Yuko Kitchen in Los Angeles

 

spicy salmon and avocado rice cake

My brother and his fiancee raved about Yuko Kitchen when they moved to the neighborhood and now I see why.  The food is comforting and tasty, it's extremely affordable, the setting is quaint (there's both a cozy interior and outside patio), and the service is darling. The drinks are executed well so don't leave without trying the strawberry soda or apple-mint lemonade. As for food, go for the crispy rice cakes with salmon.  They top salmon over toasted rice and slather it with creamy avocado and a jalapeno pepper.  The teriyaki chicken plate is also scrumptious and an affordable, generous-sized option for lunch or dinner.  This is what a neighborhood restaurant should be all about.

 teriyaki chicken plate

 fresh water eel roll

I became addicted to their strawberry soda.  They also make a mean apple-mint lemonade that is best enjoyed on a patio in the trees.

Yuko Kitchen is located on Dunsmuir Ave., just off of 5484 Wilshire Blvd. in LA

Joan's on Third: Roof Picnic in LA

Last month we went to Joan's on Third and took it back to T.'s apartment for a rooftop picnic before heading to the airport.  The moment I walked into Joan's, I was in foodie heaven.  It was almost too much to handle it was that amazing.  Yes there were long lines, but the service was so professional, efficient, and helpful that everything moved smoothly.  I recommend getting the focaccia- there are three great flavors: grape, lemon zest w/ salt, and cherry tomato.  We also indulged in the delicious made-to-order sandwiches.  Since it can be crowded during certain hours, I think Joan's is best enjoyed as take-out, although there are tables both inside and on the sidewalk.  They have every drink you could imagine, so we picked up some fun bottles of sparkling lemonade since it was a picnic afterall.  

And as it was our last afternoon before heading back up north, we had to have some Pinkberry since the flavor was blood orange!!

Joan's on Third is located at 8350 W 3rd St. in Los Angeles

Birthday Party

For my mom's birthday, S. went all out making caprese salad, spaghetti puttanesca, and bringing home a delicious cake from La Provence Patisserie and Cafe.  

Posh Palm Springs

I love the desert.  I love its diversity.  It's not just the sandy Sahara (though I was awestruck by that).  The California desert is beautiful in its own right.  And Palm Springs is a perfect introduction to this part of the state.  The first time I visited was on spring break in college five years ago.  My brother and I somehow thought it was a good idea to do Palm Springs as a day trip from LA.  Twice.  Now, don't get me wrong.  It's not far at all (especially if you avoid rush hour while pushing 80-85 on the CA-60 as I did this last week.  I don't advise that btw).  But it deserves to be savored slowly.  It's the desert after all.  And if you've ever been to a desert climate, you know that life moves a little differently.  For me, that means relaxing at a lovely bed and breakfast.  Sitting by the pool while reading a Swedish mystery.  Venturing out for a hike.  Playing mini golf at night.    

Well, Posh Palm Springs is the perfect place to do all of the above and more.

This was our room.  The owners, Suzy and Mike, completely renovated a gay men's hotel  (Palm Springs has a very large gay and lesbian community) that was falling apart, literally.  I saw the pictures.  It was pretty serious work- everything was in terrible condition.  But they must have seen its potential.

Because they transformed it into this.  Paradise.  

The filthy jacuzzi from the 70's was replaced with this beauty.  Every night, under the cold desert sky, we'd run out here in our robes for a quick soak.  

And every evening at 4pm (5pm in the warmer months), show up at the bar because it's happy hour.  

Suzy and her son will provide you with a new spread every night.  Platters of meat and cheeses.  Homemade artichoke and jalapeno dip.  Fruit.  Iced tea, wine, beer, cocktails.  Take as little or as much as you like.  They'll even get the fire pit started for you.  

Then they show you where the extra wood is since you show no sign of leaving the warmth, bake some fresh chocolate chip cookies and tell you they'll see you in the morning.

