I've been eyeing this restaurant for months since I found out that Kogi's chef, Roy Choi, was opening a restaurant he described as Yoshinoya 5.0. He took over this location in a small strip mall on Overland and I begrudgingly waited a few weeks to make sure they'd worked out the kinks before heading in.
Last week I made it to this new spot and I was not disappointed! I expected a long line but when we arrived around 6 there were only a few people in front of us. It's not a place to sit and visit, though. We left promptly to fee up our table as there is only seating for about 30 people in there.
We ordered at the counter and headed back towards the kitchen to help ourselves to drinks from the cooler. When you order you receive a number and food is delivered to your table. We tried the 3PM Meatballs, fries, Prime Rib Rice Bowl and Pork Belly Rice Bowl.
The meatballs were very flavorful, with sesame and green onion, served over a polenta cake. The fries were out of control, topped with lots of cheese and a spicy sour cream. They were messy and delicious. My bowl combined chili-rubbed prime rib, with fried egg, water spinach, creamed horseradish and fried shallots. It wasn't too spicy for me but this place has a reputation for lots of spice. The flavors were great with 4-5 strips of prime rib. The pork belly bowl took the cake, though. My friend ordered it on the mild side but it was bursting with flavor from a 12 time glaze.
The food is heavy, for sure, and would be a great hangover cure. They have no wine/beer but the Korean and Mexican specialties will give you plenty of unique options to accompany one of Chef Choi's delicious concoctions.
www.eatchego.com
Sunday, April 25, 2010
M. Cafe de Chaya, Culver City
This week I hit M. Cafe de Chaya in Culver City. I'd always been a bit intimidated and sort of turned off by the all Macrobiotic menu but this place blew me away. The deli case allows you to see what is available and the employees are quick to offer samples. The salads change with the season and my friend was crushed that they didn't have the wasabi salad. This mix of wasabi and sweet potatoes will return in the fall so I'll have to check it out.
We each had salad combos and had leftovers. The dishes were great and very filling. The Kale with Spicy Peanut Dressing was my favorite, it was very flavorful and not overly spicy at all. The Dilled Organic Tofu Salad tasted like egg salad, very good. The Scarlet Quinoa salad was good, but not amazing, beets died the quinoa red but it was missing something. The Curried Tempeh Salad blew us away. I don't know how or why but it tasted like bacon, it had the perfect amount of crunch, there were raisins somewhere in there but you didn't taste individual elements that much, just the taste that these different ingredients created together. Outstanding!
M. Cafe in Culver City had great outdoor seating with heaters and a very friendly staff.
www.mcafedechaya.com
We each had salad combos and had leftovers. The dishes were great and very filling. The Kale with Spicy Peanut Dressing was my favorite, it was very flavorful and not overly spicy at all. The Dilled Organic Tofu Salad tasted like egg salad, very good. The Scarlet Quinoa salad was good, but not amazing, beets died the quinoa red but it was missing something. The Curried Tempeh Salad blew us away. I don't know how or why but it tasted like bacon, it had the perfect amount of crunch, there were raisins somewhere in there but you didn't taste individual elements that much, just the taste that these different ingredients created together. Outstanding!
M. Cafe in Culver City had great outdoor seating with heaters and a very friendly staff.
www.mcafedechaya.com
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Worldfare Truck
The Worldfare Truck was at The Brewery Artwalk. I had heard about this truck which boasts a place to eat upstairs on top of the truck. Truth be told, there's no seating, but a nice counter lining the perimeter of the open roof where you can hang out in the shade of umbrellas or dine in the sun and enjoy the view below.
The man component of the menu are the bunnies. Tiny popover-ish rolls stuffed with curry chicken, bbq pork, short ribs or veggie chili. I tried the sampler, which was all 4 fillings on top of slices of yellow pepper. All 4 were amazing! The curry had chick peas, cashews and golden raisins in the mix. The pulled pork and short ribs had amazing flavor and the perfect texture and the chili had a nice spicy kick. I also shared some truffled mac and cheese balls. Do I really need to tell you how delicious they were? They are truffled mac and cheese balls. De-lish. Follow the bus on twitter or check out the site to see where they're parked today!
