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.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
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.
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.)
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.
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.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
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.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
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.
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.
Friday, May 25, 2007
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.
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.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
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.
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.
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