I know it's Christmas and I should post something festive. Sadly, I have nothing.
Instead, I shall present the first WKMTZagat poll!
How do you feel about Ranch dressing, and its increasing pervasiveness within the American casual culinary scene (I think Spago is safe for now, while Hometown Buffet probably offers 4 different blends of Ranch dressing)?
Comment! (I will go first)
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Jones & Nationale
Tuesday was Dinah's birthday.
She is a girl from Arizona I met along with another named Rebecca from NY.
The two of them met in New York.
They now live in LA.
And boy, they really love celebrities.
And celebrating.
So we went to Jones.
Here is my critique with layout inspiration from Joanne!
Atmosphere:
Now, many of the comments about Jones on citysearch.com are not true.
The music is not too loud.
What's loud is just the amount of people.
And these people are verrrrrry trendy.
Good thing I was wearing green eyeliner and was with a hot gay boy,
otherwise I don't know if they would let me in.
Food:
I didn't get there until everyone was done with dinner. I hear the food's great though, and so said the NYers. But I had dessert and boy, was it deliciiiious! Creme Brulee, amazing. Just solid and creamy enough inside and just crispy and thick enough on top. WOW.
Service:
I thought that the wait service there would be horrible considering that service generally becomes exponentially worse with trendiness of restaurant. But, we had a cute, nice, AND trendy waitress. She said she wished she could talk with us more, except for her to do that, she'd stand in the aisle and everyone would be trying to squeeze by. But she made her best effort, which was really a great effort, and impressed even ME! As soon as our h2o bottle would empty, a hand would come, sweep it up, and place a new full bottle of water on our table.
And though it was quite loud there, I didn't have hard time socializing with my group of friends or talking over all the noise.
Then we made our way over to Nationale.
Amazing club.
Amazingly hard to get into...
unless you're a group of hot chicks not wearing much...
or one of the people you're with "knows someone"
and luckily for me, I experienced the later.
Atmosphere:
Outside, you'd think you were about to step into a rap video. Everyone waiting in line outside looks ghetto fabolous or like some of the Persian students you might see "studying" at Powell. You know what I mean? But then you walk in and see that it's all a facade for the mostly rich white crowd inside. It's unappealing at first, but then you realize that there's a generally good mix in the club. White, black, asian, latino, native american... I sure saw quite a few colors of the rainbow in there. And though everyone's trendy and obviously checking everyone else out, people generally keep to themselves, and the boys aren't TOO grabby. Though the dance floor's a bit small, a lot of people just go there to chill. Also, there's this neat-o smoking area upstairs that's closed off, but open air. Anyway the atmosphere in 3 phrases would be: trendy but not too snobby, rich and posh, generally very fun.
Music:
WOW. WOW. I sang along to "I Want You Back", "California Love", "Next Episode", "99 Problems", Lauren Hill, Bob Marley, A Tribe Called Quest. YEAH. GOOD freaking music. Takes me wayyyy back... back to middle school, when I was a wee ghetto 7th grader who was all about the A-Z-N pryde! yeYAH! But if you're looking for that good ole hip hop, Nationale on tuesdays has got ya covered.
Drinks:
I ordered a vodka tonic, only to find that the emphasis was on the VODKA not the TONIC. That was a strong drink, until the ice began to melt, then it just became mostly watered down vodka. I don't know how the rest of their drinks were, but this one was definitely not up to par with vodka tonics I've had in the past.
Yeah. Fun fun fun night. Nationale, I would definitely make the trip back. I don't know how much cover is though. Probably about $20? I'm not sure. Jones, I would venture back to if my pocket book was feelin' it and so was my cockiness. But at both the places I mention above, they do check id. Don't forget to be 21 before you mosey on in.
She is a girl from Arizona I met along with another named Rebecca from NY.
The two of them met in New York.
They now live in LA.
And boy, they really love celebrities.
And celebrating.
So we went to Jones.
Here is my critique with layout inspiration from Joanne!
Atmosphere:
Now, many of the comments about Jones on citysearch.com are not true.
The music is not too loud.
What's loud is just the amount of people.
And these people are verrrrrry trendy.
Good thing I was wearing green eyeliner and was with a hot gay boy,
otherwise I don't know if they would let me in.
Food:
I didn't get there until everyone was done with dinner. I hear the food's great though, and so said the NYers. But I had dessert and boy, was it deliciiiious! Creme Brulee, amazing. Just solid and creamy enough inside and just crispy and thick enough on top. WOW.
Service:
I thought that the wait service there would be horrible considering that service generally becomes exponentially worse with trendiness of restaurant. But, we had a cute, nice, AND trendy waitress. She said she wished she could talk with us more, except for her to do that, she'd stand in the aisle and everyone would be trying to squeeze by. But she made her best effort, which was really a great effort, and impressed even ME! As soon as our h2o bottle would empty, a hand would come, sweep it up, and place a new full bottle of water on our table.
