Ciudad

This was my second trip to Ciudad, which should tell you enough-- that it was good enough the first time to warrant a repeat visit, even though it's all the way in icky Downtown LA.

We went for Paella on the Patio, their blandly named special feature on Tuesday nights. Apparently, they save all their creativity for the menu-- a welcome change, if you ask me.

Anyway, each Tuesday features a different two paellas (you can choose one or get a half-and-half plate of both) and an appetizer for $30. Not a bargain by any means, but quality comes at a price. Ciudad, like its sister Border Grill, is up on all the latest dining trends: all food served is cage- and hormone-free, with no trans-fats and all those other things that might help assuage your guilt for spending so much on a meal. They're also a sustainable seafood partner and so on.

Yesterday's choices were eggplant and bell pepper paella and chicken, both of which were delicious, though I did favor the chicken. I also ordered the Argentine Gaucho Steak with Chimichurri sauce and two sides: fried plantains and garlic yuca. I don't know, I guess we were living it up.

Everything tasted fantastic, but I was still a little taken aback by the price, which seems to be happening a lot these days. $80 for two people is a bit excessive.

Overall, I'd give Ciudad a B+. Go for the happy hour (which, admittedly, I haven't tried, but if it's anything like Border Grill's, I can't wait to) or tapas Sundays, and avoid the rest.

Tom Sawyer Diner

This is a restaurant you'll probably never visit, and you have no reason to, even if you're desperately hungry at the wee hours of the night in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

And, honestly, I wouldn't write about it here, except that, in all honesty, I feel like things have gotten a bit too serious over at ZagatWho as of late. Gone are the funny pictures, and the witty comparisons of our food to some long-forgotten childhood memories, replaced with-- surprisingly enough-- real writing about restaurants.

So I invite you to slum it with me as I write an entry about a restaurant entirely undeserving of one.

The theming of the Tom Sawyer Diner ends at the name-- there is no other mention of Tom Sawyer, a whitewashed fence, or Mark Twain anywhere in the establishment. It's sort of like the Cheesecake Factory in that way, except they actually serve cheesecake (albeit not in a factory-like environment). This is also where comparisons to the Cheesecake Factory end.

I admire their honesty-- the ubiquitous diner dessert glass case did feature desserts, but the staff had chosen not to remove their tell-tale price tags and wrappings, betraying any notion of a home-cooked pie. Store bought through-and-through.

The food was less than unremarkable-- it was hardly edible (if CitySearch rated in Harrisburg, this place would get a negative score). Virginia mentioned that her tuna melt "smelled like death" and the beef gravy atop Andrew's meatloaf tasted like it was probably distilled from the sweat of the eponymous singer-songwriter. My open-faced turkey sandwich featured turkey meat older than the Berlin Wall, with the consistency of Butterball sandwich meat (pressed turkey product, I suppose). The baked mac and cheese looked like coffee cake and tasted like nothing.

And the service. It started out nicely enough, but quickly took a nosedive. I sort of blame myself for this-- why, Ravi, must you be so picky? After she dropped off our plates, I kept eyeing her suspiciously (not out of lust-- she was, as Virginia pointed out using an Arrested Development reference oft repeated throughout the trip, a bit of a "shemale"). She eventually cut herself on something at the bar, but continued to serve food with an open wound on her hand (occasionally sucking the blood out of the wound because, well, that's the sanitary thing to do, right?). I began to count the health code violations in my head, if only so that I wouldn't have to focus on the taste of the horrible food. Eventually, she got a bandage, but it wasn't big enough to cover the wound in my heart. Or the vomit.

Ravi

Alcove Cafe & Bakery

The Alcove Cafe & Bakery in Los Feliz is as Aegean described, "a perfect date spot". Intimate and charming, you could definitely spend a Sunday afternoon here enjoying a cup of coffee with a book, or a Saturday night (as we did) eating delicious foods and people watching.

You order at the counter, then grab your own table as you wait for them to bring your food. The inside is a bit cramped, but there are plenty of tables outside. The servers were very friendly, which is always a plus.

The food took a little while to come out, but that was probably due to the large crowd and the small kitchen. Unfortunately, their fryer was broken when we went, so we didn't have a chance to order their fries and onion rings.