worldfare.com
The man component of the menu are the bunnies. Tiny popover-ish rolls stuffed with curry chicken, bbq pork, short ribs or veggie chili. I tried the sampler, which was all 4 fillings on top of slices of yellow pepper. All 4 were amazing! The curry had chick peas, cashews and golden raisins in the mix. The pulled pork and short ribs had amazing flavor and the perfect texture and the chili had a nice spicy kick. I also shared some truffled mac and cheese balls. Do I really need to tell you how delicious they were? They are truffled mac and cheese balls. De-lish. Follow the bus on twitter or check out the site to see where they're parked today!
worldfare.com
Brewery Art Walk and San Antonio Winery
Today was a great downtown L.A. day. We started at the San Antonio Winery. This L.A. landmark has been around since 1917 and was packed on a Sunday afternoon. Although you can't tell from the website, everyone gets 3 tastings free of charge. You can also upgrade and get their reserve collection, 4 wines for $10. They have a large restaurant on site and several banquet rooms. The restaurant is cafeteria style and they had simple sandwiches as well as full entrees. It was very crowded while we were there between 2:30 and 3. We took the tour that is offered every hour on the hour. The guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. It was interesting to learn that they were the only winery in Los Angeles to survive prohibition and that it is still family run. I've been to several vineyards but this tour was unique because it is more about the business end; they make wine for other vineyards, provide many churches with communion wine and all wine that's bottled in Los Angeles is bottled there. Definitely worth a visit.
After that we headed to The Brewery Artwalk. This is a twice-yearly event just a half mile from the winery. The Brewery is a 22 building colony in which 500 artists have studios. This weekend all of the studios were open. There were so many different types of artists at this event. Most live in the spaces too so you were able to see many different styles. All were very welcoming and happy to talk about their work. We spent about 2 and a half hours and saw about 2/3 of the studios. It was a great free event.
www.sanantoniowinery.com
breweryartwalk.com
After that we headed to The Brewery Artwalk. This is a twice-yearly event just a half mile from the winery. The Brewery is a 22 building colony in which 500 artists have studios. This weekend all of the studios were open. There were so many different types of artists at this event. Most live in the spaces too so you were able to see many different styles. All were very welcoming and happy to talk about their work. We spent about 2 and a half hours and saw about 2/3 of the studios. It was a great free event.
www.sanantoniowinery.com
breweryartwalk.com
Fraiche Restaurant, Culver City
Fraiche never disappoints. We go every chance we get and the quality is exceptional. Last night we made a vow to order new things as we have our favorites and don't often stray.
Salads - Our repeat was the baby beet salad, it is served on a bed of house made ricotta with hazelnuts and mache lettuce. Our other salad was the cured branzino served with arugula and oranges with a citrus dressing. The salty fish and sweet dressing were a perfect match.
Entrees - I had a new item on their menu, Short Rib Agnolotti in truffle butter. It just melted in my mouth. The textures and flavors were amazing. My husband had my usual, the tortelli stuffed with four cheeses and served with thyme and hazelnuts. It was perfect as usual.
Dessert- Tonight we tried the marscapone cheesecake. It's served with blueberry sorbet which tastes like frozen blueberry pie filling. So delicious. There are also mangoes, blueberries and a perfectly sweet and tangy mango sauce. Graham cracker streusel added the perfect crunch.
Other recommendations- Their summer menu usually has a francoboli, which means postage stamp in Italian. It's an amazing ravioli stuffed with corn and ricotta cheese. Their pumpkin soup in the fall/winter is also out of this world. Hearing the chef talk about it on Good Food on KCRW is what first inspired me to visit the restaurant.
Prices - Salads/Apps all hover around $15, Entrees range from mid $20's and pastas are all $15-20. Last night we had 2 salads, 2 pastas, 2 glasses of wine, 1 dessert and the bill was $99 before tip.
www.fraicherestaurantla.com/fraiche
Salads - Our repeat was the baby beet salad, it is served on a bed of house made ricotta with hazelnuts and mache lettuce. Our other salad was the cured branzino served with arugula and oranges with a citrus dressing. The salty fish and sweet dressing were a perfect match.
Entrees - I had a new item on their menu, Short Rib Agnolotti in truffle butter. It just melted in my mouth. The textures and flavors were amazing. My husband had my usual, the tortelli stuffed with four cheeses and served with thyme and hazelnuts. It was perfect as usual.