And though it was quite loud there, I didn't have hard time socializing with my group of friends or talking over all the noise.
Then we made our way over to Nationale.
Amazing club.
Amazingly hard to get into...
unless you're a group of hot chicks not wearing much...
or one of the people you're with "knows someone"
and luckily for me, I experienced the later.
Atmosphere:
Outside, you'd think you were about to step into a rap video. Everyone waiting in line outside looks ghetto fabolous or like some of the Persian students you might see "studying" at Powell. You know what I mean? But then you walk in and see that it's all a facade for the mostly rich white crowd inside. It's unappealing at first, but then you realize that there's a generally good mix in the club. White, black, asian, latino, native american... I sure saw quite a few colors of the rainbow in there. And though everyone's trendy and obviously checking everyone else out, people generally keep to themselves, and the boys aren't TOO grabby. Though the dance floor's a bit small, a lot of people just go there to chill. Also, there's this neat-o smoking area upstairs that's closed off, but open air. Anyway the atmosphere in 3 phrases would be: trendy but not too snobby, rich and posh, generally very fun.
Music:
WOW. WOW. I sang along to "I Want You Back", "California Love", "Next Episode", "99 Problems", Lauren Hill, Bob Marley, A Tribe Called Quest. YEAH. GOOD freaking music. Takes me wayyyy back... back to middle school, when I was a wee ghetto 7th grader who was all about the A-Z-N pryde! yeYAH! But if you're looking for that good ole hip hop, Nationale on tuesdays has got ya covered.
Drinks:
I ordered a vodka tonic, only to find that the emphasis was on the VODKA not the TONIC. That was a strong drink, until the ice began to melt, then it just became mostly watered down vodka. I don't know how the rest of their drinks were, but this one was definitely not up to par with vodka tonics I've had in the past.
Yeah. Fun fun fun night. Nationale, I would definitely make the trip back. I don't know how much cover is though. Probably about $20? I'm not sure. Jones, I would venture back to if my pocket book was feelin' it and so was my cockiness. But at both the places I mention above, they do check id. Don't forget to be 21 before you mosey on in.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
(Unrelated) Happy Birthday!
WKMTZ (probably) wishes Mindy a happy birthday. I know I do!
don't forget to check out her newly redesigned blog at www.actuallycrazy.com
Ravi
don't forget to check out her newly redesigned blog at www.actuallycrazy.com
Ravi
Monday, December 19, 2005
The Buffet at Wynn Resort & Casino
***WARNING: long post ahead.***
I must admit... gluttony is one sin I indulge in on a fairly consistent basis. Albeit, it doesn't help I was raised Asian and therefore have the idea that eating 3x one's body mass at a buffet is standard conduct (that is, if one wants to make their experience at said buffet worth the price of admission). Since I was in Sin City this past weekend, I thought I would venture into the newest of the luxury buffets for kicks.
It all started out at 2:15PM, local time. Everything seemed hazy considering the lack of sleep I suffered the entire weekend (damn the poker tables!) and the lack of food in my stomach. But no, I was determined to hold it out and gorge like there was no tomorrow at this buffet. We opted to sneak into the Champagne Brunch at the Wynn Resort & Casino before it hit the dinner hour so that we could: (1) enjoy the brunch items like scrambled egg whites, honey-cured bacon, and apparently, candy apples; (2) partake in the consumption of unlimited champagne/bloody mary(s)/mimosas until we were redder than a redneck; (3) and hopefully make it for the first run of dinner items all for the cheaper price of the Sunday brunch. Cheap asses... maybe. Brilliant... I think so.
We enter the ridiculously New England/Martha Stewart-decorated facility which housed ostrich leather chairs and granite tables. At this point, I was hoping that the $30 I spent on the buffet wasn't used to pay off the fake mangos on display. We were promptly seated at a table to accommodate seven starving people eager to try everything on the menu. The table was sufficient enough to hold at least 2 plates and 3-4 glasses of assorted beverages per person. I started off with a mimosa (the first of 5). Yum.
Now on to the actual food. Note: I did not bother with the salad area. That's filler and doesn't really make a point to land in my plate.