The portions are HUGE. I ordered the grilled salmon salad (thinking it would be a lighter meal), and was completely stuffed by the time I finished my fish. I thought all the food was well presented and very tasty. Everyone else also enjoyed their entrees. I would definitely return.

Since their fryer was not working and Aegean's salad was supposed to have something fried on it, she got her dessert half off. (Excellent customer service!) She got the whipped strawberry cake, which was heavenly. The whipped cream was super soft and the strawberries were fresh. Surafel got the chocolate souffle which was decadant and the perfect amount of chocolate.

Below you can see pictures of what we ordered. Sorry for the harsh lighting. We were sitting outside so I had to use the flash.

Veggie burger with brie

Tiger shrimp salad

Scallop salad

Grilled salmon salad

Whipped strawberry cake

Chocolate souffle



Overall, I recommend the Alcove Cafe & Bakery. B+.

1929 Hillhurt Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90027
323-644-0100
(Valet is $3.50)

Rebuttal

In regards to Surafel's last post on Gyu-kaku, I feel that as a Korean-American, I must respond.

Please note however, that I have not been to Gyu-kaku, and the Japanese version of this restaurant style could be different than the Korean. But it sounds pretty close.

The experience of Korean BBQ (galbi house) is one that every true foodie must go through. Yes, you have to cook the meat yourself, but I believe that is part of the charm. Really amazing cuts of meat, marinated to delectable perfection while you have good beer, good side dishes and good conversation. You can control how cooked you want the meat, and it's pretty impossible to ruin it. Also, waitresses walk around to make sure the meats are cooked properly, and help out when needed.

Many of these restaurants also feature coal grills (YOM) which provide a distinctive flavor to the meats. By cooking it yourself at the table, you will be able to eat the meat right when it's ready and hot. Lukewarm BBQ is whack, and anything short of sizzling meat is unacceptable.

Plus, cooking it yourself gives you a feeling of accomplishment. I like to believe that since most Korean people are fairly stubborn and think they do everything right, they like to do things on their own. Especially the men, with that whole, machisimo thing. They don't want no waitresses cookin' their meats for them. I think that's why my family always shoos them away. Or bosses them around. It's the Korean way. (Also note, if you have a rude Korean waitress, you have to be rude back to get the best service. This has been tested time and time again).

So, please don't write off a restaurant because you have to cook the food yourself. You go there BECAUSE it's part of the experience. Kind of like going to an Ethiopian restaurant and eating with your hands (or alternatively, Medieval Times).

Gyu-Kaku

{Forgive me, but I'm gonna try to be philosophical for a moment. I may even go meta on you, although I don't really know what that is. It just sounds intellectual.}

Gyu-Kaku (a Japanese BBQ chain restaurant) seems to challenge the conventional wisdom regarding the purpose of eating out at restaurants. I was always under the assumption that we eat out to experience new foods, new flavors, new settings, etc. It's a chance to get away from the often mundane foods we have at home. And most importantly, it's a chance to avoid having to cook for ourselves. It's this last part that Gyu-Kaku seems to be at odds with most, and it's ultimately the restaurant's fatal flaw.

A quick blurb about the decor, etc.: The atmosphere was strange, to say the least. The restaurant was trying to create a pseudo-Japanese/industrial vibe, but it was a little clunky.

Anyways, onto the food, and the restaurant's fatal flaw: you cook the meal yourself. There is a little fire pit/grill in the center of every table, and you do the cooking. Everything we ordered needed to be cooked at our table (there are a few "pre-made" dishes). I ordered the green onion pancakes as an appetizer, and they were rather tasty. They reminded me of latkes, but with a stronger onion vibe to it. As a table, we ordered the Shrimp Garlic, Salmon Miso, Harami miso, and the Nakaochi Kalbi (miso). The shrimp was pretty good, and the salmon (which was steamed) was tasty as well-- we did a good job cooking these dishes (seafood is easy to cook). As for the beef, I couldn't taste the difference between the two dishes. None of us wanted our meet raw, so we tried our best to cook it pretty well. The sad thing is that we kinda sorta burned many of the pieces, or at least charred them, essentially nuking whatever flavors may have existed. Beef is much harder to cook, and our failure put a damper on the meal.

