Milk for Dinner!

Milk
7290 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 939-6455

A last minute urge for their blue velvet cake brought JM and UE to Milk, but what they got was a good hearty dinner on a cold LA winter night. Milk is typically a great place for lunch or dessert, and now it's good to know it's a great option for a quick dinner! Choosing from the permanent menu on the wall and the specials to the left, orders are made at the counter. It was hard for JM to focus since the gelato case was right next to the register and the dessert case was overflowing with fresh cookies, decorative cakes, colorful cupcakes, plump muffins and lovely bread loaves.

JM and UE shared the warm, creamy, corny with a kick, goodness of the tortilla soup. For the entree, JM had the croque madame. It was unconventional and was probably more like an open faced ham, egg and cheese sandwich topped with sausage gravy, but it hit the spot as a dinner sandwich. UE was craving meat and decided on the media noche. The hot pressed sandwich was hearty and the pickles added a surprising crunch. The side salad was perfectly simple with vinegar and a pinch of sea salt.

For dessert, the decision was extremely difficult. From red velvet cupcakes to strawberry ice cream sandwiches, JM and UE settled on the tres leches cake and the blue velvet cake (of course). The tres leche cake was not as milky and soaked as one would expect. The cake was a dry interpretation of the traditional dessert and needed more sweetness and milk. The vanilla bean whipped topping was nice, but added to the "typical" cake quality. The blue velvet cake was good as usual! The vibrant blue hue may throw some off, but the rich velvety blueberry cake with embedded blueberries helps to overcome the initial color shock quickly. In the end, definitely go for the food, but skip the tres leches....unless you like soggy vanilla cake.

Saturday Afternoon

Amandine Patissiere
12225 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025-1105
(424) 901-1249

After a lunch of ice tea with the vegetable omelette, the ratatouille omelette, and the tuna sandwich on soft pain de mie (each with side salad and sour cornichons), you can’t leave Amandine without dessert. We shared the rich, flourless chocolate gateau with a walnut crust at the café and brought home an almond croissant, a banana chocolate tart and an odd, but cute “zoo animal” brioche mouse.

Happy Birthday to Me: Rose Garden Tea Room

Rose Garden Tea Room
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108

The Huntingon Library is well known for its gorgeous botanical gardens and historical art and manuscript collection. Tucked away in the center of it all is the Rose Garden Tea Room and Cafe. High tea was a bit different from the standard loose leaf selection and crumpets and biscuits tower. Instead, we were given 4 teabag choices and the finger foods were located in a buffet type cart in the center of the room. The egg salad sandwich left a nice buttery aftertaste but the other sandwiches were just decent. There were a good selection of cheeses and the caviar was a nice touch. The cookies and cakes were cute and delightful but after seeing a couple customers stick their heads underneath the cart, we decided to end our tea experience.

The Huntington Library should not be spent indoors. Instead, bring a picnic basket, find a nice shaded spot and just enjoy the scenery.

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.

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")

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.