First run: I hit the seafood section. My father believes this holds the most money and therefore, should be gobbled up in large quantities. I can disagree (as demonstrated by the cherry-infused venison served at the Bellagio buffet). However, it was closest to my table and therefore, the first area I had to attack. Needless to say, it was abundant in the variety. No longer did the buffet customer had to endure endless platters of smoked salmon. No, no, no. We had tuna poki (which was, by far, my favorite item in the seafood section), tiger shrimp cocktail, octopus salad, ceviche, spicy salmon salad, teriyaki broiled swordfish, smoked sturgeon, white anchovies, seafood frittata, and grilled salmon. Mind you, this was just the brunch! When the dinner came out, we had your typical pile of Alaskan King crab legs, with clarified butter, more baked fish, clams in a white wine sauce, mussels in a spicy tomato sauce. But what really sealed the deal was the shrimp risotto bar (you could make the risotta to your liking, using the 8 ingredients in front of you... reminiscent of the omelet bar at Hedrick). I made mine with shrimp, carmelized onions, mushrooms, garlic, and... TRUFFLE BUTTER. Ah, yes. I didn't think I would be so young and experience the glorious taste that is truffles. Okay, so it was in a very small quantity; but it was definitely what made my risotto that much yummier.
Next area: the "breakfast/later on to become the carvery" area. They had your stereotypical scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage. Silver dollar pancakes, Belgian waffles, and French toast were plenty. But to differentiate themselves from other brunch buffets, they included creamy butter mushrooms, eggs benedict with a hint of cayenne pepper, scrambled egg whites, a make-your-own omelet bar (which featured at least 5 more ingredients than the aforementioned Hedrick), scrambled eggs with chorizo, chiliquiles, and, oddly, prime rib. But the highlight was the specialty slab honey-cured bacon--basically, a giant slab of extremely fatty pork that can be sliced to your desired thickness. So tasty, but after every bite, I felt myself get closer to needing a triple bypass. But as brunch disappeared... out came the plethora of meat and more meat. We had: grilled pork loin, prime rib, Kansas BBQ ribs, fried chicken, roasted chicken, lamb chops, tandoori chicken, and something else I can't quite remember. As for the side dishes for our meaty affair, out came the mash potatoes, the ravioli, the tortellini, buttery carrots, and corn. Oh, and the yummy mushrooms were there too.
What is a Vegas buffet without Asian food?! Ah, but for brunch is where it got interesting. They had a "make your own" congee bar. That's right, a CONGEE bar. How random, yet somewhat satisfying. I admit, I did not bother with this because I felt that I could make an equally yummy bowl of congee at home. But for a full recount of my experience, here are the items you could add: ginger, duck eggs, that shredded pork stuff, green onions, fish, ground beef, and regular eggs. Saw a line of Chinese grandmas waiting for this. Other than that, they had spicy eggplant, spring rolls, rice, gai lan (Chinese broccoli), and some assorted meat dish in the area. There was sushi, of course, but definitely a lack of tempura items (a plus in my book, if you ask me). Apparently, the dinner consisted of lots of seafood-y items and curries. Oh, and then there was Indian items too like praathi (is that right? that cracker thingy?). On the other hand, I couldn't venture so far as to reach this area again because by my 3rd plate of food, I wanted to vomit on myself.
The last area I will cover is the most important of them all... DESSERT. As mentioned earlier, they had candied apples--one of the most random desserts one will ever find at a buffet. Here are the list of yummy things they had: raspberry tarts with a lemon curd, floating islands (one of my new favorite desserts, courtesy of some random steak restaurants in France), mango and strawberry sorbet (they actually had 10 different gelato/sorbet flavors and a variety of toppings like shredded coconut, prailines, or almonds), flan, something I understood to be a rum ball but know there is a real name for it, bananas foster, and white chocolate mousse. Dislikes: the creme brulee was alright, and they only had sugarfree pecan/apple/berry pies. What if I did want sugar in them?! They had the typical assortment of cookies and miniature cupcakes to appease the kiddies, but I didn't bother. Not my style. My favorite, by far, was the mango sorbet. Delicious. They had bread pudding, but again, too lazy to get up to get some.
And on random notes... they had rambutan (sp?) which look like hairy/prickly lychees. Yummy. Pineapple was sweet--probably Maui Gold. Their soups looked delicious, but wasn't in the mood for chicken noodle or a gumbo. The breads reminded me of the ones from La Brea Bakery, as seen at places like Costco.
All in all, the experience was enjoyable and made me want to unbutton and unzip my pants to accommodate my gorging stomach. Definitely a tasty time, but I don't think I can see myself eating here for dinner. Will only continue the "brunch/dinner" approach with Wynn's buffet. And I will still head over to Bellagio for their crepes and creme brulee any day.
Sadly, I can describe other ventures in the Vegas buffets. So if you ever find yourself dying to know whether the Rio is all that it is cracked up to be--ask and I shall divulge.
--Megan
I must admit... gluttony is one sin I indulge in on a fairly consistent basis. Albeit, it doesn't help I was raised Asian and therefore have the idea that eating 3x one's body mass at a buffet is standard conduct (that is, if one wants to make their experience at said buffet worth the price of admission). Since I was in Sin City this past weekend, I thought I would venture into the newest of the luxury buffets for kicks.
