Tamale-Mobile

Los Angeles International Tamale Festival
MacArthur Park

Mama's Hot Tamales Cafe
2124 West 7th S.
Los Angeles, CA 90057
213-487-4300

Delicacheena loves an all over L.A. weekend: French-influenced dinner in Santa Monica, the game at Barney's in West Hollywood, early morning rowing in the Marina, shots in Beverly Hills, street festival at MacArthur Park.

It was misty at home, but the clouds were holding back around downtown and didn't turn the Los Angeles International Tamale Festival soggy on Sunday. UE and INK were ready with umbrella and, most importantly, empty stomachs. We joined the foodies and mostly Latino local families crowding 7th St. along the south side of the park. The soundtrack was five second snippets of classic rock and americana, a megaphoned street evangelist ["Jesus Cristo es el salvador del mundo."], hyperspeed dance remixes and blaring canned mariachi. There was a brief reprise from the medley when The Smiths' "There is a Light That Never Goes Out" en espanol was played in its entirety while we waited in line. [Hear Mikel Erentxun. Unfortunately you hear the audience singing more.] We ahhhed the tot clad in cowboy hat, vest and bandana astride the pony getting his photo taken, surrounded by wedding photogs hawking their talent, cookware demos, and citizens for Bill Richardson or Hillary Clinton.

The first stop was a booth frying up taco shells and taquitos, but they were temporarily sold-out of tamales so we moved on. We stopped at one of Mama's Hot Tamales Cafe booths. Mama's is a non-profit training restaurant and has a permanent location across from the park. Tamales were $3 at all the booths. According to the Mama's menu, the normal price is $2.75. They call themselves "The Tamales Capital of the World" and don't offer just the usual corn husk-wrapped variety. There were five available; we bypassed the vegan veggie and ordered chicken with vegetables from Honduras, the chicken and mole from Oaxaca, the Gutamalan pork, and chili cheese from Oaxaca. Only the cheese tamale was wrapped in corn husk, the rest were kept moist in banana leaves. The chicken with vegetables had a fry-sized length of potato, some peas and raisins and a green olive, no pit. The chicken with mole was oozing the rich, black sauce that would have been good with some rice. The meaty pork had red sauce and rice dough. Our hands-down favorite was the cheese with red and green jalapenos (rajas) that had a bit of kick and lots of flavor. Later we found that the earned best cheese tamale.

We had double-grease-torta envy even while we clutched our warm cornmeal bundles and sipped our two buck grande horchata, but a chewy on the outside, gooey on the inside cheese popusa is the only time we deviated from the tamale diet. Me Gusta Gourmet Tamales was winner of five of the six categories at last year's festival so we had to give them a try. This year they were named best beef and best pork tamales so that's what we ordered. They were wrapped in corn husks. The beef were hefty with masa, too much so, but the meat and red sauce were flavorful. The pork with green sauce were on the skinny side, but we were charged less for them. They were decent and tasted better with the mild red salsa poured on top. The cornmeal in both was fluffy and moist, but not as moist as Mama's.

We returned to the Mama's booth to find that they now had dessert tamales on sale-- strawberry and sweet corn. Delicacheena has enjoyed dessert tamales at Christmas time with pineapple and corn, but strawberry was something new. We were skeptical, but then even more delighted with the comfort food. It was like corn pudding (think New England), smooth and mushy, but with the sweet tartness of strawberries cooked down to nothingness. The sweet corn tamale was later devoured by JM. As we unwrapped the husks, the comforting smell of sweet corn revealed our treasured treat. The tamale did not disappoint as each bite melted in our mouths.

Fortifided with cornmeal and cheese, we headed off in the newly-christened Tamale- Miata-Mobile to make deliveries to the sick and infirm that could not join us that day. . .

Side Dish: Josie and Vodbox

Josie Restaurant
2424 Pico Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90405
310-581-9888

Vodbox at Nic's Martini Lounge
453 North Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
310-550-5707

Normally, this would constitute a full review, but, if you haven't noticed already, Delicacheena likes to be "in the moment" on birthdays, not on the job.

TTO not-so-subtly hinted that she wanted to go to the intimate Josie Restaurant on Pico. Delicacheena was happy to oblige. We drank a fruity syrah and started with frog legs--INK insisted because she wanted to see if they really were just like chicken and she likes brown butter and capers--and the bacon-wrapped quail. Both were as expected; the former is like chicken, but a bit gamier and the latter a bit dry, but elevated by the bacon.

The entrees were Australian barramundi (a meaty fish with meaty maitake mushrooms), campfire trout with crisp corn and intensely-flavored tomato, and jidori chicken breast with polenta. Truffle fries are often maligned, but we enjoyed the hot frites along with a side of fried rapini, a new preparation for us.

Dessert was sublime. The almond crust of the lightly-sweetened peach cobbler was between a traditional pie crust and a flaky pastry. The chocolate bread pudding was airy like an eggy souffle.

We moved on to Vodbox, located in Nic's in Beverly Hills. And that's what it is--a box of vodka. We envisioned the glass walk-in refrigerator to be larger, like in the Icehotel in Sweden with an Icebar to "chill" at. Nevertheless, it was fun to don the fake leopard furs and be introduced to vodkas from around the world. We liked Pinky. How much did each cost? Luckily we managed to stick with the ten buck shots.

Side Dish: Bluebird Cafe

Bluebird Cafe
8572 National Blvd
Culver City
310 841 0939

INK's office manager was given a large box of assorted Bluebird Cafe cupcakes from her "secret admirer." Hey, gotta love the mystery guy.

The flat, broad cupcakes--red velvet, coconut, chocolate, vanilla and carrot--look like what you'd find at a school bake sale, but two to three times larger. . . and for $2.25 instead of fifty cents. Some had sprinkles or coconut flakes, all were heavily frosted. Because they were right up against each other, it was difficult to grab one without getting frosting on your fingers.

INK opted for the red velvet with cream cheese frosting. The cake had a delicate crumb, was moist, and not too sweet. The overabundant frosting was almost salty at first, but became sweeter with successive bites. A fine cupcake, but not particularly memorable for INK. She had high expectations after hearing others rave. [It's difficult to write in third person this much!]

Dainties is still #1.

Eating with NWA

Why does INK always experiment on herself by requesting the vegetarian meal when she flies overseas? It's a mystery. Rather, she masochistically enjoys the mystery of what she'll get. It's never good, but occasionally it's better than the meat options. That's not saying much.