And that's the problem with Gyu-Kaku. The quality of the meal depended on us, moreso than it normally would at any other restaurant (even if you were to "build" your own meal, like at bld). Even worse was the fact that cooking isn't necessarily a great task to do when you're trying to have a conversation with people. Our table was silent at times as we concentrated on the food (constantly flipping and checking if everything was done). While it was certainly a unique experience, it wasn't necessarily a good one.

We also ordered dessert... s'mores! This was by far the best part of the meal, even if the graham (sp?) crackers were a little stale. It was the first time I made s'mores on an open fire. It was lots of fun.

If you go to Gyu-Kaku and you want good Japanese BBQ, you better be good at cooking beef, because it all rests on your talent. If you go for the above average seafood, and great s'mores, then you'll probably enjoy yourself a little more. C+

Gyu-Kaku
10925 W.Pico Blvd.,
Los Angeles, CA 90064

Newsroom Cafe

I have finally completed the triumvirate of the most accessible celeb hotspot eateries in West Hollywood. First there was the Ivy, then Urth Caffe, and now, Newsroom Cafe (Mr. Chow and Koi are a little more exclusive, and also a hecka lot more expensive). This was probably the most disappointing of the three, and it wasn't just because I didn't see any celebrities (I did see some paparazzi taking pictures of someone, but I didn't recognize who it was, and since it was only two people, I figured I wasn't supposed to care).

I went pretty late in the day/early in the evening, so in terms of atmosphere, there wasn't much of it. Although, to be fair, the layout is pretty nice, with ample seating inside and outside. There are also entertaining posters inside the bathroom. And if you're dining alone, there is plenty of reading material (there's a newstand inside... Newsroom Cafe... get it?).

Onto the food... It's hard for me to go to any restaurant and not order bruschetta. It's a simple appetizer, but it's still quite different (and often pretty tasty) everywhere I go. So there was no way I would turn down the opportunity to try the Tuscan Bruschetta, which had all the bruschetta prereq's, along with kalamata olives. I was pretty underwhelmed by what they gave us. The bread was slightly toasted, but relatively bland (I'm not sure what kind it was). The tomatoes were nothing spectacular, and the olives seemed out of place. There were very few olives, and their flavor was overwhelmed by everything else.

As for a main course, I ordered the Fresh Ahi with Fusili (with a sun-dried tomato marinara). I was expecting the ahi to be scattered in smaller pieces throughout the pasta... that wasn't the case (it was on the side). I was also expecting the pasta sauce to be a little lighter... that wasn't the case either (it was very thick). Though the fish was well cooked (perfectly grilled, and for the most part, relatively juicy), the taste wasn't memorable. It seemed a bit bland without any sauce alongside it. The pasta was also rather mediocre; I enjoyed the sun-dried tomatoes, but overall, it seemed like an average dish that I could make at home.

There should be an asterisk beside this review because I was starting to get sick (I was starting to get a stuffy nose and a fever), but I wasn't at the point where I couldn't differentiate various flavors. So I can't ignore my thoughts entirely.

The food was average (esp. considering the price), but I'd certainly give Newsroom another shot (maybe with Aegean so I can see another celebrity), because there were a few other menu items that I was interested in (and I also think that you can't make a decision on a restaurant in one sitting unless it is truly horrible). An average meal gets an average grade: C+/B-.

Newsroom Cafe
120 N Robertson Blvd,
Los Angeles 90048

The Ivy

urth cafeI can't believe I didn't post about the Ivy, THE celeb dining spot in Los Angeles. I'll do a "quick" post here, because I'm bored right now.

The restaurant is obviously very nice. The inside is reminiscent of a French cottage (I think I read that somewhere), and feels very much like a house... a small house (it's very cramped inside). But of course, the patio is where it's at. It was a beautiful day, so the patio was the perfect place to sit. The one down side is that some of the tables are large, so I felt far from my dining companions. The tables are also close together, so if your neighbors aren't having a stimulating conversation, they definitely listen in on yours (and they stare too)... this happened to us on both sides. I had the primo spot facing the street, which meant that I got to see who came and who left the restaurant (as well as who was walking down the street). It was from that spot that I saw Christ Kattan.

Considering the fact that I heard that the food at the Ivy sucks, I was pleasantly surprised by how good everything was (this might have been due to lowered expectations). We ordered the Fried Calamari as an appetizer. It was pretty good, but nothing special about it. They also served us scones, which were amazing. They were warm, soft, and had some sort of berry in them (I figured raspberries).