It all started out at 2:15PM, local time. Everything seemed hazy considering the lack of sleep I suffered the entire weekend (damn the poker tables!) and the lack of food in my stomach. But no, I was determined to hold it out and gorge like there was no tomorrow at this buffet. We opted to sneak into the Champagne Brunch at the Wynn Resort & Casino before it hit the dinner hour so that we could: (1) enjoy the brunch items like scrambled egg whites, honey-cured bacon, and apparently, candy apples; (2) partake in the consumption of unlimited champagne/bloody mary(s)/mimosas until we were redder than a redneck; (3) and hopefully make it for the first run of dinner items all for the cheaper price of the Sunday brunch. Cheap asses... maybe. Brilliant... I think so.
We enter the ridiculously New England/Martha Stewart-decorated facility which housed ostrich leather chairs and granite tables. At this point, I was hoping that the $30 I spent on the buffet wasn't used to pay off the fake mangos on display. We were promptly seated at a table to accommodate seven starving people eager to try everything on the menu. The table was sufficient enough to hold at least 2 plates and 3-4 glasses of assorted beverages per person. I started off with a mimosa (the first of 5). Yum.
Now on to the actual food. Note: I did not bother with the salad area. That's filler and doesn't really make a point to land in my plate.
First run: I hit the seafood section. My father believes this holds the most money and therefore, should be gobbled up in large quantities. I can disagree (as demonstrated by the cherry-infused venison served at the Bellagio buffet). However, it was closest to my table and therefore, the first area I had to attack. Needless to say, it was abundant in the variety. No longer did the buffet customer had to endure endless platters of smoked salmon. No, no, no. We had tuna poki (which was, by far, my favorite item in the seafood section), tiger shrimp cocktail, octopus salad, ceviche, spicy salmon salad, teriyaki broiled swordfish, smoked sturgeon, white anchovies, seafood frittata, and grilled salmon. Mind you, this was just the brunch! When the dinner came out, we had your typical pile of Alaskan King crab legs, with clarified butter, more baked fish, clams in a white wine sauce, mussels in a spicy tomato sauce. But what really sealed the deal was the shrimp risotto bar (you could make the risotta to your liking, using the 8 ingredients in front of you... reminiscent of the omelet bar at Hedrick). I made mine with shrimp, carmelized onions, mushrooms, garlic, and... TRUFFLE BUTTER. Ah, yes. I didn't think I would be so young and experience the glorious taste that is truffles. Okay, so it was in a very small quantity; but it was definitely what made my risotto that much yummier.
Next area: the "breakfast/later on to become the carvery" area. They had your stereotypical scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage. Silver dollar pancakes, Belgian waffles, and French toast were plenty. But to differentiate themselves from other brunch buffets, they included creamy butter mushrooms, eggs benedict with a hint of cayenne pepper, scrambled egg whites, a make-your-own omelet bar (which featured at least 5 more ingredients than the aforementioned Hedrick), scrambled eggs with chorizo, chiliquiles, and, oddly, prime rib. But the highlight was the specialty slab honey-cured bacon--basically, a giant slab of extremely fatty pork that can be sliced to your desired thickness. So tasty, but after every bite, I felt myself get closer to needing a triple bypass. But as brunch disappeared... out came the plethora of meat and more meat. We had: grilled pork loin, prime rib, Kansas BBQ ribs, fried chicken, roasted chicken, lamb chops, tandoori chicken, and something else I can't quite remember. As for the side dishes for our meaty affair, out came the mash potatoes, the ravioli, the tortellini, buttery carrots, and corn. Oh, and the yummy mushrooms were there too.
What is a Vegas buffet without Asian food?! Ah, but for brunch is where it got interesting. They had a "make your own" congee bar. That's right, a CONGEE bar. How random, yet somewhat satisfying. I admit, I did not bother with this because I felt that I could make an equally yummy bowl of congee at home. But for a full recount of my experience, here are the items you could add: ginger, duck eggs, that shredded pork stuff, green onions, fish, ground beef, and regular eggs. Saw a line of Chinese grandmas waiting for this. Other than that, they had spicy eggplant, spring rolls, rice, gai lan (Chinese broccoli), and some assorted meat dish in the area. There was sushi, of course, but definitely a lack of tempura items (a plus in my book, if you ask me). Apparently, the dinner consisted of lots of seafood-y items and curries. Oh, and then there was Indian items too like praathi (is that right? that cracker thingy?). On the other hand, I couldn't venture so far as to reach this area again because by my 3rd plate of food, I wanted to vomit on myself.