Dessert- Tonight we tried the marscapone cheesecake. It's served with blueberry sorbet which tastes like frozen blueberry pie filling. So delicious. There are also mangoes, blueberries and a perfectly sweet and tangy mango sauce. Graham cracker streusel added the perfect crunch.
Other recommendations- Their summer menu usually has a francoboli, which means postage stamp in Italian. It's an amazing ravioli stuffed with corn and ricotta cheese. Their pumpkin soup in the fall/winter is also out of this world. Hearing the chef talk about it on Good Food on KCRW is what first inspired me to visit the restaurant.
Prices - Salads/Apps all hover around $15, Entrees range from mid $20's and pastas are all $15-20. Last night we had 2 salads, 2 pastas, 2 glasses of wine, 1 dessert and the bill was $99 before tip.
www.fraicherestaurantla.com/fraiche
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Palos Verdes Peninsula
We had a lovely day full of free events on the Palos Verdes Peninsula today. We started out at the South Coast Botanical Gardens which had their 50th Anniversary Open House. It was absolutely beautiful. There was a Garden of Senses that invites you to touch and smell different herbs and flowers, a large cactus garden and a gorgeous, huge rose garden. A great place for a photog or a picnic in a relaxing, beautiful environment.
Next, we headed to the Wayfarer's Chapel. The drive there was gorgeous, past grand homes in Palos Verdes Estates and then along the coast. Don't let the first sign on the west side of the street fool you, the actual chapel is further down on the east side of the street. The chapel is made by Lloyd Wright, Frank Lloyd Wright's son, and is completely made of glass so you feel as if you're outside. The ladies at the gift shop were super helpful, too. A great spot to check out.
The aforementioned helpful gift shop ladies then sent us to the Point Fermin Lighthouse. We missed the tours that stop at 4, but we were able to enjoy the ocean views from the park around the lighthouse. It's a nice point to watch the cruise ships that head out of Long Beach. There are picnic tables, grills and a playground. We'll have to go back for the tour.
Across the street was the Korean Bell of Friendship. I'd recommend walking up Gaffey to get there. We followed a group over a fence and up a steep hill which was fairly difficult, especially in flip flops. The bell was quite beautiful and surrounded by a pagoda. The location, on top of a hill, offers gorgeous views and lots of wind for many kite fliers.
www.southcoastbotanicgarden.org
www.wayfarerschapel.org
www.pointferminlighthouse.org
www.sanpedro.com/sp_point/korenbel.htm
Next, we headed to the Wayfarer's Chapel. The drive there was gorgeous, past grand homes in Palos Verdes Estates and then along the coast. Don't let the first sign on the west side of the street fool you, the actual chapel is further down on the east side of the street. The chapel is made by Lloyd Wright, Frank Lloyd Wright's son, and is completely made of glass so you feel as if you're outside. The ladies at the gift shop were super helpful, too. A great spot to check out.
The aforementioned helpful gift shop ladies then sent us to the Point Fermin Lighthouse. We missed the tours that stop at 4, but we were able to enjoy the ocean views from the park around the lighthouse. It's a nice point to watch the cruise ships that head out of Long Beach. There are picnic tables, grills and a playground. We'll have to go back for the tour.
Across the street was the Korean Bell of Friendship. I'd recommend walking up Gaffey to get there. We followed a group over a fence and up a steep hill which was fairly difficult, especially in flip flops. The bell was quite beautiful and surrounded by a pagoda. The location, on top of a hill, offers gorgeous views and lots of wind for many kite fliers.
www.southcoastbotanicgarden.org
www.wayfarerschapel.org
www.pointferminlighthouse.org
www.sanpedro.com/sp_point/korenbel.htm
Grilled Cheese Invitational - April 24
Yesterday I volunteered at the Grilled Cheese Invitational. The event was divided into 3 main sections. The first was for he main sponsor, Tillamook. They gave out complimentary grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese samples and coupons. They couldn't have been friendlier and had plenty of buttons and photo ops. Izze soda provided soda samples, too.
The next section had several trucks and other vendors. This included 2 grilled cheese trucks, the World Fare truck, Borders truck and vendors like Campanile. Only two trucks mattered here, The Grilled Cheese Trucks, they are the same owners and lines were crazy long for favorites like Cheesy Mac and Rib which included sharp cheese, bbq pork and caramelized onions.
