I was not impressed with Chick-fil-a’s chicken sandwich.  When the notorious fast food joint opened on Sunset, I was excited to try it.  I had heard so many friends rave about this freakin’ chicken sandwich.  I figured it must be the best thing that ever happened to chicken.  I didn’t know how it could be so amazing, but was more than willing to find out.

What?  A dry, thin, chicken patty on a mushy little bun with, I’m sorry, only TWO little pickle slices?  If a chicken sandwich was ever whack, it was this one.  Now I know exactly what disappointment tastes like:  a Chick-fil-a chicken sandwich!

When I read a recent review about the five best chicken sandwiches in LA and saw the photo of Fuku Burger’s Chicken Katsu Sandwich, I was intrigued.  So intrigued that I couldn’t get the crispy, saucy, tasty image out of my mind.  It was distracting me, I had to have one.  An hour later I was parked across the street from Fuku Burger in Hollywood.

It was two in the afternoon, so the shiny, long red tables and matching benches were empty except for a few leftover dudes smushing the last cold fries into their mouths with deep laughter.  The sunshine-infused open air was coaxing me over to the stools on the outer edge of the dining room.

I knew I was getting the #6, The Chicken Katsu Sandwich, but I looked at the menu anyway.  Okay, Garlic Fries too.  Duh.  Jasmin, who was adorable with big friendly eyelashes, took my order.

After an intense photo session, I was ready to eat.  The thing looked just as good sitting in front of me as it did in the photo I saw earlier!  The crispy, panko-skinned meat was dressed with Fuku’s “crack” sauce and a sweet cabbage-slaw. It was completed with a yellow puff of a bun.

“How is it?” Jasmin peeped.  “Oh my God, so good!” I exclaimed, probably too loudly as I continued to chew the insanely good tasting bite in my mouth.  All of my expectations were met.  This was a damn good chicken sandwich.  I purposely ate it very slowly, wanting to experience every bite and all of the flavors for as long as possible…I wanted it to last forever.

As we know, all good things do come to an end, as did my Chicken Katsu Sandwich and  Garlic Fries.  Still wrapped in the late afternoon sunlight, my mind was blown and Fuku’d by my genuine satisfaction.

Jasmin and I said our goodbyes and I left hoping to return very soon…they have happy hour!

My first boyfriend was Belgian, but I never got to experience his cuisine aside from a chocolate bar he gave me once.  Now, twelve years later, living in Los Angeles, myself and other food lovers can have the Belgian experience at Little Bear.  Andre Guerrero and Ryan Sweeney bring their new downtown gastropub out of hibernation this evening.  I had the chance to sample some of the menu earlier this week with fellow restaurant friends, thanks to chef Vidal Martinez.

Roar!  The menu is impressively detailed.  There is a wide selection of appetizers in particular, then salads, sandwiches and main courses.  Ultimately there is something for everyone.

For starters,  we tried the Krokets of roasted butternut squash, parmesan cheese, balsamic emulsion and the Gougeres (Sliders) with fried oysters, crispy bacon, tartar sauce and arugula.  Both were free of my complaints. The flavors and textures were well balanced.

Next, we experienced the Farro Burger with mushrooms, onions, roasted red peppers, red beans, roasted carrots served with bibb lettuce, roasted pepper tofu aioli and avocado; the Smoked Wild Boar Sausage with roasted sweet potatoes, black kale, pearl onions and mustard sauce; the Roast Chicken, a boneless half chicken with braised brussels, fingerling potatoes and salsa verde and lastly, the Potato Ravioli with braised endive, mushroom, leeks, brown butter and mint.  Missing from our order, however, was the Waterzooi.  This is a chicken stew with light cream and mushroom quenelles a traditional classic in Belgium that the entire table was eager to try.  Unfortunately, it never arrived.