The last area I will cover is the most important of them all... DESSERT. As mentioned earlier, they had candied apples--one of the most random desserts one will ever find at a buffet. Here are the list of yummy things they had: raspberry tarts with a lemon curd, floating islands (one of my new favorite desserts, courtesy of some random steak restaurants in France), mango and strawberry sorbet (they actually had 10 different gelato/sorbet flavors and a variety of toppings like shredded coconut, prailines, or almonds), flan, something I understood to be a rum ball but know there is a real name for it, bananas foster, and white chocolate mousse. Dislikes: the creme brulee was alright, and they only had sugarfree pecan/apple/berry pies. What if I did want sugar in them?! They had the typical assortment of cookies and miniature cupcakes to appease the kiddies, but I didn't bother. Not my style. My favorite, by far, was the mango sorbet. Delicious. They had bread pudding, but again, too lazy to get up to get some.
And on random notes... they had rambutan (sp?) which look like hairy/prickly lychees. Yummy. Pineapple was sweet--probably Maui Gold. Their soups looked delicious, but wasn't in the mood for chicken noodle or a gumbo. The breads reminded me of the ones from La Brea Bakery, as seen at places like Costco.
All in all, the experience was enjoyable and made me want to unbutton and unzip my pants to accommodate my gorging stomach. Definitely a tasty time, but I don't think I can see myself eating here for dinner. Will only continue the "brunch/dinner" approach with Wynn's buffet. And I will still head over to Bellagio for their crepes and creme brulee any day.
Sadly, I can describe other ventures in the Vegas buffets. So if you ever find yourself dying to know whether the Rio is all that it is cracked up to be--ask and I shall divulge.
--Megan
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Wilshire Restaurant (2)
Wilshire Restaurant is like a young Mexican girl on the eve of her Quincieñera: bright-eyed, beautiful and eager to enter the best years of her life. Though WR has yet to develop a strong following it has all the makings of a great restaurant. The service, fare and ambience of this newbie effortlessly keeps up with the Jones' of this town (more commonly known as the Puck's and the Chow's) Give this place a couple more years and you'll definitely run into a couple of those no talent ass clowns from "The OC".
Service: Good
The staff is pretty young but definitely well trained. At first I got a "Aah geez here come a couple of kids who are going to drink water and leave me a shitty tip" vibe from our waiter but that lasted only miliseconds. (It might've even been in my head, who knows?)They were very attentive, the courses came out like clockwork, and one of them even offerred to adjust the heating lamp when they thought I was cold.
Fare: Very Good
I don't usually order chicken at restaurants because KFC does a pretty good job but the chicken breast offerred on WR's menu was too tempting to pass up. IT WAS PERFECTION.
Skin: Crispy
Meat: Juicy
jus: well there is no such thing as bad jus
farm fresh vegetables: foreign but delectable, esp. when rubbed all up in the jus.
Ambience: perfect
I generally hate eating out on the patio because I feel like the restaurant is telling me that I'm not important enough to eat inside the house. This outdoor patio, however, REALLY does feel like an indoor patio because its warm and there is a lot going on above the tables (giving it a bit of a treehouse feel) and the music is just loud enough.
Bad stuff: The cups in this joint are awkward and stupid. Imagine the coconut cups that Gilligan and the gang used on the island except they are made of glass. I practically had to hold it with two hands. I was afraid my mits were going to shatter the delicate glass or that I was going to accidentally take a bite of one whilst drinking.
Other than that, the place is great. Be ready to spend between 50-75 dollars a person. And don't come when you're in a rush because you'll be there at least an hour and a half. Like a Quincieñera party, Wilshire Restaurant will practically take up an entire night of your life but UNLIKE a Quincieñera party, your night won't end in a no holds barred chola brawl complete with lipstick liner shanks and wind tunnel bang casualties.
Service: Good
The staff is pretty young but definitely well trained. At first I got a "Aah geez here come a couple of kids who are going to drink water and leave me a shitty tip" vibe from our waiter but that lasted only miliseconds. (It might've even been in my head, who knows?)They were very attentive, the courses came out like clockwork, and one of them even offerred to adjust the heating lamp when they thought I was cold.
Fare: Very Good
I don't usually order chicken at restaurants because KFC does a pretty good job but the chicken breast offerred on WR's menu was too tempting to pass up. IT WAS PERFECTION.
Skin: Crispy
Meat: Juicy
jus: well there is no such thing as bad jus
farm fresh vegetables: foreign but delectable, esp. when rubbed all up in the jus.
Ambience: perfect
I generally hate eating out on the patio because I feel like the restaurant is telling me that I'm not important enough to eat inside the house. This outdoor patio, however, REALLY does feel like an indoor patio because its warm and there is a lot going on above the tables (giving it a bit of a treehouse feel) and the music is just loud enough.