The absolute place to be here, though, was the grill! When you buy your tickets, be sure to sign up to be a judge. As a judge you get access to the grill area where the competition takes place. There are 4 rounds of competition and both pro and amateur competitors. Basically judges line up behind a barrier and every time a competitor completes a sandwich they divide it in 4 and pass out their product with a ballot to judge the components of the sandwich. Each round is about 30 minutes so you have plenty of time to sample many sandwiches.
From what I hear, the event has been madness in years passed but this year was smooth sailing. Keep an eye out for next year's event. They seem to have found their stride and things will just get better and better.
http://grilledcheeseinvitational.com/
The next section had several trucks and other vendors. This included 2 grilled cheese trucks, the World Fare truck, Borders truck and vendors like Campanile. Only two trucks mattered here, The Grilled Cheese Trucks, they are the same owners and lines were crazy long for favorites like Cheesy Mac and Rib which included sharp cheese, bbq pork and caramelized onions.
The absolute place to be here, though, was the grill! When you buy your tickets, be sure to sign up to be a judge. As a judge you get access to the grill area where the competition takes place. There are 4 rounds of competition and both pro and amateur competitors. Basically judges line up behind a barrier and every time a competitor completes a sandwich they divide it in 4 and pass out their product with a ballot to judge the components of the sandwich. Each round is about 30 minutes so you have plenty of time to sample many sandwiches.
From what I hear, the event has been madness in years passed but this year was smooth sailing. Keep an eye out for next year's event. They seem to have found their stride and things will just get better and better.
http://grilledcheeseinvitational.com/
Carol Leifer at the Skirball - May 2
I finished the book, When You Lie About Your Age, The Terrorists Win a few weeks ago and I just loved it. The author, Carol Leifer, will be at the Skirball on May 2 to for a reading and discussion. Carol was a writer on Seinfeld and branded "the real Elaine." Her book was laugh out lout funny and surprisingly heartwarming. Pick up your tickets from Goldstar and they're $7.50 (including processing fee) instead of $10.
To sign up for goldstar - https://www.goldstar.com/join?p=F1052301RP
If you're already a member - http://www.goldstar.com/events/los-angeles-ca/when-you-lie-about-your-age-the-terrorists-win.html
To sign up for goldstar - https://www.goldstar.com/join?p=F1052301RP
If you're already a member - http://www.goldstar.com/events/los-angeles-ca/when-you-lie-about-your-age-the-terrorists-win.html
Anthony Bordain at UCLA - June 16
I've never been fortunate enough to eat at one of Tony's restaurants but I loved his book, Kitchen Confidential, and his show, No Reservations on the Travel Channel. I can't wait to see this foul-mouthed, tells-it-like-it-is chef in person at Royce Hall at UCLA.
Get your tickets by calling or visiting the UCLA box office or ticketmaster (if you must).
http://tickets.ucla.edu/customerservice.html
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0B0044787B8D17ED or cal
Get your tickets by calling or visiting the UCLA box office or ticketmaster (if you must).
http://tickets.ucla.edu/customerservice.html
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0B0044787B8D17ED or cal
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Gourmandise Dessert / Learn About Wine Classes
Earlier this year, I attended the "Girls Only Cooking School: French Macarons & Wine" class with a friend. I found the event on Goldstar and it far exceeded my expectations. We learned so much about making macarons and tips on the equipment the teacher used and where to get ingredients. In our class everyone had their turn in the process. There were less than 20 students and we had the opportunity to leave the tables and see the process up close. The space the class was in was a big loft downtown, it was a really nice setup with a full, beautiful kitchen. The sommelier was informative and friendly, too. We tried 4 or 5 great wines. I only wish we could have purchased the wines we liked. I'd highly recommend this class.
Class was put on by Learn About Wine but the teacher,Clémence, does classes on her own too. Check out both sites for info and schedules.
http://learnaboutwine.com/
http://www.gourmandisedesserts.com/classes.php
Class was put on by Learn About Wine but the teacher,Clémence, does classes on her own too. Check out both sites for info and schedules.