Delicacheena vacationed abroad this summer, as usual, and tried NWA (sorry, we can't help but giggle when we use the acronym) for the first time. Unfortunately, most airlines think if you're ordering the vegetarian meal you're on a diet and prefer eating artificial chemicals instead of real ingredients. Or the meal means a cornucopia of beans.

The chicken meal came with a lump of mashed potatoes and green beans all drowning in gravy. Typical airline fare. The sides included cheese and crackers, a spongy roll and a iceberg lettuce salad with firm, bland tomatoes and a bean and couscous mixture. Dessert was a not too bad brownie.

The veggie meal was actually the pasta that was offered to the regular meal patrons--sodden vegetable lasagna in tomato sauce with the same side salad. Except the roll was a dry, hard orb and dessert was horrible sugar-free red gelatin, not Jello.

On the return trip, the regular meals were much of the same, but with products from Europe which made them seem that much more appealing. But what's with the strange "pear gratin" that INK had to eat. The sweet soggy, doughy mess was more like dessert. The "dessert" was a dry gingerbread, sliced like a piece of rye.

[Did we mention that we were stuck in Holland because Northwest had to wait for a plane part from the U.S.? We thought it would be an adventure until, 1. we realized we would not have luggage, 2. we woke up at 5 am to get to the airport before 7 to learn that the plane still wasn't ready, 3. work deadlines were looming, 4. we wasted our time standing in lines and trying to get a straight answer from NWA.]

Don't leave us Tia Juana

Tia Juana
11785 W Olympic Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90064-1211
310-473-9293

The rumors were true. The westside tradition of comfort meals at Tia Juana near Olympic and Barrington is coming to a close on November 4th. Word is they lost their lease when the new Bed Bath & Beyond opened up. (Dern evil big box stores that tempt us inside, despite ourselves.) Adios to the funky faux finish walls and murals depicting dancers in Mexican dress and mock signs advertising abogados for quick divorces. Gone will be the asi asi margaritas, but quick friendly service. No more delicioiusly bad refried beans. No more melt-in-your-mouth tacos barbacoa. No more slap slap of the tortilla ladies patting out thick handmade corn tortillas and lovingly placing them on the gas griddle near the door. The handmade tortillas at La Cabana don't approach the corn flavor of Tia Juana. Best of all, it was just down the street. Guess we'll have to drive a bit longer to get our soft taco and corn tortilla fix. Reminds INK of when she moved away from La Taquiza and Tacos El Unico in south L.A. . .

Those of you in the OC can rejoice. Tia Juana has a new incarnation as La Choza. . . all the way down in Huntington Beach. Tell them Delicacheena says hola. They'll probably give you a bemused look, but do it anyway.

La Choza Restaurant
7402 Edinger Ave.
Huntington Beach
714-842-7888

Sprinkles What? Sprinkles Who?!

Dainties
11058 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA

Ah, yeah! It's all about the cream.

Hidden behind Winchell's, one block east of Sepulveda on Santa Monica, is Dainties with the best cupcakes Delicacheena has ever tasted.....at least for now.

At $3 a pop, most cupcakes would not be worth it--Dainties is. The bakery, which developed from a catering company, sticks to the batter they perfected: moist chocolate. Each cupcake is dipped in ganache and then injected and topped with flavored, fresh whipped cream. There are ten daily flavors. On a Thursday, we used our KCRW certificate for a free half dozen (hey, that's only two per person): banana, tiramisu, strawberry, caramel, vanilla bean, peanut butter.

The dainties are easily transported in a blue and white stripped box with a slot for each cupcake. We decided to tackle the generous-sized desserts in the packed order, alternating delicate and strong flavors.

The banana, oh, the banana, was topped with a banana slice. Yes, there are three bananas in that sentence because the essence of perfectly ripened fruit enveloped our taste buds.

It got better.

UE declared that the tiramisu was even better than the real thing--chocolaty with a jolt of espresso. We found with each cupcake, the ganache gave the tops a nice slightly chewy bite, like the edge pieces from a pan of brownies.

Then we sank our teeth into number three topped with a slice of strawberry and chocolate shavings. Inexplicably even better than the first two. Who needs ice cream when you have whipped cream that tastes like sun-kissed summer?

And caramel is no Kraft brand cubes; it's buttery, homemade melted sugar goodness. We cleared our palette with pure vanilla, flecked with vanilla bean from Madagascar. INK would almost give up ice cream if all whipped cream was like this.

We ended with a peanut butter bang! Topped with chopped peanuts, not waxy candy sprinkles, this cupcake is how chocolate and peanut butter were meant to be together. How can it be this rich and soothing, without being too heavy?

Quite content and quite full, we were planning our next visit in order to indulge in all the other flavors. There's coconut and New York cheesecake, Crème De Menthe and mango, Nutella, green tea. . . Good thing they're closed on Sundays.

Scary

We were clicking on various parts of this blog and realized that we could find out who had our profile items in common. We are not alone in our interest in bread, corn and bananas...

Side Dish: The Counter

The Counter
2901 Ocean Park Boulevard
Santa Monica 90405
(310)399-8383


It's good to have choices. And we always say, "Why choose? Have both!" AKA the INK special.

That's one of the reasons we like The Counter. You can go crazy and build your own burger, drowning in a multitude of toppings and a sea of sauces. Start with beef, turkey, veggie or grilled turkey in 1/3, 2/3 or 1 pound sizes. Are you one of those poor folks foregoing carbs? You can even go with the burger in a bowl sans bun.

But alas, Delicacheena gets overwhelmed by so many options so we went with the pre-designed creations. UE ordered the Unique Veggie, JM opted for the Taco Turkey and INK, ever the lover of the limited engagement requested the Burger of This Month, Peruvian Style Alaskan Halibut Burger. "Flavored with Sweet Onion Annatto Paste. Served over Chopped Watercress and Shredded Jicama. Topped with Hearts of Palm and Pickled Red Onion. Served on a Hamburger Bun with Pebre Aioli." The halibut was smoky and moist and the toppings which seemed liked they would be overwhelming added just enough crunch and acidity. Oh, and did we mention all three are quite aesthetically pleasing?