Bad stuff: The cups in this joint are awkward and stupid. Imagine the coconut cups that Gilligan and the gang used on the island except they are made of glass. I practically had to hold it with two hands. I was afraid my mits were going to shatter the delicate glass or that I was going to accidentally take a bite of one whilst drinking.
Other than that, the place is great. Be ready to spend between 50-75 dollars a person. And don't come when you're in a rush because you'll be there at least an hour and a half. Like a Quincieñera party, Wilshire Restaurant will practically take up an entire night of your life but UNLIKE a Quincieñera party, your night won't end in a no holds barred chola brawl complete with lipstick liner shanks and wind tunnel bang casualties.
Friday, December 16, 2005
Wilshire Restaurant (1)
I'd eat here every day if any one of these people was my father.
Apparently they aren't real, so I guess I'll have to survive eating at Wilshire once in a blue moon.
I started with foie gras, and while I enjoyed the opportunity to try it, I'll probably never have it again (sort of like 6th grade camp for my tummy). Still it was tasty.
Oh, and the bread. Three varieties: olive, some sort of fruit-and-pumpernickel (probably prunes), and plain french. They were all decent but not earth-shattering.
For the main course I ordered the Santa Barbara sea bass. A hallmark of the Wilshire Restaurant is their commitment to purchase organic food from local farms and fisheries. I don't know if I tasted the difference, but what I did taste was fantastic. Possibly the best fish I've ever had.
The dessert was a lot like power in that I couldn't get enough. Chocolate cake with caramel ice cream sprinkled with delicious.
None of the portions were huge, but there was so much and it was so well-timed that I never felt uncomfortably full or still hungry.
Impeccable service: whenever I needed a water refill all I had to do was turn my head and there they'd be.
I wish we had taken pictures, but I thought it'd be out of place in a restaurant like this, so you'll just have to imagine it. Outdoor seating that doesn't feel like outdoor seating.
I'm really tired, so that's all I'm going to write. I'd like to note that Joanne said she'd have her review up that night (Wednesday) but seems to be at a loss for words. So, really, I hadn't planned to write much.
http://www.wilshirerestaurant.com/
Overall, the meal made me feel:
(yes, that's Steven Seagal, perhaps the most underrated actor of our time)
-->Ravi
Apparently they aren't real, so I guess I'll have to survive eating at Wilshire once in a blue moon.
I started with foie gras, and while I enjoyed the opportunity to try it, I'll probably never have it again (sort of like 6th grade camp for my tummy). Still it was tasty.
Oh, and the bread. Three varieties: olive, some sort of fruit-and-pumpernickel (probably prunes), and plain french. They were all decent but not earth-shattering.
For the main course I ordered the Santa Barbara sea bass. A hallmark of the Wilshire Restaurant is their commitment to purchase organic food from local farms and fisheries. I don't know if I tasted the difference, but what I did taste was fantastic. Possibly the best fish I've ever had.
The dessert was a lot like power in that I couldn't get enough. Chocolate cake with caramel ice cream sprinkled with delicious.
None of the portions were huge, but there was so much and it was so well-timed that I never felt uncomfortably full or still hungry.
Impeccable service: whenever I needed a water refill all I had to do was turn my head and there they'd be.
I wish we had taken pictures, but I thought it'd be out of place in a restaurant like this, so you'll just have to imagine it. Outdoor seating that doesn't feel like outdoor seating.
I'm really tired, so that's all I'm going to write. I'd like to note that Joanne said she'd have her review up that night (Wednesday) but seems to be at a loss for words. So, really, I hadn't planned to write much.
http://www.wilshirerestaurant.com/
Overall, the meal made me feel:
(yes, that's Steven Seagal, perhaps the most underrated actor of our time)
-->Ravi
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Two Ya's, One Day
Thus begins the continuation of the saga of the Blog of Jenn via We Know More Than Zagat.
This past Saturday, December 10th, I had the great fortune of experiencing two Ya's in one day. Though, I first must admit that I've been to both of these restaurants previously.
The first is Ramen Ya. What can be said about Ramen Ya. Now, I must first compare/contrast Ramen Ya to Asahi Ramen. I'd heard quite a bit about Asahi, that it was amazing, etc. But when I had ramen there, all my friends and I could really say about it was... it's really SALTY. I could feel the MSG burning into my stomach lining and even felt a bit dizzy, which has never happened before because of MSG. Anyway, I was very wary of going to another Ramen house in the vicinity of Asahi.