http://learnaboutwine.com/
http://www.gourmandisedesserts.com/classes.php
Monday, April 12, 2010
My Perfect Paris Day! (insert sigh here)
Begin at Versailles 1st thing in morning; it's easy to get there by Metro. Do the audio tour and take time to see the gardens. If you have time or have been there before it is fantastic to do a bike ride around the gardens. An hour should suffice for the bike ride. From Versailles, take the Metro to Varenne stop and visit the Musee Rodin. This is where the Thinker sculpture is. You can enter the museum and explore or just walk around the gardens. If you are interested in sculpture this is a wonderful museum. From Musee Rodin make a left onto Bouldevard de Invalides. You'll pass by Invalides. This is a complex of military museums. I've never been inside but the buildings are very pretty to walk by. Make a right on Avenue de Tourville to continue past Invalides. This is a nice street to stop at a cafe and have a drink or snack and peek at the Eiffel Tower above the buildings. You're on this street for about half a mile. Make a left onto Avenue de la Motte-Picquet. You'll quickly arrive at the Peace Monument and Ecole Militaire (Military Academy). Walk down the lawn to the Eiffel Tower. It's nice to make a trip to the top during the day if it's not too crowded. From the Eiffel Tower, cross the street to the Bateau Mouche and buy tickets for the last cruise of the night, usually 10pm. After purchasing tickets continue to walk along the river (to your right if you're facing the water). In a little less than a mile you'll reach the Pont des Invalides bridge. Cross the bridge and continue down this road to the Champs-Elysées. This is a famous shopping street. If you're spent on French food there are many chains here. There is also an unbelievable restaurant for dessert called Laduree (75 avenue des Champs Elysées.) They are famous for macaroons. It is beautiful and romantic. Continue down the Champs Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe. From the Arc de Triomphe walk down Avenue Kleber about 3/4 mile, nothing too exciting to see on this street. At the end of Avenue Kleber you'll reach the Trocadero, a series of museums across the river from the Eiffel Tower. Take some great nighttime pics here while the tower is sparkling. Continue back to the Bateau Mouche for your evening cruise.
Chicago Half-Day Walking Tour
I made this for my brother and have since shared it with several friends. I think it's a great way to spend a day in Chicago.
Begin at the corner of Wacker and Michigan Avenue. (This is the big shopping street in Chicago)
Continue down Michigan Avenue to East Division St., about 1 mile.
Turn Left on Division St. and make a right onto Astor Street. (This is a historic, beautiful street)
Continue down Astor to North Blvd. (.5 miles) Directly in front of you is Lincoln Park.
Make at Left at North Blvd. and walk to Wells St. (.3 miles) You'll see Second City on your right. Walk through the lobby to see famous alumni.
Make a Left on Wells St. to check out Old Town. This was my favorite part of the city! On the right side of the street is an awesome store that sells only oil and vinegar. The staff is so nice and you can try samples of crazy good balsamic vinegar. While you're here I'd walk down a few blocks, then back up to North Ave. A great place to explore and have lunch.
Continue left down North Blvd. to North Cleveland Ave. Make a right down Cleveland Ave. (.5 miles) This is just a nice walk through a neighborhood.
Make a left at West Armitage and continue to N. Halstead st. (.3 miles)
Make a right on N. Halstead and continue to Addison St. (2 miles) This is a long stretch down a main st. You'll walk by a pretty garden at Children's hospital, Loyola U, Kingston Mines, etc. If you want to skip it you could take the metro from Armitage to Addison or walk down Sheffield which is parallel.
At Addison, make a left. Wrigley Field is .3 miles down the road.
Begin at the corner of Wacker and Michigan Avenue. (This is the big shopping street in Chicago)
Continue down Michigan Avenue to East Division St., about 1 mile.
Turn Left on Division St. and make a right onto Astor Street. (This is a historic, beautiful street)
Continue down Astor to North Blvd. (.5 miles) Directly in front of you is Lincoln Park.
Make at Left at North Blvd. and walk to Wells St. (.3 miles) You'll see Second City on your right. Walk through the lobby to see famous alumni.
Make a Left on Wells St. to check out Old Town. This was my favorite part of the city! On the right side of the street is an awesome store that sells only oil and vinegar. The staff is so nice and you can try samples of crazy good balsamic vinegar. While you're here I'd walk down a few blocks, then back up to North Ave. A great place to explore and have lunch.
Continue left down North Blvd. to North Cleveland Ave. Make a right down Cleveland Ave. (.5 miles) This is just a nice walk through a neighborhood.
Make a left at West Armitage and continue to N. Halstead st. (.3 miles)
Make a right on N. Halstead and continue to Addison St. (2 miles) This is a long stretch down a main st. You'll walk by a pretty garden at Children's hospital, Loyola U, Kingston Mines, etc. If you want to skip it you could take the metro from Armitage to Addison or walk down Sheffield which is parallel.