The Roast Chicken and Wild Boar Sausage were my favorites.  The chicken was perfectly succulent and the salsa verde was a surprising, but well matched addition.  The smokey taste of the sausage was pleasing because it existed.  It wasn’t just a descriptive word on the menu, it was real and weaved effortlessly through the rich flavor of the meat. The roasted sweet potatoes that carpeted the plate, were the perfect contrast as their light and creamy flavor dissolved the smoke with each alternating bite.  You alternate your meat and potatoes right?

Though we never saw a dessert menu, three different treats and a cheese board bowed to us just when we thought the show was over.  We gladly greeted rice pudding, chocolate mousse, chocolate waffles with cream and the long wooden board decorated with cheese, nuts, fruit, and chocolate pieces.  You’re not doing a Belgian place right if there’s no chocolate!

The dining space is expansive with high warehouse ceilings; quite a large cave for a “Little Bear.”  The setting is pleasant.  Exaggerated gold beer labels add life to the white walls.  The food is very good and takes risks.  There are interesting flavor combinations, yet the plates stay within the Belgian theme.  I commend the executers of this.  As a diner, you understand where you are meant to be transported to, even if you are just in downtown LA.  Cheers and growls Little Bear, I wish you much success and I promise I will be back to try the Waterzooi.

I’ve had a mad love affair with cheese nearly my entire life.  Grilled cheese sandwiches were a favorite as a child. Any cheese would do.  Yellow Cheddar, White Cheddar, Provolone, Jack, Swiss…those were the classics.  Then, when I was seven I discovered Kasseri.

Kasseri is a very sharp Greek cheese and has a very potent odor that most people cannot stand.  I, on the other hand thought it was the greatest cheese ever made.  My parents could not figure out why I loved it so much, they bought it once to try and didn’t like it, but me?  I would eat it by the wedge…gnawing on it like a little mouse.

Every time we took a trip to our favorite gourmet deli in Portland, Elephants Delicatessen, I would go straight to the cheese section and locate my Kasseri. “Tara, this is the stinkiest cheese!  Are you sure you don’t want something else?”  My dad would say.  I didn’t want anything else. I couldn’t wait to gnaw away at the greatest cheese I had ever had!

As an adult Food Pervert, my love for cheese has only grown and matured over the years.  Cheese plates and wine are by far my favorite snack.  I love my cheese all ways: soft, hard, creamy, crumbly, sharp, flavored, mild, goat’s milk, cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, anything except for Blue Cheese.  Blue is the one I don’t do.

The day before my birthday, my friend Brooke offered to take me out to lunch as a present.  The location was my choice. I thought about what I really wanted:  a cheese sandwich!  I did my research and found Say Cheese, a gourmet cheese shop and cafe.  They specialized in sandwiches and the online menu had gotten me very excited.

Say Cheese, is on Hyperion Way in Silverlake.  The minute we walked through the door  I was in Food Pervert Heaven.  The shop was small, but well stocked with cheese of all kinds (including a blueberry stilton) and other gourmet goodies like almond cookies, truffle oil and chocolate covered potato chips!  We made our way to the other side of the building where the cafe lived.  It was small and cozy, the absolute perfect setting for a rainy Monday lunch.

I immediately ordered a cup of coffee.  I had a feeling these people knew how to brew.  My cup never made it to empty the entire course of lunch and dessert; a very good sign.

The menu consisted of two columns; vegetarian and non-vegetarian sandwiches, both with a large variety of cold or oven toasted options.  I went with the Ortolano; a classic Italian combination of roasted eggplant, sun-dried tomato tapenade, fresh mozzarella and parmesan on toasted ciabattina.  It was served on a white plate with a mixed green salad.  The Ortlano was huge, I could only eat one half!   I always judge a sandwich by the bread quality, and this ciabattina met my standards.  It wasn’t too dry or too soft.  It pocketed the warm inside fillings just as it should have, with crispness and uncluttered flavor.

