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February 7, 2008
Thee’s Continental Bakery’s Cinnamon French Toast
Filed under: Eat, Midtown, Shop — StyleGuide @ 8:17 pm
Why don’t they deliver breakfast?
I can get pizza and sub sandwiches delivered for lunch, and Chinese food or Thai at my door for dinner. But where are the eggs over easy, the waffles and bacon, or steamers of morning dim sum?
There’s a million dollar idea in there somewhere.
Until some enterprising soul makes the leap, the next best thing is cinnamon loaf bread from Thee’s Continental Bakery. Dip slices in egg, fry in butter — in mere moments the most amazing French toast ever is ready to eat.
Anytime I go to the L.A. Farmer’s Market, I hurry to see if Thee’s has a loaf. They bake all the goodies on the premises — the kitchen is right behind the counter — so they don’t make it everyday. If I’m lucky enough to find the bread, I ask the lackadaisical staff to slice it for me.
Then I throw the bread into the freezer for those mornings I just can’t bear to move.
Its so sweet I don’t even need syrup.
Price: $
Where: L.A. Farmer’s Market, Third and Fairfax, Los Angeles, Ca
Call: 323.937.1968
http://www.farmersmarketla.com/groceries/index.html
Related links | more breakfasts:
Breakfast French-style: bld and King’s Hawaiian French toast
January 31, 2008
Stylish Six: Great Hot Dogs in L.A.
Filed under: Best Of, Eat, Midtown, San Fernando Valley, South Bay, Westside — StyleGuide @ 7:46 pm
Hot dogs are the perfect StylishGuide food — carefully prepared with pride, yet inexpensive enough to indulge without breaking the bank.
We’re blessed with so many stand-up dogs in Los Angeles, I’ll honor them in shifts. First, favorites in L.A. Soon I’ll share the greats in the Valley — a virtual hot dog heaven.
1. Pink’s of Hollywood: This is the closest thing to a hot dog institution in town. There’s something about sitting in the cheap patio chairs in the tiny parking lot on a glistening Southern California day, settling into a chili cheese bacon dog topped with cool fresh tomatoes, and dripping fluorescent constellations of grease across the paper tray — it kindles something profound. It doesn’t make any sense, but it somehow fills me with a feeling of connection, like finding home. That feeling may explain the long, long lines. That, and the wildly inefficient counter service system, of course.
2. Carney’s: Eating in a converted train-car on the Sunset Strip can bring out the 6-year-old boy in anyone, and the dogs are great too. Visit a second location in Studio City.
3. Skooby’s: You’d expect this tiny Hollywood Boulevard stand to be a typical tourist rip-off operation. But the red and white bedecked, cute as a button, clean as a whistle shop with the tattooed and pierced staff actually slings some of the best dogs in town, as well as perfectly seasoned fries with aioli dipping sauce. A second location opened in Hermosa Beach.
4. The Stand: This is the black-tie dining experience of hot dog joints, with gourmet toppings and an upscale ambiance. Bring a date to the Century City, Encino or Westwood locations. Monday nights feature one-dollar dogs.
5. Let’s Be Frank: This is no ordinary catering truck outside Helms Bakery in Culver City. The 100 percent grass-fed beef hot dogs and organic toppings come with a foodie pedigree — Sue, who works the stand, came from the legendary Chez Panisse. At $5/dog, each bite is an investment in guilt-free eating (the dogs have no hormones, antibiotics or chemicals and are lower in calories than typical hot dogs).
6. Dodger Stadium: Grilled, nearly a foot long, and the perfect accompaniment to a game, it’s not surprising that Dodger dogs are among the most popular dogs in baseball. For the truly glutenous, $35 will buy you a ticket in the right field bleachers and unlimited Dodgers Dogs, nachos, peanuts, popcorn and Coke.
Honorable Mention
As a global chain, Costco is no “L.A. Original,” but I can’t ignore the fact they’ve asked only a buck and a half for a meaty Polish dog and soda for as long as I can remember. Top with sauerkraut, relish and onions before sinking into that sweet dog. It soothes the soul after the madness of Costco shopping.