At Addison, make a left. Wrigley Field is .3 miles down the road.
Mezza Mediterranian Grill
We hit Mezza Mediterranian Grill on Saturday night. It's a new spot across from the Kirk Douglas Theater in Culver City.
The waitstaff and hostesses were very nice, they all wore coin belts that jingle as they walk around. The decor felt Lebanese/Turkish to me and the decorations were nice although it could be less bright. They've only been open for a few weeks so they're still getting their bearings. The music fit the decor well.
The restaurant was very busy on Saturday at 8 and you can tell it'll be really on warm nights when you can sit on the patio. The crowd was diverse and everyone had praise for the owner who personally visited each table to make sure people were enjoying their experience.
Now for the food...
They serve complimentary pita chips with a thick sesame sauce when you arrive. Very tasty but I wish the chips were larger.
Their beer/wine license is pending so I had Jalab to drink. This drink is comprised of rose water and molasses with pine nuts and walnuts on top. If you like rose water (I do) it's delicious but it is strong and I can see how it might be like drinking perfume if you aren't a fan.
Spinach Fatyer- I thought would be similar to spanikopita. It wasn't, it was much beter. The crust was chewy and it was very lemony. Fatyer was baked and at served room temperature so it wasn't as greasy as spanikopita tends to be. I really enjoyed this dish. You could easily have this and a salad for a light lunch. ($5.95)
Beef Shwarma- How have I lived my whole life without eating Shwarma? It was delicious! The meat was perfectly seasoned and a little spicy. For sides I chose tabouleh salad and spicy hummus. The tabouleh had less bulgar wheat than I prefer but it was very good with fresh parsley, onions and tomatoes. It was flavorful and had a spicy kick. Big portion was enough to eat half and take half home. ($11.50)
Shrimp Kabob Plate- My husband had this dish and adored it. Fresh chunks of onion, red and green peppers broke up large shrimp on a skewer. We brought half of this one home too. ($12.99)
Dessert sampler - The Ashta, a rosewater whipped cream, was delicious. Delicate and very flavorful with homemade syrup. The Namoura, a simple cookie type dessert made with sugar, butter and flour, was overly sweet for me but tasty. The Baklava was too dry for my taste but they emphasize healthy so it was probably dry because it wasn't drenched in syrup and butter.
I would highly recommend this spot next time you're in Culver City. It'll just get better and better as they get settled.
www.mezzamg.com
The waitstaff and hostesses were very nice, they all wore coin belts that jingle as they walk around. The decor felt Lebanese/Turkish to me and the decorations were nice although it could be less bright. They've only been open for a few weeks so they're still getting their bearings. The music fit the decor well.
The restaurant was very busy on Saturday at 8 and you can tell it'll be really on warm nights when you can sit on the patio. The crowd was diverse and everyone had praise for the owner who personally visited each table to make sure people were enjoying their experience.
Now for the food...
They serve complimentary pita chips with a thick sesame sauce when you arrive. Very tasty but I wish the chips were larger.
Their beer/wine license is pending so I had Jalab to drink. This drink is comprised of rose water and molasses with pine nuts and walnuts on top. If you like rose water (I do) it's delicious but it is strong and I can see how it might be like drinking perfume if you aren't a fan.
Spinach Fatyer- I thought would be similar to spanikopita. It wasn't, it was much beter. The crust was chewy and it was very lemony. Fatyer was baked and at served room temperature so it wasn't as greasy as spanikopita tends to be. I really enjoyed this dish. You could easily have this and a salad for a light lunch. ($5.95)
Beef Shwarma- How have I lived my whole life without eating Shwarma? It was delicious! The meat was perfectly seasoned and a little spicy. For sides I chose tabouleh salad and spicy hummus. The tabouleh had less bulgar wheat than I prefer but it was very good with fresh parsley, onions and tomatoes. It was flavorful and had a spicy kick. Big portion was enough to eat half and take half home. ($11.50)
Shrimp Kabob Plate- My husband had this dish and adored it. Fresh chunks of onion, red and green peppers broke up large shrimp on a skewer. We brought half of this one home too. ($12.99)
Dessert sampler - The Ashta, a rosewater whipped cream, was delicious. Delicate and very flavorful with homemade syrup. The Namoura, a simple cookie type dessert made with sugar, butter and flour, was overly sweet for me but tasty. The Baklava was too dry for my taste but they emphasize healthy so it was probably dry because it wasn't drenched in syrup and butter.