After the generous, but not gratuitous burgers (and orders of breaded and fried dill pickle chips and the fifty/fifty with half onion strings and sweet potato fries), we decided to share the shake of the month. Our server was gracious enough to give us each our own cup with a third of the s'more shake of vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, graham cracker and mini marshmallows. Besides the chunks of cracker and marshmallow, the tasty shake was a bit thin, but we really couldn't handle anything more substantial.

[Also serve wine and beer]

Side Dish: Wilshire

Wilshire
2454 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310)586-1707

We really wanted to like Wilshire. It started strong enough, with a savory crispy poached organic egg and an original, tangy and sweet fall tree fruit salad. Unfortunately, the main courses of pork chops and beef shortribs fell short of their price points. Wilshire redeemed itself at dessert. The creme brulee trio and the doughnuts were a perfect way to forget about a mediocre meal. Go for decent, overpriced food or anytime for dessert.

Say goodbye to the summer. . .

Well, the summer's officially over and it's back to pushing paper. But the reminiscing lingers. Soon you can read about Delicacheena's European vacation (bratwurst and beer!), INK in NYC and various other meals to remember. . . or to try to forget.


In the meantime, have the gyro salad and spanakopita at
Papa Cristo's.
2771 West Pico Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90006
Phone: (323) 737-2970 -- Fax: (323) 737-3571

Happy Birthday to Me at Mozza - Buon Appetito!

Mozza Pizzeria
641 North Highland Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 297-0101

When Nancy Silverton has a new venture. . . you hope you can get a reservation. On Mozza's menu it states, "A TAVOLA NON S'INVECCHIA MAI • AT THE TABLE, ONE NEVER GETS OLD." Delicacheena hopes so because sometimes one gets old waiting for an available table!

We arrived at Mozza (with your best Italian accent, pronounced mote-suh) to find a small space packed with foodies from wall to wall waiting for their next fix.With a 10 PM dinner reservation on a Monday night in April, we were ready to order everything on the menu, but managed to show some restraint and focus once we realized the quicker we order the sooner we would eat. Our waitress was very friendly, extremely helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. Once we were served our bottle of wine (2004 Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Valle dell'Acate), we were promptly served our starter, the salt cod "Montecato" bruschette. This savory appetizer is a can't miss if you're into lightly salted fish with a hint of black olives spread across a piece of crisp and chewy toast. It reminded UE of the Portuguese cod she has missed since last summer.

For our entrees, we each ordered a pizza. JM had the egg, guanciale (a kind of Italian bacon), asparagus, onion and parmigiano. The server informed her that her pizza was not sliced because the sunny side up yolk needed to be broken on top of the pizza before it could be sliced apart. The first bite proved the combination of the egg running over all the ingredients created a mouth watering experience.

Since the salame with wild nettles pizza was sold out (wanted to taste the buggers that were the bane of hiking trips), INK selected the squash blossoms, burrata and tomato pizza. Ever since her 2002 trip, she has associated the blossoms with summer in Italy. The oh-so creamy cheese and savory tomatoes combined well with the blossoms which taste of mild zucchini.

After a very impressive cod appetizer, UE chose the Prosciutto di Parma, rucola, tomato and mozzarella pizza. The crust was airy and the combination of ingredients created a perfectly balanced meal. The pizza was amazingly fresh and light, making it difficult to pause between bites.

Dessert did not disappoint, even though the one that kept floating by was also sold out. The cannoli was layered instead of rolled and was surprisingly light. The gelato sundae was great, but it was difficult to eat the accompanying shortbread with a fork or spoon without making it fly across the table. Butterscotch pudding (budino) is always a must-try for us anywhere. Melt on your tongue goodness with a touch of sea salt, an ever-lovin' dollop of whipped cream and lavender mini cookies on the side! We were spoon fighting over this one.

Growing old at the table? We don't care, as long as it tastes this good.

Happy Birthday to Me at Hatfields

Hatfields
7458 Beverly Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90036

It's been too long so just read the captions, study the pictures and drool. Everything is as good as it looks, including the purple Peruvian potatoes.

To drink: French 95, California Sour, 2005 Zweigelt, 2005 Albarino

To start: Croque Madame, Market Salad (not pictured)

To continue: Lamb, Duck, Hangar Steak, Stripped Bass

To end: Beignets, Truffle Cake, Cheesecake.

Side Dish: summer strawberries

Early summer (yes, we know it's now more than half over) means juicy, sweet strawberries in juicy, sweet treats. And of course, they're great straight from the basket.

A week or so after the strawberry rhubarb crumble from BLD (see May posts), JM, INK and TTO had a pre-late dinner nosh at the Village Idiot. The strawberry shortcake was excellent. The whipped cream complemented the slightly tart berries. With the cake--the perfect balance of cakey and crumbly--we sopped up all the light sauce.

Juquila Restaurante

Juquila Restaurante
11619 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025
310-312-1079

Don't know what to order at this little Oaxacan restaurant on Santa Monica with soccer always on the flat screens? Just get the mixed grill, the one that has everything listed. And if that's not enough, also get a kicky rajas tamale. Occupy yourself with the tortilla chips with cojita cheese and mole for dipping while your waiting for your feast.

The Botana Oaxaquena has string cheese, grilled green onions and jalapeno peppers, and various meats (Delicacheena shorthand--sausage, strips, jerkey). We thought we were ordering what we got last time, what we lovingly refer to as "the boat." The boat was served on a platter, not on a grill and also included a pupasa type dish of corn masa, cheese and beans.

The mixed grill came with corn tortillas and rice and smokey black beans with more cojita cheese. Slap everything into a tortilla garnished with cilantro and avocado and you can't go wrong. (Although UE would advise against the too-much-cinnamon horchata.)

Shhh! It's a secret. . . bake sale.

Those in the know are on the e-mail list for the best secret bake sale (are there others?). And Delicacheena was there on a June morning. Yeah, we would be content with giant squares of rice crispy treats and from-a-box cupcakes, but Treat Street provides homemade, family recipe delectables. Everything was priced at one dollar. Now that's a breakfast.

On an eclectic Silverlake street with great views of downtown, we sat on the curb and dug in. From banana pudding with Nilla wafers to a surprisingly yummy and crunchy Coke cake, decorated with a gummy cola bottle. From red velvet and coffee cupcakes to fried strawberry pie and savory jalapeno cheese bread (a quickly sold-out fav).