For dessert, I couldn’t resist the macaroons.  I love coconut, especially in desserts and can’t say no to any opportunity to try a new macaroon.  The plate with two cookies were brought to the table in a shockingly elegant display.  They were dressed to the nines in vibrant strawberries and swirls of chocolate sauce.  I approved their quality after my first taste.  Macaroons must have the perfect amount of moisture locked into their hearts and these certainly did.

Say Cheese impressed me with it’s merchandise and it’s Parisian Cafe charm.  The coffee was rich, the food was flavorful and well prepared and the atmosphere was comfortable.  I am a fan of the quaint and unassuming.  Now, where did I put that Kasseri?!

I remember a very special Thanksgiving out as a child food pervert.  My mom, dad, aunt, uncle and cousins decided to go Portland for Thanksgiving weekend and had an amazing meal at famous Jake’s.  Although the experience of being in a restaurant on such a home oriented holiday was different, it wasn’t any less delicious.

If you’re in LA for Thanksgiving and don’t know where to begin basting a turkey, or just don’t want to, make a reservation and go out!

I have gone through the many Thanksgiving Dinner recommendations and made a list based on my own food judgement. Here are some perv-worthy locations!

1. The Bazaar by Jose Andres, Beverly Hills:  You can order their version of Thanksgiving dinner or just order off the amazing regular menu.
2. The Belvedere, Beverly Hills:  Enjoy an indulgent Thanksgiving feast complete with Champagne!
3. Cafe Pinot, Downtown:  If Pecan Cake sounds good to you, then you might want to go here.
4. Campanile, Mid-City:  This charming restaurant will be serving a traditional three course Thanksgiving meal.
5. Cleo, Hollywood:  Their food is simply amazing, I have no doubt that their Thanksgiving offerings will be less than stellar.
6. Craft, Century City:  This well known and highly regarded restaurant will start seating Thanksgiving day reservations at 2pm, for the early birds
7. Duke’s, Malibu:  This will be fun if you want to do Thanksgiving buffet-style!  Traditional items will be prepared along with some Hawaiian specialties.
8. Ford’s Filling Station, Culver City:  If you still want to feel like you’re at home, this is a cozy place to be.
9. Larchmont Grill, Hancock Park:  A classic Thanksgiving dinner complete with pumpkin pie for only $32.00.
10. Naya Sunset, Silverlake:  Keep it simple with a turkey carving station and and bottomless mimosas.

Cheers! xx

Recently, I went on a trip to the countryside and found myself lost in farm fresh flavors and seasonal essentials.  No, I didn’t make the two hour trek to Ojai, I simply visited an enchanting farmhouse atop one of the Sunset Boulevard curves.  Eveleigh specializes in serving the ingredients of local quality with an elegant dash of big city charm. Luckily, it’s fenced between West Hollywood and Beverly Hills so you don’t even have to drive to the country.

The moment I stepped through the grassy patio and inside, the first thing I thought was, “This reminds me of home.”  I grew up on a farm in Oregon, so this is a big statement for me in LA.  There was a fireplace to my left, hardwood floors beneath my heels, and a rectangular bar sitting below a canopy of steadily hanging cow skulls in the restaurant’s center, it’s heart place.  My friend and I were seated along a plush banquette armored with a glossy wooden table.  Divine.

For starters we ordered the crushed peas and burrata with mint, arbequina oil, and olives.  The green spread was sweet and earthy, a lovely complement to the satin creaminess of the burrata.

The other dishes we tried were the prime rib alla’inglese, with celery leaf salsa, seeded mustard, and lemon; the crisp Sonoma pork belly with spiced tree ripe peach, landcress, and shallot-currant salad, and lastly, the wild white shrimp with spicy romesco, lemon-cumin yogurt and garlic crisps.