January 29, 2008
Stylish Six: Great Hot Sandwiches
Filed under: Best Of, Downtown, Eat, Pasadena, Westside — StyleGuide @ 9:29 pm
Bread + Meat = Art? With these six hot sandwiches, you betcha.
1. Eastside Market: The universal sign of good cheap eats? Watch where government employees go. Sanitation workers in orange coveralls, City Hall staffers in suits and ties, firemen in uniform — they literally spill out of the door and onto the sidewalk at this odd, ancient downtown sandwich shop. Try the #1. It packs two links of the best homemade sausage in town into a soft Italian roll, then tops them with tomato sauce and grilled peppers and onions.
2. Philippe’s: This is a Chinatown oddity — a cavernous old school, All-American sandwich shop with sawdust on the floor. The line for the counter can number in the scores, but still moves along at a good clip. It seems an unexpected choice, but the turkey sandwich, paired with rich blue cheese and dipped in aromatic broth, delivers big-time.
3. Spring Street Smoke House: While Eastside Market and Philippe’s have been around forever, a new downtown treasure opened last year. Legend has it that on the other floors of the same building that houses Spring Street, the owner cooks for inmates in County lock-up. But this ain’t no prison grub. For a sliced brisket sandwich, they low smoke the beef in a Texas smoker, then deli slice it, pile it high atop a french roll, and smother it with homemade BBQ sauce.
4. Langer’s: If I could eat just one sandwich for the rest of my life, it would be Langer’s #19. Rough-hewn pastrami with bits of fat still clinging to the edges is served on soft rye bread; a thick layer of creamy cool coleslaw completes it. A $12 sandwich may seems excessive, but Langer’s sandwiches transcend that ancient equation of bread and meat. It is an experience that touches your soul. In MacArthur Park, no less.
5. Europane: It’s not surprising that this Pasadena bakery is legendary for pain au chocolate, since the owner formerly baked for Campanile and La Brea Bakery. What is surprising is that they also serve a stunning meatloaf sandwich. The sandwich is toasted, topped with tomato and lettuce, spread with homemade mayo and mustard and finished with tender grilled onions. There’s a choice of fresh, homemade breads for your sandwich – the rosemary currant bread was unbelievable. Another perk of getting lunch from a top-notch bakery? The free cookie on the side.
6. Bay Cities Italian Deli: Hit this Santa Monica strip mall deli and grocery for knock-your-socks-off sandwiches. You can skip the super-long line at the deli (even though there are amazing cold sandwiches there, too) and head to the much shorter hot sandwich line near the entrance. Their sausage sandwich, served steaming and tightly wrapped in foil, is nearly as good as Eastside Market’s, but their hours are much better.
December 18, 2007
Golden Bird Fried Chicken
Filed under: Eat, Midtown, South — StyleGuide @ 8:07 pm
I’m taking a little break for the holidays. I’ll re-post some of my earlier entries up until I get back to the regular schedule in 2008!
A bold statement, I know, to declare the best fried chicken in a city full of strong birds, whether Dinah’s, Roscoe’s or Honey’s.
But I have to say, there’s something about Golden Bird.
First, the name. “Golden Bird” is the perfect appellation for a chicken that, fitting for Los Angeles, is the color of a deep, dark suntan glistening with oil. The tender meat sports a batter coating that is smooth, crispy and light.
Served with the ubiquitous (but odd) side of crinkle cut sweet pickles in a tiny paper cup, the chicken is consistently good. Sides, however, can be hit or miss, but heaven can’t be much better than those days you strike upon a buttery, flaky biscuit with its salty top baked a rich brown, creamy mac and cheese or greens spiked with tender chunks of pork and a sprinkling of crushed red pepper.
There’s a lot of nostalgia for Golden Bird chicken, an L.A. institution since 1953, as locations have diminished over the years. Expect a resurgence with 14 new locations soon to be added to their five existing L.A. stores.
I hit the one at 4725 West Venice, just west of La Brea near the OSH.
Price: $ (under $10)
Where: Check www.goldenbirdchicken.com/contactus.html for locations
Call: 323-525-0488
Do you love Golden Bird? Or does your heart belong to another poultry shop? Tell me about it….