There were even excellent FREE coffee drinks from Intellegensia. Look at the lovely latte.

And then we worked off all the early morning calories with a walk up to the top of the hill.

La Super Rica y Mucho Queso

La Super-Rica Taqueria
622 N Milpas St
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
Ph: (805) 963-4940

Julia Child loved it so it must be good, right? Delicacheena will be the judge of that.

La Super Rica is a little blue joint in Santa Barbara on Milpas, a street that is a mix of residences and businesses. It's easy to miss and is not much more than a counter with a tiny kitchen in back and a funny listing patio covered in tarp to the side. Twenty numbered items are listed on a blackboard and pretty much consist of different incarnations of the same ingredients: tortillas, cheese, chicken breast, about two kinds of beef, two kinds of pork, chorizo, bacon, green chiles. Most items were around two to three dollars. There is also a board of daily specials that looked to be the same both times we've visited.

You order and pay at the front corner and then pick up your paper plates (no trays)when your number is called at the side window. While you're waiting, choose your plastic utensils and salsa. There's a pico de gallo with chunks of jalapeno, a hot sauce with red flecks of chile and a tomatillo with a big dose(too big for UE) of lime. All three tasted fresh and added dimension to the fairly simple entrees.

It seems that we all were craving various combinations of cheese, green chile and marinated pork. We had the pork taco; the chile and cheese taco; the pork quesadilla; the Super Rica Especial (at $6.00 is for big spenders) all three ingredients with three tortillas; carne asada tacos and the tamal(e) with corn, cheese, potato and green chiles.

The tacos came with two tortillas and thus became two tacos each. The slightly smoky pork was well-seasoned and just fatty enough. While the cheese was oozy, the charred peppers were soft and mild. Next time we'll order the tamal without the cream sauce, but we prefer the mole-based style. Be careful and don't order everything with cheese (one dish is basically a bowl of cheese!) or it's queso overload. We also miss the tortilla chips, but we made up the loss with sat fats of cheese.

P.S. For a pleasant, if not innovative, dinner of oak grilled seafood and steak try Paradise Cafe on Ortega, a block from State Street.

Side Dish: BLD

BLD
7450 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
323-930-9744

After the healthy Eat Well dinner, Delicacheena was ready for dessert and headed back to BLD. An hour had passed and a table for three was still unavailable. Hey, stop savoring your pastries and french pressed coffee and clear out for us. . .

Finally we were seated and decided that there was room for a starter (we're always tempted by the dishes whisked by in the waiters' hands), although it was actually a transition between dinner and dessert. We ordered the tater tots with mixed charcuterie and cheese. The five croquettes were accompanied by mustard and some salad greens. INK had a feeling this would have been really good with wine, but we were here for dessert and just had a temporary lapse of focus.

Dessert started with the buttermilk bread pudding with brown sugar ice cream. The description sounded better than it was, but thankfully we ordered three desserts. With the start of summer around the corner, INK predicted that strawberry something would be on the menu. The strawberry rhubarb crumble was fresh and tart with a dollop of whipped cream. As we savored each bite, the crumble, fruit and cream combined into a mouth watering spoonful of smooth and crunchy fruit sweetness. While UE would normally not prefer such a tart dessert, her favorite spring oolong tea sweetened with honey (get a load of the honey dispenser) was a perfect counterpoint.

The yellow layer cake with chocolate icing (ala mode, of course) was the favorite. The cake was extremely moist and buttery like pound cake, the thick layers of frosting were rich and pure chocolate. Coffee and ice cream were a must. After a while the chocolate was too much and we ate the cake and ice cream sans frosting.

Since BLD does not take reservations for parties less than 6, wait times could be long. For a little wait, we'll try for dinner next time after 9:30 PM.

Side Dish: Eat Well

Eat Well
7385 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 938-1300

What if you're hungry and the hostess says there's 50 minutes wait for dinner at BLD? You walk a block west on Beverly and go to Eat Well on the corner of Martel.

Serving healthy fare and broccolini with every dish, this diner is good for a quick light lunch and not so much for dinner. INK went with the tofu steak served on asparagus. The menu said the accompanying starch would be quinoa, but brown rice was served on the side. There was also an unexpected serving of broccolini. The tofu was light and subtle with a egg-like texture.

The turkey meatloaf arrived with a side of mash potatoes and of course a side of broccolini. This dish was equally healthy and classic with a layer of ketchup on top....just like mom used to make (just not my mom).

UE had the veggie burger with broccolini. The patty was tasty by itself but combined with the whole grain bun, the burger was light as air. The meal was quickly devoured but left just enough room for some late night dessert.

3 Square Cafe + Bakery

3 Square Cafe+Bakery
1121 Abbot Kinney
Venice, CA 90291
310-399-6504

If you have a Wednesday off, one of the most pleasant things to do is to visit the Santa Monica farmers market. Sample the locally grown fruits and vegetables and be sure to stop by the Rockenwagner baked goods stand at the end of Arizona. Enjoy a cheese twist or the soft pretzels while strolling the sunny streets redolent of cilantro, raspberries and flowers. . .

But, of course, most of us are slaving away and can't make it before everyone closes up their stands. Luckily Rockenwagner's latest restaurant, 3 Square Cafe + Bakery, are now open.

3 Square is located on the corner of San Juan and Abbot Kinney. Amazingly, it was fairly easy for us to find parking across the street. The cafe is modern and airy, but inviting. The substantial tables made by Rockenwagner extended from the inside of the restaurant to the outside patio separated by the floor-to-ceiling windows. He also included a communal table, like in the owner's previous restaurant, in front of the open kitchen.

As we waited to be seated, we were mesmerized by the dishes leaving the kitchen. The avocado fries, so green and fresh, begged to be ordered and so we obliged. The appetizer of battered avocado wedges was a great mix of crunchy and smooth. Funny how good things get even better when fried (and accompanied by a fire roasted salsa)!

INK was eager to get anything with a pretzel and settled on the pretzel bun burger. The large patty was smothered in caramelized onions and cheese and nothing else. No shred of lettuce, no pickle or soggy tomato. Spicy mustard was offered by the waitress and was a good foil to all the meat and cheese. INK could have gone for some arugula, ala a Father's Office burger, but the chewy pretzel roll, which soaked up the juices, could not be beat. The burger was accompanied by crisp shoestring fries that were enjoyed by all.

