Moules Over, My Frites Are Here

Oh, I am in French heaven! Last night, I ate dinner with a friend at Soleil Westwood, as Wednesday night is Moules Frites night. Now, "what does that entail?" one might ask. Ah, alas, dear friend, that is just what I am going to tell you.

Every Wednesday night, the folks at Soleil graciously offer ALL YOU CAN EAT Mussels and Fries for a measly $14.95. This place is absolutely adorable, and I probably would have never gone had it not been for this amazing deal! Which, by the way was to prove to my semi-recent LA transplant friend from NY that LA does have good mussels and fries. Jaimey-1, Caryn-0.
Both she and I were pleasantly surprised with the garlic and wine steamed mussels, the crusty french bread, and the abundant basket of shoestring fries! The service was also fantastic, and the mood is very French - low lighting, outdoor seating and guess what - you're allowed to take your time with your food! No rushing you out the door here! So, go, sit back, and enjoy plates and plates of yummy mussels and don't feel bad about it one bit (just make sure you give them a 24hr heads up for the reservation)!

Soleil Westwood
1386 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
(310) 441-5384
$$

Thai You Over

UPDATE ALERT UPDATE: Due to massive complaints by the neighbors who find the chanting of prayers too loud, and don't like the influx of cars parking in the neighborhood on weekends , the Thai Temple is closing! I'm not sure when, so go soon before this hidden gem is gone forever!!

Being back from a glorious vacation has been rough on the ol' Jaimey. I've been bit by the travel bug and this weekend I was in desperate need of another adventure. Because lower funds and my currentplace of employment wouldn't allow me to jump on a plane to some tropical land, I was in search of bringing an exotic destination closer to home. Thus, myself and two other unsuspecting food soldiers took off for North Hollywood for a Thai food extravaganza.

After a little Yelp and Chowhound snooping, I hit the goldmine: Wat Thai Temple. This beautiful temple in North Hollywood is the only traditional Thai Temple in all of Los Angeles (and the first built in the US), complete with adorable Buddhist monks in striking orange wraps (somebody's been reading Vogue and knows that orange is very "in" this season). On Saturdays and Sundays from 8am-6pm the temple houses several traditional Thai food vendors who sell their wares for $1-$5. If you're not sold yet like I was upon learning these facts, than this blog is not the place for you.
We arrived at the Temple after a little tift with Mr. Googlemaps who usually is very honest, but found the need to lead me astray on this particular Sunday. It was lunchtime, and agent 1 and agent 2 and I were very hungry.
With $20 on hand we purchased all the tokens we could. The food vendors don't take cash, instead you purchase tokens from a small booth and pay the vendors with the tokens - it's quite the experience! We split the coins and went in different directions in search of the best of what they had to offer.
Agent 1 went straight for the Mango and Sticky Rice ($3). The mangoes were beautiful and golden yellow, very sweet and refreshing.
The sticky rice was sweet and flavored with coconut, delicious alone, but fantastic when eaten together with the mango.

Agent 2 headed down a more hearty route, purchasing a Beef & Noodles in broth ($4).
The beef was perfectly cooked, and very lean. The broth was perfectly flavored, and the noodles were light and tasty.

So far, we're doing pretty good... so why stop here?

I went straight to the Papaya Salad ($3), which I heard so much about.
The salad was incredibly refreshing and great compliment to everything else we ordered. The salad consisted of broccoli slaw, green beans, cabbage and peanuts and was dressed with a sweet and spicy vinegar dressing.

From the same stand that sold me the Papaya Salad, I ordered two Chicken Skewers ($2), one Shrimp Ball Skewer ($2) and one Pork Sausage ($1).
The chicken was outstanding, but the shrimp was too fishy (made primarily of artificial fish) and the pork had a strange, crumbly consistency and was too strongly seasoned for our liking.

Lastly, I couldn't pass up the FRIED BANANA stand, where I purchased an assortment of fried Plantain, Pumpkin and Sweet Potato, 10 pieces for $2.
All three were very tasty, although by no means low in calories. The pumpkin and sweet potato were my favorite, crispy on the outside and sweet and creamy on the inside.

Clearly, we did well for ourselves, but if you did the math, you know that I had $2 in tokens remaining, and what better way to spend the money than on dessert. I made my way over to the Kanom Krok stand where two women, one quite old and one very young, were busy creating pancakes in a cast iron pan with 18 small divots.

The pancake batter is made primarily of coconut milk, rice flour, rice and salt. After that sets for a minute, the women poured a second batter of coconut milk and sugar on top to create a creamy and sweet center. We had to wait a while to get our 18 Kanom Krok, as there were only 2 skillets going and it was quite a popular dish, but it was well worth the wait - a light but very sweet treat!

We left the Wat Thai Temple with full bellies and smiles on our faces. The food was fantastic, and very inexpensive. The location, (although quite a trek from the Mid Wilshire sect of Los Angeles), was very beautiful. The area was buzzing with people, many Thai, but a lot doing the same thing as I was, searching for a tasty food adventure. I set out on this very Sunday with one thing in mind, and as you will see from the last picture: Adventure Accomplished.