But since the first time I went to Ramen Ya (which I've learned basically means Ramen Shop in Japanese) I've had their Mabo Ramen + Spinach, Miso Ramen, Wakame Ramen, and Gyoza. Mabo is a wonderful chinese creation that can only be described as ground beef and tofu in Mabo sauce. It's a bit thicker than the usual ramen soup, but is spicy and yummy. Miso ramen is all that can be expected of miso ramen. Wakame Ramen is for the vegetarian in you. It has seaweed, carrots, bamboo shoots, waterchest nuts, and more. It's light and at the same time filling. Gyoza are delicate and flavorful. All have been great. Everyone I've taken there has left full, satified, and happy, and often with leftovers.
With their Ramen ranging from $6.25 - $7.75, it's a pretty cheap eat too! The main thing about Ramen Ya that seems to stand out to people is that their NOODLES are exceptional. It's not the broth or toppings or side orders, it's the NOODLES. So there you have it.
Next up is Honda Ya.
This is quite a far drive from LA, but I believe it's worth the trip. Honda Ya is basically a Japanese pub, where their serve up the Japanese equivalent to the Spanish tapas. It is always crowded, and for good reason.
I've had their Takoyaki (Octopus pancake like balls), Albacore Sashimi, Saitamo Azami? Ni (A broiled taro pot), Miso Eggplant, Bacon Asparagus, Rainbow Roll, Negiyaki (soft, chewy salty turnip cakes), and more that I can't remember. My favorite include Albacore sashimi, takoyaki, and miso eggplant. The sashimi comes with watercress sprouts, shaved daikon, garlic chips, sweet soy sauce, and is absolutely melt in your mouth divine. Takoyaki is a bit more rough, but the pancake like outside is soft and delicious, with the tiny surprise of octopus leg in the middle, and smothered in a delicious bbq sauce, with ginger and mayo on the side. Miso eggplant is a salty sweet treat, always served super hot off the grill, it also melts in your mouth life a sweet treat from your Japanese friend's mom.
A warning though, *DO NOT GO THERE FOR SUSHI* Though the sushi is indeed delicious, the reason for going to Honda Ya lies in their tiny plates, which can be found on the first pages of the menu and their secondary menu. Another warning is that this place adds up. If you're a heavy eater, a gourmand, not gourmet as they say in french, then Honda Ya is not your place. With their little plates ranging from $2.95 - $5.95, it can really add up, and you'll be spending at least $15/person for dinner. BUT SO WORTH IT AND the GAS AND WEAR & TEAR ON YOUR CAR. Another important note is that the Honda Ya is only open from 5pm -1am.
Ramen Ya
located on Olympic just west of Colby
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=W+Olympic+Blvd+%26+Colby+Ave,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90064&iwloc=A&hl=en
Honda Ya
556 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92780-4308
This past Saturday, December 10th, I had the great fortune of experiencing two Ya's in one day. Though, I first must admit that I've been to both of these restaurants previously.
The first is Ramen Ya. What can be said about Ramen Ya. Now, I must first compare/contrast Ramen Ya to Asahi Ramen. I'd heard quite a bit about Asahi, that it was amazing, etc. But when I had ramen there, all my friends and I could really say about it was... it's really SALTY. I could feel the MSG burning into my stomach lining and even felt a bit dizzy, which has never happened before because of MSG. Anyway, I was very wary of going to another Ramen house in the vicinity of Asahi.
But since the first time I went to Ramen Ya (which I've learned basically means Ramen Shop in Japanese) I've had their Mabo Ramen + Spinach, Miso Ramen, Wakame Ramen, and Gyoza. Mabo is a wonderful chinese creation that can only be described as ground beef and tofu in Mabo sauce. It's a bit thicker than the usual ramen soup, but is spicy and yummy. Miso ramen is all that can be expected of miso ramen. Wakame Ramen is for the vegetarian in you. It has seaweed, carrots, bamboo shoots, waterchest nuts, and more. It's light and at the same time filling. Gyoza are delicate and flavorful. All have been great. Everyone I've taken there has left full, satified, and happy, and often with leftovers.
With their Ramen ranging from $6.25 - $7.75, it's a pretty cheap eat too! The main thing about Ramen Ya that seems to stand out to people is that their NOODLES are exceptional. It's not the broth or toppings or side orders, it's the NOODLES. So there you have it.
Next up is Honda Ya.
This is quite a far drive from LA, but I believe it's worth the trip. Honda Ya is basically a Japanese pub, where their serve up the Japanese equivalent to the Spanish tapas. It is always crowded, and for good reason.