JM opted for breakfast and ordered the tasty chicken hash with mushrooms, red peppers, onions and basil topped with two poached eggs. This was a mild dish, but each fresh ingredient could be identified in every bite.

UE decided on a customized dish of three mini sandwiches. She chose the Bavarian meatloaf on a pretzel roll, shrimp grilled cheese and homemade salmon pastrami with horseradish. The sandwiches arrived on what looked like three pastel pedestals, but turned out to be mini bowls with various side dishes underneath each cover. The dish was perfect for the undecided.

From the long list of dessert options listed on the blackboard, we chose the Big-Haired Texan Lemon Tart. The miniature tart with meringue curliques looked like Dolly Parton's head. The dried fruit and macademia nut brittle sprinkled on the plate were so good, we would've been happy just with this one dessert but of course we had a second.

The Mexican chocolate cake had a touch of cinnamon and was served with a scoop of refreshing sorbet. The richness of the cake went well with the tartness of the lemon tart.

Before leaving the restaurant, a visit to the restroom introduced us to the mirror that exhorted us to visit the bakery next door; unfortunately we were too full to take its advice. But we'll be back to try the french toast.

Side dish: 25˚

25˚
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
7000 Hollywood Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90028
323-785-7244

Delicacheena wanted a fancy burger without the Father's Office wait and/or fight for a table. Fortunately, there is no shortage of folks competing for best burger in L.A. We decided to see how 25˚, located in the Roosevelt Hotel, rated.

We deviated from our (or rather INK's) original intentions of a cold beer and tried the "fancy" Dry Sodas. JM had the just-like-Provence lavender and INK had the subtle lemon grass. Both were refreshing and not too sweet. We started with the 1/2 and 1/2, a mix of delicately battered onion rings and skinny fries with salt and parsley.

You can choose toppings and create your own burger or let them do the thinking and opt for #'s 1 to 3. INK ordered the # 1 to compare it to Father's Office. It was a messy meld of caramelized onion, big woods blue cheese, crescenza cheese, bacon, arugula, and thousand island. The large patty was flavorful, the brioche bun buttery, the bacon smoky and the arugula peppery, but the mix of melted cheeses and dressing made the burger hard to handle. The cloth napkin was worse for the wear. It was no Office burger, but still recommended.

JM chose #3, the turkey burger with straus family jack, a slice of a mild green chili pepper, avocado and chipotle sauce. Projecting the Office burger onto the #3, JM almost thought she was biting into a beef patty, but was happy with the flavorful ground turkey. Reading the ingredients, you would expect the burger to offer more of a kick but it was pretty tame.

Despite groaning stomachs, we ordered the 4 layer chocolate cake and were warned of it's size. Hey, we can handle it. . . or at least we thought we could. The slice was the equivalent of two very big wedges. The cake was dense and moist, the frosting had an intense chocolate flavor with a touch of liqueur. Well, at least UE can enjoy the abundant leftovers.

Dotty for Cupcakes

Dot's Cupcakes
400 S. Arroyo Parkway
Pasadena, CA 91105
626.568.DOTS

You don't have to go far before bumping into a cupcake nowadays. The It dessert has been popping up in bakeries all over Los Angeles for the past few years. There's the giant red velvet and coconut beauties from Auntie Em's. When they're on one of the pedestals at Clementine, order a coconut or double chocolate with cream filling. We were disappointed by the dryness of the popular Sprinkles cupcakes. Joan's on Third offers their elegant version on most days. The mini cupcakes at Beechwood are adorable. Le Cupcake has a location in Washington D.C. and one in Santa Monica Place and definitely looks like a chain, albeit a cute one, but the cupcakes in several flavors are tres bien. And there's many more that we haven't visited. . . yet.

Dot's Cupcakes opened in Pasadena last November. Delicacheena spied Dot's on Arroyo Seco while waiting for the light to change. We made a mental note to visit the tiny shop just south of Houston's. During the Saturday afternoon before Easter, there were only vanilla vanilla cupcakes left in the display case. People with pre-orders were picking up large white boxes with the Dot's sticker and we had a tinge of jealousy. The young women in the shop were able to round up some chocolate chocolate and red velvet for us. Did we seem that desperate?

The frosting was applied in a thick swirl similar to Le Cupcake, but with a sugar candy placed in the middle of the vanilla and chocolate varieties. All three types of the $2.75 cupcakes passed the critical moistness test. Each had a pleasant "crust" on the top--they were not overcooked, but had something for the teeth to bit into--adding to the feeling that they were homemade, not assembly line clones. The vanilla cake had a nice butter and vanilla flavor. The on-line menu (no paper ones are available) said that they had Madagascar bourbon and Tahitian vanilla, although we couldn't taste the bourbon. The chocolate cake, by far UE's favorite, was exceedingly moist and soft-textured, but INK was unsure she liked the taste of the cake by itself. JM said it was like "from a box," The frosting was rich and chocolatey. The tender red velvet cake was complemented by the cream cheese frosting. The chocolate and red velvet even kept their moistness the following day. The frosting could have been APPLIED with a lighter hand and been less sweet, but these are cupcakes after all and would go well with milk or coffee.

Dearly Departed

Fond memories of:

Norman's--Pig and paella on Friday nights, beautiful setting, friendly waitstaff, mojitos, flambeed banana split prepared tableside consumed in 2 minutes.

Amuse--Little yellow house with Brooke Williamson's market-fresh meals and chocolate mint ice cream sandwich in a skillet. Much more quaint than Beechwood.

Oplaline--Green walls and dessert trios in the ever-changing spot that now houses BLD.

Mago's--Little Hawaiian joint with the tender teriyaki beef on a stick.

Rocco--Luxurious Millionaire's Pasta and refreshing strawberries with balsamic. Luckily the chef is now at old-school Matteo's.

Moustache Cafe in Westwood--Now where are we going to get late-night chocolate/Grand Marnier souffle?

Posh on Pico--Slow, but friendly service. . .tres leches.

Country Market Cafe--Just drove past the place that had great sandwiches and a little gourmet market. Wish it had kept the dinner hours. Pitfire Pizza, a thin-crust place that we ate at downtown, is going to fill the void.

As good as Portugal?