Wat Thai of Los Angeles
8225 Coldwater Canyon Ave.
North Hollywood, 91605
$

Be A Dal, Why Don't Ya

Photo Courtesy of The Oxford Student

Just recently taking over a space near USC, Manas Indian Cuisine has brought college dining to another level. Don't be fooled by the modest decor, this place packs a punch when it comes to flavor. Plus, with a Bollywood movie playing on the large flat screen in the back of the restaurant, you not only get a great meal but an education in how to dance, sing, and avoid an arranged marriage all without wrinkling your sari.

Although many Americans worship the Whopper more than the big guy upstairs, Hindus have a deeper devotion for the cow. So I was quite amused by one of the first items on the menu: Premium Chilly Cheese Burger ($4.50). Nothing like poking fun at yourselves, as this creative concoction only implies beef (the patties are made of cottage cheese and chickpeas). The presentation was fantastic, taking a page out of Grillmaster Magazine. Right from the start I was very impressed.


I then moved on to the Lamb Vindaloo ($9.95) and the Chicken Tikka Masala ($8.95). Both were truly wonderful. The meat was tender and tasted as if a lot of care had been put into the preparation. The sauces were rich without tasting heavy. The flavors were complex but stayed true to how Indian food should taste.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Lamb Vindaloo

This place wasn't a total home run, but the faults I had with the restaurant are not enough to keep me away. One downside was that the water was bad - even with lemon (so order a soda). I also was persuaded to order a Mango drink that was the house specialty, but was far from special and a little too sweet for my taste. And, I ordered Aloo Paratha ($3.50), which was a potato stuffed flat bread, but was lacking any flavor. However, it was good to soak up the lovely sauces.

This restaurant is incredibly reasonable for the quality of food. Unless you are from USC, you might not be inclined to make it down to this part of Los Angeles, but let Manas be the reason for your venture. Plus, if you're feeling like making an evening out of it, try to coordinate your dinner with a Vidushak show, the only all-Indian improv troupe at USC and quite a sweet treat after a delicious meal.

Manas Indian Cuisine
2823 S. Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles, 90007
(323) 731-4333
$

While It Isn't Chanos...

Okay, I have some serious separation anxiety from my college fast-food obsession, Chanos. When I moved west from USC, I decided to try out Lucy's, which happens to be just down the block from me. They have in no way filled the void that Chano's has left in my heart, but it has introduced some new plates and unexpected surprises. While the burgers are good, the tacos are amazing when you're drunk, the dish that takes the cake is Lucy's Ceviche Platter. Okay, I know it seems completely absurd to order Ceviche from a drive-thru, but it came on the recommendation of my foodie friend, so I had to try it. The dish is great, and for $6.95 you can't go wrong. Next time you're craving fast food and would rather not have anything fried, give Lucy's a try and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Lucy's
1373 S. La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
(323) 938-4337
$

Brown Baggin' It

Here are two great fine foods stores/delis that will leave you begging to trade your bagged lunch for anything on their menus.

LARCHMONT VILLAGE WINE, SPIRIT & CHEESE
Larchmont Village Wine Spirit & Cheese is by far one of the best sandwich shops/ gourmet markets in Los Angeles. There's one way in and one way out of this small shop and the menu's even smaller. However, any of the 5 sandwiches that the deli crafts are heaven in your mouth. Your choice of Ciabatta or French Baguette, each sandwich overflows with meat, cheese, baby greens, one of their homemade aiolis and oil and vinegar. Don't worry, there's a veggie sandwich with roasted peppers and avocado that isn't too shabby either. If you eat meat, go for the Turkey Sandwich on your first round - you can't go wrong.

While you're in line (which might be long, by the way), take a look at the walls stocked with specialty cheeses, condiments and crackers. They have about 10 different flavors of mustard! It's the little things...

LVWS&C
223 North Larchmont Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90004
(323) 856-8699
$



BAY CITIES
With a little more room to walk around, Bay Cities provides plenty of "pacing space" while you try to decide what to order. Between their sandwich menu and their hot and cold deli items, you better come hungry, and you better come back so you can try everything.

The Hot Pastrami Sandwich is a sandwich to write home about. Make sure you get "the works," which includes mayo, mustard, onions, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, Italian dressing & mild or hot peppers. You also MUST TRY the meatballs - melt in your mouth meat, and a sauce that tastes like it's been simmering for hours. The flavor is unmatched. The Chicken and Eggplant Parmesans are also delish and worth a bite. If you make friends with the hot deli man (not "hot" as in good looking, unless you're into 40 something Italians) he'll be sure to give you a sample of whatever's best that day. One thing to note: Bay Cities is most popular during the 12:30-2pm workday lunch hour. Hit them up earlier or later, or email/fax your order an hour and fifteen ahead and you should be good to go.