Everything was seasonally fresh nearly to the second.  So fresh that the scent of the meats, toppings and accessories hit the taste-buds via inhalation of the plate.  The bites themselves did not fail to linger in flavor long after the swallows.  The white shrimp were the largest, and juiciest shrimp I can ever remember eating.  They were deliciously fat and succulent, miniature pigs of the sea.

The night ended with a cheese plate and even though I was full as a harvest moon I didn’t feel over stuffed, just hearty and well fed.  Eveleigh brings something to the table that Los Angeles has been starving for, the honesty of a farm fresh home cooked meal.

I thought I had known everyone in LA’s taco truck club, but this past week I met a new member.  My friend had been telling me for weeks about getting tacos at 1st and Beaudry.  I actually thought it was a taco stand called “1st and Beaudry.”  He kept raving, “Perv, these are the best tacos, I can’t believe you haven’t been yet!” and I couldn’t either.  I finally cleared my schedule to try these so-called amazing tacos.  I’m always down for an adventure that involves food.

We sipped Quita Penas, a smooth tequila at Mas Malo Downtown before going taco crazy. Mmm.  That was some good tequila.  When we were happy, but, hungry around 10:30, we left the bar so I could see what the fuss was about.  I had let the anticipation build to a palpable intensity.  My mind was fantasizing about my first bite.  I was ready to do this.

We arrived at 1st and Beaudry.  It was an empty parking lot.  Almost empty, except for yard-sale-chic, red plastic tables and chairs, a modest white tent, two pick-up trucks, a grill and a table full of taco toppings.  I looked closer at the grill, and there sizzling softly were sheets of finely sliced carne asada, breasts of chicken, and chorizo.  Next to the meats were the deal sealing tortillas, corn and flour, warming easily above the heat of the flame, taking on the savory flavor of the meat smoke.  Oh, and tacos weren’t the only items on the menu.  Let me tell you what a vampiro is.  It’s a quesadilla filled with crushed garlic, cheese, and your choice of meat.  Even in my many travels to Mexico I had never had garlic in a quesadilla and it was explosively perfect.  BAM.

Javier and Esdras grill with a passion, I know this because I tasted it.  ”Mexicali Taco & Co.” is home of “The Original Flame Broiled Taco” and I only know this because I asked for a business card.  These guys don’t need signs, websites, facebook, or twitter.  They have their pick-up trucks, grills, and meats and a compelling trust in, “If we grill it, they will come.”  Don’t let downtown LA scare you, for the love of tacos check out these guys!

Another perfect summer drink?  Lemonade!  I had an amazing lunch today at this charming eatery, known for their flavorful salads and tall exotic lemonades!   I have made a lovely slideshow for you, so please click away to see the good bits

Lemonade, Beverly Hills

My roommate Emily and I put on some summer dresses, sandals and care free attitudes and headed to Marix.  Mirele had warned about these margaritas, so my enthusiasm to try one was very high.  There was one table left outside and just as we were about to sit down a young man came over and said he was actually saving the table, his friends would be arriving shortly.  Bummer.  We took the next best option, sitting at the bar over looking the restaurant.  The people watching was really good until the hostess’ pants started to annoy Emily.

“Can I get you ladies somethi–” we cut our server off.  “Two margaritas please, one on the rocks, one blended.” Me rocks, Emily blended.  He knew we meant business.  Next, we got a good look at the menu.  What was it going to be? Nachos? Quesadilla? Street Tacos? Taquitos? Crunchy Tacos?  The final decision was Quesadilla, Street Tacos (Chicken and Steak), Chicken Taquitos and an order of Guac for the huge basket of chips we would obviously be consuming in addition to everything else.

I wasn’t even halfway done with my margarita when I started feeling it.  Mirele doesn’t lie!  It didn’t matter how much I continued to stuff my stomach with greasy delicious taco bites, the buzz had arrived and wasn’t going anywhere.  Unlike my margarita at El Toro, that was too big too handle, I was doing quite well with this one.