Natas Pastries
13317 Ventura Blvd. Suite D
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
818-788-8050

After a week of non-stop egg-based pastries in Portugal this past summer, we (we weren't even Delicacheena, yet) wondered if we'd ever have natas again. Pasteis de natas are literally cream pastries. They are like little egg custard pies or the Chinese dan tats, but much less eggy than both. They were found in every corner bakery and snack shop. The best were our first in the Belem district of Lisbon, warm from the oven at Casa Pasteis de Belem. (While in Belem, be sure to check out the Coach Museum--the simple to ostentatious carriages, not handbags, are fascinating.)

Would Natas Pastries, a bakery in the valley (might as well fly to Europe), recreate our summer of custard? Unfortunately, a hoard of Portuguese ex-pats via San Diego bought out all the bacalhau, fried salt cod cakes--they're better than they sound. But we tried just about every other baked and fried tidbit.

Alas the natas were not as we remembered. Is anything ever? The crust was crisper instead of tender, flaky layers. The custard we couldn't agree on. JM thought it was too eggy. The queijadas, always touted as mini cheesecakes, but nothing like we envision in the States, contained much more cinnamon than the ones we purchased in beautiful Sintra. The quite ugly ground beef and chorizo croquetes were tasty but half of one was enough. The malasadas, basically a sugar doughnut minus the hole, was dry--not like the ones INK had in Hawaii. The best offering was the morgado, a not-too-sweet crumbley almond dough filling in a crust.

Perhaps we'll return to Portugal someday, but until then, we'll just have to imagine standing at the pastry case, sipping something cool and biting into a warm nata.

Food with Your Music, Music with Your Food

What's more important to Delicacheena, food or music? That would take more time and space than we have. Plus we'd lose half of our audience (ha ha). Here's a list of places where we can/could indulge both passions. However, "we're not talking fine dining."

The Echo --Nothing like chicken fingers on New Year's Eve. Booths around the perimeter.

The El Rey --Wolfgang Puck's cafe. JM will share her BBQ chicken pizza with you. Chairs and some tables along wall. Don't know what more is upstairs.

The Hotel Cafe --Remember when it was actually a cafe where you could get coffee and panini? They got their beer and wine license some time ago. Lots of tables since the expansion, but can you still get food?

Largo --(Usually) must order full meal if you sit at the reserved tables. Honey chicken? One of Delicacheena's favorite little locations because big mouths are not allowed, in the audience that is.

The Roxy --Garden burger with fries. Comfy raised booths. Depends on how many spots are reserved for the connected. Otherwise you can juggle a drink and a plate of fries right in front of the band.

Temple Bar --Small venue, selection of tea(!) and plantain quesadillas. Plenty of tables and cushy seating.

Spaceland --We've seen a guy with a cooler of tamales and we are willing to try someday, but don't tell the vendor police. Bar stools and tables, booths are usually occupied by the merch folks.

The Troubadour --For the longest time we thought we were just imagining the aroma of fries, but there really is a bitty kitchen in the corner behind the bar in the main room. A typical snack bar with gum, candy, dogs, fresh veggie plate. Fair amount of bar stools, some with tables. Another favorite venue--small with character and history and we can always find street parking.

The Wiltern --We smell the freshly baked frozen cookies, but we haven't partaken of the expensive treat. (Don't like that they don't manage their own website anymore, but are part of Live Nation.)

When Live Instruments Are Not Necessary:
Arena--Haven't been there in awhile, but it was nice to know you could cool off outside with a taco or burger in Arena's Giant and Spundae days. Circus Disco is there Saturday nights now, but Delicacheena feels funny about putting a link. . .

The Golden Gopher Bar --Decent jukebox and the table placards list places that will DELIVER to the bar. Plus there's the convenience-store-like front counter.

Mel's Drive-In --If you went there on karaoke night at the Hollywood Location, you might have heard JM and INK performing Squeeze while you ate your wet fries. Now there's a DJ late Friday and Saturday nights.

Palms Thai --Thai Elvis, anyone? Visit the bakery located in the same strip mall.

Outdoors:

Greek Theater --Bummer, you can't BYO anything, but there is food for purchase: ubiquitous chicken fingers, Pink's dogs, etc.

Hollywood Bowl --Everyone knows about the brilliance of the Bowl. Patina Group knows its way around outdoor dinning. Of course, can be as simple or elaborate as the meal you choose to bring. Haven't had the privilege of box seats. There are benches and tables outside the amphitheater, but its better to eat, hear and see "inside".

Ford Amphitheatre --Cute little guy to the Bowl's big-time sophisticate. We brought sandwiches from Susina and bought wine at the Ford. Such a pretty jewel with the bucolic hillside behind the stage and the stars above. The rain came later.

Food for Thought

[Sorry, these links have expired.]

Food in Politics and Culture

Read about cloned beef in the LA Times. Mark Peel of Campanile prepared a special double blind test meal for a panel invited by the newspaper.

Don't eat the paintings. Joe Bravo paints on tortillas.

Take your hands off our bacon dogs AKA Tijuana dogs. The plight of LA street vendors is covered here

please standby

When Delicacheena gets its act together, you can read posts about Natas Pastries, Hatfield's and 3 Square.

side dish: black and white at Canter's

It wasn't very long before a return visit to Canter's (Sondre Lerche at the El Rey). All INK knew of the over-sized cookie was what she saw on an episode of Seinfeld. To her surprise it wasn't just a generic butter cookie with frosting. The dough was soft and airy and melted in her mouth. Was that lemon zest? The "black" frosting was chocolate.

Been There, Ate That. . . too

JiRaffe--Probably the first place we had an amuse bouche. Ahh, INK's foot-themed meal: trout with peeky toe crab and black foot chanterelles. Why don't we go back?

Hungry Cat--Decadent lobster roll, heart-breaking chocolate souffle/creme brulee/bread pudding, few tables. Gotta try the creative cocktails.

!Loteria!--Because you can't always go to San Diego when you get a hankering for potato tacos.

Apple Pan--Burger, fries and apple pie ala mode. Or banana cream. Wonder which of the four veteran servers will be working our side of the counter. No nonsense, cash only.

My Secret Recipe--When you want oodles of spicy little octopi cooked in front of you in Koreatown. Believe them when they say medium is spicy. Wish the rice came at the beginning; like we said, it's spicy. Enjoyed the pa jun, fried pancake with more octopus and lots of green onion.

Bread Bar--Of course, that first visit during its early days was the best because they gave INK a free bag full of brioche and croissants.

