the first 5) as they are rather addictive. Iâll take a picture of mine but if I open the second half of the box I may end up eating the rest. 
But basically these are the exact ones I was given.
Photo cred: http://www.japanguides.net/files/unagipie_v.s.o.jpg
Edit: here you go @paranoidgarliclover . I had to indulge in one with my coffee this morning.
4 Likes
Coconut was the major flavor on the horchata donut. Because coconut is a strong flavor and horchata is a mild one, I didnât pick up the horchata, but it does have something because the icing doesnât taste like just sugar.
The chocolate is not intense like a 72% dark chocolate bar, I think because of the fat content, but it is substantial for a donut. The cake does resemble chocolate cake, and the icing does have a deep chocolate flavor.
1 Like
I canât seem to get away from that strawberry one. But yeah, all of them are tasty. I did a side by side with a couple of Republique vs a couple of CoFax and it really wasnât even close. CoFax donuts are my current fav right now but I havenât refreshed my Primoâs or Stans memory in a long while. HmmmâŠtime for a refresher? 
1 Like
That strawberry crunch has such a pop of strawberry flavor thatâs hard to walk away from.
1 Like
No pictures from my Friday night meal out, but our friends visiting from Tokyo area requested Cafe Tropical in Silver Lake (we take them every time they visit). I had their Cuban sandwich, which remains my favorite local rendition. Their roast pork is just wonderful - rich, deeply porky flavor with lovely crispy bits. I liberally doused my sandwich with their hot sauce that lives in a red squeezy bottle on the table. My partner went with his usual pastrami and a cafe con leche and our guests split a ham and cheese, mango shake, and guava cheese pie. We left full and happy.
Sunday we had a goodbye brunch for a friend at Zinc Cafe downtown on Mateo St. Itâs an all-vegetarian spot with a kid and dog-friendly patio. I ordered their breakfast burrito, which was served with chips and salsa. The burrito had veggie sausage (tasted like your basic, highly processed Morning Star Farms links), avocado, scrambled eggs, and pico de gallo. It was fine, but wouldnât win any âbest breakfast burritoâ awards.
3 Likes
Iâve never heard of Cafe Tropical. But it sounds like they have multiple good items, based on your experience? Not in the Silverlake area much, but nice to have some options, if I amâŠ
1 Like
I love Cafe Tropical, but Iâve also been eating there for the last 20 or so years so there might be some nostalgia involved. Itâs a casual and quirky cafe. Recommended sandwiches are Cuban, roast pork, and media noche. Most sandwiches now run $8. The guava cheese pastry is one of the few good pastries they offer (many look tempting, but end up looking better than they taste). I also enjoy their fresh juices, shakes, and cafe con leche. If youâre in the area, itâs worth a try!
2 Likes
Parks Finest @ Beer Belly (their annual 4th of July fest). I got a rack of pork ribs (and rice) to go, Smokey, tender and porky w/ two sauces on the side. I believe itâs going on until 5 (they also have beef ribs, links, chicken and cornbread plus some guest taps):
7 Likes
That is not at all what I expected to see when you wrote âunagi (eal) pieâ. It looks like a palmiere. Is it savory or sweet?
[quote=âparanoidgarliclover, post:34, topic:3671â]
Cafe Tropical.
[/quote] Definitely worth it, if youâre in the area.
I like the atmosphere at Zinc too @chinchi.
1 Like
Wasnât entirely thrilled with my pistachio and hazelnut gelato from Bonaventura Gelato Lounge in Marina Del Rey. The flavors were quite muted.
I swooned over my mushroom molcajete from Loqui. I usually get their tacos, but their molcajetes are quite a generous proposition. They have the same ingredients: cotija cheese, beans, rice, mushrooms, and guacamole, but the portions are much larger. You also get two tortillas and salsa on the side. I must say that everything was nicely seasoned, and the mushrooms were smokey and swoon-worthy. I had lots of leftovers, so I topped my tarako (cod roe) pasta with the mushrooms - such a good mash-up.
Proof Bakery posted an enticing photo of their pies on Instagram last night. Alas, by the time we got there this morning, they were all sold out. However, I spied the shishito and padron pepper baguette sandwich on their counter and snapped one up. Oh my heavens, @Chowseeker1999, it was my dream sandwich; thanks so much for the recommendation! How did I not know my life was incomplete?! It was earthy, comforting, and by turns extremely spicy. Well, Iâm definitely hooked. Itâs probably my favorite sandwich of the year so far.
The peach tartlette wasnât too shabby either. The fruit was still unctuous and had nice texture.
9 Likes
Yeah, I didnât get any eel flavor. It is basically a really tasty palmier with vanilla and butter as a prominent flavor with a hint of macadamia nut and brandy.
3 Likes