December 12, 2007
Mmmm sandwiches: Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese
Filed under: Eat, Midtown — StyleGuide @ 7:39 pm
Larchmont Village is a weird little universe, a couple of blocks populated by small shops and restaurants with a neighborly vibe. Overall I’d characterize the area as upper-income, what with the denizens of Hancock Park parking their BMWs and frequenting the pricey little shops. Somehow, though, it avoids the snobby feel — perhaps because there are some real dining gems tucked in between that high-end shopping.
A favorite for lunch is Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese. They have an odd little counter tucked in back, serving sandwiches with gourmet ingredients at affordable prices. The Soppressata salami, imported Black Forest ham and Italian prosciutto are sliced as you wait, then piled high on baguette or ciabatta. A little cheese here, a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar there, some tapenade and mixed greens — it all seems so simple. Yet every time I finish my generous sandwich, I wonder how ingredients so basic could combine in such rich and satisfying ways.
But if there’s anything I know about getting a great sandwich at a good price in this town, it is that the experience is never without its toll. At Larchmont you can expect that you’ll face a line, that they’ll close when they run out of bread, and that the counter will keep odd hours (e.g., they’re closed Sundays).
My best tip? Call your order in and make sure “the sandwich that will make your day” is waiting for you at the register.
Price: $
Where: 223 N. Larchmont Blvd., Los Angeles, Ca 90004
Call: 323-856-8699
December 10, 2007
Breakfast Under Pressure: Dim Sum at Empress Pavilion
Filed under: Downtown, Eat — StyleGuide @ 8:45 pm
If your idea of an enjoyable weekend breakfast doesn’t involve people screaming at you in Chinese while shoving steaming steel carts at you, then maybe dim sum at Empress Pavilion isn’t for you.
But if you are up for a little adventure with a cosmopolitan feel, this is the place to get big heaping spoonfuls of it for not a lot of cash.
Dim sum, typically referred to as Chinese breakfast food, looks like little appetizers or pastries. Women push steaming trolleys the size of shopping carts around the dining room, offering guests different types of dim sum served three or four pieces to a tin.
My first visit was stressful because we were a table of neophytes. There’s no time to acclimate yourself to the regulation basketball court-sized dining room or peruse the menu (I don’t think I’ve ever even seen a menu). The mayhem begins the minute you take a seat.
The carts come charging, and we learned quickly to just say yes to a whole bunch of stuff (2-3 tins or plates of dim sum per person). Otherwise, after the initial onslaught there can be a wait before carts return to your part of the dining room.
This is the sweet spot — when the pressure ends and you can sip tea, sample the flavors, relax and chat.
We’ve eaten like kings till we were stuffed for as little as $8 a piece.
Price: $-$$
Where: 988 North Hill St., Los Angeles, Ca 90012
When: Go early on weekends (9 or 9:30 a.m.) to avoid the lines
Call: 213-617-9898
November 22, 2007
Gifts for people you don’t know very well: Diddy Riese
Filed under: Eat, Shop, Westside — StyleGuide @ 7:03 am
There are always those people you don’t know very well, but around this time of year, a holiday gift “expectation” seems to surface. Maybe it’s your neighbor. Or the postal worker. Or that creepy guy at work whose name you don’t know but whom you don’t want to risk alienating by getting everyone else a gift but him.
For a personable “impersonal” gift, try Diddy Riese in Westwood. Those same big, fresh, rich, soft, cheap cookies (a buck for three) that have customers lining up around the block also make affordable gifts.
For $4.75 they’ll pack a dozen in a bright red bag — ready to be handed over to a lucky recipient. If you want something bigger, try a tin with 18 cookies for $10.50 (cash only).
I know, I know, parking in Westwood can be rough. You can find two hours free parking before 6 p.m. at the public garage at 1036 Broxton (Broxton is southbound only at that point, so come from Le Conte or Weyburn). Walk about a block north and you’re there.
Unlike all those bath product gift sets that probably never get used and just make the rounds each year, Diddy Riese’s cookies won’t get re-gifted — and will probably even be shared. Now that’s a gift.
Price: $-$$ (cash only)
Where: 926 Broxton Avenue, Los Angeles, Ca 90024
Call: (310) 208-0448
November 8, 2007
Happy Hour at The Well in Hollywood
Filed under: Eat, Midtown, Play — StyleGuide @ 9:37 am
When it comes to bars, I rely on a key bellwether: a happy hour that never ends.