Caprice--Don't really remember the French mini pastries too well. It's the experience of ringing the doorbell and either a tall, skinny guy with an accent lets you into the kitchen with large metal tray upon tray of delights. Or its a young woman or Caprice, himself, who will regale you about his youth in Provence. Sometimes its one on one. Other times there is a row of cooks with pastry bags in the background. They're all in their chef whites and they all offer free samples!

Tia Juana's--Soft tacos, so-good-must-be-bad refried beans and rice, handmade tortillas.

Been There, Ate That

Other places that we've patronized in the past and enjoyed:

Providence--It's a seafood restaurant with mmmm bacon in every course, including dessert.

Violet--Little dishes and reeeaally little glass of milk and cookies as the coda.

Blue Velvet--After an Edward Scissorhands matinee with the mom, a very early glass of wine and well-prepared dinner. Talk about crazy, but works dessert combinations.

Tender Greens--What, no corn?! But these big, fresh salads with choices of protein are great. Cupcakes don't hurt.

Ford's Filling Station--Everyone knows about this other Culver City stop.

Nook--Comfort food, but the communal table stools are uncomfortable.

Jar--Meat and veggies roasted and braised right. Does it really stand for Just Another Restaurant?

Angeli Cafe--Homey Italian food with great bread. It's fun to watch people try to find the door. Wish that chicken pasta was a regular menu item.

Lemon Moon--Great prepared salads like Clementine. Too bad it's only open during lunch on the weekdays. Knew it would be good before it opened when INK saw the Zumex machine in the window while running.

Joan's on Third--Salads, soups, cupcakes, coffee, gelato.

Spoon House--Spicy Japanese spaghetti with soft French bread.

Zax--We'll alway remember you as our favorite restaurant. . .

side dish: Good-pie!

We pride ourselves on being able to enjoy both the finer and, uh, coarser foods in life. When $5.99 pie month rolls around at Marie Callendar's, Delicacheena is there with the pie tin deposit. And we're a sucker for the "limited time" flavors. Who are we kidding? "Limited time" induces us to purchase many of the un-necessities of life.

On March 4th, the planets were aligned just right and the end of the $5.99 deal coincided with the start of the Lemon Cream Surpreme's limited appearance. (The specialty pie was not on-sale.) We bought two pies to take advantage of the six bucks deal and to get the Surpreme--UE is not big on lemon and it was a stressful weekend.

The Lemon Cream Surpreme is described as Boston cream pie with a touch of lemon, but that is not accurate. It's more of a "Cake or pie? Why not both?" In the traditional pie crust, there are layers of yellow cake, pudding/cream and lemon filling. Why not?

The coconut cream pie and its too-sweet-and-creamy goodness is just like mom never made.

Extraordinary Desserts! Ordinary Panini!

Extraordinary Desserts
2929 Fifth Avenue
San Diego, CA 92103
Ph: (619) 294-2132

It is impossible for Delicacheena to motor down to San Diego without visiting the beloved Extraordinary Desserts. Bold name choice, but it's true. We find sustenance just staring at the refrigerated cases.

With two locations, our favorite is the one in Downtown. Whenever we first walk in we are immediately challenged to take in the volume of vibrant and delicate flowers atop layers of sweet cream, fresh berries and rich chocolate. A long wine bar lines the right side of the room with a huge relief of Buddha at the end. But we haven't experienced that yet, we save our calories for other delights.

There is an interesting (picked by monkeys!), but expensive (those monkeys charge a premium) tea menu. INK went for the regular iced tea which comes garnished with a bamboo pick of berries and a rose leaf. She considered paying the dollar for a refill, but one refreshing glass was enough.

Now for the food. The panini (why are all sandwiches Italian now?) are pretty to look at, but not pretty to eat. INK would like to be both official cake taster and menu consultant. The first thing she would do is tweak the sandwich presentation. It is physically impossible to pick up and bite the caesar panini and the butter knife was not up to the task of slicing through the pressed bread. Maybe it should have stuck to being a salad of grilled eggplant, red peppers and romaine lettuce with the bread on the side. It was accompanied by three types of delicious olives, two green and one gigantic black.

JM ordered the goat cheese that came with a side of potato salad made with a tapenade type dressing. It was good, not extraordinary, but at least she could pick it up!

UE had the egg salad panini that also came with a side of potato salad. Her panini also failed the "pick up" test since it was topped with a layer of the same tapenade type dressing. The paninis were good, but not really worth the work.

After watching the designated cake lady continuously walk out with new floral creations from the kitchen to the front, it was finally extraordinary dessert time! Selecting a dessert always starts with a trip to the front cases. We selected two eye pleasing cakes. The tres leches cake was one of the daily specials. This shredded coconut topped cake rested perfectly on tangy kiwi and sweet mango sauces. It arrived with a scoop of homemade white chocolate ice cream. Each favor resulted in a wonderfully different experience. This was the reason we came here!

The second dessert was a decadent chocolate brownie. Almost tasting like a flourless cake with a rich and thick milk chocolate frosting, it was offset with fresh berries and a light "very vanilla bean" ice cream. This is strictly for professional chocolate lovers, but amateurs would delight in the cake as well!

As expected, the ending is never ordinary. (Or as INK would say, "Muy yum")

Surf's Up!

Taco Surf
4657 Mission Blvd.
San Diego, CA
Ph: (858) 272-3877


Delicacheena loves unseasonably warm days and was treated to a beautiful Saturday in San Diego. The reason for the trip was Razorlight and Mohair, but, hey, you gotta eat lunch and dinner.

We made our third trip (the first two were in one day) to a hole-in-the-wall called Taco Surf located in Pacific Beach. The "surf museum" boards line the ceiling and share wall space with beach-themed paintings and photographs, attracts young freckled and bronzed males in board shorts and wetsuits. Overheard: "Dude, I knew this Persian guy. He went to Peru all the time, just because." "Wait, why did he go. ..." "Uh, I mean he was Peruvian."

In addition to burritos grandes and nachos, there are about five different types of crispy, rolled (taquitos) and soft tacos. We each ordered three, not remembering them to be as large as they were today. INK got a crispy potato covered with cojito cheese, a soft carnitas and a soft grilled mahi mahi. The strange, but satisfying mix of mashed potatoes and crunchy taco shell was her favorite. Was that season salt that tinged it red? The flavorful bits of carnitas were almost overwhelmed by the guacamole and may have been better plain. JM had crispy fried fish and carne asada soft tacos and finished with a rolled potato taco with a side of guacamole. UE had a similar meal, substituting the carne asada with carnitas.

