Spread over a few days…I just forgot to post.
Ah, ya got me. That bad boy was so tasty I Pac-Mann’ed it all before I could take the shot. I will endeavor to obtain a sagittal view next time.
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Questing for great eats during weird times…
James Sugishita is a beast.
Bento: Tekkadon with Kyoto maguro (chutoro), binchotan-grilled nodoguro, aji bozushi, okra ohitashi with hamo (daggertooth conger eel), grilled kinpira (lotus root), simmered shiitake mushrooms, ume ninjin (carrots simmered in umeboshi dashi), atsuyaki tamagoyaki (kasutera-style omelette cake)… Absolutely worth it.
Chirashi: Hon-maguro, binchotan-seared nodoguro, ni-anago (simmered sea eel), aji (horse mackerel), ikura, kuruma ebi, simmered shiitake mushrooms, atsuyaki tamagoyaki… Lots of really scrumptious bites in this giant box.
Kiriko 12-piece nigiri omakase set is always welcome.
Fogo de Chao (Beverly Hills) does take-out now. And it’s really nice. For those who still hanker for dining al fresco, a portion of their valet parking has been converted into a large outdoor table section.
Eyes on the prize: I am here for the Picanha, right off the skewer. They sell it by the pound to-go these days. Outstanding! (Not pictured: If you ask nicely, you can also purchase the yummy Fogo de Chao signature papaya mousse to eat at home, with a shot of crème de cassis, no less.)
Quick office lunch #1: Popeye’s chicken sandwich…
Quick office lunch #2: In-N-Out…
Providence is offering their in-house king salmon schmear and seeded brioche. It makes for a choice breakfast the morning after their lavish En Voyage dinners.
Iki Ramen (Koreatown): Uni gohan with ikura, hotate with yuzu truffle, nori… A small portion, yet intense, almost risotto-like, and completely addictive.
Peach donut season is in full swing at The Donut Man (Downtown, at Grand Central Market)!!!
No Lord Mouldemort here…
Tiger tails…
Mariscos Jalisco (Mid-City): Dos tacos de camaron, a mixta and an ice-cold apple cider to enjoy while waiting in the sun for my order… Everything hits the spot.
Sweets by Jenny Lee: Pineapple upside-down cake… This was a special order for delivery. It’s got cake socarrat - and that is exactly what I was looking for.
Neat, because 2020.
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Chef Gary Menes is a huge fan of having you eat your vegetables. In fact, dining at Le Comptoir, his Michelin-starred restaurant in the Normandie Hotel, has often been compared to the American version of L’Arpège, the iconic three-star bastion of haute vegetable-intense cuisine headed by Alain Passard in Paris.
But, with the world upside-down right now during the pandemic, Chef Gary has also decided to refocus his fine-dining training (he has, among other establishments, cooked at Patina and The French Laundry) on what else? Barbecue! Yes, the man can still work wonders with meat - no doubt about that.
LA Bake is Le Comptoir’s version of an haute BBQ, but with a Californian bent. Orders are taken (by phone) during the week for selected upcoming weekends.
The prime brisket is smoked and cooked Central Texas-style, but using local almond wood. It is incredible.
The delectable and tender baby back ribs are also cooked with California almond wood. The sauce is a bit tangy, with a lovely sweet note. Trusting Filipino chefs with pork has pretty much always worked out for me, and these perfect ribs simply reinforce that notion for me. I just had to get my hands on a bottle of Chef Gary’s BBQ sauce as well.
Rustic sourdough bread, baked in-house with 25 year-old starter, sifted organic whole wheat, Rouge de Bordeaux and rye flour, filtered water, sea salt. “This starter is older than my kids,” Chef Gary quips. It’s good, good bread.
Not surprisingly, vegetables get as much love and care as the meats do at a Le Comptoir BBQ. The creamed corn featured at LA Bake undergoes simmering for hours in butter and cream. As for sourcing, the corn itself is from the demigods of corn-raising at Chino Farms in Rancho Santa Fe. This is not your average BBQ side dish - Its stupendous taste stands on the same podium as the meats during this meal.
With ingredients also sourced from Chino Farms, the tomato and green bean salad is dressed with crème fraiche, pine nut red wine vinaigrette. This is an old French Laundry salad Chef Gary used to make to offset all that richness.
Dessert comes in the form of Vahlrona milk chocolate chip cookies (X4). These are a favorite of the family. They are wonderful when paired with milk.
The flavor of that fresh, dreamy creamed corn (which I finished in one sitting) lingers in my memory. Luckily, I still have some of that marvelous brisket to keep me happy for another meal. With LA Bake, Chef Gary Menes has accomplished the feat of meshing the casualness of a backyard family barbecue with the nuanced cooking and professional execution we’d find in a Michelin kitchen. Definitely check it out if it’s available.
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Yes! Gary Menes Le Comptoir BBQ was pretty great, I really enjoyed the baby back ribs, i did not need extra sauce.it was so good on its own. I also had the brisket which I enjoyed but i preferred the ribs this time. His Sourdough is really good, a really great meal that more people should know about
I ordered by DM’ing him on Instagram. I think he announces what’s on the menu in Mondays.