I ordered the Fish n' Chips as my main course. This isn't your ordinary fish and chips. Not only did I get fish (cod, naturally), I also got calamari, scallops, shrimp, and onion rings! Plus there were fries too! On top of that, the plate was huge, meaning lots of fried foods, and lots of plaque in my arteries later on in life. Everything tasted great; the seafood was well cooked and seasoned (especially the shrimp!), the french fries were thin and crisp (just like how I like them), and the onion rings were large and onion-y (perfect).

I can't remember what Aegean ordered, but I know Selina ordered a pasta and she said it was "alright"-- pasta is not one of the Ivy's strengths. Since both are alkies, they also ordered spirits before noon-- Aegean got a mojito-type drink, which was strong but tasted really good (very mint-y), and Selina ordered the worst drink in the world, a bloody mary. It tasted like V-8. It was disgusting.

We also ordered a pecan bar for desert, with some sort of homemade ice cream. Both were amazing.

All in all, it's expensive yes, but if you want to be cool, the Ivy is the place to go. B.

The Ivy
113 N. Robertson Blvd.
Los Angeles, Ca. 90048

Urth Caffe

I'd heard that Urth Caffe was one of the hot spots on the Westside for lunch (with many star sightings on Defamer as proof of its hipness), but I was skeptical that the food would live up to the hype of the atmosphere. I'm no longer skeptical.

With mostly outside seating on Melrose (right after the Pacific Design Center, so the street is smaller and not obnoxiously noisy), Urth had a really good atmosphere that was enjoyable for people watching (including a celebrity sighting!... more on that later). Don't bother sitting inside, because it's too stuffy. We have great LA weather, you might as well enjoy.

On to the food... I ordered the Panini Caprese, a grilled sandwich, with mozerella, tomatoes, roasted peppers, basil, pesto, and an olive spread.
After the vinagrette fiasco at Joan's on Third, I was understandably hesitant about ordering something with pesto and a "spread," but my fears proved to be unfounded. There was just the right amount of pesto and olive spread, so it didn't dominate the flavors of the panini, which is a good thing, because the sandwich was flavorful. There wasn't too much cheese (a big plus for me), the tomatoes and basil were tasty, the roasted peppers were actually kind of sweet, and the bread was grilled to perfection (crisp on the outside, soft in the middle). The one downside of the meal was the bland salad. The mixed greens were bitter, the dressing practically non-existent, and there were no candied pecans like the menu said. Aegean went with the Panini Prosciutto (parma prosciutto, italian cheese, sundried tomatoes, basil, and housemade olive spread), and loved her meal too, but also complained about the lackluster salad.

Urth Caffe is also famous for its organic desserts (and if you don't have tastebuds, they do have vegan cakes as well), and they certainly don't disappoint in that department. We went with the Chocolate Blackout Pound Cake. For $5, we somehow ended up with three slices.
The cake was moist and not too rich, and was overall very satisfying.

A meal at an L.A. hotspot wouldn't be complete without the aforementioned celeb sighting. And it was a good one (at least IMHO): Sarah Chalke from Scrubs (who is more beautiful in person, even without a lot of makeup).

With a down to Urth food staff (get it Ravi?!), solid menu, tasty dessert, and celeb sighting, Urth Caffe gets an A- (Sarah Chalke bumps up the grade from a B+).

Urth Caffe (Menu)
8565 Melrose Ave.
West Hollywood, Ca 90069

vindication

Following the trend on this blog lately to link to food-related news articles, I present my contribution:

The Five Second Rule should be used carefully

http://www.slashfood.com/2007/02/16/the-five-second-rule-should-be-used-carefully/

Ravi

The Future?

The New York Times has an interesting article about the proliferation of food blogs and the surprising amount of power these blogs wield. Although the article is New York-centric, it's still worth reading.

It also got me looking at some of the food blogs mentioned in the article. The only one that really caught my eye was The Amateur Gourmet, because it seemed to go about the whole food blogging with a sense of humor (plus I wanted to check out the "best food blog post of 2006"... it was pretty entertaining).

And then, while on that blog, I came across his 1000th post, which gave a nice (albeit long) summary of what it takes to have a food blog. It was interesting (I definitely had dreams of GoogleAds dancing in my head), and I figured I should just pass it on, because it does have good tips about maintaining a food blog, even if it is just for friends.