So if you're ever in PB and want some Mexican (food) and the ramblings of surf boys...be patient finding a parking spot and try a potato taco!

side dish: The Village Idiot

We visited this surprisingly airy and sunny "gastro-pub" in February. It has a u-shaped bar and plenty of tables and booths lining the front windows. The service was slow; each step (sitting at one of the many open tables, getting the menus, having our orders taken, etc.) was excruciatingly drawn out.

We shared the pretty rock shrimp and scallion fritters as an appetizer. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and the mango(?) salsa complimented the fritter. JM indulged her craving with the pub burger and especially enjoyed the balsamic onion relish. INK's fish and chips could have been more flavorful, but was crisp and not greasy. Although she usually sticks to malt vinegar, INK enjoyed the tarter sauce, closer to an herbed mayonnaise. UE was satisfied with the catfish with black-eyed peas, greens and andouille sausage.

(For dessert--there's always room for dessert--we had the ever-pleasing red velvet cake at Dough Boys on 3rd.)

7383 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles
(323) 655-3331; http://www.villageidiotla.com

Good food for good weather

Clementine
1751 Ensley Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Ph: (310) 552-1080


When it's a bright and sunny day, we can't help but go to Clementine for food that matches the weather! This place is great for breakfast, lunch, take home dinners and desserts. They even have curbside pick-up for those avoiding the line during prime eating hours (be sure to call ahead).

Fortunately, we arrived around 1:30 pm and found a parking meter spot relatively quickly. Always try the small lot behind the building first, but you can usually find meters along the street. When we walked in, we were greeted with fresh baked smells and a glass counter filled with banana cakes with cream cheese frosting, peanut butter sandwich cookies, sunshine corn cakes and butterscotch brownies with walnuts, (INK says don't miss the cupcakes, especially the chocolate with whipped cream filling and the coconut!)....we can go on, but you get the idea. Walking further into the restaurant, we see another glass case filled with the bright fresh colors of the specialty salad offerings. Behind the smiling face at the counter lists a variety of entrees ranging from sandwiches to meatloaf to pasta.

Once we decided on our lunch order, UE went to snag an outside table while JM ordered at the counter. Our food arrived about ten minutes later. We both ordered the daily 1/2 sandwich and soup with cookie combo. The autumn chicken salad sandwich was perfectly light and hearty made with chicken, apples, celery and grapes. (Order the full sandwiches if you're super hungry). The sweet potato soup was creamy and surprisingly not overly sweet. The best part of a Clementine meal is of course the dessert. Who knew a thumbprint cookie, made with a drop of marmalade on a sugar cookie, could make the rest of the day sunny!

Can't beat Canter's

Canter's Deli
419 No. Fairfax Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Ph: (323) 651-2030


Unfortunately Rodney wasn't at his special booth when we arrived,--for some reason he's a reassuring sight for us--but you can't beat Canter's for late night food. What to get? Matzo ball soup and a corned beef reuben with fries, of course.

Sometimes we mix it up with the mish mosh, but tonight we got the pure and simple matzo ball, tasty with chicken schmaltz, in broth. You never know when the the bagel chips are going to run out and tonight we had the sorry substitute of saltines.

The reuben, which can also be ordered with peppery pastrami, is layered with sauerkraut and swiss cheese between buttery toasted bread. It requires plenty of napkins. It's not the biggest and some claim Nate n' Al's is the best, but we're always pleased with this guilty pleasure sandwich. And the crisp on the outside, tender on the inside steak fries along with two types of pickles rounded out the meal as the vegetable group.

If we want dessert, we go with a shake or rugalah; the other desserts tend to be dry. One day we'll try the cheesecake or the black and white. Later you can check out some local music acts at the Kibbitz room or just choose a booth that is in the adjoining dining room and listen in. The wait staff is a quirky mix of grandmotherly, scary, perturbed, loquacious, coiffed and courteous folks that add to the experience. You know the waiter likes you if he or she divides the matzo ball soup between two bowls when you share. As long as we're hungry after a concert, we'll be noshing at Canter's.

Casual Food at Fine Dining Prices!

Wilson
8631 E. Washington Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90232
Ph: (310) 287-2093


Luckily we had a late lunch since there was a twenty-five minute wait for our 8:30 reservation. But the smells emanating from the kitchen made us anticipate a good meal at Wilson. The restaurant, adjoining an art gallery, has lights of changing colors on the facade. The kitchen is open to the noisy front dining room. We sat on the patio painted with accents of orange. The olive green plastic chairs were a bit stiff, but most comfortable if you sat back and took in the casual ambiance.

Now for the food. We were pleased with the bread, a mix of brown bread sweeten with honey, onion focaccia (UE's favorite) and a country white. Our meals arrived quickly. The slow-roasted pork with polenta was intensely spiced and just sweet enough. Greens layered on top added color. The meat was fork-tender and the African-influenced sauce was dotted with cherries. This is comfort food.

The baby field greens salad was bursting with flavor and color. The greens were surrounded by the homemade croutons, each with their very own tasty treat. While the prosciutto was ordinary, the pesto spread had a hint of curry that made it that more delectable. The vegetable spreads were tomatoes and eggplant. INK especially enjoyed the goat cheese.

The 1/2 jidori chicken laid on a significant pillow of wasabi mashed potatoes with a side of sweet and tangy caramelized onion sauce. The chicken was moist with a thin crisp layer of skin topped with cilantro pesto.....which really tasted like a curried pesto, but still good. Instead of overwhelming each other (and JM), the overall sweet complimented the pesto/curry, however the wasabi was barely noticeable.

Time for dessert! The desserts were simple and satisfying but not inventive. The buttery apple crumble with creme anglaise was very nice if you have a sweet tooth. The creme brulee was standard, but was topped with a generous portion of raspberries.

We were happy with our experience. We proclaimed we would be back! All was good until we were hit with the bill and noticed the $22 desserts we had just consumed! This was no fine dining! Though Wilson started strong with solid entrees and a jolly wait staff, our experience was sullied by the overpriced final course.

we like round food. there's matzo balls, boba, profiteroles, doughnut holes. . .