I would highly recommend this spot next time you're in Culver City. It'll just get better and better as they get settled.
www.mezzamg.com
Hiking at Will Rogers Park
Last weekend was an eventful one (it was 3 days after all) and, in addition to Adventures in Archery, we also had a chance to go hiking at Will Rogers Park. We arrived at 2 and had just missed the tour of Will's house. It was beautiful from the outside and if you're planning a day there, I'd recommend you arrive around noon, hike for an hour or so, do the house tour at 1, then have a picnic lunch.
Directions - We arrived from he PCH and drove up, up, up Sunset. If you're coming from the PCH, take Chautauqua Blvd. to Sunset. It'll save lots of time. We parked in the lot and paid the $12 (yikes) because any little bit will help the parks these days. We'll really miss them if they're not around.
The Park - When you arrive the first thing you see is a huge polo field. I read that there are games on Saturdays. Sounds like a great place to spend the afternoon. There was no game the day we were there but lots of people picnicking and playing with their dogs. To get to the trails you'll pass by stables with horses and an old blacksmith's shop. The 2 mile loop to Inspiration point is quick and very pretty. It's steep at points, but very manageable. We did the loop and all available detours in about an hour and a half. This would be a great place to take people from out of town for a nice view without too much work to get there. It's a quick and easy version of Topanga Canyon, easier to get there and easier trails.
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=626
Directions - We arrived from he PCH and drove up, up, up Sunset. If you're coming from the PCH, take Chautauqua Blvd. to Sunset. It'll save lots of time. We parked in the lot and paid the $12 (yikes) because any little bit will help the parks these days. We'll really miss them if they're not around.
The Park - When you arrive the first thing you see is a huge polo field. I read that there are games on Saturdays. Sounds like a great place to spend the afternoon. There was no game the day we were there but lots of people picnicking and playing with their dogs. To get to the trails you'll pass by stables with horses and an old blacksmith's shop. The 2 mile loop to Inspiration point is quick and very pretty. It's steep at points, but very manageable. We did the loop and all available detours in about an hour and a half. This would be a great place to take people from out of town for a nice view without too much work to get there. It's a quick and easy version of Topanga Canyon, easier to get there and easier trails.
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=626
Archery at Cheviot Hills
Last weekend I finally made it to Rancho Park Archery at Cheviot Hills. What a cool, free activity. Make sure you arrive early for the 11am class, they only accept 20 people and some were turned away from our group.
We parked at the front lot and 2551 Motor Ave. and walked to the range but you can also follow signs to parking right next to the range.
The first 45 minutes of class were an orientation. Our teacher showed us how to figure out which eye is dominant which determines whether you're a leftie or a rightie. After that you get your free equipment and shoot until they kick you out. We stayed until 1:30 and had a blast.
Once you take the orientation class you can come back during open shooting on Saturdays and Sundays. Once you have your own equipment most nights the range is open. The equipment, classes and open shooting times are all free so they ask for donations. It's a great idea to give a few dollars for the class. It's such a great resource.
Also, Cheviot Hills Recreation Center is a great spot. They have tennis courts, baseball fields, open spaces and even a dog obstacle course. The dogs and owners both seemed to be having a blast. This is a great place to return to, even if you're not up for archery that day...
We parked at the front lot and 2551 Motor Ave. and walked to the range but you can also follow signs to parking right next to the range.
The first 45 minutes of class were an orientation. Our teacher showed us how to figure out which eye is dominant which determines whether you're a leftie or a rightie. After that you get your free equipment and shoot until they kick you out. We stayed until 1:30 and had a blast.
Once you take the orientation class you can come back during open shooting on Saturdays and Sundays. Once you have your own equipment most nights the range is open. The equipment, classes and open shooting times are all free so they ask for donations. It's a great idea to give a few dollars for the class. It's such a great resource.
Also, Cheviot Hills Recreation Center is a great spot. They have tennis courts, baseball fields, open spaces and even a dog obstacle course. The dogs and owners both seemed to be having a blast. This is a great place to return to, even if you're not up for archery that day...
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