I was shocked to find my dream bar in Hollywood — right off Sunset and Vine, no less! The Well has one crazy long happy hour, running daily from 5-9 p.m.
That’s right: Happy Hour. Five to 9 p.m. Every day. And “every day” means Friday and Saturday nights, too.
Flavored martinis, well drinks and house beer come in at a paltry $3 to $4 apiece. Appetizers (available during happy hour only) range from two-buck edamame to an $8 half-pound cheeseburger.
The Well tops it off with a well-stocked jukebox played low enough you can actually have a conversation, a sleek decor with comfortable banquettes, and a crowd that won’t look askance whether you’re wearing jeans or hipster gear.
Happy, happy, happy hour!
Price: $
When: Open daily 5 p.m.-2 a.m., happy hour from 5 p.m.-9 p.m.
Where: 6255 W Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, Ca 90028 (find the door on Argyle just north of Sunset)
Call: 323-467-9355
October 31, 2007
Stylish Six: Great Doughnuts in Los Angeles
Filed under: Best Of, Eat, Midtown, San Gabriel Valley, Westside — StyleGuide @ 8:21 pm
“Doughnuts?” The term doesn’t seem to do these “fine American pastries” justice. Here are six of my favorites (including an homage to JFK’s favorite German doughnut):
1. Donut Man: Don’t think about it, just drive. Glendora’s crown jewels are strawberry- or peach-stuffed, fluffy glazed wonders (in season), weighing in at nearly a pound each. See the video here.
2. Rockenwagner Bakery: The famed chef turns out Berliners Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays from his Culver City shop. Mmmm, jam filling….
3. Primo’s Westdale Doughnuts: This old-school shop is in the shadow of the 10 and the 405. Their butterfly doughnut nearly brought me to tears. You need more reason than that?
4. The Gumbo Pot: Beignets are doughnuts, New Orleans-style. Click here for more about these deep fried, powdered sugar-loaded, airy sweet treats from the L.A. Farmer’s Market at Third and Fairfax.
5. Frittelli’s Doughnuts & Coffee: Doughnuts in the 90210 – without the expected attitude or prices. Friendly staff can guide you through their vast selection with prime ingredients like Tahitian vanilla and Meyer lemon zest.
6. Bob’s Coffee and Doughnuts: Plain cake goodness, daily at the L.A. Farmer’s Market. Neat kitty- and dinosaur-shaped doughnuts, too.
Where are your favorite doughnuts?
October 16, 2007
A1 Italian Deli in San Pedro
Filed under: Eat, Shop, South Bay — StyleGuide @ 6:30 am
San Pedro, the port town at the southern terminus of the 110, is one of those places where the town’s main drag would regularly replace itself. New buildings would spring up on the next throughfare to the west, and the town’s bustle would follow. In San Pedro, the action moved from Pacific to Gaffey, and now to Western. The old neighborhoods remain, a little more rundown and a little less crowded.
Some first-rate businesses continue to prosper around the older streets, and A1 is one of them, an authentic old school Italian grocer, a quiet place with a few loud employees. It is the kind of shop that I imagine covers much of New York and Jersey (based entirely on my obsession with mob movies). Their high standards for quality cultivate a loyal following that seems more like family.
I shop affordable specialites like breaded chicken cutlets from the deli (pounded thin and ready for a quick fry in olive oil), uncooked pizza dough from the refrigerator section, fresh produce (including fun stuff like dandelion leaves), Italian wines and aisle after aisle of well-priced imported foods ranging from ladyfingers to olive oil.
But my favorite thing at A1 is their made-to-order Italian prosciutto ham and provolone sandwich. The buttery prosciutto is laid thick on a seven-inch fresh baked french roll with all the usual toppings and a tangy vinaigrette, priced at a mere $4.25.
A1 has been in business in San Pedro since 1947. Although developers have rediscovered the neighborhood and begun populating it with modern loft condominiums, I’m hoping it will remain the same for another 60 years.
Price: $ and up
Where: 348 W. 8th Street, San Pedro, Ca 90731
When: Closed Sundays
Call: 310-833-4045