Bay Cities is also a large specialty market with Italian pastas, sauces, cookies and canned goods. So, if you do have to wait for your lunch, you won't be bored. You might just end up spending more than you originally planned!

Bon Apetit!

Bay Cities
1517 Lincoln Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 395-8279
$

Yuca Take Me Here Again

For those of you who know me and/or have read this blog before know that I love a hidden gem or diamond in the ruff, or a great place to eat that is relatively undiscovered. While this restaurant doesn't completely fit the bill being that it's been in business for 5 years, it did just open a new restaurant this year that's a little more "formal dining" than its flagship restaurant.

Enter: Chichen Itza. Now, for those of you who live West of La Brea, please don't fear when I tell you that this place is located in South East Los Angeles. While you might not want to take a stroll in the hood after dinner, the restaurant itself is incredibly clean (I mean you can practically smell the new paint!) and the food is worth the trip East.

Your meal will begin with no ordinary basket of chips. Chichen Itza serves its freshly-made tortilla chips topped with black beans and salsa fresca. What a creative and lovely start to the meal, and certainly sets the tone for the rest of the dinner.


As a first timer to this restaurant, I ordered the Antojito Sampler, a selection of 4 different Appetizers. The first thing I tried was the Salbut, a soft corn tortilla topped with lettuce, shredded turkey, pickled red onions, tomato and slice of avocado. Upon first bite, I was immediately surprised by how light this dish was. The turkey was definitely well seasoned, but didn't have a heavy feeling. The flavors were strong, but not overwhelming. The same went for the similarly concocted Panucho, differing from the Salbut by a black bean puree and a crispy tortilla rather than a soft one. Just as yummy! The other items on the plate were two Codzitos (chicken taquitos) which were okay, not amazing, and the most interesting and flavorful Kibi I've ever had. Okay, I've never had Kibi before, but it was still delicious. Kibi are ground beef and cracked wheat patties seasoned with mint and other spices and lightly fried. The flavor is unlike anything I've ever had. Truly fantastic.


For the main course, I tried two different dishes, both equally superb. The first dish was the Chochinita Pibil, which consisted of moist and tender shredded pork, marinated in an achiote and sour orange juice. The pork is cooked in banana leaves, giving it that fall-apart-in-your-mouth effect that I am oh, so fond of. The dish is served with black beans, rice, and corn tortillas in an authentic tortilla warmer, lined with a handstitched cloth napkin. Yes, I'm Jewish. Yes, I just ate pork. But it was really, really good! Isn't there something in the Commandments about "thou shalt make all gone" and "if the pork is good, eat it"? I sware I read that somewhere...


The other dish I tested was the Papadzul, which sounded so different I just had to try it out (and I'm glad I did). Corn tortillas are dipped in ground roasted pumpkin seed sauce, and filled with hard boiled egg, topped with pumpkin seeds and light tomato sauce. Again, this dish was incredibly light although the look of the sauce is deceiving. The eggs are cooked perfectly, and the infusion of pumpkin is mouthwatering.


The food aside, the service and presentation was on-point. With our check, we received a hand written thank you note from our server (on stationary), that let us know that on our next visit, we would receive a free appetizer. Couldn't have asked for a better introduction to Yucatan cuisine.


Chichen Itza
2501 West 6th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 380-0051
$

6+2 Reasons to Love Fred 62

In case you were a loss for words regarding this fantastically funky Los Feliz diner, I will provide you with 6+2 (that’s eight, folks) reasons to ask for seconds (please):

1. Breakfast all the time. All. The. Time.

2. It’s open from sunrise to sunset, sunrise, sunset. Meet Tevye for a late night nosh.

3. Mocha milkshakes – that’s right: coffee and chocolate in one glass.

4. The real deal Udon noodle bowls – overflowing with goodness.

5. 50/50. Sometimes you feel like fries, sometimes you feel like onion rings. At Fred 62, you can have both.

6. Baked goods. Need I say more?

7. Outdoor seating.

8. Something for everyone – whether it be the Juicy Lucy Burger (amazing) the SWS salad (or any other - haven’t had a bad one yet) or the Cali Calamari (amazing), you can satisfy all appetites. If you haven’t been here yet, GO!

Fred 62
1850 N. Vermont Ave.
Los Angeles
($$)

If I Could Marry a Plate of Nachos...

I would marry the chicken nachos from Chanos. I was first introduced to Chanos my freshman year at USC. It's one of those places that gets a bad rap because, 1) It's often frequented by drunk frat boys and 2) it's the size of my bedroom. However, despite the obstacles, I have chosen to give my heart to Senor Chano.

While I enjoy the Enchilada combo plate, the taquitos and the chicken burrito, I have yet to meet a man who makes my mouth water like a hot plate of chicken nachos (don't worry Jake, it's all for literary fluffing). If you have yet to find reason to venture into the ghetto, this is the time and Chano's is the place ($).