Can’t afford it 
2 Likes
Here’s the weekly drop
Porridge + Puffs
I confess I consistently underestimate what Chef Mihn and co. put together week in and week out. For some reason, I always feel like they’re punching above their weight even though they’ve delivered some of my favorite meals since opening in their current location. The way the team subverts my expectations of “humble” food like spaetzle and porridge with absolute explosions of flavors is probably the reason I enjoy what they do so much. There is something absolutely delightful packed into each dish they make from the pickles and dressings to the desserts. This collaboration with N/Naka has been thoughtfully written up (with much more beautiful pictures) by others, but my personal favorites were the abalone porridge and the yellowfin. I’m an absolute fiend for carrot cake, so that was a highlight as well.
Jimmy Sugishita Bento
Chef Sugishita has changed his bento up since the last time I had it, and again he’s shown that he makes some of the best COVID era bentos around. I’ve always been a fan of his Atsuyaki Tamago, but new things that stood out this time were the Futomaki (with a generous serving of Hokkaido Uni) and the wakamomo.
Kato
Kato was my last dine-in meal before the shut down, and when I heard that they would be ending Kato-go I knew I need to rush over to the west side and cop a scallion wrap before they shorten their take out menu. Who knows if the wraps will stay or go, but it was one of the best bites I’ve had in the months between that March meal and this weekend. Shoot that chili oil straight into my veins.
Ototo
LA felt like the surface of the sun today, so major ups to Chef Namba and Courtney for putting on a cookout for all of us.
Goma-ae: Ototo’s John Stockton–it never disappoints.
Grilled fruit tomato skewer with yakitori tare and sansho: wonderful use of tomatoes here to bring out their natural sweetness
Chilled Meiji tofu with ikura myoga ginger: this was the highlight that I devoured
Grilled chicken thighs with ponzu brown butter oroshi: Tsubaki has leaned into its yakitori game in recent visits, and the skill really came through in this perfectly cooked dish
Corn yaki-onigiri: I’ve always loved ending my emails with Tsubaki’s yaki-onigiri, and this one was perfectly studded with sweet corn that took it to another level
Match cream puff: Outstanding work from pastry chef Gemma Matsuyama
Botanica
Botanica is one of my top tier neighborhood restaurants that I’m not sure gets enough love. Their vegetable forward, herb heavy, seasonal dishes have such a high floor they often top other places ceilings. For the past month or so they’ve been running a “kabob party” menu with a group of lamb, fish, chicken, and mushroom kabobs, as well as a handful of vegetables dishes. A couple of my favorites from this menu they’ve been doing are the roasted carrots carrots with beet muhammara and the chicken thighs. The chicken especially just comes to life thanks to the grilled stone fruit when you scoop it into laffa and smother it with toum.
Fat and Flour
Peach hand pie: hand for size.
17 Likes
Westwood update: Mashti Malone’s Ice Cream is coming (in the old Starbucks space on the corner of Westwood & Missouri). The Vestvood Persian bastani and faloodeh game, with Saffron & Rose, Bloomfield Creamery and Cafe Glace already in the mix, gets even stronger…
9 Likes
Hawaii is in stay at home mode so take out madness begins
Koko head cafe. Corn flake French toast with billionaires bacon. I never knew billionaires bacon was a preparation. Might be a new favorite way to consume bacon.
Fish and rice with butter fish and seafood infused rice along with soft scrambled eggs.
Sushi sho bento in the van. Best take out bento!
Giovannis famous garlic shrimp. Not very good and quite chewy.
What it dough pizza. They sell from a portable wood fired brick oven . Supposedly the first fully vegan pizzeria selling neo neopolitan pizzas. Crust and tomato sauce were fantastic. Their mozzarella “cheese” left something to be desired but seeing as it was vegan I guess that’s about as good as you can do
Sushi sasabune. I don’t think this is related to the LA sasabune. But it’s a well regarded local sushi spot. This 11 piece takeout meal was only 30 bucks!!
Guava smoked kalbi from a restaurant aptly named “guava smoke” maybe my favorite kalbi short ribs on the planet. It’s smoked to tenderness but somehow maintaining a medium rare interior with the the perfect amount of chew and give in the meaty short ribs. I have eaten here probably 5-8 times since we’ve been here.