And this is what you wake up to.  A delicious buffet of home-cooked goodness.  The first morning, it's an egg omelet, home fries, bacon, yogurt and fruit.  All the coffee, tea, and juice you could ask for.  The second day featured French Toast Casserole.  It was even better than it sounds.  I'll have to share the recipe eventually.

Afternoon moon by the pool

So if you're not sure if the desert is your thing, dip your feet in Posh.  I guarantee you'll be coming back for more.

Posh is located at 530 East Mel Avenue in Palm Springs, just off of N Indian Canyon Drive.

A Food Review of LA

{Katsuya Brentwood}

{The Crawfish Festival in Long Beach}

{The Counter in Santa Monica}

{Gyenari in Culver City

{Chaya Brasserie in Beverly Hills}

{The Beachcomber at Malibu Pier}

{Cafe Brasil in Culver City}

{Ford's Filling Station in Culver City}

{Ketchup in West Hollywood}

Since I just posted on a recent trip to LA, I wanted to focus on a lengthier trip there I had last summer where I was able to eat at a lot of different places, some better than others.  


I'm going to admit this right now- my only previous exposure to Katsuya was from watching the Kardashians and all those other reality show starlets eat at the famed Japanese eatery.  I somehow decided their business must mean good food so we made dinner reservations for the Katsuya in Brentwood (11777 San Vicente Blvd.) as opposed to the more star-powered Hollywood location.  It was by no means a cheap meal and the scene might not be for everyone, but the food was spectacular.  I could eat the tuna and crispy rice rolls in my sleep (I'm sure people have dreams about them).  The shrimp tempura roll, dragon roll, eel roll, and crispy albacore were other favorites among our group.  And any restaurant that has a decadent chocolate lava cake on their dessert menu is a winner in my book.  We left stuffed but happy, and I made a successful effort to return there on my last trip for an equally as delightful meal.  Pizzeria Mozza, however, did not live up to the hype as Katsuya did.  The service was mediocre, they were out of several of the pizzas, and the quality did not live up to the price.  With so many competitive Italian-style pizza restaurants opening up these days, Mozza is not a unique concept and it did not live up to my expectations.


A few other food favorites in LA: 
The Park on Sunset (1400 Sunset Blvd)- a good place to stop by before a Dodgers game as we were doing, the Park has great classic dishes (think spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread) specializing in seasonal ingredients with a twist.
Cafe Brasil (10831 Venice Blvd)- a great spot on Venice Boulevard in Culver City- choose your meat/fish from the grill and it comes accompanied with rice, beans, plantains, and salsa.  The fresh fruit juices and drinks here are not to be missed, particularly the Passion Fruit.
South Beverly Grill (122 S Beverly Dr)- the Happy Hour in the piano bar guarantees a fun time- the menu is great- don't leave without having the mini crispy chicken burgers.  
The Long Beach Crawfish Festival- okay so this is only an annual event, but if you happen to be in town when it's taking place, I recommend a trip on the 405 to go see it.  There's crawfish, amazing grilled corn on the cob with tons of different sauces to try, zydeco bands, and lots of other entertainment.

Quick Trip to LA

When I noticed a three-day break in my work schedule, I ran to the computer and snatched up a decent fare off of Virgin America's website. We booked a hotel T. told us about just off of Doheney Drive in Beverly Hills. Since this was my sixth or seventh trip to LA, I wanted to see some of the sights we had never seen before. First stop: Getty Museum. We wandered around the beautiful courtyard since it was a sunny (warm) late January day. Lunch at the museum's restaurant provided a filling (albeit overly rich and creamy) meal with a spectacular setting. We spent most of our time in the beautiful gardens, topping off our visit to the Impressionist Room continuing our quest from France.

Other fun moments this trip:

-Hike up Runyon Canyon (amazing view, great workout, fun people-watching)

-Yummy weekday sidewalk "brunch" at BluJam Cafe

-Crashing a Hawaiian-themed tech (read: nerd) party complete with Tiki-torches at the Fairmont Hotel in Santa Monica after a lackluster Happy Hour at the hotel's restaurant FIG