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Oh yes, me too. I was just saying that his BBQ sauce was so good I wanted it for my own use when I BBQ in the future…
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Some recent pickups
Fat and Flour x Scoops
Boysenberry Pie w/ scoop of Pistachio Cardamom
Probably my favorite bite from Fat and Flour along with her Banana Cream Pie
Son of a Gun
Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich -
~Medium Heat. The lettuce was a nice swap for the slaw on their OG sandwich. Surprised they added this option start of the pandemic. But their OG is so dialed in its tough to screw up a new offering.
Vanilla Peppermint Bark
Totally into this. Rich, creamy then let the ice cream melt in your mouth and crunch on the bark.
Hock and Hoof
Taiwan Sausage Rice
Taiwanese Garlic Sausage came through. So delicious and a proper amount of food for a $15 DTLA lunch.
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Lots of catching up to do!
Some sake, wine, and dessert wine celebrating a dear friend’s birthday
And there were mochi donuts from Mochill, San Francisco Japantown
Still nothing like a good standby of Yakitori don from Izakaya Ginji
The minced pork rice from the SE Asian chain Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks, downtown San Mateo. Pork was a touch too firm, but looks great
The super popular creme brûlée toast from Caffe:In, a Malaysian owned boba shop in Union City. Taiwanese style thick toast with a delectable creme brûlée insertion on top.
California’s finest fast food 
Cantonese style ja jang noodles, sweet sour spicy lo mein. This is the result when you watch Hong Kong YouTube videos of won ton noodle shops that you can’t get in California…
Wonderful oden from Izakaya Rintaro
Revisiting the spectacular bara chirashi of Sushi Yoshizumi. One of the best offerings but sadly is not moving as fast as it should…
The new maguro futomaki is brilliant… aged bluefin tuna (akami and Chutoro) and the low temperature aged takuan make this a winner
But even better is the kaisen futomaki! Akami, chutoro, ikura, uni, anago, ebi, ni shiitake, takuan, cucumber, aged CA king salmon (shoyu zuke), tamagoyaki, kanpyo.
Sushi Shin (Redwood City) nigiri premium set is superb value!
Shinko makes an appearance!
Last but not least, nothing like good Hong Kong style egg tarts and pineapple buns!
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Akira’s offerings look superb. Great Canto cravings too!
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Hi @beefnoguy,
Nice meals! 
So is Izakaya Ginji still making good Yakitori even after Daisuke-san and Shingo-san left?
I so wish I had some of Yoshizumi-san’s Sushi right about now! So lucky. 
And when did Rintaro start doing Oden?! How was it? Thanks.
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That Kaisen Futomaki is what dreams are made of! I want multiple orders of that! What drink did you pair that with? If things return to normal you think they can make that okonomi after omakase course?
Is that Mr Bread for the bolo bao and dan taats?
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For those of you who have visited Sushi Yoshizumi and enjoyed it, I wish there were ways you guys can buy direct from him! Or if any of you come up, pickup one of the offerings with sufficient advanced planning! The additional support from this group would mean so much too.
The last two yakitori bento from Ginji were very good and really hits the spot if you haven’t had good yakitori in a while. Then again these are also grilled to order, and if you eat them right away in the car with one of their smaller format cold sake it’s amazing. Selections available a la carte but smaller variety. There isn’t much competition around.
Rintaro’s oden cart in the courtyard has been there maybe 2 to 3 weeks now. It’s really good, though I wish they had a few more options. Can’t complain otherwise.
Yes that’s good ol’ Mr Bread egg tarts and pineapple buns. Good standby. A few doors up from Smile House Cafe for that delicious chilled milk tea to pair with. Golden Gate Bakery is always closed whenever I drive by these days.
The kaisen futo is ridonkulous. That’s a bit tough to pair as it has so many flavors. I say just enjoy whatever you like and have a blast with it!
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The Win-Dow at American Beauty
Bag o’ burgers, two cheese and one double cheeseburger.
Damn good cheeseburger.
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That is a nice looking cheeseburger with properly melted cheese.
Question: How is the portion size on the double cheeseburger?
This is some pretty impressive stuff. Really an elite foodie site.
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Tangential, but drove past Salsa and Beer and noticed they are doing takeout, including the little place on Burbank (I think that’s where it is). Might be a time to strike, although I suspect its much better fresh.
Crap, it does no good to complain, but I am so tired of the lock down protocols. Oh well I am getting lots of cooking in what with being unemployed.
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The kid ate that, LOL. So it was hard to gauge. He eats like a raptor.
My single was pretty satisfying… as a light lunch. Probably a 5/1 patty. If I was eating dinner, I definitely would need a double.
Sorry I can’t really be more definitive. Just that it was damn good.
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Burbank? Where?
These are the smaller ones I know of:
There’s a little one at Vanowen and Whitsett. I think that may be a catering location in an old mini-mall.
Then I THINK the other is on Vanowen Street at Lankershim. That one may be the way to go, though I’ve never eaten at it. It’s got a pretty good lot next to it.
Dude, I am REALLY missing that NoHo location. I’ll tell you one thing, I will never get salsa from a community salsa bar ever again. It was hard to watch before this pandemic LOL.
Tell you what I would do. I would get just a bunch of side orders of meat.
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