Fresh made cheung fun, they call it look fun here. Dry style stir fried asked them to add their brisket and tendon mixture
Tonkatsu tamifuji 1 lb heritage pork tenderloin tonkatsu. The Katsu here is next level.
Delicious pan seared Opah from Paia fish market
Not pictured raisin canes, why don’t we have one in LA yet?
19 Likes
Making the most of the situation, I see… Great work there. Guava-smoked 'Q sounds delectable. Giovanni’s has disappointed me on my last 3 trips. Keep posting those ono grindz!
1 Like
They have a ton of raisin canes in OC and IE, not sure about LA.
Have you gone to Leonard’s yet? Last time I was in Honolulu I ate 12 malasadas at Leonard’s in one sitting.
4 Likes
El Ruso
Ordered a chorizo, birria and carne asada taco, all with cheese and ate in the car because it was scorching hot that day. I really enjoyed the carne asada and the chorizo, both were something different than the usual and the flour tortilla is quite good. While the cheese was present, it didn’t add much in terms of flavor. The red and green salsas were excellent, the red salsa was surprisingly robust in flavor is very spicy.
GTA
The lamb pizza was pretty good, although it sat because I arrived a little late. The flavor was spot on.
Sushi Kaneyoshi
Grabbed a nama chirashi last weekend, it was darn good. Also, I hear once they open they would consider private dining, FTC buyout? Max 5 people. The Santa Barbara uni and the chu toro were fan-fucking-tastic.
FwD
Key Lime Pie 
pairs well with Popeyes spicy fried chicken!
Superba
Breakfast sandwich and excellent crispy potatoes from Weiser Farms, crispy exterior and creamy interior.
Bear Flag Fish Co
Excellent poke bowl, love the ingredients they use. This was the Crystal Cove location, which has convenient parking.
15 Likes
Raising Cane’s in Downey, Pico Rivera, Lakewood, Long Beach, Azusa, and Industry.
2 Likes
i’m in
5 Likes
yes please! Totally down
1 Like
I know it blows my mind there are none in LA proper though!
Went to Leonard’s about 2 months ago. Learning from my past mistakes we only ordered two. First time I went years ago I ordered 4 and was full for basically breakfast and lunch.
No 
and the lady?
1 Like
Nice, let me get the details once they officially open. I know it can be full omakase though when I asked about it, Sergio himself confirmed.
2 Likes
Konbi egg salad sandwich for lunch one day last week, with side of potato salad.
No pictures, but tried the Egg Tuck breakfast burrito this weekend and it was pretty good for the price. I got the breakfast burrito with no meat, just eggs, tater tots, and cheese. Very filling. I only ate half of it and saved the rest for a snack later.
Last night we had takeout from Suehiro Cafe in Little Tokyo. Helpfully, if you order online they now have a dedicated section of their menu for the vegan-izable dishes. Before it was mixed in with the regular menu. Husband got yakisoba with tofu and I got the vegan udon soup with tofu. Broth was pretty good- tasted like kombu dashi with a little miso. The food stayed piping hot for a while (we ate in the only room in our apartment with AC, our bedroom).
14 Likes
Needle
167 degrees outside requires some hot curry and almond jello inside. Thanks for the rec @NYCtoLA.
beef curry - short rib, potato, tomato, carrots, and chili oil @JeetKuneBao
Nice and rich, love the boost of flavor from the chili oil. Is there dried shrimp in there?
almond jello
i. can’t. stop. eating. this.
16 Likes
How are the short ribs?
Damn, I forgot photos!!
Loaded up the wonder dog into the backseat of the car and went to Myung In Dumplings in Koreatown.
Damn I do love kimchi in my dumplings. Had pork and kimchi, shrimp and pork fried and the “Kid” had to have his giant steamed spicy kimchi ones (though they aren’t really spicy at all). The “King” steamed are my least favorite thing on the menu
9 Likes
We didn’t love pig and lady or piggie smalls last time we were here a year ago, so we haven’t gone back. But I did grab a pig and lady banh mi at the blaisdale auditorium farmers market it was good but nothing to write home about.
What items did you like at pig and lady @PorkyBelly? Maybe we’ll give it a takeout go.
Wow needle is on must list when I’m back in LA those two dishes look ridic.
1 Like