E. Stretto (To-Go)
We had E. Stretto bookmarked for awhile and were finally able to make it out to try their Italian Sandwich.
Ill Papa Sandwich (Mortadella, Capicolla, Chorizo, Manchego, Shredduce, Tomato Giardinara, Dijonnaise):
While none of the ingredients are made in-house, one bite and it was clear that this was quality. I enjoyed the Mortadella and Capicolla, the light funk of the Manchego. However the Italian Sandwich as a whole was merely good, not great. The Bread was sturdy but soft enough inside. But the exterior crust made for a slightly stronger tug and chew than we normally like.
The Dijonnaise, Lettuce, Tomato and Giardinara were OK, but didn’t provide enough of a foil for the meat. Overall, tasty, but we prefer Wax Paper’s Larry Mantle, and Gjusta’s Italian Sandwich. 
E. Stretto
351 S. Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Tel: (213) 265-7017
Milkfarm (To-Go)
We were in the mood for Charcuterie and Cheese and were visiting an elderly relative in the area, so we decided to stop by Milkfarm, happy to see that they were still open during this pandemic.
Social distancing was in place, as they only allowed 4 customers into the store at any time, and they had people helping recommend and grab whatever Cheese and Charcuterie you might be looking for.
We picked up Brillat Savarin (Normandy, France):
This was an incredibly rich Triple Cream Cheese, lightly funky, spreadable, delicious. 
The Stanser Schafkase (Switzerland) is a semi-firm Sheep’s Milk Cheese. This was lovely! Only lightly gamey, creamy, buttery in taste (even though it was semi-firm). 
We also picked up the Tomme Brulee (Pyrenees, France) this was another Sheep’s Milk Cheese that was a bit nuttier, but still delicious.
They still had a good selection of Charcuterie:
We picked up a few selections as well:
Big Chet - Fennel & Garlic Salami (Minneapolis, U.S.A.): This was a hit for a Christmas Dinner we hosted a while back, and the Big Chet was still delicious. There’s a real Fennel herbal note accenting the porky Salami and subtle Garlic note.
Pork Rilletes (Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.): This was tender hand-chopped Pork Shoulder that’s slow cooked in Pork Fat with Ginger and Thyme. A touch salty, but with a good Baguette and Pickles it was balanced enough.
They also had a variety of Jams and a curated selection of Wine.
Milkfarm
2106 Colorado Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90041
Tel: (323) 892-1068
Yazawa Japanese BBQ (To-Go)
Yazawa is a Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) specialist that has been on our try list for awhile. Normally for Yakiniku, you have a grill in front of you and various cuts of meat and veggies are cooked down, similar to Korean BBQ, and you enjoy them as they are ready.
Yazawa specializes in Japanese A5 Wagyu Beef, but how would that translate for Takeout? Only one way to find out.
A5 Wagyu Assorted Bento Box (Sauce-style) (includes Salad, Kimchi and Steamed Rice):
The Kimchi selection they had were limited, but very good quality. Balanced and a great complement for the A5 Wagyu Beef.
Assorted A5 Wagyu Beef:
First, yes, there are only 7 slices of the A5 Wagyu Beef, but they were thick slices, so it was actually pretty satiating.
Unfortunately, only 3 of the 7 slices of A5 Wagyu Beef were still tender and about medium-well(!). The rest of the slices were cooked well-done. 
It was shocking: It’s one thing if you overcook the meat at your table for a Yakiniku or Korean BBQ restaurant, but for the actual Chef from the Yakiniku restaurant to overcook the A5 Wagyu Beef? Disappointing. 
So for the slices that were medium-well in doneness, there was a real, deep beefiness and a luxurious quality. There was no doubt that it was A5 Wagyu Beef. Even at medium-well.
The well-done pieces? Dried out, tough, a disaster. (@PorkyBelly @TheCookie @A5KOBE @beefnoguy and others.)
The Salad was extremely fresh and bright, crisp Greens and an outstanding Sesame Dressing.
The Steamed Rice was a touch dry, but still plump.
Wagyu Garlic Rice:
The Wagyu Garlic Rice sounded wonderful. In actual taste? Essentially a Garlic Fried Rice with barely a hint of beefiness. It wasn’t bad, but nothing in the taste screamed “A5 Wagyu Beef” as the Garlic was the main taste throughout. (@JeetKuneBao @PorkyBelly)
Wagyu Curry Rice:
We’re always on the hunt for a great Japanese Curry. Yazawa makes theirs from scratch (according to the order taker), but this turned out to be a very bold, heavy on the Garam Masala flavor that dominated everything. This would be fine with a simple Tonkatsu (Fried Pork Cutlet) fillet, or chunks of Stewed Chicken, but for claiming to be A5 Wagyu Curry, the actual Curry spices overpower everything. A5 Wagyu Beef is very subtle and lightly beefy, and it’s all drowned out here.
The only hint that it might be A5 Wagyu Beef in the Curry is that there was a noticeable amount of Fat / Oil in the Curry. (@Dommy @TheCookie @JeetKuneBao @attran99 and others.)
The A5 Wagyu Assorted Bento Box is $60 (+ tax & tip), the Wagyu Garlic Rice is $20 (+ tax & tip) and the Wagyu Curry Rice is $14 (+ tax & tip).
Hearing the positive reports about Yazawa on our board last year, it’s clear dining at the restaurant and having the Wagyu Beef cooked in front of you on the grill is the ideal way to go, so we’ll be glad to give it another chance when the pandemic is over. But in the meantime, it seems everything except the Beef is what’s being executed correctly for Takeout.
Yazawa Japanese BBQ
9669 S. Santa Monica Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Tel: (310) 275-2914
All Day Baby (To-Go)
From the Chef-Owner of Here’s Looking At You, All Day Baby is a more casual spot focusing on Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
ADB Biscuit Sandwich w/ Bacon:
First, as we arrived we saw that they had a bunch of orders already packaged and ready to go. Thankfully our pre-order wasn’t steamed or mushy, as their Housemade Biscuits were still flaky, lightly crumbly and with a nice saline Butter taste.
The Egg and Bacon combination is classic, with their Bacon being of the thick-cut and lightly smoky variety, a nice contrast to the Egg, Jam and Cheese. It was tasty, but the Biscuit being cold / room temperature was a disappointment. Otherwise, we enjoyed this Biscuit Sandwich.
Big Chicken Biscuit (w/ Side B&B Pickles):
All Day Baby’s Biscuit held up well for this Fried Chicken Biscuit: The Biscuit remained sturdy, flaky and with no mushiness or steaming. The Fried Chicken patty within was surprisingly crunchy, really crunchy!, which was a highlight.
But the overall flavor tasted rather basic: Just cold / lukewarm Biscuit (but good quality), a crunchy Fried Chicken patty (that tasted mainly of Salt), and that was it. It needed another flavor component to draw it all together.
We enjoyed the Housemade Biscuits at All Day Baby, but after having been spoiled by fresh Handmade Biscuits piping hot and aromatic, right out of the oven at places like Plow, it’s hard to go back and have cold Biscuits even if they still taste freshly made that day. We’ll be back to try more of their menu when this pandemic is over, but in the meantime, they are releasing a few dishes that change each week, check their Instagram for more details.
All Day Baby
3200 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Tel: (323) 741-0082