I've had their Takoyaki (Octopus pancake like balls), Albacore Sashimi, Saitamo Azami? Ni (A broiled taro pot), Miso Eggplant, Bacon Asparagus, Rainbow Roll, Negiyaki (soft, chewy salty turnip cakes), and more that I can't remember. My favorite include Albacore sashimi, takoyaki, and miso eggplant. The sashimi comes with watercress sprouts, shaved daikon, garlic chips, sweet soy sauce, and is absolutely melt in your mouth divine. Takoyaki is a bit more rough, but the pancake like outside is soft and delicious, with the tiny surprise of octopus leg in the middle, and smothered in a delicious bbq sauce, with ginger and mayo on the side. Miso eggplant is a salty sweet treat, always served super hot off the grill, it also melts in your mouth life a sweet treat from your Japanese friend's mom.
A warning though, *DO NOT GO THERE FOR SUSHI* Though the sushi is indeed delicious, the reason for going to Honda Ya lies in their tiny plates, which can be found on the first pages of the menu and their secondary menu. Another warning is that this place adds up. If you're a heavy eater, a gourmand, not gourmet as they say in french, then Honda Ya is not your place. With their little plates ranging from $2.95 - $5.95, it can really add up, and you'll be spending at least $15/person for dinner. BUT SO WORTH IT AND the GAS AND WEAR & TEAR ON YOUR CAR. Another important note is that the Honda Ya is only open from 5pm -1am.
Ramen Ya
located on Olympic just west of Colby
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=W+Olympic+Blvd+%26+Colby+Ave,+Los+Angeles,+CA+90064&iwloc=A&hl=en
Honda Ya
556 El Camino Real
Tustin, CA 92780-4308
Monday, December 12, 2005
Dry heaves
After yesterday's imagery, you are probably thinking that things can't get much more disgusting than someone pouring eggnog on someone else's ass.
First I took a look at Clementine, a restaurant I visited with Erica maybe a month ago or a little more. Turns out they got a B around the same time. I was disgusted with myself enough, but then I had to read on.
I can't possibly set this picture up well enough or convey my disgust-- the written word simply isn't powerful enough to capture the hand gestures, the tears, the cringes, the nail-biting, and the sounds that came out of me when I read this, the most disgusting health code violation EVER:
Easily the most vomit-inducing thing I've seen since that fully cooked bacon that doesn't need to be refrigerated.
Seriously, this is like 12 times worse than the Chipotle pigeon incident.
-->Ravi
First I took a look at Clementine, a restaurant I visited with Erica maybe a month ago or a little more. Turns out they got a B around the same time. I was disgusted with myself enough, but then I had to read on.
I can't possibly set this picture up well enough or convey my disgust-- the written word simply isn't powerful enough to capture the hand gestures, the tears, the cringes, the nail-biting, and the sounds that came out of me when I read this, the most disgusting health code violation EVER:
Easily the most vomit-inducing thing I've seen since that fully cooked bacon that doesn't need to be refrigerated.
Seriously, this is like 12 times worse than the Chipotle pigeon incident.
-->Ravi
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Not-so-viscous liquids: eggnog and dayquil
They're a holiday cocktail of sorts... people drink eggnog in the winter and people get sick in the winter. At least I do.
First, Dayquil.
(I make the "constipated member of Parliament" face when I drink it)
Dayquil not only tastes awful, it's ostentatious enough to make everything else you eat afterwards taste awful, too. I'm not even sure if it works. And it's neon orange, which is unnatural and not appropriate for something you put in your mouth (except tangerines, which are occasionally that color and delicious).
My recommendation: stay away.
And now, eggnog.
(In case you were wondering just how thick eggnog is...)
A surprising number of people (to me) have never tried eggnog. Could it be the raw egg and potential salmonella?
Food maverick that I am, though, I'll admit it-- despite the potential health risks involved, I like a glass or two of The Nog around the holidays (I also like cookie dough). The odd combination of nutmeg, egg and milk should be tried once by everyone who is tolerant of the lactose. It's like fruitcake that way (not that you have to be lactose-tolerant, but that you should try it once so at least your enemy can have a flavor).
I don't know why I wrote this,
-->Ravi
First, Dayquil.
(I make the "constipated member of Parliament" face when I drink it)
Dayquil not only tastes awful, it's ostentatious enough to make everything else you eat afterwards taste awful, too. I'm not even sure if it works. And it's neon orange, which is unnatural and not appropriate for something you put in your mouth (except tangerines, which are occasionally that color and delicious).
My recommendation: stay away.
And now, eggnog.
(In case you were wondering just how thick eggnog is...)
A surprising number of people (to me) have never tried eggnog. Could it be the raw egg and potential salmonella?
Food maverick that I am, though, I'll admit it-- despite the potential health risks involved, I like a glass or two of The Nog around the holidays (I also like cookie dough). The odd combination of nutmeg, egg and milk should be tried once by everyone who is tolerant of the lactose. It's like fruitcake that way (not that you have to be lactose-tolerant, but that you should try it once so at least your enemy can have a flavor).
I don't know why I wrote this,
-->Ravi
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