Those greasy bites were just what we were craving.  The taquitos in particular really wowed us.  We had both expected skinny sticks, frozen-food-aisle style, on a plate.  That’s not what we got at all!  We got an impressive presentation of thick chicken filled rolls cut in half and arranged like pillars, on a bed of lettuce and tomato, drizzled with sour cream and sprinkled with shreds of white and yellow cheddar cheese.  Epic taquitos!

Our server tried clearing our plates several times before we actually let him, we couldn’t help ourselves from eating every last bite.  Our buzzes were in full effect and we turned into our alter egos, Romy and Michelle, just two cute girls having a lot of fun without making a lot of sense. It only took one Marix Margarita to make it happen! This was an excellent start to what proved to be the best summer weekend yet.

An incredible Breakfast Sandwich at Grub, Hollywood.

Brunch is what happens when breakfast and lunch get drunk together and make-out. It can be messy sometimes, but always tastes good. Eggs Benedict, Belgian Waffles, French Toast, Spinach Frittata, Huevos Rancheros, Bacon, Sausage, Home Fries, Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice…as Charlie Sheen might say, “What’s not to love??!!”

All of the best foods are offered during this mid-day feast.  Quite simply, a good brunch plate is Food Pervert paradise.  It has the best-tasting arrangements of carbs and proteins. It’s the the royal treatment of all meals.  Which makes sense, because the most popular brunch of the year is Mother’s Day Brunch.  My mother is a Queen, isn’t yours?

Americans delight in brunch culture.  We work hard all week and then get to reward ourselves, most often on Sunday, with a medley of well engineered breakfast/lunch combinations.  It’s actually a very interesting aspect of our culture and society.  Meals are often used as the setting for relaxation, celebration, and enjoyment.  I don’t think there’s a meal that does this better than brunch.

I did some research on where this “magic meal” came from.  On the world wide web, not a lot appeared. Wikipedia was useless.  The best I could find was a website called “The Food Timeline.”  They explained that brunch originated in Britain (duh) and was a leisurely activity (again, duh).  Brunch became popular in the United States at the turn of the 20th Century.  That’s when Mother’s Day Brunch was introduced!  It’s been around that long…we have been enjoying brunch for over 100 years!

When my friends and I go to brunch, we bring our cajones, no fruit plates or granola allowed, no holding back.  It’s a meal about full indulgence.  There is no skipping on anything!  If you want coffee AND juice, you get both!  Hell, throw a Bloody Mary and Mimosa into the mix too while you’re at it!  Can’t decide between the sausage skillet and the croissant french toast?  Get both!  Or, if you’re watching the pocketbook, have everyone in your group order something different and agree on sharing it all.  Also, brunch is never rushed.  It is to be savored, so make reservations and just stay until your fork is too heavy to pick up again or if you’ve personally introduced yourself to the server…twice.

Unfortunately, I don’t get to enjoy brunch much these days, even though I attend them every Saturday and Sunday…as a Hostess.  That’s right, I hostess weekends at BLD on Beverly Blvd.  It is one of LA’s best brunches and not getting to participate in the devouring of the many brunch-perfect plates that surround me for seven hours, is one of my versions of Hell.  However, I love food so much that I would rather be around it and not eat it than not be around it at all!  Oh, and if you have never been to BLD, all I’m going to say is, “Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes.”

This weekend,  I advise you to get a table, order everything you want, enjoy every bite and celebrate that fact that brunch even exists.

Cheers to Brunch XX,

Tara

The Food Pervert

Get Brunching at my Favorite Places!

*Grub/Hollywood

*Jack n’ Jills/Beverly Hills

*La Conversacion/West Hollywood

*Taste/West Hollywood

*BLD/West Hollywood

*The Waffle/Hollywood

*Malo/Silverlake

*The Griddle/West Hollywood

*Le Pain Quotidien/Larchmont

*Blue Jam Cafe/West Hollywood

*Alcove/Los Feliz